The Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Situation - Essay Example According to the constitution, the federal government cannot enter into treaties with an entity, unless it is fully sovereign. The US government between the years 1790 and 1870 has entered into 371 treaties that affirm their sovereignty that is now both inherent and constitutionally valid (Churchill, 1985, p. 31). Throughout history, there have been numerous instances, besides the occupation of their homeland, whereby the government has failed to safeguard the interest of the Native Americans. Furthermore, from an economic point of view, the territories under the Native American tribes are extremely well-endowed with minerals and energy resources. Hence, not only from an ethical viewpoint, the Native American population deserves to enjoy the status of a Nation from a legal and economic perspective as well. The Native population is further divided into three very distinct racial units. Hence essentially there is no all-encompassing term for the numerous racial divisions of the indigenous population of North America (Churchill, 1985, p. 30). Despite the fact that the American constitution has was composed in order to safe guard the interest of every group, but so far it has failed to do anything for the indigenous people or even control the crimes that take place within these tribes. Inherent sovereignty may be a barrier, but it further demonstrates one of the key flaws within the country’s legislative and judicial system that has been unable to reach a position of compromise with the Native American tribesmen and the Government. The situation of the indigenous population is the perfect embodiment of the concept of ‘Internal colonialism’; which is the glaring disparity in development between two regions within the same society. As pointed out and elaborated by Churchill, it is truly a shame that the system fails to protect the rights of the

Nature and Causes of the Declining Political Participation in the Research Paper

Nature and Causes of the Declining Political Participation in the United States - Research Paper Example 2008). Ultimately, numerous people think that the government is not functioning in a useful way in society and fails to grant authority for the system they resist by taking part in it. A Brief History of U.S. Political Participation Historically, the United States has the lowest ranks of political participation, as determined by voter turnouts, of any leading industrial democracy. The United States is ranked below other highly industrialized democratic countries, excluding Switzerland, a country known for its steady electioneering and repudiation, until in recent times, to grant women suffrage rights, in cross-country turnout. G. Bingham Powell Jr. (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991), evaluating trends of political participation across 19 modern democratic countries, assumed that â€Å"voter turnout in the United States is severely inhibited by its institutional conflict†¦ the U.S. was disadvantaged by voluntary registration, unevenly competitive electoral districts, and very weak l inkages (perceptual and organizational) between parties and social groups† (pp. 25-26). Powell (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991) concludes that party system and institutional variables slow down turnout and registration processes, primary causes of the low ranking of the United States in terms of political participation compared to other countries. Robert W. Jackman, in a similar study of levels of political participation in 19 modern democratic nations, although opposing Powell over the function of the political traditions of a country in influencing the political participation rates, stresses the role of political institutions, such as electoral guidelines, political... Historically, the United States has the lowest ranks of political participation, as determined by voter turnouts, of any leading industrial democracy. The United States is ranked below other highly industrialized democratic countries, excluding Switzerland, a country known for its steady electioneering and repudiation, until in recent times, to grant women suffrage rights, in cross-country turnout. G. Bingham Powell Jr. (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991), evaluating trends of political participation across 19 modern democratic countries, assumed that â€Å"voter turnout in the United States is severely inhibited by its institutional conflict†¦ the U.S. was disadvantaged by voluntary registration, unevenly competitive electoral districts, and very weak linkages (perceptual and organizational) between parties and social groups† (pp. 25-26). Powell (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991) concludes that party system and institutional variables slow down turnout and registration processes, primary causes of the low ranking of the United States in terms of political participation compared to other countries. Robert W. Jackman, in a similar study of levels of political participation in 19 modern democratic nations, although opposing Powell over the function of the political traditions of a country in influencing the political participation rates, stresses the role of political institutions, such as electoral guidelines, political parties, and national electoral districts, in forming electorates (Ramakrishnan 2005).