On a TV interview in the 1970’s, the leading linguist and intellectual of the 20th century, Noam Chomsky, warned of the dangerous direction that the American society and globalized world was heading into: "If a society is based on control by private wealth, it will reflect the values that it, in fact, does reflect now – greed and the desire to maximize personal gain at the expense of others. A small society based on that principle is ugly, but it can survive. A global society based on that principle is headed for massive destruction." Now in 2015, Chomsky reflected on his take on the dangers of the concentration of wealth and power in his documentary called “Requiem for the American Dream.” Chomsky’s wake up call of the American Dream is neatly However, in today’s globalized era, that sense of hope is hardly a notion within the American society. This sentiment against government institutions and structure of society can be noted in political scientist Martin Gilens’ study of the relationship between public opinion and public policy. According to the study, about 70% of the population has no way of influencing policy, and what is worst is the fact that the general population is cognizant of this inability to enact change or influence in policy making. Gilens claims that “influence over actual policy outcomes appears to be reserved almost exclusively for those at the top of the income distribution.” This finding legitimizes the notion that the United States is on the path of becoming an Ever since the foundation of the United States, the phrase “We The People” referred to what Adam Smith called “masters of mankind”, whom seek to serve and protect their interests at the expense of the general population. Chomsky notes that this mechanism is ingrained within the structure of US Constitution, whereby the reduction of democracy is a solution to maintain the status quo and prevent the democratization forces. This notion of reducing democracy can be exemplified by the harsh backlash against the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. The Powell Memorandum warned of the threat of activism and popular political movements, and called for the control and use of resources to counter the forces of democratization prevalent during the
Historically, the United States has prided itself as the most egalitarian and autonomous nation in the world. Political figures and institutions have attempted to uphold the theoretical ideals of the nation, while in practice often fail to fulfill their promises to the people. This gap between our fundamental values as delineated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and our discriminatory practices such as slavery and gender discrimination can be found in competing political ideologies which purposefully exclude marginalized peoples. The framers built the United States for the white man; every other person’s rights came, and continue to come afterwards. Once one people’s freedom is postponed, the same oppressive strategies
O’Connor, K., Sabato, L. J., Yanus, A. B, Gibson, Jr., L. T., & Robinson, C. (2011). American Government: Roots and Reform 2011 Texas Edition. United States: Pearson Education, Inc.
Michael Moore’s film of Capitalism: A Love Story is an examination on how much of a financial impact that corporation has on the lives of Americans. Capitalism seems to emulate a love affair gone wrong, with lies, abuse and betrayal towards the American people. Moore moves the film from Middle America, to the halls of power in Washington, to the global financial epicenter in Manhattan in order to answer the question of what price do Americans pay for the affection of capitalism. There is irony in the title of this film because there is certainly nothing to love about capitalism when families have to pay the price with losing their jobs, their homes and their savings as a result of the risky investments that the rich and powerful have at their disposal. With more than 14,000 jobs being lost, residents being evicted from their homes and banks stealing away families’ savings, one must wonder if there is an upside to capitalism at all. True democracy is the biggest threat to corporate America because of the one person one vote system. In order for this to take place, the growing number of people would have to come together and expose capitalism for what it truly is, a corrupt and greedy system for the wealthy.
Piven, Frances Fox and Richard A. Cloward. Why Americans Don't Vote. New York: Pantheon, 1989.
With opposing views of the constitution from Thomas Jefferson and the Jeffersonians and Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists, the shape of the United States would change because of their views. The phrase “We the People" has been understood by many to mean the "citizens." With this view, if "We the People” only includes citizens, it excludes non-citizens from recognition. The phrase has been taken as pronouncing that the national government takes its supremacy from the people as well as saying that the government was intended to govern and protect "the people”, instead of governing only the states as political units. The Federalists believed in a country where “he who owned the country should rule it,” while Jeffersonians were opposed to
At first glance, it seems implausible the word democracy isn't written in the United States Constitution, or in the Preamble of the Constitution, or even in the Declaration of Independence. One would assume a concept so paramount to modern American culture would surely be derived from one of its oldest and most endeared documents. Alas, it is not. The Constitution only specifically mentions two entities, the government and “We the People”. Defining government is an easy enough task, but who are “We the People”? Originally consisting of only white male property owners, eventually adding in other races, income classes, women, and astonishingly, corporations, the definition of “We the People” has evolved numerous times. Corporation is another key term the architects of our government failed to define for us, perhaps that is why it found its way into the phrase “We the People”. A grave dilemma lies in this fallible defining of terms. Granting corporations person-hood legislatively shifts the power of democracy from human interests to corporate interests. This corrosion of human interest can clearly be noted when examining the battle over corporate power highlighted in the court cases of Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and United States v. Sourapas and Crest Beverage Company.
Piven, F. F., Cloward, R. A. (1988). Why Americans Don't Vote. New York: Pantheon Books.
Democracy, a new form of government, a government for the people, was seen in different lights. As time progresses, the government becomes firmer in its regime and doctrine, yet keeps the same focus; for the people. The United States was created for the people, and by the people, and the need for the people to continue to be the main focus was crucial. However, once Jackson was elected president, the idea of people staying the main focus of government began to falter. Those who support Jackson wished for something in return, and Andrew Jackson supported the rights of the spoils system, thus giving his people the seats they thought they deserved. However, as time went on, the focus on the people slowly changed to what those in those special seats wanted. Jacksonian Democrats, who viewed themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution under the presidency of Andrew Jackson claimed to have held the interest of the common people in high regard, altering not only our Forefathers’ electoral processes but the government as a whole. However, through their actions toward their common people, the uprooting of Native Americans, and the fatality of a national bank, they eventually created a larger mess than just a “kitchen cabinet” could withstand.
South University Online. (2013). POL2076: American Government: Week 4: People and Politics—Interest Groups. Retrieved from http://myeclassonline.com
Works Cited Hudson, William E. American Democracy in Peril: Eight Challenges to America’s Future – Fourth Edition. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2004. Landy, Marc and Sidney M. Milkis. American Government: Balancing Democracy and Rights.
Within the article Caring Democracy: Markets, Equality, and Justice, the author Joan Tronto highlights and critically examines the United States and its democratic lifestyle after the attacks on 9/11 on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and the events after the 2008 financial crisis. Since these events the United States the average citizen is now facing to many demands for them too adequately for their children and themselves. During a set of recent elections examined by Joan Tronto she found that public involvement was at an all-time low by the citizens of the United States. Although political involvement should support us to care more about our surrounds and society but it does not. However, the American democratic process has become more
One major issue with the nation is their emphasis on the importance of having a timocracy society where power is measured and gained through wealth. A common ideology shared among Americans is “You don’t share things in common; you have your own things” (Burgess 236). Through this statement, Burgess remarks about how American citizens no longer have the will to familiarize themselves with
Chomsky, Noam. Profit Over People: Neoliberalism and Global Order. New York: Seven Stories Press, 1999.
Landy, Marc and Sidney M. Milkis. American Government: Balancing Democracy and Rights. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2004.
Biggs, S., & Helms, L. B. (2007). The Practice of American Public Policymaking. New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc.