Gangster culture develop in the USA in the 1920`s to the 1940`s Essay

Why did a gangster culture develop in the USA in the 1920`s to the 1940`s ? There were several different factors that contributed to the developing of a gangster culture and the organised crime in America. The interesting thing about this is that all of the factors just happened to appear at once, creating a perfect environment for the birth of a nation-wide, organised criminal power. This criminal power could develop because the vicious increase in foreign immigrants during that time in America, which is probably the main reason. The Mafia also could develop in the US because of their really strict discipline, its organisation and hierarchy. Also important for the birth of this gangster culture was the prohibition, the fact that alcohol was illegal and the Mafia could produce it and sell it made it rich, but they had indeed other businesses too. The mighty Dons with their great gangs organised all these businesses and made the phenomenon Mafia in America in the 1920’s and 1940’s possible. The organised criminal power: First of all it need to be said what the Mafia is. The word Mafia means arrogance and presumption in Italian and refuge in Arabic, which refers to the origins of the Mafia as a society that fled to the hills of Italy to avoid attack. It is the word for a group of criminals who are sometimes linked together with a blood oath and who are not allowed to betray their secret. The first time the word Mafia was mentioned was in the ninth century in Sicily. To this time the main purpose of the so-called Mafia was it to strengthen themselves against the Arabic and Norman forces which invaded their homeland in Sicily. These Arabic and Norman forces oppressed the native Sicilians so that they had to take refuge in the surrounding hills. The intention of the secret society in the hills was it to wake a strong sense of togetherness between all the native Sicilians and to unite every native against the invaders. They tried to create a sense of family which was well organised and had a strong hierarchical layout. History of the vicious increase of foreigners: The U.S. Mafia, or the â€Å"Black Hand† as it was known in the early period, began to develop in the 1800`s in the USA because of the vicious increase in foreign immigrants during that time in America. Three million Irish, three and a half million Jews and four million Italians immigrated to America. New York was the second biggest Italian city after Naples, one quarter of New York – more than half a million people – were Italian . Although many think the Mafia had their roots in New York and Chicago it actually has been traced in 26 major cities in America. The new immigrants, bewildered by the new land, and it’s strange language, lived closely together in the Little Italy’s of New York, Chicago, New Orleans and other cities. The first time the Mafia was mentioned and therefore discovered in America was in New Orleans in the 1800à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s. Police Chief David Hennesy discovered the existence of this growing gangster culture in the heart of the United States of America while he was investigating the murder of an Italian immigrant. One reason why the Mafia was able to establish itself was because they were by far the biggest ethnic group in America and they had strong and violent leaders or rather Dons. Don Vito, Vito Cascio Ferro (1862-1945), was the first Sicilian Capo de Tutti Capi. He is believed to be the one man primarily responsible for establishing the communication between the Sicilian and U.S. Mafia. He had also an important role in 1924 when many Italian Mafia members came to the USA to avoid persecution in Sicily because Mussolini was determined to rid of the Mafia in Italy. This increased the numbers of members in the organisation and developed the gangster culture in the USA. Discipline and Hierarchy: Discipline: It is quite interesting that the Mafia was able to establish itself so fast in America one important reason for this phenomenon was the discipline. First of all every new mobster (member of the family) had to go through a ceremony, this ceremony was often compared to the baptism ceremony. This ceremony was really important for the mobster because at this day he became full member of La Cosa Nostra (our affair). The newcomer was told that the Mafia is a secret society and that there is just one way in and only one way out of it. You come in on your feet and you go out in a coffin. They were told that they have to kill even their own blood family when the mobster accepted everything he was told of the rules he must abide by. These rules were the heart of the Mafia and one of the most important reasons why this gangster culture could develop in America. The most important rule in organised crime was the rule called the Omerta. The Omerta is a code of silence. A vow never to reveal any Mafia secrets or member under threat of torture or death. Another rule was the obedience rule. The obedience rule stated that the member must at all times be loyal to the boss or Don. A third law of the Mafia was the assistance to any befriended Mafia faction, no questions asked. A few others included, Avenge any attack on members of the family, because an attack on one was an attack on all, and the last rule was to avoid any and all contact with the authorities. Hierarchy: Another evidence for the strong discipline in the Mafia was the hierarchical layout. The Mafia in America was organised like a â€Å"parliament† which was called the Commission. The Commission handled interfamily disputes and set general policy for La Cosa Nostra. It acted as more of a forum of Family Bosses than a board of directors. At the head of each family stood the Dons or Bosses they were the men with all of the power in the Family. They were giving orders, and the rest of the Family were expected to follow them without question. Next in line to the Dons were the Underbosses, who were second in command. He controlled the day-to-day operations of the Family. Followed by the Consigliere or counsellors. The consigliere acts as a â€Å"counsellor† or â€Å"advisor† to the boss. He was directly under the boss in terms of the hierarchy, but he did not normally give orders. Fourth in the line was the so-called â€Å"Capo†. Capo is the short form for capodecina or caporegime and he was the leader of a â€Å"crew† or decina (literally, â€Å"group of ten†) of ten to fifteen soldiers. The Soldiers were the one’s who would enforce discipline over both members and non-members through the use of intimidation, assaults, and murder. And last were the men who did the really dirty work for the Mob, the Associates. They were not â€Å"made† guys, they just hang around with the crew. They often are willing to do anything to get â€Å"made†, and therefore handle a lot of hits. The Prohibition: Another fact that benefited the developing of he Mafia in the USA in the 1920à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s and 1930à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s was the prohibition. Prohibition basically means the legal forbidden production, transport and sale of alcoholic drinks in the USA between 1920 and 1933. With these laws the Mafia had a perfect base for its organised crime. The government of England and the American Colonies tried since 1750, almost fruitless, to stop the excessive consumption of alcohol. In the twenties of the 19th century the average alcohol consumption of pure alcohol per person was about twenty seven litres per year. The government saw a strong link between the alcohol consumption on the one hand and the rapidly growing criminality, poverty ,brutal force and the developing of great gangster culture on the other hand. They therefore have seen the necessity for an alcohol prohibition. The first prohibition law was passed in 1851 in the state Main and prohibited the production and the sale of alcohol except for medical or technical purposes. With this law all alcoholic drinks with more than 0,5 percent alcohol were forbidden. Thirteen of the thirty-one states introduced similar laws around 1850. However, the means of alliance and states for the effective enforcement were completely inadequate to the Prohibition. Follow of the national prohibition was that the Mafia made this prohibition useful to itself, they built black distillery in great extent to produce the alcohol, they smuggled it, they sold illegal through so-called bootleggers, they also sold it into Speakeasies (camouflaged Saloons) and they bribed the police the follow of all these illegal wheelings and dealings were a rapid increase of organised crime all over the USA . To this time the developing of the American Mafia was on its peak. It was expanding like never before in the United States. The fact that a thing so many people wanted to have was illegal and easy to produce was almost perfect for the organised crime and the Mafia. War of the women: But in 1873 the spectacular â€Å"war of the women† broke out everywhere in the United States. They were protesting against the Saloons which were the places of the greatest alcohol consumption and in 1900 the woman found the Anti-Saloon-League of America (ASL) that performed great political influence in the following time. Until 1916 23 of the 48 states issued Anti-Saloon Laws for the closing of the Saloons and for the prohibition of the production of alcoholic drinks. These laws were not a disaster for the gangster culture but they already lost some money in their bootlegging business. In the initial phase of the world economy crisis the prohibition opponents argued convincing, that that the prohibition disabled the increase of jobs and the income of taxes it also added the stagnation of the economy. In December 1933 the US congress with great majority discharged the 21st condition addition, with which the 18th addition, the Prohibition, was cancelled. The control of the alcohol consumption rested now on the individual states. Until 1966 every state had cancelled their prohibition laws. That was bitter for the Mafia and the Dons, because they lost one of their most important businesses and had to look for other ways to make good money. Other Businesses: The Bootlegging business was not the only illegal business in which the Mafia was involved in. Another fact why the Mafia was so successful in organised crime was because they were so flexible and had many other businesses. One of them was the Extortion of protection money which was already done in Sicily in the 1700à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s. Pictures of a black hand (which was the sign for the Mafia in Sicily) were distributed to the wealthy. This was an unspoken request for an amount of money in return for protection. If the money wasn’t paid, the recipients could expect violence such as kidnappings, bombings, and murder. The methods did not change in the USA when the extorted business did not accept the assimilation to the family it had to fear terror. In cities were the Mafia was really present whole areas were extorted and did what the Don wanted them to do. The Black Hand fear became such a problem that a special Italian branch of the police had to be formed, this was essential as the immigrants did not trust the Irish/American law force, and the police had no understanding of Italian customs or behaviour. A whole net of organised crime was over the towns were the Mafia was, they controlled the illegal business like bootlegging, extortion, machine gambling, bookmaking, loan sharking, labour racketeering and kidnapping but also legal businesses like food production, they owned restaurants, they controlled the garbage disposal as well as the garment manufacturing, bars and taverns and Labour unions as well. The Don’s The Dons â€Å"owned† the cities with there businesses, they controlled everything that happened in â€Å"their towns† and ran the city in whatever way they felt. They and their gangs had a great part that the Mafia could develop in the US. The strongest and therefore probably the most famous individuals in the history of the American Mafia were Vito Cascio Ferro (Don Vito), Charlie Luciano (Lucky Luciano), Joseph Bonano (Joey Bananas, Alphonse Capone (to his friends: â€Å"Snorky,† among some members of the press: â€Å"Scarface†). These handsome individuals were so powerful and influencing that they had a great part why the Mafia could establish itself in America in the 1920à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s to the 1940à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s. Vito Cascio Ferro (1862- 1945): Vito Cascio Ferro was responsible for the establishing the communication between the Sicilian and U.S. Mafia. Cascio Ferro came to New York in 1900, he already had established himself in Sicily where he commited kidnapping, extortion, arson, and threatening officials. Ferroà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s activities in the U.S. are not clear, but he killed at least one man. This man, called Benedetto Madonia, had been trying to establish a counterfeiting ring in Don Vito’s territory without permission or authority of Don Vito. He was killed really brutally,he was cut in pieces and put into a barrel with his penis and testicles in his mouth. This showed how dangerous the Mafia was already in its early stages, as well as that the police could not really stop the uprising criminal society in the U.S. in the 1920à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½- 1940à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s. Don Vito fled to New Orleans before the police could ask him one question ,he spent time organising his own counterfeiting ring along with establishing a connection for heroin smuggling with Sicily. Again nobody could stop the establishment of Don Vito. Everything seemed to be alright till Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino(police officer), could give evidence for Vitoà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s illegal activities. These evidence forced him to return to Sicily where he quickly established himself as head of all Mafiosi. Again everything seemed to be alright till Lieutenant Petrosino once again appeared in his life. He came to sicily in 1909 to prove the connection between the U.S. and Sicilian mobs and hopefully to have some criminals extradited back to the U.S., including Cascio Ferro, but Petrosino soon was murdered in Sicily probably by Vito himself and two other gunmen. This story was never proved by evidence. After the killing of Lieutenant Petrosino Don Vito became even more popular in both the Sicilian and U.S. underworlds this fact helped him to establish himself as a well respected businessman in Palermo. For a certain time everything worked well, Vito even began to send Mafiosi to the U.S. to help build a criminal empire there. In 1921 Benito Mussolini came to power, one of his major aims were to destroy the strong Mafia organisation, Vito had established. Vito who had seen this coming had sent Salvatore Maranzano to the States to take over the crime empire there and to establish the Mafia in America even more. He actually planned to follow Marranzano and take over leadership himself but he never got the chance, because he was arrested in 1929. Vito Cascio Ferro was sentenced to life imprisonment. Vito Cascio Ferro established the Mafia in America, he also made sure that this criminal society had a future in the USA when he sent more Mafiosi to the States. Charlie Luciano (1896 – 1962): Charlie Luciano was born in Lercara Friddi, Sicily, on 11th November, 1896. His family moved to the United States in 1906 and they settled in New York. He began his criminal career by selling drugs when he was really young. In 1915 he was arrested in the possession of several kilos of heroin. When he came out of prison he again chose the criminal career. In 1920 he became a member of a Mafia gang, which had allready established itself in America. By 1925 Luciano criminal career was going really well, he became the Donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s second hand, he directed bootlegging, prostitution and drug distribution. In 1929 a gang war broke out between Lucianoà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s Don and Salvatore Maranzano. During this gang war Luciano was kidnapped by Maranzano’s men and was stabbed with an ice pick. His attackers thought he was dead and therefore left him. But he miraculously survived and was known from now on as Lucky Luciano. In April 1931, Luciano, Albert Anastasia and Bugsy Siegel, were involved in the murder of their Don, Joe Masseria. They now controlled the Mob Masseria had left and the business as well, so they therefore controlled one of the strongest Mafia gangs to this time. This was not enough power for Luciano, six months later he arranged the killing of Salvatore Maranzano with the help of Meyer Lansky. Luciano was now the most important criminal boss in New York and one reason why the Mafia could establish itself in the USA in the 1920à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s – 1940à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s. But this was still not enough power for him and he therefore joined with Louis Lepke Buchalter, Abe Reles and Albert Anastasia to form Murder Incorporated which was an organisation that carried out executions for money. This again showed how strong the Mafia already was, they found a killing organisation under the eyes of the American law. Everything went well for the American Mafia and Lucky Luciano till 1936 when he was sentenced for a life in prison for 30 years. But once again the Mafia in the US showed its strength, Luciano could continue controlling his criminal empire from prison. In February, 1946, he was deported to Italy where he lived for a short time, but in 1947 he went to Cuba to control his criminal activities in the USA. The US were able to get rid of his activities when they sent him back to Italy again. He died of a heart attack in Naples on 26th January, 1962. Lucky Luciano was really important for the rise of the American Mafia because he unlike Maranzano, who tried to impose himself as the Emperor in an organisation modelled after the Roman Empire, Luciano organised a decentralised structure in which the major crime families divided up territories and spheres of activities and met, when necessary, to mediate differences between the various families. This served to prevent the all-out wars that had wracked the Mafia in the 1930’s while allowing organised crime to grow even richer and more entrenched in the United States of America. Charlie Luciano gained a lot of power when he killed two of the most powerful Donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s in the USA, he also stopped the gang wars and reorganised the system how the Mafia worked. Joseph Bonanno (1905 – 2002): Joseph Bonanno became the boss of one of the most prominent crime families in the world, the Bonanno crime family. He began his career with extorting money from businesses and little crimes. In 1927 Salvatore Maranzano, who had been sent over by Don Vito Cascio Ferro, the Italian man who dreamed of Mafia control overseas, had arrived to meet up with Bonanno and others to bring the American Mafia under Don Vito’s control. Maranzano began a fight with the man who, until then, led Mafia activities in New York: Joe The Boss Masseria. The war between them became known as the Castellemarese War. Several young Mafiosi’s were involved in this war, Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky and indeed Joseph Bonano, known as the young generation of mobsters. Lucky Luciano, Joe Bonanno and others were tired of the bloodshed, and fearful that all of this violence would draw too much attention from the authorities on their interests, set up a meeting which led to the creation of the crime Commission, and hits on Masseria, and Maranzano, marking the end of the era of the Mustache Petes. The Commission consisted of five Mafia families, and the Bonanno Mafia family was one of them. Bonanno took over what used to be mainly Maranzano’s faction. This Commision was really important for the uprising of the Mafia because it made sure thet the families would not fight against each other. Bonanno did not like violent conflicts, he therefore ruled his family with fairness, and in addition to his to gambling and other rackets, focused his attention on more legitimate ventures such as the clothing industry, and funeral businesses. Bonanno established himself on the West Coast, particularly California, and Arizona, and other countries such as Cuba, and Canada which again shows the great influence of Bonanno and the American Mafia to this time. Joseph Bonanno was never convicted of a serious crime. He was once fined $450 and was jailed for terms of 8 and 14 months for contempt of court for refusing to answer questions but he never had been to prison any longer then 14 months. He was really important for the uprising Mafia society because he got rid of the old generation mobster, he also set up the Commision to calm the gang wars down and took over a great crime empire of Salvatore Moranzano, which made him one of the most powerful Donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s of the Mafia history. Alphonse Capone (1899 – 1947): Al Capone, how he was also called, is probably the most famous Mafia Boss in the history of the American Mafia. He was born in New York and was the fourth oldest of nine children. He was known as a brutal Neapolitan mobster from the younger generation, who became a powerful force in the Sicilian-American Mafia and is therefore important for the question why the Mafia could rise in America. He is probably so well known because he was as an organisational and motivational genius who served as one of the architects of the nation-wide criminal Syndicate. Al Capone’s philosophy was that laws only applied to people who had enough money to live by them. He grew up in the slums of Brooklyn & received the nickname â€Å"Scarface† as the result of a knife wound. He was a fearsome enforcer for Five Points leader Johnny Torrio. Johnny Torrio stablished himself in Chicago’s Colosimo gang Capone quickly rose to the top of the Colosimo crime empire, which thanks to Torrio and Capone, included bootleg liquor among its enterprises. Capones real time came after Torrio narrowly escaped death on Jan. 24, 1925 and left the whole gang with all its businesses to Capone. Capone organised the syndicate with a plan to make crime in Chicago and throughout the United States run like a business monopoly. Through violence Capone became king of the Chicago underworld, â€Å"The Master Criminal.† With his methods he established a $110-million-a-year empire out of bootleg liquor, gambling, prostitution & labor rackets. The police tried several times to imprison him but too many businesses were tied to legal ones and too many officials, politicians and policeman were bribed by Capone. After a series of wars against other Mafia gangs a new national Syndicate was set up which was another step to establish the American Mafia even more. But he could enjoy the new underworld just for about a month. At the end of October in 1931 he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion. He already suffered from syphilis and in jail it was getting worse . He managed to leave prison and was never again involved in underworld affairs. He died in 1947 as maybe the greatest Mafia Boss the world has ever seen. His ability to co-ordinate, managing and motivate people made him one of the most powerful Mafia individuals and he had a great deal why the Mafia could establish itself in America. The Mafia in the 1920’s – 1940’s was so powerful that the Don’s and their gangs could do what ever they wanted to do. It is questionable if the individuals of the Mafia were just more powerful and the circumstances too perfect for the growth of the Mafia, or if the Police and the politicians in America were just too weak. What I can say for sure is that throughout history the Mafia was probably the system which was better organised than every government and more powerful than every other gangster culture this world has ever seen because many things that came together by chance which made America a perfect ground for the growth of a gangster culture. One of the most important reasons was the vicious increase in foreign immigrants during that time in America, it flooded some of the most mighty Don’s in American history to the USA and gave these Don’s the Mob they needed. Another thing was that these Don’s were able to keep a really strict discipline, organisation and hierarchy. Also important for the birth of this gangster culture was the prohibition, the fact that alcohol was illegal and the Mafia could produce it and sell it made it rich, but they had indeed other businesses too. The mighty Dons with their great gangs organised all these businesses and made the phenomenon Mafia in America in the 1920’s and 1940’s possible. Bibliography: Albini, Joseph: The American Mafia: Genesis of a Legend /Appleton-Century-Crofts (1971) Arlacchi, Pino: Men of Dishonour: Inside the Sicilian Mafia /William Morrow & Company, Inc. (1992) Catania, Enzo: MAFIA /St. Martin’s Press (1978) Foreman, Laura: True Crime: Mafia /Time-Life Books (1993) Reid, Ed: The Grim Reapers: The Anatomy of Organised Crime in America /Henry Regnery Company (1969) Repetto, Thomas: American Mafia: A History of its Rise to Power /Henry Holt and Company (2004) Short, Martin: Crime Inc.: The Story of Organised Crime /Arrow Books Ltd. (1997) Sondern, Frederick: Brotherhood of Evil: The Mafia /Farrar, Straus and Cudahy (1959) Sterling, Claire: Octopus: The Long Reach of the International Sicilian Mafia /W.W. Norton & Company, (1990) Chambliss, William: Eine kriminelle Vereinigung. Politik und Verbrechen in den USA (1978) Websites: â€Å"A Brief History Of The Mafia http://www.pressanykey.com/mafia/history.html â€Å"Al Capone† http://www.tincat.demon.co.uk/alcapone.htm â€Å"Charles Luciano http://www.gambino.com/bio/charlesluciano.htm â€Å"How The Mafia Started† http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/lobby/9880/started.html

The European Middle Ages – Change over Time

The economy of the Middle Ages The economy has long been a major force in the development of societies for centuries. It often changes and fluctuates, consequentially resulting in the success or failure of civilizations. The economy of medieval Europe originated as that of a feudal systemdue to the dangerous and chaotic conditions of the continent at the time. By the end of the Middle Ages, the feudal system no longer being used due to its newfound inefficiency with the new situations emerging.Towns and trade began to get more popular, but society was still agriculturally based and comparatively less developed than the societies of Asia. The early Middle Ages are characterized by the Church and the feudal and manorial systems; systems in which every European’s life were centered around. In this arrangement there were kings, lords, vassals, knights, peasants and serfs. The hierarchy was that of a property owning basis. It was a land exchange for protection. During early medieva l times, Europe was in a state of chaos.Muslim, Magyar, and Viking invaders devastated the continent and surrounded it from all sides. With no true government in place, people were susceptible to invasions, and then came the feudal system. When kings gave men plots of land, those men would have to provide protection for the king and the land given through knights. The system was actually extremely complex because a lord was a vassal and he could also be a knight. In addition to that, a vassal could be a vassal to multiple people and they often fought over land.After the knights were peasants, people who worked the land of their lord. Some peasants were serfs, who were legally bound to the land they were born on, but they were not slaves. The wealth of every lord came from the work of his peasants. The manorial system branched out of the feudal system and was the more economic side of feudalism. The manor was the estate of the lord and there was an agreement between the lord and the peasants who worked the land. In exchange for housing, some farmland, and protection from bandits, the peasants would maintain the estate.A manor was like a small community in the way that is was self-sufficient and had all the necessities for someone living in that time. The manor normally consisted of the lord’s house, a church, workshops, fields, pastures, and a small village for the peasants. The serfs and peasants were also able to produce most of the goods needed for everyday life. The downside of living on the manor, for peasants at least was the taxes. There were taxes on the grain from the lord’s mill, a marriage tax, and a tithe, a church tax, to the village priest.Both of these systems were rigid and social mobility was essentially nonexistent. There was much change in medieval society; some of the causes for these changes even started some domino effects. For example, there was a huge population increase around the 1000s because more efficient farming. Peas ants began to rely on horses more than oxen, resulting in a faster plow. The three-field system was also being used, allowing more land to be farmed and more diversity in the medieval diet. Not only was the population increasing, but people were also living longer.Additionally, the worry of being robbed by bandits or invaded by foreigners was gone, so people could now be more independent and could travel without as much fear. Through these factors, there is a growth of towns and the decline of the feudal and manorial systems begins. The expanding towns mainly consisted of peasants and runaway serfs and weren’t as reliant on farming as they were before. This led to other professions reemerging. Local manufacturing was part of town life and the managing of the training of apprentices, the quality of products, and the prices for the goods were all controlled by a guild.Guilds had a monopoly for their trade in their town. Although guilds and towns did help, what truly had a subst antial effect on society were wars and diseases. The Crusades, the Bubonic Plague, and the Hundred Years’ War caused a variety of events and eventually led to the end of the Middle Ages. Although it was technically a failed expedition, the Crusades, a series of wars for the reconquering of the holy land fed by religious zeal, had quite a good effect on Europe’s future. After the Crusades, Christians’ relationship with Muslims was severed, but trade routes to Asia opened up everywhere.The trade between the two regions led to new technologies being introduced to Europeans. Furthermore, the power of nobles decreased and the feudal system began to slowly decline over the next 200 years. An example of a flourishing city is Venice that expanded and grew rich. Despite the slightly less unpromising time after the Crusades, the Black Death devastated Europe and made it digress some. The bubonic Plague originated in Asia and had already rampaged through Asia and Africa. E ntering Europe in 1347 through a fleet of Genoese merchant ships that arrived in Sicily, the plague spread all throughout Europe quickly.Over one-third of Europe’s population died because of the plague and medieval society was shattered. The population drop led to a scarce amount of workers and increased prices. Farms were abandoned and peasants living in manors demanded higher wages. The nobles refusing to the peasant demands resulted in many revolts. The plague would come in waves, so recovering and surviving more than once was difficult. While the plague struck Europe, England and France were in a war that would come to be known as the Hundred Years’ War. During the war, England used cheaper foot soldiers that used longbows to decimate the French.Knights were being defeated by lowly foot soldiers that were most likely peasants at home, making many people question the functionality of the feudal system. Ultimately the basis of the economy was moving towards trade and the success of towns and cities, ending the system that used to hold medieval society together. Like most past and modern societies, Europe remained dependent on agriculture, the class system was still similar to that of its predecessor, and when compared to other places of the time, Europe isn’t as active in trade and gaining land.A change in economic factors didn’t deviate from the need to feed the growing population. An agricultural based economy was necessary for the survival of Europeans, so that towns could grow and trade could expand. Moreover, the class system still had the king and religious leader on top because of the new sense of nationality and the fact that Europe was primarily Catholic. The class one was born into continued to define the lives of many and social mobility was still nonexistent.Whereas Europe’s trade was beginning to flourish, the trade in Asia and Africa were far beyond that. Just like in the 800s, Europe remained fairly isolated when paralleled to other civilizations. This is partly due to the strong religious intolerance. Namely, the Spanish Reconquista and Inquisition are examples of prejudice against non-Christians, implying a sense of superiority among Christians. The continent was also recently hit with a catastrophic plague, killing one-third of the population, making trade less of a priority.In the 650 years that were the Middle Ages, the economy of the time changed drastically. Europe went from having a strict hierarchy of property owning aristocrats to the growth of merchant-led towns. Nobles lost immense power and the population wavered at the mercy of new agricultural techniques and deadly plagues. Trade became an important component of the European economy, but it still remained very agricultural and not as adept in trade as its peers. The economical change would lead the continent to become on of the principal contributors to history today.

Anxiety Self Esteem And Alienation Psychology Essay

Anxiety Self Esteem And Alienation Psychology Essay Adolescence is a phase of physical, emotional, social variations, adjustment and development. Anxiety can impact self-esteem, interpersonal relationships and may lead to alienation. The study investigated the interrelationships among these variables on undergraduate girls and boys (40 each) between the ages of 18 and 23 years. Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Scale (1971), Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (1967) and Sharma’s Alienation scale (1988) were used to test the variables. Significant differences were found among female college students reporting higher anxiety, self-esteem and alienation than male college students. Self esteem and anxiety were highly correlated among males and valid relation was found between alienation and anxiety. However, gender differences were found towards core coon all the constructs. Further, the study contributes to examine the social problems that are prevalent among the adolescents so that maximum can be benefited to the societal inst itutions and the families by providing the understanding. Key Words: Adolescents, Anxiety, Alienation, Self-Esteem *Research Scholar, s.ali.shah14@gmail.com , 09891927834 **Assistant Professor, korsidk@gmail.com , Department of Psychology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi- 110025 Introduction: Increased media attentions, prevalence of university counseling centers and enhanced awareness of the mental health needs of college going students, (Benton, Robertson, Tseng, Newton, Rudd, 2004) marked the need to study severity of the problems which might affect the individual as he/she is at odd at self. The present study investigates the relationship between anxiety, self-esteem and alienation among male and female college students. Anxiety: Anxiety is an essential and natural emotional experience. The concept of anxiety is as old as human existence. Anxiety is associated with substantial negative effects on children’s social, emotional and academic success (Essau, Conradt Brown, Higgins, Hawkins et al., 2000; Suh Smith, 2000; Smyth, 2009).

British Imperialists' Motives in Scramble for Africa Essay

British Imperialists' Motives in Scramble for Africa - Essay Example Nevertheless, imperialism is a many-faceted phenomenon; which had political, economic and social roots. Indeed, Socialist and Marxist critics narrowed its definition down and applied the term to a certain stage of capitalist societies when discussing social and and economic conditions (p.2).Thus, any attempt to give an account on the British imperialism must highlight the underlying political, social and economic motives. As Robinson and Gallagher (1961, pp. 19) stated â€Å"a first task in analysing the late-Victorians’ share in the partition [of Africa] is to understand the motives of the ministers who directed it, and the study of official thinking is indispensable to this†. The aim of this paper is to scrutinize British Imperialists' motives in scramble for Africa in three respects: political, economic and social. The Scramble for Africa begun in the last quarter of the 18th century and lasted until the WWI. While the decline of the Ottoman influence created a power vacuum in the region, the colonial powers of Europe, following the lead of the British imperialists, have begun to fill that void. In Africa and The Victorians, Robinson and Gallagher examined the relationship between the partition of Africa and British decision-making process. According to them, the Victorians' political relations with Africa changed radically after 1882. Lord Salisbury stated that: â€Å"I do not exactly know the cause of this sudden revolution. But there it is† (Quoted by Robinson and Gallagher, 1961, pp. 17). Late-Victorians were more eager to dominate Africa than their predecessors and the British forces invaded Egypt in 1882. The collapse of weak African governments may also have played role in the partition. In fact, British divide and rule policy was also an important factor in the national unrest and disorder in Africa. However, Robinson and Gallagher focused on the British policy-making as the underlying political factor. In fact, according to them , as also indicated by Schumpeter, â€Å"The possibility of official thinking in itself was a cause of late-Victorian imperialism† (pp. 21). Indeed, England had a long tradition of imperial rule and the that policy tradition inherited from Pitt and Channing to Palmerston and Clarendon (p.22). They also highlight ed (pp.22-23) policy makers' ignorance of Africa, as the partition was made â€Å"at house parties† without any public interest or participation. In fact, the interests, and thus motives, of policy makers were different in each country. In Egypt, it was due to the collapse of the Kedive regime. In east and west Africa, British interests were related to the Egyptian occupation. In Southern Africa, â€Å"imeperial intervention against the Transvaal was designed above all to uphold and restore the imperial influence which economic growth, Africaner nationalism and the Jameson fiasco had overthrown† (pp. 463). In Rhodesias and Nyasaland, the motives were mer ged with imperial aims in Cape colonial expansion and balance the rise of the Transvaal (pp. 463). However, Robinson and Gallagher stressed that commercial or financial concerns were rather inconsequential in ministers' decision on which territories should be occupied (pp. 463). For Robinson and Gallagher, ministers' private calculations played the most important part in decision-making process and again for different reasons. However, the security concerns seem to have prevailed. In Rhodesia, it was the safety of the routes to the East, in Southern Africa it was the preservation of the colonial rule, while the safety of the routes to India was the prominent imperative (pp. 464). In fact, Robinson and Gallagher (1961, pp. 464) noted that â€Å"

Trade Union Decline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Trade Union Decline - Essay Example due to the implementation of varied types of macroeconomic policies, the rate of productivity and performance of the employees enhanced but it decreased the power of trade unions in these organizations. Due to which, the density of trade unions as well as the power of the members of the unions reduced that offered negative impacts over the productivity and brand value of the organization in the market among others. Other than this, as the rate of private sector organizations are increasing rather than manufacturing sectors, the demand for trade or labour unions is decreasing in varied countries such as United States, United Kingdom, and European Union etc. Due to which, over last 25 years, the demand of trade unions is decreasing at a rapid rate (Visser, 2002, pp. 734-745). Trade union is recognised as an association of a wide range of wage-earned members in order to amplify the working conditions and living standard of the employees of the organization. Other than this, the trade union is considered as the association that works for the welfare of the employees so as to amplify their dominance and position in the organization as compared to management. Moreover, it also tries to fulfil all sorts of desires such as pension, medical allowance, incentives, and bonuses of the workers so as to motivate them towards the assigned tasks that may improve the overall productivity of the organization. However, the demand of trade unions is decreasing as the amount of private sector organizations such as catering, IT organizations etc is increasing at a rapid pace as compared to manufacturing organizations. The trade unions act as a catalyst for the workers operating in different organizations. This is mainly because; it works always in favour of the employees by highlighting their needs and requirements (Snell & Bohlander, 2010, pp. 812-823). Trade union members communicate with all the employees of the organization so as to analyse their requirements such as pensions,

Democratic Peace-International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Democratic Peace-International Relations - Essay Example Since World War II, realists have sought a balance of power between the US and the USSR as a means of maintaining the peace. Constructivists have sought to socially construct a new political reality based on liberal values, trade, and international organizations. In a world with weak international organizations, such as the United Nations, the world is left to anarchy. Veto power by selected member nations has left the UN as an impotent body to determine the lawful respect for sovereign states. The US War in Iraq is an example where a weakened UN was powerless to stop a unilateral action. According to Brown, "Anarchy alone does not create the insecure, competitive, and war torn world... Social structures and shared knowledge determine whether states are friends or enemies. The fact that social structures are socially constructed does not, however, mean that they can be changed easily" (xxxi). Institutionalists hold some hope for order, but "treat states as rational egoists operating in a world in which agreements cannot be hierarchally enforced, and that institutionalists only expect interstate cooperation to occur if states have significant common interests" (Brown 384). Common interests most often revolve around trade and commerce. Actors do not wish to disrupt trade agreements and lose economic benefits. In the post Cold War period of nuclear availability, realism presents some clear dangers. The break-up of the Soviet Union has left a Europe where nationalism could be problematic in a scenario where a nuclear balance of power exists. Realism, a pessimistic view of human nature, would lead to further tensions in Europe and while it may provide a temporary lull in hostilities, it is incapable of solving the complex social problems of immigration, religious zeal, global health issues, or world environmental problems. Humanitarian intervention has

I want to leave it up to the writer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

I want to leave it up to the writer - Essay Example In Evil on Art, Howard portrays a different picture of art by using it to portray an evil. In this perspective the art has been used to advance the evil. There are evil movies which the actors give a negative picture. The evil in arts has been used. It creates a different picture from the first. In such circumstance other may wonder and critically question the possibility of the artist being talent that is used to create evil. The picture in the novel and plays may be considered as the exploration beyond human thought. In the last article Why Read Hurry Potter, Greisinger discusses the story to the children that is not occultism. The stories are also not paganism and therefore can be considered Christian to some extent. The big question in this article is why student read books on witchcraft and wizards? The fantasy and the genre that are mysterious are in the

Water Pollution in Orlando Florida Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Water Pollution in Orlando Florida - Coursework Example Orlando has failed to control water pollution to the extent that the federal government had to intervene. Orlando has many water catchment areas but there have been recent concerns over the level of effluents that are finding their way into the lakes and rivers. For instance, Lake Lawne was put on alert after a residential sanitary system blocked leading to sewage overflow that ended up into the lake. Although there were intervention measures, the lake was already polluted. Indeed a lake alert was issued and public warned not to use the water until the issue was resolved. Lake Okeechobee has been in the public limelight for uncontrolled pollution. Effluents from large farms and ranches find its way into the lake thereby causing water pollution. These are just some of the examples. However, the water pollution through improper effluent management seems to be escalating. The primary causes of water pollution stemming from the failure the of effluent management by waste management depar tments and most importantly failure of industries and farming sector to manage their waste. This is a case of lack of human values and environmental ethics. For instance, ranches and dairy firms should observe environmental ethics and take precautionary measures to ensure that their effluents do not end up in the water catchment areas. They should all respect human values and observe environmental ethics even when it means cutting down their profits to do so. This way Orlando will be an environmentally conscious city.

Power point presentations PowerPoint Presentation

Power point presentations - PowerPoint Presentation Example PowerPoint format has limited ability to accommodate relatively large information per slide. Besides, the graphical and statistical holds marginal content, which encourages bulleting form of presentation (Doumont 67). PowerPoint is criticized for its inability to allow for faster information transfers, and bogging down of the viewers or presented following the saturation of the slides. According to Tufte (5-6) in his theory referred to as â€Å"cognitive style of PowerPoint†, he asserts that the biggest crime leveled against bulleting presentation is the ability and tendency to â€Å"dilute thoughts†. He criticized PowerPoint because bullets were profound of disorganizing speakers while encouraging generic, simplistic and superficial thinking, which in turn ‘make us stupid’. The same sentiment were echoed by Harvard Business Review, by indicating that bullet statements are incomplete as it fails to state the critical assumptions as well as leaving the relationship unspecified. PowerPoint presents data in a monolithic manner which is historically outlined in a basic linear relationship and is generally acceptable. However, given the complexity of the results, the outcomes should be determined in a more complex multi-linear relationship. PowerPoint presents limited ideas and concepts which potentially limits the smooth flow of information. Tufte proceed by pointing out that in general, all the slides used by PowerPoint have a limited rate of information transfers compared to formal talk since a normal slide can only show a maximum of forty words, which only constitute eight seconds of any reading material (Tufte 16). Though this may be a significant tool of jarring the memory and organizing talks, the content is inadequate in case of a complex budget argument, solving non-linear multifaceted issues and intricate problems. In conclusion, the adoption of cognitive style of bullet presentation in our learning institutions is a

Week 9 assignment paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 9 assignment paper - Essay Example The public image of the company is paramount in keeping its customers and retaining its value. People arrive at the decision to purchase goods and services based on personal values. If the company projects the image consistent with public values, then sales may be expected to go up, as well as revenues and profits. This leads to a more valuable company through increased ROI for investors. However, companies negatively perceived are shunned and sales suffer. One need only look at Nike and Gap when news broke out that they outsourced products from child labor and sweat shops in Asia (Thottam, 2005). St. Jude Medical, my organization, is perceived as a reliable provider of quality medical goods, with a solid reputation in corporate responsibility. An organization with a high employee retention rate keeps its trained and skilled workers for a long time. The organization gains the benefit of their long-term experience and expertise, and avoids the cost of having to train new employees frequently. A high turnover rate reduces profitability because of the time new hires go through their learning curves, and the disruptions in the production schedule because of vacancies. Besides, one must â€Å"employ the market† to best serve the market (RBC, 2012). At SJM, employee turnover rate is low, and retention high. Of course, positive news breaks about the company are always welcome, and in the case of negative news, SJM, a Fortune 500 company, has its crisis management team to pre-empt the worst effects. The key to the crisis management plan is prompt, transparent communication with the public. SJM does not rely on PR or window dressing. Instead, its 16,000 engaged employees worldwide become the company’s spokesmen and uphold its brand name, by their own testimony and endorsement. Finally, SJM counters bad news by its good quality products. Yes, D&I practices at SJM develop a sense of community. The organization

The Trend of Logistics Development in China Essay Example for Free

The Trend of Logistics Development in China Essay With China’s entering WTO and the coming of the economic globalization, modern logistics has stepped into a far increased stage. In 2003, the logistics in China occupied RMB 240 billion dollars, compared with that in 2002, which increased by 26%, it is also estimated that during 2000 – 2005 the increasing rate of the 3PL marketing will reach 25% in China. Logistics industry, which is related to the producing manufacturing industry and commodity circulation industry, not only can help the enterprises optimize the resource configuration, lower the product costs, but also improve their competition capability. Logistics is also a systematic project that includes manufacturing, purchasing, storage, transportation, forward, distribution and sale. Now days, logistics and the supply chain management is becoming the core issue in world business field. Facing the immature logistics market in China, as far as the manufacturing, producing industry and the circulation industry are concerned, it is most important and urgent to positively evaluate the development tendency and meet the international requirements on the logistics as soon as possible. Development of Logistics Industry in China  The larger of Chinas logistics, but the rationalization of logistics gaps. Chinas logistics industry has yet to establish a statistical system based on, cannot accurately reflect the overall size of logistics. The performance of the logistics organization is not quite reasonable, subject to resource distribution, circulation system, the industrial layout and organization of production, materials far away, circuitous flow is serious; a large number of logistics activities, the lack of specialized logistics services organization, logistics and high cost. Other logistics companies generally low level of Information technology, as a constraint to the development of logistics enterprises in China the biggest bottleneck and obstacles. Current logistics enterprises in the Computer software applications, most still at the point-type application and the application of a sector, individual enterprises of the enterprise information Management, with customers to achieve some or all of the information between the shared computer network is only a few very small number of home. Logistics information technology has become mandatory access developed countries eligible for logistics enterprises, such as Just In Time(JIT), Material Requirements Planning 1(MRP1), Material Requirements Planning 2(MRP2) and so improve logistics efficiency and reduce logistics cost of modern management model is built on the information to adapt its technology to support the premise developed the Chinas logistics market is fiercely competitive low-end but high-end logistics market, but few people interested in the phenomenon exists, the overall low level of information, it cannot be implemented as JIT, MRP1, MRP2 and so improve logistics efficiency and reduce logistics cost of modern management model, naturally only in the low-end logistics market flame. Quality of personnel logistics enterprises, in particular the quality of leadership is difficult to adapt to the requirements of modern logistics operations. Chinas abundant human resources, labor costs are low, employment or logistics enterprises in the selection of mechanical equipment with modern, often choose to replace some of the modern employment of machinery and equipment more economical, because it has certain substitutability between. But man is no substitute for modern information technology to bring the efficiency of the logistics enterprises, the current leadership of the state-owned logistics enterprises personnel structure are mostly the end of the planned economy to work, go step by step in the enterprise leadership positions, management and thought leader in the factors that can not completely avoid inbreeding, plus has not been enhanced, the theoretical knowledge of the Training system, making it difficult to adapt to new business ideas and forms of development, lack of awareness development. Computer application is limited to mechanical and electrical integration from abroad, no paper into the main features of the distribution automation, modernization far, Chinas logistics industry, the biggest difference between the developed countries a direct manifestation of this is it. Therefore we can say, Information technology logistics industry in China the biggest gap with developed countries, but also restricting the development of logistics industry in China is a bottleneck. Development trend of Chinas logistics industry As economic integration, and Computer and communication technology continues to develop, greatly promoted the development of the logistics industry, to quickly become a global logistics industry with great potential and the development of new service industries. Modern logistics has been our government, enterprises attach importance, and there has been rapid development momentum. A high degree of government from the industry will support the development of modern logistics as the sustained economic development, improve the investment environment, improve Social and economic benefits, reduce social costs, make full use of the important strategies of social resources, production and logistics as a business enterprise to the third profit source and access to enterprise competitive advantage of strategic opportunities, traditional logistics (transport, warehousing and other enterprise) to the development of modern logistics as the re-build companies, seeking new business profit growth, further development of the enterprises strategic objectives. In China, the main trend of development of modern logistics in the following aspects. Integration of logistics operations the essence of modern logistics in its system integration concept that integrates the traditional area of operation, the production, arketing, packaging, handling, transportation, storage, distribution, circulation, processing, logistics and Information processing, decentralized, activities across the enterprise sector integrated, organic combination, as a system to manage, the operational aspects of the logistics activities effectively combined to form a comprehensive customer service-oriented capabilities, saving distribution costs, improve circulation efficiency and effectiveness. Logistics Management Information system is a large span system. Not only a wide range of logistics activities, involving many departments, and has been in a dynamic process. With the global economy, goods and production factors in the global free flow of an unprecedented rate. Logistics activities, flow rate also entered an unprecedented phase of development, logistics positive globalization, networking and information-oriented, EDI technology and Internet applications, so the logistics efficiency depends more on information management technologies ; the popularity of Computer and general application of bar code technology, provides a more demand and inventory information to enhance the scientific level of information management, demand for the commodity level in a variety of flow more easily and quickly. Information has become the core of logistics activities has become the driving force of logistics innovation. Social logistics resources with market-oriented economic and social development, on the one hand more and more detailed specialization, on the other hand the increasingly close cooperation between professionals. Production enterprises and the retail industrys need for raw materials, intermediate products, and final products are mostly made up of d ifferent logistics centers, wholesale centers and distribution centers in order to achieve fewer inventories and zero inventories. Trend of modern logistics community social and economic activities is the development of economies of scale in logistics, logistics inevitable result of comprehensive utilization of resources. In the big cities or professional modern integrated logistics park, logistics center, logistics base has become a common phenomenon. Integrated logistics system cannot do without transportation and warehousing logistics. Storage requires a high degree of mechanization and modernization, automation, standardization, Information, and to organize efficient, machine, material systems; and transport modernization requires the establishment of railways, highways, waterways, ir and pipeline integrated transport system, which is essential to the modernization of logistics conditions, survival and development of modern logistics necessary condition. Integration of third-rate general circulation in accordance with Law, business flow, logistics, information flow is the separation of the three streams. To flow of material can be achieved using the value, after the business flow, material information on the change of ownership; logistics solution is the production of material from its geographical area of the displacement of its consumption cannot change the ownership of material; information flow solution the flow of information between the main transmission. In modern society, due to the different materials, products, or the transfer of goods means the formation of the circulation and marketing of different forms, in order to adapt to this change, there are many countries in the world of logistics centers; distribution centers have basically achieved the flow, the unity of logistics and information flow. In addition, the agency also made the implementation of modern logistics more scientific and rational, because the circulation system in this manner more conducive to the implementation of third-rate one. Third-rate one has become an important symbol of modern logistics. More competitions in further from the foreign investment and private enterprise in China After China entering WTO, the distribution system has opened to the outside. The logistics and transport are facing the same situation. The foreign investment corporation will be allowed to open in the full sides. Because of the large logistics demands and weak supply ability in China, many foreign logistics companies gave expected too much for the market. Some of them, have entered into the Chinese market and taken part in the competition, such as UPS, FedEx, DHL, TNT etc. Some of them allied the domestic companies to reform the professional logistics. On one hand, they provide their customers with the professional services, which include national wide distribution, international logistic service, and multimode transportation. With more open policies issued by China’s government, the private corporations will bring more challengers to the traditional state-owned companies in the long time. The Corning of the integration Storm in China According to the industry evolution from the international famous consulting corporation, the evolution of a industry usually includes four stages: primary establishment, normalization stage, centralization stage, balance and unification stage. When a industry state in a go-between stage from the primary establishment to the normalization, there will be many combinations and reorganizations in which some small companies will be absorbed, reorganized, even died; meanwhile, the large enterprises will improve their impacts further. As for Chinese logistic market, its development just belongs to this stage. Conclusion The logistics resources in China are very rich, As for the storage are, there are more than 250000000 square meters in circulation field, which is distribution in the station, dock, port, warehouse, stock etc. this kind of distribution has formed the nation-scattered condition. Many of them have been regarded as the collection of enterprises, funds, information etc. and are full of powerful potential. In order to ensure the logistics development in a fast, healthful way, and China’s government should enact more advantages policies and measures, give more support; for logistics enterprises after seeing the development tendency and the industry characteristics, they would choose the personalized way. Generally speaking, our companies of China can have clear view on the further development; take the opportunity to succeed in the future competition.

Gender, Authority and Dissent in English Mystical Writers Essay Example for Free

Gender, Authority and Dissent in English Mystical Writers Essay The Book of Margery Kempe certainly provoked an intense amount of controversy, not least in the present but in her own time as well; a debate that centred on her position as a mystic. This position entailed having true knowledge of God, to work towards a union with him where they would essentially become one. Margery Kempe, at the very least views herself to be one of Gods vessels through which He can allow her to experience spiritual visions and feelings. It is in her book that Kempe conveys through words what she considered to be the most significant of these experiences, in order that those who read them would derive great comfort and solace. It is Kempes individual and brilliant adaptation of what was originally a discipline for cloistered elites1 that draws attention to her. Yet it is this individual voice, the style she uses, and her firm relationship with the market world that questions her experiences of higher contemplation. Certainly Kempe does not conform to the solitary life of a conventional mystic, much like Richard Rolles statement of running off into the woods, and at one point she is even sorrowful and grieving because she has no company. Yet she uses many of her interactions with others to confirm her position as a mystic. She visits the revered mystic Julian of Norwich to seek advice as to whether her visions were genuine or not (Chapter 18), and receives confirmation from Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury. Essentially what it has been suggested that Kempe experiences is a higher level of contemplation positive mysticism. This was the search for God through human imagery, which insists on the physical as a legitimate means of access to the spiritual.2 Certainly one of the standard patterns in mystical experience were the feelings of love between the mystic and God which is often described as fire, hence Rolles Incendium Amoris. Kempe notes that there was an unquenchable fire of love which burnt full sore in her soul, and that Christ had set her soul all on fire with love. Thus the intensity of her visions can not be brought into question as she certainly shares with [the tradition] a mystical sense of God at work in human experiences.3 These human experiences included her own body, as she suffers illness and indulgences in self-mutilation, wearing a haircloth, fasting and even biting her hand so violently that she has to be tied down. However, the visions that Kempe experiences, as mystics viewed them as gifts, are not a product of studious praying and meditating. In most ways what she conveys is an imitation of what many female European mystics experienced, like Bridget of Sweden and Dorothy of Montou or Catherine of Siena. She seeks justification for her mystical standing by linking herself closely to others and, though illiterate receives much of her inspiration from such mystical texts as Incendium Amoris, Stimulus Amoris, and Walter Hiltons Scale of Perfection. However, as Glasscoe has pointed out, her spiritual experiences were not an easy thing for Kempe to meditate on. Whereas Hilton focused on inner spiritual growth, Kempe can only explain her transcendence through what was familiar to her the body.4 She even says that sometimes, what she understood physically was to be understood spiritually. Thus, whereas her visions may at many points seem extreme and even distasteful it does not necessarily mean that she was experiencing anything less than what is considered mystical. What also inspires Kempe, whilst also bringing into question her status as a mystic is the fact that she was a woman who was firmly placed in the world. David Aers describes her as an independent businesswoman, who before her initial vision was active in the market economy, investing money, organising public work and employing men.5 Mysticism was overwhelmingly contemplative, and there was not much spoke about the active life, with the exception of Walter Hiltons positive description of the mixed life. However instead of accepting that she is too busy with worldly occupations that must be attended to6, like Hilton proposed, Kempe integrates the economic world into her mysticism. Shelia Delany proposed that in her work one is constantly aware of the cash nexus. 7 This is true in the sense that Kempe even strikes a deal with Jesus, in the sense that he becomes the mediator between Kempes social responsibilities as a wife and her desire to lead the spiritual life. Through Christs help she can lead the chaste life by buying off her husband, hence paying off all his debts (Chapter 11. p.60). Atkinson, commented that what Kempe creates is a God, who controlled the economy of salvation, [and] functioned as a great banker of a merchant prince.8 Also Kempes drive for more is also indicative of her market drive values, in the same sense that she sees that by giving charity to her fellow Christians she will receive in heaven double reward. This unusual market driven line of thought is not the only factor that distinguishes her from her predecessors. Her style of writing is different and her visions are certainly unique. She actively takes part in many of the experiences, using speech, as Carol Coulson has suggested to inject herself into the holy narrative,9 even at one point acting as the handmaiden to God, and as a replacement to the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. Her first vision is also very personal, and in some ways domesticated. Jesus is said to have appeared in the likeness of a manclad in a mantle of purple silk, sitting upon her bedside. The Incarnation is taken to the extreme, where her visions sometimes sit outside the historical moments of the Bible and become part of her own world. Despite distancing herself by calling herself the creature throughout the text many have accused her work of being self-absorbed I have told you before that you are a singular lover of God, and therefore you shall have a singular love in heaven, a singular reward and a singular honour. Certainly her relations with God are very personal, and in many ways conveyed in sexual terms, as when Christ says to her Daughter, you greatly desire to see me, and you may boldly, when you are in bed, take me to you as your wedded husband. However, again this great pomp and pride, is said to emerge from her experience as a female within an urban class which fostered within her a strong sense of class identity and self-value.10 A self-value that she never really agrees to give up, thus because she refuses to traditionally quieten the self, Kempe does not sit comfortably as a mystic. Similarly she never really abandons her desire for worldly goods. She even admits in the first chapters that after her initial vision she refused to give up her worldly leisures, and still took delight in earthly things. This earthiness continues throughout the book. At one point she explains that she was embarrassed because she was not dressed as she would have liked to have been for lack of money, and wishing to go about unrecognised until she could arrange a loan she held a handkerchief in front of her face. This embarrassment does not hold well with the lower stage of mysticism in which the visionary is to dispel themselves of all earthly matters so that their soul is open to heaven. Her mysticism is driven to accumulate. She refuses to be content with the goods that God has sent her, whilst ever [desiring] more and more. From God she can attain spiritual status, whilst through her (fathers) social position she maintains earthly standing, thus she is caught between two (masculine) worlds. As David Aers has noted the market world never really receives rebuke in her mystical world, in fact it remains a natural part of it.11 Yet to see her as the victim of a capitalist society is, as Glasscoe maintains, to ignore her avowed purpose.12 Yet it is hard to ignore the element of hysteria in her work. She certainly experiences the traditional mystical dilemma that her visions will never be truly conveyed to those who stand outside it, that herself could never tell the grace that she felt, it was so heavenly, so high above her reason and her bodily witsthat she might never express it within her world like she felt it in her soul. However her Gift of Tears, in which she cries abundantly and violently, break quite brutally this silence of contemplation. It may be however that her loud screams and cries convey her devotion and justify her higher state. Certainly tradition showed that mystics thought of themselves as vehicles for suffering and their broken voices and lacerated bodies reflected the stress under which they laboured.13 Her crying brought attention to her being, even in her own time when crowds flocked to see her, becoming somewhat of a spectacle. These tears are almost a sign of her fertility in her contemplative life, and also justified in the Bible Psalm cxxvi, 5-6 says that they that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing Her tears therefore, although extreme and lead many throughout her work to rebuke her, are essentially a sign of grace demonstrating that the Incarnation for Kempe was an ever-present reality.14 Ursula Peters suggested that female mystics, through mysticism turned inward and [discovered] ways to describe their own experiences.15 In fact the role Kempe plays as a woman is very important to her whole mystical experience, and in some ways may even bring it into question. In her experiences with God she plays the wife, the mother, the sister and the daughter. When her husbands exclaims that she is no good wife it again demonstrates that Kempe struggled between two worlds, that of the spiritual and that of her family commitments. St Bernard once proclaimed that natural human feeling doesnt have to be suppressed but channelled into God, and in some ways this is exactly what Kempe achieves. By using the idea that she is a holy vessel she is able to assert herself as a woman in the highly competitive world quite drastically. She refuses to abandon her personality and quite forcefully, hence her adamant desire to be chaste, asserts who she is. The Church even attempted to denounce he r as a Lollard, which shows that she was a threatening (female) voice and the only way to quieten her was to denounce her as a heretic. Rather than being a mystical treatise, The Book of Margery Kempe is a narrative account, almost a story, or even an autobiography as many have stated it to be, in which she attempts to adopt the contemplative ideal of piety.16 In fact it is more than mysticism, it is the experiences of a woman trying to find her voice in a masculine social world, and the only way that she can achieve this is through having spiritual authority. Certainly her devotion can not be questioned, and she cant even predict herself when the intensity of Christs Passion will overwhelm her, be it sometime in the church, sometime in the street, sometime in the chamber, sometime in the field. Yet her extreme metaphors and use of language certainly bring into doubt her status as a mystic. As Susan Dickman has suggested prayers and visions certainly occupy the text, yet they are embedded in a larger structure17, namely how she was painfully drawn and steered, [her pilgrimage acting as a metaphor for her mystical journey] to enter the way of perfection. Certainly painfully is an apt description, leading many to criticise her as a charlatan, a terrible hysteric and even one who was possessed by the devil. Yet this account is from a very independent and highly spirited woman, who although struggled with her identity and sought the higher state to explore that larger structure of herself through God, was deeply devoted to her faith. In the end her piety was very ordinary, it is her style of conveyance however, the lack of the abstract vocabulary of Julian of Norwich, Rolle and the Cloud author18 that brings her status as a mystic into controversy. Bibliography Aers, David., Community Gender and Individual Identity in English Writing, 1360-1430 (London, 1988) Bancroft, A., The Luminous Vision: Six Medieval Mystics and their Teachings (London, 1982). Evans, Ruth and Johnson, Lesley (eds.)., Feminist Readings in Middle English Literature: The Wife of Bath and All Her Sect (London, 1994) Klapisch-Zuber, C (ed.)., Silences of the Middle-Ages (London 1992),447 Glasscoe, Marion (ed.)., The Medieval Mystical Tradition (Exeter, 1980) http://www.anamchara.com/mystics/kempe.htm http://www.ccel.org/h/hilton/ladder/ladder-PART_I.html http://www.sterling.holycross.edu/departments/visarts/projects/kempe/index.html Knowles, D., The English Mystical Tradition London (London, 1961) Meale, Carol. M., (ed.)., Women and Literature in Britain 1150-1500 (Cambridge, 1993) 1 C. Klapisch-Zuber, Silences of the Middle Ages (London 1992),160 2 J.Long., Mysticism and hysteria: the histories of Margery Kempe and Anna O, in Feminist Readings in Middle English Literature, ed. R.Evans et al. (London, 1994),100 3 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993),268. 4 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993), 268. 5 D. Aers, Community, Gender and Individual Identity English Writing 1360-1430 (London, 1988), 112. 6 http://www.ccel.org/h/hilton/ladder/ladder-PART_I.html 7 J.Long., Mysticism and hysteria: the histories of Margery Kempe and Anna O, in Feminist Readings in Middle English Literature, ed. R.Evans et al. (London, 1994), 87-111 8 D. Aers, Community, Gender and Individual Identity English Writing 1360-1430 (London, 1988), 106 9 http://www.anamchara.com/mystics/kempe.html 10 D. Aers, Community, Gender and Individual Identity English Writing 1360-1430 (London, 1988),115. 11 Ibid. 12 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993), 275. 13 C. Klapisch-Zuber, Silences of the Middle Ages (London 1992),446 14 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993), 276. 15 C. Klapisch-Zuber, Silences of the Middle Ages (London 1992),447 16 http://www.anamchara.com/mystics/kempe.htm 17 S. Dickman., Margery Kempe and The English Devotional Tradition, in The Medieval Mystical Tradition, ed. M. Glasscoe (Exeter, 1980), 156-172 18 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993), 272.

Human Resource Information System In Pharmaceutical Industry Information Technology Essay

Human Resource Information System In Pharmaceutical Industry Information Technology Essay This paper generates propositions analyzing the association between Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and the reliance, pharmaceutical industry places in the technology and models the effect of those associations on HRIS implementation success. It gives information about the human resource management at different levels and how the information technology is used in human resource department to fulfill all its functions with ease. It also gives information about the aspects that help in effective and optimal use of Human Resource Management system and effectiveness in integrating the HR activities with IT. It gives the idea of the uses of different modules of HRMS and other software related to Human resource management. It says about the margins of error and the performance level of current HRMS. It provides with the clues about the challenges faced by most of the pharmaceutical companies in which HRMS assists them to successfully deal with it. It enlightens the pros cons and the outcomes of usage of human resource information system used in pharmaceutical industries. This system adds value to the Human Resource functions but also changes the competencies that define the winning of human resource professionals. This paper also generates the importance of HRIS in Novartis International AG. It also explains its various challenges while implementing the system in the company. Introduction The main use of technology advancement in the corporate has driven the change of means, needs and styles of working. When advanced work effectiveness and output, falling in line with time management agendas and devotion to punctuality guidelines, there are more profits to employees effectively, and best utilization of available resources and a successful deal with corporate. The term, Human Resource Management System (HRMS) or Human Resource Information System (HRIS), matches to all the features in the business system. HRMS is the procedure engaged by the combination of better ways of technological development with conventional ways of the human resource mode of functioning. A Human Resource Management System or Human Resource Information System (HRIS) or HR system is the systems and processes between human resource management (HRM) and information technology (IT). HRM is a discipline which blends its basic HR functions and processes with the information technology. HRMS software was provided by the PeopleSoft.Inc. Earlier, most of the administrative jobs constituted tiresome practice of manual paperwork like determining payroll, tracing data, conserving the collection of database, maintaining and evaluating productivity records, keeping employee personal information, addressing issues and resolving conflicts and scrutinizing employee welfare schemes have now become a simple, time-saving and cost-saving process. There are other functions such as monitoring and retrieving periodic employee performance, planning, controlling and coordinating activities, organizing tables, figures and statistics and evaluating them. This technology is used as a device to make the work environment simple, standardized and user-friendly. Importance of Information System to HR Better safety Better service Competitive Advantage Fewer Errors Greater Accuracy Improved Communication Increased Efficiency Increased Productivity More efficient administration More opportunities Reduced labor requirements Reduced costs Superior managerial decision making Superior control The Human Resources Department needed more management-level information and support to encounter all the expectations. These practices have now begun to branch into the different trends that makeup many organizations today. The huge part of human resources is now E-business. Many companies have implemented a web-based system known as the Oracle Human Resources Management System which helps data access through centralized core HRMS system, enabling companies to control and measure their workforce potentials and allows them to manage risk by recording and monitoring compliance with statutory, regulatory, and industry requirements relating to their employees. The stronger use of technology has allowed HRM professionals to invest more time in counselling, selecting, and coaching managers and front-line supervisors. History of HRIS 1950s virtually non-existent 1960s only a select few 1970s greater need 1980s HRIS a reality in many organizations 1990s Numerous vendors, specialties Aspects helping in effective and optimum use of HRIS HRIS is useful for the employees according to their needs. It can be accessible by adding or modifying the modules and also by offering different facilities to them. Also, HRMS is The best means by which the employees of different departments within the company can communicate. It gives information to support and analyze the companys continuous development. It establishes the level of knowledge which is helpful for upgrading the process and research-based practices. It creates the companys planning agenda and defines its decision making process. It Verifies validates the companys mission statement. Effectiveness in integrating the HR activities with IT To prevent from moderating data and viewing information, a role based security is designed. To make the functionalities easy, various functional roles are available which provides ways of data recording, forwarding, reporting and authorizing. It helps to record and view information for different plant, locations, department and employee. HRIS have different segments categorized as modules like payroll module, HR management module, training module, employee self-service module, etc. The maintenance work consumes less effort due to its different way of designing. Uses of different modules There are different types of HR modules in Human Resource Information System, and they are as follows: Payroll module: This module mechanizes the pay process and calculates different deductions and taxes, by gathering information on employee presence and their work timings. It helps to generate periodic pay checks and employee tax reports. For calculating automatic deposit and manual checks, data is generally available from the human resource department. It contains all employee-related dealings as well as all the information is combined with financial management systems. Benefits administration module: Employee benefits programs such as encompass insurance, compensation, profit sharing and retirement of the employees are being tracked and managed by this system for the organizations. HR management module: This module covers different aspects from application to retirement. All the basic information of the employees such as their demographics, address data, selection, training and development, capabilities, skills, compensation records and other functions are recorded with the help of this module. This module helps the system to offer the facility to read applications and enter appropriate data to specific database fields, informs employers and helps to provide position management and control which are not in use. Human resource management systems work is mainly the job placement, recruitment, training, compensation, evaluation and developments of the people working in the company. Mainly, industries use computer based information systems to create pay checks and payroll results; to maintain personnel records and information of the employees; and training and developing the employees. ATS module: Nowadays, online recruiting has become very popular as the key method of employment by the human resource department. This helps in gathering potential and eligible candidates for the available positions in a company. ATS module generally helps in the following ways: It investigates personnel usage in a company ; recognizes potential applicants for the available positions; It helps in recruiting through company-facing entries; It provides help in hiring through online recruiting sites or publications which is marketed to both recruiters and applicants. Training module: It offers the system for the companies to help in managing and tracking employee training and growth efforts. This system is generally known as a Learning Management System and it is a stand-alone, that permits the HR to track all the information of the employees regarding their education, qualifications and skills, as well as recording their training courses ,books, CDs, etc. whichever are available to improve their skills in different areas. Thereafter the employees are registered for the appropriate courses which are offered at a particular dates with specific sessions, with delegates and training resources by which they are being recorded and managed within the same system. The learning management system helps the managers in approving training, budgeting and arranging together with performance management and appraisal metrics. Employee Self-Service module: This module is useful for the employees of the companies to ask question to the human resource about HR related information. They can also perform HR transactions through the system such as querying about their attendance records from the system without asking the HR personnel. This module also provides service to let the upper managers approve overtime requests from their subordinates without disturbing the functions of HR department. Benefits to the Employees The ways in which employees can be benefited by the HRMS are as follows: Identification of employees key skills for retention excellence. Automated and precise performance appraisals promote healthy relations. Expedite employees recruiting process. Multitude data pulling from single entry can cut in various reports. Helps building a successful environment where employees strive to perform well and exceeding their goals. A collegial flexible work place, Employee input in to how the work gets done, trust in senior management and lack of hierarchy flexible work arrangement. Web-based management system can streamline improvement plans by collaborating creation, implementation and monitoring phases. Help manage workforce and resources. Focuses and aligns staff development and resources. The margins of error The margin of error for the HRIS system is very minimal. The HRIS system maintains and updates its form of modifications or additions of HR modules on a regular basis. The performance level of this system is ideal. Unique areas where the pharmaceutical company uses HRMS effectively The HRMS system, implemented in various pharmaceutical companies, is highly sophisticated and provided with latest versions. Consultants who are expertise in making the software, seeks suggestions and advice on the implementation of the HRIS software in their own company. All the pharmaceutical companies customize its HRIS as per the needs and requirements of the personnel and staff. The unique areas where the pharmaceutical company uses the HRMS effectively are: It contains all the personal information of the employees such as their training, experience, education, leave, job description, pay description at a single point of access. All the information about the leave allocation and movement can be easily drawn with the help of it. It helps in searching appropriate applicants for the available vacancies and in the interviewing process. It is also helpful in managing the insurance of the employees easily. It is important for the growth of the employees which are under their respective training given for their skill development. It is helpful in development of the employees performance appraisal system. It is also helpful in managing all the policy documents at a single source depository. It is also used to do online survey about the companys environment by the employees. By the help of this software, an employee gets the benefit of suggesting any useful advice for the companys well-being. It facilitates with an extra benefit to the employee by notifying about the urgent and critical notices or important messages from a single point. It gives an access to collect opinions easily, fast and with security and confidentiality companywide. It can be used as a budget allocation and consumption tool. The long term benefits The HRMS software is a customized tool and due to this reason, it had very high level of flexibility and the company gets the advantage of adding more features and HR modules according to their specific needs of the management and employees. This provides the company to communicate the employees with their respective departments even better day-by-day. Recently online HRMS newsletter is introduced which enables the employees to share news and information. Through this, it is involving the employees to participate in sharing and gaining knowledge and capabilities with the other departments of the company. Reasons why HRIS fails sometimes Unclear goals/objectives System solves the wrong problem Improper vendor/product selection Low user involvement Planning overlooks impact on clerical procedures Lack of HR/functional expertise in designing Underestimate conversion effort Management- unrealistic expectations Lack of overall plan for record management Lack of flexibility and adaptability Misinterpret HR specifications Poor communication between HR/IS Inadequate testing The HRIS software is sold by different vendors. Some of the contacts of the vendors are PeopleSoft, Oracle HR Applications, Ascentis Software, Eric Systems Inc., Infinium, and Spectrum. Novartis international AG case Now, lets take the case analysis of Novartis International AG. It is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland with 140 branches worldwide. Around 100,000 associates work in this company. This company manufactures drugs such as diclofenac, carbamazepine, letrozole, methylphenidate, etc. There were various issues that Novartis faced regarding its Human Resource System. Some of the issues are as follows: Significant priority of the company was to implement a firm wide HRIS that would convert many of transaction-based HR core processes to an internet-based system. HRIS project was an integral part of Novartis long term strategy for improving overall HR service delivery to the organization that would result in a full HR transformation. A gap in the infrastructure priority was the lack of a global HR information system. Managers in the company were unable to figure out quickly how many HR associates were working at Novartis. Lack of number of associates within the company to fill the leadership position. The existing IT systems within Novartis were not up to mark. Centralization or standardization of HR data. No consistent standards. No consolidated database. Difficult in supporting in the businesses in identifying, moving, and tracking talent. Multiple fragmented systems. Exposure for many small vendors with non-integrated niche application. Exposure to legal/regulatory non-compliance. Employees are feeling stretched because of initial post-merger integration. The top internal issue is little centralization or standardization of HR data. The company operated in 140 different countries. Due to lack of HRIS in the company, the company has many loop holes such as no consistent standards, no consolidated database, and no ability to provide data in form to reflect their matrix structure whereas has difficulty in supporting the business in identifying, moving and tracking talent etc. So, with the implementation of new HRIS, the company will be able to solve the problem easily and allow the managers and HR professionals to respond to the business challenges. The top external issue is the Shifting of HR role from functional expert and transaction processor to strategic partner and change agent. The implementation of HRIS system will enable the HR transformation. It will cut down most of the administrative activities of the HR managers leading to be an evolution of the basic role of HR in the company. There will be requirement of more skilled and professional HR associates who can act as a strategic business partner and change agent. Major challenges faced by Novartis in implementation of the HRIS: 1. The HRIS effort represented a major transformation in the fundamental role and responsibilities of the HR function within Novartis. 2. The new system changed the relationships of HR professionals with their business partners. 3. HR associates expected to play a more strategic, consultative role to the business. 4. Technical challenges for system implementation such as web enabling, SAP R/3 -a core transaction processing system, SAP business warehouse (BW), an enterprise HR portal solution etc. Competencies needed by the HR professionals at Novartis for using HRIS The HR professionals at Novartis should have more human resource knowledge; understand their business and its language. They must have expertise in staffing, development, compensation, etc. They must be able to deliver innovative HR practices that add value to the company. HR professionals need to be effective, able to detect trends and early signals and initiate flexibility in fast changing environment. With implementation of HRIS, the HR professionals have to be a technology expert to deliver services to employees and help them to understand the new system. They must be proficient in using technology to collect data and producing it more strategically valuable information. Hence, HRIS is very essential in the companies all over the world providing better safety, competitive advantage, fewer errors, greater accuracy, improved communication, increased efficiency and productivity and reduced labor requirements.

The Collape of Animal Farm Essay -- Animal Farm George Orwell Essays

The Collape of Animal Farm In today’s world, people have always strived to create a utopian society. In the novel ANIMAL FARM written by George Orwell, the animals strive to create their own utopian society based on equality and prosperity. Animalism was created to, as like the Ten Commandments, Animalism’s Seven Commandments were rules for the animals to live by. However, similar to God’s rules, Animalism was a difficult concept for all the animals to follow and live by. Secondly, the collapse of Animal Farm was due to the animal’s own intelligence and their ability to fully understand how the farm was being run. Finally, the failure of Animal Farm was due to in large part by the pigs power over the other animals and the greed and desires that the pigs wanted to achieve. Therefore, the collapse of Animal Farm had to do with Animalism itself, the animals, and the corruption of the pigs. Animalism had a great effect on Animal Farm. In the beginning of the novel, all the animals cared only for one thing. The defeat of Mr. Jones, and the equality of each animal. After Mr. Jones was finally defeated, and the animals were on their own, the Seven Commandments, (similar to the Ten Commandments) were established. The Seven Commandments were to be the principles of Animalism, an unalterable law by which all animals must live by. The pigs, Snowball and Napoleon along with the other animals, decided to inscribe the commandments on the wall, in large white lettering, so that they never be forgotten. These commandments were established for the good of each animal, to maintain order and a peaceful life on the farm. Old Major, the prized middle white boar, taught Animalism and the commandments. He was the leader of the animal’s rebellion. Old Major was the one who led the way for the animals, and taught them exactly what Animalism meant. He clearly states this in the speech he gave, a few days before his death. â€Å"Among us animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.† In the beginning, the animals lived each day the way Old Major taught them to. However, throughout the novel, Animalism slowly began to break away. Men were becoming comrades to the pigs, and the other animals were played as fools. The farm was collapsing little by little. Due to the animal’s low understanding and intelligence, th... ... read what was written there. But it appears to me that that wall looks different. Are the Seven Commandments the same as they used to be Benjamin?† It was true, the wall was different. All the commandments were gone, except for one single commandment which read, â€Å"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.† The pig’s power had taken over Animal Farm. They had completely ravaged everything they once believed in. Even the name was changed back to Manor Farm. Napoleon was no longer an animal, nor the leader of the animals. He was a human, and an inspiration to other humans. Everything was gone, and Animal Farm, was no more. Consequently, Animal Farm was beyond repair. Due to animalism itself, the animals, and the corruption of the pigs, Animal Farm was collapsed. Everything the animals did to overcome humans, to gain equality and prosperity was done for nothing. Without a doubt, the collapse of Animal Farm was never engaged to happen, the pigs always did want power. Their power destroyed everything that Old Major asked of them. Animals for centuries to come, will never have the equality they deserve, due to a few rules which were not able to be attained.

The Greenhouse Effect, A Torrent of Information, and the Politics of Ma

The Greenhouse Effect, A Torrent of Information, and the Politics of Mass Uncertainty Introduction: Global warming, the ozone layer, and deforestation are becoming increasingly discussed topics both in the international community and society. Former Vice-President Albert Gore stated in his 1992 book Earth in the Balance, â€Å"The process of filling the atmosphere with CO2 and other pollutants†¦is a willful expansion of our dysfunctional civilization into vulnerable parts of the world† (Wittwer 21). With statements like this, one might wonder what stops the human race from ending this kind of behavior. Scientists and politicians are paralyzed when addressing the issue of global warming largely from uncertainty of cause/effect relationships, closeness of potential policy making to the everyday individual, and distance of potential effects. What follows is a discussion of this problem, which you will see, is not as clear cut as Al Gore’s statement. Background; a general agreement: The World Book Encyclopedia Millennium Edition defines the Greenhouse Effect as â€Å"a warming of the lower atmosphere and surface of the planet by a complex process involving sunlight, gases, and particles in the atmosphere.† It further notes that the Greenhouse Effect existed long before humans did, for it added about 59 degrees Fahrenheit (~33 C) to the average global temperature (World Book 382-383). An additional increase to the Earth’s natural Greenhouse Effect has been called in general terms ‘global warming’. The World Book Encyclopedia states, â€Å"Since the late 1800’s, the average temperature has increased about 0.5 to 1.5 Fahrenheit degrees.† Attributing the increase in average temperature to the burning of fossil fuels ... ...per, Lee, Scott Murtishaw, Fridtjof Unander. â€Å"International Comparisons of Sectoral Carbon Dioxide Emissions Using a Cross-Country Decomposition Technique.† Energy Journal. 22.2 (2001): WilsonSelectPlus Number BBPI1045462, Schewe Library, Illinois College, accessed 4/15/2003. â€Å"Effects Will Continue for a Century, Even if Emissions are Curbed Now.† USA Today. (June 2002) WilsonSelectPlus Number BRDG02101336, Schewe Library, Illinois College, accessed 4/15/2003. Van Dam, Laura. â€Å"Of Seashells, Ancient Climate, and Fossil Fuels.† Technology Review. (May/June 1995) WilsonSelectPlus Number BRDG95041776, Schewe Library, Illinois College, accessed 4/15/2003 . Wittwer, Slyvan Harold. â€Å"The Great Promise of the ‘Greenhouse Effect’.† Consumers’ Research Magazine. (June 1997) WilsonSelectPlus Number BRDG97047480, Schewe Library, Illinois College, accessed 4/15/2003.