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.

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...

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.

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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/

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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]. 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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

Essay --

On BBC documentary called Seven Ages of Britain, which was hosted by David Dimbleby, one of the most famous contemporary artists, Damien Hirst, was once asked that did he pay for all the diamonds to make For the Love of God (2007, figure 1), which is so called as the diamond skull because it is made of a plenty of diamonds. Hirst answered that artists used what around him or her, and money was around him. Therefore, he thought that what he could do with money, and he could do something amazing with them. Consequently, he created For the Love God. What should be spotlighted is the point that an artist creates his or her works with materials, which are around them. As Damien Hirst said that money was around him, money was around people in the world whether the amount of money is great or humble. In short, money is one thing that people, including artists, could easily find in their routine life. Therefore, there has been a possibility that artists could try to create his or her works with money. Or at least, some artists see money as their potential art medium. There are several artists who actually tried to make his or her works with money. It is not saying that artists make money by their works, or artists make their works with supporting of their rich patrons. Also, it is not saying that artists design the currency. However, artists who create his or her works with money are artists who are using actual money as their medium in this paper. Furthermore, those art works, which are using money as their important medium, would be called as ‘money art’ in this paper. In short, there are some artists internationally who create money art; for example, Andrà © Levy, Justin Smith, Hasegawa Yosuke, and so on. Among money art artists, I wo... ...ously representing the real world. He uses various banknotes form other counties. For example, he uses U.S. dollars ($), British pounds ( £), Japanese yens ( ¥), Korean wons (â‚ ©), European euros (â‚ ¬), and so on. These currencies are representing their countries. He does not cover their nationalities, so it is possible to say his works are representing their nationalities. Also, the currency represents economy and politic. Even though he tried to cover money’s economical value, it is impossible to remove its value as economical index because it is money. Also, most of figures portrayed on money are political figures of their country. Therefore, money is a metaphor of one nation’s political and economic status. Hasegawa Yosuke illustrates Globalization of today’s world by putting his moneygami together. Shortly, his money origami works are representing the real world.