Ragtime and Blues Essay Example for Free

Ragtime and Blues Essay Ragtime and Blues are the two music styles that give Jazz her name and life. Ragtime and blues, which are generated and rose into popularity at mostly the same time of period, are usually considered as closely connected because of Jazz and yet are very distinctive music styles. They affect Jazz in different perspectives, such as Ragtime in the usage of syncopation, the swing feeling, and Blues in the composition form, the improvisation, and the â€Å"Soul†. Similarity and difference: What both Ragtime and Blues share is their Black regions. They are both a classic and important component of early Black popular music. Almost all commentators expressed their view that the originators of Ragtime were black, and even some believe that it was imported from Africa; and yet Blues was believed to start in slavery which involved with large population of African Americans. As Scott Joplin, one of the most influential Ragtime musician, stated, â€Å" There has been ragtime music in America ever since the Negro race has been here. † and this poetic statement would perfectly apply to Blues as well. Historically, ragtime and blues started and rose into popularity at basically the same time. Ragtime’s huge popularity was abetted with the huge dimension of the print of â€Å"Maple Leaf Rag† by Scott Joplin in 1897. Almost the same time, classic blues like â€Å"St. Louis Blues† and â€Å"Memphis Blues† was composed by W. C. Handy. For a long period of time, specifically from 1890s to 1920s which was the time when Jazz becomes a dominant popular music style, ragtime was the typical popular music form in America. The popularity of Blues and Ragtime at early ages was strongly associated with the popular theater in late 19th and early 20th century. Even though ragtime and blues share the same origin and same historical path, they are indeed very different music styles, which determines their contribution to Jazz and make it a new and yet unique music. The definition of Ragtime is the music that signifying the broken rhythm, especially a sort of syncopation. Indeed, the word â€Å"rag† is a verb describing the syncopation process of the music. Syncopation is such a significant character of ragtime and it somehow defines the music style of ragtime. Part of the reason that helps determine the syncopation of ragtime is that ragtime is an instrumental based music genre. At early times, ragtime is dominated by piano, especially with great pianists like Scott Joplin and Ben Harney. And Blues, a more vocal based music, does not evidently engage with syncopation. Syncopation is the most important character that ragtime affects Jazz and some people believe that Jazz is a more complex form of syncopated music. Blues, often considered as a music that generated from slavery, was characterized with the improvisation. Improvisation is defined as creating music on the spot. Improvisation is not only a distinctive but also a great character because never has any music genre in the history before is based on improvisation. Even ragtime is based on pre-written music. Jazz took on this character and developed into a even more complicated, spicy music on the spot with different instrument arrangement. Jazz took improvisation to another level from this great tradition in blues. As far as the music style goes, ragtime is more affected by European style from the composition to instrument. Scott Joplin, the great ragtime musician mentioned earlier, was a classical trained piano player and the effect of classical music is obvious in his pieces. However, blues is more affected by its African origin. It is believed that one of the first blues was directly imported from African folk song. It is a very simultaneous music style and consists of a lot of elements of real life, such as the call-and-answer structure. It is also necessary to mention that the composition of blues like 12-bar blues and AABA structure greatly affect the composition of Jazz, especially at early ages. A lot of the early Jazz songs are in such structure, like the first Jazz recording ever, â€Å"livery stable blues† by Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Ragtime, characterized with syncopation and strong rhythm and beats, was created for the need of people to dance. However, Blues has very strong and evident emotions in the performance, especially with the great vocalists that convey those emotions through their great vocal performance. Bessie Smith, one of the best Blues vocalists of all time, combined the strong rhythm sense with an extremely sensitive feeling of pitch and thus convey them to the large audience. In a sense, Blues gives Soul to Jazz, with those emotions and tones of struggle. Evidently, ragtime and blues, the Black Music, struggle to make them merge into different classes, not only popular but also respected. From ragtime and blues, this kind of struggle carried on with Jazz and gives Jazz the identity, the structure, the tone and the â€Å"soul†.

Corporate Governance And Business Ethics Of IKEA Commerce Essay

Corporate Governance And Business Ethics Of IKEA Commerce Essay The origin of IKEA concept dates back to the year 1943 in Sweden. The founder of the organization Ingvar Kamprad was just 17 years old when he started this organization. The company is almost six decades old now. The organization which was started in a small village in Sweden today has spread across 36 countries world over and has created a brand image for itself as one of the worlds leading furniture dealers. The owner of the business, Ingvar Kamprad, as already stated was very young when he started this organization. It was his ambition to start his own business since his childhood years. He started selling small household things like matches etc, since the age of five. As he grew a little older he started going a little ahead of his neighborhood to carry out the selling of matches and he realizes that it is possible to buy matches in bulk at a lesser price and possible to earn decent profits. His product portfolio ranges from matches to various other things like Christmas gifts, greeting cards, pencils and ball point pens etc (IKEA, 2009). In the year 1943, at the age of 17 Ingvar receives a small sum of money from his father as a gift for his exceptional academic performance which he uses as capital for his business and starts his own business. The name of the company IKEA is actually the initials of the Founder Ingvar Kamprad and the first letters of the farm and village he grew up Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd. In the initial days of origination, the company used to sell stationery stuff like ball point pens, table runners, and other miscellaneous stuff like watches and jewelry etc. However, an interesting fact about the store is that the products were priced lesser. As the years passed, the product portfolio of the company increased and it has primarily become a furniture retailer. Today, the organization has got its presence in over 36 countries across the globe. From opening stores in various parts of the world to acquiring business units and being environment friendly, the company has created a name for itself in the world. Business Idea of IKEA IKEA is famous all across the globe for their affordable price range for the well-designed and varied range of functional home furniture. Price affordability is the predominant ides behind every step that the company takes, right from product development to product sales (IKEA, 2009). However, one may think how is the company making it possible to offer high quality products at a very low price? This is where the company differentiates itself from other players in the industry. The organization constantly develops ideas that are both innovative and at the same time cost-effective. Low prices, flat packing looking everything differently are a few such ideas of the organization to differentiate itself in the market. IKEA Responsibility IKEA strongly believes that taking responsibility for the society and the environment in which it does business are the foundation for its sustainability in the industry. The IKEA group has got managers who work constantly to ensure social and environmental responsibility in the day-to-day activities of the business. To support business, there are a number of specialists covering a wide range of areas, such as chemical experts, foresters, IWAY auditors and energy experts. All IKEA Group stores and distribution centers have environmental coordinators who work in the areas such as training, waste management, water and energy conservation (IKEA, 2009). Code of Conduct of IKEA IWAY The company introduced its code of conduct IWAY in the year 2000 and it applies to all of its suppliers. The company has got independent IWAYs for all of its various businesses. All of IKEAs suppliers and service providers are required to strictly adhere to this code of conduct. The code of conduct specifies certain requirements for suppliers and service providers and also the support that the company offers to them. The suppliers and service providers are required to communication the same to the co-workers and ensure that all of the channel members those are involved implement the same. Corporate Social Responsibility and its importance to todays Business Many corporate bodies have made an impression in the countries of their adoption. The impact is more so, in countries that are either developing or underdeveloped. These conglomerates play active roles in the social and economic development of the society they live in apart from generating highly profitable overtures from themselves in the bargain. This dissertation sets out to explore just this, and how they are able to manipulate their corporate social responsibilities (CSR) to ensure extremely favorable business conditions and growth. An individual must not forget that CSR alone is not enough for a company to progress; it takes a lot of personal involvement and hard management decisions to turn hostile terrains to viable solutions. Companies with high levels of CSR recognize the need to lead from the front; they show collective understanding of cultural, political and social issues, and issues pertaining to the local community and their grievance, as well as supporting their cause. A key element of business is knowledge management. Intangible assets can be easily shared through partnerships to achieve mutual benefits (Halal 2000)  [1]  . Kay (1993) argues that successful innovation and management of distinct possibilities for companies; such as the reputation of the company, which lead to the competitive advantage. Reputation, like knowledge management, is an intangible asset which can affect and be affected by the community in which a company operates. A company that supports the community wherein it operates , has the advantage of enhanced performance through image-building, and has the effect of empowering that community. It is therefore right in assessing that, those companies that play a major role in corporate social leadership can maintain their competitive advantage over other market players (Hilton and Gibbons 2002)  [2]  . A first in the market is seen as a big step forward to maintaining a competitive advantage. Becoming a CSR leader can also create competitive advantages. CSR helps to create a motivated workforce, which is easy to recruit and retain. It is thus natural to say that a constructive relationship with the community leads to knowledge exchange and mutual profit  [3]  (Halal 2000, Handy 2002). The link between CSR, community stakeholders and financial goals is seen at various levels from tenuous (Fryxell and Wang 1994), to relevant only as it impacts on primary stakeholders (MacMillan et al. 2004), to a necessity (Chakraborty et al. 2004) and finally as an investment (Schiebel and Pochtrager 2003). Chakraborty et al. (2004), says that in a developing country like India, for example, there is so much that can be done to fight poverty and deprivation and bring about advancement without losing track of its ethical and spiritual moorings. What these corporations seek is to support community development, while at the same time, concentrate on profitable propositions and enrich business practices. This can be done through cooperation with local NGOs who have reliable and time-tested networks and relationships in place (Millar et al. 2004)  [4]  . Stakeholder involvement through NGOs is not without its problems, as in many cases, some international and national NGOs have no accountability at the local level. Many areas in developing countries are either backward or tribal, which could lead to conflicting cultural norms within one geographic community area itself, and the possibility of inadvertent exclusion of any intended beneficiary can be disastrous (Blowfield, 2004)  [5]  . Another aspect of CSR is the expression of indirect marketing. CSR and marketing are frequently linked and thus, CSR is in more than one way, considered a marketing tool employed to generate profit and recognition. The overriding projection of CSR as a great marketing tool is as good as the benefits the community derives from these practices. There is no doubt that good work can enhance the reputation of the company and significantly affect the competitive advantage. There are two ways of aligning with the community they operate in. at first, the conglomerate uses the community to its advantage (cause-related marketing) while in the other, develops the community with the hope of deriving benefits in the long run (Banyan, 2004)  [6]  . Organizations function more effectively if they operate as open systems, interacting with and responding to changes in the external environment. Since such organizations are influenced by the transformations in the external setting, executives must comprehend the nature of this environment. The external environment of an organization consists of the mega environment otherwise called the general environment and the task environment. The mega environment reflects the major trends in the societies within which the organization operates. These societies have various sub components namely the technological, economic, socio-cultural and international  [7]  . The task environment consists of specific external elements with which an organizations interacts while conducting its business. These include customers and clients, competitors, suppliers, labor supply and government agencies. The task environment, which depends largely on the products and services offered by the organization and its business location, may vary from firm to firm. While a firm may to be able to directly influence its mega environment, it can certainly influence its task environment (ICFAI Centre for Management Research, 2003). Working within a large and complex external environment affects a business in terms of its social responsibility, its social responsiveness and its ethical behavior. During the initial years of the 20 century, business entities were predominantly concerned with maximizing their profits. In the 1970s, social advocates started to question industry enterprises singular objective of profit maximization. They argued that because businesses receive their existence from society, they need to have a little obligation towards it. The concept of social responsibility became popular after the publication of Howard R. Bowens Social Responsibilities of Business. Bowen argued that business enterprises should consider the impact of their decisions on society. The operational definition of social responsibility is as follows: Social responsibility contends that management is responsible to the organization itself and to all the interest groups with which it interacts. Other interest groups such as workers, customers, creditors, suppliers, government and society in general are placed essentially equal with shareholders (ICFAI Centre for Management Research, 2003). According to the above stated definitions, business entities should pay attention to the welfare of workers, consumers needs and their security, the wellbeing and privileges of creditors, government regulations and the obligations of the enterprise towards the social order as a whole. Nowadays, numerous organizations are concerned about social activities and are playing an active role in the same. While the outlook of the society have transformed, companies have become further conscious of their social responsibilities. A cautious analysis of opinions for and against the participation of organizations in social welfare activities is essential to conclude whether an organization should employ social programs. Arguments favoring Social Responsibilities of Business The needs of present day customers have changed, ensuing in a change in their outlook of businesses. As businesses oblige their profits to humanity, they have to thus counter to the needs of the society. Society and business gain mutual advantage when there is a symbiotic association between them. Society benefits through economic expansion and the proviso of employment prospects; and business gains through the employees and customers provided by the same society. By being socially responsible, business entities attract a smaller amount of attention from regulatory agencies, this gives them superior liberty and suppleness in their operations. Businesses have substantial command and influence. The application or use of this command should be accompanied by an equivalent amount of accountability. Most firms are open systems, that is, they interact with the external environment. The internal activities of such firms have an impact on the external environment to avoid negative impact on the external environment, firms should be socially responsible. In addition, by being socially involved a company can improve its image and thus protect its shareholders interests (ICFAI Centre for Management Research, 2003). Social responsibility entails the preservation of natural resources. Preservation can be beneficial for organizations. Through social involvement, a firm can create a favorable public image for itself and endear itself to society, by so doing a firm can attract customers, employees and investors. Businesses have a history of coming up with innovative ideas, therefore they are likely to come with solutions for social problems, which other institutions were unable to tackle. Businesses should make the best possible utilization of the expertise and aptitude of its managerial workforce and also its capital resources in order to manufacture good quality products and services. Thereby, the businesses will be able to accomplish their responsibility towards the society. It is in the interest of the business entity to avoid social harms. Instead of allowing large scale unemployment to lead to social unrest, which in turn will harm business interests, businesses can be resources of employment for qualified youth. Arguments against social responsibility of businesses The most important rationale of a business is revenue maximization. Hence social involvement may not be reasonably feasible for a business. When a business incurs disproportionate cost for social participation, it passes the charge on to its clientele in the form of elevated prices. Society, therefore, has to tolerate the burden of the social participation of business by paying elevated prices for its merchandise. A destabilized international balance of payments state may be created by the social participation of organizations, as the cost of social programs would be appended to the cost of the goods, the multinational companies doing business in international markets would be at a inconvenience when contending with domestic companies which may not be involved in social actions. Businesses are intrinsically prepared with a firm amount of power. Their participation in social activities can lead to an augment in their influence and power. This boost in power and influence may corrupt them. Business people do not have power over the necessary skills to tackle social problems. Their proficiency and knowledge may not be pertinent to deal with such problems. Until a proper method to establish the responsibility of businesses is developed, they should not get implicated in social activities. There is no conformity regarding the kind of socially responsible actions that a business should embark on (ICMR-ICFAI Centre for Management Research, 2003 Ref.no.BECG BR 122K3 08). Business owners have their own sense of skewed ideas of doing business and their business practices. When businesses take up social responsibilities, the business owners tend to get these quirks into such actions too. This might at times lead to disastrous consequences. As in most situations there is no firm right thinking or wrong thinking. Businesses getting involved in social activities have their own strengths and weaknesses. There are definitely both sides to the coin. A mere word of concern is that, there must be a sense of balance when businesses get involved in social activities and they must not go overboard nor overlook the primary purposes of their businesses. Social Stakeholders Business executives, who are worried about corporate social responsibility need to recognize a variety of interest groups which may persuade the operation of a firm and which, consequently, may be influenced by the organizations decisions. Business enterprises are primarily accountable to six major interest groups namely the shareholders, employees, customers, creditors and suppliers, the social order and the administration. These groups are otherwise known as the social stakeholders. Shareholders The prime accountability of a business is to protect the interests of its shareholders. The shareholders provide the core resource the capital that enables the organization to operate and grow. They expect the management to use the capital judiciously and operate the business in a way that ensures a good return on their investment, both through dividends and through increase in stock value. Shareholders should be provided with adequate and timely information about the functioning of the organization. The IKEA Group  co-operates with other companies, trade unions and organizations that represent stakeholders throughout the world. These include Building and Wood Workers International, Clean Cargo Working Group and dialogues with Greenpeace (IKEA, 2009). Employees Employees are the principal assets of an organization. Traditionally, managers regarded employees only as factors of production and denied them their rightful share in the distribution of income. However, in the present times, it is mandatory for business firms to protect the interests of their employees. Laws and government regulations now define the responsibilities of the employer. A few such laws include ensuring equal employment for men and women, offering pensions and other retirement benefits, and providing a safe and healthy work environment etc. IKEA products must be manufactured under acceptable working conditions by suppliers who take responsibility for the environment. IKEA is a production-oriented retail company. By being on site and conducting responsible business, IKEA contributes to better manufacturing and working conditions for suppliers and their workers (IKEA, 2009). Customers In recent years, customers have received great attention. Firms have begun to realize the importance of keeping customers happy. Moreover, the growth of consumerism has made firms more aware of their duties towards consumers. IKEA concept in itself is all about offering high-quality products and affordable prices. In order to ensure this, the company constantly works its way about cost-effectiveness and innovation. Creditors and Suppliers Creditors and Suppliers are responsible for providing inputs for production process in the form of raw material and capital. Management is responsible for fulfilling its obligations to its creditors and suppliers. This can be done by: i. Creating long-term and healthy business relationship with them. ii. Making prompt payments to creditors and suppliers. iii. Providing them with accurate, relevant and needed information. The IKEA Group believes that safe, healthy, non-discriminatory working conditions and the protection of the environment at our suppliers are prerequisites for doing good business (IKEA, 2009).As already mentioned above, IKEA has got a special code of conduct that clarifies the expectations of suppliers from the company and also the kind of support that the company offers in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the supply chain. Society Organizations function within a social system and draw their resources from this system. Therefore, they have certain obligations towards society. The management of business organizations can fulfill their obligations toward society by preserving and enhancing the well-being of the members of society. Management can do so in the following ways: i. Using its technical expertise to solve local problems. ii. Setting socially desirable standards of living and avoiding unnecessary and wasteful expenditure. iii. Playing an important role in civic affairs. Volunteers from some companies help the traffic police regulate traffic at busy intersections. Pizza Corner in Hyderabad, India is one such organization. Many companies also put up road signs along highways to encourage safe driving habits. For instance, liquor companies such as Shaw Wallace and United Breweries have put up road signs on mountain roads in various parts of India. These road signs caution drivers against driving under the influence of alcohol. iv. Providing basic amenities, healthcare and education facilities, hence creating better living conditions. v. Establishing development programs for the benefit of economically weaker class of the society. IKEA ensures that it contributes its part to the society by taking steps to prevent child labor. IKEA has a special code of conduct called The IKEA Way on Preventing Child Labor, which is a part of  The IKEA Way on Purchasing Home Furnishing Products. Monitoring of compliance to The IKEA Way on Preventing Child Labor is done by IKEA trading service offices and with unannounced visits by KPMG at suppliers and sub-contractors in South Asia (IKEA, 2009). Government The government of a country provides the basic facilities required for the survival and growth of businesses. The government monitors and, to a certain extent, controls the business systems of the country. Most of the controls imposed by the government are in the best interests of businesses. To fulfill its obligations to the government, the management of business organizations should: i. be law-abiding ii. Pay taxes and other dues fully, timely and honestly. iii. Not bribe government servants to obtain favors for the company. iv. Not try to use political influence in its favor. Measuring Social Responsiveness According to Keith Davis and William C. Fredrick, Social Responsiveness is the ability of a corporation to relate its operations and policies to the social environment in ways that are mutually beneficial to the company and to society (ICMR-ICFAI Centre for Management Research, 2003 Ref.no.BECG BR 122K3 08). Alternatively, it can be referred to the development of organizational decision procedures that enable managers to anticipate, respond to and manage the areas of social responsibility. Though the term social responsiveness is generally applied to business organizations, it is also applicable to not-for-profit organization also. Numerous endeavors have been made to measure social responsiveness. Some companies establish special committees to evaluate their social responsiveness. The various categories for measuring the social responsiveness of organizations are as follows: Contributions Companies make direct financial contributions to charitable and civic projects. Many companies made financial contributions towards relief and rehabilitation work to earthquakes and other similar environmental disasters. Infosys Foundation, set up by Infosys, provides financial assistance to war widows. Fund-raising This involves fund-raising for a social cause, either by the organization itself or by assisting voluntary social organization in fund-raising. Volunteerism Volunteerism refers to the involvement of employees in civic activities. The Boots Company has a volunteering program called Skills for Life, which gives employees a host of opportunities to get involved in community activities in company time. These include giving career talks; conduction mock interviews; supervising students during their work experience period; sharing business skills with local small businesses; and planting gardens and decorating community centers. Recycling To conserve the environment, materials like plastic, paper etc, can and should be recycled into useful products. . Such recycling efforts by business entities reduce the accumulation of plastic waste in landfills. Direct Corporate Investment Often, companies make direct investments to provide facilities for a locality or a community. Attention to consumers Consumers usually have a preference to buy goods that are of good eminence and are secure to use. Pollution Control Pollution is a major problem caused by rapid industrialization. Increasing public awareness and government pressure have made corporations more conscious about the environment. Conclusion Business owners have their own sense of skewed ideas of doing business and their business practices. When businesses take up social responsibilities, the business owners tend to get these quirks into such actions too. This might at times lead to disastrous consequences. As in the majority of situations there is no firm right thinking or wrong thinking. Businesses getting involved in social activities have their own strengths and weaknesses. There are definitely both sides to the coin. Only word of caution is that, there must be a sense of balance when businesses get involved in social activities and they must not go overboard nor overlook the primary purposes of their businesses.

Father-Daughter Relationship in the Film, William Faulkner: A Life on Paper :: Movie Film Essays

Father-Daughter Relationship in the Film, William Faulkner: A Life on Paper While the relationship between fathers and sons has been documented at length, the father/ daughter dynamic figures less prominently in literary tropes; in fact the last canonical piece I can recall reading was Euripedes’ Electra in high school. The tenuous relationship between Daddy and his little girl, however, harbors depths more personal and tangible than Greek tragedy and psychological analyses invoking the Electra complex. The emotionally void or aloof father in particular often burdens the female psyche, for his absence proves just as palpable as his sought after presence, shaping the landscape of a daughter’s future relationships and the construction of a self-image fragmented and disjointed by an early and intimate knowledge of rejection and abandonment. Transcending characterizations attached primarily to filial duty as experienced by the matriarch, the father figure remains the subject of mythologization, just as Sylvia Plath turned her father into a Colossus , a cold, inanimate stone edifice revealing none of his secrets or affection. If the absent or emotionally unavailable father takes on shades of grandeur for the daughter that knew little of him, one can only imagine the impression left by the father figure whose imagined significance in the eyes of his child is only matched by the reality of his fame. William Faulkner, A Life on Paper conveys an image of the literary colossus that both perpetuates the persona of the great American writer and deflates it. Representing the author as a fallible man who endows the world with a narrative legacy while leaving his own daughter little more than a few candid glimpses into his character, the film relays the commentary of Faulkner’s daughter as she attempts to piece together a sketch of an apathetic, mercurial, and brilliant father. Jill Faulkner Summers pulls from her memory pictures of her father as â€Å"extremely courtly and elegant† but lacking a depth and sincerity in his personal relationships: â€Å"Pappy didn’t really care about people. I think he cared about me, but I also think I could have gotten in his way and he would have walked on me.† Faulkner’s coarse words penetrated more than the page as well. After imploring â€Å"pappy† not to succumb to another drinking bout, Faulkner informs his daughter, â€Å"no one remembers Shakespeare’s child†. The film, then, relates a father/ daughter dynamic built upon emotional lack, as the father expressly negates the significance of his own child.

The Reconstruction Period :: after the Civil War, 1865 - 1877

The period after the Civil War, 1865 - 1877, was called the Reconstruction period. Abraham Lincoln started planning for the reconstruction of the South during the Civil War as Union soldiers occupied huge areas of the South. He wanted to bring the Nation back together as quickly as possible and in December 1863 he offered his plan for Reconstruction which required that the States new constitutions prohibit slavery. In January 1865, Congress proposed an amendment to the Constitution which would abolish slavery in the United States. On December 18, 1865, Congress ratified the Thirteenth Amendment formally abolishing slavery. The Civil War ended on April 9, 1865. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated less than one week later. Andrew Johnson, Lincoln's Vice President, briefly continued Lincoln's policies after Lincoln's assassination and in May 1865 announced his own plans for Reconstruction which included a vow of loyalty to the Nation and the abolition of slavery that Southern states were required to take before they could be readmitted to the Nation. Black codes were adopted by midwestern states to regulate or inhibit the migration of free African-Americans to the midwest. Cruel and severe black code laws were adopted by southern states after the Civil War to control or reimpose the old social structure. Southern legislatures passed laws that restricted the civil rights of the emancipated former slaves. Mississippi was the first state to institute laws that abolished the full civil rights of African-Americans. "An Act to Confer Civil Rights on Freedmen, and for Other Purposes," a very misleading title, was passed in 1865. Other states quickly adopted their own versions of the codes, some of which were so restrictive that they resembled the old system of slavery such as forced labor for various offenses. The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands (or the Freedmen's Bureau) was organized to provide relief and assistance to the former slaves, including health services, educational services, and abandoned land services. Congress passed an act on March 3, 1865 to establish the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands. The program was administered by the Department of War and was first headed by General Oliver Otis Howard who was appointed to the position on May 13, 1865 by President Abraham Lincoln. Although Congress responded with legislation that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1866, States kept on the books laws that continued the legacy of the black codes and, therefore, second-class citizenship for the newly freed slaves.

Free Hamlet Essays: An Eye for an Eye :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

An Eye for an Eye in Hamlet  Ã‚   Claudius is justly punished for the murder of king Hamlet. The punishment fits the crime because his brother's son killed him. King Hamlet killed by the brother killed by the king's son. He was murdered. It was pay back, "what goes around comes around" "an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth" What these two quotes are mainly saying is that you get what you give. Claudius took his brothers life therefore his life was taken away. Not only did Claudius kill his brother to marry his wife and take over his throne, but he caused the deaths of the queen, king Hamlet, Polonius and Ophelia. Hamlet was told by the ghost of king hamlet to get back at Claudius for his death, or his soul will travel on earth forever. Even before hamlet knew about Claudius killing his father he had problems. It made hamlet mad that his mother would marry so fast and with his uncle. What Claudius did was an outrageous, back stabbing, and unbelievable thing. It was clearly an act of jealousy for his brother's throne and the wife. Claudius did pay back for his actions. Claudius lost his wife, his messenger, and died and even after his death kept loosing because he lost his castle to Fortinbras. Not only was Claudius punished by Hamlet but "God" also punished him. The reason that God punished Claudius, is because everyone he cared for and who helped him died. Polonius and Queen Gertrude. Polonius was killed by hamlet, when hamlet thought that he had killed the king. Claudius killed queen Gertrude with the poison whine that he had prepared for hamlet. He killed the one he loved instead of the one he wanted to kill. Claudius was even punished after death. His throne and whole castle was taken over by Fortinbras. Not only where his wife and friend dead, but he later died himself by his brother's son. Claudius killed and his turn to die came, but it took some time and other people to die too. Claudius was punished for the queen's death because although he did not intentionally mean to kill her, he watched her drink the poison that he had prepared for hamlet. He knew that she was going to die, but he didn't say anything because he was all for himself.

Resolving international disputes Essay

Differences that you should be aware of Property Law Sources of law and method of judicial reasoning Property Law Civil Law You are either the absolute owner, or you are not. 3 components of absolute ownership usus (latin term) i.e. use Right of use fructus ie. enjoyment of revenues Right to enjoy revenues abusus ie disposal Right to dispose of that thing dismemberment This does not mean that the absolute owner cannot give away certain rights of the property, as long as the rights transfer back to the owner E.g. usifruct farmer has a large piece of land and son wants to get married and have family. Farmer is not willing to divide up the farm, but offers him a part of the farm where he lets him build a house and farm on it, but after 20/30/40 years the land goes back to the father Lease if you lease an apartment from the owner of a building, or a piece of land to farm on, etc you get the right to use it in consideration of rent. In this sense, the owner is giving away one right (the r ight to use the property) as long as at the end they get the right of use back. Common Law Theory no absolute ownership of land King gives a portion of the country to the Earls. In common law, there is a difference between ownership and possession. The Earls possess it, they are holding the land for him. The Earls will provide him every year with something in return (e.g. bushels of corn, men for war, etc). Earl gives a portion of that land to the Dukes, and asks that they hold it for them, in exchange for bushels, men etc. Dukes to the Lords, all the way to the peasant/farmer. When the farmer died, he was not able to give it to his children it would go to the lord, etc up the chain and that person would redelegate it. Known as the feudal system. Leasehold is when you hold it for a limited period of time. A freehold is where you hold the land forever, and you can sell the land, leave the land to your children. The only way it reverts back to the king is if someone dies without leaving any heirs, which means it goes up the chain of ownership. 2 types of ownership Real Beneficial Origin and Concept of Trust William the Conqueror said I am Law, but there were problems with this as the king could not see every subject. Eventually, he became busy with other things (wars, etc) therefore he set up a system of courts. They did not have to see everybody, unless they issue a writ. System of writs a court order telling someone that someone complained about you therefore you have to show up at court on x  day. You only had a writ for certain problems. Trespass (tort) When someone caused you or your property personal injury Habeas corpus (produce the body) When someone grabbed a relative of yours and wrongly imprisoned them. This came about because of the idea of Where there is a remedy (ie. a writ) there is a right, but if you did not have a writ to cover a specific problem, then you did not have access to the courts lead to a parallel system of justice called Equity lead to new legal concepts such as the TRUST Trust you are too rich and do not want to be taxed. Therefore, you give some wealth to the friend who is going to hold it for you until the children are of age and you have died. The problem arises when the friend does not give it back. They have no writ therefore cannot take it back through court. When the friend goes to court, they argue that the land was given on a condition of trust (the friend was trusted by the father to give the property back). In addition to the possibility of someone being the absolute owner, they can also be the owner subject of a trust. Trust difficult to define, Underhill gave one of the best definitions under 5 parts An 1 equitable obligation, 2 binding a person (trustee), 3 to deal with property over which he has control (trust property), 4 for the benefit of persons (beneficiaries), of whom he (the trustee) may be one, 5 any one of whom may enforce the obligation Equitable obligation obligation created under the law of equity which was established by the courts of equity Who has the obligation The trustee What is the obligation To deal with the trust property over which he has control For what purpose For the benefit of the beneficiaries What is the consequence if the trustee does not deal with the property The Trustee can be sued by any one of the beneficiaries How a trust works There are 2 ways to set up a trust The settler gives trust property to one or more trustees for the benefit of one or more beneficiaries (essentially a gift) Can be through a will or agreement (intervivos trust) involving the settler or the trustee By way of declaration of trust a person simply declares that he is hold ing certain property in trust E.g. someone wants to set up a business, but does not want it known that they are the shareholders. Therefore, someone else holds that position, but signs a contract that states that all income goes to them, and they will exercise the wishes of the settler. Examples of trusts wills, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT), endowments You may set up a family trust for tax planning  purposes. You can spread your income across the beneficiaries of that trust. Shareholder agreements, where sometimes money is put into a trust. There are wide personal business and tax-planning purposes to trust. differences between civil law and common law ownership In Common Law, a property can have two owners. The real owner (whose name appears as the owner) or the beneficiary owner In civil Law, you are the owner, or you are not. Only one type of ownership. 2 Sources of law and method of judicial reasoning both systems have 3 sources Judicial Precedent ie. Court decisions Legislation Doctrine ie. scholarly writings articles or books that are written to explain the law, and very often to criticize it th e difference between the two systems is the weight and importance of each source Common Law JUDICIAL PRECEDENT (most important) Court Structure Supreme Court Court of Appeal Trial Court Each court is bound by its earlier decisions. Trial Court is bound by its earlier decisions unless overturned by the Court of Appeal, same thing for Court of Appeal with Supreme Court, etc (stare decisis stand by the past). The Supreme Court is also bound by its own precedents The Supreme Court has overturned its own precedents, such as the decision that people cannot be segregated but equal, as in the case with discrimination. Principal known as stare decisis stand by the past Abortion example of Row vs Wade (or something like that) How do you know when a judgement is a precedent To know that, you have to analyse the precedent Conditions for decision to be binding Decisions divided into two parts Ratio decidendi the reason for the decision for arriving at the decision (only this is the precedent) Obiter dictum other reasons that the judge has for coming to his/her conclusions It is often not clear which is the obiter dictum and which is the ratio decidendi. The facts have to be almost identical. What happens when they find a precedent they do not like They could try and find differences between the case then and now. What then happens is that if the judges can distinguish between it, they make judge-made law, which is an area of contestation and disagreement. Judges are not supposed to make the law. Legislation In the common law system, legislation is not as important as judicial precedent. If a court interprets a law in a manner in which the parliament doesnt like, parliament can pass a law countermanding that. Catch ( legislation is subject to judicial interpretation, and this means that the rules regarding stare decisis apply to interpretation. Therefore, when you  are looking in the common law system, and you are wondering what does this legislation mean, you look at any court judgements/precedents in order to understand its meaning and application. Additionally, from a business point of view, there is very little legislation on very important aspects of business law. (e.g. you find it on leases, contracts of sale, etc but other types of contracts such as agency, etc there is no legislation, and therefore strictly jurisprudence applies. Additionally, to a large extent there is no legislation regarding torts As a source of law, it can supersede jurisprudence, but does not feature as much. Doctrine Scolarly writings For historical reasons, doctrine is less important and less abundant than it is in the civil law system. They try to summarise the law and put it in a rational form. CIVIL LAW Judicial Precedent (Jurisprudence) Not as important as in common law because a) There is no concept of stare decisis (Courts are not formally bound by higher courts, they just carry more weight. Another level can just choose to overrule) (2) Legislation Originally, the first code of laws that was developed in the western world was developed by the Roman Empire. This was different for a huge number of places because it covered such a wide expanse. When Napoleon ruled, there were even differences within France itself He created a different set for France and the rest of the Empire, The Law of Paris, and codified it into one document, and in 1804 it became law. It dealt with things such as family law, property law, contract law, civil liability, etc A code does the following in regards to each area that it deals with, it sets out general broad principles then sets out certain principles within. They are so broad that it covers the subject matter. For example, in civil law under Quebec, civil liability is anyone that is capable, is liable for any damage he/she causes through a wrongful act to a third party. Once you have this principle you have rules of application (e.g. what is the liability of parents if their children does wrong) (3) Doctrine Doctrine is much more important than in the Common Law system. Before, in Common Law system, if you wanted to become a lawyer you didnt have to go to school, just work with lawyers and read books. Example Abraham Lincoln never went to school he studied on his own and ended up becoming a lawyer with the help of those he worked with. Ended up becoming one of the most renowned layers in the USA before h e went into politics. Difference between the two Civil law ( would read Justinian coda and make  annotations and commentaries and some would start publishing codes. When Napoleon made some laws, books came out analysing the books and laws. Judges read the laws and doctrines as a basis for their judgements (today there is more doctrine in the Civil Law system than common law) Common ( Lets see what the judgment says Civil ( lets see what the doctrine says LEGAL SYSTEMS SPREAD BY COLONIZATION AND CONQUEST Common Law Includes India, England, USA Why common law is different around the world English Common law applied to the Colonies, so far as it was adapted by its institutions and circumstances. This means that you apply the English Common Law as far as needed, then you apply a chain of precedents As colonies gained independence, they established a cut-off date after which British precedence would not apply to them Over time, jurisdictions formed their own supreme Courts under their own state of appeal. After a certain date, Canada said that their Supreme Court judgements were right, and people could not go to the British House of Lords for an over ruling, and this happened everywhere. Civil Law Formed out of Spain and all of her colonies, Germany, Italy, Portugal and its colony Brazil, and each country has its own civil code. The rules in France are not the same as the rules set out in Quebec, however the sources, the role, all of that is similar. Quebec Situation Was both a French and British colony. The French King was given a choice keep Quebec, or keep the islands of St Pierre and Miquelon. He decided to keep the islands. In 1774, the Quebec Act was adopted by parliament. In 1774, the 13 colonies started to push for independence. They adopted the Quebec Act, which was intended to protect the religion, language and culture. It created a hybrid system of Common Law and Civil Law. It said that local Quebec Law (Civil Law) will govern property, contracts, family law, civil liability. Basically, in Quebec, what was used was old Roman law and the custom of Paris. Under the Quebec system, the court system became a British system. The result was that Common Law heavily influenced civil law. July 1866, the Civil Court of Law in Canada codified the Civil Law in Quebec (like Napoleon and France). Much of the Civil Code of Canada was taken by the Napoleonic Code. Unlike what you would call the traditional Civil Law System, stare decisis was used in Quebec. If you read a judgement from a Court of Quebec and one outside Quebec, you would question whether it is not a Common Law system. This is because they are a Civil Law system, but they reason  similarly to the Common Law system.

Amir character in the novel “The Kite Runner” Essay

The character of Amir goes through drastic changes as he moves from adolescence to adulthood. As a child Amir begins his life in Kabul, where his character is shaped through conflicts with his father and Hassan. Later, when he moves to America he leaves these conflicts behind and is able to create a stronger relationship with his father. However, when Amir is an adult he is called back to Afghanistan by an old friend to confront these earlier conflicts. In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, observable changes can be seen in Amir’s character as he moves from Kabul, Fremont, and later back to Kabul. In the beginning of the novel one encounters a self-centered young boy, who lives a notably privileged life. He has a great friend, his father is wealthy, and he belongs to the upper social class in Afghanistan. However, a troubled relationship with his father deprives him of the affection he longs for, which he blames on himself. He believes Baba wishes he was more like him, and that Baba holds him responsible for killing his mother, who died during his birth. For example, when Baba tells Rahim Khan that, â€Å"If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out of wife with my own eyes, I’d never believe he’s my son† (Hosseini 25). As a result Amir behaves jealously toward anyone receiving Baba’s affection, especially Hassan. This causes Amir to resent bringing Hassan around Baba, even if it’s just for a short time. This is evident when Amir states, â€Å"He asked me to fetch Hassan too, but I lied and told him Hassan had the runs. I wanted Baba all to myself† (Hosseini 14). Although they are best friends, Amir feels that Hassan is beneath him because he is his Hazara servant. For instance, after the rape of Hassan Amir tries to justify his actions by stating that, â€Å"He was just a hazara, wasn’t he?† (Hosseini 82). At the same time, Amir never learns to defend himself or anyone else because Hassan always did it for him. After Hassan’s rape Amir realizes this explaining, â€Å"I ran because I was a coward. I was afraid of Assef and what he would do to me† (Hosseini 82). As Amir departs for America his character can be described as selfish and cowardly. When Baba and Amir arrive in Fremont his character changes considerably.  Amir adapts easier to life in America than Baba and no longer sees him as a legendary father but as a simple man. For example, when Baba becomes angry at a store clerk for asking to see his I.D. Amir is able to calm him down and defuse the situation. Amir explains to the store clerk that, â€Å"My father is still adjusting to life in America† (Hosseini 135). This new life helps Amir forget about Kabul and the sins he committed against Hassan. Amir reveals, â€Å"For me, America was a place to bury my memories† (Hosseini 129). In Fremont, Baba turns his attention to raising Amir, without the distractions of his business or Hassan to interfere with their new special connection. Amir has never been happier, not only from the new bond between him and Baba, but from his new wife as well. The marriage of Soraya and Amir can be seen as another substantial step in Amir’s maturity. Before the marriage Soraya told Amir about her struggle with her past relationship. Amir jealously announces after hearing this, â€Å"I envied her. Her secret was out â€Å"(Hosseini 174). When Soraya tells him this he envies the relief she must feel, which urges him to seek redemption with Hassan. Baba’s death can be seen as the final step in Amir’s journey of becoming a young adult because he understands that he will no longer be defined as Baba’s son. Amir realizes this when he says, â€Å"Baba wouldn’t show me the way anymore; I’d have to find it on my own† (Hosseini 188). Shortly after Baba’s death, his old friend Rahim Khan calls him to come back to Afghanistan to finally make amends. As Amir begins his journey back to Afghanistan, his character can be defined as empathic and loving. Once back in Kabul, Amir takes steps he would never have imagined, which truly define his character. On his venture back to Afghanistan he learns the truth about Hassan’s connection with Baba. After hearing this Amir feels robbed of the truth and is angry at how his own father could hold this back from him. Despite his feelings, Amir realizes he must not only pay for his betrayal of Hassan but for Baba’s betrayal of Ali too. Amir knows he must face his fears and he understands this when he reveals, â€Å"I remembered Baba saying that my problem was that someone had always done my fighting for me† (Hosseini 239). Following this he undertakes a personal mission to find Sohrab and finds the courage to stand up to the Taliban, nearly dying in the process. During his quest Amir comes face to face with the disturbing Assef  and fights him for Sorab, the ultimate sacrifice for his dead half-brother. While he is beaten he begins to laugh, which angers Assef even more. Amir explains that, â€Å"What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace† (Hosseini 303). After successfully bringing Sohrab back to California, Amir defends his Hazara nephew when General Taheri insults him. Over the dinner table Amir replies curtly, â€Å"you will never again refer to him as ‘Hazara Boy’ in my presence. He has a name and its Sohrab† (Hosseini 380). In the end, Amir finds himself flying a kite with Sohrab. As they fly the kite together the lifeless, empty look leaves Sohrab’s eyes and a half smile suddenly appears on his face. Amir exclaims, â€Å"The glassy vacant look in his eyes was gone. His face was a little flushed, his eyes suddenly alert† (Hosseini 389). Amir can now smile at his not so perfect past because he feels he has redeemed himself and his father. As the novel ends, Amir’s character can be characterized as selfless, brave, and compassionate. Amir’s character changes remarkably from when he is a young boy to a grown man. In Kabul, Amir’s character is damaged and he can be seen as a villain after incidents with Hassan. Once in Fremont, he is able to step away from these old sins and re-shape his character into a more loving one. Finally, when Amir returns to Kabul, he is able to seek redemption and become the perfect version of himself. In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, noticeable changes can be seen in Amir’s character as he transitions from a young boy to a grown man between Kabul and Fremont.