The Islam And Christian Holy War Religion Essay

The Islam And Christian Holy War Religion Essay For centuries Christians and Muslims have fiercely engaged in wars because they believed they will be rewarded by God for waging war in his name. In recent times we have become very familiar with the Jihad; as the media has covered this topic extensively after the September 11 attack that took place in the United States. This act of terror made the Islamic community a focal point of the media, which educated the populace on the violence of Islam or as they choose to call it Holy War. The truth is that, Islam is not the only religion that has committed violence in the name of God. Christianity also has its history of violence and Holy Wars, they were called the Crusades. The reasons for the Crusades were; to free fellow Christians from incursion and discrimination, Conquering lands in the possessed by other religions and fulfilling promises to partake in a crusade. Today we refer to Holy wars as Killing in Gods name, but war and religion have gone hand in hand for centuries. People go to battle after praying and making sacrifices to God, making them believe that God is on their side because they are fighting for his cause. An example is when Joshua destroyed the Anakites in the Bible. Involving God in such violent acts is not supposed to make a war holy. In the past few centuries, since the first crusades began to recapture the holy land from the Muslims Saracens, holy wars between these two religions have evolved along different paths. In the Christians context, we see a gradual decline in violence, the opposite is witnessed in Islam, and there have been a few recent cases of killing in the name of religion in Islam, the September 11 attack is one of the most serious in recent time. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and today it is amongst the religions with the highest amount of believers. The Jihad played a vital role in this rapid growth of Islam. Battles that were fought and won over a large geographical area, the captives were either converted by the sword or willingly changed to the religion of the army that conquered them. Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress limitsAnd slay them wherever ye catch them. And turn them out from where they have turned you out; for persecution is worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the sacred Mosque unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who reject faith. But if they cease, Allah is oft-forgiving, most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more persecution. And the religion becomes Allahs. But if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression (The Quran, Surah 2:190-193). The Quran is the holy book of Islam; the above quote is from the Quran it encourages the Holy war. Partly this explains the numerous battles the Muslims were involved in few centuries ago, fortunately in modern times the Jihad is no longer carried on a large scale as compared to the past but there are still some exceptional cases. The Hadith is another important book in Islam and it is second to the Quran. The Hadith contains the sayings and activities of the Prophet Muhammad and he encourages the Jihad, saying that anyone who dies fighting for Allah will be rewarded, by going to paradise. Many of these sayings have been interpreted in different ways and people have acted according to these interpretations which have lead to brutality and wars. Although in this modern age, with the help of globalization and westernization the frequency and scale of religious wars have declined over time. However, a small percentage of Muslims, the extremists and anti -western ones still dwell on the verses in the Quran that talk about war, conflict and violence. This is what has lead to terrorism and suicide bombings in recent times. In addition, the duty of all Muslims is to do the utmost against those who do not believe in Allah, this was meant for nearest enemies of Muslims but as more Foes arose with time, the statements supporting the Jihad were updated. The Muslims are acting according to what they read in their Holy books, most do not feel remorseful for whatever damage they have caused because they believe this are divine instructions of the holy book. Today we do not hesitate to link the word Jihad which means struggle in Arabic to Terrorism, especially after the September 11 attacks. Religious wars and violence happen in some other countries like Nigeria which is one of the most religious countries in the world. In Nigeria, Muslims and Christians clash frequently, fighting and rioting over one problem or the other, but yet the opposing religion knows very little about each others believes. Religious wars in Nigeria are fueled by ignorance, tribalism, poverty, politics and struggle for power. Another cou ntry that has experienced religious war this modern time is India; with a high population of Hindu, a small number of Muslims and a few Christians. Approximately hundred Christians were killed in a recent religious battles and another ten thousand left without a roofs over their head, telling us that religious wars may have reduced but still occurs in some societies. Furthermore, there are two forms of Jihad the greater and lesser Jihad. Internal Jihad or greater Jihad means the battle of believers to live their Muslim faith as the Quran instructs. This explanation is consequently, after a battle the prophet said We are finished with the lesser jihad; now we are starting the greater jihad. He explained to his followers that fighting against an outer enemy is the lesser jihad and fighting against ones self is the greater jihad. This means that the lesser Jihad will refer to the struggle against Unbelievers. (Heck) Muslims put in great effort to live the way Allah instructed them, the personal Jihad has to do with the teachings while the Jihad against unbelievers is the Practical. However, some scholars find the Quran teachings of morality and encouragement of violence very contradictory. Many historians believe that the true meaning of Lesser Jihad does not necessary encourage fighting and brutality but states that Muslim should take a stand for their religion only when Islam is threatened. The misinterpretation of the lesser jihad, as a cause or reason to fight and engage in violence and brutality does not make it holy. If Islam is not threatened and Muslims wage war against non-believers then this cannot be referred to as Lesser Jihad. Over the years various people have interpreted the Quran, their interpretations were influenced by the struggles that they were experiencing at that time. Factors such as oppression, depression, anger, suffering, hunger for power, hatred and other factors have influenced the interpreters perception of the scriptures. For instance, the Taliban strict and extreme version of Islam has even made other Muslim countries view the Ta liban with suspicion. Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist group Al Qaeda has quoted the Quran on several occasions to justify their violent actions on the west. Political leaders use religion to convince and justify their selfish desires. Using religion makes their argument convincing because they twist and interpreted the scriptures to serve the purpose and believers easily embrace them and believe it is just. Al Qaeda has used suicide bombing as tactics for attacks and the Quran forbids this. (Burk) The Crusades By large, Christianity is a religion that preaches peace but the record of killings and destruction in the past is contradictory to its teachings. In the past, wars were fought against those who opposed Christianity; the wars were fought primarily against Muslims. This is because the rise of lslam slowed down and threatened spread of Christianity. lslam under the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate spread from what is now Saudi Arabia in the Arabian Peninsula to Spain and parts of France. This made lslam a treat to Christianity and the Catholic Church, which was very powerful during the medieval times. The Church had enough political backing to crush anything or anyone that disobeys or treating the beliefs of the Church. Scholars and historians have argued about the cause or reason for the crusades. Some say that the crusades were crucial reaction by Christians to the domination of pilgrims in Muslim-controlled Jerusalem. Others argue that it was political imperialism disguised by religiou s piousness. Furthermore, others say that it was a social liberation for societies that were overburdened by landless nobles. Whatever the reason, it does not change the fact that a lot of lives and property were lost in the process. The first Crusades were organized by Pope Urban II in 1095. His main aim was to take Jerusalem from the hands of those he believed were non believers. Pope Urban II helped lay the foundation for many years of bitter and violent fighting between Christianity and other religions. The Crusades were triggered by popes at that time like Pope Urban ll and Pope Eugene III who called for the second crusade. The Popes felt that the crusades were particularly their duty and under their motivation, even if some of the expeditions sometimes got out of control. They believed the crusades were Gods work and that they were His instruments. Urban at Clermont used the following words: I speak to those who are present, I shall proclaim it to the absent, but it is Christ who commands. Moreover, if those who set out thither lose their lives on the journey, by land or sea, or in fighting against the heathen, their sins shall be remitted in that hour; this I grant through the power of God vested in me. The Pope organized the crusades, deciding the time, participants and also presents privileges to those that partook and threatened them with exile to all that do not realize their vow. (Dana) The crusades were used as a means of reclaiming the lost lands of Christians and acquiring more power for the Church. The age of the crusades was from 1905-1291 CE. In total, there were either eight or nine Crusades, depending on your view. Most historians consider the 9th Crusade to be part of the 8th. It was not only believers of other religions that suffered persecution, some Christians also suffered. Church theologians or leaders dealt with anybody who followed another religion or come up with rational thoughts that threatened Christian beliefs an example is the case of Galileo. Galileos teachings during the 17th century threatened the geocentric view of the universe. He said that the earth revolved around the sun. The church maintained that the earth was stationary and the sun and heavenly bodies revolved around it and this was an accepted fact. Thus were Galileos claims, labeled as the ranting of a heretic and he was confronted by the church leaders and told to recant his theory or face the consequences. The crusades also helped the Church and Popes acquire much wealth, with Crusaders freely giving to the Church before embarking on their journey. Crusaders were frequently taxed and this was handled by the Church. Consequently, the Popes became much more powerful, mainly because of their control over the appointment of the officials. (Dana) Heresy easily spread because of increasing mistrust of the Church, due to many reasons. For instance, all teachings in England, France and Germany had been carried out by the clerics and the crusaders discovered that they were continuously lied to. Others learnt that they misinformation, and began to doubt. The political crusades brought discredit and dishonor upon the Church and the Popes. Many men realized that they were being us ed and the Popes were using their power for worldly ends. In the thirteenth century it became more difficult to persuade men to take the Cross and fight.(Dana) In any case, there has been more recent violence attached to Christianity. Right after the civil war in the United States, the protestant-led white supremacist Ku Klux Klan members engaged in destruction of property, cross burning, beating, arson, murder rape and whipping against Jew, Catholics and African Americans and other social ethnic minorities. These are grave crimes exhibiting extreme violence and brutality. The mission of the Ku Klux Klan is to reestablish protestant Christian view in the United States. They believed that Jesus was the first Klansman. (Robert) They exhibited pure Christian radicalism. Similarly, the Arm of God (AOD) is an underground Christian terrorist organization active in the United States. This group has been involved in anti-abortion violence such as murder, property crimes and kidnapping. All these organization believe they are fighting for the morals of their religion and in the name of God. (Windle) Social Ramification Consequently, religious violence has lead to religious and ethnic profiling in society. The recent terrorist attacks have found to be rooted to religion and ethnicity thus causing countries to use profiling as a context for law enforcement and counter terrorism. Profiling can be defined as the use of racial, religious or ethnic stereotypes, rather than individual behavior, as a basis for making law enforcement and investigative decisions about who has been or may be involved in criminal activity. The global generalizations about a particular ethnic or religious groups propensity to commit a crime has made life difficult for people with certain ethnicity or religion. Society begins to look at such people as potential threats and this has negatively affects their daily lives at school, work and social interaction. Conclusion Finally, today religion is not considered an act of violence, Christians especially Catholics are not proud of the crusades that happened in the past. This point in history, are now looked upon as a dark period In Christianity. A group of Western Christians recently formed a body, their aim is to repair the damage caused by the crusades by apologizing to the other religions that were affected during that time. (Robin) But when have Christians demonstrated this love to Muslims or Jews? We have gone to them with swords and guns. We have gone to them with racism and hatred. We have gone to them with feelings of cultural superiority and economic domination. We have gone to them with colonialism and exploitation. We have even gone to them with the Gospel cloaked in arguments of superiority. Only a few have ever gone with the message of Calvary We must do more than carry the message; we must be the message. This kind of movement helps to show that Christians are not willing to carry out the crusade; no recent case has been heard. Todays Christians want to practice their religion without harming anybody. The same can be said for most Muslims, although some Muslims extremists are obsessed with fighting the west. As the study has shown religious violence was greatly influence my politics and selfishness desires of leaders. Over the course of time leaders have used religion as a tool and have twisted the word of God to suit their agenda and accomplish their desires. Without this influence, misinterpretation and deceit violence would have not been so wide spread in religion. Most religions preach God is of peace and we humans with our selfish ways have used religion as a way to control people and their beliefs. If we do not let our human imperfection influence the word of God and we follow the teaching of our scriptures diligently the world will be more peaceful. Ironically, our imperfection s are barely curable and even the greatest men fault. This is the paradox of life. Work Cited Baird-Windle, Patricia Bader, Eleanor J., (2001), Targets of Hatred: Anti-Abortion Terrorism, New York, St. Martins Press B.A Robins Christian apology for the Crusades: The Reconciliation Walk Religious Tolerance.org. 2005-NOV-04. Web. 3 April 2011 Dana C. The Popes and the Crusades Munro Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Vol. 55, No. 5 (1916), pp. 348-356 JSTOR. Web. 3 April 2011 Josh Burek and James Norton A world-renowned scholar explains key points of Islam. Islamawareness.org. n.d. Web. 3 April 2011 Michael, Robert, and Philip Rosen. Dictionary of anti-Semitism from the earliest times to the present. Lanham, Maryland, USA: Scarecrow Press, 1997 p. 267. Paul Heck. Jihad Revisited The Journal of Religious Ethics Vol. 32, No. 1 (spring, 2004), pp. 95-128. JSTOR. Web 3 April 2011

Do Illegal workers help or hurt the economy Essay

While growing up in Mexico, I heard many stories of people who were going to work in the United States, some illegally, so they could provide a better life for their families. To them, they were going to the land of opportunity, where jobs were plentiful for people who were willing to work hard. They planned to go to the United States and do the work that Americans didn’t want, while getting paid more than they could make in Mexico. Many of them sought work in construction, where their lower pay would mean cheaper homes and buildings for Americans. Although there was the risk of getting arrested and deported, it seemed like a risk worth taking to many people. Now that I live in the United States, I have seen the other side of the story. I have seen the economic difficulties that Americans face in their own country. It is even harder for someone like me, who came here legally, but faces challenges that many Americans don’t. I have met people here who are working illegally, and see their daily struggle to survive. I have also met Americans who were born here and have difficulty finding work. Instead of plenty of jobs for everyone, good jobs are scarce with many people fighting to get them. I see the resentment some people have toward those who are here illegally, and working for lower wages, making it harder for others to complete. These observations have made me wonder; do illegal workers help or hurt the economy? Dr. George Borjas, Professor of Economics and Social Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, found that the earnings of US born workers were reduced by an average of 3.7% by immigrant workers, both legal and illegal. The greatest effect was to US born workers without a high school degree as well as young workers. In his research, published in the paper Increasing the Supply of Labor Through Immigration, Dr. Borjas writes â€Å"The 10 million native-born workers without a high school degree face the most competition from immigrants, as do the eight million younger natives with only a high school education and 12 million younger college graduates.† In the study entitled The Economic Logic of Illegal Immigration by Gordon H. Hanson, Professor of Economics at University of California, Gordon discovered that immigration has a modest impact on the economy, pushing incomes slightly lower for low-skilled native workers, and pushing incomes slightly higher for highly-skilled native workers. However, because legal immigrant workers encounter more restrictions and delays in entering the work force, it is illegal immigrations that provide a fluid, low-skilled workforce that is needed during economic booms. Gordon states â€Å"It (Illegal immigration) provides U.S. businesses with the types of workers they want, when they want them, and where they want them. If policy reform succeeds in making U.S. illegal immigrants more like legal immigrants, in terms of their skills, timing of arrival, and occupational mobility, it is likely to lower rather than raise national welfare.† In June of 2011, the state of Alabama passed the strictest anti-immigration law in the United States, known as HB 56. Alabama is an unlikely state for such a law, since only 120,000 of the country’s 11 million illegal immigrants live in Alabama. However, politicians painted illegal workers as an epidemic, contributing to budget shortfalls and high unemployment. Included in the law, is a requirement for police to validate a person’s immigration status if they have â€Å"reasonable suspicion†. The law penalizes anyone who employs, transports, or rents to an illegal immigrant. As a result of this law, Alabama farmers, who opposed the law from the beginning, saw their workforce disappear. In an article appearing in Mother Jones magazine entitled Help Not Wanted, by Paul Reyes, Alabama farmers expressed their frustration with HB 56. Their problem is that the work they have is difficult and requires experience and training that most native workers don’t have or are unwilling to do. In the article, Jerry Spencer, who runs Grow Alabama, a community-supported agriculture (CSA) project, is quoted. During a single month, Spencer employed 75 Alabamians to work on a farm, picking tomatoes. Of the 75 workers, 15 of them showed up more than once and only 3 lasted for the whole month. Spencer says â€Å"A Mexican can honestly make $300 a day at the height of tomato season, but that’s based on $3 per box. The (Alabamian) workers we took up there couldn’t come close. I’m going to be generous and say $20 a day was average. I actually was proud to see how hard they did work, but they couldn’t live up to the efficiency, and therefore the speed and production, that Mexicans could† An earlier law that prohibited employers from hiring illegal workers was the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which was passed by congress in 1986. This act created penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. However, illegal workers have found a way to counter this by obtaining fake Social Security numbers and green cards, which can be purchased easily in most immigrant neighborhoods for a small fee. These false documents allow employers to claim ignorance if caught hiring an illegal worker. This also means that the illegal workers are paid the same way as other workers, along with tax deductions. In an article appearing in Generations magazine entitled Not on the Radar: Illegal Immigrant are Bolstering Social Security, author Eduardo Porter provided the following statistic, â€Å"The estimated seven million or so illegal immigrant workers in the United States are now providing the system with a subsidy of as much as $7 billion a year.† It is important to note with this statistic, that illegal workers are not eligible for Social Security benefits. Their Social Security deductions are being paid to retired legal workers. While illegal workers with false documents are paying taxes and contributing to the Social Security system, illegal immigrant workers also add a financial strain on city and state budgets. For example, in states like California, where one third of foreign born people in the United States live, children of immigrants are affecting public schools. In the book Immigration in a Changing Economy: California’s Experience, authors Kevin F. McCarthy and George Vernez advocate that more education needs be provided in California public schools for English proficiency for immigrant children â€Å"lest they, and California with them, fall behind the rest of the country† warns McCarthy and Vernez. Illegal workers may have dreams of making lots of money while working in the United States, but the truth is that they will face low-level jobs with the likelihood of exploitation. In a study of illegal Mexican workers, which is documented by Francisco L. Rivera-Batiz in the study Undocumented workers in the labor market: An analysis of the earnings of legal and illegal Mexican immigrants in the United States, published in the Journal of Population  Economics, it was found that 93.2% of male illegal workers and 87.4% of female illegal workers worked in service occupations. Furthermore, they made significantly less income than legal workers performing the same functions. Although some of the pay discrepancy is due to their time spent in the United States and English proficiency, it does not explain all of the pay discrepancies. Rivera-Batiz writes, â€Å"The large proportion of the gap in wages between legal and illegal immigrants unexplained by differences in the measured characteristics of these two groups strongly suggests the presence of systematic discrimination against undocumented workers.† After conducting my research, I have been surprised to learn that illegal immigration has a minimal impact on the overall US economy. The most negatively affected are young, low-skilled, less educated native workers, who experience slightly lower wages due to illegal immigrant workers. Highly-skilled native workers actually receive a slightly higher income due to illegal immigrant workers. Illegal workers benefit of course, but they are also easy targets for exploitation, since they are often not paid the same as legal workers performing the same job functions, and do not receive the same benefits that legal workers do. The real winners from illegal immigration are the businesses that knowingly employ illegal workers. They receive a workforce willing to work for minimal wages, and perform jobs that many native workers are unwilling to do. Government agencies also benefit by receiving tax payments from illegal workers, while not having to pay out such benefits as Social Security. For these reasons, I foresee little change in Immigration laws, since the current situation benefits those with the most power and money. Works Cited (1) Borjas, G. J. (2004, May). In Increasing the Supply of Labor Through Immigration: Measuring the Impact on Native-born Workers. Retrieved Mar. 29, 2013, from http:// www.cis.org/articles/2004/back504.html (2) Hanson, G. H. (2007, Apr. 26 ). In The Economic Logic of Illegal Immigration. Retrieved Mar. 29, 2013, from http://www.cfr.org/content/publications (3) McCarthy, Kevin F., Vernez,  George. â€Å"Immigration in a Changing Economy: California’s Experience.† Rand, 1997: 338 EBSCOhost. Anoka Technical College, Anoka, Minnesota. 19 April 2013 http://www.ebsco.com (4) Reyes, Paul. â€Å"Help Not Wanted.† Mother Jones March/April 2012: EBSCOhost. Anoka Technical College, Anoka, Minnesota. 19 April 2013 . (5) Rivera-Batiz, Francisco L. â€Å"Undocumented workers in the labor market: An analysis of the earnings of legal and illegal Mexican immigrants in the United States† Journal of Population Economics (1999) 91-116 EBSCOhost. Anoka Technical College, Anoka, Minnesota. 29 March 2013 . (6) Porter, Eduardo. â€Å"Not on the Radar: Illegal Immigrants Are Bolstering Social Security.† Generations Spring 2005, Vol. 29 Issue 1: 100-102 EBSCOhost. Anoka Technical College, Anoka, Minnesota. 29 March 2013 .

German Political Theory Essay

The early German philosophers have been some of the most controversial and well-acclaimed philosophers in the history of political theory. Individuals such as Immanuel Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Jurgen Habermas have revolutionized the mechanisms of the world of human beings with their daring thoughts and radical insights. It is through their critical thought about the things they observe around them that they have created a new way by which society has been able to move on through the years. One of the more critical aspects of German philosophy is the fact that it is highly diverse. The ideologies and principles, although supposedly based on a single culture, that have come from the different German philosophers are varied to such a point that at times they even counter each other in terms of drive and argument. Simply put, this means that there is no one theory regarding family, society, and government that generated by the popular German philosophers. The progression of theories dealing with the family, society, and government, the interaction that exists between these three, and the implications of these interactions have not bee additive or geared towards aggregation in German philosophy. German philosophy and German political theory has been an assortment of personal criticisms and associations, personal recommendations and personal assertions which were based on observations and solid evidence. Although it has not been an effort towards creating one single vantage point regarding society, German philosophy has been a regulatory force of society. Thus the fact that there are theories disagreeing with one another was highly adaptive to the creative and analytical spirit of the philosophers. The uniqueness of German theorists as compared to other theorists lies in the one characteristic that is shared by their different theories. This is the fact that German theories go to the heart of the matter. They are primarily concerned with controversial issues that are sometimes taken for granted by others. This means that they question what they observe. They question the moral, political, and economic sanctions they themselves grew up with. By changing the way people view and understand their society, German theory has been a main mover of history. How did German philosophers like Kant and Nietzsche conceive of their theories? It was simply through an observation of society and through critical analysis of the dynamics of the interactions of the different factors contributing to society’s continuation. It was through a belief and confidence that their ideas regarding certain issues were indeed more correct and more reflective of society than the theories regarding society and politics that were present during their own time. I will try to accomplish in this paper a description of my own theories regarding family, society, and government as well as the impact these three have on each other. I will include, at certain points, some of the major theories by the more popular German philosophers. However, this will not be an analysis of their theories. This will be a look into my own theories, a conception of my own German political theory, which will be strengthened by arguments from Kant, Hegel, Marx, Engels, Nietzsche, and Habermas – some of which I will agree to and some of which I will disagree to. My own definitions and perceived importance of the three concepts will also be discussed as these will form the base of my theories regarding their interactions with each other. The Family It is said that the family is the basic unit of society. This is a basic fact that is taught to everyone early on in their lives. My paper will, therefore, start off on this basic unit and will build on from here. A majority of the theories and works by the German philosophers fail to mention the family. If the family has been mentioned, it has most often been placed in the backwaters of what the philosophers considered more pressing matters such as society and the ruling class. (Poster, 1978) Definition The family is characterized as a group of individuals that are related to each other through one or a combination of the following features: a) living with each other in the same residence; b) having come from the same blood line; c) having an affinity with one another beyond that found in friends and even more so than that found between mere acquaintances and complete strangers. In today’s society, I don’t think it is appropriate to define the family using its traditional nuclear model – a model having a father, mother, and children in the picture. There are many families today that function without a complete combination of these individuals. Also, there are many cultures that regard a family to be more than just a group of individuals brought together on account of their consanguinity. One could consider, for example, that a group of unrelated individuals who have taken care and love one as more of a true family than the individuals linked directly to that individual through biology. Also, there are many instances of broken families and families with unconventional pairings of figureheads. There are families that exist without the presence of a father or a mother. There are groups considered as families regardless of the fact that the supposed father is no longer the biological father of the children. Same sex marriages with or without children are also considered families despite the traditional view of what a family used to be. It is my belief, therefore, that a family is created as a product of the coming together of individuals with common or parallel goals, who reside together in the same place, and who more frequently have positive regard rather than negative regard for one another. The family is not a unit of society that is to be disregarded as having a small role in the interplay of the various factors of society and government. Its importance and functions are critical in the continuation of the individual, of society, and of the government. Theory on its Importance Despite the fact that almost all the German philosophers have discussed society and government in relation to the individual, I believe the family is a more critical unit to the individual. In fact, the family may have a greater impact on society and government as opposed to the individual. This is not to say that the individual plays a small role as opposed to the family. What I wish to point out, rather, is that the non-consideration of the family has led to a deficit in what most of the German philosophers have conceptualized as the successful as well as faulty mechanisms behind the individual, society, and government. The family can be considered as an individual’s sanctuary from the world. By this, I mean that the family can give a person a feeling of safety, love, and positive regard. It works to encourage the individual and to foster for that individual a sense of trust and acceptance. As Hegel (2001) described it, a family is comprised of members and not individual persons. This indicates the unifying feature of a family. However, these positive regard and functions of this unit for an individual is not met in all families. There are many families with a history of violence and abuse. There are others that simply have feelings of apathy. I believe that in these cases, the individual creates for himself or herself a new family unit, one that I previously defined to have foundations not on biology and consanguinity but rather on other more spiritual and moral factors. However, when we are given the two cases of families – one fostering a positive atmosphere and one fostering a negative or neutral atmosphere for the individual – I stand firm in thinking that both have equal importance in the creation of the individual. It is the family that first affects the individual’s physical, psychological, emotional, and moral development. It is also the family that influences the direction of this growth. This is seen most clearly when we see that the family is in charge of the education of the children that are members of its structure. (Hegel, 2001) Yes, the individual has his or her own say in the way his or her life moves but which one of us can say that we have not been to a great degree relying on our families? And because we are dependent on our families, our families can dictate the decisions we make for ourselves, decisions which add up to create the type of people we are now. Also, it is undeniable that we are more likely to adapt for ourselves the principles and behavior exhibited by our family members. This is why most family members usually resemble each other with regards to likes, dislikes, and tendencies in behavior. The importance of the family to society and to the government will be discussed in the succeeding sections. Suffice it to say at this point that, indeed, as an independent unit of society, the family has important roles to play in an individual’s life. These roles are not merely based on its nurturing qualities but also on the control the family has on an individual’s personality, character, and life. However, it should be noted that the family’s success is in its eventual dissolution as children continue on to create families of their own. (Hegel, 2001) I think that Hegel is right with regards to dissolution being a necessary step in the family process. However, I also believe that this dissolution is only physical. Younger members merely begin to live in different houses in order to form new family units. This does not mean, however, that the family has ceased in its functions in the individual’s life. It still exists as a support system, a guide, and a source of love and nurture. Society The next concept has been touched on and included in the theories of the major German philosophers. Society, by itself, has been dissected and analyzed. Its functions, systems, and importance have been stated, restated, and renewed throughout the history of German political theory. Either way, it is clear that a great many of the concerns and issues faced by an individual come from a larger scale than that of his family. Definition Society is a group of individuals joined together by common interests and who may or may not be identified by similar cultural beliefs and traditions. This means that different ethnic groups may form a society. It is not necessary for society to be based on a single culture. What I mean by this is that a German, an American, and a Pole could just as easily form a single society despite the fact that their cultures of origin are different. A concrete example would be American society. America is a melting pot of cultures. Despite the great number of ethnic groups represented in America, however, all these individuals still belong to one distinct society – the American society. Society is not necessarily linked to nationhood. It can even be used to refer to the entirety of humanity. Depending on the use of the term, society can refer to both a specific group of people and also to all peoples the world over. I believe, however, that society has characteristics that help identify it. These include: 1) membership and a criteria for membership 2) an organizational structure 3) social interaction and behavior By this I mean that a particular society is exclusive. There are only a specific set of individuals who can be allowed to partake of the benefits of belonging to a given society. Because of the very fact that society is comprised of many individuals, there is a need for a basic skeletal structure by which to base its functioning. Also, a society is empty and unable to function without allowing its members to interact with each other. There is a need for the members to be able to interact either directly or indirectly in order for society to continue on its processes. The success of these processes is dependent on the quality of the interaction between the different members of society.

Nike Financial Analysis - 2495 Words

Nike Financial Analysis Nike is a company that has thoroughly embedded itself into the psyche of people around the world. Its a company that started with humble origins from selling footwear in the basement to becoming the behemoth in the athletic industry. Bill Bowerman, University of Oregon track field coach, and Phil Knight, middle-distance runner under Bowerman co-founded Nike. Nike was first established as Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964 as a partnership and the name Nike was officially adopted on May 30, 1978. The infamous Nike Logo - Swoosh, was created for a fee of $35 by Carolyn Davidson, a graphics design student. In 1980, Nike becomes a publicly traded company with the completion of its Initial Public Offering of 2,377,000 shares†¦show more content†¦In terms of revenue, the EMEA is Nikes second largest region. EMEA region contributed about $4.3 billion in revenues for Nike. Of these, footwear revenues contributed $2.5 billion, apparel revenues contributed $1.5 billion and equipment revenues contributed $284.5 million. FY05, 31% of Nike brand revenue was generated by sales in the EMEA region. This region is also the third largest in terms of manufacturing. EMEA region employs about 6,000 Nike employees, and has about 104 contract factories. These factories in addition, employ 29,242 workers. The Asia Pacific region is Nikes third largest in terms of revenue, and the largest in terms of manufacturing. Nike has 13 branch offices and subsidiaries in the Asia Pacific region. China has become both a source country and a vital market for Nike. Asia Pacific region has 3,282 Nike employees approximately. The region also has 252 contract factories located in North Asia, and 238 contract factories located in South Asia. Combined, these factories employ 550,821 workers. Nikes revenues for year 2004 from its Asian operations were about $1.6 billion. Of these revenues, approximately $855 million were from footwear sales, $612 million from apparel sales and $146 million from equipment sales. The Americas region is the smallest in terms of revenue 2nd largest in regards to manufacturing. The first Nike shoe ever contracted out was done in Mexico in 1971. For year 2003, the region provided Nike withShow MoreRelatedFinancial Analysis: Nike3969 Words   |  16 Pages| Term Project 1 | Nike Inc. | | Author | | | Table of Contents NIKE Inc. 3 Analyzing Nike’s 10-K 4 Outside information about company and the industry: 8 Analyzing Financial Strength of Nike 12 Broad Audit Plan: 14 Appendix 18 Reference: 18 NIKE Inc. Nike is an American multinational organization which has worldwide presence and their principal business is design, development and worldwide marketing and selling of high quality of footwear, apparel, equipmentRead MoreNike s Financial Analysis : Nike2236 Words   |  9 Pages Nike’s Financial Analysis Katelynn Hill Cornerstone University â€Æ' Nike Financial Analysis On January 25th, 1964 a hand shake changed the world. It was on this day that a track athlete, Phil Knight, and his previous coach, Bill Bowerman, from the University of Oregon founded Blue Ribbon Sports. Blue Ribbon Sports operated under this name for roughly eight years, and then became known as the globally infamous, Nike. In 1972 the first line of Nike footwear debuted. The company was so successfulRead MoreEssay on Nike Financial Analysis1556 Words   |  7 PagesNike Financial Analysis Investing in a company has certainly changed over the years. Financial information is literally at ones fingertips via the internet. 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U/GSU EMBA Financial Reporting Comparative Financial Analysis Nike Inc. vs. Adidas AG Submitted to: Dr. Ismail Gomaa By: Ghada Mahmoud Saafan 1/1/2010 CONTENTS Contents ........................................................................................................................................................................2 Methodology: ...........................................................................................................................................Read MoreFinancial Analysis: Nike Vs. Adidas4725 Words   |  19 PagesAlex. U/GSU EMBA Financial Reporting Comparative Financial Analysis Nike Inc. vs. Adidas AG Submitted to: Dr. Ismail Gomaa By: Ghada Mahmoud Saafan 1/1/2010 CONTENTS Contents ........................................................................................................................................................................2 Methodology: ....................................................................................................................................Read MoreEssay on Ratio and Financial Statement Analysis of Nike3025 Words   |  13 PagesRatio and Financial Statement Analysis Table of Contents Executive Summary.................................................................................................3 1. Nike History.............................................................................................................4 2. Nike Market Share: SWOT Analysis.......................................................................5 3. Nike Financial Report................................Read MoreFinancial Analysis of Adidas, Puma and Nike1183 Words   |  5 PagesfinancialAnnual Financials for Nike Inc. Cl B View Ratios Fiscal year is June-May. All values USD millions. | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 5-year trend |   Sales/Revenue | 19.08B | 18.96B | 20.89B | 24.12B | 25.31B | |   Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) incl. Damp;A | 10.91B | 10.61B | 11.47B | 13.62B | 14.28B | | COGS excluding Damp;A | 10.56B | 10.27B | 11.12B | 13.23B | 14.28B | | Depreciation amp; Amortization Expense | 346.9M | 337.2M | 351M | 395M | - | | Depreciation | 335MRead MoreA Financial Ratio Quarterly Trend Analysis of Nike, Inc.4463 Words   |  18 PagesA Financial Ratio Quarterly Trend Analysis of Nike, Inc. Stock Symbol: NKE Listed on the New York Stock Exchange In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Course: FIN 6406 Report Completed By: 1. Introduction A financial ratio quarterly trend analysis was completed to provide the reader with a clear assessment of the financial health of the company: NIKE International. Just knowing that this company chose a symbol that references the winged goddess of victory seems to have been aRead MoreFinancial Statements and Corporate Managers33896 Words   |  136 PagesBusiness Analysis and Valuation: IFRS Edition Instructor’s Manual – Discussion Questions Palepu – Healy – Bernard – Peek 2 Instructor s Manual Dot-Com Crash-3 Instructor’s Manual – Discussion Questions Table of Contents Table of Contents...........................................................................................................3 Chapter 1 A Framework for Business Analysis Using Financial Statements................4 Chapter 2 Strategy Analysis.................