A look at how coercive persuasion and thought reform share many similarities, mainly the goal of altering behavior and attitude through coercive influences often based in groups.
1,856 words (approx. 7.4 pages), 8 sources, 1999, $ 59.95
From the Paper "Coercive persuasion and thought reform share many similarities, mainly the goal of altering behavior and attitude through coercive influences often based in groups. Schein, Lifton, and Professor Ofshe's through his Sociology 156 class all give different emphasis regarding the subject. Schien the apparent "father" of the study, analyses coercive persuasion in a three-stage model, Lifton focused on eight key elements that contributed to the totalistic qualities of the methodology, while Ofshe elaborated on the role of coercive persuasion in police interrogations. All theorists seem to agree with Schein's three-stage process, with the additions of their further findings. The result is a elaborate theory of coercive persuasion that gives insight into the results on the individual formed through confined/assertive and nonconfined/nonassertive programs, belief internalization, and the effects of the methods, graded on adherence to the leader and doctrine. "
A look at the existence of slavery in the 21st century in its traditional form of absolute subservience by a slave to a master and in an oppressive economic form characterized by virtual, if not actual, slavery.
Abstract This paper reports that human rights groups have documented the existence of traditional slavery in Sudan, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and of coercive labor systems in several Middle East countries, which are so exploitative that they have been condemned as virtual economic slavery. The author points out that, although the Arabian Peninsula in 1964 became the world's last region to officially abolish slavery, forty years later Saudi Arabia still has more than two-hundred and fifty-thousand slaves. The paper relates that Islamic doctrine provides religious justification for slavery and enables slave traffickers to flout laws prohibiting it. The paper also asserts that, although slavery does not exists in the United States, millions of migrant workers are subjected to coercive conditions and abusive treatment that are little better than slavery.
From the Paper "Consequently, in objective terms, a human being who is not free to leave and has no influence on the conditions or length of their economic servitude is a virtual slave. They may have civil rights, but if they are rendered powerless to defend those rights, they are enslaved in a coercive system they cannot defy. They do not have to be bought and sold to be considered a slave, for when they are rendered no effective legal protection by any civil or religious authorities, they are a slave in everything but name."
Abstract The writer examines the history of the development of economic sanctions. It defines this tactic as a type of coercive diplomacy, a strategic political tactic by which a demand to one's adversary is backed up with a threat of punishment for non-compliance that is estimated to be severe enough to be persuasive. The paper traces the policy back to the bible, differentiating between economic sanctions and blackmail.
From the Paper "Coercive diplomacy consists of four possible tactics: a demand, the means used to create a sense of urgency, threatened punishment for noncompliance and possible incentives. Differences and combinations of these tactics provide five type basic types of coercive diplomacy, identified as the ultimatum, the tacit ultimatum, the "try-and-see" approach the "gradual turning of the screw", and the carrot and stick approach. (3)"
Abstract This paper examines Amitai Etzioni's concept of power, defined as "an actor's ability to induce or influence another actor to carry out his directives or any other norms he supports" that exist within organizations and are designed to ensure that people in the organizations comply with organization needs. The author points out Etzioni's three power types: Coercive systems, which occur when non-compliance with organizational objectives result in restraint and force; calculative (remunerative) systems, which provide material and non-material rewards for complying with the organization and normative systems, also called manipulative, persuasive or suggestive power, which are based upon shared values. The paper contends that organizations, which are the most effective in creating successful organizational changes, tend to rely on the normative system of power, and to create a cooperative effort to service the organization's purpose and its values.
From the Paper "Microsoft demonstrates a strong and effective use of normative power within the organization. Writes Thielen (2000), "All Microsoft employees know in their gut what their primary goal is. And that is to win 100 percent of whatever market they are going after" (p. 10). Within Microsoft, both social and pure normative power is used to control employee behavior. The use of normative power in Microsoft is largely successful in creating cooperation within the company. Writes Thielen (2000), Microsoft managers know that "only by helping other groups as needed can the company achieve total domination.""
Tags:coercive, calculative, normative, government, microsoft
A discussion on the alleged coercive nature of marketing techniques and the validity of such allegations with references to Douglas Rushkoff's "Coercion" and John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty".
Abstract This paper looks at how Douglas Rushkoff, author of "Coercion", claims that marketing techniques are infringements on consumers' liberty. It also discusses how, in comparison, John Stuart Mill's principle in his work "On Liberty", shows us marketing techniques in a more positive light and how more often than not, they do not infringe on our liberty of choice. The paper discusses the various reasons why we are not subject to coercion when we shop.
From the Paper " The difference between watching an advertisement and listening to propaganda or abiding by societal influences, is that your livelihood is affected in both the latter situations. You would not lose friends, or your job, or even your life, when you block out marketing techniques. But the same might not be true when it comes to government or societies trying to persuade you. Many a times, these influences affect your livelihood, and you are forced to allow them to influence you. Many listen to political rallies because they are worried that they would vote for the wrong party, resulting in loss of benefits or bad government (i.e. the 'harm' in the principle). "
From the Paper "THE INDISPENSABILITY OF DIPLOMACY
The thesis of this essay is that diplomacy is an indispensable institution in the system of states. The practice of international relations is, for the most part, associated with conflict resolution, as conflict and disagreement "are endemic" in the international environment (Barnaby, 1988, p. 21). Cooperation may be considered as a foundation of human civilization; however, cooperation in transnational conflict resolution has traditionally been noticeably absent in the conduct of international relations (Clem, 1983).
War or the threat of the use of force is the traditional approach to conflict resolution in the conduct of international relations (Aron, 1973). Although each national state tends to reserve a monopoly on violence for itself, through mutual diplomatic .."
Abstract This paper explains that devising a direct coercive intervention to promote Canadian trade is a complicated task because Canada's participation in such international forums, as the World Trade Organization and NAFTA, limit the choice of direct and coercive interventions as tariff barriers. The author points out that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade may be well advised to consider an indirect intervention policy. The paper relates that the voluntary nature of this policy is attractive enough to acquire widespread adherence to boost significantly Canadian trade and that its indirect characteristics minimize Canadian exposure to retaliatory measures by its trading partners.
From the Paper "It must be acknowledged that devising a direct, coercive intervention to promote Canadian trade is a complicated task given the fact that Canada's participation in such international forums as the World Trade Organization and NAFTA limit the choice of such direct and coercive interventions as tariff barriers. However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade may be well advised to consider indirect interventions that, while voluntary, are attractive enough to acquire widespread adherence and thus may significantly boost Canadian trade while their indirect characteristics minimize Canadian exposure to retaliatory measures by our trading partners."
A study of the methods used by the two most populous nations on earth, emphasizing the difference between China's coercive policy and India's voluntary policy.
4,122 words (approx. 16.5 pages), 23 sources, 2000, $ 110.95
From the Paper "Overpopulation is perhaps the single most pervading force of today's society. Transcending boundaries of political science, economics, sociology or any other field working with issues relevant to contemporary society, the mathematical certainty of exponential population growth is simple; By the time we begin to sense overpopulation, it is only a short time until the problem reaches mammoth and uncontrollable scale. Particularly in the third world, where resources are scarce, the imperative for action for clear. China and India are the two most heavily populated nations of the world, yet have taken radically different approaches to population control. India has maintained a strictly non-coercive population policy, and indeed the population has skyrocketed. China, on the other hand, has succeeded in curbing the population growth rate quite significantly by taking a much more proactive stance. While pragmatically effective, China's policies are so authoritarian and coercive that they lead to consequences considered simply inhuman by many."
The following paper explores the origins of Islam, focusing on the traditional spiritualism of India with the emergence of the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century A.D.
Abstract This paper examines how Islam's long history of persecution and discrimination aimed at religion outside the realm of Muslim belief, leads to the conclusion that Islam is neither a tolerant religion nor a compromising civilization. The violent terrorist actions of many of today's modern Muslims serve only to underscore this basic belief.
Table of contents
The Seventh Century - The Peaceful Pact of Dhimma,
The Medieval Era - The Deterioration of Dhimma
From the Paper "It was tolerance and patience that Paul the Apostle preached with these words to the Thessalonians of biblical Greece, along with a warning that iniquity, or gross injustice, was even then rampant among mankind. As history unfolded, Paul's words of warning were to materialize among the Thessalonians, as well as among the majority of Eastern Europe's civilized world, disguised in a face of tolerance. This face of tolerance called itself Islam."
Abstract The paper discusses French and Raven's taxonomy of five power sources available for gaining compliance: Coercive power, reward-based power, legitimate power, expert power and referent power. The paper defines each kind of power, giving examples from laboratory studies, advertising, corporate theory and gender-based linguistic studies. The paper includes a discussion not only on the ways of obtaining power, but also on the forms of resistance to that power.
From the Paper "Perhaps the most obvious definitionally and the crudest method in Raven's taxonomy would be that of coercive power. Simply put, coercive power is the capacity to dispense punishments to those who do not comply with requests or demands. Consider, for instance, one of the most famous experiments ever conducted dealing with the exercise of power. In the study conducted by Stanley Milgram, subjects were recruited from "a broad spectrum of socioeconomic and educational levels" to participate in a study of ?memory.? The subjects were then put into pairs, a teacher and a learner. The learner had to administer punishment through the use of electroshocks whenever the subject answered incorrectly. Of course, the learner was really a plant, a psychology student provided by Milgram. But the individual administering the punishment did not know that. So far as he or she knew, he or she had the ability to administer coercive power. Much to the shock and horror of the public when Milgram made his findings known, the "teachers" did so to the point where the "learners" protested that the shocks were becoming painful. This transpired as the level of electricity rose to 120 volts, then to 180 volts, to 300 where the subject demanded release, then to 330, when the learner became silent. (The actor playing the role of the experimenter told the subjects they had to go on, that there was no permanent tissue damage being done to the learners, and that he took ?full responsibility.?) Sixty-five percent of Milgram's subjects conducted the experiment to the bitter end."
From the Paper "This research examines the concept of coercive diplomacy as developed by Alexander George and William Simons in their seminal work, The Limits of Coercive Diplomacy (1994). The concept of coercive diplomacy will first be defined, followed by an analysis of the several different factors which affect the outcome of such a strategy. Finally, some of the most important factors will be highlighted that contributed to the successful conclusion of diplomatic actions in Laos and Cuba.
Coercive diplomacy is defined as a defensive diplomatic strategy that is employed in the international arena to deal with the efforts of an adversary to change a status quo situation in his own favor. Coercive diplomacy is distinct from deterrence theory in that coercive diplomacy is a response to a hostile action already taken while deterrence attempts to..."
Examines economic & political theories related to coercive diplomacy, hierarchy of states & war, focusing on freezing of foreign-owned financial assets as legal & political tactic to settle international disputes.
6,750 words (approx. 27 pages), 22 sources, 1996, $ 135.95
From the Paper "The freezing of foreign-owned financial assets held in depository institutions is a tactic that is used widely for both legal and political reasons. Host countries where foreign-owned financial assets are held in depository institutions most frequently place a freeze on activity involving such assets for legal reasons?to preserve the assets until judicial determination has been made as to the proper use and disposition of such assets. A case in point is the freezing of the accounts of the Ministry of Economic Relations of the Republic of Russia held in a financial institution in Luxembourg (Gerenstein, 1993, p. 3A). A freeze was placed in these financial assets through a court order..."
Abstract The paper shows that defining the relationship that exists between political power and international relations is a task that draws its conclusion upon a very fine line. While both of these entities have direct association with each other, they also possess their own particular arrangement within the wide and varied scheme of bureaucratic function. The paper discusses how a strong nation needs the combination of power and government in order to enact any level of global politics; however, there does not necessarily have to be any sort of democratic considerations by which to reach that objective. The paper explains how this specific point speaks directly to the concept of distorted power and its relationship to the history of terrorism, a deceptive and coercive political ideology that impacts every sector of an otherwise civilized global society.
From the Paper "The foremost aspect of war is that of force; if the element of force did not exist, there would be no motivation for battle. With this in mind, it is relatively easy to understand the notion of terrorism, inasmuch as the ultimate goal of any terrorist is to obtain the desired commodity through drastic and often deadly means of force. By understanding this obvious correlation, one can effectively argue that without the support of force on their side -- political, economic or cultural -- terrorists would not have the ability to pursue their violent protests. Part of the problem is that terrorist activity demands to be noticed, a fact that ultimately constitutes the need for force; however, if the terrorist is not acknowledged, this may lead to the need for even greater force in order to draw attention to the demands. And the incessant cycle continues."
Tags: arabs, center, democracy, freedom, fundamentalism, jews, pentagon, trade, world
From the Paper "This research proposes an American security policy for the Middle East for the 1991-2000 time period. This proposed policy is developed through consideration of (a) the factors causing the Middle East to be important to the United States, to include current American interests and objectives, (b) assumptions relating to the Middle East for the 1991-2000 time period which may be expected to influence American policy, and (c) proposed policy changes for the United States with respect to the Middle East."
Examines the health care reform debate of 1993-94, discussing various strategies to change public attitudes, including the social change, rational-empirical and power-coercive models.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 4 sources, 1993, $ 63.95
Americans believe they are facing a crisis in health care marked by rising costs for providing health care along with an increase in the number of people who are either uninsured or under-insured. This problem has long been ignored by policymakers, but recently President Clinton has put the issue in the forefront of political debate and has spurred a flurry of suggestions. The administration has put forward a health care plan, and the Republicans have responded with a health care initiative of their own. The problem itself has been well documented. In the last 15 years, the number of uninsured Americans has grown, and most estimates in 1991 place the number lacking public or private coverage at between 31 and 36 million. According to the 1987 ..."
