The Impact Of The French Revolution Upon English Poets Essay Example for Free

The Impact Of The French Revolution Upon English Poets Essay The impact of the French Revolution upon English poets, and especially Wordsworth, is well known. Wordsworth’s Prelude , which was begun in 1798 appeared only after Wordsworth’s death, is an account not only of a poet’s coming of age, but also of his disillusionment with the radical political causes that propelled the unexpected violence following from the first revolutionary acts that culminated in the execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Writing The Prelude in 1798, Wordsworth expresses the ecstasy he and his contemporaries felt When Reason seemed the most to assert her rights / A prime enchanter to assist the work / Which then was going forward in her name . These hopes were dashed, when, as Wordsworth writes, revolutionaries now, become oppressors in their turn, / Frenchmen had changed a war of self-defense / For one of conquest, losing sight of all / Which they had struggled for. A year after Wordsworth began to write The Prelude, notes Simon Bainbridge: Coleridge [wrote] to his friend and fellow poet Wordsworth identifying the Revolution as the theme for the era’s definitive poem, writing . . . that I wish you would write a poem, in blank verse, addressed to those who, in consequence of the complete failure of the French Revolution, have thrown up all hopes of the amelioration of mankind. . . . It would do great good. It was, Bainbridge further notes, Coleridge’s urgings that informed Wordsworth’s examination of the Revolution’s impact in The Prelude and The Excursion . . . but poems on the events in France had begun to appear very quickly. The early period of the Revolution appeared to the English poets as the realization of a poetic ideal. When reflecting  in The Prelude on his visit to France in 1790, Wordsworth famously writes that the period was a time when Europe was rejoiced, / France standing on top of golden hours, / An d human nature seeming born again. It was in such millennial terms, writes Bainbridge, that many poets responded to events in the early years of the decade, understanding these events through biblical [eyes] . . . as the second coming of Christ, bringing about the end to the old world and the creation of a new one. Referencing M. H. Abrams influential essay, English Romanticism: The Spirit of the Age (1984), Bainbridge acknowledges that the increasingly violent disasters overtaking the revolutionary movement caused poets such as Coleridge, Southey, and Wordsworth to recast the notion of revolution, not as a political project to be enacted in reality, but as a personally transformative endeavor undertaken within the individual imagination . For the English poets writing at the turn of the century, Abrams states, hope is shifted from the history of mankind to the mind of a single individual, from militant external action to an imaginative act. Wordsworth actually lived in France during some of the most stirring scene of the new order .he became a convinced revolutionist and was eager to join the Girondists. (Sampson, 1975, p.476) William Wordsworth’s attitudes to the French Revolution underwent significant changes during his two visits to France. His differing views of the Revolution were motivated by the fact that that he visited revolutionary France in slightly different periods. Wordsworth visited France for the first time in 1790. At that time France celebrated the first anniversary of the fall of Bastille. During his first visit Wordsworth did not experience any significant political event of the period. On the other hand, during his second visit in 1791-92, the situation in France was quite different. Politics in France became quite complicated as several political fractions were fighting for power and influence. Revolutionary France was also in danger of invasion of Austrians and Prussians. Wordsworth was also still present in France during the first revolutionary massacres when the Jacobin Terror began. During the first visit to France in 1790, Wordsworth’s views of the Revolution were m ostly optimistic. Wordsworth’s predominantly  optimistic views of the Revolution were motivated by several factors. The basic motivation for visiting France was not to examine or observe political processes of the period. Wordsworth intended to experience the sublimity of the Alps. Wordsworth was then rather accidental observer of the situation in France and he did not examine political processes of the country very deeply. Wordsworth and his companion Robert Jones visited France in 1790, one year after the beginning of the Revolution, when the prospects for a successful issue of the Revolution were very bright. Wordsworth also visited mostly small towns and rural areas. He was not a witness to turbulent political meetings of the period, he did not experience revolutionary atmosphere in bigger towns. Wordsworth entered France at the first anniversary of the beginning of the Revolution. At that time the whole France celebrated the glorious beginning of the Revolution. Wordsworth was impressed by these festivities and the overall optimistic atmosphere. He praised the brotherly spirit of the French united during these festivities. As the basic motivation for the visit of France was to see the Alps, Wordsworth did not focus on the description of political situation and he mostly describes the scenery. Wordsworth also visited Switzerland, where he praised liberty of the people and the republican regime. During his visit to Switzerland he describes the country as a model to follow. In fact he projects his enthusiastic hopes about the Revolution in France into the Alpine republic. Wordsworth uses the political status of Switzerland to envisage his hopes for rebirth of the human race signaled by the French revolution. In Wordsworth’s description of Switzerland the description of the scenery often mingles with his revolutionary ideals. Wordsworth projects the freshness and purity of the Alpine landscape with freshness of revolutionary ideals. Wordsworth creates with his descriptions in The Prelude almost â€Å"pastoral† impression, when he associates the pure, untamed landscape with pure revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity that cannot be â€Å"tamed† as well. During his first visit, Wordsworth saw France â€Å"standing on the top of golden hours†, as a symbol of a new era for mankind. It cannot be said that Wordsworth examined the situation in France very deeply. In the descriptions in The Prelude Wordsworth focused on the newly achieved liberty and equality of the French. He contrasts the new situation with that of the old regime which he associates with oppression  and inequality. He does not focus very much on contemporary political situation in France. In his descriptions he predominantly focuses on revolutionary festivities and brotherhood of the people. He is charmed by the basis ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity. It can be said that Wordsworth does not see the Rev olution as a political phenomenon, or he does not interpret it politically. On the contrary, he interprets it in a more abstract and idealistic way. The Revolution is a phenomenon when human nature, bound by inequality and oppression, is born again. He praises freedom and equality, but he does not speak about their practical use. Unlike during his second visit, he does not mention practical aspects of the Revolution. He does not speak about people’s participation on power ,he does not really have clear political vision of the Revolution. He is optimistic about the future of revolutionary France, on the other hand he speaks about the future on abstract level, his liberty and equality are not really political, but rather idealistic ,abstract concepts. He observes liberty and equality via the lens of revolutionary festivities. He does not speak about liberty in practice, in real life or in politics. Wordsworth in his descriptions focuses on liberty and equality as abstract concepts that unite the whole nation. During the second visit to France in 1791-1792, Wordsworth’s attitudes to the Revolution become more complicat ed, on the other hand it cannot be said that he became really disillusioned with the Revolution. One his motivations for the visit was to become more fluent in French, on the other hand he was also attracted by the spirit of the Revolution which he had experienced during his first visit. During the second visit to France Wordsworth had more opportunities to examine the situation in France more deeply. He observes that his new â€Å"urban† experience is different from the â€Å"rural† one of his first visit. He observes the situation in Paris and he finds out that the political scene in France is fragmented into numerous rival parties. As he experiences every-day life of the French and not revolutionary festivities of his first visit, he reveals that huge numbers of the French are not loyal to the Revolution at all. One can observe certain confusion in his views of the Revolution. On the one hand he remains loyal to the ideals of the Revolution, on the other hand he observes that political situation in France is no longer really optimistic or enthusiastic and the Revolution is not only liberty and  equality as abstract concepts, but it is predominantly real political struggle. During the second visit to France he fell in love with a young French lady A nnette Vallon. She gave birth to their child in 1792. Wordsworth had not chance to see his daughter or Annette since 1792 to 1802 because of the war between Britain and France. Wordsworth visited France briefly in 1802 when the war between the two countries was interrupted. It can be said that Wordsworth’s concern about his daughter in turbulent revolutionary France during the war in many respects affected his views of France and revolution. Wordsworth, being separated from his daughter, was concerned about her fate what made him belief in bright prospects of the Revolution. Wordsworth believed in an optimistic future of France and the Revolution and this belief or hope conditioned his enthusiastic support to the principles of the Revolution. In the years 1791-1792 Wordsworth also experienced his first disillusionment with the Revolution. Wordsworth mentions French soldiers’ unwillingness to fight and their anti-revolutionary, non-patriotic thinking. During the second visit to France Wordsworth also experiences that the situation in France might be even dangerous. Wordsworth fears possible invasion of Austrians to France, he is not sure that p atriots and supporters of the Revolution will be that numerous to oppose the invading forces. He is afraid of the fact that anti-revolutionary powers might join invading armies what would cause a terrible bloodshed. At this moment Wordsworth raises the question whether the revolutionary powers will not be overthrown. Wordsworth’s deep belief in the Revolution receives a serious blows and he observes that support to the Revolution is not as strong as he thought. Another important moment when Wordsworth experiences disillusionment with the Revolution, is the time of so called September Massacres, when furious mob killed numerous people in French towns. Wordsworth is frightened by these occasions and he realizes that Revolution is not only a â€Å"fight† for liberty and equality, but a real life-or-death struggle. It can be postulated that Wordsworth’s complicated attitudes to the Revolution during his second visit were conditioned by growing radicalization and violence in France. On the other hand it cannot be said that these episodes made Wordsworth hesita te about revolutionary ideas. Wordsworth left France in 1792 as an enthusiastic supporter of revolutionary ideas although he knew that the actual political situation in  France was not ideal. He observed that influence and power was being usurped by the radical political groups, such as radical left-wing party Jacobin Party and left-wing politician Maximilien Robespierre. Wordsworth believed that this usurpation of power and influence was in conflict with original revolutionary ideals. It can be said that during the second visit to France Wordsworth’s attitudes to the Revolution become more complex. Wordsworth do not focus on abstract notions of liberty and equality, on the other hand, it can be said that Wordsworth’s revolutionary thinking has now a clearly defined vision. He met a French soldier, Captain Michel Beaupuy who deeply influenced Wordsworth in his thinking. Under Beaupuy’s guidance Wordsworth realized that Revolution was not only a fight for abstract ideals, but also real political and social program. Wordsworth now encounters the idea of peoples’ participation on power, he believes that people should have to right to create their own laws. On the other hand, Wordsworth is not blind to facts, he observes that huge masses of people are blind to the great ideals of the Revolution and he knows that â€Å"some men are set apart for rule and honour by their virtues and knowledge† (Harper 163). In Wordsworth thinking appears a strong aspect of democracy as he stresses the fact that individuals who lead the country should be chosen for their virtues and knowledge and not for their noble origin. In Wordsworth’s thinking also appears a strong social aspect. He finds out that revolutionary ideas can be only empty abstract concepts when majority of people live in starvation and poverty. Revolution and its outcomes have clearly defined shape in Wordsworth’s thinking. In Wordsworth’s view, the Revolution is a great chance to improve peoples’ lives. Sampson, George. The Concise Cambridge History of English Literature,(London:Cambidge University Press, 1975).

Analyzing Leadership and Motivation Styles at Tata Steel

Analyzing Leadership and Motivation Styles at Tata Steel As we all know that the steel is an important item which implies the evolution and prosperity of any nation .The steel industry is basically a start-up for the development of any country .For an overall growth of India ,which is emerging as an expeditiously industrialized country ,it was very essential to accomplish the technological change in the making of iron and steel .Today ,some of the top nations which produces steel are developing countries .For instance ,China is one of the largest steel producing country in the world .Indias position is tenth as mentioned in Wilhelm 1998,Steel Scenario Yearbook,1998.India being a large deposit of iron-ore ,a low labour workforce ,highly qualified manpower resources but still it could not generate the required thrust in order to bring the technological changes. Developing countries cannot always afford to build up or extend their own technologies .They need sometimes to bring technologies from other developed countries .The characteristics of socio-economic factors of India have greatly influenced the technological growth of the country in general .India turn out to be having a good technology base and also has developed a high level of adequate quality in the areas of information technology ,atomic energy and space sciences. In such case when India was emerging to be a developing nation,I would like to state about one of the leader whose leadership skills and motivation styles took India to great level of technology and growth and prosperity features. Jamsedji Nusserwanji Tata was one of the leader whose continuous innovations led India to develop a lot.He was born in a Parsi family on march 3,1839. At the age of 14,he came to Bombay and in 1868,at the age of 29,he started a private trading firm with a small capital of Rs 21,000.During this period,he travelled a lot to various places which inspired in him the desire to set up a bankrupt oil mill and then he convert it into cotton mill where cotton goods were manufactured and was named as Alexander Mill.His continuous efforts and inspirations led him to develop and launch few mills which were supported by Indian shareholders.He was a unique personality.He not only thought about the innovative ways to manufacture textiles and gain profit from them but he also devised new labour practices which satisfied his employees.He always mentioned that its not just his personal success but also for all those employess who have worked for him. Jamshedji was such a nationalist who made significant remarks of the industrial revolution and came to the conclusion that the economic self-sufficiency should go hand in hand with political independence and thus he then made three important basic ingredients: the steel is very important and can be addressed as the mother of heavy industry; hydroelectric power was the cheapest energy to be generated and finally, the technical education. A report on the rich iron ore deposits in India highly motivated him to set up a steel plant for the nation.He researched for years about the process of making the steel and also travelled to Europe and the US for technical advice from other revolutionary thinkers and nationalists.Due to his leadership skills,he was able to set and start a steel plant.The Tata iron and Steel was formed in 1907,in Jamshedpur,in Jharkhand.Also in 1892,he endowed an investment for deserving students for their higher education in abroad.He basically envisioned a national system of education and research institutes in the fields of science and technology,medicine,philosophy and arts. Unfortunately,he was not able to achieve all the three key ideas that he had in mind during his lifetime.The achievement he had was that he had completed Taj Mahal. The Tata Iron and Steel Company grew rapidly and by 1911,its production increased upto 70,000 tons of iron per year .According to the Dictionary of National Biography,the entire industry would support 60,000 workers and their dependants which was truly a high number.Jamshedji was renowed for his enthusiasm embrace innovations and use them not only to improve not only his business but also the lives of the Indian people.He was the first man in India to use rubber tires on his carriage and the first to drive an automobile in the Mumbai city.As the Dictionary of national Biography noted,he characteristically showed ,first,an extensive imagination and keen perception,next a scientific and calculating study of the project and all that is involved and finally a high capacity for organization.He was a man of simple values and perceptions and he scorned publicly or self-adverstisement.Though he passed away by the time,his spirits and efforts were carried forward by his son RD Tata and his co usin Dorabji. Jamshedji was a man whose leadership skills and motivations styles made the plant established,thought about the welfare of his employees.He not only envisioned a emphasized and dynamic workforce but he also envisioned a planned city with a lot of greenery around. Leadership according to JRD meant motivating others, As a chairman,my main responsibility is to inspire respect. According to JRD,the quality had to match innovation.He repeatedly stressed , If you want excellence ,you must aim at perfection. The symbol T has to be the symbol of quality.He was the man who was known for his renowed brand comprising the total quality of the Tata group. Tata too believed in the positive Pygmalion effect towards his employees.He asked the question ,if the workers or employees were being treated exceptionally well,why were they frequently discontented and suspect and hostile towards the company? According to Tata,the viewpoint of any successful labour policy depends upon making the employees feel what they wanted. He was a man who continuously believed in the positive Pygmalion effect which led to a great extension of the Tata group with the help of all the motivated and inspired employees. Thus Tata Steel became one of the earliest companies in India who had a dedicated human resources department.JRD was Indias most well known industrialist,widely respected for his massive contribution to the development of Indian Industry and aviation in particular.Some of the leadership skills about JRD Tata can be stated as follows :approachable,realistic,charismatic,courageous,compassionate,supportive towards innovation,aware of a sense of responsibility,committed to values and a visionary.Jamshedji and Tata both proved themselves to be an authentic leaders and had set a vision for Tata group. Tata Iron and Steel set up in 1907 comes under Tata group which is a private multinational firm with its headquarters at Mumbai.The present chairman is Ratan Tata who took over from JRD Tata in 1991.With the continuous efforts ,its operations covers many fields related to industry,application engineering,information technology,communications,materials,automotive,chemical energy,telecommunications,softwares,hotels,steel and consumer goods. Mission: The aim of the Tata Group is to improve the quality of life in the society by virtue of integrity,understanding,excellence,unity and responsibility. The Tata Group is 150 years old.It currently comprises 96 operating countries,which together employed some 357,000 people worldwide and had enough revenues of US $ 72.5 billion (Feb 2009).It exports products and services to one hundred and forty nations.The Charitable trust of Tata holds 65.8% of the ownership of Tata Group.The production in Tata Steel actually started in 1912 and produces steel at the lowest cost in the world.In 1910,the Tata Hydro-electric Power Supply company was set up. Today the extension of the Tata Group is really remarkable.Tata offers management,economic and financial services.It offers great services in investments and market shares.It is linked to consumer durables like tea,watches,gold,diamonds ; information and communication systems like TCS,Nelco,Tata Infotech,VSNL,Tatanet. Current Financial Crisis: Due to the global financial market crisis,the demand in the steel and its related products has led a drop down.But Tata Steel has still expressed the tendancy for the best possible outcome about retaining its position as one of the worlds largest steel makers.According to media reports ,in October 2008,company vice president ,Partho Sengupta claimed that Tata steel was deliberately well planned to handle the current financial crisis. Awards and Achievements: The Tata Steel was awarded Deming Application Prize in 2008 for Total Quality Management. It is very clear that the leaders are very clear about what they are making and also very flexible about how it gets made.The leaders can make and remake organizations.Jamshedji and Tata were such leaders who were succeeded in embarking on brand building expedition and whose goal was to unify the distinct and diffuse enterprise . Tata brand has strengthen its leadership position on all parameters and those parameters includes knowledge of the business environment,dynamism,workplace quality,quality of products and services ,consistency,reputation and renowed. The Tata Group can be called as a unique assest which represents Leadership with Trust. It provides complete management and financial resources to emerge and develop globally competitive skills to succeed in this endeavor.Tata has strong values where vision and mission comprises of ensuring growth and developing sustainable value to all stakeholders.It mainly focus on the culture of sustainability.It believes in collaboration mea ns it believes in achieving success through teamwork,within employees and partners.Its values composes of care or concern about the well being of its employees and bettering its standards continuously with passion and pride. According to Ratan Tata,in addition to good leadership and management,loyalty must be earned by managers and employees.Hes gentle,kind manner give rise to loyalty and yet he encourages his manager to make tough decisions. I am highly inspired by the leadership skills and motivating styles of such great leaders who have really worked for the growth and prosperity of the nation.Their inspirational motivations associates them to commit to the vision of the organization which in turn had also encourage the employees to reach the goals.I firmly believe that their innovations and creativity had really has a challenging effect on the normal beliefs of the people.They are the real leaders who had individual consideration with each of its associates which help them to reach goals of the organization.Today the Tata group is a renowned company which inspires confidence in its employees,encourage employees to volunteer to perform tasks and high employee satisfaction.This is the reason why the leading brand of Tata group is able to maintain its position and becoming better with its own authenticity.Today,Tata deals with its costumers worldwide countries like China,Japan,Malaysia,Singapore,France,Germany. It is ver y true that the teamworks within any organization helps businesses to overcome all kinds of problems whether it is internally or externally.Moreover,corporate teamwork covers the whole information on how people can expand their knowledge through teamwork and how teamwork helps organization build and grow.Tata is a global growing company where employees keep emerging with their ideas of innovation.The big reason for this is the brand recognition of Tata.According to the Economist blogs,Tata has interests ranging from mineral water to steel.It has also become the symbol of Indias growing overseas.Its transformation into global scale is very large.

Kenya culture

Kenya culture 1.0 Introduction Development is a multifaceted concept that is determined by different aspects including the resources and the intellectual capacity of using the resources to attain this goal. Governments that have attained this goal are democratic and provide for their citizens with ease. It is also worth noting that the process of development is long term and it calls for some degree of commitment and focus from all stakeholders. This paper analyses the development process of Kenya in light of different theories. Its major aim is to identify key areas that could require attention in order to steer the country to self sufficiency. This invaluable information will be obtained from different primary and secondary sources. Kenya is located in Eastern Africa between latitudes 4 North and 4 South and longitudes 34 East and 41 East. It is bordered to the east by Somalia and the Indian Ocean, to the west by Uganda, to the north by Ethiopia and Sudan and to the south by Tanzania. Its GDP has declined in the recent past to $10.4 and its per capita income stands at US$360 (GOK, 2009). Relatively, its social indicators have also declined just like its economy. Infant mortality stands at 78 per 1000 births and life expectancy declined to 46 years due to the effect of HIV/ Aids pandemic. There is persistence hunger with the children being the most affected. Statistics show that 19% of children under the age of five are under weight (GOK, 2009). The literacy level is presently at 85.1% and the country is characterized by high levels of inequality reflected through unequal distribution of resources. 2.0 Research Findings 2.1 Dependency versus Modernization theory The dependency theory is applicable to the Kenyan economy and it is manifested through the country’s economic state. Over the years, this country has been dependent on loans from the IMF and the World Bank to run its operations. According to the World Bank, today, Kenya has a debt of $ 6.34 billion which it is still servicing. It also highly depends on international economic aid from international countries in cases of natural disasters like famine, floods and diseases. Due to its dependency on the developed nations, the country is susceptible to economic sanctions from the countries it relies on. In addition, the country’s condition has also been contributed to by the increased movement of capital to the west. To this end, the country exports most of its cash produce to the industrialized countries and due to the poor economic state, it has also lost its expertise to other nations as they look for greener pastures. Hence this condition has led to under development in this country. However, if the country adopted the modernization theory with regard to development, it would actually attain the first world level, owing to the fact that it is endowed with a rich natural resource base. In addition, good governance and democracy could be very instrumental in helping the country to attain these heights. 2.2 Religion and Politics Though closely interlinked, religion in Kenya does not influence the entire working of the state. In this respect, religion acts as a check to politics, just like the role played by the media and civil society in the same. Religion in Kenya is used to highlight political aspects that are defective but not entirely change them. However, the state can control religious activities whenever they are deemed insecure or are a threat to state security. It is should also be indicated that that to some extent, the state manipulates religion for its benefit. For instance, politicians in Kenya use the church as a media to communicate their perceptions regarding any political issues in the country. Religion is also highly acknowledged in the country and can be very influential in initiating change and democracy. 2.3 Democracy and Dictatorship Since independence, Kenya was ruled by one party until 1992 when pressure mounted and the country adopted multiparty. The then leader, president Moi assumed leadership again until 2002 when the other parties formed a coalition which led to his defeat. In 2007, there was a dispute over the presidential results between the reigning NARC Kenya coalition party referred to as Part of National Unity (PNU) and the then opposition party ODM. According to the then electoral commission, the chairman was forced to announce President Kibaki as a leader which was contrary to the results in ODM’s party. This implies that the electoral commission lacked credibility and professionalism when executing its duties. In deed, this was way under the international standards and expectations. This led to clashes but later on, under the mediation of Koffi Annan, the two parties agreed to form a coalition government. The country is now headed by a coalition government that has a president and the prime minister. The absence of an official opposition party has led to increased corruption and other evils like impunity by the government officials. The role of putting the government in check has been left at the mercy of the civil society, religion and the media. Although these flaws in governance are always highlighted, little is done to correct them and the media, church and the civil society are virtually a toothless dog. As a result, democracy, besides its fundamental role in development has not been fully achieved in the country. 2.4 Ethnic cultural divisions The disputed 2007 election results made the country to adopt a coalition government for leadership. It is because the country went up in clashes and all tribes fought against the most dominant tribe that the president belongs. Hence the countries leadership was divided between two factions that were representatives of different tribes in the country. Currently, plans are underway to restore peace within all the ethnic classes. In the course of actualizing this reality, the Kenyan government formed a truth and reconciliation commission charged with the responsibility of restoring peace. In addition, most of the refugees that resulted from the post poll clashes have returned to their homes and are rebuilding their lives. Furthermore, the culture of impunity, which has been shunned internationally is being effectively addressed as the Kenyan government has been given an ultimatum to either form local tribunal or have the people who perpetrated the post poll clashes be taken to the Inter national Criminal court. Although this trend is democratically encouraging, studies indicate that if it is no handled carefully, it could result in to ethnic clashes again. The subject is very sensitive because apparently, the perpetrators of post poll clashes are senior government officials and political leaders. These people are very influential and can incite the local communities to fight again. However, if the process goes through peacefully, and the post poll perpetrators are apprehended accordingly, this will be a clear sign that the country is moving towards democracy. To this end, the culture of impunity is unlikely to recur in future. 2.5 Women and Politics Despite the fact that women in Kenya form almost 52% of the entire population, they are widely discriminated against by their male counterparts (GOK, 2009). Indeed, there is a very low representation of women in different sectors of the Kenyan economy including but not limited to education, employment, entrepreneurship and political decision making. Although the Kenyan constitution gives women an equal chance to participate in politics, they always face challenges during campaigns as the political environment in Kenya is majorly anti- women. These challenges range from economic constraints and discrimination to physical abuse where they are raped and beaten. Generally, the representation of women in politics has increased at a snail’s pace since independence. This has also been perpetuated by the cultural and traditional perception of the role of women in the society. Due to the affirmative action adopted recently, women have had a 30% representation in the government. This has led to a significant number of women being nominated as members of parliament. Generally, Handleman’s assumptions are reflected in the Kenyan politics as women, despite being able to provide effective leadership, have been deprived of this chance by the patriarchal society that characterizes his country. 2.6 Globalization Globalization in Kenya has presented both negative and positive implications to all the sectors of the economy. By opening up to the global markets, Kenya is in position to sell its excess produce to other countries. For instance, a significant amount of Kenya’s exports that come from Agriculture are sold to other countries. This has provided the country with foreign exchange and enhanced the living standards of the local farmers. Also, the free movement of information and equipment has seen Kenya adopt various technologies in production. This has in return improved their quality of goods and services to meet the international standards. In addition, increased foreign investment has enabled Kenyans to secure jobs and hence improve their standards of living. Furthermore, globalization has enabled the country to have a taste of the ‘foreign’ culture and generally get exposed to more westernized practices. However, globalization has also presented serious problems to this developing country. In particular, the increased economic production has led to governance problems because the country lacks the capacity to effectively implement and enforce viable policies. Further, the movement of capital to developed countries has deprived this country the chance to develop economically. In addition, the weak environmental policy framework in the country has provided ideal conditions for foreign investments to pollute the Kenyan environment and currently, its environment is degraded. Above all, Kenya has adopted globalization as a full package without identifying the aspects that are detrimental to the performance of its economy. As a result, even with the beneficial aspects of globalization, the country still faces economic decline. Being a highly fragmented country that is characterized by inequality and corruption, globalization just propagates this condition. To this effect, the political leaders are known to amass wealth through corrupt deals. This includes cash, national assets and land that is easily grabbed by the politicians. Hence the gap between the poor and the rich in the country continues to expand everyday. Instead of protecting its individuals, the government officials, through corruption have made the Kenyan people even poorer. Tribalism has permeated to the roots of the country and employment for instance, depends on ‘who knows who’ policy as opposed to the professional qualifications. Coupled with insecurity, this condition has not impressed the investors and they are pulling out of the country steadily. It should be acknowledged that if this trend is allowed to continue, Kenyans are bound to stay in poverty for so long. 2.7 Revolutionary change/Soldiers and politics With regard to the military, Kenya is a stable country whose president is the commander in chief of the same. Concerns however have been raised with regard to extra judicial killings that were carried out by the police during the post poll clashes. Seemingly, the officers were working under directives from their authorities. This is certainly a move that contravenes the provisions of democracy and therefore it should be shunned. Further, the police force in the country is experiencing a considerable degree of tension because of rivalry between the administration police and other disciplines. This should be taken in to consideration and timely interventions taken to avoid possibility of an outbreak of war between the factions. It is because such a condition can compromise the stability of the whole country. 2.8 Social and Health problems in Kenya This country is faced with a myriad of social problems that pose different challenges to the population even as it grapples with the failing economy. Most significantly, the rate of crime in this country has increased a lot with many incidences of armed robbery and car jacking being reported. In the recent past, the trend has changed slightly and now there are many cases of kidnapping. This can be attributed to the increased unemployment especially of the youth. There are also cases of drug abuse and trafficking. This practice is rampant in the coastal town where drugs are sold to tourists by the unemployed youth. The youths also abuse these and severe cases have been reported even in Central Kenya. The drugs are also trafficked to other countries and most recently, some Kenyan youths are facing a death sentence in China because of being caught trafficking drugs. Child and spouse abuse is yet another social ill that characterizes the country. This takes different forms ranging from child labor to child trafficking. Because of the increasing levels of poverty in the country, most children are dropping out of school in order to complement the parents’ efforts of looking for food. They resort to providing labor in large farms and working as house helps in urban areas. Unfortunately the government is doing so little to address this scenario. Children are also sexually abused by strangers as well as their parents. To this end, there have been many incidences of children being raped by their parents who are charged with the responsibility of protecting them. In extreme instances, these children are even infected with HIV and AIDs. Also, in some families, women have often complained of sexual abuse from their spouses. Unfortunately, the Kenyan constitution does not provide legislation for this. The country is also faced with very many health challenges emanating from diseases such as AIDs, Malaria and Tuberculosis. HIV and Aids has been a major threat to the Kenya’s health as infection rates continue to soar. Recent studies affirm that the disease prevalence in Kenya doubled from 5.1% in 1990 to 10.6% in 2003 (GOK, 2009). This has left most children as orphans further making them more susceptible to social ills. These children discontinue their education in order to take care of their siblings. This trend is attributable to the poverty conditions that characterize these people as well as lack of information about the disease and limited resources to manage it. Malaria is another disease that affects the Kenyan population significantly. Studies indicate that round 70% of the Kenyan population is at risk of this threat, implying that indeed, this is a national problem (GOK, 2009). Specifically, expectant mothers and children under the age of five are the most susceptible. This disease continues to claim Kenyan lives despite the effort of the government in addressing the same. The third most dangerous disease is tuberculosis. It is highly contagious and claims so many lives in Kenya. It is associated with HIV and AIDs and its treatment takes a long period of time and is very expensive. However, the government provides this treatment to its citizens free of charge and thus the increasing death levels are majorly caused ignorance and increased resistance levels. Other diseases that pose a threat to the country include outbreaks of cholera, Ebola and other communicable diseases. Usually, this occurs as a result of the government’s delays in addressing the outbreaks as well as lack of enough resources to effectively contain the diseases. 3.0 Conclusion Certainly, from the above discussions, it is notable that the development of a country solely depends on the country’s individual effort. Of course there are different external factors that determine the rate of development but the ultimate goal of attaining this condition is determined by the country. Specifically, rational and viable policies are important in achieving this desirable state. Again, despite the fact that external factors determine the rate of development, the country can hasten this process by adopting positive attitudes. Further, putting in place adequate indicators to measure this development can also have a positive impact on the rate of development as the authorities will occasionally make changes best suited to attain this state. Generally, Kenya is a country that is endowed with enough resources to cater for its needs and provides enough social amenities for its citizens. The major impediment to attaining this goal lies in the poor governance and over dependence on foreign aid. The country should critically analyze its governance and address these concerns accordingly. It should be acknowledged that governance to a great extent determines the type and rate of development of a given country. Indeed, the country’s governance dictates how various resources are sourced used to benefit the citizens. In addition, it determines how the country’s resources are distributed to different parts of the country to be used by citizens in line with priority areas. Apparently, there is need for a paradigm shift with regard to governance in Kenya. However, the ability to achieve this state lies in the Kenyan citizens who have the mandate to elect into power individuals that are development conscious. This can on ly be achieved through education and capacity building as the literacy levels is still very low. 4.0 Reference Government of Kenya, (2009): The Profile of the Republic of Kenya. Nairobi: Government Press.

Comparing Education for Leisure and Miracle on St. David’s Day :: Carol Ann Duffy Gillian Clarke Poems Essays

Comparing Education for Leisure and Miracle on St. David’s Day This essay will explore the similarities and differences between the two poems ‘Education for leisure’ which was written by Carol Ann Duffy and ‘Miracle on St. David’s Day’ by Gillian Clarke. The theme focused on the poems is ‘outsider’. In ‘Education for Leisure’ the man is an outsider because he is being ignored, however in ‘miracle on St. David’s Day’, the patient is well taken care of but is an outsider in his mind because he is sick and cannot speak. He wants to be an outsider so that no one can notice him. Firstly, the poem ‘Education for leisure’ creates a negative atmosphere caused by the treacherous outsider. Every stanza concludes with a full stop. The poem has five verses overall. Duffy has written this poem in the style of a diary, rather than constructing the words to rhyme. This is shown by the word ‘I’. She has also used metaphors to express the circumstances ‘†¦boredom stirring in the streets.’ This phrase shows that the day is awfully uninspired and no one is in prospect. This day is like any other day for the man because his life is filled with sadness. He feels uninspired and may feel frustrated due to the ‘boredom’. He wants to destroy something, ‘I am going to kill something.’ This phrase is directly alerting the reader that the man is unstable and is enthusiastic to kill. He is too weak and defenceless to kill a living thing so he mentions of victimising an object. It also indicates that the poem is occurring in the present tense. Duffy has used this to add to the tension in the mind of the speaker. The self-centeredness of the speaker appears in the repeated use of "I", "me", "my". ‘I have had enough of being ignored†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ this shows that the people around him do not take enough consideration towards him, therefore he feels insecure and abandoned. He has no one to express what he is feeling because he feels isolated. Duffy creates an image of a lonely, desperate man that desires to be heard so the reader’s emotions would be pitiful. The writer wants the reader’s emotions to be sympathetic towards the character. The speaker has no idea what he is saying so he constantly changes the subject this is referred to by the quote: ‘We did that at school. Shakespeare. It was in another language and now the fly is in another’ this quote does not make sense due to the fact that the speaker keeps changing the topic he is talking about.

Introduction to Provencal :: essays research papers

Introduction to Provencal Provenà §al was originally used in all the south of France, as far north as Poitou, Limousin and the Dauphinà ©. Romance language descended from Latin. XIth century Earliest texts (3) survive from XIth century. La Chanson de Sainte Foy (1033) is the only one of real merit. XIIth Century Period of the early troubadours. Dominant genre lyric poetry, especially the chanson (love poetry); also important, sirventes (satire); moral and religious poetry and the partimen (debate poetry). Principal poets: Guillaume IX of Aquitaine, Marcabru, Jaufrà © Rudel, Cercamon, Bernart de Ventadour, Bertran de Born, Arnaut Daniel and Raimbaut d’Aurenga. Wrote for a society where patronage was the rule. Poetry governed by strict conventions as regards rhyme and metre. Music very important. Poets were usually composers as well and set their poems to music. Society destroyed by the Albigensian Crusade (first part of the thirteenth century). Many southern lords destroyed or impoverished and replaced by northern invaders. Deathblow to troubadours, many of whom fled to Aragon and Italy where troubadour poetry continued to enjoy great prestige. Dante admired the troubadours very much. XIIIth century XIIIth century sees poetry continue with poets like Peire Cardenal and there are some surviving poems, which show that there was an epic tradition (Daurel et Beton), and a romance tradition (Jaufrà © and Flamenca). XIVth century Poetry becomes conventional with few outstanding poets, but real efforts to preserve the traditions and language. 1323 foundation of the Consistori del Gai Saber. The Jeux Floraux at Toulouse where prizes were awarded to the best poets. Religious poetry flourished (La Vida de Sant Onorat) and there was some epic poetry (Ronsasvals). Some theatre and prose especially religious (Barlaam et Josafat), but also secular (Melusino, Chronique de Montpellier). XVth century A period of decline in quality and quantity. Some theatre (les mystà ¨res rouergats and alpins), some prose (Chronique des Comtes de Foix et seigneurs du Bearn by Michel Bernis 1445). Period when Provenà §al writers are turning towards French for political and prestigious reasons. XVIth century Despite the à ©dit de Villers-Cotterets (1539) enforcing the use of French in official documents, a period of some revival. Particularly inGascony where the efforts of the navarese Kings to maintain their independence meant some of Gascon. Pey de Garros (1565) wrote Psaumes for Jeanne d’Albret. Guillaume du Bartas (also wrote in French) and Auger Gaillard (Lou Banquet 1583 republished three times) both use Gascon. In Provence Louis Bellaud (1543-88) and Pierre Paul poets of some merit with many followers.

Analysis of Durkheim’s “The Elementary Forms of Religious Essay

As described in Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, a totem is apparent in every society. A totem is a symbolic figure of some creature, being, or thing that represents the sanctity and principle of god. Essentially, a totem is a profane, ordinary object that has been deemed by society to have some holy, sacred characteristics. With this being said, the object itself does not have any holy or sacred qualities; rather it is merely the representation of the totem that holds these characteristics. For example, if a society’s totem is a turtle then an actual turtle would merely be a turtle, but when the turtle is presented as a totemic emblem then this symbolic representation of the turtle is sacred. Durkheim argues that, because the totem is a socially constructed representation of god then the totem itself represents society as well. Durkheim makes this assumption evidently clear by stating that â€Å"the god of the clan, the totemic principle, can therefore be nothing else than the clan itself, personified and represented to the imagination under the visible form of the animal or vegetable which serves as totem. From this, one can conclude that Durkheim viewed the worship of totem as worshipping society. Durkheim goes on to make the argument that god and society are â€Å"equivalent. † God is an outside, figurative force that holds the people worshiping it to certain manners and actions. The act of worshipping said god or totem is an indication that the follow ers, believers, or worshipers are dependent upon this force to determine the actions they partake in, the behaviors they exhibit and so on. God and religion exist in order to keep people â€Å"in line† via ritualized activities and setting moral and ethical guidelines that people abide by. Society, in and of itself, possesses the same qualities. The norms and values of a society, which for the most part have been incorporated into the moral and ethical guidelines laid out in the society’s religion, are followed whether or not they are in line with the individuals intrinsic nature. Because of this characteristic, society is itself an outside force that people are dependent on, whether or not they acknowledge it. Lastly, Durkheim acknowledges that these ritualized activities and shared moral values foster the social solidarity and cohesion of society. By partaking in shared activities, whether it be the Islamic ritual of praying to Allah multiple times a day, the American tradition of singing of the national anthem before the first pitch of a baseball game, or the Catholic ritual of aking communion, we are acknowledging that we belong to a group or society. Common activities help establish what Durkheim refers to as â€Å"collective consciousness†, that is a specified set of beliefs and values that are common to members of a given society or group. Praying to the same god or praising the same society, which according to Durkheim are one in the same, encourages the development and maintenance of a collectively held set of morals, values, ethics, and belief s.

Case Study “Scouts Canada” Essay

Question 1 Using the full spectrum of segmentation variables, describe how Scouts Canada could segment its market place. Scouts Canada is a Canadian organization; therefore the organizations segmentation strategy is primarily geographic. The company focuses on the Canadian market, including all provinces and territories of the country. Based on what the organization wants to accomplish Scouts Canada should dedicate their marketing strategies to study and segment the market based on demographics (age, family size, life cycle) and psychographics. Demographic Segmentation fragments the market into categories according to different demographic factors, usually with regards to the wants and needs of multiple consumer groups. The organization provides opportunities for many people of different ages and gender. Whether people want to participate in a program, volunteer, or strive to be a leader. Scouts Canada caters to their target market and offers incentives to attract people in various life cycles. The programs of Scouts Canada are aimed at different age groups: Beaver Scouts (5-7), Cub Scouts (8-10), Scouts (11-13), Venture Scouts (14-17), and Rover Scouts (18-26). They can tailor their programs to those with large families, in which each member can feel included and involved. Psychographic segmentation – this marketing strategy incorporates the lifestyle aspect approach, because part of their mission is to provide adventure, healthy active living, getting outdoors and learning how to be environmentally friendly and responsible, etc. Question 2 What changed first: the potential scouts member or the scouting experience? Explain your response by discussing the principles of market targeting. â€Å"It began with a vision. It was nurtured with passion. It will succeed through action.† In accordance with their targeting strategy differentiated marketing, the organization strived to alter and improve their scouting experience to appeal to a larger number of scout members by customizing separate offers to appeal to appropriate segments. They updated their programs to have an increase in appeal to a broader range of members. In doing so they also created more volunteering spots as to provide easier access and increase opportunities. They also increased their appeal to younger members by providing potential for leadership growth. In addition they had the uniforms redesigned by Joe Fresh, an innovative Canadian designer. Also they intensified their environmental campaign and centric values by planting trees, promoting recycling, and other projects. To further promote their new image they published a simple and effective scouts manual, detailing new information, as well as designing a new logo and bilingual motto to appeal to the countries two official languages. Finally they fabricated new print advertisements that highlighted health issues such as obesity, and â€Å"quirky† ads, which captured the public interest. Question 3 What steps did Scouts Canada take to reposition its offering? An initial aspect that Scouts Canada has reconstructed is their experiences, with the hopes of expanding their potential scout member range. The case study stated that members would start when they were very young and lose interest after a few years. So one of the things Scouts Canada had to do was find a way to retain them past those few years. The reason why Scouts Canada faced its loss of potential members was because they failed to understand their market segments. They could not tailor their product or ‘membership’ so that it would meet the needs of more individuals; they just kept a simple plan across the board. Because they did not apply differentiation and understanding of the cultural shift towards â€Å"being green† they suffered a high member loss between 1996-2000. Question 4 Will Scouts Canada ever return to the membership levels its experienced in the 1960? Why or why not? Scouts Canada has the potential to reach equal or higher membership levels than in 1960, (maximum member period), but only if they continue to take certain actions. They need to target specific groups of people who focus on being â€Å"Green† and invironmentaly friendly, as well as creat valuable exciting experiances for all. Scouts Canada’s target market is relatively sturdy, and there stands much to be harnessed from it. Conclusion Since the internal and external reefurb of the organization, membership has increased in every province. Almost 6000 scouting groups have increased membership by over 15%. Scouts Canada should strive to continue to watch and analyze the changing market, and adjust its marketing and retention strategies accordingly. They should also Implement a stronger training program for scout leaders, as they are the future of the company. Finally, they should seek to increase their efforts in focusing on alumni members because experienced members serve to help in grounding the organization and further legitimize the company’s existence. Thanks to the innovative marketing strategy, the new company branding has proven a successful overall increase in acquiring new members, and maintaining loyal participation throughout the country.