Wednesday, November 27, 2019
The Cuban Trade Embargo essays
The Cuban Trade Embargo essays In the summer of 1960, the United States set in motion a process that has gradually grown stronger ever since. This process was the Cuban Trade Embargo. The process began when the Cuban government ordered two U.S. oil companies, Standard and Texaco, to refine Soviet crude oil at their Cuban refineries. The two companies refused, and to no one's surprise, the Cuban response, on July 1 of that year, was to nationalize both the companies' holdings in Cuba. This, though, was only one of the three main factors that led to the Cuban Trade Embargo. The second reason was to raise the costs to the Soviets, and to the Cubans, of maintaining their alliance and pursuing policies detrimental to U.S. interests. Third, to reduce the resources Cuba could pour into assistance to revolutionary movements, especially in Latin America. At the time, all of these objectives were considered completely rational. They were, after all, formulated against the backdrop of the Cold War and Castro's vows to spark revolution throughout the southern hemisphere. But this was 1960, a time of crisis and uncertainty among the nation. In today's world, revolution amidst a country is almost unheard of, the Soviet Union has fallen, and we remain one of only a handful of countries that continue to hold a trade embargo against Cuba. The United States must call a halt to the Cuban Trade Embargo. On Wednesday, November 28, 2001, the United Nations held a vote on whether they were for or against the United States concerning the trade embargo with the island of Cuba. For the tenth consecutive year, the United Nations voted 167 to 3, against the embargo. Only the United States, Israel, and the Marshall Islands voted for the embargo. Despite the overwhelming majority, the United States refuses to end the embargo. Instead, it continues to add sanctions and remove them, all depending on the president at that time. The last sanction that the United States forced upon the Cuba...
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Johann Sebastian Bach - Summary Of His Life Essays - Free Essays
Johann Sebastian Bach - Summary Of His Life Essays - Free Essays Johann Sebastian Bach - Summary of His Life Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest composers in Western musical history. More than 1,000 of his compositions survive. Some examples are the Art of Fugue, Brandenburg Concerti, the Goldberg Variations for Harpsichord, the Mass in B-Minor, the motets, the Easter and Christmas oratorios, Toccata in F Major, French Suite No 5, Fugue in G Major, Fugue in G Minor ("The Great"), St. Matthew Passion, and Jesu Der Du Meine Seele. He came from a family of musicians. There were over 53 musicians in his family over a period of 300 years. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany on March 21, 1685. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a talented violinist, and taught his son the basic skills for string playing; another relation, the organist at Eisenach's most important church, instructed the young boy on the organ. In 1695 his parents died and he was only 10 years old. He went to go stay with his older brother, Johann Christoph, who was a professional organist at Ohrdruf. Johann Christoph was a professional organist, and continued his younger brother's education on that instrument, as well as on the harpsichord. After several years in this arrangement, Johann Sebastian won a scholarship to study in Luneberg, Northern Germany, and so left his brother's tutelage. A master of several instruments while still in his teens, Johann Sebastian first found employment at the age of 18 as a "lackey and violinist" in a court orchestra in Weimar; soon after, he took the job of organist at a church in Arnstadt. Here, as in later posts, his perfectionist tendencies and high expectations of other musicians - for example, the church choir - rubbed his colleagues the wrong way, and he was embroiled in a number of hot disputes during his short tenure. In 1707, at the age of 22, Bach became fed up with the lousy musical standards of Arnstadt (and the working conditions) and moved on to another organist job, this time at the St. Blasius Church in Muhlhausen. The same year, he married his cousin Maria Barbara Bach. Again caught up in a running conflict between factions of his church, Bach fled to Weimar after one year in Muhlhausen. In Weimar, he assumed the post of organist and concertmaster in the ducal chapel. He remained in Weimar for nine years, and there he composed his first wave of major works, including organ showpieces and cantatas. By this stage in his life, Bach had developed a reputation as a brilliant, if somewhat inflexible, musical talent. His proficiency on the organ was unequaled in Europe - in fact, he toured regularly as a solo virtuoso - and his growing mastery of compositional forms, like the fugue and the canon, was already attracting interest from the musical establishment - which, in his day, was the Lutheran church. But, like many individuals of uncommon talent, he was never very good at playing the political game, and therefore suffered periodic setbacks in his career. He was passed over for a major position - which was Kapellmeister (Chorus Master) of Weimar - in 1716; partly in reaction to this snub, he left Weimar the following year to take a job as court conductor in Anhalt-Cothen. There, he slowed his output of church cantatas, and instead concentrated on instrumental music - the Cothen period produced, among other masterpieces, the Brandenburg Concerti. While at Cothen, Bach's wife, Maria Barbara, died. Bach remarried soon after - to Anna Magdalena - and forged ahead with his work. He also forged ahead in the child-rearing department, producing 13 children with his new wife - six of whom survived childhood - to add to the four children he had raised with Maria Barbara. Several of these children would become fine composers in their own right - particularly three sons: Wilhelm Friedmann, Carl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christian. After conducting and composing for the court orchestra at Cothen for seven years, Bach was offered the highly prestigious post of cantor (music director) of St. Thomas' Church in Leipzig - after it had been turned down by two other composers. The job was a demanding one; he had to compose cantatas for the St. Thomas
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Community assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Community assessment - Assignment Example Approximately 79% of the learners in the Kingsbridge Heights schools qualify from the state funded or free lunch program. Majority of the schools are good; this is because they realize the Adequate Yearly Progress performance level, which is determined by the New York State Department of Education. The individual school report card for all the schools in the Kingsbridge are illustrated in the education website, http://schools.nyc.gov/daa. The Fellows, who work in the Kingsbridge schools, live within the neighborhoods of entire West and South Bronx, Inwood region of Manhattan, and the upper east and west areas of Manhattan. There are five high schools in the Kingsbridge area. These schools are; Bronx High School of Science, De Witt Clinton High School, High School for Teaching and the Professions, Bronx high School of Music and Discovery High School. Bronx High School of Science has a learners and Fellows population of population of 335 and 8 respectively. The proportion of students who qualify for the free lunch program is 22.4%. De Witt Clinton High School has population of 2,502 and 27 Fellows. 90.8% of the students qualify for the free lunch program; thus majority of learners come from poor backgrounds (Banchero, 2013). High School for Teaching and the professions has the highest student population at 4,410, and the fellows number only 8. The education standards at the school are relatively low because of the overworked teaching staffs. 74.5% of the learners benefit from the free lunch program.364 students learn at Bronx High School of Music, which has a teaching staff numbering 4, and eligibility for free lunch program at 74.5%. Discovery High School has a population of 540, and the teacher number is 9. 25.6% of the students are eligible for the free lunch program. The only secondary school in the region is Walton High School that has 1,067 students and 6 Fellows. 81.2% of the
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Assignment 1 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Assignment 1 - Case Study Example 1). Using positioning strategy, retailers are making consumers aware of an expected increase in the prices of chicken products. They are also making consumers aware of the reason behind the increase in order to satisfy them. In the article, it is evident that Australian meat producers have researched the market to know the reason behind the expected increase in the chicken price. The research shows that chicken meat is one of the most favorite proteins of Australians who like to eat loads of chicken per year. Through research about prices, the meat producers have concluded that a significant increase in the international grain prices over the last three months is going to increase the chicken price in the Australian markets. Moreover, they have also researched about other products, such as, wheat the prices of which have increased by $100 a ton recently which is nearly a thirty percent increase in wheat prices. However, they say that chicken prices are not going to increase by more than five percent. Again, the producers are trying to make a good use of positioning to make consumers aware of the overall expected increase in prices. Another concept of marketing evident from the article is market equilibrium. According to Ali (2011), the difference between demand and supply has always a huge impact on overall market. The producers know that increased white meat prices will force consumers to eat red meat that will cause a decrease in the demand of white meat. The producers are trying to use this concept by saying that a decrease in the demand of white meat because of increased chicken prices will force suppliers to reduce feed prices which will consequently decrease the price of chicken in the Australian
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Wars of the Roses 1455-1471 Essay Example for Free
Wars of the Roses 1455-1471 Essay Within the context of the period 1337-1471, to what extent can Henry VI be held primarily responsible for the Wars of the Roses 1455-1471? When Henry VI came to the throne in 1431, people already had high expectations of him. At only 8 years old, he had already broken tradition by becoming the first king to rule over both England and France. However, when the minority council finally permitted Henry VI to rule of his own accord, he seemed to be a hopeless King, making severe mistakes that ultimately contributed to beginning of the Wars of the Roses in the period 1455 to 1471. However, there is some debate amongst historians as to whether Henry VI can be held primarily to blame for causing the Wars of the Roses, or whether other factors such as the over mighty subjects, the feuds between noble, and the actions of Margaret of Anjou were greater contributing factors to the outbreak of war. Henry VIââ¬â¢s personality has been criticised by many historians as being unsuited to the role of king. Contemporary interpretations of Henry are that he was terrible at ruling, as he was ââ¬Å"utterly devoid of wit or spiritâ⬠(according to Pope Pius II). Subjects who were condemned for speaking ill of the king in the 1440s and 1450s referred to him as ââ¬Å"a sheepâ⬠. Victorian views on Henry VI were that he lacked the qualities required for successful kingship, although at that time he was still praised for being ââ¬Å"a pious, humane and Christian characterâ⬠. The historian Antonia Fraser concludes that ââ¬Å"these were not the attributes of a king and the truth is that Henry had no real wish to act like oneâ⬠. This suggests that henryââ¬â¢s personality was overall, entirely ill-suited for the role of kingship. Henryââ¬â¢s chaplain John Blacman (writing during the reign of Henry Tudor), although writing somewhat positively about Henry VI, chooses to avoid mentioning Henry VIââ¬â¢S ability to rule and instead focuses on how religious Henry VI is, describing him as ââ¬Å"chaste and pure from the beginning of his daysâ⬠, and presenting him as a pious and puritanical king. The fact that Blacman puts emphasis on his pious character rather than his ability to rule, suggests that Henry VI was a poor ruler. Dockray comments ââ¬Å"during the reign of Henry VII, at a time when the king was hoping to secure his predecessorââ¬â¢s canonisationâ⬠, so this source cannot be trusted. Robin Neillands concludes that ââ¬Å"The accounts of the Kingââ¬â¢s goodness are largely based on his devotion to religion, at the expense of more pressing secular matters concerning the government of the realmâ⬠. The role of the minority council is also an important factor to consider when assessing whether Henry VI was primarily to blame. Henry V had, on his deathbed, made the fundamental arrangements for his sonââ¬â¢s minority; Duke John of Bedford was to take charge in France as Regent (as Henry VI was too young to rule), and pursue the war against the Dauphin Charles-while hanging on to Normandy at all costs and maintaining the alliance with Philip the Good, and Humphrey Duke of Gloucester was to keep a watchful eye on England. In 1431, Henry VI was crowned king but the ministers ruled in his stead. This minority council ruled until Henry was in his mid-twenties, well over the normal ruling age, which suggests that Henry VI could not be trusted to rule the kingdom effectively. Gillingham, however, paints a very positive portrayal of Henry VIââ¬â¢s minority. He concludes that it was ââ¬Å"evidence showing that in fifteenth century England there existed a stable political system, con taining in the council an institutional framework within which tensions could be contained and resolved.â⬠K.B. McFarlane referred to Henry VI as ââ¬Å"a baby who grew up to be an imbecileâ⬠, and the length of minority supports this view. Contemporary and Yorkist views on Henry VI were that he was a child-like, idiotic king, and that the council made all the decisions for him. The English Chronicle that was published in the 1460s stated that Henry ââ¬Å"was simple and led by a covetous councilâ⬠and ââ¬Å"that puppet of a kingâ⬠. Henry is often criticised for relying too heavily on his council, and continuing to support their decisions. Helen Castor states that ââ¬Å"he was proving to be no more capable of leadership as an adult than he had been as an infantâ⬠, supporting the view that he was a childlike king incapable of ruing effectively. However, other historians have suggested that Henry VI did in fact take an active role in government, and can be seen as primarily to blame, rather than his minority council. The historian Wolffe claims that the documentation Henry VI signed is proof of his heavy involvement in government. His own involvement in the war in France led to defeat and humiliation, as he pursued his own French policy and made a secret deal with Charles VII to surrender Maine and Anjou, meaning that they lost all of France apart from Calais. By doing this, he had removed two key parts of the empire, making it inevitable for it to crumble. At this point, Henry VI did seem to act of his own accord, as the fact that he made the deal a secret suggest that he knew that many people would disapprove of his actions. All this suggests that Henry was fully in charge of the government and its decisions, and can consequently be blamed for the mistakes made during that time. Another example of Henry playing an active role in ruling is the increase in elevations to the peerage under Henry VIââ¬â¢s rule. During the first thirty six years of the Lancastrian dynasty, only nine elevations were made to the peerage. However, twenty five years later (during Henryââ¬â¢s reign), there were twenty five elevations to the peerage. This massive increase in elevations to the peerage made during Henryââ¬â¢s reign seems to indicate that Henry was in fact playing an active role in ruling. Another reason why Henry VI could be seen as primarily responsible is because his mental collapse during the period 1453-54 left the government unattended, allowing violence to flare up with no authority to deal with it. According to the historian Robin Neillands, it ââ¬Å"flung the whole responsibility for the management of the realm entirely on the Royal Councilâ⬠, and as a result ââ¬Å"the fragile rule of law in England fell apartâ⬠. The quarrel between the Nevilles and the Percies soon escalated into violence in August 1453, despite measures that the Royal Council put in place in a failed attempt to end their quarrelling. However, it is debatable as to whether or not that Henryââ¬â¢s illness made any fundamental change to these events, as heââ¬â¢d already proved himself as incapable of solving these disputes even before his mental collapse. It also led to more conflict between Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York and Somerset. Another key factor to consider is the role of Margaret of Anjou. Henry VI married Margaret, the niece of Charles VII in 1455, when she was fifteen years of age and had no dowry. Some historians have suggested that Margaret was to blame for convincing the king to surrender Maine and Anjou in order to please her, and referred to her as ââ¬Å"the queen who had brought nothing and taken much awayâ⬠-although as Gillingham points out ââ¬Å"it is unlikely that a fifteen year old girl could wield so much influence within a few months of her arrival at a strange court where most people spoke a language she was yet to learnâ⬠. Margaret of Anjou played a pivotal role in the Wars of the Roses, most notably after February 1456, when Yorkââ¬â¢s second protectorate ended, as Margaret managed to establish a power base in the northwest, and also persuade the king to come to Chester, turning the political tide against York. She had successfully stepped into the vacuum left by Henry VI, and continued to play a dominant role in court, creating the Attainment Bill in 1459 to show the extent of her control. Overall, the balance of evidence seems to suggest that Henry was a weak ruler and ill-suited to the role of medieval kingship. He clearly lacked the qualities needed to rule effectively, and there was no clear leadership in any key sphere of government due to Henryââ¬â¢s long absences from power- the minority council ruled in his stead until he was in his mid-twenties, and reappeared when he suffered his mental collapse in the 1450s, and there were others ruling for him. He also failed to stop the feud between York and Somerset before it escalated into violence. He also neglected to stop the quarrels between other nobles. The balance of evidence also seems to point towards the interpretation of Henry VI being far too easily led and manipulated. Helen Castor even goes on to say that he ââ¬Å"did little more than smile and agree to every suggestion his advisers madeâ⬠. While Jack Cadeââ¬â¢s rebellion showed the discontent of the people at that time, the fact that the rebellion was aimed solely against Henry VIââ¬â¢s advisors rather than Henry himself is a clear indicator of how easily manipulated he was, as his own people believed that his advisors were at fault. According to Antonia Fraser, the main demand from the rebels was the punishment of ââ¬Å"the false progeny and affinity of the Duke of Suffolkâ⬠and a later chronicler said he ââ¬Å"was simple and led by a covetous counselâ⬠. However, none of this means that Henry VI should be held any less accountable, as he chose the government that was now in place. However, there are other factors that suggest that he wasnââ¬â¢t entirely to blame for the Wars of the Roses. Many historians have identified the family tree of Edward III as a significant factor in causing the wars of the roses for several reasons. One main reason why it could be seen as a significant factor is because it started the debate as to who had the stronger claim to the throne, the house of Lancaster, or the house of York. When Edward II died in 1377, Richard II succeeded him (as Edward the black prince had predeceased his father). However, as she was too young to rule, John of Gaunt ruled in his stead until Richard II turned 20. Richard II banished Gauntââ¬â¢s heir, Henry Bolingbroke, and Thomas Mobray when they had a quarrel, but made the fatal mistake of seizing all of the wealth of the house of Lancaster. This caused Henry Bolingbroke to return to reclaim his wealth, ultimately ending in Bolingbroke taking the throne of England as Henry IV. By doing so, he ignored the claims of the Mortimer family, which followed back through a woman named Philippa, the daughter of Lionel of Clarence (the second son of Edward iii), and these claims eventually passed down to Richard, duke of York. The Yorkist line seemed to have the stronger claim to the throne than the Lancastrian line, as Richard, earl of Cambridgeââ¬â¢s marriage with Anne Mortimer connected his line with the Mortimer line, arguably putting him ahead of the Lancastrians in the line of succession. The debate was that Anne Mortimer was a woman, making Richard Plantagenetââ¬â¢s claim through a female line, so the Lancastrian claim was considered stronger, and also the Yorkist claim was not pursued after 1415, as his father, Richard, earl of Cambridge had been beheaded for treason. This chain of events helped to start off the Wars of the Roses, as it was Richard Plantagenet who founded the house of York. Yet while Edward IIIââ¬â¢S family tree provided the possibility for war, there are arguably more significant factors. Edward IIIââ¬â¢s complicated family tree was a factor that drove Richard of Cambridge to attempting to place his brother-in-law, Edmund Mortimer, on the throne, as he believed that Edmund Mortimer had the stronger claim. As it was his son, Richard Plantagenet, who founded the house of York, it suggests that the family tree helped to cause the feud between the house of Lancaster, and the house of York, effectively starting the Wars of the Roses. Henry IVââ¬â¢s usurpation of Richard II in 1399 has been regarded by several historians as the root cause of the Wars of the Roses. In particular, the historian A.L .Rouse stated that ââ¬Å"It all began with a revolution. The revolution of 1399.â⬠When Henry Bolingbroke overthrew Richard II and took the throne, he ââ¬Å"struck at the very foundations of kingshipâ⬠. During that period, it was believed that the king was always chosen by God. Therefore, it was considered dreadful to overthrow a king, and Shakespeare later described the Wars of the Roses as a form of divine retribution, as punishment for the sins that their predecessors committed. This idea was used as propaganda, and the usurpation was viewed as so shocking that it created the precedent for overthrowing a sacredly anointed king. It also put forward the idea that the divinity of kingship could be passed down to someone else of a stronger bloodline, and Henry IV used this as an excuse by claiming that his ancestor was the eldest son of Henry III. However, there were other contenders to the throne who had a stronger claim than Henry Bolingbroke, and as there was much dispute in later years about who had a stronger claim to the throne, it could be argued that the cause of all these disputes originated. The usurpation of Richard II was also significant because it meant that any person of royal blood who had raised an army, and who had argued with the king could become a contender for the throne, as they could simply overthrow the king and take the crown for themselves. This meant that the throne was never going to be safe from anyone who wished to take it. This made it almost inevitable for war to break out, as any of the following rulersââ¬â¢ claims to the throne could be questioned, and it created political uncertainty and instability due to the fact that the Lancastrian dynasty was based on usurpation. Despite Henry Bolingbrokeââ¬â¢s excuse that Richard II had been unfit to rule, it still caused a dispute about whether the usurpation of the throne could really be excused. However, this was not a problem during the reigns of Henry IV and Henry V, and the debate was only brought about when Henry VIââ¬â¢s failings became apparent- had there been a strong, capable ruler on the throne, this debate would not have been reopened. ââ¬Å"Bastard Feudalismâ⬠also played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses. The phrase was coined by the historian Charles Plummer. K.B. McFarlane argues that the whole system of bastard feudalism did in fact have the potential to provide stability, suggesting that its contribution to the disorder and instability of that period was merely a reflection of Henry VIââ¬â¢s ineffective rule. This serves to reinforce the argument that it was Henry VIââ¬â¢s inability to rule that created the problems which arose and ultimately culminated in the outbreak of war. Certainly, had a strong king, capable of maintaining control, been placed on the throne, then the system of ââ¬Å"bastard feudalismâ⬠would not have proved an issue. It could also be argued that the ââ¬Å"over-mighty subjects such as York and Warwick were to blame for causing the Wars of the Roses. Some historians have argued that Henry VIââ¬â¢s mistrust of York was not justified, as he had legitimate grievances. He had been the kingââ¬â¢s lieutenant in France but was replaced by Somerset who was given a larger army. Somerset was even paid à £2 5,000 for troops while York was given nothing and instead told to wait. Somersetââ¬â¢s younger brother was also made lieutenant of France and York was humiliated as lieutenant of Ireland. The government also owed York à £38,666 (à £12,666 of this York agreed to forgo), but they still failed to pay his wages, and even owed him a further à £10,000 due to his hereditary pension. Because of the governmentââ¬â¢s refusal to pay York the money he was owed, his debt increased to the extent that he was forced to consider selling some of his manors, as well as endanger relationships with his friends by borrowing heavily from them. York also received à £21,000 worth of ââ¬Å"bad talliesâ⬠-which were the crownââ¬â¢s method of discharging its debts by handing out tallies on some regular source of income, and receiving the tallies did not guarantee proper payment. Many historians agree that York deserved fairer treatment than this- he had been active in the kingââ¬â¢s service abroad and was the crownââ¬â¢s largest single creditor after loaning them à £26,000. The historian Keith Dockray claims that he ââ¬Å"could reasonably expect a prominent role in Henry VIââ¬â¢s council and even, perhaps, formal recognition as the kingââ¬â¢s heirâ⬠. Many pro-Yorkist chroniclers were of the belief that he was a good person who was being treated very poorly by the ââ¬Å"corrupt clique surrounding the kingâ⬠(Dockray). The English Chronicle states that ââ¬Å"common people hated Somerset but loved York because he loved the commons and [reserved the common profit of this landâ⬠. According to K.B. Mcfarlane, some of the blame can still be attributed to the king, because ââ¬Å"only an under-mighty ruler had anything to fear from over-mighty subjectsâ⬠. This links back to the key problem underlying all these factors-Henry VI was a poor ruler, and so the stability of the government depended on his ability to assert authority and make good decisions. The development of bastard feudalism, caused by the growth of affinities, also helped to cause instability between the king and his magnates, as it enabled the magnates to subvert the wishes of the crown and take the law into their own hands. According to Neillands, the magnates ââ¬Å"began to maintain bodies of soldiers, even in peacetime, and this ââ¬Å"maintenanceâ⬠was not illegal ââ¬Å"unless the lord attempted to support his retainer in outlawry or by influencing the court of lawâ⬠. As a result, violence became widespread due to Henry VIââ¬â¢s inability to maintain control of the system. Gillingham, however, paints a very positive portrayal of Henry VIââ¬â¢s minority. He concludes that it was ââ¬Å"evidence showing that in fifteenth century England there existed a stable political system, containing in the council an institutional framework within which tensions could be contained and resolved.â⬠However, Richard Plantagenetââ¬â¢s contemporaries tended to be more critical when assessing whether he deserved this treatment. The historian J.R. Lander referred to him as ââ¬Å"an ambitious, opportunist and self-interested magnate who failed to win much committed support from his peersâ⬠. Many of Yorkââ¬â¢s contemporary critics believed that he was far more motivated by self-interest rather than concern for public good, and some even called him a traitor. This is evident in a Chancery memorandum in 1456 that claimed that all disturbances since Cadeââ¬â¢s rebellion had been ââ¬Å"at the will of the Duke of York, descended from the Mortimersââ¬â¢. The fact that he is not only blamed for the disturbances after Cadeââ¬â¢s rebellion, but there is also an accusatory remark about his lineage, clearly suggests that he had not won the support of his peers. The Coventry Parliament in 1459 even wrote a catalogue of his alleged treacheries, and the tract Somnium Vigilantes criticised his behaviour as being ââ¬Å"subversive to the commonwealthâ⬠. The events in 1452 also support this view; York started a campaign to remove Somerset from power which failed, so he had to resort to an armed force. He also confronted the king at Blackheath with armed retainers, with a view to finally gaining his deserved position beside the king. According to the historian J.R. Lander, one contemporary writer claims that he ââ¬Å"surrendered on the promise that Somerset would be arrestedâ⬠. However, this failed, as little support from nobles and the common people led to his humiliation. These events suggest that York was indeed ambitious and self-interested with little support. When York returned from Ireland in 1450, many of the kingââ¬â¢s servants became suspicious. Despite returning because he was worried about the return of Somerset from France, the kingââ¬â¢s servants assumed he was there to overthrow the king due to rumours spread about during that time. This suggests that he certainly did not have the approval of the public, as they were prepared to believe in rumours rather than trusting in his character. Overall, the balance of evidence seems to suggest that Henry VI was primarily responsible for the Wars of the Roses. Henry VIââ¬â¢s incompetence allowed rebellion to take place, and his inability to rule effectively meant that the government was filled with over-mighty subjects all vying for power. He also worsened the disputes between the nobles and increased tensions between them, creating the perfect conditions for war to take place. Although he cannot be blamed substantially for the defeat in France, he did play a role in events by surrendering Maine and Anjou. The usurpation in 1399 also heightened all of these factors, as it encouraged the belief that God was against his rule. None of the key factors responsible for the Wars of the Roses would have been as influential on events if Henry VI had been the dominant, assertive ruler everyone needed him to be. Bibliography: The Wars of the Roses by John Gillingham The Wars of the Roses by Robin Neillands The Wars of the Roses by Antonia Fraser The Wars of the Roses by J.R.Lander Blood and Roses by Helen Castor Bosworth Field and the Wars of the Roses by A.L .Rowse Henry VI and the Politics of Kingship by John Watts
Friday, November 15, 2019
Vanitas :: essays research papers
Vanitas Vanitas, found in many recent pieces, is a style of painting begun in the 17th Century by Dutch artists. Artists involved in this movement include Pieter Claesz, Domenico Fetti and Bernardo Strozzi . Using still-life as their milieu, those artists and others like them provide the viewer with ideas regarding the brevity of life. The artists are giving us a taste of the swiftness with which life can fade and death overtakes us all. Some late 20th Century examples were shown recently at the Virginia Museum of Art in Richmond, Virginia. Among the artists represented in this show were Miroslaw Balka (Polish, b. 1958), Christian Boltanski (French, b. 1944), Leonardo Drew (American, b. 1961), Felix Gonzalez-Torres (American, b. Cuba, 1957- 1996), Jim Hodges (American, b. 1957), Anish Kapoor (British, b. India, 1954), and Jac Leirner (Brazilian, b. 1961). In the poem Vanitas Vanitatum by John Webster, we are given a clear view of this movement in the art world. ââ¬Å"ALL the flowers of the spring Meet to perfume our buryingâ⬠is a beautiful juxtaposition of the beauty of life and the sorrow of passing away. Actually, any definition of this term would be overshadowed by this poem, it so clearly sums up the meaning and importance behind the word Vanitas. "Vanitas still life with portrait of a young painter " by David Bailly includes such objects as dying flowers, a skull, a painting of musician, musical instruments (recorder, conductorââ¬â¢s baton), statuary of a young, virile man and a young child, a portrait of another young man, and a clean palette hanging on the wall. The meaning behind these articles can be manifold, depending upon oneââ¬â¢s point of view, but I think they are all important symbols of the passing nature of vitality and life itself. The flowers, once brilliant and lovely, are now withering in their vase. Music, represented by a man playing a lute in a portrait on the wall and by numerous music related items (a recorder, a conductorââ¬â¢s baton) is itself transient and elusive. Obviously a skull can represent death, but it can just as easily be a reminder of what remains behind. The clean palette hanging on the wall is evocative of a clear start, a new beginning, the option available to us all t o begin again, before itââ¬â¢s too late! In ââ¬Å"Wheel of Fortuneâ⬠, by Audrey Flack, many objects illustrate the transient nature of this fragile life.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Wildlife-Conservation and Importance (India)
Conservation is the act of using and protecting resources properly. Catching animals, throwing garbage, and using and harnessing the different resources should all adhere to the proper way of conservation. Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative. Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, rain forests, plains, and other areas including the most developed urban sites Importance for Wildlife Conservation * Maintains ecological balance & the organisms have their unique positions in food chains, food webs which keep ecological balance. * Wild life contributes to the maintenance of material cycles such as carbon and nitrogen cycles. * For improvement and progress in agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries the genes from wild life preserved as gene bank are utilised in breeding programmes. * Wild life provides a number of useful products like food, medicine, honey, lac, wax, resin, etc. * Colourful birds, insects, beautiful flowers, trees make environment beautiful. Natureâ⬠¦ (Indescribable) Food, pets, traditional medicines Anthropologists believe that the Stone Age peoples and hunter-gatherers relied on wildlife, both plant and animal, for their food. In fact, some species may have been hunted to extinction by early human hunters. Today, hunting, fishing, or gathering wildlife is still a significant food source in some parts of the world. In other areas, hunting and non-commercial fishing are mainly seen as a sport or recreation, Many Amazon species, including peccaries, agoutis, turtles, turtle eggs, anacondas, armadillos, etc. are sold primarily as food. Others in these informal markets, such as monkeys and parrots, are destined for the pet trade, often smuggled into the United States. Still other Amazon species are popular ingredients in traditional medicines sold in local markets. The medicinal value of animal parts is based largely on superstition. Religion Many wildlife species have spiritual significance In different cultures around the world, and they and their products may be used as sacred objects in religious rituals. For example, eagles, hawks and their feathers have great cultural and spiritual value to Habitat destruction and fragmentation Farms sprawl across the landscape with paddocks. Media Wildlife has long been a common subject for educational television shows. National Geographic specials appeared on CBS beginning in 1965, The BBC natural history unit in the UK was a similar pioneer, the first wildlife series LOOK presented by Sir Peter Scott, was a studio-based show, with filmed inserts There are many magazines which cover wildlife including National Wildlife Magazine, Birds & Blooms, Birding (magazine), and Ranger Rick (for children). Tourism Fuelled by media coverage and inclusion of conservation education in early school curriculum, Wildlife tourism & Ecotourism has fast become a popular industry generating substantial income for developing nations with rich wildlife specially, Africa and India. Destruction The rate of extinctions of entire species of plants and animals across the planet has been so high in the last few hundred years it is widely considered that we are in the sixth great extinction event on this planet; the Holocene Mass Extinction. The four most general reasons that lead to destruction of wildlife include Overkill. Overkill occurs whenever hunting occurs at rates greater than the reproductive capacity of the population is being exploited. Hunting, fishing and so on, has lowered the competition between members of a population. However, if this hunting continues at rate greater than the rate at which new members of the population can reach breeding age and produce more young, the population will begin to decrease in numbers. Habitat destruction and fragmentation The habitat of any given species is considered its preferred area or territory. Many processes associated human habitation of an area cause loss of this area and decrease the carrying capacity of the land for that species. Examples of habitat destruction include grazing of bush land by farmed animals, changes to natural fire regimes, forest clearing for timber production and wetland draining for city expansion. Impact of introduced species The vast majority of species exposed to a new habitat do not reproduce successfully. Occasionally, however, some populations do take hold and after a period of acclimation can increase in numbers significantly, having destructive effects on many elements of the native environment. The Rattus Rattus is native to India, but it has spread to almost everywhere in the world. This rat has directly caused, or contributed to, the extinction of multiple wildlife species including a variety of birds, plants and other small mammals. Theyââ¬â¢re blamed for the incredible decline in seabirds on several islands, including many Hawaiian species Some introduced species (such as most of our food crops and pets) are beneficial. However, others are very damaging. People have moved species around the world for millenia, sometimes by accident, but often with considerable enthusiasm. English garden birds in New Zealand are merely quaint curiosities introduced by settlers wanting the familiar species of their former homes. Some introductions have been devastating ââ¬â goats or rabbits on various islands, for example. Other introductions, such as those of genetically engineered organisms, present potential problems yet to be considered in any detail. Chains of extinction This final group is one of secondary effects. Large herbivorous animals such as the hippopotamus have populations of insectivorous birds that feed off the many parasitic insects that grow on the hippo. Should the hippo die out, so too will these groups of birds, leading to further destruction as other species dependent on the birds are affected. Also referred to as a Domino effect Wildlife of India The wildlife of India is a mix of species of diverse origins. According to one study, India along with 17 mega diverse countries is home to about 60-70% of the world's biodiversity. India's wildlife is both rich and varied. More than 4% of India's land is under forest cover- there are at least 90 national parks and 482 wildlife sanctuaries. The country is one of the 12 mega diversity areas in the world, in terms of animal. Many Indian species are descendants of taxa originating in Gondwana, to which India originally belonged. Peninsular India's subsequent movement towards, and collision with, the Laurasian landmass set off a mass exchange of species. Fauna the political boundaries of India encompass a wide range of ecozonesââ¬âdesert, high mountains, highlands, tropical and temperate forests, swamplands, plains, grasslands, areas surrounding rivers, as well as island archipelago. It hosts three biodiversity hotspots: the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas, and the hilly ranges that straddle the India-Myanmar border. The region is also heavily influenced by summer monsoons that cause major seasonal changes in vegetation and habitat. India is home to several well known large mammals including the Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard and Indian Rhinoceros. Some of these animals are engrained in culture, often being associated with deities. These large mammals are important for wildlife tourism in India and several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries cater to these needs. The need for conservation of wildlife in India is often questioned because of the apparently incorrect priority in the face of direct poverty of the people. Skins of various animals including the tiger in Kashmir However Article 48 of the Constitution of India specifies that, ââ¬Å"The state shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the countryâ⬠and Article 51-A states that ââ¬Å"it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures. Recent extinctions Exploitation of land and forest resources by humans along with hunting and trapping for food and sport has led to the extinction of many species in India in recent times. These species include mammals such as the Indian /Asiatic Cheetah, Javan Rhinoceros and Sumatran Rhinoceros Many species have not been seen since their description. The Bengal Tigers in India, although they are threatened to extinction. Some species of birds have gone extinct in recent times, including the Duck and the Himalayan Quail Flora The Flora of India is one of the richest of the world due to a wide range of climate, topology and environments in the country. With about 47000 species of plant species, it occupies tenth place in the world. It is thought there are over 15000 species of flowers in India, which account for 6 percent of the total plant species in the world. [1] and probably many more species. Since ancient times, use of plants as a source of medicines has been the inherent part of life in India. There are more than 3000 officially documented plants in India that holds great medicinal potential. India comprises of seven percent of world's flora. India is divided into main eight floristic regions namely ââ¬â Western Himalayas, Eastern Himalayas, Assam, Indus plain, Ganga plain, the Deccan, the Malabar and the Andamans. The classification and ranking of plants varies. Recent extinctions Kerala Legume Tree(1870, India) Arunchal Hopea Tree(1996, India)Nilgiri Holly ââ¬â(1859, India)Karnataka Sapota(1900, India)Meghalaya Sterculia (1877, India)Courtallum Wendlandia(1997, India) Avi-faunas In India India is blessed with over 2000 species and sub-species of birds. The diverse birdlife of the forests includes large hornbills, serpent eagles and fishing owls, as well as the elegant national bird, the peacock. Waterbirds, such as herons, ibises, storks, cranes, pelicans and others, are seen not only in parks but at numerous special waterbird sanctuaries. These sanctuaries contain large breeding colonies, and are of great importance for the countless numbers of migrating birds which visit India annually. Reptiles In India Among the other wildlife are over 500 species of reptiles and amphibians, including magnificent king cobras, pythons, crocodiles, large freshwater tortoises and monitor lizards. A huge number of snake varieties, lizards and crocodiles account for the reptile count. Snakes include the deadly King cobras to the equally poisonous Kraits. Scorpions and insects are a plenty in this country. Major threats to wildlife Major threats to wildlife can be categorized as below: Habitat Loss: Fewer natural wildlife habitat areas remain each year. Moreover, the habitat that remains has often been degraded to bear little resemblance to the natural wild areas which existed in the past. â⬠¢ Climate Change: Because many types of plants and animals have specific habitat requirements, climate change could cause disastrous loss of wil dlife species. A slight drop or rise in average rainfall will translate into large seasonal changes. Hibernating mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects are harmed and disturbed. Plants and wildlife are sensitive to moisture change so, they will be harmed by any change in the moisture level. Pesticides & Toxic Chemicals: Pesticides are deliberately spread to make the environment toxic to certain plants, insects, and rodents, so it should not be surprising that other plants and wildlife are deliberately harmed at the same time. In addition many chemical pollutants are toxic to wildlife, such as PCBs, mercury, petroleum by-products, solvents, antifreeze, etc. â⬠¢ Hunting and Poaching: Unregulated hunting and poaching causes a major threat to wildlife. Along with this, mismanagement of forest department and forest guards triggers this problem. â⬠¢ Natural Phenomenon: Floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, lightning, forest fires
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Career Plan
There is many times where we reflect on our own strengths and weaknesses and what would be beneficial for our career path. We often donââ¬â¢t know where to start, and what type of questions to ask ourselves about which path would be the best fit for us. Understanding our career profiler, competencies, and work culture preferences can help give us insight in what direction would be the best bet. The results of my career profiler were pretty interesting. My career matches was definitely not something I was expecting to see. Based on my answers, my best career matches would be a counselor, social worker, and other community and social service specialists, teacher and / or instructor, and preschool, primary, secondary, and special education school teachers. I definitely would consider being a social service specialists or a preschool teacher. I actually saw myself in the Healthcare career path as a nurse at one point or some type of employee in the healthcare industry. The competencies activities have revealed my strengths are in cooperating as the highest, adapting to change and adhering to vales as the second highest, and coping with pressure, following instructions and networking as the lowest. I agree with my strength in being cooperative considering I enjoy working with others toward a common goal. I definitely think being a teacher would best fit my cooperating strength. I actually disagree with the following instructions and networking as my lowest strengths. I may not like always being told what to do, but I will end up following instructions. I disagree with networking being one of my lowest. I enjoy meeting new people and creating new relationships with everyone that I meet. Possible employers that fit my provided competencies would be Hawaii Pacific Health, APS Healthcare, United Health Group and Kaiser Permanente. The work culture preference activity has determined that my ideal work environment would be high powered, well resourced, and ethical. One type of job that aligns my work culture preference that is high powered would be an energy engineer or a businesswoman. After completing the career profiler, competencies and work culture preferences, it definitely got me down to thinking about what type of career would be in my best interest. I am still completely unsure about what career path to take. But I definitely am considering being a social worker or a preschool teacher at this point. I guess I just have to take it day by day and really find out more about myself. Only then will I find the right career path for me. Career Plan All my life, I have always enjoyed helping people to the best of my ability. I graduated high school with the intent to further my career in the Health Care field. I am currently attending Westwood College to become a Medical Assistant. I have decided to become a medical assistant because itââ¬â¢s a career where Iââ¬â¢m helping other people, doing clinical work, and itââ¬â¢s also a career thatââ¬â¢s growing. Medical assistants assist nurses and physicians with a variety of administrative and medical tasks. Most MAs work in doctorââ¬â¢s office and hospitals. They help with a variety of tasks including checking-in patients, taking vital signs, gives shots, filling medical charts, and insurance billing and coding. Their hours average to 40 per week, Monday through Friday. Some schools offer a one-year certificate or complete a two-year associateââ¬â¢s degree from an accredited school. After completing that, you may sign up to take the certification exam to become a Certified Medical Assistant. I have a variety of skills I will use in my career. I am very responsible, trustworthy, sincere, multi-tasker, understanding, patient, motivated, and great with working with others. My skills will greatly impact my career choice because Iââ¬â¢ll put all my skills into action on the job. In my research, Medical Assistants have analytical, detailed orientated and technical skills. Further, a medical assistant is often the first and last person a patient interacts with during a visit to a physicianââ¬â¢s office. Therefore, a medical assistant helps ease the feeling of vulnerability a patient may experience during their visit. In class, we did a personality trait test, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, and the results I got nailed my personality on the dot. Introversion means we basically stay to ourselves have few friends. Sensing means we are focused on the present, rather than the future. Feeling means we care about one anotherââ¬â¢s feelings. Perceiving means we keep our options open. The characteristics that will be helpful to my career choice is that Iââ¬â¢m aware of my environment, hands-on learner, great listeners, and loyal to values and beliefs. Long Term Goal * Working in a hospital, Monday ââ¬â Friday 9am-5pm assisting patients Mid-Term Goals * Getting a reliable transportation * Try not to be as stressed out Short Term Goals * Finishing school to become a medical assistant. Getting a better paying job to help finish school I plan to find a job by the end of August 2013, to help continue paying for school. I have 16 more months until I become a medical assistant. Doing this career plan, Iââ¬â¢ve learned about my goals, education, and personality. I learned that I have the personality and commitment to become a m edical assistant, and also further my career. Iââ¬â¢m lacking a few skills, but thatââ¬â¢s where training comes in. When I took the personality trait test, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, it described my personality well, and agreed that the most suitable job would be in the medical field. Career Plan Career Plan Reflection Paper My Strengths results were coping with pressure, strategic, ideation, maximizer, individualization, and intellection. Strategic means I am especially talented in the strategic theme and create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, I can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues. I will definitely look forward in obtaining and utilizing these resources now and as my career goals changes in the future. The future is looking brighter for me; I now know it is important to develop a career plan that will provide financial support and personal fulfilment over the course of my professional life.At the end of my career, I want to be recognized as a positive team leader who can bring the best essay writer for hire out of her subordinates and help increase profits for the company. I believe it can be achieved through people I meet and my environment. Another Problem is self-motivation it is hard for me to find the energy and motive to do so mething although I know finding that drive or that push would lead to great results itââ¬â¢s that process of applying it through the steps. The solution would be to have better brainstorming ideals and improved self-motivation.And then set a goal so that I can generate ideals for what Iââ¬â¢m trying to accomplish and that ties into my first problem stated when it comes to the filtering ideals and not going through the process you tend to not filter out. One of my listed above is fear of failure. I think when it comes to education and failure that can present a big problem, an attempt to impose expectations on us in a way that is difficult. Three strengths I have that are related to plant manager are, problem-solving skills, patience, and physical stamina. Having these three strengths I believe it will help me achieve my goals of becoming a plant manager.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Taylor Is an English Occupational Name for a Tailor
Taylor Is an English Occupational Name for a Tailor Taylor is an English occupational name for a tailor, from Old French tailleur for tailor which comes from the Latin taliare, meaning to cut.à Taylor may also be an Americanized version of one of the several European surnames that derive from the occupation of aà tailor, including Schneider (German), Szabà ³ (Hungarian), Portnoy (Russian), Krawiec (Polish) and Kleermaker (Dutch). The biblical meaning of Taylor translates to clothed with salvation and the name means eternal beauty. Learn about Taylors Americanized name, alternate surname spellings along with popular people who have the surname. Popular Baby Name Taylor is among the most commonly found surnames, due to its popularity as a medieval occupation.à Its surname origin beingà English,à the given name Taylor ranked #24 in a list of most popular baby names by the U.S. Social Security Administration in the year 2007. It is a gender-neutral name used for both girls and boys in the United States, England, Wales, Canada and more. Alternate Surname Spellings TaylaTaylerTailourTaylourTailleurTailorTayloeTyler Famous People With the Surname James Taylor: Popular American singer/songwriterZachary Taylor: Twelfth President of the United StatesJohn Baxter Taylor: First African American Olympic gold medalist Genealogy Resources 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their Meanings: Smith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census?Taylor Family Genes DNA Surname Project: Join other Taylor males and females in sorting out the various Taylor ancestral lines worldwide through Y Chromosome and DNA genetic testing.Taylor Family Genealogy Forum: Search this popular genealogy forum for the Taylor surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Taylor query.FamilySearch - TAYLOR Genealogy: Find records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Taylor surname and its variations.TAYLOR Surname Family Mailing Lists: RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Taylor surname. References and Further Reading Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD, Penguin Books, 1967.Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German-Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005.Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004.Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
And now for a number of points - Emphasis
And now for a number of points And now for a number of points If you watched the recent Horizon programme on BBC Two 31 March at 9pm to be precise you cant have failed to have been moved by the power of maths and how we are literally surrounded by myriad aspects of it in our daily lives. Professor Marcus du Santoy, an Oxford mathematician led Alan Davies, comedian, through a series of interesting exercises to help him conceptualise how we assess probability, angles, and one, two, three and four spatial dimensions. Professor du Santoys enthusiasm for his subject was infectious. Maths is fundamental. We use it constantly whether we are aware of it or not. It helps us make good, rational decisions. And yet, how many of us are confident about expressing numbers in print? At first sight this may look amazingly straightforward but recent courses have revealed that lots of delegates are unsure when to use figures or words to express numbers. And many fudge a perfectly good point by using a number of rather than the exact amount. Why not see which of the following you think are correct and why? Then send us in your answers. 1. The Bank of Englands interest rate is now half of one percent. 2. Rates remain exceptionally low after 6 cuts since October last year. 3. The government looks set to inject around 30 billion into the economy through quantitative easing. 4. The government looks set to inject around 30 bn into the economy through quantitative easing. 5. Three sheep stood up to their necks in 3 feet of water. 6. 1,000 curses on your head. 7. His office is on the 1st floor. 8. Lets meet on Friday the 10th of May.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Why are similar independence claims the subject of different responses Essay
Why are similar independence claims the subject of different responses from the international community The international communitys position on Kosovo, South Ossetia and Abkhazia - Essay Example vestigation of the issues and facts that divide the international community in its responses to the secessions of Kosovo, Abkhazia and South Ossetia reveal that the legality of these secessions are not the only determining factors. A review of the literature seems to suggest that power politics has a role to play in the responses to these secessions. In other words, there is an emerging trend indicating that it is possible to conclude that world powers are more inclined to support or refuse to support an entityââ¬â¢s secession based on political rather than legal reasoning. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate that power politics permits what amounts to a spin on the international legal framework for statehood and state recognition. The secessions of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Kosovo will be compared and contrasted with a view to determining the way that the international community should have responded to these secessions and how they in fact, responded. It will be argued that from a purely legal perspective the secessions are no different from one another, and power politics plays a greater role in the international communityââ¬â¢s responses than international customary law. The 2008 declarations of independence by South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Kosovo was met by entirely different responses by the international community, specifically international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Organizations for Security Cooperation with Europe (OSCE) .2 The CoE, the UN and the OSCE readily recognized Kosovoââ¬â¢s independence but at the same time did not accept and recognize the secession of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.3 The European Union (EU) which occupies a unique position in its relationship with Russia, was split on Kosovoââ¬â¢s independence and unquestionably unsupportive of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.4 NATO and the United States (US) accepted and recognized Kosovoââ¬â¢s independence but outright refused to accept
Friday, November 1, 2019
Comparing and contrasting functionalist,marxist and feminist Essay
Comparing and contrasting functionalist,marxist and feminist perspective on religion - Essay Example Religion refers to those socially shared ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that have to do with the supernatural or "beyond" (Zanden 371). For Shepard, Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things (388). The theorists like Marx Weber, Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim have different views on Religion. Emile Durkheim presented his functionalist perspective of religion in his work The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (Thio 385). He emphasized that religion functions to preserve social order. Every religion possessed both rituals and moral norms (Ibid). By way of rituals, people sanctify and renew their bonds to one another. Their beliefs in the sacred and acceptance of common norms are strengthened. Thus, religion binds the society and maintains it (Ibid). As a whole, functionalist theorists direct their focus on the contributions the religion has made to the survival of the society. Functionalists argue that the role of religion is to preserve the s tatus quo rather than to promote social change. They agree that religion is a beneficial conservative force because it maintains consensus, binds people together and promotes social order. They however see it as having a positive influence, whereas the Marxist view is somewhat more negative in its outlook. ("The Different"). The essential function of religion was to provide through sacred symbols a mirror for members of society to see their common unity. Through its system of beliefs, religion offers an explanation of the nature of social life (Shepard 391). The conflict theorists on the other hand, as represented by Karl Marx viewed religion as producing an otherworldly focus that diverts the oppressed from seeking thisworldy social change (Zanden 382). Marx viewed it is an expression of human alienation and an illusion. It is a form of false consciousness and as a tool of the powerful in the struggles between competing social class ( Robertson 405). It is the "sigh of the oppresse d creature, the heart of the heartless world, the soul of the soulless circumstances. It is the opium of the people" ( Thio 385). Marx considered it as a profound form of human alienation because people tend to lose control over the social world they have created resulting to a situation where they find themselves alien in the hostile social environment (Robertson 405). This is because people shape social institutions expecting that the same will serve their needs yet find themselves to be the servant of the institutions they created (Zanden 382). Conflict theorists have taken a new perspective on the relationship between religion and social change. They view it not as a passive response to social relations of production but as an active force shaping the contours of social life (Ibid 383). Marxist argue that religion is a mechanism for social control- (as does functionalism), religion maintains the existing system of exploitation, and reinforces class relationships and inequalities . Further, Marx argued that religion dulls the pain of oppression by: 1) Promising a paradise of eternal bliss in the after life, 2) By often making poverty tolerable by offering heaven as a reward for they're suffering c) By giving the hope of supernatural intervention to solve the worlds problems and d) Justifies social order/hierarchies- by saying that poverty is divinely ordained as a punishment for sin ( "The Different"). .Feminists on one hand agree with Marxists to the extent of religion acting as an instrument of domination and oppression but not for the ruling class but for men. They believe people live in a patriarchal society. Radical feminists during the 1970's and 1980's view religion primarily as patriarchal ideology regardless of the different forms in which it appeared (Newman, "Feminist"). They found that there exists a relationship between religion and politics. The male controlled institution, such as religion defines women as subordinate to men and are used to
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