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Electoral processes used in the uk
Electoral processes used in the uk
Power structures in society
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Comparing Pluralist and Marxist Accounts of Power in the UK and US
Pluralism and Marxism both offer comprehensive theories about the
location of power within the modern state. Both theories to some
extent were based on Western governments; with Marxism being developed
partly through Engels’ experiences in Manchester in the mid nineteenth
century and Pluralism being developed through the studies in America
in the mid twentieth century; but they both offer radically different
ideas about who holds power in the UK and the US. We should, however,
be wary about using terms such as ‘pluralism’ and ‘Marxism’ without
acknowledging that many different variations of the theories exist,
and that they have both developed over time. It must be seen,
therefore that my analysis of the accounts of power in either system
can hardly be holistic.
One of the basic premises of pluralism is that the more power is
dispersed between different groups within a society, no single group
will have a monopoly of power, and the problems of ruling elites or a
single ruling class will be altogether avoided. Pluralism is
descriptive, and asserts that modern states have developed mechanisms
over time which avoid state monism and encourage a diverse range of
methods and channels through which a citizen can control political
leaders and shape the development of public policies.[1] To this end,
therefore, pluralists invest key institutions such as the media,
pressure groups the state and elections with the importance of
diffusing power to individuals, which prevents a single group or
institution from controlling the state.
Marxism accounts for the location of pow...
... middle of paper ...
...ust
concessions, and that the government are interested in worker’s
welfare.
What is clear is that pluralists and Marxists agree in some small ways
in their accounts of power in the US and the UK, but that mainly they
place completely different emphasis on the role of class and dispersal
of power, so their differences are always going to be significant.
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[1] P Dunleavy and B O‘Leary. Theories of the State (Basingstoke:
Macmillan. 1987) pp.14
[2] Ibid. pp 38
[3] Op. Cit. pp. 41
[4] R. Dahl, Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City (New
Haven: Yale University
Press. 1961) pp. 279
[5] Ibid. pp. 35
[6] Ibid. pp. 35
[7] T. Eagleton, Ideology: An Introduction (London: Verso publishing.
1991) pp. 89
In recent times the in the UK we have seen the more frequent use of
Evaluate the extent to which there is a democratic deficit in the UK (30) The UK political system is one that has lasted for many hundreds of years. Though it has remained reasonably stable throughout this time, there have been many problems with UK politics. A democratic deficit is defined as any situation in which there is believed to be a lack of democratic accountability and control over the decision-making process. Many would argue that the UK suffers from a democratic deficit.
... the traditional views about people with political power and their expected behaviours as they were morally corrupted and abusive of their powers.
During the late 19th and early 20th century both the Populist Party and Progressive movement wanted to preserve some things, while also addressing the need for reform. Although many of the ideas and goals of these “Third parties” were initially not legislated and considered far-fetched, many of these ideas later became fundamental laws throughout American history. The Populists and Progressives were both grass roots movements, and addressed the needs of the poor and powerless, for the Populists it was farmers and for the Progressives it was urban lower and middle class workers. These two movements attempted to bring the powerless peoples issues to national politics. The Populists and Progressives wanted to preserve some American ideals of the past, such as a sense of community and the ability for farmers and workers to live happily without economic strains. Populists were more oriented to the plight of the farmer while the Progressives included women's rights, and protection of the consumer and labor.
To some, "capitalistic democracy" conjures up the picture of a utopia where the free market is accompanied by individual liberty and social justice. To others, however, the term is more like a paradox—despite tremendous economic power, the advanced industrial nations are not immune from the evils of socio-political inequality as well as economical disparity. Amongst the capitalist democracies of the world, it is an established and well-known fact that when compared with the advanced industrial countries in Europe, the United States has the worst condition of economical-political inequality and social injustice. Its government is the least progressive, and its social inequalities the most deplorable. To explain the condition in the U.S. today, both the universality of capitalistic democracies and the peculiarities the American system employs—as well as this system's political and historical development—must be examined and explored.
roots and is by no means as socialist as it was. But is it still
Throughout the 19th and 20th century many political ideas have helped change and shape society, to what it is presently today. The list is endless for what each of these political ideas has achieved. These changes can be political or economic; however the change that is most conscious in the populations mind is that of social change. Equality was an important issue in many countries, especially Britain and America between the 1850’s to 1950’s and feminism and race equality major issues campaigned for. There was a major political idea behind the want for these changes, liberalism.
Not much explicit or detailed reference to earlier Marxist work does not mean that Miliband has not a great contribution to the Marxist theory of the State. Otherwise, concerning “with the historical constitution of the state in capitalist societies and the changing modalities of class struggles concerned to capture the existing state and use it to promote particular class inter” (2008, p. 147), Miliband contributed to the ‘second approach’ of Marxist state theory.
Thomas Jefferson once said “Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” Over time I have begun to believe that America is evolving into a dystopian society and it is caused greatly by the fact that the United States is a tyranny disguised as a democracy. The reason that the United States government isn’t understood to be a tyranny is because they don’t directly oppress their citizens, but through psychological control make us indirectly oppress ourselves.
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World demonstrates key principles of Marxist literary theory by creating a world where mass happiness is the tool used by positions of power known as the Alphas to control the masses known as the Epsilons at the cost of the people's freedom to choose. The social castes of Brave New World, Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons, draw parallels to the castes applied in Marxist literary theory, the Aristocracy, the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat.
UK as a Strong Liberal Democracy A liberal democracy is a representative system with some of the same characteristics as a representative democracy as it has free elections and decisions are made based on popular command. But a representative democracy can therefore be seen as elitist as a small number of people govern the majority. Whereas a liberal democracy includes the ideas of having varied focuses of political and economic power, an open government which is fair and responsible and an independent judiciary system. Also in a liberal democracy the government has limited power as constraints are placed upon the power of ruling government. The difference between a representative democracy and a liberal democracy is that a liberal democracy concentrates upon diversity, choice and individual rights and freedom.
"United States can be seen as the first liberal democracy. The United States Constitution, adopted in 1788, provided for an elected government and protected civil rights and liberties. On the American frontier, democracy became a way of life, with widespread social, economic and political equality. The system gradually evolved, from Jeffersonian Democracy or the First Party System to Jacksonian Democracy or the Second Party System and later to the Third Party System. In Reconstruction after the Civil War (late 1860s) the newly freed slaves became citizens, and they were given the vote as well." (Web, 1)
Seyom Brown, former senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Brookings Institution, the John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies, and the Harvard Universty’s Belfer Center. He has worked in the Department of State and the Department of Defense. He has taught in he has taught in countless universities such as Harvard University, Columbia University, and Brandeis University. His goal was to create discern assumptions of policymakers about international interests and to look at the power of which the US had in order to protect and further these interests. He also wished to connect these views that he had so he could be able to project and show them
Many of the readings this semester stress that as long as capitalism remains the main economic system, blacks will always be considered “second class citizens”. Marxist argue that this coupled with this group 's influence on political elections will determine that their class interests will shape political agendas and keep Blacks as a permanent subjugated class. The concept of Marxism is a very broad concept because it can touch many basis. The main idea of Marxism is the theory that capitalism is the root of the class struggle, and therefore the race struggle. The concept also says that eventually the exploited class will be the majority and the class in control and create a classless society that benefits all people and not just the ruling class. In this paper I will argue that Marxism doesn’t explain or offer a solution that will fulfill Blacks’ hopes and expectations of full political and economic citizenship in diaspora societies because black people live in a society that relies heavily on capitalism and the have and have nots structure.
Krain, Matthew (2005), “AP Comparative Government and Politics Briefing Paper: Globalization,” [http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap05_comp_govpol_glob_42253.pdf], accessed 15 May 2012.