To what extent was John Maynard Keynes' principal contribution to Essay

To what extent was John Maynard Keynes' principal contribution to political economy a re-conceptualisation of optimal relation - Essay Example This is often the case between Keynesian economists and other reformists’ theories. Keynesianism or Keynesian economics is an economic theory based on the ideas John Maynard Keynes, as put forward in his book The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, available in 1936 as an answer to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Keynesianism advocates for a mixed economy, in which the state as well as the market or the private sector have both significant functions to operate. It should be noted that the advent and eventual rise of Keynesianism saw the collapse of laissez-faire economics which was of the view that both the state and the market could function, each on its own. Keynesianism also emphasizes of the significance of aggregate demand for goods as the lashing factor of the economy, particularly in periods of recession. For this reason, government plans or policies could be made use of to promote demand at a macro level, to counter high unemployment as well as deflati on. A significant conclusion of Keynesianism is that there is not a tough and automatic propensity for output and employment to move to full employment levels. Effective demand is therefore the fundamental idea underlying Keynesianism. Post Keynesian Criticisms After Keynes, a good amount of concentration has been dedicated to the problem of probability and uncertainty in Keynes’s General Theory by a set of economists frequently called ‘Post-Keynesians’. Over the years, there have risen a lot of economic theories and propositions which no longer see Keynesianism as a spur. As Chick and Tily (2004) mentions in mainstream economics, Keynes is dead1. Leijonhufvud (2008)2 gives explanations on the hypothetical blindness of the economic profession vis a vis interpretations from Keynesianism of the present financial crisis to conventional reliance on market efficiency theory, expectations based on reason as well as the representative agents3. Wray and Teymogne (2008) m ake us reminiscent of the fact that â€Å"the efficient market hypothesis, like all approaches derived from the old neoclassical theory, relegates money and finance to the sidelines.4† A latest volume, cataloguing the commentary of twelve prominent economists on Keynes’s Economic possibilities for our Grandchildren5, offers an outstanding incident to assess the space between conventional Keynesian views of capitalism with ‘love of money’. Keynes’s disapproval for the money drive and the demanding â€Å"purposeful money-makers (who) may carry all of us along with them into the lap of economic abundance† is dismissed as the befuddled and elitist phrase of moralistic narrow-mindedness and an ideal case in point of an irrational approach to economics. For example, Boldrin and Levine (2009) challenge Keynes for not being clear between real and monetary factors6. On his part, Phelps (2009) considers Keynes condescending approach towards the pursuit for wealth as unusual for an economist7, representative of anti-materialism as well as obscure to every scholastic satisfaction in business. Ohanian (2009) illustrates Keynes’ approach as that of a judgmental and critical social commentator who uses his economist’s pulpit to make a rather puritan-based vision of the future8. Fitoussi (2009) acknowledges that Keynes’ negative response to capitalism, with its acquisitiveness and inconsiderate conduct, is not so badly founded9. He however goes on to coin Keynes’

Preservation and Conservation of Books

Preservation and Conservation of Books PPRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION OF BOOKS NON – BOOKS IN ASIATIC SOCIETY LIBRARY, MUMBAI: A STUDY Key Words – Library, preservation, conservation. Introduction:- Preservation and conservation of reading resources is central mission of the libraries. Now a days the wind of computerization and digitization blowing everywhere in the world. The libraries are also not behind to them. New emerging technologies such as computer and digitization are the boon For the preservation and conservation of traditional resources. So, I selected the topic on â€Å"preservation and conservation of books and non-books† in the four libraries which are old and situated in Mumbai reason for M. Phil. Degree (Awarded in 2009). But for writing this research paper I have chosen only â€Å"Asiatic society library, fort, Mumbai. Till today many libraries and reading resources destroyed. There are many reasons behind them. Some natural calamities such as fire, flood, climate etc are the factors causes to destroy the libraries. Some times human made attacks on the libraries, wars and biological factors such as micro organisms, white ants like insects etc. tried to destroy the libraries and causes losses of valuable cultural documents of India till . in ancient India Nalanda, Vallabhi, Odantapuri etc. were the excellent knowledge imparted centers. But, some libraries fired by enemy in the war and destroy all the reading resources. So, preservation and conservation is important to save the libraries. History of Asiatic society library : The Asiatic society forms part of the network of institutions created by the British to generate, systematize and disseminate knowledge of India and the Orient a vast body of information learning and knowledge that came to be known as INDOLOGY. The Asiatic Society of Bombay (in 2002 it renamed itself as the Asiatic society of Mumbai) was established in 26th Nov 1804 by a great Savant, Sir James Mackintosh, the recorder of Bombay, with the Objective of â€Å"promoting useful knowledge, particularly connected with India†. The society originally located in government house in Parel (Now there is Hafkin Institute) . In 1931 it moved into the north wings of the newly constructed Town Hall. At that time expenditure of Town Hall building was Rs. 6,56,669/- . (Gurav, anant,p-19) Scope and limitations of the study Every research has some scope and limitations. Title for M. Phil Thesis is â€Å"Preservation and conservation of books and non-books material in old libraries of Mumbai region : A study†. It means the scope and limitations of my study was only four libraries of Mumbai region (awarded in 2009- YCMOU Nasik.) . name of these libraries are as follows. Asiatic Society library, Town Hall, Mumbai (Established-1804) State Central library, Town Hall, Mumbai (1947) Dadar Sarvajanik Vachanalaya, Dadar (1907) S. V. Phatak Granthasangrahalay, Parle (1925) Out of these four libraries in this research paper I want to focus on Asiatic society Library, Mumbai only. Objective of the study. Keeping of reading resources in good condition is very responsible and difficult task. Every library do something to preserve and conserve their resources. Different methods going to uses by different libraries. So, I have to curiosity to know how these libraries preserves reading materials . accordingly my objectives of the study are as follows. 1) To study the present position of preservation and conservation of the book and non books material. 2) To study the factors which causes decaying of reading resources. 3) To study the preservation and conservation of old and rare books. 4) To study of the preservation and conservation and suggest resolution. Hypothesis : following are the hypothesis of research. The selected library is imparting knowledge continuously for many years Library has manuscripts, rare books which are preserved and conserved in good condition. So many readers, researchers and institutions taking benefits of this library. Library is doing a good job for society and helps to make the nation strong. Research Methods : There are different methods of the research. I have used descriptive and historical research methods for this study. Data collection Methods : Data collection is basic and important activity of every research. For data collection I used 1) Questionnaire, 2) Interview, 3) Observation. Method Need of the Study : Traditionally library collection contain a wide range of organic materials including paper, cloth, animal skins and adhesives. Such organic substances undergo a continual and inevitable natural ageing process. Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra and economic capital of country. Mumbai is metropolitan city. The atmosphere of Mumbai region is hot and humid. Such atmosphere is favorable to create and grow germs, cockroaches, book worms, white-ants that causes decaying and damaging pages of the books. Now the area where Asiatic society library situated is surrounded by newly built skyscrapers. It is important business area with many banks and offices with hustle and bustle of traffic which creates full of dust particles. Such type of atmosphere is harmful to traditional as well as newly book resources. So, I decided to study the libraries which are situated in metropolitan city like Mumbai. Libraries are worked like genes. Genes transfer the human characters from one generation to next generation. Likewise libraries transfer information or knowledge from one generation to next generation with the help of reading resources like books and non book materials. It’s a need of time to save the reading resources and libraries. Data Analysis : Question no 1, 2 and 3 are related to the general information of the library. The Q. No. 4 asked information about forms and types of reading resources available in the library. Received data are shoe in the following table follows. The table No. 1: Forms and Number of Reading Resources. Bar Chart Shows forms and No. of Available Resources in the Library. The Intention of Question no .6 is to find out total sections of the library and have there a separate section for preservation and conservation. The find out comes as following. Table No.2 : Sections of Library Question No. 7 was asked about readers of the library. In the Asiatic society library every day 25 members visited to the library and 2500 are lifetime members. members of library are students, teachers and some institutions also. Question No. 9 was about the personnel’s of the library. In this library there are following personnel recruited on different posts in the library. Table No. 3 : personnel When observation of above table of personnel found that there are separate skilled and qualified personnel are recruited in preservation, conservation and binding section. Question No. 11 is asked on preservation and conservation policy of the library. For more information I also taken separate interview of preservation, conservation and binding sections personnel. What I got information is very important and very few libraries follow such policy. The received data are as follows. Library has three sections such as preservation, conservation and book binding. Every section has its separate function. Preservation section is established in 1995. Under this section old, rare, damaged books and manuals are converted in to microform and preserved. 5-6 palm leaves are also preserved in microform. Conservation section : tissuing process Conservation section of this library is established in 1991. Under this section the books which are damaged by acidity and tearing the pages of the books, such books they processed with tissuing method and increase the life of the books. In tissuing process there are three steps which are described as follows. Fumigation : this is the 1st step in tissuing process. in fumigation process all the books (which are selected for tissuing) are make insect free / microorganism free by keeping books in fumigation (fumes of insecticides like Thymol) chamber. After fumigation books putout and separated its pages and clean all these pages with soft brush. These cleaned pages forward to ‘Deacidification’ process. Deacidification : this is the 2nd step of tissuing. In this process set of 2-3 fumigated pages ties with wire mesh. This wire mesh with tied pages pours into 10 liter water for half an hour. After then these pages pour into alkaline liquid (Calcium hydroxide) for half an hour. In this process eradicate the complete acidity of the pages. Lastly these acid free pages wash in normal water and dried naturally. These dried pages used for tissuing process. Tissuing : this is the 3rd and last step of tissuing process. Tissuing process is like lamination process. In this process Japanese tissue paper is mostly used. Tissue paper is special and very thin transparent paper. This tissue paper called as â€Å"lanced tissue paper† it is acid free paper. In this process acid free (2nd step) pages put on wax paper and the paste spread over it by the brush. Then take large tissue paper paste both side of the page of book and excess tissue paper cut equal with page size and lastly this tissued pages sent to binding section for binding. In this way personnel of conservation section told that with the help of tissuing process increase the life of books for hundred years. Binding Section: Binding section of this library is oldest section. In this section continuous binding work is going on . they bind of old books, new arrival books, news papers (2) and atlases. Every year Average1800 books bind by this section. This section used self made paste for binding and it is insecticide. It means binding section of this library is also very alert in preservation and conservation of library resources. Question No.16 was asked about enemies of reading resources. Accordingly in this library the readers, mouse, cockroaches, white ants, silverfishes, dust and rain water which comes from window these are the factors which damage or destroy the library resources. They also mention that to protect the books from dust we uses vacuum cleaner. Question No. 19 asked to take the information about preservation and conservation of non books. They replied that we keep maps and atlases in flat position (without folding) in cabinet and sometimes if required bind it. They bind two news papers such as times of india and national herald tributes. For security of microfilm they keep all the microfilm in 3-4 degree centigrade temperature. Question No.21 was asked to about protection of library from fire like calamity. The Asiatic society library has facility of fire extinguisher to control the fire like calamity and they also the facility of fog extinguisher to protect library fog like calamity. Conclusion : Considering the received data, hypothesis and objective of the study the conclusions are as follows. The Asiatic Society library is the old library and provides the best services to its members since 1804. Library has available books and non-books material which keeps in good condition. Found separate Preservation, conservation and binding section of the library and played very vital roles in increasing the life of reading resources. Some rare books , manuscripts and palm leaves are converted in microfilm form and saved. Found Facility of fire extinguisher and fog extinguisher from the security of fire and fog. To protect the reading resources from dust there is a facility of vacuum cleaner. In this way Asiatic society library’s work in field of preservation and conservation is definitely valuable in the field of library and information science. REFERANCES: 1) Chaudhary, S. K. : Library Preservation and conservation, APH pub. Corporation, New Delhi, 2011 2) Anant Gurav : Vishwa Granthalayache, Aarati prakashan, dombivali, 1998. 3) Joshi Laxmanshastri : Marathi Vishwakosh (vol 5 13), Maharashtra Rajya Sahity Sanskrari Mandal, 1977 1987. 4) Annual Report of The Asiatic Society of Mumbai and The Library of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai, 2006-07. Pamphlet of Asiatic society library. 5) Mukharjee, B. B. : Preservations of Library Materials, Archives and documents, the world press pvt. Ltd., Calcutta. 1

The Liberal Backbone of America :: essays research papers

The Liberal Backbone of America Within the framework of democratic capitalism, the American Constitution and government structure have a fundamentally liberal backbone. Viewed as a social contract, the relationship between the state and the individual is expressed in the Constitution which dictates the liberal values intrinsically woven into American history. Combined with the Bill of Rights, the Constitution holds the representative government accountable for its actions and sets finite limits on the power it wields over the individual. A capitalist society such as that of the United States uses taxation and wealth distribution as a tool for controlling social equality, an unavoidable hypocrisy of liberal values in a democratic welfare state. Classical liberal values that hold the individual’s rights as paramount have been modernised to accommodate a mildly paternalistic social welfare system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Classical liberalism suggests that the state and society can be viewed as an immense social contract. In a liberal democratic country such as America, the constitution is the fundamental part of that social contract; it is a contract between the state and the civil society. The American constitution is a guide to legislation and its interpretation. An essentially liberal contract, the constitution binds not only the government, but also the people. Through the constitution, the people collectively commit to certain institutional procedures for managing public affairs and resolving social conflicts. The constitution not only limits the arbitrary power of the government, it also prevents public administration from being poisoned by people's short-term tempers and passions. Through the constitution, the people collectively commit to certain checks against those capricious human sentiments. A central liberal principle which the American constitution serves, is to limit and separate governmental power. The classically liberal distrust of majoritarian tyranny has continued into present-day American politics through its role in the Constitution. In a liberal constitutional system, there is an important difference between the constitution and ordinary laws. While ordinary laws can be modified or repealed to protect civil liberties by the national legislature, or be declared illegal or unconstitutional by the process of judicial review (Burns et al, 1993, p.21), the national legislature usually has no unilateral power to modify or repeal the constitution, and the judiciary has no power to declare the constitution illegal. For example, in the United States, the constitution can only be modified after the legislatures (or constitutional conventions) of two-thirds of the states approve, or by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress, followed by ratification from three-quar ters of the states or their ratification conventions (Burns et al, 1993, p.

Postpartum Contraception Essay

Postpartum contraceptive methods are those used by breast feeding women before twenty six days after they have given birth. Basing on the NICE guidelines, the advice on how to use these methods should be explained to the patients before their second postpartum week. The breast feeding women are allowed to use the lactational amenorrhoea method but they are not recommended to use the COCP (combined oral contraceptive pills) method by the World Health Organization before the first 42 days postpartum because it’s illegal (outside the license) (WHO, 2006). Below are some of the postpartum contraceptive methods. The contraceptive methods; The combined contraceptive pills (to the breast feeding women) This contraceptive method to breast women brings about some hormonal out comes on the quantity of milk and its quality too. If these pills are taken before 24 weeks postpartum, they affect the baby’s growth. In a previous review of randomized controlled trials held to clarify this case, the review reassured women that hormonal contraceptive method has no strong effects on the baby’s growth. On the other hand, the World Health Organization recommended that, breast feeding mothers before 24 weeks of postpartum should not use the combined contraceptive pills because its use is outside the license (WHO, 2006). Sterilization Basing on the guideline of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, it shows that women should be alert about the consequences and the increasing rates at which sterilization fails before the postpartum period (Johnson, Edelman and Jensen, 2003). Lactational Amenorrhoe This method is scientifically proved to be effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies, given to a woman, in less than 24 weeks postpartum. As Johnson, Edelman and Jensen (2003) states, she does not experience virginal bleeding after the first seven weeks postpartum, and if she can fully breast feed the baby day and night. Progestogen injectables If this method is used before 42 days of postpartum, it means, that it has been used illegally by the applicant (outside their license). According to Johnson, Edelman and Jensen, (2003), if injectables are used in the early periods of postpartum, it may result into excessive bleeding. It is therefore, recommended that it should be used after 42 days of breast feeding. This may prolong bleeding if applied when not breast feeding in five days of delivery. Emergency contraceptive method This method is not required before twenty one days postpartum and it can be used even if the woman is breast feeding. The IUD may be used after one month postpartum. Implants and the progestogen only pills It is recommended by World Health Organization that this method should not be applied in the first 42 days postpartum (WHO, 2006). On the other hand, in the United Kingdom, this method is commonly used by women before 42 days postpartum since it is proved that it has no effect on the quantity of breast milk and the fact that it does not affect the growth of the baby during this specified period. The following have to be noted for application of POP As noted by (Guillebaud (1993) if its application is started after the first two weeks, there is need for some additional contraception and need to clarify that the woman is not pregnant. If the woman starts to experience constant menstrual cycles again, she has to begin the applying POP including the period of five days without the necessity for additional barrier methods. For Etonogestrel implants Guillebaud (1993) explains that, this can be applied between the first 21 to 28 days of delivery. If it exceeds from 28 days, there is need to apply additional contraception methods for a week. Barrier methods (condoms, cervical caps and diaphragms); Condoms It has been proved by scientists that condoms are eighty seven percent effective when used without any other protective measure. And said to be ninety eight percent effective if used with another measure of protection (spermicide). Every time you have sex, it is recommended that you use condoms (Guillebaud, 1993). Diaphragm As Guillebaud (1993) explains, scientifically, this method is said to be ninety eight percent effective that is if used correctly. It has to fitted by the doctor and used when having sex. Conclusion From what has been discussed above, there are many postpartum contraceptive choices a breast feeding woman can use like POP, COCP, barrier methods such as condoms, cervical caps and condoms, progestogen only pills, and others. Some women are using the COCP method, for example, women in UK, before the first 42 days postpartum and yet it is not recommended by WHO. We there by strongly conclude that women should be keen when taking postpartum contraceptives for the seek of their healthy and the child they have, it is important that they should follow the recommendations of the World Health regarding postpartum contraceptives. Reference Guillebaud, J (1993): Postpartum Contraception: Unnecessary before three weeks: BMJ, Vol. 307, 6918; p 1558-61 Johnson L, Edelman A, and Jensen J (2003): Patient satisfaction and the impact of written material about postpartum contraceptive decisions: AMJ Obstet Gynecology; Vol. 188, 5, p, 1201-5 WHO (2006): Medical eligibility criteria for contraception: Available online at: www. who. int/reproductive-health/public/mec/mec. pdf

Citizenship education Essay

The purpose of citizenship education is to contribute to the health of our democracy1 and to empower students â€Å"to translate their beliefs into actions and their ideas into policies.† The primary goal of the Delaware Civics Standards is student understanding of the purpose and means of authority2 and freedom3 and the relationship between them. Civics directly addresses citizenship education within the context of political systems. Students study the assumptions upon which governments are founded, and the organizations and strategies governments employ to achieve their goals. With specific respect to the United States, students learn the underlying principles of representative democracy, the constitutional separation of powers, and the rule of law. They need to comprehend that an essential premise of representative democracy is the willingness of citizens to place a high premium on their own personal responsibility for participation in social decision-making. see more:understand the context of supporting skills for everyday life Students develop the skills which citizens must possess in order to discharge those responsibilities while protecting their rights and the rights of others. The study of civics prepares students to translate their beliefs into actions and their ideas into policies. Governments exist and are instituted for specific purposes and employ a variety of organizational structures to pursue their objectives. Constitutional democracy attempts to balance individual freedom with the needs of the society as a whole. American citizens need a basic understanding of the structure of different forms of government and a detailed knowledge of a constitutional democracy. Students will learn the underlying principles of representative democracy,4 the constitutional separation of powers,5 and the rule of law,6 with specific respect to the United States. The American political system was intentionally created to rest on a foundation of individual liberty, freedom of religion, representative democracy, equal opportunity, and equal protection under the law. These principles and ideals are codified in the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other significant documents. Understanding, achieving, and upholding these principles and ideals represent a major challenge to each succeeding generation of American  citizens. Students will develop the skills which citizens must possess in order to accept their responsibilities while protecting their rights and the rights of others. The political, religious, and economic freedoms provided to American citizens are accompanied by the responsibility of active civic participation at the individual, community, state, and national levels. Effective citizens need to understand the dedication and commitment necessary to safeguard those rights for themselves and future generations as well as the potential consequences of inaction. They should also be able to distinguish between rights and privileges. Students will learn to translate their beliefs into actions and their ideas into policies. The intent to participate in the American political system must be matched with the specific skills necessary to be effective. Such skills include, but are not limited to, registering to vote, interacting successfully with government agencies, organizing and working in civic groups, researching and advocating a position, or serving in an office of public trust. The Delaware Civics Standards call for understanding the purposes,7 principles,8 and generalizations9 that infuse the concepts in the standards with their contextual meaning. CIVICS STANDARD ONE: Students will examine the structure and purposes of governments with specific empha sis on constitutional democracy [Government]. Enduring Understandings Students will understand that: Constitutional democracy10 as a structure of government developed from the tension between the need for authority and the need to constrain authority. Governments are structured to address the basic needs of the people in a society. The key to understanding the purposes, principles, and generalizations called for in the standards is to begin with the question â€Å"Why?† For example, Standard One says, â€Å"Students will examine the structure and purposes of governments with specific emphasis on constitutional democracy.† The purposes of governments, of course, are the â€Å"why† of governments. Beginning with the question, â€Å"Why do we have government?† yields the question, â€Å"What needs does government address?† The answer to this question is the foundational understanding for the benchmarks of the standard. The structure of governments is determined in part by history and custom, but mostly they grow from what reason and experience have ta ught  societies about the organizational requirements for achieving the purposes of government. 11 You can derive the basic purposes of government by imagining a community and questioning what needs of a community might require authority to address. In fact, most famous political philosophers (Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, for example) have used the device of the imaginary community to explain their version of the purposes of the state in terms so simple that even grade school students can easily understand them. All governments invariably address basically the same needs: security, order, and the welfare of the commonwealth. They all make, enforce, and adjudicate law to meet the need for order, organize the common defense, and provide services to promote the welfare of the citizens. The structures of governments reflect the ways governments are organized to perform these functions. The basic purposes and principles of government—including the responsibilities of citizenship12 in a general sense—can be illuminated with the experiences of the students. Families meet needs of security, order, and welfare with the principle of authority, as do schools and communities. The themes of authority, obedience, responsibility—and the very important constraints on authority for the protection and freedom of the ruled—are found in the social context of every student. If students can learn how to see the purposes, principles, and generalizations suggested by the standard in their own experiences, they become easier to understand and retain and more relevant. The emphasis on constitutional democracy called for in the standard reflects the enduring human struggle to find a way to protect ourselves from our protectors. The tension between the need for authority and the need to constrain authority is a prominent theme of history and is an inherent condition of life. The historically remarkable rise and spread of constitutional democracy evolved from both the abuse of authority13 and a rekindled belief in the desirability of individual freedom14. The embedded concepts of a higher law15 that constrains the makers and enforcers of law (constitutions), accountability of rulers (democratic processes), and civil rights16 arose from an abundantly justified distrust of power and a growing consensus that one of the purposes of the state is the protection and promotion of the freedom of its citizens. New structures of government were devised to better fulfill and secure this new purpose of government. The need for  authority and the need to constrain it is the foundational understanding called for by Civics Standard One. The structures of modern governments developed from the experiences of people trying to meet these twin needs. Civics Standard One 6-8a: Students will understand that governments have the power to make and enforce laws and regulations, levy taxes, conduct foreign policy, and make war. Essential Question Why does a government have certain powers? The focus here is on understanding the need for these powers (the why?) and having a general knowledge of what these specific powers entail. The need for order and security within is addressed through the power to make and enforce laws and regulations. The need to promote national interests abroad, especially security and economic interests, is addressed by the power to conduct foreign policy. The power to make war arises primarily from the need for security. The power to levy taxes arises from the need to pay for it all. Open-ended questions that teachers might ask in a classroom include: 1. Why does the government enforce their laws with police rather than allow people to be free? 2. Why does the government take taxes out of our paychecks? 3. Why does the government participate in wars? 4. Who gave the U.S. government the power to enforce laws? Why? 5. What does it mean that governments have powers? Civics Standard One 6-8b: Students will analyze the different functions of federal, state, and local governments in the United States and examine the reasons for the different organizational structures each level of government employs. Essential Question: What different needs should be addressed by the different levels of government? The student should understand the general concept of federalism17: a territorial division of power based on the overall sovereignty of the national government with constitutionally guaranteed powers for state governments within the boundaries of their respective states. In theory, this division of power is clearly delineated and distinguishable. In reality, however, the flow of power has shifted over  time between the federal and state governments and has resulted in alternating periods of cooperation, conflict, and controversy throughout the course of American history. More than 200 years after the signing of the Constitution, Americans continue to disagree about the proper role for these levels of government. Then the student should understand the United States has adopted a federal system for a variety of reasons including our negative experiences with unitary18 (as British colonies) and confederal19 systems (under the Articles of Confederation), the distrust of centralized power, the relative sensitivity of state or local governments to the particular needs and views of their citizens, and the relative efficiency of state or local governments in responding to these needs and views. Advantages to federalism include allowing a variety of â€Å"local† governments to deal with local problems while allowing local voters to hold local officials accountable, permitting more points of access and greater opportunities for political participation, better protections for individual rights, and fewer constraints on innovation. The benchmark also explicitly calls for knowledge of the reasons for the different structures of government at each level, which essentially arise from the differences in needs addressed. Generally stated, the functions of the national government include national defense, monetary policy, and foreign representation. Infrastructure, protection from crime, welfare, education, and other practical needs are more clearly the responsibility of state governments. Sewage, garbage, culture, urban development, and traffic control are usually the tasks of local government. Open-ended questions that teachers might ask in a classroom include: 1. What functions does the federal government have that state governments do not have? Why is there a difference? 2. Why might the different functions of federal, state, and local governments require them to have different organizational structures? 3. Why do states usually leave garbage collection and parking laws up to towns and cities in the state? 4. Why do most cities in America have their own police force? CIVICS STANDARD TWO: Students will understand the principles and ideals underlying the American political system [Politics]. Enduring Understanding Students will understand that: The principles and ideals underlying American democracy are designed to  promote the freedom of the American people. Fundamental ideals are enumerated in the introduction to this standard—individual liberty, freedom of religion, representative democracy, equal opportunity, and equal protection under the law. This is not a complete list of the main ideals of American democracy, but they are umbrella concepts. For example, the principles of limited government and civil rights are means to achieve individual liberty. As with the previous standard, understanding requires answers to the question, â€Å"Why?† Yet the standard calls for a more developed understanding of the meaning and issues involved with liberty and equality. An essential question for this standard as a whole might be, â€Å"Why should people be free?† Fundamental assumptions about the value and competence of human beings and the importance of freedom to human purpose underlie these ideals. These ideals also have a dark side and involve serious tradeoffs and costs. This deeper understanding of American ideals belongs to the free minds of a free people and is required by Civics Standard Two. Civics Standard Two 6-8a: Students will understand that the concept of majority rule does not mean that the rights of minorities may be disregarded and will examine and apply the protections accorded those minorities in the American political system. Essential Questions How might the majority threaten individual and minority rights? Why are citizens protected by the Constitution? Should individual rights be limited? Students should understand that democracy means rule by the people, and that majority votes are just an arbitrary indicator of what the people want. Although that principle is central to the American political system, it is not absolute. People, including large numbers of them (i.e., majorities), sometimes act out of anger, prejudice, or ignorance and are not always well informed. By limiting the principle of majority rule, Americans have attempted to balance the interests of individuals with the common good20. Majority rule places a very important constraint on governmental authority, but it is completely insufficient to protect individual liberty. Every student destined to become an American citizen should understand that the majority can be as much of a tyrant as any dictator. They should understand that the addition of the Bill of Rights21 to the U.S. Constitution was  motivated by the recognition that citizens need protection from abuse of governmental authority, even when the government is theoretically obedient to the will of the majority of the citizens. There are many instances in American history where minority groups once did not receive the same protections as the majority. The benchmark is somewhat misleading in speaking of the â€Å"rights of minorities,† because minorities are not now accorded any more or less rights than members of a majority. What we now call the rights of minorities is founded on individual rights. The Constitution does not specify group rights. So understanding this benchmark really comes down to understanding the meaning and purpose of the Bill of Rights with the expectation that students should also appreciate how these rights protect minorities from discrimination. There are many examples of how minorities were served by political documents and rulings that protected individuals from discrimination. Open-ended questions that teachers might ask in a classroom include: 1. If most people follow one religion, why shouldn’t the government pass a law that restricts the rights of people with other religious beliefs? 2. If most Americans are offended by people who protest a war, why not allow the government to declare protestors â€Å"unpatriotic† and put them all in jail? 3. Why might Americans be unable to prevent newspapers or websites from printing letters that insult other people? 4. What is meant by â€Å"the tyranny of the majority† and why should we fear it? 5. How are minorities protected by individual rights? Civics Standard Two 6-8b: Students will understand the principles and content of major American state papers such as the Declaration of Independence; United States Constitution (including the Bill of Rights); and the Federalist Papers. Essential Questions How are the principles of major American state papers guaranteeing liberty to contemporary Americans? It would be a bit much to insist on an understanding of the whole content of these papers, especially the Federalist Papers22, but students can well achieve an understanding of the main principles reflected in these documents. The overriding principle is individual liberty; most of the other principles concern the means to achieve liberty. The principles of the major state papers are the principles and ideals of  American democracy. The introduction to Civics Standards Two draws specific attention to the fact that â€Å"†¦[t]he American political system was intentionally created to rest on a foundation of individual liberty, freedom of religion, representative democracy, equal opportunity, and equal protection under the law.† Political equality, rights, limited government23, checks and balances, and other principles of American government are pronounced, asserted, and discussed in the state papers. The understanding of the principles called for by this benchmark is the understanding reflected in these papers, which requires some perspective on the times in which they were written. An analysis of what the authors really meant in their assertion of a principle and why they asserted them could help students achieve this benchmark. For example, what did â€Å"all men are created equal† mean at the time of the Declaration of Independence? To truly understand a principle, one must be able to identify its practical applications. Such understanding is addressed more directly in Standard Three, but the focus there is on the Bill of Rights. Students should be able to identify the practical applications of the principles not included in the Bill of Rights. While these principles are sometimes in conflict and while disparities have always existed between the realities of daily life and the ideals of American democracy, the preservation and improvement of American constitutional democracy depends largely on the efforts of each succeeding generation to live up to these principles and narrow the disparities. Open-ended questions that teachers might ask in a classroom include: 1. What is the meaning of â€Å"We the People†? 2. Why is the claim that â€Å"all men are created equal† important to American democracy? How has the meaning of the phrase changed over time? 3. Why was there a debate about whether we should have a strong federal government or not? Should the debate continue? 4. What was the purpose of amending the constitution with the first ten amendments called the Bill of Rights? 5. What was the purpose of the Federalist Papers? 6. Why did the signers of the Declaration of Independence think they had the right to declare independence from Great Britain? Here is a released item from the Social Studies DSTP that illustrates the assessment of this  benchmark. This test item focuses on the inalienable rights stated in the Declaration of Independence and how the Constitution of the United States ensured those rights. The student should provide evidence to support the answer. The item is open ended, which means that there is more than one way to answer this question correctly. The following is an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence: That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it †¦ How did the writers of the U.S. Constitution ensure that the government would not damage the rights stated in the Declaration of Independence? Support your answer with evidence. A student should provide an answer that gives a valid explanation of how the writers of the U.S. Constitution ensured that the government would not damage the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. A student should also include evidence to support the explanation. See the DSTP webpage for more items and sample, annotated student responses. http://www.doe.k12.de.us/aab/social_studies/Social_Studies_item_samplers.shtml CIVICS STANDARD THREE: Students will understand the responsibilities, rights, and privileges of United States citizens [Cit izenship]. Enduring Understandings Students will understand that: Effective citizens are committed to protecting rights for themselves, other citizens, and future generations, by upholding their civic responsibilities and are aware of the potential consequences of inaction. Distinctions between a citizen’s rights, responsibilities, and privileges help to define the requirements and limits of personal freedom. Once again, the why of responsibilities and rights, and the distinction between rights and privileges is central to understanding the standard. American citizens have the right to certain individual freedoms and liberties found in the U.S. Constitution. But, individual freedoms and liberties have limits imposed by the fact that others also have the same freedoms and liberties. Respect for the rights of others, for example, limits some individual actions. Suppose two neighbors are in dispute over a tree growing on one’s lawn that extends shade over the other’s lawn. The man who does not want the shade cannot cut  down his neighbor’s tree, only that part of the tree that hangs over his property. His property rights end at the boundary of his property, and the boundary between the two neighbors extends to other rights as well. American democracy imposes a cost on its citizens. For government to be effective, it must have an effective citizenry that understands what is required to maintain individual freedoms and liberties. Citizens have responsibilities that, if met, ensure the health of American democracy. Citizens should hold governmental officials accountable by: Voting and keeping informed; Contributing to the common defense through military service if necessary; Checking the judicial powers of government and safeguarding the rights of the accused by serving on juries; Contributing to public safety and order by obeying the law and reporting violations of the law; and Performing public service when the need arises. Privileges may be defined by what they are not—they are not rights, and thus a citizen has to earn a privilege. For example, it is not a birthright to drive a car. Driving well benefits society and the driver, continues the privilege, and costs the driver and thus all other drivers less in insurance. Driving poorly or dangerously costs more insurance and may even cause loss of a driver’s license. A classroom discussion with students could elicit other examples. Civics Standard Three 6-8a: Students will understand that civil rights secure political freedom while property rights secure economic freedom and that both are essential protections for United States citizens. Essential Questions In what ways are citizens protected from the government? From each other? How might shared rights lead to conflict between citizens or citizens and the government? To what extent do property rights24 define an individual’s freedom? This benchmark calls for a further elaboration of the ideal of freedom by making a distinction between political and economic freedoms25. At this stage, a student should understand the connection between civil rights and the requirements of democracy, which is the means by which political freedom is secured. Freedom of expression, the right to vote, the right to due process, etc., are clearly necessary to democracy, and thus to  the securing of freedom. Yet the lack of property rights would make even these rights precarious, blurring the distinction between political and economic rights in practice. Some basic property rights can be considered essential protections for political as well as economic freedom. The enormous powers and resources that governments possess pose considerable threats to a relatively defenseless individual. Civil and property rights impose reasonable limits on those who hold power and create the conditions in which fundamental individual liberties might be protected and enjoyed. The center of gravity in this benchmark is the understanding of the connection between property rights and freedom in general. Citizens, by applying civil rights, can acquire property or make economic decisions freely. The student will have to understand the concept of â€Å"economic† freedom to see how property rights relate to the subset of human activities we label economic. In essence, economic freedom is the right to own, use, and dispose of property, but it also involves the right to sell one’s labor. A well-developed understanding would include the realization that property rights can also conflict with freedom, and that they are subject to the same conflicts and tradeoffs as other rights or values and may actually curtail or even deny other people’s liberties (e.g., claiming slaves as property or attempting to keep minorities out of neighborhoods). Open-ended questions that teachers might ask in a classroom include: 1. Why is private ownership of businesses and homes seen as important to freedom? 2. How might the property rights of a business owner threaten the freedom of others? 3. Which is more important: making sure everyone has a job or allowing everyone to choose their job? Why? 4. How do political rights secure political freedom? 5. When might someone’s property rights conflict with the freedom of others? Civics Standard Three 6-8b: Students will understand that American citizenship includes responsibilities such as voting, jury duty, obeying the law, service in the armed forces when required, and public service. Essential Question Why should American citizens perform certain civic duties? â€Å"Responsibilities† is the word that dominates this benchmark. The benchmark lists examples of what citizenship in a democracy requires, and  understanding why each is necessary elaborates the understanding of the general purpose of citizenship responsibilities. The general purpose, of course, is to meet the requirements of freedom. Demands for freedom create the potential for great disorder unless citizens of a free society act responsibly. Open-ended questions that teachers might ask in a classroom include: 1. How can people be free if they have responsibilities like jury duty and possibly military service? 2. Why are people responsible for obeying the law even if they don’t agree with it? 3. Why should we be concerned if many citizens do not vote in most elections? 4. If voting is a responsibility of citizenship, why are citizens not required by law to vote? 5. Do citizens have responsibilities mainly for the good of the government or for the good of their fell ow citizens? CIVICS STANDARD FOUR: Students will develop and employ the civic skills necessary for effective, participatory citizenship [Participation]. Enduring Understandings Students will understand that: Effective citizens can research issues, form reasoned opinions, support their positions, and engage in the political process. Effective governance requires responsible participation from diverse individuals who translate beliefs and ideas into lawful action and policy. There is a change in focus from understanding to skills with the fourth standard, but understanding is necessary to show evidence of such skills on the test. Why is still important, but how and what have equal billing on this standard. Why does a citizen participate? How does a citizen participate in democracy? What does a citizen do? Civics Standard Four requires students to demonstrate and use effectively the skills of a citizen. Such skills include, but are not limited to: Registering to vote; Interacting successfully with government agencies; Organizing and working in civic groups; Researching and advocating a position; or Serving in an office of public trust. Teachers should use activities in the classroom which simulate or model the skills. Civics Standard Four 6-8a: Students will follow the actions of elected officials, and understand and employ the mechanisms for  communicating with them while in office. Essential Questions: Which means for communicating with office holders is usually more effective and why? Why is it important to know about the person and circumstances when communicating with an officeholder? This benchmark moves from becoming informed about candidates to staying informed about elected officials. Student understanding of participation is expected to spiral at the grade 6–8 level so that students acquire the skills and understandings needed to monitor the actions of, and communicate effectively with, officials after they have been elected to office. Understanding the mechanisms for communicating with office holders involves why citizens should communicate and awareness of the available means to communicate and their relative effectiveness. What is an effective method of communication depends on the person in office and circumstances. For example, a citizen just cannot walk to the front door of the White House and ask to see the President (at least not anymore). But a citizen could (and often will) call a school board member or other local official at home to discuss issues of importance. A representative democracy is supposed to function at its best when informed citizens communicate a range of ideas, opinions, desires, and concerns to their representatives so that they might enact prudent public policies and serve in ways that honor and promote the common good. Open-ended questions that a teacher might ask in a classroom include: 1. How does a citizen communicate with a member of Congress? 2. How does a citizen find out what an elected official has done since they were elected?