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Development of Nations (Ideologies)
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Social Contract in Society Social Contracts People live in society because they can best satisfy their needs and wants by working with other members of society. People can not live together successfully unless there is some basic agreement about the fundamentals of life that can be relied on to give predictability and order.
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Every social grouping has a set of understandings, often tactic, which everyone in the group subscribes to. People accept the social contract with little question when the rules of the contract seem legitimate to them. Legitimacy is the traditional, lawful, or acceptable way of organizing relationships among people.
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World View What is considered legitimate is directly related to the world view of the individuals with the group. – Traditional Aboriginal societies believe all things on earth possess a spirit and there is a kinship between humans and all things in nature. – European’s perception of natural resources was influenced by the religious concept that people will have ‘dominion’ over all living creatures.
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Historically, a Judaeo-Christian world view has been the primary source of legitimacy for European societies. Christianity’s images, metaphors, and values are the bases for most of our mores, laws, and institutions. Think how that is changing as our society accepts more people from countries other that the traditional European area. Is this placing strain on our world view?
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Ideology Characteristics common to all ideologies – A set of basic assumptions about human nature and society – An interpretation and explanation of the past and present – A vision of the future and a strategy to achieve that vision – A simple, easily understood picture of the world and reality
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Our Canadian Social Contract
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What rights and freedoms are sanctioned in the charter? Explain our Canadian ideology as outlined on the list of characteristics. Is the charter based on a Judaeo-Christian world view?
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Reconciling Competing claims to Power Conflict Societies are made up of competing interest groups, each desiring decisions that will satisfy their needs/wants. Tensions between groups over the control of political and economic decisions making in society are inevitable. This is particularly true when individuals operate from different assumptions.
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Sources of Power Individuals and groups within society attempt to control various sources of power in order to use them for their own benefit. The major sources of power in society are: – Resources – Organization – Numbers – Information
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Resources Access to natural and man-made resources Distribution of those resources Organization Effective political organization Effective social organization Meeting needs and controlling citizens
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Numbers Need to rally supporters Need an ‘influential majority’ Control the actions of supporters Information Gathering intelligence Controlling the spread of information
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Claims to Power in Society Every society has to allocate some individual and/or groups the right to make decisions for society. Politics is the process of conciliating individuals and groups by giving them a share of the valued commodities according to the amount of power they wield within society.
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Within any society there exists individuals and groups which will claim the right to control the society’s decision making process. Traditional claims to power were based on control of the land, adequate force to ensure compliance, and perceived legitimacy. What is considered legitimate is based on the assumptions of the particular ideology individuals subscribe to.
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The legitimacy of the traditionalist’s claims was based upon an ideology which accepted the following values: – Tradition – Hierarchy and order – Divinely ordained order of things represented by the aristocracy, monarchy, and the church Traditionalists believed it would be foolish to entrust decision making to ordinary people.
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Conservative Ideology Fundamental values – Order Regulation of social organizations for compliance Order and predictability provides security Chaos and anarchy is viewed as the greatest threat to society social organizations break down Based on Christian doctrine of original sin and the need of humans to be guided to behave ethically
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– Hierarchy Society functions best when an elite individual with special abilities takes responsibility The individual should be given the necessary powers and privileges to carry out the responsibilities Based on idea that humans can only be controlled by following an ethic training by an elite individual
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– Freedom Freedom without responsibilities or limits can result in chaos Society is viewed as an organism which evolves naturally and unconsciously
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– Conservation The need to conserve social order is the fundamental objective in negotiating a social contract Society is viewed as a partnership not only between those who are living, but also between those who are dead and those who are to be born – traditions are sacred
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Non-Traditionalist Ideology – Change Growth of the industrial middle class resulted in demands for changes to the decision making process Claims to power based on: – Numbers (rule by majority) – Organizations (unions) – Education
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Non-Traditionalist Ideology – Legitimacy Demands for greater political freedom were based on the ideology of liberalism Claims to power based on: – Progress – Premises of freedom and equality – Premise of general will and popular sovereignty – Principles of liberalism and nationalism
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Liberal Ideology – Freedom Freedom to live one’s life according to the dictates of one’s conscience Biblical reference to ‘Sermon on the Mount’ which supports a sense of human individuality and relaxes the tight hold of custom, law, and morality
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Liberal Ideology – Order Law is the only legitimate restraint on human behaviour and it has the right to prevent only those actions which will injure others Free and open debate in which reason prevails will ensure social order Liberalism sought to protect the individual from arbitrary external restraints that could prevent the full realization of potential
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Liberal Ideology – Equality All people are equal and possess human dignity Everyone has the right to express their potential All citizens have the right to share in the decision making process Belief that rational individuals know their own potential and that government interference will limit that potential
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Liberal Ideology – Hierarchy Hierarchy based on merit is legitimate Belief that government must not do for the individuals what the individuals can do for themselves
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Liberal Ideology – Progress Creation of a social order which allows for the greatest possible expression of human potential is the fundamental objective of a social contract The power of government must be limited or checked and not supersede the rights of individuals
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Socialist Ideology – Equality No individual’s rights are greater than another’s therefore basic resources must be shared by all All individuals need to be given equal opportunity Socialism took from the New Testament the belief that in the eyes of God all are equal and therefore the masses should control the means of production and operation of the government
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Socialist Ideology – Freedom There can be no freedom when one group in society can exploit another group Economic freedom from want and exploitation is as important as political freedom Socialists believed all should be paid according to their contribution to society stipulating that all citizens receive a minimum to cover basics of life
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Socialist Ideology – Hierarchy The labour of workers is as important and worthy as the labour of their superiors Workers have as much right to be involved in decision making as any other group in society Socialists believed all citizens should have equal political rights and status
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Socialist Ideology – Order There can be no order within society until there is economic justice Marxists believed that socialism could only be accomplished by completely nationalizing the means of production Democratic socialists believed selective nationalization of key industries would be enough
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Socialist Ideology – Progress Progress means the creation of a social order in which people free from want are free to develop and express their human potential
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Rise of Industrial Nation States Nineteenth century Europe underwent profound changes as a result of the ideas unleashed by the French revolution and the industrial revolution. Great Britain, France, and the Germanic States led the way in changing their basic social and economic infrastructures.
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Rise of Industrial Nation States These societies changed from being rural, agrarian societies to industrialized, urban societies. The new industrial, urban worldview challenged the perspectives or ideologies of the traditional social organizations.
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Rise of Industrial Nation States This shift in ideology contributed to: – Revolutions in 1825, 1830, and 1848 – American Civil War – Unification of Germany Traditional paradigms were not able to offer adequate solutions to the new social realities and a reorganization of existing social and political infrastructures was the result.
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Rise of Industrial Nation States Demographic evidence of change: – Total population, rural/urban distribution of population, size of the middle class – Proximity of major urban centres to resources – Location of transportation systems – Location of industrial complexes – Distribution of wealth among the classes – Resource hinterland for countries
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Redefining the Social Contract Quest for Social justice in Britain – Combination Acts, 1799 – Corn Laws, 1815 – Six Acts, 1817 – St. Peter’s Field Massacre The middle and labouring classes attempted to gain influence in the decision making process. Research the above events to determine their success.
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Redefining the Social Contract Britain’s Reform – Reform Bill, 1832 – Chartist Movement, 1838 – Anti-Corn Law League, 1839 – Reform Bill, 1867 – Reform Bill, 1884 How did each of the above impact the lives of British citizens?
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Redefining the Social Contract Quest for Social Justice in France – Repudiation of the Constitutional Charter – Limitation of voting rights – Implementation of strict censorship – Revolution of 1848 – Election of 1848 What course of action should be followed in each of the above events? How does ideology determine a course of action and outcome for each?
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Redefining the Social Contract France’s Reform – July Riots of 1830 – Constitution of the Second Republic – June Riots of 1848 – Victory of Louis Napoleon – Paris Commune 1871 The above events played a role in the outcome of the confrontation of the classes in France. Research each to determine the impact.
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Redefining the Social Contract Sovereignty in the Germanic Confederation – The northern Germanic states had a common political objective of unification – All German states were affected by the goal of unification and the value of nationalism – However, there were a number of competing ideological visions of the German Nation State
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Redefining the Social Contract Prussian Liberal Ideology – The goals of German liberalism were to transform Prussia into a liberal constitutional monarchy – The Prussian monarchy could then initiate a merger between itself and all other German states to establish a unified, liberal nation state.
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Redefining the Social Contract Prussian Socialist Ideology – Followed the ideology of Karl Marx – Viewed as a threat by those in power because they talked about loyalty to the socialist movement rather than loyalty to the German state – Promoted a democratic constitution with: Universal voting rights A ministry of labour Minimum wage legislation A ten-hour work week
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Redefining the Social Contract Prussian Conservative Ideology – The overall goal was a conservative Prussian empire ruled by an absolute monarch – Emphasized dedication to the nation state – Promoted a strong sense of national identity, high levels of efficiency, and complete obedience to the state – Strong proponent of militarization “If a compromise cannot be arrived at and a conflict arises, then the conflict becomes a question of power” Otto von Bismarck
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Redefining the Social Contract Development of Germany – Austro-Prussian War 1866 – Constitution of 1866 – National Social Security – Policy of protectionism – France-Prussian War, 1870 The above events played a significant role in the ideological balances that developed in Germany. Research each to determine the impact.
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Redefining the Social Contract A unified Germany which was militarily and economically dynamic was viewed as a threat by the other major powers. These nations sought security through developing alliances and expanding their colonial possessions. The possession of an empire was seen as a political, economic, and military advantage.
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