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Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political activism > Pressure groups & lobbying
"Annex One is an Interesting, Well-Researched and Well-Argued Book.
It Deals with Pressing Matters of Great Public Interest." A.W.
September 2018. Observations of In Defence of Justice - Israel And
The Palestinians: The Identification Of Truth O.H. 3-9-2013. "An
amazing and excellent book. Simply written producing a clear
overall picture..." P.R. 3-9-2013. "Fascinating book. I thought I
was well informed but the book clearly showed up my lack of
knowledge..." M.S. 3-9-2013. "At long last a book which properly
identifies and uses the truth against the propaganda machines of
the West that seek to undermine the nation of Israel." M.A.
15-9-2013. "Only a barrister could write such a remarkable
work...... The answer (to the) obvious question as Malcolm Sinclair
has made clear..." W.G. 19-10-2014. "I found your book riveting,
and I am sorry that it does not have a wider advertised
publication, as it should. If I were in a position to do so
financially, I would make sure it did. This book deserves far
greater publicity."
The Hill Times: Best Books of 2017 What happens when crucial public
issues are decided the people themselves? Canadians answered
“Yes” or “No” to prohibiting alcohol, conscripting
soldiers, and revamping our constitution. Forcing such crucial
choices at the ballot box is high-stakes democracy, both here and
overseas — as witnessed with Britain’s transformative 2016
“Brexit” referendum. Forcing Choice dissects Canada’s
extensive use of ballot questions at all levels of government, and
weighs the benefits of citizens making fundamental decisions for
the nation. Holding referendums is tricky, and getting it wrong
carries a high price. This hard-hitting book draws on Boyer’s
deep research on direct democracy and his experience advising
governments about referendums, writing books, drafting and
introducing the Canada Referendum Act, monitoring foreign
referendums, and campaigning in Canadian ones.
Non-elected actors, such as non-governmental organizations and
celebrity activists, present themselves as representatives of
others to audiences of decision-makers, such as state leaders, the
European Union, the United Nations, and the World Trade
Organization. These actors are increasingly included in the
deliberation and decision-making processes of such institutions. To
take one well-known example, the non-governmental organization,
Oxfam, presses decision-makers and governments for fair trade rules
on behalf of the world's poor. What entitles such 'self-appointed
representatives' to speak and act for the poor? As The Economist
asked, 'Who elected Oxfam?'. Montanaro claims that such actors can,
and should, be conceptualized as representatives, and that they can
- though do not always - represent others in a manner that we can
recognize as democratic. However, in order to do so, we must
stretch our imaginations beyond the standard normative framework of
elections.
During the Great Depression, young radicals centered in New York
City developed a vision of and for America, molded by their
understanding of recent historical events, in particular the Great
War and the global economic collapse, as well as by the events
unfolding both at home and abroad. They worked to make their vision
of a free, equal, democratic society based on peaceful coexistence
a reality. Their attempts were ultimately unsuccessful but their
voices were heard on a number of important issues, including free
speech, racial justice, and peace. A major contribution to the
historiography of the era of the Great Depression, Fighting
Authoritarianism provides a new and important examination of U.S.
youth activism of the 1930s, including the limits of the New Deal
and how youth activists continually pushed FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt,
and other New Dealers to do more to address economic distress, more
inclusionary politics, and social inequality. In this study, author
Britt Haas questions the interventionist versus isolationist
paradigm in that young people sought to focus on both domestic and
international affairs. Haas also explores the era not as a
precursor to WWII, but as a moment of hope when the prospect of
institutionalizing progress in freedom, equality, and democracy
seemed possible. Fighting Authoritarianism corrects misconceptions
about these young activists' vision for their country, heavily
influenced by the American Dream they had been brought up to
revere: they wanted a truly free, truly democratic, and truly equal
society. That meant embracing radical ideologies, especially
socialism and communism, which were widely discussed, debated, and
promoted on New York City college campuses. They believed that in
embracing these ideologies, they were not turning their backs on
American values. Instead, they believed that such ideologies were
the only way to make America live up to its promises. This study
also outlines the careers of Molly Yard, Joseph Lash, and James
Wechsler, how they retracted (and for Yard and Lash, reclaimed)
their radical past, and how New York continued to hold a prominent
platform in their careers. Lash and Wechsler both worked for the
New York Post, the latter as editor until 1980. Examining the
Depression decade from the perspective of young activists
highlights the promise of America as young people understood it: a
historic moment when anything seemed possible.
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