Affirmative action policies and law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Affirmative action policies and law - Essay Example For quite some time now,certain ethnic and minority groups have been pushing for better rights when it comes to higher education,employment,and government contracts.This has resulted in preferential hiring,college admissions and the allocation of government contracts when it comes to women and minority groups. It also applies to the awarding of other social benefits for these groups. The problem is that some people consider it to be reverse discrimination (Bardach, 2005; Holzer and Neumark, 2000 and Holzer and Neumark, 2006).The Civil Rights Act of 1964 started the whole push towards affirmative action. It was designed to make up for past discrimination of women and certain minority groups. In order to be considered in an affirmative action group, one or more of the following criteria must occur, which is considered different than the criteria that a regular employee would have:In the 1978 ruling of the Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, significant limitations were pl aced on affirmative action programs. Further limitations were placed on affirmative action programs in 1995's Adarand Constructors v. Pena and 1996's Texas v. Hopwood (Kane, 1998).1996 brought the most significant change in affirmative action programs up until this date. At that time, California voted in Proposition 209. This proposition refused to allow government agencies and related institutions from giving preferential treatment to or discriminating against individuals based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. This did not just take place in California, as other states soon adopted similar rules. In Michigan, the United States Supreme Court ruled that race could not be the leading factor in making such decisions as admission to the University of Michigan and its law school (Kane, 1998). When President Kennedy developed the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity in 1961, the term 'affirmative action' was first used. Affirmative action can be defined by the Report of the Citizen's Commission on Civil Rights, circa 1984, as any measure that is taken on to prevent or compensate for discriminatory action that was taken in the past, as well as to prevent it in the future. This goes beyond the simple doing away with a discriminatory practice (Kane, 1998 and Long, 2004). Affirmative action has been challenged over and over again, mainly occurring at the level of the state. The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the law passed with Proposition 209 in 1996, which bans state and local governments from hiring individuals or showing other types of preferential treatment based on the aforementioned factors in the preceding paragraphs (Kane, 1998 and Long, 2004). In 1997, former President Bill Clinton pushed for the 'mend it, don't end it' measure. As far as racial matters, he began an Initiative on Race to encourage communication on racial issues. There are many affirmative action resources available for the latest updates on the measures. These include the following: 1. The Washington Post: Affirmative Action Special Report 2. American Association for Affirmative Action 3. Americans Against Discrimination and Preferences 4. Official Proposition 209 Site (Powell, 2009) Currently, anti-discrimination laws are reaching a new level. They are being pushed so hard on a daily basis that many believe it has reached a point of 'reverse discrimination.' (Powell, 2009) Discuss the nature of the affirmative action policies you describe above in the context of being antipoverty, antidiscrimination, and compensatory. Worsening circumstances for poor individuals has been at least partially blamed for affirmative action, many scholars agree. The fact is that, after the Current Population Survey and a

Human Rights In A Democratic South Africa

Human Rights In A Democratic South Africa In the South African Constitution, citizens are given many different rights. The right to education is specifically important because it builds and largely determines the future of the next generation. Since I am in a privileged position regarding education, attending a private school, I have decided to research the right to education of all South Africans. My aim is to find whether the right to education which are guaranteed in our constitution to both children and adults are realised in the daily lives of all South Africans. My research is focused on high school education (i.e. Grade 8 to Grade 12). This is the phase which forms the foundation for Matric results. Analysing the Grade 12 results across all sectors of our population along with other primary and secondary sources will give a good indication of whether the right to Education is realised in South Africa. I predict that the rights to education are not fulfilled across all races and income groups in South Africa. Review of Literature The research done on existing information regarding the right to Education in South Africa has been studied and is discussed below. The following secondary sources include a combination of angles ranging from the Bill of Rights, the Popular Media (focusing on the recent Limpopo textbook crisis) and Education Statistics of the last few years. There are many different viewpoints regarding Education in South Africa, some highlighting the corruption and inefficiency, some focusing on the transitional phase we seem to be in, and others looking only at the successes. Education is perceived in such different ways because different audiences look at different aspects of the whole, i.e. the teachers, the pass rates or governmental management. Looking holistically at the entire situation will produce a clearer and more objective result. Source 1: The Constitution of South Africa, 4 February 1997, Chapter 2 Bill of rights, Section 29 Education When a careful study is made of the rights to education as stipulated by the South African Constitution, one finds that every child and adult has the right to basic education as well as further education. The state is primarily responsible to provide the infra-structure in which its citizens could be educated. This implies that the state should provide sufficient school buildings, enough capable teaching staff to ensure a healthy teacher-learner ratio, textbooks and other educational materials. The education system should be free from discrimination on the basis of race, gender and language. Education should be made available in all the official languages where at all practically possible. The education system should also make room for independent institutions which are registered with the state and provide standards comparable to that of public educational institutions. Source 2: Articles by Greg Nicolson from the Daily Maverick 2.1 Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption It is vitally important to have an education system which can be trusted. This article deals with explaining the politics behind the Limpopo textbook crisis. During a tender process advertised by the Limpopo education department there were 23 possible tenders of which 22 were immediately disqualified on the basis of technicalities. From this there was later found that the one which was accepted, EduSolutions, had been pocketing money from the government throughout the process and has left the Limpopo schools without the necessary textbooks and learning materials. 2.2 SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books A recent discrepancy in the Limpopo education department has exposed the education system as corrupt and incompetent. However while the issue is being investigated and addressed a large amount of Limpopo students were left without textbooks and were unable to continue any learning. The seriousness of this situation lies not only in the fraud but the inadequacy of the manner in which students were left without any means to education until the middle of the school year. While the whole event has become a political issue there is still no answer to the problems which the students face in their battle for proper education. Source 3: Is South Africa fulfilling right to free education for all right? April 10, 2011  · by Akanyang Merementsi  · in Media, Society This article discusses education in the world and in South Africa and compares the standard of education between South Africa and the world. Not only is focus put on the importance of education as a human right but it also makes the reader aware of the large high school dropout rates and the negative effects thereof. The article discusses A4 as a model of assessment which the education department needs to adopt in order to function effectively. A4 is Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Adaptability. These four traits are vital in the department of education in South Africa. Source 4: The South African Department of Education Action plan 14 June 2003 and Strategic Plan 9 March 2011 In 2003 the South African education department confessed to a failing education system and set up a plan of action in order to rectify and improve the education system. It set guidelines in order to help in areas which through community debate and school statistics had been found wanting. However, it is now almost 10 years later and this Action Plan is still needed. Similarly a Strategic Plan has recently been drawn up for education in 2011 to 2014 (published on 9 March 2011). The need for both of these plans highlights the shortcomings in the South African education system; fortunately there is a plan to fix them. For this plan to be effectively deployed, the basic education system needs more than paperwork. What ultimately happens to the children in South African schools is that they are left without means to further education while administrative issues are being addressed. The plans are there, but they are simply not being carried through. Source 5: Reinvent local education now by Jon Tullett, Editor: News analysis, 11 Jul 2012 This source uses several points ranging from the Limpopo textbook crisis to our educational world rankings to discuss the importance of a reinvented education system and the current lack of basic education in South Africa. Certain issues are addressed and possible solutions mentioned in order to move South Africa forward in education using its resources and technology. Recently South Africa was ranked out of 142 countries In the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness 2011-2012 report. South Africa is in position133 regarding the quality of the education system and in position138 for the quality of maths and science education. These are not good statistics and clearly show a fault in the education system. As we are behind countries such as Zimbabwe this quote from the article relates to many South Africans: When you think of some of the poverty-stricken, war-ravaged, desolate countries in the world, it is sobering to think they are all better than us. Source 6: Education statistics 2010 Published by the Department of Basic Education February 2012 6.1 Ratios, indicators, page 6 Statistics can be used to deduce several facts; in this case ratios are presented to show the effectiveness in numbers of the education department in South Africa. Specifically the ratios are the learner-educator ratio (LER), learner-school ratio (LSR) and educator-school ratio (ESR). The LER in 2010 was 29.3:1 and unfortunately increased to 32.2:1 in 2011. In 2010 the LSR was 474:1 which then also increased to a ratio of 484.5:1 in 2011. In 2011 the ESR had decreased to 16:1 from 2010s 16.2:1. These ratios (The LER, LSR and ESR) are that of the Public and Independent schools throughout South Africa. 6.2 National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rates When considering whether the right to education is fulfilled in South African high schools it is vitally important to look at the level of education provided from the beginning and throughout the course of Grade 8 to Grade 12. Nonetheless, the level of education can only really be clearly seen through studying the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate pass rates and related statistics. The overall national pass rate in 2010 in the NSC examination was 67.8%. Although throughout the country more females than males wrote the NSC examination, the pass rate for males was higher than that for females. There has been an increase from 62.5% (2008) to 70.2% (2011) in Grade 12 final results in the last 4 years which is a good statistic but considering the level of education it is debatable that pass rates are higher due to a lowering in education standards as will be discussed below. Source 7: Rippling effect of the lowering of standards of basic education 18 July 2012, Varsity SA The main purpose of the South African education department should not be merely educating students but to equip learners with that which is necessary to not only pass Grade 12 but also to be educated enough for further studies. This is important because it is these students who will be responsible for carrying the country and taking over the South African economy thus students need further education and they need to be well enough equipped for further education. This article from Varsity SA raises concerns about the lowered NSC standards which have led to an increase in pass rates. It is currently required that a student only receive 30% (thus knowing only 30% of the syllabus) in order to pass the NSC. Universities have become very unhappy with the large gap in standard between Grade 12 and first year of University studies. This has a large impact on the country as a whole. According to Statistics South Africa there are 4.24 million unemployed people in South Africa. If the standard of basic education continues decreasing it will result in unemployment increasing and not decreasing as expected by government. Unless the education standards are raised the target set by government will not be achieved. Methodology When referring to the topic of Basic Education as a human right in South Africa at high school level, it is clear that research should range across all provinces and schools. Results obtained from a few questionnaires would not clearly and honestly propose a result to the hypothesis of education as a Human Right. Therefore, other means of information, specifically secondary sources, needed to be collected and analysed. The secondary sources collected provide a wide range of ideas and opinions about the education system as well as facts and statistics from a variety of sources. The secondary research conducted was from newspaper articles and internet research. South African education has been the focus of many newspapers, magazines and of the community as a whole, especially with the Limpopo textbook crisis and statistics which were released this year. Gathering research thus became a daily job of listening to news reports, social debates and community discussions. Most of the research ideas come from discussing the topic with people, be it teachers, students, parents or any other South African citizen. Education touches every single South African in one way or another thus it is vitally important to hear what South Africa has to say about education and how it impacts their lives. Articles seen online and in newspapers were recorded and every time a new issue about education was raised the topic was recorded. Then internet research was done on the list of information and the articles found. More online research was done in order to gather other sources and specifically statistics from done surveys and from Statistics South Africa. Both quantitive and qualitive data is used; quantitive data such as statistics and ratios and the qualitive data include reports, articles, opinions, interviews and other literature. Considering the large gap between high school education and university education it was important to have first hand research of the level of students entering university. A senior accounting lecturer of the University of Witwatersrand, Mrs. Belinda Breytenbach, was contacted and an interview set up. Here further insight into the shortcomings of the education system was revealed. Interview questions: Do you believe that the right to education in South Africa for high school students is being fulfilled? Why or why not? Is it true that there is a growing concern regarding the cognitive abilities of first year students who have completed the NSC? Could you describe the academic level of the first year accounting students in general? What would you say is the single biggest need among students academically? How high are the university dropout rates and do you believe that they are increased due to the education students receive in high school? Is there cause for concern about the lowered standards which increase the pass rates of learners writing the NSC? With English being the medium of instruction how would you rate the proficiency of the average first year student? What do you believe are the main areas of concern in the basic education system of South Africa? Do you encounter difficulties in your field of work which is due to the lack of proper education for high school student? Do you believe that education in South Africa is viewed more negatively due to stereotypes? Are there enough opportunities for students who do not receive university acceptance? Do you think that the large amounts of students who after receiving the NSC do not receive university acceptance directly increase the unemployment rate and affect the South African economy? If so, why? What would you suggest the South African Department of Education do to further the education system? Processing of findings The majority of research material is secondary sources. Therefore conclusions and results need to be taken from the literature, graphs and ratios used. From this graph it is clear that by far the majority of learners in South Africa attend Public Schools. For this reason it is vitally important that the South African Education System is successfully fulfilling the basic right to Education as set out in the Bill of Rights. Below all the sources from the Literature Review are analyzed and interpreted in order to determine whether this right is fulfilled throughout the country. Studying the Limpopo textbook crisis, it is quite clear that corruption and a lack of integrity caused learners to suffer great loss in terms of learning materials and eventually in terms of time wasted. There is still no clear plan of action for the successful delivery of learning materials for 2014. Ultimately both articles prove the point that government officials are more concerned about playing politics than about the actual education of learners, who in turn become the victims of dishonesty. The Education Department should have a careful look at their priorities and put the learners first. When comparing South African Education to the rest of the World, South Africa has the fifth worst education system of all the countries reviewed. This puts us behind a country such as Zimbabwe, which in itself should raise grave concern. The current education system disappoints in terms of delivery of results as well as in terms of development. It is quite clear that the academic discussion of the problem has been done and the answers are on the table, however, the implementation of the Strategic Plan calls for responsible individuals to be monitored by the system. The SA Education Department has the tights ideas but has not succeeded in bringing them into action. This in itself might be a result of inferior teacher training procedures and highlights the need for proper education on a secondary and a tertiary level. Too much time is spent on the administration and discussion of the problem, and too little on the actual implementation and monitoring of the system. When analyzing the current education situation it is important to interpret ratios and statistics. Between 2009 and 2010 the Learner Educator ratio increased which means that teachers had bigger classes and more learners had less individual attention from the teacher. The Learner School ratio also increased, highlighting the need for more school buildings. The Educator School ratio decreased, showing that although learner numbers increased, the amount of teachers decreased. These ratios are an indication of the negative development of the entire system, adding unnecessary stress and workload to teachers. The Grade 12 results of 2009 and 2010 are displayed below. At first glance the increase in pass rate looks positive. However, the actual number of students who performed better did not increase, but the requirement to pass decreased to a lower standard and therefore the pass rate increased. In an interview with a senior accounting lecturer from the University of the Witwatersrand, Mrs. Belinda Breytenbach, the following information emerged: High School education is not adequate and many learners are taught by unqualified teachers. Lecturers sit with the problem of students not having the necessary language or mathematical skills to understand the work content. This makes teaching very difficult and emphasizes the need for better education on a higher standard. One of the biggest problems is a lack of English proficiency. When looking at the university dropout rate and the level of comprehension of these students, it is certainly cause for concern. Dropout rates are high and pass rates are low among first year students. When looking at Mrs Breytenbachs answers to the questionnaire, the deduction is made that Education on a tertiary level is severely hampered by inferior teaching on a secondary level. Interview Response: Do you believe that the right to education in South Africa for high school students is being fulfilled? No. Why or why not? Several factors contribute but among them is the inadequacy of education, the need for schools and qualified educators. The textbook crisis is another example. Is it true that there is a growing concern regarding the cognitive abilities of first year students who have completed the NSC? Yes, First year accounting pass rates are low. The mathematic and english skills of the students are below the required standard. Could you describe the academic level of the first year accounting students in general? It is definitely below the expected level at University. We find that most students are on about a Grade 10 and 11 standard and this makes teaching more difficult. What would you say is the single biggest need among students academically? English reading and writing skills. Students struggle with writing and have extreme difficulty with their comprehension skills. How high are the university dropout rates and do you believe that they are increased due to the education students receive in high school? Yes I do, the dropout rate is relatively high for university (+ 30 40%). Is there cause for concern about the lowered standards which increase the pass rates of learners writing the NSC? Yes, people are less equipped to pass at University. With English being the medium of instruction how would you rate the proficiency of the average first year student? English is poor. The majority of students are not first language English speakers. What do you believe are the main areas of concern in the basic education system of South Africa? The education and qualifications of the teachers themselves along with the fact that many learners are passing to the next grade/level without actually having the required knowledge. Do you encounter difficulties in your field of work which is due to the lack of proper education for high school student? Yes, they cannot grasp the accounting concepts due to a lack of English skills along with basic mathematical and accounting knowledge which although required is not actually present. Do you believe that education in South Africa is viewed more negatively due to stereotypes? Yes, but it is not only due to stereotypes. The lack of proper education is a problem I deal with on a daily basis at the University. Are there enough opportunities for students who do not receive university acceptance? Yes, the opportunities exist but students are not equipped well enough and simply do not always use the chances they are given. Do you think that the large amounts of students who after receiving the NSC do not receive university acceptance directly increase the unemployment rate and affect the South African economy? Yes If so why? Many students have passed grade 12 and have received the NSC but the level is too low and thus students cant get university acceptance and are not well enough prepared to be able to work as part of a growing economy. What would you suggest the South African Department of Education do to further the education system? Ensure that teachers are properly qualified. Try to focus on separating politics and education in all aspects. Provide more schools and opportunities. One way of doing this is by joining in on projects similar to one we run at the University of Witwatersrand, it is called the Wits Soweto schools project and it is where university lecturers go to help tutor school children in rural or underprivileged areas. Conclusion Having studied the education system in South Africa over a period of month and with the help of primary and secondary sources, a conclusion has been reached. As predicted in the hypothesis the human right to basic education in South Africa is not fulfilled on a satisfactory level nationally. There are not enough school buildings, there are not enough qualified teachers, learning materials do not always reach the learners and ultimately the level of education is too low to prepare learners for tertiary studies. There are many different reasons for the current problems within the Education System, and one of the biggest reasons is that unqualified teachers teach, which perpetuates the problem. This national problem needs to be addressed with a long term view, creating opportunities for staff development, improved teacher training and careful administration of resources and programs. The strategic plan should be actively enforced and the priority of the South African Education Department should be the learners. The system needs to be constantly reviewed and adjusted in the light of international standards. It is imperative that weak learners should be supported and helped to achieve, rather than to lower standards in an effort to increase pass rates. The biggest limitation of the above discussion is that there is no reference to children who are not even part of any schooling system and not accounted for in any statistics. Several of the secondary sources could be biased as it is written from an individuals perspective although facts and statistics were used. Doing this research project has opened my eyes to the complexity of the South African situation with particular reference to the education system. It does not have a simple solution; neither does it have a single contributing factor. There are numerous problems interlinking causing even bigger problems and one would need great wisdom, huge resources and a lot of determination to even begin addressing these problems. Great leadership is needed in this regard. Reference List Newspaper articles: Nicolson, Greg. 2012. Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption. The Daily Maverick. 18 July 2012 Nicolson, Greg. 2012. SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books. The Daily Maverick. 17 July 2012 Websites: Merementsi, Akanyang. 10 April 2011. Is South Africa fulfilling right to free education for all right?. Media Society. http://akanyangafrica.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/is-south-africa-fulfilling-right-to-free-education-for-all-right/. 6 July 2012. Nicolson, Greg.17 July 2012.SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books. The Daily Maverick.http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-07-17-sas-education-crisis-limpopo-still-without-books. 1 September 2012. Nicolson, Greg. 18 July 2012. Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption. The Daily Maverick. http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-07-18-limpopos-education-crisis-the-price-of-incompetence-and-corruption. 1 September 2012 Right to education project © 2008. The Constitution of South Africa. Right to education project.http://www.right-to-education.org/country-node/522/country-constitutional. 22 June 2012 The South African Department of Education. 14 June 2003. Action plan. The South African Department of Education. http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket =IBMz%2FjGelkc%3Dtabid=390mid=1124. 4 September 2012. The South African Department of Education. 9 March 2011. Strategic Plan. The South African Department of Education.http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket= %2F%2BBILaBJ7ak%3Dtabid=80mid=585. 4 September 2012. The South African Department of Education. Feb 2012. Education statistics 2010. The South African Department of Education. http://www.education.gov.za/EMISSTATISTICS /StatisticalPublications/tabid/462/Default.aspx. 22 June 2012. Tullett, Jon. 11 Jul 2012. Reinvent local education now. It web. http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option =com_contentview =articleid=56651. 13 August 2012. 18 July 2012.Rippling effect of the lowering of standards of basic education. Varsity SA. http://varsitysa.co.za/fun-stuff/articles/rippling-effect-of-the-lowering-of-standards-of-basic-education/.7 September 2012. Interview: Senior lecturer of Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand Belinda Breytenbach. Tel:0832934350

The Politicians Scam: Taxing People Outside Their Voting District :: Politics Political Essays

Politicians' Attempt to Stay in Office: Taxing People Outside Their Voting District The United States is one of the most democratic nations in the world. However, for our elected representatives, government is also a business, and these officials want to do anything they can to stay employed, or get re-elected. There are several ways they can do this, but one way has been used repeatedly since the American Revolution. It has been used in many examples, including the trade wars between the states of the 1780’s, the taxation of the federal bank by Maryland until 1819, the speed trap in Macks Creek, MO in the 1990’s, West Virginia’s current tax on river traffic, increased taxes for hotels and rental cars, and finally in the states’ dependency on federal grant money. All of these are examples in which the politicians are taxing people outside of their voting district, in hopes of staying in office. The idea behind all of these schemes is that the people paying the taxes and fines are not the people that vote for the local or state politicians creating these laws. Therefore, the people in the politician’s district receive the benefits of this increased revenue, but don't have any of the cost, causing the elected official to look more favorable. Furthermore, the visitors to the area rarely have an easy way to fight these taxes or fines. They can't vote the officials out of office, and they usually can't avoid the situation. The only choice they have is to comply with the fine or tax, or spend a lot of time and money to fight it in court. The following examples were all devised by politicians who wanted nothing more than to stay in office, and they were created under the same line of thinking – take advantage of people who have no way of protesting. These examples all have this common theme, only the implementation and the legality of them differ. This process of taxing others began before the Constitution was even written. Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had no control of commerce between the states. Because of this, the states taxed each other’s goods, creating trade wars. Although they were hurting commerce in the process, the politicians knew they were gaining revenue without alienating their own voters.

Plato †Philosophy Essay

The Republic is one of Plato’s longer works (more than 450 pages in length). It is written in dialogue form (as are most of Plato’s books), & it addresses major issues in almost all of the branches of philosophy. The central theme in the book seems to be the nature of justice, a topic in political philosophy, but Plato also has his characters explore issues in ? philosophical cosmology, ? philosophical theology, ? philosophical anthropology, ? ethics, ? aesthetics, and ? epistemology. The parts of the Republic that are contained in our text (pp. 107-123) focus on Plato’s idea (ideal?) of the Philosopher Ruler. According to Plato, ? the best possible political system (state) ? will be ruled (governed) ? by PHILOSOPHERS! (Is he kidding? ) Our reading selection contains the following themes/sections: ? ? Introduction on the unifying of philosophy & politics (107) Why â€Å"true philosophers† would make the best rulers (108-12) †¢ What is â€Å"true philosophy†? (108-11) †¢ Love of wisdom (108) †¢ Knowledge of true reality (108-9) †¢ The distinctions between knowledge, ignorance and opinion (109-11) †¢ How is a â€Å"true philosopher† different from a â€Å"lover of opinion†? (111-12) †¢ Who is best suited to rule the state – lovers of opinion or â€Å"true philosophers†? (112) ? ? Political leadership and knowledge of the Good (112-13) The ascent of the mind to knowledge of the Good (113-123) †¢ The analogy between the Good and the sun (113-15) †¢ The image of the divided line (115-18) †¢ The allegory of the cave (118-123) The selection in the text begins at a point in the Republic after Socrates, Glaucon, & other characters have been discussing the nature of justice and the marks of a just political system for some time. So we are coming into the middle of the conversation where Glaucon is pressing Socrates to state whether it is possible for a really just political system to come into existence. Before answering Glaucon’s question, Socrates wonders whether it is worthwhile to What does he say construct a theoretical model of a good political system even if such a system could about this? Do you agree? Why not actually exist. or why not? Back to Glaucon’s original question: Can a really just (or at least approximately just) political system exist? What would make it possible? (It is the separation of philosophy & political power. ) And this leads to . . . . unless political power & philosophy are brought together & those who now pursue either the one or the other exclusively are prevented from doing so -neither our political problems nor our human troubles in general can be ended . . . . † (Text, pp. 108-111) True Philosophy & True Philosophers What are the characteristics of a person who is naturally suited to practice philosophy? According to Socrates (Plato), a true philosopher ? loves the whole of wisdom and is satisfied with nothing less; ? recognizes the difference between particular things and the essences (or forms) of which particular things are likenesses (e.g. , beautiful things vs. Beauty itself); and ? knows the differences between knowledge, ignorance, and opinion. Plato argues that someone who really loves something must love that thing as a whole and not just some aspects of it. On that basis, he concludes that a true philosopher (lover of wisdom) must desire wisdom as a whole and not be content with having just some wisdom. Do you agree with this? Do wine-lovers really love all wines? A true philosopher recognizes the difference between particular things and the essences (or forms) of which particular things are likenesses (e. g. , beautiful things vs.Beauty itself). One of Plato’s major metaphysical theories is known as the â€Å"Theory of Forms. † According to that theory, ultimate reality is a realm of forms (essences) not accessible to the senses but only to the mind (intellect). He calls that level of reality the â€Å"intelligible realm† (because it is accessible only to the intellect). The perceptible world (i. e. , the world we perceive through our senses) is a reflection or copy of that higher intelligible world. (The Greek word for â€Å"form† or â€Å"essence† is eidos. ) Do you think it is possible for one thing to be really more beautiful than another thing? Well, how is that possible if Absolute Beauty does not exist? How can â€Å"A† be more beautiful than â€Å"B†? Doesn’t â€Å"A† have to be closer to Absolute Beauty than â€Å"B† is? But how can â€Å"A† be closer to (or â€Å"B† be further away from) Absolute Beauty if Absolute Beauty does not exist? A true philosopher knows the differences between ? Knowledge, ? ignorance, & ? opinion. Plato’s view of knowledge, ignorance, and opinion (Text, pp. 109-111) State of Mind Knowledge Opinion Ignorance Object What is (Being, Reality) What is & is not (Becoming) What is not (Nothingness, Unreality) Access Intellect Perception ? (Do you agree with this setup/theory?) Is Plato right about knowledge, ignorance, and opinion? Here’s a different view†¦. What about knowledge? The three basic questions in epistemology ? ? What is knowledge? How does it differ from opinion? How do we acquire knowledge? What are its sources? Rationalism vs. Empiricism. (What about Intuitionism and Revelationism? ) ? What are the extent and limits of knowledge? What can be known, and what cannot be known? A (fairly) standard definition of knowledge (and opinion) ? Knowledge is â€Å"justified (i. e. , verified) true belief. â€Å" †¢ To know is to believe. †¢ The belief must, in fact, be true. †¢ The belief must be â€Å"justified† (i.e. , verified, proved) by some standard and generally recognized means. ? Opinion is belief that may be true or may be false but that has not been or cannot be â€Å"justified† (i. e. , verified, proved) by any standard and generally recognized means. Of course, some opinions that are rationally defensible in the weak sense are â€Å"justified† in a limited way. And what about ignorance? Isn’t ignorance basically an absence of knowledge? Of course, opinion is also an absence of knowledge. So perhaps ignorance is a certain or special kind of opinion that is in some sense groundless (in a way based on nothing, as Plato says). ? There seem to be various types of ignorance, including unintelligent ignorance, as when someone asserts dogmatically that a false proposition is true or that a true proposition is false. There is also intelligent ignorance, as when someone does not know X and acknowledges forthrightly that he does not know it, etc. More thought is needed on this matter†¦. ? However, Plato’s view of ignorance as having non-being (nothingness) as its object does not seem correct (or at least not completely correct). ? ? ? Lovers of wisdom (philosophers) — they recognize the existence of absolute, transcendental essences such as Beauty & Justice in themselves, and they seek knowledge of such absolutes. ? Lovers of opinion -they recognize only particular perceptible things & do not believe in the existence of absolute essences such as Beauty itself. So what is the nature of the Absolute Good? (Text, p. 112-113) In approaching the problem of defining the nature of the Absolute Good, Socrates (Plato) sets forth three very famous illustrations of his overall perspective on knowledge & reality. These are I The Good & the Sun The Good is to the mind as the sun is to the eye, i.e. , just as the sun’s light enables the eye to see in the perceptible realm, so the Good illuminates the mind and enables it to â€Å"see† in the intelligible realm. (See text, pp. 113-115) 2 The divided line (Text, pp. 115-118) States of Consciousness Philosophical Wisdom E Objects of Consciousness The Good & Other Forms Knowledge D Intelligible Realm Scientific Knowledge Informed Opinion Delusion C B Mathematical & Scientific Objects Opinion Perceptible Objects Images Perceptible Realm A (Text, pp. 118-123) Can you link the images on the following slide to Plato’s depiction of the cave world on pp. 118-121 in the text? Now that the prisoner has â€Å"seen the light,† ? What might happen to him if he were to go back down into the cave-world? (pp. 119-121) ? How does he feel when he looks back down into the cave-world? (pp. 119) ? How does the allegory of the cave illustrate Plato’s overall view of knowledge and reality? (p. 121) More questions: ? What’s the philosophical difference between coming into the darkness from the light & coming into the light from the darkness? (p. 121) ? What, according to Plato, does the allegory of the cave tell us about what the process of education should be? (pp. 121-122) there are the big questions: Why should we want philosophers to rule? How are we going to get them to rule? Since we are asking them to come back down into the cave-world, won’t we be doing them harm by making their lives worse rather than better? (Text, pp. 122-123) What do you think of the following statements by Plato (Socrates)? â€Å"The best rulers of the state are those who know the Good, who don’t look to politics for their happiness, & who live a higher life than the political life. † â€Å"Political power should be held by those who do not want it. † The End (for now).

Night World : Witchlight Chapter 14

Keller put her hands to her face. At first, she didn't recognize what was happening to her. Then she realized that she was crying. She was shaking, Raksha Keller who wasn't afraid of anyone and who never let her heart be touched. She was making those ridiculous little noises that sounded like a six-week-old kitten. She was dripping tears through her fingers. The worst thing was that she couldn't seem to make herself stop. Then she felt Galen's arms around her, and she realized that he was crying, too. He was better at it than she was. He seemed more used to it and didn't fight it as hard, which made him stronger. He was able to stroke her hair and even to get some words out. â€Å"Keller, I'm sorry. Keller†¦ can I call you Raksha?† Keller shook her head furiously, spraying teardrops. â€Å"I always think of you as Keller, anyway. It's just-you, somehow. I'm sorry about all of this. I didn't mean to make you cry. It would be better if you'd never met me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Keller found herself shaking her head again. And then, just as she had the last time, she felt her arms moving to hold him back. She pressed her face against the softness of his sweatshirt, trying to get enough control of herself to speak. This was the problem with having walls so hard and high and unscalable, she supposed. When they came down, they crumbled completely, shattering into nothingness. She felt utterly defenseless right now. Unguarded†¦ vulnerable†¦ but not alone. She could feel more than Galen's physical presence. She could feel his spirit, and she was being pulled toward it. They were falling together, falling into each other, as they had in the library. Closer and closer†¦ Contact. She felt the touch of his mind, and once again her heart almost exploded. You're the one. You're my soulmate, his mental voice said, as if this were an entirely new idea, and he was just discovering it and rejoicing in it. Keller reached for denial, but it simply wasn't around. And she couldn't pretend to someone who shared her thoughts. When I first saw you, he said, I was so fascinated by you. I already told you this, didn't I? It made me proud to be a shapeshifter for the first time. Aren't you proud? Keller was disconcerted. She still wasn't finished crying-but, yes, she was. With his warmth and passion shining into her, his arms locked around her, his mind open to her†¦ it was hard not to get swept up in it. I guess I'm proud, she thought to him slowly. But only of some parts of it. Other things†¦ What things? he demanded, almost fiercely protective. Our history? The dragons? No. Stuff you wouldn't understand Things about-animal nature. Even now, Keller was afraid of letting him see some parts of her. Leave it alone, Galen. All he said was, Tell me. No. It happened a long time ago, when I was three. Just be glad you get to pick what kind of animal you'll become. Keller, he said. Please. You don't like animal nature, she told him. Remember how you pulled your hand away when you touched my shoulder in the music room? In the†¦ ? His mental voice trailed off, and Keller waited grimly to feel the memory of disgust in him. But what came wasn't revulsion. Instead, it was a strong sense of longing that he was somehow trying to smother. And choked, wry laughter. Keller, I didn't pull away because I didn't like your fur. I did it because . . He hesitated, then burst out, sounding embarrassed, I wanted to pet you! Pet†¦ ? Your fur was so soft, and it felt so good when I moved my palm the wrong way against it-just like velvet. And-I wanted to-to do this. He ran a hand up and down her back. I couldn't help it. But I knew it wasn't exactly appropriate, and you would probably break my jaw if I tried it. So I took my hand away. He finished, still embarrassed, but half laughing. Now, you tell me what you're not proud of. Keller felt very warm, and she was sure her face was flushed. It was just as well that it was hidden. It was too bad-there was probably never going to be a time to tell him that she wouldn't mind being petted like that†¦ I'm a cat, after all, she thought, and was distantly surprised to hear him chuckle. There were no secrets in this kind of soul-link, she realized, slightly flustered. To cover her embarrassment, she spoke out loud. â€Å"The thing I'm not proud of-it happened when I was living with my first Circle Daybreak family. I used to spend a lot of time in my half-and-half form. It was easy for me to get stuck that way, and they didn't mind.† I wouldn't, either, Galen said. You're beautiful like that. â€Å"Anyway, I was sitting on my foster mother's lap while she was combing my hair, and I don't know what happened, but something startled me. Some loud noise outside, maybe a car backfiring. I jumped straight up and tried to race for my hiding place under the desk.† Keller paused, made herself take an even breath. She felt Galen's arms tighten around her. â€Å"And then-well, my foster mother tried to hold on to me, to keep me from being frightened. But all I could think of was danger, danger. So I lashed out at her. I used my claws-I have retractable claws in that form. I would have done anything to get away.† She paused again. It was so hard to tell this. â€Å"She had to go to the hospital. I forget how many stitches she needed in her face. But I remember everything else-being taken to another foster family because that one couldn't handle me. I didn't blame them for sending me away, but I always wished I could have told her how sorry I was.† There was a silence. Keller could feel Galen breathing, and that gave her an odd sense of comfort. Then he said quietly, out loud, â€Å"That's all?† Keller started, then lifted her head a little and made herself answer the same way. â€Å"Isn't it enough?† â€Å"Keller†¦ you were just a baby. You didn't mean to do any harm; it was an accident. You can't blame yourself.† â€Å"I do blame myself. If I hadn't been taken over by my instinct-â€Å" â€Å"That's ridiculous. Human babies do stupid things all the time. What if a human three-year-old falls into a swimming pool and somebody drowns trying to rescue her? Would you blame the baby?† Keller hesitated, then rested her head on his shoulder again. â€Å"Don't be silly.† â€Å"Then how can you blame yourself for something you couldn't help?† Keller didn't answer, but she felt as if a crushing load was sliding slowly off her. He didn't blame her. Maybe she wasn't to blame. She would always be sorry, but maybe she didn't need to be so ashamed. She tightened her own arms around him. Thank you, she thought. Oh, Keller. You're so wonderful, and you're so set against admitting it. Everything you do†¦ shines. Keller couldn't form any words for a moment. Then she said, Galen? When you do choose a form, choose something gentle. I thought you thought everybody has to be a fitter, he said, and his mental voice was very quiet. Some people shouldn't have to be. Then she just let him hold her. Another endless time, while they both seemed to be floating in soft, gold fire. It flared around them and through them, joining them. Sometimes she could hardly tell which thoughts were his and which were hers. He said, I used to write poetry, you know. Or try. My parents hated it; they were so embarrassed. Instead of learning to be a good hunter, their son was writing gibberish. She said, There's this terrible dream I have, where I look out at the ocean and see a wall of water hundreds of feet high, and I know it's coming and I can never get away in time. Cats and water, you know. I guess that's why. He said, I used to daydream about what kind of animal it would be most fun to be. But it always came down to the same thing, some kind of bird. You just can't beat flying. She said, One thing I always had to hide from my foster mothers was how much I liked to shred things. I thought I was being so clever when I would hide their panty hose after I used my claws on them. But when I did it on the sheer curtains one day, everybody knew. They talked and talked. And Keller gave herself up to it, to the simple pleasure of his closeness and the feeling that for once she didn't have to hide or pretend or defend herself. It was such a blessed relief not to have to pretend at all. Galen knew her, and he accepted her. All of her. He loved herself, not her black swirling hair or her long legs or the curve of her lips. He might admire those things, but he loved her, what she was inside. And he loved her with a sweetness and a power that shook Keller to her soul. She wanted to stay like this forever. There was something else waiting for them, though. Something she didn't want to think about but that loomed just outside the brightness and warmth that surrounded them. The world†¦ there's still a world out there. And it's in trouble. And we can't ignore that. Galen. I know. Very slowly, very reluctantly, Galen straightened, putting her away from him. He couldn't seem to let go of her shoulders, though. They sat that way, their eyes locked. And the strange thing was that the mental connection wasn't broken. They could still hear each other as they held each other's gaze. We can never be like this again, Keller said. I know. He had faced it as clearly as she had, she realized. We can't talk about it; we can't even be alone together. It isn't fair to Uiana. And we have to try to forget each other and just go on. I know, he said for the third time. And just when Keller was marveling at his quiet acceptance, she saw tears in his gem-colored eyes. Keller, it's my fault. If I weren't the son of the First House†¦ We'd never have met. And that would have been worse. â€Å"Would it?† he said out loud, as if he needed reassurance. Yes. She gave the answer mentally, so that he could feel the truth of it. Oh, Galen, I'm so glad we met. I'm so glad to have known you. And if we live through this, I'll be glad all my life. He took her into his arms again. â€Å"We have it, Boss,† Winnie said. Her eyes were sparkling. Beside her, Nissa looked calmly enthusiastic. â€Å"What?† Keller asked. She herself felt calmly alert, in spite of almost no sleep the night before. She and Galen had stayed up late, reading over the scrolls, making sure that there was nothing they had missed. They had already explained what they'd found to the others. Now Winnie was grinning at her. â€Å"How to protect Iliana at the party on Saturday. We've got it, and it's foolproof!† Nothing is foolproof, Keller thought. She said, â€Å"Go on.† It's like this. We put wards all around the Ashton-Hughes house, just like the wards Grandma Harman made for this house. The strongest possible from Circle Daybreak. But we put them around the house now, as soon as we can. We key them so that only humans can get in.† â€Å"And we add another layer of protection,† Nissa said. â€Å"Circle Daybreak agents posted around the house, starting now. Nothing gets in, nothing gets out that they don't know about. That way, when we go to the party on Saturday, we know it's safe.† â€Å"We just whisk her from one safe place to another,† Winnie said. â€Å"As long as we can keep her in here until Saturday night, there's-no chance of any danger.† Keller considered. â€Å"We have to make sure the limo is safe, too. Absolutely safe.† â€Å"Of course,† Winnie said. ‘Ill take care of it.† â€Å"And I'd want agents to check the people who go hi somehow. Not just monitor. Would there be any way to do that?† â€Å"Without the family knowing?† Nissa chewed her lip gently. â€Å"What if we set up some sort of road crew near the front gate? There's bound to be a gate; this is a mansion, right?† â€Å"Check it out. And we'd better get plans of the house, too. I want us all to know the place by heart before we get there.† â€Å"City planner's office,† Nissa said. â€Å"No, more likely the local historical society. The house is probably a historic monument. I'm on it.† Keller nodded. â€Å"Hmm.† She tried to think if there was anything else to worry about. â€Å"Hmm, it sounds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They watched her, breath held. â€Å"It sounds good,† Keller said. â€Å"I think there's just the tiniest, slightest possibility that it might actually work. But I'm probably being overoptimistic.† Winnie grinned and socked her on the shoulder. â€Å"You, Boss? Perish the thought.† ‘It's so difficult,† Iliana said. â€Å"I mean, what can you wear to both a birthday party and a promise ceremony?† â€Å"And a Solstice Ceremony,† Winnie said. â€Å"Don't forget that† â€Å"You're trying to make things worse, aren't you?† Iliana held up one dress, then another. â€Å"What's right for a Solstice Ceremony?† â€Å"Something white,† Winnie suggested. â€Å"That would be good for a promise ceremony, too,† Keller said. She was doing her very best to be patient, and finding it easier than she had expected. The last three days had been very quiet Iliana had agreed to stay home from school even when her cold got better. Galen and Keller had scarcely spoken in that time, and they had never been alone. And that was†¦ all right. There was a quietness inside her to match the quiet air outside. They both had jobs to do. And they would do them as well as possible. Keller just prayed that what they did would be enough. â€Å"White? I don't know if I've got anything white. It has to be fancy because everything at Jaime's is fancy. I hope she's really okay.† â€Å"She's fine,† Keller said. â€Å"You talked to her an hour ago.† To her own relief, Jaime had stayed quietly at home for the past three days, too. The last thing she wanted was for that girl to be attacked again. But the Ashton-Hughes house, at least, was safe. For three days, it had been buttoned up tight, with Circle Daybreak agents watching every person who went through the gates. And checking them, using the same wards that protected the house. No Night Person could cross the invisible line that encircled the grounds, and no person who tried to cross and was turned back by the wards would be allowed to leave without being tracked. All we have to do is keep her safe during the drive, Keller thought. First to the mansion, then to the meeting place in Charlotte. We can do that. I know we can do that. She checked her watch. â€Å"Come on, kid, it's after eight,† she said. â€Å"We should be moving soon.† Iliana and Winnie were both ransacking the closet â€Å"Pale blue,† Winnie said, â€Å"pale lavender, pale pink†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It has to be white,† Iliana said. â€Å"I'm sorry I mentioned it.† A knock sounded on the door, and Nissa looked in. â€Å"We're back. You guys ready?† â€Å"In a minute,† Keller said. â€Å"How're things at the mansion?† â€Å"Perfect. The witches say the wards are strong.† â€Å"Who's come in?† â€Å"Caterers and a college band. That's all so far. All one hundred percent human according to the wards-and to Galen, who kept running up to the cars at the gate and trying to sell them Christmas Benefit teddy bears.† Keller almost grinned. Galen would be good at that. â€Å"The family must have thought he was crazy.† â€Å"They never came out and complained. Nobody's come out, in fact, which makes things easy on die surveillance team.† She sobered. â€Å"Boss, why do you think the dragon hasn't tried something yet? He's cutting it awfully close.† â€Å"I don't know. I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What?† â€Å"I think he must be betting it all on one throw of the dice. One all-out attack, fast and decisive.† â€Å"At the party.† â€Å"At the parry,† Keller said. â€Å"So we'd better be on our toes.† â€Å"We've got him locked out, though. Those wards are secure.† â€Å"I hope so.† From the closet, Iliana squealed, â€Å"I found it!† She was holding a dress almost the color of her own hair, white with some sort of sparkling thread woven in. It draped in soft folds across her hip as she held it up for Winnie's inspection. â€Å"Perfect,† Winnie said. â€Å"You can get engaged in that dress; you can go to a birthday parry; you can celebrate the Solstice-you can probably get married in it if you want† â€Å"You can do whatever you want, but you have to do it now,† Keller said, checking her watch again. â€Å"But do you like it? I think I bought it last year.† â€Å"It's beautiful,† Keller said, and then, as she saw the hurt in Hiana's violet eyes: â€Å"Really. It's beautiful. You'll look wonderful in it, and Galen will be-very impressed.† Where had that sudden hitch in her breath come from? She had gotten over it quickly, but she noticed that Diana gave her an odd look. â€Å"Now, come on, everybody,*' Keller said briskly, looking at Winnie and Nissa. â€Å"Are you two ready?† They both looked down at their ordinary outfits, then looked back up and shrugged in chorus. â€Å"Yeah.† ‘I guess they can think we're the help,† Keller said. â€Å"Everybody check your transmitters. I want to be in constant contact once we get there.† â€Å"Right, Boss.† â€Å"Got it, Boss.† Iliana had put on the dress and was looking in the mirror. â€Å"My hair,† she began, and then she glanced at Keller. â€Å"Ill just leave it down,† she said. â€Å"Okay?† â€Å"Down is fine, down is great.† Keller glanced at her watch and tightened her belt. â€Å"Down is just right for a Solstice Ceremony,† Winnie said. She added in an undertone as Iliana started for the door, â€Å"Don't mind her. She's always like this before a big operation.† ‘It's a good thing I didn't ask her about my shoes†¦.† Keller looked around to make sure there was nothing they were forgetting. Then she looked at the other three girls. They smiled back at her, eyes alert and ready for anything. Even the smallest one, who looked like a Christmas tree angel somebody had taken down and brought to life. â€Å"Okay, people,† Keller said. â€Å"This is it. It's show time.† Galen was wearing a dark sweater and pants that set off his blondness. It was casual but still appropriate for the promise ceremony later on. His eyes met Keller's briefly as Iliana said good-bye to her parents, and they both smiled. Not fake smiles, either. Simply the quiet, undemanding smiles of comrades with a job to do. â€Å"Kee-kee!† Alex said from the door as they went to the car in the garage. That kid is up way too late, Keller thought She turned and waved. â€Å"Blow him a kiss,† Diana prompted helpfully. â€Å"He likes that.† Keller gave her a narrow sideways look and blew him a kiss. â€Å"Kee-kee!† Suddenly, his round little face crumpled. â€Å"Bye-bye,† he proclaimed sadly. â€Å"Oh, that's sweet,† Diana's mother said. â€Å"He's going to miss you. He probably thinks you're going for good.† â€Å"Bye-bye,† Alex said, and huge tears rolled down his cheeks. â€Å"Bye-bye! Kee-kee! Bye-bye!† He began to sob. There was a little silence among the group standing by the car. Winnie stared at Alex, then glanced at Iliana. â€Å"He doesn't-he's never had any precognitions, has he?† she muttered. â€Å"He's a baby,† Iliana whispered back. ‘1 mean, how could you tell?† â€Å"He's just tired,† Keller said briefly. â€Å"Come on, let's go.†

Virtu essays

Virtu essays In Machiavellis The Prince, in order to be a successful ruler, a statesman must possess virtà ¹. The Machiavellian principle of virtà ¹ begins with the idea that a ruler must be prudent and cautious, and in times of peace he may be non-violent. Yet, if the situation calls for it, he needs to take bold, decisive action, at any cost. It can be appropriate to lie and make false promises, as well as to act in a manner that seems violent and ruthless. The essential need for political order is to be sacrificed for no reason, moral or immoral. Instead, political decisions are to be based on the means by which to retain political power, and the political practicality of those results. Machiavelli feels that the world is comprised of unpredictable forces that are working against each other, and a leader needs to create an order out of these forces. He believes that by nature human beings are more inclined toward evil than good, and so it is impossible to do what is only morally right. If a ruler tries to proceed in this fashion, he is bound for failure because of the impossibility of adjusting continuously to the ever-changing circumstances. A ruler only has to reflect the human nature of a state, to know how to act. In order for a ruler to exemplify the meaning of virtà ¹ he must be committed to doing what need be. He must realize that a ruler is only as strong as the foundation on which he builds his political power. It is of the utmost importance to realize that even if at a present time things are peaceful, situations change repeatedly. Fate and fortune can be the ruin of a ruler. Yet, if a ruler uses judgment and is prepared at all times for whatever circumstances may occur, fate and fortune can be controlled. War is to never be avoided, regardless of its justness/injust ness; avoidance only weakens ones position. A war is to be won by force or fraud, whatever means necessary. A ruler also needs...

Importance Of Trade Union In Modern Workplace Management Essay Essays

Importance Of Trade Union In Modern Workplace Management Essay Essays Importance Of Trade Union In Modern Workplace Management Essay Essay Importance Of Trade Union In Modern Workplace Management Essay Essay Essay Topic: The Man Of Mode Often we read in newspapers, group of workers of a mill traveling on work stoppage or coming together in privation of some common motivation. These groups of people are known as trade brotherhoods. Trade Unions are group of workers of an organisation or a mill that raises their voice together so that their demands can better be represented in forepart of the governments. They have a common end or purpose. In this epoch, where everyone realizes the importance of workers, trade brotherhoods have a really of import function to play. Originating in Europe, trade brotherhoods became really popular in states during the Industrial Revolution, when the deficiency of skilled workers shifted employment bargaining power about wholly to the employers, doing many workers to be mistreated and underpaid. Trade brotherhood organisations may be composed of single workers or professionals. The most common intent of these organisations is to keep or better the conditions of their employment. Over the past 300 old ages, trade brotherhoods have developed into a figure of signifiers, influenced by different political aims. TRADE Union: Trade Unions prove good for workers, as the chief purpose of organizing this group is to forestall the workers from being exploited by the senior functionaries. For illustration, if a worker is unhappy with the wage he is acquiring he can speak to his colleagues and jointly they can raise their voice to acquire the wage they deserve. Trade brotherhood is even helpful for the direction of the house, as they can cognize the demands of the worker which helps them know workers better and supply them an environment where they are able to work expeditiously and assist them to keep good criterions. Decisions are taken through the corporate bargaining procedure and dialogues between employer and brotherhoods. The relationship between trade brotherhood and employer is called as industrial dealingss. In general footings, trade brotherhoods satisfy their demands through dialogues peacefully, but sometimes other tough actions need to be taken by the brotherhoods. These actions can be in the signifier of work stoppages, work to govern, travel slow, picketing, overtime prohibition, etc. In Strikes, workers reciprocally decide non to come for work. In work to govern, workers tend to be excessively critical ; knock on minor inside informations. In Go Slow, workers work with slow gait so as to slower production velocity. In picketing, workers demonstrate through mottos and streamers. In overtime, the workers refuse to work and so the company is unable to run into the demand. All the employers try to avoid such state of affairss, as such state of affairss lead to loss and even shuting down of the company. In United Kingdom, in order to deliver employers from industrial Acts of the Apostless and employees from being exploited, authorities has created ACAS. ACAS stands for Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. When brotherhood and employers continue to challenge they can travel to ACAS to decide the affair. It is an independent organic structure financed by authorities. It gives indifferent advises. TYPE OF TRADE UNIONS: There are major four types of trade brotherhoods: 1 ) . Crafts of Skill Unions: This brotherhood consists of all those workers possessing same type of accomplishments. 2 ) . Industrial Unions: This brotherhood represents workers of the same industry. 3 ) . General Unions: This brotherhood is formed by aggregation of workers from different industries and holding different accomplishments. 4 ) . White Collar Unions: This brotherhood represents all the office workers at higher stations. STRUCTURE OF TRADE UNIONS: The construction refers to how the trade brotherhoods are organized. They can be organized on the footing of trades brotherhood, industrial brotherhoods or general brotherhoods. The other method to form trade brotherhoods can be the manner works degree, local degree, regional degree and national degree are interrelated. Plant Level Union- Plant degree is the first and the lowest degree of the construction. This type brotherhood is formed in individual company. Maximum seven members can be a portion of this type, due to this in merely one company there are multiple such brotherhoods. Local Level Federations- Local degree Union is the 2nd degree of the construction. This consists of the works degree brotherhoods at the local degree in a peculiar industry. The local degree brotherhood can be an independent organic structure or can be affiliated with national degree or regional degree brotherhoods. Regional Level Federations- All the local degree brotherhoods of a peculiar province or part jointly come under regional degree Union. National Level Federations- This is national degree organic structure which gives association to all works degree brotherhood, local degree brotherhood and regional degree brotherhoods. These degrees have been summarized below in the diagram: ADVANTAGES OF HAVING TRADE UNIONS: Trade brotherhoods can turn out good to both employer every bit good as the employees. Benefits for Employees: Increased rewards for its members- Industries with trade brotherhoods tend to hold higher rewards than non-unionized industries. Workers tend to be more demanding when in a group. Together when they raise their voice, it is more powerful as the functionaries are scared of the tough actions which brotherhoods might take when there needs non met. Represent Workers- Trades Unions besides protect workers from being exploited by senior direction. Trades brotherhoods can give besides aid workers who might be stuck in a legal job. Important for Service Sector- In modern work force, there is lessening in the power of the trade brotherhood. This is because of a diminution in fabrication and roar in service sector employment. Service sector occupations are by and large impermanent or are of portion clip footing. There are more opportunities of development of workers in footings in this sector in footings of less wage, bad working conditions or fewer inducements. Trade brotherhoods need to be more argus-eyed in this approaching sector. Individual rights better protected- Workers have their single rights better protected. They can non be below the belt dismissed from work, or they can non be racially or sexually discriminated. Member Services- Members of the trade brotherhood are frequently offered benefits of certain scope of services, like Education and preparation on basic accomplishments, employment rights, wellness and safety and other issues ; Legal advice on employment and personal issues ; Discounts on mortgages, insurance and loans from brotherhoods ; And besides welfare benefits in footings of fiscal assistance when a individual is ill or unemployed. Benefits for Employers: To counter balance monopsony power- Traditionally, monopsonies occur when there is merely one house in a town, or type of employment. However, in modern economic systems, many employers have a high grade of market power ( monopsony ) . The on the job conditions, regulations and ordinances, rewards are of determined harmonizing to the market power. More the market power, more will be the control over the trade brotherhoods. Productivity deals- Trades Unions can assist to negociate productiveness trades. This means they help the house to increase production which enables the house to be able to afford higher rewards. This besides helps promoting workers to work expeditiously. Trades brotherhoods can be of import for implementing new working patterns which improve productiveness. Workers are more motivated- When all sort of interests- societal, economic and political, are being looked upon, the workers tend to stay motivated and works expeditiously. This reflects on the quality and gait of the production. This besides controls the abrasion rates which saves the employer from the immense labour turnover costs. Trade brotherhoods help in accelerated gait of economic development in many ways: By assisting in the enlisting and choice of workers. By staying with subject among the work force By assisting in colony of industrial differences in a rational mode By doing societal accommodations. Workers have to set themselves to the new on the job conditions, the new regulations and policies. Workers coming from different backgrounds may go disorganised, unsated and defeated. Unions help them in doing such accommodation. Trade brotherhoods are a portion of society and as such, have to take into consideration the national integrating every bit good. Some of import societal duties of trade brotherhoods include: advancing and keeping national integrating by cut downing the figure of industrial differences integrating a sense of societal duty in workers accomplishing industrial peace PROBLEMS OF TRADE Union: Trade brotherhood can make certain jobs. When there demand goes high, it is hard to command their greed and fit up their outlooks. The employers are frequently in fright of workers traveling on work stoppage. More such jobs are: Creates Unemployment- If labour markets are competitory, higher rewards will do unemployment. Trades brotherhoods demand for higher rewards through the menace of work stoppages, work to govern etc. When the rewards are higher n industry, manufacturers will non be able to afford more which cause ballad offs and unemployment. Ignore Non Members- Trades brotherhoods merely consider the demands of its members ; they frequently ignore those who are non portion of the labour market i.e. the unemployed. They must besides be considered so as to cut down inequalities. Lost Productivity- If brotherhoods go on work stoppage and work fruitlessly ( work to govern ) it can take to lost gross revenues and end product. This will take to closing of the company. This will finally take to loss of occupations. Engage Inflation- If brotherhoods become excessively powerful they can dicker for higher rewards, above the rate of rising prices. If this occurs it may lend to general rising prices. Economy may topple. Decision: This study in short negotiations about trade brotherhoods. The study begins with a brief history about trade brotherhoods and tells us what a trade brotherhood is. It so highlights the types and construction of trade brotherhoods. Then, the turning importance of trade brotherhoods in the modern workplace has been richly highlighted. The study besides tells us the drawbacks of holding trade brotherhoods. The chief aim of fixing this study was to demo the importance of trade brotherhoods in the modern workplace and how they protect the involvements of the workers.

Landsat - An Overview of the Landsat Satellites

Landsat - An Overview of the Landsat Satellites Some of the most popular and valued remote sensing images of the Earth are obtained from the Landsat satellites which have been orbiting the Earth for over 40 years. Landsat is a joint venture between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey that began in 1972 with the launch of Landsat 1. Previous Landsat Satellites Originally known as the  Earth Resources Technology Satellite 1,  Landsat 1 was launched in 1972 and deactivated in 1978. Landsat 1 data was used to identify a new island off the coast of Canada in 1976, which was subsequently named Landsat Island. Landsat 2 was launched in 1975 and deactivated in 1982. Landsat 3 was launched in 1987 and deactivated in 1983. Landsat 4 was launched in 1982 and stopped sending data in 1993.   Landsat 5 was launched in 1984 and holds the world record  for being the longest-serving Earth-observing satellite in operation, serving for more than 29 years, until 2013. Landsat 5 was utilized for longer than expected because Landsat 6 was unable to attain orbit following the launch in 1993. Landsat 6 was the only Landsat to fail before sending data to the Earth.   Current Landsats Landsat 7 remains in orbit after having been launched on  April 15, 1999.  Landsat 8, the newest Landsat, was launched on February 11, 2013.   Landsat Data Collection The Landsat satellites make loops around the Earth and are constantly collecting images of the surface through the use of a variety of sensing devices. Since the beginning of the Landsat program in 1972, the images and data have been available to all countries around the world. Landsat data is free and available to anyone on the planet. Images are used to measure rainforest loss, assist with mapping, determine urban growth, and measure population change. The different Landsats each have different remote-sensing equipment. Each sensing device records radiation from the surface of the Earth in different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Landsat 8 captures images of the Earth on several difference spectrums (visible, near-infrared, short wave infrared, and thermal-infrared spectrums). Landsat 8 captures about 400 images of the Earth each day, far more than the 250 a day of Landsat 7.   As it orbits the Earth in a north-south pattern, Landsat 8 collects images from a swath about 115 miles (185 km) across, using  a push broom sensor, which captures data from the entire swatch at the same time. This is different than the whiskbroom sensor of Landsat 7 and other previous Landsat satellites, which would move across the swath, more slowly capturing imagery.   The Landsats orbit the Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole on a continual basis. Landsat 8 captures imagery from approximately 438 miles (705 km)  above the surface of the Earth. Landsats complete a full orbit of the Earth in about 99 minutes, allowing the Landsats to achieve about 14 orbits per day. The satellites make a complete coverage of the Earth every 16 days.   About five passes cover the entire United States, from Maine and Florida to Hawaii and Alaska. Landsat 8 crosses the Equator every day at approximately 10 a.m. local time. Landsat 9   NASA and the USGS announced in early 2015 that Landsat 9 is being developed and scheduled for launch in 2023, ensuring that data will be collected and made freely available about the Earth for another half-century.   All Landsat data is available to the public free of charge and is in the public domain. Access Landsat imagery through NASAs  Landsat Image Gallery. The Landsat Look Viewer from the USGS is another archive of Landsat imagery.

Desiree's Baby by Kate Chopin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Desiree's Baby by Kate Chopin - Essay Example At first, having a baby made the couple happy, and the husband even more tender. However, after a few months, the once loving Armand became cold and distant, due to the baby being born with a very dark skin. Armand accused Desiree of not being white, since their child was not white (Chopin 206). No matter how much Desiree pleaded, her husband thought of her as a slave, which made her feel even worse and depressed. She went back home to her mother, and the last blow was when her husband did not even turn around to say goodbye. Months later, just when Armand was burning the remnants of his married life, including her letters and clothes, he stumbled upon the knife-hitting truth: a letter from his mother to his father revealed that it was actually him, who has the blood of a slave race, concluding the story of how his son came to look like one. During the time the story was written, it can be deduced that there were already interracial marriages between the blacks and the whites. However, it was still being frowned upon by the society, which made some relationships fall apart, like in the story of Desiree and Armand. Even though Desiree has hands whiter than Armand’s, she was still presumed to be a descendant of slaves, since she was the one who bore his child (Chopin 206). Because people were not fully aware of this, many people would marry and would be surprised to have a dark-skinned baby. This proved to be the measure of Armand’s love for Desiree, and sending her away would not give him any redemption after learning that it was he, not her who has the blood of slaves (Chopin 208). A reason why Armand was never told of his true identity by his parents was in order for him to be able to live at peace with himself. It can be seen in this narrative that aside from the prejudice blacks and their descendants re ceive from the whites, there is also the

Holocaust Deniers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Holocaust Deniers - Essay Example Deniers like to call themselves 'Revisionists,' an ambiguous term that needs to be substituted by Holocaust deniers, which more adequate[ly] reflects their ideology."2 Holocaust deniers usually make claims about actual facts that precipitated and included the happenings of events that took place in Nazi concentration camps from 1939-1945 during World War II in Hitler's Germany. Claims range from the fact that Hitler never ordered a plan for a "Final Solution" to the 'Jewish Problem,' to the idea that an order was never carried out for the Jews' methodical extermination. However, there are plenty of pieces of evidence which document the actual occurrence of the Holocaust and its atrocities. In fact, the Holocaust is one of the most widely- and well-documented massacres in history. "The father of Holocaust denial was Paul Rassinier (1906-1967), adeportee to the Dora concentration camp[who] returned from Dora with[a vision that]the victims of the war were the Germans; the ones to blame were the Jews who were responsible for the world conflict."3 This leads us to the question that naturally follows, which is, What is Holocaust denial and the arguments that it proposes Holocaust denial, by definition, is "a propaganda movement active in the United States, Canada and Western Europe which seeks to deny the reality of the Nazi regime's systematic mass murder of 6 million Jews in Europe during World War II."4 The Institute for Historical Review is the main organization which supports revisionism, which denies the Holocaust ever happened. The IHR, founded by William Carto, holds annual conferences which are forums for revisionist 'historians' to foment and spread their propaganda. These people are not historians at all. In fact, they usually seek to undermine legitimate historical research and writing through propagating their own writings. The IHR is "a pseudo-academic enterprise[for people with] no [history credentials, including Ph.D.'s]Revilo P. Oliver and Robert Faurisson[,] writersDavid Irvingand Bradley Smith, and career anti-SemitesMark Weber and Ernst Zndel-convene to develop new outlets for their anti-Jewish, anti-Israel and, for some, pro[-]Nazi beliefs."5 Most notably, recently, those who deny the Holocaust have decided to use empirical evidence in order to prove their point that the Holocaust could not have happened. The "Leuchter and Rudolf Reports purported to demonstrate that there was not enough cyanide residue in the Auschwitz gas chambers to be consistent with mass gassing. Friedrich Paul Berg, inThe Diesel Gas Chambers: Myth Within a Myth, claims to show that it would be improbableto use diesel engine exhaust to kill people"6 Each paper cites "experiments, laboratory analyses,

Comparison Between Windows 7 And Mac OS X Essay

Comparison Between Windows 7 And Mac OS X - Essay Example It is shown that despite having nowhere near as much malware as on Windows, the Mac remains vulnerable although its usability and multimedia support are much better. The Macintosh OS X series of systems introduced in 2002 is based on Unix, specifically the FreeBSD and NetBSD implementations that were contained in the NeXTSTEP object-oriented system. Mac OS X enabled Apple to move away from its previous Mac OS operating systems, which lacked pre-emptive multitasking support and memory protection (Abu Rumman, 30). Mac OS X is POSIX compliant that is built on an XNU kernel. Originally designed for the PowerPC architecture, it is now made for the x86 architecture, the same as for Windows. The current version of the Macintosh operating system, as of March 2012, is 10.7.3 named Lion and the next version 10.8 named Mountain Lion is due later this year. The Windows operating system is made available in a number of editions including Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate. Windows 7 added su pport for a number of additional features such as virtual hard disks and handwriting recognition. It is considered to be a vast improvement over the previous Windows Vista, which was considered to be a disaster. ... OS 10.7 Company Microsoft Apple Minimum system requirements 1 GHz IA-32/x86-64 processor; 1 / 2 GB RAM; 16 / 20 GB free disk space Intel Core 2 Duo or higher processor; 2 GB RAM; 4 GB disk space for installation (OS X Daily, 2011) Retail price $119.99-219.99 $29.99 Variety of versions Six different versions including Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate A single all-in-one solution (with built-in server) Sources: Microsoft and OS X Daily Of the two systems, Windows enjoys the greatest market share. The main reasons for its dominance is the huge variety of hardware it can run on, the amount of developer support behind it and the amount of games that are available for the platform (Abu Rumman, 30). Apple instead enjoys a niche in the creative and educational markets. On the other hand, the Mac has the advantage of access to Apple's Mac App Store, it has a built-in browser that is better than Internet Explorer, it already has multi-touch support, suffers from much less malware than W indows, it has several features not present in Windows and it has better refinement overall (Reisinger). Examples of the special features are Resume, Air Drop, system-wide Auto Save, Expose, Spaces (virtual desktops), Mission Control, Time Machine and Remote Wipe. These make Lion well ahead of Windows 7 (Warne). With Lion, Apple also introduced a digital distribution method for greater convenience instead of the traditional physical selling method, which Windows is still following. In terms of usability, the Mac is renowned for being generally easier to use from being more intuitive and built on the principle of minimalism. Microsoft on the other hand, is generally more cumbersome and complicated with perhaps too many unnecessary elements that can cause confusion. As a simple example, if a

Discuss the notion of age or generational differences with reference Essay

Discuss the notion of age or generational differences with reference to certain characters in A&P - Essay Example Sammy Sammy, who assumes the role of narrator of A & P, is a thoughtful young lad who has keen interest in the members from opposite gender. He keeps a robust sense of observation. Sammy observes his surroundings and takes notice of the physical appearance of the girls that visit the A & P store. Sammy studies the texture as well as the designs of the bathing outfits of girls along with their suits’ tan lines. His observations are not limited to the surface. Along with the patterns of their outfits, Sammy also makes judgments about the pattern of their everyday life, specially Queenie, who appears to be the leading lady. While examining Queenie’s body, Sammy observes the strap of her bra dangling. This both arises sexual sensation in him as well as gives him clues about the lifestyle of Queenie. Sammy gains an assumed insight into Queenie’s social life through her speech. This further clarifies her image in front of him and defines it in detail. His undue ogling of the girls speaks of Sammy’s own chauvinism, weaknesses and youthful immaturity. His immaturity can be estimated from the fact that lost in the world of lust, Sammy forgets about the ethics of professional life and becomes ignorant towards other customers in comparison to the girls. Sammy calls the other A & P customers as â€Å"houseslaves† and â€Å"sheep†. His immaturity can fundamentally be attributed to the fact that he is a bachelor. His coworkers like Stokesie also take interest in the girls, but their interest is far different than that of Sammy. They have a natural inclination towards and attraction for such an overt expression of sexuality particularly when it comes from the opposite gender. However, unlike Sammy, Stokesie talks about the girls only sarcastically and his attraction for the girls is only apparent. This may be because Stokesie is an aged and married man while Sammy is a young unmarried man. Sammy’s argument with Lengel has no ro le in building his relationship with Queenie and it is rationale to assume that he knows this as well. Despite that, Sammy takes stand for Queenie to such an extent that he looses his fundamental source of income and for what? Nothing, but lust! Only after he has done the act, Sammy realizes what he has done to his life. Sammy narrates, â€Å"†¦my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter† (Updike). This clearly speaks of the fact that young girls’ mere expression of sexuality is enough to cause young and immature bachelors to make life changing decisions for no practical reason. Queenie: Queenie is a young girl who knows that her sensual expression impacts boys. She is in a phase of constant experimentation in which she tests the limits to which exposure can be allowed by the opposite gender in public. She has assumed that boys would not mind her showing up in a bathing suit. According to her assumptions, her sensual messag e is too strong and appealing for boys to condemn it. Perhaps, she gains a sense of independence from this. Embarrassment arises from lack of expectation. Queenie essentially does not expect any male to stop her from her expression of sexuality, though in her assumption, she is being ignorant of the fact that all males are not young, and have more important preferences in life than falling prey to the appeal of young

Compare To an Athlete Dying Young and Ex-Basketball Player Term Paper - 1

Compare To an Athlete Dying Young and Ex-Basketball Player - Term Paper Example Updike talks about this failure as he had first hand experience of watching young people in his town ruining their lives. As he once said, â€Å"One of the dominant impressions of my growing-up in Pennsylvania - where I saw a lot of basketball games, thanks to my fathers being a high-school teacher and a ticket taker at home games - was the glory of home-town athletic stars, and their often anti-climactic post-graduation careers† (Monroe, â€Å"Inside Game†). Both the titles of the poem are in sync with the context or the content. The titles foreshadow and hence provide the readers with a general idea about the respective subjects of the poems. The title of â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† also hints upon the fact that this poem might be an elegy as the readers later find it to be true since the poem deals with death and is written in the memory of an athlete. The tone of the â€Å"Ex-Basketball Player† appears to be pessimistic. In very simple words, the poet depicts his disappointment regarding the behavior of the youth. On the other hand, although â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† is an elegy yet it has a comparatively optimistic tone because it portrays death as not only bliss but also describes it as a new beginning. The setting of the poem â€Å"Ex-Basketball Player† is a dreary and a sort of rundown gas station of 1946. The setting of the poem also adheres to the disappointed or dejected mood/tone of the poem. On the other â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† is set in an anonymous nineteenth century in town and a cemetery in England. â€Å"Ex-Basketball Player† does not follow any set pattern of rhyme scheme. The poet makes use of the technique of free verse and hence in very simple words conveys the poets perspective to the readers. On contrary â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† is a Lyrical poem with a rhyme scheme of AABB. Although it is

Lewis Nordan's Wolf Whistle account of the Till Murder Essay

Lewis Nordan's Wolf Whistle account of the Till Murder - Essay Example He claims that his "racial identification with the murderers" troubled him and that he felt "by race and geography [...] somehow implicated." He adds, "[M]aybe I believed that as a white guy who knew the [murderers] and never spoke out against the injustice, or even asked a question about it at the dinner table, it was simply not my story to tell". Eventually he realized that he could use his fiction to explore his feeling of implication and the society in which he feels so implicated. In Wolf Whistle, he has written what he calls "the white trash version of the Emmett Till murder": " [...] the story of the people who were on the periphery of this terrible thing, who didn't know what was going on, didn't quite understand their own culpability in the situation". Nordan's project in Wolf Whistle has an affinity with that of Toni Morrison and other social theorists and literary critics who in recent years have begun to turn the gaze of race theory toward the construction of white identity. A brief examination of their contributions to the field may help us to understand better Nordan's novel. In Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination, Morrison describes her project as "an effort to avert the critical gaze from the racial object to the racial subject, from the described and imagined to the describers and imaginers" and to "examine the impact of notions of racial hierarchy, racial exclusion, and racial vulnerability on nonblacks who held, resisted, explored, or altered those notions". Morrison proposes not to treat whiteness in American literature as natural and self-sustaining but rather as something "sycophantic", constructed, contingent on an Africanist presence. She hopes to refute the conventional wisdom that "because American literature has been clearly the preserve of white male views, genius, and power, those views, genius, and power are without relationship to and removed from the overwhelming presence of black people in the United States". Many other literary critics have taken up Morrison's cause and have reexamined the American literary canon with a different gaze. Jerry Phillips discusses how "certain literary texts illuminate the pedagogy of whiteness, the way one learns to experience oneself as a member of the 'white race'" and goes on to discuss a few of the "countless ways in which United States literary works aided in the naturalization of whiteness". Phillips argues that "we critics should commit ourselves to illuminating issues of contingency, historicity, and arbitrariness" in the construction of whiteness. Rebecca Aanerud calls for "the development of a critical reading practice that foregrounds the construction and representation of whiteness and will challenge the way in which many texts by white United States authors are complicit with the discourses of white supremacy". She further argues that "Whiteness, like race in general, cannot be understood simply as a natural phenomenon [...]. The recognition of whiteness as not a set fact--that is, having white skin--but instead as a product whose meaning and status must be sustained by a process of reproduction along pre-established lines is crucial to an interruption of whiteness as the status quo". Phillips and Aanerud also lay the burden of deconstructing and decentering whiteness at the feet of literary

Compare To an Athlete Dying Young and Ex-Basketball Player Term Paper - 1

Compare To an Athlete Dying Young and Ex-Basketball Player - Term Paper Example Updike talks about this failure as he had first hand experience of watching young people in his town ruining their lives. As he once said, â€Å"One of the dominant impressions of my growing-up in Pennsylvania - where I saw a lot of basketball games, thanks to my fathers being a high-school teacher and a ticket taker at home games - was the glory of home-town athletic stars, and their often anti-climactic post-graduation careers† (Monroe, â€Å"Inside Game†). Both the titles of the poem are in sync with the context or the content. The titles foreshadow and hence provide the readers with a general idea about the respective subjects of the poems. The title of â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† also hints upon the fact that this poem might be an elegy as the readers later find it to be true since the poem deals with death and is written in the memory of an athlete. The tone of the â€Å"Ex-Basketball Player† appears to be pessimistic. In very simple words, the poet depicts his disappointment regarding the behavior of the youth. On the other hand, although â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† is an elegy yet it has a comparatively optimistic tone because it portrays death as not only bliss but also describes it as a new beginning. The setting of the poem â€Å"Ex-Basketball Player† is a dreary and a sort of rundown gas station of 1946. The setting of the poem also adheres to the disappointed or dejected mood/tone of the poem. On the other â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† is set in an anonymous nineteenth century in town and a cemetery in England. â€Å"Ex-Basketball Player† does not follow any set pattern of rhyme scheme. The poet makes use of the technique of free verse and hence in very simple words conveys the poets perspective to the readers. On contrary â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† is a Lyrical poem with a rhyme scheme of AABB. Although it is

What do you think is responsible for the political and economic Essay

What do you think is responsible for the political and economic stagnation in many postcolonial states - Essay Example Obtaining independence, many postcolonial states received an opportunity to transform their political and economic systems and improve the structure of the government and social life. Two processes have changed the political and economic map of the world and created new challenges and opportunities for enterprises in the periphery of the global economy. Legitimatization has mainly drawn on the prescriptions of neo-classical economics. Deregulation of domestic economic life, less state intervention in economic activities, and fewerobstacles to international trade: these are the main tenets of neo-liberal policy. Earlier experiments in free market economics have usually led to the revival of regulatory efforts in order to secure social and political stability and the continued legitimacy of the state. Failing this they have generated social revolutions or else 'free' markets have been maintained under the cover of armed dictatorship.The main agents responsible to the political and econ omic stagnation in postcolonial states are local political figures and state leaders concentrated on productivity issues and creation of wealth at the expense of local populations and exploitation of natural resources. Sandbrook & Barker (1995) and Tordoff (2002) state that African countries suffer from so called ‘neopatrimonialism’ or personal rule, promoted and introduced economic and political irrationalities in these postcolonial states. ... he prevalence of household production decreases, opportunities are created for small enterprises, either in rural areas, which leads to an increase in non-agricultural activities, or in urban areas, due to the migration fuelled by increased efficiency of agriculture, land shortage, etc. (Hoogvelt 2001). The increase in informal enterprise is a part of an industrialization process which both creates openings for manufacturing enterprises but also increases the opportunities for trade in their products. Tordoff (2002) suggests that a large part of the problem is to be found in the business environment created before independence. Following Sandbrook & Barker (1995) a transition in Zimbabwe calls for the establishment of a neutral framework for different kinds of enterprises, what has been called 'good governance,' rather than sector specific efforts. Sandbrook & Barker analyze what this would imply for Zimbabwe, focusing on a number of regulations still in force which directly work aga inst the interests of entrepreneurs. However, the structural disadvantages of small enterprises are such that continued efforts to ameliorate the by now well-known problems of small entrepreneurs are needed. However, these tasks do not need to be carried out by central government agencies, and should be entrusted to local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) both of which can more easily tailor support measures to the manifest needs of their clients. "African states are not, in any real sense, capitalist states. Productive economic activities are impeded by the political instability, systemic corruption and maladministration associated with personal rule" (Sandbrook & Barker 1995, p. 1). The development of enterprises has been discouraged by policies which favoured the