The United Kingdom is a democratic nation
with a reigning monarch (not ruling). It’s interesting how the democratic
system in the UK differs from that of the United States. While no political system is perfect, one
might say the British democracy might be running more smoothly than the American
democracy. People in America often mix
faith in a country with that of their government; if the government is in
turmoil, morale is low. In Great Britain, because it has a reigning monarch and
not ruling, there is a sense of security when government fails (letting down its
citizens). One interesting thing I thought about this chapter was the section
of the education system. I was shocked to see the percentage of British students
in school at the age of 17 compared to that of the US. I wish the book talked
more about the type “readiness” desired by other countries compared to Great
Britain.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Contructing and Dismantling Democracy
In
an ideal world, Democracy would be the ideal political system that governs all
nations. This isn't an ideal world, nor is Democracy an ideal political system.
Many factors come into play when establishing a method to govern citizens, and
a sense of legitimacy is a huge contributor. Democracy doesn’t simply rise up after a revolution;
it goes through a process. People need to feel strongly about their beliefs in
a certain political system. If that happens to be democracy, people must be educated
and of sound mind when choosing representatives that they believe will best
represent their ideals and interests. Conflicts arise when uncertainty and
corruption infiltrate the system. When a person tastes the sweet pleasures of
power, it is often hard for him to release it peacefully. Power consumes an
individual who will often use it for personal gain. Ukraine is facing an
identity crisis. The Ukrainian government wants to pair up with Russia while citizens
have shown signs of support for a treaty with the EU. The government is
limiting the power of the people and increasing its own power. This is a
country with democracy already in place but with signs of protest, democracy is
losing legitimacy in Ukraine.
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