Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Soviet Union Was A Totalitarian State - 909 Words

George Orwell once said â€Å"Big Brother is watching you.† This simple, yet seamless, quote can summarize the government’s rule that once cast a thick cloud over the Soviet Union. John Scott’s recounts prove that the Soviet Union had absolute control over the freedom, will, and thoughts of all the people that inhabited the domain. Through hardship, lack of supplies, poor working conditions, and the mistrust of the soviet people, I believe the Soviet Union was a Totalitarian State. A Totalitarian Regime exercises control over all political, social, and economical activities in a nation. When John Scott left the United States he didn’t take this into consideration. He was a young ambitious man whose nation was in the midst of a great depression, and he wanted out. When he caught wind that the Soviet Union had nearly a 100% employment rate, he wanted to be a part of that 100%. When he left the US, destined for the Soviet Union, he stopped in German y and was setback by the amount of healthy men out of work who were living with their parents (4). This opened his eyes, making him realize the depression was taking its toll on the world as a whole, not just the United States. Finally, after becoming legal in the Soviet Union, John Scott landed a job constructing Furnaces at Magnitogorsk (5). Magnitogorsk was a massive industrial city that was held at the mercy of the Totalitarian Regime in charge of the Soviet Union. Many people at Magnitogorsk were felons, peasants,Show MoreRelatedNineteen Eighty Four : A Warning For The Future1123 Words   |  5 PagesNineteen Eighty-Four, WWII was just coming to an end. The late 40’s was also the start of the Cold War. The Cold war brought along much fear of communist governments, such as the Soviet Union, becoming a world power. Orwell was one of the people who feared a dictatorship coming to power. He wanted to warn the population of what could happen if a totalitarian governmen t became a world power. In order to do such a thing, Orwell decided to write a book. The book he wrote was Nineteen Eighty-Four, it isRead MoreThe Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in the 1930s as Totalitarian States1265 Words   |  6 PagesThe Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in the 1930s as Totalitarian States A totalitarian state usually refers to a country in which the central government has total control over almost all aspects of peoples life. Main features include an infallible leader, one-party rule, elitism, strict party discipline, purges against enemies and political dissidents, planned economy, strong armaments, indoctrination, encouragement of nationalism, an official doctrine that everybody has Read MoreWorld War II : A Totalitarian Government Essay1646 Words   |  7 Pagessystem behind many countries. The totalitarian form of government began with the reign of Joseph Stalin, the dictator of The Soviet Union, and Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Germany. A totalitarian government is known as a society that is run by a dictator, but not all dictatorships are from a totalitarian government (4.). Those living in a totalitarian society have little to no freedom and are controlled by the government. Another word to refer to the totalitarian government system is the word fascismRead MoreNazi Germany And The Soviet Union Under The Rule Of Adolf Hitler1226 Words   |  5 Pagesthrough the country s use of technology, propaganda, and horror. A totalitarian government tries to not only control all political and economic factors, but also the values, attitudes, and ideas of its overall population, eradicating the existing society with a utopian one. Many totalitarian methods, however, have distinguished ideological intentions. For example, the states most generally characterized as totalitarian are the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin and Nazi Germany under the rule of Adolf HitlerRead MoreA Totalitarian State Of The Soviet Union1552 Words   |  7 Pages A totalitarian state gave the government all of the power over society and seeks control over every aspect in regard of it citizens whether public or private which originated in the year of 1923. Germany, Italy, Soviet Union, and Spain all were totalitarian states at once upon time. Totalitarian states all begun with the most powerful, crucial leaders to date. All of the leaders have something in common, they all wanted power. They all realized that with power comes great responsibility, they gaveRead MoreFrom the Russian Empire to the Soviet Union Essay1354 Words   |  6 PagesIt was not until after World War I that Russia began to un dergo a series of changes. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the former Russian empire that had existed from 1721 up until then collapsed, and the Soviet Union was introduced. The geographic renaming of Russia from the Russian Empire to the Soviet Union also brought about many gradual changes. There were also changes in religion, as the new government replaced the role of the Orthodox Church. There was an increase in nationalism becauseRead MoreDramtic Changes in the Soviet Union After Stalins Death1181 Words   |  5 PagesThrough the history of the Soviet Union, extreme control by the government has been a defining factor in how the country is run. Totalitarianism has been an easy way to classify the Stalinist government under the state. When Stalin died the state dramatically changed. Through the Khrushchev and Brezhnev periods the USSR did not remain a totalitarian state. Under Stalin existed a totalitarian state. Totalitarianism is define as a state that has an official ideology, mass party rule, terroristic policeRead MoreThe Collapse Of The Soviet Union1451 Words   |  6 PagesSobolev, A One of the most revolutionary historical events in the 20th century was the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991. The dissolution of the USSR was at the time, not immediately foreseen nor expected. There was neither a civil war nor people’s revolution in a military coup that stormed the King’s castle. The only very evident factor, however, was that the economy of the Soviet Union preceding its dissolution was in free fall to be eventually coined the Era of Stagnation. But an economyRead MoreThe Soviet Union During World War II1684 Words   |  7 PagesThe Soviet Union played an important role in the events of the 20th century in both direct and indirect ways. The rise of the Soviet Union by the end of the Russian Revolution played a significant role in the way that World War I played out; it played a crucial role in the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II. It was the formidable rival of the United States during the Cold War, during which every action it to ok was viewed with angst by the West. With the level of influence the Soviet UnionRead MoreJoseph Stalin Essay example1133 Words   |  5 PagesJoseph Stalin, whose real name is Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, was born on December 21, 1879 in the small town of Gori, Georgia. His family was poor and he was the only child of four to survive. His father was a shoemaker. He was a heavy drinker and died from wounds in a brawl when Stalin was 11 years old. His mother was a pious and hardworking woman. She wanted her son to have a good life so she entered him into priesthood. He attended elementary school run by the Orthodox Church and went

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Fight On Free Essays

Heritage Hall is filled with retired jerseys, trophies and game balls. Over the past 125 years, Cuss’s football team has fielded more Hessian trophy winners than any other school with seven. 37 of its players has been elected and enshrined in the College Football Hall Of Fame. We will write a custom essay sample on Fight On or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this hallow hall also stands Cuss’s 11 National championship trophies; with its last trophy in 2004. The dim lights enshrined memorabilia and revered site all adds to the game day experience. From Heritage Hall, the next stop is the Grand Old Lady or commonly referred to as ‘The Coliseum†. Outside the Coliseum is the diehard, devoted fan base. At 7 am the parking lot is filled with diehard fans that come early to tailgate prior to the game. As you make your way to the entrance of the Coliseum the spices and smell of perfectly seasoned food attacks your senses. You can’t help but notice the camaraderie and friendships formed while the alcohol flows. It is in the parking lot you see the dedication and years of loyalty displayed by its fans. In the front row nearest to the stadium stands the most dedicated fan. An older man, scruffy looking stands next to his Winnebago. He is dressed in the traditional garbs for the day. His Winnebago is covered from front to back in Cardinal and Gold; from his speakers blares the schools song ‘Aught On’. Walking by he gives you the greeting of the day ‘Fight on’ and talks about the upcoming slaughter that is to commence shortly. Following the steady flow of fans you start to take in the beauty and craftsmanship in the construction of the stadium. The architect spared no expense in the details of this finely designed piece of modern history. At the entrance of this modern Art Deco inspired stadium stands two bronze statues o commemorate â€Å"Olympic Gateway†. Looking around, the stadium features long horizontal lines that flow as smooth as the Mississippi River. The curves and portholes reminiscent of woman’s body pay tribute to the old Greek and Roman style. The closer you get to the stadium you begin to hear the roar of the crowd. The stadium trembles as 93,000 Cardinal and Gold clad fans chant and cheer for their favorite football team. Down on the sideline is Tommy Trojan and his majestic white steed Traveler. Next to them is the beautiful USC ‘Song Girls’ as they await the team’s entrance into the stadium. In the North Tunnel you can see the team walking toward the field. Hand and Hand the players march as one team. U-S-C, U-S-C chants are deafening as they run out onto the field escorted by Tommy Trojan and the Song Girls. Seeing the players trotting onto the field the fans are riled up into a frenzied state. At that moment the Spirit of Troy Marching Band strikes up to the tune of Seven Nation Army. The crowd responds by singing along. You can see the fear in the opponent’s eyes as they await their fate. After all the prename festivities, kickoff has finally arrived. Tommy Trojan and Traveler make their way to mid field. His armor is clean, on the brightest day you can see your reflection. With precision and accuracy he swings his blade. His movements are flawless his blade slices thru the air like a hot knife thru butter and with authority he buries his sword deep into the field. It’s game time! As the game goes on the crowd is fully engaged. With every tackle, catch; you hear the crowds JOSH and SHAHS. When USC scores a touchdown the crowd becomes chaotic, like animals that has tasted blood and is awaiting the final kill. High fives and hugs are seen around the stadium. It is a good day, from the opening kickoff to the final sound Of the game a USC Game produces on every level. From the history viewed thru the glass at Heritage Hall to the prename festivities at the Coliseum USC Football games are one for the history books. The dedication of an overwhelming fan base; plus the high expectations makes for an outstanding game day atmosphere. The fans, traditions and championships makes the University of Southern California Football game the ultimate game day experience. How to cite Fight On, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Innovation is not Business As Usual Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Innovation is not Business As Usual. Answer: Introduction Innovation managementis a process that is associated with the change management. However, innovation is not only a business it refers to the improvement of the existing idea and knowledge of the individuals (Dangelico et al. 2017). On the other hand, by providing innovative idea the business owner is not able to get success. However, besides innovation, other elements like market analysis, competitors' analysis and demand of the target audience are necessary for any business. Therefore, for a successful business innovation, there should be the resemblance between the new and existing product and the innovation should be customer oriented. This literature review will focus on the innovation in the context of George Weston Food in Australia. This organization is a well-known food manufacturer in Australia. Hence, the purpose of such study is to understand the proper innovation process and the consequences of the innovation process associated with this organization. Moreover, the driver s of product innovation will be critically analyzed in this literature review. Identification of the business context and drivers of product innovation George Weston Food Limited is one of the popular Australian food manufacturers and it is associated with the development of British food and diversified international foods. However, they offer the high quality product to the customers. Processed meat is one of the innovative items of such organization. They have started to provide processed meat to the customers on special occasion. Providing fresh and processed meat is a new innovation of such organization (Weston.ca 2017). Four key drivers are associated with the business innovation including inventor, entrepreneurs, and extreme individual and super mentors. However, the inventor brings the new idea for the product innovation in an organization. Hence, by using the natural talent the inventor absorbs information and nurtured it. Entrepreneurs manage the creativity that is associated with new ideas. However, the team members come with the new ideas to their managers and the manager encourages them by accepting their ideas and by providing them reward that leads the employees to develop more innovative ideas (Zaefarian et al. 2017). On the other hand, the extreme individuals are associated with the building relationship with the team members in an organization. A strong relationship between the employees in an organization boosts the creativity of a team associated with some new ideas (Rodrguez et al. 2017). Moreover, the super mentor creates a good culture for the innovation as cultural change leads the innovation to be more regular within an organization. However, in the context of George Weston Food super mentor is required to give shape their innovation by establishing a good culture in this organization. This will allow the organization to gain success by offering the processed meat during the occasion, which is their new innovation. Development and the implementation of the product Development and implementation of a new product consisting of various stages that need to follow and maintain properly by an organization. In the context of George Weston Food, they are going to innovate processed meat by reducing the sodium from the meat. According to the WHO it is essential for the food industry to reduce sodium content from the food and make it healthy (Zaefarian et al. 2017). In order to give shape their new idea, it is important to use the latest technology to design the new product according to the need of the target market. Best practices should be incorporated to develop the new products (Hu and Zhou 2017). Apart from this establishment of the collaborative learning culture within the organization is crucial for the development of the product. In order to develop and implement a new product involvement of strategy is essential. Definition of the product features and development of the pricing is necessary for the implementation of the innovative product. Different groups are involved as for example both internal and external stakeholders are associated with the implementation and development of the new product (Zhan et al. 2017). Internal stakeholders refer to the employees and external stakeholders refer to the clients and the audit agency. In the context of George Weston Food, they want to offer processed meat thus the external agency needs to carry out an inspection about the reduction of sodium from the meat as processed meat should be sodium free. Therefore, the internal stakeholders that are the employees are associated with the development of the new products by creating the proper strategy. On the other hand, George Weston Food want to innovate their product during the Christmas occasion thus a proper market research is required in order to identify the current demand of the target market during thi s occasion. The cost of the entire innovation process is $45 million as the development of processed sodium free processed meat requires high investment. Positive and negative impact of the product innovation in context of George Weston Food Product innovation is associated with the business growth for any industry. However, innovation may bring positive and negative effect on the business performance (Mamun 2017). In the context of George Weston Food Ltd., they are going to innovate sodium free processed meat for the Christmas Eve. This innovative idea will lead the business organization to maximize their sales revenue generation during this occasion. However, people are health conscious in the recent years and they want to get ready and healthy food materials that are easy to cook (Wu and Wang 2017). Hence, sodium free processed meat can satisfy the target market in the context of George Weston Food Ltd. Such innovation in the product feature will attract the customers towards this product and leads this organization to gain competitive advantages in the global market. On the other hand, development and implementation of the new product will improve the brand image of such organization and customer loyalty as well as i t also increases the customer numbers in this particular occasion. Innovation often leaves the negative effect on the organization if the operation during the innovation is not maintained properly (Cui and Wu 2016). In the context of George Weston Food Ltd., they are going to develop sodium free processed meat. However, reduction of sodium from the food is associated with the increased cost that may enhance the production cost of such organization. Hence, high cost during the production leads the organization to face loss in their business. For every business organization, it is important to develop the specific innovative idea that is cost effective otherwise it may hamper the growth of a business. Therefore, innovation should be current market oriented (Zaefarian et al. 2017). However, if George Weston Food innovates their product without detecting the demand of the current market then it will be too hard to them to achieve success through this innovation. This organization will face huge loss through their innovation due to lack of proper market research. Apart from this high cost of the processed meat during the Christmas can decrease the sale of the organization as people want the quality product with low price. Hence, due to high production cost, it is difficult for this organization to give the discount in their product sale, which affects their business. Identification of the consequences during product innovation Product innovation leads the organization to face major changes in their production. However, both negative and positive outcomes are generated during the innovation of the product (Jean et al. 2014). In the context of George Weston Food Ltd., they want to innovate processed meat that is completely sodium free in nature. This innovation is associated with the high production cost. As a result, such organization needs to invest more in such innovation, which brings changes in their budget plan for production cost. Hence, it can be demonstrated that innovation is not a business as to give shape an innovative idea a huge investment is required in the production. Therefore, the proper market analysis is another vital area related to the innovation (Mamun 2017). George Weston Food limited is going to launch sodium free processed meat during the Christmas Eve. Hence, it is important for such organization to develop new strategy and skills to carry out a proper market research to understand the current demand (Ngo and O'cass 2013). For this reason, this organization needs to incorporate new strategy and recruit newly skilled staffs for market research and the existing staffs also try to improve their skill to generate the innovative idea. This leads the organization to achieve competitiveness in the market and high sales revenue. Therefore, use of modern technology brings changes in the existing system and the operation cost for the innovation of new products. From the above consequences it can be justified that innovation of a product is not a business it is the creativity and it triggers changes in an organizational culture and system that influences the existing process and growth of an organization. Conclusion The current piece of work reveals a brief overview regarding the product innovation in the context of George Weston Food Ltd. According to me, innovation is not only a business strategy but also a creative work that is done by the employees through improving their existing skills. On the other hand, innovation makes changes in the existing system and strategy of an organization by encouraging the staffs towards the product development. Hence, it can be said that innovation is a process of improvement of the business, product and the skill of the employees. Regarding me, innovation may leave the positive and negative effect on the organization. However, proper maintenance of the each stage of innovation leaves the positive effect on the organizational performance while poor market research during innovation affects the organizational growth. References Cui, A.S. and Wu, F., 2016. Utilizing customer knowledge in innovation: antecedents and impact of customer involvement on new product performance.Journal of the academy of marketing science,44(4), pp.516-538. Dangelico, R.M., Pujari, D. and Pontrandolfo, P., 2017. Green Product Innovation in Manufacturing Firms: A Sustainability?Oriented Dynamic Capability Perspective.Business Strategy and the Environment,26(4), pp.490-506. Hu, J. and Zhou, K., 2017. From User Scenario to Design Strategy: Practice Research on Product Innovation. InAdvances in Human Factors and System Interactions(pp. 377-382). Springer International Publishing. Jean, R.J., Sinkovics, R.R. and Hiebaum, T.P., 2014. The effects of supplier involvement and knowledge protection on product innovation in customersupplier relationships: a study of global automotive suppliers in China.Journal of Product Innovation Management,31(1), pp.98-113. Mamun, A.A., 2017. Innovation Among Manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises: A Cross-Industry Comparison.Advanced Science Letters,23(4), pp.2658-2662. Ngo, L.V. and O'cass, A., 2013. Innovation and business success: The mediating role of customer participation.Journal of Business Research,66(8), pp.1134-1142. Rodrguez, A., Nieto, M.J. and Santamara, L., 2017, June. On the relationship between coopetition and innovation: Disentangling some influential factors. InTechnology Engineering Management Conference (TEMSCON), 2017 IEEE(pp. 47-48). IEEE. Weston.ca. 2017.George Weston Food Limited. [online] Available at: https://www.weston.ca/en/Home.aspx [Accessed 4 Sep. 2017]. Wu, A. and Wang, C.C., 2017. Knowledge Search Pattern and Product Innovation of Firms in Low and High?Technology Industrial Clusters: A Knowledge Relatedness Perspective.Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie,108(4), pp.488-502. Zaefarian, G., Forkmann, S., Mitr?ga, M. and Henneberg, S.C., 2017. A capability perspective on relationship ending and its impact on product innovation success and firm performance.Long Range Planning,50(2), pp.184-199. Zaefarian, G., Forkmann, S., Mitr?ga, M. and Henneberg, S.C., 2017. A capability perspective on relationship ending and its impact on product innovation success and firm performance.Long Range Planning,50(2), pp.184-199. Zhan, Y., Zhan, Y., Tan, K.H., Tan, K.H., Ji, G., Ji, G., Chung, L., Chung, L., Tseng, M. and Tseng, M., 2017. A big data framework for facilitating product innovation processes.Business ProcessManagement Journal,23(3), pp.518-536.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Management Practices free essay sample

Who are Managers A manager is someone who coordinates and oversees the work of other people so that organizational goals can be accomplished. A manager’s job is not about personal achievements-it is about helping others do their work. That may mean coordinating the work of a departmental group, or it might mean supervising a single person. It could involve coordinating the work activities of a team of people from different departments or even people outside the organization, such as temporary employees or employees who work for organization’s suppliers. A manager’s work may also include duties not related to coordinating and overseeing others’ work. A manager is one who contributes to the organization’s goals indirectly by directing the efforts of others-not by performing the task himself. We will write a custom essay sample on Management Practices or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page On the other hand, a person who is not a manager makes his contribution to the organization’s goals directly by performing the task himself. What is Management Simply speaking, management is what managers do. Management involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively, by the people responsible for doing them. According to Mary Parker Follett, â€Å"Management is the art of getting things done through people†. (by being with them) Two weaknesses of Mary Parker Follett’s Definition are:- 1. It uses the word â€Å"art† in defining management. To say that management is merely an art is to state a half-truth. Art deals with the application of knowledge. Management is not merely application of knowledge. It also involves acquisition of knowledge i. e. science. Management based on rules of thumb or intuition is not correct management. 2. This definition does not throw light on various functions of a manager. George R Terry defines management as a process â€Å"consisting of planning, organizing, actuating and controlling, performed to determine and accomplish the objectives by the use of people and resources. † This definition highlights:- 1. Management is a process-systematic way of doing things 2. Four management activities included in this process are: planning, organizing, actuating and controlling. 3. Planning means that managers think of their ctions in advance, which are usually based on some method, plan or logic, rather than on a hunch. Organizing means that managers coordinate the human and managerial resources of the organization. Actuating means that managers motivate and direct subordinates.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Soviet Union and de-Stalinization Essays

Soviet Union and de-Stalinization Essays Soviet Union and de-Stalinization Essay Soviet Union and de-Stalinization Essay Soviet Union Leaders in the Post Stalin Era Kareem M. Khalil Fall 2010-2011 Lebanese American University Outline I. The Soviet Union: a. Background about the Soviet Union from 1917-1953. b. Vladimir Lenin. c. Joseph Stalin. II. Nikita Khrushchev: a. Rise to power. b. De-Stalinization. c. Reforms and domestic policies. d. Foreign Policy. e. Expulsion from power. III. Leonid Brezhnev: a. Rise to Power. b. Domestic Policies. c. Brezhnev Stagnation. d. Foreign Policy. e. Death. IV. Yuri Andropov: a. Rise to Power. b. Domestic Policies. c. Foreign Policy. V. Konstantin Cherenko: d. Policies and short office term. VI. Mikhail Gorbachev: e. Domestic policies f. Foreign policy. g. Fall from power. h. End of the Soviet Union. VII. Conclusion Soviet Union Leaders in the Post Stalin Era The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, simply referred to ask the Soviet Union, was a socialist state that spread from Northern and Eastern Europe to various parts of Central Asia. It dated between the 30th of December 1922 and the 26th of December 1991. Until its collapse in 1991, it consisted of almost 15 constituent republics that are acknowledged today as: â€Å"Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan† [ (Rosenberg) ]. The father and founder of the Soviet Union was no other than Vladimir Lenin who managed to set the foundations of the USSR after overthrowing Tsar Nicholas II in November of 1917, and finally establishing a Soviet government in 1922. After asserting himself as the â€Å"Chairman of the Council of Peoples Commissars of the Soviet Union†, Lenin began planning and implementing new policies and ideas that would affect the USSR, alter and influence the rest of the world even after he passed away. McCauley (1993) describes some of Lenin’s policies during his reign as the following: nationalizing all banks and important business enterprises, distributing lands to peasants, reintegrating several states into Bolshevik Russia, and exporting the communist ideology. After Lenin’s death in 1924, Joseph Stalin was appointed as the â€Å"General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). † Stalin, and through outsmarting and slowly banishing his opponents, managed to establish a totalitarian regime and appoint himself as the supreme leader of the Soviet Union in the late 1920’s. Stalin’s period in office was both devastating and costly to the Soviet Union in especially in its domestic policies. Stalin’s five year economic plan (the rapid industrialization of the USSR) produced remarkable results, but cost the lives of around â€Å"14. 5 million peasants† (â€Å" moreorless. au. com/killers/stalin. html, â€Å"), and reaped the lives of almost twenty million people and deported over twenty five others from their homes. Stalin’s gruesome and horrendous rule ended when he died on the 5th of March, 1953. Stalin’s sudden decease left an important void in which many were eager to fill. The outcome of Stalin’s death resulted in a system of collective leadership. The key figures of this communal rule were: â€Å"Nikita Khrushchev, Lavrenti Beria, Nikoli Bulganin, Georgy Malenkov, Vyacheslav Molotov, and, Lazar Kaganovich† ( fortunecity. com/victorian/riley/ 787/Soviet/Khrushchev/Krushchev. html). During this period, the struggle to instigate a premier to head the Soviet Union faced many turbulences and changes. At the beginning, Malenkov assumed power as acting Premier, and Khrushchev undertook his predecessor’s (Stalin) position as First secretary of the CPSU. Subsequently, and by 1955, Georgy Malenkov was forced to relinquish his position as Premier, and was substituted by Nikoli Bulganin (who was supported and favored by Khrushchev). After Stalin’s death, his successors proceeded to diverge from the latter’s cruel and violent strategies. Surprisingly, and in a six hour speech in the 20th Party Congress, Khrushchev criticized and condemned Stalin’s bloody reign. This step forced a considerable amount of pressure to the First Secretary as McCauley (1987) describes, especially with his compatriots in the collective leadership circle. Two assassination attempts later, and a failed expulsion scheme set by Kaganovich, Molotov, and Malenkov against him, Khrushchev still managed to strengthen his power furthermore. Ironically, and in 1958, Nikoli Bulganin was forced to resign by the same man who favored his appointment, and Khrushchev assumed both the position of Premier (on the 27th of March) and First Secretary of the CPSU. Although Khrushchev worked closely and for many years with Stalin, nonetheless he was unusually dissimilar to the latter. Unlike Stalin’s harsh manner and look, Volkogonov (1998) describes Khrushchev as more of a forthcoming, pleasant, humorous, and energetic individual. Their differences are undoubtedly noticeable as Khrushchev embarked on a new policy of De-Stalinization, set to cross out Stalin’s bloody history from the Soviet Union’s international image and its people’s minds. As part of his new policy he began with renaming all the cities that carried Stalin’s name and all pictures and statues of Stalin were destroyed (as not to leave any mark to be a remainder of him). By doing so, Khrushchev managed to obtain an approval from the West and appear as a prominent and distinguished leader than his predecessors, in which Stalin would have almost certainly never acquired or achieved. In his domestic policy, Khrushchev set in motion various agricultural, administrative, and industrial reforms. In the farming sector, he launched his virgin land campaign that sought to improve and â€Å"develop the country’s virgin land and forests† [ (Sakwa, 1999) ], but his strategy proved disastrous. On the administrative level, Khrushchev began with abolishing the courts undertaken by several governmental agencies. He carried one to make the Central Committee assemblies public and open to a large number of Soviet Officials to speak freely in, and used this to his advantage since any declared opposition to him would be shunned out by the large number of his supporters. In the industrial sector, he tried to decentralize ministries and transform them into local councils to become more receptive to any problems or urgent requirements, but these councils did the opposite of what they were anticipated to do. In spite of his decent image with of the West and his more peaceful and reformist approach in the USSR, perhaps little change occurred in his military-defense/foreign policy. He sought after upholding a powerful Communist Eastern bloc. This is clearly revealed with the Warsaw Pact that was set together during his rule. Furthermore, the cold war tension peaked during his reign specifically at the incident of the Cuban Missile Crisis, in which he was utterly disgraced and was forced to withdraw the Russian arsenal from the isle. Following his major failures, and by 1964, Khrushchev was ousted out of office when he was vacationing, and was replaced by another collective leadership composed of Alexei Kosygin, Leonid Brezhnev, and Nikolai Podgorny. However, and between all the members of the â€Å"troika† (three members of the collective leadership system), Brezhnev was the most prominent and influential figure. This reason may be attributed to the simplicity of Brezhnev’s character. In his book â€Å"Autopsy for an Empire†, Volkogonov (1998) portrays the latter as a traditional, team player, and influential figure able to rally large support to his views in any path he desired. Perhaps the characteristics Brezhnev enjoyed enabled him to further rise over his two fellow rulers, and ultimately break free and become the USSR’s sole executive. Throughout his rule of the Soviet Union, Brezhnev implemented a policy to protect and sustain his rule as General Secretary of the CPSU, but at the same time brought about important reforms despite his conventional mentality. Kelley (1987) explains that Brezhnev, like Khrushchev, wanted to leave a mark in history, therefore he attempted many policy reforms. What made him different than other leaders was that Brezhnev acted carefully with every step he took n a certain field while balancing it with another field. Consequently, and by doing so, he was able to handle his critics and avoid any conflict with them and promote a balanced progress. Brezhnev’s domestic policy first focused on Soviet industries. His plan was to merge different factory â€Å"associations† whereby weaker factories could be reinfo rced by stronger ones in order to hasten the process of modernization [ (Kelley, 1987) ]. He then carried out to abolish the decentralization plans carried out by his predecessor Khrushchev His other important reforms stemmed from the agricultural sector. Brezhnev kept on the principle of collective farming, ordered all Soviet owned land to be increased by a half a hectare, and introduced new machineries to further facilitate and accelerate production. Despite Brezhnev’s intense investment in agriculture, that particular sector was faced with many droughts that affected production. The result of such disasters forced the USSR to â€Å"import large quantities of grain from Western countries† [ (http://countrystudies. us/russia/14. htm) ]. A key feature of Brezhnev’s rule, was the economic stagnation (referred to as the Brezhnev Stagnation) that the USSR’s economy passed through in the mid 1970s. The economic progress had reached its peak during that period, and began to go into stalemate. This can be attributed to several factors being: decreasing standards of living, the small numbers of unemployment that resulted in workers working less and getting paid nonetheless, and the abuse of the Soviet population to the cheap consumer goods and government services. With regards to his foreign policy, Brezhnev’s priority was to reassert the communist influence in the neighboring communist states â€Å"by undermining the influence of China† [ (http://countrystudies. s/russia/14. htm) ]. China was a growing communist influence in the Asian region, and Mao publicly denounced the Soviet foreign policy at the time. The relations between the USSR and China severely deteriorated to an extent that the armies of both countries went to a small confrontation. On the Eastern side Brezhnev created the â€Å"Brezhnev Doctrine†, as a result of some events that took place in Cz echoslovakia. Notably in 1979, Brezhnev declared war against Afghanistan (to enforce a communist government) and the issue remained unsettled until the 1980’s. Several important treaties were signed by Brezhnev at that time including: The Treaty on the â€Å"Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons†, â€Å"Strategic Arms Limitation Talks†, â€Å"Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty†, â€Å"Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. † These treaties helped ease the rising tension of the Cold War Khrushchev initiated and delay the ongoing arms race. Perhaps the most important accomplishment of Brezhnev detente period was the signing of the 1975 Helsinki accord, which strengthened the communists in the Eastern Bloc and raised more antagonism against the US and the West. On November 10th 1982, Brezhnev passed away, and his successor would be Yuri Andropov. The two most notable heirs to the General Secretary of the CPSU position were Konstantin Cherenko and Yuri Andropov. In this short race for to gain the executive position, Andropov had apparent advantage. â€Å"After fifteen years of leading the KGB† [ (Mrose, 2010) ], he possessed a prolonged experience in both foreign and defense policies and had the advantage to gain support and form a strong and large to replace Brezhnev. Therefore on the 12th of November 1982, Andropov was elected to be the next leader of the Soviet Union. Although his term lasted about fifteen months, his policies and some notable events should be mentioned. Brezhnev’s rule resulted in massive corruption amongst several Soviet officials, and as a result, Andropov’s first policy was to reintroduce party regulations to counter this phenomenon. Furthermore, Andropov wanted to â€Å"boost labor discipline† (http://countrystudies. us/russia/15. htm,†). To further explain this point, we refer to the section about how workers became less efficient in Brezhnev’s rule, therefore Andropov provisioned and implemented new rules to regenerate a strong workforce. On the foreign policy level, his rule witnessed even more decline with the U. S especially after the Soviet’s shot down a Korean commercial airplane and killed all its passengers (one being a U. S senator). Perhaps his most important success was finding Mikhail Gorbachev and advancing him towards a higher ranking in the Communist regime. Andropov passed away on the 9th of February, 1984, and was replaced by Konstantin Chernenko. Although Andropov’s wishes was for Gorbachev to replace him, Chernenko (and after a long series of deliberation) was elected to become the new leader of the Soviet Union on the 13th of February, 1984. Kelley (1987) describes the process in which Chernenko reached power as way for the old members of the central committee to preserve their interests on one hand, and because younger member did not figure out their stable path in politics. Due to his very short stay in office, old age, and illness; Chernenko did not have any notable foreign or domestic foreign policy plans. Perhaps the most important event of his time, was the initiation of Gorbachev to replace him. Chernenko passed away on the 10th of March 1985, and was replaced by the final leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, on the same day. Mikhail Gorbachev was the youngest elected General Secretary to assume command in the history of the USSR. Volkogonov (1998) describes him to be the 2nd famous worldwide leader Soviet leader after Lenin, and the most contemporary individual amongst them. Gorbachev launched a wide scale reform policy that affected different sectors of the country. His strategy could be summarized into the following: reorganization, more freedom, democratisation, and hastening economic growth. The first goal one Gorbachev’s agenda was to introduce better scientific and technological means and methods in industry and agriculture. Through this means, he aimed at eliminating the long economic stagnation present since the Brezhnev era He soon realized that his aspirations will not have the desired effect unless he changes the political system from within. Therefore Gorbachev replaced several key and old Soviet officials with new energetic and younger ones. He went on to issue laws that control quality production goods, to render the sale of low-grade products. Throughout his industrial/agricultural reform phase, Gorbachev did not abandon his predecessors’ idea of a central planned economy, and tried to promote and strengthen it even more. With regards to reorganizing party ranks, democratisation, and reducing government control, Gorbachev’s second step was to dissolve the Soviet Supreme rule within itself. What began as changes in members of the Central Committee and keys ministries, evolved to draft plans of multi-candidate elections and assign non- party individuals to several governmental ranks. In 1989, he established â€Å"the Congress of People’s Deputies† (a new legislative body) in an attempt to lighten the government’s grip. Gorbachev was elected to become the head of state in the same year (General Secretary position was no longer the supreme executive position), and in 1991 he was elected to become the President of the USSR. Gorbachev’s policy of giving more freedom to the Soviet citizen’s was a new method of rule. For the first time perhaps in the USSR’s history, he decreed private ownership laws that enabled individuals to possess their own businesses. He carried on to divide the government owned airlines at that time to several autonomous airlines. Surprisingly, Gorbachev paved the way to a vast and wide â€Å"freedom of speech† policy to the Soviet citizens. This was used as a tool to silence the conservatives who opposed his reforms. Gorbachev’s new motto with regards to foreign policy was â€Å"new political thinking in international relations† (Holloway, 1988). He first began with normalization of relations with the West and especially the United States in order to reduce Cold War tensions. By doing so, he also wished to enhance both economic and diplomatic relations with the West to reach his goals, rather than confrontation or isolation. This step also helped him promote his domestic policies of reform because the United States at that time had the solution to many of Moscow’s problems. n the December 1987 Washington Summit, both countries met to endorse the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. In 1990, the Washington summit was held between the two nations where both countries showed willingness to participate in improving relations on many levels. In addition Gorbachev pursued more diplomatic means with t he United States with regards to arms control. In 1991, both states met in Moscow to sign the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Furthermore, Gorbachev enhanced the Soviet Union’s relations on many sensitive fronts. He engaged in process of improving the relations with China, after the crisis in the Brezhnev era, and succeeded in doing so. The first Soviet-Chinese summit was held on May 1989. Gorbachev carried on to improve relations with Europe where he gave an important speech on the 7th of July, 1987 where â€Å"he insisted on the sovereign right of each people to choose their own social system (â€Å" country-data. com/cgi-bin/query/r-11378. html† , 1996). Finally, the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 in accordance with the agreement signed by the US, Pakistan, the USSR, and Afghanistan in 1988. As much as Gorbachev’s foreign and domestic policies seem constructive, yet they yielded several disastrous results. The economic policy brought about by the government resulted in several food and supply scarcities. The decentralization and loosening the governments grip policy outcome was the disintegration of the Soviet Union within itself, and many of its former states declaring independence. Soon enough, and after severe weakening of the Soviet Union, the August coup of 1991, and the creation of the â€Å"Commonwealth of independent states†; Gorbachev dissolved the Soviet Union nd Boris Yeltsin became the first president of the non-communist Russia. All great empires must come to an end as history as clearly shown us. Its fair to say that although the communist ideology was promoted as the best alternative to the imperial and capitalist means, its implementation was not close to its teachings. As shown in the above, each leader in the long chain of command in the S oviet Union partially or to a high extent drifted away from the original thoughts of Lenin. Each had his own goals, ways of thought, and policies that he projected in different means. Some even went to the extent of shunning the original foundations of communism and rejecting and insulting old leaders. They all had their different agendas, they just hid behind the shadow of the regime in order to reach higher ranks, implement their goals, and leave their own mark in Russian and international history. Bibliography (n. d. ). Retrieved from fortunecity. com/victorian/riley/787/Soviet/Khrushchev/Krushchev. html. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://countrystudies. us/russia/14. htm. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://countrystudies. s/russia/15. htm (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://countrystudies. us/russia/17. htm (2001, May 23). Retrieved from moreorless. au. com/killers/stalin. html. Holloway, D. (1988). Gorbachevs new thinking. America and the World 1988 , 68 (1). http://countrystudies. us/russia/17. htm. (n. d. ). country-data. com/cgi-bin/query/r-11378. html. (1996, July). Kelley, D. R. (1987). Soviet politics from brezhnev to gorbachev. New York: Praeger Publishers. Mccauley, M. (1987). Khrushchev and khrushchevism. Great Britain: School of Slavonic and Eat European Studies, University of London. McCauley, M. (1993). The soviet union: 1917-1991. London and New York: Longman. Mrose, C. (2010, November 12). Retrieved from https://www. libertycentral. org/today-in-history-yuri-andropov-assumes-power-in-the-soviet-union-2010-11 Rosenberg, M. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://geography. about. com/od/countryinformation/a/ussr. htm. Sakwa, R. (1999). The rise and fall of the soviet union 1917-1991. New York: Routledge. Volkogonov, D. (1998). Autopsy for an empire. New York: The Free If you need a kind of write my essay online help with another paper topic, contact us right now!

Friday, November 22, 2019

Assessing The Paris Fashionable Concepts Cultural Studies Essay

Assessing The Paris Fashionable Concepts Cultural Studies Essay The concept of ‘Paris fashion’ represents one of the most powerful and long-running place in modern history. But even a cursory examination of the way the term has been used draws attention to the complexity of the notion of the fashion capital, and to the complexity of the fashion process itself. The routine description of the city over the past 200 years as the capital world of fashion contribute to this understanding. ::::Downloads:eiffel-tower-1.jpg Figure 2.2 , Eifel Tower in Paris, Available at: http://www.eiffel-tower.us/Eiffel-Tower-Images/eiffel-tower-1.jpg Paris is the ‘Fashion Capital of the World’. Paris has long been an international hub of fashion design. Paris is home to many distinguished design houses, such as Chanel, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Chloe, Givenchy, Lanvin, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton. Paris is also a premier destination for shopping, with streets such as Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honre and the Champs-Elysees hosting boutiques from des igners around the world. Besides fashion and leather goods, Paris is has a number of well-known jewelers, such as Cartier SA, Boucheron, Chaumet, and Van Cleef Dutch design duo Viktor and Japanese deisgners Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, and Junya Watanabe. Pinault-Printemps-Redoute and LVMH, the two major holding companies in contemporary fashion, are both headquartered in Paris. Paris has been interpreted as a world centre of fashion because of its distinctive metropolitan cultures of consumption, both in the narrow sense of shops and shopping, and in a broader sense of the practices associated with the wearing of fashionable dress in the spaces of the city. There has been something approaching a naturalization of Paris’s relationship with fashion, often around the elevation of a certain construction of fashionable femininity to a symbol of Parisian superiority. [Fashion’s World Cities, David Gilbert, 2006] ::::Downloads:christian_dior_haute_couture_2009_01.jpg Figur e 2.3 , Christian Dior Haute Couture fashion show 2009, Available at: http://iamfashioncrazy.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/christian_dior_haute_couture_2009_01.jpg Since the seventeenth century, fashion has been an important industry and cultural export of France, and modern â€Å"haute couture† originated in Paris in the 1860s. Today, Paris is considered one of the world’s fashion capitals, along with London, Milan, and New York City, and the city is home or headquarters to many of the premier fashion houses. The culture of Paris and of the French people has been shaped by geography, by profound historical events, and by foreign and internal forces and groups. Paris, has played an important part as a center of high culture and of decorative arts since the seventeenth century, first in Europe, and from the nineteenth century onwards, world wide. From the late nineteenth century, Paris has also played an important role in modern art, cinema, fashion and cuisine.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Analysis of International Politic Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis of International Politic - Article Example mon man, in most cases, for over three to four decades in power and still had no inclination to leave office unless they were over thrown from their lofty pedestals which they inevitably were eventually. The sacrifices of these brave people bore fruit yet gradually but surely the euphoria of getting rid of these corrupt regimes is slowly giving way to a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. Why? The answer to this simple question is also simple. These dictators ruled their countries with such a strong iron fist that once they are gone they have left behind a huge vacuum which cannot be filled soon. Such was their hold on power that after their removal the whole governmental machinery has come to a halt. Another alarming aspect of this whole scenario is that these rulers were able to extend their illegal governments with the help of the military-mullah nexus. So once they have been booted out of power the only logical substitute are the men in uniform or the Islamic fantasists, an even gloomier prospectus indeed. In fact if we seriously consider the issue these new forces now vying for power in these countries are an extension of the old regimes, as once a scholar wrote: â€Å"New Wine In Old Bottles† (Thompson, 1962: 125). It is fully justified to add that the West, especially the successive United States governments, in order to promote their own interests have been instrumental in safeguarding and prolonging these corrupt regimes and the individuals at their helm and are equal to blame for the misery these rulers have perpetuated on their people, by silencing dissent of any kind though the Constitution of the United States guarantees freedoms (like that of speech) for its own citizens. If conclusion if the regressive forces in favor of status quo are once again successful in occupying the echelons of power in these countries America and the West would be solely responsible for all these sacrifices to have been in vain and a black blotch on Western history,