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what is aristotles main lesson on politics
aristotle's politics essay
aristotle and the polity
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The tragedy of the commons and the problem of collective action are two key concepts in the world of political science. They act under the assumption that man is a rational being who will act in his own self interest. Humanity id broadly diverse meaning that each individual has their own ideas as to how society should run and how people should live.(heywood) This inevitably results in disagreement and this is where politics steps in. Aristotle described politics as the ‘master science’, ‘the activity through which human beings attempt to improve their lives and create the Good Society.’ Through the tragedy of the commons and the problem of collective action we can see how politics is essentially the ‘search for conflict resolution’ (heywood) and aims to create a cohesive society benefiting all.
Elinor Ostrom p186 goes so far as to say ‘The theory of collective action is the central subject of political science’ . The idea of collective action is essentially when a group of individuals with common interests work together to further those common interests benefitting all. Indeed problems of collective action permeate all aspects of politics, ranging from local neighbourhood level to international level.(ostrom) Collective action can be seen at work in international relations, public bureaucracies and also explains voting, lobby group formation and how citizens control their governments in a democracy (ostrom presidential) Cerny (site) states that ‘the state has been the key structural arena within which collective action has been situated and undertaken.’ However collective action can prove difficult for groups to achieve.
Individuals are assumed to act rationally and aim to further their own personal objectives. Man is assumed t...
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...trom, E., 1998. A Behavioral Approach to the Rational Choice Theory of Collective Action: Presidential Address. The American Political Science Review, 92(1), pp. 1-22.
Ostrom, E., 2000. Collective Action and the Evolution of Social Norms. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14(3), pp. 137-158.
Ostrom, E., 2007. Collective Action Theory. In: C. Boix & S. C. Stokes, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 186-208.
Ostrom, E., 2008. Tragedy of the Commons. In: S. N. Durlauf & L. E. Blume, eds. The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Stoker, G., 2006. Why Politics Matter. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Tierney, J., 2009. The Non-Tragedy of the Commons. [Online]
Available at: http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/the-non-tragedy-of-the-commons/?_r=1
[Accessed 11 January 2014]
Mintz Eric, Close David, Croc Osvaldo. Politics, Power and the Common Good: An Introduction to Political Science. 2009. Toronto: Pearson Canada. 15,147,183.
Jones, W. T. Masters of Political Thought. Ed. Edward, McChesner, and Sait. Vol. 2. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1947.
... Barreto, M. (2009). Collective Action in Modern Times: How Modern Expressions of Prejudice Prevent Collective Action. Journal of Social Issues, 749-768.
The title of this essay “Silence and the Notion of the Commons” gives the same idea of people as programmable and unprogrammable similar to the idea seen in the Matrix. Whereas programmable people, who are the commons, are the people inside the matrix they are also known as the sheep, the people that believe in everything they are told. The unprogrammable people, who are the silence, are the people outside of the matrix. Ursula Franklin uses a variety of techniques in order for the audience to fully understand her message, and to inform them of the topics discussed in her essay, as is particularly apparent in paragraph 5 of her essay “Silence and the Notion of the Commons.”
Polletta, F., & Jasper, J. M. (2001). Collective identity and social movements. Annual review of Sociology, 283-305.
Theories of human nature, as the term would ever so subtly suggest, are at best only individual assertions of the fundamental and intrinsic compositions of mankind, and should be taken as such. Indeed it can be said that these assertions are both many and widespread, and yet too it can be said that there are a select few assertions of the nature of man that rise above others when measured by historical persistence, renown, and overall applicability. These eclectic discourses on the true nature of man have often figured largely in theories of political science, typically functioning as foundational structures to broader claims and arguments. The diversification of these ideological assertions, then, would explain the existence of varying theories
The IAD Framework offers researchers a way to understand the policy process by outlining a detailed and systematic approach for analyzing institutions that govern action and outcomes within the collective action arrangements (Ostrom, 2007). Institutions are defined within the IAD Framework as a set of prescriptions and constraints that humans use to organize all forms of perpetual and structured interactions (Ostrom, 2009). These policies can incorporate norms, rules, and shared strategies (Ostrom 1990). Foundations are further outlined as being formal or casual; the previous described as principles-in-structure and the recent as guidelines-being used.
Paul Hawken, in the chapter “Blessed Unrest,” records the people of a new social movement, as well as their ideals, goals, and principles. He writes how they are connected, along with the diversity and differences they bring to make the social movement unique. Hawken communicates to the readers the various social, environmental, and political problems they will encounter in today’s world as well as similar problems of the past. Problems that these groups of organizations are planning to undertake with the perseverance of humanity.
The dilemma of collective actions is an objectively existing social phenomenon. Western scholars create theoretical models about dilemma of collective actions and provide theoretical interpretations according to the reflections to the real world. “These collective actions will be problems such as short supply of public goods, overuse of public resource, disorder of public order, loss of public organization efficiency and anomie of public policy implementation.” (Chen tan, 2009, Theoretical Interpretation … under Non-cooperation Game)
(Turner and Killian 1987) cited in (Diani 1992, p. 4) define social movements as a “collectivity acting with some continuity to promote or resist a change in the society or organisation of which it is part. As a collectivity a movement is a group with indefinite and shifting membership and with leadership whose position is determined more by informal response of adherents than by formal procedures for legitimizing authority”. Turner and Killian regard a social movement as a peculiar kind of collective behavior that is contrasted to regularity and institutional behavior. Additionally, Turner believes that social movements do not necessarily coincide with movement organisations, although these organisations can carry out a large part of the movement tasks and it is often help to control and speak for movements (Diani 1992).
The Tragedy of the Commons “is a problem that occurs when individuals exploit a shared resource to the extent that demand overwhelms supply and the resource becomes unavailable to some or all” (Wigmore, 2013, August). He explains if by using an example of herdsman caring for their cattle in a common land owned by others. Everyone in the land have the same number of cattle they are allowed to have. If one herdsman was being self-centered things and had more cattle because he was thinking of his needs would then damage the community by “overloading it, erosion set in, weeds take over, and he loses the use of the pasture. He would just worry about his goals now and not the overall outcome which not only affected him, but the other herdsmen as well. (Hardin, 1974,
Rational choice theories not only seek to explain the decisions that some people make, but also to help us to better understand decisions that others don’t make. We therefore have an examination of deterrence theories. Traditionally...
This essay explores pressure groups and their role in democracy and society. It also discusses how pressure groups use the media as a communication strategy to influence.
Human nature is not simply a measure of our human tendencies. It is both individual and collective. It does not explain why events happen. Instead, it explains the subconscious of each individual in the instant that events happen. The social order that best fits human nature is one where the informed opinions of everyone creates decisions and causes action. Madison’s argument for and against factions, Aristotle’s idea of ultimate happiness, and Locke’s concept of popular government and human rights all offer a significant component to the larger concept that is human nature. While some may argue that we will only fully understand human nature when we are met with death, still we can begin to capture a slight understanding to what governs human nature and the political order that helps it grow.
As the movement evolved from a mob mentality with picketing and random activism, collectivism began to catch on as more formal groups organized and gained recognition in the political arena. Individuals began to realize that there was more power for change in groups that were deeply committed to uniting together under the umbrella of a common cause. In this manner, the first collective bargaining units were formed and expanded. Labor movements have been an ongoing topic of inte...