Feminism Vs Marxism Political Theory

INTRODUCTION:

The foreign battles being fought all around the world are invisible to the eyes of many.

The Author of this article is a philanthropist who loves democracy and the spread of globalization in the form of international aid organizations. The Author is concerned with the expansion, transformation and continuation of open democratic societies, in which the sovereignty resides within the people, not through the tyrant as us to be the case.

IRA: 1 "How a twist on an old Idea can protect the world's most vulnerable populations" (Soros). State sovereignty came into effect after the Treaty of Westphalia 1648, now with a twist on the idea of sovereignty, the people come to power. The author cries for the recognition and importance of open societies, and their ability to accept foreign aid.

I. Question One: What is the main argument?

That the idea of sovereignty has mutated, from the ability of the state to rule itself without interference from other nations, to citizens having the ability to rule themselves, and to choose when it's in their best interest to relinquish their rights to a higher authority or government. Sovereignty has shifted from the State power to the power of the people. That foreign aid doesn't affect the sovereignty of a state unless forcefully done so in the name of cries for help from disenfranchised individuals. That we need to spread democracy and help open the doors for third world nation states to accept foreign aid.

II. Question Two: What are the basic facts used by the author in support of the argument?

The fall of the Soviet Union shows how there has been a shift in sovereignty from the state dominating the people, to the people ruling or delegating power to the state. "The European union pressured the Baltic states to guarantee minorities legal rights and protections" (Soros 21). This form of protection / power of the people, exemplifies a drastic change from state held sovereignty to a common humanitarian / citizen held sovereignty. Foreign aid and intervention also known as global attention "is often the only life line available to the oppressed" (Soros 21). Insinuating that we need to ensure that people have the means to voice their opinion when there is an injustice occurring.

III. Question Three: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the article?

I would have to say that this article reminds me of a hawk's point of view and a justification of why we the U.S. need to intervene through out the world for the sake of humanity. Expansionistic in nature, this article place our standards of human rights upon the rest of the world, whom rightfully have their own identity of right and wrong, or do they. The U.N. is a collection of nation states that were created by the U.S. in order to protect the world and placing standards upon the rest of the world, that most not even the almighty U.S. can stand up to, depending on the standard may it be economic or "for the sake of humanity" as most claim. The article also claims that the people hold the power card; in reality the elites have the power controlling the media, what we can and cannot see or hear they are the supervisors of thought and perceptions of the uneducated and close minded. Elites claim that they do things for the greater cause, when in reality they are doing it for there own sake of greed. The article does point out that sovereignty is changing from a traditional role of state boundaries and imaginary lines to encompassing one government, to all the individuals and organizations that help one another out, "quid pro quo" this for that, this is the way that our system operates, why help someone for free. Why stick your neck out on the line for someone else if there not willing to return the favor. In reality the weaker does, not obvious to them, they return the favor by allowing us into there country and allowing us to set up NGO's. The dominate state can expand its sources of power and influence that are much more valuable than some wheat or vaccines.

IV. Question Four: How is this article related to our texts and discussions?

This new idea of the peoples sovereignty, relates to almost all of our assigned readings and discussions. The fact that we learned about Marxism and feminism, both schools of thought that deal with inequality, and this article relates to inequalities of the weak or exploited class which is almost exactly the argument for Marxist and Feminist alike.

"Web of influence" deals with blogs, internet postings that deal with all sorts of topics, but in that article we learn about how the little guy can speak up and make his opinion known, the same is true for the peoples sovereignty arguing that the little guy or disenfranchised group can speak up and do something about their exploitation. The article about piracy shows how many states are not sovereign especially those that cannot control their own waters, but who really can. The growth of Piracy and its detrimental effects on the economy should provide a voice that screams for help but how, all I know is that state sovereignty failed, maybe the peoples sovereignty can help. One country can't crack down on piracy alone, we needs the collective help of many other nations states in order to provide sufficient security of the seas. Working with one another the thought of globalization comes into mind, I think this is the main point "this for that" and at what expense, most are not willing to make the sacrifice especially if it surrenders there so-called sovereignty.

V. Question Five: What is new about the topic?

The idea of sovereignty came from the Treaty of Westphalia 1648, the ability of the state to conduct ones own affairs without interference from other powers, the State as the ultimate authority. This idea has had to adapt to the international environment of today; the multidimensional levels of power "poles" are continuously challenging this idea of sovereignty. "The Bush doctrine of preemption defies the UN Charter by allowing the US to use illegal force against other states"(US, UN international law). Then you have foreign aid that some see as a threat to their sovereignty. In the International system today we see nation states accepting help and foreign aid from other nation states, in order to prevent revolutions and famine. The power given to the state by it's citizens is for the protection of those citizens,