Individual Experiencing Health & Social Care Essay - 1

Individual Experiencing Health & Social Care - Essay Example This protected mealtime initiative â€Å"encourages the suspension of all non-urgent clinical activity on wards during mealtimes. During this time patients can eat their meals without interruptions and nursing staff are available to offer help to those who need it. In the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report, it was recognized that the initiative had been successful and should be introduced in all hospitals.† (Nutritional Care Group Report 2008) This policy can only be effective, though, if the patients are able to eat most, if not all of the food that is meant for them. A good diet will go a long way in improving a patients chance to recover fully, and overcome malnutrition and the risk of inspection. Protecting mealtimes helps in tackling poor nutrition and can also reduce the long term costs of healthcare. Also, some Patients might have special dentition needs and may have difficulties eating hard food may need softer meals. Protected, regular meals taken in a calm, unhurried and social atmosphere will promote the eating of such soft meals. Thus, there can be marked improvement in the nutritional intake of these patients, especially those who can be moved from their bedrooms to a suitable dining area during the protected mealtimes. Protecting mealtimes also creates a social atmosphere of communal dining, which can support increased food consumption on the part of the patients due to encouragement and the interaction of the staff and patients. Communal Dining environments are often more â€Å"home-like† or usual experiences for patients than eating off an over bed tray, either in or beside a bed, which in turn supports optimal intake. According to Simon Williams, â€Å"Making sure that our patients get the opportunity to eat and enjoy appetizing and nutritious food is one of the most important aspects of nursing care. Research shows that over forty per cent of people who come

Conflict Assesment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conflict Assesment - Assignment Example ing the two sets of results, my personal score in the negative conflict management style such as avoidance and competition was lower than the score on the positive conflict management styles such as accommodation, compromise, and collaboration. On the other hand, my score as given by the person from family, who is my cousin, was quite the same as mine. The analysis from my supervisor is quite deflecting from my score. My supervisor felt that it is not common for me to deflect from conflict, hence, I am cooperative and also assertive. The score from my cousin that was similar to mine confirmed my love for deflecting from confrontation which did not really surprise me. The fact a member of the family had a great opinion regarding avoidance; it means I have a lot to work on regarding my conflict resolution. Regarding competition, it was a fair score because the scores of the two people did not deviate much from my score. I am an averagely competitive person, hence their opinion did not surprise. This means I am averagely aggressive compared to being assertive and I often like winning arguments at the expense of other people (Wilmot & Hocker, 2013). My score on accommodation was higher than that of my supervisor, although it is the same as that of my family member. This means that my supervisor does not think that my conflict management style includes giving up my personal interest for the creation of harmony and peace (Wilmot & Hocker, 2013). This surprised me greatly because I regard myself as quite selfless. Regarding compromise I gave myself a higher score than my supervisor, but the same as my cousin. This means that my supervisor thinks that I do not usually make a concession that results in an outcome that is mutually agreeable. This was surprising because I love creating peace and being considerate. My collaboration score was the same as the member of my family and was higher than that of my supervisor. Collaboration entails cooperation to facilitate a

Truman Capote Essay Example for Free

Truman Capote Essay Capote, the 2005 movie directed by Bennett Miller, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins, Jr., Chris Cooper and Bruce Greenwood, is the story of the making of Truman Capote’s 1966 non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood. Hoffman, playing Capote as a fish-out-of-water, a mincing homosexual researching his opus in a small Kansas town in 1959, shares screen time with Keener’s Harper Lee, a childhood friend of the author. The true story of how Capote researched his book is not as compelling as the story he actually wrote. Keener, playing Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird makes a more interesting figure and the viewer sometimes wonders why the movie isn’t about her and the making of her own opus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Keener, as Lee, is the key to Capote being able to access the rural people of the little Kansas town. They are amused by, and wary of the little man with the lisp and extravagant dress. It is she who opens the doors for him and permits the work to be researched. Hoffman, as Capote, is technically on the mark, but his portrayal is still that of a hollow man. The audience is supposed to feel empathy for this tragic individual but there is little compassionate or passionate about him. The tragedy of the story is, in reality, the Kansas farm family who was slaughtered like animals by the socio-paths who will be exploited by Capote. The audience is supposed to care that the soulless sophisticated and dapper homosexual is attracted to the cold-blooded killer, and, most likely, is in love with him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The film is bleak and also runs out of steam by midpoint. The acting is good but the subject is borderline disgusting. Capote exploited the community and the slain family.   The film version of the actual Capote work, In Cold Blood, is a much better movie.

Nissans Global Strategy

Nissans Global Strategy Nissans global strategy with focus towards its entry and expansion to India Introduction Globalisation in terms of strategy actually makes us aware of to two simultaneous changes, the globalisation of industries and the globalisation of markets. The globalisation of industries refers to the increased integration of business across national borders due to rapid advancement in communications, transportations and the absence of wide spread high intensity world conflict leading to increased international trade flows and foreign direct investment. The technological advances combined with successful implementation of free trade policies by many countries has resulted in companies being able to expand their operations internationally as well as compete itself in multiple countries. The globalisation of markets refers to the concept that demand preferences are becoming more homogenous across national borders which means people are increasingly looking for same product around the world. Both these aspects play predominant importance in a firms global strategy towards its expansio n internationally. (Scott Gallagher, 2005) Nissans Global Strategy Nissan Motors global strategy involves its aim to become an industry leader in zero-emission vehicles and to cultivate developing markets with low-cost global cars. As part of zero-emission environmental friendly vehicles, it would be beginning with the launching of the new electric vehicles (EVs) which would be powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries to be jointly developed with electronic maker NEC Corp. The EV to be introduced will have a unique body style on an all-new vehicle platform which would be compact for the city, yet big enough to carry five adults. Importantly, it will be thoroughly usable with brisk performance and a range of 160kms. It will have the performance of a typical 1.6-litre petrol-engine car while recharging from a high voltage source will restore 80 per cent of the battery capacity in around 30 minutes. The company with its alliance partner Renault, which holds 44% stake in it, has been developing partnerships with various governments and specialist compa nies to build a sustainable mobility network and create public awareness towards EVs as its preparing for marketing them on a mass scale. Various understanding has been signed with electricity companies, charging station suppliers and governments to promote the concept of zero emission mobility and provide infrastructure support, craft legislation or offer incentives such as tax relief, parking or toll rebates for EV buyers (Source: The Japan Times online, May 14, 2008). Cultivating developing markets with low-cost global cars, Nissan is globally launching its new small car on a fresh global platform. The common global platform strategy is part of Nissans endeavour to produce a host of cars, be it hatchbacks or sedans, across five countries in which thus far India, China and Thailand have been identified as key manufacturing locations. The new small car, touted as a replacement for the Micra, will first go into production in Thailand with shipping out key components from India and t hen later on the production would be from India. Nissans Entry Expansion to India As part of its entry and expansion to India, the company is tying up with its alliance partner Renault and stetted up a manufacturing facility in Chennai, India with an investment of INR 4500 crores, which will have a capacity of producing four lakh units. It also has alliance with Ashok Leyland to build Light Commercial Vehicles, with Bajaj to develop ultra-low-cost cars, with Hover for marketing, sales and dealer development support and with Maruti-Suzuki to export A-segment vehicles to Europe (Source: The Hindu Business Line, Sep 30, 2009). Apart from setting up a manufacturing facility, Nissan Motors India Private Limited is also developing a high-tech research and development facility in Chennai mainly used for developing Robotic painting that would help in boosting up the quality, enhance flexibility, increase saving and improve safety for its international business. This R D facility would allow the company to claim the weighted tax deduction of up to 150% for in-house resear ch and R D activities entitled by the government of India, making its product more likely cheaper (Source: Rediff India Abroad, Apr 10, 2009). The company believes that the scope of growth in India is immense since the penetration of vehicles into the markets is less than 50 per 1000 nationals compared to US of 800, Germany, Japan, UK and France of 600 vehicles per 1,000 people. The total industry volume globally increased 6.1 per cent even though Western Europe was flat, the US market was down 3.5 per cent and Japan was down 5.3 per cent in 2008 (Source: Business Standard, May 13, 2008). As part of its marketing strategy, the company, which already has two models ‘Teana and ‘X-Trail for the Indian market from 2004 onwards, is rolling out new sports car ‘Z370 in 2010 and fully redesigned luxury sedan ‘Teana and ‘X-Trail. The ‘Teana which was pitted against the Volkswagen Passat and the BMW 3 Series, won the Indian Executive Car of the Year 2008 for its excellence in driving comfort, performance, design and style, purpose with relevance and value for money. All these three vehicles is brought as Completely Built Units from Japan paying 109 percent duty showing that the company is making all possible efforts to expand its presence in India. Apart from that the company, will increase its product range to nine models by 2012, five of which will be manufactured in the Chennai plant. The first among these, to be launched in mid 2010, will be a hatchback based on the platform of Nissan Micra, expected to be priced close to INR 5 lakhs in t he Indian market (Source: The Economic Times, Sep 27, 2009). The company will begin exporting to Europe by second half of 2010, approximately 110,000 units (expected to grow to 180,000 units in future), manufactured in India per year, for which it has a contract manufacturing alliance with Maruti Suzuki. For exporting from Chennai, India, it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ennore Port Ltd (EPL), making it the first automaker to utilize this eastern gateway port of India as an export base. EPL will complete development of a berth with space of 140,000m2 for vehicles by the end of June 2010 and would provide dedicated jetty for exports of Nissan cars to Europe (Source: Drive Inside.com, Oct 18, 2008). There is no information on how Nissan is going to price its car in Europe, exported from India, but the company will have to definitely address the import-export tariff rates as the EU-India Free Trade Agreement is still under negotiation and is most likely to be signed at the end of 2010. Regarding the exchange rate issues, it will depend upon which currency the company is going to invoice on. If its in US Dollars, as done for most of the trading between EU and India, then the company would have to look into the exchange rates between Indian Rupee Dollar and Dollar Euro. If its going for Euro trade, then it would have to address the exchange rates between Euro and Indian Rupee. In both these cases, the company will have to come up with fixed exchange values for fixing price and hope that it does not vary drastically on the negative side leading to reduced profit margins. The company wouldnt have problem converting the profit to Japanese Yen as the Indian currency is fully convertible in the current account. Business in India Doing business in India is all about knowing the system, reading the signals (political and economic) as well as understanding the mood of the market before making investment decisions. The country is politically stable having a parliamentary system of democracy, economically growing rapidly at around 8% in spite of economic downturn, culturally diversified and technologically advanced. It has an efficiently structured business enterprise system with regulatory laws in place which are updated regularly, in keeping with the needs of the industrial and management systems. It is the home to a huge middle class population whose purchasing power parity is rapidly growing which itself forms to one of the biggest consumer bases in the world, besides the growth potential, relatively low risk on investment, easy availability of highly skilled manpower, established contract law, developed legal system, modernizing stock markets, national banking system and democratic institutions constitutes t o some of its advantages. Indias return on investment is one of the highest in the world at 19% compared to Chinas at 14% owing to efficient use of capital, the reason for it is the cost of doing business in India is lower than most countries of the world because of the availability of inexpensive labour and advanced telecommunications (Source: Doing Business in India 2009, WB IFC). The business culture of India is a reflection of the various norms and standards followed by its people. It is so diversified that it changes between every province affecting the way business is done. A sound knowledge of Indias cultural practices and business etiquettes is necessary for any trade or business venture within the country. A proper understanding of culture and business etiquette would not only demonstrate a respect for India but will also create a feel good factor amongst the prospective clients. Culturally and as a mark of politeness, Indians have difficulty in saying no, this could be a stumbling block in negotiations and in closing contracts. The notion of time, time management, punctuality is still an anathema in India. It is more to do with the mindset and ingrained in the Indian culture. It would not be surprising if meetings are postponed, re scheduled, cancelled or organized at a very short notice. Bureaucratic hurdles and a laidback approach to work in the gove rnment circles results in delay in processing and overload of paperwork, hence immense patience is necessary for any business transaction. Also due to the lack of infrastructure and inadequate supply chain management, doing business need to be carefully organised and should be ready to overcome such hurdles. The companies follow the hierarchical system and decision making is usually from the top to bottom (Sandy Naidu, 2008). All companies doing business in India must comply with the regulatory laws under the Companies Act, 1956. It is mandatory for every company in India to register its Articles and Memorandum of Association with the Registrar of Companies (ROC) and should accompany Declaration of Compliance which must be duly stamped and signed by an advocate of the High Court or Supreme Court or chartered accountant in whole time practice, Notice of the situation of the registered company, Particulars of Directors and the ROCs letter indicating the approval of the nomenclature of the company in original. Automotive in India The automobile industry in India is the ninth largest in the world with an annual production of over 2 million units. It emerged as Asias fourth largest exporter of automobiles, behind Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Following economic liberalization in India in 1991 which included opening for international trade and investment, deregulation, initiation of privatization, tax reforms and inflation-controlling measures, the Indian automotive industry has demonstrated sustained growth as a result of increased competitiveness and relaxed restrictions. The industry clearly stands out as a significant contributor to the economic growth as it contributes to almost 4% to the GDP, accounting for about 5% of the total industrial output (KPMGs India Automotive Study, 2007). The Indian automobile industry has seen rapid technological change over the last decade in terms of both product characteristics as well as manufacturing processes. At the same time, technological changes and the deepening of technological capabilities have been confined not only to the car manufacturers but also to the auto components industry. The industry has witnessed an unprecedented boom in recent years, owing to the improvement in living standards of the middle class and a significant increase in their disposable incomes added up with easy availability of car loans, affordable rates of interest, smooth repayment facilities and the deductions offered by the retailers (KPMGs India Automotive Study, 2007). Keeping that in mind, most of the major global car manufacturers have established a presence, either through their subsidiaries or through Joint Ventures. These manufacturers have access to the latest technology in product, manufacturing process terms and range of products usin g which trying to make inroads into the Indian market. This has helped transform the technological landscape of the Indian car market by segmenting itself with all varieties of car models like the small cars, mid-size cars, luxury cars, super luxury cars and sports utility vehicles. The constant changes in the existing car models with regard to design, innovation, technology and colours have led to a fiercely competitive market. In spite of all these, the small cars still hold the major market share in terms of sales, making most of the manufacturers to develop cost effective technology to compete in that segment, since the consumers are extremely cost-conscious and have greater awareness towards the latest technologies. Seeing the rapid growth of vehicles in the country, government of India introduced range of policies to tackle vehicular pollution, as a major step towards this, India-2000 norms were introduced, which is Euro-I equivalent. Subsequently Bharat Stage-II (Euro-II equivalent) norms were put into place for passenger cars and multi-utility vehicles and now BS-III BS-IV norms are being adopted in highly polluted cities (Chikkatur, Ananth Sagar, 2007) . At the same time, government has also mandated a reduction of a number of critical pollutants from automobile fuels. Meeting these standards requires the implementation of some combination of technologies such as fuel injection, multi-valve engines, catalytic converters, fixed exhaust gas recirculation and need substantial change in engine design (A.D.Sagar P.Chandra, 2006). All these factors like intense competition, customers price sensitivity, increasingly sophisticated demands and progressively tighter emission standards have acted in concert to place a tremendous pressure on the manufacturers to reduce costs as well as offer an improved and wider range of technological features to their Indian and global customers. This, in turn, has resulted in a series of changes in the technological landscape of the Indian automobile industry. Challenges for Indian Automotive Industry Among the many issues facing the Indian automotive industry, the biggest by far is the poor road infrastructure. Indias road network, comprising of a modest national highway system is woefully inadequate and shabby and can barely keep pace with the auto industrys rapid growth. Most roads are single-lane roads crowded with two-wheelers, bullock carts, pedestrian humans and even cows. Traffic laws are not well enforced leading to one of the highest per-capita accident rates in the world. Secondly, attracting and nurturing talented manpower not only for the creation of better and reliable products but also for servicing and maintenance throughout the life cycle of the product. Thirdly, the massive increase in the cost of input materials like steel which has increased by almost 40%, copper by 45% and natural rubber by 40% and also the significant tariffs imposed on import products and components combined with the inconsistency of currency exchange rates make localization compulsory for c ompanies entering the Indian market. Some of the other issues are like inadequate testing facilities and inspection, maintenance and certification system. Presently the country has testing facilities at the Automotive Research Association of India and the Vehicle Research and Development Establishment, but the need for additional and more extensive test facilities has become clearer in the past few years. The country has Inspection and Maintenance policy but it is widely regarded as having only limited effectiveness and an upgraded inspection, maintenance and certification system with better enforcement is urgently needed (Automotive Mission Plan 2006- 2016, Dec 2006). Challenges for Nissan in India Other than the challenges discussed above, that is existing in the automobile sector in India, Nissan will have to overcome some of its own operational challenges like teaching the mindset of ‘Kaizen to its workers and local suppliers and to constantly and consistently raise their quality standards. Kaizen simply means continuous or constant improvement. In Japanese Kai means â€Å"to take apart† and zen means â€Å"to make good.† Together these two words mean to take something apart in order to make it better. Kaizen is based on the fundamentals of scientific analysis in which you â€Å"take apart† the elements of a process or system to understand how it works, and then discover how to influence or improve it. Continuous improvement is the small, gradual, incremental changes applied over a long period of time that add up to a major impact on business and quality results, the realisation of how important a smallest idea is in attaining greatest results. As part of that, under the guidance of team of engineers from Nissan and Honda, Caparo India, the Indian unit of a British auto parts maker that manufacturers steel body panels and other metal parts, have built up a new assembly lines using the Japanese and Taiwanese factory equipment and have effectively adopted Kaizen management (Source: The New York Times, Jun 26, 2008). The other threat the company has is, entering a market segment that is highly competitive, dominated by old players like Maruti-Suzuki, Hyundai Motors and Tata Motors, which together hold majority of the market share for so many years building the confidence of the customers, making it a late entry. The first car to be revealed by Nissan from the platform of Nissan Micra is going to compete with established and highly selling brands like ‘Swift of Maruti-Suzuki, ‘Getz of Hyundai Motors and ‘Indigo of Tata Motors, two of this brand are also exported to Europe. Conclusion But in spite of all these challenge and threat factors, the company positions itself well and capitalise on its strengths like major global presence making it a reliable and approved international brand, commendable presence in the Europe market, good tie-ups with local Indian manufacturers like Bajaj, Mahindra and Ashok Leyland enabling them the ease of penetration by understanding the needs of customers and customising it accordingly. More than that, since the Indian car industry is expected to grow from 2 Million to 8 Million units by 2020, gives considerable opportunity to all players and Nissan could be one of the main gainers keeping in mind its international reputation and standards. References * Ambuj D. Sagar Pankaj Chandra (2006), Technological Change in the Indian Passenger Car Industry, Indian Institute of Management * AMP- Automotive Mission Plan 2006- 2016 The Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India (Dec 2006), www.siamindia.com/upload/AMP.pdf * Chikkatur, Ananth, and Ambuj Sagar (2007), â€Å"Cleaner Power in India: Towards a Clean-Coal-Technology Roadmap†, Indian Institute of Management * Doing Business in India 2009, World Bank and International Financial Corporation * KPMGs India Automotive Study 2007, ‘Domestic Growth and Global Aspirations, KPMG International, 2007. * Sandy Naidu (2008), A Detailed Pocket Guide To Indian Business Culture, IQebooks.com * Scott Gallagher (2005), Why Does Firm Performance Differ? * Business Standard, May 13, 2008, www.business-standard.com/india * Drive Inside.com, Oct 18, 2008, www.driveinside.com/News/Press-Releases/55XGNS/NISSAN-WILL-BE-FIRST-AUTOMAKER-TO-EXPORT-FROM-ENNORE-PORT.aspx * Rediff India Abroad, Apr 10, 2009, http://www.rediff.com//money/2009/apr/10nissan-micra-in-india-in-2010.htm * The Hindu Business Line, Sep 30, 2009, www.blonnet.com/2009/09/30/stories * The Japan Times online, May 14, 2008, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20080514a2.html * The Economic Times, Sep 27, 2009, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/ news-by-industry/auto/automobiles/Nissan-to-launch-sports-car-Z370-in-India-in-2010/articleshow/5059873.cms * The New York Times, Jun 26, 2008, www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/ business/worldbusiness/26iht-nissan.4.14028225.html * www.fleetcar.ie/index.php/news/169-nissan-puts-zero-emissions-at-centre-of-its-global-strategy * www.nissannews.com * www.stylusinc.com/business/india Bibliography * Indian Brand Equity Foundation, www.ibef.org/economy/economyoverview.aspx * Robin John Grazia Letto Gillies (2007), Global business strategy * SIAM -Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, www.siamindia.com * Tilman Altenburga, Hubert Schmitzb Andreas Stamma (2007), Breakthrough  Indias Transition from Production to Innovation * www.carazoo.com/autonews/0603200802/Nissan-keen-on-Indiaas-key-production-centre-for-future-cars * www.mfg-matters.com/kaizen/ * www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/HTML/FINANCIAL/SPEECH/2008/e-20080513.html

The Theme of Dehumanization in Breakfast of Champions Essay -- Breakfa

The Theme of Dehumanization in Breakfast of Champions "Dear Sir, poor sir, brave sir: You are an experiment by the Creator of the Universe." (Vonnegut 259) Imagine if this was addressed to you. What an awful feeling of betrayal and loneliness you would no doubt get. But what if next you heard this? "You are the only creature in the entire Universe who has free will. You are the only one who has to figure out what to do next-and why. Everybody else is a robot, a machine." (Vonnegut 259) Surely you would feel like your entire existence was a big joke, one at your expense. You would feel desensitized, remote, and detached from all human feeling. You would be a poor victim, someone taken hold of by the cold grasp of dehumanization. The American Heritage Dictionary defines dehumanize as "To deprive of human qualities or attributes" or "To render mechanical and routine". This certainly does a grand job at describing the callous, inhuman, and cold feeling you get when reading the novel Breakfast of Champions. In his book Breakfast of Champions , Kurt Vonnegut Jr. uses bold motifs, complex characterization, a plot of mundanity and shallowness, elementary diction, and satirical style to emphasize his main theme of dehumanization. In 1922, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Edith Vonnegut and Kurt Vonnegut Sr. At the age of 18 he graduated from Shortridge High School and pursued a degree in chemistry at Cornell University. (Bonner, par. 1) However, he left college in 1943 to serve his country in World War II. Upon return, Vonnegut continued his studies at the University of Chicago in the field of anthropology. (Encarta, par. 4) In 1950 He left his job and started writing full-time. Vonnegut's other works include ... ...his main theme of dehumanization. He does this using bold motifs, complex characterization, a plot of mundanity and shallowness, elementary diction, and satirical style. He shocks and confuses us with his style of writing, leaving us floundering with questions. Through all this he makes the human race seem empty and alone. But he is right in doing so, because we in fact are. 1 n : an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates 2 adj. : placed side by side often for comparison; "juxtaposed pictures" Bibliography: Vit, Marek. Home Page. http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4953/champions.html Bonner, Stephanie E. Home Page. http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4953/alter_ego.html Anonymous. Encarta. http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=76157250 Vonnegut, Kurt. Breakfast of Champions. New York, New York: Dell Publishing. 1973.

Aspects of Marriage Present in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen :: Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice Marriage Essays

Aspects of Marriage Present in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen There are lots of aspects of marriages in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. There are marriages of love, convenience, physical attraction and mercenary. The marriage between Mr. Wickham and Lydia is partly due to physical attraction and mercenary. The marriage between Elizabeth ad Mr. Darcy and Jane and Mr. Bingley are due to love. The marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas is base on convenience. The Marriage between Mr and Mrs Bennet is also due to physical attraction. The novel was set in 1796 and was published in 1813. The England during this period of time was far more class conscious. The main characters in this novel come from a class called gentry; this is the class above the emerging professional class and below aristocracy. Class was more to do with breeding than with wealth. Rules were set for everything, rules for dressing, rules for travelling, rules or introducing yourself to others and rules for behaving. In this period of time women were not allowed to work. However they could become governesses. They could not inherit wealth from their father, and the Bennet sisters were no exception therefore Mr. Collins was their heir to Mr. Bennet’s property. The marriage between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet was based on physical attraction. You can see that they do not understand each other. There is a contrast between both of their character. Mr.Bennet is intellectual and likes to spend time reading in the library while Mrs. Bennet is loud, hasty and likes to spend her time gossiping and trying to finding husbands for her daughters. Mr. Bennet enjoys mocking his wife â€Å"†¦ I have respect for your nerves they are my old friends†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Mr. and Mrs Bennet also have different opinions and ideas of their daughter’s future â€Å"†¦ Your mother will never see your face if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . You can tell that this is a marriage based on physical attraction because Mr. Bennet advises his daughter not to make the same mistake that he did my marring Mrs. Bennet â€Å"†¦I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable to your husband, unless you truly esteemed your husband†¦. My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect you partner in life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he is in a way hinting that he cannot respect his wife. Mrs. Bennet is unaware of this as she dose not know her husband very well. Mrs. Bennet’s character is very similar to the character of Lydia. Both like officers and both act loud and hastily.

To What Extent Was Slavery the Cause of the American Civil War?

In the context of the period 1763-1865, how far was the American Civil War caused by long term divisions over the issue of slavery? In his second inaugural address in March 1865, Abraham Lincoln looked back at the beginning of the Civil War four years earlier â€Å"all knew,† he said, that slavery â€Å"was somehow the cause of the war. † This essay will endeavour to discuss the role of long term divisions caused by the slavery debate in the eventual outbreak of the Civil War.In doing so this analysis will encompass the period between the birth of the nation beginning with the start of the American Revolution in 1763 and the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865. This being a period in which the newly independent nation struggled with its state system, with each of the former colonies possessing the rights to a significant level of self-governance that inevitably led to disagreements and conflicts of interest.One such conflict was the disagreement over slavery which James Ford, like Lincoln, believes was crucial in creating a clear North-South divide that would eventually lead to the Civil War. Whilst recognising slavery’s overwhelming contribution to the outbreak of the American civil war in 1861, one must acknowledge alternative factors beyond slavery, which contributed to the nations descent towards armed conflict. Revisionists such as William Gienapp and William Freehling emphasise the political contribution to the outbreak of the war and the influence of sectional ideology on ante bellum politics.It was this differing ideology that created the tensions between Southern and Northern parties creating political chaos during the 1850s, the North believing they were attempting to save democracy whilst the South campaigned for increased States’ rights, all of which provoked the outbreak of war. As well as the long-term divisions over slavery and the short term political contributions to the outbreak of war, historians such as Charles an d Mary Beard placed emphasis on the fundamental differences between the North and South economic systems, disregarding the moral and political contributions.This analysis will argue that ultimately the issue of slavery was the main reason for the outbreak of war in 1861; however the short term political blunders and failure of the political system created a chaos that made war inevitable. Had the American political system thrived, the divisions over slavery could have been resolved without war being waged. Slavery is the moral dimension that lies at the heart of the historiographical debate. James Ford Rhodes identified slavery as the central and virtually only cause of the war. If the Negro had not been brought to America,† he wrote, â€Å"the Civil War could not have occurred. † Introducing slavery to America created differences of opinion between the North and the South, on the morality of slavery. It was these differences that created tensions between the regions an d ultimately fuelled the outbreak of war in 1861. The Northern climate was not suited to plantation agriculture which resulted in Congress passing an Ordinance in 1787, keeping slavery out of the North West Territory.The Northern belief insisted that the South was ruled by a ruthless ‘Slave Power’ which, conspiratorial in its methods, consisted of slaveholding planters and political leaders who were determined to convert the whole United States in to a nation of masters and slaves. The aggressive attitude of Southerners arising from the decision by Chief Justice Taney in the Dred Scott case of 1857 that all blacks, slave as well as free, were not and could not be citizens of the United States increased rather than allayed Northern suspicions.This conspiracy, as the Northerners believed it to be, was fundamentally an aristocracy founded upon these principles; that slavery was not morally wrong, it is a right possessed by the slaveholder, and that it is constitutional. Ad mitting Missouri as a slave state and introducing the Fugitive Slave Act in the Compromise of 1850, only exacerbated Northern suspicions which is illustrated through what John Rankin believed, â€Å"The Slave Power has already seized upon the General Government, and has overthrown the rights of Free States†¦the struggle between the slave and free institutions is for existence.They are antagonistic principles and cannot exist long together – one or the other must fall. † ‘Slave power’ heightened through media influences such as the non-abolitionist Cincinnati Daily Commercial claiming â€Å"There is such a thing as THE SLAVE POWER† encouraged the Northern populace that action needed to be taken against the South in order to preserve the existence of their personal liberty. On the other hand, many Southerners like historian Ulrich Bonner Phillips, viewed slavery as a hierarchic order thus making it wholesome practice.Phillips recalls setting off to school as a young child and burdened by the prospect that his â€Å"sable companion† was able to play all day long. According to Hugh Tulloch, the Southerners had evolved a unique form of social relations based on slavery; whereby the master’s role was essentially paternal, â€Å"without slavery the black would either lapse into African savagery. † It is this view and that of Edward Channing’s, â€Å"the slaves were often happier than their masters† that appears so distorted in comparison to the Northern interpretation on slavery.It was this that became an important factor in consolidating antislavery sentiment in the North, thus widening the sectional rift between the North and South. â€Å"If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I cannot remember when I did not so think and feel. † Lincoln’s view on the peculiar institution further heightened the issue as Southern states regarded his election as a threat to their power, and pr ovoked the secession of South Carolina from the Union, shadowed by a further 10 states.Modern fundamentalists such as James McPherson and Eric Foner similarly describe the two sections as â€Å"different and deeply antagonistic societies† agreeing that slavery was the root of that antagonism. The North's commitment to capitalism and modernisation, these scholars explained, was the context for abolitionism and for the free labour ideology of Abraham Lincoln's Republican Party. The South's commitment to agriculture and slave labor was reflected in the region's distinctive cult of honour, its preoccupation with localism and states' rights, and its defense of social inequality.Had African slave trade been declared illegal long before 1808, the million plus slaves that were in the USA in the early 19th century would not have existed, therefore would have had no effect on population influxes which stimulated an industrial and economic change, nor the geographical expansion which ca used the conflict within the different states. Although Rhodes placed his greatest emphasis on the moral conflict over slavery, he suggested that the struggle also reflected fundamental differences between the Northern and Southern economic systems.In the 1920s, the idea of the war as an irrepressible economic rather than moral conflict received fuller expression from Charles and Mary Beard, insisting there were â€Å"inherent antagonisms† between Northern Industrialists and Southern planters. Undoubtedly, the issue of slavery itself would not have created divisions and differences within the nation had someone, or a group of people spoke up and shared their desire to â€Å"fight the gross evil of slavery† thus the influence and the rise of abolitionists need to be taken in to account when assessing the causation of the war.Abolitionists were committed to the doctrine of ‘moral suasion’; the idea that Southern slaveholders could be persuaded that slavery w as morally wrong. Arguably, it was the abolitionist’s actions that publicised and brought slavery in to the political arena and through their anti-slavery postal campaign in 1835, the Democratic administration could not avoid the issue. By building these campaigns, abolitionists turned themselves into an organised movement, urging the national government to debate slavery and heightening the nation’s opinion on the institution.The Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, became one of the most powerful weapons in the hands of the Abolitionist Movement. The Constitution introduced a clause stating that fugitives from slave labour must be sent back to the South if captured in the North. It forced citizens to assist in the recovery of fugitives and denied fugitives who claimed to be freemen the right to a fair jury trial. This caused outrage among the Northern black community who were no longer able to legally prove that they were free. Foner stated the act gave slavery what is called â€Å"extra-territoriality†, thus making slavery a national institution.Even though the Northern States could abolish slavery, they still could not avoid their Constitutional obligation to enforce the slave laws of the Southern States. The Act drew more attention to the inhumanity of slavery and caused increased tension between the North and the South. Northern whites resented having to be forced into hunting slaves against their will by the officials enforcing the Act. It was also significant because it helped to create legendary abolitionists and anti-slavery orators such as Frederick Douglas and Henry Highland Garnet and generated the release of ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ in 1852 by Harriet Beecher.Beecher’s book expanded support and contributed to the outbreak of the war by personalising the political and economic arguments of slavery whilst providing depiction of the horrors of slavery. Installments were published weekly from June 1951 in an abolitio nist newspaper. In November 1862, President Lincoln famously said, â€Å"so you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this Great War. † More importantly, the Act allowed Northerners who had always thought slavery was so far away to see it personally for the first time.This display of cruelty convinced more people of the evils of slavery and made them opposed to the Southern institution of slavery and the Act as it had now cemented slavery within the law. This increased support for the abolitionists' cause would infuriate the South and increased sectional tensions. Despite slavery existing in America since the 1600s, economic and social paths taken by the North and the South increasingly began to change towards the 1800s and as a result created significant sectional differences between the states.Southerners did not necessarily go to war to defend slavery, nor did northerners go to war to end it. It is often suggested that we have ignored the well-known facts th at most southerners did not own slaves and that most northerners shared the era’s racist attitudes. After all, only about 25% of southern white families owned slaves and 50% of these owned less than 5 slaves. Consequently, one must consider the basic differences between the economies and the practical issues that divided the sectional leaders.Charles and Mary Beard came to the conclusion that there had existed an â€Å"irrepressible conflict between a static, agrarian South and the expanding, industrialising North. † The Beards insisted that â€Å"inherent antagonisms† between Northern industrialists and Southern planters contributed to the outbreak of war. Massive changes in transport help to explain the agricultural and industrial changes. The development of steamboats revolutionised travel on the great rivers; by 1850 over 700 steamships were operating on the Mississippi and its tributaries and the North were able to boast more than two-thirds of the railroad tracks in the country.Less than one in ten Americans lived in towns in 1820; one in five did so by 1860, but it was this urbanisation that was more prevalent in the North as opposed to the South with the percentage of population living in towns of 2500 or more being 26% in 1859 on Northern states, compared to only 10% in the Southern states. Unlike the South, the North had a growing number of immigrants; between 1830 and 1860 most of the five million immigrants to the USA settled in the North. Slave labour was the foundation of a prosperous economic system in the South.In 1793 the invention of the cotton ‘gin’ revolutionised the region; it is significant to recognise the relationship between the invention of the cotton gin and when cotton became America’s leading crop with the number of slaves in the South. In 1790 America produced 1,500 pounds of cotton. By 1815 production had reached over 100,000 pounds and in 1848, production exceeded an astonishing 1,000,000 pounds. Simultaneously, slavery spread across the Deep South as the cotton engine fuelled slave labour, pushing the North and South’s industrial methods even further apart.By itself, the South's economic investment in slavery could easily explain the willingness of Southerners to risk war when faced with what they viewed as a serious threat to their â€Å"peculiar institution† after the electoral victories of the Republican Party and President Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Economically, the taxes on imported and exported goods contributed greatly to the North- South divide. From the time of the first Congress in 1789 to the outbreak of the Civil War there was dissension between the Northern and the Southern states over the matter of protective tariffs, or import duties on manufactured goods.Northern industries wanted high tariffs in order to protect their factories and labourers from cheaper European products. Demanding that â€Å"American labourers shall be protected aga inst the pauper labour of Europe,† tariff proponents argued that the taxes gave â€Å"employment to thousands of mechanics, artisans and labourers. † The vast majority of American industry was located in the Northern states, whereas the economies of the agricultural Southern states were based on the export of raw materials and the importation of manufactured goods.The South held few manufacturing concerns, and southerners had to pay higher prices for goods in order to subsidise Northern profits. The collected tariffs were used to fund public projects in the North such as improvements to roads, harbours and rivers. From 1789 to 1845, the North received five times the amount of money that was spent on southern projects, â€Å"Sectional legislation, such as subsidies to ship-owners and manufacturers, took money from the pockets of the planters and farmers and transferred it to the pocket of Northern capitalists. This economic policy heightened tensions and exacerbated the sectional disagreements over the best type of government. The stark differences in their economies resulted in supporting either the Democrats or Whigs which brings in to play the revisionist interpretation that political blunders and the breakdown of the system ultimately divided the sections, increasing their hostility to one another. The structure of American politics and the antebellum party realignment provides a way to assess the relationship between the American political system and the origins of the war.Modern revisionists like Stampp attempt to recapture the eventualities of antebellum politics, placing emphasis on the shared values of the North and South and the failure of political leaders to reach compromises which could have averted war. Erin Foner argued the coming of the Civil war constituted the greatest failure of American democracy; â€Å"the intrusion of sectional ideology into the political system brought about the war. The fundamental issues can be traced bac k to the standoff over sovereignty during the American Revolution, and from this founding era the disagreement over how much authority the national government should have on the one hand and how much sovereignty and independence the individual states should retain on the other began. An unworkable arrangement followed, whereby states tried to coordinate a national war effort, a national economy, and a national government without sacrificing their individual sovereignty.However, continental currency became worthless and states became free to do their own thing. Shays' Rebellion in 1786-87, occurred as a protest to rising debt and economic chaos and due to the failure of the national government was unable to gather a combined military force amongst the states to help put down the rebellion. This was a catalyst for the Founding Fathers to scrap the Articles of Confederation and devise a new Constitution. However, the Constitution contained a number of provisions that strengthened the f orces of sectional division within the nation.It was the American political system that was particularly vulnerable to sectional strains and tensions and thus the Civil War was able to occur within a particular political framework. William Gienapp believes it was â€Å"the Constitution’s provision for amendment that significantly contributed to the outbreak of war. † The constitution’s ambiguity on whether Congress could impose conditions on a new state or refuse to admit a new state to the Union became a source of controversy which stimulated the growing conflict between the sections.More important, believed Gienapp, was the ambiguity of whether a state had the right to leave the Union. It was this silence that contributed to the debate over secession as it allowed Southerners to plausibly maintain that secession was a legal right of each state, and thus fuelled Southern extremism. Political blunders from the 1820s widened sectional differences, according to Ga bor Boritt; â€Å"the crystallisation of rival sectional ideologies orientated towards protecting white equality and opportunity. Each section began to see the other as a threat to its vital social, political and economic interests. A view had been produced that one section or the other has to be dominant. The Missouri Compromise, so Rodger Ramson believed, allowed in the long term, â€Å"the right of Congress to pass legislation allowing or prohibiting slavery in the western territories. † However in 1854 the Kansas Nebraska Act nullified the Missouri Compromise and is claimed to be a political miscalculation of massive proportions. Alan Nevins labelled the entire episode as a â€Å"disaster†.The political effects of this Act were enormous, irrevocably splitting the Whig Party. Every northern Whig had opposed the bill; almost every southern Whig voted for it and due to the competition of the Know-Nothing party and their failure to respond to nativist concerns, the pa rty was effectively killed off. With the emotional issue of slavery involved, there was no common ground to be found and Northern Whigs reorganised themselves to become the Republican Party committed to blocking westward expansion of slavery. Animosity between the North and South was again on the rise.The North felt that if the Compromise of 1820 was ignored, the Compromise of 1850 could be ignored as well. The Dred Scott case in 1957 brought the Missouri Compromise in conflict with the Fifth Amendment that upheld that no one be deprived of his or her right to life, liberty, and property. Political historian, Michael Holt notes, â€Å"The issue that drove the deepest wedge between North and South in the two decades before the Civil War was not the institution of slavery itself, but the question of whether slavery should be allowed to expand westwards beyond the boundaries of the slave states. Without the discipline of a strong party system, more outspoken views on slavery and seces sion began to be heard. Holt declares that the breakdown of the party system, no longer operating on economic issues, allowed demagogues to arise who accentuated the differences between North and South. Politicians in both sections â€Å"kept the country in constant turmoil and whipped up popular emotions for the selfish purpose of winning elections† thereby bringing about the Civil War. Lincoln declared before his unanimous nomination, â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand.I believe this Government cannot endure permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved- I don’t expect the house to fall- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. † Despite Holt placing emphasis on the breakdown of the second party system, Stampp focuses on Lincoln’s actions as president, ‘inviting’ by his proposition a war of sections; â€Å"Thus Mr Lincoln invites a war between the free States and the slave States, a war between North and the South, for the purpose of either exterminating slavery in every Southern state, or planting it in every Northern State. The existence of national political parties became increasingly focused on the contest for Presidency. The coming of the war In April 1861 was seen as both sides waging war in an attempt to save democracy as they understood it. For southern secessionists, at stake was the right of self-government and the fundamental right of southern whites to control their own destiny. For the North, the war was a struggle to uphold the democratic principles of law and order and majority rule, as well as preserving the Union, which they believed was inseparably linked to democracy.Boritt noted, â€Å"few northerners failed to appreciate the fundamental irony that they were ready to kill their fellow Americans in order to prove democracy was a workable form of government†. Due to this rivalry of sectional ideologies, each came to think that one section or the other had to be dominant. Residents of each section feared the other, and before the physical fighting the sectional conflict represented a struggle for control of the nation’s future. On December 20, 1860, in response to Lincoln's victory, South Carolina seceded from the Union.By the time of his inauguration on March 4, 1861, six more states had also seceded and formed the Confederate States of America. Ramson states, â€Å"the attempt by the southern states to create a Confederacy separate from the American Union failed because the slave society of the South was unable to sustain an effort in the face of a determined foe. The promise of eliminating slavery eventually provided a unifying force behind the North’s efforts to hold the union together. † In conjunction with the fight for democracy, revisionists like Holt, Gienapp and William W.Freehling have focused on those political debates within each section that do not fit into the a direct narrative of the slavery controversy. Political historians have shown Northern voters were preoccupied with and motivated by issues such as nativism; slavery was not their overriding concern and did not explain their voting behaviour. The Southern electorate, too, was deeply divided on the basis of class, economic setting, and sub-region. The differences between the Upper South and the Deep South in particular make it dangerous to generalise broadly about the â€Å"fundamental† nature of Southern Society.When historians assert that slavery caused the Civil War, most are saying that only the presence of the â€Å"peculiar institution† made it impossible to resolve peacefully the constitutional, political, and economic issues that had long animated sectional tensions. Conversely, Historians like Jefferson Davis have been keen to refute the argument that the war was caused by the long term divisions of slavery and support the political argument that it was the Republican Party that e ngineered the war by furthering Northern political and economic aggrandisement against the South.As soon as the question of slavery expansion in to western territories entered the political agenda, voters were unwilling to drop the issue without protest but when waging war, the North and the South were fighting for what they believed to be a democracy and were motivated by nativism to defeat the opposition; which posed threat and disunion to their democracy. To conclude, the divisions over slavery in America ultimately contributed to the outbreak of war in 1861. This long term factor influenced the economic and social paths taken by both Northern and Southern States during the 1800s and as a result widened sectional differences.This greatly impacted the American political system resulting in the breakdown of the two-party system through blunders made by politicians in the 1850s in an attempt to win elections and save their democracy. This breakdown heightened tensions between the tw o sections and was exacerbated by the increasing influence of the abolitionist movement from 1830s onwards. It would be a limited assumption to deem the breakout of the Civil War purely on the divisions of slavery, as many fought in an attempt to save their own democracy.However, had slavery never been introduced in to American civilization the nation would never have been divided over the institution, the economic paths taken by both North and South wouldn’t have been so diverse, thus eliminating political differences and an abolitionist movement would never have been formed. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Hugh Tulloch, ‘The debate on the American Civil War era’, p. 110. [ 2 ]. James Ford Rhodes, ‘History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850’, p. [ 3 ].Kenneth M. Stampp, ‘The Causes of the Civil War’, p. 21. [ 4 ]. Ibid. , p. 23. [ 5 ]. Hugh Tulloch, ‘The debate on the American Civil War Era’, p. 37. [ 6 ]. Ibid. ,p. 35 [ 7 ]. Ibid. , p. 38 [ 8 ]. Ibid. , p. 37 [ 9 ]. Eric Foner, ‘Politics and Ideology in the age of the Civil War’, p. 35. [ 10 ]. Charles and Mary Beard, ‘The rise of American Civilization’, p. [ 11 ]. Hugh Tulloch, ‘The debate on the American Civil War Era’, p. [ 12 ]. Eric Foner, ‘Politics and Ideology in the age of the Civil War’, p. 61. [ 13 ].Kenneth M. Stampp, ‘The causes of the Civil War’ p 93 [ 14 ]. Ibid. , p. 86. [ 15 ]. Eric Foner, ‘ [ 17 ]. Gabor S. Boritt, ‘Why the Civil War Came’, p. [ 18 ]. Roger L. Ransom, ‘Conflict and Compromise: The Political Economy of Slavery, Emancipation, and the American Civil War’, p. [ 19 ]. Michael F. Holt, Political Parties and American Political Development from the Age of Jackson to the Age of Lincoln (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State Univers ity Press, 1992), p. 4. [ 20 ]. Kenneth Stampp, ‘The causes of the Civil War’ p