A Winning Political Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Winning Political Strategy - Essay Example A Winning Political Strategy The Progressive Socialists (PS) is the main party that will ultimately win the elections but it can only win the elections through a coalition with the Conservatives of Urbania (CU). The Progressive Socialists (PS) Party’s ideology is on reformed communism whereas the ideology for the Conservatives of Urbania (CU) is conservative. These two ideologies when brought together and blended well will automatically win the elections with a landslide. Information states that the votes swing to the left meaning that the Progressive Socialists Party is in a better position to form a coalition with the Conservatives of Urbania Party (Barbara and Robert 19). The Progressive Socialists have an exceptionally strong winning point on the ideal tax rate, which is to keep the tax rates as low as possible as compared to the other parties. This is a strong campaign point since the majority of the Urbanians will be able to enjoy extra savings after taxation. This is ideal for the economy since it will spur growth and individual investments will increase. Naturally, people are attracted to parties that will ensure that they will tax them minimal tax, which is an advantage to the Progressive Socialists Party. The ideological type of the Progressive Socialists Party also is particularly strong considering the concept that they have in regard to being reformed communist. (Palombara and Weiner 7). Currently in the world, there is a humungous concept that capitalism is not working. This is evident from the recent recession that happened just recently and currently what is happening in Europe. Europe is experiencing the Euro Crisis due to the capitalist ’s ideology and therefore the reformed communist ideology is decidedly much ideal. The Conservatives of Urbania (CU) Party ideology is on conservative. This means that a combination of both ideologies, which are, reformed communist and conservative will be a strong alliance when both parties merge for a coalition. The origin of political parties and the circumstances under which parties first arise is paramount. This means that in a developing political system, the party’s initial tone and configuration have a significant effect on the kind of parties that subsequently emerge (Palombara and Weiner 7). This coalition will be an externally created party meaning that the parties will merge outside the legislature and invariably involve some challenges to the ruling group and a demand for representation. The stakes are too high for both parties to have the majority votes, which in turn, will lead to majority representation. A ruling coalition requires a majority representa tion in order to ensure that the ruling governments’ agendas are pushed forward for effect legislation. This will also ensure that the opposition does not sabotage the ruling party’s operations (Palombara and Weiner 10). The purpose of the coalition between the Progressive Socialists (PS) Party and the Conservatives of Urbania (CU) Party would be to build grassroots organizations that would ensure a win. Since both parties ideologies can be harmonized together, both parties will have a common vision during the campaigns. This will ensure that the coalition parties exist with the organization and structure leading to a visionary direction and leadership. The key strategy here is to ensure that the partners have a feeling of them being partners rather than feeling part of the campaign (Palombara and We

Frankensteins Monster Essay Example for Free

Frankensteins Monster Essay In the beginning of the story, Elizabeth who was adopted daughter of Victor Frankensteins parents falls ill to a deadly illness, which is called scarlet fever. Victor Frankensteins mother nurses Elizabeth, and she finally gets better; however Victor Frankensteins mother contracts the illness with fatal consequences. Victor Frankenstein becomes very upset when his mother dies. This event make Victor Frankenstein very determined to study and become a doctor and preserve life. Victor Frankenstein goes to a university in Ingolstadt to study. He seems to be in two minds about his, departure for Ingolstadt, which had been deferred by these events, because he feels guilty about leaving the house of mourning so soon but he is very eager to study. When Frankenstein begins his study at the university, he becomes interested in bringing people back to life. He becomes so interested that he convinces himself that he could revive a dead human being back to life, one of the phenomena which had peculiarly attracted my attention was the structure of the human frame, and indeed, any animal endued with life. The next part of the story is when Victor Frankenstein creates the creature and he tries to bring him to life by using electricity, I collected the instruments of life around me, might I infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing . Once the creature gains life, Victor Frankenstein describes the creature as a demon and a wretch. Frankenstein can only see what the creature looks like on the outside and so believes the creature is evil, How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? Mary Shelley makes the reader feel sympathy for the creature by the way see the way the monster was made this fill us full of horror because the way he was made is completely unnatural I dabbled among the unhallowed damps of the grave or tortured the living animals to animate the lifeless clay This make u feel that the monster was born out of pain and horror. Another way Mary Shelley make feel sympathy for the creature is the way she describes the place the creature was made as no one should be brought in to the world in a place like that In a solitary chamber, or rather cell, at the top of the house, and separated from all the other apartments by a gallery and staircase, I kept my workshop of filthy creations Some readers may gain sympathy towards the monster as Frankenstein refers to the monster as filthy as may mean filthy as physically filthy or mentally filthy. One of the biggest ways that Mary Shelley gains sympathy for the creature is the way she describes him, this tells the reader how ugly he is and it also tells the reader what Frankenstein thinks of him His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles arteries beneath; his hair was of lustrous black, and following; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but seemed almost the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. The description Mary Shelley uses gives the image that the creature is evil although the creatures personality is pleasant. Also this is how Frankenstein sees the creature as Frankenstein should be a farther figure and towards the creature he should help the creature to learn about the world instead he is disgusted by what he has created also and only see what the creature looks like not how the creature is inside and so he believes the creature is evil. One other way is the way that Frankenstein flees his creation The miserable monster whom I had created. He held up the curtains of the bed; and his eyes, if they maybe called, were fixed on me. His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks. He might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out seeming to detain me, but I escaped and rushed down the stairs. I took refuse in the courtyard belonging to the house, which I inhabited. This makes you feel sympathy towards the monster because Frankenstein should be like a father towards the monster and help him through the early stages of his life but instead he abandons him leaves him to survive on his own. Probably the monster feels frightened, and confused, as he is like a newborn baby unaware of anything also not knowing anything. Uneducated, Victor Frankensteins creation is forced to fend for itself, and find food, even he doesnt know how to or what food is.

War On Drugs Effective Criminology Essay

War On Drugs Effective Criminology Essay Supply and demand is the major problem we have with combating drugs. Many Central and South American governments are often targeted as objects of its now age old and publicly demonized War on Drugs. Many of these governments have been singled out as cooperators in the production or trafficking of drugs. Now America has started a new war: a war on terrorism. Many of the aforementioned governments have withstood the half-hearted efforts of the War on Drugs, but now the question arises, will they withstand the more widely supported War on Terrorism? The Nixon Administration In 1969, Richard Nixon became president, narcotic usage had already reached crisis levels in the United States (Marcy, 2010). Contrary to what many people believe, this was not something that developed under his administration, President Nixon took action against it. Nixons strategy was arguable successful but he did not have a lot of more options, it was either ignoring it or doing something about it and he decided to do what he thought was right. Nixon felt that he had a national responsibility to stop the nation from being destroyed by drugs; in his administrations view, narcotics threatened the very fabric of U.S. society (Marcy, 2010). The war on drugs started in the middle of a war; Vietnam was in its prime and the drug addiction problem inside the U.S. military was immense. In early 1966, military authorities began to investigate the levels of illegal drug use in their ranks; the Department of Defense estimated that between 1967 and 1970, the use of marijuana, heroin, and hard narcotics in the armed forces had double each year (Marcy, 2010). The problem was not a local problem; it had spread across the United States, from college students to factory workers and the military. President Nixons administration attempted several strategies to stop the use of drugs in the United States. To address the narcotics epidemic, the Nixon administration proposed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act in 1969 (Marcy, 2010). This plan was designed to consolidate most of the drugs legislation already in place. This plan was geared towards cutting supply and demand for drugs in the United States by creating rehabilitation and education programs while strengthening law enforcement. This plan increased law enforcement training and cooperation between the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) and the Customs Bureau and created two new enforcement agencies: the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE) and the Office of National Narcotics Intelligence (ONNI) (Marcy, 2010). The plan was to overwhelm drug trafficking organizations and therefore win the war against drugs while educating and rehabilitating drug addicts in order to be effective in the long run. The Nixon administrations efforts at international narcotics control during the late 1960s were focused on stemming the flow of heroin from Turkey, France, and Mexico into the United States (Marcy, 2010). Lack of resources and a weak economy due to The Great Depression impeded United States access to areas outside of Mexico. This and other factors let drug trafficking organizations develop more sophisticated ways of trafficking illicit drugs to the United States almost freely and without much hassle. The war on drugs was a disaster; between the 1970 and 1975, the number of first-time cocaine users in the United States jumped from 301,000 to 652,000 people annually (Marcy, 2010). Instead of the numbers declining, the numbers kept increasing. By the late 1970s not only Peru and Bolivia were a threat to the war on drugs but Colombia had become the pillar of drug trafficking to the United States. By 1976 it was clear that approximately 90 percent of the cocaine shipments destined for the United States passed through Colombia (Marcy, 2010). After that, Colombia started to produce marijuana and increased their shipments of drugs to the United States repeatedly, their violent mode of operations had them atop drug trafficking organizations and earned them respect across the globe. Drugs and the Reagan Administration By the time, Ronald Reagan was elected president drugs in the United States were being sold at an alarming rate. In fact, crack cocaine was so large, that the epidemic was on the consciousness of every American (Marcy, 2010). President Reagans War on Drugs allowed the military to not only help fight it, but to provide intelligence, equipment, and training to federal, state, and local law enforcement (Marcy, 2010). The Reagan War on Drugs put pressure on the Joint Chiefs of Staff to get the military even more involved in the War on Drugs (Marcy, 2010). The Joint Chiefs of Staff were pressured so hard, that the Army gave $277 million in equipment to help fight the drug trade. In the early 80s, Reagan redoubled efforts at curbing imports, further militarized drug policy, and brought about mandatory minimum sentences for minor drug offenses. In 1980, the FBIs Uniform Crime report listed fewer than a hundred thousand arrests for heroin and cocaine, which were tabulated together. By 1989, that figure had jumped to more than seven hundred thousand arrests (Grim, 2009). The drug enforcement bill President Reagan signed in 1986 was criticized for promoting significant racial disparities in the prison population and critics also charged that the policies did little to reduce the availability of drugs on the street, while resulting in a great financial burden for America. The Reagan administration was criticized for its slow response to the growing HIV epidemic. As thousands became infected with the virus, he did not increase funding to try to discover cures rather he downplayed the situation. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act required a minimum of 10 years to life for a first drug conviction, 20 years to life for a second and life in prison if the possession could be tied to a death or serious bodily injury. In addition, the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1974 , was also established to empower the Department of Justice (DOJ) to seize assets derived from drug trafficking (Libby, 2008). Drugs in the Golden The Golden Triangle and the Golden Crescent are very much two distinct areas of the globe, the former located in the areas around Burma, Thailand, and Laos, the latter located around Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. (Chouvy, 2010) The Golden Triangle, encompassed by Burma or Myanmar has a very bloody history. The Chinese people became addicted to the drugs in return China had made such a stand outlawing the import of opiates once the government learned the ill effects of the drug. Consequently, Britain went to war in the Opium Wars to try to force free trade onto the Chinese in order to foster British exports (Marchant, 2002). Afghanistan, which is majority of the area known as the Golden Crescent, has been known to be the worlds greatest producer of opium and drug trafficking account for a third of the total Afghan economy. Alongside the War of Terrorism the control and eradication of the opium production and related trafficking is a main concern of the international community, Drug use is often a response to war, poverty, and under-development, however, street opium and heroin manufactured in the country are widely available, affordable and of high purity (Maguet Majeed, 2010). The Taliban were smart economists you could say amongst other things and used the Opiates to create a so called shortage to sky rocket the price before increasing the development of the poppy to export for a higher fee. Through Islam law, the Taliban government got over half of profits via taxes from every crop sold and used the money to finance an army of insurgents. While the Taliban has been disrupted by the US following the attacks on the WTC and their support of Al-Qaieda the economic structure they created in their mountainous ranges continue to grow unanswered. The Golden Crescent came to be also out of the outlawing of the drug in neighboring countries; namely China and Iran. It is striking that the Golden Crescent became so lucrative so fast directly following a sheer drop off in the output and demand for the Golden Triangle Opiates. Drugs and Terrorism The merger of trans-national crime, terrorism and corruption is profound; the idea that these ideas can be discussed separately is problematic. (Shelley, 2003). Terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have changed the way law enforcement and governments see terrorist, guerrillas, and organized crime. They represent a greater danger than organized crime organizations because they adopted tactics from all kinds of different criminal, terrorist, and other organizations. A terrorist organization is connecting with scholars, international organizations, and the government. This represents a particular danger because they are usually more aggressive and violent than an organized crime group but working as an organized crime group. It is a complicated situation; terrorist organizations like Hezbollah have seen the benefits or expanding their networks outside the border of where their ideology originally started. They are connecting with o ther organizations and at the same time exploiting the illicit drug market in order to conduct further operations and to make a profit. The illicit businesses are now the largest and most profitable to be located in the developing world; for example, the drug trade now represents about 7% of world trade according to late 1990s estimates of the United Nations and their vast profits and enormous assets make them powerful actors in their home countries and in their regions (Shelley, 2003). When these guerrillas organizations deal with outside markets, they often make more money than what they would make in their respective countries and that makes them powerful. They often manipulate and bribe government officials taking advantage of the economic situations in certain areas. The biggest difference and danger is the ideology of terrorist organizations/guerrilla, organized crime often seeks to profit and do not have other agendas that could endanger innocent people as long as they stay of their way but terrorist organizations and guerrillas do. They are groups that were created in order to fight for a cause and by profiti ng they way they do they become more dangerous. Latin America and Drugs In Latin America, various criminal organizations operate like any multinational corporation, with separate divisions for cultivating the drugs, exports, transportation, distribution and finance. The guerrillas protect the drug traffickers because the latter supply weapons mainly from Cuba and Libya. These guerrillas reportedly attacked prisons to free drug traffickers who were, for example, caught along the northern coast of Colombia. Terrorists and guerrilla organizations in Latin America exchange not only arms, but also intelligence and services for money laundering. The drugs provide quick and assured financial gain, they also serve an international currency funding terrorist activities and guerrilla warfare (Ehrenfeld et. al, 1986, p.1). In parts of Colombia, guerrilla groups are allied with narco-traffickers who pay them to guard their laboratories. In areas such as Magdalena River Valley, traffickers have armed paramilitary groups to protect their property against the guerrilla s, who maintain they are fighting for land reform to benefit poor peasants (US Department of State Dispatch, 1992). As a result of the significant decline in funding of guerrilla and terrorist groups, these groups have become increasingly reliant on drug trafficking as a principal funding source. The terrorist and extremist groups derive much of their drug-related income from taxation levied for protection of drug powers, laboratories, clandestine landing fields, and transport of drugs of chemicals through guerrilla-controlled territory (Library of Congress, 2002, p. 1). Conclusion In spite of documentation showing the effectiveness of the current war on drugs, I do not see the light at the end of the tunnel. When the numbers of production of drugs, such as coca in Columbia are down, everyone is quick to claim the end of the 40-year battle against cocaine. Really, these numbers do not mean much for slowing, stopping, or eradicating drugs. This drug war is raging more violently than ever. The drugs are plentiful, cheap and as addictive as ever. The violence used to obtain the drugs has turn into terrorism at a global level.

A Critical Exploration of Klein’s Discarded Factory in Connection With

There is an undoubtedly enormous influence on the world by consumerism. Consumerism and capitalism shape the nation that we live in today. Everyone knows this because they see advertisements all day long on television, on the radio, on billboards and through hundreds of other mediums. Unfortunately, what the world is not exposed to is what goes on behind the marketing and the ultimate final sale. There is a dark side to capitalism created not only by shady merchants, but the worldwide multi-national companies as well. What both of these excerpts portray is the idea that there is more to the products we buy than we are told, or unfortunately, that we bother to ask about. Through the use of interviewing, traveling, and criticism, these authors do a fine job in analyzing the relationships between branding and marketing, and more importantly, between our modern day consumption habits and hidden production processes. Based on what we see through advertising and what we are told by sales associates in stores, we assume that many of the products that we are exposed to are of high quality, which justifies the high prices. For example, we pay higher prices for a Nike shoe than a brand less shoe because from what we know, it is made better. While some people have the sense to realize that a name doesn’t make that much of a difference, the scale to which we are misled is much greater than we think. Stoller points out one instance on the streets of Harlem in the following passage: And so they traveled uptown to invest in bolts of wholesale ‘Ghanaian kente,’ which they brought to their sweatshops in lower Manhattan, producing hundreds of ‘kente’ caps at a price cheaper than one could get by buying cloth on 125th Street and commission... ...rs were buying the African image. These two authors proved in different ways that there are flaws in consumerism. While Stoller didn’t attack the market as Klein did, he shed light on an underground society that people did not know too much about, even though we see them every day. That idea is eerily similar to multi-national brands that we see every day, doing things that we as consumers unfortunately, do not know too much about. This grand scheme of giving up ethics for an increased profit is not only inconveniencing us consumers on the streets of Manhattan with fake cloth, thanks to Klein, we can see that it is literally destroying the world. Works Cited Stoller, Paul. 2002. Money Has No Smell: The Africanization of New York City. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Klein, Naomi. 1999. No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies. Canada: Knopf Canada.

Macbeth: Victim or Villan

Macbeth: Victim or Villain William Shakepear’s Macbeth is a tragedy that contains a perfect example of how lust for power can twist one’s thoughts, emotions, and personality. Even the noblest human being can become malicious when faced with the opportunity to gain power. Macbeth, the play’s protagonist, comes face to face with this exact dilemma, causing him to transform from a valiant war hero into a murderous villain. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth’s future is foretold by three witches. The first prediction is stated by the first witch saying, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis† (I. ii. 48)! Thane of Glamis was already Macbeth’s title; therefore the first witch is correct. The second witch predicts that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor. Immediately after the witches disappear, a message comes for Macbeth saying that he will now be the Thane of Cawdor as a result of the preceding Thane’s act of treason. The final prediction made by the witches was that Macbeth would be â€Å"†¦King hereafter† (I. iii. 50. ). At first, Macbeth dismisses the predictions, but because the first two predictions from the witches are correct, Macbeth concludes that the third must be true as well. The prospect of gaining power as king appeals to Macbeth, but he does not yet know how he will become king. Macbeth decides to take matters into his own hands, creating a plot to kill the current King of Scotland, thereby speeding up the time between now and Macbeth’s coronation. The witches’ predictions have already taken root in his brain and, by dwelling on them, Macbeth allows his evil thoughts to grow and flourish. This causes him to carry out his evil deeds along with his wife, Lady Macbeth, who has also become lethal in the pursuit of power. After realizing that he can make himself king, Macbeth concocts a plan to kill Duncan, the present King. Macbeth and his wife decide to kill Duncan when he comes, as a guest, to their castle. At this point, Macbeth can easily change his mind and allow the future to take its course without his interference, but instead, his decision to kill Duncan remains. After murdering Duncan, Macbeth feels a wave of guilt. As the play goes on, Macbeth’s conscience begins to become numb to the idea of taking the life of someone else. The next major character in the story that is killed is Banquo. In the play, Banquo is also given a prediction by the witches: â€Å"Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none† (I. iii. 67. ). This means that although Banquo is not king, his descendants will be. Macbeth realizes that this may be a problem later on and it may interfere with him being king. Banquo is also suspicious about how Macbeth is able to become king. He says â€Å"Thou hast is now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, / As the weird women promised, and I fear / thou play’dst most foully for ‘t† (III. i. 1-3). With the prospect of Banquo’s descendants becoming king and the possibility that Banquo is suspicious of how he became king, Macbeth decides that Banquo and Banquo’s son, Fleance, must be exterminated. Macbeth hires murderers to kill the two of them as they both go horseback riding. Though Banquo is a close friend of Macbeth, this does not stop him from murdering both Banquo and Banquo’s son in Macbeth’s quest for power. Subsequently, Macbeth returns to the witches to get more information about his future. Macbeth is so concerned about keeping his crown that he willingly goes to the witches so he can figure out which action to take next in order to maintain his power. While there, he is given four more predictions in the form of apparitions. The first apparition, which is an armored head, says â€Å"Beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife† (IV. i. 71-72. ). This apparition means that Macbeth should be wary of Macduff because he somehow poses a threat to Macbeth. Macbeth refuses to allow Macduff to be the one that ends Macbeth’s rule as king. Without a second thought Macbeth hires murderers to go to Macbeth’s castle and kill everyone there, but what Macbeth does not know is that Macduff is not in his castle. Macduff is in Engla nd convincing Malcom, Duncan’s son, to send an army to Dunsinain. This is the same army that ultimately leads to Macbeth’s doom. This means that Macbeth has killed the innocent people in Macbeth’s castle for nothing. Macbeth has multiple opportunities to change his mind about his pursuit of the crown, but he still chooses to kill innocent people for his own selfish gain. Macbeth’s judgment is repetitively clouded by his quest for power throughout the novel. His apathy towards his murderous ways makes him a villain in the play. His identity changes from a war hero to a bloodthirsty tyrant. This shows that anyone is capable of becoming evil when given the right motive.

Saturday School

Who would want to spend their Saturday at school, no one? As soon as that very last bell rings on Friday you and everyone else are ready to get out of there. When Saturday comes around all I want to do that day is hang with friends, sleep in all day, or something fun. I am sure you feel and many others agree with what I am thinking. Spending your Saturday at school is something you certainly do not want to do! On Saturday I’m all set to go to a friend’s house and have some fun. That day I don’t have a worry in the world.I get to stay up all night and enjoy being with my friend’s. Nobody even wants to think twice about anything school associated. I highly doubt anyone would rather go to school on Saturday than just going one extra hour a day, the rest of the week. I mean come on. It is ridiculous to spend your Saturday at school instead of at your friend’s house. It is not ethical to go to school on Saturday when you’re supposed to be sleeping in all day! We teenagers need as much sleep as we can get to develop properly. Please really think about this.Going to school for just one extra hour is not that unreasonable. If you choose to go on Saturday that is a complete seven hours you cannot spend sleeping in. Lastly, the most significant reason we should not have school on a Saturday is you’re supposed to be doing something fun that day! What if you had a trip planned that Saturday to go to mall or maybe even skydiving? If you end up choosing to have school that Saturday you cannot go now! Saturday’s are meant to be all about fun and nothing to do with education.That is our day off to have fun and be free of school. It is not our day to be locked up for hours in a boring old school. Really think about what I am saying! You will regret it if you do not! In conclusion, Saturday school should be entirely out of the question. On Saturday, your day should consist of hanging with a friend, sleeping in all day or ju st doing something enjoyable. Before you make a verdict, truly think about what I said and make the choice you and I both know is the right one!

Stories of Scottsboro essays

Stories of Scottsboro essays "Stories of Scottsboro" by James Goodman is an in-depth look at the case and overall events that occurred when nine black men are accused of raping two young white women. The black men range in age from thirteen to nineteen. And the two women whom they are accused of raping are seventeen and twenty-one years old. The men are arrested in March of 1931 at a train depot in Paint Rock Alabama after getting into a fight with a group of white men around the same age on the train earlier that day. They are then taken to a jail in Scottsboro Alabama because Scottsboro is the county seat of Jackson County. They were sentenced to death after a rushed and racially based trial, which caused much controversy within the United States and attracted attention around the globe. "Stories of Scottsboro" is told from a third-person point of view and is written as a narrative. James Goodman is not presenting new information in this book; he is just arranging information that is already known to exist into an easy to follow retelling of the events that occurred during the trials through the eyes of people that were there. Goodman's book is written in an interesting way. The book is divided into fifty-four rather short chapters in which he tells the story from a different perspective in each chapter, but still in the form of a narrative. With this narrative style and division of chapters into different perspectives, the book flows very well and captures the events taking place very thoroughly. He lists his sources in the bibliography and also briefly explains what his sources are in the preface. In the preface he says, "My sources include diaries, memoirs, oral histories, and autobiographies; previous histories of Scottsboro and numerous other works of history " Goodman's goal with this book is to tell the stories of what happened on a more individual level in contrast to solely explaining why the men were arrested and how they were not given a fair t...

Free Essays on King Lear

King Lear Essay Outline #6 – Examine the characteristics that make the evil characters temporarily succeed. For what reasons do they fail? I – Introduction  · A Shakespearean play that closely relates to society.  · The evil characters temporarily succeed but fail in the end.  · They think they can outsmart society but get what they deserve in the end.  · Jealousy erupts between the two sisters.  · Edmund’s peculiar change of heart.  · Cornwall didn’t have enough knowledge to persecute Lear and Gloucester.  · Evil characters had to many obstacles to succeed and failed due to other conflicts. Thesis: By looking at Regan’s, Goneril’s, Edmund’s, and Cornwall’s determination for control, desire for power, and lack of conscience they temporarily succeed but fail in the end due to jealousy, change of heart, and lack of control II – Body Paragraph 1  · Sub point: Regan and Goneril portray evil characteristics by being clever; they have no conscience, only appetite.  · Personifications of evil and greedy ambition.  · Profess their love to Lear with lies, insincerity, and wrong intentions.  · This begins Regan and Goneril’s plan because Lear believed then and gave them land.  · Goneril complains about Lear and say, â€Å"His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us/† (I iii, line 6)  · Both Regan and Goneril didn’t want Lear to live with them.  · Cornwall and Regan demand that Kent be put in the stocks.  · Goneril makes Lear beg on his knees to Regan for forgiveness.  · They leave Lear outside in storm and lock the doors on him.  · Insult Gloucester, tie him up, and pull on his beard. (pg.161)  · Goneril insults Albany of being a coward.  · Regan promises Oswald a reward if he can kill Gloucester.  · Goneril urges Edmund to kill Albany.  · Begin to fail because of dispute over Edmund.  · Alliance begins to separate because of the desire of Edmund.  · Reg... Free Essays on King Lear Free Essays on King Lear A Great Tragedy: The good misunderstood and the evil accepted Shakespeare’s King Lear and Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus is a detailed description of the consequences of one mans decisions that ends in a tragedy. Lear and Faustus decisions greatly alter their lives and the lives of those around them. These two stories are defined as tragedies because they meet the criteria of what a tragic hero stands for, i.e. a hero is larger than life, and both stories have a tragic fall caused by some error or moral weakness. It is not till the end of the plays that the honest people are recognized. The stories reveal a fatal error in judgement and a character flaw, which causes their downfall, suffering and enlightenment. In the opening of Shakespeare’s King Lear the first error in judgement is introduced in scene 1.1 lines 95-98, where Cordelia confesses her love for her father. Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, loved me; I return those duties back as are right fit, Obey you, love you, and most honor you. Cordelia understands her position and accepts her duty without question. Lear ignores the fact that cordelia is pouring her heart out and confessing her unconditional love for him and in return he turns his back on her. Cordelia was prideful, and even a fool in her response, but I believe she was simply being honest and true. I believe this is the beginning of his downfall, which will lead him on a path of suffering. Lear made a monumental mistake when he handed over his kingship to his two evil daughters, Regan and Goneril. This is what eventually led him to his mental breakdown and the deaths of many individuals. If he had only choose to keep control over his kingdom or to give up control to someone trustworthy, then his suffering would have been reduced. Faustus much like Lear has made an error in judgement when he chooses to ignore the advice of the fictional Good and Bad Angels and the old man. The ... Free Essays on King Lear King Lear Essay Outline #6 – Examine the characteristics that make the evil characters temporarily succeed. For what reasons do they fail? I – Introduction  · A Shakespearean play that closely relates to society.  · The evil characters temporarily succeed but fail in the end.  · They think they can outsmart society but get what they deserve in the end.  · Jealousy erupts between the two sisters.  · Edmund’s peculiar change of heart.  · Cornwall didn’t have enough knowledge to persecute Lear and Gloucester.  · Evil characters had to many obstacles to succeed and failed due to other conflicts. Thesis: By looking at Regan’s, Goneril’s, Edmund’s, and Cornwall’s determination for control, desire for power, and lack of conscience they temporarily succeed but fail in the end due to jealousy, change of heart, and lack of control II – Body Paragraph 1  · Sub point: Regan and Goneril portray evil characteristics by being clever; they have no conscience, only appetite.  · Personifications of evil and greedy ambition.  · Profess their love to Lear with lies, insincerity, and wrong intentions.  · This begins Regan and Goneril’s plan because Lear believed then and gave them land.  · Goneril complains about Lear and say, â€Å"His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us/† (I iii, line 6)  · Both Regan and Goneril didn’t want Lear to live with them.  · Cornwall and Regan demand that Kent be put in the stocks.  · Goneril makes Lear beg on his knees to Regan for forgiveness.  · They leave Lear outside in storm and lock the doors on him.  · Insult Gloucester, tie him up, and pull on his beard. (pg.161)  · Goneril insults Albany of being a coward.  · Regan promises Oswald a reward if he can kill Gloucester.  · Goneril urges Edmund to kill Albany.  · Begin to fail because of dispute over Edmund.  · Alliance begins to separate because of the desire of Edmund.  · Reg... Free Essays on King Lear The tempest in Act III influences the character King Lear significantly. The storm is an echo of Lear’s inner turmoil and his growing insanity: the awesome power of the storm is a physical, chaotic natural reflection of Lear’s internal confusion. Although Lear does not recover his good sense, and learn from his mistakes to become a better king, he begins to learn his weakness and insignificance compared to the remarkable forces of the natural world. As result of this Lear begins to become a humble and caring individual. The storm is a reflection of the crazed mind that Lear possesses. Trying to face down the storm shows despair and the increased loss of his sense of reality. Speaking to the storm, he commands: Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow! You cataracts and hurrincanoes, spout Till you have drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks! (King Lear P.105). The king is powerless to the storm making him realize his own mortality Lear believes his world is coming to an end because his daughters have betrayed him. Also by having his power stripped from him by his daughters, he thinks that the outside world is going to end as well. The chaos that is the storm, is also a reflection of the chaos of Britain without Lears authority. Along with Lear's growing despair and projection, we also see his understandable obsession with his daughters betrayal: "Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters: / I tax you not, you elements, with unkindness" (King Lear P.105). Lear tells the thunder that he does not blame it for attacking him because it does not owe him anything. But he does blame his "two pernicious daughters"(King Lear P.107) for their betrayal. In spite of the clear onset of insanity, Lear exhibits some degree of rational thought he is still able to locate the source of his misfortune. Lear is realizing that he is going mad, even with this terrifying realization he starts to become compassionate ... Free Essays on King Lear According to critics, King Lear is the most devastating of Shakespeare’s tragedies and perhaps his most moving. King Lear is just as powerful when translated to different languages, converted to film, and set in lands far different than ancient Britain. Upon completing the text of King Lear and watching it on film, I have determined that there are numerous differences between the two. Some of these differences found in the film make the tragedy more effective, while others are rather insignificant and deter from the themes discussed in the book. Each performance and portrayal of the play is unique in its own way. Some ideas are presented better in the movie, while others are presented better in the book. As I read throughout the text of the play, I imagined the castle as being large and constructed of concrete. We soon find out that it is made of wood and the roof seems to leak. When we picture royalty, we see the best living conditions and environment known to man. The film shows King Lear and his family residing in an old, run down facility. People of significance and higher class most often are clean shaven and wear the finest of clothing. The characters in the movie have full beards, long gnarly hair, and present themselves in an unorthodox manner. These traits and customs are rather insignificant to the emotions brought forth by the play, but still present the audience with a form of irony. Lear’s daughters, Goneril and Regan, were thought to be younger than the film portrayed them as. Lear is pictured exactly how I imagined him. I believe that if the film had cast younger females to play the roles that it would produce a larger contrast showing just exactly how old King Lear truly is. This wouldn’t fit in with the description of King Lear though. King Lear is said to be in his eighty’s. If the film showed his daughters being really young, confusion would result. The chance of an old man having really...

Iron Hans (Children literature) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Iron Hans (Children literature) - Essay Example Due to the story’s narrative style and visual development, it is classified as a children’s story. The story reflects a clear pattern of attitude towards children during the time and the literary methods have been markedly shaped by the social and cultural trends of the time. Most of the tales by the Grimm brothers have been influenced by German folklores and have been creatively transformed into fairy tales. An analysis of the population studies in Germany during the 19th century shows a high infant mortality rate during the time (Gehrmann, 839). Today infant mortality rates are regarded as central indicators of the standards of living and the state of a particular society’s development. During late 19th century, high infant mortality rates in Germany started being acknowledged as a social issue and hence several studies were carried out in order to find the reasons for high mortality rates. Hygiene, food, female labor, living conditions and climatic conditions were identified as important factors affecting infant mortality rates (Gehrmann, 840). Female workload was also a critical factor in infant mortality and attitude towards children during the time. The family context has also been incorporated in order to assess the impact of family structures on attitude towards children. ... The collection spurred a completely novel notion of considering fairy tales as children’s literature. Belonging to the German Romantic Movement, the Grimm brothers pioneered in the creation of literary fairy tales. An exemplary attempt was made by the Grimm brothers so as to retain and preserve the original essence of German folk tales and by transforming them into creative fairy tales for children they were able to circumvent the loss of German folk lore literature. The fame of the Grimm’s fairy tales as children’s literature was supported by the 1679 publication of The Tales of Mother Goose by Charles Perrault (Susina, n.pag.). Perrault had successfully collected 80 fairy tales in his work with moralistic principles and ingenious story lines. This work started being recognized as children’s stories due to its graphic illustration of the title which characterized an old lady reading out stories to children (Susina, n.pag.). This introduced a concept of fa iry tales as children’s stories as narrated by older individuals. Subsequently the Grimm’s tales provided an adroit collection of stories that were suitable to be read by or out to children. Hence, the publication by Perrault supported the popularity of the Grimm’s fairy tales as children’s literature. Irons Hans, among the many fairy tales written the in the collection by Grimm brothers demonstrates a certain socio-cultural pattern towards children during the time. This story, along with other fairy tales in the collection, has had a thoughtful impact on children since the 19th century. However, writers today have been examining Grimm brothers’ writings and have concluded that these writings contain false apprehension and augment a

Analyze the letter written by Galileo Galilei to the Grand Duchess Essay

Analyze the letter written by Galileo Galilei to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany - Essay Example He reiterates his loyalty to the Catholic Church and, at the same time, justifies his support of the Copernican theory of the heliocentric universe. Galileo Galilei: Letter to the Grand Duchess Galileo Galilei may be considered to be the Father of modern science. His letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany, written in 1615, is one to the most famous epistles in scientific history. It demonstrates the conflict between science and religion, and Galileo’s attempt to strike a balance between the two. As the protege of the late Ferdinando I de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and the mentor of his son, Cosimo II de Medici, Galileo enjoyed a close relationship with the politically powerful and influential Medici clan. With his outspoken support for the heliocentric theory of Copernicus, Galileo was already at loggerheads with the conservative adherents of the geocentric theory and the church hierarchy. In this letter, he seeks â€Å"to justify myself in the eyes of all m en† (Galileo, 1615. P. 11). In this context, his letter to the Grand Duchess may be considered a device used by Galileo to publicize and justify his stand on the issue, to canvass the support of the Medici family, and to attempt to seek reconciliation with the church by clearing the air of the controversy which continued to dog his works. Throughout the letter, Galileo remains firm in reiterating his loyalty to the Catholic Church, its Council and its Supreme Pontiff, the Pope. Even when Galileo passionately defends experimental science, he reiterates his identity as a staunch Catholic. His intimate relationship with the Catholic Church cannot be denied. He initially studied for the priesthood, and was on friendly terms with Cardinal Bellarmine and Pope Urban VII. His two daughters, Virginia and Livia, became nuns at the Franciscan convent of St. Mathew, near Florence (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2010). Galileo’s belief in God is clearly stated. He sees the Div ine Maker revealed in nature’s actions. To him, his work in astronomy and his belief in God are but two mutually reconciled facets of his life. Galileo poignantly asserts his faith in God, and its expression in his work, with the words â€Å"the glory and greatness of Almighty God are marvelously discerned in all his works and divinely read in the open book of heaven† (Galileo, 1615.P22). He considers the faculty of reason to be a divine gift given to man. It is evident that he is deliberately assuming a placatory tone and is determined not to antagonize the Church, as far as possible. He declares, â€Å"I proceed with --- piety† (Galileo, 1615. P.12). Again, regarding the Bible, theologians and Church Councils, he firmly asserts that â€Å"I hold these to be of supreme authority† (Galileo, 1915. P12). He declares himself as willing to admit to any mistakes based on religious ignorance and is ready to submit to the church’s stand on the Copernican system. He does not claim from his works â€Å"any fruit that is not pious and Catholic† (Galileo, 1615. P.13). He makes his position with respect to the Church very clear by unequivocally stating, â€Å"that divine wisdom surpasses all human judgment and conjecture† (Galileo. 1615. P.15). He professes his â€Å"extraordinary esteem for the passages of holy Scripture† (Galileo, 1615. P18). Galileo attempts to clearly differentiate between his critics and adversaries, and the Church authorities. He denounces the former in the

Island project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Island project - Essay Example Local government: First of all, the local government in the island nation shall be based on certain elements related to governance, like county system (type), municipal charter (form), mayor council (management), and election (leadership). Chandler (2001) states that, â€Å"A local authority, however, not only must demonstrate it uses resources efficiently but also it must have as its mission the concern to care for the economic, social and environmental well-being of their community† (p.154). To be specific, the public administration within the scenario of the island nation will be based on local form of governance. I would like to introduce county type local government because it is one of the examples for decentralized governance. The island nation will be divided into different counties, based on population. Besides, municipal charter will be the form of governance because the same will be within the jurisdiction of the proposed type of local/ decentralized government. Thi s will help the inhabitants to gain certain rights and to enjoy certain privileges within the local government. ... dership positions will be established through general elections because this is important to incorporate democratic ideas to the context of the proposed island nation. To be specific, the people will cast their votes to the candidates, strictly based on their political values. Eligible candidates will be invited to form the government, strictly based on democratic ideas. Judicial system: The judicial system in the proposed island nation will be based on judicial hierarchy. To be specific, there will be a supreme authority that controls the judicial system. But this supreme authority can be arraigned by the members, representing the lower courts. Besides, there will be a law making body elected by the citizens, apart from the government. This will keep judiciary safe from political manipulation or influence. Malleson (2007) states that, â€Å"Governments are now expected to introduce policy changes which affect the legal system on an ongoing basis† (p.2). The elected judges can not act beyond their limits because people elected them and they are answerable for their decisions. There will be lower courts in the counties and these courts will be independent within the counties. So, this decentralized model of judicial system will help the people to approach the court with ease. Besides, the judges cannot go beyond their limits because they can be kept aside by the people. On the other side, law making will not be vested upon the judicial system because it will be vested upon a different body elected by the people. Any citizen can seek help from the court because there main aim of this innovative judicial system is to solve more problems with less time. To be specific, less serious crimes will be dealt by the lower courts. This will help the people to save their valuable

Edgar Allan Poe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Edgar Allan Poe - Essay Example However his solitude would have been the inspiration for him to come up with classics of global class. This assumption was made from the fact that he was orphaned in the age of two and was deprived of the love and care of his parents at times he deserved it the most. Moreover the destiny of sorrow and suffering had followed him thoroughly all along his life. Being brought up as an orphan, the solitude didn’t leave him even in his adulthood. His wife Virginia Clemm, whom he married in 1936, left this world leaving him alone not so long after their marriage (Liukkonen P ,2008). The first collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s works was published in 1840. The collection tilted Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, had in it one of his work of high fame, The Fall of the House of Usher. This narrated the sorrow of one of his friend and conveyed the author’s compassion towards his friend. The next one in the row was ‘In Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym (1838)’ which was one of his longest works. This masterpiece was again a tragic story but contained mesmerizing innovations dealing with the tribes in the Antarctic Circle. The next year Allan Poe brought out ‘The Conchologists First Boo’k which proved to be a historic best seller. The linguistic skill of the artist was impeccably confirmed in this piece of art, as this work was really a retrieval of a work by Thomas Wyatt which proved to be a market failure. The Raven, which preached love was published in 1845 and brought national fame for the writer. Interestingly, this poem also spoke of sentimental feelings as the main theme was on a lost love. Probably, the tragedies that happened in his life and the cruel destiny that kept snatching the loved ones from the author’s life would have inspired this beauteous work (Liukkonen P ,2008). The factor that inspired me in the artistic works of Edgar Allan Poe is the positive energy he has

Describe in DETAIL the A-B-C-D-E therapeutic approach of REBT Essay

Describe in DETAIL the A-B-C-D-E therapeutic approach of REBT - Essay Example The thesis below will discuss the A-B-C-D-E therapeutic approach of REBT in details. Ellis formulated the therapeutic approach method to help solve psychological problems easily. The core method is used in the first and the subsequent sessions where the therapist explains each session. Letter A in the sequence is the activation event that elicits stress or worry. The worries caused by bad performance at work, lack of confidence that propels the victim to a counselor. B represents the belief system. There are two types of beliefs rational and irrational (Sharf, 2011). Irrational behaviors are exaggerated and leads to disturbed feeling that do not help victims reach their goals. However, it is important to identify irrational behaviors early so that they can be solved. C stands for consequences of the irrational behavior (Sharf, 2011). People with negative thoughts may repeat these thoughts creating a condition known as rumination that acts like self-programming trigger. People with the repeated negative thinking may seclude themselves hence the need for such to replace the irrational thinking with positive thoughts that can make one to address problems reasonably (Sharf, 2011). D represents disputing irrational behaviors. Therapists must challenge the client belief directly. This way, the client can substitute negative thinking with more realistic ways of solving problems. E represents the client’s way of interpreting the situation. If the treatment is effective, the client loses the pessimism, anxiety, distress, and starts focusing on practical ways to solve problems (Sharf, 2011). The clients resume into their normal self and starts making reachable

Understanding organisation theory and practice Essay - 1

Understanding organisation theory and practice - Essay Example The findings of the report highlighted issues related to operations and structures of Qantas and Virgin airlines, economic factors, and the role of the government. In addition, the report also gave several recommendations that were geared towards optimizing the bottom line of the companies and dealing with hurdles that surface in the cause of operations. Qantas and Virgin airlines have encountered several challenges that stem from their internal and external environment. The challenges can be attributed to impacts of globalisation and advancement of technology. The management approach that they have often employed depending on the prevailing situation is the use of contingency theory approach. The report focuses only on the contingency management approaches of the Qantas and Virgin airlines. It does not incorporate other management theories that the two airlines (Qantas and Virgin) employ in their operations. The significant continual growth of Virgin brand across borders is a reflection of the success of the airlines’ success in its management approaches. The unique structure of the airline makes it difficult to designate a specific/particular management approaches in its operations. However, the contingency management approach is perceived to be the main approach for the success of the operations of the airline. Its management is usually reorganised to commensurate with arising contemporary situations hence decision making being based on situational analysis. Virgin’s current model of contingency planning explores both internal and external factors, ensuring employee morale and motivation are not neglected in times of external contingencies. The models of management are integrated to align with the market trends aimed at mitigating risks and changes, and ultimate optimisation of profit. The business has not only grown beyond the borders and gained competitive leverage inc lusive of the diversification of its operations but has also been an

Edgar Allan Poe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Edgar Allan Poe - Essay Example However his solitude would have been the inspiration for him to come up with classics of global class. This assumption was made from the fact that he was orphaned in the age of two and was deprived of the love and care of his parents at times he deserved it the most. Moreover the destiny of sorrow and suffering had followed him thoroughly all along his life. Being brought up as an orphan, the solitude didn’t leave him even in his adulthood. His wife Virginia Clemm, whom he married in 1936, left this world leaving him alone not so long after their marriage (Liukkonen P ,2008). The first collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s works was published in 1840. The collection tilted Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, had in it one of his work of high fame, The Fall of the House of Usher. This narrated the sorrow of one of his friend and conveyed the author’s compassion towards his friend. The next one in the row was ‘In Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym (1838)’ which was one of his longest works. This masterpiece was again a tragic story but contained mesmerizing innovations dealing with the tribes in the Antarctic Circle. The next year Allan Poe brought out ‘The Conchologists First Boo’k which proved to be a historic best seller. The linguistic skill of the artist was impeccably confirmed in this piece of art, as this work was really a retrieval of a work by Thomas Wyatt which proved to be a market failure. The Raven, which preached love was published in 1845 and brought national fame for the writer. Interestingly, this poem also spoke of sentimental feelings as the main theme was on a lost love. Probably, the tragedies that happened in his life and the cruel destiny that kept snatching the loved ones from the author’s life would have inspired this beauteous work (Liukkonen P ,2008). The factor that inspired me in the artistic works of Edgar Allan Poe is the positive energy he has

Understanding organisation theory and practice Essay - 1

Understanding organisation theory and practice - Essay Example The findings of the report highlighted issues related to operations and structures of Qantas and Virgin airlines, economic factors, and the role of the government. In addition, the report also gave several recommendations that were geared towards optimizing the bottom line of the companies and dealing with hurdles that surface in the cause of operations. Qantas and Virgin airlines have encountered several challenges that stem from their internal and external environment. The challenges can be attributed to impacts of globalisation and advancement of technology. The management approach that they have often employed depending on the prevailing situation is the use of contingency theory approach. The report focuses only on the contingency management approaches of the Qantas and Virgin airlines. It does not incorporate other management theories that the two airlines (Qantas and Virgin) employ in their operations. The significant continual growth of Virgin brand across borders is a reflection of the success of the airlines’ success in its management approaches. The unique structure of the airline makes it difficult to designate a specific/particular management approaches in its operations. However, the contingency management approach is perceived to be the main approach for the success of the operations of the airline. Its management is usually reorganised to commensurate with arising contemporary situations hence decision making being based on situational analysis. Virgin’s current model of contingency planning explores both internal and external factors, ensuring employee morale and motivation are not neglected in times of external contingencies. The models of management are integrated to align with the market trends aimed at mitigating risks and changes, and ultimate optimisation of profit. The business has not only grown beyond the borders and gained competitive leverage inc lusive of the diversification of its operations but has also been an

Catholic Church and Ultima’s mystical folklore Essay Example for Free

Catholic Church and Ultima’s mystical folklore Essay The novel â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† by Rudolfo Anaya is pastoral, apocalyptic and, at the same time, tragic story revealing the complex nature of human relations and ambiguity of the world. The novel teaches readers not to interfere with the destiny of any person not to change the cosmic order. However, Ultima dares to influence the destiny and her death at the end of the novel is symbolical representation that every person should be responsible for his own actions. The author describes relations between an old healer Ultima and a young boy Antonio who is seeking for truth. The novel can be defined as apocalyptic as the author illustrates that biculturalism leads to inevitable conflict between cultures and religions. I think that the novel belongs to Chicano literature being rather popular in 1965-1975s. However, it can be seen as cultural novel which tends to explore self-development, personality and ethnic identity in the world filled with race and ethnic discrimination. The novel is rich narrative weaving many themes and sub-themes together allowing readers for different interpretations. Therefore, the objectives of the paper are to analyze author’s writing style, relations between Antonio and Ultima, to identify main themes and symbols, and to discuss the question of autobiography. â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima†: Analysis I think that the novel â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† can be analyzed from different perspectives and from many angles. The novel is a rich literary work dealing with social changes, cognitive and psychological development of main heroes, religious issues, etc. Moreover, the novel weaves cultural conflicts and formation of ethnic identity into believable and coherent story illustrating the smoothes and roughs of Antonio’s life – the main hero. On the one hand, the novel can be seen as romance novel as it discusses societal period through myth creation. On the other hand, the novel can be seen as cultural novel as it describes historical conflict between villages and opposes race discrimination in the United States. Furthermore, the novel can be defined as Chicano literature as it promotes apocalyptic ideas and moods. The novel presents fertile background for analysis as the author uses rich themes and symbols to show the life pass of a young extraordinary boy. Writing Style The author incorporates powerful and vivid images to present the multiplicity and ambiguity of responses. In other words, Anaya uses prophetic dreams, episodes of horseplay among children, idyllic scenes presenting harmony and natural balance, mystical dynamism, scenes of violence and death as imagery to create strong impression and to make people think whether the world we see is real one and what the destiny of the person is. However, the novel tends to reveal whether it is permissible to change human destiny. Anaya uses strong imagery to show that characters and nature are strongly tied together creating so-called natural continuum. Anaya refers to technique of oppression when writing the novel in order to create multi-level conflict. For example, Antonio’s parents have opposing backgrounds, views and aspirations. Further, religious are opposed in their beliefs, values and demands on the individual. Cosmic forced are apposed as they symbolize eternal struggle between the good and the evil. Finally, the author juxtaposes forms of nature saying they can choose whether to make soil dry or fertile. The novel is based on conflicts – social, psychological, physical and cultural. Antonio’s life is also a conflict. The novel is also based on tripartites. It means that all evens and things are occurring in so-called ‘threes’. For example, there are three cultures in the novel, three Trementina sisters, three brothers, three Comanche spirits, three prophetic dreams, three Ultima’s efforts to identify her ethnicity, and three Ultima’s interference in the life of other people. Numerology is central in structure of the plot. Issue of Autobiography I think that â€Å"bless Me, Ultima† can be defined as quasi-autobiographical novel as the narrator refers to ‘I’ style showing that the novel is generated from personal experience or experience of the younger ‘I’. The novel is told by mature Antonio who shares experiences of being a young boy. Moreover, the experiences are transmitted in childish manner and it may seem that the story is told by a six-year-old boy. One more interesting fact is that the author says that he had to refer to his personal experiences and experiences of other children to construct the story. Despite the fact that the novel is quasi-biographical, the readers aren’t allowed to distinguish the real and imagined events as the author represents everything as fiction. I think that the author does base the story on rich expository of personal experiences, but he skillfully hides this fact. Relations between Antonio and Ultima Antonio is the main hero in the novel who decided to reconcile his conflicting religious and cultural identity. Antonio is only six years old, but he is extraordinary child with questioning mind, appreciation of life, and moral curiosity. Antonio is more serious than other children of his age, he is more sensitive to ambiguity of the world and conflicting cultural traditions. Anaya shows that Antonio is troubled about his uncertain destiny and he is willing to understand the world. After the death of one of the town’s residents Antonio seems to plunge into crisis of the faith and for the first time he doubts validity of the Catholic faith. Therefore, desire to reveal the truth can be defined as one of the strongest components of his character as his desire leads to interest in sin, death, innocence, and the nature of God. Antonio is developing to maturity throughout the novel progression and it is Ultima who teaches how to remain morally independent, to receive knowledge from all available traditions and to refrain from prejudices and limitations. Ultima leads Antonio to his physical and psychological maturity. Ultima helps him to resolve many conflicts and to determine his future. Old healer Ultima represents the moral system which Anaya supports. Relationships between Antonio and Ultima are the most important bond in the novel. Ultima is Antonio’s mentor helping him to overcome difficulties and to cope with anxieties and uncertainties. Relations between main characters can be defined even as spiritual. Ultima presents herself as the keeper of Antonio’s destiny and starts playing central role in his life and psyche. She uses her power of influencing to make Antonio think of himself and create his own sense of morality. Ultima incorporates knowledge of both Catholic and indigenous traditions. She thinks that spirituality and life are tied. Nevertheless, we see that Catholic Church rejects her mystical power, and Ultima respects its wisdom attending mass regularly. Ultima teaches to appreciate equally multiple faith and perspectives as each person is entailed with rights to make independent moral decisions. Ultima instills tolerance, open-mindedness and independence in Antonio’s faith. Ultima treats Antonio with respect and understanding, despite he is a small child. At the end of the novel Antonio is treated as spiritual partner and Ultima asks to bury the owl which symbolizes her own death. Ultima dies, but her spirit continues to guide Antonio throughout his life. Main Themes Firstly, the author stresses the importance of moral independence as no one has the rights to interfere with the destiny of others. Anaya emphasizes rights to think independently and to make up moral decisions. In the novel Antonio’s progress is the sign of maturity and self-development. Antonio constantly struggles to make his own decisions and he realizes that complex experience of religion has forced to change his minds. Antonio is really frustrated when he realizes that the church has failed and pressing questions about human morality emerge in his head. We see that Ultima becomes his guide and teaches about morality and independence. Moreover, Ultima explains ambiguity of life stressing that life can be viewed simply in terms of culture and religion. Cultural and religious traditions are important, but they constrain human abilities to be morally independent. Antonio realizes that he should find answers about evil, good, soul, forgiveness and truth himself. Once Antonio has committed fatal mistake, when he believed that the Communion ritual was able to answer all questions. Instead, Ultima teaches Antonio to make decisions and choices himself. Secondly, the author identifies the influence of culture on identity. In the novel Anaya explores the conflict between cultural traditions which fail to co-exist as one culture tends to dominate others and vice verse. However, in the end we see that the author offers new solution – he argues that several cultural traditions are able to create more adaptable identity. For example, Antonio manages to find answers as his life has been influenced by several constantly conflicting cultures. The first conflict was with his parents as Antonio’s mother wanted him to become a priest, whereas his fathers wanted Antonio to ride the llano. The problem was that parents had different cultural convictions. The next conflict is observed within Antonio’s native town where Spanish culture is struggling with other culture. The conflict is presented in tensions between the Catholic Church and Ultima’s mystical folklore. I think that through such conflicts the author explores the influence of culture on identity formation. Anaya shows that many characters in the story are limited by cultural prejudices and they have failed to look beyond their horizon. For example, when people define Narciso as drunkard they didn’t consider his traumatic experiences in the war, although it is known that war may serious distort human psyche. Ultima teaches Antonio to become free from cultural and religious limitations. Instead, she tends to encourage Antonio to think of all cultural influences as it is the only way to become a descent person. Symbolism â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† is highly symbolical novel. The author uses different colors, figures, numbers and objects to represent abstract ideas and concepts. In the novel the golden carp, Ultima’s owl and the virgin of Guadalupe are provided with symbolic meanings. As for mea, the golden carp is symbolical representation of magical religious order which is hardly associated with Catholicism. The legend about golden carp offers main characters and readers moral guidance, brand of wisdom and comfort. Golden carp supports author’s idea that cultural traditions are different, but they are equally valid. Antonio firstly rejects the golden carp as he thinks that in such a way he abandons God. However, later he realizes that golden carp can help to weave cultural and religious sources together in creating his won identity. Then, Ultima’s Owl represents religious mysticism and life force. One night the owl sings outside Antonio’s windows symbolizing Ultima’s presence in boy’s life. Moreover, owl is the symbol of protective power of magic. In the end of the novel killing of the bird symbolically represents that Ultima’s life force is destroyed and she will die soon. When Antonio buries the bird, he buries Ultima. Finally, the Virgin of Guadalupe represents symbolically understanding, forgiveness and solution of cultural conflict. The story of the Virgin is definitely reconciliation of Antonio’s indigenous culture and European Catholic Church. When Antonio is frustrated, he often turns to Virgin to find a forgiving god. Conclusion â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† reveals the ambiguous nature of the world and human relations. The author shows that every person has to make independent choices and to appreciate different religious and cultural traditions as it is the only way to become a better person. Ultima teaches Antonio to create his own sense of morality and to remain independent person. Moreover, she teaches him to avoid prejudices and limitation. But the author shows that no one is allowed to interfere with the destiny of other people. Works Cited Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me, Ultima. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1994.

Venezuelan Economy Under Hugo Chavezs Presidency Economics Essay

Venezuelan Economy Under Hugo Chavezs Presidency Economics Essay Venezuela is located in the upper corner of South America and neighbors with Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana. It has been nearly 200 years since Venezuela first gained its independence from Spain (1811). From 1830 onwards, when Venezuela split from the Bolivarian Colombia (1819-1830), the country was governed mostly by military and despotic regimes. That military period lasted until 1958 when the current democratic spell started following the ousting of General Marcos Perez Jimenezs dictatorship.  [1]  Despite that long period of military dictatorships, the Venezuelan economy is considered to be a mixed economy where there is a mixture of command and free market elements  [2]  . These will be discussed in greater depth in the following text. Venezuela had until the 1980s a series of successful periods of economic growth  [3]  . The country had from there on and until 1999 a succession of economic and political crises. The government previous to the election of Hugo Chavez headed by Rafael Caldera was in power from 1994 to 1999. During this time in office he had to deal with high inflation rates and a financial crisis. Due to these severe problems, Caldera was forced to impose an exchange control in mid-1994. This was shortly followed by more stabilization actions that were enforced by the International Monetary Fund agreement. Due to these severe actions taken by the Calderas government (Convergencia) he became severely unpopular among the electorate. This did not help him win his reelection and set the stage for Hugo Chavez  [4]  . The purpose of this essay is to discuss whether or not Hugo Rafael Chà ¡vez Frà ­as regime is moving towards a planned economy due his anti- American stance. Moises Naim states that the rise to power of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is often seen as evidence of an impending backlash against globalization, American-style capitalism.  [5]  This statement reflects the change in the governments policies on the Venezuelan economic system. To further explain this transformation it is vital to define what a free market economy and planned economy are. Theoretical Background Hypotheses If the Venezuelan government is moving from a free market economy to a planned economy, one would expect to find evidence of this transition economy. Definitions are needed to be known before explanation of results. A free market economy refers to an economy in which markets, in other words the interaction of buyers and producers, determine price and output.  [6]  In addition, this economic system [relies] on free markets which permit people to engage in economic activities largely free from government control.  [7]  In other words the government must have a hands-off policy in regards to the economy. Therefore, all production is in private hands and companies are able to adjust their wages and prices according to the demand and supply curve. Furthermore individuals are able to make independent decisions regarding the price of products, amount of production, and retailing. The free market economy is one that allows for the best interests of both consumers and producers to be met  [8]  . Advantages of the free market economy include: resources are allocated by market forces and price mechanisms,  [9]  and the motivation of profits provides an incentive to reduce costs and be innovate.  [10]  As William Baumol points out, to some extent, innovation in the economy is important as it indicates the expansion of peoples creativities in businesses and therefore fosters productivity growth in the economy.  [11]  What this makes clear once again is that a lot of the power and decision making lie within companies and the market. Disadvantages can include resources being used up too quickly as firms seek to make high profits and to minimize costs.  [12]  Additionally, large firms can expand and dominate a particular industry; leading to higher prices, and results in excessive power. A planned economy is defined as an economy where decisions are made by the government on the behalf of the people, and in theory, in their best interests.  [13]  This indicates that the state has great ownership of resources in the economy and through this provides social welfare to the people. In this economy the government sets the price of resources. There are thought to be several advantages and disadvantages in a planned economy. The advantages are that the government can directly influence the distribution of income to make it more equal  [14]  . In addition the government determines which [types of goods] are to be supplied  [15]  . This necessarily gives the government the power to decide what goods are considered to be important in the society. A disadvantage of this economy is the government [s dominance which] may lead to a loss of personal freedom of choice  [16]  . Unlike the free market economy there is no incentive for individuals or firms to be innovat iveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ goods are often of poor quality and usually a limited choice.  [17]  No competition in the economy and low profit (or absence of profit altogether) can lead to inefficiencies of resources. In short, it is the government, and not the consumers, who make all the decisions. A planned economy is an ideology often used by governments in communist states. Countries like Cuba and North Korea are currently using a planned economy system. An important concept of economic theory in describing a planned economy and free market economy is the understanding of economic growth. Economic growth is defined as an improvement in the standard of living (that) typically occurs when an economy increases its output of goods and services during an expansion  [18]  . This leads to economic development which refers to an improvement in living standards in an economy encompassing material consumption, education, health, and environmental concerns.  [19]  Therefore the use of a production possibility curve (PPC) is implemented to determine economic growth. Looking at the graph below (figure 1), one can see the theoretical downfall of the total goods and services (GDP) as the market moves from free market to planned economy. The PPC1 curve shifts downwards to PPC2 a level where planned economy would function. In moving from a free economy to a more planned economy orientated structure (transition economy), theoretically the output of the countrys total goods and services would decrease because of the inefficiencies. Overall the economic growth diminishes as the governments dominance in the economy increases. Figure 1 The PPC can also be used to better understand the change in government spending in a planned economy. This curve demonstrates the shifting of the government spending. The graph below (figure 2) presents public sector production and private sector production. The PPC curve represents the maximum amount of output possible given the available resources.  [20]  . At point A, there is an equal amount of production from the public and private sector. The total production at point A is on the PPC curve meaning that the maximum level of production is obtained  [21]  . As the government moves closer to a fully planned economy and it begins to invest in the public sector which include schools, health programs, housing, and so forth bureaucracy and inefficiencies increase and production moves to point B.  [22]  As we can see in figure 2, point B is no longer on the PPC curve but below it, signaling that the maximum level of output is not being achieved. Figure 2 Methodology Departing from the following hypothesis If the Venezuelan government is moving from a free market economy to a planned economy, one would expect to find evidence of this transition economy. This evidence would be found in several areas. One would expect to find more government bureaucracy and interferences in private enterprises. This could take the form of increased unjustified fines, paper work, restriction of all kinds, and control, which all result in reduction of business. One would also expect to find an increase in the nationalization of private companies; this could take the form of expropriation of private lands by the government. Further evidence of a movement towards a planned economy would be greater spending on social welfare. This would be clear in areas such as health, education, and housing. Finally, one would expect to find evidence of more interference in the economic structure exemplified by manipulation of currency exchange rates. To prove my hypothesis, this evid ence should be demonstrated as actually present in order to confirm the transition of Venezuelas economy. To prove or disprove my hypothesis I relied both on primary and secondary sources. In investigating primary sources, I met with two local business men  [23]  and one professor  [24]  in Venezuela. I then asked them specific questions  [25]  regarding their businesses in this transition economy. Furthermore, in October 2010 on a visit to Venezuela, I was able to make my own observations of the state of the country. In investigating secondary sources, I researched articles and books written by authors and journalists. In addition, I looked for statistics that represent the movement from a free-market to a planned economy. Results Analysis Evaluation More government interference on businesses When Hugo Chavezs government got into office in 1999, the government slowly imposed new regulations on all sizes of businesses. This policy mainly impacted negatively small businesses and employment. I interviewed one business man, Otto Horn, regarding the increased bureaucracy that his firm, Floritec  [26]  , encounters. In this interview he stated that It is harder to import and export raw materials and finished products abroad  [27]  . Many businesses are required to fill in extra custom paper work for SENIAT (the governments tax collection entity)  [28]  and face crippling fines for even a minor inconsistency in the eyes of custom agents. It gets harder by the day to keep small enterprises in business. This has led to higher cost for businesses as these bureaucratic obstacles force the firms to hire more labor to deal with these issues. As well, it is noticed that waiting for approvals from the government in so many newly imposed demands on small enterprises means los s of time and money which impacts the efficiency of these businesses. To put an example, the government has begun charging firms for the use of their own company logo on their own trucks. Otto Horn stated, If you want to put a company logo, you need to buy a license from the government and this raises costs.  [29]  These examples point to an increased level of government interference. Small businesses are mostly affected by these measures as they dont have enough capital to cover these new expenses. Big businesses have also been affected by these government interferences and even though they are better prepared to cope with it the uncertainty leads to less investment and further instability in the economy as a whole. In early 2009, the economy encountered high inflation  [30]  . This caused a surge in the prices of all products. The Venezuelan government, under Chavez, made several attempts in reducing this high inflation. One of the actions taken was imposing price controls on certain staple foods in an effort to make them more affordable to everyone. However, this action did not have the best outcome, [the] government [`s] attempts to impose price control has had limited effect as big food producers have cut back on production, food distributors have decreased shipments and even hoarded essential goods and retail sellers have traded on the black market  [31]  This control further damaged the food producers by cutting their profit which forced them to reduce the costs, which in one example was achieved by reducing the number of employees. Furthermore, Luis Carmona of Polar states, Forcing companies to produce rice at a loss will not resolve the situation, [and] simply makes it worse.  [32]  In addition, fewer goods could be established on the market. These price controls largely affects food producers and many food processing companies became bankrupt. Hugo Chavez and his government decided to sue or even nationalize dysfunctional companies if they do not follow the governments rules  [33]  . Hugo Chavez said he would take over the control of the food processing industries, as he said in one of his statements, I will expropriate them, I have no problem with that, and Ill pay them with bonds. Dont count on me paying with hard cash  [34]  . This suggests that the government is serious about making food available to the poor but on the other hand, private firms cannot cope with the price changes unless it cuts down on costs. This is all evidence of a planned economy. Government interference was evident in the conversation with another business man named Jorge Redmond, CEO of Chocolates El Rey  [35]  . Mr. Redmond initially wanted to merge his company with the world renowned company, Nestlà ©. He wanted to merge the company to avoid suffocating levels of governmental interference and bureaucratic hurdles brought upon the firm affecting its products exports mainly to its U.S customers. However the government blocked the deal between the potential mergers, as the government did not want more foreign presence in Venezuela  [36]  . The governments move against expansion of global assets limits the choices of private firms. This emphasizes the governments bureaucracy and interference on businesses. Government Nationalization Growing bureaucracy and government interference have led to a failure of private companies as they cannot maintain healthy profitability levels. This has given the government an excuse to nationalize private firms. Common examples are CA Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela (CANTV), the countrys telephone company and Electricidad de Caracas, the largest electric company in Venezuela  [37]  . These nationalizations were linked by Chavez to his pursuit of XXI century Socialism  [38]  . In July 2007, at the start of the high fuel prices, the government nationalized key infrastructures of the Venezuelan economy in an attempt to reach the goals of the government.  [39]   Also in 2007, the government stripped assets from two U.S. oil companies Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhilips.  [40]  The government seized control of the profits of both companies. In the following year, 2008, Hugo Chavez and his government ordered the nationalization of the cement industry, Cemex,  [41]  a Mexican owned company. Chavezs rationale was to prepare for future building in the housing sector. In addition, in 2008, the Venezuelan steel mill, Siderà ºrgica del Orinoco SIDOR, was nationalized. Chavez complained the companies do not put a high enough priority on supplying the domestic market  [42]  . In 2009, the government for the first time ordered the Venezuelan armed forces to take over a business, in this case a rice processing plant  [43]  . In October 2010 the government nationalized AGROISLENA, the countrys largest producer of goods and services for the agricultural sector  [44]  . According to The Economist, since Hugo Chavez got into power in 1999, almost 400 companies have been nationalized, the vast majority in the past two years.  [45]  This shows the governments movement to take over major industries in order to fix the prices of the goods. All the above actions taken by the government have been sweeping reforms throughout the nation with the aim of reducing the prices of products which would result in massive consumption of the products by the local economy. The nationalization of firms by the government points to evidence of a planned economy as the government begins to de-privatize companies, moving towards a greater control of how the economy functions. More Social Welfare Spending Hugo Chavez came to power by promising the people a reduction in poverty and an increase in quality of life for the masses. This spending was fueled by high oil prices in July 2007, crude had reached the remarkable world market price of $US 147 per barrel.  [46]   This increased spending in the public sector gives more evidence of the move to a planned economy. The graph (figure 3) below shows the statistics of government public expenditure  [47]  . The current regime under Hugo Chavez has increased public spending by a factor of 13 between 1999 (the year Chavez entered office) to 2008. Figure 3 The government has spent money on the educational, health, and housing sectors. With the increase profits from the oil rents and productions, the Ministry of Education has introduced mission programs, Robinson I and II are mission[s] focusing on literacy and primary education for adults, Ribas and Sucre target secondary and university education for individuals who never had the opportunity to attend or those who dropped out.  [48]  This missions are examples of increased spending on the public sector. Hugo Chavezs government has increased public spending on the health sector of the economy. The government has created new mission programs such as, Barrio Adentro [which] provides free health care to the poor through the assistance of tens of thousands of Cuban doctors  [49]  Internet correspondence with Guillermo Buhrkohl  [50]  , a political professor from Venezuela, confirms this in the following, The health programs known as Mission Barrio Adentro and Mission Miracle, are programsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ aiming [at]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ providing primary medical attention to the shantytown population; however the professor confirms the government is literally asphyxiating both health care provided by private hospitals and the traditional public health system, paradoxically the later is the place where the poor go when a very limited Barrio Adentro cannot cope. This proves that there has been an increase in government spending on healthcare which could be seen as detrimental to both priv ate and public sectors. The government promised the masses to increase the public social welfare to all. This would also include the construction of close to free housing for each family. From my own personal observation while visiting the country in October 2010, the use of the billboards to promote housing plans was clearly evident everywhere  [51]  . This evidence of increased spending in the public sector mostly for political purposes adds up to the motive of the planned economy. Manipulation of currency Hugo Chavezs government has interfered deeply into the currency market. The government has made severe adjustments to currency, starting with the introduction of strict exchange rate controls by pegging the exchange rate to the American dollar in 2005. In 2008, the government changed the numerical currency making 1,000 Bolivars equal to the value of one Bolivar Fuerte (strong Bolivar)  [52]  . This measure could be seen to minimize the perceived inflation due to government action. However, it does not address the inflation that the country faces. In January 8th 2010, the government announced the devaluing of the currency by up to 50%  [53]  . The government believed that the devaluation of the Bolivar would trigger an export boom as Venezuelas exports would become more competitive. In reality, the devaluation had little to no effect on the countrys exports, as can be seen in Figure 4  [54]  . Figure 4 As mentioned above, in 2005, Hugo Chavezs administration made extreme adjustments to the Venezuelan financial system. The governments control over the currency exchange rates is shown in a statement, The introduction of the exchange controls has meant that companies and individuals have to apply to the Comision de Administracion de Divisas (Cadivi, the official foreign exchange agency).  [55]  This is where the government fixed the currency rate at 2.15 to the dollar. This triggered an increase in imports from 2005 which can be seen on the graph above (Fig.3)  [56]  . On January 8, 2010, the devaluation has occurred; from 2.15 bolivars to the [US] dollar to 4.3 bolivars to the [US] dollar  [57]  explained above caused higher consumer inflation on goods thus affecting the total spending on imported goods like televisions. The devaluation of the currency and exchange controls has lead the Venezuelan economy to have extremely high inflation. Consumption in the Venezuelan economy has decreased and business production has lowered to meet their expenditures. For example, Movistar, [in Venezuela] a mobile phone company owned by Spains Telefonica, last month [August 2010] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ suspended roaming agreements in 13 countries.  [58]  This indicated that the dollar squeeze is affecting the Venezuelan economy deeply. On the other hand, high inflation means that the government gets more Bolivars from a quick recovery of oil prices, and exporting oil to United States. This money allows the government to satisfy the needs of the Venezuelans to the best interests of the government, and this brings the role of the government into everyday lives as, that gives Mr. Chavez the chance to throw money around: pay rises for the army for example.  [59]  This manipulation of the currency gives solid evidence of interferences in economy by Hugo Chavezs government which adds a new element that confirms the hypothesis of a transition towards a planned economy in Venezuela. Conclusions In this investigation, I found information that supports the transformation to a planned economy from a free market economy in Venezuela. The evidence included: increased government bureaucracy, nationalization of the private sector, increased government spending in social welfare, and increased manipulation of the currency. This has led Hugo Chavezs government to gain greater control of the Venezuelan economic system since his election in 1998. The government is able to decide which goods and services are considered to be important for society. Such examples are the heavily subsidized food distribution firms (MERCAL and PDVAL) created by the government  [60]  . In this investigation, there are a number of difficulties that hinder the gathering of evidence. First, it was hard to gain true statistics regarding the economy. For example, the unemployment rate is hard to determine due to the fact that workers in the informal sector of the economy are included in the statistics which constitutes half of the countrys total workforce  [61]  . It was difficult to find statistical data to support the losses of business budget. Despite my attempts to access this information through internet sources, I was unsuccessful. Secondly there has been a strong political bias in many articles, books, and interviews. These biases affected my research and influenced me deeply, though I made every attempt to remain objective. In addition, it was often hard to separate politics from economics where both are closely linked together. These shortcomings together with a lack of time beg for further and more in depth research to formalize conclusions. Specifically, I would wish to focus on a significant number of concrete business cases where the governments interference in the economy has greatly affected their profitability. I would be interested in confirming the statistical data to support the hypothesis presented. However, the evidence and research presented here demonstrate that there are elements to sustain my hypothesis. It is clear that the government is seriously attempting to impose upon the country a planned economy of the Venezuela. Whether the government is able to complete a transition to a fully planned economy or not, this conclusion stands regardless. In my opinion, the move to the planned economy under Hugo Chavez can have a negative impact on Venezuela as it has negatively limited the freedom of Venezuelan businesses and increased government interference in the economy. Evidence can be found in articles discussing the current brain drain  [62]  ; the educated Venezuelans are more likely to leave the country. Many of these educated people whom are students, professors, doctors, business owners and so forth have either moved to Colombia or to the United States. References Bad news for Venezuelan economy. El Universal 24 May 2010: n. pag. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . Baumol, Willam. The free-market innovation machine: analyzing the growth miracle of capitalism. Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press, 2002. Print. Blink, Jocelyn, and Ian Dorton. Economics: Course Companion. Oxford: Database right Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. The Bolivarian Brain Drain. Newsweek 1 July 2009: n. pag. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.