Robert Maxwell Essays - Robert Maxwell, United Kingdom, Maxwell

Robert Maxwell INTRODUCTION Robert Maxwell, the infamous tycoon who is remembered as much for his personality and ethics in his business dealings as he is for his accomplishments. BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION Soldier, publisher and patriot, a man who spoke 9 languages; in 1923 Robert Maxwell was born in Czechoslovakia. He was and is a mystery in many respects. Even his birth name is questionable.. Maxwell had many reasons to rebel against the norms of the world. One of these was the Holocaust. Although Maxwell personally escaped the horrors of the Holocaust, he lost his parents and four brothers and sisters to the Nazis. He fought with the British against the Nazis and was awarded a British Military Cross for his wartime accomplishments. After the war Maxwell had seven children with his French-born wife Elizabeth. He would soon begin work on his business empire as well. He was a very strong person who knew what he wanted. Robert Maxwell was used to keep a high image even during bad times, he depended on bankers and high society people to keep high credibility. This man was used to having whatever he wanted wherever he was overall he led an extremely luxurious lifestyle. BUSINESS DIVERSIONS Between his death in 1991 and the end of World War II Robert Maxwell was able to build one of the largest publishing and communications empires in the world. He accumulated approximately two billion dollars worth of family assets and was the fifth or sixth biggest media group in the world. His companies included the Mirror group of newspapers, Maxwell Communications, Nimbus Records, P.F. Collier, Official Airline Guide, Prentice Hall Information Services, Macmillan publishing, the Berlitz language schools, and Pergamon Press, a technical publishing company. The road to success was not straight up for Maxwell. He experienced numerous financial ups and downs over the forty years following Word War II. Pergamon Press, one of his first acquisitions had to be sold in the 1960s but Maxwell eventually bought it again and was forced to resell the company during the 1980s. Publishing was not Maxwells only pursuit. His companies also included numerous television industry interests fifty percent ownership of MTV in Europe, twenty percent of Central TV, twelve percent of the French TFI station and Maxwell Cable TV. Most of these holdings are through Maxwell Entertainment Company, which also was a major provider of European television programming. Maxwells business interests also included online pursuits such as the Official Airlines Guides, a front-runner in online flight information and reservations. Only two years before his death Maxwells finances were going down by 1990 he was running out of cash he was secretly buying his own shares so that they maintained high prices. Maxwell concealed his financial problems by secretly selling other peoples shares that were deposited with Maxwells recently established bank. He and his closest son Cavan used these shares to raise loans. These secretly sold shares in FIRST TOKIO TRUST investment fund were worth ?57 million. The funds directors discovered that shares were missing and investigations took place at this stage. He was desperate to repay his debts his next target were pension funds he offered in one of the companys. With this company he was using advertising, encouraging customers to stay and in return he was making promises. Among the pension funds; shares plumed by Robert Maxwell, certificates of 25 Million shares clearly owed by the mirror pension fund, bankers Goldman Sachs sold them on Maxwells instruction. But proceeds were not handed over to the pension funds instead it was paid from the banker straight to Maxwell. He was smart he always chose companies or individuals he thought he could manage. Hence, after a major disagreement with his personal assistant that left him, Maxwell was going through depression because he felt lost and knew that she had all sorts of important information. Pressure accumulated and he didnt know whom to speak too. His next attempt was when he went and bought the US Daily News, and was extremely popular in the US while ignoring the empire back home. Meanwhile, directors of FIRST TOKIO remained quiet about his business affairs because they knew they were in fault and reputation was concerned. Maxwell was still stealing millions from wherever he could

The Congress of Vienna (1814

The Congress of Vienna (1814 The Congress largely known as the European Concert was the initial sequence of the worldwide conference to be held for the diplomatic European power balance. The 1945 United Nations alongside the 1919 League of Nations are some of the mockup groups that later resulted from the Vienna Congress.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In fact, as emphasized by Schroeder Paul, the congress shunned the ancient methods of power application that seemed destructive and threatening. The congress embraced formulas which produced an equilibrium that was very compassionate and steady. The Vienna Congress came in the year 1814 (May) immediately after the downfall and admission of defeat by Bonaparte. The unremitting war had lasted for approximately 25 years by the time this conference was inaugurated (King 334). Ironically, the theatrical resumption of French control as well as the resurfacing from exile by Napoleon activated the outburst of that warfare. Nevertheless, the conferences carried on for a hundred days in the year 1815 (between March and July). A number of historians proclaim that the Congress at Vienna never resembled an appropriate Congress. It never met the threshold of a Congress owing to the lack of or restricted contribution by the existing representatives. Similarly, the Congress sittings included the great powers namely Prussia, Russia, France, Britain, and Austria while the meeting dialogues accrued informally and personal rather than on a plenary session. The Congress was the first one ever in history (Schroeder 683). With regard to the inter-capital dispatch riders, the nationwide and intercontinental delegates assembled in a forum to formulate concords. Hence, while in anticipation of World War 1 in the year 1914, the Vienna Congress designed a background for the European intercontinental political affairs notwithstanding t he advanced modifications. The Congress approved the 1814 Chaumont Treaty that contained various re-affirmed verdicts. The decisions contained in the treaty comprised of the expansion of Netherlands and it took account of what later developed into the contemporary Belgium in the year 1830. The treaty also included the decisions to restore Spanish monarchs (Bourbons), the splitting of Italy into sovereign states, and the institution of a united Germany. Indeed, the power balance that lasted for years resulted from the Chaumont Treaty which also designed the Alliances in European countries.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conversely, matters concerning Scandinavia and other additional operations had earlier been included in the Kiel and Paris treaties amid the 6th Coalition and France. Besides, before the preceding inauguration of the Congress in the year 1814, the Paris treaty had previously fixed that Vienna could host the general congress. Thus, the Paris treaty had in the same way organized for an invitation of all the betrothed powers in the warfare (Zawadzki 20). The Vienna Congress participants The Vienna Congress had four great powers that had earlier made up the Sixth Coalition members. The great powers had delineated their collective stand in regard to the Chaumont treaty just before the downfall of Bonaparte. In the year 1814 (March), which was the duration for re-establishment, the alliance had deliberated on the 1814 Paris treaty together with the Bourbons (King 334). The French Bourbon and other supremacies The key accomplices in the Vienna Congress incorporated the French speakers, Prussian, Russians, British, and Australians. France as one of the powerful nations was represented by Duke of Dahlberg and Talleyrand. The two French delegates were the Plenipotentiary and Foreign ministers respectively. The Foreign minister (Talleyrand) on behal f of Louis XVIII, who was the King of French territory, had previously discussed the year 1814 Paris treaty. Yet, King Louis XVIII of France held secret negotiations with Metternich given the suspicion he had on Talleyrand (Zamoyski 297). Prussian nation was also regarded among the great powers. Its presentation at the Vienna Congress was done by Wilhelm who was both a scholar and ambassador. Other delegates who presented Prussia included Chancellor and August Karl who was a Prince. Interestingly, the Prussian King (William Frederick III) was engaged in the recreation of some significant issues. The King carried on with this duty in public places though he was present in Vienna (Zawadzki 24). The European nation rulers pursued the same ground and timepiece to the year 1789 in order to re-establish the ancient administration. In Russia, King Alexander I was one of the influential and greatest sovereign rulers in Europe. Alexander I who was the Russian King during the Congress organiz ed a delegation in Russia following the footsteps of Robert Karl who had earlier headed such an entrustment as a foreign minister. The King had merely two outstanding goal lines in the delegation he led. Initially, Alexander I wished to encourage and endorse a nonviolent cohabitation among inhabitants living in the continent. The King wanted to embrace the powers to have control over Poland. However, in the year 1815 he thrived and started the Holy Alliance which was established based on love for Christianity. The Holy Alliance could fight whichever intimidation or jeopardy from antimonarchism and rebellion (Schroeder 687).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The other great power among the four was Great Britain. Castlereagh Viscount who was the Foreign Secretary became the principal envoy to represent Britain in the Congress held at Vienna. Subsequent ly, the departure of Viscount back to Britain in early 1815 paved way for Wellington to represent Britain at the conference. The Congress produced a limelight for the restoration of peace and stability in Europe. In the period of Hundred Days (March-July 1815), Wellington who was the leader of the Congress retreated to meet Bonaparte. Thus, Duke of Wellington endorsed Earl to lead the conference during the final days of the Congress (Zamoyski 297). On the other hand, Austria as a state got representation through the Foreign Minister besides his assistants Metternich Prince and Johann Baro. Back in Austria, Francis the Emperor was fed with the information on the subject and the whereabouts of the conferences taking place at the Vienna Congress. The other signatories to the Paris Treaty (1814) included Genoa Republic, the States of Papal, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway-Sweden, Algarve, Spain, and the Kingdom of Portugal. In general, almost all the European nations were presented in the Congress with a delegation and agents of special factions, sacred groups, firms, and metropolises (Zawadzki 28). The Role of Talleyrand and Polish-Saxon crisis The delegates from the influential powers never wanted an inclusion of Talleyrand into the intense intercession at the Congress. However, in the initial stages of negotiation Talleyrand managed to get into the innermost spheres of the Congress. Talleyrand used that opportunity to be part of the core and control negotiations after clinching into the minor authorities like Portugal and Spain working group. After deserting his associates upon leaving the Committee, Talleyrand was present at the preliminary conference on protocol by the major Allies. Equally, the Polish-Saxon crisis proved to be the hazardous and greatest matter that took center-stage during the Congress. While Russia coveted a good part of Poland, Prussia preferred all of Saxony whose ruler was associated to Bonaparte (Zamoyski 297). In this regard, Poland would have a King as their ruler. This forced Britain to back Austria with the hope that Russia would develop into a more powerful nation. Talleyrand anticipated that France would be divulged into the innermost circle in order to back Britain and Austria. The 1815 clandestine accord by Austria, Britain, and France campaigned against the execution of the Russo-Prussian idea by fighting against Prussia and Russia (King 334).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Ultimate Bylaw Prior to the Waterloo struggle, the Ultimate Bylaw that exemplified all other distinct pacts was signed by various mediators. They included the British, Norwegians, Swedish, Russians, Prussians, Portuguese, French speakers, and Australians. This Bylaw became sanctioned in the fiscal nineteen-seventeen by Spain who hardly appeared to be a stakeholder. The signing of the Final Act terminated the conference at Vienna with a renovated Europe having a plan for properly balanced power (Zamoyski 297). The results of Vienna Congress The Congress saw the espousal of rational policy with little penalties and plunders besides providing a stable European re-settlement. The Congress ensured no experience of any major conflict until the commencement of the Crimean and First World Wars. The conference provided for humanity in the whitewashed French nation with the aim of eradicating sentiments that would present vengeance. Besides, the Vienna Congress assumed a strategy to reviv e and restore peace, stability, and earlier conditions prior to the war in Europe (Schroeder 684). The European kingdoms’ restoration as well as the avoidance of superior nationalism and equality transpired from the Congress. However, ignoring the demands for greater nationalism and democracy later gave rise to conflicts that occurred in the 19th Century. Finally, nationalist campaigners yearning for democracy distressed the reinstated territories. The criticism of Vienna Congress The Vienna Congress often faced denunciation by historians of the 19th Century. In the contemporary days, historians however disregard the liberal and nationwide instincts for striking the close continental rejoinder. Nevertheless, historians in the Twentieth and Twenty First Century appreciate the statesmen who ascended to the Vienna Congress. These historians embrace the work of the Congress that prohibited further prevalence of conflicts for almost 100 years (1815 onwards) in Europe (King 334). B ibliography King, David. Vienna 1814: How the Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love, War, and Peace at the Congress of Vienna, New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group, 2008. Print. The book is a page-turner containing many life aspects including sex, intelligence, comedy and explorations. It is an important read for me as it is a well-researched political intrigue that illuminates how Napoleon and his clique changed the course of European continental history and modern politics. Schroeder, Paul. Did the Vienna Settlement Rest on a Balance of Power? American Historical Journal, 97.3 (1992): 683-706. Print. This article articulates how the players in Vienna Congress were sensitive to balancing the power that was distributed after the downfall of Napoleon. It is an essential article as it addresses Vienna settlement and the 19th century implication on international system. Zamoyski, Adam. Rites of Peace: The Fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna, New York City, NY: HarperCollins Publishe rs, 2007. Print. The book contains the European history of Napoleon defeat plus details of the Congress of Vienna that succeeded the downfall. The book reveals how politics was played in ensuring the curtailing of the French influence and the actors who sought piece of the action and how the same may recur in the contemporary world. Zawadzki, Herbert. Russia and the Re-Opening of the Polish Question, 1801-1814. International History Review, 7.1 (1985): 19-44. Print. This article addresses the politics that played in establishing a detached Polish kingdom in 1815 in collaboration with Russia. The essay reveals the acrimony and disruptive negotiations at the Congress of Vienna.

Freelance Writing 101

Freelance Writing 101 Freelance Writing 101 Freelance Writing 101 By Guest Author Do you want to make a living as a writer? Perhaps its a dream youve always dismissed as impossible, and youve got a sensible day job, or a busy family life. But youve never given up your love of words. Ill let you into a secret. You can make your writing pay. I do, and so do lots of the people I know. Forget what youve heard about ridiculously low rates – it is still possible to make a professional rate from your freelancing. Heres how. Step 1: Pick Your Speciality When I started out freelancing, I offered everything from website creation to editing and proofreading. This only ended up confusing me and my clients, and often meant I worked on jobs which didnt really interest me. Nowadays, I focus almost exclusively on writing for blogs, and do the occasional magazine piece. Dont be tempted to offer every words-related service under the sun. It wont get you more clients. Think of it this way: if you were hiring a designer to create your business cards, would you go for the guy who does everything from website design to logos to billboards – or would you pick the guy who just does business cards? One quick word of advice: its far easier to make money from non-fiction than from fiction writing. By all means keep up with your fiction on the side (I know I do!) but dont rely on it to pay the rent. Some broad areas where you could position yourself are: Feature writing for magazines and newspapers Writing articles for websites and blogs Technical writing Copywriting (promotional or sales focused writing) Ghostwriting Writing resumes Of course, within many of these areas, you could drill down even further, particularly as you become more established as a freelancer. Step 2: Get Some Clips and Testimonials Freelance photographers and designers have portfolios. Freelancer writers have clips or samples – examples of your writing which clients can look at when theyre deciding whether or not to hire you. Obviously, youll want to make sure that your clips show your very best writing. You might feel like this is a Catch-22 situation: you need clips to get hired, but if youve never been hired, how can you have any professional pieces of writing to show off? Theres an easy answer: you produce some pieces of writing for free. You could simply write a few samples which will never see publication except on your business website (more on that in a moment), but you could use this as an opportunity to get publication credits by: Doing pro bono (free) work for a charity or non-profit organisation Guest posting for a large blog Writing for your local newspaper or a free magazine Honing a resume for your friend Where possible, stick with the area youre specialising in: clients looking for a copywriter may be surprised if all your samples are book reviews, for instance. As well as getting clips, youll want some testimonials. Usually, all you need to do is ask! Assuming that the people youve done free work for were happy with the results, theyll often be delighted to give you a testimonial. Never make up testimonials. Its unethical, it would be hugely damaging if anyone found out, and real testimonials always sound more convincing, too. Dont be afraid to use testimonials which include some doubts or negativity (e.g. I wasnt sure what to expect from Joe Writer because Id not seen any of his work before but I was delighted with the finished piece.) These are likely to be reassuring to prospective clients, who may well have the same doubts. Step 3: Setting Up In Business The process for setting up as a self-employed writer differs from country to country. Check out whats required in your own country, and make sure you file any relevant paperwork. Dont put this off indefinitely because you think its going to be a lot of hassle – in many cases, you can do it all online. If you dont have a PayPal account, Id strongly recommend setting one up. This is particularly crucial if youre going to be working for online clients (such as blog editors or website owners), most of whom will want to pay via PayPal. Its also extremely useful if youre going to be paid in foreign currency, as PayPal handles the converting. Depending on your specialisation and the market youre targeting, you may also want: Business cards and letter headed paper Software packages (e.g. Microsoft Office, invoicing software) A fax machine and a business telephone line Dont be tempted to go out and buy a ton of home office equipment right at the start of your freelancing journey – especially if you have yet to make any money. You may well want to upgrade your computer or your broadband connection, or you may want a new desk and chair once you start freelancing full-time, but if your writing is currently confined to a few hours at the weekend, you dont need to go out and spend lots of money yet. Your Website One real essential is your website. Its so easy and cheap to set a website up nowadays that clients will be surprised if you dont have one. Plus, theres no easier way to showcase your writing clips and testimonials: your website can be accessed from anywhere in the world, at any time. Absolute essentials for your website are: Have your own domain name. This could be your own name (yourname.com) or your company name. Id recommend going for the latter, especially if you might ever want to sell your business. Dont look amateur. Ideally, youd want to pay for a custom website design – but if youre starting out on a shoestring, use WordPress and look for a template which you like. Many are free, some cost just a few dollars. Check and proof-read your site. Missing links and typos look sloppy. Youre a writer, so make sure your website itself is a great example of your writing. Make it very easy to contact you. Some clients like to use a contact form, others prefer to email directly – offer both options. Unless you have strong reasons not to, give a phone number as well. Step 4: Learn All You Can Ive put this step now because its easy to get bogged down in learning about writing and business, without actually taking any action. Its definitely important to keep improving your skills – but not to the exclusion of actually using those skills. Plus, I know from experience how easy it is to buy books, courses and training materials and leave them gathering dust on the shelf. There are loads of great resources out there for new freelancer writers, so browse around and get friends recommendations so that youve got a good idea of what will work for you. There are two broad areas where youll want to keep learning: Your Writing Simply writing regularly, and polishing your work to professional standards, will teach you a lot – but you can accelerate your progress by making a conscious effort to learn. This might mean: Make sure youve mastered the basics. If your grasp of grammar is shaky, get a good basic book and take your time over studying. This may be a bit dull, but it is important. Following top writing-related blogs: Daily Writing Tips of course, but there are many other great ones like Copyblogger and Men with Pens. Read examples from great writers in your field. For example, if youre a copywriter, look out for pieces of brilliant sales writing. Keep a swipe file of your favourites – study them, figure out what theyre doing. Ask a fellow writer for feedback. If youre struggling with a particular piece, a second pair of eyes can often help you spot problems or flaws. Your Business Some people are brilliant writers – but terrible at doing business. They may end up failing due to a lack of marketing, an inability to meet deadlines, or an awful grasp on cash-flow. To get your head around business matters: Schedule regular time for admin. Youll need to contact prospective clients, send invoices, keep detailed records for tax purposes, and so on. Stay as organised as possible. Write deadlines onto a calendar, and plan ahead. Know how much time you have available in any given week. File all papers relating to one job in the same place, so that you can find them again when necessary. If the idea of marketing and self-promotion terrifies you, then start small. Use a blog and Twitter to gather a following online. Encourage customers to recommend you to friends (perhaps providing an incentive). Read freelancing and small business blogs: Freelance Switch, Freelance Folder and IttyBiz are three great ones. Good luck with your freelance writing journey – and dont forget to have lots of fun along the way! About the Author: Ali Hale is a freelance blogger, and author of The Bloggers Guide to Effective Writing – an ebook which covers everything you need to know about writing brilliant blog posts. Check Out Other Articles from The Writing 101 Series: The Writing Process Creative Writing 101 Story Writing 101 Letter Writing 101 Business Writing 101 Freelance Writing 101 Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About Numbers30 Baseball IdiomsHow Do You Pronounce "Mozart"?

The Supply Chain of Cocaine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Supply Chain of Cocaine - Essay Example In due course of time, the use of Cocaine evolved as a stimulant drug being used by various un-prescribed and unauthorized purposes resulting in many social and medical problems. The supply chain through which Cocaine is delivered all around the global as well as national markets comprises of manufacturers, distributors, retailers and customers. But due to the inclusion of traffickers that consequently increased legal barriers, the supply chain of the industry emerged to be complex and too challenging to be managed effectively (Karch, S. B., â€Å"A Brief History of Cocaine: From Inca Monarchs to Cali Cartels: 500 Years of Cocaine Dealing â€Å"). This paper will focus on providing with a comprehensive and elaborated description of the Cocaine industry in relation to its supply chain system. With this concern, the discussion of the paper will focus on the participants engaged in the supply chain of the industry along with the factors that tend to have a significant impact on the entire system. In addition, the current trends in the supply and demand for Cocaine will also be discussed in this paper. The cocaine industry operates fundamentally in export-oriented markets, i.e. cocaine is principally produced for the purpose of export in other countries. The industry came into being after the invention of cocaine in the 1980s which was followed by huge demands in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry as well as in the stimulant drug market apart from heroine. The supply chain executed in the industry from the traditional period has been quite complex, cost consuming as well as time consuming majorly due to the lengthy process o f travelling engaged with the distribution of the product. For instance, the coca leaves are cultivated in one location, i.e. the remote regions of a nation and are processed into coca base in other locations which are basically the urban and rural areas. These processing areas are also used for its storage. Similarly, until and unless the cocaine is received by the end customer, it travels through many places for storage and also for transportation (Castells, M., â€Å"End of Millennium†). One of the major differences between the structure of supply chain in the cocaine industry and that of the other industries can be observed as the inclusion of the financial experts in the trade dealings of this industry. These financial experts are engaged for handling the generated money from wholesale transactions of cocaine and are responsible for banking, handling drug profits and its laundering. Financers engaged with this industry, generally assure that a profit earned, is reinvested in the cocaine industry (Iron Crown Enterprises Staff, â⠂¬Å"An Eye for an Eye†). Although the major activities of the industry are handled by traffickers but the finances, the profits and the investments are tackled by the agents (Castells, M., â€Å"End of Millennium†). Cocaine industry involves high risk in its supply chain management. These can be illustrated as the market risks, business risks and operational risks. Market risks are caused due to the fluctuations in the ‘supply and demand’ flow of the industry. Due to the enforcement of strict legal measures in the manufacturing nations, the supply of cocaine has often been witnessed to fall without any prior information. Moreover, as an

Expatriate Salespeople Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Expatriate Salespeople - Assignment Example es, there may be legal challenges that determine whether or not expatriate salespeople can be used or if the market is unable to support a full-time salesperson. The times that there might be situations in which expatriate sales managers are supervisors of the foreign salespeople. However, there are some issues that should be addressed. Some of these include the inability to be able to communicate between the foreign sales team and the expatriate sales manager. Another issue that is often faced is when the expatriate is unable to adapt to the foreign environment in which they are required to work. Many times there may also be legal barriers that can be significant problems. Many of the skills that an expatriate salesperson is required to do is to be nonjudgmental, be able to react professionally if there is frustration in a situation, and must be empathetic of other people’s needs based on their own standpoint rather than the salesperson’s own standpoint. A person must also have an interest in the culture and the people and be respectful. The family may include an interview with the candidate’s family to ensure that the person is right for the job because the family is typically the people who know the person the best and their ability to adapt and work in new areas. The candidate’s family is critiqued to see if there is a problem if the expatriate salesperson will be gone to a foreign country for a significant amount of time. Expatriates returning to the United States are often dissatisfied because of a growing number of attrition of those who return. There is a much lower morale. Many times those coming from the U.S. find that there are several family related problems that have strained their ability to work things out by being away for so long. They are often dissatisfied because of the compensation levels and

Origins of Human Rights

Origins of Human Rights Write an essay explaining the origins of a particular human rights text, institution, movement or organisation; The Universal Declaration of Human Rights The UDHR was a very brief and inspirational text that many students understand as a strict cornerstone for any international documents of human rights. Created following the UN charter, it enshrined the four basic freedoms adopted in World War II; Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Fear and Freedom from want. This essay will explain the origins of the UDHR in terms of the events of World War II and its participants, especially circling around both the events of the Holocaust and the Atomic Bomb. This will be to show that the UDHR draws directly from these events as its origin and why it was necessary in place of the already-existing UN charter. This essay will be scoping the areas around the individuals of World War II, the basic allied freedoms and the UN charter, to the use of the Atomic Bomb in 1945 and the creation of the Declaration of Human Rights on the 10th of December in 1948. Appropriately, to answer the origins of the UDHR, this essay will begin by examin ing its precursor, the Charter of the UN and the four freedoms of the allied forces. The United States and Nazi Germany, in particular their war crimes, will also examined in regard to their treatment of the minority, namely the Jews, other Europeans and women. The origins of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are very clearly linked with the development and use of the Atomic bomb which, rather than targeting a single individual, would be able to annihilate nations of varying ethnicity or religion. This newly developed fear and concern out classified the UN charter which was deemed insufficient in defining the rights all humans own and lead to this development. The Origins of the UDHR can be started by looking at both the League of Nations and the Charter of the UN before it. The league itself was a radical departure from what had previously been done in the work of human rights beforehand, however it was not without its own issues: Mazower comments on how â€Å"A Japanese proposal that the League commit itself to racial equality was unceremoniously and improperly blocked by the major Powers, despite the support it had attracted from other states†. [1]Further topics of making the minority rights universal rather than aimed towards the new states of Eastern Europe were also disregarded each time they were brought forward. The League of Nations were not given the authority to express its opinion as undeniably true in terms of topics such as racial segregation in the US or English treatment of the Catholics. This in turn didn’t impact Germany either and would cause issues further on as there was nothing that the league could do i n order to speak out against the Nazi’s treatment of the Jewish people. The United Nations charter failed in this regard, as well as in several others that lead towards the creation of the UDHR in its place. Historian Mary Ann Glendon notes that any the addition of human rights references to the Charter might encourage stronger states to intervene in their affairs under pretext of championing the rights of their citizens, as Hitler had done in Czechoslovakia. On the other hand, many tyrants including Hitler had hidden behind the bulwark of national sovereignty, seemingly protected in the Charter as well. [2]The vague domestic-jurisdiction language of the charter did not do much in order to remedy these issues. By 1940 the League and its attempts at guaranteeing the rights of minorities in Eastern Europe had been seen as a failure and the powers holding them had all but ended. This was particularly true in the case of 1933 with Germany and the Third Reich’s use of Ethnic German groups as a way to undermine the Versailles settlement. This in turn pr oved to be good enough for many European politicians to argue that a new perspective and method were necessary. The Great Powers supported this because they thereby escaped the specific commitments which the previous arrangements had imposed on them, and which Russian control over post-war eastern Europe rendered no longer practicable. But they also supported it because the new rights regime had no binding legal force.[3] An immense factor in the origins of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights leads us to the United States. Their part in the United Nations charter marked an immense turning point, as without their support it would be extremely unlikely that human rights would have been as prominent as it was within the charter itself. Glendon holds this precisely to the point where the United States made a â€Å"a single exception to its opposition to the naming of special commissions in the Charter: It would agree to a Human Rights Commission.† [4]To this the Soviet Union did not object with the belief that the UN charter would stop any UN interference with most domestic events. As World War II continued, the American public came to believe that isolating themselves would no longer be an effective countermeasure against the threats in Europe. Mazower agrees and states that President Roosevelt’s State of Union speech of 1941 highlighted the idea of universal and international human r ights quoting, in particular, â€Å"the supremacy of human rights everywhere†[5]. It was individuals and speeches like Roosevelt’s that many argue were the turning point of human rights as mentioned before. Along with the Americans came British support. The British required American support throughout the war effort and to make sure they retained an allied status after it. The British had a great deal more of an issue when it came to the topic of Human Rights in comparison to the Americans as can even be seen in the American constitution. Mazower notes that there was commentary by the British that colonies be exempt from these rights and that it should be based for Europe alone, but the danger of losing US support would be too great and that ‘Learning to live with human rights might be a necessary evil’[6] Both the brief introduction to Nazi Germany and the US’s involvement in the U.N. Charter has been argued in a couple of ways by historians. Mazower suggests that there are two ways to look at this next part to the origin of the declaration of Human Rights; a way in which we can say that a reason for the states coming together under the United nations to defend these human rights. These are dubbed the â€Å"Eleanor Roosevelt’ and the ‘Adolf Hitler’ version by Mazower. [7]To explore the Eleanor Roosevelt version, we will take both the opinions of the aforementioned Mazower and Glendon into account. This is to refer to the event happening due to particular heroic individuals who brought change around due to their efforts and unrelenting faith in the cause of human rights and impacting the powers and forcing them into action. The first individual this essay will mention in this regard is Rene Cassin. Rene Cassin came from a Jewish family in the South West of F rance of which twenty six members were killed during the holocaust. He witnessed, as Jay Winter described in his lecture at Monash University, the â€Å"wholesale dismantling and humiliation of his nation†. [8]Coming from a background in war to eventually winning the Nobel Peace Prize of 1968, this example of the individual shows a more pacifist response as a reaction to the catastrophe and standing with human rights in stark contrast to absolute state sovereignty. It was Rene Cassin who wrote up the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On the other side, the ‘Adolf Hitler’ version, it is argued that the actions of Nazi Germany and the atrocities committed on their end which stamped over all semblances of human rights caused a counter-movement through the world. This brings us to the holocaust. Jay Winter describes the events of 1948, after the actions of the Nazi’s, resulting in the talking of human rights to almost ‘be a paradox’. Mazower agrees with this statement, saying that the most significant thing about the entire situation â€Å"is not the fact that heroic individuals made a difference but rather that international human rights turned out – rather unusually – to be an area of post-war politics in which individuals on the fringes of political life found they had a certain scope for action†[9]. The Nazi’s themselves had a clearly large role in the sudden rise of discussions of human rights. They did not see individual rights in great light and open ly looked down upon them from their nationalist position. This was in clear contrast to both the American and the British democrats who opposed the fascist regime and attempting to enforce individual rights against the powerful Nazi state seemed to go side by side with it and seemed especially urgent to those people who felt that the war had started because of the inherent bellicosity of dictatorships[10]. It is also often argued that the Holocaust was much less central to perceptions of what the war was in 1945 than it is in the modern day. This is understandable as it came be seen how any of the atrocities committed by the Nazi’s could be interpreted as a link towards the origins of the UDHR yet still not necessarily be referenced to as just the Germanic Jews but as a crime against anyone who was wronged by the regime. Samuel Moyn also debates this in arguing that the holocaust was also unmentioned and that â€Å"Contrary to conventional assumptions, there was no wide-spread holocaust consciousness in the post-war era, so human rights could not have been a response to it†[11]. Looking at Duranti’s The Holocaust and Human Rights Law gives a few more examples in favour of the theory, such as Bill Clinton’s address in April 1993 stating a direct rise of the UDHR due to the holocaust and quoting ‘The Amnesty International Handbook’ which states al most the same thing[12]. The lessons of the holocaust were rather clear however; after the events a wider populace came to realise that the Nazi’s rise to power, Germany’s rapid expansion in nationalism and the treatment of the German Jew’s showed that the state could not be left in supreme control and that the rights must be defended and judged internationally. Mazower comments on the statement of Quincy Wright, a political theorist, who observed that ‘it was a general principle that a State was free to persecute its own nationals in its own territory as it saw fit’, yet stressed that an ‘effective international organisation is not possible unless it protects basic human rights against encroachment by national States’[13] -The Universal Declaration charted a bold new course for human rights by presenting a vision of freedom as linked to social security, balanced by responsibilities, grounded in respect for equal human dignity, and guarded by the rule of law. That vision was meant to protect liberty from degenerating into license and to repel the excesses of individualism and collectivism alike. By affirming that all its rights belong to everyone, everywhere, it aimed to put an end to the idea that a nations treatment of its own citizens or subjects was immune from outside scrutiny. -Its nonbinding principles, carried far and wide by activists and modem communications, have vaulted over the political and legal barriers that impede efforts to establish international enforcement mechanisms†¦ The Declarations principles, moreover, have increasingly acquired legal force, mainly through their incorporation into national legal systems. ATOMIC BOMB Finally, the Atomic bomb and its development and use brought greater questions forward. Dropped on the 7th of August 1945 with the declaration being made on the 10th of December 1948, the atomic bomb, rather than targeting an individual of a particular religion or ethnicity, could target entire nations and pose a threat. Examples of the bombs influence can be seen even in the creation of the UDHR; Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.[14] Article 27 puts particular emphasis on a human beings right to participate in culture. The Atomic bomb had given the United States a substaintial lead in terms of the Cold War and piqued much interest from their soviet counterparts which advocated to use science in a very progressive, democratic and peaceful purposes and had many propositions towards how, as Johannes Morsink quotes â€Å"the development of science must serve in the interests of progress and democracy and the cause of international peace and cooperation†[15]. The Origins of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have many problems associated with creating a link between any massive events or given source, which has caused some debate on the topic. Several historians such as Winter, Duranti, Glendon, Moyn and Mazower all give somewhat distinctive approaches to what truly connects the Declaration with its supposed factors, such as certain individuals like Eleanor Roosevelt and Rene Cassin, The influence of the Great Powers, The Holocaust and Nazi Germany’s crimes and the use of the Atomic bomb. To observe the origins the Charter of the United Nations and the League of Nations were also observed as a precursor to the declaration, as well as why the system failed and had to be renovated in order to main [1] Mark Mazower Page 382 [2] Mary Ann Glendon A World Made New page 20 [3] THE STRANGE TRIUMPH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, 1933–1950* MARK MAZOWER Birkbeck College, London page 1 [4] Mary Ann Glendon A world made new page 17 [5] THE STRANGE TRIUMPH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, 1933–1950* MARK MAZOWER Birkbeck College, London page 387 [6] THE STRANGE TRIUMPH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, 1933–1950* MARK MAZOWER Birkbeck College, London page 387 [7] THE STRANGE TRIUMPH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, 1933–1950* MARK MAZOWER Birkbeck College, London page 380 [8] Jay Winter [9] THE STRANGE TRIUMPH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, 1933–1950* MARK MAZOWER Birkbeck College, London page 381 [10] THE STRANGE TRIUMPH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, 1933–1950* MARK MAZOWER Birkbeck College, London page 386 [11] Samuel Moyn [12] Marco Duranti, The holocaust and Human Rights Law, page 163 [13] THE STRANGE TRIUMPH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, 1933–1950* MARK MAZOWER Birkbeck College, London page 385 [14] The Universal Declaration of Human Rights [15] Johannes Morsink The Universal Declaration of Human Rights : Origins and Intent

When Does Life Begin

When does life begin? Nowadays it is difficult to determine the precise instant life begins. There are two opposing sides to this issue. On the one hand, there are those who maintain that there is no life in fertilized eggs. On the other hand, some people believe that life begins at conception. This essay will examine arguments for and against the disposition of fertilized eggs. Those maintaining that there is no life in fertilized eggs contends that life begin at birth when the human soul enters the body.And that is why it is considered that a baby becomes a full-fledged human when the head emerges from the womb. Before then, the embryo is considered as â€Å"partial life†. Some people may disagree with this idea because they considered that life begins at conception. In other words, life begins when the egg and sperm join to produce what is called a zygote. It has been asserted that a zygote is biologically alive since it fulfills the four criteria needed to establish biolog ical life: metabolism, growth, response to stimuli and reproduction.Some people may say that an embryo is just a potential human embryo and therefore it has no life in that state. However, at the time of conception, the egg and sperm combine to form DNA structure. The fertilized egg is alive and carries human DNA. Thus, it is a form of human life. Throughout history there have been several â€Å"answers† to the question of when human life begins, but one can no more determine the precise instant life begins than the precise instant an infant becomes a toddler, a toddler a child, a child an adolescent, an adolescent an adult.