Aristotle vs Plato Essay

Aristotle and Socrates and Plato’s beliefs have similarities mainly evident in their denouncement of democracy for the state. The views of Socrates expressed and written by his pupil Plato are vastly philosophical in nature and he promotes the idea of questioning life to achieve insight. The philosophers who possess the absolute truth are the best equipped to rule society according to Plato and his Allegory of the Cave. Conversely, Aristotle takes a more political science approach of discussing and analyzing various constitutions to determine the best form of government, where the rational beings in a society are the natural rulers. Aristotle promotes the idea of rule based on law rather than simple superiority. The differences in these beliefs are important because of the implications of Aristotle’s writings, which provide a way for citizens and statesmen to utilize philosophy in politics and the state. Consequently, information in Politics is seen again throughout modern politics. The similarities of Aristotle’s beliefs expressed through his writings in Politics to the beliefs of Plato and Socrates expressed in the recorded dialogues of The Republic are centered mainly on a fear of democracy. Aristotle asserts that only those who are concerned with virtue and good government should be the leaders in a society or community (CP 325). In Book III of Politics Aristotle describes what the role of the majority should be in politics, By means of these considerations, too, one might solve the problem mentioned earlier and also the related one of what the free should have authority over, that is to say, the multitude of the citizens who are not rich and have no claim whatsoever arising from virtue. For it would not be sage to have them participate in the most important offices, since, because of their lack of justice and practical wisdom, they would inevitably act unjustly in some instances and make mistakes in others. (CP 325) Through this view, Aristotle expresses his distrust of a total democracy that is parallel to the ideas of his mentors. Plato attacks democracy and describes the disbursement of political freedom to the masses as an intoxication of wine, claiming that a democratic city â€Å"gets drunk on too much unmixed freedom† (Plato). Plato details the filtration of this â€Å"drunkenness† from society disobeying rulers trickling down to the son disrespecting the father and eventually â€Å"equal rights in relations between the sexes† (Plato). Plato and Aristotle share this skepticism of democracy. The limitation of freedom, liberty, and equality not only with regards to mistrust of democracy but also in terms of denial of citizenship and justification of slavery are commonalities in the teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Plato accepts slavery throughout The Republic, because he often deems whole groups of people unworthy of freedom. Aristotle’s justifies slavery through the characteristic of rationality; he claims that there is a condition of â€Å"natural slavery† where when one being is rational and the other is not, there is a natural master-slave relationship (CP 309). â€Å"For if something is capable of rational foresight, it is a natural ruler and master, whereas whatever can use its body to labor is ruled and is a natural slave† (CP 309). These justifications of slavery make neither Plato nor Aristotle egalitarians. Aristotle and Plato both express the importance of excellence, each in different ways. Plato believes that humans are working towards excellence when they are pursuing that which they are best suited for based on the division of men into three classes: lovers of wisdom, victory, and profit (Plato). Aristotle claims that the excellence of human beings is achieved through their participation in the state, and performing their functions in society, he relies less on the caste system of Plato and more on the capability of the individual. Socrates and Plato illustrate the idea of the unawareness of humanity and its lack of enlightenment through the Allegory of the Cave. In this analogy, Plato presents a society of prisoners living in a â€Å"cavelike underground dwelling† where they have been chained foot and neck since childhood (â€Å"PLATO,? ALLEGORY? OF? THE? FORMS? FROM? THE? REPUBLIC†)). The prisoners can only see a wall directly in front of them and behind them is a fire; between the prisoners and the fire is a road that people walk along carrying things on their heads, including figures of men and animals made of wood, stone, and other materials which cast shadows on the wall in front of the prisoners (â€Å"PLATO,? ALLEGORY? OF? THE? FORMS? FROM? THE? REPUBLIC†)). Some of the people on the road talk, creating echoes in the cave. The prisoners regard these shadows and sounds as reality, as it is all they have ever known of the world. Plato and Socrates then present the situation of a prisoner who escapes from the cave, and after adjusting to the light, realizes the true nature of reality and â€Å"after that he’d contemplate the heavenly bodies and heaven itself by night, finding starlight and moonlight easier to look at than sunlight and the sun† (â€Å"PLATO,?ALLEGORY? OF? THE? FORMS? FROM? THE? REPUBLIC†). Eventually the prisoner would contemplate the sun and â€Å"conclude that this is the giver of seasons and years, curator of all in the visible sphere, the cause somehow of all that he used to see† (â€Å"PLATO,? ALLEGORY? OF? THE? FORMS? FROM? THE? REPUBLIC†). The prisoner returns to the cave, only to be doubted and misunderstood by the other prisoners. In this parable, the philosopher is like the prisoner who escapes, and is the person has seen the true reality and has been enlightened to the truth. Through this analogy, Plato describes who he believes should govern society. Since it is the philosophers who have seen true reality and understood absolute truth, they are the best suited to rule in society. Thus, the consequences of the ideas presented in the Allegory of the Cave are a ruling class of enlightened philosophers who will direct the city towards absolute truth and harmony. The differences between the philosophies of Aristotle and Plato are manifest in Aristotle’s dismissal of the Allegory of the Cave. Aristotle rejects the idea of an absolute truth, and stresses rationality rather than enlightenment as determining characteristics of a ruling class. Aristotle focuses on the importance of citizenship in Politics and the participation in the state. Aristotle claims that if indeed there are several kinds of constitution, there cannot be a single virtue that is the virtue -the complete virtude -of a good citizen, but that the good man, does express a single, complete virtue, and thus, it is possible for someone to be a good citizen without having the virtue expressed by a good man (CP 322). Aristotle challenges the idea of absolute governing power of a select class of philosopher kings that is presented by Plato and Socrates and identifies the problems that are raised by such a ruling class. The way Socrates selects his rulers is also risky. He makes the same people rule all the time, which becomes a cause of conflict even among people with no merit, and all the more so among spirited and warlike men. Aristotle assembles and exams constitutions and is in that way more of a political scientist than a philosopher, while Plato and Socrates focused on theoretical and metaphysical questions about the universe and the soul. Aristotle extends his analysis of constitutions and in doing so reveals serious political problems that would arise from Socrates and Plato’s view of governance. These problems would inhibit the individuals’ ability to participate in the state, something that Aristotle believes is essential to the good of individuals and the good of the community. Aristotle presents the problem of arising factions in Book V of Politics and states that if people have no share in office or are treated unjustly or arrogantly, the start factions and change constitutions (Moschella). Plato and Socrates believed that the philosophers knew what was best for all, and thus there would be no discontent or revolution. Aristotle’s explanation of factions caused by inequality challenges that notion and even advises increasing the middle class to help dissolve factions (Moschella). Aristotle also disagrees with the idea of the unified state presented by Socrates wherein the nuclear family is rejected and children are transferred throughout the community. Aristotle claims that the more unified a city-state becomes, the less of a city-state is becomes as city-states by definition require diversity (CP 310). This unity creates problems according to Aristotle who states, â€Å"For a household and a city-state must indeed be a unity up to a point, but not totally so. For there is a point at which it will, as it goes on, not be a city-state, and another at which, by being nearly not a city-state, it will be a worse one† (CP 310). The political consequences of the disagreements between Aristotle and Socrates/Plato are a liberalization of the class system, as well as new definition of virtue and purpose in the state. Aristotle’s description and advice about politics in his work allow for the appearance of a discussion about factions, the consequences of which are manifested many centuries later in the Federalist Papers. Aristotle describes ways to balance the interests of the few with the interests of the many, the interests of minority and the majority, and of the wealthy and the poor through his combination of oligarchy and democracy into polity. Through this idea of addressing factions and political interdependence Aristotle outlines the way to a lasting state. Aristotle’s claims of law, constitution, polity, factions, and citizenship all have comparability to many U. S. notions of political life; even his justification of slavery is reminiscent of the views of some founding fathers. Aristotle discovered and outlined many elements of early American political thought long before the existence of the United States. Aristotle himself said, â€Å"For practically speaking, all things have been discovered, although some have not been collected, and others are known about but not used† (CP 315). Work cited Moschella, Melissa. â€Å"Aristotle’s Politics Study Guide : Summary and Analysis of Book V†. GradeSaver, 01 May 2000 Web. 25 April 2013. Plato, . â€Å"The Republic. † . http://classics. mit. edu/Plato/republic. 10. ix. html, n. d. Web. 22 Apr 2013. . â€Å"PLATO,? ALLEGORY? OF? THE? FORMS? FROM? THE? REPUBLIC. † . N. p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. .

Globalization and inequality-short essay Essay

The process by which the lives of all people around the planet become increasingly interconnected in economic, cultural, political, and environmental terms, along with our awareness of such interconnections is known as globalization (Appelbaum, 2001). Globalization has pushed the world into the revolution of information. The planet has become connected through technological renovations and the interdependence of economic expansion. Nations have formed one agenda, one unit, and with it, emerges the concept of winners and losers. Globalization has increased the gap between rich and poor. As we form one world, the level of inequality rises, the strong nations get richer, and the weak nations get poorer. The retail business is revolutionizing due to globalization, yet inequality seems to be the intimidating factor that comes with it. Globalization is being driven by five major factors: customers, markets, technology, competition, and costs. The global marketplace exposes retailers to an unprecedented number of customers. The relaxation of trade barriers, creation of trade blocs, and opening of new markets has presented the world’s retailers with the option of going global. Outsourcing has made it possible for domestic companies in the United States and worldwide to increase profits by using â€Å"cheap labor† to produce the goods that consumers demand at a much lower price. â€Å"Minorities† from countries like Mexico,  Guatemala, and parts of Asia are exploited in the â€Å"global assembly line† in order for companies to gain prestige through outstanding economic efficiency. The dependency theory suggests that the poverty of low-income countries is the immediate consequence of their exploitation by the wealthy countries on which they are economically dependent (Appelbaum and Chambliss, 173). Third world countries are exploited in order for first world countries to get ahead in the national economic arena. Peasants work in international factories because it is the only way out of starvation; to choose to work is not a luxury of the poor, it is a means of survival. Like the social stratification that occurs within the US, the systematic inequalities will continue as we globalize, only the discriminated will now be the new foreign laborers. They become the losers in the game headed my national corporations. The winners are top executives of corporations like Gap Inc,  Nike, Guess, Adidas, and all the other major corporations in the world. Technology is a key facilitator, and the Internet is the great enabler. Technology has enabled retailers to shrink distances, integrate and connect value chains, and provide a rapidly increasing amount of information for storage, transfer, and use. Meanwhile, the Internet serves as a global channel, and provides retailers with unique opportunities, as well as challenges, for conducting business with both consumers and other businesses. As domestic markets become increasingly saturated, globalization represents a unique opportunity to attain competitive advantage, leveraging economic benefits such as improved economies of scale and increased bargaining power with many suppliers. The supporters of globalization claim that it leads to higher employment and therefore greater  prosperity, whereas opponents believe that globalization, in its current form, only serves to widen the gap between rich and poor. Economies of scale, pooling production and taking advantage of lower factor costs mean that business on a global scale can be cheaper; and lower costs give retailers more strategic options. Companies that do not necessarily want to support sweatshops feel pressure because of competition, competition that could offer lower prices and abundant amounts of production. Therefore, the way that we can promote change is by being educated consumers, and supporting companies that risk losing, for morality sake. Globalization is a double-edged sword; it is a game of win or lose. Though it provides an economic dependence of national manpower, many nations exploit each other in order to achieve profit and get ahead of the worldwide competition.

Leadership and Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership and Governance - Essay Example From this study stresses that  an organization can quantify the performance of its leadership system in several ways. The post mentions employee turnover as a way to measure the performance of a leadership team. Productivity is the result of appropriate leadership, and happy and empowered employees. The leadership team should create an environment of trust if they desire to have happy employees and create an environment in which employees can easily acquire knowledge.  This paper discusses that governance and management are synonymous. Every organization has a set of morals and principles that they conform to in order to ensure fluency in operations. The reporter agrees with the assertion that governance helps to create this environment, and is undoubtedly an important constituent of any organization that desires success. Appropriate governance strategies form a good relationship between the management, stakeholders, employees, and potential customers. Any loophole in governance may weaken the relationship between any of these parties. The result of a week relationship is always failure and inadequate productivity. The example given in the post about poor governance triggering unethical behavior is quite relevant. Unethical behavior often causes disharmony among employees, and often associates with legal consequences with the leadership team. In addition, there is a risk of stakeholders backing out if ethical and legal challenges riddle an organization.

Remembered person in yr life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Remembered person in yr life - Essay Example He has the gift of the gab and people can listen to his talk all day long. Indeed he is one of the brightest and smart kids within the whole family. It was not easy growing up with my brother as we never got along and would often end up fighting for petty issues. My parents had to intervene and break up the fights between us. There was always a competition between us and in the end it was I who had to sacrifice and my brother mostly won the laurels. I was different from my brother and was more of an extrovert and liked to mingle with friends and relatives. In short I preferred being myself and that was how I wanted to be known. I always had the intention that I knew it all while my brother always tried to talk to me about how I should behave, but I would simply roll my eyes and would never take his advice though I would know internally that what he said made sense. As time passed and as I moved to the United States to further my studies and my brother moved to India to study dentistr y, I began to realize how much I actually missed him. The realization that we were both getting older and that life is too short to be wasted dawned upon me during this time of separation. He was doing well academically and that inspired me to work hard in my studies and shine well. We also began to talk with each other and realized that we actually vibe well.

Business Excellence Module Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Business Excellence Module - Essay Example Modern organizations are undergoing turbulent economic times in today’s world and for their survival; each company should be ahead of the set benchmarks. Breakthroughs in technology and performance excellence are the most dominant requisites for a company to succeed. This business improvement methodology focuses on improvement of customer satisfaction. However, most of the firms today fall short of this important requirement. Six Sigma includes reduction of defects, reduction of cycle time and ensuring customer satisfaction. To achieve process improvement and variation reduction, this methodology attempts to implement the measurement based strategy. The methodology is hinged on two models, that is, DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design and verify) process and DMADV process. The first process focuses on existing processes that fall short of set specifications by putting more emphasis on incremental improvement. On the other hand, the former process tends to develop new proces ses. Six Sigma methodologies ensure application of structured methodology and process metrics to opportunities directly related to organizational goals. In addition, this methodology helps predications to model their business strategies to achieve critical improvement efforts, speed business results, accumulate resources to take advantage of the available opportunities and lastly to oversee that improvements are sustained. The financial metrics of Sigma model includes activity-based costing cost of poor quality amongst others. On the other hand, its contractual metrics comprises mean time taken to repair, cycle and lead time data, and the total amount of rework hours among others. However, it should be noted that collecting and computing of sigma metrics is not a guarantee for a company’s success, and thus, for a company to be successful,  it should apply these metrics in innovative means to solve the clients’ problems.  

Population control in India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Population control in India - Essay Example In a bid to control the Indian population crisis, the government should implement some of the notable approaches including the use of contraceptive, sterilization and population policies. This paper looks at some scholarly proposals and suggests ways of controlling India’s population crisis. According to the 2004 Gupta’s article review on population, the Project Small Family (PSF) is one of the population control demonstration projects that can assist in the control of human population in India. The implementation of the scheme is taking place in the tribal belts of central India. Under the program, the family planning methods is shifted to the women participants by encouraging model family customs voluntarily. The program promotes small family set ups through providing regulated financial aid to the poor women who in exchange follow a reproductive system stipulated by the program (Gupta, 2004). The program provides a platform where the control of population targets the poor, who are characteristically associated with uncontrolled births. The program may achieve what other traditional birth control methods have not achieved by pegging the financial aid to an agreement to birth control. The desire and enthusiasm of getting financial leverage in the current state o f economic turmoil may be a valid motivator to trigger effective birth control among the tribal population in India. The Indian government may follow suit to help the NGOs initiating such plans because it is a win-win situation in the fight against poverty and population control. Results from the demonstration of PSF in India are promising since it makes the poorest uneducated women of the society observe birth control measures based on the financial incentives they get. However, the method may fail in the event that such financial aids reduce. In her article, Sarah Hodges proposes that population control may take the concept of wise reproductive practices in the modern India. The method

The Castle doctrine in the state of Virginia Research Paper

The Castle doctrine in the state of Virginia - Research Paper Example It also gives examples of United States cases, where the Castle Doctrine laws have been applied. The state of Virginia, which is among the US states that have never implemented the Castle doctrine laws is also discussed, as well as the recent changes in the law in recent years. Finally, the paper highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the Castle Doctrine. Keywords: Castle Doctrine, Intruder, Victim, West Virginia, Statute, Self Defense The Castle Doctrine The law in most nations upholds the fact that every individual has a right to defend himself or herself against an attacker, in what is popularly referred to as self-defense. Carter points out that the permissions and powers held by individuals for their defense at their homes in case of attacks are contained in the Castle Doctrine (2012). The Castle Doctrine also deals with special cases of attacks committed towards individuals away from their homes. Gardner and Anderson define it as â€Å"the doctrine permitting people wh o have been assaulted in their homes by a trespasser to stand their ground and use such force as is necessary and reasonable to defend themselves† (2011, p. 137). According to the doctrine, a person’s home is his or her castle, and the home owner has the right not to retreat in case of an attack. The doctrine however allows this on the grounds that the attacker is a stranger or trespasser in the home, and not a co-occupant such as a housemate, spouse, or member of the family. Gardner and Anderson (2011) point out that â€Å"a minority of states have an exception to the â€Å"castle† doctrine that requires a co-occupant of a home to retreat (if safely possible) before using deadly force in self-defense† (p. 137). Origin of the Castle Doctrine The Castle Doctrine has its origins in the common law that was established thousands of years back. It is believed to have been established by Plotinus in AD 250. He stated that the only way an individual could save hi mself from an attacker was not by praying, but rather fighting the attacker (Hunter, 2012). The application of the Castle Doctrine can also be traced back to the Roman law between AD 530 and 533 by The Pandects, who urged that one’s home ought to be the safest place to live for anyone. The English law in the 1600s also upheld the doctrine and supported the statement that â€Å"a man’s house is his castle† (Hunter, 2012, p. 14). In 1690, John Locke, who was an influential political philosopher wrote that man has the right and permission to destroy anything that threatens him as well as to destroy any man that fights him. When the United States gained its independence in 1776, it was declared that pursuit of happiness, life and liberty are inalienable rights that all men, who are created equal, have (Hunter, 2012). The Castle doctrine is also mentioned in the United States constitution and the Second Amendment. Elements of the Castle Doctrine The mode of applicati on of the Castle Doctrine laws is different in different states. However, there are common conditions that basically apply to all states. These include the requirement or condition that a trespasser should have made or be making a trespassing attempt into a car, home or business (Experienced Criminal Lawyers, 2013). The second condition requires the attacker or intruder to truly be involved in an unlawful act, and this means that the intruder cannot be a law officer

Development and management of a visitor attraction Assignment

Development and management of a visitor attraction - Assignment Example This attraction site is popular and it accommodates more than fourteen million tourists per year. This is a place, which is appealing to visitors of different walks of life. The place usually has the cultural value and the dà ©cor and ambience admired by the visitors. The visitor attraction attraction site is also abundant of historical significance. In this regard, the place is expected to have extinct animals like the white elephants and other cultural artifacts. The definition of this term is usually difficult because it encompasses many attraction geographical aspects. It is also known as a tourist attraction sites. The term accommodates all categories of people ranging from the most affluent in society to the poorest in society (Todd, 2008). The tourist attraction is usually refers to a place where local and foreign tourists visit to see wild animals and other cultural artifacts belonging to different communities. The attraction site can be a museum. Tradition sisters also possess man-made beauty items. England has had a big sector for tourism for a long time. However, the economic downturn of 2008 affected the sector. The sector is boost by many visitors from the Western countries especially the US. The revenue collected from the tourists was estimate at $5.9 billion in the year 2010 .This indicates that the national budget of the country is funded by the tourism sector. Dickenson and Houston (2008) conjecture that there was a record high of 5.4 million tourists from the international community in the year 2011.The major attraction site for the visitors in US include the Lakes beach, the . In addition, the rainforests, the Pantanal and the sand dunes contribute to the many features, which attract many visitors into the country across the globe. The number of international tourists in England started increasing between the year 2000 and 2005. There was a steady growth in the number of

Enhancing Transit Passengers Experience at Hamad International Airport Research Paper

Enhancing Transit Passengers Experience at Hamad International Airport - Research Paper Example Rowley and Slack (1999) note that air travelers in transit are more likely to experience a sense of placelessness and timelessness, particularly because they travel across different time zones and between distant locations. Investigating the departure lounge of airports from the perspective of places where placelessness and timelessness could be exhibited, the researchers find that there is some level of sameness between passengers on transit, although their experience is influenced to some extent by cultural and national dimensions. As a result, the passengers’ sense of time and place may be softened but it is still present. De Barros et al (2007) also note that transit passengers in airports have different preferences and needs to destination and origin passengers, especially because they do not make use of access roads around the airport, while they are less likely to use some facilities in the airport depending on how the airport is configured, the type of transits, and se rvice quality of airlines. Investigating the views of transit passengers on service quality at terminal buildings, the researchers find that flight information display quality and security check staff courtesy are among the most important services for airport transit passengers. Fodness and Murray (2007), on the other hand, set out to investigate the expectations of passengers in the airport service industry with regards to service quality, exploring the perspective of airport passengers in relation to airport experience. In their findings, the researchers note that that the passengers’ expectations of service quality at airports are a hierarchical and multi-dimensional construct that involves three main dimensions of diversion, interaction, and function. By going beyond traditional measures of service performance in airports and using newer aspects of airport service quality like activity, it is possible to improve passenger experience and fulfill their expectations.  

Car Accident Essay Example for Free

Car Accident Essay Peter is nice man and a hard worker, but he is careless about his wife and family, his wife Carteria take care all the housework, he has been two month did not go home , he was on a business trip, when he arrived at home, Carteria is not at home , he look at his watch , it is already seven pm, Carteria should be at home with diner really. He makes a phone call to his wife, but no one pick up. He grap a buttle of water sit on sofa turn on the TV wait his wife to come home. he is tired from the work. Eventually he fall in sleep on sofa. When he wake up it already ten am at morning and he realize Carteria has not come home. He start to worry about her, keep calling her but no one pick up the phone. It was never happen befor, he try to find any number relate to Carteria,except her number he can not find anything, all the number are about his work, what is happen to her, he start nerves. He never care about her like that. He just tell himself she is going to be ok, she may just hang out with some friend, and forget about time, because Peter is not with her all the time, maybe she just feel longly sometime. All he has to do just be patience wait. He decide to sit on sofa to release his nerves, at same time he turn on the TV, he peer at photo just on the TV stander, he never know there is a photo. The picture is he and Carteria with lovely smile on the park. A news attract his attention, it is a car accident happen on a few block a way from his home yesterday. â€Å"Oh no no no, not her† Peter say . â€Å"A 42 years old man die in the accident† he shut off the TV and say â€Å"thanks god it is not happen her† he feels so release, he take out photo album and look at it. It remind his good memory with Carteria. He has been long time did not go out with his wife. Now he think about when she come back, he going to have a trip with her. Suddenly the door is open Carteria come back, Peter stand up from sofa and walk to the door, look at her with a happy face, he wants to say happy to see you again, but he does not finish what he say, because Carteria s face looks so sad something bad happen to her and the face can tell she has been cry, the tear still on her eyes. Then Peter just say â€Å"Hi what is happen to you† he does not answer it. She just take off her shoes, â€Å"where have you been ? † Peter say, she does not even look at him and walk straight to the room lock the door. Peter can hear Carteria is crying so hard in the room. Peter has no idear what is going on. He knock the door â€Å"what is happen to you† Peter ask, she does not answer it. Peter sits beside the door, wait when she gets better come out and ask her what happen about her. How long has she cry, peter can not remember Carterian come out ,she still does not talk to peter. She gets in to the car, peter sit beside her. Carteria drive the car. Finally they arrived at a funeral, â€Å"whom funeral is that† say peter. The most of member are his family and friends. When they walk close, Peter shock by the funeral. That is his own funeral, his name on the tombstone. Carteria cry again. Flash back Peter suddenly remember the car accident happen a few blocks a way from his home. It is he on his way go home hit by a car, and Carteria spend all night with him. He does not know she love him so much, but right now he has no chance to love her back.

Perceptions And Experiences Of Survivors Of Retrenchment Philosophy Essay

Perceptions And Experiences Of Survivors Of Retrenchment Philosophy Essay The preceding chapter justified the selected methodology as an appropriate research strategy in the framework created by the research problem and literature review. This chapter presents the findings obtained from the present study. It represents a thematic synopsis of the prevailing survivor responses obtained through three in-depth semi-structured interviews, where each core theme is described followed by a description of the contributory sub-themes within the core themes as well as aggravating factors (if applicable). Themes will be illustrated with direct quotations in a manner that adequately addresses the construed experiences of the interviewed survivors. The first core theme to emerge is the prevailing end state of survivors in the present study. The survivors demonstrated differing forms of denial, and these manifestations are illustrated as the subsequent three core themes, with their aggravating factors. The next core themes to emerge relates to the affective and behavioural responses of survivors throughout the retrenchment process. Finally, the theme underlying and giving rise to the other themes is that of the survivors perception of the company retrenchment experience. The chapter concludes with a critical discussion of the present study in light of previous research and literature in the field, and guidelines for organisations that are contemplating, or have already commenced, with retrenchments to reduce the anticipated negative effects of the retrenchment process. 5.2 RESEARCH RESULTS AND FINDINGS In this section, the themes obtained from the gathered data are considered. As previously noted, the interviewees were quoted verbatim these quotes are demarcated by the use of blue, italic text type. Journal and memo inclusions are demarcated by the use of italic text in shaded boxes. In order to illustrate the perceptions and experiences of survivors of retrenchment, the outcomes of the present study are represented in Figure 5.1. 5.2.1 Denial The first theme elicited from the interview transcriptions is that of survivor denial. Other researchers (De Vries Balazs, 1997; Greenhalgh Jick, 1989; Noer, 1993) have explored diverse defensive responses provoked by the retrenchment experience. One frequent and widespread response is denial, a defensive mechanism equally manifesting in both management and employees who is currently experiencing, or have recently experienced, retrenchment. Denial can be defined as unconscious negation of some or all of the total available meanings of an event to alleviate anxiety or other unpleasant condition. Denial covers situations in which individuals in words, act, or fantasies attempt to avoid painful reality. (Dorpat, 1983). Denial assisted the survivors in regulating their feelings of grief, thus protecting them from anxiety and pain by refusing to completely experience happenings that the survivor could not cope with. In this regard, there is a charm in denial, as it only lets in as much grief as can be handled. However, the survivors could not work through these initial stages of the grief cycle, and subsequently, became stuck in the denial phase. This outcome is the result of various contributing factors, which has been identified as themes supporting this end state. All three interviewed survivors were in a state of denial, as they had not developed or were not equipped with constructive coping mechanisms to deal with the stress and anxiety caused by the retrenchment process. According to Chapman (2009), individuals reactions to distressing events are as unique as a fingerprint. This is clearly demonstrated as the denial manifested in three forms, which will subsequently be discussed. Fish bowl reaction The first manifestation of denial was that of the Fishbowl effect this is characterised by the survivors experiencing a pervasive sensation of being under constant scrutiny from other employees affected employees in the organisation. The survivors are scrutinised as a result of their position within the company whether it be hierarchical position or divisional position. Although the mental process of denial cannot be observed directly, it can be inferred from verbal behaviour. To this effect, Cramer (1987) developed categories for identifying denial. Pertinent to the fish bowl effect are: Statements of negation: An individual contradicts an action, wish or intention, which, if acknowledged, would cause discontent, pain, anxiety or humiliation. Again, you know, and then it seems almost like the fairy tale situation where I am ecstatically happy you know, you get your days where you just want to dart out of here and it is too much Overly maximising the positive or minimizing the negative: Sizeable exaggeration or underestimation of a characters quality, size, power, role and authority. I was involved, sitting in at the meetings with some of the directors and general managerswe did discuss some of the positions that might fall awayI was involvedbut not the actual decision making. Survivors soon realise that working in this fishbowl, everyone scrutinizes what they are doing and because other employees can offer their critique, looking good becomes as important as doing the right thing. It appears that initially, the interviewees are intensely aware of the scrutiny and their role in the unpleasant exercise, however, in order to escape the anxiety that this creates; selected stimuli and observations are unconsciously denied. You are emotional when you in our function you cant be emotional, you need to kind of your emotions need to be put to the side to stay professional. So we were stretched, and I was stretched beyond that I thought that I could do or endure. But luckily we went through it. Further to this, in the fish bowl effect manifestation, considerable attention was given to the details of the issue as this served as a distraction enabling the survivors to avoid the affective whole. This was clearly demonstrated by one survivor who insisted that the company did not communicate the financial specifics for the severance package. However, when I reviewed the company documentation, this seemed to be the one element that was clearly and consistently communicated. Kets de Vries and Balazs (1996, 1997) reported similar findings. I would have handled the process in such a way that employees knew exactly what the package entailedknow where you are at lets have a look at maybe, how does your Provident Fund look like. Keep more information, so that people can make a more informed decision. In the present study, denial appeared to be an extension of the initial avoidance response. When reality threatened the survivors directly, and when the behaviours of avoidance were no longer adequate, the survivors turned to denial. The difference between denial and avoidance is the difference between passivity and activity, or between the tacit and the overt (Gottlieb, 2004). however, the meeting was postponed on the first occasion, due to the participant being too busy on the specific day. The interview was re-scheduled on this day, I had to remind the participant of the interview, yet the interview started 10 minutes late. I found it rather disturbing that the participant was rather non-committal with some of the answers, not committing to any specific viewpoint, but rather skirting the issue as to not tick anyone, thereby remaining on the fence. The participant seemed to take on the role of champion of the company, even though most answers pointed towards disagreement. During the interview, she spoke freely about relevant retrenchment issues, but it left me with a feeling of superficiality, as the issues raised were addressed fleetingly (this seems to be a denial in itself?) and the topic was consistently changed after a few minutes, almost contradicting what she said earlier. The change of topic occurred when discussions about emotions were further explored. It seems that the recall of intense emotional experience (negative) during the period of retrenchment creates feeling of anxiety that is denied and suppressed. Non-committal answers might be an attempt to deny negative experiences and or defend the company out of a sense of loyalty to organisation or defending own role in retrenchment. In the fishbowl state, the survivor is so preoccupied with doing the right thing and looking good to both management and employees that they consistently deny and bury their own emotional responses to retrenchment. This manifestation of this denial encompasses the alteration of language and logic to justify their behaviour (Cramer, 1987; Stein, 1997). Looking back on the entire process and where we are now, a year later you think it was a good business decision? At the time yes, for the business to continue, because we didnt know the economy was going to turn. Yes, I would say at that given point in time it could have been a good business decision. all affected people kind of made good business senseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I dont know if that makes any sense at all but made good business sense. So I think everybody would understand that none of this was a personal mission to get rid of anybody. It is possible that, as a consequence of prolonged denial in the fishbowl state, the survivors reasonable argument and cognitive schemata might be discarded altogether, because those strategies are not sustainable and are unable to persuade others; at which time the survivor will merely refer to their feelings or emotions as the exclusive justification. (Cramer, 1987). Placing all your eggs in the downsizing organisations basket It would seem that the strategies of retaining employees for the long-term have had negative, inadvertent consequences on the survivors seducing employees into a co-dependent relationship with the organisation. The co-dependent employees sense of value and identity is based on pleasing someone or something else. A lot of duality in this interview unhappy at work, yet wishing to stay, also expressing regret at not being retrenched, yet sacrificing her relationship to perform responsibilities at work. Defending abuse from management, yet complaining about management style. According to Noer (2009), benefits, services and office size are all advantages that reward seniority and tenure. In addition, Company X has in recent years placed more focus on employee wellness programmes, thereby channelling employees social patterns into organisationally endorsed activities. The result is that numerous employees have placed all of their emotional and social eggs in the organisational basket as the retrenchments were implemented and the new psychological contract unfolded, the basket has been dropped, and, according to Noer (1993), resulting in a range of negative survivor symptoms, such as fear and anxiety and triggering co-dependent behaviours like control and denial. The duality experienced could possibly be viewed as anxious denial there seems to be a swing from one extreme to the other, as if she cannot consolidate these conflicting emotions and feelings and the anxiety that this is causing. This denial and need for control is verbalised / acted out in the desire to have been retrenched. Due to the role that I fulfil on Organisation X, I have been privy to discussion about subsequent decisions made by this participant affecting / sacrificing her private life for the benefit of her career. As previously discussed, the higher the organisational level, the stronger the denial tends to be. It is therefore not surprising that the interviewee who most strongly displays this manifestation of denial, is the highest ranking employee interviewed. Although the concept of co-dependency will be discussed later in this section, it should be noted that previous research (Noer, 1993) indicated that co-dependants make themselves into permanent victims. It seems that perhaps this is the most salient characteristic of this manifestation of denial by denying any other role other than that of the victim, the survivor has rejected their role and accountability as part of the senior management team of Organisation X, as well as rejecting activities that should have been undertaken as part of management responsibility. Thereby effectively denying the extent to which her lack of action contributed to negative impacts on others, specifically the affected subordinates. A possible explanation for this unconscious decision is that it is an attempt to avoid guilt, and possibly shame. but with even like with subordinate I worked with, right until a week which before she moved, she didnt really know what was going to happen to her. She was told, Divisional Manager said to me, well maybe she would fit in with General Manager: XXXs department. So I went back, said to Subordinate, please set up a meeting with General Manager: XXX go speak to him, see what the job is all about. But nobody spoke to her I spoke to her said, lets make an appointment with General Manager: XXX.so nobody spoke to her, it wasnt like a person or thing. I know with Subordinate, nobody came to speak to her to say you know you are going to lose your position, but there is another position for you this is what it entails or set up an appointment with General Manager: XXX or anythingI would have like to just walked with my people a little bit more, so that theyre not so unhappy. There were lots of rumours and think from that aspect, maybe they were not as open as they should have been. This is congruent to two of Cramers (1987) characteristic of denial, namely the denial of reality whereby the survivor avoids addressing something that would be unpleasant to think about, in this case the loss of her subordinate to another department as well as her abdication of responsibility as departmental head. Secondly, statements of negation where the individual contradicts an action, wish or intention, which, if acknowledged, would cause discontent, pain, anxiety or humiliation. Further to this, and supporting the previous assertion of the strong denial of management responsibility, dissatisfaction with company direction, management credibility and long-term strategy were particularly strong amongst the most senior survivor interviewed, which is interesting as she is responsible for some of these functions. A lot of the instructions that were given are very short term. So, I think from an environment point of view, I just feel Im not learning as much as I could have, because everything is now killing the fires and its short term strategies, so you dont actually learn or develop and there is not time to develop as a person within the company. How would you describe your level of trust, in the management team of the company?very low trust. Because if something goes wrong, they blame somebody else. This candidate is part of senior management, yet seems to feel ostracized. Perhaps this is the reason for her projections? Further to the above, when psychological denial distorts reality, individuals are prone to make erroneous decisions or avoid complicated decisions and disregard serious problems; holding others responsible when things do not turn out as expected (Cramer, 1987). This finding is supported by subsequent verifiable information that became known to me recently as a result of the interview and my position within the organisation. one interviewee fluctuated between almost total denial of her accountability and role (as senior manager) in the retrenchment and repeated attempts to bring about her own death (Kà ¼bler-Ross, 1969) in the organisation. This self-sabotage took the form of non-performance, defiance when dealing with top management and ignoring communications. Some aggravating factors to this denial reaction must also be noted the first is the espoused value of the new psychological contract and secondly the presence of aggravating peripheral circumstances. These factors will be explored and discussed later in this section. Keeping up appearances: coping by not coping This manifestation is characterised by the minimisation of the overall effect that the retrenchment had on the survivors. Although feelings of uncertainty, stress and guilt had been experienced, there were some expressions of optimism and perceptions that Company X engaged in a tough, but necessary activity to get or keep the company on track toward profitability. I think for anybody this is a very difficult exercise to go throughà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ there was not you dont need to worry, it is never going to happen, youre safe. There was never any of that false hope created. I dont know if that makes any sense at all but made good business sense. Unfortunately, as a business, this is the only way we can survive. This technique has been termed denial of injuries by Gandolfi (2009) and pertains to survivors involved in the retrenchment process maintaining that retrenchment victims did not suffer any detrimental consequences. In the aforementioned study, this was the reaction where victims were provided with generous severance packages. The findings of the current study in consistent with this, as all interviewed survivors exhibited a manifestation of denial and without fail, referred to the generous severance packages. Well, I looked at the packages and I know that they were really good based on obviously you know what the packages based on experience, based on years service and based on beginner service and all those sort of things. However, the denial is evident in the contradictions during the interviews, as well as during discussion that pertained to behavioural and affective responses during the retrenchment. This is congruent with two of Cramer (1987) identified characteristics of denial, namely: Statements of negation: An individual contradicts an action, wish or intention, which, if acknowledged, would cause discontent, pain, anxiety or humiliation. Obviously I could not divulge that until the final decisions had been madeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ when you are going through a structural change there is this cloud of secrecy and certain people know whats going on, and there is talking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it was communicated to them [affected department], and it was done right down to the brutal truth. Unexpected goodness, optimism, positivity: nonchalance in the face of threats. The team is not quite where it needs to be yet, but certainly we pulling more together in terms of the transparencies and the cross functional support areas where we may be 5 years ago. I got to say the resizing exercise did a lot in terms of shaking up peoples foundations where you thought you were so secure, everybody realized nobody is secure. But what changed it and what made this last resizing exercise so positive, is the way it was handled. These reported perceptions are complex and quite often contradictory. The same survivors who articulated sentiments of optimism also articulated strong sentiments of uncertainty, stress and changed work life perceptions. Uncertainty was most apparent in the continuous attempts to obtain the approval and validation of reactions from me, as if to establish whether the perceptions are correct, or perhaps to avoid confronting actions that causes guilt by perceiving this to be a common occurrence. It seems as if the survivors escaped dealing with their personal feelings by focusing on projected organisational outcomes. This is congruent to previous research (Noer, 1993) as well a variation on the fishbowl effect, where survivors focus on details to escape dealing with their personal feelings. The objectives were pretty clear and that was that we need to look at the functions within the department, and the main objective was not clearing heads, that was never the main objective. The main objective was look at the functions, how can we work and structure this department to work smarter. Not necessarily cheaper, but smarter and obviously ultimately is there a possibility for the right sizingthe objective was never to get the heads of the headcount, never. Obviously you know long term wise it is a win- win situation for everybody. This particular manifestation seems to be exacerbated by previous experience of a retrenchment possibly colouring the survivors frame of reference. The interviewee that displayed this manifestation most prominently has personally survived two previous retrenchments at Organisation X. Another interviewee who displayed this manifestation of denial to a lesser extent had survived one previous retrenchment at Organisation X and recalls that her father had experienced a retrenchment at his employer at the time. I am left to wonder whether this positive attitude is genuine or whether the participant is still keeping up appearances for the benefit of who perhaps top management perhaps. Is this denial (of damage done to others) a facade to hide feelings of being the executioner as the participant clearly indicated that she felt guilty for being picked to stay whilst other employees (in her department) became victims. This reaction can possibly be attributed to repeated experiences of retrenchment resulting in emotional numbing (Kets de Vries Balazs, 1996), whereby the survivor starts to experience problems with a reduced capacity to feel. According to Kets de Vries and Balazs (1996), this defensive process is set in motion a state of affairs overflowing with painful emotions and psychological conflict. This reaction was used as a means to shelter the survivors from intolerable experiences and functions as a type off shut-off mechanism this emotional shut-off is essentially the core of psychological denial as discussed in the introduction to this section. It appears as if the survivors resort to doing to prevent experiencing. One of the survivors went into great detail about her growth in the company, her flexibility with regards to long-term career goals, the positive relationships with both top management and Human Resources, and her perception of how other departments handled this process. In all of this, she never voluntarily referred to feelings. When specifically asked about her feelings and reactions during the time of retrenchments, she conceded that she did feel saddened by the process, but quickly added that this was reserved for after-hours and in general, she felt that it had been a process well handled. What seems to be true for all of the participants is that their involvement in retrenchments is an activity that opposes their base belief about organisational life. Underlying this base belief is the psychological employment contract. These survivors have to cope with significant change at the same time as experiencing it. Shared denial Although the survivors engaged in the same basic defence mechanism, the expression of the defence took various forms. It is interesting to note that there are some shared reactions in the expression of denial, namely the denial of the survivors own expectation of the old psychological contract to hold true and the unfailing blaming of others for negative outcomes experienced. Each of these shared reactions will consequently be explored. Denial of belief in old psychological contract All of the interviewees espoused the values of the new psychological contract and advocated its importance in the new world of work, yet, all the interviewees demonstrated throughout the interview, that they have a very strong expectation that the old psychological contract is to hold true for them on Organisation X. . I really would like to have an overseas assignment. Just to get exposure, because for me is I want a long term relationship with Company X. I was quite happy here and I thought, well, I am happy to stay with Company X for the next 10 years. Whatever I wanted to develop, I would like to get to a General Manager level, learn as much as I can from the company. It seems that the survivors agree with the logic and the theory of the new psychological contract, but that this new way paradigm conflicts with their need for membership and would require a great mindset shift. I believe that most employees expect an organisation to look after them and that you will receive the benefits, or reap the benefits of hard work. But in reality, that does not work that wayI know that your psychological contract has changed during the course of the last few years, but still, I think that maybe employees want to be trained in such way that they can move on, out of the organisation, with more skills they what they come into. Despite strongly advocating the new psychological contract the participants responses throughout the interview indicates a strong co-dependency on the company being researched. It seems as if the participant defines a (big?) part of herself by achievement / growth / future in / at the company being researched. Also, this participant perhaps more than the other participants espouses the values of the new psychological contract, yet looks at the organisation to provide growth and development, and feels betrayed and offended that the current situation impacted on her development. The survivors denial of their belief in the old psychological contract could possibly be explained by the concept of co-dependence. The co-dependent changed their identity, denied their feelings and spend a substantial quantity of energy in an effort to control an alcoholic; shared the alcoholics addiction. The co-dependent does not notice the destruction that their denial causes to themselves and others they were co-dependent with the alcoholic (Bekker, 1998; Noer, 1993) According to Noer (1993), just as a person can exist in a co-dependent state with another person in relation to an addiction, a person can also be co-dependent with an organisational system. Employees of an organisation who have become co-dependent on the organisation, defines themselves to a large extent by their job. During a retrenchment, it is therefore not only their job that becomes vulnerable, but also their sense of worth, sense of relevance, identity and purpose. This phenomenon could explain most, if not all, of the survivor experiences explored in this study. As discussed in section 3.3.4, the greater the sense of personal violation, the greater the susceptibility to survivor syndrome and destructive defence mechanisms. The perception of violation appears directly related to the degree of trust employees had that Organisation X will take care of them (Noer, 1993). The survivors all indicated that they definitely had the expectation of long-term employment at Company X, with the associated growth and development as reward for their tenure and performance. The retrenchment experience seemed to be a rude wake-up call that this is in actual fact not the truth. There is no such thing as life-long employment. There is a classic saying, if you want loyalty, buy a dog. It is all good and well to be committed to a company, but there is no guarantee, not either way, that you are going to be with that company for a life-long commitment or that that the company is going to keep you on for a life-long commitmentonce you heard that very clear definition that life owes you nothing and Company X owes you nothing and I owe you nothing. That kind of inspired you to do more and to want more. You know, if I came in at age 17, turning 18 in February, that I was working, thinking I am just going to be a typist for the rest of my life and Company X going to keep me, keep me, you gonna have to want that little bit more ever so often. If you are not motivated, and if you are not accepting those challenges, there is no future for you here. Denying their belief in the truth of the old psychological contract, might serve two purposes: By verbally acknowledging the value of the new psychological contract, they are espousing the message that is expected of them due to their position within the company. As in the fishbowl effect manifestation, the survivors are seen to be doing the right thing and looking good; By denying their belief in the truth of the old psychological contract, the survivors are attempting to avoid the painful reality that this paradigm no longer holds true by refuting their own truth by their words and actions. Blaming of others All interviewed survivors blamed other groups. In most cases, generic management were blamed or colleagues in organisation X, however, no interviewee assigned any blame for negative outcomes to themselves. Nevertheless, people tend to blame others usually the next person up on the organisational chart for what is a basic systemic change, beyond anyones control. But then, if I look at other areas that the same sort of exercises, and I dont know if it is because it was handled poorly, that maybe their management wasnt being honest or forthcoming with their people. Look at the XXX department a huge mess. You know, where people left on the end of the month, and there was absolutely nobody trained to do those. If youre ultimate goal is to get rid of people on downsize and get rid of people on a head count level that is easy to do. This blaming phenomenon could be a form of projection that serves as a defence mechanism, assisting the survivor to confront their own survivor guilt by allowing the survivor to consider others as dysfunctional without experiencing the discomfort of realising that these views and feelings are their own. This allows the survivor to express disapproval of the other person, distancing themselves from their own dysfunction (Straker, 2009). This reaction has also been noted by previous researchers such as Noer (1993), Kets de Vries and Balazs (1996) and Appelbaum et al. (1997). Based on the preceding discussion, it is put forward that blaming others for whichever collection of consequences generally represents denial. Contributory themes As a result of the survivors inability to progress through the stages of grief and complete their mourning, the interviewed survivors remained in state of denial. Contributing to these responses and outcomes were the presence of aggravating peripheral circumstances and role conflict. Role conflict Beauchamp and Bray (2001) defines role conflict as referring to the presence of incongruent expectations placed on a role incumbent. The presence of role conflict exacerbating the effects of denial was evident amongst survivors. This role conflict related to the dual roles of being involved in the implementation of the retrenchment for the survival of Company X and the emotional effect that the aforementioned has on the survivor. You are emotional when you in our function you cant be emotional, you need to kind of your emotions need to be put to the side to stay professional. So, you talk to people over the telephone, and they are emotional that side, youre sitting on this side, and you know their affected it is a difficult, difficult time. It is possible that this role conflict also contributed to the extensive engagement in reasoning to justify retrenchments. This reaction is similar to what Noer (1993) described as the Judas complex. This reaction seems to allow the survivors to deny the negative impact of their actions on others. It is very difficult to keep your managers hat on and on the other side of the scale to put your humanitarian hat on.you had to come in

Perceptions of Inequality in Arizona Politics :: Essays Papers

Perceptions of Inequality in Arizona Politics On November 1912, women won the right to vote in Arizona. This period of time marked a lot of changes for women and politics in Arizona. Women had to struggle against a male dominated society that influenced their vote despite their new freedom to vote as they saw fit. The right to vote eventually led to a proliferation of women running for local, state, and national offices. Those running for office faced skepticism about their capabilities as a politician, concern over whether they had the drive, intelligence, and strength to face down opponents within the political arena. Despite these obstacles, women have proven to be successful politicians and have infiltrated the ranks of male dominated government systems, both within states and nationwide. Today, women are virtually equal to men as far as their capabilities are concerned, yet are still under-represented in the national political scene. By reviewing a brief history of a few women in politics in Arizona and examining current political themes, a platform is formed that allows an understanding and recognition of the struggles and progression of women in politics today. I. Sharlot Hall: Pioneer in Arizona Politics One of the first and most famous women to emerge into Arizona politics was Sharlot Hall. Hall was the only daughter of a pioneer family that arrived in Arizona in 1882. Extremely bright, Hall read books often and developed a love for writing and free expression, an expression that was mocked by her father. Despite her family’s misgivings she continued to write poems and stories and was first published at the age of twenty-two. From that moment on her literary flare blossomed. Hall became an expert on writing about the beauty and solitude of the southwest and was published regularly in the magazine Land of Sunshine (Weston, 543). However, her writings were not her only contribution to her state. At the time, Arizona was still not a state and President Roosevelt suggested that New Mexico and Arizona be declared one territory. Her indignance ignited, Hall wrote a poem about Roosevelt’s intentions, which was orated on the floor of the U.S. Congress. While her poem likely had little to do with Arizona’s subsequent separate statehood in 1912, this event marked Hall’s entrance into Arizona politics.

Free Macbeth Essays: The Greater Guilt :: Free Essay Writer

The Greater Guilt in Macbeth Everybody is driven by guilty conscience in our life. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth feel guilty at different times and different ways. Macbeth feels guiltier than Lady Macbeth after the murder of Duncan. During the Banquet, Mecbeth is very upset and nervous after seeing the ghost, But Lady Macbeth is making an excuse about her husband’s fear, and she doesn’t show any guilt. At the end of the play, the opposite is true: Lady Mecbeth feels guiltier than mecbeth.. Guilt is responsible for the death of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. In Act II, Scene ii, Macbeth regrets the murder of Duncan as soon as he kills the king. He finds it impossible to pray after Duncan’s two sons waken from a nightmare pray and fall back to sleep : "I had most need of blessing, and "Amen" / Stuck in my throat."(II;ii;32-3) On the other hand Lady Macbeth tells him to forget about the murder because if they keep thinking of the crime, it will make them both crazy: Consider it not so deeply. †¦/These deeds must not be thought After these ways; so, it will make us mad.(II;ii;30-35) Because Lady Macbeth kills herself at the end of the play, these lines also foreshadow her future. In Act III scene 4, Macbeth is going to be crazy after seeing Banquo’s ghost. He got so scared when he sees the ghost walking in the Palace and sitting in his place: "thou canst not say I did it: never shake thy gory locks at me." This quote shows how scared he is, and Lady Macbeth is making an excuse to hide her husband’s fear: Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep seat; The fit is momentary, upon a thought He will again be well. If much you note him, You shall offend him, and extend his passion; Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man? This quote explain to the guest that why Macbeth has acted in that way, and how Lady Macbeth hide her husband’s fear of the ghost. In act V scene1, 50: Lady Macbeth is so upset about the fact that they committed such a horrible crime and she can’t erase it. And that is not what she felt at the beginning of the story, she says: Free Macbeth Essays: The Greater Guilt :: Free Essay Writer The Greater Guilt in Macbeth Everybody is driven by guilty conscience in our life. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth feel guilty at different times and different ways. Macbeth feels guiltier than Lady Macbeth after the murder of Duncan. During the Banquet, Mecbeth is very upset and nervous after seeing the ghost, But Lady Macbeth is making an excuse about her husband’s fear, and she doesn’t show any guilt. At the end of the play, the opposite is true: Lady Mecbeth feels guiltier than mecbeth.. Guilt is responsible for the death of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. In Act II, Scene ii, Macbeth regrets the murder of Duncan as soon as he kills the king. He finds it impossible to pray after Duncan’s two sons waken from a nightmare pray and fall back to sleep : "I had most need of blessing, and "Amen" / Stuck in my throat."(II;ii;32-3) On the other hand Lady Macbeth tells him to forget about the murder because if they keep thinking of the crime, it will make them both crazy: Consider it not so deeply. †¦/These deeds must not be thought After these ways; so, it will make us mad.(II;ii;30-35) Because Lady Macbeth kills herself at the end of the play, these lines also foreshadow her future. In Act III scene 4, Macbeth is going to be crazy after seeing Banquo’s ghost. He got so scared when he sees the ghost walking in the Palace and sitting in his place: "thou canst not say I did it: never shake thy gory locks at me." This quote shows how scared he is, and Lady Macbeth is making an excuse to hide her husband’s fear: Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep seat; The fit is momentary, upon a thought He will again be well. If much you note him, You shall offend him, and extend his passion; Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man? This quote explain to the guest that why Macbeth has acted in that way, and how Lady Macbeth hide her husband’s fear of the ghost. In act V scene1, 50: Lady Macbeth is so upset about the fact that they committed such a horrible crime and she can’t erase it. And that is not what she felt at the beginning of the story, she says:

Death Of A Salesman: Societys Alienation Of Willy Loman :: essays research papers

Death of a Salesman: Society's Alienation of Willy Loman It is often stated that society is very judgmental. It can be seen in movies, literary works, or just an everyday walk of life. Arthur Miller chooses to portray society's prejudice against the protagonist, Willy Loman, in his play, Death of a Salesman. Society, in this case, rejects Willy Loman because he isn't upper class, and because he is getting up in age. Many occurrances highlight society's judging of Willy, including him being fired, the "spite" that he recieves from his sons, and the way he alienates himself. All of these eventually lead to the downfall of a strong, determined, but confused character. Perhaps the most defeating action that happened to Willy was the loss of his job. All he had ever been in life was a salesman, therefore it was the only trade that he was any good at. When he had the conference with Howard, he had his hopes up. Willy had regained his confidence in himself and was ready to take control of his life at a very crucial time. However, Howard crushed all of that by firing Willy, simply because he thought Willy, "needed some rest." Actually, Howard never intended to give Willy his job back. He was merely trying to take Willy's position because he didn't believe Willy could hack it anymore. This is a reflection of society's present day treatment of the elderly. Younger generations now, move older people into rest homes and try to keep them out of public view, for risk of embarassment. This is reflected by Howard's statement, "I don't want you to represent us anymore." Society's assumption of Willy's capabilities, in this case, cost him his job. A second occurrance that displayed Willy's alienation happened in his own family. Biff doesn't believe whatsoever in his father and has no hope for him at all. Biff even says in act one that his father has no character. Biff is a perfect symbol for society in the play. Biff knows his father has problems, but even as a son, "can't get near him." Even though he accepts his father as a fake later in life, Biff tries over and over again to reach his father and to help him, but an unseen barrier prevents Biff from doing so. Happy is the type that knows what's going on with his father, but won't try to help him. Although it is never actually said verbatum, it is obvious that Willy has some kind of mental problem that needs some attention. Yet even in his own home, he can't get

History according to the Male Historian Essay

Gender plays a very important role in the definition of history. Male historians are often presented as scientific thinkers. But the truth is that they merely perpetuate religious, ethnocentric or class-based versions of the past under the guise of neutrality. Female historians, on the other hand, are usually dismissed as propagators of amateur or irrelevant historical accounts. This observation most likely stemmed from their preference to study domains such as the lives of queens and other accomplished women, as well as manners, mores and everyday life. The accounts of Marco Polo and Ibn Khaldun are two evidences of history’s male-oriented nature. Their versions hail men and or patriarchal values as the agents of change in a given society. Such a pro-male stance is no longer surprising – history as a discipline has traditionally been regarded as a male preserve. Apart from the proliferation of male historians, focus is given on men and male-dominated spheres such as war, politics and industry. Inside the Middle Kingdom Marco Polo was a Christian Venetian merchant who traveled to and lived in Yuan China from 1271 to 1292. His accounts of his travels and experiences in China offered Europeans a firsthand view of Asian lands, turning him into one of the most famous Western medieval travelers. Furthermore, the works of Marco Polo aroused fascination with Asian trade. Traders and cartographers used these as a guide to be able to come up with their own routes to the East. Marco Polo, however, grossly misunderstood several aspects of life in Yuan China. For one, he conjured a very paternalistic image of Mongol ruler Kublai Khan. In addition, Marco Polo came up with a superficial description of the city of Kin-sai. His observations on the way of life of the city’s inhabitants clearly lacked further analysis, if not overly romanticized. The Grand Khan Marco Polo regarded Kublai Khan as a benevolent leader who brought prosperity and stability to Yuan China. The city of Kanbalu (present-day Beijing), for instance, possessed an opulence which â€Å"(was) greater than the mind can comprehend. † Its dwellers lived in handsome houses and stately buildings in the suburbs. The capital, meanwhile, was groaning with merchandise. At least a thousand pack-horses would go there everyday to unload raw silk, which would then be used to manufacture market items such as gold tissues and silk cloth. Kublai Khan lived even more luxuriously than his subjects in Kanbalu. Marco Polo wrote of an instance in which Khan threw a feast which lasted for three days. Merchants and other important personalities attended this banquet in the hopes of securing Khan’s favor for their respective endeavors. The guests were treated to a fare which included overflowing amounts of game animals, raisins, fish, fruits and Greek partridges, as well as wine and horse and camel milk. As they ate and drank, Khan’s acrobats entertained them with juggling acts, magic tricks and amazing feats of contortion. Kin-sai: A Cautionary Tale Marco Polo described Kin-sai as a â€Å"noble and magnificent city. † Its facilities – extensive streets and canals, spacious marketplaces, numerous bridges – rendered it a modern veneer for the standards of its time. Kin-sai’s markets sold a wide variety of goods, including meats, fruits, fishes, herbs, spices, drugs, trinkets and pearls. These bazaars are constantly full due to the city’s capacious stone warehouses, which are frequented by merchants from India and other countries. Marco Polo attributed Kin-sai’s prosperity to the rule of Khan. The former described the city’s previous ruler as a morally decadent individual who preferred hunting and orgies over administering to the needs of his people. His negligence of his duties reared its ugly head when the Khan was easily able to conquer Kin-sai. Marco Polo then concluded that Khan brought peace and stability to Kin-sai by controlling the licentiousness of its citizenry. Behind the Myth. What Marco Polo did not know was that the Chinese people resented the existence of the Yuan Dynasty primarily because of its Mongolian origin. Furthermore, the Yuan Dynasty marginalized the Han Chinese in the latter’s own country. Only Mongols and other foreigners were allowed to assume government positions. Neither was the Han Chinese permitted to engage in external trade and or learn other languages. While Marco Polo’s account of Kin-sai was merely a romantic tableau, its realistic descriptions of Yuan China can be interpreted in two ways. The tragic end of the city’s former ruler is a possible warning against excessive indulgence in worldly pleasures. It must be noted that during Marco Polo’s time, the nobles of the West were notorious for living lavish lifestyles while the commoners starved. He is therefore warning Western monarchs that they will share the same fate with the former ruler of Kin-sai if they don’t mend their ways. Another probable construal is that Kin-sai is a reflection of what the West really intends to do with China. Marco Polo’s focus on the city’s courtesans and the promiscuous way of life of its former ruler can be a means of fetishizing the East. Portraying China as an exotic location can increase Western expeditions to the country both for trade and for converting more people to Christianity. But what Marco Polo probably did not understand was that in Kin-sai, the practice of polygamy was considered acceptable. In ancient societies, polygamy was used as a means of replenishing the population after it has been reduced by wars and other calamities. From the Desert to the Desert Ibn Khaldun was a North African statesman, scholar and historian who traveled to various parts of the Arab world. In his journeys, he was able to make observations on the geopolitical climate during his period. These observations eventually became the basis for his ideas in the fields of historiography, sociology and economics. The Muqaddimah was the compilation of these concepts. Although The Muqaddimah was actually a reflection on 14th-century Arab politics, it has striking parallelisms with modern-day Arab geopolitics. For one, self-reliance is seen as more desirable than the unity and conformity being espoused by an established dynasty. Furthermore, luxury and interaction with strangers (foreigners) are regarded as the causes of corruption. The strong emphasis of The Muqaddimah on independence which already borders on isolationism was probably intended to make it more appealing to male than female audiences. The Bedouins In The Muqaddimah, Ibn Khaldun began his discussion on human civilization by describing Bedouin life. He believed that the Bedouins are the models of strength and self-reliance, as they focus â€Å"only (in) the necessities of life and not (in) luxuries or anything, causing, or calling for, desires and pleasures. † Furthermore, the Bedouins live according to the principle of asabiya (â€Å"group feeling†). Asabiya refers to a higher form of unity – it espouses â€Å"the cohesive force of the group (which seeks) power through conquest. † The Dynasty Ibn Khaldun was quick to clarify that the dynasty was not without asabiya – royal authority cannot be established and function without the group (society). But he also pointed out that the asabiya being practiced by the dynasty was a weaker form of the principle. This was because most dynasties were based in the city – a venue of luxury products and a thriving intellectual life, as well as specialization and diversification of labor. For a dynasty to thrive in the city, the army must shoulder the expenses of the royal family. Doing so, in turn, means greater taxes from the commoners. Another detrimental effect of luxury is interaction with foreigners – people during Ibn Khaldun’s time were able to obtain luxury items only from foreign merchants. Interrelating with outsiders would result in the inhabitants of the city acquiring values that contrast sharply against asabiya. It would come to a point that succeeding generations would have already forgotten the Bedouin values of independence and resilience – values on which a dynasty is supposed to be based. When that time comes, the dynasty would start to break down. Behind the Myth. Ibn Khaldun overly romanticized the Bedouins. While it is true that the latter is strong and independent, it is because it has to acquire these traits in order to survive. The Bedouins are a nomadic tribe that roams the deserts of the Middle East. Given the scarcity of resources in the desert, they have to be hardy in order to last. These traits of the Bedouins, however, are not without negative effects. In order to compete with scarce resources, Bedouin tribes constantly wage war with one another. In addition, they observe the practice of burying female infants in the sand. Because females ultimately leave their families to get married, the Bedouins consider feeding and rearing them a waste of already scarce resources. In sharp contrast, inhabitants of the city do not have to worry as much when it comes to their daily sustenance. Thus, they have more time to pursue other endeavors, such as education, arts and the sciences. The influx of new ideas may have also prompted them to change social institutions and or policies that they consider to be obsolete and or inefficient. Indeed, The Muqaddimah shows the enduring conflict between the patriarchal values of conformity and permanence and change and modernity. Conclusion Historical accounts of male historians are scientific only in the sense that they relieve the past in terms of religious, ethnocentric or class-based ways of thinking. Consequently, they end up misrepresenting certain ideas and or romanticize concepts that are actually detrimental to society to begin with. Marco Polo, for instance, portrayed Kublai Khan as a ruler which brought peace and stability to China. But the truth was that the Yuan Dynasty was an imperialist rule – it expanded itself by invading China and marginalizing the Han Chinese. Ibn Khaldun, meanwhile, adhered strongly to the Bedouin values of hardiness and self-reliance. But these values could likewise promote conformity and absolutist thinking, which, in turn, could result in groups which view violence as the only way to attain their objectives. When female historians write about the lives of queens, manners and everyday life, it is not because they want to come up with irrelevant accounts of the past.Rather, they simply want to show how seemingly unimportant persons, events and or ideas are the ones that make a bigger impact on society as a whole. References Barnes and Noble. (2009). The Travels of Marco Polo: Forewords & Introductions. Retrieved January 30, 2009, from http://search. barnesandnoble. com/The-Travels-of- Marco-Polo/Marco-Polo/e/9780760765890 Chowdhry, S. DinarStandard. (2006, October 4). Ibn Khaldun’s Philosophy of Management and Work – Excerpts from the Muqaddimah. Retrieved January 30, 2009, from http://dinarstandard. com/management/IbnKhaldun_Mgmt100206. htm Lach, D. F. (1994). Asia in the Making of Europe. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. MNSU. edu. (n. d. ). Yuan Dynasty. Retrieved January 29, 2009, from http://www. mnsu. edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/later_imperial_china/yuan. html On Distance. (2006, October 16). The Desert and the City. Retrieved January 30, 2009, from http://woodeneyes. wordpress. com/category/ibn-khaldun/ Polo, M. (1997). The Travels of Marco Polo (Benjamin Colbert, Trans. ). Wordsworth: Wade UK. (n. d. ). Smith, B. G. (1998). The Gender of History: Men, Women and Historical Practice. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Risk assessment template

This is a risk assessment form for assessing the risk of an activity not for the room or premises; this is the responsibility of the institution. If a risk is identified with the room or premises then a decision needs to be made whether the activity takes place until the risk is removed or the level of risk is considered to be acceptable. Risks identified in relation to the premises should be identified on the Need for Action Form.A risk assessment is nothing more than a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The important things you need to decide are whether a hazard is significant and whether you have it covered by satisfactory precautions so that the risk is small. You need to check this when you assess the risks. Don't be over complicated, in most of our situations the hazards are few and simple. Checking them is common sense, but necessary.You pr obably already know whether, for example, you have equipment that could cause harm, or if there is an awkward entrance or stair where someone could be hurt. If so, check that you have taken what reasonable precautions you can o avoid injury. Whilst a generic risk assessment is acceptable for a regular activity it must be reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis. Risk assessments will need to be modified dependent on type of group (do you know the group? Are there any members of the group with particular needs?Has the staff changed? You may have staff less competent than previously, have new staff received instruction/training? ) Overleaf are some examples, these are not fit for all activities and are only guidance in an assimilated situation. HAZARD WHO MIGHT BE HARMED WHAT PRECAUTIONS ARE IN PLACE HOW IS RISK CONTROLLED WHEN/BY WHOM Physical Injury (sport) Lifting and handling of equipment Cuts, puncturing from sharp implements staff,YAP Qualified/trained staff Staff clear about t heir responsibilities.Conduct and instructions given to participants prior to activity. Equipment checked and manual handling procedures observed. Adequate warm up/warm down. Appropriate dress code L part of induction process for new staff. Training where appropriate. Appropriate handling equipment supplied I. E. Trolley. Incidents and near misses to be recorded. Incidents and near misses recorded Advise on safe practice given. Close supervision. Agreed level of qualification or training required. Agreed code of conduct.Equipment regularly maintained and recorded Analysis of incident reports. Written information in induction packs reviewed. Training courses. Additional equipment identified at supervision sessions Agreed and written safe working practice Ongoing/staff Centre co-ordination 3 times per year by H Committee Training officer.

Chapter 20 Problem 1

Week 5 – Financing Strategy Problem Problem 1 – Chapter 20 Firm A has $10,000 in assets entirely financed with equity. Firm B also has $10,000 in assets, but these assets are financed by $5,000 in debt (with a 10 percent rate of interest) and $5,000 in equity. Both firms sell 10,000 units of output at $2. 50 per unit. The variable costs of production are $1, and fixed production costs are $12,000. (To ease the calculation, assume no income tax. ) A. What if the operating income (EBIT) for both firms? Sales/Revenue: 10000 * 2. 50 = 25000 Variable Cost: 10000 * 1 = 10000 Fixed Production Cost: 12000EBIT = sales/revenue – variable cost – fixed production cost = 25000 – 10000 – 12000 = $3000 B. What are the earnings after interest? InterestEarnings after interest Firm A: 0 3000 – 0 = $3000 Firm B:5000 * 10% = 500 3000 – 500 = $2500 C. If sales increase by 10 percent to 11,000 units, by what percentage will each firm’s earning s after interest increase? To answer the question, determine the earnings after taxes and compute the percentage increase in these earnings from the answers you derived in part b. Sales/Revenue: 11000 * 2. 50 = 27500 Variable Cost: 11000 * 1 = 11000Fixed Production Cost: 12000 EBIT = sales/revenue – variable cost – fixed production cost = 27500 – 11000 – 12000 = 4500 Firm A Firm B Interest 05000 * 10% = 500 Earnings after interest (prior) 3000 – 0 = 3000 3000 – 500 = 2500 Earnings after interest (after) 4500 – 0 = 4500 4500 – 500 = 4000 Increase/decrease % 50% 60% D. Why are the percentage changes different? Firm B had a higher increase in profit because they had a higher net % change and lowered their interest income through their debt financing.

Substance Abuse Global Phenomena Health And Social Care Essay

Substance maltreatment is a multi-facetted job that plagues a whole society, irrespective of different age classs and societal categories. The effects and the sum of injury caused to the person, the household and society are diverse. Mauritius, while being a little island of about 1.2 million dwellers merely, far off from the taking powers of the planetary economic system, and niched at the bosom of the Indian Ocean has non been spared from this issue. Harmonizing to the National Drug Control Masterplan 2004-2009, the age of induction to substance maltreatment in Mauritius starts from every bit early as 11 old ages because of equal or media influence. The principle of substance maltreatment is nevertheless non this simple. Sometimes, some people give in to the natural homo behavior which is seeking to happen the easiest flight from rough worlds and nuisances of day-to-day life, and resort to substance maltreatment. Substance maltreatment may hold become an dismaying phenomenon of late, but drugs have been present in Mauritius for a far longer clip. The usage of drugs has been recorded to hold started with every bit early as during the Gallic colonization with illicit rum production by slaves. With the reaching of apprenticed laborers, Indians brought along with their civilization and traditions, hemps, while Chinese immigrants brought opium. These drugs were largely utilised in a socio-cultural circumstance, by grownups without being a cause for serious concern. Sixtiess brought with it the Hippie Culture to Mauritanian shores every bit good as new signifiers of drugs such as LSD, Mandrax and other psychedelic drugs which became synonymous to â€Å" new highs † to childs. The 1970ss caused an wholly different tendency of substance maltreatment, as the state of affairs changed drastically from its socio-cultural to a more significantly worrying usage. A fundamental signifier of diacetylmorphine known as â€Å" Brown Sugar † was introduced in Mauritius. Brown Sugar was smuggled through the airdrome, seaport and through postal packages. The â€Å" Amsterdam Affair † that broke out in 1985 was the ether of the range of the drugs job in Mauritius. As an effort to expose its willingness to go forth no rock unturned in the combat against drug trafficking, statute law was amended and decease punishment was introduced for proven sellers. No drug seller have nevertheless been executed because of the thorny legal issues environing capital penalty. A sudden downward tendency was observed in 1987 and continued until 1990 after which indexs revealed a little addition in illicit trafficking and ingestion. In 2003, the â€Å" White Lady † was a psychoactive drug opted by most drug users. Post 2005, Subutex, which is usually used as intervention on those dependent on narcotic hurting slayers, and opiates, shortly became the most sought-after drug in Mauritius. Substance Abuse and Repercussions Social Consequences Significant societal effects include the decomposition of the household unit, with the emotional and psychological wellbeing of household members being disquieted. Substance maltreatment and delinquency go manus in manus ; as sometimes dependence and backdown syndromes overcome ground and push nuts towards larceny, force and similar such Acts of the Apostless to secure the fiscal agencies to obtain their needed dose. The 2009 World Drug Report shows that figure of drug-related offenses has increased by 18 % from 2006 to 2007. Health Consequences Substance maltreatment affects the personal wellness of drugs nuts themselves. Withdrawal and apathy are a few of the psychological disfunctions they might confront. The impact of dependence can be far making. Cardiovascular disease, shot, malignant neoplastic disease, and lung disease can all be caused by drug maltreatment. Because of needle sharing behavior, a well-established norm among IDUs as has been shown by the IDUs Respondent Driven Sampling, which is explained by the increased costs and low fiscal agencies of IDUs every bit good as Police Services uninterrupted still hunt of IDUs in ownership of drug gears, blood borne diseases such as AIDS or Hepatitis are easy transmitted, reverberations of which is ruinous both for the IDU and society at big. IDUs who get affected by such blood borne diseases will frequently through a Domino consequence, affect their sexual spouses, while pregnant adult females who are IDUs run the hazard of polluting their unborn kids with such. Injecting drug usage is the cause for an increasing proportion of HIV infections in many parts of the universe, Mauritius included. It is estimated that between 11 and 21 million people worldwide inject drugs, and of those, between 0.8 and 6.6 million are infected with HIV. Fiscal Impacts Health services that have to be provided to drug nuts include intervention of diseases which may develop in drug nuts as a effect of substance maltreatment, every bit good as costs of rehabilitation services, which is frequently overlooked by most individuals. The cost of non-generic antiretroviral intervention per individual per annum may amount up to $ 1500, averaging to about Rs 50, 000 based on current exchange rates. Fiscal effects on the economic system are sedate, with the parallel running of a black economic system with net incomes obtained from the illicit traffic, every bit good as with the effects of drugs abuse of members of the work force which reduces productiveness. Conventional Approaches to Substance maltreatment Mauritius has ratified the United Nations Drug Control Conventions. It has besides ratified the 2000 Convention on Trans-National Organized Crime and is besides signer of both the African Union and the SADC Drug Control Protocol. Existing legal models that were used, and still are used to command drugs supply and demand decrease are: a ) The Dangerous Drug Act 2000 B ) The Pharmacy Act 1983 degree Celsius ) The Financial Intelligence and Anti Money Laundering Act 2002 Drugs Demand Reduction Drugs demand decrease is one of the attack used to battle the substance maltreatment crisis at its nucleus. Drug demand decrease refers to policies and programmes directed towards cut downing the consumer demand for narcotic drug and psychotropic substances as covered by the three chief International Drug Control Conventions, as mentioned above. The National Agency for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Substance Abusers ( NATReSA ) is a parastatal organic structure under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions which was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1996 and it is responsible for all demand decrease activities in the state. By carry oning a figure of bar activities in the community, schools and the workplace, NATReSA uses instruction as its chief vehicular arm to seek to decrease the demand for drugs. It provides support to a figure of NGOs engaged in bar, intervention and rehabilitation work. The National Prevention Unit set up by the NATReSa in 2002 has set up a Demand Reduction Integrated Program, from which more than 25 parts have already benefitted boulder clay day of the month. Supply Side Reduction As to provide side decrease, the jurisprudence enforcement side is actively involved and a figure of establishments runing under the auspices of different ministries are responsible for drug control activities. The Anti Drug Smuggling Unit ( ADSU ) , the National Coast Guard and the Special Mobile Force are particular units of the Mauritius Police Force, working under the bid of the Commissioner of Police involved in drug control. The Passport and Immigration Office besides operates under the supervising of the Commissioner of Police and has a function in the showing of riders at the haven and airdrome while Custom Investigation and Intelligence Unit plays a notable function in the checking of containers and other baggage come ining the state. The Pharmacy Section of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life ( MOH & A ; QL ) is responsible for the issue of licences for the import of licit narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Finally, Mauritius Post Services work in close cooperation with the above units to exert near control to vouch that drugs do non come in the state through letters and postal bundles and the Forest Department aids through its field work in woods, mountains and province lands, and is instrumental in observing cannabis cultivation. Harmonizing to the 2010 World Drug Report, Mauritius is the state with the highest opiates ingestion prevalence in the African continent with an estimation of 1.9 % . This demonstrates clearly that conventional attacks to the Mauritanian drug job have non met outlooks in footings of efficiency in undertaking it. Alternatively, new factors borne due to a quickly altering society contributed to the rendering them inefficient – opening up of air spaces which while increasing benefits from the touristry and travel industry has besides increased the hazards of drugs being brought into the state by aliens, enlargement of the offshore sector through which big amounts of money theodolites through Mauritius, beginnings of which remain confidential to the offshore companies and the unfastened secret being that sometimes, portion of these monies go into the black economic system, financing drug minutess and poorness and harlotry which are cardinal conducive factors every bit good to the enlargement of the Mauritanian drug market among others. The escalation of drug usage became a cause for concern as the chief vehicle for substance maltreatment being through injection, this implied a heightened hazard of transmittal of blood borne diseases among the IDU population and hence a greater figure of HIV positive and hepatitis instances amongst others. An wholly new attack was therefore adopted to counter this contingency, known as the injury decrease attack. The injury decrease which consists of needle exchange plans every bit good as dolophine hydrochloride permutation therapy implied a wholly different position, the nucleus rule being acknowledging the being of a substance maltreatment issue in a community, which frequently is pig-headedly resisted by governments, therefore exposing the immense trouble in the execution of this method. Over the old ages, legion observations have been made by journalists and Non-Governmental Organisations ( NGOs ) representatives on the structural alterations of the drug state of affairs in Mauritius, the distressing dimensions of the issue of substance maltreatment and its dealingss with transmittal of blood borne diseases. Harm decrease nevertheless, being a comparatively new construct in Mauritius dating merely back to 2006, remains a instead undiscovered way. Hence, the intent of this thesis would be to convey focal point on Needle Exchange Programs ( NEPs ) as they are carried out in the Mauritanian context. While running through a general overview of the injury decrease attack, the principle behind it will be examined along with execution timeline of NEP in Mauritius. Policy facets will be reviewed and an analysis of the legal background of NEPs in Mauritius will be presented, which will dwell of a survey salient characteristics of the bing Torahs and NEPs and finally the NEP particular model which is the HIV/AIDS Act 06. NEP in prisons, being a delicate and problematic issue, will be considered and the chance of such in Mauritanian prisons discussed. The thesis will be concluded by measuring the Mauritanian NEP, and suggesting recommendations of possible ways to pitch more towards efficiency and best pattern with respects to Mauritian Torahs and needle exchange. Preliminary Chapter: Understanding Harm Decrease The Basic Concept Harm decrease refers to policies, programmes and patterns utilized and applied with the aim of decreasing hazards associated with the usage of drugs by substance maltreaters. Subdivided into needle exchange plans and dolophine hydrochloride permutation therapies, injury decrease is viewed as a far-reaching advanced attack to the job of substance maltreatment and its related hazards. The outstanding characteristic of this fresh method is the extremist displacement in focal point to the bar of injury caused by substance maltreatment, instead than on the bar of drug usage itself. This entails recognizing the being of a substance maltreatment job in society which in bend indicates the inability or sometimes even failure of concerned governments in undertaking the drug job. This attack was frequently discussed in Mauritius after acknowledgment of the menace of HIV every bit good as other blood borne diseases which were distributing through shooting drug usage. Stakeholders including the National AIDS Secretariat agreed that injury decrease does non sabotage but alternatively complements attacks seeking to forestall or diminish drug ingestion. It is based on the acknowledgment that many people throughout the universe continue to utilize drugs despite the best of attempts to forestall drug usage and is of a non-judgmental and non-punitive attitude towards the ingestion of intoxicant and drugs. The Implementation of Harm Reduction In Mauritius Harm decrease is implemented in Mauritius through the vehicular plans of Methadone Substitution Therapy ( MST ) and Needle Exchange Programs ( NEPs ) . MST normally works by cut downing cravings and barricading ‘highs ‘ from diacetylmorphine. It does non supply the same euphoric haste the drug user under MST will no longer see utmost highs and depressions that consequences from the degree of diacetylmorphine in the blood. MST around Mauritius is controlled and supervised by the National Detoxification Centre For MST found at Cite Barkly in Beau Bassin. MST plans carried out may be either residential lasting for 15 yearss merely or day-care. Drug users are induced on dolophine hydrochloride under medical supervising and doses are accordingly adjusted. There are 16 methadone distributing points around the island from which drug users, after holding gone through initial initiation receive their day-to-day doses of dolophine hydrochloride. Needle exchange plans forms portion of the injury decrease scheme and is funded by the State and partly by international administrations such as the Global Fund. Mauritius has pioneered government-run needle exchange plans throughout the African Continent as both NGOs and the Mauritanian Government through MOH & A ; QL both carry out NEPs. The plan offers a comprehensive bundle of services which include exchange of used acerate leafs, HIV guidance and testing, proviso of rubbers and intoxicant swabs and referrals for rehabilitation services ( where requested ) every bit good as other HIV-related services. Rationale Behind Harm Reduction Harm Reduction and Human Rights The injury decrease attack to drugs is based on a strong pledge to public wellness and human rights. Harm decrease intercessions have found support among legion United Nations ( UN ) homo rights mechanisms, specifically in context of HIV bar and the right to achieve the highest accomplishable criterion of wellness. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ( ICESCR ) And Harm Reduction. The Committee on the Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights ( CESCR ) has recommended many times that States Parties scale up their injury decrease programmes in order to run into their duties under Article 12 of the ICESCR. In its Concluding Observations on Ukraine ( 2007 ) , the Committee stated that it was ‘gravely concerned at ‘the limited entree by drug users to substitution therapy, ‘ and recommended that the province party ‘make drug permutation therapy and other HIV bar services more accessible for drug users ‘ . Article 15 of the ICESCR provides for everyone to ‘benefit from scientific realizations and its applications. ‘ Considered against the background of injection driven HIV, this implies the right for any individual to profit from plans backed by solid grounds, therefore harm decrease plans, demoing that they can most expeditiously contain and treat HIV/AIDS and such drug related likely diseases. In 2009, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a declaration on human rights and HIV/AIDS that unambiguously provided support to harm decrease plans, including needle exchange. Research Based Rationale Despite the continued attempts of concerned governments, some of which being holding rather a considerable bearing on the state ‘s budget every bit good, substance maltreatment still remains one major cause for concern in Mauritius, it holding the 2nd highest per capita rate of opiate usage in the universe after Iran. Manners of transmittal of HIV and blood borne infections steadily shifted from heterosexual activities to shooting drug usage as from the twelvemonth 2002 to 2005, with an exponential rise in the figure of detected instances to make a extremum of 921 instances in 2005. 92 % of all new HIV infections in Mauritius by 2005 were shooting drug users. While this alteration was most probably a consequence of increased HIV proving among IDUs in assorted establishments including the prisons, and did non needfully stand for a brusk addition of new HIV infections, the figures were sufficient to measure up the epidemic as a concentrated one and were a clear warning of a latent job among the IDUs population. A speedy and efficient action in response to the quickly intensifying increasing transmittal of HIV was therefore required, accordingly climaxing into kicking off of injury decrease activities in 2006. The consequences obtained from the recent Injecting Drug User HIV Surveillance Survey, in Mauritius is no beginning of comfort: – among the HIV positive detected instances as at December 2009, 73 % consisted of members of the IDU population. HIV prevalence is 47.4 % and Hepatitis C ( HVC ) prevalence is 97.3 % . The usage of non-sterile acerate leafs and shooting drug equipment which is an highly efficient manner of HIV and blood borne diseases transmittal remains a cardinal factor declining the HIV epidemic among IDUs around the Earth and in Mauritius, while 61.2 % of IDUs reported shooting two to three times a twenty-four hours, 29.3 % among them reported shooting with a antecedently used acerate leaf in the past month. Prior to the induction of syringe exchange plans in 2006, needle and syringe sharing in the old three months was reported by 80 % of IDUs. However, in the last three months of the twelvemonth 2009, 30 % merely of IDUs reported sharing a needle or syringe at last injection and less than half reported occasional sharing of injection equipment or pulling up drug solution from a common container shared by many, research-based groundss stressing wholly along on the demand for continuance of harm decrease activities in Mauritius.