declaration :: essays research papers

The Declaration of Independence is perhaps the most masterfully written state paper of Western civilization. As Moses Coit Tyler noted almost a century ago, no assessment of it can be complete without taking into account its extraordinary merits as a work of political prose style. Although many scholars have recognized those merits, there are surprisingly few sustained studies of the stylistic artistry of the Declaration.(1) This essay seeks to illuminate that artistry by probing the discourse microscopically--at the level of the sentence, phrase, word, and syllable. By approaching the Declaration in this way, we can shed light both on its literary qualities and on its rhetorical power as a work designed to convince a "candid world" that the American colonies were justified in seeking to establish themselves as an independent nation.(2) The text of the Declaration can be divided into five sections--the introduction, the preamble, the indictment of George III, the denunciation of the British people, and the conclusion. Because space does not permit us to explicate each section in full detail, we shall select features from each that illustrate the stylistic artistry of the Declaration as a whole.(3) The introduction consists of the first paragraph--a single, lengthy, periodic sentence: When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.(4) Taken out of context, this sentence is so general it could be used as the introduction to a declaration by any "oppressed" people. Seen within its original context, however, it is a model of subtlety, nuance, and implication that works on several levels of meaning and allusion to orient readers toward a favorable view of America and to prepare them for the rest of the Declaration. From its magisterial opening phrase, which sets the American Revolution within the whole "course of human events," to its assertion that "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" entitle America to a "separate and equal station among the powers of the earth," to its quest for sanction from "the opinions of mankind," the introduction elevates the quarrel with England from a petty political dispute to a major event in the grand sweep of history.

A Thousand Splendid Suns Narrative Strategies Essay

A Thousand Splendid Suns the reader would think it’s a happy novel, however there’s nothing particularly â€Å"splendid† one would assume about the novel. From the very beginning of the novel the author, Khaled Hosseini inserts hints and foreshadowing to aware the reader that it will be an unhappy story. This is evident in the following illustration when Mariam breaks the sugar bowl , â€Å"It was the last peice that slipped from Mariam’s fingers, that fell to the wooden floorboards of thekolba and shattered† (Hosseini 2). Hosseini is generating depressing emotions in the novel by introducing words † fell† or â€Å"shattered† resembling failure or sin. The reader also gets introduced to the word â€Å"Harami† and other words, such as â€Å"kolba† and â€Å"Jinn† which are terms not identified by the author, so the reader must rely on the context to better understand what the word means. For example, when Mariam expresses the fear that the â€Å"jinn† has returned to her mother, the reader will assume that jinn is something bad. The use of these terms establishes the setting , but also signifies that some things cannot be translated remaining a mystery for the reader. In the novel , Hosseini makes the reader live, see and feel by portraying the experiences the characters are going through in the novel, and by writing from a third person point of view , he broadens the readers ability because the perspective of the characters is limited, sometimes Mariam, sometimes Laila, which works to great effect to attach the reader to both characters equally.

Cause and Effect of Corruption

There is a growing worldwide concern over corruption at the present time. Several factors are responsible for this. A consensus has now been reached that corruption is universal. It exists in all countries, both developed and developing, in the public and private sectors, as well as in non-profit and charitable organizations. Allegations and charges of corruption now play a more central role in politics than at any other time. Governments have fallen, careers of world renowned public figures ruined, and reputations of well-respected organizations and business firms badly tarnished on account of it.The international mass media feeds on it and scandals and improper conduct, especially of those in high places. The rising trend in the use of corruption as a tool to discredit political opponents has brought scandalous and corrupt behavior to international attention. Corruption can be a major obstacle in the process of economic development and in modernizing a country. Many now feel that i t should receive priority attention in a country’s development agenda. This greater recognition that corruption can have a serious adverse impact on development has been a cause for concern among developing countries.In a recent survey of 150 high level officials from 60 third world countries, the respondents ranked public sector corruption as the most severe obstacle confronting their development process. Countries in the Asia and Pacific region are also very worried about this problem and they are in substantial agreement that corruption is a major problem that is hindering their economic, political and social development, and hence view it as a problem requiring urgent attention at the highest level. Increasing public interest and concern over corruption have resulted in a large amount of scholarly research on the subject.Admittedly, there are still wide gaps in the current state of information and knowledge on the matter and much more remains to be done. Nevertheless, the oretical and empirical research that has been conducted thus far has yielded fresh insights into the problem. We now have a clearer understanding of the underlying causes of corruption, its consequences, and ideas and approaches on possible measures to combat it. At the same time, a better perspective has been obtained on the reasons why corruption persists in so many countries, and why it is difficult to deal with, although people throughout he world view it with disfavor. It is a common practice in many developing countries to institute price controls and to provide essential goods and services at subsidized prices to consumers. The official price for a key food item, such as rice, is fixed by paying a low administratively set price to farmers, while gasoline, electricity and charges for public transport and other essential items are provided at low subsidized prices. These mostly benefit city dwellers as they are the main consumers of these subsidized goods and services.The urban bias in the provision of subsidized food and other necessities stems from the political reality that city dwellers, especially the large masses at the lower end of the income scale, are more politically conscious, better organized and are easier to be instigated into civil unrest than the rural poor. It is usually discontent in the cities that ignites social and political upheavals in a country. Fixing prices at artificially low levels lead to demand exceeding supply for the subsidized goods so that the all too familiar shortages, rationing, corruption and black markets result.Several undesirable consequences follow. There is a loss of potential government revenue. For example, when those that have access to subsidized gasoline, such as government officials and car owners, sell it on the black market at several times the official price, they make large profits. These profits could be taken as revenue by the government, if there is no subsidy, no price distortion, and gasoline is va lued at its true opportunity cost, that is, charged by the government at its market clearing price.Setting low farm prices on rice and other agricultural products, to provide cheap food for city dwellers, means farmers are subsidizing the people in the cities. Likewise, low prices set on gasoline and energy contributes to deficits in the government budget. Fixing low prices on rice and agricultural products, in the wake of sharp increases in the prices of other domestically produced and imported goods, turns the terms of trade against farmers. This adversely affects their incentive to produce and hinders agricultural output. Low prices set on energy result in huge losses for the government enterprises engaged in this area.Consequently, they do not have the resources to invest in new facilities, to buy spare parts or to properly maintain existing machinery, and equipment that are falling into disrepair. The outcome is frequent breakdowns, unreliable and poor service, and general inab ility to meet requirements in terms both of generating capacity and in the quality of energy produced. Under-pricing energy has other harmful effects. Cheap energy leads to its uneconomic and wasteful use. When energy prices are kept at a level much below cost for decades, there is little incentive for its users to adopt energy efficient technologies and methods of production.So they are not sufficiently prepared for the large price adjustment that inevitably comes when low prices are no longer sustainable due to an internal or an external shock. The result is disruption in production, more corruption as bribery will be resorted to order to avoid payment of the higher charges, and increased inflationary pressures as higher energy costs will be passed on to consumers by raising prices. Thus, price controls, subsidies and the corruption and black markets they generate, can lead to undesirable social and economic consequences.This also illustrates the point that dismantling controls, g etting rid of subsidies and preventing price distortions form a key element in economic reforms and for the establishment of a properly functioning market economy. Unfortunately, corruption places severe constraints on a country’s capacity to undertake economic reforms. The rich and the powerful, the main gainers of a corrupt system, will therefore oppose reforms. The leadership in a country has a key role to play in combating corruption. It is an Asian tradition to hold leaders and those in authority in high regard and esteem.Hence the top leadership must set a good example with respect to honesty, integrity and capacity for hard work. Since fighting corruption will involve taking difficult decisions, the leadership must also display firmness, political will and commitment to carry out the required reforms. Honest and dedicated leaders are an essential, but not a sufficient, condition to counter corruption. Several other conditions are needed as well. Credibility is one of t hem. For success, the offenders both on the demand and supply side of a corrupt deal must be convinced that the government is serious about fighting corruption.Publicly try and punish some well-known corrupt people in the country. Some highly publicized trials and convictions of important officials and businessmen on charges of corruption have taken place in several countries. A publicity campaign to create greater awareness on the adverse effects of corruption and a clear and unmistakable official announcement on the desirability to bring it under control would be helpful. Ordinary citizens have a lot of firsthand experience with corruption, they are a good source of information and their help and cooperation should be solicited for the successful launch of an anti-corruption drive.Once people are convinced that a sincere and genuine effort to combat corruption is underway, they will respond and extend their full cooperation in resolving the problem. Just a little opening up and pr oviding opportunities for them to express their views on the matter will bring forth an outpouring of information, ideas and suggestions. A responsible press to gather, analyze, organize, and present information is considered vital to create greater public awareness and to provide the momentum for undertaking reforms to overcome corruption.Secretiveness has been a key factor that has enabled public officials and politicians to get away with corruption. A responsible and an investigative press has played an important role in many countries, both developed and developing, in exposing misconduct as well as in serving as a watchdog to limit corruption and preventing it from getting out of hand. The press has not always acted in a responsible manner, and like everything else in this world, it is not perfect. Nevertheless, its power to limit misconduct and improper behavior should not be underestimated.Views on the effectiveness of anti-corruption oversight or watchdog bodies are mixed. T here are instances where they have proved useful. However, in surveys and interviews of public officials and members of civil society organizations, most respondents do not have a high opinion of them. Improving institutions involves such things as improving the legal framework, promoting efficiency of the police force, strengthening the auditor general’s office, and appointment of a responsible inspector general empowered to investigate and prosecute corruption.A useful conclusion that has emerged from the current discussion and ongoing debate on the corruption issue is that corruption is a symptom of economic, political, and institutional weaknesses in a country. To be effective, measures against corruption must therefore address these underlying causes and not the symptoms. Emphasis must be placed on preventing corruption by tackling the root causes that give rise to it through undertaking economic, political and institutional reforms.Anti-corruption enforcement measures s uch as oversight bodies, a strengthened police force and more efficient law courts will not be effective in the absence of a serious effort to address the fundamental causes. Another observation that may be useful to bear in mind is that corruption is most prevalent where there are other forms of institutional weaknesses, such as political instability, bureaucratic red tape, and weak legislative and judicial systems. The important point is that corruption and such institutional weaknesses are linked together and that they feed upon each other.

Hunted – Creative Writing

It was a cold, wet, December night and Macauley Taylor was casually strolling down the long, dark, winding lane, on this way back from a tiring football practice. He could feel his legs aching as he walked, having been crudely taken out towards the end. He just wanted to get home. Suddenly, three men appeared out of nowhere, at the end of the road. Macauley recognised these three men. â€Å"This is bad,† he thought to himself as he tentatively stepped nearer to them. Relief. He had successfully waded his way past the little huddle the men had made, with all his bones intact. All of a sudden, there was a shout of, â€Å"Get him!† and Macauley had three huge figures gunning him down. He could smell their foul putrid breath behind him. He could taste the hate in the words billowing from their mouths. He was running as fast as his tender feet would carry him. A warehouse gradually came into view through the dank darkness. He ran towards it, making quick, unexpected changes in the direction he was going, hoping to shake one of his pursuers off. He did this successfully and, before long, had found an empty storage compartment and hid in there, hoping none of them had seen him. He heard the three of them walking around, shouting his name, telling him that if he came out now, it wouldn't be half as bad for him as it would be if they had to find him. He was praying they wouldn't find him, as he quite liked his legs how they were. With all the bones NOT BROKEN. He could tell they were moving further away from him, as their voices were getting more and more distant. He was wondering about maybe making an escape sooner, and risk getting caught, or later. He knew his mother would be getting extremely worried about him as he normally got home around an hour ago. He made his mind up. Get home. He moved soundlessly to the door of the compartment and moved his head around the door. Luckily, no one was close and he was able to slide out and find his way back onto the country road. He'd made it. Safety. Thanking his lucky stars, Macauley made his way up the road. *BANG* A gunshot hit the night sky like the crack of a whip. Macauley sank down his knees, not in pain, in pure shock. He could feel blood pouring down his back as if someone had poured a glass of water down the back of his top. His whole life flashed before his eyes like one of those old drive-in movies. He thought of the things he regretted; things that were said, things that weren't†¦ He wished his mum were there, just so he could tell her how much he loved her. Just once. He never showed her how much he meant to her. Swiftly, a bright, tunnel of light emerged in front of him. Standing at the entrance of the tunnel, was his Dad. The Dad: who had died a year before. The Dad: who Macauley had spent every night of the following six months crying for, begging him to come back, to not leave him. The Dad: who was Macauley's hero in every walk of life was now here. Standing right in front of him. He said to him, â€Å"Don't be scared, son, it's all all right now†. He cautiously tiptoed towards him, then ran, then sprinted in the direction of his idol. He reached the end of the tunnel, and with it, came the end of his life on Earth.

Data Results and Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Data Results and Discussion - Essay Example Aside from the net cash receipts from the sale of tickets, there are the peripheral gains that should be attained in commercial activity of Olympic tourists, and the spending by both participants and spectators that were to spur local businesses. After the Olympics, further gains are to be had by the benefits of urban regeneration, which is the choice and development of depressed urban areas, making them the site, close to the site, of the Olympic infrastructure, so that after the Games, the newly developed property could be productively used either as new residential housing or new sites for commercial activity, thereby spurring growth. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is comprised of household consumption, government spending, investment and net trade (exports less imports). Of all the components of GDP, household consumption is the largest which typically comprises 60% of the economy. Government usually takes up 23%, and investment 15%. The fourth quarter in 2012, the consumption rose by 0.2% in real terms compared to the third quarter 2012. According to the government Economic Outlook, this rate of growth has been the slowest for consumption since the fourth quarter 2011. The graph shows, however, that there is a spike in government consumption for the fourth quarter 2012, which amounts to a 0.6% rise over the previous quarter. During the same time, exports receded by 1.5%, as did imports by 1.2%. The next graph depicts the fluctuation in gross fixed capital formation (GFCF). This refers to the investment in buildings and machinery. The fourth quarter in 2012 saw GFCF fell by 0.4%, which is 1.7% higher than the preceding year. For the same quarter, business investment decreased by 1.2%, which is significant because this indicator (business investment) is a significant component of GFCF. The fact that the rate of decrease in business investment is three times the rate of decrease of GFCF means that capital formation

What is reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

What is reality - Essay Example This world is very enchanting and we are enjoying the beauty and charm of this universe in the life we are living. We have all kinds of pleasures achievable from this universe with the aid of our sensory organs.But even after the limitless enjoyment of worldly objects a human being lurk happiness in real sense. It would be a surprising fact to explain that the real happiness in this world only comes from the right knowledge of the world and the self. All human beings have the desire for knowledge but if real knowledge is not connected with outside world. Only when one withdrew his senses from worldly object and concentrate on self then can he attain real knowledge. If we look from the view point of physical body and senses, we assume that the real knowledge is related only with world and its objects. This is because our physical needs and urges are met by physical world.According to article 1â€Å"Every organism is so to speak a nomadic being and it has a world of its own because it has experience of its own†. However if one search for real happiness he needs to go in depth to the urges of soul. On contrast, human culture and civilization always emphasized on external activities rather than internal ones. It is curious nature of man which changed his life, and it is that which persuaded him to turn towards cosmic nature and its power. The mythology and anthropology gave a new dimension to nature and revealed that which man cannot perceive with his sensory organs. A man is a creature which is always in search of himself and according to Socrates he should always be aware of his condition and existence†. But he have this limitation which does not allow him to see the real world .He is bound by mind, intelligence and ego and think what he sees in outside world is all that exist in real sense. We have senses which are restricted in nature and we cannot see things we are not supposed to see. There are lot of things in nature which cannot be viewed with our naked eyes. The rays like gamma and x-rays we cannot observe or comprehend with our senses but their power is beyond our knowledge. In the same way there exist cosmic rays and beyond is the power o f unknown which common men or scientists or physicians cannot understand. According to physical what we see as objects are nothing but matter composed of atoms, electrons and protons. It is the vibration of these makes the world appear as what it is .The quantum physics elaborating the physical universe with the help of time distance and mass. According to article 2â€Å"In its popular sense â€Å"mass† is just another word for weight. But as used by physicist, it denotes a rather different and more fundamental property of matter† The physicist also suggests that light has a dualistic nature which is very difficult to understand and comprehend. And it is reality that every minute particle of universe has something which is unknown attached to it. There is one void ness t o every thing which is related to an unknown source. This unknown reality is the cosmic power or otherwise knows as God or Almighty. However, the people in world live by metaphors that are connected to word rather than action or thought. The way we live our life is metaphorical and we identify every thing in this world relative to our thought and word. Our everyday life is metaphorical and every concept and objects of world are connected to each other. All objects and people in the world are identified with a word and nature .We work automatically in our life, it is mostly the intelligence and mind take the dominant position in our life. In the same way our language also plays a greater role in life by giving meaning to different objects and beings. For an example, the concept of argument is a verbal war and is related to war but there is no physical violence in it. Argument is a war but it is different from the real war. There is winning and losing in a war and an argument also hav e the same. These are different activities but fall in to a same category but we do not consider

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

Economics - Essay Example Cones home began to slide, and stated that he would resort to simply killing any of the woodpecker that he saw without informing others, so that he may use his land as he pleases; Cones disregard for the Act made it pointless. To protect endangered species, the government would have to front a massive amount of money if they wish to see success in their plans. The cost of the plan, though, would depend on each endangered species; the species would be funded for individually, not as an entire group of all endangered animals (Keim, 2009). The benefit of the government interfering would be that these species would have a chance to breed and strive, rising above the status of an endangered species. The government would have rules and regulations set down to force people to be aware of their natural surroundings and the environment, in hopes of saving these species. By not protecting an endangered species, the government does not lose money to a cause that may or may not work. Small, individual groups and organizations will have to depend on themselves if they want to see something done. The benefits of the government not helping are that others would not feel forced into helping a cause that they do not care about and that their money is going to something that they themselves can personally benefit from. The downside to the government interfering is that homeowners begin to lose their say in how they keep and tend to their property. These people may not feel the same way about saving a species as someone else might, yet they would be required to adhere to any rules and regulations that are set down for the purpose of protecting these animals. There can also still be instances when the homeowners disregard the regulations, feeling that it is not the governments business to tell them how to tend to their yard, as Cone shows. In fact, as Cone did by threatening to just kill off the woodpecker, people can just cause more harm to the species, even if the government