The Ideal Society Essay Example for Free

The Ideal Society Essay In its altruistic sense, the government acts as an instrument of representation of the people who have formed it and therefore has the responsibility to govern society as an epitome of all wills unified into a single essence. However, a government does not necessarily possess power, since power is mediated or delegated by society itself to a select group of leaders that use such power in order to benefit the community as a whole. Still, in the long run, as society evolves from its crude state where no set of laws and morals govern human condition, the individual learns to commune with the other and learn to harmonize the human condition. From human experience, social laws are formed and these laws become the basis for the formation of a culture. It is through value-ideas and the word culture is in itself a finite segment in which prominent events are included. In a primitive society, man is concerned with the environment and experience around it. From these habits and practices, it becomes a cultural norm that acts as a basis of living. On the other hand, society remains communal in terms of daily activities. These cultural precepts, in the crude sense, act only as guidelines or moral markers for human beings to regulate and base their actions upon. Breaking such norms correspond to specific punishments, depending on the gravity of the crime. These become the basis for the formulation of established laws and norms in society and as it continually evolves into a deeper and larger aspect, more perspectives are taken into account. In a basic precept of society, there are no sets of laws and moral norms to guide human act. Man first establishes a communal society in which everybody benefits from labor produced as a whole. In each communal group, there are no perceptions on race, gender, or color. Rather, the perspective lies on the group itself (tribe). This society lives in harmony with little or no thought in individual freedom. However, as society develops, with the need for private property and division of labor, the human race then adopts institutions of law for the protection of their rights. In addition, man is engaged in frequent competition and also becomes heavily dependent upon fellow men. Their individualistic essence is lost and there is a looming threat on mans freedom. Yet, by abandoning individual claims in order to join together through a generally accepted social agreement or contract, individuals can preserve their individuality and at the same time enjoy their freedom. Individuals submit to the rule of the general will—the collective agreement which protects individuals from being superseded by the will of others and ensures that this agreement is protected and obeyed because the majority becomes the authors of the law. As the progression of history treads on its usual path, it is inevitable for the human race to stratify and improve its prevalent political and social systems in order to adjust with the demands of industrial and scientific progression. Naturally, the evolution of the human race coincides with the development and diversification of ideas and concepts. Society however, remains on its crudest form, even with the presence of new ideas and perspectives. For individuals basic essence of self-need remains the same and as long as individuals remain such, society can never change. Not every aspect of government is perfect but in essence, the idea remains good and noble. However, once these structures are put into context, there are still some gaping holes with regard its structure. The prevalent government forms are as follows: Democracy, Despotism, Anarchy, Monarchy, Theocracy, and among others. A Monarchical government is one of the oldest forms of societal control through the ruling of the noble elite. However, the evidence through history suggests that the monarchy further instigates social class struggle, oppression, and abuse. Theocracy has the same effect though society is controlled by the religious elite. Anarchy is the complete opposite of the government, basing from the simple precept that humans are motivated by selfish desires and thus no form of government can adhere or address the needs of the many. Democracy is probably the closest form of an ideal government in a given society since its main ideals give emphasis on sovereignty and equality and liberalism. Society is organized through a single, governing body that has the supreme authority to uphold and enforce the laws which society has created. This type of government is separated by three powers that have distinctive qualities in terms of authority, scope and power so as to prevent abuse and dereliction of duty. In terms of individual subjectivity, French political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rosseau in his work The Social Contract discusses the natural inclination of man to develop ‘social contracts’ that represent simultaneously the idea of the whole and individual need: â€Å"Each of us puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will, and in our corporate capacity, we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole† (Rousseau 2002, p. ). From this premise, societal behaviour naturally acts according to the contribution to the good; that is, the general will acts as the supreme law of the land because of equality it tries to espouse. Like any other government however, we cannot say Democracy is the ideal state of society; rather, it is close to the ideal societal structure because of its advocacies on freedom, equality and liberty. Unlike the authoritarian rules of monarchy, theocracy, plutocracy or any other form of government where authority comes from a single person or single group, these kinds of governments are only applicable to societies in turmoil or chaos. Democracy allows a sense of individual freedom wherein it coincides with the greater good. In order to satisfy the basic human nature of individuality, an ideal government never takes for granted or abuses the individual spirit through constant tyranny and dictatorship. In addition, an ideal government provides stability and organization in a specific society it governs upon; the people itself is the government, and the representatives they elect are servants who fulfil their duties by addressing the needs of the people and country.

Historical Perspective in the Essays of Susan Griffin, Richard Rodrigue

Historical Perspective in the Essays of Susan Griffin, Richard Rodriguez, and Ralph Ellison (Our Secret, Extravagance of Laughter, The Achievement of Desire) Susan Griffin’s â€Å"Our Secret† is an essay in which she carefully constructs and describes history, particularly World War II, through the lives of several different people. Taken from her book A Chorus of Stones, her concepts may at first be difficult to grasp; however David Bartholomae and Anthony Petrosky say that, â€Å"Griffin writes about the past - how we can know it, what its relation to the present, why we should care. In the way she writes, she is also making an argument about how we can know and understand the past†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Griffin strikes all of these aspects in her essay. What is most compelling about the essay, however, is the way Griffin incorporated personal, family, and world history into a chilling story of narrative and autobiography, without ever losing the factual evidence the story provided. The chapter reads like an entire novel, which helps the audience to understand the concepts with a clear and complete view of her history, not needing to read any other part of the book. Two other authors, Richard Rodriguez, and Ralph Ellison, who write about their experiences in life can possibly be better understood as historical texts when viewed through the eyes of Griffin. Rodriguez explores his own educational history in his essay â€Å"The Achievement of Desire† and Ralph Ellison depicts his own journeys and personal growth in his essay, â€Å"An Extravagance of Laughter†. Both essays, which when seen through Susan Griffin’s perspective, can be reopened and examined from a different historical view, perhaps allowing them to be understood with a more lucid view of history and what it is really about. What is history? Many believe that history is what is read in textbooks, or what is seen on the news. If Susan Griffin were asked that question, she would probably argue that history is much more than that. It is about the minds and souls of the people who went through the historical event, not simply what happened. In her essay, Griffin incorporates stories of people from totally different backgrounds, and upbringings, including herself, all to describe their account of one time period. Each person’s history is somehow connected with the next person’s, and each story contr... ...a play and Griffin after learning about her family.. All three authors of these essays are in a sense, historians. They wrote about events that are in history, which makes the essays about history. However, these are all great works, and are being used to help explore the ways of writing history. Thus, in the context of which they are being used, they are all history. Themes about finding the truth within the self are current throughout works, and different types of histories are explored; making these text much more than just about history; they have become history. Ralph Ellison once said, â€Å"The way [one] expresses both the agony of life and the possibility of conquering it through is the sheer toughness of the spirit. They fall short of tragedy only in that they provide no solution, offer no scapegoat but the self†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Each author demonstrates the toughness of the spirit, and provide no solution, as history never does. It is up to the individual to decide whether history will repeat itself, or whether or not a scapegoat will be found. However, Griffin, Rodriguez, and Ellison all did their part in providing possible solutions.†¦for history.

Are There More Advantages Than Disadvantages to Living in a House Rather Than in an Apartment?

Many people nowadays face a difficult decision when they buy their own home. The question is whether they should buy a house or an apartment. There would seem to be clear benefits and drawbacks to both options. Perhaps the major advantage of living in a house is the issue of privacy. Typically, there is more opportunity for peace and quiet, if you live in a house. This is particularly the case if it is a detached house. Other significant advantages are that houses are generally more spacious and on the whole have gardens. This is especially important if there is a family so that the children can have a safe environment to play in. If, however, you live in a tower block, then the children may have to play outside on the pavement. There are, of course, negative aspects to living in houses. The greatest of these is that they tend to be more expensive to purchase and to maintain. Indeed, a large majority of people choose to live in apartments because they cannot afford the mortgage to buy a house. Another possible problem is that there are fewer houses in cities than the countryside. So if you like urban life, it may be preferable to live in an apartment. A second reason to avoid living in a house is that there is a greater sense of community to life in an apartment. My conclusion would be that this is a well-balanced issue. There are probably an equal number of pros and cons to making either choice. Ultimately, whether you decide to live in a cottage in the countryside or a duplex in the city depends on your own personality, family and financial circumstances.

Poverty Is A Problem Of Poverty - 1398 Words

Poverty has been one problem that all societies have had to deal with in some form or another. Poverty is a complex issue that has many different aspects that affect the people involved. The complexity of it is why it has been a difficult problem for people to solve. The negative stigma associated with poverty is one of the most difficult aspects to change. With enough education and knowledge, poverty will one day be a problem of the past. Many people have different opinions on what poverty means. There are two types of poverty, absolute and relative. Absolute poverty is when the people affected can’t provide themselves with the necessities they need such as shelter, food, water, etc. Relative poverty is poverty in which the people affected are provided with the necessities but live below the standards of others. Relative poverty has changed over time throughout the world. In most cases the relative standard of poverty throughout the world is rising higher and higher. The United States is one of the places in the world that the standard of living for people in poverty is above that of other people. An estimated one in seven people in the United States live in poverty. Although there are some that live with some aspect of absolute poverty at times, the large portion of poverty in America is relative. Almost all poor people in the U.S. have a telephone. Most also have air conditioning, cable, a vehicle and a wide screen TV. In ancient times the people who suffered from povertyShow MoreRelatedThe Problem Of Poverty And Poverty1640 Words   |  7 PagesThe Problem: Looking at the myriad of problems our country faces, Poverty ranks as one of the largest; affecting nearly 14.5 percent of our national population and over 21% of the population in Norman. The existing communication found in poverty relief work is failing. 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It is also not related to the human nature, which does not mean that it can not be due to its nature. All communities experience it, with a greater or lesser extent way causing psychological and sociological conflicts. Society who have to deal with poverty is not only from undeveloped countries, but also developedRead MoreThe Social Problem Of Poverty1173 Words   |  5 PagesNowadays, one of the most important associated topic in people’s live is poverty. The definition of poverty is a social condition where individuals do not have financial means to meet the most fundamental standards of the life is a acceptable by the community. Individuals experiencing poverty do not have the means to pay for basic needs of daily life like food, clothes and shelter. According to Lansley, (365) â€Å"Poverty is humiliation, the sense of being dependent on them, and of being forced to accep t