The Implementation Of Multinational Banks In Emerging Countries Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 13 Words: 4046 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Profit opportunities are related to the characteristics of the country of origin and those of the host country. Foreign banks seize the opportunities that arise in emerging countries. They are attracted by attractive tax regulations and a lower level of taxation, by high prospects of economic growth and efficiency, and the existence of an uncompetitive banking sector. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Implementation Of Multinational Banks In Emerging Countries Finance Essay" essay for you Create order The competitive situation in the host country is an important factor in the choice of location. It is essential for multinational banks to examine the competitiveness of local banks, opportunities to enter the market and the probability of winning a market share. For example, the interest of Spanish banks for the banking market in Latin America can be explained by the low banking penetration in the region. The demographic structure of the host country is also an important factor to consider in choosing the host country. According to the theory of life cycle, savings allow the individual to ensure consumption in the future. In his early active life, the individual tends to borrow. Thus, young adults have negative savings. Afterward, the individual can save (accumulation phase). In retirement, he uses his savings (negative savings). Economies with young populations represent an attractive market for banks operating retail services. Indeed, even if these banks do not record gai ns in the short term, they can make a profit when people come to the accumulation phase. These banks generally have a long-term strategy. They are therefore aiming at a positioning on the market at a moment where the savings of most individuals is negative hoping for a future return or yield (Smith Walter [2003]). The demographic structure of emerging regions is characterized by a young population, which would in the long term constitute the future customers of retail banking. Demographic growth prospects in emerging markets are particularly attractive for European banks. Indeed, population projections preview a reduction of the European population in 2050. With regard to tax regulations, banks take into account mainly the corporate income tax, taxes on banking products and the existence of agreements to avoid double taxation between the country of origin and the host country. Table 1: Population projections 2050 (in millions of individuals) 2010 2050 Africa 1033 1937 Asia 4166 5217 Europe 730 653 Latin America 593 783 North America 348 483 World 6906 9076 Source: World Bank, United Nations Claessens et al. [2001] support the hypothesis that high taxes strongly discourage the entry of foreign banks. Multinational banks dependent on the ability of the host country to ensure liquidity and monetary stability, are brought to focus on other macroeconomic factors such as the stability of the currency, moderate inflation and relatively low interest rates, etc. The existence of effective communications systems also plays a crucial role in the selection of an optimal location. Indeed, the quality and availability of these systems are necessary for the proper functioning of banks. In addition, the location (near economic centers) can be a decisive factor in the location. It is also important to consider the conditions on the labor market, particularly the availability of skilled labor, labor costs and labor laws. The problem of qualifications must be taken into consideration because the costs of learning and training can be sign ificant barriers to the development of multinational banking activities. Restrictive regulations of the host country reduce investment opportunities and available choices. Some of these regulations limit competition and protect inefficient domestic banks. Foreign banks therefore have a preference for countries with open banking systems (Miller Parkhe [1998]). To attract foreign banks, governments have an incentive to impose low regulatory costs such as low taxes and limited entry barriers. Political stability is also a decisive factor for the choice of location as it determines the economic and legal conditions in the country. Multinational banks should also take into account the country risk, which is measured by indicators such as the deficit of the balance of payments, inflation, GDP growth and debt service. Finally, the regulations of the country of origin may affect the banks expansion abroad. Restrictions on FDI outflows reduce the likelihood that banks locate in other countries. 3.3 The impact of Basel II on the implementation of multinational banks in emerging countries The Basel accord aiming at improving the financial systems solidity applies to all international banks. The new capital requirements are more consistent with the risks to which banks are exposed. They are now required for credit risks, market risks and operational risks. The implementation of this agreement will have consequences not only on banking activities but also on the internationalization strategies of banks. The latter should reflect the Basel II requirements before taking decision on the establishment abroad, especially in emerging countries. By substantially modifying the calculation of the cost of risk, the Basel II changes in depth the strategies for the allocation of credit, pricing, measurement and management of risks. Will multinational banks tend to reduce their investments in these countries as they would be forced to hold more capital to cope with higher risks? Or rather, they will enjoy the potential competitive advantage over local banks that may have dif ficulties to meet the requirements of Basel II? 3.3.1 From Basel I to Basel II Compared to Basel I which is solely based on quantitative equity requirement calculated according to a standard method, the new agreement includes a number of innovations. The new capital requirements take into account credit risk, market risk as well as operational risks. The new capital ratio further integrates the reality of risks. For the calculation of minimum capital requirements, banks have the choice between using standard methods and methods based on internal ratings IRB. The Basel II rests on three pillars: Pillar I: capital requirements Pillar II: Prudential Supervisory Process: supervisory authorities may impose individual requirements higher than those calculated by the methods proposed by the first pillar. Pillar III: Market Discipline: Banking institutions are required to publish comprehensive information on the nature, volume and methods of managing their risks and the adequacy of their capital. The new Basel agreement increases the capital requirements of banks operating in emerging countries. The implementation of Basel II by the industrialized countries has consequences not only on the location decisions of multinational banks in emerging markets but can also cause changes in strategy for banks with already established subsidiaries and branches in these countries. The loans granted by foreign banks in emerging countries for sovereign borrowers as well as for banks and enterprises in the host country are now subject to the new Basel II. Multinational banks should take account of new capital requirements particularly with regard to credit risk. As part of the revised standard approach, the calculation of credit risk is more differentiated in function of risk. The major change, compared to Basel I guidelines, concern borrowers rated B and below. The weighting of credit risk in this category increased from 100% to 150%. Table 2: Weights applicable to different categories of borrowers Basel I Basel II Rating AAA to AA- A+ to A- BBB+ to BBB- BB+ to BB- B+ to B- Less than B- Unrated States OECD 0% 0% 20% 50% 100% 100% 150% 100% Non-OECD 100% Banks 20% 20% 50% 100% 100% 100% 150% 100% Companies 100% 20% 50% 100% 100% 150% 150% 100% Individuals 100% 75% Mortgage 50% 40% The new Basel Accord requires the weighting of the highest risk to 150% particularly: the claims on sovereigns, other public sector entities, banks and investment firms rated less than B-; the claims on companies rated less than BB-, the unpaid claims for more than 90 days and receivables deemed particularly risky by the national supervisory authority. Emerging countries as well as local companies and banks, often with low ratings, represent a quite high credit risk which implies higher cost of capital for these regions. On the other hand, countries that have better ratings benefit from the provided system in the framework of the Basel II since that regulatory changes aim in particular to a more efficient allocation of credit taking into account the different levels of borrowers risks. The difference between the minimum capital requirements for banks located in different countries can be considerable; this could influence the choice of the latter with respect to the host country to be chosen for their internationalization. The adoption of the IRB approach significantly increases the weighting of low rated borrowers thus generating a significant increase in the minimum capital required. Thus, banks having adopted the IRB approach would be encouraged to give loans to the best borrowers, usually located in countries with a high rating. It would be more advantageous for multinational banks to locate in these countries; especially that the new agreement encourages banks to retain the IRB approach. 3.3.2 The New Basel Accord enhances the competitive advantages of foreign banks Emerging countries have no obligation to apply the provisions of the new Basel Accord, however, they are strongly encouraged to do so. In fact, emerging countries do not have much choice. Not applying the international monitoring standards could put them away from the international financial community. In addition, the loans granted by the IMF or the World Bank are often subject to conditions on the compliance of local regulations with international standards. Similarly, the establishment of branches in a foreign country is allowed only if the country of origin shall apply the Basel Accords (Mark [2003]). On the other hand, the development of standards specific to emerging countries is very expensive for those countries that lack the resources and expertise to tackle such a project. Thus, regulators in emerging countries are more or less forced to apply the Basel Accord requirements, even if they are not adapted to the contexts of these countries. The implementation of Basel II in emerging markets could have a negative impact on local banks; these could be in a competitive disadvantage. Indeed, the Basel Accords, being basically established for the large multinational banks in order to limit bank risks, are not really suited to the needs and conditions of the banking system in emerging countries. The prudential regulations adopted under the new agreement may be inappropriate and may even weaken the banking system in emerging countries (Rojas-Suarez [2001]). On the other hand, the large international banks often retain the IRB approach, an approach that is difficult to apply in developing countries. This approach generally requires a lower level of capital than that required by the standard approach thus strengthening the competitive position of international banks relative to domestic banks in emerging countries (Mark [2003]). Indeed, foreign banks tend to attract less risky customers who benefit from a less strong risk weight in the case of an IRB appr oach than in the standard approach. The competitive advantage that multinational banks could benefit from with the implementation of Basel II requirements should encourage them to locate in emerging countries. Foreign banks may take control of some weakened local banks and even dominate the banking system in these countries. Chapter 4: Intervention strategy 4.1 Framework The suggested intervention consists of reaching a higher level of internationalization for Credit Libanais, and a bigger diversification for EFG Hermes Groups activity. Concretely, the intervention would be the inauguration of Credit Libanais in the countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union. Since that penetrating new markets tend to be a considerable investment, it would be more appropriate to choose one country among those targeted ones to start the internationalization operation. Consequently, it is suggested to start with the Ivory Coast. The following sections aim at explaining or justifying this choice, thus highlighting the importance of this intervention. 4.2 Ivory Coasts Economic Prospects The economic and social prospects for Cote dIvoire depend largely on the pacification of the country and the successful implementation of emergency reconstruction programs. Thus, assuming that the security situation is normalized in the second half of 2011, in conjunction with the lifting of sanctions and resumption of international cooperation, a strong recovery in GDP growth in real terms (about 6%) is expected as from 2012. On-going efforts to ensure the supply of petroleum products, secure production areas and rehabilitate marketing channels should push inflation down to less than 3% as from 2012, that is to say below the WAEMU convergence criteria. The return to political stability has fuelled great expectations among the population regarding the delivery of essential public services and rapid improvement in living standards. However, this will mean a major risk in terms of unfulfilled social demands. The redeployment of the tax and customs administration in the CNW areas w ill help to reduce tax evasion and consequently improve the collection of revenue necessary to meet increased spending prompted by the pressing needs of the population. The commitment of development partners to support the Ivorian authorities in their reconciliation and reconstruction efforts will create an atmosphere of confidence conducive to renewed growth and private sector development. Given the constant interaction between the Ivorian economy and that of neighboring WAEMU countries and particularly the movement of people, any support to Cote dIvoire will have direct or indirect spill-over effects at the regional level on the hinterland countries. IMF projections in September 2010 suggested improved economic growth of about 4.8% for the 2012-2014 period, stabilizing at 6% thereafter and reaching the historical post-devaluation growth path (1994-1998). The Ivorian economy could experience fast recovery because there was no excessive destruction of capital. In the medium an d long term, growth will mainly depend on: (i) rehabilitating public infrastructure; (ii) improving governance, particularly in public and semi-public enterprises, as well as in the coffee/cocoa, energy and financial sectors; and (iii) improving the business environment. 4.3 Ivory Coast Economic Outlook The Ivory Coast economy is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population. As the worlds largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products. The considerable political turmoil in the last decade has continued to damage the economy, leading to decreased foreign investment and weak economic growth, as can be seen below. Source: Drum Commodities, Ivory Coast Report, March 2012. The political chaos weighed heavily on the economy in 2011, with GDP falling to -7.3% after moderate growth in 2010 and now little higher than the 1999 level. With the return of stability, the IMF has forecast growth of 5.9% for 2012, with large injections of aid last year geared towards reconstruction helping to kick-start activity. Cocoa output is in the process of recovery and there are hopes of re newed inflows of investment in other sectors. Sustained growth will require large amounts of aid and renewed inflows of FDI, which will be helped by the new $615m IMF loan approved in November 2011. This loan was granted under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF), which has a zero interest rate, a grace period of 5.5 years, and a final maturity of 10 years. Debt relief is a high priority; 40% of 2012 budget spending is on debt service, and repayments on a $2.3bn eurobond have been in default for the past year. 2009 2010 2011 2012 (projected) Real GDP Growth 3.7 2 -7.3 5.9 CPI Inflation 4.7 2.7 6.3 3.3 Budget Balance % GDP -1.6 -2.5 -1.9 -3.4 Current Account % GDP 7.2 5.9 5.2 4.2 Source: Drum Commodities, Ivory Coast Report, March 2012. 4.4 Ivory Coasts tertiary sector The tertiary sector of the economy continues to play a key role in the Ivorian economy. It proved to be the driving force behind the economic growth of 2010 as crop production fell, with particularly strong performances from the telecommunication, commerce and services sector. As expected though, this suffered in the 2011 crisis, particularly the tourism and hotel industry, but expectations are that this sector will help propel the economys recovery in 2012. Table Showing Composition By Sector as a Percentage of GDP: Composition % of GDP Agriculture 29.2 Services 49.8 Industry 20.9 Other 0.1 Source: Drum Commodities, Ivory Coast Report, March 2012. Ivory Coasts banking system is playing an increasing role in financing the different sectors of the national economy. It provided the primary sector with XOF 57.2 billion (4% of total financing), the secondary sector with XOF 556.5 billion (37% of total financing) and the tertiary sector with XOF 876.6 billion (69% of total financing). There are 5 banks with majority Ivorian capital functioning: Banque nationale dinvestissement (BNI), Banque pour le financement de lagriculture (BFA), Banque pour lhabitat de Cà ´te dIvoire (BHCI), Versus Bank, and CNCE. Socià ©tà © gà ©nà ©rale de banque en Cà ´te dIvoire (SGBCI) and Banque Internationale pour le commerce et lindustrie de Cà ´te dIvoire (BICICI), which are subsidiaries of the French banks Socià ©tà © gà ©nà ©rale and BNP Paribas, between them cover the wage bill of 80 600 civil ser vants and other state employees and account for close to 30% of the Ivorian banking market. Monetary policy is implemented at regional level, as Ivory Coast and the other member states of WAEMU share currency, the CFA Franc (XOF), which is pegged to the Euro at a fixed parity. Monetary and credit policy is run by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), which has close links to the French Treasury as part of the monetary co-operation agreement between France and WAEMU member countries. The Dollar/West African CAF Franc Exchange Rate is: USD/XOF rate: $1=XOF498 The countrys recent macroeconomic policy has been to pursue the implementation of the 2009-11 financial and economic program and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), in order to complete the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Ivory Coast is one of the 40 countries worldwide eligible for this, considered to face an unsustainable debt burden that cannot be managed by traditional means. This grants the recipient country debt relief or low-interest loans to cancel or reduce external debt repayments to sustainable levels. The success of the economic reforms above has led to the Paris Club of international creditors rescheduling Cà ´te dIvoires debt. This will reduce repayments by more than 78% over the next three years; roughly US$1.9bn was deferred and US$400m was cancelled. There has been marked progress in Ivory Coasts economic partnerships with other emerging economies. Co-operation is often based on sharing experience and knowledge, the transfer of technologies and access to their respective markets. The countrys natural resources and its position within the WAEMU and ECOWAS economic zones render it ideal for partnership with other emerging economies. Ivory Coasts increasing connection with emerging economies has served to lessen the dependence on its traditional trading partners, namely Europe. Despite this, the EU still dominates Ivory Coasts foreign trade, but this trend is lessening, particularly with regard to Ivorian imports. 4.4.1 Domestic credit provided by the banking sector Domestic credit provided by the banking sector includes all credit to various sectors on a gross basis, with the exception of credit to the central government, which is net. The banking sector includes monetary authorities and deposit money banks, as well as other banking institutions where data are available (including institutions that do not accept transferable deposits but do incur such liabilities as time and savings deposits). Examples of other banking institutions are savings and mortgage loan institutions and building and loan associations. Domestic credit provided by banking sector (% of GDP) in Cà ´te dIvoire was 25.14 as of 2010. The Domestic credit provided by banking sector (% of GDP) in Cote dIvoire was last reported at 25.31 in 2011, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Its highest value over the past 48 years was 51.26 in 1983, while its lowest value was 16.22 in 1963. Source: World Bank Indicators, 2012. 4.4.2 Commercial banks and other lending (PPG + PNG) (NFL; US dollar) in Cote dIvoire The Commercial banks and other lending (PPG + PNG) (NFL; US dollar) in Cote dIvoire was last reported at -58213000 in 2010, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Commercial bank and other lending includes net commercial bank lending (public and publicly guaranteed and private nonguaranteed) and other private credits. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Source: World Bank Indicators, 2012. 4.4.3 Cost of business start-up procedures (% of GNI per capita) in Cote dIvoire The Cost of business start-up procedures (% of GNI per capita) in Cote dIvoire was last reported at 132.60 in 2011, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Cost to register a business is normalized by presenting it as a percentage of gross national income (GNI) per capita. Source: World Bank Indicators, 2012. 4.4.4 CPIA financial sector rating (1=low to 6=high) in Cote dIvoire The CPIA financial sector rating (1=low to 6=high) in Cote dIvoire was last reported at 3 in 2011, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Financial sector assesses the structure of the financial sector and the policies and regulations that affect it. Source: World Bank Indicators, 2012. 4.4.5 Deposit interest rate (%) in Cote dIvoire The Deposit interest rate (%) in Cote dIvoire was last reported at 3.50 in 2010, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Deposit interest rate is the rate paid by commercial or similar banks for demand, time, or savings deposits. Source: World Bank Indicators, 2012. 4.4.6 Foreign direct investment; net (BoP; US dollar) in Cote dIvoire The Foreign direct investment; net (BoP; US dollar) in Cote dIvoire was 380872959.97 in 2009, according to a World Bank report, published in 2010. Foreign direct investment is net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows total net, that is, net FDI in the reporting economy from foreign sources less net FDI by the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Source: World Bank Indicators, 2012. 4.4.7 Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio (%) in Cote dIvoire The Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio (%) in Cote dIvoire was reported at 9.45 in 2008, according to the World Bank. Ratio of bank liquid reserves to bank assets is the ratio of domestic currency holdings and deposits with the monetary authorities to claims on other governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, the private sector, and other banking institutions. Source: World Bank Indicators, 2012. 4.5 Ivory Coast Export/ Import Commodities Ivory Coasts main export commodities are cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil and fish. Its primary imports are fuel, capital equipment and foodstuffs. Ivory Coasts primary export trading partners are US (10.2%), Netherlands (10%), Nigeria (7.7%), Ghana (6.7%), Germany (6.2%), France (6.2%) and Burkina Faso (4.5%). The countrys main import partners are Nigeria (22.4%), France (12.6%), China (7.1%) and Thailand (4.8%) (2010). Total exports for the year 2011 came to $11.24 billion, whilst imports totaled $7.295 billion. Europe remains the countrys largest continental trading partner with 44% of trade, ahead of the rest of Africa with 29% and Asia with 12.5%. Chinas share of 3.2% is modest by comparison with its position in Africa generally, but is growing rapidly, driven by cheap Chinese exports. Trade with other emerging countries such as Brazil, Malaysia and India have also developed in recent years, as too has their investment in Ivor y Coast. Chapter 5: Conclusion The decision of MA operation between Credit Libanais and EFG Hermes was made on strategic basis. The Credit Libanais objective is to achieve geographical expansion using its acquirer financial power and EFG Hermes objective is to achieve an enhanced business diversification especially after it sold its shares in Audi Bank. In general, EFG Hermes has reached its objective the moment the MA operation was executed. On the other hand, Credit Libanais objective is still not reached. Benefiting from the points of strength and the present opportunities, an intervention is suggested in this paper for Credit Libanais in order to overcome its weaknesses and threats. The intervention consists of penetrating a new market which is the West African Economic and Monetary Union market. It suggests the opening of Credit Libanais in the Ivory Coast which is a member of the WAEMU. This location was chosen for the growing importance of the Ivory Coast economy within the WAEMU and for many other encouraging factors such as the countrys tertiary sector, banking structure, and cost of business start-up procedures as well as the presence of an important Lebanese community there. This paper has detailed the Credit Libanais environmental factors and suggested an intervention for a better performance and strategic implementation. It didnt go through cost details since that information concerning location price, equipment price and availability, and wages and salaries in Ivory Coast are difficult to get. Moreover, the cost issue of the intervention is not the primary factor for the implementation decision making since that this intervention is a first step in a series of market implementation targeting the rest of the countries of the WAEMU. In other words, its an investment that is expected to generate revenues on the medium and long term rather than the short term and comes to satisfy the MA banks objectives.

Discuss the Research on Compliance and Conformity Underlining

To comply and conform in society is sometimes ideal in some situations especially when everyone has their own ideas, beliefs, opinions and ways of thinking. So to comply and conform when group work arises is a situation many people do to avoid confrontation, possible embarrassment, and generally being `the odd one out. Psychologists have done many experiments to tests compliance and conformity. They have tested why people do it, when people will do it, which people do it, how people do it, and what situations people are more likely to do it. I will discuss mainly what enhances and what reduces this type of behaviour through research done by Asch, Milgram, and Sherif. Asch (1951) did an experiment to test peoples conformity skills with†¦show more content†¦(Philip Banyard and Andrew Grayson, Introducing Psychological Research, p7). There are criticisms with this experiment though because people believe that the research concentrates on the individual rather than the situation they are in. Also, the research invariably deals with very trivial tasks or judgments. For example, ` how long is the line? Well who cares? (Philip Banyard and Andrew Grayson, Introducing Psychological Research, p9). The study was also often done on students, of which are more likely to conform due to the fact that they do not want to be different than what they thought were other students in the group. It might have portrayed them as `stupid and may even have thought if they gave the wrong answer (which was actually the correct answer but others said differently) thought the others may think they had a weakness in their intelligence if they didnt concur with them. The meaningless nature of the task, no emotional involvement and that they were all strangers to one another also affected the responses of the research participant. In fact, the results of the experiment may have shown conformity considerably higher than in a `real life situation where people are more likely to put forward their own beliefs aboutShow MoreRelatedUnit 522 becoming an effective leader a7806 Words   |  32 PagesGoleman sets out the framework within which to EI competence could be improved and identifies two areas where this is to be achieved; personal and social competencies. Goleman and Cherniss have jointly produced a paper [11] for The Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations identifying 22 guidelines which represent the best current knowledge relating to the promotion of EQ in the workplace, summarised as: Paving the way assess the organizations needs assessing the individualRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesManager: Kelly Warsak Senior Operations Supervisor: Arnold Vila Operations Specialist: Ilene Kahn Senior Art Director: Janet Slowik Interior Design: Suzanne Duda and Michael Fruhbeis Permissions Project Manager: Shannon Barbe Manager, Cover Visual Research Permissions: Karen Sanatar Manager Central Design: Jayne Conte Cover Art: Getty Images, Inc. Cover Design: Suzanne Duda Lead Media Project Manager: Denise Vaughn Full-Service Project Management: Sharon Anderson/BookMasters, Inc. Composition: IntegraRead MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 Pagesthat it is prescribed in the following way: †¢ The appropriate chapters of the book with a few suggested issues to bear in mind. For example, it might prove useful for participants to read Chapter 1 and be expected to discuss what is meant by strategy or to read Chapter 3 and discuss what strategic capabilities matter most in organisation. Preparation of illustrations, case examples or case study material. Here, specific guidance can be found in the teaching notes in Section 6 and in the work assignmentRead MoreProblems on Cost Accounting70221 Words   |  281 PagesRecapitulate the main concept after going thr ough each chapter by way of brief notes. ∞ Prepare notes in the manner you feel comfortable covering all key points. Use mnemonic form e.g. C V P denoting cost, valuation and price. ∞ One may use highlighter/underlining the significant points or writing down in the margin. ∞ The fact that how well you have understood the topic is your ability to attempt the questions given in the exercises as well as in the practice manual. Make a serious attempt at producing your

Critical Response to Poetry Essay Example For Students

Critical Response to Poetry Essay Every word in Harlem (A Dream Deferred) communicates a part of the meaning to the readers. Each word conveys more of the impact of a dream unaccomplished. The author is not literally saying but instead is asking. He is imposing the readers to think about a dream deferred. Without having to say it literally, the question rises In the minds of the readers; do I have dreams that have been left sitting? Are they causing this heavy down sagging in my life, in my heart? The author writes the poem in questions which brings up questions to the readers about themselves. As well we have the word Harlem in the title. Possibly readers will be reminded of the community Harlem In New York City. Most likely It has something to do with that community or the African-American people who live there. Otherwise, why else would the author put that word in the title? This poem gives the readers a feeling of moldiness, surrounds them with heaviness, it brings thoughts about a dream that no one would want to believe In. The whole poem is made up of Imagery, in each nine we have vivid Images from the words written. Does It dry up Like a raisin In the sun? In this line we see a hot sun with shriveled dried up raisins. Than maybe we think about a dream in this state. Or fester like a sore- and then run? Nobody likes to hear the word fester. It only brings images of ugly wounds infected and full of puss. What horribleness to think of a dream that way. Then he asks the q uestion Does it stink like meat? He is more or so saying does a deferred dream follow you like the smell of rotten meat? Is it something horrible that you cant get rid of unless o throw It away or burry it? We will write a custom essay on Critical Response to Poetry specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now His next line Is not stinky or horrible like rotten meat, and immediately It changes the Image in the readers mind to something sweet and sugary but gone stale, no longer having the taste of true sweetness. Then you read the next line and the author says Maybe it Just sags like a heavy load? Is this unaccomplished dream bogging down that happiness In your life? Maybe youve been walling to long for It to happen and life no longer feels worth living. Finally In comes the last line rather suddenly Or does it explode? Have you waited a long time or this dream happen, only to give up on it suddenly, all at once? Was it there untouched then suddenly thrown away? Each line in Harlem (A Dream Deferred) brings up questions In a readers mind about himself, about the poem, and about dreams in general. 2. This Is the poem I choose to write about. The Victor If you think you are beaten, you are. 1 OFF If you like to win but think you cant, Its almost a cinch you wont. If you think youll lose, youre lost. For out in the world we find Success begins with a fellows will. Its all in the state of mind. If you think you are out classed, you are. Youve got to think high to rise. Youve got to be sure of your-self before You can ever win the prize. Lifes battles dont always go To the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the man who thinks he can. By C. W. Linebacker Its all in a state of mind, if you think you cant do something you wont be able to. To succeed you must have the will power to push on, if you think you cant, you surely wont. This poem is a reminder of how youll succeed through the strength and confidence of positive thinking. If you think you can do something, for example, run a long distance race. .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 , .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .postImageUrl , .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 , .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430:hover , .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430:visited , .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430:active { border:0!important; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430:active , .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430 .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud8daf33448431b63523cf298376e6430:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Poetry EssayYou have a good chance of winning or doing well, but if you choose to think negatively, that youll never do it, that youll never make it to the finish line. Then most certainly that is what will happen. Your body was created to obey the thoughts of your mind. So that which you think, being negative or positive, determines significantly, more then anything else, how well youll do, in anything you set out to complete. The Victor is a very inspiring poem for many people because e all have struggles and problems throughout our lives. Its not easy to always think positive when life is bringing you down. Its about what you think you can and cant do. Its about making the right choice to climb your mountain when you come to it. The poem speaks about the way we defeat ourselves. When our minds begin to have doubts and fears, then already, we have been defeated. You have to set goals and believe you can achieve them. It depends only on what you think you can accomplish. There is many times where the approach of things has stopped a person from achieving something, whether its a life changing circumstance, or Just a small everyday thing, because that person Just could not bring himself into believing he could do it. This poem comes down to one thing; think negative and the outcome will be negative; think positive and the outcome will most surely be positive. How far do you think you can go, how far do think you can push yourself? The word think is the key word. Its all in the state of mind, in our self-esteem and how we think about ourselves in life. So a person is sitting at a table with a plate of rice in front of him. Now this particular person despises rice, you might think; well he probably Just has different taste buds. But really it has nothing to do with taste buds or anything else. It has only to do with how this person pictures rice in his mind. The whole about rice. This simple example goes for anything whether it is, running a race, writing an essay or doing you chores. It has nothing to do with the task itself; the difficulty of it matters very little. Its how you look at it, which makes the difference. Many people tend to look lowly at themselves, they tend to think theyre no good at anything, theyll often see themselves as ugly or stupid. They might even think that nobody likes them. This poem is a little reminder, to all of us out there with such thoughts, that how we think of ourselves is how well feel about ourselves. To conquer the world we must first believe in ourselves. To have faith in others we must first have faith in ourselves. To be loved by others we must first love others. To do all these things we must first have a positive nature, and then well see the world in a new light. It will become a place you never thought it could be.

Soldiers In The Civil War Essays - Union, Confederate States Army

Soldiers In The Civil War A Soldiers Life in the Civil War Life during the Civil War was not a pleasant time. There was basically utter chaos going on the South. Soldiers had to deal with the harsh conditions and the thought of death. Plantation owners had to worry about who was going to work their fields. Business owners had to worry about who was going to buy their products. Citizens had to worry about soldiers destroying their property. And the government had to worry about how to pay the soldiers and how to end the war. This was a very rough time to be alive. Soldier Life During The Civil War The camp life for a soldier was hardly one to be desired. ?The weather was hot and the water was bad, yet the men kept in good spirits, and there was no grumbling at the hard drill and harder work(Ratchford, 11).? The weather varied a lot during the Civil War. At times it would snow up to depths of eight inches and sometimes it would rain and hail for hours on end(Russell, 130). Other times it would be very hot. Sometimes when it would rain, soldiers would wake up half submerged(Brown,122). Death was also a major fear during the Civil War. ?We cook and eat, talk and laugh with the enemies dead lying all about us as though they were so many logs(Brown, 115).? The soldier would march threw battlefields where dead men, horses, and smashed artillery were scattered about in utter confusion; the Blue and the Gray mixed-their bodies so bloated, distorted, and discolored from decomposition, that they were basically unrecognizable(Mohr, 326). There was also the duties of the officers. ?Often when a detachment was on scout, there were no men left in camp to release the pickets, and they had to remain on post for seventy-two hours at a stretch(History of the Service, 129).? Marching, shooting, charging, scouting; they were all hard assignments, but they were important to the war. There were times when troops had to charge for ten miles to get to towns to protect them(Mohr, 326). Troops often woke up before daylight to march and sometimes they would just march right back to where they started(Brown, 120). There were also times when troops would march a couple of hundred yards and end up marching back the next day. It sounds as though there was a lot of unnecessary marching. There was also a lot of unnecessary shooting. There would be picket lines shooting all day every day and the occasional canon shot(Brown, 118). Sometimes there would be picket firing going on into the night(Mohr, 324). ?Shelling don't scare us as it used to and if they pass us before they burst there is no danger in them. All they do is to make men bow their heads as it passes over(Brown, 116).? Food is essential in every day life, and it is very difficult to live without. ?Little chance to feed and eat(Mohr, 324).? Food was not always very abundant during the civil war. Food was sometimes stolen from citizens or even from the enemy. ?I took 30 men today and went on a scout to the left of our Army, to drive in some cattle near the Yanks picket lines-I went about seven or eight miles-found the cattle in a large field and succeeded in getting 20 head of them, and some of them I got within 200 yards of the Yanks vidette line. Brought the cattle all in and got back just before night- making a complete success of the trip and got no one hurt(Brown, 123).? There were also times when enemy's would trade goods. There would be Rebels on one side of a river and Union troops on the other side and they would arrange to meet and trade newspapers, salts, coffee, and tobacco(History of the Service, 129). Medical help was a problem if you got hurt. The basic treatment for a gun shot wound was to let it heal on it's own or cut of the part that got shot. It was very unlikely to live after being shot. ?A finger or two were removed, the broken bones were adjusted, and

The Lord of the Rings Return of the King Theatrical VS Cinematic

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is considered to be one of the most successful movie franchises of all time due its combination of the theatrical and the cinematic which resonated well with global audiences (Bennett, 91).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King: Theatrical VS Cinematic specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Its cinematic quality can be seen in the finely detailed CGI graphics and backdrops that the characters were immersed in (Bennett, 91). The picturesque landscapes, the lifelike realism of the climactic battle scenes, the use of magic, fantasy and vivid imagery creates a world that no theatre could possibly create. The film itself was meant to â€Å"wow† audiences with the way in which it represented Middle Earth in the way that J.R.R Tolkien saw envisaged his own eyes. The film franchise is also known for its use of theatrics as it can be seen in the speeches, dialogue and mannerisms of the characters themselves. Unlike modern films where the characters seem to blend in with other characters and the very backdrop of the film itself the dramatic and often times exaggerated acting of the actors, Hugo Weaving in particular, gives audiences the impression that they are not watching a move at all but rather a dramatic theatrical play where the main actors act in overly operatic and melodramatic ways in order to better connect with the audience and bring them into the film itself. One scene in the movie in particular draws out this feeling of theatrics, namely the speech of Aragorn before the attack on the Black Gates of Mordor. When Hugo Weaving speaks in this particular scene one cannot help but be drawn into the speech itself, there are no cinematic effects shown rather all focus is on Aragorn not virtue of any focused effect but rather due to the power of his speech, the emotion resonating in his voice and his ability to garner the attentio n of the audience through his voice alone. This particular form of acting is often seen in various theatrical plays as the actors act in an overly melodramatic way in order to capture the attention of the audience. In this particular scene Aragorn is capturing the full attention of the audience so that instead of the audience realizing the small size of Aragorn’s army compared to the massive army of Mordor they still place their faith on Aragorn’s men due to the sheer power of his speech in which people cannot help but want to support him. Another scene which captures the theatrical aspects of the film is the scene involving Gandalf and the Witch King wherein both adversaries confront each other on top of one of the towers in the city. While this scene does include some cinematic effects such as the CGI monster that Witch King was riding what must be taken into consideration in this particular scene is the fact that the interaction between the two characters through sp eech alone creates such a feeling of hopelessness that one cannot help but feel that the cause is lost.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What must be understood is that theatrical presentations often rely on speech as a method of inciting a particular reaction in various audiences as such the dramatic use of speech in this particular case was the complete opposite of that utilized by Aragorn rather it was meant to instill a sense of hopelessness in the audiences for the fate of Gondar and the fellowship. So far what has been presented are various cases of theatrical presentations in the film however what Return of the King is most known for is not just its use of theatrics but rather in its stunning use of cinematics where one cannot help but marvel at the scenes, backdrops and battles that seem to get better and better after each passing scene in the film. One particular example of the use of cinematics in the film was the use of CGI in order to portray the lifelike battle on the fields of Pellenor. This particular scene involved thousands of CGI representations in order to create a vivid and realistic battle between two opposing armies. The level of detail was so good that one cannot help but be fascinated by the sheer scale of the fighting especially in the use of CGI graphics to create the Oliphant’s (yes they were named that way in book and the movie). Another case of brilliant cinematic imagery was the scene entitled â€Å"the Charge of the Rohirrim†, in it audiences are treated to a climactic battle scene where literally thousands of riders come streaming down a hill in a triangle formation battering into the enemy army below. This scene can be considered cinematic due to the detailed and vivid charge of army and its subsequent clash wherein the very sounds of bodies crashing in spears, swords hitting swords and the sounds of death and m urder echo around which gives the scene a greater degree of cinematic realism. It must be noted that cinematic representations often involve visual and auditory effects in order to capture the attention of the audience. Speeches, dialog or even good acting is not exactly required in such instances as it can be seen in the battle scenes in the movie wherein people just scream and attempt to batter each other.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King: Theatrical VS Cinematic specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is based on this that it can said that theatrical representations often rely on dialog and the sheer talent of the actor in order to properly capture the attention of an audience while cinematic representations rely more on visual cues and effects in order to capture an audience’s attention. After viewing the film it can not really be said that either theatrical or cin ematic elements work better for this particular type of movie franchise. The reason behind this is the fact that since the movie itself is based off of a book the movie tries to incorporate certain aspects of the book itself which are inherently theatrical. On the other hand in order to properly portray the needed battle scenes and backdrops a certain degree of cinematic quality needed to be incorporated into the film itself. It is due to this that it really cannot be stated that one element of the film (theatrical or cinematic) works better since both are inherently needed in order to properly portray the movie as it was envisaged in the book. Works Cited Bennett, Ray, and Peter Pryor. â€Å"Oscar crown on head of ‘King’.† Hollywood Reporter –  International Edition 382.42 (2004): 91. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. This essay on The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King: Theatrical VS Cinematic was written and submitted by user Braydon Wright to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Cortes & Colombus essays

Cortes & Colombus essays At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the world was a quite small place for Europeans. While they knew about China and Southern Africa, their worldview was still focused on Europe and the Mediterranean. Within 200 years, Europe would be almost all over the world with settlement on various continents. By 1700, most of the coastline of the Americas would be under the domination of Europeans. Meanwhile, with the European conquest of the Nuvus Mondus -the New World- Europe also discovered and revealed a darker side of itself in the age of exploration. The Portuguese all throughout the 16th century built a monopoly in the spice trade from the east by dominating the trade routes around the continent of Africa. Spain, on the other hand, began thinking of ways to get around this monopoly by developing a western route to the eastern countries. The Spanish were especially well prepared by history to conquer, occupy, populate and exploit new lands and assimilate new people. " With Portugal dominating the African route to India, Queen Isabelle of Castile was persuaded to take an interest in a western route by a Genoese adventures, Christopher Columbus." Columbus was in his forty- first year. He had lived 9 years in Spain, where he was trading sugar and was making maps and marine charts. During this period, he made many sea voyages that conceived him later in his enterprise of discovery. Finding no acceptance of it in Portugal, he had come to Spain in 1485. Like all well-informed people of this day, Columbus also believed that the world was round. But Columbus also believed that the world was smaller than was imagined in general and he managed to convince Isabelle that a western expedition would be a short trip. He was, of course, completely mistaken; " he misjudged the size of globe by 25% and the distance of the journey by 400%." As a matter of fact, Columbus and his men would have starved or died, but fortunately for Columbus America...

Psychological Disorders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Psychological Disorders - Essay Example Psychological disorders are known to be harmful, and dysfuntional when they are labeled to be behaviors such as, atypical, disturbing, maladaptive, and unjustifiable (Myers 2006, pg.522). Although there is medical treatment available for many of these psychological problems, the reaction to the treatment varies from person to person. In that regard it can not be wholly stated that these diseases, in themselves (such as major depression), can be effectively treated by prescribed drugs at all times. When a specialist makes a claim that such a disorder is not a psychological problem, it creates an adversity on those who struggle with the illness themselves and, it makes many feel as if they are being compromised when trying to stress how the disorder has impacted their lives to a medical practitioner or psychiatrist. However, it can be understood why a statement such as this would be made because it has taken the medical world nearly twenty years to realize that a major depressive disor der is a severe psychological problem. Beforehand, the attitude did exist that it wasn't that serious and that it could be medically treated in an efficient manner with prescribed drugs to alter the pattern of the illness (Field et al, 2000, pg.71).

Legalizing Marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Legalizing Marijuana - Essay Example For the last 10 years, there has been an on going debate that whether marijuana should be legalized or not in USA. It has become a countrywide debate, but still there is no conclusion drawn that whether the drug is significant or not in use and adaptation. The issue is common but still found in debate and more discussion (Hanson & Venturelli, 2012). I being the speaker of my audience will present the information regarding marijuana’s purposive use and legalization. I will be putting a light on controversies prevailing in the aspect of marijuana legalization. The common perception regarding Marijuana use is that it is a drug, which carries more negative influences than positive for the society. Marijuana is highly influential for the young segment of the society is what the Institute of Drug Abuse asserts in its recent survey (Tate, 2013). The Drug Policy Alliance claims that 90 million Americans of the total country’s population try marijuana once in the lifetime. Moreover, organizations such as the Institute of Drug Abuse and the Drug Policy Alliance depict that violence or psychosis are some behaviors related to Marijuana use and adaptation. These are some negative impressions which people keep about marijuana and its legalization in the country (Steve, 2011). There is another positive side of the perception, which says that marijuana is a productive drug. It is a drug that not only is required in medical treatments but also a drug that can add efficiently to the economy of the country (Caulkins, 2012). According to the contemporary literature, marijuana is the oldest and most significant drug used in the human civilization. Marijuana has been in adaptive use of the western civilization, since the early nineteenth century when it got named as western medicine (Cheryl, 2009). Most of the health institutions like the Institute of Drug Abuse claim that marijuana carries a lot of health risks and therefore

How to Become an Interior Decorator Essay Example for Free

How to Become an Interior Decorator Essay Analyzing interior designing websites provide excellent information to aspiring interior designers and decorators. Interior designing and interior decorating appears to be an easy, fun career. How hard can it be to transform rooms into a fantasy comparable to DisneyLand? Researching sites allows the student to make necessary accommodations to achieve their objective. Atotalwaste. com/interiordecorator is a site providing easy to understand and clear distinctions between a designer and decorator. The site very clearly lists the job duties and education requirements of a designer and decorator. It states the list of organizations associated with interior designing. The difference of what a designer does and a decorator does are listed. The site explains why the requirements for interior designers are more thorough. Interior designers are responsible for a lot more than just the physical appearance of a room or home they are decorating. They are also responsible for the safety and welfare of the public. The contribution of the designers is clearly outlined. Everyone on the outside looking in, envisions designers making buildings, rooms, and houses look very pretty. The article lists duties that no one realizes. Designers work on public buildings, such as airport terminals. Interior designers are hardly imagined as someone responsible for airport security. The site gives an overall positive image of interior designers. The designers are spoken in higher regard than decorators. â€Å"Anyone can be an interior decorator† does not show a flattering or respected image of decorators. It compares designers and decorators like nurses and nurse’s aids. Designers depend on decorator’s assistance. â€Å"I do not want to have to spend years of studying, worrying about things like building codes, and write an examination to be certified. Can I just start decorating people’s houses without going through all that. † People attracted to this profession are not likely to have such an attitude. Toward decorators, a hard language is used. Decorators are shown as more of a working class profession instead of professionals. Many designers start off as interior decorators, but have goals to become designers. Respected, upper class people are drawn to this profession, both designing and decorating. There are some people who just want professional advice to decorate their houses or friends houses, but they are not drawn to the profession. In that situation, they would attend a lecture or meeting given by a professional designer or decorator. The site speaks much softer and flattering of designers. Health, codes and safety, except for a brief overview of designer’s responsibilities, are not mentioned. It does mention that professional standards are set by the American Society of Interior Designers or the Interior Designers of Canada. Certification and testing through National Council for Interior Design Qualification are mentioned. The specifics are not. Exact privileges once designers fulfill requirements are not listed in the site. Designers are responsible for health, codes and safety, but no actual details are listed. Overall this site does speak well of interior designers. Interior designers work for and earn the prestige and respect they receive. Unknown important responsibilities of designers are mentioned. It shows surprising facts that designers have a very important role to play. Interior designers are not just there to make a beautiful fantasy happen. It looks that way. Atotalwaste. com provides somewhat uncommon information on interior designing profession.

Neo-Marxist analysis: Neo-liberal policies

Neo-Marxist analysis: Neo-liberal policies What is the neo-Marxist assessment of neo-liberal policies and to what extent do you agree with this assessment? Neo-Marxism is a school of economic thought which applies Marxist ideas to the present global economic conditions. It became prevalent during the 1960s and 1970s as neo-Marxist scholars demonstrated how capitalist policies hindered development and increased the inequality between the Global North and South. Henceforth, neo-Marxists produced the dependency and modern world system theories as clear illustrations as to how neo-liberal capitalism has brought increased inequality to the global economy. Therefore, in order to examine neo-Marxist assessments of neo-liberal policies, it is firstly important to consider different neo-Marxist perspectives in detail and analyse the elements which are contested and by whom. It is also important to evaluate the arguments for and against the doctrine, which would help to gauge to what extent the neo-Marxist assessments are credible. Thus it will be argued that neo-Marxist theories provide an accurate analysis of how neo-liberal capitalism has crea ted an increase in political and economic subordination of the South to the North and further, its critical examination of the New International Economic Order. The argument which supports the development problem analysis stems from neo-liberal economics. The theoretical basis is that, ‘rather than protecting national markets and production, neo-liberal theory promotes openness and allows more efficient use of resources, exchange of technology and greater opportunities for economic growth.’ This approach has been influential in modernisation theory, which asserts that, once states implement neo-liberal restructuring measures and entrepreneurs accumulate sufficient capital, the benefits of growth and efficiency would ‘trickle down’ to the poor. Neo-liberals argue that underdeveloped societies, ‘should learn from the development experiences of the already developed or pioneer countries,’ striving to become more like existing developed societies. In the early 1990s, the IMF and World Bank in conjunction with the US Treasury Department ‘arrived at a consensus that neo-liberal policies were needed in l ess developed and emerging market economies.’ These policies included the strengthening of the free market, supporting private enterprise and increasing deregulation allowing entrepreneurial initiative. The Washington Consensus had several key policies for the Global South to increase development and these were said to be market-led. These included the issuing of loans so long as ‘Southern’ governments followed strict policy conditions, state-led development was replaced with market-led development and to use foreign exchange from export-led growth to pay off debts and promote development. However, neo-Marxists criticise these policies and have lead them to introduce theories which address the level of underdevelopment caused by neo-liberalism and the Washington Consensus. The neo-Marxist theories of Dependency and World System Theories both share the idea that the Global North and South are in a structural relationship with one another. The former theory originated in the South, and its subject area is explicitly geared towards the problems and interests of the South and is seen as, ‘bottom up,’ approach to international political economy, which prioritises the conditions faced by the poor and the oppressed. Furthermore, having emerged from the development economics studies of the 1960s, dependency theory simultaneously links underdevelopment and capitalist exploitation to trade and monetary relations, and the role of corporate actors and economic institutions. The theory claims that the impoverishment of the South is a direct outcome of their exploitation by the advanced countries in the age of imperialism, which led to the superior development of the North. While the countries in the North accumulate sizeable capital, the countries in t he South are further plunged into underdevelopment. The dependency theory further claims that a new form of imperialism is now dominant, ‘in which an economic imperialism continues the exploitation of the South, without the direct political rule of colonialism.’ When analysing neo-Marxist assessments of neo-liberalism it is important to consider where neo-liberalism has been implemented in both developed and underdeveloped nations. When taking the example of how neo-liberalism was embedded in Latin America; there were several distinct policies that lead the transition into neo-liberal economics. A specific policy was the exchange-rate overvaluation which, ‘artificially reduces the local price of imports,’ however lead to a, ‘devastating impact on the balance of payments and employment.’ Other policies such as domestic financial liberalisation and liberalisation of capital account of the fiscal reforms lead to investment and savings rates declining and public debt levels increasing sharply due to high interest rate levels respectably. Neo-liberal economic policies were implemented by Thatcher’s government of 1979-1990. However, she left behind the highest inflation and interest rates among advanced economies, including large scale bankruptcies, high and rising unemployment and the largest current account deficit in history. The UK’s economic downturn highlights and emphasises the weakness within the doctrine of neo-liberalism. Critical analysts, including those associated with World Systems Theory, neo-Marxism and postcolonial theory; suggest that underdevelopment is actually a problem of dependency, arising within a world system operating as a whole. Underdeveloped societies are not in the position they are in due to internal inadequacies, but because of an ongoing history of dependency, economic exploitation, political subordination and military violence. Whereas the mainstream analysis suggests that any and all underdeveloped societies can in principle â€Å"catch up† with the West through the adoption of development-led, typically neo-liberal policies, critical theorists suggest that such a â€Å"catch-up† cannot happen in a world dominated by the developed societies. Any improvement in the status of underdeveloped societies would require a radical transformation of the entire world system, including the position within it of the developed societies. It could not take the form of a  "catch-up† but only of a general structural transformation. This is because the position of developed countries is itself a product of the world system and requires the continued existence of underdevelopment to sustain it. Despite significant differences, critical approaches share the view that, ‘there exists a world structure in which dominant interests located in the advanced industrial world dominate and exploit the rest of the world using economic, political and military means.’ Andre Gunder Frank argues that, ‘the global system is a whole chain of metropolis-satellite relations. Each metropolis dominates, exploits and draws wealth from its satellite or satellites.’ This chain, with northern societies at the top, keeps societies in Africa, Asia and Latin America at the bottom of a global system. Frank sees surplus exported upwards and outwards from the bottom of the chain to the top. For Frank, development is not possible without a complete break from the system. Once a state has become a satellite, it can only develop when its ties with the metropolis are broken or weakened, for example in times of war or recession. In this view development is always dependent development and a â€Å"catch-up† is ruled out. Any context in which development occurred would involve the construction of a new international economic order which, far from conforming underdeveloped societies to models set in the north, would alter economic relations in a manner which would transform developed as well as underdeveloped societies. However, Dependency theory is weak in its analysis of capitalist relations as being inherently negative and based purely on exploitation. Although underdevelopment and poverty are vital problems of a global scale, they are not sole features of the international economy. Development has occurred in peripheral areas, and not all relations between the North and South are about exploitation; indeed, not all international relations involve interrelation between underdeveloped and developed as Dependency focuses, but relationships between advanced states must too be studied. Therefore, the extent to which one believes the issue of underdevelopment is salient in the international political economy can dictate how much one believes dependency theory enables an understanding of these economic relations to a degree, however this approach is inherently limited because International Political Economy must also be studied by looking at a system of wealth production and not just monopolistic explo itation of wealth. Similarly, the even faster growth of development in less industrialised states over the industrialised in examples of Taiwan and Singapore indicate that Dependency theories do not encapsulate fully the potential nature of economic relations through ignoring any possibility of cooperation and mutual advantage through capitalism. Additionally, in the Dependency theory’s analysis of underdevelopment itself, flaws are also found. The fact that the ‘development of the underdevelopment.’ is still as crucial an issue today as it was when Gunder Frank wrote his piece in 1969 is proof that ‘dependency’ does not offer a real understanding of underdevelopment, despite highlighting it, because it cannot offer a solution to it. Its analysis in explaining the reasons why certain countries are underdeveloped is singular and base because it is using dependence alone as justification, and so is not able to offer structural adjustment programmes to actually change the economic position of the underdeveloped in the international economy. The fact that underdevelopment is always equated with capitalism also adds to a tendency for Dependency to criticise capitalism rather than explain the reasons why underdevelopment is not solved and analyse the causes of poverty. When placing primary emphasis on the level of economic development, with political or ideological differences, this approach yields the ‘North-South’ divide. Though there are some anomalies, such as South Africa and Australia, the world is seen as divided essentially between the wealthy and powerful countries of the Northern Hemisphere and the poor, less-developed countries of the Southern Hemisphere. However, the North-South dichotomy, though useful in debate, is inaccurate and misleading. A more precise economic model of the world system distinguishes among the superpowers, solely the United States at the end of the 20th century; other developed countries, such as Japan, Germany, and Britain; and the underdeveloped countries, such as China and Bolivia. We then have First, Second, and Third Worlds. A further refinement of the economic model looks past the level of three worlds of development to a single underlying and developing world system. Based on a historical perspective, this view, advanced especially by the American theorist Immanuel Wallerstein, argues that there is but a single world economy, the capitalist world economy, which has been expanding since the 17th century. Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory, developed in 1974, utilised many features found in the Dependency Model, such as viewing development in global conditions rather than focussing on economic development in individual countries. However, there are differences between the two theories and Wallerstein, ‘moves beyond the static dualism of the dependency models†¦rather than viewing the world in terms of ‘core’ and ‘periphery.’’ There are ‘core countries,’ such as the United States and Japan; ‘semi-peripheral countries,’ such as Bra zil, most eastern European states, and China; and ‘peripheral countries,’ such as Cuba and most of the poor countries of Africa and Asia. Depending on economic fortunes and fluctuations, as well as the logic of the developing system itself, countries can move in and out of these categories. This is in stark contrast to the Dependency Theory which advocates that periphery nations would permanently be in a state of exploitation, ‘some countries of the world were experiencing economics development in terms of industrialisation†¦including the ‘Asian Tigers’ of South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, as well as Latin American nations such as Brazil.’ In order to move a country’s status from the periphery to the core, Wallerstein proposes import substitution as a solution. Import substitution is a phenomenon that responds to external disruption of trade by domestically producing substitutes for those goods previously imported. This is a policy that the governments in less developed countries may use to undertake industrialisation and structural changes. Wallerstein supports the core and periphery to create globalization. Wallerstein’s theory helps globalization in the international context. He believes that the rich creates the poor. Unless the poor country eventually changes it economy and accumulates its own capital, it will continue to stay in the periphery. The plausibility and appeal of this model lie in its recognition of the growing internationalisation of the industrial economy. Nation-states, whether capitalist or communist, are becoming increasingly subordinate to world economic developments. Decisions about capital investment and growth are made in a world context and on a global scale. The giant multinational corporations are the most significant new actors on the world stage and have been establishing a new international division of labour. From their point of view, it makes more sense to manufacture goods in South Korea or Taiwan, where labour is still cheap and governments compliant, than in the United States or Britain, where labour is expensive and regulation stringent. Such high-level functions as central planning and research and development can be retained in their Western homelands, where there are the necessary reserves of highly trained professional and scientific personnel. Profits can be declared in those countries where taxes are lowest. In such a way do the multinationals illustrate, even embody, the interdependence of core and periphery nations. In order to move a country’s status from the periphery to the core, Wallerstein proposes import substitution as a solution. Import substitution is a phenomenon that responds to external disruption of trade by domestically producing substitutes for those goods previously imported. This is a policy that governments in less developed countries may use to undertake industrialisation and structural changes. However, there are criticisms of Wallerstein’s theory with regards to the semi-periphery. They describe it being an improvised, ‘invention to deal with those cases that do not fit neatly into the core-periphery framework.’ Critics deduce this because the majority of development economic theory in recent years has centred upon, ‘the elaboration of dependent development in the countries of the semi-periphery.’ Furthermore, other criticisms include the fact that the theory is, ‘too deterministic both economically and in terms of the constraining effects of the global capitalist system.’ Therefore, it is arguable that the neo-Marxist assessments of an increased inequality and subordination between the Global South and North which has been constructed through neo-liberal policies are valid and well-founded. The development of critical theories such as the Dependency and Modern World System have accurately criticised neo-liberal policies of market-led reforms and how underlying capitalism will lead to the core being concentrated in areas of the North. However, there are flaws in the Dependency Theory, as mentioned, including the need to address the solutions of development in peripheral countries. Furthermore, Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory has successfully been able to incorporate not only core and periphery states but that of the semi-periphery, which include emerging market economies such of India, Brazil and China. These states act as a buffer between the core and periphery countries. Despite these flaws both theories present an excellent assessment of n eo-liberal policies. BIBLIOGRAPHY Balaam, David and Veseth, Michael – Introduction to International Political Economy (London: Pearson Prentice Hall 2001) pp. 70-90 Brewer, Anthony – Marxist Theories of Imperialism: A Critical Survey (London: Routledge, 1990) pp. 60-73 Byres, Terence, ‘Neoliberalism and Primitive Accumulation in LDCs’ in Saad-Filho, Alfredo and Johnston, Deborah – Neoliberalism: A Critical Reader (London: Pluto Press, 2005) pp. 83-91 Chase-Dunn, Christopher and Grimes, Peter, ‘World-System Analysis,’ Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 21. (1995), pp. 387-417 Chomsky, Noam – Profit Over People: Neo-Liberalism and Global Order (New York: Seven Stories Press, 1999) p. 7-34 Corbridge, Stuart Development Studies: A Reader (London: Edward Arnold, 1995) pp. 1-15 Frank, Andre Gunder – Capitalism and Underdevelopment in Latin America: Historical Studies of Chile and Brazil (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1969) pp.3-12 Helleiner, Eric, ‘Alternatives to Neo-Liberalism? Towards a More Heterogeneous Global Political Economy,’ in Stubbs, Richard and Underhill, Geoffrey Political economy and the changing global order (Oxford:  Oxford University Press,  2006) pp.77-88 Nicholson, Michael International Relations: A Concise Introduction (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1998) p. 4-23 Olson, Richard Stuart – ‘Economic Coercion in World Politics: With a Focus on North-South Relations,’ World Politics, Vol. 31, No. 4. (Jul., 1979), pp. 471-494 Radice, Hugo, ‘Neoliberal Globalisation: Imperialism with Empires?’ in Saad-Filho, Alfredo and Johnston, Deborah – Neoliberalism: A Critical Reader (London: Pluto Press, 2005) pp. 91-99 Saad-Filho, Alfredo, ‘The Political Economy of Neoliberalism in Latin America’ in Saad-Filho, Alfredo and Johnston, Deborah – Neoliberalism: A Critical Reader (London: Pluto Press, 2005) pp. 222-230 Scharpf, Fritz and Schmidt, Vivien – Welfare and Work in the Open Economy Volume II (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000) pp.36-41 Sklair, Leslie – Globalization: Capitalism and its alternatives (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002) pp. 30-48 Smith, Tony, ‘The Underdevelopment of Development Literature: The Case of Dependency Theory,’ World Politics, Vol. 31, No. 2. (Jan., 1979), pp. 247-288 Thomas, Caroline, ‘Globalization and Development in the South,’ in Ravenhill, John – Global Political Economy (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005) pp. 317-344 Willis, Kate – Theories and Practices of Development (London: Routledge, 2006) pp.62-75, 173-179

Eavan Boland Poems

The poem â€Å"This Moment† sees Boland take her inspiration for ordinary everyday domestic and common place scenes. It is a poem of intense tenderness that takes an ordinary event of a child running into its mother’s arms and deems it worthy of artistic expression. Boland uses very short sentences to that culminate to the climax of the embrace between mother and child. She uses images that are sensual and language that is rich and suggestive. The speaker’s appreciation of the everyday extends even to ripening of an apple, a process so slow that almost nobody notices it. These are things that happen out of sight. Boland uses the image of light to further this idea of things happening out of sight, as it is suggestive of people engrossed in their own activities. Perhaps, overall, this poem is a celebration of motherhood. It highlights the mysterious beauty of things we are usually too busy to notice such as moths swooping, stars rising and the beauty of the moment when a mother takes a child up in her arms. The entire poem is a series of images that lead up to this moment The Pomegranate In â€Å"The Pomegranate† Boland fuses together the universal truth of Greek myth to the modern day woman. She draws on the legend of Ceres and Persephone to symbolise the poets own maternal instincts, that is the parental desire to protect and shield the child from any harm that may come their way. Her daughter’s uncut fruit leads her to recall the pomegranate. Boland cleverly creates her own physical environment which mirrors the mythological landscape of Hades â€Å"winter and the stars are hidden†. She uses images in a symbolic way, particularly the image of the pomegranate which is a fruit associated with temptation. In this poem, Boland uses overtones of the Garden of Eden. She suggests that all those who eat this fruit are drawn into darkness. Boland then uses this motif of darkness to create a bleak atmosphere. It can be argued that the process that this poem deals with is that of sexual awakening. Boland uses the myth of Ceres and Persephone to provide an insight into the relationship between mother and daughter. She concludes with a terse promise that â€Å"she will say nothing†. She realises that the temptations that life will offer cannot be stunted by a mother’s love. â€Å"If I defer the grief, I will diminish the gift†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ut what else can mother give her daughter buts such beautiful gifts in time† Love â€Å"Love† is a beautiful poem which celebrates an intense moment of connection. This is an honest poem which deals with complex emotions. Much like â€Å"The Pomegranate† â€Å"Love† breeds new life into ancient mythology. It is a deeply personal expression of a powerful emotion. Bolan d cleverly uses simple and restrained language to mirror the theme of this poem. In the first stanza, the run-on lines mirror the emotional rush of the lovers’ first meeting. Boland’s lack of punctuation allows the poem to become more honest and sincere. As with any of Boland’s poetry, she moves between the past and the present. This movement is reflected in Boland’s choice of tense. She opens in the past tense â€Å"Once we lived†, however she changes to the present â€Å"I am†. The sands of time are not allowed to settle. All of this adds to Boland’s appeal. What Boland does come to realise is that the past is but a shadow and for all of its passion, it can never be relived. The Shadow Doll This poem â€Å"The Shadow Doll† is a highly symbolic poem. The glass dome that encases the shadow doll can be viewed as being symbolic of the expression that the institution of marriage represents for women. She opens the poem with an image of the wedding dress that is rich in detail. She comments on its blazing whiteness. Yet the speaker feels nothing but pity for the â€Å"glamorous doll† for all its glamour is an â€Å"airless glamour† as it remains contained beneath a glass dome. Boland imagines the doll having witnessed the intimate details of family life as a detached observer. She realises that the doll is a prisoner behind the glass. It may never speak or express the things it has experienced. It is forced to remain forever â€Å"discreet†. Boland creates a powerful sense of claustrophobia in the final lines as she repeats the word â€Å"pressing† which emphasises her own sense of desperation and urgency. For Boland this motion of pressing down mirrors the confines and restraints and the pressure of marriage. The power of the word â€Å"locks† refers to the vows of marriage which are reinforced by tradition and society. For the speaker, these locks will soon click into place, trapping her in the marriages â€Å"airless glamour†. White Hawthorn in the West of Ireland This poem draws on Irish superstitions. In essence the poem can be read as a beautiful and unique commentary about being Irish. In this poem Boland contrasts two very different worlds. She presents the west as an almost magical place where the ordinary rules of nature have been suspended. Boland’s language creates a haunting, mystical atmosphere â€Å"the hard shyness of Atlantic light†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. under low skies have splashes of coltsfoot, the superstitious aura of the hawthorn† In contrast the world of the suburbs is presented as a cultured area, full of â€Å"lawnmowers† and â€Å"small talk†. The poem celebrates the wild and magic west, as a refuge from the choking boredom of the urban way of life. For Boland it is almost sacriligous to constrain this wild and almost sacred plant; by bringing it indoors it was believed that it would be risking a terrible punishment from supernatural forces â€Å"a child might die perhaps, or a unexplainewd fever speckled heifers† In this poem the hawthorn serves as a link to our past and the journey the speaker undertakes is a journey back to the beay=uty of the west and its traditions. Boland uses of run on lines serve both to capture her excitement as well as to mirror the growth and fluidity of the wild hawthorn. She concludes this poem by commenting on the language spoken by these people; that is the language of superstition which Boland finds both fascinating and enthralling. The War Horse In â€Å"The War Horse†, the horse becomes a poetic symbol for the violence that has characterised Irish history. The flowers become the victims of war. They are the â€Å"expendable† numbers who are crushed by the great machines of war, scarified for some greater cause. The parallel between our casual reactions to the crocus’ death is designed to reflect our lack of concern with the endless tally of statistics in Northern Ireland. This poem is a highly crafted poem. Boland attempts to illustrate the carefree attitude of most people to the violence in the very structure of the poem itself as she is not confined or restrained by the rules of poetic verse. The poem is a graphic and vivid portrayal of the atrocities of war. She uses the damaged flowers in her garden to highlight the horrible and repulsive images of mutilated bodies throughout the poem. Boland captures the attitude of indifference. She concludes this poem with a powerful image of a landscape destroyed by conflict. The Child of Our Time â€Å"The Child of Our Time† transcends into meaninglessness of death and violence to produce something beautiful. For a moment the beauty of this poem eclipses the bitterness and hatred that have dogged Irish history. Boland invites us to find a â€Å"new language† so that we can put an end to violence that has resulted in this tragedy. This is a very honest, sincere and loving poem. Boland creates a sense of haunting finality in the simplicity of â€Å"you dead†. She employs words such as â€Å"we† and â€Å"our† to make us share some of the responsibility in the child’s death. The brutal meaninglessness of the killing is reflected in Boland’s choice of imagery. The image of â€Å"broken limbs† and â€Å"the empty cradle† serve to reinforce the tragedy. She concludes the poem with the effective use of alliteration. The soft sound of the S’s are tender and soothing â€Å"sleeping in a world, your final sleep has woken†

Art History: Hall Of Bulls And Chinese Horses Essay

Art in the earliest of days was a bit interesting because of what we know now about art and its history. The first period/discovery of art was between 40,000 and 8,000 b.c.e or more known as the Path eolithic period, this period included artistic forms such as cave paintings and smaller objects used for legion purposes. One of the first caves to be discovered was Lascaux Cave in 1940, says to be dated from 15,000s b.c.e. This cave contains very important and rare drawings such as â€Å"Hall of bulls†, and â€Å"Chinese horses†. The next period was called the Neolithic Period dating back to 8000-2300 b.c.e, the reason this period is important is because it starts the art work of pottery, metal work and massive stone arrangement’s called Dolmens and Cromlech. One of the most remarkable stone arrangements on the southern shore of the Bay o Skaill in the west mainland parish Sand Wick is the Neolithic Village Brae called Skara Brae in 1850 it was hit by a massive storm and revealed the stoned village and thee ancient houses that was buried. Another massive stone monument was the burial mounds that were also discovered around this time, they include dolmens which are slab of stone used to support the vertical slabs creating support for all the stones that were placed on top of the mound. Dolmens were used for single burials, passage graves for communal burials. Another type of burial ground introduced around this era was the Newrange which was a kidney shaped mound covering one acre of land which retained curbstones, some even richly decorated ; it was constructed over 5,000 years ago, it was created by a farming community that proposed on the rich lands of the Boyne valley. This place was recognized to be much more than just a burial tomb. It was a place of astrologic, spiritual religious and ceremonial importance. As we talk about Art in the prehistoric past, you can’t forget to mention the art of the near east. This includes Mesopotamia: â€Å"between the river† Tigris and Euphrates and major trade routes. The specific areas are the Mediterranean coastal cities lapis lazuli and chlorite. The types of art the established here were Technical expertise and financial resources, and the basic building material were mud brick and half-timber construction. These mounds where located near water supply and near a source of raw material making it easier to build and cop with. All of these monuments and projects that were discovered in caves and building show that human culture back then had a sense of creativity, and was also a way to express yourself through drawings and paintings and also providing stories and memories. This type of art can also be known to communicate through different cultures and religion when talking about the way there culture buried people and the different types of ways they did it, Whether it was building dolmens to bury them into or just a burial underground.

Tragic Hero Essays

Tragic Hero Essays Tragic Hero Paper Tragic Hero Paper In every Sophoclean drama, there is a hero of some kind.These heroes usually are the focus of the myth.Some examples would be Frodo from the Lord of the Rings, Jason and the Argonauts in the Quest for the Golden Fleece, etc.Characters such as Creon and Antigone of the myth Antigone are also great examples.All of these characters have the qualities of a tragic hero, according to Aristotle.These qualities would be that they are inherently good, have good intentions, recognize responsibility, and accept their fate with dignity.Unfortunately, every hero has a tragic flaw. Creon and Antigone embody characteristics of the traditional Greek tragic hero and the Sophoclean tragic hero, respectively. The traditional Greek tragic hero is defined by five characteristics, thefirst being Aret. Aret is having excellence.Hubris is defines a hero as having excessive pride.At is blind recklessness that heroes may follow because they do not think about what is going to happen next.Nemesis is disastrous retribution.The tragic flaw that a traditional Greek hero harbors is their excessive pride.This is shown when Creon says, But whoever steps out of line, violates the laws or presumes to hand out orders to his superiors, hell win no praise from me. (AI L746-750)They will not accept defeat and this is bad.Creon of the myth Antigone is a traditional Greek tragic hero.He is also the antagonist in the story. The Sophoclean tragic hero is a character whose rigid and courageous adherence to a set of principles invites their disastrous fate.Their flaw is their rigidity.Antigone is a Sophoclean tragic hero in the self-entitled myth.She would not leave a family member unburied, which in turn breaks her fathers law and proves to bring her doom. Tragic hero Essays Tragic hero Essay Tragic hero Essay The Crucible as a drama effectively explores and treats the problems of envy and jealousy. These two problems are personified by the character Abigail. Abigail is vehemently jealous of Elizabeth Proctor and of course, her relationship with John Proctor, and in Act One drinks a charm to kill her. As this initial ceremony is what sparks the witch-hunts in Salem, it can be inferred that the jealousy evident in the play is the cause for all of the other problems that arise with the witch-hunts. This jealousy throughout the play causes hysteria and panic Elizabeth, knowing that Abigail wants [her] dead fears that she will be suspected in the witch hunts because of Abigails jealousies. This is indeed what occurs, Abigail utilising the agency that she gains during the trials to her advantage. However, the background of Abigails character must be explored in order to completely understand this jealousy and will for attention and love. Abigails parents were brutally murdered, and she was left as an orphan under Parris strict household. The nature of her jealousy, therefore is centres a will for affection and love. This problematises Abigails upbringing, thereby failed parents are revealed and problematised. The audiences response to Abigail identified with the tone of the play and with the manner in which envy is treated in the play with sympathy, but condemned. Other characters however, are not viewed as sympathetically. The Putnams also represent envy and resentment. Ann Putnam is resentful of Rebecca Nurse and her healthy family and this leads to Rebecca Nurses imprisonment and hanging. Thomas Putman represents envy in his constant struggle to gain more land. In this case, however, the audience condemns them. As members of the upper-middle class they do not attract sympathy for their actions. The problems of envy, jealousy and resentment, are condemned in Millers The Crucible and although partially justified in the case of Abigail, are deemed unacceptable by the audience. In Millers drama The Crucible, the need to maintain a good reputation and personal integrity is explored and problematised, revealing the superficial nature of the contemporaneous society and any applied society. John Proctor, who in Act 4 decides to hang rather than have his name be blackened typifies this trait. For this, he is immediately perceived as a character of high morals and the tragic hero of the play. However, the motives behind this high morality are exposed too. John Proctor, when deciding he will hang reveals his obsession with his good name. Although John Proctor is happy to sign the confession, he will not let it hang on the church door and this brings him to tear up what he has signed. This action represents superficiality and is problematised. The nature of the public eye, particularly the gossiping nature of Puritanism represented undermines the judicial system and ridicules it. In this, the society of Salem is condemned by the audience for its theocracy and that prive and public morality are one. The character John Proctor, although viewed as essentially good and condoned by the audience has motives to appear perfect in the public eye, an obsession that is problematised, and ultimately results in his death. Giles Corey, another character essentially viewed as good also refuses to give into the pressure of society and indeed the pressure of the stones that pressed him and clung to his personal integrity when refusing to name those whod signed an affidavit as to the good nature of Elizabeth Proctor, Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse. This personal pride borders on the edge of stubbornness and for this reason is problematised. The result of this pressing is the Corey dies, which although tragic, allows the audience to understand that he did die in vain, and with regards to the symbolic nature of the text understand that Giles Corey gave in to societal pressure like John Proctor, resulting in his downfall. Although the values of a reputation and the importance of personal integrity are maintained throughout the drama, obsession with these traits is problematised, resulting in death and destruction. A significant moral problem that is raised in the drama The Crucible is moral uncertainty, and it is explored and treated as the drama progresses. The original John Hale spoke of a conscientious endeavour to do the thing that was right. This is true of the nature of the Coreys, the Proctors and the Nurses in the play, and to an extent the judges who believe it is G-ds work [they] do. Yet these characters have difficulty in determining what exactly is right and what exactly is moral. Repetition is utilised in order to illustrate this problem. The repetition of the phrase I think indicates this uncertainty. In Act Two, for example, Elizabeth says in succession The towns gone wild, I think, I think you must go to Salem, John. I think so, and when referring to the court I think they must be told. To this, Proctor answers Ill think on it and I think its not easy to prove shes fraud. All of this suggest an uncertainty, not only to the whole situation of the witch-hunts in Salem but to societys inability to make correct judgements, and the uncertainty that society displays about what is right and wrong and what each individuals position is. This insecurity and inability to make clear concise decisions and the moral uncertainty of these decisions escalates the conflict within the drama, revealing dilemma and thus making the drama more effective. Unconsciously these characters ignore what they feel is right, and instead depend on the views of the persuasive society to do what they think is right. For example, Judge Danforth refuses to believe that the girls might be frauds and he has been making the wrong judgements throughout the play and sentencing innocents to death. The problem of moral uncertainty represented throughout the play through repetition, characterisation and conflict allows the audience to condemn this uncertainty. The audience is also able to view the destruction of characters and society itself within the play as a result of this lack of moral conviction and integrity. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller is an effective medium in which a variety of social and moral problems are raised. These problematised issues are typically treated in two ways. Firstly, in the case of problems raised such as gender and class inequalities, traditional roles are often maintained, but varied slightly in order to create confusion and complications. These complications allow these problems to be raised and condemned. Other problems, such as envy, jealousy and bigotry are vehemently attacked by Miller, allowing the audience to immediately view these issues and others as problematic. While some problems and issues raised are justified for example, Abigails desire for affection relates to her traumatic childhood all in all, the main problems raised in The Crucible are rejected. This is achieved by the use of a variety of dramatic techniques and conventions throughout the drama, allowing the audience to gain insight into the problems evident not only in the Puritan society of Salem, Massachusetts in 1492, but to other contexts be it Millers McCarthyist context, the Nazi Germany period, contemporary society or to any general context where human behaviour and conflict is evident.