Abstract This paper studies the events that caused the Great Depression and considers whether there could ever be another similar economic downtown by using both the lessons of history and aggregate supply/aggregate demand analysis.
From the Paper "The Great Depression, which began in 1929, was an economic slump in North America, Europe, and other industrialized areas of the world that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world (Rothbard 13). Though the U.S. economy had gone into depression six months earlier, the Great Depression may be said to have begun with a catastrophic collapse of stock-market prices on the New York Stock Exchange in October 1929 (Rothbard 17). During the next three years stock prices in the United States continued to fall, until by late 1932 they had dropped to only about 20 percent of their value in 1929 (Bernanke 37).
Besides ruining many thousands of investors, this precipitous decline in the value of assets greatly strained banks and financial institutions, particularly those holding stocks in their portfolios. Many banks were consequently forced into insolvency and by 1933, 11,000 of the United States' 25,000 banks had failed. (Bernanke 41). The failure of so many banks, combined with a general and nationwide loss of confidence in the economy, led to much-reduced levels of spending and demand and hence of production, thus aggravating the downward spiral. The result was drastically falling output and drastically rising unemployment; by 1932, U.S. manufacturing output had fallen to 54 percent of its 1929 level, and unemployment had risen to between 12 and 15 million workers, or 25-30 percent of the work force (Bernanke 42). "
Abstract This essay examines the claims of India and Pakistan over Kashmir, and examines some of the more viable solutions towards ending the fifty year standoff, concluding with a proposition for self-determination. It also suggests solutions to avoiding a nuclear conflict.
From the Paper "Few current events are capable of conjuring the level of passion characteristically aroused in the debate over the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley that has historically been characterized by the beauty and fertility of its land is now depicted in routine acts of violence, religious extremism, and human rights atrocities, and the issues at hand are as convoluted as the region's ancient history. Most aspects regarding Kashmir's current turmoil remain obscured to outsiders by ambiguity and propaganda. What have become evident, however, are the countless atrocities routinely perpetrated over the past several decades. Since 1947, Pakistan and India have twice declared war over the disputed territory, and have persistently engaged in low-level border skirmishes, which have left thousands dead. Because both counties now possess nuclear weapons, the international stakes in resolving the conflict have never been greater. Although both India and Pakistan have undoubtedly played a role in the violence, one's view of the crisis depends upon which account has been given, as both countries seem more interested in distorting the facts to aid their own cause, rather than viewing acts of violence individually and objectively."
Abstract The paper discusses the theories of John Maynard Keynes who is known as the "father of modern economics". He was the first economist who precisely described some of the causes and cures for recessions and depressions. The paper explores some of the effects his theories had on the Great Depression such as the Employment Act and the Council of Economic Advisors. It also shows the effects of his theories on World War II and provides a time-line for the Great Depression.
From the Paper "Thus, according to Keynes, the solution that he bought through his theory was for the government to goose up its spending in any way it can either by printing money, cutting taxes, or increasing spending itself. He believed in supply and demand, which was an indirect way to let the economy balance itself. In his theory he not only convinced that in order to work for this system to work people needed money, which could only be done by creating jobs. He further believed that in order to reduce unemployment the government needed to increase the total demand, which is the total amount of goods being demanded. "
Tags: United, States, Federal, Reserve, Gold, Standard
This paper reviews two Holocaust books describing personal experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II: "Night" by Elie Wiesel and "Survival in Auschwitz" by Primo Levi.
2,025 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 2 sources, 1982, $ 71.95
From the Paper "This report reviews two books describing personal experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II: Night, by Elie Wiesel, and Survival in Auschwitz, by Primo Levi. Both books convey similar horror stories about the Holocaust. The stories of the two men will be compared, and the styles and treatment of the subject will be contrasted.
Wiesel's account of experiences in Auschwitz and Buchenwald and a few points in between projects a family focus. His youth was undoubtedly a factor in his perspective: he was only twelve when Jews in his Hungarian town of Sighet were initially rounded up for slaughter, and only fourteen when he and his family were shipped to Auschwitz. Wiesel recalls the attitudes of the townspeople when the first stories of mass genocide reached their ears -- overwhelmingly, the stories were met with disbelief and ... "
From the Paper "This study will compare the two versions of the life of Charlemagne by Einhard and by Notker the Stammerer. The study will consider the relative accuracy of the two accounts in terms of the medieval king's political, private and military experiences, and will consider as well the reason for the differences in the two authors' perceptions of him.
There are a number of stark differences between the two versions of Charlemagne's life. In the first place, Einhard's work at least tries to stick to the facts of that life, although there are questions about his accuracy, while Notker openly presents a "much more discursive and anecdotal" account. In any case, translator Thorpe refers to both works as "biographies, or pseudo-biographies" (p. 2).
We might expect a "fact"-based account to be more accurate ..."
Abstract Analysis of the January 20, 1961 speech. Discusses the setting, purpose, and components of the address. Choice of language and delivery. Use of commonplace vocabulary. Kennedy's argument that the rights of man were historically given by God. Relevance of speech to contemporary world in light of 9/11. Quotes significant passages.
From the Paper "Analysis of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address,
Delivered Friday, January 20, 1961
The Situation
President Kennedy beat out Richard Nixon by an extremely small margin, and the campaign was a bitter one. The nation was also at war in Vietnam, there was a strong Cold War going on with Russia, and there was also some fear that Kennedy, the first-ever Catholic president might create a non-secular government. On the morning of the inauguration, it was snowing in Washington, and many people wanted to cancel the outdoor swearing in. Kennedy demanded that it be held outdoors as tradition dictated.
The Speech
The Beginning
The first part of the speech was designed to acknowledge and embrace a ..."
Abstract This essay examines the economic causes of the Great Depression and evaluates why it was such a significant event in world history. The Great Depression was one of the darkest periods of the 20th Century, the entire capitalist world economy came precariously close to collapse. It affected virtually every civilian of Western civilisation ? from the wealthy bourgeoisie to the poor proletariat. The paper focuses on the Wall Street crash and the Smoot-Hawley Tariff and the role that each played in precipitating the Great Depression and puts forward extensive evidence that suggests that the Wall Street crash actually played a bigger role than the Smoot-Hawley Tariff.
From the Paper "As a fundamental principle of economics is that voluntary trade makes everyone involved better-off, economists were almost uniformly critical of the Smoot-Hawley tariff, and Hoover received a petition signed by more than 1,000 economists urging him to veto the bill. Ultimately, he signed the Smoot-Hawley bill into law on June 17, 1930. Once enacted, it established the highest average tariff level in American history. As Kenneth Davidson said: ?The Smoot-Hawley tariff was part of the general "beggar thy neighbour" polices adopted worldwide during the early 1930s.? While the Wall Street crash had a clear and direct impact on the American economy, the effect of the Smoot-Hawley tariff on precipitating the Great Depression is plagued with ambiguity as it had more of a vague indirect global impact."
Abstract This paper relates Thomas Bell's late nineteenth century portrayal of life in Pittsburgh to the of a melting pot, or gathering of immigrants of all shapes, sizes and cultures into one community. The late 19th century in Pittsburgh, much like anywhere in the U.S. during the time reflected an era of economic and social growth and change. This influx of people from so many different countries, with little skills and high hopes paved the way for low-paying labor. Thomas Bell's "Out of this Furnace" tells the story of three generations of Slovaks that moved to America, and the challenges they faced in the new land.
From the Paper "Djuro Kracha is a recent immigrant from Hungary in Bell's novel that desires more than anything to leave his native country and restart life in America. America became a melting pot because of immigrants such as Kracha. Many people flooded the U.S. during this time, from Hungary and other Eastern European countries, from Ireland, Mexico and China, all in the hopes of economic opportunity. Ethnically, socially and politically all of the people that came to live here were different. In Bell's novel, Djuro is the first member of his family to come to live in the U.S. Like many immigrants his initial struggles include working in a Steel Mill for terrible wages and long hours."
Tags: immigration, melting, pot, culture, labour, class, society
Analyzes Christopher R. Browning's history of the German Police Battalion in Nazi Germany, comparing it to Daniel Goldhagen's "Hitler's Willing Executioners".
Abstract According to Christopher R. Browning's aptly-titled history of the German Reserve Police Battalion 101, "Ordinary Men", the most significant single factor influencing any given policeman's decision to participate in acts of Nazi genocide, was that individual's personal willingness to obey the orders given to him as a soldier and as a German. In other words, how much was that individual willing to be subject to, for want of a better word, peer pressure? The paper shows that this is in direct contrast to the thesis advocated by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen in his book, "Hitler's Willing Executioners". Goldhagen stresses that the actions of the policemen, soldiers and citizens who enforced the larger Reich ideological agenda were performed enthusiastically. The paper explains Goldhagen's belief that this willingness was the result of many years of anti-Semitic propaganda in Germany, extending back in historical time to the earliest days of German Lutheranism's influences on Christianity.
From the Paper "The actions of the Reserve Police Battalion 101 become, in essence, even more chilling when viewed through Browning's schema of explanation. It is easy to rationalize inhumanity as a symptom of German culture, and to state that all human beings have pure free will to resist the pressures of position, country, and ideology. The idea that one can still retain one's ethical, moral compass (as evidenced by the disgust and horror of the policemen) and act against it when structural pressures persuade one to do otherwise is far more disturbing and a far more bracing slap in the ethical face of one's judgment."
Abstract This paper reviews John Ehle's book, "Trail of Tears", which provides a thorough review of the Cherokee people, starting from their first encounter with Europeans. The paper presents the book's argument that the Cherokee efforts to adopt and adapt to the cultural achievements of whites, while advancing their own culture, fundamentally shaped their history.
From the Paper "In Trail of Tears, John Ehle poignantly depicts the unique struggle of the Cherokee to defend against the onslaught of the advancing ?white storm.? As they initially realized the futility of violent resistance, the Cherokee enthusiastically devoted themselves to ensuring the societal advancements that would grant them peaceful and prosperous co-existence with the whites. Thanks to the visionary leadership of individuals such as Major Ridge, the tribe successfully fought off internal division, reactionary traditionalism, and white interference in order to forever disprove the fallacy that Indians were incapable of ?civilization.?"
Abstract Through a reading of her memoir "Living History", this paper assesses Clinton's rise to leadership and her various strengths and weaknesses as a leader. The first part of the paper studies the first leadership roles of the young Hillary. The next part then evaluates Clinton's actions in light of the various theories discussed in Peter G. Northouse's "Leadership" and Lee G. Bolman's "Reframing Organizations". The next parts examine how she has gone on assuming new roles, from her political conversion to a Democrat and her early career as a lawyer in Arkansas. Much of the paper is necessarily devoted to her leadership role as the First Lady amid much scandal, public adulation, and public censure. In the last section, the paper summarizes how the theories on leadership help shed light on the processes and decisions made by Clinton through various points in her career.
From the Paper "Unlike them, Clinton was clearly not interested in this delicate, secondary form of leadership. Rather, she became an active participant in several of her husband's most important campaigns ? from health care to welfare reform. When her term as First Lady ended, she extended her leadership role further in her new position as New York's junior senator."
Abstract This paper discusses the plight of African-American soldiers in the Vietnam war, as told by the soldiers in their own words. The paper explains that many of them felt they were fighting a war they did not understand, while they were subjected to racism at home. The paper describes how this book changed or confirmed the writer's understanding of war. The ethical questions raised by the book are examined in the paper. Implications of the Vietnam war for our present situation in the Middle East are presented briefly. The paper concludes with the writer's personal evaluation of the book.
From the Paper "The book "Bloods: An Oral History of the Vietnam War by Black Veterans"{ Wallace, 1980} is packed with many educative information for those of us too young to understand what happened in South East Asia during the Vietnam war. First of all the book is a collection of 20 war stories from enlisted African American soldiers taking part in the war. Most of the stories in the book show how divided America was about fighting the war. While there were demonstrations in the United States particularly on College campuses, many Americans failed to realize at that time that there were similar divisions among American soldiers in the Vietnam War. The experiences of the African American soldiers were influenced by the racism they experienced at home. According to Terry, the rage among African American soldiers in Vietnam was very high, one black soldier said, that what they been through in the Vietnamese jungles, in addition to their experiences in America is a terrible injustice. Some African American soldiers said they should even go back to America and start another civil war. Some soldiers asked why they should be fighting for prejudice of the Whiteman."
From the Paper "We as a nation have grown to be one of the most prosperous nations on earth, our economy and lifestyle is often the wonder and the envy of the rest of the world, but few of its citizens lucky nation know where it began. It is true that most Americans really do not know how the economy in this youthful country started, and how we forged our monetary system on the backs of the best European economies. They believe that the United States has always had a decent economy and that we have always used money issued from the Federal Government, an idea that cannot be farther from the truth."
From the Paper "Although they did not live to see the fruits of their effort, the work of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton was key in advancing the social reform issues in the nineteenth century, mainly that of women's suffrage. "
Abstract This paper documents the events leading up to the violence of the Boston Tea Party on the evening of December 16, 1773.
From the Paper "When the Boston Tea Party occurred on the evening of December 16,1773, it was the culmination of many years of bad feeling between the British government and her American colonies. The controversy between the two always seemed to hinge on the taxes, which Great Britain required for the upkeep of the American colonies. Starting in 1765, the Stamp Act was intended by Parliament to provide the funds necessary to keep peace between the American settlers and the Native American population. The Stamp Act was loathed by the American colonists and later repealed by parliament. (http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/History.htm) However, the British government quickly enacted other laws designed to solve monetary problems. Each act was met with resistance. The Boston Tea Party was the final act of focused rage against a Parliamentary law."
