Friday, November 29, 2019
Susan B Anthony free essay sample
The Right of All Citizens: What Makes an Effective Argument for Womens Rights? On November 5, 1872, Susan B. Anthony, a well-known leader in the womenââ¬â¢s rights movement, along with several other women, entered the West End News Depot and cast their ballot. The women had all registered in the previous days; Anthony had registered to vote November 1, 1872 at a local barbershop, along with her three sisters. Even though the inspectors refused her initial demand to register, Anthony used her power of persuasive speaking and her relationship with well-respected persons of authority, such as Judge Henry R. Selden, to obtain her registration, informing the inspectors that if they did not register the women, they would press charges through the criminal court and sue for damages. When she was arrested for her illegal actions two weeks later, she went willingly with the officer, demanding that they treated her equal to male criminals (Linder, ââ¬Å"Trialâ⬠). We will write a custom essay sample on Susan B Anthony or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Before and after her illegal vote, Susan B. Anthony used her eloquence and strength as a speaker to deliver various thought-provoking speeches on why women legally have the right to vote and her 1873 speech, ââ¬Å"On Womenââ¬â¢s Right to Vote,â⬠is no exception. The tone and structure of Susan B. Anthonyââ¬â¢s speech established an effective basis for her other supports. She used clear and concise language to convey her meanings. She maintained good grammar and syntax throughout her speech and delivered the speech in a forthright and organized manner. This was an important factor in her speech, because she was working to prove that women were the equal of men and deserved the same rights. This organization and concise tone allowed her audience to easily understand the meaning of her argument and also added to her integrity as a speaker. Susan B. Anthonyââ¬â¢s speech built upon support from ethos, an approach that relies on an appeal to ethics and credibility (Phillips 251). Anthony used ethos in multiple ways. First, Anthony was a well-known advocate of the womenââ¬â¢s rights movements, especially womenââ¬â¢s right to vote. She had made various appearances at womenââ¬â¢s rights conventions, often giving lectures on the various topics the subject covered. She was a member of the American Anti-Slavery Association and a founding member of the National Woman Suffrage Association. She also published her own newspaper, The Revolution, and had petitioned Congress about the 14th Amendment, all in an effort to promote gender equality (Linder, ââ¬Å"Biographyâ⬠). This background in the suffrage movement provided her with her credibility. Secondly, she supported her speech with sources that were trustworthy and well-known to her audience. Anthony quotes the preamble of the Federal Constitution in the beginnings of her speech (Anthony 513). In the fifth paragraph, the line, ââ¬Å"Webster, Worcester, and Bouvier all define a citizen to be a person in the United States, entitled to vote and hold office,â⬠Anthony references three dictionaries to support her statement (513). Much of Susan B. Anthonyââ¬â¢s speech uses a form of pathos, an appeal to emotions, as a support to make her argument effective (Phillips 251). Anthonyââ¬â¢s speech invokes emotion in its listeners, not because she used emotive language, personal stories or poignant words, but from her claim that women must not be considered citizens of the United States if they are not allowed to vote, because the Constitution does not specify gender. The line, ââ¬Å"Are women persons? â⬠evokes an emotional response from its reader, because, of course, women are persons and it is an unjust statement to claim (Anthony 513). Anthony used it to attract the readerââ¬â¢s attention and to make them understand how unreasonable it was to not consider women citizens, and in turn, allow them the right to vote. Anthonyââ¬â¢s fourth paragraph, in which she discussed the idea that if women are not citizens, then they are subject to living in a oligarchy, also raises an emotion reaction with the audience. After all, women do not want to feel that they are the lesser subject and do not this unjust ideal to lead to, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦dissension, discord, and rebellionâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ in their homes (Anthony 513). The use of logos, the appeal to logic, is also employed in Susan B. Anthonyââ¬â¢s essay (Phillips 250). As mentioned previously, Anthony used other sources, such as the Federal Constitution and the dictionaries of Webster, Worcester, and Bouvier within her speech (513). Quoting these sources added a necessary foundation of information to sustain her argument as knowledgeable. These sources provide her speech with the necessary facts to appeal to the logical, not just the ethical and the emotional. Some would argue that Susan B. Anthonyââ¬â¢s speech on the rights of women voters was not an entirely effective argument. The quickest opposing viewpoint would be to attack Anthony as a credible source; after all, she just had been arrested and was awaiting her trial ââ¬â a trial that would end in a guilty verdict (Linder, ââ¬Å"Trialâ⬠). It is hard to believe that someone that broke the law could be a reliable source. An additional argument against Anthonyââ¬â¢s credibility would be whether she presented a fair and unbiased view, considering her active part in promoting the rights of women and her preceding arrest. However, she still had credibility within her group of supporters and others, because in their eyes she had not broken the law, according to the 14th Amendment; she had only done what that Amendment gave her the natural right to carry out. Susan B. Anthonyââ¬â¢s illegal vote in 1872 created quite a stir in the politics of the time about whether the right to vote was an entitlement due to women as a part of the citizenship in America. Regardless of whether her audience agreed or disagreed with her point of view, she delivered an invaluable effort with her inspirational lectures. The success of Susan B. Anthonyââ¬â¢s speech ââ¬Å"On Womenââ¬â¢s Right to Vote,â⬠was due to its effective use of ethos, pathos, logos, and its strong structure; without these forms of support, ââ¬Å"On Womenââ¬â¢s Right to Vote,â⬠would not have been the exemplary and defining speech of the suffrage movement.
Monday, November 25, 2019
10 Facts About Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)
10 Facts About Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) RNA or ribonucleic acid is used to translate instructions from DNA to make proteins in your body. Here are 10 interesting and fun facts about RNA. Each RNA nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate.Each RNA molecule typically is a single strand, consisting of a relatively short chain of nucleotides. RNA can be shaped like a single helix, a straight molecule, or may be bet or twisted upon itself. DNA, in comparison, is double-stranded and consists of a very long chain of nucleotides.In RNA, the base adenine binds to uracil. In DNA, adenine binds to thymine. RNA does not contain thymine - a uracil is an unmethylated form of thymine capable of absorbing light. Guanine binds to cytosine in both DNA and RNA.There are several types of RNA, including transfer RNA (tRNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). RNA performs many functions in an organism, such as coding, decoding, regulating, and expressing genes.About 5% of the weight of a human cell is RNA. Only about 1% of a cell consists of DNA.RNA is found in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of humans cells. DNA is only found in the cell nucl eus. RNA is the genetic material for some organisms which dont have DNA. Some viruses contain DNA; many only contain RNA.RNA is used in some cancer gene therapies to reduce the expression of cancer-causing genes.RNA technology is used to suppress the expression of fruit ripening genes so that fruits can remain on the vine longer, extending their season and availability for marketing.Friedrich Miescher discovered nucleic acids (nuclein) in 1868. After that time, scientists realized there were different types of nucleic acids and different types of RNA, so there is no single person or date for the discovery of RNA. In 1939, researchers determined RNA is responsible for protein synthesis. In 1959, Severo Ochoa won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering how RNA is synthesized.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Summary Iroquois Chiefs Address the governors of new york and virginia Term Paper
Summary Iroquois Chiefs Address the governors of new york and virginia - Term Paper Example s of how theyââ¬âthe Iroquoisââ¬âhave rejected Pennsylvaniaââ¬â¢s offer to buy the Susquehana River, thus demonstrating the Iroquoisââ¬â¢ loyalty to the Duke of York, The Iroquois chiefs are quick to point out, however, that when provoked, the Iroquois are like the ââ¬Å"Wolves in the Woods,â⬠thus explaining the number of hostilities that have occurred between the Iroquois and the English in Virginia and Maryland. Chief among these hostilities involves the Iroquois abduction of five young Indians, who were in the service of the English. However, as itââ¬â¢s pointed out by the Iroquois chiefs, all is well now as the Iroquois nations involved in the abduction have promised to return the five young Indians to their rightful English owners. Presently, the Iroquois chiefs thank the Duke of York whose intervention on behalf of the Iroquois has prevented the hostilities with Virginia from escalating. And to assure that peace will prevail between the Iroquois and the English, the Iroquois chiefs promise to bring the tribe the Cahnawaas, who are native to Maryland, into the alliance. In conclusion, the Iroquois chiefs acknowledge that it will be difficult for the Iroquois to fully commit to the English and shake off the French influence which was especially strong among the Iroquois nations of the Onnondagas, the Cayugas, and the Oneydoes. The Iroquois chiefs mention a French Jesuit by the name of Milet who had attained the status of Sachem (leader) within the Oneydoes nation and whose influence was so great that the other nations failed to persuade Oneydoes to part with Milet. Indeed, for all their present antagonism to France and the French influence, the Iroquois chiefs admit that they have a grudging admiration for the French Jesuits who would dare to live among their enemies for the sake of carrying out their sworn
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Statistical Significance of the Parameters Statistics Project
Statistical Significance of the Parameters - Statistics Project Example Since the probability (F-test) is less than the benchmark cutoff point of 0.05 which constitutes that overall model is good enough. R-squared value is around 0.96 which means that all the independent variables predict the manhours needed by around 96%. In other words, 96% variation in the manhours needed is explained by these seven variables included in the model. Statistical Significance of the Parameters If the p-values of each parameter are considered, it can be observed that for variables X1, X3, X4 and X5, the p-values are greater than the cutoff significant level of 0.05, therefore, these parameters are not considered as significant in predicting then manhours needed on individual basis. However, by staying in the overall model, they jointly predict the dependent variable of manhours needed. The other three independent parameters i.e. X2, X6 and X7 are statistically significant to predict the manhours needed as their p-values are less 0.05/ Question 2 H0: ?1 = ?2 = ?3 = ?4 = ?5 = ?6 = ?7 = 0 H1: At least one of the coefficients is not equal to 0 which would suggest that the model has explanatory power. F-statistics = 60.173 Therefore the hypothesis acceptance region is [0,F 8-1,25-8 ]=[0, F 7,17] From the F-statistics table the acceptance region is [0 and 2.61] Since F-statistics computed lies outside this region which is 60.173, therefore the hypothesis can be rejected as the all the parameters can jointly predict the manhours needed. This thing can also be proved by p-values of F-statistics which is less than the threshold of 0.05. R-squared tells about the goodness-of-fit of the model which is around 0.96. Therefore, 96% of the variation in the manhours, can be explained by all seven... Number of building wings has a positive influence upon manhours such that around 5.6 building wings can cause additional one manhour. Operational berthing capacity has a negative impact upon manhours needed such that 14.5 units of operational berthing capacity reduce the 1 manhour required. Number of rooms, are in a direct relationship with manhours such that around 29 rooms create a need of extra 1 manhour. Since the probability (F-test) is less than the benchmark cutoff point of 0.05 which constitutes that overall model is good enough. R-squared value is around 0.96 which means that all the independent variables predict the manhours needed by around 96%. In other words, 96% variation in the manhours needed is explained by these seven variables included in the model.If the p-values of each parameter are considered, it can be observed that for variables X1, X3, X4 and X5, the p-values are greater than the cutoff significant level of 0.05, therefore, these parameters are not considered as significant in predicting then manhours needed on individual basis. However, by staying in the overall model, they jointly predict the dependent variable of manhours needed. The other three independent parameters i.e. X2, X6 and X7 are statistically significant to predict the manhours needed as their p-values are less 0.05. The consequence of the results of F-statistics is that F-statistics describes tha t all the parameters jointly have the explanatory power of predicting the dependent variable.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Business Law questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Business Law questions - Essay Example Thirdly, it must examine whether the agency went outside its authority. Fourthly, it must examine whether the agency followed the required procedures in making the decision. Fifthly, it must determine whether the decision is so clearly wrong that it disserves to be abandoned. It is uncertain arguing that the agency always wins or loses because the final decision of the U.S District Court is determined by the validity of the dispute and the degree of correctness or wrongness that the agencyââ¬â¢s decision was. In 2 (a) there are three procedures that are available for FDA in making new rules. First, it has to provide a Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which is a proposal published in the Federal Register for members of public to review and comment on it. Secondly, it is should consider the comments received on the rule during the comment period. Thirdly, it should comply with the ââ¬Å"Effective Dateâ⬠Rule that determines when the proposed rule will become effective. In 2 (b), a business engaged in importing food could participate in these procedures through reviewing the proposed rule and criticizing it, taking note of the final rule and complying with the ââ¬Å"Effective Dateâ⬠rule. In 3 (a), there are three laws that affect the records of an administrative agency. First, the Freedom of Information Act renders agency records subject to disclosure and outlines the various procedures that ought to be followed. Secondly, the Administrative Procedure Act dictates the ways through which each agency should avail public information. Thirdly, the Public Records Act specifies that personal information maintained about an individual shall not be disclosed without the personââ¬â¢s consent except for various explicit exceptions (Browne, 6). In 3 (b), the Freedom of Information Act would help my business to obtain information about the activities of my competitors. On the other hand, the Administrative
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Creation and Innovation in Entrepreneurial Venture
Creation and Innovation in Entrepreneurial Venture Introduction In relation to the Inspiring Futures project, entrepreneurship is about creative or innovative thinking and taking appropriate action that can enhance such innovative thoughts. However, prior to taking such an action, there is a need for a plan to ensure that an entrepreneurial idea transforms, for instance, into a viable and successful project or business ventures (Watson, 2013). In this sense, an effective and efficient implementation of a project or business venture entails the consideration of a number of factors. Among such factors, are, for example, acquiring necessary skills needed for the project or business venture and developing an understanding of the key stakeholders in the project (Ives, 2005). Additional factors that may need consideration in the successful implementation of the Inspiring Futures Project include the need to work with a good management team (Cleland Gareis, 2006). To this end, this essay focuses on project management and teamwork and how learning from t hese two topics has been used in the Inspiring Futures Project that I did. Project and stakeholder management In any given project, there is a need for the project managers to establish a proper plan that can lead to the successful completion of the project. In this regard, some of the success factors that project managers need to embrace include: effective communication processes, emphasis the projects mission, develop schedules and plans, setting objectives, ensuring stakeholder satisfaction and ensuring they have support from the top management respectively (Davis, 2014). On the same note, in any given project, stakeholder management is critical for successful completion. In this sense, it is important for the project manager to focus on engaging the right people to ensure the project is not hampered as a result of conflicting interests between the management and key stakeholders of the project (Muller Turner, 2007). On another note, when undertaking a given project, it is important for the project manager to possess certain skills necessary to achieve success with the project at hand (Kerzner, 2004). Such skills may involve, for example, communication, leadership, team management, negotiation, personal organisation and risk management respectively (Mir Pinnington, 2014). Leadership, on the other hand, is a necessity to ensure project managers are better placed to not only lead other workers at the project site, but also manage them in an effective and efficient manner (Turner Muller, 2005). With regard to team management, it is important for project managers to focus their attention on promoting teamwork as a strategy to ensure operations at the project site are not hampered (David, 2005). As such, it is important for the project managers to develop a working environment where teamwork is emphasised rather than individualism that may derail the completion of various projects on time (Aaltonen Kujala, 2016). As observed by Aaltonen and Kujala ( 2016), traditional project management denotes a focus on project requirements that are identified in the initial stage of the project. Subsequently, these requirements are then divided into manageable tasks. At this point the project managers are expected to develop a detailed plan for each task as a strategy to ensure the project goals are achieved in an efficient manner and risks related to the project kept lower. However, this view of project transformation has contributed to project failures in different sectors. As such, Aaltonen and Kujala (2016) reiterate the need to shift to agile project management techniques where project requirements are expected to emerge and drive the project rather than using the project plan, which in most cases may lead to pre-misunderstood outcomes. To this end, value needs to be achieved by project end rather than a focus on defining them at the beginning of the project. Teamwork, managing people and the working environment In order for entrepreneurs to succeed in their business ventures, they need to work with an effective and efficient management team. In essence, some of the benefits associated with teamwork include enhancing creativity and learning. When people work together, they share a wide range of ideas that often contributes to the best alternative action. Further, teamwork also helps employees to improve and blend their talents in a complementary manner. Teamwork also contributes to workers trusting one another, which in turn, contributes to a collaborative process between the top management and subordinates respectively (Kerzner, 2013). Further, teamwork contributes to the development of conflict resolution skills, which are necessary to ensure the progress of a business venture or project not deterred as a result of conflicts. Through an emphasis on teamwork, employees often develop a sense of ownership because the top management recognises their contributions. Teamwork further contributes to healthy risk taking as it encourages members to think beyond in terms of exploring ideas and implementing them with the hope that they can contribute to positive results with the intended goals of the business or project at hand (Meredith Mantel, 2012). On another note, compared to starting a business as a sole entrepreneur, a start-up that involves partnership more than often is better placed to succeed in the marketplace. This is because; they are likely to share their skills and resources to survive in the marketplace. Conversely, a solo entrepreneur may face numerous challenges trying to survive in todays competitive and constantly changing marketplace. According to Ives (2005), a focus on teamwork theory can play a role in developing an efficient and effective team to achieve the intended goals of the project. In this regard, it is important for the project managers to be conversant with the stages of group development. On the other end of the spectrum, teamwork can encourage groupthink, which may lead to half-baked decisions due to greater emphasis on a collaborative process within the group. In this sense, while entrepreneurs shift their focus on teamwork, there is still a need to ensure that individual views are not overlook ed as a way to strengthen group cohesion (Park, 1990). With regard to managing people, there are various leadership styles that entrepreneurs can embrace to not only enhance employee involvement but also achieve success with their intended goals (Eskerod, Hueamann Savage, 2015). For instance, a leadership style considered to reinforce teamwork is transformational leadership. This leadership style denotes the leader working with his or her followers to achieve the intended goals of the business. The working environment, on the other hand, needs to be conducive in terms of encouraging employee involvement rather than demoralise employees, who may in turn, exhibit poor performance, and in extreme cases, leave for better opportunities elsewhere (Maak Pless, 2006). Using the learning in the Inspiring Futures Project I did The Inspiring Futures Project I did involved how to improve social media platforms for Clever Students Lets. Implementing a project is a challenging process, and understanding the skills necessary to achieve a successful project completion is important. As such, the learning from the topic of project and stakeholder management played a role in ensuring that needs assessment is conducted prior to deciding on the best alternative for improving the social media platforms for Clever Students Lets. In order to understand the presenting needs related to the use of social media platforms for Clever Students Lets we used questionnaires to obtain primary data from participants. Conversely, we obtained secondary data from related literature on how to improve social media platforms for a service such as Clever Students Lets. As a result, the needs assessment we conducted relied on both primary and secondary data that ensured we selected the most suitable alternative to improve the social media platforms for Clever Students Lets (Aaltonen Kujala, 2016). The learning on managing people, on the other hand, and with regard to the Futures Project assisted in the sense that we were better placed to learn about effective leadership and its importance in completing the successful completion of the project (Turner Muller, 2005). Factors we considered, and informed by the learning from the topic of managing people involved understanding our strengths and weaknesses to ensure the decisions we made regarding the project involved a collaborative process. Some of the skills we embraced included, for instance, accommodating the views of each member in terms of deciding on the most suitable course of action to improve social media platforms for Clever Students Lets (Project Management Institute, 2013). Further, through an understanding of the skills associated with the planning and implementation of a given project derived from the two topics, the group and I were better placed to consider all the success factors that would ensure the Clever Stud ents Lets become a success. Some of the success factors that we considered for the Inspiring Futures Project included: proper planning and teamwork, effective management of the presenting risks, and successful project completion (Matta Ashkenas, 2003). With regard to the best improvement for the social media platforms used by Clever Students Lets, an emphasis on teamwork as informed from the learning was necessary to brainstorm the most suitable action to take. Such a focus contributed to the collaborative decision to settle on snapshot account as ideal for Clever Students Lets. The process involved weighing a number of options by relying of the contribution of each member in the group on the benefits and risks of the available course of action that would improve the social media platforms for Clever Student Lets. Conversely, in ensuring that the project succeeded, the group also focused attention on embracing effective leadership with participants involved in the project. For instance, to encourage the active participation from group members we emphasised a hands on approach where we worked closely with each other to ensure the project becomes a success in terms of improving the social media platforms used by Clever Students Lets (Northouse, 2004). Further, in order to create a positive work environment, the group deliberated on trusting one another, set achievable goals for the project, carried out regular meetings and shared information and knowledge respectively (Whetten Cameron, 2011). Conclusion The success of an entrepreneurial venture entails focus on creative or innovation thoughts to ensure the initiatives or plans that entrepreneurs introduce in the marketplace become a success. In essence, implementing such creative thoughts is largely dependent on a number of factors that have an influence on the business or project progress. For example, effective and efficient management of a project depends largely on the skills and experience of the project manager. In this sense, the skills and experience of the project manager often influences the success factors they embrace for various projects. References Aaltonen, K., Kujala, J., 2016. Towards an improved understanding of project stakeholder landscapes. Journal of Project Management, 34(8), p. 1537-1552. Cleland, D.,Ãâà Gareis, R. ,2006. Global project management handbook (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Print. David, F., 2005. Strategic management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Publishing. Davis, K., 2014. Different stakeholder groups and their perceptions of project success. International Journal of Project Management, 32, p.189-201. Eskerod, P., Huemann, M., Savage, G., 2015.Project stakeholder management: Past and Present. Project Management Journal, 46(6), p. 6-14. Ives, M., 2005. Identifying the contextual elements of project management within organizations and their impact on project success. Project Management Journal, 36(1), p. 37-50. Kerzner, H., 2004. Advanced project management: Best practices on implementation. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Kerzner, H.,2013. Project Management: A Systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (11th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Maak, T. Pless, N.M., 2006. Responsible leadership: A relational approach. In Maak, T. Pless, N.M. (Eds.), Responsible leadership. New York, NY: Routledge. Matta, N. F., Ashkenas, R. N.,2003. Why good projects fail anyway. Harvard Business Review, 81(9), p.109-114. Meredith, J. R., Mantel, S. J., 2012. Project management: A managerial approach (8th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Mir, F.A., Pinnington, A.H., 2014. Exploring the value of project management: Linking Project Management Performance and Project Success, International Journal of Project Management, 32, p. 202-217. Muller, R., Turner, R., 2007.The influence of project managers on project success criteria and project success by type of project. European Management Journal, 25 (4), p. 298-309. Muller, R., Turner, R., 2010.Leadership competency profiles of successful project managers. International Journal Project Management, 28, p. 437-448. Northouse, P. G. ,2004. Leadership: Theory and practice (3rd edn.). London, UK: Sage Publications. Park, W., 1990.A review of research on groupthink. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 3, p. 229-245. Project Management Institute, 2013. A Guide to the project management body of knowledge(5th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. Turner, J.R., Muller, R., 2005.The project managers leadership style as a success factor on projects: A review.Project Management Journal, 36 (2), p.49-61. Watson, T.J., 2013.Entrepreneurship in action: Bringing together the individual, organizational and institutional dimensions of entrepreneurial action. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 25(5), p. 404-422. Whetten, D. A. Cameron, K. S., 2011. Developing management skills. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall/Pearson.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Group Polarization And Competition In Political Behavior Essay
On Tuesday, November 14, 1995, in what has been perceived as the years biggest non-event, the federal government shut down all "non-essential" services due to what was, for all intents and purposes, a game of national "chicken" between the House Speaker and the President. And, at an estimated cost of 200 million dollars a day, this dubious battle of dueling egos did not come cheap (Bradsher, 1995, p.16). Why do politicians find it almost congenitally impossible to cooperate? What is it about politics and power that seem to always put them at odds with good government? Indeed, is an effective, well run government even possible given the current adversarial relationship between our two main political parties? It would seem that the exercise of power for its own sake, and a competitive situation in which one side must always oppose the other on any issue, is incompatible with the cooperation and compromise necessary for the government to function. As the United States becomes more extreme in its beliefs in general, group polarization and competition, which requires a mutual exclusivity of goal attainment, will lead to more "showdown" situations in which the goal of good government gives way to political posturing and power-mongering. In this paper I will analyze recent political behavior in terms of two factors: Group behavior with an emphasis on polarization, and competition. However, one should keep in mind that these two factors are interrelated. Group polarization tends to exacerbate inter-group competition by driving any two groups who initially disagree farther apart in their respective views. In turn, a competitive situation in which one side must lose in order for the other to win (and political situations are nearly always competitive), will codify the differences between groups - leading to further extremism by those seeking power within the group - and thus, to further group polarization. In the above example, the two main combatants, Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich, were virtually forced to take uncompromising, disparate views because of the very nature of authority within their respective political groups. Group polarization refers to the tendency of groups to gravitate to the extreme of whatever opinion the group shares (Baron & Graziano, 1991, p.498-99). Therefore, if the extreme is seen as a desirable characteri... ...roup of extreme, right wing, "constitutionalists" who were apparently trying to turn frustration with the federal government into open revolution. I do not think these examples are aberrations or flukes, but are, instead, indicative of structural defects in our political system. If we are not aware of the dangers of extremism and competition, we may, in the end, be destroyed by them. References Baron, B.M., & Graziano, W.G. (1991). Social Psychology. Fort Worth, TX. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Bradsher, K. (1995, November 18). Country may be losing money with government closed. The New York Times, pp.16 Kohn, A. (1986). No Contest: The Case Against Competition. Boston, Houghton Mifflin. No Author. (1995, March 24). [internet] What Wilson has said about entering race. San Jose Mercury News Online. Address:http://www.sjmercury.com/wilson/wil324s.htm Thurm, S. (1995, August 29). [internet] Wilson's 'announcement' more of an ad: California governor kicks off drive for GOP presidential nomination. San Jose Mercury News Online. Address:http://www.sjmercury.com/wilson/wil829.htm Turgue, B., & Thomas, E. (1995, November 27). Missing the moment. Newsweek, pp.26-29.
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