European Democratic Deficit - 2826 Words

The democratic deficit is a theory developed by scholars in order to illustrate that the European Union and its institutional bodies suffer from a lack of democracy (Wincott, 1998, p. 414). However, there are many definitions of the democratic deficit (Chryssochoou, 2000; Justice, 1996; Warleigh, 2003; Weiler, Haltern Mayer, 1995) depending on the views and approaches of each scholar. Joseph Weilers ‘standard version of the democratic deficit is one of the most common definitions and it is a set of widely-used arguments by academics, scholars and the media (Weiler et al., 1995, cited by Follesdal Hix, 2005, p. 4). It consists of five claims that explain why the EU can be called undemocratic and they are the following: a) there is an†¦show more content†¦9). With regards to the claim that the European Parliament is too weak (the second of Weilers standard version claims), Moravcsik (2002; 2003) emphasises the fact that during the last twenty years, the European Parliament is the institution which have experienced the most reforms, regarding its increase of powers, compare to the Council and the Commission. The latter argument is in fact accurate because ever since the Single European Act (1986), the European Parliament gains more and more power by reforms in every signed Treaty (Moravcsik, 2003, p. 7). Despite that, however, the Parliament is still considered to be weak compared to the other institutions, as it will be analysed later in the essay. Overall, according to Moravcsik, there is no democratic deficit because there is no gap between the national governments and the EU, since his liberal-intergovernmental theory suggests that the EU solely rests on pillars of national economic interest, intergovernmental bargaining and the desire for credible commitments (Wincott, 1998, p. 424). He stresses that the EU should not be compared to a state because it is not one and his key point is that providing the Member States remain the main actors in the EU and the Community stays just an international organisation, there will never be a problem of legitimacy and democratic accountability since the Member states, whose governments are directly elected from the citizens, will be the decision-makers. It could be said thatShow MoreRelatedThe Democratic Deficit And The European Union2195 Words   |  9 PagesThe democratic deficit is a concept invoked in the argument that the European Union (EU) and its variety of bodies suffer from a l ack of democracy and have become seen as isolated from the â€Å"ordinary citizen† as their methods of operation are extremely complex. Over the last two decades we have witnessed an almost continuously ongoing debate regarding the correct constitutional structure for Europe.[ Moravscik, A., (2002), â€Å"In the Defence of the Democratic Deficit: Reassessing Legitimacy in the EuropeanRead MoreThe European Unions Democratic Deficit1800 Words   |  8 PagesThe European Union has greatly evolved over the decades since it has begun into a well-evolved quasi-state of over 28 countries, and over five hundred million citizens. The European Union has been regarded as a method to bring democratic stability and economic prosperity to less developed democracies in East and Central Europe. Although the European Union has a mandate to bring all of these standards, the European Union lacks these basic standards for their overall institution. This structural problemRead MoreDemocratic Deficit in the European Union1819 Words   |  8 Pagesgovernment a ‘good kicking’ during European elections, as seen in the UK, Spain and France, rather than vote on a broad manifesto of ideas. This is fuelled further by MEPs campaigning on local issues rather than European ones.† This is an example of part of the democratic deficit in the Europea n Parliament. To further show how there is a democratic deficit in the European Parliament I will explain how it is largely inaccessible to its European citizens and how the European Parliament lacks the power thatRead MoreA Democratic Deficit Within The European Union Essay1423 Words   |  6 Pageswithin the EU there is a democratic deficit, because there are extensive powers being accumulated by institutions that appear to lack a satisfactory level of legitimacy, are cogent. The question of is there a democratic deficit within the EU, despite having dominated many political debates since the 70s, is prominent in today s society now more than ever as a result of the UKs decision to leave the union, consequently causing the world to develop an growing interest in the European Union and its qualitiesRead MoreThe European Union s Democratic Deficit1771 Words   |  8 PagesThe European Union has greatly evolved over the decades since it has begun into a well-evolved quasi-state of over 28 countries, and over five hundred million citizens. The European Union has been regarded as a method to bring democratic stability and economic prosperity to less developed democracies in East and Central Europe. While the European Union has a mandate to bring all of these standards, the European Union lacks these basic standards for their overall institution. This structural problemRead MoreTackling The Democratic Deficit Between The European Union ( Eu )2859 Words   |  12 PagesThis essay seeks to identify, define and offer practical solutions to tackling the democratic deficit which in the European Union (EU). Apart from the economic issues plaguing the EU, which is most discussed topic, the issue of its democratic deficiency remains undebated. Democracy deficit in the EU in its ordinary meaning means that there is gap between the EU institutions and citizens in the member states of the EU. Recommendations have been put forward to bridge the gap between the EU’s institutionsRead MoreIs the EU Democratic?1411 Words   |  6 PagesThe European Union (EU), since the initial foundation in 1952 as the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and throughout periods of development, has been considered one of the most advanced forms of regional integration. It, based on numerous treaties and resolutions, has strived to promote values such as peace, cooperation or democracy, and in 2012 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for having â€Å"contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe† (NobelRead MoreIs there a democratic deficit in the EU and if so, how might it be reduced?1300 Words   |  6 PagesIs there a democratic deficit in the EU and if so, how might it be reduced? One of the most controversial debates in the history of European Union (EU) is if there is a democratic deficit in the EU. On the one hand, many scholars argued that the democratic deficit exists in the EU. On the other hand, there are other scholars who claimed that there is not a democratic deficit in the EU. In this essay, the writer will support the argument that the democratic deficit in the EU exists and will proposeRead MoreThe European Council And The Council Of Ministers1345 Words   |  6 PagesEssay: ‘The European Council and the Council of Ministers are the best way to ensure democracy in the EU.’ Do you agree? Illustrate your answer with examples. A democratic legislature requires law-makers to be elected by its citizens and present as their representatives. The significance of democratic values in the EU governance. The democratic foundations of the EU have been defined in the Treaty of Lisbon – democratic equality, representative democracy and participatory democracy. ThroughoutRead MoreDemocracy And The European Union1365 Words   |  6 PagesDemocracy in the European Union is as good as it could be. Nowadays democracy is sometimes assumed like pregnancy, in other words meaning that the democracy should be either present or not. However, there could be more or less democracy. In fact, much depends on what one believes should be in the scope of its definition. Furthermore, democracy is not easy to define as its boundaries are unclear. According to Oxford dictionary, democracy is a system of government in which individuals are involved

Essay about Defining and Exploring Buddhism - 470 Words

Defining and Exploring Buddhism Buddhism is one of the major world religions, it is recognized in most countries as a religion, no-one has yet considered that maybe it is a philosophy. We define a religion as having six things, these are: belief in a God, a place of worship, Holy Scriptures or books, rules or guidelines, rites of passage and festivals or special days. So in order to determine Buddhism as a religion we must identify that it has all of these characteristics. However when I do this I find that in theory Buddhism doesnt qualify as a religion as they do not believe in any God and they do not have a place of worship, they do have a monastery but not all Buddhists will visit or live in†¦show more content†¦People would say that Buddhism is not a conventional religion with a clear God and rules but because people follow someones teachings and live by their guidelines it is a religion. Although the point of view in the previous paragraph is completely understandable and valid I disagree and so would many other people. I understand that Buddhism is recognised as a religion all over the world but that doesnt make it so, Buddhists may have shrines in their homes and monasteries but these shrines are for what the Buddha said and believed in they are not for the Buddha as a person they are for what he stands for. This is why the shrines have several symbols on them not just a picture or sculpture of the Buddha; they have flowers for impermanence, pictures of the dead as a sign of reverence and incense to pass on good thoughts and good karma. I agree that many people follow the Buddhas ideas and guidelines help them within their life, but that is all they are, guidelines, if someone was to become a Buddhist but they did not agree with one aspect of what the Buddha said they could just leave it out, or add their own bit in, it would not beShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of. 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September 11 in International Relations Theory Essay Example For Students

September 11 in International Relations Theory Essay September 11 in International Relations Theory Essay An event as epochal as September 11 is bound to provoke theorists of international relations. Over the past year or so, there has been a race in academia to claim the first prize for the best theory to explain the events before and after September 11. The consensus is that the dominant discourse of realism has won, because it conceives of conflict and destruction as natural in an anarchical world (from Thomas Hobbes ;anarchical state of nature;). It also justifies Americas threatening military actions after the terror strikes as a natural form of behavior of strong states, which always bully the weak into compliance to serve the formers selfish interests. The more interesting contest is among the alternative theories to realism. It is a race for second prize, and the main competitors are feminism, globalism/neo-Marxism and pluralism. Feminism The fundamental premise of feminism is that international politics is a ;mans world and a gendered activity. Gender is a social construction based on ideas of autonomy, objectivity, sovereignty and virtu (Niccolo Machiavelli), of which only men and masculine states are allegedly capable. Writing after September 11, feminist novelist Arundhati Roy encapsulated this critique, saying, Women of the world stand between two extremes, both represented by androcentrism, Rambo culture and patriarchy Osama bin Laden and George Bush. Bin Laden reportedly has 42 wives and is a defender and instigator of Taliban-style hardline Islamic structural violence against women. Bush heads the most conservative American administration since Ronald Reagan, pursuing vested interests of the military-industrial complex and giant oil multinationals that extort women in the Third World (a line favored by Marxist feminism). Realist dogmas and metaphors of war of every man against every man and stag hunt (Jean Jacques Rousseau) have been pursued vigorously by the US government since September 11, accompanied by a culture of manliness and glorification of soldiers and ultra-patriotic themes in the media. Imperial brotherhoods (Robert Dean) among mujahideen and the Bush cabinet are waging destructive wars to quench their fanaticism and male egotism. Some feminists see the World Trade Center itself as a symbol of male capitalist egotism which ran into another kind of Arabic male chauvinism on September 11. Feminists also like to point out that the majority of women in the world, including Palestinians, mourned the deaths of innocents in the terror attacks, and called for a foreign policy of reconciliation instead of revenge. But state-centric military security orthodoxy dominates the discourse and active voicing of peace by women has been relegated to peripheral activity and condescendingly dismissed as human interest stuff (Ann Tickner). The outcome is that human security and common security, an all-encompassing concept including domestic non-violence, is sorely lacking as the US prepares for more wars. Feminist scholars have particularly lamented how the US has compromised with chauvinist male warlords in Afghanistan, who are only a shade better than the Taliban, and which is still claiming for propaganda value that American military action emancipated Afghan women. Feminist interventions since September 11 have labelled the event and its aftermath as an instance of patriarchal technology of destruction and domination. They urge a dire need to transform the realist paradigm and to include one half of the worlds population in deciding on foreign policy so that a more harmonious world and a ;just peace; can be arrived at. However, feminism has no unified tenor. Despite using phrases like ;sexual terrorism; (Dorothy Roberts) as a much bigger threat to human security than Islamic terrorism, feminists are a highly divided lot, with competing visions of ;radical feminism;, ;white Western feminism;, ;ecological feminism;, ;post-modern feminism;, et al. Feminist international relations deconstruct realist policies with gusto, but offer no alternative model for transforming practice of world affairs. .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 , .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .postImageUrl , .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 , .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78:hover , .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78:visited , .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78:active { border:0!important; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78:active , .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78 .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u59e0bc90eb53a83adf499263efd76e78:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Philosophy - Plato Essay Can a superpower be realistically expected to simply ;forgive; and ;heal; terrorists who killed nearly 3,000 people in one single day? Feminists seem to be putting forth a chimerical ideal. Globalism/Neo-Marxism Globalism/Neo-Marxism is a structural theory that rates economics, not security, as the driving force of international relations. Under-development of Third World states leads to ;dependency; on rich industrialized states, which exploit the peripheral states through an integrated capitalist system. Saudi Arabia, which produced .