Ted Sorensen on the Kennedy Style of Speech-Writing

Ted Sorensen on the Kennedy Style of Speech-Writing In his last book, Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History (2008), Ted Sorensen offered an expectation: I have little uncertainty that, when my opportunity arrives, my eulogy in the New York Times (incorrect spelling my last name indeed) will be inscribed: Theodore Sorenson, Kennedy Speechwriter. On November 1, 2010, the Times got the spelling right: Theodore C. Sorensen, 82, Kennedy Counselor, Dies. Also, however Sorensen served as ​a guide and change self image to John F. Kennedy from January 1953 to November 22, 1963, Kennedy Speechwriter was without a doubt his characterizing job. An alum of the University of Nebraskas graduate school, Sorensen showed up in Washington, D.C. unfathomably green, as he later conceded. I had no administrative experience, no political experience. Id never composed a discourse. Id barely been out of Nebraska. By the by, Sorensen was before long approached to help compose Senator Kennedys Pulitzer Prize-winning book Profiles in Courage (1955). He went on to co-creator the absolute most important presidential talks of the only remaining century, including Kennedys debut address, the Ich canister ein Berliner discourse, and the American University beginning location on harmony. In spite of the fact that most students of history concur that Sorensen was the essential creator of these persuasive and powerful talks, Sorensen himself kept up that Kennedy was the genuine creator. As he said to Robert Schlesinger, If a man in a high office expresses words which pass on his standards and arrangements and thoughts and hes ready to remain behind them and assume whatever fault or hence acknowledge go for them, [the discourse is] his (White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters, 2008). In Kennedy, a book distributed two years after the presidents death, Sorensen explained a portion of the particular characteristics of the Kennedy style of discourse composing. Youd be unable to locate a progressively reasonable rundown of tips for speakers. While our own addresses may not be very as pivotal as a presidents, a considerable lot of Kennedys explanatory techniques merit imitating, paying little mind to the event or the size of the crowd. So whenever you address your partners or cohorts from the front of the room, remember these standards. The Kennedy Style of Speech-Writing The Kennedy style of discourse writingour style, I am not hesitant to state, for he never imagined that he had the opportunity to plan first drafts for all his speechesevolved bit by bit throughout the years. . . .We were not aware of following the intricate procedures later credited to these discourses by abstract experts. Neither of us had any uncommon preparing in structure, phonetics or semantics. Our central standard was consistently crowd understanding and solace, and this implied: (1) short discourses, short provisions and short words, at every possible opportunity; (2) a progression of focuses or recommendations in numbered or intelligent arrangement any place suitable; and (3) the development of sentences, expressions and sections in such a way as to improve, explain and emphasize.The trial of a book was not how it appeared to the eye, yet how it sounded to the ear. His best sections, when perused so anyone might hear, regularly had a rhythm much the same as clear verseindee d now and again catchphrases would rhyme. He was enamored with alliterative sentences, not exclusively for reasons of talk yet to fortify the crowds memory of his thinking. Sentences started, anyway mistaken some may have respected it, with And or But at whatever point that rearranged and abbreviated the content. His continuous utilization of runs was of dicey syntactic standingbut it rearranged the conveyance and even the distribution of a discourse in a way no comma, bracket or semicolon could match.Words were viewed as instruments of exactness, to be picked and applied with a craftsmans care to whatever the circumstance required. He got a kick out of the chance to be precise. Yet, on the off chance that the circumstance required a specific unclearness, he would purposely pick an expression of differing understandings as opposed to cover his imprecision in massive prose.For he disdained verbosity and vainglory in his own comments as much as he detested them in others. He needed th e two his message and his language to be plain and honest, however never belittling. He needed his significant strategy explanations to be certain, particular and unmistakable, evading the utilization of propose, maybe and potential options for thought. Simultaneously, his accentuation on a course of reasonrejecting the limits of either sidehelped produce the equal development and utilization of stands out from which he later got recognized. He had a soft spot for one pointless expression: The cruel realities of the issue are . . .however, with hardly any different special cases his sentences were lean and fresh. . . .He utilized almost no slang, tongue, legalistic terms, withdrawals, clichã ©s, expand similitudes or resplendent interesting expressions. He would not be folksy or to incorporate any expression or picture he thought about cheesy, boring or trite. He once in a while utilized words he thought about worn out: unassuming, dynamic, brilliant. He utilized none of the standa rd word fillers (e.g., And I state to you that is an authentic inquiry and here is my answer). Also, he didn't stop for a second to withdraw from severe principles of English utilization when he thought adherence to them (e.g., Our plan are long) would grind on the audience members ear.No discourse was more than 20 to 30 minutes in term. They were very short and excessively swarmed with realities to allow any abundance of consensuses and nostalgias. His writings squandered no words and his conveyance squandered no time.(Theodore C. Sorensen, Kennedy. Harper Row, 1965. Republished in 2009 as Kennedy: The Classic Biography) To the individuals who question the estimation of talk, excusing every single political discourses as insignificant words or style over substance, Sorensen had an answer. Kennedys talk when he was president ended up being a key to his prosperity, he told a questioner in 2008. His minor words about Soviet atomic rockets in Cuba helped resolve the most exceedingly awful emergency the world has ever known without the U.S. shooting a shot. Essentially, in a New York Times opinion piece distributed two months before his passing, Sorensen countered a few fantasies about the Kennedy-Nixon discusses, including the view that it was style over substance, with Kennedy winning on conveyance and looks. In the principal banter, Sorensen contended, there was unmistakably more substance and subtlety than in what currently goes for political discussion in our undeniably marketed, sound-nibble Twitter-fied culture, in which radical talk expects presidents to react to over the top cases. To get familiar with the talk and rhetoric of John Kennedy and Ted Sorensen, examine Thurston Clarkes Ask Not: The Inauguration of John F. Kennedy and the Speech That Changed America, distributed by Henry Holt in 2004 and now accessible in a Penguin soft cover.

Contextual Knowledge in Program Planning A Personal Reflection Free Essays

Program arranging is a difficult and complex undertaking. Its multifaceted nature lies not just in the program subtleties or the crowd to which the program is focused to, however in the various characters or encounters of the organizers. Commonly as organizers, we convey what we are. We will compose a custom paper test on Logical Knowledge in Program Planning: A Personal Reflection or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now We need to teach our conviction and individual observation to crowd including our inclinations. Arranging itself requires a lot of exertion. With relational issues among organizers, the issue turns out to be increasingly hard to manage as specialists rub against one another. Answer to Question 1 Arranging includes the support of various partners or colleagues. Various thoughts stream and conflict against one another. Force issues surface and the fight over whose thought or whose proposition is better furies. At the point when confronted with this condition, I will in general stand up my brain. I tune in to others’ thought also. I go over the positive and negative parts of every thought. I gauge the alternatives and decision in favor of the best one. I regard every individual or colleague. I understood that with regards to control relations, there are various inspirations lying underneath. From the start, I accepted organizers are true and centered in doing support. However, when I had my first brush with power battles inside my circle, it occurred to me that a few organizers have their own motivation. It could be something valuable to them. Up until now, there is nothing I might want to change about my present convictions. In any case, I need to strengthen the idea that organizers must be objective and must be wiling to relinquish individual inclinations or inspiration to benefit many. Answer to Question 2 Tuning in and open correspondence are the abilities that I use in each arranging meeting. Listening requires a lot of exertion as it includes more than hearing various thoughts. Listening is processing every thought and regarding it. Listening is recognizing one planner’s considerations and information. Correspondence, then again, is opening up to the conceivable outcomes of tolerating and evaluating the thoughts. It might likewise mean acknowledgment for each proposal turned down. Open correspondence is sound and goes about as an extension. On the off chance that there is something that I would truly need to rehearse in my conviction framework is the success win arrangement. Exchange is thinking of the best arrangement with minor trade offs that serve both revitalizing gatherings. Answer to Question 3 Planning a program for grown-ups is a pleasant undertaking. Morally, grown-ups are willing students who are specialists in their own right. They can settle on choices with or without outside mediation. Every grown-up is a well of information; having experienced diverse educational encounters. These learning are brought out through a participatory learning process. As a rule, my convictions are tested when a co-organizer turns out to be so extremely savvy in approach and excuses my recommendation that grown-up students are found out, by ideals of experience. I for the most part react by thinking that through the grown-up learner’s support, the program can be substantially more captivating with the student themselves standing up and adding to the conversation. The customary channel strategy or top-down methodology in instructing isn't the most ideal way. I get disappointed when participatory learning is skirted. I feel like the students have such a great amount to offer. As a program organizer, I might want to weight on the estimation of an individual or a student in the learning procedure as exceptionally moral and basic. This is one reality that I might want to accentuate in my training. A student focused program is expected to impact change in a preparation program. There are messages than can be all the more viably passed on to the students or crowd through participatory technique. Individuals learn without anyone else. Learning isn't forced or upheld. In his 1982 book, Living, Loving and Learning, Buscaglia refered to Carl Rogers who composed: You realize that I don’t accept that anybody has ever thought anything to anybody. I question the viability of educating. The main thing that I know is that any individual who needs to learn will learn. Furthermore, perhaps an educator is a facilitator, an individual who puts things down and shows individuals how energizing and awesome it is and requests that they eat. (p. 7) We are for the most part students. We gain from one another. Indeed, even specialists take in numerous things from their members. No man has the restraining infrastructure of information and encounters. One man’s taking in contrasts from others. We as a whole have our own specific manner of learning. Answer to Question 4b I have not left an arranging circumstance regardless of whether I am not completely offered to the concurred thoughts or strategies; regardless of whether my own proposals are minimized. I remained to gain from them. I despite everything joined to check whether their strategies dependent on their conviction framework will work. It is about regard and offering chances to different gatherings to have their own specific manner. I held tight to see the aftereffects of the assessment. Most likely, what might make me leave is the fair and up close and personal dismissal of my thoughts after a poor preparing program. I would leave in the event that they lost trust and direct all the fault to me. I would modestly leave. I won't cut off the tie between us however want to re-interface with them again later on, should they need my administrations once more. All things considered, the world is little and who knows, we may wind up requiring each other toward the stopping point sometime in the not so distant future. References Buscaglia, L. (1982). Living, adoring and learning. New York: Random House. Step by step instructions to refer to Contextual Knowledge in Program Planning: A Personal Reflection, Papers

Meow

Meow I was reading one of Lauras recent entries with a response to a commenter asking about cats. East Campus is one of the dorms with cat floors floors which allow residents to have a cat and Third East is one of them. Before I go on, hall means floor if I ever use one or the other, now you know. :) Weve got five cats at present Dr. Popular, Harley, Nixon, Voight and Saber. We had one last year named Lucca who moved out with her graduating owner, and another named Ferris who had to be put to sleep for a variety of reasons. Dr. Popular is the most skittish, pathologically afraid cat Ive ever seen. Harley never comes out from under Hannahs bed, Nixon sheds a lot of goldish-orange fur, Voight meows to himself in this gravelly, rolling manner as he wanders the hall, and Saber is brand new to hall, having arrived in a kennel on Delta Airlines from a place called TerrificPets.Com (Im not joking). At East Campus, only about half of the floors are designated cat floors this allows folks with allergies to make necessary arrangements. Since we have five now, the hall chairs (a couple of hall residents who are the liaisons to house management and the administration) have asked for people to tell them before getting any more cats. I think other halls have had more at one time didnt 5E have seven not that long ago? but its probably a good idea to have some sort of internal control. People have just been getting new cats as they feel like it. Theyre a lot of fun to have around, and when they do something you dont like, its hard to get angry at them because theyre just cats. Id never had a pet before, so I was completely clueless about what they were like on a daily basis before I moved in. Individual residents keep their own cats fed and watered and groomed, but they usually let them roam the halls all day, with their doors ajar to allow for ingress and egress at will. Here are some anecdotes from the past year. * Lucca had this creepy habit of surprising you on the throne by walking under the bathroom stall when youre inside. Not that I really care about a cat watching me attend to my business, but theres this eerie feeling when shes just sitting there and perhaps jumping onto the windowsill to get a better view. * Dr. Popular can make every noise possible *except* what youd expect from a cat. Dolphin is his favorite, with this pathetic, oscillating cry several octaves beyond what Mother Nature intended. He can turn the dolphin into a growling bear, a ghost, or a woodpecker, or all four for the haunted house effect. Whats best is you can stand there across from him and make the same noises back (Im good at this), engaging him in a dolphin-meowing match for half an hour. He thinks he can outdolphin me, but to date he hasnt. Usually he just runs halfway down the hall at 45MPH, stopping to look back at me to make sure I havent caught up to him yet. * Dr. Popular is the cutest cat youve ever seen. Black with white paws. Problem is, when you pick him up, your shirt turns black also. Cat hair is impossible to quickly pick off of clothing. * All cats love strings, ropes, cords, twine, keys, and oh yes catnip. Especially catnip ordered fresh from the Garden of Ebay. Note to all who may follow: cats know no discretion when it comes to catnip. A large pile found its way into a corner of the hall, was swiftly consumed in full by an indulgent cat, and was equally swiftly turned into vomit in a residents closet. (The cat was fine.) * Luccas litterbox, which sits in the closet right next to the door, never got emptied. Walking to your room shouldnt involve suffocation from the worst smell known to man. It got really bad in the summer with no air conditioning and record temperatures, with the humidity turning said waste into something especially foul. No wonder the cat was always hanging out elsewhere on hall * Always look under your bed and around your room before closing your door and retiring for the night. Otherwise, it might be a Saturday morning at 8:00 when a cat starts walking over your face because he/she needs to get out. * Besides having no clean place to poop, Lucca also had some digestive health problems. Guys, its important to take care of your pets if youre going to have one. This poor kitty was leaving grey trails of Meow Mix all over the Walcott carpet, and the (yes, grey) stains continue to beckon today. I dont want you to get the wrong impression from Lucca. All of the other cats have been kept well, and their owners have been pretty responsible. * Either dont leave your door open all day, or get used to finding your socks strewn about the hallway. :P * Voight is a short-haired cat, making him a great candidate for picking up. He wont shed anything on you! Its immensely amusing to watch him walk up and down the hall, chattermeowing under his breath about all sorts of things (fish? catnip? bunnies?). We all thought he just had a very quiet voice, because even if hes displeased, hell just softly grumble * When youre really hosed, the cats will release some endearing kind of pheromone that instantly destresses you and turns you into a little kid playing with them, running after them, and basically finding every excuse to ignore your work until its way too late to get a reasonable amount of sleep. The cats then taunt you, bragging that they get to sleep all day and stare out the window. * Ferris had a behavior problem in his old age. When Hannah was out of town for IAP, this ferocious feline would go into Marks room (home to Dr. Popular, the other male cat at that time) and pee all over. This happened about six or seven times, soaking Marks jeans, floor, mattress, sheets and bed yes, once when he was in it. It was funny to everyone but Mark, who sounded like a broken record emailing the hall with all kinds of displeasure and directives to keep Ferris locked up and away from his linens. I put a few condolence cards on Ferris door expressing my wishes that he recover successfully. I think the cards said Sorry About Your Accident (yeah they were actually commercially produced), and each time he soaked something, Id tape up another one. * Dont go into a bathroom late at night with the lights off. A cat could be sleeping in one of the stalls, and you just might accidentally step on him, creating the loudest, most shrill YEOWWWWWWW! ever. I speak from experience it scared me just as much as I must have scared him. * That said, some of the cats do the funniest things when startled. One suddenly jumps about a foot in the air, and another runs down the hall as if summoned by a wailing air raid siren. Its funny when someone is standing halfway down the hall, sees this cat darting past, and wonders what the heck is going on. * When you see a cat heading for the stairwell door or fire escape, grab it. It probably doesnt know any better. Any special questions about having cats in the dorm? EC is pretty informal in that you can keep other pets too if they stay in your room and dont cause any problems. One girl has a bunny rabbit (the cutest thing ever with big floppy ears and a generous pounce), and I think a couple others have fish. Post Tagged #East Campus

Meow

Meow I was reading one of Lauras recent entries with a response to a commenter asking about cats. East Campus is one of the dorms with cat floors floors which allow residents to have a cat and Third East is one of them. Before I go on, hall means floor if I ever use one or the other, now you know. :) Weve got five cats at present Dr. Popular, Harley, Nixon, Voight and Saber. We had one last year named Lucca who moved out with her graduating owner, and another named Ferris who had to be put to sleep for a variety of reasons. Dr. Popular is the most skittish, pathologically afraid cat Ive ever seen. Harley never comes out from under Hannahs bed, Nixon sheds a lot of goldish-orange fur, Voight meows to himself in this gravelly, rolling manner as he wanders the hall, and Saber is brand new to hall, having arrived in a kennel on Delta Airlines from a place called TerrificPets.Com (Im not joking). At East Campus, only about half of the floors are designated cat floors this allows folks with allergies to make necessary arrangements. Since we have five now, the hall chairs (a couple of hall residents who are the liaisons to house management and the administration) have asked for people to tell them before getting any more cats. I think other halls have had more at one time didnt 5E have seven not that long ago? but its probably a good idea to have some sort of internal control. People have just been getting new cats as they feel like it. Theyre a lot of fun to have around, and when they do something you dont like, its hard to get angry at them because theyre just cats. Id never had a pet before, so I was completely clueless about what they were like on a daily basis before I moved in. Individual residents keep their own cats fed and watered and groomed, but they usually let them roam the halls all day, with their doors ajar to allow for ingress and egress at will. Here are some anecdotes from the past year. * Lucca had this creepy habit of surprising you on the throne by walking under the bathroom stall when youre inside. Not that I really care about a cat watching me attend to my business, but theres this eerie feeling when shes just sitting there and perhaps jumping onto the windowsill to get a better view. * Dr. Popular can make every noise possible *except* what youd expect from a cat. Dolphin is his favorite, with this pathetic, oscillating cry several octaves beyond what Mother Nature intended. He can turn the dolphin into a growling bear, a ghost, or a woodpecker, or all four for the haunted house effect. Whats best is you can stand there across from him and make the same noises back (Im good at this), engaging him in a dolphin-meowing match for half an hour. He thinks he can outdolphin me, but to date he hasnt. Usually he just runs halfway down the hall at 45MPH, stopping to look back at me to make sure I havent caught up to him yet. * Dr. Popular is the cutest cat youve ever seen. Black with white paws. Problem is, when you pick him up, your shirt turns black also. Cat hair is impossible to quickly pick off of clothing. * All cats love strings, ropes, cords, twine, keys, and oh yes catnip. Especially catnip ordered fresh from the Garden of Ebay. Note to all who may follow: cats know no discretion when it comes to catnip. A large pile found its way into a corner of the hall, was swiftly consumed in full by an indulgent cat, and was equally swiftly turned into vomit in a residents closet. (The cat was fine.) * Luccas litterbox, which sits in the closet right next to the door, never got emptied. Walking to your room shouldnt involve suffocation from the worst smell known to man. It got really bad in the summer with no air conditioning and record temperatures, with the humidity turning said waste into something especially foul. No wonder the cat was always hanging out elsewhere on hall * Always look under your bed and around your room before closing your door and retiring for the night. Otherwise, it might be a Saturday morning at 8:00 when a cat starts walking over your face because he/she needs to get out. * Besides having no clean place to poop, Lucca also had some digestive health problems. Guys, its important to take care of your pets if youre going to have one. This poor kitty was leaving grey trails of Meow Mix all over the Walcott carpet, and the (yes, grey) stains continue to beckon today. I dont want you to get the wrong impression from Lucca. All of the other cats have been kept well, and their owners have been pretty responsible. * Either dont leave your door open all day, or get used to finding your socks strewn about the hallway. :P * Voight is a short-haired cat, making him a great candidate for picking up. He wont shed anything on you! Its immensely amusing to watch him walk up and down the hall, chattermeowing under his breath about all sorts of things (fish? catnip? bunnies?). We all thought he just had a very quiet voice, because even if hes displeased, hell just softly grumble * When youre really hosed, the cats will release some endearing kind of pheromone that instantly destresses you and turns you into a little kid playing with them, running after them, and basically finding every excuse to ignore your work until its way too late to get a reasonable amount of sleep. The cats then taunt you, bragging that they get to sleep all day and stare out the window. * Ferris had a behavior problem in his old age. When Hannah was out of town for IAP, this ferocious feline would go into Marks room (home to Dr. Popular, the other male cat at that time) and pee all over. This happened about six or seven times, soaking Marks jeans, floor, mattress, sheets and bed yes, once when he was in it. It was funny to everyone but Mark, who sounded like a broken record emailing the hall with all kinds of displeasure and directives to keep Ferris locked up and away from his linens. I put a few condolence cards on Ferris door expressing my wishes that he recover successfully. I think the cards said Sorry About Your Accident (yeah they were actually commercially produced), and each time he soaked something, Id tape up another one. * Dont go into a bathroom late at night with the lights off. A cat could be sleeping in one of the stalls, and you just might accidentally step on him, creating the loudest, most shrill YEOWWWWWWW! ever. I speak from experience it scared me just as much as I must have scared him. * That said, some of the cats do the funniest things when startled. One suddenly jumps about a foot in the air, and another runs down the hall as if summoned by a wailing air raid siren. Its funny when someone is standing halfway down the hall, sees this cat darting past, and wonders what the heck is going on. * When you see a cat heading for the stairwell door or fire escape, grab it. It probably doesnt know any better. Any special questions about having cats in the dorm? EC is pretty informal in that you can keep other pets too if they stay in your room and dont cause any problems. One girl has a bunny rabbit (the cutest thing ever with big floppy ears and a generous pounce), and I think a couple others have fish. Post Tagged #East Campus

Marketing Brandin Paper Disney Company - 1483 Words

Marketing Brandin paper Introduction Disney is one of the most famous names in the animation industry, known for providing entertainment directed to adults and children alike; with international theme parks and a world-class animation studio and business franchise, the company nearly dominates the industry. Famous names such as Mickey Mouse began with Disney, and were the foundation of a company that has now branched out into several entertainment studios, theme parks, products, and other media productions. Company history The Walt Disney company has a unique and very interesting history in the entertainment field. The history of Walt Disney Co begins 16 of October, when the brothers Walt and Roy signed a contract with M. J. Winkler to†¦show more content†¦In 1928, there was a first appearance of their first own character Mickey Mouse. The company sold the rights to use their images for different advertising campaigns, and they started to produce children s toys. The opening of the new park was held July 17, 1955. After the war, in 1950 Disney started some television series. It was also the year of the beginning of Mickey Mouse Club. Also, the 1955 year was very important for company, it was the year of openning the first Disneyland in California. The company continue to create cartoons and live - action movies. In the 1983 the Disney channel started broadcasting, and Disney appeared in international arene, and opened Disneyland in Tokyo. In 1990 - 2000, Disney begin to widen it is market. The company continue improvement. They start to produce not only family movies. In the period of 1970 - 1990, Walt Disney Co opened their first Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and the first Disney store was open in California. At the beginnong of the second millennium Disney bought Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Entertainment, and Lucasfilm. Brand Positioning The brand position for Disney shows its competitive position. The main purpose of such a big company like Disney, is to build and maintain competent position in the market place. Disney brand take 10th position based on weight among all the best worldwide companies, which means the brand power to be the best in

Analysis Of The Story The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin

Death is the wish of some, relief of many, and the end of all. Death, which is often seen as a great evil, can sometimes be seen as something for the greater good of someone. To many, death is a liberator and a comforter. It is a journey we’ll all have to embark, sooner or later. Death can be the beginning of the end to many people, an event which can bring everlasting happiness, but also a shattering sadness. The short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† by Kate Chopin, which was published in 1894, presents a not so common viewpoint of death. One could say that this story has brought about a brief renewing love for life with one of the main characters. On the other hand, â€Å"The Moths† by Helena Maria Viramontes shows a painful reaction to death, that is quite relatable to what one may usually experience. The death in â€Å"The Moths† can be looked at as a moment of grief in pain, but also a moment for maturity and rebirth. Moreover, â€Å"The Story o f an Hour† depicts death as a problem solver and something that can bring unimaginable amounts of freedom. Death can be looked at as perhaps a sort of liberation that can bring about a renewal for life. In other aspects, death can be viewed as a moment of grief and pain. Lastly, death may work as a spark which brings another loved one back into your life. Renewing love for life and freedom are two things that many suddenly feel once they’ve finished grieving from the loss of a loved one. As seen in Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† the mainShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin811 Words   |  4 Pages2015 What’s in a Protagonist: An Analysis of The Story of an Hour In Kate Chopin’s short story, The Story of an Hour, the reader is introduced to three characters and an event that has occurred prior to the beginning of the story. The three characters that the reader is introduced to are: Mrs. Mallard, who is the protagonist of the story, Josphine, who is her sister, and Mr. Richards, who does not play a major role in the story. Throughout the plot of the story, the reader can gain a sense of sympathyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin751 Words   |  4 PagesHardi Patel Mr. Ogle ENGL 1020 10 July 2015 The Joy of Independence In the short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, by Kate Chopin, the episode begins with the exposition. It is the story about a dynamic character, Mrs. Mallard, who is given the horrible news of her husband’s death in a railroad disaster. Overwhelmed by her husband’s immediate death, she suddenly rushes in her bedroom. Here we see a different side of Mrs. Mallard’s attitude. Mrs. Mallard portrays herself as a coin. Mrs. Mallard, theRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin Literary Analysis1432 Words   |  6 PagesMaking a literary analysis involves writing an argumentative analysis about a particular literature. The analyst is supposed to carefully read the literature and better understand the contents so as to come up with legal analysis. It requires some summary, but it is not a report about the book or the story. It is important in making the reader to understand the message in the book as well as the improvements necessary the literature. It is also important in understanding how a particular author articulatesRead MoreAnalysis Of Kate Chopin s The Story Of An Hour955 Words   |  4 PagesLiterally analysis of Naturalism and the Short Story Form: Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour† While Scott D. Emmert in Naturalism and the Short Story Form: Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’ points out the short stories cannot form a narrative because of their length and others would disagree. 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She is considered as a forerunner of feminist author. Unlike many of the feminist writers of her time who were mainly interested in improving the social conditions of women, she looked for an understanding of personal freedom. She put much concentration on women’s lives and their continualRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin895 Words   |  4 PagesIrony and Foreshadowing in Story of an Hour In the short story, Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin chronicles the short journey of a woman who has recently learned of the death of her husband from a railroad accident. Kate Chopin is known for her stories which revolve around women and the world from their perspective, and Story of an Hour is no exception. As a writer, Chopin utilizes and employs many rhetorical devices to add emotion and depth to her world. Though Story of an Hour is riddled with rhetoricalRead MoreKate Chopin The Story Of An Hour Analysis1137 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin is a wonderful short story bursting with many peculiar twists and turns. Written in 1894, the author tells a tale of a woman who learns of her husband’s death but comes to find pleasure in it. The elements Kate Chopin uses in this story symbolize something more than just the surface meaning. In less than one thousand one hundred words, Kate Chopin illustrates a deeper meaning of Mrs. Mallardâ€⠄¢s marriage through many different forms of symbolism such as the openRead MoreAnalysis Of Kate Chopin s Story Of An Hour993 Words   |  4 PagesIrony in â€Å"Story of an Hour† In Kate Chopin’s short story â€Å"Story of an Hour†, Irony, or the expression of meaning that traditionally indicates the contrary of what is expected, plays a huge role in deciphering the theme and underlying motifs of the story that takes the reader through the hour of Mrs. Mallard’s life after her husband supposedly dies. Through Irony, Kate Chopin effectively portrays the forbidden joy of independence (SparkNotes Editors). The theme is portrayed by the author’s emphasis Analysis Of The Story The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin Hardi Patel Mr. Ogle ENGL 1020 10 July 2015 The Joy of Independence In the short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, by Kate Chopin, the episode begins with the exposition. It is the story about a dynamic character, Mrs. Mallard, who is given the horrible news of her husband’s death in a railroad disaster. Overwhelmed by her husband’s immediate death, she suddenly rushes in her bedroom. Here we see a different side of Mrs. Mallard’s attitude. Mrs. Mallard portrays herself as a coin. Mrs. Mallard, the protagonist, is a weak hearted, independent and selfish woman who has two different attitudes just as two different faces of same coin in the entire plot. First, Mrs. Mallard is exposed as a weak hearted woman in the beginning of the plot: The scene opens up â€Å"Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death† (13). Chopin describes that great care was taken to reveal the news of her h usband’s death as she was afflicted with heart disease and she would not be able to accept it at once. Later on when the news of Mr. Mallard’s death is revealed, â€Å"She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms†(13). Mrs. Mallard reacts to this news as other wife would. This clearly explains that she was first scared to have no one follow her in future. FollowingShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin811 Words   |  4 Pages2015 What’s in a Protagonist: An Analysis of The Story of an Hour In Kate Chopin’s short story, The Story of an Hour, the reader is introduced to three characters and an event that has occurred prior to the beginning of the story. The three characters that the reader is introduced to are: Mrs. Mallard, who is the protagonist of the story, Josphine, who is her sister, and Mr. Richards, who does not play a major role in the story. Throughout the plot of the story, the reader can gain a sense of sympathyRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin Literary Analysis1432 Words   |  6 PagesMaking a literary analysis involves writing an argumentative analysis about a particular literature. The analyst is supposed to carefully read the literature and better understand the contents so as to come up with legal analysis. It requires some summary, but it is not a report about the book or the story. It is important in making the reader to understand the message in the book as well as the improvements necessary the literature. It is also important in understanding how a particular author articulatesRead MoreAnalysis Of Kate Chopin s The Story Of An Hour955 Words   |  4 PagesLiterally analysis of Naturalism and the Short Story Form: Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour† While Scott D. Emmert in Naturalism and the Short Story Form: Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’ points out the short stories cannot form a narrative because of their length and others would disagree. Admittedly, even though according to Scott short stories cannot form a narrative they are perfect for naturalist writers because short stories and poems tend to focus more on natural surroundings and theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin903 Words   |  4 PagesEddly Noel English Literature and Writing Professor Johnson 27 October 2014 Oppression In Kate Chopin’s short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour† oppression is epitomized as the state of being subject to control or distress. At the beginning of the story, Louise Mallard’s family gently informs her of her husband’s death in a train accident. Knowing that Mrs. Mallard suffered from heart trouble, they had to carefully convey the sad message. At this moment, Mrs. Mallard is feeling heavily burdened andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin1219 Words   |  5 Pageshave to embark, sooner or later. Death can be the beginning of the end to many people, an event which can bring everlasting happiness, but also a shattering sadness. The short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† by Kate Chopin, which was published in 1894, presents a not so common viewpoint of death. One could say that this story has brought about a brief renewing love for life with one of the main characters. On the other hand, â€Å"The Moth s† by Helena Maria Viramontes shows a painful reaction to deathRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin856 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 1302 11 November 2017 Literary Analysis of â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin The Story of an Hour is a short story written by Kate Chopin which was published in 1894 as â€Å"The Dream of an Hour† in Vogue. When the word marriage hits our mind, we think it as a lasting relationship. Marriage is a commitment between two individuals bonded by holy ceremony. The story of an hour presents the side of marriage which is usually unheard. The main character of the story is Mrs. Louise Mallard. She cameRead MoreAnalysis of â€Å"the Story of an Hour† Written by Kate Chopin1697 Words   |  7 PagesAnalysis of â€Å"The Story of an Hour† written by Kate Chopin The story under analysis is written by Kate Chopin. Kate Chopin was an American author of short stories and novels. She wrote for both children and adults. She is considered as a forerunner of feminist author. Unlike many of the feminist writers of her time who were mainly interested in improving the social conditions of women, she looked for an understanding of personal freedom. She put much concentration on women’s lives and their continualRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin895 Words   |  4 PagesIrony and Foreshadowing in Story of an Hour In the short story, Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin chronicles the short journey of a woman who has recently learned of the death of her husband from a railroad accident. Kate Chopin is known for her stories which revolve around women and the world from their perspective, and Story of an Hour is no exception. As a writer, Chopin utilizes and employs many rhetorical devices to add emotion and depth to her world. Though Story of an Hour is riddled with rhetoricalRead MoreKate Chopin The Story Of An Hour Analysis1137 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin is a wonderful short story bursting with many peculiar twists and turns. Written in 1894, the author tells a tale of a woman who learns of her husband’s death but comes to find pleasure in it. The elements Kate Chopin uses in this story symbolize something more than just the surface meaning. In less than one thousand one hundred words, Kate Chopin illustrates a deeper meaning of Mrs. Mallardâ€⠄¢s marriage through many different forms of symbolism such as the openRead MoreAnalysis Of Kate Chopin s Story Of An Hour993 Words   |  4 PagesIrony in â€Å"Story of an Hour† In Kate Chopin’s short story â€Å"Story of an Hour†, Irony, or the expression of meaning that traditionally indicates the contrary of what is expected, plays a huge role in deciphering the theme and underlying motifs of the story that takes the reader through the hour of Mrs. Mallard’s life after her husband supposedly dies. Through Irony, Kate Chopin effectively portrays the forbidden joy of independence (SparkNotes Editors). The theme is portrayed by the author’s emphasis

Homelessness Among Families With Children - 3141 Words

Abstract Homelessness among families with children in an increasing problem in the United States today (Martin, 2014). A single mother with two to three children is among the fastest growing homeless demographic (Bassuk, 2010). Research shows that root causes for homelessness among families with children include, a lack of affordable housing, unemployment, domestic violence and substance abuse. Furthermore, studies support that homelessness negatively affects families with children by resulting in shelter living, a decline in mental and physical health, a break down in the family structure and poor academic performance (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). Legislation implemented to address homelessness among families consisted of the Homeless Person’s Survival Act, the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act(National Coalition for the Homeless, 2006), and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(U. S. Board of Education, 2004). Although, these programs were designed to improve the c ircumstances surrounding homelessness, more programs are still needed to combat this social problem. Human service professionals must continue to advocate for more policy changes and legislation that will positively impact and reduce the number of homeless families with children. Understanding Homelessness and the Effects on Families with Children Homelessness among families with children has become an increasing social problem in society. Today, a single mother with two to threeShow MoreRelatedCauses Of Homelessness1405 Words   |  6 Pagesthey all share in common are the factors why a specific type of population became homeless. The interrelation of homelessness and mental illness are informed by many factors such as; the lack of support, extreme poverty, substance abuse, lack of affordable health insurance, and lack of affordable housing. The homeless population shares different struggles when dealing with homelessness and mental illnesses because there are not enough resources for them to be able to come back to their normal selfRead MoreHomelessness : Homeless Population, Origins And Consequences Of Homelessness1373 Words   |  6 PagesHomelessness Some background information on the prevalence of and risk factors for the homeless population, origins and consequences of homelessness, prevention and treatment strategies, and other considerations will be presented. The definition of homelessness may cover a broad range of individuals, including those physically deprived of a home and housed persons unwilling to remain in their homes (Ravenhill 6). Some researchers conceptualize homelessness as â€Å"alienation from the rest of the societyRead MoreHealth Disparities Among Homeless Women And Their Children1015 Words   |  5 Pages Health Disparities Among Homeless Women and Their Children Geraldine Barron Denver School of Nursing Cohort C â€Æ' Health Disparities Among Homeless Women and Their Children Health care disparities is known for its vulnerability among low income and minority status populations. Of most concern are the vulnerable population subgroups known by the harsh environments in which they live, their endangered and unhealthy life styles and the illnesses and injuries that afflict them. â€Å"These subpopulationsRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Family And Family Homelessness1270 Words   |  6 PagesFamily and child homelessness has been a major social problem within the United states since the 1980s (Bassuk). According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, it is a problem that affected 79,446 family households in January 2010, and over 1.5 million children between the years of 2005 and 2006. Family and child homelessness is a genuine issue that although has increased to 37% of the overall homeless, and is said to have reached an â€Å"historic high† (Bassuk), it has not been discussedRead MoreAmerican Journal Reviews of Child and Family Homelessness720 Words   |  3 PagesChild and Family Homelessness: Where are we Now? American Journal of Public Health 103.2 (2013): E1-E10. ProQuest. Web. 1 Mar. 2014. Roy Grant, M.A., et al. conducted a review of family and childhood homelessness over a course between a twenty-five year span of the 1980’s to 2013. They reviewed journal articles, government reports, and news stories to find any changes in conditions or the amount of family and childhood homelessness. The review concluded family and childhood homelessness still existsRead MoreThe Outcasts Of Society, The Lazy And Incompetent, Or The Victims Of Extreme Misfortunes?1607 Words   |  7 Pagesculture of homelessness, we will demystify, learning the how’s, when’s and why’s. It is essential not to get lost within the presentation of stats and facts. But, to digest the information, reverting it back to our own lives. In doing so, we will see how near or far we are to the brinks of homelessness. Careful! As the degrees of separation maybe not be so plentiful.† Homelessness According to a recent point in time by a survey provided by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, an estimatedRead MoreA Vulnerable Population: The Homeless in America919 Words   |  4 PagesHomeless in America Introduction Homelessness in America should be a growing concern. When discussing the United States current economic crisis comparisons with the Great Depression are becoming more and more common. Tent cities or makeshift shelters in specified areas or just beyond city limits are becoming familiar sites across the country. Each of these cities contains dozens if not hundreds of families struggling to just survive (Maide, 2010). Homelessness can be defined as the lack of aRead MoreYouth Among The Homeless Essay1118 Words   |  5 Pages Homelessness is all around the world, and many people have either dealt with the issue or had first-hand experience with it. Thus causes everyone to think about the possible solutions to such an important social and economic problem. Whether or not anyone wants to support or ignore the issue, it will always be there. However, the youth population is on the rise among the homeless. While the exact number of youth among the homeless is hard to determine, given various information about homelessnessRead MoreThe Problem Of Homeless People1280 Words   |  6 Pageshomeless people, one would probably think of a bum who is an addict or alcoholic. Homelessness affects a variety of people. Homelessness as an issue in today s society is largely ignored. The problem of homelessness is barely noticed. The growing population of homeless people is shown that more people are still suffering financial problems and struggling in maintaining their life basis. Many families and children have experienced trauma prior to becoming homeless. Parents are losing their jobsRead MoreHomeless Research Paper1487 Words   |  6 Pagesmillion people experience homelessness in the US every year (NCH,1). But what is homelessness? Jim Baumohl, a noted author, explained in Homelessness in America, the most common definition of homelessness used by researchers is the â€Å"absence of belonging to a specific place or to people† (NCH, 3). However, there is no set definition, due to the variety of living conditions a homeless person encounters, and the opinions of the researchers. As Baumohl pointed out, â€Å"homelessness is but the latest of many

Strategies Supply Chain Collaboration

Question: Discuss about the Strategies Supply Chain Collaboration. Answer: Introduction: Woolworths was established in the year 1924 in Australia with an objective to offer good things at a reasonable price. Currently it operates more than 900 stores across Australia. It works closely with growers and farmers across the country to source fresh fruits, vegetables and meat to ensure quality products are being delivered to its customers. Woolworths have revamped its brand image with its new slogan fresh food people. It offers its services to more than 3 million regular customers and 30,000 business customers across Australia. Woolworths has integrated its offline and online business, thereby offering the customers an opportunity to buy online and collect it from their nearest store. It complies with the Australian Consumer Law and ensures products safety requirements by factory auditing, products testing and inspections. In case a product is found defective, the product is recalled in order to protect the health of the customers and maintain companys reputation for quality products. Woolworths has a loyalty reward program which offers variety of benefits such as fuel discounts, members only deals (offline and online), Qantas frequent flyer points. To attract and retain its business customers, it offers various privileges and services to its customers such as: savings of up to 3% for each order; no contracts for doing business; bulk ordering with 6-7 days advance notice; free delivery, 7 days a week to save customers time on first order and all orders above $300; dedicated support through account linked to business customers for addressing their issues; interest free credit account; flexible invoicing (woolworths.com.au. 2016). Woolworths is committed towards pro viding safe and quality products to its valued customers. The company aims to attract new customers and retain existing customers. It has formulated a three-fold strategy to win over new customers and gain competitive advantage over its rivals, which are as follows: Improve basic offers so that customers puts Woolworths first; Innovate in order to meet the needs of the customers. Create added customer value by executing Lean Model (com.au. 2016). Technological Force Woolworths has always emphasized only bringing the best in technology. They use latest technology such as RFID in all its stores and have launched its own mobile app for the convenience of shoppers to buy products online. It has also introduced beacon technology which notifies privileged customers of special offers and product updates on their phones while they walk in the stores (Theaustralian.com.au. 2014). To reduce carbon emission in its stores, they have introduced reduced emission refrigeration systems which have 75% less potential for global warming. All the stores uses LED lightings and motion sensors to ensure save level of lighting and reduced carbon emissions and takes initiative of recycling of its plastic bags and cardboard boxes to reduce solid waste (woolworthslimited.com.au. 2016). Woolworths have introduced self- checkout technology which facilitates customers to scan, weigh and pay for their groceries via cash or cards (Ausfoodnews.com.au. 2016). Woolworths is known for its supply chain collaboration for a provide customers delight. It works closely with its suppliers and supply chain collaborators to achieve common objective of achieving improved organizational performance and competitive advantage through shared knowledge (Arli et al. 2013). References Arli, V., Dylke, S., Burgess, R., Campus, R. and Soldo, E., 2013. Woolworths Australia and Walmart US: Best practices in supply chain collaboration.Journal of Economics, Business, and Accountancy| Ventura,16(1), pp.27-46. Ausfoodnews.com.au. (2016).Woolworths announces new strategies to win over grocery shoppers, AFN reveals full detail | Australian Food News. [online] Available at: https://ausfoodnews.com.au/2015/05/06/woolworths-announces-new-strategies-to-win-over-grocery-shoppers-afn-reveals-full-detail.html [Accessed 7 Sep. 2016]. Ausfoodnews.com.au. (2016).Woolworths trial self-checkout technology | Australian Food News. [online] Available at: https://ausfoodnews.com.au/2008/04/21/woolworths-trial-self-checkout-technology.html [Accessed 8 Sep. 2016]. Theaustralian.com.au. (2014).Woolies trials beacon specials. [online] Available at: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/woolworths-trials-beacon-specials-in-supermarket/news-story/1fd68222d07c9a7f86195554cc6c3583 [Accessed 8 Sep. 2016]. woolworths.com.au. (2016).Shop/Discover/shopping-online/my-business. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Discover/shopping-online/my-business [Accessed 7 Sep. 2016].

Caribbean Governance the Impact of the Global Economic Crisis Essay Example

Caribbean Governance the Impact of the Global Economic Crisis Essay ABSTRACT: The importance of an efficient and effective Caribbean in the delivery of economic and social development is a long-standing theme of development policy. This however has not always been the case and the result is a Caribbean repeating past mistakes and compromising in some cases the theme of the development strategy. Global recession has consistently tested the resolve of the Caribbean and to this end there is a need to address the factors that have consistently led to the economic decline of the island states. This paper examines the recent experience of the Commonwealth Caribbean in dealing with the current Global economic crisis with a particular focus on Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. It begins by examining the signs and the effect on each island. The paper then identifies five key issues that have emerged as factors contributing to and needing the attention of the heads in order to ameliorate against an occurrence in the future: regionalism, integration, transparency and governance are examined as being overarching themes the fundamental problems are dealt with individually within the essay. In each case the background to its contribution to the problem is given along with the solution to the problem. A history examining the recession as a new phenomenon and by extention unprecedented is assessed. The paper concludes by discussing one key dimension of the global economic crisis experience: globalisation and the importance of politics in promoting and sustaining a successful relationship with the rest of the world. The final section sums up the main points. We will write a custom essay sample on Caribbean Governance the Impact of the Global Economic Crisis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Caribbean Governance the Impact of the Global Economic Crisis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Caribbean Governance the Impact of the Global Economic Crisis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author (Jepter Lorde) and do not necessarily reflect the views of The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus or its Board of Directors and/or Board of Governors. It is a fact that the world economy is facing the worst financial crisis since the great depression. It can be argued the crisis is taking place at a time when Caribbean countries are grappling with over arching themes of structural adjustment, transparency and governance as well as globalisation, integration and regionalism issues indicating a Caribbean challenged. It is clear that these reoccurring themes are a reflection of the global economic situation and can threaten to reverse the few gains made by the region in recent years. The general consensus therefore is that the near unprecedented period of national recession currently being experienced in English and non English speaking Caribbean islands should be confronted with bold, swift and concerted actions to reduce the potential negative effects of the crisis on these developing states. ECLAC or The Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean clearly articulates five main channels of impact or signs that can serve as lead indicators to the crisis they are financial contagion, excessive external borrowing, and reduction in foreign direct investment, external demand reduction of goods and services, reduced workers’ remittances as well as changes in relative prices (particularly commodity prices). It is the position of this essay that the present situation is not unprecedented, this essay will seek to clearly identify the signs of the crisis and the corollary effects, as previously articulated by ECLAC, while at the same time outlining the factors that account for the exposure of the national state to this current state of affairs. Attention will be paid to three Caribbean islands where the issues are current and dynamic; they are Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. In order to clearly identify the signs of the crisis it would be intuitive at this time to contextualise the framework within which the essay is structured; the contributing key terms are global recession, crisis and unprecedented. Global recession is widely accepted and can only be confirmed if GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth is negative for a period of two or more consecutive quarters, by extention a national recession can be defined using the same parameters and be the recipient of a knock on effect attributed to the Global situation (Willis Peterson 2002). A crisis is an end product, manifesting itself after showing signs the organs central to the operation of a system begin functioning erratically; in extreme cases they stop functioning entirely. The result, if the system is to be salvaged, is a slow and painful adjustment. (Barry Eichengreen 2002). External borrowing and the payment of interest rates is not new to the Caribbean and is described by Norman Girvan as being responsible for the single largest movement of money out of the region towards satisfying the myopic, parasitic appetite of an elite imperialist class. This movement has contributed to the perpetual cycle of poverty, dependency and the corollary criminality due to high debt servicing arrangements and the inability of Governments to invest in the social and welfare development of its people, Jamaica therefore is no stranger to this. The lack of good Governance however has lead to a further exacerbation of the condition. In examining good governance and the effect of external borrowing two items of note, the JLP win in 1981 coincided with the election of Ronald Reagan and the Neo-Liberal approach to global economic relations, an ideology the Edward Seaga administration was sympathetic to, the approach signalled not only a change in economic policy direction but also renewed contact between the government of Jamaica and the IMF (Davies 1996). Having articulated a new policy direction the expectation therefore would be a turnaround in the fortunes of the Jamaican economy-this was not to be. The record showed a slowdown in key production sectors of bauxite, agriculture and textiles – to put it bluntly the country was in a worst position than was the case with the former PNP administration after having received more than preferential terms under the JLP administration. One aspect of the relationship was clear; it could not continue (Davies 1996). Clive Thomas offers some insight to the situation, he makes an observation concerning the class relations in the Caribbean but the analysis in the Poor and the Powerless is collectively intuitive, salient and reflective of the relations taking place: â€Å"A fourth observation is that the petty bourgeoisie that presently controls state power is not a homogeneous group, but includes several fractions professionals, political administrative, state-economic, and private and although fractional conflict exists generally, in the absence of an entrenched ruling class, its self-interest leads it to develop closer relations with national private capital. Because of these considerations the state takes on the characteristic of being a state for itself, and in the absence of bourgeois democratic constitutional restraints, it can proceed rapidly to the institutionalization of all forms of corruption. This, we believe, is the central explanatory factor behind the rise of corruption, and the pattern which it has taken in the region, i. e. , it constitutes a means of facilitating the consolidation of an economic base and the enlargement of property held by this class. † The socioeconomic fallout from the association with the International Monetary Fund has stymied the development of the island and as undermined the limited gains made in the post independence era, is the current situation facing Jamaica unprecedented the answer is simply no. The year is 2009 and the incestuous relationship between aspects of the governing elite and unsavoury elements of the society has not so subtly festered to the surface. The JLP is once again in office and scandal of epic proportions has gripped the party with the arrest of Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, drug lord, reputed strongman and ‘don’ to the JLP. Horace Campbell Professor of African American and Political studies at Syracuse University had this to say: â€Å"The arrest of Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke in Kingston has reopened the issues of the use of thugs and gunmen to intimidate the poor in Caribbean. From Mexico to Guyana and from Brazil to Trinidad, gunmen and criminal elements integrated into the cocaine, guns, politics and banking business terrorise the poor and ensure that international capitalism thrives on the backs and bodies of the most oppressed. Dudus had inherited a criminal infrastructure from his father (also known as Jim Brown) that had been organised by politicians to coerce and intimidate the working poor. † The phenomenon of Garrison politics has been around since the 1970 in Jamaica, no doubt having the blessing of the political elite; it has however bought into sharp focus the inability of a Government to govern and to tackle the pressure of a Global and National recession in the face of excessive external borrowing and the filtering of Government funds to support an underworld dominated by gangsters and social parasites. Thirty years later Christopher Coke operates a state within a state funded by Government largesse, patron Clientilism and the sale of illegal drugs. It takes the action of a grand jury in the USA and pressure to be brought to bear on Jamaica’s political elite to expose the attempts made by Prime Minister Bruce Golding to prevent the extradition and his relationship with the Jamaican ‘Don’ by contracting the services of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to lobby the US Government to discontinue extradition proceedings against ‘Dudus’. While grappling with this the country has found itself in the hands of the IMF to restructure the economy-a familiar refrain. Some seventy three died and prior to this latest embarrassment to the Caribbean hundreds if not thousands dispersed in 1980 in an attempt to settle differences between international capital, the local elite and the lumpenproletariat. Given the present state of affairs it would appear that many more will die but what is more alarming is their lack of knowledge of that fact. The Caribbean and its association to the metropole can be traced back to about five hundred years, from the inception the colonial states were established only to serve the hegemonic and self serving ambitions of a ruling class far removed from the economic deprivation visited upon the inhabitants of the Caribbean. The relationship was brutal and coercive and structured to extract the maximum by way of output while at the same time perpetuating and maintaining constant dependence on the metropole (Eric Williams 1970). Barbados, given its geographic location at the time, had become a victim of the economic structure and showed signs of this during the early stages of the national recession from 1991-1994. The country suffered reduction of foreign direct investment and external demand reduction for goods and services, led by the then DLP administration under the leadership of then Prime Minister Lloyd Erskine Sandiford. This structured economic isolation has its genesis not within the context of a dynamic global economic arena in which Barbados is a contributing player but from a system, long established by the former colonial masters, of Plantation Economy which posits that plantation slavery and specialization in export of primary commodities, in this instance Tourism, has marked the evolution of the societies in which it existed. The plantation economy theorist Lloyd Best explains, â€Å"The legacy of institutions, structures and behaviour patterns of the plantation system are so deeply entrenched that adjustment tends to take place as an adaptation within the bounds of the established framework† (Best 1968, p. 32). The Caribbean economist Norman Girvan contends that the transnational corporation (TNC) is an institution that exists within the â€Å"rules of the game† of the plantation economy. He points out that the historic continuity of foreign ownership, terminal stage of production, limited domestic linkages, repatriation of profits, and persistence of the incalculability of value flows with transfer pricing by TNCs are similar to slave plantation–metropole flows. The tourism product in Barbados resembles exactly the description advanced by Girvan. Undiversified for almost fifty years it depends solely on the England, USA and to a lesser extent Canada for annual tourist arrivals. Major players Hilton, Marriott, Sandy Lane and Four Seasons with the all inclusive package leave most if not all of the spend in the country of origin. Specialist areas within the culinary arts are held by foreign professionals with limited or no transferable skills to local workers. The results are unapologetic; with the fall in investment capital demand as a consequence shifts inward due to the exogenous shock resulting in reduced output in consumption and government spending. With this shortfall in potential output as opposed to actual output unemployment is the result with all of the social ill associated with it. Unprecedented therefore cannot describe the present occurrence because Barbados has experienced it before. The year is 2008 and the Barbados government led once again by the DLP administration has found itself in the unenviable position of managing an economy with reduced output, falling external demand for the mono crop tourism, increase in unemployment and marked increases in criminality as well as reduction in foreign direct investment. This situation has been highlighted by the inability of the country to restart the famed Four Seasons project; it is not difficult to understand the dynamics between International finance capital and local investment. With the impact of the world economic crisis tightening its grip flight of capital was seen as an understood result. The sector depends heavily on the foreign visitor who has stopped travelling, with reduced spend the sector is not seen as attractive by way of investment. The result is a contraction of the industry and the flight of the funds to the metropole of origin the past has once again repeated itself. It is no doubt therefore that civil assignments such as the Four Seasons project valued currently at US five hundred million has been on hold for two years, Merricks Beach Resort and Residence development project unable to secure the funding but also valued at some five hundred million US dollars and the long overdue Bridgetown to Hilton development project are all victims of the dependence on International finance capital and foreign direct investment. These projects are substantial and impact directly on the tourism sector the chief pillar of economic growth to the island. â€Å"It’s outrageous and insane, those crazy prices in Port of Spain†¦. It’s sad, and getting so bad, Oh Lord, capitalism gone mad. This was the cry of the Mighty Sparrow former Calypso King of Trinidad and Tobago in 1983. Prices were described as among the highest in the Caribbean. The latest style from the United States catches on with the unspoken assumption the rest of the Caribbean is be hind the times (Barry et al 1984). An editorial in an Antiguan paper sums up Trinidad at the time: â€Å"Port of Spain is a hustlers paradise, a fair ground with pirates at large, music booming, New York trinkets on the side walk, everybody on a hustle†¦Our diseased and destitute sprawled on the roadsides, our mad directing traffic or otherwise engaging with their demons and quoting the song ‘Capitalism gone mad. † Certainly not the paradise the Caribbean is known for however this clearly shows a Trinidad embracing the negative aspects of both a developed and underdeveloped world. A number of social ills to consider: increased criminality, alienation, decadence and as previously mentioned consumerism of the industrial metropole alongside perpetual poverty, social decay, economic dependence and foreign domination. This essentially summed up what Trinidad had become in the wake of a slump of global oil prices that had once catapulted the island ahead of its regional counterparts (Barry et al 1994). Trinidad had adopted a laid back approach to ownership only seeking tax dollars and production sharing contracts as the basis of relations with the TNC instead of direct ownership of the non renewable. Barry, Wood and Preusch describe the results: â€Å"The in rush of foreign exchange, as a result of petrodollars, into the economy has been largely wasted on lavish import bills rather than transformation of the economy. â€Å"There is no morality left,† wrote one Caribbean commentator. â€Å"It is now a free for all. The paramount value today is money. † The economic expansion ended as prices and demand for oil in global markets retreated. In1982, for the first time in eight years, the country suffered a trade deficit which totaled some two hundred million dollars. Put bluntly by the then Prime Minister George Chambers in the 1983 budget report, â€Å"The fete is over. The reality of a situation having its genesis in the global arena but with contributing factors locally saw the economy and most importantly people of Trinidad suffering then as they do now. The contributing factors are that of transparency and good governance on the part of the then Eric Williams admi nistration and an ethnic and class divide that is the result of the imposition of colonial domination has sought to divide and separate the groups (Harewood and Henry 1988, 1989). Once again another island state and once again precedence is set. The year is 2008 many in the Caribbean depend on the charity of friends and families to supplement incomes as well as to serve as a depository for the hard earned foreign currency. Trinidad and Tobago is no different; two major dynamics are being played out the first is the challenge for developing countries to create economic opportunities for trained nationals and second the marginalization of the said countries as a result of globalisation. The result has seen aging economies such as Canada and Europe attracting younger skilled labor from the Caribbean. For these reasons, it is certain that the phenomenon, that is remittances, will be with us for a long time. In Trinidad for example, these remittances have impacted the economy as they represent, although undocumented at some levels, a proportion of foreign exchange earnings, contributing to an improvement of the standard of living of many Trinidadians and Tobagonians, provide finance for balance of payments support, and aided economic growth and development of the economy (Solas 2001). The Inter American Development Bank has lauded the efforts of the Caribbean in this area, it is in fact one of the instances where the thrift of Caribbean people is put to sound economic use. The analysis does not end there, Solas goes on to make three telling summary observations: The profile of a typical recipient in the State mentioned, is lower to lower-middle income or unemployed persons, the frequency of the remittance also speaks to the vital role it plays. For many households, the remittance is the means by which the basic necessities are met and finally income from offshore investments and migrant capital repatriation are typically handled within the formal banking system which consist of finance and insurance services. If for any reason this process is disrupted for any length of time it could therefore have debilitating consequences for the sender, recipient and the economy. With the advent of CL Financial and a viral form of finance capital establishing itself throughout the Caribbean this option of investment has found favour with local as well as foreign Trinidadians hoping to create wealth within the Caribbean by way of remittances, in 2008 hopes of maintaining that discipline were dashed as CL Financial as well as subsidiaries CLICO and BAICO all declared some level of financial distress of varying proportions and the financial contagion once localized to the United States had arrived in the Caribbean. Norman Girvan Professor Emeritus University of the West Indies gives an analysis: â€Å"What we need to think about is the meaning of the facts that have been disclosed in the statement. What these facts tell us about the state of corporate governance in what was one of Caricom’s largest conglomerates and ‘star performers’ in engaging with globalisation. What they tell us about the gaps in regulation and supervision of financial institutions in individual country jurisdictions, and across Caricom as a whole. And what they tell us about the costs of these defects—in corporate governance and in government regulationto governments and to taxpayers. Trinidad has once again found itself in an undefined position and unable to act with the decisive and determined forcefulness needed to bring to heal the pervasive rot that has encircled the Caribbean, this time from within and compromising at the micro level the immediate well being of its citizens. On examining t he issues class relations must be of importance as this once again has shown itself resilient and poignant with respect to an explanation of the results direction taken by the present administration led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar as opposed the decision taken by the then PNM led by Patrick Manning. Initially the PNM seen as a party representing the interest of the black community positioned a 100% payback on all monies deposited, this is however not the case with the present coalition UNC identified with the ethnic Indian population. The entire picture is very confused, which seems to be deliberate. The two investments made in this situation – firstly, the basic and traditional insurance products such as pensions; life, health and general insurance and secondly, the depositor who was seeking high returns. The pension products offered a 12% rate of return, but the short-term depositors were much higher. The current discussion and argument is actually about the repayment of the depositors, not the traditional insurance policyholders. The fate of the policyholders is often invoked by depositors arguing for the return of their own deposits and that is why the separation between the two, which Winston Dookeran Minister of Finance makes, is so important. To quote â€Å"†¦The number of traditional, long term policyholders affected by this crisis, covering pensions, life and health insurance, is around 225,000 persons and accounts for $6 billion in liabilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That is an average of $26,666 per policyholder. Again – â€Å"†¦There are approximately 25,000 customers holding these short term contracts, and the liability to this group is in the region of $12 billion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That is an average of $480,000 per depositor. It is observed however, the voice of the traditional policyholders, who outnumber the depositors nine-to-one, is silent. But then again, it is clear that by far the greater liability lies with the depositors and further, that they appear, on average at least, to be owed about 18 times more than the typical policyholder. The question must be asked who composes the ordinary shareholder and the answer is intuitive it would be the black working class of Trinidad and Tobago who by assessment by Harewood and Henry dominate the class of citizen in Trinidad unable to own the factors of production, have available to them large tracts of cash and therefore could not invest in dubious short term annuities as depositors. Trinidadians who did not invest are faced with the idea of taxpayers’ funds being used to rescue those who placed bets on high-return deposits it by extention will not end there because if the financial sector is seen as dubious and questionable in its operation then small incremental investors will find alternatives thus impacting the industry overall and GDP. CL Financial chiefs and the depositors are being spared the consequences of their decisions by the bailout process. Afra Raymond concludes by making some telling points of identifying those groups as being differently treated from each other. â€Å"Duprey and his cohorts negotiated a Blank-Cheque Bailout at zero interest, without losing any of their assets. That deal is absolutely unique. Our taxpayers have effectively made a huge single loan (probably the largest in the Region’s history) to the wealthiest individual in the Region at Zero interest virtually every relevant professional body and Civic Society organisation has remained silent on this bold-faced attack on our Treasury. Nothing from the Accountants, Lawyers, Bankers, Economists, Trade Unionists or Religious bodies the one recent exception to this has been the call by the Trinidad Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI) for investigations into the Angostura disaster. The CL Financial bailout has been cloaked in the robes of benevolence and stability, resulting in a situation which has minimized the floods of lawsuits which would have been confronting some of those responsible parties – Auditors, Attorneys, Company Directors and Officers In reality, the common-wealth of our entire society has been pledged to rescue a fortunate few. The CL Financial bailout is in urgent need of re-negotiation, to say the least, it wrong like a biscuit. † It is a refrain that has haunted the island state for many years and each ime the mistakes of the past are repeated the results are more debilitating, it is therefore necessary for the Caribbean to reassess the position and to chart a new way forward. It wil l be intuitive to examine what was done wrong and implement what can be done right. It is by no means an easy undertaking addressing the problems of the Caribbean these problems are complex and entrenched in the colonial relationship of the past, it is believed however that if the attempt is genuinely made by leaders in the region to engage five key areas of interest the effects of the present global recession and any future business cycle fluctuation can be managed and at the same time reducing the impact on the socially vulnerable groups. CARICOM can be described as the world’s second deepest regional integration scheme and as such set the framework for further structural development with the signing of the revised treaty of Chaguaramas creating the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME). Its mandate sets out the free movement of goods, services, capital and certain categories of skilled labour. It also envisions harmonization and coordination of economic policy and eventually a single currency. While ambitions under the CSME are very high, the institutional structure remains minimal. To a greater extent, the CSME still operates in an intergovernmental framework and as such its relevance to a Caribbean faced with exogenous shocks, the likes of which has the ability to erode decades of hard won gains, should be called into question. The link between economic and political integration remains a contentious issue in a region where failed attempts at political unity still haunts the political landscape and where national sovereignty is guarded suspiciously. Decisions are still made by unanimous voting in both the Heads of Government Conference the highest decision making body—and the Council of Ministers. Even the newly created Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) lacks supranational authority in the form of direct effect of decisions. To date Barbados, Guyana and Antigua are signatories to the court but what is even more scandalous is the location of the court within the twin island of Trinidad and Tobago a non signatory and critic to its establishment. The devil therefore is in the details, the lack of commitment on the part of the leaders has left the Caribbean exposed. If the Caribbean had shown the maturity at the time of the West Indian Federation under the leadership of the then Grantley Adams the community would have been more than able to weather the global economic storm and mitigate against a rise in unemployment and foreign direct investment having forged closer ties under the banner of Integration and regionalism. The reasoning is intuitive; with free movement labour will gravitate to where there is effective demand thus alleviating the pressure where there is no effective demand. This is further buttressed by the industrial and merchant capital in the region being able to plan and invest in sectors in the Caribbean collectively thus spreading the risk and directing investment where it is most needed at preferential interest rates and sharing in the profits. The governance debate in the region is currently in abeyance. The lack of application of sound and consistent standards to the operation of the regions administrative business has prevented its ability to adapt to dynamic changes in the global economic environment. The belief therefore is that it should be revived, this time however in a manner which gives greater prominence to the development dimension and provides a broader interpretation of the elements of good governance (Payne and Sutton 2000). This will mean both more deliberative and purposive action by the state at the national and regional levels and more generally a reconsideration of the role of the state in the region. This brings into focus the Jamaica situation in handling the Coke affair. In so doing, the Commonwealth Caribbean must look beyond what Clive Thomas has described as the post colonial development state and the successor neo-liberal state (Thomas, 1998) to a new form of state with greater CSO involvement, a more supportive public sector and a wider vision, characteristics that are sadly lacking in a Caribbean that should know better given its colonial past and association with self serving hegemonic system. It must also be a more pro-active state, given the generally weak record of the private sector outside of a few enclaves in relatively few countries and the Trinidad and CLICO affair is bought into focus. The company was allowed to grow without regulatory control throughout the Caribbean; excuses were made from Trinidad to Barbados to Bahamas with the result being the disadvantage of the working class in the Caribbean. The key here is to build state capacity in state management and planning in addition to the delivery of more effective and efficient public services to its citizens. In short, the role played by the state in the process of governance is another matter that has to be rethought in every dimension if Commonwealth Caribbean development is to proceed. ( Payne and Sutton 2000) Globalisation is not a new problem to be solved and in as much as it is not new the solutions to the problem are just as illusive now as they were more than five hundred years ago. Indication of such a time line confirm that the Caribbean is in fact no stranger to the concept, the Caribbean has had a longer and more direct relationship with the modern economy than any other peripheral sections of the world. It must be noted that identifiable characteristics derive in large part from the extensity, intensity, velocity and impact of its interactions with the core countries of the world systems over the last five hundred years (Payne and Sutton, 2001: 11-20). It is therefore important that the concept is embraced and the extent to which the embrace is to be made articulated in clear and concise terms to the population. The debate and it must move from the realm of debate if it is to have meaningful impact on the way the Caribbean engages the rest of the world is the concept of Strategic Global Repositioning SGR a formula coined by Richard Bernal, Jamaican ambassador to the USA during most of the 1990s. He advanced this concept in a series of presentations from 1996 onwards, defining it as: a process of repositioning a country in the global economy and world affairs by implementing a strategic medium to long term plan formulated from continuous dialogue of the public service, private sector, academic community and the social sector. It involves proactive structural and institutional transformation (not adjustment) focussed on improvement and diversification of exports and international economic and political relations. Achieving SGR requires changes in both internal and external relations. (Bernal, 2000: 311). It required the following disparate and demanding actions: abandoning the traditional mind-set; diversifying exports; adjusting pro-actively; improving human resources; supplementing the skills pool with overseas nationals; developing strategic corporate alliances; creating a business-facilitating environment; improving physical infrastructure; modernising international marketing; and garnering capital, technology and skills (Bernal, 1996: 7-14). Although a vital role was obviously assigned to a dynamic private sector in this vision, SGR also envisaged an important redefinition of the capacity and purpose of the Caribbean state, with a view to making it more effective and generally bringing it into line with the good governance modalities of the PWC. The concept of SGR unquestionably struck a chord with mainstream Commonwealth Caribbean political leaders and was widely embraced, especially by Owen Arthur, the prime minister of Barbados, who gave it voice in a number of forceful speeches delivered in the latter part of the 1990s (Arthur, 1996; 1999). This lapse in economic prudence has left the island state with little option to attempt stabilization and hope that the global environment to which it is inextricably tied improves. In the preceding sections, the essay has had a long, critical look at the period of national recession, identifying the signs of the crisis and an analysis of the factors that might have caused the exposure of the national state. An important aspect of the discussion was the establishing the possible unprecedented nature of the crisis this was seen as important to give a historical land mark for discussion and a benchmark for future recommendations. These signs are not constrained exclusively to any one state and reflect the economic dynamic taking place at the particular time. ECLAC or the economic commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has been able to give a contextual framework by way of identifying the signs of the crisis and the overarching themes served as a bulkhead of both reasons for the crisis and possible solutions for the future. The essay to some extent has tried as well to draw a quantitative picture of the extent and nature of the crisis impact with reference to the research of Harewood and Davies and to a lesser extent Raymond. The signs as articulated by ECLAC begin with, the major findings from the existing literature nothing new to the Caribbean, the issues of financial contagion, excessive external borrowing, and reduction in foreign direct investment, external demand reduction of goods and services, reduced workers’ remittances as well as changes in relative prices (particularly commodity prices). First and foremost, in spite of differences in the vantage points chosen and the theoretical constructs utilised to explain these phenomenon interested observers generally grant that the underlying forces dictating progress in the Caribbean or lack thereof has had a strong element from within. Evidence was presented of failed IMF bailouts, ineffectual administrations, and questionable governance issues. It should be no surprise that academic within and without the Diaspora have raised their voices in opposition. In assessing the signs the positions taken by Davies and Thomas with respect of the class system brings into focus how Caribbean treat to each other and its contribution to the undermining of economic development. Where does the analysis lead by way of conclusion? The essay drew attention at the outset to the importance of Bernals argument about the Commonwealth Caribbeans need for strategic global repositioning, but argued that his formulation of this conception had not been given sufficient critical scrutiny within the region and thus remained underdeveloped intellectually and politically. We identified competitiveness, diplomacy and governance as the formative elements of SGR and have sought in this study to take the debate about SGR forward by working through in turn the key issues that arise in relation to these three policy agendas. They manifestly constitute the most pressing, and intractable, aspects of the Commonwealth Caribbeans current development problematic (Bernal 1996). They also feed off each other in a series of ways that have been repeatedly highlighted. Works Cited: Eichengreen, Barry,. Financial Crises and What to Do about Them: New York, Oxford University Press, 2002. Peterson, L Willis,. Principles of Economics: IL 60430, Irwin Homewood, 199. Davies, Omar. 1986. The Debt problem in Jamaica: situation and solutions. Mona, Jamaica: University of the West Indies, Dept. of Economics. Thomas, Y Clive. The Poor and the Powerless: Economic Policy and Change in the Caribbean London: Latin America Bureau, 1988) Williams, Eric, Capitalism ; slavery: Chapel Hi ll, University of North Carolina Press, 1944. Best, Lloyd. , The mechanisms of plantation-type economies: outlines of a model off pure plantation economy, Social and Economic Studies 17 (3): 283-323. Barry et al. The Other Side of Paradise. New York: Grove Press, Inc 1984. Harewood Henry.. Inequality in a post-colonial society :Trinidad and Tobago, St. Augustine, Trinidad : Institute of Social and Economic Research, The University of the West Indies. | | Payne and Sutton, Repositioning the Caribbean within Globalisation 2001: 11-20 Bernal, Richard. Strategic Global Repositioningand Future Economic Development in Jamaica, North-South Agenda Papers, no. 18, Dante B. Fascell North-South Center University of Miami. TITLE: â€Å"We are currently experiencing a near unprecedented period of national recession in almost every English Speaking Caribbean country. † Clearly identifying the signs of the crisis, what factors in your informed view account for the exposure of the national s tate to this current state of affairs? NAME: Jepter Y Lorde COURSE NAME: Caribbean Governance 1 COURSE NO. : GOVT 3017 INSTRUCTOR: Cynthia Barrow-Giles UNIVERSITY: University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus. DATE: 1st November 2011.

Saudi Arabia and the Syrian Uprising Explained

Saudi Arabia and the Syrian Uprising Explained It’s difficult to think of a more unlikely champion of democratic change in Syria than Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is one of the Arab world’s most conservative societies, where power resides in the narrow circle of octogenarian elders of the royal family backed by a powerful hierarchy of Wahhabi Muslim clergy. At home and abroad, Saudis cherish stability over all. So what is the link between Saudi Arabia and the Syrian uprising? Saudi Foreign Policy: Breaking Syria’s Alliance with Iran Saudi support for the Syrian opposition is motivated by a decades-long desire to break the alliance between Syria and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia’s chief rival for dominance in the Persian Gulf and the wider Middle East. Saudi reaction to the Arab Spring has been two-fold: containing the unrest before it reaches Saudi territory, and ensuring that Iran does not benefit from any changes to the regional balance of power. In this context, the outbreak of the Syrian uprising in Spring 2011 came as a golden opportunity for the Saudis to strike at Iran’s key Arab ally. While Saudi Arabia lacks the military capacity to intervene directly, it will use its oil wealth to arm Syrian rebels and, in the event that Assad falls, ensure his regime is replaced by a friendly government. Growing Saudi-Syrian Tension Traditionally cordial relations between Damascus and Riyadh began to unravel rapidly under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, particularly after the 2003 US-led intervention in Iraq. The coming to power of a Shiite government in Baghdad with close links to Iran unnerved the Saudis. Faced with Iran’s growing regional clout, Saudi Arabia found it increasingly difficult to accommodate the interests of Tehran’s chief Arab ally in Damascus. Two major flashpoints have drawn Assad into an inevitable clash with the oil-rich kingdom: Lebanon: Syria is the main conduit for the flow of weapons from Iran to Hezbollah, a Shiite political party that commands the most powerful militia in Lebanon. To contain Iranian influence in the country, Saudis have backed those Lebanese groups opposed to Hezbollah, particularly the Sunni Hariri family. The fall or substantial weakening of the pro-Iranian regime in Damascus would curtail Hezbollah’s access to weapons and greatly bolster Saudi allies in Lebanon.Palestine: Syria has traditionally supported radical Palestinian groups such as Hamas who reject dialogue with Israel, while Saudi Arabia backs the rival Fatah of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who advocates peace talks. Hamas’ violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2008 and lack of progress in Fatah-Israeli negotiations have caused much embarrassment to Saudi diplomats. Weaning Hamas off its sponsors in Syria and Iran would be another major coup for Saudi foreign policy. What Role for Saudi Arabia in Syria? Other than wresting Syria away from Iran, the Saudis dont seem to hold any particular interest in fostering a more democratic Syria. It is still too early to imagine what kind of role Saudi Arabia could play in the post-Assad Syria, although the conservative kingdom is expected to throw its weight behind Islamist groups within the disparate Syrian opposition. It is notable how the royal family is consciously positioning itself as the protector of Sunnis against what it sees is Iranian interference in Arab affairs. Syria is a majority Sunni country but the security forces are dominated by Alawites, members of a Shiite minority to which Assad’s family belongs. And therein lies the gravest danger for Syria’s multi-religious society: becoming a proxy battleground for the Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia with both sides deliberately playing on the Sunni-Shiite (or Sunni-Alawi) divide, which would greatly inflame sectarian tensions in the country and beyond.