PHI THETA KAPPA

How does affluence affect political and civil liberties?

Study Questions

1. To what extent is religious pluralism a prerequisite for affluence?
2. Is political liberty necessary for affluence? Is affluence necessary for political liberty? How has this changed over time? Does your answer change if you consider other civilizations?
3. To what extent has America’s affluence contributed to the rise of lobbyists?
4. How has the affluence of nations affected their political organizations and the ways those organizations function?
5. In what ways is affluence a necessary ingredient in post-USSR Russia and its former republics?
6. What factors contribute to sustained affluence in a society?
7. To what extent does the distribution of wealth have to be relatively equal to sustain socialism in Latin American nations? To what extent is this true for other political and economic ideologies?
8. Is affluence necessary for a candidate to be elected to political office in the United States?
9. In what ways does corporate affluence supersede political affluence?
10. To what extent do we trade civil liberties for affluence?
11. To what extent is terrorism funded by the affluent?
12. Have political liberties preceded or succeeded affluence for disenfranchised groups (e.g., non-propertied white males in the European Middle Ages, Black Americans in the early 20th century, American women, South Africans under Apartheid)

Honors in Action

Project description: Research an environmental issue related to the paradox of affluence. Conduct a public awareness campaign on an environmental issue of concern to your community, such as alternative energy sources, graffiti, or recycling. Hallmarks addressed: Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Fellowship

Project description: Document the top ten lobbyists in Washington for the years 2006 and 2007. Whom did they represent? To what extent were they influential and successful in their endeavors? What leadership lessons can you learn from their work and from those candidates they supported? What was their impact on the political and civil liberties of the average American? To what extent did affluence guide the lobbyists’ actions? Develop poster presentations of your research for display in your Student Union and library and publicize the exhibit to your college and community. Hallmarks addressed: Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship

Project description: Examine the impact of wealth distribution, crime, and civil liberties in Venezuela both before and after Hugo Chavez took office. What factors influenced the growth of socialism in the country? Which of these factors has been the most significant factor? Share your research with your college and community by hosting an issues forum and dialogue on campus. Hallmarks addressed: Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship

Project description: Research and prepare a PowerPoint presentation about a terrorist/freedom fighting organization such as al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, African National Congress or the Ku Klux Klan. What are the organization’s goals in terms of political and civil liberties? What is its purpose? Who are its leaders, and how effectively do they articulate their vision? How does it recruit its members? What tactics does the organization use to secure and/or subvert political and civil liberties? Work with a political science professor on your project and an active learning exercise to accompany it, and share your presentation and exercise with a political science class to promote further exploration of the paradox of affluence. Hallmarks addressed: Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship

Project description: Organize and host a panel discussion on the United States’ Bill of Rights. To what extent have our rights changed in the years since the Bill of Rights was ratified? To what extent are Americans willing to forego liberties, even though doing so may diminish their affluent lifestyles? What leadership lessons can you learn from examining the history of the Bill of Rights and these issues related to that history? Develop a presentation on the Bill of Rights from your research to present to a local elementary school class. Hallmarks addressed: Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship

Project description: Research non-violent movements and civil disobedience leaders through history. Do the movements require the same levels of funding as armed rebellion? What political and civil liberties did they seek? What accounts for their successes or failures? Who are the leaders and what characterized their leadership? Prepare a workshop or presentation for middle school students studying world history. Hallmarks addressed: Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship

Project description: Do a trend analysis that spans several global presidential campaigns. Which candidates received the most contributions? What percentage of those contributions was from individuals? What percentage was from corporations? Was there a correlation between funds collected and winning the election? For campaigns in the United States, what has been the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the McCain Campaign Reform limitations? Share your findings with fellow students at forums where you can also register people to vote. Hallmarks addressed: Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship

Project description: Investigate the changes that have occurred in post-Soviet Russia in terms of affluence and civil liberties. To what extent does a relationship exist between political changes and changes in affluence and civil liberties? Present your conclusions in a presentation to fellow Phi Theta Kappa members in a chapter meeting, district, or regional event. Hallmarks addressed: Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship

Bibliography

Barber, Benjamin. Jihad Vs. McWorld: How Globalism and Tribalism are Reshaping the World. 1996.

Barber argues global capitalism works against the concept of citizenship, and that self-determination, one of the principles of democracy, unchecked, can become tribalism. Barber’s solution is the development of civic spaces where people can practice true citizenship.

Fleming, Maria, ed. Southern Poverty Law Center. A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America. 2000.

This is the story of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s work to secure political and civil rights for those who are disenfranchised in the United States.

Freedom House. Freedom in the World 2007: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties. 2007.

Freedom House’s annual survey has been published since 1972. This book compares global political and civil liberties in the contemporary world. Similar books are available for years prior to 2007.

Gurstein, Penny and Leonora Angeles, eds. Learning Civil Societies: Shifting Contexts for Democratic Planning and Governance. 2007.

This work is a series of essays about the choices, challenges, and consequences of planning a civil society. The authors argue planning for a civil society is particularly crucial as world population grows in the 21st century.

Nakaya, Andrea C., ed. Examining Issues Through Political Cartoons - Civil Liberties and War. 2005.

Nakaya highlights sixteen political cartoons about the suspension of civil liberties during wartime in the United States. The book contains commentary about each cartoon from both the editor and each cartoonist.

Nutley, Sandra M., Isabel Walter, and Huw T. O. Davies. Using Evidence: How Research Can Inform Public Services. 2007.

This is a text that introduces research techniques and explains how to use evidence to become more effective in civic engagement pursuits.

Schoen, Douglas E. The Power of the Vote: Electing Presidents, Overthrowing Dictators, and Promoting Democracy Around the World. 2007.

This is Schoen’s memoir of his work as a campaign consultant for more than thirty years and the leadership lessons he has learned on his journey.