Levi Strauss Essay Example for Free

Levi Strauss Essay As one attempts to assess the business ethics of Levi Strauss and Nike in this writing assignment, we are again compelled to revisit the critical distinction of conduct that is legal, yet still unethical. In both instances, Levi Strauss and Nike behaved with the parameters of legal conduct, yet few would argue that profiting from exploitive work conditions is an ethical behavior of any socially responsible organization (broad view social responsibility). Obviously, it’s very tempting to just condense this argument to the point of â€Å"bad companies boosting profits from lower labor costs via exploiting foreign workers in sweatshops†. I am going to take a much broader approach here in my assessment, as complete fairness to the two corporations here requires a bit of an indictment of the legal, regulatory, political, and socioeconomic environment that they operate in. So, let’s start there †¦ how is it that both of these large corporations are permitted (and driven) to outsource (with relative impunity) labor to countries with poor labor laws? In order to fairly assess their conduct, one must first examine the system under which they operate. How has corporate America gone down this path? Why do so many large U. S. corporations outsource labor en masse, which costs the U. S. economy so many jobs domestically? Let’s start by looking in the mirror and by that I mean you and I †¦ the U. S. consumer. Our thirst for cheap merchandise made overseas knows no limits. Do any of us look at the country of origin for goods, and if it’s non-U. S. do we even pause for a second to consider boycotting said goods due to loss of American jobs? Or boycott due to the nation of origin’s reputation for worker abuse? Of course we don’t. We want that Japanese high definition television from Wal-Mart that costs $100 less. We want the clothing from China or Indonesia that is 30% cheaper than similar brands made here. So, my first premise in this entire argument is that American consumers are NOT socially responsible in their purchasing habits. This lack of social responsibility on the demand side is a catalyst for Levi Strauss and Nike to seek cheaper labor overseas – for if they do not, their competitors assuredly will and they will be at a competitive disadvantage. Now, let’s assess the legal and regulatory environment under which both entities operate in the United States. Has Congress made it illegal to outsource labor to countries that they know are abusing their labor forces? In general, of course not. Congress maintains a blind eye to the problem, debating it over the years here and there in a politically motivated, half-hearted effort to occasionally placate certain voting segments (labor unions; displaced workers). Do they tougher their stance? Do they for one minute say to themselves, â€Å"this is really wrong, and socially irresponsible†? By inaction Congress is tacitly approving this practice, which of course is what powerful corporate lobbyists want. The profit motive has large U. S. corporations addicted to cheap labor now; Pandora’s Box has been opened and no one has the political will to attempt to close it. So let’s recap so far: we’ve indicted the U. S. consumer and our lawmakers in the legislative branch of the U. S. government (Congress) as major cultivators of the pro-outsourcing environment for which Levi Strauss and Nike must successfully operate under. Next on our list of socially irresponsible contributing parties – the judicial branch of the U.S. government. When the U. S. Supreme Court found in 2010 that the formation of so called â€Å"Super PACs† for campaign donations was legal, this gave corporations new powers under the law to, in effect, buy our government via opulent and obscene campaign spend funneled to candidates. The end result of this ruling is that corporations that profit greatly from outsourced labor are now able to pay for the elections of our Congressmen – and gee, wonder how this economic â€Å"favor† will be repaid when attempts to rein in outsourcing come up in Congress? Let’s move on to our two protagonists in this debate: Levi Strauss and Nike. Now that we’ve got the backdrop well in hand, and a reasonable person would agree that a massive systemic failure in the U. S. has allowed and promoted unchecked outsourcing of jobs, it’s time to discuss these two corporate giants and their respective behaviors here. Do these two corporations have a responsibility to monitor the conduct of the companies they do business within particular, their contractors and suppliers? As a personal believer in the broader view of corporate social  responsibility, I believe that they do. Notwithstanding the fact that all of this outsourcing is legal, and despite the mitigating factors that I’ve argued above that do alleviate these two companies of all of the blame – I still believe that they need to take the higher moral ground. Levi Strauss overall has conducted itself with far greater corporate social responsibility than Nike has, in my judgment. Strauss for many years withdrew from China due to their notoriety as a non-democratic country with abusive labor conditions. Regrettably, it had to re-enter China eventually to keep pace with competitors. Also, witness the way that Strauss treated its displaced U. S. workers as it (with some remorse) eventually had to close all its U. S. plants due to competition from outsourcers. Strauss gave generous severance and retraining dollars to the affected workers. In my estimation, Strauss has had to compromise its socially responsible corporate culture due to pressures from the warped competitive environment that was designed around them. It became a matter of survival for their corporation; their management had to adapt or risk failure and loss of the shareholders’ investments in the company. That is why I authored the overview above – I think it’s highly relevant to assessing Strauss’s conduct here. The system failed Levi Strauss – they wanted to behave under the broad definition of corporate social responsibility, but the demand for cheaper outsourced goods by consumers and the legality of outsourcing jobs (Congressional oversight failure) forced an adaptive change against their moral grain. Nike, however, is no apologist when it comes to their outsourcing. In fact, they are proud of it – even boasting that they pay outsourced workers higher than average wages for their region. To me, this is tantamount to bragging that â€Å"we don’t abuse those workers as badly as others do†. Frankly, that attitude offends my sensibilities and my personal set of ethical standards. I also deem it to be in direct conflict with the broader definition of corporate social responsibility. Lastly, I think that corporations have the obligation to take the ethical high ground and behave in a socially responsible manner (broad definition). That said, however, I do not believe that it’s a fair expectation to demand that high standard if adhering to same places the company’s very existence at risk due to systemic failures beyond their control. Levi Strauss attempted to â€Å"do the right thing†, but poor rules and oversight make competing in a broad ethical manner quite dangerous to its ultimate survival. Strauss’s example should serve as a wakeup call to U. S. consumers and our Congress: systemic change is needed, and it’s needed NOW.

The Indus Water Treaty

The Indus Water Treaty 13. The Indus flows through the north-west of India and Pakistan. It arises within Tibet from a holy lake called Mansarovar, the mouth of the lion. After rising in Tibet, the Indus runs north-west between the Karakoram and the Himalayas. In Kashmir, the river crosses the Line of Control (LoC) and enters Baltistan. The principal tributaries of the Indus in the west are Kabul and Khurram rivers, while its five main tributaries in the East are the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers. INDUS BASIN RIVERS 14. The British laid the foundation of the Indus Basin River System in the late 19th Century. The system did exist prior to the British annexation of the area but in a rudimentary form. The irrigation network constructed during the British rule, especially after 1885, was based on perennial canals which led off from river-spanning weirs and head works. Vast areas which had remained inaccessible under the traditional irrigation system were brought under cultivation by this canal system. In the Punjab, two major systems of irrigation were developedBari Doab and the Sutlej Valley Project. 15. In the 19th century, the British constructed most of what is today the worlds largest contiguous irrigation system in the Indus Basin. However, the boundaries between the two states drawn in 1947 paid no attention to hydrology. Eighty per cent of the irrigated area was in Pakistan, but after Partition a large portion of the headwaters for the rivers which serviced most of this immense area were in Indian-held Kashmir. 16. Seeing that India and Pakistan were unable to resolve this issue, the World Bank offered its help. After 10 years of intense negotiation, in 1960 the IWT was signed by then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Pakistani President Ayub Khan and the World Bank. 17. Originally designed as one scheme  [4]  , however, with the partition of the subcontinent in 1947, including the province of Punjab, the Indus system was also divided; while the head works fell to India, the canals ran through Pakistan. With a view to attaining the most complete and satisfactory utilization of the waters of the Indus basin and recognizing the need for fixing and delimiting the rights and obligations of each country in relation to the other , both states, as part of the Indus Waters Treaty agreed to following provisions of the treaty:- Essential Provisions  [5]  of the Treaty 18. There are four essential elements to the treaty (Articles of treaty attached as appendices). The first relates to the division of the waters. The waters of the three western rivers (the Indus, the Jhelum and the Chenab) were allocated to Pakistan, and the waters of the three eastern rivers (the Ravi, the Beas and the Sutlej) were allocated to India. 19. The second was a financing plan to assist Pakistan in building the vast replacement works (Tarbela Dam on the Indus and Mangla on the Jhelum in Pakistan-held Kashmir and the massive link canals) which were needed to store and transport water from rivers in the west to the irrigated areas of Pakistan. India contributed about 20% of the almost $1 billion (in 1960 dollars) required. 20. The third element relates to use of the hydroelectric potential of Pakistans rivers before they reach Pakistan. This was a major bone of contention in the negotiations. India had a legitimate desire to harness the hydroelectric potential of Pakistans rivers before the rivers reached the Line of Control. Pakistan was well aware that the 10 backbone of its economy was irrigated agriculture that was built around the natural flows of the rivers, and thus worried that its security would be seriously compromised if India built dams which could alter the timing of water coming to Pakistan, especially from the Jhelum and the Chenab. The compromise reached in the IWT was that India could use the hydro potential on the rivers, but that there would be restrictions on the manipulable storage that India could construct on these rivers, thus eliminating the possibility of the dams being operated in a way that would adversely affect Pakistan. 21. The fourth element of the treaty is the dispute resolution mechanism, which sets up rules whereby first recourse is for the Indian and Pakistani IWT commissioners to resolve potential problems. If this fails then there are provisions for external arbitration, either through a neutral expert appointed by the World Bank, or through an international court of arbitration. Treaty as Success Story 22. The treaty is widely described as the only institutional mechanism that has worked between India and Pakistan over the past 50 years. In part this is because of the intelligent design of the treaty, but it is also true that it worked because for decades India did very little to develop the hydropower resources on the Jhelum and the Chenab in Indian-held Kashmir. 11 Effects of the Treaty 23. Positive Aspects for Pakistan. The treaty assured  [6]  Pakistan, permanent water supply for its canal system. The principal benefits were:- (a) It helped Pakistan gain independence from India for ensuring its supplies by binding India to a formal international treaty. (b) The treaty helped regulate the flows of the Indus and its tributaries. About 80 percent of the total water is produced during the monsoon period July to September. Storage projects undertaken due to the treaty ensure water availability during winters and enhanced canal diversions. (c) It helped to revolutionize the agricultural sector. 24. Negative Aspects for Pakistan. The negative outcome for Pakistan was the loss of eastern rivers and with this, land surrounding these rivers largely irrigated by traditional methods was adversely affected. However, this loss was compensated by the construction of storage reservoirs, canals and diversions. The other drawback was the rise in inter-provincial discord, especially in recent years, due to reduced flow in the Indus. 12 25. Positive Aspects for India. The major benefits that accrued from the treaty to India were :- (a) The treaty enabled India to harness the eastern rivers to its benefit. It helped in diverting waters to arid areas like Rajasthan and develop irrigation facilities. (b) India could also build run-of-the-river hydroelectric plants on the western rivers and flood control storage facilities, though no storage facilities have been built so far. 26. Negative Aspects for India. The losses to India were :- (a) Ceding western rivers to Pakistan hampered growth of Jammu Kashmir, as water resources in the state could not be harnessed. (b) Increased differences amongst basin states as they began contending higher allocation of water. (c) Absence of an exit clause in the treaty shut Indias options, though Article XII of the treaty provides for a modification of the treaty. 13 Resolution of Salal Dam Controversy C:UsersAdminPicturesSALAL DAM.bmp 27. After the signing of Indus Waters Treaty, the first dispute India and Pakistan were engaged in was over the construction of the Salal Dam by India on the Chenab River. Under the terms of the Treaty, India submitted its plan to the Permanent Indus Commission for Pakistans approval in 1968. A run of- the-river  [7]  hydroelectric project, Salal was deemed crucial for the agricultural needs of the Indian Punjab and economic progress of the country. In 1974 Pakistan officially objected to the design of Salal project arguing that it did not confirm to the criteria for design of such hydroelectric projects laid down under the Treaty. 28. During the course of the negotiations, several options were discussed for reaching to a final settlement including resort to the arbitration procedure provided in the Treaty. Finally, India agreed to make some changes in the design of the dam including reducing 14 the height of the dam and to the permanent closure of the diversion canal after the hydel plant had been commissioned. 29. The resolution of this dispute was hailed in both countries and is still quoted as a case of successful diplomacy over water sharing between Pakistan and India due to the concessions made under the Salal Agreement signed in April 1978. Challenges to the Treaty Although the Indus Rivers support the worlds largest irrigation system, the unused waters of the rivers, which now go to waste into the Arabian Sea, have an equally large useful potential. These could reclaim from the desert an area equal to that already developed. Another 26 million acres could be turned into smiling fields of wheat and rice and cotton food for hungry and work for the unemployed [Shivananda, 1961: 4-5, emphasis added] 30. Over the last decade this situation has changed dramatically. India has initiated a major programme of hydropower development across its Himalayan region. As part of this strategy, and in part to try to address the grievances of the Kashmiri people, India has constructed and is constructing and planning a large number of large hydropower projects on the headwaters of Pakistans rivers (the Indus and especially the Jhelum and Chenab) in Indian-held Kashmir. 15 31. Almost all the disputes over water that have arisen between India and Pakistan are about dam projects constructed or being constructed by one of the two parties. The negotiations over these issues involve divergent concerns and interests, based on their interpretations of the Indus Water Treaty. Under this unprecedented pressure, the IWT is creaking. The Indian perspective is that Pakistan uses the treaty to put an unending set of obstacles in Indias path. The Pakistani perspective is that New Delhi operates with impunity, and that the cumulative upstream water storage being created by India constitutes an existential threat to Pakistans security. The major disputes have been over the following projects:- Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project 32. The second challenge to the treaty came regarding the construction of the Wullar Barrage, as it is called by Paksitan, or Tulbul Navigation Project as termed by India. The dispute arose in 1984 when India began to build the barrage and navigational project at the mouth of the Wullar Lake on the River Jhelum. In 1986, Pakistan referred the case to the Indus Commission, and in 1987 work was halted on the project by India. The main point of dispute is that Pakistan views the project as a storage work while India claims that it is a navigational project. 16 33. These divergent positions are further urged in the light of specific provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty. For Pakistan, the project violates Article I (11) that prohibits both parties from undertaking any man-made obstruction that may cause a change in the volume of water. Article III (4) prohibits India from storing any water on the western rivers. Further, sub-para 8 (h) entitles India to construct incidental storage work on the western rivers only after the design has been scrutinized and approved by Pakistan. Its storage capacity should not exceed 10,000 acre feet of water. Pakistan argues that the existing water level in the Wullar Lake is enough for small boats to navigate between Baramula and Srinagar, so there is no need to store additional water. It further argues that the dams storage capacity was 32 times more than the 10,000 maf capacity provided under the Indus Waters Treaty. 34. India, on the contrary, contends that despite the broad principles governing the Treaty, India has been allowed, under certain conditions, to construct a barrage in the light of Article 3 (4) conditions, which are enlisted in Annexure D and E of the Treaty. India views the project as an attempt to make the Jhelum navigable, not a reservoir. 35. Controlling water for navigation is permissible under the Treaty. More than a dozen rounds of talks have been held to date over the construction of this barrage but it remains the oldest and longest lasting water dispute between India and Pakistan. 17 The Baglihar Dam Issue http://wikimapia.org/p/00/00/52/34/74_big.jpg 36. The differing views of Islamabad and New Delhi first came to a head after India started constructing the 450 megawatt (MW) Baglihar project in 1999 on the Chenab River. Pakistan believed that the Indian design violated the IWT because the dam included gated spillways which meant that the manipulable storage was larger than that allowed under the IWT. The Indian view was that if they were unable to operate the reservoir more flexibly, it would rapidly fill with silt, as had happened in the earlier Salal project. The Indian and Pakistani IWT commissioners were unable to resolve the difference, with Pakistan asking the World Bank to appoint a neutral expert in 2005. 37. The essence of the neutral experts verdict, delivered in 2007, was that: the IWT had a provision for updating the implementation of the treaty as new knowledge accumulated; what has emerged as global good practice for silt management would be 18 impossible with the rigidities of the treaty; and therefore India should be allowed to draw water out of the dam at lower levels than those specified in the treaty. 38. To understand this interpretation a brief technical digression is needed. Water stored behind a dam is divided between live storage, which the operator of the dam can manage through both gated spillways and power intakes, and lower-level dead storage, which the operator cannot manage as he does not have outlets in the dam low enough to release this water. 39. The neutral expert, applying considerable semantic subtlety, essentially argued that live storage was not the same as manipulable storage. He argued that only storage that could be used for the operational purpose of generating power constituted live storage. So if India was creating more manipulable storage on the grounds that this was necessary for silt management, then, in the judgment of the neutral expert, this was not live storage and should be allowed. This finding would only make sense if Pakistans concern in the treaty was to define exactly where the power outlets could be in the Indian dams (which it never was and is not). But it makes no sense if Pakistans concern was Indias capacity to manipulate flows into Pakistan (which it always was and still is). 40. For Pakistan the (non-appealable) Baglihar verdict was a huge blow because it reinterpreted the IWT to remove the fundamental physical protection (limits in manipulable storage) which Pakistan had against the creation of an Indian ability to seriously manipulate the timing of flows of water into Pakistan. 19 41. From the Pakistan perspective, salt was rubbed into this raw wound when India did not (in Pakistans view) comply with the IWT-specified process for filling Baglihar. The Kishenganga Hydroelectric Project 42. Present flashpoint of Kishenganga Hydroelectric project in Indian-held Kashmir is unique. In India the westward-flowing Jhelum River has two main tributaries. The northern tributary, which flows at a substantially higher elevation  [8]  in the foothills of the Himalayas, is the Neelum River. The southern tributary, which flows at a much lower elevation, is the Jhelum itself. The two tributaries join just after they reach Pakistan. This odd configuration offers a unique opportunity build a barrage across the Neelum, build a tunnel down to the Jhelum, put a power station at the bottom and generate substantial amounts of power. There are two obvious sites where this can be done one upstream in India and one downstream in Pakistan. ALT.jpg (36381 bytes) 20 43. The engineers who drew up the IWT were well aware of these possibilities and stipulated that India could build its project only if there is no existing use which will be affected in Pakistan. India is now building the eastern scheme (the 330 MW Kishenganga project) while Pakistan is building the western scheme (the 1,000 MW Neelum-Jhelum project). The immediate stakes and investments are large approximately $350 million in India and $1,000 million in Pakistan. Disillusioned with the neutral expert process after Baglihar, in May 2010 Pakistan declared this to be a dispute to be taken to a Court of Arbitration. 44. The Neelum-Jhelum case is unique because it is the one case in the Indus Basin where there is an intrinsic conflict between India and Pakistan. In all of the other cases upstream storage of water in India could, if normal relations pertained, easily be translated into benefits for downstream Pakistan. These benefits would include the more reliable timing of flows, storage of water during floods and perhaps even energy sharing. 45. The situation is further complicated by the fact that India has a series of hydropower projects being planned, designed and constructed on the headwaters of Pakistans three rivers which will create something like 40 days of live storage on the Chenab alone. From the Pakistani perspective this ability to hold and release water constitutes a serious threat to water security in Pakistan. 21 IWT: Internal Regional Problems 46. Besides these dam projects, there are several internal and regional issues that strain the Indus Waters Treaty. The most important is the view of the people in Jammu and Kashmir who see the Treaty as exploiting  [9]  their rights by both India and Pakistan. People of the northern areas in Pakistan are also opposed to dam projects in Pakistan like the Mangla dam. 47. Secondly, hostile anti-Pakistan segments in India view the Indus Water Treaty as giving undue concessions to Pakistan, which Prime Minister Nehru signed to purchase peace. Since it did not bring peace to Kashmir, they want to revisit the concessions given to Pakistan under the Treaty. 48. Third, Pakistan also has serious problems regarding the sharing of Indus waters among its four provinces. This is evident with entrenched controversy being present in the country on every planned dam. The shortage of water has deep political, economic and social effects. For example, farmers in Sindh point their fingers at Punjabi landlords, and accuse them of stealing their share of the Induss water. 49. Finally, there are environmental and ecological changes which call for consideration. Because of climate change, the Himalayan glaciers are melting at an alarming rate. For water resources, this means an increase in water initially due to 22 flooding. Within the next 50 years, however, experts believe there will be a 30 to 40 percent  [10]  drop in glacial melt because the glaciers will have receded. A strategy to create more storage capacity for water is the only option available, but one has to remember that glacial melt is not only water but also silt that will reduce the capacity of the reservoirs. This aspect has not been considered at the political level or at least has not gained prominence. 50. Essentially the following two features have shaped Pakistan-India water politics: (a) The underlying concern of both states is the political aspects that water entails. This aspect is believed to be the catalyst  [11]  behind the hydro politics in which both countries are engaged. Thus, the discussion on water issues has always been there in almost every dialogue between India and Pakistan, and now it figures in the high level talks that reflects the dominance of water issues. (b) Most of the time, Pakistan being the lower riparian follows up on these issues on sharing of waters more vigorously. It has objected to almost all the projects planned by India on the western rivers calling them a violation of the 23 Indus Water Treaty. Nonetheless, India does not accept this view and takes defensive positions.

Gertrude: The Tragic Heroine of Shakespeares Hamlet Essay example -- G

Gertrude: The Tragic Heroine of Hamlet    Hamlet is perhaps English literature's most renowned play; a masterwork by the greatest of all masters, Shakespeare, from its very appearance Hamlet has not ceased to delight audiences and confound spectators. The complexity of the main character, prince Hamlet, is so vast that all who have attempted to decipher his character fulsomely have failed. Amidst his own grandeur, Hamlet makes the other characters pale. As they blur into literary oblivion due to the magnetism of the central character, other characters are often disregarded as one-dimensional and are not done sufficient justice. Gertrude, victim of Hamlet's virulent verbal abuse, is often seen through the bitter eyes of her son and thus her true character is seldom recognized. However, Shakespeare, incapable of mediocrity, instilled in Gertrude more complexity than simple analysis might yield. He bestowed her the appearance of an unscrupulous woman, one for whom shame is a stranger and who acts guided solely by her carnal des ires; furthermore, she gives signs of being a frivolous queen, one who occupies her mind in simple contemplations, and for whom profound matters are inaccessible. Finally, he made her seem an insensitive mother incapable of empathy for her son's grief and oblivious to true sensibility. Nonetheless, it is Gertrude's desire for reconcilement and her need to avoid conflict that make her appear an unscrupulous woman, a frivolous Queen and an insensitive mother.    Certainly the most widespread opinion regarding Gertrude is that she is an unscrupulous woman; however, it is her desire for reconcilement and her need to avoid conflict that make her appear unscrupulous.   With all the force of his first soliloquy... ... tragic flaw was no other than the innocent desire for reconcilement and her too human need to avoid conflict. In Hamlet's own words, this seems the very essence of veracity, "what a piece of work is man! how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties!"   and yet, how solitary and uncomprehended; how quick to condemn, how reluctant to forgive and in doing so how like a Greek God, and how, so beautifully and fallibly human.   Bibliography 1. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Folger Library. Edited by Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar Washington, Washington Square Press Publication, 1958. 2. "Gertrude in Hamlet" http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/critical.html#michelle_g Date accessed 02/25/2003) 3. Mabillard, Amanda. Shakespeare's Gertrude. Shakespeare Online. 2000. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/gertrudechar.html (03/25/2003)

Essay --

Section A: Plan of Investigation Between 1940 and 1944, France was occupied by the German Army during World War II. The war saw the emergence of Coco Chanel as a Nazi spy, due to her openly anti-Semitic feelings, independence in business and influence as a couture designer (Vaughan 230). For these qualities she was recruited in to the Abwehr, the German military intelligence organization (134). To determine the extent of Coco Chanel’s involvement in Nazi missions the investigation will examine the following factors; personal relationships with high level officials allowing her elite conduct, her collaborations with Nazis in Paris, the nature of her work for the German military intelligence service and Himmler’s S.S. and did all of these factors designate her as a Nazi spy? Section B: Summary of Evidence Personal Relationships with High Level Officials †¢ Coco Chanel had an intimate relationship with Hans Gunther van Dincklage, a high ranking German official (Vaughan 141). †¢ Dincklage arranged for Chanel to stay at German occupied hotel, The Ritz. Giving her unrestricted access to German Headquarters in France (141). †¢ Romantic ties with the Duke of Westminster (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Next door neighbor and friend of Fern Bedaux, Nazi collaborator ( Vaughan 151). †¢ Close relationship with British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Samuel Hoare (Samuel). †¢ Chanel was pardoned for her crimes by Winston Churchill (237). †¢ Never formally charged as a collaborator due to Churchill’s intervention (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Churchill intervened in both her arrest and trial (Samuel). †¢ Spared from a public trial by British Royal family (Walker). Collaborations with Nazis in Paris †¢ One of few civilians living in German Headquarters (Vaughan 141). †¢ Visas for Ch... ...e political and social conflict of Chanel’s involvement has dissolved as new information has been declassified and readers are exposed to the intelligence once only known to government officials. Chanel agreed to work with the Nazi party in pursuit of her nephew’s return to her, not for her own personal beliefs and experience. Section E: Conclusion After Chanel’s two failed missions in sending letters of treaty negotiations she is not accredited with the label as a spy (Vaughan 199). However she is linked to the Nazi party, for her involvement with the Abwehr (134). Chanel is considered proactive in her strategy to recover her nephew. It can be justly claimed that Chanel, although involved in Nazi social circles and ambitions, was not a Nazi spy as she sought to bring peace and the safety of her nephew in her actions and proof of her missions were never recovered. Essay -- Section A: Plan of Investigation Between 1940 and 1944, France was occupied by the German Army during World War II. The war saw the emergence of Coco Chanel as a Nazi spy, due to her openly anti-Semitic feelings, independence in business and influence as a couture designer (Vaughan 230). For these qualities she was recruited in to the Abwehr, the German military intelligence organization (134). To determine the extent of Coco Chanel’s involvement in Nazi missions the investigation will examine the following factors; personal relationships with high level officials allowing her elite conduct, her collaborations with Nazis in Paris, the nature of her work for the German military intelligence service and Himmler’s S.S. and did all of these factors designate her as a Nazi spy? Section B: Summary of Evidence Personal Relationships with High Level Officials †¢ Coco Chanel had an intimate relationship with Hans Gunther van Dincklage, a high ranking German official (Vaughan 141). †¢ Dincklage arranged for Chanel to stay at German occupied hotel, The Ritz. Giving her unrestricted access to German Headquarters in France (141). †¢ Romantic ties with the Duke of Westminster (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Next door neighbor and friend of Fern Bedaux, Nazi collaborator ( Vaughan 151). †¢ Close relationship with British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Samuel Hoare (Samuel). †¢ Chanel was pardoned for her crimes by Winston Churchill (237). †¢ Never formally charged as a collaborator due to Churchill’s intervention (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Churchill intervened in both her arrest and trial (Samuel). †¢ Spared from a public trial by British Royal family (Walker). Collaborations with Nazis in Paris †¢ One of few civilians living in German Headquarters (Vaughan 141). †¢ Visas for Ch... ...e political and social conflict of Chanel’s involvement has dissolved as new information has been declassified and readers are exposed to the intelligence once only known to government officials. Chanel agreed to work with the Nazi party in pursuit of her nephew’s return to her, not for her own personal beliefs and experience. Section E: Conclusion After Chanel’s two failed missions in sending letters of treaty negotiations she is not accredited with the label as a spy (Vaughan 199). However she is linked to the Nazi party, for her involvement with the Abwehr (134). Chanel is considered proactive in her strategy to recover her nephew. It can be justly claimed that Chanel, although involved in Nazi social circles and ambitions, was not a Nazi spy as she sought to bring peace and the safety of her nephew in her actions and proof of her missions were never recovered.

Murder in the Bible Essay -- Murder Violence Bible Crime Christianity

Murder in the Bible The act of murder is rampant in the Bible. In much of the Bible, especially the Old Testament, there are laws that command that people be killed for absurd reasons such as working on the Sabbath, being gay, cursing your parents, or not being a virgin on your wedding night. In addition to these crazy and immoral laws, there are plenty of examples of God's irrationality by his direct killing of many people for reasons that defy any rational explanation such as killing children who make fun of bald people, and the killing of a man who tried to keep the ark of God from falling during transport. There are also countless examples of mass murders commanded by God, including the murder of women, infants, and children. The following passages are a very small percentage of the total passages approving of murder in the Bible. They are divided here into three parts: 1) Capital Punishment Crimes, 2) God's Murders for Stupid Reasons, 3) Murdering Children, and 4) Miscellaneous Murders. This list is long, but it barely scratches the surface of all the murders approved of in the Bible. 1) Capital Punishment Crimes: Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT) Kill Witches You should not let a sorceress live. (Exodus 22:17 NAB) Kill Homosexuals "If a man lies with a male as with a women, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives." (Leviticus 20:13 NAB) Kill Fortunetellers A man or a woman who acts as a medium or fortuneteller shall be put to death by stoning; they have no one but themselves to blame for their death. (Leviticus 20:27 NAB) Death for Hitting Dad Whoever strikes his father or mother shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:15 NAB) Death for Cursing Parents 1) If one curses his father or mother, his lamp will go out at the coming of darkness. (Proverbs 20:20 NAB) 2) All who curse their father or mother must be put to death. They are guilty of a capital offense. (Leviticus 20:9 NLT) Death for Adultery If a man commits adultery with another man's wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10 NLT) .. ...f Baal. Don't let a single one escape!" So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there. (1 Kings 18:36-40 NLT) Kill All of Babylon "Go up, my warriors, against the land of Merathaim and against the people of Pekod. Yes, march against Babylon, the land of rebels, a land that I will judge! Pursue, kill, and completely destroy them, as I have commanded you," says the LORD. "Let the battle cry be heard in the land, a shout of great destruction". (Jeremiah 50:21-22 NLT) Micah Kills a Whole Town Then, with Micah's idols and his priest, the men of Dan came to the town of Laish, whose people were peaceful and secure. They attacked and killed all the people and burned the town to the ground. There was no one to rescue the residents of the town, for they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby. This happened in the valley near Beth-rehob.Then the people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the town and lived there. They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor, Israel's son, but it had originally been called Laish. (Judges 18:27-29 NLT) (Note that God approves of this slaughter in verse 6.)

Why Did Kristallnacht Take Place?

1. Both sources appear to contradict each other in terms of content. The first, and most important, question risen form these two sources are which is correct in context of who organised the riots. Source A clearly states that it was a â€Å"mass attack, which he [Goebbels] and the SA were going to launch†. However, there is a clear contravention in Source B: â€Å"The Fuhrer, at Goebbels suggestion†¦ not to be organised by the party†. However, in looking at what had happened, it seems that Goebbels encouraged a nationwide press campaign to help â€Å"stir† trouble. Also, at a dinner to commemorate the Munich Putsch, Goebbels called for von Rath's death to be avenged. These pieces of evidence do point towards riots conducted by Goebbels. It may have been, as stated in source A, that Goebbels was out of favour with Hitler and that he was trying to win back support from his Fuhrer. In source A however, whether Hitler did â€Å"squeal with delight† and slap his thigh with â€Å"enthusiasm† at the thought of riots against the Jewish minority is contestable. This is because Hitler was surprised by the extent of the pogrom, and may have been awaiting only sporadic bursts of violence from the population and not the SA. Source A, in terms of provenance, appears not to be as accurate as it seems. This is because it is only a summary by an historian nine years after the end of the First World War, and sixteen years after the events of Kristallnacht. Thus, many incidents may have been altered slightly to suit any other evidence this historian may have. Thus, a possible reason for Hitler â€Å"squealing with delight† and slapping his thigh with â€Å"enthusiasm†. However if nothing had been changed, then the very fact that the account was from a journalist, with insight to the â€Å"political behind the scenes† makes the source a significant one. On the other hand, Source B is by the Nazi Supreme Court. However the noteworthy element about this source is the fact that it is secret. Thus, meaning it is not intentionally prepared for use in the â€Å"political outside†. Therefore, there could be some element of truth in it, making it somewhat useful. However, there are some incorrect statements in the source. Consequently, I have come to the conclusion that Source A is the more useful out of the two sources for anybody studying Kristallnacht. This is because the source is a more reliable source in terms of its content. 2. The clear impression conveyed to the reader of source C is that Kristallnacht was calculated, precise attack on the Jews. Also, Mr. Buffman conveys Kristallnacht as a horrific act of terror. Mr. Buffman has written this as a first hand account, thus, many parts are down to opinion: â€Å"all of the local crowds were obviously horrified by the Nazis' acts†. Mr. Buffman 3. All three sources convey a general meaning about the events of Kristallnacht: an event disgustingly horrific both morally and physically. Source C and E particularly support each other. Both sources mention the fact that SA/SS men in no uniform had â€Å"been provided with hammers, axes and firebombs†, destroying Jewish synagogues, homes and shops. Source C also implies a calculated, organised riot; source E also conveys this as it states that a â€Å"list of names and addresses of all Jewish shops was provided†. Source E also backs up the statement Mr. Buffman made in Source C concerning the action taken by the German population: â€Å"Most German people have nothing to do with these riots†. Source E must be a reliable source to back up Source C as it is seemingly from a civil servant, working in a day-to-day job with political administrators. Source D also talks about the horrors leading up to Kristallnacht, although not in as much detail as in Sources C and E. The German Jew talks of â€Å"acts of terror†, the ‘decrees' passed on to force Jews to sell their belongings and â€Å"go away†, the ‘decree' passed on by Hitler to encourage emigration. Thus, source D does insinuate to the calculated and efficient riots that the government did organise. All of these sources are first hand accounts of the attacks on the Jews on Kristallnacht, thus they must be at least accurate, in terms of what they have interpreted to have witnessed. In looking at the chronology of events leading up to and after Kristallnacht, it seems that the ‘decrees' made were there to expel Jews from German society. Kristallnacht seemed to be a coincidence in between these events, with the Nazi's taking full advantage of this. Examples of which are 1) the Jewish minority being forced to pay compensation after the events of Kristallnacht 2) Jews forbidden to visit theatres, cinemas or concerts and 3) expulsion of all Jewish pupils from their schools. The purpose of sources C, D and E is a united one; a need to convey the horrific events, and the truth behind the smoke-screen of newspaper headlines: â€Å"a spontaneous wave of anger†¦ cowardly Jewish murder of Von Rath in Paris†

Belonging: The Crucible

Belonging is a far-reaching yet complex idea that is powerfully explored in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. It illustrates a variety of aspects of belonging, where it can be compared and contrasted with ideas in other texts such as Oliver Parker’s film Dorian Gray and Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s poem We Are Going. These texts present ideas of power and isolation, which consequently lead to individuals either belonging or not belonging to the community. Through the use of a variety of literary, film and dramatic techniques, the composers can emphasise and convey the similar (or differing) aspects of belonging found in each text. Power is an evident theme in The Crucible that suggests it controls the fragile town of Salem. As such, an individual’s feeling of belonging is influenced by Salem’s theocratic and authoritative government. The characterisation of Hale allows the audience to realise this, as he immediately belongs and assumes a position of power. Initially, Hale is the driving force of the witch trials, as he represents the theocracy, is educated and possesses books that are â€Å"weighted with authority†. This feeds his ego as the ‘expert’ and demonstrates his ability to exert power onto the townspeople. He also stresses that â€Å"Theology is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small†. This clearly shows that you either belong or don’t belong in the community, and that those who choose not to belong do so at their own peril. However, Hale’s guilt grows throughout the play when he realises the bitterness of the accusations and metaphorically describes his actions with â€Å"What I touched with my bright confidence it died, and where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up†. This evidently shows the extent to which Hale can exert power and his consequent feelings of guilt. Ultimately, Hale questions his faith and removes himself from the sense of belonging fostered in Salem. His assertion of â€Å"I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court! †emphasise his withdrawal from the community and decision not to conform. The same idea of power can be compared to Oliver Parker’s film Dorian Gray, and suggests that there can be devastating consequences when one allows themselves to be influenced by others in order to belong. Since Dorian possesses wealth, beauty and eternal youth, he is a powerful but vain character. Being a newcomer, Dorian wants to belong and so therefore, he allows himself to be influenced by Henry Wotten’s hedonistic way of life. When Dorian announces â€Å"Perhaps I should nail my soul to the devil’s alter†, he contemplates the idea of conforming in order to sustain power and belong. Dorian does eventually follow Henry’s example and becomes accepted by society. Parker also uses the technique of slow motion to emphasise this. When Dorian enters and announces â€Å"Well here I am†, time temporarily slows in order to accentuate his power and influence. Dorian’s friends, who are now old and bitter, are awestruck by the sight of him. As such, his sense of belonging is heightened due to the admiration and acceptance he receives from society. However, Dorian eventually develops a conscience and recognises he has led a sinful life. Parker uses the motif of a deteriorating painting to demonstrate this. The painting reminds Dorian that he should maintain his own values and firstly belonging to himself before belonging to society. As a result, he realises the negative consequences of trying to conform and loses his power by destroying the painting as a sign of self-belonging. Isolation is another idea explored in The Crucible, suggesting that indivuals can face barriers to belonging, which therefore lead to feelings of alienation. Abigail and her circle of friends are the ones who feel the most loneliness since they are young and unmarried. This forces them to secretly rebel and dance in the woods. For Abigail, the need for acceptance is shown through her affair with John Proctor. Miller juxtaposes love and lust to highlight their differences. Abigail’s exclamation of â€Å"You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me! † shows her repetition of the word ‘love’. However, Proctor only uses ‘lust’ to describe their relationship. As a result, the audience sees that Abigail is a character who is constantly rejected with a desperate need to belong. Furthermore, Abigail’s crying of â€Å"Child! How do you call me child! †emphasise her failed attempt at belonging, and suggests that the only way for a woman to be accepted in society is to be a wife. John Proctor is the opposite of Abigail and ultimately chooses not to belong. His words â€Å"I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. I am not that man† are metaphorical and signify his rejection of the Salem justice system. Although he believes he is unworthy of anything due to his affair with Abigail, Proctor eventually finds â€Å"a shred of goodness† in himself by maintaining his own values and choosing to belong to himself. His redemption is also shown through Miller’s stage directions. The drumroll crash and streaming sunlight in the final scene contrasts with previous scenes and signifies that he has done the right thing by choosing to die and belong to himself rather than sign himself to lies. In comparison to The Crucible, Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s poem We Are Going also conveys themes of isolation. Similarly to Abigail, the Aboriginal persona faces a barrier to belonging. The alienation of which the persona feels is due to the white settlers and the consequential loss of culture and identity. â€Å"Many white men hurry about like ants† is an example of a simile that suggests that the settlers are busy and stressed. This is a contrast to traditional aboriginal life, and shows the differing perspectives between the settlers and the narrator. Here, the juxtaposition of the two ethnic groups is parallel to Abigail and Proctor’s view on love and lust, and reinforces the idea of isolation. Furthermore, Noonuccal uses repetition, particularly with the word â€Å"Gone† to emphasis the lost feelings of belonging. Noonuccal writes: â€Å"The scrubs are gone, the eagle is gone, the bora ring is gone† to stress the loss of culture and connection with the land. The poem also uses collective first-person narration to give the audience a personal understanding on the frustrations of not belonging. â€Å"We are going† are the three words in the title and conclusion. It implies that the aboriginals are not welcome in their homeland and will let go of the past and their old ways. This echoes the idea of belonging to one’s self, which is found in The Crucible. Like Proctor, the aboriginals choose not to conform and decide to leave in order to preserve their individuality and â€Å"self belonging†. The Crucible exhibits situations where humans have the need for power and acceptance. These ideas of belonging (or not belonging) can also be compared in Dorian Gray and We Are Going through a variety of dramatic, film and literary techniques. Therefore, these ideas are delicately communicated with a greater impact on the audience’s understanding of the concept of belonging.