Roots Of Conflict In Syria Politics Essay

Roots Of Conflict In Syria Politics Essay The Syrian uprising began in March 2011 with anti-government protests in provincial areas that later spread throughout the country. Although the protests began in March 2011, the battle for power or internal control in Syria is not a fresh issue; rather it dates back to 1947 when Michel Aflaq along with Salah-al-Din al-Bitar founded the Baath party in Syria. The years following this saw military coups by people such as Adib al-Shishakhli, who was ousted by Army officers again who returned the civilian government to power. Then in 1958 Syria along with Egypt joined the United Arab Republic (UAR). Egyptian president at that time Gamal Abdel Nasser instructed the disbanding of Syrian political parties, which was disappointment to the Baath party that had campaigned for a union. After a period of 3 years, in September 1961, dissatisfaction because of the Egyptian authority of the UAR prompted a handful of Syrian army officers to control power in Damascus and disband the Union. In a simil ar army coup in March 1963 a Baathist cabinet was appointed and Amin Al-Hafez was selected as the president. This was not the end of internal strife which saw Salah Jadid lead a coup against the civilian Baathist leadership, by overthrowing the then president Amin Al-Hafez and arresting prominent figures like Salah Al-Din Al-Bitar and Michel Aflaq. Meanwhile, this also coincides with at the rise of Hafez Al-Assad who becomes the defence minister. In June 1967 Syria, Jordan and Egypt wage war against Israel which resulted in the destruction of much of the Syrian forces. In a crippling post war state, Hafez Al-Assad overthrew President Nur Al-Din Al-Atasi and imprisoned Salah Jadid who was responsible for the coup and gets elected as President for a term of seven years in a plebiscite in 1971. Two years after Hafez Al-Assad came in power, in 1973 riots breaks out when Hafez Al-Assad dropped one of the constitutional requirements that the President must be a Muslim and was accused of heading an atheist regime, which caused uproar in Syria however the uproar were easily suppressed by the army. In 1980 Muslim brotherhood tried to assassinate Assad. In the same year war broke out between Iraq and Iran in which Syria backed Iran because of bitterness between Iraqi Baathists and the Baathists in Syria. In February 1982 two years after the failed assassination of Hafez, Muslim Brotherhood started an uprising in the city of Hama; but once again the military suppressed the riots. In February 1987 Hafez Al-Assads brother had been promoted to the post of vice-president by 1984 as well. In June 2000 Hafez Al-Assad died and his second son Bashar Al-Assad succeeded him. After assuming power Bashar Al-Assad orders the release of political prisoners, Syrian troops evacuate Beirut and redeploy in other parts of Lebanon and it appeared as if he might lead the country to a different road. But, later in the same year President Bashar Al-Assad detained MPs and pro-reform activists, arrests continued, punctuated by occasional amnesties over the following years. The clashes of March 2004, between members of the Kurds the minority sect in Syria, the police and the Arabs in the north-east, left at least 25 dead. Moreover, in May 2004 US imposed economic sanctions on Syria over the allegation of supporting terrorism and failure to keep check on militants who were entering Iraq, which dealt a serious blow to the Syrian economy. In the backdrop of this continued internal strife, regional wars and regional interventionism, and international sanctions we see the roots of the politica l and economic problems Syria is facing today. All of this becomes multiplied many a fold because of the tyrant regime of Bashar Al-Assad that is in place (BBC news, 20 Nov 2012). Arab Spring Arab spring has played a major role in the initiating the civil war that has engulfed Syria and in fact the Syrian conflict is considered as a part of the movements towards democratization in Arab states. The Arab spring started in 2010 when protest broke out in the Middle East as a result of which long-time regimes in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt were brought to an end. The protests in these countries were a spark of hope to be free from tyrant regimes which ignited in other countries of Middle East like Yemen and Bahrain and continued their spread to include Syria as well. Although all these states saw protests and internal conflict as part of the transformation, none of these countries got involved into a full-fledged civil war as was the case with Syria. This was due to a combination of various factors that led Syria down the path of conflict rather than peaceful transformation. (Corydon Ireland, 30 Nov 2012) . Roots of Conflicts in Syria Every event has at least one main cause which gives birth to that event such is the case with Syria. While the Arab Spring provided the spark, there are number of factors that resulted in Syria getting to such a dire state. The Syrian crisis did not start over night as said before it has been going on for over a number of years. These chequered histories combined by the factors listed below are the driving forces behind unrest in Syria: Domestic and regional causes: 1. Political repression President Bashar Al-Assad assumed power in the year 2000 after the death of his father Hafez who had ruled Syria since 1970. After assuming the power Assad quickly destroyed all hopes of reform, as power remained concentrated in the ruling family, and the one-party system left few channels for political opposition. With no peaceful transfer of power since the 1950s, the only way to bring about changes was through military coup or an all-out civil war. (Primoz Manfreda) 2. Discredited ideology Syrian Baath party is regarded as the founder of Arab socialism, an ideological current that merged state-led economy with Pan-Arab nationalism. However, by 2000 the Baathist ideology was reduced to an empty shell, discredited by lost wars with Israel and a crippled economy. Upon taking power, Assad tried to modernize the regime invoking the Chinese model of economic reform, but time and other factors was running against him. There was also a lack of vision on his part in realizing that certain aspects of the Chinese model could not be applied to Syria because of regional and cultural context. (Primoz Manfreda) 3. Uneven economy Cautious reform of the leftovers of socialism opened the door to private investment, triggering an explosion of consumerism among the urban upper-middle classes. However, privatization has favored families with personal links to Assad, leaving provincial Syria, later the hotbed of the uprising, seething with anger as living costs soared and jobs remained scarce. This disparity in the economy furthered the high resentment present within the local population against the regime. (Primoz Manfreda) 4. Drought Drought was one of the major reasons behind the crippled economy and thus contributed to the uprising. A persistent drought has devastated farming communities in north-eastern Syria, affecting more than a million people since 2008. Tens of thousands of impoverished farmer families flocked into rapidly expanding urban slums. Their anger at the lack of government help was further fuelled by the new pretentious wealth of the rich that they saw and increased feelings of marginalization and powerlessness. (Primoz Manfreda) 5. Population growth Syrias rapidly growing young population was always going to be a demographic time bomb waiting to explode. Rapid growing population meant that there were even fewer jobs and more people we left unemployed. High unemployment rate leads to resentment amongst the people which is also a contributing factor in any uprising. (Primoz Manfreda) 6. New media Although the state media is tightly controlled, the proliferation of satellite TV, mobile phones and the internet after 2000 meant that any government attempt to insulate the youth from the outside world was doomed to fail. The exposure of the mass society to ideas of modernity, transformation and internal freedom were always going to catch on. Moreover, the use of the new media was critical to the activist networks that underpin the uprising in Syria in particular and the movement of Arab Spring in general. (Primoz Manfreda) 7. Corruption The much thrown around phrase that Syria is seething with corruption is an understatement of sorts. Whether its a license to open a small shop or a car registration, well-placed payments are the way to go in Syria. For those without the money and good contacts, its a powerful grievance against the state. Ironically, the system is corrupt to such an extent that even anti-Assad rebels buy weapons from the government forces, and families bribe the authorities to release relatives that have been detained during the uprising. (Primoz Manfreda) 8. State violence Syrias vast intelligence services, the infamous mukhabarat, penetrate all spheres of society. The fear of the state is one of the reasons why so many Syrians simply take the regime as a fact of life. But the outrage over the brutal response of the security forces to the outbreak of peaceful protest in spring 2011, documented and spread all across through social media, helped generate the snowball effect as thousands across Syria joined the uprising. The more people were killed, the more protests it led to. (Primoz Manfreda) 9. Minority rule Syria is a majority Sunni Muslim country but the top positions in the security apparatus are in the hands of the Alawites, a Shiite religious minority to which the Assad family belongs. A significant part of the Sunnis still resent the fact that so much power is monopolized by a handful of Alawi families. While sectarian differences by themselves may not be the driving force of the Syrian uprising, the combination of a majority Sunni protest movement and an Alawi-dominated military has added to the tension in religiously mixed areas, such as the city of Homs. (Primoz Manfreda) 10. Tunisia effect Last but not least, the wall of fear in Syria would not have been broken at this particular time had it not been for Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian street-vendor whose self-immolation in December 2010 triggered a wave of anti-government uprisings across the Middle East. Watching the fall of Tunisian and Egyptian regimes in early 2011, made millions in Syria aware that change was possible for the first time in decades. (Primoz Manfreda). International Community Interests: International community has also played an important role in sparking the fire in Syria. Since Syria like other Middle East countries is an oil rich country it has caught the attention of both the west and the east. United States and other Western countries like United Kingdom are as keener on getting their hands on the Syrian oil facilities as much as Russia or China or any other state for that matter. Secondly being the neighbour of Israel, Syria plays a strategic role for Russia and China in keeping the western influence in check since most of its neighbours are United States influenced countries. . International Relations Theories Analysis of Syrian Conflict International relations are a necessity for any country to survive in this modern competitive world. Any country that is isolated from the world cannot survive this immense competition of survival on its own. However, even within the interaction between states the rule of survival of the fittest still applies yet no State is free from the impact of dynamics around the world on its own situation. Similarly any internal situation in a country does have an impact on its relations with the whole world for example the Syrian crisis is a hot topic for the entire world. Moreover we see that because of the suffering and the situation within, Syria is isolated, it does not have good relations with almost all the countries especially the western countries and Israel. Different people view the dynamics of international relations through diverse paradigms. Although the causes of Syrian uprising can be viewed through any of these frameworks, in my view the following major theoretical frames of in ternational relations define the Syrian crisis in a more relevant manner Syrian crisis-Realist view The picture of realism theory can be perfectly seen to be at work; since according to realism it is peoples own interest is the principle driving force behind their competitive relations with each other. They do not desire to be dictated rather want to do what they wish and they do not want to be taken advantage of by anybody. [Robert Jackson and George Sorensen; (2010), page 59]. In Syrias situation people are rebelling against the government because it is dictating people and taking away their freedom to do anything they wish and captivating them in their own interest. These actions of people to liberate themselves from the tyranny of the Al-Assads government clearly indicates that they want what realist think is in the human nature and the conflict supports the idea and assumption of realists that conflicts are ultimately resolved by war or conflict. Moreover, under realism interests define relationships and alliances and this can be clearly seen in the manner of support for Syria . Russian interests in exporting arms as well as the Russia-China interesting in diluting the influence of other big powers in the region has not only brought them together but is also reflected in their tacit support of the Al-Assad regime. The situation also supports the idea that the progress in international politics is comparable to that in the domestic life for example Syria is not only facing internal political problems but also external because of political instability within the country; as a result of which the country is at a standstill. Syrian crisis-Constructivist view In social theory constructivists emphasize the social construction of reality. Constructivists view that Human relations, including international relations, consist of thought and ideas and not essentially of material conditions or forces (Robert Jackson and George Sorensen; (2010), page 162). Social constructivism definitely sheds light on the Syrian crisis because this theory explains a significant part of the social organization of the country in a historical and social context and its impact on the society of the country and its impact on international relations. The society of Syria has been always been kept under tight control during the French times, even after Syria liberated from the French the army took power of the state and ruled over the society. Dictatorship has always been there in Syria and democracy has not been promoted hence even the most capable people have been kept suppressed and the society has always remained the same throughout after liberation. Media has bee n kept under strict control by the dictators. The people have always fought for power so power battles have been going on in Syria. Due to lack of existence of democracy people did not have the right to say or do anything. Ideas of women and voice have been ignored by the ones in power all in all society has been kept primitive by government by force, in line with its policy to stay in power by any means necessary. Because of the power hunger dictators the society has suffered a lot and was isolated from world. With the wave of new social movements in the Arab world the Syrian people also realized that they could have a state and a way of life that they want for themselves and they do not have to abide by the historical notions of power and social organization. Thus it leads to the possibility of constructing their own method of governance, social organization and economy fuelling ideas of change that have eventually contributed to the current state of conflict. Conclusion As we have seen in the above discussion about the problems that Syria is facing it is more of a government problem than the society as a whole. Because of the continuous tyranny of the government over a long period of time, people now forced to stand up for themselves against their brutal government in order to live peacefully in Syria. The catalyst that gave people of Syria the courage to rise up against the government is the Arab Spring. Today people of Syria are willing to pay any price for the revolution to succeed and overthrow Bashar Al-Assad and his government. Since the start of conflict, even though thousands of people have been killed, the people still stand headstrong in order to achieve their objective. As far as the theory of international relations is concerned most of the time more than one theory explains and supports situations like Syria. I have chosen Realistic theory because it helps understand the very nature of human power relations and secondly I have chosen Co nstructivism because it helps understand the importance of society and the role it plays in the building of relationships amongst people within the country and with all other countries of the world. International relations can be thought of as being dependent on five things; freedom, security, welfare, order and justice. However if we look closely at Syria not even one of these criteria are met; all the more reason Syria needs to realise which path it is taking and where it would lead to. A constant internal struggle influenced by the regional and global environment is what will ensue unless a dramatic change is brought around.

Why does organisation undertake market research?

Why does organisation undertake market research? 1) Why does organisation undertake market research? What methods could they use? 1) The collection, analysis and communication of market to assist decision making in marketing is market research. Methods of market research: 1) Primary research: primary research includes getting such data that is not already used by any other organisation. It is especially made to get answer of some specific question that an organisation wants to procure. To get primary data a business should carry out field research: Face-to-face interview- Interviewer gets information from people. (Example-by visiting different houses on different streets) Telephone interviews- Same question like face-to-face interview are asked although often shortly. Online survey- Using internet is prominent way of getting primary data and it is also less expensive than other sources to get primary data. Questionnaires: Questionnaires are sent in post to get the information. Advantage of primary search- A) up to date B) Specific to the purpose C) No other business has access to collected data Secondary data- includes data that is already available. This data has been collected by someone else for another purpose. Secondary research involves exploration of secondary sources of data. Source of secondary data can come from within the firm itself. This is also known as internal secondary data. External secondary data is data that has been published by other firm. Advantages of secondary data: A) Ease of access B) Low cost of acquire C) May answer research question Types of market research: 1) Quantitative research- Statistical basis gathers statistically valid, numerically measurable data Usually related to data on market-size, market shares and growth Sampling plays a key role Data is gathered through surveys Concerned with obtaining hard copy 2) Qualitative research Subjective and personal Concerned with finding out soft information Main purpose is to understand consumer behaviour, perceptions and attitudes Obtained by methods designed to get detailed responses e.g. interview Research topic are usually explored in some depth There are two main qualitative methods- A) Depth interviewing: In most business markets depth interviews are very important form of qualitative research. B) Depth discussion: Focus groups are the main stay of consumer research. Here several customers are bought in discussion. These groups encourage creative ideas from participants. Purpose of market research To gain an understanding of markets To identify changes in the market To improve market answers To gain an understanding of customers needs To reduce the risk and uncertainty To forecast market trends To provide a sound basis for marketing decision To support marketing planning Importance of market research Research is not only used for learning. It is also used to make good decision. While research is key to Decision Making. It does not always to be effective. Some time small efforts such as doing research on internet provide needed information. Marketing research is becoming more important day-by-day by which the firm can get more profits. By market research firm get know about their customer taste what the customer want how much they can pay for the product. By doing market research we get information about other products their pricing and what needs to be done for a good promotion. Conclusion: From above discussion we can say that market research is way to get information about the product, customer and market. There are couple of method for market research such as discussed above primary research and secondary research. In primary research data is collected by face-to-face interview, telephone interview, online survey and questionnaires.   Secondary research is data which is already gathered by someone for another purpose. There are two types of market research as discussed above quantitative research and qualitative research. There are two type of qualitative method depth interviewing and depth discussion. With help of market research firm can procure a lot of information about the market, products, promotion, and distribution and so on that can be very helpful in taking marketing 2) What are they major factors affecting the pricing strategy of firms? What is pricing? Pricing is a method adopted by firm to set price of their product. It usually depends on average cost of product. Different pricing methods place varying degree of emphasis on selection, estimation and evaluation of costs and market situation. What is pricing strategy? Pricing strategy is activities aimed at finding products optimum objectives, consumer demand, market, economic trend and product price, typically including overall marketing. 1) Internal factors- A) Marketing objective- There are some marketing objective given below- To set a price in aim to cover just variable and fixed cost of a product. To set such price that cultivates optimum profit. To decide the price of product in such a way that they can procure leadership in market share. To set high prices in order to get quality leadership in market. B) Marketing mix In marketing mix, there are especially two alternatives as given below 1) Price positioning- In this, an organisation decides the price of any particular product first and then they take other decisions of marketing mix. 2) Non price positioning- In this process,organstions dont decide price first they opt different kind of marketing mix tools because they think customers dont always go for products of low prices. They opt high prices product in aim to get optimum quality and to show prestige and dignity. 2) External factors: Market and demand factors- In this, the price of a particular product depends on demand of product in the market. If products demand is higher than price can be kept higher but on the other hand if demand is lower than price must be lower to attract a certain range of customers. Competition: Almost all marketing decision including pricing will include an evaluation of competitors offerings. The impact of this information on actual setting of price will depend on the competitive nature of market. Government regulations; There is some governmental regulation that applies in deciding the price of any particular product. Marketers cant be price dictators they have to follow some rules and regulations made by government. Government have decided a certain level of price limit that cant be crossed or overcome by any marketer. Conclusion:- From the above discussion we can conclude that pricing is method to set a price of product by a firm to get higher profit or to survive in market. Pricing strategy is activities finding product optium, consumer demand and market needs to set a price. There are several factor affect price decision internal and external factor. Internal factor include marketing objective and marketing strategy. External factors include nature of market, demand competition and government regulations. All these factors play a vital role in pricing strategy of firms. 3) What are the main criticisms against marketing? To what extent are these criticisms valid? Marketing have thousands of benefits but even after that it is criticized due to some reason. There are some common criticisms against marketing. Marketing encourage people to purchase what they do not need: Possibly the criticism most frequently made about marketing is that marketers are only concerned with getting customer to buy whether they want the product or not. As we will discuss, while many marketers are guilty of manipulating customers into making their mind to buy products which they dont need. The vast majority understand that undertaking such method will not lead to loyal customers and is unlikely to lead to longer term success. Marketers adorn product claim: Marketers are often criticized for exaggerating the benefits offered by their product. This is especially the case with part of marketing that engages in customer communication. Such as advertising and sale people. the most serious problems arise when product claim are seen as misleading customers into believing a product can offer a certain level of value but it was not. But few times there is a fine line between what a rational person should accept as a ‘reasonable exaggeration and which is considered as downright deceiving. Fortunately, many countries offer customers some level of protection from misleading claims since such business practise may subject the marketer to legal action. Again using this method is likely to lead to marketing failure as customers dont like anything and will likely not return the product. Yes I think criticism is valid in marketing because marketers only wants to sell the their products they dont want customer to satisfy with the product their mean of selling product is only selfishness they only want profit nothing more than it. In some countries customer cant claim product if he/she is not satisfied with product this is because in some countries people buy products for occasionally use after that the occasion they claim the product and get money   back due to this marketers dont want be loss so they kicked claim policy in some countries but by this customers are always think twice before buy product in that country where we cant claim product so by this some real claim are disclosed due to no claim policy by which customer are dissatisfy so criticism is valid up to   high level in marketing I think so. Conclusion:- From the above discussion we can say that market is seen as benefits to firm and society there are a number of criticisms against marketing like to create a need where there is no need, so much exaggeration about products and false promises to the customers in aim to just increase the sale. So up to some extent these criticisms are valid but not all are alike. Has Feminism Achieved its Goals? Has Feminism Achieved its Goals? This essay will assess the question: has feminism achieved its goals? The essay will outline the three strands of feminism. The first section focuses on Liberal feminism which asserts the idea that in order for feminism to achieve its goals it must create equality among men and women. The second section turns to socialist feminism that believes that the only way feminist goals can be achieved is with the overthrow of the capitalist system and that of patriarchy. The Third and final section analyses radical feminism that advocates the goal of political lesbianism. This essay will conclude that feminism has not achieved its goals, however Liberal feminists believe their aim for equality is achievable in the near future. Has Feminism achieved its goals? Feminism as an issue first became prominent in the 17th and 18th century in France and America. It was not until the suffragette movement of the 19th century that feminism was seen as important in Britain. The scholar Estelle Freedman compares first and second-wave feminism saying that the first wave focused on rights such as suffrage, whereas the second wave was largely concerned with other issues of equality, such as ending discrimination.  [1]  Feminism is a contested issue, therefore difficult to define, due to the fact that feminism has a directory of meanings, however the term feminism can be used to describe a political, cultural or economic movement aimed at establishing equal rights and legal protection for women. Within feminism there are many strands, the most important and commonly known strands are Liberal, Socialist, Radical and more recently Post-modernist. Within these strands there is an on-going argument of whether or not feminism has achieved its goals. Early feminism was heavily influenced by liberalism. Liberal Feminists main goal comes from the liberal idea of equality of opportunity, freedom for the individual. The idea that everyone, both men and woman deserve to be considered to be of equal worth. However these liberal feminists take into consideration that this is not the case in society. Their goal thus being to create a society consisting of a culture of equal rights. They believe that womans subordination is a product of stereotyping, for instance seeing a woman as a mother only. It is often implied that feminine behaviour is a weakness meaning that men are seen as the stronger part of society, creating this inequality. Friedan sees this as the feminine mystique which she refers to as a cultural myth.  [2]  This is the idea that woman see certain things as more important; for instance the need for security and love is typically seen as feminine, whereas success and superiority is typically seen as masculine. This assum ption thus disadvantages women and separates them from entering employment. Liberal feminists therefore dismiss the notion that biological differences make women less competent than men, and believe that societies socialisation patterns need to change, so that gender socialisation does not occur, in other words males and females need to distance themselves from stereotypical roles. As both men and women our humans, they should have the same type of freedom and rights. Wollstonecraft asserts this view claiming that the distinction of sex would become unimportant in political and social life  [3]   Liberal Feminists believe that they can achieve this goal of equality through reform, for instance laws against sex discrimination in employment secures equal opportunities for woman. Added to this, they have the belief that society should not be organised by gender, but as Mill puts it: according to the principle of equality  [4]  and that accidents of birth like the sex of the child should be irrelevant, thus suggesting that women should be open to all the aspects of society, just like men, having all the rights and liberties that men enjoy such as the right to vote. Liberal Feminism is an optimistic theory, and overall believes that the goals of feminism are progressing and that over time gender equality will become the norm. This progression can be seen through different rights such as the right to initiate divorce proceedings and the reproductive rights of women to make individual decisions on pregnancy. Thus they believe that the goals of feminism may not be achieved at this moment in time, but the changes in society mean that soon they will be. Liberal feminists have been criticised for this over optimism, they see the obstacles to equality as simply the prejudices of individuals or irrational laws, ignoring the possibility that there are deep seeded structures causing womens oppression, such as patriarchy. Socialist and radical feminists criticise liberal feminists stating that one needs to recognise the underlying causes of female subordination, and that it is naive to believe that changes in the law will be enough to bring equality. Instead, they believe that revolutionary changes are needed. Socialist feminists connect the oppression of women to Marxist ideas about exploitation, oppression and labour. They think unequal standing in both the workplace and the domestic sphere holds women down. Socialist feminists see prostitution, domestic work, childcare and marriage as ways in which women are exploited by a patriarchal system that devalues women and the substantial work they do. They focus their energies on broad change that affects society as a whole, rather than on an individual basis. They see the need to work alongside not just men, but all other groups, as they see the oppression of women as a part of a larger pattern that affects everyone involved in the capitalist system. Socialist feminists dismiss the liberal feminist view that womens subordination is due to stereotypes. They see womens subordination as rooted in capitalism; although men may benefit from women, the main beneficiary is capitalism. For them the tension between men and women is due to the economic structure of society and only by overthrowing capitalism will women be equal to men. Thus their goal is: a revolution- that is they believe that the subordination of women can only be understood in terms of economic factors, for instance the idea that women are unpaid workers in the home. This subordination performs a number of functions for capitalism: women reproduce the labour force; women absorb the anger of men. Ansley for example describes wives as takers of shit  [5]  . It is for these reasons that womans interests and thus their goal should be the overthrow of capitalism. If this is their goal, then it is quite clear that feminism, according to the socialist feminist side has not achieved its goals. However modern socialist feminists refuse to look at the status of women in terms of economic factors and instead focus on the cultural roots. Mitchell suggests women perform four functions in society: 1) members of the workforce, 2) reproduce the human species 3) responsible for socialising children 4) sex objects.  [6]  Looking at this, the only way according to modern socialist feminists to achieve their goal is if they separate themselves from each of these areas, not just the idea of capitalism being replaced by socialism. This has yet to be achieved. Many criticisms have been made of socialist feminists. For some, they fail to explain womens subordination in non-capitalist societies. As womens subordination is also found there. Unpaid domestic labour may benefit capitalism, but it does not explain why it is women and not men who perform it. They place insufficient emphasis on the ways in which men and not just capitalism oppress women and benefit from their unpaid labour. Radical Feminism dismisses both liberal and socialist feminism, focusing on gender as the reason for all social divisions. They consider the male controlled capitalist hierarchy, which it describes as sexist, as the defining feature of womens oppression. Radical feminists believe that women can free themselves only when they have done away with what they consider an inherently oppressive and dominating patriarchal system. For them the key concept is Patriarchy: which literally means rule by fathers and is seen process of gender oppression. Patriarchy has come to mean a society where men dominate women, that there is a male-based authority and power structure and that it is responsible for oppression and inequality. As long as the system and its values are in place, society will not be able to be reformed in any significant way. Patriarchy is universal, existing in all societies. According to Firestone the origins of patriarchy are in biology; women bearing children makes them more dependent on men. However this is criticised by De Beauvoir who believes that the position of women is based not on natural factors but social factors, showing a critique of patriarchal culture. The basis of radical feminism is the idea that sexual oppression is the biggest feature of society and that other forms of inequality for instance class exploitation take a back seat. For radical feminists patriarchy is the biggest form of inequality, men are womens main enemy. Most radical feminists advocate the idea of separatism and Political lesbianism. Separatism refers to the idea of living apart from men creating a culture of female independence. Political Lesbianism is the idea that women become involved in lesbian relationships for political reasons. Many radical feminists argue that lesbianism is the only non-oppressive form of sexuality; feminism is the theory; lesbianism is the practice  [7]   The relationship between men and women must be transformed if women are to be free. Radical feminists argue that women and men should be separate, women should raise their consciousness about womens oppression in women only groups and they stress that political lesbianism is the only non-oppressive form of sexuality. Thus, this means that the goal of radical feminists is to live separate lives from men. However they recognise that this will not solve all the problems of the patriarchal society. Some radical feminists see no alternatives other than the total uprooting and reconstruction of society in order to achieve these goals. These goals have clearly not been achieved as heterosexual relationships are still the norm, although having said this there has been a rise of homosexual relationships in the last thirty years. Socialist feminists argue that class, not patriarchy, is the primary form of inequality. They also argue that capitalism is the main cause and beneficiary of womens oppression, and not men. Radical feminism offers no explanation of why female subordination takes different forms in different societies. It assumes that all women are in the same position and ignores class, ethnic differences. Liberal feminists argue that womens position has improved greatly and that women are now more equal to men. These three strands represent the different views and ideas of different feminist theorists. Although they all have different opinions, having considered all the arguments it is clear that they all believe that feminist goals have not been achieved. Liberal feminists believe that they are well on their way to achieving equality, whereas both socialist and radical feminists disagree. Socialist feminists asserting the view that an overthrow of capitalism is needed, whereas radical feminists assert the view that in order to be free they need to live separate lives from men.

Christina Rossettis Goblin Market Essay -- Christina Rossetti Goblin

Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market One of the strongest emotions inherent in us as humans is desire. The majority of the time, we are unable to control what we crave; however, with practice, we learn not all things we want are necessary. As a result of this mature understanding, we are able to ease our feelings and sometimes even suppress our desires. Something even more mature is understanding that when we give in to our desires, we become vulnerable. In a harsh, brutal world, vulnerability will not work to our advantage. In Christina Rossetti’s â€Å"Goblin Market,† she writes about a sister who succumbs to her desire and pays dearly for it while the other sister resists her desires and receives the ultimate reward of her sister’s life. By creating such a spectacular tale, Rossetti stresses the importance of being in touch with one’s desires and being able to prevail over their strong hold because in the harsh world we live in, we cannot afford to let our desire get the best of us. Of the two sisters Lizzie and Laura, Laura is the one whose curious desires get the best of her. She and her sister encounter the goblin men and Lizzie just â€Å"thrust a dimpled finger / In each ear, shut her eyes and ran† (67 – 68); however, Laura’s curiosity gets the best of her and she chooses to stay: â€Å"Curious Laura chose to linger / Wondering at each merchant man† (69 – 70). These goblin men are selling fruit, and once Laura gets her hands on it, she is hardly able to stop herself. Quenching her desire is overwhelming for her, so much so that when she is finally done she â€Å"knew not was it night or day† (139). When she arrives home later, she tells her sister, â€Å"I ate and ate my fill, / Yet my mouth waters still; / Tomorrow night I ... ... men’s fruit. Because of this, she suffers premature aging. Rossetti is conveying the importance of being aware of the possible peril that waits in the outside world, and controlling one’s desires in order to keep oneself from being vulnerable. If one gives in to their desires and makes oneself vulnerable, one will ultimately suffer. Lizzie does not succumb and does not do what the goblin men want her to do. As a result of this refusal, she has the power to bring her sister back to normal and take away her premature aging. Christina Rossetti is conveying the importance of maintaining control over one’s self: if one keeps oneself from becoming vulnerable, resists desires, and chooses the right path, one will remain safe and be rewarded handsomely. Works Cited Rossetti, Christina. Goblin Market. Illustrated by Laurence Housman. 1893. New York: Dover, 1983.

John Stuart Mill Essay -- essays research papers

Who is John Stuart Mill? John Stuart Mill was born on May 20, 1806, in London, England. He was mostly known for his radical views. For example, he preached sexual equality, divorce, universal suffrage, free speech, and proportional representation. He had many works of writings such as Principles of Political Economy, On Liberty, The Subjections of Women, and the Three Essays of Religion: Nature, the Utility of Religion, and Theism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Mill was the eldest son of James Mill who was a philosopher, economist and a senior official in the East India Company. James educated John when he was young. His father taught him discipline, Greek at the age of three, history, languages, calculus, logic, political economy, geography, psychology, and rhetoric. At the age of twelve he was a competent logician and by the age of sixteen a well trained economist. (http://www.utilitarianism.com/jsmill.htm) His father believed that teaching children while they were young would have an ever lasting effect on them. The purpose of this push of education at a young age is because James thought that teaching John would have the chance of becoming a prophet of the utilitarian gospel. John had to eventually take his learning from his father and teach his eight younger brother and sisters the same material.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Around the age of sixteen, John created a Utilitarian Society, which had the goal of bringing happiness to the greatest number of people, where he was one of a â€Å"small knot of young men† who practiced his father’s political and philosophical views. (http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/m/milljs.htm) At the age of twenty-one he suffered a mental breakdown, which resulted from severe strain from his earlier years. In his own autobiography, which was later published after his death, he wrote, that he was in a â€Å"dull state of nerves†; and that he had lost his charm. He said he had â€Å"no delight in virtue, or the general good, but also just as little in anything else.† After several months he realized that his emotions where not dried up and â€Å"the cloud gradually drew off.† In 1823 John took a clerkship position in the Examiner’s Office at the East India Company. Later he eventually headed that department. Harriet Tay lor who was a close friend with John co-wrote several pieces of work with him. They met in 1830 and she was the mother of t... ...em. This is what he is trying to bring up to action of treating women with respect and the same as men treat other men. He concludes chapter one by stating, â€Å"But, in that case, all that has been done in the modern world to relate that chain on the minds of women, has been a mistake. They never should have been allowed to receive a literary education. Women who read, much more women who write, are, in the existing constitution of things, a contradiction and a disturbing element: and it was wrong to bring women up with any acquirements but those of an odalisque, or of a domestic servant.† (The Longman Anthology, pg. 527) In conclusion, He was mostly known for his radical views. Principles of Political Economy, On Liberty, The Subjections of Women, and the Three Essays of Religion: Nature, the Utility of Religion, and Theism, where just some of the many works that he published to show the world that everything is not always perfect and intact. He showed that you could express your mind and that this is the new era of thinking. His writings on women’s rights to the economy where way ahead of his time. It is true that John Stuart Mill’s is not known well enough today as he should be.

America Needs More Immigrants :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

After political security, there is nothing that the Republic needs so much as bone and sinew, for the development of its vast resources . . . we want flesh and blood, men, women, and children, to assist in fulfilling that intention. —Editorial from the Commercial and Financial Chronicle, published in August 12, 1865—as the re-United States reels back from the divisiveness of the Civil War (Abbott 156) When my ancestors came to the U.S. in the 1800s to help build the transcontinental railroad (enabling intracontinental commerce on an unprecedented scale), it was very true that immigrants contributed to America’s economic prosperity. Does this remain true today? Today is a very different time than the aftermath of the Civil War. Or is it? Now, the U.S. is also reeling back from wars, albeit of very different sorts: the Cold War and the latest series of riots in the cities. The U.S. is turning inwards, wanting to rebuild its infrastructure and inner cities. Pre-eminence in various scientific areas and the education of its citizens, who are, by world standards, lagging educationally, are again prime national goals—much as they were following the Civil War. Skills and labor are needed. Although not as powerfully delineated as in a North-South segregation, the American population is still bitterly divided over many issues—one of which is immigration. Would immigration aggravate our problems, especially unemployment and social tension, or benefit us, as it did previous to and following the Civil War? Throughout the 1800s, conservative politicians were adamant that immigration would compromise political security; and native Californian miners, laborers, and farmers feared that the Chinese would drain America’s resources and take away jobs. The tragic results of such fears were the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti, ending in the execution of two innocent Italian immigrants accused of espionage, and the massacres of Chinese miners in the western states. These early detractors of immigration were proven wrong as America grew from a second-rate nation to the most powerful economy in the world. Today, as reflected in the headlines, calls for immigration restriction have renewed the national debate: Should current levels of immigration continue in the U.S.? â€Å"How many can America absorb?† is a constant refrain, reflected in poll after poll.

Demonstration and Narrator States Essay

The story of Ligeia describes a man who meets a women in which the circumstances of are filled with hallucinations and mystery. The existence of Ligeia starts to come develop as the narrator starts fixating on her erratic learning, rare beauty, and the care for language. The narrator describes the first encounter with Ligeia in Germany, in which he states,† Yet I know that I met her most frequently in some large, old, decaying city near the Rhine. † (Belasco, Johnson pg. 1021). The narrator states he think he meets her in Germany, in which he states he doesn’t remember much. The narrator demonstrates hallucinations and an altered state of mind with his visions of Ligeia. For example, the narrator explains that he met Ligeia’s family, but he can’t recall their name. The narrator describes Ligeia as a tall and thin women, whose days were emaciated. (1021). The narrator describes her voice as a sweet and low and face like an â€Å"opium dream†. (1021). Ligeia’s hair was described as looking like a raven and her skin as white as ivory. The visions of Ligeia comes from light and darkness that the narrator uses to conflict the two metaphysical traditions. The narrator describes Ligeia’s features with â€Å"strangeness†, in which her most distinguishing feature was her curly hair, in which her eyes matched. Ligeia’s image is described in a mysterious way in which the narrator blisses his memory of her exquisiteness. The narrator also describes Ligeia’s language and learning skills, in which helped him understand the world of theoretical studies during the first years of their marriage. The visions of Ligeia grow stronger as she gets ill and the narrator reads a poem which describes the natural disaster of life. The poem describes a theater where angels have come to see mysterious movements which are controlled by outside manifestations. The presences of the outside presences during the poem demonstrate mystery and darkness. After the death of Ligeia, the narrator gets remarried to Lady Rowena in which he gets a Gothic art piece in which his wife is frightened of. The narrator’s second wife begins to get sick like Ligeia and the narrator begins to think that death is forthcoming. The death of Lady Rowena brings flashback memories of Ligeia to the narrator and how obsessed he was for the love they once had. The gothic bridal chamber that Lady Rowena is in has Ligeia’s sensuality in the creation of the chamber so the narrator can remember her. The visions of Ligeia demonstrate irrational beliefs as where she returns alive in the bridal chamber in which the narrator scared of the rebirth of the corpse. Although Ligeia died, the memory of her stayed in the mind of the narrator. The return of Ligeia demonstrated that the narrator lost his sense of reality and the manifestation of her signifies that the vision of Ligeia is more physical than just a memory.

Eng Comparing and Contrasting Literary Forms Essay

Poetry, drama and short story are literary forms that provide readers with entertainment, insight, pleasure, escape and sometimes information. Readers can find satisfaction in any of the three genres because the styles, variations, language and themes cater to everyone’s preference: tragedy, comedy, profanity or just for pleasure. There is a piece of literary work to suit every taste. Poetry, when performed live, gives the words rhythm, music and life. John Updike in his poem Dog’s Death in lines one to sixteen, the rhythm and pattern are not as distinct as in lines seventeen to twenty; where the beats are strong and there is a certain level of intensity leading up to the finale†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Good Dog.† â€Å"Back home, we found that in the night her frame, Drawing near to dissolution, had endured the shame Of diarrhea and had dragged across the floor To a newspaper carelessly left there. Good dog.† (Clugston, 2010) Usually one performer presents a poem to t he audience whereas in drama there are many actors, stage settings and music that combine to create a complete stage production. Drama is written for theatre production. Actors impersonate the characters by reciting the words that are written in the play. For example, Maurya the main character in the play Riders to the Sea, says the closing words to her son before he left home: â€Å"You’d do right to leave that rope, Bartley, hanging by the boards†¦for it’s a deep grave we’ll make him by the grace of God.† The actors must also follow the author’s directions. She kneels down and the curtain falls slowly. (Clugston, 2010) Drama and play are written for specific purposes. The poem, when it is performed, is similar to an actor doing a soliloquy in a play. For example Macbeth’s speech: â€Å"I have lived long enough: my way of life Is fall’n into the sere, the yellow; And that which should accompany old age, As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but, in their stead, Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.† (Clugston, 2010) This speech is poetry within a play unlike the short story. The author of a short story on the other hand, depends on imagery, symbolism, similes and other literary devices to awaken the reader’s imagination, create the big picture and to pull him/her into that place. Unlike poetry and drama, the short story is not written for performance but for the reader’s pleasure and escape. The plot, setting, theme, point of view, characters, style, the actual story line and the ending of a short story all combine to give the reader a slice of the experience of the specified era. Alice Walker in the â€Å" Welcome Table,† paints a picture of racial segregation in the church in the state of Georgia. She wrote about a black old woman who entered a whites-only church. â€Å"The reverend of the church stopped her pleasantly as she stepped into the vestibule†¦..†Aunty, you know this is not your church?†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Inside the church she sat on the very first bench from the back.† (Clugston, 2010) This picture is of the old woman/main character sitting at the back of the church and the reverend reminding her that she is in the wrong place. In other words she is out of place. Short stories appeal more to the reader’s imagination and senses and are not usually performed unless they are adapted for stage. Reference Clugston, W. R., (2010). Journey Into Literature, San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education Inc.