There Are No Children Here 2 free essay sample

There Are No Children Here # 8211 ; Summary Essay, Research Paper There Are No Children Here Alex Kotlowitz was a free-lance journalist. In 1985 a friend came to him and asked him to compose a text for a exposure essay he was making on ( kids populating in poorness ) for a Chicago magazine. That is when he met the Rivers brothers, Lafeyette, age 10, and Pharoah age seven. He spent merely a few hours with them questioning for the exposure essay. Lafeyette had an impact on Kotlowitz. When asked what he wanted to be, Lafeyette responded with # 8220 ; If I grow up, I # 8217 ; vitamin Ds like to be a coach driver. # 8221 ; Meaning, at ten old ages old, he wasn # 8217 ; t certain if he # 8217 ; vitamin Ds make it to adulthood. In 1988 Kotlowitz suggested to the male childs # 8217 ; mother, LaJoe, the thought of composing a book about Pharoah, Lafeyette and the other kids in the vicinity. LaJoe liked the thought. We will write a custom essay sample on There Are No Children Here 2 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, she so said, # 8220 ; But you know, there are no kids here. They # 8217 ; ve seen excessively much to be children. # 8221 ; Alex Kotlowitz entitled his book, There Are No Children Here. It is a narrative of two brothers turning up in a lodging undertaking of Chicago. By the writer following the male childs throughout their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours lives, we, the readers, are besides enveloped in the male childs # 8217 ; milieus. We learn about their mundane lives, from how they pick out their apparels, to how they wash them. We go to school with them and we play with them. Throughout the book, we are much like flies on the wall. We see and experience everything the boys # 8217 ; travel through at Henry Horner Homes, the undertaking where they live. LaJoe moved into the Henry Horner Homes in 1956 with her female parent and male parent. Back so it was a beautiful topographic point. There was a green, grass baseball diamond, which was on a regular basis mowed. For the kids there was a resort area with swings and jungle gyms. The bricks were smooth, the Windowss were shimmering, and the walls were newly painted white. The striplings joined male childs and misss nines, processing sets, and other constructive organisations. Now things are different. The leftovers of grass are dry brown spots, largely soil. Where there was one time a resort area, there is now a shot. The bricks are now worn and tatterdemalion. The Windowss are either translucent or broken. And the walls are no longer white, instead a dull, xanthous colour. Worst of all, alternatively of fall ining male childs and misss nines, the striplings joined packs. At the Henry Horner Homes, it was the Conservative Vice Lords that reigned. Led by Jimmie Lee, the pack was in charge of the undertaking. Lafeyette and Pharoah knew all about Jimmie Lee. They knew to maintain their distance, but Lee was non entirely a scoundrel. To foreigners he was simply a condemnable, involved in drug-traffic, place invasions of pot flats, and other offenses. To the occupants of the undertaking, Lee was respected out of more than merely fright. He ne ver Lashkar-e-Taiba immature teens fall in his pack. He spoke to pull the leg of against packs and drugs. He would set nutrient on tabular arraies for households in demand. He would shoe the kids with lacerate places. Even a constabulary officer referred to Lee as a gentleman. He had a love for kids and truly helped the childs at Henry Horner Homes. On the other manus, the childs who did fall in Jimmie Lee # 8217 ; s ground forces, had another destiny. Bird Leg, ( a.k.a. Calvin Robinson ) was a wise man for Lafeyette. He looked up to Bird Leg and tagged along with him for a piece. Finally, Bird Leg joined the Conservative Vice Lords. It wasn # 8217 ; t long before he was changeable point space through the thorax by rival pack members. Calvin died in forepart of the Henry Horner Homes. In wide daytime, another one of Lafeyette and Pharoah # 8217 ; s friends had been murdered. Lafeyette and Pharoah had a long and blowy route in front of them. Sing their demographics they were faced with serious challenges. Lafeyette and Pharoah had about opposite personalities. Lafeyette easy began to populate a life he vowed to neer populate. He began following in the footfalls of his older brother Terrence. It started with petit larceny larceny and shrinkage, stealing confect and the similar. Finally Lafeyette broke into a auto. Pharoah succeeded in school. He was an first-class pupil, he had admirable survey accomplishments, and thrived in spelling. He even placed in a spelling bee. Later, Kotlowitz sent and paid for the two brothers to go to a private school called Providence-St. Mel. Pharoah is booming at that place. He enjoys holding two hours of prep every dark. He started out behind in math and reading and is easy catching up. His reverie and forgetfulness sometimes interferes with his success. He besides has problem doing it to school on clip. Despite the challeng es he faces today, he is now on a consecutive way for prosperity. Lafeyette on the other manus encountered much trouble at the new school. He found himself unable to maintain up with the needed work and subsequently returned to public school. Though he left after less than a twelvemonth, he learned rather a spot from St. Mel # 8217 ; s. He learned how to be a good pupil, and how to concentrate on his surveies. He besides learned to inquire for aid, something that was peculiarly hard for him. He played hookey and smoked pot when he returned to public school. That seems to be the extent of it though. He graduated from the 8th class. He seemed genuinely happy and expressed love and gratitude towards his female parent and friends. This book was genuinely an eye-opener. There is non a secret plan, nor a existent narrative line, it is merely # 8216 ; a twenty-four hours in the life of # 8217 ; type of narrative. It is more like # 8216 ; a few old ages in the lives of # 8217 ; in this instance. I would urge this book for anyone who wishes to spread out their cognition of life and civilization beyond the sheltered land of our hometowns.

casablanca essays

casablanca essays In Casablanca, the prominent themes of unhappy love and self-sacrifice set this romantic melodrama apart from most in its genre. These themes are best expressed in the interactions of the three main characters: Victor Laszlo, a heroic political leader; Ilsa Lund, an enigmatic femme fatale; and Richard (Rick) Blaine, a seemingly morally ambiguous night club owner. An unusual love triangle forms with the two mens mutual love for the intermediary woman. Unlike the archetypal romantic triangle which includes the betrayed husband and the victorious lover, this situation results in unhappiness and loss for all involved. All three are willing to sacrifice for this love, regardless of the suffering that results from its pursuit. Victor is portrayed as an idealistic leader, whose unwavering devotion to his political cause is only challenged by his tremendous love for his wife. He is, in every respect, a virtuous human. In fact, his only possible short-coming seems to be his lack of romantic passion or intimacy with his wife. However, he suggests, in his own self-sacrificial offer, that Rick use the letters to take her away from Casablanca. Not only is Victor sacrificing his wife to another man, he is also giving up his only chance to escape from the almost certain death he faces in Casablanca. Victors courageous offer demonstrates the depth of his love for his wife. In the end, Victor must live unhappily with the knowledge that Ilsa is not truly his; she remains with him because of her love for another man. Ilsa is one of the most enigmatic figures in this story. She is torn between her passionate love for Rick and her vows of marriage to Victor. She is deluded by her confusing feelings for her husband. She loves him as a heroic father figure. Her inescapable love for Rick causes her to completely surrender her will to his judgment. She offers to willingly sacrifice herself to him in a lo...

How can we make globalization something that brings prosperity to Essay

How can we make globalization something that brings prosperity to everyone - Essay Example Finally, the paper concludes with an overview of the aforementioned issues, in particular, the results of the critical evaluation based on the featured theoretical perspective while highlighting the positive impacts of on overall globalization. Keywords, Tranformationalist, Globalization, Satellite, and age, Global Village, Global politics, Global economy and Culture Tansformatiomationlist Theoretical Perspective on Globalization The transformationalist theoretical perspective offers a deep insight into the globalization debates. In its view, globalization is something that is occurring and is changing the face of modern societies, however while the change is occurring many aspects remain the same (Mozaffari 34). Transformationalists still see nation states as retaining much power to steer their own course in the global economy. For instance, while the global capitalist system cuts across most parts of the globe; many nations retain the power to determine their own taxation and econo mic policies. On the political platform, rather than being consumed by a system of global governance where sovereignty and power are eroded by global institution, transformationlists suggests that governments are compelled to adapt an active and outward stance towards governance within the complex conditions of globalization (Heywood 45). This view suggests that nations have to adapt and interact with new Institutions, social movements, and international bodies on a global level and rather than lose power many nations are adapting to this process. On a cultural level, transformationlist see a two-way dynamic happening where global migration telecommunication and mass media are contributing to the diffusion of cultural influences (Giddens 50). From this perspective, whilst the western cultural aspects penetrate many regions across the globe as depicted in Coke and McDonalds, there are counter flows of non-western cultural aspects, which is evidenced by the increasing number of foreig n restaurants in major cities and towns across the globe. This scenario is seen in the satellite and age where the spread of information on an intercultural basis is rapidly taking shape. Ideally, the world is experiencing a cultural exchange in a two-way traffic. Critical Analysis Suddenly, the world appears to have turned into a small place as people can connect and learn of information and events happening in distant places. The optimistic term â€Å"a global village,† coined in the early 1990 refers to the world, becoming, more integrated and hence resembling a village, where people have constant interactions and often depend on one another for survival. Globalization is a product, which has been made possible through the introduction of some important technological innovations including the . The appearance of undoubtedly contributed much to globalization. Today, the affects Globalization in many aspects. Ideally, it imparts the three dimensions of Globalization cultural , economic, and political (Modelski 32). In many respects, affects globalization. Some of the components are cultural and business aspects connecting many people across the globe and the governance of the . globalization relates closely to Transformationslist theoretical perspective on globalization. Globalization relies on the profound transformation change and the major driving force

Measuring Business Performance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Measuring Business Performance - Coursework Example In fact efficiency can metrically be measured using cycle time and capacity utilization, and in short efficiency refers to the time it takes a process or a person to achieve a given result. On the other hand, effectiveness shows the target results are achieved, and in short it is the level of results from the employees or process within a system. In an organisation, employees who achieve their targets in their respective departments for instance employee A achieves a set target of 10, 000 unit sales is said to be effective. Conversely, an employee who achieves the target within the shortest time possible is efficient. Efficiency and effectiveness are very important components of the business function, and there a number of reasons why businesses are interested in achieving higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness. 1. Effectiveness and efficiency assists businesses in setting up of organizational goals, and hence they important in business because they are the ingredients the business attains its goals, and efficiency corresponds to time goals, whereas effectiveness corresponds to results. 2. In the present face of intense competition brought about by globalization, businesses must employ tools that assist in profitability. This implies that reducing costs and increasing revenue, and a business that employs effective methods shall surely make higher returns. 3. Efficiency and effectiveness contribute positively to the business as it helps in aligning the organizational structure towards good communication and cohesiveness, and through the principle of transitivity, this will benefit the customers, who in turn become loyal and retained. The company selected for the purpose of task three is Friends Life, and its shares are being traded publicly traded at the London Stock Exchange. The annual results for 2013 and 2012 financial year are located at the

The South was not in an economic position to wage a successful war Essay

The South was not in an economic position to wage a successful war. Thoroughly explain why they were not and judge if you think this had an impact on the overall course of the war - Essay Example Southerners even avoided participation in industrial revolution which was welcomed and accepted by the Northern regions. The industries and the economy of the North was quite diversified in nature as they were involved in the production of both finished as well as agricultural goods. Due to developed factories and industries, the North was able to develop arms and ammunition required to wage a war. The South was even dependant on the North for finished goods and when the war started, the south realized that they lacked the resources needed to fight the war and their current sources of earning wealth were not properly structured (Millett, 2012, p.18). South even experienced decrease in income as the importers of cotton such as the Great Britain started importing from other nations such as India in order to remain neutral to both the North and the South. This event clearly proves that the South did not have the money required to fight the

Exploring the aims of the Mercantile System

Exploring the aims of the Mercantile System Mercantilism is the main economic system, which is used within the 16th to 18th centuries. Its main goal is to increase the wealth of the country through imposing governmental regulation concerning all of the commercial interests in the nation. It was argued that national strength can be maximized through limiting the amount of imports via tariffs and raising the amount of exports. It discusses that the economic strength of every country is related mainly to the repair of positive trade balance. It aims at the idea of making every country use export techniques more than import techniques as a way to remain in an economic and political viable position. So, positive trade balance upon the mercantilist thought concludes in a way of using gold in the practice of countrys treasury (Mark Blaug). The Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790) was the man who was responsible for the term mercantile system. So, mercantilism was in a contrary side of Smiths ideas of free enterprise, free trade, and the free move of people and goods. One of the main assertions of mercantilism is the national wealth that will appear through the accumulation and import of gold or any other precious metals, like silver (Paul Johnson). Being an economic system, mercantilism leads to make foreign competition and discouragement of direct foreign investment. This term supposes  that the wealth of any nation will primarily depend on the ownership of precious metals as silver and gold, but this system cannot be achieved forever, because the universal economy would be stagnant when all countries wanted to make exports without imports. After a  very short time,  a lot of people started to act against the mercantilism idea and stressed the very bad need of free trade. The continuous pressure result was found in the implementation of laissez faire economics in the 19th century (Lars Magnusson). Mercantilism, being a historical period, had been associated with the increase of a particular structure of capitalism in Europe which referred to it to be merchant capitalism. It was a doctrine developed by different economic writers in this period that call for the powerful alliance among the monarchial system and merchants. Nowadays, the mercantilism term is used to view the protectionist trade policies when combined with other governmental policies, directly or indirectly in particular industries to acquire the regional or national trade advantage. Mercantilism has associated with the nationalistic economic policies shunned by free trade and advocates that argue for minimum state interference in the international and domestic marketplace (Henry William Spiegel). The mercantile system stated different policies of nationalistic trade thought to acquire the wealth of the nation. It can be achieved via five basic elements of mercantilism, as indicated by David L. Sills: The first one is nationalism and policy start together with all possible policy directed towards the nationalism. The second element is foreign trade that should always be thought of in light of its effects on the states stock of owning precious metals. The third one is lacking domestic mines of gold or silver; the precious metals should be collected by excess the exports over the imports. The forth element is governmental trade authorities that should strive to limit imports and give encouragement to exports. The last element is the economic and political foreign policy that should be coordinated in order for the achievement of these goals (Mark Blaug). While most of them closely associated with 18th century in Europe, the mercantilism term has been used in order to refer to the aggrandizements general principle of state authority for the economic benefit of the capitalist class through controlling and manipulating trade. For example, during the colonial times it took the shape of military control on trade routes and large tariffs imposed on imported goods in general and manufactured products in particular (Lars Magnusson). The mercantilist practices rationale, upon the imperatives of colonial conquest and empire, had been reflected in the eighteenth century concepts of the profits origin and the exchange nature. While being the goal of for-profit entity, the mercantilists managed to apply this opinion to the whole nation. This is in contrary to the belief of the ideology of marketplace done by classical economists. This exchange should be done on the aspect of equivalents. Moreover, mercantilists believed that the seller can gain via the loss of the buyer. Therefore, the nation will become richer when it sells or exports more than it buys or imports. Gold or any other money sources will be amassed to benefit the state. The opinion related to the surplus or profit happened in the unequal exchange in commodities was perfectly cope with the mercantilist policy in controlling the trade terms (Paul Johnson). Mercantilism had played an important role but not a dominant role in the transition period from feudalism to the industrial capitalism. However, mercantilism did benefit greatly large merchant companies to ship home goods through trade routes maintained and protected by the country. Foreign trade was the necessary thought to be done for gold accumulation because the domestic trade cannot generate a net profit or surplus. Struggling by this view of the profits origin, merchants used exports as a necessary means of acquiring surplus profits. The merchants, such as all better policy makers, argued that using this policy would benefit in turn the whole state Henry William Spiegel). These policies in order to achieve these goals involving state subsidies of the export industries, high tariff was used to encourage home production in the prohibition on the gold sale to foreigners, the subsidization of basic industries when necessary, the control over certain kinds of capital, and the relentless gold import and the raw materials from different colonies. The most of these policies contained strict control in trade routes and the prices stabilization in state currency (Steele G. R.). Throughout the mercantilist period, the merchants had controlled the trading system, but not the production of services and goods. Before the start of industrial capitalism, the production was on the line of crafts system that embodied remnants of the very old feudal arrangement. In addition, the industrial capitalism emerged the merchants power. They would come to see them taking over or being involved in the production means that would enhance their profits through giving them the control over the labor productivity. However, the merchants cannot control the production means, as the primary concern lies on selling and buying. The policies of mercantilists encouraged the imports of raw materials that in turn can be manufactured to make different products. The finished goods can be sold and exported subsequently in high price in comparison with the original cost. So, it found its way to the treasury of the nation (Mark Blaug). The foundation of the mercantile system started with the beginnings of the capitalism in sixteenth and seventeenth century in Europe. At this time France, Spain, and some of the Low Countries as Holland and Belgium were transformed into economies in merchant-dominated. So, the modern states were emerging of being as a political complement in the merchant economy. This system indicated that it was regulated by the competitive labor market. It led to the formation of a new class of people that found them being free from feudal system to the land to be only forced to sell the labor to ensure subsistence. The emerging was also a class of manufacturing and industrial entrepreneurs recruited from the declining merchant class (Lars Magnusson). The merchant class paved the way of losing control over the new economic system to the forces of the capitalist competition when profits and price were regulated through the accumulation and production of capital. When trading was essential for the emerging of industrial capitalist system, the transactions were viewed as a sharing out in the total of selling price among the purchasers and buyers, including the merchant. The concept of mercantile idea, which trade led to the profits in the whole system, paved the way to the opinion of the classical economist that the production and reinvestment of profit was the actual source of the wealth of countries (Paul Johnson). When the general perception of the term of mercantilism being one of a very long era in the history of economic thought, the mercantilist authors were business and professional people that wrote and made known of their thoughts in a long time before economics came to be a separate academic discipline. Many representative of the mercantilist writings were English and French writers of the 17th century. These practical thinkers sought the protection, order, and stability essential for the expansion of their activities. This in turn will benefit the state. In exchange for the military protection of the trading routes, they succeeded in acquiring the monopolistic subsidization from crown when the country extends its material means for the colonization. Wealth found to both the merchant elite and the state in form of gold and different raw materials to add its value, and then exported in form of the finished goods. Mercantilists saw production to be very important because it only led to t he surplus of exports (Mark Blaug). When the merchant class had been far from cohesive, the disagreements about policy in the merchant class were different to the aims of a common goal of expanding the extent of trade surplus. The mercantilists encouraged exports, except the machinery, plant and equipment, which might help foreign competitors. They discouraged imports, except in raw materials and precious metals. The colonies, including the Americas, had served as a primary export market and the tax revenue source, military bases, and a source of silver, gold, and raw materials. The strong navy and the military war machine were vital to the maintenance and implementation of these policies (Lars Magnusson). As production became more important, the capitalists realized that in controlling production, this would be possible to decrease costs, increase productivity, and undercut the competitors by lowering prices. The line of thinking led economists like Adam Smith to oppose the idea that gold constituted wealth. In the powerful critique of mercantilists, Adam Smith had pointed out that money reflected the wealth produced while expressing the value of goods and services that offered in the marketplace. Moreover, struggles among merchants in trade monopolies and prices made conflict to all the detriment concerned. Many criticisms of mercantilism had culminated in a devastating critique that is known as the specie flow mechanism. The Scottish philosopher and political economist called David Hume (1711-1776) had pointed out that the very success of a nations mercantilist policies will set in motion forces, which would tend to reverse trade surplus, through the normal operation in markets. All owing in the money free flow, at this time especially gold, it was discussed that would tend to result in balance of trade equilibrium (Lars Magnusson). While the specie-flow mechanism of Hume is the most known critique of the mercantilist thought, his opposition to mercantilist thinking started as early as the late 17th century. The main idea was that the success of mercantilist policies will trigger unintended consequences. So, the positive trade balance refers to money positive net flow, because a lot of money is coming in rather than going out. This situation would evolve where too much amounts of money is chasing few goods, where the system is operating in full capacity, money is not hoarded but kept in circulation. The only logical effect is to raise prices. As opposed to the countries mercantilist surplus, money is flowing out that result in the fall of prices. The deficit countries will become more competitive in time. Trade will shift their thinking resulting in trade equilibrium. That doctrine will later become known as the quantity theory of money (Mark Blaug). In light of historical influence, mercantilist policy expanded the decrease of the feudal economy and the system of guild crafts of production. The state policy and merchant system complemented each other. The main objective was to indicate growth of foreign trade while encouraging the inflow of the precious metals and the raw materials to which the value could be added for exports. So, mercantilism served to rapid the transition of Europe from the land-based economy to the monetary economy. Though pure mercantilism is considered a dead economic issue, but vestiges of it remain (Henry William Spiegel). Mercantilism, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, many European countries believed that the world wealth was finite and limited. Whatever one of the countries gained, the another one lost. In order to ensure their own share, those countries issued an economic policy calling it mercantilism. Because England had followed mercantilism, this policy affected profoundly the American colonies in the years that precede independence. The cornerstone of mercantilism is that the country supply of silver and gold reflected its wealth and its economic strength. In addition, the gold enabled countries to acquire military arms. The Countries worked in many ways to raise their silver and gold stores, but the foreign trade became the basic avenue. When exporting more goods than imported, the mercantile countries could demand the difference in gold which is the principal international currency of those times (Lars Magnusson). The trading countries such as England saw their colonies to be useful players in the mercantile game. It looked to its colonies for getting raw materials that could be obtained at low cost. So, colonies became markets for the English exports. By mercantilism, England had forged the early weaknesses and strengths of the young American economy. Starting from the first of the Navigation Acts in 1660, the laws passed during the 17th and 18th centuries tightened England control of the American trade and economy. For example, when requiring the colonies to trade through the British Empire, England had limited any trade competition might be presented by its colonies. The laws against manufacturing also forced the colonies to import manufactured goods from the mother country. The products manufactured were routed within England, and shipping was only limited to English or colonial carriers (Steele, G. R.). Mercantilism is economic nationalism for the purpose of building a wealthy and powerful state. Being an economic system, mercantilism leads to make foreign competition and discouragement of direct foreign investment. This term supposes  that the wealth of any nation will primarily depend on the ownership of precious metals as silver and gold, but this system cannot be achieved forever, because the universal economy would be stagnant when all countries wanted to make exports without imports. After a  very short time,  a lot of people started to act against the mercantilism idea and stressed the very bad need of free trade. The continuous pressure result was found in the implementation of laissez faire economics in the  19th century (Lars Magnusson). The most important economic rationale for mercantilism in the 16th century was the consolidation of the centers of regional power of the feudal era through large competitive nation-states. Other contributing factors were in the establishment of colonies out of Europe, the growth of commerce and industry in Europe relative to agriculture, and the increase in the breadth and volume of trade, and the increase in using metallic monetary systems, particularly silver and gold, relative to barter transactions. Within the mercantilist period, the military conflict among states was both more extensive and more frequent than at any time in history. The navies and armies of the main protagonists were not temporary forces raised to specify a specific threat or objective, but they were professional forces. The primary economic objective of the government was to command sufficient quantity of the hard currency to support the military that would deter attacks by other countries and help its own ter ritorial expansion. The policies took so many forms. Governments may provide capital to new industries, exempt new industries from guild rules and taxes, establish monopolies over local and colonial markets, and grant titles and pensions to successful producers. In trade policy the government assisted local industry by imposing tariffs, quotas, and prohibitions on imports of goods that competed with local manufacturers. Governments also prohibited the export of tools and capital equipment and the emigration of skilled labor that would allow foreign countries, and even the colonies of the home country, to compete in the production of manufactured goods. At the same time, diplomats encouraged foreign manufacturers to move to the diplomats own countries (Lars Magnusson). Shipping was particularly important during the mercantile period. With the growth of colonies and the shipment of gold from the New World into Spain and Portugal, control of the oceans was considered vitally important to national power. Because ships could be used for merchant or military purposes, the governments of the era developed strong merchant marines. In France Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the minister of finance under Louis XIV from 1661 to 1683, increased port duties on foreign vessels entering French ports and provided bounties to French shipbuilders (Steele, G. R.). In England the Navigation Laws of 1650 and 1651 prohibited foreign vessels from engaging in coastal trade in England and required that all goods imported from the continent of Europe be carried on either an English vessel or a vessel registered in the country of origin of the goods. Finally, all trade between England and her colonies had to be carried in either English or colonial vessels. The Staple Act of 1663 extended the Navigation Act by requiring that all colonial exports to Europe be landed through an English port before being reexported to Europe. Navigation policies by France, England, and other powers were directed primarily against the Dutch, who dominated commercial marine activity in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (Steele, G. R.). During the mercantilist era it was often suggested, if not actually believed, that the principal benefit of foreign trade was the importation of gold and silver. According to this view the benefits to one nation were matched by costs to the other countries that exported gold and silver, and there were no net gains from trade. For countries almost constantly on the verge of war, draining one another of valuable silver and gold was thought to be almost as desirable as the direct benefits of trade (Geoffrey Parker). Adam Smith refuted the idea that the wealth of a nation is measured by the size of the treasury in his famous treatise, The Wealth of Countries, a book rightly considered to be the foundation of modern economic theory. Smith made a number of important criticisms of mercantilist made a number of important criticisms of mercantilist doctrine. First, he demonstrated that trade, when freely initiated, benefits both parties. In modern jargon it is a positive-sum game. Second, he argued that specialization in production allows for economies of scale, which improves efficiency and growth. Finally, Smith argued that the collusive relationship between government and industry was harmful to the general population. While the mercantilist policies were designed to benefit the government and the commercial class, the doctrines of laissez-faire, or free markets, which originated with Smith, interpreted economic welfare in a far wider sense of encompassing the entire population (Lars Magnusson). While The Wealth of Nations is generally considered to mark the end of the mercantilist era, the laissez-faire doctrines of free-market economics also reflect a general disenchantment with the imperialist policies of nation states. The Napoleonic Wars in Europe and the Revolutionary War in the United States heralded the end of the period of military confrontation in Europe and the mercantilist policies that supported it. Despite these policies and the wars that they are associated with, the mercantilist period was one of generally rapid growth, particularly in England. This is partly because the governments were not very effective in enforcing the policies that they espoused. While the government could prohibit imports, for example, it lacked the resources to stop the smuggling that the prohibition would create. In addition, the variety of new products that were created during the industrial revolution made it difficult to enforce the industrial policies that were associated with mercantilist doctrine. By 1860 England had removed the last vestiges of the mercantile era. Industrial regulations, monopolies, and tariffs were abolished, and emigration and machinery exports were freed. In large part because of her free trade policies, England became the dominant economic power in Europe. Englands success as a manufacturing and financial power, coupled with the United States as an emerging agricultural pow erhouse, led to the resumption of protectionist pressures in Europe and the arms race between Germany, France, and England, which ultimately resulted in World War I (Geoffrey Parker). Protectionism remained important in the interwar period. World War I had destroyed the international monetary system based upon the gold standard. After the war manipulation of the exchange rate was added to the governments list of trade weapons. A country could simultaneously lower the international prices of its exports and increase the local currency price of its imports by devaluing its currency against the currencies of its trading partners. This competitive devaluation was practiced by many countries during the Great Depression of the thirties and led to a sharp reduction in world trade (Steele, G. R.). A number of factors led to the reemergence of mercantilist policies after World War II. The Great Depression created doubts about the efficacy and stability of free-market economies, and an emerging body of economic thought ranging from Keynesian countercyclical policies to Marxist centrally planned systems created a new role for governments in the control of economic affairs. In addition, the wartime partnership between government and industry in the United States created a relationship-the military-industrial complex, in Eisenhowers words-that also encouraged activist government policies. In Europe the shortage of dollars after the war induced governments to restrict imports and negotiate bilateral trading agreements to economize on scarce foreign exchange resources. These policies severely restricted the volume of intra-Europe trade and impeded the recovery process in Europe in the immediate postwar period (Geoffrey Parker). The economic strength of the United States, however, provided the stability that permitted the world to emerge out of the postwar chaos into a new era of prosperity and growth. The Marshall Plan provided American resources that overcame the most acute dollar shortages. The Bretton Woods agreement established a new system of relatively stable exchange rates that encouraged the free flow of goods and capital. Finally, the signing of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) in 1947 marked the official recognition of the need to establish an international order of multilateral free trade (Lars Magnusson). The mercantilist era has passed. Modern economists accept Adam Smiths insight that free trade leads to international specialization of labor and, usually, to greater economic well-being for all countries. But some mercantilist policies continue to exist. Indeed, the surge of protectionist sentiment that began with the oil crisis in the midseventies and expanded with the global recession of the early eighties has led some economists to label the modern pro-export, anti-import attitude as neomercantilism. (Steele, G. R.) Although several rounds of multilateral trade negotiations have succeeded in reducing tariffs on most industrial goods to less than 5 percent, trade in agricultural goods remains heavily protected though tariffs or subsidies in Europe, Japan, and the United States. Countries have also responded to GATT by erecting different nontariff barriers to trade. The Long Term Arrangement on Cotton Textiles (1962) was the first major departure from the key GATT rule of nondiscrimination. Discriminatory nontariff barriers are typically used by industrialized countries to protect mature industries from competition from Japan and newly industrialized countries like Brazil, Korea, and Taiwan. These nontariff barriers include voluntary export restraints, orderly marketing arrangements, health and safety codes, and licensing requirements. And the U.S. Jones Act, which prohibits shipment of goods between U.S. ports on foreign ships, is the modern counterpart of Englands Navigation Laws (Lars Magnusson ). Modern mercantilist practices arise from the same source as the mercantilist policies in the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. Groups with political power use that power to secure government intervention to protect their interests, while claiming to seek benefits for the nation as a whole. Of the false tenants of mercantilism that remain today, the most pernicious is the idea that imports reduce domestic employment. This argument is most often made by American automobile manufacturers in their claim for protection against Japanese imports. But the revenue that the exporter receives must be ultimately spent on American exports, either immediately or subsequently when American investments are liquidated. Another mercantilist view that persists today is that a current account deficit is bad. When a country runs a current account deficit, it is borrowing capital from the rest of the world in order to purchase more goods and services than it sells. But this policy promotes economic wea lth if the return on the capital borrowed exceeds the cost of borrowing. Many developing countries with high internal returns on capital have run current account deficits for extremely long periods, while enjoying rapid growth and solvency (Geoffrey Parker).

Antigone is a Tragic Hero Essay -- essays papers

Antigone is a Tragic Hero A subject of debate in Sophocles’ play Antigone is which character complies with the characteristics of a tragic hero. The qualities that constitute a tragic hero are, in no particular order, having a high social position, not being overly good or bad, isolation, being tenacious in their actions, arousing pity in the audience, a revelatory manifestation, and having a single flaw that brings about their own demise and the demise of others around them. Creon possesses some of these qualities but, does not completely fulfill them all. Antigone does, however, conform to the persona of a tragic hero. The first qualifying aspect is that Antigone has a high social position. She is the daughter of Jocasta and Oedipus (the former king and queen of Thebes), and the niece of Creon (the present king of Thebes). Because of her stature she is capable of suffering more and losing the fame and regard she holds. Some may argue that because she had no political power she does not qualify to be a tragic hero but, she is still a powerful figure in Thebes. She was to be wed to Creon’s son, Haemon, and it seemed as though the citizens of Thebes knew how tragic her life had become. Both Creon and Antigone show that they are not overly good or bad. Creon shows his negative side when he creates a law against burying Polyneices. His positive side is that he has let Antigone and Ismene live with him and raise them after their father passed on. Antigone expresses her positive side when she insists on burying her brother who has been killed in battle. Antigone isolates herself from others, a quality common among tragic heros. Ismene offers to share the crime of burying their brother but, Antigone denies the re... ...come of her life was due to her own fatal flaw. Antigone clearly captures the audiences pity. Creon’s stubbornness and lack of compassion do not win pity. When Creon’s wife and son die the pity is shifted to them not Creon. All of Thebes sympathizes with Antigone, especially after she has been sentenced to die. Haemon even tells Creon what people have said. â€Å"And I have heard them, muttering and whispering†¦No other woman‘, So they are saying, ‘so undeservedly Has been condemned for such a glorious deed‘† (Lines 693-695). It is obvious that she had the pity of the entire city except for Creon. Only the chorus sympathized with Creon at times. Not having pity disqualifies Creon as being the tragic hero. From her tenacity and personal strength in defying the law to her tragic death, Antigone captures the audience’s pity and sympathy. She is the tragic hero.

Race: Black People and Larger Racial Minorities Essay

Answer the following questions in 100 to 250 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. * Throughout most of U. S. history, in most locations, what race has been in the majority? What is the common ancestral background of most members of this group? White people have been the majority of the population. The common ancestral background of most of the members in this group are Europeans. * What are some of the larger racial minorities in U. S. history? What have been the common ancestral backgrounds of each of these groups? When did each become a significant or notable minority group? Whites and blacks are a larger race in us. Europeans are the common ancestral background of whites and African American common ancestral background was from the west. The whites became a significant minority group in the 1600’s and blacks became a significant minority group in the 1800’s * In what ways have laws been used to enforce discrimination? Provide examples. These laws were intended against which racial minorities? Laws have been enforcing discrimination by making sure that all races have the same opportunity at a job. This is the civil rights act and it was made so that blacks and other races could all have a fair chance at a job and could not be rejected because of their race. If a black person would try to get a job and not get hired but a white person goes in and has everything the same as the black person but gets hired the black person can take that company to court for discrimination. These laws where intended for all racial minorities so everyone has the same opportunity. * In what ways have laws been used to eliminate discrimination? Provide examples. Did the laws work to eliminate discrimination? Allowing blacks and white to attend the same schools and allowing them to sit anywhere on a bus. Back years ago blacks had to sit in the back of the bus and if a white person needed a seat they had to give up theirs, as far as the schooling goes now black and whites can go to the same schools. I think the laws worked to eliminate discrimination because you do not see anyone making a black person move for a white person or having a school with only white kids. They laws have helped us become one country instead of 2 and everyone has a better look at each other now that we can combine races.

Visa P para competir o actuar en Estados Unidos

Visa P para competir o actuar en Estados Unidos Los artistas y los deportistas pueden solicitar la visa P para actuar o competir en Estados Unidos con carcter temporal. Son visas no inmigrantes que no deben confundirse con las de tipo O para personas con habilidades excepcionales. En este artà ­culo se explican quià ©nes pueden solicitar esta categorà ­a de visas, las distintas modalidades, cà ³mo se tramita, duracià ³n de la estancia y otras alternativas de visa. Quià ©nes pueden solicitar estas visas Artistas o deportistas que actà ºan o compiten individualmente o tambià ©n cuando forman parte de un grupo o un equipo, como por ejemplo, coros, grupos de baile u orquestas. Tipos de visa Dependiendo de las circunstancias concretas de cada caso hay cuatro tipos de visas P. En primer lugar, la visa P1 es para artistas y deportistas que gozan de prestigio internacional en su campo y desean viajar a Estados Unidos para actuar o competir. En el caso de grupos artà ­sticos es preciso poder demostrar una antigà ¼edad mà ­nima de un aà ±o en el conjunto. Asimismo, tambià ©n debern solicitar visa P1 los artistas que no formando parte del grupo los acompaà ±an formando parte del mismo espectculo. Cada aà ±o fiscal pueden concederse un mximo de 25,000 visas P1. Curiosamente los jugadores profesionales de videojuegos como deportistas de à ©lite y est concediendo visas P-1 para competir en EEUU. En segundo lugar, la visa P2: para artistas que actà ºan en solitario o forman parte de un grupo para actuar dentro de un programa de intercambio cultural entre Estados Unidos y otro paà ­s. En tercer lugar, la visa P3: para artistas que actà ºan solos o forman parte de un conjunto y que desean ingresar a Estados Unidos porque son parte fundamental de un espectculo, o porque van a enseà ±ar o entrenar en un programa cultural à ºnico. Resaltar que en la P3, a diferencia de lo que ocurre con la P1, no se exige que los artistas que conforman un grupo lleven ms de un aà ±o juntos. Finalmente la visa P4: las personas que obtengan una visa P1, P2 o P3 podrn viajar a Estados Unidos acompaà ±ados por sus cà ³nyuges e hijos menores de 21 aà ±os, quienes debern solicitar un visado P4. No estn autorizados a trabajar pero pueden estudiar mientras dure su estancia. Su visa es derivada en el sentido de que no durar ms que la de la persona de la que dependan. Tambià ©n tener en cuenta que en determinados casos se puede pedir tambià ©n una B-1 para los empleados domà ©sticos de una visa P. Cundo no es necesario pedir una visa P Hay que destacar que los miembros de grupos musicales principiantes que no van a recibir pago alguno por su actuacià ³n en Estados Unidos no necesitan solicitar una visa P, bastar con una de turista e incluso ninguna para el caso de los nacionales de un paà ­s acogido al Programa de exencià ³n de visas, como es el caso de los espaà ±oles o chilenos. Esto es asà ­ incluso en los casos en los que cobran un importe destinado a reembolsar exclusivamente los gastos de alojamiento y transporte. Sin embargo, si cobran dinero por su trabajo, aunque sea una cantidad pequeà ±a, SI deben obtener la visa P y se considera un fraude de ley trabajar y cobrar cuando se ingresa a Estados Unidos como turista. Es ms, los oficiales migratorios pueden impedir el ingreso si se considera o sospecha de que se va a cobrar por la actuacià ³n Cà ³mo se inicia el proceso para solicitar la visa P El trmite para las visas P lo inicia el empleador en Estados Unidos, que deber enviar debidamente cumplimentada la forma I-129 al Centro de Servicio del USCIS que corresponda. Si la peticià ³n es aprobada se notificar, por un lado, a la oficina consular donde deban solicitarse las visas y, por otro, al empleador, que recibir la forma I-797. Tramitacià ³n de la visa ante el consulado Sà ³lo una vez que la peticià ³n ha sido aprobada por el USCIS y el empleador ha recibido la forma I-797 podr solicitarse la visa ante la oficina consular correspondiente. Las especificaciones pueden variar de consulado a consulado por lo que conviene verificar la informacià ³n reseà ±ada en la pgina web de la oficina de representacià ³n de Estados Unidos en cada paà ­s. Checar bien si es necesario hacer alguna llamada a un nà ºmero en particular al tratarse de visas para grupos. En là ­neas generales se va a pedir: Que como primer paso se rellene electrà ³nicamente la forma DS-156.Una fotografà ­a que reà ºna las especificaciones exigidas.Abono de la cuota o arancel de la visa. El dà ­a de la cita para la entrevista llevar toda la documentacià ³n exigida por la pgina web del consulado. Seguro es necesario llevar el pasaporte actual y los pasados, pero se puede requerir ms documentacià ³n. Las visas pueden negarse por muchas razones que son clasificadas dentro de dos grandes categorà ­as. En primer lugar, las que convierten a una persona en inadmisible para ingresar a Estados Unidos y otras que la convierten en inelegible para la visa no inmigrante. Estancia en Estados Unidos Los titulares de una visa P sà ³lo podrn permanecer en Estados Unidos por el tiempo que estn autorizados. Para ello lo fundamental no es fijarse en la fecha de la visa, sino en la del documento conocido como I-94. Si se desea extender la estancia, entonces el empleador deber solicitarlo al USCIS rellenando la forma I-539. Tambià ©n es posible realizar sustituciones en los miembros que componen el grupo. Pero el empleador debe solicitarlo al USCIS. Otras opciones a la visa P Estados Unidos brinda diferentes tipos de visas que permiten trabajar en el paà ­s. Cada tipo de visa tiene sus propios requisitos y es necesario cumplirlos todos. Es importante familiarizarse con ellas y tambià ©n conocer cules son todos documentos que permiten trabajar legalmente en los Estados Unidos. Trabajar ilegalmente puede ser causa de revocacià ³n de la visa, expulsià ³n inmediata, prohibicià ³n de ingresar a Estados Unidos o deportacià ³n. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

The wars essays

The wars essays Sigmund Freud once argued that "our species has a volcanic potential to erupt in aggression . . . [and] that we harbour not only positive survival instincts but also a self-destructive 'death instinct', which we usually displace towards others in aggression" (Myers 666). Timothy Findley, born in 1930 in Toronto, Canada, explores our human predilection towards violence in his third novel, The Wars. It is human brutality that initiates the horrors of World War I, the war that takes place in this narrative. Findley dedicated this novel to the memory of his uncle, Thomas Irving Findley, who 'died at home of injuries inflicted in the First World War" (Cude 75) and may have propelled him to feel so strongly about "what people really do to one another" (Inside Memory 19). Findley feels a great fondness for animals, and this affection surfaces faithfully in many of his literary works. The Wars is a novel wrought with imagery, and the most often recurring pattern is that of animals. Throughou t the novel, young Robert Ross' strong connection with animals is continually depicted in his encounters with the creatures. Findley uses Robert to reveal the many similarities between humans and animals. The only quality, which we humans do not appear to share with our animal counterparts, is our inexplicable predisposition to needless savagery. In his video documentary, The Anatomy of a Writer, Findley describes his affinity for animals when he says that he has "always been in awe of . . . animals. [He has] never understood where [humankind] picked up the idea that [animals] are less than [people] are-that man is everything". In The Wars, Findley stresses his belief that humans are "no better and no worse-no larger and no smaller than any other creature that walks or crawls or flies or swims. [They are] merely different" (Roberts 56). Parallels are drawn between the protagonist, Robert Ross, and many of the animals that appear throughout the novel. Rob...

Religion and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Religion and Politics - Essay Example A long tradition of involving religion in political matters exists in the United States. According to Servin-Gonzalez & Torres-Reyna, questions have come up concerning the relationship between how government activities are conducted and the prevalent religious values in the United States (592). The American population has, however, for the longest time been split concerning whether political decisions should be largely influenced by religious beliefs. Servin-Gonzalez & Torres-Reyna write that although most Americans accept that the clergy and other religious groups have a role to play in politics; most people feel that these religious people should not be involved in actual politics and campaigns (593). Religion is used as a tool for ensuring that politicians keep in line with the moral issues of the society. In essence, this means that religious leaders are tasked with the responsibility of keeping politicians in line and ensuring that they do not oppress the society. One of the ways in which religion has contributed towards political strategies in the United States is through the practice school prayers. Prior to 1963, public schools used to conduct religious prayers but the Supreme Court banned this practice in that year (Servin-Gonzalez & Torres-Reyna 599). In subsequent years, although public opinion has increasingly supported religious prayers in public schools, the Supreme Court has ensured that religious activities are not encouraged in schools. In this case, Servin-Gonzalez & Torres-Reyna write that the religious groups have failed to influence political decisions because the constitution has not been changed to permit prayer in public schools (600). Concerning the issue of reading and teaching of the bible in public schools coupled with prayers, religious activity has failed to convince the public to take up political action and change the constitution. During the Reagan

Global Branding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Global Branding - Essay Example The motivation as to find the main aspects that would increase productivity by understanding how people think and behave based on cultural attributes. This study opened up the need to look for diversity training methods that would improve the way people understood the society. Ideally, the growth of any organization was pegged on an ability to understand the main intrigues that lead to brand loyalty as many argue within the international business platform. Brands will only sell an organization if employees are aware of what the brand means to them and the effects it has on their performance. This essay seeks to answer pertinent questions regarding the link between brand and culture. The main hypothesis is that culture is a huge determinant of how branding will take place, with the building blocks and elements of the brand picking their strength from the key attributes of the inherent culture. If the culture is ignored, branding will not achieve anything in the new market. This will be first handled by briefly looking at the main aspects of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, the elements that make brands appealing to clients, and the link between the two. Brand management only happens when managements involve employees in the creation of a motivating and sustainable culture. When one hears of the term culture, one of the main definitions that come to mind has to do with the beliefs, customs, art, morals and knowledge that is acquired by a group of people working or living in similar premises. This also extends to the workplace where people share the company’s values, norms, brands, mission statements, objectives, morals, and aims as they work towards meeting the main goals within that organization (Hofstede 2010: 29). Ideally, the growing need for a stable company leads to the growth of a culture that can meet the main demands of the society while working towards the behavioral restructuring of the different people within the