Standardized Tests Have Been Criticized Education Essay Free Essays

string(112) " concentrate on how good English is applied across the course of study instead than the content country itself\." In California, appraisal of ELLs regularly occurs in order to guarantee that ongoing educational patterns are run intoing the pupils ‘ demands. Both province and local testing are of import because they non merely supply answerability, but besides show student accomplishment. When assessment portfolios are included, schools can place and run into the demands of a diverse pupil population that includes ELLs ( O’Malley A ; Pierce, 1996 ) . We will write a custom essay sample on Standardized Tests Have Been Criticized Education Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now The intent of the portfolio plan must be good established prior to its execution because the portfolio ‘s intent will find what type of work should be included. For illustration, if portfolios are to be used merely for schoolroom appraisal, they may so concentrate in merely one country of linguistic communication development, such as vocabulary. If, nevertheless, the portfolios are meant to demo an ELL ‘s growing in both English and the capable affair countries, so the portfolio should include illustrations of how good an Ell can utilize English in these countries instead than the content itself. For illustration, stuff gathered should demo how good an ELL has learned the scientific discipline vocabulary and semantics needed to understand scientific discipline books, non how good the pupil can execute a specific experiment ( Gomez, 1999 ) . Both the instructor and the pupils should make up one’s mind what types of stuff to include in the portfolio. Including the ELL pupil in the decision-making procedure will offer more of a â€Å" buy-in † by the pupil. Furthermore, this will do the whole procedure more student-centered, which will motivate the pupil to take more duty for his or her acquisition. Reading – the appraisal of reading includes a broad assortment of constituents. Both the instructor and the pupil will desire a assortment of pieces of pupil work included. The instructor may desire to include: 1. ) Runing records 2. ) Reading stock lists, and 3. ) Similar steps utilizing ELL text. Cloze exercisings may besides be included that focal point on vocabulary and grammar. Cloze exercisings are particularly of import because they can show how good a pupil can foretell the following word when reading analogues degrees of proficiency ( Gomez, 1999 ) . A pupil might desire to take reading logs, book studies, and reading responses. Both the instructor and the pupil may desire to include storytelling that includes testing. Students must to the full understand that the instructor will be looking for betterment and higher reading proficiency to happen, and this must be apparent in the portfolio from the beginning to the terminal of the appraisal. The usage of rubrics and checklists will help both the pupil and the instructor. The pupil will profit when he or she understands the standards needed to carry through a undertaking, while the instructor will be able to supply more consistent scaling within the schoolroom. Writing – Of all the linguistic communication conventions combined, composing is likely one of the easiest to document in a portfolio scene. All types of authorship, including those that demonstrate grade degree proficiency, can be included in an appraisal portfolio. Furthermore, criterions established through published province models can include non merely drawings and simple linguistic communication exercisings for the early primary classs but besides diaries, essays, and more advanced research documents at the junior and senior high school degrees. Portfolios can be used to demo pupils ‘ growing in composing as their vocabulary matures. In add-on, many civilizations use different methods and signifiers of logic while supplying information and depicting things or state of affairss. This is easy recognized in a pupil ‘s authorship. This is particularly true for ELLs who are literate in their L1. Portfolios can besides measure an ELL ‘s proficiency and apprehension of composing conventions when grammar exercisings, spelling trials, and self-made lexicons are included ( Gomez, 1999 ) . In order to show growing, instructors must include composing samples from the beginning, in-between, and terminal of the term or school twelvemonth. Again, rubrics and checklists should be included to help both the pupil and the instructor. As mentioned earlier, both rubrics and checklists will do outlooks clear for the pupil, while leting the instructor to measure and rate more systematically within the overall schoolroom environment. Talking – Speaking is seldom included in portfolios because many instructors find it hard to recite speech production qualities. In add-on, many might reason that merely qualitative informations, instead than quantitative informations can be gathered to measure address. However, it is still possible to acknowledge growing in talking accomplishments if the instructor has identified speaking/speech ends. The instructor can measure a pupil ‘s address during either a study or presentation given before the category while pupils are working in braces or in a concerted acquisition environment. Again, both rubrics and checklists should be used by the instructor in order to show speech production accomplishments and growing. Listening – For the same grounds as speech production, many instructors exclude listening as an assessable constituent within a portfolio. However, with more easiness than is required for speech production, a instructor can measure hearing accomplishments through more assorted agencies. For illustration, pupils can be called upon to react to an unwritten presentation or narrative. Here pupils would compose the response after holding carefully listened to either a narrative or presentation. In this scenario, a â€Å" whole linguistic communication † attack would be employed to depict the cardinal points heard and understood from a presentation or narrative. Transcripts of treatments between other pupils could besides be included in a pupil ‘s portfolio. The Content Areas – Aside from the inclusion of the linguistic communication humanistic disciplines, instructors can besides profit by including work from the content countries. Teachers can take two attacks for the appraisal and the inclusion of the content countries in a portfolio. First, instructors may be concerned that their ELL pupils are able to use their linguistic communication accomplishments in the content countries. If this were the instance, so instructors should include illustrations that show how good any ELL pupil can utilize English in these countries. Here, instructors would concentrate on how good English is applied across the course of study instead than the content country itself. You read "Standardized Tests Have Been Criticized Education Essay" in category "Essay examples" While many instructors have played down the inclusion of listening accomplishments within a linguistic communication arts portfolio, they would, on the other manus, be concerned their ELL pupils are able to understand unwritten instructions and accounts of math in English. To further this attack, an ELL instructor should teach his or her ELL pupils to take notes during a math instructor ‘s unwritten presentation/explanation of a math job. These notes would be gathered in intervals over clip from the beginning to the terminal of the term or school twelvemonth. On the other manus, and particularly in the upper classs, instructors may desire to concentrate on how good their Ell pupils are able to get the hang constructs in scientific discipline, math, and societal surveies. Rating and appraisal of a portfolio can be much easier in the content countries because there is frequently merely one correct reply in the scientific disciplines and math. Although multiple-choice inquiries often appear on a societal surveies test, frequently a richer apprehension of the topic ‘s content will be required, and consequently, must be displayed in either a short reply or paragraph length response. In this scenario, an ELL pupil will be required to non merely map good in English, but besides get competence in the content countries. Again, this divide between linguistic communication proficiency and capable affair competence narrows as ELL pupils matriculate toward the upper classs. In a math portfolio, pupils can include day-to-day work and undertakings separated over clip. Ideally, day-to-day work should besides demo how word jobs have enhanced problem-solving accomplishments. It is of import that self-assessment be included in a math portfolio. In a scientific discipline portfolio, an ELL pupil should include illustrations of his or her experiments, studies, and undertakings. A image accompanied with a brief account can be substituted whenever a undertaking or experiment is either excessively cumbrous or two lengthy for inclusion in a portfolio. Self-assessment should be used to demo the pupil how they have experienced growing and gained cognition in scientific discipline. Daily work separated overtime should be gathered that demonstrates how cognition has been obtained through a scientific discipline text edition. In a societal surveies portfolio, ELL pupils could follow the same format as they would for both a math and scientific discipline portfolio. They would, nevertheless, supply more written responses to information gathered from text and related articles. Reports and undertakings could besides be included in a societal surveies portfolio. Keep in head, nevertheless, that it is of import that the work be separated into intervals spaced over clip, from the beginning to the terminal of the term or school twelvemonth. By making this, an ELL instructor could break measure his or her pupils ‘ advancement in both the content countries every bit good as in English. As can be seen in a linguistic communication arts portfolio, the usage of rubrics and checklists are every bit of import for usage with content country portfolios. Whether or non an ELL pupil is schooled in a home room ELL category or a â€Å" pull-out † environment, it is still the duty of the ELL instructor to â€Å" shepherd † his or her pupils in both the linguistic communication humanistic disciplines and the content countries. For this ground, it ‘s imperative that ELL instructors retain an unfastened duologue and co-ordinate frequently with the content country instructors. Guidelines for utilizing portfolios. 1. ) Determine the goals- ELL instructors and other module members must make up one’s mind what types of information demands appraisal. Consequently, the instructors must acknowledge how the information can be provided. 2. ) Design the portfolio – Ell instructors and other module must make up one’s mind what types of merchandises to be included in the portfolio. 3. ) Establish marking and rating standards – Both rubrics and checklists must be developed that support the criterions of public presentation, every bit good as promote acquisition and growing. 4. ) Establish and identify undertakings that support criterions and course of study – The ELL instructor and other module must aline assessment undertakings to their province ‘s model for content criterions. 5. ) Establish explicit standards that is student-centered – All stuff within a portfolio must incorporate pupil work that allows for self-assessment and self-reflection. 6. ) Elevate the importance of the portfolio – Students must acknowledge that portfolios represent the incarnation of their surveies. Portfolios should be contained in an attractive, yet lasting folder/binder. Portfolios should be housed in one distinguishable country of the schoolroom, surrounded by attractive, yet formal trim. 7. ) The assemblage and inclusion of stuff – The ELL instructor must denominate certain plants for inclusion in the portfolio. One must maintain in head that stuff should be included in intervals get downing from the beginning to the terminal of the term or school twelvemonth. 8. ) Self-assessment – Students should be able to reflect upon their work in order to place what they have learned, every bit good as what needs redress. Self-assessment should happen upon the completion of a undertaking, every bit good as in intervals in order to uncover growing. 9. ) Parental engagement – Parents must be kept good informed of portfolio assignments. In add-on, parents need to hold full entree to the portfolios contents, every bit good as to the progress/growth that each portfolio shows. Leting the pupils to take their portfolios place could be hazardous due to possible loss and/or harm. For this ground, the instructor must denominate certain yearss within the term or school twelvemonth for parents to physically see their kid ‘s portfolio. An surrogate means for portfolio reappraisal must happen when a parent ‘s agenda conflicts with a category visit. 10. ) Portfolios benefits toward larning and growing – A. ) A tabular array of contents must be included for organisational intents. B. ) A description of pupil advancement as it relates to each assignment ‘s standards, rubrics, and checklists, and this should happen throughout the term or school twelvemonth, marked at regular intervals that reflect the pupils ‘ ongoing phases of learning/growth. ( O’Malley A ; Pierce, 1996 ; Gomez, 1999 ) Classroom clip and infinite for portfolios Teachers must acknowledge that portfolios follow pupils work, non frailty versa. That is, one should non schedule portfolio work every hebdomad on of any peculiar twenty-four hours. This is obvious for a figure of grounds. First, portfolios are intended to demo growing of larning over a longer period of clip ( term to term, or get downing to stop of school twelvemonth ) . Second, by adding material hebdomadal, both the instructor and the pupil will happen it hard to foreground growing. Third, frequently, blocks of instructions can widen over clip. If a peculiar twenty-four hours has been designated for portfolio work, both the instructor and the pupils might happen themselves halfway through a undertaking, therefore doing it hard to include that undertaking or separate a breakage point. On the other manus, the portfolio would go meaningless if the stuff were gathered indiscriminately. If the portfolios are meant to expose work from merely one category, so both the instructor and the pupils can hold more leeway make up one’s minding how to divide and include pupil work. In this type of scenario, adding stuff to the portfolio monthly or quarterly would let growing to be observed. Aside from ongoing trials, monthly and/or quarterly inclusions would show how a pupil is bettering his or her grammatics, vocabulary, and eloquence. A instructor will hold to set his or her instruction calendar in order to conform to external timelines if the school or territory has mandated portfolios ( Gomez, 1999 ) . As mentioned earlier, portfolios should be housed in a peculiar country of the schoolroom, surrounded by attractive, yet formal trim. Attention should be made to curtail entree to portfolios. Students will break appreciate and work more responsibly when importance has been added to the portfolios. The location and design of the portfolio ‘s place should include an facet of formality. Therefore, promoting the portfolio ‘s importance in the eyes of the pupil. Parental engagement with portfolios Parental support and engagement is equivalent to any pupil ‘s acquisition. In respects to parents, all excessively frequently they are left unaware of the portfolios purpose, contents, ends, and ways for supplying appraisal. For this ground, it is imperative that the parents be included in the portfolio procedure ( Hill A ; Ruptic, 1994 ) . Schools or instructors should denominate peculiar darks within a seven-day timeframe for informal presentations. Merely one dark would be necessary to go to, yet schools could break suit the parents ‘ agenda when offering a presentation on assorted darks within the hebdomad. The presentation should focus on on the intent and ends of the portfolio. Teachers can besides include the advantages, projected results, format, and features of a portfolio. By making this, parents will be better informed of the portfolios intent and procedure. By including parents, pupils will be better able to show the positive effects of their schooling. Parents will besides develop a deeper apprehension of how linguistic communication proficiency and capable affair competency develop over clip through assorted agencies of direction and stuff. Furthermore, parents will appreciate how their kids have developed, and will be more willing to back up a instructor ‘s agencies for direction and appraisal ( Tierney, Carter, A ; Desai, 1991 ) . Student appraisal of personal portfolios One of the chief advantages of assessment Portfolios is that it promotes student self-evaluation, critical thought, and contemplation. Students, whether general or ELL understand their capablenesss, every bit good as what challenges them. Sadly, all excessively frequently, they are left out in the development of processs and patterns for the appraisal of their acquisition. Often, the patterns and processs that are employed to rate their acquisition rely straight on prescribed information or blink of an eye callback. Seldom do they rate what pupils understand about themselves and their acquisition. Seldom are pupils able to reflect on their acquisition and growing, and rarely are pupils called upon to utilize what they know by showing that growing and apprehension ( AMLE, 1999 ) . Leting pupils to take an active portion in the planning, preparation, and appraisal of the portfolio changes all of the above. Through pupil appraisal, pupils will hold the chance to link and do sense of their work and their acquisition. Students must be able to utilize their accomplishments and cognition, while showing their apprehension of issues and thoughts ( AMLE, 1999 ) . In a pupil led portfolio conference, both the instructor and the parents should sit-back and let the pupil to explicate their acquisition and how the stuff that has been included demonstrates their growing. Both instructors and parents can inquire inquiries, and of class offer counsel to the portfolios organisation, they would, nevertheless, want the pupil to presume full duty and ownership for the portfolio and its contents. Checklists, which will be described subsequently, offer yet another manner for pupils to pull off non merely their acquisition but besides their inclusion of stuff into a portfolio. How to cite Standardized Tests Have Been Criticized Education Essay, Essay examples

Summary Assignment free essay sample

Discuss the political events and sociological factors that made the Classical Period such a time of violent upheaval. (1 point) The years 1750 to 1820 were characterized by the Seven Years’ War, the American and French Revolutions, and the Napoleonic Wars. These political events coupled with the drastic social change proven by the shift of power from the aristocracy and church to the middle class, as well as the increase in social mobility. Every accepted idea was being put into question and reevaluated. 4. Write a paragraph that includes the characteristics of music in the Classical Period music.(4 points) Classical Period music was characterized by variety and contrast of mood, which means that a piece will fluctuate in theme as well as within a single theme. This change may occur steadily or abruptly, but the classical composer is always in control. Variety is achieved through a flexible rhythm, including unexpected pauses, syncopations, and a frequent movement from long to short notes. Classical music has a usually homophonic texture; however, it can easily shift textures, whether it is smooth or sudden. Classical melodies are tuneful and easy to remember. Their themes tend to have a folk or popular flavor, whether borrowed or original. Their structure is usually two phrases of equal length, making the melody balanced and symmetrical. The second phrase begins like first, but ends conclusively. Rather than shifting dynamics abruptly, composers made use of crescendo and decrescendo. The piano replaced the harpsichord in order to accomplish the gradual dynamic change; a pianist could play loudly or softly by varying their finger pressure on the keys. The basso continuo was gradually abandoned because music written for amateurs didn’t require improvisation. The music was written for amateurs because composers wanted more control rather than trusting the improviser. 5. What were the new developments in the classical orchestra? (1 point) There were four groupings: Strings (1st violins, 2d violins, violas, cellos, double basses), Woodwinds (2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons), Brass (2 French horns, 2 trumpets), and Percussion (2 timpani). A Classical Orchestra has a larger number of musicians. Classical composers exploited the individual tone colors of orchestral instruments. A classical piece has greater variety—and more rapid changes—of tone color. A theme might begin in the full orchestra, shift to the strings, and then continue in the woodwinds. The strings were the most important; first violins had the melody, along with clarinet melodic solos, while the lower strings accompanied. The brass filled out the harmony, but did not play the main melody. Timpani were used for rhythmic bite and emphasis. 6. Name and describe each of the movements in the standard four-movement pattern in classical forms? (2 points) Fast movement: The opening movement is usually in sonata form and stresses an exciting development of short motives. It is vigorous and dramatic. Slow movement: The second movement, not usually in the tonic key, is either in sonata form, A B A form, or theme-and –variations form. It is lyrical and slow. Dance-related movement: The third movement is usually a minuet and trio, which may be in a moderate of fairly quick tempo. It varies in character from a courtly dance to a peasant romp or a vigorous piece that is hardly dancelike. Fast movement: The fourth movement, either in sonata or sonata-rondo form, is fast, lively, and brilliant, but somewhat lighter in mood than the opening movement. It can also be more triumphant and heroic in character and sometimes meant as the climax of the whole symphony. 7. Describe the intellectual climate of the â€Å"age of enlightenment. † (1 point) The â€Å"age of enlightenment† intellectuals believed in progress, holding that reason, not custom or tradition was the best guide for human conduct. Their attacks on the privileges of the aristocracy and clergy reflected the outlook of the middle class, which was struggling for its rights. 8. Discuss in detail several meanings attached to the term classical. (1 point) The term classical may  refer to Greek or Roman Antiquity, or it may be used for any supreme accomplishment of lasting appeal. It can also mean any type of music that isn’t jazz, rock, folk, or mainstream music. Music historians use the term classical from art history. 9. Describe the characteristic formal plans and content usually found in a classical symphony. (1 point) A typical sequence is (1) a vig orous, dramatic fast movement; (2) a lyrical slow movement; (3) a dancelike movement (minuet or scherzo); and (4) a brilliant or heroic fast movement. The opening movement is usually in sonata form and stresses an exciting development of short motives. The second movement, not usually in the tonic key, is either in sonata form, A B A form, or theme-and –variations form. The third movement is usually a minuet and trio, which may be in a moderate of fairly quick tempo. It varies in character from a courtly dance to a peasant romp or a vigorous piece that is hardly dancelike. The fourth movement, either in sonata or sonata-rondo form, is fast, lively, and brilliant, but somewhat lighter in mood than the opening movement. It can also be more triumphant and heroic in character and sometimes meant as the climax of the whole symphony.  10. Define the roles of soloist and orchestra in a classical concerto. (1 point) The soloist is very much the star, and all of his or her musical talents are needed in this challenging dialogue. Between the soloist and orchestra, theres interplay of melodic lines and a spirit of give-and-take. One moment the soloist plays the melody while the orchestra accompanies. Then the woodwinds may unfold the main theme against rippling arpeggios (broken chords) played by the soloist. 11. Define the nature and function of the cadenza in a classical concerto. MM(1 point) The cadenza is an unaccompanied section of virtuoso display for the soloist in a concerto, usually appearing near the end of the first movement and sometimes in the last movement. In the classical era, the soloist, who was often the composer, generally improvised the cadenzas. 12. Compare and contrast the first movements of a classical concerto and symphony. (1 point) The first movement in both a classical symphony and concerto are in sonata form, but classical symphony does not have two expositions or a soloist. 13. Describe in detail each of the following new forms in Classical music: (. 5 each) A. Sonata form (include exposition, development, recapitulation, and coda) – Form of a single movement. The opening fast movement of a classical symphony, sonata, or string quartet is usually in sonata form. This form is also used in slow movements and in fast concluding movements: Exposition – First section of a sonata-form movement, which sets up a strong conflict between the tonic key; and between the first theme (or group of themes) and the second theme (or group of themes). Development – Second section of a sonata-form movement, in which themes from the exposition are developed and the music moves through several different keys. Recapitulation – Third section of a sonata-form movement, in which the first theme, bridge, second theme, and concluding section are presented more or less as they were in the exposition, with one crucial difference: all the principal material is now in the tonic key. Coda – In a sonata-form movement, a concluding section following the recapitulation and rounding off the movement by repeating themes or developing them further. B. Minuet and trio – Compositional form – derived from a dance – in three parts: minuet (A), trio (B), minuet (A). Often used as the third movement of the classical symphonies, string quartets, and other works, it is in triple meter and usually in a moderate tempo. C. Rondo Compositional form featuring a main theme (A) that returns several times in alternation with other themes, such as A B A C A and A B A C A B A. Rondo is often the form of the last movement in classical symphonies, string quartets, and sonatas. D. Theme and variations Form in which a basic musical idea (the theme) is repeated over and over and is changed each time in melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, or tone color. Used either as an independent piece or as one movement of a larger work. 14. Write a definition for each of the following terms: (. 5 points each) A. Serenade – Instrumental composition, light in mood, usually meant for evening entertainment. B. Chamber music – Music using a small group of musicians, with one player to a part. C. String quartet – Composition for two violins, a viola, and a cello; usually consisting of four movements. (Also, the four instrumentalists. ) D. Da capo – From the beginning; an indication usually meaning that the opening section of a piece is to be repeated after the middle section.

American Government from British Colonies to Revolution Essay Sample free essay sample

While the settlers were treated by Great Britain as minor kids or as topics to be governed. the really new sets of settlements were doing their ain constitutions in the kingdom of self-determination. Colonial self-government ranged on a expansive graduated table from things such as town meetings and councils. to public assemblies and tribunals. From these assemblies. great leaders and political heads hosted ideas and brought together a kind of ordinance for what early America was to look like in its hereafter. This procedure. of class. took clip and went through a great sum of alterations from the first colonists to the Revolutionary period. New colonial authorities represented an extension of English authorities. Courts enforced the common jurisprudence of England. The General Assembly was elected by electors. and by 1750 most free work forces could vote. In New England. the towns had town meetings where all free work forces had a voice. Some diplomatic personal businesss were handled by London. as were some trading policies. The settlements handled their ain personal businesss with the Native Americans. but Britain ( seemingly ) handled foreign wars with France and Spain. Councils as a whole would sit as the Supreme Court for the settlement. Like the British House of Lords. the council’s blessing was required for new Torahs. which normally originated in the Assembly. The council could be viewed as uninterrupted. unlike the Assembly. which would typically run into for a new session each twelvemonth to cover with revenue enhancements. budgets. and new demands. Like the Assembly. most Council places were unpaid. and members pursued a figure of professions. While attorneies were outstanding throughout the settlements. merchandisers were of import in the northern settlements. while plantation owners were more involved in the South. Each settlement had a charter. or written understanding between the settlement and the male monarch of England or Parliament. Charters of royal settlements allowed direct regulation by the male monarch. A colonial legislative assembly was elected by belongings keeping males. But governors were appointed by the male monarch and had about complete authorization — in theory. The legislative assemblies controlled the wage of the governor and frequently used this influence to maintain the governors in line with colonial wants. The Pilgrims fateful ( or non ) set downing in Plymouth. and pulling up of the Mayflower Compact. was a big measure toward self-determination in Massachusetts and the remainder of the settlements. This being said. colonial towns and small towns were practically self-governed from the start. sing their female parent state was separate from them by a big ocean. There were widespread belongings demands. Some settlements required a elector to have a certain sum of land or land of a specified value. Others required personal belongings of a certain value. or payment of a certain sum of revenue enhancements. America’s huge sum of land offered great inducement to go and settle at that place. Apprenticed retainers were besides a big portion of life and land in the early British settlements. Settlers could vote for legislators. but legislatures tended to go through few Torahs. Their greatest power was their power to revenue enhancement. Governors needed colonial politicians to supply financess for their enterprises. authorities disposal. and their wages. Get downing in the mid-1760s. settlers began demanding rights against revenue enhancement. ( â€Å"Taxation without representation† ) Although the revenue enhancements were no where nigh excessively expensive or boisterous to pay for. the people populating in America believed the rule of such a thing was incorrect. With more revenue enhancement Acts of the Apostless came more rebellion from American settlers. The Sons of Liberty was established and held boycotts against British goods. widespread protests and public violences lead to the Boston Massacre over the Townshed Act. the Boston Tea Party took topographic point. and eventually the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774 after the Coercive Act went into affect. The First Continental Congress brought together delegates from each settlement ( besides Georgia ) and discussed the following class of action. Settlers believed the King and Parliament had no right to pass any portion of the settlements. With the aid of John Adams. Congress passed a declaration of grudges and resolutenesss that wholly condemned Britain’s actions since 1763. The delegates besides came up humor a Continental Association to boycott all British goods and to halt all British exports. The passionate words of Thomas Paine. Samuel Adams. Patrick Henry. and finally John Adams and Thomas Jefferson sparked rebellion and revolution in the Black Marias of settlers. These authors and work forces of stature convinced the future American people that they had every right to go and independent state free from all British regulation. In 1776 the meeting of the Second Continental Congress took topographic point. and delegates approved the Declaration of Independence. the event that marks the birth of the United States. Thomas Jefferson. a delegate from Virginia. drafted the papers chiefly as a list of grudges against the male monarch. His most of import words. every adult male has the rights to life. autonomy. and the chase of felicity. clearly shaped the philosophical footing of the new authorities.

Public Policy Homelessness

The US government has been trying to fight the problem of homelessness but in vain. This is mainly because of lack of clear policymaking processes. This paper analyses previous policies made by the state and how they were applied.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Public Policy: Homelessness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Importance of the Topic Many people in the US are dispossessed to an extent of lacking basic commodities such as food, shelter, education and clothing. Confirmed reports suggest that some individuals practically compete with rodents for food in streets, which give stakeholders and government a great responsibility of formulating policies to end the ugly situation. Homelessness is a very important concept because of several reasons. One is that shelter is a basic need and turns up to be a human right. Any government that fails to protect its citizens against hazardous conditions should cease to exist. The major role of any government is to provide security, safety and create opportunities for self-fulfillment in the society. Even though the government cannot offer shelter to its citizens directly, it must come up with well-placed policies that guarantee individual development (Kusmer, 2003). A good regime must cater for people’s needs since it exists to serve citizens. Public servants are people’s employees because they earn their living through public money. They have a responsibility of assisting citizens to sustain their lives by providing better policies. This topic is important because many governments have failed or tumbled due to negligence. People cannot be suffering while they pay taxes to the government. Homelessness creates a bad picture to the state’s image abroad. A state cannot achieve its interests abroad because of the poor status of its citizens. In other words, solving the problem of homelessness puts the state in an advantaged po sition both within and abroad. Key Stakeholders The major stakeholder in the issue of homelessness is the government. The government encounters many problems including rising cases of crime and difficulty in planning. Resources cannot be allocated adequately because of the unknown people who stay in the streets. Resources such as education, health services and security are not utilized or allocated efficiently.Advertising Looking for assessment on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Homeless individuals are susceptible to diseases and natural catastrophes such as hunger. The government from time to time is forced to relocate resources from other places to assist street children and the elderly who cannot provide for themselves. Furthermore, the issue of security is of concern to the government. The homeless have no stable jobs, which forces them sometimes to engage in illegal businesses to sustain themselves (Baumohl, 1996). Another stakeholder is the society in general that is, societal institutions involved in correction of behavior, childcare, street programs and rehabilitation. Such organizations are very important because homeless individuals are more willing to reveal their problems to non-government officials. Others risk deportation in case they engage a public officer in a housing debate. The government alone cannot solve the problem of homelessness. Public officials must realize this and engage private/charitable organizations in solving the matter. Some institutions have stood firm to help the homeless even without government help. Charitable organizations adopt street children and promise to provide everything to them, including quality education and health care. Fight against homeless demands the action of the whole society not specific institutions or individuals. Mental problems and other factors related to communal living are the leading causes of homelessness. The poli cy makers in government should acknowledge this and move forward to consult community based organizations in order to arrive at sound policies. Evaluated Policies The US need to address the problem of homelessness by reviewing the existing policies. Some of the policies are not favorable to the homeless. For instance, the rate of taxation is too high in that the low wage laborers cannot manage to pay as well as sustain themselves. The government should subsidize the cost of housing for the poor and come up with incentives to encourage them to develop their own homes. The US economy is purely capitalistic, which does not make it easy for the poor to own property.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Public Policy: Homelessness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The rich become too rich while the poor continue languishing in great poverty. Unless the government comes up with measures to check on this, no substantial achievements can be made (Kraft, Furlong, 2010). Lending institutions do not entertain the poor or rather the homeless hence they cannot access funds to construct houses for themselves. The requirements for mortgage qualification are too many, most of which are out of reach for the poor. The policy makers must come up with suitable strategies to force lending institutions to accept the pledges of the poor. The government needs to collaborate with private lending institutions to assist the homeless. Literature Review Ever since 1980s, the US government has been active and willing to help the homeless. In 1985, the government increased funding to homeless services even though correct policies were not put in place. In 1987, the government stepped up to eradicate homelessness by endorsing McKinney Homeless Assistance bill. The bill was one of the major congressional actions aimed at doing away with poverty. The bill did little because of its tenets. It required local states to match federal dollars with a particular fraction. The bill only created an opportunity for funding but had no affirmative action. The houses built through McKinney funding were temporary since they never belonged to the homeless. The department of Housing and Urban Development brought in some major changes in 1995 since it allowed the homeless to own houses for some time. The new program advocated for continuity and provision of coordinated services such as admission of the homeless and evaluation of their lives, offering shelter on either temporary or permanent basis, as well as recognizing the rights of the homeless by providing recreational facilities.Advertising Looking for assessment on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There was another affirmative action in 1990 where the government attempted to uplift the lives of the poor. In 1995, the Rural Economic and Community Development department was put in place by the ministry of agriculture to advance the lives of the rural poor. Important Legislations The intention of homelessness legislation is to facilitate eradication of homelessness and reduce the load that lead to homelessness. For instance, the â€Å"No Child Left behind Act†, which was approved in 2001 ensures that schools do not discriminate homeless children by coming up separate classes. In fact, it is a criminal offence to exercise discrimination against homelessness. Besides, one of the key aims of the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act was to put off schools from keeping out learners who could not provide contacts of their houses. The Chronic Homelessness Initiative Act created by Bush aimed at ending persistent homelessness by the year 2012. To help in realizing this obje ctive, the head of state collaborated with the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to form a plan that helps homeless persons obtain shelter and employment in quite a few communities. Instrument Problems Unfortunately, nothing substantial has been achieved as far as homelessness is concerned. The policies formulated by the legislature and the executive never succeeded mainly because they never complied with the policymaking processes. The need was there, the policy was made and implemented but proper evaluation of the same policy was never undertaken. Policy making process involves some important processes that must not be neglected. They include agenda building, formulation and adoption, implementation and finally evaluation and termination. Evaluation implies identifying how well a strategy is functioning and it is not a simple job. Individuals in government normally employ cost-benefit scrutiny in attempting to unearth the problem. The government needs to discover whether the resources being spent in resettlement of homeless are worth the process (Smith, 2002). Government policies have failed simply because of neglecting one process of policymaking, that is, evaluation. Conclusion The problem of homelessness should be addressed immediately because it causes many problems. The state spends a lot of money in treating the homeless people, as well offering security to the victims of homelessness. The society is not safe at all. More legislative action is required to reinforce other existing policies in solving the problem. Again, the state must reach out to other stakeholders in order to gain more insight as regards to the problem. More importantly, policy makers must always abide by the processes of policymaking and follow them to the later in case they are to succeed in solving the problem. Solving homelessness is inevitable since it is a human right. It is laughable for citizens of the great nation to stay in t he cold. It taints the image of the superpower and lowers the dignity of Americans who should be enjoying good life. The US cannot be providing aid to the third world countries yet its own people spend their nights in the cold. References Baumohl, J. (1996). Homelessness in America. Phoenix: Oryx Press. Kraft, M., Furlong, R. (2010). Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives (3rd ed.). New York, NY: CQ Press. Kusmer, K. (2003). Down and Out, On the Road: The Homeless in American History. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Smith, K. (2002). â€Å"Typologies, Taxonomies, and the Benefits of Policy Classification†. Policy Studies Journal, 30(3). This assessment on Public Policy: Homelessness was written and submitted by user Kailynn Salas to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Max Weber Analysis Essay Sample

Max Weber Analysis Essay Sample Critique of Max Weber Analysis Essay Sample Critique of Max Weber Analysis Essay Sample Max Weber was born Maximilian Karl Emil Weber in April 21, 1864. He was a German sociologist, a philosopher and a political economist who left a significant mark in the discipline of sociology and social theory. While his mother was a staunch Calvinist with an inclination towards ascetism, Max was not exactly religious individually, but his views were greatly influenced by Calvinist doctrines and these were the basis of most of his works. Max got his doctorate in law from the University of Berlin in 1889 and soon after he joined the Universitys faculty as a lecturer and government consultant all as a result of his growing influence in the study of sociology. Max had an estranged relationship with his dad, obviously due to the fact that there were constant domestic issues in which he took his mothers side. In 1897, Max Weber Senior passed on leaving his son to suffer from insomnia, depression as well as nervousness. However, this was only the beginning of his battle with mental illnes s and it led him to quit teaching and devote himself to social sciences as an associate editor in a journal. In his time, as a Reserve Officer during the First World War, Max totally changed his opinion on the German expansionism and started advocating for constitutional reforms, democracy as well as universal suffrage. It is during this period that he actively got into politics and at one time he even tried unsuccessfully to clinch a parliamentary seat. Max Webers thoughts were majorly influenced by German idealism and Neo-Kantianism. Among his greatest inspirations one would notice Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche and Georg Simmel. This paper critically analyses Max Webers thoughts and opinions presented in his book The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism, in addition, the paper relates Webers ideologies to current thoughts and occurrences and seeks to establish whether the great philosopher has managed to remain relevant in the current society. History of Max Weber Max Weber was born in a cultured family with a long line of accomplished scholars and politicians, with his parents representing diverse lifestyles in that his father was a worldly statesman with an affinity for the pleasures of life while his mother was an ascetic scholar drawn to the doctrines of her Calvinist religion. This fact greatly shaped Maxs life since he was constantly polarized between religion and politics, and he ended up contributing significantly to both fields and even presenting the world with the possibility of connecting the two aspects of life through economy. He grew up learning both religion and politics, with special inclination towards religious ethics due to his close relationship with his beloved mother. However, he did not follow her ascetic interests and even asserted himself as an irreligious individual as a grown up. After studying law in the University of Heidelberg, Weber joined the University of Berlin. While studying at the university, Max got into sociology carrying out researches and writing papers that eventually earned him significant recognition to the point of being admitted to the faculty as a lecturer and government consultant. It is during this time that he started his infamous campaigns against the influx of laborers from Poland into Eastern Germany. He noticed during a study that while many Germans were leaving their homes in the east to work in industrialized towns; Polish laborers were moving in to replace them as farm workers in such large numbers. This worried him for one reason or another and set him on a path that earned him as many enemies as admirers (Weber 2001). In 1893 he married his distant cousin Marianne, an accomplished scholar and feminine activist herself. Thus, this move gave him a platform to financial freedom from his parents and moving to Freiburg a year later. He became a professor of economics at the University of Heidelberg in 1896 and it is here he became the center of the Weber circle which constituted mainly of great intellects of that particular time. Within this circle, he was the center of every discussion and shared about sociology and his thoughts on political economy as well as religion. In 1897, his father died after a great argument with him, an incident that greatly affected the renowned sociologist rendering him incapable as a teacher. This left him with a nervous breakdown, insomnia and depression thus culminating into a mental illness of some sort. The condition, however, did not affect his work in sociology since he became an associate editor and even went ahead to publish some famous works including The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Weber 2001). During his incapacitation, it was rumored that he had chronicled his days of torment since he dealt with the mental illness, but his wife destroyed the accounts out of fear that it could have put his reputation and the reception of his subsequent works at stake. This rumor is yet to be proven and may be as unfounded as its source. In 1912, Max showed great interest in politics and even tried to combine the social democrats and the liberals. This attempt was unsuccessful as the liberals were not entirely comfortable with the ideals of the social democrats. While it was a noble idea to have a left wing political outfit, the attempt failed because it wasn’t such a good time to be courageous in Germany. The political situation was more about aligning oneself with strategic partners and not risking conspicuousness especially with such revolutionary ideals as those of the social democrats. During the First World War, he voluntarily got conscripted into the army as a Reserve Officer given that he was around 50 years of age. It is from this experience that he got a new view on the expansionism policies of Germany (Weber 2001). At first, Max thought the war as necessary for Germany to establish itself as a significant state in the world. After experiencing the war, however, he started campaigning for constitutional reforms, a democratized system of government and universal suffrage. He became actively involved in politics and after the war he tried his hand at becoming a parliamentarian through a Party he had co-founded, the German Democratic Party. After his failure to clinch the parliamentary seat, and his day to day frustrations in German politics based on the way people were not willing to do the right thing for fear of making unwanted enemies and loosing influence, he decided to go back to his teaching career. With his exposure in politics and sociology, he was a more renown scholar with great reputation albeit subtle influence given just how vocal a critic he had been for the Kraiser government. While teaching, he compiled some great works and even gave his world famous lectures on Politics as a Vocation and Science as a Vocation. His death in 1920 came as a shock to many, and a disappointment to the intellectuals at the time. He died of pneumonia after having battled with the Spanish flu. He was 56 years and most of his works were yet to be published at the time. His wife Marianne, however, played a significant role in ensuring that the great scholars works got published even after his death, giving him just about the recognition that he deserved. As a scholar and philosopher, Max Weber was a great mind and he continues to shape the social sciences as well as the political sciences of the world even today. His great thoughts include his definition of capitalism, Calvinism and the Protestant work ethic. Capitalism Capitalism has been used to mean different things in different contexts and by different individuals. To Max Weber, capitalism meant having capital assets owned privately by individuals and offering goods and services for profit. Moreover, he stated that for capitalism to thrive there must be some form of market exchange, voluntary supply of labor and a planned system of labor division. To Max, capitalism was about rationalizing the need to acquire economic wealth for the purpose of reinvestment and eventual multiplication of assets. He believed in individual effort as a building block to the prosperity of the economy in the society as a whole (Weber 2001). Max Weber believed that capitalism could only be successful if it is entrenched in peoples way of life through culture or religion. To prove this point, he examined the ease with which the citizens of Protestant countries like the Netherlands had embraced capitalism and successfully due to the doctrines of their religion that justified the pursuit of economic success through hard work (Weber 2001). Protestantism at that time merged vocation, profession and calling into one, creating satisfaction in even the most subtle of the careers provided there was some form of economic gain being received. In this religion, it is that he founded the idea of the capitalist spirit which aims at rationalizing daily life activities that are in pursuit of economic growth of the individual and thence the society as a whole. Through his rationalization idea, he justified the exploitation of laborers by the rich entrepreneurs provided they were willing to work for their pay. He also justified the way wo rkers allowed themselves to be exploited in that they were working with the belief that their work was a calling from God while the wages were the economic gain that they sought, the ultimate reward would be God’s blessings and salvation as a result of their obedience in responding so willingly to His calling. Calvinism Calvinism basically refers to the Reformed faith that deviated from the Roman Catholic Church. Calvinists were Protestants who were drawn to an ascetic lifestyle by virtue of their teachings on salvation. To these Protestants, economic prosperity was one of the ways acquiring self-confidence, and a lack of this confidence was a sign of insufficient faith. Thus, one of the ways through which one could be assured of salvation was by accumulating wealth to become self-confident and exude sufficient faith. Material wealth was thus a symbol of approval and blessings from God. Unlike other religions that assured believers of salvation based on their devotion and commitment to the religious activities, the Calvinist theology did not provide any assurance and thus the believers were forced to seek it from material manifestations. The religious teachings of the Calvinists further encouraged the believers to seek economic gain by considering the secular vocations to be of equal importance to a religious calling (Durkheim 2008). The Protestant Work Ethic In his book â€Å"The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism†, Max Weber wrote that the capitalism that swept across Northern Europe was as a result of the influence of the Calvinist doctrines or ethic which encouraged believers to embrace secular vocations just as they would religious callings. The Calvinist teachings likened secular work to a calling from God and thus encouraged people’s devotion to their work provided they ended up getting some form of income. The protestant work ethic, also known as the Puritan work ethic is founded on the concept of hard diligent work for the sake of economic success and self-confidence. Unlike in the catholic tradition where salvation is assured and faith displayed through acts of attendance, confession and other sacraments, Protestants were not assured of salvation and thus sought out economic prosperity as a way of manifesting God’s approval and sufficiency of their faith. In this way, they grew to learn to associate economic success with hard diligent work and God’s blessings. According to Weber (2001: 246) the protestant work ethic encouraged individuals to pursue economic advancement by terming their secular vocations as a calling from God; moreover, the Protestant theology encouraged even the most humble of professionals to dedicate themselves to enhancing their financial status in order to increase their self-confidence and appear to have enough faith in God. Max supported this concept by noting just how the protestant countries at that time were advancing in terms of capitalism or individual wealth accumulation. With a great example of the Scandinavian countries, Protestantism was encouraging hard work and commitment in order to better the lives of the individuals. People were held responsible for their faith in God, their confidence in themselves and their contribution to the economy. In this sense, more and more people were encouraged to develop personal enterprises and generate wealth while creating employment opportunities for the less fortunate. These ‘less fortunate’ people were also encouraged to earn their wages since their work was a ‘calling’ predestined for them by God in His wisdom. The Critique Max Weber was as an individual, quite torn between two polar personalities. First he was his mother’s son, a scholar with an interest in religion. He also was his father’s son, a politician with parliamentary aspirations. At some point, he even suffered a mental illness that was never really brought out since his wife destroyed every documentation of it, fearing what it could do to his reputation as a renowned scholar and sociologist after his death. However, this did not stop him from making his mark in sociology as well as political and economic history. His works are in one way or another still relevant to this day. Max Weber and the Protestant Work Ethic In his analysis, Weber (2001: 24) believes that the current economic organization is heavily founded on the protestant view of work. Weber (2001:26) states â€Å"the concept of the Protestant work ethic, which stipulated that the spirit of capitalism has to be rooted in the people’s culture or religion if it is to thrive and be successful†, Weber’s views remain relevant to this day. Protestantism may not have necessarily reduced in the world today, but the Protestants are not as devoted to the teachings of their faith. The protestant countries, and particularly the Scandinavian countries as a specific example, have witnessed some level of decline in capitalism and thence accumulation of individual wealth and dedication to hard diligent work. All these values were embedded in the protestant theology and largely contributed to the success of the economies of all these countries way back in history. The boom of industrialization in the Scandinavian countries was gre atly attributed to the existence of the spirit of capitalism which originated from the Calvinist theology. People were encouraged to work hard and create economic enterprises to maximize on the potential of their assets and create opportunities for others. The religion also encouraged the migration of individuals to the industrial centers to seek employment as a way of earning their living. Employment in this case was seen as a calling, and thus is greatly elevated regardless of its stature. More and more people opted to work in the most humble of occupations for as little as the entrepreneurs were willing to pay them, rather than stay in abject poverty and be seen to lack sufficient faith. Economic wellbeing was associated with the amount of faith that one possessed and this drove believers to strive for success in one way or another. Furthermore, this may have created some class divisions in that the rich were considered as more religious and more righteous in the eyes of God and thus they could exploit their unfortunate counterparts by paying them less for work done. Putting this ideology into perspective, the concept of a secular profession being regarded as a calling did serve as a motivation for capitalism in the protestant countries. Using current statistics, as a reference point, religion is of a great influence in inculcating the spirit of capitalism into the masses. The devotion to religion has been on a steep decline since more and more people become too busy to engage in religious activities and learn the necessary doctrines. According to Soto (2002: 43), â€Å"countries that were previously largely protestant or catholic have now become mixed up in that there are just as many irreligious persons as there are the religious ones. The religious ones are also not entirely religious, as they are more engaged in other worldly activities thus they lack the time to really learn their faith.† What this implies is that the formerly protestant or catholic countries can no longer be identified by their dominant religion because there has bee n a great mixture in recent years due to migration, exposure and liberalization in terms of freedom of worship. As a result of the changing dynamics with regards to religious composition of countries, the spirit of capitalism has seemingly eroded in the previously protestant countries while seeming to increase in the catholic countries. The economies of states like the Netherlands and Germany may have led the world in capitalism back in the day, but they are currently at the same level, if not lower than Italy and Spain at present. Devotion to religion is no longer as strong as it was back then, and thus a country cannot be considered as a Protestant or Catholic state. This has eroded the spirit of capitalism and thus greatly affected the economy of the state. This simply proves that Max Weber was right about the connection between religion and capitalism. With the death of the spirit of capitalism, laborers are no longer proud of their work and are not content with their wages. This has been seen in the way workers continue to strike and fight for better wages and better working conditions. Also, there have been more establishing enterprises other than just economic empowerment and creating opportunities for the less fortunate. While sticking to the basics of multiplying wealth and accumulating capital assets, people are no longer bent on creating opportunities for others since the wealthy end up employing only their families and other well connected members of society to work in the top positions of their businesses (Durkheim 2008). Historically, states that had a majority of Protestants and more specifically Calvinists were able to embrace and pursue capitalism aided by the spirit of capitalism that is embedded in the Calvinist theology. This is the major reason, according to Weber, that led to the exponential growth in the economies of these protestant countries. With the decline in religious devotion, it follows that the spirit of capitalism is eroded and thus a decline in capitalism in these states. The seeming increase of capitalism in the Non-protestant states is simply because their spirit of capitalism was borrowed from their Protestant counterparts and thus is not affected by their devotion to religion, or a lack of it. The growth is actually steady, and only appears significant due to the steep decline witnessed by the Protestant states. In this way, Max established the connection between religion and economy despite his not being religious himself. The connection continues to hold water, and this has been proven by the way devotion to labor has gone down with devotion to religion. Currently, there have been recurring reports of industrial mass action where workers down their tools to protest against low wages or unfavorable working conditions. In this way, more and more workers are deviating from the ideal situation in which they would be content with their wages and view their work as a calling from God thus disregarding the inferior quantity of the compensation received. While the purpose of working in the Protestant ethic is to acquire some economic gain, the job is considered more important than the compensation as the laborer is considered to be responding to a calling from God and thus expects eventual salvation as an obedient son or daughter of the Father. Workers in the present day do not persevere in unfavo rable conditions as can be seen in the formation of unions and holding of protests as well as class actions against employers. This however does not disqualify Max Weber’s ideals. It is clear that people are no longer devoted to the doctrines of the religions. Religious teachings are now considered as opinions, and individuals have given themselves the liberty to decide whether to follow a theology or not. In this regard, the fact that not many people pay any attention to religious teachings may have played a greater role in creating this breed of laborers who value their wages more than the work that they are actually being paid to do. Max Weber and Calvinism Max was exposed to Calvinist theology at a tender age given that his mother was a devout Calvinist drawn to an ascetic lifestyle. Although he did not embrace the religion himself, he had quite a great understanding of the concepts and this shaped the ideologies in most of his social works. In his book, Weber (2001:80) wrote â€Å"terming a secular profession as a calling was a great way to motivate the entrepreneur and justify their scramble for economic success.† He also stated that the concept of the calling served as an encouragement to the hard working laborers to view their devotion as a mean of achieving salvation for their faith. While recognizing that the entrepreneurs were using this doctrine to exploit their workers, he looked at this from a greater perspective which was the benefits that this arrangement gave to the society as a whole. He looked at the positive impact of capitalism to the economy regardless of the undertones of exploitation experienced by the labore rs (Weber 2001:92). Max showed just how Calvinism was encouraging the pursuit of economic gains by endowing secular activities with a moral significance. At that time, religion was known to shy away from worldly pursuits in favor of salvation, but Max brought out the side of Protestantism that did not assure salvation to those who attended the religious activities, took to the confession regulations and participated in the required sacraments. He brought out the side of religion that required for one go above the usual religious obligations and uphold hard diligent work, sufficient faith and self-confidence in order for one to claim salvation. Comparing this to Catholicism, Max was quite right. The Catholics were assured of salvation based on how they attended to their religious obligations, confessions and other sacraments. They shied away from the pursuit of economic gains, and limited their participation in secular activities. In this way, the Catholics who were born poor remained comfortably while the rich lived off their inheritance. This limited their economic growth and even led to the large gap between the Protestant countries and the Catholic countries. Overman (2011) concurs with Weber to a certain extend in regard to the present day, Catholic doctrines still limit indulgence in secular activities. For example, while protestant clergy can be involved in entrepreneurship the Catholics are still confined to the convents and seminaries or parish houses where they fully devote themselves to the work of the church. The leaders of the Catholic Church are still expected to live within the means of the church and even observe celibacy as a way of setting themselves apart from the world. In emphasizing on how the Protestant theology permitted involvement in pursuit of economic gains, Weber justified the economic gaps between the religiously defined countries. In the present day, this ideology justifies the difference between the lifestyles of the devout members of these two religions. By looking at Protestantism as a religion that rationalizes the way secular activities are perceived, as a way of earning economic gains and boosting self-con fidence, as a calling with both a moral and spiritual value and not just an unnecessary worldly indulgence, Weber (2001: 46) justifies the gap between the two religions in terms of glamour and affluence especially since most protestant church leaders continue being world famous for their glamorous lifestyle and accumulated wealth unlike the Catholics who by far remain relatively unknown with regards to their worldly possessions. While Protestant states can no longer boast of being more capitalistic than Catholic states that individuals who still follow the teachings of their religion still hold a remarkable difference with regards to how they perceive work and spirituality. The Catholics still seek to separate themselves from the pursuit of economic gains at the expense of their religious obligations while the Protestants willingly merge their spiritual lives with their economic lives maneuvering in between the two with so much ease. This is evident in the number of prominent tycoons who are actually church leaders in the Protestant churches, against the number of Catholic Church leaders who have made a mark in the business world. Max Weber and Capitalism As a social scientist, Max Weber viewed capitalism based on its advantages to the people and society as a whole. Weber (2001:155) described capitalism to be a â€Å"situation in which individuals are allowed to own capital assets, where there is a market exchange of goods and services, and where the supply of labor is on a voluntary basis.† By setting all these conditions in his definition of capitalism, Weber sought to have a society in which every individual is free to pursue economic gains and wealth accumulation on a voluntary basis. Weber (2001:26) reiterated â€Å"the current definition of capitalism is not complete because it does not include the organization skills.† In a social standing, a capitalist would thus be anyone who owned capital assets, participated voluntarily in the labor market, or actively engaged in the exchange of goods and services. Translating this into a state, a capitalist state would be one which allows for all the above conditions meaning that the ruling class is more of the entrepreneur’s club than the politicians. Taking the example of the United States, state capitalism basically implies that the state operates like a large corporation. While the means of production is privately owned at a large scale, the government controls it through regulatory bodies that are supposedly independent and with lots of mandate. However, the state is seen to operate like a protector to the interests of the private corporate who dominate the market in partnership with the government. In such a system, most if not all corporations are jointly owned with the government and this puts the owners in good positions. Contrary to Weber, Soto (2003) emphasizes that a capitalist state basically operates as an economic system. It is for a reason that all the decisions are made based on the interests of the economic powerhouses of the country. The political class that consists mainly of elected representatives thus remains as a bunch of ‘croaking frogs’ that have no effect on the elephant that empties their po nd. They are there to entertain the country with colorful arguments and debates, but the main decisions are made in the boardrooms of corporations and pushed on them by the corporate executives, their lawyers and sometimes even professional lobbyists. The political powers are thus usurped by the already very powerful economic system. The United States may not have initially been a largely protestant country, but its culture and education system were greatly influenced by the Puritans who immigrated into the country during its colonization. These Protestants inculcated in the Americans the unmistakable spirit of capitalism such that all people of power were expected to have come from poor backgrounds and work their way up through diligence and commitment. The doctrine of working hard to better the economic status of individuals eventually led to formation of classes and the economic class ended up with more powers than the political class despite the politicians being democratically elected. In this sense, the adoption of capitalistic tendencies at the state level undermined democracy. This is where Weber failed even himself seeing as he was an enthusiast of democracy himself. State capitalism has numerous discrepancies unlike the ideals that were propagated by Weber’s ideology. First of all, the major decisions affecting the people are made by those who are not directly affected by it. The economic class is given the mandate to deliberate on issues that do not affect them in any way. This means that they only look out for themselves and the working class or common citizens are left to struggle for their survival (Soto 2003). This system tends to widen the gap between the poor and the rich, in a bid to prevent the acquisition of wealth that may threaten the status quo. The close ties between corporate and the government in the business sector provides opportunities for corruption and illegitimate deals due to the lack of transparency witnessed since the government seek to serve the interests of its business allies. This system centralizes the corridors of power and grants it to the private corporate owners, leaving the government as just but a symbol of state authority. In this case, the legislature lacks authority, the executive is under the control and manipulation of the economic class, and the judiciary has a price tag. Such is state capitalism, even in the United States. The United States is a capitalist state in that the country has a political framework that implies democracy but the electorate is constantly shortchanged by the corporate firms that influence major decisions to protect their interests. People of the United States have been against so many policies that were adapted anyway, simply because some corporate somewhere sat in a boardroom and agreed to lobby for that policy as it served their interests whether directly or indirectly. This is a system of colonization whereby the powerful members of society are first class citizens and have much more weight in the running of state affairs. The US government has been a capitalist state, with a militarized outfit for quite a while. The elected representatives have been puppets of the giant corporations rather than representatives of the will of people. The political class has shown little initiative towards becoming a true democracy like a libertarian socialist society. While people are lobbying for democracy, their elected and non-elected ‘rulers’ are getting comfortable knowing that a social revolution would not only hurt the entire nation but the entire human civilization seeing as the US is among the most influential economies of the world (Soto 2003). The country is thoroughly militarized with a really high military budget in the pretext of defense from powerful possible enemies like Korea and a rebellion would prove suicidal. However, all throughout history, men risked their security, their wealth and their lives for the sake of gaining or retrieving their freedom. Thus, the possibility of such a recur rence is there and it could happen on such a large scale that the results will not be negotiable in any forum. This, however, will require the commitment and dedication of all societal factions so as to ensure uniformity in the demands and thus results. With all these in mind, it is important to note that while Weber was right about the roots of capitalism, the fruits are quite a different story. His encouragement and inclination was founded on the benefit of giving people the freedom to engage in income generating ventures for their benefit and that of the society. This, however, resulted in far too many disadvantages including the rich holding the rest of the country at ransom by commanding the reins of power without having to be elected. They only watch out for themselves thus leaving the voiceless poor to fend for themselves under such oppressive conditions. The roots of capitalism were indeed in the religion of the Puritans or rather Calvinists whose doctrines allowed and encouraged their participation in secular vocations as callings from God to attain economic empowerment and thence self-confidence and stronger faith in God. All these were considered as blessings and a sign of favor in the eyes of the Lord. Weber noted this quite well, and they continue to manifest in the decline of the spirit of capitalism along with the decline in devotion to religion across the world. He, however, did not envision the way capitalist states would end up ruining the economic freedom that he was advocating for when he hailed capitalism in the first place (Weber 2001). Having established that Max Webers thoughts were majorly influenced by German idealism and Neo-Kantianism it follows that most of his opinions have managed to remain relevant even in todays society. Historically, states that had a majority of Protestants and more specifically Calvinists were able to embrace and pursue capitalism aided by the spirit of capitalism that is embedded in the Calvinist theology. This is the major reason, according to Weber, that led to the exponential growth in the economies of these protestant countries. With the decline in religious devotion, it follows that the spirit of capitalism is eroded and thus a decline in capitalism in these states. The seeming increase of capitalism in the Non-protestant States is simply because their spirit of capitalism was borrowed from their Protestant counterparts and thus is not affected by their devotion to religion, or a lack of it. The growth is actually steady, and only appears significant due to the steep decline witn essed by the Protestant states. In this way, Max established the connection between religion and economy despite his not being religious himself. The connection continues to hold water, and this has been proven by the way devotion to labor has gone down with devotion to religion. With regards to Weber’s thoughts on capitalism, the roots of the spirit of capitalism were indeed in the religion of the Puritans or rather Calvinists whose doctrines allowed and encouraged their participation in secular vocations as callings from God to attain economic empowerment and thence self-confidence and stronger faith in God. All these were considered as blessings and a sign of favor in the eyes of the Lord. Weber noted this quite well, and they continue to manifest in the decline of the spirit of capitalism along with the decline in devotion to religion across the world. He, however, did not envision the way capitalist states would end up ruining the economic freedom that he was advocating for when he hailed capitalism in the first place. As for Calvinism, he wrote that terming a secular profession as a calling was a great way to motivate the entrepreneur and justify their scramble for economic success. He also stated that the concept of the calling served as an enco uragement to the hard working laborers to view their devotion as a means of achieving salvation for their faith. While recognizing that the entrepreneurs were using this doctrine to exploit their workers, he looked at this from a greater perspective which was the benefits that this arrangement gave to the society as a whole. He looked at the positive impact of capitalism to the economy regardless of the undertones of exploitation experienced by the laborers. Max showed just how Calvinism was encouraging the pursuit of economic gains by endowing secular activities with a moral significance. At that time, religion was known to shy away from worldly pursuits in favor of salvation, but Max brought out the side of Protestantism that did not assure salvation to those who attended the religious activities, took to the confession regulations and participated in the required sacraments. He brought out the side of religion that required for one go above the usual religious obligations and uphold hard diligent work, sufficient faith and self-confidence in order for one to claim salvation. Comparing this to Catholicism, Max was quite right. The Catholics were assured of salvation based on how they attended to their religious obligations, confessions and other sacraments. They shied away from the pursuit of economic gains, and limited their participation in secular activities. In this way, the Catholics who were born poor remained comfortably while the rich lived off their inheritance. This limited their economic growth and even led to the large gap between the Protestant countries and the Catholic countries. As a sociologist, and a political and religious economist, Max Weber continues to live on in his great works that continue to shape the ideologies of scholars around the world. His old works form the basis of most new studies on politics, sociology as well as religion, thus he continue to remain relevant regardless of the changes witnessed by mankind after all these years.

Analysis of Gypsy perfomrance group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Analysis of Gypsy perfomrance group - Essay Example Their parents were Spanish Romani people who had fled from Catalonia during the time of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930’s. (BBC) However, an exception was Chico Bouchikhi who was of Moroccan and Algerian descent.  (BBC) The group was quite famous for introducing audiences to a pop- oriented music the ‘Rumba Catalana’ that was distantly derived from the traditional Flamenco music but with pop influences. (BBC) Their music well suited social dances like the ‘Rumba’ and the ‘Salsa’ which became quite popular. The band members were of Spanish Gipsy origin and their growing years were spent in making music while traversing the south of France and harvesting. Their roots were steeped firmly in Romany tradition. In their initial stages the group played at weddings and parties or just jammed on the streets of Cannes. They made use of South America’s rumba rhythm along with the flamenco guitars and introduced the world to the ‘Rumba Gitano’ with their classy debut titled ‘Bambolero’. (Official Home page, gipsykings.com) Thus they began their epic musical journey and there was no turning back for them. Though their lives have changed with their popularity, they still remain gypsies at heart. (Official Home page, gipsykings.com) The members hardly speak any English. They converse and sing in ‘Gitane’ which is a Gypsy dialect that involves both Spanish and French. The popularity of the group is driven by their upbeat and danceable music. The Gipsy’s lead singer is Nicolas Reyes who is the son of the famous Flamenco singer Jose Reyes who during the 60’s and the 70’s sold millions of records after having joined forces with his friend Manitas de Plata. The duo contributed a great deal towards placing the ‘Flamenco’ on the map of international music. The Gipsy Kings comprise of two families of brothers. On one hand, we have the Reyes family with Nicolas, Canut, Paul, Patchai, Andre, and on the other we have the

Intervention process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intervention process - Essay Example Therapist and psychologist dealing with intervention must be careful about the practice to prevent any legal problems that may occur from the act of organizing an intervention. There are laws regarding psychotherapist/patient privilege which govern their actions when it comes to the situation regarding a client dangerousness to self, others, and property of others (Sonkin & Liebert). The therapist has to take every possible precaution to ensure the intervention session does get out of control. He must prepare the team well and may have to enforce some type of security measures such as a guard if the client profile justifies such a preventive measure. Ethics are a part of psychology and their different ethical aspects that must be considered during interventions. Three ethical considerations during this affair are veracity, beneficence, and fidelity. Veracity refers to telling the truth (McGuinness). During an intervention, the persons involved might have to tell the patient harsh wor ds and relive very emotional and personal events that occurred due to the addiction of the patient. The harshness of the message of the group is an ethical dilemma to consider. Beneficence involves making decisions for are incompetent and do not have the faculties to decide for themselves (McGuinness). Intervention with drug addicts has beneficence dilemmas associated with them. The addict, in reality, is not competent to make his own decision since the drugs have full control over his reasoning and judgment.