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[7]. Someone has to be in Charge

Someone has to be in Charge.

Instructor: Dr. Peter Conis

By Kenn Jamison Jr.

11/22/2010

In striving to form a world in which "the virtuous are rewarded and the vicious punished in proportion to their relative deserts" first people would have to find a means of eliminating social stratification of all types and at all levels. All people deserve to be treated equally and fairly yet human beings are defined by their diversity, individualism and their constant endeavoring towards independence from many differing viewpoints and by a wide variety of means. It could be argued that people are too different to ever realize such a world where everyone is treated equally. The ever widening gulf between those who "have" and those who "have not" represents a very real obstacle towards the eventual realization of a world where every man should receive equal rewards or punishment according to the virtue or vice by which said decision is measured. That those who are tasked to make such decisions are inevitably placed in the position to do so on the strength of their perceived standing in society is one unavoidable dilemma that must be faced.

Granted, Judges, lawyers, and police officers represent just as wide a diversity of social standing as other aspects of society but these types of individuals all share the distinction of being enforcers of the laws of the given land. In many cases these individuals are elected by society to perform the very tasks that set them above the laws they are charged to dispense. These individuals are often paid sums of money far and beyond the means of the underprivileged (Waller, 2008)

that must inevitably face them for prosecution or, barring substantial monetary stratification, are given the privilege of carrying superior firepower above and beyond the resources of the individuals they are tasked to protect and serve.

Political stratification is yet another level of diversity between those who lead and the common man. Human beings always place their presidents, senators, congressmen, governors and mayors on pedestals. These are individuals who are paid huge sums of money compared to most of the people who elect them to office.

The essence of their jobs (especially in America) is supposedly to "form a more perfect union", whereby the people over whom they rule are provided a society in which each is treated equally in comparison to the next man. Still, politicians are chosen to stand in office by the standards of a pervasive and unshakable social image; that of a wealthy, well dressed and well-spoken individual with a charismatic presence. People inevitably want to be led by someone they wish they themselves could be so the elected official will always reflect this ideal once chosen by the people to stand office.

In effect, stratification is not only encouraged but enforced by the will of the very individuals who stand to suffer the most from it.

The power of the few over the numbers of the less fortunate has always proved problematic in society. The temptation to abuse the power given is as inevitable as it is evident in any political situation. Political agendas and special interests pose yet another stratification barrier between the people government are supposed to represent and the officials who rule them. (Waller, 2008, p. 250)

Corporations throw money into politics like trees into a wood chipper. The image of the common politician is hard to separate from the vision that money and power project abroad. Politicians are rarely, if ever voted into office based on an image that takes less than millions of dollars to plot. All that money serves not only to land any given political figure where they intend to be but is the very reason they are as powerful over those who they rule in the first place. Those who have the power get to make the rules. The rules are then, in turn, made to benefit those in power more than those who are ruled.