Abstract In this article, the writer notes that Marxist, liberal, and feministapproaches share a pivotal characteristic in common in that all three are concerned with the needs of the oppressed. However, the writer discusses that although these approaches are similar in certain respects, they are basically quite distinct in their identification of which social and economic needs are to be given priority, their proposed solutions to social problems, and in implementation of solutions. The writer points out that the liberalapproach is especially distinct from the other two approaches since the term 'oppressed' does not so adequately fit. This paper focuses on the socioeconomic context and salient issues in New France in order to apply and illustrate those three approaches.
From the Paper "The Marxist approach would also maintain that the state operates as a means for social control and that it serves he purposes of emerging commercial capitalism. In addition, creating a program of social services may be somewhat empowering but it also oppresses people. Another Marxist criticism of the liberal approach would be that the liberal goals of social security would impose a severe burden on habitants who were already paying a tithe to the Church. As far as the Marxist approach is concerned, the work by religious orders and especially by nuns served to promote and reinforce the class system. Nuns' origins ranged from the nobility to wealthy backgrounds, and class differences were also observed in school programs which conformed to a social hierarchy."
Abstract In this paper, the writer distinguishes among the three most common theoretical approaches to international order. These approaches are realism, international society (internationalism), and liberalism. It begins by defining international order. The rest of the paper is divided into four sections. First, it compares the way proponents of realism, liberalism, and internationalism perceive the international order and the role of states within it. Secondly, it explains the goals of the realist, liberal, and internationalist approaches. Third, it compares how the international actors behave according to each approach and how they achieve their goals. Fourth, it outlines the limitations of the different approaches. The writer concludes by describing each theory's place in today's world.
From the Paper "Before approaches to international order can be explored, international order itself must be defined. The international order is an anarchic system of states. It is "a pattern of activity that sustains the elementary or primary goals of the society of states or international society." International order is distinguished from world order in that world order refers to the most primary goals of humanity, not states. Although all approaches agree that international order is weak, classical realism assumes permanent anarchy, liberalism sees a global community, and internationalism sees the potential for a less violent, more lawful order."
Tags: international, internationalism, liberalism, order, realism, society
Abstract This paper argues that conservatism answers questions of equality better than liberalism, and therefore provides the better account of the role of equality in a just society. The author argues that liberal egalitarianism is rightly rejected by conservatives, and examines issues of responsibility and choice, the fostering of good lives, and the value of history and reason as guides, skepticism and pluralism, and the faults in the Original Position. Includes references to various writers and theorists.
From the Paper ?In a society characterized by moderate scarcity and moderate sociability ? Rawls's conditions for justice ? people will experience substantial differences in their well-being, absent government intervention. After all, people are endowed at birth with wildly varying degrees of natural talent and social fortune. Even individuals born with identical advantages will eventually find themselves in unequal positions, as a result of random occurrences and the possession of different attitudes and propensities. For example, a car may hit one of the two, or one of the two may spend relatively more time pursuing his education, while the other may spend relatively more time pursuing women. The political philosopher must respond to nature's apparent predisposition toward inequality by answering two questions: Is this a problem? What ought to be done about it? This paper argues that conservatism answers these questions better than liberalism, and therefore provides the better account of the role of equality in a just society.?
Tags: conservative, john, justice, kekes, liberal, philosophy, rawls, theory
Abstract The paper examines the Marxist, liberal and feministapproaches that are all concerned with the needs of the oppressed. The paper looks at the liberal perspective that is especially focused on the individual's human rights and highlights its similarities and differences to the Marxistapproach of the capitalist and class system. The paper discusses the feminist perspective that is primarily concerned with patriarchy and women's oppression and notes the similarities and central differences to the other perspectives.
From the Paper "The Marxist, liberal, and feminist approaches share a pivotal characteristic in common in that all three are concerned with the needs of the oppressed. The liberal perspective is especially focused on the individual's human rights. Overall, "the Liberal Party was ultimately successful in identifying public needs, designing solutions to national social problems, and finally implementing programs". When the Liberals developed their system of social security, they did so as one aspect of a comprehensive national policy designed for social improvement. In sharp contrast to the Marxist approach, the liberal perspective is accepting of the capitalist system as not only necessary but as beneficial for the disadvantaged classes. The Liberal Party worked in stages to achieve the welfare state, the first phase being made up of National Health Grants, along with the later expansions in 1951 of the old-age pension program, and the emergence of hospital insurance in 1957."
Tags: human, rights, capitalist, system, classes, women, welfare, state
Abstract This paper is a literary analysis of this rich and complex novel, "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It provides a biography of the writer and a brief summary of the book's plot developments. Finally, the paper examines "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" critically through a Marxist and feminist literary approach, which examines the socio-economic and gender-based conflicts portrayed in the novel.
Table of Contents:
Biography
Brief Summary
Literary Analysis
Works Cited
From the Paper "Chronicle of a Death Foretold details the murder of Santiago Nasar, a young man accused of having sexual relations with Angela Vicario. The disgraced Angela is returned to her family after her husband finds she is a virgin. After a beating, Angela identifies Santiago Nasar as her lover. Her brothers Pedro and Pablo Vicario then set out to kill Santiago and restore their family's honor.
The story, however, is told in a non-linear manner. Chronicle of a Death Foretold also tells the stories of a host of secondary characters, some of who try to save Santiago and some of who contribute to his death."
Abstract This paper shows how feminists' interpretation of Marx's ideas is significantly different from a strictly communist interpretation, and is probably extrapolating much from Marx that he himself did not intend in his work. The paper explains Marxistfeminists' argument that Marx did not develop a theory of gender, but that one can merely be inspired by his work. The paper contends these feminists are primarily employing ideas that are, by now, enough divorced from Marx himself that his name no longer has be used. The paper therefore concludes that although Marx seems to have had some things to say about gender relations, the questions and contradictions that arise from an analysis of his gender theory suggest that perhaps the Marxist model of feminism is not the most appropriate.
From the Paper "Marx himself, however, was not a feminist thinker. Indeed, feminists generally agree that Marx's work is not adequate for developing a theory of gender relations because Marx himself did not get around to developing a theory of gender. It is important to bear this fact in mind when discussing feminism and Marx, because it is worthwhile to ask the question of whether Marx's thought is compatible with feminist ideas. One branch of feminism, however, disagrees with the assessment that Marx cannot adequately surve the feminist purpose. Marxist feminism holds that, although Marx himself did not write much about gender relations, he provides a general conceptual framework within which contemporary gender issues can fit, irrespective of the fact that Marx did not explicate these issues himself."
Abstract The paper analyzes a passage from Marx's "The Communist Manifesto" and argues that it shows a marked difference between the ideas of Karl Marx and the ideas of feminist theories who claim to take their inspirations from him. The paper discusses other feminist theories as alternatives to Marxist feminism which might better fit with Marx's own view of gender division.
From the Paper "Marxist feminism is a type of feminism based on the ideas of Karl Marx. The theory argues that capitalism is the cause of women's oppression. Economic competition, they claim, creates the risk of economic dependence, especially for women engaged in domestic labor. This, according to Marxist feminists, creates a rift between men and women that resembles a class division, and women are oppressed in much the same way that Marx's Proletariat is oppressed. Marxist feminism has many critics, but among the most compelling of these critics seems to be Karl Marx himself."
This paper focuses on the topic of sexuality, specifically Christian sexuality and how religious and non-religious feminist scholars deal with this controversial area of debate.
2,896 words (approx. 11.6 pages), 20 sources, 2000, $ 85.95
Abstract This paper focuses on the crucial topic of sexuality, specifically Christian sexuality and how religious and non-religious feminist scholars deal with this controversial area of debate. The latter part is a feminist commentary on how to challenge the sexual oppression and violence characteristic of the prevailing patriarchal structures that continually put women at a disadvantage. The final portion is a conclusion rendering these feminist revisionings as part and parcel of the changes found in the reformist Liberation Theology movement in the Christian Church.
Abstract The paper examines the fundamental differences between Marxist and formalist approaches to criticism. The paper uses Marxist commentary that explicates the rationale for the validity of the structuralist critical perspective. The paper also discusses the approach of formalist critics to conceptualize criticism as a highly structured enterprise.
From the Paper "This research examines fundamental differences between the Marxist and formalist approaches to criticism. The research will refer to relevant Marxist commentary and commentary that explicates the rationale for the validity of the structuralist critical perspective standpoint as well as to works that illustrate how each approach aims to clarify patterns of ideas and the means by which they are developed in literary texts. The far-reaching cross-disciplinary implications of Marxist social theory have been the subject of extensive commentary."
Abstract This paper discusses how the conception of justice that liberalism is based on is that all social primary goods -- liberty and opportunity, income and wealth, and the bases of self-respect -- are to be distributed equally unless an unequal distribution of any or all of these goods is to the advantage of the least favored. The writer shows how Rawls breaks this general conception down into two principles: The first principle states that everyone has equal rights and everyone should be able to enjoy these rights as much as possible, without infringing on anyone else's rights. The second principle, called the difference principle, states that inequality should have two restrictions- inequalities have to be beneficial to the least advantaged of society, and inequalities are acceptable only if there is equal opportunity to achieve a higher status. This paper is a critical examination of Liberal Political theory, set forth by Rawls. The paper examines criticism voiced by libertarians, communitarians, and feminists.
From the Paper "The search for the best of all possible worlds is extremely complicated. How can we decide what is the best world? What features would that world have, and why? Do these features concur with our intuitions about what's right? Are certain standards of equality and justice met? Would most people thrive in this world? Is our view on what is best impartial? In Steve Lukes' novel, Professor Caritat attempts to attain an impartial view of the world by asking, in which world would anyone be happy? In order to answer the question, Caritat tries to imagine the best possible world for an unborn embryo. This hypothetical embryo has no idea of its class, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, health, gender, life prospects, etc. Therefore, the embryo has no idea what sort of position it will occupy in society once it is born. Because the embryo has no identity, Caritat must examine every sector of society to see how everyone is treated, and to what extent everyone is allowed to live a good life. Using this criterion, Caritat concludes that none of the worlds that he visits are the ideal place for the embryo. He describes what he believes to be the best of all possible worlds and that description sounds a lot like a world based on liberal ideals. In this world people have the freedom to choose from all types of lifestyles worth living. Besides rule of law, civil peace and order, this society ensures that everyone has access to basic resources, and that the least advantaged are as well off as possible."
Abstract This paper studies the effect of pluralism and elitism on American politics. The paper argues that American politics and government are too complex to fit under the umbrella of either pluralism or elitism. The paper demonstrates that in most cases public policy and government are the outcome of a mixture of both approaches to politics.
From the Paper "Historically pluralism is associated with democracy a system of checks and balances of power that forge a consensus of the general interest that dictates government policy. In contrast the elitism or elitist perspective ..."
Tags: Bush, Dubai, feminists, liberals, democrats, republicans, wealthy, power, special interests, public opinion, consensus
Abstract This paper presents the thesis that although she made use of the colorful culture of Louisiana in her works, Kate Chopin was the quintessential example of an early feminist writer. The paper first looks at other early feminist writers who included Ellen Glasgow and Grace King. The paper then turns to Chopin's background and the death of her husband and her mother that encouraged her writing career. The paper goes on to illustrate the feminist themes that were addressed in many of Chopin's works, especially her short stories.
Outline:
Kate Chopin Was an Early Feminist Writer
Other Early Feminist Writers Included Ellen Glasgow and Grace King
Chopin Was Born into a Prominent St. Louis Family
Feminist themes were Addressed in Many of Chopin's Works, Especially Her Short Stories
Chopin is a Writer With Universal Appeal Because She Wrote of Women's Needs and Desires in an Era Where Women Were Told What They Needed
From the Paper "Kate Chopin was originally labelled a "local color" author. Her attention to peculiarities of speech and dialect, local customs, distinct ways of thinking and human nature allowed her to flourish. But she saw her primary responsibility as showing her readers the truth about life as she saw it, to write truthfully about the lives of women and men in the nineteenth century she herself knew (Manning 39). In many of her works, Chopin was able to transcend the label of "realism" and portray women who sought sexual and spiritual freedom while moored in the restrictive society of the nineteenth-century south. She fought the ideal of the place of southern women by challenging stereotypes or offering her characters social and sexual freedoms (Perry, 234). This somewhat modern way of thinking proves Chopin was not only a woman ahead of her time, but also a woman of her time (Manning 47)."
Tags: Ellen, Glasgow, Grace, King, female, sexuality, liberation, inferiority
An analysis of women's liberation with respect to the self, sexuality and family or personal relationships as described in the book, "The Politics of Passion" by Gloria Wekker.
Abstract The paper discusses the concepts of self, sexuality, and relationships referencing Gloria Wekker's work, "The Politics of Passion", to explain how important women's notions of self, sexuality, and relationships are to understanding women's liberation, resistance, and domination in society.
Outline:
Introduction
Self, Sexuality and Relationships
Passion Leads to Liberation Paradigm of Power
Conclusion
From the Paper "Wekker suggests that while many people associate women's "mati work" or kinship as negative, in part because it produces an "unequal sex ratio and unpleasant experiences and disappointments with men," (p. 172) there are many upsides to these relationships for women, none the least of which is not having to worry about getting pregnant (although mati women freely engage in heterosexual relations to produce children if they want). Overall Wekker demonstrates that the dominant paradigms that exist about women and their kinship do not take into consideration the number of women who make positive choices and decisions in their lives that empower them emotionally, "sexually and economically" when they are involved most intimately with other women rather than with men. "
Abstract This paper discusses the pragmatism of the women's feminist movements in Indian history by presenting the points of view expressed in articles written by four different authors, namely: Suruchi Thapar-Bjorkert's "The Domestic Sphere as a Political Site: A Study of Women in the Indian Nationalist Movement", Carol Hills' "Nationalism and feminism in Late Colonial India: The Rani of the Jhansi regiment 1943-1945", Basu Apama's "Feminism and Nationalism in India, 1917-1947", and Stephen Legg's Gendered Politics and Nationalized Homes: Women and the Anti-Colonial Struggle in India: 1930-47". The analysis and discussion of these articles represents a critical view on the nature of feminism in India during the rise of Indian nationalism during the early and middle parts of the 20th century.
Outline:
Introduction
Analysis and Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper "Basu Apama's article "Feminism and Nationalism in India, 1917-1947" dictates the state of feminist movements during a wide range of history, but provides the tenets of the feminist movement that was seen through the rise of Indian nationalism. Apama's argument for feminist liberation resides on the power of Mahatma Gandhi who actively supported the various feminist movements that sought to derail the traditional patriarchal constructs of violence as a form of opposition:
[Gandhi] claimed that women were better than men in waging nonviolent passive resistance because they had greater capacity for self-sacrifice and endurance, were less self seeking, and had moral courage.
This aspect of the women's movement helped to bring many women into the nationalist movement in India, but certainly, the pragmatic aspect of this foundation for feminist involvement only supports a patriarchal construct. One critical view of this feminist" ideology is that women were actively still performing a submissive role that could still deemed submissive to the male roles of aggression and "violence." The basis of a feminist movement in India appears to be validating the aggressive and submissive roles of women, especially when Apama defines women through Gandhi's ideology for being "less self seeking" in their agenda as a women seeking liberation. This begs the question: Were women merely being used as human shields through their typically submissive female roles in Indian nationalism? The pragmatism of Apama's article surely does not answer crucial questions as to how women were being liberated due to the often powerful men that still controlled political and traditional male roles in Indian society. Although feminist movements began to become more organized, the issue of its effectiveness is highly questionable under the policies of Gandhi in this period of history. In this manner, Apama promotes the freedom of women from the bonds of patriarchal institutions, yet there is little evidence that they made advances in reducing the often submissive stereotypes and generalizations made about them by the male donated nationalist movements in Indian history."
Argues the potential benefits for society of a Marxist revolution and cites the reasons for the failed Marxist revolutions in Nicaragua, Cuba and Grenada.
2,150 words (approx. 8.6 pages), 11 sources, 2002, $ 80.95
Abstract This paper discusses the meaning of revolution and why the Marxist revolutions in Nicaragua, Cuba and Grenada failed. The paper argues that a revolution promotes the advances of productivity and of the society in general. There are also fundamental changes in political and economic structure. In the case of Nicaragua, Cuba and Grenada, there were major changes, but the lack of economic and political freedom, in combination with U.S. pressure, made it impossible for those revolutions to succeed.
