Social Media Effecting Political Democracies World Wide Media Essay

companionable Media Effecting Political Democracies World Wide Media EssayThis stem will render to distinguish the connections in the midst of democratization and teaching and communications. The family will be addressed by focusing mainly on how the advancement of technology, in this case hearty media, has effected, and is effecting, policy-making democracies gentleman wide. In order to discuss the connections of democratisation and fond media I will introductory attempt to provide a definition for res normala and the crop of democratization. The essay will save discuss disparate scenarios in various countries that consider each led to the declination of political empires, or assisted the rig step up of a political checky, through and through and through the involvement of cordial media. Further to a greater extent than, these trip ups will be supported by discussing the contrasting discovers of a cyber-utopian versus a cyber-cynic, i.e. Clay Shirky versu s Evgeny Morozov, respectively. common riches and its rootsIn order to understand democracy, it needs to be be and c atomic number 18 most creations it is relative, exchangeable Clinton once quoted depends on how you define democracy. agree to Ivo Mosley democracy is g anywherenment by and for all the deal which lite collect meaning the commonwealth rule. How ever so the definition has evolved through history, which is why it is necessary to effect to its origins tracing it into the present. (Charles Tilly, 2007, Democracy, Cambridge University Press, New York).The watchword democracy originates from a Greek word demokratia and literally kernel people- military force and this in itself is ambiguous. The ambiguity of the term aroused head words much(prenominal) as did the power do workually belong to the concourse or special qualified individual citizens? Many theorists believed that the word demokratia was a term victimized by enemies of democracy, said to be the elite class who were against beingness out voted by laymen who were classed to be economically and sociablely inferior. (http//www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_01.shtm) nonwithstanding, over the centuries democracy rose, fell and wide-ranging in character, where and when it multiplied (Charles Tilly, 2007). In the eighteenth century despite not being delimitate as democracy, the US showed interest in experimenting with the doctrine of natural freedom and equality. Their Constitution administrated a authorities elected by the masses and took into account to protect civilized rights and liberties to virtually extent. (Jacqueline Newmyer, Present from the start John Adams and America, Oxonian Review of Books, 2005, vol 4 issue 2). By the 19th century many an(prenominal) European governings follow the Greek break openicipatory cast. They made effort to provide equality and citizen rights.Democracy, as a excogitation, do-nothing be molded accord to lo cal needs, so far is not a blueprint that cigarette be copied and pasted in all regions of the globe. It did, however, gain touristyity almost the 20th century by and by WWII many newly countries came into being collectable to decolonization, when democracy as a concept caught on, not be bring on it was a norm the humanity valued, that because it was used as a weapon against the threat of communism. This was in addition the basis of the onset of the dusty war. It was the war of ideologies, and democratization of the newly independent landed estates begun. As Potter decl atomic number 18d why has democratization been a strong impulse in some countries, a weaker or non-existent impulse in new(prenominal)s? (1997, Democtatization, Blackwell, pg.1) He then defined democratization as political changes moving in a elective direction (pg 3). Webster (2011) stated in his lectures that democracy is on the march, majority of the introductions states are this winking democr atic. Amartya Sen (1999) defined democracy as A universal value. consort to freedom house (2006) 47% of countries in the world are classified as free.Though the statistics show that the concept of democracy is being enforce rough the globe, it is difficult to adapt in some parts of the world. nitrogen Korea being i of the controversial cases where they state that the untaught is officially the democratic peoples re semi earthly concern of Korea. match to modern economists North Korea is strikingly different as it is cut off from the existing world as they live in their own separate reality, where the leaders of the solid ground maintain complete witness and the masses bring restricted freedom of expression any atomic number 53 opinionated against the regime usher out be detained.Many theorists including Potter and Barber discuss the in the popular eye(predicate) of different political regimes in terms of strong and week democracies, in like manner known as liberal an d partial economy that lead to either the jump out or the fall of economies. The USA being a outpouring example a capitalistic and democratic country enforcing democratization on nations as a tool to gain world dominance, or fifty-fifty to maintain their existing status as the global super-power. However the style of public expression, which is being enhanced through the earnings and its various means of communication, is decorous a more accurate stool of democratic thought. kind mesh topologying sites much(prenominal) as Facebook, Orkut, Hi5, chirrup, and even blogs has evolved to allow civil society to live on more active in the governance in its countries. It has encouraged the process of bringing astir(predicate)(predicate) a tool that enhances democracy through the true(p) will of the people, even in strong dictatorship regimes.Within research, academics father attempted to explore civil society to explain processes of democratization by reference to societal co ntext (laurence white head, 2002, democratization, theory 7 experience, oxford univeristy press). Macmillan defines civil society as the part of society that consists of organizations and institutions that look after people, their health and their rights. It does not include government of the family e.g NGOs, research institutes, e.t.c. http//www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/civil-society This leads to an interest concept explored by Habermas which reflects suspicions on grocerys cleverness to answer democracys needs the public sphere concept that aids civil society to communicate. It focuses on friendly democratic perspective on culture and society. Where citizens flock exhaust in concert and freely express their opinons. Webster lecture 2011). Benkler (2007123) foucses on meshwork as matchless of the strong mediator to public sphere. which then gives birth to the emanation of fond media in bestowing a spanking role in deciding the faith of these democrat ic nations.Gary C. Gibson December 20, 2007 a bloggist defined Democracy is about individual liberty and political primacy corporatism and other course of studys of neo- bossyism such as fondist economy are about the primacy of collectives under the authority of elites. other bloggist Rahman Haq March 21, 2008 stated Democracy is a beautiful concept not particularly for its extensional implication that tack togethers the majority opinion into context but kinda due to the values and specimens that constitute the bundles of liberties derivative of the concept. While Rayne Brit may 13 2008 commented that One of the most fantastic parts about democracy is freedom of speech everyone likes freedom of speech unless someone speaks in contradiction to them. scarcely that is the beauty of our constitution it allows diversity of opinion. http//www.helium.comThe key elements in this process of a public sphere are communication and selective teaching. How important are these to democra cy and what is the link between them?The power of Communication/ learning and the birth of companionable mediaIn the modern society we live in, communication and reading have rapidly built great importance and brought about a move heighten in different sectors. (McNair, 20061). The information society plays a vital role in the development of the modern social analysis (webster, (2004), The Information Society Reader Routledge). The fast paced wide spreading of globalization and the acclivity of the network society have led this modern society to heavily depend on them, impperforming the society to rely on informative communication networks that possess knowledge and views to either built or unbuilt trust, the decisive stemma of power. Power being the utmost important process in the society. (Communication Power, Manuell). According to Webster (2004, 2) in the wider society, the idea that we are entering a new information age, or knowledge society, is a common place. Max Webe r defines social power as the probability that one actor within a social relationship will be in a scene to carry out his own will, despite resistance, regardless of the basis on which this probability rests (1978,53).The ideology of social democracy a leftists political philosophy, which seeks to crystalise capitalism in line with principals of social justice, musical composition upholding capitalistic approach shot of production, instead of creating a an entirely new socialist economic establishment has been the essence of debates of information. When analyzed it prominently panes out the disadvantages of capitalism when providing information to its viewing audience in that respectby suggesting that the commercialize shapes diversion, gossip and trivia, while being inadequate to planning reliable news. In retaliation, the social democratic approach would recommend the state to intervene to make sure that the information requirements delivered to the public could be ad equately met. Hence, it is understood as social democratic because of the inclination of the state intervention. A insurance as such could be considered, by many, an inescapable interpolation to tension seen as many of the advocates are impressionable to the growing of the spin within the literate society, the development of what they have galvanized as an antagonistic market to its inadequacies. Moreover Webster criticizes the disputation that the market cannot be relied upon to produce information essential to support a healthy democracy.A clear example that supports the argument of subjective and questionable informative medium is the invention of Wikipedia. A popular multilingual encyclopedia promoting free content and writers to contribute to this content from around the world. What makes it interesting is that anybody can edit an obligate, accustomed the right references, using a wiki markup language eventually leading to a well balanced article including all the pros an d cons. Even though Cass Sunstein10 and Brian Leither, 11 oppose citing Wikipedia, Sunstein (in Webster about Sunstein, 20062), states Wikipedia as an example of collective intelligence. Thus, indicating the decrease in the necessity of a public sphere. Ludovic Denoyer, Patrick Gallinari, Volume 40 Issue 1, June 2006ACM New York, NY, USAThis clearly emphasizes on Friedrich Hayeks theories of defending the free market system. He supported the principle that every human has rights and is free to make their choices. He argued against that the public sphere concept as he believed that all marchs made by the consumers give messages to the market that are later adapted by them, he argued in favour of capitalism, Hayek (20028). Jimmy Wale stated Hayeks work is central to my own cerebration about how to manage the Wikipedia project. However John Gray (1948) belonged to the conservative sort out who argued that free market can break order. He argued it is most open that changing the di verse world economy, on the basis of the singular model of the free market, would be an impossible task to carry out. The diversity of cultures around the world should be a self-evident reflection of the global varied economies. Thereby it would be safe to state that all economic systems are imperfect no one system is universal, thus any attempt to do so would impart in a disaster. Yet the conjuring trick that the free market can and should be adopted throughout the world became for a while a litmus test of sound thinking, not completely on the neo-liberal right but also in the ranks of the nucleus left.http//www.scribd.com/doc/7221539/John-Gray-on-Free-Markets-Not-for-the-First-TimeIn the modern Information Age that we have entered, there is an effort to enhance brainpower by globally providing informarmation services and by implemention the power of computation as and when needed http//www.cnri.reston.va.us/what_is_internet.html. Technological innovations have given birth to i nformation and communication mediums like picture, radio, telephone etc. but one of the most powerful and upcoming media tool, a persona to the network society is the Internet. This is considerably different from the old traditional ways, this allows more interactivity and many-to-many communication, ratherthan one-to-many. (THE PUBLIC SPHERE, SOCIAL NETWORKS AND PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA, Petros Iosifidis, 31 January 201). This impacts the youth mainly gen Y and Z the focal users of this political program when they find overflowing information and rely on just this medium for rational. Murru (2009, p. 143) contributes to this thought by adding, in online contexts anyone can potentially push the role of speaker with practically no cost, thus multiplying the source of news and freeing the flux of communication and information from any sort of system control (economic or political). Webster (2010) discusses that this overflow can lead to fragmentation of users creating information coco ons that filter undesirable information.According to Losifidis (2010) the ever existent Habermasian concept of the national public sphere as discussed antecedent is now said to have given birth to a multi-dimensional platform of online and social networks. The idea of networking is not new Websters dictionary dates the term to 1940. However these networks are now rapidly growing to become significant in engrossing and influencing citizens and also playing a vital role in the communication process within which realistic and legitimate discussion takes place. He come along argues that the internet and new media in terms of social media is being mis represented by extreme exaggeration and it represents technical optimism due to reasons like chaotic open to all policy, censorship, inclusiveness, partisan content, and most importantly the absence of the very essence of the public sphere extensive dialogue and slender discussion.As social media is the new phenomenon taking over the wo rld it is liberal birth to new jargons like infosphere, blogosphere, twittersphere. Participants find this platform as an ideal place to start discussions mainly on public debate and social change. Stumpel (2009) in contrast emphasizes that these new online forums, which allows people to unite in discussions to interchange veiws and knowledge either political or economical even censorious in nature portrays a patten of similarity to Habermass concept of the public sphere. He argues that forums like facebook, twitter, myspace and other net spheres are public places that are outside state control where public-minded rational consensus can be developed.This far-flung of information is worrysome for some. Webster (200476) stresses that the society must prevent them from being misled as expert developments are always socially mediated. Fukuyamas fears that over flow of information in the society will substitute the traditional community based on religion, tradition, race or culture with the modern community based on a formal social contact among rational individuals (ibid7)But can the Net act as a public sphere where full of life discourse can emerge and influence political action?The power of Social media and it effect on democracyAs we experience the rise of the communication platform, there seems to be a tremendous increment in the participants to engage in public speeches which is portrayed through blogsphere and more interestingly different events have contributed to the public taking collective action by using these advance technology mediums.In 2001, when the congress voted to protect the death chair of Philippines President Joseph Estrada and set aside crucial evidence against him, the citizens of Philippines in kindle fended against their corrupt chairman. Just as the decision was announced, they arranged a rally Go to EDSA wear black to mourn the death of democracy through simple forwarded text messages which later counted close to seven million . Shortly millions of people arrived, causing a shut take down of traffic in Manali. This ability of the public to arrange such a tremendous response threatened the legislators of the country and they allowed the evidence to be presented. In 3 mean solar mean solar days on this protest Estrada was gone. this was the first time social media had aided to play a part in a democratic nation to lead to a downslope of a national leader. Estrada himself blamed the text-messaging generation for his downfall. (clay shirky)Since then this strategy has been on the roll. A similar case took place In Spain in 2004 after the Madrid train bombing where text messages aided to the downfall of Spanish Prime Minister Jos Mara Aznar who inaccurately blamed basque separatists for the act while the protesters who belived that it was the doings of Al Queda forwarded the phrase who did it and arranged anti-govenment rallies on the day before the spring election http//mason.gmu.edu/cuytioco/papers/edsa2 cellphones.pdf. The Communist Party doomed power in Moldova in 2009 when massive protests coordinated in part by text message, Facebook, and chirrup broke out after an ostensibly fraudulent election.It is widely discussed by many theorists that the internet has provided an open melodic phrase of free communication of information that has come to be known as social media tools, which would include the very popular social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Facebook initially being invented as a means for introduction amongst university students and further networking is now rapidly becoming notorious for open communication for people to connect their political views and thoughts. Another example is that of the Twitter Revolution In Tunisia, in reaction to a street hawker setting himself on fire, for which it was banned in the country. The revolt was being rallied and coordinated through the social site ultimately bringing protesters to the streets, and tolling up to 7 0 people being shot by the police.. Consequently, the revolution led the president of Tunisia to abandon his post.Tunisia has only been the initial instigation of this fire which is spreading throughout the substance eastward and Northern African countries. These sites are now fuelling younger generations to turn away from broadcast media one-to-many communication of information and through the inclination towards these sites finally becoming more involved in voicing their opinions via the many-to-many communication of information amongst themselves.A further chair of this is evident in the reaction of the Libyan government as they have banned the social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, from their local internet services on state orders. The radical action can be interpreted that even the libyan state is beginning to recognize the extent to which these media tools are evolving to becoming a loud utter echoing in the public spheres.One of the main roles that has bee n played by the social media is that of a watchdog and whistleblower. Furthermore in many other cases public has taken aid from these social media tools to succeed in their protests. Another social media phenomenon that is gaining popularity widely in whistle blowing is through viral media. A prime example is the major protest and lawsuits the Catholic Church go about for child abuse and rape. In 2002 The Boston Globe exposed internal abuse in the church that spread like viral online in just a few hours. Furthermore there are so many cases now that can be found on a new social platform Wikileaks. According to BBC it is a whistle blowing website now actively effecting news. Anonymous submission are published and leaked on different area of debate. http//www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10757263According to shirky (2010) The potential of social media lies mainly in their support of civil society and the public sphere. As I mentioned earlier that these tools can either aid or fail in fo rtune the activists protest, many such cases have failed to produce positive results like in March 2006 in Belarus streets were full of protest which was arranged partly by email against their President Aleksandr Lukashenkos for vote rigging however the activists failed which led to the president to actively control social media. Similarly in 2009 during the month of June when the unfledged movement was rising the activists in Iran tried very hard by using to protest against the miscount of votes for Mir Hossein Mousavi by using all sorts of technological coordinating tools but failed miserably.The use of social media tools text messaging, e-mail, photo sharing, social networking, and the like cannot be foreseen or predicted to any foretell outcome. Thus, any attempts to create an outline on their respective effects in the political study are more often than none to duelling anecdotes. Let us take a look at Barrack Obamas presedentail online campaign of 2004 for instance. Castel ls (Volume II, 2004379) states that it is also passing used in politics by describing Obamas internet campaign as an example. The use of social media tools enabled Obama to initially overcome a large designate of the presidential nominating race and his ability to embrace the social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, was considered different which became advantageous to his campaign. This approach was considered so successful that consort to professor Thomas Patterson of Harvard University, Mr Obamas use of social media tools has led to mobilise younger generation. This has been considered a group which has traditionally been uninterested in politics, according to. http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7412045.stmThis makes us wonder do these digital tools enhance or destroy democracy?Cyber-Utopians vs. Cyber-CynicsCyber-utopian optimist Clay Shirky in his paper The Political Power of Social Media, that appeared in the foreign affair magazine, (http//www.economist.com/blogs/bab bage/2011/01/politics_and_internet) makes a great distinction between the insturmental view and the environmental view of inetrnet freedom. He describes the instrumental approach as a means to avoid states from aiding censorship of external websites like, youtube, google, e.t.c. and thereby focuses more on the public spheres, emphasizing on the citizens speech and all the uses of digital media by private and social standards. An example that supports this was the call for anti-censorship software by Hillary Clinton, Americas secretary of state, in January 2010. This would particularly support the usage of sites such as Wikipedia and Google in states like Iran give Burmese activists the freedom to blog without racket to blog allow the Chinese public to utilise the use of instant messaging systems without being monitored, among many others. However the challenges of anti-censorship software programs like Freegate and censorship-circumvention softwares like Haystack portray the hardsh ip to weaponize social media to pursue country-specific and near-term policy goals.Many would argue that instrumental media overestimates the value of one-to-many form of communication information i.e. broadcast media while at the same time underestimating the value of many-to-many form of media communication of information i.e. social media tools including the internet. Instrumental media does provide a minuscule benefit to the freedom of information that it provides -confidential government information can get leaked through the open channels of information however it does not encompass to the freedom of speech or assembly, which in turn the internet does provide. The popular belief about social media is a long-term tool to modulate the civil society and the public sphere.The environmental view is the contradictitary outlook to internet freedom. A ground basis for internet freedom and environmental view is the gradual development of the public sphere which works like a foru m of open to all opinions while relying on conversation information and media. Contrary to the Wests self-acclaimed view of holding the source code for democracy, the environmental view would assume that minor change occurs in political spheres without adoption of the ideas and opinions which rophy in public sphere. The viewpoint professes that the inlet to information does not play as big of a vital role as the admittance to conversation. Furthermore, a public sphere is more likely to emerge as a result to the masses dissatisfaction towards economic factors in a country rather than some obscure political ideals.In contrast to Shirky, the cyber-cynic Evgeny Morozov disagrees, and states that while social media may have helped, its not clear how much it in truth contributes. According to an article in the Guardian that analysed Morozovs The Net Delusion, he argues that, if read between the lines when praising technology and its advancements, you can decypher a misinterpretation of the internets political role and potential, through the combination of ignorance and a sense of utopianism. This idea was further elaborated to state that if careful measures are not ensued, the democratising power of new media will not promote democracy and freedom of thought, but an entrapment of authoritarian regimes around the globe. Critisizng cyber-utopianism, Morozov further believes that contrary to popular belief the internet is not emancipatory, and supports it through the arguement of the widely misguided belief in the example such as the one of Twitter-powered Green Movement of Iran in 2009 (pointing out figures that on the actual eve of the said elections, the participating numbers did not rise above 20,000 users), stretching it to larger heights of naive hopes that international characterisation through the new media will bring a diminishing result of violence in areas around the world such as that of Africa and the Middle East. http//www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/ja n/09/net-delusion-morozov-reviewMorozovs arguement emphasizes the insignificant contribution of the social media tools whereas Shirky promotes the idea that however small the contribution may be the governments should accept it and promote the communication of many-to-many as it is an reflexion of democracy. With the growing numbers of the West where social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are used among the masses, in the East it is only a little percentage that have access, or the ability, to use it. Having said that, no division how insignificant the numbers may appear to be at this point in time Shirkys arguement brings more to the debate as it is an escalating factor which supports the point that the public sphere, through social media tools, do play a rising role in todays democratic states around the world. Morozovs arguement supporting misguided beliefs about the cyber-utopians who cannot bring about any change in world, can also be refuted that in the short-run it m ay not display discriminating figures of revolution supporters, or how it affects political stance, but in many countries where the social media tools is used on a day-to-day basis it surely can take the initial step to creating awareness which could, in the long-run, create a stir in a mass so large that it cannot be ignored by any democratic country. These tools probably do not hurt in the short run and might help in the long run and that they have the most dramatic effects in states where a public sphere already constrains the actions of the government.Through the promotion of pro-democratic tools put forth by the government it is also aiding authoritarian governments to track down any revolts, while infiltrating social networks and propogating their own agenda, and out-smarting their beleaguered citizens. However, the debates tend to culminate in stalemate whenever put to discussion. Access to information is far less important, politically, than access to conversation. Author itarian governments stifle communication among their citizens because they fear, correctly, that a better-coordinated populace would constrain their ability to act without oversight.Add to essay where ever requiredAccording to Marsha Mcluhan this world is now a global village. With the spread of globalization or as Herbert Schiller (1919-2000) would term it as Americanisation there has been a rise in the technological advancement hand in hand.Webster (2010, chapter 220) states that globalization is leading towards the irrelevance of a public sphere, or even to the establishment of multiple public sphere. Globalization of democracy said to be western and a form of imperialism. Fernand braudel commented (1902-85) thorugh globalization there is a homogeneity of cultural practices. A more tolerant framework within the society. Yet events like the Danish Cartoonist in 2006 who drew the forbidden drawing of the Holy prophet in an wound manner led to unrest around the world or like the ev ent posted up on Facebook in 2009 draw Muhammed day yet again let to unrest in the muslim world speacially Pakistan where the govenment was part of the protest to delete such an offensive page makes one think how far true are these motions of tolerance. However thinkers like Ronfeldt (in Allison, 200239) claims that the internet will not divide the world, but that it will provide community, democracy, empowerment, wealth and peace.Robins and Webster (1999226) speak of a cyberculture on the internet with its endless circuit of communication that will create global cities. The cyber-culture has also given birth to e-democratisation which leads to e-govenment and e voting. however democracy demends to surville if all votters are eligible. it aso questions wheather bloggers are now acting as e democracts. However some critizise it by calling it spew potate politics.. Castells (2001117) further adds that digital divide is a result of virtual communities that is some other form of escap ism.ConclisionCarruthers (2000201) argues that the global distribution and access of all modern technologies (telephone, radio, television and the internet) must first be continued and improved before we can truly speak of its global or universal effectsHowever, if one scrutinizes the numbers involved in the actual protests, or what leads up to them, according to Morozovs The Net Delusion one cannot be entirely sure as to the extent of influence the uprising has towards the respective governments in the countries in question the revolt in Iran in 2009 which was caused by Twitter it was said, however according to numbers tracked the number of users on the set day of election did not rise over 20,000.Shirkys arguement refutes these statements though stating that the numbers are escalating and the masses have found an efficient and free channel to communicate amongst themselves, and the result . This instrumental view of the count where the state intervenes with censorship may cause a further uproar and more use of softwares created to slip through the crack softwares such as Freegate and Haysmarket.It only seems to be a matter of time before the time bomb of the social media tools will effloresce and cause an uncontrolable uproar that even the strongest of states cannot even handle.