Wednesday, January 29, 2020
European imperialism Essay Example for Free
European imperialism Essay Mortimer Chambers et al define imperialism as a European states intervention in and continuing domination over a non-European territory. During the Scramble for Africa in the late nineteenth century, the most powerful European nations desired to conquer, dominate and exploit African colonies with the hope of building an empire. According to Derrick Murphy, in 1875 only ten percent of Africa was occupied by European states. Twenty years later only ten percent remained unoccupied. There were several factors which attracted European imperialists to Africa. There were opportunities for profitable investment and trade. Raw materials, which Africa possessed in abundance, were also desired. A cheap source of labour was required as it would result in higher profits. In addition, there was international rivalry among European nations. Domestic political interests and social Darwinism may also be blamed for attracting European imperialism to Africa. European imperialists were lured to Africa by the potential economic benefits she possessed. Industrialization caused a mass productivity and there became an artificial need for foreign markets to invest in. According to Brian Levack et al, with the onset of economic decline in 1873 industrialists were faced with a declining demand for their products in Europe. Imperial expansion, it was thought, would provide a solution with annexed territories seen as captive markets. It was believed that the unfavorable balance of trade that Britain and other industrial countries were experiencing could be counterbalanced by the income from overseas investments. Also, surplus capital could be profitably invested in Africa where cheap labour and limited competition would result in higher profits. Prominent European imperialists decided to use the public resources of their country to find lucrative means of using their capital. The English radical economist J.A. Hobson, argues that the intention was to level out inequalities of wealth to increase domestic consumption. Local merchants, traders and bankers were optimistic towards the idea of imperial expansion and capital investments outside of Europe became an increasingly vital sector of its economy. There was an increasing demand for raw materials in Europe in the late nineteenth century. According to Brian Levack, the new technologies characteristic of the industrial revolution meant that industrial Europe became increasingly dependent on raw materials. European nations felt the urge to control lands that possessed great quantities of raw materials. Africa was rich with raw materials as well as many treasure reserves. As a result, many major industrial companies attempted to gain a monopoly of raw materials in Africa. Stuart Miller believes that specific trade links were important to particular industries. Some raw materials in Africa were of great importance; the vegetable oil of the Niger was vital for lubricating industrial machinery and the rubber of the Congo was not only essential for the tires on the new automobiles but also for insulating the electrical and telegraph wires now encircling the globe. The plentiful elephant herds could be slaughtered to provide the ivory for many of the new consumer goods such as piano keys, billiard balls and knife handles. In Togoland, Germans were able to cultivate plantations where they grew cocoa and rubber. Other raw materials included peanuts, cotton and tea. There were also many important minerals and South Africa possessed gold and diamonds. International rivalry among European nations contributed greatly to imperialist ventures in Africa. Britains rivalry with France and Germany accounted for a large part of the colonization. The British government wished to maintain its dominance in the colonial regions. Other European powers desired to expand their colonial spheres as well and Britain responded by seizing colonies. Certain territories were important for their location. The Suez Canal was key waterway between East and West Africa. The immense interior between the gold and diamond rich Southern Africa and Egypt had a strategic value as domination of this region was important to secure the flow of overseas trade. The British wanted to link their possessions in Southern Africa with their territories in East Africa, and these two areas with the Nile basin. Obtaining the Sudan was vital to the fulfillment of these ambitions especially since Egypt was already under British control. This red-line through Africa was made famous by Cecil Rhodes and Lord Milner who advocated for a Cape to Cairo empire linking by rail the Suez Canal to the Southern part which possessed many minerals. According to Brian Levack, there was also a certain level of nationalist competition. The unification of Germany upset the balance of power in Europe. In this climate of tension, governments looked towards enforcing national strength. The newly formed nations of Italy and Germany now sought empires outside Europe as a means of gaining power and prestige within Europe. In the nineteenth century, a German historian Henrich con Treitschke stated All great nations in the fullness of their strength have desired to set their mark on barbarian lands and those who fail to participate in this great rivalry will pay a pitiable role in time to come. Under the leadership of Bismarck, Germany soon embarked on a quest of expansionism. Bismarcks distrust of England under Gladstone was one of the reasons he decided to do this. Germany became engaged in an arms race with Great Britain and it desired as many military and naval bases as it could obtain. France needed to restore its damaged national pride after its defeat by Germany in the Franco-Prussian war and therefore embarked upon expansionism. Their aim was to have an uninterrupted link between the Niger River and the Nile, thus controlling all trade to and from the Sahel region, by virtue of their existing control over the Caravan routes through the Sahara. Domestic political interests also contributed to European Imperialism in Africa. As stated by Brain Levack, in the age of mass politics, political leaders needed to find issues that would both appeal to new voters and strengthen the status quo. Imperialism led the ordinary European people to believe that they were part of a superior, conquering people. Bismarck used imperial issues to help him find political allies in Germany and once remarked all this colonial business is a sham but we need it for the elections. According to Lawrence James, in the 1890s witnessed a rapid expansion of newspaper readership with the appearance of a new type of daily designed to attract the working and lower middle class. Social Darwinism and missionary intentions are two excuses that are used to justify European imperialism in Africa. Rudyard Kipling characterized the Africans as sullen, new caught peoples, half devil and half child. The Europeans believed it to be their duty to civilize the wild savage Africans. Liberalism, which may be defined as a dedication to self-improvement and the belief that there were discoverable rules of general conduct that everyone could follow, contributed to the paternal manner in which Europe acted and arguments of racial and cultural superiority that pushed Europeans into Africa to civilize the local populations. Lawrence James states that nations who had now reached the highest stage of civilization were taking control over those which had lagged behind, or races, like the Asante, who were not seen as fit to control their own affairs. In an issue of the Dublin Review in the late nineteenth century it was stated that The future of Africa under any form of Europea n tutelage must be better than the dark and evil nightmare of the past. These Social Darwinists were able to persuade the natives that what was being done was to their ultimate benefit. According to Derrick Murphy et al, there existed the idea that imperialism was a moral duty as a means of spreading Western civilization and Christian values. Many Europeans bought this excuse while others did not. Africans were forced to adopt the Christian religion. In some cases they were killed for continuing to practice their own faiths. Some historians believe that the whole motive for Christian evangelism in Africa was simply to disrupt and destroy and that it was always politically motivated. First, missionaries were brought to the continent. Secondly, after some natives were converted and there was a considerable amount of confusion among them, the troops were sent to exploit them. Their main intention was to divide to control. According to an African chieftain The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.Various factors attracted European imperialism to Africa in the later nineteenth century. Europe was changing and their colonial empires were associated with the ideas of national greatness and the survival of the fittest. This caused a massive drive for empires. There was a yearning for raw materials, national power and prestige. Each nation which possessed a colonial territory also possessed a sense of superiority. Bibliography 1.) Chambers Mortimer, Hanawalt Barbara, Rabb Theodore, Woloch Isser, Grew Raymond, The Western Experience, 1999, The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., United States of America2.) James Lawrence, The White Mans Burden? Imperial Wars in the 1890s Spielvogel Jackson, Western Civilization, Mc Graw Hill, Connecticut, 1999(pgs 100-105)3.) Levack Brian, Muir Edward, Maas Michael, Veldman Meredith, The West, Encounters and Transformations, 2004, Pearson Education Inc., United States of America4.) Miller Stuart, Mastering Modern European History, 1997, Palgrave, United Kingdom, Hampshire5.) Murphy Derrick, Morris Terry, Europe 1870-1991, 2000, Harper Collins Publishers LTD, United Kingdom, England6.) The Church as a Tool of Imperialism
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Functions of Management Essay example -- essays research papers
Functions of Management What are the four functions of management and how do they relate to my organization? The Management Process... as refereed to by our text describes four basic functions – Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling. While each of these functions on their own play an important role in management applied correctly they can be key to the success or failure of your organization. The first of these functions is that of planning. Planning is more than merely setting goals and deciding on a course of action. The text explains planning as â€Å"developing rules and procedures, developing plans (both for the organization and for those who work in it), and forecasting (predicting or projecting what the future holds for the firm)†. The process of this first function is performed on many levels of the organization. In our organization the process of planning generally starts with the Senior Leadership Team and then works its way thru the organization. During this annual process goals are determined, plans are developed and budgets forecasted. As the process cascades thru the organization each functional area is identified. Tasks are aligned with goals, and goals are aligned with tasks. Projects are aligned with plans and plans aligned with budgets. The second of these functions is organizing. The text explains organizing as â€Å"identifying jobs to be done, hiring people to do them, establishing departments, delegating or pushing authority down to subordinates, establ...
Monday, January 13, 2020
The atmosphere in which the modern business organization
The atmosphere in which the modern business organization operates is something which can change in no time at all. In comparing Fortune Magazine’s â€Å"Most Admired Companies†from 2007, and in retrospect, 1987, some interesting facts emerge. First, the two lists are compared as follows: 2007                                                1987 1. General Electric                                            General Motors 2. Starbucks                                                       Exxon 3. Toyota Motor                                                Ford 4. Berkshire Hathaway                                      IBM 5. Southwest Airlines                                        Mobil 6. FedEx                                                            General Electric 7. Apple                                                             ATT 8. Google                                                           Texaco 9. Johnson & Johnson                                        Dupont 10 . Proctor & Gamble                                        Chevron These two lists are characterized by a few common elements; first, the issue of profitability is something that is universal in the lists, even thought they are separated by a decade of time. The companies that are in the lists, upon further research, are all companies which, while not constant, have been profitable overall. In fact, some of these companies, such as Ford and Exxon, have fallen upon hard times occasionally, and their positive position in the mind of the public has allowed them to recover from some major catastrophes, such as Ford’s plant closings and Exxon’s Valdez disaster, which almost destroyed the company. Interestingly, in the 2007 list, a new type of company, Starbuck’s appears. It can be said that the company is different because much of what they sell is image, and not the tangibles offered by automotive manufacturers as a quick example. How much of the evaluation is dominated by the profitability of the company? In the present day evaluations, profitability of the company, of course is a key element as it has always been; however, the companies of today are evaluated more so on net income after taxes as a percentage of sales for a few key reasons. First, some of the companies that are rated as top companies are those which offer non-durable products such as Starbuck’s, for which a measure such as return on assets is not the best evaluative tool. How many of these companies currently on the ‘Most Admired' list also appear on Fortune’s current list of â€Å"The 100 Best Companies to Work For†? As a matter of fact, three of the companies currently on the ‘Most Admired’ list also appear on Fortune’s current list of ‘The 100 Best Companies to Work For’; specifically, the companies are Google, Johnson & Johnson and Starbucks. Based on this finding, there are several possible theories for the relationship between companies being ranked on both lists simultaneously. Obviously, companies that are among the best to work for will generate a level of admiration. Moreover, it is also likely that companies that are so admired will attract the kinds of talented and qualified people as employees who would be likely to speak well of companies. Conversely, companies that are not good to work for are unlikely to be admired. Conclusion In conclusion, what can be seen in comparing popular companies from present and past is that some firms have great longevity, some do not, but all achieve greatness at one time or another.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Study Abroad at University of Belgrano
Study Abroad at University of Belgrano University of Belgrano provides an excellent opportunity to gain valuable and memorable experience in the educational program. In my opinion, this is a great opportunity to improve my education and skills. I have recently visited Buenos Aires along with my friend, and now I can state that I have fallen in love with this place. I decided to become a participant of this program for several reasons, which are directly connected with my major specialty. At the moment, I am a student of Florida International University, where I study the Criminal Justice. The study abroad program will give me the opportunity to teach the Spanish language and culture that has long been a dream of mine. This is not my first experience in foreign training; I have taken the gap year studying in Jerusalem. Staying and studying in other countries have allowed me to learn more about people of other cultures and traditions. I believe that this experience is invaluable in shaping not only the knowledge, but also my personal qualities. Precisely, many things will depend on the kind of the classes, but I am sure that this program will discover many new opportunities for me based on what I have learned about the University. In fact, after I get my Bachelors degree, I plan to study law, which will allow implementing my potential and improving my skills. The University of Belgrano provides a plenty of educational programs, additional courses and number of the most interesting specialties. As I have already mentioned, my goal is to study the Spanish language and culture; I have always been interested in the Spanish culture because I live in Miami. For a long time, I have been growing among Spanish-speaking people who have special personal qualities and whose culture has a very interesting origin. Initially, I plan to learn more about the city and about Argentina. To do this, I will have to visit many historical sites as well as make new friends. For some time, I would like to study the culture, art and language, which will help me to better understand the people who live there. Undoubtedly, the University of Belgrano has an impressive teaching staff with a specialization in the Law and Political Science; therefore, the level of education obtained through this program can be defined as high and relevant. In the future, I would like to work in Miami, thus, the knowledge of this program is very useful for me. Criminal Justice at FIU is very similar to the Law and Political Science in the University of Belgrano, although there are also some significant differences. However, the Law and Political Science classes provide more opportunities in the choice of future profession. The combination of these two items will make my education more effective and profound. In addition, the University of Belgrano provides many other exciting opportunities that will enrich my experience within the framework of this program. The University staff holds the conferences involving various specialties almost every week. At the same time, the University helps to apply students knowledge in practice. This experience will enable me to improve a number of the important skills that will build my career in future. Apart from the useful experience in the field of the Criminal Justice, Law and Political Science, I will be able to improve Spanish and thus greatly expand my communication capabilities.
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