Abstract This paper reveals that, although America is often thought of as a democratic republic in terms of its philosophy of governance, the Constitution is made up of both democratic and profoundly oligarchic ideals, which have been woven into the actual policy and procedures of the nation as exemplified by the Electoral College and the indirect election of senators. The paper points out that the Founding Fathers created a republican oligarchy in which the rulership was by the white, male elite. However, the paper explains that even some of the Founding Fathers questioned these oligarchical elements. By the second quarter of the nineteenth century, democraticpopulism became the governing philosophy.
From the Paper "The nature of representational republican government itself demands that the will of the people is slightly removed from the decision-making bodies of government. The U.S. Senate, the more powerful body devoted to consideration of foreign affairs, in contrast to the House of Representatives, is even more removed from the will of the popular vote, especially in the Constitution's original configuration. Originally, Senators were elected by the state legislatures, not by direct vote"
Tags: madison patronizing elite, democraticpopulism, senators
Abstract The paper analyzes Robert McMath's "American Populism: A Social History" which provides an insightful and trenchant analysis of the reasons why a wave of populism swept over the United States during the late teens and twenties, only to die away in the 1930s. This paper discusses how the book helps us to understand this particular period of American history, as well as the reasons that political movements in general rise and fall.
From the Paper "Although it might be hard for any observer of contemporary American politics to believe it, in fact there were supporters of Progressive ideals in the Republican as well as the Democratic party. The two parties found themselves splitting into conservative and progressive groups (this should not surprise the viewer of contemporary American politics, who sees the same thing going on today in the Democratic Party)." Indeed, when the conservative William Taft in was renominated for the presidency 1912, a group of progressives split off to form the Progressive Party and to run Theodore Roosevelt as their candidate for office.
Abstract This paper examines several recent attempts at democratization in the 20th century. The paper suggests that in Japan and Germany in the years following World War II, Allied attempts to foster the creation of democratic societies were successful to varying degrees. The paper then concludes that consequently many have drawn a parallel between democratization in those nations and current attempts to create a democratic society in Iraq.
From the Paper "The Process of Democratization: How Does the Current Issue in Iraq Contrast with the Process in Post-World War II Germany and Japan? The process of democratization in a nation is not as simple and straightforward as many politicians would have us believe. This is evident when we examine several recent attempts at democratization in the 20th century. In Japan and Germany in the years following World War II, Allied attempts to foster the creation of democratic societies were successful to varying degrees."
Abstract In this article, the writer discusses the matter of democratization in Hong Kong. The writer looks at activism in favor of democratization. Further the writer examines forces against democratization in Hong Kong.
From the Paper "The issue of democratization in Hong Kong is one that has polarized the former British colony, now a part of the People's Republic of China. Since the handover proceedings in 1997 and in the years leading up to it, there has been a strong political activism in favor of democratization. And while it can be difficult in the West, sometimes, to imagine a people that would not be wholeheartedly in favor of increased democratization, there are equally strong forces in Hong Kong acting to resist democratization."
This in-depth paper analyzes the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Federalist Papers while contending that these historical works of writing contain the basic principles which most democratic societies around the world are built upon.
Abstract This well-researched paper, written as a proposal intended for a fictitious remote island in the South Pacific, details the basic principles needed to create a viable and prosperous democratic society. This paper contains selected texts from the U.S. Constitution, Federalist Papers and the Bill of Rights which are all crucial building blocks when instituting a democratic government. This paper also lays out a plan for creating an expedient and profitable economy by making use of existing resources such as land and agriculture.
From the Paper "Given the fact that each state will have its own government for the conduct of its own internal affairs, Article IV is applicable since it contains provisions that pertain to the responsibility of the states to each other and of the central government to the states. This is an important part of the effort to conduct business in each region in such a way that the national interest will be upheld. I suggest that you adopt a similar set of measures to regulate internal affairs in the future as you become more involved in commerce with the rest of the world and with your neighbors in the Pacific."
Tags: democracy, government, history, democratic, society, united, states, bill, of, rights, constitution, plan
Abstract This paper presents an evaluation of the democratic peace theory. It contends that in modern times there is no unambiguous case of a war between democratic states, even in situations where great-power rivalry was to be expected.
From the Paper "Since the end of the Cold War a good deal of attention has been given to the so-called DPT or democratic peace theory. This theory proposes that states with democratic political ..."
Tags:democratic, peace, international, relations, war, realist, theory
Abstract This paper studies the democratization processes and outcomes in four countries: Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The paper employs a multi-unit comparison. The paper begins by looking at economic issues that shape the current geopolitical situation and process of democratization, examining, specifically the effect of oil wealth of the Middle East. Next the paper discusses several key variables such as national and religious culture, political structure and geographic location. The paper concludes by comparing and contrasting Muslim/Eastern and Western views.
From the Paper "The research problem to be addressed centers upon the relationship between democratization and the economic system of the so-called renter state, specifically focusing on those states..."
Tags:democratization, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Venezuela
Abstract The purpose of this study is to review some of the existing literature on the subject of democratization in Iran. The goal is not to draw any specific conclusions about this political process or its prospects for success or failure. These are questions that can be examined and answered elsewhere. Instead the paper examines what current theorists are saying about the possibility of democratization in Iran and points out some existing trends in the literature that will guide further research into this issue.
From the Paper "One of the most persistent discussions in the Western world, especially in political seats of power, in recent years has been the issue of Iran. Specifically, with Western and Islamic nations aligning themselves in direct conflict to one another, the possibility that Iran might develop nuclear weaponry is frightening for many Westerners. However, there is also increased discussion about the possibility of democratization in Iran. While this might seem a strange possibility given the general conception of Iran as an Islamic fundamentalist nation ruled with an authoritarian fist, the possibility is discussed seriously. Whereas recent U.S. efforts to democratize Iraq have been almost entirely imported, there is strong popular support for democratization in Iran. However, reconciling this popular demand with the authoritarian institutional structures in the nation is no easy task and should not be treated as such."
Abstract This paper looks into the practice of politics in the United States. The writer discusses the polarity in conservative/liberal political views, as represented by the two major political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. The writer demonstrates that the significance of this study is to foster an understanding of how the pluralistic dimension of political discourse affects politics in the United States.
From the Paper "The prevalent political culture of the United States has shaped the way politics are practiced. Political culture is the inherited set of beliefs, attitudes and opinions Americans have about how their government ought to operate. We know that there is an overall shared culture through information derived from voting, polls, books, speeches and what we see on the media. The foundation of political culture is based on certain common values including the freedoms in the Bill of Rights, liberty, equality, individual responsibility, democracy ... "
Tags: ideologies, political parties, democrat, republican, pluralistic society, rights, political culture
Abstract This paper discusses how the democratic process in any nation, the United States notwithstanding, is highly dependent upon the political knowledge of individual citizens. After all, these are the people who vote for one party or another in the interest of enforcing or creating new policy decisions. The paper carries on to say that based on the previous sentences, it stands to reason that the decisions that voters make at the polls, based presumably upon political knowledge of the issues and policies at hand, are of paramount importance.
From the Paper "The standard assumption in all of this is that the public is inherently knowledgeable. Indeed, that assumption forms the basis of a significant proportion of research into the subject (Campbell et al, 1960). The larger question, however, is the degree to which that assumption can be demonstrated to be true. For the sake of this analysis, I will only be approaching the issue as it has manifested in the United States."
Abstract This literary review discusses democratic accountability in terms of governmental change and responsibility. The paper advocates the radical change of corporatism instead of simple reform.
From the Paper "The integrity of Canada's demographic institutions seems to have been declining in recent years. For example, in "Liberals on winning end of Gomery report" Don Martin states, 'Supervisors were blinded, whistleblowers fired, bids rigged, contracts fabricated, purposes circumvented and money diverted into Liberal accounts.' Using strong, at times harsh and judgmental wording, Gomery nailed the liars, dissed the forgetful and credited the trustworthy to recreate the worst parts of a sponsorship program exhaustively examined by his commission of inquiry (Martin 1). This statement lists some of the deceptive and illegal activities that were connected to or committed by the Liberal Party. "
Abstract This paper studies the effect of female literacy on population growth. Using the 2SLS model, this paper establishes a negative relationship between the two. A comparative analysis of the two states of India, Bihar and Kerala, reveals the same trend. However, the paper brings out the subtle differences in the social ethos of these states. The paper distinctly establishes the dominant role of female literacy in population control and recommends suitable priorities to public policy planners
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Literature Review
Population Theories and Economic Growth
Human Capital and Endogenous Growth Models
Which Factors Influence Population Growth
The Dominant Factor Debate
The Religious Factor Debate
The "Traditional" Factor Debate
Data and Methodology
District Level Macro Analysis Methodology
Block Level Micro Analysis Methodology
Findings
The District Level Macro Findings
Analysis by Each Variable
Block Level Micro Findings
The Spatial Analysis and the "Patna Puzzle"?
Conclusion and Policy Recommendations
References
End Notes
Appendices
From the Paper "The past decade (1991-2001) has been a watershed for India in more ways than one. While this decade saw the boldest economic reforms in India's history making it possible to emerge from the Hindu Rate of Growth, the decade also witnessed the sharpest decline in population growth (2.52% points, See Chart 1) coupled with the sharpest increase in female literacy (14.87% points) since Independence. A somewhat similar feat was achieved by the Indian State of Bihar for the period 1991-1997 where it registered a high literacy growth with the sharpest expected decadal decline in population growth (1.68% points) . Unfortunately, after 1997, unprecedented political instability led to the State slipping on these indices so much so that it finally registered a dismal performance on both the fronts of female literacy (lowest in the country) and population growth ( 2.8%, which is higher than the national average of 2.1%) for the entire decade (1991-2001) taken as a whole. An exceedingly good performance in this area (both at the national level and the State level) has prompted me to explore whether literacy (particularly female literacy) carries a more direct bearing on population control than other methods such as mass media campaigns, family planning, and sterilization."
Abstract This paper looks at the underlying trends of each population growth factor separately, particularly the immigration factor. It includes several graphs and in-depth data of the population in the United States as a whole as well as divided into sectors. It gives an historical overview of the Hispanic immigration from its origin until the present day. Finally, it concludes that the Hispanic population will continue to grow rapidly into the largest minority group due to their immigration and birth rate.
From the Paper "Researchers in demographics have persistently foretold that the rapidly growing Hispanic population would inevitably develop into the leading minority group in the United States. Updated data released from the 2000 census reveal that this belief is fast approaching actualisation. The data indicates that America's Hispanic population grew by 58% during the 1990s, putting Hispanics practically equal with African Americans as the country's biggest minority group. Most demographers predicted that the Hispanic population would equal or exceed African Americans by 2005. But that may occur sooner than initially anticipated. (Travierso, Maria. 2001, 1) How has this approaching dominance among minorities occurred and what does this mean to the U.S. population at large?"
Tags: Hispanic, United, States, census, 2000, population, minority, demographics
Abstract This paper addresses China's ever growing problem of over population. China's policies used to curb this problem are discussed. Another issue brought to light is China's overaging population and the negative effects that could result from this population instability.
Tags: ASIAN STUDIES / CHINA, chinese population policy
Abstract This paper looks at the reasons for European population growth in the eighteenth century with a focus on Britian and the industrial revolution. The paper shows how the development of new technology and the establishment of more efficient production methods and a higher standard of living, resulted in a decrease in the mortality rate. The paper also shows how the might, success and growth of the industrial economy was able to continue fueling the process of population growth throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, while new capitalist orientated theories put forward by Adam Smith advanced and galvanized the process.
From the Paper "Through the development of new technology and the establishment of more efficient production methods, a higher standard of living was achieved resulting in a decrease in the mortality rate. It is arguable that the increasing industrialization of Europe led to a new social order whereby younger marriage became an advantage and therefore birth rates were able to increase. Furthermore the new economy of an industrializing Europe lent itself to supporting the massive increases in population, while at the same time keeping living conditions stable in the short-term and improving them in long-term. Changes in economic, political and social theory developed by Adam Smith allowed firstly Britain and then other countries in Europe to embrace the Industrial Revolution and appreciate the economic value that an increased population could give a nation."
