Die Gesellschaft der Bundesrepublik hat sich seit dem 2. Weltkrieg stark verändert. Die damals bestehenden traditionellen Bindungen gelten heute weniger, gesellschaftliche Institutionen wie Parteien und Kirche verlieren immer mehr an Einfluss. Die Gesellschaft individualisiert sich immer weiter und stellt damit das politische System vor andere Bedingungen. Doch wie sehen diese Bedingungen genau aus? Kann die Vermittlung von Politik heute noch genauso vor sich gehen wie vor 20 Jahren oder muss das politische System heute im Bereich der Kommunikation neue Wege gehen? Und inwieweit ist dies mit den Rahmenbedingungen der politischen Vermittlung, welche im Grundgesetz verankert sind, vereinbar? Stellt die veränderte Situation vielleicht sogar eine Gefahr für die Demokratie dar?
Diesen Fragen wird in dieser Hausarbeit nachgegangen. Um Antworten auf diese Fragen zu finden wird zunächst dargelegt, wie der Gesetzgeber die Rolle der politischen Vermittlung durch die Parteien vorgesehen hat. Danach wird der Frage nachgegangen, inwiefern sich die deutsche Gesellschaft verändert, um daraufhin das Mediensystem zu analysieren. Hinsichtlich des Mediensystem wird der Schwerpunkt auf die Einführung des Privatfernsehens und dessen Auswirkungen gelegt und inwiefern man hier von einer „Macht der Medien“ sprechen kann.
Danach wird betrachtet, inwieweit das politische System auf die neuen Bedingungen in den anderen Teilsystemen reagiert. Was sind die Antworten der politischen Parteien auf die Trends in ihrem Umfeld? Was hat es auf sich mit neuen Techniken des Politmarketings? Gibt es hier Rückkopplungen auf das inhaltliche Programm der Parteien? Dies führt dann gleich zu der weiterführenden Frage inwieweit sich Chancen und Risiken aus den neuen Techniken und Bedingungen der politischen Kommunikation für das demokratische System ergeben.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Brief Outline of the Historic Background
The Decline of John Barton
Exterior Causes
Interior Causes
Gaskell’s Solution to the Social Question
Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel "Mary Barton" as a literary response to the "Social Question" in 19th-century Britain. The central research objective is to analyze the character development of John Barton and his radicalization as a manifestation of the socio-economic pressures placed upon the working class during the Industrial Revolution, while evaluating Gaskell’s proposed humanitarian solution to these conflicts.
- The impact of the Industrial Revolution on working-class living conditions.
- John Barton’s radicalization and his development into a Chartist figure.
- The influence of Unitarian moral principles on Gaskell’s narrative perspective.
- The portrayal of the conflict between workers and the industrial elite.
- Gaskell’s use of fiction as a mediator between different social strata.
Excerpt from the Book
The Decline of John Barton
To show how Mrs. Gaskell uses the art of fiction to encode this message, I will refer mainly to the development of John Barton who is, in my opinion, the book’s main character. His decline is gradual but inevitable. It can be traced on various closely interlinked levels: On the social level, we see the disintegration of his family, the deterioration of his relationship with Mary and the dissolution of most of his social ties. On the professional level, he loses his job and is unable to find a new one. On the physical level, we see the deterioration of his mental and physical health, and on the ideological level, his growing involvement with Chartism and his alienation from Christian faith.
From the very beginning there is a natural tendency in John Barton towards radicalization: He is a feeling, sympathetic man, and conscious of the contrast between the social classes. That means his radicalization and his decline (for this is one and the same thing in the novel) only has to be sparked off by an exterior cause.
Unlike Anne Graziono who writes of “Barton’s problematic role as a representative of the working class”, I would maintain that John Barton does not stand for the working class as a whole. The character of John Barton stands as a metonymic representation of a certain layer of the working class. He is the personification of working-class radicalism, of Chartism. In the novel, Gaskell contrasts this character and its development with other representatives of the working class (mainly Job Legh, also Mary, and Jem Wilson) who live in the same environment and do not become Chartists.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section introduces the novel "Mary Barton" as a critique of Victorian society and clarifies the author’s intent to focus on the text’s referential function regarding the Social Question.
Brief Outline of the Historic Background: This chapter contextualizes the economic and political realities of 1840s Britain, emphasizing the rise of Chartism and the stark disparity between the working class and the bourgeoisie.
The Decline of John Barton: This chapter analyzes the multidimensional downfall of the protagonist, categorized into exterior factors like poverty and loss, and interior factors such as mental deterioration and radicalization.
Exterior Causes: This section explores how the loss of family members and economic hardship trigger Barton’s disillusionment and lead him to join the union.
Interior Causes: This part details Barton’s psychological decline, exacerbated by opium use and his increasing withdrawal from social and Christian norms.
Gaskell’s Solution to the Social Question: This chapter argues that Gaskell advocates for a revival of Christian charity and moral responsibility as a means to bridge the gap between classes and prevent social catastrophe.
Conclusion: This final section critiques Gaskell’s perspective as paternalistic yet acknowledges her genuine sympathy and historical importance in depicting industrial poverty.
Keywords
Mary Barton, Elizabeth Gaskell, Social Question, Industrial Revolution, Chartism, John Barton, Victorian literature, Working class, Unitarianism, Radicalization, Social conflict, Humanitarianism, Economic disparity, Manchester, Class relations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper explores how Elizabeth Gaskell addresses the "Social Question" in her 1848 novel "Mary Barton," focusing on the depiction of working-class struggle in Victorian Manchester.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The key themes include the socio-economic conditions of the industrial workforce, the rise of the Chartist movement, the importance of Christian morality, and the conflict between laborers and factory owners.
What is the primary objective of the analysis?
The primary goal is to analyze the decline of the character John Barton as a case study for the radicalization of the working class and to interpret Gaskell’s suggested solutions to class-based tensions.
Which scientific or analytical method is applied?
The author employs a literary analysis approach, utilizing historical context and secondary literature to evaluate the novel’s function as a social commentary and a tool for class mediation.
What topics are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the historical context of the 1840s, a detailed analysis of the internal and external causes of John Barton’s demise, and an examination of Gaskell’s moral/religious arguments for social reform.
How would you characterize the work with key terms?
The work is characterized by terms such as Social Question, Industrial Revolution, Chartism, Victorian literature, class struggle, and Unitarian morality.
Why does the author consider John Barton a "metonymic" figure?
The author argues that Barton does not represent the entire working class, but specifically serves as a personification of working-class radicalism and the Chartist movement.
How does the author interpret Gaskell's view on the economic system?
The author argues that Gaskell largely neglects the structural economic roots of the Social Question, opting instead to frame the conflict as a potential misunderstanding that could be resolved through mutual Christian empathy.
- Quote paper
- Jan Dreßler (Author), 2003, Elizabeth Gaskell's Mary Barton and the Social Question, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/58183
