The, Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe - 1244 Words

Imperialistic policy has drastically affected the development of nearly every nation on the planet. Although imperialism greatly benefits European nations, it damages the infrastructure of the nations under it. Entire continents such as Africa were forced into subservience and plundered for their resources. Many tribe’s had their land taken from them, and their culture and customs were altered by Christian missionaries. The atrocities committed against the Igbo are a perfect example of the trials the African people faced. For the Igbo, life before the Europeans was much better. The Igbo ruled themselves and were successful farmers. However, With the arrival of the Europeans came unnecessary bloodshed, and the destruction of the Igbo†¦show more content†¦Without the ability to rule themselves, the white men completely changed the structure of the Igbos government. The Igbos judicial system was thrown out and replaced with one ruled by the white men. In the Igbos old co urt system, when there was a dispute to be settled, you would take it to the egwugwu and it would be discussed publicly. Whereas in the European court system set up in Umuofia, is ruled by one man. The white man’s judicial system is also much less fair. When Okonkwo accidentally killed the young boy, he was only banished by the elders to a sister clan. When Aneto committed a similar crime under the European court system, â€Å"Aneto was taken to Umuru and hanged† (Achebe 177). Aneto may have murdered a man, but under Igbo customs if he flees to another land, then he is to be spared. Even though Aneto did these things the white men did not pay any attention to Igbo customs and took the matter into their own hands. The extent to which the political infrastructure of the Igbo was damaged, was so great that the tribe ended up having to conform to European ways in order to survive. The Igbos economic structure was greatly altered after the Europeans arrived, leading to majo r economic disarray in Umuofia. The first thing the Europeans did to the Igbos economy was direct all trade routes away from Mecca and Medina, and allow only trade with European nations. The diversion of traditional

Criteria match †Organ Sales Free Essays

The numbers grow on a daily basis and every year, thousands of Americans are dying because of the inability to get the life-saving organs in which they require to survive (Shave, 2008). Although an answer of legalizing the sale of organs may seem like a plausible solution, there are a magnitude of issues that show this may not be such a good idea. By legalizing the sale of Organs, we run the risk of increasing black market revenue and major exploitation of the poor. We will write a custom essay sample on Criteria match – Organ Sales or any similar topic only for you Order Now This provides availability for more unsafe practices and distribution of organs in an uncontrolled environment. In our current age, we have over one hundred thousand individuals waiting for a transplant with only less than fifteen thousand donors (OPT, 2014). Although legalization of organs may seem reasonable, I do not think it would be a wise choice because of exploitation, morals and the large contribution it would make to support the black market distribution of organs. Becoming an organ donor and compensation for organs are two separate cases in which one is deceased and can no longer use their organs and where one living being is compensated for organs in which they may sibyl need to survive at a later date. The black market has had no issues in delivering services still to those desperate for organs to save their loved ones (Meeker, 2007). In 2003 an illegal kidney-procurement network was uncovered in Africa where an operation would provide the donor with six thousand dollars and middlemen were able to sell the organs for as much as one-hundred thousand dollars (Shave, 2008). In the United States, the black market for human tissue usually involves those that are about to be cremated. Falsified documents are provided and he tissue can then be sold to a research facility where infectious, diseased organs are sold by a claim that alters the cause of death or health history. In some of these trades, compensation is not even rewarded but the donor waking up in a bath tub covered in blood and ice cubes with a missing organ. Because of the desperate call to help a family member and the waiting list being so high, many Americans turn to the black market in order to get what they need. The individual may contact someone they know such as the â€Å"Body snatchers† and a worker may be misled thinking they eave a Job but are locked into a facility with an operating room where their cadavers can provide tissue for up to 90 patients (Shave, 2007). In a controlled environment, a heart procedure/operation can cost one-hundred thousand dollars, kidney operations from three thousand and the cost of the organ is not included (Forbes, 2007). Much of the upper-class individuals will have no issue providing these funds however, the lower class may struggle with figures that high. This brings up the criteria of exploitation amongst the lower class. The term exploitation can be defined s â€Å"Use or utilization, especially for profit† (Exploitation, 2014). The market for organ sales may be the hardest to Justify and compensation to the lower class living individuals for their organs is exploiting and in fact would better support an argument for increasing aid to the needy (Shave, 2008). The lower class simply cannot afford multiple hundred thousands of dollars for a transplant which leaves those able to receive being from a higher class (Forbes, 2007). The legalization of organs sales will not only increase traffic in the black market, but exploit the poor. Both options simply lack ethics and to put a price on a human, borderlines many limitations of morality. One could say that legalization would decrease sales and provide a safer environment for transplants however, if we compare the drug market and the legalization of marijuana with the black market, we see revenues sky rocketing for the illegal distribution of marijuana not prescribed and opens the door for those distributing illegally, to do it in a more outside manor making it easier, quicker and adding to the price off mind-altering substance. The sales of human organs for compensation should not be legalized, it will increase black market profit and availability and exploit the poor. A day worker in India was looking for day wages when he agreed to do construction work for four dollars an hour. Him, along with others were then held at gunpoint for several days and eventually taken to a hidden operating room where he and the two others remain unconscious by drugs and when they awoke, their kidneys had been removed (Shave, 2008). By legalizing organ sales, we support circumstances like these because we are taking their immoral actions ND brutality and making it legal to do so. By making organ sales legal, many could be misguided into faulty operations such as these and live on life support for the remaining number of years. Imagine how much easier it would be to produce fraudulent papers and faulty medical records in order to please the payer (Shave, 2007). By making organ sales legal, we make these situations more convenient for the desperate and in some cases could be the end of thousands of lives because the black market will always be cheaper and will always be available. It is the poor person who sells, the rich who buy and Dry. Delimitation of the Wall Street Journal mentions that â€Å"Payments eventually result in the exploitation of the individual,† (Shuttlecocks, 2001). A condition can only be exploitive if the victim is ill- informed, manipulated or coerced into believing something other than what is present (Wilkinson, 2011). The sale of Organs is pretty straight forward but if we look in terms of a struggling economy, the individual’s decision is highly influenced and therefore the situation is being manipulated. Such actions could also include the compensation being considerably low in contrast to the profit. Such cases like in South Africa, individuals are compensated anywhere from six hundred to eight hundred dollars and those same organs are sold for over one-hundred thousand (Shave, 2008). Both criteria could bring arguments to consider like legalizing it would provide for safer facilities to do transplants and also, provide income for the poor. But is money more important than a life? More facilities means more tax dollars and if this means safer alternatives, than why are some of these facilities distributing illegally when it is illegal? If they find a way to do it now, imagine how much easier ND accessible it would be to the black market. Yes, legalizing organs sales may decrease the numbers on the waiting list, but what about other methods such as providing campaigns of awareness for more to become organ donors? As of today, only one third of the population is an organ donor (OPT, 2014). If every person became an organ donor this would not only eliminate numbers on the waiting list, but possibly even produce an abundance of organs that may be used later. Considering one hundred and fifty thousand people die a day, it would only take one ay to eliminate the waiting list of one hundred and twenty thousand (Wick. NODE, 2014). Legalizing organ sales has far more negative effects than that which would actually help the American people. The black market will increase revenue and grow their practices all-the-while exploiting the lower class and providing more health concerns for those who are desperate. What’s at stake? Power, control and revenue. Although many would say that the legalization would decrease numbers which may hold truth, there are multiple different actions which can benefit the country that will to promote immoral behavior and unethical compensation for a living being. How to cite Criteria match – Organ Sales, Papers

It is the love between Romeo and Juliet that makes the play so enduringly popular Essay Example For Students

It is the love between Romeo and Juliet that makes the play so enduringly popular? Essay I personally disagree with this statement but I do think that love and romance are both major parts of the play. Each mood in the play works well with one and other and contrasts well with each other, which makes the play entertaining and work so well. The overarching mood of the play is Love but it would fall to pieces without its other moods. The love is the overarching mood in the play and makes it popular with all of its beautiful images and the enlightening sonnet, which is shared between Romeo and Juliet when they first meet. One of the best love images in the play is when Romeo has first sighted Juliet and he uses a simile to describe her it seems she hangs upon the cheek of night as a rich jewel in an Ethiops ear. He is saying how her beauty is rare like jewels are. It also shows how Juliet stands out against everyone else because of her radiance. The sonnet that is shared between Romeo and Juliet uses words in the lexical set of religion. Shakespeare has done this to make the love between Romeo and Juliet is pure and holy. The fact that Romeo and Juliet had shared a sonnet shows that their love is mutual. These images make people enjoy the play but if there was too much of this the audience would get bored and would not be as mortified by the tragic ending because they would almost be immune to the other moods and emotions in the play. So to balance out the love and romance, Shakespeare has cleverly juxtaposed the love mood with humour and sexual innuendo. The Nurse is a bawdy character used to contrast the love and often comes out with lines that are perhaps intended to shock but make people laugh i. . dost thou fall upon thy face? Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit, wilt thou not, Jule? and this means that when she was a child, Juliet would fall forwards but when she is older she will be on her back when she is having sex. This contrasts well with the love which was coming up in the play and it adds humour to the play which makes the tragic end more effective because Shakespeare builds up your happiness for Romeo and Juliet and almost makes you forget that the chorus has already told of their doomed love. This makes the tragic end more hard hitting, as there is a looming sense of Pathos and dramatic irony, which makes us sympathetic for the couple. The two moods of love and humour are well contrasted and without the humour the love would fail. The violence plays a very big part in the play because the reason that Romeo and Juliets love could never work out is because the families of the two lovers have a grudge that leads to frequent violent confrontations e. g. ct 1 scene 1 the two families servants fight and in act 3 scene 1 Romeo and Tybalt fight which leads to Tybalts death. This makes Romeo and Juliets situation much harder because now there is no chance of the Capulets ever setting their differences with Romeo aside. So by adding the violence to the play, it makes Romeo and Juliets relationship harder. This adds sympathy from the audience and also makes it more entertaining with all of the excitement of the fighting. This would be good to see on stage as it would be fast paced and would keep the audiences attention. The tragic moments in the play come in small bursts throughout the play which prepares us for the large amount of tragedy at the end of the play. When Tybalt dies that is a very tragic moment, not only for the Capulet family but now there was an even harder situation for Romeo and Juliet as there was no chance of Romeo ever being forgiven by the Capulets now. .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb , .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .postImageUrl , .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb , .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb:hover , .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb:visited , .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb:active { border:0!important; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb:active , .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u77cc793783e45df63d92ca0bbe74bbeb:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A revelation of love EssayThe tragedy at the end when Romeo and Juliet commit suicide is very moving because the dramatic irony is so strong and there is a large sense of underlying pathos because the audience know that if Romeo had got to the Capulets vault a little bit later then he would have seen Juliet wake up and he would have realised that she was alive but because he didnt know she was really alive and not dead. There is a strong feeling of frustration because we know that Juliet is alive and he doesnt but we cant do anything to stop his impending suicide. With this strong ending people are moved and it has audiences attentive to the play. So tragedy is a key mood in the play and definitely helps to make it popular. Through the whole play there are constant references to Greek Tragedy, which has a lot to do with fate. The fate in this play makes it very popular. At the beginning there are many references to fate in the prologue, which builds up dramatic irony, tension and pathos. There are many words in the lexical set of fate death marked, star crossed, fatal and it makes us realise that nothing can stand in the way of fate and Romeo and Juliet are doomed from the start. The play is revolving around fate because at the start of the play when the two families have a confrontation, the Prince says anyone who fights again will be killed, then Romeo kills Tybalt and Romeo gets banished and it goes on in a chain of events which all build up to Romeo and Juliets death which means that if the two Servants hadnt have started the fight, none of this would have happened, so it again emphasises that Romeo and Juliet were destined to die and that fate controls everything. There are many references to Greek mythology Phaeton, Cynthias brow, Abraham Cupid which would emphasise fate because Greeks were firm believers that our lives were pre-destined and that you cant change the course of fate. So fate was a large part of the play and it makes it very popular with the audience. Shakespeare carefully set out the pace of the play. When he wanted a romantic scene he would slow everything down, have as few people as possible in the scene and have as few stage directions as possible. But when he wanted a fast violent scene he would have lots of people entering and exiting the scene and lots of stage directions, which would make the scene very fast. This would make people more attentive to the play and they would watch it intensively when there were lots and lots of action. And when he wanted to have a slow scene everything was quiet and there would only be one or two people on stage, which would make things gentle. The pace is an essential part of the play because it is very important to keep the audiences attention and pace is a very good way of getting it. In conclusion I have discovered that all of the moods are essential to the play. Although the love is the main mood it would not work without the other moods that back it up and contrast with each other. The play would fall to pieces without all the moods because the plot simply would not work without them.

Australian Politics essays

Australian Politics essays 1.A shift to a republic would be in Australia's best interests. There have been a series of debates on the actual future of the Australian state. On the one hand, there are some who suggest that Australia would have a better future as an independent and sovereign republic; on the other hand, the current status as part of the Commonwealth is considered to be a better option for the nation and the state. However, serious attempts have been made and discussions are underway for what would the government consider to be by 2020 the Australian state and an Australian head of state (BBC, 2008). In order to have a better assessment of this issue, there are several aspects to be taken into consideration which support the idea of an Australian republic and an Australian head of state rather than an overall monarchical rule. First, todays reality is one of independent and sovereign state, not one of former empires. As stated by the foreign Minister, a split from the British monarchy was inevitable. (BBC, 2008) It is not so much the mere fact that Australia is formally still entrenched in the remains of an empire which seized to exist decades ago. It is more the issue of modernity and of the role Australia came to play in the world in recent decades. In this sense, it is one of the most important countries in the Asia Pacific region and should therefore have a defining and sovereign head of state in order to allow the country to run its affairs independently from any outside force. Second, there is also the matter of the national identity worldwide. In this sense, there are voices suggesting that the Australian state, due to the fact that it has always been associated with the image of the British Empire does not have a national identity, one that could be constructed and built upon in the decades and centuries to come. More precisely, these voices suggest that the maintenance of the monarchical rule can da...

North American P-51 Mustang Fighter

North American P-51 Mustang Fighter North American P-51D Specifications: General Length: 32 ft. 3 in.Wingspan: 37 ft.Height: 13 ft. 8 in.Wing Area: 235 sq. ft.Empty Weight: 7,635 lbs.Loaded Weight: 9,200 lbs.Maximum Takeoff Weight: 12,100 lbs.Crew: 1 Performance Maximum Speed: 437 mphRange: 1,650 miles (w/ external tanks)Rate of Climb: 3,200 ft./min.Service Ceiling: 41,900 ft.Power Plant: 1 Ãâ€" Packard V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,490 hp Armament 6 Ãâ€" 0.50 in. machine gunsUp to 2,000 lb of bombs (2 hardpoints)10 x 5 unguided rockets Development: With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the British government established a purchasing commission in the United States to acquire aircraft to supplement the Royal Air Force. Overseen by Sir Henry Self, who was charged with directing RAF aircraft production as well as research and development, this commission initially sought to acquire large numbers of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk for use in Europe. While not an ideal aircraft, it the P-40 was the only American fighter then in production that came close to the performance standards required for combat over Europe. Contacting Curtiss, the commissions plan soon proved unworkable as the Curtiss-Wright plant was unable to take new orders. As a result, Self approached North American Aviation as the company was already supplying the RAF with trainers and was attempting to sell the British their new B-25 Mitchell bomber. Meeting with North American president James Dutch Kindelberger, Self asked if the company could produce the P-40 under contract. Kindelberger replied that rather than transition North Americans assembly lines to the P-40, he could have a superior fighter designed and ready to fly in a shorter span of time. In response to this offer, Sir Wilfrid Freeman, the head of the British Ministry of Aircraft Production placed an order for 320 aircraft in March 1940. As part of the contract, the RAF specified a minimum armament of four .303 machine guns, a maximum unit price of $40,000, and for the first production aircraft to be available by January 1941. Design: With this order in hand, North American designers Raymond Rice and Edgar Schmued began the NA-73X project to create a fighter around the P-40s Allison V-1710 engine. Due to Britains wartime needs, the project progressed rapidly and a prototype was ready for testing only 117 days after the order was placed. This aircraft featured a new arrangement for its engine cooling system which saw it placed aft of the cockpit with the radiator mounted in the belly.  Testing soon found that this placement allowed the NA-73X to take advantage of the Meredith effect in which heated air exiting the radiator could be used to boost the aircrafts speed.  Constructed entirely of aluminum to reduce weight, the new aircrafts fuselage utilized a semi-monocoque design.   First flying on October 26, 1940, the P-51 utilized a laminar flow wing design which provided low drag at high speeds and was the product of collaborative research between North American and the  National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. While the prototype proved substantially faster than the P-40, there was a substantial drop in performance when operating over 15,000 feet. While adding a supercharger to the engine would have solved this issue, the aircrafts design made it impractical. Despite this, the British were eager to have the aircraft which was initially provided with eight machine guns (4 x .30 cal., 4 x .50 cal.). The US Army Air Corps approved Britains original contract for 320 aircraft on the condition that they received two for testing. The first production aircraft flew May 1, 1941, and the new fighter was adopted under the name Mustang Mk I by the British and dubbed the XP-51 by the USAAC. Arriving in Britain in October 1941, the Mustang first saw service with No. 26 Squadron before making its combat debut on May 10, 1942. Possessing outstanding range and low-level performance, the RAF primarily assigned the aircraft to Army Cooperation Command which utilized the Mustang for ground support and tactical reconnaissance. In this role, the Mustang made its first long-range reconnaissance mission over Germany on July 27, 1942. The aircraft also provided ground support during the disasterous Dieppe Raid that August. The initial order was soon followed by the second contract for 300 planes which differed only in armament carried. The Americans Embrace the Mustang: During 1942, Kindelberger pressed the newly re-designated US Army Air Forces for a fighter contract to continue production of the aircraft. Lacking funds for fighters in early 1942, Major General Oliver P. Echols was able to issue a contract for 500 of a version of the P-51 which had been designed for a ground attack role. Designated the A-36A Apache/Invader these aircraft began arriving that September. Finally, on June 23, a contract for 310 P-51A fighters was issued to North American. While the Apache name was initially retained, it was soon dropped in favor of Mustang. Refining the Aircraft: In April 1942, the RAF asked Rolls-Royce to work on addressing the aircrafts high altitude woes. Engineers quickly realized that many of the issues could be resolved by swapping the Allison with one of their Merlin 61 engines equipped with a two speed, two stage supercharger. Testing in Britain and America, where the engine was built under contract as the Packard V-1650-3, proved highly successful. Immediately put into mass production as the P-51B/C (British Mk III), the aircraft began reaching the front lines in late 1943. Though the improved Mustang received rave reviews from pilots, many complained about a lack of rearward visibility due to the aircrafts razorback profile. While the British have experimented with field modifications using Malcolm hoods similar to those on the Supermarine Spitfire, North American sought a permanent solution to the problem. The result was the definitive version of the Mustang, the P-51D, which featured a completely transparent bubble hood and six .50 cal. machine guns. The most widely produced variant, 7,956 P-51Ds were built. A final type, the P-51H arrived too late to see service. Operational History: Arriving in Europe, the P-51 proved key to maintaining the Combined Bomber Offensive against Germany. Prior to its arrival daylight bombing raids routinely sustained heavy losses as current Allied fighters, such as the Spitfire and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, lacked the range to provide an escort. With the superb range of the P-51B and subsequent variants, the USAAF was able to provide its bombers with protection for the duration of raids. As a result, the US 8th and 9th Air Forces began exchanging their P-47s and Lockheed P-38 Lightnings for Mustangs. In addition to escort duties, the P-51 was a gifted air superiority fighter, routinely besting Luftwaffe fighters, while also serving admirably in a ground strike role. The fighters high speed and performance made it one of the few aircraft capable of pursuing V-1 flying bombs and defeating the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. While best known for its service in Europe, some Mustang units saw service in the Pacific and the Far East. During World War II, the P-51 was credited with downing 4,950 German aircraft, the most of any Allied fighter. Following the war, the P-51 was retained as the USAAFs standard, piston-engine fighter. Re-designated the F-51 in 1948, the aircraft was soon eclipsed in the fighter role by newer jets. With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the F-51 returned to active service in a ground attack role. It performed admirably as a strike aircraft for the duration of the conflict. Passing out of frontline service, the F-51 was retained by reserve units until 1957. Though it had departed American service, the P-51 was utilized by numerous air forces around the world with the last being retired by the Dominican Air Force in 1984. Selected Sources Ace Pilots: P-51 MustangBoeing: P-51 MustangFighter Plans: P-51 MustangAngelucci, Enzo, Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft: 1914-1980 (The Military Press: New York, 1983), 233, 234.

Battle of Waterloo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Battle of Waterloo - Essay Example France has found a charismatic and ambitious leader in the person of Napoleon Bonaparte. His string of victories in the battlefields of Europe all the more contributed to his steady rise and prominence among the French people. Consequently, France's rise to power brought unease among other European nations. Assured of his prominent status and support among the people, Napoleon launched a coup in 1799 that overthrew the Bourbon king and established himself as ruler and First Consul. Later on, he would declare himself emperor for life ("The Battle of Waterloo"). Napoleon had wanted to make France the most powerful country in Europe and to achieve this; he waged a campaign of annexation and colonization of lands which resulted in many victories for his army. The wars were later called the Napoleonic Wars. A coalition of major powers in Europe, notably the Great Britain, Russia, Prussia and Austria mobilized an army to meet the threat posed by Napoleon's army. After a series of wars, the Allied army finally defeated Napoleon in 1814 thereby effectively checking his ambition of establishing France as the dominant power in Europe. Napoleon was subsequently deposed and exiled to the island of Elba along with some 600 of his loyal guards in accordance with the Treaty of Fontainbleau. The bourbon king, Louis XVIII was made ruler of France by the victorious European powers ("Battle of Waterloo"). The Congress of Vienna was convened by the nations of Europe that defeated Napoleon to discuss the problems that arose after the fall of France. The Congress also wanted to re-establish the territorial balance in Europe wherein the future and status of the nations conquered and annexed by Napoleon's campaign in Europe were to be discussed. The unpopularity and ineptness of Louis XVIII resulting in economic and social unrest left many veterans who fought with Napoleon and many citizens as well clamoring for change. The men who had fought alongside Napoleon remained a potent force and many felt that their past efforts were wasted because of the government's corruption and insensitiveness to the needs of the people. Many were hoping that their deposed emperor would return and liberate them. Napoleon, believing that many in France would allow his return while others would not dare oppose it, decided to risk a return and put forth plans to establish himself again as the ruler of France ("Waterloo"). On Feb. 26, 1815, Napoleon together with less than a thousand of his men, left Elba and landed on an unpopulated beach near Antibes. Napoleon is determined to return to Paris and early on the next day, he marched toward Grenoble with his men. Soldiers who were stationed in outposts outside Paris initially barred his advance but after offering the guards to shoot him because he has no intention of turning back, instead joined him. Everywhere Napoleon marched, veteran soldiers and those soldiers serving the government joined his ranks. At Auxerre, Marshal Ney, Napoleon's old comrade whom he once called the "bravest of the brave," was overwhelmed by the presence of his former emperor. He embraced him and turned over to Napoleon the command of his 6,000 troops. Because of

Citigroup Crisis Management and Continuity Plan Essay

Citigroup Crisis Management and Continuity Plan - Essay Example The economic crisis in the recent years had a significant impact over the nation thus impacting the businesses of the Citigroup as well. The current research focuses on the responses of the organizational group to the economic crisis and to learn the concepts and use of business management continuity plans in the process. Citigroup and the Global Economic Recession: The global economic recession that hit the United States in the late 2008 and thereafter the entire world affected the nation’s gross domestic product, led to unemployment, decrease in purchases, and decline in investments (U.S. Economic Downturn Worsened at End of 2008, 2009). Root Cause of the Recession leading Citigroup to a Crisis Situation: With the enhancement of the economic slowdown in the United States, the Citigroup started getting affected and was encountered with the crisis of recession. One of the major crises that led to the crisis in the Citigroup was the decline in the demand level among the custome rs. When a financial slowdown was prevailing in the United States, people tended to invest less and save their funds. When the nation was encountered with the decline in the economic growth, customers feared the failure or lack of performance of the different companies that included Citigroup as well. With scarcity in the availability of funds in the economy of the country customers started saving and stopped investing or lending to the company that ultimately led to a crisis for the company (Beek, 2010; Cochrane, 2010, p. 34). Thus the two primary reasons that could be reflected as the root causes for the crisis in the Citigroup are the economic slowdown in the United States followed by the change in the customer outlook and behavior towards fearing the failure of companies to overcome the global crisis, leading to huge declines in the levels of demand. Citigroup before the Crisis: Before the global recession had hit the United States, Citigroup had been successfully performing its activities. Several innovative strategies have been encouraged within the group. Also, with greater expansion plans the company created several job opportunities (Our commitment is our promise, 2006). The year 2007, which was before the economic crisis, the company reflected positive results with respect to its international consumer related performances, wealth management at an international level, as well as operations of services in its different business divisions. However, the results for the banking and marketing segments of the group were not satisfactory. Too much of lending and written down values might have led to such a condition for the group. The revenue generation was thus affected although the customer growth was increasing. The volume of products and the operating expenses of the group also started rising from the previous years. Credit costs for the financial sector of the group also increased (Citigroup’s 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K, 2007). Citigroup du ring the Crisis: During the global economic slowdown, the Citigroup suffered huge losses that primarily occurred as a result of increasing costs of credits and the intensifying economic recession. Inflation and increasing levels of unemployment, that were resultant from the global econom