Notes for Latin American Politics Test Tomorrow (essay outline)
-republican democracy within the modern capitalist system has allowed wealthy elites to dominate the political environment
-the wealthy elites remain in power behind a veil of procedural democracy, which allows the electorate to participate nominally, able and encouraged to choose between a few (almost entirely) similar candidates.
-little conflict exists in the political environment under these circumstances.
->radical/minority views are rarely if ever given any real opportunities to act in the primary voting system, and thus resort to activism/protest (or in the extreme, guerrilla tactics) to affect change.
-because of the absence of any real debate or political conflict, both of which significantly drive the democratic system, the elites who perpetually retain power in the political environment also drive the present notion of "democracy"
-this is evidenced by the spread of the neoliberal monolith "democracy" throughout latin america (see washington consensus, 1990s).
-the near absence of the polity within the political environment, and its consequent inability to make decisions or contribute effectively to the decision-making process, democracy erodes.
-Navarro: the commodification of social life ("intangibles" such as intellectual ownership laws, etc.) when normalized, eliminates the possibility of adopting alternate economic models. "democracy" is a political tool kit to be sold everywhere. Neo-liberals control the definition of "democracy" to the point that a polity cannot even popularly instate a form of democracy appropriate to its social needs.
-> instead, a polity is forced to adopt the one imposed upon it by external political and market forces.
Substantive or Procedural democracy?
-Substantive democracy, especially the continual formation of new rights, de fact and de jour, is essential to creating the most egalitarian society.
-Where procedural democracy emphasizes the existence of basic minimalist democratic practices, these superficial qualifiers of democracy internalize the role of government and bureaucracy
in the face of real democratic activity.
-in summation, the basic tenets of democracy must be insisted upon by the polity on a firm and constant basis.
-The elected government must never act independently of the people
-Republican government in modern capitalist society is absolutely not conducive to participatory democracy
-the polity must actively establish and maintain a government that works with the people's interests solely in mind
-representative democracy, in that elected officials operate independently, may not be conducive to democracy. The self-serving interests of elected authority serves as a primary detriment to effective democracy
-a new economic model must be developed in order for a polity to emerge that can maintain its government.
-capitalism is a psychological malady imposed on a polity from birth.
-smash the state.
Can substantive democracy be be created by a polity without governmental interference (that is, from bottom-up, not top-down)?
-?
Do the primary desires of a latin american polity elicit direct democracy? (that is, is direct democracy appropriate for latin americans?)
-in some ways no. The survey by Smith and Ziegler reveals a primary concern of latin american polity is the establishment of a basic income.
(Note: this desire almost certainly arises from the guarantee of participation within the global economy.)
-some responses revealed advocacy of authoritarian (with conditions).
-the wealthy elites remain in power behind a veil of procedural democracy, which allows the electorate to participate nominally, able and encouraged to choose between a few (almost entirely) similar candidates.
-little conflict exists in the political environment under these circumstances.
->radical/minority views are rarely if ever given any real opportunities to act in the primary voting system, and thus resort to activism/protest (or in the extreme, guerrilla tactics) to affect change.
-because of the absence of any real debate or political conflict, both of which significantly drive the democratic system, the elites who perpetually retain power in the political environment also drive the present notion of "democracy"
-this is evidenced by the spread of the neoliberal monolith "democracy" throughout latin america (see washington consensus, 1990s).
-the near absence of the polity within the political environment, and its consequent inability to make decisions or contribute effectively to the decision-making process, democracy erodes.
-Navarro: the commodification of social life ("intangibles" such as intellectual ownership laws, etc.) when normalized, eliminates the possibility of adopting alternate economic models. "democracy" is a political tool kit to be sold everywhere. Neo-liberals control the definition of "democracy" to the point that a polity cannot even popularly instate a form of democracy appropriate to its social needs.
-> instead, a polity is forced to adopt the one imposed upon it by external political and market forces.
Substantive or Procedural democracy?
-Substantive democracy, especially the continual formation of new rights, de fact and de jour, is essential to creating the most egalitarian society.
-Where procedural democracy emphasizes the existence of basic minimalist democratic practices, these superficial qualifiers of democracy internalize the role of government and bureaucracy
in the face of real democratic activity.
-in summation, the basic tenets of democracy must be insisted upon by the polity on a firm and constant basis.
-The elected government must never act independently of the people
-Republican government in modern capitalist society is absolutely not conducive to participatory democracy
-the polity must actively establish and maintain a government that works with the people's interests solely in mind
-representative democracy, in that elected officials operate independently, may not be conducive to democracy. The self-serving interests of elected authority serves as a primary detriment to effective democracy
-a new economic model must be developed in order for a polity to emerge that can maintain its government.
-capitalism is a psychological malady imposed on a polity from birth.
-smash the state.
Can substantive democracy be be created by a polity without governmental interference (that is, from bottom-up, not top-down)?
-?
Do the primary desires of a latin american polity elicit direct democracy? (that is, is direct democracy appropriate for latin americans?)
-in some ways no. The survey by Smith and Ziegler reveals a primary concern of latin american polity is the establishment of a basic income.
(Note: this desire almost certainly arises from the guarantee of participation within the global economy.)
-some responses revealed advocacy of authoritarian (with conditions).