Saturday, December 28, 2019

General Sir William Howe in the American Revolution

General Sir William Howe was a central figure during the early years of the American Revolution (1775-1783) when he served as commander of British forces in North America. A distinguished veteran of the French and Indian War, he took part in many of the conflicts campaigns in Canada. In the years after the war, Howe and his brother, Admiral Richard Howe, were sympathetic to the concerns of the colonists. Despite this, he accepted a post to fight the Americans in 1775. Assuming command in North America the following year, Howe conducted successful campaigns that saw him capture both New York City and Philadelphia. Though victorious on the battlefield, he consistently failed to destroy General George Washingtons army and departed for Britain in 1778. Early Life William Howe was born August 10, 1729, and was the third son of Emanuel Howe, 2nd Viscount Howe and his wife Charlotte. His grandmother had been the mistress of King George I and as a result Howe and his three brothers were the illegitimate uncles of King George III. Influential in the halls of power, Emanuel Howe served as Governor of Barbados while his wife regularly attended the courts of King George II and King George III. Attending Eton, the younger Howe followed his two elder brothers into the military on September 18, 1746 when he purchased a commission as a coronet in Cumberlands Light Dragoons. A quick study, he was promoted to lieutenant the following year and saw service in Flanders during the War of the Austrian Succession.  Elevated to captain on January 2, 1750, Howe transferred to the 20th Regiment of Foot. While with the unit, he befriended Major James Wolfe under whom he would serve in North America during the French and Indian War. Fighting in North America On January 4, 1756, Howe was appointed major of the newly formed 60th Regiment (re-designated 58th in 1757) and traveled with the unit to North America for operations against the French.  Promoted to lieutenant colonel in December 1757, he served in Major General Jeffery Amhersts army during its campaign to capture Cape Breton Island. In this role he took part in Amhersts successful siege of Louisbourg that summer where he commanded the regiment. During the campaign, Howe earned a commendation for making a daring amphibious landing while under fire. With the death of his brother, Brigadier General George Howe at the Battle of Carillon that July, William attained a seat in Parliament representing Nottingham.  This was aided by his mother who campaigned on his behalf while he was overseas as she believed that a seat in Parliament would aid in advancing her sons military career. Battle of Quebec Remaining in North America, Howe served in Wolfes campaign against Quebec in 1759. This began with a failed effort at Beauport on July 31 that saw the British suffer a bloody defeat. Unwilling to press the attack at Beauport, Wolfe decided cross the St. Lawrence River and land at  Anse-au-Foulon to the southwest. This plan was executed and on September 13, Howe led the initial light infantry assault which secured the road up to the Plains of Abraham. Appearing outside of the city, the British opened the the Battle of Quebec later that day and won a decisive victory. Remaining in the region, he helped defend Quebec through the winter, including participation in the Battle of Sainte-Foy, before aiding in Amhersts capture of Montreal the following year. Colonial Tensions Returning to Europe, Howe took part in the siege of Belle ÃŽle in 1762 and was offered the military governorship of the island.  Preferring to remain in active military service, he declined this post and instead served as the adjutant general of the force that assaulted Havana, Cuba in 1763.  With the end of the conflict, Howe returned to England. Appointed colonel of the 46th Regiment of Foot in Ireland in 1764, he was elevated to governor of the Isle of Wight four years later. Recognized as a gifted commander, Howe was promoted to major general in 1772, and a short time later took over training of the armys light infantry units. Representing a largely Whig constituency in Parliament, Howe opposed the Intolerable Acts and preached reconciliation with the American colonists as tensions grew in 1774 and early 1775. His feelings were shared by his brother, Admiral Richard Howe. Though publicly stating that he would resist service against the Americans, he accepted the position as second-in-command of British forces in America. American Revolution Begins Stating that he was ordered, and could not refuse, Howe sailed for Boston with Major Generals Henry Clinton and John Burgoyne. Arriving May 15, Howe brought reinforcements for General Thomas Gage. Under siege in the city following the American victories at Lexington and Concord, the British were forced to take action on June 17 when American forces fortified Breeds Hill on the Charlestown Peninsula overlooking the city. Lacking a sense of urgency, the British commanders spent much of the morning discussing plans and making preparations while the Americans worked to strengthen their position. While Clinton favored an amphibious attack to cut off the American line of retreat, Howe advocated a more conventional frontal attack. Taking the conservative route, Gage ordered Howe to move forward with a direct assault. Bunker Hill In the resulting Battle of Bunker Hill, Howes men succeeded in driving off the Americans but sustained over 1,000 casualties in capturing their works. Though a victory, the battle deeply influenced Howe and crushed his initial belief that the rebels represented only a small part of the American people. A dashing, daring commander earlier in his career, the high losses at Bunker Hill made Howe more conservative and less inclined to attack strong enemy positions. Battle of Bunker Hill. Photograph Source: Public Domain Knighted that year, Howe was temporarily appointed commander-in-chief on October 10 (it was made permanent in April 1776) when Gage returned to England. Assessing the strategic situation, Howe and his superiors in London planned to establish bases in New York and Rhode Island in 1776 with the goal of isolating the rebellion and containing it in New England. Forced out of Boston on March 17, 1776, after General George Washington emplaced guns on Dorchester Heights, Howe withdrew with the army to Halifax, Nova Scotia. New York There, a new campaign was planned with the goal of taking New York. Landing on Staten Island on July 2, Howes army soon swelled to over 30,000 men. Crossing to Gravesend Bay, Howe exploited the light American defenses at Jamaica Pass and succeeded in flanking Washingtons army.  The resulting Battle of Long Island on August 26/27 saw the Americans beaten and forced to retreat. Falling back to fortifications at Brooklyn Heights, the Americans awaited a British assault. Based on his earlier experiences, Howe was reluctant to attack and began siege operations. Battle of Long Island by Alonzo Chappel. Public Domain This hesitation allowed Washingtons army to escape to Manhattan. Howe was soon joined by his brother who had orders to act as a peace commissioner. On September 11, 1776, the Howes met with John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Edward Rutledge on Staten Island. While the American representatives demanded recognition of independence, the Howes were only permitted to extend pardons to those rebels who submitted to British authority. Their offer refused, they began active operations against New York City. Landing on Manhattan on September 15, Howe suffered a setback at Harlem Heights the next day but ultimately forced Washington from the island and later drove him from a defensive position at the Battle of White Plains. Rather than pursue Washingtons beaten army, Howe returned to New York to secure Forts Washington and Lee. New Jersey Again showing an unwillingness to eliminate Washingtons army, Howe soon moved into winter quarters around New York and only dispatched a small force under Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis to create a safe zone in northern New Jersey. He also dispatched Clinton to occupy Newport, RI. Recovering in Pennsylvania, Washington was able to win victories at Trenton, Assunpink Creek, Princeton in December and January. As a result, Howe pulled back many of his outposts. While Washington continued small-scale operations during the winter, Howe was content to remain in New York enjoying a full social calendar. Two Plans In the spring of 1777, Burgoyne proposed a plan for defeating the Americans which called for him to lead an army south through Lake Champlain to Albany while a second column advanced east from Lake Ontario. These advances were to be supported by an advance north from New York by Howe. While this plan was approved by Colonial Secretary Lord George Germain, Howes role was never clearly defined nor was he issued orders from London to aid Burgoyne. As a result, though Burgoyne moved forward, Howe launched his own campaign to capture the American capital at Philadelphia. Left on his own, Burgoyne was defeated in the critical Battle of Saratoga. Philadelphia Captured Sailing south from New York, Howe moved up the Chesapeake Bay and landed at Head of Elk on August 25, 1777. Moving north into Delaware, his men skirmished with the Americans at Coochs Bridge on September 3. Pressing on, Howe defeated Washington at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11. Outmaneuvering the Americans, he captured Philadelphia without a fight eleven days later. Concerned about Washingtons army, Howe left a small garrison in the city and moved northwest. Fighting around Cliveden during the Battle of Germantown. Photograph Source: Public Domain On October 4, he won a near-run victory at the Battle of Germantown. In the wake of the defeat, Washington retreated into winter quarters at Valley Forge. Having taken the city, Howe also worked to open the Delaware River to British shipping.  This saw his men defeated at Red Bank but victorious in the Siege of Fort  Mifflin. Under severe criticism in England for failing to crush the Americans and feeling he had lost the kings confidence, Howe requested to be relieved on October 22. After attempting to lure Washington into battle late that fall, Howe and the army entered winter quarters in Philadelphia. Again enjoying a lively social scene, Howe received word that his resignation had been accepted on April 14, 1778. Later Life Arriving in England, Howe entered into the debate over the conduct of the war and published a defense of his actions. Made a privy counselor and Lieutenant General of the Ordnance in 1782, Howe remained in active service. With the outbreak of the French Revolution he served in a variety of senior commands in England. Made a full general in 1793, he died on July 12, 1814, after a prolonged illness, while serving as governor of Plymouth. An adept battlefield commander, Howe was beloved by his men but received little credit for his victories in America. Slow and indolent by nature, his greatest failure was an inability to follow up on his successes.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Examination Questions On African Americans - 1239 Words

Student’s Name Teacher’s Name Course Title Date Exam Questions Q1. If the negative attitude that the whites hold against the African Americans does not change, then the demographic trends that place the African Americans at the bottom of the social class hierarchy will not change any time soon. The other thing that could reduce the segregation and the discrimination the African Americans in the United States face is increasing the currently scarce resources. This will enable the African Americans to rise to the middle class as the rest of the white population. The demographic trends could also change for the better if more and more African Americans intermarried with people from different races. This way discrimination, prejudice, and segregation against them would slowly lose their credibility thus making it possible for the African Americans to rise along the social ladder. However, if these changes do not take place, then, the historic demographic trends are prone to remain the same. Q2. The invisible knapsack of privileges is the undeserved benefits that a person or a particular group of people though oblivious about them. One of such privileges is the male privilege. The male privileges are the advantages that the males tend to enjoy over their female counterparts. The male privilege benefits the men more than the women. For example, men have more power in the society than the women. Men hold the highest leadership positions including the government and in corporateShow MoreRelatedA Study of Factors Contributing to the Lack of Success and Participation of African American in Males in Advance Placement Classes1538 Words   |  7 Pagescontribute to the academic achievement gap between African American males. A sample of 25 8th grade, African American, male students from Dent Middle School will be identifyied as participates for the research. 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Thursday, December 12, 2019

Taxation Capital Gains Tax

Question: Discuss about the Taxation for Capital Gains Tax. Answer: Introduction: Under Irish taxation law, the capital gains resulting from the clearance of assets are liable to tax under Capital Gains Tax. Under the provision of Irish taxation law, to determine tax value of the resulted capital gains in asset transfers, with either given or inward for consideration, the market value is likely to be substituted, as in certain circumstances, there are no actual purchase or the value of transfer does not replicate the asset value. The market value of asset is likely to be substituted but not applicable when transaction is involved at arms length but valid in case wherein transmit of assets has taken place under bargains (Chartered Accountants Ireland, n.d.). The circumstance in which such provision will be applicable when an individual makes transaction in the form of gifts, transmit of capital to shareholders by a corporate, all such transactions wherein consideration is difficult to be valued, acquisition related with any loss due to employment and salary decreas es due to past services. It can be affirmed that market value is also substituted in circumstances in the environment when company allots share to any individual who is involved with the corporate at a value lower than its actual valuation. Development land refers to properties, which may include lands and buildings in the geographic region that is transferred with a valuation higher than its present value. The present value reflects the valuation of land if no development takes place apart from minimal natural development (1Irish Tax and Customs, 2015). Reflecting to Esthers planning to sale land in Wicklow, which she brought during 1990s and did not develop, it is suggested that if total consideration receivables on the development land were not more than 19,050, it would not be subjected to entitle the benefits of a special provision. In accordance with the Irish tax provision, if value of consideration is subjected to more than 19,050 in sale of property, an individual is not entitled to obtain relief related with tax exemption in capital gains. Additionally, as Esther did not develop the land in the tenure from purchase until now, thus, it can be suggested to her that gains that she made in such act of selling of non-development lands are likely to be subjected to be taxed. It is worth mentioning to her that she will not be entitled to get indexation relief on the prosperity, because such reliefs are deemed as confined to the use of property. Evidently, the scenario clearly reflected that she did not use the property from the period when she brought the property, thus, she will not be entitled to avail benefits from the relief on the capital gains that will be made in selling the property. Esther will not be entitled to gain provisional benefits to offset her loss resulting from sales of shares, as in accordance with tax laws, losses that are accumulated in selling of any asset, will not be categorised as development land, and are not adjusted with the profit from sale of development land (CPA Ireland, n.d.). Based on the notion that Esther incurred no development expense in the property, it can be suggested that she should not sell the property now, as it will not allow her to offset the losses she had incurred from the sale of shares. Setting Up a New Company in Ireland Various perspectives are required to be considered when incorporating a business, which is a complex and a challenging process that involves many risk drivers. However, in order to assist entrepreneurs in Ireland, certain support mechanisms and regulatory provisions are applied throughout the process of business commencement (1Citizen Information Board, 2016). Apparently, the period between quitting employment in Twilight Ltd and setting up a new business by Bertie Dunne ranges around 2 years. Thus, as per the Irish law, Bertie Dunne is unemployed and possesses an intention to form a business. He is entitled and qualified for the benefits under the provision of Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) or Short-Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA). He is also eligible for certain benefits, which will be applicable in his case. The government provides additional support and necessary benefits in accordance with the mentioned schemes, including arrangement of training, conducting market research, assisting in business planning and buying necessary equipments with loans. In keeping with Irish governmental purview, Bertie Dunne remained unemployed for more than a year thus he is deemed to be eligible for income tax exemption of a maximum limit of 40,000 annually until 3 years in the new business. The maximum amount of relief or exemption under the Irish tax provision in three year that Bertie Dunne can have will be 120,000. This relief is available only on the share of income tax that is payable on the profits obtained from the business operations. It must also be noted in this context that if Bertie Dunne incurred losses in the initial years, the deficit amount can be forwarded for adjustments in the subsequent years as a relief from tax. Illustratively, suppose the business incurs a loss of 15,000 in its first year of operation and in the second year, the profit made amounts to 30,000. Under the scheme, the relief of tax payment will be available for the second year and loss of 15,000 from the first year will be subjected to adjustments in the third year, if profit is equal to or more than 40,000. If not, it can be adjusted in later years (3Irish Tax and Customs, 2014). Prior to the incorporation of Finance Act 2011, the owner of new businesses can avail full relief from corporate tax (2Citizen Information Board, 2016; ACCA, 2012). In addition, Bertie Dunne can register the business as a limited company, which will create its separate entity, making the firm eligible for corporate tax reliefs, in the initial three years of business operations. Contextually, post amendment of the Finance Act 2011, the amount of relief linked with Employers PRSI is to be paid by the company on an annual basis, with a minimum wage per employee amounting to 5,000 and a maximum to 40,000. This implies that the overall amount of corporate tax payable by the qualified new business must not exceed 40,000 annually. The amount of corporate tax on the income and gains is subjected to Employers PRSI as well, wherein the adjusted amount should not exceed in comparison with the contribution in Employers PRSI (OHanlon Tax Limited, 2014; 4Irish Tax and Customs, 2012). However, regardless of exemption on this provision, payment of certain contribution in Pay Social Insurance (PRSI), which is a social insurance fund and in Universal Social Charge (USC), which is a special tax levy on the income above 13,000 annually, will be compulsory for Bertie Dunne with respect to operating his business. The amount paid by Bertie Dunne under PRSI will be adjusted with the relief that he is entitled to receive for the three years. As under the provision, employers contribution in PRSI and USC is compulsory for the business (Irish Department of Finance, 2015; 4Irish Tax and Customs, 2012). Considering the assumption that Bertie Dunnes business in initial five years of operations makes profit of 12,000, 15,000, 50,000, 120,000 and 150,000, the corporate tax will be applicable at a prevailing rate of 12.5%. The relief that Bertie Dunne will be entitled to availed under the provision of Irish tax law has been presented below: Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Profit 12,000 15,000 50,000 120,000 150,000 Corporation tax 1,500 1,875 6,250 15,000 18,750 Contribution in Employers PRSI 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 Unused and Excess carried forward 6,500 6,125 1,750 N/A N/A Aggregate amount (carried forward amount) 3 years 12,000 Relief claimed (after 3 years) 8,000 4000 Remaining carried forward amount 4000 Nil Tax liability Nil Nil Nil 7,000 14,375 Based on the above presented tax liability calculation, it can be affirmed that aggregate amount carried forward after 3 years for adjustment is 12,000 rather than 14,375, as under the provision of Irish law, reliefs allowable to the business after three years (if unadjusted) will be amounted to the maximum limit of 12,000. Moreover, if the company of Bertie Dunne tax is determined to be liable for more than 60,000 payment of tax in any accounting period, it will not be considered as eligible for any relief related to the deduction of corporate tax in that financial year. In the process of commencing a business, relief or deduction of tax can be claimed by Bertie Dunne on certain expenses paid before the business formal commencement. Under the provision to determine the taxable value, such expenses will be treated as losses, as it occurred before starting up the trade operations. Those expenses that will be available for relief to Bertie Dunne include leasing costs, which are related to business, costs required to develop the concepts of business, bear the legal fees and for conducting feasibility studies. The relief of tax initiatives related to Research and Development (RD) can also be availed by Bertie Dunne under the provision. In terms of profits of the business, tax deduction is likely to be materialised for all such business expenses, which are wholly or partially incurred to conduct business trade, such as those included in the financial statements of the business as revenue expenses. The capital allowances (i.e., expenses paid over buying capital equipments) are also allowed for tax deductions (Department of Social Protection, 2016; 2Irish Tax and Customs, 2016; Bank of Ireland, 2016). For instance, if Bertie Dunnes Company gets hold of certain qualified intangible assets, the business will be entitled to avail reliefs on its related costs required for acquisition. Such intangible assets include name of company, brand, goodwill and copyright among others. Disposal of the Company in the Future In the event of selling of business, Bertie Dunne needs to consider two different perspectives, which include selling of share of the company and assets. Selling of business by share liquidation will provide advantage of personal gains but tax on the capital gains will be applicable. Thus, considering the selling price of the company shares, tax will be due on the capital gains. The prices that will be considered will include the nominal and addition of premium values. The retirement benefit reliefs will also be entitled on the capital gains from selling of the business, as the age of the owner will be above 55 after 5 years. Under the provision of law, if the owner of the business is more than 55 years and sells the business then he/she is entitled for the tax relief on the capital gains made with the selling transactions (AIB Corporate Finance, 2008). Besides, the trade of the business will be ceased with selling of assets and accordingly, the provisions of company cessation will be applicable in the case (McAteer Hegarty, 2015). Any loss in the final accounting year is likely to be offset against the available capital gains to the owner in tax calculation. With regard to determining the amount of tax, balance charged will be evaluated by comparing sales proceedings of the assets with assets Tax Written Down Value (TWDV). The overall tax payable amount will also reduce, if sales value is inferior than TWDV and vice versa. The amount of balance charged will be limited to assets previously claimed for capital allowances. However, negative valuation in the capital allowances is expected to be subjected to the corporation tax. Selling of any of the inventory in profit will further increase the tax value, as it will be trading receipts in the hand of the seller. In the selling agreement, if assets including plants and properties are sold, Value Added Tax (VAT) will be applicable at that time. As the selling of business will include trade transfer, exemption can be claimed in accordance with the provisions of going concern indemnity. However, such exemption will be applicable, if the purchase of business is registered to claim the advantages of VAT and is entitled to full relaxation of VAT recovery (McAteer Hegarty, 2015). At the time of liquidation, Bertie Dunnes Companys intangible assets will also be subjected to taxable income, as it will be treated under the head of capital gain; for instance, selling of goodwill. Nevertheless, during selling of certain assets, including debtors and inventories, if the sales proceeding is equivalent to debtors value, no tax will be chargeable (Corporate Finance in Europe, 2016). Bertie Dunne is therefore suggested that he should not sell the business after 5 to 7 years because to entitle the relief of retirement, the assets and shares must be owned for at least a period of 10 years. References ACCA 2012, New companies start-up relief, Company Start-Up Reliefs, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/acca/global/PDF-students/2012s/sa_feb12_p6_startup.pdf. AIB Corporate Finance 2008, Selling a business Ireland, MergerMarket, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.aib.ie/servlet/BlobServer/708/779/Selling%20a%20Business%20Ireland.pdf?blobcol=urldatablobheader=application/pdfblobkey=idblobtable=MungoBlobsblobwhere=1214390540042csblobid=1220890827190. Bank of Ireland 2016, Startup tax relief in Ireland, Reliefs and Incentives, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.thinkbusiness.ie/articles/start-up-tax-relief-in-ireland/. Chartered Accountants Ireland n.d., Disposals and acquisitions treated as made at market value, Sec 547, viewed 04 July 2016, https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/taxsource/1997/en/act/pub/0039/nfg/sec0547-nfg.html. Citizen Information Board 2016, Starting a business, Self-Employment, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/types_of_employment/self_employment/setting_up_a_business_in_ireland.html. Citizen Information Board 2016, Start your own business relief, Income tax credits and reliefs, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/income_tax_credits_and_reliefs/start_your_own_business_scheme.html. Corporate Finance in Europe 2016, Tax aspects when selling a business in Ireland, Tax Aspects Selling Company, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.corporatefinanceineurope.eu/ireland/sell-business/tax-aspects.htm. CPA Ireland n.d., CGT and capital losses, Taxation, viewed 04 July 2016, https://www.cpaireland.ie/docs/default-source/media-and-publications/accountancy-plus/taxation/cgt-june.pdf?sfvrsn=2. Department of Social Protection 2016, Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions and classes, Operational Guidelines, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/PRSI---Pay-Related-Social-Insurance---Contributions-and-Clas.aspx. Department of Finance 2015, Tax and entrepreneurship review, Corporate Tax, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2016/Documents/Tax_and_Entrepreneurship_Review_pub.pdf. Irish Tax and Customs 2015, CGT1 Guide to capital gains tax, Irish Tax and Customs, pp. 3-46. Irish Tax and Customs 2016, Universal social charge, Irish Tax and Customs, pp. 11-30. Irish Tax and Customs 2014, Frequently asked questions, Relief Exemption, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/reliefs/own-business-scheme/faqs.html#section3. Irish Tax and Customs 2012, Tax relief for new start-up companies, Irish Tax and Customs, pp. 1-10. McAteer, C S Hegarty, C 2015, Taxation considerations on the sale and purchase of a business: Asset sale v share sale, CPA Ireland, pp. 1-5. OHanlon Tax Limited 2014, Tax relief for new start-up companies, OHT Guide to Tax Relief On Start-up Companies, viewed 05 July 2016, https://www.ohanlontax.ie/downloads/TaxReliefsforStart-UpCompanies.pdf.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Impact of Interactivity of Electronic Word

Question: Discuss about the Impact of Interactivity of Electronic Word. Answer: Introduction This study is a marketing audit that aims to identify and evaluate the business opportunities and threats in the market. The focus is made on Aldi, which is a supermarket chain, operating the business at international level. The aim of the organization is to provide high quality grocery products at the minimum possible price. Currently, the company has total 10000 stores, which are situated in 18 different countries. However, as the market competition has increased nowadays, it is important for the company to verify its current opportunities and threats in the market. Apart from identifying the market opportunities and threats, the study or the marketing audit also evaluates the organizations segments and decision-making process of the consumers. Identifying the market opportunities and threats Aldi is a supermarket chain, which is operating its business since 1913. The market of the company covers the countries like, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Germany, France, Hungary, Spain and 11 others (Aldi.com.au, 2016). As per the current report on the grocery retail industry in Australia, it can be said that the annual growth rate of the industry is not bad. The industry report shows that the annual growth rate of Australias grocery retail industry is 4.1% (Mahmud, 2015). The industry report also shows that Aldi is one of the top most performers in this industry. In last five years, the company has achieved tremendous growth. The overall revenue of the industry is $105 billion (Voigt, Buliga Michl, 2016). In the market researches, the experts have identified that the growth of Australias grocery retail industry will continue for next 3 to 4 years. Therefore, it is good news for Aldi that along with the industrial growth, Aldi will also enjoy the growth opportunities for next 3 to 4 years (Berman, 2015). In order to identify the macro environment of the company in a better manner, the analysis of the industry can be done with the help of PESTLE framework. The PESTLE analysis is shown below: Factors Current situation Political Australia is one of the most politically stable countries in the world. The stable political condition has also helped the grocery industry operating business successfully. The level of corruption is very low, which helped the companies maintaining their price at the standard level (Voigt, Buliga Michl, 2016). The new federal government in Australia helped the small and large organizations in operating their business activities by providing proper infrastructure. Economic The economy in Australia is currently facing fiscal deficit. Due to the fiscal deficit, the Australian Government became failure to meet or fulfill all of the promises that it has made to different industries in the country. Per capital GDP of the company has decreased in the last five years (Ododo, Mulholland Turner, 2015). Due to this, the investments in the companies in Australia have also dropped down. Social The Australian society includes a mixed culture. The people in this society like to maintain the tradition and at the same time, they also adopt the new things or changes. This actually helps the companies bringing new products in the market. In case of grocery products, the people always prefer the fresh, healthy and hygiene products (Berman, 2015). Technological The technological infrastructure in Australia is much developed. The companies and the supermarkets in the country get the opportunity of improving their business by utilizing the advanced technological infrastructure of the country. Legal In Australia, the companies are required to follow the legal guidelines provided by the government of the country. The laws related to the minimum wage level, workplace safety and employment rights must be maintained by each company in the country (Brandes Brandes, 2015). At the same time, the legal boundaries implemented by the government for protecting the environment are also needed to be maintained. Environmental The people in Australia are much conscious about the natural environment of the country. Due to this, the companies in this country require to take part in the CSR activities related to the protection of natural environment. Therefore, in the above analysis of the macro environment and the current industrial situation, it can be stated that there is high growth opportunity for Aldi in the coming financial years. At the same time, it can also be said that if the company is able to maintain the quality of the products, then it can easily attract the new customers in the Australian market (Weisenfels, 2015). However, the major threat for the company is the economic condition of the country. The continuous fiscal deficit in the last five years has decreased the investment opportunity, which is creating problem for the company. Apart from that, the growth of grocery industry indicates that there is high competition in the market, which is another threat for Aldi. Describing the nature of competition in the industry and comparing Aldi with its competitors In the above discussion, it has been identified that the competition in the supermarket industry in Australia is very high. The industry has positive growth rate in the market and there is much scope of business expansion in this particular industry. Apart from Aldi, there are two more major player in this industry and those are Woolworths Limited and Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd (Haddock-Millar Rigby, 2015). These two business organizations are not only operating successful business in Australia, but they are also throwing high level of competition to Aldi. If the current business condition of Aldi is analyzed, then it can be identified that the wide business base is one of the major strengths of the company. Aldi has expanded its business in many areas in Australia (Aldi.com.au, 2016). On the other side, the product range of the company is also large. The company is more popular for the quality of its grocery products. Many people in Australia are the loyal to Aldi. This means the loyal customer base is also the strengths of the company. Apart from these, the company also has strong financial base (Aldi.com.au, 2016). As the business of Aldi is expended in several areas and the company is capable of earning good amount of revenue per year, the financial health of the company is much strong (Aldi.com.au, 2016). This strong financial base helps the company in continuous improvements. However, if the comparison is made with the other two giant organizations that are Woolworths and Coles, then it can be identified that most of the strengths of Aldi are not unique. Woolworths Limited and Coles Supermarkets are also having loyal customers. Moreover, Bder (2015) mentioned that the business expansion of Woolworths is more in Australia in comparison to Aldi. At the same time, it is also true that the competitors of Aldi also have strong financial base. However, in this context it can be said that in recent past, the financial strength of Woolworths Limited has declined. At the same time, it is also true that though the financial strength of Woolworths Limited has declined, it is still the major player in the supermarket industry in Australia (Block et al., 2016). On the other side, in comparison with the competitors, it can be identified that the product ranges of Woolworths Limited and Coles are much wider than that of Aldi. This means it is the weakness of Aldi that i t has failed to increase its product range much. There is another weakness of Aldi and that is lack of experienced employees. It has been identified that in comparison with Woolworths Limited and Coles Supermarkets, the company has recruited fresher employees than that of experienced people (Karimi, Papamichail Holland, 2015). Due to this, many times the company faces problems at the time of managing the outlets as well as the stores. Another weakness of Aldi is that the price range of the products of Aldi is much lower than that of the other competitors in the market. Though most of the time customers look for the products at low price range, very low price range sometimes creates questions in the minds of the customers regarding the quality of the products (Yoo, Kim Sanders, 2015). Aldi is facing this particular problem. As the price range of the company is low from the beginning, it cannot increase the price suddenly. At the same time, the company is also loosing many customers due to the very low price range of the products. Therefore, from this discussion, it can be said that Aldi has several strengths in this current business scenario. However, the high level of competition from the side of Woolworths Limited and Coles Supermarkets is creating some problems for the company. Wide product range and strong financial base of the competitors have increased the weakness of Aldi (Simkin, 2016). Though the company has expanded in many areas in Australia, it requires more business expansion as well as business improvements for future growth. Identifying and analyzing the market segments of Aldi Aldi is operating its business in the market of Australia for many years. In order to identify the market segments of the company, it is very important to analyze the customer base of Aldi with the help of STP model. This particular model helps understanding the market segments, target markets and positioning strategies of a particular company. If the customer base of Aldi is analyzed with the help of STP model, then it can be identified that the company has segmented the market on the basis of the demographic and psychographic factors. In case of demographic segmentation, the company has concentrated on the elements like, income and age of the people (Aldi.com.au, 2016). The company has divided the market in three segments based on the income group of the people. These three segments are High income group, Middle income group and Low income group. After segmenting the market, the company has targeted the middle income group only (Aldi.com.au, 2016). This is because the number of people in the middle class income group is more in Australia. Due to this, the company has more scope of increasing the market share by targeting the people in the middle class income group (Adner, Ruiz-Aliseda Zemsky, 2016). On the other side, the company has also divided the market into two segments based on the age group of the people. These two segments are People in the age group between 20 to 30 years and People of above 30 years age group (Aldi.com.au, 2016). The company has primarily targeted the people, who are above the age of 30 years because most of the grocery items are purchased by the people of this particular age group. However, the people between the ages of 20 to 30 years are the secondary target market of the company. The number of customers in this particular age group is less and so the company has considered these people in the secondary target market (Aldi.com.au, 2016). Apart from the demographic segmentation, the company has also segmented the market based on the psychographic factors. The company has mainly concentrated on the lifestyles of the people and divided the market into two segments people, who prefer fast lifestyle and people, who prefer to lead traditional lifestyle (Aldi.com.au, 2016). Between these two segments, the second one is the primary target market of Aldi and the first one is the secondary target market for the company. Discussion on the decision-making process of the target market of Aldi In the above discussion, it has been identified that the primary target markets of Aldi are the middle class income group, who are in between the age group of 20 to 30 years and like to lead the traditional lifestyle. If the buying behavior or the decision-making process of the primary target market of Aldi is analyzed with the help of the generic theory of consumer buying behavior, then it can be identified that the people in the primary target market of Aldi prefer their actual need first while taking the purchasing decision people (Karimi, Papamichail Holland, 2015). The price level is the most important factor that the primary target market of Aldi considers first. The people in this particular target market have limited capacity of purchasing the products. Due to this, they always look for the products at moderate price level (Block et al., 2016). At the same time, quality is another important factor that the consumers under the primary target market of Aldi always consider while taking the purchasing decision. The people always prefer to have the quality at satisfactory level as per the prices of the products (Adner, Ruiz-Aliseda Zemsky, 2016). Apart from the price and quality, the consumers also consider the looks or packaging of the products. Therefore, the decision making process of the primary target market of Aldi is as follows: In the above diagram, it can be identified that there are five stages included in the decision-making process of Aldia customers. The first stage of consumers decision making process is awareness creating. At this stage, the consumers or the target market of the company becomes aware of the products and services of the company. This is very vital stage because this stage creates the first impression of the company (Haddock-Millar Rigby, 2015). Due to this, Aldi always takes care of the promotional activities. The second stage is verifying the products and services of the company by discussing with the other people. As the target market of Aldi includes the people of middle income group, they always clearly verify the products before investing the money in purchase. People generally ask their friends who already have used the products of Aldi. After that, the third stage is visiting the stores of Aldi (Weisenfels, 2015). At this stage, the consumers physically come at the stores of A ldi to verify the products closely. The fourth stage is verifying the products closely. At this stage, the consumers closely check the products and try to match that with the feedbacks given by their friends. The last stage is taking the final decision. If the consumers become satisfied during the verification, then they take the purchasing decision (Brandes Brandes, 2015). Therefore, the above discussion is indicating that in order to influence the decision making process of the primary target market, Aldi always requires focusing on the promotional activities. The positioning statement of the company can be as following: The positioning of Aldi aims to provide the best quality products at the affordable price range. The company focuses on the providing the proper worth to the consumers spending, so that it can deliver the best products and services to the customers. Conclusion In this study, it has been identified that the macro environment and the industrial condition is much favorable for the business development of Aldi. However, there is huge competition in the market and the company is trying hard to compete with the competitors. The major competitors of the company are Woolworths Limited and Coles Supermarkets. The company has several strengths though it requires focusing on its product range. The company has segmented the market as per the demographic and psychographic factors and the primary target market of the company follows five stages during the decision making process. Reference list: Adner, R., Ruiz-Aliseda, F., Zemsky, P. (2016). Specialist versus generalist positioning: Demand heterogeneity, technology scalability and endogenous market segmentation.Strategy Science,1(3), 184-206. Aldi.com.au. (2016). Aldi.com.au. Retrieved 27 December 2016, from https://www.aldi.com.au Bder, M. (2015). Strategic Analysis of the John Lewis Partnership plc. Berman, B. (2015). How to compete effectively against low-cost competitors.Business Horizons,58(1), 87-97. Block, L. G., Keller, P. A., Vallen, B., Williamson, S., Birau, M. M., Grinstein, A., ... Moscato, E. M. (2016). The Squander Sequence: Understanding Food Waste at Each Stage of the Consumer Decision-Making Process.Journal of Public Policy Marketing,35(2), 292-304. Brandes, D., Brandes, N. (2015).Bare Essentials: The Aldi Success Story. Linde Verlag GmbH. Haddock-Millar, J., Rigby, C. (2015). Business Strategy and the Environment: Tesco PlcS Declining Financial Performance and Underlying Issues.Review of Business Finance Studies,6(3), 91-103. Karimi, S., Papamichail, K. N., Holland, C. P. (2015). The effect of prior knowledge and decision-making style on the online purchase decision-making process: A typology of consumer shopping behaviour.Decision Support Systems,77, 137-147. Mahmud, H. (2015). Competitors analysis and financial analysis of Maximus mobile. Ododo, C., Mulholland, G., Turner, J. (2015, November). Can Discount Pricing Be A Comeptitive Brand Strategy? An Evaluation of Aldi. InInternational Conference on Marketing and Business Development Journal(Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 241-251). Bucharest University of Economic Studies Publishing House. Simkin, L. (2016). 11 Segmentation.The Marketing Book, 271. Voigt, K. I., Buliga, O., Michl, K. (2016). Striving for Customer Benefit: The Case of Aldi. InBusiness Model Pioneers(pp. 11-24). Springer International Publishing. Voigt, K. I., Buliga, O., Michl, K. (2016).Business Model Pioneers: How Innovators Successfully Implement New Business Models. Springer. Weisenfels, M. (2015). Consumers bear the Consequences Aldi and Lidl are fueling Competition in the Grocery Business. Yoo, C. W., Kim, Y. J., Sanders, G. L. (2015). The impact of interactivity of electronic word of mouth systems and E-Quality on decision support in the context of the e-marketplace.Information Management,52(4), 496-505.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion Essay Example

Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion Essay French Wars of Religion: Result of a weak monarchy, fragile peace agreements, and the battle of social worlds The reason for the length of the French wars of religion was attributed to the power vacuum that opened up during the reign of the minor Charles IX, as the Catholic Guises battled for power between the Protestant factions, the Bourbons and the Chatillons. Because the king’s vulnerable regent, Catherine de’ Medici wanted to keep the peace in order to protect her son’s power, watered down peace agreements were drawn up and the monarchy was constantly switching sides of loyalty between the Protestants and the Catholics. This in turn dragged out the Wars of Religion since there was no solid monarchy to keep everyone in check. The intensity of the battles were furthermore enhanced by the severe hostility and suspicion that lay in-between the Catholic community of believers and the Protestant community with regards to the way they practiced religion and lived their lives. The weak authoritative government begins to create chaos when Charles IX takes over the crown as a young boy and reigns until 1574 with the help of his mother and regent, Catherine de’Medici. The Guise family takes over the governmental administration within the first few days of the young boy’s reign, which includes the church, military affairs, foreign diplomats, and the treasury. A three way political battle develops between the Protestant Bourbons controlling the southern and western France, the Montmorency Chatillons controlling the center of France, and Catholic Guise faction in control of Eastern France. The fact that the aristocrats are being converted to Protestantism creates a severe threat to the Catholic Church and therefore the state itself. We will write a custom essay sample on Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Catherine de’ Medici does not necessarily have religious loyalty towards the Guise clan and is only concerned with protecting the monarchy of her son, Charles IX, so she allies herself with the Protestants in 1562 and gives them the right to worship in public outside of towns in the January edict. This action in turn provokes the Guise family in anger to strike back against the Protestants by coordinating a surprise attack on the Protestant worshipers in the Vassy of Champagne. This is an example of how a brutal battle is roused due to the disagreement between the susceptible authority of Catherine de Medici and a powerful government faction striving for power. In this situation, the battles could have been stopped if there had been a powerful absolute monarchy in charge of the court. Instead, Catherine goes back and forth between the two sides. Case in point, in 1563, Catherine changes her alliance in favor of the Guises out of fear and the Protestants are forced to complete surrender. After the third war, the crown becomes more Protestant under the influence of Coligny. Catherine again changes her loyalty to the Protestants. When she begins to fear Coligny’s move into the Netherlands, she joins with the Guises to assassinate Coligny. When this fails, she tells her son that there was going to be a Huguenot uprising so that she doesn’t get in trouble with her son and the court. After convincing him, many Huguenots including Coligny were destroyed in the Saint Bartholomew’s Day massacre. Again, there is a battle fought due to the ambivalent court and Catherine’s failure to pick loyalty on either side. The inadequate peace agreements are another critical aspect of why the wars drag on for so long. The edict of Amboise, for example is doomed to fail due to the resisting Guise family in the court and because the king is only fifteen years old. Because of this weak legitimacy, the parlement of Paris and the provisional parlements are against the toleration of Protestants and refuse to register them. They finally do only because they attach a proviso that limits authotiry of the edict until the king is of age, when the national court can resolve the dispute. With such weak power held in the monarchy, peace agreements throughout the war continue this pattern and provoke more disagreements among the court, which do not help with ending the war. Another example of a weak peace agreement is Henry III’s peace of Monsier in 1576 where Catholics immediately question whether or not the new king was interested in disposing heresy. In result of this, the League of 1576 was organized in letting Catholics act independently of the throne. Here is an example of a wobbling authority when they are trying to settle the peace between the groups. Things improve however with the beginning of Henry IV’s reign in 1593 where he renounces the Protestant faith and becomes a Catholic. He sets in stone the Edict of Nantes which is the â€Å"that temporary expedient imposed by thirty years indecisive warfare†¦. † There were still parts of resistance throughout France angry about the religious wars such as members of the Catholic league controlling big cities such as Rheims, Huguenots living on the defensive and Spanish troops living on the French land in Paris. The edict was successful since Henry IV stressed unity over toleration. No theological questions raised or debated. He decided to stay switch to Catholicism, but yet still supported both sides. Along with the political strife, there was incredible suspicion and hostility among the Catholic community and Protestant community with regards to the beliefs and practices, which attributed to the intensity of the wars. The differences made it a battle of culture. Just as Georges Livet states, each community viewed the other as â€Å"pollutants of their own particular notion of the body social, as threats to their own conception of ordered society. The Catholics viewed the king as the â€Å"Rex Christianissimus,† in that they were ordained from God and even are to an extent God himself. On the other hand, John Calvin and the early Protestants thought that the amount of control that the kings had was a form of corruption. They questioned the sale of indulgences and the way the clergy were elected. For example, they were appalled that of 129 bishops Henry II appoints, 102 were princes of the blood or members of the nobility of the sword. The vital opposing difference was the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eurcharist, otherwise known as Transubstantiation, understood literally in orthodox Catholic principles but refused, or understood figuratively in the Reformed Church. Protestants also believe that getting pardons is no replacement for acts of love. If people are purchasing them rather than buying food for the poor, than it makes no sense. Point 42 States, â€Å"Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons. This of course angers the Catholics tremendously and makes them defensive. Starting with the edict of Chateaubriant of 1551, Henry puts a legalistic ban on Protestantism. Catholics see them as rebels who threatened society from the lower ends of the social ladder. These religious differences aggravate the two communities and therefore cause major hostility. An example of such social hostility is when Catholic Baron, Francoi s de Fumel, forbades his Calvinist peasants from worshipping. They revolt with weapons and were joined by hundreds of catholic persons to seize his home. This makes it clear that religion wasn’t necessarily the theme of the revolt. Both the ultra-Catholic Parlement of Bordeaux and the Calvinist synod that met at nimes disrecarded the Catholics that participated and both groups assumed it was a Calvinist revolt and that the murder was a â€Å"seditious disturbers of the public order and â€Å"totally perverse people only superficially instructed in religion who think the gospel promises them agrarian freedom and enfranchisement. † Here is where one sees the Protestants as rebels. Another anecdote of this social hostility is an episode presented to the king along with 55 other instances demonstrating violence against Huguenot nobles. The one that sticks out is that of Marguerite de Hurtelon where she was massacred in her house and shot five times in her breasts. This maltreatment is not necessarily having to do with religion, but rather theft, robbery and sexual abuse. Overall, Catholics in parts of Frances make little effort to treat the lives of Protestants with respect that the edict wanted. Clearly, Catholics view Protestants as an â€Å"impurity to be purged, a blemish to be excied, or indeed, nothing but garbage to be fed to pigs. † Through these instances, it is clear that religious division is aggravated by social tensions in the hierarchical society of the old regime. Because the communities were so tightly knit, they therefore became suspicious quickly. Overall, historian Etienne Pasquier, puts it perfectly when he states that â€Å"nothing to be more feared in a state than civil war†¦particularly when a king, due to his minority, does not have the power to command absolutely†¦. He predicts that the civil war will end in a â€Å"tragedy,† and he is correct. The catalyst that sparks the seemingly endless amount of wars is the weak authoritative monarchy that opens up as the various factions battle for power. Catherine de’ Medici cannot remain stable on one side or the other due to fear of losing her son’s power. Consequently w eak peace agreements are made and the government is left flustered. The harsh tension among the civilians during this time and sensitivity within the two groups is due to the differences between the two communities. A weak monarchy becomes even weaker when two cultural communities are constantly on the defensive. Work Sited Armstrong, E. The French wars of religion, their Political Aspects. Oxford, 2005. Baumgartner, Frederic. France in the Sixteenth Century. NY: St. Martins Press,1995 Holt, Mack P. The French wars of religion, 1562-162. Cambridge University Press, 1995. Baumgartner, Frederic J. Radical Reactionaries: the political thought of the French Catholic League. Geneve, 1975. See, David. The French Wars of Religion, 16 October 2010, http://webcache. oogleusercontent. com Streich, Michael. The Edict of Nantes and King Henry IV, 20 October 2010, http://www. suite101. com/content/the-edict-of-nantes-and-king-henry-iv-a90529 The University of Virginia Library. The Gordon Collection and French Wars of Religion. 27 October 2010, http://www2. lib. virginia. edu/rmds/portfolio/gordon/religion/ K. Aland, ed. , Martin Luthers 95 Theses; H. Grimm, ed. , Luthers Works, XXXI; E. Iserloh, The Theses Were Not Posted; F. Lau, The Posting of Luthers Theses, Legend or Fact? CTM 38:691-703. Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion Essay Example Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion Essay French Wars of Religion: Result of a weak monarchy, fragile peace agreements, and the battle of social worlds The reason for the length of the French wars of religion was attributed to the power vacuum that opened up during the reign of the minor Charles IX, as the Catholic Guises battled for power between the Protestant factions, the Bourbons and the Chatillons. Because the king’s vulnerable regent, Catherine de’ Medici wanted to keep the peace in order to protect her son’s power, watered down peace agreements were drawn up and the monarchy was constantly switching sides of loyalty between the Protestants and the Catholics. This in turn dragged out the Wars of Religion since there was no solid monarchy to keep everyone in check. The intensity of the battles were furthermore enhanced by the severe hostility and suspicion that lay in-between the Catholic community of believers and the Protestant community with regards to the way they practiced religion and lived their lives. The weak authoritative government begins to create chaos when Charles IX takes over the crown as a young boy and reigns until 1574 with the help of his mother and regent, Catherine de’Medici. The Guise family takes over the governmental administration within the first few days of the young boy’s reign, which includes the church, military affairs, foreign diplomats, and the treasury. A three way political battle develops between the Protestant Bourbons controlling the southern and western France, the Montmorency Chatillons controlling the center of France, and Catholic Guise faction in control of Eastern France. The fact that the aristocrats are being converted to Protestantism creates a severe threat to the Catholic Church and therefore the state itself. We will write a custom essay sample on Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Reason for the Length of the French Wars of Religion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Catherine de’ Medici does not necessarily have religious loyalty towards the Guise clan and is only concerned with protecting the monarchy of her son, Charles IX, so she allies herself with the Protestants in 1562 and gives them the right to worship in public outside of towns in the January edict. This action in turn provokes the Guise family in anger to strike back against the Protestants by coordinating a surprise attack on the Protestant worshipers in the Vassy of Champagne. This is an example of how a brutal battle is roused due to the disagreement between the susceptible authority of Catherine de Medici and a powerful government faction striving for power. In this situation, the battles could have been stopped if there had been a powerful absolute monarchy in charge of the court. Instead, Catherine goes back and forth between the two sides. Case in point, in 1563, Catherine changes her alliance in favor of the Guises out of fear and the Protestants are forced to complete surrender. After the third war, the crown becomes more Protestant under the influence of Coligny. Catherine again changes her loyalty to the Protestants. When she begins to fear Coligny’s move into the Netherlands, she joins with the Guises to assassinate Coligny. When this fails, she tells her son that there was going to be a Huguenot uprising so that she doesn’t get in trouble with her son and the court. After convincing him, many Huguenots including Coligny were destroyed in the Saint Bartholomew’s Day massacre. Again, there is a battle fought due to the ambivalent court and Catherine’s failure to pick loyalty on either side. The inadequate peace agreements are another critical aspect of why the wars drag on for so long. The edict of Amboise, for example is doomed to fail due to the resisting Guise family in the court and because the king is only fifteen years old. Because of this weak legitimacy, the parlement of Paris and the provisional parlements are against the toleration of Protestants and refuse to register them. They finally do only because they attach a proviso that limits authotiry of the edict until the king is of age, when the national court can resolve the dispute. With such weak power held in the monarchy, peace agreements throughout the war continue this pattern and provoke more disagreements among the court, which do not help with ending the war. Another example of a weak peace agreement is Henry III’s peace of Monsier in 1576 where Catholics immediately question whether or not the new king was interested in disposing heresy. In result of this, the League of 1576 was organized in letting Catholics act independently of the throne. Here is an example of a wobbling authority when they are trying to settle the peace between the groups. Things improve however with the beginning of Henry IV’s reign in 1593 where he renounces the Protestant faith and becomes a Catholic. He sets in stone the Edict of Nantes which is the â€Å"that temporary expedient imposed by thirty years indecisive warfare†¦. † There were still parts of resistance throughout France angry about the religious wars such as members of the Catholic league controlling big cities such as Rheims, Huguenots living on the defensive and Spanish troops living on the French land in Paris. The edict was successful since Henry IV stressed unity over toleration. No theological questions raised or debated. He decided to stay switch to Catholicism, but yet still supported both sides. Along with the political strife, there was incredible suspicion and hostility among the Catholic community and Protestant community with regards to the beliefs and practices, which attributed to the intensity of the wars. The differences made it a battle of culture. Just as Georges Livet states, each community viewed the other as â€Å"pollutants of their own particular notion of the body social, as threats to their own conception of ordered society. The Catholics viewed the king as the â€Å"Rex Christianissimus,† in that they were ordained from God and even are to an extent God himself. On the other hand, John Calvin and the early Protestants thought that the amount of control that the kings had was a form of corruption. They questioned the sale of indulgences and the way the clergy were elected. For example, they were appalled that of 129 bishops Henry II appoints, 102 were princes of the blood or members of the nobility of the sword. The vital opposing difference was the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eurcharist, otherwise known as Transubstantiation, understood literally in orthodox Catholic principles but refused, or understood figuratively in the Reformed Church. Protestants also believe that getting pardons is no replacement for acts of love. If people are purchasing them rather than buying food for the poor, than it makes no sense. Point 42 States, â€Å"Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons. This of course angers the Catholics tremendously and makes them defensive. Starting with the edict of Chateaubriant of 1551, Henry puts a legalistic ban on Protestantism. Catholics see them as rebels who threatened society from the lower ends of the social ladder. These religious differences aggravate the two communities and therefore cause major hostility. An example of such social hostility is when Catholic Baron, Francoi s de Fumel, forbades his Calvinist peasants from worshipping. They revolt with weapons and were joined by hundreds of catholic persons to seize his home. This makes it clear that religion wasn’t necessarily the theme of the revolt. Both the ultra-Catholic Parlement of Bordeaux and the Calvinist synod that met at nimes disrecarded the Catholics that participated and both groups assumed it was a Calvinist revolt and that the murder was a â€Å"seditious disturbers of the public order and â€Å"totally perverse people only superficially instructed in religion who think the gospel promises them agrarian freedom and enfranchisement. † Here is where one sees the Protestants as rebels. Another anecdote of this social hostility is an episode presented to the king along with 55 other instances demonstrating violence against Huguenot nobles. The one that sticks out is that of Marguerite de Hurtelon where she was massacred in her house and shot five times in her breasts. This maltreatment is not necessarily having to do with religion, but rather theft, robbery and sexual abuse. Overall, Catholics in parts of Frances make little effort to treat the lives of Protestants with respect that the edict wanted. Clearly, Catholics view Protestants as an â€Å"impurity to be purged, a blemish to be excied, or indeed, nothing but garbage to be fed to pigs. † Through these instances, it is clear that religious division is aggravated by social tensions in the hierarchical society of the old regime. Because the communities were so tightly knit, they therefore became suspicious quickly. Overall, historian Etienne Pasquier, puts it perfectly when he states that â€Å"nothing to be more feared in a state than civil war†¦particularly when a king, due to his minority, does not have the power to command absolutely†¦. He predicts that the civil war will end in a â€Å"tragedy,† and he is correct. The catalyst that sparks the seemingly endless amount of wars is the weak authoritative monarchy that opens up as the various factions battle for power. Catherine de’ Medici cannot remain stable on one side or the other due to fear of losing her son’s power. Consequently w eak peace agreements are made and the government is left flustered. The harsh tension among the civilians during this time and sensitivity within the two groups is due to the differences between the two communities. A weak monarchy becomes even weaker when two cultural communities are constantly on the defensive. Work Sited Armstrong, E. The French wars of religion, their Political Aspects. Oxford, 2005. Baumgartner, Frederic. France in the Sixteenth Century. NY: St. Martins Press,1995 Holt, Mack P. The French wars of religion, 1562-162. Cambridge University Press, 1995. Baumgartner, Frederic J. Radical Reactionaries: the political thought of the French Catholic League. Geneve, 1975. See, David. The French Wars of Religion, 16 October 2010, http://webcache. oogleusercontent. com Streich, Michael. The Edict of Nantes and King Henry IV, 20 October 2010, http://www. suite101. com/content/the-edict-of-nantes-and-king-henry-iv-a90529 The University of Virginia Library. The Gordon Collection and French Wars of Religion. 27 October 2010, http://www2. lib. virginia. edu/rmds/portfolio/gordon/religion/ K. Aland, ed. , Martin Luthers 95 Theses; H. Grimm, ed. , Luthers Works, XXXI; E. Iserloh, The Theses Were Not Posted; F. Lau, The Posting of Luthers Theses, Legend or Fact? CTM 38:691-703.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Historical Context in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn essays

Historical Context in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn essays While great literature is timeless, it is important to examine the historical context of literature to gain a greater understanding of people, places, and events. This insight allows us to see not only the characters clearly but it also brings us closer to understanding why people behave the way they do. When authors capture elements of history and place them into their works, we feel as if we are somehow closer to experiencing that history as reality. In mark Twains novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we have a novel that demonstrates how historical context explains characters and events with clarity. In his novel, Twain demonstrates how issues such as slavery and folklore affect individuals in almost every way. In fact, historical events and societal traditions shape the characters we encounter in this novel. The Civil War, Reconstruction, and a country torn between right and wrong make The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a masterpiece for capturing a slice of American l ife complete with its imperfections. The novel, in its apparent simplicity, peaks volumes about southern society. Justin Kaplan notes that Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a man desperately needing to resolve his own bewilderment about conscience and the restraints and freedoms of the community (Kaplan 227). Kaplan also quotes Twain as saying, The consciencethat unerring monitorcan be trained to approve any wild thing you want it to approve if you begin its education early and stick with it (Twain qtd. in Kaplan 228). Kaplan observes that the conscience may not necessarily be the voice of God but only the voice of the people (Kaplan 228). The understanding is that if man can reject the voice of the people, freedom from the tyranny of conscience (228) could be discovered. Through the very historical adventures of Huck and Jim, we see an awakening take place in one of the m...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Time Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Time Management - Research Paper Example It is important to define what essentially time management is. It is the basis of properly allocating time dimensions to a particular activity so that all the tasks and activities that need to be completed by this individual are done within a stipulated time period. If the activities are not done within this allotted time, it would mean that there have been serious transgressions within this field and hence the overall time has been compromised upon. The people who are unable to manage time feel that they are a victim of their own doing as they blame themselves for the lack of adherence to time domains. But then again, there are people who are always punctual and believe earnestly within the reigns of time management. What is needed here is a balance between managing time activities and letting go of the issues which plague the timely completion of activities, tasks and actions (Haynes, 2009). This balance can only come about when people realize that their actions are being kept a ch eck upon, if not by somebody else then their own selves as well. However, it becomes quite a hectic job to track each and every move that human beings undertake, and hence is a good idea to stick to the avenues of time management as much as possible. This makes things easier as far as the future undertakings of life, career and other fields are related. Some of the most significant principles within time management is to make sure that the priorities are broken up into different zones.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Evidence-Based Practice Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Evidence-Based Practice Project - Assignment Example To help among the interventions on heart diseases, echocardiography was introduced. The use of echocardiography as a means of identifying the structural aspects and those related to functional means in relation heart diseases remain disagreed on. Some of the problems associated with the use of the machine include the recurrence rate of the problem due to failures or weaknesses related to this machine. To add on to the above is the fact that echocardiography has only been used among adults and has not been used among teenagers yet teenagers face an increased risk of heart diseases. This is a problem because teenagers must also receive the help if the machine can help them (Mane, et.al. 2012). Addressing heart diseases from a young age should be the ideal intervention. Therefore, by leaving teenagers out in the tests on whether the machine can help control heart diseases alongside other interventions is not right (Welsh, Sharma, Cunningham & Vos, 2011). As such, this problem must be re solved to ensure that teenagers have the chance to use the machine. There are several stakeholders/ change agents that are concerned or may benefit from this proposal. The first change agents will be the teenagers. This proposal directly affects teenagers and the proposed solution will be tested on them. Therefore, teenagers form the first and most important change agents and stakeholders in this respect. The second stakeholders is the parents and or guardians of the teenagers because teenagers cannot make decisions to participate in the proposed solution by themselves. Therefore, parents and or guardians come in as representatives for teenagers. The university is a stakeholder in this proposal because the proposed solution will be implemented under the university. Therefore, it is an important stakeholder in this proposal. The healthcare system, healthcare practitioners especially cardiologists, manufacturers of echocardiography and potential users are all stakeholders/

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Equilibrium Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Equilibrium - Essay Example r cover all its costs; it may only need to cover the total variable costs incurred thus the rising cost of milking equipment will not have any effect on the firms in the industry in the short run. Consequently, with marginal revenue being equal to marginal cost, super-normal profits will be realized. In the long run, due to freedom of entry and exit from the industry, the surplus profits inform of the supernormal profits realized by the firms in the industry will attract new firms into the industry thus increasing the supply of the product (Chiappori and Ekeland 2006). Increase in supply results to fall prices as explained by the law of supply. The fall in prices results to the individual firms facing a falling perfectly elastic demand curve consequently resulting to a reduction of the surplus profits. This will continue to the point where the firms will no longer be making surplus profits, realized when the firm is just covering its production costs as a result of the increase in the cost of milking equipments. During this time, no more firms will be attracted to the industry when the price is equal to the average cost while the demand curve is a tangent to the average cost curve at the minimum point, a point when the firm is making normal

Friday, November 15, 2019

Economy system of Nigeria

Economy system of Nigeria INTRODUCTION Nigeria has produced several hundred billion dollars worth of oil since its independent in 1960, but its citizens benefit from none of this wealth. This situation primarily exists because successive governments, both military and civilian, have stolen or misused much of Nigerias tremendous oil wealth.[1] The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a state-owned XXXX designed to investigate and enforce all laws against economic and financial crimes in all its ramifications[2], reported a total loss in the trillions because of corruption and waste. Nigeria, located in West Africa, holds many of the worlds valuable natural resources such as crude oil (petroleum), tin, columbite, textiles, cotton, palm oil, and steel amongst others. Specifically, Niger Delta, located in XXXXX, is the main producer of oil, and mainly contributes to Nigerias economy. According to World Bank statistics, in 2008 Nigerias oil and gas sector contributed about ninety-six percent (96%) of export revenues, eighty-one percent (81%) of government revenues, and only seventeen percent (17%) of gross domestic product (GDP) due to declining oil output in the Niger Delta region.[3] GDP indicates the stability of a countrys economy in relation to the total value of its goods and services over a specific period. Despite Nigerias abundance of natural resources, its economy continues to stagger with future development becoming impossible. Development desperately needed to reduce poverty levels resulting in improvements in its hospitals, schools, roads, and XXXXXXX. Specifically, Nigerias oil industry has become a pool of corruption between surrounding states, individuals seeking power, and the federal government. The opportunities, large oil and gas deposits might have brought have, over the years, mostly been squandered, as corruption, bad governance and over-dependence on oil have undermined the growth of other sectors, including agriculture. Today, approximately sixty-five percent (65%) of the population live below the poverty level of US $1/day, and more than fifty (50) million Nigerians, suffer from debilitating diseases.[4] As oil revenues fuel[ed] the rise of federal subventions to states and precariously to individuals, the federal government soon became the cent[er] of political struggle, and the threshold of power in the country. This created a dangerous situation as it became increasingly dependent on oil revenues, and the international commodity markets for budgetary and economic concerns eschewing economic stability spelling doom to federalism in Nigeria[5]. After conducting research, corruption appears as one of the many contributions to the downfall of Nigerias economy including political instability, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management. Understanding the existence, growth and impact of corruption within the Nigerian state, requires the definition or conceptualization of corruption within the context of first, the legal system and administration of justice, and second, the international legal normative expression of the term, since there is no universally acceptable definition.[6] This paper is divided into five (5) parts allowing a thorough analysis on XXXXXX being portrayed. The first part will provide a background into Nigeria, and its oil sector. The second part will present the current status of Nigerias economy. The third part will define and XXXX corruption, and XXXXXXX. The fourth part will provide a comparison of other countries within West Africa, and how corruption is handled. And lastly, the fifth part will provide solutions. Each part is interlocked by the term Nigeria, and its Oil Sector Nigeria is located in West Africa, and covers an area of 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles) measuring about 1,200 km (about 750 miles) from east to west, and about 1,050 km (about 650 miles) from north to south.[7] Nigeria is surrounded by the Republic of Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger with the Gulf of Guinea, part of the Atlantic Ocean running from Cape Palmas in Liberia to Cape Lopez in Gabon[8], as its coast. Its terrain is diverse, and consists of mangrove swamp jungles stretching across the entire coastline composing mostly of small rivers, creeks, and branches of the Niger and Benue Rivers.[9] The Niger River enters the country from the northwest, and the Benue River enters from the northeast with both rivers merging at the city of Lokoja emptying into the Niger Delta; together it forms the shape of a Y.[10] The Niger Delta is composed of nine (9) states within Nigeria located in the : Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers. There are thirty-six (36) XXXXXXXXX. The regions oil contributes approximately 90 percent (90%) of the value of Nigerias exports even though Nigeria, in its entirety, remains XXXXXXXXX. The Niger Delta is increasingly becoming unstable with contributing factors to include inter-ethnic clashes, violence triggered because of its oil revenues, and chiefly, corruption. Pipelines are regularly vandalized by impoverished residents, who risk their lives to siphon off fuel.[11] Such behavior results to barrels of crude being wasted, a significant economic loss to Nigerias economy. According to the XXXXXX, Nigeria is the worlds eighth (8th) biggest exporter of oil with a production rate of approximately three (3) million barrels per day (bpd). But, its production of barrels of oil substantially fluctuates compared to other nations due to internal turmoil[12] preventing the country from making the most of its human resources.[13] Threats, attacks, and tension exist between oil companies and ethnic tribes resulting in the Niger Delta being inconsistent in oil production. Though possibility of wealth exists in Nigeria, the people remain impoverished, unable to sustain a normal life, and consequently subject themselves to violence in order to survive. The output of oil in the Niger Delta has the ability to remedy the poverty problem, and provide hope for Nigeria, and its economy. The Oil Sector It can be safely argued the problems suffered by the Niger Delta influenced the demise of Nigerias economy. According to a timeline given by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), oil was first discovered at Olibiri, XXXXXX, in 1956 by Shell-BP after decades of oil exploration. In 1958, Nigeria became one of the top producers due to its first oil field producing approximately 5,100 bpd. At the conclusion of the Biafran War in 1970, Nigeria began benefited from the oil production with the help of rising oil prices throughout the world. In 1971, the country joined the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC), in which the establishment of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) followed in 1977. The OPEC is a permanent intergovernmental organization of twelve (12) oil-exporting developing nations coordinating and unifying petroleum polices of its Member Countries.[14] Member countries include Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, IR Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, SP Libyan AJ, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Venezuela. OPEC is designed to monitor oil prices in international markets in order to eradicate harmful fluctuations. It oversees an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations to result in fair returns on capital to those investing in the petroleum industry securing steady incomes[15] to their Member Countries. The NNPC is a state-owned company established to increase the value of Nigerias oil sector to the community. It has powers, and operational interest in refining, petrochemicals, and products transportation.[16]The company is compartmentalized into twelve (12) sections with the mission of pinpointing potential problematic issues within the industry. Also, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which is under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, works alliance with the NNPC. DPR ensures complete compliance with industry regulations, licenses, and environmental regulations. Within the next couple of years, Nigerias production level was over two (2) million barrels (bpd) with levels fluctuating during the next years. Current development plans involve increasing oil output to approximately to four (4) million bpd. Despite all measures implemented for efficiency in Nigerias oil sector, the country suffers greatly with no possibility of changing. With each day, its oil industry grows, corruption invades the output, and the people of Nigeria continue to suffer. The Economy of Nigeria Nigerias economy has promising XXXXXX, and has been variable since the transformation of its form of government from military rule to civilian rule. There are vast resources in production resulting in XXXXX revenues, though no amount is sectioned off to be placed back into the economy. Poverty is widespread, and Nigerias basic social indicators[17] earn it a place among the poorest countries in the world. As experienced by many other countries, the economy is what allows existing infrastructure to be maintained, and industrialized. But, viewing Nigerias economy from the past to current, there has not been any real changes required for revolution into the following era. Nigerias economy began in the agriculture world before its oil discovery. Agriculture and farming was the way of life, and the source in its trading market. Upon the initial oil discovery in the Niger Delta in 1958, agriculture contributed to majority of Nigerias GDP, and export revenues. In the next following years, the oil sector stepped into mainstream, and became Nigerias key source of revenue. The oil sector provided approximately twenty percent (20%) of GDP, ninety-five percent (95%) of foreign exchange earnings, and about sixty-five percent (65%) of budgetary revenues.[18] According to statistics given by the United States Agency of International Development (USAID), industrialization plays a huge role in its economy. It averaged fifty percent (50%) of GDP during the period of 1994 to 2004, and in 2004 it accounted for fifty-seven percent (57) of GDP.[19] Industrialization XXXX. On the other hand, services accounted for about twenty-seven percent (27%).[20] Services XXXXXX. The agriculture market still remained one of the main sources within the economy, but not as vital as the oil sector. It attributed to twenty-three percent (23%) of GDP in 2005, values significantly falling over time. Decreasing values will continue as economic development occurs, its agriculture market usually decreases. An estimate of sixty percent (60%) of the Nigerian community is employed in agriculture contributing to employment, food production, foreign exchange earnings, and industrial inputs. Though, the boom in the oil sector brought about distortion within the labor market.[21] An additional factor to the agriculture market is cattle herding, poultry, and fishing adding to more than two percent (2%) towards the GDP in the 1980s. In 1987, the Food and Agriculture (FAO) of the United Nations report majority of the livestock is located in Northern Nigeria, and in the possession of rural citizen. Fisheries output have fallen tremendously due to environmental issues in the Niger Delta at the hands of existing oil companies. A countrys business arena can play a vital important role in its economy, and are critical determinants of private sector development and prospects for sustainable growth.[22] Nigerias business environment is encroached with corruption of its governmental sector, and with the people themselves. According to the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (TICPI), Nigeria is the sixth (6th) most corrupt nation in the world following other countries having similar drawbacks. According to research conducted by USAID, Nigerias business arena has a flexible labor market, liquidable credit, and high investor protection, attractive factors to outside investors. Though, the country has its weaknesses, and in need of improvement, corruption is prevalent. Structure is needed to improve transparency and the judicial system, promote institutional reform[23] resulting in dominating corruption. Overall, there are many factors contributing to the demise of Nigerias economy. It is of basic knowledge that without money these factors cannot grow towards the expectations of the community, government, and potential investors. With its oil, and agricultural sector, with the former being most influential, proof is provided of Nigeria having the ability to build a strong economy resulting in a renaissance for its future. The Government Governments are established to govern the people of the land, maintain public order, make laws to protect everyone, and provide essential components needed for social order. The government sets the standard of the way of life for its citizens illustrating the importance of an efficient leadership. With an inoperative government, a country may suffer secondary effects affecting both, related and non-relating factors, such as those suffered in Nigeria. Since Nigerias freedom from Britain rule on October 1, 1960, its government system has not been stable, and either taken form of military or civilian rule. The initial form of government used by the first (1st) president of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikwe, during the first (1st) federal republic was parliamentarian in 1963. In a parliamentarian system, there is a separation between the executive and legislative branch to be governed by a head of state and head of government. During this time, Nigerias main crisis was the struggle for power by whomever desired it, specifically clashes between ethnic groups. From this point, a series of coup dÃÆ'Â ©tat (coup), XXXX, plagued its government system, and initiated Nigerias need for a stable form of government to rule the land of the people. Upon the arrival of the third (3rd) president, General Yakubu Gowon, during the first (1st) military regime of the first (1st) federal republic in 1966, Nigeria experienced an oil-price boom as a result of increased prices of crude oil in 1973[24]. Soon thereafter, an expansion of its federal government occurred resulting in the rise of corruption of and by federal government officials. In reaction, Gowon issued a nine-point transition program culminated in the handling over of power to a civilian government on October 1, 1976[25], and to include a curriculum for the reorganization of its infrastructure. Though, this plan never took place, and he was eventually overthrown, the same homogenous pattern taken since 1963. Corruption reached new depths upon the arrival of General Sani Abacha, Nigerias ninth (9th) president in 1993. He was credited for misappropriating approximately three (3) billion dollars of national assets during his military rule[26], funds accounted by the Swiss Federal Office of Justice, not including assets located in other European countries. Abacha set out to effect change in the leadership of government, but failed in that respect. He died while in office in 1998, and since then, his family and colleagues have been accused of plundering on a grand scale during his five-year rule.[27] Most funds obtained by Abacha during his regime were deposited in numerous European accounts, and discovered by Swiss officials due to its enactment of legislation to stop banks from accepting deposits of wealth stripped from poor countries.[28] In an attempt by Nigeria to reclaim as much as four (4) billion dollars from Abachas regime, an out-of-court settlement was reached by his family. A total of five hundred and thirty-five (535) million was to be relinquished to the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, XXXX for Nigerias use. The settlement also allowed Abachas family to keep one hundred (100) million dollars, funds alleged by the Nigerian authorities acquired before Abachas office term, and not demonstrably derived from criminal acts. In 1999, Obansanjo was re-entered into office Against the backdrop of endemic corruption, Nigeria is sitting on the brink of a west African oil boom that will see billions of pounds flow into government coffers and could see the situation becoming even worse.- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/curse-of-oil-sees-corruption-soar-in-nigeria-434405.html Solutions After thorough research of possible solutions to curtail corruption and its effects, several factors came to light. It will take more than implementation of such solutions to get this problem on track. These solutions include, but not limited to, best practices of other countries, anti-corruption programs, alliances with both, private and public sectors, strengthening accountability, membership into anti-bribery conventions, reformation of political system, and modification of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Depending on the countrys status, the right solution with the outcome varying by participation by its population to ensure effectiveness. Specifically, the USAID offers strategies against corruption where good government, and business practices can flourish, and in which corruption cannot easily take root. These programs sets evil occurring. There are numerous programs that contribute significantly to the establishment of an environment in which good government and business practices can flourish and in which corruption cannot easily take root. These programs include fiscal reform efforts, financial sector restructuring and improvement, privatization of state-owned enterprises, more efficient and transparent capital markets, and land titling reforms. Programs like these encourage competition, transparency, and accountability. They also facilitate the efficient and effective functioning of free markets and encourage private sector growth, both domestically and through foreign direct investment. Finally, such programs help to incorporate developing countries into the mainstream of the global marketplace Conclusion Corruption poses as an extreme problem as it challenges a countrys developmental prospects, emasculates governmental structure and its rule of law, demotes accountability, and lessens conformity with laws and regulations of the land. This results in the reduction of quality of life, and uproar of disdain and frustration experienced by the citizens of Nigeria. Collectively, these developments worsened the low productivity, both per unit of land and per worker, due to several factors: inadequate technology, acts of nature such as drought, poor transportation and infrastructure, and trade restrictions. As food production could not keep pace with its increasing population, Nigeria began to import food. It also lost its status as a net exporter of such cash crops as cocoa, palm oil, and groundnuts. According to U.S. Department of State FY2001 Country Commercial Guide, Nigerias total food and agricultural imports are valued at approximately US$1.6 billion per year. Among the major imports from the United States are wheat, sugar, milk powder, and consumer-ready food products. Efforts since the late 1970s to revitalize agriculture in order to make Nigeria food self-sufficient again and to increase the export of agricultural products have produced only modest results. The Obasanjo administration, however, has made agriculture the highest priority of its economic policy. Exploration simply translates into exploitation culminating into poverty which often metamorphoses into different kinds of crises such as intraethnic uprising, communal clashes http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/nigeria0107[1].pdf http://efccnigeria.org/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=35Itemid=38 http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/NIGERIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:368906~pagePK:141132~piPK:141107~theSitePK:368896,00.html http://www.new-ag.info//country/profile.php?a=848 Watts Michael, State, Oil and Agriculture in Nigeria, Berkeley, 1987. Retrieved February 22, 2007Available at http://www.somalipress.com/nigeria-overview/modern-history-nigeria-1054.html Rule 18.2.2 http://www.enelsyn.gr/papers/w16/Paper%20by%20Prof%20Oyelowo%20Oyewo.pdf http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557915/nigeria.html Need to find in specificity http://www.ecowas.info/nigeria.htm http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557915/nigeria.html http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/nigeria-2.htm http://www.heatingoil.com/articles/profile-oil-producer-nigeria/ http://www.new-ag.info//country/profile.php?a=848 http://www.opec.org/library/what%20is%20OPEC/FAQ.pdf http://www.opec.org/library/what%20is%20OPEC/FAQ.pdf http://www.nnpcgroup.com/corporate-profile/about-nnpc http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1763464.stm http://www.iss.co.za/Af/profiles/Nigeria/Economy.html http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Africa/Nigeria-AGRICULTURE.html http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf Helen Chapin Metz, ed. Nigeria: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991, http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/ Helen Chapin Metz, ed. Nigeria: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991, http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/ http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html