American narrative
For about four centuries of the American history, two conflicts have been witnessed between two sets of values in form of a competition. One narrative argues that acting for the common good should be the guideline for the political as well as the social behavior. The other narrative argues that individual freedom or generally individualism should be the model that ought to govern both the political and social life (Chafe, 2012).
According to Dr. Chafe's, the controversy between the two narratives is purely based on racism with the blacks being the subjects of the debates. The blacks were actually the target of the narrative when they were denied the right to vote with an aim of maintaining the political path (Finsterbusch, 2012). Gorge bush the former president claimed to extend the conservative tradition that gave a chance to the big companies to uncontrollably cherish at the expense of the small ones (Duffy & Krolikowski, 2008).
The tension between the two narratives has recently increased since the presidential elections of 2008 after Barrack Obama became the president. When he successfully passed the national health care reforms the narrative of common good became powerful than before (Chafe, 2012). The republican and the democratic parties which are the dominant political parties in America have been the drivers of the two narratives.
The ending of his reign will soon become historic as leaders try to standardize the imbalanced state of the narratives. I tend to agree with Dr. Chafe's since his argument is based on substantial and credible evidence concerning the two narratives. He however leaves the question undefined but the argument he brings points out clearly about racism which is as old as the country (Chafe, 2012).
References
Chafe W. H., (2012) The American Narrative: Is There One and What Is it? http://www.ahsd.org/social_studies/williamsm/The%20American%20Narrative.pdf
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Finsterbusch, K. (2012). Annual editions: Social problems 11/12. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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Duffy, K. G., & Krolikowski, G. E. (2008). Social psychology. Dubuque, Iowa: McGraw Hill.
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