Political Science Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Political Science - Assignment Example Death penalty should be abolished due to a number of reasons. First, capital punishment does not prevent crime effectively. It lacks the restraining effect that is always alluded to by its proponents (Donohue III & Wolfers, 2006). Secondly, death penalty is against human rights. It violates the most basic human right, the right to life and therefore undermining human dignity. Thirdly, by advocating for death penalty, a state risks killing innocent citizens. Also, capital punishment is mostly applied randomly and this can be a cause of innocent people being executed (Schabas, 2012). There have been cases where individuals have been executed wrongly whereby the injustice cannot be ratified at any cost. Lastly, death sentence is against most religions and is therefore regarded as immoral. In my opinion, judges should decide the factual issues about whether to impose the death penalty or not to. This is because unlike in the jury case, one does not give opening statements. Secondly, one does not deposit jury payment to the court. Lastly, a judge is likely to ignore any evidence presented to him or her from the prosecutor. Normally, in a jury case the evidence is objected to by the acting attorney (Zimring, 2008). In brief, death penalty should be completely abolished globally and no state should be allowed to practise

Developing Electoral System in Uganda Villages

Developing Electoral System in Uganda Villages Electoral system for two villages in Uganda Introduction The electoral system of a new democracy emerges in two stages. In a comparatively short time the electoral rules are concocted and espoused. Then, over several elections, voter an politician learn how to apply these procedures within the sociopolitical setting. The selection of early electoral rules is a multifaceted practice where the actor’s self-interest elucidates everything and henceforth nothing, surpassed as it is by arbitrary events, compromises and misperceptions which bring inadvertent consequences. Preferably, the electoral rules should be founded on measureable theory verified by universal experience and attuned to local conditions, however, knowledge on the operation of electoral rules under numerous situations is still extremely limited, even though it is expanding. Thus the major advice for the villages is to maintain simple electoral rules in order to facilitate the global use of empirical and analytical knowledge to obtain foreseeable outcomes and to make informed incremental changes whenever required. Upon selection, the same procedures should be maintained for some time in order to give time for the development of an electoral system. In order to sustain some flexibility, the electoral rules should be clearly stipulated in the constitution taking note of the smallest details as much as possible. This paper recommends an electoral system which the two villages of Uganda might adopt in electing its first councilors. Analysis The electoral system cannot be designed by individuals, since the designing of a party system is close to chimerical process. According to the systems theory, the system infers partitioning of the world into internal and external. The system has the power to restore some internal equipoise when bothered by external aspects. The electoral system emerges in two stages. But how are electoral procedures selected in new democracies like the case of the two villages? Frequently they are not designed in a sequential manner, as fabricated by the design. All too often they are a collaged of incongruous concessions. It may seem hard-boiled pragmatism to assert that self-interest of the novel decision-makers defines the choice. The distress is that the assertion is as non-falsifiable as â€Å"all things take place as God desires† Such declarations retroactively elucidate every conceivable effect and thus forecast nothing specific. The individuals’ perception of self-interest is difficult to stipulate even for himself or herself much less for other people. Individuals make a decisions on what is in their interest concerning the conflicting and varied and regularly fleeting grounds. The self-interest of the politicians, who in the case would be the aspirant councilors, cannot be demarcated only as winning the forthcoming election. The objective might clash with long term interest, comprising maintenance of steadiness. It can clash with philosophical preferences, counting the advice of external advisors which belong the same ideological strain. The force of familiar examples and habit in a foreign country also enter. Furthermore, the mechanism used to attain the presumed self-interest of an individual, can be counterproductive and misinformed. Taking in the assumptions that, for old systems in socialist dominated areas, winning the forthcoming election was area, winning the next election was prevailing all other contemplations. Such systems frequently wished keeping the Socialist electoral procedures, which errand the largest village, not only by power of habit but also since they expect to become the largest electoral college. This turned to be a calamitous misjudgment in various countries. The predominant powers may stick to the procedures inherited from previous political rule either by inexperience of substitutions or by attempting to poise reasonably the advantages of the prevailing procedures against the risks and costs innovation. Thus almost all ex-British colonies implemented SMP without comprehending that congress size matters. As given by the SMP, the operative number of parties have a tendency to be significantly larger in the large legislature of UK than in the legislative assembly of a small nations. As an alternative to the vigorous two-party system, the legislatures in small societies frequently end up with an excessively strong largest party and an entirely decimated opposition party. This was not the intention of the decision makers of the electoral system, and in retrospect it difficultly served the interests of these decision makers. The procedures chosen at the commencement of democratization create a difference, however sometimes in unforeseen direc tions, since there are worried political philosophy and party constellation. Negotiations between numerous proposals all too frequently result to complex rules, nonetheless complexity improves impulsiveness and the probability for receiving the worst of both cases. The major decision distresses the poise between representation and governability of minority opinions. Governability may be indorsed by having two main parties and single party council, which in turn frequently emerge from the SMP decree. Proportional representation (PR) of the views of the minority, is best attained by utilizing a single electoral district in the villages. If the political culture of the villages spontaneously advance only two electoral parties, despite the use of PR electoral rules. Distant from the balance of governability-representation, several other considerations come in, such as the cohesion amongst parties and an individual. In the new villages, two facets emerge sturdier between them since one has a larger capacity. One is legality of electoral procedures, or rather discernment of it. If for any reason either, wrong or right, these procedures are considered to be illegitimate, then democracy is in trouble. Secondly, the cost of elections both in labor and money is another factor. The villages are strapped for skilled administrators and funds so that excessive allocation of these resources to the process of election may result in economic or social gaps elsewhere. In a dispassionate impression of the numerous electoral systems and their constituents all the way across the world, both the claimed shortcomings and advantages of the countless approaches. They emphasize on the issue of the cost of elections both in terms of perception of legitimacy and money of legitimacy. Simple procedures may be projected to maintain the costs down, however what looks modest on the surface may comprise costs elsewhere. For example, SMP might appear like the meekest of all allocation procedures, but the preliminary illustration of electoral boundaries is expensive, and so is the registration of voters, since, according to SMP the result relies much on the place the voter cast his or her vote. Two-round rules twice over the fee of polling stations, vote counting and ballot papers. There is also voter disappointment and fatigue, if a swarming first round leaves advances a choice amongst two poorly buttressed finalists. On the other hand, multi-seat wards may be costly to conduct voter education and edification. Voter disappointment may harm stability, if excess ballots are spoiled as a result of ballot intricacy or if the consequences look enigmatic because of a byzantine allocation formula. Qualms about the legality of election results may focus solely on the electoral procedures and the dogmatic operators explicitly held liable for the supposedly partial or inappropriate rules. However, such qualms can also extend to the complete â€Å"political course† or even democracy, imperiling cessation of democratization. Reasonably, there is an impulse to appraise the procedures after the initial elections, however it might be too early. Party constellation and political culture are still in flux. The steady characteristics of the results of electoral procedures cannot yet be measured, because voters and politicians are still getting acquainted how to these procedures might be used to their advantage. There is enticement to fine-tune the electoral procedure instead of waiting or for the learning process to occur. However if the procedures are continuously changed such learning may ever take place. A major measure to determine if the electoral procedures count is whether derisory procedure have obviously led to failure of democracy, or a severe crisis. Infrequently have electoral procedures been the sole motive in the past, however they have underwritten the crisis. Ideally, electoral procedures should be premeditated with progressive self-interest, utilizing all the available knowledge which can be offered by political science. Progressive self-interest infers taking a long-range opinion. For example, a large electoral party may not expect to remain great at all times, therefore it would be misguided to endorse procedures which that a large seat advantage to the largest village, merely on the foundation of the present popularity of the individual, utilizing the rich knowledge of political science though in a stickier proposition. Conclusion In conclusion, a stable electoral systems is comprised of not only electoral rules however, thy also involve the mechanisms with which these rules are applied in the given villages. This culture includes informed self-interest, meaning some concern for stability and tradition, and avoidance of gross miscalculations resulting from limited understanding of the effect of given electoral rules. This experience emerges with time. A steady electoral system contains of electoral procedures which have endured some tests of the time. These times would be summarized, if the resident learning experience can be supplemented by the general academic knowledge concerning the things of electoral procedures and their collaboration with other aspects. To some degree each electoral scheme is sui generis, since similar electoral procedures are entrenched in dissimilar sociopolitical and historical contexts. If this triumphed totally, then no guidance to newly democratizing villages would be conceivable separately from ill-defined, which differs from one consultant to the next. However, this is not the case, some hard, transferable knowledge previously exists, to an incomplete degree. Therefore the two villages should adopt a simple electoral system which allows them to be modest about their ability to predict the effect of electoral rules. Even for stable systems, one finds substantial disagreement of opinion and variability of data. Extension to newly democratizing villages such as the two should be more cautious, in the perspective of unstable and different political cultures. Recommending multifaceted electoral systems, in precise, infers pretentiousness of knowing more than the people do. Containing electoral procedures in constitutions might make it worse. This inclusion should be withheld until theory is put on a much steadier foundation than is the present case with the villages.

Parenting Style of the Watsons Essay -- Teaching Essays

Parenting styles are very important in influencing children’s behavior, and the styles form the context in which children’s behavior might occur (Fox para. 2). There are four different types of parenting styles. These styles, developed by child psychologist Diana Baumrind, who provides a majority of the information found in the book Understanding Children and Adolescents,include authoritative, permissive, authoritarian, and neglectful/uninvolved (Forsyth 376). In the extremely funny children’s book The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963, the author Christopher Paul Curtis uses the family’s life and adventure as a way of showing many characteristics of a particular parenting style used on the children. The main focus is on Byron and what effect the parenting approach has on the child’s behavior. Throughout this essay I am going to argue that the Watsons, as parents, use the authoritative parenting style and that the parenting style has an effect on the child’s behavior. Using my research, I will define the four types of parenting styles and their effects on child behavior. Baumrind’s work on the classification of the four parenting styles has influence research on the effects parenting has on child behavior (Fox para. 3). I will also use specific examples from Curtis’s book, showing Byron’s behavior, along with various responses that demonstrate that the authoritative approach is used. The first type of parenting style identified by Baumrind is the authoritative approach. Authoritative parents use both parental authority and an explanation of their standards in specific situations. Children raised with the authoritative parenting style have the highest social competence (Forsyth 32). Authoritative par... ...—1964. New York: Bantam, 1995. Darling, Nancy. â€Å"Parenting Style and Its Correlates.† Eric Digest1999. Ebsco. 5 December 2001. Forsyth, Alfred G., Peggy D. Forsyth, David E. Schickedanz, and Judith A. Schickedanz. Understanding Children and Adolescents. 4th ed. Mayfield, 1993. Fox, Roberta A. â€Å"An Empirically Derived Classification of Parenting Practices.† Journal of Genetic Psychology 106 (1999): 343, 14 pp. Masterfile Premier. Ebsco. Joyner Library, Greenville. 2 December 2001. Horton-Parker, Radha J. â€Å"Teaching Children to Care: Engendering Pro-Social Behavior through Humanistic Parenting.† Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education, and Development 37.2 (1998): 66, 12 pp. Masterfile Premier. Ebsco. Joyner Library, Greenville. 2 December 2001.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin American History

1. Slavery in the nineteenth century was different than slavery during the colonial times because nineteenth century slaves were exactly that – slaves. In colonial times, black slaves were actually treated more like indentured servants. Census records from 1651 indicate that Africans who completed their indentured servitude were set free as well as given their own land (McElrath, 2009). However, the practice of allowing indentured black slaves to be free increased the need for laborers and many landowners began requiring black people to become servants for life. This was unsuccessful and white landowners began to consider slavery as an option (McElrath, 2009). This differed from other countries and their practice of slavery because America began to implement complex and demanding slave codes that dictated exactly how slaves were to live and exactly what was required of them. For example, in 1661, Virginia devised a statute that required that newly born children would have the same status as their mother. As a result, the slave population continued to increase as female slaves gave birth to children (McElrath, 2009). Further, as time passed, America began to recognize slavery as a law, which also differed from other countries who relied on slavery. These laws required that all black people, even those that were already free, and their children would be considered slaves (McElrath, 2009). Therefore, Harry, the young son of Eliza was considered a slave because his mother was a slave (Stowe, Chapter 1, 2004). Finally, the nineteenth century practice of indentured servitude no longer applied to black people. Slavery is similar to indentured servitude but when black people are slaves they have no hope for freedom as they did during the colonial times. When a black person became a slave, he became a slave for life whereas a black indentured servant could look forward to a future of freedom. 2. According to Marie St. Clare, slavery is an essential aspect of life. Marie is a selfish and self centered woman who only cares about herself. She is constantly dreaming up afflictions in order to gain attention. At the same time, she views slaves with disgust and impatience (Stowe, Chapter 15, 2004). This may also be considered an argument against slavery as well. If Marie is so dissatisfied with her slaves then what is the point of having them in the first place? Marie’s husband, Augustine St. Clare denounces slavery and admits that it is evil. Augustine treats his slaves with compassion but also accepts slavery and continues to have slaves in his household (Stowe, Chapter 14, 2004). Although Augustine makes use of slaves in his own home, he does feel that slavery is morally wrong. This is in direct contrast to his brother Alfred, who strongly believes that the white race is the dominant race. A good example of this conflict comes in chapter nineteen when Prue, a slave from down the street, visits the St. Clare home selling rolls and tells Uncle Tom the sad story about the selling of her children as well as the death of one of them. Very shortly after, word comes that Prue’s master had whipped her to death. Augustine quite obviously disagrees with this act but admits that while he does not agree he is not going to do anything to make such events stop. He states that he is simply going to stay out of the way (Stowe, Chapter 19, 2004). Another example, tells of Augustine and his twin brother inheriting their father’s plantation and all the slaves. While Alfred embraced the notion of slavery and believed that dominating slaves was the rightful job a white man, Augustine had more compassion and â€Å"tamed† one specific slave and then gave him his freedom (Stowe, Chapter 19, 2004). Ultimately, the St. Clare family differed in their views on slavery but the fact remained that all three of these people relied on slavery every day. Marie was indifferent and Alfred wholeheartedly accepted slavery. However, Augustine felt that the danger of slavery would continue to be the difference in moral lines that human beings would draw with regards to what freedom meant and who it was meant for (Stowe, Chapter 19, 2004). 3. The paternalistic view towards slaves that many defenders of slavery internalized allowed them a sort of denial because deep down many of knew that enslaving human beings was morally wrong (Harper, 2003). Many Northern slave owners adopted their slaves and treated them like members of the family (Harper, 2003). However, kindness and compassion for slaves is never enough security for the slaves themselves. Uncle Tom had the good fortune to be sold to Augustine St. Clare and was treated respectably in his household (Stowe, Chapter 14, 2004). No amount of kindness could save Uncle Tom from the harsh reality of slavery after Augustine’s death. He is sold to Simon Legree, who is a cruel slave owner and treats his slaves in the worst possible ways (Stowe, Chapter 30, 2004). The Shelby’s own many slaves and they treat them kindly. However, Mr. Shelby, no matter how kind he is, has to sell some slaves and resolve some debt. In the end his kindness did not protect Uncle Tom from being sold (Stowe, Chapter 1, 2004). Similarly, the St. Clare family is mostly compassionate towards their slaves until Eva and Augustine die. Simon Legree becomes Uncle Tom’s next slave owner, and he is a harsh and cruel man, illustrating once again that the kindness of Augustine did not protect Uncle Tom from the cruelty of Simon Legree (Stowe, Chapter 30, 2004). Mr. Haley is largely indifferent to the slaves and sells and buys them when it will benefit him monetarily. His actions are not directly cruel but they do not ultimately protect the slaves either (Stowe, Chapter 1, 2004). Finally, George Harris tolerated slavery although his disbelief in Christianity prevented him from denouncing the moral problems associated with slavery. 4. The existence of a slave was a hard one. Many slaves ran away because they were tortured or beaten. Others ran away because the constant buying and selling of slaves tore apart families and many slaves escaped in an effort to reunite with their loved ones. Slaves were not allowed to get an education and were only provided the bare essentials for survival (Hayden, 2008). George Harris and his wife, Eliza are both slaves. George had the good fortune to work in a factory where he invented a machine that would clean hemp more efficiently. However, the owner of the factory believed he had invented the machine because he was lazy and removed him from the factory. As a result, George saw very little of his family. After some time passes, George decides to escape because he can no longer tolerate his existence as a slave. Further, George was being pressured by his master to take a new wife. George informs Eliza that he plans to escape to Canada and will try to secure her and Harry’s freedom once he gets there (Stowe, Chapter 1, 2004). George escaped slavery for the same reason that many other slaves escaped – he was tired of being treated so badly. Eliza also escapes when she learns that her young son, Harry had been sold. She had already suffered the loss of two children and did not want to lose her only remaining child. Eliza visited Uncle Tom’s cabin and he encouraged her to escape before being sold. Eliza tells them of her intention to follow after George and slips away before she can change her mind (Stowe, Chapter 1, 2004). While Eliza did not suffer direct abuse at the hands of the Shelby’s she did feel a compelling need to escape in order to protect her only remaining child. She obviously did not want to be separated from him, but she also did not want a wicked slave owner to get his hands on her son either. She felt her only option was to run. Ultimately, this husband and wife are both able to escape, but for very different reasons. George is tired of being treated badly and Eliza fears for the safety of her son. These two illustrations show the human nature of slaves and show their strong desires to be treated equally, remain close to their loved ones and protect their children. 5. The primary reason why slaves did not attempt to escape even when they outnumbered the white people is because they were afraid of being caught and returned to their rightful owners subject to even harsher treatment than before as punishment for trying to get away. This was the main obstacle slaves faced. If they were successful at escaping they really did not have any place to go because they lived in fear of being returned to their masters if caught. The main difference with the Federal 1850 Fugitive Slave Act was that it was ultimately created to keep the nation united. It was so controversial because it fueled the flames of the anti slavery versus slavery debated that continue to rage across the country. This Federal act allowed for a compromise. Texas gave up land in return for ten million dollars while the new states would not mention slavery and the issue would be left up to the individual states. Further, the act required that citizens participate in returning escaped slaves. Therefore, people helping slaves to freedom could face trial if they were caught aiding and abetting escaped slaves (PBS. org, 2009). Other things impeded slave action as well. For example, the slaves who belonged to Augustine St. Clare opposed action because they may have felt that life would not get any better than it already was. The slaves were treated with compassion and generally treated well when compared to other slave owners. At the same time, slaves belonging to Simon Legree may have been afraid to revolt because they feared for their lives if they were caught and returned to such a wicked slave owner. However, the interests of all slaves remained the notion of freedom but this freedom was not acted upon for fear of not finding anything better or fear of being caught and returned to an even worse life of slavery. Finally, many slaves may have felt that they were receiving everything they needed and allowed themselves to be dominated by the white people simply because they were afraid that nothing better would come along. They allowed the racial divides to continue because they were certain that black people would never be equal to white people and therefore, escape was futile (Stowe, 2004). 6. Slave rebellions were an extreme form of resistance by slaves against their white masters. Since the Haitian uprising in 1792, white landowners lived in fear of their African American slaves (Hooker, 1996). This slave rebellion proved that African Americans did not accept their status as slaves and there came a breaking point when they just needed to assert their independence and fight for their freedom. The Haitian slaves began an uprising that would leave thousands of people dead. Denmark Vesey was able to purchase his freedom but he was still very angry about the slave situation. Quoting scripture, Vesey motivated slaves to revolt and the result was countless white deaths. The slaves would post themselves at the doors of white landowners and start fires. When the whites came to the door they would be killed and then everyone else in the home would be killed also. Similar to the Haitian revolt, this revolt struck fear in the hearts of white slave owners. Nat Turner succeeded far more with his revolt. He and a slave named Will began the revolt by killing Will’s masters and then methodically killing all white slave owners they could and taking their slaves as part of their cause. Turner went into hiding and during this time the white slave owners were extremely afraid of his return (Hooker, 1996). The Underground Railroad was another form of slave resistance although it was a much more peaceful one. The Underground Railroad was made up of mostly black people, most famously Harriet Tubman, and some white people who helped fugitive slaves escape to freedom. This organization enabled many black slaves to find their freedom (PBS. org, 2009). However, many black slaves quietly resisted their white masters without escaping or revolting. For example, after Uncle Tom is bought by Simon Legree he befriends another slave by the name of Cassy. One afternoon he and Casey help each other in the fields and when Legree finds out he orders Uncle Tom to whip her. Uncle Tom refuses, which is a form of resistance, and he is beaten almost to death. However, he shows further resistance by accepting the beating in order to prevent the injury of a fellow slave (Stowe, Chapter 33, 2004). 7. Abolitionists such as Harriet Stowe called for an immediate end to slavery. In contrast the Anti-Slavery Movement of the 1800s was more of a gradual resistance to the continued use of slavery in the United States. Abolitionists wanted the entire slave trade to come to an end while the Anti-Slavery Movement was more concerned with stopping the spread of slavery into the colonies of the United States. Many abolitionists were Christian people who felt that slavery was against moral rules. However, abolitionism ended up being a gradual process as it took a great deal of time, energy and people to effectively gather the strength necessary to truly make changes that moved towards the freedom of black people. The Anti-Slavery Movement was able to make immediate changes with such passages of law as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 (Vernon-Jones, 2009). The Missouri Compromise determined which states would allow slavery and which states would not allow slavery. The compromise allowed the balance of power in Congress to be equal among slave and anti slave states (Vernon-Jones, 2009). Therefore, the Anti-Slavery Movement was able to immediately make some states free states and some states slave states. So while the Anti-Slavery Movement did not abolish slavery all at once as the abolitionists were trying to do, it did have more success making immediate and lasting changes than the abolitionists were able to do. Further, the primary way that abolitionists were able to gain support was through persuasion. Human persuasion is an extremely difficult task that takes a great deal of time. The Anti-Slavery Movement was more dependent upon actual laws and policy changes which made it more successful in the short term. However, neither movement was without violence as was evident in the Anti-Slavery activities at Harpers Ferry led by a famous anti slavery advocate, John Brown (Vernon-Jones, 2009). 8. All Northern whites were not committed to ending slavery. Many of them felt, as Augustine St. Clare felt, that slavery was wrong but they were not going to do anything about ending it because it certainly benefited their way of life. The senators included in the story held this opinion. For example, Senator Bird votes in favor of the Compromise of 1850 under the guise that slavery does not have anything to do with personal feelings but is more a matter of what the entire country wants instead. In other words, he defended his actions by agreeing that slavery was wrong but also realizing the importance that slavery had come to have in America. An example of this attitude is when Eliza and Harry come to his home looking for help and he helps them escape (Stowe, Chapter 37, 2004). Ophelia holds similar opinions. She does not agree with the idea of slavery while also believing that black slaves were inferior to white people. For example, she does not want Topsy, a slave friend of Eva’s, to touch her (Stowe, Chapter 25, 2004). However, after Eva’s death, Ophelia begins to realize that if a child could have such love towards the slaves, then she could to. She petitions to have Topsy given to her so she can reform her and then take her North and set her free. She finally begins to realize why she believes slavery is immoral through her relationship with a human slave (Stowe, Chapter 28. 004). While many people from the Northern states held similar opinions that slavery was bad many also disassociated themselves with the whole issue. Free black people and former slaves were not treated as cruelly as they were as slaves but they still did not gain equal status either. They were treated as human beings, but as inferior human beings. 9. The Christian churches and Northern economic inte rests helped contribute to the continuation of slavery because they also saw the economic value of slavery. The plantation owners in the North realized the benefit of slavery just as the Southern plantation owners did, even if they did not agree with the idea of slavery. This passive attitude allowed slavery to exist in America far longer than it should have. In this way, the North was every bit as responsible for the continuation of slavery as the South was. Many Northerners were unwilling to take a stand to help abolish slavery because it would hurt them economically, socially and in matters of convenience. This attitude helped contribute to what Stowe felt as the worst part of slavery – the separation of families. The book discusses the separation of parents and children often over the course of the story. Stowe repeatedly discusses the fear that parents will become separated from their children (Stowe, 2004). Further, Stowe felt that slavery as a whole corrupted everyone’s ideas because it allowed white people to view black people as inferior to themselves. Even non slave owners did not entirely embrace the idea that white people and black people were equal. The fundamental principle of slavery is an important component of American history and it was hard to let go of even when slaves earned their freedom. Stowe staunchly advocated for the abolishment of slavery but also for the equal treatment of black people. She believed that black people had equal rights to justice and freedom as those enjoyed by white people. She firmly believed in a society where colonization would be a reality even though equality was a long way off. However, when the white people agreed to colonize with the black people they would be taking one step towards helping justify the hurts caused by slavery (Stowe, Chapter 45, 2004). References Harper, Douglas. (2003). Slavery in the North. Retrieved on April 4, 2009 from http://www.slavenorth.com/index.html. Hayden, Scott. (2008). The underground railroad. Retrieved on April 4, 2009 from http://americanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_underground_railway. Hooker, Richard. (1996). Slave rebellions. Retrieved on April 4, 2009 from http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/DIASPORA/REBEL.HTM. McElrath, Jessica. (2009). Slavery in Colonial Times. Retrieved on April 4, 2009 from http://afroamhistory.about.com/od/slavery/a/colonialslavery_2.htm. PBS.org. (2009). The compromise of 1850 and fugitive slave act. Retrieved on April 4, 2009 from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2951.html. PBS.org. (2009). The underground railroad. Retrieved on April 4, 2009 from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2944.html. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. (2004). Uncle Tom’s Cabin. New York: Barnes and Noble. Vernon-Jones, Russ. (2009). John Brown. Retrieved on April 4, 2009 from http://www.arps.org/aro/john_brown.htm.

Pygmalion VS Pretty Woman Essay Essay

Year 11 Preliminary Extension English Assessment Task – Pygmalion (George Bernard Shaw) and Pretty Woman (Garry Marshall) To what extent have contextual attitudes and values regarding gender and class been maintained or altered in the two texts you have studied? Both Pygmalion, composed by George Bernard Shaw and Pretty Woman, directed by Garry Marshall effectively critique the gender and class disparities of their time, suggesting that these discrepancies were merely social constructs. Through obscure and indirect methods such as the use of humour, irony, character development and transformations, Shaw and Marshall address the issues of gender and class inequality in a milder way, thus skilfully avoiding conflicting opinions with the audience and the general public. Although the two texts belong to different time periods and genres, they are similar in their storyline and unprovocative methods of presenting what used to be a highly controversial idea. In the play Pygmalion, Shaw uses irony to question the society’s views on gender inequality through the characterisation of Eliza, as an independent and intelligent young woman, capable of much more than was deemed appropriate for her sex. Shaw’s philosophy of equality which ridicules the social construct of gender discrepancies is expressed through Eliza’s disgust at having to marry a prosperous man, announcing that â€Å"I sold flowers. I didn’t sell myself. Now you’ve made a lady of me I’m not fit to sell anything else.† This is an example of irony which Shaw uses to target the notion of noble girls aiming to marry a rich man, rendering them dependent upon somebody else. While Eliza was able to provide for herself as a flower girl, no matter how little her income, she was better than the rich man’s wife who is reliant on her husband’s income. In the beginning of the play, Ms and Mrs Eynsford Hill ask Freddy to find a cab for them, suggesting that the man is the one who provides for and protects the woman as befitting for the gender roles of their time, whereas Eliza is different – she finds her own cab to go to Higgins’s house and also pays for her tuition with her own income. Hence it is evident that through the use of irony, Shaw subtly critiques the gender disparities of his time, and using the abilities his female protagonist, he shows his audience that allocated gender roles are simply social constructs, created and preserved by the traditions of society. Through the use of character development, Marshall takes a similar approach in Pretty Woman to critique the issues of gender inequality in comparison to Pygmalion, and though the times during which they were produced were different, both texts alluded to the fact that gender disparities were but social constructs. Alike in Pygmalion, the female gender is expected to act within certain definitions of ‘gentle and submissive’, but both Vivian and Eliza are strong and independent, and do not meet up to society’s expectations. Unlike Pygmalion however, Vivian is a real prostitute whereas Eliza is a flower girl accused of being a prostitute. Although Vivian’s profession is degrading of her gender, her being a prostitute without a pimp gives her power in her relationships, as expressed through her saying â€Å"I say  who, I say when† and her act of negotiating the price of her time with Edward. In contrast to Pygmalion’s ending, Vivian does develop a romantic relationship with Edward whilst Eliza remains independent of Higgins. This again may be degrading of Vivian and her gender as it appears to make Vivian financially dependent upon her male partner, though this notion is disproved when Vivian tells Edward that she will â€Å"rescue him right back†, teaching him life’s morals while he provides for her. This characterisation of Vivian as the ‘damsel in distress’ displays Marshall’s philosophy of the princess who is rescued from the tower, rescuing the prince â€Å"right back†, allowing the issue of gender inequality to be questioned in the film. While Pretty Woman may be much more subtle than Pygmalion, it is shown through the characterisation of Vivian that Marshall not only frowns upon gender inequality in his time, but also identifies gender disparities as a social construct, similar to Shaw in his philosophy. George Bernard Shaw also uses humour to address the social constructs on class differences and depict through the interactions between Higgins and Eliza the futility of the class structure of his time. This is illustrated through Higgins’s confidence in being able to turn Eliza whom he calls a â€Å"squashed cabbage leaf† and an â€Å"incarnate insult to the English language† into a â€Å"duchess† or â€Å"the Queen of   Sheba†. These insults are examples of the humour that is used in the play to present the issues of class disparities to the audience. Using Higgins’s pompous bet with Pickering to portray the fact that even a flower girl can be passed off as royalty, Shaw implies that given the right education, anyone can become ‘noble’ or ‘high-class’. This notion is further supported with the use of humour when Eliza attends the ball and is thought to be a â€Å"fraud† and a â€Å"Hungarian princess† thus allowing Higgins to win his bet. Shaw also promotes his beliefs through his character, Higgins when he argues that teaching the human being another way of speech is like â€Å"filling up the deepest gulf that separates class from class and soul from soul†. Hence, George Bernard Shaw’s intention of using humour and character interaction to question society’s view on class disparities becomes clear as he successfully identifies the class st ructures of his time as nothing but social constructs. In Pygmalion as well as Pretty Woman, there are clear class distinctions in the society, and through the concept of a ‘transformation’, Director Garry Marshall encourages the idea that one does not have to be born noble to be noble. For instance, the treatment that Vivian receives during both her visits to the boutique on Rodeo Drive differs greatly from one another simply because of the change in Vivian’s attire. In response to Vivian’s transformation, her friend Kit tells her that she â€Å"cleans up real nice† while Vivian replies â€Å"it’s easy to clean up when you got money†, suggesting that perhaps one’s class is based purely on appearance and with the right education and money, anyone can be ‘high-class’. The process of Vivian’s transformation is more physical rather than intellectual in contrast to Pygmalion’s Eliza who undergoes months of speech training to make her appearance in the ball, how ever, the same notion of ‘anyone can be high-class’ is supported. Near the end of Vivian’s stay with Edward, he offers to set her up in an apartment so he can continue visiting her, however she  refuses and tells him she once â€Å"would have said yes†, but the time she has spent with him led her to step out of her mindset as a prostitute as she becomes a noble lady. Through the concept of transformation, Marshall challenges the widely accepted view on class disparities and like Shaw, expresses through their work the futility of the class structure of their time. George Bernard Shaw and Director Garry Marshall shared their viewpoint on both gender and class disparities, believing them to be mere social constructs, questioning the norms of their time in their respective texts – Pygmalion and Pretty Woman. Through the use of humour, irony, character development and the concept of ‘transformation’, both composers successfully address the issues of gender and class with their characteristic subtlety. Although Pygmalion and Pretty Woman have many differences including their genre and the time period in which they were composed, they are ultimately similar in the way they critique gender and class disparities using mild and unprovocative methods which allow their philosophies to be communicated to a wider audience.