Political Ideas - Second Exam Due date: Thursday, December 12
Answer
three of the following questions.
Answer one question from Part One, one from Part Two and one from Part
Three. Answer each question with an
essay approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pages long (typed, double-spaced). Try to express your ideas in your own words,
using only brief quotations from the readings, if any. When you do quote or paraphrase the ideas of
other authors, give them credit and indicate where you found the idea. (A page
reference in parentheses is sufficient for this purpose; formal footnotes are
not necessary.)
1. In the Communist
Manifesto Marx and Engels wrote, "The executive of the modern State is
but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole
bourgeoisie." Less dramatically,
many on the left have argued that, in a capitalist society, government cannot
be genuinely democratic because capitalists (or ‘the rich) will inevitably have
disproportionate political power. What
reasons can be given to support this claim?
To what extent do you think the claim is true? What might be done to make a capitalist society more democratic?
2. What do you think
of the idea (an idea found in anarchism, in the 'Green' movement, and in some
forms of socialism and some forms of feminism) that we ought to be trying to
create a society in which, to the greatest extent possible, no one has power
over anyone else because everyone has equal power, a society in which there is
no domination, no hierarchy, no coercive authority? Is this possible? (If so, how?
If not, why not?) Is it a good idea?
3. What do you take
to be the central principles or ideals of socialism? What, if anything, do you find attractive in the ideals of
socialism? What problems do you see in
the idea of socialism? How might people
who are committed to the ideals of socialism try to overcome these
problems? Do you think such efforts
could succeed?
4. What is
globalization? Why do some people
oppose the policies currently pursued by our government in the name of ‘free
trade’ (policies variously called ‘corporate-dominated globalization’ or
‘neo-liberalism’ or ‘the Washington consensus’)? What do you think about this matter?
5. The 'Green'
movement rejects both capitalism and socialism on the grounds that they are
equally committed to 'unsustainable' policies of industrialism, consumerism and
the pursuit of economic growth. Explain
and critically evaluate the Green's call for a reorientation of our society and
politics towards 'sustainability'. Does
this shift really require a new political orientation? Or can environmental concerns be adequately
addressed by one or more of the ideologies that already exist (liberalism,
conservatism or socialism, for example)?
Part Three (Answer one question)
6. Liberation
ideologies sometimes take the form of a ‘politics of identity’ or a ‘politics
of difference’ (sometimes also called ‘multiculturalism’). These ideologies reject the idea that a just
society should ‘treat everyone the same’ or be ‘color-blind’. Instead, they
say, justice requires respect for the different cultures and histories of
different groups, and this requires policies like affirmative action and group
representation. Discuss.
7. Liberal feminists
have argued that women will be 'liberated' when liberal principles of freedom
and equality apply to women, too. Is
this liberal feminist vision of equal rights an adequate understanding of what
is involved in 'women’s liberation', or are other changes needed as well (as
radical feminists argue)? (Explain your answer and respond to the opposing
view.)
8. Some people think
that the most important contribution of feminism to political thinking has been
the idea that "the personal is political", that is, that many aspects
of life that were previously thought to be private or personal or, anyway, not
part of politics, do have a political dimension. What are some examples that would illustrate this idea? What do you think of this idea? What consequences does it have for politics?
9. Critically
discuss the following claim: gay and
lesbian people should have all the same rights and privileges as heterosexual
people, including the right to marry and the right to be free from discrimination
in employment, housing, and public accommodations.