The Miracle Worker ( 1962 ) Essay - 1418 Words

Communication in The Miracle Worker (1962) The basic communication concepts can be utilized to evaluate analyze the plotlines and character relationships of many classic movies. In this paper, the 1962 version of The Miracle Worker is discussed and analyzed in terms of these communication concepts. The movie revolves around the story of Helen Keller, a seven year old girl who became deaf and blind after contracting an infection during her infancy. In order to teach Helen how to communicate, her parents (Kate and Captain Keller) hire a visually impaired schoolteacher by the name of Anne Sullivan. The film demonstrates Helen’s struggle to communicate with her parents and Anne and how Helen slowly begins to learn, despite her disabilities. The concepts that I learned in class each helped me to see the movie from a different perspective. The topics of conflict, perception, and non-verbal communication make up the majority of the film’s plotline. Each one of these topics will be discussed in a paragraph about how it was represented in the film. Throughout the course of the film, there were various conflicts that took place between the main characters. The conflicts mainly occur between Anne and Helen and between Kate and Captain Keller. Most of the time, the conflicts are started because of an overall frustration trying to communicate with Helen. Conflicts can arise because of many different factors, but in this case, these conflicts arise because of Helen’s disabilities. InShow MoreRelatedEssay on Movie Review of Stigmata1666 Words   |  7 Pagesstigmata is psychosmatic or if it is Divine Intervention, and the authenticity of many cases of stigmata are questioned. Several different web sites state St. Francis of Assissi is know as the first true case of stigmata (Stan Griffing, Workers for Jesus; Miracles vs. Forteana; Is Stigmata For Real?; Joe Nickell, Skeptical Inquirer; Absalom Coutinho, The gospel truth; R. Biot, The Enigma of the Stigmata) this much is undoubtedly true, however, St. Paul wrote ...I bear in my body the marks of theRead MoreThe Miracle Worker Essay1327 Words   |  6 PagesThe basic communication concepts can be utilized in everyday conversation and can be seen in different forms of media, such as television and film. In this paper, the 1962 version of The Miracle Worker is discussed and analyzed in terms of these communication topics and I will discuss how our communications class made me see this movie differently. In the movie, the concepts regarding conflict, perception, non-verbal communication, and paralanguage make up the majority of the film’s plotline. EachRead MoreNew Currents Of European Cinema1270 Words   |  6 PagesFrance at the time. Whereas New Wave was a revitalization with a French cinematic identity that was deteriorating, Cinema Du Look was a celebration of the perceived completion of that identity. In May of nineteen sixty eight there were large scale workers riots in protest of the sovereignty of General de Ga ulle. â€Å"Cinà ©ma du look †¦ was untouched by politics, because the desires of 1968 had been realized with the election †¦ General de Gaulle’s †¦ adversary. And with the need for a political voice removedRead MoreMiracle Rising: South Africa558 Words   |  2 Pages Miracle Rising is the story about the end of the apartheid and the transition to a new democracy that took place in South Africa. The story is narrated through the personal and intimate accounts from politicians, world leaders, celebrities, and journalists in which the inspiring story of the journey from apartheid and democracy. Miracle Rising is not only a testament to the political accomplishments that were made in South Africa, but to the growth of humanity. People, both ordinary and iconicRead MoreThe Communist Utopi A Free Car, Peace, And Free Healthcare1476 Words   |  6 PagesTrade Center, the tallest building in Beijing), and helicopter transport services are enjoyed by the local residents. Economically, Huaxi claims to have the highest GDP per capita among all Chinese villages. The Huaxi Group employs at least 25000 workers, most of whom lived outside of the legal boundary of the village, and the corporation generates approximately USD 7.7 billion revenue annually. The vi llage corporation has about 2000 shareholders (called â€Å"stakeholders†), equivalent to the populationRead MoreHellen Keller Essay1201 Words   |  5 Pageschildren with disorders like hers. She was regarded as one of America’s most inspirational figures durring her lifetime. (facts about historical figures) Keller’s story was told in a television show called The Miracle worker in 1957. Later it became a bradway play in 1959. Then, in 1962 it became a film starring anne Bancroft as Sullivan and Patty Duke as Helen (both won acedemy awards for their performances). Helen made her last major public appearance in 1961 in Washington D.C at Lions clubsRead MoreEssay on Historical Monuments1316 Words   |  6 PagesEgyptian pyramids. New Grange was built only by stones, no metals or other foreign objects were used. This site was rediscovered in 1699. Charles Campbell, landlord at time, instructed his workers to gather some stones and soon enough, the entrance of the chamber was found. Excavations of the passage-tombs began on 1962-1975 by Professor Michael J. O’Kelly and his wife Claire O’Kelly. Each year, on winter solstice, a spectacular occurrence is witnessed as New Grange is illuminated by the sun. At sunriseRead MoreHow China Is Achieving Its Significant Economic Growth by Applying a Different Model Apart from Other East Asian Countries?1533 Words   |  6 Pagesyears† (People’s Daily, 2008; Turin, 2010), and people living at less than $1 a day has sharply declined to 13.4% in 2003 and further to 8% in 2009 from 6 0% in 1980 (Sahoo, Dash Nataraj, 2010). China’s dramatic rapid economic growth has been a miracle of in the world. Reflecting the notion that as one of the most significant emerging economies, the world centre may be shifted to China, thus a couple of research studies have turned their attention from western advanced economies’ to China, tryingRead MoreEssay on The Rise in the Price of Prescription Drugs1332 Words   |  6 Pagesproduction over the years, there have been astronomical gains in the technology of pharmaceutical drugs. More and more drugs are being made for diseases and viruses each day, and there are many more drugs still undergoing research and testing. These miracle drugs are expensive, however, and many Americans cannot afford these prices. Prescription drug prices rose three times faster than inflation in the decade between 1981 and 1991, making the pharmaceutical industry the nations most profitable businessRead MoreThe Significance of Nazi Propaganda under Hitlers Rule Essay3090 Words   |  13 Pagesthe first half of its existence, wrote that no-one who has not lived for years in a totalitarian land can possibly conceive how difficult it is to escape the†¦consequences of a regime’s calculated and incessant propaganda. (Shirer, 1962, p.248) However, what this essay will attempt to show is that whilst the significance of propaganda in maintaining Hitler in power cannot be underestimated, it is not all-pervasive; even Goebbel’s â€Å"full bag of tricks could not turn

Moral, Social, And Ethical Implications Of Cloning

Moral, Social, and Ethical Implications of Cloning â€Å"Clones are organisms that are exact genetic copies. Every single bit of their DNA is identical. Clones can happen naturally—identical twins are just one of many examples. Or they can be made in the lab. Natural identical twins are similar to and different from clones made through modern cloning technologies.† (Genetic Science Learning Center) Cloning has many different aspects; there is the moral, social and ethical aspects of cloning. Along with this you have to consider who is being cloned. There is cloning for a human being, animal, or even food. Depending on what is being cloned is what determines if it is allowed or not. Throughout this paper I will discuss many of the aspects of cloning. â€Å"Many people first heard of cloning when Dolly the Sheep showed up on the scene in 1997. Artificial cloning technologies have been around for much longer than Dolly, though. There are two ways to make an exact genetic copy of an organism in a lab: artificial embryo twinning and somatic cell nuclear transfer.† (Genetic Science Learning Center) This type of cloning has to do with organisms; so either human or animal. These techniques are done to produce twins. Though the techniques vary, they both are done to receive the same result. The type of cloning used to create Dolly the Sheep is Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, also known as nuclear transfer or therapeutic cloning. â€Å"What makes dolly so special is that she was an exact geneticShow MoreRelatedEssay The Debate Concerning Stem Cell Research1409 Words   |  6 Pagesto better the lives of those living, but at what cost? In their articles â€Å"Cloning Human Beings: An Assessment of Pro and Con,† by author Dan W. Brock; â€Å"The Ethical Implications of Guman Cloning,† by Michael J. Sandel; â€Å"Theriputic Human Cloning Is Ethical,† by Ian Wilmut and Roger Highfield; and various other articles, each author discusses his or her view on the morality of stem cell research and its use for human cloning. Kantian deontology is defined as treating the individual as more than a meansRead MoreGenetic Engineering : Medical Perfection Or Playing God1280 Words   |  6 PagesThesis Statement â€Å"Genetic engineering differs from cloning in key ways. Whereas cloning produces genetically exact copies of organisms, genetic engineering refers to processes in which scientists manipulate genes to create purposefully different versions of organisms—and, in some cases, entirely new living things†, duplication of genetic cells is known as human cloning. Development of genetic engineering biotechnologies undermines the natural autonomy of life. Does genetic engineering interfereRead MoreGenetically Modified Animals : Genetic Engineering1518 Words   |  7 PagesGenetically Modified Animals Introduction In this research paper on gene technology I hope to share some understanding in the process of gene transfer in animals, the process of obtaining genetically engineered animals, and analyze the social and moral implications associated with this gene technology in animals. Genetic modification of animals started thirty years ago with the production of genetically modified mice. Gene modification is the process of crossing and selective breeding of animals andRead MoreHuman Cloning Debate: The Fate of Frankenstein1671 Words   |  7 Pagesrestricted moral boundaries to those of the Victorians, likely see Victors main crime within the novel more the perverse way in which the creation is carried out and more importantly Victors failure to nurture the offspring; his crime is against the traditional framework of the family (Feldman and Scott-Kilvert, 1987). Position Statement- At the very essence of the Frankenstein myth is the idea that humans have the technology and wisdom to create or duplicate life. This idea, cloning, is neitherRead MoreWhat Are the Ethical Issues of Human Cloning1463 Words   |  6 Pagesregarding the issue of human cloning in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia which have made attempts or have done research in reproductive cloning. Countries like Australia have prohibited human cloning in 2006. (NHMRC, 2007) Advocates who involve congress members, editorial writers, fertility specialists...and so on gave benefits of human cloning, yet not enough to justify the moral and ethical issues underlying the controversy. Human cloning refers to the creation ofRead MoreThe Ethical Implications Of Science And Technology1147 Words   |  5 Pagesthe ethical concerns about its potential uses and terror of what might come next: human cloning. As reported in the article, â€Å"Clinton Bars F ederal Funds for Human Cloning Research† by CNN, in 1997, President Clinton stopped all federal funding for cloning. â€Å"Clinton also called on privately funded researchers to voluntarily implement a temporary moratorium on human cloning research ‘until our bioethics advisory committee and our entire nation has had time to... debate the ethical implications’† (CNN)Read MoreThe List Of Pros And Cons Of Human Cloning1624 Words   |  7 Pageslist of Pros and cons of human cloning Summary: The necessary technology has been created, as evident in the story of Dolly the sheep. People still pose questions such as the role of God in Society. Here is a list of pros of human cloning : It could eliminate defective genes , It is considered as the logical next step in the reproductive technology, It could aid in faster recoveries from injuries, it gives a new meaning to genetic modification. As all things human cloning also has cons. Here is a shortRead MoreEssay on The Dilemma of Cloning1522 Words   |  7 PagesThe Dilemma of Cloning      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Man is quickly approaching the reality of cloning a human being. Once regarded as a fantastic vision dreamed up by imaginative novelists, the possibility of creating a person in the absence of sexual intercourse has crossed over the boundaries of science fiction and into our lives. While genetic engineering has helped improve the quality of life for many people, it poses many ethical and moral questions that few are prepared to answer. The most current andRead MoreEthical Decision Making : The Sad Formula, And Nash s 12 Questions1205 Words   |  5 Pagesis important to not only reflect how we make ethical decisions to better understand our personal approach, but also incorporate a systematic approach that fits our code of ethics and guide us in solving ethical conundrums. Specific actionable steps should be taken and incorporated into our ethical decision making. Four psychological sub-processes affecting our ethical action include (a) moral sensitivity, (b) moral judgment, (c) moral focus, and (d) moral character. The following paper will addressRead MoreIs Cloning Be A Debate Of Morals And Human Privileges?1477 Words   |  6 PagesHuman cloning is unethical since it steps back from human identity. In addition, it brings emotional mental damage for the cloned kid and absolutely discards the basic biological gene selection. For the most part, not a single person can manage to ignore the procedure that is made i n science today. Whereas scientific research, for instance grants us information and the procedure of being able to clone human beings, which is something nobody ever assumed could be possible. After watching the movie

Comparing Islamic Religion Free Essays

To compare the Islamic religion, one has to first define Islam. â€Å"The word Islam means surrender or submission to the will of Allah, the one God†(Webster). The word Islam conveys much meaning, especially those of submission and peace. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing Islamic Religion or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is through the total submission to the will of God, also known as Allah, that one achieves peace with oneself, peace with the Creator, as well as peace with all creations. Muslims are believers who have submitted themselves to the will of God. The basic creed of Islam is the shahada. Shahada is the profession of faith: â€Å"I testify that there is no deity save God and that Muhammad is the messenger of God†(Schimmel 34). I study Buddhism. Buddhism is the name attributed to an intricate system of beliefs developed around the teachings of a single man known as the Buddha. Buddha is the title given to the Indian philosopher Gautama circa 2,500 years ago. Buddhism is a Western word. â€Å"The religion is known in the East as the Buddha-Dharma, or the teachings of the Buddha†(Maitreya 1). Buddhists share similar beliefs about the nature of the world and how to behave within it based on the teachings of the Buddha. Islam comes from the mouth of Muhammad. Buddhism is based on the Buddha†s personal experience of enlightenment. Thus, Muhammad is a divinely inspired teacher who preached the words of God†s will, whereas the Buddha shared his understanding of ‘the way† to attain enlightenment. Neither religion worships the tellers of the truth i. e. Muhammad and the Buddha. Instead, both religions recognize and appreciate the magnificent contribution both men have made as well as utilize the doctrines that summarize their school of thought-the Koran and the Four Noble Truths. The foundation of Islam is the Koran which is, for the pious Muslim, not the word of a prophet but the unadulterated word of God, which has become audible through Muhammad, the pure vessel, in clear Arabic language†(Schimmel 29). The main emphasis of the Koran is the oneness of Allah. All of humanity is regarded as subject to the will and power of Allah. It is He who has created mankind, and will one-day judge his creation. The faithful are called upon to believe in Allah and to listen to His Prophet and will be saved on Judgement Day. â€Å"The Four Noble Truths are the briefest synthesis of the entire teachings of Buddhism† (Maitreya 3). The first truth is that all life is unpleasant suffering, pain, and misery. The second truth is that this suffering is caused by selfish craving and passionate personal desire. The third truth is that this selfish craving can be overcome. The fourth truth is that the way to overcome the misery of life is by following the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path promotes sight and wisdom that will allow for inner peace, and ultimately enlightenment. The Koran†s principal assertion is that there is one God–the creator and sustainer of the universe. â€Å"This God, Allah, is compassionate and just. Because He is compassionate, He calls all people to believe in Him and worship Him†(Ali 6). Buddhism does not teach of gods. Instead, Buddhism teaches the way of life that Buddha comprehended-the Eightfold Path. The Koran declares that all of humanity is subject to the will and power of Allah. â€Å"It is a fundamental Islamic belief that we were created to serve (worship) Allah†(Ali 2). Islam religion regards mankind as the crown of creation, entrusted by God with management of the whole-created order. Humans can be weak and are susceptible to disbelief in God and to disobedience to His will. Humanity†s weakness is pride. Humans do not realize their limitations and believe they are self-sufficient. It is the people who are deluded by Satan that continued to disbelieve in Allah. Similarly, the Four Noble Truths proclaim that people make a mistake of being excessively egotistical. Analogously, Buddhism confirms that people error by identifying too strongly with personal existence in any one life. Unlike Muslims, who consider themselves committed to a mission by their belief in Allah, Buddhist aspires to escape from the sufferings of life. These two goals of life are vastly different. Muslims will always see themselves reflected in the eyes of God whereas Buddhists will never see a God, only their life as a cycle of rebirths until the release called Nirvana. The Islamic religion is an extensive, multidimensional, and complex topic just as Buddhism is. I acknowledge that I am neither an expert of the religion nor a religious scholar, yet. I am solely making a brief comparison between Islam with my own personal convictions and understandings of Buddhism. How to cite Comparing Islamic Religion, Essay examples

Democracy In Athens Essay Example For Students

Democracy In Athens Essay A Democracy is defined as a government of, by and for the people. Originally,democracy meant rule by the common people. In this sense, and even before thebeginning of modern class society, it was very much a class affair. It meantthat power should be in the hands of the largest class: the poorest, leasteducated and the propertyless. As a result, democracy was feared and rejected bythe educated, the cultured, and the wealthy. In classical Greece, democracy wasseen by the enlightened and the educated as one of the worst types of governmentand society imaginable. The rule of the people was regarded as a threat to allthe cherished values of a civilized and orderly society. It would curtailindividual freedom and would lead to anarchy. The political system of ancientAthens was a Democracy, which involved all of its citizens and not only theirrepresentatives, by giving then daily access to civic affairs and politicalpower. Both decision-making and decision-enforcing were the duty of everyci tizen, not just of those elected by them or by their leaders. The citizens ofAthens were directly involved not only in government matters, but also inmatters of justice, as there was no separation of powers in ancient Athens. TheAthenian Democracy is one of the more intriguing aspects of political history. It is a source for much of our modern conception of democracy, but it is alsoquite singular in many of its features. Athenian Democracy started developing atthe beginning of the 6th century BC. This development began not by a revolutionof simple people demanding political rights, but by the initiative of the rulingclass of ancient Athens in slow evolutionary ways. By the middle of the 5thcentury BC, Athens had developed into a pure and absolute Democracy. In 594 BC,Solon was appointed into power. He took immediate measures to relieve thecitizens from the burden of their debts and at the same time began aninstitutional effort to give everyday people a greater participation in cityaffairs. Solon gave right to vote to all male citizens and established a newcouncil of 400 (the Boule) to replace the Ecclesia. Members of the Boule werechosen randomly by lot. The term Solon is now often used to describe a wiselawmaker. In the year 560 BC, Pisitratus seized power after Solon. He wasthought t o be in the league with the Aristocrats, but soon proved to be an evengreater reformer than Solon. He abolished land ownership as a requirement forcitizenship. He mandated total redistribution of the land and exiled all peoplewho disagreed with him. Kleisthenes became a tyrant in 508 BC. He was anAristocrat who was dedicated to Democracy. He divided Athens in to ten tribesbased on geographical distribution and increased the Boule to 500 citizens. Through his reforms common citizens acquired a new sense of power with whichthey could come to expect and eventually to demand that all matters ofsignificance be submitted to their Assembly for discussion and then decision. This opened the way for the advanced form of Democracy. The result of tyrantsand reformers was the creation of the most democratic government in worldhistory. All officials were randomly chosen by lot. The revived Ecclesia hadfull and final authority of the making and execution of laws. Juries werecomprised of all citizens who chose to take part in the trial. In order to keeparistocrats from gaining control, Athenians adopted a policy of Ostracism, orexile, for those who would attempt to restore the Aristocracy. Although not allpersons living in Athens had these political rights, no other Democracy in humanhistory has provided such a magnificent level of participation. This politicalsystem, quite innovative for its times, shaped a society of a distinctcharacter, of great sensibility and of unusual cultural achievements. Theindividual citizen, willing to throw himself into the political fray had animpressive array of powers. He could propose a law, which, if it found enoughsupport, co uld be formulated by the Council of 500, put on the agenda of a laterAssembly meeting, discussed and voted upon at that meeting. He could act as adefender of the Constitution (like our Supreme Court) by bringing a prosecutionfor proposal of a law that was either illegal or not in the best interests ofthe state. Finally, he could bring a public prosecution against any othercitizen whether a private person or a magistrate (in the process ofexamination). Not even the most influential politician could escape the power ofthe Athenian citizenry, if he had lost their support. While we say in ourhistory books that the democracies of the Greek city-states were greataccomplishments, they, nevertheless, had numerous problems. All the major Greekphilosophers thought democracy was the worst form of government. Plato, in hiscritique of democracy in The Republic , claims that it allows people to followall their passions and drives without order or control; Aristotle claimed thatthe competing inter ests in a democracy makes for chaos rather than purposive anddeliberated action. Democracy did not seem to work very democratically at all,in fact. In Athens, the democratic Assembly was usually dominated by a singlepowerful, charismatic individual; this individual often dominated the Assemblybecause of his presence or oratorical skill rather than his individual worth. Asa result, the democratic governments could make some surprisingly foolishdecisions. The position of these charismatic leaders, however, was always veryunstable. The democratic Assemblies could change character overnight; they wouldoften eagerly follow a particular leader, and then exile that leader often forno reason Government functions were assigned to two bodies: ?h The Assembly,which focused on policy decision-making. ?h The Council, which concentrated onpolicy implementation and administrative matters. The Assembly was the supremedecision-making body in Athens, which met in an open area on a hill called thePnyx . Technically every male citizen over the age of 18 could attend everymeeting of the Assembly with the right to speak and vote on all matters ofdomestic and foreign policy. Space and other practical considerations, however,would not allow every citizen to attend every meeting. As well, not all citizenswanted to attend. In the fifth century, to get an assembling of people, publicslaves would proceed through the Agora carrying a long rope coated with freshred paint. Any citizen who was marked with this paint and was caught notattending the Assembly was subject to a penalty of some kind. When pay wasinstituted for attendance at the Assembly in the late fifth century, there wasno longer need to force citizens to attend. The Council consisted of 500 membersselected annually by lot, 50 from each of the ten Athenian tribes. All malecitizens over the age of 30 were eligible to serve in the Council, but servicein this body was not compulsory. In the various demes (local municipalities)that m ake up each tribe, citizens volunteered and were selected by lot forservice on the Council. Larger demes were represented by more councillors thansmaller ones. The minimum age was 30 years. A citizen could serve twice as acouncillor in his lifetime. The Council met everyday, except for festival daysand certain other forbidden days, in the Bouleuterion in the Agora. When theAssembly met, the Council would meet in the afternoon since most Assemblymeetings lasted only till noon. The primary responsibilities of this body werethe preparation of an agenda for the assembly and the supervision of themagistrates. Just as the Assembly required a smaller body (the Council) toprepare business for it, the Council needed a group much smaller than 500 tosupervise its activities. This supervision was performed by each contingent of50 Council members from one tribe, serving in turn (decided by lot) as prytaneisor presiding officers for 1/10 of the year The law courts wereanother crucial part of the Athenian democracy. No citizen was above the law, soas in America everyone, both rich and poor, had to submit to the judgement oftheir fellow citizens, who made up the juries. Jury service allowed the poor toparticipate in the political process. Their exercise of real political power inthese various capacities was a great source of annoyance to richer, moreconservative Athenians. Every year from citizens, who had volunteered, 6000jurors were selected by lot and were sworn in. Every day the courts were insession, a varying portion of this panel of 6000 would show up early in themorning, attracted by the prospect of getting paid for their jury duty. No jurorcould know ahead of time whether he was going to serve that day and, ifselected, which case he would be involved in. The reason for the complex processwas to prevent bribery. The size of jury panels varied from 201 to 401 inprivate lawsuits and from 501 to as high as 2501 in more important cases. Thelarge size of these panels also prevented the possibility of bribery. A secretballot also protected the jurors from outside influence. The court system wasrun by non-professionals. There were no professionally trained judges andlawyers. A law attributed to the sixth century BC lawgiver, Solon, stipulatedthat a prosecution could be undertaken by anyone who wanted to. ¡Ã‚ ¨A comparison with contemporary functions of government is very revealing: ?hNon executive head of state  ¡V The closest to this function was theepistates, chairman of the 50 prytaneis. The epistates was selected by drawn lotfrom the prytaneis, with a mandate of one day. Having once served as epistates,he was excluded from ever doing so again. The epistates summoned the prytaneisand the Council and was chairman of the Assmebly. He held the key to the statetreasury, together with the city seal. ?h Executive head of state  ¡VThis function did not exist in ancient Athens, for no one citizen ever held somuch power. Closest, perhaps, was the poili tical practice, which conferred onPerikles a personal impact similar to that of a head of government. This did notderive, however, from his title of general, but ratehr from the ability to getcontinuously re-elected, and to influence his fellow citizens on matters ofpolicy and courses of action pertaining to city affairs. ?h Government,Ministers  ¡V The Council (or Boule), was probably the closest body in theAthenian Democratic system to that of a contemporary government. The Councilconsisted of 500 citizens, selected by lot. Those, amongst them, entrusted withthe supervision of policy implementation fulfilled a role which approximated tominister for that project. ?h Legislative body  ¡V A Parliament, Congressor House of Representatives in the sense of a representative body empowered bythe people to legislate on the people ¡?s behalf did not exist inclassical Athens. All citizens were legislators. ?h Political parties  ¡VAthenian political leanings fell into two broad catego ries: the aristocrats(those supporting the prior political system where a selected few governed) andthe democrats ( those who favored the prevailing democratic system). However,these two schools of thought never manifested themselves in the form of clearlydefined, organized political parties. The development of modern democracy islinked fundamentally with the ideas of freedom and equality. In antiquitydemocracy was based exclusively on citizen rights, that is, on law shaped byman. Athenian democracy lacked the basic moral principle that stood at thecradle of modern democracy: not to take into account, whether in theory or inpolitical reality, the natural inequality of man. Modern democracy began byrealizing the idea of political equality, then strove for social equality, andfinally, at least in theory, claimed economic equality for all citizens. Insharp contrast, the evolution of ancient democracy stopped with the concept ofpolitical equality. Therefore, the definition of ancient de mocracy focusesprimarily on institutions and numbers of active citizens. Democracy in theclassical Greek sense signifies a particular type of society not a particularform of government. Athenian democracy meant the absence of a division betweenthe state and society. What this really meant was the absence of a professionalstate apparatus whose function was solely to administer the affairs of thecitizens. The citizen body governed itself directly through active participationin administering its own affairs. Participation in government was a duty whichfell upon every citizen. The current democratic model makes no such claims. Itrejects citizen participation, or what has come to be termed direct democracy,on the grounds of impracticality. More faithful proponents of elite theory wantto protect it from mass politics and mass opinion. Heart Of Darkness EssayCurrent political practice in the liberal democratic state does not howevernecessarily meet the criterion posed by advocates of the model. Democracy asgovernment of the representatives of the majority of the people is not easilyattainable. Both in the United States and in Britain participation in theelectoral process is relatively low. In Britain for example, it has been pointedout that no British government in the past forty years has been elected witheven a bare majority of the votes cast. In practice the government is elected byand so represents only the largest minority of those who vote. Thus the majorityof the voting public are governed by a government not of their own choosing. Onthe whole, the democracy served the Athenians well for over one hundred andeighty years. Of course, one could complain that the democracy excluded themajority of the population of Athens. Indeed women, resident aliens, and slavescould not participate in the democratic process. On the other hand, Atheniandemocracy allowed and fostered a degree of direct participation in thedemocratic process unknown in modern democracies. BibliographyAbbot, Evelyn. A History of Greece. New York, New York.: Putnam ¡?sSono. 1985. Davies, J.K. Democracy and Classical Greece. Granham, New Jersey.:Humanities Press. 1978. Finlay, Moses I. Democracy: Ancient and Modern. NewBrunswick, New Jersey.: Rutgers University Press. 1973. Hansen, Moses H. TheAthenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes: Structure, Priciples and Ideology. Oxford, England.:Blackwell. 1991. Strantin, G.R. Athenian Politics c. 800-500B.C.: A Sourcebook. New York, New York. Routledge. 1990