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A Rose for Emily -Characterization

A Rose for Emily -Characterization William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" uses the character Emily Grierson to show contrast between the past and present, specifically of her life as it was, in the town of Jefferson, located somewhere in the southern United States.The narrator begins with the funeral of Emily. Miss Emily is referred to as a "fallen monument" (ARE 531, NIL). This indicates to us that Emily represented what was left of the prominent Grierson name, long time, and upstanding citizens in the town of Jefferson. She was the ideal of past values but fallen, because of her passing.Emily is the product of an earlier era and surrounds herself with reminders of the past. After the death of her father, his crayon portrait is given prominence in her house and is hung above her coffin upon her death.The image of Emily trying to hold back the encroachment of new generations is shown in the description of her house, which is of a traditional style mansion, of southern well-to-do families, despite being surrounded by ne wer buildings.English: Emily RoseFaulkner writes: "Only Miss Emily's house was left, lifting its stubborn coquettish decay about the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumps" (ARE 532, NIL). Her home was an eyesore amongst the newer, yet different buildings in her neighborhood.A description of her home "the house smells of dust and disuse-a close, dank smell" (ARE 532, NIL) and a description of Emily in relation to her home is disclosed by the narrator "She looked bloated like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that palled hue (ARE 532, NIL). We can see the comparison of the two and find they are closely related.Emily did not always have a drab-used appearance. In the crayon picture Emily with her father, which hung in...

Oroonoko Close Reading (Anti- Slavery Text) Research Paper

Oroonoko Close Reading (Anti- Slavery Text) - Research Paper Example So, Oroonoko puts on various identities as a novel, as a travelogue, or colonial discourse than an anti-slavery text. The narration presents contradictions in the perspectives of the fictionalized author narrator and the hero, Oroonoko and creates doubts about its characteristics as an anti-slavery text. Set in the seventeenth century, Oroonoko is often seen as a precursor of the anti-slavery literature which became popular later during the nineteenth centuries. Norton Anthology says that â€Å"In the early 1660s, when the events described in Behns  Oroonoko are supposed to have taken place, England was not yet a major power in the slave trade† (The Norton Anthology of English Literature). This has Oroonoko as a reference text when it comes to details on slave trade.   In its section on the biography of Aphra Behn, the anthology says that the novel had great impact on people who fought against slavery and slave trade. Oroonoko also has been critically acclaimed to be an anti-slavery text by many critics. Laura Brown in her â€Å"the Romance of Empire: Oroonoko and the Trade in Slaves† says that, "the novella had been recognized as a seminal work in the tradition of antislavery writings from the time of its publication down to our own period"(42). Oroonoko captures the transatlantic slave trade and is set in the colonial Africa and West Indies. One of the most outstanding aspects of the novella is that Oroonoko has an African prince as its hero. Though set in the British colonies, it is unlike a mere travelogue or a documentary. On the other hand, it makes a strong statement regarding slavery in its portrayal of the cruelties of slavery. The details about the process of slave trade are described. The author of Oronooko says, â€Å"Who want slaves make a bargain with a master or a captain of a ship, and contract to pay him so much apiece, a matter of twenty pound a

(Ethics and Comunication) Reflection on organizational change Article

(Ethics and Comunication) Reflection on organizational change - Article Example Whether the change is big or small, it will still impact us. Unsurprisingly, we react to change by putting up a wall around us to protect ourselves from the effects of change. However, there are those individuals who embrace change and its effects on their lives. The good thing with this attitude is that if the organizational change results in a good outcome, the people who embrace change will be the first ones to reap the rewards. The downside to this mindset is that if the organizational change doesn’t go so well, these types of people will be the first to bear the full force of its effects. I believe that organizational change can be a good thing if conducted in the right atmosphere and if the wider organization can come to a consensus. The best type of organizational change is change that is accepted by the wider majority so its effects will then be lessened. I myself am sceptical of change because I see no need for changing something just for the sake of changing. If an o rganization is already running smoothly, then there is no need to upset the balance in the organization.

MK 491 Seminar in Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MK 491 Seminar in Marketing - Essay Example Company’s distinctive capabilities refer to the ability of the company to give the customer the value of the product as the customer desires. The company has to ensure that the product they are selling has some added value that will attract the customer. The prices set for products or services should suit the desire of the customer. The strategy of the organization is determined by the capabilities of the organization. Capabilities of a company refer to the things the company does best, to develop their business and to differentiate the products and services in the market. The capabilities of the organization must aim at meeting the demands of the customers (Zwick & Cayla, 2011). These capabilities determine the value added to the products and services. The capabilities of a company should also be exclusive to that company, so as to prevent imitation from competitors. A lot of corporate capabilities enable the company to achieve its strategy. The introduction of a new product to the market requires the consideration of the following factors. First is the estimation of the market opportunity for the new product this will make an estimate the market prospective and the character of the opportunity. Second is to come up with a support system for the new product that will deal with the identification of issues concerning the new product. Also, consider carrying out test marketing just before launching the new product in the market. Finally, the organization could consider formulating forecast of the sales that looks into the market response to alternatives of the new product. Segmentation of the market refers to the process used to spot major groups that have similar customer habits and the same characteristics. The advantages of market segmentation include: the company is able to set up marketing strategies that focus on the varying groups the company can develop new products or services that

Article Analysis: Foreign Bank Penetration to Nordic Market

Article Analysis: Foreign Bank Penetration to Nordic Market ABDULAZEEZ OLUWAFUNMIKE ASMAU ASSIGNMENT: Journals of international financial markets, institutions and money, vol.11 (1); 53-63 by Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl (2001)‘foreign bank penetration to the newly opened market in the Nordic countries. To explain the aims of the research and how the researcher carried out theses aims. Critically analyse the article from a methodology perspective. (1000 WORDS) Abstract This work is based on the research articles of Lars Engwall, Rolf Marquardt, Torben Pedersen, Adrian E Tschoegl (2001). The authors research is to determine the impact of foreign bank in the newly opened market in some Nordic countries which includes Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The opening of foreign bank in these Nordic country provides them with the opportunity to study the analysis of the foreign bank sector in the case where the sector had a specific start date. Three hypothesis were examined and the result leads to how parent market and the difficulty facing the domestic competition is fully in agreement in the situations of Denmark, for Finland and Norway it’s mixed and indeterminate, and fully disagree in the situation of Sweden. The result were consistently with the Stiglits – Weiss argument that the foreign banks bought entry by accepting worse lending risks. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). Introduction This research focuses on how foreign bank gain access to the newly opened market in some Nordic countries. Denmark in 1971 was the first to deregulate its domestic banking markets and the entry of foreign banks. Just one foreign bank entered initially and the number of foreign banks grew slowly over time. Finland opened next (1978) but no foreign banks entered until four years later when further deregulation made entry attractive. Norway (1984) and Sweden (1985) opened after Denmark in more than a decade and a number of banks all entered at once. After falling from its peaks, the number of foreign banks and their share of each countrys banking system assets are recovering. (Lars Engwall, Rolf Marquardt, Torben Pedersen, Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). Foreign bank was developed with the evolution of an economy or a technology in the Nordic countries not until the government removed the barriers. Opening up to foreign bank in Nordic countries exist to the process of deregulation which leads to competitive turbulence. Foreign banking was welcome by the authorities for the competition and also new capabilities which they establish to the domestic market. However, the effect of the entrant on monetary policy, credit control and soundness of the existing domestic banks are the concerns of the authorities. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl 1999). The objective state to examine the determinant of the evolution of the foreigner market share of the asset of the banking system as a whole, not the survival and success of the individual banks. The three hypotheses related to the determinant of foreign bank sectors was formulated, which they relates the foreign banks’ market share to a time trend, to each host countrys trade balance, and to the banking systems loan loss experience. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A,. E,Tschoegl 2001). The first variable captures learning and selection, the second proxies for access to business related to the foreign banks’ access to their home markets. And the last captures the effect of a possible crisis-induced lack of competitiveness of the host-country banks. The result shows that in Denmark it is fully in agreement, for Finland and Norway it’s mixed and indeterminate, and fully disagree in the case of Sweden.(Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). Literature reviews Foreign direct investment in banking has drawn substantial theoretical and empirical attention over the last two decade and empirical attention. Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl(2001), Williams (1997) provides a comprehensive survey of the theoretical literature. However, the literature on the market share of the foreign banks is sparse and almost entirely cross-sectional in nature. Some other authors like Walter (1992) argue that bank-oriented financial systems are hostile to new entry, whether that of banks or markets. In line with Walter’s argument, Steinherr and Huveneers (1994) provide evidence that foreign bank penetration of loan markets is lower in countries where a small number of domestic banks dominate the banking sector. Yafeh and Yosha (1995) propose a model in which domestic banks respond to foreign bank entry by increasing the resources that the domestic banks devote to the formation of ties with firms. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E, Tschoegl 2001). Hypotheses The literature reviewed provides the basis for the three hypotheses about the influences of learning, access to parent-country related business, and the effect of impediments to the competitiveness of host-country banks. The foreign banks can be subject both to selection and evolutionary learning (Baldwin and Rafiquzzaman 1995). (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001). Firstly, the time trend captures a second effect that has a debateable implication for the sign of the variable. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001). H1: The longer foreign banks have been present, the larger their market share. Second, they expect the foreign banks’ market share of banking system assets in a country to correlate positively with imports to the country and negatively with exports (Heinkel and Levi 1992). (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001) H2: The market share of foreign banks should wax with a trade deficit and wane with a trade surplus. Lastly, financial crises should correlate positively with an expanded role for the foreign banks. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001). H3: The foreign banks’ market share should wax when domestic banks are facing loan losses and wane when the domestic banks are less burdened. Methodology and Result OLS regression was use to examine the three hypotheses with time trend, trade balance losses and the financial crisis) the three hypotheses served has an independence variances. Their results shows that in Demark all three independent variables had the correct sign and all were statistically significant at the 5% level and beta coefficients from the regression on the standardized variables shows TIME as the most important variable and TRADE BALANCE having a larger effect than LOSSES. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). In Finland country, TIME had the correct sign, but the other two variables had perverse signs. All three variables had a large impact in the sense that a one standard deviation change in the independent variable. As for Norway, TIME was the only important factor. For Sweden, TIME had a negative effect but was not an important factor. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Tschoegl, A., E. 2001). Conclusion In all four Nordic countries, the survival rate among the initial foreign entrants appears low. Absent acquisitions of domestic banks, the foreign banks have not carved out a large role in any of the four Nordic countries. The result is consistent with what they would expect from theory based on the role of relationships in banking and from Steinherr and Huveneer’s (1994) argument and empirical results. The difference is congruent with differences in the elapsed time since opening; to recapitulate, the order of opening to foreign banks was Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. (Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and A., E. Tschoegl 2001). Word count; 1007 Bibliography Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl (2001) ‘foreign bank penetration to the newly opened market in the Nordic countries, ’Journals of international financial markets, institutions and money, vol.11 (1); 53-63. Engwals, L., Marquardt, R., Pedersen,T. and Adrian E Tschoegl (March, 1999) ‘foreign bank penetration to the newly opened market in the Nordic countries. pg. (1-38) 1 Does the EU Suffer From a Democratic Deficit? | Essay Does the EU Suffer From a Democratic Deficit? | Essay The overall goal of EU integration has been to create an ever closer union in which decision are taken as closely as possible to the citizen (Cini, Michele, Borragan, 2010). However, still the most enthusiastic backers of the EU must accept that it has been more a progression commencing and sustained by elites, than by a popular front for change. The claim that the standard European citizen has virtually no possibility of directly affecting the work of the EU, along with the negative impact of integration on popular support for the EU, has given rise to the term the democratic deficit. Although there is no one single definition, the concept behind the notion of the democratic deficit is that decisions in the EU are insufficiently representative of, or accountable to, the nations and the people of Europe (Lord, C, 2001, p165). It is not merely an additional layer of governance, further removed from the peoples of Europe but as a result of such an organisation, each Member State can n o longer claim to be the source of its own legitimacy (Eriksen, Fossum, 2002, p401). It is important to make a distinction between two different types of theories behind the democratic deficit. The institutional perspective focuses on the institutional power sharing and on institutional reform as a solution to the perceived problems of EU level democracy (Cini, 2010, p378). The socio-psychological viewpoint, however, places much emphasis on the lack of a European civic identity and the absence of a European demos. The classical argument, through a socio-psychological point of view, of cases where it can be said that the EU suffers from a democratic deficit is that the nonexistence of representative and direct democracy within the EU. The set up of the EU results in policy-making being dominated at the European level by executive actors, state based ministers in the Council, and government appointments in the Commission. This does not inevitably lead to democratic deficit; unless, as happens, the decisions taken by the executive departments at the European stage are outside the authority of domestic parliaments. Even with the creation of European Affairs Committees in every national parliament, ministers when conversing and voting in the Council, national representatives when constructing policies in The Council and bureaucrats in the Commission when drafting or implementing legislation, are much more isolated from national parliamentary scrutiny and control than are national cabinet ministers or bureaucrats in the domestic policy-making process (Follesdal, Andreas, Hix, Simon, 2005, p2). As a consequence, governments are able to successfully disregard their parliaments when deciding upon policies at the European level. Therefore, European integration has resulted in a reduction of the influence of national parliaments and an enhancement to the authority of executives. Perhaps the institution to come in for the heaviest criticism from the Eurosceptics is the Commission which is seen as an archetypal undemocratic institution, in that it is a civil service composed of appointed members (Cini 2010, p381), who contain extensive policy-making powers. In spite of its authority over initiating and developing new European laws, the Commission is subject to little direct or even indirect public accountability (McCormick, John, 2008, p124). Appointments have to be accepted by Parliament, but apart from that they are made lacking reference to the electorate. The President of the Commission is selected as an outcome of behind the scenes bargaining and conciliations directed by the leaders of the member states. The commission also stands for the views of the EU in numerous international forums devoid of a mandate from the citizens. Moreover, there are very modest openings for people to take part in or contribute to the deliberations of the Commission and only l imited occasions for the EP to hold it accountable for its decisions; although this has increased, being seen most clearly by the parliaments new powers under the Lisbon Treaty. Secondly and associated to the first aspect, the majority of commentators on the democratic deficit claim that the European Parliament authority is insufficient. The movement of legislative powers from national parliaments to the EU institutions has not been matched by an equivalent degree of democratic accountability and legislative input on the part of the European Parliament (EP) (Cini 2010, p380), the solitary directly elected body at EU level. In the 1980s, many analysts argued that there was a direct trade-off between the powers of the European Parliament and the powers of national parliaments (Follesdal, Hix, p 4), where any addition to the authority of the European Parliament would result in a concomitant decrease in the powers of national parliaments (Holland, 1980). However, by the 1990s, such an argument had departed as academics began to understand European integration as a decline in the authority of parliaments at the national level relative to executive powers. The ans wer, most claimed, was to increase the power of the European Parliament relative to the governments in the Council and the Commission (Williams, S. (1991). One of the key the arguments against the claim that authority has moved to the executive, is that national governments are the most directly accountable politicians in Europe. As Moravcsik claims The democratically elected governments of the Member States, dominate the still largely territorial and intergovernmental structure of the EU (Moravcsik Andre, 2002, p112). According to this argument, the EU is still principally an intergovernmental institution; where the verdicts at the European Council and the Council of Ministers are as accountable to EU general public as the policies of national cabinets. Furthermore the New Lisbon Treaty has increased the national parliaments capacity to contribute along with the European institutions in the work of the EU. A new clause clearly sets out the rights and duties of the national parliaments within the EU. It deals with their right to information, the way they monitor subsidiarity, and for reforming the treaties.The EU can be seen to strength en the state, challenging arguments of a democratic deficit, as the democratically elected national executives play an increasingly dominant role in the EU. Against the claims that the executives are outside the power of elected institutions, the most noteworthy institutional progress in the EU from the 1980s, has been the enlarged influence of the EP in the legislative progression and in the appointment of the Commission. The EP now has veto-power over the choice of the Commission and is progressively more prepared to employ its muscle against heavy lobbying from national governments, as was seen with the Parliaments veto of the first proposed line-up of the Barroso Commission in October 2004 (Follesdal, Hix, p 20). Also, the alterations in the use of the co-decision procedure which started under the Maastricht Treaty of 1996 and has only been increased by the last three treaties, has developed from the idea of merely cooperation first commencing under the SEA in 1986, legislation cannot be passed under the co-decision procedure without majority support in both the Council and the European Parliament (Follesdal, Hix, p 22). The extensio n of the co-decision procedure can be seen in the areas including legal immigration, penal judicial cooperation (Eurojust, crime prevention, alignment of prison standards, offences and penalties), police cooperation (Europol) and some aspects of trade policy and agriculture. It can therefore be argued that the EU has addressed the democratic deficit by significantly increasing the powers of the EP and in giving it a role in almost all lawmaking, in turn weakening the powers of the less representative institutions. Despite the extension of the co-decision procedure under The Lisbon Treaty it remains true that the EP does not possess several of the powers of a real legislature. For one it is unable to increase revenues or initiate novel laws and has a highly restricted ability to keep the Commission accountable for its judgments. While the EP may have the ability to veto national governments selection for the Commission President and the group of the Commissioners, the governments rem ain the agenda-setters with regards to the appointments of the Commission and in any new policy implemented in the EU. The trouble with the institutional approaches to the democratic deficit is that they ignore the equally significant socio-psychological viewpoints of this uncharted occurrence. The bigger dilemma is the connection, or lack of it, between the rising democratic politics inside the EU institutions and the opinions of the public. In spite of the rising influence of the EP, there are no European elections, largely as a result of there being no European demos. EU citizens vote for their governments, who represent them in the Council and nominate Commissioners. EU citizens also elect the EP. Nevertheless, none of the domestic elections neither the EP elections are actually European; elections: they are not fought over the personalities and parties at the European level or the direction of the EU policy agenda (Follesdal, Hix, p 4). State based elections are about national as opposed to European concerns, as parties collude to keep the issue of Europe off the domestic agenda (Hix, S, 1999, p 78). EP elections also tend to be decided on issues unrelated to Europe, as parties and the media treat them as mid-term national contests (Follesdal, Hix, p7), this can be shown recently by the success of many radical fringe parties in the 2009 election as a sign of discontent with the political elite and the failures of many government parties, notably the Labour party in the UK. Protest votes as a way of voicing displeasure with parties in government and increasingly failing turnout at European elections signify that as described of the first EP elections as second-order national contests (Reif K, Schmitt H, 1980, p44), is increasingly relevant. Although many national states have also endured their own form of democratic deficit, the perception remains that the trouble is considerably stronger in the EU, which has given way to a disturbing detachment between the EU institutions and its citizens. Psychologically, the EU is so unlike the national democratic bodies that citizens struggle to identify with it. As a result the institutions often appear distant and mysterious, meaning it is certainly not unexpected that anti-European media are capable of engendering public suspicion and resentment towards the EU. The Lisbon Treaty has attempted to give a more influential voice to its citizens; thanks to the Citizens Initiative, one million citizens from a number of Member States have the possibility to call on the Commission to bring forward new policy proposals. Only time will tell if this policy has the desire effect, but if it would have to be an unexpectedly successful policy for it to make any real impact with regards to voter enthusiasm for the EU. In conclusion, whether there is a democratic deficit depends partly on how the EU is understood. If it viewed as a Federation, or has a desire to turn into one, in that case the necessary links between citizens and the EU institutions are indeed weak. But if it is viewed as a confederation, then the links are unusually strong (McCormick, 2008, p126). indispensable links connecting citizens and EU institutions are certainly too frail; however, if understood as a confederation then the links are remarkably tight; where they are only expected to be indirect with national governments representing their citizens at the central authority. There may well be a persuasive case claim that the EU is not deficient with regards to democratic practices or formal legitimacy, but a question mark does linger over the unions social capacity. Democratic or not, the EU doesnt yet seem to have won over the hearts and minds of its citizens'(Smith, Julia, 2003, p3); meaning that no new constitution will on its own solve the problem of a democratic deficit within the EU. Why Was Marie Antoinette So Hated? Why Was Marie Antoinette So Hated? Assess the arguments raised by Zweig, Fraser, Lever, Dunlop, Amand as to why Marie Antoinette became such a hated figure? The following will assess and discuss the arguments raised by Zweig, Fraser, Lever, Dunlop and Amand as to why Marie Antoinette became such a hated figure in France before, during and after the revolution of 1789. The arguments of these historians will raise common and different factors that contributed to the unpopularity of Louis XVI’s Austrian born wife. The arguments raised by Zweig, Fraser, Lever, Dunlop and Amand could also be used to assess the hatred aimed towards Marie Antoinette and the effect this had upon the stability of the Ancien Regime in France. The factors and arguments that these historians have raised about Marie Antoinette are based around her personal qualities and faults, as well as upon political, social, and economic factors that were arguably outside her direct control. The assessment of the arguments raised will go into greater detail than whether Marie Antoinette became such a hated figure in France just because she was an Austrian and she had advis ed her poorer subjects to eat cakes when they did not have any bread. Above all else the arguments that are assessed will demonstrate whether her position as a hated figure was based upon justifiable reasons, fact or misplaced perceptions of her influence on events and her role within the monarchy. Marie Antoinette’s marriage to Louis XVI had been a diplomatic and dynastic match that had been intended to maintain peace between France and the Habsburg Empire, political motives came ahead of popularity amongst the French people. Like all royal families during the 18th century, the Bourbon dynasty in France did not believe its future depended on its public popularity or whether its Queen was a hated figure. Stefan Zweig argued that the reasons behind Marie Antoinette being a hated figure in France were due to her personal faults, her perceived arrogance and lavishness, combined with a dislike of her husband and declining respect for the monarchy itself. Zweig argued that Marie Antoinette’s emergence as a figure of hatred was strongly related to her being Austrian. As already noted she had been married to Louis XVI to seal the alliance between France and Austria. France had been the enemy of Austria for the best part of three hundred years; a great deal of hatred towards the Habsburgs still persisted in France. It was only natural that hatred should be directed towards Marie Antoinette once she married Louis XVI. Louis XVI himself was not believed to like Austria or Austrians with the exception of his wife. The Queen’s popularity was not helped by the failure to have children at the early stages of her marriage, although that was due to the King’s medical condition, rather than disliking his wife. Throughout her time in France though her Austrian birth did not help her popularity (Zweig, 1932 p.21). Zweig argued that Marie Antoinette inadvertently made herself a hated figure by influencing royal and therefore government policy. Here was a case in which the public perception of her influence was greater than her actual influence. Although that was because previous Queens had virtually influence at all. Louis XVI was more prone to influence from his wife than previous French Kings’ had been by their wives. Interfering in state affairs did not endear the Queen to her subjects, especially those that wanted reform. Marie Antoinette’s interference in politics may have been carried out with good intentions, yet it proved disastrous for the French monarchy. From the start many suspected that Marie Antoinette would only interfere to serve her selfish interests or those of Austria. As opposition to the monarchy increased, the number of people that were prepared to believe that Marie Antoinette’s interventions in government were either inept or directly contrary to Fre nch interests also increased. Marie Antoinette did not intervene in politics as frequently or as successfully as her opponents believed or stated she did. At the end of the day once her children had been born she wished to concentrate on her role as a mother, although her position as Queen meant that she was not able to do so (Zweig, 1932 p. 144). Zweig argued that Marie Antoinette helped to make herself a hated figure due to the lavish lifestyle she led. The Queen enjoyed a luxurious standard of living and liked to appear very wealthy. Marie Antoinette was regarded as being frivolous, fun loving and even uncaring. People grew to hate the displays of wealth and believed she knew little and cared even less about the harsh conditions that the poor had to endure. The Queen did her popularity no favours with allegations and rumours concerning her love life. Respect for her and the monarchy was weakened by such rumours. Her relationship with Fersen was far from discreet with questions raised about the paternity of her children. There were also rumours about affairs with other men including an Archbishop (Zweig, 1932 p. 144). The Queen’s reputation was severely damaged by the ‘Diamond Necklace Affair’, although she did not do anything wrong the verdicts and testimonies heard at the Paris Parlement were disastrous (Zweig, 1932 p. 170). Zweig argued that the faults of Marie Antoinette and the well-publicised rumours or the intrigues of those that disliked her made her hated. However, these factors would not have proved catastrophic if circumstances had been different. Unfortunately for the Queen all circumstances conspired against her. Poor harvests, the failure to reform the economy combined with government insolvency, the return of veterans from the American War of Independence, and finally a weak King proved a recipe for revolution. Zweig contends that these events and factors were critical in turning Marie Antoinette from being unpopular with some of the people into a woman hated by a majority of the people (Zweig, 1932 p. 156). Antonia Fraser put forward the arguments that Marie Antoinette’s decline from popularity to been a figure of hatred were due partly to how she was perceived by the French public and also due to circumstances beyond her control. Fraser argues that the French disliking foreign-born princesses and Queens had been customary before Marie Antoinette married the future Louis XVI. Previous princesses and Queens though had the advantage of maintaining a lower profile than Marie Antoinette did, whilst Louis XIV and Louis XV were more forceful than the indecisive Louis XVI was. The flamboyant Marie Antoinette stood out from her reserved husband; from her arrival in France she attracted both admirers and detractors. Unfortunately for her the ridicule and dislike that some regarded her with turned into being hated by the masses (Fraser, 2001 p. 44). Fraser points out that Marie Antoinette should have taken her mother’s advice to behave impeccably, obey her husband, and give no cause for scandal or rumours. Marie Theresa believed that avoiding scandal was the best way for her daughter to remain popular and not become a hated figure. The Empress also believed that Marie Antoinette could serve Habsburg interests more effectively if she was a popular Queen. The future Queen was also advised not to get too close to her future subjects, least they lose respect for her and the French monarchy. Whilst Marie Antoinette could keep away from her subjects, her knack of getting embroiled in scandal or upsetting people without intending to do so contributed to her becoming a hated figure. Fraser does note that Marie Theresa was partly to blame for some of her daughter’s faults. Marie Antoinette’s ability to be a good and successful Queen was hampered by a lack of education. She did not always know how to act like a Queen should, neither could she deal with complicated political issues. When she arrived in France she was naà ¯ve in many respects about politics and courtly intrigues (Fraser, 2001 p. 46). Marie Antoinette did not keep herself free of scandal and rumour. Such court rumours and tabloid pamphlets turned her innocent activities at court into orgies that never took place and the widespread circulation of them could not be prevented. Pamphlets that originally contained unfounded gossip would later prove more damaging in making her a hated figure. Louis XVI attempted to have such publications banned, although censorship was bypassed by using Dutch and British presses (Fraser, 2001, pp. 134-35). For a time after the birth of her eldest son, Marie Antoinette seemed to have achieved a measure of popularity amongst her subjects. The pamphleteers continued to try to undermine her popularity by spreading rumours about the child’s paternity and later the paternity of her other children. The motives of pamphleteers would change from making profits to attacking the monarchy and making the Queen hated (Fraser, 2001, pp.178-79). The Queen did not help matters by buying the palace at Saint Cloud for the royal family to live in; this showed insensitivity during a time when people were suffering from worsening economic conditions. People were shocked about how much was spent on the palace, the actual amounts spent was high enough yet rumours about its costs dented the Queen’s popularity further. Those that knew how precarious the royal finances were regarded it as unjustified expenses. Others regarded it as being another sign of Marie Antoinette’s power over the King and her pretensions to hold power in her own right. The Queen simply believed that the purchase was needed for her expanding family (Fraser, 2001, p.203). Fraser argues that Marie Antoinette’s reputation never recovered from the Diamond Necklace Affair, in which Cardinal de Rohan had been tricked into buying a necklace supposedly for the Queen. The Parlement in Paris reached verdicts that punished the conspirators, yet their testimonies tarnished Marie Antoinette’s reputation, even though she was cleared of any wrong doing (Fraser, 2001, p.225). Marie Antoinette became a hated figure amongst the nobility due to her being blamed for the monarchy’s financial deficits. Fraser however, argues that the Queen was not to blame for the spending cuts and the reduction in the number of prestigious court positions (Fraser, 2001, p.236). Fraser mentions that a factor that made Marie Antoinette a hated figure was that people had no qualms about expressing their hatred for the Queen, whilst they still felt unable to say things about the King (Fraser, 2001, p.251). The dislike of Marie Antoinette would further increase after Austria, Prussia, and Britain went to war against France. The Queen was still disliked for being foreign, which was coupled with the fear that the armies of Austria and Prussia could restore the monarchy which meant that the republican regime wished to execute her (Fraser, 2001, p.383). Marie Antoinette was executed following a show trial in which the charges against her were almost entirely false. She acquitted herself well; her spirited denials that she had never abused her son met approval in the court, although she had no hope of being acquitted in such a biased trial. Her execution was meant to symbolise that the monarchy would never return (Fraser, 2001, p.425). Evelyne Lever presents Marie Antoinette in largely favourable terms, particularly when putting forward the arguments as to why the Queen became such a hated figure in France. Lever argues that Marie Antoinette inadvertently began the process of being a hated figure by not realising how to behave at the Court of Versailles. Whilst Louis XV was still alive the future Queen had attempted to snub his mistress Madame Du Barry, only to be told by her mother to stop, in order to influence the King. She also set powerful noble families against her by not paying them enough respect (Lever, 2000, pp. 42-43). Lever notes that Marie Antoinette was popular in Paris before she became Queen, for her beauty and her good -humoured nature (Lever, 2000, p.52). Lever argued that a cause of Marie Antoinette becoming a hated figure was that Louis XVI did not have mistresses. In previous reigns the King’s mistresses were frequently detested and blamed for unpopular government decisions. Mistresses were usually scapegoats for the King, if Louis XVI had a mistress then perhaps she would have become hated instead of the Queen. Marie Antoinette was instead detested and used as a scapegoat for her husband’s faults and policies as well as her own actions (Lever, 2000, p.64). Marie Antoinette’s busy social life in the early years of her husband’s reign attracted much attention and criticism. The Queen gave a great deal of scope for gossip and those that wished to spread more malicious rumours had ample opportunities to do so (Lever, 2000, pp.110-11). Marie Antoinette lost respect and gave people cause to hate with her behaviour and attitudes. For instance: gambling was a frequent event, especially in the early years of her being Queen (Lever, 2000, p. 119). Marie Antoinette became a hated figure, especially amongst the poor, due to the amount of money she spent. Lever cites the cost of changing the Trianon Gardens, the expense of dances and fetes, as well as the provision of royal pensions to her closest friends and other hangers on (Lever, 2000, p.121). Marie Antoinette did not choose her friends wisely, nor try to limit the dangers of ignoring powerful families or stopping the spreading of rumours. The Queen did not use her patronage sensibly, for instance: the Comtesse de Polignac’s friends and family were given honours and pensions for doing services to the Queen of France yet doing nothing good for their country (Lever, 2000, p.160). Ian Dunlop presents a more sympathetic view of Marie Antoinette than most historians including the other four whose arguments are assessed here. Dunlop stresses that Marie Antoinette’s faults usually receive more attention than her attributes have done, that she was in fact more capable than her contemporaries often admitted, or historians have given her credit for. Dunlop comments upon the initial popularity of Marie Antoinette in France, particularly in Paris. She was originally regarded as having the qualities that a Queen needed. She was beautiful, loyal to the King and she looked the part. Her expensive clothes and lifestyle were not viewed with horror at that point (Dunlop, 1993, p.146). However, Marie Antoinette’s initial popularity declined for various reasons. Along with Louis XVI, the aristocracy and the higher clergy, Marie Antoinette lived in luxury, whilst many French people faced poverty and harsh living conditions. Although the Queen’s extravagance had not been widely resented at the start of her husband’s reign, it contributed to a growing hatred of Marie Antoinette as economic conditions went from bad to worse to disastrous. Opposition to the monarchy had the chance to be heard with the first gathering of the States General since 1614 in 1789. For the Queen it also coincided with the death of her eldest son. Such was the desperation of the political situation that the royal family gained no sympathy for the loss and faced increasing hostility (Dunlop, 1993 p.254). The monarchy and the French State headed towards bankruptcy due to the failure to achieve economic reforms and the costs of supporting the American War of Independence. The monarchy’s near bankruptcy was coupled with a series of bad harvests, which meant that more French people found it harder to survive. Marie Antoinette still appeared to be excessively privileged and wealthy to the poor that could not afford to feed themselves. The Queen became a h ated figure due to the fact she could still eat as much as she wished. Poverty and jealousy fuelled hatred, not only of Marie Antoinette but also the King, the aristocracy and the higher clergy. The claim that she said the poor should eat cake if they could not afford bread appears to have been made up. However the believe that she said it maximised the number of people that hated her (Dunlop 1993 p.258). Dunlop argues that the belief that Marie Antoinette interfered with how France was ruled contributed to her becoming such a hated figure. Dunlop argues that Marie Antoinette had tried to keep out of politics and concentrate solely on being the Queen consort. When she did become involved it was to protect her family’s interests and in her view those of France. To supporters and detractors of the monarchy the Queen was seen as more capable than her weak and indecisive husband was. Opponents of the crown targeted the Queen, their propaganda greatly contributed to her growth as a hated figure. The desperate poor, especially in Paris, readily accepted that their Austrian Queen was misguiding the King to feather her own nest at their expense. The fact that Marie Antoinette was Austrian reinforced their perceptions that she was an enemy of France and to blame for their plight. After the revolution radicals promoted campaigns against the Queen, they saw her as a danger to change. Her links to the Habsburgs meant that if she lived she could attempt to restore the monarchy with foreign help (Dunlop 1993 p. 385). Amand’s arguments concerning the unpopularity and hatred of Marie Antoinette can be regarded as being more traditional in stance than the others assessed simply because his book first appeared in 1891. Amand’s biography also differs from the other historians mentioned above as he was only writing about the events of 1792 and 1793. Amand argued that the hatred of Marie Antoinette was a significant factor in the fall of the French monarchy as she was hated more than the King. That hatred had been fuelled by years of negative rumours and propaganda against the Queen. The Queen’s weaknesses had contributed to some of those rumours whilst elements of the revolutionary movement were highly skilled in turning the population against her. This was the period in which the hatred of the French masses towards their Queen reached its fatal conclusion. The facts that France was at war with Marie Antoinette’s native Austria further antagonised the revolutionary elements of the French population against her. She was widely regarded as being a traitor, which further intensified her being a hated figure. Marie Antoinette could be stripped of her crown, her wealth, and all her titles, yet she would always remain an Austrian (Amand, 1891). Amand argued that Marie Antoinette became a hated figure due to the wealth and extravagance that she had formally displayed. Revolutionary propaganda portrayed her as been rich, selfish, and uncaring. Her unpopularity was promoted by jealousy and poverty. Hearsay and rumours were more important than fact in making her a hated figure. The Queen arguably made herself a hated figure by attempting to persuade the King to take decisive action. Radicals believed Marie Antoinette alongside her brother-in-laws bore the main responsibility for Louis XVI trying to resist revolutionary change. However the King’s indecisiveness meant that consistent and successful counter-revolutionary policies were never fully implemented. The Queen’s position as a hated figure was increased whenever the King had tried to reverse the revolution. Perhaps the one act that sealed the fate of the monarchy was the attempt to escape France that resulted in the royal family’s capture at Varennes. That failure to escape meant the revolutionary government could accuse the King and Queen of treachery. Hating the Queen was therefore a revolutionary and patriotic duty (Amand, 1891). There are some convincing arguments as to why Marie Antoinette became such a hated figure in France. Her Austrian origins were always going to be a potential banana skin. France and the Habsburgs had a long history of war and rivalry; therefore it was not surprising that members of the royal family, the nobility and the French people did not always trust her. Mistrust of the Queen’s intentions and loyalty to France were frequently played upon by opponents of the monarchy in general as a means of targeting Marie Antoinette to increase her unpopularity. She was an unpopular and later a hated figure as it was believed she was serving Austria’s best interests rather than those of France. Although Marie Antoinette did try to influence French foreign policy to suit the Habsburgs interests, she was as the frequent complaints from Vienna attest, particularly ineffective at doing so. Of course, once the revolutionary France was at war with Austria, it further increased hate towa rds the Queen. Radical elements successfully took advantage of the fear that Marie Antoinette would use her family connections to reverse the revolution. The royal family’s unsuccessful escape bid meant that they were hated even more. Accusations of treachery and duplicity certainly made the Queen a detested figure. Opponents of the monarchy regarded Marie Antoinette as a figure to be hated, as they believed she was a threat to their ambitions of reform or revolution. They used propaganda, such as pamphlets to discredit her. Her private life allowed them to spread many rumours, although with the exception of Fersen these would appear to be unfounded. Perhaps the most damaging rumour was that she said ‘let them eat cake’ when grain was scarce and the cost of bread was too high for the poor. France’s severe financial problems certainly made a contribution to Marie Antoinette becoming a hated figure. Much more than that, these factors acted as a catalyst for revolution. The Queen could not be blamed for the bankruptcy of the Crown or food shortages, but all the factors noted already meant that a majority of the French population saw her as a scapegoat who needed to be punished before their lives would get any better. Her apparent greed, adultery, conservative political outlook, and the belief that she was looking after Austrian interests all combined to make her hated. In Marie Antoinette’s defence it has to be mentioned that she was not the cause of France’s long-term problems and that there was little she could have done to solve them. Louis XVI was a weak and indecisive man, completely unsuited to be a King. The cost of the Seven Years War and the American War of Independence were the main cause of the Crown’s crippling debts and not the Que en’s expenditure. The government was certainly unable to deal with food shortages, yet that was mainly due to the scale of the problem than deliberate neglect. As Queen, Marie Antoinette performed her main duties of being the King’s consort and producing heirs to the throne. After the revolution she attempted to protect her family’s position and later their lives. She acted in a way that the majority of her royal contemporaries did. She was hated as much for what she represented, as opposed to who she was. To conclude, Zweig, Fraser, Lever, Dunlop, and Amand present common and different arguments as to why Marie Antoinette became a hated figure. They all point out the Queen’s personal faults as important causes of her unpopularity. Zweig attempts to explain those faults by the argument that Marie Antoinette was just an ordinary woman that through the accidents of birth and marriage became the Queen of France in a period in which its monarchy faced many problems. Fraser, Dunlop, and Lever attempt to account for the Queen’s failings by pointing out that she was inadequately educated for her roles. Dunlop is sympathetic to Marie Antoinette in that he argues that circumstances conspired against her. Fraser, Lever, and Zweig are more critical of her shortcomings, although also sympathetic to her position. As Amand concentrated on the years 1792-1793 he argued that hatred of Marie Antoinette was promoted by the war against Austria, Prussia, and Britain. She was hated for trying to prevent the revolution destroying her family, even if she could not prevent the end of the monarchy. All the historians argued that Marie Antoinette was hated due to the rumours and propaganda that was spread against her. Before the revolution the government had tried to censor such publications. After the revolution, particularly once the monarchy was abolished, the revolutionary government targeted Marie Antoinette. Ironically enough, Marie Antoinette was a bigger political threat after Louis XVI was executed. Her trial featured all the crimes or errors she had committed since arriving in France, greed, immorality, treachery and being of foreign birth. Bibliography Dunlop I, (1993) Marie Antoinette, Sinclair Stevenson, London Fraser A (2001) Marie Antoinette, Weidenfeld Nicholson, London Lever E (2000) Marie Antoinette: The Last Queen of France Saint- Amand I (1891) Marie Antoinette and the Downfall of Royalty Zweig S, (1933) Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman

William Still and his Impact on Black History :: American America History

William Still and his Impact on Black History Working on farms to receiving whippings were just a few things all African Americans had to endure in the time of slavery. However there have been numerous people and events that have been influential in black history. One momentous event is when William Still escaped from slavery. William Still was born on October 7th, 1821, in Burlington County, New Jersey. Still’s original name as William Steel but his father changed it to protect his wife. Unfortunately the Steel family was unable to escape slavery together. After his escape from the life of slavery, William moved to Philadelphia where he learned to read. He then started to assist fugitive black slaves when being paid to work as a janitor at Pennsylvania’s Society for the Abolition of Slavery. While helping the escapees he wound up disentangling his long lost brother from slavery. In 1972 William wrote The Underground Railroad, which included documents he received from former slaves. This book was crucial because most books on slavery had some bias views written by white abolitionists. After visiting multitudinous escapees in Canada, Still was inspired to launch a desegregation campaign in Pennsylvania railroad cars. The campaign was triumphant and caused Pennsylvanian legislature to preclude segregation. William Still served as both President and vice president for the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery. He served as vice president for eight year and President for five. William did not stop there he then organized a YMCA for blacks, an orphanage for children of black sailors and soldiers and the mission Sabbath school. At age 81, in 1902, William Gant Still died of a disease known as Bights disease. However his exploits will never be forgotten. William Still’s achievements triggered many essential events on the path to abolishment of slavery. As one can see William was a man who did great things for those in need of help throughout his lifetime. However if he had never escaped from slavery his accomplishments may have never occurred. If he had not fled from slavery then there may not have been a chance for the successful escape of six hundred and forty nine slaves nor would his organizations have been formed to help many of those who needed assistance in overcoming the burdens of being former slaves.

How sawm shows devotion to god Essay

Sawm is the fourth pillar of Islam and is an important act of ibadah. The word â€Å"Ramadan† comes from the Arabic root word for â€Å"parched thirst† and â€Å"sun-baked ground.† It is expressive of the hunger and thirst felt by those who spend the month in fasting. As opposed to other holidays, when people often indulge, Ramadan is by nature a time of sacrifice. The month of Ramadan is sacred because the first revelation of the Qur’an is said to have occurred during this month. By tradition the month starts with the sighting of the new moon by at least two Muslims. For the entire month, Muslims must fast from daybreak to sunset by refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse. It is an apparent sign of devotion as it shows obedience, submission and servitude to God, the Exalted. By fasting, a Muslim expresses his submission to Allah’s command, his response to His will, and control over his own desires and wishes at the God’s command. In the holy month of Ramadan, a Muslim’s abstaining from food, drink, sexual intercourse, during the prescribed hours is the very manifestation of devotion to the Creator’s will. This self-deprivation represents a state of self-control and of overcoming pleasure, desire, and enjoyment, for the blissful love of God. It is a triumph of pure love over one’s pleasures for the eternal ones promised by God, the Almighty. This response to the Divine commandments represents and incarnates true devotion and is a brilliant display of spirit, intellect and decisive willpower. This purification allows them to prove their devotion to Allah by demonstrating they will honor the fast whether they are alone or with others, because it is His wish that they do so. Through fasting the Muslims are able to share in their unity with each other and their community, and display their gratitude to God for being given the words of the Qur’an. Through increased devotion, Muslims feel closer to their Creator, and recognize that everything we have in this life is a blessing from Him. Traditions (Hadith) succinctly explain this fact: â€Å"A fasting person is in a state of worship, even when (asleep) in bed, except when he backbites about another Muslim.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Every breath you take is (has the reward of) Tasbih (praise to Allah) and your sleep is worship†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In a moving speech, the Prophet of Allah described the believing soul that fasts for love of Allah out of truthfulness and sincerity, and out of devotion for him then the whole day becomes an alter of worship, and each and every activity of the fasting body, provided it abstains from loathsome acts, is nothing but worship embodied. This is why Muslims become focused in Ramadan and carry out lots of Ibadah to gain reward and please Allah as we need him in our lives as he is that powerful and the guide The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) described the sleep of a fasting Muslim, even the very breathing, as acts of worship, because they emanate from a body regarded as being in a state of continual worship through abstaining from tasting delicious and lawful things, solely out of obedience and devotion to the Creator. He Himself extols fasting and attributes as a special blessing for mankind as is clear from a ‘Hadith-e-Qudsi’: The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: â€Å"God, the Exalted says: ‘Fasting is (exclusively) for me and I will reward it.† Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (A.S.), the Eighth Imam quoted his ancestor the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) on the chain of authority of his noble forefathers: â€Å"O people, anybody who in this month (Ramadan) cultivates good manners, will walk over the ‘Sira’ (Paradise’s bridge) on the Day when feet will tend to slip†¦.† The practices of Islamic fasting are designed to divert human mind towards righteousness through a process of self-denials. Fasting constitutes a process of self-purification, self-righteousness, and spiritual development of one self. Sawm also shows devotion to god through various other acts. An additional prayer is added in Ramadan called taraweeh.it is a Sunnah prayer and efforts are made to recite as much of the Quran as possible. This prayer is generally offered in congregation and those who cannot make it to the congregation pray it at home. This additional prayer prayed each day for 30 days shows love for god and how much we appreciate the guidance he sent through the Qur’an and how much we need god in our lives to show us the â€Å"straight path†. The night of power is also a way to show devotion to god as it was the night the Quran was revealed and so Muslims recite as much Quran as possible and perform other acts of Ibadah. This show devotion to god as many Muslims stay awake during the night so it shows our love for god as it says that the ummah will worship god and listen to him as he does to us. We will thank him and show devotion to him. The fasting person is training himself to remember that Allah (SWT) is always watching, so he gives up the things that he desires even though he is able to take them, because he knows that Allah (SWT) can see him. This shows devotion to god as it tells us that even though an individual would want to eat or do bad deeds as they can because it is in our control we do not as god has told us not to do it. This shows that the ummah will listen to god as we believe he provides and does everything we ask for us so we can do this for him. Another way muslins show devotion to god is through dua which is personal prayer to god. Many Muslims carry out this personal prayer in Ramadan after all the 5 prayers or in the morning before the fajr prayer when Muslims perform a Sunnah prayer called tahajud. This shows devotion to god as it show that Muslims are willing to wake up or stay awake just to please Allah and worship him as he fulfils our prayers so we must ask more and praise him during this. ‘Sawm is more about uniting the Muslim community than about showing devotion to Allah.’ Discuss? (10) Sawm is about showing devotion to Allah as In the holy month of Ramadan, a Muslim’s abstaining from food, drink, sexual intercourse, during the prescribed hours is the very devotion Muslim’s have to the Creator’s will. This self-deprivation represents a state of self-control and of overcoming pleasure, desire, and enjoyment, for the blissful love of God. It is a triumph of pure love over one’s pleasures for the eternal ones promised by God, the Almighty. This response to the commands of Allah represents and incarnates true devotion and is a brilliant display of spirit, intellect and decisive willpower. This purification allows them to prove their devotion to Allah by demonstrating they will honour the fast whether they are alone or with others, because it is His wish that they do so. . Through increased devotion, Muslims feel closer to their Creator, and recognize that everything we have in this life is a blessing from Him. Also Muslims celebrate the gift of Quran purely for the sake of Allah and to thank him for sending a guide to the Muslim’s. Ramadan is month were everyone recharges their spiritual batteries on for the sake of Allah and to have him be pleased with us and to forgive any previous sins. Sawm also is intended to strengthen the worldwide Ummah not merely in shared experience and practical provision but in contributing to the concept of spiritual unity and cohesive communal solidarity which is the hallmark of Islam. Through fasting the Muslims are able to share in their unity with each other and their community, and display their gratitude to God for being given the words of the Qur’an as they all as a community pray taraweeh and pray parts of the Quran collectively so all the young and all join in and realise the importance of the Muslim Ummah. In addition to this Muslim’s give their zakat or sadqa in the month of Ramadan as they also want those Muslim’s who cannot afford it to have the best Ramadan possible and it helps them also identify the poor and realise that as they are also Muslim’s it is our duty to help them. Mosque receivers is a way the Muslim community comes together as women and children in the home can listen top talks and speeches in the home so they don’t miss out on any information about Islam and can also hear the prayers at home so they become part of the community swell. Muslims give food to one another so it shoes that we are all there for each other and we are am Muslim Ummah so muslin’s should give in this blessed month to friends, relatives to share the bond of Islam. However sawm is about showing devotion to god and worshiping him through fasting or praying but to do this Muslim’s come together as an Ummah to help one another and get more reward of carrying out the worship together. However each individual Muslim for doing good acts will get rewards for him but the reason it is done together is because the Ummah is important in Islam to keep it going.

Free Essays on Immigration

Immigration Immigration is the foundation of this country’s greatness. It is made up of different cultures, ethnicities and races. I myself would not be able to enjoy life in the United States of America if immigration was limited when my parents arrived in this country. I feel making immigration illegal would deprive the rest of the world of being able to experience a land like no other. Immigration has largely increased over the last 100 years causing many problems such as immense population growth, heavy traffic, air pollution, water and energy shortages, overcrowded schools, declines in purchasing power and quality of life and tax increases. New York is known for being so culturally diverse. The culture brought by these immigrants gives us the positive aspects of there homeland without having to face the negatives of it. Some examples of culture being brought is the different parades we have here in the city celebrating different countries from around the world, also the diverse dinning capabilities. We get to experience this with out having to see the hardships that they face such as child labor and extreme poverty. Immigration has its problems but it is also the foundation in which America is built on. It always promised immigrants a future and a great life.... Free Essays on Immigration Free Essays on Immigration In education of immigrants, English as a second language teachers are often among the first people available to help refugees and other immigrants cope with a new cultural and linguistic environment. Although the identified role of the teacher is to teach English language skills, the teacher's role as a cultural broker is very important as well. One can focus on how teachers can help adult refugee and immigrant learners make significant progress in adjusting to a new life in an unfamiliar culture. It discusses the qualities of mental health, stresses faced by refugees, and three things that teachers can do to help their students Concepts of mental health are laden with cultural bias. For example, one of the most important ways that cultures differ is that the societies where many of the refugees and immigrants to the United States come from tend to be more collectivistic, whereas U.S. society is more individualistic. In the United States, parents are generally encouraged to rear their children to be independent and self-reliant, to leave home early, and to be responsible for their own happiness and well being. In collectivist societies, parents raise their children to be interdependent and to be responsible for others, within a system of relationships where others in turn care for them. Americans may see behavior of people coming from such cultures as overly dependent and dysfunctional. However, behaving in individualistic ways could be seen as dysfunctional within the context of these other societies. Because of these cultural differences, U.S. teachers of refugee adults must be cautious in passing j! udgment on behaviors they may not understand. Teachers of adult refugees can promote cultural adjustment and mental health by learning about the challenges facing refugees; by providing material and activities in the classroom that will address some of the individuals' particular needs; and by becoming an integral part of a larger ne... Free Essays on Immigration Immigration is one of the largest factors in making the United States of America the economic juggernaut it is today. The United States of America is a country of immigrants, and legal immigration is embraced and welcomed here. Starting in 1952 when the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 was passed, many major changes were made to the immigration policy of the United States by it. The USA needed to begin regulating immigration more heavily to prevent the country from being flooded with too many immigrants. Currently the United States are un-secure and the immigration policies in place are not enough to protect our country and its citizens. Immigration, by definition, is â€Å"to enter and settle in a country or region to which one is not native.† Immigration has a very large social and political significance in American society. Since the time the United States was formed as an independent country, many immigrants have been discriminated against. However, immigration was and still is needed to continue the growth and well being of our country. Immigrants provide diversity in the population, and gives great opportunities to make money and have a good living for people that would not have that in other countries. To some people, immigration means Mexicans illegally crossing the border and being hired for their cheap labor by dishonest American employers who know these people are illegal aliens. To others, immigration means opportunity; people coming from other countries to try to make it in our vast capitalistic economy. Immigration as a whole can stand for opportunity, freedom, civil and human rights, ill egality, terrorism, and many others. Personally I feel that immigration provides great options to people in countries that would not normally have the chance to succeed that would in the United States of America. Immigration is a great thing for this country, as long as it is done responsibly and in a secure fashion... Free Essays on Immigration Immigration Immigration is the foundation of this country’s greatness. It is made up of different cultures, ethnicities and races. I myself would not be able to enjoy life in the United States of America if immigration was limited when my parents arrived in this country. I feel making immigration illegal would deprive the rest of the world of being able to experience a land like no other. Immigration has largely increased over the last 100 years causing many problems such as immense population growth, heavy traffic, air pollution, water and energy shortages, overcrowded schools, declines in purchasing power and quality of life and tax increases. New York is known for being so culturally diverse. The culture brought by these immigrants gives us the positive aspects of there homeland without having to face the negatives of it. Some examples of culture being brought is the different parades we have here in the city celebrating different countries from around the world, also the diverse dinning capabilities. We get to experience this with out having to see the hardships that they face such as child labor and extreme poverty. Immigration has its problems but it is also the foundation in which America is built on. It always promised immigrants a future and a great life.... Free Essays on Immigration Immigration Immigration in the United States began partly because Europe didn’t have enough room, so people mainly started to come to the United States because the freedom from aristocratic state and Church. During 1840s and 1850’s immigrants tripled then quadrupled from 60,000. As immigrants moved in the Navitists flared up against the immigrants because they believe that they were over running the country. Navitists form the Order of the Star Spangled Banner or the Know-nothing party. They even went as far to burn down a Catholic convent. Today immigrants or people from immigrant descent are everywhere. They contributed not only to the economy but to the history of America. . The Irish were the largest group of immigrants to ever enter the United States. They came to America in search of freedom, jobs, and a new life free from religious persecution. In Ireland the British still ruled Ireland and persecuted Catholics because of their religion. Then a potato famine struck in the early 1840s that killed one forth of the population. Irish heard of better opportunities in America and came over. Irish stayed mainly in the North eastern cities such as Boston and New York. They took jobs in unskilled labor such as plucking chicken to help further their advancement. They retain the religion and it became the center of the life. They saved pennies to help their children become better in life and succeeded by many including John Kelly. Tammany hall was a political machine that helps also in the development of the Irish. The Irish contributed much to our society today. The German immigrants were one the most valuable immigrants to come to the United States. They came to the United States because of political asylum, uprooted farmers, and other difficulties. With that they could move farther west than the Irish because of the simple fact that they had the money. They consisted of mainly farmers, trader, teacher, and worker m... Free Essays on Immigration America is sometimes referred to as a â€Å"nation of immigrants† because of our largely open-door policy toward accepting foreigners pursuing their vision of the American Dream. Recently, there has been an effort by some politicians and citizens toward creating a predominantly closed-door policy on immigration, arguing that immigrants â€Å"threaten† American life by creating unemployment by taking jobs from American workers, using much needed social services, and encroaching on the â€Å"American way of life.† While these arguments may seem valid to a lot of people, they are false, and more likely confused with illegal immigration. In fact, immigrants actually enhance American life by creating, not taking jobs, improve social service funds through tax payments, and bring valuable technical knowledge and skills to our country. If we are to continue to excel as a nation, the traditionalists who fear an encroachment of foreign born Americans must learn to acce pt that we achieved our greatness as a result of being â€Å"a nation of immigrants.† A common argument among those opposing further immigration is that foreigners take U.S. jobs and cause unemployment among American workers. In an edition of Business Week, a poll states that sixty-two percent of non-blacks and sixty-three percent of blacks say that â€Å"new immigrants take jobs away from American workers.† This is a widely held belief among Americans. However, Julian L. Simon, author of The Economic Consequences of Immigration, says â€Å"immigration does not exacerbate unemployment...Immigrants not only take jobs, but also create them. Their purchases increase the demand for labor, leading to new hires roughly equal in number to the immigrant workers.† In the same Business Week poll, eighty-three percent of non-blacks and eighty-seven percent of blacks agree that â€Å"many new immigrants are very hard working.† However, in order to overcome their distrust of foreigners, A... Free Essays on Immigration Immigration Immigration is a worldwide phenomenon. Canada is an increasingly ethnically diverse country. Canada’s reflection of ethnic diversity is due to the increasing flow of immigration. The vast majority of Canadians are born in Canada, and most of them are from European descent. Close to, half of all immigrants that came to Canada between 1991 and 1996 reveal a first language other than French or English. During this time, many immigrants came from Asia and the Middle East. It’s been reported that 29 percent of Canadians have more than one ethnic origin. Native peoples make up about 3 percent and blacks about 2 percent of the population. Canada has an open immigration program that accepts newcomers approximately from every other country in the world. The estimated population in 2002 was 31,902,268. Immigration is important in maintaining Canada’s population. The current childbearing generation has smaller families than earlier generations: the fertility rate is 1.6, less than the population replacement rate of 2.1. At the same time, older people are living longer, so that the average age of the population is higher. In 2002, Canada’s rate of natural increase was 0.36 percent, resulting from a birth rate of 11.1 per 1,000 persons and a death rate of 7.5 per 1,000. There is a downward trend in the birth index- in 1981, it was 15.3- and the likely result will be zero growth or population loss. For this reason the Canadian government in the 1980’s decided to balance the low birth rate by allowing more immigration into the country. The way immigrants adjust to life in Canada has much to do with the reason why they came here. Most modern immigrants are motivated to relocate far from their homelands by the desire to improve their and their family’s lives. Such people are known as economic immigrants. They r...

Inflation and Aggregate Expenditure Essays

Inflation and Aggregate Expenditure Essays Inflation and Aggregate Expenditure Essay Inflation and Aggregate Expenditure Essay A change in all of the following will cause a shift in the consumption function, EXCEPT: A. Investment 2. Planned investment is a function of which of the following variables? C. Technology 3. The planned investment function shows the relationship between planned investment and the real rate of interest, thus the planned investment curve is ____________________. A decrease in the price of capital will cause this curve to ___________________. D. Downward sloping; shift outward 4. An increase in the foreign price level relative to the U. S. price level would cause the import (IM) function to: B. Shift downward 5. An increase in the real rate of interest would lead to which of the following outcomes? A. A decrease in consumption B. A decrease in planned investment C. A decrease in planned aggregate expenditure D. All of the above 6. The planned aggregate expenditure (PAE) curve/line is: A. Upward sloping 7. The import function is _______________ , while the net export function is __________. D. Upward sloping; downward sloping 8. An income tax decrease for individual consumers will cause the planned aggregate expenditure function to: A. Shift upward 9. An increase in the real rate of interest will cause the planned aggregate expenditure function to: B. Shift downward 10. Economic activity moves from a period of expansion to a _______ and then moves into a period of _______ until it reaches a _____. B. Peak, recession; trough 11. Potential output is: D. The maximum sustainable amount of output. 12. Planned investment may differ from actual investment because of: C. Unplanned changes in inventories. 13. The consumption function is the relationship between consumption and: D. Its determinants, such as disposable income. 14. The slope of the consumption function: D. Equals the mpc. 15. The tendency of changes in asset prices to affect spending on consumption goods is called the _____ effect. C. Wealth 16. When housing prices decrease, household wealth _____ and consumption _____. C. Decreases; decreases 17. The marginal propensity to consume is the: B. Amount by which consumption increases when disposable income increases by $1. 18. Under the fixed price model where expected inflation is zero, an increase in government spending in the short run will lead to which of the following? A. An upward shift in the planned aggregate expenditure function B. An increase in real income C. An increase in the nominal rate of interest D. An increase in the real rate of interest E. All of the above 19. The difference between potential output and actual output is called the____________. C. Output gap 20. The primary difference between active fiscal policy and automatic stabilizers in regards to their lagged impacts, is that active fiscal policy does not contain an inside lag period, while the automatic stabilizers do contain an inside lag period B. False 21. If the economy experiences a credit crunch all of the following are true EXCEPT: D. The interest rate on bonds rises 22. To close a recessionary gap, the Fed ____ interest rates which ______ planned aggregate spending and _____ short-run equilibrium output. A. Lowers; increases; increases 23. The aggregate demand curve shows the relationship between output and the ______ rate. D. Inflation 24. In the long run, an increase in the nominal money supply will cause the inflation rate to: A. Increase. 25. In the long run, an increase in the nominal money supply will cause output to: C. Remain unchanged. 26. In the long run, an increase in the nominal money supply will cause the nominal interest rate to: C. Remain unchanged. 27. The macroeconomy is comprised of four primary markets: the labor market, the goods market, the money market, and the bond market. What is the minimum number of these individual markets that must be in equilibrium to ensure that the whole macroeconomy is equilibrium? C. 3 28. The aggregate demand curve is: B. Downward sloping 29. An increase in the actual rate of inflation will cause the aggregate demand curve to: C. Not shift 30. Which of the following will result in an outward shift in the aggregate demand curve? A. An increase in government spending B. A decrease in taxes C. An increase in the money supply D. All of the above 31. The long-run aggregate supply curve is___________, while the short-run aggregate supply curve is______________. D. Vertical; upward sloping 32. According to the Fisher Effect, a 3% increase in expected inflation leads to a 3% increase in the real rate of interest. B. False 33. An increase in expected inflation in the long-run will lead to each of the following outcomes EXCEPT: A. A decrease in the nominal rate of interest 34. In the short run, an increase in government spending will cause the inflation rate to: A. Increase. 35. In the short run, an increase in government spending will cause output to: A. Increase. 36. In the short run, an increase in government spending will cause the nominal interest rate to: A. Increase. 7. In the short run, an increase in government spending will cause planned investment to: B. Decrease. EC202 Exam III Form A Part II 1. Using the following graph to answer the questions below. Assume planned investment, government purchases, net exports, and net taxes are autonomous variables. The only component of planned aggregate expenditure that depends on income is cons umption. Assume you at currently at equilibrium marked by the â€Å"x† and the vertical line is the potential output of Y*. (1 pt. each question) A. What is the output gap in this economy? Output Gap = Actual – Potential = 150 – 300 = -150 Billion B. Given the above scenario, is this economy experiencing a recessionary gap, an expansionary gap, or no gap in output? Recessionary Gap C. In order for the government to eliminate the output, by how much would the government need to increase their expenditures? The government would need to increase their expenditures by 50 billion as that would cause the PAE curve to shift upward to the new equilibrium. D. Given the above scenario, what is the economy’s marginal propensity to consume (MPC)? The MPC in this scenario is equivalent to the slope of the PAE curve. We calculate slope as rise/run†¦. thus (150-50)/(150-0) = 100/150 = . 7 Schaffer 12/6 7 E. What is the income-expenditure multiplier in this economy? (Continued from 1. ) Income Multiplier = 1/(1-MPC) = 1/(1-. 67) = 1/. 33 = 3. 00 2. Compare and contrast between automatic stabilizers, active fiscal policy, and monetary policy. Be sure to fully explain each variant of policy, provide examples of each type of policy, and explain which policy action is the fastest using the lag terms we discussed. (6 pts) Automatic Stabilizers are provisions in the law that imply automatic increases in government spending or decreases in taxes when real output (income) declines. A good example of an automatic stabilizer is unemployment compensation. Active fiscal policy consists of actions taken on behalf of the government to change a law or pass a bill to enact some form of stimulus. A good example of this type of policy was the TARP package or the stimulus passed by George W. Bush at the onset of the financial crisis. Monetary policy are actions taken by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy via open market operations, changes in the discount rate, or changes in the required reserve ratio. Since the automatic stabilizers contain no inside lag it is the fastest policy action. However, in terms of policy that needs to be implemented, monetary policy is faster than fiscal policy as the action lag for the Fed is much faster than the active fiscal policy. Schaffer 12/6 8 3. Using the AD/AS model that we developed in class, explain the impacts of a decrease in taxes by the government in the long run. Specifically your final answer should clearly state the overall impact on output, inflation, the nominal and real interest rate, and planned investment. As in the class example, you may assume that expected inflation is zero. 6 pts) Increase in output | inflation, nominal and real interest rates, and planned investments are all indeterminate 4. Using the AD/AS model that we developed in class, explain the impacts of a credit crunch in the short run. Specifically your final answer should clearly state the overall impact on output, inflation, the nominal and real interest rate, and planned investment. As in the class example, you may assume that expected inflation i s zero. (6 pts) Decrease in output | decrease in inflation | decrease in nominal and real interest rates | Increase in planned investment Schaffer 12/6 9 5. Using the AD/AS model that we developed in class, explain the impacts of an increase in average labor productivity on economic growth (obviously this is a long run question). Specifically your final answer should clearly state the overall impact on output, inflation, the nominal and real interest rate, and planned investment. As in the class example, you may assume that expected inflation is zero. (6 pts) Increase in output | decrease in inflation | nominal and real interest rates and planned investment are indeterminate

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Report - Essay Example The resultant signal is channelled into the powered amplifier. The role of the power amplifier is to drive the loudspeaker. The circuit is designed such that the mixer contains a gain that can be varied, depending on the desirability of the required volumes. In addition, there should be the allowance for the volume of one channel to be controlled separately from another. This enhances the quality of sound as this enables one to have balance between the two channels. In this regard, the presented diagram consists of a set of two inputs; the speech and music. In this case, the speech voltage controls the music voltage. The operation of the circuit project only requires that the two signals are combined while the current should be adjusted to be adequate to make the speakers work effectively. It is expectable that in the cases where speech signal is lacking, the music voltage from the difference amplifier is about 1V. In the cases where the speech signal is peak, the voltage is expected to be at the minimum level, at around 0.17V. In this regard, mixing the speech and music amplifier creates the allowance to have the music volume by varying the voltage of the speech signal. Even so, the mixer’s output does not have the power capacity of driving the speakers. In this regard, it is expectable that when the amplitude of the mixer’s input is raised by a gain of well over 10 units, as well as utilizing the class B type of amplifier so that adequate current can be generated, the circuit would work successfully. The amplifier is connected to the speakers. About Power amplifiers Conventionally, most power amplifiers make use of the output stage, in the cases where a single transistor handles a half of the waveform signals and this is regardless of whether the half is negative or positive. This operation is often labelled as the push-pull. Its efficiency is unquestionable, considering that only minimal current flows when music signal is lacking. Furthermore, this comes with the implication that the compact power supply may be the only most essential component; hence it cost-effectiveness to the manufacturer. For the user, the resultant amplifier is relatively small in size, efficient and cheap. The power amplifier functions to deliver power, a product of load current and voltage. Power= IV I ~ Current V ~ Voltage In the basic sense, a power amplifier shares a lot of commonalities with the voltage amplifier. The only difference between the two is that in the power amplifier, the resistance of the load that is connected to the output is relatively low, for instance, a loudspeaker consisting of 7 ohms that triggers the flow of high current through the transistor’s collector. In consideration to the high currents that flow through the loads, it is imperative that the output transistors that are applied in the amplification of power should have high resistance. There are two categories of amplifiers that could be used; A-type and B-ty pe amplifiers. The A-type amplifiers are those in which the output current assumes the inputs’ full cycle, creating the allowance of the transistors to be forward-biased through the input cycles, without switching off. The following is an extract of the diagram for the A-type amplifier. Figure 1: A-type Amplifier On the other hand, the B-type amplifier is that which is designed to improve the energy of efficiency of the A-type amplifier, ensuring for the reduction of the amount of heat loss? Besides, its signal assumes a half

Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Technology - Essay Example In case the private body functions in a public capacity and it is owned, controlled and funded by the state, then it should be considered as a public body. However, a private corporation is subject to the FOIA request when they utilize public funding under the conditions that the entity performs the functions of the government, government is involved in regulation, and when the entity is formed by the government. Also, the federal standards should not be used in determining the public funding by the private corporation, and the criteria by FOIL should come into play in matters related to the functioning of the private agency (Halstuk & Bill, 2006). The traditional privatization approaches of the public services can be approached in a perspective which considers government as hierarchical and ineffective, and that it involves both benefits and difficulties while importing efficiency and flexibility in the corporate world to provide for the public services. Bring the for-profit corporation to the delivery of the traditional government services is contentious. Some of the questions that may arise are whether the state can be sued along the private corporation and whether the government actors are entitled to immunities. The two partnerships can be of considerable legal work and to untangle. Youth detention centers and private prisons are under control of the government entities, such that more money is realized by having more inmates (Silverman, 2007). On the other hand, the economic difficulties facing the private sector in using the public funds for the non-traditional services is caused by the reassessment of the priorities for county and municipal governments. Government is faced with problems when trying to balance services to the community and the declining tax revenues (Halstuk & Bill, 2006). Fraud, waste, abuse and corruption are problems in government programs. FWAC in small businesses led to Nancy Pelosi, who was the house speaker instructed