Scientific Management Essay Example for Free

Scientific Management Essay Representatives of capital supporter scientific management. It proposes to increase industrial output by managing labour scientifically. But organized labour does not want to be scientifically managed. It is not keen about being managed at all. It exists, in fact, to manage itself. Labour controversies, as carried on by the American Federation of Labour, are demands for a voice in the settlement of conditions of work. But this demand is not recognized by capital as a principle. It is only recognized as a necessity when labour, through superior strength, secures its demands in this trade and that. The concession to labour of a voice in determining conditions of work means by implication to capital that management as a whole is still in its own hands; it also means that its actual title to superior, or ownership rights, is not in question. The Industrial Workers of the World leaves no doubt in the mind of capital that it claims only a voice in the management of industry. It makes its fight on the grounds of labours sole ownership, as well as right, to sole management in all that labour produces. Every strike, every difference between organized labour and capital, is an attempt of the former to wrest management, or some degree of management, from the latter. Whether it is an A. F. of L. or an I. W. W. fights, there is in each and every one this issue of management. The question of management is, in fact, the labour movement. If production is to be scientifically managed, organized labour insists that it shall have a hand in the management, or it shall do the managing. It refuses to grow enthusiastic over propositions, which are worked out for it, or without its cooperation, by others who claim to know better than labour knows what is for its good. It was with something like pained surprise that the advocates of scientific management discovered that their propositions to manage labour more efficiently, and to lighten its burdens, met a cold reception at the hands of the conservative, as well as the radical, labour unions. It is conceivable that the efficiency systems of scientific management might admit the labour unions in conference in the settlement of conditions; but it is evident that nothing is further from the intention of the promoters of the science, and that such a proposition would quite seriously impair its purpose. Mr. Frederick W. Taylor, the leader of the movement, states: The greater advantage comes from the new and unheard-of burdens which are assumed by the men in the management, duties which have never been performed by the men or the management side.(1) These new duties Mr. Taylor divides into four large classes, calling them The Four Principles of Scientific Management, all of which, he says, are necessary to secure its object, which is the increased output per unit of human effort. The first of these four great duties (as he also names them), which are undertaken by the management, is to deliberately gather in all the rule of thumb knowledge, which is possessed, by all the twenty different kinds of tradesmen who are at work in the establishment. Knowledge, which has never been recorded, is in the heads, hands and bodies, in the knack, skill and dexterity, which these men possess. The second of the new duties assumed by the management is the scientific selection and then the progressive development of the workmen. The workmen are studied; it may seem preposterous, but they are studied just as machines have been studied. The third duty is to bring the scientifically selected workmen and the science together. They must be brought together; they will not come together without it. I do not wish for an instant to have any one think I have a poor opinion of a workman; far from it. I merely state a fact when I say that you may put your scientific methods before a workman all you are a mind to, and nine times out of ten he will do the same old way when I say, make the workman do his work in accordance with the laws of science I do not say make in an arbitrary sense I want to qualify the word make, it has rather a hard sound. Some one must inspire the man to make the change. The fourth principle is a deliberate division of the work, which was formerly done by the workman into two sections, one of which is handed over to the management. An immense mass of new duties is thrown on the management, which formerly belonged to the workmen requiring cooperation between the management and the workmen, which accounts more than anything else for the fact that there has never been a strike under scientific management. In one of our machine shops, for instance, where we do miscellaneous work there will be at least one man on the management side for every three workmen.(2) Each one of these scientific propositions is perfectly familiar to the workman in spite of the rather naive assurance of the efficiency engineers that they are new. He has known them in slightly different guise for a century past. The new thing is the proposition to develop what has been in the past the tricks of the trade into a principle of production. Scientific management logically follows and completes the factory process. The first and fourth of Mr. Taylors great duties or principles is to deliberately gather in all the rule of thumb knowledge of all workmen, and transfer this knowledge to the management. That is exactly what machinery did and is still doing to craft workers. It usurped the knowledge of the worker and transferred that knowledge to the management. The great discovery of scientific management is that machinery is not absorbing completely, or as completely as it should, a workmans trade knowledge. Mr. Taylor says: This knowledge is the greatest asset that a workman possesses. It is his capital.(3) The task, which efficiency engineers have set, themselves is to gather up the last vestiges of capital possessed by the workingman, and place it for safe keeping and efficiency under The Management. There is an impression that all efficiency methods originate in the brains of efficiency engineers, or with the management. Mr. Taylor is not alone in assuring us that the methods are discovered in the heads and in the hands of the workers, that they are the result of the workers experience in very great degree. A manufacturer as an illustration told the following story: A shoe manufacturer told one girl that he wanted to see how much she could do. She said: Well, there is a certain kind of a filler that I used in another factory. If you will use that kind of filler I can do my work so much more quickly. Another thing, the paper you are using on that tip is too coarse. If you will use a finer paper I wont have to use so much filler. The story concluded: So that girl and this manufacturer worked out a condition that made it easier for her to perform more work.(4) Scientific management is a good scavenger. It is out for every scrap of trade knowledge. Following the machine, it proposes to clean up the last vestige of craftsmanship and to put the shipshape touches to modern industry. There are to be no chance bits of capital lying around loose in the hands of this man and that when the efficiency engineers have finished their job. The second and third of the Four Principles show how this is done. Mr. Taylor says: The workmen are studied just as machines have been studied. And, finally, it is necessary to bring the scientifically selected workman and the science together by inspiring the workman. The workman is to be scientifically selected by a teacher instead of by a foreman; he is to be studied by this teacher, as well as taught, and the unit of human effort is to be squeezed out of him by observing the law of rest and fatigue. He is to be inspired by the same old bonus of the same old task system in which he has served his time. But the bonus or rate, according to efficiency engineers, is never to be cut, as employers who speeded up their workers have cut it in the past. If the old-time employer ever made so gentlemanly a promise regarding the continuous payment of a bonus, he knew he could not keep it. He knew that even out of the goodness of his heart he could not indefinitely continue a bonus or a rate, which his competitors did not pay. But apparently scientific management requires of industry certain ethical standards. Mr. Taylor says that scientific management involves a complete revolution, both on the part of the management and of the men; a complete change in the mental attitude on both sides. Labour would agree with Mr. Taylor, and add that it would require as well a mental revolution in Wall Street. Apparently this is what the New Capitalism, of which scientific management is a part, does require. New Capitalism proposes to disregard the law of wages, and to substitute a beneficent law, which pays better wages, also better profits. But the results have not as yet justified the workers in surrendering their own agencies for self-protection. As yet labour is unconscious of any sloughing off in hardships under the law of supply and demand. It is not conscious that the introduction of methods, which have, for their object the increased output of human effort has had any appreciable connection with wages or wage rates. Union men cite numberless cases where efficiency methods have been introduced, like the task and bonus systems, the stop watch, the observation of the laws of rest and fatigue, and yet wage rates were not increased, but were, in the course of time, reduced. The efficiency engineer answers: Ah, then that is not scientific management! But he will state in conventions to other efficiency engineers that he has great trouble in getting the management to carry out the end of their program, which will insure the worker, the receipt of his bonus. An efficiency promoter observed on one of these occasions: I have had so many letters from people who look on scientific management as a new instrument by which they could squeeze a little more out of the workman and give him no return. I do not want to have anything to do with them. We must share what we get.(5) Organized labour appreciates the wish, but recognizes the difficulty for an efficiency engineer to be an engineer and a financier in action at one and the same time. It is not the efficiency engineer who can fulfil his own promise. He must leave it to the capitalists to share what they get of the new capital which the engineer has collected out of the hands or brains of the workers. In scientifically managed plants there is no change whatever in the status of capital and labour, except the extended enslavement of the latter. Efficiency engineers might successfully promote scientific management by advertising their hope that the management will share what it gets if the factory system had been a less efficient teacher. But the factory system has taught the workers by a series of object lessons. Labour unions represent those workers who have learned that they must rely on schemes for relief, which they themselves initiate, or control. The rest and fatigue schemes of scientific management are especially worthy of suspicion. These schemes propose to finish the job of reducing the labour to a machine attachment, to rob him of what little initiative may be left him in a certain freedom of motion. Mr. Taylor defines his idea of initiative. He says: The manufacturer who has any intelligence must realize that his first duty should be to obtain the initiative of all these tradesmen who are working under him; to obtain their hard work, their good will, their ingenuity, their determination to treat the employers business as if it were their own. And in this connection I wish to strain the meaning of the word initiative to indicate all of these good qualities.(6) All propositions to increase wealth make an appeal to imagination. No one, certainly not organized labour, doubts the ability of American capitalists to discover new schemes neither for increasing the output, nor of the American workman to produce it. It has been reported that the labour cost of production in England, with its lower wage rates, is higher than the cost in America, because the American workmen, through the pressure of management, yield an amount per worker unknown to English labour. Scientific management proposes to increase this yield by several hundred percent. Workers looking back a generation or two may admit that with the introduction of machine processes they have here and there reaped a harvest of several cotton shirts instead of one woollen, a standing lamp instead of the ancestral candlestick, and, as clear gain, a Victor talking machine. But no one is ever jubilant over luxuries, which they have bought with their lives. It is organized labour alone that remembers the ghastly price paid for increased consumption; the generations of men, women, and children who have been maimed and murdered in the process. Greed and desire, not the well being of labour, are still the motive forces back of increased wealth production. If we are about to enter upon an era of a New Capitalism which recognizes that it will pay to increase the number of cotton shirts without exacting so heavy a toll as has been exacted in the past, organized labour still demands that it shall determine, or have a voice in determining, what that toll shall be and what shall be the reward. Scientific management, the promoters say, recognizes no difference in determining standards of efficiency between management, capital goods and labour. Well and good; labour does. Organized labours observations of a worker do not end with the days work. They extend over the wear and tear of a lifetime. They take into consideration a workers ability to react after work, mentally as well as physically. They take into consideration the workers ability to realize his maximum in his non-labouring hours. And they would also consider his ability to realize his maximum in his labouring hours if labour had an opportunity to fix a maximum consistent with the life interests of labour as a whole. The difference between scientific management and organized labour is that the aim of the latter is to make men, the aim of the former is to make goods.

Binge Drinking Essay example -- Drugs Alcohol Alcoholism Essays

Binge Drinking On a wet, dark, and snowy Sunday night an outsider wouldn't expect a Northeastern University campus bar to be crowded. In fact, most students can't even leave their dorms because there is too much snow. Yet a tiny pub, located barely off campus on Gainesboro Street, is packed wall to wall with students. A small community is drinking away their problems while discussing the probability of school being canceled. Many experts would describe this act as binge drinking, but any student would prefer to describe it as just a regular Sunday night. The Harvard School of Public Health has done numerous studies on college binge drinking. These studies are known as the standard for binge drinking data. They define binge drinking for men as the consumption of five or more drinks in a row at least once in the past two weeks. Women are considered binge drinkers when they consume four or more drinks in a row. This is a growing problem among college students throughout the country. According to the Harvard study, in 1999, 44 percent of college students were binge drinkers. Results of the survey prove that drinking is the most serious drug problem on college campuses. Henry Wechsler, Ph.D., was the doctor who authored the Harvard study. The term â€Å"binge drinking† was used by Wechsler and colleagues in Massachusetts several years before the study. The term is now a mainstream term used to describe drinking among college students that leads to serious problems. "Binge Drinking has so many negative effects on students, and I see it first hand. Students should be careful they don’t develop alcoholism, because then you have a serious problem,† said Danna Kobo a sophomore at Northeastern. A study by the federally appoin... ...â€Å"A lot of students tell me their depressed, and then they tell me that they’ve been drinking a lot more often lately. Since alcohol is a major depressant, this is usually where I begin in terms of helping them,† said Birnberg. The counseling center is also loaded with useful pamphlets and handouts discussing the negative effects of drinking. The U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Center for Alcohol and Drug Prevention is actively trying to fight binge drinking by students. They recommend restricting marketing and promotion of alcoholic beverages both on and off campus. They also encourage colleges to create a social, academic, and residential environment that supports health-promoting tactics. Drinking on college campuses has always been an issue, and the truth is, it will continue to be an issue for as long as young adults continue to attend college.

Accounting-Financial Statements Essay

Introduces the four financial statements–Income Statement, Statement of Retained Earnings, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flows. Accounting as the language of business is discussed along with an introduction of the various users of accounting information. Financial and Managerial accounting are compared. The four ways to organize a business – proprietorship, partnership, limited – liability company, and corporation, are discussed. An introduction and contrast of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is done. The Entity Assumption, Continuity (Going Concern) Assumption, Historical Cost Principle, and Stable – Monetary – Unit Assumption are explained. The accounting equation – Assets = Liabilities + Stockholder’s Equity is presented along with definitions and explanations of each component of the equation. A detail presentation of each of the four previously mentioned financial statements is given. Each account classification of the financial statements – assets, liabilities, stockholder’s equity, revenue, and expenses are thoroughly explained and examples of common account titles used are given. The process of evaluating a company through the use of the financial statements is shown. A discussion of business ethics in accounting decisions is done. An end of chapter summary problem emphasizes the preparation as well as understanding of the financial statements. An accounting vocabulary section explains all the new accounting terms. The End of Chapter Access Your Progress allows the student to determine how well he grasped the information presented in the chapter. Traditional exercises and problems solidify the student’s understanding of the material. Teaching Outline . Define a. Financial Accounting b. Managerial Accounting c. Contrast Financial and Managerial Accounting 2. Describe the users of financial information: a. Individuals b. Business Managers c. Investors d. Creditors e. Government Regulatory Agencies f. Taxing Authorities g. Nonprofit Organizations h. Other Organizations 3. Explain a. Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) i. Generally Accepted Account ing Principles (GAAP) b. International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) i. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) c. Compare GAAP and IFRS 4. Define and discuss Accounting Principles, Assumptions and Concepts a. Entity Assumption b. Continuity (Going Concern) Assumption c. Historical Cost Principle d. Stable Monetary Unit Assumption 5. Introduce the Accounting Equation a. Define and discuss common account titles: i. Assets ii. Liabilities iii. Stockholder’s Equity b. Define and discuss common account titles; i. Revenue ii. Expense iii. Retained Earnings c. Discuss Paid in Capital and Dividends 6. Explain and Prepare the Financial Statements a. Income Statement b. Statements of Retained Earnings c. Balance Sheet d. Statement of Cash Flows 7. Use Financial Statements to evaluate business performance a. Explain the relationship among the financial statements 8. Ethics in Business and Accounting Decisions a. The role of judgment in making decisions b. Economic factors c. Legal factors d. Ethical factors Key Topics The financial statements are actually reports on how well or poorly a business performed during a specified period of time. Chapter one actually presents the four basic financial statements and other relevant information that is needed to adequately prepare the financial statements. First one must understand that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) develops the rules and guidelines in the United States that must be adhered to in preparing the financial statements. These guidelines are known as the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) develops the international financial reporting standards (IFRS) which are the international or global standards. Exhibit 1-3 gives an overview of the joint conceptual framework of accounting developed by the FASB and the IASB. However, the SEC announced that it will soon require all American companies to adopt the IFRS. This adoption is currently slated to begin the initial phase in 2014 with all companies on board by 2016. The adoption of the IFRS by all American companies will facilitate the process of comparing financial statements of like industries globally. Also, it will eliminate the need of many companies to prepare several sets of financial statements. Accounting is often labeled as the language of business and there are external as well as internal users of accounting information. Individuals, investors and creditors, regulatory bodies as well as nonprofit organizations are just some of the noted users of the accounting information. The accounting information is expected to be accurate as well as timely in order to satisfy the need of the users. There are two different types of accounting that is needed by the users. They are Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting. Financial Accounting primarily provides information to the external users and managerial primarily serves the internal users. This information is used in each and every type of business organization. There is the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, and the corporation. Each of these businesses differs as far as the form of ownership and other accounting details however, each is dependent on accurate and timely information in order to operate at the optimum level. There are some key accounting principles, assumptions, and concepts used in adequately preparing the accounting records. The first one discussed in this chapter is the assumption entity. This is the underlying assumption, which can be taken by the users of the financial statements, that a business is a separate economic entity. Each business is treated as a separate and distinct entity to enable the accountant to adequately measure the financial performance of the business. The Continuity (Going Concern) Assumption is also discussed here. This is the assumption that the business will continue to exist long enough to use the existing assets for their intended purpose. If the business does intend to continue to operate and employ the assets as intended, it does not have to be disclosed in the financial statements. However, if there is an intention not to continue to operate it must be disclosed somewhere in the financial statements. The Historical Cost Principle is presented such that one will understand that actual cost is used as the valuing system for all accounting transactions. Actual cost is verifiable as well as unbiased and therefore used to insure that the accounting records are prepared in a relevant as well as reliable manner. The Stable Monetary Unit Assumption is also presented in this chapter. This is the assumption that the purchase power of a dollar does not fluctuate. That is, one can purchase the same amount with a dollar today that he/she could a year ago. This assumption allows the accountant to ignore inflation and add or subtract dollars from varying years without adjusting for inflation. This is sometimes difficult for students to understand because they have seen inflation as well as lagging economies however, the professor can assure the student that if needed there is a system developed to reliably compare statements from varying years. That system, however, is taught in upper level accounting courses. After developing an understanding of this material the student is then introduced to the Accounting Equation. That is: Assets = Liabilities + Owners’ Equity. It is imperative that the student understand the importance that this equation plays in preparing the financial statements. This equation presents the resources of a company as well as the claims on those resources. One must also note that this equation must be kept in balance at all times. Assets are presented as economic resources of the entity that are expected to be of future benefit. These resources have two types of claims against them: liabilities – outside claims and owners’ equity – insider claims. See exhibit 1-4 to help present the fact that the two sides must equal. The influence on stockholders’ equity by, paid-in capital, and retained earnings must be explained. Also, the manner in which revenue, expenses and dividends effect retained earnings should be explained. Remember to stress that dividends do not affect net income. They are not subtracted from revenue to determine the net income. Rather, they are subtracted from retained earnings. The financial statements are now to be presented. The Income Statement is the also referred to as the statement of operations because it measures the operating performance. It reports the revenues earned as well as the expenses incurred during a specified period of time. The expenses are subtracted from the revenue to determine the net income/loss for the accounting period. Net income is said to be the single most important item in the financial statements. The Statement of Retained Earnings is prepared after the Income Statement because the net income/loss from the Income Statement is needed to prepare the Statement of Retained Earnings. Retained earnings are simply the portion of the net income that the company has kept in the business. The Statement of Retained Earnings shows the changes that occurred in the retained earnings during the accounting period. Be sure to note that the net income is added to the beginning retained earning balance and the dividends are subtracted in order to determine the ending retained earnings balance. The Balance Sheet is prepared after the Statement of Retained Earnings because the ending retained earnings balance is needed to prepare the Balance Sheet. Statement of Financial Position is another name given to the Balance Sheet because it actually measures the financial position of a company. This statement reports on the assets, liabilities, and stockholders’ equity of a company. A good way to help the students understand the information given by the Balance Sheet is to tell them that it gives a quick snapshot view of the financial status of the company on one day. That day is generally the end of the accounting period. The sum of the assets is expected to equal the sum of the liabilities and the stockholders’ equity. See exhibit 1-9. The Statement of Cash Flow measures the cash receipts and payments. This statement reports on cash flows from three major activities: operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities. The net increase/decrease in cash from these three activities is then determined and added to the beginning cash balance to get the ending cash balance. In the financial statement conclusions it is important make sure the students know the purpose of each financial statement. It is also important that the students know the order of preparation as well as the formulas for each financial statement. Good business requires decision making, which in turn requires the exercise of good judgment. Making good judgments in business in general and accounting in particular should take into account not only economic, but legal and ethical dimensions as well. The last section of the chapter presents an ethical decision making model that is used consistently throughout the rest of the book. Use of the model emphasizes that good decisions are not always based just on the basis of how much money a company can make immediately.

Surveillance The Act Of Surveillance - 1526 Words

The act of Surveillance refers to continuous monitoring of activities of a particular area or a person. Mass Surveillance refers to monitoring activities of a sample population or target group. The video monitoring at malls or stores and the installed CCTV at traffic signals is also an act of mass surveillance. However, such surveillance has become important part of business operation or road safety management due to video recorded proof in case of any crime. We stand at an age where nothing is anymore private or personal in terms of data and information confidentiality. The world is torn apart in two, one who supports Mass Surveillance in the name of security and the other despises such surveillance as it is harmful to right to privacy. However, there has been cases where Mass Surveillance has been misused, especially by the government, and have caused intrusion of privacy of the public in general. Mass Surveillance gained its rise post 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. I t was used in high frequency in order to monitor activities of suspected population and the act seems justified in a way as it was expected from the government to implement drastic scrutiny to prevent such grave attacks in the future. However, the secretive nature of such programs were exposed by Edward Snowden, a former contractor at National Security Agency in United States. The reaction of citizens and media were not favorable to the secretive programs of global surveillance as theyShow MoreRelatedThe Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Essay795 Words   |  4 PagesThe Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) was created by Congress in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978. The role of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court is to provide judicial oversight of Intelligence Community activities in a classified setting. It is composed of federal judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. 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The secreting or hoarding of knowledge or information may be an act of tyranny camouflaged as humility.† - Robin Morgan With all the atrocities unfolding around us from the rise of ISIL to the recent Parliament Hill Shootings in Ottawa, it is easy for us to think - on impulse - that we need to do more to keep ourselves safe. It is easy for spy agencies to operate on the belief that they need to collect more of our information to fulfill their responsibilitiesRead MoreThe Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: Analysis, Pros and Cons1767 Words   |  8 PagesTHE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE ACT: ANALYSIS, PROS AND CONS INTRODUCTION The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is an Act of Congress passed in 1978 and signed by the then President Jimmy Carter. The Act stipulates the procedures to be followed when obtaining intelligence from foreign powers and agents of foreign powers both physically and electronically. The Act has been amended severally. In 2001, it was amended to involve groups and terrorist organizations not supported by foreignRead MoreMass Surveillance Is Not A Justified Method Of Governmental Intelligence Gathering1664 Words   |  7 PagesResolution: Mass surveillance is not a justified method of governmental intelligence gathering. We define the term â€Å"surveillance†, as the act of carefully watching someone or something especially in order to prevent or detect a crime, as does Merriam - Webster’s dictionary. We will have three main contentions. First: anti-terrorism, second: cost-effective, and third: it does not affect people. Contention One: Anti-Terrorism. Mass surveillance prevents terrorism in many ways. First, Mass surveillance is just

Sigmund Freud Civilization And Its Discontents - 1682 Words

Sigmund Freud: Civilization and Its Discontents In the book Civilization and Its Discontents, Sigmund Freud writes about how civilization is a place of conflict when it comes to the need for conformity. Civilization is a place that does not function orderly despite having laws and regulations put in place. People often face the challenge in conforming to the restrictions in their daily lives when it comes to satisfying their needs. Sigmund Freud refers to religion as a method of conformity when people are conditioned to their beliefs. Men in a civilization have the objective to be happy, but often face unhappiness when they do not satisfy their instincts. In addition, Freud also believes that happiness is restricted by our constitution through the use of laws and regulations. Furthermore, the author also refers to sexuality as a component to building relationships in society. Moreover, Freud also draws a conclusion that our aggressive instincts lead us to guilt when we harm one anot her. Although Sigmund Freud makes an assessment on civilization being a place of conflict, humans lack the ability in changing their behaviors, the theory on satisfying our instincts do not bring happiness to a humans mind in our civilization. According to Freud, religion is method of conformity in our civilization. The idea of religion is used as a foundation for the purpose of human life. Men in our society have the objective to obtain happiness, but their daily activities often leads toShow MoreRelatedSigmund Freud s Civilization And Its Discontents1582 Words   |  7 PagesSigmund Freud, in his book Civilization and Its Discontents, contests that humans are subject to savage, animalistic instincts. He opposes the Marxist value that humans are superior to their animal counterparts, rather, he holds, humans are quite like wolves to each other. 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He asserts that this tension stems from the individual’s quest for freedom and non-conformity and civilization’s quest for uniformityRead MoreSigmund Freud : Exploring The Human Psyche1723 Words   |  7 Pages Sigmund Freud: Exploring the Human Psyche Caroline Zapert Senior division Historical paper 1511 words Sigmund Freud was a thinker whose exploration of the human psyche helps us, as human beings, to understand why our lives and relationships make us feel the way we do. He tells why life is hard, how to cope, and sought answers as to how modern civilization came to be. His studies spurred from his own anxiety-ridden life. Born into a middle-class Jewish family in 1856 (McLeod), FreudRead More Freud and Hedda Gabler: The Wolf Behind the Protagonist1369 Words   |  6 PagesFrom its very creation until now; civilization has been at odds with the fundamental human instinct. While civilization is just a mechanism used to control the human instinct and place an order so a broader society can function; the basic human is far from controlled. Sigmund Freud in ‘From Civilizations and Its discontents’ suggest that nothing can really control human instinct but rather deter it from its ‘homo homini lupus’(Freud, 1697) nature which translates into man is a wolf to man. ThisRead More Science, Technology, and Human Values Essay1091 Words   |  5 PagesValues in Sigmund Freuds Civilization and Its Discontents, Henrik Ibsen and Arthur Millers An Enemy of the People, and Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five Technology has advanced to the point where it touches our lives in nearly every conceivable way-we no longer have to lift a finger to perform the most trivial tasks. 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According to Freud, although the super-ego controls the other two to present ourselves in a rational state within society, the id often tends to be out of complete control by the conscious, making it an unconscious action. For Freud, it’s the recognition that the irrational is there, that it must be controlled to take over. Man’s aggressive nature does tend to

The Incarceration Rate Of The United States - 2970 Words

When the word America is mentioned many people get a vision. Majority of people see it as the land of the free and where many opportunities await. In many eyes, our nation (America) is viewed as being number one, all around the board. That, I can say is true but when it comes to the incarceration of its citizens, it’s not so free after all. According to Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2009), â€Å"the United States has the highest documented incarceration rate, and total documented prison population in the world. As of year-end 2007, a record 7.2 million people were behind bars, on probation, or on parole. Of the total, 2.3 million were incarcerated. More than 1 in 100 American adults were incarcerated at the start of 2008. The People’s Republic of China ranks second with 1.5 million, while having four times the population, thus having only about 18% per the U.S. incarceration rate.† (1) Also, â€Å"in 2002, 93.2% of the prisoners were male. About 1 0.4% of all black males in the United States between the ages 25 and 29 were sentenced and in prison, compared to 2.4% of Hispanic males, and 1.3% of white males.† (2) When reading theses statistics, I didn’t know if I was mad, or if I was just really in awe. The number of African American males in prison is astounding. I feel that without a doubt, blacks are no more criminal than anyone else in our society. Yet, it is as if blacks are more familiar with the criminal justice system than anyone else. It is almost as ifShow MoreRelatedThe Incarceration Rate Of The United States1543 Words   |  7 PagesAlternatives to Mass Incarceration Once upon a time, Americans could proudly say that America was the land of freedom and opportunity. As the Pledge of Allegiance states, â€Å"One nation under God, Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.† However, under the current criminal justice system, more and more people lose their liberties because of the crimes they have committed. 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Without controlling for the crime rate, we would not be able to tell if higher incarceration rates were truly a resultRead MoreThe New Jim Crow : Mass Incarceration1199 Words   |  5 Pagesdid read her book The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age of Colorblindness. Michelle Alexander stated that The most despised in America is not gays, transgenders, nor even illegal immigrants - it is criminals. That was an important quote since the stereotypical criminal in our racially div ided America in most cases are those of color also known as blacks. This is why the criminal justice system in the United States promotes the mass incarceration of blacks that can be seen through highRead MoreSouth Carolina Should Reduce Crime Rates Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pagescausation, then crime rates are extremely high due to the increase amounts of people being incarcerated. South Carolina should offer a proposal to reduce crime rates. Possible proposals to reduce crime rates- offering inmates or ex-convicted felons opportunities to find jobs, developed new skills or trade, and the ability to asses counselling once release. These alternatives can possibly improve not only the society, but also South Carolina. To find a program to reduce incarceration, create a positiveRead MoreThe Death Of The Prison1446 Words   |  6 PagesSince the United States is high in incarceration rates and recidivism rates, it would be an excellent idea to examine other countries and how they man age to keep incarceration and recidivism rates low. Besides Norway, there are other countries that have a significant low incarceration and recidivism rate. Two countries are Germany and the Netherlands. In 2013, Germany incarcerated 64, 379 out of a population of 81.1 million compared to the 2,239,800 individuals incarcerated in the United States in 2011

Palace walk free essay sample

Patriarchy in simple terms can be defined as a system or government in which men hold the power and status, in comparison to women who are largely excluded. Throughout this assignment, particular attention will be placed upon issues surrounding patriarchal culture and the effects of the British colonial rule. Furthermore, the manners in which patriarchy manifests itself in regards to human relationships and behaviour will also be discussed, as well as the effect of power relations on the ability of people to self-actualise. Examples of two of the characters from within the book ‘Palace Walk’ will be used, in order to assist our understanding further on situations which relate to patriarchy. Other points which will be taken into consideration will focus on the secular and religious challenges faced by Muslim intellectuals, activists and reformers. The views and ideas of Ramadan, Ibrahim, Mahmood and Badran will be looked into and discussed throughout this assignment, alongside other theories/theorists relating to these issues. Research carried out by Millet (2000) suggested that hierarchy is described as a structure within society, in which women are placed firmly in a subordinate role. The hierarchal rule `proposes that the man possesses more power in comparison to the woman and this suggestion is carried on into the patriarchal system. Lerner (1986) also agrees with the idea that patriarchy refers to the male being in a position of authority. This assumption forms the basis of society and shows how society as a whole places men and women in to roles which they deem accordingly. Work carried out by Millet (2000) implies that men and women are actually socialised into certain roles from early childhood. In regards to boys, the role of playing a figure of ‘leader’ through play association and the influences of other male family members unconsciously places the child in a position of dominance. On the other hand girls are assumed to possess the ability to take part in a so called ‘caring’ role. Millet (2000) agrees with Lerner (1986) that through patriarchy, the male species is placed in an authoritative position and this allows the male to assume ownership over the female. Millet (2000) goes on to explain further that this position of authority and dominance may have a negative effect in certain cases and can allow situations such as emotional and physical abuse to take place. An example of patriarchy can be extracted from the book ‘Palace Walk’ in which Fahmy, the son of Ahmed, finds himself in a subordinate position within the home. His father Ahmed uses his power gained through the association with patriarchy to keep his family in line. This has led to Fahmy being unable to self-actualise as Maslow (1943) says is possible through the attainment of certain needs. In the case of Fahmy, his ability to self-actualise has been impeded by his father and his father’s religious beliefs thus not allowing him the freedom of choice with regard his place in society nor allowing him the freedom to choose his bride. The same can be said for Ahmed’s other siblings they have all been deterred from self-actualisation by the implementation of Islamic beliefs and values upon them, and their inability to have a choice in how they pursue their lives. Fahmy is subjected to emotional strain just from the tone of his father’s voice when being spoken to. Ahmed relies on being a disciplinarian as a means to controlling his family and asserting his status within the patriarchal family. Ahmed’s expectations from his family require them to respect him at all times and this is done by evoking fear within them, as a means of keeping control of his family. Ahmed’s family are expected to behave in an extremely devout way, worshiping him just as they would their religion. This type of discipline and strain is the reason why his wife and siblings keep a lot of what goes on in their lives from him. Lies and being evasive about their lifestyle is evident, however this provides them with a comfort zone from their authoritarian ruler but deters their own self-actualisation. In reference to patriarchal culture and colonialism, the western society perceives them-selves to be the more dominant force within civilisation and aim to maintain their role as the holder of power within the hierarchal structure through the use of dominance. The notion of white males being more superior in contrast to blacks or other cultures has provided a false belief of power. The East are led to feel that taking on the persona of the white man has caused them to lose their diversity of culture and traditions and has in turn led to resentment and hatred towards the western cultures and  values. These influences in power have led to attempts at colonialism by Eastern populations over their Western counterparts. The aims of the British to assume power over Egypt many centuries ago has influenced how the East perceives the West, and how this has led to the eastern communities’ response to colonialism as a whole. This hierarchical approach led the way to British dominance, and the loss of identity for Egypt. The more control taken by the British, the more British Egypt became. The whole issue of colonialism was formed around the Western idea of power, money and business and the need to accumulate wealth. Traditional responses to colonialism can be seen within Palace Walk (1991). Firstly the response of Ahmed was to support the nationalist movement by payments to the cause. However, Ahmed did assume that his time was more important and he should devote this to his work and family rather than nationalism. In contrast Fahmy, the son of Ahmed, was a devout nationalist supporter, dedicating his time to the cause, distributing pamphlets and ultimately sacrificing his life in an attempt to over throw colonialism in Egypt. The more common responses to the protectorate of the British being in place are the formation of revolutionary organisations which claim to protect the identity of Islam. They are well known for their use of violence to educate the public in their beliefs. The Muslim Brotherhood began life as a religious organisation, educating those who could not read and write, and teaching Islam. During the time of British rule the Muslim Brotherhood, founded by Hassan-al-Banna saw an increase in interest in its beliefs, as they began to oppose British rule. Egyptian nationalists have often blamed the Muslim brotherhood for violence during this era, and have often held them responsible for atrocities which took part. The Muslim Brotherhood are responsible for the organisation of Hamas, an Islamic movement created as a means for resistance to British and Western control of the East. Further groups have been founded besides the Nationalists however these have had varying degrees of effect, and have resulted in terrorism being used in the name of Islam and the Arab nations. Western cultures have spread across the Middle East along with western economic and political control. By introducing these Western ideas has only lead to the growth of Arab nationalism. Their powerful influences towards education have led to improvements in medical care and by introducing techniques from the west in agriculture and industry. However, the Arab world has felt the domination from the West was in favour for the nations of Europe at their expense. Arab intellectuals have debated whether modernization of Islam would be a positive and effective route to take for the removal of Western domination. Ramadan (2004) has stated that western democracies will not survive if the West keeps on defining opposition to Islam. He says that we need to create a world where difference is valued. In doing so it is up to the ordinary people to create interpersonal dynamics that foster ‘knowledge, respect and trust’. Ramadan (2004) suggests that encouraging all Muslims to think critically will contribute to radical reform, which will lead them from struggling to find a way forward to a creative transformational reformation of Islam. In order to build this radical reform, Ramadan (2004) has devised an approach which is known as the ‘Seven C’s’. He suggests that Muslims need to have confidence in themselves about their contribution to history through education in order to develop better knowledge of one self. Through consistency they need to have the capacity to critique Muslim societies and practices and not idealize one’s values by contributing and helping Europeans and fellow Muslims move beyond integration. Having a creative mind will increase their capacity for initiative and risk, which leads onto communication by defining concepts in showing intellectual and cultural empathy to themselves and others. They must also contest to where they feel there are unfair practices, for example within the home, religion or secular societies which then leads to compassion for oneself and others. Ramadan believes that by living out this framework, Muslims can promote discourses that advance peace, critical reflection, dignity, freedom and justice. ‘Demand justice and give love’. (p89). According to Ramadan (2004) Islam does not take a one dimensional approach. Islam respects the views and opinions of other western and European cultures whilst remaining faithful to its fundamental religious principles. The East wishes to keep their traditions and culture however they feel that their approach must be modernised. Islam according to Ibrahim (2007) has not been critiqued for over a thousand years and must be looked at from all angles and changed to reflect modern societal requirements. Ibrahim suggests that to understand Islamic thinking, one has to take a historical approach. In doing so he says that when reading the Qur’an, you need to understand the basic heritage of Islam so that this will enable the youngsters of the 21st century to develop modern Islamic thinking and be faithful to their religion. Ibrahim (2007) emphasises the need to respect history and use this as a foundation to move forward, but this must be combined with political minded thought. The dispute between the factions of government and religion has resulted in the manipulation of the Eastern society to benefit the aims of either party. This can be seen as a patriarchal approach, the need to gain superiority and domination of society and influence others through your own beliefs. As discussed briefly in this piece Ibrahim (2007) says that the way forward is to modernise Islam. Ibrahim (2007) also argues that freedom is a core Islamic value and is mentioned within the Qur’an, and the use of this central value to form the basis of society is imperative in creating a society which is based on solid Islamic culture. However in comparison to this theory Badran (1995) states there has been a lack of education for women and young girls throughout the East for many centuries, influenced by the issue of patriarchy, placing them firmly within the home with no economic use to society. Women have been deterred from taking up employment as this is seen to be a challenge to the patriarchal norms of society. Their role as discussed by Miller (2000) is firmly within the home, socialised into subordination. It is often forgotten that Universities and schools have only appeared in the U.S over the last 100 years and in many other western countries barely over 50 years. Women’s feminist movements have used this issue as a basis for their argument for the right of women to an education. The Statute of Women’s Rights, was changed in order to give women some rights within society, for example the right to education, however, was not extended to include situations within  the home. Badran believes that Muslim women have created original forms of feminism, but still the West is sceptical as they believe the existence of such in Islam is impossible to achieve. It is the element of patriarchal power that women have been attacked for when they have tried to fight against this suppression. But today there is a growing movement amongst Muslim women steering away from the inherited patriarchal Islam towards egalitarian Islam. It has been talked about how the Qur’an mentions gender equality in Islam. Activists are using these new practices within societies in order to support a reformation of Muslim family law. Islamic feminism rejects the opposition between secular and religious and the east and west. They want to separate religion and state by the upholding of a secular state which can guarantee freedom of religion. Just because people identify themselves as secular does not necessarily mean that they are not religious or anti-religious. Ramadan spoke of the â€Å"importance of a constructive dialogue on shared values†. Islamic feminism has a lot to contribute and in order to promote further involvement of shared values one needs to rest assured that the values being shared are egalitarian values and not patriarchal ideas. In the 1970’s the women’s mosque movement began. The movement had a transformative effect on Egyptian society. The main goal of the women in the mosque movement was to ground everyday life in the practice of Islam by allowing oneself to control which direction they wanted their society to move in so that they didn’t lose sight. The contemporary piety movement in Egypt required the members of the community to teach one another the correct Islamic codes. It also brought the following changes such as providing services for the poor, the forms of public debate to financial management of households. As Mahmood (1962) discusses the mosque movement arose because there were perceptions that religious knowledge had become marginalized due to modern structures of secular dominance. Muslims have asked why the West has moved forward and we have been left behind. Three common responses are as follows. Firstly we as Muslims have strayed from the path of Islam. Secondly, we have failed to maintain our  status as a world power relinquishing our power to the West. Alongside this issue is the Eastern inability to maintain an equal status with the West and the future development of science, technology and politics. However, of most importance we have been unable to maintain an economic status resulting in the East being dominated and influenced on a large scale by Western values and business. This has resulted in the loss of cultural identity and mainstream values associated with Islam in favour of a less stringent approach which is dominated by political influence. Ibrahim (2007) puts forward the impression that in order for Islam to move forward there must be a separation of politics and religion. Religion may be used to influence society and individual decisions and tradition however politics are required to have no religious intervention but be based solely on the requirements of a nation and their future as a world power. The third response is to choose between reverting to the Golden Age of Islam based on Islamic values which have been seen as a stable setting for Eastern society, or move forward in an attempt to maintain equal power with the West by modernising Islam. These answers can be useful to a certain degree in analysing Eastern responses to colonialism. A move towards the Golden Age of Islam as seen by some Muslims as the way forward is often used to demonise the west and cause conflict. Freedom is a core Islamic value and is used by some factions as a reason for the use of terrorism in defence of their nation. The influence of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas has been substantial. Their revolutionary stance uses violence as a means to protect Islamic values. These groups have interpreted Islam for the benefit of their cause. There are many varying factors which need to be looked at for Islam and the Arab world to move forward in contemporary society. When such issues are addressed they will lead to a unified nation which is capable of maintaining itself as a world power alongside the West, although of greater importance will be the unification of its people in their aim for democracy and equality.