Example research essay topic: Successes And Failures Of Civil Rights Movement - 1,446 words

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Successes and Failures of Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights movement was being based on the idea of equality between people of different racial affiliation and between genders. Even though that the roots of this movement can be traced back to twenties, it only started to gain momentum after the end of World War 2. It is not by mere accident that the beginning of Civil Rights movement is strongly associated with America. This is because the legacy of Black slavery in America is traditionally considered to be stronger than in any other country. Even at the beginning of fifties, American society could be referred to as truly multicultural.

Yet, at the same time it was repressive towards the racial minorities. This situation could not continue on forever. All multicultural societies undergo the period of social tribulation, when ethnic minorities demand more rights and privileges. But the crisis goes away after these minorities gain more rights than the representatives of host nation. The promoters of equality used to stress out that it is unfair to treat people differently, because of the color of their skin. Later in time, the Lesbian and Gay movements also began to consider themselves as the integral part of Civil Rights movement.

Since not long ago, the Animal Rights activists began referring to their cause as such that is directly relates to the issue of promoting diversity and tolerance. Also, many students that were being expelled from colleges for excessive usage of drugs and academic inadequacy consider their civil rights to be violated, because they think that their teachers were being racially biased towards them. Let us analyze failures and successes of Civil Rights movement. Failures The main idea of Civil Rights movement was the elimination of discrimination.

But from the present prospective it appears that this movement has failed to achieve its main objective. This is because the equality does not come as the result of law that prohibits discrimination. There is no equality between people of the same race, how can we suggest that the equality exists between races? This can be considered as movements main failure, because it did not result in establishing the true social equality, within the society, as it originally intended. The main reason for this was the fact that movements proponents tried to combat inequality with the mean of introducing more laws, without understanding that the essence of inequality is purely biological. George Orwell, in his brilliant novel Animal Farm shows the cheer stupidity of the concept of equality, which disregards the laws of nature.

At the same time, he shows that the democracy will inevitably turn into tyranny, if the principle of equality applied universally. The motto of his communist farm, where animals ruled themselves without being exploited by man was All animals are equal but pigs are more equal than others. This goes to show that the true equality, and consequentially democracy, can only exist among truly equal. There are two questions that Civil Rights movement has failed to effectively address: 1) If people are equal, why there is no even a slightest practical proof of it, throughout the history? 2) The assumption of people's equality contradicts the most basic laws of natural selection, upon which modern biology is based.

Therefore, we can talk of equality, as rather highly abstract concept, which has nothing to do with the realities of everyday life. After having realized the whole futility of their attempts to elevate status of racial and cultural minorities, Civil Rights activists simply decided to press for the enforcement of social equality. It is them who were behind the creation of political correctness. The most negative effect of Civil Rights movement was introduction of affirmative action, which has nothing to do with promoting equality; in fact, it contradicts the very idea, upon which Civil Rights movement was being based. The principle of affirmative action was designed by Whites to help racial minorities to stand up for their rights, when it comes to dealing with Whites.

So, in its core, its racist, because it is based on the assertion that the ethnic minorities are not capable to match wits with Whites in fair competition, so they need to be helped up. By nineties, universities, large companies and government institutions were being forced to report racial dynamics within its bodies. If representation of minorities was found to be inadequate, it would result in repressions against these institutions. Many people consider Civil Rights movement as something idealistic and pure, deprived of any imperfectness, yet they fail to understand that this movement has a direct relation to the present socio-political reality. Nobody can deny that discrimination still exists in our society, even though that sometimes it assumes a reverse form. Therefore, Civil Rights movement can be considered as having failed in accomplishing its most immediate goal.

Successes Despite the fact that many Civil Rights movements ideas were being wrong in principle, it nevertheless was able to break many social taboos. For example, because of this movement, the racial segregation was being eliminated in American public schools. This, in its turn, resulted in creation of many private schools, where parents would send their children, without the fear of them getting hooked on drugs. Also, the sexual minorities were finally being allowed to openly promote its perversity.

Because of this, our society became more open minded and tolerant. Even though that, as recent as thirty years ago, it being considered as socially inappropriate to openly express ones mental sickness, in form of homosexuality or lesbianism, now it became a social norm. In fact, it is being considered as fashionable. The public schools have also adopted a more liberal approach towards this issue, when psychologically normal children are being told that sexual perversity cannot be criticized, because it would be politically incorrect. One of the most obvious successes of Civil Rights movement is related to the issue of equality, during the process of employment. It is not a secret that people of diverse ethical backgrounds used to be looked upon with the suspicion, by the potential employers.

But thanks to the Civil Rights movement, the situation has changed drastically. No more the ugly legacy of racism is allowed to play part, when it comes to the issue of employment. The real progress was being achieved by eliminating the consideration of professional adequacy, during the process of employment. It is no more necessary to posses a good education and social reputation, in order to get hired, especially when it comes to applying for the governments job. All it takes now is to be ethnically diverse. The policy of affirmative action will guarantee such potential candidate getting a job, even if his duties will only include sitting in the office, without having to do anything, so that the employer could be considered as being progressive.

Another Civil Rights movements accomplishment is that it helped to shape the new concept of history, which is being taught in American schools and universities. According to it, the role of White people in historical process was being grossly overestimated. Also, Civil Rights movements activists taught us that the traditional understanding of cultural finesse is racially biased. For example, the cultural value of Michelangelo's sculptures is equal to the primitive figurines that were being carved out of wood in Africa, around the same time.

This helped us to be more open-minded and think of other cultures as being equal, even when we see otherwise. Conclusion When put aside the sarcasm, it will appear that Civil Rights movement could never succeed in bringing more justice and equality. This is because the rights are never demanded or asked for they are taken. Malcolm X did much more for the progress of African Americans, because he never associated himself with Civil Rights movement.

Unlike Martin Luther King, he never whined as mass gatherings about inequality, he simply called for the Black people to get familiarized with weapons, so that they could take their rights. This is why Civil Rights movement is associated more with whining and complaining that with the accomplishment of any real progress. Bibliography: Attach, Peter The Racial Dilemma in American Higher Education. New York: State University of New York Press. 1991.

Dye, Thomas Politics in America, Brief Texas Edition. New York: Prentice Hall College, 2001. Herrnstein, Richard and Murray, Charles. Bell Curve New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc. , 1994. Orwell, George Animal Farm. Afterword by Erich Fromm.

New York: Signet, 1992. Williams, Walter Racial Diversity at the Expense of Intellectual Diversity. November 4, 2006. Capitalism Magazine. December 15, 2006.

web Williams, Walter Discrimination, Prejudice and Preferences. October 3, 2006. Capitalism Magazine. December 15, 2006. web

Research essay sample on Successes And Failures Of Civil Rights Movement