Political and Cultural Consequences of Neo-Liberalism Essay

Political and Cultural Consequences of Neo-Liberalism - Essay Example This theory suggests that individual entrepreneurial freedom can be achieved inside an institutional framework that is distinguished by strong private property rights, free markets, and free trade. Neo-liberalism, as a theory, requires that the role of the state should be to create and protect the already developed institutional framework. The state, therefore, should set up all the necessary mechanisms such as the military, defence, police, and legal structures to secure such institutions. When this is done, the state would have guaranteed property rights and proper functioning markets. Furthermore, the law of neo-liberalism states that if markets are nonexistent, then the government must create them (Harvey, 2005:1). The state is not supposed to go beyond creation of markets and necessary institutions. This means that the state should not interfere with the markets once created. It should keep a minimal role because according to this theory, the government does not have sufficient knowledge on market undertakings. Moreover, some people in the market may influence state policy for their own gains. Deregulation of market functioning, privatisation of companies, and removal of the government interference have been the strongest terms of neo-liberalism in the world today (Foucault, 2008:2). A neoliberal government is thus committed to instituting and favouring strong individual property rights, effective rule of law for all its citizens, and freely enabled trade. According to the theory, these are the fundamental institutional structures regarded indispensable to guarantee freedom of the market. The market then requires a legal structure that is liberally bargained in terms of contractual efforts among the market players. These contractual obligations between individuals, would lead to the protection of individual rights to freedom of operation, right to expression, and choice. According to the theory of liberalism, therefore, the state has to use its monopoly po wer to supervise and oversee the markets at all costs. On the other hand, while the state ensures individual rights in the marketplace, each person is held accountable and liable for their own wellbeing. The principle of neo-liberalism in many countries has extended into economical, political and social-cultural spheres (Leys, 2001:14). Having neo-liberalism defined in the above discussion, this paper seeks to unveil the political and cultural consequences of neo-liberalism. First, this paper puts the political consequences of neo-liberalism into perspective. Therefore, the political consequences of the theory of liberalism as destroying the global democracy, governance, and security of individuals take centre stage. The political neoliberals have distorted the fundamental pillars of global social organisation. Political neo-liberalism is the interaction between the state organs and individuals to influence choices. It is a form of social structure, which moulds the behaviours and a ctions of individuals. Neo-liberalism as a subset of globalisation has led to neoliberal politics that have caused massive deprivation among the poor in many regions around the world. Moreover, neo-liberalism policies qualify as both positive and negative depending of the degree of application (Leys, 2001:14). Neo-liberalism in most parts of the world has led to the formation of strong fiscal policies. Many governments have had to practice strict criteria in the effort to limit budget deficiencies and debts. Through this practice, most of the states have given priorities to public expenditure. Such that, far from subsidies and other

A Reader's Response to Gilman's If I Were A Man in Gilman's Short Essay

A Reader's Response to Gilman's If I Were A Man in Gilman's Short Story - Essay Example However, she also feels the animosities of men against women. She tries to defend women’s abilities and sensibilities. Most especially, in the ending, Mollie questions how religion attacks women. I can relate to Mollie’s feelings as man, where she awakens to the possibilities of being a human being who has rights and responsibilities. â€Å"If I Were a Man† is about a woman who understands the beauty of being a man. I have not exactly experienced what Mollie felt, because in my family, women are respected as equals of men. Nevertheless, I know women who are treated as chattel. It is the modern times, but some men can be so Neanderthal when it comes to their women. I know men like Gerald, who treat their wives shabbily, because they are women per se. In my experience, some women like Mollie have turned into men, because their men have been debilitated by disease or accidents. As a result, they have to be the breadwinners of their family. I understand how Mollie fe els, because I have also heard about women’s experiences in being figuratively a man and how they felt happier and stronger. As men, these women begin to understand the frivolities of women. Chrissie, a relative of ours, used to love buying the latest fashionable attire, but when her husband becomes paralyzed, because of an accident, she works three jobs to make ends meet. Talking with her no longer revolves around fashion, but around practical matters. Mollie sees hats as silly as a man does: â€Å"And all that money just for hats--idiotic, useless, ugly things!† (Gilman). Chrissie also finds fashion as fleeting and unessential to a woman’s essence. She also cuts her hair, which makes her manlier too, and yet in a vital sense, it has freed her. Chrissie says: â€Å"I cut my hair and I feel and think like a man. I feel so free to do everything I want.† She states that she understand now that a woman’s place should never be in a home only, unless th eir husbands value their contribution and never make them worry about financial conditions. She is a classic example of a woman who has changed her perspective about being a woman. More importantly, these women-turned-man feel tired from each day’s work, but less stressed; in short, they are happier because of the freedoms they have. â€Å"Talking† is a motif in the story. As people came and â€Å"talked† to Gerald, it stands for the political and social empowerment of men. Men can easily interact with other men and talk about political and social issues anytime. They have a â€Å"voice† in society. Marie, a woman whose husband died because of lung cancer, also feels the same way. She says that before, she does not care about social and political affairs, but now she does. She says: â€Å"As a taxpayer, I deserve to know where my money goes.† I realize how being a woman can limit their participation in the public space. Furthermore, Mollie reveals man’s economic power and its role in their self-confidence: â€Å"†¦she felt what she had never felt before in all her life--the possession of money, of her own earned money†¦hers† (Gilman). This statement underscores how a woman feels to have money of her own. She does not have to beg, tease, or wheedle to have money given to them by their husbands. Bills suddenly do not have to be something to be stressed of, but something that can be rid of through hard work and perseverance. These women are stronger, because they have acquired a man’