Political Theory

The beginnings of democracy can be traced back to ancient Athens in 5th century BC. This period saw the development of a direct democracy where citizens participated directly in decision-making through assemblies and juries. Leaders like Cleisthenes and Pericles played key roles in shaping the democratic system of Athens.

Britain has a parliamentary democracy, where citizens elect members of Parliament to make decisions on their behalf. The Prime Minister is the head of government, chosen from the majority party in Parliament. The monarchy also plays a ceremonial role in the democratic system.

The United States government was influenced by Athenian democracy. Concepts such as rule of law, separation of powers, and citizen participation in governance have roots in ancient Athens and are reflected in the structures of the U.S. government.

The Executive Branch - the Legislative Branch - the Judicial Branch.

ALSO: When used as a general descriptive term, it may also refer to, and include, all the agencies and departments of the various branches named above.

Representative democracy, whether implemented by a presidential system or a parliamentary system, provides for a peaceful change of leader subject to the will of the people. It tries to ensure that government is conducted with the best interests of the people involved, usually leading to more rights and liberties than nations without a full representative democracy.

It attempts to restrain the power of the elected leaders and prevent authoritarianism and dictatorship.

The history of "Democracy" started thousands of years ago in Greece, it was used to determine a rule the country with opinions of others, other countries like Canada, has adapted in the concept of Democracy.

Marxism is commonly viewed as anti-utopian. Marx critiqued utopian socialists for not grounding their ideas in material conditions and instead believed in a scientific approach to understanding and transforming society. Marxism is focused on analyzing and changing the existing capitalist system rather than aiming for an idealized utopia.

Locke's emphasis on natural rights and social contract theory influenced the American ideals of individual liberties and limited government. Rousseau's ideas on popular sovereignty and the general will influenced the concept of democracy as rule by the people. Montesquieu's theory of separation of powers inspired the framework for the U.S. government with its system of checks and balances.

Republicans were always mostly in the Northern states ever since the Civil war. Also republicans favored a strong central government, hence Abraham Lincoln using the most federal power in history. The democratic party was always mostly in the southern states ever since the civil war because many Democrats supported slavery which was mostly in the South. Up unitl 1976 did democrats start to be mostly in the northern states and republicans in the southern states like it is today. They basically flip flopped demographics and ideas over 150 years.

Though the demographics have changed republicans have always had a conservative base. Conservatives lost power in the Democratic party during the 1960s. They struggled to survive during the next few decades, many of them switching to Republicans along the way. Eventually with both Obama's victories unfortunately the conservative democrats are now barely existent, everyone left has now switched party affiliation.

The American Federation of Labor generally focused on improving conditions for workers within the existing capitalist system through collective bargaining and labor strikes. While some members may have supported socialist ideas, the organization's primary goal was to advance the interests of workers within the framework of capitalism.

Ancient Athens is often considered to have had one of the most direct forms of democracy in history. In Athens, citizens had the opportunity to vote on laws and policies directly in large assemblies. Their system of government allowed for more widespread citizen participation compared to other ancient civilizations.

North Korea

Cuba

Vietnam

Laos

China

Urban Liberalism was the rise of the middle class. It started with Johnson being elected. He pledged to purify California Politics. It started with the middle class then the working America's hopped on board. By his 2nd term he was championing social and labor legislation. His original base of the middle class had eroded and he had become the champion of California's working class. A new strain of progressive reform emerged that historians labeled as Urban Liberalism.

Communism came about because poor countries wanted a quick fix for their economy. For instance, China, back in the early 1900's, was not a Communist nation. It became that way after years of poverty. What communists' do is go after the farmers, etc, and tell them that Communism will give them money, power, etc and will eliminate different classes of people (middle class, upper class), and people will be able to share everything, etc. Farmers and poverty-stricken people believe this, and it does work, temporarily. However, the long term effects are not good. You're pretty much working for your government; nothing is yours anymore. But, poorer countries don't think about the long-term effects. China today is still Communist; but they are not strict Communists like some other countries.

1. Legislative arena: Where party members work within the legislative branch to pass laws and policies.
2. Electoral arena: Where parties compete in elections to gain power and influence.
3. Public opinion arena: Where parties engage with the public through media, social networks, and other platforms to shape public opinion and gain support.

Because educated people can understand their rights and duties.

Political parties act as a voice for their members and supporters. They have four key functions in the democratic process. They select candidates, facilitate the governance of the nation and people, monitor the opposing party while it is in power and they mobilize the people.

Compassionate capitalism is an approach to business that integrates profit-making with social responsibility and ethical practices. It involves considerations for the well-being of employees, customers, communities, and the environment while still generating profits. Companies practicing compassionate capitalism aim to create a positive impact beyond financial gains.

Athenian democracy had a system of checks and balances in place to prevent one person from gaining too much power. Key positions were rotated frequently, limiting any individual's influence. Additionally, there were processes like ostracism, where citizens could vote to exile a powerful individual deemed a threat to democracy.

Third wave democracy refers to the third major shift to democracy. The third wave began in the late 1970s, doubling the number of democracies in just a few decades. It's not clear what exactly brought the push for democracy but four possible explanations include: the fatigue in authoritarian governments, international pressure, the people's desire for human rights and security against arbitrary abuse and a desire for economic development. Shively, Phillips W. Power and Choice. McGraw-Hill New York: 2008.

The public sector can play a significant role in promoting socialism by providing essential services, regulating industries to prevent exploitation, and ensuring equitable distribution of resources. It can help protect the rights and well-being of citizens, promote social welfare, and reduce income inequality. However, the efficacy of the public sector in promoting socialism depends on factors like transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in service delivery.

The governing powers in the Caribbean are just as varied as the islands themselves, though the major political system is democracy, just with many different party systems throughout the many countries and territories.
There are one-party systems, two-party systems and multi-party systems. The only one-party government can be found in Cuba. The Cuban socialist revolutionary system was adopted from the Russian communist system and designed to to give everyone under it equal access to basic goods and services. Any other party voices that rise up are considered illegal.
Two party systems are found primarily in the English speaking countries. This system can be found in Jamaica and Barbados. Jamaica is a classic representation of the British government.
Multi-party systems with three or more groups can be found in Haiti, Suriname and Guyana. Haiti has approximately twenty-eight parties, Suriname twenty-six and Guyana fifteen.
Several of the island in the Caribbean remain under the control of colonial powers. The French islands are departments of France and elect representatives to the French National Assembly. The British territories have elected governments, as do the Dutch West Indies and the American territories.

America is a republic, but not "as in republican". A republican is a member of the republican party. A republic is a state in which the people and their elected representatives hold supreme power. A democracy is a state which is majority ruled. For an easy understanding, I would suggest this video: The Political Spectrum Explained http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODJfwa9XKZQ

An oligarchy is characterized by power and influence held by a small group of people, often based on wealth, social status, or military control. Decision-making is concentrated in the hands of the few, leading to unequal distribution of resources and limited political participation among the general population. Oligarchies may suppress dissent and maintain control through manipulation of institutions and regulations.