How Democratic Is the Uk?

How democratic is the UK? Democracy is a difficult concept to define, but as a simplification and a conventional definition, it is the people's right to choose and the right to say how the country is run. Democracy falls into many categories and comes in various different forms. One form is when power is in the hands of the population as a whole and political decisions are made themselves, this is known as direct democracy. An example of a direct democracy currently present in the UK is a referendum.Another form is representative democracy; in this case citizens will vote for representatives to create decisions for them and the responsibility is handed over to the representative to make decisions for the country. The representatives are also accountable to the electorate. The democratic elections are a crucial part of UK democracy. A core feature is free and fair elections. They are based on universal suffrage, which is when anybody eligible to vote has their own freedom of choice on which party to vote for without any influence.Your elected vote is also kept secret; this process is called the secret ballot. This prevents intimidation from other people and it prevents judgments made on your electoral choice. However there are four groups of people who are ‘unenfranchised’, these people are the homeless, imprisoned convicts, the mentally incapable and the lords. If you aren’t in any of those categories and you satisfy the requirements established by the law, you are then eligible to vote with the free rights of your own electoral choice. Under First Past The Post (FPTP) voting takes place in single-member constituencies.Voters put a cross in a box next to their favored candidate and the candidate with the most votes in the constituency wins. All other votes count for nothing. It’s clear and simple with clear choices and a simple outcome. It allows the voter to clearly express a view on which party they think should form the next govern ment. However, FPTP can be questioned, as it’s not entirely democratic. Representatives can get elected on a small proportion of public support as it doesn’t matter by how much they win, only that they get more votes than the other candidates which in effect wastes uge numbers of votes, as votes cast in a constituency for losing candidates, or for the winning candidate above the level they need to win that seat, count for nothing. FPTP is also disproportionate and biased towards labour or conservatives. This means the votes are of unequal value. Labour votes are inflated and Liberal Democrats votes are deflated. This therefore means the smaller parties have a significantly depleted chance of winning the votes and it will therefore tend to produce a two-party system, which in turn tends to produce single-party governments.Encouraging two party-party politics can be good, but in a multi-party culture, third parties with significant support can be greatly disadvantages, w hich means that it goes against the democracy of the UK. Consensus politics is when two major political parties, for example, the Conservative Party and Labour Party, are in agreement, or consensus, over certain basic government policies. The two parties still have small variations but they aren’t significant. They do this to gain voters from the middle ground. It reduces electoral choice because both parties share similar ideologies; it makes everything too similar without distinct variation.UK citizens have shown an obvious enthusiasm to vote for third parties and to clinch a form of political pluralism, which runs directly against the way FPTP operates. FPTP tends to produce a two-party system, which in turn tends to produce single-party governments. However, in a multi-party culture, third parties with significant support can be greatly disadvantaged. This is why FPTP doesn’t work as well as it used to have done. As the UK is changing in terms of politics, more par ties are getting involved however these parties have little or no chance in gaining support because of the unequal voting value.This is why I think the UK needs to improve on the FPTP system because it’s restricting it’s full democratic potential. The UK Parliament is built up of two Houses – the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons has 646 MPs. The political party with the majority of MPs in the House of Commons forms the Government. The House of Lords has approximately 700 unelected members who examine the work of the House of Commons. The UK Parliament is the main democratic body in the UK and is comprised of three parts: the House of Commons, the House of Lords nd the Sovereign. The UK is a parliamentary democracy and unlike many other democracies it does not have a written constitution. A deliberative assembly is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. A mass meeting, which is an unorgan ized group meeting open to all individuals in a sector of the population who are interested in to engage in long and careful concern about a subject proposed by the meeting's sponsors. This can include meetings to discuss common political concerns or community interests.This helps towards the democratic process of UK parliament because it in cooperates everybody’s opinion. Parliament is essential to the democratic process in the UK because it is elected by the popular vote, which is therefore democratic, however it has been criticized for being undemocratic because the 2nd Chamber is entirely unelected. This weakens the representative role of parliament. Party discipline also prevents MP’s from using their own judgment in representing their constituents; it also restricts freedom of debate and voting in the House of Commons.Also Parliament’s ability to scrutinize the executive is weak because the government of the day usually has majority control of the House of Commons. Overall, Parliament is strength because it does solely represent the population. However the 2nd chamber is entirely unelected, which does weaken the representative role of parliament but that can be an improved. However, parliament does not govern, its role is to check or constrain the government of the day and it also discusses the policies. Parliament calls the government to account on policies.For those reasons it’s not entirely significant that the 2nd chamber is unelected. Another core feature of UK democracy are pressure groups. They enhance democracy in the UK, because they give a political voice to minorities that are ignored by the majoritarian parliament system. They also provide a way in which citizens can exert influence between elections and they also enhance political participation. However pressure groups don’t have legitimacy and since pressure groups are unelected, they aren’t representative of the majority of the population. Some pre ssure groups have owerful, but unrepresentative leaders who may not be representative of anyone but themselves. Some leaders do not reflect the opinions of their organization’s members. However, pressure groups are enormously enhancing of the UK democratic system because it gives a political voice to minorities. They allow the population to politically participate and put pressure on the government on issues, which they may turn a blind eye to. This in my opinion is strength of the UK democratic system. Other parts of the UK democratic system enhance democracy in the UK, such as referendums, devolution, the E.U and civil rights. A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire population is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This increases political participation and involves the whole population. However, they can be non-binding. This means the government may not have to do what the results show. Devolution is also another feature of the UK democratic sy stem that increases democracy in the UK. Devolution is the transfer of power from central government to subordinate regional institutions.This means they pass down the powers or duties down from a higher authority to a lower one. This gives the constituent nations of the UK their own political voice. It refined representative democracy by allowing voters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland separately to express their views about national issues. It also widens the opportunities available for political participation. However the effectiveness of devolution in promoting democracy can be questioned because it has limited powers. Devolution stops well short of ‘home rule’ or full self-government.Although the powers of devolved bodies have, in some cases, widened, major economic and foreign policy decisions are still made at Westminster. Devolution has also done nothing to advance representative democracy in England, which is where 84% of the UK’s population lives . In my opinion referendums are effective in enhancing democracy in the UK because it increases political participation and it allows for a raw opinion on what the public think about particular issues. However, the government can’t be held accountable because they’re not the ones making the decision in a situation where a referendum is used to decide a particular proposal). Devolution however is ineffective in some cases because it doesn’t advance democracy in England, where 84% of the UK’s population lives. However, it does allow for the smaller areas of the UK to focus on particular issues that may be affected by local problems rather than national problems (for example rural areas in Wales). To conclude I think the UK is democratic to a certain degree. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone has the right to free and fair elections.However the UK is being limited by certain blockages in the democratic system such as FPTP. Issues with FPT P can be resolved to allow the UK to reach its full potential of democracy. In a multi-party culture, third parties with significant support can be greatly disadvantaged. This is why FPTP doesn’t work as well as it used to have done. As the UK is changing in terms of politics, more parties are getting involved however these parties have little or no chance in gaining support because of the unequal voting value.Strong points in the UK democratic features are pressure groups. They enhance the democracy in the UK, they allow the population to politically participate and put pressure on the government on issues, which they may turn a blind eye to. This in my opinion is strength of the UK democratic system. Referendums are also effective in enhancing democracy in the UK because it increases political participation and it allows for a raw opinion on what the public think about particular issues. So, to a certain degree, I think the United Kingdom has a strong democratic system.

The Heroic Journey of Aladdin: the Diamond in the Rough

The same hero wearing a different mask appears throughout great literature and films. The â€Å"hero’s journey† motif, as Joseph Campbell, the acclaimed American mythology professor and famous author identified, has been present in all cultures since the first documented stories. From Odysseus and the other great figures of the ancient Greek myths to the more modern character of Frodo in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the audience essentially accompanies the same hero throughout a series of stages and obstacles that compose the original heroic journey.The hero’s journey can be particularly followed in the various animated Disney films that give existence to some of the most loved heroes of all time. For instance, the successful film, Aladdin, released in 1992 and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, brings to the public the interesting journey of a young man on a quest to find himself. The character of Aladdin fits the profile of the hero as he embarks in th e hero’s journey unintentionally but proves to have undergone a complete maturation of character while attaining valuable insight about his true nature and worth by the end of the adventure.The film Aladdin narrates the emotive love story of a poor young man who falls in love with the beautiful princess Jasmine and begins a meaningful journey to conquer her love. Aladdin, a â€Å"street rat,† as he is often called by those who know him, is a true â€Å"diamond in the rough, whose worth lies far within† that has great potential but has not been given the opportunity to shine yet (Clements, Musker). Because of this reason, he is the only one who can enter the Cave of Wonders.He does so to retrieve a magic lamp for Jafar, the Sultan’s evil vizier. This event initiates the departure of the hero’s journey as Aladdin’s encounter with Jafar disguised as an old prisoner signifies the call to adventure. Even though Aladdin is not aware that this is t he beginning of his journey, from this point on everything will change. The young man becomes trapped inside the cave with his inseparable pet monkey, Abu, where they encounter one of two supernatural aids, a magical carpet that becomes their close friend.Inside the cave they also find the lamp and its friendly magical inhabitant, the Genie, the most important supernatural aid, who also becomes Aladdin’s essential guide. The moment Aladdin makes the first wish out of the three the Genie grants him; he crosses the first threshold. Simultaneously, he enters the belly of the whale since from this point on Aladdin abandons the life of poverty and crime, which he is accustomed to for a life of wealth and royalty. This begins his adventure into new territory as playing prince becomes more complex than expected.At first Aladdin embarks in the heroic journey’s initiation merely for the material rewards and the opportunity to abandon his difficult life in the streets of Agrabah , but along the way he learns to appreciate his true self and comes to fit Campbell’s prototype of the hero. Aladdin’s objective for going on the journey is to win the heart of Jasmine, who he has deeply fallen in love with since their first encounter at the marketplace or the meeting with the goddess. The love Aladdin and Jasmine share motivates him to begin and continue on the journey in hopes of marrying her.Once Aladdin has already initiated the journey, the evil Jafar becomes â€Å"the woman as temptress† in his life. Jafar continues to place obstacles in Aladdin’s path physically by: first trying to kill him in the Cave of Wonders, then by attempting to drown him in order to stop him from courting Jasmine as Prince Ali, and finally attempting to murder him as a giant cobra. Most importantly, Jafar psychologically tempts Aladdin to give up several times and interferes with his mental quest by recurrently making degrading comments that obstruct Aladdi n’s ability to recognize his strength and value.The initiation phase in Aladdin continues with the atonement with the father. In this step, Aladdin has an argument with the Genie, who has become a mentor, much like a father figure. The Genie criticizes Aladdin’s change in character. He feels that Aladdin’s transformation into Prince Ali has altered his personality. Aladdin has become arrogant and selfish. This argument results in Aladdin’s realization and reawakening of his true self as he recognizes he must stay true to his convictions. This epiphany allows Aladdin’s true self to focus on the ultimate boon, which is marrying Princess Jasmine, what he originally begins his journey for.Aladdin concludes his journey with the return, which successfully brings him to the freedom to live. Aladdin experiences the refusal of the return earlier in the story when he lets his insecurity overcome him. After he has had the chance to experience life as Prince A li, Aladdin says, â€Å"the last thing I want to be now, is be myself† (Clements, Musker). He refuses to return to his normal life where the Genie cannot wish all his troubles away. The Genie is also an important part of the rescue form without stage in Aladdin’s journey. At this point Aladdin’s vulnerability as well as the Genie’s appreciation for him are evident.Aladdin is captured by Jafar and thrown in to the bottom of the river with a rock tied to his feet. Without the Genie’s aid this would have been the end of the hero’s journey. Most importantly soon after this incident the Genie rescues Aladdin from himself and his selfishness when he makes him realize that he is only concerned about his own well being. Finally, Aladdin’s quest ends with his attainment of the freedom to live. By this point the young hero has learned to accept himself and is willing to renounce to his own happiness for the joy of others.The protagonist of Alad din experiences the many stages of the hero’s journey in order to realize his true potential as well as come full circle in terms of character. In the beginning of the film, the viewer meets Aladdin and can immediately recognize his innate good nature. Early on in the movie, Aladdin’s generosity and compassion become evident when he gives up his only meal of the day to two poor children he finds rummaging though the garbage for something to eat. Not late after this, he saves the same two children from Prince Achmed’s whip.At this point, Aladdin does not realize his worth and this is why he must â€Å"take off on a series of adventures beyond the ordinary to discover some life giving elixir† (Campbell 127). The life giving elixir, as Campbell puts it in The Power of Myth, is Aladdin’s realization of his self worth, which becomes essential for his happiness. The journey tests Aladdin’s physical abilities numerous times, but it is from the psyc hological trials that Aladdin gains the most insight. Aladdin’s experiences along the journey affect his good character but eventually lead him to the ultimate level of maturity.Before going on the quest Aladdin does not know himself, and thus, â€Å"he is that mystery which he is seeking to know† (Campbell 15). However, Aladdin is not successful in staying true to his nature along the journey. Aladdin becomes caught up in the life of luxury and comfort that the Genie grants him. He begins to live in a lie and adopt an arrogant and selfish attitude. Aladdin had promised the Genie earlier that he would utilize his third wish to free him from his life as the lamp’s slave, however he becomes unable to stay true to that romise because of his selfishness and insecurity. He is afraid to be himself and feels he needs the Genie to maintain the fantasy life he has created. This is why the hero’s journey ultimately represents the â€Å"pattern of life, growth, and experience† (Harris) for Aladdin. The journey serves as a revelation for accepting one’s self and renouncing to one’s own satisfaction for the interest of others. As Aladdin follows the steps in Campbell’s hero’s journey, he ends the adventure by reaching the ultimate realization.The tale comes full circle as the journey polishes the diamond in the rough that embarked on the journey to produce a man who is aware of his potential and utilizes it for the benefit of others. At the end of the story, Aladdin’s complete maturation of character becomes undeniable as he gives up his happiness by renouncing his third wish to marry Jasmine for the Genie’s freedom. Of course, Disney could not end the adventure with the young man’s disillusionment, the Sultan changes the law, and Aladdin is able to marry the Princess because of his merit.

Charlie Hedbo

The two men killed twelve people, which inch duded the editor Stephan Char bonnier, seven other employees, and wounded eleven others. This was France's deadliest terrorist in at least two decades. More than 700,000 people took to the streets across France in tribute to the p people killed by Salamis extremists.The slogan in French â€Å"Jew sues Charlie† (â€Å"l am Charlie†) was widely used following the January 7 attack on the magazine, as people showed their support. Almost 40,000 people were seen holding up signs that read, â€Å"I am Charlie† with a large banner in the front of the e rally saying, â€Å"We are all Charlie†. Charlie Hoped will release its first issue since the attack Wednesday ay, January 13, but only a few hundred copies of the first printing are set to reach the United States ova err the next few days.This issue was created by the surviving employees using equipment and workspace e provided by other companies. It is set to print near ly one million copies, which is much greater t an its normal 60,000 copies. If necessary, there is an option in place to print two more million copies Editorship Gerard Board told reports: â€Å"We are happy to have done it and ha app to have been able to do it, to have achieved it.It was tough. The front page†¦ Was com placated to put together, because it had to express something new, it had to say something relating to the event that we had to deal with. † The front cover of the issue is said to be a Islamic male holding up a sign that reads their slogan, â€Å"Jew Sues Charlie†. The magazine's lawyer, Richard Malta, said yesterday (January 1 3):

Child Abuse and Neglect in the State of Ohio Assignment

Child Abuse and Neglect in the State of Ohio - Assignment Example Child abuse is regarded as a national tragedy that is annually affecting more than three million children and causing the death of three children every day. Statistics indicate that, in the state of Ohio alone, the practice is quite prevalent and it is reported that about 20 children are reported as neglected or abused every hour and with the total number of reported neglected or abused children averaging at around 480 cases per day. It has been noted that most cases involving the neglect and abuse of children in the state are not reported (Congressional Record, 1999). Children are increasingly being maltreated, neglected or even abused in many different forms of ways in the different communities, countries or even social strata. The types and nature of child abuse and neglect can be subdivided into five basic broad categories, these categories are sexual abuse, physical abuse, abuse for commercial purpose, psychological/emotional abuse and neglect (Deb, 2006). In the state of Ohio, the term â€Å"child abuse† refers to exposing a child to victimization via sexual activity. This activity can be informed of enticing, compelling, hiring, permitting, employing allowing a child to act or even model or participate in any production, photograph, presentation, advertisement or any other presentation that the offender knows to be sexually oriented or obscene (Lau, Krase & Morse, 2009). A caregiver or parent committing an action that causes nonaccidental death or physical injury to a child is regarded as having physically abused the child. Physical abuse can be defined as any nonaccidental injury occurring to a child as a result of the actions of a caretaker. The abuse includes the frequent, punching, slapping, beating shaking, burning, biting and kicking of a child (Deb, 2006).

Monetary Policy Framework in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Monetary Policy Framework in the UK - Essay Example This essay stresses that there are a number of guiding principles like price stability, exchange stability, full employment and maximum output and a high growth rate etc, in framing the Monetary Policy for an economy. This paper declares that the monetary policy of any country refers to the regulatory policy, whereby the monetary authority maintains its control over the supply of money for the realization of general economic objectives. This involves manipulating the supply of money, the level and structure of interest rates and other conditions affecting the availability of credit. However, in the context of developing economies monetary policy acquires a wider role and it has to be designed to meet the particular requirements of the economy. This involves not merely the restriction of credit expansion to curb inflation, but also the provision of adequate funds to meet the legitimate requirements of industry and trade and curbing the use of credit for unproductive and speculative purposes. The monetary policy of an economy operates through three important instruments, viz. the regulation of money supply, control over aggregate credit and the interest rate policy. Economic growth is dependent on m obilizing savings and directing them into productive channels. In this process, money supply can only play a limited role. However, the role establishes an important connection between money supply, output and price level (ICFAI Center for Management Research (ICMR)). These relationships cannot be ignored even if the primary concern of the government is mobilization of real factors that ultimately lead to economic growth. UK Monetary Policy regime A principal objective of any central bank is to safeguard the value of the currency in terms of what it will purchase. Rising prices - inflation - reduces the value of money. Monetary policy is directed to achieving this objective and providing a framework for non-inflationary economic growth. As in most other developed countries, monetary policy operates in the UK mainly through influencing the price of money - the interest rate. In May 1997 the Government gave the Bank independence to set monetary policy by deciding the level of interest rates to meet the Government's inflation target - currently 2% (Bank of England). The 1998 Bank of England Act made the Bank independent to set interest rates. The Bank is accountable to parliament and the wider public. The legislation provides that if, in extreme circumstances, the national interest demands it, and the Government has the power to give instructions to the Bank on interest rates for a limited period (Bank of England). In the period from the floating of the exchange rate in June 1972 to the granting of operational independence to the Bank of England in May 1997, UK monetary policy went through several regimes. These included the period in the 1970s when monetary policy was considered subordinate to incomes policy as the government's primary weapon against inflation; an emphasis on monetary targeting in the late 1970s and early 1980s; moves from 1987 toward greater management of the exchange rate, culminating in the UK's membership of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) from

The Influence of Social Media on Activism and Revolution on the World Essay

The Influence of Social Media on Activism and Revolution on the World Stage - Essay Example Occupy Wall Street was a protest movement where individuals conducted a large-scale sit-in at a park near Wall Street. The widespread popularity of this movement was made possible through social media, most notably Facebook. In these regards, it’s noted that, â€Å"The best way to get people away from their computer is through the computer; you cant organize thousands of people in New York City without the web† (Kannally). Ultimately, then social media directed facilitated the Occupy Wall Street protest. Social media has also had a profound impact on revolution. Undoubtedly the most prominent recent example of this is through the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring revolts emerged in Tunisia when an individual committed suicide after an injustice was committed against him by the government. Rapidly individuals over social media were able to share their experiences of oppression and organize widespread revolts throughout the Middle East. It’s noted, â€Å"The movements throughout the Arab world appeared to have imbued social media with an irrevocable sense of legitimacy as a tool for fomenting change† (Killinger). In this way social media allowed forms of organization to occur in this region that previously had not been possible under the stringent governmental oppression.

Compare and contrast two Indian states Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compare and contrast two Indian states - Essay Example These states are good exporters and active in production of goods and commodities which have significant export value The Indian state of Gujarat speaks Gujarati and Maharashtra has the regional language of Marathi. The capital of Maharashtra is the ultra- modern city Mumbai whereas Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat is a mediocre city.Even though Gujarat is an industrialized state in comparison with Maharashtra it is way behind latter.Gujarat is self sufficient in agriculture while Maharashtra is not. However, the capital of Maharashtra is the most modern and sophisticated city of the country. The educational ratio of Maharashtra is higher with 78% than that of Gujarat which is only 70%.The infrastructure of Maharashtra is more sophisticated and developed than that of Gujarat. Moreover, the transportation system of Gujarat is not developed as Mumbai as the latter possess quality railway and roadway