Suchergebnisse

THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, IMPOSED IN OCTOBER 1985, AND STILL IN FORCE. AN EXTREMELY CONTROVERSIAL MEASURE, THE DECREE PROMULGATING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, AND ITS SPECIFIC PROVISIONS, HAVE BEEN HOTLY DEBATED WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF NICARAGUA. THE AUTHOR HAS CHOSEN THE STATE OF EMERGENCY AS THE LENS THROUGH WHICH TO EXAMINE THE NICARAGUAN SITUATION BECAUSE OF ITS SWEEPING NATURE, AND BECAUSE ITS PROVISIONS BEAR ON THE JUDICIAL AND LEGAL SYSTEM, ON THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION, ON THE ETHNIC MINORITIES, AND ON NICARAGUA'S RELATIONS WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. IN THE CONCLUDING SEGMENT, THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THAT PART OF THE DRAFT OF THE NICARAGUAN CONSTITUTIONUNDER DISCUSSION IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE COUNTRY AT LARGE-THAT DEALS WITH THE POWER TO PROMULGATE SIMILAR EMERGENCY MEASURES AS ONE OF THE MAJOR CLUES TO THE FUTURE OF THE NICARAGUAN POLITICAL SYSTEM.

THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE LEGACY OF THE REAGAN ERA IN TERMS OF THE SHIFT IN VALUES AND ATTITUDES. WHEREAS FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT CREATED A "QUARTER-REVOLUTION" BY CREATING THE RUDIMENTS OF THE WELFARE STATE, THE REAGAN AMERICA EXPERIENCED A "QUARTERCOUNTERREVOLUTION." THE SHIFT HAS COME ABOUT PARTLY FROM THE INNER COLLAPSE OF LIBERALISM UNDER CARTER. IN ITS PLACE THE MORE HARD-BITTEN AND FANATIC REAGANITES BROUGHT TO OFFICE A MAXIMUM PROGRAM: TO UNDO THE NEW DEAL, OR DEMOLISH THE FRACTION OF THE WELFARE STATE. WHILE LEAVING EXTERNAL STRUCTURES INTACT, THEY PROCEEDED TO ELIMINATE MANY PROGRAMS AND BROUGHT ABOUT A REDISTRIBUTION OF INCOME AND WEALTH IN BEHALF OF THE RICH. THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENT OF THE REAGAN ERA, THE AUTHOR ARGUES, HAS BEEN THE SPECTACULAR TRANSFORMATION IN PUBLIC ATTITUDES, VALUES AND STYLES. THE REAGANITES HAVE LARGELY SUCCEEDED IN RESTORING POPULAR CONFIDENCE IN THE VIRTUES OF CAPITALISM, THE BENEFICENCE OF THE "FREE MARKET," AND THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE "MINIMALIST STATE." THE AUTHOR CITES QUOTES FROM WALL STREET INVESTMENT BANKERS TO ILLUSTRATE THESE NEW ATTITUDES.

THE FUSION OF THE MASS MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT IS SHOWN IN THE WAY COMMERCIALS, MTV, AND OTHER TOOLS OF COMMUNICATION ARE INCREASINGLY MANIPULATED TO UNDERMINE THE INDIVIDUAL'S FREEDOM OF CHOICE. INDEED THE MEDIA PRACTICES A BLENDING OR HOMOGENIZING OF THE CULTURE ALL THE WHILE CREATING THE ILLUSION OF DIVERSIFICATION. IN MANY EXAMPLES, THE AUTHOR SHOWS THAT THE DISTINCTIONS HABITUALLY MADE BETWEEN ENTERTAINMENT AND THE REAL WORLD OF PRODUCTS AND POLITICS WILL NO LONGER SERVE. PREVIOUS HABITS ARE BREAKING UNDER THE PRESSURE OF SIMULTANEOUS CHANGES IN MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT THAT COULD END UP BY RENDERING THE TWO OF THEM VIRTUALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE.