The Rise Of The 19th Century - 1210 Words

France in the late 1700 s was based on a feudal system where they were divided into estates based on their birth. The king was at the top of the absolute monarchy and did not have to consult with anyone to pass a law. He had complete control over the country and could do things such as kill someone for no reason. This did not go well with most people and especially people of the Third Estate. Privileges were very common amongst the First Estate. One very famous privilege was being exempt for the Taille-the major tax in France at the time. The First Estate was made up of the Clergy and they were the richest and had the most power. The Second Estate was made up of the nobles who were also wealthy and held high positions in the French†¦show more content†¦During the years of 1787 and 1789, the hatred increased. With two years of bad harvest, the price of wheat doubled which increased the price of the peasant food, bread, immensely. A new movement called the Enlightenment became popular in France. Writers such as Voltaire and Rousseau encouraged people to question the world that they live in. Thoughts of the right of kings and being part of an unfair society were brought into consideration. To make everything worse, after realizing that France was practically bankrupt, Louis calls together a meeting with the Estates General. In this meeting he believes he would have no problem in trying to raise taxes in only the Third Estate. This was the sad truth for the Third Estate because the Estates General only had one representative from each estate, which meant that they were outnumbered by the First and Second Estates. They finally broke off from the Estates General and formed the National Assembly. Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes, most commonly known as Abbey Sieyes was born on May 3, 1748 in Frejus, France and died in Paris on June 20, 1836. His concept of popular popular sovereignty guided the National Assembly in its struggle against the king and the nobility during the beginning of the French Revolution. Later on, in 1799, he was part of organizing the famous coup d à ©tat that over through Louis XVI and brought Napoleon Bonaparte to power. Sieyes was educated and rose in the church to become vicar general in 1780 and

The Heart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad - 983 Words

The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a story that takes place in the early 1890s and presents us with an odyssey of a traveler known as Marlow who confronts the dangers of the Congo jungle while also witnessing the wicked, inhumane treatment of the African natives. In the story, Marlow represents Joseph Conrad who had actually traveled up the Congo in 1890 and witnessed the European exploitation of the African natives firsthand. In the Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad exposes the inhumanity of European exploitation of Africa and its people while also allowing us to understand how complex and immoral humans can be when pursuing greed and power. The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad gives us a good understanding of the real life issues that affected the Congo Independent State in the 1890s which included European imperialism, free market ivory trade, and many European atrocities against the African natives. European imperialism was forced on the Congo Independent State by King Leopold II. â€Å"In aspiring to become a modern-day pharaoh, King Leopold began his African venture in September 1876† (Nzongola-Ntalaja 38). King Leopold II was believed to be a philanthropist who was eager to bring western civilization, commerce, and Christianity to the African natives. â€Å"Christian missionary work helped, in the logic of colonialism, to undermine African cultural autonomy, and helped to promote colonial domination† (Nzongola-Ntalaja 39). Truly, King Leopold II of Belgium aspired forShow MoreRelatedHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad1471 Words   |  6 PagesIn the story Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad a sailor decides to travel to Africa on a whim, using family connections he enlists as the captain of a ship travelling up the Congo River. The novella provides many themes, however is the text in itself racist? One of the main concepts portrayed in Heart of Darkness is the t reatment of the natives of Africa and their image. This is most commonly shown through the disparity of the image between what is said in the novel and what can be read throughRead MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad Essay1371 Words   |  6 Pagesevery human and everything created by humans has two sides to it: the form and the substance. Joseph Conrad’s novella â€Å"Heart of Darkness† shows precisely how dangerous it is to put our trust in a concept, for example: colonization, without realizing that most of the time one only gets to see the form and not the substance. In this essay, my purpose is to demonstrate that â€Å"Heart of Darkness† by Joseph Conrad is mainly a novella about the discrepancy between substance and form. In order to prove my pointRead MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad1378 Words   |  6 PagesWoytassek AP English 12 Heart of Darkness Reading Log Author: Joseph Conrad Title: Heart of Darkness Original Publication Date: 1899 Kind of Writing: Heart of Darkness is a colonial novella of an expository narrative. Writer’s Purpose and Intended Audience Joseph Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness because he wanted to expose human temptation to experiment with darkness when one’s own desires overcome one’s morals. By writing from his own experience of exploring the Congo, Conrad draws conclusions thatRead MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad1350 Words   |  6 Pagesyears, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was a treasured classic, with many honourable themes and messages, as the author reveals the true nature of humanity by following an European sailor’s journey through the dark jungles of Africa and down the river Congo, all while watching as his own humanity changes. As society has evolved, however, Heart of Darkness has come under scrutiny, as the language is quite racist. Chinua Achebe, writer of An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of DarknessRead MoreHeart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad1329 Words   |  5 Pages Heart of Darkness is a novel written by Joseph Conrad. The setting of the book is in Belgian Congo, which was the most infamous European colony in Africa. This is a story about the protagonist Marlow’s journey to self discovery, and his experiences in Congo. Conrad’s story explores the colonialism period in Africa to demonstrate Marlow’s struggles. Along the way, he faces insanity, death, his fear of failure, and cultural contamination as he makes his was to the inner station. Conrad through theRead MoreThe Heart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad968 Words   |  4 PagesJoseph Conrad’s novella The Heart of Darkness has been under controversy because of racial interpretations. The race factor in this novel has made some scholars and professors question the function the novella has in the classroom. However, Joseph Conrad had another view when writing the novel; to demonstrate how prejudice and dehumanizing the European culture is towards African Americans and their culture during this time period. European’s superior authority over African Americans is portrayedRead MoreHeart Of Darkness, By Joseph Conrad1306 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is the â€Å"horror† in Heart of Darkness, and what particular literary images develop that idea of horror in the novel? In Joseph Conrad’s, Heart of Darkness, there can be many literary images found within that develop the idea of horror. Heart of Darkness is noted for its horror within the Congo between the Africans and the Europeans. The horror in Heart of Darkness is a contribution of many ideas that are formed and contributed from the European colonists. The purpose of this essay aims to argueRead MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad1076 Words   |  5 PagesWritten in the late 1800’s, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novella about one man’s travel into the Congo Free State by way of the Congo River. The title â€Å"Heart of Darkness† actually holds two different meanings. Heart of Darkness is both a metaphor for a psychological â€Å"dark side† of man, and an allusion to Africa. The title suggests both a physical and mental reference. During the time the novel takes place, Africa was nick-named the dark continent because of how little the Europeans knewRead MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad Essay1483 Words   |  6 PagesJoseph Conrad, author of Heart of Darkness, intriguingly uses an unnamed narrator in his novel that clearly becomes of importance right away in the introduction. Conrad’s narrator chooses to speak of the historical period in which Roman colonization took over what we now know as Great Britain. By connecting a Roman colonization story to one almost 2000 years later talking about the Belgians in Africa, Conrad reveals one of his own themes in the novel. He proposes that the Romans and Belgians Read MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad1149 Words   |  5 PagesIn his provocative novella Heart of Darkness, author Joseph Conrad sheds light on the primal nature in all men, casting a shadow—a darkness that is the result of being freed of societies norms. An in-depth analysis of Jo seph Conrad and the work shows how well he is able to combine story elements to make an engaging read. Conrad is able to do this through his characters, such as protagonist Marlow, whose experiences through his journey shows him vividly, the violence and brutality even the gentlest

Critique the Power of Organizations from Weberian free essay sample

Legitimate authority within a bureaucratic organization aims to remove the subjectivity and unpredictability of human action thus decisions are made and behaviours implemented in a calculable and measurable way. Persons in authority can manipulate persons’ to act in such a way by commands enshrined by power (Smith 1999). According to Weber’s theory prisons should run efficiently, officials following rules and supervised by officials in a higher office under the enforcement of legal authority. Goffman’s research on mental patients in ‘Asylums’ is at the forefront of understanding ‘total institutions’. His research gives us an insight into the world of the inmate, thus gaining an understanding of the ‘structure of the self’ and ‘mortification of the self’ in an institutional setting (1959 Goffman). Goffman identified that individuals ‘perform’ social roles, suggesting we are on stage moving from ‘back stage’ prepare and rehearsal to ‘front stage’, where we present a front and perform a role, using script, props, uniform and cues (1959 in Trevino). He suggests that we act; as if on stage, scripts emerge, props used, uniform and so on are all part of the performance (Goffman 1959, in Trevino). In 1971 Psychologist Philip Zimbardo undertook an experiment to illustrate that prisoners and guards fall into roles. Twenty four young healthy men were chosen and indiscriminately given roles as prisoner or guard. Prisoners suffered at the hands of the few sadistic guards as they imposed humiliating and degrading punishments. Some prisoners displayed emotional distress. The inhumane, unethical and undignified conditions was highlighted to Zimbardo by Christina Maslach a graduate student , the experiment was called off after 6 days as Zimbardo then realised it had gone too far (Zimbardo 2009). This paper attempts to elaborate on Weber and Goffman’s theories of power and authority within organizations paying particular attention to the Stanford Prison Experiment. An attempt will be made to critique and establish similarities and differences between their theories. Weber, Power and Authority Authority can equate to power, if it is abused the consequences to the governed can led to inhumane, mortifying and degrading situations (Weber, 1968). Weber also outlines how â€Å"impersonal authority† should be maintained within the scope of legal authority and persons’ in authority exercise control within legal bounds (Morrison 2006). Impersonal authority implies that authority is not imposed on a personal level. While these two theories can contradict themselves they are equally relevant in critiquing the Stanford Prison Experiment. This was shown by prison guard nick named ‘John Wayne’, in how he used his protected rank and authority to gain a position of social esteem using impersonal authority within the prison. It can be argued that this is a consequence of insufficient supervision from a higher official Superintendent Zimbardo or Warden Jaffe that led to abuse. However Weber’s theory on legal authority and administrative rationality dictates that depersonalization should not have occurred as the rational rules of the organization should have been followed. A rational bureaucratic system informs people of the rules and guidelines that will govern their behaviour (Morrison, 2006). In Stanford Prison the prisoners were informed of the rules by the Warden at admission. However within this ‘rational system’ Guard Landry adds his personal element (Zimbardo, 2009), therefore internalising rules and depersonalizes his role as guard, thus Weber’s theory on impersonal authority has diminished on the first day. The admission process into an institution is routinely followed by guidelines and procedures (Morrison, 2006) the guards give orders and the prisoners follow them, however the guards mocked the prisoners through this process thus, removes impersonal authority. Clearly Weber’s theory of a rational system incorporating impersonal authority is not sufficient to explain the events of Stanford Prison. Goffman, Power and Authority A correlation can be made between Goffman’s theory on ‘mortification of the self’ when entering some institutions, and the prisoners entering Stanford Prison. Goffman identifies; names and titles are lost, institutional uniforms replace personal clothing, personal space is lost or disregarded, personal information discussed inappropriately and constant humiliation (1959 in Smith). The men entering Stanford Prison were fingerprinted, photographed, assigned a number, stripped naked and de-loused, personal items removed and issued with prison clothing, while the men’s’ head were not shaved they had to wear a socking to illustrate shaved head (Zimbardo, 2009). This was the result of a deliberate policy from the Superintendent to remove any trace of individual identity (Zimbardo, 2009). Thus the power of the organization to remove the prisoner’s sense of self, when he identifies himself by number and not name. Rules were followed by the guards in the admission process as directed by the Superintendent, this correlates with Weber’s theory with senior officials giving orders and direction to lower ranking officials and the rules being followed by the governed (Morrison, 2006). The degrading and humiliating process the prisoners endured can be identified in Goffman’s theory. As a result prisoners are now falling into their roles as they were compliant in the process of admission. The prisoners accepted this behaviour as the norm as they did not question authority. Goffman further identifies that institutions have a methodical goal to transform the inmates they control (Smith, 1999). Transformation is achieved through officials wishing to attain order as appose to the ethos of the institution. Therefore the power of the organization over inmates on entering the institution is the first reduction of the self (Goffman, 1959). Persons’ in authority are represented in status by dress and manner. This demeanour is powerful as it demonstrates the authority or power of the person (Goffman 1959, in Branaman and Lemert). Goffman shows why his theory of ‘presentation of self in ever day life’ is relevant to the power of an organization (Goffman 1959, in Trevino). He describe his theory as a theatrical performance, we are all acting guided by settings, appearances and manners, furniture, decor and physical layout including props which guide a performance (Trevino, 2003). The prisoners found it difficult to remove themselves from their role as they were constantly on stage and always had reminders; uniforms, chain around their ankle, setting (cell) they were constantly reminded of their status this was the implication the authoritarians wanted to inflict on the prisoners. Zimbardo identified people are actors on stage but have to be aware of the situation, taking into account who are the cast, what are the costumes and external factors (2008, Zimabrdo). Due to no stage direction or in the case of Stanford Prison poor supervision from the ‘director’ that is Superintendent or the Warden, inaccuracies occurred in relation to abuse of power and authority over the prisoners. It can be identified the relevance of a link between Weber (1968) and Goffman (1959, in Branaman and Lemert) in relation to the recruitment of officials, both theorist give reason for officials to be recruited with a minimal qualification, training or skills. Without the minimum training officials may work outside an impersonal system, work without ethics or conscious thus abusing authority and exercising excessive power. In addition people with a minimum qualification may have a better insight into the needs of a person and work ethically and on an impersonal basis. Conclusion To conclude in a bureaucratic organization officials remove subjective personality and therefore become impersonal by working within rules and ethics. The guards started out with such definable goals and means however the guards internalised the rules by adding to their own role and therefore depersonalized the workplace. As a result this paper critiques Weber’s theory in that it can be argued that a hierarchal bureaucracy is helpful in explaining one goal of the prison, the subjugation and pacification of the prisoners. However Weber’s theory does not account for the manner in which the guards abandoned the very rules they were meant to uphold in achieving the aims of the organization, they allowed their own personalised subjective roles to play a part and act against the organization. The guards ruled in a depersonalized manner, furthermore no intervention when their authority was inhumane and degrading. Goffman’s (1959) theory in regards to total institutions identifies removing a sense of self resulting in institutions gaining control over a person. Goffman (1959) identifies why control and loss of autonomy are incorporated into institutional life, it allows for little flexibility for activities, any activities are imposed by officials with depersonalized rules. These activities are designed to suit the rational plan of the official and not the person, thus an oppressive organization. Parallels can be drawn between Stanford Prison Experiment and Abu Ghraib in 2004. In Abu Ghraib the prisoners were subjected to inhumane, degrading and physical abuse at the hands of the officials. The character we perform and our innate self are described as equate, and can be seen as something housed within (Goffman 1959, in Branaman and Lemert). This implies we are all capable of hurting others, or can we act in opposites and fall into a heroic role.

Why We Cant Wait By Martin Luther King Jr. Essays -

Why We Can't Wait By Martin Luther King Jr. While reading Dr. King's novel, I was able to get an uncensored idea of what African Americans went through in their struggle for civil rights. I cannot comprehend the extent to which they suffered while protesting, and it would be ignorant of me to think that I could understand. The many people who fought with Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil rights understand something about this country that I am only beginning to discover. I can only hope this shameful part of our history is never repeated. I felt a sense of disgust and shame while reading about the events of the Civil Rights struggle in Birmingham, Alabama. I have always heard that they would used dogs and water hoses to push back crowds, but I always got the sense that it was some kind of chaotic protesting on the part of the African Americans. I cannot believe that people who live in a country based on freedom of speech and the other rights in the Constitution would try to stop peaceful protests and demonstrations in such a manner. How could people think that this kind of oppression was tolerable and that the blacks did not have a right and freedom to protest? Part of me wanted to be there to help make a difference and join in the struggle, but part of me was also really afraid just by reading about the events in Birmingham. The people who protested with Dr. King showed a tremendous amount of courage and passion that could not be put out by fire hoses or dogs. I do not think that anyone, who has not been the victim of the extreme oppression that the blacks were victims of for hundreds of years, could understand why the civil rights movement was necessary at that time. Dr. King realized that you cannot wait for people to change their attitudes or beliefs, you have to help them see the error of their beliefs. It is easy for someone who is not being oppressed to tell you to wait. When you and your families are the victims of oppression and violence, you reach a breaking point when you realize that things need to change now. Dr. King had the courage to say that publicly, and people followed him in the struggle because of that courage. When you believe in something that much nothing, not even death can stop the struggle. Even after Dr. King was assassinated, his legacy lived on. His legacy was something that was stronger than the racists' attitudes in this country and there was nothing they could do to stop his legacy. Our country has come a long way the events in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. Each day we come closer to being the country that Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned, and I hope we get there soon. I look forward to the day that we can say as a country that oppression and racism were the biggest mistakes of our country and they are a thing of the past that shall never be relived by anyone. Bibliography King, Martin Luther. Why We Can't Wait