High Wire Essay

The living standards of an individual in any country depend on numerous factors. The economic conditions of that country, is one of the most important factor which influences the lives of the people living and working in the country. The changes in the economic conditions of country have a huge impact on the lives of people, as they affect their earning and spending capacity. One such country which is experiencing massive changes in its economy is America. America was regarded as a country where one can achieve his/her dream of an affluent and prosperous lifestyle but the recent economic situation in America tells another story. The book â€Å"High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families† by Peter Gosselin deals with the economy of America and the changes it has undergone since 1970s. The author brings forth the affects of these changes on the financial lives of Americans. The changes in the economic policies of America have led to a situation in America where Americans are being deprived of financial security. Through his book, Gosselin throws light on the financial life of Americans which is becoming more and more insecure, owing to the shift of risk from the employers to employees, from the insurance companies to their clients and from the federal government to the American people. Financial Lives In the book â€Å"High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families† by Peter Gosselin, the author focuses on the financial lives of Americans in the present times. He begins his book by pointing out the difference in the economic conditions in America and the financial lives of its people in the past and in the present times. In the period that followed World War II, Americans led a life of prosperity and affluence, owing to the favorable economic conditions in their country. â€Å"The first is that for most of the past quarter century, the United States has enjoyed the return of a resilient and growing prosperity that once seemed lost. † (Gosselin 1). But in present times, the financial lives of Americans have been affected by the changing economic scenario in their country. Even if they are leading a life of prosperity, they are insecure regarding their financial lives. â€Å"The second fact is that many of us, even the affluent among us -those with family income running into the hundreds dollars-have arrived at the new century increasingly uneasy, with a gnawing sense that our circumstances are changing in ways that leave us less secure. † (Gosselin 2). The lack of security is having a huge impact on the lives of Americans. After citing the economic situation, in which the Americans are leading their lives, the author goes on to analyze the reasons for this insecurity that is gripping Americans. The foremost reason he mentions in his book is related to the new economic policies which places the risk on the individuals instead of government. â€Å"In its place, wrapped in the economic doctrine of free markets and the moral precept of personal responsibility, stands a new first principle: Each of us is now expected to forge our own future, free to rise or fall as our talents or luck may dictate. † (Gosselin 4). In support of his claim, Gosselin provides numerous examples which prove the shift of risk from government, employers and insurance companies to the people. Insurance companies are taking advantage of the new economic policies and reducing the payments which are claimed by their clients. In such circumstances, American people are forced to bear their medical expenses, without any substantial support from their insurance companies. The concept that individuals or companies are responsible for their own financial conditions has led to the collapse of even big companies. â€Å"Within days, in September 2008, another investment bank, Lehman Brothers, was on the brink collapse†¦.. But Paulson under intense political pressure from Conservative Republicans in Washington to invoke moral hazard and let the company fail†. (Inside The Meltdown). Another factor that has greatly influenced the financial lives of Americans is the effect a job loss has on the work life of an individual. The unemployment benefits that a worker receives after a job have reduced drastically in the comparison to the times before a couple of decades ago. The author also brings forth the fact that a job loss leads to a greater drop in wages in present times. A worker, who has lost his job, is compelled to work on fewer wages on his next job, thereby leading to a drastic reduction in his/her spending capacity. Effects on Individuals The effects of the drastic changes in the socio-economic policies of America on individuals working and leading their lives in America are presented by Gosselin. He writes in his book that in present times, American people are more concerned about the problems they will face in their financial lives than the national problems. â€Å"Indeed, it has not been public events that sometimes awaken us and leave us tossing in bed. Instead, fleetingly, but recurrently, we have been night stalked by questions about our private lives. † (Gosselin 2). They are worried about their medical expenses, the cost of education of their children, the impact a job loss would have on their family. The author cites the examples of some individuals in his book to bring forth the impact the changed rules in American economy is having on American people. He writes about real people whose financial lives have been largely impacted owing to the new economic policies in their country. Individuals like Debra Potter had to bear the medical expenses on their own, as their insurance companies, taking advantage of the new economic policies, refused to pay them the proper amount of benefits liable to them. People received benefits from their insurance companies but they were insufficient enough to cover their medical expenses. A job loss turned the life of an individual upside down, like Coss who had to manage with meager unemployment benefits after losing his job as the Vice President of a reputed bank. â€Å"As Coss-tall, taciturn, with short-cropped almost military, hair- recounted what it was like to go from earning several thousand dollars a week to collecting a few hundred in unemployment benefits. † (Gosselin 6). With the aid of statistics, Gosselin proves his claim about the growing insecurity among the Americans regarding their financial lives. The changed economic conditions has created such a situation in America where financial lives of its people lack the security which is needed to stabilize them when they are effected by a job loss, medical expenses or college education. The government is not providing a security net where people can cope with the changes that new economic policies are having on their financial lives. People have to deal with these changes on their own. â€Å"Instead of joining together to solve problems, that affect the whole society, the heralds of the new approach say, more responsibility should be placed on individuals and families.† (Gosselin 5). Even though the number of people whose financial lives have changed owing to the new economic situation is less, these effected people are less likely to return to their former financial positions. â€Å"As with so much else about the present economy, the dangers are like rifle shots, hitting fewer targets but doing more lasting damage. † (Gosselin 54). The financial lives of Americans are being influenced by a number of factors. Through this book, Gosselin brings forth these factors and the impacts these factors are having on the way the Americans are managing their work lives and family expenses. Conclusion The author has put forth the current economic situation and the impact it is having on the financial lives of Americans in his book â€Å"High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families†. Being an economics reporter, the author has succeeded in presenting the real picture of American economy and the insecurity experienced by American people regarding their financial lives. His book differs from other books written on this topic, for Gosselin has presented an accurate depiction of American economy in present times. He also brings forth the reasons which have led to insecure financial lives for the Americans. He holds the government and the companies responsible for this situation in America. But he fails to consider the other factors that are influencing the economic situation in America. He focuses only on the economic policies of American government and American companies, and ignores the impact of other countries on the American economy. The book has aided me in understanding the present economic condition of America and the risk its people are facing regarding their financial lives. It also made me aware of the negative impact the new policies are having on American economy. My thinking that the new economic policies were assisting in the economic development of the America was proved wrong after reading this book. The book can be helpful for economists as well as the common people of America, for it will inform them about the reasons for their insecure financial lives, and this information will assist them in voting for appropriate candidate during the Presidential elections.

Motivation Essay

1. Define and discuss motivation. Which theory of motivation offers the best chance, if handled properly, of increasing productivity in your workplace? Motivation can be described as a process that accounts for an individuals intensity, direction and persisitence of efforts towards attaining a goal (Robbins, 2004). While general motivation is concerned with motivation towards the achievement of any goal, this paper will be discussing motivation in relation to organizational goals, as the focus is on work related behavior (Robbins, 2004). With regards to the definition, there are 3 key elements related to motivation. Intensity is concerned with how hard a person tries to achieve a goal. But in order for intensity to trnaslate into better performance it has to be channeled in the right direction. So, the quality of the intensity is very essential. Persistence is another dimension to motivation. It is a measure of how long a person can maintain his or her efforts. There have been numerous theories on motivation, devised and tested multiple times. But the theory I find most relevant and important to a workplace, the work be of any nature, is the expectacy theory, put forward by Victor Vroom (Robbins, 2004). Expectancy theory focuses on three main relationships. The effort-performance relationship, performance-reward relationship and the reward-personal goal relationship. In more practical terms, expectancy theory says that when an employee puts in effort o his job it is partly because he believes his effort will translate into better performance, but this performance alone would be useless to him, until and unless there are obvious benefits attached to better performance, i.e. rewards. These rewrds may be monetary or non-monetary and may vary from a promotion or pay increment to a pat on the back from the boss and a word or two of appreciation from the supervisor. This would motivate the workforce, as every individual will perceive that with this job he would be able accomplish his personal goals. 2. Define and discuss leadership. Which style is presently used in your own workplace? Which style is needed, or which style do you believe should be used to increase productivity? Leadership theories have great applications in business settings. For example, some organizations look for leadership traits when choosing a candidate for a leadership position.   Most organizations that we normally encounter look for specific personality traits of individuals such as their openness to experience, social behavior, extraversion etc. These are the traits that are associated with good leaders. Extraversion is a trait that is mostly associated with leadership emergence because extraverted people are quick to establish contacts, have usually good communication skills and are emotionally aware of others. Similarly, openness to experience is a good indicator of a leader’s ability to encounter and deal with new situations. Contemporary theories of leadership such as Charismatic leadership and Transformational leadership fit very well in the dynamic situation of the contemporary world. Contemporary leadership theories view leaders as individuals who inspire their followers through their words, ideas and behaviors. And this is so true of today’s successful leaders (Kotter, 1995).   Charismatic leadership theory can be applied to leaders such as New York mayor Rudy Guiliani, African President Nelson Mandela, and African-American leader Martin Luther King. Through his rhetoric, Martin Luther king was able to consolidate the civil rights movement and became one of the most inspiring leaders (Kotter, 1995). Contemporary leadership theories are forward looking as they emphasize on leader’s vision. A clear vision is described as one of the qualities of charismatic leaders because it is their vision that binds their followers and becomes the impetus for change. Moreover, contemporary leadership theories put emphasis on leader-follower relationship as in Leader Exchange Theory (Robbins, 2004). As employees become more empowered, leader-follower relationship becomes even more important and contemporary leadership theories provide valuable information in this regard. So, in essence, leadership has a huge role to play when it comes to the employees’ attitude towards work. Because, if a leader can inspire and motivate his or her followers, it may help bring out a more positive attitude from them, and ultimately this would have a positive impact on the productivity of the company.

Regression Analysis and Credit Balance

AJ DAVIS Generate a scatterplot for CREDIT BALANCE vs. SIZE, including the graph of the â€Å"best fit† line. Interpret. Determine the equation of the â€Å"best fit† line, which describes the relationship between CREDIT BALANCE and SIZE 2591+ 403. 221 Determine the coefficient of correlation. Interpret. .75/ r-sq(56. 6%). There is a mild correlation. Determine the coefficient of determination. Interpret. 56. 6% Test the utility of this regression model (use a two tail test with ? =. 05). Interpret your results, including the p-value. P-value=0. Reject the null hpothesis.T value 7. 9147 Based on your findings in 1-5, what is your opinion about using SIZE to predict CREDIT BALANCE? Size is a good predictor for credit balance. Compute the 95% confidence interval for beta-1 (the population slope). Interpret this interval. (300. 79, 505. 66) Using an interval, estimate the average credit balance for customers that have household size of 5. Interpret this interval. (4368. 20 , 4846. 90) Using an interval, predict the credit balance for a customer that has a household size of 5. Interpret this interval. (3337. 87, 5877. 23)What can we say about the credit balance for a customer that has a household size of 10? Denotes a point that is an extreme outlier in the predictors. Using MINITAB run the multiple regression analysis using the variables INCOME, SIZE and YEARS to predict CREDIT BALANCE. State the equation for this multiple regression model. Credit balance= 1276. 02+ 32. 2719 income(1000) + 346. 852 size + 7. 88209 years. Is this multiple regression model better than the linear model that we generated in parts 1-10? Yes. Reject years there is no corralation of coefficient. Income is useful and years in combination with size and income.

Organisation structured by product and organisation which is organised Assignment

Organisation structured by product and organisation which is organised by function - Assignment Example is divided into three main divisions: lighters, pens and razors, and Hewlett Packard that is divided into five main divisions: image and printing group, personal system group, enterprise group, HP services and finally HP financial services (Biz/ed 2006 and Business case studies 2014). Each business structure has its advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages of product structured business includes specialization, accountability and clarity. Specialization allows every division to focus and concentrate on one line of product that is its own work. Accountability is an advantage because the structure makes it clear who is responsible for that department. Clarity plays in where everybody knows not just their role but also the roles of others. On the other side organization structure by product has down sides. Among the downsides are communication, rigidity and coordination. Such a structure encourages closed communication that may lead to lack of focus. Due to the fact that departments are divided upon what they do, some may end up becoming resistant to change. This structure also makes coordination difficult as there is a big gap between the top and the bottom which may make coordination take too long (Biz/ed 2006). Structuring by function is simply done by dividing the organization into departments with similar specializations such as marketing, finance and accounts, human resources, and many others. The marketing department for instance will have marketers who are charged the responsibility to market the company’s products. This type of structure best suits companies that make standard goods and services in large quantities at prices that are considered low. Another characteristic is that they have a large degree of formalization that leads to reliance by each function on standardized way (Businessmate.org 2010 and). An example of a business with functional structure is ABC which has its departments divided into accounting department, corporate

The Goddess Tara in Buddhist Art Research Paper - 1

The Goddess Tara in Buddhist Art - Research Paper Example Though not explicitly mentioned anywhere, Tara’s rise did pave the way for more active involvement of women in Buddhist society. Women began to find a say in matters that up until then had primarily been the dominion of men. Goddess Tara was considered as an enlightened role model within the Buddhist tantra. According to folklore, â€Å"Tara was born out of the tears of Lord Buddha†(Santhanam, 2005) In tantric literature, she is the first female Buddha. Tara follows a tradition of strong female role models, starting in the ancient Vedic period and continuing through early Mahayana times. Some of the duties that Tara performs are similar to those of her contemporaries like Goddess Prajnaparamita. Goddess Tara is also associated with an ancient star cult that provided help to seafarers lost at sea. It is also interesting to note that ‘Tara’ means star in Sanskrit. She is also considered to protect humans from nature’s fury including ocean waves, floods , fires, epidemics, etc. With time she has also come to be regarded as a guide to achieve Moksha, which is the Sanskrit word for enlightenment. Tara emerged as Goddess during a time when Buddhist society was mainly patriarchal. Her manner of presentation was similar to those of male bodhisattvas of earlier times. Tara is unbiased in guiding all â€Å"motherly† sentient beings and helps extricate them from the ocean of suffering. She has got rid of all actions deemed morally wrong and has also gotten over her attachment towards worldly pursuits. â€Å"As a Bhagavati, Tara is a female Buddha who is spontaneously present, totally living in the moment without getting bothered by thoughts of the past or the future†. (Landesman, 2008)Tara has many dimensions to her state of being, and this is visually depicted in paintings on cloth and powdered colours on flat surfaces. She is at times a golden goddess who showers prosperity on her worshippers and also protects

Case Report on a Supreme Court decision that has been important in Essay

Case Report on a Supreme Court decision that has been important in shaping the interpritation of the Constitution - Essay Example This and other court appointments by the outgoing administration caused considerable consternation among the victorious Democratic-Republicans. During his long tenure, the decisions of the Marshall Court laid down the groundwork for an independent judiciary, the Court’s role as final arbiter of the Constitution, and practical guidelines for the functioning of a nation with distributed domestic sovereignty. Marshall’s greatest contribution to American constitutional practice was the establishment of the concept of judicial review: the Supreme Court should be the final arbiter in determining whether Acts of Congress and actions of the Executive (i.e., the President) are consonant with the language of the Constitution. This was accomplished through the resolution of an otherwise obscure suit at law brought by a Maryland businessman, William Marbury, requesting the Supreme Court issue a writ of mandamus to Secretary of State James Madison, requiring the latter to deliver to Marbury an already signed and sealed appointment as Justice of the Peace for the District of Columbia. Marbury was one of a group of 42 men appointed justices of the peace by the lame duck Adams Administration. In the ensuing months, 25 had their appointments confirmed by the new administration. Marbury belonged to the denied group. Marbury v. Madison, unlike virtually all other cases before the Supreme Court, w as one in which the judges sat as a trial court of original instance. Marbury’s request for a writ of mandamus was brought under the terms of article 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789. Marbury and the host of other ‘midnight’ appointments were a partisan political issue and Marshall was desperate to keep the court from become politicized, realizing that under such conditions, an independent judiciary could not prevail. Marbury had failed in his attempt to secure documentation from the Senate (i.e., from that

The Unintended Consequences of Drug Legalization Essay

The Unintended Consequences of Drug Legalization - Essay Example For example: Pew research figured out that people in the favor of legalization of illicit drugs such as marijuana have exceeded the number of people who are against the legalization of such drugs (PEW, 2013, p.1). This research was conducted through a survey during the period of 2013. Due to the increase in the number of people who are in favor of such drugs, certain states such as Colorado and Washington have accepted marijuana as a legal drug. There is heavy support for the legalization of such drugs due to the several benefits that can be attained through legalization. These benefits may include: decrease in issues related to accessibility of such drugs, decrease in crimes that are conducted by individuals to obtain these drugs, the medical benefits of these drugs and various other reasons. What these people have ignored is that the legalization of such drugs that can result in consequences that are unknown and unintended. The legalization of illicit drugs in the region of United States of America can lead to unintended negative effects including: increase in consumption by those who could not previously afford such drugs, crimes that are severe in nature may increase loss of ability to make rational choices, development of other diseases while being used to help cancer patients. Body It is a common rule of demand and supply that when any good or service is recognized as illegal, its supply through legal methods decreases and this causes shortages and due to the shortage of supply, the prices of goods and services elevates as demand exceeds supply and people are ready to pay any price for certain goods such as goods that are addictive in nature. One of the reason due to which there have been an increase in the support for the legalization of illicit drugs is that if these drugs are made legal, the supply of such drugs will increase as legal ways of supplying such drugs will increase and the supply will exceed demand which will result in decrease in prices of these drugs. The problem with this benefit of legalization of illicit drugs is that the drug will become affordable to those individuals who could not previously attain these drugs due to higher prices. Wealthy individuals in a society have the ability to pay higher prices for such drugs but those who earn lo w and those who are dependent on pocket money from their parents can hardly purchase such drugs if they are illegal because illegal drugs are sold at higher prices. This means that consumption of such drugs will elevate and number of addicts will elevate. Another issue is that consumption of such drugs will become affordable for school and college going students who live on small amount of pocket money provided by parents (Zimring, 1995, p.104). Due to this, students start experiencing psychological issues associated with abuse of illegal drugs and if an individual develops an addiction at an early age, he/she may conduct with that addiction during adulthood. Individuals even support the legalization of illicit drugs because they believe that legalization of drugs will result in decrease in rate of criminal activity associated with it and will even decrease the amount of money spend by the criminal justice system to deal with drug related criminals and crimes. Drugs are considered i llegal, due to which deals and buyers both tend to sell

Children with Intellectual Disability Research Proposal

Children with Intellectual Disability - Research Proposal Example The apparent impression discerning from literature surveys is that of lack of consensus. Cuskelly puts it forthright; the research studies dealing with psychological adjustment of the siblings of individuals with disability, gives an impression of contradiction, or confusion (1999). Another methodical advance of recent origin emphasizes quantitative research. This approach seeks to narrow the disagreements referred above through meta-analysis. The strategy used herein is to assess factors that produce inconsistencies, stemming from both, substantive and methodological. One popular approach of quantitative research is that of vote-count meta-analysis, which presents a tabulation of studies by their outcomes. Using this technique, Howe reviewed 21 studies to show that there appears to be a negative psychological impact on siblings of intellectually challenged individual (1993). However, even here, conclusions vary. Summers et.al, reported both positive and negative consequences on the sibling of an individual with disability (1994). The research problem embodies the research study, both in its scope and depth, and unambiguously defined (Fouche, 2005). In this study, the research problem is centered around the psychosocial effects on the siblings of individuals subject to intellectual disability. The World H... The prevalence of intellectual disability is generally estimated to be between 1-3% of the population. People with intellectual disability (PWID) represent a heterogeneous group with a varied range of highly complex needs, yet they remain among the most vulnerable members of society (O'Hara, 2008). The underlying rationale and principles of care for PWID have undergone radical changes in countries such as, USA, Europe, Australia and Canada over the past four decades. The focus is now on civil and human rights, with social inclusion and citizenship free from discrimination (Bouras, 2002). The emphasis has shifted to the movement towards integration, participation and choice with the development of community based facilities, and growing empowerment and self advocacy for PWID and their families (Tsuda, 2006). The family is seen as the most appropriate living environment for PWID, which is a function both of cultural values and availability of services (Special Olympics, 2003). In this context, this study shall identify with recommendations, the counseling and support needs of siblings of individuals with intellectual disability. The study shall also seek to integrate the current efforts of agencies, organizations and support groups with the findings of this study. Research Theme: The researcher has selected the following main themes for focused study, research, and analysis with regard to siblings of children with intellectual disability: a) Psychosocial risks: kind, intensity, short and long term effects b) Coping strategies and family support systems c) Society and community empathy, sensitivity and support systems d) Cultural impact; gender impact; ageing factor; in adapting strategies e) Positive spin-offs, if

Applied Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Applied Marketing Management - Essay Example Since macro-brewed beers are likely to be less expensive than craft beers because of the traditional processes (Canestorp), craft beers would most likely attract beer aficionados who are more adventurous, and thus willing to spend more for beer. The craft-beer industry is steadily growing (McKinney) which is why it would be favorable to exploit local markets effectively while taking competition into consideration (15). SWOT Strengths Strong start-up (establishing local presence in a booming industry) Highly differentiated products Initiative for an online presence Weaknesses Weak brand image since it is still a small growing brew pub Inadequate promotional tactics Less experienced with food Only caters to a certain demographic type Opportunities Exploit the Internet and such other technological advances to strengthen the market presence Exploit other local markets Entrepreneurial spirit to explore on other product options Weakening industry for macro-brewers Threats Cash flow may not be strong enough for product exploration Growth of competition in the craft brewing industry Price competition Competition with established and highly profitable macro-brewing companies Government intrusions Works Cited Canestorp, Dustin. â€Å"Hawking the Wares – How Bartenders Sell Craft Beers.† ArticleBase. ArticleBase, 8 Jan. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

The responsibility of the writer Essay Example for Free

The responsibility of the writer Essay A person once said, Literature opens a dark window on the soul, revealing more about what is bad in human nature then what is good. In other words, authors unlock an evil portal on the spirit and display more about what is regretful in the human race then what is good. This true is because the writer is free to opinionate and write about their intimate emotions that for the most part are unpleasant. John Steinbeck, author of Mice and Men, said, It is the responsibility of the writer to expose our many grievous fault and failures and to hold up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams, for the purpose of improvement. What he means is that it is the authors mission to reveal our severe mistakes so that eventually we will learn not to make that same errors. I agree with both quotes. In Author Millers tragedy, The Crucible, and J. Ronald Oakleys historical essay, The Great Fear, reveals on how fear can intersect and tear everyone apart. The theme in The Crucible is that hysteria can tear apart a small village. Hysteria replaces logic and allows people to believe that their neighbors are committing ridiculous and unbelievable crimes like communing with the devil and killing babies. In the play, the townsfolk accept and become active in the hysterical atmosphere not only out of genuine religious piety but also because it gives them a chance to express repressed sentiments and to act on long-held grudges. Throughout the madness, Abigails motivations were jealousy and a desire to have revenge on Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail takes advantage of the situation and uses it to accuse Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft and have her sent to jail. There is little symbolism within The Crucible, but the play can be seen as symbolic of the paranoia about communism that spread through America in the 1950s. In Oakleys essay, The Great Fear, many Americans feared that Communist spies had infiltrated the country. As with the alleged witches of Salem, suspected Communists were encouraged to confess and to identify other Red sympathizers as means of escaping punishment. However, instead of the dozens of people hurt by the witch trials, thousands of people had their lives ruined during the Red scare. Senator Joseph McCarthy exploited the fears of those who believed that the  Communist threat was a serious issue and that the country had to take protective measures. McCarthy began a proceeding to track down Communism in the U.S. He figured the way to do this was to call into question the people he thought seemed to be potential Communists and take them to court. He called in movie stars and writers, basically any famous person in the liberal arts at the time and questioned them. McCarthy said in his speech, I have in my hand a list of 205 cases of individuals who appear to be either card-carrying members or certainly loyal to the Communist Party. McCarthy went on to argue that some of these people were passing secret information to the Soviet Union. This witch-hunt and anti-communist hysteria became known as McCarthyism. Joseph McCarthy was a sleazy intimidator. Even though he was bringing to the attention of America the eminent threat of Communism, he aimlessly attacked innocent people. He ruined the careers of hundreds of innocent men and women on the flimsiest evidence to advance his own. He was a cold-hearted man who was a disgrace to the United States. His anti-Communist dedication was not based upon ideology but for his need for a headline-gaining cause. Yet for all of the suffering he directly caused throughout his entire career, he ironically never once was able to directly convict a single suspected Communist of a crime. In conclusion, Literature opens a dark window on the soul, revealing more about what is bad in human nature then what is good. In Author Millers tragedy, The Crucible, and in J. Ronald Oakleys historical essay, The Great Fear, reveal on how hysteria can intersect and tear everyone apart. In The Crucible, Abigail gets her revenge by accusing people she dislikes of witchcraft. In The Great Fear, McCarthy aimlessly attacked innocent people and ruined their careers. All this shows that It is the responsibility of the writer to expose our many grievous fault and failures and to hold up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams, for the purpose of improvement.

Laws Governing Our Behaviour Philosophy Essay

Laws Governing Our Behaviour Philosophy Essay à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the very fact that a man obeys the law is due to his goodness. (Aquinas: 96) The gap between how people actually behave and how people ought to behave is so great that anyone who ignores everyday reality in order to live up to an ideal will soon discover he has been taught how to destroy himself. (Machiavelli, The Prince, p. 48) But fear restrains men because they are afraid of punishment, and this fear never leaves them. (Machiavelli, The Prince, p. 52) It is essential that anyone setting up a republic and constitution for it should assume that all men are wicked and will always give vent to their evil impulses whenever they have the chance to do so. (Machiavelli, Discourses, p.92) Men never do anything good except when forced to. (Machiavelli, Discourses, p. 93) Laws do not make men good. Critically compare Aquinas and Machiavellis responses to this claim Laws cannot make people good and virtuous, it should be people who have to make laws good Human beings do not just exist as biological creatures, they are also social creatures. Humans have to fulfill some responsibilities to live in a commune, for that reason every individual have to obey the spoken and the written rules. Society without law is impossible to think of. It can only regulate and work properly with laws. However laws do not make men good. People do not need laws and rules to know what is right or wrong. This knowledge is to be inside of every individual. Basic issue that my term paper needs to examine is that laws make men good or not. I will explain Machiavellis and Aquinas response to these questions then I will explain my argument. According to Machiavelli, virtu is skill and ability in ruling. It is not a moral thing. A man that has virtu means he is extremely good at what he is doing. To survive and lead to victory, he believes, sometimes prince should act unjustly. The virtuous man is the one who has the qualities that lead him to success in his actions. Prince is a decent man but sometimes he should act without morality.(Prince,18). If he wants to hold on to power, he should learn how not to be good. Because, in some circumstances, his goodness would damage him if he cannot use it skillfully.But even virtue cannot guarantee success. So fortune is an important term for prince to achieve his goal.( Prince,20). Some events happening in our lives and we are not able to change it. Machiavelli says that fortuna determines one half of our actions but it also leaves us to control the other half.(Prince,74). A ruler who only depends on his luck will not survive long because when his fortuna changes, it will destroy him. If one knew how to change, as times and circumstances change will survive with his luck. Virtu depends on fortuna and Machiavellis prince needs fortuna to survive long. Both luck and skill needed him to overcome problems. He says the way that people behave and should behave is differ and they obey the rules not because they are good but because fear restrains them (Prince,48). Hence laws do not make men good, people pretend to act good and they only obey it because they are forced, we cannot say law contribute them to be act virtuously. People can easily corrupt and it is their nature to want to be ambitious and to be greedy. Where there is a freedom of choice, they will immediately abuse it. So they only act justly when they are forced to.(Prince,93). Obeying rules does not make them just, they behave this way because they fear. On the other hand, Aquinas supports that law is a measure and rule which governs peoples acts.(Aquinas,77). It is a kind of teacher that teaches people how to act virtuous. So for Aquinas, human laws are required not only to prevent the vicious acts, but also to lead them to be virtuous. Law, even by forcing and punishing, leads men to act good.(Aquinas,100). For him, happiness is the final end of human life and lawful acts tend to produce happiness and blessedness to reach the final end.(79). He also believes there is a natural law in people. He points out that every individual understand what is good or bad for himself and human laws derive from the natural laws. Laws are the guardians against the human nature because people would corrupt the freedom if they are not restrained. However rules are not enough to make people good. It just help us to understand people who are tend to bad things. We do not need rules and laws to know what is wrong or right. This knowledge we should have inside. If law compels citizens to act good and they only obey it because they are forced, we cannot say law contribute them to be act virtuously. It is a fact that human beings react in different circumstances in different way of acting. Virtue is something which people acts morally without any external force. So for that reason it frees people from obligation because virtuous person is choosing to act morally by his own. It is a fact that if laws restrain a man not to kill anyone it can never leads him to have virtue. It must be chosen voluntarily otherwise it does not make him good in real. In conclusion, the thought of fear and punishment restrains peoples acts. To ensure the peace, human laws are required. However when people act involuntarily good, it does not make them really good. Acting virtuously is a choice that people accept it freely. It is impossible to improve people as virtuous by putting control mechanisms. They may act just today but when things change they can easily corrupt and act the way they please. If some people who tend to act badly have the chance, will not hesitate to do what they pleased. So laws cannot make people good and virtuous, it should be people who have to make laws good. Glossary Prince: Machiavelli uses prince not to mean a kings song. His term means ruler. This ruler should be both loved and feared, but since it is difficult to be successful in both at the same time, it is much better to be feared. Virtu: Machiavellis understanding of virtue is quite different from the common understanding of the virtue. Of course his virtues include courage, justice, prudence and honesty but he accepts all this actions when they are successful. Virtu means for him skill and ability in ruling. It is not a moral thing. A man that has virtu means he is extremely good at what he is doing. To survive and lead to victory, he believes, sometimes Prince should act unjustly. The virtuous man is the one who has the qualities that lead him to success in his actions. Prince is a decent man but sometimes he should act without morality.(Prince,18). If he wants to hold on to power, he should learn how not to be good. Because, in some circumstances, his goodness would damage him if he cannot use it skillfully.Both luck and skill enable him to overcome problems. Fortuna: According to Machiavelli, even virtue cannot guarantee success. So fortune is an important term for prince to achieve his goal.( Prince,20). Some events happening in our lives without our reaction. Machiavelli says that fortuna determines one half of our actions but it also leaves us to control the other half.(Prince,74). A ruler who only depends on his luck will not survive long because when his fortuna changes, it will destroy him. If one knew how to change, as times and circumtances change will survive with his luck. Virtu depends on fortuna and Machiavellis prince needs fortuna to survive long. Underlying problem Basic issue that my term paper needs to examine is that if law makes men good or not. I will explain Aquinas and Machiavellis response to this claim then I will critically discuss it in my argument. The questions that will help me; Do people act justly because of they forced? Is it beneficial to act justly? Do laws always illustrate the rights? Are there natural laws? Philosophers response According to Machiavelli, the way that people behave and should behave is differ. Hence, they obey the rules not because they are good but because fear restrains them.(Prince,48).Laws do not make men good. They act colorable. People are easily corrupted and they are selfish. Where there is a freedom of choice, they will immediately abuse it. So they only act justly when they are forced to.(Prince,93). But acting justly does not make them just because they behave this way because they fear. On the other hand, Aquinas claims that law is a measure which governs peoples acts. It is a kind of teacher that teaches people how to act virtuous. So for Aquinas, human laws are required not only to prevent the vicious acts, but also to lead them to virtue. My Argument In my essay, I will support the Machiavellis idea and will refuse the idea of Aquinas. I will argue that laws do not make men good. Laws cannot make people good and virtuous; it should be people who have to make laws good. Of course there are natural laws exist which accepted by majority. They are unique and inconvertible. But natural laws are not enough for ruling the city. So to ensure the peace, human laws are required. Fear and punishment restrain peoples acts and lead them to act just. However when people act involuntary good, it is impossible to say that they are virtuous.