Living Democracies!

Topics in chapter:

Globalization and the limits of representative democracy

The crisis of democracy in the age of globalization

victory in cancun

Free market democracy and fundamentalism

Reinventing local, reinventing global

The community, the state, and the corporation

From politics of exclusion to politics of inclusion

etc. etc. etc

Pick topics from chapter

Discuss on what your thoughts are!

We really have no idea yet..

We're just going with it.

What are we supposed to be doing with this group?

 I guess read, then write about what you thought.

I have to say, that, I didn't enjoy this reading. Nothing about was of interest even though my major is politcal science. I don't intend to actually go into politics. Now about Global corpartions. When a person creates a corporation, I don't think they intend for decisions to be made by outsiders. It's their corporation and they want to make the decisons or pick the people who make the decsions. Why would a comapny owner want government influnce or citizen influnce, the two may not know what the company is really about. Now think, would you want someone making a decison about something their not to well educated on. I'm not saying I 'm for or agianst corporate globalization, but there are aspects I agree and disagree with. There should be some type of regluation of corporations by the government. If you think about it almost everything has regulations, wheather by the governmnet or the people. We don't need monopolization happening, even though it's a felony under the Sherman Antitrust Act established in 1890. One thing of many things corporate globalization shouldn't be allowed to efftect are jobs that domestic economies generate. You shouldn't be able to put working people out of jobs, in order to boost your profit margin and make the company grow financially. The chapter also talks about how citizens need to recliam their freedoms and reinvent democracy. It also goes on to say that the idea of democracy is not having elected government officials where the peolpe don't control the power or the power the government hands over to corporations. I think it would be very chaotic without some kind of organization. The people choose who they want to be in office, and if you don't want a specific person in office don't vote for them. It bothers me when people complain about something having to do with elected government officials, and they vote them right back in office. So all of this can't be blamed on the government and corporations, some of the blame should go to the people, for puuting the people who make the decisons in office.

-Brittney K. WIlliams

I completely agreed about the corporations. Corporations are there to better themselves not the community. It's one of those situation you'll do anything to make it to the top. Including wrecking the environment, or screwing it up and not fixing it. I do however agree with whoever above me saying that you shouldn't be able to take jobs away from people. But with the living and sustainable economies you can create more jobs and increase revenue. I think that if the government gave some sort of incentive to make a sustainable environment it would boost our economy, it would take time but there would def. be an increase in profit. - Savannah Moyars

Yes, mainstream corporations are self-absorbed and definitely take away from the smaller businesses. But how can we really stop them? Even if we try to boycott (which would never work) their power is bigger than the few people trying to stop them. Like it or not, we have to support mainstream corporations such as; Wal-mart and Target. Without them I believe that the economy will continue to dwindle, but at a faster rate. Not to mention that a big portion of people own stocks in these companies, and people actually make their living off of working there.

-Liz Wilson 

I think this is exactly what we are supposed to do.  Write and put it out there. Then the rest of us read it and put our 2 cents worth in.  It's an evolution where the subject gets fine-tuned by the group (the "commons").  And support our "assertions" with hard facts, I guess through hyperlinking and such.  But I know there is a lot of confusion, but hopefully is starting to make some sense.  Throw it on "the wall" and see if it sticks.