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Democracy in Practice

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Need help getting started with the following assignment.

1) Chapter one from Edward Greengberg's book "The struggle for Democracy."

2) Chapter 2 from Michael Parenti's book "Democracy for the few."

3) Chapter 1 from Michael Moore's book "Stupid white men and other sorry excuses for the state of the nation."

Then you must answer the following question asked in this section.
Keep in mind that you are required to write a scholarly essay.
You must do your research, read the entire assigned chapters and cite examples from each of those assigned chapters (again from all of those assigned chapters not just one or two).
Your essay must be no less than two and half pages long. It can be longer than that.
Your essay must include both research and opinion. It cannot be all research or all opinion.
You must support your position by facts, accurate historical examples and material from your research i.e. reading assignments (once again all of them not just one or two of them.)

First you must read chapter one from the book the Struggle for the Democracy and then you should identify and discuss the three fundamental principles of representative democracy as discussed by the authors of The Struggle for Democracy.
Then you should read chapter 2 form the Ninth Edition book: Democracy for the few, and explain how Dr. Parenti defines "Wealth" and "Want" in that chapter.
You must also read Chapter 1 (a very American Coup) from Michael Moore's book Stupid White Men: and other sorry Excuses for the state of the nation.
Dr. Parenti suggests that "the capitalist economy has an overbearing impact upon political and social life."
To Dr. Parenti the nature of our capitalist economy (wealth v.s. want) has undermined those three fundamental principles of democracy identified in the Struggle for Democracy for the majority of the American people.
You must explain Dr. Parenti's position on wealth and want in the United States.
Then you must explain do you see those influences in the 2000 election of George W Bush. What does Michael Moore have to say about this in his first chapter? To Michael Moore were those three fundamental principles of Democracy violated in the 2000 presidential election?
After answering above questions you must explain your own position on those issues. Do you agree with Dr. Parenti or Michael Moore or not? Which one of them was more convincing and why? Explain why you agree or disagree with them.
Keep in mind that you must cite specific examples from all assigned chapters and all authors to support your position.

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Solution Summary

The solution provides a discussion of the questions on democracy and government (see original question) in particular democracy in practice and the practice of american capitalism as presented in the work of 2 indicated authors (Parenti & Moore). Bibliographic information on the resource materials are indicated in the original question.

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On American Democracy

Political history taught us that Democracy started among the Athenians in what they called then as the "Polis" or the "city state". Etymologically, the term originated from two Greek terms, "demo" which means "people" and "cratus", meaning to rule, hence Democracy as the "rule of the people". It started as a popular or direct form with the state in a size of a "city". However, this Athenian idea of direct, participatory democracy has become incompatible with large societies. Hence, the idea of Representative Democracy was conceived, where elected representatives do the public business on behalf of the people. Under this form of Democracy, the people indirectly govern themselves through elected representatives.

According to Greenberg, there are three "fundamental attributes of democracy: popular sovereignty, which requires that the ultimate source of authority rests with the people and that government functions in the interest and deliberative will of a majority of citizens who are active and participate in the political process armed with accurate political information; political equality, which refers to decision-making where each person carries the same weight in voting and other political decision making; and political liberty, which refers to basic freedoms essential to the formation and expression of the popular will and its translation into policy. These essential liberties include the freedom of speech, conscience and religion, the press, and assembly and association, embodied in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

Representative Government operates under the principles of "Majority rules" and the "Rule of Law". Elections are the marks of a Democracy. These are the legal processes by which the sovereign people are presented with the alternatives (candidates) from whom they shall choose the best that would represent them in government. Only those who are legally qualified vote, and the majority of the votes cast determine the "titular sovereign" representing the "real sovereign" (people). Critics of Majoritarian Democracy claim that it threatens the Minorities. Proponents however, counterclaim that it does not.
In his book, "The Struggle for Democracy", Edward Greenberg said that "Democracy is increasingly regarded as the best form of ...

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