Term Paper on American
Government and Democracy
Politics is like a game that the
elites play in the pursuit of negative freedom. The negative freedom
means limited government, privacy and economic liberty. While the
bigger government, economic equality and social order is the
interpretation in politics as a conversation among the popular
majority that finally results in the pursuit of positive freedom.
The American politics is like a game played by the elites and media.
It is a fact that national and public debate determines the
collective wisdom of the people. Democracy is based on an informed
and active citizenry where the citizens have the right and
responsibility to participate in public affairs. Without knowledge
and wisdom, effective participation is not possible by the media or
any other medium. The best way of acquiring knowledge for the
citizen is to have dialogue with other citizens, or by reading
books, magazines and newspapers. Watching television and listening
to radio is also the way to acquire knowledge. The affairs of the
citizens and their governmental representatives have always
advocated and favored freedom of press. This freedom has been
recognized as the catalytic forces in the affairs of citizens from
as long as the colonial times.
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The third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson was of
the opinion that everyone should receive newspapers and be capable
of reading them. The importance of press was also shown when it was
made into the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Which says,
Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of
the press. The purpose was to secure the practice of democracy. The
only way one can find truth is through freedom of press and speech.
We can exercise our own government and as a result our
self-expression is satisfied. Press and media play the role of
watchdogs and due to this facility the citizens are informed of
governmental events and actions.
The other very important role of freedom of press is to balance the
power of the government so that it does not grow as an authoritarian
power. Within the national government there are the President, the
Congress and the Supreme Court. They are supposed attain the role of
check and balances. There is no doubt that the press and media have
had an increasingly influential impact on governmental decisions,
popular attitudes and impact on public polity.
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