Presidency as an institution Essay -- essays research papers

The Presidency as an institution Both the administration of Carter and Reagan were shaped by the Cold War in the aftermath of Watergate. Watergate created cynicism of the government, which in turn made governing difficult both intentionally as well as improvisational because the institution of the President was seen as acting in the best interest of itself. President Jimmy Carter and President Ronald Reagan both had their difficulties as President. Carter had terrible problems with economics as our country underwent high unemployment as well as many other economic problems. Reagan was one of the unfortunate Presidents that had to deal with assassination attempts. Both Presidents had great accomplishments both foreign and domestic. Carter ran as an anti-Washington establishment candidate. Reagan was elected four years later on a mandate for less government. The Carter and Reagan administrations are the start of an institutional evolution of the Presidency. Reagan was good at the institutional end of the Presidency because of his belief in limited government and his ability to communicate what many in the country were feeling during the poor economy of the late 1970’s. Reagan was able to efficiently adapt to situations by using immediate change to his advantage-surviving an assassination to garner support for his tax plan and understanding the circumstances in the former Soviet Union that, with proper engagement in this â€Å"fog† of the Cold War, help bring about the demise of communism as a major power in Europe. Page 2 Reagan’s success in changing to adapt to the political terrain, yet staying on his limited core intentions, can be used as a benchmark for change in the institution of the Presidency. With excellent communication skills and intuition for reading the changes inherent in politics, Reagan was able to not only gain support for his plans and reactions, but also become the â€Å"Teflon President.† President Jimmy Carter had trouble with the intention of his Presidency because he alienated his own political party, and received little assistance from the Republicans. Carter shunned Speaker of the House Thomas O’Neill offer to advise him on congressional relations. Carter also made fellow Democrats angry when he dropped a controversial tax rebate that he and other Democrats had worked on, right from under their noses. However,1978 was a successful year fo... ...dministration recommended it; such as when Carter helped negotiate a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, which was tearing apart the Middle East at the time. Carter gained praises not only from Americans, but also from people world- Page 5 wide. Reagan had to deal with economics when he became President. He realized that something needed to be done for our struggling economic structure. Intentionally, Reagan had to do something about the economic structure and did so by proposing a tax cut that was passed by congress and in turn helped our economy get back on its feet. The Carter and Reagan administrations are the start of an institutional evolution of the Presidency. Both the administration of Carter and Reagan were shaped by the Cold War in the aftermath of Watergate. Watergate created cynicism of the government, which in turn made governing difficult both intentionally as well as improvisational because the institution of the President was seen as acting in the best interest of itself. Carter and Reagan suffered many difficulties during their Presidencies in which they fought through and helped re-shape the Presidency during the Cold War and the aftermath of Watergate.

Discuss Marxist’ Theory of Alienation

OUTLINE AND ASSESS MARX’S CONCEPT OF ALIENATION When considering the concept of sociology and its definition, one immediately thinks of trying to understand the world in which we live. However, for Karl Marx we should not only understand the world, but also seek to actively change it (Macintosh, 1997). The concept of alienation differs in terms of its sociological meaning in relation to that of the psychological definition and has been used to describe many other phenomena’s over the last four centuries.The aim of this essay is to assess the concept of alienation according to Karl Marx and explore his theory relating to four differing perspectives assigned to this, whilst also researching its historical roots and any relevance in today’s society. The concept of alienation in relation to sociology was developed by Karl Marx (1818-1883), a German philosopher, political economist, revolutionary and the founding father of Communism. His ideas for this theory originat ed in the writings of Feuerbach, who along with George W.F Hegel, were major influences on Marx. However, unlike Feuerbach, who believed that religion had a negative impact on human experience and that man was alienated from god, Marx considered man to be alienated from man in a social context. Indeed, Marx criticised Feuerbach’s work entitled ‘The Essence of Christianity’, which was published in 1841 for not developing the concept of alienation further by linking it to economic production strategies.In it, Feuerbach insists that visions of god being similar to their own image allow for them to alienate themselves from this fictionally created character. Therefore, issues regarding low self esteem and other social or personal problems can be diluted by visiting places of worship. He insists that guidance, leadership and solace can be found within the church. Indeed, Feuerbach argued that the church was used by the government as state apparatus to control society (Hughes et al, 1995 pp. 29-30).Marx took these points onboard and rather than relate them to religion, embraced it to include the notion that alienation was an objective condition associated with the social and economic attributes of capitalism, thus leading to alienated labour. For Hegel, human thoughts were continuously developing and advancing throughout history, thus providing a more knowledge and rational understanding of society (Hughes et al, 1995, pp. 25-26). Unlike, Marx, who states materialism and economic power, shapes our thinking, Hegel insists it is the other way round and that mind shapes matter.In other words, our knowledge shapes the need and inventiveness needed to shape future materials. Historically, according to Hegel, by exploring previous economic processes, then the material base on which societies, institutions and ideas are built are in evidence due to rational logic and natural progression. Marx however, disagrees with this theory. He believes that such ab stract ideas did not exist and therefore provided limited explanations relating to the social world. The true nature of human experience therefore and life were totally under emphasised.His theory of historical materialism was constructed further in future writings. ‘The first historical act is . . . the production of material life itself. This is indeed a historical act, a fundamental condition of all of history’ (Marx & Engels, 1976). His many writings, which spanned four decades, underpin what has become known as Marxist theory and are used to develop our understanding of many areas relating to social life (Abercrombie et al, 2000). However, Marxist theory is primarily based around the class conflict of the bourgeoisie, i. . ruling class who own the mode of production and the exploitation of the proletariat, i. e. working class who are forced into selling their labour. The 3 stages relating to the industrial revolution have led to his alienation theory being supporte d by many sociologists. First came the agricultural revolution (1700-1800), followed by the industrial revolution (1800-1950). The final stage of these phenomena was the service revolution from the 1950s to the present day. Economic and surplus values are at the heart of Marxist theory.For Marx, alienation is an objective condition associated with the social and economic attributes of capitalism and results in alienated labour. The main use of Marx’s theory relating to this concept is in relation to the form of labour in any given capitalist society. However, he also talks of ‘alienation’ in the sphere of social and economic relations (Turner, 1999) Marx argues that humans are denied their basic natural essence, and as such was only realised in their labour. This allowed for a creative activity which was carried out in unison with others.Marx was of the opinion that people transformed a world outside themselves. Now the processes relating to production were one o f ‘objectification’. By this he means that man now produces material objects that embody human creativity, yet leaves them feeling detached and separated from the creator. Once the product is objectified, man no longer recognises himself in the product and autonomous manufacturing techniques leave him feeling alienated. Within capitalist societies Marx identified four levels of separation resulting in the concept of alienation. 1) Within a capitalist society the worker has no control over the fate of their production, therefore alienating them from the results of their labour. Although having been involved actively in the production of such commodities the worker is left feeling subdued, unattached and emotionally removed from the end product. This is now controlled by others, and as increased production multiplies, so does the division and separation of the labour process. (2) The worker is alienated from the act of production. For Marx, no individual satisfaction is a chieved as the worker’s own creativity is alienated from production.Furthermore, external constraints forced upon the worker removes any attachment from the’ fruits of their labour’ and in doing so, the product ceases to be an end in itself with work becoming merely a commodity. To the worker, the saleability of the product is their only concern. (3) The worker is alienated from their ‘specific being’ or human nature. Marx states that the individual’s human qualities are deprived. This is due to the first two levels of alienation, as outlined above, reducing the workers creative production activities and thus removing themselves from their natural self being and converting them into social animals. 4) The worker is separated from other humans. The emergence of capitalism has transformed human social relations into market relations. According to Marx, people are now judged, not be their human qualities and attributes but rather by their positi on within the market (Giddens, 1970). For example the separation of labour is also the separation of man from man in relation to class conflict and competition and also lends theory to their alienation of the products of their labour.Capital itself can also be seen as a source of alienation because its accumulation generates its own needs which reduce people to the level of commodities (Haralambos, 1998). The above four levels of separation and alienation of man is intrinsically linked and can be used to identify phenomena in regards to any society. Many pro-capitalist economists agree with Marx’s theory that all humans are treated as commodities that can be rented and that everything can be traded for monies. For Marx, this ensures that the gap between rich and poor widens, with both lasses pushing in opposite direction. However, he attacks other economists’ interpretations of the causes of capitalism and believes that they do not distinguish between both capitalists and the workers. Marx argues that competition is seen as an enforcement mechanism of the capitalist’s mode of production (Reiss, 1997). According to Marx, as all aspects of feudalism are connected, then so too are all aspects relating to capitalism. He is quoted as saying, ’’the worker becomes the poorer the more wealth he produces’’ (Marx, 1976).In other words, as the worker increases production, this only enriches their bosses whilst they still remain poor. Capitalist economists however, view each aspect of feudalism as an accidental corruption in relation to capitalism. Marx also explores the historical development of alienation and its intrinsic link to the division of labour. As society changes and tribes and villages continue to expand, so too does the division of labour (Rius, 1996). For society to survive trade and exchange must occur.This leads to more growth in exchangeable goods which in turn leads to an upsurge in use-value and exchange -value commodities. When considering use-value, this relates to how in demand a commodity may be of use to the individual. However, exchange-value relates to what commodities can be traded for other objects. For Marx, commodity fetishism has attributed to the alienation of man from the fruits of their labour (cowling, 1989). There are many examples of alienation in today’s society. The term Fordism originates from Henry Ford and the techniques he initiated to instil mass production.Indeed, his ideas and practices are still dominant in today’s society and are at the forefront of all technological mass production facilities and businesses. To enable production on such a large scale, Ford redesigned the whole manufacturing capabilities of his workforce. Unlike industrialists of the nineteenth century where skilled labour and handmade crafts were a necessity in the making of goods, Ford recognised an ability to mass produce by giving individuals a particular task in relati on to their labour duties.This would be made possible by re-designing all machines to carry out one specific purpose, rather than numerous functions (Watson, 2003). As such, there was now no need for skilled persons in which to operate machines. Individuals were now taught how to use particular machines which they would now carry out monotonously for the rest of their employment. This de-skilling technique ensured minimum waste and maximum output as the machine only had one way in which to operate. Ford realised that once you standardise the design of the car, you can standardise the whole production system.Thus, with the standardisation of machinery producing standardised parts, it now allowed for mass reproduction as all parts are identical therefore interchangeable. Although production of Fords automobiles had increased rapidly, the initiation of Frederick Winslow Taylor’s (1856-1915) scientific management system would ensure mass production on an even larger scale. Taylor was the man who introduced ‘time and motion’ studies to the workplace. He carried out an experiment on a pig iron gang at work. By observing their working habits, Taylor was able to redesign their work pattern.Like Ford, his task was to break a job down into standardised parts. He initially listed a set of rules to which the workers must comply to and then instructed them when to start, walk, lift and stop. Once the experiment was complete Taylor found that their productive output had increased by 400%. Taylor’s results would now allow for managers to command instructions to staff who would carry out tasks they specifically assigned to. This would undoubtedly lead to a separation of labour and also man’s alienation from man, as people who had previously worked side by side where now given specific tasks (Hughes et al, 1995).Ford would eventually instil Taylor’s scientific management technique into his workplace to generate even more productivity. T o do this Ford introduced the assembly line. Before this point, many of his employees worked unsupervised and at their own pace. However, with the emergence of assembly lines, workers now had to work in unison with the speed of the production line, and not that of the individual. This technique has greatly enhanced fords production levels and as such, Fords’ automobile plant in River Rouge USA, is now the largest in the world.By the 1990s over 10,000 people were employed there and over 90,000 cars and trucks were being produced each year (Watson, 2003). . Other examples which support Marx’s theory on alienation include multi-national companies such as McDonalds and Burger King, who epitomise our need for fast food productivity and back up his argument of commodity fetishism. Regardless of which outlet of McDonalds visited, the consumer will receive identical foodstuff and levels of service due to the standardisation of the product (Huczynski, 1991). Also, such companie s are immediately recognisable due their uniforms and company logo.Mass reproduction is applied to give the consumer a standardised food source which consists of various items such as burger, bun, relish and tomato. A time scale is also in place and many of the products on offer are controlled by a timer which goes off when certain items such as French fries and burgers are deemed ready. The main objective is to get the product to the consumer as quickly as possible with the minimum fuss. This is made possible by the way each McDonalds’ outlet is designed. By using both Fordism and Taylorist techniques workers can produce vast amounts of food that can then be passed onto the consumer within seconds.Marx’s concept of alienation is evident here as there is no need for skilled workers such as cooks and chefs to be employed due to the nature and resulting end product of such businesses (Huczynski, 1991). A critique of Marxist theory would be to suggest that if alienation i s produced and enacted by humans, then surely they also have the ability to change and reverse it. It is also contradictory as individuals opinions of alienation differ in relation to each person’s objective situation and consciousness.Although it cannot be denied that workers within capitalist societies do contribute to the common wealth as stated by Marx, the emergence of flexi-time, paid holidays and overtime empowers the worker and enables them to generate extra sums of money for themselves (Watson, 2003). Also, working for someone else may perhaps lessen the burden experienced by others, such as those who own small businesses. It is easy to engage Marx’s suggestion that workers lack rights, and there is much evidence to support this with the emergence of sweatshops and low paid immigrant workers (Rattansi, 1982).However, trade unions play a significant part in readdressing these issues by way of fair representation. Many jobs available to the masses today, do in f act, alienate workers and help establish capitalist theories, but humans have the freedom to change jobs or start their own businesses and trade unions are also in place to protect and represent employees (Giddens, 1971) His ideologies can also be construed as outdated as most of his concepts and terminologies are from over 100 years ago.Man may have been separated by man in relation to labour over centuries, but although this may be true in some aspects, technology and working conditions have rapidly improved over the same period. We also have the ability to influence each other rather than work in isolation. It appears that his concepts of alienation, although significant in his earlier political works and in lending credibility to research at that particular time, are rarely given a second thought in his later writings.For this reason it could be argued that Marx no longer held the opinion that the alienation of man and the collapse of capitalism was a foregone conclusion. BIBLIO GRAPHY Abercrombie, N. Hill, S and Turner, B. (2000) Dictionary of Sociology Penguin Book Cowling, M & Wilde, L. (1989) Approaches to Marx, Open University Press Giddens, A. (1971) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory, C. U. P. Giddens, A. (1970) Marx, Weber and the development of capitalism Haralambos, M. (1986) Sociology – a new approach, Causeway Press LtdHuczynski, A. Buchanan, D. (1991) Organizational Behaviour, Prentice Hall Hughes, J. A. , Martin, P. J. , & Sharrock, W. W. (1995) Understanding Classical Sociology, London: Sage Macintosh, I. (1997) Classical Sociological Theory. Edinburgh University Press Marx, K. , & Engels, F. (1976 [1845-46]) the German Ideology, Part 1 London: Lawrence & Wishart. Rius, E. (1996) Introducing Marx, Icon Books Turner B, (1999). Classical sociology. 1st ed. Uk: Sage. Watson, Tony J. (2003) Sociology, Work and Industry Routledge

Personal Responsability Essay

Definition of personal responsibility and what it means to you The relationship between personal responsibility and college success A preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in your education This week, using the Center for Writing Excellence resources, provide the thesis statement and informal outline for your Personal Responsibility Essay assignment. Thesis Statement: Even though someone with personal responsibility values the consequences of their acts; having personal responsibility is also knowing how to manage your time wisely, and recognizing what sacrifices will need to be made to meet deadlines, because a responsible person does their obligations and puts special attention to its compromises in order to meet them. To be successful in college as a student, you must maintain good attendance, make substantial post in discussions, and turn all of your assignments in on time. Informal Outline: Introductory paragraph: Being successful in life it requires taking personal responsibility for your actions. In order to reach personal responsibility it is important to be focused on what you want to accomplish. Time management is a key element, as well as making the necessary sacrifices in order to meet deadlines. These values are essentially useful in college, as you are required to participate actively, maintain good attendance, and submit your assignments in on time when trying to achieve academic success. Body paragraph #1 personal responsibility is also knowing how to manage your time wisely, recognizing what sacrifices will need to be made to meet deadlines on time in order to achieve college success Body paragraph #2 In order to be successful as a student, you must maintain good attendance, make substantial post in discussions, and turn all of your assignments in on time. Body paragraph #3 The most important reason why personal responsibility helps to manage your time wisely is because you learn to recognize what sacrifices will need to be made to meet deadlines. In order to achieve college success, a responsible person does their obligations and puts special attention to its compromises in order to meet them. Conclusion: In conclusion, although someone with personal responsibility values the consequences of their acts, personal responsibility also knows how to manage your time wisely, recognizing what sacrifices will need to be made to meet deadlines, in order to achieve college success for two main reasons. First, In order to be successful as a student, you must maintain good attendance, make substantial post in discussions, and turn all of your assignments in on time. But most importantly, a responsible person does their obligations and puts special attention to its compromises in order to meet them.

Louis Armstrong essays

Louis Armstrong essays Louis Satchmo (Satchelmouth) Armstrong was born August 4, 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana (the birthplace of jazz). Putting together the facts around his birth and childhood is difficult because what is known depends mostly on what he later told people. He was raised by his grandmother, Josephine Armstrong, as an infant. At the time of his birth his father walked out on him and his mother. Louis spoke with anger about his dad when he mentioned him at all. He hated his father so much that he told reporter Larry King, I was touring Europe when my father died. Didnt go to his funeral, didnt send nothing. Why should I? He never had no time for me or Mary Ann (his mother). (Collier 19) Armstrong had a genuine affection for his mother, even though se was very undependable, leaving her son to take care of himself and his sister for days at a time. Louis grew up in a tough area in New Orleans knows as The Battle Field where gun play and knife fights were common. At the age of seven he moved to black Storyville. It consisted of dance halls, honky tonks, and brothels. Like Londons Soho, it was an entertainment district. He grew up with music all around him. He could hear music outside his house when he woke up and when he went to bed. It is recorded that Louis did attend school at the Fish school where he learned to read and write. It is not a known fact how long he attended school, but we do know that on New Years Eve, 1912, he was arrested for shooting a gun. He was about eleven years old at the time, and this was considered a very serious offense. He was sent to a reform school on the outskirts of New Orleans called the Coloreds Waif House. It was here that he was introduced to organized music in the form of the school band. Captain Joseph Jones led the band in a military fashion that was extremely strict. This is where Louiss life changed from a delinquen...

Dogs chomp on more than four million people a year essays

Dogs chomp on more than four million people a year essays Dogs chomp on more than four million people a year. Megan Boger of La Belle, Pa., returned from shopping with her mother and ran into the yard to greet the family pet, a part-cocker mutt named Blaze. Seconds later, her mom, Elena Boger, heard a snap and then shrieks from three-year-old Megan. There was blood all over her face from tooth punctures under an eye and around her mouth, she recalls. Elena and her husband rushed their sobbing child to a local hospital. But the injuries were severe enough that the Bogers were sent to Children ¡s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where a plastic surgeon stitched the gashes. Little Megan is far from alone in having been the victim of a dog bite. According to a 1994 survey (the most recent) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, some 4.7 million people were bitten by dogs. About 800,000 required medical treatment. Many bites are to children, and most are from family pets or familiar dogs, not strays. Many bites are treated at home or in a doctor ¡s office, and as a consequence are often not reported to authorities. Meanwhile, there is no ongoing national system for counting dog bites, says the CDC ¡s Dr. Jeffrey Sacks. In some locales bites are reported to the police, in others to the animal-control folks or the health department. Some counties don ¡t collect data at all. Whatever the exact numbers, medical, veterinary and insurance experts agree: dog bites are on the rise. One reason may be that more people are getting larger, more powerful dogs than in the past. The CDC considers dog bites a serious public-health problem for children. A Pennsylvania study found that 45 percent of children had been bitten. And not only children are at risk. Dog bites are no joke for letter carriers and delivery people. Dog attacks account for a whopping one-third of all liability claims under renter or homeowner ¡s insurance policies. The Insurance Information Institute says that...

Definition and Origins of AD, or Anno Domini

Definition and Origins of AD, or Anno Domini A.D. is the abbreviation for Anno Domine, which is Latin for Year of Our Lord. The term has long been used to indicate the number of years that have passed since the birth of Jesus Christ, the lord to which the phrase refers. The earliest documented use of this method of reckoning the date is in the work of Bede in the seventh century, but the system originated with an eastern monk named Dionysius Exiguus in the year 525. The abbreviation comes properly before the date because the phrase it stands for also comes before the date (e.g., in the Year of Our Lord 735 Bede passed from this earth). However, you will often see it following the date in more recent references. A.D. and its counterpart, B.C. (which stands for Before Christ), constitute the modern dating system used by much of the world, nearly all of the west, and Christians everywhere. It is, however, somewhat inaccurate; Jesus was probably not born in the year 1. An alternate method of notation has recently been developed: C.E. instead of A.D. and B.C.E. instead of B.C, wherein C.E. stands for Common Era. The only difference is the initials; the numbers remain the same. Also Known As: C.E., Anno Domine, Anno ab incarnatione Domini Alternate Spellings: AD Examples: Bede died in A.D. 735.Some scholars still consider the Middle Ages to have begun in 476 A.D.

Cross Culture Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Cross Culture Management - Essay Example The proposition under discussion states that 'national culture' is of no significance in the communication skills needed by him. Communication between individuals is carried out through the medium of speech and/or writing, and both are once the inherent constituents and the inevitable outcomes of the culture of a people. An effective managerial quality that we would expect of our 'international manager' is great communication skills. In the light of these facts, we examine the extent of the validity of the statement under discussion. In a discussion of national culture, it is both useful and relevant to consider Hofstede's concept of national culture in the context of the milieu in which the present-day global manager functions. However, before a discussion of the constituent elements in Hofstede's concept of national culture, the qualities expected of an international manager, and his communication skills, it is necessary to clarify the nature of the environment in which he functions and how he has come to be where he is at present. The simple answer to this question is that he has come to be where he is at present because of globalisation. Globalisation 'Globalisation' has been a 'buzz-word' for quite some years now. Many scholars have used the term to describe the changing economic, political, cultural, and environmental scenarios that have occurred in the world during the last couple of decades or so. Different scholars have analysed globalisation through application of the tools and insights of various disciplines. In economics and business, globalisation has to do with the 'opening up of the frontiers', and the practice of "deregulation", in the Western world between 1980 and 1988 and the domination of the 'free market economy model'. Globalisation of the economy has implied free international trade, free international capital flows, and more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology, and greater integration of financial markets. It has heralded greater interdependence of national economies, and been instrumental in bringing about the hegemony of the US in the world economy. International cultural movement that has followed g lobalisation, according to Hoodasthian, is 'westernisation'.1 Hoodasthian asserts that "westernization is responsible for the domination of English language in the world"2. This is an important statement in the context of the topic of our discussion. For, if in a 'globalised' world, the vehicle of communication is the English language, and when that language is part of the 'global culture', would it not follow that a 'local' or 'native' 'national culture' is indeed "of virtually no significance in relation to the communication skills needed by the modern" global manager, when that manager may happen to be an American or a British This aspect of the argument will be considered in a subsequent paragraph. In the next section, the discussion is about the concept of national culture in the context of