Are Political Parties in Decline?
Are Political Parties in Decline?
No: Ronald Landes In Defence of Canadian Political Parties
Strong point-
Ronald Landed mentions that the several functions of a political party
focus on the responsibilities of it. His strongest point too lies within the
responsibilities of political governing. Walt Bagehot explains that a
political party's chief role is to join the government's executive portion to
that of the legislative portion. In short, Bagelot believes that parties force
the government to run smoother, and encourage them to solve more problems.
Weak point-
Landes' weakest point is in regards to the function of party financing.
More spefically the electroal functions of the parties financing. He feels
that because a party can raise money year in and year out (in fact the money is
flowing more than ever), that the organization is successful. A simple
explantion exists explaining why more money is coming into the political
parties. First of all government legislation has changed regarding the amounts
of donations which can be made, i.e. parties can now take more, and larger
donations. Secondly, politicians are more bussiness oriented and influenced by
large corporations and recieve large donations for corporate involvements.
Parties are not more influencial due to more money, nor are they better
organized.
Yes: John Meisel Decline of Party in Canada
Strong point-
John Meisel states that the primary factor leading to the dircet
declination of political parties in Canada is the rise of the bureaucratic
state. Modern Politics have eclipsed the past when political parties did not
need to gain specific knowledge as the focused on a few key points rather than
large amounts of responsibility. Today too many complex issues are dumped upon
our elected representatives, and they have no hope in being able to deal with
all the issues or give the proper amount of time and care. The development of
appointed civil severents has greatly aided in the solution of this problem, but
unfortunatley the elected representitives have lost control over the matters.
Meisel stated that politicians now can only sit back and observe the results of
the civil servants and accept these results. The officials now can no longer
act for the good of the people but rather must obey the control of the civil
servants.
Weak point-
But if any one transgresses, and does violence to the laws, or thinks to dictate to his rulers, such an one can win no praise from me. No, whomsoever the city may appoint, that man must be obeyed, in little things and great, in just things and unjust; and I should feel sure that one who thus obeys would be a good ruler no less than a good subject, and in the storm of spears would stand his ground where he was set, loyal and dauntless at his comrade's sid...
Civil disobedience has its roots in one of this country’s most fundamental principles: popular sovereignty. The people hold the power, and those entrusted to govern by the people must wield
It is not difficult to feel some degree of sympathy for the grandmother at the start of Flannery O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find,’ but the reader quickly realizes this is not exactly the author’s intention. Throughout the story, the writer successfully manages through the tone, dialogue, and the character description that grandmother is the suitable one to get the title of Misfit. The third person narrative is closely focused on the grandmother’s point of view, which establishes her more strongly in the reader’s mind than other characters. Additionally, the fact that the elderly woman remains nameless; is ignored by her son and daughter in law and treated with a degree of contempt by her grandchildren, supports this initial invitation to view the old lady sympathetically. However, because of grandmother, the whole family suffers in a direct or indirect manner. Nevertheless, the grandmother sees herself as quite a decent, dignified, traditional, and civilized person, who judges everyone but manages to overlook her own flaws. Thus, this story reflects on how through a conflict a person can find ‘good’ in others or within themselves, this story also shows that everyone has flaws, but sometimes it gets too late for them to realize their mistakes.
In a democracy, people choose representatives to lead and govern. However, these representatives might take unpopular steps. In such instances, the people may show their disapproval of a policy and vent their grievances through acts of civil disobedience. Henry Thoreau said, “It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.” It is both the right and responsibility of a person to fight an unjust law, and civil disobedience allows one to convey his thoughts and ideas in a passive, nonviolent way.
In “A Good Man is Hard to Find” Flannery O’Conner follows a family on their way to Florida. This family gets into some trouble along the way because of the grandmother and her big mouth. The focus of the narrative is on the grandmother and her not so typical lady ways. She is an older southern woman who thinks she is a lady based of what she wears and her way of speaking. Throughout the story, the grandmother acts selfishly, is judgmental and dishonest which put the family in danger. It is the grandmother’s lack of self-awareness about these characteristics that leads to the death of her family.
A Good Man is Hard to Find is a short story about each person’s differing moral codes-good and bad- and the effect that they have on a person’s daily actions and decisions. This is a classic story of good versus evil. The main theme of the story is the true definition of a “good man”. Each person has his or her own definition, but which one is correct? Another theme in the story is grace. The grandmother shows the Misfit grace, regardless of his moral code. Almost everything in this story is a symbol. All of these symbols come together to create a very ominous tone. There is a very clear imagery of death throughout the story. There is also very obvious foreshadowing throughout the story that points towards death in the conclusion. The grandmother
“A Good Man Is Hard To Find” is a Southern Gothic short story written in 1953 by Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) in a style that portrays the unfortunate demise of a family’s trip to Florida. Flannery O’Connor was raised as a Roman Catholic in the Bible Belt of the United States, which significantly influenced her purpose and style of writing towards themes of religious revelations and journeys (Flannery). This short story is a typical Foster quest story in that the family is oblivious to the fact that they are on a quest, but on their journey cut short to Florida, they learn more about themselves and others than they ever could have learned in their home-state of Georgia (Foster). Style is the manner in which an author chooses to write to their audience (“Style”). Style reveals a lot about the writer’s personality and through “A Good Man Is Hard To Find”, Flannery O’Connor reveals her desire to convey God’s grace and religion in everyday life through religious symbols in characters and their actions.
Political parties have been around since almost the beginning of this great country. Although George Washington strongly opposed political parties, and also warned the nation to stay away from forming political parties, the first political parties were formed right under his own nose. In George Washington’s cabinet was where the first parties started. The cause of these parties was simply differences in views. The thought of leaders of these two completely different parties was Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Jefferson started what then was known of as Republican or the Anti-Federalist. On the other hand Hamilton started what was known of as the Federalist Party. Both of these parties formed in the seventeen hundreds. These two parties have evolved into today being known as the Democratic, and the Republican parties. On the contrary one of the largest third party groups, the tea party was formed just recently in the year two thousand and nine. All three of these political parties effect our government today.
Locke states that the correct form of civil government should be committed to the common good of the people, and defend its citizens’ rights to life, health, liberty, and personal possessions. He expects that a civil government’s legislative branch will create laws which benefit the wellbeing of its citizens, and that the executive branch will enforce laws under a social contract with the citizenry. “The first and fundamental positive law of all common-wealths is the establishing of the legislative power; as the first and fundamental natural law, which is to govern even the legislative itself, is the preservation of the society and (as far as will consist with the public good) of every person in it.”1 Locke believes that humans inherently possess complete and i...
“A Good man is hard to find,” is about a family who decide to go on a trip to Florida. The story revolves around a self absorbed grandmother who loves to talk about how everything used to be back in her day and takes the time to dress herself so that “In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady (358).” She sneaks the family cat with her despite her son’s disapproval of bringing the creature along violating her boundaries to how a lady would act. The family encounters an accident along the way and happens to come across ‘The Misfit,’ a runaway criminal. Using ‘The Misfit’ as a tool, O’ Connor sends a message to her readers of how hypocritical a person can be when it comes to belief.
Elmore Leonard once said “I don’t judge in my books. I don’t have the antagonist get shot or the protagonist win. It’s just how it comes out. I’m just telling a story.” “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”, written by Flannery O'Connor, is one of the most interesting stories that we have read in this class. The protagonist in this story is the grandmother and the antagonist is The Misfit. In any other short story, the protagonist and the antagonist would not have much in common, but that is not the case in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”. The three major similarities between the grandmother and The Misfit is that they are both the oldest one in their groups, they are both hypocrites, and they both are missing important spiritual relationships.
applies the principles of civil disobedience in his procedure of a nonviolent campaign. According to him, “In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action” (King 262). The first step, which is “collection of the facts,” clarify whether the matter requires civil disobedience from the society (King 262). The second step, “negotiation,” is the step where civil disobedience is practiced in a formal way; to change an unjust law, both sides come to an agreement that respects each other’s demand, (King 262). Should the second step fail, comes the “self-purification,” in which the nonconformists question their willingness to endure the consequences without any retaliation that follow enactment of civil disobedience (King 262). The fourth and the last step, “direct action,” is to execute it; coordinated actions such as protests or strikes to pressure no one, but the inexpedient government to conform to them, and advocate their movement, and thus persuade others to promote the same belief (King 262). This procedure along with principles of civil disobedience is one justifiable campaign that systematically attains its objective. King not only presents, but inspires one of the most peaceful ways to void unjust
The basis for this concept, begins with the causes of prejudice. While there are many causes that relate to prejudice, the context ...
In our global economy requiring functional and respectful relationships between nations, prejudice and stereotypes can be a destructive force both in the world and in individual societies, especially in diverse ones.
Linz, Juan J. “The Virtues of Parliementarism.” Journal of Democracy Volume 1 (1990): 84-91. Print.