Comparison Lenin and Marx an Example of the Topic History Essays by

Comparison Lenin and Marx by Expert Gabrielle | 22 Sep 2016 Comparison on Revolutionary Views - Lenin and Marx Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx: perhaps the two most important and influential persona in all of Russia's history. Their entry into the annals of history came at a time when the Russian people were anticipating and clamoring for a change from the old tsarist way of governance. Their ideologies forever changed the thinking of the mass minimum-wage-earner, in Russia and perhaps in all of the mankind henceforth. In all of their literary works, two stand out as having the strongest socio-political impact amongst the populace: Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto and Vladimir Lenin's What is to be Done? Need essay sample on "Comparison Lenin and Marx" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed In the year 1848, The Communist Manifesto was published. It was to serve as a platform for a working men's association called the Communist League (Marx & Engels 3). This association, which was later to become popularly associated with Russia, actually had its origins in Germany. Two factors were considered in making and publishing this manifesto, namely: 1. Communism is already acknowledged by all European powers to be itself a power (Marx & Engels 8). 2. It is high time that Communists should openly, in the face of the whole world, publish its views, their aims, their tendencies, and meet this nursery tale of the specter of Communism with a manifesto of the party itself (Marx & Engels 8). In Karl Marx's viewpoint, the lower up to the lower bracket of the middle class continuously sink to being a proletariat, or minimum-wage-earner, in part due to their small and limited capital which isn't sufficient enough to compete with the scale the capitalists run the modern industry (Marx & Engels 15). It was only inevitable that they increase in numbers. The Communists' relation to the proletarians are as follows: they do not wish to form a separate party opposed to the other existing working class parties (Marx for them to overthrow the bourgeois or the ruling capitalist class; and eventually their conquest of political power (20). Communism also aims to abolish the right to own property. It is for the reason that most of it is the possession of the bourgeois class, thus being the epitome of exploitation of the many by the elite few (Marx & Engels 21). Along with the centralization of all capital to the State, Marx intimates that these measures will have to be taken: Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax. Abolition of all rights of inheritance. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. Centralization of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank and an exclusive monopoly. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State: the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan. Equal obligation of all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture. The combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries: gradual abolition of all distinction between town and country, by an equal distribution of the population over the country. Free education of all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. The combination of education with industrial production. (28) The Communists in all countries support every revolutionary movement fighting the existing social and political authority, and in all of these revolutionary movements, the main factor is always the property question (Marx & Engels 40). Marx goes on to say that the Communists openly declare their views and aims and that their goals can only be attained through the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions (40). On the other hand, Vladimir Lenin's What is to be Done? went into circulation in 1902, with Party objectives and organization as his focus. He argues that workers, because of the capitalistic environs of his work, are destined to accept Socialism but that does not naturally make them conscious Socialists (Lenin 1). The Russian proletariat, according to Lenin, will have to undergo graver and more difficult trials compared with its counterpart in a constitutional country, and that Russia's proletariat is confronted with the most revolutionary and immediate of all the immediate tasks: the destruction of the most powerful bulwarks in Europe and Asia, thus making Russia's proletariat the vanguard of the international revolutionary proletariat (Lenin 15). Lenin comments on producing literature to expose factory and occupational conditions. These are basically leaflets distributed among the proletariats to convey the whole truth about their miserable conditions, the unbearably hard labor, and their lack of human rights (Lenin 33). This exposure literature caused an upheaval among the workers, not only of a certain factory but also among the surrounding factories, since poverty and oppression were common among all the proletariats in various trades and locations (Lenin 33). However, Lenin also reiterates that revolution and political education must not be limited to exposure. It is not enough for the worker to realize that he is oppressed (33). Agitation or the use of physical or militant force must be accomplished in every act and instance of oppression (Lenin 34). Only through organizing a comprehensive political exposure will the masses open its political consciousness for revolutionary activities (Lenin 34). For this reason, Lenin believes that activities of these kinds are one of the most important responsibilities of international social democracy (34). Lenin declares that intellectuals or professional revolutionaries, irrespective of where they came from college, university, or the workforce, must always bear in mind that: No revolutionary movement can endure without a stable organization of leaders maintaining continuity. The broader the popular mass is drawn spontaneously into the struggle, which forms the basis of the movement and participates in it, the more urgent the need for such an organization, and the more solid this organization must be. Such an organization must consist chiefly of people professionally engaged in revolutionary activity. In an autocratic state, the more we confine the membership of such an organization to people who are professionally engaged in revolutionary activity and who have been professionally trained in the art of combating the political police, the more difficult will it be to unearth the organization; and The greater will be the number of people from the working class and from the other social classes who will be able to join the movement and perform active work in it. (79) From all that had been said, the reader will realize that our tactics-as-plan had been to lay effective siege to the enemy fortress. Simply put, it is directing all efforts toward organizing, gathering, and mobilizing a permanent army (Lenin 111). Lenin stressed his utmost support in a plan for an organization centered on an all-Russia political newspaper (113). He believed that through this, the flexibility required will be ensured for a militant, Social-economic organization. Flexibility in terms of quickly adjusting to the most varied conditions of the struggle, and to steer clear of an open battle with a larger and overpowering enemy, and to benefit from an enemy's slackness and attack when they least expect it (Lenin113). He reminds the Russians to be always on the guard in every situation because most often than not the transition between a period of calm and a period of chaos is utterly impossible to foresee (Lenin 113). The proposal for an all-Russia political newspaper, which Lenin strappingly pursues, will be, for the proletarians and intellectuals alike, the best preparation for a revolution without the proletarians losing sight of their present existence (114). Conclusion: From the second half of the nineteenth century up to the early decades of the twentieth century, when the Russian public was clamoring for a change of leadership from their Tsarist oppressors, two individuals showed the entire country how it is to be done, and paved the way for that change. Karl Marx's Manifesto served as the platform of The Communist League. It came into existence due perhaps to Marx's belief that Communism was already considered a power and it was high time for them to declare openly to the whole world the manifesto of the Party (Marx & Engels 8). Vladimir Lenin's What is to be Done? however, was concerned mainly with the Party's objectives and focus. The Russian proletariat, in his view, must undergo difficult trials for them to achieve their destiny as the vanguard of the international revolutionary proletariat (Lenin 15). Marx's ideologies in Manifesto was not very much interested in setting up principles or forming a separate Party for the proletariat, rather, his aims are to help systematize the proletariats for them to form a class, with aims of overthrowing the capitalist bourgeois and eventually the conquest of political power (20). Lenin, on the other hand, seemed more subversive. His goals, expressed in What is to be Done? concerned itself with literature for the proletariat, use of agitation, militant force, comprehensive political exposure, professional revolutionaries, and an all-Russia political newspaper in preparation for a revolution with aims of overthrowing the tsar. Hence, we can safely state that Karl Marx was more concerned with his party The Communist League, the advancement of the proletariat as a class, and the guidelines in which Communism will eventually govern. Lenin, on the other hand, was more into the progression of the planned rebellion, the steps in preparing the proletariats for their role in the coming revolution, and their eventual governance. Works Cited Marx, Karl, and Frederick Engels, The Communist Manifesto. CA: 2006. 21 March 2009 Lenin, Vladimir, What is to be Done?, Marxist Internet Archive. 21 March 2009

Russias Problems With Democracy essays

Russia's Problems With Democracy essays When President Ronald Reagan uttered the sound byte, "Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall!" most Americans probably expected that the new Russia would follow humbly in the footsteps of the United States in adapting not only a free market economy but also a liberal democratic system of government. Immediately before and after Gorbachev's dismantling of the Soviet Union, Russia "made dramatic progress toward a democratic order-that is, toward real elections, protections for civil liberties, and a rule of law," (Bjorkman). The end of the Cold War signified a new era in international politics, economics, and diplomacy and the relative successes of former Communist nations in Central and Eastern Europe confirmed the American belief in the salvific powers of liberal democracy. Yet most analysts have come to the unfortunate conclusion that Russia's transition from autocratic Communist state to liberal democracy stagnated years ago. Starting with Yeltsin, Russian leaders and their cohorts hav e thwarted the installation of institutions and the promotion of values that typify a democratic society such as freedom of the press and due process of law. More recently, President Vladimir Putin's policies have nearly spat in the face of liberal democracy through state-controlled national media and parliamentary elections that were deemed "not free" by several external international organizations (McFaul). The Kremlin is now peopled largely by former KGB (now Federal Security Service, or FSB) officials, leading to what has become essentially an oligarchy. The United States and perhaps even more so the nations of Western Europe play a key role in assisting the support of democratic institutions in Russia that would benefit the Russian citizenry and the Russian economy and help stabilize the entire Eurasian region. According to McFaul, a successful transition into democracy is the "most important issue in US-Russian relations today," especially given th...

Answer the question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Answer the question - Essay Example Better services translate upon the overall satisfaction level of the clients. This in turn leads to the positive impact on the staff’s career. Six Sigma is a quality enactment scheme that is mostly applied towards better performance execution. Under this concept the margin of error is highly minimized. The benefits of this mechanism are improved performance, overall satisfaction of the clients and good working relationship between the two ends. Under six sigma principles the error percentage is reduced to less than one percent in total (Chase & Aquilano, 2006, p. 326). Although both the systems are incorporated for quality maintenance and development , yet the two differ on the account of mode of application. Six Sigma may find its limitation of implementation to a more technical and analytical domain of work. T.Q.M in contrast may find its application in a more generic manner. Six Sigma may also differ on the grounds of specialization required towards understanding and implementing it to

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Marketing plan - Essay Example Second part discusses the international marketing plan and third is the recommendation. Nestle SA is a multinational company that has been successful in holding business in many parts of the world. As a matter of expansion, it is planning to enter a new territory. How they will enter the territory and its marketing strategies will be discussed in this paper. Nestle SA is the holding company of Nestle Group that is based in Switzerland. It was founded by Henri Nestle whose name is retained as company’s name. Its main activities are the development and production of food and beverages. Nestle Group manages the food and beverage activities in three geographical areas (Europe, America and Asia, Oceania and Africa), and globally for Nestle Water, Nestle Nutrition, and other food and beverages). As of 2012, company has employed 328,000 people worldwide and earned CHF 92.2 billion. (Reuters. 2015). Top 3 competitors to Nestle are Mars, Inc., Danone and Mondelez, International, Inc. Company mission of â€Å"Good food, good life† is to provide consumers with the best tasting, most nutritious choices in a wide range of food and beverage categories and eating occasions, from morning to night.†(Reuters. 2015) Discussion about relevant historical developments of India, in this paper, starts in the 19th wherein it was reigned by Great Britain. It was granted independence in 1947 after years of non-violent resistance was staged by its leader Gandhi. Earlier years were not peaceful, since after gaining independence, it was disturbed by three wars with neighboring countries, and the last one was in 1971 that resulted to the separation of Pakistan and India. There were nuclear threats in 1988 and a terrorists attack in Mumbai on the same year. (CIA Worldfactbook, 2015). Country remained calm after this. India’s growth started in 1991 after a series of economic

Sharon Construction Corporation - Case Analysis Essay

Sharon Construction Corporation - Case Analysis - Essay Example The project has been outlined to run for 48weeks with an allowance of 4weeks in case any problems arise. However the company is faced with some unusual problems. There is the prospect of a workers strike to begin on 30th November that will run for eight to twelve weeks on a probability estimate of 70:30 of the period the strike will last. The cold season starting in December presents another major challenge for this project. The concrete cannot be poured during this month therefore amounting to delays. To overcome these problems, suggestions have been put forth that are likely to add to the costs of the whole project or otherwise delay the process till January, when the weather is favorable. Any week delayed will amount to an overhead cost of $500 and any special heating required during concrete pouring will cost up to $500 depending on the temperature conditions. Possible problems An analysis of the project shows that delay issues will cost the company $15,000 per week. The workerâ €™s strike is one of the cited problems likely to set back the company on the time line given. The strike has a fifty: fifty chance of occurring hence cannot be ignored. Furthermore it is likely to last for eight to twelve weeks. ... The pouring of seats process is scheduled in December. The weather has been predicted to be cold and thus may amount to extra costs of $500 per week to bring in a heat system. However, this stage runs for two weeks therefore it can be delayed until the cold weather clears. The work can then be resumed since it is in the final stages of the project. The delay would amount to four weeks delay of $60,000 plus overhead costs of $2000 if the month of December is scrapped in this schedule. Major Problem The major problem posed by this project is the delay issue. The cost amounting from any delay have been analysed by each problem cited. Nonetheless it is important to note that the two problems are highly likely to occur at the same period of time. They are anticipated to begin in December. The weather issues can be resolved but the labourers strike issue has to be resolved. Processes like concrete pouring cannot be highly affected as it takes ample time to dry. The analysis of the project shows the process that require a great amount of labour hence the company can take advantage. It is important to shorten the period of work before December sets in. This can be achieved by adding the number of labourers for work that is labour intensive or expedite the process with highly equipped machinery. The project has to be cut back by at least six to eight weeks in order to sustain the goals of completion on time and/or earn projected profits. Analysis of proposals 1. The first proposal is to expedite pouring of seat galleries at an extra cost of $20,000 and reduce the duration of this activity by six weeks. This is worthwhile since it is in the goal of buying more time for the whole project. 2. Deploying a double shift for field filling will buy five weeks period at an

The criminal history of Richard Ramirez

The criminal history of Richard Ramirez California was terrorized in the mid-1980s by a serial killer proclaimed the Night Stalker by the media. The over a dozen victims of this killer didnt understand nor question the underlying criminological underpinnings of these acts and his bizarre courtroom outbursts were fodder for a sensationalizing media that is attracted to gruesome details. The prosecutor Deputy District Attorney Phillip Halpin provided a lay assessment of his mental state by commenting on his latest outburst after receiving a sentence of death, . . . [Ramirez] is a pathetic human being who is grasping at some structure in his life . . . (Court, 1989, p.1). While albeit Halpin was a skilled prosecutor in maneuvering the legal system and obtaining a satisfactory outcome for the State of California, he certainly is not qualified to make sociological or psychological prognostications. The combination of social and behavioral science makes attempts to explain the interaction between criminal and society through criminological theories, numbering more than a dozen (DeMelo, 2001, p.5). The explanation of vicious acts of torture, rape and murder may defy explanation but the question of why? persists and some light may be shed by reviewing the life experiences and their manifestations through criminal activity through one of these theories. Richard Ramirez was born in 1960 in Texas and spent his youth in El Paso (Mayo, 2008, p.281). The childhood of Ramirez was unremarkable but at an early age he began to experiment with drug, mainly marijuana and glue sniffing. His fascination with death began at the hands of his cousin a Viet Nam veteran that related tales of raping, torturing and killing Vietnamese women during his tour of duty by showing the teenage Ramirez Polaroid photographs of the victims and the sadistic results of his actions (Mayo, 2008, p.281). The tales of his exploits in Southeast Asia may have been embellished and the graphical and sadistic acts may or may not have been true, but he did introduce his teenage cousin to truly violent behavior. Ramirez was reported to be only a few feet away from his cousin when he shot and killed his wife, providing a live demonstration of the sadistic and violent behavior he had bragged about (Mayo, 2008, p.281). These anecdotal reports of an early introduction to violent sexual torture killing may or may not be entirely factually accurate, however the witnessing of his cousins murderous act are attributed to whetting his appetite for such acts of unconscionable violence and depravity. Ramirez became a loaner and a drifter and moved to Los Angeles where he started to build a criminal record. He committed burglary and auto theft to support his drug habit that had progressed include cocaine as well as his use of marijuana and reports of other drugs as well for which is also was arrested for possession (Mayo, 2008, p.281). It was reported by his sister Rosa Flores that he used harder drugs such as PCP and phencyclidine hydrochloride and suffered epileptic seizures periodically (Satanic, 1985, p.1). Ramirez had an extensive arrest record for these petty crimes but did not exhibit any personal tendencies toward violence. This all changed in May of 1984. A young Vietnamese-American girl, Mei Leung, was found murdered and hanging over a pipe in the basement of her apartment and it was later determined that she had been sexually assaulted (Worth, 2009, p.2). She was walking home form school with her brother engaged in an argument as to who would take the elevator and who would take the stairs, Mei elected to take the stairs and was found a half hour later raped and murdered. The suspect was described as a thin Caucasian male with shaggy brown hair parted in the middle wearing a brown leather jacket (Worth, 2009, p.2). This case initially generated publicity but went unsolved. The first murder for which Ramirez was convicted occurred nine months latter. This was the killing of the 79 year old Jennie Vincow found in her Los Angeles apartment with her throat slashed (Worth, 2009, p.2). Ramirez had entered the apartment at night and burglarized the home before raping and killing the elderly occupant. This pattern of entering at night and raping the female occupants and killing the males took on a macabre aspect when Ramirez began leaving behind satanic symbols either scrawled in the victims blood or carved into the victims bodies (Satanic, 1985, p.1). After several similar violent murderous incidents the unknown at the time assailant was dubbed The Night Stalker by the police and fueled the local media frenzy. Ramirez continued on his nightly exploits amassing more than thirteen murder victims that he would be eventually convicted of killing and numerous other counts of rape, attempted murder, aggravated assault, ninety criminal allegations proven in court (C ourt, 1989, p.1). The city of Los Angeles was truly terrorized by the serial killer and when reports possibly linking the same killer to the Bay Area, the near panic spread statewide. The police were finally able to link Ramirez to the killings through a finger print left at one of the crime scenes matching those form Ramirezs extensive arrest record (Chambers, 1985, p.1). The officials promptly released his photograph as a suspect in the Night Stalker killings and less than twenty four hours later he was cornered by an angry mob in East Los Angeles. Ramirez was arrested before most likely being beaten to death by the crowd of more than one hundred when he either boasted or spontaneously confessed by stating, . . .I did it . . . you know . . you guys got me, the Stalker . . . (Mayo, 2008, p.282). These bizarre and spontaneous outbursts would signify the entire court proceedings and his subsequent encounters with authorities, at his initial hearing he shouted, Hail Satan and flashed a pentagram, a satanic symbol, to the gathered media just prior to his lawyers entering a not guilty plea with the court (Chambers, 1985, p.1). A four year trial followed culminating in Ramirez being convicted of thirteen murders and was sentenced to death in the California gas chamber, who reacted with an inaudible statement to the court ending with the exclamation, . . . Lucifer dwells within us all. . . (Court, 1985, p.1). He concluded with the rant, You dont understand. You are not expected to. You are not capable of it. I am beyond your experience. I am beyond good and evil. Legions of the night, night breed. Repeat not the errors of the Night Prowler and show no mercy. I will be avenged. (Court, 1985, p.1) He concluded his courtroom diatribe by answering reporters queries as to his impressions of his fate by stating that, . . . its no big deal . . . Im going to Disneyland . . . (Court, 1985, p.1). His taunting of victims and their families by his cavalier attitude was further exemplified when a San Francisco detective went to interview him regarding several unsolved Bay Area murders that had been more recently linked to him through DNA evidence. San Francisco Police homicide Inspector Frank Falzon was escorting Ramirez to a holding cell when he smiled with his near toothless grin and chided, Hey Falzon, I bet youd love to know about those two old ladies wouldnt you? (Worth, 2009, p.1). Inspector Falzon later surmised that Ramirez was referring to Christina and Mary Caldwell whose mutilated bodies were discovered in their Telegraph Hill apartment in February of 1985. During the course of the trial it was uncovered that Ramirez was infatuated with satanic worship and imagery. It was uncovered that his favorite music was from the 1979 AC/DC album Highway to Hell and fancied himself the Night Prowler from the song of the same name on the album (Mayo, 2008, p.282). There are reports of attending satanic services in East Los Angeles but these are unsubstantiated (Satanic, 1985, p.1). What can be garnered from the reported facts and evidence presented that Ramirez was highly sociopathic and his propensity for sadistic cruelty, sexual deviation, and murderous tendencies almost defy explanation. There begins the difficult task of trying to assess the why? and fit this into a relevant criminological theorem to attempt to explain this abhorrent behavior. The beginning of the study of psychology followed the advent of modern criminal theory by nearly a century. Regarding criminal behavior prior to the latter part of the eighteenth century the actions of an individual was deemed as the totality where harsh punishment was meted out to deter others from following in the ill-advised ways (Hollin, 2002, p.145). The Classical School of criminological theory originates with the writing of Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham following the human rights and free will movements that coincided with the advent of the Declaration of Independence reflecting the contemporary progressive thought of the era (DeMelo, 2001, p.7). The free will approach was supplanted in the later part of the nineteenth century with the Positive School of thought, were Positivists saw behavior determined by biological, psychological and social traits, meaning that certain individuals were just born bad (DeMelo, 2001, p.8). This was also reflected in the growing field of ex perimental psychology that was in its infancy describing all human behavior in much the same manner (Hollin, 2002, p.146). The behaviorist led by Skinner in the 1930s felt that human interactions were governed by environmental setting and consequences (Hollin, 2002, p.146). This is similar to the Chicago School that sees the surroundings and social disorganization as the precursors to criminal behavior and as byproducts of an individuals upbringing and social environment (DeMelo, 2001, p.9). This nature versus nurture argument is seen throughout the evolving criminological theories, seeing crime as a manifestation of greater societal ills or socioeconomic inequalities, and modern feminist theory is interjected into the fray. These competing theories often fall short of exactly determining the precise why? for the high degree of violence exhibited by Ramirez. The Positive Theory would expound that Ramirez was just born bad, wired wrong and almost preordained for a life of crime. The influence of drugs in his life may have contributed to this and using the Chicago school with the social ills may be used to explain the influence of his cousin to develop a new norm within the mindset of Ramirez. The criminal history of Ramirez is signified by a disjointed leap from petty thief and drug abuser to serial killer. Unlike the need for a triggering event that sets off the mass killer to embark on a rampage leaving scores of dead in their wake, the serial murder begin a slow progression of amassing victims in a methodical and systematic approach (Dietz, 1986, p.483). This is contrasted with the Sensational Homicide theory where news reports of the killings begin to influence the turn of events, like the Manson Family killings of the late 1960s were the perpetrators achieve a cult hero status (Dietz, 1986, p.489). The progression of the criminal history of Ramirez would follow the Sensational Homicide theory, but also have elements of the serial killer as well. But where the typical serial killer such as John Wayne Gacy or Ted Bundy kept within the social norms during their non-killing activities, Ramirez remained a social outcast living as a transient on the fringes of society (Dietz, 1986, p.483). Ramirez is believed to have not begun his murderous ways until he first raped, murdered and mutilated Mei Leung in 1984 almost a decade after witnessing his cousins murderous act at the culmination of his tutelage of his young cousin in sexual violence. The criminological theory needs to fit the sudden flip of the switch that begat Ramirezs murderous undertaking with no prior violent incidents. Many of the criminological theories involve isolation from society and the economic benefits, seeing society as stratified between the haves and the have nots driving youths to delinquency and into the criminal justice system. This may be used to explain why a young Hispanic in El Paso with middle class parents may devolve into drug abuse and petty crimes associated with supporting his habit. However there is little foundation in the criminological theories that can be used to explain the veering into the fascination with the occult and basing ones criminal actions on perceived satanic content of rock music. This is abhorrent behavior far beyond the norm that is used to explain most crimes. Ramirez was demonstrable self delusional seeing himself as an outsider aligned with Satan embarking on near religious undertaking. Serial killers and mass murderers defy normal explanations, it would be akin to finding a universal theory that could explain the exploits of Hitler or Stalin whose ri se to power was based upon the systematic extermination of an entire race of people. These are extreme examples of criminal behavior that is a very, very rare occurrence and as in all mass, serial or spree killers can only be viewed as a perfect storm of internal ill will, missed opportunities by society to deter them from their aspirations, and a progression of murderous behavior that was only stopped through fortunate turns of events that lead to their police apprehension. Richard Ramirez has managed to gain a near mythic reputation from his sadistic murderous activities. He is viewed as a cult anti-hero along with Charles Manson succeeding in gaining notoriety. While no criminological theory reflects the need for attention and fame through criminal activity, perhaps a limited theory could be developed to explain these rare instances. Deputy Prosecutor Halpin may have made the correct off the cuff assessment, maybe Ramirez is just a pathetic human being . . . grasping for some structure in his life . . . defying all other explanation.

Three Important Symbols in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Es

Three Important Symbols in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, the narrator is used to reveal elements of Williams' own life as a victim of the Depression in the 1930s. Williams does this through his eloquent use of symbolism. Three symbols seem to reveal Williams' intent especially accurately; the unicorn, the picture of Mr. Wingfield, and Malvolio's coffin trick.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The unicorn is a symbolic representation of ways that Laura is unique or unusual.   The first facet of the unicorn, its horn, refers to ways that Laura is an unusual person, such as in her may escape mechanisms.   Laura's escape devices include her glass menagerie, list... ...ness in the Plays of Tennessee Williams. Bowling Green: Bowling Green State University, 1997.    Presley, Delma. The Glass Menagerie: An American Memory. Boston: Twayne, 1990.    http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/english/ms-writers/dir/williams_tennessee    Williams, Tennessee. "The Glass Menagerie". New York: Random House, 1985.

How Effective Are Various Methods in Reducing Recidivism Essay

Prison, non-custodial sentences and rehabilitation seem all failed in reducing recidivism; however, there is little and limited evidence to support non-custodial sentences, as well as some people think if rehabilitation could be implemented effectively, it would work. Although the advantage of prison is keeping our society from dangerous people, when it comes to reducing recidivism rate, the effect of prison is disappointing. The public usually think that imprisonment is safer for communities; however, it appears powerless to deter inmates from committing crime again. In the article, â€Å"Study shows building prisons did not prevent repeat crimes†, Fox Butterfield (2002) cites a large-scale study of recidivism from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which investigated up to 272,111 former prisoners in 15 states during the first three years after being released. It found that 67% of inmates broke the law again in three years right after their release in 1994. It is surprised that it does not make any difference to recidivism rate which was studied in 1960’s, and it is even 5% higher than the study done in 1983. In addition, it indicated that the more rearrest records a criminal has, the higher recidivism rate he has. The inmates who have more than 15 prior arrests have 82. 1% of recidivism rate. Nevertheless, according to Emily Kingham’s article (2006), she believes that prison forces offenders to regret and reflect on their behaviour; as for the reason that criminals cannot reject the temptation of committing new crime is because of inadequate provided support. In spite of this, some experts have admitted that prison does not work in terms of reducing recidivism rate (Considering the alternatives 1978; Finckenauer 1988). Some limited evidence has shown that non-custodial sentences may decrease recidivism; regardless of some experts being sceptical about their desired achievements. On the one hand, alternative sentences can help government save money and alleviate over-cramped number of criminals in prison (Considering the alternatives 1978). On the other hand, Kingham(2006) points out that alternative sentences do nothing but return prisoners to their original circumstances, which result in unawareness of their crimes and the onsequences. One study indicated that through one of alternative sentences, intensive probation, recidivism rate is less than 20%; however, the evidence maybe weak as the study has not been completely put into practice (Considering the alternatives 1978). Furthermore, in the Minnesota, alternative sentences have been successfully adopted to keep criminal rate not increasing, but it may not be convinced because of the source not being confirmed (Considering the alternatives 1978) . While some people argue rehabilitation is also failed in reducing recidivism rate, some authors counter that if government could support rehabilitation, recidivism rate would decrease. According to the article, â€Å"Prison†, James O. Finckenauer (1988) cites some studies, which shows that even though the government has already provided with good rehabilitation programmes, they cannot achieve reformatory of inmates. On the other hand, this position is contested by Joan Petersilis (cited in Butterfield 2002), a professor of criminology at the University of California at Irvine and an expert on parole, who says that state governments spent such little money on rehabilitation programs that inmates do not receive sufficient help with drug addition, work skill and preparation for a new life, which may lead increasing recidivism rate. Butterfield (2002) further cites the statement by Mr. Travis, who also argues that criminals return to crime.

Buddhist Education in Vietnam

Almost 85% of the entire population of Vietnam is Buddhist . The main reason for this vast acceptance of Buddhism is its very early entrance in Vietnam. Buddhism entered Vietnam in the beginning of second century. This was the Common Era and can be called as the first phase of the Buddhist education in Vietnam .The very first Buddhist education was given by a Taoist named Meou-Po, who later converted to Buddhism . According to many historians, even before this Taoist, some form of Buddhist education could be seen when the Chinese missionaries came to Vietnam .The Chinese missionaries came in Vietnam during the rule of Si-Nhiep. Later, two Indian monks also came from India to Vietnam, in order to practice and preach Buddhism. Ma Ha Ky Vuc and Khau Da La stayed in Vietnam for some time, later Khau Da La left whereas Ma Ha Ky Vuc stayed. Ma Ha Ky Vuc was a very religious man and used to fast for several days. According to him this helped purify his body and soul. These two Buddhist monk s first came to Northern Vietnam, which was called as Giao-Chi at that time. Mau-Bac, a Chinese Buddhist later came to Vietnam, in order to preach his religion.At that time China was the centre of a serious political conflict, hence many scholars in order to learn and preach at peace, came to Vietnam. This was a breakthrough for the Buddhism. These were the first people ever to bring in Buddhism in Vietnam. They were refugees from China and Pilgrims from India. As time passed by Buddhism became more accepted and most practiced religion in Vietnam. BEGINNING OF BUDDHIST EDUCATION A Hindu price, Gautama who did not like the idea of Hindu caste system, was the founder of Buddhism.Gautama did not believe that any man could be superior to the other and as Hinduism Brahmans are considered superior, he left this religion . Gautama had spent many years wandering and meditating. In the end he found answers to all his questions and hence found the path of enlightenment, â€Å"nirvana†. According to Buddhism, nirvana is the path to endless serenity. It is free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Moreover, a person will achieve salvation if he believes in the four noble truths.These four noble truths are that a man suffers in all his consecutive lives; the reason for his sufferings is his wants for earthly things, when the person frees himself from all the wants of earthly things he then achieves deliverance. The last noble truth says that a person can achieve deliverance by following the eightfold noble path . So how did Buddhism actually spread? During the time Si-Nhiep ruled Giao-Chi, it was considered as a safe place. Mau-Bac came to Vietnam looking for peace and tranquility. After coming to Vietnam, he studied Buddhism from an Indian monk named Ksudra .Ma Ha Ky Vuc who also came to Vietnam got together with Mau-Bac and started preaching their religion. Ksudra also started helping them, hence people in Vietnam, who never knew what Buddhism was, started learning and accepting it. These were the very first people to start preaching and teaching Buddhism. Their teaching is the very early form of teachings found in Vietnam. After these, many Buddhist monks came to Vietnam. Khang Tang Hoi and Cuong Luong Lau were two monks who made a lot of difference. They translated many Buddhist books into Chinese.As Vietnamese culture at that time was influenced a lot by Chinese and Chinese was the official language used , hence translating these books made a lot of difference to people who could not read or write other languages . PHASES OF VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM The history of Buddhist education in Vietnam can be studied by dividing it into four separate phases or periods. – The formation of Buddhism in Vietnam. This started from the common era and lasted till the end of Chinese dominion – Climax of Buddhism. Buddhism was at its peak during the independence – The decadence after the Le Dynasty– Revival period. This starte d in the beginning of the 20th century and has not ended yet. The period before the Common Era lays the foundation for the beginning and development of Buddhist education in Vietnam. It was the time when Siddhartha Gautama, who will later attain enlightenment and will be called as ‘Buddha’ was born. As he was born in India, Indians were the first to learn Buddhism. Later when Buddhism came to China, many Chinese monks went to Vietnam in order to spread Buddhism. However, it believed that the Chinese and Indian merchants came to Vietnam for trading.They brought monks with them saying that the monks were the â€Å"calmer of the sea† These monks started preaching their religion in Vietnam. It was easy for them to teach their religion to many people at a time, as Luy-Lau, later known as Ha-Bac was the centre of all trading activities. All the merchants who came here to trade, and merchants who were travelling between India and China, stopped here to rest, therefore, monks were able to spread their religion very easily. Many missionary activities were started as a result. Monasteries were built and Buddhism became important.This was the first time ever in the history of Vietnam, that monasteries were built . The next period or phase proved to be best for Vietnamese Buddhism. In this period Buddhist studies were at their peak and many famous people and rulers converted to this religion. It was when King Dinh Tien Hoang came in to power. Buddhism has its own hierarchy of monks and priests who were accepted by the court. Buddhism was now supported by the royal court and this helped many positive changes to take place. Buddhists were now respected and were considered as learned people.They were asked advice by the royal court and the rulers before taking decisions. This helped them get involved in many political and religious decisions and hence providing many decisions to be taken according to them. This era truly proved to be the best for Buddhist studies and it became one of the most predominant religions. After this, many kings and emperors converted to Buddhism. Many laws came into practice in this era, which were influenced by Buddhism, and hence were in favor of the Buddhists. Van Hanh became a Buddhist in this period.He is known as the meditation master and has influenced many people to convert to Buddhism. Any ruler who was not Buddhists was at least the supporter of Buddhism and this was a very positive point for the Buddhists. In 1010 A. D, almost eight monasteries were built in Ha Bac. All other monasteries and Buddhist temples were also repaired. Tripitaka texts, which were in China initially, were brought in Vietnam. Thousands of Buddha statues and paintings were made and set up. Festivals were set up. Many new monasteries such as Sung Kharh monastery and monastery at Mount Ba were built. In 1086 A.d Dai Lam monastery was built in Ha Bac. Later in 1118 A. D Thien Phat was built which had almost 1,000 Buddha statu es . BUDDHIST STUDIES The entire Buddhist education comes from the studies of Buddha, who is the supreme teacher. All of the studies root from saddha, which is the faith in triple Gem. Depdnding upon these studies the students are taught according to the five rules. The students should know the rules, their reason and their appliance in daily lives. Most importantly, they should appreciate all these rules and believe in them. The students should know what is generosity and self sacrifice.These are essential elements that help the students overcome their worldly desires, their selfishness and greed. These five moral rules are dependent on each other. A student can gain by suta, which is by extensive reading of Buddhism texts. According to Buddhist studies the knowledge of a person is dependent on his inside belief of truth i. e. Dhamma. Calm and insight are the two main elements of any Buddhist teaching. In Buddhist education tasks and wisdom are dependent on each other. A student ca n attain wisdom by deep investigation, discussion and intelligence.This wisdom was the basic instruments which lead Buddha to salvation. This wisdom is the crown of all educations of Buddhism. Without wisdom, education is incomplete. Before French, people were chosen based on their education. These were officials known as â€Å"mandarins†. Learning was very important in those times. It was not just education but it lead a person to intellectual understanding, social standing, wealth and power. Buddhism came directly from India, hence there are many words in Vietnamese Buddhism which are influenced or are taken directly from India. The word Buddha is also taken as it is.However, as the Vietnamese culture is influenced a lot from the Chinese, hence when Chinese monks came to Vietnam, the word Buddha was replaced by the word Phat. In those days, Buddhism in Vietnam was influenced by Theravada Buddhism. It was seen as religion which helped good people and punished the bad. It was very difficult to teach Buddhism at that time as very little literature was available. Vietnamese had no written script; hence a few translations were made in Chinese. The era between 544 and 602 was an independent era and was helpful in spreading Buddhism

Expository Essay on How Music Affects Your Life

Expository Essay on How Music Affects Your Life A good point from which to begin writing your expository essay on how music affects your life is to understand the meaning of an expository essay. This type of essay requires that you explain the essay topic in a straightforward and logical manner, while presenting your essay ideas in a balanced way. Additionally, you should ensure that each argument is made based on facts. If you want to know if the essay paper you have been asked to write is an expository paper, then you must examine the instructions. This is because the instructions of an expository paper usually contain words that explain or even define an issue that is included in the topic of the essay paper. Even though the instructions of an expository paper may deceive one into believing that writing this paper is a simple affair, it is not always easy to write this type of essay paper. However, by following certain writing tips, the whole writing process can be easier. The ability to write expository papers is a skill that many people acquire with their day-to-day life activities to be successful in certain careers. One must master writing excellent expository essays. Writing an expository essay is not just about the content but also entails how the content is presented in the essay paper. The correct structure must be followed when this type of essay paper is being composed. For instance, it is standard for this paper, and many other types of essays, to begin with an introductory paragraph that contains a thesis or main idea. This should be followed by the body paragraphs that will explore the main ideas of the essay, before ending with a conclusion paragraph. Note that if you want to have an easy time writing this type of paper, then you cannot just begin writing the paper before passing through the prewriting stage. It is in the prewriting session that one brainstorms about the main idea and topic of the essay paper and carries out research while taking notes on important findings. The next step is developing an outline that will demonstrate where each point one wants to include in the essay paper is positioned. Additionally drafting the expository paper can then begin with writing the introduction paragraph, followed by the ideas written in the outline. In some cases, one may find it necessary to change the arrangement of the ideas, as indicated in the outline, should one come across exiting new ideas to include in the essay paper. Enjoy high-quality custom essay writing service provided by professional writing company CustomWritings.com.

About movieHome Alone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

About movieHome Alone - Essay Example The 103 minutes long movie is highly entertaining and justifies its tremendous success with its top position in the box office rating for 12 straight weeks. The plot is a dream come true fantasy for children. Kevin McCallister is accidentally left behind during the Christmas when his family rushes to catch their flight for Paris where they are to celebrate Christmas with friends and relatives. While the family realizes the faux pas only when they are airborne, Kevin is delighted to find himself all alone at home. His mother, Kate remains at Paris airport to catch the first flight for home and after much ado she finally reaches Chicago to be reunited with her son. Meanwhile, Kevin is having a gala time, enjoying all the things which were earlier forbidden like watching TV, eating junk food etc. The movie takes a turn for more riotous comedy when Kevin thwarts the intentions of two burglars who come to rob the McCallister home by playing mischievous pranks which are the highlights of the film. The film is a light comedy which a family can enjoy with unadulterated fun. It is realistic in the dreams that children would like to come true because all children just wish that their parents would disappear so that they can do what they want and have fun all day without any parental control. At the same time, it must have been nostalgic for some adults who had such fun playing pranks as Kevin had done in the film. At the same time, the elaborate planning and booby traps made by eight year old Kevin look too good to be true (Goldberg, 2000). But overall, the film was a huge success because it was fantasy filled comic play of shenanigans that children love. Even though the mischiefs are a little overboard, the director had succeeded in capturing the attention of the target audience. Smith (2013) has correctly summed up the film as it ‘showed kids an irresistible world stripped of parental control’. It was

The television show AMERICAN IDOL. is a good show. and why it a good Essay

The television show AMERICAN IDOL. is a good show. and why it a good show - Essay Example Exploring the spontaneity aspects of the show, how much of it is truly spontaneous and what parts are orchestrated is a topic of speculation (Shale 2006). The competition’s initial rounds attract tens of thousands of hopeful artists who are screened and only dozens move on to the rounds in Hollywood. In these initial auditions, a mix of expectant artists are showcased comprise of some bizarre acts, very poor singing talent along with those who are chosen for the rounds in Hollywood. The viewers are granted the experience of watching spontaneity at its epitome with bizarre and awful performances such as the portrayal of Lady Marmalade in season one and a contestant dressed as the Statue of Liberty in the latest season’s auditions. While one may wonder whether such self-delusioned people are for real, viewers will no doubt agree that such eccentricities add to the reality show’s appeal. While spontaneity of the contestants is one aspect, the judges themselves add to the drama of the show by blunt and harsh criticisms and unsuppressed dismays expressed verbally and with their dramatic facial expressions. The three judges of the show, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson portrays three different personal styles with Simon coming across as the most critical and harsh of them with controversial remarks which even raise public backlashes. As per Tom Shales, in his article, Americas Winning Losers†¦ â€Å"when the show started, this aspect of it seemed awfully mean-spirited -- humiliation television, cruelty as entertainment† (Shales 2006). However, it has to be accepted that the viewing audience sees such brutal remarks by Simon as "You look like the Incredible Hulks wife" as an essential element of the formula which makes Idol the success it is. Squabbling between the judges themselves on disagreements on who they