An Integral Part Of A Democratic State Essay Example for Free

An Integral Part Of A Democratic State Essay Elections are an integral part of a democratic state. The argument is sometimes put forward that participatory democracy should be the basis for a whole political system, a replacement for parliamentary democracy. Representative institutions based on one person one vote determine the principles and general direction of an elected government. Participatory democracy can monitor the work of the executive and state apparatus. The importance of process Take waste. The same principles of daily and ongoing democratic processes could be applied to education, transport, and social services. Formally, representative democracy does have the final say. Participatory democracy, in a complementary relationship to electoral power, thus has the potential to move societies further towards the democratic ideals of popular control and political equality. I believe that a strong and aware civil society keeps their elected representatives on their toes, by asking questions through organized interest groups all of whom press their causes on government, sometimes through political parties and through independent lobbies. Participatory democracy provides a real alternative, or complement, to elected power: a distinct and organized public sphere in which the demands of the people can be articulated, developed and negotiated between each other, and finally negotiated with the local or other relevant state institutions. Conditions for participatory growth In order for participatory democracy to attain legitimacy and reinvigorate democratic politics as a whole, certain conditions need to be in place. The aim for participatory institutions is essentially to share decision-making power with government, to exercise some control over the work of state institutions and to monitor the implementation of governments decisions. The process must get results; in the sense that these parties are able to use their electoral legitimacy to emphasize the importance of the participatory process. If participatory democracy spreads, the institutions of representative government may lose some power to the new participatory sphere. The new systems of managing public resources through a combination of electoral and participative democracy bring an overall gain in democratic legitimacy and as a result, potentially, in democratic power. I believe that participatory democracy and the election process should be in the forefront in advocating transparency among government officials and their constituents. It is also important that citizens should be more aware and involved because the main argument of a democracy is the constant participation of people with regards to political debates and decisions. Without the people’s involvement, government leaders will not hold positions of power in the first place. Grassroots parties that are well represented inside the halls of congress should not just advocate the things that they think are important, but they also should stand as role models for the people who do not have the chance everyday to sit in a position of power. It is inevitable in a democracy that sometimes elections become an issue in itself. With this in my mind, I believe that people who go out to vote and those who pass on the opportunity to vote must always respect the final verdict whether it favors them or not. Yes, it is an issue because sometimes it is very easy for people to point fingers and start up a rumor that an election is fixed. For me, the only solution for this issue is to improve the way elections are being held. As a voter myself, it would also help if we encourage our society to go out and vote. Apathy sometimes can backfire on us. We should take care of our rights as citizens and voters to be more aware of the situation and act accordingly. By doing so, we protect ourselves from being short changed by the very institution, which the sole purpose is to protect us.

Comparing Pain in Dr. Faustus and Oroonoko :: comparison compare contrast essays

Pain in Dr. Faustus and Oroonoko  Ã‚     Ã‚   In almost every piece of writing there is reference to some sort of pain, whether it be physical pain or emotional pain. In a story like Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko, the physical pain stands out above any other grief or misery. However, Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus exhibits just as much pain, but in an emotional sense. This poses an interesting question: Is one pain worse than the other? Can pain be measured? Pain, whether it be physical or emotional, is an unpleasant sensation. However, something like being poked with a safety pin or feeling sad would not be considered true pain. Physical pain is sent to the brain from other parts of the body, and when the brain recognizes the pain, the body feels it as well. There is no scientific evidence on where emotional pain comes from, but most people agree with Stanley Schachter’s analysis of emotions in the late 1950’s. Schachter said that emotional pain "begins when a person encounters an important event or thought. The person then interprets the meaning of the encounter, and the interpretation determines the feeling that is likely to follow. (Black 22)" Throughout history, people have documented their encounters with physical and emotional pain in works such as stories or poems. Neither pain was extensively researched until the late 19th century, so neither Marlowe nor Behn had any documentation on the causes and effects of physical and emotional pain. But both were able to take painful elements from their environment and put them into their texts. Marlowe wrote Dr. Faustus in 1592, in the middle of the Elizabethian era. The story revolves around a man who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for several years of "forbidden knowledge." Dr. Faustus is written in theatrical form (to be staged), a genre popularized during Elizabeth’s reign by writers such as Marlowe and Shakespeare. This form allowed authors to develop characters and experiment with emotion through dialogue, something authors were unable to do in poetry and had yet to do in stories. Dr. Faustus reads like a commentary on religion intended for the more affluent members of society: Don’t ask for things outside of your means or status. The story could also be a warning to monarchs who believe they are superhuman or divine. Because of the nature of the story, the pain expressed in Dr.

Adavantages and Disadavantages of Being the Only Child

Being an only child can be either good or bad, depending on how you perceive it and how you are brought up by your parents. The advantages could be that you get the undivided love and attention of your parents. They would dote on you more and provide for you more – in terms of getting you stuff, toys, etc. Obviously, being an only child means that your parents have only you to spend the money on and not have to share it among other siblings. So, you'd get more toys than normal, more money to spend than normal, more inheritance than normal, and of course more love from your parents than normal. So, in that sense, being the only child can be termed as a good thing. As far as disadvantages go, the â€Å"Little Emperor Syndrome† sums it up perfectly. For those unfamiliar with the term, â€Å"Little Emperor Syndrome† refers to the Chinese situation involving parents and their single child. Of course, all of you would be aware of China's one-child policy. Little Emperor Syndrome is an unintended consequence of that policy. This is a situation in which the parents lavish their love, attention, resources on this one child of theirs, and as a result, the child becomes spoilt and, well, behaves like a â€Å"Little Emperor. This sort of excessive attention and care can prove detrimental in the long term for the child. The child gets used to having everything done, managed, taken care of – by their parents. When they have to live in the real world and face real problems, they might not be able to cope with it. They may lack self-confidence to go out in the world and get things done for themselves. They might feel lost outside of the cocoon that their parents created for them. Being an only child can also be very lonely. They would miss the fun of growing up with a brother or sister. An only child can also grow up to be a selfish adult, i. e. one who thinks primarily of his/her needs over the needs of others. They may also lack in the ability to empathize with others as much as children with siblings. Another potential disadvantage of being an only child could be the excess burden on your shoulders as regards taking care of your parents, for example. It can take an emotional toll on you, being the only child with all the responsibilities. My Experience of not Being the Only Child in my Family So, there are advantages and disadvantages to being an only child. However, how each child turns out – really depends on how the child has been brought up, among other factors. Personally, I always wished I was the only child in my family. Perhaps, its not a nice thing to say, but that's how I feel! You know, the grass always seems greener on the other side. In my specific situation, the age gap between me and my brother was just 3 years, and therefore, there was a lot of rivalry and acrimony between us all through childhood – it affected me quite a bit, not the usual childhood fights, which you grow out of. Being the eldest in my family, I always felt that I was not treated fairly when it came to certain situations, especially conflict situations. I was always expected to be magnanimous and large-hearted and forgive and forget – whereas my younger brother was doted on and shielded. I still feel that to be the case to this day. We do get along much better now, but it isn't your usual loving relationship – more formal than familial. My mom still dotes on my little brother to no end, which is good, but she doesn't see me the same way, which is what I regret and bemoan. I've never quite understood this difference. At times, I think to myself that this is all my imagination – that I am just seeing things that aren't there! That there is really no discrimination so to speak. But, then again, there is a difference, you know what I mean? Perhaps, a lot of you would have no clue about what I am talking about. Then again, there may be a lot of you who know exactly what I am talking about, so there you have it!! I am sure, there would be lots of single, lonely people out there, who were the only child in their families, who would have wished they had a brother or sister growing up. So, there are pros and cons to both!

Prison Reform The United States - 2438 Words

Michael Wilson Palo Alto University SOCI300 Prison Reform in the United States Prison reform. What does it mean and why is it necessary? To answer these questions we must look at a number of interrelated social areas. These include the motivations for and against prison reform, and where they come from. To this end, we must explore the American political system, public perception, prisoner rights, disenfranchisement among parolees, the social justice movement, and efforts to lower recidivism among convicted felons. As seen throughout the history of the United States, there has always been a degree of exploitation by politicians in regards to crime that is meant to direct public attention and unease. Over the last four and a half decades the U.S. prison population has grown to more than six times it’s former size. Socially speaking, the impact on certain social groups within the U.S. population cannot be overstated (Gottschalk, 2009). The idea of prison reform is somewhat interwoven with the idea of criminal recidivism. In the case of violent crime, the prison reform agenda often meets resistance in the form of public opinion, and because of this both those incarcerated and their victims continue to suffer. Lack of reform within America’s prisons is thought by some to perpetuate a cycle of crime, harming both the perpetuators and their victims. Since the 1970s the United States has seen a surge in growing population rates within prisons, significantly greater sentencing,Show MoreRelatedPrison Reform in the United States of America1318 Words   |  6 PagesPrison Reform in The United States of America â€Å"It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones† (Nelson Mandela, 1994). The United States of America has more people behind bars than any other country on the planet. The prisons are at over double capacity. It cost a lot of money to house prisoners each year. A large number of the prisoners are there because of drug related offensesRead MorePrison Reform During The United States1456 Words   |  6 PagesAshlyn Frazier Taylor English IV October 20, 2015 Prison Reform in America For many years now, the criminal justice system has become stricter, causing more and more people to be arrested and sentenced to prison. As prisons become more occupied, the living conditions, health, and treatment of prisoners starts to deteriorate, which has become a trend over the last few decades. However, President Obama has noticed this prison environment and has taken a stand in saying that something needs to be doneRead MoreReform, Means Improvement : Prison Reform Essay1558 Words   |  7 PagesReform, means improvement. Prison reform, means the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, establishing a more effective penal system, or implement alternatives to incarceration. The penal system is part of the larger criminal justice system. Prison reformation, is not just about the justice system or the criminal justice system. They all have a different meaning, but, in all, they do involve with the same concepts, expectations, and ways of doing things because it deals with community, societyRead MorePrison Reform Is Not The Best Option For Punishing Criminals Essay921 Words   |  4 PagesTo pursuade my audience to belive that prison reform is necessary. I. INTRODUCTION A. Attention Getter: It is estimated that there are about 2.2 million offenders in U.S. prisons. That is larger than some samllers nation’s whole population. B. Credibility Statement: I have done exstensive research on prison reform, and I have wirtten a paper on it. I have also taken a class on the prison system. C. Audience Relevence: It is important to be aware of how our countries correctional system is runRead MoreSolitary Confinement Is The Violation Of Rights Essay1563 Words   |  7 Pagesirreversible effects. The United Nations, established following the end of World War II, attempted to form universal standards of human rights that would force accountability for each country. This charter was in direct response to the heinous crimes against targeted groups, especially those that were placed in concentration camps. While the U.N. does not specifically mention prisoners, it is clear that everyone is viewed as equal under the law (The United Nations, 1945). In 1948, the United Nations producedRead MorePros And Cons Of Solitary Confinement1001 Words   |  5 PagesOver the last couple of decades, prison systems have adopted the use of solitary confinement as a means of punishment and have progressively depended on it to help maintain obedience and discipline inside the prison structure . Solitary confinement is a form of incarceration in which a prisoner is isolated in a cell for multiple hours, days, or weeks with limited to no human contact. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the United States represents only 5% of the worlds population yetRead MoreA Step Towards Democracy: The Jacksonain Era848 Words   |  4 Pageswere filled with reforms ranging from political reforms to religious reforms. This era is commonly known as the Jacksonian Era. Prior to the Jacksonian Era, the early 19th century was classified to be a period of extreme instability. The Jacksonian Era involved many new ideas such as King Mob, the spoils system, expansion towards the West, and the Bank War. These characteristics of the Jacksonian Era brought stability and set a foundation for which its people could start reform movements. Even thoughRead MoreThe American Penal System : The United States Essay1705 Words   |  7 Pages That is where prisons come into play. When a pers on commits a crime, he or she might stay in a prison while awaiting trial and might also stay in a prison as a punishment if that trial does not end in his or her favor. According to The Sentencing Project, as of 2015, the United States’ rate of incarceration was the highest in the world, standing at 698 people per 100,000 people. That means that nearly 2.3 million people in 2015 were behind bars. Because of this, the United States penal system needsRead MoreThe Sentencing Reform Act Of 19841526 Words   |  7 PagesThe Sentencing Reform Act is associated with the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, were the U.S. federal statute increased the consistency in the United States federal sentencing. The Sentencing Reform Act created the United States Sentencing Commission. This act allowed the independent commission into the judicial branch of the United States Sentencing Commission. It consists of seven voting members and one nonvoting member. For the sake of the United S tates Sentencing Commission, thereRead MorePersuasive Speech Outline1232 Words   |  5 Pagestime, the United States has only 5 percent of the world s population, but holds 25 percent of the world s prisoners, this is costing the country approximately $80 billion dollars per year. B. Tie to Audience: From your point of view, you might think that keeping all the law violators behind bars is a positive thing because it enhances public safety, but you should take a look on how incarcerating people impacts families and the nation’s economy. C. Preview and Thesis: We, the United States of America