Importance Of Effective Recruitment Business Essay

Importance Of Effective Recruitment Business Essay Recruitment is the process of attempting to locate and encourage potential applicants to apply for existing or anticipated job openings (Compton et al.2009, p.15). According to Kleyhans et al (2007, p.81) recruitment is the process of looking for and getting new employees. It involves attracting individuals on a regular basis, in enough numbers and with the right qualifications and encouraging them to apply for specific jobs in the organisation. Recruitment is described as the process of bringing a person or persons into the organisation. It starts with the decision to recruit and continues through to the induction and settlement of the new employees (Grimshaw 2009, p.7). Recruitment of candidates is the function preceding the selection, which helps create a pool of prospective employees for the organisation so that the management can select the right candidate for the right job from this pool. The main objective of the recruitment process is to expedite the selection process. 2.2 Importance of effective recruitment Effective recruitment attracts individuals to the organisation and increases the chances of retaining them. It can also improve productivity, reduce labor cots, and help the organization stay competitive (Jackson et al. 2012 p.188). 2.3 Recruitment Process A successful and effective programme to recruit the personnel requires a well defined recruitment policy, proper organisational structure, and procedures for locating sources of human resources, suitable methods and techniques for utilising human resources and even constant assessment and consequent improvements. Normally each organisation has its own recruitment policy. It may change year to year in the light of changing environments and situations. The recruitment of a new team member is a major investment for hotels. Developing and adopting a recruitment process that yields solid returns is critical to the success of every organisation, as wrong hiring is very costly. The most effective recruitment process shares three goals: Accuracy is the ability of your recruitment process to ascertain the interviewees job performance because you do not want to end up with an accountant who does not know accounting, a Trainer who does not know how to speak or a Secretary who does not know how to type. Fairness is the assurance that your recruitment process gives every suitable candidate a fair and equal chance of being selected. A fair selection process is based on valid requirements that are applied throughout the recruitment process and uses the same job-related selection process applicable for all candidates. Commitment is the extent to which the people involved in the recruitment process perceive its worth. Interviewers and interviewees are committed if the recruitment process does not drag, it is beneficial to everybody, the self-esteem of the interviewee is maintained and the image of the organisation is untouched. 2.3.1 Strategic Planning Strategic planning is the first step of the recruitment process which management uses to determine overall goals and objectives for the organisation. This planning will ultimately have an effect on HR planning (Kleynhans et al, 2007, p.68). Decenzo and Robbins (2005, p.21) have stated that human resource managers must engage during the strategic planning process to ensure that appropriate staff are available to meet the requirements set. The aim of this planning effort is to determine what HRM requirements exist for current and future supplies and demands for employees. They also emphasize on an organisation using innovative initiatives as strategic measures to show employees that their contributions to the organisation are valued and in doing so, influence their motivation, job satisfaction leading to increased job performance. 2.3.2 Human Resource Planning Secondly, human resource planning determines whether there will be an excess of workers, a shortage or just enough employees to achieve these organisations goals. 2.3.3 Alternatives to recruitment According to Kleynhans et al (2007, p.68) Organisations search for alternatives to recruitment because of the cost of recruiting. Three such alternatives of recruitment are overtime, employee leasing and temporary employment. Overtime Firms seek to make existing employees work overtime instead of recruiting new hands. Overtime can provide employees with additional income. However overtime results in fatigue, increased accidents and more absenteeism. These developments and the need to pay double the wages add to the cost. Employee Leasing Also known as staff outsourcing, employee leasing involves paying a fee to a leasing company or a consulting firm that handles payroll, employee benefits and routine HR functions for the client company. Leasing is particularly useful to small and medium sized firms which might not be able to maintain regular HR staff. Temporary Employment Today, just-in-time employees can be found staffing all types of jobs in organizations, including professional, technical and executive positions. The benefits of using temporary employees include relatively low labour costs, easy access to experienced labour and flexibility in responding to future changes in the demand for workers. A drawback for hiring temporary help is that these people do not know the culture or work flow of the hotel. This unfamiliarity detracts from their commitment to organisational goals (Kleynhans et al. 2007, p.73). 2.3.4 Recruitment Policies and Procedures Policies and procedures are guidelines which an organisation sets up to make sure that everyone in the organisation deals with recruitment in the same manner. These policies should take into consideration the internal and external factors that affect the recruitment process. 2.3.5 Internal Recruitment Internal recruitment is one of the most popular incentive systems and has an old tradition in the hotel industry, and is also mentioned by Merchant and Van der Stede (2007) as one of the non-monetary rewards. 2.3.5.1 Advantages of internal recruitment The advantages with internal recruitment are that hotels gain a lot of advantages by using their existing employees, given that the latter know their job, understand the organisation and are competent. Molander (1996) states the main advantage of internal recruitment is its ability to create a culture of loyalty and job security among the employees, which could be hard to achieve otherwise. Another advantage is time-consuming and also a way of cutting training costs that an outside employee would need to become familiar with the company. By applying internal recruitment, the employees will have incentives to stay within the organisation in order to climb the carrier ladder. This would add to their incentives for effectiveness and an improvement in productivity. 2.3.5.2Disadvantages of internal recruitment The main disadvantage of internal recruitment is, logically, the limited supply of candidates to choose from. Ahrnborg (1997) states that internal recruitment could be a trouble for sluggish companies, due to lack of new influences, and the fact that they maintain their sluggishness and limit their prospects for development. Another drawback is that the person, who fills the post, is leaving its position and therefore a new vacancy will be created. According to the Lockyer and Scholaris (2004) another feature of recruiting internally is that staff may feel that they should be recruited owing of their experience although they are not qualified enough. 2.3.6 External Recruitment If the list of possible internal candidates is assessed and no one is found to be suitable, the company should then advertise externally. This is also advisable if the company decides that fresh blood is required from outside. In reality, employees should be fully aware of corporate recruitment policy as it relates to sourcing of employees (Compton et al. 2009, p. 50). 2.3.6.1 Advantages of external recruitment The biggest advantage of external recruitment is that the company has no limited supply of candidates and can choose employees worldwide. 2.3.6.2 Disadvantages of external recruitment According to Duggan and Croy (2004), a problem with external recruitment is that it can be hard to put words on what specific skills the company needs, and in this way cause problems because the consultants misunderstand and hire a person who does not fit for the task. Another disadvantage with external recruitment is that it could diminish the efforts of existing employees, due to lack of the possibility of promotion. 2.4 Job Analysis Job analysis is the process by which job descriptions and person specifications are produced. Armstrong (1999, p.190) defines job analysis as the process of collecting, analysing and setting out information about the contents of jobs in order to provide the basis for a job description and data for recruitment, training, job evaluation and performance management. Marchington and Wilkinson (2005) propose that undertaking a job analysis may not be necessary for every time a vacancy arises, especially in organizations that have high levels of labour turnover. Though, they do recognise that job analysis does allow for an examination of whether existing job descriptions and person specifications are appropriate for future needs. 2.4.1 The purpose of Job Analysis The purpose of job analysis is to provide the information necessary for writing job descriptions. Job analysis information can even be used in the job evaluation process, which is the process for assigning value to a job for the purpose of setting compensation. The types of information gathered during job analysis will be specific to each organisation. Nevertheless typical kinds of information which are grouped are: Summary of duties Details of most common duties Supervisory responsibilities Educational requirements Special qualification Experience Equipment/tools used Frequency of supervision Information about jobs can be gathered using qualitative or narrative techniques such as interviews, questionnaires, observations and activity logs. 2.4.2 Process of Job Analysis 2.5 Recruitment Methods In deciding what methods to be used to attract applicants, Armstrong (1996) refers to the three criteria of cost, speed and the likelihood of providing good candidates. Several empirical studies have identified recruitment methods as being either formal or informal. Examples of formal recruitment methods are newspaper advertisements, job centres and other employment agencies whereas word of mouth methods such as referrals by existing employees are examples of informal recruitment methods (Carroll et al. 1999, Taylor. 1994). Any hotel would want to attract the best suited candidate and therefore has to decide on the best way to attract them. Here are the most frequently channels used by organisations: Internal advertisement Advertising is the most obvious methods of attracting recruits, but it may not always be necessary, as other sources of recruits, are available. Internal advertisement on the companys Intranet system is being widely used, especially within large organisation, to promote from within. Newspapers Drafting an appealing recruitment advertisement always give good return. Trade/business and specialised magazines Putting a recruitment advertisement in specialised magazines is far more focused and is more likely to target the right audience. Recruitment agencies Recruitment agencies have a large databank of candidates and provide hotels with a selection of screened profiles. Some recruitment agencies can also conceive an attractive recruitment advertisement and have it inserted in selected media for their clients. The Internet Some candidates place their CVs on the Internet and are agreeable to be deployed overseas under contract. The hotels databank Candidates often send their CVs to hotels for no specific vacancies. It is advisable to keep them for later use. The hotels Web Site Organisation has a web site often have a link to vacancies that are presently available. This is more and more widely used and attracts interesting candidates. Acquaintances/words of mouth You might have heard from an acquaintance or through words of mouth that such suitable candidate is presently looking for a career change. Do not hesitate to contact the person, whether formally or informally. 2.6 Definition of Selection Byars and Rue (1997, p.172) defined selection as the process of choosing from among available applicants, the individuals who are most likely to successfully perform a job. It is the process of gathering all necessary information about applicants and using that information to decide which applicants to employ. Selection is the process of collecting and evaluating information about an individual so as to extend an offer of employment. Such employment could be either a first position for a new employee or a different position for a current employee (Gatewood et al. 2010, p.3). Selection is one of the most important functions of HRM as wrong selection of employees hampers organizational performance enormously. Selection process differs from organisations to organisations. Decenzo and Robbins (1999, p.169) states an ideal selection process comprises some steps such as filing up application forms, initial screening, preliminary interview, employment tests, written tests, written examination, comprehensive interview, background examination/ reference check, medical examinations, and job offer. 2.12 Selection Process The selection process is developed to find out the final choice, including an interview and how it will be carried out, the methods which will be used to evaluate the candidates, tests that may be used and reference and credential checks. Some hotels may give importance to various tests, while others may emphasize interviews and reference checks. Emphasis may be given to both tests and interviews and the HR unit of the hotel has different selection committees for applicants to fill both the lower level and higher level positions. Step 1.Preliminary Interview The selection process begins with the preliminary interview. This takes place after the company has used the different recruitment sources and methods to recruit candidates. The preliminary interview is a short interview whereby applicants are asked straightforward questions about their qualifications, experience and salary. It can be conducted face to face, but when there is large number of applicants for one job opening, the interview usually takes place over the phone to save time. Step 2.Reviewing the application blank or resume The second step in the selection process is filling out the application blank or giving in your resume. The application blank is normally a standardised form given out by the company in which the applicant must complete with the required information. It is usually filled when the candidate goes for an interview. A resume, also known as a curriculum vitae or CV, is put together by the candidate before the interview and sent to the organisation either by hand, fax or e-mail. According to Luszcz and Kleiner (2000, p.20) the resume should first be reviewed for its overall appearance. Secondly, it should be assessed for the applicants education, training and experience. A good resume should give an organised format which will facilitate in finding the information the reviewer considers important. Thirdly the accomplishments of the applicant must be reviewed cautiously. The reviewer should look for remarkable accomplishments which have precise and verifiable measurements. Finally the application should be reviewed for education, experience and the ability of the applicant to answer questions clearly (Luszcz and Kleiner (2000, p.20). Step 3.Selection Tests The decision to test is dependent on the philosophy of the organisation. Extreme care should be taken with regard to the legal implications which may occur if the testing can be interpreted as unnecessary, discriminatory, or not directly related to the skills or physical constraints of the job. Testing should always be done fairly and consistently. However, it could be costly. The main types of selection test are intelligence, personality, ability, aptitude and attainment tests. Intelligence Tests Cushway (2012, p.22) defines intelligence tests as being the oldest form of psychometric test, having been designed in 1905. Nowadays these tests are rarely used for selection purposes. The main disadvantage is that this type of test is attempting to measure something which is very difficult and about which there is much disagreement. It is possible that intelligence tests only measure an ability to do intelligence tests. They have limited application in selection context. Aptitude and attainment tests Aptitude tests are job-specific tests that are designed to forecast the potential a person has to carry out tasks within a job. They can cover such areas as clerical aptitude, mechanical aptitude, numerical aptitude, and dexterity. Aptitude tests should be well validated. The standard procedure is to determine the aptitudes required through job and skills analysis and thus a standard test is obtained from a test agency. Otherwise a special test is developed by or for the organisation. Hence, the test is given to staff already working on the job and results compared with a criterion, usually managers or team leaders ratings. The test is given to candidates if the relationship between test and criterion is sufficiently high. In order to validate the test further, a follow-up study of the job performance of applicants selected by the test is normally performed. The method may be long but without it no real confidence may be attached to the results of any aptitude tests. Attainment tests Attainment tests assess abilities or skills that have already been gained by training or experience. An example is a typing test. It is easy to find out how many words a minute a typist can type and compare that with the standard required for the job (Armstrong 2006, p.466). Personality tests Personality tests attempt to evaluate the candidates personality so as to make predictions about their likely behavior in a role. These tests can provide interesting additional information about candidates which is free from biased reactions that frequently occur in face-to-face interviews. These tests should be utilized carefully. Personality tests can be in different forms, testing, for example, individual traits or characteristics, interests, or values. Others may concentrate on specific workplace behavior. There are debates arousing on the validity of personality tests and variable results were given in some studies, nevertheless they are usually found to be more valid than the standard interview, especially when mixed with other techniques (Cushway 2012, p.22). Psychological tests Characteristics of a good test 5 types of validity Predictive validity Concurrent validity Content validity Face validity Measuring validity A criterion-related approach is used to assess validity. It means selecting criteria against which the validity of the test can be measured. These criteria must reflect true performance at work as accurately as possible. 2.4Types of Interviews One to one interviews This type of interview is maybe the most commonly used method whereby the interviewer questions each candidate about his or her background and experience. The CV or application form creates the basis of the discussion that can flow freely in the direction the parties wish to go. It allows topics and issues to be explored in depth and the interviewer to probe any particular areas of interest or concern (Dale 1995, p.167). However, the potential drawbacks of this interview are that it can be difficult for an interviewer to probe in depth and remember fully what was said. Note-taking, observing and questioning at the same time is not easy. It is also difficult for one interviewer to ensure consistency of treatment between candidates. In addition the process is open to all biases which have been mentioned. Panel Interviews Panel interviews are widely, and tended to be a trusted method of selecting candidates. Panel interviewsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Structured Interviews The structured approach means that every question has an aim and is designed to bring out information required to assist the selection decision. The questions should aim to explore the requirements which are contained in the specification, explore the issues in the individuals application, and amplify any points that remain unclear. (Dale 1995, p.169) It is important that every candidate is asked questions about the same fields in exactly the same way. This ensures that required information is gathered and candidates are treated consistently and fairly. Competency-based interviews Situational interviews Informal interviews Step 5.Reference and Credential Checks Questions should be prepared in advance and used consistently for every reference and candidate, since comparability is important. The list would include questions such as dates of employment, positions held, and attendance. Then the interviewer can lead the reference if there is a desire to gain additional information, by asking the same question using different wording. Verification of education and college attendance is even important. Luszcz and Kleiner (2000, p.24) have stated that once the reference and credential checks are made, it is essential to compare them as reference checks are made in the final stages of selection and they can aid to confirm conclusions which have already been drawn. Step6.Selection Decision Stone (1998) identifies two ways to approach the selection decision; the compensatory and the successive hurdles approach. The compensatory approach is when all of the selection information is considered together, favourable or unfavourable, to gain an overall impression. This is a time-consuming and expensive approach. The successive hurdles approach is better if there are minimum criteria that the applicants should meet. By making selection decisions throughout the process the final decision is less complicated. According to Stone (1998), this approach is very economical if there are many applicants as the best candidate can be identified early. The final step of the selection process is when a decision has to be made between the final few applicants. The purpose of the selection process is to provide information and to enable and justify this decision. Notification Every candidate should be notified of the decision, regardless of the final outcome after the decision has been made. For those who were not selected, a simple rejection letter can be sent or a telephone call can be made, thanking the applicant for their time and tactfully stating that they were not selected. Making the offer After making the decision, the offer should be made as soon as possible, either by telephone or in person depending on the conditions and the philosophy of the organisation. Exceptional candidates do not last long in the job market (Luszcz and Kleiner 2000, p.25). Step 7.Physical Examination Step 8.Appoint the applicant

Essay About Family: The Wives Tales :: Personal Narrative essay about my family

I am convinced that my mother and my father found solace in each other because they could no longer bear the madness of their brothers and sisters. Most of my aunts and uncles have second names to mark their exceptionality. My father’s eldest brother is called â€Å"Urgent† because he only calls when he needs money and always tells the kids to leave the message: â€Å"Urgent. Urgent, tell your dad to call me back urgent!† My father’s youngest brother calls himself â€Å"Castro† because his first name is Fidel. This brother shaves his head and wears a goatee to look more like the real Castro. My mother’s brothers and sisters are no better. One of Mom’s brothers married a woman named â€Å"Daughter,† which is just beyond me. Really, her parents must have been at their wits’ end; I wonder whether they had so many daughters that they surrendered to making all the children’s names alike. Mom’s sister, Rajo, â€Å"Auntie Money,† is the most fun, especially during tax season when she tries to convince her accountant to get her a deduction for all the gifts, trips, and baubles she buys her nieces and nephews. Chandra is the most laughable of Mom’s seven sisters. Aunt Chandra is always trying to pass her â€Å"pearls of wisdom† down to everybody, making herself look foolish to great public audiences. In Guyana, she held an elite position at the national post-secondary school, teaching who knows what. I often wonder at the ignorance and superstition behind the things she says. At one of our frequent dinner parties, the ladies in the kitchen were having a conversation about motherhood and how hard it is to choose between staying home with their kids and going back to work. While everyone else settled down to eat, Chandra, Mom and I busied ourselves making pepper sauce, cleaning the clutter off of countertops and refilling bowls of food. Conversation halted as the clacking of spoons, smacking of tongues, and the machinations of eating and drinking supplanted the lively chattering. Chandra took the opportunity to offer up a piece of her mind: â€Å"You know, guys, I have always noticed that I had my kids when there’s a full moon. Babies can only be conceived under a full moon. I am telling you, those scientists don’t know it yet. But I know.† I could not keep myself from laughing. Amazingly, Fidel’s wife, Nadira, reproached me, â€Å"No, it’s true.

Modest Proposal :: essays research papers

Swift’s Argument   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many different ways to write an argumentative paper. An argumentative paper is a paper designed to push a reader toward an idea or feeling an author evokes (Skywire 332). An author will try to make ludicrous ideas seem more appealing to the reader. â€Å"A Modest Proposal† is a great example of this technique.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Johnathan Swift, an Irish clergyman, wrote an argumentative paper to mock the English. Swift’s paper was an eating Irish babies. This would sound like a ludicrous idea, but Swift makes it seem like it would help the economy. He uses many of the basic argumentative techniques to support this idea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This most obvious technique used by Swift was card stacking. He only talked about his side of the situation (Skywire 336). He made a baby seem like it would become a highly demanded dish. People around the world would pay dearly for it and the money would help Ireland’s economy (Swift 363-4). He never talked about the parent’s side. He hid how they would feel pain and heartache of a lost child. He keeps the reader’s mind thinking about the positive aspects, and never even touches on the negative ones. He even introduced slanting into his text.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slanting is a writing technique that shows great approval or disapproval about a subject (Skywire 336). He made it seem that he loved the idea of eating a baby. It would be the new delicacy on all menus (Swift 364-5). With this opinion on the great demand for human flesh, he used a hasty generalization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Swift made a hasty generalization by basing his knowledge that everyone would love human flesh on an incident on the island of Formosa (Swift 365). Swift learned through a native of Formosa that when a child was put to death, his body was sold as a â€Å"Prime dainty† (Swift 365-6). He said how even the prime minister of the state had bought a girl put to death because of treason (Swift 365-6). So he deducts that since they like it then the whole world will.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Swift built the readers up by using numbers and showing how kids are a pain and just get in the way (Swift 364-5). He even went as far as to say that the kids he proposes to eat are children of beggars that can’t afford them anyway (Swift 364-5). Modest Proposal :: essays research papers Swift’s Argument   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many different ways to write an argumentative paper. An argumentative paper is a paper designed to push a reader toward an idea or feeling an author evokes (Skywire 332). An author will try to make ludicrous ideas seem more appealing to the reader. â€Å"A Modest Proposal† is a great example of this technique.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Johnathan Swift, an Irish clergyman, wrote an argumentative paper to mock the English. Swift’s paper was an eating Irish babies. This would sound like a ludicrous idea, but Swift makes it seem like it would help the economy. He uses many of the basic argumentative techniques to support this idea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This most obvious technique used by Swift was card stacking. He only talked about his side of the situation (Skywire 336). He made a baby seem like it would become a highly demanded dish. People around the world would pay dearly for it and the money would help Ireland’s economy (Swift 363-4). He never talked about the parent’s side. He hid how they would feel pain and heartache of a lost child. He keeps the reader’s mind thinking about the positive aspects, and never even touches on the negative ones. He even introduced slanting into his text.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slanting is a writing technique that shows great approval or disapproval about a subject (Skywire 336). He made it seem that he loved the idea of eating a baby. It would be the new delicacy on all menus (Swift 364-5). With this opinion on the great demand for human flesh, he used a hasty generalization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Swift made a hasty generalization by basing his knowledge that everyone would love human flesh on an incident on the island of Formosa (Swift 365). Swift learned through a native of Formosa that when a child was put to death, his body was sold as a â€Å"Prime dainty† (Swift 365-6). He said how even the prime minister of the state had bought a girl put to death because of treason (Swift 365-6). So he deducts that since they like it then the whole world will.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Swift built the readers up by using numbers and showing how kids are a pain and just get in the way (Swift 364-5). He even went as far as to say that the kids he proposes to eat are children of beggars that can’t afford them anyway (Swift 364-5).

Metternich System

â€Å"France made its revolutions and gave them their ideas, to the point where a tricolor of some kind became the emblem of virtually every emerging nation, and European (or indeed world) politics between 1789 and 1917 were largely the struggle for and against the principles of 1789, or the even more incendiary ones of 1793. † The principles of the French revolution lived on in every European continent; the French Revolution poured out its ideas and sent shock waves throughout Europe.Therefore this phenomenon together with the period of enlightenment, contributed to the rise of consciousness and of antagonism against the â€Å"Ancien Regime† (a general term for ‘The Old Order’ in Europe before the French Revolution of 1789, when most countries were ruled by absolute monarchs and the aristocracy were the dominant class). The Bourgeoisie class took full advantage of this period to bring across their needs and Ideologies but was rarely at the forefront of the revolution as the peasants were usually causing the riots. The Bourgeoisie played a more underlying role in this revolution.The people within the perimeters of the European wanted nationalism and liberalism. Napoleon Bonaparte also known as the â€Å"little corporal† came and restored stability and glory to France , â€Å"He was the man of the Revolution, and the man who brought stability. † Napoleon brought the French Revolution to its conclusion when he entered the French arena to restore peace by putting an end to the â€Å"Reign of Terror â€Å"and extinguishing the fire of the Bourgeoisie . His megalomaniac personality and ambitious thirst for battles made France a great power in Europe.This was illustrated in the series of battles he won, â€Å"Napoleon fought about sixty battles in his career and won all but a few of them, he rose to power because of his victories and fell because of his defeats. † Metternich’s influence came about before the en d of Napoleon’s regime. â€Å"Metternich was first appointed foreign minister in 1809 the Habsburg Empire was at its lowest point in its struggle against Napoleon. The French leader had forced the Empire out of its northern Italian territories, taken over the Austrian Netherlands and subsumed the Habsburg parts of Poland into the Duchy of Warsaw.Habsburg domination of Germany had also been smashed as a result of the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. This was a particularly powerful psychological blow to the dynasty’s sense of self worth: the Habsburgs had been Holy Roman Emperors for almost all of the previous 400 years and suddenly it no longer existed. To add insult to injury, this particular act of Napoleonic modernisation changed the title of the Habsburg Emperor from Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, to Francis I, Emperor of the remaining Habsburg dominions. One of the few times in history that a monarch has been devalued. Napoleon was defeated in 1815, after w hich the initiative was taken through the employment of the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815, to restore political stability to the fragile European which Napoleon had compromised. The Vienna Congress was chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, its objective was to address issues which arose out of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. This settlement lead to the redrawing of the continental map, in so doing establishing new boundaries of France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italian territories and Napoleon’s duchy of Warsaw.In 1815 when Napoleon failed to reassert his influence over Europe, the Congress of Vienna to all intensive purposes coped well with this problem. The Second Treaty of Paris further punished the French by reducing her borders to that of 1790, enforcing a large indemnity on her as well as forcing her to give back the stolen art pillaged from European Cities. This was a just punishment for France who had supported and welcomed Napoleon’s return. Additionally the Congress was against liberalism and nationalism which infiltrated into other European states from the French Revolution which they felt would disrupt their conservatism. First, it was necessary to build a security ring around the recent aggressor, France, and second, to provide the customary cartographical compensation for all the allied partners. † The Congress of Vienna also had to deal with the key matters of containing France, which was accomplished by strengthening those countries on the French border. The Austrian Netherlands was incorporated into Holland, and on France's southern borders, Piedmont, Nice and Savoy became one state.Of course these new single states, not one could contain France by physical presence alone and so the Quadruple Alliance was signed by the major powers for a further 20 years should France rise up again the Congress was very â€Å"lenient† towards France despite the fact that they had just been defeated. Their main purpo se was to restore the â€Å"status quo† and by doing this, they were able to ignore the demands for democracy and nationalism by the French people. Metternich made every effort to remove political or administrative power from local or subordinate levels and oncentrate it in a central authority was illustrated through his opposition of conservatism. He was of the opinion that that social mobility should be based on ascription not on achievement. Metternich was known for his advocation of strong, administratively efficient governmental organization which he felt was successfully portrayed by his ideal form of government the monarchs. This is captured when he said he opposed any other type of government and constitutional change which he felt would inevitably lead to chaos and revolutions.Metternich was aware that all of Europe was conscientious and was aroused easily by the ever present spirit of nationalism and liberalism inherited from the French Revolution. Consequently this is the sole reason for his objection of liberalism and nationalism becoming operational. â€Å"Metternich therefore set his face against any constitutional change. Comparing revolution in turn to a hydra ready to swallow everthing up, to a fire, to a flood, and later to the cholera, hostile to the sovereignty of the people and constitutional government. As such Metternich’s principles opposed the ideology of liberty, equality and fraternity. The spread of Metternich’s ideology throughout Europe he tried to ensure that this objective was not materialized. Another great political idea development by Metternich was the Holy Alliance in 1815; this alliance was created by Tsar Alexander I, members of this alliance included Russia, Austria, and Prussia. The Holy Alliance was implemented to maintain the status quo so that the bourgeoisie were hindered from infiltrating into the upper class.Additionally the Quadruple Alliance of April 22, 1834 formed between Spain, France, B ritian and Portugal, was aimed at ensuring the victory of liberalism, at accomplishing a collective security and protecting the existing peace and balance of power. Social factors is seem as a factor that resulted in the revolutions. The 1820’s revolution damages were widespread as the first bout of unrest was experienced. Revolutionary upheavals began in the Italian states of Naples,Piedmont and Sicily.These revolutions â€Å"occurred because the political systems reimposed on Europe were profoundly, and in a period of rapid social change increasinglyinadequate for the political conditions of the Continent, and because of economic and social discontents were acute as to †¦outbreaks virtually inevitable. † They felt that the Metternich system disregarded their desire for liberalism and nationalism. In 1818, the church was restored to supremacy, regaining its influencial power in Naples this angered the people and the resentment against the leadership grew.The libe rals were inciting members of society to stage revolutions in efforts to gain freedom and oppose the leadership of the Kings whose rulings reflected the ideologies of the Metternich system. A proletarian and socialist revolutionary movement â€Å"was chiefly visible in the countries of the dual revolutions, Britian and France. † The most notably results of 1830’s revolution was the â€Å"modifications of left-wing politics. They split moderates from radicals and they created a new international situation. In doing so they helped to split the movement not only into different social but into different national segments. The 1820’s and the 1830’s revolution both failed miserably because of little cooperation among the revolutionary movement and due to isolation of territories which preferred to stay alienated instead of forming union between the territories. The economic factors must now be considered, Metternich’s system amended the administration t hroughout Europe. As such the changes fostered by the Vienna Congress in particular was a major handicap for some countries. The Vienna Congress rulings were catastrophic to France who had to repatriate seven million francs and relinquish some colonies from the Italian providences to Austria.Primarily because of the personal interest Metternich had in Austria such drastic effects were taken, therefore it can be stated that the major powers of the Vienna Congress made decisions to their individual advantage. Germany was another state who suffered immense losses just as France in efforts to settle international disputes. The territories bought economic stability as it increased the size of their purses and their power on the international arena. The Metternich system assisted in the financial prosperity of some nations while it crippled the acquisition of economic stability of other imperial powers.Metternich fetish of restoring the monarchy of many countries was a financial burden on many countries whose desire was to be included in this grand change. The economic hardships were responsible for many of the revolutions in Europe both before and after the Metternich’s rule. The congress of Aix-La Chapelle in 1818 had a major concern about what should be done with France in terms of allowing them to attend future congress meetings and more importantly if they should relieve them of their military occupation.The congress came to a unanimous decision on both issues where they allowed France to return to future meetings and the military occupation would end. â€Å"Metternich also frustrated Russian hopes of facilitating a Franco-Russian alliance as a counter to the Austrian-British alignment. He achieved this by sowing the seeds of mistrust between the two powers. The Congress of Aix-La-Chapelle therefore coped well with the problem facing it in 1818. † There was another meeting in 1820 that took place in Troppau which was convened to discuss the matter s about the uprising In Spain and Naples.Each of the main powers at the congress had a different view about how the matter should be handled. Metternich made the decision to take action in Naples as it posed a great threat to Austrian influence in Italy. Alexander who represented Russia at the congress wanted to send troops into Spain to restore the monarchy (Ferdinand) while Casltereagh (Britain) thought that Naples and Spain were continental problems and as a result were not a concern of the British.The end result was the signing of the Troppau protocol which was a great success for Metternich as he gained the support of Russia and isolated France. As Metternich gained the support of Russia, he somewhat lost the support of the British. â€Å"However on the whole the congress system itself had failed to cope with the problems of Spain and Naples. The question of Spain would remain a problem even after the Congress of Verona in 1822, and the Troppau agreement had split the major po wers in two. The system could not cope without a general agreement by all the major powers.The main problem was, all the major powers had differing opinions and interests, which made certain a general agreement on a course of action was unlikely. Without such an agreement time would run out on the lifeline of the system. † The Congress met for the last time in Verona, 1822 to discuss the fact that Spain was still facing problems and there was a revolution that was taking place in Greece as well. â€Å"It might seem as though the Congress had coped well with the problems it faced but this is misleading.The Spanish problem, had been a problem since 1820 and was still not solved. Metternich who had pressed for the signing of the Troppau protocol would still not summon action to be taken. † The congress system finally met its end in 1822. Some historians have argued that the system itself was a failure, however in my opinion this was not the case. Metternich accomplished a lot during his time such as his defeat of Napoleon and the formation of the Vienna Congress. â€Å"The Congresses stretching from Vienna to Verona had to contend with a number of issues and t was not surprising given the nature of the system itself that certain problems would split the powers in attendance. After all the motivation behind the creation of the Congress Meeting was to deal with France, and not to deal with revolutionary uprisings. How could the Congress system deals with problems it was not designed to face. † There were multiple views on all of issues which arose after 1818 and up to 1822 could not be accommodated. At Vienna and Aix La Chappelle the powers in attendance came to a general agreement, but there would be a time when no such agreement would be possible.This can be seen with the Troppau protocol which split the powers in two. â€Å"After the congress of Troppau time was effectively running out on the life line of the congress system. Britain no long er wanted to be involved in continental affairs that did not concern her directly and the other European powers had a mutual suspicion of one another's ambitions and interests. Forces of political intrigue were working behind the scenes to isolate powers and force an agreement on a certain course of action. †

Notes on 5 Different Short Story

Notes on Short Story THE GIFT OF THE MAGI By O. Henry Date: 26 September 2012 Title: The Gift of the Magi Author: William Sydney Porter also known as O. Henry Background of the O. Henry: O. Henry was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Both his mother and father died before O. Henry turned 20. As a teenager, he worked as a pharmacist’s assistant in his uncle’s drugstore to help support his family. At age 19, he moved to Texas to take advantage of its warmth and dry climate. There he worked at a farm that belonged to a friend of his family’s. Vocabulary: * Instigates: To cause by incitement Subsiding: To sink to a low or lower level * Coax: To attempt to influence by gentle persuasion * Faltered: To hesitate or waver in action, purpose, intent, etc. * Ravages: To work havoc upon * Assertion: A positive statement or declaration, often without reason or support * Tresses: A plait or braid of hair * Ardent: Having, expressive of, or characteriz ed by intense feeling * Dandy: A man who is excessively concerned about his clothes and appearance * Manger: A box or trough in a stable or barn from which horses or cattle eat Setting: Christmas Eve, New York City Characters: Delia Young * James Dillingham Young * Madame Sofronie Literary Devices: * Allusion: â€Å"The magi, as you know, were wise men—wonderfully wise men—who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. † * Anadiplosis: â€Å"And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  * Polysyndeton: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher. † * Personification: â€Å"The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent soul. † * Repetition: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. * Simile: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown wate rs. † * Metaphor: â€Å"Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. † * Situational Irony: Della receives combs for her hair that is no longer there. * Synecdoche: â€Å"White fingers and nimble tore the string and paper†¦Ã¢â‚¬  * Alliteration: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles. † Symbolism: The symbolism in â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is based upon the gifts given by Jim and Della. Both Jim and Della gave up a possession the forfeited the importance of the gift they would receive from their spouse.The gifts showing the importance of giving everything of themselves. Theme: * Love * Sacrifice * Wealth * Women and Feminity Point of View: Third Person THE NECKLACE BY: GUY DE MAUPASSANT Date: 10 October 2012 Title: The Necklace Author: Henri Rene Albert Guy De Maupassant Background of the Author: Henri Rene Albert Guy De Maupassant was born on August 5th, 1850 and was declared deceased on July 6th, 1893. He was a French writer known for his short stories, which painted the life of people in the 19th Century of France.He was prolific, published 300 short stories and 6 novels, but he died at a very young age due to physical and mental illness. Vocabulary: * Blundered: A gross, or stupid mistake * Wit: The keen perception and cleverly apt expression of those connections between ideas that awaken amusement and pleasure. * Antechambers: A chamber or room that serves as a waiting room and entrance to a larger room or an apartment * Peopling: Indefinitely or Collectively * Trifled: An article or thing of very little value Setting: Paris, 1880 Character: * Mathilde Loisel * Monsieur Loisel Madame Forestier Literary Devices: * Situational Irony * Authorial Intrusion * Anaphora * Alliteration Symbolism: The Necklace The necklace, beautiful but worthless, represents the power of perception and the split between appearances and reality. Mathilde wants to borrow the necklace from Madame Forestier, but she did not tell Mathilde that it was a fake. Mathilde never underestimated Madame Forestier due to her wealth. Themes: * Wealth * Women and Feminity * Pride * Suffering A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings By: Gabriel Garcia Marquez Date: 31 October 2012Title: A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez Background of the Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born on March 6th, 1928. He was a writer who grew up listening to family tales. His novels and > have drawn worldwide audiences. He won the Nobel Prize in 1982. After College, he became a journalist who introduced readers to magical realism. Vocabulary: * Stupor: Suspension or great diminution of sensibility; as in disease or as caused by narcotics, intoxicants, etc. Grandeur: The quality or state of being impressive * Dialect: A variety of language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary and by its use by a group of speakers who ar e set off from others geographically or socially. * Bailiff: An officer, similar to a sheriff or a sheriff’s deputy, employed to execute writs and processes, make arrests, keep order in the court, etc. * Reverence: A feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe * Frivolous: Characterize by lack of seriousness or sense * Robust: Strong and Healthy Impertinences: Unmannerly intrusion or presumption Setting: Characters: * The Old Man * Pelayo * Elisenda * Father Gonzaga * The Neighbor Woman * The Spider Woman Literary Devices: * Verbal Irony * Synesthesia * Magical Realism * Onomatopoeia * Allusion Symbolism: * Wings: Wings represent power, speed and limitless freedom in motion. Ironically, the wings of the angel in the story convey only a sense of age and disease. When the village doctor examines the old man, he notices how naturally the wings fit in with the rest of his body.The ultimate effect is to suggest that the old man is both natural and supernatural at once. * T he Spider Woman: The spider woman represents the fickleness with which many self-interested people approach their own faith. Not surprisingly, the old man’s reputation wanes when he proves capable of performing only minor â€Å"consolation miracles†. Themes: * Family * Moral * Religion * Magical Realism The Pedestrian By: Ray Bradbury Date: 7 November 2012 Title: The Pedestrian Author: Ray Bradbury Background of the Author: Ray Bradbury was born on August 22nd, 1920, Waukegan, Illinois.He was an American fantasy and horror author who rejected being categorized as a sci-fi author, claiming that his work was based on the fantastical and unreal. His best known novel is Fahrenheit 451. He is also remembered for other of his popular works including > and >. He was declared deceased just recently, June 5th, 2012 at the age of 91. Vocabulary: * Seams: The line formed by sewing together pieces of cloth, leather, or the like. * Intermittent: Stopping or ceasing for a time * Win try: Of or characteristic of winter * Doot: N/ASetting: November, 2053 A. D. Characters: * Leonard Mead Literary Devices: * Personification * Imagery * Symbolism * Simile * Metaphor * Alliteration * Irony Symbolism: On their way to the psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies, they pass Mead’s house. It is ablaze with lights in contrast to the dark city. It is a symbol of hope of vibrant life – light is a universal symbol of hope, but the car is swallowed up once more into the darkness, literally and figuratively. Themes: * Technology * Society loses its humanity * Mankind cease to exist * Distrust and Ultimate Destruction * Propaganda * Pessimistic

Family Rootedness and Racial Dynamics

Living in contemporary America is coupled with different challenges. The fast-paced industry, the cultural diversity, the financial crises, and the indifference among neighbors all cause to build up some form of alienation in most people. The Virginia Tech massacre and other cases of mad shooting illustrate the struggles of some people of different cultures to assimilate in the American society. In Barack Obama’s â€Å"Dreams from My Father,† the author provides some insights on the importance of rootedness to one’s family and culture in order to survive and attain success in Contemporary America. The experiences of the characters lead readers to realize that one can easily undertake struggles in life upon acceptance of family and racial origins. The author attempts to delineate a number of issues, among which is the problem caused by dysfunctional families, a common scenario in the contemporary American society. Children like Obama manage to survive despite the absence of their parents, in some cases both parents are absent, in others like Obama’s, the father figure is vague. Until after his death, Obama’s father â€Å"remained a myth† (8) to him. He left when Barack was barely two years old, to go back to Kenya, his homeland. The last time he and his son saw each other was when Obama was ten. Due to this, Obama grew up quiet, with some coldness in the way he deals with people, although he always bears respect for others. His acquaintance with an old man who lived in the same building he occupied near Harlem demonstrates this attitude. Never, the absence of Obama’s father made him what he is right now. Although not clearly emphasized, the role of the grandfather in Obama’s life, along with his grandmother Toot, compensated for the loss of his father. In a way, Obama lived in the comfort and care of his mother’s family. Basically, the importance of family is demonstrated in the way his grandfather compensated the absence of his father. The family dynamics that he grew up with, was basically composed of loving and caring grandparents who usually told him stories of the past in order for him to know his father well, and a mother who served as inspiration and guide through the social service she rendered. However, the importance of family is later more emphasized with the connectedness of his father’s family—the extended family relationships that exist among his relatives in Kenya. Obama witnessed this when he met and visited his cousins. Even though he did not know them as a child, he easily got along with them, owing to belongingness to one family. Aside from the importance of family connectedness, rootedness to one’s race and culture is also emphasized. When his father died, Obama had a chance to establish connection with his origins. Prior to this, he felt he felt some void within him, and enmity towards his father. He wished to understand a lot of things, and saw it timely to go back to his roots. Unexpectedly, he found the answers in Kenya as he listened to stories about his father—his childhood, his struggles to prove himself, the reason why he went to America, and why he went back to Kenya. In the end, he found himself crying over the struggles his father fought, and for losing the man who remained in his shadow. Finding the answers to his questions about origins made Obama whole. For a long time, he did not realize that his father shared the struggles he fought. Although they had different situations, he understood that what his father bore was a lot heavier than his. Specifically, his father’s struggle to prove himself to the grandfather and to the rest of the world was double that of Obama when he was younger. For his father, going back to Kenya was the only way to regain himself though it was also a way to face his childhood fears. Despite the pains he tried to leave behind in relation to his past, the older Barack still went back to his people and chose to serve them. Such rootedness to race and culture taught the son the importance of knowing one’s origins. Clearly, the efforts Obama made to get to know his origins led him to what he is now. As he suggests, survival in contemporary American society is difficult. Racial discrimination, although it did not totally affect him, was rampant. Nevertheless, it made him long for his past. The presence of his mother was definitely not enough to fill in the father figure he missed, not to mention his mother’s difficulty to raise him and his sister apart from Obama’s grandparents. At the end, he still needed to know both his father and the race that brought his father up in order to be whole. Knowing one’s past is further emphasized as Barack struggles to build his own family. Lacking the father figure, he himself found it difficult to be an ideal father and husband that he wanted to be. His struggles can be rooted from his own experience, mainly due to the dysfunctional family that he came from. Nevertheless, when he finally gained the opportunity to know his roots, he found the courage to continue and reunite with his family. Based on this, the author makes us realize the importance of rootedness to one’s past and race relations. The familiarity of his aunt Nairobi as she calls her nephew Barry to inform him of his father’s death demonstrates the connectedness of the Kenyans, which other cultures can learn from. For them, distance and unfamiliarity are not barriers to achieving unity and love. Rather, racial dynamics are too strong, enough to conquer physical and cultural boundaries.

Great Works of Western Tradition: The Treatment of Time and History Essay

Not a few of the greatest works in the Western tradition tackle the evolution of humanity and of civilization throughout the ages. The question of the evolution of civilization is all the more difficult since it seems to be tortuous rather than linear and progressive. As it shall be seen, thinkers from very different times have pictured civilization in different ways, emphasizing either its wondrous development or its blatant imperfections. Thomas More, Voltaire and Sigmund Freud belong to very different ages of human civilization and have held very different opinions about history and the evolution or involution of man. As it shall be seen however, the major theme in all of the works under discussion is the evolution of man and society throughout the course of time. Moreover, in Utopia, Candide and Civilization and its Discontents the development of civilization is questioned and the achievements of humanity doubted. Despite the fact that the come from different turning points in human history, which had seen a prodigious advance of culture and understanding of the world, the three authors argue that the human civilization is very far from its ideal state. Thomas More’s Utopia is an imaginary project of the perfect human society which resembles Plato’s Republic. As a representative of Renaissance, More is a humanist and a socialist, who criticizes the state of thing in his native England. The work is therefore, in many ways an inverse mirror of his contemporary society. More openly addresses the precarious society and the politics in England and at the same time creates a reverse counterpart for these on the island of Utopia. The most salient target of the scholar’s criticism is the specific form of government characteristic for his society: feudalism. In his imaginary world, everyone is equal and no one is poor or in need, since everything is distributed justly: â€Å"In Utopia, where every man has a right to everything, they all know that if care is taken to keep the public stores full, no private man can want anything; for among them there is no unequal distribution, so that no man is poor, none in necessity, and though no man has anything, yet they are all rich; for what can make a man so rich as to lead a serene and cheerful life, free from anxieties. †(More 86) According to More, money and possessions in general are the key of civilization as he saw it. As such, he attacks his contemporary society at its very roots, by advocating a society in which everyone would be equal and in which money would hold no importance. As he saw it, the human world was moved and impulse by inequalities and disproportion in possessions: â€Å"And who does not see that the frauds, thefts, robberies, quarrels, tumults, contentions, seditions, murders, treacheries, and witchcrafts, which are indeed rather punished than restrained by the severities of law, would all fall off, if money were not any more valued by the world? †(More 87) Another important aspect that More notes is that, all the crimes and misfortunes arising from the pecuniary problems are punished rather than restrained by law. This aspect of the human society has remained true even today, since money is still a key element in the world and since the law is only designed to help maintain a relative order. Thus, More sees the state of civilization during Renaissance as very precarious, since the character of people and their morality is continuously undermined by the inequality regarding the distribution of possessions. Expressing truly revolutionary ideas for his age, More perceives that the nature of the government in his own time is nothing more than a â€Å"conspiracy of the rich† to monopolize the goods and to hold sway over the rest of the population, under the pretense of administering the public affairs: â€Å"Therefore I must say that, as I hope for mercy, I can have no other notion of all the other governments that I see or know, than that they are a conspiracy of the rich, who on pretence of managing the public only pursue their private ends, and devise all the ways and arts they can find out. †(More 157) More’s intuition about the workings of politics and economics in his own society is therefore incredibly accurate. Utopia is moreover a complete society, having all the institution of the modern world, including politics, religion, science, culture and family. More fundamentally remodels the social order of his time, designing an ideal community marked by simplicity. For instance, the political system is democratic, in the sense that we understand it today, with all of the members of society participating in the elections: â€Å"Once a year every group of thirty households elects an administrator, who used to be known as a syphogrant, but in modern times has been called a phylarch. There is another administrator in charge of every group of ten syphogrants with their households. He used to be called a tranibor, and is now called a senior phylarch. All the syphogrants–there are two hundred of them–elect the chief executive. †( More 96) The family is an important cell of this society which hints at the principles of brotherhood that should dominate and regulate the world. The society has very few laws, moreover, which emphasizes More’s views of the contemporary justice system. According to him therefore, the human society is inevitably based on complex and marginal laws, which strive to punish delinquency but which do not manage to restrain it. Furthermore, science and the arts are made accessible to the large public and not limited to a privileged category. More obviously points out to another essential feature of socialism which stipulates the intellectual equality of all people. This also pinpoints the fact that, in More’s view, the financial inequality of people is the key factor causing inequality in all other respects. It should be noted that More constructed his utopian world primarily as a satire for his contemporary society. He did not believe himself in the ideal society he proposed, simply because the project came considerably before its time and before there would be the necessary conditions to establish it. His main contention therefore is that the human civilization of the Renaissance England was a corrupted and dysfunctional system that revolved around the possessions and interests. All the institutions, the government, the law, the economy, politics and even the arts and sciences suffered from this corruption as they were based on inequality between people. More’s view is all the more revolutionary since the world of Renaissance believed in order and in the chain of things. This scale or hierarchy of things obviously applied to the human society as well, where the king was the highest link in the chain, being set there by divine will. In this context, More’s encouragement of equality is all the more mystifying. As it shall be seen, almost three centuries later, Voltaire published a satire that attacks the myth of human civilization and points out its main weaknesses. As More belongs to the Renaissance, Voltaire belongs to another period of cultural revolution and advancement, the Enlightenment. More so than the Renaissance that had established the faith in man and in his powers, the Enlightenment brought incredible evidence of man’s reasoning capacities and his ability for controlling nature and the universe and making these work in his own favor. As More before him, Voltaire satirically attacks the very roots of his contemporary society. His Candide can be easily considered one of the most potent philosophical satires of all times, as it is directed not to a particular aspect of the world but to the world as a whole and to the entire human race. What Voltaire mocks is not so much the state in which the world and humanity are in, but the inveterate optimism that characterized the Age of Reason. The values and creeds of the Enlightenment philosophers are demolished one by one in Voltaire’s work: the famous statement maintained by Leibniz and Rousseau that our world is â€Å"the best of all possible worlds†, the belief that the universe is in a state of unshakable harmony that only gives the impression of chaos, the general optimism that regarded even the dreariest events in the world as good, the faith in the human reason and the free will of man and many other similar optimist opinions. Voltaire makes the eponymous character of his work, Candide (who is, not by accident and as his name indicates, incredibly naive and simple) experience, through his journeys and adventures, the entire range of human sufferance: wars, natural disasters, maladies, slavery, religious persecution, rape and so on. In his way, Candide experiences all there is to experience and meets with all the evil in the world. His gullible nature disposes him to believe the more comfortable theory, which is that of his master Pangloss. Pangloss is thus the prototype of the Enlightenment thinker, the professed optimist who believes in the absolute perfection of the world. Despite of the disasters he meets with and despite of the evil nature of the men he encounters, Pangloss remains a stubborn optimist, an advocator of the perfect harmony of the universe: â€Å"Master Pangloss taught the metaphysico-theologo-cosmolo-nigology. He could prove to admiration that there is no effect without a cause; and, that in this best of all possible worlds, the baron’s castle was the most magnificent of all castles, and my lady the best of all possible baronesses. † (Voltaire 27) As More before him, Voltaire ironically notes here the way in which the belief in the perfection of the world is used by some to justify their own rights. The eulogy of the baron and baroness, who are obviously far from moral rectitude and nobleness, is a hint to the way in which people of rank had to be treated as great men despite the fact that in truth they were full of imperfections. Another bitter allusion is the image of war as one of the most absurd evils haunting the human society. This is one of the most terrifying proof that man has not reached yet the state of absolute civilization, and that he is still a savage: â€Å"Never was anything so gallant, so well accoutred, so brilliant, and so finely disposed as the two armies. The trumpets, fifes, hautboys, drums, and cannon made such harmony as never was heard in hell itself. The entertainment began by a discharge of cannon, which, in the twinkling of an eye, laid flat about 6,000 men on each side. The musket bullets swept away, out of the best of all possible worlds, nine or ten thousand scoundrels that infested its surface. â€Å"(Voltaire 9) In extremely light tones, Voltaire describes the carnage and absurdity specific to war, hinting that such a disaster would be sufficient to recognize the world and the state of civilization for what it is. Instead of the ordered, harmonious world that some of the greatest philosophers and scientists of the time discerned, Voltaire points to the actual state of humanity as he saw it. Discoveries were indeed being made, but man was far from living in an ideal and balanced universe. There are some obvious similarities between More’s and Voltaire’s satires therefore. More imagined an ideal society which would be the reverse of his contemporary world and Voltaire imagined a story of a naive character who is confronted with all the ills and evils of humanity and civilization. Both of the authors therefore imply that the human evolution is not as significant as it is believed. The beginning of the twentieth century, with the dawn of modernism saw equally great changes in all the aspects of human existence. Freud’s Civilization and its Discontents makes a potent critique of civilization as a web of negative impositions on the modern man. Freud puts forth that civilization can only become workable through an economical principle similar to that employed by the politics of a state: it restrains man’s instinctual force in order to concentrate his energy on the exploitation of its intellectual resources. Thus, while the two other authors under investigation proposed that the world was largely primitive at its core, despite the advancement of civilization, Freud points out the opposite. He elaborates on the benefits and incredible progress made by human civilization, all the same criticizing its prospects which have restrained the instinctual nature of man: â€Å"This contention holds that what we call our civilization is largely responsible for our misery, and that we should be much happier if we gave it up and returned to primitive conditions. †(Freud 33) In Freud’s view, as revolutionary for his time as the other two authors’ perspective during their own, it is the basic requirement of civilization which has become pernicious for man. Thus, civilization demands a repression of instinct in man, in favor of intellectual achievement: â€Å"No feature [†¦] seems better to characterize civilization than its esteem and encouragement of man’s higher mental activities–his intellectual, scientific and artistic achievements-and the leading role that it assigns to ideas in human life. †(Freud 41) According to Freud, it is the very nature of civilization which causes man to become more and more frustrated out of his natural freedom and lack of restraint: â€Å"Civilization is built up upon a renunciation of instinct, how much it presupposes precisely the non-satisfaction (by suppression, repression or some other means) of powerful instincts. †(Freud 44) The efforts and results of science and technology as they are perceived in modern times are indubitable. Man has strived to protect himself from nature thus becoming more and more alienated from it. Civilization is in many ways synonymous with comfort, but, in Freud’s view it is and will always be contrary to man’s happiness: â€Å"Is there, then, no positive gain in pleasure, no unequivocal increase in my feeling of happiness, if I can, as often as I please, hear the voice of a child of mine who is living hundreds of miles away or if I can learn in the shortest possible time after a friend has reached his destination that he has come through the long and difficult voyage unharmed? † (Freud 35) As Freud pertinently remarks, people usually think of the advanced state of civilization in terms of victories over nature, such as the invention of soap for instance: â€Å"Indeed, we are not surprised by the idea of setting up the use of soap as an actual yardstick of civilization. The same is true of order. It, like cleanliness, applies solely to the works of man. But whereas cleanliness is not to be expected in nature, order, on the contrary, has been imitated from her. †(Freud 40) Also, people tend to think of the previous ages as uncivilized in terms of cleanliness, order and comfort mainly. In Freud’s opinion however, these victories are as many frustration for the ego, who has definitively lost his liberty. He argues that civilization comes into harsh conflict with the human ego, since the ego’s instinctual nature cannot be ‘corrected’ by culture but only repressed or silenced. As many aspects of human behavior prove it, instincts only lie dormant inside the psyche and can be awaken at any time. Civilization comes with its impositions and claims, attempting to subdue the subconscious and promote only the sublimated characteristics of the mind. Therefore, being denied the attainment of the pleasure principle, men have to content themselves with exchanging it for the milder ‘reality principle’ which will only safeguard them from extreme sufferance. While More and Voltaire have endeavored to show that civilization is far from reaching its perfection, Freud points out the essential conflict there will always be between civilization and man in his natural state. Basically however, all the authors observe the degradation of humanity, despite the efforts of civilization. In modern times, as Freud notes, the primitive forms of violence have been subdued for the greatest part; however violence has only changed its form and not its nature. The same applies to the majority of the aspects of civilization today. Therefore, the fundamental ideas of the three authors selected have a common center. While the advancement of civilization seems to be undeniable at each of the turning points in history, Renaissance, Enlightenment and then Modernism, civilization seems to have evolved superficially without the possibility of reaching an ideal state. Man builds up an artificial civilization which comes in conflict with the natural world and therefore it is far from being balanced. Thomas More, Voltaire and Sigmund Freud all note that, from various stances, we still do not have the right formula for civilization. ? Works Cited: Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and its Discontents. New York: W. W. Norton, 1961. More, Thomas. Utopia. Trans. David Wootton. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 1999. Voltaire. Candide. New York: Modern Library, 1918.