In Please Vote for Me, it was interesting to watch how the children’s concepts of democracy naturally evolved. Originally, it seemed that, aside from Cheng Cheng, they thought of democracy as a system in which voters would simply choose the best candidate. However, the competitive climate that the election created forced them all to embrace techniques that involved bribing and slandering. In turn, this made the climate more competitive, to the point that all of the candidates saw it as a zero-sum game. By the end, one could see that many of the same kinds of appeals that are made in American Presidential debates were made in the classroom, specifically populist rhetoric as well as rhetoric concerning the inadequacies of the other candidates. In the end, the effect this had was devastating to the two candidates who lost, as well as some of their classmates, who were all crying uncontrollably. This highlights one of the most prominent issues with America’s democratic system–the candidate who comes in first place wins everything,  which creates a fractured, hostile electorate.

In comparing Lerner’s piece to John Gray’s concepts of Positivism and globalism, it becomes apparent that Gray’s opinions are in some ways affirmed by the case of Balgat. First of all, Gray defines Positivism as the idea that progress leads to virtue, a belief that he condemns, and he claims that globalization is linked to the fallacious American concept that America can be used as a helpful model for the rest of the world to follow. In Balgat, the grocer appears to hold some Positivist views in that he conceives of progress as the key to a better, more fulfilling life. In addition, he seems to have an innate desire to see and understand more of the world, which he sees as achievable through the industrialization and general modernization of Balgat. Lerner seems to place value the grocer’s ideas, despite their incongruence with the rest of the people of Balgat. In this way, Lerner’s bias towards American-like modernization becomes very apparent. This suggests the validity of Gray’s conception of globalization, as Lerner appears to admire the grocer’s desire to be more like an American. After Balgat has become somewhat modernized, most of the people of Balgat appreciate the change. They are able to buy useful things that they were not previously able to buy. However, there is some ambivalence, particularly in the chief and the man at the coffee shop. While progress has undoubtedly given them more access to resources, it has not led to a more virtuous community. Rather, it has decreased some of the community’s work ethic, sparked an interest in buying unnecessary things, and eliminated much of the nationalistic values. In this sense, Gray’s condescending description of Positivism is given more validity. Progress may have given this community more wealth, but it also left behind some of its core values.