...Philosophy paper choice 1 Democracy is considered as a normative goodness in contemporary society but it has been a contested topic throughout history. Recognizing and examining those critics of the past will instigate a firmer understanding of the concept. Hearing arguments against democracy will help establish a belief based on an informed conscious rather than blind acceptance. Both Plato and Aristotle were philosophers who scrutinized this form of government for different reasons, their ancient judgments still hold weight today and can be used to evaluate democracy as a whole. My thesis for this paper is that Plato offers a stronger criticism against democracy and Aristotle is a better friend to democracy by comparison. First to establish a similarity between the two philosophers would be the way in which they describe the origins of democracy. Plato starts by explaining how democracies emerge because of the decay of oligarchies. He claims that oligarchies will lead to a schism within the city, where one city becomes two, the city of the rich and the city of the poor.1 Since the poor faction contains the majority of the population, they will overpower the rich faction who are softened by their luxurious lives and cannot resist the poor. Aristotle defines democracy similarly as “where the poor rule”8 and how he defines the poor is when you combine “poverty with mass.”9 Plato asks “is not the transition from oligarchy to democracy brought about by…the necessity...
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...Defining Democracy I define democracy as a system of government that involves freedoms, liberties, fairness, and competition. I believe that these four aspects of political life and participation are essential to forming a democracy. Pluralism is an important aspect of democracy. A true democracy expects competition because there is not one political party or actor that practices monopoly. Therefore, a multiplicity of actors has to be present. Democracy means observing multiple aspects, perspectives and choices in the political realm. There should never be one single actor that far exceeds all others. Politics is inevitably varied in terms of how it is practiced, who practices it, and what ideals it encompasses. Thus, plurality is a very important aspect that creates competition, which is needed for a true democracy. Democracy is a very difficult concept to define. There still is no concrete definition of democracy, but many people have attempted to provide a comprehensive, yet precise and concise, definition of it. This has resulted in both conceptual stretching and conceptual differentiation (too vague or too specific). I acknowledge the difficulty of making an accurate definition of democracy – so I have provided a statement on what democracy is. These four concepts (freedom, liberty, fairness, and competition) are essential to establishing a true democracy. American democracy means to as an individual: A democracy values each individual in society, because a democratic...
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...Running head: MIDTERM CRITICAL SUMMARY Midterm Critical Summary El Kihal Mohammed Al Akhawayn University 1 MIDTERM CRITICAL SUMMARY 2 The first six chapters discussed in-class included the comparison methodology in political systems, in addition to the political attitudes and behaviors in relation with the ethical foundations of politics. Furthermore, it included an introduction to political ideologies with a focus on the democratic ones. Moreover, it showcased the development of the modern state, along with some key concepts in politics such as constitutions and processes such as pressure groups and social movements. Before engaging in comparing political systems, it is imperative to be aware of the comparison methodology used for this kind of social science. The scientific method used in social sciences is based on the empirical method which includes several steps, of which the most important are: the formulation of the hypotheses after asking curious questions related to a topic of interest - the data collection - the data analysis - the results’ interpretation related to the questions raised. Looking at the political attitudes of people under a specific political system helps to understand the political systems, but what is the reason behind that? Simply because looking at the political attitude of every individual might prove itself to be impossible, so social scientists started analyzing the general trend in the political attitudes of...
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...Jordan Gabson Writing and Rhetoric Tuesday April 30, 2015 Democracy vs. Communism Communism has always been used as secret weapon to make the poor believe that being rich is inappropriate, and that the poor have less because the rich people took the money away from them. In reality, the communist government wants to take the money from the wealthy to make the governing body itself rich. Democracy, on the other hand, promotes capitalism, which allows economic freedom, which helps political freedom; efficiency, economic growth, and everybody having the opportunity to start the business that he or she desires. Communism and democracy are two different ideologies that have each had a great impact in the world. Communism can be defined as a socioeconomic structure that stands for the establishment of classless, egalitarian and stateless society. Democracy, on the other hand, is a political system of governance either carried out by the people directly or by elected representatives. “Democracy may not be the perfect form of government, but sure it is way better than communism” said Jones in his journal, Power and Democracy Education Every single human being in the world knows that this is not true. Everybody knows that communism is a secret weapon that the rulers in the countries where communism is practiced use it to enrich themselves, their families and their friends. Communism is...
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...The essence of this essay is 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...
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...history, democracies have been the exception rather than the norm. In the present day world, about 60 percent of the world's nations are democracies. Other nations have rulers assigned by heredity or have used the military to take leadership by force or rule by wealth or charisma. There are however, fundamental benefits of a democracy. The main benefit of democracy is that every adult person regardless of race, religious belief or gender has the same political rights as each other. People living in a democratic society are protected from oppression by laws and limits on governmental power. Democratic governments put laws into place to protect their citizens and to ensure a safe and fair society. The people who lead a democratic country have to obey the same laws as everyone else. Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens participate equally—either directly or indirectly through elected representatives—in the proposal, development, and creation of laws. It encompasses social, religious, cultural, ethnic and racial equality, justice, liberty and fraternity. The quest for democracy in Bangladesh is moving in circles. The country gained its independence through both the democratic process and through war. During the four decades of its existence as a nation-state it has endured spells of military and non-military rules. Of the latter all were not elected. The elected governments seemed to betray superficial practices of democracy. In Bangladesh...
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...Define Democracy. What does American democracy mean to you as an individual? What are some of the criticisms of this style of government? According to our text Democracy is a manner in which policymakers are selected and a way of organizing government so that policies are carried out, represented and responsive to the people’s preferences. Democracy is supposed to a way for all individuals to choose someone that will represent who we are and what we want. We are able to vote but in many cases the one we chose is not the elected person to fulfill our wish. Though we have the right to vote I feel that its not worth the trouble. Our country is supposed to be one of the best, richest and super powers of the world but this in my opinion is not the case. The officials elected many times chose what they want but not what the people truly want. America doesn’t seem to be a democracy but it is more of a republic. People have lost faith in our government and don’t become involved in any elections any more. It would be nice for Americans to be able to vote on things like term limits, health care reforms, Congressional pay raises or freezes which has never been heard of. I figure if people suffer the consequences of what they chose for us then Congress should suffer it too. References Edwards, G. C., III, Wattenberg, M. P, and Lineberry R. L. (2008). Government in America: People, politics, and policy (brief 9th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson...
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...Annotated Bibliography: The Link between Religion and Democracy The topic of religion and democracy is an especially complex one. Current literature expresses different opinions regarding religion and democratic values. There are contradictory findings on if religion should have a place in political affairs or should be strictly kept separately that shows up in the current literature as well. The sources used for this annotated bibliography all came from the Ryerson University Library and Archives that was searched online. All four of the sources are peer-reviewed and scholarly journal articles. The question of if religion and democracy are somehow intertwined and compatible will be answered in this paper. The relationship between traditional cultural values and democracy will be examined as well. This paper will also contain an overview of the link between...
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...Definition Essay: Democracy Read the following quotations: “There are two things which a democratic people will always find very difficult – to begin a war and to end it.” Alexis de Tocqueville (French Historian and Political Scientist, 1805-1859) “Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either [aristocracy or monarchy]. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.” John Adams (Second President of the United States) “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” Abraham Lincoln (Sixteenth President of the United States) “Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” George Bernard Shaw (Irish Playwright and Essayist, 1856-1950) Write an essay in which you define the word Democracy. Basic Requirements: o Introduction paragraph with thesis statement (HINT: This thesis statement will propose your definition of the word Democracy.) o 2-3 body paragraphs that correlate with your thesis statement and support your definition o A concluding paragraph that reminds me of your key points and effectively argues your definition As you write your essay, you must: o Focus on defining the concept of Democracy. o Effectively organize your ideas using the provided graphic organizer. (A five-paragraph essay is not necessary; however, you do need a definite introduction, body and conclusion.) o Include supporting...
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...‘Relationships between pressure groups and democracy – functional representation, pluralism and pluralist democracy, elitism, criticism of pressure groups.’ 1. Define pressure groups: a group of like-minded individuals that aim to influence the government, public or both 2. What are the two types of pressure groups? Insider; who work with the government, and outsiders; who work against the government 3. How do pressure groups promote democracy? They campaign on behalf of the people. They are consulted by government and try to influence policies to help their section of society. They allow a form of participation and hold marches 4. How do pressure groups limit democracy? They can cause tyranny of majority and suppresses majority’s views 5. Using examples, how far are the criticisms true of UK political system? RSPB, more members than the top 3 parties – undermines representative democracy. Class war, never get into power or have influence – arguable waste of time 6. Define democracy: government chosen for and by the people 7. What is functional representation? The function of associations, usually PG’s, which represent specific sections of society, based on occupation, age, etc. 8. Give an example of functional representation: marches, strikes 9. Describe the differences between elitist system and the pluralist system: pluralism – open access to information and elitist – unlikely to be neutral, favour donors and groups supporting their agenda ...
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...the advantages and disadvantages of different types of political regimes. Aristotle looked at monarchies, aristocracies, polities, tyrannies, oligarchies, and democracies. In his examination, he proposed an explanation of what his best regime would be. While Aristotle admitted that none of the regimes could match his best regime, it can be argued that the polity is the best regime out of the ones that Aristotle studied. The polity provides the greatest regime because it is an indistinguishable mix of democratic and oligarchic elements that works towards the benefit of both the masses and the wealthy, which promotes the middling effect of Aristotle’s best regime. Aristotle’s best regime is one that mimics what he describes as the best way of life. He defines the ideal way of life as living virtuously. He likens this virtue to a mean that is attainable by every type of person. This lifestyle can also be adapted to the regime of a city (Book 4, Chapter 11, Segment 3, pp.114). Aristotle proposes that finding the virtuous mean in a political community is the way to achieve the best regime. A balance needs to be found in a regime that takes into account all factions. It cannot stray too far to one extreme or the next. A strong middle class is the best way to counteract these extremes. He points to an overpowering democracy or oligarchy as the path...
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...Lack of Democracy of the Colonies in the 1760’s “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility…” written and adopted in 1787, the Preamble to the Constitution establishes the government in which we have set up today. This document called for a “republican form of government”, or what today we would call a representative democracy. Though our government is a form of democracy, it was not always this way. In 1760 colonial America, the colonies were lacking certain democratic principles, and therefore I would consider the colonies not to have been a democracy. If you ask 100 different people what their definition of democracy is, you will probably get 100 different answers. In my mind, I would describe democracy as government by the people, for the people. I would say that a democracy’s decisions should be made for the best interest of the vast majority of the population. Those decisions could be achieved in a direct or representative democracy, as long it does in fact benefit the majority. I believe that everybody should get a say. Everybody should get to vote- regardless of education, background, or ethnicity. Government by the people for the people, for the best interest of the people, is how I would define democracy. Now, taking into account my definition of democracy, when asked if the colonies had become democratic by 1760, I would most certainly have to say no. Eight of the colonies at the time...
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...WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? Andrew Heywood The origins of the term 'democracy' can be traced back to Ancient Greece. Like other words ending in 'cracy' - autocracy, aristocracy, bureaucracy and so on -democracy is derived from the Greek word kratos, meaning 'power' or 'rule'. Democracy thus stands for 'rule by the demos', demos meaning 'the people', though it was originally taken to imply 'the poor' or 'the many'. However, the simple notion of 'rule by the people' does not get us very far. The problem with democracy has been its very popularity, a popularity that has threatened the term's undoing as a meaningful political concept. In being almost universally regarded as a 'good thing', democracy has come to used as little more than a 'hurrah! word', implying approval of a particular set of ideas or system of rule. Perhaps a more helpful starting point from which to consider the nature of democracy is provided by Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, delivered in 1864 at the height of the American Civil War. Lincoln extolled the virtues of what he called 'government of the people, by the people, and for the people'. What this makes clear is that democracy serves to link government to the people, but that this link can be forged in a number of ways - government of, by and for the people. Nevertheless, the precise nature of democratic rule has been the subject of fierce ideological and political debate. The next section will look at alternative models of democracy. For the...
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...Democracy in the United States: A comprehensive look at the Pros and Cons of a Federalist Society and Individual Freedoms. What is democracy, do we really understand the concept and the implications of the freedoms that our society enjoys. Democracy by definition is a “government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections”.(1) The United States democracy in current times can be a difficult situation to grasp, due to the fact that we are operating off of the Constitution written over 200 years ago, and individuals modern interpretations of what the founding fathers of this country would have considered appropriate doctrine and methodology. Through the aforementioned definition and the perspective of current lawmakers are the tools with which we will define whether the United States has become more or less democratic throughout its history. So what then are the advantages of a democracy? The first point would be that it is better for the population, everyone having an equal part or say in the laws which govern them is advantageous for any group of people. Democracy is often seen as a fairer and less arbitrary form of government as it allows the "will of the people" to become the law. To some degree, this prevents scenarios like a small, powerful minority exploiting...
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...To what extent do pressure groups undermine democracy? Pressure groups can play an important part in the way policies and proposals are brought into action in the UK government. As well as providing a vehicle for the peoples’ views they also have the potential to undermine the democracy of a government. Firstly, to clarify the definition of a pressure group, it is a formal or informal association whose purpose is to put forward the views and interests of a specific part of society, typically operating on a small range of issues. They aim to influence the decisions made by government. Secondly, democracy (from dēmos kratos - Greek for rule by the people) can take many different forms and is harder to define. Full democracy is understood as the fair representation in government of all citizens. In a democratic government the people vote in order to represent their views on an issue. Pressure groups have been seen to undermine this system of government in many ways but the also can enhance democracy in many ways. Some aspects of pressure groups are considered to undermine the nature of democracy. Disproportionate influence is an issue that many argue subverts democracy. This is where some pressure groups have more political influence than their issue may warrant. Some sectional groups appear to have a larger influence in government than others with a larger demographic. This is considered to be undemocratic, as it is not fair in the way it represents the people disproportionately...
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