The Foundation Of Power And Justice In International Law Essays

The Foundation Of Power And Justice In International Law Thucydides wrote The History of the Peloponnesian War believing that it was a good picture of the past and which (human nature being what it is) will, at some time or other and in much the same way, be repeated in the future. This paper will present a comparison between the time of Thucydides and how the International system has reflected certain aspects that are contained in the document. It will attempt to address the possibilities of oncoming systemic war, concepts of trust, and the earlier statement of Thucydides. Terms that are important to this argument are anarchy, security dilemma, and balance of powers. Anarchy is the system that world politics works under: with the presence of no prominent authority, any state can do what it chooses on the international stage. The notion of security dilemma rises out of the fear of other states building up their forces and becoming a larger threat to all of the other states. The tie between anarchy, security dilemma, and life in a sovereign state is the balance of powers; which aims at primarily to preserve peace and the status quo. Thucydides' balance of power involved two states: Athens and Sparta. After the Persian war, Athens had become a very powerful military state, and began to assimilate other states they had recently saved in the Persian War. Athens justified their actions by suggesting that, having won the war, their rights to become an empire were prevelent. They then built walls around their new territories and continued to increase their military power. This worried the Spartans because if Athens were to attack them it would be difficult to counter attack. Sparta, however, did not respond by building up their forces to maintain the balance. The Spartans acted slowly and tried to avoid the conflict. However, when the smaller states went to Sparta and pleaded for aid, the Spartans agreed, to defend against hostile Athenian actions. Sparta and its smaller allies soon engaged the Athenians and were eventually victorious over the Athenian threat of hegemony. The underling cause of Spartan engagement orig inated in the pleas of the fleeing allied city-states. They claimed that since Sparta was the only other major power that it was Sparta's duty to protect the smaller states. These states also created the fear in the Spartans that Athenians would develop enough power to create a hegemony, and that they all would lose their sovereignty. They stated that an Athenian attack was inevitable. The Spartans began to position troops to defend themselves, as it was better military strategy to stop Athenian forces before they gained any more power. This was considered an aggressive act by the Athenians and sparked the beginnings of the Athenian-Spartan conflict. In comparison, Europe of the 19th century involved five major powers England, France, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. These five powers through communication and shared interest created a system in which they managed to maintain stable international relations. The larger powers were responsible for maintaining the independence of the smaller states' sovereignty. This system, though there were many small wars over territory and maintaining the balance, managed to avoid any systemic wars for ninety years after the Napoleonic war. In this alliance, England had taken on the role of a balancer and joined any side necessary to maintain the balance. The European system ran on many concepts that allowed for its stability. Their system was designed to ensure that all independent states would survive, preserve the system, and that none would control the others. The nature of their trust allowed each state to maintain a balance of power where none had to worry about the rise of hegemony. War was inevitable on a small scale to maintain the balance and status quo; however, due to the nature of the structure, the groups interest superseded the need for any state to take over others. Thucydides was correct in his assumption that some of his understanding of human nature would last through into the future. The structure of the system in both examples are remarkably similar even after almost two thousands years they still have many of the same underling principles. In both systems,

Beowulf Essay

Beowulf Essay Beowulf Essay Picking up the Pieces What is a nation to do when everything they stand for is gone? This is the unfolding story in the poem Beowulf. Beowulf is a Geat warrior who sacrifices his own safety to battle the evil that presents itself against the Danes in the form of the fierce monster Grendel. King Hrothgar and the Danes exemplify pride, happiness, and power before Grendel steals everything from them when he attacks what is dearest to King Hrothgar's heart: Herot, the glorious palace built for celebration. Once Grendel makes his initial appearance, it takes a miracle to bring celebration back into the hearts of the Danes. Before Grendel begins his reign of terror, Herot is a place of pride. People everywhere can see its beauty and stature as it reaches â€Å"higher toward Heaven than anything that had ever been known to the sons of men" (Beowulf 25). With golden pillars and remarkable architecture, Herot symbolizes hope and joy. Shame replaces pride when the Danes cannot stand ag ainst Grendel. This horrifying monster overpowers the Danes on every front. Nothing they can do will stop Grendel and his vindictive nature. Beowulf's journey begins here when he does something no mortal man can do; he defeats Grendel. By the grace of God, Beowulf restores the Danes' pride and then some. A characteristic of a hero is humility and Beowulf does not possess this trait in the slightest. Though this seems negative, it benefits the Danes as Beowulf's conceit brings pride back to these countrymen. Grendel may have originally stole away their pride, but Beowulf brings it back. Herot used to be the epitome of happiness and joy. Anybody who came near to Herot instantly became blanketed by peace because supposedly nothing could ever harm it. That is until Grendel decides to intercede. Grendel hears the happiness and euphoria erupting from Herot while in his cave. Jealousy ensues and he can no longer stand hearing the joy when he is miserable and alone. Instead of c reating his own happiness, Grendel steals the Danes’. By Grendel killing people and stealing their bodies, Herot becomes a house of sorrow. When Grendel is finally defeated, the Danes rejoice for Beowulf has come through triumphant. In all this happiness, though, there is still someone who the joy cannot touch. Grendel’s mother is heartbroken over the death of her son and she is seeking vengeance. As Grendel did before, his mother takes the life of a noble soldier, snatching away the happiness just as it is returned. Beowulf dives back into a fierce battle that goes back and forth until the brave warrior is able to win the battle, but he does not do it for the Danes’ per se. During a time when Beowulf is struggling, the poet writes â€Å"but Beowulf longed only for fame, leaped back into battle† (Beowulf 71). Even though Beowulf yearns only for the notoriety of the victory, this minor indiscretion does not faze the Danes’ as they are the o nes benefitting. The joy is returned and they are finally jubilant again. Having power is something the Danes and many others respect. Not only do they respect it, they deem power a necessity. Without it, others will assume they can obliterate and overthrow the Danes with ease. The Danes grew accustomed to putting angst into the eyes of those around them, but Grendel changed that by putting dread into theirs. Power is transferred through the

1/8/99

1/8/99 Essay Lord of The FliesThree major themes in this story were: fear, the need for civilization, and instinct to be a follower. The most obvious of all the themes is mans need for civilization. The total opposite of the belief that man is innocent and society is evil is displayed in the story by showing that laws and rules, schools and policemen are all important to keep the dark side of human nature in line. When these concepts are ignored or slip away then we go back to the earliest part of their nature. An example of this is when the boys on the island get together at the beginning of the story and try to set some rules and assign a leader. This does not work out the way Ralph had expected, and it shows that uncivilization may occur when there are no regulations, and guidance from a leader. Fear of the unknown on the island are in the minds of the boys because of the terror of the beast. The fear is allowed to grow because they play with the idea of it. They cannot accept the belief of the beast, and they also cannot let go of it. The recognition that no real beast exists, that there is only the power of fear, is one of the deepest meanings of the story. I someone believes that another is superior, usually in strength and intelligence, they will be a follower of that person and fulfill their wishes. At first in the book, Ralph was elected chief. Everyone followed Ralphs commands because he was the superior. Ralph was Jacks superior, but Jack was still in charge of the members that left Ralph. Jack did not believe that Ralph was his superior in strength and intelligence. He left with choir, who followed him. The others soon believed Jack was superior to Ralph because he could hunt and supply them with food. They, of course, went and became part of Jacks tribe. Thsi all shows that people are easily fooled by a show of superior ability and will follow anyone that they believe to be powerful. Three symbols used in this novel are: the conch,the boys, and the hunting rituals. The conch stands for order and stability. It was a way of getting everyone together for meetings, and showing respect to whomever was speaking while holding the conch. The boys themselves represent the different ways of life, they had the intellectual Piggy, the adventurer, the bully, and the torturer. These all give the impression of diversity that is found in an actual society. the several hunting rituals symbolize the increasing powers of evil in them. All of the chanting and dancing they did when hunting was taken to another level of satisfaction, and excitement of that in murderers. Simon symbolizes the prophet-like figure. He is intelligent, and sensible, and he keeps up the hope that the boys will get rescued even when Ralph is doubting it. Some of the other boys on the island find him strange and think that theres something wrong with him. Simon meets the Lord of the Flies, which is represented by the pig skull on the stick. He is the only boy who realizes that there is no real beast on the island, and the only beast is the boys themselves. Simon is killed by the other boys who were caught up in a savage dance, which was an event that represented their barbaric way of living.

Argue that, no, feminism is not dead Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argue that, no, feminism is not dead - Essay Example Things such as child bearing and nurture are believed to be a hindrance to a woman’s productivity by the radical-liberalists. They therefore strongly advocate use of artificial means of reproduction, are usually pro-abortion and largely promote use of contraceptives. The other form of feminism is radical-cultural feminism; this group believes that women should embrace their femininity because it is their source of power. They encourage women to explore themselves deeper and find their wild self. According to their view, sex was predominantly a man’s field, but women should start taking control and norms such as pornography, subordination, rape should be eliminated. Unlike the radical-libertarian feminists who view reproduction as a means of tying women down, the radical-cultural feminists promote a different view. The view that, men are jealous of the reproductive responsibilities of a woman and therefore try to hinder it using technological means. One can be classified as a feminist if they believe that; women should have equal rights to men. Women should be allowed to hold an office that a man can hold; also women should be recognized by their talents and not their looks. In addition, they believe that, it is offensive for women to be given tasks based on their gender and that a feminist is not afraid to refer to herself as one (Shaw and Lee 12). I believe that feminism is not dead; to the contrary, it has actually become stronger as women seem more empowered in this generation. Feminism is not dead; if it was dead then there wouldn’t be so much effort to make it seem as if it is dead. The media and other conservative groups argue that feminism is long gone and women do not need it anymore because it does not speak for the majority of women. Whereas its polls show that, women advocate for ideas such as child and women health care, political offices for women, equal work pay, and an end to women violence and so on (Shaw and Lee 19). These are definitely feminists’ stands and goals and therefore the feminist culture is still strong (Valenti 11). In the recent wake of issues such as promiscuity, the rise in women crime and also man hating have all been blamed on feminism. It is now being said that women have been taught to depend on no one and especially not a man. This has therefore contributed to the issues such as crime, breakdown of families and high rates of divorce. If feminism was dead, then it means that these issues would be nonexistent. However, the fact that they are being blamed on feminism, it therefore goes to show that it is still ongoing (Valenti 12). Feminists encourage women to accept themselves as they are which contribute in enhancing their self esteem and image. This new found confidence is a threat to companies that benefit greatly from women who are always looking for ways to enhance their physical appearance. If feminism was dead, it would not be a threat to these organizations which prov es further that feminism is thriving. In conclusion, some might argue that feminism is dead because it is unpopular nowadays as compared to the earlier days when it started. It was a thing of white old ladies as commonly referred to and most young women are not championing with much gusto as before (Valenti 10). Journal It is now clear to me how feminism has changed the world, relationships and women’s view, all at ago. When I first heard the word feminist, I thought they were a bunch of women who no longer want to embrace

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella - Essay Example (c). Epidemiology of rubella: â€Å"In 2000, the National Disease Surveillance Centre (NDSC) in Ireland reported 1,221 cases of rubella by August of that year.† The occurrence of the disease was as a result of people fearing to be vaccinated against measles (Shmaefsky, p.61). (d). Pathogenesis and pathology of Rubella involved measles virus entering the body system, then to the epithelial cells, and finally to the blood where it multiplies (MPS). In blood the virus advances to general toxic level. The general toxic level of the disease is associated with the presentation of rashes and pigmentation (Shmaefsky, p.83). (e). Clinical manifestations of Rubella appeared after an incubation period 6-18 days. The clinical signs included fever, catarrhal inflammation, and appearance prodromal rashes on the skin surface (Shmaefsky, p.85). (c). The epidemiology of Ruboela: In the first ten years after its discovery, the disease caused approximately 6,000 deaths each year. Approximately 3 to 4 million people in the U.S got measles each year. Each year was also associated with about 500 deaths, 48,000 hospitalization cases, and 4,000 developed encephalitis as a result of measles. (Black, p.90). (d). The pathogenesis and pathology of Ruboela involves measles virus entering the body, then virus moves to the epithelial cells, then to blood where it multiplies (MPS), blood and later generates to general toxic level. When it is at the general level, Ruboela presents rashes (Black, p.90). (e). Clinical manifestation of Ruboela start to appear after approximately ten days after being exposed to the measles virus, a person infected with measles depicts rash, high fever, and runny nose (Black, p.91). (c). Epidemiology of mumps: the largest number of cases of mumps was reported in 1941 when the incidence of the disease was approximately 250 cases in a population of 100,000 people

Slumdog Millionaire Essay Example for Free

Slumdog Millionaire Essay The issue we have decided to discuss is centred around the two children Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail who star in a leading role in the film Slumdog Millionaire. The film grossed $141,000,000 in the US alone and had a budget of $15 million but the two children only received  £500 ($700 American Dollars) and  £1,700 ($2408.50 American Dollars). Despite the claims of director Danny Boyle, that the film has â€Å"completely changed their impoverished lives† (Tyler, 2009) the children continue to live in the slums in India from where they were originally found. The children’s parents were very disappointed given the films worldwide success and had hoped that this film and their children’s leading roles would have given them opportunity of a better life outside the slums. Having found themselves leading the same lives as before Slumdog Millionaire, they realised just how under-paid their children were actually paid. Ismail predicament is considerably worse off as his illegal home was recently demolished by local authorities. It is even more difficult for the children to return to the slums given the lifestyle and the luxuries they received during the filming, promotion and subsequent award ceremonies. However both film makers and film distributors have disputed the families’ claims and have highlighted that the wages paid to both the children were three times the average local annual adult salary. Furthermore provisions have been made for the children’s education and once completed a trust fund will be paid to the then 18 year olds, Ali and Ismail. Ethical issues surrounding the topic * Underpaying the child actors in the Slumdog Millionaire movie * Allowing the children to return to the slums * Returning the children to their poverty stricken roots having experiences the lifestyle of a movie star * Not providing the children with a place to live after their home had been destroyed * Is the trust fund achievable given the children’s circumstances and harsh living conditions?

WHAT DROPPING THE BOMB MEANT FOR THE FUTURE :: Essays Paper

WHAT DROPPING THE BOMB MEANT FOR THE FUTURE This page is focused what dropping the atomic bomb on Japan meant for the future of nuclear war. The page will discuss the events such as the Cuban missile crisis and most recent developments as the Gulf War with the ultimate question being asked, what if we did not drop the bomb? The decision to use the atomic bomb was controversial. Some have claimed the bombing was unnecessary to defeat Japan. Some claim that the United States utilized the atomic bomb to scare the Russian and make them respect American military power. But regardless of the reason, purpose, or motivation, the bomb ended the war quickly and preserved the lives of many Americans (696 Kagan). While it preserved American life, the use of nuclear weapons had consequences we are experiencing today and will experience for years to come. The Atomic Age had begun as soon as the bomb left the cargo bay of the Enola Gay. There was no turning back. The decision that the United States toiled over seemed almost automatic because of all the time and money the United States had committed to its development. But what the bomb meant for the future of the world was unthinkable. No one could have imagined the fear that the phrase "nuclear weapons" strikes in the heart of so many people. Many, many nations have developed nuclear weapons since the Hiroshima bombing and these nations have the capabilities to do to the United States what the United States did to Japan. In 1945, the world was on the brink of nuclear holocaust. Although the world has settled in to more peaceful times since then, the world still fears another conflict which could extinguish the entire human race (58 Sagan). The first post-war effects of the United States' use of the atomic bomb was the Cold War and more specifically the Cuban missile crisis. The U.S., the sole-possessor of atomic weapons at the time, was upset at the Soviets policy of expanding westward. The height of the Cold War and the event the had the United States on the tip of nuclear destruction was the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev made the decision to install nuclear weapons in Cuba, a Soviet ally after a 1957 revolution.