The Post-War World Has Been Shaped Primarily

1. The post-war world has been shaped primarily by a clash between Communism and Capitalism OR The post-war world has been shaped primarily by a clash between Nationalism and Imperialism Choose one of these assertions and develop an argument for it. With regards to the assignment question, I will certainly be in agreement with the argument the clash between imperialism and nationalism had shaped the post-war world more prominently as compared to the idea of communism and capitalism constituted to the molding of the past decades.Very simply, studies showed that even till this age of globalization, the notion of imperialism and nationalism are still floating among us, with a modern twist, that is (Tomlinson, 1991). We first have to ask the question, what sparked off nationalism? The answer by most scholars would most probably be the oppression of great powers during the time of imperialism. What then, defines imperialism and how did it came about? According to O’ Brian (2007), i mperialism is the practice of any one state to influence or conquer another with the intention to expand its wealth, power and control over dominions or self-governing colonies.After the end of World War Two, with the declination of powers among the former colonizers across the globe, the industrializing countries like Britain and France were increasingly gaining possession of many colonies (Best, et al. , 20008). It is through colonialism that the imperial powers executed what we call as imperialism where in its best sense, is the ‘natural overflow of nationality’; its test is the power of the colonist to transplant the civilization they represent to the new natural and social environment in which the colonists find themselves.And in which of course, lying beneath is a negative connotation that is often associated with a loss of identity and belonging (Hobson, 2007). The post-war world as according to Rajan and Sauer (2004) was significantly changed by the settling of foreign authority onto lands that previously had not been under any control. The intrusion of political and economic rights and cultural imperialism to mention a few had taken place and in fact, had subsequently prompted radical, socialist and even nationalist movement.To be able to gain control over a country, military force is not necessary at times (Hobsbawn, 1990). The British had illustrated a perfect scenario where apart from military control; they had also planted seeds of ‘the British way of life’ indirectly by Anglicizing basically anything from street names to the lingua franca of a local community (Moore & Johnson, 2004), like what happened in Ireland and the Malayan Peninsula where English was once to be used as the spoken and official language for all formal documents in the bureaucracy (Othman, 1990). This formed the basis for cultural imperialism.Tomlinson (1991) mentioned that cultural factors are instrumental in maintaining political-economic dominance. Hence, he defined cultural imperialism as â€Å"the process of imperialist is aided and abetted by importing supportive forms of culture† (p. 3). This issue has been so central that even Irish poet Seamus Heaney, a renowned Irish Nobel Prize winner and nationalist emphasized a great deal on cultural identities in his works, in relation to the colonization of Ireland and the intrusion of the British that seemed to wipe out the local culture by Anglicizing the names of placed in Ireland, killing those who disobeyed. I am the tall kingdom over your shoulder That you could not cajole not ignore. Conquest is a lie. ’ (Act of Union 1. 9, 74) Similarly, Brian Friel, who is another famous Irish playwright in his play Translations also highlights the loss of cultural identity after the Irish language has been literally translated into English and what is left with the locals were fragments of memories and left as victims of imperialism (Friel, 2002). What has been a quest for most colonized countries was an ‘oppression-free’ nation.Repression of minority rights is often the first restriction on emerging ethnic national groups which includes outlawing native language, discouraging trade, and even relocating minority groups like the how the British imposed a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy that eventually separated three different ethnic groups to their ‘specialty’ in labor to yield the best outcome of profit for the British (Goodwin, 2001). With the increase awareness that these powers were slowly taking over bits and pieces of what originally belonged to them and the need to come together as one, the idea of nationalism seeped in.During this time, the struggle towards nationalism, or establishment of political union on the basis of nationality ‘has been a dominant factor alike in dynastic movement and as an inner motive in the life of masses population’ so said Hobson (p. 1). To define nationalism is no e asy task either. What becomes a great matter of dispute is how these national borders should be drawn, i. e. what constitutes a nation. What Joseph Stalin described a nation as depicted by Whitaker (1960) is the ‘historically evolved, stable community of language, territory, economic life and psychological make-up manifested in a community of culture’ (p. ). The idea of nationalism is often connected to the French Revolution back in 1789. It has then emerged as a powerful force in the post-Cold War world. Perhaps the most dynamic changes have taken place in areas once dominated by the Soviet Union and maybe the British (Price). It is critical to know that nationalism has reemerged as a vital factor in restructuring the international political scene in the post-war world especially during the post-Cold War period after British has transformed itself into a Commonwealth.The dynamics of a bipolar nature of the dominance by the United States and the Soviet Union was not app reciated. Lesser powers cooperated in varying degrees with the ‘superpowers’ and a multi-polar and this restored a multi-polar world increasingly driven by contentious nationalist rivalries. This is supported by Milward (1992) that the world has witnessed the collapse of empire and the resurfacing of national components from within. The fragmentation of the Soviet Union into fifteen nations is one example.The nature of nationalism itself is neither good nor bad as compared to extreme capitalism, socialism and imperialism. The events behind the scenes are what give meaning to these notions. Hence, some authors did classified nationalism into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ nationalism. The ‘good’ type talks about how the nations strived to create and maintain their own nations to create a territorial boundary and something in common to be called as ‘one’ nation. It is similar to patriotism, but nationalism goes beyond the affection to wards a country which sometimes lead to the ‘bad’ side of nationalism.The â€Å"bad† kind of nationalism pitted one own’s â€Å"superior† nation or race against all others in a struggle for survival of the fittest, in other words, the hatred and despise towards other nations started to manifest in the process of acquiring strength and unity. It is this kind of nationalism that gave nationalism its bad name in Europe through the actions of men like Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic in the 20th century (Moliss, 2002). One important element of the Holocaust was that the Nazi genocidal machine was aimed not only at the destruction of the European Jewish Community, but also at the Jewish seed itself.The mass murder of the European Jews was a watershed event in human history (Gilbert, 1985). In the aftermath of World War II, the world — from individual nations to the United Nations; from religious leaders to professionals in fields as diverse as law, medicine, and science; from presidents and prime ministers to private citizens confronted its legacy (Signer, 2000). Many of the issues raised by this cataclysmic event continue to have an impact on our lives and the world in which we live.The Vietnam War of 1955 which took twenty years to end was considered to be one of the most brutal nationalist movements in world history with the victory of Vietnamese over the Americans (Willbanks, 2007). Yet this distorted view of the Vietnam veterans as victims as much as victimizers, if not as brave heroes, was not accompanied by new public policies. Although most veterans did succeed in making the transition to ordinary civilian life, many did not. More Vietnam veterans committed suicide after the war than had died in it.Even more perhaps three-quarters of a million became part of the lost army of the homeless. And the nearly 700,000 draftees, many of them poor, badly educated, and nonwhite, who had received less than honorable discharg es, depriving them of educational and medical benefits, found it especially difficult to get and keep jobs, to maintain family relationships, and to stay out of jail (Chambers, 1999). If these do not prove enough that the clash of imperialism and nationalism had altered the magnitude of the post war world, what would be the other causes then?The society of the post-war era was not concerned of what kind of social system that are benefitting to them in general. Rather, the primary issue was to fight for something in common the nation could relate to. The clash of communism and capitalism was not sufficient to demonstrate that the period had revolved around it as compared to the bloodshed and never-ending quest to fight for the independence of a nation. Try naming a successful communist country. Unfortunately, there are none.The disintegration of the Soviet Union is a solid proof that communism just does not work in the modern society and as for capitalism, the economic success of the States was at a price of other nations which have a large struggling population (Schalit, 2002). It is only within a state with well-to-do economics, capitalism shall prevail. Hence, this clash has certainly not changed the post-war world as much as imperialism and nationalism. Bibliograpghy Best, A. , Hanhimaki, J. M. , Maiolo, J. A. , & Schulze, K. E. (2008). International History of the Twentieth Century and Beyond. Oxon: Routledge.Friel, B. (2002). Translations. Kent: Faber and Faber. Gilbert, M. (1985). The Holocaust: A History of the Jews of Europe During the Second World War. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Goodwin, J. (2001). No other way out: states and revolutionary movements, 1945-1991. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Heaney, S. (1990). New Selected Poems. Cornwell: Faber and Faber. Hobsbawn, E. J. (1990). Industries and Empires. London: Helicon Press. Hobson, J. A. (2005). Imperialism: A Study. New York: George Allen & Unwin LTD. Moliis, J. (2002). Nationa lism. Retrieved April 29, 2010, from http://moliis. rg/jani/nationalism. pdf Moore, B. L. , & Johnson, M. A. (2004). Neither led nor driven: contesting British cultural imperialism in Jamaica, 1865-1920. Kingston: University of West Indies Press. O'Brian, P. (2007). World History: An Illustrated Guide. London: Star Fire. Othman, W. (2004). The Monitoring and Management of Ethnic Relations in Malaysia. In R. F. Farnen, Nationalism, Ethnicity, and Identity: Cross National and Comparative Perspectives (pp. 35-36). New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Price, G. W. (1995/1996). The Impact of Nationalism on Joint Force Planning. Joint Force Quarterly , 20-24.Rajan, B. , & Sauer, E. (2004). Imperialisms: Historical and Literary Investigations, 1500-1900. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Schalit, J. (2002). The anti-capitalism reader: imagining a geography of opposition. New York: Akashic Books. Sim, S. (1998). Spectres of Nostalgia: Post-Marxism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Tomlinso n, J. (1991). Cultural Imperialism. London: Continuum. Whitaker, U. (1960). Nationalism and International Progress. San Francisco: Howard Chandler. Willbanks, J. H. (2007). The Tet Offensive: A Concise History. New York: Columbia University Press.

Efas Analysis How-to

Synthesis of External Factors—EFAS After strategic managers have scanned the societal and task environments and identified a number of likely external factors for their particular corporation, they may want to refine their analysis of these factors using a form such as that given in Table 3. 4. The EFAS Table (External Factors Analysis Summary) is one way to organize the external factors into the generally accepted categories of opportunities and threats as well as to analyze how well a particular company’s management (rating) is responding to these specific factors in light of the perceived importance (weight) of these factors to the company. To generate an EFAS Table for the company being analyzed, complete the following steps: In Column 1 (External Factors), list the eight to ten most important opportunities and threats facing the company. In Column 2 (Weight), assign a weight to each factor from 1. 0 (Most Important) to 0. 0 (Not Important) based on that factor’s probable impact on a particular company’s current strategic position. The higher the weight, the more important is this factor to the current and future success of the company. (All weights must sum to 1. 0 regardless of the number of strategic factors. ) In Column 3 (Rating), assign a rating to each factor from 5 (Outstanding) to 1 (Poor) based on that particular company’s current response to that particular factor. Each rating is a judgment regarding how well the company is currently dealing with each external factor. 5 43 2 1 Â ¦_________________Â ¦_____________Â ¦_______________Â ¦_______________Â ¦ Out- Above Average BelowPoor standing Average Average In Column 4Â  (Weighted Score), multiply the weight in Column 2 for each factor times its rating in Column 3 to obtain that factor’s weighted score. This results in a weighted score for each factor ranging from 5. 0 (Outstanding) to 1. (Poor) with 3. 0 as average. In Column 5Â  (Comments), note why a particular factor was selected and how its weight and rating were estimated. Finally, add the weighted scores for all the external factors in Column 4 to determine the total weighted score for that particular company. The total weighted score indicates how well a particular company is responding to current and expected factors in its external environment. The score can be used to compare that firm to other firms in its industry. The total weighted score for an average firm in an industry is always 3. 0. As an example of this procedure, Table 3. 4 includes a number of external factors for Maytag Corporation with corresponding weights, ratings, and weighted scores provided. This table is appropriate for 1995 before Maytag sold its European and Australian operations. Note that Maytag’s total weight is 3. 15, meaning that the corporation is slightly above average in the major home appliance industry.

The United States on the World Stage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The United States on the World Stage - Essay Example Successful as these programs were for America during its time, one cannot help but wonder as to whether things would have turned out for the better or worst for America if these programs had not been successfully implemented. Let's start with a look at the era of â€Å"Reaganomics† and what America might have been like had it not been implemented at all. Reaganomics was based on the program of governance that balance the national budget and created savings for the country by implementing 4 basic steps: â€Å"(1) Cut tax rates to restore incentives for economic growth , (2) Spending reductions , (3), Anti-inflation monetary policy restraining money supply growth compared to demand, to maintain a stronger, more stable dollar value. (4) Deregulation, which saved consumers an estimated $100 billion per year in lower prices. â€Å" (Ferrera,2011) The system worked in the 80's for the American population and the budget cuts resulted in a surplus of treasury savings which the Clint on administration inherited. It prevented the downward spiral of the economy and allowed the treasury time to recover and earn the taxes needed to cover the national debts (â€Å"The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics†). ... Life became harder for everyone under Reaganomics while before it was implemented, life was alright for most American families. There are those who believe that if Reaganomics had not been implemented, the United States would have gone one of two ways, died economically due to the cost of inflation and the eventual inability of the United States to pay its debts or, continued on its â€Å"life is still affordable† trend that the typical American family was experiencing. Maybe the time of single income families sending their kids off to affordable colleges and universities would still be norm these days instead of student loans and a generation of high school graduates who can't afford college. That is if the taxes were continuing to become higher in rates would eventually stop rising and increasing the costs of basic goods. So maybe, just maybe, the country is somehow better off than if Reaganomics did not exist. Otherwise, the public would not know that there is another way o f cutting the debt and balancing the national budget than the constantly increasing government revenue collections that the Obama administration strongly advocates. Then we have the â€Å"End of the Cold War† to consider. The end of the cold war marked a sort of unification in Europe that allowed tensions between the democratic and socialist European countries to find a platform of peace and camaraderie with one another (Mearshimer, 1990). However, it would seem that the unification of Europe under the Euro, which would not have happened had the cold war not ended, has resulted in more problems for the united European economy that expected. Pres. Ronald Reagan is viewed by the Americans as the man who brought peace to Europe and ended the cold war.

Court Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Court Case - Essay Example They say that in this era of economic development private property is now in danger of being transferred to another private owner who according to them will put it into a more productive use. These activists reason and put forward that these actions removes the distinction between private and public property and therefore they dissent. In their article narrating why they dissented, they give us an example of the events that went forth in New London. Petitioners were residents or investors owning homes in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood of New London, Connecticut. They were born and lived there all their lives and this was the place they had always called home. Suddenly the Pfizer Inc. realizes a business opportunity near the Fort Trumbull neighborhood and months later the New London city council grants the New London Development Corporation(NLDC) approval to prepare for the development plan named. Being a private and nonprofit corporation, with a mission of assisting the city council in economic development, NLDC having the mandate grasped the idea of the Pfizer to create jobs, increase tax among other benefits. A question arises, were the effects the development was going to cause on the residents considered? It is not stated in the article that an Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) was carried out to indicate t he positive and negative effects the Pfizer will have on the people and the environment. This indicates a pure violation of rights and showcasing why the petitioners had to file the case so as to protect their property. They held that the NLDC had no powers to condemn their properties as stated in the Fifth Amendment. They claimed that the NLDC had approved a development plan on their property which was not a public one. According to the law the government cannot take their property for private use of other

Study Guide Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Study Guide - Coursework Example His music was mainly politically focused thus being referred to as King of Blues. I agree with Peter Wald, that Josh White had become a leading top blind blue singer in the 1920s, and the first young man to stir a competition in the race record market (Wald 75). During the period of 1920, Josh White was considered the most popular blue stars and could not even be compared to Robert Johnson. Later on in 1930s, he discovered the notorious New York public which occasionally appeared alongside his jazz band making it become popular in the folk world as many of his counterparts referred to him as Mr. Folk. Amidst, all these Josh White struggled to maintain a balance that will keep his career afloat by making a declaration that his main purpose was to unite the communist. In conclusion, Josh White’s outspoken stance on civil rights issues were greatly manifested during the folk revival. This accorded him the opportunity to be renowned as the most popular folksinger enabling him performs in such events like the Martin Luther King’s promotion at glory (Wald

Db4 team and leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Db4 team and leadership - Research Paper Example To ensure that every member is heard and given the required opportunity, the manager can consider taking various steps. They include improving effectiveness of communication among the members, fostering understanding, boosting members self-esteem, encouraging suggestions and inputs, organizing team’s and individual roles, offering rewards and recognition. The first step involves improving communication among the members and their leaders. Effective communication enhances understanding and appreciation among the members. It improves interactions among the members and thus creates better opportunities to support coordination. The manager should then develop various strategies to ensure that everyone understand that the ultimate goals can only be achieved through effective coordination and teamwork’s contributions. Such an understanding would encourage members to value and respects everyone’s contributions and roles. Low self-esteem contributed by conflicts, and poor coordination can cause a detrimental impact and affect achievement of the set objectives (Rapoport & Bailyn, 1996). The manager must motivate every member to play a role in the teams. Conflicts and low-esteem can be eliminated through organizing for regular meetings and appreciating everyone’s efforts. It is also beneficial to ensure that everyone understands his roles and expectations. A standard performance measure should be developed to evaluate the contributions of every member. The effort will help eliminate conflicts because everyone will be expected to meet the minimum requirements (Clutterbuck, 2007). Finally, it is beneficial to offer rewards and recognition to the good performers. Rewarding and recognizing good performances encourage everyone to aim

US army leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

US army leadership - Essay Example Perhaps, it is these values, principles, and system that make the soldier have the respect that is accorded him everywhere he goes. ‘An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot’. The implementation of the structures however depends largely on the functions of personnel in the army. The military institution is made up several officers whose duties are to ensure that there is orderliness with within the rank of soldiers put under his control and that the structures and systems are well implemented. One of such indispensable figures in the implementation of military structures is the non-commissioned officer. The non-commissioned officer however does not work untamed: for the non-commissioned officer to succeed in his role as a leader, he needs to be guided by basic military principles. This is to say that the non-commissioned officer cannot rule within his own discretion but needs to be guided by principles such as the application of the FM 6-22, c ounseling and the seven Army Values. Roles of Non-Commissioned Officers Who is a non-commissioned officer? A non-commissioned officer is a military officer who is given authority through a commissioned officer, but he or she is not technically considered to be in command. Non-commissioned officers rise up through the enlisted ranks, generally with several years of experience to their names before they reach positions of nominal power.The rank an officer has to reach to be accorded the position of a non-commissioned officer varies from country to country and from military force to military force. Also among the ranks, there divisions such as Junior NCOs and Senior NCOs depending on which nation is in question and which military force, be it the Navy, Army or Air Force. In the United States for instance, all ranks of Sergeant in the United States Army, United States Air Force and United States Marine Corps are termed Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) as are Corporals in the Army and Ma rine Corps. However, the rank of Corporal (E-4) in the US Army is known to be a junior NCOs whereas Corporals in the grades (E-7, E-8, and E-9) are referred to as senior noncommissioned officers. The non-commissioned officer can however be generalized to be ‘an enlisted member of the armed forces, such as a corporal, sergeant, or petty officer, appointed to a rank conferring leadership over other enlisted personnel’ (The Free Dictionary, 2003). What are the roles of the non-commissioned officer in the army? The role a non-commissioned officer is supposed to play simply refers to the leadership functions of the officer that is focused on maintaining army values. ‘NCOs must maintain fundamental soldiering at the forefront of everything we do. And that means we must focus on the basics, maintain Army values and facilitate the transformation’ (Anthony, 2001). Even though all roles performed by non-commissioned officers are geared towards enhancing administratio n in the army force, there are varying roles and these roles cut across different areas of operation; defining who may be under the orders or authority of the non-commissioned officer and who may not. In a generalized system however, the role of a particular NCO depends on his rank. The FM 7-22.7 makes a list of five (5) major categories of non-commissioned officers and what their roles are. These categories are classified according to ranks of officers and they are Sergeant Major of the Army, Command Sergeant Major and Sergeant Major, First Sergeant and Master Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant and Sergeant First Class, and Squad, Section and Team Leaders. The Sergeant Major o