An Essay
Within democracies, political dissent and different views are welcomed as a part of the political system. We see many different values and beliefs when it comes to different aspects of society. In this essay, I will begin to explain the differences between three different democracies. I will analyze the democracy of America, the UK, and France on four different levels. The areas include economic values, religious values, foreign influence and the relationship between government and religion. The study where they polled these nations comes from the text 'Cases in Comparative Politics', (O'Neill, Fields, Share) and the study was done in 2007. It is important to state these differences and study these nation’s values, because it reflects the way in which these nations go about governing themselves. It’s crucial to figure out the way these values have been shaped through not only a historical lens, but a contemporary lens.
All three of these nations have different forms of governing when it comes to their economy. The UK has a more socialist economy with the government providing many jobs and services, but also has a mix of private enterprise and a free market system. They tend to value their economic success based on how their government controls spending and the amount of jobs the government can or cannot provide at a given time. This leads many citizens to believe that their economic success is within their grasp and can easily be managed through government intervention. This is why the UK lists #3 in their confidence of their control over their economic success, with 56% of the population believing economic success is in their control. This shows a broad confidence among citizens in the UK that their government can control the economy effectively with intervention mixed with a free market.
The U.S. ranks #1 on the confidence in their ability to control their economy with 64% of the population agreeing that it is in their control. This seems odd in a system where government intervention is seen as overbearing and the market is to basically fend for itself in rough economic times. There is an explanation for this though. Americans believe that economic success is in their control because American’s tend to believe that anybody can succeed in the free market system. They thrive on the idea that opportunity to succeed financially does not discriminate against anyone regardless of class or social status. Although this has been proved to be a fallacy with many social and economic restraints on many in the lower class, it is a fundamental value and part of the American dream. The idea that anybody with enough will and determination can succeed co-insides with the idea that the American economy as a whole is controllable. Through American society’s collective grouping of successful entrepreneurs and businessmen, they believe economic success is not out of grasp. It’s the idea that one’s economic success is controllable therefore the nation’s economic success can only mirror this.
France ranks #4 on this list with 48%, right under that of the UK. The economy of France is much like that of the UK, but maybe even a little more socialist and government regulated. There is a very strong state in France and confidence that the government is there to take care of the disenfranchised and the overall handling of the economy is strong. This is reinforced with the long standing history of strikes and mass protests French citizens hold upon any piece of legislation or program that’s unpopular. This gives many citizens great confidence that they have the power to control and shape their government economically and their own economic success. Through the public’s powerful influence over the government’s policies and it’s politicians, they view economic success as something that is quite manageable.
When it comes to the foreign influence of these countries, both Britain and France have no history of foreign influence, while America was colonized up until the American Revolution. All three of these countries were imperial powers, colonizing and controlling much of the world before the mid 1900’s. They were the foreign influence then and today remain to be among the most influential actors in the international scene. This is reflected with the percentage of their population’s fear over foreign influence. All three rank in the bottom half of the list, with the United States at 62%, the United Kingdom at 54%, and France at 52%. The fact that the United States was once a colony itself is reflected in it being the highest in ranking over the fear of foreign influence among these three nations. What attributes to America’s confidence in autonomous governance and lack of foreign influence is the fact that America is a world superpower and still today remains to be influential over much of the world. This would make it hard for many American’s to truly fear their role in the world when it comes to their international stance.
When it comes to religious values, all three of these nations have varying positions. The United States for example is #5 on the list with 57% of the population believing that one must believe in God to be moral. This is a reflection of the deeply religious values that pertain much of the south and the rural areas in America. The idea that religion and morals go hand in hand is one that’s been a part of American culture since those escaping religious persecution came to America during its founding. Many American citizens believe that faith is a vital part to one’s character, with 3 out of 4 people saying they would not vote for a president who did not believe in God. This shows the deeply religious foundation America has and wants to maintain for future generations and its leaders.
Now the UK and France both rank at the bottom two on this list, with the UK having only 22% of the population and France taking dead last with 17% of the population believing that one has to believe in God to be moral. This shows a fundamental difference between these two nations and that of America. This can be attributed to that both countries having a long standing history of being ruled by a Monarchy, with a Queen or King that derived their power from ‘God’. While in the UK, gradual deterrence of the Monarchy’s power can be seen through passage of legislation like the Magna Carta and other various increases in the Prime Minister and government’s power, France’s history was much more violent. The French Revolution which resulted in the mass majority of French citizens revolting against the King and the Monarchy’s power, and the Reign of Terror all attest to the French citizen’s lack of trust in religious institutions. This is reflected in France having a lower level of faith in the morality of religion, showing that only 17% of the population having a belief in the moral guidelines religious people hold.
These statistics above are paralleled with the surveys done on the amount of people agreeing whether or not religion and government should be kept separate. While in America only 55% believe that government and religion should be kept separated (ranking #8). France tops the list with 72% of the country believing likewise. The UK ranks fifth, with 66% of the population. With the historical backgrounds of violent religious uprisings, and the general ideals of democracy and self government, both the UK and France show a larger percentage of citizens supporting the idea of the separation between religion and government. America on the other hand, even with the founding fathers basing the entire American constitution on the idea of separation of church and state (due to fear of the rule of another King like the rule that they had under the British), we see a much lower percentage believing likewise. This in my opinion is because Americans see less of a threat of religious institutions due to the lack of historical conflict between religion and the state. Americans tend to trust their religious figures and institutions much more than France or the UK, which is completely understandable based on the differences in their nation’s histories alone.
All three of the nations today are world leaders, being widely influential around the world through politics and culture. Their legacies and histories will be studied for centuries to come as the founders of contemporary and civil democracy. Their political, religious and economic values may differ, but all in all, each nation has proven the capability of becoming world leaders in finance, industry and power. To understand and to analyze their past gives us a key to perceiving their modern day situations with greater ease and comprehension. Without understanding these nation’s histories, it’d be impossible to understand their present, and difficult to predict the guidelines in which these nations would pursue in the future.
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