Theories of Mass Media and Its Social Impacts Essay Example for Free

Theories of Mass Media and Its Social Impacts Essay Since the invention of technologies such as the telegraph, radio and eventually television, which enabled communications â€Å"produced at a single source [to be] transmitted to an infinitely large audience† (Fearing, F. 1954), the social impacts of communications via mass media have been a subject of intense research by political and social scientists. This literature review intends to examine the major theories and perspectives on mass media with regard to its impact on society, which existed throughout the 1950’s and 70’s. Special attention will be given to the subjects of human social development, distribution of power, and human knowledge. Human social development has, without doubt, transformed since the introduction of mass media technologies. Before mass transmission capabilities were available, humans were very rarely exposed to anything other than the culture of their immediate surroundings. A widely supported view held, as to how communities learn a culture, is through a process of symbolic interaction (Blumer, H. 1969) where humans learn via the sharing of symbols. Fearing (1954) refers to this process as the sharing of â€Å"daydreams†, which are the literary or dramatic manifestations of a community’s symbols and culture. Every ‘daydream’ contains the symbols of the culture that produced it, whether it be a play or story. By passing on and sharing these ‘daydreams’, a community are able to share in the same culture, as they create familiar frameworks with which to reference their social lives. As Gerbner (1967) points out, before mass media, human interaction was almost entirely interpersonal, in relative isolation, meaning human experience and knowledge was limited to their immediate community environment, with information being passed down from person to person. The influence of the mass media begins to become apparent as Fearing (1952) points out the fact that humans, thanks to mass media, were for the first time able to broaden their sources of symbolic interaction, learning the values and symbols of a culture outside of their own localised  sphere of experience. Gerbner later echoed this sentiment when stating that since the industrial revolution, an â€Å"almost simultaneous introduction of information, ideas, images and products† on a global level has taken place. He goes on to claim that this point signalled the turning point with regard to how people became â€Å"humanised†. No longer was acculturation limited geographically. Quite quickly, due to the wide transmission of symbols, beliefs and attitudes, it became possible for regional and even national populations to share the same mental frameworks for perceiving the world around them. A feat that would have been impossible without the means of mass, simultaneous comm unication, made feasible by the mass media. Another contested subject with regards to the potential power of mass media was that that its capabilities place â€Å"a powerful instrument in the hands of a small number of persons† (Fearing, 1954). The ability now existed for a small influential group to communicate their message to a vast number of receivers. With this came the ability to set public agenda, influence social policy and affect the thoughts and behaviours of receivers (Gerbner 1967). There are many incidences for example where radio broadcasts have had a huge influence on the behaviour of its listeners, as documented extensively by Fearing (1954), who incidentally goes on to play down these successes as isolated events in which many variables came together with unintentional effectiveness. Unsurprisingly, governments developed great interest in the potential of the mass media and political scientists were responsible for many advances in the field. The propaganda campaigns propagated during the First, and especially Second World War, are undeniable examples of mass media’s potential for control over a population. However, the idea that media had a one way ‘hypodermic needle’ effect on receivers was beginning to fall from popular view, with a two way communication process being adopted instead. This two way process took into account that an audience doesn’t necessarily simply absorb the information around them, but perceive and interpret it, ultimately selecting whether it’s information they want to absorb. In contrast to the increased power of government, insights provided by Gerbner (1967) document the increased power of ordinary citizens to effectively take part in democracy, by offering and promoting alternatives to policies. The ability to publish and distribute private knowledge he says  transforms the private perspectives of few into broad public perspectives – thus creating a public, which in itself is a form of potential power if communication is maintained. We can conclude from this that mass media has enabled those who would not normally be able to do so, to voice their opinions and perspectives with a broader audience. Those who wield these mass communication capabilities certainly have far more potential power than before. With increased broadcasting of information, the manner and rate at which humans learn has also been irreversibly influenced. The relatively vast amounts of knowledge available via print and broadcast media during this time meant people were exposed to a greater amount of information. People were no longer restricted to the information and experiences of their own communities, but had access to foreign experiences and knowledge on a national and international level. In a general sense this has arguably meant that people, as a result, have become relatively more intelligent. As with most opportunities however, some people are able to take more advantage of them than others, whether it be because they are better equipped or more motivated to do so. P. J. Tichenor, G.A. Donohue and C.N. Olien’s (1970) research documented what they referred to as a â€Å"widening knowledge gap†, especially with regards to more â€Å"general appeal† knowledge areas such as public affai rs and science. Those of a higher socioeconomic status acquire information faster than lower class segments, leading to ever increasing gaps between progressive and â€Å"stagnant† groups (Tichenor, P.J, et al. 1970). Robinson (as cited in Tichenor, P.J. et al 1970) contends that those less informed will â€Å"remain so unless acted upon by an outside force, while those already informed stay in motion†. This leads to the conclusion that while the proliferation of information increases, the knowledge gap can and will only increase, unless measures are taken to effectively inform those of lower socioeconomic classes. A solution to this knowledge gap is offered by Tichenor et al. (1970) when they profess that a â€Å"knowledge gap implies a communication gap.† With the introduction of more easily accessible outlets of information this knowledge gap could potentially be decreased, despite the ever-increasing amounts of information available. Their article ends on an optimistic note as to the role television could play in the future, a  medium much easily accessible to lower socioeconomic classes. Reference List Blumer, Herbert (1969). Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. Berkeley: University of California Press. Fearing F. (1954). Social impact of the mass media of communications, in, N.B. Henry (Ed.) Mass media and education: The fifty-third yearbook of the national society for the study of education part II, Chicago, University of Chicago. Gerbner, G. (1967). Mass media and human communication theory, in, F.E. X. Dance (Ed.) Human communication theory: Original essays, (pp.40-60.) New York, Holt, Rinehart, Winston. Tichenor, P.J., Donohue, G.A. Olien, C.N. (1970). Mass media flow and differential growth in knowledge, Public Opinion Quarterly, 34, 159-170.

Essay on Themes of House on Mango Street, and The Bluest Eye

Disturbing Themes of House on Mango Street, and The Bluest Eye  Ã‚   Sandra Cisneros was born in Chicago and grew up in Illinois, the only girl in a family of seven. Cisneros is noted for her collection of poems and books that concentrate on the Chicana experience in the United States. In her writing, Cisneros explores and transcends borders of location, ethnicity, gender and language. Cisneros writes in lyrical yet deceptively simple language, she makes the invisible visible by centering on the lives of Chicanas, their relationships with their families, their religion, their art, and their politics. Toni Morrison, born as Chloe Anthony Wofford in Ohio in 1931 changed her name because it was hard for people to pronounce it. She was the second of four children, and both of her parents migrated from the South. Morrison is best noted for her novels, short fiction, being a lecturer, teacher and public servant. She writes using deft language and her lyrical writing, exploring the African-American middle classes and folk culture. Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street, written in 1984, and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, first published in 1970, are both aimed at adolescent audiences but deal with deep, often disturbing themes about serious social conditions and their effects on children. Both books are told in the first person; both narrators are young girls, living in destitute neighborhoods, who witness the harsh realities of life for those who are poor, abused, and hopeless, although the narrators themselves manage to survive their tough environments with their wits and strength intact. The books are more than simple literary exercises written merely to amuse or delight their audiences. Both authors attempt to provok... ...s 91). Of the two books, Morrison’s is by far the more effective for both adolescent and adult audiences. Its characters and settings are fully, painstakingly drawn, it has a powerful thought-provoking theme, and it has a clear plot which can inspire its audience to laugh or cry. A reader can get deep into the minds and actions of the characters as well as the environment they live in in The Bluest Eye and find a series of newspaper articles, sometimes vaguely touching or thought-provoking, capable, perhaps, of inspiring discussions about some of the issues it touches on, but essentially too minimal and impersonal to inspire any deep emotional reaction in it readers. Works Cited: Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. 1stVintage Contemporaries ed.New York: Vintage Books, 1991. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1993.

Attila the Hun †Short Story Essay

Why were the military campaigns of Attila the Hun successful? Attila’s military success will be explained through his ability to lure the Romans into war on a pretext whenever the Romans were vulnerable. His motives behind each war was to abstract as much money from the Romans as possible. Also to be explored will be his ability to assert psychological domination over the Eastern Emperor at a time when the two Empires were at peace. Furthermore to be examined will be his ability to portray himself as diplomatic through treaties and embassy consultations between the Romans and the Huns. Also to be looked at will be how successful was Attila’s at creating and seizing opportunities This will be done by looking at Attila’s campaigns in the east and west Roman Empires. After the death of their Uncle Rua 435/6, Attila and his brother Bleda took control of the Hunnic Empire. The two brothers decided to renegotiate the relationship that existed between their Uncle Rua an d the Eastern Roman Empire based in Constantinople. The Treaty set up by Rua, stipulated that, the Romans paid him an annual subsidy of 350 lbs of gold. He also demanded fugitives who had fled to the Romans and threatened war if they were not returned. The negotiations took place near the city of Margus in 438. According to Priscus the meeting took place according to both parties’ customs. The Huns would hear what the Romans had to say while mounted on horseback while the Romans discussed the meeting on foot. The Huns dictated the new terms of the treaty, referred to as the Peace of Margus. The Huns decided the annual subsidy was to be raised to the sum of 700lbs. The treaty also fixed that for every Roman captive who had escaped from the barbarians, the Romans must pay eight pieces of gold. The treaty also predetermined that all fugitives must be returned to the Huns. Furthermore the emperor Theodosius was to relinquish any ongoing treaties with enemies of the Huns. Moreover the Huns were to conduct the way the free markets on the northern side of the Danube were controlled. Attila used the markets as a pretext to wage war on the east. The free markets were attacked by Hunnic traders in 441/2 killing Roman merchants during the raid. Theodosius complained that the Huns had violated the â€Å"Peace of Margus†. The Huns reported to the Romans that the Bishop of Margus had crossed over to their territory and robbed their royal tombs. They complained that the Romans had not honoured the Peace of Margus by refusing to return fugitives to them. Additionally, they demanded the Bishop be handed over as well. The significance of these allegations was central to the Huns plan for an attack during the campaigning season. The Romans refused both claims and war was declared. Having successfully provoked the Eastern Romans into a war had been a strategic move by the Hunnic leader. Attila knew the eastern Roman field forces were based in Sicily on a joint expedition with the Western Empire to recapture Carthage from the Vandals led by king Geseric. The North African campaign was partially why Theodosius readily agreed to the treaty of Margus. He thought it would give the east breathing space. Moreover Carthage was crucial to the Western Empire as it provided Rome with grain. Knowing that the east was vulnerable, the Huns would cause carnage throughout the Balkans. Margus was a key city that opened up the Balkans for the Hunnic invasion of the east. The Bishop of Margus defected to the Huns. In return for clemency he handed over the Episcopal city. The Huns swept through the Balkans raising cities to the ground. The key fortified city of Naissus was besieged and taken. Priscus gives an account of the siege. He states â€Å"†¦a large number of [Hunnic siege] engines had been brought up to the wall†¦the so called rams were brought up also†¦A beam is suspended by slack chains†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . However, Professor E.A Thompson disputes that the siege occurred and that Priscus borrows heavily on Thucydides’ account of the Battle at Plataea. Professor Thompson states four reasons to argue his point, among them the Huns inept ability to construct such machines and also it is unlikely that the Hunnic archers, who rarely dismounted, would on this occasion have left their horses for a totally alien form of warfare. On the other hand, they may have been quite capable of such construction for it is well documented they had enslaved many tradesmen. As for example in the bath which was made for the Hunnic noble Onegesius by a craftsman who was captured at Sirmium. Nevertheless the Huns ransacked and pillaged the Balkans taking fortified cities along the way such as Viminacium, Illy ricum and defeated the Roman army at Chersonese. According to Brian Croke, In 441 the Huns invaded Illyricum only and in 442 broke into northern Thrace . The Romans sued for peace and the Treaty of Anatolius was agreed. Attila terms demanded that the annual tribute be tripled to 2,100 pounds of gold. He also compelled the Romans to surrender all Hun deserters and to ransom their own deserters at a rate of twelve solidi each. The treaty, however, contained one provision that had no precedent. Attila forced the Romans to make an immediate payment of 6,000 pounds of gold. Attila’s plan to force a war to bring about higher subsidies had worked. He would devastate the Balkans for a second time in 447 when he came looking for subsidies that were in arrears. When Atillas second campaign of the Balkans began in 447 he was sole leader of the Huns after having his brother Bleda killed in 445/6. A year later an embassy was sent by Attila to the Imperial court to address the issue of arrears and fugitives. The Romans were now feeling in a stronger position. They had introduced a new law in 443 which insured Military readiness for the Eastern Field forces. They had been strengthened by a recruitment of a large number of Isaurians – traditionally bandits- from the highlands of Cilicia in south-west Asia Minor. Moreover the Eastern army had been forced to return from Sicily after Attila’s first campaign. Attila turned as far south to Thermopylae and then west, ransacking Marcianople, Arcadiopolis, and Callipolis. An earthquake at Constantinople had occurred, Attila decided to turn back. The Imperial City was heavily fortified with triple walls that had been repaired hastily after the earthquake. The legislated Military Readiness law was of little use to the Romans as Attila wreaked havoc on an unprecedented scale. The results were the same as the first campaign, the Romans sued for peace and the second treaty of Anatolius was agreed. More subsides was agreed and a large track of land to act as a buffer zone between the Huns and the Romans was approved. Attila had succeeded at luring the Eastern Empire into war on a pretext to extort more subsidies. He was also adept at asserting his psychological domination, by humiliating the Eastern Emperor Theodosius at Constantinople. Theodosius was humiliated in 449 when his Eunuch Chrysaphius hatched a plot to assassinate Attila. The Plot was unbeknown to the Roman ambassador Maximinus, and his escort Priscus. They were sent to Attila’s camp to discuss issues in the treaty such as the ongoing fugitives case and the issue of the land used as a buffer zone. To give a picture of the devastation Attila caused in the Balkans. Prisucus relates how when travelling to Attila’s court in 449 they stopped at Naissus to pitch tent, he states how the pl ace was littered with bones from Attila’s first campaign. Attila’s refusal to meet the missionaries irritated Maximinus and Priscus. He ordered them to leave then ordered them to stay. Maximinus and Priscus were at a loss to Attila’s behaviour. Maximinus was frustrated and urged Priscus to arrange a meeting with Attila. Priscus succeeded by offering gifts to Onegesius’ brother Scottas to secure them a meeting with Attila. The two missionaries were shocked when it was revealed to them by Attila’s men the purpose of their mission. After nothing left to stay for they departed home despaired. They met their interpreter Bigilas travelling back to Attila’s court whom he had dismissed earlier. When they had initially left Constantinople, Chrysaphius had persuaded Edeco to kill Attila. Edeco had arrived in Constantinople the previous spring as a Hunnic ambassador and was now returning to Attila’s camp along with Maximinus and Priscus. Edeco a faithful and trustful servant to Attila had revealed the details at once. When Bigilas arrived he was immediately set upon by Attila’s men a nd a bag with 50lbs of gold was found in his possession. It was the reward money to Edeco if he had succeeded in killing Attila. Bigilas’ son was threatened with death if he did not come back with another 50lbs of gold. Attila sent his Roman secretary Orestes as a Hunnic ambassador to Constantinople with the empty bag around his neck. His instructions were to ask Theodosius if he recognised the bag. Priscus gives a clear account of the humiliation when he states â€Å"Eslas was to say directly that Theodosius was the son of a nobly born father, and Attila too was off noble descent†¦whereas Attila had preserved his noble linage, Theodosius had fallen from his and was Attila’s slave bound to the payment of tribute†. Attila had succeeded at psychologically humiliating Theodosius. Furthermore, as the interpreter returned with the 50lb of gold to free his son, Attila had gained more subsidies in the form of 100lbs gold even though the two sides were at peace. Priscus observed an interesting point at Attila’s cou rt. He noticed Attila was asking western ambassadors to hand over a silver plate dealer who resided in Rome, named Silvanus. Attila claimed Silvanus had stolen gold vessels from him. Silvanus maintained he had bought the vessels from Attila’s secretary Constantius. Attila had Constantius crucified and called for the surrender of the Silvanus. The Roman General Aetius refused Attila’s demand. Aetius declared that Silvanus was Constantius’ creditor, despite the fact that he did offer to pay for the price of the vessels he would not hand over the innocent Silvanus. Attila had got his pretext to wage war in the west. Moreover in c.450 a Frankish succession crisis brought about a situation where one claimant appealed to the Huns and the other to the Vatican. In 451 Attila left the Hungarian plains and turned westwards to Gaul. The Hunnic invasion of Gaul was accompanied by allies such as the Rugian, Gepid, Burgundian, Scirian, Thuringian and Franks. They initially swept away defenceless cities such as Metz and Constantine’s’ old Imperial city at Trier. At the city of Orleans they met heavy resistance from the Alans who were in the service of the Romans. Aetius and Theodoric along with several other mercenary tribes manage to lure Attila away from Orleans. The following month was the Battle of Chalons on the Catalaunian fields. The battle of Catulaunian Fields is regarded as one of the decisive battles of the western world. Attila’s army was defeated by Aetius who represented the incapable Western Emperor Valentinian. Both sides suffered heavy losses, the Gothic king Theodoric had been killed in the battle. Aetius advised Theodoric’s’ son Thorismud to return home to defend his claim to the throne, as a result disabling Aetius’ pursuit of the battle against the Hunnic alliance. Attila retreated back to the Hungarian plains to plan his next move. Within a year the Huns were on the move again. The Western Emperor Valentinian’ sister Honoria had been caught having an affair and was bethrothed to another man named Herculanus. She sent her eunuch Hyacinthus to Attila before he entered Gaul offering herself as his wife and half the western Empire as her dowry. She had sent her ring as proof of her commitment. Attila waged war on Italy in 452 on the pretext he was entitled to half the Western Empire. Attila pillaged the wealthiest cities in northern Italy most notably Aquileia and Milan. When he was marching towards Rome papal legend claims Pope Leo persuaded him to abandon his plan and not to attack Rome. More practical issues would be his incompetence in preparing a supply line of food for his huge army. It could also be said the army was suffering from breakouts of various diseases. Furthermore an Eastern Roman General also named Aetius had invaded Attila’s kingdom. Nonetheless, Attila decided to return home to his vast Empire north of the Danube where he died the following year on his wedding night. The Huns had been inadvertently responsible for creating the instability the Western Empire now faced. Attila’s predecessors had forced, Germanic, Alans, Suevi and other tribes into the Empire for sanctuary. In 376 the Romans were beseeched by Goths north of the Danube to be admitted into the Empire who had been retreating under Hunnic Pressure. They had been driven from their lands by the Huns and were now crossing the Danube to reach the Empire. When the Goths were admitted into the Empire during the late fourth century, the authorities gave them food and land to cultivate. The Eastern Emperor Valens viewed them as foedearti and more taxes; this would benefit the army and treasury alike. Moreover the rich landowners would benefit from their labourer. Too many refugees came across for the Romans to count, but it may possibly have been in the tens or hundreds of thousands. Many were dispersed to whether they were needed to stop them becoming a threat to the Empire. The displacement of the Goths by the Huns and acceptance by Emperor Valens is often viewed as the beginning of the end for the Western Roman Empire. The invitation quickly turned to attempted invasion when the Romans in the east suffered their worst defeat in 600 years at the battle of Adrianople in 378. The Goths led by king Fritergen killed the emperor Valens; not until the ninth century would another emperor die in battle. They slaughtered two thirds of the Eastern Roman army. It was a self inflicted wound, near crippling the east. If the Goths had been treated better in the east, they may have helped the Romans face the Hunnic hordes already closing in from the Steppes. Furthermore slightly more than three decades later the Visigoths led by Alaric would sack Rome in 410. These two conquests in the east and west is evident the once mighty Roman Empires glory days were almost at an end. By the time the Huns had turned west from the Hungarian plains into Gaul, the west was already a weakened Empire through lose of land, taxes and military power. By the time of Attila’s arrival the Western Empire was dominated by barbarian tribes. Germanic forces had fought and weakened the empire in northern Gaul. Consequently it seems to have become a patchwork of territories ruled by unrecognised chiefs, leaders whose authority was based upon Roman titles, and barbarian warlords. The tribes were dominant enough to conduct their own foreign policy and more importantly, alliances, without Roman approval. For example Theodoric married his one of his daughters to the heir of the Vandal throne and another to the Suevic king. In Gaul 406, 408, and 411, the Romans had fought among themselves and suffered heavy losses. Supported by the Huns in 425 they suffered further losses at the hands of the Vandals. In 439 Aetius was fighting the Goths in Gaul in and restoring order against local rebels named by Romans as Bagaudae at Aremorica. Geseric took advantage and took Carthage by surprise. Due to the manpower crisis the Empire could not afford to fight on two fronts. To protect Carthage, Aetius had to make peace with the Gothic king Theodoric to free himself in order to fight the Vandals. Aetius had increasingly become heavily depended upon recruiting barbarian allies outside the Empire.. Attila made unsuccessful attempts to extract wealth from the west. Attila’s campaigns can be measured as successful through his tactics, his ability to lure the Romans into war on a pretext. He tended to act diplomatic by negotiating treaties then he would dishonour his own treaty and blame the Romans, Attila repeatedly used the issue â€Å"fugitives† as a case to wage war. Attila’s success can be measured on his achievements through the raising of subsides with each treaty. Attila achieved what he had set out to do from the start and that was to get as much money from the Romans as possible. Attila never wanted to conquer Constantinople or Rome. He wanted to extract as much subsides as he could. The Eastern Empire collected taxes from Egypt to Asia Minor and the Huns had no navy to uphold this lucrative adventure. It was easier for them to collect of the Romans. His successful campaigns were planned strategically. His campaigns can be measured by breaking up an important joint East-West enterprise to save Carthage. This is also the case in the west. He knew it was in a factional position and politically unstable. It was an opportunity Attila Seized upon. Attila campaigns were thought out in advance and sometimes long before the enemy realised. Attila could also be tactful; evident to this was shown hen Attila humiliated Theodosius. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. W. Bayless, The Treaty with the Huns of 443. in The American Journal of Philology, Vol. XCV11, No. 2 (1976), p.178 [ 2 ]. W. Bayless, The Treaty with the Huns of 443., p.177 [ 3 ]. P. Heather, The fall of the Roman Empire: A new history of Rome and the barbarians (USA, 2006), p.301 [ 4 ]. E. Gibbon, (2012-05-12). History of the Decline and fall of the Roman Empire – Volume 3 (Kindle Locations 3917-3922). . Kindle Edition. [ 5 ]. P. Heather, The fall of the Roman Empire, p.301 [ 6 ]. W. Bayless, The Treaty with the Huns of 443., p.177 [ 7 ]. E. Gibbon, (2012-05-12). History of the Decline and fall of the Roman Empire – Volume 3 (Kindle Locations 3998-4001). . Kindle Edition. [ 8 ]. W. Bayless, The Treaty with the Huns of 443, p.178 [ 9 ]. P. Heather, The fall of the Roman Empire, p.302 [ 10 ]. R. Blockley, â€Å"Dexippus and Priscus and the Thucydidean account of the siege of Plataea†. in Phoenix, Vol. XXV1, No. 1 (1972), p.25 [ 11 ]. R. Blockley, â€Å"Dexippus and Priscus and the Thucydidean account of the siege of Plataea†, p.25 [ 12 ]. W. Bayless, The Treaty with the Huns of 443., pp. 176-179 [ 13 ]. B.Croke, The Context and Date of Priscus Fragment 6. Classical Philology, Vol. 78, No. 4 (Oct., 1983), pp. 297-308 [ 14 ]. W. Bayless, The Treaty with the Huns of 443., pp. 176-179 [ 15 ]. P. Heather, The fall of the Roman Empire, p.302 [ 16 ]. P. Heather, The fall of the Roman Empire, p.302 [ 17 ]. Medieval Sourcebook, â€Å"Priscus at the court of Attila† (http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/priscus1.asp) (30 Nov. 2012) [ 18 ]. Medieval Sourcebook, â€Å"Priscus at the court of Attila† (http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/priscus1.asp) (30 Nov. 2012) [ 19 ]. P. Heather, The fall of the Roman Empire, p.324 [ 20 ]. Medieval Sourcebook, â€Å"Priscus at the court of Attila† (http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/priscus1.asp) (30 Nov. 2012) [ 21 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West 376-568 (UK, 2007), p.250 [ 22 ]. P. Heather, The fall of the Roman Empire, p.324 [ 23 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West, p.253 [ 24 ]. E.A. Thompson, Romans and Barbarians, p.16 [ 25 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West, p.252 [ 26 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West, p.252 [ 27 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West 376-568, p.254 [ 28 ]. P. Heather. The Huns and the End of the Roman Empire in The English Historical Review, Vol. 110, No. 435 (Feb., 1995), p.11 [ 29 ]. J. Moorhead, The Roman Empire divided 400-700 (UK, 2001), p12 [ 30 ]. E.A. Thompson, Romans and Barbarians: The decline of the Western Empire (USA, 1982), p.16 [ 31 ]. J. Moorhead, The Roman Empire divided, p.12 [ 32 ]. J. Moorhead, The Roman Empire divided, p.62 [ 33 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West, p.243 [ 34 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West, p.247 [ 35 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West, p.245 [ 36 ]. G. Halsall, Barbarians Migrations and the Roman West, p.254 [ 37 ]. J. Moorhead, The Roman Empire divided, p.53

Democracy, India, And South Africa - 875 Words

As the Economist article highlights, â€Å"democracies are going through a difficult time† and currently its forward momentum seems to be at a standstill in the modern-day world (The Economist, n.d.), but the mere fact that democracy has the ability to have â€Å"taken root in the most difficult circumstances possible† (the article noting Germany, India, and South Africa of major importance) should be a testament that the democratic ideal is effective and perhaps more importantly, supported, amongst many citizens universally (The Economist, n.d.). One of the first actions towards reinstating and balancing the effectiveness of current democracy is popular participation. Getting citizens to become fully engaged and passionate about participating in politics is integral to a democracy’s success, one that entails not having to compromise in order to achieve an effective yet limited government. As the textbook highlights, without the participation of the public from t he entirety of society, governments are less likely to respond to the people’s needs and put the people’s interests at the forefront (Mintz, et al., 2013). A more effective government and a stronger display of democracy will be allowed only when the majority of citizens participate in the voting process freely. In the 2011 Canadian election, the Conservative government found itself obtaining a majority of seats in the House of Commons with only 25 percent of the potential electorate; to begin with, only 61 percent of theShow MoreRelatedSummary of Two Articles: Democracy Canadian-style Part I and Coal India Ltd Floats Expression of Interest for Overseas Coal Assets749 Words   |  3 PagesDemocracy Summary In the article Democracy Canadian-style Part I: Abroad (Walberg, 2013) the Canadian democracy takes orders from its US-Euro masters to invade countries in order to set up mechanisms for elections when necessary. 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Employing non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world. A very important turning point in Gandhi’s life is he arrived in South Africa to work as a legal representative for the Muslim Indian traders based in the city of Pretoria when he was 24. In South Africa he faced the discrimination directed at colored people, prejudiceRead MoreThe Long Term Potential Growth Rate Of South Africa Essay1006 Words   |  5 PagesThe long-term potential growth rate of South Africa under the current policy environment has been estimated at 3.5%.Per capita GDP growth has proved mediocre, though improving, growing by 1.6% a year from 1994 to 2009, and by 2.2% o ver the 2000–09 decade, compared to world growth of 3.1% over the same period. The high levels of unemployment, at over 25%, and inequality are considered by the government and most South Africans to be the most salient economic problems facing the country. These issuesRead MoreCodified Constitutions Are Not An Essential Element Of Democracy1614 Words   |  7 Pagesconsidered that codified constitutions are an essential element of democracy in that by clearly setting out the functions of each branch of government and their relations with each other and their citizens, this prevents an over powerful executive developing and ensures rights of citizens are protected. However, I believe that codified constitutions are not an essential element of democracy as there are examples of robust democracies which have uncodified constitutions and at times codified constitutionsRead MoreCommonwealth Realm1566 Words   |  7 Pageswhich was originally slated to host the summit in 2011, was accused of committing atrocities during the Sri Lankan civil war and the summit was instead held in Perth, Australia; Colombo was given the 2013 summit instead.[3][4] The leaders of Canada, India, and Mauritius boycotted the summit, citing alleged human rights violations by Sri Lanka against its Tamil minority. Protests were also banned during the summit.[5] President Mahinda Rajapaksa summarised the summits events as: Issues covered in theRead MoreThe Second Wave Of Democracy1682 Words   |  7 PagesThe third wave of democracy started in Portugal in 1974 and spread to Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. This included spreading democracy to many nations that were previously thought to be inhospitable to democracy. This led many scholars to re-evaluate the leading theories on democratization in an attempt to correlate and understand this newest wave of democracy. Many of the countries that didn’t fit in this established wealthy, mostly â€Å"Western† mold, could be classified and explained byRead MoreEssay on Imperialism1578 Words   |  7 Pa gesprevailed to this day. Imperialism caused a breakdown of the previous cultures and lifestyles that the natives had followed. The European imperialism caused many of the now prevalent ethnic rivalries that can be found in northern India, parts of Asia, and parts of Africa. quot;Africa and much of the developing world have been struggling for nearly half a century to come to terms with grinding ethnic and tribal rivalries that remain, in a way, one of the most enduring legacies of their colonial past.quot;Read MoreExpansion Of United Nations Security Council1344 Words   |  6 Pagesthe call for a more effective Council. Thus far, three fundamental plans have been proposed, the G4 (Brazil, India, Germany and Japan) plan, UFC (United for Consensus) plan and the Ezulwini Consensus. The G4 plans visualize a council with 25 members in total. This number would be inclusive of 6 new permanent members in the form of India, Germany, Japan, Brazil and two countries from Africa. It would also include 3 elected seats. The second plan which is UFC also advocates for 25 council membersRead MoreThe Great Divide : How And Why The Apartheid Differ From Colonial Rule1438 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican mining, agricultural and rubber economies. But nothing that Africa had previously suffered was quite like the apartheid, which South Africa was exposed to from 1948-1994. The apartheid was a systematic of racial segregation in South Africa enforced by the all-white National Party with the goal to â€Å"separate South Africa’s white minority from its non-white majority, non-whites from each other, and to divi de black South Africans to decrease their political power†. In essence, under apartheid