President Obama’s historic inaugural speech on20th January, 2009was powerful and persuasive. Coming at a time when the nation was confronting the worst economic slump in seventy years, the speech contained within it the necessary reassurance and the promise of change that were so desperately needed. To his credit, the new President was mild in his…
Category: Politics
All the articles that come under politics domain.
To what extent is social class the best indicator of twentieth-century voting patterns in Britain?
Social class continues to play a significant role in the electoral outcomes of all modern democracies. This is particularly true in Britain, as the nation still grapples with a historical legacy that is rooted in class divisions. Having embraced democracy toward the later half of the nineteenth century, political institutions have evolved to function around…
The main components of Australia’s counterterrorism policy and its effectiveness in reducing/eliminating the threat of terrorism in the country
Australia’s foreign policy has traditionally been interlinked with the Anglo-Saxon origins of its first inhabitants. In other words,Australia almost always stood alongside Britain and the United States on many contentious international issues, the latest of which is the War on Terror. In the eight years since its inception, it has become clear that further participation…
The main reasons for the growing popularity and strength of Islamic jihadi terrorist groups in Southeast Asia
To understand how Islamic jihad gained support in Southeast Asia, it is important to gain cognisance of its founding principle. And the present wave of Islamic revivalism and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Southeast Asia originated during the 1970s. The movement started as a reaction to the disillusionment and failure associated with modern neo-liberal…
Why has the end of authoritarianism in Asia not always resulted in a clear transition to Democracy?
The political configurations of constituent nations in the Asian continent have seen many significant changes over the last fifty years. The conclusion of the Second World War served as the precipitant event in transforming the erstwhile colonies in Asia into independent, sovereign nations. But, not all transformations have led to positive consequences. It would be…
Is the internet a tool for greater democratization in Asia?
As Asia looks forward to a progressive future, the technologies of mass communication will play an important role. At this point in time, it is the Internet, with its various forms of information dispersal. But, as this medium becomes more common place, the wielders of power will attempt to put restrictions on its use. Empirical…
Overturn of “Gag Rule”
President Barack Obama recently struck down the Bush Administration’s ban on giving federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information-the so-called “gag rule”. President Obama’s ruling has elicited both joy and consternation within US. Do those very different reactions indicate something about where people stand on issues of moral relativism? If…
A critical analysis of the role of mass media in liberal democracies based on liberal theory and political economy
Conventionally, mass media was perceived as the Fourth Estate, implying that it is separate and autonomous from the three main branches of government. While such is the idealized theoretical understanding of the definition of mass media, the reality is stark and discouraging. Far from its founding ideals, journalism here in the UK, as elsewhere in…
Proposing an alternative to the U.S. healthcare system
The United States of America, in spite of being an economic superpower also carries the notoriety for exorbitant healthcare costs and disproportionately poor health outcomes for patients. Moreover, the present healthcare system is so structured that the world wide economic recession in progress is bound to have serious consequences for the healthcare industry as well. …
What are the main features of British conservatism, and how have these features changed from one conservative leader to another?
Given that the Conservative Party is the oldest political establishment in Britain, a study of its history and evolution will reflect broader socio-economic changes. From the earliest days of parliamentary democracy in Britain to the current modern polity, the Conservative Party has withstood many upheavals and challenges. This essay attempts to identity the main features…