アメリカの格差社会(<特集>国際シンポジウム2006「格差と差別 : アメリカ型新自由主義とヨーロッパ型社会民主主義」)

アメリカ ノ カクサ シャカイ トクシュウ コクサイ シンポジウム 2006 カクサ ト サベツ : アメリカガタ シンジユウシュギ ト ヨーロッパガタ シャカイ ミンシュシュギ

There are several reasons for the U.S. to be different, what is often called "American exceptionalism." Historically, the nation was founded in a revolution to achieve limited government; we are a country of immigrants with diverse backgrounds; our frontier culture emphasizes self-reliance. More than European countries, there is a tendency toward a mobile society, free-market economics, small government, and the ideology of individualism. Americans value equality, but more equality of opportunity than of results. America has thus generally been to the "right" of most European countries in the postwar period, but the pendulum has swung back and forth. Currently the Republican administration is based on a coalition of three interests: - Social conservatives based on fundamentalist Christianity, worried about homosexuality, abortion, and "affirmative action" regarding race. - Economic conservatives or "neo-liberals, " big-business groups interested in small government, lower taxes, opposition to labor unions, and deregulation. - Foreign policy conservatives or "neo-conservatives, " hawks earlier opposed to Communism and now to "Islamofascism." With regard to economics, the Bush agenda of cutting taxes on the richest people and other pro-business policies has led to high corporate profits but weak generation of jobs and little if any improvement in the income of ordinary people. Since costs of health care, education and other necessities continue to go up, real standards of living have gone down. Tuesday, Nov. 6, is election day, and the Democrats are expected to win due mainly to scandals and Iraq. However, the "gap" is an important issue in the background. A Democratic congress cannot due too much with a Republican president, but the direction of policy should change, and if they capture the White House in 2008 we should see a substantial movement toward egalitarian policies such as taxes and health care.

国際比較政治研究

AN10393075

09189092

16

40

53, 122-123

2007-03

日本語

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紀要論文

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