Democracy and capitalism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Democracy and capitalism - Research Paper Example More importantly, it was argued, this entrepreneurial class would enforce democratic structures in the localities in which they operated. In other words, â€Å"by producing economic wealth and an entrepreneurial class, capitalism inevitably produces democracy. And since democracies don't start wars or have expansionist proclivities--forget, for the moment, Theodore Roosevelt and imperialist Britain--capitalist-democratic development contributes to security and to world peace.† (Foulkes, 2006, p.22) There is evidence from recent political history to support this benign linkage of capitalism and democracy. For example, â€Å"Entrepreneurial capitalism became more dominant in the America of Ronald Reagan than it had been before, and job growth and record-breaking prosperity followed. In Britain, Margaret Thatcher reversed almost four decades of socialism and changed her country from the sick man of Europe into one positioned for long-term, non-inflationary growth. Meanwhile, the Soviet economy was shown to be like the Wizard of Oz--an imposing facade, but impotent and powerless at its core. Put these events together and you have an unassailable proof that capitalism produces a level of economic welfare that a planned economy simply cannot emulate.† (Stelzer, 1994, p.32) And, when we scan the performance of capitalist regimes in other parts of the world, the links between capitalism, prosperity and democracy becomes incontestable. After all, in recent times, capitalism in countries such as Chile, Taiwan and South Korea have resulted in both economic progress as well as democracy establishment. In the newly remodeled Russian political system too, we see the formation of glasnost (democratization) and perestroika (economic restructuring) marching hand in hand. (Friedman, 2007, p.46) Nothing exemplifies the successes of capitalism than the recent developments in India and China. By participating in financial globalization, countries with abundance of che ap labour such as India and China are primed to assume leadership position in another 10-15 years. While Mao Zedong was the father of the Communist China, his successor Deng Xiaoping must be credited for the nation’s progress toward prosperity. It was under his leadership that the party ratified and implemented the ‘Four Modernizations’ program that would propel China onto the global stage, where it is fast approaching leadership position. This ambitious program of sweeping economic reforms opened China to the outside world in more than strictly economic sense. In the case of India, it’s huge pool of skilled workers, who have the added advantage of proficiency in English language, have been the engine of economic growth. The re-election of Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister is also a positive development from an economic perspective, for it was he who initiated India as a participant in globalization in 1991. China, on the other hand, started participati ng in the process of globalization much before India did. As a result, its economy is more than twice that of India and is catching up fast with that of the United States and Japan. Some of the South American countries such as Venezuela and Russia (rich in oil resources) and Brazil (rich in natural resources) also pose a threat to American domination of global economy. In fact, American media believes that the threat

Dracula chapter 1-12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dracula chapter 1-12 - Essay Example During his travels, he gets several hints that he is heading into great danger, but he tries to talk these fears away, even after he meets his host, a very creepy man who has many of the characteristics we today recognize as being vampires. Harker becomes a prisoner of the castle and has many disturbing experiences. His entries end with his desperate plan of escape, knowing he is about to lose his soul to an evil creature or creatures. The story then picks up through a variety of communication forms – letters, journal entries, newspaper articles, etc. These more fully flesh out Mina and introduce the characters Lucy Westenra, John Seward (a physician at the lunatic asylum near Dracula’s new London home), Dutch doctor Van Helsing, the lunatic Rensing and a few other minor characters. Through these pieces of correspondence, the reader learns about the arrival of Dracula to Britain and the mysterious illness that befalls Lucy, eventually leading to her death by the end of Chapter 12, as she is treated by Seward and Van Helsing. Mina escapes Lucy’s fate in these chapters because she is called away to Buda Pest in order to help nurse Harker, who was found suffering from brain fever. She returns to England just in time to hear about Lucy’s death. Reading through these chapters was enlightening. Although I thought I knew the story, I had never realized the strange way that it is delivered, as a series of writings made by the characters themselves. This approach continuously reminded me to view the story from the characters’ perspectives rather than my own. When I was reading about the warnings of the villagers and the description of Dracula, my own experience told me the character is obviously a vampire and Harker is already trapped. Looking at it from the character’s perspective though, I suddenly realized that everything I think I know about vampires

Hawaiin Punch Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hawaiin Punch - Case Study Example The marketing division plans on using social media so as to change from child centered focus to the actual purchaser (mothers). The company plans to reach to the Hispanic mothers, African American mothers as well as the multicultural and urban children. Through social media, the company can market its innovated brands. The new brands developed by the company were inspired by Hispanic flavors which also attracted the non Hispanic households. Since the new flavors were solely sold through the finished goods network, social media can be employed to increase their awareness on the end users as well as well as the indirect users. Currently the Company’s sales stand at $66, 262,410 realized through analog and print media. Through employment of social media, the soft drink company can later on evaluate the impact of social media from its sales volume. Social media advertising has the advantage of causing longer shelf time effect at lower costs. The company incurs extra allowances on payment of shelf space on new flavors with varied package sizes to the retailers. The allowance prices for the juice drink aisle and juice ranged from $15,000 to $250,000 per SKU for supermarket space. The amounts rise to $2.8 million allowance-cost per SKU for a national supermarket distribution shelf space. Based on the U.S per capita beverage consumption, the carbonated soft drinks consumption in 2004 were a solid 52.3 gallons which constitutes 28.7% market share. In 2004, the Hawaiian Punch producing Company made a profit of $66,262,410 which was majorly realized through analog and print advertising. Currently the product has a 94% brand recognition in the USA which is an exemplary figure in reference to its market share. In 2004, the company incurred 78% expense in cost of goods sold which was significantly contributed by its huge advertisement costs. The company has bears an enormous task in evaluating its brand equity, its direct consumers and trade consumers.

The History Of Behaviourism Psychology Essay

The History Of Behaviourism Psychology Essay During the decades 1930-1960, behaviourism represented the mainstream of experimental psychology (Jean-Claude Lecas, 2006). Central idea of behaviourism simply means A science of behaviour is possible (William M. Baum, 1994). While, behaviourists are group of individual which have diverse views about what this proposition means, and particularly about what science is and what behaviour is. Most of the behaviourist agrees that there can be a science of behaviour (William M. Baum, 1994). Behaviourists call the science of behaviour as behaviour analysis and are part of the psychology and this result the contention happen among behaviourist and psychologist due to many psychologists disagree psychology is a part of science while those regard it as a science consider its subject matter something other than behaviour. After the debate, behaviourism has been consider as a philosophy of science which related to a manner why we do, what we do, and what we should and should not do. In a more d irect way, behaviourism is an approach which offers an alternative view that often runs counter to traditional thinking about action (William M. Baum, 1994). Early Behaviourist There are some of the famous early behaviourist which contributes for the early behaviourism such as John Watson, Edwin Guthrie, Clark Hull, Edward Lee Thorndike, Ivan Petrovitch Pavlov, and B.F. Skinner. 1. Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949) Edward Thorndike started young and continued his scientific output until his death at nearly 75 years old. He was a type of people dislike any abstract discussion not tied closely to concrete facts because what he wrote was based directly on data, usually on new data. Thorndike had made a superior undergraduate record at Wesleyan University, 1891-95 (Robert s. Woodworth. 1952). After that he went to Harvard for his graduate study. In the second year of his graduate study, Thorndike undertook a research project of the experimental study of the instinctive and intelligent behaviour of young chicks. Through his laboratory study of animal learning, demonstrate that animal behaviour observed under experimental conditions could help solve the general problems of psychology. The first published paper by Thorndike was Animal Intelligence which announced a new law of learning, additional to the old standard laws of association, and emerges of theory of learning. On his study, Edward placed ch icks, cats or dogs in a problem situation where alternative responses were possible and the first response was unlikely to be successful. The question of this study was whether the animal, perhaps after much trial and error, would learn to do the right thing in the situation-and how rapid his learning might be. Through this study, understand that in a series of trials the unsuccessful responses would fade out and the correct response would occur more and more quickly. The effect or outcome of any response was thus a powerful factor in its elimination or establishment (Robert s. Woodworth. 1952). Apart from the first study, Thorndike carry out a series of other study, one of it was transfer experiment. On this study, he give a person intensive training in some narrow field and then test that persons abilities in a more inclusive field and determine how much improvement could be demonstrated beyond the limits of the special training. Through this experiment, it showed a meager transfer effect, the ability developed by training in one line of work was specific and did not spread to other lines of work except when what had been learned could be utilized in a concrete way. Both of his study mention above led up to Thorndikes celebrated theory of the specificity of abilities (Robert s. Woodworth. 1952). 2. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936) Pavlov was a physician which worked as an experimental laboratory scientist. On 1883, Pavlov had developed his theory of nervism which he defined as a physiological theory which tries to prove that the nervous system controls the greatest possible number of bodily functions. Apart from that, he had won the Nobel Prize in 1904 due to their publication on the developed of a small part of the stomach called the Pavlov pouch as well as chronic external-salivary, biliary, and pancreatic fistulae for his fundamental study of gastric physiology. Pavlov also involves himself on the research of human psychophysiology and psychopathology. This led to a new psychology oriented school of physiology and stimulated ideas of many aspects of human behaviour. 3. B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Skinner was an American psychologist,  behaviourist and  social philosopher (Smith, L. D., Woodward, W. R., 1996). Skinner called his philosophy of science as radical behaviourism. He argued that psychology should be the study of behaviour. From the point of view of Skinner, he defined behaviour as anything the organism does. This view diverges from the point of view of psychologist who thinks the proper subject matter of psychology is the stream of consciousness. He called his philosophy of science as radical behaviourism was because radical can mean root, and he that his behaviourism was through going, deep behaviourism (William T. ODonohue   Kyle E. Ferguson, 2001). Behaviourism is not the science of human behaviour; it is the philosophy of that science. Some of the questions it asks are these: Is such a science really possible? Can it account for every aspect of human behaviour? What methods can it use? Are its law as valid as those of physics and biology? Will it lead to a technology, and if so, what role will it play in human affairs? (Skinner, 1974) Skinner (1970) also stated that Behaviourism is a formulation which makes possible an effective experimental approach to human behaviour. It is a working hypothesis about the nature of a subject matter. In conclusion, radical behaviourism is not a scientific law; it is a metascientific which attempts to define what the science of behaviour should look like and it is important to be clear what is radical behaviourism and what is not (William T. ODonohue   Kyle E. Ferguson, 2001). 4. John B. Watson (1878- 1958) He had introduced the term behaviourism in the early part of the twentieth century. Watson emphasized the need for focusing scientific inquiry on observable behaviours rather than thinking which defined as non-observable phenomena by him. Apart from that, he also opposes the study of internal mental events as well as denied any existence of the mind. His thinking was greatly influenced by Pavlov. He had adopted the classically conditioned S-R (Stimulus-Response) habit as the basic unit of learning and extended it to human learning (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). Watson had proposed two laws which describing how S-R habit develop. The first law was law of frequency and second law was law of recency. The first law concern on the importance of repetition which bring the meaning of the more frequently a stimulus and response occur in association with each other, the stronger that S-R habit will become. While the second law concern on the importance of timing which mean the response that has most recently occurred after a particular stimulus is the response most likely to be associated with that stimulus (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). In conclusion, from the point of view of Watson, he believed that the past experience of an individual accounts for virtually all behaviour. He was a extreme environmentalist, which denied that hereditary factors had any effect on behaviour (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). 5. Edwin R. Guthrie (1886-1959) Guthries famous with his contiguity theory which had similar perspectives as Watson approach which placed S-R connections at the center of the learning process. An organism responds to a particular stimulus in a particular way on one occasion, the organism will make the same response the next time it encounters the same stimulus and this called habits. Guthrie also shared Watsons belief that recency is critical in learning: An organism will respond to a stimulus in the way that it has most recently responded to that stimulus (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). 6. Clark L. Hull (1884-1952) Hull had introduced an organismic characteristic which bring the meaning of characteristics unique to different individuals. He brings this approach into behaviourist learning theory. He had maintained the S-R habits approach by Skinner and agreed with Thorndike and Skinner behaviourists approach. However, Hull partially agree with the statement by Thorndike and Skinner which stated that presence of a particular stimulus and ones past experiences will affect the behaviour of an individual. In his approach, he believed those stimuli are not the only determinants of whether a particular response will occur or how strongly it will be made. There are some other factors called intervening variables which affect the individual response or behaviour toward certain stimulus. Example of intervening variables are habit strength, organism drive (an internal state of arousal that motivates one behaviour), and inhibitory factors (e.g. fatigue). Hulls theory was predominant throughout the 1940s an d 1950s (J. E. Ormrod, 2008). Hawthorne Studies The Hawthorne effect is often mentioned as a possible explanation for positive results in intervention studies. It is used to cover many phenomena, not only unwitting confounding of variables under study by the study itself, but also behavioural change due to an awareness of being observed, active compliance with the supposed wishes of researchers because of special attention received, or positive response to the stimulus being introduced (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). Hawthorne studies was introduced by Frederick Taylor in the year of 1911 which influenced by the principles of scientific management. It is first be practice on the year of 1924 by the management of the Hawthorne plant of the Western Electric Company in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. The studies look into the relationship between illumination and productivity of the workers. The similar studies was repeated between year 1927 and 1933 in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University which concerned with the effects of changes in rest pauses and work hours on productivity (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). For the first studies done on 1924, the methodology involve was decreased the illumination step by step for the experimental subjects, while the controls received the same illumination. Both group of subjects slowly but steadily increased their performance of inspecting parts, assembling relays or winding coils. This experiment showe d that there were not significant relationships between the lighting with the productivity of the workers in the criteria as long as the lighting was kept at a reasonable level. However, there was some other factor more important to affect the productivity of the worker (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). Other variables were later being study such as physical factors causing fatigue and monotony, assembly, mica splitting and bank wiring. After complete the series of experiment it found that assembly test as well as the others 3 variables did not explain the continuous increase in productivity observed during the test. The individuals named Roethlisberger Dickson which compile this study report suggested that the most important factor behind the continuous increase in output was the improved personal relations between workers and management. This statement was supported based on the explanations of the informally expressed opinions of the workers participating in the experiment and also based on the general thought of the investigators (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). By this study, the investigators conclude that the unintentional manipulations caused the subjects to improve their overall productivity and thus results the appeared of the term called the Hawthorne effect. This term will introduced apparently in French on 1953 which highlighted that the marked increase in production related only to special social position and social treatment. Many of the other articles had deduced that the increased on productivity may result from one the causes stated below, e.g. morale, attitude, supervision, teamwork, cohesiveness, informal organization, interpersonal relationships, social unity, and awareness of being in an experiment, acquiring skill, or continuous feedback while working in a group (Wickstrà ¶m G, Bendix T, 2000). In conclusion, the Hawthorne effect is simply referred to as an increase in productivity. The increase in productivity may due to one or more of the factor below, e.g. relief from harsh supervision, receiving positive attention, learning new ways of interaction, possibilities to influence work procedures, rest pauses, higher income, or threat of losing ones job. All of these factors, or any combination of them, may result an observable increased in the productivity.

Making the Cut :: Women Gender Issues Essays

Making the Cut In response to the failure of the International Bill of Gender Rights to pass congress in the fall of 2010, I propose a film that challenges society to examine the controversies surrounding gender identity construction and transgender people (Phyllis Randolph Frye, Esq., 1.) My film, "Making the Cut," is based loosely on the true story of Johns Hopkins Hospital case study "Joan/John," and chronicles the life of athlete Carla/Carlos Garcia (Diamond, 1). The film uses the example of sport as an indication that society is not yet ready to fully accept transgender individuals into its community. The film begins shortly after the protagonist Carla/Carlos has been born. The doctors immediately realize that the child has been born with a micropenis and determine, as is done to approximately 100 to 200 US children annually, that the child should undergo sex-selection surgery and be raised as a girl (Diamond, 1). The doctors attempt to explain this to the baby's mother, but as she only speaks Spanish their words are lost on her. Not being able to afford prenatal care, the mother has had no expectations for the sex of her child and rejoices when the doctors bring her a baby "girl," whom she names Carla. Carla grows up in Harlem and throughout her childhood is incl ined to participate in activities that society has historically associated with boys: sports, building furniture and playing in mock-fighting games. Carla feels more comfortable in the company of boys and often finds she identifies more closely with their lives than those of her female peers. As an athlete, Carla excels at basketball and earns the recognition of her high school coach and local media as being a basketball sensation. In her senior year, Carla is recruited to play basketball for the University of Connecticut on scholarship. Excited at the prospect of leaving the projects and being the first member of her family to attend college, Carla joins the basketball team. While studying at UCONN, Carla attends a lecture about sex-selection operations for a class. Immediately, she identifies with the stories of people whose sex was decided by their doctors at birth and begins to question her own gender identity. She starts an investigation into her childhood and discovers the med ical records recounting her sex-selection operation. Nervous about the significance of her discovery for her future, but relieved to learn that her inclinations towards feelings of masculinity had biological backing, Carla decides to live her life identifying as male.

Platos Influence in Western Culture Essay

Plato (429-347 B. C. E) is seen by many as one of the greatest philosophers of the classical period, if not of all time. Coming from a wealthy Athenian family it is the belief that he followed and further developed philosophy from his mentor Socrates. His first works are seen as the most trust-worthy accounts of Socrates life, and after his death Plato would continue to develop Socrates works with the help from Plato’s most famous student, Aristotle. During this time Plato would develop his most famous work The Republic. This would notably, along with many of his later works, blend his ideas of politics, ethics, psychology, and metaphysics into an interlinked philosophy. Plato’s dialogues present much of the idea’s founded and developed by the trio, especially in one of his most famous dialogues, The Apology of Socrates Trial. It is from these experiences that with the help of his teacher Socrates and his student Aristotle, Plato would develop the philosophical foundations of Western culture. When asked to define the philosophical style of Plato most people would be quick to label him as a political philosopher, this is due to his views on social implication and the idea of an ideal state or government. Plato was an elitist political thinker in the fact that he said that only those with reason, experience and wisdom should govern. The way he put it was: â€Å"Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophize, that is, until political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,†¦ nor, I think, will the human race. † By saying this Plato re-enforces his thought that only those with great wisdom should become leaders and politicians. His belief was that cities will remain evil and tyrant until their current kings either began to think and philosophize, or philosophers were to take rule over the kingdom. Plato’s theory was that these new superior leaders would be seen as â€Å"those who love the sight of truth. † And from this they would then create a perfect city much like the one which he outlined in The Republic, which begins with the city being run by an aristocracy, whose virtue is wisdom, lacks honour and because of this gets replaced by a militant government, which had the virtue of honour but also has the vice of poverty. This too is then overthrown by an elitist group whose wealth corrects the poverty of former militant government but also brings the vice of greed. The elitists are once again replaced by an elected democracy whose vision of equality and fairness corrects the former greed but brings the mistake of to much freedom resulting in anarchy. Finally, the movement of democracy brings forth the order of a tyranny, which establishes peace through cruelty and oppression. It is from this cycle of inevitable and more disturbingly logical political change that Plato disliked the idea of democracy, stating that the average person is selfish, envious and stupid, which leads democracy to be highly corruptible and can cause it to open gates to potential dictators. Democracy was seen as a government dependant on chance which for success must be mixed with competent leadership. The belief was that to run a state a government politicians needed expert rulers and not an average unintelligent citizen who may be elected in by accident. A political decision needs good judgement and because of this leaders must be carefully selected and prepared by means of extensive training. Because of this theory Plato would influence Aristotle, the English constitution and the founding fathers of America to develop a mixed republic that combines democracy, aristocracy and kingship. After the death of Socrates Plato returned to Athens and from there founded a school knows as the Academy, which is where we get the English word â€Å"academic† from and still to this day call institutes of higher learning â€Å"academies†. It was around 387 B. C. E in which Plato bought land outside of Athens to set up his school of philosophy there, which many see as the Western world’s first university. The aim of this academy was to train future politicians of Greek states, and studies focused primarily on philosophy and mathematics. The academy would continue to educate for more than 900 years after its founding even surviving the Roman invasion on Greece in 146 BCE, eventually though the academy would close when the Christian Emperor Justinian closed it in 529 A. D. Later though in Florence sometime during the mid-15th century the â€Å"Accademia Platonica† would be formed by a group of scholars who met under the Platonic philosophy professor Marsilio Ficino, to discuss philosophy and the study of classical politics. Finally in 1926 a modern academy of Athens would be built and labelled as Greece’s national academy. Staying true to its original routes to this day the academy still focuses on the study of humanities and science. It is from this initial establishment of his original academy that the legacy was able to pass on through hundreds of years to the point where the tradition is still alive to this date. Had it not been for Plato’s founding of the academy, the education process would most likely be very different than from that of which it is as we know it today. In Plato’s last and longest work entitled the Laws, he begins by asking â€Å"Who is given credit for laying down the laws? † As opposed to his earlier work in the Republic, which focused on what the best possible state might be like and what experiences and adjustments must be made to achieve that status, the Laws rather focuses on the idea of creating a practicable, yet ideal form of government in a much more realistic way than the former. The characters in this work deal with designing rules to meet â€Å"real world† problems and human affairs. Unfortunately though, the dialogue went unfinished at 345 pages at the time of Plato’s death in 347 B. C. E. The incomplete work of the Laws was still able to outline many questions and themes including, divine revelation, divine law and lawgiving; the role of intelligence in lawgiving; the relations of philosophy, religion, and politics; the role of music, exercise and dance in education; natural law and natural right just to name a few. Once again it was because of Plato’s teaching of his theory’s and publication of his dialogue’s that this theory was also able to spread so quickly through Western culture and even play a role in the way we choose laws to this date. Overall it appears that without Plato’s influence and writings the Western world and it’s culture would have been drastically different from what is the current norm in society. Political structure, academic education and formation of laws would all be heavily affected to the point in which many key things that one would see vital in today’s society may not even exist such as the use of a constitution or an academic university, since it was Plato who established and helped spread the development of such institutions. With Socrates and Aristotle, Plato not only helped develop the foundation of Western culture, but he steered it down the right path as well.

The Plays the Thing

The Plays the Thing In Hamlet, there is the line that goes something like The plays the thing wherein we can catch the conscience of the king. If you play your cards right, playwriting can be the thing that earns you some extra money as a freelancer. There is a huge demand for appropriate plays for the middle school and high school markets. The reason is simple. A lot of people have found themselves in a position like I did several years ago when I was directing plays. I just couldnt find something suitable for the resources I had, so I wrote my own. Later, I queried a publisher on the off chance that it might accept freelance submissions. The one I queried did. Brooklyn Publishers accepted one of my plays and asked for more.   Since that first play, I have published seven plays with this company. The one thing about playwriting is that if you establish a reputation as a writer who can deliver what schools need, you can ride that formula to playwriting success. What I wanted was simple enough: easy comedies, simple sets, and flexible casts leaning heavily to more female parts. Now, twice a year I get royalty checks. If you would like to tap into this market, I would make three suggestions: First, look at publisher websites. Brooklyn Publishers is www.brookpub.com. Check out what they publish; read the descriptions and order a couple of plays to read. Do a search for paying magazines that pay for plays. I know of at least two that accept submissions: Dramatics and Plays. Second, go to performances. Im talking high school and college drama performances. Better yet, get involved in community drama. Third, learn some of the ins and outs of playwriting. There are at least two free online playwriting courses you can check on. MIT has an open course ware playwriting course and playwright Johnathan Dorf has on online course called Playwriting 101. You can google these and go right to them. http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/music-and-theater-arts/21m-604-playwriting-1-spring-2005/index.htm playwriting101.com What are you waiting for? Curtains Up!   Lets play.