On Democracy in America – Alexis de Tocqueville

In this time of elections this is the book that our politicians should read!

On Democracy in America, but the usual translation of the title is simply Democracy in America was published in two volumes, the first in 1835 and the second in 1840) is a classic French text by Alexis de Tocqueville.

The primary focus of Democracy in America is an analysis of why republican representative democracy has succeeded in the United States while failing in so many other places. He seeks to apply the functional aspects of democracy in America to what he sees as the failings of democracy in his native France.

Tocqueville speculates on the future of democracy in the United States, discussing possible threats to democracy and possible dangers of democracy. These include his belief that democracy has a tendency to degenerate into “soft despotism” as well as the risk of developing a tyranny of the majority. He observed that the strong role religion played in the United States was due to its separation from the government, a separation all parties found agreeable. He contrasts this to France where there was what he perceived to be an unhealthy antagonism between democrats and the religious, which he relates to the connection between church and state.

Insightful analysis of political society was supplemented in the second volume by description of civil society as a sphere of private and civilian affairs.

Democracy in America was published in numerous editions in the 19th century. It was immediately popular in both Europe and the United States. By the twentieth century, it had become a classic work of political science, social science, and history. It is a commonly assigned reading for undergraduates of U.S.A. universities majoring in the political or social sciences.

Tocqueville’s work is often acclaimed for making a number of predictions which were eventually borne out. Tocqueville correctly anticipates the potential of the debate over the abolition of slavery to tear apart the United States (as it indeed did in the American Civil War). On the other hand, he predicts that any part of the Union would be able to declare independence. He also predicts the rise of the United States and Russia as rival superpowers (which they did become after World War II with Russia as the central component of the Soviet Union.)

American democracy was seen to have its potential downside: the despotism of public opinion, the tyranny of majority, conformity for the purpose of seeking material security, the absence of intellectual freedom which he saw to degrade administration and bring statesmanship, learning, and literature to the level of the lowest. Democracy in America predicted the violence of party spirit and the judgment of the wise subordinated to the prejudices of the ignorant.

In this moment i am reading this book and ti is is a real lesson on democracy!

TODAY IS THE WORLD DAY TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION

“Conserving land and water = Securing our common future”

The World Day to Combat Desertification is observed every year on 17 June. This year, the Day’s theme is “Conserving land and water = Securing our common future “

Desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) threaten human security by depriving people of their means of life – by taking away food, access to water, the means for economic activities, and even their homes. In worst-case scenarios, they undermine national and regional security, force people to leave their homes and can trigger low- or high-level intensity conflicts.

On this World Day to Combat Desertification, United Nations (Convention to Combat Desertification) would like to remind everyone threats to soil security unleashed by desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought constitute a peril to securing our common future.

The World Day to Combat Desertification has been observed since 1995 (General Assembly Resolution A/RES/49/1995) to promote public awareness relating to international cooperation to combat desertification and the effects of drought, and the implementation of the UNCCD. Last year, more than 40 events took place all over the world (see the 2008 report). We can celebrate the Day through organizing activities such as seminars, media events and campaigns. Every single activity involving community participation and cooperation is encouraged

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EDUCATION FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Edgar Morin is a French philosopher and sociologist, who was born in Paris on July 8, 1921 under the original name Edgar Nahoum.

He is known for the transdisciplinarity of his works, in that he covers a wide range of interests and dismisses the conventional boundaries between academic disciplines.

Emeritus researcher of the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique). Graduated in Law, History and Geography, has done studies in Philosophy, Psychology and Epistemology.

He is considered a leading thinker on the complexity.

Author of more than thirty books, among them: The method (6 volumes), Introduction to complex thinking, science and consciousness and Seven knowledge necessary for the education of the future.

He is also considered one of the most important thinkers of the century XX and XXI.

Morin says that before the complex problems that contemporary societies face today, only studies that are inter-poly- transdisciplinary could lead to satisfactory testing of such complexities.

The 7 skills needed

Morin wrote the book “The seven skills necessary for tomorrow’s education”
In this book he shows us the knowledge necessary for sound educational practice

1. Error and illusion
Do not remove the error of the learning process,we should integrating the error process, to advance in knowledge

2. The relevant knowledge
Adding the most varied fields of knowledge against the fragmentation.

3. Teaching the human condition
We are not just one thing. We are more than cultural individuals, we are mental, physical, mythical, biological,too etc.

4. Earthly identity
Knowing that the Earth is a small planet, which must be sustained at any cost. Idea of sustainable land-homeland.

5. Facing the uncertainties
The uncertainty principle. Teach that science should work with the idea that things are uncertain.

6. Teaching for understanding
The human communication should be geared towards understanding. Enter the understanding, understanding between departments of a school, between students and teachers.

7. Ethics of mankind
It is the anthropogenic-ethics. Not wish for others what you do not want to you. The anthropogenic-ethics is anchored in three components:

Individual
Society
Species

Morin promotes the interconnection of these three elements from the lost paradigm: human nature

Today is the World Environment Day (WED)

 

 

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.

Commemorated yearly on 5 June, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

The theme for WED 2009 is ‘Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change’. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

This year’s host is Mexico which reflects the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.

Mexico is also a leading partner in UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the support of its President and people, has spearheaded the pledging and planting of some 25 per cent of the trees under the campaign. Accounting for around 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon states that the WED celebration will “further underline Mexico’s determination to manage natural resources and deal with the most demanding challenge of the 21st century – climate change.”

 (in www. uneo.org)

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Hello!

       It’s a plaisir to be part of this blog 😉

        For starting, i don’t have a deep thought of world or a long theory about Law apocalypse ( :p ) to share with the world.

         However, i’ll let this sentence taken from a tv show: “I can make you feel like a man, David… Take out the trash!!”

 

Kisses,

Bes