Example Of Essay On Government, Politics, And Social Change

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Question One

The two social movements that have had the most impact on American politics and American society have been the African-American Civil Rights movement and the ecology movement.
When it comes to the 1960s civil rights movement, one can hardly deny that it has been successful. The biggest achievement of the protest came in 1964 when the Civil Rights Act was passed. It prohibited any discrimination of any individual based on “race, color, religion or national origin” when it came to living conditions and employment opportunities. The movement was particularly successful in bringing a social change in the South. Also, it secured voting rights for African-Americans and made way for the re-entry of black individuals in politics.
The ecology movement is an on-going practice, but it has seen huge progress in the past fifty years. The 1970s’ National Environment Act Policy really paved way for change. Many people now actively support the main mission of the movement; to conserve Mother Earth. Where once top-notch industries were considered to be the biggest threat to the movement, they are now actively looking to produce green products like hybrid cars and e-cigarettes.

Question Two

The impact of the civil rights’ movement has been great. The biggest implication is the fact that the United States can boast of having an African-American for President – a man who is widely considered to be the most powerful man on the planet. Moreover, due to the civil rights movement, black Americans have greatly benefited from better education. The high school dropout rate decreased from 20.5% to 13% in 1996. Also, the graduation rate has grown exponentially in the past twenty years bringing it closer to the stats for white Americans. Job opportunities are improving every day as well.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of the ecology movement has been the way it has changed the thinking of the youth. When once it was considered “cool” to throw a wrapper out the car window without caring for the planet, it is now considered “cool” to pick the same wrapper up and through it in the bin. Huge TNCs were once considered to be against ecological movements. However, now, they are rapidly finding out that their products sell better if they have the green ecological approval stamp on the cover. No wonder the BP oil spill ceased the firm’s operations in America.

Question Three

The civil rights movement may not have changed my perception of anything, but it made sure that I was born with a perception that favored its point-of-view. For me, I have never once considered that black Americans may be beneath other ethnicities, and that is the success of the movement – that I think of inequality as a long-gone concept of another era.
When it comes to the ecology movement, I do believe my perception has been evolving regularly. I was never much interested in investing in green products. However, once I learned how green products could be better for me, I make sure that I look for the green stamp before I make my purchase.

References

Riley E. Dunlap, Angela G. Mertig, (2013). American Environmentalism: The US Environmental Movement, 1970-1990. 1st ed. New York: Taylor & Francis. .
Mike Burke, (1996). Power in Movement: Social Movements, Collective Action, and Politics. Canadian Journal of Political Science. 29 (2), pp.415-417
Blumberg, R. L. (1991). Civil rights, the 1960s freedom struggle (No. 248). Twayne Pub.