Experimental Vehicle Essays - Hydrogen Economy,

Experimental Vehicle There are three types of experimental vehicle (EVs) propulsion technologies on the currently being tested. Batteries are currently the most popular power source for modern EVs but they are by no means the only available technology. A number of alternatives are under development and they, too, are well positioned to rival batteries as an effective EV power source. 1.Fuel cells Some of the most recent and exciting news in electric-vehicle development has centered around a new power source, called the fuel cell. The fuel cell utilizes a special membrane to generate electricity through the controlled reaction between hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Unlike batteries, which store electricity rather than generate it, fuel cells actually produce electricity through a controlled chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Inside a fuel cell, the two elements are fed to opposite sides of a porous membrane. As hydrogen atoms pass through the pores, they are stripped of their electrons. This results in a negative charge on the membrane's hydrogen side and a positive charge on the oxygen side. Stacking fuel cells in series produces enough power to operate a vehicle. Unfortunately, there is a downside to this innovative system?hydrogen is extremely volatile. It is also difficult to store and unavailable at local filling stations. Chrysler Corporation is currently working on a fuel cell that eliminates some of these obstacles, notably storage and inconvenience. Their efforts may make fuel cells a viable option in the near future. One of Chrysler's plans is to use small amounts of gasoline in fuel cells. Doing so would eliminate the dangerous proposition of storing hydrogen onboard an EV before converting it to electricity. A series of reaction chambers in the system would convert the gasoline to hydrogen as needed, and carbon monoxide?produced as a byproduct?would be processed in additional chambers that would convert it to harmless carbon dioxide. 2.Flywheels Another departure from chemical-based battery technology is the flywheel. All flywheels, including those presently on vehicle engines, act as sort of mechanical batteries, storing energy by spinning. Friction, of course, is their enemy. In new flywheel technology plans are to create a nearly frictionless environment?essentially a vacuum?around the flywheel by enclosing it in a shell and mounting it on liquid or magnetic bearings. To create electricity, magnets mounted on the flywheel would pass close by tightly wound wires lining the shell's interior. Drawbacks are that charging such a system requires some initial force to get the flywheel up to operating speed (which can be as high as 100,000 rpm) and that lightweight but strong composites instead of common metals must be used to construct the flywheel to prevent it from breaking apart. 3.Hybrids Hybrid vehicles typically feature two different power sources?working either in parallel or in series?to propel the vehicle. Much research is under way combining gasoline or diesel-fueled internal combustion engines with electrically powered motors to get the job done. In a parallel setup, both power sources drive the wheels. For example, an electric motor may accelerate the car to highway speeds, whereupon a small internal combustion engine, or ICE, then takes over to power the wheels for cruising. With this system, the ICE need only be large enough to maintain speed, and the energy supply for the electric motor need not provide long range. In a series setup, power from both engine sources is sent to a single additional motor or controller that drives the wheels. In such a vehicle, an electric motor might run on batteries that in turn could be charged by a generator operated by a small internal combustion engine. Such a combination could extend the range of an EV considerably. Already there has been an example of a hybrid vehicle, albeit extreme: the Chrysler Patriot race car project of the early ?90s. The Patriot used liquefied natural gas to fuel an internal combustion engine that, in turn, spun two turbines providing electricity. A flywheel generated additional power. All the electricity was controlled by a computer that both delegated which power source (turbines or flywheel) to draw from and then directed that power to the motor driving the wheels. In all, the turbines and flywheel produced about one megawatt of energy, which was how the Patriot was expected to reach speeds approaching 200 mph. These new power sources will revolutionize the transportation industry. They will replace gasoline as the predominant enegy source of our vehicles. Experimental Vehicle Essays - Hydrogen Economy, Experimental Vehicle There are three types of experimental vehicle (EVs) propulsion technologies on the currently being tested. Batteries are currently the most popular power source for modern EVs but they are by no means the only available technology. A number of alternatives are under development and they, too, are well positioned to rival batteries as an effective EV power source. 1.Fuel cells Some of the most recent and exciting news in electric-vehicle development has centered around a new power source, called the fuel cell. The fuel cell utilizes a special membrane to generate electricity through the controlled reaction between hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Unlike batteries, which store electricity rather than generate it, fuel cells actually produce electricity through a controlled chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Inside a fuel cell, the two elements are fed to opposite sides of a porous membrane. As hydrogen atoms pass through the pores, they are stripped of their electrons. This results in a negative charge on the membrane's hydrogen side and a positive charge on the oxygen side. Stacking fuel cells in series produces enough power to operate a vehicle. Unfortunately, there is a downside to this innovative system?hydrogen is extremely volatile. It is also difficult to store and unavailable at local filling stations. Chrysler Corporation is currently working on a fuel cell that eliminates some of these obstacles, notably storage and inconvenience. Their efforts may make fuel cells a viable option in the near future. One of Chrysler's plans is to use small amounts of gasoline in fuel cells. Doing so would eliminate the dangerous proposition of storing hydrogen onboard an EV before converting it to electricity. A series of reaction chambers in the system would convert the gasoline to hydrogen as needed, and carbon monoxide?produced as a byproduct?would be processed in additional chambers that would convert it to harmless carbon dioxide. 2.Flywheels Another departure from chemical-based battery technology is the flywheel. All flywheels, including those presently on vehicle engines, act as sort of mechanical batteries, storing energy by spinning. Friction, of course, is their enemy. In new flywheel technology plans are to create a nearly frictionless environment?essentially a vacuum?around the flywheel by enclosing it in a shell and mounting it on liquid or magnetic bearings. To create electricity, magnets mounted on the flywheel would pass close by tightly wound wires lining the shell's interior. Drawbacks are that charging such a system requires some initial force to get the flywheel up to operating speed (which can be as high as 100,000 rpm) and that lightweight but strong composites instead of common metals must be used to construct the flywheel to prevent it from breaking apart. 3.Hybrids Hybrid vehicles typically feature two different power sources?working either in parallel or in series?to propel the vehicle. Much research is under way combining gasoline or diesel-fueled internal combustion engines with electrically powered motors to get the job done. In a parallel setup, both power sources drive the wheels. For example, an electric motor may accelerate the car to highway speeds, whereupon a small internal combustion engine, or ICE, then takes over to power the wheels for cruising. With this system, the ICE need only be large enough to maintain speed, and the energy supply for the electric motor need not provide long range. In a series setup, power from both engine sources is sent to a single additional motor or controller that drives the wheels. In such a vehicle, an electric motor might run on batteries that in turn could be charged by a generator operated by a small internal combustion engine. Such a combination could extend the range of an EV considerably. Already there has been an example of a hybrid vehicle, albeit extreme: the Chrysler Patriot race car project of the early ?90s. The Patriot used liquefied natural gas to fuel an internal combustion engine that, in turn, spun two turbines providing electricity. A flywheel generated additional power. All the electricity was controlled by a computer that both delegated which power source (turbines or flywheel) to draw from and then directed that power to the motor driving the wheels. In all, the turbines and flywheel produced about one megawatt of energy, which was how the Patriot was expected to reach speeds approaching 200 mph. These new power sources will revolutionize the transportation industry. They will replace gasoline as the predominant enegy source of our vehicles.

Free Essays on Business

Company & Product: Glow (Fabric Detergent) Data & Demographics: A properly organized database is essential to build the direct marketing strategy. Without it, each action remains independent of others. You can not build your understanding of complex customer reactions without recording all the interactions you have had with that individual or company. The value of the database depends on its being comprehensive and up to date. Accessing the demographic data you need to expand your business, find new customers or design marketing campaigns. Analyze income and population trends, racial mix, housing values, and employment trends. Data available down to zip code level. Compare multiple Geographic’s side by side. Statistics: Probably the most often used descriptive statistic is the mean. The mean is a particularly informative measure of the â€Å"central tendency† of the cariable if it is reported along with its confidence intervals. The mean can offer information about the population. The â€Å"true† (population) mean is located (with a given level of certainty). For example, if the mean in a sample is 23, and the lower and upper limits of the p=.05 confidence interval are 19 and 27 respectively, then you can conclude that there is a 95% probability that the population mean is greater than 19 and lower than 27. Customer Relationship Management (CRM): CRM is the process that enables you to build long term profitable relationships with your customers and prospects. The central element of CRM is the customer database essential for any direct marketing strategy. This includes much more than just the basic contact details of the customer. It must record and facilitate all outgoing and incoming communication with that customer by any member of your team-personal meeting, letters, telephone, fax, email. It must also provide an automated document management service to file all documents for e... Free Essays on Business Free Essays on Business Ocean Fortune Trading Ltd is a newly company schedule to operate in Austin, Texas at the beginning of January 2006. The business has just recently found out there is a market for the new motorized bicycle in Austin. Such product is still unknown to the public and is not saturated yet as the product is in the introduction phase. Ocean Fortune believes that this market offers great opportunity to introduce and sell the electric motorized â€Å"Zap 20’ inch Power Bike† both on the local market as well as the overseas where great sales lead exists. The Z-Bike is a versatile electric bike with a clean advanced style inspired by the aerodynamics of a sports car. The 20† wheel size makes it lightweight and easy to store. The specially designed mono tube frame is both beautiful and rugged. This bike combines the latest in electric drive with practical bike features including front suspension and 6 speeds. It will go 20 – 30 Km per charge and is an exciting bike for all ages. It is supplied with a 220V charger. As an alternative mode of transportation, the Zap Power Bike is 100% pollution free and contributes to a cleaner environment and the power consumption for charging is very low. The bicycle is classified under normal bicycle and no license is required. The Z – Bike can be use as a pedal power alone or power assist. The direct marketing program that Ocean Fortune Trading Ltd will be concentrating on for the first 6 months is in Galveston, Texas only and once the business is established, the company will be looking in expanding interstate and overseas. The business consists of 2 partners and the company mainly focuses on import and export. Such business is also incorporated in Taiwan and Hong-Kong, however the major operation will be conducted in Austin. Ocean Fortune Trading Ltd is now issuing a proposal to potential investors inviting them to invest into the business and secured a Return on Investment within the n... Free Essays on Business Company & Product: Glow (Fabric Detergent) Data & Demographics: A properly organized database is essential to build the direct marketing strategy. Without it, each action remains independent of others. You can not build your understanding of complex customer reactions without recording all the interactions you have had with that individual or company. The value of the database depends on its being comprehensive and up to date. Accessing the demographic data you need to expand your business, find new customers or design marketing campaigns. Analyze income and population trends, racial mix, housing values, and employment trends. Data available down to zip code level. Compare multiple Geographic’s side by side. Statistics: Probably the most often used descriptive statistic is the mean. The mean is a particularly informative measure of the â€Å"central tendency† of the cariable if it is reported along with its confidence intervals. The mean can offer information about the population. The â€Å"true† (population) mean is located (with a given level of certainty). For example, if the mean in a sample is 23, and the lower and upper limits of the p=.05 confidence interval are 19 and 27 respectively, then you can conclude that there is a 95% probability that the population mean is greater than 19 and lower than 27. Customer Relationship Management (CRM): CRM is the process that enables you to build long term profitable relationships with your customers and prospects. The central element of CRM is the customer database essential for any direct marketing strategy. This includes much more than just the basic contact details of the customer. It must record and facilitate all outgoing and incoming communication with that customer by any member of your team-personal meeting, letters, telephone, fax, email. It must also provide an automated document management service to file all documents for e... Free Essays on Business Is most conflict in an organization is caused by poor communication? If we had perfect communication would conflict cease? Consider for example, an e-mail asking for some information â€Å"yesterday† to stress how important this request is. The sender thinks e-mails are great as they travel at the speed of light and spell things out in black & white. The recipient may consider that if it’s in e-mail then it can’t be that urgent because servers can loose, misdirect or delay an e-mails transmission. They may also consider that as the information was wanted â€Å"yesterday† it’s already too late to be effectively utilized. Both parties saw the same communiquà ©, neither read the same message. Each will blame the other for failing to communicate properly and conflict may result. E-mail flame wars are a high tech twist on whispering campaigns. And like the system of claims & loyalties in feudal states the smallest e-mail spat can spiral out of control with careless use of the C.C. and B.C.C functions. Drucker (1977) says that there are four fundamentals of communication:  · communication is perception of the recipient not the utterance of the instigator  · communication is expectation in that recipients will heed only what they are expecting to hear  · communication makes demands of the recipient that they become someone, do or believe something  · communication and information are different and largely opposite - yet interdependent Employees need to know a number of things such as what is expected of them, how they are performing and how can they advance. If these are not communicated, on a regular basis, then role or expectation conflict will develop and motivation decline as the employee is berated for failing to meet the goals their superiors [are convinced they] assigned them. But if this is all the communication they receive they may begin to feel like machines. According to Pearson & Thomas there are three levels of ... Free Essays on Business 1. Product Life Cycle a. 1. Product development begins when the company finds and develops a new-product idea. During product development, sales are zero and the company’s investment costs mount. 2. Introduction is a period of slow sales growth as the product is introduced in the market. Profits are nonexistent in this stage because of the heavy expenses of product introduction. 3. Growth is a period of rapid market acceptance and increasing profits. 4. Maturity is a period of slowdown in sales growth because the product has achieved acceptance by most potential buyers. Profits level off or decline because of increased marketing outlays to defend the product against competition. 5. Decline is the period when sales fall off and profits drop. b. 1. Introduction: Product- offer a basic product Price- Use cost-plus formula Distribution- build selective distribution Growth: Product- Offer product extensions, service, warranty Price- Price to penetrate market Distribution- increase distribution outlets Maturity: Product- diversify brand and models Price- Price to match or best competitors Distribution- build more intensive distribution Decline: Product- phase out weak items Price- cut price Distribution- go selective: Phase out unprofitable outlets 2. Pricing Approaches a. Cost-based- adding a standard markup to the cost of the product Ex. An appliance retailer might pay a manufacturer $20 for a Toaster and mark it up to sell at $30, a 50% markup on cost. Value-based- uses buyers’ perceptions of value rather than on the seller’s cost. Ex. People are looking... Free Essays on Business Critically discuss the view that â€Å"Marketing is getting people to buy things they don’t need, with money they don’t have, to impress people they don’t know†. Marketing as both a process and a philosophy has developed as society has developed. When man first realised the benefits of trade, markets were both local and relatively independent. The relationship between producer and consumer was direct and personal. The Industrial Revolution lead to changes in production and consumption. Mechanisation, mass production, and labour specialisation lead to dramatic increases in production, and with it, a need for distribution. The relationship between producer and consumer had become relatively indirect. Since the first production surplus, marketing has been based on the principle of exchange – interested parties exchanging something of value. In 1776, when Adam Smith said, â€Å"Consumption is the sole end and purpose of production† he was describ ing what in recent times has become known as the marketing concept (McDonald & Keegan, 1997, pg. 1). In marketing terms, the consumer can be defined as any individual, group of individuals or organization. The role of the consumer is expanded to include the categories of payer, user and buyer, be it an individual, a household or an organization. Products are also generalised to include all goods, services, places, people and ideas. In recent times, the broad nature of marketing has lead to acceptance of the following definition. â€Å"Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organisational goals† (Czinkota et. al, 2000, pg. 8). Simply, modern marketing includes everything from conception to consumption of an idea. Marketing stimuli consists of the four P’s – product, price, place and promotion (Kotler & Armstrong, 1996, pg. 1 43). In relation to this mix,... Free Essays on Business Questions for Management and Organizational Behavior Term Paper Please include a brief autobiography of yourself†¦ (Title, Age, Educational Background†¦) Manager of Computer Systems and Operations Age: 43 BA Liberal arts, History AA Data processing 1. What is your organization chart? What makes up your functional staff? What is your reporting relationship? Hierarchical organization. 3 staff directly under me. Report to Director of Division. 2. What is your annual operating budget? (Approximate if necessary) 1 million 3. What business are you in? What products and services do you provide? The American Institute of Physics is a Scientific Journal Publisher. We publish science research manuscripts in both printed and electronic media for AIP and member societies. Organize and provide support for member society meetings. Public relations issues for AIP and our member societies. Marketing and advertising for AIP and member journals. Computer services and support for AIP and member societies. 4. What are your departmental major objectives for 2002? Are they in writing? (Calendar or fiscal year) Migrate enterprise wide backup server to new tape library system. Migrate large enterprise servers to a SAN solution. Yes. 5. What do you consider to be your biggest challenge? Providing all the support services within a limited budget. 6. To whom do you report? (Title, Function) Wendy Marriot, Director of Business Systems and Operations. 7. How long have you been a manager? 5 years 8. How is your individual performance measured? Annual performance appraisal based on major job responsibilities and functions. Managerial type functions. 9. How do you measure the performance of your direct reports? Annual performance appraisal based on more specific job tasks for each shift. 10. Do you have a written business plan? Related Mission statement? What does it state? How can I obtain a copy? The company has a written business pla...

Effects of Culture on Art Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Effects of Culture on Art - Dissertation Example Culture is related to significance, understanding, aptitudes, business, society and standards. The purpose of the study is to have a better perceptive of the control of culture on art, a motor of financial as well as communal modernization. The culture related art is connected to the aptitude of individuals, particularly artists, to think creatively or symbolically, to test the conservative, and to call on the representational as well as affective to correspondence. Culture related art has the ability to â€Å"break conventions† (Greenberg, p. 93, 1971), the standard approach of assessment, to let the expansion of a fresh image, a thought or a product. The temperament of culture related art is directly correlated to the â€Å"nature of artistic contribution as expressed in art or cultural productions; the spontaneous, intuitive, singular and human nature of cultural creation enriches society† (Benton & DiYanni, p. 43, 2007). Theories as well as methodical advancements o ffer accommodating tools to be aware of art but are not enough to understand the cultural aspect of art. Research on creativity in relation to culture has been inclined to concentrate on the perceptive of artistic accomplishment. As a result, the importance of art is randomly applied and has been mainly influenced by business management literature background regulations to facilitate the materialization of creative administrations. The Effect of British and African Culture in their Art The contact between culture and art is difficult and culture â€Å"cannot always be associated with art† (Crowley, p. 52, 2011). Culture is as well regarding acknowledged conventions while communicating for instance legacy, customs or when it communicates to civilizing inventions that construct on the flourishing as well as the tested (results, directory management, legends). Cultural principles may as well give rise to prejudice and fanaticism that hold back creativity. On the other hand, with out art there would not be melody, verse, images, creative writing as well as all imaginative work linked with art as well as cultural industries. Foreign artists, throughout much of the Renaissance, ruled British art, however, during the 18th century a local practice turns out to be more accepted. It is mostly known to be characterized by scenery images, for instance, the work of â€Å"Turner and John Constable† (Draper, p. 54, 2004). â€Å"Portraitists like Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds and William Hogarth† (Draper, p. 69, 2004) are as well very noteworthy. Hogarth also introduced a unique technique of satirical imaging. British creative writing starts with Anglo-Saxon narrative. For a lot many years, Latin as well as French were the chosen legendary languages of England, although during the medieval phase there was a blooming of literature within Middle British; â€Å"Geoffrey Chaucer is the most well-known writer of this period† (Draper, p. 102, 2004) . The Elizabethan period is occasionally called as the â€Å"golden age of English literature† (Draper, p. 130, 2004), as a number of outstanding writers was writing in English, and the Elizabethan plays created William Shakespeare, frequently recognized as the English national writer. As a result of the growth of English into a world language at some point in the British Empire, narrative is now written in English all over the world. Authors usually connected with England or for expressing Englishness take account of

Answer the 2 questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Answer the 2 questions - Essay Example For them Marketing is the only source through which they can reach to their potential customers. Likewise Destinations as we know have been a business for decades but since the means of transportation are way too fast and easily accessible. Going on a tour to a different country is no more a big deal. With that said, how do people know about places which are worth visiting? Again the only source is through marketing. Therefore, for marketing of this particular industry the role of DMOs is vital. DMO is the abbreviation of Destination Marketing Organization. What these Organizations do is to promote services of places which are worth visiting. Say countries, cities, towns and so on an so forth. DMOs help this industry with increasing the number of visitors. These organizations generate over billions of dollars for the tourist destinations. DMOs are known by different names such as, travel bureaux, visitors bureaux, or convention bureaux, but the main job of all of these is to market t he tourist destination. ... Natural beauty includes animals, plants, seas, rivers, caverns, landscapes, lakes, and waterfalls. Another feature a desirable tourist destination should have is artistic and architecture. It is yet another feature that is appreciated by many. This can include art museums, monuments, and galleries. Some other features that really help a tourist destination grow are, festivals and competitions, distinctive local features, ancient ruins, historical prominence, sports facilities, relaxation facilities, shopping facilities, and more importantly tourist facilities. (Hall, 2002) The characteristics of a good destination discussed above have significant value in making the brand of a company successful. People appreciate things that they can relate to. One thing that should be paid attention to is that not everything is liked by everybody. Let’s say natural beauty might be appreciated by some but some might be attracted to art musuems. So the best visiting place would that can facili tate every type of customer. therefore some of the charactristics for some might no be as appealing as some others, or vice-versa. Assessing the stages of development The visits that tourists pay to such destinations are meant to generate profit for the place being visited, basically It has become an industry itself known as tourism industry. Therefore the officials of such destinations need to have a plan and the knowledge of marketing their destination and for the further development. Basically such steps to develop and market their destination, can help boost the economy of the country, state, city and so on. In order to assess the stages of development, the study of TALC(Tourism Area Life Cycle) Butler’s lifecycle can help. Butler

Implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Implementation - Essay Example Creating Liasoning agents and Integrators within the organization: since the organization has formal structures the first step towards becoming a learning organization is to increase communication and coordination between departments and units, initially it needs to assign liasoning and integrating jobs to personnel and gradually move on to create task force and teams. Team Development: members from each unit/department should be identified to form a task force. This task force should regularly meet and set goals and monitor results regarding the solution to the current challenge being faced by the organization. Market Intelligence and Information Distribution System: Johnson and Johnson should improve it's existing or if not already existing, it should set up sound market intelligence and distribution systems. The unit should collect information on consumer preferences, competitor activities, and upcoming technologies and share it with all the unit managers to gear up the whole organization to increase the flow in its product development pipeline. Monetary and Technological Help to promising startup companies and entrepreneurs: since the company is finding hard to find more and more startup companies produc

What Are The Defining Elements Of Democracy Politics Essay

What Are The Defining Elements Of Democracy Politics Essay There is no universally accepted definition of democracy, and Arblaster says, Democracy is a concept before it is a fact, and because it is a concept it has no single precise and agreed meaning. (ARBLASTER, 2002: 3) Essentially democracy has three main ideals: Popular Sovereignty, the belief that the legitimacy of the state is created by the will or consent of its people, who are the source of every political power; Political Equality; and Individual Autonomy. Abraham Lincoln summed up democracy well in saying it is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and so, in the case of liberal western democracies it is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. For Aristotle the underlying principle of democracy is freedom, since only in a democracy the citizens can have a share in freedom. In essence, he argues that this is what every democracy sho uld make its aim. There are two main aspects of freedom: being ruled and ruling in turn, since everyone is equal according to number, not merit, and to be able to live as one pleases. Democracy is indeed a set of ideas and principles about freedom, but it also consists of a set of practices and procedures that have taken a very long time to develop. In short, democracy is the institutionalisation of freedom. For this reason, it is possible to identify the fundamentals of constitutional government that any society must possess to be properly called democratic: human rights, and equality before the law. Therefore two principles that any definition of democracy incorporates are, namely that all citizens in a state are equal before the law, and they have equal access to power. A third common principle is that all citizens are promised certain legitimised freedoms and liberties, which are generally protected by a constitution or set of legally prescribed democratic practices. This essay will explore these defining elements of a democratic society as well as considering some of the problems faced by democratic institutions in trying to realise and sustain them. One of the most essential elements in defining democracy is self-rule. The word democracy originally came from the Greek demos and kratos, meaning that the people (demos) rule. The only possible object of rule is the people who form the state or political system being considered, hence, the rulers in a democracy, the people, are also the ruled. (HARRISON, 1993) Therefore democracy can be described as people ruling themselves. If one takes the meaning of democracy literally it is essentially the rule of the many. In its original context in the city state of ancient Greece, this rule was exercised directly by the citizens, also called direct democracy. The size and scale of modern states mean this method of rule is often considered impractical. In order to reach an appropriate balance between adequate participation and adequate efficiency and practicability, peoples rule is exercised indirectly through elected political leaders that represent peoples interests (representative democracy ). However, the idea that democratic institutions could accurately represent the people has been debated thoroughly. Some political thinkers, such as Rousseau and Mill, have suggested that some degree of socio-economic equality is needed to guarantee a reasonable level of political equality and therefore indispensable for a stable democracy. Held argued that it is extreme material poverty amongst the masses that renders genuine democracy impractical. On the other hand, Dahl noted that not just absolute poverty but also relative poverty poses a stumbling block for the realisation of political equality and therefore democracy. (SORENSEN, 1993) Rousseau believed that no one could be truly free who did not govern themselves. In his Du Contrat Social, he made fun of the English form of government by claiming that the English people, is free only during the election of Members of Parliament; as soon as the Members are elected, the people is enslaved. (ARBLASTER, 2002: 59), and for him sov ereignty belonged inalienably to the people, the problem was to decide how they could retain it and exercise it. (ARBLASTER, 2002: 60) On the other hand, the English philosopher John Locke defends representative democracy as be believes that men in civil society should enter a contract with their government and that citizens are bound to obey the law, while the government has the right to make laws and to defend the commonwealth from foreign injury all for the public good. (Holden Online) This leads to another defining element of democracy; the fundamental concept which secures the rights of people is the consent of the governed. In a democracy the people are sovereign and are therefore the highest form of political authority. This means the decisions made by the government ultimately have to be accepted by the people. For example, during elections, all the candidates have to campaign freely in order to educate people on their policies and allow them to scrutinise each candidates ideas. Lewis believes Consent is an essential element of democratic theory, but not a distinguishing element. The important test is not whether a major portion of the adult population accepts or approves a government or its policies, but the manner in which this consent is secured (LEWIS, 1940) Hence it is important that elected representatives at a national and local level should listen to the people and respond to their needs and suggestions. However, Hobbes mentions in his book Leviathan t hat in exchange for security, individuals give away their rights to an all powerful ruler (Hobbes, 1651). In the modern day, it is hard for governments to be truly democratic as, due to scale, it is unlikely that all the citizens will agree with all decisions made by the government. The active participation of people as citizens in political and civil life is also important when defining democracy. Active participation of the people is one of the basic requirements for a state to be democratic, and thus it is essential in defining democracy. The main role for citizens in a democracy is for them to participate in public life, hence the right to vote increases participation amongst citizens. Schumpter puts forward a minimalist interpretation of participation in arguing that democracy should only be a mechanism for choosing political leaders. Therefore participation would be limited to voting (SORENSEN, 1993). On the other hand the concept of democratic autonomy can be regarded as an important means of participation which calls for peoples direct involvement at a local level through community institutions. (HELD, 1996) In this sense, participation would incorporate the ability of citizens to directly influence decisions that affect their lives. Therefore, citizens should essentially attempt to gain an understanding of relevant public issues, and be willing to listen to these issues and the views of the government. Education is vital in democracy because, in order for people to fully participate, they have to be informed on the relevant topical issues of their state. It can be argued that democracy relies heavily on collective participation as democracy is stronger as a whole when people actively participate. Rousseau analysed the concept of collective participation when he spoke about the idea of the general will, the result when citizens make political decisions considering the good of society as a whole rather than the particular interests of individuals and groups. (Rousseau, 1762) The active participation of citizens in political and civil spheres of society is a vital element of democracy as, Individuals must be allowed a share in political control because to command obedience without free participation in control is to deny the right of all to self-development through responsibility for their own acts is to reduce men to the degrading irresponsibility of slaves or mules. (LEWIS, 1940) However, personal autonomy must be taken into account when defining democracy. This is because for a society to be democratic people should have the freedom to choose whether to participate in the political process or hand over the decision making to a person or group more qualified to make well informed political decisions, like an elected government. Furthermore, one of the most important defining elements of democracy is that the underlying right of the people is to have rights and more specifically the right of choice. The freedoms to take pleasure in ones own culture, without such minorities being scrutinized; the freedom to express opinions and decide what to do. The European Union believes that democracy and human rights are universal values that should be vigorously promoted around the world. They are integral to effective work on poverty alleviation and conflict prevention and resolution. (http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/human-rights/index_en.htm) Demonstrations against government policies and decisions are also fine in true democracy, as long as the rights of others are taken into account, hence protests should be non-violent. There is now a general acceptance among the international community about the centrality of human rights and their importance to democracy, and Ghandi gave a useful definition of democracy when h e said, My notion of democracy is that under it the weakest should have the same opportunity as the strongest. The greatest protection of human rights emanates from a democratic framework grounded in the rule of law. The principle that all power ultimately rests with the people and must be exercised with their consent lies at the heart of democracy. Democracy is premised on the recognition and protection of peoples right to have a say in all decision making processes which is itself based on the central principle of equality of all human beings. The exercise of this fundamental political right requires a guarantee of crucial freedoms; to express ones thoughts and opinion without fear, to seek and receive information, to form associations and to assemble in a peaceful manner to discuss public affairs amongst others. Accommodation of the views of minorities is essential to prevent democracy from degenerating into despotism by the majority. The purpose of democracy like that of human r ights protection is to uphold the dignity of every individual and to ensure that the voices of the weakest are also heard. Its core values; freedom, equality, fraternity, accommodation of diversity and the assurance of justice underpin the norms of human rights as well. This leads on to another key element of democracy is majority rule and it is often described as a characteristic feature of democracy. The web definition of majority rule is, a decision rule that selects one of two alternatives, based on which has more than half the votes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majority_rule) An essential process in representative democracies is competitive elections, that are fair both substantively and procedurally. Furthermore, freedom of political expression, freedom of speech and freedom of the press are essential so that citizens are informed and able to vote in their personal interests. The election process of modern liberal democracies sees the party with the majority of votes leading the government and representing the people on a national scale. This is crucial when exploring democracy because, even though only a proportion of the population are in agreement with the government, it is the largest so the greatest number possible will be satisfied. Ho wever, without responsible government or constitutional protections of individual liberties from democratic power it is possible for dissenting individuals to be oppressed by the tyranny of the majority. So, therefore, a key element of any democracy is to ensure that minorities have the right to promote their representatives for election to government against the majority view. In conclusion, Winston Churchill once said, It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried. Democracy is by no means a perfect system of government but many of its defining elements explored in this essay are vital. Indeed, as Arblaster tells us, democracy is still an unfinished business on the agenda of modern politics. (ARBLASTER, 2002: 10) and there much ground to be covered before we develop a fully democratic system. The original direct system of democracy from ancient Athens was possible down to the fact that the scale, in comparison to the present day, was far smaller. Therefore, it seems that presently, the closest we can get to proper democracy is a representative system with elected representatives making decisions and carrying out policies for the people. The nature of democracy has changed over time but the essential elements that make up its definition remain the same. To summarise, the three main elements of de mocracy are essentially participation, competition and liberties and perhaps what is most important to note is that the ideas behind democracy are based on, the hypothesis that power and the right to exercise power belongs to the people (Goodwin, 2007, p.288). The pillars of any modern day western liberal democracies are as follows; sovereignty of the people, government based upon consent of the governed, majority rule, minority rights, guarantee of basic human rights, free and fair elections, equality before the law and constitutional limits on government. A democratic society must incorporate these values as democracy is more than a set of constitutional rules and procedures that determine how a government functions. In a democracy, government is only one element coexisting in a social fabric of many and varied institutions, political parties, organisations, and associations.

No Longer at Ease Essay -- Chinua Achebe No Longer at Ease Essays

No Longer at Ease The story explores the conflicts in Obi Okonkwo's life. He is a young man from Eastern Nigeria who has to develop his career in the midst of all his problems. He is pressurised by the men of his tribe, the Umuofia Progressive Union, not to forget his traditions and to pay his dues to they helped him to be educated. He is also faced with the conflict of adhering to the Christian principle his father Isaac Okonkwo, a staunch Christian, raised him with and the seduction of the so-called â€Å"evil Western influences† on the younger Nigeria generation. Moreover he falls in love with a woman, Clara, who is considered by tribe to be from a cursed family. His parents don't approve of his engagement to her and he has to choose between his love for her or pleasing his family and tribe. Loved it No Longer at Ease is beautifully written book about colonialism and the alienating influence it has on those Africans who lose touch with their roots as they try to adapt to the changing times. I enjoyed this rich, challenging and fascinating story. The Usurper and Other Stories, The Village of waiting, Disciples of Fortune, Anthills of the Savannah, Triple Agent Double Cross are some of the other African titles I enjoyed. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 star1 star1 star1 star1 star A Sensitive, Complex Novel The title of Chinua Achebe's No Longer at Ease suggests the possibility of a time when there was "ease." The struggles of the protagonist, Obi Okonkwo, a twenty-six year old Umuofian educated in the British Colonial system and at the university in Great Britain, are analogous to the struggles facing Nigerian society during the period at the end of ... ...ose and becomes one of many bribe-taking officials that he formerly despised, leading to a tragic end. In many ways, No Longer at Ease reflects upon the problems facing much of Africa today, corruption and tradition conflicting with progress. The western world may condemn their rampant corruption as Obi first did but it is at the bottom of a spiral of other problems. Chinua Achebe continues to use his characteristically simple style evident in Things Fall Apart for No Longer at Ease. He combines phrases in native languages and uses folk tales to illustrate examples. Unfortunately, the simplicity of the language does not serve to keep the reader's interest completely. At times it feels choppy and almost too simplistic, leaving out details that could serve to further the story. Nevertheless, No Longer at Ease is a remarakble parable of modern Africa. No Longer at Ease Essay -- Chinua Achebe No Longer at Ease Essays No Longer at Ease The story explores the conflicts in Obi Okonkwo's life. He is a young man from Eastern Nigeria who has to develop his career in the midst of all his problems. He is pressurised by the men of his tribe, the Umuofia Progressive Union, not to forget his traditions and to pay his dues to they helped him to be educated. He is also faced with the conflict of adhering to the Christian principle his father Isaac Okonkwo, a staunch Christian, raised him with and the seduction of the so-called â€Å"evil Western influences† on the younger Nigeria generation. Moreover he falls in love with a woman, Clara, who is considered by tribe to be from a cursed family. His parents don't approve of his engagement to her and he has to choose between his love for her or pleasing his family and tribe. Loved it No Longer at Ease is beautifully written book about colonialism and the alienating influence it has on those Africans who lose touch with their roots as they try to adapt to the changing times. I enjoyed this rich, challenging and fascinating story. The Usurper and Other Stories, The Village of waiting, Disciples of Fortune, Anthills of the Savannah, Triple Agent Double Cross are some of the other African titles I enjoyed. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 star1 star1 star1 star1 star A Sensitive, Complex Novel The title of Chinua Achebe's No Longer at Ease suggests the possibility of a time when there was "ease." The struggles of the protagonist, Obi Okonkwo, a twenty-six year old Umuofian educated in the British Colonial system and at the university in Great Britain, are analogous to the struggles facing Nigerian society during the period at the end of ... ...ose and becomes one of many bribe-taking officials that he formerly despised, leading to a tragic end. In many ways, No Longer at Ease reflects upon the problems facing much of Africa today, corruption and tradition conflicting with progress. The western world may condemn their rampant corruption as Obi first did but it is at the bottom of a spiral of other problems. Chinua Achebe continues to use his characteristically simple style evident in Things Fall Apart for No Longer at Ease. He combines phrases in native languages and uses folk tales to illustrate examples. Unfortunately, the simplicity of the language does not serve to keep the reader's interest completely. At times it feels choppy and almost too simplistic, leaving out details that could serve to further the story. Nevertheless, No Longer at Ease is a remarakble parable of modern Africa.