Conditions that have led to global market development

Conditions that have led to global market development The development of international or global market itself is an interesting historical sketch that details all the relevant aspect of the developmental phase that have been going on since capitalism and the concepts of it took centre stage in redefining the way people do business across international borders and the course of industrialization that shaped and changed the facial outlook of global economic process. Though industrialization at its nascent stage originated in Europe, however; the latent force of commercialization or to say global commerce and international business stem from US in particular post world wars era. What is particular to the development of international market in the early part of 1990s or to say in the 20th century can be laid emphasis to the notion of growing influence of USA and its democratic capitalism. And the process of industrialization in the face of growing trade, commerce, also marked a way towards internationalization or the development of global market, which economist have often termed as globalization and its phenomena. In all fronts, there is no denying the facts that USA has been a major influence to the development of international market. One pertinent fact is the changing face of US business environment notable in the early part of 1990s. Add to it, the staggering $16.3 trillion in investment in the US alone speaks volume about the normative forms that conditioned the origination and development of international market. Moreover, post world war era, people affluence grew, so does the demands for goods and services, which are increasingly difficult for domestic market to sustain or to meet the demands. In that sense, international commerce and cross-border trade became the norms. Apart from that apparent fact that account to USA influence and growing dominance in the expansion of international market, the origination of World Trade Organization (WTO) in that period, that is to say during the nineties also have been prominent to mark the development of global market. In addition, the trend that is also catching up during the early part of the nineties especially business trends can be looked to the pertinent case of free trade agreements that opened up a way for cross-national trade and business. Specific to these types of condition, acceptance of free market system among developing countries added to the steam of international market and its conditioning. Explain the four risk of International Business? Business as we know is bounded by risks, given the nature of international business environment itself. One peculiar face of business risks is the uncertainty factor, and when it comes to international business it is rather looked upon as the primary risks elements in general. Apart from uncertainty, there are other things as well that seems risky. And the more prevalent risks elements to international or the primary factor of it can be laid emphasis to the following: Political Technological risks Economic risks Socio-cultural risks Political risks: There is no denying the fact that international business in any circumstance is bounded by political risks. Political risks can be understood as the factor that makes up the political features of a country. Thus, political climate at times have a greater force to play a part in international business. Take for instance, political uncertainty itself. That means when political climate is rather stable, international business also take the same course. However, most of the times political stability is rather an exaggerated term; given that there can be no sure shot method to predict nations political makeup, or to say the nature of its stability that hangs in the edge. As a matter of fact, with lesser political stability, the impact it have on business is also paramount, which in due course can change the direction and strategic makeup of business. Thus, political risks are one primary factor of international business. Technological risks: As we are aware, technology and the marvel of it have brought along a bundle of benefits, which have took the societal developmental phase one notch above the ground. Add to it, technology and its advancement is also ever increasing, which means each day and in the cycle of economic process, technological domination and its impact in international business is felt with greater force. International business are thus faced with the abject notion that less of technological awareness or outdated technological application in international business can hamper the way things work or are predicted. Thus, the risky elements can be looked to depreciating cost factor that technology posed or the security to international business. Economic Risks: What define economic risks are the financial elements that may its way to it. In simple sense, it can be broadened to the changing face of international business itself, which also defines the investment factors or nations inability to meet its own financial obligations. With the idea of international business and increasing trade barrier or free market trade can have a dominant role to play its part in international business cycle and thus, it comes as a risk. Socio-cultural risks: Civilization is always in a stage of development, and one factor that socio-cultural forms take its course can be laid emphasis to the notion that no particular nation and its culture are dormant. That is to say, cultural difference is wide spread, and when that element is accounted to international business, the marketing process also is posed with the uncertainty factors. Thus, organizational operational and strategic process is also challenged in such environment. Thus, marketer needs to be way ahead in understanding culture and society itself, which we can bracketed as socio-cultural risks. Why do firm Internationalize? The simple facts remains that firm internationalize for many reasons or the other; be it, profit motive, the expansion to new horizon, exploring and tapping new markets or for reasons less known, that is to say for competitive advantage or labor mobilization and last but not the least, the cost factors. Moreover, by going international, firm can also take centre stage to reaps the benefits of global exposure, and the opportunity cost that can be reaped from international business is also rather more in a sense that diversity is also exemplified, plus the means that internationalization provides towards new markets beyond national boundaries is also whats excites and interest organizations in going international. Add to it, supply chain and its management is also more broadened when firm indulge themselves in international business. Thus, the above mentioned facts in brief list some of the factors and the notion as to why firm internationalize. What are the different participants in International Business? Write in detail about the MNEs, Small and Medium Sized Enterprise, the Born Global firm. International business and its arena is a bundle of flourishing economic activities and the cycle of its repeats day in and day out. The simple facts are that without corporations and business houses, plus participants, economic activities are rather on the back foot or to say, it makes no sense at all. It is common knowledge that global economic process today defines the notion as to what constitutes participants in international business. Thus, the different participants are the following: Focal Firm Distribution channel intermediaries Facilitators. Agents or contractors, etc. Thus, these participants in international business forms the cycle of economic activities carried out in the background of each one participants dependent upon one another in international business scenario. Multinational Enterprise: Multinational Enterprise defines organizations that have set shop in more than one particular market, where its business expose is international, with a global aspirations and goals. Add to it, Multinational Enterprise also details the object of its ownership, which means that that part of the ownership is either owned by parties or more than single ownership take course. Moreover, Multinational Enterprise also posits special characteristics that mirror forms of nationality mix among its staff and managers. Hence, very often Multinational Enterprise is also known as MNC (Multinational companies). The best example can be looked to subsidiaries firms or American firms with their bases in foreign nations where operations and organizational control are decentralized, and the marketing strategy also is rather different from parent company or the likes. Small and Medium Enterprise: As the term denotes to, small and medium enterprise are organization with a business object and turn over that is rather small. And most importantly, employee counts are also small in numbers and counts, let say 20-30 employees for the starts. Add to it, company assets are also small in comparison to global firms or MNEs. But that does not mean that such organization cannot go global, given that globalization and notion of free trade provides a formidable leverage for small and medium sized enterprise to go global and can be looked upon as a competitor. Born Global Firm: Born global forms and its concepts is a rather mostly used term in the contemporary adage to mean the process of internationalization and its influence that is taking shape in local or national organizations with a potentialities to go international in due course. Such organization can be looked upon as startups, with lesser assets and turn over. Why do firms internationalize? The simple notion why firms internationalize can be laid emphasis to the globalization and its influences. The channelizing networked partnership possibilities, the opportunities in such a scenario, or to position themselves and influence partners or subsidiary firm who are either based in foreign shores also constitutes some of the sole components why firms internationalize. The idea of comparative management is also one main reason. Chapter 2 What are the Societal Consequences of Market Globalization? Explain Positive and Negative Consequences? As we can observe in and around the materialistic world that we live in today, commercialization and international business at times have provided a bundle of baggage or paved a way towards progression and development in economic sense of the term. However, consequences also can be translated and laid emphasis to the good the bad and ugly features that market globalization have brought along. Nonetheless, the economic reality and humans wants also should be acknowledged, and the fact that no nation is self reliant and self sufficient. Moreover, in order to meet the ever increasing demands for goods and services, global corporation fits the bill accordingly in facilitating the societal needs in one aspect and form of life in the societal sphere. Hence, the notable face of the negative societal consequences from a comparative and contemporary context can be laid emphasis to the following: Environmental or Ecological consequences. Depreciating and depleting natural resources reserve. The question of sustainability Climatic effects that have worsened. The positive effects of market globalization are: Avenue for employment generation Facilitates economic cycle Technological advancement Good and services are made available Cultural growth Socio-political growth, etc. Thus, it can be argued that the societal consequences or the effect of market globalization translate itself to have redefined the way people do business in simple sense of the term, which can be look as a positive aspects. Economic demands in the regional and global economy taken together are ever increasing, and market of globalization facilitates in meeting these demands. In that effect, more of the resources are utilized. However, natural resources and the likes also deplete with increasing use, plus scarcity of resources, which is a known fact add up to the compounding negative societal consequences that is generated out of market globalization, which is pointed above. What are the firm levels Consequences of Market Globalization? We cant deny the facts that firms benefits tremendously from market globalization and its effect. Thus, the phenomenon of market globalization has added an object that can never be thought of or imagined without market globalization in the course of civilization. Thus, the positive features can be addressed to the following points: Marketing process is impacted Business process and its management also exudes international outlook Diversity of business process Cultural mix and global awareness Production tactics and its cycle also is impacted Standardization, quality or products and services. Brand image. And finally, market globalization means a widow of free trade barrier for companies across international borders. However, when it matter to negative aspects of globalization and its impact on firms the following are some of the pertinent facts: Competition is also greater among firms due to market globalization and its consequences. Barrier to entry and exit in a particular market or industry also posits one of the negative consequences of market globalization. Resource utilization also often goes above the shelf Thus, when it matter to firms and the level of consequence that stem from market globalization also translate itself into the negative and positive features as detailed above. Chapter 3 Explain the three types of participants in International Business? The three types of participants in international business constitute the following: Focal Firm Distribution Intermediaries Facilitators Focal Firm: What defines focal firm as one participants is the fact that, focal firm itself is looked upon as an initiator to international business in real sense of the term. It means that focal firms constitute Multination Enterprise, Small and Medium Enterprise, where the actual economic and production process take shapes. Thus focal firms are looked upon as the centre and stage of international business and its cycle at the primary level. Distribution Channel: Distribution channel intermediaries and their roles are consumed in facilitating the distribution cycle common to international trade and businesses. In simple sense and meaning of term, distribution channel intermediaries defines organization that specializes in the distribution channel, that is to say, logistic support, marketing etc, which are the sole constituent of distribution channel intermediaries. Facilitators: Third is the facilitators, and includes firms and individuals, where the object of their roles and functions as participants in international business is broadened and exemplified to facilitating legal advice, financing and in between the interrelated business transaction is made possible. Furthermore, participants also can includes, licensor, joint venture partners and the likes of foreign distributors, foreign agents and all in between. What are the common characteristics of Born Global firm? The common characteristics of Born Global firm can be laid emphasis to the following: Bounded by national boundaries with a scope for internationalization Expertise services and products in regional market Start-up corporation or small and medium sized organization Though market is defined in fixed national boundaries and operations is also often constituted and headquartered in one particular location, however; that does not means that their role in globalization and its economic process is limited in a sense. The idea of born global firm and in characteristic in particular can be laid emphasis to the object that internationalization and its impact is a favorable foreground for born global firms. That is to say, born global firms are very likely to make way and expand its business scope beyond the national boundaries, as and when it senses the opportunities knocking its doorway. Hence, born global firms defines regional organization that have set up shop in foreign shape simply by assimilating the idea of acquisition, partnership and creating subsidiaries, etc, in foreign location, however, are headquartered in regional market, or in location where they originated. Thus, the trends in the face of globalization initiates Small and Medium sized corporation to explore such domains that open up new horizon to do business in the international arena to tap the potentialities of international business. What are the Foreign Market Entry Strategies of Focal Firms? Explain in Detail. Foreign market entry strategies of Focal Firms is rather a complex features and step wisely strategies initiated by organizations with the sole purpose to tap the opportunities of internationalization in the most beneficial course. What defines focal firms foreign entry strategy can also be laid emphasis to the notion that going international is no child task and requires an extensive attention to details and understanding the peculiar facet of international business environment. In that context, the development of strategies when it matter to focal firm entry in foreign shores take into account the involvement in greater degree to what defines international management itself and the creation of networks that should assist the firm movement and its entry into foreign shores smoothly. Thus, focal firms bring internationalization right at the outset by establishing a connected links or channel of networks and building relationship with firms in the foreign shores. Thus, strategy in such course is at a nascent stage that does not involve control of production or the likes of direct intervention into the other firm, especially in matter of internal control. And most importantly, relationships that are building up with foreign firm take its course and position themselves from the notional boundaries and all form of exchanges also take shape in that forms and to position itself in different network or the moves towards continuous development processes that should a lso aid and future action to take shape in the most feasible forms. (Ford, 2003, p. 189) In short, strategy of focal firm entry into foreign market can be classified as follows: Entry is indirect, where its course takes shapes initially to build a network channel or a relationship that should get in the way for smooth transition and movements in the future. Strategies most importantly come as a matter for influence and to drive home the idea of foreign market entry in the most feasible means. Creating a relationship channels that can assists in future course of actions. Position themselves in foreign shores and also establishing new contacts and the likes. Thus, these are some of the strategies that covers up, or some aspects that detail the normative standards, when it matter to foreign market entry strategies of Focal Firms in its discourse.

Bureaucratic Management Essay

The concept of bureaucracy as a form of organization has become the basis for scholars and practitioners to determine and evaluate other forms of organizations. It is observed that whenever an organization is described, one always says it is either bureaucratic or non-bureaucratic. This paper will identify the characteristics of bureaucratic organizations and determine whether these characteristics are still present among organizations of today. This essay is outlined according to the following structure: The first part introduces the reader to Max Weber and his idea of the bureaucratic organization. The major characteristics of the bureaucracy will be presented and discussed in accordance with the original ideas propounded by Weber himself, either through his own writings or those who have exhaustively studied his works. The second part will be a discussion of why the bureaucratic forms developed, interpreted to mean a discussion of their causes as well as the reasons why the bureaucracy flourished as a model of an organization. The final part is a qualified assessment of whether the bureaucratic model of organizations is still being used by present-day organizations or whether organizations have outgrown it and have found the more effective form. Some examples will be given as to what organizational structures or forms are being used by modern organizations. From these will be determined if organizations are now in the post-bureaucratic period. Bureaucracy as a concept of organization was a contribution to theory attributable to either Karl Marx or Max Weber. However, since much of the writings of Karl Marx are more ideologically focused on the philosophical and social aspects, especially with his concept of revolutionary communism, Max Weber has come to be known as the proponent of the concept of bureaucracy. It is safe to believe at this point though, that Max Weber was highly influenced by the writings of Karl Marx and from whose ideas some his bureaucratic concepts are anchored. This essay will focus on the ideas advanced by Max Weber regarding the bureaucratic organization. The description â€Å"Weberian†, referring to his model of bureaucracy, has become a comfortable term to use in bureaucratic literature. Being the major contributor to social theory with his idea of the bureaucratic organization, Max Weber finds himself in major written works, proving his important place in social and political theory. The reasons for his importance are discussed in the Weber book edited by Sam Whimster entitled The Essential Weber: A Reader.   Some reasons provided are: the concept of the work ethic; the idea of rationality as applied to the capitalist enterprise, the bureaucratic organization, and legal systems; discipline; the legitimacy of power and leadership; a general theory of power based on the Marxist idea of social classes; among others.[1] Having said this, one wonders why Weber’s bureaucracy is considered the â€Å"ideal organization† or the â€Å"ideal-type† organization. What makes it become the model for future organizations? What are the main characteristics of the bureaucratic organization? To know these characteristics will help one understand why his model is considered to be an ideal model. The Main Characteristics of Bureaucratic Management The idea of bureaucracy elicits varied reactions from different people. Some agree with the idea of achieving order through its prescribed system of doing things. Others though condemn it for causing problems like delays, corruption, being too impersonal, etc.   In order to put all these in their proper perspective, a good starting point is to define the concept of bureaucracy. The first and most common word one comes across in literature related to bureaucracy is the word rationality. Quoting Weber, Neil Garston defines bureaucracy in the book Bureaucracy: Three Paradigms by way of the categories of rational legal authority.   Authority in this sense is equated to bureaucracy and involves the following: [2] 1. A continuous organization of official functions bound by rules 2. A specified fear of competence involving spheres of obligations marked by division of labor; incumbent being provided with authority to carry out functions; clearly defined means of compulsion 3. The organization of offices follows the principle of hierarchy 4. The rules which regulate the conduct of an office may be technical rules or norms 5. Administration is completely separated from ownership 6. Complete absence of appropriation of his position by the incumbent 7. Administrative acts, decisions and rules are formulated and recorded in writing. Garston goes on to describe the purely bureaucratic organization as â€Å"being from the technical point of view, capable of attaining the highest degree of efficiency and is in this sense the most rational means of carrying out imperative control of human beings.[3] From above description of bureaucracy, a rational organization for Weber is an organization that is governed by a system of rules and procedures. The rationality in his ideal organization is its capability to be efficient through methods of carrying out control over human beings. The aspects of being stable and reliable make the organization ideal. The rules which are observed with much discipline make the organization less prone to instability because there will be none or very little room for sudden changes which may result in the breakdown of the system. In short, Weber advocates an organization that is governed by rules which are universally and strictly followed by people who are qualified and properly trained. Below is a further explanation of the characteristics of a bureaucratic organization, as presented in the initial part of the essay: 1. A continuous organization of official functions bound by rules The application of rules is for everyone and the rules have to be complied with. Rules are applied irrespective of the position and not the person who occupies the position. 2. A specified sphere of competence involving spheres of obligations marked by division of labor; incumbent being provided with authority to carry out functions; clearly defined means of compulsion. Work is divided among the staff, each one with his own set of responsibilities as well as the means of doing them.   The different position titles reflect the nature of how work is divided among the staff, each position has corresponding obligations and responsibilities. 3. The organization of offices follows the principle of hierarchy The organization is characterized by positions of authority structured in a hierarchy, which means that, according to Weber, each lower office is controlled and supervised by a higher one. And consequently, there are positions that have more power. 4. The rules which regulate the conduct of an office may be technical rules or norms. This means that the organization is staffed by qualified people because only those who pass the standards get hired. The basis of both the selection and promotion of employees is the employees’ technical qualifications. As an example, in the specific area of HR, the Personnel Manual codifies the qualification criteria for the selection and hiring of employees. 5. Administration is completely separated from ownership 6. Complete absence of appropriation of his position by the incumbent Both characteristics refer to the aspect of separating administration from ownership in bureaucratic organizations. The means of administration do not belong to the bureaucrat but are concentrated at the top. Thus the position of the official cannot be sold or inherited and it cannot be appropriated and integrated in his private patrimony.[4] The means of production and  administration referred to include the physical equipment like computers, documents, buildings, etc. 7. Administrative acts, decisions and rules are formulated and recorded in writing.   Weber advocates the recording of rules and all acts of administration through written forms, which he referred to as â€Å"the files†. Weber uses the terms â€Å"rational† and â€Å"bureaucratic† in his model. From this, bureaucracy is sometimes called the bureaucratic rationality theory. An assessment of this idea was made by   Stanley Udy Jr. in the article â€Å"Bureaucracy and Rationality in Weber’s Organization Theory: An Empirical Study. The specifications made by Weber were reformulated as either â€Å"bureaucratic† or â€Å"rational† variables. The study proposed the positive and negative associations between the variables from a comparative analysis of 150 formal organizations in 150 non-industrial societies: â€Å"(a) bureaucratic variables are positively associated; (b) rational variables are positively associated; but (c) rational variables are negatively associated with bureaucratic variables†.[5]   This is interpreted to mean that there are certain characteristics of Weber’s bureaucracy that are considered rational, some are considered bureaucratic but not all of them are both bureaucratic and rational. This is really proof of how much dissected the bureaucratic theory is. How about the effect of bureaucracy to the people within the organization? The bureaucracy, with all its characteristic features, is seen as producing two views of the human outcomes, the positive and the negative views. According to the negative view, the bureaucratic form of organization stifles creativity, fosters dissatisfaction, and demotivates employees while in the positive view, bureaucracy provides the needed guidance and clarifies responsibilities, thereby easing role stress and helping individuals be and feel more effective.[6] The Development of Bureaucratic Forms In the writings of Weber, there were already indications of a bureaucratic organization as early as in the middle ages under the rule of the kings. Kings during that time ruled on traveled around ruling the country on horseback, bringing with them sometimes an army of men who took his orders. We have seen this scene fully documented in movies of ancient times where the king, with just a simple signal, can get his men to follow all his orders, from simple documentation to the complex instructions about going into battle. Weber saw this  as a sign of bureaucracy with his idea of the â€Å"bureau†. From this ancient practice developed the concept of the modern bureaucracy.   Presently though, the bureau as Weber described it is structured in a variety of ways, but the main idea of having staff and having an office still remains. Weber called the ancient practice as the â€Å"bureaucratization of the army†.[7] Weber’s works are dominated by the term â€Å"rationalization†. This seemed to have moved him to write about the bureaucratic model as an ideal type organization. According to him, this concept of rationality can help organizations achieve their objectives. The early theories and models of organizations, which are considered traditional, were highly criticized by Weber, saying they are either irrational or non-rational. Being a sociologist mainly, he believed that the use of religion or even magic in ruling is not effective. The traditional forms were not systematic and there were no rules, leaders only relied on feelings and supernatural explanations or perhaps their charisma. While Max Weber considered history to be a force in motivating him to write about bureaucracy, another author provides another dimension to how bureaucratic forms of  organizations developed. Contentions were made relative to Hegel’s Theory of Bureaucracy.   One is that Hegel’s theory is as comprehensive as Weber’s ideal type of bureaucratic organization in that the paradigm of Weber could fit in a reformulation of Hegel’s model.   A second contention made is that Hegel adapts the Aristotelian category of practical judgment to characterize the bureaucratic activity as subsumption. The Weberian concept of rationality is even helpful in the clarifying the difficulties in Hegel’s political thought. This leads to the third contention that Hegel’s model can contribute to a theory of bureaucracy that is more applicable to modern political and social reality.[8] This whole idea of comparing Hegel and Weber and even using the ideas of Aristotle proves that the bureaucracy is an idea that is not only forced by history but also one that is a natural way of organizations. The scholars and other students of bureaucracy only attempted to improve what has already been an idea and a model in the minds of the thinkers. Thus it can be said that the bureaucracy developed as a result of the need to improve the traditional methods of establishing the structures for organizations. While organizations were not really devoid of structure then, the weaknesses in their models became a motivation to come up with better models. The ideas of the bureaucracy were borne out of the need to make them more efficient by following the structure proposed by Weber. The presence of a system of rules governing administration is believed by Weber to be an important component of being able to run the affairs of the organization very smoothly. This is especially true among formal organizations as they are more applicable to them. Another reason is the need to do away with the subjectivity and personal biases governing human organizations. This means that when there are standardized rules, the  possibility of a lot of personal favors may be avoided. It is considered ideal to have the rules universally applied so that there are no personal biases that may arise. The â€Å"personalization† of the positions sometimes cause complex problems arising out of differences in perceptions and attitudes. The impersonal touch of organization is seen to be beneficial in order that rules may be universally applied more easily. The bureaucracy also developed further as it was seen to be continuously pertinent   .. even in today’s socioeconomic and cultural life. This is the position espoused in the book Max Weber and the New Century. The book advances the position that Weber’s ideas are still preeminent and continue to have lasting vitality within social theory. By applying them to topics of contemporary concern, they are expressed in different cultural forms. Sica calls the study of Weber’s works â€Å"a universe of Weberian analysis†.[9]   

Censorship in Huck Finn

Censorship and the Importance of Accurate Historical Sources Mark Twain's classic novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been criticized since the day it was released. A library in Concord MA banned the book only a month after it was put into print and other libraries and schools have followed suit (Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not the only story to be widely banned, but it is one of the most controversial and well known.Many people claim that the novel is racist due to the frequent use of racial slurs and the disrespect and mistreatment of the character Jim who is a runaway slave. Mark Twain's famous novel is not a racist text because it is a historical account of the south during the 1840s, when racism was commonplace. The book's purpose was to emphasize real life and mock the faults in human nature. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a young boy named Huckleberry Finn runs away from his life and travels down the Miss issippi River with his friend Jim, a runaway slave.The story follows Huck's moral growth and maturity throughout his many adventures and experiences. The major turning point of the book is when Huck realizes that Jim cares about him, and that he cares about Jim in return. As a child, Huck is taught that Jim isn't a person because of his skin color and that he does not deserve respect, but Huck discovers that Jim is a person and deserves more respect than most people Huckleberry met on his journeys. He comes to this decision because Jim cares for him and treats Huck better than his own father. Huck says â€Å"All right, then, I'll go to hell. when he decides to go against the racist teachings of his childhood and help Jim get his freedom (Twain 216-217). The book was written to show what life was like in the 1840s and successfully revealed the way people viewed each other and people of other races. In the beginning of the story, Huck treats Jim poorly because he is taught that Jim i sn't a real person and he could get away with it. One of the many tricks Huckleberry plays on Jim was hiding a snake in the cave they were living in, but the snake bites Jim and Huck realizes how cruel his trick was and begins to feel sorry for how he treats Jim (Twain 55).Events like this are the reason people believe that Mark Twain's book is racist, but without these examples the book's purpose is muddled and the historical reliability is gone. The book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered a controversial text because it contains derogatory language and examples of disrespectful behavior towards people of color. Speech and actions like the ones in the book were common in the setting of the book (Knab 1). People want to ban or edit the original text of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, because of these elements, but they still allow these remarks in other literary works.Fredric Douglass used the same language in his narrative that was published in 1845, forty years b efore Twain published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but people don't challenge his work because he was a slave and his story is a historical account of a slave's life (Bowker). The two stories are based in the same time, are about the same topic, and both aim to be realistic portrayals of everyday life in the 1840s, yet one is constantly challenged while the other is allowed to be as it is.People today are concerned with being â€Å"politically correct† and â€Å"non-offensive†, but they have reached the point where they are willing to change history to protect the feelings of certain people (Kay). If these â€Å"racist† remarks and actions were removed from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the message of the book would not be evident, its historical accuracy destroyed, and the book would just be a meaningless children's story. Censorship is useful to an extent, it allows people to keep mature information from children, but when it is used on history it takes away from the importance of knowing about and learning from the past.The reason racism is so important to avoid now is because of the negative effects it had in the past. If people don't learn about these effects, then they can not understand the importance of equality now. When books are censored, their historical accuracy is lost and they are unable to educate people on the importance of the past to modern-day (Kay). Without learning about the good, bad, and ugly of the past, people wont be able to comprehend why the world is the way it is and how they can avoid the mistakes of the past.If the offensive content of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is removed, then people will not be able to see the severity of racism during the 1840s (Bosman). If the book is censored, then the point where Pap starts ranting about the â€Å"injustice† of a well educated black man being able to vote will not have the impact it should, representing the opinion of the average white male in the south (Twain 28). The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is seen as a masterpiece (Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) and a classic (Robert O'Meally) due to the original riting and arrangement. Without these elements, that people want to change, the book would not be as renowned or highly regarded. Although The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn may have some content that offends some people and they believe that it would be better to remove the offensive content, it would take away from the plot and meaning of the story. If the novel really offends someone, then they do not have to read it again or even finish reading it, but they do not have the right to change the words of someone else to suit their own ideals.The words of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were all carefully picked by Mark Twain to carry the message of his story and editing them would be defacing his hard work. Twain often complained about his proofreaders and editors changing his work (Kurut z). The book was written by Mark Twain and if he saw the need to add these controversial elements, then we should not interfere with his decision or his historical accuracy (Kay). Then novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not a racist text, nor is Mark Twain a racist himself.Mark Twain's novel was written as a historical account of life in the 1840s and as a result, any content that could be considered offensive to some is all added to make the literary work more realistic and a more accurate portrayal of life in the setting. Without these elements, the story of Huckleberry's moral growth would not be as developed and the message of the book will not be as prominent. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be censored because the way the book is written provides an accurate account of life in the 1840s and without the writing staying as it is, the whole integrity of the work will be diminished.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered a classic because of how it was written. Changing the text changes the whole book and since the book is so highly regarded as it is, it should remain the same. When people claim that a book is racist, they make this assumption based on the content of the book. What people need to note is when the book is set, its publication date, and the purpose of the offensive content. With The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the story takes place in the 1840s when racism was very common.It also was published in 1885 when people in the United States were struggling with racism after the Civil War. The offensive content of the book is used to portray what life was like in the 1840s and to mock the behavior of the people of that time. When the book was written, language like that used in the text was still common and not seen as offensive as it does now. Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not racist, it just contains racist content, and this content makes the story what it is and develops its meaning.To take away this major element of the literary work to protect the feelings of some individuals would ruin the story and would hurt more people than it would help. To censor The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn would take away a valuable source of historical knowledge that allows us to see the importance of how our society has changed and developed. Without this knowledge, people will forget the importance of the progress humankind has made and will not be able to avoid the mistakes we have already made as a whole in the past.Because of these reasons, changing the great literary work of Mark Twain Is unnecessary because The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not a racist text and exposure to the harsh realities in the story will help the people of today to truly understand our past as a whole and improve our future. Works Cited Page Bosman, Julie. â€Å"Publisher Tinkers with Twain. † National Post. 4 Jan 2011. Print. Bowker, Gene. â€Å"Mark Twain, racism and Huckleberry Finn. à ¢â‚¬  Examiner. com. Web. 9 Feb 2013 ;http://www. examiner. om/article/mark-twain-racism-and-huckleberry-finn; Kay, Barbara. â€Å"We Shouldn't Censor History. † National Post. 10 Jan 2011. Print. Knab, Jakob. Racism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 2011. Print. Kurutz,, Steven. â€Å"A Twain Scholar Reacts to the New, Censored Version ‘Huckleberry Finn’. † National Post. 9 Jan 2011. Print. PBS. â€Å"Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. † Web. 9 Feb 2013 ;http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/cultureshock/flashpoints/literature/huck. html; Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Barnes and Noble, 2003. Print.

Bloody Sunday and the Fight for Voting Rights in Selma

On March 7, 1965—the day now known as Bloody Sunday—a group of civil rights activists were brutally attacked by members of law enforcement during a peaceful march across Edmund Pettus Bridge. The activists were attempting to walk 50 miles from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama, to protest voter suppression of African Americans. During the march, local police officers and state troopers beat them with billy clubs and threw tear gas into the crowd. The attack against these peaceful demonstrators—a group that included men, women, and children—sparked outrage and mass protests throughout the United States. Fast Facts: Bloody Sunday What Happened: Civil rights activists were beaten and tear-gassed by law enforcement during a peaceful voting rights march.Date: March 7, 1965Location: Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma, Alabama How Voter Suppression Led Activists to March During Jim Crow, African Americans in Southern states faced severe voter suppression. In order to exercise their right to vote, a black person may have been required to pay a poll tax or take a literacy test; white voters didn’t face these barriers. In Selma, Alabama, the disenfranchisement of African Americans was a consistent problem. Activists involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee were trying to register the citys black residents to vote, but they kept running into roadblocks. When they protested the situation, they were arrested—by the thousands. Making no headway with smaller demonstrations, the activists decided to step up their efforts. In February 1965, they began a voting rights march. However, Alabama Governor George Wallace attempted to suppress the movement by prohibiting nighttime marches in Selma and elsewhere. Wallace was a politician known for being hostile to the Civil Rights Movement, but the demonstrators didn’t call off their collected action in light of his ban on nighttime marches. On February 18, 1965, a demonstration turned deadly when State Trooper James Bonard Fowler fatally shot Jimmie Lee Jackson, a civil rights activist and church deacon. Jackson was killed for intervening when police hit his mother. Losing Jackson was devastating, but his death didn’t stop the movement. Spurred by his killing, activists met and decided to march from Selma to Montgomery, the state capital. Their intention to reach the capitol building was a symbolic gesture, since it was where Gov. Wallace’s office was located. Jimmie Lee Jackson was killed by a state trooper during a voting rights march that inspired the demonstration that took place on Bloody Sunday.   Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Selma to Montgomery March On March 7, 1965, 600 marchers began making their way from Selma to Montgomery. John Lewis and Hosea Williams led the demonstrators during this action. They called for voting rights for African Americans, but both local policemen and state troopers attacked them on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. The authorities used billy clubs to beat the marchers and threw tear gas into the crowd. The aggression caused the marchers to retreat. But footage of the confrontation sparked outrage across the country. Many Americans did not understand why peaceful protesters were met with such hostility from law enforcement. Two days after Bloody Sunday, mass protests unfolded across the nation in solidarity with the marchers. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led marchers on a symbolic walk across Edmund Pettus Bridge. But the violence wasn’t over. After Pastor James Reeb arrived in Selma to accompany the marchers, a mob of white men beat him so badly that he sustained life-threatening injuries. He died two days later. Two days after the events of Bloody Sunday, other demonstrators set out to make the march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama. Bettmann/Getty Images Following Reeb’s death, the U.S. Justice Department requested an order to stop the state of Alabama from retaliating against civil rights activists for participating in demonstrations. Federal District Court Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. upheld the rights of the marchers â€Å"to petition ones government for the redress of grievances.† He explained that the law is clear that citizens have the right to protest, even in large groups. With federal troops standing guard, a group of 3,200 marchers began their walk from Selma to Montgomery on March 21. Four days later, they arrived at the state capitol in Montgomery where supporters had expanded the size of demonstrators to 25,000. The Impact of Bloody Sunday Footage of police attacking peaceful protesters shocked the country. But one of the protesters, John Lewis, went on to become a U.S. Congressman. Lewis is now considered a national hero. Lewis has discussed his role in the march and the attack on the protesters. His high-profile has kept the memory of that day alive. The march has also been reenacted several times. On the 50th anniversary of the incident that took place on March 7, 1965, President Barack Obama delivered an address on the Edmund Pettus Bridge about the horrors of Bloody Sunday and the courage of those brutalized: â€Å"We just need to open our eyes and ears, and hearts, to know that this nations racial history still casts its long shadow upon us. We know the march is not yet over, the race is not yet won, and that reaching that blessed destination where we are judged by the content of our character—requires admitting as much. President Barack Obama commemorates the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images President Obama also urged Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act, which first passed in 1965 in the wake of the national outrage about Bloody Sunday. But a 2013 Supreme Court decision, Shelby County vs. Holder, removed a major provision from the act. States with a history of racial discrimination related to voting no longer have to inform the federal government about changes they make to voting processes before enacting them. The 2016 election stood out as the first in 50 years without checks and balances in place to prevent discriminatory voting practices. A number of states have passed strict voter ID laws and other measures that disproportionately affect historically disenfranchised groups, like African Americans. And voter suppression has been cited for costing Stacey Abrams the Georgia gubernatorial race in 2018. Abrams would have been the first black woman governor of a U.S. state. Decades after Bloody Sunday occurred, voting rights remains a key issue in the United States. Sources â€Å"How We Can Restore the Voting Rights Act.† Brennan Center for Justice, 6 August, 2018. Taylor, Jessica. â€Å"Stacey Abrams Says She Was Almost Blocked From Voting in Georgia Election.† NPR, 20 November, 2018.Shelbayah, Slma, and Moni Basu. â€Å"Obama: Selma marchers gave courage to millions, inspired more change.† CNN, 7 March, 2015.