Hinduism and Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hinduism and Buddhism - Essay Example For Krishna, you can escape the rebirth in one of two ways, either by jnana-yoga or bhakti-yoga. This paper provides a vivid discussion and a comparison between the different concepts that are practiced in Hinduism and Buddhism. As already pointed out, in Hinduism, the powerful Krishna (Thompson 39 Ch.7, Verse 8), states that one can escape the rebirth in one of two ways, either the jnana-yoga or bhakti-yoga. The jnana-yoga basically denotes the path of self mastery and knowledge of Brahman and Atman as well as the realization of the unity of these two. Jnana-yoga uses the exercise and intellect as a way of understanding the true Self as well as being aware of the eternal Self, which is God (Thompson 29 Ch.5, Verse 27). Therefore, jnana-yoga helps n the probing of the nature of the Self by asking the question, "Who am I?† It is worth noting that jnana-yoga is not merely an intellectual exercise, but may involve intellect in realizing that God’s nature must be pure Beingness, but to know the Self, one must Be the Self or exercise what is referred to as being patron of oneself (Carter and Mahinda 31 Ch.XII, Verse 160). Jnana-yoga is mainly used when one intends to experience God’s omnipres ence and it also mediates through a focus on the question â€Å"Who am I?† On the other hand, bhakti yoga refers to the spiritual path and practice that is practiced by those that subscribe to Hinduism faith that focuses on building love and devotion for God (Thompson 45, Ch.2, Verse 9).

Introduction to Computer Application & Systems Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Computer Application Systems Essay Introduction to Computer Application Systems March 6, 2012 Dr. Xuan Yu ? Technology has gone from the days of the pony express to advancing at a rate of a mile a minute to now evolving to what seems like the speed of light or faster. With such a fast paced environment of change in technology, policies and laws must adapt to be compatible to those advancements in order to provide the best method to govern the laws and policies and protect its people. This paper will explore how technological advancements have influenced crucial changes in two essential policies: the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA). The Electronic Communications Privacy Act, an extension of the Federal Wiretap Statute, was endorsed in 1986 (Justice Information Sharing, 2010). This was a necessary implementation with how technology was diversifying ways to communicate and share information. In order to oversee and safeguard technological advancements such as email, cordless and cell phone communications, and electronically stored data the federal government had to amend and sometimes put into operation new policies. These policies, like the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, minimize many ethical issues that came along with the development of these advancements. As technology experimented with ideals such as wireless connection, it gave way to many unethical and at times illegal practices. Ethical issues that the Electronic Communications Privacy Act had to address included accessibility and privacy; information could be shared outside the confinement of a person’s home or business. The government needed to find a way that would control and guard how this information was access, collected and stored. Implementing the Electronic Communications Privacy Act allowed government officials to include devices outside the scope of the Federal Wiretap Statute. Eight years before the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, financial businesses latched on to this idea of transferring information which cause governmental official to step in and implement the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. This ct is intended to protect people who engage in transferring and sharing private financial information such as bank account numbers and personal information through devices such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and point-of-sale terminals

The Influence Of Political Environment Of Business Politics Essay

The Influence Of Political Environment Of Business Politics Essay Two basic philosophies are in existence all over the world viz democracy and totalitarianism. In its pure sense,democracy refers to a poltical arrangement in which the supreme poer is vested in the people. Democracy may manifest itself in any of two fundamental manners. If each individual is given the right to rule and vote on every matter,the result is pure democracy which is not,however,workable in a complex society with a large constituency. Hence,the republican form of organization follows wherby the public in a democratic manner,elect their representatives who do the ruling. In totalitarianism also called authoritarianism,individual freedom is completely subordinated to the power of authority of the state and concentrated in the hands of one person or in small groups which is not constitutionally accountable to the people. Societies ruled by pressure clique-political,economic,military or by dicataor plus most oligarchies and monarchies belong to this category. The doctrine of fascism and erstwhile Russian communism are examples of this. The political environment includes factors such as the characteristics and policies of the poltical party,the nature of the Constitution and government system and government encompassing the economic and business policies and regulations. these factors may vary considerably between different nations,provinces of the same nation and also over the time. Example Despite his pragmatic views, dynamism and the dream of 21st century India, Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi could not introduce any far reaching changes even with the candid mandate that overwhelmed him in the election of 1984. But the Congress government under narsimha Rao did it in 1991 and the successive non congress government have carried further the economic liberalization. Why? The changing global scenario,particularly the developments in the communist countries provide the answer. There was considerable differences between the Rajiv era and 1991. Rajiv Gandhi who assumed office in 1984 had given great hopes to the teeming millions of India. No wonder,the congress party led by the young prime minister who promised to mould India for the 21st century was given a thumping victory by the grief stricken electorate. Rajiv who was well aware of the damages done by the unpragmatic regulations was eager to radically reform the economic regime. Hence,many in India and abroad naturally expected that he would introduce far reaching reforms. But alas,the great expectations were belied soon as he succumbed to what he thought or was made to believe was political prudence. The word socialism was still dominant on the political surface. The leftists were severly opposed to even minor economic liberalization and deregulations. To speak against socialism or public sector was regarded as sin. Many in the congress party who thought that socialism and public sector still had a magic spell thought it was still necessary to swear by these ideas which were in favour of deregulation and privatization could be more than those who opposed it,the latter was very vociferous and therefore a determinant force. In short what was thought to be political expediency prevented even Rajiv from making any major departure from the old regime and therefore dogmatism continued to dominate pragmatism. And what started with the big bang ended with a whimper. Of course, Rajiv carried further forward with a little more vigour,the policy of piece meal economic liberalization started since the early 1980s. These have had favourable effects. These measures were however quite insufficient to rejuvenate the economy. The political system under democratic dispensation like ours comprises of legislatures,executive out government or judiciary. Legislature Out of the three, legislatures is the most powerful political institution vested with such powers as policy making,law making,budget approving,executive control and acting as a mirror of public opinion. The influence of legislature on business is considerable.it decides such vital aspects as the type of business activities the country should have, who should owe them, what should be their size of operations, what should happen to their earnings and other related factors. Executive or government Also caleed the state,the term government refers to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the centre of political authority having the power to govern those it serves. More or less a similar meaning is given by E.V.Schneider when he described government as that institution by which men everwhere seek to order society,that is, to control the structure and functioning of society. The founder of our constitution proved for the federal set up with powers being divided between the national and the state government. The powers and functions of the central and state government are described in the constitution. Judiciary Judiciary determines the manner in which the work of the executive has been fulfilled. It sees to it that the exercise of executive authority conforms to the government rules laid down the legislature,it may declare that particular order issues as ultra vires. It also settles the relationship between private citizens and on other hand between citizens and the government. The power of judiciary is of dual type:- The authority of courts to settle legal disputes and, Judicial review-the authority of the courts to rule on the constitutionality of legislation. It is the power of judiciary to settle down the legal disputes that affects business considerably. Disputes between employer and employee, employee and employee and public and employer and government are often referred to courts for settlement and their verdicts are sought. As far as second one is concerned the judiciary gets activated when the legislature passes laws which are repugnant to the constitution and when the executive implements the enactment approved by the legislature in a manner opposed to the requirements of the legislation. In other words courts of justice protects the citizens from unlawful acts passed by the legislature and arbitrary acts done by the executive. Forms of government http://stutzfamily.com/mrstutz/WorldAffairs/typesofgovt.html capitalist government Capitalism  is an  economic system  which is based on  private ownership. It produces goods with and services for profit motive.  Other items central to capitalism includes  competitive markets,  wage labor  and  capital accumulation.There are numerous variants of capitalism, including laissez-faire,  welfare capitalism  and  state capitalism. Capitalism is considered to have been applied in a variety of historical cases, varying in time, geography, politics, and culture.  There is general agreement that capitalism became dominant in the  Western world  following the  demise of feudalism.Competitive markets may also be found in market-based alternatives to capitalism such as  market socialism  and  co-operative economics. Economists,  political economists  and  historians  have taken different perspectives on the analysis of capitalism. Economists usually emphasize the degree to which  government  does not have control over markets (laissez faire), as well as the importance of  property rights. Most political economists emphasize private property as well, in addition to  power  relations, wage labor,  class, and the uniqueness of capitalism as a historical formation. The extent to which different markets are free, as well as the rules defining private property, is a matter of politics and  policy. Many states have what are termed mixed economies, referring to the varying degree of  planned  and  market-driven  elements in a states economic system. A number of political ideologies have emerged in support of various types of capitalism, the most prominent being  economic liberalism. Types of economies There are many variants of capitalism in existence. They vary by country and region in their institutional makeup and by their economic policies. The common feature of all these forms of capitalism is that they are based on production for profit, market-based or mixed-market allocation of resources, and that they are structured upon capital accumulation. The dominant forms of capitalism are listed below: Mercantilism Mercantilism is a nationalist form of early capitalism that came into existence approximately in the late 16th century. It is characterized by the intertwining of national business interests to state-interest and imperialism, and consequently, the state apparatus is utilized to advance national business interests abroad. An example of this is colonists living in America who were only allowed to trade with and purchase goods from their respective mother countries (Britain, France, etc.). Mercantilism holds that the wealth of a nation is increased through a positive balance of trade with other nations, and corresponds to the phase of capitalist development called the  Primitive accumulation of capital. Free-market capitalism Free-market capitalism refers to an economic system where prices for goods and services are set freely by the forces of supply and demand and are allowed to reach their point of equilibrium without intervention by government policy. It typically entails support for highly-competitive markets, private ownership of productive enterprises.  Laissez-faire  is a more extensive form of free-market capitalism where the role of the state is limited to protecting  property rights. Social-market economy A social-market economy is a nominally free-market system where government intervention in price formation is kept to a minimum but the state provides significant services in the area of social security, unemployment benefits and recognition of  labor rights  through national  collective bargaining  arrangements. This model is prominent in Western and Northern European countries, albeit in slightly different configurations. The vast majority of enterprises are privately-owned in this economic model. State capitalism State capitalism  consists of state ownership of the means of production within a state. The debate between proponents of private versus state capitalism is centered around questions of managerial efficacy, productive efficiency, and fair distribution of wealth. According to Aldo Musacchio, a professor at Harvard Business School, it is a system in which governments, whether democratic or autocratic, exercise a widespread influence on the economy, through either direct ownership or various subsidies. Musacchio also emphasises the difference between todays state capitalism and its predecessors. Gone are the days when governments appointed bureaucrats to run companies. The worlds largest state-owned enterprises are traded on the public markets and kept in good health by large institutional investors. Corporate capitalism Corporate capitalism is a free or mixed-market economy characterized by the dominance of hierarchical, bureaucratic corporations, which are legally required to pursue profit. State-monopoly capitalism was originally a  Marxist  concept referring to a form of corporate capitalism in which state policy is utilized to benefit and promote the interests of dominant or established corporations by shielding them from competitive pressures or by providing them with subsidies. Mixed economy A mixed economy is a largely market-based economy consisting of both private and public ownership of the means of production and  economic interventionism  through macroeconomic policies intended to correct  market failures, reduce unemployment and keep inflation low. The degree of intervention in markets varies among different countries. Some mixed economies, such as France under  dirigisme, also featured a degree of  indirect economic planning  over a largely capitalist-based economy. Most capitalist economies are defined as mixed economies to some degree.

The Theme of Loneliness in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay -- Frank

  Ã‚   Mary Shelley's Frankenstein examines two phenomena of human nature, scientific curiosity and loneliness; the latter will serve as the focus of this essay. The very manner in which Frankenstein begins, that of the correspondence of an unattached explorer who longs for a companion on his voyage, with no one to write to but his sister, establishes the theme of loneliness immediately. Frankenstein's creation is a complex character whose true motives cannot be determined easily. Although one cannot excuse his actions, they should certainly not be viewed out of context. The creature is exposed to the painful reality of loneliness from the moment of his creation. "I had worked hard for nearly two years," Victor states, "for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body...but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room..." The moment Victor realizes what he has done, he is terrified, and flees. This cycle continues, each time isolating the creature further and further. He yearns constantly for some kind of human contact, but does not receive it because of the way in which Victor created his body. Victor meant for it to be a thing of beauty, but realized first that the gathering of pieces from various cadavers res ulted in an appearance that frightens at first sight. A barrier always exists before the creature, much like the wall that separated him from the cottage of the DeLaceys. The creature is touched by the love of the DeLacey family and feels that he is a part of their family. He wants desperately to be accepted by them, but is aware of how they will react if they se... ...excuse the creature's actions. But we can be more understanding of his situation and try to have some compassion. After all, as the creature said to Walton, "You hate me, but your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself." Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. New York: Chelsea, 1987. Botting, Fred. Making monstrous. Frankenstein, criticism, theory. Manchester University Press, 1991. Boyd, Stephen. York Notes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Longman York Press, 1992. Mellor, Anne K. Mary Shelley. Her Life, her Fiction, her Monsters. Methuen. New York, London, 1988. Patterson, Arthur Paul. A Frankenstein Study. http://www.watershed.winnipeg.mb.ca/Frankenstein.html Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Edited with an Introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle. Penguin books, 1992   The Theme of Loneliness in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Essay -- Frank   Ã‚   Mary Shelley's Frankenstein examines two phenomena of human nature, scientific curiosity and loneliness; the latter will serve as the focus of this essay. The very manner in which Frankenstein begins, that of the correspondence of an unattached explorer who longs for a companion on his voyage, with no one to write to but his sister, establishes the theme of loneliness immediately. Frankenstein's creation is a complex character whose true motives cannot be determined easily. Although one cannot excuse his actions, they should certainly not be viewed out of context. The creature is exposed to the painful reality of loneliness from the moment of his creation. "I had worked hard for nearly two years," Victor states, "for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body...but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room..." The moment Victor realizes what he has done, he is terrified, and flees. This cycle continues, each time isolating the creature further and further. He yearns constantly for some kind of human contact, but does not receive it because of the way in which Victor created his body. Victor meant for it to be a thing of beauty, but realized first that the gathering of pieces from various cadavers res ulted in an appearance that frightens at first sight. A barrier always exists before the creature, much like the wall that separated him from the cottage of the DeLaceys. The creature is touched by the love of the DeLacey family and feels that he is a part of their family. He wants desperately to be accepted by them, but is aware of how they will react if they se... ...excuse the creature's actions. But we can be more understanding of his situation and try to have some compassion. After all, as the creature said to Walton, "You hate me, but your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself." Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. New York: Chelsea, 1987. Botting, Fred. Making monstrous. Frankenstein, criticism, theory. Manchester University Press, 1991. Boyd, Stephen. York Notes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Longman York Press, 1992. Mellor, Anne K. Mary Shelley. Her Life, her Fiction, her Monsters. Methuen. New York, London, 1988. Patterson, Arthur Paul. A Frankenstein Study. http://www.watershed.winnipeg.mb.ca/Frankenstein.html Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Edited with an Introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle. Penguin books, 1992  

Christianity and Slavery In Early American Literature Essay

In the 18th -19th centuries religion had a great influence on culture and literature. The American society created a unique culture influenced by its norms and traditions, historical and political development, Christianity and slavery. Dogmas and norms of the society were embodied in the religious tradition and transferred into literature. Religion and slavery did not independently becoming an integral part of culture. Thesis Early American Literature reflects cultural norms and tradition of the society and shows that blacks and whites were united by virtues and religious dogmas of Christianity. Early American Literature show that with the help of literature, people embodies their beliefs and hopes, ideas and ideals. Christianity and church was a strong force which dictated social norms and social order. For instance, the poetry by Phillis Wheatley vividly depicts the importance of morality and religion for both whites and blacks. In the poem â€Å"On Virtue† he writes: â€Å" Virtue, thro’ my youthful years! / O leave me not to the false joys of time! / But guide my steps to endless life and bliss† (Wheatley, 1996). In other poems he depicts characters as devoted parishioners who follow all values and commandments. Phillis Wheatley can be considered as â€Å"a moral poet† of his time unveiling social contradictions and moral values of slaves and their hopes. He describes the roles of God and goodness in life of slaves. In ISAIAH Wheatley describes: â€Å"For man the wrath of an immortal God: / â€Å"To execute th’ Eternal’s dread command / â€Å"My soul I sacrific’d with willing hand† (Wheatley, 1996). These examples show that religion and Christianity determines lives of slaves in spite of the fact that church and Christianity were used to defense and legitimatize the institution of slavery. Many characters in his poems wonder why anyone would understand a difference between slaves and masters, blacks and whites. Morality is depicted through religious ritual and values followed by slaves. It is not surprising that religious dogmas became the code of behavior for many women who needed strong arguments to prove their decisions. Also, the Christianity was used to maintain defense of domesticity and the role of women as mother and wives only. In â€Å"To his Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, on the Death of his Lady† Wheatley writes: â€Å"ALL-Conquering Death! by thy resistless pow’r, /Hope’s tow’ring plumage falls to rise no more! /Of scenes terrestrial how the glories fly, / Forget their splendors, and submit to die! † (Wheatley, 1996). This theme underlines the fact that all people are mortal. Even trying to challenge destiny, people cannot change ordered hierarchy of the world, and is punished with an eternal hell. In the speech, Frederick Douglass addresses a very important problem of racial inequality in America and its impact on the society. In his speech â€Å"the Fourth of July†, Frederick Douglass depicts social and political situation and ridicules low morals and false values existing in the society. As the most important he bases the main arguments on the principles of liberty, moral and religious norms. He appeals to emotions of listeners through the theme of God and morality. Douglass states: â€Å"this, for the purpose of this celebration, is the 4th of July. It is the birthday of your National Independence, and of your political freedom. This, to you, is what the Passover was to the emancipated people of God† (Douglass, 2002). Distinction between spiritual and temporal power creates a space for freedom, in which an individual can fight for freedom Works of two African-American writers and abolitionists show that slaves believed in God and followed Christian morality in their life. For slaves and free black men religion was a moral guard which shaped their behavior. Christianity played a crucial role in lives of all slaves. Both abolitionists depict that religion and church exercise power, keep their traditions and values. It is important to note that during 19th century religion had a great influence on social life and was often used as a theme and framework in literature (Fogel, 1989). Douglass gives some overview of the cultural situation of that time and people’s attitude towards the slavery. This speech is very important as it appeals to everyone both blacks and whites. In general, it is possible to say that in Douglass gives a vivid explanation of the slavery that relates with accuracy to the real events. He depicts that everyone must die eventually, and so the natural roots of democracy are therefore in mortality, whether due to natural causes or to the bloodshed of internecine warfare. Douglass blames church stating that it supports slave-owners and slavery. On the other hand, he states: â€Å"the venomous creature is nursing at the tender breast of your youthful republic; for the love of God, tear away, and fling from you the hideous monster, and let the weight of twenty millions crush and destroy it forever! † (Douglass, 2002). He separates Christianity and the American church underlining that â€Å"The American church is guilty, when viewed in connection with what it is doing to uphold slavery† (Douglass, 2002). In his speech, a spirit of mischievous and subversive anarchy runs through the entire work. This duality in views and ideals allowed slavery to continue. The short story of Edgar Poe â€Å"The Masque of The Red Death† vividly portrays the fear of death and fate. The protagonist of the story, the Prince Prospero fights with death trying to outwit it. Although, Poe depicts that it is a vein sacrifice that is painful and sorrowful causing terrible sufferings and emotional burden for the Prince. He looks around and sees the ordinariness of their existence. â€Å"The Red Death† or plagues is a symbol of death depicting that human beings cannot escape death. â€Å"The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim, were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men† (Poe, n. d. ). Previously, the Prince had been a man who was somehow placed above ordinary mortals, who, either through his depth of suffering or his nobility of nature felt and suffered more than readers could be expected to do in everyday life. The hero also suffers death at the end, his downfall being a result of a fatal flaw in his character, a trait which he cannot help as it is a part of his makeup, but which causes the tragedy and eventually his death. The themes of fate and death show that being a part of culture religion was reflected in literary works. Poe portrays that behavior of people was religiously determined and that the key to suc ¬cessful ideas was in the understanding of religious dogmas and values. In general, Poe’s concern is for degrees of personal freedom results when a man, struggling against death, is pushed further back, achieving little in his struggle for life, and having degrees of free ¬dom removed from him. Mortality is undergone in order to expand the human spirit, to delve into matters previously kept hidden, to grow through fear. The fear before unknown and punishment were the main causes allowing slavery to continue. â€Å"The Black Cat† belongs to a literature of horror portraying a world of an alcoholic suffered from uncontrollable rage and violence. In the intoxicated state the unnamed narrator cannot control his aggression and hangs his favorite black cat. In a period of time, he tries to kill another cat with an axe, but kills his wife who tries to protect the animal. In this story, Poe portrays two different worlds: reality and fantasy that resulted in terrible crimes. Also, Poe unveils the theme of human relations: people love each other and make friends, but if they deprive their friends they are finished. (Poe, Black Cat, 2005). â€Å"A Black Cat† is a symbol of death and fate, fear and Hell. Similar to this explanation, the existence of the institution of slavery, in which white men played the dominant role and wielded control, placed slaves at the mercy of God and destiny. Christian traditions and consciousness allowed slavery to continue for a long time. Christian-conscious world was used as a strong force that affected all aspects of life. Fear of death and punishment limited actions of slaves and forced them to subdue religious norms and traditions. In reality, Christian-conscious world was the only dominated institution which affected life of whites and blacks through culture and traditions. In literature, religion helped to develop and sustain morality by promoting moral reasoning and by exemplifying values and behaviors that were conducive to human dignity. In â€Å"Pudd’nhead Wilson† Mark Twain describes the role of fate and destiny in life of a slave. The events took place in the Dawson’s Landing. Through the characters of Tom and Roxy Mark Twain shows that the fate and fear of unknown are determined by social traditions and religious norms. He writes: â€Å"he was not committing any sin that God would remember against him in the Last Great Day† (Twain, 2001). Tom comes to know that every moment and every act share the same fate. The anticipation of his life dissolves the feeling of overriding importance. Mark Twain explains: â€Å"Consider the flea! –incomparably the bravest of all the creatures of God, if ignorance of fear were courage. Whether you are asleep or awake he will attack you .. you are to him as are the massed armies of the earth to a sucking child† (Twain, 2001). The literary woks under analysis show that church worked hard to distinguish religious values of slaves and masters and their respective on peoples. Christianity was the â€Å"law of life† for defenders. The distance between these groups and a largely secular but still vaguely society is such that the preservation of the former from the evils of the latter has been achieved by the erection of considerable social barriers. Religious piety and submission were beliefs that were more marginal components of the ideology depicted by the early American writers. But, truly said it was not an ideology we understand it but obsession. The religious mores and Christian dogmas were such that traditional practice isolates slaves from the wider society. Christianity can be seen as one of the main causes of slavery and oppression. Works Cited Page 1. Douglass, F. The Fourth of July. 2002. Available at: http://douglassarchives. org/doug_a10. htm 2. Fogel, R. W. Without Consent or Contract: The Rise and Fall of American Slavery. W. W. Norton, 1989. 3. Poe. E. The Masque of the Red Death. n. d. Available at: http://bau2. uibk. ac. at/sg/poe/works/reddeath. html 4. Poe, E. The Black Cat. 2005. Available at: http://www. online-literature. com/poe/24/ 5. Twain, M. Pudd’nhead Wilson. 2001. Available at: http://emotionalliteracyeducation. com/classic_books_online/puddn10. htm 6. Wheatley, Ph. Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. 1996. Available at: http://www. gutenberg. org/dirs/etext96/whtly10. txt

Writing to inform – Poverty

Poverty is the greatest problem facing the world today and through the annals of history. The fact that wealth is distributed so unevenly, many would say unfairly is a problem that has occurred for millennia. Whether it be the social stratification of ancient Egypt or that of today's world, poverty has always existed and some say, always will. Ever since there has been poverty, there have been those that have tried to help the poor. There may have been money given, or food offered, there has always been a struggle to combat poverty. However this has always seemed futile, the black hole of poverty in our world has never been closed, and it has never ended. Though, in these modern times, due to our social structure and awareness, there are fewer people suffering from absolute poverty than any other time in history. Every time we enter the town centre, we are surrounded by hordes of collectors, every penny we give leads to the reduction of poverty. Every time we flick on the TV, there are countless adverts telling us to donate. Every time we look in a magazine or newspaper, there are articles telling us of the world's ills. Never has there been such a mass awareness, leading to donations, from people all around the world, to people all around the world. You still may be wondering why I have chosen poverty as the world's greatest problem. It is because it is the Russian doll of the world's problems. The fact that poverty leads to crime, disease, famine, lack of education and pollution truly makes it the roots of the world's problems. Everything stems from poverty. The distillation of water is also a major problem. The fact that distillation is an expensive process, requiring many resources to use, leads to a poor quality of water in those countries that can't simply afford it. The water may carry diseases such as cholera and diarrhea, which leads to the death of many people. This will most likely be infants and the elderly, as they are more susceptible to illnesses. There may also be a lack of food due to the poor quality of the soil as fertilisers may be too expensive. This in turn leads to crime; mothers and fathers may steal to feed their children. People will do anything to survive, even if it is against their basic morals. The fact that this leads to crime truly proves the â€Å"Russian doll† theory. Poverty has lead to a lack of food, which in turn has led to crime. The fact that poverty is an endless spiral leads it to its longevity in our world. A lack of education leads to poorly paid jobs. As prices rise due to a population increase, the poor are made even poorer. The fact that the human population increases due to the poor having many children to sustain their agricultural work, leads only to an increase in prices. Corporations know of supply and demand. There is always a greater demand if the population increases, and all they must do is increase their prices. Poverty has led to all these things, and these things lead to poverty. It is as if it is a bacterium. Constantly splitting, growing in number. However the modern era of donation maybe the virus that purges poverty from our world. Maybe one day, we will live in a world where wealth is distributed evenly. Where the larger corporations play â€Å"fair,† and the word â€Å"poor† never has to be used ever apart from in a history lesson. Maybe we can lead to that sort of world; maybe we can be the virus that destroys poverty. We maybe the generation which made poverty history.