Governments evolve according to people's necessities. The book, Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding clearly displays the progression from being civilized to savagery of boys stranded on an island.

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Uta Guo

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A Republic to Dictatorship

Governments evolve according to people's necessities. The book, Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding clearly displays the progression from being civilized to savagery of boys stranded on an island. When the boys first arrived to the island, they voted on establishing some sort of a republic, which includes one leader, Ralph to lead the party to vote on certain issues. As time goes on, a dictator rises, Jack, a choir leader who insisted on rules. Jack led his tribe away from the first established republic, taking away most of the boys, leading them to extreme savagery. What drove those boys to follow an irrational dictatorship rather than a republic governed by reason? Three forces is responsible: shift in government on the island, the "republic" had is incomplete, Ralph is not a leader; Jack knew what the boys want. The progressions to savagery might have been delayed if the first established republic was complete.

The first version of government the boys decided to have is a "republic". The republic contains a leader, Ralph, leading the boys to complete the appropriate tasks. Despite the well-structured democratic political structure there is no existence of an enforcing branch within it. " ' I agree with Ralph. We've got to have rules and obey them. After all we are no savages we're English, and the English are the best at everything. So we've got do the right things' " (42). The boys are much aware of the importance upon following the rules. One rule that was specifically emphasized was the holding of the conch. The conch was a symbol of silence and attention. Everyone could speak as long as the conch was in his hand. There was one person who doesn't have that right: Piggy. " ' You say shut up; not if Jack or Maurice or Simon- '" (43). Throughout the book, there isn't a clear description of a boy being punished for breaking the rules. In addition the nature of boys is to have fun first. " ' You said Ralph was chief and you don't give him time to think. Then when he says something you rush off...'" (45). Having a "government" full of rules that could be broken is bad enough. Ralph is an awful leader, causing further in the island.
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Ralph seemed to be the one that was the most rational, but this only kept him sane, and at the same time stays true to values he is unable to adjust according to circumstances with different priorities. This side of Ralph's personality causes him to have trouble keeping everyone together. One situation of not adjusting to his values according to circumstances is when he is repeating the phrase "You let the fire go out" to Jack after he came back from a hunt, making him guilty. "Clearly they were of the opinion that Jack had done the decent ...

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