The Metamorphosis of Human Society - Essay Example

? From the time of Reconstruction after the Civil War until the present, what progress have we made in the United s in terms of ALL three of ourcourse themes?Liberty, Equality, and Power? Furthermore, of the three themes, which one has been emphasized and influenced our society the most? YOU MUST write about ALL THREE THEMES. When we start thinking about the metamorphosis of human society, the principles of liberty, equality and power becomes intrinsically associated with our thoughts particularly in the political reformation and history of the United States. The political culture of the United States is set on the stage of the ideals that have been mentioned above and the features of American politics include a scrappy and uneven system of governance with significant emphasis on the rights of each individual. American Civil War: The Reformation From the time of American Civil War, the country has reformed itself to a great extent although it has moved away from its roots or the way in which the philosophers have tried to describe the society of each state. While considering the history of the world, it can be clearly established that America has emerged as a super power to the rest of the world. The ideals of liberty, equality and power has been reshaped or molded to offer more to the people of this country or suffice their needs. Therefore, the country that went into a Civil War from the year 1861 has undergone massive changes whether it is related to the general public and their views about the politics and governance or the center of power. The global market that has become one with the smaller countries has a similar effect in the American society as well. Broadly speaking, the principles of liberty have changed in different contexts for a society that thrives on conflict and consensus. However, these ideals or principles have consistently remained as the base of the society and a majority of debates surround the fact whether these ideals have materialized or benefited the society and not whether they are in place. In short, the force is on the achievements rather than the indifferences as far as the ideals maxims of liberty, equality and power is concerned. Liberty If a discussion is to be held on the ideal of liberty, the definition and interpretation of this word must be taken into account. Thus, the Americans define this term as their first step of becoming and living in an independent society or their freedom to do anything although it is necessary to reflect this ideal within the purview of law. As a matter of fact, the Civil War has genuinely reconstructed the society and it has become liberal to the Afro-Asian people particularly in the modern society. As far as the Constitution of the United States is concerned, it defines the structure of the governance and power; at the same time, the Bill of Rights guarantees the liberty and freedom of the people residing in this country. When it comes to economic liberty, the Americans are opinionated towards a non-interfering government in this respect. The concept of laissez-faire capitalism that existed in the United States throughout a major portion of the nineteenth century that resulted in an economic system in which the government had no role to play changed later although the people of the country believe that the intervention of the government should not extend beyond a certain limit. Equality With Equality, the definition of the word is quite complicated as to its literal meaning. In fact, inequality exists in every society as each individual is different than the other and the American society is no exception in this manner. The Americans of African origin are poorer than those with fair skin. Additionally, inequality also depends on people belonging to different backgrounds and their means of living. However, the political equality tends to emphasize on the fact there would not exist any kind of inequality between people belonging to different race, which is popularly identified as racial discrimination and that every citizen would be treated under the same law and with equal respect. Similarly, the citizens would not have to face any kind of discrimination as far as employment opportunities are concerned. In other words, the citizens would have all the rights of employment and living irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion or economic background. While, it is true that the level of achievement is not consistent or differ and vary from one person to another, the opportunities provided to people would be similar in all respects. Thus, the major purpose of the American Civil War that lead to the formation of a government under Abraham Lincoln, a man who had the courage ands conviction to fight against slavery seemed to have established its roots in the ideal of Constitution or the governance. Power The view of the people of this country has changed towards those people who were none other than slaves and a majority of them were Afro- Americans or the black community. On the other hand, the equality of outcome and success, which exist in the American society, has been opposed by many people as it implies that the talented people would be viewed under the same scanner when compared with those who are not of similar stature. However, the equality to succeed is not as strong as the term implies since the women of this country are not treated in an equal frame. The seat of power in America is also controlled by people. In fact, Federal Government in this country with a bi-party system is responsible for controlling the government affairs. The Democrats or Republicans are chosen as representatives of people when the country goes to polls. A presidential candidate can be selected twice for serving the country and no more than that. The political milieu of America states that the decisions taken by the government should take into account the will of majority of the citizens. For instance, the opposition of people against war in Iraq is one of the most common examples of the way in which the people of the country and their opinions are assessed. Thus, a Bill of Right cannot be passed by the US Congress unless it is supported by a majority of people. The center of power in America is centered on the people of this country. In fact, the majority rule is prevalent in this country to such an extent that the political parties reiterate the view of the people even if they do not intend to follow the same. In order to get a legitimate hold among the people of this country, it is imperative that the party that is in power must reflect on the view of the people of this country. With respect to the seat of power in America, the individual rights of the people are considered as important and every citizen has the right to express his or her choices independently. Since the inception of the American Civil War until it ended with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the maxims of Liberty, Equality and Power has changed drastically. For instance, the emphasis on the protection of rights of each individual or citizen is one of the most influential aspects of the government policies that can be highlighted since the time of the Civil War. America has evolved as the international seat of power and the voice of countrymen play an extremely important role in determining the policies. While it is difficult to state the ideal that must have remained most influential in the reformation and restructuring of the government, Power will undoubtedly take center stage as the other aspects such as liberty and equality have remained consistent and fair over the years. Alongside, the principles and ideas that we have discussed in this article until now, the diversified culture of the people of this country who have originated from immigrants have successfully maintained the unity of the country to a great extent. One of the most noticeable factors that have come to the forefront since the time immemorial or the history of this nation, America has stood out as the single and supreme authority casting its influence over the rest of the nations across the globe. Therefore, it becomes clear that power is one of the most important aspects that can be singled out as the most significant ideal of this country that has changed and people of this country have played an important part in reshaping their country by electing their representative. However, things have not stopped there as the residents have expressed their favor and opposition in different matters or in the formation of policies. For instance, the decision of the Government to wage a war against Syria took a different turn when the people of the country voiced their opinion against this decision of the Government. There are umpteen examples in the history of the world in which different countries and societies have pulled themselves from different stages and America is one of them that has surpassed the developmental aspects exhibited by other countries and their societies. The way in which the country has picked up from the time of Civil War until the destruction of the twin tower clearly indicates that it is not for nothing that this country has reached the pinnacle, whether it is following the principles of equality and liberty, but it is a glittering example of a country that has picked itself from different stages to emerge as one of those countries that rules the world. Reference Murrin et al (2010), Liberty: A History of the American People since 1863, Wadsworth: Boston Read More