Plato V. Augustine Essay - 1107 Words

After reading both Plato’s Symposium and Saint Augustine’s Confessions, one can see how the latter holds certain ideas and concepts that are parallel to those found in the former. Despite the differences in time, men are hindered from their pursuit of goodness, truth, etcetera, by similar, if not entirely identical, desires. That being said, of all of the speeches found in the Symposium, Augustine would connect most deeply to that of Alcibiades. Alcibiades is depicted as a prominent Athenian statesman, a successful orator, and a well accomplished military general. On top of such admirable prestige, he is also quite physically handsome. With this knowledge in mind, he seeks to seduce Socrates into a lover-beloved relationship in which he†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"I aspired to honors, money [and] marriage†, he writes [VI.vi (9)]. By polishing his skills as an orator, Augustine manages to procure a highly revered position within society, and at one point h e finds himself betrothed to a young woman. Despite his well deserved success, he remains anxious. How is it that such accomplishments con not result in happiness? Whiles speaking with his colleagues he notes, â€Å"†¦we had no goal other than to reach a carefree cheerfulness. That beggar was already there before us†¦ There is no question that he [the beggar] was happy and I racked with anxiety† [VI.vi (9)]. Just as Alcibiades felt as though Socrates’ way of life was far superior to his own [Plato, Symposium, 216a], Saint Augustine was aware that the teachings of the Catholic church and a wholehearted obedience to God would lead to the peace of mind that he sought; â€Å"†¦there was a firm place in my heart for the faith, within the Catholic church, in your Christ, ‘our Lord and Savior’† [VII. v (7)]. He also includes a passage from Matthew 11:29 which reads, â€Å"Learn more of me†¦ and you shall find rest for your souls† [VII. ix (14)]. Still, Saint Augustine admits, â€Å"I was attracted to the way, the savior himself, but was still reluctant to go along its narrow paths† [VIII.i (1)]. Why is this so? Of all of the secular pleasures that Saint Augustine possessed, he holds the most attachment to one in particular: the fulfillment of his sexual appetite. This is mentioned severalShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Republic And Augustine On City Of God1714 Words   |  7 Pagesparadoxical manner that this may actually not be possible, he is the most persuasive author when considering the knowledge of the divine alongside Plato in â€Å"The Republic† and Augustine in â€Å"City of God†. Ghazali considers both belief and knowledge as necessary for knowledge of the divine while Plato focuses solely on knowledge. On the other side, while Augustine does support the idea of a rational soul, he refutes his own claim when considering the miracles of God. In this essay I will argue that incorporatingRead More The Book of the City of Ladies Essay1696 Words   |  7 Pagesthe renaissance period. Shakespeare and Christine de Pizan’s views align most closely with Plato’s. Christine de Pizan’s view also aligns with Augustine’s medieval view of leadership. Machiavelli’s view, however, strays the farthest from Plato and Augustine. In The Book of the City of Ladies, Christine presents an allegorical city made up of great ladies from history. Allegorical characters Reason, Rectitude, and Justice guide Christine to the proper view of women by dispelling slanderousRead MoreEssay on A Review of Peter Brown’s Augustine of Hippo1539 Words   |  7 PagesA Review of Peter Brown’s Augustine of Hippo   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Peter Brown’s Augustine of Hippo is a dense, scholarly work outlining the entire life of the Catholic bishop.   The University of California Press in Berkeley, California published the work in 1967.   My version was the 1973 second paperback printing, found in the University library.   Its smallish, scholarly, serifed, typewritten font allows for a instant respect for the subject matter:   the words are at first imposing, but then revealing asRead MoreThe Apostle Paul, Saint Augustine Martin Luther Essay3381 Words   |  14 PagesThe Apostle Paul, Saint Augustine Martin Luther Their impact on the Christian Faith March 12, 2009 The Apostle Paul, Saint Augustine, and Martin Luther have been three very important figures in the Christian church. Each went through a unique personal experience that changed the course of their lives. Those experiences were important to them and they should be important to anyone of the Christian faithRead MoreEuthanasia: An Ethical Dilemma Essay1810 Words   |  8 Pagesthe contemporary thoughts, and (4) the thoughts of Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas. The author has attempted to present the basic history of euthanasia dating from ancient Greece and Rome to the contemporary. There has been a discussion of the legal formalities of this ethical issue, which included the cases of Washington v. Glucksberg, Gonzalez v. Oregon and Baxter v. Montana. This study also presents information that looks at the thoughts of Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant and Nemeth and their viewsRead MoreEuthanasia and Assisted Suicide1645 Words   |  7 Pagesrecognized as legally acceptable options in the care of dying or severely ill patients. It is noteworthy that the present debate about assisted suicide and euthanasia, among academics, has drawn so slight from its rich history – from Plato and Aristotle in ancient Greece to Augustine and Thomas Aquinas in the Middle Ages, and Locke, Hume, and Kant in more modern times. Some views and practices centering on suicide are engrained in specific cultures and politics, which have little significance for modernRead MoreBeowulf : A Pattern And Traditional Form Of Heroism1023 Words   |  5 Pagesgod. This essentially is what made up the divine plan. He believed that it not only made the person human but also gave people the chance to choose or deny god by using reason. He’s like a mix of reason and faith. Philosophers before him like Plato and Augustine believed that physical things didn’t matter and it was all spiritual. Aquinas like Aristotle disagreed. They believed the soul and body are inextricable. That the body needs the soul to live. It all compl etes each other. He believed that experienceRead MoreEssay Moral and Ethics: Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide 1776 Words   |  8 Pagesunavoidably lead to circumstances where some persons will risk having their deaths hastened against their will. This belief, based upon spiritual values, considers human life blessed and sacred. No person may take the life of another. For instance, â€Å"St. Augustine interpreted the biblical prescript against killing as being absolute, even including the taking of ones own life.† Another quarrel for the sanctity of human life is that this â€Å"constitutes one of the pillars of social order that must be maintainedRead MoreRoman Technology And Inventions Of The Roman Century1464 Words   |  6 Pages2. Art E. Roman Technology in Agriculture F. Roman Technology in War 1. Roman War Strategy 2. Instruments of War IV. Daily Life A. The daily life of merchants B. The daily life of farmers C. The daily life of the rich D. The daily life of the poor V. How Roman Technology Changed Everyday Life A. Differences for Romans (what could they do which was new?) B. Long-Lasting Effects on Society VI. Conclusion Thesis: Although Roman innovations were very groundbreaking, they still had the ability to affectRead Morehistory of philosophy5031 Words   |  21 PagesLogic Metaphysics Political philosophy Branches Aesthetics Epistemology Ethics Logic Metaphysics Political philosophy Social philosophy Lists Index Outline Years Problems Publications Theories Glossary Philosophers   Philosophy portal v t e The  history of philosophy  is the study of philosophical ideas and concepts through time. Issues specifically related to history of philosophy might include (but are not limited to): How can changes in philosophy be accounted for historically?

When Can Babies Eat Strawberries？ Essay - 891 Words

Strawberries are perhaps the most popular berries in the world, with their bright color, beautiful shape and awesome nutritious content. Add to that their sweet, delicious taste, almost everybody loves strawberries. They can be eaten as they are or incorporated in various recipes including milkshakes, cakes or other types of desserts. They are known to be rich in vitamins and flavonoids, which are excellent for health but ironically, they are also responsible for undesirable allergic reactions. Children love strawberries but here are some things to remember when considering feeding strawberries to babies. When Can Babies Eat Strawberriesï ¼Å¸ Strawberries can cause allergic reactions in babies and experts have varying opinions and guidelines†¦show more content†¦Puree strawberries and add them to oatmeal or pudding. Mash them with avocado to make a fruity treat. You can also combine the berries with other fruits, puree them in a blender, and freeze the mixture into popsicles for a tasty treat. 3. Cut into small pieces. Strawberries can cause choking in babies. It is best to either puree them or cut them into tiny pieces. Strawberries tend to be slippery and can slide into your babys throat before they are chewed completely. As a finger food, cut strawberries into small-sized pieces and continue giving them this way until your infant reaches the age of three. Please watch this video and get more information about how to cook strawberries for babies. http://www.ehow.com/video_12231249_cook-strawberries-baby.html 4. Wait for three days before introducing another new food. Frequently Asked Questions about Strawberries 1. What are the benefits of introducing strawberries to babies? Strawberries provide plenty of valuable nutrients to babies who are ready to eat them, including the following: vitamins B, C and K folate dietary fiber potassium manganese copper magnesium omega-3 fatty acids phenols Phenols are compounds that protect our bodies from chronic diseases such as cancer. They help support our immune system and are also good for heart health. 2. How many strawberries can I introduce to babies each time? Health experts recommend feeding six toShow MoreRelatedEssay on Erikson and the Wild Strawberries1729 Words   |  7 PagesErikson and the Wild Strawberries In the Life Cycle Completed by Erik H. Erikson, Erikson talks about the stages in life those stages range from infancy to elderly age. The stages are basic trust vs. basic mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. identity confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generatively vs. stagnation, and finally integrity vs. despair. In Wild Strawberries the character Isak Borg goes through all the stages that EriksonRead MoreOrganic vs. Conventional Food1235 Words   |  5 Pageswill tout the virtues of organic food as being better for the consumer and preventing many diseases, however, there seems to be more to it than that. When speaking with friends, especially those living on a budget, the philosophy leans more towards the difference between fresh and processed food, and organic food is considered a luxury which few can afford. In an attempt to define the family health standards within the household, a transformation has taken place over the past four years. Where onceRead More Feeding Your Brain Essay1716 Words   |  7 Pagessurvive. Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs, 1 glass of orange juice and yogurt with fresh blueberries Most people consume a high carbohydrate breakfast of cereal, toast or pancakes after a nights sleep because the body craves those types of food when its blood sugar level is low. However, meals high in carbohydrates increase the brains level of the amino acid tryptophan, which increases serotonin levels. Glucose from the digested carbohydrates causes the body to secret insulin. Insulin tells cellsRead MoreFood Intake- Three Days Essay1250 Words   |  5 Pagesfor use to eat healthy and exercise. Sometimes it takes some of us to go thru something traumatic before we realized the important of these things. Eating a well-balanced diet with not only keep you in shape, but it will also help in the prevention of many diseases such as; heart disease, obesity, diabetes and many more. Making yourself knowledgeable of the adequate amount of nutrients that you should be consuming every day is important. Knowing how carbohydrates, protein, and fiber can contributeRead MoreBehavioral Learning C hild Development Observation1597 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Introduction Theories of child development can be tied to particular philosophical groundings of the major schools of psychology. This paper will provide the basis for the application of behavioral learning theory to an observation of three children in a natural context. A discussion of the rationale for choosing behavioral learning theory over cognitive, contextual, psychodynamic, or social-cognitive learning precedes the explication of behavioral learning theory. As summary of notes and conclusionsRead MoreSave Your Paycheck, Save More Money And Possibly Make A Social And Environmental Difference?1183 Words   |  5 Pagesdifference? You can start with something as simple as changing your bad food habits. Do you buy more than you can consume? Do you eat out a lot? Do you throw away your leftovers? Do you buy convenience packaged food such as bottled water or single serving size snacks? Do you throw away food after the expiration date? The answers to these questions could not only help you save money but help save the world.   Seriously, just by making a few simple changes to your bad food habits, you CAN make a differenceRead MoreThe Food Pyramid Eating Right Every Day By Denise Carroll892 Words   |  4 Pagesand strong! ïÆ'Ëœ Eat a variety of foods. A balanced diet is one that includes all the food groups. ïÆ'Ëœ We are going to explore the food guide pyramid to learn about the food groups. 3. The Food Guide Pyramid Grains 6 oz. Vegetables Fruits Oils Milk 2  ½ cups 2 cups Eat 3 cups Less Meat Beans 5  ½ oz. 4. Fruits ïÆ'Ëœ Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed. ïÆ'Ëœ Apples, bananas, strawberries, grapes, lemonsRead MoreMaria Montessori And The Montessori Method1656 Words   |  7 Pagesthrough the work that they do. She is also notable for being the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome with a doctorate degree. She died in May 1952, in Netherlands. An auto education is when the child is self-taught on how to do a task. The child is able to move onto extensions when they complete the task. Children control their own ability to learn with a little guidance from the teacher. The Practical Life materials that the child work with such as a spoon, teaches the child howRead MoreMeaning Of Preparation On Cooking1678 Words   |  7 Pagesassembling the tools and equipment necessary to cook them. a. Salads - Gather different types of greens/fruit/pasta/garnish/dressings that can go into the salad. - Gather mixing bowls, knives, tongs, pans, chopping board, etc - Depends on what kind of salad, preparing the ingredients (for example, if the salad requires pasta, gather pasta and cook it) - When all ingredients are ready to be used, put the ingredients in the mixing bowls and mix. Keep sauces on the side b. BLT sandwich - Gather breadsRead MoreNutrition During Pregnancy1417 Words   |  6 PagesNutrition during Pregnancy by Amy V. Haas [Editors Note: This article first appeared in Having a Baby Today Issue 5, Spring 2002.] Photos by Jennifer Rosenberg The single most important thing that you can do for your baby is to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. A well-balanced diet is one that includes foods from all food groups in appropriate amounts, so as to ensure proper nutrition. Proper nutrition ensures that all essential nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals and

Benefits of Telehealth for Rural Australians-Myassignmenthlep.com

Question: You are a Systems Analyst that is part of a Project that is being Currently being proposed. Your task is to develop a Vision Document for this Project. Answer: Introduction The research is about Telehealth project which focus on the improvement to access the quality healthcare in the rural public hospital or any type of the health services. The focus is mainly to deliver a high-quality health related process like education so that the people can handle the issues and remove the barriers of distance, time and cost. Being a system analyst, my responsibility is to focus on the different techniques to solve the problems and bring a change in the Telehealth project links urgent care centres (Moffatt et al., 2010). The major objectives of Telehealth are to improve the outcome of the patients and then drive a greater efficiency in the way healthcare is delivered to the people. Problems With the Telehealth, there have been certain issues related to the efficiency of communication between the young people and itself. There have been occasions where the young people with mental problems have to state the issues to different staff of the organisation to get the problems solved. The workers in the Telehealth do not have the idea about when the patient is released and how to monitor them. The problems can also affect the system of the hospital as well as the workers. Hence, the main system needs to work on the information about the patient release with proper education, information and communication that will help in removing the barriers in health professionals and consumers. The distance, time and cost also need to be handled with proper timely delivery that will remove any issues about the health care. The funding of the project is mainly through Videoconferencing which could be a boon for some and loss for the other companies too (Nelson et al., 2016). The focus is a lso depending upon the information system which can affect the total system of the hospital as well as the Telehealth case workers. The modified information system can help in solving the problems. Benefits Some of the advantages of Telehealth can be the improvement with the target market related to the age demographics that are based on the ethnicity, income etc. This allows the company to promote the larger population of the young people and encourage them to promote with a healthy lifestyle (Beukes et al., 2016). The standards are set to hold the health style where the young people are able to focus on the health issues. Telehealth also focus on the earlier stage of growth of the mental health complications where the target is to populate the sufferers where the focus is on the services of older age demographics where mental health issues are less prominent. There is a possibility of advantages that will be offered by Health Records to the different clients. It has been important for the organisation to focus on how the system is able to match with the day-to-day processes where the remote areas need to take hold of the physical presentations as well. A proper check is on how the peo ple are offered a proper administration of data. Telehealth needs to work on accessing the different systems against any security types and then checking over the assaults which will be important for the maintenance of the data wellbeing. (Cox et al., 2017). Capabilities The Telehealth needs to focus on the delivery of high quality health related process which includes the timely delivery of different standards and educational outcome. It will tend to improve the health care standards with proper assigned scope of the project. The market targeting strategy is mainly through education with large share of the segments. The company can focus on the different segmented to achieve a higher and stronger market position with greater knowledge of the needs to market the services. The utilisation of the concentrated marketing will help in marketing the services with the ability to match with the vast range of competitors. The focus is on all age demographics and not only the young people. The young people are generally looked over by the young competitors. Hence, Telehealth focus on how to improve the system functioning with proper operating in the niche market. With this, there is a major focus on how the company is able to focus on the demands of the people and the health issues (Botrugno, 2017). The education is important for a proper setup where the young people who suffer from the mental illness face barriers at the time of embarrassment or in confidence. A proper processing of the amount of data is required for properly dealing with the measures of data. Here, the point is mainly about the usage of the data where the data tends to be destroyed from the database which is affiliated to the Health Record System. The prevention of the data theft and the management of the remote data access is important for shielding the information from any hacking exercises. This is in regard to the possibility with the programmers to get the information. Conclusion The project of Telehealth organisation mainly focus on how the end goals are managed with the proper contribution towards a better process endorsement. Through this, there is a possibility to handle the records of the patient and then work on how the clients and other patients are able to take hold of the information process. (Nnamoko et al., 2016). The vision incorporates about the data of qualities with the Telehealth organisation for social affair. There has been source where a proper access is assured with the authorised standards. This has helped in maintaining the records of the patients as well as working on the benefits, and the problems. References Beukes, R. L., Scott, R. E., Mars, M. (2016). Post-Implementation Evidence-Based Decision Making: The Telehealth Assessment Tool For Health (TeATH).Journal of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth,4, 19-1. Botrugno, C. (2017). Towards an ethics for telehealth.Nursing Ethics, 0969733017705004. Cox, A., Lucas, G., Marcu, A., Piano, M., Grosvenor, W., Mold, F., ... Ream, E. (2017). Cancer survivors experience with telehealth: a systematic review and thematic synthesis.Journal of medical Internet research,19(1). Moffatt, J. J., Eley, D. S. (2010). The reported benefits of telehealth for rural Australians.Australian Health Review,34(3), 276-281 Nelson, R., Staggers, N. (2016).Health Informatics-E-Book: An Interprofessional Approach. Elsevier Health Sciences. Nnamoko, N., Arshad, F., Hammond, L., Mcpartland, S., Patterson, P. (2016). Telehealth in Primary Health Care: Analysis of Liverpool NHS Experience. InApplied Computing in Medicine and Health(pp. 269-286).

Short Story Reaction Paper Essay Example

Short Story Reaction Paper Essay Use, a short story written by Alice Walker, brings the reader into the lives of a mother and her two daughters. The daughters grew up in the same home but had two very different paths. Mama and the church raised money for Dee to attend school in Augusta and Maggie stayed home. Although Dee went on to further her education in Augusta, Maggie learned other valuable life skills from Mama, her Aunt, and her grandmother.These differences growing up give both Maggie and Dee different views of where they came from, where they are now, and the direction of their future. The story begins with Mama and Maggie waiting for Dee to arrive. Dee has made it and Mama describes what seeing each other may be like when someone who has â€Å"made it† returns home. This dream she describes is something from a movie, reuniting on Johnny Carson and Dee acting so appreciative of everything her mother has done for her. In a dream, Mama is who Dee wants her to be.Mama describes the mother Dee would want as slimmer and lighter skinned. In reality, she is the same person she has always been. She had only a second grade education. Mama is a big boned woman with hands like a man and who is content with her life. Although times have changed you get the sense that she still lives in the past. For example when she talks about the dream of reuniting with her daughter on Johnny Carson. Mama goes on to say that she would not be looking a white man in the eye.Despite the new rights for African Americans, she says that she â€Å"has always talked to them with one foot raised in flight, with my head turned in whatever direction is farthest form them† (Barnet, Burto, Cain, 2011, p. 1088). Although Mama comes across as a strong woman, she seems to still have that slave mentality with this comment. Mama thinks Dee is better, perhaps even better than herself. She says Dee has good hair and lighter skin. By the end of the story Mama had enough of Dee being self-centered and disrespectful.Sh e finally embraces Maggie and stands up for her against Dee. In the end Mama is content with herself. In Maggie, there is sense her nervousness as she awaits her sister’s arrival. Maggie thinks her sister Dee has â€Å"held life always in the palm of her hand†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Barnet, Burto, Cain, 2011, p. 1087). By this, Maggie thinks that Dee’s life was never difficult. In the beginning, Maggie seems weak with no confidence in herself. Mama compares Maggie to a lame animal that comes to the side on anyone who will show kindness it.Mama says she walks with â€Å"chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle, ever since that fire burned the house to the ground† (Barnet, Burto, Cain, 2011, p. 1088). Perhaps Maggie acts this way because she was burned when the old house was on fire and has the scars as a reminder. Perhaps it is more than the physical scars of the fire. Maggie acts so nervous and almost fearful of Dee. She sucks in her breath with an â€Å"Uhnnnn ,† sound. â€Å"Like when you see the wriggling end of a snake just in front of your foot on the road† (Barnet, Burto, Cain, 2011, p. 1089).I am not sure if it is fear of her sister or fear of the way her sister looked. The story gives no details to show that Dee and Maggie have or had a loving sister relationship. Dee comes across as a fake, self-centered, ungrateful, disrespectful woman. Although she is educated she comes across so ignorant. She acts confident. Confident in whom she is and where she is going in life. Dee’s character is all over the place. She comes to the house with a sense that she is better than Mama and Maggie. She acts like she is a tourist, even snapping a picture of a cow.Snapping pictures of Mama and Maggie and the house as though she has never seen people like them or a house like theirs. Dee has changed her name and shows up with a man who one assumes she is in a relationship with. By the comments Dee’s companion, whom Mama cal ls â€Å"Asalamalakim†, makes regarding doctrines and pork and Dee and the man’s strange names, I assume Dee and her man are following the ways of the Muslim nation. Dee has changed her name because she did not want the name given to her by â€Å"the people that oppress me† (Barnet, Burto, Cain, 2011, p. 1090).This makes me think of Malcolm X. In one sense she is into with this new belief system, the next she is saying Mama does not have to use the new name. Dee then is eating chitlins and greens, both made with pork. I am not sure Dee wants this new life or perhaps she does not know what she wants. Dee also has a sense of entitlement. She speaks of what she wants to take from the house. Parts of a churn, that seems to still be used by Mama, she then goes through Mama’s trunk to take out the quilts she wants. Suddenly Dee is sentimental about her past? She is manipulative.She first just says that she needs the churn piece, and then she asks nicely for th e quilts. When Mama had offered her the quilts when she went off to school, she turned them down saying they were not in style. When Mama gives them to Maggie, Dee tries to say that Mama does not understand her heritage. Then she makes one insult by saying to Maggie that â€Å"she ought to make something of herself, too† (Barnet, Burto, Cain, 2011, p. 1093). When she does not get what she wants she suddenly leaves. I really question what Dee’s purpose was for coming to visit. I found myself judging Dee.In one breath she does not want her name, she then wants to take items from the people she is named after. She hated her home and wanted nothing to do with the quilts until her visit and suddenly she is sentimental, â€Å"clutching them closely to her bosom† (Barnet, Burto, Cain, 2011, p. 1092). She tried to tell Mama and Maggie they do not understand their heritage, yet does Dee really understand or appreciate where she came from? Dee seems unstable. She does n ot really know who she is or perhaps who she wants to be. Perhaps these feelings come to me because the story somewhat parallels an experience with my oldest sister.My oldest sister suddenly left the town we lived in for California after meeting a man at a nightclub two days earlier. This was not like my sister. Later when she returned for a visit, she came across somewhat condescending. Like our lives in Canada were so backward. When she came to visit we often acted like Maggie, in that we thought she was better than us. We would always make her stay pleasant and never stir anything up. She said she would never move back because she had married a black man and everyone in our town was ignorant and racist and how could she bring her mixed children to his town.She would come to town acting as though she was so much better than anyone else. Then the next time she would visit she acted all sentimental and even asked for my grandmother’s crocheted blankets. She forgot where she c ame from. She did not appreciate the past for making her the woman she became. She was the one who was ignorant. Now she has alienated herself from almost all the family and has no real relationship with any of her three sisters. I enjoyed reading this story as I have other stories from Alice Walker. Alice Walker wrote this story to remind us to appreciate where we came from and to be content with he person you are. Even in this short story you see this awareness in Mama and Maggie. They start to think that they are not good enough and in the end are smiling, content, and happy. Dee however does not change in the story. Dee enters the story as a person who thinks she knows who she is and leaves the story still thinking that way. Sadly, I do not think Dee really knows who she is, what she wants in life, or she wants to be. Maggie however, knows all these things.Reference Barnet, S. , Burto, W. , Cain, W. E. (2011). Literature for composition (9th ed. ). Hagerstown, MD: Longman.

MMP Representation in New Zealand A Case of the Tail Wagging the Dog

In 1993 New Zealand citizens voted, in a national referendum, to drastically amend their voting system from the British-modelled traditional first-past-the-post (FPP) to a Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) representation (Bowler Farrell, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on MMP Representation in New Zealand: A Case of the ‘Tail Wagging the Dog’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The genesis of proportional representation (PR) in New Zealand can be traced back to the 1950s, when the political landscape of the country witnessed a gradual breakdown of public trust and confidence in politicians and parliament, followed by large-scale disillusionment with the old two-party system (National and Labour) among New Zealanders (Bale Bergman, 2006; Newman, 2010). Although the PR system initially received accolades as a powerful political instrument capable of making New Zealand the most effective, most inclusiv e democracy globally (Little, 2005), it has continued to draw criticisms from varied quarters, with some critics suggesting that it brings into the limelight a situation where the ‘tail wags the dog’ (Vowles, 1998). This paper purposes to illuminate evidence to support assertions made by MMP’s critics that PR indeed results in the ‘tail wagging the dog.’ Simply put, PR is based on the notion that if a particular party gets 20 percent of the vote in elections, then it is entitled to 20 percent of seats in parliament. Consequently, the major driving principle of PR, according to Bale Bergman (2006), is that political parties should be given power in proportion to the actual number of voters who vote for them. When it comes to the MMP system as practiced in New Zealand, each voter casts two votes, with one vote meant to decide their local member of parliament (electorate vote) and the other deciding which party they would like to represent them federal ly (party vote). Newman (2010) posits that â€Å"†¦under the MMP, the party that wins the greatest party vote on the election night is given the chance to form a government by†¦horse trading with potential coalition partners† (p. 1). As already mentioned, one of the major objectives of the MMP was to bring proportionality to the electoral system (Malpass, 2010), but this objective appears not to have been met even as New Zealanders prepare to go into the referendum to determine the effectiveness of the system.Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A number of situations can be used to demonstrate evidence that PR results in the ‘tail wagging the dog.’ First, the critics of MMP have argued that although PR originally meant to achieve proportionality in New Zealand’s electoral system, it inarguably led to a system whereby small parties wielded, and continues to wield, disproportionate power (Vowles, 1998; Bale Bergman, 2006). One important consequence of such an electoral disposition is that the party with massive voter following must negotiate with other smaller parties in order to have important policies implemented. Consequently, and contrary to the maxims of a stable and representative government, it can be argued that the MMP as practiced in New Zealand permits coalition governments to form where minority parties have in their possession a disproportionate share of power, leading to a system in which the ‘tail wags the dog.’ A case in point is the smacking debate of 2009, which revolved around the issue of whether smacking children should be viewed as a good parental correction or a criminal offense (Ritchie, 2009). In this debate, the Green party successfully projected its anti-smacking campaign against the will of the majority who wanted the bill on smacking of children re-legalized, implying that it was the tail wagging the dog in this particular debate. To put it in perspective, MMP has brought into the fore situations in which major parties take superfluous and unpopular standpoints so as to pacify minor parties. Another consequence, which is intrinsically related to the first, is that minority parties, even if they have no real power, are not only capable of holding the bigger parties (National and Labour) to ransom, but are also able to project their opinion in parliament (Bowler Farrell, 2006). Such predispositions, according to Vowles (1998), are bad for democracy because they not only lead to a more consensual type of government, but also trigger a reduction of political transparency and accountability for laws passed by parliament. In 1996, for example, Winston Peters of the minority party New Zealand First, along with 13.3 percent of voters, held the other 87.7 percent of the voters to ransom by playing the ‘king maker’ in an exhibition of the way governments were to be created under MMP, not at the ballot box, but after, by a choice from minority parties between the two dominant parties – Labour and National (Vowles, 1998).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on MMP Representation in New Zealand: A Case of the ‘Tail Wagging the Dog’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is important to underline the point that the political compromises the MMP has encouraged as a result of allowing smaller parties to wield disproportionate power has not only led to a more consensual form of government as elaborated above, but â€Å"†¦has also contributed to ad hoc law making, an inability of government to take proper charge of [the] legislative programme, and a pork barrel politics and back room deals† (Malpass, 2010 para. 3). For example, the government of the day is unable to take proper charge of its legislative programme due to the fact that minority part ies have a greater say in controversial legislation than their vote merits. In equal measure, it is possible for the prime minister of New Zealand to be defeated by a simple majority; that is, a majority of individuals who cast their votes or refrain from voting rather than a majority of seats in the legislature (Bale Bergman, 2006). This effectively implies that the office of the prime minister, which is traditionally the centre of power, is unable to govern effectively as power has been delegated to the periphery. A case in point here is the secret backroom deal between the National party and the Maori party in 2008 even after it was apparent that the National party was in a position to govern after securing the support of ACT and United parties (Newman, 2010). In respect to the New Zealand’s government not been able to either implement policies or take charge of important legislative programmes, political commentators are in agreement that MMP has only worked to perpetuat e some form of centrism in New Zealand politics which has, in effect, encouraged the sidelining of important issues (Bowler Farrell, 2006). Evidence to back this assertion arises from the prediction by the Royal Commission, who observed that there might be prolonged periods where the New Zealand government is inarguably unable to take decisive action when doing this seems the only right way to follow (Newman, 2010). A case in point is the sidelining of debate concerning the Maori seats, where the National party (with the majority) wish to abolish them but the Maori party (minority) wish to embed them. The perceived indecisiveness of the National party in this debate, ostensibly because it fears to loose the support of the minority party, implies that nothing progressive will be accomplished in this fundamental but unpopular area. Surely, it is a case of the ‘tail wagging the dog.’ It can also be argued that MMP has led to the proliferation of minority parties and other interest groups in parliament, setting the stage for a scenario where the stability and effectiveness of government are threatened (Bale Bergman, 2006). The system has been accused in various quarters for not exercising fairness and, as such, always puts political parties in a collision course at the expense of passing important bills for the country to move forward. There exists compelling evidence to support this assertion.Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At the 2008 national election, for instance, the 4.1 percent of the vote received by New Zealand First successfully ensured that the party had no representation in parliament, whereas ACT, with only 3.7 percent of the vote and one constituency seat, went ahead to gain 5 MPs in parliament (Gallagher Mitchell, 2010). Such an inconsistency, in my view, can only serve to threaten the stability of government, and it is vivid pointer to the PR’s trajectory of the ‘tail wagging the dog.’ Lastly, it can be argued that the MMP system has drastically elevated the number of minorities represented in the legislature to a level of excessive overrepresentation (Gallagher Mitchell, 2010). Such overrepresentation, according to the author, is bad for democracy as it shift power from its rightful owners according to the wishes of the electorate to place it in other peripheral locations that do not in any way enjoy the support of the majority of the electorate. We only need to re call the overrepresentation of the Maoris to see how such an electoral and political disposition can cause elevated public outcry because of the actual or perceived fear among the electorate that the minorities are indeed calling the shots in government. To conclude, it is indeed true that New Zealand’s encounter with PR has unconditionally demonstrated that MMP provides minority groupings with disproportionate influence, which inarguably comes at a cost to democracy (Bowler Farrell, 2006). Evidence have been adduced to support this claim, including how these minority parties act to circumvent the implementation of policies perceived to be of great importance to New Zealanders, how they perpetuate centrism, how they curtail political transparency and accountability, how they contribute to ad hoc law making and back room deals, and how they hold major parties to ransom. With the coming referendum in November 2011, therefore, New Zealanders need to consider all the important i ssues highlighted in this paper and vote consciously on whether they want to retain the MMP system or whether its time to introduce a new electoral system. List of References Bale, T., Bergman, T (2006). Captives no Longer, but Servants Still? Contract Parliamentarism and the New Minority Governance in Sweden and New Zealand. Government Opposition, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp 422-449. Bowler, S., Farrell, D.M (2006). We know which one we Prefer but we don’t know really why: The Curious Case of Mixed Member Electoral systems. British Journal of Politics International Relations, Vol. 8, no. 3, pp 445-460. Gallagher, M., Mitchell, P (2010). The Politics of Electoral Systems, 2nd Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Little, G (2005). Development of MMP in New Zealand. Web. Malpass, L (2010). Superseding MMP: Real Electoral Reform for New Zealand. The Centre for Independent Studies. Web. Newman, M (2010). Proportionate Representation, Disproportionate Power. New Zealand Centre for Pol itical Research. Web. Ritchie, K (2009). Kiwis Consumed by Smacking Debate. Web. Vowles, J (1998). Voters’ Victory?: New Zealand’s First Election and Proportional Representation. Auckland: Auckland University Press. This essay on MMP Representation in New Zealand: A Case of the ‘Tail Wagging the Dog’ was written and submitted by user Alexander Maddox to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

J.L is a 17 year old junior that came in with comp Essays - Bacteria

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