76.6% / 1862 words / There are no equal opportuniti Essay Example For Students

76.6% / 1862 words / There are no equal opportuniti Essay There are no equal opportunities because people are not equal from birth. Some are born with a silver spoon in their mouth, others need to make great effort in order to achieve success. In order to succeed in life , one must be either very tough and enterprising , even without We will write a custom essay on 76.6% / 1862 words / There are no equal opportuniti specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now regard for moral principles. Some from birth belonged to the upper class, and wealth and social status were their natural enviroment. They already lived the American Dream. Others belonged to the working class and in order to reach wealth they had to hard work and sometimes use illegal means, but it is impossible to change their birth history and class affiliation. Fitzgerald in his novel The Great Gatsby pointed at class inequality, respectively upper class already live the american dream, other try to reach it, even if wealth can be earned then the lineage can not be procured because it is beyond one\s control. If all men are born equal, there can be no top level to strive for. Thus that no such equality, neither in position nor in opportunity exists and that a person’s ability is very much dependent on family background. The novel includes characters from several different socioeconomic classes . In Critical Theory Today (2006) ,Lois Tyson explains the inequality in socioeconomic class by dividing people into the â€Å"haves† and the â€Å"have – not†: The Marxist theory considers control over the natural, economic and human resources of the world which separates people. Thus, division is made between those who have and those who do not. \Have\ are those who control these things, natural, economic and human resources, and \do not have\ all the rest. The Max Weber theory is a theory about the social class. Weber, like Marx, believed that the class is associated with wealth. However, Weber divided the status and class in his theory, and the status did not necessarily depend on wealth. Thus Weber argues that, a person does not need to remain in the same social class forever. As this depends on factors such as work, wealth and property. With explanation of the Weber class, the characters of the novel belong to different classes. Buchanan and Jay Gatsby belong to class, privileged through equity and education. Nick Carraway can be considered a representative the poor intelligentsia. Thus Wilsons are part of the working class. As for the status, Weber claims: â€Å"Status may rest on a class position of a distinct or ambiguous kind. However, it is not solely determined by it: Money and entrepreneurial position are not in themselves status qualifications, although they may lead to them † (Weber 306). In comparison with social class, money does not guarantee a certain status. The lack of something is not an automatic disqualification of a status (Weber 306). Jordan Baker, from the novel,could be seen as an example of this as her economic situation is unknown but she still has a status that is comparable with the Buchanans. Weber continues on the matter : â€Å"The class position of an officer, a civil servant or a student may vary greatly according to their wealth and yet not lead to a different status since upbringing and education create a common style of life† (306). This exemplifies the fact that there are other factors involved in determining status compared with social class . Upbringing and education can contribute to a common style of life and values that brings people together. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents two distinct types of wealthy people. First, there are people like the Buchanans and Jordan Baker who were born into wealth. Their families have had money for many generations, hence they are \old money.\ As portrayed in the novel, the \old money\ people .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f , .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .postImageUrl , .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f , .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f:hover , .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f:visited , .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f:active { border:0!important; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f:active , .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9b3e78b40d942becaf1a5180ec2cd97f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Punk Profile Essaydon\t have to work (they rarely, if ever, even speak about business arrangements) and they spend their time amusing themselves with whatever takes their fancy. Daisy, Tom, Jordan, and the distinct social class they represent are perhaps the story\s most elitist group, imposing distinctions on the other people of wealth (like Gatsby) based not so much on how much money one has, but where that money came from and when it was acquired. For the \old money\ people, the fact that Gatsby (and countless other people like him in the 1920s) has only just recently acquired his money is reason enough to dislike him. In their way of thinking, he can\t possibly have the same refinement, sensibility, and taste they have. Not only does he work for a living, but he comes from a low-class background which, in their opinion, means he cannot possibly be like them. Tom and Daisy Buchanan are depicted as almost indifferent to other people. Nick state: â€Å"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy –they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up their mess†(Fitzgerald 167). In portraying Tom and Daisy as careless toward other people Fitzgerald shows a mentality amongst the upper class as if the same rules do not apply to everyone. Tom and Daisy’s mutual arrogance regarding the situation shows how little they value other people’s lives –even lives of people they supposedly cared about. Tom and Daisy Buchanan are the typical residents of East Egg as they have always been wealthy and possess the freedom that comes with it. They are described as people that without any further purpose drift : â€Å"here and there unrestfully wherever people played polo and were rich together†(Fitzgerald 13). To them, there is nothing more to life than existing in this state of mind (Barbour 70). Gatsby, on the other hand , is the typical resident of West Egg. With his lack of family wealth and his self -earned fortune he represents the opposite from Tom and Daisy Buchanan. While the Buchanans seem to live without goals or ambition, Fitzgerald shows Gatsby’s ambitions with the schedule over his daily activities (162). One way of determining status is, according to Weber: â€Å"through hereditary charisma, by virtue of successful claims to higher -ranking descent: hereditary status † (306). This is what tie members of â€Å"old families† together, families like Tom’s and Daisy’s. Her family was a part of the upper class society in her hometown, Louisville (Fitzgerald 73). Daisy, who in this case represents the â€Å"old money† America, displays her feelings towards West Egg: She was appalled by West Egg, this unprecedented ‘place’ that Broadway had begotten upon a Long Island fishing village –appalled by its raw vigor that chafed under the old euphemisms and by the too obtrusive fate that herded the inhabitants along a short -cut from nothing to nothing. She saw something awful in the very simplicity she failed to understand (Fitzgerald 102). Daisy’s reaction at the party can be seen as a first hint of proof that Gatsby will never succeed in his attempt to win her back and get things back to the way they were (Aldridge 54). In Daisy’s reaction Fitzgerald exposes the opinions of people of her status towards this kind of â€Å"new money† and people without the same high â€Å"hereditary status†. By giving Tom Buchanan characteristics that could be described as unsympathetic Fitzgerald criticizes the upper class which Tom represents. Although Tom has more money than he could ever spend, and despite the fact that he has been in that position his whole life he still has the need to show his wealth and power to those who have less than him . He toys .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b , .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .postImageUrl , .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b , .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b:hover , .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b:visited , .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b:active { border:0!important; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b:active , .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua32d354994c6bf6e352e6f5fa9340b4b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Hamlet Faith Essaywith his mechanic Wilson , who is also the husband of his mistress Myrtle. Wilson wishes to buy his car with the intention to turn it with a profit. The car deal would not mean a lot to Tom, but it would be important to Wilson. By delaying the deal, Tom demonstrates his power. Tom also brags to Nick about his house and the previous prominent owners (Tyson 70). Both incidents could be read as examples of Fitzgerald’s criticism against the upper class society and the current norms regarding how to treat people with a different social status. Tom’s behavior is, although unsympathetic, never regarded , in the society of the novel, as inappropriate for a man of his status, which makes it completely acceptable for him to treat others with a lack of respect. At one point, Fitzgerald describes Tom and Daisy as members of a secret society (Fitzgerald 24). By using this metaphor of the secret society Fitzgerald illustrates the seclusion of the upper class society that Tom and Daisy represents. According to Aldridge their memberships in this secret society generate a deeper faithfulness between them (49). Gatsby’s task to win Daisy is therefore not only about getting her to love him more than Tom, but also to beat the secret society that he is not a member of (Aldridge 52). If the secret society represents social status, then that is what Gatsby must defeat in order to get Daisy back. The difference in socioeconomic status between those with â€Å"new money† and those with â€Å"old money† is exemplified by the behavior of Tom and Daisy. Fitzgerald acknowledges the difference with Gatsby’s final revelation of Daisy: â€Å"Her voice is full of money, † he said suddenly. That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money –that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell on it, the jingle of it, the cymbal’s song of it High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl (113) According to Aldridge, this quality in Daisy is important, as it is what commits her to Tom. It is not only about money and Aldridge describes it as a philosophy: â€Å" it is a whole philosophy and tradition of life belonging to those who have always had money and marking them as a separate breed superior to those who have not† (Aldridge 55). That also explains what Daisy is not willing to give up for Gatsby ; if she would choose him she would lose her belonging to that superior breed and she is unwilling to sacrifice that, perhaps since that is all she has ever known. When Daisy finds out about Gatsby’s involvement in illegal business, she distances herself from him , and no matter what he says he cannot change it. The fact that Fitzgerald separates Gatsby and Daisy stresses the importance of social status, as Daisy is unable to accept the negative impact of her social status that staying with Gatsby would mean. Tom demonstrates his superior status by reducing the importance of Gatsby’s relationship with Daisy: â€Å"Go on, he won’t annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over † (Fitzgerald 127). Since Tom and Daisy have similar backgrounds, he also knows that she would not be interested in giving up her superior status. That makes Gatsby harmless. Tom and Daisy’s indifference to other people can be connected to social status.As Tom and Daisy’s status is considered, by their society, to be superior, it also implies that they have different rights than those of lower status . According to Aldridge the â€Å"secret society† wins over the romantic illusion (55). That could mean that the importance of social status wins over romance.

Personal Essay - How to Find a Sample Essay For Your College Essay

Personal Essay - How to Find a Sample Essay For Your College EssayFinding a personal essay sample is not always as easy as you might think. Many colleges and universities use other types of essays as well, and some are free and others are only given out to students in a specific class. These other types of essays are harder to find but there are a few that can be found and used for sample personal essays. Here are the types of samples that you should try to use in your personal essay.Writing a sample essay is not as easy as it might seem, but it is possible. The first thing that you should do is research your topic. Know the exact area of study that you would like to write about and make sure that it is something that would interest you.Knowing your topic is the best way to start writing a good topic. After you have done this, you will be ready to get to work on your essay.The next step is to take your thoughts on your topic and write an essay that is well written. Do not forget to p roofread your writing, however, and make sure that all of your arguments are well thought out. These are just a few tips to help you when you are starting to write a personal essay.Writing an essay for school can be difficult, and this means that you need to keep a few things in mind while you are writing your essay. First, you want to make sure that you are clear about what you are trying to say. This is going to be a long assignment, so don't forget to get your points across. Make sure that you use good grammar as well.The other thing that you want to keep in mind is what is the most important idea in your essay. Try to find a point of view that is directly from you. You can make an argument or just state your opinion. If you do both, then you are better off.Finding a sample essay for a college essay can be very hard. But if you keep these tips in mind, you will find that it is not as hard as it seems.

JAPANESE DEREGULATION essays

JAPANESE DEREGULATION essays JAPAN'S "BIG BANG" FINANCIAL DEREGULATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR REGULATORY AND SUPERVISORY POLICY Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announced that government would undertake an extensive deregulation of Japan's financial system by 2001- a proposal likened by senior officials to the "Big Bang" financial deregulation in the United Kingdom more than a decade ago. The exact nature of these reforms, the timetable for implementation, and indeed whether the reforms will be as sweeping as promised, is still uncertain. The fundamental changes proposed, even were they to greatly benefit the Japanese economy as a whole, would necessarily entail losers as well as winners. And the potential losers, at present protected (by regulation) from market competition in Japan's compartmentalized financial-services industry, are likely to vigorously oppose change. Financial deregulation in Japan has been on the agenda for many years, proceeding only gradually, and some skeptics argue that a sense of deja vu surrounds the present push for deregulation as well. Japan's financial system, however, is at a juncture today which is not comparable to any other episode during the past 45 years. Stress in the Japanese financial system, especially failure to quickly resolve the non-performing loan problem, continues to hold back the economy and has stagnated a large part of the real estate market. And the shortcomings of the existing regulatory and supervisory structure, pit against vastly different financial institutions (and markets) than just 15 years ago, is readily apparent. Market forces and competition among financial institutions make the existing financial structure incompatible with Japan's regulatory and supervisory structure. For these conflicts to be resolved, reform is necessary. Hence, economic as well as political pressure for fundamental reform will continue even if the present wave of popular opinion against Japan's financial institutions a...

12 Angry Men The Image of American Democracy with Its Flaws

12 Angry Men The Image of American Democracy with Its Flaws â€Å"12 Angry Men† is an unequaled masterpiece of American literature, which serves to unfold the poignant matters of the legal system, justice, and democracy as it is. â€Å"12 Angry Men† is a gorgeous image of the American democracy in action. Deep inside the play holds a profound patriotic credence in the legal system  in general. This dramatical piece concerns the deliberations of the jury of a homicide trial, centering on Juror Eight, who was the only hanger-back in the whole guilty vote. He didn’t want to prove that others were wrong, he wanted them to look at the situation without personal prejudices or inclinations. Reginald Rose, the author of the play, deliberately uncovers the true men’s faces to see the full picture of America itself. Democracy in Action Abraham Lincoln once said that democracy is the government â€Å"of the people, by the people, and for the people†, and â€Å"12 Angry Men† is the effort to remind about our responsibilities. The democracy will work flawlessly when we honestly carry out our duties when we try to understand each other and stay consolidated, otherwise, the nation will fall. Eventually, the whole point of the jury’s deliberation was not about declaring the accused one guilty or innocent, but about the ability of all those absolutely different 12 men to figure out how to cooperate and make a resolution. WHY DIVERSE TEAMS ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL? The play uses not-using-name approach, addressing to each man as his juror number. This concept totally justifies itself, because such an anonymity makes this drama germane for anyone anywhere in America. The overall situation intends to make a disturbing social comment on the whole legal system of the country and the way prejudices influence it. Justice vs. Prejudice Each juror described in the play wants the verdict to be fair, but the problem is that everyone sees justice in a different light and there is no unique definition of it among the jurors. Juror Eight seeks to remind that when talking about JUSTICE, our desires, passions, backgrounds and failings do not count. This thought made everyone doubt about their personal definition of fairness and look for the right one. Cindy Coffey, an American history blogger, makes such a point: â€Å"This play becomes a public service announcement of sorts in reminding the public that our democratic system renders someone innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and the civic responsibilities of American citizens should be taken seriously as a right and an honor of being a member of that democratic society.† The United States Constitution, the art of compromise in the modern world, has a principle of an equitable doubt, which means that a defendant is considered to be innocent until proven guilty. This is one of the most enlightened parts of the document, still, some Americans do not understand it as intended. It is just inappropriate to accept blindly the testimony, without any pursuit to figure it out. Doubt – is a powerful thing sometimes. For the Sake of the Country In the play, we distinctly see, that jurors have different and totally unacceptable reasons to convict the accused. While Juror Eight tries to start a serious dialogue about the fate of the accused, others play Tic Tac Toe or just want to leave for Yankees game, another one gets over the flu etc. Is this the design of democracy as we want to see it? Is it really an effective system, when everyone seems to be so indifferent and unenthusiastic about the treatment the accused and so the whole judicial system? The lack of seriousness makes it pointless. Moreover, convicting someone in the terrible crime  due to their social class and/or the race makes it worthless. The democracy is about the collective sense of civic responsibility and duty as the key to justice within the society. The final shot of the film, describing Juror Eight and Juror Nine shaking their hands and introducing themselves, admits the fact, that the men overcame themselves as individuals in the courthouse in order to become unified about the choice they had to make, the decision they were responsible for and the fate of the person they governed. â€Å"12 Angry Men† is an unequaled masterpiece of American literature, which serves to unfold the poignant matters of the legal system, justice, and democracy as it is. Our duty is to be responsible to the society and to ourselves first of all for the way we act, the way we think and the way we govern our country.

Changing an Outdated Educational Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Changing an Outdated Educational Policy - Essay Example The policies set to guide the transfer of technological practices in schools have not been a success. The old educational policies in technology have put computers in schools, however, the system itself is not adequate enough to accommodate the transition from old practices to the new practices. This paper outlines the weakness of the outdated use of internet in schools and recommendations to embrace k-12 education policy in the school systems. Schools have different technology education policies. However, they all have a similarity as the government gives the general policies to be in use, in the respective schools. In Pender County schools, there is a restriction in the use of computers and internet (Student technology policies, 2004). The school policy is that the student will only use the school internet only during the beginning ten days after schools open. This is only after they are aware of the policies set by Board in charge of education (Student technology policies, 2004). A students use of the school can be stopped if he does not sign the technology use policy available in the first ten days. The parents, too, can stop a students use of internet in school. The parent has a right to raise a complaint to the administration that could lead to the students’ ban from use of the internet while in school (Student technology policies, 2004). According to the policy, all the information retrieved from the internet is a property of the school in question. This includes all the emails and internet downloaded information that any student or other staff members may have. The school system has a right to retain the data for a period of three years and even longer if it is business related. As such, it would be difficult to allow privacy in the use and running of the internet in school. The students and employees can be allowed to have hard copies of the data that they may be in need of

American Constitution Law 3 J Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Constitution Law 3 J - Essay Example The clause is there to protect accused persons or alleged perpetrators from abuse in a number of ways, namely; from a second trial for the same offence after prosecution, acquittal, and against multiple punishments (Stephens & Scheb, 2008). In Johnson’s case, he was already tried and found innocent of the purported crime. The clause also dictates that defendants cannot be tried for a lesser crime within the original crime (Stephens & Scheb, 2008). This means that any crime that is seen to be lesser in nature to the original crime, but is merged within the murder, cannot be used to try and convict Johnson in a court of law. Johnson has a right to cite the Double Jeopardy Article in the event you decide to take him to court over the same crime. I think it may be worthwhile mentioning that there are some instances where the rule may not apply, for instance; if multiple offenses were carried out by Johnson, the clause does not apply to him. He could be tried for the other offenses he committed that may carry the same sentence or conviction as the murder of your family member. Unfortunately, this case may not be used to talk of the defendant’s conduct. There is also a reason why this testimony may not be enough to let Johnson go to court. The court would want to maintain the integrity and finality of all criminal proceedings. If the court were to summarily ignore the unsatisfactory outcomes of your case against Johnson, then its integrity would be called to question. This Clause is considered as one of the oldest concepts, and cannot easily be altered as people have tried over the years (Stephens & Scheb, 2008). In spite of the testimony provided by Johnson’s brother on his deathbed, it may not be sufficient to ask for a retrial of Johnson’s case. His Miranda rights did not apply at the time of the confession because it is a belief that anything said at that time is acceptable in court. He can be tried and found guilty of the

Legacy of Qin Shi Huangdi

Legacy of Qin Shi Huangdi Legalism is a belief system that emerged in Ancient China during the era of the Warring States (771-221 B.C.), during which several viewpoints for reestablishing peace within China were competing following societal disorder. It was an approach defined by extreme methods, goals, and strict adherence to law. Under this political philosophy, human nature was perceived as evil and therefore heavy restraints were to be placed on humans. The laws established during this period were meant to be easily understandable, punishments threatening, and rewards prompt so that people decided to do exactly what the government asked of them(Major). Under legalism, a highly efficient and powerful government was believed to be fundamental to maintaining stability. Any disobedience was to be met with harsh punishments to make it less appealing for people to choose to be disobedient, while the well execution of duties by people was to be rewarded to encourage such complying behavior. It was not until Shi Huangdi came to the throne in 246 B.C., did Legalist ideology gain favor and actually be implemented in China. The first emperor used 4 methods to rule and unify China effectively, of which were centralization, standardization, censorship, and human rights abuse. One of these practices, censorship, helped accomplish its goal of unifying China by discouraging the presence of controversy which slows down the integration of society. Censorship is an important indicator for the presence of Legalism and it seems apparent that it has increased from Ancient China in terms of complexity. While Modern China, no longer reflects the extent to which Legalism has been prevalent in Ancient China, it, a country that lacks media freedom, still is imprinted with the main aspects associated with this philosophy. Censorship is the practice of officially examining books, movies, written works, and other objects in order to suppress unacceptable or objectionable parts. The purpose of this is to discourage opinion that may be detrimental to the government and is able to cause debate. In Ancient China, Legalist used censorship to control ideas, actions, and peoples behavior. One way they showed use of it was by ordering a campaign in 213 B.C. for confiscating and burning books in private hands that were harmful toward the government (Major). Another more serious action that illustrates the back-then use of censorship was Huangdis burial of Confucian scholars alive in the capital after learning about their dissent toward his policies. Therefore, censorship allowed individuals that go against the government in any way or caused disputes in society to be easily removed. Without any amount of censorship, people can be easily persuaded by materials used to convey opinion and the government would face difficulty in controlling its citizens. Today, the Great Firewall of China is the technology that the Chinese government uses to block access to material it finds inappropriate on the web (Olesen). Chinese Internet users are restricted with this from having the freedom to view certain search results fully, have discussions on certain topic, and to be able to express any comments freely. According to an academic cooperative, China has the worlds most sophisticated internet filtering system, and the Chinese government is arguably the worlds best at controlling what is people see (Wiseman). This is due to the Chinese governments intolerance of dissent that can be easily found when viewing information on the web. Internet freedom is important because as President Obama stated, the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable (Scherer). The Chinese government would be likely to disagree and apparently would want th eir citizens to be constrained as on the web to lessen their power and influence, to make the government more powerful and dominating over them as during the Legalist era when citizens were represented as powerless, insignificant government workers. Accessing data on sensitive as well as controversial subjects is difficult with the Chinese monitoring all incoming and outgoing traffic on the web. An example of a specialized search engine for China that filters results effectively on such topics is Google China. With this website, when users type in Tiananmen Square, they will receive only the tourist images of the place and not the images of the 1989 protests for democratic reform there that ended up in a violent crackdown by the Chinese government (Wiseman). This reveals how the Chinese government is reluctant to have certain information online because it can be used to persuade them to take blame for something; the government tries to act as if less responsible for an event that we nt wrong when they previously intervened in it. Therefore, China uses propaganda officials who send out teams of commentators to post patriotic messages on websites and online bulletin boards to encourage the spread of nationalist opinion and/or positive feedback by citizens to the government (Edward). This helps show how the government tries to hide information it feels shouldnt be shared with information thats more likely to encourage positive attitude toward the government. Censorship efforts are also seen on television in China, where they are used to limit foreign ideas swaying citizens. Because the news media is not privatized, but managed by the government, the government has more power than citizens and has the ability to force media stations to use only approved news stories rather than any criticizing Chinas government (Haugen). Publishing or broadcasting on television anything that is distasteful to the Chinese government is illegal in the nation and can lead to imprisonment (Haugen). Again, these laws help protect the Chinese government more than the governments citizens, which would have been supported by the Legalists. An example of TV censorship that occurred this month was during President Obamas visit to China. After American officials negotiated to have the Chinese set aside live nationwide broadcast time for the presidents town hall with Chinese student, China still refused to follow their requests, and the event was shown later on TV (S cherer). This gave time for Chinese officials to edit the speech. When the president addressed the world in his inaugural and reached a line in his speech describing communism, the live broadcast in China was cut off and later versions of the speech had this part censored (Edward). Another line edited spoke to countries that imposed censorship policies to prevent criticism of their government. China might have censored such presidential comments to lessen the influence from Western values and to block out any sort of persuasion that might cause its citizens to do actions other cultures support but are unwelcome in China as they break with traditional Chinese values. This suggests China still has a hint of isolationism attitude toward other nations as it did have in the Legalist era and doesnt want to blend in with other countries as blending in would fade away traditional principles. Censorship is used to prevent Chinese citizens from complying with other nations other than China. Although the philosophy of Legalism isnt prevailing as it was in Ancient China, the heavy presence of media censorship on the Internet, television, and on foreign ideas, in China today, reveals that there is still a lasting impact from legalism that can noticed. If there wasnt any presence of Legalism, then, modern Chinese government would have been drastically different as citizens would have much more power than the government. But it isnt in a country that lacks essential media freedom. Bibliography Edward, Jonathan Ansfield. Chinese TV Censors Part of Address by Obama. The New York Times. 22 Jan. 2009. 13 Nov. 2009 . Haugen, David M. China: Opposing Viewpoints. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven, 2006. Major, John S. The Land and People of China. Lippincott, 1989. Olesen, Alexa. Chinese Censors Block Obamas Call to Free Web. Time. 16 Nov. 2009. 19 Nov. 2009 . Scherer, Michael. Could Obama Get Around Chinas Great Firewall? Time. 16 Nov. 2009. 19 Nov. 2009 . Wiseman, Paul. Cracking the Great Firewall of Chinas Web Censorship. USA Today. 23 Apr. 2008. 13 Nov. 2009 .