In the 19th century the patriarchy system was the order of the day in our society. southern culture propagated this system and through socialization women accepted the fact that men were superior to them. As a result women believed that they could only participate in reproductive activities alone and this belief limited their participation in politics. Therefore the slave women did not bother to attend school and this in turn reduced their chances of participating in politics.
The social structure has since changed and women are now participating fully in politics. In 2007 for instance, we had more women voting than men. This is due to the fact that in the country the number of men is less than that of women. Additionally, emergence of feminism in 1970s has encouraged a respect for women rights and they are now part and parcel of the body polity. Although major changes have been witnessed, women still face some problems today. For instance, dominance of men in the past enabled them to acquire more wealth and thus women cannot measure up with men, when it comes to funding their campaigns.
A popular war refers to a conflict whereby all citizens, those in uniform and civilians are involved. The 1846-1848 between America and Mexico fits in this category. This is because Mexicans were defending their land. Therefore Thoreau’s position did not embrace the mood in the country at that time. Dissidents from the black American did play a huge role in the American Revolution. This is because those who had experienced injustice had a common purpose and they were determined to sacrifice their lives until equal and true justice was accorded to all citizens.
Dissidents in America has also affected the Vietnam War and other wars. However, during the Vietnam War America dissidents was negatively affected. This is because the war took a long time than expected and with every day that passed it became difficult for the Americans in the war and no victory was guaranteed. However other wars such as the one in Afghanistan and in Iraq was supported by the citizens.
My family has its root in West Africa. My great grandparents left Liberia due to the economic hardships that were in the country at that time. They bordered a ship and their journey took three months. They landed in Durham. Upon arrival they were mistreated by their host. This is because they did not speak fluent English and their skin color was different from their hosts. Thus their background made them look inferior to the host community. However, they managed to establish friendship with their neighbors and with no time they were employed in the cotton plantations.
In the plantation they were whipped and brutalized by the farm managers but they did not quit. They were determined to stay since they were having a source of income which was lacking in Liberia. The American government did not help their case either. This is because they were supposed to pay heavy taxes from the little money that they got. In addition, the government did not protect their human rights. For example, after reporting that they were being whipped in the farms the police did not take any action.
In conclusion, women did not participate in politics for the better part of the 18th and 19th century. However, the emergence of the feminism movement which fought for their rights has given them the opportunity to d o so. Popular war exists in different countries even though not all citizens support it. The US continues to attract migrants who run away from their home countries because it offers lucrative job opportunities. However, the treatment that migrants receive upon arrival is not friendly at all.
References
Beasley, C.1999, What is Feminism? New York: Sage Publishers
Blassinggame, J. W. ed. 1977, Slavery Testimony: To Centuries of Letters, Speeches, Interviews, and Autobiographies. Louisiana state university press
Carr, C. 2006, Why Good Countries Fight Dirty Wars. London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group Publishers.
Us Foreign Policy Encyclopedia. Dissident in wars. New York: The Gale Group