...America Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming Our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy, by Gar Alperovitz claim’s that our political/economic system can no longer sustain equality liberty, and democracy to the American working class. Alperovitz argues that a radical change to our political-economic system is needed. He also believes that it is at the lower or grassroots level that this change has to take place, but that it is going to take some time and a lot of commitment on their part. An analysis of Alperovitz’s book America Beyond Capitalism provides a unique but radical perspective on overhauling our political/economical system. However, his perspective depends on the American working class people to create a new political/economic system in order to restore equality, liberty, and democracy. This idea is plausible, but reducing the federal government down to the city and state level is highly unlikely. Alperovitz claims that our political/economic system can no longer sustain our equality, liberty, and democracy for working class Americans. Alperovitz’s first argument is on equality. His concern is that globalization, changing technologies, and sectoral balances are creating a widening gap of inequality. The decline of labor unions has enabled the corporations to lead a number of campaigns that have challenged redistribution programs. Globalization has increased the influence of large corporations over our economical and political system because they have the option to take their...
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...Political science Students Name University Affiliation Political cultures definition can be a country’s psychology. Political culture is the set of beliefs attitudes and sentiments responsible for giving order to a process that is political. Studies of political culture attempt to uncover underlying long held values and characteristics of societal groups rather than their attitudes that are short-lived towards issue of public surveys on the latter’s opinions. Political culture is thus a manifestation in aggregate form of the subjective and psychological forms of politics. Political culture attempts to make more explicit and systematic understanding of long-standing concepts that are in association with ideologies, political psychology of the nation and the people's fundamental values. There are no means that freedom and equality can stop disagreeing. Freedom is when one has the right to do something without asking for permission whereas equality is getting treatment that is similar to everyone else and equality differ in that freedom and using them in infringing equality and equality can help in undermining freedom. A good example is a situation where one can use their freedom to insult people from other races. Insulting of others goes against the fact that they are all equal. An example of equality is a situation where traffic is cleared in order for a political leader to be the priority. Freedom and equality can never lack conflict this is...
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...American National Government Topic 1 American Government: An Introduction Assessment 1 Chapter 1 Directions: Answer the following questions after viewing the assigned Power Point presentation and reading related materials in the text. Be sure to use complete sentences. 1. Define government and politics. Compare these two terms and cite examples of each. Explain how the two terms are distinct but related to each other. · Government is the people who run the country. Politics is the process followed by the leaders of political groups who rule the country. Government implements the policies of the lands, such as with the judicial branch to enforce the laws, the legislative branch to create the laws, and the executive branch to perform national security duties. And politics are the tool utilized by the government. They both utilize political science which is the study of government and politics. While they both perform and aid the same basic function of running the country, politics is just the process while the government is the actual facility performing the tasks. 2. What is anarchy? Can anarchy ever a viable alternative to government, in your opinion? Why or why not? · Anarchy is living in a state of lawlessness. I believe it cannot, because humans do not function correctly without some type of structure. Without structure there will be total chaos. Murders and other unmentionable crimes will occur with no repercussions being put into place. 3. What...
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...significance of the study are introduced. In Chapter Two, some definitions of key terms included in or related to this thesis are presented, including Value, Cultural Value and The Declaration of Independence. Chapter Three mainly concerns the analysis of the text of The Declaration of Independence. By analyzing the text, the main cultural values related are demonstrated as liberty, equality and democracy. Then each cultural value is explained respectively and thoroughly with proper examples. Chapter Four mainly discusses the contradictions and conflicts inherent in those American cultural values, showing that American cultural values is a double-edged sword. The last chapter is the conclusion part which summarizes the whole thesis. Key Words: American, The Declaration of Independence, cultural values Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Definitions of Related Concepts 2 2.1 Value 2 2.2 Cultural Value 2 2.3 The Declaration of Independence 3 Chapter 3 American Cultural Values reflected in The Declaration of Independence 5 3.1 Liberty 5 3.2 Equality 7 3.3 Democracy 10 Chapter 4 Contradictions and Conflicts 13 Chapter...
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...casual questions in the realm of politics and government is what political science and this book are all about. 4. Knowing the fundamentals of your political system and good thinking is important because it allows you to keep your leaders, and family and friends accountable. 5. Single cause explanations flow from a particular or partisan posture or in the need to explain something in a sound bite 6. Correlation- a relationship between factors such that change in one is accompanied by change in one is accompanied by change in the other Causation- a relationship between variables such that change in the value of the others Spurious relationship- a relationship between variables that reflects correlation but not causation 7. Government- intuitions that have the authority and capacity to create and enforce public policies (rules) for a specific territory and people. There are about 89,000 governments 8. Government is different from other institutions in society in that it has a broad right to force, government can make citizens do things they otherwise might not do (such as pay taxes, educate their children, carry car insurance, and pay for lost library books) 9. Social contract- an agreement among members of a society to form and recognize the authority of a centralized government that is empowered to make and enforce laws governing the members of that society Authoritarian system- a political...
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...concerns. It can take many forms, from individual voluntarism to organizational involvement to electoral participation. It can include efforts to directly address an issue, work with others in a community to solve a problem or to interact with the institution of representative democracy. 4. Political Engagement: The citizen’s actions that are intended to solve public problems through political means. A wide variety of these political actions are possible, from boycotting and buycotting to running office. The people can help by organizing a fund raiser even, signing a petition, or joining a volunteer group. 5. Government: The institution that creates and implements policies and laws that guide the conduct of the nation and its citizens. It is the system by which a state or community is governed. Government of any kind currently affects every human activity in many important ways. 6. Citizens: The member of a polity who, through birth or naturalization, enjoy the rights, privileges, and responsibilities attached to membership in a given nation. The link between a person and a state or an association of states. A citizen is given the right to work and live in a country, and to participate in political life. 7. Legitimacy: A...
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...do the right things most of the time? It’s all really based on you opinion * a 2000 study of undergraduates showed that 64% did not trust the government Why do we care if people are turning out to vote? * Voter turnout is a sign of political efficacy as well as engagement * People who are engaged are more informed, more likely to communicate with their representatives, more likely to advocate for their interests, and hold public officials accountable for their actions. Political culture * The people’s collective beliefs and attitudes about government and political processes * What is it that binds us together as Americans? * Our political ideologies * Our political values – liberty, capitalism, equality, consent of the governed, individualism Ideology * Political ideology is an integrated system of ideas or beliefs about political values in general and the role of the government in particular * Ideology provides a framework for thinking about politics and policy preferences Ideologies * Modern liberalism is associated with ideas of liberty and political equality: * Tend to favor chance in social, political and economic realms to better protect individuals and produce equality What is the constitution? * Fundamental principles of a government and the basic structures and procedures Two US Constitutions * Articles of confederation ( 1781-1789) * Constitution of the united states (1789-present) Events leading...
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...Vincent Serrecchia Professor Cruz Latino Politics 28 February 2012 Debate Paper #2 According to Webster’s dictionary, the definition of liberalism is as follows, “a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties.” The first known use of liberalism in our society was in 1819, and from then on it has always claimed to stand for the greatest social good. As for liberalism being incompatible with identity politics, I disagree. I believe identity politics is compatible with liberalism. Liberalism is considered democracy free while identity politics focus on the self-interest and perspectives of self-identified groups. My first experience with a Latino politics debate wasn’t exactly positive because it made me nervous knowing I had to express my views towards the question that was assigned to our debate. At the beginning of the debate I was a little nervous to speak my opinion because I felt that I did not know enough about the Latino culture, as well as having a hard time understanding the readings. I was afraid that what I was about to say could come off as offending to some of my fellow classmates and, in defense to that, it would cause another debate. However, after having the opportunity to listen to the first debater give their opinion on the question, I felt more comfortable to speak my opinion without the risk of...
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...Iqbal on Islam-Democracy Discourse: An Analysis of his Views on Compatibility and Incompatibility Tauseef Ahmed Parray Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) was a poet and philosopher, a fine prose-writer, a great linguist and man of letters, a well-known lawyer, a leading politician, a front-rank statesman, an esteemed educationist, a great art critic, Muslim reformer, a dominant and one of the most distinguished thinkers of the 20th century. His writings – consisting of poetry in three languages: Punjabi, Urdu and Persian and prose in English and Urdu - have inspired thousands and his thought has moved millions. Iqbal was at the same time a philosopher in the line of al-Farabi, Ibn Sina and al-Ghazzali and a poet in the rank of Saa`di and Hafiz. For most of his life his profession was law and his passion, writing prose and especially poetry, considering it as a vehicle for the propagation of his thought. Iqbal studied both Islamic sciences and the Western philosophy. His writings were indebted to two principal sources: his Islamic heritage and the western philosophy he studied at Cambridge, Munich, and Heidelberg. The poetry of Iqbal is mainly philosophical and the questions relating to religion, race and civilization, government, progress of women, literature and arts, and world politics were of equal interest to him. In this paper, an exploration of Iqbal`s views about democracy is made, revealing that he accepted only those principles of democracy which he deemed...
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...Chapter 1: The Political Landscape Study Guide 1. Define politics. | | 2. How does the Constitution help "establish justice"? | | 3. According to the Preamble to the Constitution, what are the functions of government? | | 4. Define oligarchy, democracy, monarchy, tyranny, and totalitarianism. Give an example of each. | | |Oligarchy - | | | | | |Democracy - | | ...
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...benefits of Democracy in China Introduction For Americans, "democracy" is a cherished and familiar word. Proud of their own democratic institutions, most Americans have felt freedom is not free and Democracy takes courage and effort within the whole country. But Democracy does not mean the same concept and advantages to all people everywhere; it changes each time it translates into a different language and cultural context. Democracy (translated into Chinese as " minzhu ," or "people-as-masters") is not a concept inherent in Chinese culture or political philosophy. In fact, it is in complete opposition to their own culture, which stresses harmony and obedience. But neither is democracy a concept that has just recently taken hold in the minds of Chinese youth who have seen the wonders of democracy in Western-style music and food. The Chinese democratic tradition was begun nearly one hundred years before the white plaster statue erected on Tiananmen Square attracted the attention of the world. In those hundred years, it has been the cause of rebellions, arrests, purges, and endless debate on the best way to understand and implement such a complex form of social organization. The power of the word "democracy" worked on Western viewers of the 1989 movement as well. Chinese students knew from experience that describing their struggle as a "democratic" one was the best way to win international sympathy in the industrialized West. The "Goddess of Democracy," although it...
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...study and practice of education in a democratic society. It will be argued that at its core education is a normative enterprise, in that it is driven by fundamental social values as well as the imperatives of social justice. These values and imperatives powerfully shape every dimension of educational theory, policy, and practice. From this perspective, education requires a normative frame of reference. Democracy, understood as not only a political system but more fundamentally as a way of life grounded in specific values and principles, provides a powerful point of reference. At the heart of democracy is the value of liberty, understood as self-determination. Self-determination requires that there should be careful reflection upon and rational deliberation concerning social values and, in turn, the imperatives of justice that inform the purposes and practices of education. It will be argued that philosophy constitutes a mode of inquiry and a discipline that enriches the capacity for reflection and rational deliberation, and hence it is essential for both democracy and the study and practice of education in a democratic society. Education as a Normative Enterprise There are a number of ways in which education is normative. While what follows is not an exhaustive list, it is arguably sufficient to demonstrate the normative nature of education. 73 In Factis Pax Volume 6 Number 2 (2012): 73-84 http://www.infactispax.org/journal/ First, education is an intentional...
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...future will to redeem our past sins, and they believe that no matter what, American can always become greater than it already is. While conservatives center a lot of their attention around American symbols like the flag, liberals tend to focus on the American ideals about democracy, equality, and liberty. Because Obama’s beliefs are based on liberal patriotism and McCain’s are based on conservative patriotism, their specific ideas are likely to conflict. As expected based on Beinart’s analysis, Obama’s speech focus on American ideals and the future, while McCain’s focuses on honoring the past. Obama uses his “rags to riches” life story to emphasize the equality of opportunity in America, a democratic ideal that defines the American culture. He states that “…our votes will be counted”, demonstrating the American belief in political equality with “one person, one vote.” While Obama believes we should feel blessed to have all the opportunities that present themselves in America, McCain believes that “The patriot must not just accept, but in his or her own way protect the ideals that gave birth to our country.” McCain emphasizes that we should constantly be protecting America’s liberty, equality, and democracy given to us by past citizens by reminding us of lives lost to give us...
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...The first three words of the US Constitution are “We the People”. How well does the American Government of today reflect the will of the American people In the spring and summer of 1776, Americans, angry and frustrated with an existing government, wrote these words. "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." Our government is only as good or evil as "We the People" allow it to be. It is a good concept and I do believe that was why the states elected politicians...to take the views that the people of that state, wanted to relay to the federal government..so each state could choose laws and run their states according to the will of the people...I was raised with the idea that the federal government was in place to take care of the road system and our army to protect us...the people of the USA against other countries...and everyone who became a Legal American citizen, agreed to follow the Constitution of the USA....I guess I have it all wrong...now if you say something "wrong" by other's view...you can go to jail for longer time than some people get hurting and killing someone......It is okay to kill an unborn...
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...Philip Pratt 5th Jacksonian Democrats In the Jacksonian time period of late 1820s to the 1830s, Jacksonians Democrats saw themselves guardians of the U.S. Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. Except for a few discrepancies they did actually live up to these goals and values. They got some of their values from former President Thomas Jefferson, being that they didn’t like the elitists and cared about the common man. Jacksonian Democrats did in fact keep the U.S. together during Jackson’s Presidency, and successfully protected the rights stated in the Constitution except the Indian removal act of 1830.` The Natives American Indians posed as a problem for Jackson because he didn’t know what to do with the ones living in the south, he failed to protect the Indians rights. He decided to remove them and relocate them west of the Mississippi River, to Oklahoma on the famous trail known as the Trail of Tears. Jackson stated he did this to save to Indian culture, but really it was to forcibly remove them from their land and give it to White Farmers. Did the Indians have rights like the white males? Jackson kind of laugh that off and in doing so failed to uphold the Constitution, because he didn’t see them as Americans (which they were not, they were considered a “domestic, dependent nation”). An example of this is when John Marshall head of the Supreme Court decided it was unconstitutional to remove the Indians from their lands and...
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