Pressure groups activity in the UK presents a major threat to democracy. Evaluate the arguments in favour of this view (25 marks) Pressure groups aim to influence government policy without seeking election itself. The actions of pressure groups challenge and influence democracy as well as being beneficial to democracy in the UK as pressure groups challenge policies and put pressure on the government to change them. On the other hand pressure groups only represent a minority of people’s views and aren’t considered a major threat to democracy. Robert Dahl and Charles Lindbolm suggest a pluralist view of democracy suggesting that pressure groups are beneficial to democracy.
Television was the alternative to knowledge that the author used in Fahrenheit 451, but why? It was the form of media which can arguably be considered the most popular way that the government controls what we see, and the things that they want us to think. Now, with that theory there are two sides: The government, and the people who believe what they are doing is incorrect. McLuhan and Montag are similar in that neither of them agree with the government. They agree that our society is best run with the freedom to disagree and record the findings for another individual to build upon.
Professor of history Gordon S. Wood views the struggle for a new constitution in 1787-1788 as a social conflict between upper-class Federalists who desired a stronger central government and the “humbler” Anti-Federalists who controlled the state assemblies. He says that the writers and supporters of the Constitution were Federalists and they believed that the Constitution was a fulfillment. Which basically means, that those Federalists didn’t see anything wrong with the Constitution. Antifederalists said the Constitution was a denial of the principles of 1776. They were saying that the Constitution was didn’t honor the liberty nor the self-government.
Assess the view that the news is a social construction. (33 marks) There are many sociological ideas that contribute to our understanding to whether or not the news is a social construction. The news may be seen as a ‘window on the world’ to some, however, others would argue that the news in not objective, and instead it only reflects ideas of the power elite. McQuail argues that the news is socially manufactured product that has been through a selective process, made by what he calls gatekeepers. This is the idea that journalists and editors control what is considered newsworthy, and consequently what appears in the news.
Education essential for good government—teach people to be good citizens. 3. Democracy is “mob rule,” yet also said power should not be located in a power autocrat. Believed in philosopher-kings—the smartest lovers of knowledge
n. Given the information in the table, describe one implication for presidents in their use of the media to promote their political and policy objectives to the American public. 2009 Free Response Questions – Scoring Guidelines Question 1 6 points Part (a): 2 points One point is earned for identifying the House of Representatives or Congress. One point is earned for an explanation of how the House or Congress is most closely tied to citizens. Acceptable explanations
Maima D.Beer English 12 Prof.Friedkin Date: 04/02/12 America an imperialistic nation or Not There are two different perspectives of how the US is viewed by its citizens and by the world. The US view itself as a democratic force that only seeks to defend democracy, by helping other nations and spreading this democracy. But the world on the other hand views the US as an Imperialist Nation that seeks its own interest, by exploiting weaker nations and controlling these nations at the same time. Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force; and the US is guilty of this. The US for years has denied the fact that it’s an imperialistic nation, which in fact we are.
Media is the medium through which politics occurs. Specifically, television casts a more clarified view into elections, campaigns, and politics as a collective whole. The broadcasting of the campaigning proccess helps create unintended images for presidential candidates, which may alter the way the American population vote. Although television has created universal access to knowledge of presidential elections, and promotes the democratic principles our nation stands for, it has also motivated voters to pursue the candidate’s image rather than the issues they intend to address as president. Much before television became a permanent fixture in US homes, Americans acquired information through radio.
Audiences are seen as capable of manipulating the media in an array of different paths and concepts. Through the readings, I have noted that Pluralists have a more diplomatic approach to the media, allowing society to make the choice themselves of what to internalize from the media and what not to causing for a diverse range of opinions. It presents society with freedom of choice, therefore causing the society to be more active. However, to contrast Pluralist views of diplomacy, Marxists view capitalist society as being one of class domination; the media are seen as part of an ideological world in which various class views are fought out, however only within the upper class known as the bourgeoisie, which Marx believed, should control the manufacturing and distribution of ideas within the media. This is ultimately caused an illusion of autonomy where the masses or the ‘have not’s were excluded because of their economic situation.
They are used in societies to create an almost ideal way of life. They are a way to get people to do what you want. Organisations/ Governments that strive for power will try to influence the ideology of a society to become what they want it to be by broadcasting their ideas. One can see from how much effort is put by governments etc. into selling their ideology to the people how important a role ideologies play.