The biggest contemporary example would be same-sex marriage which had to be legalized to allow for equality among same-sex couples. Democracy was a big focus of Tocqueville’s work. He asserted that democracy and equality must co-exist, “equality forms the distinctive characteristic,” (Tocqueville, 504). The difference between aristocracy and democracy, according to Tocqueville, is that “aristocracy links everybody in one long chain” while “democracy breaks the chain and frees each link” (Tocqueville, 508). Agreeably, democracy grants equality by freeing those links and allowing them
They think of a culture that is founded on constitutional rights and god given freedoms that everyone should have. Some people may even take America a step further and think of it as a culture that may be superior to others because of its past history of opportunity and freedom. Economic, personal, and political freedoms are abundant in this nation, and are encouraged in every aspect of our life. However, the same may also be true in a lot of other countries around the world. American exceptionalism can give America an edge over other nations simply because of our freedom to choose what we want to be and do.
America is a united nation despite the differences between people and their culture. This idea of one united nation, that is slightly divisible, is portrayed effectively through Brooks’s essay. “One Nation, Slightly Divisible” has a title that directly introduces the topic of the essay. The organization throughout Brooks’s essay is clear and all of his ideas are well thought out. “One Nation, Slightly Divisible” begins with a short excerpt about Brooks’s background, giving the reader the ability to know Brooks on a more personal level and understand where his experiences are coming from.
Government’s aims are always to please the public, or do the best for the state and so these groups clearly show the government what a certain band of people wish to happen. They allow these people to meet up and band together to express common viewpoints; they provide a safe haven for people with a belief or grievance to vent their disenchantment. While it is beneficial to the democracy of the state to take note of these views they often are only a sectional interest of the population. By definition a pressure group only represents a sectional interest, the government is interested in national interest and so the two do not really come together. The government have to govern to the national interest rather than smaller sections of the community with a particularly large voice, in that sense these views can often be outnumbered by national beliefs yet a louder voice allows them to be implemented against the majority which can only be considered a disadvantage as it allows for sometimes unpopular and extreme beliefs to be taken into consideration when the ‘national interest’ would not wish them to be.
Who Decides What Is Equal Anyways? What would happen in a world where “full” equality was achieved? Would it be for worse or for better? In Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s futuristic dystopia, “Harrison Bergeron,” a future society has finally achieved what it has been asking for all along, equality amongst all. They achieve this equality by using handicaps to set everyone to the same level of abilities, such as beauty, strength, and special abilities.
With the world constantly pushing for equality among people, Vonnegut reveals a world that society is diligently working toward. Through this foreshadowing of the future, Vonnegut attempts to use Harrison Bergeron as mechanisms to reveal and warn of the dangers in being equal. The Handicapper General, symbolically portrays the idea of fairness in a society. The one in charge of lowering the capacity of a bright and intelligent person to the level of a normality. The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal they were equal in every way.
All in all the Declaration of Independence is the foundation, and the birth of the United States. The document explains what a fair, and real government should be run by. It preaches also on how that government should not be run by a dictator but by 3 branches a Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. This document will set how it brings on the American dream, and shows how people are free to do what they want to do, and become a unified nation through the “people”. The Declaration of Independence as mentioned in the introduction is the foundation, and birth of the United States.
The theme of the story is about individual freedom. The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They were not only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. All this equality was due to the Amendments to the constitution, and vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General (Vonnegut 8).
Extract from Bill of Rights Section 9: Right to equality 1. Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. Being equal before the law means all laws may not unfairly discriminate against anyone. Everyone is entitled to equal rights and freedoms. This also means there should be equal representation on legislative bodies (in other words, bodies that make our laws).
Locke argues that all men are of the same species making them all equal and placed on the same rank. He uses this to justify why all human beings deserve to participate in government and not be ruled blindly by an absolute monarch. During this time kings were viewed as superior to other human beings; Locke argues that since we all are of the same species that their is no “superior” human being. This point then helps Locke explain why all humans deserve to take part in how they are governed. Along with his ideas of human equality and the elimination of social hierarchy, Locke also advocated man's natural right to freedom.