The Relationship Between Morality and Religion. Essay

What is the relationship between religion and morality? It is in my opinion that religion is dependant on morality and not the other way around. Through this, it can be stated that morality reinforces the development and evolution of religion. In this essay, I shall show that this is the case drawing from theories proposed by Plato, Kant and Berg. According to Jonathan Berg, â€Å"†¦a way to construe ethics as depending on religion would be on the basis of a ‘Divine Command Theory’ of ethics, identifying the moral good with God’s Will or with what God commands.†(1) So then, if one were to link doing good as essentially doing God’s will, does this mean that one must always obey God’s will eventhough it may not seem to be a good act to us?†¦show more content†¦Which shows that without religion, or rather, without the belief that there is a God who punishes the evil-doer and rewards the good in the afterlife, there would be no reason to comply with a set of moral rules, as given by Berg, which says that â€Å"†¦God‘s approval (or disapproval) is the only reason for being moral.†(5). According to Harry Browne â€Å"†¦if the Unselfishness ideal is sound, there must be something unworthy in seeking to live your life as you want to live it.† Therefor e, if happiness in one’s life is difficult to seek due to the demands of morality and being unselfish, why would one be motivated to perform moral acts, unless of course, one shall be rewarded after death with the promise of paradise or the gift of being reincarnated as a human again. So, this motivation to perform virtuous acts is mainly because there is a religion that provides the followers with a reward at the end. However, can it not also be said that religion was created as a means of asserting the importance of morality? 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Diversity At Big Business Is Not Only Positive For A Company

Elijah Morey Ellisor-Catoe ENG 102 2-27-17 Diversity in Big Business Diversity in big business is not only positive for a company, but also benefits employees personally and communally. Diversity is a word that is being used more and more, it has such a broad meaning that it can be tied to almost anything about a person place or thing. In the case of diversity in the workplace it mostly means different types of people, whether it’s gender, race, ethnicity, religion, height, weight; too many variations to list bringing up the broadness of the term and how it is used in everyday vernacular. Big business diversity has continued benefits throughout the workplace. The expansion of different people may make some nervous but by doing so will also†¦show more content†¦Looking from the outside in we will never know and companies are not open to give out the information on why they hired one person over another (Yunhyung, Chung, Cracking But Not Breaking: Joint Effects Of Faultline Strength And Diversity Climate On Loyal Behavior. Academy Of Man agement Journal vol. 58 no.5, 2015, pp.1495-1515. Business Source Alumni Edition. (https://acproxy.ac.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=bahAN=110493102site=eds-livescope=site). Diversity programs have been used in big business since the 1960’s, rooted with social justice philosophy, civil rights and recently business strategy. 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At War’s End An Elegy Free Essays

string(69) " collect intelligence for both the Japanese Army and the Hukbalahap\." THE evening before he killed himself, Virgilio Serrano gave a dinner party. He invited five guests—friends and classmates in university— myself included. Since we lived on campus in barracks built by the U. We will write a custom essay sample on At War’s End: An Elegy or any similar topic only for you Order Now S. Army, he sent his Packard to fetch us. Virgilio lived alone in a pre-war chalet that belonged to his family. Four servants and a driver waited on him hand and foot. The chalet, partly damaged, was one of the few buildings in Ermita that survived the bombardment and street fighting to liberate Manila. It had been skillfully restored; the broken lattices, fretwork, shell windows and wrought iron fence had been repaired or replaced at considerable expense. A hedge of bandera espaà ±ola had been planted and the scorched frangipani and hibiscus shrubs had been pruned carefully. Thus, Virgilio’s house was an ironic presence in the violated neighborhood. He was on the porch when the car came to a crunching halt on the graveled driveway. He shook our hands solemnly, then ushered us into the living room. In the half-light, everything in the room glowed, shimmered or shone. The old ferruginous narra floor glowed. The pier glass coruscated. The bentwood furniture from the house in Jaen looked as if they had been burnished. In a corner, surrounded by bookcases, a black Steinway piano sparkled like glass. Virgilio was immaculate in white de hilo pants and cotton shirt. I felt ill at ease in my surplus khakis and combat boots. We were all in our second year. Soon we will be on different academic paths—Victor in philosophy; Zacarias in physics and chemistry; Enrique in electrical engineering; and Apolonio, law. Virgilio and I have both decided to make a career in English literature. Virgilio was also enrolled in the Conservatory and in courses in the philosophy of science. We were all in awe of Virgilio. He seemed to know everything. He also did everything without any effort. He had not been seen studying or cramming for an exam in any subject, be it history, anthropology or calculus. Yet the grades that he won were only a shade off perfection. HE and I were from the same province where our families owned rice farms except that ours was tiny, a hundred hectares, compared to the Serrano’s, a well-watered hacienda that covered 2,000 hectares of land as flat as a table. The hacienda had been parceled out to eleven inquilinos who together controlled about a thousand tenants. The Serranos had a large stone house with a tile roof that dated back to the 17th century that they used during the summer months. The inquilinos dealt with Don Pepe’s spinster sister, the formidable Clara, who knew their share of the harvest to the last chupa. She was furthermore in residence all days of the year. Virgilio was the only child. His mother was killed in a motor accident when he was nine. Don Pepe never remarried. He became more and more dependent on Clara as he devoted himself to books, music and conversation. His house in Cabildo was a salon during the years of the Commonwealth. At night, spirited debates on art, religion language, politics and world affairs would last until the first light of dawn. The guests who lived in the suburbs were served breakfasts before they drove off in their runabouts to Sta. Cruz, Ermita or San Miguel. The others stumbled on cobblestones on their way back to their own mansions within the cincture of Intramuros. In October, Quezon himself came for merienda. He had just appointed General MacArthur field marshal of the Philippine Army because of disturbing news from Nanking and Chosun. Quezon cursed the Americans for not taking him in their confidence. But like most gifted politicians, he had a preternatural sense of danger. â€Å"The Japanese will go to war against the Americans before this year is out, Pepe,† Quezon rasped, looking him straight in the eye. This was the reason the Serranos prepared to move out of Manila. As discreetly as possible, Don Pepe had all his personal things packed and sent by train to Jaen. He stopped inviting his friends. But when the Steinway was crated and loaded on a large truck that blocked the street completely, the neighbors became curious. Don Pepe dissembled, saying that he had decided to live in the province for reasons of health, â€Å"at least until after Christmas. † Two weeks later, he suffered a massive stroke and died. The whole town went into mourning. His remains were interred, along with his forebears, in the south wall of the parish church. A month later, before the period of mourning had ended, Japanese planes bombed and strafed Clark Field. Except for about three months in their unting lodge in the forests of Bongabong (to escape the rumored rapine that was expected to be visited on the country by the yellow horde. Virgilio and Clara spent the war years in peace and comfort in their ancestral house in Jaen. Clara hired the best teachers for Virgilio. When food became scare in the big towns and cities, Clara put up their families in the granaries and bodegas of the hacienda so that they would go on tutoring Virgilio in science, history, literature, mathematics, philosophy and English. After his lessons, he read and practiced on the piano. He even learned to box and to fence although he was always nauseated by the ammoniac smell of the gloves and mask. Despite Clara’s best effort, she could not find new boxing gloves and fencing equipment. Until she met Honesto Garcia. Honesto Garcia was a petty trader in rice who had mastered the intricate mechanics of the black market. He dealt in anything that could be moved but he became rich by buying and selling commodities such as soap, matches, cloth and quinine pills. Garcia maintained a network of informers to help him align supply and demand—and at the same time collect intelligence for both the Japanese Army and the Hukbalahap. You read "At War’s End: An Elegy" in category "Papers" One of his informers told him about Clara Serrano’s need for a pair of new boxing gloves and protective gear for escrima. He found these items. He personally drove in his amazing old car to Jaen to present them to Clara, throwing in a French epà ©e that was still in its original case for good measure. He refused payment but asked to be allowed to visit. Honesto Garcia was the son of a kasama of the Villavicencios of Cabanatuan. By hard work and numerous acts of fealty, his father became an inquilino. Honesto, the second of six children, however made up his mind very early that he would break loose from farming. He reached the seventh grade and although his father at that time had enough money to send him to high school, he decided to apprentice himself to a Chinese rice trader in Gapan. His wage was a few centavos a day, hardly enough for his meals, but after two years, he knew enough about the business to ask his father for a loan of P60 to set himself up as a rice dealer. And then the war broke out. Honesto was handsome in a rough-hewn way. He tended to fat but because he was tall he was an imposing figure. He was unschooled in the social graces; he preferred to eat, squatting before a dulang, with his fingers. Despite these deficiencies, he exuded an aura of arrogance and self-confidence. It was this trait that attracted Clara to him. Clara had never known strong-willed men, having grown up with effete persons like Don Pepe and compliant men like the inquilinos who were always silent in her presence. When Clara told Virgilio that Honesto had proposed and that she was inclined to accept, Virgilio was not surprised. He also had grown to like Honesto who always came with unusual gifts. Once, Honesto gave him a mynah that Virgilio was able to teach within a few days to say â€Å"Good morning. How are you today? † The wedding took place in June of the second year of the war. It was a grand affair. The church and the house were decked in flowers. The inquilinos fell over each other to, supply the wedding feast. Carts and sleds laden with squealing pigs, earthen water jars filled with squirming river fish, pullets bound at the shank like posies, fragrant rice that had been husked in wooden mortars with pestles, the freshest eggs and demijohns of carabao milk for leche flan and slews of vegetables and fruit that had been picked at exactly the right time descended on the big house. The wives and daughters of the tenants cooked the food in huge vats while their menfolk roasted the suckling pigs on spluttering coals. The quests were served on bamboo tables spread with banana leaves. The war was forgotten, a rondalla played the whole day, the children fought each other for the bladders of the pigs which they blew up into balloons and for the ears and tails of the lechon as they were lifted on their spits from the fire. The bride wore the traje de boda of Virgilio’s mother, a masterpiece confected in Madrid of Belgian lace and seed pearls. The prettiest daughters of the inquilinos, dressed in organza and ribbons, held the long, embroidered train of the wedding gown. Honesto’s family were awe-struck by this display of wealth and power. They cringed and cowered in the sala of the big house and all of them were too frightened to go to the comedor for the wedding lunch. Not very long after the wedding, Honesto was running the hacienda. The inquilinos found him more congenial and understanding. At this time, the Huks were already making demands on them for food and other necessities. The fall in the Serrano share would have been impossible to explain to Clara. In fact, the Huks had established themselves on Carlos Valdefuerza’s parcel because his male children had joined the guerilla group. Honesto learned for the first time that the Huks were primarily a political and not a resistance organization. They were spreading a foreign idea called scientific socialism that predicted the takeover of all lands by the workers. Ricardo Valdefuerza, who had taken instruction from Luis Taruc, was holding classes for the children of the other tenants. Honesto was alarmed enough to take it up with Clara who merely shrugged him off. â€Å"How can illiterate farmers understand a complex idea like scientific socialism? she asked. â€Å"But they seem to understand it,† Honesto expostulated â€Å"because it promises to give them the land that they farm. † â€Å"How is that possible? Quezon and the Americans will not allow it. They don’t have the Torrens Title,† Clara said with finality. â€Å"Carding Valdefuerza has been s aying that all value comes from work. What we get as our share is surplus that we do not deserve because we did nothing to it. It rightly belongs to the workers, according to him. I myself don’t understand this idea too clearly but that is how it is being explained to the tenants. † â€Å"They are idle now. After the war, all this talk will vanish,† Clara said. When American troops landed in Leyte, Clara was four months with child. THE table had been cleared. Little glasses of a pale sweetish wine were passed around. Victor pushed back his chair to slouch. â€Å"The war has given us the opportunity to change this country. The feudal order is being challenged all over the world. Mao Tse Tung has triumphed in China. Soon the revolution will be here. We have to help prepare the people for it. † Victor declared. â€Å"Why change? † Virgilio asked. â€Å"The pre-war order had brought prosperity and democracy. What you call feudalism is necessary to rebuild the country. Who will lead? The Huks? The young turks of the Liberal Party? All they have are ideas; they have no capital, no power. † The university was alive with talk of imminent revolutionary change. Young men and women, most of them from the upper classes, spoke earnestly of redistributing wealth. â€Å"Nothing will come of it† Virgilio said, sipping his wine. â€Å"Of all of us, you have the most to lose in a revolution,† Apolonio said. â€Å"What we should aim for is orderly lawful change. You might lose your hacienda but you must be paid for it. So in the end, you will still have the capital to live on in style. † â€Å"You don’t understand,† Virgilio said. â€Å"It is not only a question of capital or compensation. I am talking of a way of life, of emotional bonds, of relationships that are immutable. In any case, we can do nothing one way or the other so let us change the subject. † â€Å"Don’t be too sure,† I said. â€Å"We can influence these events one way or another. † â€Å"You talk as it you have joined the Communist Party,† Virgilio said. â€Å"Have you? † But before I could answer, he was off on another tack. You know I have just been reading about black holes,† Virgilio said addressing himself to Zacarias. â€Å"Oppenheimer and Snyder solved Einstein’s equations on what happens when a sun or star had used up its supply of nuclear energy. The star collapses gravitationally, disappears from view and remains in a state of permanent free fall, collapsing endlessly inward into a gravitational pit without end. â€Å"What a marvelous idea! Such ideas are art in the highest sense but at the same time, the decisive proof of relativity,† Virgilio enthused. â€Å"Do you know that Einstein is embarrassed by these black holes? He considers them a diversion from his search for a unified theory,† Zacarias said. â€Å"Ah! The impulse towards simplicity, towards reduction. The need to explain all knowledge with a few, elegant equations. Don’t you think that his reductionism is the ultimate arrogance? Even if it is Einstein’s. In any case, he is not succeeding,† Virgilio said. â€Å"But isn’t reductionism the human tendency? This is what Communism is all about, the reduction of human relationships to a set of unproven economic theorems,† I interjected. â€Å"But the reductionist approach can also lead to astounding results. Take the Schrà ¶edinger and Dirac equations that reduced previous mysterious atomic physics to elegant order,† Enrique said. â€Å"What is missing in all this is the effect on men of reductionism. It can very well lead to totalitarian control in the name of progress and social order,† Apolonio ventured. â€Å"Let me resolve our debate by playing for you a piece that builds intuitively on three seemingly separate movements. This is Beethoven’s Sonata, Opus 27, No. 2. † Virgilio rose and walked gravely to the piano while we distributed ourselves on the bentwood furniture in the living room. He played the opening Adagio with sensitive authority, escalating note to note until it resolved into the fragile D-flat major which in turn disappeared in the powerful rush of the concluding Presto, the movement that crystallized the disparate emotional resonances of the first two movements into an assured and balanced relationship. When the last note had faded, we broke into cheers. But at that moment, I felt a deep sadness for Virgilio. As the Presto flooded the Allegretto, I knew that he was not of this world. Outside, through the shell windows, moonlight softened the jagged ruins of battle. 2. THE INVESTIGATION ON July 14, 1950, in the evening, Virgilio killed himself in his bedroom by slitting his wrists with a straight razor and thrusting them into a pail of warm water. His body was not found until the next morning. He did not appear for breakfast at eight. At eight-thirty, Josefa, the housemaid, knocked on the door of Virgilio’s bedroom. Getting no response, she asked Arturo, the driver, to climb up the window to look inside. The three maids panicked. Arturo drove off at once in the Packard to get me. After leaving a note for the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, we stopped at the police station near General Luna to report the suicide. Two police officers were immediately assigned to investigate. They came with us in the car to the house in Ermita. They started interrogating me in the car. â€Å"Who are you? † Police Officer No. 1 asked. â€Å"Why are you involved? †, Police Officer No. 2 demanded. I was somewhat nervous but as calmly as I could be, I answered. â€Å"My name is Nestor Gallego. I am a second-year student at University of the Philippines. Virgilio Serrano, the deceased, and I come from the same town, Jaen, in Nueva Ecija. I have known Virgilio since 1942 and I think he considers me his closest friend in university. That is the reason the driver came to me. † The policemen brought together the household staff. â€Å"Did you touch, move or remove anything in the bedroom? Did any of you go out of the house after the driver left for the university? † To both questions, the maids answered, No, whereupon they were told to stay within the premises for separate interviews later in the morning. Police Officer No. 1 went out to the yard presumably to look for clues. Police Officer No. 2 made a sketch of the scene and then searched the bedroom systematically. He opened the drawers of the tallboy carefully, he felt around the linen and underwear. The wardrobe and the aparador were also examined. But it was on the contents of the rolltop desk that No. 1 concentrated. The notebooks, a diary, and address book were all neatly arranged around a Remington typewriter. He was looking for a letter, a note even, to give him a clue or lead to the motive for the suicide. On the first page of one of the notebooks were the â€Å"Down There† and then â€Å"To my friend and confidant, Nestor Gallego, with affection. † Although unsigned, it was in Virgilio’s spidery hand. â€Å"You know anything about this? † No. 1 said in a low, threatening voice. He handed it to me. I leafed through the pages. It looked like a long poem that had been broken down into thirteen cantos. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I have not seen this before. † â€Å"But it is for you. What does it say? † â€Å"I don’t know, I have to read it first,† cuttingly. My sarcasm rolled off him like water on a duck. â€Å"Well then—read,† he ordered, motioning me to the wooden swivel chair. A frisson ran up my spine. My hands trembled as I opened the notebook and scanned the poem. There were recognizable names, places and events. There were references to his professors in university and his tutors in Jaen. The names of some of his inquilinos appeared again and again. But the longest sections were about Honesto and Clara Garcia and Ricardo Valdefuerza. From the tone and the words, it was a satire patterned closely after Dante’s Inferno. Virgilio, like Dante, had assigned or consigned people to different circles â€Å"down there. † It ended with a line from Valery, â€Å"A l’extrà ªme de toute pensà ©e est un soupir. † â€Å"I cannot say truthfully that I understand it. I know some of the people and places referred to but not why they appear in this poem. † â€Å"I will have to bring this back for analysis,† No. 1 said, giving it to No. who put it carelessly in a plastic carryall. â€Å"When you are done with it, can I have it back? I have a right to it since it was dedicated to me. † I wanted desperately to read it because I felt that it concealed the reason for Virgilio’s suicide. They spent another hour talking to the household help and scribbling in grimy notebooks. Before they left past one o’clock, No. 1 said: â€Å"It is clearly a suicide. There was no struggle. In fact, it was a very neat suicide. † He made it sound as if it was a remarkable piece of craftsmanship. I hated him. I went with Arturo to the post office to send a telegram to Jaen. Virgilio dead stop please come at once. † The undertaker took charge thereafter, informing us that by six o’clock, the remains would be ready for viewing. He asked me to select the clothes for the dead. I chose the white de hilo pants and the white cotton shirt that Virgilio wore the other day. â€Å"It is wrinkled,† the undertaker said. â€Å"Don’t you want to choose something else. † â€Å"No,† I shouted at him. â€Å"Put him in these. † 3. THE FUNERAL FATHER Sean O’Donovan, S. J. , refused to say Mass or to bless the corpse. â€Å"Those who die by their own hand are beyond the pale of the Church,† he said firmly. Let us take him home,† Clara said. She asked me to make all the arrangements and not to mind the cost. The rent for the hearse was clearly exorbitant. I bargained feebly and then agreed. Victor, Zacarias, Enrique, Apolonio and myself were to travel in the Packard. Honesto and Clara had driven to Manila in a new Buick. The hearse moved at a stately 30 kilometers per hour while a scratchy dirge poured out of it at full volume. The Garcias followed in their Buick and we brought up the rear. The rains of July had transformed the brown, dusty fields of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija into muddy fields. We passed small, nut-brown men, following a beast and a stick that scored the wet earth; dithering birds swooped down to pluck the crickets and worms that were turned up by the plow. The beat of sprung pebbles against the fender of the car marked our passage. The yard of the big house was already full of people. In the sala, a bier had been prepared. The wives of inquilinos were all in black. Large yellow tapers gave off a warm, oily smell that commingled with the attar of the flowers, producing an odor that the barrio folk called the smell of death. Then the local worthies arrived, led by the congressman of the district, the governor of the province, the mayor of Jaen, the commander of the Scout Rangers who was leading a campaign against the Huks, with their wives and retainers. They were all on intimate teams with Honesto and Clara. Except for the colonel who was in full combat uniform, they were dressed in sharkskin and two-toned shoes. They wore their hair tightly sculpted with pomade against their skulls and on their wrists and fingers gold watches and jeweled rings glistened. They all knew that Honesto had political ambition. It was not clear yet which position he had his sights on. With the death of Virgilio, the immense wealth of the Serranos devolved on Clara and on Honesto and on their 5-year old son, Jose Jr. Both the Nacionalista and Liberal Parties have been dangling all manner of bait before Honesto. Now, there will be a scramble. Honesto shook hands with everyone, murmuring acknowledgments of their expressions of grief but secretly assessing their separate motives. Clara was surrounded by the simpering wives of the politicians; like birds they postured to show their jewels to best advantage. They only fell silent when Father Francisco Santander, the parish priest, came to say the prayer for the dead and to lead the procession to the Church where Virgilio’s mortal remains would be displayed on a catafalque before the altar before interment in the south wall side by side with Don Pepe’s. I left the sala to join the crowd in the yard. My parents were there with the Serranos’ and our tenants. There was a palpable tension in the air. A number of the kasamas had been seized by the Scout Rangers, detained and tortured, so that they may reveal the whereabouts of Carding. They were frightened. From what I heard from my parents, most of the tenants distrusted Honesto who they felt was using the campaign against the Huks to remove those he did not like. The inquilinos were helpless because Clara was now completely under the sway of Honesto. I walked home. When I got there, Restituto, our caretaker, very agitated, took me aside and whispered. â€Å"Carding is in the house. He has been waiting for you since early morning. I kept him from view in your bedroom. † He looked at me, uncertain and obviously frightened. â€Å"What shall we do? Leave it to me. But do not tell anyone—not even my parents. He shall be gone by the time they return. † I put my arm around Restituto’s shoulder to reassure him. Carding wheeled when I walked in, pistol at the ready. He was dressed in army fatigues and combat boots. A pair of Ray-Ban glasses dangled on his shirt. He put the pistol back in its holster. â€Å"You shouldn’t be here. There a re soldiers all around. † â€Å"They will not come here. They are too busy in the hacienda,† Carding said. The shy, spindly boy that I knew during the war had grown into a broad muscular man. His eyes were hooded and cunning. â€Å"I have to talk to you. Did Virgilio leave a last will and testament? † â€Å"Not that I know of. He left a notebook of poems. † â€Å"What is that? † Carding demanded, startled. â€Å"A notebook of verses with the title ‘Down There. ’ You are mentioned in the poem. But the police has it,† I answered. â€Å"Did it say anything about the disposition of the hacienda in case of his death? † â€Å"I did not have a chance to read it closely but I doubt it. Aren’t such things always done up in legal language? There certainly is nothing like that in the notebook. What are you leading up to? † Carding sighed. â€Å"In 1943; Virgilio came to see me. He had heard from Honesto that I have been talking to the tenants about their rights. Virgilio wanted to know himself the bases of my claims. We had a long talk. I told him about the inevitability of the triumph of the peasant class. Despite his wide reading, he had not heard of Marx, Lenin, or Mao Tse Tung. He was visibly shaken. But when I told him of the coming calamity that will bring down his class, he asked ‘What can I do? ’ and I said: ‘Give up. Give up your land, your privilege and your power. That is the only way to avoid the coming calamity’. â€Å"He apparently did not have any grasp of social forces. He kept talking of individual persons—tenants that he had known since he was a child, inquilinos who had been faithful to his father until their old age, and all that nonsense. ‘The individual does not matter,’ I yelled at him. ‘Only the class called the proletariat. ’ â€Å"But even without understanding, he said that he will leave the hacienda to the tenants because it was probably the right thing to do. But Clara should not be completely deprived of her means of support. It was exasperating, talking to him, but he did promise that in his will the tenants would get all. â€Å"Obviously, he changed his mind. † Carding said in a low voice. â€Å"That is too bad because now we have to take his land by force. † I was speechless. In university, talk of revolution was all the rage but this was my first encounter with a man who could or would try to make it happen. â€Å"When I get back the notebook, I will study it to see if there is any statement that will legally transfer the Serrano hacienda to you and the other tenants,† I said weakly. â€Å"I will be in touch,† Carding said. He walked out the door. The day of the funeral was clear and hot. Dust devils rose from the road. In the shadow of the acacia trees in the churchyard, hundreds of people of all ages crowded to get away from the sun. Inside the church, even the aisles were packed. â€Å"Introibo ad altare Dei† Father Santander intoned. â€Å"Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam,† I answered. The mass for the dead began. My heart was racing because I knew the reason for Virgilio’s suicide. But nobody would care, save me. Rony Diaz writes a novel / Serafin Quiason presents a model for our leaders â€Å"At War’s End†, Rony V. Diaz’s first novel, had a tremendously successful launching at a recent PEN meeting in the Solidaridad Bookshop. Among the scores present were National Artists for Literature F. Sionil Jose and Bienvenido Lumbera, eminent writers Elmer Ordoà ±ez, Lito Zulueta and Virgie Moreno. In brief remarks, Bien said he and Rony were both post-graduate students at Indiana U. ; when Bien asked Rony what he was taking, the latter replied, â€Å"Indian linguistics. † There and then, Bien convinced Rony to take up literary courses which later led to Rony’s garnering Palanca prizes for short stories. Earlier, while still at the UP, he had in fact already won several awards. Copies of â€Å"At War’s End†, printed by The Manila Times Publishing Corporation managed by Dante Ang II, are available in Solidaridad at P300. Rony is now working on two other novels: â€Å"The Adventures of Candida† and â€Å"Quita y Pone†. During the launch, Dr. Serafin D. Quiason, former National Library director and National Historical Institute chairman and now Lopez Museum consultant, so regaled me with accounts of Vietnam’s late president Ho Chi Minh that I requested him to send me a fuller description of the icon. What follows is the speech Dr. Quiason delivered on May 10 at the Laguna State Polytechnic U. His Excellency Ambassador Nguyen Vu Tu, Dr. Ricardo Wagan, President, Laguna State Polytechnic University, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. May I take this rare occasion to extend to you my warmest greetings in conjunction with the unveiling of the statues of President Ho Chi Minh and Dr. Jose P. Rizal. It was the good fortune of Dr. and Mrs. Ricardo Wagan and my own to take part in the commemoration of the 120th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh, the Father of the Modern State of Vietnam. Measured by a universal moral yardstick, he was every inch a man of culture, letters and peace in the highest order. He was truly that, a unique Asian leader who served his beloved country and people faithfully, fully and extremely well. In the early morning of May 10, the foreign delegates to the international conference made a pilgrimage to Kim Lien commune in the province of Nghe An, the birthplace of President Ho Chi Minh. The distance from Hanoi to Nghe An province is about 1,000 kilometers. It took us eight hours to get there, breaking our arduous journey at two four-star hotels, and another eight hours to get back to Hanoi. To us pilgrims, our visit was an unforgettable experience. Any homage bestowed upon Ho Chi Minh, no matter how tiring and how long the journey to his birthplace, is not wasted. Twenty years ago, I was in Hanoi and took part in the celebration of the centenary of President Ho Chi Minh. What I have witnessed during my brief stay is a remarkable transformation or an unprecedented metamorphosis of Vietnam into a progressive and prosperous nation-state in the ASEAN region, thanks to its dynamic, committed and dedicated collective leadership. Since 1986, the policy of â€Å"openness† or â€Å"doi moi† has been relentlessly pursued resulting in the process a happy balance between industrial development and growth and complex luxuriant agricultural rice production and distribution. The cities I saw are mushrooming with finely designed sky rises and multicolored residential houses displaying a distinct Vietnamese architectural style. I took a glimpse of the ancient looking Roman Catholic churches along the long route which are visible signs of the policy of religious toleration. Much to my astonishment I have not seen unsightly enclaves of slums, impoverished beggars roving the shady lanes, truant street children, tricycles and pedicabs. How I wish and hope our new crop of leaders could emulate the simplistic ways of President Ho Chi Minh! When he became President, he never lived in the fabulously built Palace for the French Governor General, but instead stayed in the gardener’s tiny cottage on stilts just a stone’s throw away from a nearby pond. He bore the title and position with utmost simplicity and decorum. He had a Gandhi-like deportment, bordering on the ways of a Buddhist ascetic. In his calculus of personal values on food habits, attire, and lodging, he was a man of simple tastes. He knew the delights of excellent cuisine, considering his work experience at the famous Carlton Restaurant. Still, his preference went to ordinary or common man’s fare. His beloved countrymen owe an inestimable debt of gratitude to their nationalist patriotic icon. He died at the age of 79. Although he never lived to see a unified Vietnam, his legacy in the form and substance of extraordinary gifts and major achievements shall live forever. How to cite At War’s End: An Elegy, Papers

Thomas Hardys Tess Of The Durbervilles Essay Example For Students

Thomas Hardys Tess Of The Durbervilles Essay Thomas Hardys Tess Of The DurbervillesExtremitiesIn Thomas Hardys Tess of the Durbervilles, Tess worked in two extremely differentiating places. Both Talbothays and Flintcomb Ash represented a time in her life whether it be favorable or horrid. Both of these spots contributed a deep meaning to the novel. The happiest days of Tesss life were spent on a dairy farm called Talbothays. It was there that she met Angel Claire, with whom she had desperately fallen in love with and married. Talbothays was used as a symbol of grandeur in Tesss life. It was there where she found meaning in her life for the first time in the novel and became content with herself. However, it all came to an abrupt end when she married Angel and told him of her affair with her cousin Alex. Angel was devastated and left her to fend for herself. This is when her life got much harder. Through a friend, she got a job working for Flintcomb Ash. It was a physically exhausting job, in which she had utter hatred for. While there she ran into her cousin Alex. This only worsened her terrible state of mind. From then on she longed for the days with Angel at Talbothays. Talbothays and Flintcomb Ash differ extremely in their descriptions. Talbothays was a Utopia in Tesss life. It was depicted with luscious greenery and rolling hills. Itwas located in the Vale of Froom, which was known for its rich and fertile soil. Therenothing could bother tess. Flintcomb Ash was a barren wastelan characterized by misery andpain. It was a cruel place in which Tess spent the worst days of her life. There she found the meaning of true wretchedness, but at the same time began to appreciate her days at Talbothays. The descriptions Hardy used to depict the two places were central to the meaning of the work. The descriptive writing lets tthe reader not only see both places, but feel them as well. This allows the reader to find apathy for Tesss situation and take pity on her. The contrast made between talbothays and Flintcomb Ash was used to symbolize the enormous conflict Tesss life dealt with. Through this type of writing the readerbegins to see that no matter how bad a person might think they have it, someone else has always got it worse. BibliographyBloom, Harold. T.S. Eliot. Pennsylvania:Chelsea House Publishers,1999. 60-68. Curley/Kramer, eds. Modern American Literature:Vol. 1. New York:Frederick UngarPublishing Company, 1969. 340-341. Perkins, George, ed. Benets Reader Encyclopedia of American Literature. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1991.300-301.

The Wonders of the Universe

Introduction The universe is a phenomenon that human beings want to understand. There are various explanation, some are religious others are scientific. The religious books explain the universe as accretion of a Supreme Being while science studies the universe by engaging in research and documenting the results.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Wonders of the Universe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The pioneering scientist like Newton and Einstein coined theories that have formed the basis for many theorists in today’s world. The theorist explained the origin of the universe and made important discoveries that influenced the world view. Other scientist have emerged and published as they continue to explore the existence of the universe (Diez 1). This research paper will compare The Exploding Suns: The Secrets of the Supernovas by Asimov and The Brief History of Time by Hawking. It will explor e the similarities and the differences. Moreover, it will discuss the advantages of each book over the other. This paper will also recommend different readers to each book while giving the reasons for the recommendation. At the end the paper will give an opinion of the favorite book and give the reasons. The Exploding Suns by Isaac Asimov The explanation of the existence of the universe is explained by the award winning scientist as having taken place billions of years ago. This happened when the â€Å"big bang† took place and molecules of helium together with molecules of hydrogen formed gigantic clouds. The author introduces the supernovas which takes the center stage in explaining the universe. The supernovas are enormous unsteady suns that are massive tremors and giant outbursts are phenomenal in the entire system. The results of the phenomenal are believed to perpetuate life and among other things the metals and rocks. In his book, Asimov puts in plain words the diverse types of stars that formed. While giving the explanations, he describes how a star becomes supernova from nova. Besides the stars he explicates the origin of life. He uses scientific knowledge to explain the existence of God without referring to any religious beliefs (Blake: 3). Asimov (13) explains the origin humans using science. In his explanations of human existence, he does not subscribe to any supernatural being or powers. To him billions of years have passed since the simple molecules that existed in the atmosphere combined to form the complex universe. The formation of the complex molecules left no trace that would imply life existed. To be able to establish the accuracy of this theory, technology which would enable more investigation in the space should be embraced.Advertising Looking for research paper on natural sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, there is need to use biotechnology in the investigati ons to establish if there is any form of life that would be likened to what is on planet Earth. Further to clarify if the human beings living on the planet Earth have any beginnings in the space. After establishing the existence of human life in the space, then the evidence should be consistent with the makeup of human beings in the contemporary world. The Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking Hawking in his books covers several subjects in cosmology. He covers the big bang theory, the black holes as well as the light cones (Diez 1). what is more the author goes ahead to discuss mathematical concepts in the book. He however refrains from using including mathematical equation in the book. His presentation of the contents in the book is organized systematically. He starts by stating the beginning of the universes and using theory he explains how the existence of objects came to be and reveals the existence of the black holes. The book answers important questions that human beings h ave about the existence of entire universe. Hawking uses scientific approach to answer these questions. In his book he discusses the commencement of time and the end of the universe. He also displays the similarities and contrasts of the different types of the black hole. He discusses the density of the universe in relation to the impact of critical value to understand the expansion rate. In his book Hawking while reviewing the writings of the Newton as well as Einstein, he discusses the role of God in the creation of the universe. His main interest is to understand how God designed the quantum mechanics law and relativity theory only to abandon the progress of the concepts without leaving room for intercession. Similarities Both books can reader friendly for non scientist. Hawking’s The Brief History of Time has only one equation. This is contrary to the fact that scientist are prone to using equations.non scientist often find the equations unfriendly and discourage them fro m reading the book. Besides having only one equation, Hawking frequently gives illustrates in the book to enable the reader understand the arguments. Asimov in the book The Exploding Suns explains the scientific concepts in his text making it possible for the reader to understand. The reader therefore does not need to have prior knowledge of scientific concepts to be able to understand the text.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Wonders of the Universe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The two authors have made great contributions in science and particularly cosmology. Asimov has written and edited over 500 books and written enormous letters as well as articles concerning science. Hawking has also made great contributions and challenged what the pioneers in science documented. For instance, Hawking contributes to the theory of black holes by noting that the black hole adheres to the thermodynamic law. By doing so he also integrates the general relativity approach together with quantum mechanics to understand his discovery that challenges existing theory of black hole. In this case he ascertains that it possible that the black hole is not entirely black, this is because radiation can leak (Hawking 30). Both authors are keen to the nature of the constantly changing world and the enormous growth in knowledge. There is more scientist than before and therefore the audiences of sciences have increased. They try to explain the nature universe using science to meet the need for knowledge. This is an attempt to incorporate new research as the explanation of some phenomenon still remains unexplained. Although the books can be read by non scientist, it is necessary for the reader to have some form of basic education in science to be able to understand some concepts explained in the books. Having studied the introductory science classes in the initial stages in school, the reader’s cu riosity arises for more knowledge. This is the information found in both books, which is how the universe came into existence in details cause the readers to develop curiosity and want to read and read contents. Asimov and Hawking have subscribed to the theories that were propounded by scientist such as Einstein, Newton among others. They refer to theory of the big bang and the concept of black holes to explain the complex reality scientifically. Although the theories were crafted many years ago they are still used in both books as a basis of explaining the beginnings of the world. In their later editions of the versions of their books, they have included the developments in science that indicate changes in science. The new additional information captures the developments in theory and modifies the existing theories that have been explained in the book. This does not mean that the theories that are mentioned before are irrelevant; they are relevant as they form a basis for understan ding the new modified theory. Differences Hawking subscribes to the theories that were propounded by the pioneers of science Newton and Einstein. The concepts derived from gravitational force are compared with quantum mechanics together with relativity theory. The concepts form a basis for studying the nuclear forces (strong forces and weak forces), electromagnetic field, and the theory of superstring as well as quantum theory.Advertising Looking for research paper on natural sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Combining the concepts is a challenge because of the diversity of the forces. However, God is believed to have used a plan that combined all the concepts. On the other hand, Asimov does rely on the existing theory but he avoids dwelling on the already published theories to explain his understanding of the universe. Hawking describes the entire universe using a vast range of theories to capture every detail of the world more than Asimov. The wide ranges of theories make his book more comprehensive than the fewer theories used by Asimov. Hawking therefore makes the theories more complex when he goes ahead to combine the principles in order to come up with one theory that captures the wide range. This is evident when he incorporates the theory of relativity with quantum mechanics and relates them to the four dimensions. On the other hand besides introducing the big bang theory, Asimov chooses to follow the explanation of the supernovas to concentrate on one course. Hawking gives detail s on the objects in the universe while Asimov includes the origin of life to his theory of the universe. Besides discussing the novas and supernovas, the black hole and the big bang, Asimov briefly explains how human life began. In his explanation of the origin of life, the reader is left to engage in thoughts that doubt the credibility of his story. This is because it may be difficult to comprehend if life and the rocks together with the heavy metals could have any connection. Hawking does welcome the idea of God being included in the creation of the universe. In contrast, Asimov ignores the fact that there is a possibility that God would have played a role in the universe. Hawking in trying to explain how the four forces are intertwined visits the subject of God being the creator of the universe. He refers to Gods role intervening in the nature he created whenever there raises challenges that may have implications referring to the forces of nature. Moreover, he seldom criticizes G od’s role in the universe. Asimov on the contrast is hesitant to include God in the picture. He explains the universe purely on the basis of science. Advantages of one book over the other Advantage of the exploding suns The most fascinating aspect of The Exploding Suns is the explanation of the existence of the entire world using the theory of the supernovas. What gives the book more advantage to The Brief History of Time is the inclusion of the explanation on the beginnings of human being. The fact that Asimov uses the novas and supernovas in his book makes it possible for a new student of the science to understand. Although he does introduce complex scientific theories in the text he keeps the explanation within the scope of the novas and supernovas. This makes it possible for a reader to comprehend and flow with the ideas. The advantage Asimov’s book is that it is much simpler to follow unlike The Brief History of Time which introduces a vast range of theories and t he comprehensive information is compacted to give a brief history. The study of the stars is a complex topic that requires efforts and devotion of time to be able to understand. Asimov uses uncomplicated language in his book to disseminate the complex information about the suns. Moreover, he takes us back to the well known theories of the big bang, black holes and other theories that have been formulated to explain the reality of the universe. The concepts that are used in The Exploding Suns are explained explicitly. This enables people without prior knowledge of physics or astrology to read and understand the text. For this reason, the readers can read without consulting with the dictionary or encyclopedia for the complex theories. Asimov makes it possible for non scientist to use the book comfortably irrespective of their level of education. Advantage of the brief history of time The Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking is a book that encourages one to be more imaginative. He deeply explains the existence of the universe and the great phenomenon with enthusiasm. This he does by using understandable language. The last edition of Hawking has an additional chapter that gives the book an advantage over The exploding suns. The book has been revised making modifications according to developments in physics. The chapter talks about time travel on top of wormholes. Consequently, Hawking book thorough investigations on the theories gives credit as he makes comparison to find weakness and strengths of each. In his findings he finds similarity in the different approaches in physics. The Brief History of Time is the book for one seeking to understand the origin of the universe, how the universe formed and gets to know more about astronomy. The determination of a reader to understand is a must. This is because Hawking refers to some complex processes that require a lot of attention especially for non scientist. Although he discusses the theory of black holes in detai ls, the relativity theory is not given equal attention and thus the reader must pay attention to capture the idea. Getting started with reading the theories that summarize the existence of the universe and time is possible. Non scientist can get several theories in one book that is The Brief History of Time. The books writer did not have in mind that he writing the text for the experts. Understandable language is used with limited equations hence friendly. However, the book does use scientific concepts that either explained in detail or at least briefly. This enables the non- experts to be able to understand. The concepts that are used do not make the entire literature incomprehensible but rather introduces the reader the theories that have been in existence in the past years as stipulated by scientist. The book is informative to both non-scientist and scientist. However the reader must have at least some education to form a basis for understanding science. What kind of readers woul d be recommended to one book and why Recommending a book to a reader can be daunting task. Readers have different motives of reading a book. Both books are knowledgeable and can help the reader to understand the makeup of the universe and influence their perception about the universe. Recommend the Exploding Suns For a reader whose aim is to understand the concept of supernovas, then The Exploding Suns would be the book to read. Asimov explains the way the supernovas are formed. The details of the suns are given in detail and the reader is left with no choice but to get the concept of the supernovas which is used throughout the book. Readers who have little knowledge in science may use Asimov’s book. The concepts are explained clearly. The reader need not have any knowledge in science since Asimov writes in a layman’s language. The reader will be able to understand the different principles of the suns and get insight to know more. Readers who do not believe in the exis tence of any Supreme Being and power (God) can subscribe to Asimov writings. He does not acknowledge whether God had any stake in the formation of the universe. To him science is responsible for the creation of life and the objects in space. Students without any basic knowledge on the physical sciences or astronomy can read the exploding suns. It introduces the subject of the astrology in a comprehensive yet understandable manner. Recommend the brief history of time The readers who want to explore knowledge about the big bang theory, the black holes as well as the light cones The Brief History of Time is the book to read. The reader focuses on the types of black holes and explains how they are formed and describes the scenario in detail. A reader interested in theories is physics need to read The Brief History of Time. It can be considered to be an introduction to theories in physic. This is because it calls for absolute attention while reading the text where the reader is provoked to think. Moreover, it recaptures what the existing literature about the theories talk about and adds to the discussions. A reader who wants to understand how God fits in the scientific explanation of how the universe came to be should read The Brief History of Tim. In his book, Hawking devoted a whole chapter to discuss the role of God in science. Hawking invokes God and does so tactfully. It is important to note that he avoids contradicting with God and approaches then subject with ease. The Brief History of Time arranged systematically such that a reader with little knowledge about astronomy can follow. The chapters are guiding since one chapter ushers in the next chapter. In the chapters that proceed, Hawking takes time to explain the concepts in depth. Later he keeps referring to what he explained to build in the knowledge. The most recent developments in theory are discussed in the end. For instance the last chapter on the string theory is presented last. The four dimensions o f the world are explained vividly in The Brief History of Time. The intent of relating and describing the dimensions is with an aim of approaching the subject of obtaining a theory that includes all the mentioned theories in the book. According to Hawking, science would reach its end if a unified theory that speaks about the universe would be coined. This aspect of discussing the dimensions makes the book even more interesting to read. The Brief History of Time is a book that total concentration to read. Although Hawking makes it easier to understand by arranging the chapters in a friendly way, the reader must pay attention not to skip any details. Hawking keeps referring to concepts already introduced in previous chapters to introduce other concepts in the following chapter. The four dimensions and the theories mentioned might not be easy for a non scientist to gasp. They must pay attention and meditate as they progress so as to deduce meanings that are implied within the theories. Besides the fact that some concepts in physics can be difficult to explain, I would recommend the book to a non scientist as well as emerging scientist to read the book. This is because Hawking simplified the explanation such that one can understand. If a reader wants a book that is wealthy in a lot of information, The Brief History of Time is the book to read. It is rich in information and every time the reader reads they encounter more and more information. This is to mean that the book is comprehensive in the subject of time and space, among other interesting scientific theories. The end result is that the reader broadens his knowledge in the subject. There is so much that remains unexplored in the existence of the universe. Hawking provokes other scientist who may be interested in the subject to explore so as to arrive at a unified theory. This is a call for more inventions in the subject. A scientist who would be interested in astrology may read the book to get insights from H awking. Moreover, the theory that was introduced in the last chapter, the string theory is an area that needs to be explored as it is an emerging theory. This book could be recommended to a scientist who wants to engage in research about the astronomy. As the name of the book suggests, Hawking wrapped up the entire story of time and space briefly. A reader with at least the knowledge of the physics can engage in the reading the publication. The details provided are best for someone with at least the some college education in science. This is because he does present a lot of details in physics are limits his exploration in giving an extensive definition of some concepts. However the reader despite losing the writer in some parts of the book can still catch up and get to understand as he often uses simple language, considering that physics can be complex and difficult to explain. College graduates who have completed their physics tutorials can use the book to broaden their understandi ng about the universe. The book covers several concepts that have been introduced during their training. Moreover, the book can be of great advantage to those who seek to advance in physics and astrological studies. This is because it provokes further thinking and broadens ones understanding of time and space. Although the latest edition of The Brief History of Time introduced the new developments of theory in physics, most of the content emanate from theories that were developed many years back. This book would not be the most appropriate for a reader searching for new theories in physics. Which book did I like more and why Both The Brief History of Time and The Exploding Suns give the details that a non scientist would read and understand. They have areas of similarities like the big bang theory and are presented differently. The major driving force that leads one to choose a book is to get information which is comprehensive like in The Brief History of Time. The Brief History of Time emerges s as the most comprehensive book because of the wide inclusion of many theories that explain the world phenomenon. Moreover, the theories are explained consistently and progressively. Hawking uses simple language understandable even to the non scientist. A lot of knowledge is compacted just like the title of the books calls it a brief history. For this reason one begins to gain interest and becomes more imaginative. The author further attempts to relate the complex forces of nature with the existing theories so as to come up with a unified approach on the nature of the world system. More importantly, the book is theoretical and avoids using equations. Conclusion The universe is a complex reality that can be hard to explain. The Brief History of Time and The Exploding Suns have tried to give an account of the existence of the entire universe. Among the questions answered is the beginning of the universe and how forces of nature resulted into the present world. They give an account of the objects that are found in the space and explain various concepts (Girl: 1). Both books in their latest editions have introduced a chapter on the development of theories and use the earlier theories to explain the emerging theories. Among the theories commonly used in both books is the theory of the big bang and black hole among others. It is a remarkable effort from both authors that they managed to simplify the complex science into understandable layman’s language. Moreover, both authors have referred to theories that were coined by the pioneering scientist. The content found in the books is different in approach. Hawking in The Brief History of Time discusses the relativity theory; quantum mechanics among others while Asimov in The Exploding Suns dwells on the theory of the novas and the supernovas. The other difference is that Hawking book may require the reader to have some foundation in physics to be able to capture all the ideas that are presented. On the other hand Asimov’s book is written in the simplest language for readers without prior knowledge on astrology. Asimov has included in his book explanation of how human life came to be. Besides using science to explain the nature of the universe, Hawking visits the role of God in the universe. Works Cited Asimov, Isaac. The Exploding Suns: The Secrets of the Supernovas. Oak Lawn Public Library, 1991. Blake, David.   A Brief History of Time, review, 2004. Web. Diez, David.  Great Overview of Stars + Brief Biology, 2006 Web. Gir, Alam. A brief History of time from the big bang to the black holes, 2011. Web. Hawking, Steven. The Brief History of Time. New York: Bantam, 1998. This research paper on The Wonders of the Universe was written and submitted by user Madeleine Horton 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.

Conflict in Syria Opportunity for Future Democratisation

Conflict in Syria Opportunity for Future Democratisation Literature Review The literature review seeks to analyse democracy in a conceptual framework that explores the politics of the Arab world against that happening in the rest of the world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conflict in Syria: Opportunity for Future Democratisation? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In so doing, it seeks to demonstrate the meaning of democracy, explore democracy in the Middle East, while tackling political science’s view on democracy, and the concept of faith as well as its influences in the Syrian politics to exploit the major issues in the Syrian democratic question. The meaning of democracy The word democracy emanates from two Greek terms ‘demos’ meaning the people while ‘Kratos’ refers to a form of Aristocracy denoting a leadership that is decided upon by the people (Sen 1999, p. 8). In the American context, Lagon (2011) opines that democracy refers to a people chosen government. This definition is shared by other civilised societies that recognise the sovereignty of the people in the concept of governance. However, the lack of universal meaning of democracy has made different societies pursue different approaches to democracy. The lack of universality of democracy could be traced back to the ancient civilisation in the Athens communities where democracy literally allowed only men above the age of 21 to partake active roles in civic activities such as voting and voicing of their opinions in public. The vast economy of the ancient Athena City State pigeonholed on slavery of women who as per the dictates of the systems had no amount of say in the affairs of state whatsoever, nor were they permissible to voice honest opinions in the public. Politics, debate, public utterances, and arguments of any kind were the preserve of men. However, democracy in much of the developing world can never be equated to that prevailing in the developed nations such as those in the west. The overwhelming civil strife in Syria and the raging debate over Assad’s administration intolerance to opposition groupings remains a complex domestic question to solve. Democracy in the Middle East In the years following the Second World War, the world turned its focus from the contest between democracy and totalitarianism to emerging threats such as the global balance of power (Hunter 2007, p. 1). The escalating war in most parts of the world provoked the vast continental Europe to endow their colonial holdings with independence.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In part, the succeeding up-thrust of the newly independent and susceptible nations greatly worried the United States, especially with regard to its positioning in world politics. In the culminating sequence of events, Berlatsky (2012, p. 145) observes that the United States sought to ascertain that the enormous human and massive monetary sacrifices it offered in conquering the Second World War were not in vain, and that the newly established nations would become its allies and further reinforce its eminence as the world power. According to Husseini (2012, p. 234), the power vacuum in the years following the post-war history greatly troubled the United States, especially in the oil opulent and war ravaged Middle East. Much of the Middle East was a deep concern to the West, and this was mainly because of its inclination to communist thinking. In totality, the civic authority was largely presumed in the West as either weak or lacking in form. Another factor that worried the West was the fact that several nations in the Middle East were deeply engrossed in the traditional systems of governance characterised by the Arab dynasties. However, the conquest of the nationalistic movements as well as the collapse of the Pan-Arabism after the overthr ow of Egyptian President Col. Gamal Abdel Nasser shocked several Middle East nations. According to Merrill (2006, p. 29), the 1957 Eisenhower Doctrine took course to extend the primacy of the Truman Doctrine, which essentially increased the US’s commitment and containment to the Middle East. Observers note that this was a move to contain Pan-Arabism nationalistic vendetta, and further sought to check on the proliferation of communism, which, at the time, was America’s greatest headache. America and Europe sought to nurture a democratic system of government in the Arab world to make their regimes accountable and all-inclusive of their people. How democracy differs from one country to another Democracy can never be complete without liberalism. Essentially, liberalism makes democracy to be different from one country to another (Lagon 2011). In an illiberal society, the people are limited in their ability to voice honest opinions. In other words, freedom of speech is curta iled.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conflict in Syria: Opportunity for Future Democratisation? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In such countries, certain individuals like the poor and women are disenfranchised from all forms of political activities. Most countries in Africa and much of the Muslim world are typical illiberal democracies. According to King (2009, p. 167), most counties in the Middle East, especially those that are currently struggling with shedding off the shreds of the Arab Spring such as Syria have only known the converse of democracy, which is dictatorship. Within the precipice of democracy, right thinking individuals in all corners of the world consider such countries failed states. The word democracy, according to King (2009, p. 168), denotes an all-inclusive political system that drives its power from the people. Therefore, in a democratic society, all eligible citizens have the endowment to participate in decisions that affect them in the concept of governance. Mature democracies such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Canada are governed by representative democracies. Different countries have different attitudes towards the idea of democracy. Many people in different countries have a feeling that promoting democracy should be the preserve of the state. However, in Syria and other Middle East nations, there is reluctance on the part of government to make democracy a central theme in its promotional stratagem (Lagon 2011). Citizens in these countries feel a moral obligation to explore the full meaning of democracy, and, most often, there is substantial rebuttal from the government. A modest minority rule in the Middle East favours promotion of limited democracy in these somewhat friendly authoritarian democracies, which often lead – in some cases – to unfriendly governments. Consequently, majority chose to put both diplomatic and publ ic pressure on the states to reconsider democratic rights of their citizens. The prevailing democracy in the United Arab Emirates, for example, is a substandard type of democracy whose parallelism cannot be argued on the same table with the American type of democracy (King 2009, p. 169).Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To a given degree, all these discrepancies in the concept of democratisation of global politic show openly the lack of universality in democracy. Viewing democracy as a western ideology Promoting democracy in countries that view it as a western ideology is often characterised by stiff objection from the governments whose authorities view it as a promotion of strategic policies of the West (Heydemann 2013, p. 60). Of late, there are concrete stakes for Syria, and, indeed, the Arab world in their quest for democratisation – namely, prosperity, pluralism, and greater peace in all parts of the world (Rahbek 2005, p. 245). Controversial pathways of achieving the full dimensions of democracy and the archetypical mismatches between words and deeds continue to cloud appreciation of democracy in Syria. Sharp and Blanchard (2012, p. 267) underscore that the quest for democracy in Syria exhibit conflicting priorities, and the Assad regime holds that promotion of democracy is not a panac ea for the Syrian problem whatsoever. Yet, among the tried, tested, and trusted findings in international community studies, reports hold that established democracies are never at war, especially with their people. Democracy by any means is the preserve of an equal opportunity society where everyone has a say in the concept and nature of governance. Democracy, as Morlino (2002, p. 23) notes, makes sovereignty meaningful; dictatorial regimes make sovereignty a mockery of the people. Other governments, such as Syria advocates sovereignty even when democracy of the people is trapped underfoot. The oligarchies in Syria have vested interests that have continued to deprive their people of meaningful human rights. However, what makes it hard to achieve the wholesomeness of democracy in Syria is the fact that international foreign policy is not cast on a stone. Many civilised societies continue to work with the Syrian government without considering its legitimacy (Henry and Springborg 2001, p. 45). If this trend were not the case, then mature democracies would only enter into any kind of dealing with countries that have attested to the willingness of exploring the full dimension of democracy. Notably, what most civilised democracies fail to figure out is that durable stability emanates from domestic politics founded on peaceful competition in elective politics, which in turn promotes the much-desired conduct by the governments. The premised pretext on elections as a model of democratic fallacy in Syria While periodic elections are important pointers to democracy in the concept of governance, elections on their own do not necessarily constitute a democracy (Shin 2013, p. 2). Liberalism, freedom, and civility matters most. The all-pervasive lack of free and fair elections in Syria shows how there are great discrepancies in the concept of democracy. In remote democracies such as in the Arab world and several African nations, Ehteshami (2008, p. 67) notes that elections a re predetermined, not contested, but awarded to the ruling dynasties, making a sharp mockery to election as a civic duty. In the United States, by comparison, elections are highly contested and candidates are elected based on their suitability to the hold a state office. Overall, it make sense to argue that democracy as a concept of governance, where the citizens freely and equally participate in the civic duties while elected individuals remain accountable to the people’s preferences is a far cry from being achieved in Syria, at least at the moment. Achieving democracy in Syria warrants the masses to unconditionally sanction and steer the essentials ideals of true democracy. This has not been the case not only in Syria but also in the Arab world, as well as in most parts of Africa. In much of the developing world, democracy is only a paper representation to some appealing political tune that thrives under authoritarian rule. Political science’s views on democracy Poli tics is a study that embroils both humanistic and scientific facets of socio-economic and political establishments. As a social science discipline, political science is concerned primarily with the studies of state, governance, politics, political parties, and policies that inform them (Lust-Okar 2006). Political science as a study deals exclusively in the theory and practicality of politics as well as the analysis of political parties and systems of governance such as democracy or authoritarianism. Most constitutions in democratic societies, according to Burnell (2004, p. 5), recognise the existence of political theories with pragmatic establishment of political institutions and practices. Political Science advocates for a highly scientific and fastidious attempt to explore human behaviour and events that have shaped political history and democratic processes. Moreover, political science as a study prepares individuals not just for employment, but also for survival given its effica cy in making informed citizenry that has the capacity to participate in the political processes within political parties and interest groups that nurture democracy (Freeman 2003). Political science further seeks to expand the scope of political advocacy. The discipline holds that democracy is a form of community organisation that explores service by the elected or appointed officials to the people. Therefore, democracy is the power behind the formation of political parties, and its efficacy is usually instrumental in revealing the underlying relationships between political events and the conditions that generate such parties (Jnos 2003). In essence, democracy seeks to construct the general principles for which societal politics works in line with the constitution and the policies under which a government operate. In practice, democracy intersects with political parties, theories of governance, and comparative politics. Political parties in a democracy The aim of every political part y is to position itself to form a government. Political science is more concerned with the allocation as well as the transfer and separation of power in decision-making. Political parties advocate for greater democratic space. In a way, they are effective channels to develop a politically moral society. Democracy guarantees what measures political parties can use to gauge the success or failure of a system within the rights and freedoms bestowed upon them by the constitution. Political science holds that under good administration, political parties are necessary for long-term political growth in emerging democracies. As Noel (2009, p. 2) notes, political parties have been instrumental in advocating for human rights and inclusivity in the concept of governance as a concrete system that seeks to extend the concept of democracy. Political scientists hold that democracy is the preserve of a meaningful civilised society. Without democracy in a society, governments may become a fetter to freedom, thus denying the parties the meaning for which they exist. Accordingly, political science holds that democracy can never be complete without liberalism. Essentially, this fact makes one political party to be different from another, and nations to be different in their approach to democracy (Lagon 2011). Consequently, different societies subscribe to different political positioning making democracy function differently in different societies. As such, democratic political parties recognise the eligibility of all their members, and the citizens have the endowment to participate in decisions that affect them as an entity. Autonomous political parties such as those found in the developed world are governed by representative democracies that recognise the power of the people. The fact that different political parties have different attitudes towards the idea of democracy makes parties to assume different approaches to governance, especially upon the commencement of state power. Promoting the concept of democracy Political science holds that promoting democracy in politics should be the preserve of all people in a society. Many parties would like to have a strong association with democracy, yet they usually fall short of the democratic standardisation measures. As Rahbek (2005, p. 229) observes, memberships in parties that do advocate for social equality usually feel a moral obligation to explore the full meaning of democracy without which, members usually quit. A modest majority rule in political parties favours the promotion of limited democracy in many liberal democracies. Whereas parties are inclined to dictatorial tendencies, the fear naturally is upon the assumption of power by such parties. Parties in power may turn to be more dictatorial, hence becoming undemocratic and consequently unpopular with the masses. In societies that are more inclined to undemocratic policies such as in Syria, the larger majority are usually left out hence yielding a feeli ng of marginalisation and consequently revolt. In such situations, the masses naturally regroup to put both diplomatic and public pressure on the states to reconsider the democratic rights of their citizens. Governance is a duty of every single individual in a society; as such, political parties in Syria must first seek to accommodate the aspirations of the Syrian people to have a wider appeal in the fight towards democratisation of the region (Saikal 2003, p. 293). Political parties that do not nurture democratic policies are substandard types of entities whose efficacy often demeans the concept of typical democracy that the people of Syria yearn for. To a given degree, all the discrepancies in the fight for democracy in the Syrian politics show open lack of a universal concept of democratisation. Political science holds that democracy is paramount in extending the hegemony of political parties; as such, political parties have an obligation to nurture democracy as a practice in all their endeavours. In dictatorial societies like Syria and Zimbabwe that view the West as a threat to their wellbeing, promoting democracy in political parties has always been an uphill task. In Syria, particularly, democracy is more of a western ideology, and often characterised by stiff objection from party stalwarts whose viewpoint mirror democracy as a promotion of strategic policies of the West (Heydemann 2013, p. 64). However, in mature democracies political parties view democracy as a concrete stake in extending the process of democratisation that gives rise to prosperity, pluralism, and greater peace in their regions. Political scientists often argue that without democracy in political parties, parties may end up being extremely radicalised, thus making them seek power through clandestine activities such as keeping private armies to overthrow the government. Controversial pathways of achieving the full dimensions of democracy and the archetypical mismatches between words and deeds continue to cloud appreciation of democracy in regions that does not nurture it in their political outfits. Political parties in Syria, as Sharp and Blanchard (2012, p. 275) note, exhibit conflicting priorities, and the Assad regime may not relent to give more space that is deemed democratic. If all political parties were democratic in Syria, then it would be easy to make elections free, fair, and transparent. Given that the realisation of democracy in the Syrian political parties is far from the truth, political activism within these parties is always imminent. Such activism often seeks to make the political parties more realistic to the desires of their membership. Moreover, political scientists hold that as parties become more democratic, their appeal progresses, thus making such parties secure greater membership. With minimal boundaries to membership, parties become more relevant to the masses, making them have greater positioning to take up the government in a free and f air election. Foreign policy naturally have the feeling of the masses and usually find it easy working with governments or political parties that cherish their ideals. Liberalism in the concept of governance is usually the interest of international community irrespective of which political parties are in power, and they habitually extend an olive branch to all elected governments. Recognising the mandate of political parties that are in government legally helps to preserve democratic appeal while making other less democratic parties to own up and nurture democratic practices (Lagon 2011). Most governments advocate sovereignty at the expense of democracy. Such practices deprive the political parties their meaningful roles in advocating for human rights and democracy in Syria. The popular opinion amongst civil society groups in Syria is that there is need to cut any link with political parties or governments that do not nurture democratic practices. Sheer interests by different bodies make it possible for parties to seek governance regardless of their approach to nurture democracy. The all-pervasive lack of free and fair elections in several parties in Syria show the great discrepancies in the realisation of this moral societal concept. In remote democracies such as Syria, party primaries are predetermined, not contested, but awarded to the ruling dynasties, or the money bugs, making party politic a big sham (Haldon 2010, p. 242). In civilised societies by comparison, party primaries are highly contested based on the suitability of individuals to the hold a public office. The idea of democracy in the developed world makes such governments robust and consistent in the delivery of their pre-election pledges. Overall, it makes sense to argue that democracy is the preserve of most, if not all, political parties. It explores the freedom where the citizens freely and equally participate in the civic duties while elected individuals remain accountable to the peopleâ₠¬â„¢s preferences. With democracy, political parties stand a formidable chance of appealing to the masses, thus making them accrue greater membership in readiness for state duty (Stepan and Linz 2013, p. 18). With greater democracy, political parties have the capacity to rule with the power of majority, which makes parties in power to govern smoothly with limited interference from the opposition. In many parties of the world today, democracy is the measure for which parties appeal for greater membership. As such, the political parties in Syria needs still have a lot to do in order to nurture democracy within their outfits before they face off with the undemocratic ruling regime. Without democracy, even the parties that stand a fair chance of winning elections may become intolerant, weak, and, finally, obsolete. This is so because many subscribers to an undemocratic party may opt out and seek allegiance in other parties that nurture democratic ideals. Democratic participation in Syri a The concept of participation in democratic process as a political or civic duty emphasises the link between the levels to which individuals within a society are informed. Observers of democratic participation reckon that institutional setup may not offer sufficient grounds to establish why some democracies flourish while others wallow in abject political limbo (Sharp and Blanchard 2012, p. 276). Of great importance in any democratic arena are the political orientations of individual citizens and the extent to which such individuals show congruency to the values of the institutions that make up a democratic system. Judging from the nature of political parties and their administration, this congruency is still a mirage. Political parties in Syria have shown a tendency towards militarisation and lack of consistency in the concept of democracy. While arguing the case for consistency with the political domains that characterise a people, active participation in the politics of extremis m is not necessarily the case. What has been the face of politics in Syria is not of active participation, but rather political extremism and ideological intolerance. There is a big disconnect with the knowledge for a greater common good that democracy pursues. Elements of a democratic stability, as Sharp and Blanchard (2012, p. 277) argue, consists of exclusively cognitive mobilisation. This in turn is propelled by an individual’s interest in public affairs as well as the possession of sufficient knowledge and the willingness to participate in a democratic process. Essentially these assumptions hold that individual citizens are doing the society the good whenever they take up their democratic roles in a political process. The logic of civic competence The logic of civic competence and the drive to have an impact in the concept of political life and shape the democratic process of a people delves essentially on the ability to grasp the political concepts that defines a people (Congress of Local and Regional Authorities 2011). Elements such as the logic of civic competence are essential ideals of democracy that the Syrian political landscape lacks in abundance. While this may be construed as true in the Syrian context, other schools of thought hold that active political participation and high levels of self-expression are essential for healthy democracy. In other words, these cliques of people insinuate that individual citizens are ill informed about political issues that characterise a people. The approach to democracy in Syria might be progressing on a lopsided scale considering their militarisation of politics. Whereas the Syrian leaders make little effort to shape the democratic process, the Syrian democratisation process, as Saikal (2003, p. 89) notes, could be under serious attack and great violation by the very people who should shape it, and give it a lifeline. Under these schemes of things, Shen and Liang (2014, p. 235) note that high levels of political consultation and participation are in great demand for a healthy democratisation process. Political scientists view mature democracy under the lenses of active participation in public life with an extremely well informed political background of the institutions of democracy that defines a people. The concept of faith in Syrian politics Faith is the basis of any religion; it is not just the conviction of the actuality of a given principle, rather it is the essentiality of the recognition of a principle as the basis for action. Faith is a complete trust in the Supreme Being, and it is a belief not necessarily based on proof whatsoever. The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) known precisely as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has its names and acronyms used interchangeably for the perfection of faith (A precarious balancing act Lebanon and the Syrian conflict 2012, p. 175). Accordingly, with faith, the believer finds the right path, seeks the truth, and s talks out the course of life in the concept of reality. On the other hand, the unbeliever surges towards one misconception after the other while groping into the dark. Faith reveals to the believers the promise of unconstrained progress with the resounding success in the land of the living, whereas ignominy and failure are essentially the category of those who refuse to profess their faith. In fact, the ISIS concept of faith is a revolutionary model. Amongst the ISIS, faith is a tremendously potent doctrine, which is the very foundation of Islam. However, the dissimilarity existing between unbelievers and believers is not the result of clinging to a particular faith. The prehistoric religious divide continues to fuel a resurgence of political hard-line in much of the Muslim world (Council on Foreign Relations 2012). Perpetual struggles between Shia and Sunni Arabs are nothing less than a region sharply divided on political positioning and religious rivalries that threaten to alter t he map of the Arab world. Between the Sunni and Shia Arabs, there is deep-rooted suspicion that spurs violence, creating tensed relationships in the Syrian politics (Council on Foreign Relations 2012). In addition, sectarian affiliation plays an impeccable role in the politics of the Sunni and Shia Arabs in Syria, making democracy hard to realise. While the political standoff between Sunni and Shia Arabs has deep roots in a history of treachery and sadism that runs through the centuries, the government in Syria has made no effort to stem this historic outrage. Shia identity is entrenched in victimhood culminating to the killing of Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Husayn, during the last quarter of the seventh century. Moreover, the Shia has had a long history of marginalisation and domination by their Sunni counterparts (Council on Foreign Relations 2012). Islam’s dominant faction, the Sunni Arabs, who constitute the world Islamic largest population, view Shia Arabs with s uspicion, and the radical Sunni dissidents have portrayed Shias as traitors and heretics, hence the persistent conflicts in Syria. Conclusion It is no doubt that the mounting sectarian hard political positioning based on an approach to succession politics and differing opinions on Islamic religious conviction continue to spark the revitalisation of transnational jihadist networks that keep on scuttling the democratic process in Syria. Mass support for a democratic process is entirely a good idea for a healthy democracy, especially as far as it is passionately motivated. Concerted support for political militarisation as a process to achieve democracy could a trajectory that defines the path to a democratic meltdown. Self-expression, moral political values and high levels of political participation and consultation reflects a valuation of political tolerance capable of nurturing a mature democracy in Syria. In fact, such values do imply, to some extent, the inherent preferences for a kind of political institution that most efficiently guarantees human choice - knowledge. Since knowledge is the basis of independent thinking, citizens must be well versed with the institutions that guarantee the democratic process to shape the course of their public life. Clearly, high levels of self-expression values and political participation are essential for healthy democracy in Syria. References A precarious balancing act Lebanon and the Syrian conflict 2012, International Crisis Group, Beirut. Berlatsky, N 2012, The Arab-Israeli conflict, Greenhaven Press, Detroit. Burnell, P 2004, Westminster foundation for democracy: Building better democracies, wfd.org/upload/docs/wfdbbd5_noprice.pdf. Congress of Local and Regional Authorities 2011, Youth and democracy: The changing face of youth political engagement, https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1980145Site=COE/abstract. Council on Foreign Relations 2012, The Sunni-Shia Divide, cfr.org/peace-conflict-and-human-rights/sunni-shia-di vide/p33176#!/ Ehteshami, A 2008, Reform in the Middle East oil monarchies, Ithaca Press, Berkshire. Freeman, G 2003, Political Science, and Comparative Immigration Politics, tulane.edu/~dnelson/PEMigConf/Freeman.pdf. Haldon, J 2010, Money, power and politics in early Islamic Syria a review of current debates, Farnham Surrey, England. Henry, C Springborg, R 2001, Globalisation and the politics of development in the Middle East, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Heydemann, S 2013, ‘Tracking the Arab Spring: Syria and the Future of Authoritarianism’, Journal of Democracy, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 59-73. Hunter, B 2007, American commitment to Middle Eastern stability and containment, http://brookehollidayhunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/American-Commitment-to-Middle-Eastern-Stability-and-Containment.pdf. Husseini, R 2012, Pax Syriana elite politics in postwar Lebanon, Syracuse University Press, New York. Jnos, S 2003, The change of function of political parties a t the turn of millennium, icps.cat/archivos/WorkingPapers/wp219.pdf. King, S 2009, The new authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa, Indiana University Press, Bloomington. Lagon, P 2011, Promoting democracy: The Whys and hows for the United States and the international community, cfr.org/democratisation/promoting-democracy-whys-hows-united-states-international-community/p24090. Lust-Okar, E 2006, Reform in Syria: Steering between the Chinese Model and Regime Change, http://carnegieendowment.org/files/CEIP_CP_69_final1.pdf. Merrill, D 2006, ‘The Truman Doctrine: Containing communism and modernity’, Presidential Studies Quarterly, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 27–37. Morlino, L 2002, What is a â€Å"good† democracy? Theory and empirical analysis, Institute for International Studies and Stanford University Press, Florence. Noel, H 2009, ‘Ten things political scientists know that you don’t’, The Forum, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 1-4. Rahbek, B 20 05, Democratisation in the Middle East dilemmas and perspectives, Aarhus University Press, Aarhus. Saikal, A 2003, Democratisation in the Middle East experiences, struggles, challenges, United Nations University Press, Tokyo. Sen, A 1999, ‘Democracy as a universal value’, Journal of Democracy, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 3-17. Sharp, J Blanchard, C 2012, Armed conflict in Syria U.S. and international response, Congressional Research Service, Washington, D.C. Shen, F Liang H 2014, ‘Cultural difference, social values, or political systems? Predicting willingness to engage in online political discussion in 75 societies’, International Journal of Public Opinion Research, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 111-124. Shin, D 2013, Is democracy emerging as a universal value? A Contrarian perspective, https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/33029136/is-democracy-emerging-as-a-universal-value-asian-barometer. Stepan, A Linz, J 2013, ‘Islamists and the Arab Spring?’ Journal o f Democracy, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 15-30.