...there is an occurrence wealthy countries need to contribute because it has an impact on their own people as well. (Streger, 2010, p.83). Foreign aid should be implemented by wealthy countries to help relieve the oppressed developing countries from downturns because of agriculture changes caused by global warming which in turn causes cultivation to decrease and as a result, less trade among nations for the products. This paper will also go into the analysis of democracy as being beneficial for individuals and society as a whole. Individuals are universally correlated to each other on this planet through the air they breathe, the climate, the food and the water that they drink. (Streger, 2010, 108). According to this statement individuals are boundless, and green house gas emissions cannot be contained within national borders. Climate change is caused by joint responsibility through mutual actions; therefore, each country should be liable and respond to this problem as a global response. “Epidemiological studies conducted worldwide have shown a consistent, increased risk for cardiovascular events, including heart and stroke deaths, in relation to short-...
Words: 3078 - Pages: 13
...The Occupy Wall Street of 2011 in Zuccotti Park in New York and the rest of the country and the 15M campaigns in Spain failed to turn public mobilizations into mechanisms in delivering concrete changes partly because the protesters became spectators of their own protests that led into failing to build a hybrid between a social movement and a political party that does not have leaders, but has spokespeople and an organizational structure that lasts more than few months. The candidacies and policies of real progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (Maryland) and Mayor Bill de Blasio and the 72 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus could provide the best hope for permanent hybrid political...
Words: 1741 - Pages: 7
...Foundations Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria Lilian-Rita Akudolu, PhD Professor of Curriculum & Instruction and Commonwealth Fellow Department of Educational Foundations Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria Abstract This study was carried out to identify basic components of civic awareness, civic knowledge and civic dispositions needed by youths in two Colleges of Education in Anambra State of Nigeria as a basis for a functional Citizenship Education curriculum. Three hundred students were randomly selected from the two Colleges of Education in Anambra State. A 50-item questionnaire survey method was utilized based on five research questions. Findings indicated that in the perceptions of the students, it is ideal to incorporate several civic components, skills and dispositions into the citizenship education curriculum. Recommendations were made for revamping of the citizenship education curriculum in Colleges of Education in line with the identified civic components, skills and dispositions so as to ensure the establishment of education for sustainable development in the country. Keywords: Citizenship education, functional curriculum, sustainable development, teachers. Introduction Since the declaration of the years 2005-2014 as the United Nations (UN) decade of Education for Sustainable development (ESD), UNESCO in particular has organized a number of global education conferences aimed at giving people the opportunity to discuss why and how to integrate the values inherent...
Words: 4832 - Pages: 20
..."State and Local Governments" Terence Bolt State & Local Government August 26, 2011 State and Local Governments The differences in culture of the early Americans played a significant role in shaping state government. It affected the level and type of role that its citizens participated in politics, the reach of the government governed its people and the direction of its public policy. The three aspects of the influence of culture on politics were determined by its newly formed citizenry. As the United States was being formed, immigrants from Europe and other countries with similar perspectives grouped together to form different political subcultures. Daniel Elazar, a distinguished political scientist at Temple University, has been one of the leaders in this school of thought. Elazar (1994) argues that, "... the nation has one general political culture, but that within it are three important subcultures, which he describes as individualistic, moralistic, and traditionalistic." (pg 28) The Individualistic subculture relies on the marketplace. Government's role is limited and was instituted to accomplish the demands of the people. Elazar (1994) says that, "government need not have any direct concern with questions of "the good society"; except to further economic prosperity of the market place. In other words, government should primarily be limited to, "...areas in the economic realm, that encourage private initiative...
Words: 3940 - Pages: 16
...has given to its citizens the benefit of material prosperity, political liberty, and a wholesome of natural equality, and this achievement is a gain, not only to Americans, but to the world and to civilization.” The political organization Croly speaks of is democracy, which influences both the economic and social structures of regions that utilize. Because of Herbert’s quote, it is evident that democracy is a worthwhile venture—one that must be spread. It is because I agree with the legendary Herbert that I affirm today’s resolution: Resolved: The United States ought to promote democracy in the Middle East. We value a democracy” in the resolution contextualizing it as a question with the ideals of democracy presupposed. The Oxford Dictionary defines democracy as “A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives” Prefer the Oxford dictionary because They come from the most reliable sources The most commonly used and most useful definition of a word comes first and we have used the first definitions of democracy in these dictionaries They match the definition of democracy that normal citizens would associate with the word Our value criterion will be fulfilling the obligations of the government Americans have an obligation to assist others due to the innate value of all people Lynn-Jones 98 [(Sean M. Lynn-Jones, Editor, International Security; Series Editor, Belfer Center Studies in International...
Words: 2536 - Pages: 11
...Groups, and Average Citizens Martin Gilens Princeton University mgilens@princeton.edu Benjamin I. Page Northwestern University b-page@northwestern.edu forthcoming Fall 2014 in Perspectives on Politics For helpful comments the authors are indebted to Larry Bartels and Jeff Isaacs, to three anonymous reviewers, and to seminar participants at Harvard and Rochester Universities. Gilens and Page Testing Theories of American Politics 2 Abstract Each of four theoretical traditions in the study of American politics – which can be characterized as theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy, Economic Elite Domination, and two types of interest group pluralism, Majoritarian Pluralism and Biased Pluralism – offers different predictions about which sets of actors have how much influence over public policy: average citizens; economic elites; and organized interest groups, mass-based or business-oriented. A great deal of empirical research speaks to the policy influence of one or another set of actors, but until recently it has not been possible to test these contrasting theoretical predictions against each other within a single statistical model. This paper reports on an effort to do so, using a unique data set that includes measures of the key variables for 1,779 policy issues. Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based...
Words: 15852 - Pages: 64
...independent media acting on behalf of the citizen against both state and other interests is a widespread ideal, the reality of most media worldwide is complex, rapidly changing and extraordinarily diverse. Media can consist of everything from national newspapers to student magazines, global broadcasters to community radio, websites and blogs to social networks and virtual communities, citizen journalists to government mouthpieces. This briefing focuses principally on media – and to a lesser extent on linked information and technologies - at a national level within developing countries. The term media refers to several different forms of communication required to educate and make a socially aware nation. The communication forms can be radio, television, cinema, magazines, newspapers, and/or Internet-based web sites. These forms often play a varied and vital role in our society. GOVERNANCE Recently the terms "governance" and "good governance" are being increasingly used in development literature. Bad governance is being increasingly regarded as one of the root causes of all evil within our societies. Major donors and international financial institutions are increasingly basing their aid and loans on the condition that reforms that ensure "good governance" are undertaken. GOOD GOVERNANCE Good governance is an indeterminate term used in international development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources. The concept of "good...
Words: 4010 - Pages: 17
...Participatory Approaches in Public Expenditure Management1, India: Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and the Right to Information Campaign2 THE RIGHT TO KNOW IS THE RIGHT TO LIVE ‐ Slogan, National Campaign for the People’s Right to Information, India. BACKGROUND: Development interventions can be made more effective through a vibrant grassroots democracy by focusing on transparency and accountability of public expenditure. The work of a community based organization, the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), in Rajasthan, one of the most economically and socially backward states in western India, offers such an example. It demonstrates how a grassroots movement in which the community demands to know the details of public expenditure eventually led to the enactment of legislations pertaining to the Right to Information (RTI) in Rajasthan as well as a number of other states in India. The MKSS, whose members are mostly from lower socioeconomic classes, such as marginal farmers and landless laborers, was founded in 1990, with the stated objective of using constructive action to change the lives of the rural poor so that they could live with dignity and justice. Since land and minimum wages have always been the two basic issues of the rural landless poor, the MKSS, initiated struggles on issues of land redistribution and minimum wages. Villagers, under the aegis of MKSS, used traditional forms of protest such as hunger strikes and sit‐ins...
Words: 3642 - Pages: 15
...to explore democracy, democratic consolidation and democratization. It further explains why democratization takes different ‘flight trajectories’ in different developing countries. It is difficult to reach a consensus on the definition of democracy. However, the main idea of democracy is widely accepted to have originated from Athens in the 5th century BC. The Webster New Encyclopedic Dictionary (1995) defines democracy as a government in which supreme power is invested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through representation. According to Lindel, and Scott (1999), the term originates from the Greek word (demokratia) which simply means “rule of the people” and it was coined from (demos) “people” and (kratos) “power” or “rule” in the 5th century B.C. It is important to note that the political system postulated by the Athenians was such that democratic citizenship was exclusive to an elite class of free men only. Slaves and women were excluded from participation. Furthermore, in a lecture titled “What is Democracy”? Diamond (2004) gave an overview of what in his opinion is democracy. He describes democracy as a system of government with four key elements: a system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections; active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life; protection of the human rights of all citizens; and a rule of law in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens. Popper as...
Words: 3633 - Pages: 15
...and it different with different elections and different decades. +The Power of Incumbency- It is usually used in reference to elections where races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbents. Incumbents have easier access to campaign finance and government resources that can be indirectly used to boost a campaign. Incumbency is any elected official who is already in office and seeking re-election. 2. Explain the Philosophical underpinnings of American Political System through the Exploration of important theories such as the “Social Contract” theory and the concept of the “Natural Law”: -Forms and Functions of Government +Authority- The ability of public institutions and the officials within them to make laws, independent of the power to execute them. +Democracy- Form of government in which the people, either directly or through elected representation, hold...
Words: 10611 - Pages: 43
...Political Knowledge: Voter Information and the Democratic Citizen Many Americans proudly assert that the “American Experiment” has been a success. The optimistic and patriotic American will point to the “stability” and strength of the country's democratic institutions upheld by the United States Constitution as proof that the democratic notions and principles that were envisioned by the Founding Fathers continue to flourish to this day. A pessimistic individual on the other hand may easily point out that the current political climate exemplifies the decline of civic responsibility, and ultimately, the decline of democratic rule. In Washington, politicians are split along partisan lines, battling one another on decisive and controversial issues such as raising the debt limit, balancing the budget, and health care reform. While politicians carefully calculate the potential consequences of their decisions, the same battles are being waged ferociously on other fronts by the media and other self-interested groups. Ultimately, the results of these policy decisions depend on which party could convince the American public of what is in their best collective interest. This is precisely the nature of politics and democracy, and neither one is always fair. In a world where interest groups and lobbies have tremendous sway and influence over those in power, and when media reporting of the issues lacks fairness and accuracy, it should be the citizen's duty and responsibility to ensure that...
Words: 2854 - Pages: 12
...Marina Kumskova Professor Austin LaGrone ENG 101 April 15, 2013 Human Rights violation’s in the Russian Federation. There is no single, universally accepted definition of democracy. In fact, there is no universal model of what democracy should be. The emphasis varies in accordance with the history of a country, its culture and the strength of its civil society, and conditions under which democratic institutions were introduced. One consequence is that countries that use the term “democratic” to describe their governing systems can range from Western European nations to China and the former Soviet Union to autocracies in the Middle East and Latin America. Democratic systems can be minimalist democracies in which the citizens mainly do not have the right to vote but enjoy few other freedoms. Other are the democracies that would expand the conception of democracy to full participation in all civic institutions. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “recognition of the dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”. Speaking of the Eastern Europe, one can trace the development from minimalist democracy to dictatorships. The most popular example of dictatorship in the Eastern Europe is Belarus. The US Department of State repeatedly criticized the regime enacted by Aleksandr Lukashenko, who has been steadily consolidating his power through authoritarian...
Words: 3639 - Pages: 15
...INTERNATIONAL FACTORS OF ENVIRONMENT Public administration operates in a global environment that requires a greater emphasis on cooperation among nations. Globalization has become a catch world for international development endeavors throughout the world. With globalization borders between regions and nations are no longer important. A final component of the general environment is actions of other countries or groups of countries that affect the organization. Governments may act to reserve a portion of their industries for domestic firms, or may subsidize particular types of businesses to make them more competitive in the international market. Some countries may have a culture or undergo a change in leadership that limits the ability of firms to participate in the country's economy. As with the other elements of the macroenvironment, such actions are not directed at any single company, but at many firms. ECONOMIC ASSOCIATIONS. One of the most recent joint efforts by governments to influence business practices was NAFTA. The agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico was intended to facilitate free trade between the three countries. The result has been a decrease in trade barriers between them, making it easier to transport resources and outputs across national boundaries. The move has been beneficial to many businesses, and probably to the economies of all three countries. In most economic associations, preference is also given to products from member countries...
Words: 1251 - Pages: 6
...of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the author. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. 2 Abstract This dissertation analyses the problem of how to create more just and democratic global governing institutions, exploring the approach of a more formal system of collective decision-making by the three main actors in global society: governments, civil society and the business sector. The thesis seeks to make a contribution by presenting for discussion an addition to the system of international governance that is morally justified and potentially practicable, referred to as ‘Collective Management’. The thesis focuses on the role of civil society, analysing arguments for and against a role for civil society that goes beyond ‘soft power’ to inclusion as voting members in inter-governmental decision-making structures in the United Nations (UN) system, the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organisation...
Words: 127847 - Pages: 512
...Chapter 6 The media, government accountability, and citizen engagement Katrin Voltmer The past two decades or so have seen an unprecedented spread of democracy around the globe. With the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 and the end of the Cold War, the ‘third wave’ of democratization, which started in the early seventies, now encompasses countries in Asia and Africa.1 And even in states whose governments continue to resist a more open and participatory form of governance, such as North Korea, Burma or Zimbabwe, the idea of democracy is a powerful force that inspires people to take on a more active role in public life. However, many of the newly emerging democracies seem to fall short of some, often many, of the basic standards that define democratic rule, with irregular voting procedures, corruption, inefficiency and autocratic styles of government being but a few of the maladies. In addition, as many of the newly emerging democracies belong to the developing world, inequality and poverty remain severe obstacles to full self‐determination of the people. The experiences of the past decades have shown that democracy is not a one‐way road and that a viable democracy requires more than the implementation of the key institutions of government. Rather, an accountable and efficient government is embedded in a complex web of interdependent conditions that ...
Words: 10604 - Pages: 43
