Politics Is the Art of Compromise - Essay Example

& ID No. American Ideology (A position paper for Wk3-Ch6) 07 November Introduction Politics is often called asthe art of compromise; different ideas and positions are then reconciled to arrive at a common acceptable position or the best middle ground for contending parties. Politics is also termed as the “science of addition” in which political organizations or parties try to recruit more people into their group; by adding new members, their organization becomes more powerful and can then lobby for its interests and exert its influence over public policy formulation. Politics, like diplomacy, is the art of the postponement of hostilities, in the way people try to resolve their political, economic, and ideological differences. However, it is a fact that people will still try to bicker and debate on their differences despite the best efforts, because some people have a hard set of ideas or ideologies which cannot be swayed. This is in effect the essence of democracy, in which various ideas are welcomed and tolerated. Ideology can range from the extreme left (very liberal) to the middle to the extreme right (conservative) and this brief essay is a position paper as it examines both these two ideologies. Discussion Ideas are rarely truly original or innovative, most of these ideas are either influenced by earlier ideas or mere improvements or adaptations of much earlier ideas in human history. In this regard, history works in only a one-way street, which means earlier ideas can influence later ideas, as people go through their lives and human history unfolds in a deterministic way. This philosophy postulates that every human idea, action, and decision is a consequence from prior events or antecedent state of affairs. Along this line, history and ideology works in the same way; nothing exists in a vacuum and both Hitler and Einstein were also influenced. Question No. 1 – socialism is an economic, political, and social principle which states that the general public (the common masses) should own and control public properties or the so-called commons (the natural resources open to everybody for exploitation and their use); it further advocates public ownership of the means of production in society, such that there will be no private ownership of these same means of production for goods and services. Socialism is an adverse reaction to excesses of a free-market capitalism which arose out of the Industrial Revolution in England back in the eighteenth century; it (the Industrial Revolution) changed the wealth paradigm from ownership of vast tracts of land to ownership of the means of production, namely the new factories and assembly lines. This is a new economic system but the new class of capitalists exploited the masses of laborers by hiring them at subsistence wages, working in unsafe or unsanitary conditions, no minimum working hours and no minimum or living wage, the widespread use of child labor, and the repression of progressive social ideas such as labor unions or in not letting the workers' voice be represented or heard. Socialism therefore is in opposition to the main and cherished ideals of capitalism that are centered on egoism and self-preservation through the so-called “invisible hand” of Adam Smith in which free markets are supposed to be self-regulating and all are to be supposedly benefited by the profit motive. But modern economics show this does not really always work out as envisioned because capitalism implies fierce competition in free markets and this leads to undue wealth accumulation by a few individuals (the capitalists or new elites of society). Modern economics always struggle with issues of scarcity and socialism is the best way to solve it. Albert Einstein believed that humans are capable of going beyond Veblen’s so-called “predatory phase” in the collective human experience of social development, which is reason for socialism to be adopted as the best system for human society. Reason is the key to achieving the social-ethical ends desired by all people by whom man can reconcile his dual nature, of being a solitary creature and at the same time as a social being. Man cannot be expected to live or survive in isolation but in cooperation with others. Everything a person produces is in some degree a social product, and even Man is himself a product of society. Related to this is Einstein’s belief that Man is capable of altruistic motives by changing his situation by a process of reason and free will, by working and striving for any meaningful change in his life and for society, to change the Future for the better (Einstein 3). The one Web site chosen for being left of the Democratic Party is the Americans for Democratic Action which shares with Einstein the same beliefs of a socialist society for America, such as decent wages for the workers (economic equality), for political equality (to make a stand against the government shutdown), to help protect social safety nets intended for the masses (Social Security, Medicare, affordable health care, nutrition, free school lunches, universal public education, decent public infrastructure, etc.). Both share the idea of wealth re-distribution through progressive taxation (www.ADAction.org para. 1). The ideas of Einstein are reasonable, mild, and moderate compared to the left-wing group mentioned above. A priori assumptions they shared include belief in the capability of Man to influence and alter his own future, as he is not governed by biological constitution or hereditary instincts alone; and unregulated capitalism is evil because it results in a crisis and then economic anarchy. I share and believe in political and economic equality for all. Question No. 2 – conservatives belong to the right side of the political spectrum who advocate for less government in daily life. The term originated in France to designate people or politicians who sat to the right side of their governing legislature. In modern parlance, it today denotes people who espouse conservative values like more power to the states and less power for the federal government and these politicians are also opposed to liberalism. Modern-day conservatives or right-wing Republicans adopt an ideology of traditional values like love of country, love for family, and other political ideas shaped by a Christian ideology. These ideas are all right if only in moderation but if taken to extremes, it can have serious or dire consequences if a leader or the ruling elite gains political power over the people. The beliefs, ideas, values, and ideology of Hitler can be considered as extreme, based on his actions during his time as politician and as leader of Nazi Germany, bringing the nation into war and plunging the whole world into unprecedented misery, terror, and death. Millions of people died due to Hitler's implementation of his distorted political and religious beliefs and the same ideas are still being espoused by extreme right-wing groups today, such as the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). This political organization manifests its conservative views through the advocacy and adoption of policies such as a rule by the elites, a return to the past by citing history, culture, and tradition, a potent police and military organization, a strong centralized government, unrestrained government authority to carry out its actions, the decision making machinery is controlled by only a few managers at the top (the ruling political elites), and a return to the old political and economic inequalities of the past. All these ideas are shared by the Institute and by Hitler, only to varying degrees of extremism. An example of this ideology is the opposition by the AEI to efforts to increase worker benefits in the fast-food industry. The American Enterprise Institute carried or published an article entitled “Fast Food Restaurants Bilk Taxpayers for Billions? Oh Please” which essentially opposes the idea giving low-wage workers in the fast-food industry government social benefits such as food stamps or earned income tax credits to help these poorly-paid workers to get by. The AEI does not want government to help because it constitutes a form of subsidy which cost taxpayers billions of dollars annually (American Enterprise Institute, para. 1). In other words, AEI is against these socialist policies of the government helping out poor workers who can hardly get by. A priori assumptions they shared include belief in having a strong leader who is able to carry the nation forward, that ordinary people are incapable of governing themselves, a true democracy leads to anarchy and chaos, the voting citizenry (or electorate) is inherently and unshakably stupid, the need for strong political control, and a justification for war to achieve national political goals (Hitler 125) such as for territorial expansion (living room for the expanding German population), or as in the case of President George W. Bush, the war against weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by invading Iraq and topple Hussein from power but really to get its oil. I share the need for a strong presidency to avoid the present gridlock and future federal government shutdowns. Conclusion Political thought (ideology) evolves over time and the interests of both conservatism and liberalism can conflate. Liberalism and socialism are needed for progressive ideas on issues like taxation and re-distribution of wealth and other forward-looking concerns of the people while conservatism believes in economic freedoms and unregulated capitalist markets, survival of the fittest through fair competition. However, American ideology today leans to a right-wing ideology due to the demands of globalization, which require promotion of the national interests represented by giant American multinational corporations. It is manifested by the previous administration in using pre-emptive wars to acquire access to vital oil supplies but the new administration today is reversing this policy by ending present wars and withdrawing American troops from abroad (Baker 1) and bring them home. Works Cited Americans for Democratic Action. “Petition: Support a Revenue-driven Budget!” 2013. Web. 05 Nov. 2013. . American Enterprise Institute. “Fast Food Restaurants Bilk Taxpayers for Billions? Oh Please” American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. 2013. Web. 06 Nov. 2013. . Baker, Peter. “Onset of Woes Casts Pall over Obama's Policy Aspirations.” New York Times. 15 May 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. . Einstein, Albert. “Why Socialism?” Monthly Review (May 1949): 1-5. Print. Hitler, Adolf. Mein Kampf (My Struggle). Trans. James Murphy. Mandsaur, India: Zhingoora Books, 2011. Print. (Note: a reprint and translation of the original published in 1925). Read More