Abstract This paper discusses a speech made in 2002 by Prime Minister Tony Blair. The paper suggests that in making this speech, Blair was setting out certain economic concepts and linking these to values held by the British public and it suggests that these values still hold true today. The paper discusses the details of Blair's suggestions and discusses how they were viewed by other members of the government.
From the Paper " Still, the basic thrust of what Blair said in 2002 remains the focus for him and his party as they seek to avoid abandoning that segment of the populace that cannot afford healthcare even while seeking for improvements throughout the system. Similar programs show the same agenda for other social programs and concerns, always to maintain a sense of social justice for the poor and the middle class. Blair made this a commitment for his government after a long period of conservative rule, during which costs increased, some segments of the public were missed in terms of programs, and yet the people paid more for the se4rvices they did get. The conflict between the government providing services and not providing them has been playing out in the U.S. as well, and in that case the Republican majority has been seeking to curtail many such programs. The same reasons are given as well, in order to reduce costs and to improve service. The same uncertainties apply, for it is not clear at all that eliminating government involvement and shifting to a privatized system would benefit the public or the government."
Abstract This paper reviews, discusses and analyzes Tony Blair's quote in The Guardian newspaper article, "Reformers Versus Wreckers is the Battle For This Parliament". According to the paper, when Tony Blair decided, in 1997, to challenge the electoral power of four consecutive Conservative governments, he pertinently chose to call his draft for Labour's electoral platform 'New Labour, New Life for Britain'. The paper goes on to say that Blair's approach retains the fundamental values of the Labour party, while changing the means appropriate to their realization, and consists of trying to combine two apparently antithetic tenets: the liberal commitment to individual freedom in the market economy, and the social democratic commitment to social justice through the action of government.
From the Paper "Along with this necessity to stick to a stable economy, the most strategic aim of New Labour in this text seems to lay in the reform of public services and of the Welfare State. "Quality education, healthcare, safe streets [and] mobility" (lines 10-11) are needed. This goes along with the party's ideal of social justice: "We believe in strong public services because [they are] the embodiment of social justice" (lines 10-11). This is maybe the target the text stresses the most, as well as it points out that the only way this will be achieved is through investment and reform. After fighting the 2001 election on the theme of improving public services, Blair's government continued to raise taxes in 2002 -described by opponents as "stealth taxes"- to increase spending on education and health. Blair's aim is to keep investment coming into public services and then making the reforms, in order to use the money well. High-quality public services would mean improvement of the Welfare State, which has to be refashioned, providing equal chance to benefit from the opportunities Britain has to offer. In the text, the emphasis is put on the reform of the National Health Service in particular. It has to be designed around the needs of its patients, and this is only doable through investment. However, it is not enough: power must be decentralized, waiting time must be cut, and work with the private sector is necessary to use spare capacity. The major idea concerning the renewal of public services is to re-establish the intermediate institutions between the individual and the state that the Tories either ignored or destroyed."
Abstract This paper uses the McCrae and Costa's Five Factor Theory and Freud's Psychoanalytical Theory to analyze media personality, Blair Hornstein. Blair Hornstein, a student in New Jersey, is an 18-year-old girl who successfully caught the attention of the media, U.S. courts, and the U.S. president with her legal suit against her school, Moorestown High School, based on the fact that she wants to be the sole valedictorian of her class. It attempts to show that Hornstein is an individual who craves attention because of the lack of a social life at home.
From the Paper "Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory claims that all humans are born with certain instincts and these are directly related to the biological need of food, shelter and warmth. These instincts are sex and aggression. Everyone according to Freud has a tendency to depend on their sex drive to attract mate and to reproduce to conserve the bloodline. Furthermore, Freud is also of the opinion that people often demonstrate aggressive tendencies to preserve themselves. Aggression therefore is an act of self defense and for the purpose of survival. Hornstein can clearly be understood by this theory. Being a disabled individual she has an even more aggressive sense for survival in an American society and culture where money, career and ambitions are considered to be the essence of social acceptance."
Abstract This paper will discuss "The Blair Witch Project" and discover why millions have been inspired by its great success in theatres around the world. By finding the elements that made it popular in the film making scope of the art, we can see why it has created such a diverse phenomena in the filmmaking world. This film has generated a new perception in the field of movie making and has made it easier for people without budgets to attain a way into the movie business. This paper will prove why the movie's popularity was so enormous through these channels of the art.
Abstract This paper contends that Tony Blair lied to his citizens and sent Great Britain to war for personal reasons, not to better his country. It discusses how the true reason for Britain's part in the invasion of Iraq came from his personal hatred of Saddam Hussein and not from the threat of weapons of mass destruction.
From the Paper "In 2002 Blair pre-determined that he was going to go to war in a secret meeting including his senior ministers and advisors. The meeting took place on Downing Street on July 23. This was approximately 8 months before Great Britain invaded Iraq and this was way before the public was told about the plans for invasion. To make it sound like it was actually a good idea. Blair and his cabinet came up with a plan to make the public believe that it was worth it to go to war so he would have their morale and support. "If the political context were right," said Blair, "people would support regime change." (Smith) A direct regime change was illegal, but it was a better excuse to go to war than Saddam Hussein. "
Abstract This paper explains that Dawn Blair's "America 2014: An Orwellian Tale", along with George Orwell "1984", prophesies a world under the strict guidance of this totalitarian regime with a specific emphasis on the governing agents challenging American freedom. The author points out that these two writers present a real world understanding of how information control and the power of centralized governing authority can destroy our freedom and lead to totalitarianism. Using the Bush administration of the core example, the paper concludes that the most important lesson of these two books is that freedom cannot be confused with safety, and that the government's attempts to scare us into believing that they are one and the same must not succeed for if they do then we are in effect sacrificing our freedoms.
From the Paper "The central method by which both of these books display subversion and control is through limitation of information and propaganda. In 1984, the information bureau controls all aspects of media and as a result, there is a mysterious war with another country that provokes citizens to fear and thus rely on the government. This is similar to the current strategy used by the Bush administration, where the War on Terror is used as the catalyst for media control. The central character of both novels works for the central bureau of propaganda and as a result, is exposed to the heart of this information and media control."
Abstract A discussion on the reasoning as to why the most pro-European Prime Minister since World War II such as Tony Blair has maintained such a close relationship with George W. Bush.
From the Paper "Ideologies, policies, and national interests aside, it is important to examine a less political side of the relationship between Tony Blair and George W. Bush--their personal relationship. The two men are in fact very good friends. Blair was also good friend with Bush's predecessor who advised him to be Bush's "man in Europe". When Bush took office in 2000, Blair took it upon himself to give Bush advice concerning his initial meetings and dealings with various world leaders (as Blair had a three-year head-start in dealing with them himself). Blair also briefed Bush concerning the dangers of terrorism and problems in Afghanistan months before 9/11. This probably served to give Blair considerable credibility in Bush's mind following the tragedy. "
Tags: international, law, characterizations, human, rights
Abstract This paper addresses the various issues on the top of public debate regarding the introduction of the Euro as a replacement for the current British currency of pounds. It present arguments for and againsts its introduction and examines Prime Minister Blair's position on the issue. It explains Blair's "five economic tests" conditions that the Euro needs to pass before being introduced in Britain. It discusses how public opinions change according to social classes and concludes with a discussion on Britain's general attitude towards Europe.
From the Paper "Whether to adopt the euro is a controversial issue in Great Britain. Public opinion sways on the subject, based on national economic and political concerns, as well as international developments. The centrist Tony Blair has cautiously backed the adoption of the Euro, but he continues to face significant opposition, from within his own Labor Party as well as from the opposition Conservative Party. While some in Great Britain support adopting the euro, many feel that adopting the currency would not be in the country's best interest. Some feel simply that they would lose control of their economy, and consequently, their country. Others frame the argument in terms of a larger criticism of the European Union, which is often portrayed as overly bureaucratic by the British media. There are, of course, those who support the Euro, citing the long term political and economic benefits for Europe as a whole, in which Great Britain would share. And, of course, there are those who simply are not sure?a significant portion of the population."
Abstract The central thesis of this paper is the meaning of the Platonic concepts of the forms and particulars as they relate to an understanding of the occult. The difference between the forms and particulars, it is argued, is equivalent to the difference between the unknown and the known, or the strange and the familiar. The occult is viewed as the knowledge of the unknown. This view of the forms and particulars is applied using Freudian and Jungian theoretical perspectives and is applied to an analysis of "Christabel" by Coleridge, the "Blair Witch Project", and "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allen Poe.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Platonic Forms and Particulars
2.1. The Occult
3. Critical Perspective
4. Analysis of "The Blair Witch Project" and "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "Christabel"
5. Conclusion
From the Paper "In his philosophy Plato distinguishes between the world of reality and the world of illusion. The world of reality and timeless truth is that of the forms. The word of illusion refers to the world of particulars and everyday experience. We exist during our lifetimes in this world of the senses or the world of particulars. For Plato and Socrates, death is the escape from the imprisonment of the world of particulars which is the reason why Socrates in the Phaedo states that he welcomes death. He believes that the soul will continue after death and the knowledge that he seeks as a philosopher will be encountered in the death state."
This paper examines the horror film genre, also known as realist horror, while focusing on two specific films, "The Blair Witch Project" and "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer."
Abstract This paper analyzes the realist horror genre in film. The realist horror genre was spearheaded by Alfred Hitchcock in his 1960 film "Psycho." Horror films proliferated throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in Hollywood. Most of these films used comedy to portray killings, veering away from realism. The writer of this paper contends that the realist aspect of actual human killers is enough to leave lingering fears long after the viewing has ended. This paper focuses on this particular style of filmmaking, in which the approach is to focus on the killer rather than victim, resulting in terrifying the viewing audience. This well-researched paper notes the similarities and differences in "The Blair Witch Project" and "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer." This paper describes how both films leave the viewer with a lingering thought and fear of the real world. Specifically, fear of the horrific possibilities. "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer" is based on real-life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. The movie follows the daily life of Henry, beginning with aftermath shots of freshly murdered victims juxtaposed with images of Henry. This illustrates to the audience that Henry is indeed a bona-fide serial killer. "The Blair Witch Project" is a far cry from the typical slasher film. It uses an entirely different approach to realist horror. The film is shown as a documentary and the actors are not actors at all, but real victims captured on video.
From the Paper "The presentation style changes only during the murder scenes. The pictures are graphic and almost too gory to be real. One woman is seen with a bottle shoved into her throat and the electronics salesman's head goes through a television picture tube - just before the television is plugged in - electrocuting him. Background electric guitar is also present mostly during the build up to a murder. It is not overdone and avoids appearing out of place. Rather, it helps the viewer realize something important in happening. Overall the film does achieve a realism most slasher films cannot approach. This purposeful use of a home-movie style subtly reminds the viewer that the onscreen events are based in truth. Blair Witch takes the realist style one step further by using the camera as a prop in the film. The viewer is constantly reminded that an off-screen character is behind the lens."
Abstract The paper uses the company Aston-Blair to show how the forecasting process is utilized. This case is about the process of solving the issue of losses. The lack of an ongoing process for change has produced a situation where the sudden need for change is seen as a challenge to the existing managers and to the job they have been doing. The paper discusses how the company has found itself in this position, makes recommendations of how to improve the situation using new dimensions and new instruments, and shows how Aston-Blair are responding to the situation. The paper discusses the critical incidents of the task force appointed and their effects on the company. The paper concludes that the managers must be involved in the process of change so that they will invest themselves in this and any resistance can be overcome.
From the Paper "Forecasting is an important and ongoing process for a business, allowing decision-makers to foresee the needs of the company and so to control everything from raw goods to be purchased to the inventory to be maintained and the equipment and workforce needed to meet the demands of the market. A failure in forecasting could mean that the company will be unable to meet its commitments or to take advantage of opportunities as they arise, or it could mean excessive production and increased storage costs if the error is in the other direction. For the Aston-Blair Company, recent losses have spurred interest in improving the forecasting process. However, this case is about the process of solving this issue more than about the issue itself, and in addition, it involves a resistance to change and how it manifests itself in this organization."
Abstract This paper discusses the economic policies of Great Britain from 1945 up until the present day. It discusses both conservative and labor policies and shows how they differed. The paper ends by discussing the rise and implementation of the "new labor" policies. It particularly focuses on Tony Blair's vision of government and politics, including his concept of the "third way."
Table of Contents:
1945-1979
The Thatcher-Major Years
A New Context
The Recent Economic and Social History of the United Kingdom
The Political Situation in Britain
The Left/Right Division
Globalization
The Rise of "New Labour"
How New Is New Labour?
The Characteristics Blair's Policies
The Limits of Blairism
From the Paper "After World War II, a new economic philosophy called "Keynesianism" - different from the "laissez-faire" of old - became prevalent; to his main proponent, John Maynard Keynes (1883-1945), free operation of the market was a good thing but it might prove insufficient to ensure full employment in the long term. The State itself should therefore see to it that effective demand (Keynes attached primary importance to it rather than supply) was always renewed by spending money (expanding the money supply, a policy known as reflation) in order to increase purchasing power and encourage private investment, i.e. rejuvenate economic activity. The government had therefore to be much more interventionist and to operate demand management (which meant economic planning). This is what the Labour government did when the core of the economy (steel, coal, airlines, railways, banks, petroleum, telephone logic), seen as too important to be left to the marketplace, was nationalized."
Abstract This paper examines at length the history of Great Britain's international foreign policy, and its current state of affairs. It discusses England's global interest as the great prior colonial ruler, as opposed to being more Euro-centered. The paper describes that England's foreign policy strategy goal is to prevent a single global power from world dominance. The paper also discusses the emotive and bad-tempered way Britain debates its policy.
Table of Contents:
Overview
Post World War II
The End of the Cold War Era
Tony Blair and Current British Foreign Policy
The European Community
Conclusion
Endnotes
From the Paper "Throughout modern history, Great Britain has never defined its? primary geopolitical role as a European power, preferring instead, to focus on its? global interests. In advancing this worldview, British foreign policy strategy has traditionally sought to prevent a single power - or group of powers - from dominating the continent by maintaining equilibrium of forces on the continent.
This emphasis upon maintaining a "balance of power" in Europe has led Great Britain to frequently shift allegiances in favor of the weaker power bloc and to a policy where British interests were consistently pursued from the sideline of Europe. This policy continued during the Cold War as concern focused on the threat posed by the Soviet Union. The one significant difference from the British perspective was the use of an external power - United States - to guarantee the power."
Abstract This paper inherently implies that the United Kingdom once had a constitution and that it is questionable whether it continues to do so. It begins with an explanation of what a constitution is and debates its current part in U.K politics today. Evidence is considered from a breadth of sources including the law courts, the European Union, the Blair reforms of devolution and increased use of referenda and theoretical argument from inter alia Dicey, Montesquieu and Madison.
From the Paper "When people talk of a constitution they often misleading refer to the single, codified document that entrenches the "laws, customs and conventions which define the composition and powers of the State and regulate the relationship of various state organs to one and other and the private citizen" . This is misleading, because a constitution need not be codified, nor for that matter written down. The greatest example of the single document mantra is the USA, but arguments that the UK lacks a constitution simply because it lacks a vellum document authoritatively stamped with a seal are rarely taken seriously. ?Many of the laws and rules that describe and regulate Britain's political system are in fact written down."
Abstract This paper looks at how Shogan presents a rather succinct account of the labor movement in West Virginia that ultimately culminated in a legitimate battle between coal miners and federal troops. It discusses how the conflict remains perhaps the most significant labor struggle in the United States during the 20th century, but has been largely ignored by scholars and historians. It concludes that by publishing this book, Shogan aims to shed much needed light onto this fault in American history and to re-affirm the fact that the labor movement in the United States possesses a powerful and bloodied past.
From the Paper "The coal miners' movement was spurred by what they perceived to be unreasonable practices that were adopted by the coal distributors in efforts to maximize their profits and, while minimizing the incomes of their workers, to take measure ensuring the miners' dependence upon them. The company store is one of the most glaring examples of how the miners were manipulated to continually feed off the company that controlled their employment. "The company stores that sold them food and other necessities charged exorbitant prices, which the miners had to pay, since there was no other available outlet. Just to guarantee the captivity of their consumers, coal companies paid the miners in scrip, which only the company store would accept." (Shogan, 33). This made the workers almost entirely dependent upon the mines for their survival."
