Achebe’s “An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” Essay

Achebe’s â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness† (The Massachusetts Review, 18 (1977) : 782 – 94) expresses a passionate objection to Conrad’s point of view and portrayal of Africa and Africans in his novel Heart of Darkness. Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, can be considered the direct opposition to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and is seen to as a challenge on Conrad’s western views. I shall explore the validity in Achebe’s â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness† with regards to language, characterisation, religion and culture. Other opinions from critical readings will also be included and referenced to the two novels ( Things Fall Apart & Heart of Darkness ).Achebe felt that Conrad’s Heart of Darkness â€Å"others† Africa and Africans, when he says â€Å"others† he means that it represents the Africans as a colonised people who have li ttle â€Å"common sense† and no authority. Furthermore it shows them as a separate race or species to further illustrate how they were treated as animals and savages. The term â€Å"common sense† used earlier also illustrates how Achebe took offence to the Western ideologies in that â€Å"common sense† is a term invented by Westerners. â€Å"Common sense† is the general term one uses for Western beliefs and values but other cultures (especially African cultures) have not been included as a part of this terminology. African cultures are, in fact, criticized by the term â€Å"common sense†, which once again Achebe took offence to. Achebe felt that Heart of Darkness was also a way of â€Å"writing back to the centre† in that it represented the Western people or Colonists as the dominant and superior force, to Achebe it was an alienation of the Africans and Africa. Heart of Darkness, therefore displaced the Africans in the novel; instead of them seeming good and familiar, they were distanced fro m the reader. Hence, one can see how Achebe was a strong believer in the â€Å"Postcolonial Theory† whereby he mostly challenged but also reflected upon modern European colonisation. Brantlinger’s paper discusses the different views on colonisation by explaining five differents stances taken. According to Brantlinger the abolitionist stance (despite its good intentions) pitied the Africans and tried to fight for the Africans, but at the same time it did not occur to them that Africans were also intelligent people who could fight their own battles. It was hence seen that the abolitionists too, were treating the  Africans as inferior. His discussion of the explorer’s stance illustrates how the explorers exploited Africa and destroyed its people because the explorers saw the Africans as a sub-race of savages who had little to no importance. Brantlinger also shows how scientists saw the Africans as a separate species to humans and that Africans were thought to be animals. Scientists theorised, through Social Darwinism, that the Africans would either have to survive of sucumb. To them the Africans were expendable. To Brantlinger the missionaries considered the Africans as a race of pagans and heathens who needed to be converted to the â€Å"Good Faith†, Christianity, and they did not consider that the Africans may very well have had their own religion and set of beliefs. Furthermore, Brantlinger illustrated how the Western writers portrayed Africans as a sub-race of savages (or as an inferior group of people) who needed pity and a push in the right direction towards their Western ways. His statements, † The constant association of Africa with the inhuman violence of the slave trade did much to darken its landscape even during the romantic period.† and † By mid-century, the success of the anti-slavery movement, the impact of the great explorers, and the merger of racist and evolutionary doctrines in the social sciences had combined to give the British public a widely shared view of Africa that demanded imperialisation on moral, religious and scientific grounds. It is this view that I have called the myth of the Dark Continent† are prime examples of how he see people to have incorrect notions about Africa and Africans. His views are highly suited to Achebe’s â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness† in that they show how a white, westernised person sees the same racism eminent in todays literature as Achebe it sees in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, only Brantlinger does not directly attack any one specific book or person. Instead Brantlinger presents his view in a factual and justified manner which further helps support Achebe because he makes it easier to believe and understand him when he uses factual information rather than exclusively his opinions. Brookes wrote a paper on how certain stereotypes of Africa have been created and how they are perpetuated in newspapers today. Headlines such as, â€Å"Why give life-blood to this heart of darkness?† were analysed and according to Brookes this headline and others like it â€Å"†¦ result in the foregrounding of  Africa as violent, repressive and helpless†¦ They set up opposites where Africa is on the one side and is held up against a standard which it apparently does not meet†. Brookes’ analysis and opinions are highly relevant in that she illustrates how certain stereotypes and ideas on Africa have become second nature and are even printed in chronicles which are supposed to be factual recollections of events. Brookes does so by discussing certain gramatical, wording and representation trends associated with Africa and this shows that these ideals are wrong and racist, one should not be allowed to perpetuate such incorrect stereotype of Africans. At the same time Brookes’ paper can also discredit Achebe, because it shows that perhaps Conrad’s reason for Heart of Darkness being a racist novel is because certain stereotypes are printed in the press each day and he simply did not know any better. Achebe’s article, â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness†, shows that Achebe feels that Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is racist and it perpetuates a certain incorrect view on Africans. He is offended by Conrad’s racism and insensitivity towards Africans. † Heart of Darkness pojects the image of Africa as â€Å"the other world,† the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization, a place where man’s vaunted intelligence and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant bestiality.† Here Achebe shows exactly how he feels about Heart of Darkness. Achebe sees Marlowe and Conrad as the same person and hence because Marlowe, the narrator in Heart of Darkness, is ignorant and racist†¦ Achebe immediatly assumes that Conrad holds the same views. Achebe feels that Conrad represents the colonists as superior somewhat god-like and that the Africans in Heart of Drakness are shown as savages, heathens and inf idels and they are seen to be inferior. Not only is this perception of Africans conveyed but Africa is also seen as a dark and mystical place which threatens everything that is foreign. Furthermore Achebe feels that Heart of Darkness creates the impression that Africa infects the Western people and drives them mad, as happened to Kurtz : â€Å"Consequently Africa is something to be avoided just as the picture has to be hidden away to safeguard the man’s jeopardous integrity. Keep away from Africa or else! Mr Kurtz of Heart of Darkness should have heeded that warning †¦ But he foolishly exposed himself to the wild irresistable allure  of the jungle and lo! the darkness found him out.† Achebe also feels that Conrad is also trying to convert people to his racist ways and infect them with his â€Å"xenophobia† (fear of foreigners). Achebe not only sees Conrad as a â€Å"thoroughgoing racist† and is offended by it but he is also offended by the fact that nobody has challenged Heart of Darkness and its racism, but they praise and study this book instead. C.P. Sarvan also wrote a critique on Heart of Darkness and Achebe’s article. He was, however, far less extreme than Achebe. Furthermore, he looks at the story from both sides and he weighs up both the Authors’ strengths and weaknesses. Sarvan discusses how in Heart of Darkness the colonists are actually corrupt and rotten to the core and instead of Africa being shown as an entirely bad and deep dark continent, Sarvan sees some type of of set used to highlight how the colonists were deranged and not at all pure, as the African people were. Sarvan quotes a critic who said, â€Å"Africa per per se is not the theme of Heart of Darkness, but it is used as a locale symbol for the very core of an ‘accursed inheritance†. This quote along with Sarvan’s opinion that â€Å"the story may be seen as an allegory, the journey ending with the sombre realisation of the darkness of man’s heart.† show how in Heart of Darkness Conrad does not simply want to discredit Africa and show to be a dark black hole which is to be feared, rather that it actually illustrates how the colonists could learn goodness and purity from the Africans. In contrast to Achebe, Sarvan also sees Marlowe and Conrad as totally separate people and he thinks that Marlowe’s views are not necessarily the same as Conrad’s. Sarvan considers all the evidence and he concludes that in some parts of Heart of Darkness Conrad does tend to project racist view points, but by the same token Conrad also criticises the Colonists, their way of life and their lack of morals and ethics. In both Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness there is certain language and diction which is used, the language used conveys a certain opinion and attitude toward what is being said. If one is to look at Brooke’s paper it can be seen that certain words are used to convey certain images of Africa, and at times even a certain gramatical structure is associated with Africa. If one looks at the language used in Heart of Darkness certain words can be  picked out and seen as racist but also there are words which are not racist towards the Africans and rather they discredit the colonists. For example: â€Å"The Man seemed young – almost a boy – but you know with them it’s hard to tell.†( Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg35, line 21). Here one can consider this to be a racist comment as it creates a distance between the Africans and the colonists, but it can also be seen as a perfectly innocent and ignorant comment because it’s natural to have trouble understanding that which you do not know. A very similar comment is made in the same novel, however it is made with regard to the white men, it’s as follows â€Å"†¦ white men being so much alike at a distance that he could not tell who I might be.† (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 33, line 27) In Things Fall Apart there are also times when it can be criticised for the language used – Achebe describes the white missionaries as â€Å"four eyes† and here it is further illustrated that the Africans are now finding that which they are not familiar with troublesome and hard to understand. So when one weighs the two different descriptions from Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness up it can be seen that certain language can be seen as racist even if that is not the intent. Furthermore when Conrad writes, â€Å"Fine fellows – cannibals – in their place.† (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 61, line 6) you can both criticise and praise this quote. Although it does distance the Africans when he says â€Å"their place† and it could be seen as insulting to call the Africans â€Å"cannibals†, Conrad also presents the Africans in a friendly manner and he shows some kind of kinship with them when he says â€Å"Fine fellows†. Finally, there are many times when Conrad uses insulting language with regards to the Africans but he also uses language which praises them, so Achebe is not entirely correct when he says that Conrad’s book Heart of Darkness â€Å"parades in the most vulgar fashion prejudices and insults†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In Things Fall Apart one is able to learn about the African religion and at the same time the Western religion is presented to the reader, neither is said to be right nor wrong. The advantages and disadvantages of both religions are expressed to the reader and prejudice is not shown towards either religion. In Heart of Darkness however, only the Western religion is shown and it is not even considered that the African Savages may possibly  have a perfectly good set of morals and a decent religion. One is exposed to the Western religion and it is seen as the be all and end all. The characters in Heart of Darkness are also portrayed to only believe in one certain religion and that religion (christianity) is the â€Å"saviour† of the primitive, savage Africans. For example this can be seen when Conrad writes, † Something like an emissary of light, somethng like a lower sort of apostle†¦ ‘weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways,’†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 28, line 17). Brantlingers paper further illustrates this as well as shows that this was a Victorian ideal. Hence, with regard to religion the only religion really shown in Heart of Darkness is christianity and it is not questioned or compared to an African religion, as the two religions in Things Fall Apart are. Culture in both Achebe and Conrad’s novels is explored on two fronts : an African front and a Western front. In Things Fall Apart the more dominant culture is of course the African culture. One is introduced to the African Umuofia tribe and thereafter they are presented with the many different cultures and beliefs of that tribe and well some of the other African tribes. In Things Fall Apart, one is also shown a brief view of how the Africans saw and came to be part of Western culture, but one is also shown how the African culture actually contains alot of sense, morals and ethics. It can be seen that African culture it is not simply a group of people shouting out foreign screeches on shore as they are shown in Heart Of Darkness. Furthermore, in Heart of Darkness the Western culture is the dominant one, and in contrast to Things Fall Apart not only is there very little understanding of the other culture (African Culture) but also there seems to be no effort from the characters in Heart of Darkness to even begin to understand or grasp the African culture : â€Å"In the empty immensity of the earth , sky, and water, there she was (the French man-of-war) incomprehensible firing into a continent.† (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 30, line 33) This quote can also be used to illustrate how the colonists were seen as deranged and their culture fickle. The characterisation in the two novels is very different when speaking about  either the Africans of the Westerners. In Things Fall Apart the African is characterised as an intelligent being who has a sense of right and wrong and they contain the makings of Westerner’s human thread; maternal instinct towards one’s child, the drive to succeed, the knowledge of right and wrong, punishment for those who commit crimes, respect for elders etc. Furthermore, in Things Fall Apart the Westerners are portrayed in a fair light, despite their exloitation of the Umuofia tribe and their ideas are taken into consideration and the benifits are thaught about†¦ this shows the Umuofia to be logical and fair people. Whereas in Heart of Darkness the Westerners are the only ones who are considered to be intelligent, despite them also being shown as impure and unfair : â€Å"hairdresser’s dummy† (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 36, line31) and â€Å"I let hi m run on, this papier-mache Mephistopheles, and it seemed to me that if I tried I could poke my forefinger through him, and would find nothing inside but a little loose dirt, maybe.† The Africans in Heart Of Darkness are not portrayed as humans, rather they’re seen as animals, but at the same time they can also be seen as more human than the imhumane colonists because they are compassionate and they aren’t empty inside (refer to â€Å"I let him run on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  above). The Africans are also seen as the underdogs being destroyed by the white men who only care for money. Overall in Things Fall Apart, the portrayal of the Africans in is that they’re humans with morals and a good steady culture and the portrayal of the Westerners is that they’re also human with morals and their own culture. In Heart of Drakness, the Africans are weak, primitive savages victimised by the strong, impure White man with no moral fibre. The links between the books Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness can be seen as a trend throughout Booke’s and Brantlinger’s Papers. Both find that in our societies there are certain ideas associated with Africa; namely darkness, mystery, savagery, unenlightenment, lack of intelligence and resourses as well as good solid religion and moral fibre, and finally the idea that Africa infects the rest of the world with all its dark and dangerous qualities. Each day these ideas are passed through our brains and drummed into our heads, to such a degree that the majority of us no longer question their being right or wrong. Achebe found that in Heart of Darkness,  Conrad discussed and displayed these racist ideals in extreme amounts and Achebe felt the racism Conrad openly showed was unacceptable. Surely society played a role in this uneducated assumption made about Africa and its people when it allowed for such racist ideals to be printed in the everyday press. In Conclusion it can be asid that Achebe did have reason for his opposition to Heart of Drakness and its portrayal of Africa and Africans. It must be considered, however, that perhaps Conrad’s unintentional racism was simply the product of ignorance. He was incorrect in conveying the Africans as savages, but at the time the book was written Conrad was probably blinded by his society and its stereotypes. Furthermore, his true intention in Heart of Darkness was to show the Westerners lack of moral fibre by contrasting them against the Africans and showing how the Westerners exploited the Africans. Achebe’s description of Conrad as a â€Å"thoroughgoing racist† in â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness† was not entirely true. Conrad did include some racism in Heart of Drakness but it was not intentional and it was certainly not extreme enough to call him a â€Å"thoroughgoing racist†.

Charles Dickens Essay

How has Charles Dickens put forward to us a sense of the hardtimes as shown in the town and education system? A main theme in the Charles Dickens book, ‘Hard times’ is the Industrial Revolution, how technology had advanced drastically, yet the standard of peoples lives were decreasing and getting ever harder. No more is this emphasised, than through the basic layout and look of the, appropriately named, ‘Coketown’. The town was supposed be evolving both technology wise and money wise, yet each building was as plain and as dirty as the next, closely resembling most of the people who work and will work in the town, those being the young machinists – the children of ‘Coketown. ‘ Although the standard of living was supposedly better through the Industrial revolution, with new communication, transportation, and manufacturing methods, it meant there was an even greater demand for workers to work the machines. The life of a worker in the Revolution was, monotonous, and could kill the spirits of even the most imaginative of people. As a result, from a fairly young age, the children were taught not to have imaginations. ‘Only facts’ were to be learnt and applied to everyday life. Thomas Gradgrind is the patron of the school in which this process is highly used and believed in. Gradgrind himself was bought up believing there was nothing more to, ‘this life’ than facts. Imagination would only get in the way of the children when they started working in the factories. We are introduced to the method of teaching immediately at the beginning of the story. ‘What I want is Facts,’ and the opinion of the Gradgrind, being that, ‘Facts alone are wanted in life. ‘ To emphasize this, ‘facts’, has a capital F. According to this theory, there is no religion, no clear identity, and only one belief and purpose. This is ironic because most of the people of the time were quite religious Christians and it shows a contradiction between their beliefs and views. The first paragraph is almost a monologue with Gradgrind, because no one interrupts him. This shows his importance, the slight fear he inflicts on people, when the children spoke to him with a, ‘trembling voice’, and the respect they have for him. With these aspects in mind, it is easy to see how he influences the children’s minds and opinions. Gradgrind’s ambition is to, ‘plant nothing else and root out everything else,’ but facts. The children are not even to, ‘fancy’ anything. So much so, the room in which the children are being taught is just a, ‘plain, bare, monotonous vault,’ of a classroom. The word vault, indicates the children are trapped in the education system. Every bit in the room is the same, boring and dull and in no way creative – so the children would get no mental stimulation from it. It leaves little to the imagination, as with Gradgrind himself. Dickens uses technical and geometric words, like ‘square,’ and, ‘plain’ to put forward to us his rigidity in his belief as though the whole education system was personified through Gradgrind. In addition, the subject of facts also helped Dickens to describe Gradgrind. Through his, ‘inflexible,’ voice. Unchangeable, like the childrens futures. Also, his necktie, wrapped around his neck, ‘like, a stubborn fact. ‘ With the inspector watching the class, this style of education was enforced on the teachers. As a result, they themselves were ready to teach the children in such a way, it would blow the children, ‘clean out of the regions of childhood. ‘ Gradgrind himself, believes that this is the right way of teaching. Consequently, he has learnt little about the complexity of human nature, causing him to believe that everything about people can be simply reduced to science, and that by training the, ‘vessels’ in the way he is, he is giving them a future and a chance in life, when really he is removing them. The metaphor, ‘vessels’ is the word Gradgrind uses for children. It shows first hand how he thinks about his children. A class comes in, he fills them with facts like a bucket, then they go to work in a factory. A new class comes in, and so on, all the time, them learning nothing about morals and principles of life. Chapter two is metaphorically named, ‘Murdering of the Innocents’. It shows what the education system is potentially doing to the children in it. It is not only killing the children’s imagination and identity, but also deprives them of a decent future. With the education currently received, the children will be both physically and mentally, ‘deformed’. The true impact on the education system to the children, is shown in chapter when two children are juxtaposed. One child, by name of Sissy has just moved to the school, and another child, Bitzer, has been taught at the school for most of his life. Our first introduction to Sissy, is by her being called, ‘number 20,’ by Gradgrind. This is because a name shows a personality, and imagination, along with nicknames. As a result, Gradgring calls herself, ‘Cecilia’. Anything in the children’s lives which requires imagination, a unique style, is removed by Gradgrind, quite easily because of the respect the children have for him. He rejects Sissy’s father belonging to, ‘the horse-riding’. He then gives the job the title of a, ‘veterinary surgeon’. This is ironic, because Sissy has dealt with horses all her life, so understands them more and probably knows more about them than Gradgrind does, yet he doesn’t want understanding, he wants facts. That is why Sissy cant give the definition of a horse.

A Study Of Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67 Of Ludwig Van Beethovens In Classical Musical Genre

A Study Of Symphony No. 5 In C Minor Op. 67 Of Ludwig Van Beethoven's In Classical Musical Genre Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor Op. 67 is one of the most well-known and performed compositions in the classical genre. The symphony is used throughout pop culture worldwide and is often played at inaugural concerts for new orchestras. The classic four-note ‘fate motif’ is one of the most recognizable openings in the history of music and is featured prominently in a variety of contexts throughout the piece. Although this symphony was not as influential to listeners during the time period as to which Beethoven was alive, the 19th and 20th centuries popularized the piece and has been deemed to be the epitome of Beethoven’s musical style during the height of his musical career among composers, music directors, and musicians alike. The form and instrumentation of this piece are vastly different than pieces prior to the symphony as a performance of this work can range anywhere from 30-40 minutes in length. Not only did this piece further expand the length of the symphony, but the demands placed upon the musicians to which Beethoven composed in the music were so demanding and dense that a performance of this symphony was considered to be quite difficult to achieve in the early 19th century. The first movement is in C minor, is marked Allegro con Brio, and is in a traditional sonata form which was influenced from Beethoven’s teachers and mentors Haydn and Mozart. If one were to examine the score of this movement, one would notice the development section is expanded through the use of several key increasing the section in length and tension before returning to the recapitulation and coda of the movement. The second movement is in Ab major, is marked Andante con Moto, and is in a double variation form. This i s where two differing themes are presented and are played in alternation as they are presented in contrasting styles. A lengthy coda is also presented at the conclusion of this movement. The third movement is a Scherzo and trio, and is in a ternary form. This movement follows the classical tradition of a minuet and trio, but replaces the minuet with the faster, and newer in style Scherzo. There is no pause as the third movement transitions into the triumphant and heroic finale of the fifth symphony. This finale is in C major, the parallel major of the original key of the first movement. Upon hearing this, one could suggest that this minor to major tonality could represent some sort of internal struggle which the fate motif clearly emphasizes. The finale displays the conquering of this struggle as the movement ends in a brilliant fashion of stating the tonic resolution for the last eighty measures of the symphony. The instrumentation consists of piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two cl arinets in Bb and C, two bassoons, contrabassoon, two horns in Eb and C, two trumpets, alto, tenor, and bass trombone, timpani in G and C, and strings. However, the piccolo, contrabassoon, and the three trombones are only used for the fourth movement signifying another new trend as most pieces did not feature these instruments during the time period. What makes the fifth symphony different from the third of Beethoven is that the third symphony was increasingly popular throughout Beethoven’s lifetime. The fifth achieved the fame it has today until later into the 19th century. However, although the third symphony is referenced as the ‘Heroic Symphony,’ some scholars of Beethoven’s works suggest that the fifth symphony is more heroic in style and form than the third as once again there seems to be some type of overarching representation of a battle or struggle which is endured then overcome with success. With this in mind, the fifth symphony could be more programmatic in thought leading to more emotional output in composition from Beethoven throughout his middle/late periods and for the several composers to which this symphony will influence in a further programmatic sense of mind.

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Reflection - Essay Example In this paper I will discuss that campus learning is very important for college students as compared to online learning, while keeping in view my own experience of college campus. When I joined my college, I met many other students; and thus, started socializing with my peers, which is an integral part of personality development. My personality has groomed a lot after I have joined my college. I know this when I compare myself to when I was in school. I believe that in campus learning, college students come to know how to behave in classrooms; how to show respect to teachers; how to deal with peers; and, how to show discipline while learning. This socializing is beneficial for them in both short and long terms because they learn how to deal with life and its problems and how to cope with relationships. I learned how to communicate with my teachers and friends, which benefitted me in my personal life as well. Hence, campus learning teaches effective relationship management which cannot be learned through online learning. Campus learning makes students follow the deadlines in a better way, and they learn how to follow a set routine pattern for their studies. When I joined college, one of my friends, who is an online student, convinced me that college campus environment is very strict and makes the student follow the schedules forcibly. However, my experience has been different. I have been able to set my routine in a very effective manner. Online learning does not provide the students with these opportunities, because they tend to be relaxed since they do not have to confront teacher’s remarks and class fellows’ comments’ if they do not meet a deadline or are not dressed up neatly, and etcetera. Hence, campus learning teaches discipline in a much better way. I have learnt how to dress up neatly, how to convey my ideas face-to-face, and how to behave in groups and teams. I could never have learnt

News Summary and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

News Summary and Analysis - Essay Example Series of defense firms, banks and energy have been imposed new penalties in retaliation in Ukraine for Moscow’s Intervention. Obama may lengthen the period for negotiations with Iran. Health costs have slowed in various countries across the world bringing a question about the trend. Technological factors also play as a cause of poverty. The advancement of working conditions in firms most of the times lead to cut off some personnel creating unemployment. Unemployment is a cause of poverty to those who do not acquire other occupations (Snarr 223). If the banks and energy firms are taxed heavily, the impact mostly affects the poorly paid and unskilled people, thus increasing the rate of poverty. The global wars results to death of people, destruction of properties and displacement of people. The populaces affected by war are usually left poor. The high medical costs remit the people with low-living standards unable to access medical facilities, therefore, remaining sick at their homes. Their diseases may persist for a long time where the households are forced to spend cash on pain killers rather than spending in other expenses, therefore, increasing poverty (Snarr 237). Higher transport cost affects the low-waged earners which also contribute to

Plea Bargaining - A Flaw in the Criminal Justice System in the United Essay

Plea Bargaining - A Flaw in the Criminal Justice System in the United States - Essay Example This paper will discuss plea bargaining as a flaw in the criminal justice system. Plea bargaining is defined as a process whereby a defendant in a criminal case and the prosecutor reach a conclusion (which is mutually satisfactory) to end the criminal case at hand, subject to approval by the court. Successful plea bargaining lead to a plea agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor, where the former agrees to be plead guilty to the offence without a trial (Robert and Stuntz 24). In return, the prosecutor consents to make favorable recommendations to the court or dismiss specific charges regarding the case. However, plea bargaining is considered as a flaw in the criminal justice system. Its critics argue that it is a shortcut to justice, and therefore the due process of the law may not be followed fully. Besides, it is considered as a flaw in the criminal justice system because it is deemed to be unfair to criminal defendants. This is because the prosecutors tend to have so mu ch power in deciding the charges that a defendant may face (Hessick and Saujani 197). Also, since the prosecutors are evaluated to a greater extent on their rates of conviction, plea bargaining may force them to try at all costs to win the case. conversely, plea bargaining is a flaw in the criminal justice system because it is likely to soften punishment’s deterrent effect a s the defendant has an opportunity to bargain for lesser punishments (Hessick, Andrew and Saujani 81-82). Origin and Impact of Plea Bargaining Plea bargaining is a critical part of the United States’ criminal justice system; actually, majority of the criminal cases in America are settled using this means instead by jury trial. Plea bargaining traces its origin to the case of Brady v. United States in 1970 when the defendant (Robert Brady) tried to alter his plea after he had agreed to plead guilty to kidnapping for a lesser sentence (Fisher 44). Brady’s move was motivated by the desire to av oid death penalty. However, upon hearing the case, the Supreme Court ruled that his plea was legitimate because had an option of refusing the offer by the prosecutor. Subsequent case also showed that the Supreme Court approved the legality of plea bargaining. In the case of Santobello v New York in 1971, the legality of plea bargaining was challenged when the prosecutor was accused by the defendant of breaching their plea agreement by recommending a punishment that was harsher than the one they had agreed upon. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the defendant; it argued that legal validity of plea bargaining to be achieved, the defendant and the prosecutor should adhere to the plea agreement’s terms. This case set a precedent that each plea bargaining must be approved by the court for it to be legally valid. Since then it has been entrenched in America’s criminal justice system (Bibas 2471). However, several studies have shown that it affects criminal justice system b y giving the prosecutor more discretion that may lead to unfairness on the part of the defendant and by granting the defendant lesser punishment. The following cases bring the flaw mentioned above: Bordenkircher v. Hayes where the court approved unfair handling of the case by the prosecutor; and in Marshall v. Barlow’s Inc where the defendant was granted lesser punishment despite the gravity

ENVIROMNMENTEL ANALYSIS CASE STUDY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

ENVIROMNMENTEL ANALYSIS CASE STUDY - Essay Example The retail firm operates on the basis of several formats like Discount Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Marketside to help cater to different levels of customer needs (Walmart Corporate, 2011). The business environment of Wal-Mart like any other business firm is divided along both internal and external facets. The internal environment of the firm is governed by the family ownership of Wal-Mart being the largest stakeholders. Further, the firm works in a centralized fashion with higher management settled at Arkansas. The retail firm strategizes its internal operations with a view to reduce the operational cost and binds the workers to each other. It continually promotes research and development activities to innovate newer private label products. (Environmental Scanning, n.d.). The external environment of the firm is composed of economic, political, social and technological factors. Further being internationally spread the firm is amenable to environmental changes of the different nations and also faces global completion from a large number of retailers. (Wal-Mart Case Study, 2010). Business Environment of a Firm The business environment of a firm is composed of such factors belonging to the external side of it and would affect the present and future operations of the firm. Moreover, different business firms have different types of business environment which is thus situational in nature. Specifically, the business environment of a firm is divided into two factors viz. general and task. The general business environment is also known as the social environment and encompasses the macro-economic factors affecting the business operations. On the other hand, the ‘task environment’ of a business firm encompasses the factors which can be managed by the firm itself and thus relate to the micro-business environment. The general business environment of a business firm can be further sub-divide into the culture and historical status of the region or country to which the firm belongs. Moreover, it also encompasses the technological and economical development of the region and other such demographic factors like age and income level of the population. The total set of social and legal factors including government rules and regulations govern the external environment of the firm. On the other hand, the task environment of the business firm being the micro-economic environment is composed of factors like suppliers, customers, other competing firms, legal and regulatory issues of the local government and other technological changes. The general environment being huge easily governs the task environment of a business firm and thereby governs the business processes of the specific firm. (Kew & Stredwick, 2005.p.1-2). International Business Environment of a Business Firm The international environment of a business firm is mainly governed by the general macro-economic factors of the different countries in which the business company has set up its regional centers. The business environment of the firm is affected by the different social, cultural, legal and ethical norms of the different societies in which the business house has set up its outlets and offices. Again, the cultural and social factors differ from region to region. Thus, a business entity may perform flexibly in one area while operating in a certain economy while on the other it may face certain hurdles while trying to perform the same business

New Technologies and the Emergence of Cyber Crime Dissertation

New Technologies and the Emergence of Cyber Crime - Dissertation Example Under the light of this crime, we will see the effects it has created on the economy of the United Kingdom. Table of Contents Introduction 3 Literature Review 4 Evidence and Evaluation 8 Conclusion 14 References 18 Introduction Digital convergence and globalization in the rising knowledge society has increased the complex legal, ethical and societal issues. Now the society is facing difficult and complex questions related to the access to information, right to privacy, cultural diversity and intellectual property rights. For the gathering of information and knowledge, the instrument that is required by all human beings is ICT, and security in this regard should be guaranteed to them as their basic right. However, throughout the world, the rights of humans are violated one way or the other. Violation of these rights has created new problems in the human social system like cybercrime, digital divide, digital security and privacy concerns for all of them. Round the globe, all of this ha s affected the lives of the people directly or indirectly (Sembok, 2003). The computer-related crime such as fraud and forgery is increasing throughout the globe. Other than this, content related offenses like child pornography and violation of intellectual property rights are also emerging rapidly on the scene. Moreover, threats to the critical infrastructure and national interests are rising by using internet for criminal and terrorist activities (Cevidalli, 2010). In the countries where internet is widely used, the harm to businesses, governments, and individuals is gaining scope. However, in other countries, the cybercrime threats are rising on the applications of communication and information technology for healthcare, trade, banking and government services. As a result, the users have started losing the confidence in online transactions and business (Sembok, 2003). Globally, computer-based commerce and communications cut across the territorial boundaries, and create a new real m of human activities, undermining the legitimacy and feasibility of applying geographical boundary laws. The upcoming boundaries in the computer-based world are monitor screen, passwords, firewalls, intruder detection and virus busters. These have created new personalities, organizations, groups and other new forms of economic, social and political groupings in the virtual world of bits (Sembok, 2003). In this paper, we will discuss the types of cyber crimes and the upcoming frauds that are done by them. Under the light of this crime, we will see the effects it has created on the economy of the United Kingdom. The paper discusses the effects of cyber crimes on the citizens, businesses, government, and the relevant interventions to deal with it. Literature Review Information technology is influencing life all over the world. The developments in the computer skills have made the transition possible in information storage, dissemination, and processing from atoms to bits. Because of t his the new standards of efficiency, speed, and accuracy in human activities is emerging.  

Multinational company from UK enters the Russian market Case Study

Multinational company from UK enters the Russian market - Case Study Example A company's brand image and its strengths in the local market can be used to leverage its global strategy". When an organization like Volvo competes in the International market, it can use its power in the industry to its advantage because of its improved negotiating power among the suppliers, creditors, distributors and other stakeholder groups. When a multinational company from UK enters the Russian market, the factors that have to be taken into account in the macro environment are discussed in this essay. PEST analysis which provides a comprehensive idea about the various environmental factors has to be used. Hence, this essay focuses on the different factors from the external environment that have to be evaluated in order to create a strategy for exploiting the Russian markets. Though the company is successful in the various countries, the factors that influence the business environment in specific to Russia have to be focused. Hence, this report is presented for the perusal of the Board of Directors. 1. Transition economy: Russia is changing dynamically in every aspect of operations. Because of the opening of the economy, there are a huge number of opportunities created. It can be noted that Russian economy is in a boom and the global recession has not had a very disturbing effect on the economic growth of the country. Market implicatio Market implication - When new sectors are opened up and there is a huge increase in the demand for heavy vehicles and construction vehicles. The basic factor for the business development which is the demand for products is created. Strategic implication - Entering into the markets in Russia can benefit the stakeholders of the company. 2. Local government role - A reform introduced by the president of Russia stipulates that the regional heads are to be appointed based on the key success factors such as economic growth of the region, social stability and political loyalty. Hence, there is a competition among various regions to attract investment. The regions are creating Investment Promotional Agencies. Many Russian regions maintain websites in other languages and participate in international exhibitions to welcome investors. Market implication - these moves by the government shows that the Russian government is committed to boost foreign investment. Strategic implication - This will help in a more favorable climate and the business community can expect more reforms in the coming future which will be helpful in establishing business in the country. 3. Political stability - Russia is a former super power, trying very hard to maintain its global dominance. The economy is in the transition and there are a number of pitfalls in the administration. Foreign companies often complain that there are numerous administrative procedures and bureaucratic hurdles to start business, but the country has a stable political climate and the commitment to reform process has been confirmed strongly by the government measures. Strategic implication: though there is a politically stable climate, it is necessary to note that because of the war climate with Georgia, foreign investors were concerned and the stock markets were affected. Hence, the company has to keep in mind the political factors that may lead to economic downturns as stated here. 4. Government procedures: Often it is annoying for the international investors about the need for

Mission Statement & SWOT Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mission Statement & SWOT Analysis - Essay Example It means the corporation provides a social platform for the professional people. It shows superior level of organizational commitment towards the general societal welfare. The US based organization has a clear objective to contribute towards the professional society (LinkedIn Corporation). The organization was founded in 2002. Within one era, the company has able to grab almost 20 million members which is itself a staggering record. This kind of huge membership is indicating proactive stance of social responsibility. Across the world the organization has directly or indirectly funded several professional programs. Apart from financial support the company has indirectly communicated towards the society as well. With the help of this business oriented social networking service talented people of the global society has showcased their professional talents and members of the LinkedIn have come across lots of opportunities. All the above discussions and arguments are clearly indicating th at being a professional social networking company the organization has fulfilled all the criterions required for a proactive socially responsible organization. That is why the selection of this stance is absolutely proper with the nature of LinkedIn. Linkedin Corporation. Annual report 2013. April 2014. Web. 10 November. 2014.

Frq Articles of Confederation Essay Example for Free

Frq Articles of Confederation Essay The Articles of Confederation from 1781 to 1789 did not provide the United States with an effective form of government because of its problems in terms of domestic policy, foreign policy, and economics. Domestic policy, or the set of decisions that a government makes relating to things that directly affect the people in its own country, was not adequate enough to solve strife between states. The Articles stated that state legislatures chose representatives for the house, rather than the people themselves. This began to lean toward the British practices of virtual representation, which the U. S. fought a war to be rid of. Another problem was that each state only received one vote, which was unfair to the larger states with a greater population. With a super majority required to pass laws, almost no laws were passed because no one was able to agree. The lack of federal courts also made it difficult to solve disputes, more specifically those between states, making them all grow more independently rather than as a unified nation. Foreign policy was a mess under the Articles of Confederation. The states were unwilling to give up their land and power as they were afraid that is the federal government gained any more power then they would return to a monarchical type system. With no president, there was no figure to enforce laws or make negotiate with other countries, and the governors were only concerned with the welfare of their own state, preventing the states from becoming more unified. Because the federal government lacked any power, it was impossible to solve the problem with the Mississippi river and fishing rights, and there was no one to stop Shays Rebellion. This lack of power caused great fear that the British could easily come and take us over once again. Massive debts had piled up from the Revolution and from starting a new country, so states were looking for a way to pay them off. They began printing their own currency, only to cause massive inflation and difficulties trading both with other nations, and even from state to state. This inability to trade caused further problems, and they went into a recession. This all resulted from states holding most of the power, rather than their being a balance between state and federal. As the states did not want to lose their power, they would not give up any land to the federal government even if it were to pay off some of its debts. Congress did not have the ability to tax, causing further economic strain and making it difficult to pay off their many debts.

Colonization and domestic violence: Strategies

Colonization and domestic violence: Strategies The correlation between colonization and domestic violence is undeniable given the plethora of scholarly and historical data. The main misconception that exists in this area relates to the belief that the violent aspects of colonization and its associated abuse lay directly at the feet of Westerners or other outside cultures and influences. Domestic violence, in its many forms, is forced upon men, women and children from many sources including people in their own society. In addition to the definitions and correlations of colonization and domestic violence, this paper also discusses the colonization, social structure and abuse of Aboriginal Peoples including the Maori tribe of New Zealand, Native Americans, and the First Nation communities of Canada as well as the diseases thrust upon the colonists by the colonizers. Also examined are the relationships between modern abuse related to colonised cultures and its possible prevention. Domestic Violence The United States Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women provides a definition of the various types of domestic violence: We define domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. (2014) The types of domestic abuse include physical, sexual, emotional, economic and psychological abuse. Domestic violence is not limited to any particular race, religion, gender, age, educational or socio-economic factors. For the purpose of this paper, domestic violence is categorized as violent behavior that has been inflicted on one culture by another since colonization took place. Oftentimes the victims are the colonists who are subjected to abuse in its various forms by the colonizers but eventually that abuse transfers into abuse between members of the oppressed culture. The reasons for the abuse may disappear but the behavior can last and even accelerate through future generations. Colonization The term colonization comes from the Latin for â€Å"to inhabit†. Colonisation most often refers to an outside group moving into a previously inhabited area. Ever since man learned to travel, he has desired to conquer new lands either by developing a profitable relationship with the indigenous peoples or, more commonly, by taking over the land and other resources through a threat of force or through direct violence. Colonisation can be beneficial if it is done with respect and cooperation of the inhabitants. Some regions, especially underdeveloped regions, may benefit significantly from colonization by an outside culture. These regions may experience in an increase in world knowledge, medical care, economic growth and more. There are instances however, that show the dark side of colonization and the domestic violence with which it has often been associated. History is filled with tales of forceful colonization despite the language used to describe it – exploration, emin ent domain, settlements. More often than not when a territory is colonised without the express permission of the colonists, violence ensues. The violence may come in the form of a direct attack or through cultural oppression. The colonists may be imprisoned, raped or beaten into submission. This form of abuse lasts much longer than the life span of the abuser and abused. It is carried into future generations through culture, belief systems and trauma, often causing particular cultures to be more prone to the violence committed against their ancestors or, worse, become the abusers. Correlation between Colonisation and Domestic Violence People intent on colonizing new lands or infiltrating existing cultures typically held the strict belief that their religion, politics, education and culture were far superior to that of the indigenous people therefore it was common practice for the new settlers to impart, often forcibly, their culture and belief systems on the indigenous peoples. As a result of this effort, the indigenous peoples were required to take on the characteristics and culture of the invaders, usually due to the threat of violence. Because indigenous people were often less educated than the invading population, they were seen – and treated – as an inferior society. This is not to say that the indigenous cultures were perfect before they were infiltrated by the colonizers. Each culture has its own unique set of beliefs and circumstances. The difference may be that there is limited, if any, knowledge or documentation on the culture of these peoples before they were colonised. Colonization and Patriarchy Patriarchy, the cultural practice of revering the male gender as the head of society, including the family structure, can be directly linked to colonization and the mistreatment of the female gender. Historically speaking, cultures with a patriarchal view held little regard for the female gender which often permitted substandard treatment of females. This treatment often led to various forms of domestic violence. A patriarchal belief system is common even in the modern world although great strides have been made to protect women and children from violent males often taught to be dominant by colonizing cultures. While the majority of the invading people held a patriarchal view, that is not without exception. Many indigenous cultures are matriarchal in nature, particularly the Native American and First Nation communities of Canada. The shift in leadership from matriarchal to patriarchal often caused women to be viewed as inferior as men were taught not to respect women as they once had. As a result, women in many cultures were viewed as little more than property allowing the male population to treat the women in any way they saw fit, including a cycle of domestic violence that would remain in place for generations. According to Kanuha (2002), there are several strategies for claiming superiority over another gender or culture. The first is to convince the colonists that their ways are superior. The second strategy is to create a delineation between the colonizers and the indigenous peoples through segregation including the separation of men and women. The third strategy of colonization is to use domestic violence to control the colonists. This may include any and all forms of physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological abuse. The fourth strategy is to take control of the colonists’ economic resources including natural resources. The fifth strategy is controlling the culture and limiting outside resources of knowledge and information. In some cultures they are permitted to see only media images of women that were created by men; images that often objectified women. Another form of control is to prohibit the use of native language and education as well as to deny the colonists the opportunity to decide or vote on their own futures. While patriarchy is undeniably tied to colonization, it must be mentioned that men also suffered from these same issues. While men may have been seen as dominant, the colonists were second to the colonizers and therefore often suffered from the same abuses as women. Colonisation and Disease One form of domestic violence is to deny one appropriate health care. During the colonization of many regions of the world, indigenous peoples were exposed to and infected to new diseases brought by the colonists yet were denied adequate care. In fact, many of the colonizers were often quarantined from the recently exposed natives to protect them from diseases they brought to the region. The belief was that the natives, unable to withstand any number of exotic pathogens, were biologically inferior. It was the development of world trade routes as well as the desire to conquer new lands that encouraged Europeans to cross borders into previously unexplored territories. As a result, they infected entire cultures with disease, namely tuberculosis and small pox, two diseases responsible for killing the majority of Americans and Europeans in the 18th and 19th centuries. Additionally, the colonizers tended to bring with them newly domesticated animals which added another level of potential disease to the natives. As the mortality rate of the colonists rose, the colonizers were able to increase their presence and domination over the remaining people and their lands. Colonisation of the Maori, Native Americans and the First Communities of Canada The Aboriginal tribes of the South Pacific, particularly the Maori, have a long and violent history of being colonised by Western Europeans. The Maori were once the colonisers of New Zealand, taking over the island through force and causing the genocide of the island’s indigenous peoples. The Maori began to trade with Europe in the 1700s, bartering fish and land for beads, cloth and other items. When potential invaders attempted to invade New Zealand, the Maori embraced violence and beheaded the infiltrators. They often participated in cannibalism rituals which led to a reputation of the Maori as being brutal savages. The shift toward colonisation began when missionaries arrived in New Zealand with the hope of converting the Maori to Christianity. The missionaries traded goods for land and built New Zealand’s first church. The Maori began to trade in muskets which created an arms race between New Zealand and its neighbors. Violence escalated. Although the Maori and the missionaries tended to remain separate, many Maori began to convert to Christianity. Relationships between Britain and the Maori strengthened. Britain wanted the Maori to pledge its allegiance to the throne in exchange for a guarantee that no one would attempt to rob the Maori of their lands. While many Maori refused to link themselves to the Queen, 46 chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, hoping to end the violence. While the Maori as a whole did not willingly shift to British rule, the region began to thrive from the relationship. Eventually, the British established a new capital in Aukland and the country continued to thrive. The history of the Native American tribes is well documented in most school texts. Christopher Columbus believed he had discovered a shorter route to China when he landed in the Bahamas. Columbus, eager to prove that he was a superior explorer sought only three things in his travels – to educate people about God, to gain glory for his explorations, and to gain fame and fortune from the gold, spices and other resources the trip would provide. Due to these factors, Columbus’ arrival in the Bahamas was ill fated for its people. Columbus and his crew pillaged the land and were, in essence, responsible for the deaths of nearly 60,000 inhabitants of the islands over a period of the next 30 years. Upon arriving in America, Columbus discovered that there were people living on this new land. This contact encouraged other people to travel to the New World. The infiltration of Europeans was not welcome by many of the 160 native tribes. While some tribes were friendly with each other and with the Europeans, many were not. Wars ensued. A large percentage of Native Americans were wiped out by the arrival of small pox, diminishing its population by as much as 70%. As the colonisation of the Americas continued, the Europeans began to outnumber the â€Å"savages†, forcing them into more remote areas of the country. Violence continued to escalate between the Europeans and Native Americans. Although it was the Europeans that began the barbaric practice of scalping, the act was solely attributed to the Native Americans who often retaliated in kind. The reputation of the Native Americans as uncivilized savages grew and along with it, any respect for their culture all but vanished. The legacy of the First Nation of communities mirrors that of the Native Americans and, in fact, they are in some way of the same family as their lands were stolen in the name of capitalism and racism. Throughout 100 years of violence between the Europeans and native cultures, the natives continued to be pushed back until eventually the majority of tribes were relegated to reservations. The segregation and loss of their culture created a wider gap between the cultures. Missionaries continued to attempt to colonise the natives by preaching and introducing modern ways into their culture. Domestic violence between factions continued as women were abused, men were beaten and killed. Women and children were also sold into the slave trade as sexual objects. Prevention of Domestic Violence in Colonised Territories It has been stated that the abuse and objectification of indigenous peoples carries with it a dark stain that has permeated generations. In addition to carrying that sense of shame and continued chain of abuse, each individual in the culture also carries with him a sense of being inferior. This sense of inferiority and the legacy of abuse are two of the reasons that indigenous peoples tend to have a higher rate of abuse as well as suicide. The prevention of domestic violence in colonised territories, despite the location, begins with education. In modern society it is known that abuse in any form is morally and ethically wrong as well as being illegal. Still, incidents of abuse occur every day and perpetrators are often allowed to wander free while the abused suffer. Some domestic violence treatment programmes may give special consideration to the history of trauma suffered by a particular culture, particularly those that have been colonised and show a marked increase of substance abuse or number of psychological issues. One such programme, popular in the United States is the Duluth Model in which the abuser is treated based on his history of trauma, beliefs in victimization and power over the abused as well as the shame factor. The programme has been used in the education and court systems to decrease the percentage of abuse, particularly by men. Smith (2006) states: Researchers are beginning to confirm what common sense dictates: that violence between individuals, while influenced by social and cultural variables, is more parsimoniously explained by an examination of individual characteristics, contexts, and functions of behavior. Not surprisingly, empirical research is beginning to identify shame, individual stressors such as substance abuse and trauma history, and personality characteristics as main contributors to violent behavior in intimate relationships. Smith also intimates that while there are many programmes and models that claim to have the best recipe for preventing abuse, it is not clear if one has any superior efficacy. Smith asserts that domestic violence activists and agencies will see the most success when treating the individual ascribed to the abuse. Conclusion The correlation between colonisation and domestic violence has been proven through myriad scholarly articles, texts and studies. Research has shown that the oppression of the colonists by colonisers creates deep inner turmoil that must be expressed. Since the anger, indignation and shame usually cannot be expressed directly at the abuser, the victim may turn those feelings inward which may result in depression, substance abuse, and even suicide. However, some victims will take out those feelings on others that may be weaker than they. In this case, it is often women and children that may suffer from physical, emotional, psychological, financial and verbal abuse. While many social programmes exist to combat domestic violence, they are often not designed to address the underlying trauma of the victim or the abuser. When one culture has been oppressed by another, a sense of inferiority is instilled. The oppressor intends to take what it wants from the oppressed whether it is land, money or even its own women and children. The oppressor often uses whatever means necessary to achieve his goals and will subject the oppressed to various types of violence and abuse. The oppressor may begin to believe that the violence is justified and that belief, that victim or abusive mentality may remain and perhaps even escalate throughout future generations. As women are objectified due to their cultures and perhaps beaten or raped, they tend to believe that the behavior is â€Å"normal† or perhaps even earned. Combatting those emotions and putting an end to domestic violence among the colonised cultures goes much deeper than the formulation of any law or social programme, no matter how valid. The issue must be addressed at the deepest level – the level of one’s belief system. While many pro grammes may treat only the victim or the abuser, it is imperative that both sides of the conflict be dissected and examined. The history of one’s culture can shed light on personal behavior even if the history seems far removed. Learning one’s history as well as becoming educated on healthy forms of communication and interaction are the only ways in which domestic violence can be effectively addressed. Only then is it possible to perhaps not eradicate but at least lessen the occurrences of domestic violence in these and other cultures.

How to Improve Competitiveness of Cashmere Industry

How to Improve Competitiveness of Cashmere Industry 1. INTRODUCTION China is the largest cashmere producer in the all over the world, with the sum total output approximately accounting for over 75% of global production, followed by Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, and South Africa. Meanwhile, China is the top cashmere exporter with about 80% of global exportsnearly 75% of cashmere products in global cashmere consumption market are produced in China. (Report on the first Asian conference on cashmere 2007; China International Cashmere Forum 2005) Additionally, China has the unique geographical advantage which is beneficial for raising cashmere goats, among which numerous and fine varieties are herded due to the continuous and complicated ecological environment and long-term artificial selection. Furthermore, the cashmere fibre which exhibits good property in fineness, strength, elongation, is of best quality, and thus is called as gold soft or fibre diamond. Although Chinese cashmere industry owns unique resource competitive advantages, however, with the d evelopment of economic globalization, the industrial competition among countries is intensified and the dimensions of Chinese cashmere industry dilate rapidly, due to which a great number of serious problems have been exposed to the Chinese cashmere industry, These problems have become the restricting factors of favourable development of the industry, and the industry is inevitably faced with enormous challenges. Therefore, how to enhance the overall competitiveness and gain competitive advantage is of great importance to Chinese cashmere industry, which is the major content of this paper. This paper begins with the description of the theories on competitiveness, in particular the competitive advantage and Porters National Diamond Model. Then the paper analyzes the current situation of cashmere industry in China by means of Porters National Diamond Model, along with the case study of successful cashmere industries in other countries and some successful Chinese cashmere companies, to identify the key lessons that could be learned by Chinese cashmere industry and thus win the industrial competitive advantages and improve the sustainable development of the industry. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW For each country, industrial competitiveness is of great importance because it determines the industrial development level and status in the global market competition, and thus it is one of subjects of wide concern from nations to firms. 2.1 Definition of Competitiveness The insights into the question what is the competitiveness can be gained from the works of Johnson (1992), Hammer Champy (1993), Murths (1998), Barney (2001) and Esty (2001). From the point of view of Johnson (1992), competitiveness is the capability of an entity to provide more value to and better satisfy the customers than its competitors. Murths (1998) identified that competitiveness is used to demonstrate the economic strength of an economic entity with regard to its rivals within the global market where goods, services, people, skills and ideas are not subject to geographical restriction and could freely displace (Murths 1998). According to Esty (2001), competitiveness is demonstrated from the aspects of assets and processes. Assets are categorized as inherited one such as natural resources and created one like structures, which are transformed into economic returns by processes. , 2.2 Theories of competitiveness The theoretical foundation of industrial competitiveness could be classified into two theories: comparative advantage theory and competitive advantage theory. Comparative Advantage Theory David Ricardo, the classical economist, put forward the comparative advantage theory as the foundation of international trade. Comparative advantage theory demonstrates that a country should focus on the industries which have relatively higher production efficiency to exchange the goods from the industries with lower production efficiency. (Chacholiades 1990). Heckscher-Ohlin modified and extended the theory, and explained that cross-country variations in relative factor endowments could also shape the pattern of trade (Gankhuyag Ser-Od 2009). Competitive Advantage Theory In his book The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Michael Porter addressed a question: Why do some social groups, economic institutions, and nations advance and prosper?'(Porter 1990). On the basis of analyzing the characteristics of national environment, Porter addressed the theory of national competitive advantage. Michael Porter pointed out that traditional economic theories including comparative advantage theory cannot explain the sources of competitiveness. Further he stated that industrial competitiveness should be analyzed with the competitive advantage theory which indicates the different competitiveness presented with respect to the same industry in different countries or areas under the same competitive environment (Porter 1990). The main difference between comparative advantage theory and competitive advantage theory is that the former one emphasizes the comparative relationship between different industries within one country; however, the competitive advantage theory is a bout the same industry within different countries. Grant (1991) assessed the book The Competitive Advantage of Nations and expressed that at all three levelsthe firm, the industry and the nation, Porter offers new insights into the determinants of competitive advantage. 2.3 Michael Porters National Diamond Michael Porter pointed out that the ability to establish or maintain competitive advantage within international market is determined by four direct variables and two indirect variables which formed the framework of National Diamond (as seen in Figure 1) The four direct determinants are factor conditions, demand conditions, related and supporting industries and firm strategy, structure and rivalry, and the two indirect variables are chance and government. The six variables combined determine that whether a country could have a strong diamondthe competitive advantage. (Porter, 1990) A brief description of the six variables is as below: Factor condition is analyzed from the characteristics of factors of production, the processes by which they are created, and their relationship to firms competitiveness (Grant 1991). The factors are categorized as basic factors such as natural resources, climate, location and demographics and advanced factors such as communications infrastructure, sophisticated skills and research facilities (Porter 1990). For demand conditions, Michael Porter presented that home demand could provide driving force for enhancing competitive advantage, because customers demands could exert pressure to the firms (Porter 1990). Source: Porter M, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, The Macmillan Press LTD, London, 1990 Figure 1 Michael Porters National Diamond With respect to related and supporting industries: Porter stated that whether an industry has competitive advantages is closely associated with its related and supporting industries. Usually a successful industry would collectively develop with a cluster of related and supporting industries instead of standing alone (Porter 1990). Concern firm strategy, structure and rivalry, Porter identified that the different industrial characteristics within different countries determine the competitive advantages (Porter 1990). The characteristics include strategies, structures, goals, managerial practices, individual attitudes and intensity of rivalry within the business sector (Grant 1991). Chance plays a role in influencing the four direct variables and thus affects the competitive advantage. Additionally, government could provide chances and make challenges for industries even though it does not directly participate in industry competition (Porter 1990). 3. ANALYSIS ON CHINESE CASHEMRE INDUSTRY WITH CASE STUDY 3.1 Factor Conditions In the book of Competitive Advantage of Nations, Porter noted the variable of factor conditions could be hierarchically categorized as basic factors and advanced factors. The importance of basic factors is gradually reducing because the demands for basic factors have decreased along with the market globalization, which means multinational companies could purchase within the globalized market. Therefore, it is unstable to build competitive advantage on the basic factors (Porter 1990). From the point view of basic factors, China is preponderant in cashmere resources with the best quality of raw cashmere and strong product processing capacity. Meanwhile, China is a labour-intensive country thereby that is helpful in reducing labour cost and other integrated cost. In comparison with China, Scotland also possesses the advantaged cashmere resources, and the Scottish cashmere product is highly admired for its quality and finish. Although the labour cost in Scotland is not as low as in China, the Scottish cashmere industry performs much better than that in China. Therefore, basic factors are less important in determining the industrial competitiveness. While advanced factors are of importance to gain competitive advantage. Advanced factor require ambitious and continuous investment to sophisticated labour and technology expenditure. If a country would like to establish formidable and sustainable industrial competitive advantage through the variable of factor conditions, it must develop the advanced factors rather than basic factors. Unlike basic factors, advanced factors cannot be purchased but have to be developed through investment (Porter 1990). From the point view of advanced factors, in China the capacity of independent innovation needs improvement for cashmere firms. Because the Chinese cashmere industry has only developed for a short time, comparing with the European long-term established firms Chinese cashmere firms has large disparity in the aspects of technical innovation and product marketing. Meanwhile, the capacity of independent innovation is imbalanced across cashmere firms in Chinalarge firms put considerable investment on technical innovation whereas small and medium ones invest inadequately and lack of creativeness. Although some Chinese cashmere firms has started the research in the field of dyeing and spinning, some key technologies still have not been grasped unlike in developed countries. In contrast, Todd Duncan provide the evidence that advanced factors is significant for gaining competitive advantage. Todd Duncan was founded in 1867, and now it has become the European leading cashmere yarn knitting firm, which provide cashmere yarn with most fashionable colours to luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton , Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Herms and Christian Dior. Todd Duncan are well known for its production technologies. As far back as it was founded, Todd Duncan were in the lead in the field of cashmere blending yarn. Now it is still well known for its manufacturing technique in single strand. Collaborative with the most advanced textile technologies, it produces the finest and noblest yarns. In addition, in Todd Duncan, computer assisted programmes are used in dyeing procedure such as colour management. High-tech facilities like colour matcher are also used to check the colour accuracy, which is in the lead position of the industry (todd-duncan 2010). Review back to 1980s, it is because paying attention to the advanced factor such as processing technology, Chinese cashmere industry could take a turn. In 1980s, some cashmere firms led by Erdos Cashmere Group and Snowlotus Cashmere Group first introduced the most advanced cashmere carding machines and carding process from Japan. After learning the process and making further processing technology improvement, Chinese carding technique of goat cashmere made a qualitative leap, and the dehaired cashmere made-up rate and quality exceeded the international level. Thus, it enhanced Chinese cashmere industry into a new age (China International Cashmere Forum 2005). From the examples of Todd Duncan and Erdos Cashmere Group, it can be seen that Chinese cashmere industry should not only rely on the resources advantage. The rapid development of Chinese cashmere industry in the past 30 years mainly manifested the growth of cashmere firm numbers. When the industry enters into autumn, this kind of growth will be certainly restricted by the finiteness of the cashmere resources. The industry will be increasingly detailed classified into small sections which ask for higher production specialization degree. Therefore, Chinese cashmere firms must enhance the technology innovation capacity and improve the scientific and technological contents and added value for the cashmere products in order to gain competitive advantage in global competition. However, there are some barriers for Chinese cashmere industry enhancing the technology innovation. For small and medium cashmere firms, they have blockage in financing channels that cannot obtain adequate innovative resources. Additionally, the constructions of technology innovation infrastructure, investment policy and favourable legal environment are lagging behind. Only when a beneficial environment established, Chinese cashmere industry can develop technology innovation in order to produce high add-valued products. 3.2 Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry In terms of firm strategy, structure and rivalry, Porter identified that the competitive advantage is influencing by the different industrial characteristics which include strategies, structures, goals, managerial practices, individual attitudes and intensity of rivalry within the business sector (Grant 1991). From the point view of firm strategies, it includes competitive strategy, marketing strategy, branding strategy, etc. According to Philip Kotler, Each company must find the way that makes most sense, given its situation, opportunities, objectives and resources (Kotler 1999). At present, however, in the global market a great many cashmere products are produced in China whereas less Chinese cashmere brands could be found in the high-end market. Zhang Zhi, executive director of Erdos Cashmere Group, stated that lacking of brand building is the root cause of blocking up the development of Chinese cashmere industry (China International Cashmere Forum 2005). Most of the exporting cashmere products enter international market through OEM production, however the products in own brands are less than 10% of the total exports. Chinese cashmere industry has become the processing workshop for foreign companies. Lacking of brand build-up is the most conspicuous weakness of Chinese cashmere industry. Referring to brand building, Loro Piana provides a good example. Founded in 1924 in Italy, Loro Piana now is the largest and foremost cashmere manufacturer in the western world. On the basis of sourcing finest fibre from Northern China and Mongolia and understanding customers needs and lifestyles, Loro Piana produces cashmere goods in Italian companys own mills, creating and delivering value to consumers (Loro Piana 2010). According to Luxury Institute Survey, in European high net-worth consumers rank, Loro Piana was ranked as the best of the best luxury brands in the category of mens fashion, followed by Ermenegildo and Giorgio Armani (luxury institute 2010). One Chinese cashmere brand also performs well. 1436 Erdos, a brand belongs to Erdos Cashmere Group. Although the brand of Erdos is regarded as the most well known brand in China, it cannot arouse attention in the global high-end market. Therefore, establishing a global brand is the pursuit of Erdos Group. 1436 Erdos, taking its name from the features of its prestige cashmere fibre which is ranked as highest grade, develops finest cashmere products with top quality. On the basis of drawing up the brand strategyserving high-end markets and positioning itself as the worlds leading luxury brand in China, makes other responding firm strategies such as product and marketing strategies to improve its competitiveness in the international market. Erdos cashmere products were given to Mikado, Japanese Prime Minister and other ministers as official national gift when Chinas national leaders visit to Japan in 2008 when it was only one year since the brand established (1436 Erdos 2010). In addition, according to Porter (1990), the driving power enhancing firms to participate in international competition is of significant importance. The driving power could be raised from international demand, or local competitions or market thrust. The most relevant factor in creating and maintaining industrial competitive advantage is the powerful rivalry. In the international competition, successful industries must have got through severe domestic competition, and were forced to reform or to renovate. However, in China there are over 2000 cashmere products firms, among which most of them are incapable of developing new products or exploring new techniques. Most of the firms only can process inferior quality products on the base of imitating other brands style. The competitions among most of the cashmere firms mainly are the price competition. Thus, the current situation of Chinese cashmere industry poorly performsunreasonable redundant low-level production and disorderly competition. In contrast, taking Ballantyne cashmere as example, it presents that rivalry competition could stimulate competitiveness improvement. Ballantyne Cashmere was founded in 1921 in Scotland, now it is enjoyed by increasing consumers. At present, fashionable cashmere products developed by the fashion firms such as Ralph Lauren, Channel, Christian Dior and Givenchy are increasingly widely praised by consumers. Therefore, as the traditional cashmere manufacturer, Ballantyne has begun to consider the new comp etitors. From the performance of the competitors, Alfredo Canessa, the chairman of Ballantyne has noticed consumers changing demands thus he led Ballantyne to improve the product design by means of combining cashmere with other different textiles like silk fabric (Ballantyne 2010). Likewise, Erdos Group has begun transitions. Erdos cashmere products were complained for outdated design in the past. However, now it is making efforts to rebuild product identity. Gilles Dufour, as former art director of Channel for twenty years, has been invited as the new art director of Erdos Group to develop new cashmere product collections. Gilles Dufour introduced Erdos a semi-fashion trend which advocates the beauty of simple luxury, aiming to establish a leading luxury brand in China in order to improve the competitiveness. (Erdos 2010). Through the examples of Loro Piana, Ballantyne and Erdos Group, it could be found that the firm strategy and rivalry is significantly crucial to enhance competitiveness for both firms and industries. However, cashmere firms have to consider the following barriers when make strategies. First, there is no such a strategy that could be successfully adopted by every firm, and the suitable strategy is the best one. Second, most of the Chinese cashmere firms only pay attention to rivalry competition particularly price competition which could hinder the Chinese cashmere industry form the positive competition awareness. 4. CONCLUSION The goal of this paper is to find how to improve the competitiveness of cashmere industry in China. In order to the goal, this paper adopted Michael Porters National Diamond Model to describe the determinants which influence the competitiveness of Chinese cashmere industry. The Diamond theory identifies four direct factors with two indirect factors, namely the factor conditions, demand conditions, related and supporting strategies and firm strategy, structure and rivalry with chance and government. This paper mainly analyzed how Chinese cashmere industry performs from the aspects of factor conditions and firm strategy, structure and rivalry. Additionally, many cases of successful cashmere firms have been studied to learn the lessons from their business operations in order to provide a reference for Chinese cashmere industry. However there are some barriers should be paid attention by Chinese cashmere firms. Chinese cashmere industry should develop in a sustainable way to improve the competitiveness in global cashmere market.

St. James Food Pantry: How Homeless can Occur Essay -- hunger, poverty,

â€Å"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.† Helder Camara What is hunger? According to dictionary.com, hunger is feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by lack of food. A person that has no shelter, love and food is considering being homeless. This makes their demand for food and shelter high. Poverty, for centuries has been look over in the United States of America, and for America to have one of highest poverty rates, it is a disgrace. It is a disgrace because America is one of the wealthiest countries, therefore; the government has the resource, in order for poverty not exists at this caliber. By going to St. James Food Pantry, it showed me that poverty in America is still being overlooked. Since the semester started, I have been volunteering at St. James Food Pantry located on 29th and Wabash which serves the 60605 and 16 zip codes. As an African American female, being a part of society middle-low class, I was shock to see that it was other races especially Asians, coming into the facility for help. I was shock to see Asians coming into the facility because in the media African Americans are the ones depicted to need assistance not Asians. However, volunteering at St. James showed that all races need help, not one more than other. Walking into the food pantry, one will immediately be welcomed by the secretary or volunteer coordinator, Ben. The staff at St. James is friendly and aware of their client’s needs. They bring a since of hope and love to the community in which the government has overlook the demand of hunger their citizens face daily. St. James Food Pantry was not what I expected it to be. It is small-quaint building on the corner o... ... comparing their clients to the people in different community’s s there is a significant difference in class inequality. Not able to support themselves or family shows the differences in class because to support living a person needs money. In majority money is the main aspect in determine class difference. Being in a society where people only care about themselves shows why there is a disparity between the have and have not’s. In the healthcare field, people need to demonstrate an altruism behavior because they service the people. Going to St. James showed me that I need to be more humble in order to be a successful RN. St. James Food Pantry helps their client to build life skills so they can be able to function in today’s society. As I volunteer more at St. James, I hope to receive more direct contact with clients and understand how homelessness can occur.

Inuit Culture over Time Essay example -- canada, canadian

The Inuit people of Nunavik in Quebec province in Canada had lived in the harsh environment of the arctic for thousands of years with little contact from the outside world, but the Europeans have changed that, and the Inuit people have had to adapt to contact with other cultures and new technology. In the beginning of the Inuit Culture, the people had to be extremely resourceful in order to help the cope with the harsh environment of the Arctic, but when the Europeans arrived they made environmental changes and they also forced cultural changes upon the Inuit people. Now the Inuit people of Canada are forming their own governmental system which will allow them to protect and gain wealth from their own resources. The geographic features of Nunavik hugely influence how the Inuit people obtain food and shelter because it is such a harsh environment. As modern technologies became more prevalent, traditional methods of surviving were forgotten for many reasons. Pita Aatami, the pres ident of the Makavik Corporation, is a tribal leader who, along with other tribal leaders, has a vision of incorporating modern technologies with traditional values. The Inuit people of Nunavik had a very distinct culture before the Europeans arrived. The modes of transportation consisted of dog sleds, and kayaks made of skin and bone. Because of the cold climate, they ate animals from the ocean and rivers such as Beluga Whales, seals, and fish. In the summer, they found berries to eat. There are no trees in the arctic, so they used other resources to build shelter. They lived mostly in igloos, made of ice blocks and sealed by pouring water over them and letting it freeze. They also built sheds and other buildings out of whale bones and various animal... ...e Canadian government for the Nunavik Corporation’s plan for a Nunavik Regional Government. She first had the idea for the self government when she was vice-president of the Nunavik Corporation. She is now a board member on the Board of Nasavvik (an Inuit Health and Changing Environment agency) and is also on the Circumpolar Inuit Health Steering Committee. She has been working on Nunavik self government since 2002. The Inuit people of Nunavik have used their incredible resourcefulness to survive in the harsh environment of the Tundra and have a rich culture, but with the arrival of European technology, government and environmental destruction, their way of life has been threatened and much of their old culture has been lost. They are working to preserve their culture by passing it through education, and negotiating for more control so that they can do that.

Fear and Redemption in Cry the Beloved Country :: Cry the Beloved Country Essays

Fear and Redemption in Cry the Beloved Country Fear grips all black societies and is widespread not only for black people but also white people. An unborn child will inherit this fear and will be deprived of loving and relishing his country because the greater he loves his country the greater will be his pain. Paton shows us this throughout this book but at the same time he also offers deliverance from this pain. This, I believe is the greater purpose of this book. When Stephen goes to Johannesburg he has a childlike fear for "the great city" Johannesburg. Khumalo's fears of his family are exactly the same as every other black person in South Africa. In the train he is afraid of living in a world not made for him. He opens his bible and starts reading it, this is one of Khumalo's great sources of alleviation. Gertrude is frightened that her life will now be exposed to her brother who is a priest. She is redeemed from this fear when she prays with Stephen. Stephen experiences great pain and fear during his search for Absalom, Msimangu comforts him, he gains comfort when plays with Gertrude's son, when he thinks of Ndotsheni, his wife and of rebuilding his home it consoles him. We also learn of white people's fear of native crime in the city. Absalom's girlfriend is afraid that he has deserted her. She gains comfort from Stephen. In his own pain and suffering he has the ability to comfort her, this is one of Stephen's admirable qualities. When Stephen realises that the police are searching for Absalom, he starts trembling and turns cold with fear. Msimangu and his bible comfort him. Msimangu takes him to Ezenzeleni where he is spiritually uplifted. When Absalom is asked why did he shoot Arthur he says that he was afraid. Msimangu, Mrs Lithebe, Mr Carmicheal and Father Vincent ease Stephens fear of Absalom's case and expenses in Johannesburg. This is very comforting for Stephen, we remember Mrs Lithebe's words "for what else are we born" and there are some white men who do care. We also learn of James Jarvis's (he was a British white) suffering and fear, he is comforted by an Afrikaner policeman who went out of his way to help him, he is also comforted when he reads Arthur's manuscripts.

How can we know, if at all, that our behavior is ethical? Essay

As human beings, how do we recognize that our actions towards ourselves, our surroundings, and to others around us are ethical? For instance, a student is caught cheating on a test in school. Why is this pupil punished for what they have done, and how do they know their actions were right or wrong? Ethics, as described by Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, is the â€Å"science of human duty; a particular system of principles and rules concerting duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions; as, political or social ethics; medical ethics.† This means that ethics are what we, as humans consider right or wrong and are formed by the morals that each of us individually believe and abide by. We can find human ethics in the judicial law system, religion, and in our everyday society throughout the entire world population. Individuals in a civilized group follow judicial laws. These laws outline what we can and cannot do. Our leaders have created these laws parallel to the daily changes that humans experience in society. When these changes occur, they conclusively affect humans, resulting in new changes in the judicial law system as well. In such a case, many years ago it was thought that child labour was ethical because children were seen just as miniature adults who could accomplish the same workload as a grown man or woman. Today we realize that this is not the case, and view child labour as being unethical. As a result, laws have been made in order to protect children from being immersed in our labour force. We know through science of the mind and body, that child labour directly effects the psychological development of children. Children are not fully physiologically developed to work as hard nor for as long as grown adults can. In response to the increase in our knowledge of such resembling situations, judicial laws are also changed to follow the development of human ethics. When judicial laws and ethics are not followed, punishments serve to teach the prosecuted what is ethical and what is not. If you break a law such as killing another person, you will be tried and jailed on the lawful account of murder. T he majority of the punished will hopefully realize that what they have done is unethical, and that it should definitely not be done again. Humanitarian laws have been created as a practical (and peaceful) guide to daily living. Therefore, punishments are given to individuals who do not wish to abide by these guidelines in an attempt to change the way that they have acted in their past. In faith and religion, there are many different ethical laws that have been set since the beginning of the respective organization. These laws vary between religions and countries. In the Christian religion there are the Ten Commandments, which followers try to live by. These commandments set by God are the ethics on which the Christians should live. Humans decide which religion they wish to believe in, and in by doing so, they decide what ethics and actions are correct for them to follow. Though many of these ethics have been set a long time ago, we can still decide what we wish to follow, and what we wish to rule out. In the Islam faith, followers find ethics by what is written in the Quarn. Christians find their religious ethics through the Bibles. Such scriptures serve as religious guidelines, outlining how to morally live and act in certain situations. There are many different religions in the world, yet each and every one of them offer specific guidelines of morals and human ethics to teach the rights from the wrongs. If these ethics and behaviors are not followed, the individual will be punished. If you commit an action that goes so strongly against the ethical laws and behaviors set by your religion, results of punishment could be that; your family or religious group may shun you, or in an even worse case, you could be jailed for certain periods of time. The results are all determined by specific factors such as the specific religion, the country, and crime committed. There are many serious prices to pay for breaking the moral laws of human and religious ethics. Within society, there are unspoken and unwritten rules, that we see as ethical, by which every citizen and human being should abide. Along with these rules, we find moral obligation of considerations of what is right and wrong and this determines how people act. Such ethical laws are changed overtime because of the influence that certain individual’s actions have on society. In some cases, these actions can change our ethics making the formerly wrong actions eventually accepted by society. An example of this is how women’s fashion has changed over the last century. Seventy years ago it was unacceptable for women to show any skin above their ankles while wearing a dress. Today in Canada, we are able to se females who wear skirts and shorts without a second thought, making this action fully accepted by their surrounding society. Because of instances such as this, people follow society and views what it accepts as ethical. What may be ethical and acceptable in one part of the world may not be acceptable in another. This is judged on what the majority of the people do, and on what their religious and cultural beliefs are. In most professions, such as medicine and dentistry, there is a code of conduct, which practitioners must follow. This code of conduct is built on what society accepts as being ethical in that certain field. Humans must be mentally aware of society’s unwritten rules. These rules should come easily to all mentally stable humans, for they are based on the way individuals are raised and the morals that result from proper parental nourishment. Not following the ethics and behaving in a manner which society deems wrong can punish an individual through public or social groups. In professions where there is a code of conduct and it is broken, you could be finned or suspended from that profession. As well, your family and friends could lose your trust or respect and your image and reputation could be damaged. In the world around us there are three major parts of ethics; judicial law, religion, and the mass of moral, unwritten in our surrounding society. In each, ethical laws determine whether individual actions and behaviors are right or wrong, and outline certain punishments for breaking the ‘rules’. These punishments are given according to the severity of the crime, and religious and social, religious, and cultural belies. We base our ethics on the norms around us and how others and we ourselves act. Therefore we, as individuals, are in fact the ones who decide what actions and behaviors are ethical, morally determining our own providence.