Islamic Fundamentalism Essay

20 March 2007 Introduction On September 11, 2001, the United States of America experienced the worst act of terrorism ever perpetrated on American soil, as major targets in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania were the scenes of the massive slaughter of innocent civilians. From the moment that the first act commenced, the rumor mill flew into overdrive, conveniently blaming the terrorism on â€Å"militant Islamic† people, and implying that this movement had suddenly sprung up out of obscurity to strike at the heart of America like a thief in the night. The reality is much more complex, for fundamentalist Islam has a much longer history, and the threat it continues to pose to Western Democracy, even today, had been growing and mutating for generations prior to 9/11. In this paper, the very definition of fundamentalism at its beginning will be presented, as well as the perversion of it that has led to the challenges and threats the West now has come to bear. Roots of Fundamentalism. To begin, one needs to understand two very different and specific terms: followers of Islam and Islamic Fundamentalists, as the two groups are vastly different, yet both claim legitimacy under the same doctrine. In its purest form, Islam is based upon the ancient teachings of the prophet Muhammad, who was said to have been given the Quran, or holy book of Islam, by God himself, with Muhammad as the messenger and deliverer of the Quran and its teachings to the masses (Davidson). If one were to follow the teachings of Islam in a more traditional sense, as Muhammad is said to have received the word from God, they would be peaceful, obedient servants of God, and Muhammad, thereby enriching their lives, raising solid families and leaving the world a better place than what is was when they were born into it. Eventually, however, political turmoil distorted this message and gave rise to a strain of Islam that is known as Fundamentalism or Extremism, depending upon the source of the material. This interpretation of Islam and the Quran takes the inflexible view that those who do not believe in Islam, and follow the Quran, are characterized as â€Å"Infidels†, and the price of their infidelity to Islam is death. Of course, the Christian ideals of the West make America a convenient target of this sort of massive hatred, but this hatred has also been fueled over the years by America’s defense of other enemies of the fundamentalists/extremists such as the people of Turkey and Israel (Mustikhan). Eventually, the rage of these Islamics would erupt against the US on a large scale, beginning in the 1970s. The Islamic Terrorist is Born It is generally agreed that those who are today termed â€Å"Islamic Terrorists† were first given that moniker by the West in 1979, when the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran was seized by terrorists, taking hundreds of American diplomats and their support staffs hostage in a siege that ultimately lasted 444 days, and brought the United States to the brink of war with Iran. The group of Iranians and assorted others who were in essence the foot soldiers who undertook the plot, led by the extremist leader Ayatollah Khomeini, came to be called Islamic Terrorists (Hoveyda). From there, the stereotype of what a terrorist is, and their potential to wreak havoc on innocent people, began to grow in the minds of the world community. Threats to Western Democracy Due to the widespread presence of Islamic Extremists/Militants, the threat to Western Democracy has become very real, and of course has manifested itself in such tragedies as the Iran Hostage Crisis and 9/11. Given the humble beginnings and admirable teachings that are found in the Quran, and were exhibited by Muhammad and carried down by his disciples, it is a wonderment as to exactly how/why Islam eventually spawned a militant faction which goes against the foundations of the faith itself. In a word, the violent offshoot is the byproduct of fanaticism. Fanatics are those members of the Islamic community who have taken the position that any government, or religion (in their mind, they should be one in the same) that does not practice the teachings of the Quran are the equivalent of parasites that must be eradicated for the good of the human race. The defense of this attitude, and the resultant violence which comes out of the attitude, is due to misinterpretation of the Quran, hence making these individuals worthy of the extremist label. Because the Islamic Extremists have convinced themselves that they are doing the will of God, as laid out in their creative interpretation of the Quran, there quite literally is nothing stopping them from continuing to launch attacks against the Western Democracies, as well as other â€Å"infidels† who hold views and practice lifestyles which are contrary to theirs. One particularly chilling reality of the threat against Western Democracy is the fact that Islamic Extremists, while found in large numbers in some nations more commonly than others, really do not have a nation with borders, do not fly an identifiable flag, or wear a uniform that indicates that they are Islamic Extremists, despite what the leadership of the United States may choose to claim in the present day. Rather, the Extremists have the ability to move freely about the globe and do not have a set territory where organized armies can pursue and battle them. This sort of an invisible threat, not centered in a geographic location but highly organized and well financed as well as armed to the hilt, holds the potential to destroy their enemies, such as the Western Democracies, which are somewhat restrained by physical borders and the need to engage in conventional warfare. Because of this, the paradox is clear- how can an enemy be fought if it cannot be readily seen or tracked? Also, the inability to negotiate with Islamic Extremists closes another avenue of resolving differences and stopping the bloodshed. Conclusion- What is the Future Threat? This paper has shown that Fundamental Islam has the means, mindset, and determination to bring Western Democracy to its knees, as well as the point of annihilation. What this will mean for the future is anyone’s guess but one thing is for sure- without some sort of decisive action against Islamic Fundamentalists, many more innocent lives may be lost, and hard lessons may be learned too late and at too high of a price. Works Cited Davidson, Lawrence. Islamic Fundamentalism. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Hoveyda, Fereydoun. The Broken Crescent: The â€Å"Threat† of Militant Islamic Fundamentalism. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1998. Marin-Guzman, Roberto. â€Å"Fanaticism: A Major Obstacle in the Muslim Christian Dialogue. the Case of Twentieth Century Islamic Fundamentalism. † Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ) 25. 3 (2003): 63+. Mustikhan, Ahmar. â€Å"The Roots of Islamic Extremism. † World and I July 1999: 74.

Case Study †Art Critical and Historical Studies Essay

Task Description: Select three artworks that use the physical environment as their inspiration/theme. One is to be a traditional European/early Australian landscape, one a Modernist work and one a Post Modern work. Write an Analysis of each, showing your understanding of how the four frames can provide different ways of appreciating artworks. As a result of the invention of photography the physical environment has been a source of artist inspiration. The evolution of the interpretation of the world around artists can be demonstrated by the exploration of the practice of traditional artist Eugene Von Guerard, modernist artist Rosalie Gascoigne and post-modern artist Janet Laurence. It is from this the audience is able to determine how the physical environment has influenced art and in turn provide insight to the varying perspectives on the appreciation of artworks. Eugene Von Guerard (b. Austria 1811 – d. London 1901) is a traditional European artist who explored the western physical environment. Living in Italy, Germany, Australia and England we can observe the influence which the environs had on his art marking. In the 1830’s Von Guerard trained in Giovanibattista Bassi’s art school in Rome and later studied landscape painting in Germany at the Dusseldorf Academy. Whilst primarily an artist, he also considered himself an explorer taking long treks in Australia and New Zealand. It was from these trips that had created finely detailed pencil drawings in sketch books. These were later used as the bases for his paintings. Von Guerard expressed nature as he remembered it both its overwhelming beauty and terror at times. It is evident in his works the observations he made on the light and colour within nature. He predominately worked in the convention at the time of oil painting. He used the medium meticulously in painstaking detail. Von Guerard’s deep examination of the land around him enabled him to gain an intense relationship with it which in turn reflected in his art making. Von Guerard being a romantic artist, observed the connections between art and nature. He gave a sense of place in the grandeur and beauty of the landscape. Von Guerard investigated the development of colonial art and found issues in the isolation parochialism (of narrow local interest) and within European traditions. His aversion to this resulted in his contribution to the movement away from English landscape tradition. This personal artist style was heavily influenced by Claude Lorraine, Nicolas Poussiu and Salvator Rosa. He was further inspired by the German Romantic landscape tradition; this is exemplified by Casper Friedrich who attempted to link man and God through nature. His influence to the art world saw him being appointed in 1870 to be the first master of school of painting at the National Gallery of Victoria. Here he influenced artist training for eleven years particularly Frederick McCubbin and Tom Roberts. During this period Von Guerard was renowned for his rigid adherence to picturesque subject matter and detailed treatment. It can be observed within North-East view from the Northern Top of Mount Kosciusko (1863) the romantic style of Von Guerard’s practice. North-East view from the Northern Top of Mount Kosciusko, an oil painting on canvas is immensely large scale at 66. 5 by 116. 8cm. Its meticulous detail heightens the overwhelming size exposing the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the artist. The areas of the foreground and the mound of large boulders on the left are particularly perplexing. The boulders are said to be introduced to emphasise human insignificance and enforce a sense of drama. They serve to provide a link between the foreground, the distant mountains and the sky, that records the passage from heavy rain to bright sunshine. These rocks echo those on peaks at the centre of the composition, gloriously patterned by the snow that has melted to reveal the grassy slopes underneath. The rich purples and oranges and lush greens, matched with the brutality of the rocks and the blankness of the white snow, capture a natural beauty that changes with the time of day and weather conditions. This exemplifies Von Guerard’s passionate emotions towards the landscape and the disappointment as the storm cuts the expedition short. The billowing rainclouds entering from the left create dark shadows over the foreground, the crisp greys and blues suggesting the cool temperatures of the area. Within the foreground the audience observes a narrative in the group of Professor Neumayers scientific expedition undertaking a magnetic survey. The central figure is speculated to Von Guerard to the left is Neumayer. In the distant sky he has captured an approaching storm. The inclusion of the human figures signals both the sense of isolation and the peacefulness of the scene, while also highlighting the vastness of the mountain. It is evident from examination of photographs, the topographical accuracy that Von Guerard evoked. The influence which the conventions at the time had on North-East view from the Northern Top of Mount Kosciusko is highly evident with the composition of the artwork. The framing by the rocks on the left was readily enforced at art schools during this period. Influences of the western world are apparent with relationships between science and art and god and nature. However Von Guerard has moved away from traditional English conventions with his sense of isolation, unknown location and anti-parochial views. By using meticulous detail he strived to depict beauty at its highest form. This meaning North-East view from the Northern Top of Mount Kosciusko was sublime, large and majestic. Unfortunately for Von Guerard this technique employed in North-East view from the Northern Top of Mount Kosciusko was considered a commercial failure. The isolation made it insignificant for the at the time audience to comprehend, this was fuelled with its sublime, grandeur nature. His raw dramatic approach to nature was poorly received. James Smith an influential critic, who had always been an enthusiastic supporter, dismissed Von Guerard’s work for its â€Å"microscopism†. Von Guerard ultimately had to sell the painting himself in Vienna, 1873. James Gleeson found it 100 years after it creation and passed it on to the Australian National Gallery. Von Guerard’s paintings are often praised by contemporary critics for their grandeur and faithfulness to nature, although they were also criticised for their photographic nature. Art Curator Candice Bruce who brought Von Guerard’s work back into the light in 1980, spoke of the work in a positive regard telling of the â€Å"high complexity and depth†¦ exposing audiences to the subtle charm of this fantastic land of monstrosities†. This positive reception is enforced by Geelong Galleries, Geoffrey Edwards who articulates of the â€Å"remarkable masterpiece†, that is â€Å"a golden vista†¦beautifully lit†¦ shines off its colonial enterprise† and has â€Å"no substitute†. Today Von Guerard’s paintings are valued for the compositions and executions as for the subject matter. His strong interest in Romantic association has resulted in a heavy influence in his art making. His practice is highly nationalistic in representation; this is evident in the exaggerated poetic purpose in North-East view from the Northern Top of Mount Kosciusko. Von Guerard’s practice a century later influenced Imants Tillers (b. Australia 1950) to create the appropriation of North-East view from the Northern Top of Mount Kosciusko, titled Mount Analogue (1985). Mount Analogue is an immensely large scale (279. 5 by 571. 5cm) oil stick and synthetic polymer paint on 165 canvas boards. It is a reinterpretation of the exact view of Von Guerard’s. His work challenges the authenticity of the original as it too is an interpretation, however it can be observed the different interpretations of the physical landscape. The examination of the practice of Von Guerard has determined the significant influence the physical landscape has had upon his inspiration as an artist. The audience is able to observe through the decomposition of his artwork North-East view from the Northern Top of Mount Kosciusko the vast perspectives in which we can appreciate artworks. Similarly, Modernist artist Rosalie Gascoigne (b. New Zealand 1917 – d. Australia 1999) draws inspiration from the Australian. Living in rural town of Monaro in the Southwest of New South Wales it is evident within her art making the influence the physical environment had. Rosalie Gascoigne became an â€Å"artist† late in life. She had studied literature at university, acquiring an abiding love of poetry. She later would come to describe her working practice by quoting Wordsworth on â€Å"emotion recollected in tranquillity†. Gascoigne never attempted to paint and never sought to go to art school. I’ve always known how hopeless I was at painting or drawing†. She spent many long days in solitude where she developed her highly original powers of observation. She broke the status quo of her time by creating assemblages of found materials including wood, iron, wire, feathers, signs, boxes, crates, lino, enamelware, galvanised tin, corrugated iron and masonite. These objects rather than accurately depict, elements of the world around her: the landscape around her home and the materials and textures of rural life. Travelling around the countryside collecting materials was integral to Gascoigne’s art practice. Gascoigne a bored 1950’s housewife having no training as an artist created works without considering conventions of the period. Her singular vision of the landscape was expressed in stunning decisive constructions made from the worn and weathered objects she found within it. She found the Australian landscape had a degree of personal freedom in it and became absorbed by â€Å"the width and the rock under your feet and the high sky†. She was not interested in describing the visual reality, picturesque beauty or stores of the Australian landscape, and chose to capture the essence of the landscape’s opography, space, air, vegetation and the daily and seasonal natural rhythms of nature, in compositions that were often startling in their refined simplicity. This was further influenced by the poetry of Peter Porter and David Campbell who also evoked their work around the landscape of Canberra. Gascoigne intricately has woven glimpses of her past feelings and experiences into her work creating art of an extraordinarily transcendent nature. Piece to Walk Around (1981) highlights the unique nature of Gascoigne’s practice. Piece to Walk Around, is comprised of bundles of saffron thistle sticks arranged into 20 squares each 80 by 80 by 1. 5 cm. These squares lay directly on the floor in a patchwork; one bundle running one way, then one other. The criss-cross formation recalls the undulating countryside, the ordering of agriculture and industry and the mottled effects of light and shadow on it. The work conveys a sense of infinite expansiveness and liberation experienced in the country, as manifested through the grid, here understood as an open-ended structure to which additional bundles of thistles could be theoretically added or subtracted. In Piece to Walk Around the literal depiction of the environment is stripped back to its very essence and the work becomes a microcosm of the landscape. The title is used to draw attention to the changing visual effects as one circles the work and the shifting play on the natural material. It is evident from the innovative nature of Piece to Walk Around that western conventions had little impact on Gascoigne’s practice. However Japanese influence is demonstrated through the formal composition and precise organisation of the bundles. The absence of art school allowed for Gascoigne to be singularly influenced by the world around her and not by conventions enforced by the art masters. The resolved use and order of her â€Å"found† materials reflects the influence her interest in flower arranging induced. The isolation of which she endured in the country allowed ability to entirely appreciate and observe the world around her before drawing inspiration from it. Piece to Walk Around was well received by the art world. Its simplicity made it easy for the audience to comprehend fulfilling Gascoigne’s aim to make art accessible to everyone. Gascoigne proposed that whilst â€Å"the viewer’s response to the landscape may differ† she hopes that â€Å"this picture will convey some sense of the countryside† and â€Å"induce in the viewer the liberating feeling of being in the open country†. Her Sydney dealer of over 10 years Roslyn Oxley said â€Å"she was very strong and to the point; there is never anything timid about her work†. Critic Sebastian Smee noted that â€Å"Gascoigne resembles a scavenging bowerbird in a world where the production of blue plastic has ceased. What to do? What to do†¦.? Nest while you can! †. This quote illuminates practice precisely highlighting the beauty and simplicity of her work from the influence of nature. Australian Art Collector reporter Judith White spoke of Piece to Walk Around being a â€Å"unique and imperishable contribution to art†. In 1994 Gascoigne was awarded an Order of Australia for services to art signifying her contribution to the art world. Piece to Walk Around was donated by the Gascoigne family after Roslyn Gascoigne’s death to the Museum of Contemporary Art allowing for a broader audience and the ability for her artwork to inspire a new generation. It was Gascoigne’s innovative practice that resulted in her success. Gascoigne’s engages minimalism’s sense of order in an original take on the physical environment. She employs a mixture Japanese of formal composition and rough Australian nature to break traditional conventions that define the individual styles. Gascoigne’s concepts from Piece to Walk Around were evident amongst a broad range of her artworks. Untitled 12 squares of 6 (1980-81) is another segment from the series in which Piece to Walk Around is derived from. It is created with identical composition as Piece to Walk Around however constructed from sawn weather wood to a large 90 by 119. 5cm. This artwork demonstrates the concept of how individuals can gather varying interpretations from the physical landscape and that this inspiration can impact upon the broad material practice of an artist. Through the analysis of Gascoigne’s practice, it can be observed the substantial influence that the physical landscape has had upon the artist. The audience is able to compare through the decomposition of Gascoigne’s artwork Piece to Walk Around the varying influences that the environment around them has had. It is through this the audience is able to full appreciate the construction of these artworks. It seems the influence of the physical environment has had on artists has continued to the present day through the examination of Post Modern artist Janet Laurence (b. Sydney, Australia 1947 – ). Living in the city of Sydney it is exceedingly evident within the strong messages within her artwork the influence the physical environment had upon her.

Marx and Locke

Miriam D. Knox Dr. Soupios Political Science 304 April 6, 2010 Karl Marx’s and John Locke’s Ideologies The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels and The Second Treatise of Government written by John Locke are two distinct written pieces that describes their ideas and their philosophical beliefs regarding how society would function at its best. Moreover, both writers offer a detailed explanation about the many struggles that man has encountered regarding his existence in the world. In addition, they suggested political concepts whereby they felt it would help man to bring about socialization that would allow man to live a fair and qualitative life. In The Communist Manifesto, Marx uses a large portion of the book to give a historical perspective of society. He emphasizes from the very beginning that most of mans history has been based on economic pursuits and economic gains. As a result, he says that â€Å"all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles† (50). Throughout history, social change occurred when the productive forces in society clashed with the conditions of production, resulting in massive social upheaval. This was always to the benefit of one social class at the expense of another. Modern society was the result of a long series of revolutions in the modes of production, of which the bourgeois class was the main beneficiary. Marx wrote in the Communist Manifesto, â€Å"Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: bourgeoisie and proletariat †(51 ). The bourgeoisie, or capitalist class, consists of the relatively small number of people who owned or controlled the means of creating wealth including land and raw materials; mines, factories, and offices; machinery and technology and who could employ wage laborers to work for them. Proletarians perform most of the work in capitalist economies, but they had little or no control over their work-lives or over the wealth that they produced. The relationship between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is an exploitative one because the latter is paid less than the value that its labor creates, with the surplus of economic profits being kept by the bourgeoisie. While wages may rise if workers are well organized and during periods of economic growth, competition between capitalists compels employers to reduce labor costs as much as possible, particularly during recurring periods of capitalist economic crisis. Historically, the bourgeoisie had played a quite revolutionary role. Whenever it has gained power, it has put to an end all â€Å"feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. â€Å"(53). It has eliminated the relationships that bound people to their superiors, and now all remaining relations between men were characterized by self-interest alone (53). In addition, religious fervor, chivalry and sentimentalism had all been sacrificed. Personal worth is now measured by exchange value, and the only freedom is that of Free Trade. Thus, exploitation that used to be veiled by religious and political â€Å"illusions† is now direct, brutal and blatant (53). The bourgeoisie has changed all occupations into wage-laboring professions, even those that were previously honored, such as that of the doctor. Similarly, family relations have lost their veil of sentimentality and have been reduced to pure money relations (53). Marx continues to describe that the bourgeoisie had only one thing in mind, and that was how to increase their economic status. Subsequently concerns and issues regarding mans overall well being was ignored and had no significance within society. The bourgeoisie made it clear that they were only concerned with increasing their political power. Furthermore, human conditions or any means of making humanity better was never considered nor important. In fact, Marx emphatically reminds us that money and political power was the bourgeoisies’ primary interest. The Manifesto then discusses the relationship of the Communists to the proletarians. Marx says that Communists have been â€Å"reproached† for desiring to abolish the â€Å"right† of acquiring private property through the fruits of one's labor (67). However, he points out, laborers do not acquire any property through their labor. Rather, the â€Å"property† or capital they produce serves to exploit them. This property, controlled by the bourgeoisie, represents a social power and not a personal power. Changing it into common property does not abolish property as a right, but merely changes its social character, by eliminating its class character. Marx also points out that the â€Å"[The bourgeoisie] is unfit to rule because it is incompetent to assure an existence to its slave within his slavery, because it cannot help letting him sink into such a state, that it has to feed him, instead of being fed by him. Society can no longer live under this bourgeoisie, in other words, its existence is no longer compatible with society† (65). The bourgeoisie wanted man to exist in a subservient state of mind and wanted man to accept the exploitative lifestyle they were providing for their daily existence. Moreover, â€Å"What the bourgeoisie, therefore, produces, above all, is its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable† (65). Marx reminds us that it was impossible for man to continue to work and survive in such limited and harsh conditions successfully. If man continued to live like this it would lead to severe suppression and eventually to mans own demise. Therefore, Marx stresses in order for the proletariat to survive, they must revolt against the bourgeoisie. Marx states, â€Å"The immediate aim of the Communists is the same as that of all the other proletariat parties: formation of the proletariat into a class, the overthrow of the bourgeois supremacy, conquest of political power by the proletariat† (66). Marx understood that the proletarians had to revolt in order to experience freedom from their enslaved environment and develop a communistic society. According to Marx, † the theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property† (67). Marx felt in order for the proletarians to escape the bondage they were encountering and to establish a Communist society this theory had to be implemented. This theory was not an option, but in fact a necessity for the proletarians to develop a communistic society. Marx ends Communist Manifesto in stating â€Å"Let the ruling classes tremble at a communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. Working men of all countries unite! (91). Marx strongly felt that man united throughout the universe and living in a Communist society would offer man the opportunity to live with the prospect of both justice and a qualitative lifestyle while living in the world. He new this type of revolution would make the bourgeoisie fall and crumble. The Second Treatise of Government written by John Locke places sovereignty into the hands of the people. Locke's fundamental argument is that people are equal and invested with natural rights in a state of nature in which they live free from outside rule. Locke addresses the state of nature in order to define political power. In Chapter 2, Locke explains the state of nature as a state of equality in which no one has power over another, and all are free to do as they please(4). He notes, however, that this liberty does not equal the license to abuse others, and that natural law exists even in the state of nature. Each individual in the state of nature has the power to execute natural laws, which are universal (5). Locke's theory includes a host of moral beliefs and moral practices. Moreover, Locke points out and wants us to understand that the state of nature derives from a theory of justice and from a set of rights. No one would have any â€Å"rights† at all in the absence of a moral code applicable to human actions or any standard of â€Å"just† punishment. One topic that Marx and Locke had different views points on was whether private property was a natural right or not. John Locke believed that private property was a natural right, in fact he believed owning property was one of the most important possessions that mankind should seek and obtain. Locke emphasized that all men have the right to â€Å"life, liberty and possessions â€Å"(5). One of man’s best attributes as well as his down fall is having freewill, whereby man has the option in making a good or bad choice regarding his actions. Keeping this in mind, Locke realizes the importance of establishing clear and precise rules for man to abide by. Locke emphasizes that, in any civil society, situations will arise that have to be dealt with before the legislative can be assembled to provide laws for them. In these instances, the executive may exercise executive prerogative or simply â€Å"good judgment† (95). The executive is qualified to take actions that are outside the framework of the laws (not breaking them, just not provided for by them), if their actions advance the society's best interest. He defines this prerogative as â€Å"nothing but the power of doing public good without rule†(95). Overall Locke believed this rule of thumb avoided chaos and would provide peace and order. Ultimately this thought process was for man’s overall good and for his general welfare. Locke defines tyranny as â€Å"the exercise of power beyond right† (112). A just leader is bound by the laws of the legislative and works for the people, whereas a tyrant breaks the laws and acts on his own behalf. Locke notes that any executive body is not just a monarchy, but in fact ceases to function for the benefit of the people are a tyranny. Locke implies when the government is dissolved, the people are free to reform the legislative in order to recreate a civil state that works in their best interest before they fall under tyrannical rule. In addition, He expressed the radical view that government is morally obliged to serve people, namely by protecting life, liberty, and property. He explained the principle of checks and balances to limit government power. He favored representative government and a rule of law. However he denounced tyranny. He insisted that when government violates individual rights, people may legitimately rebel (126). Overall Locke believed that men were, by nature, born free and independent, meaning every person was a law unto themselves. That meant that they couldn't be subjected to political power without their own consent. Since every individual had consented being part of the community, they had the power, and the will to act as a whole. By consenting to being in a community, man is obliged to be a part of it, and to support whatever the general will is, for his fellow citizens. Hence, Locke was asserting that government had to be fair and equitable towards all its citizens. In addition, Locke believed it was crucial for citizens had the right to revolt if government was not meeting their needs. Marx and Locke were aligned along these terms although the ideas of Karl Marx did not have the same implicit trust in the inherent â€Å"good† of government that Locke had. According to Marx, government was not an entity through which change could be brought about. Rather, for change to happen and for the class struggles to be resolved it was necessary for the people to rise up and bring about the necessary adjustments to society. Works Cited Locke, John. The Second Treatise of Government. 1997 Prentice Hall Engels, Friedrich & Marx, Karl. The Communist Manifesto. 1998 Signet Classics

Benefit priniciple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Benefit priniciple - Essay Example No agency or governments funded their efforts or rewarded them. But in a rational world like the current one people are true professionals and they will think of cheapest and cost effective ways to maximize their benefits rather than the benefits of the society. â€Å"The marginal cost of a change is the additional cost caused by the change. The marginal approach suggests that one should make all the changes that increase benefits more than they increase costs (or that reduce costs by more than they reduce benefits). When all these changes have been made, one will find oneself at a point for which marginal costs equal marginal benefits. This rule for finding the best level of an activity is called the maximization principle.† (Schenk, 2008) for example an entrepreneur will make some changes to his product only if he feels that such changes will increase the product sale and thereby he can increase profit. Most of the Chinese products in the market are supposed to be of cheap quality. Still most of their products are putting immense fight with their competitors regarding the price. People are well aware that these Chinese products are of cheap quality, but still they will purchase it because of their utility against the price. â€Å"The Principle of Benefit Maximization dictates that whenever one is faced with a choice, the best decision is the one that results in the most good or greatest benefit for the most people.† (Kallio & Brenda R, 2003) For example, consider David Beckham is out form and England is playing against Brazil in a football match at Beckham’s home ground in England. Most of the coaches in such a situation will give Beckham an opportunity to play even though he is out of touch, in order to satisfy the spectators. Such a move can satisfy the majority of the Beckham fans in his home ground. The recent 1-2-3 nuclear agreement reached between India and America is

How do celebrities economically serve the celebrity industry and also Essay

How do celebrities economically serve the celebrity industry and also develop their public personas as commercial assets - Essay Example While the public idolizes or criticizes the stories that they are told by the media, the product that is available for sale in association to the celebrity is given advertising that is associated with that individual. Celebrity is an economic status that drives an industry behind a brand and an identity. As quoted from Todd Gitlin, in Understanding Celebrity by Graeme Turner, the celebrity is the â€Å"familiar strangerâ€Å". A celebrity is someone who has probably never been in the physical presence of a fraction of the people who know his or her name, yet the intimate details of that life is publicized for public consumption as though those details were as important as family and friends. The concept of publicity, both positive and negative creates a media image that defines someone by virtue of information that appears real and tangible, but is essentially no more real than the characterization in a book or in a movie. Stories told are creations of writers and photographers. The importance is not emphasizing truth, but maximizing sales, sometimes at the expense of Celebrity is not based on talent or professional achievement. In fact, â€Å"the modern celebrity may claim no special achievements other than the attraction of public attention† (Graeme, pg. 3). Celebrity status is achieved by the churning of public interest manufactured by media attention. Sometimes this attention is desired, and in other times the attention becomes a machine that cannot be stopped, destroying and re-creating with a will of its own. Who a celebrity is in private is not nearly relevant to the creation of the persona in public. This is the essence of celebrity - that it is created, either by will or momentum. One example of both doctrines being applied is the case of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. When Brad Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston and chose to leave her for his co-star of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Angelina Jolie, a media storm that has yet to quell

The Holocaust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Holocaust - Essay Example They argue that most countries by then never had the information of the kinds of atrocities that the Germans were putting the Europeans Jews through. This makes it quite complicated for one to have a pointing finger on any individual country as to their role in the holocaust. The American government and the Americans failed completely to assist the European Jews. Although the American government had the capacity and power to get directly involved in the holocaust, it remained silent and, as a result, many lives and properties were lost. It is also believed that America had a network of allies that it could have influenced in order to assist and halt the mass killings by the Nazis. When they got involved, it was either too late or too little or both to offer any substantial help. During this period of Holocaust, different countries had different views as whether to take part and assist the European Jews. By 1938, world major countries took part in order to rescue some the European Jew s. Different allies were also formed that sped up some rescue missions (Rosenfeld, 57). Theses allies were either directly involved in the war or they pressured the Nazis to end the mass killings. These allies also facilitated the massive movements of the European Jews to different countries for example Netherlands, The Great Britain, Scandinavia and Switzerland. During the war, the American government had put in policies to the major publishing paper then, New York Times that limited the nature and content of information that could be passed to the public. Consequently, the public was not aware of the kinds of killings that the European Jews went through. This also made it quite impossible for other government departments fully to initiate programs and rescue missions towards the Jews. American restrictions on migration; unlike European countries and the Great Britain that allowed migration of the Jews in their countries, the Americans developed a very restrictive

Cuban culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cuban culture - Essay Example Hernandez has your full attention could breed a form of distrust. To best show Mrs. Hernandez that her concerns are being addressed, appropriate interjections while she is talking to show that you are paying attention, but waiting to provide a more full response until she is complete should be sufficient. Through this manner, you are showing that you are practicing effective communication skills, offering information showing that you are familiar with the culture by the brief touches that handshakes afford, but still maintaining a professional distance by not attempting to become overly familiar with her, for in her eyes, you would be associated with the government, due to the messages that the government has been touting for over half a century. In order to assist Mrs. Hernandez in developing a plan for a 1500 calorie diet, instead of changing the way that she cooks food – plantains taste exceedingly different if they are fried versus when they are grilled, perhaps the better alternative would be to offer her alternative styles of Cuban foods that would fit into a 1500 calorie diet plan, such as Cuban Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, which has 160 calories per serving (Spark Recipes, 2013), or Cuban Garbanzo Bean Salad at 320.4 calories per serving (Spark Recipes, 2013). To assist her in getting on the path to regular exercise, the ideas of walking to the grocery store and carrying her purchases back herself is one good example of how she can increase her daily activity level, as is gardening, but showing her that every activity is a form of exercise may make her more active. Explaining that everything from vacuuming to house work, yard work to cooking can be a form of exercise should prompt her to be more active, and explaining how things that may seem like they are not exercise, such as kneading bread, offer therapeutic ways to increase activity levels to a healthy level should prompt her to become more active overall. I agree with your statement that I would not encourage Mrs. Hernandez to go to the botanica; however, I would not stop her either. It is a part of not just Cuban culture, but many other cultures that has its first inclination to look for an herbal alternative before it looks for a medical alternative. I believe that you are on the correct path, as well, in asking her that if she does so, to bring the items she purchases to you, as the herbs that she purchases may have an adverse effect on the medications that have been prescribed, as in the case of willow bark being taken at the same time a person is on an aspirin regimen. Due to the proliferation of complementary and alternative medicines in Cuban culture, the Institute of Medicine’s Academy of Science went so far as to suggest schools incorporate information on these alternative practices and folk remedies into their teachings in order to ensure that the treating physician, nurse, or pharmacist had ideas already in place about the potential alternative medicines that patients such as Mrs. Hernandez might use (Applebaum, Kligler, Barrett, Frenkel, Guerrera, Kondwani, Lee & Tattelman, 2006). Works Cited