Essay on Analysis of Martin Luther Kings - 1219 Words

Convincing, Indefatigable and influential are the best adjectives to explain Letter from Birmingham Jail. Martin Luther King Jrs astuteness is enhanced by the astonishing capability to show the unkind and heartless attitude against black community. Throughout the whole writing to the eight clergymen Jr. never get too far from the clash for fairness in Birmingham. As head of the South Christians Leadership Conferences (SCLC), Martin L. King, Junior., in the year 1963 acknowledged Birmingham, Alabama, as possibly the most carefully segregated city in the United States. His decision to make Birmingham the next battlefield on which to implement his nonviolent civil disobedience strategy brought him condemnation and criticism from fellow†¦show more content†¦Angered by this rebuke, King, who did not make a habit of addressing his critics, responded by writing an open letter, Letter from a Birmingham Jail, from his prison cell on April 16, 1963, literally in the margins of the Birmingham News, on scraps of paper and on paper borrowed from his assistant, Clarence Jones, who then smuggled it out of the jail. Later published in Kings collection of essays Why We Cant Wait (1963), Letter from a Birmingham Jail represents his most effective and convincing argument on the importance and moral justification of his nonviolent civil disobedience pro gram and pronouncements during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. In it King argues from the fundamental premise that injustice anywhere was a threat to justice everywhere , making Letter from a Birmingham Jail, in the end, perhaps the finest apologetic for the modern Civil Rights movement (Martin, 45). Kings Letter from a Birmingham Jail had an instant and astonishing response; it was published in full in Liberation and The Christian Century as well as in Gandhi Marg. At least two separate editions had been published in pamphlet form for the FOR, the American Friends Service Committee, and the American Baptist Convention (King, 195). Letter from a Birmingham Jail appeals to young and old, rich and poor, black and white, by citing authorities such as Reinhold Niebuhr and Saint Augustine, by telling stories, with sensitiveShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings Speech955 Words   |  4 PagesOn August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr delivered one of the most influential speeches in American history. America was in the thick of the Civil Rights Movement, and Martin Luther King Jr desperately wanted to mend the deep tear in our country. King stood on the Lincoln memorial, and impacted the nation with his words. King spoke about the injustices of segregation and disc rimination of African Americans that was taking place in the United States at that time. In his first statement King wroteRead MoreThe Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings Speech895 Words   |  4 Pagesenacted a call for change. Martin Luther King was a Baptist minister and social activist who spent countless years, fighting for a civil rights. It was on the date of August 28th, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln memorial is where King made his leap of faith and spoke out on the injustice of African Americans. His dream for African Americans to be equal, appealed to the emotions of his audience. The desire to live a civil life and not be oppressed was felt by many. Martin Luther King delivered a speechRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings I Have A Dream1140 Words   |  5 PagesJeicy Brito â€Å"I Have a Dream† Rhetorical Analysis African American Baptist minister and activist, Martin Luther King, Jr., in his â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, addresses racism against Negros and demands equal rights and freedoms. King’s purpose is to motivate his audience to join him in fighting for what they deserve. He shifts from an urgent, demanding tone at the beginning of the speech to a more hopeful and patriotic tone towards the end. Throughout the speech, Dr. King appeals to the audience’s desireRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther Kings I Have A Dream735 Words   |  3 PagesHave any of your dreams had an impact on your life? Just about everyone has dreams, but it is not often that a dream has a true impact in someone’s life. Martin Luther King’s â€Å"I Have a Dream†¦Ã¢â‚¬  speech shows his passion for achieving freedom and justice for all American citizens, blacks and whites alike. To achieve this level of equality, people of color and whites must work together and build up. In h is speech, he uses multiple literary devices like metaphors, connotation, and allusion to fully engageRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings Letter To Birmingham725 Words   |  3 PagesIn the summer of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. went to Birmingham due to a large amount of segregation happening there. Dr. King was invited to Birmingham because of his connection with the Southern Christian leadership conference. Because he was the president of the conference he felt the need to be in Birmingham to fix the segregation there. While Dr. King was in Birmingham he and fellow protesters were arrested. In his letter Dr. King’s letter he answers statements that white leaders said to himRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings I Have A Dream Speech1230 Words   |  5 Pages Rhetorical Analysis Essay on Martin Luther King’s â€Å"I have a dream† speech Professor Hailemarkos Worke ENGL 102 Sefra Belay September 29, 2017 Rhetorical Analysis Essay In Washington DC, on August 28, 1963 was the day that Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his â€Å"I have a dream† speech. According to Kennedy X.J., et al. in their book, The Brief Bedford Reader, Martin Luther King was an American Baptist minister who became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership ConferenceRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings I Have A Dream Speech724 Words   |  3 PagesRhetorical Analysis M.L.K â€Å"I have a dream† Speech On August 28th 1963, Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. made his infamous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech. In the speech, King confronts the mistreatment of the African American community and the lack of free will they contain in society. Throughout the mid-1900s, the Civil Rights Movement took place, influenced by centuries of cruelty towards the African Americans.. The most influential speech in the modern era was said in front of thousands ofRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings Letter From A Birmingham Jail1488 Words   |  6 Pages Obviously, again my primary motivation for writing my Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† is that this is a requirement for my English Composition Class. My heartfelt motivation for writing my Rhetorical Analysis is the respect I have for Martin Luther King’s intelligence and commitment that he displayed for the equality of the African American population. In analyzing â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail†, I developed an even stronger understanding of the dedicationRead MoreA Rhetorical Analysis on Dr. Martin Luther King’s â€Å"I have a Dream†1051 Words   |  4 PagesOn the epoch of America’s civil-rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave the supreme exemplification of insurgency through a peaceful march of 200,000 people on Washington D.C. (Anson L.). There he delivered the most powerful speeches of all time known as â€Å"I Have a Dream†. On August 28, 1963, at the Lin coln Memorial, this revolutionary civil rights leader through his stirring speech epitomized an objective for the black inhabitants of the America. His speech had the rationale to move billionsRead MoreRhetorical Situation Analysis of Martin Luther Kings Dream Speech744 Words   |  3 PagesWashington D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a 17-minute public speech to over 200,000 supporters of the Civil Rights Movement. King’s â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech was a response to continued racial bias nearly 100 years after the end of slavery and a call to action, meant to unify the country in the fight to end segregation. King used his time at the historic event to urge Americans, of all races, to work together throughout the country to ensure equality for all citizens. Though King’s delivery of

Human Rights And The Rights Of Tribal Communities

ABSTRACT PEACE WILL NOT COME OUT OF A CLASS OF ARMS BUT OUT OF JUSTICE LIVED AND DONE – MAHATMA GANDHI HUMAN RIGHTS ARE THE BIRTHRIGHTS OF EVERY HUMAN BEING AND THEY FORM AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SOCIO-CULTURAL FABRIC OF HUMANITY ALL OVER THE WORLD. HOWEVER, THEY ARE VULNERABLE TO ABUSE AND VIOLATION. TRIBAL COMMUNITY IN INDIA HAS BEEN MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY IN THE UNEQUAL, DISCRIMINATION, DOMINATION AND EXPLOITATION RIDDEN SOCIETY. THEY ARE ON THE BREADLINE OF THEIR SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL RIGHTS. EVEN AFTER CENTURIES, THE UNCHANGED CONDITION OF TRIBAL COMMUNITIES IS LEADING IN INDIA. THE VIOLATION OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE STATE BRUTALITY HAS BEEN PERPETRATED ON THEM, PARTICULARLY ON TRIBAL WOMEN. TRIBAL COMMUNITIES HAVE FACED ISOLATION AND SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION LIKE THAT OF DALITS FROM THE MAINSTREAM SOCIETY. THE INDIAN DEMOCRATIC STATE ACCORDS SEVERAL STATUTES IN THE CONSTITUTION WHERE THE RIGHTS OF TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ARE PROTECTED AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IS DETERMINED FOR. HOWEVER, THE DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENT HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THIS RESPECT. THEREFORE, THERE IS A SURGE OF TRIBAL MOVEMENTS IN THE COUNTRY FOR THEIR RIGHTS. ALL TRIBAL PEOPLE OF INDIA HAVE A THING IN COMMON- THEY ALL SHARE A HISTORY OF INJUSTICE. THE PRESENT PAPER EXPLORES WITHIN THE LARGER FRA MEWORK OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN GENERAL AND HOW TRIBAL RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED PARTICULARLY IN INDIA. PAPER ACCORDING TO OXFORD DICTIONARY â€Å"TRIBE† IS - A SOCIAL DIVISION IN A TRADITIONAL SOCIETYShow MoreRelatedHuman Rights And The Rights Of Tribal Communities2965 Words   |  12 PagesMAHATMA GANDHI Human rights are the birthrights of every human being and they form an integral part of the socio-cultural fabric of humanity all over the world. However, they are vulnerable to abuse and violation. Tribal community in India has been most vulnerable community in the unequal, discrimination, domination and exploitation ridden society. They are on the breadline of their socio-economic and political rights. Even after centuries, the unchanged condition of tribal communities is leading inRead MoreConcept Of Healthy Children : The Nutritional Status Of Children1650 Words   |  7 Pageschildren. Children are first and foremost individuals, born with indivisible and inalienable human rights. They also belong to families and communities that need to have access to resources and services, as well as capacities to ensure realization of their rights. Policy approaches are needed that address both the income and non-income dimensions of children’s deprivations. Continued neglect of material, human and psycho-social dimensions of child well-being can prevent children from living a full lifeRead MoreMLPA Essay1006 Words   |  5 Pagesstate to redesign its system of MPAs to increase cohesion and effectiveness of the network, improve ecosystem protection in state waters, and improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems subject to minimal human disturbance (Gleason et al. 2010) The MLPA was response to public pressure for more ocean protection. Protecting of natural marine ecosystem services requires that managers find a way maintaining the health of coastal and marine habitats, marine lifeRead MoreReparation for the Non-Compensated Group in the District of Marowijne1691 Words   |  7 Pagescommando led by Ronnie Brunswijk and the Surinamese military team headed by Desi Bouterse, the human rights of the people who were living in the tribal communities in the district of Marowijne were consistently being violated. However a peace agreement had been signed in France Guiana in May 1992, the American Court of Human Rights sentenced the government of Suriname of committing actions against human rights and ordered the state to start an investigation to compensate the civilians of the massacreRead More Critical Tiger Habitat or Critical Wildlife Habitat 1532 Words   |  7 Pageswas continued exploitation of the Van Gujjars by the Forest Department in the form of imposition of illegal fines, infliction of physical force, persistent threats etc. Forest officials are reported to have violated National Human Rights Commission orders safeguarding the rights of the Van Gujjars . Subsequent attempts in a second phase relocation appear to have been better handled, with involvement of NGO’s like Friends of Doon . A perusal of the functioning of both the acts shows that thereRead MoreFuture Of First Nation Education1076 Words   |  5 Pagesover the course of the Forum. This theme entailed discussions surrounding community involvement in decision-making, First Nation priorities being observed and met, the inherent right of First Nations to control their education systems, teacher certification and education program accreditation. Grand Chief Gordon Peters of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians and Tyrone McNeil, Vice President of the Sto:Lo Tribal Council discussed the role of leadership in the future of First Nation controlRead MoreDiversity And America’S Social Debt With Ethnic Minorities.1697 Words   |  7 PagesDiversity and America’s social debt with ethnic minorities The Fifth Amendment of the Bill of Rights (1791) included in the Constitution of the Unites States (US) declares that â€Å"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.† Later, President Roosevelt during his campaign address of October 13, 1932, certainly stated that the â€Å"government is responsible for its citizens welfareRead More Yemen Conflict and the Role of the IGOs and the NGOs in the Yemen Conflict1503 Words   |  7 Pagesand announced that it was withdrawing its mediation efforts in the Yemen conflict. President Saleh not only withdrew from the broken deal, but also refused to sign a transition agreement proposed by Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar who was the leader of Hashid tribal federation, one of the influential tribes in Yemen. The members of the Hashid tribe then withdrew their support for president Saleh and joined the opposing camp. These move s by Hashid tribe sparked fresh violence in Yemen, whereby supporters of presidentRead MoreNational and Global Citizenship836 Words   |  4 Pages Even if human societies, with their cultural traditions and societal aspects, vary around the world, human beings are all connected, socially and biologically. All human beings share the same common ancestor, and the same anatomical and physiological features, as stated in biology, and anthropology reports. They also share distinguishing characteristics (basic emotions, self-consciousness, language and symbols), and common needs—the need for communication, love, social interactions, foodRead MoreRemedies And The Contemporary Situation Of Self Determination1730 Words   |  7 PagesB. Remedies and the Contemporary situation of Self-Determination in Canada After the Human Rights Committee reached the decision in Lovelace’s case, it required Canada to submit the measures taken with regards to it. The Government responded with possible amendments of the Indian Act but did not provide specific remedies it would take for Sandra Lovelace and other similar cases. In particular, the government informed the Committee that it acknowledged Committee’s concerns that the section 12(1)(b) Human Rights And The Rights Of Tribal Communities ABSTRACT Peace will not come out of a class of arms but out of justice lived and done – MAHATMA GANDHI Human rights are the birthrights of every human being and they form an integral part of the socio-cultural fabric of humanity all over the world. However, they are vulnerable to abuse and violation. Tribal community in India has been most vulnerable community in the unequal, discrimination, domination and exploitation ridden society. They are on the breadline of their socio-economic and political rights. Even after centuries, the unchanged condition of tribal communities is leading in India. The violation of fundamental human rights and the state brutality has been perpetrated on them, particularly on tribal women. Tribal communities have faced isolation and social discrimination like that of Dalits from the mainstream society. The Indian democratic state accords several statutes in the constitution where the rights of tribal communities are protected and social justice is determined for. However, the democratic experiment has not been successful in this respect. Therefore, there is a surge of tribal movements in the country for their rights. All tribal people of India have a thing in common- they all share a history of injustice. The present paper explores within the larger fra mework of human rights in general and how tribal rights are being violated particularly in India. PAPER According to oxford dictionary â€Å"tribe† is - A social division in a traditional societyShow MoreRelatedHuman Rights And The Rights Of Tribal Communities2964 Words   |  12 PagesMAHATMA GANDHI HUMAN RIGHTS ARE THE BIRTHRIGHTS OF EVERY HUMAN BEING AND THEY FORM AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SOCIO-CULTURAL FABRIC OF HUMANITY ALL OVER THE WORLD. HOWEVER, THEY ARE VULNERABLE TO ABUSE AND VIOLATION. TRIBAL COMMUNITY IN INDIA HAS BEEN MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY IN THE UNEQUAL, DISCRIMINATION, DOMINATION AND EXPLOITATION RIDDEN SOCIETY. THEY ARE ON THE BREADLINE OF THEIR SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL RIGHTS. EVEN AFTER CENTURIES, THE UNCHANGED CONDITION OF TRIBAL COMMUNITIES IS LEADING INRead MoreConcept Of Healthy Children : The Nutritional Status Of Children1650 Words   |  7 Pageschildren. Children are first and foremost individuals, born with indivisible and inalienable human rights. They also belong to families and communities that need to have access to resources and services, as well as capacities to ensure realization of their rights. Policy approaches are needed that address both the income and non-income dimensions of children’s deprivations. Continued neglect of material, human and psycho-social dimensions of child well-being can prevent children from living a full lifeRead MoreMLPA Essay1006 Words   |  5 Pagesstate to redesign its system of MPAs to increase cohesion and effectiveness of the network, improve ecosystem protection in state waters, and improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems subject to minimal human disturbance (Gleason et al. 2010) The MLPA was response to public pressure for more ocean protection. Protecting of natural marine ecosystem services requires that managers find a way maintaining the health of coastal and marine habitats, marine lifeRead MoreReparation for the Non-Compensated Group in the District of Marowijne1691 Words   |  7 Pagescommando led by Ronnie Brunswijk and the Surinamese military team headed by Desi Bouterse, the human rights of the people who were living in the tribal communities in the district of Marowijne were consistently being violated. However a peace agreement had been signed in France Guiana in May 1992, the American Court of Human Rights sentenced the government of Suriname of committing actions against human rights and ordered the state to start an investigation to compensate the civilians of the massacreRead More Critical Tiger Habitat or Critical Wildlife Habitat 1532 Words   |  7 Pageswas continued exploitation of the Van Gujjars by the Forest Department in the form of imposition of illegal fines, infliction of physical force, persistent threats etc. Forest officials are reported to have violated National Human Rights Commission orders safeguarding the rights of the Van Gujjars . Subsequent attempts in a second phase relocation appear to have been better handled, with involvement of NGO’s like Friends of Doon . A perusal of the functioning of both the acts shows that thereRead MoreFuture Of First Nation Education1076 Words   |  5 Pagesover the course of the Forum. This theme entailed discussions surrounding community involvement in decision-making, First Nation priorities being observed and met, the inherent right of First Nations to control their education systems, teacher certification and education program accreditation. Grand Chief Gordon Peters of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians and Tyrone McNeil, Vice President of the Sto:Lo Tribal Council discussed the role of leadership in the future of First Nation controlRead MoreDiversity And America’S Social Debt With Ethnic Minorities.1697 Words   |  7 PagesDiversity and America’s social debt with ethnic minorities The Fifth Amendment of the Bill of Rights (1791) included in the Constitution of the Unites States (US) declares that â€Å"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.† Later, President Roosevelt during his campaign address of October 13, 1932, certainly stated that the â€Å"government is responsible for its citizens welfareRead More Yemen Conflict and the Role of the IGOs and the NGOs in the Yemen Conflict1503 Words   |  7 Pagesand announced that it was withdrawing its mediation efforts in the Yemen conflict. President Saleh not only withdrew from the broken deal, but also refused to sign a transition agreement proposed by Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar who was the leader of Hashid tribal federation, one of the influential tribes in Yemen. The members of the Hashid tribe then withdrew their support for president Saleh and joined the opposing camp. These move s by Hashid tribe sparked fresh violence in Yemen, whereby supporters of presidentRead MoreNational and Global Citizenship836 Words   |  4 Pages Even if human societies, with their cultural traditions and societal aspects, vary around the world, human beings are all connected, socially and biologically. All human beings share the same common ancestor, and the same anatomical and physiological features, as stated in biology, and anthropology reports. They also share distinguishing characteristics (basic emotions, self-consciousness, language and symbols), and common needs—the need for communication, love, social interactions, foodRead MoreRemedies And The Contemporary Situation Of Self Determination1730 Words   |  7 PagesB. Remedies and the Contemporary situation of Self-Determination in Canada After the Human Rights Committee reached the decision in Lovelace’s case, it required Canada to submit the measures taken with regards to it. The Government responded with possible amendments of the Indian Act but did not provide specific remedies it would take for Sandra Lovelace and other similar cases. In particular, the government informed the Committee that it acknowledged Committee’s concerns that the section 12(1)(b)

Motivational Approach Free Essays

Motivation is the willingness to exert high levels of effort toward organizational goals, conditioned by the effort’s ability to satisfy some individual needs (Robbins, 168). For some business analysts, employee motivation is a good way to increase productivity in an organization. When people get motivated, they will have a reason to put more efforts on what they are doing. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivational Approach or any similar topic only for you Order Now Motivation is a crucial management tool in lifting the organization’s work force’s ability. There are many different ways to motivate employees. Employers can motivate their workers as individuals, groups, teams, or the organization as a whole. Motivation takes forms like offering rewards, improving working conditions, or employee recognition. However, which approach should employers try? Team-based reward systems have been raised as an issue in work management areas. Many people prefer team-based reward systems to an individual approach. San Diego Business Journal, issued on Oct. 6, 1997, published an article titled â€Å"Team-Based Productivity Incentive System.† This article summarized the ideas that supported the team-based approach. The author, Bob Harrington, opposed the individual reward system. As he stated, individual reward systems create unnecessary competition and reduce cooperation between employees. It also reduces creativity because employees will only do what is necessary to get rewarded. Moreover, Harrington said team-based incentives influence individuals to work well together and cooperate with one another. No longer are employees and management measured purely against financial information. Instead, outstanding performance is based on a combination of items that measure the strategic objectives of the corporation. This paper will see if the team-based incentive systems are the best approach for business environments as Harrington discussed. Medical insurance and educational opportunities, among others are all common benefits in compensation programs for many manufacturers. Many people argued that these benefits attract and retain employees, but have little to do with work performance. Some also believe that if these benefits are spread out among workers in general, these kinds of work incentives will not guarantee good performance. Well Pay vs. Sick Pay is an example of how an incentive program reinforces wrong behavior and reduces productivity. Manufacturers with incentive systems that reward employees for achievements and growth can increase their competitiveness and profitability in today’s global market. Yes, it is true that organizations need to have incentive systems to satisfy their work force. Team-based incentive systems such as gain sharing, profit sharing, etc., become increasingly popular in work environments. People now are required to work as a team, and altogether help each other to achieve an objective. Your work is my work, and your responsibility is mine. People will become more cohesive as working in a group or a team. Team-based incentives offer several advantages. However, I do not totally agree with Harrington that individual incentive systems do not have any good influence over workers’ performance. Some people are extremely successful when they work on their own. People, who are raised in an individualistic culture, might not benefit from working in a group. So, individual incentive systems do play an important role in increasing a work force’s productivity as long as the employers know how to use this reinforcement system properly. If organizations set a standard to measure individual achievement and reward that individual on what he (she) perform, then, the individual incentive system might work as well as the team-based one. Moreover, managers need to realize that team-based incentive systems might cause Social Loafing effect in the work force – the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually (Robbins, 260). Motivations are necessary in a working environment to increase the productivity of the work force. Reward systems must create a win-win situation for employees and employers. Team-based incentive systems might work very well and are a preferred process for many organizations in today’s work market; however, managers should adopt individual incentive systems in many cases, when employees are more skillful, efficient, and effective as working individually. The major purpose of the incentive system is to motivate and organize employees. How to cite Motivational Approach, Essay examples

Cargill Paper Summary free essay sample

In Food Industry Anshi Chen Marketing 505, Environmental Paper March 29, 2012 Paper Source Cargill: inside the quite giant that rules food business, Fortune Magazine, October 2011 Summary The article introduces Cargill, a food industry company. Cargill, headquartered in Wayzata, Minnesota, is the biggest corporation in food production and it is privately held. In 2011 fiscal year, its revenue was $119. 5 billion. If Cargill goes public, it will be No. 18 on Fortune 500. In 1865, Cargill is found by William Wallace Cargill in Conover, Iowa. Today it is still owned 90% by Cargills and MacMillans, the two families jointed by marriage. Currently, Greg Page is the CEO. Although Cargill is huge and its business activities impact most Americans’ daily lives through various food channels, it has not been well known for the public. As a corporation, Cargill’s typical strategy is to acquire and sell businesses. It also has a tradition of developing innovative new business. Interestingly, Cargill doesn’t do farming as a food supplier. We will write a custom essay sample on Cargill Paper Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Cargill runs business globally as 60% of its earnings are generated outside of US. It returned to Vietnam right after President Clinton normalized US and Vietnam relationships in 1995. After several successful projects, Cargill launched public-private partnership with Chocolate giant Mars, government of Vietnam and Netherlands in 2004 to create a cocoa export industry, which had never existed in Vietnam before. In 2011, Vietnam produced 2,500 tons of cocoa and 70% of them went to Cargill. Cargill’s business goes up and down due to unpredictable events around the world. Concerning with long term prosperities, Cargill watches political policies carefully as food industry is heavily regulated and hence greatly ffected by the governments’ legislations and policies. The Legal Environmental Influence As the largest multinational corporation in food industry, Cargill needs to adapt different legal environments, domestically and internationally. Their interests are impacted by legislations and policies in different countries and relationships between them. They took the advantage of normalized relationship between US and Vietnam in 1995 to legally run the business in Vietnam. Later on, that gave them huge opportunities on business development. Booming cocoa export industry is a good example. Cargill maintains a â€Å"big acquisition agenda†. To acquire and sell companies world-widely, they need a lot of local authorities’ approvals. And some multinationals require more complicated legal work. The food security concern, which could evolve to policies and infringes its cross market operations, worries Cargill a lot. They don’t want to â€Å"end up with policies counterproductive to feeding everyone or a business model that doesn’t have any freedom to operate†.

Effects of the Pact of Steel Agreement on World War II

Introduction Definition and Characteristics Fascism is a political ideology that promotes high expressions of nationalism and aggressive approach in the defence of one’s nation (Passmore 72).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Effects of the Pact of Steel Agreement on World War II specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is characterised by a one-party rule usually under a dictator and denial of individual rights. The basic principles of a fascist nation include authoritarianism, a deep understanding of state being more important than the individual, presence of an enigmatic leader and action oriented governance. Unlike communism, fascism did not strive for a class-less society. Rather, it was supported by industrialists, lower middle class and the military. Great examples where fascism existed are Italy under Benito Mussolini, Germany under Adolf Hitler and Spain under Francisco Franco among others (Payn e 15). Dr. Britt Lawrence (22) found fourteen distinct defining characteristics common to every fascist regime. These were powerful and continuing nationalism where symbols and patriotic slogans were used in public displays; disregard for the recognition of human rights which led to executions and torture; identification of a perceived common enemy which was used as a uniting cause like communists and socialist were used as scapegoats; the military is highly idealized with great amounts of government funding going to them in the expense of domestic agendas; most fascist nations are male-dominated hence rampant sexism; censorship of mass media, where the government directly controls the media content; fear and intimidation is used to motivate the masses towards National security under fascism rule; they use a common religion that supports their ideals and uses it to manipulate public opinion; the industrial and business upper classes which form corporate power enjoy government protec tion; in fascist nations labour unions are either banned or harshly suppressed; contempt for intellectuals and the arts with hostility to academia; occurrence of a police force that has limitless power showing fascination with crime and punishment of opponents; rampant corruption and eventually fraudulent elections. Fascism in Italy and Germany The First World War had a great impact and devastating consequences for Italy, although it was among the winning powers. The war brought inflation which increased greatly due to military expenses; there were political divisions and frequent social unrest, and unsatisfactory peace treaty because it received a small portion of the territory they wanted. There was mistrust in the Liberal politicians leading to the rise of Fascism. As Martin Blinkhorn puts it, one cause of the rise of fascism in Italy was the problems it faced after World War 1, which are post war economic crises, mass demobilisation and acute social unrest (Blinkhorn 34). After the unification in Italy, which was dominated by the elite, the south was neglected leading to chronic poverty that was worsened by limited spending and soaring taxes. The Liberals failed to transform the economy which was severely suffering from post-war depression after World War 1, giving fascism a chance to increase its mass backing.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The western powers which included Britain and France, failed to fulfil the agreement after World War 1 and Italy felt the land they were promised was not given to him; hence Italy did not want to corporate much with them. These gave Mussolini a great opportunity to grip the power and he set up a Fascist Party which promised to have solutions to Italy’s problems Alexander De Grand cites the opportunistic nature of Italian fascism when he says that Mussolini recognised that the Liberals did not create peace with the church and he lessened anti-clerical feelings in the Fascist Party (De Grand 89). This created an influential ally and improved the appeal of the Party. Fascism looked to be an easy answer to immense economic and social problems. Mussolini undertook to restore Italy and reinstate the Roman Empire. He organised armed gangs called the â€Å"black shirts† which helped him come to power in 1922. King Victor Emmanuel III appointed Mussolini as the Prime Minister of Italy to prevent a communist revolution. The famous 1922 March on Rome took place to institute Mussolini and the Fascist Party as the most significant party in Italy. The rise of Mussolini to power instigated the birth of Versailles and combat communism. Mussolini as the leader (II Duce) ended democracy and banned all other political parties except the Fascists (Macdonald 19). The government was run by secret police that he controlled and often jailed his opponents. The Fascist Government took over the media an d ensured only Fascist doctrines were broadcasted or published. He outlawed strikes and allayed the Fascists with the industrialists and large landowners. In Germany, the group, Nazi (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), had policies like fascism, hence Nazism- the German brand of fascism. Hitler as the Nazi Party leader was impressed by Mussolini’s March on Rome, and he plotted for Nazi’s to seize power in Munich in 1923, but the attempt failed and he was arrested. He was tried for treason and sentenced to five years in jail but only served less than nine months (Woolf 18). Just as in Italy, the great depression caused the German economy to collapse and civil unrest broke out. Hitler’s Nazi party looked to be the solution to the economic crisis. As a chancellor and by winning majority of parliament, Hitler turned Germany into a totalitarian state. Just like Mussolini, other opponent political parties were banned. Being against Hitler meant that one was an enemy to him and his loyalties, and arrest and murder would follow. The Nazi secret police, Gestapo, used brutal action and terror to shock many Germans to total obedience.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Effects of the Pact of Steel Agreement on World War II specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite their aggressiveness, the Nazis under Hitler had several achievements such as they constructed factories, built highways, manufactured weapons, served in military thus dramatically reducing the number of unemployed. Beyond his economic and political power, Hitler also took control over the media; both print and press making them his propaganda tools. He was successful in raising the Germany economy from the great depression, giving him popularity with the middle class (Blamires and Paul 16). It is worth noting that Mussolini never had the total control in Italy as achieved by Adolf Hitler in Germany. Effects of Fascism in Italy and Germany Some effects of fascism were World War II, preservation of social classes and dictatorship. As in all fascist governments there was absolute dictatorial government. The citizens were oppressed it was not acceptable to speak against the dictator. The dictators become the only men who had the authority to make any decisions. Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany were among the main causes of World War II. Fascisms ideals were aggressive in nature hence it led Italy and Germany directly to war. Labour unions were banned besides political parties. Education was reviewed to favour the fascist government. There were similarities in Italian fascism and German Nazism in the following respects. In both cases individuality was rejected and emphasis was on role will power in individuals to protect their state. There was a negative view if the masses human understanding and the dictators used propaganda to manipulate them politically. They viewed that t he leader was from the elite and there were great differences between the intellectual capabilities of the masses and the political elite. Liberals and social democrats were viewed as the enemies in both cases. However several differences were evident between the German Nazism and Italian fascism. Firstly, racialism was strongly evident with the Nazis and less evident with the fascist. Moreover, Italian foreign policy objectives were limited to gaining additional territories, while German foreign policy objectives were huge and were driven by their biased attitudes especially toward the Jews. Generally, there were positive effects in both fascist governments in that they stabilized the economy after the great depression, and there were great cuts in unemployment levels as well as decrease in social unrest.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mussolini political agenda Benito Mussolini is best remembered as the father of Fascism. He began his political career as a Socialist. He is well admired by his fellow fascist in the successful execution of the March on Rome which bestowed him the powers he wanted. After Mussolini became the Prime minister, he did not have control over the parliament hence he formed a coalition government (Smith 17). Mussolini and the Fascists party were highly successful in their efforts to promote a growing economy and industrial powerhouse. Mussolini wanted to model his government after the Roman Empire and saw himself as Julius Caesar. He was a strong believer in the strength of the people as the backbone of the country and not the strength of the individual. He felt that his country would be the strongest if the citizens of Italy would come together as one, under a central idea and philosophy and be allied by the bonds of nationalism. This government primarily pursued economic policies which in cluded balancing the budget through several cuts to the civil service. At the same time he reinforced his control over the Fascist Party by forming an executive body for the party, the Grand Council of Fascism, responsible for governing the party but whose agenda he was in full control. In addition, he formed corporations for every single line of work to reinforce both economic and social control. This ensured labour unions had no power hence minimal workers’ strikes or social unrest. Mussolini’s supporters carried out operations of violence towards opposing political parties and against anyone who did not agree with their ideals. He was successful in changing the election procedure to favour him and assumed dictatorial rule in 1925-26 by dissolving all other political parties (Townley 52). Mussolini’s foreign policy of anti-imperialism commanded an extreme form of nationalism with the attack of Corfu in 1923 marking his policies (Lowe and Marzari, 81). The fasc ist Italy pursued an aggressive foreign policy which led to attacks in several nations such as Albania, Ethiopia and Libya, to fulfil Mussolini’s ambition of expanding the Italian territory. It also planned attacks on Turkey and Yugoslavia. These lead to mass killings and forced starvation of thousands of people. Mussolini was dedicated to solidifying Italy’s army, while tirelessly supporting that war was essential in keeping the economy alive. Mussolini did this with flawless effort and succeeded on the highest level by tweaking the media in his favor, and using force to persuade the citizens of Italy to support him and their country. The fascist government made improvements in various sectors in Italy. This included; Increase in acreage of cultivated land, irrigation was introduced in the marshes found on the Northern part of created more employment opportunities. To win the support of the Roman Catholic Church, Mussolini reached an agreement with the Papacy (Lateran Pact), which gave the Pope full authority over the Vatican City (Macdonald 21). Mussolini was able to gain power since he had a following from the middle class Italians who supported fascism due to general anxiety, fear and insecurity. The pact of Steel The Pact of Steel was Mussolini’s name used to refer to the Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Nazism Germany and Fascism Italy (Kallis 20). He had originally named it ‘the Pact of Blood’ but was advised that it was likely to be received poorly in Italy if it went by that name hence ‘the Pact of Steel’. It was signed by the two countries’ foreign ministers, Count Ciano for Italy and Joachim von Ribbentrop for Germany, in Berlin in May 1939. The Pact of Steel was an agreement in which Germany and Italy entered into an alliance, pledging neutral support in war. Generally, the Pact of steel obliged Italy and Germany to co-operate in military and war production. They would aid each other in t he occasion of a war starting, militarily or otherwise (Tonge 39). The agreement was divided into two parts; the first part was an open declaration of continued mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries; the second section was a ‘Secret supplementary protocol’ which encouraged a union of military and economic policies. Within its clauses it stated that the validity of the pact within the time of its completion until 1949. It also urged the two countries to maintain relations with nations that were only friendly towards either of them. An enemy of one was to be perceived as an enemy of both. The ‘Secret Supplementary Protocols’ part was further divided into two sections; the first section pressed hasty joint action on military and economic cooperation; the second section urged the two countries to promote power and image of fascism through propaganda via media. This part as the name depicts was not made public during the signing of the agreement (Gregor 23). The agreement made sure that neither nation was able to make peace without consent from the other. The Italian’s, mistakenly, signed on the verbal understanding that neither power would start a war before 1943. The understanding was that Italy would direct Mediterranean strategy, leaving Germany free to conquer Europe. The signing of the pact of steel It was after World War 1 that Italy and Germany underwent different problems in governance that led them to look for support in one another. Both countries were unsatisfied with the status quo imposed on them after World War 1. Germany was on the losing side of the Central Powers during World War 1. Germany lost significant portions of its territory including border lands along the Polish borders and critical sectors along the western French border (Payne 45). It was Germany’s ambition to regain its military might that led Nazism to power. Italy on the other hand was on the victorious Allied side, which incl ude Britain and France in World War 1, paying a heavy price in its involvement to the victory. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost fighting for the Austrians and Italians were seriously unhappy at the marginal gains they were rewarded compared to the heavy cost they paid. To them they received a raw deal after the end of World War 1. Italy became ambitious to expand the territory. Like Germany, the western powers lost good will with Italy due its aggressive conduct. Between 1936 -1939, Italy and Germany cooperated in the Spanish Civil War where they fought on the same fascist side to help the authoritative regime of Franco to achieve victory over the Socialist opposition. This really encouraged their relationship. Mussolini withdrew from the League of Nations in December 1937 after receiving sanctions by the United Nations, and in the same year he visited Germany when he was captivated by the splendour and ceremony of Hitler. This drew the two countries together and given they had two similarly driven powers, Hitler and Mussolini developed a close relationship. Hitler, in a Munich conference, impressed Mussolini further with his boldness and aggressive stand on the weakness on the West (Gregor 47). The ambitions of the two fascist leaders lead Germany and Italy to conquer territories each felt were rightfully theirs. Hitler decided to move his military into the Rhineland, a de-militarized zone that was protected by the Treaty of Versailles in in order to protect France. It was when Hitler occupied the devastated Czechoslovakia in March 1939, that Mussolini’s pathetically poor reaction was to invade Albania where he acted individually, making it impossible for any reunion with the other western powers. In fact the Allies responded with strong threats of military response if territorial conquests continued. By May 1939, Mussolini’s concern was to safeguard his alliance such that Hitler could not abandon him and hence Italy was propelled into t he Pact of Steel with Germany. Italy and Germany being under dictators Mussolini and Hitler respectively ensured the two countries’ shared comparable fascist ideologies and an antagonistic view on governance hence the signing of the Pact of Steel. This sparked the beginning of World War II and the beginning of the Mussolini- Hitler era. The effects of the agreement on Italy and Germany Italy During World War 1 Italy had lost many men while fighting along Austria along its borders, since it was among the Allies. Having fallen apart with the Allies, and found new alliance with Germany, Mussolini abandoned Austria, whose independence he had avowed to secure by agreement, letting Hitler to gain a great strategic victory. In 1936, army general Franco attacked the republican government leading a Spain into a civil war between the republicans and the Nationalist whom he lead. Mussolini saw yet another opportunity to expand his power and influence by getting involved in the war in Sp ain. He joined with Hitler to support Franco in the Spanish Civil War, provoking armed conflict in Europe. Back at home, his reputation was falling. Mussolini’s stock in the League of Nation fell further when Britain and France eventually revealed that he was pretending to be neutral arbitrator at the Munich conference while he was aiding Hitler achieve his goals. Mussolini did not support a Europe-wide conflict, but he was powerless to influence events, when Hitler decided on military action and invaded Poland. The League of Nations finally imposed economic sanctions on Italy (Reich 197). As Hitler’s influence over Mussolini increased, Mussolini become unpopular among the Italian people who did not have their hearts in Hitler’s wars and wanted nothing to do with the persecutions of the Jews. As much as Hitler’s assistance was valuable to Mussolini a number of times when Italians found themselves in trouble, the end result was utter defeat on all fronts. Mussolini popularity diminished and he was eventually removed from power, and eventually executed. Germany It was after the great alliance with Mussolini that Hitler felt confident enough to initiate his aggressive moves. Without Mussolini, he would have been isolated diplomatically, he would have not taken over Austria and the Munich Conference would have been a flop. The Munich conference gave Hitler a great chance to denude the Czechs giving him a strategic position to invade Poland (Tonge 67). Without the Alliance of the two fascist leaders, may be World War II might well have been avoided. World War II led to Germany’s total defeat and it was Mussolini who enabled Hitler in his pursuit of the war. Hitler advanced to conquer France and when Mussolini realized that Hitler was defeating France, he mobilised his troop to invade France, only his forces were soon pushed back and Hitler’s forces were to come to his rescue to save Mussolini’s ‘honour’. Mussolini went ahead and invaded Greece without consulting Hitler and once again found himself in trouble. Hitler was again forced to send troops to assist the Italians, necessitating him to divert from Barbarossa costing him another necessary victory. Hitler was also forced to sacrifice troops which would have been utilised in the Eastern front to rescue Mussolini in his African adventure. In the end, Italy’s Military alliance was more of a hindrance to Hitler’s conquests and Mussolini proved himself to be more of a liability than a valuable reinforcement though his assistance was of great value to Hitler’s pre-war diplomatic manoeuvring. There were adverse effects to both nations in the quest to fulfil the agreement in the hope of achieving their goals. In the end, the pact of steel became a great disaster for the two fascist leaders and their countries and lead to their eventual fall and defeat in the World War II. Significance of the Pact of Steel on the Wo rld War II In view of his understanding of the Pact of Steel, the eruption of war between Germany and the Allied western powers in September 1939, following Hitler’s conquest of Poland come as a surprise to Mussolini ( Blamires and Paul 56). It definitely offered him some food for thought, and from uncertainty he opted for neutrality. He felt that Hitler had bitten more than he could chew by provoking the hostility of Britain and France and he had slim chances of defeating them. He was also unhappy with the direction that the Germany foreign policy had taken since the pact of steel. Since the agreement minimized the possibility of reconciliation between Mussolini and his former allied friends, the western powers, Hitler pursued to protect his position in the Eastern part of Europe by the Non-aggression Pact with Stalin in August 1939 which opened the way for a successful invasion and defeat of Poland (Tonge 29). This may be when Mussolini seriously suspected Germany duplicity . Mussolini supported his ‘non-aggression’ to the Germans with the fact that Italy was totally unprepared to engage in war in September 1939. The Italian armed forces were awfully ill-equipped to fight a major war due to enormous expenditure of military resources in their quest to conquer Ethiopia, Spain and Albania as well as the underlying economic weakness (Townley 78). However, Mussolini frequently reiterated his moral and Diplomatic support for Hitler, and continually insisted that he intended to enter the war just as soon as the circumstances would permit. As the Germans occupied more countries, Mussolini felt the urge to join the war so as to share the spoils of victory alongside Hitler and his army. Mussolini’s original hesitancy turned into an urge for war as Hitler’s armies advanced in their invasion of France and it didn’t take him long to declare war on Britain and France. Many writers who sided with fascism claimed that Mussolini did wa s unwilling to engage in a war against Britain and France in 1940 but was forced into the decision by the slip-ups, inflexibility and antagonism of British diplomacy. This picture of Mussolini does not fit the circumstances given that Mussolini being a fascist opportunist wanted to acquire domination over the Mediterranean at the expense of Britain and France, and he saw the opportunity to do so in a splendid, warlike manner. Mussolini’s war aims were very predictable from the creation of a new Roman empire to the hazier goal of Italy becoming a world super power. He also had a secondary agenda where the Fascist Italy were to conduct its military operations parallel to and free of Nazi Germany, and with a clear line of separation between their relevant spheres in Europe. By this he hoped to establish the power balance between Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. However Mussolini did not have a very articulate or coherent plan to rival that of Hitler. The Post WWII Era World War I I was viewed by many to be the last good war with a clear purpose of abolishing Nazism and Fascism and all the horrible ideals they stood for. The triumph of the Allies in the World War II was the greatest defeat of Germany and Italy. It marked the downfall of fascism and the victory of democratic ideals and values over totalitarianism and dictatorial rule. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy were transformed into unthreatening democracies. Prior to World War 2 Italy had completed two conquests in Ethiopia and Albania, and despite the Pact of steel, it did not join the war until1940, planning to get a share of the Allied territory. With the defeat of France, Italy’s war efforts went poorly resulting in defeats in Greece, North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea (Payne 110). In 1943, Italy was invaded by Allies and Mussolini’s government collapsed. Though the Germans kept to the agreement and helped him back to power, it was only for a while before he was removed from power ag ain. Italy was also split an occupied allied South and the remnants of the fascist government in the North. Eventually Italians embraced democracy and Italy became a member of NATO after the war. After the war, German was divided into four occupied zones among France, Britain and America. Conclusion After World War 1, there was extensive damage in all countries across Europe, both for the winning allied side and the losing central powers. Italy having been on the victorious allied side had high expectations after the peace treaty that ended the war, but when it came to sharing the territories it didn’t get its share as expected. They felt the other western powers, United Kingdom and France, had short-changed them, and hence began their own ideals to fulfil their enormous ambitions of being a super power. The great depression was a perfect chance for the fascist Mussolini to acquire leadership and preach the doctrines of fascism. On achieving this, he impressed his fellow fasc ist Hitler, in the neighbouring Germany, which was on the losing side after WWI and was looking to regain its military powers. Hitler borrowed a leaf from Mussolini and used the same fascism doctrines, in the version of Nazis to take control of Germany. The relationship of the two fascist, Mussolini and Hitler, grew to greater lengths having been driven by similar ambitions for their countries and fascist ideologies that gave them power as sole decision makers. Their growing ‘friendship’ and mistrust with the Allies (Britain and France) led them to make an Alliance of friendship and military assistance in the form of the ‘Pact of Steel’ agreement. This was to fulfil their own selfish goals of territorial conquest to be powerful empires. This was to be the poorest decision for them and their countrymen. They did not know they were signing a ticket to their downfall. Both were too ambitious to be cautious of the aftermath. After terrible defeats in the World War II for both Italy and Germany, fascism was replaced by democracy. In my own informed view, both countries would have been better off without the Pact of Steel agreement, and just may be World War II would never be in our History books. On the other hand, it was a great lesson for most countries in Europe on Fascism and its effects. Works Cited Blamires, Cyprian, and Jackson Paul. World Fascism: A Historical Encyclopedia; Vol.1. California, USA. ABC-Clio Inc, 2006. Print. Blinkhorn, Martin. Mussolini and Fascist Italy. New York, USA. Lancaster Pamphlets, Routledge, 1984. Print. Britt, W. Lawrence. â€Å"Fascism Anyone?† Free Inquiry Magazine 15 July. 2003: 2-4. Print. Woolf, S. J. Fascism in Europe. London, UK. Methuen Co. Publishers. 1981. Print. De Grand, J. Alexander. Italian Fascism: Its Origins and Development. USA. University of Nebraska Press. 1989. Print. Gregor, A. James. Interpretation of Fascism. Morristown, New Jersey. General Learning Press. 1974. Print. Kall is, A. Aristotle. Fascist Ideology: Territory and Expansionism in Italy and Germany, 1922-1945. New York, USA. Routledge. 2000. Print. Lowe, and Marzari, F. Italian Foreign Policy 1870-1940. New York, USA. Routledge. 2001. Print. Macdonald, Hamish. Mussolini and Italian Fascism. United Kingdom. Stanley Thornes Publishers Ltd. 1999. Print. Passmore, Kevin. Fascism: A Short Introduction. United Kingdom. Oxford University Press. 2002. Print. Payne, G. Stanley. A History of Fascism: 1914-1945, Digital Printing Edition. England, UK. Routledge. 2005. Electronic. Reich, W. The Mass Psychology of Fascism. New York, USA. Farrar, Strauss and Giroux. 1970. Print. Smith, D. Mark. Modern Italy: A Political History, United States of America. University of Michigan Press. 1997. Print. Tonge, Neil. Battles of World War II. New York, USA. The Rosen Publishing Group Inc. 2009. Print. Townley, Edward. Mussolini and Italy. Bristol, UK. Heinemann Educational Publishers. 2002. Print. This research paper on Effects of the Pact of Steel Agreement on World War II was written and submitted by user Colin Taylor 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.

16 Inspirational Christmas Quotes

16 Inspirational Christmas Quotes We wait a year to celebrate Christmas. Yet when we plan our celebration, we tend to forget those who serve us unfailingly. We gather around the Christmas tree with friends and family. But we forget to invite those who are alone in this world. This Christmas, bring joy to others with an act of kindness. Use these inspirational Christmas quotes to teach you the real meaning of giving. George Matthew Adams, The Christmas Heart: Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years... Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart. Taylor Caldwell: I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses. Ann Schultz: Let us keep Christmas beautiful without a thought of greed, that it might live forevermore to fill our every need, that it shall not be just a day, but last a lifetime through, the miracle of Christmas time that brings God close to you. Helen Keller: The only real blind person at Christmas-time is he who has not Christmas in his heart. Charles Dickens: It was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One! Dale Evans Rogers: Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, its Christmas. Bess Streeter Aldrich: Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart... filled it, too, with melody that would last forever. Alexander Smith: Christmas is the day that holds all time together. Wendy Cope: Bloody Christmas, here again, let us raise a loving cup, peace on earth, goodwill to men, and make them do the washing up. Louisa May Alcott: The rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting. Alfred, Lord Tennyson: The time draws near the birth of Christ: The moon is hid; the night is still; the Christmas bells from hill to hill answer each other in the mist. Mother Teresa: It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you... yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand. Orson Welles: Now Im an old Christmas tree, the roots of which have died. They just come along and while the little needles fall off me replace them with medallions. Ruth Carter Stapleton: Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most. W. C. Jones: The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others burdens, easing others loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas. Bob Hope: My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?

Governing carbon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Job Saisfaction and empoyee motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Saisfaction and empoyee motivation - Essay Example I strongly believe that the culture of the organisation plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the employees are satisfied with their job. Corporate culture is the pattern of shared beliefs, attitudes, assumptions and values in an organisation which shape the way people act and interact and strongly influence the ways in which things get done (Armstrong 1994). Thus, according to information obtained from the official website of Google, it can be seen that under the leadership of Schmidt, the organisation has managed to inculcate a culture of strong innovation among its employees. At Google, the culture is that every employee has something important to say and what they say is an integral part of the success of the company (www.google.com/corporate). Accommodative culture is very effective as far as job satisfaction is concerned because it creates a sense of belongingness to the organisation among the members. Through the supporting style of leadership, the employees are motivated by various factors. They are given the opportunity to be part of the decision making process whereby a leader will mainly be concerned with maintaining effective relationships among the members of the group. Achieving the organisational task requires concerted efforts of all the members in the organisation so that the chances of having conflicts will be minimal. If they have the autonomy to contribute to the decisions that affect their daily operations, then they will be in a position to identify with the organisation since they will be part of it which is one great motivating factor. At Google Inc, it can be noted that the organisation has offices around the globe but regardless of the area, the company strives to nurture an invigorating, positive environment by hiring talented, local people who share the organisation’s commitment to creating as well as perfecting the popular search engine

The Impact on the Ecosystem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Impact on the Ecosystem - Essay Example This cannot rule out the vast number of negative impacts that the human population has on the ecosystem around it; human beings, over the years, have become so greedy that their actions have begun to pollute rivers and lakes as well as the air that is breathed; factories have been dumping toxic wastes everywhere possible leading to hazardous manifestations like soil erosion and deforestation, not to forget further polluting the environment and making it impossible for beings to survive. Making room for more people to live on the planet has started resulting in a clash with the existing varieties of other species that fearfully roam the earth. Even though biological communities do exist, it must be noted that human beings are overpopulating the ecosystem that they live within and in the process, making life difficult for other beings that depend on water, air and soil for their well being too. Every species plays a strong role in the environment which represents a niche; this ecologic al niche encompasses the relationship that each organism has with its environment as a single entity or as a plural society. Looking at the niche from the point of view of humans, they have been impacting the environment that they live in, rather strongly and negatively at that. Within my personal local area, an ecosystem of interest would be my neighborhood – it is made up of various kinds of plants, animals and human beings, all co-existing together. The entire area has slowly been concretized over the years however it still retains its natural environment as a small lake thrives around the corner around which a number of plants and animals exist; the area is very well greened, giving the opportunity to a number of birds as well as small animals to make their home and live there. It must be understood that an ecosystem also consists of the non-living objects that are present within it for example, the air, water, soil around the living objects which assist the living object s to survive and thus live in conjunction with each other. This is why it is important to take care of not only the living but the non-living aspects of nature; water, air and soil are very integral to the survival of any human being and thus their contamination may lead to catastrophic circumstances for living beings. Most people in the area keep pets of all kinds as well – dogs, cats, birds, turtles, fish etc. Thus, this environment may be referred to as an ecosystem because all kinds of living creatures have been undergoing a basic biotic way of life in their natural environment. Nonetheless, with time, more and more buildings and housing societies have made their way into the area and this has led to cutting down of a significant number of trees. This further, has led to a number of small animals and plants living with the help of those trees (creepers, squirrels etc.) bar their home and move to a different place to seek shelter. With respect to this paper on how the ecos ystem is being impacted, it must be understood that man has interfered within nature to the extent that every individual is now taking up a lot more space in the environment than an animal or a plant would; this means that because of manmade interventions, it has become impossible for other aspects of the environment to survive within. It is every individual’s duty to understand the harmful manner in which he is contributing

Analysing obesity in the US

Analysing obesity in the US Obesity continues to be a growing crisis in the United States. Too many people arent taking into account that its become a serious health threat that people can prevent, but its as if people arent trying. Too much food in too many places and so much technology made for so many different things are causing people to notice their waistlines expanding. People claim that they cant help how heavy they and blame it on things such as not be able to exercise because theyre too busy, when its a number of different things. People need to start doing things in their every day life to avoid becoming obese. It seems like now days Americans are worried about their weight more than ever. With all the diet pills, health clubs, and just plain fitness craze one would think the United States would be in pretty good shape, but its the complete opposite. The more variety of unhealthy foods that are offered and the more short cuts technology are providing now days, the more Americans find their waistlines expanding. Why is it that healthy foods are so expensive and junk food is always five for the price of one? Obesity is a major problem in the United States today. With all the troubles and worries in the world, obesity is quickly becoming a very important problem to worry about. It can basically be made into a life and death situation. The parents that just sit on the couch eating chips while setting an example for their children, the schools that want to cut their physical education class, the greasy foods that fast food restaurants provide, and the major food companies that keep coming up wit h new ideas to add to the number of unhealthy choices Americans make are just a few of the many causes of this rising epidemic. Obesity is continuing to get worse as more and more people continue to eat themselves to the point where they cant do anything about it. Americans are literally eating themselves to death and do not realize it. The government continues to warn that obesity is getting out of control and something has to be done, but how is anything going to get done if nobody is doing anything about it? According to Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee from an article written by Karen Tumulty, if someone isnt willing to step in, the generation of young Americans being brought into this world today is being expected to have a shorter life span than their parents and even their grandparents (Tumulty, 2006). There are so many choices in todays food and nearly half of Americas food is proven to be unhealthy. It is not easy to make the choice between a salad with low fat dressing versus a quick plump juicy burger from McDonalds. Children are being taught that its okay to eat fast food, and arent being pushed to eat their fruits, vegetables, as well as many other things that are needed for a healthy diet. According to Kaplan (1998), â€Å"children learn to eat the wrong foods and consume empty calories from junk food each day† (p. 218). As children get older, they wont know how to make the right choices between healthy snacks and junk food. America will soon find that obesity rates have sky rocketed, and they wont be able to do anything about it. Time is running out, and someone has to step in to stop this soon to be number one killer. Although metabolism has to deal with the way people burn the food they eat, doesnt mean that the metabolism they might get from their parents is going to make them obese. Bjorntorp (2001), stated that â€Å"several observations point in the direction that physical inactivity is the main cause of the obesity epidemic† (p. 1006). If one doesnt exercise how do they expect to maintain a healthy weight? People have to eat in order to survive. Its what they eat, and how much they eat that plays a part on how their body looks. Children weight more today than they did 20 years ago and the main problem appears to be not getting enough exercise (Kaplan, 1998). How does a person think they are going to remain healthy if they dont somehow burn some of the calories they ingest daily? America is surrounded by unlimited, easily available foods. Nobody ever has to worry about running out of food. Although its hard to fight off the urge to reach for that bag of chips, its quite possible. Peopl e have to learn self will and the fact is that the more weight people gain the harder it is for them to lose weight. As just mentioned, exercising helps a person lose weight, but if someone has McDonalds for lunch and supper every day then run over five miles daily isnt going to help them to be healthier. They may not become obese, but once they become older and arent able to run as much as they used to, then they soon find their metabolism slows down. They now have to change their eating habits because they start having health problems that interfere with their everyday life. It doesnt matter how active someone can be, having an unhealthy diet can cause serious health problems later down the road. Obesity cant be blamed on only one thing; its a number of different things. Of course eating healthy is a sure way to fight off obesity. According to an online source, a studys lead author â€Å"blames the environment in which Americans live.† He says, â€Å"there is too much food available, social situations encourage overeating, restaurants compete with each other by offering bigger and bigger servings and technology has made it possible to avoid exercise† (1998). If we have problems now with trying to find ways to be active, imagine how it will be like ten years from now. Pretty soon things will be so easy that nobody will care they are obese when in todays society obesity is looked down upon. How far is this rising epidemic going to go? Discrimination goes back to the early Christian church when gluttony was one of the seven deadly sins. According to Spake (2004), â€Å"obesity was viewed as the outward manifestation of the ‘sin of overindulgence† (p. 52). It seems like today the media is trying to make it look like being overweight isnt bad. Although obesity is brought up as such a major problem, why is the media trying to make it look like being overweight isnt bad? Some would argue that its for the teenage girls that are struggling with an eating disorder. Seeing skinny models all over the television screen doesnt help teenage girls with problems like that, but seeing bigger people; even obese people, all over the television screen doesnt help children figure out that eating healthy helps you to remain fit either. Obesity can cause a lot of problems in a persons life; problems that are preventable. Becoming obese has many health problems related to it. So far, obesity is catching up to smoking as the number one cause of preventable death. According to the American Obesity Association major insurance companies boost coverage for obesity treatment and prevention, and a persons lifespan may be cut short by obesity. Obesity carries the major risk for getting type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and some cancers. Tumulty (2006) stated that, â€Å"health care providers say they are seeing something of an epidemic of potentially lethal Type II diabetes, once known as the adult-onset version of the disease, among children as young as 10 and 11† (p. 40). How are the next generations going to survive when America provides to this deadly disease known as obesity. Children learn how to eat healthy at a young age. Fact is that if children are fed healthy foods, and are taught to eat healthy foods at a young age then they are bound to keep it that way as they get older; this has to start with the parents. If parents sit on the couch and eat high fat foods then tell their children to eat right and go out and exercise isnt gong to get the job done. Parents have to keep foods that are high in fat, and sodas that are high in sugar out of the house. They should have fruits and vegetables on hand so their children learn to eat healthy. Children can have pretty much all they want of fruits and vegetables. In an interview done by Nanci Hellmich (2006) with nutrition professionals it was stated that eating habits begin with the parents. Eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables and stay away from the high fat and deep fried foods. Also be sure to have some sort of physical activity daily (p. 8d). Parents have control over what their child eats at a young age, but once the child starts to go to school, its hard to see what the child eats. This is where the school should step in. Standards should be set with the types of foods that are provided in school lunches, but how is this going to be done if there isnt any intervention from the school itself? People have control over their own body, but these day its hard for working parents to find time to prepare meals from fresh food when all they have to do is pay for cheep fast food that can by bought in big portions. Its also hard for children going to schools that are getting rid of their physical education classes and playgrounds because the school doesnt have enough money to support such things. Instead they allow vending machines and food advertising in their buildings. The article Junk Food Nation by Gary Ruskin and Juliet Schor is trying to tell people that junk food has become a major problem in the US today concerning obesity and certain people arent taking into consideration that it actually is a real problem. They blame it on other things like watching too much TV and not exercising enough. They dont think the greasy foods that fast food restaurants provide and the king sized bags of candy that gas stations sell as well as lunches that schools sell dont play a part in the young obesity in this country. When really it plays a big part and the people that should care about this problem leave it up to the people that really dont have much control over it (Ruskin Schor, 2005). If a child goes to a school that doesnt have any physical education classes and receives a unhealthy lunch everyday is bound to live an unhealthy life-style. Children these days are getting bigger than ever and its as if nobody cares. It also seems like the media is targeting the youth of the United States. Tumulty (2006) stated that, â€Å"the rates of obesity among children and teens have tripled in the past 25 years† (p. 40). The next generations are going to be bigger than ever. According to an article by Gary Ruskin and Juliet Schor (2005), â€Å"Kraft announced it would no longer market Oreos to younger children, McDonalds promoted itself as a salad producer and Coca-Cola said it wont advertise to kids under 12. But behind the scenes its hardball as usual, with junk food giants pushing the Bush Administration to defend their interests† (p. 15). Children these days are getting bigger than ever. Its not just because of the foods they eat, its because theyre parents and how they set an example for them, the school lunches theyre provided everyday, and the chances they actually get to be outside or just plain get to get up and do something. If schools are getting rid of their physical education classes, how are todays youth and Americas future youth going to be able to stay fit? With how bad obesity is now, why is America making it worse? Schools need to make it clear to children about the effects of eating unhealthy. Grimm (n.d.) stated that a â€Å"Department of Agriculture study calculated that 95% of the 10,000 food commercials children see each year pitch high fat, high sugar products† (p. 108). How far are big food companies willing to go to make the future generations of America even unhealthier than it already is? America knows that obesity has become something serious, yet schools are marketing to their students with allowing vending machines with unhealthy foods as well as soda machines with drinks that are high in sugar and calories while getting rid of their physical education classes because they dont have enough money to support it. Vending companies are offering schools money just so the school will market their product. Its almost as if food companies are more worried about their own businesses rather than worrying about this growing health issue occurring in the United States. Overeating seems to be a problem in the United States today. This can be one of the main causes for the number of obese people in America. Restaurants provide huge meals and fast food restaurants provide large portions of greasy foods for cheep. A glycemic index (GI) indicates the rate at which carbohydrates are digested and absorbed and this can also trigger over eating (Amersbach, 1999). Foods with a low GI includes fruit and vegetables; foods with a medium GI include milk and oatmeal; and foods with a high GI includes the foods that Americans love such as muffins, donuts, and so on. If one eats a low GI breakfast its been proven that they feel fuller and eat less through out the day. If one eats a high GI breakfast then those people usually find that theyre eating an hour later because they feel hungry. If a person is hungry two hours after a meal, the fact is that theyve eaten the wrong foods. Obesity can cause a lot of problems in a persons everyday life. Imagine going to a theater and not being able to fit into the seats or having to buy an extra plane ticket because its not possible to fit into just one seat, but most of all imagine going out in public while having every person just stare. Obesity doesnt just cause health problems; it causes mental and physiological problems as well. How can eating; the simplest thing ever, turn into something so deadly? Why do people seem to indulge in so many unhealthy foods when they know the consequences? With all the choices there are in America and all the marketing for unhealthy foods, it shouldnt surprise people that obesity has become a fatal problem in the United States today; a fatal problem that can be prevented. If something isnt done now, obesity will continue to threaten the lives of many. How can one avoid becoming obese? Its simple; eat right, exercise, and remember that obesity is a disease that is treatable, but one h as to be willing to help their self. No drugs and prescriptions can treat this disease. Its the personal responsibility a person must have to keep their body fit and to live a healthy lifestyle. References Amersbach, G. (1999, November). Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. In a low-fat world, why are Americans getting fatter? Retrieved April 10, 2008, from, http://nutrition.tufts.edu/magazine/1999fall/ roberts.html. Bjorntorp, P. (2001, September 22). Thrifty genes and human obesity. Are we chasing ghosts? Lancet, 358, 1006-1008. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from EBSCOhost. CNN.com. (1998, May 28). Study: Americans fatter than ever and getting even fatter. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from, http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9805/28/obesity/ Grimm, M. (n.d.). Is marketing to kids ethical? Business, pp. 107-112. Hellmich, N. (2006, April 5). How parents can handle the sensitive but critical topic of weight. USA Today. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from EBSCOhost. Kaplan, P. (1998). Human Odyssey: Life-Span Development. Sixth Edition.: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company: Pacific Grove, CA. Ruskin, G., Schor, J. (2005, August 29). Junk food nation. The Nation, 281, 15-17. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from EBSCOhost. Spake, A. (2004, February 9). Rethinking weight. U.S. New World Report, 136, 50- 56. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from EBSCOhost. Tumulty, K. (2006, March 27). The politics of fat. Time, 167, 40-43. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from EBSCOhost.

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream :: Literary Analysis, F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby depicts the 1920’s Jazz Age, and how society operates under the influence of the American Dream. Society during this time period consists of huge hopes and dreams for improvement of the self. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream hides behind a mirage of beauty and splendor, buy in reality the corruption and illusions within this dream entice Americans to become drawn into its web of lies, deceit, and greed. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald strongly criticizes the American Dream (Seschachari 1). Fitzgerald shows readers the American Dream in this time period is centered on romanticism, material items, youth, and an emergence of selfishness (Seschachari 2). People value tangible items over strong moral values. A life of extravagance, however, does not always come without repercussions. People in this society live in a pretend world of beauty, but in reality the American Dream is a defective illusion. In the American Dream, equality is an impossible feat and even though Americans have an abundance of opportunities, people will always be suppressed from true achievement (Hearne 191). Meyer Wolfshiem, a corrupt business man, represents how disillusioned the American Dream is. His mannerisms reek of brutality, yet he sits pleasantly in a restaurant while exchanging pleasantries with Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway (Hearne 192). Fitzgerald writes, â€Å"A small, flat-nosed Jew raised his large head and regarded me with two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril. After a moment I discovered his tiny eyes in the half-darkness† (Fitzgerald 69). (Check how to quote) Also, Wolfsheim boasts his cuff buttons are actual human molars; nevertheless, Wolfshiem is regarded by Jay Gatsby as a pleasant gentlemen. This demonstrates the faà §ade of brutality that Wolfshiem portrays. Wolfshiem ultimately represents corruption in the American Dream (Hearne 192). Fitzgerald’s ultimate goal in writing The Great Gatsby is to shed light on the illusions in the American Dream to the people of America (Hearne 189). If Americans are better informed about the American Dream, they are less likely to fall subject to its evils. (Add too or move) Jay Gatsby, in particular, becomes a strangely unique character in The Great Gatsby. Even though Jay Gatsby strives for the best material items, he does not strive for these items in hopes of attaining any type of dream except a romantic one (Seshachari 2).

The Fuel Behind the Rapid Spread of Islam During

The religion of Islam is the second largest belief system in the world with over one billion believers. As of 2009, almost one quarter of the world's population follow after Islam, second only to Christianity. But roughly 15 centuries ago, this was not true at all concerning Islam. The populations that now embrace Islam have roots in a polytheistic society where Islam did not yet exist. Christianity was clearly the dominant religion of that time period and the wide influence of the Byzantine Empire ensured the continued influence of the Church. Some historians have noted that nothing substantial seemed to stand out culturally or militarily concerning the emerging Muslim population when compared with Europe. Simon Barton of the University of Exeter writes in his book review concerning the work, The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In: â€Å"Why did Islam prove so conspicuously successful in galvanizing the energies of its adherents? Why was it, given that the Muslims achieved no significant breakthrough in military technology that the well-established great powers with which they came into conflict – notably the Byzantine and Persian empires in the east – or the Visigothic kingdom in the west proved unable to halt their advance? † (Sidelko 2009, 466) The fact that the emerging Muslim society didn't appear to have an overwhelming advantage in the years leading up to the seventh century growth explosion of Islam begs the very question that Simon Barton just asked. In this paper, I will attempt to discuss some of the conditions that help account for the rapid spread of Islam during the 7th century, such as the political conditions surrounding the Byzantine Empire, conditions surrounding Orthodoxy and Catholicism, and conditions surrounding the introduction of Islam as a religion. From the 6th century leading into the 7th century, the Byzantine Empire became locked in a series of wars with the Persian Empire. These conflicts began around 500 A. D. , and lasted nto the first decades of the 7th century. These disputes brought about a great strain upon resources for both empires. Both lands were diminished and did not have enough time to lick their wounds before raids from Muslim groups started becoming more and more frequent. Although the Byzantine Empire seemed to have some form of victory over the Persian Empire, that notion became meaningless when Persian Empire under the rule of the Sasanian dynasty began to fall to the Arabs raiders who were becoming more organized as time progressed. Eventually, the Persian Empire was completely absorbed– just as the Oxford Islamic Studies Online article states, â€Å"The surprising speed at which the conquests took place can be attributed to the weakness of countries debilitated by long external conflicts (the Sasanian Empire) or by the fragility of internal structure (The Spread of Islam). † The Byzantine Empire lost much of their territory that they had claimed from the Persians. They simply were not ready for a fresh, new challenger after dealing with a century long war. This is one of the conditions that accounts for the rapid growth of Islam. Many Arabs had become fervent followers of Islam at this point and Muslims had gained established, strong leadership which was directing their growing forces despite Mohammad's death. With the gaining of new territory, the message of Islam would no doubt follow along. Without successes from the likes of Charles Martel, the Byzantine Empire could have ended up like the Persians. Again, the Oxford Islamic Studies Online article writes, â€Å"The eighth century saw further expansions eastwards as far as the river Indus and the Sind region and westwards through northern Africa to Spain and France where the over-stretched army was stopped at the battle of Poitiers by Charles Martel†. (The Spread of Islam) The Byzantine Empire was greatly diminished, but still managed, however, to stay intact enough to prevent total assimilation of the Arab conquest. During the time of the 7th century, Christianity was largely split into two main groups– Orthodoxy and Catholicism. These two counterparts of Christianity often times were at odds because of discrepancies over where the true source of Church authority actually resided within the Byzantine Empire. As a result, Christian fringe groups in countries such as Egypt or Palestine would be easily labeled as heretics and would find themselves disassociated from the Church. When the Arab conquest claimed these lands, they tended to show more tolerance for non Muslims in exchange for good citizenship within he new Islamic environment. Also, Islam was fresh and hadn't begun to suffer from its own power struggles from within the belief system. As Shenk writes, â€Å"One wonders what parallels to Muslim Spain might be found in the rise of an Islamic presence in the heart of the European Balkans. Bosnia's capital Sarajevo adds the intrigue of its location along the historic fault line between the two major branches of the Christian heritage in the region, Orthodox and Catholic. In any number of centuries since the arrival of Slavic peoples in migrations dating from the sixth and seventh centuries (C. E. ), recruitment efforts based both in Rome and in Constantinople (Istanbul today) were zealous to secure the allegiance of the newly arriving tribes for their respective church orbits. † (Shenk et al 2006) This tolerance is described as a sort of legacy that some regions of the Muslim world have left behind. Many oppressed throughout history after the seventh century could flee to certain parts of the Muslim world for refuge. Muslims believed in one true God, and they determined that the rule of the land and Islam should be the same– one people, one government, and one religion without any distinctions. This characteristic, along with Muslims early tolerance of fringe Christian groups seems to have given Islam a subtle, but unique advantage over the appeal that Orthodoxy and Catholicism had towards other Christians. As a result of this, Islam was better able to retain more territories and perhaps even convert more people over to their faith. These conditions also help account for the rapid spread of Islam during the 7th century. Paul Sidelko s remarks in his review of Hugh Kennedy's book, â€Å"Whether it was demographic decline and internal political divisions that sapped the morale of many of Islam’s rivals, or the motivation, leadership and mobility that characterized the Muslim military machine, Kennedy wisely concludes that in the final analysis timing was everything. If Muhammad had been born a generation earlier, it is unlikely that he or his successors would have achieved what they did. (Sidelko 2009, 466) One cannot know for certain what would have happened if Muhammad started spreading Islam a generation earlier. But, I would tend to agree with Sidelko (and Kennedy's) notion that if Muhammad had lived to spread Islam in 300 A. D. rather than in 500 A. D. , Islam may not have spread so well. Also, nothing really stood out about early Muslim culture or technology during the times leading up to their conquest. â€Å"The main reason the early presence of Muslims is difficult to find in the archaeological record is not because we don't know where or how to look for it; it is because it isn't there. Outside of Arabia, Muslims have been a minority of immigrants at first and have tended to assimilate to the local material culture. Local converts to Islam have tended to keep their own material culture. † (Morony 2006, 437) Early Muslims simply didn't stand out even with the archaeological record. To me, this suggests that Byzantine Empire would have been stronger, and far more equipped to handle a growing adversary who was still a minority if Islam's rise happened earlier in history. The Persian Empire may not have yielded so readily, perhaps keeping Islam contained even further. And the conditions in Arab society may not have been quite so receptive to Muhammad's new religion. Muhammad faced opposition for many years before he was successful at gaining any traction for his Islamic teachings among the Arab people. One hundred years earlier may have been even more difficult to do– especially since the Arabs were polytheistic well before Muhammad started to spread Islam. There is also something to be said about how fervent the Muslims became about Islam once it finally started to become popular after Muhammad's death. The Arabs took with them a fresh faith with a fresh sense of fervency that was not equally matched the war torn Byzantine and Persian Empires. â€Å"For the first five centuries or so since the earliest, and most traumatic, encounter between Christendom and Islam in the second quarter of the seventh century, Christian attitudes to Islam had been compounded of ignorance, misperception, hostility and fear. † (Fletcher et al 2003). Such hostility and fear may not have been aroused by a younger, stronger Byzantine Empire. So then, the mere timing of the introduction of Islam seems to account for why this faith spread so rapidly during the 7th century. When one considers how the present is interwoven with the past, it is amazing to consider how the teachings of one man could spread so quickly across the world hundreds of years ago, and yet still maintain a quarter of the world's population as followers in present times. It is amazing to think that Islam perhaps wouldn't be prevalent at all if Muhammad or his successors were born too early or too late for the Muslim message to catch on due to unforeseen cultural influences. What if Muhammad had been born elsewhere? And to think– what if somehow the Byzantine Empire had found a way to better manage their constant fighting with Persia, or if the Catholic Church had exercised more tolerance like the Muslims first did after acquiring new lands that had a noticeable Christian population? A change in these factors could have certainly changed the course of history. But as things are, these conditions of the past are the reasons why Islam spread so rapidly centuries again, and is still one of the largest religions in the world today.