Monday, December 30, 2019

Biography of Pol Pot, Cambodian Dictator

Pol Pot (born Saloth Sar; May 19, 1925–April 15, 1998) was a Cambodian dictator. As the head of the Khmer Rouge, he oversaw an unprecedented and extremely brutal attempt to remove Cambodia from the modern world and establish an agrarian utopia. While attempting to create this utopia, Pol Pot initiated the Cambodian genocide, which lasted from 1975 to 1979 and caused the deaths of at least 1.5 million Cambodians. Fast Facts: Pol Pot Known For: As the leader of the revolutionary Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot oversaw the Cambodian genocide.Also Known As: Saloth SarBorn: May 19, 1925 in Prek Sbauv, CambodiaParents: Loth Sar and Sok NemDied: April 15, 1998 in Anlong Veng, CambodiaSpouse(s): Khieu Ponnary (m. 1956–1979), Mea Son (m. 1986–1998)Children: Sar Patchata Early Life Pol Pot was born Saloth Sar on May 19, 1928, in the fishing village of Prek Sbauk, Kampong Thom province, in what was then French Indochina (now Cambodia). His family, of Chinese-Khmer descent, was moderately well-to-do. They had connections to the royal family: a sister was a concubine of the king, Sisovath Monivong, and a brother was a court official. In 1934, Pol Pot went to live with the brother in Phnom Penh, where he spent a year in a royal Buddhist monastery and then attended a Catholic school. At age 14, he began high school in Kompong Cham. Pol Pot was, however, not a very successful student, and he eventually switched to a technical school to study carpentry. In 1949, Pol Pot obtained a scholarship to study radio electronics in Paris. He enjoyed himself in Paris, gaining a reputation as something of a bon vivant, fond of dancing and drinking red wine. However, by his second year in Paris, Pol Pot had become friends with other students who were impassioned by politics. From these friends, Pol Pot encountered Marxism, joining the Cercle Marxiste (Marxist Circle of Khmer Students in Paris) and the French Communist Party. (Many of the other students whom he befriended during this period later became central figures in the Khmer Rouge.) After Pol Pot failed his examinations for the third year in a row, however, he had to return in January 1953 to what would shortly become Cambodia. Joining the Viet Minh As the first of the Cercle Marxiste to return to Cambodia, Pol Pot helped assess the different groups rebelling against the Cambodian government and recommended that returning members of the Cercle join the Khmer Viet Minh (or Moutakeaha). Although Pol Pot and other members of the Cercle disliked that the Khmer Viet Minh had heavy ties with Vietnam, the group felt this Communist revolutionary organization was the one most likely to take action. In August 1953, Pol Pot left his home secretly and, without even telling his friends, headed to the Viet Minh’s Eastern Zone Headquarters, located near the village of Krabao. The camp was located in the forest and consisted of canvas tents that could be easily moved in case of an attack. Pol Pot (and eventually more of his Cercle friends) were dismayed to find the camp completely segregated, with Vietnamese as the high-ranking members and Cambodians (Khmers) given only menial tasks. Pol Pot himself was assigned tasks such as farming and working in the mess hall. Still, he watched and learned how the Viet Minh used propaganda and force to take control of peasant villages in the region. The Khmer Viet Minh was forced to disband after the 1954 Geneva Accords; Pol Pot and several of his friends headed back to Phnom Penh. 1955 Election The 1954 Geneva Accords had temporarily quashed much of the revolutionary fervor within Cambodia and proclaimed a mandatory election in 1955. Pol Pot, who was now back in Phnom Penh, was determined to do what he could to influence the election. He infiltrated the Democratic Party with the hope of being able to reshape its policies. When it turned out that Prince Norodom Sihanouk had rigged the election, Pol Pot and others became convinced that the only way to change Cambodia was through revolution. Khmer Rouge In the years following the 1955 elections, Pol Pot led a dual life. By day, Pol Pot worked as a teacher and surprisingly was well-liked by his students. By night, Pol Pot was heavily involved in a Communist revolutionary organization, the Kampuchean Peoples Revolutionary Party (KPRP). (â€Å"Kampuchean† is another term for â€Å"Cambodian.†) During this time, Pol Pot also married Khieu Ponnary, the sister of one of his Paris student friends. The couple never had children together. By 1959, Prince Sihanouk had begun to seriously repress leftist political movements, especially by targeting the older generation of experienced dissidents. With many of the older leaders in exile or on the run, Pol Pot and other young members of the KPRP emerged as leaders in party affairs. After a power struggle within the KPRP in the early 1960s, Pol Pot took control of the party. This party, which was officially renamed the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) in 1966, became more commonly known as the Khmer Rouge (meaning â€Å"Red Khmer† in French). The term â€Å"Khmer Rouge† was used by Prince Sihanouk to describe the CPK, since many in the CPK were both Communists (often called â€Å"reds†) and of Khmer descent. The Battle to Topple Prince Sihanouk In March 1962 when his name appeared on a list of people wanted for questioning, Pol Pot went into hiding. He took to the jungle and began preparing a guerrilla-based revolutionary movement that intended to topple Prince Sihanouk’s government. In 1964 with help from North Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge established a base camp in the border region and issued a declaration calling for armed struggle against the Cambodian monarchy, which they viewed as corrupt and repressive. The ideology of the Khmer Rouge gradually developed in this period. It featured a Maoist orientation with an emphasis on the peasant farmer as the foundation for a revolution. This contrasted with the orthodox Marxist idea that the proletariat (working class) was the basis for revolution. Courting Vietnam and China In 1965, Pol Pot was hoping to get support from either Vietnam or China for his revolution. Since the Communist North Vietnamese regime was the most likely source of support for the Khmer Rouge at the time, Pol Pot went to Hanoi to ask for aid. In response to his request, the North Vietnamese criticized Pol Pot for having a nationalist agenda. Since, at this time, Prince Sihanouk was letting the North Vietnamese use Cambodian territory in their struggle against South Vietnam and the United States, the Vietnamese believed the time was not right for an armed struggle in Cambodia. It did not matter to the Vietnamese that the time might have felt right for the Cambodian people. Pol Pot next visited the Communist People’s Republic of China (PRC) and fell under the influence of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, which emphasized revolutionary enthusiasm and sacrifice. It accomplished this in part by encouraging people to destroy any vestiges of traditional Chinese civilization. China would not openly support the Khmer Rouge, but it gave Pol Pot some ideas for his own revolution. In 1967, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, though isolated and lacking widespread support, made the decision to start a revolt against the Cambodian government. The initial action began on January 18, 1968. By that summer, Pol Pot had moved away from collective leadership to become the sole decision maker. He even set up a separate compound and lived apart from the other leaders. Cambodia and the Vietnam War The Khmer Rouge’s revolution progressed very slowly until two major events occurred in 1970. The first was a successful coup led by General Lon Nol, which deposed the increasingly unpopular Prince Sihanouk and aligned Cambodia with the United States. The second involved a massive bombardment campaign and invasion of Cambodia by the United States. During the Vietnam War, Cambodia had officially remained neutral; however, the Viet Cong (Vietnamese communist guerrilla fighters) used that position to their advantage by creating bases within Cambodian territory in order to regroup and store supplies. American strategists believed that a massive bombing campaign within Cambodia would deprive the Viet Cong of this sanctuary and thus bring the Vietnam War to a quicker end. The result for Cambodia was political destabilization. These political changes set the stage for the rise of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. With an incursion by Americans within Cambodia, Pol Pot was able to claim that the Khmer Rouge was fighting for Cambodian independence and against imperialism. Although he might have been refused aid from North Vietnam and China before, Cambodian involvement in the Vietnam War led to their support of the Khmer Rouge. With this new backing, Pol Pot was able to concentrate on recruiting and training while the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong did most of the initial fighting. Disturbing trends emerged early. Students and so-called â€Å"middle† or better-off peasants were no longer allowed to join the Khmer Rouge. Former government workers and officials, teachers, and people with an education were also purged from the party. Chams—an important ethnic group in Cambodia—and other minorities were forced to adopt Cambodian styles of dress and appearance. Decrees were issued establishing cooperative agricultural enterprises. The practice of emptying urban areas began. By 1973, the Khmer Rouge controlled two-thirds of the country and half the population. Genocide in Democratic Kampuchea After five years of civil war, the Khmer Rouge was finally able to capture Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975. This ended Lon Nol’s rule and began the five-year reign of the Khmer Rouge. It was at this time that Saloth Sar began calling himself â€Å"brother number one† and took Pol Pot as his nom de guerre. (According to one source, â€Å"Pol Pot† comes from the French words â€Å"politique potentielle.†) After taking control of Cambodia, Pol Pot declared the Year Zero. This meant much more than restarting the calendar; it was a means of emphasizing that all that was familiar in the lives of Cambodians were to be destroyed. This was a far more comprehensive cultural revolution than the one Pol Pot had observed in Communist China. Religion was abolished, ethnic groups were  forbidden to speak their language or follow their customs, and political dissent was ruthlessly suppressed. As dictator of Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed Democratic Kampuchea, Pol Pot began a ruthless, bloody campaign against a variety of groups: members of the former government, Buddhist monks, Muslims, Western-educated intellectuals, university students and teachers, people in contact with Westerners or Vietnamese, people who were crippled or lame, and ethnic Chinese, Laotians, and Vietnamese. These massive changes within Cambodia and the specific targeting of large sections of the population led to the Cambodian genocide. By its end in 1979, at least 1.5 million people had been murdered in the â€Å"Killing Fields.† Many were beaten to death with iron bars or hoes after digging their own graves. Some were buried alive. One directive read: â€Å"Bullets not to be wasted.† Most died from starvation and disease, but probably 200,000 were executed, often after interrogation and brutal torture. The most infamous interrogation center was Tuol Sleng, S-21 (Security Prison 21), a former high school. It was there that prisoners were photographed, interrogated, and tortured. It was known as â€Å"the place where people go in but never come out.† Vietnam Defeats the Khmer Rouge As the years passed, Pol Pot became increasingly paranoid about the possibility of an invasion by Vietnam. To preempt an attack, Pol Pot’s regime began carrying out raids and massacres in Vietnamese territory. Rather than dissuade the Vietnamese from attacking, these raids ultimately provided Vietnam with an excuse to invade Cambodia in 1978. By the following year, the Vietnamese had routed the Khmer Rouge, ending both the Khmer Rouge’s rule in Cambodia and the genocidal policies of Pol Pot. Ousted from power, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge retreated to a remote area of Cambodia along the border with Thailand. For several years, the North Vietnamese tolerated the existence of the Khmer Rouge in this border area. However, in 1984, the North Vietnamese made a concerted effort to deal with them. After that, the Khmer Rouge survived only with the support of Communist China and the toleration of the Thai government. In 1985, Pol Pot resigned as head of the Khmer Rouge and handed over day-to-day administrative tasks to his longtime associate, Son Sen. Pol Pot nonetheless continued as the de facto leader of the party. Aftermath In 1995, Pol Pot, still living in isolation on the Thai border, suffered a stroke that left the left side of his body paralyzed. Two years later, he had Son Sen and members of Sen’s family executed because he believed that Sen had attempted to negotiate with the Cambodian government. The deaths of Son Sen and his family shocked many of the remaining Khmer leadership. Feeling that Pol Pot’s paranoia was out of control and worried about their own lives, Khmer Rouge leaders arrested Pol Pot and put him on trial for the murder of Sen and other Khmer Rouge members. Pol Pot was sentenced to house arrest for the remainder of his life. He was not punished more severely because he had been so prominent in Khmer Rouge affairs. Some of the remaining members of the party, however, questioned this lenient treatment. Death On April 15, 1998, Pol Pot heard a broadcast on Voice of America (of which he was a faithful listener) announce that the Khmer Rouge had agreed to turn him over to an international tribunal. He died that same night. Rumors persist that he either committed suicide or was murdered. His body was cremated without an autopsy to establish the cause of death. Legacy Pol Pot is remembered for his long, oppressive reign and for his attempt to exterminate all religious and ethnic minorities in Cambodia. The Cambodian genocide—responsible for the deaths of at least 1.5 million people—resulted in several Khmer Rouge leaders being convicted of crimes against humanity. Sources Bergin, Sean.  The Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian Genocide. Rosen Pub. Group, 2009.Short, Philip.  Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare. Henry Holt, 2005.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Nevada Essay - 1688 Words

In population Nevada is one of the smallest states of the fifty states in the Union, but it invites and receives more intense national publicity than many others. â€Å"It is a testing ground for unorthodox social theories and an outpost of solid American conservatism† (313). Because the state is so large and its centers of population is so widely scattered, no single generalization about it will suffice for a historical summary. Nevada, with its 110,000 square miles, would cover more than half of Spain. Nevada is not the largest state in the Union, but it is big enough to inspire awe in its visitors† (2). About 86 percent of the land in Nevada was still under the control of the federal government as the year 2000 opened (3). It was†¦show more content†¦The Helldorado Parade was established in Las Vegas in 1935, and defined Las Vegas as a Western town. Participants dressed up as cowboys and marched up downtown streets to large crowds. After the El Rancho was est ablished, three more Western Casinos opened for business. In 1941, El Cortez opened as the first large hotel downtown. The hotel Last Frontier opened on the strip in 1942, and in 1946, the Golden Nugget opened downtown. The one big casino to the Western motif was Benjamin Siegel’s The Flamingo which opened in 1946. Siegel was a mobster with ties to the Chicago and California networks, envisioned a â€Å"jewel in the desert.† The Flamingo was not a success and was temporarily closed. It then re-opened and had a diverse theme-oriented style in the hotel casino industry in Las Vegas. 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Friday, December 13, 2019

Effects of Poverty on College Education in the USA Free Essays

string(64) " privilege accompanying the prestige of the competitive course\." Thesis: Poverty not only affects the living standards and lifestyle of people but also affects college education in the United States of America. Introduction An overview of the effect of poverty on college education. Thesis statement. We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Poverty on College Education in the USA or any similar topic only for you Order Now Effects of poverty on college education. Poor quality of primary education in poverty-stricken areas leads to poor performance in college. People from poverty-stricken areas have less access to good college education as they lack financial resources to meet the college education cost. Poverty affecting college students makes the students juggle between full time jobs and class schedules. Poor professionalism resulting from poverty affects the economic development of the United States. Conclusion Introduction Poverty entails a collection of several factors befalling an individual, family or a group of people that lead to impossibility for such a person, family or group of people to afford the basic human needs. Prolongation of such a state for at least three generations leads to a cycle of poverty, and according to this condition, it is not possible for such people to break out of this situation without external interventions. In this case, the affected people or families have limited or no resources for livelihood and, therefore, end up not being able to afford the basic human needs such as food, clothing, shelter, health care and education. Continued lack of financial resources and education make the poor grow poorer. This problem affects both the developed and developing countries in the world. In the United States, poverty rates range from 10% to 21% depending on one’s political alienation. This implies that even in the developed countries poverty still exists. Low economic status experienced by many people across the world leads to poor education as many cannot afford high cost of education in colleges and universities, hence a lot of people acquire the basic education and avoid the tertiary education (Brandy-Smith, Fauth, and Brooks-Gunn 1). Low education level, on the other hand, propagates the continuation of poverty over the generations as low education level means poor employment and low income. In addition, learning institutions also experience the impact of poverty as the high cost of education would cause low annual registration of students as the cost increasingly becomes higher. It is, therefore, clear that poverty affects not only the living standards and lifestyle of people but also the college education in the United States of America. Effects of poverty on college education â€Å"Simple comparisons between children in poor families and children in non-poor families using national datasets indicate that poor children are more likely to do worse on indices of school achievement than non-poor children are† (Brandy-Smith, Fauth, and Brooks-Gunn 1). Besides, elementary schools in poverty-stricken areas of the United States do not have qualified school tutors, and therefore, the students who graduate from these schools are not qualified enough to join colleges. Due to poverty, â€Å"teachers in city schools are less likely to be certified or to have studied in the areas that they teach, and more likely to leave before the end of the school year. In some years and for some subjects, it is hard to find any teachers at all to fill slots in urban schools† (Hochschild 1). Students with poor elementary background are not satisfactorily qualified to meet the professional challenges even after the college graduation. Low annual registration of new students in colleges leads to a gradual collapse of college education and, therefore, denies citizens an important resource of breaking out of poverty. Because of poverty, even the few who are qualified to join colleges do not fully concentrate on studies due to lack of sustenance. With little or no food in their stomachs, students have little or no focus on studies, and it negatively affects the learning process in colleges. A large number of students in the United States lack financial resources to cover high tuition fees, and therefore, most of them rely on education loans and scholarships. Education loans like any other loans require repayment with some interest after completion of one’s education. The annual increment of tuition fees is between 5% and 8%, and this becomes increasingly difficult for parents and students to afford. The education cost varies from one institution to another, especially from public to private colleges. Private colleges have a relatively higher education cost as compared to public colleges which depend on the government funding. The high education cost levied by the private colleges discourages students with poor background from enrolling in private colleges, and therefore, they opt to enrol in public colleges, thus causing overcrowding there. Actually, MItchel, Fowler and Towle lament that learning conditions in inner-city schools have so poor facilities that â€Å"students share used textbooks and practice typing on handmade, fake keyboards† (Para1). This over stretching of the public college facilities reduces the quality of education offered as the increase of the number of students in class makes it difficult for the tutors to attend to each student’s needs. Poverty affecting college students makes them juggle between full time jobs and class schedules in order to make ends meet. Research shows that juggling between work and education greatly lowers one’s performance, either in academics, at the place of work or both. In addition, juggling between education and work causes severe health problems, especially when such students do not get enough sleep as both tasks are time-consuming. Moreover, poor parents cannot provide an appropriate diet necessary for their children’s learning (Bainbridge and Lasley 1). Poor health status, on the other hand, leads to low concentration in class affecting academic performance, hence students may graduate without the required qualifications. Poverty contributes greatly to graduation of unqualified students as the rate of skipping lessons grows with increase in poverty. Poverty in the US kills college competitiveness of the academic programs; consequently the enrolment levels drastically reduce because of poor performance from secondary schools. The reduction in program competitiveness deprives colleges of the privilege accompanying the prestige of the competitive course. You read "Effects of Poverty on College Education in the USA" in category "Papers" This, therefore, kills the spirit of competition between the students in a particular course, which outrightly leads to poor performance in college. Colleges from a particular region, especially those stricken by poverty, may decide to lower the admission grades for a particular course program in order to accommodate the students of that region. Lowering admission grades of one college can affect other colleges’ enrolment as many students with relatively lower grades may decide to transfer to such colleges. This transfer indeed affects the enrolment in the colleges from which the students are transferring. Moreover, poverty related transfer of students might affect the student’s academic performance as a person needs to take time to acclimatize to the new environment. In the United States, different regions register different number of graduates depending on the poverty level of the regions. People from these areas have relatively less access to good college education as they lack financial resources to meet the college education cost. Statistics show that these areas registered the lowest number of college graduates in 2004 as compared to other states. The statistics below illustrate this fact (Crissey 8): States percentages Mississippi 18,90% Alabama 21,40% Louisiana 20,40% Arkansas 19,30% District of Columbia 47,50% According to Bishaw and Semega, high poverty levels characterize these regions (excluding the District of Columbia) (20). Thus, education is difficult to acquire, hence less college graduates. This results in increase in number of uneducated young people hence perpetuates the growth of poverty across the states. Poverty affects education negatively and poses stress to both students and parents. In the United States, the economic background of citizens determines the college students attend. Families with poor economic background have their children attending local tertiary colleges while those with good economic background have their children attending national and international colleges where they graduate with relatively better qualifications. In this sense, students from poor economic background have a higher chance to transform into poor adults than children from well up families. Mitchell and Houston attribute this to the fact that in the United States, rich families have the capacity to provide good college education to their children, which would mean good qualifications and hence descent employment (Para. 4). On the other hand, poor education due to poverty would lead to employment with meagre salaries. Moreover, high poverty level affects the economic development of the United States as unqualified professionals graduating from colleges would have little knowledge in their fields that in turn results in poor performance in industries. Given that by 1993, there were roughly 13.4 million U.S. children living in poverty (Litcher 988); such a situation translates into economic downfall. In essence, economic progress depends largely on the professionalism of people working in different fields of the economy. Poor professionalism resulting from poverty can compel companies to invest into education of their staff, hence incurring more expenses. Poverty among college students in the United States causes reduction of exposure of these students to the outside world. Attending educational tours, educational excursions and making educational trips help enlighten and open up the minds of college students. Unfortunately, because of poverty, most students in the aforementioned states cannot afford these programs. Given that â€Å"poverty is the single largest factor determining a child’s failure in school† (Zeitlin Para. 14), these students lag behind for they cannot afford such informative exposures. While the rich continue to enjoy the privileges of wealth, the poor remain suffering in the impoverished conditions with little or no external exposure. The benefits of these exposures help the students acclimatize to the job market after college education. Conclusion Although poverty is a state that many people would not want to find themselves in, it is still rampant in both developed and developing countries. Poverty poses a threat not only to the economic, social and political aspects of life, but also to education as a major requirement for sustenance. In the United States, poverty negatively affects college education as it causes a great reduction of the students’ enrolment. Moreover, poverty-stricken students miss numerous classes because of lack of fees. As a result, it influences their grades greatly leading to unqualified graduates. On the other hand, because of lack of finances, some elementary schools cannot sustain enough qualified teachers. This may also lead to poor grades as the available tutors might fail to meet students’ needs, and in the end, the students fail to secure admission to various colleges. To overcome this problem, people decide to juggle between work and study to cater for both their basic and educational needs. People living below the poverty level in the United States can offer a lower college education to their children as compared to those living above the poverty level. Poverty impairs good education in the US, and this also affects other aspects of life. Works Cited Bainbridge, William, and Thomas Lasley. â€Å"Poverty not Race Holds Back Urban Students.† Schoolmatch.com. School Match. 28 July 2002. Web. 14 June 2011.http://schoolmatch.com/articles/poverty.htm; Bishaw,  Alemayehu  and  Jessica  Semega.  Income, Earnings, and Poverty Data From the 2007 American Community Survey, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2008 Web. 14 June 2011 ;http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/acs-09.pdf; Brandy-Smith, Christy, Rebecca Fauth, and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn. Poverty and Education – Overview, Children, and Adolescents, Education Encyclopedia – StateUniversity.com 2011. Web. 14 June 2011. ;http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2330/Poverty-Education.html; Crissey, Sarah R. Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2009. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2008 Web. 14 June 2011 ;http://www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p20-560.pdf;. Hochschild, L. Janifer. â€Å"Social Class in Public Schools†. Journal of Social Issues. 59.4 (2003) :821-840. Web. 14 June 2011. ;http://scholar.harvard.edu/jlhochschild/publications/social-class-public-schools; Litcher, Daniel. â€Å"Reviewed work(s): Children in Poverty: Child Development and Public Policy by Aletha C. Huston.† American Journal of Sociology 98.4 (1993): 988. Web. 14 June 2011. ;http://www.jstor.org/pss/2781277; Mitchell, Emily, Deborah Fowler, and Lisa H. Towle. â€Å"Do the Poor Deserve Bad Schools?† Time, 14 October 1991. Web. 14 June 2011. ;http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974025-1,00.html;. Zeitlin, Janine. â€Å"Poverty hinders education†. News-press.com. A Gannet company. 14 Sep. 2010. Web. 14 June 2011. ;http://www.newspress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201009140110/NEWS0104/9140345;. How to cite Effects of Poverty on College Education in the USA, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Principal of Financial Markets Global Market Dynamic Trends

Question: Describe about the Principal of Financial Markets for Global Market Dynamic Trends. Answer: Introduction Airlines sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the Australian continent, in this paper the various analysis will present the detailed outlook of the opportunities in this sector. The global market is very dynamic, the trends in the market are always changing, and it requires the companies to keep their policies to match to the trends of the market. Top-down analysis is widely used to formulate strategies that can counter the challenges in the market. Investors prefer to analyse the global trends in the market along with the economic trends to predict the performance of the company in the market. The challenges in the market require developing new strategies to make the company stable to face the new trends in the market. In the present analysis, the researcher has tried to provide remedial measures to the economical trends of the global airlines market (Afonso and Sousa, 2012). To provide a detailed analysis a comparison is made between the Virgin Airlines one of the top competitors that is looking to set itself up the trends in the Australian airlines market. The bottom-up approach presents a comparative analysis of the two giants that has been trying to exploit the opportunities in the market. Financial data has been used to make the analysis more detailed and authentic suggesting the need for the changes in the policies that can help in establishing a better market position. Justifications are provided based on the analysis that will guide the investors to choose the company that has shown the chances of improvement and profitability in the Australian airlines market (Altman et al. 2012). Top- down analysis The airlines industry has faced various challenges in the recent time due to the rising costs that can make the businesses can run at loss. The various challenges in the airlines industry is explained by the SWOT analysis and other analysis can help in the proper analysis of the airlines business in Australia. The rising fuel costs and other costs have made the business to run and face the challenges in the economy. The micro economic factors influence the various business trends to improve the business to settle in the market. In recent time, the Qantas Airlines has seen growth in the recent time as the fuel prices have seen decline (Armstrong et al. 2016). This has led to the growth in the business of these airlines in the global market. Economic factors have made the airlines businesses like the Qantas and Virgin Blue to try to regain the market. It is the strengths of the basic policies that has made the businesses to face the challenges in the market and function smoothly. The e conomic and the environmental factors has influenced the functioning of the businesses in the global airlines market. The various macro economic factors influence the growth of the business in the global market and influence better economic growth of the business (Biddle, 2015). Economic Environment of Airlines industry The political issues influenced the business operations of the airlines business in the continent of Australia. The excessive interference from the government and the political unrest did hamper the working of these firms in the global airlines sector. The environmental factors largely affect the functioning of the airlines in the aviation industry. In the declining economic conditions in the aviation sector suffered loss of faith of the customers. The customers were faced with the problems of rise in the prices of the air tickets and other services of the airlines. However, the declining business of the aviation made the government to jump into action to prevent this issue from causing impact to the economy. The later interventions of the government and the authorities have resulted in the control of the high rising prices (Bilotkach and Lakew, 2014). Every airline has to follow strict set of rules and regulations in the country of its operations to make their business flourish in the challenging environment. Various other trade barriers like stiff competition and other environmental factors had influenced the business of the airlines in the country. Trade barriers breakdown has made the aviation businesses like the Qantas and the Virgin Blue to get relief from the restrictions and provide better services to the customers at comparative rates. To attain the major share of the market these airlines had to lower down their ticket pricing and follow a policy of cost cutting to prevent the customers from shifting away from the brands (Blankespoor et al. 2013). In addition to this, they have social responsibility tom follow that can make the airlines to have a better business in the competitive market. In addition to this, international regulations and policies have made the industry to rethink the policies that can help them achieve the business growth and help min strengthening the economy. The conditions prevailing in the continent of Australia seems favourable for the growth of the industry as the international market seems to be positive and there is no such present threats of any disturbance globally. The air travellers in the country of Autralia have seen a rise in the recent time leading to the growth of business among the business class. International trips have also seen a high trend more to Europe and Asia that has made the airlines business am blooming sector in the recent years (Bonner et al. 2013). The positive environment for the growth and success of the business has made the companies to experience in the growth of business and profitability with support of the local authorities and government. Not only Australia but all over the world there has been a major downfall of the economies that has affected the business of the airlines largely on global scale. These falling economies have affected the spending power of the individuals and thus the air travellers have been declining. To make the situation worse there has been many issue related to the safety of air travels and environmental issues that the companies had to face hindering the growth of this sector in the country. The rising fuel prices in late 19th and early 20th had affected the airline business drastically (Borenstein and Rose, 2014). However, this issue has been tackled in the present time, although the rising fuel prices have been an issue for concern. Operational cost has been another area that affected the airlines sector, as the cost of operations had gone high making the businesses to loose profit or impose higher fares that can affect the customer number. These factors together made the aviation industry s uffer to establish itself in the market. Skilled workers are a necessity of the airlines sector and it had affected the businesses largely. The shortage of the skilled workers in the country forced the companies to look for alternatives to get skilled workers from other countries. This made the companies to invest huge money on the skilled workers and the employment condition had an adverse affect in the country. The overall decline of the economy had a huge impact making it hard for the companies to survive the negative conditions in the market (Bown and Crowley, 2014). Service quality is the major area that is to be kept in mind by every airlines business to make the customers return to the company. Providing the better services has been the main motive of the aviation industry in the present times as the customer now have access to the information readily and they can easily com pare prices before selecting an airlines (Chen and Chen, 2012). Being the top airlines in Australia, it is then duty of these companies to provide the customers the best possible service at prices that can be competitive to the others in the industry. This forced the airlines to adapt to a strategy of customer centric approach that can help the airlines to achieve operational advantage in the business environment. The spreading of the businesses and the falling trade barriers has made the business to step outside the boundaries of the country and make the profit out of the rising opportunities in the market (Brueckner and Picard, 2013). International business growth has ma de the people of Australia to travel to other places making the airlines to use this opportunity to make the customers choose the flights providing attractive discounts and facilities to the business people. The competition in the aviation industry is rising steeply and it requires for the airline giants to develop policies that can help them carter to more customers and gain the trust of the customers. Technological advancement calls for improvement in the policies and processes of the companies so that it can cut down its costs and provide cost effective services to the customers (Fenna, 2013). Many new airlines are trying top get the customers to choose them by providing huge discounts and attractive packages that can make the customers to choose them, over the airlines giants like the Qantas and the Virgin Blue. As the competition is fierce it requires for these companies to try and adapt to new policies apart from trying to use their brand name, as customers today are looking for better value for their money apart from only brand name (Corsetti et al. 2013). The previous year that is 2015 had seen some major shift in the businesses in the aviation sector as being the year that saw huge rise in the demand for air tickets (Brueckner et al. 2015). This rise was largely due to the falling ticket prices due to the competition in the market. The fall in prices of the services made, the people top choose the airlines above the other available options. The fall in the prices also made the middle class of the country to have the opportunity to use these services and help in the promotion of the companies in the aviation industry. This has been evident from the rise in the performance of the aviation sector in the recent analysis of the economic growth in the country (Gregory and Smith, 2016). The positive economic growth has made the companies to have the chance to makes the use of the opportunities and make the business profitable for the business. Bottom- up analysis The micro economic factor analysis has largely helped the companies to provide the best services to the customers. The strengths of the industry have made them to face the challenges in the market and come out as successful in the end through the difficult economic conditions in the country. The major issue was the falling economies and the rising competition in the market (Herndon, Ash and Pollin, 2014). The rise in the competition has made the firm to rethink its policies to prevent the customers from shifting to the other alternatives. The opportunities in the market are to be explored by the firm and used to get the benefits of the market to increase their business. Aviation is comparatively large industry that requires proper analysis and planning over the business operations. SWOT analysis help sin analysing the strengths of the company and plan for the future threats in the market that the companies will need to overcome to survive in the market (Lawton, Rajwani and Doh, 2013) . The two airlines in the context are the Qantas and the Virgin Blue, financial analysis of these companies makes the different contexts that are helpful in determining the operational efficiency of these businesses. Financial Ratios and Growth Profitability of Qantas Airways Ltd Key Ratios - Profitability Years 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Margins % of Sales Gross Margin 73.77 56.83 55.77 55.24 55.62 51.72 54.6 49.83 54.01 Operating Margin 6.9 5.83 1.39 -1.55 -0.63 -6.6 1.28 -26.19 4.92 Profitability Asset Turnover (Average) 0.78 0.8 0.73 0.67 0.7 0.71 0.77 0.81 0.89 Return on Assets % 3.71 4.93 0.59 0.56 1.23 -1.17 0.02 -15.16 3.2 Liquidity/Financial Health Current Ratio 0.87 0.74 0.89 0.93 0.9 0.77 0.82 0.66 0.68 Quick Ratio 0.82 0.67 0.78 0.81 0.78 0.65 0.7 0.58 0.6 Financial Leverage 3.17 3.44 3.5 3.35 3.39 3.6 3.4 6.05 5.09 Debt/Equity 0.68 0.62 0.86 0.86 0.89 0.92 0.88 1.84 1.39 Efficiency Receivables Turnover 11.64 11.2 11.69 12.43 13.59 13.95 12.49 11.52 14.41 Inventory Turnover 15.45 34.34 27.64 20.94 18.45 19.25 19.51 22.33 22.36 Fixed Assets Turnover 1.23 1.28 1.19 1.08 1.1 1.07 1.14 1.25 1.46 Asset Turnover 0.78 0.8 0.73 0.67 0.7 0.71 0.77 0.81 0.89 The financial data of Qantas Airlines over the years shows a trend of improvement in the business as propelled by the growth of the economy in the present times. The gross margin of the company has seen a rise in the present times compared to the past years. The gross margin of a company is derived by deducting the revenue generated in the present year from the total cost of goods sold in the present year (Merkert and Cowie, 2012). By the calculations, it is seen that the gross margin has seen improvement that is positive for the business and inturn affect the economy. This shows that the company is stable has signs of growth in the business that has affected the overall growth of the aviation industry (Misopoulos et al. 2014). In addition to this, the operating margin has also seen an improvement in the recent years compared to the past years based on the financial data of the company. The operating margin is the indicator of the growth of the economy that is directly affected by th e rise and fall of the economy. Operating margin is derived from the operating expenses and the revenue that is earned by the company in the given period. Current ratio derived from the above tables shows the major changes that are seen in the liability repayable power of the company. The current ratio strengths show that the firm has better chances to pay off its current liabilities. The more value of the current assets that is present with the company makes the strength of the company in handling the current payments of the business (Zou et al. 2014). The asset turnover ratio of the company has been positive indicating that the firm has enough capacity to generate income based on the assets hold by the company. In addition to this the credit collection of the company is healthy indicating that the company gets its dues cleared as early as possible making the debt collection a strength of the organisation. However, the asset turnover ratio also indicates that the company has been slow to increase the sales in the years of its operations (Pearson, Pitfield and Ryley, 2015). Financial Ratio and Growth Profitability of Virgin Blue Ltd Key Ratios - Profitability Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Margins % of Sales Gross Margin _ _ 71.2 _ 72.28 73.33 71.77 71.91 74.68 Operating Margin 14.76 6.09 -7.58 2.87 -1.5 1.56 -3.43 -8.86 -2.41 Profitability Asset Turnover (Average) 0.94 0.82 0.78 0.82 0.85 1 0.95 0.95 0.9 Return on Assets % 9.36 3.46 -4.77 0.59 -1.76 0.58 -2.33 -7.81 -2.12 Liquidity/Financial Health Current Ratio 1.1 0.88 0.53 0.76 0.65 0.65 0.54 0.64 0.69 Quick Ratio Financial Leverage 3.1 3.61 5.83 4.15 4.15 4.3 4.26 4.46 5.37 Debt/Equity 1.02 1.28 2.68 1.65 1.52 1.53 1.46 1.52 2.16 Efficiency Receivables Turnover 39.09 34.45 28.91 26.41 22.52 24.24 23.14 20.83 20.51 Inventory Turnover _ _ _ _ 177.65 104.38 50.38 36.68 30.87 Fixed Assets Turnover 1.52 1.23 1.04 1.1 1.19 1.42 1.38 1.51 1.63 Asset Turnover 0.94 0.82 0.78 0.82 0.85 1 0.95 0.95 0.9 The table of the financial data shows that the company has experienced a huge correction in the gross margin. In addition to the gross margin improvement over the years showing the positive trends, the current ratio of Virgin Blue has improved a lot since the pervious years as evident from the above table. The strength in the current ratios provide evidences that the company has been successful largely in paying off the liabilities owing to the strengths of the assets of the company (Wang, Bonilla and Banister, 2016). The current ratio has been efficient for the company in the recent years rising above the falls in the past years. This proves that the company is more stable in handling the challenges and perform better in the challenging environment of the aviation market (Zhang et al. 2013). The creditability of the company has been an area that requires correction and that is evident from the present ratios in the market. The credit generation has been low owing to the low receivables turnover ratio. However, the sales of the company based on the assets of the company are positive as the asset turnover ratio been subsequently marginal in the recent years. The debt equity ratio presents the debts that the companies have gained in the process of purchasing assets on credit (Zhang et al. 2014). The high rate of debt equity possesses negative impact on the investors being the issue of risks associated with the companys business. This indicates that the company may not be able to pay off dividends to the investors efficiently as the debt equity is higher. Recommendation After analysing the financial data of Qantas Airlines and Virgin Blue it is evident that Qantas Airlines will be the preferable choice for investment for the investors. This is justified by lower debt equity ratio of Qantas as compared to Virgin Blue. The investors will look for the option that has lesser risk associated with the investment and in that case, Virgin Blue seems to lag behind as the debt equity ratio of the firm is higher and it means that the company is not stable and return on investment of the investors can be at risk. However, the sales of the company have seen a positive trend but it may not be enough for the company to make the investors invest in the organisation. In order to have better investment, Virgin Blue needs to correct its debts equity ratio as the competition is high, Qantas Airlines being the market leader can take away the investors being more stable in providing return to the investors. Conclusion In the above paper, the two airlines are compared based on the Top-down and Bottom-up analysis to present a better understanding of the opportunities that lie in the aviation market for the investors. The economic trends in the country are evident of the rise of the aviation business in the country as the success of the Qantas Airlines in the country. However, through the analysis it was derived that the Virgin Blue is one of the promising competitors of the Qantas Airlines and can be a threat in the later years. Reference list Afonso, A. and Sousa, R.M., 2012. The macroeconomic effects of fiscal policy.Applied Economics,44(34), pp.4439-4454. Altman, E.I., Giannozzi, A., Roggi, O. and Sabato, G., 2013. Building Sme rating: is it necessary for lenders to monitor financial statements of the borrowers?.BANCARIA,10, pp.54-71. Armstrong, C., Guay, W.R., Mehran, H. and Weber, J., 2016. The role of financial reporting and transparency in corporate governance.Economic Policy Review, Issue Aug, pp.107-128. Biddle, G.C., 2015. The Role of Financial Statements in Reporting Financial Performance. InAccounting Finance/IASB Research Forum. Bilotkach, V. and Lakew, P.A., 2014. 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Gregory, R.G. and Smith, R.E., 2016. 15 Unemployment, Inflation and Job Creation Policies in Australia.Inflation and Unemployment: Theory, Experience and Policy Making, p.325. Herndon, T., Ash, M. and Pollin, R., 2014. Does high public debt consistently stifle economic growth? A critique of Reinhart and Rogoff.Cambridge journal of economics,38(2), pp.257-279. Lawton, T., Rajwani, T. and Doh, J., 2013. The antecedents of political capabilities: A study of ownership, cross-border activity and organization at legacy airlines in a deregulatory context.International Business Review,22(1), pp.228-242. Merkert, R. and Cowie, J., 2012. A quantitative cross-modal analysis of transportation firms transaction costsAre airlines any different?.Journal of Air Transport Management,22, pp.3-8. Misopoulos, F., Mitic, M., Kapoulas, A. and Karapiperis, C., 2014. Uncovering customer service experiences with Twitter: the case of airline industry.Management Decision,52(4), pp.705-723. Pearson, J., Pitfield, D. and Ryley, T., 2015. Intangible resources of competitive advantage: Analysis of 49 Asian airlines across three business models.Journal of Air Transport Management,47, pp.179-189. Wang, J., Bonilla, D. and Banister, D., 2016. Air deregulation in China and its impact on airline competition 19942012.Journal of Transport Geography,50, pp.12-23. Zhang, Q., Yang, H., Wang, Q. and Zhang, A., 2014. Market power and its determinants in the Chinese airline industry.Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice,64, pp.1-13. Zhang, X., Zhao, M., Kuang, S.M. and Du, Q., 2013. Research on airline company fuel-saving model based on petri network. InAdvanced Materials Research(Vol. 616, pp. 1107-1110). Trans Tech Publications. Zou, B., Elke, M., Hansen, M. and Kafle, N., 2014. Evaluating air carrier fuel efficiency in the US airline industry.Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice,59, pp.306-330.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The role of nationalism and national identities in the UAE

Introduction The UAE has experienced a quantum leap from just a loose collection of tribes since in 1971 to a wealthy state worth recognition. Despite the robust economic performance the country faces challenges with its native populace. The priority three is demographic imbalance, unemployment rate as well as development of human capital.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The role of nationalism and national identities in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Patrick (1) the UAE has yet to develop the concept of a nation as manifested by the increase in the public debate approaches to guard the national identity through amicably defining who is a national. The UAE has operated on social openness with Islam that is tolerant to heavy modernization and influence by international environments. Some scholarly assertions in the UAE argue the bases of national identity as an Emirati not tied to indigenous populace or aborigines from UAE. Unlike other countries in the Middle East that have a historical struggle for their own determination or expansionism linked with the Western colonizers, the GCC states have faced complications in developing national identity models. Al-Suwaidi (45) views that politics in the UAE rest upon the governance pretext of explicit and implicit consent under the old Lockean principle where the ruling regime serves on the premises of universal acceptance of the incumbent and approach to government. This permeates both inter and intra-Emirates as well as the federal levels. The governing class has laid more emphases on procedural set up of national institutions and systems than focus on development strides in the country’s politics. While citing literature, Patrick (2) explains nationalism in the UAE as positive turning inward vis-à  -vis negative turning outward. This nationalism concept has been entrenched in the Emiratisation policy. In order to pu sh for the nationalism agenda some of the policies in Emiratisation are regulatory than subsidiary. Emiratisation has advanced nationalism avenues on financial empowerment, religious and cultural issues assist in developing of skills as well as creation of professionals. Towards this end, the federal government set up a National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority (TANMIA) charged with enhancing skill development as well as hiring of nationals into the work force.Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The national population imbalance Koji (41) notes that the federal government of the UAE has faced a challenge in its demographic composition. The government realized that influx foreigners were creating a population imbalance between national and expatriates, which disadvantaged the locals seeking national opportunities; thus, has led to crisis in defining national ide ntity. As part of the national labour policy, the government has embarked on affirmative action of replacing foreign workers with native ones to enhance the employment for the local work force, while lessening expatriate pool. Koji (43) observes that the overall population is 8 million people with foreigners making up 87 percent; moreover, the work force in the private sector constitutes about one percent of natives. The oil boom that drove the process of national economic development attracted foreign workers in the UAE since the 1970s to service huge labour gaps since at the onset the nationals were few vis-à  -vis the employment opportunities. This initial economic development effort in the 1980s intended to widen revenue sources away from the oil sector bases; however most of the employment opportunities fitted expatriate skills. The unemployment rates among the nationals The UAE is experiencing an increment in the youth population among nationals and a positive correlation wit h unemployment rates. Koji (43) views that some non-oil sectors in the UAE like manufacturing, services as well as construction have created labour opportunities, which have not attracted the nationals on the bases working conditions. This is creating room for expatriates to cease the opportunities to fit in. Nonetheless, the nationals tend to prefer government based jobs vis-à  -vis private sector. Projections on the trend of the labour market estimate that by 2015 more than a quarter million of nationals will be unemployed with four-fifth of this being the youth. As part of giving nationals a priority within the private sector and in specific in banking sector the Decision No. 8 of 1998 by Cabinet that demand each premise to hire at least 4 percent nationals within its workforce. The government is also pursuing efforts on diverse nationalities within a workplace as opposed to cheaper labour that favours influx of foreigners.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The role of nationalism and national identities in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This will at the end lead to increase in the infiltration of nationals into the workforce. Moreover, there is increased attention on the movement of non-nationals within the country. Al-Ali (38) notes that about a tenth of Emiratis in private have left employment citing difficulties with working in a multicultural setting as a hindrance to human capital formation, particularly the female gender. Women Empowerment There are gender related issues specifically among the women’s subgroup. Al-Ali (13) observes that gender development has come with new challenges for Emirati women, which need national assistance. Cultural changes have led to low of fertility rates, especially number of children per Emirati women. In the wake of achieving gender equity in nation building, Emirati women are experiencing delayed childbearing and a commitment to a cquiring higher education knowledge while attending to household matters. Traditionalists lifestyle that thrived on more births to propagate family as well as tribal status are facing huge challenges now that Emiratis is called upon to participate actively in the country’s human capital in the economy amid competition from expatriates. Affirmative action has led to more women taking up employment opportunities. In the public sector, women constitute about two-fifth of the workforce in the education sector, a third in health as well as a fifth in the social affairs. Interestingly, affirmative action has led to more women joining higher education and gaining necessary qualification across professions thus beginning career life and earning a living (Al-Ali 13). The more women that join the post secondary education have benefit to their contribution to the human capital development because of the shift in the social attitudes. Conclusion In conclusion, the UAE has presented as a fair model of a nation that has used its natural endowment to diversify and modernize its state, while ensuring there is equality in benefits for natives as well as the rest of the world.Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The application of the old Lockean principle implies that the nation appreciates that influence of globalization by tapping benefits and preserving traditions with adverse impacts the country’s history. Furthermore, institutionalizing the challenges facing nationalism through TANMIA is evidence that the government has concern for developing national economy that directly benefits nationals through affirmative action. This is engendered on issues arising from cultural and religious barriers, financial capacity as well as skill and professional development. Some scholarly quarters have the feeling that the country has not yet fully addressed its definition of national identity. Works Cited Al-Ali, Jasim 2008, Structural Barriers to Emiratisation: Analysis and Policy Recommendations. PDF file. 15 Feb. 2008. http://vuir.vu.edu.au/15483/1/al_ali.pdf. Al-Suwaidi, Abdulla. â€Å"The United Arab Emirates At 40: A Balance Sheet.† Middle East Policy. XVIII.4 (2011):44-58. Uaeint eract. Web. Koji, Horinuki. â€Å"Controversies over Labour Naturalisation Policy and its Dilemmas: 40 Years of Emiratisation in the United Arab Emirates.† Kyoto Bulletin of Islamic Area Studies. 4.1(2011 ):41–61. Asafas. Web. Patrick, Neil 2009, Research Paper, Kuwait Programme on Development, Governance and Globalisation in the Gulf States. PDF file. 15 Feb. 2008. This essay on The role of nationalism and national identities in the UAE was written and submitted by user Rashad Gomez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Admiration and Uniqueness of Iroquois Culture

The Admiration and Uniqueness of Iroquois Culture Introduction Several indigenous tribes in the Northern parts of America form the Iroquois people. The culture of the Iroquois is unique and spectacular. Many people admire the Iroquois because of their unique culture and traditions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Admiration and Uniqueness of Iroquois Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the 16th century, the Iroquoian-speaking tribes decided to come together and formed the Iroquois League initially composed of Cayuga, Seneca, Oneida, Mohawk and Onondaga tribes. The Iroquois League has a unique cultural and ceremonial embodiment. Although the confederacy dissolved in the 18th century, the League is still in existence. For the years, the Iroquois are known for having developed a unique culture that all other races of human kind have looked upon with pride and envy; pride that the Iroquois were human and like themselves, and with envy because the culture was not their own. This paper explores the uniqueness of the Iroquois culture and the reason it is widely admired by many people in the world today. The Culture of the Iroquois People The Iroquois people have maintained their cultural practices for centuries. The people developed a unique culture envied by generations and tribes from different parts of the world. The culture developed around certain disciplines and as a result defined the unique roles and responsibilities among the tribesmen. The different tribes in the Iroquois League helped a lot in the preservation of the people’s culture (Graymont 37). The Iroquois people have specific cultural peculiarities that make the unique and admirable. For instance, the culture embraces some spiritually significant beads known as wampum. The beads are also important and have monetary value. Their cultural practices of the people have remained accurate and unique for very many years. They people also have their own prophets whom they greatly revere. It is because of this uniqueness that many people admired their culture. The Iroquois used to replace the dead with captives captured during their mourning wars (Graymont 46). They Iroquois naturalized the captives to become citizens of their tribe. This was the melting pot practice thus making the Iroquois people famous for very many years. Looking at this kind of practice carefully, it is observable that the Iroquois did not simply conquer and capture the people, but they dedicated much of their time to naturalize and remold them to become part of them.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The tradition of the Iroquois also promoted the status of the woman thus making her very powerful and in a position to own properly, horses and even land. This is something widely admired by tribes across the world today. Occupation is another important feature of the Iroquois p eople. For very many centuries, the occupation of the Iroquois tribesmen has been taking up different forms including agriculture, hunting, gathering, and fishing. Some occupational practices such as gathering were the work of children and women while men fish and hunt (Walle 23). The occupation forms a unique aspect of the Iroquois culture. It is through these different forms of occupation that the children learned and obtained experience for the continuity of the people’s cultural practices. Food forms a unique aspect of the people’s cultural behaviors and practices. The food of the Iroquois is unique because their staple diet maintains proper health. The food is composed of beans, corn and squash as the major components of their meals. They also consume some berries, wild roots and other green vegetables. The practices of the Iroquois people have made their culture unique and admirable by different tribes (Walle 32). The Iroquois people are selective when cooking di fferent food materials. For example, they prefer bass, whitefish and trout when choosing fish for food. This explains why different individuals have envied the cultural practices of the Iroquois people. The people also eat muskrat, beaver, and wild turkey as source of proteins. The Iroquois people have a culture characterized by a number of festivals admired by different cultures across the globe. Most of the festivals and ceremonies coincide with certain practices and event such as agriculture. For example, the Iroquois have festivals when harvesting their agricultural products. The people put the festivals as thanksgiving for the yields obtained. The Iroquois have staged the practice for very many centuries thereby attracting the attention of many people (Tuck 17). It is through these festivals that the people understand the relevance of blessings. During the festivals, the culture of the people requires that they start and end with worship songs and prayers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Admiration and Uniqueness of Iroquois Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The other unique and characteristic aspect of the people’s culture is the wampum. The wampum beads are useful in a similar manner as money. These beads also have a high monetary value. It is because of this monetary value that they available in different parts of the world. The beads play a huge role in explaining the cultural attachments of the Iroquois people. The other important aspect of the Iroquois people is that they have not developed any form of writing system (Smith 43). Because of this, the Iroquois pass their culture from one generation to the next orally. With this kind of knowledge and understanding, the Iroquois people have learned how to adhere to their cultural practices and traditions. The use of the wampum beads acts as a stimulant and reminder of the people’s historical backgrounds. For exa mple, the use of shell beads is characteristic of different experiences and events in the people’s history. They Iroquois use beads bored with drilled and polished with different color codes. Each bed is usually significant of a given event and occasion (Tuck 56). The people use the beads to remind themselves about their historical events and developments. The Iroquois people also use these beads to make belts with historical relevance and meaning. For very many centuries, the Iroquois people have maintained a unique culture acknowledged across the globe. The religious beliefs of the people centers on a greater spirit and the reason they strongly believe he is the creator of the universe. They also have a strong adherence to seasons and events of nature. This makes them strong proponents of animated culture. The last one century has also seen many Iroquois becoming Christians. They also show reverence and respect to their prophets and ancestors. The Iroquois people believe th ey have the power to communicate directly with their creator during their seasonal festivals. They also believe in the eternity of the human soul (Smith 82). The other unique aspect of the Iroquois people is the ability to study and interpret their dreams. The people have a strong attachment to their dreams. They also know how to interpret them. For very many years, the Iroquois have learned how to interpret dreams because they believe they have hidden meaning. The interpretation is of great relevance to the lives of individuals.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As stated earlier, the Iroquois have specific festivals with great spiritual and religious significance. The people have six ceremonies held in a year. These festivals have unique religious significance including curing diseases, thanksgiving, farming, and worshipping. The people also believe that they will live a life of eternity if they live a good life and honor their gods. This is something that has played a significant role in establishing the relationship between the people and the supernatural world (Roza 65). In the last centuries, history shows that the Iroquois people have embraced unity thereby making it possible for them to develop a superior cultural organization. For very many centuries, many people have considered the Iroquois people as distinct from the Americans and Canadians (Smith 63). This is because they have their own cultural practices and attachments. The outstanding thing about these people is that they have managed to retain their cultural practices and tra ditions. Many people admire the practices with cultures looking at them with envy. The uniqueness of the culture is what has made the Iroquois famous. Conclusion As we have discussed above, the Iroquois have a unique culture. They maintain certain festivals, observe their religious practices, and retain their unique foods. The culture has remained unique and properly defined and the reason many people admire it. It is therefore acknowledgeable that the Iroquois people managed to develop a culture that all people across the world might look upon with both envy and pride; envy that it was not theirs, and pride that Iroquois, like themselves, were human. Many people admire the cultural practices of the Iroquois people because of its uniqueness. Graymont, Barbara. The Iroquois. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2005. Print. Roza, Greg. The Iroquois of New York. New York: McGraw, 2003. Print. Smith, Vernon. Humankind in Prehistory: Economy, Ecology, and Institutions. New York: Rowman and Littl efield Publishers, 2003. Print. Tuck, James. Onondaga Iroquois prehistory: a study in settlement archeology. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print. Walle, Alf. Recovery the native way: a client reader. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Intercultural Speaker Summary Leymah Gbowee Essay

Intercultural Speaker Summary Leymah Gbowee - Essay Example st recognized women in the Africa, Liberia in particular for her noble efforts in mobilizing women across the religious divide for the sole intention of fostering peace among the people of Liberia. Her efforts were mainly women-centered as she used pro-women movements to agitate for an end to the long civil war that had jeopardized the republic of Liberia for more than a decade (Gbowee & Mithers, 2011). This earned her great recognition both within and the world at large thus, enabling her to garner a number of international awards most notably the Nobel Peace Prize, which she won in the year 2011 for her active role in empowering women to fight for their rights and end of war. Over the years, she has always worked closely with Ellen Johnson and their efforts bore fruits when Liberia held its first free elections and, which were won by a female candidate the first one in the history of black Africa (Gbowee & Mithers, 2011). Despite the long strife of civil war that was witnessed in Liberia for close to fifteen years, the efforts of Leymah and her colleagues ensured the plight of women was checked and most importantly, their fundamental rights were safeguarded. In her presentation â€Å"Mighty be our Powers† she mainly concentrates on elaborating to the world, what the power of united women can achieve in the world, which is largely dominated by men. The main points that she vividly brings out include mobilization of women across borders regardless of their ethnicity or religion, women empowerment, most importantly the need to protect the fundamental rights of women and finally the plight of women in the event of unrest such as prolonged civil wars (Gbowee & Mithers 2011). The presentation is meant for the public given the kind of knowledge that it presents. However, after critical analysis it can be deduced that the main audience of this particular presentation can be categorized into two major groups namely; women and the rest of the people. Women formed a

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Honor words Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Honor words - Essay Example I am here now and so happy that I choose to honor my words. I read one time that words are powerful. People can choose to believe me or not based on how I act after I tell them something. It is my hope that I can be seen as a person that can be trusted. A person that when I say something, I honor those words, no matter how hard it might be. I must say that it is hard to always do what is right. It is harder to always do what we say, but it is sometimes more easy to just change my mind. If I truly believe in my dream, however, I will continue to honor my words and show people that when I say something, I mean it. You, my teacher, have asked me how I respect my words. I think about this a long time. My simple answer is that I need to respect myself first. I look in the dictionary and find the word integrity. This means, to me, that I need to be honest with myself and others, even when nobody sees what I do. When I think of my words, then, I need to respect what I say and shows others that I am loyal, honest, and a person who will work hard to follow through on what I

Monday, November 18, 2019

BARGAINING II - AT THE TABLE Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BARGAINING II - AT THE TABLE - Assignment Example The arising conflict issue for this paper is conflicts in performance review. There is no single employee who enjoys a negative review of his or her performance. However, it is difficult to avoid negative feedback depending on the actions of the employees during the time of the review. This is a major reason for workplace conflict in the organization. Employees become angry when they fail to get the expected pay rise, promotions, and any other performance related incentives. As a result, they lash out spreading their discontent through gossiping the management and having a negative attitude towards work. These employees often argue directly with their supervisors creating very tricky and sensitive situations that require effective communication methods to resolve. The underlying problem is the employees failing to maximize on their full potential in work due to negative performance review. In most cases, the employees trigger this negative feedback based on their actions during the period of the review. As a result, they end up getting angry with their supervisors and may even lash out at them. This creates a tricky situation that may worsen if not handled properly. Moreover, the employees might lose their jobs in the event that the situation worsens. The parties in conflict are the employees and the management or supervisors. Thus, the side I choose is that of the management or supervisors. It is up to the employees to ensure that their performance in the organization is up to the required standards of the organization. Failure to do so would result into a negative performance review that would not be taken lightly by the employees. In addition, there is no way a supervisor can give a positive performance review while the employee’s o utput is not satisfactory (Gramberg, 2006). The supervisors and the management exercised various forms of behavior during the discussion phase. One of them is

Friday, November 15, 2019

How Does The Sociology Explain Society Sociology Essay

How Does The Sociology Explain Society Sociology Essay This essay will examine two theoretical sociological perspectives on society and how it functions. It will compare and contrast Marxism and functionalism. By describing and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of both perspectives. Marx called the system in which we live in, capitalism, He divided it up into two basic divisions, the bourgeoisie (the owners of production), the bourgeoisie own all the means of production for example the farmland and factories and the proletariat (The Workers) sell their skills and labour to the bourgeoisie. This is a simple view of a complex social phenomenon; theoretically more social classes should be identified. It fails to take into account any sub divisions. The bourgeoisie or ruling class benefit the most from the way that society operates and the proletariat do not and therefore gain far less than they deserve. Marx believed that the proletariats would, in the end, refuse to conform and revolt, destroying the bourgeoisie in order to become free for oppression and gain social mobility. What the Bourgeoisie, therefore produces, above all, is its own grave diggers, (Marx, Engels, 1884). Marx thought that the bourgeoisie did not improve society but created situations of crisis, what he did not take into account was the money that they were putting back into society and that fact that without them the majority of the proletariat would be without work. The superstructure for example: The Government, legal system, religion and the mass media are all owned by and used by the bourgeoisie to create false class consciousness amongst the proletariat in order to avert them from rebelling from their exploitation (Haralambos,2002,p.2). According to Marx capitalism is the newest type of class system, but it will also be the last. A communist society in which the means of production will be equally owned will replace capitalism, he thought that the proletariat will form unions, political parties and revolutionary movements enabling communism to overthrow capitalism (haralambous, 2002, p.7). What Marx failed to do is set a time frame for the revolution. Some unions that have previously revolted against the bourgeoisie have failed and temporarily sent society into disarray. The power in economic systems is separable from other sources, male and female inequalities can not be explained in economic terms (Giddens, 2009, p.93). The theory is inadequate because it only fully explains a proportion of society and does not take into account individuals ideals and ambitions. A positive aspect of Marxism is that it highlights inequality and institutions that foster and perpetuate inequality it has brought a different perspective to examination of social systems and it has demonstrated a social conscience. The focus of Marxism has lead to the formulation of social policies and programs. Functionalism is a sociological perspective that society is based on consensus, consensus assumes that norms and values in society are generally agreed and that social life is based on co-operation, rather than conflict (Lawson, 1996, p.48). What it fails to consider is that some people to not agree with the way that society functions and that not everyone holds that same norms and values. It is the oldest yet still is the most dominant theoretical perspective in sociology. Functionalists such as Talcott Parsons (1902-1979), argued that the key to understanding human behaviour is understanding socialization. He used the analogy of the human body, with each part of society having a function (a purpose) like each vital organ for example; the government of society was compared to the human brain. If one part of society fails the whole system would fail, like the body would if it was to lose a vital organ. Parsons (1971) even viewed the whole world as a system of societies. Functionalists believe that people and their social roles are produced by society and individuals themselves do not produce a society. He claimed that individuals are products of their influences e.g. families, friends, educational and religious background and the media that they are exposed to. They are born into their place in society, play their roles in it and then they die, without at all effecting how society functions, society does not and it continues to work long after they are gone(Moore,2001,p.6). For functionalists social institutes are believed to ensure that the socially acceptable patterns of behaviour are passed on or reproduced. For example family, education and the media socialise people into the key values of society this includes, respect for authority and the hierarchy (Moore, 2001, p.9). Stratification which is inevitable in societies unites people because it derives from shared values. Durkhiem (1938) identified four main characteristics of crime he argued that crime is a social construct, which can actually benefit society because crime strengthens bonds between people. It reinforces norms and values, and a limited amount of crime is necessary to stop society stagnating. Crime could be reduced if individuals were controlled, but this would prevent development of positive deviants who go against societies norms and values, yet move society forward, (Durkhiem, 1938). Parsons (1965) identified religion as an important function in society as it helps people is crises, enabling them to carry on playing their social roles, allowing society to function normally. Parsons also identified that in order for society to function everyone had to continuously play their own roles, he identified the sick role, where the function is to play the role of being ill and to get better as soon as possible in order to get back into your role. In order for the system to perform, all roles must be filled by those best qualified to perform them, he even thought that those who are unemployed had a role to play in order for those in higher authority to keep their roles. He stated that those in who successfully played their roles will be ranked highly and will receive rewards, although it can be argued that the mechanism (social stratification) for insuring effective role allocation; attaches unequal rewards and privileges to positions in society. However a criticism of Functionalism is that it is, descriptive and classificatory and only gives names for society and social changes, and does not explain them. Although both Marxism and Functionalism see society differently, they also have some similarities: they are both positivists, built using scientific research methods. Positivism is called macro sociology because it looks at society as a whole; however looking at society from this perspective does not take into account the individuals and their norms and values. They both have a top down approach, the belief that viewing society as a real thing which exists above and beyond us all as individuals is the best way to view society. Both theories agree on the importance of totality (marsh, 2006) The favoured research methods to look at behavioural patterns is those that generate sets of statistics such as questionnaires- known as quantitative methods this is not always that best approach to research society, because not everyone is studied. They both believe that man is forced into his choices by the structures and systems in society, although they both have different views on this, functionalists believe that this is right and it has to be for society to work, and people accept society as it is. Marxist on the other hand believe that it is wrong and unfair, and that man will fight in order to create a fairer society In contrast to Marxism which recognises social change and aspires towards it functionalism fails to recognise it altogether, and assumes every institution is a positive for society. Looking at the evidence of both Marxism and functionalism, the society, today inclines more towards functionalism. Most people are happy with the system they live in. If too many people were to try and change it society would not work as well; an example of this is the post office strikes; people did not receive bills, money or other important mail, this forces society to have no sympathy for the postal workers. This is also an example of Marxist theory not working as he said it would; although it did not last too long and some people did benefit. This gives us reason to question if we only accept society as it is because as a society we are lazy, if we were to unite as a society, could we overthrow the bourgeoisie as Marx suggested we would? Lower class citizens are keeping the higher classes in work, this keeps money within the system in turn they receive state benefits from the taxes that they pay. If all the lower classes were to try and move up the social ladder they may be no reason for some of the bourgeoisie, for example if all criminals and deviants, reformed and started working there would be no need for, law enforcement services, county courts and probation officers. Some amount of crime is necessary to keep higher classes such as the uniformed services in work.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Nuclear Warfare :: essays research papers fc

Nuclear Power Problems The effects caused by a nuclear power accident, on the scale of the April 26, 1986 Chernobyl accident, must override any inclination to side with advocates for nuclear power. Surely we have all heard the expression "I’m only human". If we are indeed only human, and consequently prone to error, we could never perfectly manage and contain an energy as potentially destructive as that of nuclear power, without the possibility of a nuclear accident. Furthermore, the wastes generated by nuclear power, when inadvertently released during a nuclear power accident, have been proven to cause malignant diseases and premature death to those who come into contact with them. Additionally, the vegetation threat we rely on for survival is severely affected when radioactive elements are released into the air and water supply during a nuclear accident. Most alarming, however, is the fact that the general public is vastly unaware of its governments’ use of nuclear waste in the development of nuclear weapon. Most of us can remember the bombing of Iwo Jima and the effects the bomb had on the lives of the millions of Japanese that lived within a twenty mile radius of the city. We can see what happened to the second generation: children born with severe informities such as sixteen fingers and three arms; children born with cancer; and children with mental and physical handicaps. The radiation of a bomb doesn’t always cause instant death, but it is a lingering experience. Japanese people, thought to be healthy, got cancer in later life, and had dis-formed children. Consequently, we must not be swayed by advocates urging us to further develop and expand nuclear power. We must, instead, examine the larger picture; the risks associated with this potentially devastating power. The potential for human error causing a nuclear accident can be ascertained by considering the causes and effects of accidents that have already occurred. In 1952 , at Chalk River’s Nuclear Reactor, four control pads were unintentionally removed, causing a partial meltdown of the reactor’s core. In 1957, a fire at the Windscale Pile No. 1 plant, just north of Liverpool, England, resulted in the contamination of 200 square miles of countryside when it was covered with radiation. In 1976, the core of the Lubmin nuclear plant in Greifswald, East Germany nearly melted down when safety systems failed during a fire. In 1979, the ever so famous, Three Mile Island reactor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania lost coolant in one of its two reactors and a partial meltdown occurred on March 28, 1979.