Ming Dynasty Trade

Andrew Paul Stokes June 5, 2011 Ming Dynasty Economy It’s growth and it’s decline. By Andrew Paul Stokes Beijing Union University 1|P a ge Andrew Paul Stokes June 5, 2011 Ming Dynasty Economy The Ming Dynasty The economy of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) of China was the largest in the world at the time. It is regarded as one of China's three golden ages (the other two being the Han and Tang dynasties), the Ming is also the dynasty where the first sprouts of Chinese capitalism can be seen.The economic growth so evident under the Ming Dynasty continued under the Qing Dynasty, up until the time of the Opium War in the 1840s. During this time, China’s domestic economy was a dynamic, commercialising economy, and in some ways, even an industrialising economy. The Ming Dynasty, â€Å"one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history† 1, was the last native imperial dynasty in Chinese history, sandwiched between the two dynasties of foreign origin, Yuan and Qing. The Ming stand as the last attempt to hold Chinese government in native hands and the last dynasty run by ethnic Hans.As China was humiliated and oppressed by the rule of the Mongols, the Ming Dynasty rose up out of a peasant rebellion led by Zhu Yuanzhang to preside over the greatest economic and social revolution in China before the modern period. Trade was allowed between China and nations in the west, cash crops were more frequently grown, specialised industries were founded, and the economic growth caused by the privatisation of state industries resulted in a prosperous period that exceeded that of the earlier Song Dynasty.At the end of the Ming Dynasty, shortly before the Manchus overthrew the Ming and established the Qing Dynasty, China’s economy was a period of expansion. New markets were being founded, and merchants were extending their businesses across provincial lines and even into the South China Sea. Establishment of the Ming un der the Hongwu Emperor It had become very apparent that the Yuan Dynasty’s ability to govern, to maintain order in society, to administer principal and local government, and to collect taxes – was eroding well before the middle of the fourteenth century. Agriculture and the economy were in a shambles and rebellion broke out among the hundreds of Reischauer, Edwin Oldfather; Fairbank, John King; Craig, Albert M. (1960) A History of East Asian Civilisation, Vol 1. East Asia: The Great Tradition, George Allen & Unwin Ltd. 2 Mote, Frederick W. (1988) The Rise of the Ming Dynasty 1330 – 1367 in Twitchett, Denis; Fairbank, John K. (eds. ) The Cambridge History of China, Vol 7, The Ming Dynasty, 1368 – 1644, Part 1. Cambridge University Press, p. 11 1 2|P a ge Andrew Paul Stokes thousands of peasants called upon to work on repairing the dykes of the Yellow River.In the 1350s, several rebel leaders, almost all of whom came from the merchant or lower classes, seiz ed cities and set themselves up as kings or even, with just a small amount of territory, proclaimed themselves to be Emperor. The Yuan Emperor no longer seemed to be in control of the situation, and indeed the country, it had been carved up into pieces by rebel warlords. The Ming Dynasty was an age of breakdown in which throughout most of the country the conduct of daily life depended on and ended up on direct recourse to violence.It provides a classic example of the gradual militarisation of Chinese society and, because of that, the struggle among potent rivals to succeed the Mongol (Yuan) regime by imposing, through military force, a successor regime that could claim the Mandate of Heaven. 3 Zhu Yuanzhang, who would later become the founder of the Ming Dynasty, was a peasant. He was the only person from such poor and humble origins ever to found a ruling Chinese dynasty. It is said that a scholar told him he would succeed if he followed three simple rules: a. build strong city wal ls; b. ) gather as much grain in storage as possible; c. ) be slow to assume titles. Zhu followed these rules assiduously. With his army, Zhu slowly conquered the territories of all the warlords whilst carefully watching the government’s armies. By 1368, he has conquered all of southern China; this is the date at which the Ming Dynasty officially begins. He had control of all of China by 1369. June 5, 2011 Ming Emperor Hongwu (1368 – 1398) Emperor Hongwu made an immediate effort to rebuild state infrastructure.He built a long wall around Nanjing, which then became the official capital of the Ming empire (the Yuan had their capital located in Beijing), as well as new palaces and government halls. 4 He enacted a series of policies designed to favour agriculture at the expense of other industries. Aid was given by the state to farmers, also providing them with land and agricultural equipment, as well as a full revision of the ibid. â€Å"Mandate of Heaven† is a tra ditional Chinese philosophical concept concerning the legitimacy of rulers.It is similar to the European concept of the divine right of kings, in that both sought to legitimise rule from divine approval; however, unlike the divine right of kings, the Mandate of Heaven is predicated on the conduct of the ruler in question. The Mandate of Heaven postulates that heaven (Tian) would bless the authority of a just ruler, as defined by the Five Confucian Relationships, but would be displeased with a despotic ruler and would withdraw its mandate, leading to the overthrow of that ruler. The Mandate of Heaven would then transfer to those who would rule best.The mere fact of a leader having been overthrown is itself indication that he has lost the Mandate of Heaven. 4 Ebrey, Patricia Buckley; (1999) The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press. pp. 190-1. 3 3|P a ge taxation system. 5 The Ming government abolished the mandatory forced labour by peasants that was used in early dynasties and replaced it with wage labour. A new class of wage labourers sprung up where none had existed before. In Jingde alone, it was reported that there were no less than 300 pottery factories, all operated by wage labourers. According to historian Timothy Brook, the Hongwu Emperor attempted to immobilise society by creating rigid, state-regulated boundaries between villages and larger towns, discouraging trade and travel in society not permitted by the government. 7 He also forcibly moved thousands of wealthy families from the southeast and resettled them around Nanjing, forbidding them to move once they were settled. 8 , In order to better administer the state, the emperor ordered surveys and censuses to be taken and the data gathered in government registers and records. This enabled the central government to regulate taxation.In addition, he made all occupations hereditary in order to further prevent social mobility; he understood, as a former peasant himself, the danger of social mobility. All members of Chinese society were grouped into three large hereditary classes: peasants, craftspeople, and soldiers. To keep track of merchants’ activities, he forced them to register all their goods once a month. 9 It seems his main goals were to attempt to curb the influence of the merchants and landlords, but it turned out that several of his policies would eventually encourage them to amass more wealth.Hongwu’s system of massive relocation was seen as being too oppressive and encouraged people’s desire to escape the harsh taxes that were imposed on the wealthy by becoming itinerant retailers, peddlers, and migrant workers finding tenant landowners who would rent them space to farm and labour upon. 10 By the middle of the Ming era, subsequent emperors had abandoned Hongwu’s unpopular relocation system and instead entrusted local officials to document the numbers of migrant workers and their earnings in order to bring in mor e revenue. 1 Hongwu believed that agriculture was the core basis of the economy, Hongwu favoured that industry over all else, including that of merchants. However, after his death, most of his policies were reversed by his successors. By the late Ming, the state ended up losing power to the very merchants which Hongwu had wanted to restrict. Andrew Paul Stokes June 5, 2011 5 Mote, Frederick W. (1988), â€Å"Introduction†, in Twitchett, Denis; Mote, Frederick W. (eds. ), The Cambridge History of China, Vol 7, The Ming Dynasty, 1368 – 1644, Part 1. Cambridge University Press, p. 6 Li, Bo; Zheng, Yin. (2001) 5000 years of Chinese history. Inner Mongolian People's Publishing House. pp. 994-7 7 Brook, Timothy. (1998) The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China, Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 19 8 ibid. pp. 28-29 9 ibid. pp. 65-67 10 ibid. pp. 27-28 11 ibid. p. 97 4|P a ge Andrew Paul Stokes The Agricultural Revolution. June 5, 2011 Through s everal of China’s dynastic periods, the economy, like most pre-modern economies was agriculturally based with all other sectors either servicing it or drawing materials from it.During the Song dynasty the Chinese developed the world's most productive agricultural system. Mongol domination and the Ming dynasty's rise to power left much of China devastated and parts uninhabited. 12 The Hongwu Emperor had as one of his central tasks the rebuilding of the Chinese economy which had been devastated by the excesses of the Mongol rulers. Between 1370 and 1398, China experienced a revolution in agriculture unparalleled in history. Hongwu revived the agricultural sector to create self-sufficient communities that would not need to rely on commerce, which he assumed would only remain in urban areas. 3 The surplus created from this revival encouraged farmers to make profits by selling their goods in regional urban markets. 14 Alongside other crops, rice was grown on a large scale with the introduction of Champa Rice from Southeast Asia. Population growth and the decrease in fertile land made it necessary that farmers produce cash crops to earn a living, and as the countryside and urban areas became more connected through commerce, households in rural areas began taking on traditionally urban specialisations, such as the production of silk and cotton, as well as producing fabric dyes and growing sugar cane. 5 The Cambridge History of China states about the Ming that: â€Å"The commercialisation of Ming society within the context of expanding communications may be regarded as a distinguishing aspect of the history of this dynasty. In the matter of commodity production and circulation, the Ming marked a turning point in Chinese history, both in the scale at which goods were being Graham, James. (Unknown Date). â€Å"Quantitative Growth, Qualitative Standstill: China's Economic Situation 1368-1800†. From HistoryOrb. com website. http://www. historyorb. com/asia/ china_economy. shtml (accessed 03/06/2011). 13 Brook, Timothy. 1998) The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China, Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 69 14 ibid. pp. 65-66 15 ibid. pp. 113-117 12 5|P a ge Andrew Paul Stokes produced for the market, and in the nature of the economic relations that governed commercial exchange. † 16 June 5, 2011 The Yongle Emperor, the Second Founding†¦ Hongwu’s successor and grandson assumed the throne as the Jianwen Emperor (1398–1402) after the death of Hongwu in 1398. After a short period of civil war, he was overthrown by his uncle, Zhu Di, who assumed the throne under the title the Yongle Emperor.The reign of the Yongle Emperor is considered by many to be ‘a second founding’ of the Ming Dynasty since he had reversed many of his father’s policies. 17 Also, during his reign, China had recovered many of the territories lost during earlier dynasties, as well as those lost durin g the much earlier Five Dynasties & Ten Kingdoms era (907–960AD). One year after assuming the throne, he announced that the new capital and power base will be moved to back to Beijing and a new palatial complex to be built, and the current capital, Nanjing, was to be demoted to a secondary capital.Construction began on what is now known as The Forbidden City in 1407. Construction of the new city took place between 1406 to 1420, employing hundreds of thousands of workers daily. 18 The Yongle Emperor also Ming Emperor Yongle 1402-1424 initiated many other grand building projects, such as the restoration of the Grand canal, which had lain dilapidated for many decades. The reason this restoration was important was to solve the perennial problem of shipping grain north to the capital.Shipping the annual four million shi 19 was made difficult because the previous method of shipping through the East China Sea or by various inland canal routes that included the loading and unloading the Heijdra, Martin. (1988) â€Å"The Socio-Economic Development of Rural China During the Ming†, in Mote, Frederick W. ; Twitchett, Denis (eds. ), Cambridge History of China: The Ming Dynasty 1368-1644, Part One. Cambridge University Press. p. 580 17 Atwell, William S. (2002) â€Å"Time, Money, and the Weather: Ming China and the Great Depression of the MidFifteenth Century,† The Journal of Asian Studies (Volume 61, Number 1). p. 83-113. 18 Ebrey, Patricia Buckley; Walthall, Anne; Palais, James B. (2006) East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 272 19 Ancient Chinese measurement. One shi is equal to about 107 litres. 16 6|P a ge Andrew Paul Stokes grain onto several different barges was proven to be rather inefficient and time consuming. 20 June 5, 2011 To a certain extent, the Ming state itself facilitated the movement of goods to market by relocating the capital to Beijing in the far north, away from the rich and pro sperous rice growing areas of Southern China.This resulted in a natural market for the demands of goods in the north, if for no other reason than to feed the imperial household and court. This was one of the reasons why it was so important to keep the Grand Canal in working order. It was a major conduit for grain, salt, and other important commodities. Any taxes that were paid in kind were paid in grain, which was shipped along the Grand Canal. Thus, control of the Grand Canal was of critical importance to the Ming government. It was under the reign of Emperor Yongle that the Chinese first began to trade and interact with Europeans on any significant scale.The presence of Europeans would eventually prove to be the most contentious aspect of modern Chinese history, but during the Ming, European trade greatly expanded Chinese economic life, particularly in the southern regions. Through most of their history, the Chinese have concentrated largely on land, commerce, and exploration. How ever, the Yongle Emperor began to sponsor a series of naval expeditions during 1405 and the years that followed. The reasoning for these naval expeditions are varied, but the Yongle emperor wanted to expand trade with other countries and had a taste for imported and exotic goods.Merchants and Overseas Trade. From 1405 till 1433, the Chinese imperial eunuch Zheng He led seven ocean expeditions for the Yongle Emperor that are unmatched in world history. During this time, Zheng He travelled all the way from China to Southeast Asia and then on to India, all the way to major trading sites on India’s southwest coast. In his fourth voyage, he travelled to the Persian Gulf. But for the last three voyages, Zheng went even further, all the way to the east coast of Africa. These expeditions made China the world’s greatest commercial naval power in the world at the time, far superior to any European nation. 0 Early 17th century Chinese woodblock print, thought to represent Zheng H e's ships Brook, Timothy. (1998) The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 46-7. 7|P a ge Andrew Paul Stokes One purpose of these lavish expeditions was to overwhelm foreign peoples and to convince them beyond any doubt the extent and grandeur of Ming power, but more so, it was to increase China’s contacts in these areas and establishing stateregulated trade there. 21 The Ming government constantly intervened in foreign trade.Under the reigns of Emperors Hongwu, Yongle, and Jiajing, foreign trade by private merchants was completely prohibited. In reality, the bans on this trade never succeeded in anything but preventing the government from taxing private merchants. Private trade continued in secret because the coast was impossible to patrol and police adequately, and because local officials and scholar-gentry families in the coastal provinces actually colluded with merchants to build ships and trade. The smug gling was mainly with Japan and Southeast Asia, and it picked up after silver lodes were discovered in Japan in the early 1500s.Since silver was the main form of money in China, lots of people were willing to take the risk of sailing to Japan or Southeast Asia to sell products for Japanese silver, or to invite Japanese traders to come to the Chinese coast and trade in secret ports. Something that can be seen in Chinese society before the Ming dynasty is the general disgust and disapproval of merchants and foreign salesmen, but during the mid and later parts of the Ming dynasty, merchants brought along a large amount of social revolution and change. By the 15th Century, the Ming had abolished the restriction on private overseas trade and Ming merchants prospered.An extensive expansion of trade followed with only trade to nations at war with China prohibited. 22 At that time, Denis Twitchett claims that China, apart from being a lucrative market for Ming Paper Money Europeans, was the largest and wealthiest 23 nation on earth. The most important parts of all this trade was the importation of silver. The governments of both Hongwu and Zhengtong (1435-1449) attempted to cut the flow of silver into the economy in favour of paper currency, yet mining the June 5, 2011 21 22 Li, Bo; Zheng, Yin. (2001) 5000 Years of Chinese History.Inner Mongolian Peoples’ Publishing House. p. 996 ibid. p. 996 23 Huang, Ray. (1988), â€Å"The Ming Fiscal Administration†, in Twitchett, Denis; Fairbank, John K. (eds. ), The Cambridge History of China, Volume 8: The Ming Dynasty 1398-1644, Part Two. Cambridge University Press. pp. 110-113. 8|P a ge precious metal simply became a lucrative illegal pursuit practiced by many. 24 Emperor Hongwu seemed unaware of the situation of economic inflation, even as he continued to hand out multitudes of paper currency as awards; by 1425, paper currency was only worth around 0. 014% its original value.Eventually, the state stopped issuing paper currency because the population had lost faith in it. 25 Andrew Paul Stokes June 5, 2011 By the late sixteenth century, China was intimately a part of the growing global economy. The Chinese were trading actively with the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the Japanese, who all traded silver for Chinese silks and porcelain. The Ming shipped silks to Manila in the Philippines and there traded with the Spanish for silver, firearms, and American goods such as sugar, potatoes, and tobacco. Chinese Ming blue and white porcelain became all the rage in Europe and was highly prized.The Dutch East India Company alone handled the trade of 6 million porcelain items from China to Europe between the years 1602 to 1682. 26 Patricia Buckley Ebrey writes of the considerable size of commercial transactions on the silk goods traded to Europe: â€Å"In one case a galleon to the Spanish territories in the New World carried over 50’000 pairs of silk stockings. In return China imported mostly silv er from Peruvian and Mexican mines transported via Manila. Chinese merchants were active in these trading ventures, and many emigrated to such places as the Philippines and Borneo to take advantage of the new commercial opportunities. 27 In 1435, however, court scholars wrongly convinced the Hongwu emperor that the decline of the dynasty would be signalled by a taste in foreign wares, so China greatly contracted its commercial and maritime expansion it had begun so auspiciously. They would later be renewed under the rule of the Yongle Emperor, but again they were curtailed after the death of Zheng He. The situations of missions coming to an end resulted in the eviction of Ming troops from Vietnam which brought significant costs to the Ming treasury. 8 The lavish expense of the sailing fleets with high eunuch power at court was another big factor (Zheng He himself was also a eunuch as were many other naval commanders), so the halting of funding for these ventures was seen as a means to curtail further eunuch influence and power at court and in high positions. 29 There was also the great threat of a revival of Mongol power in the north which drew much of the attention away from other matters; to face this threat, a massive amount of funds and manpower was Brook, Timothy. (1998) The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China.Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 68-69 25 Fairbank, John K. ; Goldman, Merle. (2006) China: A New History. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. p. 134. 26 ibid. p. 206 27 Ebrey, Patricia Buckley; (1999) The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press. p. 211. 28 Fairbank, John K. ; Goldman, Merle. (2006) China: A New History. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, p. 138 29 ibid. pp. 138-139 24 9|P a ge Andrew Paul Stokes used to restore, rebuild, and extend the Great Wall. 0 Many scholars and historians believe that Yongle’s move of the capital from Nanjing to Beiji ng in the north was largely in response of the need to keep a closer eye on the Mongols in the north and to better prepare to defend. June 5, 2011 Economic and Dynastic Collapse. There were numerous causes for the decline and fall of the Ming despite the auspicious start of the dynasty under the Hongwu emperor. The most immediate and direct cause of the fall was the rebellions in the seventeenth century and the aggressive military expansion of the Manchu armies.The decline of the dynasty, however, began much sooner, perhaps even as early as the initial establishment of the dynasty. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, what is now referred to as the ‘Little Ice Age’ 31 severely curtailed Chinese agriculture in the Northern provinces, famine, drought, and other disaster befell Northern China, bringing peasant revolts. The inability to collect taxes resulted in armies not being paid. Many of these troops joined the rebels making the situation worse.During the last years of Empe ror Wanli’s reign, and those of his two successors, an economic crisis developed that was centred on a sudden widespread lack of the empire’s chief medium of exchange: silver. Through acts of piracy staged by the Protestant Dutch and the English against the Catholic empires of Spain and Portugal in order to weaken their global economic power, the flow of silver into China slowed. 32 The only flow of silver into China came from the illegal smuggling from Mexico and Peru across the Pacific in favour of shipping directly from Spain o Manila. In 1639, the new Tokugawa regime of Japan shut down most of its foreign trade with Europe, causing a further halt of silver coming into China†¦ though the Japanese silver still flowed in small amounts. 33 The occurrence of these events at the same time caused a dramatic spike in the value of silver and made the payment of taxes nearly impossible in most provinces. For peasants this was an economic disaster, since they paid taxes in silver while conducting local trade and selling their crops with copper coins. 4 Famine, as well as tax increases, widespread military desertions, flooding, the inability of the government to properly manage irrigation ibid. p. 139 Little Ice Age – was a period of cooling that occurred after the Medieval Warm Period. While not a true ice age, the term was introduced into scientific literature by Francois E. Matthes in 1939. It is conventionally defined as a period extending from the 16th to the 19th centuries. 32 Spence, Jonathan D. (1999) The Search for Modern China: Second Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 19 33 Brook, Timothy. 1998) The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 208 34 Spence, Jonathan D. (1999) The Search for Modern China: Second Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 20-21. 31 30 10 | P a g e and flood control projects, caused the widespread loss of life and suffering. 3 5 Due to lack of resources, the central government didn’t have the means to mitigate the effects of these calamities. Andrew Paul Stokes June 5, 2011 The Ming Dynasty's economy was always in disarray because of the lack of knowledge on how to run an effective treasury.Paper money removed from circulation and was replaced with coinage, which eventually lost most of their value due to counterfeiting. However, since there were not enough coins in circulation, counterfeiting became a massive problem. At this point, the provinces were required to mint their own coins; unfortunately, some of them added lead to the coins, which depleted their value. Due to the abundance of counterfeit coins, their value again declined. This coin problem was amplified by an increasing need for money due to the growth of trade, and the threat of military campaigns that proved very costly.Chongzhen, The Last Emperor. During the rule of the final Ming emperor, the Chongzhen Emperor, the situation just b egan to worsen. Chongzhen tried to rule by himself and did his best to try and salvage the dynasty, correcting all the mistakes of those who ruled previously, but it seemed it was too little too late. After years of internal corruption and an almost empty treasury, it became almost impossible to find capable ministers to fill important government posts. It also didn’t help that Chongzhen was incredibly suspicious and mistrusting of the few skilled subordinates that he did have.In 1644, the rebels under the command of Li Zicheng took Beijing, ending the Ming rule in the North. Rather than face capture, humiliation, and possible execution at the hands of the newly proclaimed Shun Dynasty 36, Chongzhen arranged Ming Emperor Chongzhen (1627-1644) a feast and gathered all the members of the imperial household, aside from his sons. Using a sword, he killed everyone there. ibid. p. 21 Shun Dynasty – was an imperial dynasty created in the brief lapse from Ming to Qing rule in China. The dynasty was founded in Xi'an on 8 February 1644, the first day of the lunar year, by Li Zicheng, the leader of a large peasant rebellion.Li, however, only went by the title of King (? ), not Emperor ( ). The capture of Beijing by the Shun forces in April 1644 marked the end of the Ming dynasty, but Li Zicheng failed to solidify his mandate: in late May 1644, he was defeated at the Battle of Shanhai Pass by the joint forces of Ming general Wu Sangui and Manchu prince Dorgon. When he fled back to Beijing in early June, Li finally proclaimed himself emperor of China and left the capital in a hurry. The Shun dynasty ended with Li's death in 1645. 36 35 11 | P a g e Andrew Paul StokesEveryone died except his daughter Princess Changping. Chongzhen then fled to Jingshan Hill and committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in the garden. 37 Regimes loyal to the Ming throne continued to reign in southern China until 1662. June 5, 2011 Conclusion. So in conclusion, during the Ming Dynasty, China saw perhaps the greatest change and rebirth in their history. The Ming Empire found the perfect balance of empirical power and Confucianism, culture and technology were revolutionised, allowing the expansion of wealth trade and nationalism.Political implements and modification had contoured China into a strong and supple empire, extending its fingers south to Vietnam and north to Manchuria. Combining typical Confucian methods of governance, a strong empirical head, and an extended base of power amongst court eunuchs, Ming China successfully rehabilitated the greatness of the Tang and Han dynasties. It was the world’s largest economy of its age. It was also the most powerful and largest military power in all of Asia. Science, economy and military strength from the early Ming Dynasty onwards culminated in the greatest age of maritime exploration in Chinese History. 8 Economically, the Ming Dynasty was a period during which the feudal society began to show th e declining trend while the concept of capitalism started to originate. In agriculture, both the food output and the implements of production surpassed that of earlier dynasties. The most spectacular advancement in Ming China probably was the evolution of maritime exploration which opened China up to the world†¦ albeit briefly. The increased knowledge of the seas and the navigational tools aided the Chinese in forging an empire that could trade with places half the world away.But, inexperience and neglect by the Ming rulers contributed greatly to the downfall of the dynasty, as well as corruption of the court officials and the domination of the eunuchs inside the court. If, for instance, instead of turning to eunuchs to help check on Court officials, the emperors turned to his immediate relatives or maternal relations, it could also have led to, as history of Han and Jin dynasties had shown, factionalism that weakened the empire. Instead of eunuchs being the problem, imperial r elations would have been the problem.The government officials were cruel and extorted unreasonable taxes. The combination of natural calamity and human oppression drove the peasants to a revolt. The disasters of Ming dynasty can be allocated such: 70% human error. The officials were greedy and extorted taxes from the victims. The state increased taxes without thought of the disasters, eventually leading to peasant revolt. The Ming dynasty could have decisively chose policies to alleviate suffering after suppressing Li Zicheng’s first revolt: make necessary changes to the Spence, Jonathan D. 1999) The Search for Modern China: Second Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 25 38 Brook, Timothy. (1998) The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China, Berkeley: University of California Press. 37 12 | P a g e Andrew Paul Stokes government officials and taxation policies, allocate the wealth to aid the victims and to pacify the masses, then Li Zicheng’s movement would be unable to attract anyone. The fall of the capital to the peasant army (or any other army) would not have occurred. June 5, 2011 Bibliography Atwell, William S. 2002) â€Å"Time, Money, and the Weather: Ming China and the Great Depression of the Mid-Fifteenth Century†, the Journal of Asian Studies, 61 (1): 81-113, Cambridge University Press Brook, Timothy. (1998) The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China, Berkeley: University of California Press. Ebrey, Patricia Buckley; Walthall, Anne; Palais, James B. (2006) East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Ebrey, Patricia Buckley; (1999) The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press Fairbank, John K. nd Goldman, Merle. (2006) China: A New History. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press Graham, James. (Unknown Date). â€Å"Quantitative Growth, Qualitative Standstill: From www. HistoryOrb. com China's Economic Situati on 1368-1800†. website. http://www. historyorb. com/asia/china_economy. shtml (accessed 03/06/2011). Heijdra, Martin. (1988) â€Å"The Socio-Economic Development of Rural China During the Ming†, in Mote, Frederick W. and Twitchett, Denis (eds. ), Cambridge History of China: The Ming Dynasty 1368-1644, Part One, Cambridge University Press.Huang, Ray. (1988) â€Å"The Ming Fiscal Administration†, in Twitchett, Denis and Fairbank, John K. (eds. ) the Cambridge History of China, Volume 8: The Ming Dynasty 1398-1644, Part Two, Cambridge University Press. Li, Bo and Zheng, Yin. (2001) 5000 Years of Chinese History, Inner Mongolian Peoples’ Publishing House. 13 | P a g e Andrew Paul Stokes Mote, Frederick W. (1988), â€Å"Introduction†, in Twitchett, Denis and Mote, Frederick W. (eds. ) The Cambridge History of China, Vol 7, The Ming Dynasty, 1368 – 1644, Part 1. Cambridge University Press.Mote, Frederick W. (1988) â€Å"The Rise of the Ming Dynast y 1330 – 1367†, in Twitchett, Denis and Fairbank, John K. (eds. ) The Cambridge History of China, Vol 7, The Ming Dynasty, 1368 – 1644, Part 1. Cambridge University Press. Reischauer, Edwin Oldfather; Fairbank, John King and Craig, Albert M. (1960) A History of East Asian Civilisation, Vol 1. East Asia: The Great Tradition, George Allen & Unwin Ltd. Spence, Jonathan D. (1999) The Search for Modern China: Second Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. June 5, 2011 14 | P a g e

Changes in family life since the 1970s Essay

Outline some of the major changes that have taken place in family life since the 1970s and discuss the concerns arising from these changes. In the past many families were similar, as traditional nuclear families were the excepted norm of society. Since the 1970’s a number of major changes have taken place in family life. The traditional nuclear family is no longer seen as the norm as many other types of specialist families have developed to best suit the needs of the people within them. Family life is very complex and in recent years sociologists have sort to find new ways to understand it. However with these changes there have also been a number of concerns, which may suggest that not all changes have improved family life. One way in which the family unit has changed since the 1970’s is the change in marriage rates. While marriage in the UK is still the majority among families, there has been a decline in the number of marriages, the age in which people are choosing to marry and the duration of marriages. In 1971 1% of all marriages in the UK ended after two years. In 1996 this figure increased to 9%. (Mark Kirby, 2000, p. 58). This suggests that marriage less important than it once was. There are a number for reasons as to why there is a change in marriage. It is argued that because women now have more freedom of choice than they did in the past, they may be choosing simply not to marry. Others suggest that women are now choosing to put off marriage till a later date so that they can focus on their careers and education. Another reason for the change in marriage could be due to the undermining of the need to marry, now that it has become socially acceptable to cohabit or be single, many people choose not to marry. As well as this women are no longer dependant on men to be a ‘bread winner’ and provide for them. Lorraine Harding (1996) argues that the main decline in marriage occurred around the 1970’s due to greater levels of unemployment. Strain may have been put on the ‘breadwinner’ to support the family causing the breakdown of the marriage. ‘On this basis it could be argued that it is not the decline of the conventional family since 1970 that should need explaining, but rather its unusual popularity between 1945 and 1970’. (Mark Kirby, 2000, pp. 69-70) Another major change that has taken place in family life since the 1970’s is the increase in the number of divorces. In 1970 80,000 couples got divorced in the UK, that figure has risen to 125,000 in 2003. (Scott, 2007, p. 466) It is argued that this increase is due to the 1969 Divorce Reform Act which made getting a divorce much easier. Women had more opportunity to work and therefor they were less dependent on men. State benefits gave women greater chance of leaving a marriage. (Scott, 2007, pp. 467-469). However with divorce there are a number of concerns that can arise in family life. It is believed that divorce is the main contributor to lone parent families who are considered to be at higher risk of poverty. This is considered an unhealthy environment to bring up children as they may feel unsettled. Children may lose touch with the other parent and gain step parents. This in extension can effect socialisation, education and their family life in the future. Some sociologists also argue that children whose parents have had a divorce are more likely to get a divorce when they are older. Giddens found that two-fifths of all marriages in the UK now end in divorce. The number of marriages has fallen while the number of divorces has risen. (Giddens, 2009, pp. 350-351) Cohabitation has increased sharply in recent years. It is seen as a prelude to marriage or an alternative and in some cases it replace marriage altogether. ‘In 1986 11 per cent of non-married men under the age of 60 were in cohabiting relationships, but by 2004 this figure had risen to 24 per cent. The comparable figures for women were 13 per cent in 1986 and 25 per cent in 2004’ (Social Trends, 2006) This goes to show that cohabitation is one alternative to the traditional nuclear family that people are choosing to take. In the UK today 73 per cent of women say they live with a man before they are married. However with cohabitation there have been a number of concerns suggested by sociologists. Some sociologists argue that because there is less commitment within a cohabiting relationship then they are less stable and more likely to break down. This could lead to poverty for the women and children involved. As well as this a cohabiting couple are more likely to seek stat e benefits and put a strain on the economy. Antony Giddens argues the idea of a pure relationship. He believes that  couples in Modern society choose now not to marry for love and intimacy but to cohabit and have a relationship that best suits them. He believes that in the past couples were bound by the contract of love and it would often be difficult to get and divorce and end a relationship. Giddens argues that divorce is increasing due to people having much more choice in their lives. If a relationship no longer continues to suit the interests of the people within it then it is easy to simply leave. Giddens says: ‘What holds the pure relationship together is the acceptance on the part of each partner, â€Å"until further notice†, that each gains a significant benefit from the relationship to make its continuance worthwhile.’ (Holborn, 2004) The love within the relationship is governed by the amount of venerability the other is prepared to show. Giddens also saw that in the past families would have been headed by a single male breadwinner who provided for the whole family while the wife stayed at home. This has now changed and men and women have become more equal within contemporary society. This therefor suggests that men and women have also become equal within relationships. Pure relationships are quickly becoming more popular as our self-centred society develops. Within contemporary society we have more choice; this has now adapted the way we look at traditional ’till-death-us-do-part’ marriages and traditional nuclear families. (Elliott, 2008) ‘Living apart together’ is a term that is used for a family where one of the partners may live away for work or simply to maintain their independence. This follows on from the idea of a pure relationship as it is more causal for the people involved and it meets everyone needs. A problem that may arise from ‘LAT’ families is that it could be disruptive for children as they would not have a single home. It also shows a lack of commitment from the couple to move in together and get married. Although ‘LAT’ families are becoming increasingly common, they may still often be not seen as the best way to live as a family. Lone parent’s families are becoming increasing common within the UK today. There have been significant increases in lone parent families since the 1970’s. This could be due to higher rates of divorce and cohabitation break down. Lone parents also have a reduced likelihood for marriage in the future  with lone parent working class men having the lowest chance to marry. In 2004 73 per cent of lone mothers and 50 per cent lone fathers had dependent children. (Giddens, 2009, p. 355) This creates a concern with lone parents as it is believed that lone parents are more likely to be in poverty and dependant on state benefits. It is argued that the child from a lone parent household is less likely to do well in education and is more likely to become a lone parent in the future. With less time to get an education it is also common for a lone parent to have low or no qualifications and poor pay. Lone parents can get caught in a poverty trap as they do not have the time to earn good money and improve their education. Some lone parents may wait until their children have grown up, and go into higher education at a later date. With the increasing number of divorces and remarriages there has also be an increase in reconstituted families. Reconstituted families often bring two families together that have divorced parents. These types of family can generate some concerns as in many cases it is difficult for the children of the family to accept new relationships. In extension to this within reconstituted families there is a higher rate of child abuse. This could be due to the sometimes overwhelming environment of two families living together. They are also more likely to face economic hardship. Divorce rates in reconstituted families are higher than that of first marriages. Same sex partnerships have received a lot of media attention in recent years. This is due to the very idea of sexuality being a topic of interest within society. It is only since December 2005 that gay and lesbian couples could get a civil partnership. If they wish to have children then they have to choose from adoption, artificial insemination, fostering or if they had a child from a past heterosexual relationship. This can be good for the child as they may choose to counteract patriarchy. However on the other hand there are many aspects of a same sex partnership that could raise some concerns. For example the very nature of such a relationship challenges strongly held values and norms within society. This could therefor create conflict with other members of society. If there is a child involved this may not be the best environment to bring them up. In 2009 Elton John and his partner David  Furnish were looking to adopt a child from the Ukraine. They faced problems when EveryChild, an international children’s charity, said _†it was concerned by the singer’s announcement that he and partner David Furnish wanted to adopt a 14-month-old boy called Lev. The organization said that while it praised John’s help in raising awareness about children affected by HIV in Ukraine, it said the answer did not lie in international adoption, arguing that more children might be left in children’s homes as a result of another celebrity adoption†._ (Press Association, 2009) As well as this many people believe that it is inappropriate to bring a child up with same sex parents. It is believed that this will have an effect on their sexuality without giving them a fair choice. With society becoming more multicultural some people from other religions may condemn the idea of same sex couples. This could leave them marginalised on the edge of society. In some extreme cases there have been ‘Honour Killings’ from some families in order to protect their image. With an increase in same sex couples there has also been more of a demand for fertility and reproductive technology. These men and women are looking to artificial insemination to help them to have a child. On the other hand however heterosexual men and women, may also require such technology if they have a problem with conception. This has helped women whom have put off parenthood in order to focus on their careers and education. As women get older their fertility rate falls, 1 in 5 women will reach the end of their fertile life childless. This new technology can help families to have children whereas in the past they may not have been able. There has also been an increase in younger women becoming surrogate mothers for older women who can no longer have children. Another technology that has had a large effect on family life is contraception. In the past, families often had many more children than in contemporary society. This was so their children could go to work and provide for the family, but also because they didn’t have the technology. Contraception has become increasing important over recent years with youth  culture of today ‘Drugs, Sex, Rock and Roll’. In contrast to this idea, there has been an increase in teen parents over recent years, suggesting that more could be done to stop such families. Other generations within the family are increasingly having a greater influence. In the past due to poor healthcare many children would never have met their grandparents as they would have died at a younger age. In modern society grandparents and great grandparents are now increasingly part of the family. This can create tensions between caring for the older members of the family and the younger ones. It can also have a structural issue as the older generations of the family may become a burden if there is a break down in the relationship or a divorce. In conclusion there are a number of changes that have taken place in the family since the 1970’s. Not all of these changes have had positive effects. There have also been a number of negatives. With such a large change within society concerns will arise, it is how these concerns are dealt with that will determine the future of the family unit. There are some sociologists that believe that the family is still just as strong as it has always been even with the loss of traditional families. _†Family living also offers an opportunity for intimacy, a word with Latin roots meaning ‘sharing fears’. That is, as a result of sharing a wide range of activities over a long period of time, members of families forge emotional bonds. Of course, the fact that parents act as authority figures often inhabits their communication with young children. But as young people reach adulthood, kinship ties typically ‘open up’ as family members recognise that they share concern for one another’s welfare†_ (Plummer, 2002, p. 441) This suggests that it does not matter what shape or size a family is, but if it teaches the people within it to become good adults and care for others then it will have fulfilled its purpose. With the ever changing and diverse nature of the society in which we live families have simply become more specialised, and the people within them are no longer bound by what is  socially acceptable.

Marketing Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Analysis - Essay Example The high portaging prices, and bureaucracies imposed by sale of bionic products is based on the high production costs and minimized vendor efficiency. The economic policies promote competition through influencing positive performance of sales in artificial limbs. The bionic limb products have extensive sales in the country based on the expected turns of lower annual performance and differences in economic aspects. Primarily, the connection bases its application on global financial crisis that affects most countries’ financial statuses. The governments of such countries predict slow economic growth of their GDP leading to reduced levels of incomes. The implosion on customers’ buying behavior is reduced purchases and solicitation of alternative forms of therapy (Baines & Fill, 2014, p 74). The component is a significant implication of the consideration of bionic components used in making life easier for the users’ lives (Baines & Fill, 2014, p 47). The growth in global population includes various elements of influences within the bionic limb industry. There is an increasing ratio of bionic devices in use through higher levels of patients. The competition increment allows for developments in technology and growth in influence of financial positions for each element of the market. The application of technology offers a viable approach to embracing diversity based on manufacturing’s maturity and capacity (Baines & Fill, 2014, p 23). This concept impacts differently on various levels of innovation in the company. Diversification of technologies allows for increased innovation, interaction, integration, and development potential. The increase in healthcare expenditure coupled with the emergence of extra healthcare facilities the emerging economies to provide more growth opportunities among markets for medical bionic implants. The customers

Canadas Wonderland Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Canadas Wonderland - Assignment Example It is also the major theme park in the country (Williams, 2007, p 102). Canada’s Wonderland consists of beautiful sceneries, for instance, the Medieval Faire and the International Street, that are marketed for tourism by the country’s travel agencies hence earning foreign exchange for the nation. With the leadership of Kelly Robinson, the Taft Broadcasting Company suggested the construction of the theme park on a 33 acre of land. The land was located in a small village that was known as Maple. The village was a part of Vaughan, Ontario. Many other locations for the construction of Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario were considered. These areas included Cambridge, Milton and Niagara Falls. Maple, however, became the final selection as the construction site of the theme park (Williams, 2007, p. 127). This is because the village was located near the city of Toronto. It was also located near the 400 highway series. Other individuals like the Conklin family considered the Greater Toronto Area as the best location of Canada’s Wonderland. Other people like Walt Disney suggested that the theme park is constructed in Florida (Braithwaite, 2000, p. 218). Disney rejected Toronto because of the cold climate found in the region. He claimed that this kind of weather would shorten the operation period of the park, thereby, reducing profits. Many organizations opposed the construction of the theme park in Toronto. For instance, Toronto’s multicultural institutions like the Royal Museum of Toronto, Ontario Place and Canadian National Exhibition operators argued that Toronto market was too small to accommodate more competition (Braithwaite, 2000, p. 231). Other groups like the Vaughan residential association fought against the construction of Canada’s Wonderland claiming that the increased traffic that would be brought about by the theme park could reduce the value of properties in the region.  

Advances in Wireless Network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Advances in Wireless Network - Essay Example People have now mobile with most of the functions that were never thought when wireless technologies emerged. The basic functions of voice and text communications are considered as the basic functions that early mobiles phones had, but the most modern mobile phones (also known as smart phones) are equipped with Wifi communication, Bluetooth communication, near field communication (NFC) and data communication systems along with basic systems. 1. 802.11n Wireless connections are always determined by the radio mode the communication system is utilizing. The mode of radio signal described by the 802.11n access point provides support for 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11a, 802.11n receptors. The wireless signal can be sent to a number of users at the same time. The 802.11n is capable of supporting and operating at two different frequencies to support to different clients with different operating frequencies. An Access Point of 5GHz is designed 5GHz and an Access Pint of 2.4 GHz is designed to prov ide communication to the clients, whom are operating at 2.4GHz (Juniper.net, 2009). The channel band width of the 802.11n is 40MHz. The technology is assumed to be much compatible with the device, as the functions promised by the marketing will remain incomplete without the use of 802.11n (Wewetzer, C. et al., 2012). As, the ‘HyperSlim PX’ has to provide with all possible wireless types of communication, the 802.11n will be the best suited communication. From the engineering perspective the communication type requires software to run that can be corrupt by the influence of other types of wireless communications’ software installed in the HyperSlim PX. The most important perspective is to couple the existing software with some auto backup system to avoid loss of important data in case of any software malfunction. The HyperSlim PX should be made in metallic body to provide a sink for the heat generated during the operation of the 802.11n. As, the access point of 80 2.11n utilized in the HyperSlim PX will convert some amount of energy into heat, the HyperSlim PX will consume much amount of energy to provide enough power for the communication system to work in a proper manner. There are less or no problems regarding the security of the data while utilizing the 802.11n. The maximum transmission rate remains as high as 270 Mbps, which is fairly a higher speed for the communication modal. On the other hand the enhancement in the range of the device will keep the user connected while in motion in a building or a factory building. Protection The Specification that are utilized in the set protocols 802.11n ensures that the communication modal do not report interference to any of the device nearby and do not allow the interference of the any other communication to distort the communication of through the 802.11n. It protection strategy also ensures that it is interfere or accept the interference of any other access points or any legacy stations. On the other hand, users have the right to turn on and off the security feature that are defiantly installed in the 802.11n communication modal. By considering these safety and protection features, the 802.11n is much feasible in the HuperSlim-PX. The performance of the device remains the same in the both the condition, with the full fledged protection and with no protection. The protection strategies of the device have low impact on the device capability of the high speed connection and transmission. 2. Bluetooth 4.0 Bluetooth is a communication type

Students, Taxpayers Forced to Pay for Abortions on College Campuses Essay

Students, Taxpayers Forced to Pay for Abortions on College Campuses - Essay Example The report elicited much outrage from pro-life activists and taxpayers across the nation who wished for this hole in the federal legislation (put in place to stop taxpayer funding of abortions) plugged. Before one can comment on the validity of either the pro-life or pro-abortion viewpoint in this situation, it is important to understand the legislation in question namely, the Hyde Amendment. Passed by the Congress in 1976, the Hyde Act is a legislation that removes abortion from the healthcare services provided to low income groups by the federal government through Medicaid (ACLU, 2004). The only exception to this law was made in cases of rape, incest or when the woman’s life was endangered by a physical disorder, illness or injury. Though the act has to be renewed every year, it is quite clear in its stand that federal funds are not to be used to fund abortions. The Act was adopted by most states as were subsequent similar legislations that permitted insurance companies to r efuse cover to patients for abortions or counsel and referrals related to abortions. In addition to poor women, the act also affected Native Americans, federal employees and dependents, Peace Corps volunteers, federal prisoners, military personnel and their dependents and disabled women relying on Medicare. The study on healthcare in universities by Students for Life of America (SFLA) examined the systems in 200 universities across the states with regard to university sponsored or subsidized healthcare plans. With data retrieved from the Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System (IEPDS), SFLA discovered that a number of universities (such as in North Carolina) required students to have healthcare plans and automatically enrolled them in plans that covered elective abortions (SFLA 2011). To be precise, 33.5% of the schools surveyed made it mandatory for students to have healthcare coverage, 97% of these offered school sponsored healthcare plans, 44.3% of this segment offered pl ans that included cover for elective abortions, and 44% of these schools automatically enrolled their students in these programs. Also, 33% of the 200 schools automatically enrolled the students in school sponsored plans to their accounts and 57% of these plans covered elective abortions (SFLA 2011). While one might argue that the university was being responsible and considerate in ensuring that medical problems and especially unwanted pregnancies did not interfere with the education of their students, there were many who found it hard to digest. There were two main reasons for this, one being that the healthcare plan was believed to encourage carelessness among youngsters, counteracting decades of sexual awareness campaigns and the second being that this provision was in direct contradiction of the Hyde Amendment and other similar legislations. Grants such as the Pell Grant offered to students use federal funds provided to universities to bridge the gap between the economic capacit y of the student and the actual fees of the course. Since some of these universities include their health plans in the students’ fees by default, it indicates that the federal funds are indirectly used to pay for health insurance that covers elective abortion

The Microsoft Dominance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Microsoft Dominance - Essay Example The paper tries to analyse the economic position of Microsoft and understand why they have been able to retain themselves as a monopoly in the market. Let us start with the definition of monopoly and then analyse the same definition with respect to the share controlled by Microsoft in the market. â€Å"A situation in which a single company or group owns all or nearly all of the market for a given type of product or service. By definition, monopoly is characterized by an absence of competition, which often results in high prices and inferior products.† Monopoly Definition." Investopedia.com - Your Source For Investing Education Inferring from the above definition, a monopoly is a state of market where one company controls the market with a tight management in place and holding a dominant share where it can dictate the prices and the supply of the product to the market and therefore would exercise a position of power in the respective market. Microsoft enjoyed such dominance in the OS market for computers for two decades and still holds that position due to the free availability of its products in the market. â€Å"Microsoft accounts for 90-95% of microcomputer operating systems, and it is the de facto standard for computer applications. It is obvious that it is dominating the market. However, one could argue that its market power is gained from the consumer choices†¦its legitimacy rests upon consumers who willingly, and in a market with alternative resources and options, chose to buy Microsoft products.† InfoTech & Public Policy  » Blog Archive  » Is Microsoft a â€Å"monopoly† Based on Standard Economic Theory?" The economic theory behind the dominance of Microsoft has been monopolizing the market and creating products which the competitors failed to innovate in. Microsoft was able to take the Windows to a level where there was no competition at all from the rest of the players in the market. Let is have a look at the OS market to understand why Microsoft was so successful in monopolizing the market for such a long time. At the time when Windows was launched, there were only two players in the market for OS. One was the Macintosh designed by Apple, and the other was windows designed by Microsoft. The precarious thing about Apple was that they only created their OS for their own machines and did not outsource the product to other manufacturers waiting in line to produce the Macintosh. Since Apple did not sell their Macintosh OS to third parties, the manufacturers were left with only one option, and that was to buy the OS from Microsoft, the Windows based application. Since Macintosh was more expensive than Windows and did not give an opportunity to oither manufacturers in the market to use their OS, the Windows grew in popularity. The OS was much more cheaper to use and to apply on machines, and since was an open software there were more applications designed for it than they were for the Macintosh. â€Å"eco nomists maintain that a monopoly does not exist simply because there is only one provider of a good or service. For example, in the Microsoft case, the Windows operating system is enormously popular, but the potential for a competing firm to provide a similar product exists. In fact, Macintosh is a small but important competitor in the computer and operating system market. Linux has also emerged in recent months as a viable alternative to Microsoft Windows† South-Western: Is Microsoft A Monopoly?" Web. 27 Nov. 2011. Whether the Monopoly is in the Public Interest: There are two sides to the argument whether the monopoly has been in the public interest or not. The paper address both the points of contention and then understand why one arguments

Leninism verse liberalism in an ex-colonial state Essay

Leninism verse liberalism in an ex-colonial state - Essay Example Other important influential trends in Iran may also include its two constitutional revolutions one in 1905 and the other in 1979. It is prudent to start by looking at the Leninists prospects in Iran. Without rushing to ridicule such an idea, we should not that a number of states in the Middle East are exhibiting left wing tendencies. A notable example is the Hashemite monarchy found in Iraq being replaced by a more Arab socialist state, which happened in1968.In 1950s, it was feared that Iran would adopt communism system that could see them ally the Soviet Union. In a more direct assertion, embracing Lenism by Iran as opposed to liberal democracy is minus not without precedent. Exhibiting similar traits to Rusia, prior and in the post Leninist revolution, Iran just like Russia was also ruled by absolute monarchs who are said to behave like the Russian Czars. Its rulers were draconian. The emphasis witnessed in personal norms in modern theocratic Iran resembles Czarist Russia signified by strong central figures, Iran being a devoutly Islam state shares the same inclination with Russia was also a devoutly Eastern orthodox. The main contention remains how transition into a Lenin state can occur. Proponents of this argument have asserted that, just as the Russians through threw religion and moved to secularization, Iran may surprisingly throw religion and adopt secularization too. However, some scholars have argued that adoption of liberal system could also be ideal for Iran. They have cited historical governance of Iran as their basis of assertion. That Iranian intellectual leaders as found in the 20th century had already stipulated constitutional revolution despite being a lower state than even Turkey and Egypt in the same period. They have compared this to the modern challenges facing Iran. Through citing the obstructionism that saw a revolution happen in 1979, they have suggested Iran is moving towards this direction, in this instance towards liberal

Answering questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Answering questions - Assignment Example This decision worsened the situation as it was like a throwing a burning branch into a bucket of kerosene. It instigated anti—American sentiment in Iran which explored (Christopher & Mosk, 2007). We learn that Carter actions were more of humanitarian than political, and this caused him a second term following his inability to restore the situation that became his weakness for the competitors. The duo was terrorists school shooters that handled the April 20, 1999 Columbine High School massacre. This massacre has remained the today’s the deadliest high school massacre in American history as well the fifth deadliest school massacre in history of America after the Bath School Bombing, the Virginia Tech Massacre, the Sandy Hook Elementary Scholl massacre and the University of Texas massacre. The duo met in 1995 and became intimate friends. The first warning signs arose from the increasingly hostile personality in his freshman year at Columbine when Eric met Tiffany Typher in German. Brian was born in 1961 and was the 2008 vice presidential candidate of America’s Independent Party in the same year’s United States Presidential Election. He ran on the ticket with the presidential candidate Alan Keyes. He is a school drop-out at 16 and founded a car stereo in business in Englewood, Colorado. He led the efforts to examine the sociological reasons for Columbine High School Massacre as his son (Daniel) wounded by Eric and shot in back by Klebold. His opinion was that the cause of the massacre was as resulting of legalizing abortion as well as the removal of all vestiges of religion from the public school classroom. The controversy of the cross memorial is understood, but the controversy arise about the gun since the history is clear and the meaning of the concern being on the appropriateness of the specific location for the processed

Fat Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fat - Essay Example He tries to convince his readers that society should not take responsibility for the unhealthy behavior of others, and that everyone should strive to be healthy. He is of the opinion that it is wrong for the American government to try and fight obesity by manipulating consumer in the variety of food options that they should use (Balko, p 159). In another text, Paul Campos says that society should not pressure individuals to be thin. He claims that being fat is fine and that there has been no scientific proof that being thin means being healthier. He says that it is all propaganda by the diet industry to get money from people. Campos notes that many people tend to think that being thin means being healthy. He asserts that thinner people are not healthier than fat people, and they should not believe that they are because that is mere propaganda (Campos, p 209). Susie Orbach points out that beauty and physical fitness have become the goals of almost every woman today. She further argues that most women have made the names of diet foods their vocabulary. Issues of food and being fat have preoccupied most people to the extent that they are usually taken for granted. However, these problems present very painful and serious experiences to most women (Orbach, p 200). Susie Orbach further notes that society creates an image that should be followed by women, for them to be appealing. These images keep changing and hence add pressure on women to keep up with the trends (Orbach, p 203). She writes that, in all the changing images, the one thing that remains constant is that women are portrayed as thin. In the last article used in this analysis, David Zinczenko, in his essay, don’t blame the eater, writes that the weight problem faced by society is not only the consumers’ problem; it is largely fuelled by the food industry itself. He says that fast food restaurants play a significant role in weight gain

Geography of the Big Mac Essay Example for Free

Geography of the Big Mac Essay McDonalds has been around since 1940, when it was created by Nick and Mac McDonald in Bernardino, California. Since then McDonalds has only grown around the world in popularity and business. There are currently more than 33 thousand restaurants around the world in 119 countries. The chain has remarkably gone form offering just a few items on its menu to a wide range of over a 145 diverse items on its menu. Needless to say McDonalds has embedded itself within the world’s society. The way McDonalds runs its business has many different components. These different items include geography of a location, Weber’s model, development, and mass consumption. One of McDonald’s most successful items on its menu is the big mac. Worldwide it is known for its flavor; however, many do not understand how that burger gets to them. The ingredients are not merely picked up at a local store, but shipped across miles of land and sea. There are many different factors for why this happens. The three main reasons for why this occurs are due to geography, weber’s model, and development. Geography plays a big role in where things grow for instance if one looks at the United States corn grows better in the Midwest. This then affects what farmers will grow in a certain climate, because they need to meet the needs of the plant they are growing. This pattern is seen in Europe with the ingredients needed to make a big mac and largely affects where certain places receive certain items. The buns used to create a big mac are produced in Germany, America, and Canada. The climate in Germany is a moderate climate with a good amount of rain throughout the year. This makes it an ideal place to grow wheat which needs the climate to be mild and not too cold. There are also many places throughout the United States and Canada that classify as this climate. The pickles are needed to be raised in a warm atmosphere. This is why the pickles for the big mac are grown in Spain and Turkey. Spain has a Mediterranean climate with dry summers and relatively warm winters, and Turkey has hot and dry summers and mild winters. The beef is nurtured in Ireland. This is mainly due to the fact that Ireland has sporadic weather that is not necessarily spectacular for growing crops. This means that they are not losing money by not planting a crop but using the land instead is used for cattle ranching. The dairy farmers often need a cool climate to run their farms. This correlates with the fact that Germany and Ireland are the suppliers for the big mac’s cheese in the United Kingdom. Both climates have relatively cool atmospheres almost year round. The lettuce for the big is grown in Spain due to the fact that it needs a warm climate to grow in. The last item on the big mac is the onions and these are found in Holland. Holland has cool summers and mild winters which make it the optimal place to grow onions. Onions need temperatures to be at a happy medium between hot and cold for them to grow well. All of these places and items grown are directly related to the McDonalds in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom gets all of its ingredients for its big mac from different countries. The reason they do this can be described by Weber’s model. Weber’s model centers on three main ideas such as transportation, labor, and agglomeration. Transportation in today’s modern world is fast and inexpensive meaning that it is a viable option to ship products to different locations that may be far away. The fact that there is cheap transportation makes it easier for countries, such as the U. K. , to get products that they do not have the capability of growing as well. Labor is a much more important component of Weber’s model today. This part of the model is classified as the most costing part of an organization. This means that companies will look for a cheaper labor pool. The U. K. follows this pattern for the most part. The United Kingdom has a minimum wage of $9. 83 in U. S. dollars. Some of the main suppliers for the items in the big mac for the U. K.are Germany, America, Canada, Turkey, and Spain. All of these places have less of a minimum wage requirement than the United Kingdom. This means that it is cheaper for the United Kingdom to pay workers in other countries to grow their products rather than grow them in their own country. Lastly, there is the matter of agglomeration. Agglomeration is often when businesses that produce the same product locate around each other to reap some sort of benefit. This directly relates to all 1,200 McDonalds in the United Kingdom. Many of these restaurants are located around other fast food chains. The main idea behind this is to potentially steal costumers from other fast food restaurants. McDonalds can also benefit from other fast food chains advertisements if they are located near them. McDonalds tends to symbolize development in countries. Every developed country in the world practically has a McDonalds. Most people credit McDonalds for being the innovator of the development of the fast food industry. The food chain has developed a well-oiled machine for creating the same products. They have people located at certain areas to do specific jobs such as grilling burgers, adding dressing, frying fries, getting drinks, and cashiering. This may sound similar to another model that gave birth to the auto industry. This model being the Ford model. Ford was the first to develop an assembly line, which basically gave workers a specific job that they only did. This maximized production for Ford made it so they could produce cars in a more efficient time frame lowering prices. Due to the fact that McDonalds runs their business similar to Ford’s is the reason why their prices are so affordable. Many different companies have shaped their businesses around McDonalds. This is why there are so many different types of fast food chains. Since there are so many McDonalds worldwide there are bound to be negative side effects centering on the issue of consumption. McDonald’s food is very high in sodium and fats. This type of food is not very healthy for the average person’s diet. This means that the food consumers are consuming at McDonalds can contribute to obesity if they eat there too frequently. The obesity rate in the United States is 35. 7% of all adults. These statistics show that obesity is a huge issue. There is currently 550 million big macs sold in the United States each year. This is not a very healthy product. The fact that so many people are buying and eating it could contribute to their unhealthy weight. There is also a matter of how much virtual water is used to make the beef patty in a big mac. There is 4-18 thousand gallons of water used per beef patty in a big mac. The reason this number is so high is due to the fact that it takes a lot of water to grow grain for cows to eat and cows drink a lot of water. Water seems like a substance that can be found on a whim. However, it is actually a relatively hard thing to find. For instance, people around Texas are actually mining water. They are mining in the Ogallala Aquifer which is basically a huge underground supply of water. The fact that people have to mine water just adds to the fact that there is not an abundant amount to be wasted like is being seen on the production of a meat patty. There is also the matter with the idea that the more McDonalds that are spawned in certain areas there is less of a culture in areas. This is the idea of placelessness. Areas lose their own culture due to the fact that everything starts to look the same. The more demand for McDonalds means more stores and less of a cultural background in places.

Writing skills Essay Example for Free

Writing skills Essay The study of Neville looks in the way of addressing academic literacy within the University level. He highlighted several important factors that make such feat difficult for students to achieve. â€Å"In this paper I describe examples of students’ difficulties in developing academic literacy, and show how these difficulties relate not only to students’ own developing understanding of academic Discourse but also to their awareness of themselves as apprentices of it. † (Neville, 1997, p. 40) It is through this that the author mentioned the factors of truly understanding the nature of reading and writing among students that impedes such process. â€Å"For many students, difficulties with academic literacy most immediately concern the actual process of reading or writing rather than what is finally produced. † (Neville, 1997, p. 40) It is through these issues that both the content and final product outputs are compromised. It is through this that he highlights the different facets both in reading and writing that seems to be problematic. With this, he interpreted the understanding of academic culture as a means of addressing such deficiency in writing skills. â€Å"Academic culture is concerned with the development and communication of knowledge, and academic writing has evolved to meet the needs of culture. † (Neville, 1997, p. 41) On the other hand, in relation with reading, the author argued that there needs to be better insights on how reading should be among students. â€Å"They must themselves become academic readers, and so treat reading not as mere preparation for writing – productive, but passive and safe – but critical and active process itself. † (Neville, 1997, p. 41) In the end, Neville argued that students – if such actions continue to be present within the educational system, may experience difficulties coping with these standards. â€Å"It is time for academic literacy, literacy at the tertiary level, to take a legitimate place on the political and educational agenda. † (Neville, 1997, p. 49) Reference: Burke, D. J. (1995) ‘Connecting Content and Motivation: Education’s Missing Link’ in Peabody Journal of Education. 70 no. 2 Retrieved March 24, 2008. pp. 66-81 Establishing the need for educational motivation within the content of teaching is what Burke emphasizes in the article. He sees the foundation of learning to be linking and finding the gap between content within the curriculum and motivation for both students and teachers. After which he pointed out the problem concerning the presumption that content and motivation should be treated separately. â€Å"Unfortunately for students and teachers, perhaps equally so for learning, until separate and unequal treatment of the content-motivation relationship is replaced by their colligation, academic achievement should not be expected to rise significantly† (Burke, 1995, p. 70) After such analysis and explanation of the problem, he then pursues the importance of motivation in educational institutions. â€Å"Motivation is always in ‘potential form’ until it impels or ignites activity. † (Burke, 1995, p. 70) He highlights the importance of putting motivation hand-in-hand with content so as to create a foundation of a deeper understanding of the curriculum imparted to students. Through this, Burke dwells into the issue of motivation by dwelling on its relevance to psychology particularly among students. â€Å"The successful teacher, in order to facilitate the connection between motivation and content, will be better-served by an outward sensitivity to psychological factors including learner need identification, be it social, physical, emotional, or intellectual. † (Burke, 1995, p. 70) With this, the article pointed out the responsibility of the educator to formally create mechanisms and practices that will promote and uplift motivation among students. This can be done by creating facilitation techniques and skills that will test and create an environment for motivation. â€Å"A variety of learning activities, specific content objectives, and wide-ranging instructional techniques should be designed for every learning experience. † (Burke, 1995, p. 70) Reference: Bringle, R. G. and Hatcher, J. A. (1996) ‘Implementing Service Learning in Higher Education’ in The Journal of Higher Education. 67 no. 2. Ohio State University Press. pp. 221-239. Incorporating service learning within the realm of higher education is the main argument proposed by both Bringle and Hatcher. They emphasized its relative importance not only to the social development of students. But on the other hand, it seeks to promote a holistic experience to educators and students. â€Å"We view service learning as credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. † (Bringle and Hatcher, 1996, p. 222) Learning for them, must be understood not only as a activity and action that revolves around the confinement of the classroom, but also on other facets. With this, the article provided methods and practices that can create service learning within the branch of higher education. Both authors provided a model (CAPSL) that seeks to address the initial program on hand. They proposed different schemes starting from the initial planning stage towards the completion of the overall program. It is through this that they adhere the relative importance of universities. â€Å"The university, as an institution, can be both the means of and the object of data collection that monitors program development, evaluates institutional outcomes, and publishes the results of this research in professional journals. † (Bringle and Hatcher, 1996, p. 227) By creating a collaborative effort for all actors within the academe and educational sector, the program and dynamics can itself create awareness, practice and mechanism for change. â€Å"The CAPSL provides a heuristic for guiding the development of a service learning programs in higher education. † (Bringle and Hatcher, 1996, p. 236) References Bringle, R. G. and Hatcher, J. A. (1996) ‘Implementing Service Learning in Higher Education’ in The Journal of Higher Education. 67 no. 2. Ohio State University Press. pp. 221-239. Burke, D. J. (1995) ‘Connecting Content and Motivation: Education’s Missing Link’ in Peabody Journal of Education. 70 no. 2 Retrieved March 24, 2008. pp. 66-81 Nevile, M. (1996) ‘Literacy culture shock: Developing academic literacy at University in Copyright Agency Limited. 19 no. 1 Retrieved March 24, 2008. pp. 38-51

The Culture Of Singapore Cultural Studies Essay

The Culture Of Singapore Cultural Studies Essay Singapore is effectively a multilingual nation. Although English is the first language of Singapore, there are also a multitude of other languages spoken in the country that reflect its multiracial, multicultural and multilingual society. As of 2008, there are more than 20 languages being spoken in Singapore. The four official languages of Singapore are Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. English is widespread and is the language which unites the various ethnic groups. Children are taught in English at school but also learn their mother tongue to make sure they dont lose contact with their traditions. The only communication problem English-speakers are likely to have in Singapore is with older Singaporeans who did not learn English at school, though trying to understand the unique patois called Singlish which uses a clipped form of English mixed with Malay and Hokkien words can be taxing. Tamil is the main Indian language, though Malayalam and Hindi are also spoken. The majority of Singaporeans celebrate the major festivals associated with their respective religions. The variety of religions found in Singapore is a direct reflection of the variety of races living there. The Chinese are main followers of Buddhism and Shenism (deity worship), though some are Christians. Malays are Muslims and most of Singapores Indians are Hindus; there is, however, a sizeable proportion of Muslims and Sikhs amongst the Indian population. Religious tolerance is essential in Singapore. In fact, religions often cross boundaries and some even merge in unusual ways in this modern country. Younger Singaporeans tend to combine a little of the mysteries of the older generation with the realistic world that they know of today. Religion is still an integral part of the cosmopolitan Singapore. Many of its most interesting buildings are religious, be it old temples, modern churches, or exotic mosques. An understanding of these buildings does play a part in contributing to the appreciation of their art. Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and ancestral worship are combined into a versatile mix in Chinese temples. Most Buddhists are of the Mahayana school although there are some from the Theravada school. In Singapore, the Buddhist faith is linked with Taoism and the practical doctrine of Confucianism. The Malays in Singapore are Muslims. A few of the Indians are also Muslims, but even more uncommon are the Chinese Muslims. Islam has a fundamental influence in the lives of those who follow the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad. The religion involves praying five times a day, eating only halal food, fasting during Ramadan, and going to Mecca on the Haj (pilgrimage). Halal food means food that has been specially prepared as according to the religions dietary requirements. When Indian immigrants migrate to Singapore, they brought with them Hinduism. The early temples are still the central points of ceremonies and festivals, which are held throughout the year. Christian churches were actually established with the arrival of various missionaries after the coming of Sir Stamford Raffles. Together with Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism, Christianity is considered one of the four main religions today. There is quite a large number of Christians in Singapore. Minority faiths are not forgotten. There are at least two synagogues for the Jews and Sikhs. The Zoroastrians and Jains are also represented in Singapore. Food of Singapore Singapore is the food capital of Asia. Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western foods are all on offer, and some of the tastiest creations are those sold from the atmospheric street stalls. Nonya cooking is a local variation on Chinese and Malay food, mixing Chinese ingredients with local spices such as lemongrass and coconut cream. The popular spicy, coconut-based soup laksa is a classic Nonya dish. Singapore is a great place to discover tropical fruits. Some of the more unusual ones on offer include rambutan, mangos teen, durian, jackfruit, pomelo and star fruit. Furthermore, food and entertainment often go together like hand and glove. Many places offer both excellent food and entertainment options, thus enabling you to enjoy the best of both worlds in one location. Indeed, all these attractions have created a food paradise like no other. Food has become something that is thoroughly appreciated by every Singaporean and visitor. The cuisine of Singapore is indicative of the ethnic diversity of the culture of Singapore, as a product of centuries of cultural interaction owing to Singapores strategic location. The food is influenced by the native Malay, the predominant Chinese, Indonesian, Indian and Western traditions (particularly English) since the founding of Singapore by the British in the 19th century. Traces of cuisines such as Thai and Middle Eastern exist in local food culture as well. In Singaporean hawker stores, for example, chefs of Chinese ethnic background influenced by Indian culture might experiment with condiments and ingredients such as tamarind, turmeric and ghee, while a Tamil chef might serve a fried noodle dish. In Singapore, food is viewed as the great importance to national identity and a combination of cultural thread; Singaporean novel declares eating as a national pastime and food, a national obsession. Food is a frequent topic of conversation among Singaporeans. Religious dietary strictures do exist; Muslims do not eat pork and Hindus do not eat beef, and there is also a significant group of vegetarians. People from different communities often eat together, while being mindful of each others culture and choose food that is acceptable to all. There are also some halal Chinese restaurants catering to Muslim dietary preference. Singaporean cuisine has been organized as an attraction for tourists by the Singapore Tourism Board, as a major attraction alongside its shopping. The government organizes the Singapore Food Festival in July to celebrate Singapores cuisine. The multiculturalism of local food, the ready availability of international cuisine and styles, and their wide range in prices to fit all budgets at all times of the day and year helps create a food paradise. The dish Singapore noodles does not exist in Singapore, as it was invented by chefs who worked and lived in Hong Kong. The cuisine is similar to the cuisine of Malaysia because of the close historical and cultural between the two countries. While a number of dishes are common to both countries, their preparation different between the countries, according to local taste. Singapore is a small country with a high population, land is not many resource given up to industrial and housing purposes. Most pfood ingredients are imported, although there is a small group of local farmers who produce some leafy vegetables, fruit, poultry, and fish. Singapores geographical position connects it to major air and sea transport routes and thus allows it to import a variety of food ingredients from around the world, including costly seafood items such as sashimi from Japan. Music Singapore has an urban musical scene, and is a center for rock, punk and other genres in the region. The 1960s produced bands like The Quests, who had hits like Shanty, Dont Play That Song, Jessamine and Mr. Rainbow; as well as other pop-rock bands including The Thunderbirds, The Trailers, The Western Union Band, October Cherries and The Silver Strings. Folk music includes the ethnic Chinese, Malay and Tamil sounds. Folk music Peranakan Pop and rock music Punk and hardcore genres Heavy metal Singaporeans Etiquettes Singapore is a small island off the coast of Malaysia and Indonesia. There are many different etiquettes, some original and some different. Singapore is a unique country that also has many rules. Singaporeans do not usually get appetizers or any drink. Singaporeans have their meal set on the table along with all other dishes with food. When you have finished eating your meal when you are with someone, it would be polite in showing that you recognize their kindness by leaving some of your meal in the plate. Apart from other Asian culture, in Singapore it is not favored to tip after the meal, which tries to impress other people around. When at a social dinner it is not good to share your food with anyone. Singaporeans eat with chopsticks. They specifically use the thin end of  the chopsticks though when getting food from the big dish that is available to everyone they use the thick side of the chopsticks. You should not tell a person any jokes until you know them very well because the jokes might be misunderstood. Do not bring up any ideas or start a conversation about subjects like religion or politics. No affections (kissing, hugging) between couples or anyone should be demonstrated in public areas. You should be calm and not show anger in the public areas. Singaporeans believe the head is sacred so it should not be touched, whether it is a child or an adult. To get someone to notice you and get his/her attention you should raise your hand. Singaporean stands and talks to someone their hands should not be placed on their hips because it demonstrates the feeling of anger. You should not blow your nose and/or clear you throat in a public areas. It is considered polite and appropriate to cover your mouth with your hand as you yawn. Gift Giving: 1.  People think the respectful thing to do is to refuse a gift a few times before accepting it to show that he/she is not greedy. After a couple of attempts of insisting that they take the gift you should tell them how thankful you are that they did so. 2.  To not seem rude or impatient, the person who is receiving the gift should wait until the giver of the gift has left. Then you may open the gift. 3.  Some recommended gifts are chocolates, a memento from your country, a gift with your company logo and maybe even a brand gift. No gifts should be too pricey. 4.  Singapore is very against bribery. This makes it not a possibility for anyone of employment with the government to take a gift. 5.  As you give a small individual gift everyone should be acknowledged and treated to one. 6.  Gifts that are supposed to surprise the person getting the gift are not a good idea to give. It would cause an awkward reaction. 7.  There should be a reason and an explanation to giving a gift to someone. Business: 1.  When asked a question you should not answer too rapidly for the reason that you might miss the correct answer. The correct thing to do is to refrain from answering for at least 15 seconds. 2.  In business Singaporeans are not that assertive and sometimes when they yes to something they might be feeling differently than how they answered. In other words yes doesnt always mean, yes. 3.  Singaporeans are tough on things like money, or business due dates. 4.  When given a compliment it is usual to humbly disagree or deny it. 5.  In business Singaporeans just go straight down to the main concept of the meeting. They will make numerous decisions very quickly. 6.  When appointed to be at a business meeting a Singaporean should call ahead of time if they are to be late. Being late without notice is rude and disrespectful. 7.  Singaporeans expect people to deliver information, reports etc. needed when requested. Greeting: 1.  When shaking hands you should have a nice firm grip. 2.  When at a social occasion or another event with many people, it is appropriate to shake hands with everyone there. 3.  When shaking hands with someone, it is polite to give a generous bow (Westerners can be a little taller than Singaporeans so it is nice to bow.) 4.  Giving a person you business card when first meeting is a proper thing to do. You must have the writing on the card facing the person and it should be given with two hands. 5.  As you meet you should introduce the people of higher position or status and elderly fellows. 6.  To be kind and courteous a Singaporean may not have direct eye contact with the person they are greeting, but instead look down. They do this to respect people of that are of older age or higher rank. 7.  Instead of greeting with the typical How are you or Good Morning Singaporeans will usually greet by saying Where are you going or Have you eaten. 8.  Greetings shouldnt be said using your nickname unless you are wanted to in a special case or you know the person well and have developed a friendship. Everyday Living: 1.  You shouldnt tell a person any jokes until you know them well because the jokes might be misunderstood or just favored. 2.  Dont bring up any ideas or start a conversation about subjects like religion or politics. 3.  No affections (kissing, hugging) between couples or anyone should be demonstrated in public. You should be calm and not show anger public areas. When crossing your legs it is good to put one knee over the other.Home | JapanHYPERLINK http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00723/index_files/index_files/Page357.htmHYPERLINK http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00723/index_files/index_files/Page357.htms Etiquette | ChinaHYPERLINK http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00723/index_files/index_files/Page444.htmHYPERLINK http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00723/index_files/index_files/Page444.htms Etiquette | SingaporeHYPERLINK http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00723/index_files/index_files/Page531.htmHYPERLINK http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00723/index_files/index_files/Page531.htms Etiquette | KoreaHYPERLINK http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00723/index_files/index_files/Page621.htmHYPERLINK http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00723/index_files/index_files/Page621.htms Etiquette | Fun and Games | Credit | About Us Singaporeans are strong on things like money, or business meetings due dates. Demographics of Singapore 4,483,900 (July 2006 est.) Age structure Age percentage male 0-14 years 15.6% 362,329 15-64 years 76.1% 1,666,709 65 years and over 8.3% 165,823 (2006 est.) Population by residential status Residential Status Number Total Population 4,017,733 Citizens 2,973,091 Permanent Residents 290,118 Non-resident Population 754,524 (2000 est.) Population growth rate 1.42% (2006) Birth rate 9.34 births/1,000 population Death rate 4.28 deaths/1,000 population Net migration rate 9.12 migrants/1,000 population (2006 est.) Sex ratio Age at birth under 15 years 15-64 years 65 years and over total population (2006 est.) Infant mortality rate 2.29 deaths/1,000 live births (222 est.) Life expectancy at birth total population: 81 years male: 79 years female: 83 years

Boo Radley and Tom Robinson in To Kill A Mockingbird :: Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

Boo Radley and Tom Robinson come from very different backgrounds. Both face similar stories of prejudice and unfair judgments. These men faced some of the same hardships throughout their lives. Boo and Tom are both good men who were put down because they are considered â€Å"different† than others in the town. Scout learns important lessons from the way the people in town treat Boo and Tom. The title of the book To Kill A Mockingbird takes on different meanings as the author tells the story of these two men from the south. Boo Radley was a man who was never seen out of his house. Since the people of the town saw that he was different than them they thought he was bad. Boo had no chance to stand up for himself because he always stayed inside. Like Boo Radley, Tom Robinson is characterized by what the people of Maycomb county say about him. After being accused of rape, most of the people see him as an evil man. During the trial when Bob Ewell testifies, he points to Tom Robinson and says, "I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella." (pg. 173) The evidence Atticus brought to court proved Tom innocent. But because this story takes place in the south where many people are racist he was accused of the crime. Tom had no chance because of the color of his skin. Both of these characters were seen for things on the outside and not for who they were. Tom and Boo taught Scout several lessons that she will remember forever. Boo shows her that just because you act different and live a different life that you are not always scary and bad. After Scout meets Boo at the end of the book she realizes that he could not really be the person that the makes him out to be. Tom’s trial shows her that racism is completely wrong but was happening all around her all of the time. She sees how Tom is not guilty but since he is black he is considered bad. She knows that this is wrong and she won’t do it herself. Before the trial she did not even know what racism was. In the book, Atticus tells Scout and Jem, "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds.