Paris 1900 - Petit Palais :: Architecture History

Missing Image Paris 1900 - Petit Palais Along with the Grand Palais and the Pont Alexandre III, the Petit Palais served as one of the main focuses of the International Exhibition of 1900 and helped solidify the position of France as artistic world leader. Despite its inferiority in size to the Grand Palais, contemporary critics noted that the Petit Palais is of "equal importance in creating an impression of the artistic success of the Exhibition" (Boyd, 194). From its inception, it was built to serve as a permanent gallery of painting and sculpture. This black and white postcard represents the inner courtyard of the Petit Palais, which was established at the expense of the Palais de l'Industrie that had been erected for the 1855 Exposition. Architect Eugà ¨ne Hà ©nard (1849-1923) proposed the destruction of the Palais De l'Industrie. In 1894, Hà ©nard received one of three first prizes (others were granted to Charles Girault and Edmond J.B. Paulin) in the competition for the general plan of the Exposition. The final layout of the fair incorporated his suggestion of cutting a new street from the Champs-Elysees through the Palais de l'Industrie which would cross the Seine River on a new bridge and then terminate at the Dà ´me des Invalides (Wolf, 29). Although some Frenchmen opposed the destruction of the Palais de I'lndustrie, which was seen as one of the most conspicuous landmarks on the Champs Elysà ©es and served as an exhibition hall at the time, many agreed it was obsolete. According to Richard Morris Hunt, a prestigiou s American architect, "from the very day it began to rise above the ground the critics cried against the destruction of one of the finest perspective views that Paris afforded, and condemned this heavy and compact mask that was being interposed between the Champs Elysà ©es and the dome of the Invalides" (Hunt, 31). Hà ©nard recommended replacing the Palais de l'Industrie with two buildings, Palais des Beaux-Arts and Palais des Lettres (Wolf, 29). From Hà ©nard's idea came the establishment of the Grand Palais, Petit Palais, and the Pont Alexandre III. In 1896, Charles-Louis Girault (1851-1932) was nominated chief architect for the Petit Palais. He found his inspiration mainly in eighteenth century French architecture. The main faà §ade was located across from the Grand Palais on the East Side of the Avenue Nicholas II (today Winston Churchill). Of the three other facades, one faced the Seine River, another Avenue des Champs-Elysà ©es. The plan of the Petit Palais was that of a regular trapezoid and was arranged around a central closed courtyard.

Australian Federalism

This essay will outline the issues discussed during the ‘Policy Roundtable on Federalism’ hosted by the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) and the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) on the 17–18 May 2007 and will explore their impact on federalism and provide possible steps to overcome them. The Roundtable discussion made it apparent that Australian federalism is dysfunctional and needed shaping up. The reasons included a combination of external and internal factors and pressures. The pragmatic reform process could address these factors and pressures to improve Commonwealth-State relations. This could achieve enhanced policy outcomes for the Australian community and provide a system of government that â€Å"delivers the Australian people the opportunities they deserve† (Brumby 2008). David Black (1998) describes federalism as ‘the process by which the Commonwealth of Australia was formed on 1 January 1901, was unusual then, and still is†. The federal system has provided a relatively stable cooperative form of government, however, changing demographics, global pressures and fiscal situations within government have meant that the system is now seen as being in a malaise and in need of repair (Wanna 2007). The modernisation and globalisation of markets, media and communication has eroded regional identities in Australia. In the past the Australian states were protected from a centralised form of federalism but as modern technology reduced the physical distance institutional barriers were decreased. These global pressures mean that Australian states risk becoming agent providers for a central government (Wanna 2007: page). Increased activity has resulted in hyper-interaction involving all three levels of government. Additionally, lack of cultural regions in Australia unlike most other federations meant lack of regionally based governance system (Wanna 2007: 276). Australia retains a highly centralised fiscal system, holds a high amount of concurrent powers across all levels of government and lacks institutional barriers that prevent a centralised system. Fiscal imbalance between states and the Commonwealth impacts directly at a regional level even though policies are driven nationally. Concurrent Commonwealth-State powers also impact at regional level due to lack of adequate attention given to real impacts while decisions are made at federal level. The reduced effectiveness of federalism has contributed towards these issues and has failed to keep pace with modern times. It is now in need of repair to make it more efficient and capable of providing support to the modern Australian public. Current federal arrangements are holding back necessary micro-economic reform while there is a continuous struggle to respond to global economic forces. (Podger 2008). Although federalism can work it is not performing at the level expected. Participants at the Roundtable agreed that the process of reform can improve federalism but needs a different policy approach. Individual agreements on shared responsibilities will be needed to reshape policy areas. Increased cooperation and collaboration around national and state issues would need to be achieved. Participants started by looking at improving the generic architecture by enhancing the primary cooperation of levels of government through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). This could be the platform for any further detailed reform in order to avoid policy making failures around shared responsibility between governments. It is also important to note that the attendees agreed reform would need to start from the current position and not echoing any previous attempts. The Australian federal system is characterised by a significant level of vertical fiscal imbalance and this issue would need to be addressed to assist in reforming federalism. The Commonwealth holds the monopoly on tax revenue from income and GST and much of this is paid back to the states by way of Specific Purpose Payments (SPPs). These SPPs allow the Commonwealth to grant funds to states with conditions in areas that are constitutionally the states’ domain. As SPPs make up 40 % of Commonwealth grants the streamlining of these with a focus on outcomes would allow increased efficiency. In addition, guaranteed revenue would allow states to fund their responsibilities without central pressures. Whilst this imbalance could be reduced by assigning state expenditure responsibilities to the Commonwealth, it is an unrealistic expectation to reduce such a significant imbalance. (Carling, 2008: page/s) Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for the different levels of government is essential, as Carling (2008: page) states, â€Å"A federal system needs to be ?rmly anchored to a rational allocation of roles and responsibilities for the different levels of government† Lack of clearly defined roles can cause duplication of processes and conflict in policy making, giving states the opportunity to avoid accountability. A review of roles and responsibilities is a logical starting point, with the functional roles of Commonwealth and the state’ clearly defined. This may require that the Commonwealth takes a leadership role to ensure states are able to effectively deliver services. It is important to understand that the distribution of responsibilities between the levels Government has evolved aver time, and will presumably continue to change as policy and political imperatives require. (Podger 2008) Collaboration between governments to deliver long term sustainable national solutions is needed to face the significant social, economic and environmental challenges. Recently, all three levels of government have become receptive towards the idea of cooperative federalism. For effective federation architecture of cooperation consisting components such as principles to guide, supporting legal and institutional arrangements and appropriate cultural practices and attitudes are required. Focus could be on formalisation of COAG through intergovernmental agreement, clarification of COAG and ministerial council relation, ongoing review of federal financial relations and development of cultural practices to support the best of federalism. The change offers opportunities to make lasting improvements and Australian governments should seize the opportunity towards delivering effective national responses and generating substantial benefits for Australians. (Wanna, J. May 2009) Although the Australian federal system is perceived as declining and in need of reshaping, Australia is a prosperous nation. Federalism has seen Australia through times of significant stress including depression and war, and has led to the development of a welfare state. Rapid globalisation and modernisation demands that federalism adapt and adjust to meet competing demands. The options outlined in this essay provide the extending steps for already happening improvements by an ambitious government.

A Comparison of “Everyman” and Christopher Marlowe’s “Doctor Faustus”

A Comparison of â€Å"Everyman† and Christopher Marlowe's â€Å"Doctor Faustus† Everyman and Doctor Faustus are both Morality Plays, these are specifically plays that existed within the Medieval period. They were popular during this period as they were intended to instruct the audience in the Christian way and attitudes to life. The morality play is essentially an allegory written in dramatic form. In the fourteenth Century, morality plays were mainly based on the seven deadly sins as in everyman with each character representing each sin. Everyman centers around allegory. It focuses on the allegorical representations of moral issues with the inclusion of figures that represent abstractions of the issues that are confronted. Doctor Faustus follows the general five-act structure of an Elizabethan Romantic Tragedy. However Christopher Marlowe used the structure of an older Medieval form of English Drama, the morality play as a model. Morality plays tended to show the moral struggle of mans soul and the conflict of good and evil. This is evident in the play of Doctor Faustus who is embroiled in a battle between the temptation of the devil and God. You could argue that Doctor Faustus is not classed as a morality play. Because in the tradition of a morality play God and the devil are external forces that affect the individual. However, in Doctor Faustus it is far more of an internal drama inside Faustus? own mind. Both are entirely didactic in nature, they were made with the intent to educate their audience in one respect or another. There was a moral to each that conveyed similar messages. Therefore the term ? morality play? correctly defines each one. The medieval time period in which Everyman was written contained a society that revolved around religion (Ecclesiasticism) The fact that Everyman can get nowhere without turning to religion directly reflects on the attitudes of the middle ages. There is constant references to the beliefs and ideas of the Catholic Church such as confession, penitence and the Virgin Mary this suggests the catholic centered society in which the play existed. It concentrates on the qualities of the catholic religion that are important in the journey to heaven. Everyman is a symbol of the human condition and how t is understood by medieval Catholicism. Whereas in the sixteenth century in which Doctor Faustus was written, saw a shift of Christian ideals. No longer was there only the strict belief in God but also the equal belief in the existence of the devil and the ? work of the devil.? The medieval world placed God at the centre of existence, leaving the individual and the natural world in second place. The emergence of the Renaissance is evident in Doctor Faustus by the clash between the church and the introduction of knowledge through science. The Reformation caused a dramatic change at that particular time, England had converted from predominantly catholic to a protestant country. This shift becomes apparent in Doctor Faustus in the scenes with the Pope. The Renaissance was also a time when the bubonic plague was at its peak of destruction. As a result the plague was a great concern of the theatre, audiences and writers. The plague was a large part of Marlowe? s life and work. Marlowe refers to the plague regularly in Doctor Faustus with examples such as ? A Plague on her.? Here Marlowe is using specific language to reflect certain aspect of the precise period, being Reformation. When considering the audience of each play, this can again create disagreement concerning the meaning of the term ? morality play.? Morality plays, as I have mentioned like Everyman, primarily express aspects of moral doctrine to the audience. In the Play Everyman, the anonymous author may have been a priest or teacher who was explaining the Christian values to an uneducated society. It is written by and for people of catholic religion. This would fit accurately into the description as a ? orality play.? However, some may argue that Doctor Faustus is more comically delivered as opposed to morally. Elizabethan audiences often viewed great tragedies such as this in a slightly humorous manner. Scenes such as the one with the Pope? s food and drink being stolen highlights this point. Also Marlowe includes numerous comical characters such as Wagner and Faustus? servant. Therefore ca n we still group this together with the other morality plays such as Doctor Faustus? Contrary to this, it is clear that the audience of the play Doctor Faustus are not simply an audience of ? Commoners or clowns,? they have to employ a certain level of intelligence and education to understand the symbolism and allegory present in the play. We can acknowledge the play of Doctor Faustus as one from the Elizabethan period as its verbs differ from modern day usage, with phrases such as ? What see you and ? You look not well.? Also Elizabethan playwrights wrote in blank verse or iambic pentameter, as its evident here. Marlowe uses various Christian phrases to summon the devil, who is providing the power. The most obvious reference to Christian language is shown through Faustus? Latin Chant which is used to raise the devil. Marlowe? s technique of hyperbole is demonstrated by his regular usage of blasphemy in the play. By using exaggeration like this, Marlowe is affecting the audience? s perception of the character of Faustus. The language used gives the character heroic stature. Contrast to Doctor Faustus, The language in Everyman is solely based on religion. There is reference to the original sinner Adam and the seven deadly sins, this mainly focuses on the notions of Christianity. The language used in both Everyman and Doctor Faustus represents the conflict between power and Christianity. In conclusion, Marlowe borrows many of the conventions of a morality play especially with the inclusion of the good and bad angels. This symbolizes his divided will. This is mirrored in the play Everyman where there is an obvious spiritual crisis of an individual who must chose between good and evil. Both Everyman and Doctor Faustus effectively reflect the periods in which they were written. Faustus is the product of an era that was deeply torn, it stands in the threshold between two periods-The Renaissance and the Middle Ages. It includes the notions of Good and evil, sin and salvation, as did religious dramas of the medieval period such as Everyman. Although some may see this comparison as the rejection of the medieval due to further emphasis on the individual rather than God. After all, the opening scene of Doctor Faustus was praising science and magic in favour of God. So where do we draw the line? Everyman statically reflects the period of medieval whereas Doctor Faustus focuses on the actual change in that particular period of the Reformation. Therefore it is possible to see the alteration from one period to another.

Plant Biology †Tobacco Research Paper

Plant Biology – Tobacco Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Taxonomy: The Nicotiana tobaccum plant (smoking tobacco) comes from the kingdom Plantae, and subkingdom Tracheobionta (vascular plants).It is also a Spermatophyte which mean â€Å"seed plant† and is also considered a Magnoliophyte (flowering plant) Its subclass is Asterides, and comes from the Solanaceae family (potato family). The plants genus is Nicotiana (tobacco) and similarly its species is the Nicotiana Tabacum (cultivated tobacco). Tobacco is related to many other plants which include; vegetables, flowers, weeds, and poisonous herbs like potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and petunias. The plant family is Solanceae and the genus, Nicotiana contains about 100 different species, however only two of them have been heavily cultivated. Natural History: This type of tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum) which was originally only native to the eastern United States was the first form of tobacco that was introduced to the Spanish by Jerez and Torres, and has been the preferred tobacco since settlers in Virginia started to grow it. Planters thought that the tobacco had to be grown on virgin soil, so it made its was to the eastern part of the U.S (which is now the North Carolina area). The eighteenth century became the â€Å"Age of Snuff†. The tobacco from North Carolina was used for snuff and pipe smoking, and at this time cigarettes were mainly used in Spain. However by the 1840’s cigarettes became popular by French women, and many anti-tobacco societies were born, as the cigarette market made its way to the United States, and the rest is history. Characteristics:The Nicotiana tobaccum plant is an annual herb that ranges from .9- 2 m tall. The leaves are elliptic in shape; the flowers grow in clusters at the end of each branch and range from white to light red in colour and form globular seeds. The plant itself is a stalk with large leaves drooping off the main stem. It also has a short root that branches into a very dense root system. The crop can take between 2-5 months before it is ready to be harvested. Tobaccum is quite sensitive to temperature, air and ground humidity, as well as the type of land. A temperature of 20-30 degrees Celsius is best and for best growth, a humidity of 80-85% and soil without a high level of nitrogen are also needed. The plant is native to tropical and subtropical American conditions, but is now grown commercially worldwide. The plant is mostly grown in the eastern United States, Brazil, and Argentina. And is often found on dry grasslands, clearings, and along the edges of forests and roads in natural form as well as in cultivated areas. Plant Products Products: The nicotine in the tobacco can be used as an effective insecticide, as it is completely biodegradable. Tobacco is also used in enemas for the treatment is intestinal worms or constipation. And lastly, the most common use is the dried tobacco leaves used for chewing, snuffing, or smoking (cigarettes). There are also many other products that use nicotine to help people stop smoking. (Patches, gum, etc.) Also researchers at the Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center are working on different ways to use the plant for â€Å"molecular farming† by adding different genes to the plant to make new products like medicines, and enzymes for industrial uses. Properties: The most valuable part of the plant used is the nicotine, which is found in all parts except the seed. The concentration of nicotine increases with the age of the plant. A mature plant has about 64% nicotine in the leaves, 18% in the stem, 13% in the root, and 5% in the flowers. The chemical structure of nicotine consists of pyridine and pyrrolidine ring. Another chemical property is Anabaseine, an alkaloid similar to nicotine. The physical properties are also very distinct. Nicotine is colourless to pale yellow, very oily and has an unpleasant odour and sharp burning taste. It also slowly becomes brown after it is exposed to light or air. It is soluble in water, alcohol, chloroform, ether, kerosene, and some fixed oils. It should be stored in an airtight container and protected from light. Historical Connections Time Line of Nicotiana Tobaccum: c. 6000BCE Tobacco begins to grow in Americas. 1 BC Inhabitants find ways to use tobacco, including smoking and chewing. 1492 Christopher Columbus is offered dried tobacco leaves by the natives. 1559 Tobacco is called Nicotiana in honour of Jean Nicot, who finds medical uses for tobacco. 1628 Virginia has a monopoly on tobacco exports to England. 1730 First American tobacco factories are started in Virginia in the form of â€Å"snuff mills.† 1843 First commercial production of rolled cigarettes (France). 1880 Four leading cigarette companies sold 532,718 cigarettes in 1880 and 2.4 billion cigars. Also first cigarette machine is made. 1912 13 billion cigarettes sold in U.S. 1950 Scientific links are made between smoking and lung cancer. 1994 Tobacco companies release the â€Å"list† of the 599 additives to tobacco. 2003 Canada implements a full smoking ban in restaurants and bars have to have separate ventilated smoking rooms. Product Influences: Nicotiana Tobaccum is most commonly associated with cigarettes. The product that has most influenced our society in every way imaginable, including globally. It has been said by Statistics Canada that 21.5% of Canadians are smokers. That is over 6 million smokers. Statistics Canada, also states that in 2002, about 38.4 billion cigarettes were sold in Canada, which surprisingly is a 9% decline from the year before. Also, there were 45,215 deaths in Canada alone last year due to smoking related diseases. As you can see, smoking has a huge impact on all our lives, because even if you do not smoke, secondhand smoke is even worse. There are over 3,000 deaths by non-smokers because of second hand smoke, and thousands of others who get respiratory problems. Tobacco has drastically changed people’s quality of life, for the worse. There are over 48,000 easily prevented deaths, each year. It also harms our environment, due to the pollution is causes which again lowers our quality of life. And lastly, tobacco’s influence on the economy is unfortunately, helping. Since all tobacco products are heavily taxed, the government gets a lot of money from smokers. Globally it is the same, as in Canada, just on a wider scale, with more people dying, more cigarettes being sold, and more money for the governments. Technology Research Costs: There are many costs associated with tobacco products. Socially, and economically medical bills caused by smoking deaths and diseases are very high, it is estimated at $75 billion in the U.S alone are the medical costs associated with smoking. Also, there are very high costs caused from the legal aspect, people suing tobacco companies. Plus the cost of smoking in general, because of the health risk, the government has raised the taxes on tobacco products and now supporting your habit is very expensive. New Research: Again, the new research comes from Kentucky, where they are trying to find new uses for the tobacco plant. By using â€Å"molecular farming,† they are adding new genes to produce new helpful products like vaccines, medicines, and enzymes for industrial uses. Scientists are trying to promote the advantages of tobacco by developing new markets and new customers for the â€Å"new gene enhanced tobacco.† Some questions I have about the issue: If the tobacco plant is poisonous, is the result of over 48,000 deaths in Canada alone (every year), is a habit that harms others around you through secondhand smoke. Why are governments allowing the product to be sold? Technology:Jobs in the tobacco industry have being declining because of new technology. Machines are continuing to take over the jobs that once employed many workers. Also because of all the new control policies, the industry is getting smaller. However, in developing countries, the tobacco industry is on the rise, because they do not have any control policies that affect the people’s employment. The World Health Organization is working on making the policies world wide, but it may take a while. The policies state: 1. â€Å"Assisting, as appropriate, tobacco workers in the development of appropriate economically and legally viable alternative livelihoods in an economically viable manner; and 2. Assisting, as appropriate, tobacco growers in shifting agricultural production to alternative crops in an economically viable manner; † Career Connections Occupations: Farmer- responsible for the land (planting, growing tobacco) Seasonal Worker (harvesting the crop) Factory worker (Curing, drying the tobacco, packaging) Advertising (designing the package, layout of magazine ads, creating slogans.) Sales (selling the products) Educational Background for Farming: If you are going to be responsible for the land being used to grow and harvest tobacco plants, a general agriculture degree is important. There are many courses that Universities offer that have to do with agriculture and farming. But first, you need to have a strong science background because the farming occupation requires the knowledge of plants and animals and it is a prerequisite for most of the courses in University. A Bachelor of Science in agriculture, a program that is offered at many universities including Lethbridge, British Columbia, McGill, Saskatchewan, Western, and Nova Scotia is the course necessary to become a successful farm owner. After completing the University course, you would go on to becoming a farm labourer, where you would gain technical and farm related experience. The next level is to become a farm manager, where you would acquire the business experience, agricultural knowledge and administrative experience. The third and final step is to become a farm own er and with this job you would be responsible for all resources (labour, capital, and machinery), and be in charge of ensuring proper crop and irrigation techniques. The farm owner is the one associated with the first step in the flow chart, as they are the ones who are responsible for the growing and cultivating the tobacco that is later sold and marketed. Conclusions Based on my research and analysis I have discovered that the tobacco plant, nicotiana tobaccum is one of the most significant plants in our history and has made a huge impact on society and in our daily lives. It is one of the most controversial plants today, as almost all of the plant is poisonous yet smoking is one of the most common habits and most deadly. It is said that at least one in every 5 people smoke and the impact that smoking deaths have had on many lives is evident. The properties of the plant are understood with the knowledge of plant science since the plant contains a very harmful, addictive toxin, Nicotine and the fact that tobacco causes damage to the respiratory system. The information and technology gained from science could hopefully be used to improve the products that are currently being made by the nicotiana tobaccum plant. It is a proven fact that the nicotiana tobaccum plant by itself is a lot less harmful then after commercial tobacco companies put 599 additives into the plant that are much more harmful. There is also ongoing research about tobacco and many scientists are trying to use technology to improve tobacco products and make new ones that could have a positive impact on our society and our daily lives. Bibliography Dr. Julia Higa Landoni. (1990, March). IPCS Inchem: Nicotiana Tobaccum L site. Retrieved January 2, 2004, from inchem.org/documents/pims/plant/nicotab.htm#Secti onTitle:2.6%20Main%20toxins Natural Resource Conservation Service. (2003, December 29). Plants Database. Retrieved December 30, 2003, from http://plants.usda.gov/index.html University of Florida. (2002, February). Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences site. Retrieved January 2, 2004, from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_AA260 Anaca Technologies Limited. (2004). Career Cruising site. Retrieved January 2, 2004, from careercruising.com/caschool_pro_prov.asp?LoginID=92 824953793rdLevelProgramCode=01.11013rdLevelProgramName= Plant+Science Weil, A, Rosen, W. (1993). From Chocolate to Morphine. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. Research Papers on Plant Biology - Tobacco Research PaperGenetic EngineeringRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanUnreasonable Searches and Seizures19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductDefinition of Export QuotasCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe

The Ancient Indus Valley Civilization

The Ancient Indus Valley Civilization When 19th-century explorers and 20th-century archaeologists rediscovered the ancient Indus Valley civilization, the history of the Indian sub-continent had to be rewritten.* Many questions remain unanswered. The Indus Valley civilization is an ancient one, on the same order as Mesopotamia, Egypt, or China. All these areas relied on important rivers: Egypt relying on the annual flooding of the Nile, China on the Yellow River, the ancient Indus Valley civilization (aka Harappan, Indus-Sarasvati, or Sarasvati) on the Sarasvati and Indus rivers, and Mesopotamia outlined by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Like the people of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China, the people of the Indus civilization were culturally rich and share a claim to the earliest writing. However, there is a problem with the Indus Valley that doesnt exist in such pronounced form elsewhere. Evidence is missing elsewhere, through the accidental depredations of time and catastrophes or deliberate suppression by human authorities, but to my knowledge, the Indus Valley is unique among major ancient civilizations in having a major river disappear. In place of the Sarasvati is the much smaller Ghaggar stream that ends in the Thar desert. The great Sarasvati once flowed into the Arabian Sea, until it dried up in about 1900 B.C. when the Yamuna changed course and instead flowed into the Ganges. This may correspond with the late period of the Indus Valley civilizations. Mohenjo-Daro - From Archaeology at About.com The mid-second millennium is when the Aryans (Indo-Iranians) may have invaded and possibly conquered the Harappans, according to a very controversial theory. Before then, the great Bronze Age Indus Valley civilization flourished in an area greater than one million square km. It covered parts of Punjab, Haryana, Sindh, Baluchistan, Gujarat and fringes of Uttar Pradesh. On the basis of artifacts of trade, it appears to have flourished at the same time as the Akkadian civilization in Mesopotamia. Indus Housing If you look at an Harappan housing plan, youll see straight lines (a sign of deliberate planning), orientation to the cardinal points, and a sewer system. It held the first great urban settlements on the Indian subcontinent, most notably at the citadel cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Indus Economy and Subsistence The people of the Indus Valley farmed, herded, hunted, gathered, and fished. They raised cotton and cattle (and to a lesser extent, water buffalo, sheep, goats, and pigs), barley, wheat, chickpeas, mustard, sesame, and other plants. They had gold, copper, silver, chert, steatite, lapis lazuli, chalcedony, shells, and timber for trading. Writing The Indus Valley civilization was literate we know this from seals inscribed with a script that is now only in the process of being deciphered. [An aside: When it is finally deciphered, it should be a big deal, as was Sir Arthur Evans deciphering of Linear B. Linear A still needs deciphering, like the ancient Indus Valley script.] The first literature of the Indian subcontinent came after the Harappan period and is known as Vedic. It doesnt appear to mention the Harappan civilization. The Indus Valley civilization flourished in the third millennium B.C. and suddenly disappeared, after a millennium, in about 1500 B.C. possibly as a result of tectonic/volcanic activity leading to the formation of a city-swallowing lake. Next: Problems of the Aryan Theory in Explaining Indus Valley History *Possehl says that prior to the archaeological investigations starting in 1924, the earliest reliable date for the history of India was spring of 326 B.C. when Alexander the Great raided the northwestern border. References Imaging River Sarasvati: A Defence of Commonsense, by Irfan Habib. Social Scientist, Vol. 29, No. 1/2 (Jan. - Feb., 2001), pp. 46-74.Indus Civilization, by Gregory L. Possehl. The Oxford Companion to Archaeology. Brian M. Fagan, ed., Oxford University Press 1996.Revolution in the Urban Revolution: The Emergence of Indus Urbanization, by Gregory L. Possehl. Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 19, (1990), pp. 261-282.The Role of India in the Diffusion of Early Cultures, by William Kirk. The Geographical Journal, Vol. 141, No. 1 (Mar., 1975), pp. 19-34.Social Stratification in Ancient India: Some Reflections, by Vivekanand Jha. Social Scientist, Vol. 19, No. 3/4 (Mar. - Apr., 1991), pp. 19-40. A 1998 article, by Padma Manian, on world history textbooks gives an idea of what we may have learned about the Indus Civilization in traditional courses, and debated areas: Harappans and Aryans: Old and New Perspectives of Ancient Indian History, by Padma Manian. The History Teacher, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Nov., 1998), pp. 17-32. Major CitiesAll the textbooks Manian examines mention the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, their urban features of ordered streets, sewers, citadels, granaries and the bath at Mohenjo-Daro, artifacts, including seals in a yet undeciphered language. Some authors mention the area of civilization was more than a million square kilometers. One author mentions another excavated city, Kalinagan, and most of the books mention the surrounding villages.DatesMost date the Indus Valley civilization from 2500-1500 B.C., although there is an alternative, 3000-2000. The year 1500 is listed as the year of the Aryan (or Indo-Iranian) invasion.Decline of the Indus CivilizationSome attribute the fall of the Indus civilization to the Aryans, destroyers and enslavers of the Indus people. Others say environmental changes caused the fall. Some say both.Identification of the AryansThe books call the Aryans pastoral nomads. Their origins include grasslands of Eastern Europe/Western Asia, the Caspian Sea, Anatolia, and south-central Asia. The books also claim they came with cattle and some say they already had iron weapons, while others say they developed them in India. One claims they crossed the Himalayas in horse-drawn chariots. Victory Over the Indigenous PeopleAll the textbooks assume the Aryans were victorious and regard the Vedas as written by these invaders.CasteThere are various interpretations of the caste system. In one, when the Aryans arrived on the scene there were already 3 castes in India. In another interpretation, the Aryans brought and imposed their own tripartite system. The dark-skinned people are generally considered the conquered people and the lighter skinned ones, the Aryans. Problems With the Aryan Theory in the Typical Presentations ChronologyThe idea that Harappan civilization fell as a result of the arrival of the Aryans. Harappa had lost its urban character by 2000 B.C., 500 years before the Aryan arrival. Traces of Harappa ElsewhereIndicators of refugees, including lustrous Red Ware, until about 1000 B.C. Refugees fled north-eastward; some residents east to the Gulf of Cambay. Lack of Aryan TracesPainted Grey Ware pottery formerly attributed to the Aryans has not been found along their possible courses, but appears to be an outgrowth of earlier Indian styles. LinguisticHistorical linguistic reasoning about the origin of the Aryans is faulty. (This is a complicated topic summarized by Kris Hirst.) Nomad Status QuestionableArchaeologist Colin Renfrew denies that there is any evidence in the Rig Veda that Aryans were invaders or nomads. Sarasvati ChronologySince the Rig Vedas refer to the Sarasvati as a large river, they must have been written before 1900 B.C., so the people mentioned in it must have already be en there.

Payments and Finance in International Trade Essay

Payments and Finance in International Trade - Essay Example In sharp contrast to the results, we find that liberalization has, on average, robust positive effects on growth, openness and investment rates within countries. We have some examples of Trade Liberalization (Arnold, 2007). The payment instruction was subsequently misplaced on the desk of a clerk at Mega Bank and accordingly the relevant accounting entries for crediting Alpha's account were not made by Mega Bank, and Alpha was not notified that payment from Delta had been received. On July 5th, Delta instructed its bank, Grand Banque in Paris, to make a funds transfer to Alpha's account at Mega Bank in London to be credited on or before July 7th. On the morning of July 6th, in order to effect the payment, Grand Banque debited Delta's account and simultaneously sent payment instructions via SWIFT to its correspondent bank in the UK, Royal Bank PLC, instructing it to make an inter-bank transfer to Mega Bank in sterling for credit to Alpha's account on or before close of business on July 7th. Royal Bank went ahead and sent the payment order to Mega Bank on July 6th, with instructions to credit the account of Alpha on or before close of business on July 7th. White barle... Alpha is frustrated that it has not yet been paid and advises Delta on 8th July that it is no longer liable to perform under the contract (Balamurugan and Madhura, 2002). Many of the hurdles to international trade took the shape of high tariffs on imports of manufactured goods. The typical aim of such tariffs was to protect domestic industries from foreign competition. On consequence, however, were "beggar of neighbor" retaliatory trade policies with countries progressively raising trade barriers against each other. Ultimately, this depressed world demand and contributed to the Great Depression of the 1930s. This event was the boom that woke the world up but it was not the only reason that led to liberalization. People begun to realize that their basic necessities were not satisfied because they are not available in their home country or too expensive because of the imposed tariffs. They also realized that they will gain advantages through engaging in international trade, like improving their living standard and satisfying more needs (Brennan and Cao, 1996). If the country is going to export, it will need to expand it output which means more people will be hired and living standard will improve. Moreover when removing tariffs imposed on imported goods that my country doesn't produce, people will be able to purchase them at reasonable prices therefore satisfying more needs. The developed countries realized that even if they have comparative advantage in some products, they should specialize in the production of those goods that it produces most efficiently and to buy the goods that it produces less efficiently from other countries, even if this means buying goods from other countries that it could produce more efficiently itself (Brinblatt,

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT - Assignment Example Treatment of recessionary gap in new classical approach: According to the new Classical approach, economists focus on the unemployment situation, which affects the economy owing to the continuous decline in the real output of the economy. In a recessionary gap situation, supply of resources in the labor market tends to increase substantially. Consequently, the wage rate declines to maintain the equilibrium position of the economy’s resources. Hence, this result in lowering wages and prices with a shift in short run Aggregate Supply (AS) curve causing recessionary gap. Accordingly, the new classical theory suggests that the economy is self-regulatory, and can achieve equilibrium i.e. stability, full employment without government interference and can eliminate the gap in a â€Å"self-corrective mechanism† (Pearson Education, â€Å"Keynes and the Classical Economists: The Early Debate on Policy Activism†). Exhibit 1: Recessionary Gap AS movements as per the new clas sical theory (Jain, Jain, Ohri, Majhi and Ohri 193) Treatment of recessionary gap in Keynesian approach: In contrast to the new classical theory, the Keynesian theory asserts that recessionary gap is the shift in Aggregate Demand (AD) due to low spending in an economy. Economists following the Keynesian approach suggest that the gap can be eliminated by spending more, that is by increase flow of money and capital resources within the economy, which will move the AD curve upwards (Pearson Education, â€Å"Keynes and the Classical Economists: The Early Debate on Policy Activism.†). Exhibit 2: Recessionary Gap AS movements as per the new classical theory (Jain, Jain, Ohri, Majhi and Ohri 193) The main difference between the new classical and the Keynesian theory persist in respect to their assumptions, which are directly associated with the AS-AD curve movements. As can be observed from the above discussion, the new classical theory assumes that with the increase in the unemploy ment rate, which indicates a fall in the demand for labors in the economy, the wage will also shrink, causing the AS curve shift downwards. However, because the economy is assumed to function in a â€Å"self-corrective manner†, it is likely that the fall in the wage rate will increase the demand for the labors and thus fortify the situation to the equilibrium position. Contradictorily, the Keynesian economists shall assume that in a recessional gap situation, if the demand for employment falls, it shall have no effect on the price and also on the supply (in the short run). It is under such circumstance that the government needs to intervene and increase demand for the resource to the equilibrium position (Baumol and Blinder 206-208). QUESTION 2 Two events supporting Classical theory: In the modern era, many economies practice the classical theory of microeconomics. Among these, China has been a significant illustration. China operates with minimum government intervention for better economic stability. For example, at the time of World War 2, China had to witness a steep fall in its employment rate, which had resulted in the downward shift of the wage rate and the AS curve. The reason was likewise assumed to be the failure of the economic drivers to use the resources efficiently, as per the classical the