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Lessons from Fredrick Douglasss Life

Presentation Fredrick Douglass brought into the world a few times somewhere in the range of 1815 and 1820 in Tuckahoe in Talbot district, Ma...

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Effects of Imperialism in Africa

Effects of Imperialism in Africa In the 1880s, the scramble for Africa began, which brought destruction to the continent. Europeans helped Africa in many ways but it was primarily for their benefits too. The westerners arrived with a main purpose of gaining for themselves with no regards for the effects they imposed on Africa. Although countries like Equatorial Guinea and Morocco improved slightly due to the Europeans, other countries, such as Nigeria and South Africa, suffered greatly. Morocco didnt have roads before it became a French protectorate. Roads, buildings, and other infrastructures were constructed when the French arrived in the early 1900s  [1]  . Railroads were built too to facilitate trade and transportation. France got Morocco started with their industries by building mining plants and influencing their music, food, and culture. Modern day Morocco has a lot of French style bakeries and universities teach math and science in French  [2]  . What France gave to this striving nation helped them. Various infrastructures were constructed; their culture was enriched by the Frenchs, and modern day Morocco is heavily influenced by Frances lifestyle and language. France didnt only leave behind a positive legacy, Spain too left favorable impacts on Equatorial Guinea. Historian and author Tim Harry said that Equatorial Guinea achieved some of the highest literacy rates amongst local people anywhere in the continent  [3]  due to the effects of Spanish imperialism. This is an amazing contribution to the country in terms of education and as historian Tunde Obadina analyzed, Colonialism laid the seeds of the intellectual and material development in Africans.  [4]  Economically, Spain improved the country tremendously as they created more jobs and it resulted in Equatorial Guinea having the highest income per capita rate compared to her bordering countries  [5]  . With the help of both these European countries, small nations such as Morocco and Equatorial Guinea were able to develop and further narrow the economic gap between their nations and the Europeans. As France and Spain occupied Morocco and Equatorial Guinea respectively, Nigeria saw themselves occupied by the British in the mid 1800s. Lagos, a fishing village, was colonized and made into a port in the 1960s. According to British historian, A.G. Hopkins, from the University of Texas , The purpose of these moves was to suppress the slave trade and to encourage instead the rise of legitimate commerce  [6]  , it means that they would like to continue the trade system without requirement of slaves. They put a halt on the slave trade because they wanted to improve the Afro-European trading relation so that they would be able to extract and export palm oil and palm-kernels, which were palm tree products that grew a lot in Lagos. Their real intentions were to benefit themselves. To achieve this, they balkanized the different oil producing regions in Nigeria and forced the local people to export their oils so that the British could produce things like railways, soaps, cooking fats, a nd pharmaceutical products  [7]  . By 1900, 89% of the nations export was their oil  [8]  . Aside from a lost to their economy, the Nigerians suffered a great loss of their lands and people. Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon, the Head of State back then said I receive complaints daily that up till now Easterners living in the North are being killed and molested and their property looted  [9]  . Not only did they lose their lands and people, the Nigerians rights were abused. To make governing easier and for the economic interest of the British, indirect rule and separate development policy were stationed in two sections of the country, one being in Lagos  [10]  . This created a large division in Nigeria as described by Sir Hugh Clifford, the Governor General of Nigeria (1920-1931), [Nigeria was] a collection of independent Native States, separated from one another by great distances, by differences of history and traditions and by ethnological, racial, tribal, political, social a nd religious barriers.  [11]  Each region of Nigeria developed different lifestyles and ideas. Furthermore, on the New Nigeria Newspaper in 1986, an Itobo Ojobo said that, It was the introduction of party politics by colonial administration that set off the fire of ethnic conflicts in Nigeria  [12]  , describing how the western powers elevated the conflicts in society. In 1967, the Biafrans wanted to fight for freedom and unification, thus began the Biafrans secession, more commonly known as the Nigerian Civil War. Britain sent over aircrafts to support the Nigerians and bombed densely populated towns and villages of the Biafrans. Scorpion tanks ran over troops, and flame throwers and gasoline bombs caused devastating effects that left the country and their people burned and wasted  [13]  . The civil war was so horrifying that the Red Cross members werent allowed in there for months. Famine and disease started developing fast and by the end of the war, over a million peo ple had died and thousands more were displaced into bordering countries  [14]  . The killings were so mass that historian Marcus Brooks described the scene as Burned, dismembered and mangled corpses littered villages, rivers, streams and everywhere else  [15]  . When the British left Nigeria, they left behind few rail lines, rudimentary infrastructure and a few thousand graduates, but other countries faced worst from their colonizers, like Mozambique, who had only about 40 graduates because of the Portuguese  [16]  . An evaluation of British imperialism in Nigeria would show that they took from the Nigerians for the improvement of their nation. They took Nigerias oil to produce products for their people and they banned slavery to improve relationships just so that they can continue with their export. When there was a revolt against their colonization, the British went all out on the African country, destroying lands and civilization. It took about 20 years to rebuild the nation. Economically, Nigeria lost a lot as the British exported a majority of their oils back to their home country and their nation was crushed by the war. Also, Britain contributed to the great seperation of Nigeria by dividing the nation through the oil producing regions. Nigeria lay in ruins because of the British. South Africa saw itself lay in ruins too due to British Imperialisms. The British wanted the fertile soils, diamond mines, and gold deposits of South Africa, but the Zulu tribe stood in their way. The British sent 30,000 troops led by Lord Chelmsford to battle the Zulu nation. As a result, 15,000 Zulus died reducing them to a small quantity. In the final battle in 1899, the British completely wiped out the Zulus and their civilization  [17]  . In effect, the rest of South Africa fell under British hands. Over in Kenya, the British fought and killed 12,000 Kenyans during the Mau Mau Rebellion, some of them died in confinement camps  [18]  . A few thousands more were displaced or driven away from the country, leaving their people scattered in neighboring countries. Europeans didnt only bring troops over, they brought diseases too. Rinderpest, a European livestock disease killed off 90-95% of the live cattle in Africa and other grazing animals  [19]  . The lack of grazing an imals changed the landscape that made it easier for tsetse fly to nest. The tsetse flies spread a sleeping sickness that killed about 200,000 Ugandans from 1902-1906  [20]  . African tribes were very dependent on their livestock; as a result, tribes like the Masaai in Tanzania lost two thirds of their population  [21]  . The livestock diseases also brought with it epizootic, a lung disease that hit many animals in South Africa  [22]  . Other diseases from the Europeans that affected the continent greatly were smallpox and malaria because the Africans didnt have much immunity to them. Disease became a huge factor in the deaths of the African continent, both directly and indirectly; without livestock comes no food, which leads to starvation. However, these werent the Britishs intentions. One of their main intentions of colonizing Africa was for their resources. Diamond mining was very profitable for the British in South Africa. They used slave labor force (the South Africa ns) to dig out the diamonds and left the higher and more important jobs like polishing the diamonds to the white people  [23]  . The mining was harsh work and that separated families, leaving women and children unsupported. Lands needed for mining displaced many people from their homes  [24]  . To make these lands appropriate for mining, erosion, and deforestation, flattening of mountains took place  [25]  . The mining released toxic chemicals that polluted the rivers and soils and the dust from the bulldozers and transportation caused air pollution. Families and lands were devastated. Over in Madagascar, French colonialism in 1986 caused deforestation when they started to modify the rice harvesting lands for the growth of coffee beans when the French found out they profited from the coffee more  [26]  . This resulted in a rice shortage in Madagascar in 1911. To feed themselves, the people started to grow more rice resulting in the burning and clear cutting of the fo rests, which destroyed it  [27]  . Although the country tried to improve things by prohibiting shifting cultivation, they permitted forest logging in 1921 which increased the number of deforestation and illegal cutting of trees resulting in roughly 70% of the primary forest destroyed in the 30 years between 1895 and 1925  [28]  . The French imposed policies that made Madagascar importers of foods, which displaced local people from their homes and the resources fell under the control of the French. Coffee plantations caused a lot of erosions and the fertile lands cleared for it and replaced with monoculture (for coffee) was unsuitable for plants and animals from the previous forest to live  [29]  . Lack of food resulted due to the loss of plants and animals. From wars, diseases, and human and lands abuse, the African continent and its people saw itself devastated by the French and the British. From a period of about 30 years, the scramble for Africa became the destruction of Africa. Spain left the fewest but most positive effects in the continent. France improved Morocco slightly but their colonization in Madagascar left the tiny island wrecked. Britain found themselves topping the destruction level of Africa. From Nigeria to South Africa, people, lands, and resources were greedily mistreated for the benefit of the powerful European island. Overall, the prints that the westerners left behind were an ugly sight.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Culture Clashes in Multi-Cultures Essay

In 21st century the most visible fact about society is that they comprise too many types of culture in it together. This is due to the cultural and physical wars which have existed for million years between big communities and also every single little one included in them. This multi-cultural structures societies are usually the return of the colonialism. Big and strong communities having the little and weak ones as colonies enforce them to live with each other who have different types of cultures and traditions.On the other hand multi-cultured societies also are consisting of different types of people who chose to live in the same area because of being suitable for life, having many chances for jobs and prosperious consumption and manifacturing. Sometimes this groups of people adapt to the situation but sometimes they create contrariness and clashes. Kofi Annan, who is the Former Secretary-General of the United Nations uttered that in closly interconnected peoples the inter-cultural dialogue and respect for diversity form the principals of them. His point of view explains that if people strive to understand each other, listen each other and don’t refuse before hearing their beliefs, traditions and protocols, respect other’s thoughts and accept that everyone can have different characteristics and beliefs make closly interconnected groups more comfortable and peaceful. If people don’t obey and accept this respectance then it is definite that clashes will occur in the society. Because human nature is prone to be conqueror in all of the conflicts and struggles. Because we love to win, be justified and prepondarent. When everyone thinks that they are right then a clash occurs because people tend to close their ears to hear all of the other different point of views and thoughts. Because of misunderstandings and dis agreement between the cultures a terrific drama is observed. The political scientist Samuel Huntington thinks that people’s cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict in the post Cold-war world. This shows even the science took culture clashes as a notion and this highlights the severity of it, and what it can bring. In my opinion these clashes are caused by the narrow-minded people. In the past, way before the french and industrial revolution it is so hard to see people who think logically and open-minded. After the efficient developments people changed and improved art, philosophy, psychology and science. Unfortunately these improvements couldn’t and still can’t affect some group of people especially the uneducated population. Because of this group having limited point of view they reject the diversity of people and cultures. And results can be both national and universal. After the struggles between the groups in the same society rebellion can be occur and convulse the government’s discipline. And also because of the idea that wants everyone same as themselves creates the ambition of enforcing other’s to be like them sometimes by wars and sometimes by financial strength. In my opinion the best way to resolve culture clashes is to educate public more and instruct them to be open-minded and respected toward new ideas, beliefs.

Friday, January 10, 2020

History of Comesa Essay

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa traces its genesis to the mid 1960s. The idea of regional economic co-operation received considerable impetus from the buoyant and optimistic mood thatcharacterised the post-independence period in most of Africa. The mood then was one of pan-African solidarity and collective self-reliance born ofa shared destiny. It was under these circumstances that, in 1965,the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) convened a ministerial meeting ofthe then newly independent states of Eastern and Southern Africa to consider proposals for the establishment of a mechanismfor the promotion of sub-regionaleconomic integration. The meeting, which was held in Lusaka, Zambia, recommended the creation of an Economic Community of Eastern and Central African states. An Interim Council of Ministers, assisted by an Interim Economic Committee of officials, was subsequently set up to negotiate the treaty and initiate programmes on economic co-operation, pending the completion of negotiations on thetreaty. In 1978, at a meeting of Ministers of Trade, Finance and Planning in Lusaka, the creation of a sub-regional economic community was recommended, beginning with a sub-regional preferential trade area which would be gradually upgraded over a ten-year period to a common market until the community had been established. To this end, the meeting adopted the â€Å"Lusaka Declaration of Intent and Commitment to the Establishment of a Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa† (PTA) and created an Inter-governmental Negotiating Team on the Treaty for the establishment of the PTA. The meeting also agreed on an indicative time-table for the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Team. After the preparatory work had been completed a meeting of Heads of State and Government was convened in Lusaka on 21st December 1981 at which the Treaty establishing the PTA was signed. The Treaty came into forceon 30th September 1982 after it had been ratified by more than seven signatory states as provided for in Article 50 of the Treaty. The PTA was established to take advantage of a larger market size, to share the region’s common heritage and destiny and to allow greater social and economic co-operation, with the ultimate objective being to create an economic community. The PTA Treaty envisaged its transformation into a Common Market and, in conformity with this, the Treaty establishing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, COMESA, was signed on 5th November 1993 in Kampala, Uganda and was ratifieda year later in Lilongwe, Malawi on8th December 1994. It is important to underline the fact that the establishment of PTA,and its transformation into COMESA, was in conformity with the objectives of the Lagos Plan ofAction (LPA) and the Final Act of Lagos (FAL) of the Organisation ofAfrican Unity (Organisation of African unity). Both the LPA and the FAL envisaged an evolutionaryprocess in the economic integration of the continent in which regional economic communities would constitute building blocks upon which the creation of an African Economic Community (AEC) would ultimately be erected.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Western Exportation Of Contemporary Casino Leisure

The casino environment is a space of which I am quite familiar. I have spent a considerable proportion of my working life on the casino floor. During my time working for Crown and for other operations, I spent the majority of those years in the VIP gaming rooms that specially catered for specific ethnicities. There are various factors that contribute to the relationship between casinos and the Chinese and Vietnamese peoples. In the following essay I explore the Western exportation of contemporary casino leisure and entertainment spaces to Asia. I examine the spaces and environments casinos produce and how Asian cultural groups use and inhabit them. I expand to contextualize the casino as a venue for entertainment and its function contributing to behavioral and cultural practices of expatriate migrant communities. I conclude by proposing that disruption of the gambling industry from online alternatives will impact social behaviors of communities’ in ways that may contribute to adaptations of interpersonal connections and cultural exchanges for people of Chinese and Vietnamese cultural identities. The Japanese parliament has recently delayed hearings regarding legalizing casino gambling for the remainder of the year. Legal forms of gambling in Japan, such as Pachinko or sports and race wagering exist without a human adversary and are experiencing a rapidly declining opportunities for human interaction for the user experience. Live table games offer significantly more human