This paper explores the themes of Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince", one of his best-known works, and cited for encouraging politicians to be dishonest and use any technique in order to fulfill their quest for power.
Abstract The paper looks closely at "The Prince", a work of political philosophy in which Machiavelli describes behavior that is considered unethical. According to this paper one cannot determine whether or not he believed that this represented an ideal practice. This paper asserts that Machiavelli differed from other writers of the period in that he wrote with a view of reality, not about an ideal.
From the Paper "In 1512 the powerful Medici family retook Florence, and the republic was over. After a few years in prison, Machiavelli became a writer of political philosophy who did his primary work during this period. Because of his unorthodox views, he virtually developed a whole new way of analyzing government and its behavior and purpose. Machiavelli was also extremely interested in history, and developed many of his theories as a result of historical research."
Tags: Florence, philosophy, politics, Italy, government
Abstract This paper debates the growth of cyber terrorism and the different forms and dangers of this trend. It discusses how e-mail bombs and attacks on internet servers are the lowest forms of informational terrorism in terms of destruction. Higher forms of informational warfare include using the internet as a catalyst to produce physical terrorism on a higher scale.
From the Paper "The Department of Defense definition of terrorism is "the calculated use of violence or the threat of violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological." (Research, 1) While in physical terrorism, the perpetrator must come in contact with the target, in informational terrorism the perpetrator only needs a computer connection. Not only are the tools of information terrorism more accessible but the implications can be more devastating."
Abstract This paper examines Aristotle's theory of an ideal state by analyzing the nature of Polis, the city-state and its workings in his book "Politics", a work which actually addresses issue of ethics and morality more than politics as we mean it today. It looks at how Aristotle's ideal state, whatever its specific form of government, maintains its legitimacy by serving the good life for the people as a whole. It shows how Aristotle's description of the state as an association of free men aligns him with democratic theory, though he expresses a distaste for democracy at a certain level and finds that there are certain classes in society that should not be given the right to participate because they are not worthy.
From the Paper "The city contributes to the possibility of absolute justice, sought by human beings through political interaction in the city. Based on his concept of absolute justice, Aristotle finds that there are three right forms of government--monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. Each of these can also degenerate into a lesser form: monarchy into tyranny, aristocracy into oligarchy, and democracy into mob-rule. Aristotle can be considered a democratic theorist in several respects. One of his abiding concerns is with the constitution of the state and the agreement it involves between the ruler and the ruled. Aristotle sees the state as a natural development, but he also sees it as a voluntary association of human beings based on the fact that man is a political animal and that people thus come together because of common interest to the degree that it contributes to the good life of each person."
Abstract This research takes a look at the U.S. Social Security system, and asks the question whether privatization would provide a better approach to retirement for Americans than the current structure. It then examines social security system in Chile by way of contrast and analyzes the two for their effectiveness.
From the Paper "The so-called "baby boomers," one of the largest generational groupings in American history, are nearing the age when they will be able to collect Social Security benefits. When that happens, the ratio between those individuals contributing to Social Security and those receiving it will decline significantly. As a result, many have expressed concern about how Social Security can be funded over the long-term, and several different proposals have been made by politicians and economists alike."
Abstract A breakdown of clashes between Arabs and Jews from 1948 until Prime Minister Barak's time. The Palestine question is discussed as well as how different Arab groups formed and why each direct confrontation came about.
From the Paper "Tensions between Arabs and Jews extend back centuries, but the modern conflict begins with the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, after which there was fighting between the newly declared state and her Arab neighbors, and in 1949 the fighting ended with armistice agreements between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Israel as a state developed out of the Palestinian question. When the British wanted to turn the state of Palestine over to the United Nations, a solution to the issue of what people would reside in Palestine was reached in the form of partition. Jerusalem would be made an international city in which there would be free access for worship in Christian, Islamic, and Jewish shrines and holy places. The Jews accepted the partition, but the Arabs did not, feeling that the agreement actually gave Jewish landowners more than 50 percent of Palestine. After the war and the creation of the state of Israel, Israel now controlled half of Jerusalem, and nearly 60 percent of the Palestinians had been uprooted from their homes. Displaced Palestinians lived in crude refugee camps, and the remaining Palestinians lived within the 22.6 percent of the territory the Israeli's had failed to capture (Neff 23-24).
Israel thus began in conflict with her neighbors, and tensions continued during the years following the creation of the Israeli state. During this same era, the United States and the Soviet Union each became embroiled in the conflict, forced to choose sides and to become more and more enmeshed in Middle Eastern politics. Direct confrontation occurred in 1956, 1967, and 1973 (Neff 27). After the Sinai Campaign of 1956, there was a period of relative quiet along the Israel-Egypt border, in part because of the presence of the United Nations. This did not mean that the conflict was ended, however, and within a year of the "settlement" of the 1956 dispute, the Arab world experienced a series of upheavals (Herzog 145-146)."
Tags: confrontation, Middle, East, Palestine, Israel
Abstract This paper looks at the history of policing in general and of community policing in particular. It discusses how the elevating of one group of citizens over another is a problematic issue in any democracy and how the police force needs to overcome this problem. It discusses why community policing is such a sensitive issue and is often faced with claims of inequality and racial profiling.
From the Paper "This paradox ? how some may have authority over others within a system of governance that holds all people to be equal, is one of the reasons that many police forces within the United States now at least in some part use a strategy called community policing. Community policing is simply collaborative policing in which the concerns (and to some extent the standards) of the local community are taken into account (Trojanowicz, 1998, p. 11). For example, if race relations are even more fragile in a particular community than in general in the United States, the issue of racial profiling will no doubt be of concern to the community, and community leaders and police will come together on a regular basis to discuss the issue of how the community can be kept safe while the rights of minority members living in that community can also be safeguarded. This paper looks at precisely this issue ? racial profiling ? and how community policing methods can be used to reduce rather than increase racial tensions in a community while also controlling crime and maintaining public safety."
Abstract In "The Story of the Education Dollar", Allen Odden, David Monk, Yasser Nakib and Lawrence Picus describe some basic facts about education spending in the United States to facilitate an understanding of the level and uses of the federal government's policies on education funding. The paper shows that the purpose of the authors' discussion is to argue that public education facilities need to change their focus on the consumption of educational resources to a focus on producing high levels of student achievement. It shows how they contend that such a redirection in focus will require large improvements in student achievement, given that only about 10 percent of students currently attain the desired level of achievement across the board in mathematics, science, writing, history, geography and civics. The paper then shows how James Traub, in his article "What No School Can Do", expands on their discussion to argue for the necessary inclusion of after-care activities for inner-city youth in any successful educational spending program.
From the Paper "Odden et al. note that their analysis of spending patterns across the 50 states is supported by the conclusions reached by the Finance Center of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE), although the results of their research did diverge in some significant ways. Odden et al. examined spending and staffing patterns at the district and school levels. They also scrutinized staffing patterns of expenditures by function and program and spending across curriculum content areas in California, Florida and New York. Their major conclusion was that while there had been considerable national investment in public education during the 20th century, as a rule the funds were distributed unfairly and used ineffectively."
This paper looks at John Locke's contribution to early American political theories and his role in formatting ideas for the Declaration of Independence.
Abstract Explores how in the years leading up to the American Revolution,the people of the colonies developed a political ideology that was to be the basis for revolution and for the formation of a new kind of state. This paper looks at the philosophy of John Locke, often referred to as "classical liberalism," which was one of the primary sources on which the American founders drew. It explains that although many sources served their varied purposes, some of the most important and fundamental ideas in the Declaration of Independence are easily traced directly to Locke.
From the Paper "Locke's influence throughout the eighteenth century touched on a number of topics. For example, his works dealing in whole or in part with education emphasized the idea that the child began as a blank slate and the impressions made on him/her were essential to the formation of mind and character. This meant that "parents were largely responsible for the formation of their children's character"--an idea that became commonplace by the mid-eighteenth century and permanently revolutionized thinking about the basic nature of parenthood and the family (Wood 149). But the most influential aspect of Locke's thought was his political philosophy as embodied in his two treatises on government. The first treatise was largely a refutation of the traditional belief in the divinely sanctioned right of kings. This was an essential step, of course, for any revolution and Locke wrote his treatises "to justify the glorious and bloodless revolution of 1688," saying that he hoped they would serve to "establish the Throne of our Great Restorer, Our present King William--to make good his Title, in the consent of the People'" (quoted in Squadrito 95). The revolution, Locke believed, was a necessary step taken by the people to protect their natural rights and the suggestion that a people could be responsible for their own selection of rulers and that even a monarch could only rule with the consent of the governed was still a hotly contested notion a century later."
Examines the importance of game theory in analyzing foreign policy decision-making and outcomes and its compatibility with other foreign policy models and systems.
Abstract Game theory is the use of mathematical models to predict the outcome of a dispute or interaction between two or more independent actors. It has been applied in a wide range of contexts, including gambling, business and international relations. This essay examines the importance of game theory when analysing the foreign policy decision-making process. It argues that while simple games such as the Prisoner's Dilemma may not illuminate the process on their own, more complex models can offer a systemic device by which foreign policy can be analyzed more accurately.
From the Paper "Perhaps the most widely recognised game is the Prisoner's Dilemma, which examines the choices faced by two people arrested for the same crime, and observes the likelihood that they would both accuse the other one, and thus both go to jail. When used in foreign policy analysis, it is often used to describe the nature of arms races, or the possibility of nuclear fallout. This is a non-zero-sum game, a game where it is possible for both players to lose, or to win (as opposed to a zero-sum game, where one actor's gain is always equal to another actor's loss)."
Abstract This paper examines how terrorism is seen all across the world and affects all races and all social classes and how there is no escaping from it. It shows that while some countries have been able to eradicate terrorism with what seems like very little effort, others are left grieving and living in fear of the next terrorist attack. It looks at how history has shown us a wide variety of terrorist attacks across the world, both internal and international with examples form Northern Ireland and terrorist incidents in Europe. It evaluates The "War on Terrorism" that is being fought by the U.S. and the treaties than have gone into effect to prevent terrorism and punish those who have committed terrorist acts. Among others, there are treaties regarding biological weapons, chemical weapons, genocide and human rights, nuclear materials, torture, warfare and general terrorism.
From the Paper "Europe's terrorism can be divided into three main categories; leftist, right wing, and ethnic-based. A number of leftist terrorist groups were formed in the late 1960's and early 1970?s. These groups included; Germany's Red Army Faction (RAF), France's Action Directe, and Italy's Red Brigades, among others. During the 1970's the RAF engaged in a series of bombings, robberies and murders leaving several RAF leaders jailed and other members using terrorist activities to try to free them. An airliner hijacked by the RAF in October 1977 caused many committed members to abandon the group. This incident caused right-wing terrorism to flourish as the leftist groups dwindled away. ?Although more extreme forms of the sentiments that have led to right wing gains have sometimes been expressed in terrorist activity, large-scale, organized right-wing terrorism comparable to the leftist terrorism of the 1980's did not emerge in Europe during the 1990?s."
Tags: 9/11, bin, bush, laden, september, threats, usa
Abstract This paper focuses on Machiavelli's quote that a political leader needs to learn how "not to be good." In comparison, the writer uses President Clinton as a political leader who chose a similar path. The first part of this review looks at the piece from Machiavelli's viewpoint. The second half takes the points raised in the books and tries to relate them to the modern day example of Bill Clinton. The writer admits their opinion is tainted by their personal dislike for President Clinton but still attempts to make use of the comparison.
From the Paper "Political leaders are constantly struggling to be good. However, Machiavelli wrote "For how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather learn to bring about his own ruin than his preservation," (ch. 15, p. 84). Here, Machiavelli acknowledges that he is a political realist. He is saying that he finds traditional standards of morality useless as practical advice. Machiavelli goes on to say that "A man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so many who are not good."
Tags: good, morality, standards, compromise, clinton
Abstract The author argues that change in welfare benefits in 1996 has increased social problems among the poor, women, and children. Warnings about some of the problems that might ensue were ignored in a rush to bring about change, with the attitude that all that was needed was a way to force people off the welfare rolls and into jobs. One controversial element of the reform is a cut-off of aid after five years, which has ended the dependency on welfare. With this in mind, the author argues that at the same time hunger, homelessness, and misery has increased. The author strongly believes that the five year cut-off period will continue to increase social problems rather than helping to reduce them.
From the Paper "It has been believed for some time that there was a need for welfare reform, though how to achieve this and what a different welfare system would entail has been the subject of considerable argument. The current approach has been labeled mean-spirited and misdirected by critics who see in it as an attack not on welfare cheats or even on the bureaucracy administering welfare but on those least able to fight back or to succeed without government assistance, namely women and children and the truly needy poor. The Republicans state that they are placing incentives in the law to get people off the welfare rolls, incentives that will make it more attractive to have a job than to be on welfare, and incentives to prevent socially undesirable problems such as illegitimate births by women and girls seeking increased welfare payments or believing that they can have children because the government will subsidize their behavior."
Abstract This paper examines critically the disagreements over international trade issues which led to the failure of the trade negotiations at the November 30-December 3, 1999 meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle, Washington. It discusses how the 134 trade ministers who met in Seattle failed to agree on further liberalization of the global trading system because of substantive differences among the developed nations and between them and the less developed countries (LDCs) over a wide range of issues. It analyzes how the anti-WTO demonstrations, marches and sporadic violence outside the convention center where delegates to the WTO conference met did not cause those disagreements, but how the debacle in Seattle reflected the growing political strength of the forces of economic nationalism which has arrested progress toward further reduction in international trade barriers.
From the Paper "One reason the conference failed was that it was hastily arranged without pre-agreement among any of the participants even as to the items to be placed on the agenda of the conference. The term of the previous director general of WTO, an Italian, Renato Ruggiero, ended on April 30, 1999. Between then and September a debilitating struggle over his successor ensued. Japan and most Third World members supported the candidacy of Thai Supachai Pantichpakdi while the United States and the European Union (EU) favored Michael Moore, a former Prime Minister of New Zealand, who was ultimately selected, but did not take office until after September 1. The Economist said that "preparations for Seattle started later and little common ground was found." Barchefsky was preoccupied with the WTO negotiations with the PRC and other trade disputes."
Abstract A review of Karl Marx's "The Communist Manifesto". Written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848. The writer claims that this book has grown into the most influential, most criticized and most well-known political pamphlet ever written. This paper explores how Marx and Engels describe the process by which humanity has become divided into two distinct and opposing social classes: The proletariat - the property-less working class and the bourgeoisie or the property-owning class.
From the Paper "The Communist Manifesto" opens with the assertion that "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles"(p. 57). From this, the essence of the Manifesto is derived. Marx and Engels present humanity as divided most distinctly along lines of social class. As the world has traversed into modernity, the nature of this distinction has simplified."
Abstract This paper briefly analyzes Karl Marx's Labor Theory of Value. It looks at the way that it is introduced in "The Communist Manifesto" in 1848 and the discusses how the ideas developed in his book "Das Kapital"
From the Paper "Karl Marx, champion of the fabled proletariat, criticized capitalism as a means of alienating man from his labor. Specialization and the division of labor, bourgeois control over the means of production, and the advent of machine-powered industry all combined to establish capitalism as the enemy of the common workingman. In the new configuration, capitalism concentrated wealth and property in the hands of the few, while the labor of the many sustained the system. Marx's Labor Theory of Value deals with the nature of proletarian labor, and how it suffers under the capitalist construct."
