Symbols and Politics: Visual and Oral Argument in Politics

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Symbols and PoliticsVisual and Oral Argument in
Politics

• Srikrishna Ayyangar
• Political Science
• PSC 202

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What are Symbols?

• Definition
• Something that represents something else by
  association, resemblance, or convention,
  especially a material object used to represent
  something invisible.
• From our book
• All these types of visual material are
  often employed to further an argument and
  convince you of a particular point of view.
  (p.408)

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Why are they important?

• They convey a message immediately
• They generate an association.
• They generate empathy.
• They describe the underlying values of a society.
• They make an argument more credible.

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Common Symbols
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Symbols as Strategies of Political Mobilization

• Ideology
• Ethnicity
• Majoritarian Sentiment
• Promote Reforms
• Maintain the Status Quo

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Ideology
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Ethnicity

• EVO MORALES

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Majoritarian Sentiment

• Indian Peoples Party
• (BJP)
• Ram Temple

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Demolition of Mosque - 1992
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Riots in Gujarat State, India 2002
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Promote Reforms

• Peru Andhra Pradesh, India
  
• 
  Naidu 1994-2004
• Fujimori 1991-2001

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the other side
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Fujimori the Darling

• Of the IMF
• Of the People
• CEO of Peru

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Naidu the Darling

• CEO
• SMART Government Simple Moral Accountable
  Responsible and Transparent Government

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As Populists
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after ten years..
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Hi tech Flop..
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farmers Suicides
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What type of strategies are these and why were
they used?

• Populist Strategy
• Weak Party Structure and Competition
• Weak Institutions
• Charismatic Leaders

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In America..very different

• Less Political Drama
• Its the Economy, Stupid! Jobs, Taxes
• Health Insurance
• Education Schooling, Test Scores
• Foreign Policy Security, Immigration

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to summarize

• Politicians in developing countries use
• Ideology
• Ethnicity
• Majoritarian sentiment
• Radical agendas
• as strategies of political mobilization.

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But in America, not so because..

• Bi partisan Competition
• Stable Institutions
• Interest Group Pressure
• Federal System

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Positive Aspect of Stability

• No Wierdos in Power, i.e. politics cannot be
  personalistic, but a person who represents the
  mainstream acceptable values of society.

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The other side

• No radical change status quo.