Abstract The paper seeks to examine the statement by Stephen Lax that the "Internet will enhance the democratic process" and for that purpose the paper looks at the Internet site "Opendebate.com", a site in which any user may post a multiple choice poll question in any of five categories: politics, society, health, science, and entertainment. Users can then respond to the polls by either voting (abstaining from voting is also a type of voting allowed) and/or posting a response to a poll question. The paper first sets the boundaries for the term "democracy" and then the criteria upon which to examine the site.
Outline:
Dissemination of Information
Safety of Public Voice
Free Speech Vs. Censorship
Flexibility
Equal Access
Promoting/Enabling Political Action
From the Paper "For the purpose of this essay, I would like to look at one site in particular; opendebate.com. Opendebate.com is a site in which any user may post a multiple choice poll question in any of five categories: politics, society, health, science, and entertainment. Users can then respond to the polls by either voting (abstaining from voting is also a type of voting allowed) and/or posting a response to a poll question. Users can then respond to these responses, propose new polls, and so on. The more popular a poll is the higher precedence it gets on the site listings. This, in turn, causes popular topics to overshadow less popular topics. One example is the eye-catching poll question "Does Bush beat his wife ?" which currently has the highest poll response rate, in lieu of perhaps more politically practical questions such as "If you were in charge of writing a whole new constitution for America what would it say ?" Posting on the site is extremely easy, although it does require a membership which is practical, considering that it helps prevent people from voting more than once on a poll. This site is popular enough that it's the first site to pop up in Google under "open debate." After an extensive search of sites, this is the one that looked the most promising for promoting democracy. I figure that if I can't prove that this site promotes democracy, then I can't prove that the Internet does either."
Tags:democracygovernmentcitizenspowercommitteedictatorpolitical forum information politics voting, free speech
Abstract This paper focuses on Government to Citizen (G2C) transactions mainly in the US. These include citizens? services and digital democracy. The concept of electronic government is to provide services and information to citizens electronically, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As the demand for electronic services increases, governments are challenged to provide these services to citizens. Digital democracy may be defined as any electronic exchange of value in the democratic process. The spectrum includes Online Campaigns, Internet Voting, and Constituency Participation.
What is e-government?
Citizens Services
Digital Democracy Political Online Campaigning
Disadvantages of Web advertising
Online Fund Raising
Internet Voting
On-line Voting Initiatives
Why Internet voting?
Requirements of an Internet voting system
Security Problems meeting requirements of an Internet voting system
Implementation Problems
Vision
The Impact of the Internet on Democracy Direct Democracy Representative Democracy Digital Divide
Conclusion ? The year 2005
This paper analyzes the democratic policy of the U.S. government and compares the American version of "liberal democracy" to other suggested forms of rule.
Abstract This paper argues that, if the U.S. government were to adopt policies designed to universally guarantee housing, food, clothing and medical care to its citizens, rather than enhance democracy, it would undermine certain of the fundamental principles of democracy and individual rights.
From the Paper "What does the concept of democracy specifically denote, when applied to the American system of government? Although often simplistically referred to as "majority rule", since the Declaration of Independence (1776) it has been generally accepted that, ?the nature of American democracy has been the balancing of a government that protects and promotes the liberty of each individual,? ( Roper, qtd. in Maidment 9) which, in effect, declares that democratic government does not exist to "rule" its people, but to assist in the securing and protection of their ?unalienable rights.? This American ideal of liberal democracy defines that all individuals, and groups, should have the ability to exert control over their own political, economic and social situations, within a society that is based on the ideals of competition, pluralism and meritocracy. This led classical liberalism of the nineteenth century, and a brief revival in the 1980's by the "New Right" administration of Ronald Regan, to interpret this definition as limiting the state's duties to that of protecting citizens? rights through defense and law and order policies, with all other responsibilities and decisions being left to the individual. Although, the state plays a far more extensive role in the liberal democracy of modern America, one significant concept of the original concept remains true, that the individual is the basic unit of politics."
Abstract This paper discusses the two-party system of Britain and the multi-party system of France. The paper discusses the various advantages of the two political systems and questions whether they are suitable for their respective countries. The writer explains that in recent years many British citizens have called for a new system--the multi-party system-arguing that the two-party system produces stable governments, rather than stable democracy - and the latter is more desirable.
Outline
Introduction
Britain's Two-Party System
France's Multi-Party System
Will Britain Transition to a Multi-Party System?
Bibliography
From the Paper "Many democracies in Europe have traditionally aligned themselves on the left-right axes (Katz and Mair, 1995). The main difference is the amount of government involvement they advocate. Left-wing parties usually promote more government involvement to overcome the market failures and provide social service. Right-wing parties promote more free market oriented politics of free enterprise.
In competitive systems, there is a sharp distinction between two-party systems, which often promote a party strategy of moderation and compromise intended to win a majority vote, and multiparty systems, where there is less compromise and in which a party's strategic plan places a strong emphasis on maintaining the support of its primary voters (Katz, 1981). However, generally speaking, the structure and behavior of a specific country's political parties is strongly dependent on the country's political and cultural history."
Abstract This paper examines the role of that the American Constitution played, and continues to play in helping to shape the American system of government. The paper begins with a discussion of how a pluralist democracy differs from majoritarian democracy and why the framers of the U.S. Constitution felt it was so important to have a pluralistic form of government. In order to demonstrate this point, the paper presents and analyzes several different articles of the U.S. Constitution which pertain directly to the distribution of power in the government. Some of the examples used in this paper include the Senate's role to advise and consent, the balance between the powers of the federal government and the powers of the individual states and the importance of the first ten ammendments to the Constitution. Particular attention is payed to the nature of the Judicial branch and the central role that it has played over the years in helping, but not always succeeding, in protecting the minority from the majority in the United States.
From the Paper "Again, this latter pluralist type of provision is part of the balance of powers element in the Constitution. This is in keeping with the form the government finally took as a republic rather than a strict democracy. A strict democracy would by necessity have been a majoritarian system, while a republic is a pluralist democracy, which protects the minority from the majority. John Adams pressed for this type of government as one of the anti-Federalists at the Constitutional Convention. John Adams was the premier theorist of conservatism, and he wrote: "The foundation of every government is some principle or passion in the minds of the people" (Ball and Dagger 33). He saw the republic as the best of governments. In terms of the developing debate over the Constitution, this Anti-Federalist considered a single assembly to be inherently faulty and subject to all the vices and frailties an individual might evince. As a solution he suggested the creation of two bodies, with the smaller elected as a council from the larger. He also recommended the creation of a balance of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches (Ball and Dagger 34-35)."
Abstract This paper examines John Locke's theory of government as a forerunner to that of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. It continues to explore the impact the French Revolution had on future political ideologies, which are portrayed through Benjamin Constant's "The Principles of Politics" and in John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty." In conclusion the author discusses how these philosophies shaped Western society and democracy as we know it today.
From the Paper "John Stuart Mill, an advocate of man's innate rights during the mid eighteen-hundreds, wrote "On Liberty," an examination of government's interference with personal freedom through the fallacy of "self-protection." Mill contested that by trying to guard the freedoms of the people, the government in reality is restricting them, only imposing more laws, which take away or infringe upon the ones granted. True freedom can only come from the person, not the dictates of the ruling power. Mill stated, "Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."
Tags: 18th, century, europe, government, Locke, Mill, Constant, philosophy, politics
Abstract This paper discusses how democracy is best defined as "the rule of the mass of people", although there are other possible definitions and much debate on the issue. It attempts to analyse the true definition of democracy and debates whether it is what we still experience it in the U.K today.A conceptual (historical) evaluation of 'democracy' leads to comparison of the U.K. system to that of the U.S.A in an attempt to find out. Consideration is also given to the influence of the EU and QUANGOs on British democracy.
From the Paper "Once a party has won government, the constitutional system proceeds to generate a strong executive that then dominates the legislative. It is suggested that coupled with the strict party discipline evident in Westminster the ability of representatives to act in the interests of those they represent is greatly hindered, and one might therefore deduce that the power of the citizen and the effectiveness of their votes has been damaged. It is simply the case that the executive dominates Parliament, rather than the other way round. When Select Committees try to hold the government accountable for its actions they are invariably fobbed off and their reports are ignored. In any case, their membership is in the hands of the government of the day."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the political philosophies of John Rawls and Stuart Hampshire in their books. Both describe systems of political existence that the philosophers deem as ideal, and both are based on concepts of democratic ideals of equality and justice. The writer shows how each philosopher came to write his theories and how the theories fit in to today's modern political world.
From the Paper "In opposition to Hampshire's judicial procedures that negated the need for any sort of "censorship" to help resolve conflict Rawls system of public reasoning put limitations on content, and on method. His emphasis on rationality being the foundation of harmony led to the inclusion and adherence to "accepted general beliefs and forms of reasoning found in common sense, and the methods and conclusions of science when these are not controversial" (Rawls 1993, p.224-5). His goal was nevertheless the same as Hampshire?s, to provide a public basis of justification accessible to citizens generally."
Tags:democracy, government, socialism, justice, legal, citizen, truth
Abstract This well-researched paper explores the term democracy, while focusing on the general makeup of the U.S. government. The writer contends that democracy is a government by the people, for the people, run directly by them or through their duly elected representatives. This paper details the history of the American voting system, which is a key activity of a modern democracy. The writer of this paper discusses and cites various portions of the the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which establishes the legislative branch of the government. This paper examines the historic events that led to the 1776 War of Independence between America and Britain. This paper briefly discusses the current political climate in America, while also supplying a brief overview of the democratic and republican platforms.
From the Paper "The downward trend of less party affiliation and less party voting proceeded from the simple argument that one did not need to be a Republican or a Democrat to pave a road. Those who favor nonpartisan elections claim that the job of a member of the city council is not to debate on national issues but to maintain the neighborhood part, keep it clean and fix occasional potholes and these functions do not need partisan solutions. Nonpartisan election was a reform introduced by the Progressive Party at the turn of the 20th century. The Progressive Party wanted city governments to respond more to community needs and less to self-interested party manipulation. Non-partisan elections would remove party influence from the race; allow candidates who do not need to adjust their ideas to the approval of parties to run; and compel voters to search out more information on a candidate. Advocates say that a more active and informed citizenry would increase voter turnout."
Abstract This paper analyzes Adam Harmes' text, "The Return of the State: Protectors, Power-Brokers, and the New Global Compromise". The paper explains that while Harmes' thesis is a thoughtful treatise on how the historical pendulum has swung back and forth between unrestrained capitalism and tight, welfare-state regulation, his work offers a solution to the ills of global capitalism that may ultimately prove more unlikely than practical. The paper looks at the likely reasons why both powerful and impoverished nations will find objections to global governance. The paper also points out that Harmes' book becomes a laudable exposition of the usually-antagonistic relationship between the state and the marketplace - and a good example of how something that sounds wonderful in theory may not work in the real world. The writer concludes that Harmes' text has many fine points, but it seems his over-eagerness to press his case causes him to forget that the world may not be as ready for the "international state" as he evidently is.
From the Paper "Unfortunately for Harmes, there are complications that get in the way of the practical fulfillment of his political globalization. For one thing, Adam Harmes blithely assumes - or at least confidently assumes - that nations great and small will embrace the kind of political globalization of which he speaks. For one thing, all nation-states - whether America or a tiny, backwater country in Southeast Asia - have socio-cultural, anthropological and political forces that bind together their citizens and shape their world view; in short, people in France (to give just one example), because of a collective national historical narrative reaching back many centuries, tend to see themselves as "French" before they see themselves as anything else."
This research paper discusses how and why power was distributed among various groups under the Federal Constitution of 1787 and whether the system the framers created was just or unjust.
Abstract This paper questions whether the original Constitution created a representative democracy based on elections, a pluralist democracy based on factions, some form of elite system based on rule by a handful, or hyperpluralism with a weak central government dominated by factions (or state) interests. It discusses this issue then asks whether the system created was a just one.
From the Paper "The system created by the Constitution created a republican form of government in which existing propertied elites were the dominant influence in the late 1700s but which was structured in such a way as to permit the development of a much broader pluralist democracy over time. The truth of this statement can be seen in the experience of the late 1700s, the composition and philosophy of the framers and the specific institutions they created.
The experience of the American Revolution united most Americans in opposition to tyranny imposed from abroad which translated into a broadly shared distrust of a strong central government. Under the Articles of Confederation, power was concentrated in separate state legislatures leaving insufficient scope for the functioning of an effective national government. The leaders of the movement to correct the resulting imbalance which had manifested itself in inadequate state contributions to permit retirement of the Revolutionary war debt, inflation, interstate trade disputes and civil disorders such as Shay's Rebellion in Massachusetts in 1786 came from the creditor class among which, according to Stewart et al, "a sense of nationalism began to emerge" (American 53)."
Abstract Modern organizations, particularly the state and corporate conglomerations, represent the historically unprecedented concentrations of power. This paper is about how people living in a supposed free society ended up legitimizing and giving approval to their own oppression and domination. Weber predicted that corporate power would help facilitate this development. Chomsky demonstrated how the particulars work in connection to the mass media. In a nutshell, this is about the issue of capitalism. Producers and advertisers have an interest in reinforcing certain ideologies, because, in their world, minorities, women and the poor should be relegated to certain spheres. This is, therefore, a political battle -- it is a class war. Economic elites retain their power by shaping and moulding social reality through the means of mass media.
Tags:POLITICAL SCIENCE / STUDIES IN DEMOCRACY, LIBERALISM, corporate power
Abstract This paper takes a look at the factors that contribute to a stable government and, in contrast, those factors that inhibit a stable government. The paper also looks at the United States and Great Britain as examples of countries with long-standing, stable governments.
From the Paper "The stability of a democratic government appears to derive from the sovereignty, that is, the people themselves who elect or choose their leaders (Zoarman). That is their sacred right and duty, their only way to voice out their will. But not every qualified citizen registers or casts his vote during election and, therefore, loses that right to run his own government or air their complaint. The establishment of a stronger political will among the people should put that sovereignty in their hands and fulfill the obligation to vote. That really strong political will should lead them to intelligently and assiduously look into the qualifications of candidates for public office in reaching a decision. The choice should not be left with destiny, the leaders and other citizens. Everyone has a supreme moral obligation to himself and his society to make that decision. Yet, even this privilege, duty and obligation of investigating a candidate's qualifications cannot just happen, not only because citizens or voters are not inclined to do so but also because the government discourages or prevents this act (Zoarman). It is, however, the citizens? right to resist that discouragement and prohibition."
Abstract In this paper, the writer proposes that education is a vital tool if democracy is to develop and prosper. The paper states that education represents an essential instrument that a government, a country, and even an individual, can posses and must constantly improve on and that it represents the future of a nation. The paper continues and contends that adult education as a means of achieving democracy can be said to be one of the most important tools a state government can make use of in order to establish and develop a system based on the rule of law and democratic principles. The paper specifically examines two areas of the world where concerted efforts have been made to improve adult education in order to strengthen democratic values - South and Latin America and South Africa.
From the Paper "This is an important factor in the evolution of the democracy because it offers the older generation the possibility to reconsider their position inside a society which is constantly changing. Taking into account the fact that the younger generation is already on a different set of values, it is important to reduce this gap. Thus, adult education represents a set of norms which aim precisely at reducing this difference. Initiatives in this sense relate to actions addressing the basic levels of knowledge up to the highest ones. Thus, nongovernmental organizations as well as different international organizations address illiteracy among Latin Americans (Torres, 1990), one of the first steps towards achieving a more educated society. At the same time, the idea of eradicating illiteracy has also an impact on the way in which people receive information or get in contact with analysis and interpretations of different political evolution. It can be said therefore that another reason for which leaders such as Chavez of Castro are still in the frontline of international politics is the lack of access to information and at the same time the limited knowledge of the actual meaning of that information."
Abstract This paper argues that the attacks of 9/11 were the catalysts of a world culture of terrorism that is used by propaganda and censorship to blur the politics of globalization and technology and to restructure a totalitarian society. It describes the correlation between censorship and propaganda. The paper suggests that the culture of terrorism is the pretext for government and corporation control of politics and resources, including the Internet.
From the Paper "The immense profits generated by globalization dovetail neatly with military and industrial expansion in the name of democracy and the War on Terror, and they keep the population surfeited with a plethora of goods. Globalization is the direct outgrowth of the remnants of 19th century capitalism which was stuck in the nation-state, piece-meal ideology. It is insufficient to power the new global economy because "capitalism needs to fight for its legitimacy all the time" (Glasbeek, 2002); that is not profit, it is more profit through deregulation and the flattening of global dominance, the branding of "us" [U.S.]" (Klein, 2000, p.31) on the planet."
