Ap 1988 Euro

1988 MC National AP European History Exam 100 questions in 75 minutes. 1. Salvation by faith alone, the ministry of all believers, and the authority of the Bible are principles basic to (A) the Christian humanism of Erasmus (B) the Church of England (C) Catholicism after the Council of Trent (D) Lutheranism in the early sixteenth century (E) the Society of Jesus (Jesuit order) 2. The Edict of Nantes in 1598 did which of the following? (A) Ensured Anglo-French cooperation throughout the seventeenth century. (B) Created a French church separated from papal authority. (C) Ended the War of the Spanish Succession. D) Proclaimed the toleration of Calvinism. (E) Precipitated the French Wars of Religion. [pic] 3. The sketch above, drawn by Galileo in 1610, was used to argue that the Moon (A) has no phases (B) has an irregular surface (C) is one of the planets (D) does not revolve around the Earth (E) is illuminated by Mars 4. â€Å"You venerate the saints and delight in touching their relic s, but you despise the best one they left behind, the example of a holy life †¦. If the worship of Christ in the person of His saints pleases you so much, see to it that you imitate Christ in the saints†The quotation above expresses the views of which of the following? (A) Henry VIII of England (B) Catherine de Medici (C) Erasmus of Rotterdam (D) Leonardo da Vinci (E) Niccolo Machiavelli 5. John Locke based his Two Treatises on Government primarily on which of the following views of human nature? (A) People are basically rational and learn from practical experience. (B) People are weak and sinful and need the guidance of organized religion. (C) People are fallible and need guidance from the cumulative wisdom of tradition. (D) People are inherently quarrelsome and should never be encouraged to revolt against state authority. E) People are born with all knowledge, and learning is the process of remembering that innate knowledge [pic] 6. The map above of eighteenth-century R ussia suggests which of the following about Russian territory between 1689 and 1796? (A) The Ottoman Empire annexed the Crimea (B) Peter the Great added more territory to Russia than did Catherine the Great (C) Most Russian expansion took place in the east (D) Russia ceded territory to Poland in the late eighteenth century (E) Russia acquired navigable seaports in both the north and the south 7.Which of the following best describes the political and economic environment of much of fifteenth century Italy? (A) A few large states dominated by a wealthy landed nobility (B) A strong unified Italian monarchy that patronized the arts (C) Many independent city-states with prosperous merchant oligarchies (D) Control of most of Italy by the pope, who encouraged mercantile development (E) Support of the arts in Italy by the kings of France and the Holy Roman emperors, who were competing for influence 8. The response of the Roman Catholic church to the Protestant Reformation included all of th e following EXCEPT A) the abolition of the Index of Prohibited Books (B) the establishment of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit order) (C) the convening of the Council of Trent (D) the founding of women’s orders active in education and care of the sick (E) an increase in the number of parish grammar schools [pic] 9. The Pieter Brueghal painting (circa 1569) shown above depicts the massacre of villagers in A) the Netherlands by Spanish troops B) Russia by Ottoman troops C) Spain by English troops D) France by Swedish troops E) Hungary by Austrian 10. The first political use of the terms â€Å"right† and â€Å"left† was to describe the A) division of France into predominantly Protestant and predominantly Roman Catholic areas (B) seating arrangements in the French National Assembly chamber during the French Revolution (C) party alliances in the English House of Commons during the debates prior to the American Revolution (D) two wings of the Versailles palace that housed the Roman Catholic and the Huguenot nobility (B) factions in the English Parliament that supported James II or William of Orange 11. Which of the following statements best describes the writers of the Romantic school? (A)They stressed emotion rather than reason. B)They continued the traditions of the Enlightenment. (C)They were advocates of increased political rights for women. (D)They modeled their work on the classics of Greece and Rome. (E)They based their writing on scientific and mathematical models. 12. During the Crimean War (1854-1856), most deaths among the military occurred as a result of (A) trench warfare and poisonous gas (B) guerrilla warfare (C) naval engagements (D) disease and inadequate medical care (E) heavy artillery bombardment 13. In fifteenth-century Europe. Muslim culture exerted the greatest influence on which of the following societies? A) English (B) French (C) German (D) Italian (E) Spanish 14. In 1500 the two most powerful autocracies in Eastern Europe were (A) Muscovy and the Ottoman Empire (B) the Ottoman and the Byzantine empires (C) the Byzantine Empire and Poland-Lithuania (D) Poland-Lithuania and Hungary (E) Hungary and Kievan Russia 15. The principal reason why Louis XIV (1643-1715) built his palace at Versailles was to (A) tighten his control over the nobility (B) strengthen ties with the Huguenots (C) move the king’s residence nearer to the center of the country (D) provide thousands of jobs E) absorb the excess revenue produced by mercantilist tax policies 16. In the second half of the seventeenth century, which of the following countries dominated European culture, politics, and diplomacy? (A) England (B) The Netherlands (C) Russia (D) France (E) Prussia 17. Which of the following best characterizes the Western European economy, as a whole, in the sixteenth century? (A) Widespread unemployment (B) Declining trade and commerce (C) Technological breakthroughs in production (D) Unrestricted trade among nations (E) S piraling inflation 18.In the first half of the seventeenth century, the Austrian Hapsburgs subdued revolt and centralized control in their territories by doing which of the following? (A) Emancipating the peasantry and encouraging agricultural development (B) Allying with the urban middle classes and encouraging commercial development (C) Establishing a national church headed by the Hapsburg emperor and redistributing former church properties (D) Creating a customs union to promote trade and acquiring new territories to supply merchants with raw materials (E) Waging warfare against rebel groups and supporting the Catholic Reformation 9. Which of the following was a major result of the Thirty’ Years’ War (1618-1648)? (A) The long-term strengthening of the Holy Roman Emperor’s authority (B) The banning of Calvinism in the German states (C) The establishment of strong Russian influence in the northern German states (D) The loss of as much as one-third of the German -speaking population through war, plague, and starvation (E) The encouragement of rapid economic development in many German-speaking cities 20. After the defeat of King Charles I in the English Civil War and his execution in 1649, England was governed for a decade by A) a democratic republic with universal suffrage (B) a commonwealth led by Oliver Cromwell and his son (C) a constitutional monarchy under King James II (D) the king of Scotland (E) a parliamentary council dominated by egalitarians 21. Which of the following most clearly distinguishes the northern Renaissance from the Italian Renaissance? (A) Interest in science and technology (B) Greater concern with religious piety (C) Cultivation of a Latin style (D) Use of national languages in literature (E) Admiration for Scholastic thought 22. Adam Smith maintained that A) workers real wages decrease in the long run (B) population always tends to outstrip food supplies (C) monopolies benefit the state (D) competition is socially beneficial (E) social revolution is inevitable 23. Which of the following early nineteenth-century political figures was most closely identified with the concept of â€Å"the concert of Europe†? (A) Castlereagh (B) Napoleon I (C) Talleyrand (D) Alexander I (E) Metternich 24. A factor accelerating the British government’s repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 was the (A) South Sea Bubble scandal (B) American Revolution C) Irish potato famine (D) development of relatively inexpensive ocean transport (E) worldwide mechanization of grain farming 25. Which of the following spared Europe a general multinational war during the second half of the nineteenth century? (A) The functioning of an effective balance of power (B) Europe’s preoccupation with industrial development (C) The strength of the German navy (D) Fear of Ottoman expansion into the rest of Europe (E) A policy of free and unrestricted trade 26. The eighteenth-century philosophes believed that society could best a chieve progress through A) prayer and contemplation (B) intuition (C) hard work and self-denial (D) scientific empiricism (E) analysis of Greek and Latin texts 27. The model of the universe which resulted from the scientific work of Galileo and Newton embraced (A) Aristotelian philosophy (B) a belief in an ascending â€Å"chain of being† (C) a conception of a spiritually animate universe (D) the belief in the fixed, central position of the Earth (E) the science of mechanics 28. The sequence of events that led to the French Revolution of 1789 is best summarized by which of the following? A) Lafayette’s call for democracy, royal suppression of the National Assembly, Robespierre’s leading a peasant revolution (B) Peasant uprisings, royal abdication, election of the National Assembly (C) Franco-Austrian war, urban riots, convening of the Assembly of Notables (D) Widespread famine, repression of riots, guerrilla war (E) Royal financial crisis, convening of the Estate s General, storming of the Bastille 29. â€Å"In place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonism, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all. These words express the ideas of (A) Alexis de Tocqueville (B) John Locke (C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (D) Edmund Burke (E) Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels 30. Which of the following best describes an important trend in typical family size in Western Europe after 1870? (A) It increased in urban areas due to improvements in public health and housing for workers. (B) It decreased in working-class families due to legislation limiting child labor. (C) It decreased sharply because of chronic food shortages (D) It decreased initially in the middle classes because of the increased costs of rearing children. E) It remained unchanged because of massive emigration overseas 31. English economic expansion was severely threatened in the eighteenth century by a rapidly diminishing supply of (A) peat (B) wood (C) coal (D) oil (E) water power [pic] Left side of graph should read â€Å"Population (in millions)†, the first number is 1700 not 700 32. All of the following statements about Europe’s population in the eighteenth century can be inferred from the graph above EXCEPT: (A) For most of the century, France had the largest population of any European power. (B) The population of Eastern Europe outstripped that of Western Europe in size. C) Russia experienced the largest increase in rate of population growth. (D) The population of the British Isles grew throughout the century. (E) Rates of population growth increased after 1750. 33. â€Å"The salon was a weekly gathering held in the home of one of the dominant ladies of the society, at which dinner was usually served, cards usually played, but conversation led by the hostess predominated. A few salons were known as having the ideal mixture of leading intellectuals, open-minded nobles, and clever, elegant women. † The passage above describes an important aspect of social life in which of the following? A) Geneva during the Reformation (B) Florence during the Renaissance (C) London during the Glorious Revolution (D) Paris during the Enlightenment (E) Berlin during the Kulturkampf 34. Enlightened monarchs of the eighteenth century supported all of the following EXCEPT (A) religious tolerance (B) increased economic productivity (C) pacifist foreign policy (D) administrative reform (E) secular and technical education 35. Which of the following characterized European warfare between the Peace of Utrecht (1713) and the outbreak of the French Revolution (1789)? (A) Standing armies pursuing limited strategic goals B) Citizen armies fighting for their native lands (C) Feudal armies fighting for their lords (D) Mass armies pursuing global strategies (E) Highly mobile armies unhampered by traditional defenses 36. Under the Napoleonic system, peasants in territ ories conquered by French armies were generally given (A) the right to vote for representatives to serve in newly created parliaments (B) control over the appointment of village priests (C) freedom from manorial obligations (D) free lessons in the French language (E) sets of laws designed specifically to fit local conditions 37. The greatest happiness for the greatest number† was the explicit goal of which of the following movements? (A) Romanticism (B) Utilitarianism (C) Pietism (D) Anarchism (E) Jansenism 38. â€Å"In the presence of my guests I reduced the telegram by deleting words, without adding or altering a single word . . . which made the announcement appear decisive. [My guest] said: ‘Now it has quite a different ring. In its original form it sounded like a parley. Now it is like a flourish of trumpets in answer to a challenger. ’ I went on to explain: ‘ . . . it will have the effect of a red flag on the Gallic bull’†The individual re counting the story above was (A) Napoleon III (B) Cavour (C) Disraeli (D) Bismarck (E) Alexander II 39. The disease most common in industrialized areas of nineteenth-century Europe was (A) bubonic plague (B) tuberculosis (C) smallpox (D) malaria (E) leprosy 40. In 1917 the Bolsheviks sought to rally support from the Russian people with which of the following slogans? (A) â€Å"Peace, land, bread† (B) â€Å"Socialism in one country† (C) â€Å"Blood and iron† (D) â€Å"Family, work, fatherland† (E) â€Å"Liberty, equality, fraternity† 41. French leaders decided to occupy Germany’s Ruhr Valley in January 1923 in order to A) counterbalance Soviet influence in Germany (B) incorporate German territory permanently into France (C) halt the rise of the Nazi party among workers in the region (D) use the region’s industrial production to accelerate France’s rearmament (E) seize goods as payment for Germany’s reparations debt 42. By 1948 Soviet-dependent regimes existed in all of the following countries EXCEPT (A) Bulgaria (B) Hungary (C) Poland (D) Rumania (E) Yugoslavia 43. The French monarchy in the seventeenth century sought to expand France’s borders to its â€Å"natural frontiers† by gaining control of (A) Schleswig-Holstein B) Milan (C) Alsace (D) Spain (E) Tuscany 44. Which of the following caused the deepest and most persistent internal opposition to the French Revolution? (A) The Great Fear (B) The storming of the Bastille (C) The publication of Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France (D) The advent of the Thermidorean reaction (E) The enactment of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy 45. Architecture produced in the Napoleonic Empire was influenced most by (A) ancient Egyptian pyramids (B) classical models (C) Romanesque churches (D) Islamic structures (E) Gothic churches [pic] 46.The graph above depicts the lengths, from longest to shortest, of the railway systems of (A ) the United Kingdom, the Italian states, France (B) the United Kingdom, the German states, France (C) The German states, the United Kingdom, the Italian states (D) France, the German states, the Italian states (E) France, the United Kingdom, the German states 47. Mary Wollstonecraft and John Stuart Mill both wrote (A) critiques of the French Revolution (B) tracts on liberty and the rights of women (C) Utopian novels (D) polemics against alcohol consumption (E) satires of George III of England 48.All of the following cities experienced major uprisings in 1848 EXCEPT A) Paris B) Berlin C) London D) Rome E) Vienna [pic] 49. The image shown above is an example of a new technique for examining the human body which was discovered by (A) Faraday (B) Pasteur (C) Lister (D) Roentgen (E) Planck Questions 50-51 are based on the passage below. Where liberal parties, now liberal only in name, remained in power, they embraced protectionism and imperialism, undertook social regulation, and retain ed from the old liberal creed only Opposition to the extension of the franchise and to the church. 50.In what era did the developments described in the passage most probably take place? (A) 1715-1788 (B) 1789-1800 (C) 1815-1830 (D) 1880-1905 (E) 1945-1970 51. Which of the following factors best explains the transformation and decline of liberalism described in the passage? (A) The continued deference of peasants to aristocratic influence (B) The rise of industrial society and of mass political movements (C) The general decline in literacy rates (D) The inability of laissez-faire economics to uproot traditional communal agriculture and guilds (E) A strong popular reaction against liberal anti-clericalism 2. Which of the following ideas did Darwin draw on in developing his theories of evolution? (A) The Romantics’ ideas about the importance of heroic individuals (B) The scientific view that species are eternal and unchanging (C) The Biblical account of creation in Genesis (D) N ineteenth-century theories of manifest destiny (E) The population theories of Thomas Malthus [pic] 53. The nineteenth-century English cartoon above depicts (A) the weakening of Great Britain caused by emigration (B) Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice (C) the pollution resulting from industrialization D) British naval losses (E) criminals lurking around British waterways 54. The immediate cause of the 1905 Russian Revolution was social strain resulting from (A) the agitation of the Russian Social Democratic party (B) the mass emigration of skilled workers to the New World (C) attempts by the government to reform the Russian Orthodox church (D) the demands of ethnic groups for political autonomy (E) Russian losses in the Russo-Japanese War [pic] 55. According to the graph above, which class in sixteenth-century England benefited most from the trends shown? (A) Landowners B) Landless laborers (C) Household servants (D) Merchants (E) Small-scale artisans 56. Which of the following was a primary result of the Glorious Revolution of 1688? (A) The establishment of universal male suffrage (B) The restoration of Roman Catholicism to both England and Scotland (C) The limitation of monarchical power (D) The execution of Charles I (E) The triumph of Puritanism 57. Important prerequisites for Great Britain’s industrialization in the mid-eighteenth century included which of the following? (A) Innovations in agricultural techniques and increases in food production B) Dramatic improvements in workers’ housing in the cities (C) A rapid increase in the amount of gold imported from New World colonies (D) Rapid growth of a national system of rail transport (E) Strong monarchical leadership and a centralized government bureaucracy [pic] 58. The shaded areas on the map above represent which of the following? (A) Dynastic lands of the Hapsburgs in the sixteenth century (B) Participants in the Thirty Years’ War in the seventeenth century (C) Protestant regions in the eighteenth century (D) Members of the Holy Alliance in the nineteenth century E) Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the twentieth century 59. Which of the following European countries experienced the greatest degree of political instability in the nineteenth century? (A) Austria (B) France (C) The Netherlands (D) Prussia (E) Russia 60. When Sigmund Freud remarked that â€Å"in mental life nothing which has once been formed can perish,† he meant that (A) human beings are rational creatures (B) human beings can remember and recall all experiences at will (C) all mental acts are conscious mental acts D) the unconscious preserves unpleasant as well as pleasant thoughts (E) the unconscious obliterates excess thoughts [pic] 61. The chronologically arranged maps above illustrate the (A) concluding phases of the Franco-Prussian War (B) Schlieffen Plan (C) concluding phases of the First World War (D) settlement of the Treaty of Versailles. 1919 (E) invasion of France in 1940 62. Which of the following ideas is common to the works of both Karl Marx and the classical economists? (A) The overthrow of the bourgeoisie by the revolutionary proletariat is inevitable. B) Class struggle is the mechanism of historical progress. (C) The free exchange of wages for labor ensures social harmony. (D) The value of a product is largely determined by the value of the labor used to produce it. (E) The triumph of the proletariat will bring about a classless society. 63. During the last third of the nineteenth century, new industries, such as those producing electric power and chemicals, advanced most rapidly in which of the following European countries? (A) France (B) Italy (C) Germany (D) Belgium (E) Spain 64. What the breechloader, the machine gun, the steamboat, the steamship, quinine, and other innovations did was to lower the cost in both financial and human terms of penetrating, conquering, and exploiting new territories. So cost-effective did they ma ke imperialism that not only national governments but even individuals like Henry Stanley’ and Cecil Rhodes could precipitate events and stake out claims to vast territories which later became parts of empires. † The historian quoted above would most likely use which of the following statements to explain imperialism in Africa after 1870? A) Europe’s major corporations used ruthless force in their search for overseas trade and profits. (B) The power of European technology provided the mechanism that made imperialism cheap and easy. (C) European politicians were willing and eager to risk war for the sake of national prestige. (D) Individuals like Stanley and Rhodes were more important than economic forces in the conquest of Africa by Europeans. (E) The European officer class was eager to use Africa as a testing ground for new weapons. 65. All of the following were invented in Western Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries EXCEPT A) firearms (B) movabl e printing type (C) the compound microscope (D) the compass (E) the flying shuttle 66. â€Å"It was an important confederation of commercial towns in northern Germany with its own laws, diplomats, and flags. Its membership of merchants earned large profits shipping fish, timber, and other resources to areas to the west and to the south. Prosperity declined, however, when trade routes shifted from the Baltic to the Atlantic after 1500. † The description above refers to the (A) Confederation of the Rhine (B) Hanseatic League C) Merchants of the Staple (D) Holy Roman Empire (E) Schmalkaldic League 67. In the sixteenth century, all of the following had religious civil wars or political insurrections EXCEPT (A) Muscovite Russia (B) England (C) the Low Countries (D) France (E) the German states 68. The teachings of which of the following had the greatest impact on the Reformation in Scotland? (A) Ignatius of Loyola (B) John Calvin (C) Martin Luther (D) Desiderius Erasmus (E) Ulrich Zwingli 69. Mercantilism was principally characterized by (A) government efforts to build a strong. elf-sufficient economy (B) the efforts of the merchant class to influence policy by subsidizing the government (C) efforts by bankers and exporters to establish free trade (D) the theory that gold and silver were not real wealth (E) the view that labor ought to be able to seek its own market 70. In the late seventeenth century, which of the following countries led continental Europe in shipbuilding, navigation, and commerce and banking? (A) France (B) Russia (C) The Netherlands (D) Denmark (E) Spain 71. In eighteenth-century Europe, the most important imperial rivalries existed among which three of the following? A) Russia, France, and Great Britain (B) The German states, the Italian states, and Great Britain (C) The German states, the Italian states, and France (D) The German states, the Italian states, and Spain (E) Spain, France, and Great Britain 72. All of the following occurred as a result of the settlements reached at the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) EXCEPT: (A) A balance of power was reestablished. (B) Belgium was united with the Netherlands under the House of Orange. (C) The neutrality of Switzerland was recognized. (D) Italy was unified under Sardinian leadership. E) A personal union between Sweden and Norway was created. 73. In the mid-nineteenth century, industrial growth in Western Europe was significantly stimulated by the (A) abolition of national customs barriers (B) introduction of assembly-line production (C) investment of United States Capital (D) expansion of transportation systems (E) expansion of labor unions 74. Which of the following factors most stimulated the entrance of large numbers of women into the labor force in many European countries during the First World War? (A) The decline in the average size of families (B) The increase in divorce rates C) Woman suffrage (D) The spread of Wilsonian principles (E) The shortage in the labor supply 75. A social historian would be most likely to research which of the following topics? (A) French diplomacy, 1742-1763 (B) Frederick William I and the General Directory of War, Finance, and Domains (C) The philosophical assumptions of Montesquieu’s Persian Letters (D) Napoleon’s Freudian relationship with Madame de Stael (E) Family life in a French village 76. In late nineteenth-century Great Britain, women were in the majority in which of the following categories of employment? (A) Transportation B) Mining (C) Factory work (D) Domestic service (E) Construction work 77. Which of the following scientific theories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was used to support notions of racial superiority? (A)James’s theory of pragmatism (B)Freud’s psychoanalytic theory (C)Darwin’s theory of natural selection (D)Planck’s quantum theory (E)Pavlov’s theory of conditioned response [pic] 78. The painting above, Musical Forms (1931 ) by Georges Braque, is an example of which of the following schools of painting? (A) Romantic (B)Impressionist (C) Cubist (D) Expressionist (E) Realist 79.Albert Einstein is well known for theorizing that (A) atoms are stable, basic building blocks of nature (B) time and space are unconnected concepts (C) light contains energy only when it is visible (D) mass and energy are interconvertible (E) the speed of an aircraft cannot exceed the speed of sound 80. Most historians would agree with which of the following descriptions of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919? (A) A treaty that spelled out the Soviet Union’s reparation obligations (B) A triumph of farsighted political and economic planning (C) A treaty that dismantled the British Empire D) A destructive peace dictated by the United States (E) A treaty that the defeated thought too harsh and the victors thought too lenient 81. The political and social values of the Vichy government in France during the Second World War are best described as (A) democratic, socialistic, peaceful (B) radically fascistic, antichurch, antielitist (C) conservative-authoritarian, corporatist, Catholic (D) monarchist, nationalistic, antimilitary (E) republican, liberal, expansionist [pic] 82. The map above represents the British Empire in (A) 1776 (B) 1850 (C) 1919 (D) 1950 (E) 1961 83. Man, being the servant and interpreter of Nature, can do and understand so much . . . as he has observed.. . . Beyond this he neither knows anything nor can do anything. † The passage above was written by (A) Francis Bacon (B) Martin Luther (C) Rene Descartes (D) Georg Hegel (E) Friedrich Nietzsche 84. Which of the following European states was the last to eliminate legal discrimination against Jews? (A) Austria-Hungary (B) France (C) Great Britain (D) Italy (E) Russia 85. All of the following were among President Wilson’s Fourteen Points EXCEPT (A) an independent Poland (B) absolute freedom of navigation C) the limitation of armament s (D) the autonomous development of the peoples of Austria-Hungary (E) the autonomous development of the peoples of the Russian Empire 86. The major objective of the Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) was to (A) end the use of war for solving international controversies (B) end the Russo-Polish border conflict (C) end tensions between France and Great Britain over the export of French farm surpluses to Great Britain (D) end the French occupation of the Ruhr (E) replace the Dawes and Young plans [pic] 87. The illustration above from a 1940 German magazine suggests that women should A) bear as many children as possible (B) not be discouraged by shortages of food and consumer goods (C) not work outside the house (D) support the war effort by doing their sons’ and husbands’ jobs (E) enlist in the army to help the war effort 88. The primary instrument of economic integration in Western Europe since the Second World War has been the (A) North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (B) European Economic Community (EEC) (C) World Bank (D) United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (E) European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 9. The most notable social effect of the 1923 inflation in Germany was the (A) depletion of the savings and income of the middle class (B) encouragement of population shifts from cities to the countryside (C) strengthening of the position of women in the work force (D) acceleration of a trend toward the establishment of cooperative pension plans (E) reduction of social tensions 90. All of the following are policies to which totalitarian states have traditionally adhered EXCEPT (A) encouragement of multiparty political systems (B) promotion of social welfare measures C) expansion of the military (D) economic planning (E) holding of periodic elections 91. Which of the following was a major factor in German military victories in1939-1940? (A) Overwhelming German technological and numerical superiority to the French an d the English (B) French insistence on continuing to fight, regardless of the cost (C) Britain’s campaign in Norway, which diverted British troops from Western Europe (D) The German army’s effective use of armor and air power in the Blitzkrieg (E) The German defeat of the Russian army at Tannenberg in August 1939 92.Which of the following statements about twentieth-century existentialists like Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre is true? (A) They questioned the efficacy of reason and science in understanding the human situation. (B) They counseled an integration of Christian principles into everyday life. (C) They promoted the development of nuclear technology. (D) They advocated a return to the ideals of the Enlightenment. (E) They advocated nationalism and the strengthening of the individual nation-states. 93. In the 1960’s a factor that distinguished Soviet social structure from the societies of advanced industrial nations in Western Europe was theSoviet Unionà ¢â‚¬â„¢s (A) lack of linguistic and ethnic divisions (B) high percentage of workers engaged in agriculture (C) rising number of workers in service-sector jobs (D) integration of women into the political elite (E) system of compulsory education 94. Which of the following was the major reason for the establishment of the Dual Monarchy in 1867? (A) To satisfy the demands of the Magyars (B) To resist Turkish encroachment into Europe (C) To resist demands made by Napoleon III (D) To balance the power of the North German Confederation (E) To curb the growing strength of a united Italy 5. The immediate aim of the Truman Doctrine of 1947 was to (A) promote the economic recovery of Europe (B) block the spread of communism in France and Italy (C) prevent the overthrow of the Greek and Turkish governments (D) bring about Soviet withdrawal from Czechoslovakia (E) forestall Soviet plans with regard to West Germany 96. Which of the following areas was conceded to Hitler at the Munich Conference o f 1938? (A) The Polish Corridor (B) The Rhineland (C) The Saar (D) Silesia (E) Sudetenland 97. The Western Allies and the Soviet Union agreed to all of the following easures to be implemented after the Second World War EXCEPT (A) the division of Berlin into four occupation zones (B) an international trial at Nuremberg of major Nazi leaders (C) a denazification program (D) the placing of Germany under the control of the United Nations (E) the disarmament of the German military 98. Nikita Khrushchev’s program of de-Stalinization involved all of the following EXCEPT (A) curbing the power of the political police (B) attacking Stalin’s cult of personality (C) disbanding agricultural collectives (D) reestablishing the primacy of the Communist party E) loosening controls over culture and society 99. Which of the following characterized Mussolini’s ideal of the fascist corporate state? I. Organization of the population into syndicates of employers, employees, and govern ment arbitrators II. Establishment of semiautonomous regional governments III. Abolition of strikes, lockouts, and the older trade unions (A) I only (B) II only (C) I and II only (D) I and III only (E) I, II, and III 100. Which of the following was a central part of National Socialist ideology? (A) Anticommunism (B) Conservatism (C) Protestantism (D) Utilitarianism (B) Syndicalism

Legacies of Horace Mann and John Dewey

Horace Mann (1796-1859) and John Dewey (1859-1952) are important contributors in the development of American Educational system. Mann regarded education as an effective  Ã‚   tool for training children and individuals into obedient workers while Dewey sees education as a means for growth and preparation of individuals to become democratic citizens (Filler 128; Westbrook 171). In conformity to their educational philosophies,  Ã‚     Ã‚  Mann made efforts that result to an organized, centralized, democratic American education while John Dewey was responsible for the laying down of American theories of democratic, science-respecting education. Mann firmly believed that education helps to alleviate poverty and he stressed this belief in his Twelfth Annual Report on education. He was convinced that educated and trained individuals produced productive labor, and hence contributes to the prosperity of a nation (Filler 128). However, when Horace Mann assumed the leadership of the Board of Education in Massachusetts in 1837, he was confronted with a sad condition of education in America. American educational ideals were low and undemocratic. Furthermore, schools were poorly organized and its curricula and methods were limited and needs modernization. On top of that,   Ã‚  schools were in bad physical condition (Graves 254-255). In short, education during Mann’s time was a neglected and more or less an unimportant part of American society. Mann worked hard to elevate the status of education in his time by promoting education through personal visits of schools in his circuit and publishing Annual Reports. He also secured government funding for schools and established libraries and â€Å"normal† training schools for teachers (Graves 256, 264). As a result, he earned the name the Father of American public education. Mann’s legacy was long lasting, for public schools flourished throughout America today and regarded by most as the best means for transmitting knowledge and training in skills. Hence, the educated American is equipped to be productive. Mann adopted a democratic approach to education. He saw the public school as a means for equalizing education, where children of different social classes learned together. He believed that education should be â€Å"universal† and â€Å"free† (Graves 264).   However, it is strange for modern minds that while Mann envisioned children of all classes learning together in schools he did not oppose segregation (â€Å"Horace† 2001). Nevertheless, Mann’s â€Å"universal† and â€Å"free† view of education is still widely held in America today, except that in modern times school attendance is not only composed of individuals of different social classes but also of different races. John Dewey on the other hand, proposed that the goal of education should produce democratic individuals for a democratic nation. He likened classrooms as representations of a democratic society. He reasoned that the success of a democratic nation lies on its educated people who had developed democratic knowledge and skills needed for a democratic society. Dewey advocated learning by method type of education and not by memorization by repetition (Westbrook 172; Archambault 10-12). In short, his educational style was highly interactive and unites theory and practice. This kind of educational style had been proven effective for learning and American schools today had lessons and curricula   Ã‚  designed for both instructing and experiencing theories. Unlike Mann, Dewey believed that schools should not produce productive worker alone but a citizen whose skills and democratic experiences met   the demands of a democratic society.   For Dewey, acquiring this skill and knowledge is not dependent on the subject matter but on the child’s own instinctive ability and power (Westbrook 177). John Dewey’s supports progressive education. As such, he liberated   students from becoming a slave to traditional knowledge. For him the student is central to education. He encouraged scientific inquiry in the classroom. In fact,  Ã‚   John Dewey was interested to â€Å"fuse the imperatives of science and nature, democracy and humanity† in educational instruction (McCluskey 177). In this sense, he has in some measure touched every stone in the modern American educational structure. It can be said that Horace Mann laid the foundation for the effective operation of American public school while John Dewey provided the theory for it. Of the two, Dewey was more of the philosopher. Mann, on the other hand was not a philosopher, he was a practical man of action whose moral earnestness laid the foundation of American public schools (Graves 266). Works Cited Archambault, Reginald D.   John Dewey on Education. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1974. Filler, Louis.  Ã‚   Horace Mann on the Crisis of Education.   Yellow Springs, Ohio: Antioch Press, 1965. Graves, Frank Pierrepont. Great Educators of Three Centuries: Their Work and Its Influence on Modern Education.   New York: Macmillan, 1912. Horace Mann.   2001.   Roundtable, Inc.Accessed April 7, 2008 McCluskey, Neil Gerard. Public Schools and Moral Education: The Influence of Horace Mann, William Torrey Harris, and John Dewey. New York: Columbia University Press, 1958. Westbrook, Robert B.  Ã‚   John Dewey and American Democracy.   Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.   

Conservatives Favour Pragmatism Over Principle

Conservatives support Pragmatism over principle Discuss. Pragmatism essentially believes in a more practical behavior or form of policy, as opposed to an ideological principle. Conservatives traditionally favour pragmatism because it emphasizes the impact of applied ideas that have been tested over time- highlighting the importance of tradition (one major traditional conservative value. One-nation conservatives agree with the foundations of pragmatic ideas.Whereas the New Right was heavily ideological- arguably, the application of Neo-liberal ideas with an emphasis on free-market economics (i. e. : heavy privatization in the Thatcher period) shows a radical change into applying newer principles. Traditional conservatives place a higher emphasis on pragmatic ideas- as these ideas have been tested over time (a conservative would argue that they work; they are product of years of continuity) thus humans are incapable and essentially limited in radically making theories themselves.Their ideas may be based upon the idea of tradition; which alig ns itself with the Darwinian belief that only the fittest policies have survived over the years- and have created what Chesterton called the ‘democracy of the dead’ which is much more reputable than todays ‘arrogant oligarchy’. Pragmatic ideas are preferred because they have continuously growing over centuries whereas principle would ensure instability- for example: the sudden abolition of the monarchy would heavily affect the public; because it’s nationally loved- therefore extreme principles of ideologies like communism would definitely cause imbalance.This agrees with the Burkean view that a human principle can’t be superior to the pragmatic principle that has developed on its own- as the political world is ‘boundless and bottomless’ (as Oakshott said), essentially too complicated for the human mind to articulate principles efficiently. Furthermore, traditional conservatives disregarded the application of representative democra cy as it was seen as being too radical in the early 19th century.Although one could argue that these conservatives are unaware of the benefits that radical change could bring- it can be countered by stating that fair democracy was a product of years of supplementing the system (example: through many Reform Acts-1832, 1848,1867†¦ etc. ); therefore this gradual and continuous change (that benefit pragmatic ideas) completely contrast the excessive change the immediate application of principle would bring.Another sect of conservatives- One-nation conservatives clearly favored pragmatism but Disraeli realized the importance of ‘change in order to conserve’, which would satisfy the masses without significantly impacting the elitists. The 1867 Reform Act exemplifies that these traditional principles were supplemented for beneficiary purposes- for example: Disraeli thought reform would diminish the brewing hope of revolution and actually convince the supporters to support conservatives. Thus Disraeli’s pragmatism was non-conventional but still built up on practical ideas.Moreover, the application of political principles by Thatcher led Macmillan to give the ‘selling of the families silver’ speech- this can create an illustration: the silver which has been accumulated over the years pragmatically has been radically excluded and unnecessarily cashed in. In contrast, New right conservatives oppose the idea of pragmatism but rather favour the principled ideas. The mixture of neo-liberal ideas used by Thatcher and the rise of neo-conservatism through Reagan who placed an emphasis on supply-side economics.These ideas proposed something different- for example: Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign placed a large emphasis in less government interference in lives of people- which completely obstructs the traditional idea of organic society and social obligations. Although New Right affected people socially, its economic impact was exc essive- as the ideas of neo-liberal economists like Hayek and Freidman who proposed leaving it to the market (like the father of economics: Adam Smith). Freidman once remarked ‘Governments never learn.Only people learn. ’- so this was applied by Thatcher who met much opposition from public/even party members who believed in more pragmatic change and weren’t ready for such a radical one. These ideas created a rapid increase in unemployment numbers, realistically reaching 4 million in terms of relative poverty; this widened the gap between South and North- a pragmatic conservative would have altered their political policies in order to come to terms with the public yet Thatcher ocused on her original ideological principles. Thatcher went against many traditional conservative values that have been developing over the years. There was a rejection of social obligations and responsibilities which was traditionally emphasized; yet the increase in atomistic individualism and egoism. In her famous speech, she said: â€Å"there is no such thing as society†- this can itself exemplify that her beliefs are formed from neo-liberal political beliefs, rather than incorporating pragmatism.An idea that evolved form an organic society; into what One nation conservatives’ idea of a paternalistic state- this was completely rejected which is evident in the increase in privatization of industries in order to ensure profit. Although one could argue that the application of this was essentially required- for example before Reagonomics, the economy was in its worst shape since the Great Depression- therefore if these New Right ideas weren’t applied and more pragmatic ideas were used then progress would be stationary and the debt would rapidly increase.Essentially, if we simplify the argument it’s just trying to, (a) bring change through principles, and, (b) do what pragmatism failed to do- so maybe, it’s just changing in order to co nverse. For example, if these free-market economic ideas are applied, they can eventually be successful- for example: Estonia, which was influenced by ‘Free to choose’ (Friedman) introduced a flat tax rate-it’s now very profitable and there is a boost in public satisfaction.Although, arguably it wasn’t able to act pragmatically because it had just been released from the cruel soviet system therefore this doesn’t significantly illustrate the benefits of ideological principle- as it couldn’t purely work on Britain, for example: the Thatcher era: there was a boost in unemployment, poverty, frustration. In conclusion, on large conservatives believe in pragmatism instead of ideological principle- although when the economy is in a slump then the application of newer ideas can revolutionize the system, evident with the New Right.However, Thatcher can be seen as an anomalous character in Britain- one could argue that David Cameron is shifting back to the pragmatic style of conservatism: with Big Society which will loosely reinstate social responsibilities. Although it’s equally arguable that New Right had an impact on New labor thus principle could be significantly important (as it was famously called: â€Å"Thatcherism with a human face†). Furthermore, on a whole, conservatives based their views on pragmatic ideas as opposed to ideological principles.

Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management - Assignment Example Personality is described in different ways by various theorists. Freud described theories according to psychic determinism in the sense that he declares how our early life dictates behaviour and unconscious reactions (Dakota, 2003). Freud also believed that individuals have their drives which direct behaviour; he believes that eros is the life instinct which preserves the species; the libido is the sexual energy; and thanatos is the people’s desire to go back to the womb, one which manifests in the person as aggressive behaviour (Dakota, 2003). Jung, believed that personality was made up of the conscious ego – what we present to the outside world; personal unconscious – which refers to a person’s motives which are unique to an individual; and collective unconscious – which refers to how people understand a person’s past (Dakota, 2003). Jung also believed that personality traits were within a continuum and people usually fell within such a con tinuum. Based on the psychodynamic theorists like Adler (Dakota, 2003), individuals already have basic qualities which define their personality. Karen Horney, also another psychodynamic theorist, believed that anxiety is a major motivator in people’s actions. ... For the infant, he usually gains trust in his surroundings based on how his basic needs are met (Dakota, 2003). As the toddler gains control of his bladder and bowel, he also learns to be more independent; as he reaches the pre-school years, he learns to initiate activities, most often during playtime. He later competes with his peers during his school age years. As a teenager, he also establishes a sense of self and comes up with his own goals (Dakota, 2003). During his adult years, he finds a sense of belonging with friends or through a significant other. The theories and explanations above can be used in order to understand behaviour in the workplace. By understanding how personality types and qualities can vary, the appropriate actions can be expected of individuals. The personality match to the organization is an important element of effective management. Without such match, the organization activities would not succeed and blend well with the workers. There are five major perso nalities which are often considered within an organization. Extroverts manifest as sociable and assertive individuals; those who are agreeable are good-natured and cooperative; the conscientious ones usually reliable and organized; emotional stability manifests in those who are calm and secure; finally, openness is usually seen in terms of their sensitivity and curiosity (Ahmed, et.al., 2010). Extroversion, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness are usually favourably related to collaboration in conflict management. For managers, managing different personalities is highly based on how he understands each personality for each of the various workers. Behaviour can

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Essay - 13

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies - Essay Example I clear separation must b made between mergers and consolidation. In the latter, both companies lose their identities and come together to form one major corporation which a completely new identity (Gomes, 2011). Mergers are regulated by the state laws as they are likely to eliminate competition leading to creation of oligopolistic firms which may collude to form cartels that may tend to harm the economy. Mergers and acquisitions are beneficial to the economy in the sense that they can bring about better approaches to management of the firm. They lead to economies of scale which has the effect of increasing production, reducing operation costs leading to decrease in the selling price which favors the consumers of various commodities. A merger can enable a business owner to sell the firm to someone who is already familiar with the industry and who would be in a better position to pay the highest price. Less competition will also mean low risks to the owners of the merged firms (Cardel, 1998). There are basically three categories of mergers which are based on the competitive relationships that exist between the merging firms. Vertical merger is a form of merger in which one firm acquires a customer or a key supplier of another firm. Horizontal mergers is where one firm acquires or takes over another firm that manufactures and sells an identical product in the same geographical location in a bid to lower competition that was originally existing between the two firms. Conglomerate mergers are those that the merging companies do not have any evident relationship between them. This paper takes an in-depth analysis on two public corporations in the United States in which one has a history of mergers and acquisitions and operated internationally and the other does not bear any history in relation mergers and acquisition and only operates within the nation. The two companies are Apple that has a long

Math and what it is focused on Personal Statement

Math and what it is focused on - Personal Statement Example I explained to them that by cutting a dot on the mobius band I could return to this point by continuing to go forward in one direction. I gave the pupils addition items like two plus three and five minus one after I demonstrate to them how to add and deduct numbers. I taught them how to add and deduct it is the basic requirement the pupils must conquer. Since I taught them how use the adding and deducting of basic numbers in mathematics, I know that when be promoted the next levels of grade school., the will apply what I have been painstakingly teaching them every hour of every day. In fact, some day in the future, when they will become young men and women, some will become engineers and others will become accountants. Other pupils of mine will become teachers like me so that they will inculcate in their children pupils the latest trends of math computations that are an offshoot or improvement over my teaching methods. I gave the pupils ten numbers on adding numbers that range from one to twenty for two days. I then gave the pupils ten numbers on deducting numbers that range from one to twenty. This is because I want them to master addition. Mathematics is best learned by DOING. Repetition of the same function like adding and deducting makes one an expert for as the saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Mastery of adding and deducting not only includes getting a correct answer but also having a correct answer in as less time as possible. At first, I could feel their resistance to even look at math problems but I still pursued my objective to let them know the rudiments of math computations for I know that they will thank me in the end when they are young men and women. In fact, I know that some of them will be computer experts where proficiency in math is a requirement.I taught them to master or specialize adding and deducting numbers from one to twenty because this is the basic requirement for them to hurdle before then can work on higher and more complex numbers. I have to teach them to specialize in adding and deducting so that they can apply what they learned to real life situations. They will know how to add and deduct numbers such as how much to pay for a chocolate bar or a softdrink or even how much the pupil will ask as increase in allowance because food items in the school canteen have increased. Many of our present day businessmen, engineers and even plain housewives need the rudiments and the simple complexities of the math in order not only to solve daily math problems but also to entertain themselves by pondering over the intricacies of solving math questions. Their math understanding will be needed as they compute for higher math problems like geometry and like what is explained when they use the geoboard. The pupils will learn how to identify the different shapes of figures like the rectangle, square, triangle, octagon, pentagon and others. UNIT 3I have taught that students based how to add and deduct math numbers based on the mental capacity of the pupil. There are students who love math so that they spend a lot of time solving math problems. These students learn math

Coca-Cola in India Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Coca-Cola in India - Case Study Example Coke’s initial response to the allegations that were brought against it by the Indian state could easily be defined as combative. As such, a combative response to such allegations hardly ever proves to be effective as it oftentimes appears that the firm is attempting to hide something rather than engaging actively to ameliorate the problem. Some of these dismissive/combative responses from Coca Cola I have included below: This is perhaps the most salient of the questions due to the fact that Coca Cola has an uphill battle on its hands with relations to public relations in India. Firstly, the company should continue to invest in the environmental infrastructure that shows the company has made a firm and continuing commitment to utilizing the resources of the host country in a responsible manner. Respecting India by being a good and fair steward of the resources exhibited therein would necessarily be a primary item that Coke must change in order to have an opportunity to regain lost market share. Similarly, refraining from participating in culturally insensitive displays such as the one that Coke engaged upon by sending the Coca Cola samples off to laboratories in England to be tested rather than in India is another important step. Similarly, Coca Cola will need to be mindful of the actions of its supply chain members as any one of these can negatively tarnish the image of the company. Furthermore, Coca Cola must cease and desist building bottling operations in areas that are prone to any level of desertification. Additionally, Coca Cola must be much faster in response to such a type of criticism in the future. By actively confronting an issue and working to fix whatever failings the firm might have, the level of customer trust is more or less retained. Similarly, focusing too heavily on the changes rather than actively pursuing to win back consumer

Women in Male dominated jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women in Male dominated jobs - Essay Example In the United States, job positions that are iconic representation of male-domination include positions of Secretary of State and directorship of federal institutions. Since US gained independence in 1776, 68 persons have occupied the Secretary of State’s office (Smith, 23). Expectedly, 3 out of the total 68 occupants were female, while the rest were male. In this context, a ration of 65:3 in terms of male and female office occupants respectively is a symbol of female underrepresentation in executive fields. Technically, underrepresentation of women in high positions is not without causes. Among the common causes of female underrepresentation include gender discrimination, and limited self affirmation within the female population. Traditionally, sex and power have an intricate relationship. Every society believes that women are emotionally weak, and lacks capability for objective judgments. This misconception explains why in the United States, women were not allowed to work and were expected to remain at home performing household chores. After the feminism period in the 1960s, the American society reluctantly invited women into the nation’s workforce (Lindsey and Martin, 90). Because of the structured gender discrimination, women lacked adequate education; hence could not be promoted into leadership positions. This element of inadequate education caused a corresponding limited self affirmation among women. In this regard, the synergistic effect of gender discrimination coupled wi th limited self affirmation propagated subordination of women in the labor force to date. Fortunately, liberation of women not only invited the female gender into workplaces but also laid the foundation for progressive transition of women in male dominated fields. Inasmuch as women are still underrepresented today, it emerges that the female gender has moved up the leadership ladder with time. Gradual entry of

Virtual Norms To Live By Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Virtual Norms To Live By - Case Study Example The virtual world makes it possible to interact with each other without being physically present. The availability of email, chat rooms, video conferencing, texting and calling on mobile and landline phones makes virtual collaboration more convenient. As it is with groups working face-to face, virtual teams also need norms to live by. Karten (2003) explains that team norms should be formed in order for team members to be guided accordingly as to how they interact, communicate and conduct themselves as members of the team. It follows that such norms should be agreed upon and clearly understood and interpreted by all the members of the group. Norms are not really set in stone. Should some norms prove to be ineffective or unsuitable already to the group, then they may be amended. I have enumerated ten norms that I believe will work with virtual teams and help them work together better. Communication Norms 1. Be open to each other’s ideas. Give each other the chance to communicate them and listen well without judgment. Objectively listening to other people’s ideas can actually be an enriching experience. Richmond & McCroskey (2005) defines organizational communication as â€Å"the process by which individuals stimulate meaning in the minds of other individuals by means of verbal or nonverbal messages in the context of a formal organization.† (P. 20). ... When one sends a message to another team member, it may be possible that the recipient is not online to receive the message at that particular moment, so the sender needs to give allowance of time before his message is received and acknowledged. It must be considered that members are not online on a round-the-clock basis and is also living a life offline that is has no relation to the project. This should be clearly understood so that disappointments are avoided. If there is an urgent message to be expected, one should be informed by mobile phone right away so he can check his email. 3. Acknowledge receipt of messages. In relation to the previous communication norm, it is but polite to acknowledge the receipt of a message so that the sender is aware. If there is a question in the message, it needs to be answered by the recipient as soon as he can so there is less time wasted on waiting. 4. Ask questions if things are not clear. This is a very basic practice. Members should not be int imidated to ask questions because it is crucial that they are clear on what they should do. If one is unsure of what to do and just goes by what he just feels is right without clarifying with the others, he might end up doing it wrong, hence, repeating the whole process. Asking questions and getting the right answers for it saves the team a lot of time and effort. 5. Always be motivating to others. Members of a team should be constantly motivated and encouraged to go on with the tasks in order to achieve the set goals. Motivation may come in many forms - intrinsic motivation or the inner drive to learn which leads to personal fulfillment; extrinsic motivation, which consists of rewards or a prize for

Survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Survey - Essay Example This is possible since it obtains data from Google maps and tweeter and thus utilizes them as one. This paper is a summary of a thesis by Mahtab Arafat who proposes the development of a DaaSMashup Model, which will work with multiple DaaS providers to improve efficiency of data extracted from single DaaS Provider while maintaining high standards of privacy. Privacy-Preserving DaaSMashup framework should ensure that different DaaS provider have a platform where they can share data from their database with other DaaS on a secure platform. DaaSMachup systems will be very effective where DaaS provider cannot solely provide consumer’s data requirement. The result of integration of different DaaS providers can result to provision of clients with data high levels of accuracy, efficiency, and reliability. Some of the reasons that cause reluctance to the willingness of DaaS providers to share their data include data quality, privacy concerns, and the ability to match a data request. Cloud based framework for the preservation of the DaaS mashup is critical for enhancing the security of the DaaS providers. This paper is critical in providing information on greedy algorithm to the providers’ of DaaS mashup. In essence, the paper explores the measures of securely integrating the data from many DaaS providers. These providers are critical in preserving the security and privacy of the resultant mashup data. A client may be willing to pay a price for a specific nature of data however the DaaS provider may lack enough data on their database to present to the client. Even with privacy issues put to concerned care should be taken to ensure that the data quality obtained after the integration of the systems is not compromised. The privacy concerns about data involves the fact that private data on respondents being licked. Most organizations are against private data of their getting on to the wrong hands as this poses

Did Attorney Evans Bump Her Head on the Glass Ceiling Case Study

Did Attorney Evans Bump Her Head on the Glass Ceiling - Case Study Example When working together though, both men and women tend to portray certain behaviors and they tend to even identify with them. According to (Powell, 48), women demonstrate emotional behaviors and an extended level of care and concern for their families and children. From the case, for example, women attorneys always complained that they were not allowed enough family time and it was becoming a bother to them. Due to the notion that is held by people that women are weaker, they try to prove themselves stronger and can end up working round the clock so as to achieve the recognition they always long for. This can make the women be possessive and always fight for equality in the group. On the other hand, behave to be stronger both emotionally and physically but they can bear less stress as compared to women. Men also tend to care for the women in the group emotionally and will always be willing to support them at least in a normal working environment. In an organization, the contribution of every member is as important and in a working group, both men and women have different strengths that can be helpful to the general success of the organization. To begin with, women are good organizers and are always sensitive to the current ideas that come up in the organization and affect each worker in one way or another. This means that women can come up with the ideas that can work towards the improvement of the workers' welfare hence motivating them to work towards the general good of the company. Men, on the other hand, can be good in idea generation and can always be there for their partners at work if need be.

Definition of Literature Essay Example for Free

Definition of Literature Essay Literature is an outlet of escape from reality. At the end of the day, I open a book and allow the story to take me to a world where my own fades into a distant memory. With every turn of a page, my imagination is free to reinvent a narrative that is better than the reality I live. Literature can be non-fiction and based on facts surrounding real events, people, and places. Examples include history books, memoirs, biographies, newspapers, self-help, devotionals, and textbooks. Literature can also be writings based not on truth, but on the imagination and creativity of the author. This includes fiction novels and children story books. A lot of times authors of fiction will get their idea from a real life event and then they allow their imagination to recreate the characters and plot. Aside from being fiction or non-fiction, literature can also fall into different categories according to the genre, purpose, and style. Some genres include romance, science fiction, Christian, suspense, and western. The authors purpose for writing will likely determine what style and genre they will use. Poetry and drama are forms of literature that are stylistically different from other writings. Every writer wants to engage their audience and capture their attention in order to convey a message. The meaning of the text may hold differing messages within the audience, but it is the goal of the author to captivate the reader and keep them wanting to read more. John Smith wrote historical accounts of life while he was living. His writings brought insight and hope regarding English settlement during the early 1600s. The General History of Virginia is difficult to comprehend in areas because I am unfamiliar with his use and style of language, but nonetheless it is a beautifully written piece of literature. John Smith’s targeted audience was most likely the people of his time, with the goal of informing them of recent events. I appreciate the way he portrays the struggles of daily life realistically and in a way that inspires and intrigues. William Bradford was not formally educauted, yet he was a wise and well-read man. His writings spread throughout the world and have been studied and quoted by many. As with most of the literature from his time period, Bradford’s style is simple, but he writes with such conviction that demands the attention and respect of the reader. Bradford was a man of faith and often expressed this in his writing. In Of Plymouth Plantation he often refers to God’s providence and makes continuous references to God. Bradford may refer to God more than any other author in this colonial unit. Anne Bradstreet was a powerful force in literature during the 1960s because she was one of the first recognized women poets. Centuries later she is a revered writer and her poetry remains enchanting. â€Å"Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is the opening line to her poem The Author of Her Book and illustrates just how feeble her brain is not. She has the unique capacity to use words to express herself so creatively and with so much emotion. To My Dear and Loving Husband is a great romantic poem that I admire. Bradstreet’s style reminds me slightly of my own. However I need more experience and practice to become nearly as talented as she. Upon the Burning of Our House reminds of my own experience of a house fire and has inspired me to attempt to capture my experience through poetry. Through all Anne Bradstreet’s work, she inspires others to recognize the beauty and power in writing. Edward Taylor was a highly educated, well respected, and devout religious man who used poetry as a private expression of his faith. He did not seek fame or recognition for his writing, rather just the pleasure it brought him. Taylor writes of God beautifully and is a master of creating moving and emotional works of art without intending to. As with most poets, Taylor and Bradstreet used metaphors and had a personal style unique from others. There is also an overflowing of emotion from both Taylor and Bradstreet within all their writings. William Byrd was a very accomplished man of his time. He was well educated, respected, and prosperous. His most famous writings are the journals that he wrote to describe day to day life. In The History of the Dividing Line I was able to pick up on the humor that has lead Byrd to be one of the first distinct comedic writers. The humor is not â€Å"pee your pants funny† rather it is more light-hearted humor that makes the reader smile. It is evident in his writing that Byrd was indeed well-read. A writer is capable of learning a great deal about language, word usage, and style through reading. Byrd’s style is simple, yet he articulates his message very well and although he wrote for himself, he managed to write in a way that would capture an audience’s attention. Jonathan Edwards was an intelligent man of God who served as a preacher. As an author, he wrote popular sermons and other serious works on religion, metaphysics, and philosophy. Edwards’ style of writing is quite different from other authors in this unit because unlike the others he gives the reader an array of possible positions for the topic he is presenting. In the sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards develops his view on destruction and punishment from verses in Deuteronomy. Not only does he explain how he interprets the scripture, he also gives other possible views. St. Jean De Crevecoeur wrote about religion but he did not profess or maintain that he believed in God. He was a well-educated humanitarian who served his people and country. I found Letters from an American Farmer difficult to get through because his style of writing is unexciting. I was also turned off by the way he wrote about certain topics particularly African American issues. Crevecoeur was not a racist man, but he lacked some sensitivity in discussing his unique view on negroes and parenting. He believed that negroes should not continue having children because if they did misery would undeniably result for themselves and their offspring. I understand that he is referring to slaves and perhaps even slaves may have wished to not have children in order to save future generations from being forced into slavery. Crevecoeur surprised me with the boldness in his writing. The progression of writing from Smith to Crevecoeur is interesting to track and there are noticeable changes in language and word usage. As defined earlier, literature to me is written art that engages my imagination and takes my mind away from reality. Not every piece of literature will bring me the pleasure of leaving my own world for a moment and that does not mean the author has failed. Genre plays an important role in this element of the definition. For example the writings from the colonies unit are primarily non-fiction history writings that are meant to inform more than entertain. Anne Bradstreet is an exception. As the writer of poetry, her style is most obviously different from the more serious and constructed essays of the other writers. Every writer has a style that is unique, however one similarity in the colonial writings is the purpose of the author’s writing. Many of the writers were writing for the sake of recording daily life and making historical accounts of slavery, war, and developing colony life. Centuries later, authors such as Smith, Bradford, Bradstreet, Taylor, Edwards, and Crevecoeur are recognized as masters in the field of writing. Writers during the establishment of the colonies wrote simple, yet serious and powerful pieces of art. They have a style of writing and voice that still captures the hearts of readers.

Identifying Long Term Career Goals

Identifying Long Term Career Goals Identify your long-term goals (five years or longer). A career like accounting is one of the most fulfilling jobs that anyone can be in. It also happens to be very critical as one deals with numbers every day and the numbers determine clients financial stability and a countrys economic state. Some of my long-term goals would be to run an independent business where I would render consultation services to the business corporates and the federal institutions too. I would also wish to maintain a small group of personal clientele would save guard their accounts with me. This would enable me to also fulfill another long term goal of investing in real estate and the stock market. Identify the skills and qualifications related to this type of role. Its important for any aspiring successful accountant to possess certain key skills. One of the most major attributes includes good organization and good organizational skills. Being that an accountant is in charge of handling many responsibilities, a good accountant needs to keep track of the numerous responsibilities one has. This means that the system has to be up to date and effective in terms of organizing transactions by order of date and deadlines. This means that the system should have calendars, alphabetized folders, day planners, color coded posts notes and highlighters as well as good financial apps. This ensures the clients of reliability, competency, and ability to handle the various jobs properly (Topan, 2016). Similarly, its important for a good accountant to be efficient in time management. This enables the workload to be solved by order of urgency. This enables an accountant to meet the set deadlines. Another important quality is adaptability. Being that the accounting world is so dynamic and involving at the same time, an accountant needs to be adaptable to the environment so as to be able to provide quality services to the clients. Its also important for them to be good at communicating. Communication skills in writing or verbal enable good interactions with clients. It also assists in creating good networking as well as creating successful profiles (Topan, 2016). Assess your qualifications you already possess. By now being that I have my own masters certificate in Accounts, it means that I am a credible accountant who can be in charge of various projects with little assistance. I have also managed to forge good connections with my previous clientele from my past employments in local and NGO firms. Likewise, I am slowly infiltrating the real estate world and so, I have some few big qualifications in my resume. Determine new skills, knowledge, certifications, and training needed for the position desired. In order to form my new firm, I will need a list of potential candidates to be in charge of the various departments. I will also need to enroll in a leadership program so as to be able to learn how to govern an organization or even a group of people. I also need to learn on how to be a good role model in terms of integrity, openness and also work ethics. This will help me in the delegation of tasks, raising my confidence, achieving the right required patience and ability to delegate duties to other people as well. Its important to learn on how to maintain work ethics so as to promote loyalty from acquired clients, it will also help me improve on current existing work relationships (Macres, 2010). Create action steps needed to take to be qualified for the position you would like to pursue. From here onwards, I need to enroll in a short course program to be more aware and educated on leaderships. I also need to start reviewing loan application from various financial institutions in order to be able to start the process of beginning my own consultancy firm. I also need to continue to maintain good relationships with my current clientele as well as future clients. References Macres, C. (2010). Where Will You Be in Five Years? Answers. Ledger Link, 1. Topan, R. (2016). 6 Skills You Need To Succeed In Accounting. Talent Tegg, 1.

An Analysis Of Microfinance And Poverty Economics Essay

An Analysis Of Microfinance And Poverty Economics Essay This is not charity. This is business: business with a social objective, which is to help people get out of poverty Dr Muhammad Yunus (www.environmentalquoteshomepage.com) Jonathan Morduch, Chairman of UN Expert Group on Poverty Statistics quoted that Microfinance stands as one of the most promising and cost-effective tools in the fight against global poverty. Economic growth of the economically, socially and geographically disadvantaged segments of the population of any country requires access to financial services. The disparity between the rich and the poor continues to grow wider and therefore microfinance institutions were introduced to help the less unfortunate people who did not have enough money for survival. It is usually in the narrow sense called micro because the microfinance companies deal with small amounts of loans for e.g. small savings and small loans. These loans are given to unsalaried borrowers, taking very little or no collateral at all. In a broader sense, microfinance refers to a movement where there is an easy access to financial services for the low income clients to build assets, stabilize consumption and protection against fu ture risks. Microfinance clients are usually people who fall under the poverty line and do not have any access to any financial institution for them to borrow from. The poor people usually save in the informal ways for e.g. They invest their assets in gold, domestic animals, land etc however informal saving has serious limitations. The poor are more likely to lose out on money through mismanagement or fraud. Banks do not entertain the poor people because they do not have collateral or enough money to open a savings account therefore it is not feasible for a poor person to access the banks. There are several microfinance institutions in the world mainly in the developing countries. The leading countries are Bangladesh, India, Colombia, Mexico, and Morocco. Micro financing has it roots from the 1870s in Ireland nevertheless today the history of microfinancing hails from the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Professor Mohammed Yunus along with his graduate students of Chittagong University designed an experimental credit programme to serve the poor facing banking problems. Through the help of rural banks they were able to disburse and recover loans. Although this project was a huge success the banks refused to take over it considering it to be too risky and expensive. Ultimately through support of benefactors, the Grameen Bank (Grameen meaning rural or village) was founded in 1983 and now provides loans to more than 4 million borrowers. They underlying objectives of the Grameen Bank was to eliminate the exploitation by landlords, perk up the standard of living particularly for women and to reverse the old age vicious cycle of low income meant low savings resulting in low investment. They wanted to inject credit into the cycle thereby increasing the investment size. Microfinance was not considered to hand out rather they introduced improved repayment rates. They focused on the ceiling in the interest rate and credit subsidies that retarded the expansion of the financial services. The poor people were shown that the repayment rates were better than the formal financial services were offering to them. The two features which helped Microfinance institutions to attain sustainability and reach large numbers of clients were the high repayment and the cost-recovery interest rates. Additionally to a bank account, there are other financial services like insurance, credit savings and other payment facilities. Financial inclusion represents the easy access of financial services to the poor and low-income groups. One of the crucial functions of the financial system is to allocate the resources effectively for increase in production, increasing opportunities and reducing poverty. (microfinance). Over 40 % of the Indian population has income earning but no savings since they are excluded from the financial system. It has been almost 25 years since the birth of microfinance since its introduction by the Grameen bank. The UN Year of Microcredit in 2005 showed a turning point for Microfinance as the private sector began to take a more stern attention to what has been well thought-out as the field of NGOs. Even with all this enthusiasm about poverty alleviation and contribution of financial services the Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP) estimates that about only 5% reaches the poor clients (repository). India is a home growing and innovative sector to microfinance. India is likely to make microfinance its abode as it has a huge population of the worlds poor. One of the largest microfinance institutions is Self Employed Womens Association (SEWA) in India. It is the largest organization based in Asia to members who are poor, self-employed women workers earning less than US$1 per day. SEWA corresponds to a union of three movements the labor movement, cooperative movement and the womens movement SEWA builds the capacity of poor illiterate women to manage their own micro-enterprises. The staff is recruited and promoted from its own member groups, thus it has been able to develop managers who although illiterate, become professionals through practical experience. SEWAs combined approach to poverty alleviation comprises: (a) organizing for collective strength; (b) capital formation through access to financial services; (c) capacity building and (d) social security; to enhance womens productivity and to ensure that sudden crises are not a drain on their fragile economies. In 1972, SEWA was registered as a trade union that began in Gujarat in India. Though it started in the urban region of Ahmadabad yet their main focus group was the organization of poor yet self- employed women workers especially in the rural part of the region. SEWA has also spread its branches out in the national and international level. These women are the ones who earn their daily income through various small scale businesses or by working in agricultural lands and making handmade materials including hawkers, home-based workers and manual laborers. They do not acquire any regular salary like the people employed in the urban organized sector. They are the unprotected labour force of our country. Comprising of 93% of the labour force, women constitute about 94% from the unorganized sector. (www.sewa.org). This microfinance institution is registered under the Trade Unions Act of 1926 and is open for membership to all women all over India. In order to start organizing the finances, th e organization has introduced a membership fee of Rs 5 annually. An election is held for the representation of the organization. The union consists of a two tier level representation elected by the members. One representative member governs 100 members under ones group.  The union is governed by a two-tier level of elected representation. With globalization, liberalization and other economic changes, there are both new opportunities as well as threats to some traditional areas of employment. SEWAs first main goal is full employment ensuring work security, income security, and food security. The second is social security and self-reliance. At SEWA the main objective is meant to attain full employment and self reliance through the policy of hard work and growth. By full employment means employment whereby workers obtain security in matters of basic amenities such as work and social needs including food, health, shelter etc. There is a need for great effort against many obstacles, limitations and restrictions faced by them or enforced on them by society and the economy, These development activities done by microfinance institutions reinforce womens bargaining power and offer them new options. SEWA is not only an organization but also a movement that took place to bring up the downtrodden and the poor. In India, this larg ely self-employed segment forms roughly 90% of the whole economy. A collection of women consequently founded the SEWA bank as a co-operative to empower deprived self-employed women by making available for them financial services and access to credit to lessen their reliance on manipulative money-lenders (www.gdrc.com). About one billion people globally live in households below the poverty line earning about less than a dollar a day. Policy makers and NGOs who want to change the poor peoples lives face an uphill battle every day. There have been reports where major organizations like World Development Bank and other associations have extended a helping hand by granting the developing countries with financial aid however due to the bureaucratic behavior and corruption this aid has not reached the low level of the income strata. The grants given by the governments make matters worse by increasing the dependency of the poor and acts as a disincentive to the poor as they choose not to move ahead and develop. The microfinance institutions around the world continue to help the downtrodden by increasing their capacity to invest and improve their living standards. As James Wolfensohn, the president of the World Bank has been quick to point out that helping 100 million households means that as many as 500-60 0 million poor people could benefit. (Jstor) .Poverty alleviation is one of the most sought out strategies that every country encloses in its priority list however since decades this has failed due to loans not being repaid, cost of subsidies increasing tremendously and credit reaching the politically powerful rather than the underserved. The purpose of Microfinance institutions in India is to extend financial help to its client and to maintain financial sustainability. The microfinance chooses the groups for their financial transactions. These groups may be Self-Help groups. The group takes responsibility for the financial borrowings taken by the members. Even though a few institutions may require capital, the loan repayment method has become quite popular amongst microfinance organizations. Although these high repayment rates may seldom translate into profits. The institutions try and involve the governments as well and keep an eye on the incentives that chase off efficiency in peoples performance. Microfinance depends on pouring of finances from donors however the donors are against the continuous dependence on subsidies. The donors believe that subsidies should only be provided at the start of a project to cover up starting costs. (Murdoch) Self employed women workers and are quite active in the economic sense and therefore add to the expansion of the economy. They are primarily engaged in production, trade and the service sector as a whole. However, in spite of their uphill struggle and their input to the countrys overall gross domestic product, they have are not provided with any financial services, which could help them upgrade in their own labor and output. (www.sewa.org) These self-employed women cope with two major financial problems: shortage of working capital, and Non-ownership of assets. The banking sector was not responsive to the needs of these self- employed women and the money lenders were very exploitive in nature. Thus, sequentially to tackle this problem and liberate themselves from the cruel phase of eternal debt, the SEWA members came together with their own solution, in a meeting in December 1973: a bank of their own, where they could be privileged enough to be accepted and not to be made feel inferi or by the exploitative money lenders and indeed 4,000 women contributed share capital of Rs.10/- each towards the creation of the  Mahila SEWA Co-operative Bank (www.sewabank.org). In the year 1974 in May, the SEWA Bank was registered as a co-operative bank under the dual control of The Reserve Bank of India and The State Government. Since then it has been providing banking services to poor, illiterate self-employed women and has become a viable financial venture. (www.sewabank.org) SEWA started its own bank to provide women with access to microloans. Swashrayi Mahila Sewa Sahakari Bank is SEWA members largest cooperative, unheard of in India. The bank is in possession of the self-employed women as share holders; policies are devised by their own particular Board of elected women workers. The Bank is managed professionally by qualified managers liable to the Board. In 1974, SEWA Bank was established with 4000 members each contributing shares capital of Rs .10 each. Currently there are 93,000 active depositors. SEWA Bank in the year 1999, celebrated 25 years of granting financial services to the poor, self-employed women. Constantly in debt, our members initially brought up the matter of their need for credit so as to free themselves from the control of money-lenders and traders, to augment their businesses, build up assets in their own name, for childrens education, for the several crises including illness that they might occur and for many other purposes. (www. sewa.org). SEWA has been successfully lending money to women for various needs such as running a household or for their childrens education or weddings etc. Since women are achieving the two goals of the SEWA association they are ought to receive the support services such as health care, child care, insurance claim, legal help, communication services and capacity building. These services could be used for self-employment. Also women are ready to pay for these services which made the services financially viable. They dont have to depend on grants and subsidies for the use of these services. Some supportive services such as child and health care including savings and credit have formed their own co-operatives and have also gained operational self- sufficiency. Access to finance is a major problem for economically deprived women and in particular for poor self-employed women in countries that are developing such as hawkers, street vendors, home-makers, manual laborers and service contributors. As they do not save, disasters and compulsions time and again compel women to scrounge heavily. However, they do not posses the necessary experience and confidence to acquire credit from a financial institution in the recognized sector and the formal sector does not lend to the self employed women easily, therefore, one depends heavily on informal money-lenders, who charge exorbitant interest rates: This is usually the start of a negative skew of increasing indebtedness. SEWA Bank as a cooperative bank with the precise aim to provide credit to self-employed women with the vision to empower them and reduce their dependency on loan sharks. Initially, the SEWA Bank focused on drawing deposits from self-employed women and supplied it as an intermediary to facilitate depositors to procure loans from nationalized banks which are obliged to lend to the poor. In 1976, the SEWA Bank began to offer loans to its depositors from its own funds and steadily withdrew from the credit agreement with th e nationalized banks. The bank employs a woman who saves as a organizer between other women to encourage them to save in the bank as well. The organizer usually visits the women easy accessibility to the depositing of the savings by them. If a loan is required by a woman requires a loan, a member has to accompany her in order for that loan to be sanctioned. The bank scrutinizes the application process, carefully reviewing the applicants ability to generate income, standard of living, soundness of working conditions and capability to repay. Majority of the loans are unsecured; the process of approval takes about one week. If collateral is offered then the approval day is shortened and the loan could be granted the same day. Once the loan has been approved, the borrower is obligated to buy 5 % of the loan amount in bank shares and to open a savings account if she does not have one yet. Women are encouraged to register their savings account and their assets (such as working tools, house or land) in their own name (www. Gdrc.org). SEWA bank has also introduced various other schemes such as Crisis Mitigation Scheme, House Financing Scheme, Women Farmers Credit Scheme, and Sunrise Scheme for developing women businesses. Self-employed women need loans for an ample range of reasons; to obtain assets, raw materials, finished goods for resale, and trade-in old debts, improve their homes, buy transportation means or install amenities in their house, for instance electric and water connections. The bank gives long- term loans, i.e. 3-5 years, of no more than Rs. 50,000 which is an unsecured loan at the rate of 14.5%- 17% and the method used for this lending is the Diminishing Balance Method (This method is also applies a fixed percentage but it applies to the diminishing value of the asset and not to the initial value of the asset) (www .howto.co.uk). Each loan is sanctioned with a pre check of the house visit by a SEWA bank field worker. SEWA Bank has been supplying a wide variety of loan products to meet the product ive credit requirement of its clients. SEWA Bank necessitate a woman save regularly for at least one year, before she is eligible to apply for a loan. If there is an absence of traditional collateral, like jewellery or domestic animals a regular savings habit is considered a necessary form of security, in SEWA Banks experience of banking with the poor for over 25 years. SEWA Bank lays great emphasis on savings. All the self-employed women required a safe place to save their earnings and building up a credit loan from member savings was a very cost-effective method. SEWA bank introduced Indias first Micro-Pension Scheme. In April of 2006, SEWA members were approved to bond with a SEBI approved pension plan that presents no assured returns but permits up to 40 % collection to be invested in the Indian stock market. A number of countries were providing general insurance in India. Life insurance was nationalized and the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) became the only authorize d insurance life insurer. In 1992 SEWA started an integrated insurance programme for its members. It was started with the objective of providing a support to poor women in times of calamities. It is a collaborative effort of SEWA, SEWA Bank and the nationalized insurance companies. Currently, SEWA has its own insurance unit called VimoSEWA which insures women for life, health, assets, widowhood and accidents in Gujarat. Starting with 7,000 members, it has now reached more than 70,000 women in 11 districts of Gujarat state. The total number of insureds, women and men, is 90,000 (www.sewabank.org) Why do MFIs target women? Microfinance is a womens movement but there is a logic that MFIs tend to target women for the practical reason that they are willing to attend group meetings and to comply with savings and loan terms. They may also believe that women are more conscientious in using finance for the benefit of the family. Men, by comparison, prefer larger, individual transactions. Lending to women guarantees the microfinance that the money is well spent on education, health, housing, and nutrition, making sure that they maximum money is directed toward the benefit of the family and the community. Financial independence and security gains a woman respect in the society and she is looked up to by other people. Decisions to make own choices could help the family from the clutches of poverty and social exclusion. The SEWA Bank has broken the vicious circle of indebtedness and dependence on middlemen and traders, and this has increased the bargaining power of the women. Many of them have upgraded their skil ls, developed more business and increased their income. (www. The World Bank Global Learning Conference in Shanghai in 2004 confirmed the impact of microfinance: Studies have showed that microcredit programs positively affect a womans decision-making role, her marital stability, and her control over resources and mobility. The analysis establishes that a womans contributing to her households income is a significant factor towards her empowerment (tars) The world has failed to understand is that the poor are not victims of a system that failed or passive receivers of domestic and foreign aid. The poor have had the willpower and organization to take action to the problems that affect their lives. As long as affluent nations give out free donations and help to poor countries, the people themselves will never be empowered to break free from oppressive conditions of poverty. The poor, if given the opportunity for economic advancement, can and will prove to the world that they are capable and responsible citizens. There are five major criticisms of microfinance: it is does not reach the chronically poor of the population, it is not financially sustainable for institutions, it is potentially harmful to women (domestic abuse may result from husbands jealous of their wives new financial power), it can create a large debt for the poor, and it is not universal in application. Though these criticisms are valid, there is ample evidence to show that the benefits of microfinance outweigh the costs. There are various examples to show that microfinance can lead to an income increase, better opportunities for growth of the family as a whole, better education and employment. Microfinance also leads to empowerment of women especially in developing countries and alleviation of poverty. Microfinance could be the answer to secure success for the Millennium goals.