Question
For this assignment, you will write a 2–3-page essay (double-spaced, 1-inch margins) providing examples of how some facet of “process philosophy” has impacted American government and/or society. You may focus on just 1 example, or you may discuss 2–3 examples.
Options include the following topics:
• A specific piece of legislation.
• The “party platform” of either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party (or both).
• Family and marriage.
• Economics.
• Civil rights.
• Education.
In discussing one of these topics, the goal is to relate how a particular political perspective derives from process philosophy (such as socialism).
Sample paper
Civil rights-Worldview Analysis Essay
The concept of civil rights has significantly impacted the American government and society. Over the years, the concept of civil rights has transformed the American landscape with regard to specific rights and freedoms accorded to individuals. The civil rights movement in the U.S. is notable for helping African Americans gain recognition and equality (BBC, 2014). Equality is an example of one of the areas where civil rights concept has helped in entrenching in the U.S. society. Prior to the emergence of the civil rights movement, African Americans had limited rights compared to the whites. Even after receiving their freedom from slavery, African Americans continued to languish in poverty and other challenges such as lack health care due to racial and ethnic disparities that existed (BBC, 2014). African Americans did not receive equal rights in comparison to the whites. The civil rights movement ensured that African Americans gained legal equality in various aspects.
The civil rights concept heavily borrows or derives from process philosophy especially socialism. The main idea in socialism was to achieve social ownership and fair control of the means of production. Socialism aims at achieving cooperative ownership of the means to production. It is a way of ensuring equality and achieving economic emancipation among all individuals. In market socialism, the major aim is to redistribute profits earned through socially owned enterprises to the community. The community should receive social dividend from the socially owned enterprises. In such models, the workforce is entirely in charge of the enterprises (Rockwell, 1996). As such, the workforce controls a number of things such as factor markets and prices of commodities. Just like socialism, civil rights ensure that all individuals receive equal and fair treatment irrespective of their ethnic background.
In 1964, African Americans were granted the right to enroll in any school of their choice. Prior to this, the school system was segregated based on race – African Americans were expected to attend different schools from the whites. In the following year, African Americans received the right to vote (BBC, 2014). The civil rights granted to all U.S. citizens has significantly changes the lives of individuals by giving them equal representation. Through the civil rights, African Americans were able to receive equal treatment in various aspects such as housing, education, employment, and in other areas. The term ‘civil rights’ usually refers to the protection of the minority groups’ rights (BBC, 2014). More recently, other minority groups such as the transgender and gay community have come out to demand for their recognition and equality in the community. Civil rights provide various minority groups with protection against discrimination. Civil rights not only help minority groups avoid segregation, but also to be free from unjust oppression.
Civil rights derive from socialism in that socialism aims at championing the rights of the oppressed and minority groups. A number of socialists such as W. E. B. Du Bois were directly involved in the right for black recognition in the labor sector. Such socialists called for fair remuneration practices in the U.S. Most of those fighting for fair remuneration practices between African Americans and the whites identified with socialist principles of fairness and equality among all individuals (Rockwell, 1996). The civil rights movement, which engulfed the U.S. in the early 1900s, sought to entrench democracy in the land, while socialism also sought to entrench democracy.
BBC. (2014). The civil rights movement in America. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/history/20th_century/civil_rights_movement_america/ revision/2/
Rockwell, L. (1996). Civil rights socialism. Retrieved from https://fee.org/articles/civil-rights- socialism/
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