Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Revolution, Education, And Modernization
Revolution, Education and Modernization
Is revolution an acceptable way to change government? Why or why not?
In 1776 the founding fathers of the United States faced a situation where this question was paramount among the interests of their fellow countrymen:
"When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation" ("The Declaration of Independence," 1776).
History shows that when the needs of a society are not being met revolution is generated from outside the existing system since it is that system that is perceived as the problem. Over the past two hundred and fifty years the American, French, German, Italian, and Russian societies have all revolted against an established political regime. In each case revolution was not conducted in a desire to bring about anarchy, but to bring a new order to society so everyone may move forward.
This question may be reframed as does one have a moral obligation to disobey any unjust laws? I believe this is so. History has demonstrated...
Adolf Hitler could not have committed the authorities he did if the citizens of his country had not allowed him to do so. There is a fine line between freedom and social order. As citizens we must question authority. One has an obligation to denounce injustice if every citizen is responsible for every act of the government.
Henry David Thoreau argues that the government's power arises from the majority because they are the strongest group, not because their viewpoint is correct. Thoreau states that an individual's first obligation is to do what they believe is right, not to follow the law by the majority. When a government is unjust a person has an obligation to refuse to follow the law and distance themselves from the government. He questions the effectiveness of reforming the government, contending that voting and petitioning have little effect. Thoreau contends that refusing to participate in an unjust government institutions is preferable to trying to change the government from within stating that one cannot see the government for what it is when one is working within it (McElroy, 2005).
Will education and modernization lead to more or less revolutions and overthrows of governments in Less Developed Countries?
I would have to believe that the more educated and technologically connected an oppressed society becomes the more likely…
References
"Egypt news -- Revolution and aftermath." (2011, June 2). The New York times. World. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/egypt/index.html
Kanalley, C. (2011, January 30). Egypt revolution 2011: A complete guide to unrest. The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/30/egypt-revolution-2011_n_816026.html
McElroy, W. (2005). Henery Thoreau and 'civil disobedience'. Future of the freedom foundation. In The Thoreau Reader. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://thoreau.eserver.org/civil.html
Rathbone, E. (2011, March 15). Can social networking spur a revolution? The university of Virgina magazine. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://uvamagazine.org/only_online/article/can_social_networking_cause_revolution/
"The declaration of independance" (1776, July 4). U.S.History.org. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
Modernization of the 19th Century: Modernization can be described as the period characterized by rapid industrialization and urban growth across several countries in the globe. In addition to expanding the scope of interaction and activity, industrialization changes the society into being predominantly urban from being agrarian. Actually, the industrialization period has been widely known as the Second Industrial Revolution or era by many historians since it was characterized by the expansion
Modernization of the Chinese Government and Democracy In the past 35 years, China has experienced significant transformation and modernization of its democracy and governance. This modernization process was brought by the death of Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China and the Chairman of the country's Communist Party since 1943. Prior to his death, Chairman Mao had started a Cultural Revolution in 1966 in attempts to revive
History Of Education in Kuwait Kuwait before the discovery of Oil Kuwait Pearl diving Situated in the North-East of Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia was a small Arab state, Kuwait. Citizens of this state led an underprivileged life, but not an unfortunate one. The state was an example that money is not a prerequisite to live a happy life. Although people were poor, they were satisfied with the little amount of money they
History Industrial Revolution What impact did the Industrial Revolution in England have on the American colonies? During the mid-eighteenth century, the Great Britain had started the Industrial Revolution; meanwhile the American colonies had not yet begun their journey towards industrialization. The main reason why the American colonies lagged behind the British was that the former had abundance of land and at the same time scarcity of labor. However, it should be note
Expectations Change That Led Revolution Compare Contrast Expectations Change Led Revolution 1917/Civil War Realities How the ideological changes that accompanied the revolution shaped the arts/culture of Russia/USSR The social and economic systems experienced tremendous transitions occasioning to stress among the populations of Russia. The great reforms formed a cautious path to modernization and reform. Through emancipation, peasants were allowed to own pieces of land and had the personal freedom to share their pieces
Manufacturing was completely transformed, along with the society which arose up around it. And both the production of agriculture and the steam powered engines of ships and locomotives, allowed for an ever increasing population to be fed and to travel and communicate much easier. In other words, the Industrial Revolution transformed manufacturing and agriculture, transportation, which allowed for an increase in population and the creation of a new urban-based