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America has become a confusing place for
many people who are trying to decipher through the mess of politics
that is inherent in a huge country that touts democracy. The
Critical Review's (No. 1 Vol. 19) article Ignorance as a Starting
Point: From Modest Epistemology to Realistic Political Theory
states that a new elitist political paternalism may be necessary to
counter the general ignorance of the population. In other words,
brighter minds need to make decisions for people.
The concept of political elite makes some
sense but in reality this is already the case. We have in the U.S.
a pseudo-democracy in the sense that all of the candidates are
known but few, except the elite, know what the candidates stand
for. Democracy, in its early American terms, meant that politics
was done on a local basis. People knew who the runners were, shook
their hands, asked them questions, etc... This is one of the
reasons why many politicians still travel the country.
At one time in history it meant something
to be part of a party. However, as these parties matured (Democrats
& Republicans) the lines of difference in their ideologies have
changed. People seem to float near the center and it is almost
impossible to determine their party simply based on the way they
vote. Some are liberal and some are conservative but parties have
become only a path to politics; not an ideological difference.
The fact that candidates and parties have
become confusing, the average person has become confused as to what
the issues really are. For example, people might not know what all
of the candidates stand for and may possibly vote on race issues,
locality, and appearance instead of actual political ideology. In
other words, issues of importance are no longer the issues of
politics.
When people are faced with making a
decision without adequate information or with confusing information
they will choose what they know. If someone appears to be honest or
they speak in a tone or manner that makes sense then they will vote
for that candidate. In some cases people will simply vote for a
candidate because they remember their name. This means the process
is breaking down.
Currently, the country is run by political
elites. This is the group of people who have the highest level of
income and education. They are the ones that contribute to
campaigns, read their newspaper on a regular basis, and view
politics as a method of maintaining wealth. For example, the
Israeli lobby as the countries largest lobby even though it is a
foreign entity. Where are the domestic issues in relation to this
issue?
Thus, the article Ignorance as a Starting
Point: From Modest Epistemology to Realistic Political Theory
premises that a paternalistic political elite need to be developed
in order to steer people into the right candidates is already in
existence. It isn't a formal method or system as outlined in the
system but that those who control the labor control the country.
The farther you move up the wealthy scale the tighter knit the
group.
About the Author
Murad Ali is a three time published
author, a human resource professional, a business professor and the
owner of a website marketing company at
http://www.article-agent.org which allows authors to submit their
work for website content. For more great articles written by Murad
visit http://www.thenewbusinessworld.blogspot.com or
http://www.datingdesires.blogspot.com
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