The devastating Globalization effects on State Sovereignty

Introduction Advancements in technology have made the flow of information, capital, labor and other factors of production considerably effortless. State boundaries are fast becoming insignificant as a seemingly seamless virtual world is created1. The expansion of international trade has led to the rise of multinationals which are not content with a strong presence in the home country, and find it necessary to spread their wings across state borders.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The devastating Globalization effects on State Sovereignty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sovereign states are also finding it impossible to remain isolated and political partnerships and federations have become a necessity in the evolving world order2. These changes are all results of globalization, which is now seen by many as a necessary evil. The above occurrences have dire consequences on the concept of statehood. States esp ecially those in the developing world are increasingly losing grip of sectors over which they hitherto held unquestioned control3. This paper explores how globalization is contributing to the slow but sure death of the concept of statehood in most nations. The views of two globalization theorists in relation to this topic are examined, and possible solutions of this problem are also suggested. The steady decline of the state Global socio-economic health and financial stability depend significantly on legitimate state control and regulation of the economy4. Neoliberal ideologies, however, view the state as an imposer of unnecessary regulation and control over economic units, thereby being a hindrance to global trade5. Neoliberals, therefore, advocate for reduced state involvement and control in the economy. The rise of globalization has reversed the roles of the state and even if its hand is still seen in many processes, it has been weakened considerably6. As will be seen later, the state’s capacity to make binding decisions has been reduced by the power that globalization has granted other entities such as multinational companies and international bodies. State control over trade and interactions among its citizens and institutions gives a semblance of order and control within the state. The ease of movement and exchange of information, however, has created a virtue community which exists outside the borders and limits of state control7.Advertising Looking for term paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This community forms part of what some theorists call a â€Å"nation without a state†8. This is just but one of the many examples illustrating how the concept of â€Å"nationhood† is fast being rendered irrelevant in a world that is turning into a small global village. Aspects of state power affected by globalization States are losing ground in areas such as cont rol over trade and democratic processes within their territories as a result of globalization. Susan Strange expresses her views on the effect of globalization on the decline of the state in â€Å"The Erosion of the State† through a description of ways in which globalization erodes the powers held by the state over various processes. She lists three main problems which in her opinion, embody the problems that stem from globalization. The first on this list is the erosion of state control over financial markets. Trade is no longer controlled by the state, but by multinational corporations, international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF, and trade organizations9. Globalization has been a significant factor in the spread of market economy ideologies, and its entrenchment in most economies in the developed and developing world. Most international companies that invest in the economies of the developing world have a global presence and trade in different f inancial markets across the globe. It is, therefore, difficult for any state to effectively control trading in financial markets. Market forces have taken over the control of financial markets, which are greatly influenced by decisions of companies and investors10. Though this may be instrumental in encouraging competition among firms, it is not necessarily good for all in the economy.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The devastating Globalization effects on State Sovereignty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The downside of this event is that the power that these multinationals hold may be used inappropriately used to engage in unfair competition or even to effect takeovers in the market. The state, having lost its teeth in this sector cannot offer effective protection to weaker firms in hostile situations. Globalization has also led to the loss of decision making powers by the state11. States are not comple tely deprived of their power and authority to make decisions, but these decisions are often successfully contested and questioned by global firms. An example supplied by Imade 12is that of environmental policies formulated by governments for the protection of the environment, but they are repeatedly contested by oil companies on the premise that they restrict trade. The binding force of states’ decisions has shrunk and corporations continue to question state control and authority over their activities within the territory. The weakness in state control over multinationals especially in the developing and underdeveloped parts of the world has led to severe environmental degradation13. Though globalization has brought progress with it, most countries in the third world do not enjoy its benefits. Strict implementation of environmental policies unfavorable to the companies has dire consequences. These may include threats to pull out of the economy, leading to loss of hundreds of jobs, or withdrawal of funding or support for various projects. The state is rendered helpless in such circumstances. Decision making in the provision of essential public social services such as education and medical care has always been the preserve of the state14. However, since many of these services are funded by foreign organizations (especially in third world countries), decisions about the ‘what and how† aspects of these services are made jointly by the donors and the recipients of aid.Advertising Looking for term paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More If it is not in the interests of the donor, certain services such as family planning may not be provided in accordance with the government’s wishes, as it is rendered powerless in the making of decisions regarding the issue. Strange introduces the concept of â€Å"new diplomacy† in the globalization discourse. This term is explained as part of the process of eroding a state’s power to make uncontested and binding decisions. It refers to the bond between states and companies, and amongst companies in the global economy. Companies realize that individual states’ economies cannot thrive or survive in the absence of international trade. For this reason, they acquire bargaining power in the decision making process of the state. They can, therefore, negotiate with governments on matters relating to employment, wages, labor and trade. In this regard, the state is stripped of its power to make independent decisions without considering the bearing they will have o n its relations with the companies. When companies, and not the government, make decisions regarding employment and wages, at this point the state’s existence can be said to be irrelevant. This is one of the major problems of globalization that developing economies are facing. Foreign investments drive economic growth, but the price is too high. The conditions of labor deteriorate and the minimum wage is very low, since the big boys in the industry are mainly interested in maximizing profits and keeping costs at a minimum. Economies in parts of the world such as Asia, Africa and Mexico deal with problems of exploitation consistently, since multinationals take advantage of the cheap labor available due to the high unemployment rates. The views of Strange mainly reflect the negative impacts of globalization and its role in the attrition of the concept of nationhood. Other voices however, point out that though globalization has a negative impact on state power, there is some goo d that can come out of it. Joseph Stiglitz opines that when globalization reduces a state’s effectiveness in decision making, there are several negative outcomes that emerge. Countries’ vulnerability to international shocks is increased. Affected nations cannot effectively cushion their economies from the volatilities of global economic conditions. He voices a strong criticism of the IMF which he says contributes to many of the world economic disasters such as economic troubles in parts of Asia through its unfavorable economic policies. In his opinion, a state willing to implement policies it deems necessary in its economy may be stopped by such international financial bodies which have conspired with Washington and other powers to control the world’s economy. He opines that it is a conspiracy to keep other economies under their command and control. Though his opinions seem somewhat biased, they nevertheless, make a lot of sense in view of what happens in the wo rld. Most governments cannot make financial decisions that the IMF and the World Bank object to15. This is because the interdependency among economies and nations that has been brought by globalization has sunk many nations deep into debts, and their decisions are therefore controlled by the lenders-the IMF and World Bank. In this regard, only physical boundaries of states exist, but the states were eroded a long time ago. Decisions affecting the so called states are centrally made at the world headquarters in Washington. As a result of the above, political, social and financial instabilities increase and there is a decrease in economic growth. Imade16 argues that globalization and capitalism benefits the affluent in the developed world and leaves the people in third world countries unprotected. The central argument is that without proper controls and protection mechanisms in place, third world development and statehood are on their deathbeds. This will continue being the case unles s globalization adopts a human face. Stiglitz, however, gives another face to globalization and says that it is not always a bad thing, and some good can be realized from it. If a state is to retain its â€Å"statehood† and sovereignty in the face of globalization, then it must take it with caution. It should be adopted and embraced after paying attention to the uniqueness of an individual country. The individual goals of the country, its policies, structures and culture among other considerations should be examined before taking the plunge and embracing globalization. The problem I have with the last part of the argument is that it is almost impossible for a country to disregard the force globalization. Even when it is not in line with its interests, it is treated as a necessary evil that the state must deal with. The â€Å"Washington Consensus† propagated ideas such as that states are unnecessary, and that markets are best left alone17. State interference in a market economy is seen as inappropriate, and market forces are left to operate and control it. This only hurts the weak economies in the third world, but the beneficiaries such as the US will not say this. Poor regulation is weak economies such as Thailand and Indonesia has been blamed for exposing them to volatilities such as those in capital flows and employment shifts18. I attribute the loss of â€Å"nationhood† of nations across the world to globalization. It is globalization that has given so much power to multinational companies over states. The stakes are high and states willingly hand over their powers, though there are elements of arm twisting in some instances. Ease in the exchange of information has made geographical boundaries irrelevant in modern operations. States have little control over what happens over the internet, and regulation of these activities is limited. Not every aspect of the erosion of statehood is negative. The reality is that globalization has expande d the horizons of international trade and eased the way business is conducted. However, the loss of state power over certain processes hurts the economy and other stakeholders. The advantages of letting market forces control the market are not lost to me, and I acknowledge the fact that undue government interference in the activities of businesses hurts the conduct of business by creating an unfavorable environment. Additionally, globalization as a single factor is only a contributory to, but is not the only cause of states’ loss of ground in areas that they previously controlled. The decline of the state has also been attributed to other factors by a variety of writers. Blad19 makes the case for the augment of national culture in the decline of the state. Other factors to which state decline has been attributed include the spread of terrorism and invasion of sovereign territories. An increased consciousness of one’s ethnicity or sense of identity can lead to the detes tation of things that are foreign20. Ethnocentric reactions towards foreign things and control have been witnessed in prosperous societies in the recent past. Civil solidarity surges forth when the society view the state as a puppet of foreign forces and the public wants nothing to do with it. The result is the rejection of the state’s authority over it and its affairs, and at this stage an uprising may erupt. Blad21 identifies the Bretton Woods system as an example of state decline in favor of neo liberalism as a result of rise national culture. Closely related to national culture is the failure or incapacity of state institutions to propagate and support a national ideology that the public can identify with. What is likely to happen is that counter ideologies will spring up in such a situation, as was the case in the rise of â€Å"urban youth culture† in Brazil. It is my opinion, however, that these other explanations cannot be separated from globalization. This is b ecause ease in the flow of information is important for these uprising to succeed. In this case, globalization also plays a role, albeit from the periphery. The spread of terrorism has necessitated the concerted efforts of all stakeholders in the fight against it. This fight has an international aspect to it, and international security agencies often disregard state regulations and authority in the extraction of information about terrorists and in the pursuit of suspected terrorists. When it comes to terrorism, states lose their statehood and sovereignty. A good example is the capture of Osama bin Laden by American forces, whose operation can be said to have violated the sovereignty and territorial rights of Baghdad. The invasion of a sovereign state by foreign forces acting under the umbrella of international bodies such as the United Nations sometimes contributes to the decline of statehood. Excluded here are sanctioned peacekeeping missions. The focus is on invasions that are mot ivated by factors other than assisting to keep peace. Globalization also has a role here. The global scramble for natural resources has made some states invade others with the intention of siphoning natural resources such as oil from those countries. Conclusion The rapid advancements in technology have absolutely changed the world. Globalization as a process began centuries ago, but it is only recently that its effects have been seen. There is faster movement of factors of production and transmission of information. These fall on the positive side of globalization. However, it is a concept that has contributed significantly to the decline in statehood of nations, there are also other factors to blame, such as the spread of terrorism and the rise of national culture. Works Cited Blad, Cory. â€Å"The Paradoxical Return of National Culture in Globalization Era: Theorizing Present and Future Legitimization.† Race, Gender and Class. 18.3-4(2003): 329-347. Print. Imade, Lucky. The Two Faces of Globalization: Impoverishment or Prosperity? 2003. Web.. http://globalization.icaap.org/content/v3.1/01_imade.html. Payne, Richard. Global Issues, Politics, Economic and Culture, London: Pearson Education, 2011. Print. Footnotes 1 Blad, Cory. â€Å"The Paradoxical Return of National Culture in Globalization Era: Theorizing Present and Future Legitimization.† Race, Gender and Class. 18.3-4(2003): 329-347. 2 Blad, ibid 3 Payne, Richard. Global Issues, Politics, Economic and Culture, London: Pearson Education,  2011. Print. 4 Payne, ibid. 5 Blad, supra 6 Imade, Lucky. The Two Faces of Globalization: Impoverishment or Prosperity? 2003. Web. 7 Imade, ibid 8 Payne,supra 9 Blad, supra 10 Payne, supra. 11 Blad, supra. 12 Supra 13 Payne, supra. 14 Payne, supra. 15 Blad, supra. 16 Supra 17 Imade, supra 18 Imade, supra 19 Supra 20 Blad, supra 21 Blad, supra This term paper on The devastating Globalization effects on State Sovereignty was written and submitted by user Reed N. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Mencius

We are all affected by our surroundings and experiences, as these are the fundamental building blocks on which we perceive our world. It is not surprising, then, that two of Confucius f most distinguished followers, Mencius and Xunzi, hold two very different views on Human Nature. Although the Confucian philosopher Mencius did not live during a particularly peaceful era in Chinese historyhe was a traveling advisor during the Warring States period, lasting from 403 until 221 BCEthe time during which Xunzi (a member of the following generation of Confucian scholars) lived was much darker and bloodier as he witnessed the wars leading up to the Qin dynasties conquest in the late third century which where  galmost indescribably brutal [as] the intrigues surrounding them [were] often intensely bitter. h While Confucian never saw the need to make his thoughts on the character of human nature unambiguously clear, insisting that  gby nature men are very much the same, [and that] it is through practice that they drift apart, h his followers, Mencius and Xunzi, have addressed the question much more clearly. The former believed that man was predisposed to good, and if some individuals wandered from the right path and turned to evil, it was because external influences has  gperverted their hearts. h He maintained that there exists a natural tendency for goodness, as inevitable as the natural tendency of water to flow downward, (Mencius, 6A.3) and that human beings gain a natural sense of pleasure from acting morally. He puts much greater emphasis on the innate goodness of human nature, which he insists is the gift of Heaven to each and every man. Also Mencius tries to  grecall and enlarge the Confucian idea of ren, or humaneness and the principle of yi, or rightness. h Xunzi on the other hand insists that Human Nature is inherently evil. He thought; people's natural tendencies are corrupt, and moral education runs against t... Free Essays on Mencius Free Essays on Mencius The ideas and theories that both Mencius and Hzun Tzu held entailed to whether or not man’s nature was good or evil. Mencius claimed that human nature was naturally good. Man was born innocent and naà ¯ve and it was only through time, war and experience that man became corrupt. However, Hzun Tzu felt that human nature from birth was stained with corruption and full of evil and selfishness. Mencius and Hzun Tzu’s attitudes towards human nature were equally debatable and controversial. These two great philosophers equally contributed to Confucianism and were both prominent founders of the Confucian belief. Mencius’ view on man and his nature were moralistic whereas Hzun Tzu’s view encompassed a more legalistic world (Liu, 2002). Hzun Tzu approached man through an authoritative manner where a ruling governor would discipline the people. Mencius felt it necessary to leave decisions as well as choices to the people; he felt whatever morals and value s they have learned would aid in the process of proper decision-making. Each philosopher has their own distinct belief as to the thought of human nature those of Mencius and Hzun Tzu although somewhat concrete in his own opinion and seemingly believable oppose and contradict one another. Hzun-Tzu believed that man was by nature evil. Unlike Mencius, he had little faith in humanity and did not feel that man could be depended on whereas Mencius felt that good is found in humanity and man’s mind is ultimately good (Shun, 2000). Hzun Tzu felt that man was born evil and it would only be through education and study that a mind at ease could emerge. Mencius had an extremely contrasting theory; he felt that the mind was innocent and that only man could destroy what was pure. The ideals of Hzun Tzu oppose the doctrines thought and taught by the Confucius faith. Confucian believers are to believe that man is good and by no means evil or bad. The Book of Mencius mentions how if ... Free Essays on Mencius We are all affected by our surroundings and experiences, as these are the fundamental building blocks on which we perceive our world. It is not surprising, then, that two of Confucius f most distinguished followers, Mencius and Xunzi, hold two very different views on Human Nature. Although the Confucian philosopher Mencius did not live during a particularly peaceful era in Chinese historyhe was a traveling advisor during the Warring States period, lasting from 403 until 221 BCEthe time during which Xunzi (a member of the following generation of Confucian scholars) lived was much darker and bloodier as he witnessed the wars leading up to the Qin dynasties conquest in the late third century which where  galmost indescribably brutal [as] the intrigues surrounding them [were] often intensely bitter. h While Confucian never saw the need to make his thoughts on the character of human nature unambiguously clear, insisting that  gby nature men are very much the same, [and that] it is through practice that they drift apart, h his followers, Mencius and Xunzi, have addressed the question much more clearly. The former believed that man was predisposed to good, and if some individuals wandered from the right path and turned to evil, it was because external influences has  gperverted their hearts. h He maintained that there exists a natural tendency for goodness, as inevitable as the natural tendency of water to flow downward, (Mencius, 6A.3) and that human beings gain a natural sense of pleasure from acting morally. He puts much greater emphasis on the innate goodness of human nature, which he insists is the gift of Heaven to each and every man. Also Mencius tries to  grecall and enlarge the Confucian idea of ren, or humaneness and the principle of yi, or rightness. h Xunzi on the other hand insists that Human Nature is inherently evil. He thought; people's natural tendencies are corrupt, and moral education runs against t...

Marketing Planning - Domino's Pizza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Planning - Domino's Pizza - Essay Example Moreover, people are looking for innovation in the pizzas. Domino’s is offering a huge range of products apart from pizzas and are mainly focusing on customers with smaller pocket size. The SWOT analysis reveals that the organization has great deal of strengths and opportunities but is facing steep competition from its competitors like Pizza Hut and Pizza Express. After the situation analysis and studying the current market segment, target market and positioning strategies has been suggested. Introduction Domino’s pizza is a well known pizza delivery organization in this world. The passion and expertise shown by this organization and its employees in delivering fresh and hot pizzas has earned loyalty of numerous customers from all over the world and several awards for the organization (Domino’s Pizza UK & Ireland Limited, 2012). This report focuses on developing a marketing plan for Domino’s Pizza in UK. The pizza market of UK has recorded an increase of 2 1.5 percent in sales value between the year 2008 and 2013 and reached  £881 million (Mintel Group Ltd., 2012). This was primarily due to the thriving chilled sector and commodity inflation, which lead to higher self prices. The growth on the overall volume has increased by 7.3 percent over the period, which has acted as the accelerating factor in terms of both volume and values (Mintel Group Ltd., 2012). Chilled pizza has created a better and healthier image of quality amongst the consumers. On the other hand, frozen pizzas acts as a remedy for being processed. Reports also suggests that fifth of the users in UK are seen to show interest towards the British sourced meat. 23 percent of the parents are seen to show their concern regarding lack of pizzas for children (Mintel Group Ltd., 2012). ... Chilled pizza has created a better and healthier image of quality amongst the consumers. On the other hand, frozen pizzas acts as a remedy for being processed. Reports also suggests that fifth of the users in UK are seen to show interest towards the British sourced meat. 23 percent of the parents are seen to show their concern regarding lack of pizzas for children (Mintel Group Ltd., 2012). It has been observed that there is strong demand for microwaveable and gluten-free pizzas (Mintel Group Ltd., 2013). The demand for pizza has also increased among the demographic of 65 year old people. The pizza lovers of UK are also looking for change and innovation in their pizzas (Mintel Group Ltd., 2011). Product Range Domino’s Pizza mainly deals in pizzas ranging from chicken and prawn pizza, traditional pizzas, value plus pizza, value pizzas and â€Å"make your own† pizza. Apart from this, the organization also offers a wide range of side dishes, desserts and crusts. In side di shes they include breads, chicken, chips along with dipping sauce and drinks. In desserts, they include cakes, brownies, pancakes, dipping sauce and mousse (Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd., 2012). Hence, it can be concluded that they not only deals with pizzas but also offers a variety of other products. Customers The customers of Domino’s are generally the pizza loving people. They generally target the customers starting from college goers to people in their fifties. They not only target the lower-class people with their products but also the middle-class customers with bigger budgets. Children are not often seen to be the regular customers of Domino’s Pizza. They are

Strategic Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Strategic Marketing - Essay Example This is where marketing models like market segmentation, differentiation, positioning, come into play to ensure success when other rivals have failed to capture and maintain niche markets. â€Å"Marketing practitioners often find themselves so preoccupied with the hard work of running marketing programs, supervising staff and sales force, and attending to the day-to-day grind that they lose sight of the Big Picture. However, it is essential every once in a while to step back, gain a little perspective, and engage in some serious strategizing.† (The Strategic Marketing Plan 2000). The success story of Coca Cola is primarily due to the excellent marketing strategizing and market positioning undertaken by it over the last 120 years of gainful existence. Its resilience and innate fighting qualities in surmounting business challenges, both external and internal, and the saga of Coca Cola’s victory in the international arena, could be the subject matter for a Case Study. It is proposed to analyse of the brand position of Coca Cola, a popular brand of non-alcoholic beverage, which has an international branding network in nearly 200 countries across the globe â€Å"The Coca-Cola Company is the worlds largest non-alcoholic beverage company. Along with the Coca-Cola ® trademark, recognized as the worlds most valuable brand, the Company markets four of the worlds top five nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke ®, Fanta ® and Sprite ® beverages, and a wide range of other non-alcoholic beverages, including diet and light beverages, waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees, energy and sports drinks. Through the worlds largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Companys beverages at a rate exceeding 1.4 billion servings each day.† (News Release: The Coca-Cola Company Releases: 2006). Pepsi lays claims to be a major business rival

Adam smith vs Karl marks philosophy economics contribution Essay Example for Free

Adam smith vs Karl marks philosophy economics contribution Essay To begin with, Smith came up with the concept of the ‘invisible hand’ (Communist (1848)). This concept was to explain that seeking self interest is not necessarily bad but it sought to explain the reality that people tend to act in their own self-interests. When individuals pursue their self interests, they promote without their knowledge the good of the community at large and so it can be said that an individual who wants to maximize their revenue maximizes the revenue of the society too. This liberty to customers to buy freely what they want and for the producers to produce what they want without any pressure enables the market to settle on a product distribution and prices that are beneficial to all individual members of the community. This liberty to both producers and consumers and the greed to maximize their interests, drives them into a behavior that is beneficial to all in that particular community. Due to this, producers are forced to employ methods of production that are efficient with an aim o maximize their profits. This leads to low prices that are meant to out do their competitors and this forces investors to go for firms that wants to maximize their profits and hence this works as mechanism of balancing. The invisible hand concept acts as the root of modern economics. A good example is the general equilibrium which states that if the economic forces are balanced in the absence of external influences, then the economic variables will not change. This requires that everything in the market beginning with pricing to production be controlled by the players in the market but not by other forces. These external forces may include among others the regulations that are imposed by the government or other organizations that may have a say on the market. According to the general equilibrium, when the prices are very low, then there is surplus supply and when the prices are very low, then there’s a shortage in supply. As a result of this, the situations tend to control themselves without the need for any regulator from outside. These outside forces in the market slow the rate at which the economy grows and they also lead to infancy in the division of labor. As a result of that need for self improvement, efficient division of labor is realized as well as improved efficiency in the economy. This concept is very much in use even in today’s economy . The modern market structure borrows greatly from the earlier ideas of natural monopoly by Adam Smith.( The Poverty of Philosophy human nature) The division of labor Division of labor is a clear indication of qualitative step towards increased productivity and so it acts as an engine that drives towards realization of economic progress. Smith realized that labor division and for that matter labor specialization would improve greatly on the concentration of workers on the duties they perform. This concentration would come as a result of doing a single task many times or repetitively. The need for improvements in productivity of the work force is said to be the root cause for labor division. According to Smith, labor division can lead to increased productivity. This productivity from the workers can be attributed to specialization in one task since specialization leads to greater skill on their particular subtasks compared to what would be accomplished by the same number of workers performing a broad task. For maximum productivity from workers, skills that they have should be matched with the corresponding equipments.   Most of today’s increase in productivity can be attributed to the matching of technological, human and physical capital and mostly in the manner in which they are organized. This means that laborers need to be equipped with the right skills so as to be effective in what they do compared to when there would be no job specialization and hence anybody could perform any job. Todays economics has borrowed greatly from these ideas from Adam smith. Many organization have realized the need to equip their employees and some even hire unskilled ones but pay for their acquisition of skills. Another outcome of labor division according to Adam smith is minimization of time that is wasted by employees when moving from one task to the other. A lot of time is wasted when people keep on relocating and this proves expensive to the company in the long run because they have to pay the employees. Through labor division, this time wastage is minimized . The modern concept of scientific management borrows greatly from Adam Smiths ideas .Scientific management emphasizes on the connection between activities and the transformation that occurs within the process. This is also supported by William Petty who notes and demonstrates its importance in the construction of Dutch ships. He admits that people with a particular task to perform had discovered new ways of doing their work which were later observed and justified by political writers on economy. (An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) specialisation) The wages of labor Wages of labor are dictated by mostly by the availability of job vacancies and also by the availability of workforce. When there are many workers and the available vacancies are few, the amount of money the workers are paid usually fall. Likewise, when employers compete against one another and the labor supply is limited, the wages paid to the employees usually rises but its worthy noting that this process is made possible by unity among laborers and masters. This kind of unity enables laborers to come together and stop biding for jobs against each other hence making the employers increase the wages paid to them. Likewise when employers come together in unity and stop binding against each other, the wages fall. However, in places where the amount of labor is more compared to the amount of the amount of revenue that can used to pay for waged labor, the competition among the employees in greater than the competition between the employers. Smith argues that the amount of revenue must keep on increasing constantly compared to the amount of labor so that wages may remain high. Profits of stock too have an impact on the wages because the more money is spent on compensating labor; little is left for personal profit. This is clearly shown in countries where competition amongst employees is great compared to competition among employers, profits will be much higher. Due to these views, Smith attacks people who are politically aligned and try to use their political influence to manipulate the government and other powers into their bidding. Smith feared that people of this class could form a powerful block and take advantage of their closeness with the authorities into manipulating the state into enforcing certain regulations meant to serve their interests against the general interests. These would maker other players vulnerable and have no say in the way businesses were being conducted. According to other people the level of specialization brought about by division of labor was externally determined but in the contrary, Smith argued that it was the dynamic engine towards economic progress. Surprisingly, Smith himself criticizes the division of labor arguing that it leads to mental mutilation of the workers hence rendering them ignorant and insular because their lives are limited only to doing a single task many times. These ideas by Smith are incorporated into today’s discussions on economic issues. Human capital is one of the discussions in which Adams Smiths ideas are used. Human capital is one of the four types of capital that were identified by Adam as being important for the success of a company. As argued by Smith previously, human capital and the productive ability of the labor force is both dependant on the division of labor. It’s worthy noting that human capital includes skills, dexterity, and the ability to make the right decisions and human capital can be acquired through informal schooling and on the so called on-the-job training. These acquisitions of skills aimed at improving the effectiveness of the workforce are still practiced today by ma ny companies. (An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) productivity) Adam Smith vs Karl Marx Both Adam Smith and Karl Marx shared a common idea and this common idea was their praise for capitalism .These two early pioneers of modern economics agreed that capitalism was the key in unleashing the productive powers. This argument stated that for the employees to be more productive, they needed to be subject to their bosses or seniors. If the employees were left to work at their own leisure these two men agreed that their productivity would be minimal and as a result, their employers would incur big losses. This created the need for competition among both the employers and the employees as well since this would keep these two parties on their feet through out. But despite these similarities in their in their views, there was differences in their ideas as well. Marx and Smith both seem to agree that capitalism is the ultimate driving force in profit maximization .New profits and value added, they seem to agree came as result of the employers paying the workers the exact value that is in the market for their labor capacity. But the sad thing was that in most cases, the market value of the goods which the workers produced exceeded that market value. This clearly means that the employers were making maximum profits while paying little to their workers. Both Marx and Smith agree that     there are different types of capital and they play different roles during production. Production Capitals include things like land, natural resources or raw materials and lastly technology. All the above named different classes of capital were dependant on each other in production. These two men seemed to agree also that social relations of production should not only be made up of relationships between individuals but rather should be between large groups of people or certain classes of people. These two men had the same idea of a free market. They described a free market as a market in which all prices of the goods that are on offer are decided by mutual consent between sellers and buyers   and also one   that did not mislead both the sellers as well as the buyers. They both argued that these two major people in the market, the buyer and the seller, should not be forced into making decision by an external party. The relationship between these two players should not be manipulated by any one but to the contrary, it should be left to obey the natural law of supply and demand. The difference between free and controlled markets is that   controlled markets are controlled by external forces These forces mostly refers to governments which may directly or indirectly try to have control of prices or the supplies in the market. One area where these two men seem to differ is their idea of job specialization. Smith advocates for specialization for jobs among workers. He argues that laborers who were assigned too many different duties were less productive than those who were assigned a specific task to perform day in day out. He says that this leads to efficient usage of time and it seeks to save time that is usually wasted by workers when moving from one task to another. But to the contrary, Karl Marx disapproves this idea arguing that job specialization could result to workers with more poor overall skills. This, as he says would be brought about by tendency of people to resist change. He also says that when people perform one task repeatedly, it may lead to boredom and make them less enthusiastic about their work. He describes this whole process as a kind of alienation. According to him, the more workers become specialized and do the same thing over and over, they later become totally alienated. Marx goes ahead to argue that division of labor brings with it spiritual depression to the workers. This means that the workers perform their duties feeling as if they are being forced other than doing out of their own will .This greatly lowers the morale of the workers and as a result lower their productivity. Physical tiredness or fatigue can be brought about by job specialization as Marx goes ahead to argue since they no longer feel like human beings but they feel more of machines. Contrary to the idea of Smith, Marx believes that fullness of production is very essential to human liberation goes on to say that he would accept the idea of a strict division of labor as a temporary necessary evil. These views can be said to be in total contrast to those expressed by Smith. Smith on his part believed that any business was a collection of inter related tasks that were aimed at solving a particular issue. So as to effectively do this, Smith argued that the workload should be divided into simple sets of tasks which could be done effectively by workers who were equipped with special skills for doing that particular job. It’s worthy noting that Smith, despite his advocating for division of labor, he does not advocate for achievement of labor division at all costs. It’s worthy noting that in contrast to Smith’s view which were only limited to functional domain only and were made up of activities that were direct in sequence as far as the manufacturing process is concerned, modern processes are very inclusive. It was as a result of his ideas that labor division was adopted. Today, we can clearly say that much of today’s practices in the job markets have bor rowed greatly from the ideas of Smith. In all organization, there is job specialization. This has led to the rise of departments in many organizations and each department is allocated certain workers who are in most cases equipped with certain skill to enable them perform specific duties .The sense in this whole exercise as argued by Smith is that it saves a great deal of time that could be wasted by employees when moving from one task to another. This proves very essential since no employer will want to waste his money employees without maximizing their productivity. However, it is good to note that Smith admits that seeking self interests is not always good. All he tried to do was trying to reverse believe that self interest is generally bad. He also intended to bring to the light the idea that wile human motives are selfish and greedy; the out come of these human behaviors would bring benefits to the whole community at large. This is the direct opposite of the ideas that Marx had .In his arguments; Marx says that the major struggles are always between the producers and those who work in the industries. Another of his greatest contribution to modern economics was his sharp distinction between the two types of division namely social and economic division of labor .If these two labor divisions are conflated, it might look as if labor division is inevitable rather than being constructed socially and influenced by power. (Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) Karl Marx, The Poverty of Philosophy). References Edwin G. West, (1976)The Man and His Wor

The Influence of Mythology on Literature and Society Essay -- Mytholog

The Influence of Mythology on Literature and Society Edith Hamilton is the author of the book Mythology. This book is about the Mythology of the Romans and Greeks through her eyes and the way she interprets it. In the beginning of the book Hamilton writes an introduction to Classical Mythology and how, and why it came about. She starts off by writing that Greek and Roman Mythology is meant to show us how people felt about the human race and about where they came from many years ago. She points out that Mythology describes the Earth when it was young and people cared for the Earth more than today. This is true, because in today?s world not many people are caring about the Earth and its going by us fast. She also points out that these stories in Mythology and the characters are describe in such great detail that even through you cannot see them, that maybe just maybe they are real and believable. Mythology is the way the Greeks and Roman saw and understood the world around them and it is written in which a way that we may never truly understand it. Hamilton now describes the Mythology of the Greeks as a totally different picture than the one described in Classical Mythology. She describes it as being vile, and savage, but the reason for this is because the Greeks wrote about themselves when they had a brutal and poverty filled life. They wrote like this to show you how they came to power and what they went through to get there. Not only was Greece coming to power, but also they changed the world as it was back then and forever. The reason for this was, because when Greece came to power so did mankind, and because they finally saw how powerful they could be, mankind was born. Greek originally obtained their gods fro... ...die and who wanted to fight the good fight. I believe that the Norsemen gods had something to die for, where as the Greco-Roman gods had everything to live for. The Greco-Roman gods were gods who indulged in their delights and who were in a way stuck up. Both Greco-Roman and Norsemen Myths are similar in principal, but are different in meaning. The Norsemen gods seem more like people who are struggling for a common goal, and go through a lot to get their desired happiness. The Norsemen gods? way of life is the way most people think of Mythology when they hear of it. That would be the whole good versus evil battle that supposed to take place between Heaven and Hell, but even though the Norsemen gods are not as strong as the Roman-Greco gods they are stronger in faith and that?s more important than any incredible power that the Greco-Roman gods will ever have.

Compare and Contrast the Presentation of Family Relationships Essay

‘Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit’ (OANTOF) by Jeanette Winterson, and ‘Behind the Scenes at the Museum’ (BTSATM) by Kate Atkinson both highlight the fundamentality of families and the dissatisfaction experienced between these seemingly strained relationships. Both protagonists of the two books feel a sense of unacceptance due to a variety of reasons involving suppression of desire – caused by family members; however this secret yearning also reveals itself through the characters experiences as the two novels progress. Both novels share one main theme – the quest for identity – not only for the main characters, but also for their mothers. Ruby Lennox, the protagonist of BTSATM is a quirky, complex character who relates the events of her life and those of her dysfunctional family with equal parts of humour and passion – starting with her conception in York, England, in 1959: â€Å"I exist! â€Å"(p. 9) Atkinson centres the novel on the idea of the conventional ‘nuclear family’, which is almost ahead of her time as this concept wasn’t in place at the time it was written, however she illustrates this through mother-daughter relationships and also explores this family unity first with her depiction of marriage. She presents this concept in generally unfavourable terms, her writing shows us how marriage has evolved from women in the Victorian era marrying for primarily social and economic reasons to the more liberated views of the 1960’s. Atkinson uses the character of Alice to provide an example of a lower middle-class woman in the 1800’s marrying for security thus no longer having to work, rather than love. Alice’s choice was simple in its restrictions: â€Å"to go on teaching (which she loathed) or accept Frederick’s offer of marriage† (p. 32) Her purpose of marriage thus becomes ironic: She marries believing she would escape the one thing she loathed, but thus traps herself in years of unhappiness with a man she does not even like; â€Å"not a day passes when Alice doesn’t imagine what life would be like if she hadn’t married Frederick Barker† (p. 33). Unmarried women are spinsters, therefore frowned upon by society. Neither Rachel, whose marriage to Fredericks was merely out of justification of acceptance in society, nor Alice, find any kind of fulfilment from their marriages to Frederick Barker as â€Å"a sullen drunk with an insatiable appetite for gambling† (p. 33) Similar experiences happen to the women of the next two generations. Nell’s fear of being a spinster encourages her to marry Frank, the only eligible man left after the war, and resigns herself to a similar life to that of Alice’s, one of dissatisfaction and ‘second best’. This settling for substandard simplicity rather than following dreams seems to become a prominent theme for the women of the book; this is thus reiterated with Bunty: She marries George after being abandoned by her fianci ; â€Å"She wasn’t entirely sure about this, but, with the war now drawing to a close, the possibilities were beginning to fade† (p. 108). Bunty’s marriage was thus, to the reader, predictable to fail as it follows the same unfulfilling course of antipathy and adultery as the previous generations. Both Nell and Bunty are pressured into marriage by social expectations of the time. It is only in the liberation of the1960’s, when Ruby’s generation begins to see love rather than social acceptance as the primary motive for marriage; this new idea ultimately highlights the fairy tale like quality of the new reasons behind matrimony. Ruby illustrates this illusive expectation of romanticism in marriage and how damaging these unrealistic expectations can be. Ruby marries â€Å"a beautiful boy with green eyes and black hair† (p. 335) However, these romantic ideas end in â€Å"some truly wretched years† (p. 358). Atkinson presents to us a picture of marriage through the ages that shows how a woman originally gave up her passions for a marriage of acceptance and convenience in society, to one of Ruby’s idea of true love, however ultimately all marriage is predetermined, and is thus harmful to all women – This is due to previous generations being so unsuccessful. This can be compared with Jeanette’s mother’s motivations for marriage in OANTOF as a way of progressing further in the church rather than love itself, however she secretly desires Pastor Spratt. The want for and lack of maternal love between Nell and Bunty leads on to the central point of the novel, the relationship between Bunty and her youngest daughter, Ruby. The social restrictions of the 1950’s leave Bunty feeling a sense of imprisonment to survive within the domestic expertise as a wife and mother; â€Å"a slave to housework† and she’s â€Å"chained to the cooker† (p. 44). Bunty, trapped in a role she does not wish to have, dreams about â€Å"What it would be like if her entire family was wiped out and she could start again† (p. 14); this thought to any mother would seem totally unacceptable, she obviously loves her children, however due to her own relationship with her mother, she is incapable of expressing this love. Bunty begrudges her daughters because they have entrapped her in an unsatisfactory life, this view is similarly held by Ruby, however she dislikes Bunty as a mother due to the romanticised notion of fairy godmother like figures that society enforced upon little girls. Ruby represents her mother as a monster, almost leaving the reader unsympathetic and ignorant to Bunty’s pressures, however this highlights the reality of conventionality within mother-daughter relationships. Although Ruby may try to leave the reader disliking Bunty, it actually creates the opposite feeling as many mothers themselves reading the book will relate to Bunty’s situation as it is very normal and there is fascination and empathy behind the reader’s view of Bunty. This can be compared with Jeanette’s mother in OANTOF as they are both similar in respect of their individual struggles. Jeanette’s mother actively seeks out combat with others. She feels delighted when she is able to sing hymns to irritate the next-door neighbors. While Jeanette’s mother relishes religious fighting, other indication of her hypocrisy stands out in the novel – for example her picture of her â€Å"old flame† yet she condemns lesbianism. This fight against the world is similar to Bunty’s however a contrast could be distinguished as Bunty does not have the strength or confidence to broadcast her struggles or deploy any mechanism to help her, due to her social unacceptance if she did so. We feel sympathy for Bunty, even thought Ruby outwardly wants the reader to see her flaws, we know she is not living the life she wishes to lead and has only married for functionality, whereas this contrasts the view we have on Jeanette’s mother as she is made a mockery of. Both Ruby and Jeanette feel a sense of rejection from their mothers. For Ruby this is due to her and her family stopping Bunty living the life she wished for, but also due to the belief of causing Pearls death. For Jeanette this is because of her mother’s fight with her homosexuality rather than her daughter herself, which has cursed her mother’s plan for Jeanette to be a servant to God – For Jeanette’s mother, Jeanette is merely a tool for filling expectations of the church – thus when she leaves, she leaves acceptance also. Both mother’s and daughters share a similarity which makes their unacceptance ironic – Bunty in that she was never accepted by her mother â€Å"stuck right in the middle†(p. 94), and Jeanette’s mother by the fact she had a lesbian encounter herself. This can be compared with Jeanette’s and her mother’s relationship. Although there are obvious difficulties in Jeanette and her mother’s relationship, Jeanette learns much from her mother and her mother’s role in the church. Jeanette is similar to her mother in the sense that she learnt to be an outspoken and strong person, important in dealing with and defending her sexuality. Although she has broken away from her mother’s faith Jeanette has inherited her mother’s strength of conviction on pursuing happiness and what she believes is right.