Introduction
The two states to which this work is dedicated are Wisconsin and Mississippi. The goal of this study is to examine state government institutions and politics to decide which is more successful in 2023. Despite significant recent work in social policy, many serious problems in this area remain, requiring an analysis of the effectiveness of state social policy.
Therefore, the main objectives of this paper are the following. First, it is the study of the essence of the state’s social policy. Secondly, it is the identification of the main directions of social policy in Wisconsin and Mississippi at present. Thirdly, it is a study of the problems of social policy in these states and a comparison of indicators characterizing the effectiveness of this policy.
This study will primarily focus on the political backgrounds of both states. It will be clarified what happened in their political history, when the constitution was drafted, and what significant economic variables influenced this. Next, demographic features, major population centers, and regions will be assessed.
Following that, each state’s political party and the difficulties it faces will be thoroughly discussed. The difficulties of state government institutions will then be addressed separately for each arm of government. Establishing linkages between branches will help determine the source of existing policy challenges. The current state of politics in Wisconsin and Mississippi will be analyzed, along with changes and shifts in state politics over time. Finally, the totals for two states’ politics will be presented, and a final assessment of the state government institutions’ ability to handle political disagreement to develop policies that advance state interests will be made.
Findings Summary
The ability of the state government institutions to manage political conflict to produce policies that advance state interests varies. Wisconsin’s actions are consistent with the government’s overall plan and take into account the state program as a whole. It has a well-developed economy, with industrial production accounting for the vast bulk of the state’s GDP, although it is often viewed as agrarian.
Therefore, the state’s development is planned and timely to support the country’s overall GDP growth. At the same time, Mississippi delays decision-making due to low cooperation among the branches of government. This has a noticeable effect on the realization of civil rights and the degree of bias in their implementation.
Background
Wisconsin
In the 1830s, the settlement founded on the shores of Lake Michigan by the merchant Solomon Juneau grew rapidly. It became the largest city in modern Wisconsin – Milwaukee (Enos, 2023). In 1836, the United States Congress created the territory of Wisconsin (Sharko et al., 2022). In 1848, Wisconsin entered the Union and became the thirtieth U.S. state (Gardner, 2021).
Wisconsin uses the Constitution of the United States of America and bylaws that do not contradict it (Hagedorn, 2021). Wisconsin is the leading cheese producer in the United States, accounting for almost one-quarter of total production (Mason, 2020). The state has over 13,000 dairy farms with over 1.25 million cows (Foster, 2020). Wisconsin’s economy is well-developed, especially in terms of industrial production, which significantly contributes to the state’s GDP, yet the state is historically seen as agrarian.
Wisconsin’s most significant urban agglomerations have evolved around Milwaukee, Racine, and Madison. Wisconsin is home to around 5,800,000 inhabitants, with an average population density of about 40 persons per km2 (Kuk et al., 2020). Furthermore, Kenosha, located in the state’s southwest, is part of the third-largest metropolitan region in the United States, centered on Chicago in neighboring Illinois (Sharko et al., 2022).
Wisconsin lies within two distinct physical regions of the United States. The northern Highlands of Wisconsin is a vast plateau, part of the Laurentian Upland (Mason, 2020). The rolling plains of the Western Upland, the flat lowlands of the Central Plain, and the alternating ridges of hills and valleys on the shores of Lake Michigan in the eastern part of the state are all part of the Interior Plains of the United States.
Mississippi
Mississippi became the last state to enact the Thirteenth Amendment and abolish slavery. On January 9, 1861, Mississippi became the second state after South Carolina to declare secession from the United States (Mason, 2020). In 1870, after the adoption of laws prohibiting slavery, the state of Mississippi was readmitted to the United States (Gardner, 2021). However, for many decades, its black residents were deprived of their rights.
148 years have passed since the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect nationwide (Bulman-Pozen & Seifter, 2021). The state of Mississippi lags far behind other US states in economic development. It ranks last in terms of GDP per capita (Foster, 2020). The natural conditions of Mississippi, namely fertile soils and a mild climate, are perfect for growing cotton, so it is the primary industry of the state.
The largest urban agglomerations in Mississippi were formed around its capital, Jackson. About 3,000,000 people live in Mississippi, ranking 31st in population among U.S. states (Kuk et al., 2020). Moreover, several localities in the northwest of the state are part of the metropolis that has grown up around Memphis in neighboring Tennessee (Hagedorn, 2021). The state region is the Southeastern Central States in the southern United States.
The Challenges of Politics, Parties, & Participation
Wisconsin
State’s Political Culture
In Wisconsin, it is noticeable how religious denominations actively influence political culture. Formally, they do not interfere in politics, but they occupy an important place in political life (Kuk et al., 2020). Any candidate for the post of president and other elected positions must publicly declare their affiliation with any religious denomination (Sharko et al., 2022). Religion plays a vital role in substantiating the thesis that Wisconsin holds a unique place in the history of the United States.
Competition Between Political Parties and Their Relative Success at Winning Elections
Wisconsin is precisely the state where the Republican Party first emerged in 1854 (Bulman-Pozen & Seifter, 2021). Now it is one of the most crucial swing states in the presidential election, for control of which there is a fierce struggle between Democrats and Republicans (Bulman-Pozen & Seifter, 2021). The distribution between these two parties is approximately equal, and their success in the elections is equivalent, since residents do not have unanimity in choosing favorites.
Citizen Participation
There is a high degree of civic awareness in Wisconsin, and citizen turnout at polling stations and their promotion of civic initiatives are pretty high (Gardner, 2021).
Changes and Shifts in State Politics Over Time
Due to the economic factors discussed above, Wisconsin placed greater emphasis on developing the agricultural sector in its policy. However, President Biden has issued a decree on investment programs in America and the Infrastructure Act aimed at developing and modernizing the state’s infrastructure (Hagedorn, 2021). He stressed the importance of these measures, which will help create new jobs, improve the transport system, and develop the economy as a whole (Bulman-Pozen & Seifter, 2021). The adoption of these regional laws shifted the focus from agricultural policy to the industrialization of the state.
Mississippi
State’s Political Culture
Mississippi politicians earn income from their professional activities and receive substantial fees for public lectures and memoirs. Their connection with oligarchic structures is provided by various kinds of funds, joint-stock companies, and other structures (Foster, 2020). They make it possible to maintain constant communication of politics, both with specific large businesses and with large university centers.
Rivalry Among Political Parties and Their Effectiveness in Securing Electoral Victories
The state of Mississippi is a Republican stronghold, and the Democratic Party’s chances of winning the election are very low (Foster, 2020).
Citizen Participation
Mississippi residents have low civic engagement. The percentage of non-attendance at elections is high, and there is low political activity among citizens to put forward initiatives or express approval or opposition to those proposed by the government (Kuk et al., 2020).
Changes and Shifts in State Politics over Time
The American state of Mississippi was the last in the United States to abandon the banner of the Confederate Southerners. Under pressure from the Black Lives Matter protests, both houses of the state parliament voted to begin the process of changing the region’s flag, which still features a blue cross with stars on a red background (Enos, 2023). This is a symbol of the Confederates, who in the American Civil War in the 19th century advocated, among other things, the preservation of slavery in the country (Goldberg & Movahed, 2024). This gesture indicates a change in policy regarding the rights of blacks and the adoption of a new policy of tolerance.
The Challenges of State Government Institutions
Wisconsin
Legislative Branch
The Wisconsin legislature has successfully established fiscal and budgetary policies. They use a progressive tax system, which contributes to the state’s economic development (Foster, 2020).
Executive Branch
The President himself issues most by-laws, and some of them, in their meaning, are equivalent to laws created by Congress. The executive branch of Wisconsin strictly implements the decrees and regulations prescribed by the president, such as the decree discussed above, which reflects a change in political orientation from agrarian to industrial (Gardner, 2021).
Judicial Branch
The Wisconsin judicial system includes many courts at different levels, including state, county, and municipal courts. All of them are unbiased and guarantee citizens’ respect for their rights (Enos, 2023).
Relationships Among Branches: Policy Issues
The state institutions cooperate in decision-making. Due to their well-established connection, interaction is fast (Bulman-Pozen & Seifter, 2021). In cases of conflict, decisions are made with the support of citizens who demonstrate active political consciousness (Darrah-Okike et al., 2020). A wave of protests has risen in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after two police officers shot an African-American, Jacob Blake, several times in the back (Enos, 2023).
After that, due to public reaction, the state government carried out political reforms. Checks on racism by the executive bodies were initiated, and appropriate adjustments were introduced. The violent reaction of citizens indicates that the problem of inequality and discriminatory policies is a modern issue in Wisconsin that requires resolution.
Mississippi
Legislative Branch
The Chairmen, who control the order and the course of the legislative process, retain formal independence. Most of them are shadow leaders of the majority party, which affects the voting results in the lawmaking process (Mason, 2020).
Executive Branch
The President’s official constitutional duties include appointing federal judges, ambassadors, and cabinet officials. The state of Mississippi adheres to the president’s appointees, but the list of candidates nominated for positions is initially formed without regard for diversity (Kuk et al., 2020).
Judicial Branch
The judicial branch in Mississippi is imperfect, as it has a biased attitude of judges towards blacks. More than half of the lawyers surveyed said they had witnessed racist actions by judges in Mississippi. The lawyers interviewed reported both hostility towards the defendants of non-European appearance and the imposition of harsher sentences on them (Kuk et al., 2020). Racial discrimination by judges was most often directed against Asians and blacks (Enos, 2023). The most frequently mentioned subgroup suffering from the imperfection of the judicial branch in Mississippi was young male defendants of African descent.
Relationships Among Branches: Policy Issues
The interaction between state institutions is not well established, as decisions are made slowly. In cases of conflict, their revision is assigned, which takes a very long time and stretches out processes, making further cooperation difficult (Kuk et al., 2020). Examples of this phenomenon may include recent racial discrimination in the repair of the water supply system, which, under existing Mississippi policies, prevented this work.
Conclusion
Thus, the key findings regarding the two states’ politics are the main problems and advantages that determine the prosperity or decline of Mississippi and Wisconsin. The legislative, executive, and judicial branches in Mississippi face drawbacks and limitations, and the political climate and corruption undermine the separation of powers. To solve these problems, it is necessary to implement reforms, strengthen the control and transparency of government structures, and develop civil society and legal culture. At the same time, Wisconsin, by contrast, managed to coordinate the work of all bodies, thereby driving the state’s development.
The ability of state government institutions to manage political disagreement and generate policies that benefit the state varies. Wisconsin’s measures are consistent with the government’s overall strategy and take into account the entire state program. As a result, the state’s development is planned and timed to coincide with the country’s general GDP growth. At the same time, Mississippi’s decision-making process is hampered by a lack of coordination among the branches of government. This has a notable impact on the achievement of civil rights and the level of bias in their enforcement.
Thus, given the current issues and the approach to addressing them, Wisconsin is more effective at addressing state government challenges in 2023. In this state, laws are promptly developed and adopted, and their implementation and the management of public affairs are carried out strictly. The resolution of legal conflicts and the protection of citizens’ rights are carried out at the highest level. Mississippi should work on all branches of government and their interactions to achieve Wisconsin results.
References
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