Imperialism in Africa and India

Section 1: A Scramble For Africa †¢ European nations needed to fuel industrial production †¢ Competed for new markets for goods and took huge interest in Africa †¢ Imperialism- Seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country o Occurred throughout most of Africa o Europe came in and dominated †¢ Mid 1800’s Africans divided into ethnic and linguistic groups †¢ Some converted to Islam and Christianity †¢ Most kept traditions and religion For 400 years African army able to keep Europeans out †¢ Until late 1800’s Europe only dominated coast of Africa †¢ Couldn’t navigate rivers †¢ Disease also kept them out †¢ Specialized trade networks †¢ Introduction of steam powered river boats allowed Europeans to dominate more of Africa’s interior †¢ Those who did get in were against slave trade †¢ People learned about Africa through their publications The Congo Sparks Interest: †¢ Dr. David Livi ngstone traveled with group of Africans into deep Africa to promote Christianity †¢ Several years past and people thought he was dead Henry Stanley went to find him and succeeded †¢ Stanley wanted to trace course of Congo River †¢ In 1879 and 1882 Stanley signed treaties with local chiefs of the Congo River Valley †¢ Gave King Leopold II of Belgium control of these lands †¢ Leopold II claimed wanted to abolish slave trade and promote Christianity †¢ Brutally exploited Africans by forcing them to collect sap from rubber plants †¢ About 10 million Africans died due to abuse In 1908 Belgian govt. took control of Congo away from king †¢ Congo 80x larger than Belgium †¢ This alarmed France because they had signed treated that gave them control of north bank of Congo †¢ Soon More European and Latin American countries began to claim parts of Africa Forces Driving Imperialism †¢ Industrial Revolution drove European countries to obtain m ore land †¢ European countries searched for more markets Europeans viewed themselves as the greatest nation and race †¢ Racism- the belief that one race is superior to others †¢ Social Darwinism- theory that those who were fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and were superior to others †¢ Non-Europeans on lower scale of cultural and physical development because didn’t make technological progress †¢ Europeans thought was their job to bring advancements to other countries †¢ European missionaries sought to convert lands to Christianity †¢ Hoped Christianity would bring end to evil practices like slave trade †¢ Also wanted to civilize landsFactors promoting Imperialism in Africa: †¢ European’s technological superiority †¢ Europeans had guns †¢ Europeans had steam engines that allowed them to control deep Africa †¢ Europeans had railroads, cables, and steamships that allowed them to communicate within colony and to controlling nation †¢ Drug quinine prevented Europeans from catching diseases †¢ Africa wasn’t unified due to diversity and wars fought between different ethnic groups Divison of Africa: †¢ Discoveries of diamonds and gold in south Africa increased European’s interest in conquering Africa †¢ All European countries became part of raceBerlin conference divides Africa: †¢ Berlin Conference- 14 European nations who met to lay down rules for the division of Africa †¢ Competition between European countries †¢ Any country could conquer land but had to notify other European countries †¢ How Africans felt about it wasn’t a factor †¢ Didn’t pay attention to how ethnic and linguistic groups in Africa were distributed †¢ By 1914 only Liberia and Ethiopia were free from European control Demand for Raw Materials Shapes Colonies: †¢ During colonization Europeans believed Africans would buy their goods †¢ Only few Africans did this Businesses still needed raw materials †¢ Greatest wealth obtained from Africa was large mineral sources †¢ Congo contained copper and tin †¢ This nothing compared to diamonds and gold in south Africa †¢ Developed cash crop: peanuts, palm oil, cocoa, and rubber †¢ Replaced food crops needed by farmers to feed families Three Groups Clash over South Africa: †¢ Zulu chief, Shaka used highly disciplined warriors and good military organization to create large centralized state †¢ Shaka’s successors unable to keep control †¢ Zulu nation eventually fell to British controlBoers and British Settle in the Cape: †¢ Boers- Dutch settlers (Boer=farmer in Dutch) who took African’s land and established large farms †¢ When British took control of Cape Colony there was clash over British policy of slaves and land †¢ Boers moved north in Great Trek to escape from British †¢ Started fighting fie rcely with Zulu and other African groups whose land was getting taken †¢ When Diamonds and gold found in south Africa Boers tried to keep outsiders from gaining political rights †¢ British tried to rebel against Boers and failed Boers rose against British in Boer war †¢ The war was brutal (no mercy) †¢ Many black southern Africans also participated †¢ Many were captured and put in British concentration camps †¢ Britain won war †¢ Europeans made efforts to change political, social and economic lives of people they conquered Section 2: Imperialism: †¢ Imperialism of 18th and 19th century different than previous imperialism †¢ Europeans demanded more influence over all aspects of African lives †¢ Determined to shape economies to help benefit European economies †¢ Wanted people to adopt European customsForms of Control: †¢ 4 types: o Colony- a country or territory governed internally by a foreign power o Protectorate- A country or territory with its own internal government but under the control of an outside power o Sphere of influence- an area in which and outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges o Economic imperialism- an independent but less developed country controlled by private business interests rather than other govts. †¢ Also had direct and indirect control †¢ Britain and U. S. preferred indirect France and most other European nations preferred direct †¢ Indirect control: o Relied on existing political rulers o Rulers adopted British Authority o Rulers handled much of daily management of colony o Each colony had legislative council: ? Colonial officials ? Local merchants ? Professionals ? Colonial governor †¢ Direct Control: †¢ French and other European didn’t think Africans could run country †¢ Paternalism- the idea that the people in authority restrict freedoms to their subordinates for the subordinates’ good †¢ Gave them n eeds but not rights Europeans brought in own bureaucrats †¢ Didn’t train Africans in European methods of govt. †¢ Assimilation- the idea that the local population would adopt the superior culture in order to become more like them †¢ Africans adopted French culture †¢ All schools, courts, and businesses patterned after French institutions †¢ In practice idea of assimilation abandoned †¢ French resided to indirect control †¢ Recognized African culture but saw it as inferior |Indirect Control |Direct control | |Local govt. fficials used: |Foreign officials brought in to rule | |Limited self-rule |No self rule | |Goal: to develop future leaders |Goal: assimilation | |Govt. institutions based on European styles but may have |Govt. institutions are based only on European styles | |local rules | |A British Colony: †¢ Britain gained control of southern Nigeria †¢ Some local rulers agreed to sign treaties of protection and accept British r esidents †¢ Others opposed intervention and rebelled against it †¢ British defeated rebellions †¢ Royal Niger Comp. gained control of palm oil trade over Niger River Delta †¢ In 1914 British claimed entire Nigeria as colony Managing the Colony: †¢ Nigeria culturally diverse †¢ Three main groups were: o Hausa-Fulani: ? Muslim ? Had strong central govt. o Yoruba Followed traditional religion ? Relied on chiefs for control o Igbo ? Same as Yoruba †¢ Didn’t have enough British troops to govern such complex area †¢ British resided to indirect control †¢ Worked well with Hausa-Fulani but not with other two groups †¢ Local chiefs of Yoruba and Igbo resented limited power African Resistance: †¢ Africans resisted European attempts to colonize †¢ But Europeans had more advanced weaponry †¢ Therefore, Africans didn’t succeed in most cases Unsuccessful Movements: There was resistance and resistance through religious movements †¢ Algeria’s almost 50 year resistance against France †¢ West Africa’s Samori Toure’s 16 year resistance against France †¢ African villagers resisted Germans in spiritual defense o Believed magic water would turn German’s bullets to water o 20 groups came together and fought against Germans o Fighters believed God and their ancestors would return to life and assist them o Over 75,000 Africans died o Twice that many Africans died in famine to follow o Germans shocked and passed some reformsEthiopia: A successful Resistance †¢ Only African nation that successfully resisted Europeans †¢ Menelik II- became emperor of Ethiopia in 1889 †¢ Successfully played Italians, French, and British against each other †¢ Built up large arsenal of modern weapons he purchased from Russia and France †¢ Menelik II signed treaty with Italy while Italians were invading the country †¢ Menelik II declared war in 1896 †¢ B attle of Adowa was largest battle in history of Africa †¢ Ethiopians won and kept independence Legacy of Colonial Rule: †¢ Negative effects: Africans lost control of land and independence o Lost many people to disease and rebellion o Famine o Breakdown of traditional culture o Traditional authorities replaced o Homes and properties transferred o People lost jobs o Identity issues o Division of Africa o Unnaturally divided groups o No Unity †¢ Positive Effects: o Local warfare reduced o Sanitation improved o Hospitals o Schools o Lifespans increased o Literacy increased o Economic expansion o Railroads, dams, telephone, telegraph lines built in Africa o However, this only really benefited the EuropeansSection 4: British Imperialism in India: †¢ Area controlled by East India Company grew overtime †¢ Both directly and indirectly governed southern India, Bangladesh, and territory along Ganges River in north †¢ British govt. regulated East India company â₠¬ ¢ Company ruled India without British interference until 19th century †¢ Had own army with British officers †¢ Sepoys- Indian soldiers †¢ Army was dangerous because could easily turn against British Britain’s â€Å"Jewel in the Crown†: †¢ Industrial revolution turned Britain into world’s workshop †¢ India supplied Britain with many raw supplies India’s 3,000,000 people also large potential market for British made goods †¢ India was â€Å"brightest jewel in crown† because it was the most valuable of all Britain’s colonies †¢ British made restrictions that prevented Indian economy from operating on its own †¢ Indians could only produce raw materials for Britain †¢ Indians were not allowed to compete with Britain British Transport Trade Goods: †¢ Railroad system built in India †¢ India became more valuable †¢ Most of raw materials transported included: o Tea o Indigo o Coffee o Cotto n Jute o Opium †¢ Sold trade opium for tea from China †¢ Sold tea in England Impact of Colonialism: Negative impact on India: †¢ British held most of economical and political power †¢ British restricted Indian owned industries †¢ Many villagers couldn’t be self sufficient due to emphasis on cash crop †¢ Food production reduced †¢ Famine †¢ Racism †¢ Forced conversion to Christianity Positive impact on India: †¢ Had world’s third largest railroad system †¢ Railroad system united brought modern economy that India †¢ Sanitation and public health improved India modernized by railroads, telephones, telegraphs, dams, bridges, irrigation canals †¢ Schools and collages founded †¢ Literacy increased †¢ Idea cleared of bandits †¢ Local welfare amongst competing rulers The Sepoy Mutiny: †¢ British controlled most of India †¢ Believed British were trying to convert Indians to Christianity â⠂¬ ¢ There was so much racism †¢ Nationalist idea emerged †¢ The Indians decided to rebel †¢ Gossip spread amongst sepoys that the cartridges of their new rifles were greased with beef and pork fat †¢ To use cartridges Indians had to bite off ends Cows were sacred to them and Muslims didn’t eat pork so they were very angered †¢ Soldiers who refused cartilages were imprisoned †¢ Next day they rebelled †¢ Sepoy Munity- rebellion of the Indian soldiers †¢ Uprising spread from Delhi to much of northern India †¢ British and sepoys tried to slaughter each others armies †¢ Took company more than a year to regain control of country †¢ Indians couldn’t unite against British due to weak leadership and conflict between Hindus and Muslims †¢ Hindus preferred British rule over Muslim ruleTurning Point: †¢ After munity Britain took direct control over India †¢ Raj- British rule after India came under British crown during reign of Queen Victoria †¢ To reward many princes who stayed loyal to company during munity, Britain promised to respect all treaties they had with them †¢ Also promised that Indian states that were still free would remain independent †¢ Regardless, British gained control of free states unofficially †¢ Munity fueled racist attitudes of British Munity increased distrust between Indians and British †¢ Hindus and Muslims felt they were being ruined under British rule Nationalism Surfaces in India: †¢ In early 1800’s some Indians began demanding modernization †¢ Ram Mohum Roy, a modern thinking, well educated Indian began campaign to move away from traditional Indian practices †¢ Ram Mohum Roy believed that if practices weren’t changed India would continue to be controlled by outsiders †¢ Ram Mohum Roy’s writings inspired other Indians to press for social reforms and adopt western ways †¢ Nationalist feelings also began to surface in India Indians hated system that made them second class citizens in own country †¢ Made much less money than British workers Nationalist groups form: †¢ 2 nationalist groups formed: o Indian National Congress in 1885 o Muslim League in 1906 ? Focused on Indian’s concerns ? Wanted self government ? Divided in to Hindu and Muslim section ? Separation made it hard for them to unite in calling for independence ? In 1911 British regained control and divided them differently †¢ Conflict over Indian control continued to develop between Indians and British Key Terms: Imperialism- Seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country †¢ African goods: copper, tin, gold, diamonds, rubber, cocoa, palm oil, and peanuts †¢ Racism- the belief that one race is superior to others †¢ Social Darwinism- theory that those who were fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and were superior to others †¢ Berlin Conference- 14 Euro pean nations who met to lay down rules for the division of Africa †¢ Shaka- was a Zulu chief used highly disciplined warriors and good military organization to create large centralized state in South Africa.His successors weren’t as successful †¢ Boers- Dutch settlers (Boer=farmer in Dutch) who took African’s land and established large farms †¢ Boer War- War between British and Boers over land and minerals in which British won †¢ Colony- a country or territory governed internally by a foreign power †¢ Protectorate- A country or territory with its own internal government but under the control of an outside power †¢ Sphere of influence- an area in which and outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges †¢ Economic imperialism- an independent but less developed country controlled by private business interests rather than other govts. |Indirect Control |Direct control | |Local govt. officials used: Foreign officials bro ught in to rule | |Limited self-rule |No self rule | |Goal: to develop future leaders |Goal: assimilation | |Govt. institutions based on European styles but may have |Govt. institutions are based only on European styles | |local rules | | †¢ India was â€Å"brightest jewel in crown† because it was the most valuable of all Britain’s colonies †¢ Indian goods: Tea, Indigo, Coffee, Cotton, Jute, and Opium †¢ Menelik II- became emperor of Ethiopia in 1889.He was the only one who was successful at preventing his state (Ethiopia) from being conquered. †¢ Sepoys- Indian soldiers †¢ Sepoy Munity- rebellion of the Indian soldiers †¢ Raj- British rule after India came under British crown during reign of Queen Victoria †¢ Ram Mohum Roy- a modern thinking, well educated Indian began campaign to move away from traditional Indian practices and bring nationalism †¢ Paternalism- the idea that the people in authority restrict freedoms to their sub ordinates for the subordinates’ good †¢ Assimilation- the idea that the local population would adopt the superior culture in order to become more like them †¢

In Jonathan Kozol Essay

In Jonathan Kozol’s novel Amazing Grace, religion plays a dominant role throughout the book. As Kozol describes the people in poverty of Mott Haven and the myriad horrible circumstances that they face everyday, religion provides their one and only salvation and solace. It is much easier to ask what these children don’t face than what they do. They face people dying daily, prolonged sickness, crime, drugs, abuse, alcoholism, asthma, poverty, dirt, dilapidated housing. They see people die horrific deaths whether it is from AIDS or a little girl falling down an elevator shaft that nobody would fix. They are denied medical care or given substandard care, which means people don’t get better. They attend substandard schools where they receive less than adequate education. What they don’t face is a lot of compassion or empathy. At a time in America when neo-liberalists would like to get rid of government control of the economy, which results in cutting social programs that directly benefit the poor, religion is their only means of hope. Incidentally, neo-liberalists do not have any problem with government subsidies or benefits for businesses. With the rising sentiment of â€Å"I didn’t breed them†¦I don’t want to feed them† (128), this nation’s poor are shoved away and hidden more and more. They are blamed for the problems they face, and less is being done to help. As Reverend Overall says of the lack of mention of 97th Street, though 96th Street is featured in tourist guides,, â€Å"The papers ignore realities like the waste burner, but they do it in a way that tends to neutralize the dangers almost instantly† (187). 97th Street is poverty, and America turns its back on these people in the name of neo-liberalism. The American public believes as Kozol states, â€Å"If only enough children, we are told, would act the way heroes do, say no to drugs and sex and gold chains and TV and yes to homework, values, church and abstinence, and if only enough good parents, teachers, volunteers, and civic-minded business leaders would assist them in these efforts, we could turn this around† (240). This again is blaming the victim, not the society who created these conditions at all. As long as the poor are hidden away in places we run from, the inequalities will continue to exist. And when faced with such an extensive list of problems, what can these people do? They can turn to religion. Religion provides them hope. Churches provide them with food and clean needles and community organizers as well. Church becomes the focal point around which their lives revolve. As Father Glenwith Miller says, â€Å"Many here a great deal more devout then people you would meet in wealthy neighborhoods. Those who have everything they want for need have often the least feeling for religion. The rich are very busy storing everything they can accumulate: wealth, power, or prestige†¦Still I think it grieves to hear of God when human beings created in His image treat other human beings like filthy rags† (78). This quote says a great deal about why people of Mott haven are so religious with a comment about the social responsibility of humanity as well. People from Mott Haven come to church in order to escape bullets and crime for a brief respite. They use church to take away the harshness and darkness of their own lives. Church is someplace where they can hope and dream for something better than they have. Kozol wants the reader to truly understand the power religion has to buoy their spirits against the rising tide they must face everyday—the guns, the violence, the drugs, the sickness, the injustice. A nightly prayer for Mrs. Washington’s children is â€Å"God bless Mommy. God bless Nanny. Don’t punish me because I’m black† (69). Others express the sentiment that god provides a better place after death or are just thankful that God has allowed them to live. Kozol asks Shirley Flowers, a friend of Reverend Overall’s, â€Å"Do your children have the same belief in God that you do? † She replies â€Å"Yes†¦They do. This family talks to God† (169). And when a student of Gizelle Luke’s is asked â€Å"Who do you look up to? , he replies I look up to God, my mother, and myself† (33). These quotes are used to show just how important religion is as a force in their lives. Father Glenworth Miles discusses the importance of God in this community. We are not literal fundamentalists here†¦We see God as a liberating force who calls us to deliver people from oppression. The apparent consensus of the powerful is that the ghetto is to be preserved as a perpetual catch-basin for the poor. It is not about annihilating segregation or even about transformation of the ghetto, but setting up ‘programs’ to teach people to ‘adjust’ to it, to show a ‘functional’ adaptation to an evil institution†¦As a religious man, I see it as my obligation to speak out against this, not to bend the poor to be accommodated to injustice but to empower them to fight it and to try to tear it down† (81). He determines it to be

Worldview Analysis: Mormonism

WORLDVIEW ANALYSIS MORMONISM BENNIE W. BAKER APOL 500 September 30, 2012 Table of Contents Introduction2 Summary2 Critique 3 Conclusion6 Bibliography8 Introduction Mormonism is a multilayered religious organization with many faces. The words â€Å"multilayered† and â€Å"organization† are carefully chosen as they represent the bulk of what we will discuss as we seek to unveil the true essence of the Mormon world as they see it. We will summarize this organization and in so doing we will discover that it was built on human fallacy and deception from its inception.We will then follow with a critical look the claims, doctrines, and documents that frame their beliefs. Summary Mormonism is one of the fastest and newest religions on the world scene today. It had its beginnings in 1820 in the woods of Palmyra, New York when 14-year-old Joseph Smith went out to pray. During this prayer session he was visited by none other the God the Father and Jesus, the son of God, who is Him self recognized by all true Christians as very God Himself; the second person in the Trinitarian godhead.This visit was the conception of what is one of the haughtiest worldviews among religious organizations to date. It was during this visit that the young Joseph received the message that he should not unite with any of the local churches because â€Å"†¦they are all wrong†¦all their creeds are an abomination†¦those professors are all corrupt. † This announcement set the stage for what was either the biggest revelation or the most cleverly devised scam in the history of mankind. Some three years later, while sleeping Joseph saw a light shining. It was an angel.The angel Moroni came from the presence of God according to Joseph, to give him the location of a book written on golden plates that contained â€Å"†¦the fullness of the Gospel†¦as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. † Thus, the foundation of the Mormon worldview is buil t on the restoration of the Christian Church. They must be right because everyone else is wrong. Yet they insist that they should be considered on as an option categorically with Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, and other Christian denominations. Critique of the Mormon WorldviewThis worldview has to be one of, if not the most pious that is and has been promoted as authentic to this day. Those who live their lives seeing the world through the looking glass of Mormonism exist under a varied range of exposure to the truth as seen by its founder. Regardless of their understanding of their religion, each layer has a measure of deception that feeds the ego of those endorsing and propagate its fraudulence. On the exterior layer they would have the world believe that they are a Christian denomination; that they are among those to be considered followers of the Jesus upon whom the Christian church is built.The church has a website for it’s official press releases. The Facts and St atistics page of this site boasts of 55,410 missionaries carrying this first layer of deception into 340 missions worldwide. To further cloak what lies beneath the organization has humanitarian aid missions in 179 countries. Thus, when pitching the depth of their Christian union they are quick to point out all the good that they do in the name of Jesus. If you scroll their sites there is nothing on the surface that leads you to believe that they’re any different from any other Christian denomination.Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson in their article Mormonism Christian, Cult, or tell the story of a child who came home from school confused after High School friends questioned her Christianity. When she came home here mother assured her, â€Å"As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you are a Christian, and I am too. † Later in this article the authors note the results of a survey conducted by The Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life on over 1,000 Mormons in the USA. The results show that 97% of Mormons think that they’re Christian, and 51% of the general public agrees.This demonstrates the overwhelming success that this organization has had on pulling the wool over, not only their member’s eyes, but also that of the average American. I’m not surprised since Biblical knowledge is so lacking in our country. Alarming stats found on barna. org reveal that while 84% of Americans believe that the Bible is sacred, 43% believe that it shares the same spiritual truths as does the Koran and the Book of Mormon, and only 26% believe that it’s the actual word of God. Taking these stats into consideration you shouldn’t be surprised that so many have fallen for the lies of Joseph Smith.On the surface this religion looks Christian if you don’t look too hard. Even on the outer layer you should question why we can find the ruins of the ancient Aztec’s but can’t find any sign of the prese nce of Jesus on our continent as claimed by this church. There’s been no archeological validation of a single geographic reference found in the Mormon scriptures. One of the most obvious absurdities is right there on the surface. Joseph claims that he was blessed with a visit from the Father and Son while he was praying to find out which church was true, which he should join.As quoted above, he was told to join none of them because they’re â€Å"†¦all wrong†¦all their creeds are an abomination†¦those professors are all corrupt. † Yet this church is spending billions to appear to be as one of the very churches that its founder said that God condemned and forbade him from joining. Furthermore, they claim that the Bible is the word of God â€Å"insofar as it is translated correctly,† and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and the most correct book ever written. Yet, it’s the Bible that they use to validate the Book of Mormon.It should bring a question to even the average person who is sincerely seeking the truth that these claims just don’t pass the common sense test. As you peel the layers back you find stench. On the surface they state that they believe in the Jesus of the Bible, as do all other Christian denominations. However, when you peel back the Jesus layer you’ll find that they actually believe that He â€Å"†¦was married, to be brought into the relation whereby he could see his seed, before he was crucified. † On this same layer in direct contradiction to the basic foundational Christian doctrine of the virgin birth, Mr.Young states â€Å"Now remember from this time forth, and forever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. † Let’s pull back another layer and see what this organization teaches about God. Of course we Christians believe that He was, is and always will be. David best capsulated what Christians believe about our God: â€Å"Bef ore the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. † However the LDS Church embraces the doctrine of eternal progression whereby each Mormon male himself may one day be a God.Brigham Young stated in Journal of Discourses 7:238 that â€Å"Gods exist, and we had better strive to be prepared to be one with them. † Lorenzo Snow paraphrased his revelation of the doctrine in this summarized statement â€Å"As man now is, God once was. As God now is, man may be. † If that’s not enough to reveal the true heart of Mormon ambition and to paint the stained glass through which they see the world, Joseph Smith himself stated in his work History of the Church, Volume VI, pp. 408-409 that â€Å"I have more to boast of than any man ever had.I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam†¦Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Conclusion In conclusion, when sharing Christ with a Mormon it would behoove you to keep in mind that these people are deceived. They have the first layer of revelation of what their church truly represents. Even that layer contains damning evidence of the lies and deception of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and the leaders of this organization.They have very lofty ambitions and looks at the world as though it’s in need of their revelation. Their objectives are about themselves and their organization. They’re not concerned with the eternal damnation of their fellow man; in fact they don’t believe in the hell or eternal damnation that is taught in the Bible. They are proud to be a part of this unique organization with a new message that started right here in America. They’re proud to be a part of God’s new chosen peoples†¦the new Jews. This is a very difficult wall to climb in sh aring Christ with them.You must first reveal the foundation upon which their faith is built; namely, the lies of their leaders and the unverifiable history found in their writings. It would also help to demonstrate the illogical reasoning that is rampant in their message, such as the Bible validating the Book of Mormon, which was written because the Bible if filled with errors and has so many missing parts. The best method is to challenge their sincerity as proud seekers of truth and ask them to look at some key verses, not as a Mormon, but as one seeking the truth of God and that you will do the same, not as a Baptist, or Methodist, but just as a seeker of truth.Then you pray and let God do the rest. Bibliography Barna Group Ltd. Barna Group: Examine. Illuminate. Transform. Barna Group Ltd. Oct 19, 2009. http://www. barna. org/faith-spirituality/317-new-research-explores-how-different-generations-view-and-use-the-bible? q=bible+knowledge+statistics (accessed Sep 29, 2012). David, K ing. Psalms. Vol. 90:2, in Holy Bible. Wichita, KS: Heirloom Bible Publishers, 1988. Johnson, Bill McKeever and Eric. â€Å"Mormonism: Christian, Cult, or † Edited by Elliot Miller. Christian Research Journal (Christian Research Institute) 35, no. (2012): 63. Smith, Joseph. â€Å"History. † In Pearl of Great Price, by Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1982. Smith, Joseph. â€Å"The Articles of Faith. † In Pearl of Great Price, by Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1982. Snow, Lorenzo. â€Å"The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow. † In The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, by Clyde J. Williams. Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft. Sumner, Robert L. Mormonism! A Destructive, Soul-Damning Cult. Murfreesboro, TN: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1981.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Newsroom: The Official Resource for News Media, Opinion Leaders and the Public. Septembe r 2012, 2012. http://www. mormonnewsroom. org/facts-and-stats (accessed September 29, 2012). Widtsoe, John A. Discourses of Brigham Young. Salt Lake City, UT: Desert Book Company, 1978. Young, Brigham. Journal History. Vol. 2. Salt Lake City, UT: Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1846. —. Journal History. Vol. 1. Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1846. ——————————————–

What causes income inequality in America today Essay

What causes income inequality in America today - Essay Example Globalization has led to the creation of global companies which operate in different parts of the world. The benefit of operating global companies is that these companies do not only sell goods and services in their host nation, they even sell their goods and services in foreign nations. Even those individuals who work in these global organizations are paid more than what the middle-class and the lower class of the society is paid. According to The Economist, globalization has benefited global companies such as the one owned by Bill Gates and due to this the entrepreneur now owns a corporation that is worth $50 billion (The Economist, 2006). The same article states that people working in global companies such as Goldman Sachs earn an average salary of $500,000 (The Economist, 2006). These statistics show that companies operating at the global level and their employees earn huge amount of money and this has led to the unequal distribution of wealth between these companies and companie s that are restricted to one certain region. The middle class of the society has witnessed a decline in their income levels due increase in the number of jobs that have been outsourced and because of the failure to obtain employment by the children belonging to this class. According to Nytimes people belonging to the middle class perceive that college education can help them earn high but during the period of 2009 the number of unemployed college graduates was 9.2% (Nytimes, 2010). According to The Economist a huge number of white collar jobs such as accounting positions are being outsourced (The Economist, 2006). These findings clearly show that the college graduates who belong to the middleclass fail to attain employment as a result of their jobs being outsourced and due to this they end up earning less than the rich class of the society. The middle class and the poor class of the society experience different reasons of income inequality. The poor class experiences

The Doctrine and Core Ideology of Confucianism Essay

The Doctrine and Core Ideology of Confucianism - Essay Example Greatest Love of All by Whiney Houston is a great example of how the values from two eras collide. Greatest Love of All was first written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed in 1977 and later made popular by one of the greatest female R&B singer - Whiney Houston in the late 80s. The song was written by Creed to battle her breast cancer. The main idea of the song is to encourage the audience to gather up strength and courage from within. The song starts off by bringing up the relationship between us and the next generation - parents to children, or teacher to students. A relationship in Confucianism was mainly to help people find their appropriate place in the society, whereas in this song nurturing the children and leading by examples is stressed. The first part of the song focuses on being kind and helpful for the next generation, the basic human virtue is brought up here. Confucius has defined â€Å"humanity† as â€Å"loving others†. Loving our next generation is a specific case of â€Å"loving others†. Going beyond just the â€Å"humanity† and â€Å"loving others† as defined by Confucianism, this song also brings in the aspect of empowering yourself. The Chorus of Greatest Love of All takes â€Å"humanity† further from â€Å"loving others† to loving oneself. â€Å"No matter what they take from me. They can’t take away my dignity. Because the greatest love of all is happening to me. I found the greatest love of all is happening to me†. This aspect was not traditionally emphasized in Confucianism but has become a very dominant topic in today’s society. Confucianism focused on moral obligations, whereas today’s society, on top of the moral obligations, individual personality is highlighted. Decades after women back-to-work movement and the end of slavery system, individuality became more and more prominent in the North American society. The era the song was created in defines the core values promoted in the song.  Promoting ind ividuality and power from within made the song widespread.  Ã‚        Ã‚  

Greed and Grievance in Civil War Research Paper

Greed and Grievance in Civil War - Research Paper Example The author explored the greed theory, preference, and grievance and rebellion in relation to the onset of the war. Using 78 large civil wars in existence, they found that constraints of resources evoke the sense of rebellion and subsequent conflicts. In addition, the authors discovered that during the American Civil War, for instance, there were over 1,000 combat-related deaths. Besides, the authors identify that the war was caused by two main structural and system malfunction. Notably, using preference and constraints as key elements, they noted that Civil war was more prevalent because constraints to rebellion were typically weak. It meant that the group could advance its agitation with limited control from any authority. Secondly, the war started because preference to rebellion was typically strong. In addition, they identified political scientist analysis that the war was advance further by the existence of diversity that includes racial, tribal and religious groups. Political re pression, discrimination, and racial segregation are noted as the leading causes of the civil war. In addition, it notes that rebellion and social movement was the biggest platform that pushed for preference and later rebellion.Moreover, the authors studied labor organization movement and agitation for better working conditions and good wages as the fundamental contributors to rising of the war. Evidently, the authors found that it took 500-5000 employees rebellion from a workplace to instigate a wave of the civil action in the firm.

Nuclear plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nuclear plan - Essay Example Instead, the United States was uniquely interested in maintaining a level of hegemony during the period in question. Even though the Cold War has subsequently ended and the division between East and West as partially healed, the United States is still insecure with respect to its overall projection of force throughout the world and the question of whether or not we can continue to be a global hegemony in a uni-polar system. As a function of this, it is the understanding of this particular analyst that it is incumbent upon the United States to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty as a function of not only preserving the peace of ensuring that more destruction to the global environment is not affected. Ultimately, the desire not to sign the treaty is based upon the understanding that the United States can withhold this action as potential leverage within the face of an international crisis. What is meant by this is that during the time in which great powers might be in conflict, the United States might very well choose this particular period of time to test a particular new and devastating nuclear weapons. This would likely be done as a means of sending a signal and not necessarily with respect to seeking to understand the scientific properties behind the physics which allows the weapon to work. Another rationale for why the United States should sign the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has to do with the fact that physical path of nuclear weapons are no longer required in an era in which supercomputers can provide extraordinarily salient and effective projections for the healed and megaton power they nuclear weapon is able to deliver. Whereas a fledgling nation that has only recently developed nuclear weapons might wish not to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the United States should; due to the fact that every nation on earth is fully cognizant of the United States

Supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Supply chain management - Essay Example Earlier, companies were individual entities that gained profit for itself and were based on specified strategy of their production programs, which was not necessarily connected to the external world. However, in the future, companies will either be trading partners where the companies are linked to selected partners through exchange program, or the companies will have integrated supply chain management, which can build relationship with customers and suppliers. Christopher (1998) found competition is not within firms but between the supply chains. The main difficulty is to develop SCM, which not only creates effective relationship with supplier and customers but also is transparent, definable, demonstrable, tangible and communicable for the involved parties. Organizations have been making use of collection of methods, tools, techniques and programs for SCM. Fisher (1997) found two distinctive approaches in supply chain - efficient supply chain and responsive supply chain. The applica tion of SCM improves efficiency of industries and the target is to improve competiveness and profitability (Ellram 1991; Cooper et al. 1997; Persson 1997; Christopher 1998; Mentzer 2001). 2. Supplier Partnerships Working with suppliers provides an opportunity to acquire high quality products and services. Additionally, long term loyalty can be developed. The concept of JIT becomes significant in this regard where the raw materials are delivered on need and not before. Deming (1986) claimed building long-term relationship with suppliers can ensure improved products delivery. For long term commitment, the organization needs to be involved and each party has to contribute to the process of production and manufacturing. The supplier and buyer both need to understand that ultimately the goal is to satisfy the customers and hence, the decision should be made as a team. Various types of sourcing are used for supplier partnership such as single sourcing and multiple sourcing. In case of mul tiple sourcing, the products are delivered through competition. Further, it also reduces the disruption of work. Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa’s (1980) ten principles on supplier and buyer relationship include: 1. Customer and supplier are responsible for quality control. 2. Customer and supplier should respect the independence of other. 3. Supplier is entitled to get complete information from the customer. 4. The contract should be based on quality, price, quantity, method of delivery and payment terms. 5. Supplier should provide the quality desired by the customer to ensure satisfaction. 6. The quality should be determined through mutual consent. 7. The settlement of disputes should be made through agreement. 8. Frequent exchange of information should be promoted to improve the service or product quality. 9. The partner should be involved in procurement, inventory planning and production. 10. The interest of end users should be considered above all. In the case - NOSC has a proposal t o enter into ULV’s partnering agreement for office supplies; offering discounts between 50% and 70% will help to reduce total costs of acquisition of supplies. Additionally, it would provide daily deliveries of supplies to users. In return, ULV will use NOSC exclusively for the purchase of office supplies. It can be concluded the partnership is beneficial for both the parties. 3. Supplier Partnership

Kick-off Meetings Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Kick-off Meetings - Research Paper Example The team leader must assign different work to each of the members. A schedule of weekly meetings must be prepared. The team also has to set delivery dates to ensure the project is completed on time. â€Å"In any effective meeting, participants are better off when they have a clear understanding of how it will progress† (Sisco, 2002). Last semester I was involved in a project for school. During that project we had a kickoff meeting when it started. The kickoff meeting was a complete disaster. The members of the team did not communicate well. The members were constantly arguing with each other. Two people wanted the team leadership position. After the two hour meeting we did not accomplish anything. This experience taught me that kickoff meetings should be handled differently. In the future whenever I get a chance to participate in a kickoff meeting once again I will try to do things differently. The first thing that I will focus on during a kickoff meeting is to keep the lines of communication open. I will also act more proactively by performing research prior to the meeting in order to bring good ideas to the table from the start. Sisco, M. (2002). Follow these steps to conduct an effective project kickoff meeting. Retrieved February 27, 2013 from

Westward Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Westward Expansion - Essay Example At this time, America reached the idea of exploring its boundaries up to the shores of the Pacific. Leaders, as well as politicians of the then government used the phrase, â€Å"Manifest destiny,† to present an explanation it was the mission and destiny of the United State to extend its boundaries by act of moving westward. By then, the initial 13 American colonies had grown; there was also an increased desire for acquiring new land. The Westward Expansion entailed various sub-phenomena: The Expedition of Lewis and Clark, the Act of Homestead, the concept of Gold Rush, the Trail of Oregon, and the famous Transcontinental Railroad. All these concepts changed the life of thousands of Americans. People started shifting to the west for land, power, gold, and wealth. Some peoples’ dreams were fulfilled, although often people abandoned the West desperately. Native Americans are intertwined with the Westward Expansion’s historical events. Sometimes encounters between th e Native Americans and those moving West were at times positive and in other times disastrous; was not a great idea for some. Unfortunately, negative encounters emerged from misunderstood values of the involved groups cultures. Work Cited: Billington, Ray A., and Ridge, Martine. Westward Expansion: A history of the American Frontier. 6th ed. Library of Congress cataloging-in-Publication Data, 2001. (pp. 17-46). Quay, Sara E. Westward Expansion. Library of Congress cataloging-in-Publication Data, 2002. 19th C. American Westward Expansion. Accessed 4 Dec. 2011. (pp. 3-8). from http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/hstryidx.htm Concerning the phenomenon of Lewis and Clark Expedition, President Thomas Jefferson, in 1803, purchased the Territory of Louisiana, for $15 million from France. By embracing the Act of Expedition, the nation of America registered a growth of approximately 1 million miles square; between the regions of Mississippi to Rockies, as well as between the Gulf of Mexico an d Canada. President Jefferson sent Corp’s of Discovery by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis, in an attempt of obtaining a reliable water route form the Pacific as well as the nation gains an exploration of new territory. In 1862, The Homestead Act was signed in by Abraham Lincoln, in an effort of motivating people to proceed to the west and tend new lands and to take effect on the 1st of January 1863. The Act of Homestead provided about 160 acres to people. Every â€Å"homesteader† had to pay a fee of $10 for filing. Thereafter, they had to occupy the land and establish homes. The ownership was in effect, so long as the land was to be occupied and cultivated for a period of five years. About 270 million acres of land got claimed as well as settled per The Homestead Act. Gold was discovered in January 1848, on the estate referred to as John Sutter in California. In the same year, the findings of the treasurer, gold, was validated by President James Polk; the Gold Rush started. Those who proceeded to the west in search for gold, were termed; the â€Å"forty-niners† (49ers), since many abandoned their homes within the course of the year, 1849. Incidentally, others joined the gold region in 1848 and thus, were referred to as the 48ers. Consequently, California emerged a populous state following the Gold Rush. The United States laid thousands of track miles in 1835 that is in the eastern part. Trains eased the shipping of goods; it also made the cost of shipping go down and the process was quick. There was the emergence of towns and factories started to be established along the route of the railroad. Native Americans

Making China Modern Essay Example for Free

Making China Modern Essay In Chapter eight of â€Å"The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism,† Max Webber makes a comparison of the eastern philosophy of Confucianism with the western religion of Puritanism. He makes the connection between the how Confucianism has shaped China historically from an individuals personal goals to its economic and commercial conditions. Webber first describes the rationalization of a religion using two different yard-sticks, â€Å"one is the degree to which the religion has divested itself of magic; the other is the degree to which it has systematically unified the relation between God and the world and therewith its own ethical relationship to the world. † Webber denotes that in western Protestant rationalism, magic has been eradicated entirely and was sometimes even viewed as â€Å"devilish†, cutting off all trust in magical superstitions and manipulations. However, in the Confucian ethics, the significance of magic was left untouched. All natural scientific knowledge was lacking due to a cause and elemental forces. It also vested interest in the income opportunities of prebendal office. Webber states that Confucianism and Puritanism both take different stands against the world, Puritanism believed in a God where as Confucianism did not believe in a supra-mundane God, both in time met tensions with the world’s irrationalities. This all constituted in the development of China and its people. The Confucian ethic is to reduce tensions in the world to an absolute minimum. All human nature was disposed to be ethically good and as such, was to be indifferent from one another, capable of unlimited perfection. There was a lack of â€Å"nerves† with unlimited patience and slowness to reacting especially in the intellectual sphere. China taught as a form of philosophical-literary education, learning from old classics and hence it lacked insufficient educational such as economic provisions. It endeavored to remove all tensions from humanity and hence left no leverage for influencing conduct through inner forces freed of tradition and convention. Wealth was the main success measurement in the Confucian mentality, as a means to keep â€Å"face†. It has been recorded in the oldest documents of Chinese political economy where â€Å"balance of trade† and the usefulness of wealth were emphasized. It came to a point where storeowners would haggle for every penny, however despite this lust for wealth, no economic mentality of capitalism was created. The Chinese lacked a system for commercial correspondence and the numerous technical inventions were little used for economic purposes. It is Webbers intention that even though China was capable of assimilating capitalism, the varied conditions and circumstances, most notably the Confucian teachings, had hindered it. The difference between Puritan and Confucian rationalism was that Puritans had enthusiasm, which the Confucians lacked. It is this rationalism that allowed the typical Puritan to invest his income as capital in rational capitalist enterprise out of an asceticist compulsion to save. Webber believes that these attitudes have effected China’s capitalist development negatively.

Gender Differences Essay Example for Free

Gender Differences Essay In the excerpt from the book, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, author John Gray discusses the stark differences between men and women. He states that the personality traits between men and women are so dissimilar, that each sex might as well have originated from the planets, Mars and Venus, respectively. He explains that men value power and achievement, and they choose certain occupations and offer others solutions to their problems based on these values. Comparatively, women believe communication and relationships are more important, and they desire empathy when they interact with others. He details that these different character traits often cause confusion and communication barriers between men and women. Gray’s excerpt explains his unique definition of male and female personalities; however, it is a broad assumption to say that all men and women behave in a certain way solely based on their gender. The stereotypes that Gray specifically utilizes in his excerpt oversimplify the complex interactions between men and women instead of showing their differing emotional responses based on particular situations. The two emotional responses that Gray does not compare are stress and anger. The male and female reactions to these emotions offer the best example of the differences between the sexes. More often than not, men and women respond to stress in different ways. Women tend to externalize their feelings when they deal with stressful situations. They often confide in their significant other, friends, and family as an outlet for the stress in their life. Typically, once a woman has effectively deliberated and discussed her feelings and issues regarding stress, she often feels better about the stressful situation. In her book, You Just Don’t Understand, expert Deborah Tannen similarly explains that women use complaining as a way to feel close to others. She calls this way of conversing â€Å"troubles talk. † She says, â€Å"For women, talking about troubles is the essence of connection. I tell you my troubles, you tell me your troubles, and we’re close. † (61). A perfect example of this can be seen with my interactions with my close friend, Lindsey. She will frequently need to call me and vent about her relationship woes. She uses our conversations to help talk through her stressful situations and will ultimately feel better following our calls. I will tend to use conversations with my mother or sister to vent about my stress, as well. Conversely, men often internalize their emotional responses to stress. Men tend to reserve their emotions internally and use various non-stressful activities as distractions to occupy themselves, such as watching sports or playing video games. A prime example of the male response to stress can be seen when my boyfriend is stressed from work. When he comes home after a stressful day, he will play video games for hours to help relieve his stress. After playing these games, he will feel much better. When I recognize that he is stressed, I usually ask him if he would like to discuss his situations; he usually responds by saying that he is fine and he just needs some time alone. I have also noticed a similar response to stress in other men such as my coworkers, fellow students, and my brothers and father. This unique male response to stress demonstrates the difference from the female stress response. Another emotional situation in which men and women have a tendency to respond differently is anger. Although each person reacts to anger in their own way, men and women will generally react to anger in a different manner. Women, including myself, will often react to anger by isolating themselves from the initial anger trigger and think through their emotional response prior to any actions. Simply put, think first, and act later. For example, my mother’s response to anger follows the aforementioned format. Her initial response involves removing herself from the anger stimulus where she can better collect herself. After assessing the situation which generated my mother’s anger response, she will respond in a more conservative and appropriate manner. Conversely, men have a propensity to react to anger in a much different way. When in an emotional situation that causes anger, men are more inclined to violence and can be quick to react by demonstrating their anger in a more physical manner. They often act this way because they are trying to prove they are â€Å"manly† or â€Å"powerful†. Gray explains that, â€Å"[men] are always doing things to prove themselves and to develop their power and skills† (695). A great example of this common male response can be seen with my brother, Sam. When angered, Sam tends to react like most males when experiencing anger. His initial reaction to anger typically is demonstrated by a violent motion by hitting an object. This is usually followed by a more thoughtful and collected response after the initial outburst. These reactions to anger demonstrate the differing emotional responses between men and women which can be seen throughout society on a frequent basis. Despite the differing reactions to stress and anger mentioned above, men and women can also respond in a similar manner. Since no two individuals are the same, it is important to understand that the aforementioned examples are not the only reactions that men and women can portray. Stress and anger are natural human emotions that are experienced almost daily. It is also important to understand that human emotions and communication are much more complex than the examples that Gray provides. This complexity is due to unique personalities and differing interactive situations. No two responses even with the same individual will ever be the same. However, understanding the different ways men and women may communicate and react to certain emotions will provide a better understanding of the opposite sex. This understanding will help bridge the communication gap between men and women and improve our knowledge of the complexities of human emotion.

Challenges to Chinas Governance

Challenges to Chinas Governance Wong Regan Wing Kwan Understanding China’s Governance:  Challenges and Prospects Have legal reforms implemented so far limited the arbitrary use of official power, advanced the independence of the judiciary and promoted the rule of law in China Introduction Over the years, changes have constantly been made to the legal system of China. Despite the massive changes in the legal system of China, the modern development of the Chinese legal system had not been started until about 30 years ago. The formation of an entirely new legal system in China is particular special and interesting because China undergoes dramatic sociological, economic and cultural changes along with the legal reform. In this essay I am going to discuss whether the reform of the legal system has achieved its main goals: to restrict the unauthorized use of official power, to advance the independence of judiciary, and ultimately, the promotion of the rule of law in the country. I will first talk about the background of China’s legal system. Then I am going to describe the changes that have been made to China’s legal system. Last but not least, I will address and discuss whether the reforms have preceded their main goals. Background of China’s legal system Traditional Chinese Law This is the starting point of the historic development of the legal system of China. Being practiced and in forced by the Chinese Empire[1], the Traditional Chinese Law mainly dealt with the regulation of the government and the development if natural economy, with no protection of rights involved. The law lasted until the 19th century because it could not cope with the economic development at that period, especially when the western capitalist civilization was influencing China at that period. Acceptance of Foreign Law This is a reform which was done by the Qing Dynasty in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The reform aimed to meet the requirements of development at the international level and to cope with the national economy. Unfortunately, the resign of the last emperor of China in 1912[2] led China to its long period of civil wars. During this long period, the political system and the legal system of China were both delicate and erratic. China was so unstable at that time that it was impossible for them to establish a legal system. Socialist Legal system The instability of China’s legal and political system maintained for a long period until 1949, when Mao Zedong Proclaimed the People’s Republic of China (PRC). A socialist legal system was implemented at that time[3], which was based on ‘Maxist Leninist ideas’. Maxist Leninist ideas refer to the conversion of a country to a socialist republic. And this conversion must be led by a group of conductors that are professional revolutionaries[4]. This new legal system has several characteristics including the fact that the regulation of economy requires little need for the body of law. Nonetheless, this development phase did not last long because of political changes – the Cultural Revolution. â€Å"Democratic institutionalization and legalization† in 1978 In 1978, China has started to establish a modern legal system. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) opened a platform for democratic institutionalization and legalization at the 3rd Plenum of the 11th Central committee[5]. Deng Xiaoping’s goal was to seek for continuity and stability of the law and the system. However, because Deng took an experimental approach for this reform, the reform created a lot of error systems and laws. Major reforms Changes in the law making bodies There has been an increase of transparency and openness in the law making bodies. Two major law making bodies in China are National People’s Congress (NPC) and Local People’s Congress (PCs). Both law making bodies have increased their transparency gradually over the years, and they become more open to the public. For instance, they start releasing drafts of laws, and start providing public participation and hearings. 1982 Constitutional Reform[6] In total the Chinese Constitution had been amended for 4 times. A new version of Constitution was adopted in 1982. One of the major changes is that the party control of China is replaced by party leadership. The new constitution also emphasizes on the sanctity and conformity of the socialist legal system. This Proclaims that the constitution and the law are above any individual, organization or even political party. Legislative reforms In addition to the constitutional reforms, there have also been changes in lawmaking over the years. Lawmaking has shifted its focus from enhancing the state’s economy to addressing social issues, including the provision of transparency and social fairness. The shift is made because China’s leadership understand that except from the delivery of rapid economic growth, assuring fairness and harmony in the society also plays a vital role in order to ensure the legitimacy of China’s one-party rule. Thus, more laws on welfare, social security and health insurance etc. are included in more recent NPC legislative plans. The major reforms include Administrative Litigation Law (1989) which was considered as revolutionary because it was the first time that the citizen were allowed to challenge the government by using the court system; State compensation Law (1994) which allow citizen to sue the government; Administrative reconsideration Law (1999) which allow the request for review for any government action; Administrative Penalties Law (1996) which granted procedural rights for the public and Administrative Licensing Law (2003) which limits corruption[7]. Court Reform There are also reforms of the judiciary system. The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) had its first plan for the reform of the judiciary system in the 90s. The aims of the reform were straight forward. They aim to improve the quality of judges by training; addressing the problem of corruption and so as to enhance the potency of system; and to inspect the judges. The reforms are designed to improve both the professionalism of court system and the competence of judges. In order to achieve the goals, new rules are implemented. For example, all of the new judges have to pass the national unified judicial exam which has a passing rate of less than 10 percent[8]. This ensures the competency of the judges. Moreover, there is an emphasis on legal and logical reasoning in courts. Opinions should also be according to facts. The reform allow public to engage more confidence to the courts and help resisting corruption and interference. The Rule of Law and Judiciary Independence in China Rule of Law by definition is the constriction of the arbitrary use of power by laws[9]. In order for the Rule of Law to work, the government must be under the control by law. Also, the law must be enforced by an independent body – the courts. The courts thus act as a mediator between the government and the citizen. However in my opinion in China’s case, due to its one-party control, the communist party controls the government and involves in all of the governmental affairs. This may include the formulation of general policies, judicial affairs and the determination of appointments to official posts. The lack of independence between the government and the party suggests that the rule of law has not been promoted by China’s legal reform. In addition, both the NPC and the PC are basically under the control of CCP, the lack of independence of the NPC and the PC restricts the rule of law by a lot because the PC and the NPC are the law making bodies in the country. The CCP can get involved in the law making process, so it controls the law that regulates the country. In addition, there are many laws being drafted by local or central government. The laws drafted may provide interests to the region or the department instead of providing general interest for the public. CCP also indirectly controls the court due to its control over the PCs. For example, the judiciary is not entirely separated from PCs because judges are appointed and remunerated by PCs. This may cause political interference by local parties and ultimately causing local protection. The lack of independence between the court and CCP again shows that the rule of law cannot be applied on China. Furthermore, the constitutional and legal status of the CCP is still unclear. It is still unclear whether the constitution determines CCP’s legitimacy; or the CCP determines the legitimacy of the constitution. It is also unclear that whether the party is above the law. Moreover, the enforcement of law has been a challenge to the promotion of the rule of law in China. In addition to the independence between the law enforcing body and the government, it is necessary for the law of the country to be legitimate and to be enforceable. Or else, the rule of law will not work. Due to the weak and inferior punishment and penalty for the people who disobeyed court orders, the law becomes hard to be enforced in China. Rebuttal: Socialist Rule of Law Theory While all of the information above showed us that the legal reform has not promoted the rule of law in China, some people advocate the â€Å"Socialist Rule of Law Theory†, suggesting that instead of the promotion of rule of law, the legal reforms of China promoted â€Å"Socialist Rule of Law†. They separate the Rule of Law from the Socialist Rule of Law. The Socialist Rule of Law advocates that in order to achieve a ‘harmonious society’, the legal system must follow the leadership of the party. According to the vice-president of the SPC, China needs to prevent the â€Å"negative influence of Western rule of law theory† (Cao, 2006)[10] and this is based on two main arguments. Firstly, they think that the application of the rules should not be rigid. Under the rapid economic and social growth, the law often slows down the progress of development and reforms in China. So they believe that the Western rule of law theory does not work on developing countries like China, or else the development of the state would be really slow. Laws can also be seemed as an obstacle to progress. Secondly, they think that it is acceptable to breach the constitution if they are favorable for China’s interest or if they are good for the state’s productivity and stability. For instance, private enterprises operated before they were permitted by the constitutional amendment in 1988[11]. This suggests that the constitution could also be an obstacle to development or reform. Conclusion China’s one party control shows that despite of the legal reform that have been done over the years, the Western style rule of law has not been promoted. This is mainly due to the control of the court, the government and the law making bodies of the country. It is also unclear that whether the constitution is above the CCP or not. The control of the organization above makes CCP above the law and possibly the constitution, which makes the idea of rule of law not applicable on China. However, some people advocate that the legal reform of China has promoted the â€Å"Socialist Rule of law†, which states that â€Å"in order to achieve a ‘harmonious society’, the legal system must follow the leadership of the party†. It is arguable that whether the Socialist Rule of Law fits China more than the Western style Rule of Law due to its rapidly developing economy and infrastructure. Word Count (Without headings): 1795 Bibliography Behr, Volker. Development of a New Legal System in the People’s Republic of China. Volume 67. Number 4. Summer 2007 Cavendish, Richard. Pu Yi, Last emperor of China, is pardoned, History today. Volume 59, number 12. Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/pu-yi-last-emperor-china-pardoned > Thrower, James. Marxist-Leninist ‘Scientific Atheism’. Walter de Gruyter Co. . 1983 Horsley, Jamie. â€Å"The Rule of Law: Pushing the Limits of Party Rule.† In China Today, China Tomorrow: Domestic Politics, Economy, and Society, ed. Joseph Fewsmith, pp. 51-70.Lanham, Md.: Rowman Littlefield, 2010,ch. 3. Liebman, L. Benjamin. China’s courts: Restricted reform. Paper number 08-180. Columbia Law School. HK government, (2014) The rule of Law, Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.info.gov.hk/info/sar5/elaw_1.htm > Chen, H.Y. Albert. Toward a legal enlightenment: Discussion in contemporary China on the Rule of Law. P.13- 54 [1] Behr, Volker. Development of a New Legal System in the People’s Republic of China. Volume 67. Number 4. Summer 2007 [2] Cavendish, Richard. Pu Yi, Last emperor of China, is pardoned, History today. Volume 59, number 12. Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/pu-yi-last-emperor-china-pardoned > [3] Behr, Volker. Development of a New Legal System in the People’s Republic of China. Volume 67. Number 4. Summer 2007 [4] Thrower, James. Marxist-Leninist ‘Scientific Atheism’. Walter de Gruyter Co. . 1983 [5] Horsley, Jamie. â€Å"The Rule of Law: Pushing the Limits of Party Rule.† In China Today, China Tomorrow: Domestic Politics, Economy, and Society, ed. Joseph Fewsmith, pp. 51-70.Lanham, Md.: Rowman Littlefield, 2010,ch. 3. [6] Liebman, L. Benjamin. China’s courts: Restricted reform. Paper number 08-180. Columbia Law School. [7] Horsley, Jamie. â€Å"The Rule of Law: Pushing the Limits of Party Rule.† In China Today, China Tomorrow: Domestic Politics, Economy, and Society, ed. Joseph Fewsmith, pp. 51-70.Lanham, Md.: Rowman Littlefield, 2010,ch. 3. [8] Liebman, L. Benjamin. China’s courts: Restricted reform. Paper number 08-180. Columbia Law School. [9] HK government, (2014) The rule of Law, Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.info.gov.hk/info/sar5/elaw_1.htm > [10] Liebman, L. Benjamin. China’s courts: Restricted reform. Paper number 08-180. Columbia Law School. [11] Chen, H.Y. Albert. Toward a legal enlightenment: Discussion in contemporary China on the Rule of Law. P.13- 54

Forensic Pathology as a Career Essay -- Forensic Pathology Careers Med

Forensic Pathology as a Career The career that I researched was forensic pathology. The job of a pathologist is to determine a person’s cause of death by examining tissues and fluids from the body. A forensic pathologist does this as well, but they are trained to examine people who died unexpectedly or violently and to recognize other things that a regular pathologist might not, such as recognizing something as intentional rather than accidental. They have to determine who the person is, the time of death, the manner of death, and if it was accidental, the instruments which caused the death. To get an idea about the patient, the forensic pathologist would first get some information about the person’s past, including their medical history. By having this information, they would know to check if the person’s death was related to a drug overdose, or if unusual chemicals in the body were caused by medications the person was taking and they were related to the cause of death. They would perform an autopsy, looking for things such as toxins in the body, broken skin, evidence of sexual assault, etc., and record their findings and their determined cause of death. Also, as forensic pathologists are trained to interpret methods of injury, they will examine living individuals in cases of suspected rape/sexual assault or child abuse, determining whether the pattern of injuries is consistent with accidental or intentional injuries, usually for law-enforcement purposes only. ... Forensic Pathology as a Career Essay -- Forensic Pathology Careers Med Forensic Pathology as a Career The career that I researched was forensic pathology. The job of a pathologist is to determine a person’s cause of death by examining tissues and fluids from the body. A forensic pathologist does this as well, but they are trained to examine people who died unexpectedly or violently and to recognize other things that a regular pathologist might not, such as recognizing something as intentional rather than accidental. They have to determine who the person is, the time of death, the manner of death, and if it was accidental, the instruments which caused the death. To get an idea about the patient, the forensic pathologist would first get some information about the person’s past, including their medical history. By having this information, they would know to check if the person’s death was related to a drug overdose, or if unusual chemicals in the body were caused by medications the person was taking and they were related to the cause of death. They would perform an autopsy, looking for things such as toxins in the body, broken skin, evidence of sexual assault, etc., and record their findings and their determined cause of death. Also, as forensic pathologists are trained to interpret methods of injury, they will examine living individuals in cases of suspected rape/sexual assault or child abuse, determining whether the pattern of injuries is consistent with accidental or intentional injuries, usually for law-enforcement purposes only. ...

Paradise Lost Essay -- essays research papers

Peter Schrag presents the ills of California?fs current politics in an angry and persuasive tone. He says California used to be ?gboth model and magnet for the nation—in its economic opportunities, its social outlook, and its high-quality public services and institutes?h; however, California started to fade after the passage of Proposition 13, the initiative of tax limits (7). Schrag?fs work clearly shows what is the problem in today?fs California, and it is easy to understand even for those who have little knowledge of politics. By focusing on issues of ?gneopopulism?h which is easy to find in California?fs diversity, he succeeds in giving his readers the sense of crisis not only about California?fs politics, but also the national wide politics because California is the place ?gwhere the new American society is first coming into full view?h (23). Schrag says, about California politics, that: For nearly a generation, there has been increasing focus among scholars, politicians, and journalists on the growing gaps in California—ethic, social, economic—between those who exercise political power and the larger population, and particularly those who are the most immediate users of its public services. What has gotten little discussion is the dynamic of the plebiscitary process itself. While it?fs ad hoc in nature—each measure is decided by voters on its own apparent merits without much reference to the wider context—it has a larger cumulative effect through which statewide majorities restrict the powers of local political majorities, which are often nonwhite. Almost by definition, it is also a device of impulse that tends to be only marginally respectful of minority rights or interests, and that lends itself to demagogic wedge campaigns designed to boost voter turnout for other political purpose. (21) Schrag divides his project into five sections. The middle sections, ?gThe Spirit of 13,?h and ?gMarch of the Plebiscites,?h in which he carefully discusses each important measure in the last two decades, show why so many issues rose. In the first section, ?gGolden Moment,?h Schrag describes ?gCalifornia?fs heyday of post-World War †¡U optimism?h and how it crumbled. Citations from magazines prove that California was a really paradise even from the nationwide view. Schrag also notices that the demographic change deeply relates to California?fs politics in the last t... ...comes clear in this chapter is that the plebiscitary process is problem in California. Most voters and a large portion of media pay attention not on the government and the social welfare, but on their individual benefits. Much amount of money was spent on each measure, and supporters and opponents vehemently argued by using the mass media. Schrag says that the state government of California became a ?gmedia-based?h government. It is clear that California had anti-immigrants climate by Schrag?fs selection of measures. California politicians attacked programs for low-income Californians precisely at the time when California?fs demographic was changing rapidly. Politicians have been urging white voters to cut back on beneficial public services to original Californians. Finally, Schrag concludes his work with some suggestions for ?gthe possibilities for a new political integration and a revitalized social ethic in California?h while he describes ?gthe contrary forces pushing even fur ther toward a market-based governmental ethic?h (20). His work gives us a good opportunity for rethinking recent California and how voters, not only California?fs voters but also the others, should be.

Reaction to Beloved :: essays research papers

Reaction To Beloved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie Beloved was a tale of a woman who is so devastated by the evil of slavery. Therefore she is willing to kill her toddler daughter rather than allow her to be taken back into the horror. This murderous act proves itself to be a choice, which only further enslaves her soul as her daughter’s ghost haunts her life. The movie was set in the 1800’s. Sethe is a pregnant slave on a Kentucky plantation named Sweet Home. She was under control by a violent slave master. To me there is no reason or excuse for this kind of evil. The enslavement and brutal treatment of our fellow human beings is a spiritual scar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Sethe gives birth to Beloved and is reunited with her children in Ohio. The happiness of this reunion is turn into a tragic event as she sees her former master riding up to the house with the local sheriff. Sethe knows that he is coming back to take her children back into slavery, she runs into the shed, cuts the throat of her two year old daughter, Beloved, and hits her sons’ heads with a shovel. Her sons didn’t die but beloved did. Soon after the tragic event the spirit of Beloved haunts Sethe’s house. The scene of seeing Sethe kill Beloved is very disturbing to witness. The ghostly tantrum of Beloved comes back over and over again to disrupt Sethe’s home. Her two sons become very scared by the haunts of Beloved. Sethe’s younger daughter, Denver becomes calm with her mother and the ghost, and she never leaves the house and yard. Sethe also becomes ok with the ghost presence in the house. She keeps denying that she did anything wrong by killing Beloved. So she feels that she doesn’t need any help.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is often the way evil take over our lives. Rather than having the courage to face the evil we suffer , as Sethe did she affected her own children with this violence. Sethe became in denial with her responsibility. She accepted the pain of her guilt and shame with a lie towards her dignity. She felt everything was right and didn’t want to ask for forgiveness and victory over the evil. But soon a physical form of Beloved comes to Sethe’s house. The girl who act as Beloved is real and demanding like a spoiled child.

Poetry, Post-1914 – Literature Coursework

With detailed reference to three poems, compare and contrast the poets' presentation of war through their choice of language and form. World War One was one of the most influential events over Western literature. The three poems which I will analyse in this essay are â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† by Wilfred Owen, â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death† by W.B. Yeats and â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† also by Wilfred Owen. Poets such as Owen decided to write very powerful poems at this period of time to show the world what was going on in the war. By these poems being written and published in various newspapers, the world would get to see what was really happening in the war, rather than seeing all the propaganda that many governments showed the public. The forms of the three poems are mainly very different. â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† is written as a sonnet, which is generally associated with love. This association suggests that â€Å"Anthem† was written as a celebration of their lives, rather than as a poem to commemorate their lives. Another slight similarity is that â€Å"Anthem† and â€Å"Dulce† are both written using stanzas, rather than â€Å"An Irishman† which is written in free form, even though it is significantly longer than â€Å"Anthem†. The rhyme schemes of â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† and â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death† are the same, following the ABAB†¦ pattern, however â€Å"Anthem For Doomed Youth† has a very different rhyme scheme, sometimes using ABAB†¦ and sometimes using AABB†¦ the times in which these rules are used are very random. â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† was written by Owen to tell the world about what was really happening in the war. Most of the poem is made up of phrases describing the torment and pain that soldiers went through during this time. An example of one of these phrases is when he says â€Å"Knock-kneed, coughing like hags†, by using this simile, Owen is conveying to the audience that many soldiers were injured and suffering badly during the war. Yeats uses a similar technique to get the message of bad conditions through to the audience, he says â€Å"Those I fight I do not hate†, stating that he doesn't even know the people that he is fighting, so cannot have hate for them, even though they could kill or injure him. He is also showing a different tone to the poem, saying that it is indifferent, calm and detached. â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death† is written in first person, giving it a personal feel, making you feel like you know the â€Å"Irish Airman† and understand his problems and sorrows. Contrary to this, both â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† and â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† are written in third person, making the reader feel like the poems are more of a story than a person account of the war, even though Owen fought in the war. There are many messages in each of the poems. One of the most easy to see hidden message occurs in â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth†, line three is the longest line throughout the whole poem and it says this: â€Å"Only the stuttering rifles' raid battle†. This phrase can be interpreted in many different ways. One of these could be that the â€Å"stuttering rifles† are the prayers that are being said for the soldiers have been saying, however the â€Å"stuttering rifles† could mean the rifles are causing a long and painful death, and this is, in fact the reason why the line is so long. In â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† the same technique is also used. This time the longest line is the second line which says â€Å"Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through the sludge†. This line is saying how the soldiers were so injured and worn out that they â€Å"cursed through the sludge† meaning it took them a long time. This is the reason why th e line is so long. The longest line of â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death† does however not follow the same pattern. The first line of â€Å"Anthem† is written in the form of a rhetorical question, this question makes you think about what happened to all the people that died â€Å"like cattle† die in inhuman ways, and just being slaughtered. â€Å"Dulce† immediately starts by using a simile; â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks†, this simile is showing you the extent of the injuries suffered, it made them â€Å"bent† like old people would be, not young people who should have fit and healthy bodies. â€Å"I know that I shall meet my fate† is the opening line of â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death†, this immediate impact, by the man saying he is going to die is very dramatic; it engages the reader and creates suspense about what is going to happen. The past, present and future are all mentioned in â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death†. â€Å"I know that I shall meet my fate† is the airman saying that he knows that he will die soon, this is in the present, â€Å"The years to come, seemed waste of breath† is saying that the years to come seem a waste of time, talking about the future and â€Å"A waste of breath the years behind† is saying that the years gone by also seem like a waste of time. This use of all three tenses is giving the audience a briefing about what happened in the past, what is happening at the moment and what the airman fears will happen in the future. Both â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† and â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† are written in the present because they have a main purpose of telling the audience what is happening, rather than what happen in the past and what will happen in the future. During the early 1900's many British people were religious, rather than today, where only a small fraction of people keep any religious observance. The fact that people kept to there religion meant that a lot of this type of imagery was put into poems during the war. â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† has all the components in it to tell you what a funeral for one of the fallen soldiers would be like, it mentions â€Å"bells† as in bells at a church, but Owen may also be referring to the noise of the rifles, it also mentions â€Å"prayer† which could also be the hope that the soldiers had in order that they would survive and it also mentions many others including â€Å"choirs† which could be the other soldiers. Similarly to â€Å"Anthem†, â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death† also uses religious imagery; this occurs when Yeats says â€Å"my country is Kiltartan Cross†, this can be perceived in the way that â€Å"Kiltartan Cross† is his religion, because it is where he is from, and he has great passion to fight for them, in order that they win. Both â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† and â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† describe injured servicemen in great detail. This is done because the injuries were so great that some of the soldiers had, the poets felt a ‘responsibility' of telling the public what was happening. One example of this poetic device in â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† is when it says; â€Å"The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds† This is saying that there faces were the colour of a coffin cloth (white) and that they had wounded minds like a patient in hospital. One type of this imagery used in â€Å"Dulce† is when Owen says; â€Å"If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs† This is saying that blood was spooling out of the â€Å"corrupted† lungs, making you imagine a dead or struggling soldier on the floor with blood oozing out of him. Contrary to these two poems â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death† does not describe injured soldiers; this may be because Yeats wanted to make his poem seem different to many poems which were appearing in the media at the time. After writing this essay, I have realised that different poets use different techniques to write their poems, making them appealing to different types of audiences.

Positive Psychology Paper Essay

Positive Psychology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Positive psychology is a new branch of psychology founded by Dr Martin Seligman, who is the Director of the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center.   This branch is defined as â€Å"the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive† (Seligman, 2007).   In addition, positive psychology is â€Å"founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play† (Seligman, 2007). As a critique, developing such field may be beneficial to human and in turn, to society.   Being aware of what positive psychology entails and applying these in life will promote healthy relationships as this field aims to promote â€Å"positive emotions, positive individual traits, and positive institutions† (Seligman, 2007).   Then again, one possible setback for the development of this new branch of psychology is seeing all the others as negative.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Generally, researchers value positive psychology as an essential part in the aim of studying the entire spectrum of human experience.   Researchers of this field do acknowledge the existence of the negative aspects of life such as hardships and dysfunctions, however, aim to study the other side of the coin.   This includes joys, good feelings and functional institutions. Studies say that humans, by nature, easily recall the negative events than the good ones.   Basing from this, a positive perspective and a healthy state of mind should be set.   One effective way of fighting the negative is to list every good thing that occurred during the day and contemplating on them.   This should be done despite having a bad day.   To be happy, one must develop the initiative to dwell on the good and appreciate one’s blessings. One should exert conscious efforts to dispel the ugly and replace them with positive and pleasant thoughts. Reference Seligman, M. â€Å"Authentic happiness†University of Pennsylvania Website. Retrieved     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   February 27, 2008, from http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx   

Msc Strategic Marketing Assignment

1. Visit www. americanexpress. com to learn more about the different cards that American Express offers. Discuss the target market and positioning strategies for each and suggest other segments that American Express might be able to successfully target (20%/630-770 words) American Express manages a wide variety of products but their cards can be classified in two main card types if cards: personal and business cards. For each card type they offer a wide range of different utilities and privilege and can be sub divided in credit and charge cards.The difference between the credit and the charge cards available in each category is that the credit cards charge the card holder at the end of the month while the charge cards charge the card holder instantly. The American express business model is aimed at a very narrow premium customer base, which frequently make large transactions. As their customer base is narrow they are able to provide a higher customer service than their competitors (p p). The AmEx brand also holds a huge cultural value.Because of the brands positioning and corporate branding being the owner of an AmEx automatically improves this persons role as opinion leader for the personal social group. Personal Cards Card The range of personal AMEX cards is designed for personal use. The holder pays an annual fee depending on their card and in return they get the corresponding American Express services. Generally such services include no preset spending limits and luxury rewards for collecting points.Other cobranded American Express cards such as the British Airways American Express card also offer additional travel related advantages such as travel insurance or priority on waiting lists. (American express. com Target market In comparison to some of its competitors such as Visa and Mastercard, American express does charge for its services. This naturally shifts it away from these competitors and into a segment of its own. The target market of the personal AME X cards are high earning individuals, because they are high earners they are likely to be individuals professionally hold roles of esponsibility. Their personality is extravagant, extroverted and exploring yet sophisticated lifestyle. Small Business Cards Card The small business card range is designed by American Express to help small businesses manage their finances and reduce stress of running a business. The card holder is expected to pay a monthly fee and in return get the American Express services of no preset spending limit, the card can be extended to other business employees, access to airport lounges and a generous membership reward program.Target Market As the card types name suggests American Express targets small businesses segment with this range of cards. But they don’t target the whole of the small business segment. The card is designed for those businesses that regularly need to make payments for business purposes. The co-branded American Express and British A irways card suggests that they are targeting businesses whose employees are frequently traveling and would like to centrally control their company expenses. Missing segments,The existing range of AMEX cards target the high profile person and business that need to make large and regular payments. Though the product range can also be use online it’s mainly intended to be used offline with the physical card. Many of today’s payment transactions are made via the world wide web of which services such as Pay Pal and Citadel EFT. These 3rd party services are sometimes considered to be unreliable and no provide the exclusivity that American Express provides. This can withhold AMEX users from using their AMEX card online.An exclusive online payment service for AMEX users to provide payment services can increase the company’s online presence and stimulate the cards use. 2. How has American Express been able to help consumers shift their attitude toward usage of the card? Is American Express taking a proactive approach to managing its marketing environment? How? (20%/630-770 words) Shift of attitudes Proactive in managing its marketing environments? 3. Based on your knowledge of online buyer behavior – provide a proposal for an effective e-marketing campaign for American Express, using social media: Facebook, twitter, blogs etc.Critically discuss different ways to attract and retain consumers using different social media in the UK market. To answer this you may choose any two appropriate models of consumer behavior. (20%/630-770 words) Currently American Express is present of the World Wide Web’s main social networks. On Facebook AMEX? s global page got 2. 7 Million who â€Å"like† them, they also have separate pages for each country they have commercial activity in which on average tend to have some 7,000 likes each.The AMEX main Twitter account got 600K followers, on LinkedIn approximately 136,000 professionals are following th e company and on YouTube they got 12,000 subscribers. American express also attempts to connect with small businesses and professionals through offering business advice to them through blogs. In comparison American Express? s closest competitors Master Card and Visa both got 4. 5 million likes each on Facebook. On twitter Visa got 38,000 followers and Master Card 16,000. On Linked in MasterCard for 43,000 followers and Visa 48,000 and on YouTube 1000 and 4000 subscribers respectively.Because of the niche market targeted by American express and the enormous reach and noise of the World Wide Web, planning a carefully targeted campaign is of great importance to ensure the campaign is using resources efficiently. In their study Cap Gemini Ernst & Young (2002) found that modern day online consumers, when considering buying, are looking for the human values behind products and services, such as honesty, respect, dignity trust and fairness behind the products they buy.Since American expres s has two card types and thus two target markets its only logical that the online marketing campaign also be divided to target the two markets separately. Since AMEX got two quite specific target markets the use of social networks is recommended. Social networks allow you to target users on a wide variety of demographic, psychographic, lifestyle information and interests supplied voluntarily by its users. American Express brand is virtually universal, and a single geographic market is quite small.Therefor it is suggested that it is better to focus an e-marketing campaign, via social media, on a global or regional scale than national. The online marketing campaign directed towards the private users will focus on creating a worldwide viral marketing campaign on the popular social networks. For a period of 45 days, using a designated app on the AMEX Facebook page, users can enter a lottery to win one of five free Platinum American Express cards and an additional â‚ ¬2000. Users will be able to increase their chances of winning one of these cards in multiple ways.The first way would be though on a daily basis entering the application and participating in a multiple choice quiz, for every correct daily an additional entry is gained. The daily quiz will consist of questions related to the AMEX products and brand, designed to increase the knowledge about the AMEX products and aid the correct positioning of the brand in the mind of the consumer. The estimated marketing costs for the target market of private users is approximately â‚ ¬17,000, and has a potential reach +1,000,000 resulting in a maximum price per impression of â‚ ¬0. 17, much more efficient than the Facebook adds which recommend a charge of â‚ ¬0. 65 per click. Rivero, J. (2012) suggests that credit card marketing to consumers should be done â€Å"where your consumers and their friends are hanging out†. This campaign attempts to do just that: to get potential new users interested in an d reinforce the connection that existing consumers have with American Express through cultural influences. The people who have already like the American Express Facebook page will be the ones kicking of the campaign by being the first ones to enter the draw.Then when they invite their friends to join they are seen as opinion leaders within their social group. Those who are really interested in winning will engage in the daily quiz elaborating their knowledge of the brand and its products and in turn also convert them into 2nd generation opinion leaders for their social network. Facebook users will also be able to increase their chances of winning by inviting their Facebook â€Å"friends† to enter the competition via the AMEX application. For every friend that they have invited and has also entered the competition they will also gain an additional entry.For the business segment of the American Express target market linked in will be used to gain the public’s attention. This campaign will also take the shape of a competition but not a lottery. Entrepreneurs will be invited to submit start up business proposals. After initial screening, through popular vote on from the linked in community the most popular idea will gain a three year backing of American Express experts, full financial support and of course the AMEX cards and benefits to get up the new business idea. This campaign focuses gaining new business customers through having them engage with the brand through LinkedIn.The social role that AmEx would be taking on, of financing the best business idea, should be interpreted by other users and business as an act of social charity and an attempt to help the business world encouraging them to also use American Express for their business as they understand they provide better and premium services to businesses. 4. Critically analyze and evaluate consumer and customer management practices adopted by American Express and how consumers react to individ ualized consumer-organization interaction. (20%/630-770 words) . Discuss potential trends in buyer behavior in the Credit Card market over the next ten years. Identify companies in this sector which are responding well to the trends, and make recommendations how your company can update the way it engages with current and potential customers. (20%/630-770 words) Innovations One of the main innovations currently in the credit card market is the move to pay via smart phones. Systems are being developed to use a person’s smart phone as a mobile wallet without having to take out a physical credit card. 0 percent of people expect that their smartphones will eventually replace cash and credit cards. (Farrell, B. M. , 2013) Mastercard, Visa and Paypal are already experimenting with this alternative payment method though it must be mentioned that people or 35 or younger, are more inclined to use this innovation than the over 35? s. (Farrell, B. M. , 2013). Amex bought the online payme nt system Serve for $300 million in 2009 and launched its e-wallet service in 2011 (Pepitone, J. , 2011) in a reaction to Visa and PayPal launching a similar service first.The service is currently only available in the US (Johnson, A. R. , 2011) Since in many emerging markets they are taking a technology leap, i. e. directly starting with the latest technology, there exists a realistic possibility that they might also skip the credit card phase and move directly into having an e-wallet. American express could well establish their brand in these markets by providing e-wallet services as well as methods to accept e-wallet payments to local businesses. Competition,The standard credit card market is becoming saturated and its becoming increasingly difficult to obtain new customers or to make customers switch credit card issuer. Card issues have to offer increasingly more incentives to attract new customers and retain exisiting customers. American Express has the advantage of having a un ique brand within a select group of customers. But there are no restrictions for MasterCard or Visa to launch a cheap premium or platinum range in order to target and gain market share right in the heart of American Express? core business. Multi-Function cards. First Data Corporation (2011) suggests that in Brazil Banco Bradesco and in France Credit Agricole have been offering a card type that has the ability to access both credit and debit accounts. But neither have been considered a game changer. Multi-function cards are being increasingly interesting as consumers are starting to shift their preference to the debit card instead of the credit card. This is partially related to the currently ongoing financial crisis.With shifting trends and no game changing alternative this will be a future point of focus for credit card issuers to successfully introduce a hybrid card of this type as long as the demand proves sufficient. Co-Branded Cards Some of American Express? s biggest competito rs are teaming up with other large multinationals to offer exclusive co branded credit cards. For example IKEA and VISA have launched the IKEA Visa card allowing consumers to finance their purchases for up to three years among other benefits.American Express already hs a co-branded card with British Airways but with competition becoming increasingly tougher it is likely that card issuers will also try to issue cards via large multinational organizations. Bibliography: Farrell, B. M. , 2013, Not paying by smartphone? You soon will, many bet. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from http://www. bostonglobe. com/business/2013/03/20/payment-industry-executives-eye-mobile-future/XHi4XtUT9zkoloMd0m2biO/story. html First Data Corporation (2011) Four Important Trends Shaping the future of Credit Cards. Retireived from ttp://www. firstdata. com/downloads/thought-leadership/cc-trends-wp. pdf Johnson, A. R. (2011). â€Å"AmEx Looks Beyond Credit Cards†. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from h ttp://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052970204552304577112611696189378. html Pepitone, J. , 2011. American Express dives into mobile payment with Serve. Retrieved from http://money. cnn. com/2011/03/28/technology/american_express_serve/index. htm Rivero, J. (2012). 3 Big Trends in Credit Card Marketing. Retrieved from: http://thefinancialbrand. com/22348/three-trends-in-credit-card-marketing/