Democracy Index

Many monarchs during the seventeenth century used absolutism as a governing force to rule their lands. During the reign of Louis XIV, Jean Domat wrote a profound document in which he addressed all areas of government and outlined what he believed to be the tenets of an absolute monarchy. This document, entitled “On Social Order and Absolute Monarchy” defined what he believed to be the basis of absolutism and class structure in regards to the law of God and the law of nature. Absolutism is as…

Sharon Wu Prof. West History 7A October 16, 2014 No Taxation without Representation The Seven Years War, a global conflict known in America as the French and Indian War, took place on May 15, 1756. This war brought to England more land in America and any English Subjects living in America had more land and more money. However, the outcome of the war was not only a victory to Great Britain but also debt to the country. As the name described, the war lasted seven years and for seven years, a…

many countries in the first and second world did not believe that India could achieve successes as a democracy. The formation of the Indian Independence Act 1947 and the eventual liberation from the British Raj resulted…

A few deeply worrisome foreign policy developments have occurred in Nepal in recent months. Before the dust stirred by Prime Minister KP Oli 's visits to India and China has settled, the India-EU statement and Mohana Ansari 's statement have put Nepal into sharp and unflattering diplomatic focus. However, much of it is a storm in a teacup generated by partisan arm-chair generals. Sure there are serious issues in which Prime Minister Oli should be held to account. For example, Oli has bragged…

Presumably, they have turned to power politics because they lack well-functioning democratic institutions and thus the capacity to administer their territory effectively. It is also likely these countries feel threatened by the region 's developing democracies. Weak governance creates vulnerabilities and proliferates the persistent threats within this region such as organized crime and poverty, thus directly influencing and challenging the capacity of neighboring states in the region to address…

During the 1980’s there was a movement towards a democratic government from dictatorships. The leading four factors, that the author Padraic Kenney thought to be causing the change in the type of government from dictatorships to a democracy was: nonviolence, technological advancements, transnationality, and the emergence of human rights. Dictators weren’t as popular in countries under that type of government because the people of those countries wanted better human rights and that meant voting…

Social Media: The Voice of the People Almost everyone in the world is on social media. According to Ross Quintana, “one out of every seen people on earth is on Facebook” (2013, pg. 4) With that many people on one social media network, as well as those who use other social media websites and applications, getting one’s opinion out to the world to hear is not hard. Now with the help of social media, people can hold others accountable for their actions, especially government leaders. Besides…

sensationalized celebrity news. Same sex marriage has just been legalized. The basic human right to wed can now be exercised by millions of couples. This very scene has unfolded in thirty-seven of fifty states here in America. Some would say that this is democracy working at its finest- states are implementing what is right for the people by the people. So what is the big deal? At its core, marriage between two consenting parties is an internationally recognized human right that is “essential…

Even Genius People can be Wrong (An Argument against three points in Plato’s The Republic) “What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” (Vonnegut) Plato explains the perfect city and their perfect kind. He follows the idea of Vonnegut’s stable community and uses many different ideas to explain how to create this perfect city. Some of his best…

Burma’s (Myanmar) military government and helped establish the National League for Democracy (NLD). Despite being Burman by birth, Suu Kyi was educated overseas and until the late 1980’s lived in the UK with her husband and children. However on a return visit to Burma, Suu Kyi observed police terror, political turmoil and calls for democratic reform in the country. These were emphasized by the massacre of pro-democracy protesters by the government. Motivated by the corruption of Burma’s military…