Friday, September 20, 2019
Canada and Chemical Weapons :: Canadian Canada History
Canada and Chemical Weapons Chemical weapons date back the Peloponnesian war of 428-424 BC when they were used against the Spartans; the chemicals used were incendiary devices and sulfur-based gases that were blown by the wind onto besieged cities. The chemical weapons used then aren't nearly as deadly as those used in more recent times such as mustard gas, they were more to cause there enemies to retreat. There have been many incidents in history in which chemical weapons have been used as I have found in two articles on the history of chemical weapons. The articles I found are "A Short History of Chemical Weapons", and "Creating the Faith: The Canadian Gas Services in the First World War". Chemical weapons have been used in many occasions in war, including Ancient Times, The Middle Ages, World War I, and World War II and so on throughout time. Many kinds of chemical weapons have been used but modern chemical weapons started on April 22, 1915, with the Germans use of Chlorine gas on the Allie troops in WWI. In this incident 6,000 cylinders of the gas were released by 2 battalions along a 6 kilometer of the front, and the wind dispersed the clouds of gas killing 5,000 soldiers and putting 1,500 more out of the war. This caused great panic because nothing like this had happened before and wasn't expected by the allies. Previous to this event in the Middle Ages they used such things as arsenic and more natural things as chemicals which were as powerful as the chlorine gas ended up being in WWI. Chemical weapons were used many times after the Germans used chlorine gas in WWI, chlorine, phosgene, benzyl bromide, hydrogen cyanide, and then mustard gas in 1917. Mustard gas bec ame the worst and most popular chemical weapon used when it came out because of how harmful it was to the enemies; in addition it was figured that 1,300,000 soldiers were killed by the chemical weapons by the end of WWI. This essay stated that: "If the first World War had continued for yet another year it would indeed have been called the first Chemical War" (A Short History of Chemical Weapons) In WWII the use of chemical weapons decreased a lot and was only used in the Far East. Since WWI has really been called the birthplace of chemical weapons Tim Cook starts his article there with the Germans use of chlorine gas and how chemical weapon use escalated from that point.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
The Mayans :: essays research papers fc
I heard the familiar sound of the back door closing gently. My father was returning from weeding the vast amounts fields, with is old sickle, and planting more corn crops in one of our fields. He usually starts his day at 5:00 a.m. every morning, he wakes up to the superb aroma of a sweet honey that fills the whole room and which drags him into the kitchen, the smell of hot tortillas. ââ¬Å"Good Morning fatherâ⬠greeted by his beautiful wife and children. They are wearing loose dresses that reached their ankles; his wifeââ¬â¢s clothing was embroiled with elegant ornaments, and both females wore stunning necklaces made from the finest green jades in Guatemala. It has been almost 30 minutes since the Komatuk family have been enjoying their tortillas and balche (alcoholic drink). ââ¬Å"Ok dear ones its time to get readyâ⬠the lady of the house would exclaim. It was time for the family to pay a visit Jolomkââ¬â¢u. Jolomk'u, according to the stories of the grandparents, was the name of a village situated on a tall ridge among a multitude of hills and mountains. It was a colorful village, woven with the work of men and women, with their lives, illusions and failures. Cold air rode freely among the savage hills, coming face to face with the people of Jolomk'u. The Komatuk family walked down the dusty brown road with his family as the hot bright sun shined on to them. As the enormous temple on top of the great sandy pyramid, they would then climb up the great sandy pyramid to get the sacred temple. When they reach the top of the pyramid they meet hundreds of other Mayans who are waiting in line to get their blessing from the high priest. After waiting in line as the scorching and sizzling sun shined on them. As Mekel and his family enters the sanctified holy temple he prays with the hundreds of Mayans as they worship their god as animals and prisoners of wars were being sacrificed to tribute and honor their great god. The crowd at the base of the enormous blood red pyramid has been standing for hours in the dripping heat of the Guatemalan jungle. No one moves; every eye stays fixed on the building's summit, where the king, his head adorned with feathers, his scepter a two-headed crocodile, is about to emerge from a sacred chamber with instructions from his long-dead ancestors.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
death penalty Essay -- essays research papers
Death Penalty Introduction Informed arguments against the death penalty are more persuasive than arguments in favor of it, as the negative affects of the death penalty have become widely publicized and illustrate the ineffectiveness of this cruel punishment. The death penalty is an inefficient form of punishment as innocent offenders may be executed, superior forms of restitution are available, and it fails to deter crime, all of which contribute to informed arguments against it. Deterrence The primary function of the death penalty is to act as deterrence, yet evidence has indicted that this cruel punishment has failed to deter crime. â⬠¢Ã à à à à Inconsistent: Any punishment can be an effective deterrent only if it is consistently and promptly employed. The death penalty cannot be administered to meet these conditions as it is never consistent or employed correctly. Only a small proportion of first-degree murderers are sentenced to death, and even fewer are executed. The death penalty fails to deter because it is an inconsistent punishment, which permits offenders to believe that the punishment will not be applied. â⬠¢Ã à à à à Premeditated: Persons who commit murder and other crimes of personal violence either premeditate them or they do not. If the crime is premeditated, the criminal ordinarily concentrates on escaping detection, arrest, and conviction. The threat of even the severest punishment will not deter those who expect to...
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The Russian Revolution, c. 1910 – 1924, Sources Question
1) This question is about Russia before 1914. Look carefully at sources (A) to (F) and then answer questions (a) to (d) below. a) Study source A. What can you learn from source A about the situation in Russia before 1914? From source A we can learn that the situation in Russia before 1914 was very alarming. Strikes went up from 2000 in 1912 to 4000 in 1914. Some strikers demanded trade union rights and more and more people were becoming involved with fights with the government. 270 miners were shot dead during the strikes in Lena goldfields. b) Study sources A, B and C. i) Does source C support the evidence of sources A and B about the situation in Russia before 1914? Explain your answer. Source C supports the evidence of source A by saying that there was an increase of tension. This is shown in source a by the increasing amount of strikes and the fact that many people had been shot during the Lena goldfield massacre. Source C also supports source A because it shows that more and more people were involved in fights with the government, as source C says, ââ¬ËPeople can be heard speaking of the government in the sharpest of tones.' Source C supports the evidence of source B because the number of strikes and strikers in factories increased during 1910 and 1914, again, as source C says, ââ¬ËPeople can be heard speaking of the government in the sharpest of tones.' ii) Why were there many strikers in Russia in the years 1910-1914? Use sources A, B and C, and your own knowledge, to explain your answer. There were there many strikers in Russia in the years 1910-1914 because people were firstly becoming less scared of the Okhrana, so they were not very afraid to voice their opinion. A lot of people may not have liked how the government was running Russia; the only way they would be heard would have been through a strike. More people were also coming together, as most of them worked in horrible working conditions, with very little pay, long hours and a disturbing working environment, they must have decided to go on strike. Sales of vodka, food and fuel dropped drastically, this may have also cased many strikes as many people would have needed the money from these sales. Also, from source B we see that in 1910 the number of strikers in factories was 222, in 1914 the number of strikers in factories was 3534. The increase in strikers in factories from 1910 to 1914 may have been caused by the increased size of the factories. The factories must have employed more people thought 1910 and 19 14, so the number of strikers must obviously increase. C) Study sources D and E. How useful are sources D and E as evidence of support for the Russian monarchy? Source D: Source D shows that the ordinary people of Russia supported the Tsar wherever he went, although the public may have been doing this so the Tsar and his people will not give them a hard time, it was dangerous for the public to express their true feelings. The support shown was only a small percentage of the population, it was emotional support. The country saw the monarchy as a religion, so they have always been told to worship it. Source D is a reliable source because firstly the writer is the Tsar's sister, she was an eyewitness. Secondly, she was writing in her private diary, there would be no reason for her to lie or exaggerate anything. Also, she would have written about these events a night (after they had happened) and so she may have only been picking out the good bits and forgetting the bad bits. Source E: Source E is useful in showing support for the Russian monarchy. It shows that faith in the government is decreasing and that a revolution is becoming more likely. The writer of this source, Alexander Guchkov was the leader of the Octobrists, a party basically loyal to the Tsar and his government. If the leader of a loyal party to the Tsar and his government saw and said that faith in the government was decreasing and revolution was very likely, then it would have been true. Source E's writer, Alexander Guchkov is a more objective person than the writer of source D, the Tsar's sister who was sheltered in Russian courts and biased in the Tsar's favor. d) Study all the sources. ââ¬ËThere was widespread support in Russia for the Tsar before 1914.' Use the sources, and your own knowledge, to explain whether you agree with this view. Sources A and B show that there was an increase in strikes and strikes in factories during 1910 to 1914. However, it gives a limited answer to the statement above as it mainly looks at the industrial sector. Sources C and E show that even a reporter of the Okhrana and a leader of the Octobrists (both loyal parties to the Tsar) think that the support for the Tsar is decreasing. This makes a revolution more and more likely. Sources D and F show that many people came out to see the Tsar, however, they may have done this out of curiosity as the Tsar would have been something to see, not because they supported the Tsar. They also may have come out to see the Tsar because they were scared that if they did not come out to see and appear to be supporting the Tsar, they might get into trouble with the government. Sometimes people feel loyalty to the institution, but the may not like how the government was running the country, a lot of people would have been in this possession during this time. I do not think there was widespread support in Russia for the Tsar before 1914. This is because as sources D and F shows that the ordinary people of Russia appeared supported the Tsar wherever he went, although I think that the public may have been doing this so the Tsar and his people will not give them a hard time, I believe that it was dangerous for the public to express their true feelings. Sources D and E also only a small percentage of the population of Russia, it cannot be mistaken for the majority of the Russian population. The Tsar also failed to face the peasants, poverty and workers. As the 3 categories were fitted by most of Russia's population, the Tsar was not very popular. The Tsar mainly supported the rich landowning class that was a very small percentage of the Russian population who did not need the Tsar very much. The people who needed the Tsar were the poor peasants with large hungry families (most of the Russian population), however the Tsar did not help them. This made a lot of people not to want to support the Tsar as he did not help the people in need. The Tsar was a autocratic ruler, this meant that he had complete and absolute power of Russia. A lot of people would not have liked this so the would not have really supported the Tsar.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Explain the Role of the First World War in the Decline and Fall of the Romanov Dynasty
Explain the role of the First World War in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty The role of the first world in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty has been contended debated. Russiaââ¬â¢s lack of resources and preparation can be seen to attribute to the fall of the dynasty as lack of items such as bread and coal ked to contention amongst Russiaââ¬â¢s people. Also contributing was Tsar Nicholas IIââ¬â¢s lack of military experience and ability to use military force to crush the civilian protests that were occurring in Petrograd, Russiaââ¬â¢s capital city. The generals of the military along with the Duma used the protests to their advantage to force the abdication of the Tsar and strengthen Russiaââ¬â¢sââ¬â¢ war effort. However, Russiaââ¬â¢s turbulent past of political and social turmoil also contributed to the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. The lack of preparation on Russiaââ¬â¢s behalf before the First World War began was an integral factor leading to the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. For a war on a large scale, that being the First World War Russiaââ¬â¢s lack of preparation severely crippled its efforts in the war with as many of 1 million of its soldiers departing for the eastern front without necessities such as Rifles or boots. In the circumstances when soldiers were equipped with weapons they were often stuck without the necessary ammunition to fire them, this would foreshadow the humiliating losses Russia would suffer in the months to come with battles such as Tannenburg costing the Russian army as many as 230,000 dead soldiers and many more captured by the forces of the Kaiser. Russiaââ¬â¢s second army under the command of General Rennenkampf executed a retreat after the demise of the other half of Russian forces and whilst this was skilful 1. million men met death on the eastern front, if not from the enemy then the crippling lack of food and starvation that faced most soldiers of the Russian army. The news of these defeats did not fall on deaf ears back in the cities of Russia causing great discontent amongst the proletariat and intelligentsia alike, Russia already had a poor war records with a humiliation during the Crimean war at the hands of the Turkish and the recent Russo-Japanese war in 1905 b oth disgraceful defeats on Russiaââ¬â¢s behalf. With news now that these losses were being bettered on the eastern front it caused a questioning of Russiaââ¬â¢s autocracy, the Dynasty of the Romanov family. The liberal school of thought on the fall of the Romanovs greatly highlights the significance of the First World War on the fall of the autocracy and believe if the war was averted so to would be the fall of the Romanovs. Therefore it can be safely asserted that the liberal school of thought elucidates that the lack of preparation by Russia in response to the First World War contributed greatly to the eclectic nature of the Romanov Dynasty and its eventual decline and fall. The lack of military experience by Tsar Nicholas II as well as the disobedience of the Russian military is more or less of significant importance to the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. From an early age Nikolay Alexandrovich Romanov was not groomed to be a traditional Tsar, his father Alexander III saw his son as a weak link to the Dynasty and unfit to rule because of his weak personality and mind, those of the liberal school of thought agree entirely with this stating ââ¬Å"the weakness in the character of Nicholasâ⬠¦ ontributing to the fall of the Romanov Dynasty. â⬠With little to no training in being the supreme autocrat of Russia it is a wonder that Tsar Nicholas thought it wise to personally take the role of the commader in chief with no military experience as well, for the Russian people this was a risky move seeing as how the last war Nicholas had spear-headed led to a loss of hundreds of kilometres of trans-siberian railway and the colony of Korea in the R usso-Japanese war. Thus upon the start of the First World War despite a surge of patriotism from the Russian people when the Russian Army performed consistently badly Tsar Nicholas was seen to be the cause. Already being investigated as a potential spy due to his marriage to the tsarina who hailed from Germany , the poor performance of Russia during the World War which was under Tsar Nicholasââ¬â¢ command is seen by the Liberal School as crippling to the intergrity and upkeep of Russiasââ¬â¢ Autocracy and the Dynasty of the Romanov Family. Worse still was Nicholasââ¬â¢ leadership of Russia during the time of the war, being unable to disband civilian riots in the capital of Petrograd and by refusing offers from the Duma at first during the February/March revolution secured his abdication which was forced upon him by the military and the Duma cementing the lack of loyalty Nicholasââ¬â¢ cabinet had to him as a result of his poor leadership and military inexperience, which can be attributed to the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. Furthermore the civilian protests in Russia as a reaction to the catalyst of the First World War were yet another reason as to the fall of the Romanov Family and their dynasty. Russias history of disgruntled peasants and proletariat provides a bleak foreshadow to the reaction the general public had towards the poor performance Russia turned in during the First World War and the lack of necessities such as food and coal that they had to fore-go due to poor preparation. It cannot be denied the crucial role that civilian riots had in the fall of the Romanov Dynasty, these riots can be traced to the 23rd of February 1917 as an English woman named Sybil Grey described the riots start as ââ¬Å"a poor woman entered a bread shopâ⬠¦ and asked for bread. She was told there was none. On leaving the shop, seeing bread in the window she broke the window and took it. This simple act of taking bread was the turning point in civilian protests and the birth itself of the Russian Revolution, soon the streets of Petrograd were littered with protestors and the Duma refused the Tsarââ¬â¢s orders to disband the protests via the military, many of whom defected to the protestors to avoid being sent to the Eastern front. The food supplies in most cities were dire and the Russian economy was inflated to the point that most farmers refused to sell their wares in exchange for money. Prominent Russian industry such as the Pulitov Steelworks also closed due to a lack of finance and raw materials meaning 90,000 proletariat now had no jobs and no direction in society, which inevitably leads to protesting. Therefore it can be easily drawn that the protests that occurred with the civilians in Russia played an integral role in the decline and fall of teh Romanov Dynasty. Moreover Russiaââ¬â¢s parliament, the Duma in conjunction with the Russian military officials many of whom were related to Tsar Nicholas himself used the First World War as a medium to force the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and attempt to govern Russia as a democracy. After the events of bloody Sunday in 1905 Tsar Nicholas II faced a dilemma, millions of Russians crying for change and challenging his power and the power of the autocracy. It was in these circumstances the ââ¬ËOctober Manifestoââ¬â¢ was issued to the people in hopes of tying down threats of insurrection amongst the people, the manifesto granted Russia a parliament that was so closely linked with the Tsar it had no purpose essentially. However, during the failures that followed Nicholas in the First World War the Duma was essentially in power in the capital city of Petrograd with the Tsar stranded at a military base in Tsarkoe Selo, finally reaching the peak of insurrection the Duma with the support of the Tsarââ¬â¢s trusted generals established a provisional government that attempted to repair the damage the war and Nicholas had caused. To the tsar this was an ct of insubordination and military force was demanded to shut the Duma down, this was not the case. The military had lost faith in Nicholas, fearing he was disadvantaging Russia in their efforts against germany, it was then clear what must be done; under desperation from the war and the people the Duma and the military requested Tsar Nicholas abdicate his power from the throne, in its stead would be a government running on elections in replica of England. Another role the Duma played was their facilitation in the civilian riots occurring with some Cossacks, guards supposedly loyal to the tsar assuring protestors ââ¬Å"donââ¬â¢t worry we wonââ¬â¢t shoot youâ⬠and the guard of the royal family abandoning their posts. The quintessential role then of the Duma and Military as a result of the first world war in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty cannot be denied. However, when studying the decline and fall of the Romanov dynasty other schools of thought have differing opinions as to the significance of the War in the fall of the Romanovs. The revisionist school argues that the pre-existing and unresolved issues of Russiaââ¬â¢s past greatly contributed to the decline and fall of the Romanov dynasty. Historian Sheila Fitzpatrick believes that even prior to the war Russia was in an unstable place, both socially and politically as she states ââ¬Å"The autocracyââ¬â¢s situation was precarious on the eve of the First World War. Issues such as the massacre of bloody Sunday were still contemporary issues for the Tsar and the autocracy, with labels such as ââ¬ËBloody Nicholasââ¬â¢ becoming household names, the activities of various revolutionary groups such as Vladimir Leninââ¬â¢s Bolshevik party and the opposing Mensheviks of Leon Trotsky whilst fore-runners for change in Russian society both set a precarious scene during 20th century Russia, often trying to ignite crowds or events into protests or revolutions. These often took the form of Assassinations with targets including Prime Minister Petr Stolypin often upsetting the established order and descending society into complete chaos. It can be seen then that the revisionists make a strong argument as to why the Romanovs would have fallen even in the absence of the First World War. The contention does not rest there though, the living conditions of a vast majority of Russian society was also believed to be a contributing factor as to the decline and fall of the Romanovs, during the industrial revolution the conditions faced by the new class; ââ¬Ëthe proletariatââ¬â¢ or workers were seen to be inhumane, they were cramped into mall living areas, malnourished, exposed to dangerous work, shot at and payed incredibly poor amounts of money to ensure this cycle continued, they also made up over 90% of Russiaââ¬â¢s population. It is easy to see then that a large amount of society exposed to these conditions for the betterment of others would eventually lead to a revolution en mass which is what revisionists, amongst other things believe would have been equally if not more significant than the First World War in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty. All in all despite contention the role of the First World War in the decline and fall of the Romanov Dynasty can be seen as pivotal to some as Russiaââ¬â¢s lack of preparation, poor leadership, riots and leaders were all influenced by the great war but is debated amongst others due to other factors such as; conditions faced by the working class, the autcracys weakened position and revolutionary groups.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Automobile Industry of Pakistan â⬠an Overview Essay
The automotive industry rightly prides itself on being recognized as the ââ¬Å"mother of all industries. â⬠In its folds it carries many different kinds of vehicles to provide mobility to people and goods. While they may appear to be simple machines, their design and manufacturing have much deeper roots in all the known technologies. In-depth knowledge and skillful application of mechanical, electrical, electronics, chemical and a host of other technologies culminate in achievement and improvement of the manufacturing base of a country, by focusing on a single product ââ¬Å"the automobile. â⬠This then provides an opportunity to produce a large number of goods and services for consumption of the entire international community. Use of the word ââ¬Å"motherâ⬠for automotive industry is therefore the most appropriate description to define the nature and importance of the industry. In recent years, we have witnessed that the industrialization of South East Asian countries greatly depend on the development of their automotive industry. Similarly, automotive industry acted as a catalyst in the overall growth of the industry in Japan and Koreas and the consequent wellbeing of their citizens. It is indeed heartening that the mother has once again smiled at Pakistan. Fortunately the last 3 years have witnessed phenomenal growth in the industry in terms of technological advancements and production/sale volumes with the local contents rising as high as 90%. The industry is already employing 120,000 people, contributing more than 12 billion rupees to GDP, contributing more than Rs. 30 billion to the national exchequer in terms of duties and taxes, attracted investment worth Rs. 52 billion including a substantial foreign investment. Today the customers have choice to pick from a wide range of products including motorcycles, trucks, buses and cars of premier Japanese and Korean brands at internationally competitive prices which has only become possible due to local contents and availability of highly productive and inexpensive human resources. An automobile has over 2000 components and parts out of which the assemblers usually concentrate on the manufacturing of small but critical parts while the remaining parts are supplied by the vendors and the subcontractors. In Pakistan the automobile component manufacturing industry consists of mainly units producing original components for assembly under delegation program and units producing reconditioned and original components for local use. These units are in three types which include the original equipment manufacturers, independent equipment manufacturers and the ancillary (auxiliary) industry producing small parts and non-automotive items. There are more than 800 vendors in the country with a total investment of over Rs.8 billion; they are engaged in the manufacturing of original components for the assembly operation under the delegation program as well as producing reconditioned and original components for sale in the local market. They manufacture and supply the local car assemblers with auto parts such as pistons, engine valves, gaskets, camshafts, shock-absorbers, struts, steering mechanism, cylinder heads, wheel hubs, brake drums, wheels, bumpers, instruments and instrument panels, gears of all types, radiators, cylinder liners, blinkers, lights, doors and door locks as well as auto air conditioners. Critics say that the local vendor industry though still in the process of development, have not achieved the delegation targets by producing low quality components which are not acceptable by the local assemblers, it is said that the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories ââ¬â which represents the auto parts manufacturers ââ¬â have not in a way been fully able to contribute its share to the development of this sector. The vendors on their part however put the blame on the policy makers and partly on the assemblers who have not been encouraging the local vendors as such. On the other hand it is said that the foreign car principals have no justification for their complaints because of the level of their participation in the local vendor industry. Hino trucks, as it was pointed out, have started manufacturing wheel drums locally while Suzuki is still complaining about the quality of silencer it received from the local vendors. In the world trade, Automobile Sector is one of the largest segments. It is the major driver of economic growth and business activities in a country. It puts multiplier impacts on the economy. Day-in, day-out around 200,000 vehicles roll off the worldââ¬â¢s assembly lines with car as the dominant segment of the industry. Evolution of Automobile Industry in Pakistan Automotive industry in Pakistan started in the 1950 and has gone through different phases from being a private sector industry in 1950 ââ¬â 60s, and becoming a government controlled industry in the 1970s ââ¬â thanks to Mr. Bhuttoââ¬â¢s Nationalization policy, and then reverting back to the private sector from 1980 onward. Currently in Pakistan we have a total of 67 Automobile Manufacturing Units (A. M. U) which include: o7 Car A. M. Us o7 Light Commercial Vehicle A. M. Us o2 Jeep A. M. Us o5 Truck and Bus A. M. Us o4 Tractor A. M. Us o42 Motorcycle A. M. Us There are approximately 400 vendors doing businesses in the automobile sector. All the Automobile Manufacturing Units in Pakistan are operating under agreement and licensing from countries like Japan, Korea, China and some from the European Union. Pakistanââ¬â¢s automobile sector has been registering high growth rates for the last four to five years due to the countryââ¬â¢s business friendly policies along with lower tariff rates, persistent growth in GDP, and per capita income. Globally considered as the mother of all industries, the automobile industry in Pakistan is fast evolving as a robust industry. Some sub-sectors of this fast growing industry, like motorcycle production, have already achieved economies of scale. The level of motorization in the country has also been rising over the years. In 1998-99, it was three cars per 1000 persons, which has significantly increased to 11 cars per 1000 persons in year 2005-06. The indigenous growth in production of motorcycles increased by 25 per cent during year 2005-06, reaching to an all-time high of 520,124 as compared to 106,797 units in the year 1996-97, which accounts for around 380 per cent increase in motorcycle production during the last nine years. Similarly the production of trucks as well as that of buses also saw sufficient increase during the last 10 years. Some 2,994 units of trucks were being produced in the country in 1995-96 which, over the years, have increased to 4,518 units, recording 51 per cent increase in production. In the case of buses, the rise in production is more pronounced as compared to that of trucks as their production augmented by around 74 per cent during the last decade or so. The industry has achieved a phenomenal growth of 50. 2 percent in Fiscal Year 2004-05 and increased competition has led to the introduction of innovative products as well as a decline in financing costs. Compared with Pakistan, India has a strong engineering base and has successfully created a sizable capacity for production of vehicles. It enjoys a clear edge over Pakistan in the automobile sector. Indian auto companies are highly cost competitive due to appropriate levels of automation and low cost automation and have achieved a high level of productivity by embracing Japanese concepts and best practices. India is already the second largest two wheeler manufacturer, second largest tractor manufacturer, and fifth largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the world and has the fourth largest car market in Asia. The automobile industry in India is now gradually evolving to replicate those of developed countries. Pakistan can import automotive components and spare parts from India at a lower price as presently these items are being imported from the Far East at higher prices. On the other hand, India is expected to benefit from free trade due to its low raw material, electric and labor costs. The two segments of the industry namely; Car and Motorcycles have shown remarkable growth over the last five years. The growth in domestic market of cars has risen from 40,601 in year 2001-02 to 126,817 in year 2004-05, which is expected to cross 150,000 units during year 2005-06. This growth is attributed mainly by car financing schemes, improved liquidity position of certain class as a result of economic growth indicators and other monetary measures. The motorcycles have also shown marvelous growth due to new entrants. The new entrants with fair competition have brought about the availability of cheaper vehicles in the domestic market. Vendor Industry This industry has the potential for development of entire engineering sector. Development of vendor industries in return assures transfer of technologies in nearly all spheres of engineering, specifically, metallurgy, plastics and glass. Technology exists for major engine, suspension and transmission components but due to limited market, prospective entrepreneurs shy away from investment. Over 400 vendors are engaged in the production of auto parts locally including tires, sheet metal parts, mirrors, gaskets, engine valves, camshafts, oil pump gears, pistons, radiators, seats, dashboard, and axles. The Beginning of Pakistanââ¬â¢s Automobile Industry When Pakistan came appeared on the map of the world, there were neither any automobile assembly plants nor were any industrial capabilities available for this sector. However, the development of this industrial sector started soon after the independence. Peace in the country and development planning by government resulted in increased economic growth that sequentially laid the foundation of industry. First Period 1950 ââ¬â 1964 (Start from the Scratch) First serious effort by government to develop the industry and engineering sector in particularly was observed in 1950s when a six-year plan (First Development Plan) was drafted to guide government investment in developing the infrastructure. For auto industry, to overcome the initial difficulties, the government, besides developing infrastructural facilities established the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) in 1950. The main objective of PIDC was to play the pioneering role of establishing such industries which the private enterprise was unable to undertake either because they were technologically complex, needed large capital, or were less profitable. These steps resulted in growth of the industrial sector recording 56. 62 % growth of the manufacturing sector from year 1949 to 1955. Investment in the automobile industry in Pakistan started in the mid 1950ââ¬â¢s when Kandawalla Industries established its units for assembling buses and trucks, the companyââ¬â¢s name was later changed to NayaDaur Motors. National Motors took the indigenization when it came out in the 1960ââ¬â¢s and was said to have reached above 80% delegation of the Bedford lorries and trucks before it closed down. Kandawalla Motors on its part came up with ââ¬ËNishanââ¬â¢ , a jeep copied on the pattern of Willeys Jeep of USA by the Pakistan Army, it was said that the project was successful but was killed before the commercial production could begin. It may be worth mentioning here that the same blueprint is said to still be in use in Iran till today but under their own brand name. Second Period 1964 ââ¬â 1972 (Progressive Manufacturing) Potential of the industry and high demand of the products attracted new entrants whereas the existing players started producing in mass quantities. This mass production that started in 1964 resulted in the first ever period of progressive manufacturing in the history of Pakistan. The idea of progressive manufacturing was first mooted by the Ghandhara Industries and Mack Trucks. The idea was to start local manufacturing with simple and non-functional parts and to add more and more complicated parts in small steps. According to the planning then done 100% local manufacturing was to be achieved in seven to ten years. Unfortunately, this period did not last long as the projects undertaken proved to be over ambitious that eventually failed. Clearly the concept of progressive manufacturing has not added much to technology, self-reliance or economy. For example, as against the targets set of manufacturing 100% of local contents in maximum 10 years, actually achieved delegation in eighteen years is 45. 78% for trucks & buses, 43. 17% for trucks & buses engines, 16. 50% for 4Ãâ"4 jeeps and zero percent for cars. Furthermore, no new units for manufacturing passenger cars, 4Ãâ"4 vehicles, LCVs, buses and trucks were established under this concept, but still few new units for producing tractors, jeeps and specialized vehicle were established. New units established were Atlas Honda, Khawaja Autos, Rana Tractors, Jaffar Industries, and Bela Engineers. A more market oriented approach was adapted by Honda motorcycles and Vespa scooters during this period, as they introduced light motorcycles for the first time in a market dominated by heavy motor bikes like BSA, Triumph and Lamberetta scooters. Third Period 1973 ââ¬â 1987 (Nationalization of Industries) Following the progressive manufacturing period, nationalization of industries under Economic Reforms order had a profound impact on automobile industry in Pakistan. In early 1972 under Martial Law Regulation, the Government took over the control of 32 industrial units, including eight automobile plants, under the officially appointed Board of Industrial Management with the Minister for Production as its Chairman. The units taken over by the Government were iron and steel, heavy engineering, heavy chemicals, assembly and manufacturers of motor vehicles. The companies gone under nationalization included: oWazir Ali Engineering oSind Engineering oHyesons Mack Trucks oAli Autos oAwami Autos oRana Tractors oMillat Tractors oHaroonInd/Karachi Autos oRepublic Motors oJaffer Trailer Developers oGhandhara National Motors oKandawala Industries oNayaDaur Initially, the management of these industries was taken over by the government, but in August 1973, the President promulgated the Economic Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance after which the Federal Government acquired majority ownership of shares of these industrial units. After nationalization, these units were renamed, their functions were redefined, and Pakistan Automobile Corporation (PACO) was created in 1973 as a holding corporation under the administrative control of the Federal Ministry of Production. Formation of PACO In order to manage the automobile units and to advise the Government (in developing policy guidelines for growth and development of auto industry), Pakistan Automobile Corporation (PACO) was formed in 1973 under the administrative control of the Federal Ministry of Production. It was a major public industrial conglomerate of 15 companies including four joint ventures. For the first time in Pakistan emphasis was given to develop the nationalized units under local manufacturing facilities and the development of parts in an organized manner and the system of standardization, regulations and monitoring was established. This required the industry to assemble from Complete Knock Down (CKD) and then go on to manufacture components and to achieve a local content of 75% over a five year period. A number of small and large industrial units that were mostly functioning in the unorganized sector were channelized into a more formal pattern of production management under the PACO control. The direction for achieving quality standards as laid down by the ââ¬Å"Principalsâ⬠was also established. The MOI was entrusted the responsibility of allowing any waiver for non-performance, and was applicable if CBR also concurred. Performance under Government Control According to the government resources, the nationalized industries made progress on a wide front. During the year 1973-74, large scale manufacturing sector achieved a growth rate of 7% as compared to 11. 8% achieved during year 1972-73. The performance of automobile and farm equipment group was the best with production recording an increase of 78. 6%, followed by chemicals (30%) and steel and engineering (15. 1%). It can be observed that number of units in almost all areas of automobiles developed in this phase. The distinctive feature of after nationalization period is the assembly of Suzuki range of vehicles (Cars, Pick-up, Vans and Jeeps) and Isuzu Trucks & Buses in the public sector. Awami Autos signed a Joint Venture Agreement with Suzuki Motor Co. of Japan and a new company by the Name of Pak Suzuki Motor Co. Ltd was established in 1982 to produce Suzuki range of vehicles at the existing facilities of Awami Autos. PACO also established two units in the public sector namely Baluchistan Wheels and Bolan castings. The performance of PIDC was also excellent under the nationalization reform and it also contributed towards the progressive manufacturing. The performance of PIDC can be evaluated from the fact that by the end of December 1973, PIDC was successful in completing 62 projects at a capital cost of Rs 1,242. 6 million. In March 1974, 16 industrial projects were transferred to the respective 12 corporations set up by the Federal Government. Including in these projects were Pakistan Machine Tool Factory, Heavy Mechanical Complex and Heavy Foundry and Forge Projects. Subsequently, the remaining 10 projects under the PIDCââ¬â¢s control were also transferred to the Mineral Development Corporation. During the year 1972-73, the PIDC-managed projects and companies produced goods worth Rs. 470. 5 million as compared to Rs. 446. 6 million in 1971-72. Fourth Period 1987-95 (Privatization on Industries) The policy of de-nationalizing public sector units was adopted once the change in government took place. Privatization brought in foreign companies. This resulted in a number of joint ventures. Due to these ventures, Pakistan auto industry entered into assembly/progressive manufacturing of passenger cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles. Once the new management of cars and motorcycle assemblers took over the control they entered into joint ventures with foreign companies mostly Japanese, for further development. Most important joint venture that took place was of Atlas with Honda and Indus Motor with Toyota. Similarly, NayaDaur which after discontinuation of AMC-Jeep franchise had become a mere vendor to Pak Suzuki (assembling Suzuki Jeeps) was sold to Tawakal group. Under the Government de-nationalization policy NayaDaur entered into Joint Venture with Kia Motors of Korea and started assembling Kia Ceres Pickups and Kia Pride Cars. The process of privatization is still on and fortunately every government has adopted the policy of privatization and opening of the markets to foreign investment. Although, process is on but still many object that this process is not crystal clear and has many short comings. Major Players in Pakistanââ¬â¢s Automobile Industry oPak Suzuki Company Ltd. oSuzuki Motorcycles Pakistan Ltd. oAtlas Honda Ltd. oIndus Motors Compay Ltd. oDewan Farooque Motors Ltd. oDawood Yamaha Ltd. oSigma Motors (Pvt. ) Ltd. oHinoPak Motors Ltd. oGhandhara Industries Ltd. oSind Engineering Ltd. oVPL Limited. oMaster Motor Corporation Ltd. oAl-Ghazi Tractors Ltd. oMillat Tractors Ltd.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Jane Austen’s Novels Plot-Construction
In contrast to the simplicity of her style, Jane Austen's plots are unexpectedly complex. She is not content to simply draw two or three characters in isolation. She prefers a family, with their many friends and acquaintances and she tries within her limited range to make things as difficult as possible. SETTINGS OF HER NOVELS Jane Austen's field of study is man. She is, therefore, more preoccupied with human nature than nature in the nineteenth century usage of the word. The background and the scenery of the provincial town is rich in its beauty and grandeur. But there is no attempt to look into the spirit of this country. Thus although, she has some sense of locality yet she does not paint an English community like the other writers of her time. She rather avoids those very elements of the population in which the local flavour, the breath of the soil is most pronounced. She is further incapable of evoking a scene or a landscape and cannot conjure up the spirit of Bath as Emile Bronte could conjure up the spirit of the Moorlands or Hardy that of Wessex. All this, one may say, would be fatal to her dramatic quality of construction. In all her novels, we see only a limited range of human society. Most of her characters are the kind of people she knew intimately, the landed gentry, the upper class, the lower edge of the nobility, the lower clergy, the officer corps of the military. Her novels exclude the lower classes-both the industrial masses of the big cities and the agricultural labourers in the countryside. Three or four families in the country village is the very thing to work on. She does not show any of the great agonies or darker side of human experience. There is no hunger, poverty, misery or terrible vices and very little of the spiritual sphere of experience. Nor do we see any political dimension or even discussions regarding major political happenings in any of her novels. Nature too, is rarely described and her characters are usually presented indoors with an occasional expedition or picnic thrown in. According to Andrew H. Wright, the novels of Jane Austen can be considered on three levels of meaning: first, the purely local-illustrative of country life among the upper middle-classes at the end of eighteenth century in Southern England. Second, they can be taken as broad allegories in which Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and a number of other virtues and defects are set forth in narrative form and commented on in this way. Third is the ironic level whereby the incidents, situations and characters in a novel imply something more than what they seem. PLOT-CONSTRUCTION IN SENSE AND SENSIBILITY It is one of Austen's simplest novels. The story deals with two sisters Elinor -the heroine represents a woman of sense, while Marianne, her foolish foil represents a woman of sensibility. The first volume of the book has a symmetrical pattern and a clear parallel is drawn between the two romances-Edward Ferrars and Elinor, John Willoughby and Marianne. True to Elinor's cool, sensible nature the relationship between Edward Farrar's is conducted on the level of the mind, with both displaying hardly an emotion. The theme of sense is thus exemplified through their relationship. On the other hand Willoughby who enters Marianne's life as a true romantic hero having carried her home when she sprained her ankle, exemplifies the theme of sensibility in his relationship with Marianne. While the moral seems to illustrate the superiority of sense over sensibility there is an ironic twist in the plot whereby Elinor and Marianne virtually interchange their positions PLOT-CONSTRUCTION IN EMMA The plot of Emma can be said to have an ââ¬Ëinward' and an ââ¬Ëoutward' movement. The inward deal with Emma's self-deception- with what she thinks is happening while the outward deals with what actually is happening and this brings to light her mistakes. It is through a series of humiliations and self reproach that Emma finally awakens to self-knowledge. The reader's enjoyment stems from an awareness that Emma is wrong. From chapter 1 to 15, Emma thinks that Mr. Elton is in love with Harriet only to discover to her horror that Elton loves her. From chapter 18 to 30, Emma thinks herself to be in love with Frank and Jane Fairfax to be associated with Mr. Dixon. From chapter 31 to 46, Emma is convinced that Harriet and Frank Churchill are interested in one another. Towards the end of the novel, from chapter 46, Emma's theories about Frank and Harriet are about Jane Faifax and Dixon are destroyed and she has to face the possibility of Mr. Knightley being in love with Harriet. It is only after Knightley's proposals in the shrubbery that ââ¬Å"what is happeningâ⬠and ââ¬Å"what Emma thinks is happeningâ⬠converge and Emma's progress from self-delusion to knowledge is complete. By analyzing the plots of ââ¬ËSense and Sensibility', ââ¬ËEmma' and ââ¬ËPride and Prejudice', we observe that Austen's theme-her subject matter revolves round courtship and marriage in each of her novels. By the time we have reached the end of any of her novels, not only the hero and heroine but most of the other people in the story have succeeded in pairing off in marriage. And it is from the courtship of the hero and heroine that the story derives much of their tension. PLOT-CONSTRUCTION IN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE The main plot of Pride and Prejudice presents the story of the misunderstanding, estrangement and union in the lives of two people-Elizabeth and Darcy. The novel begins with the flutter and eager expectation in the Bennet family at the arrival of the young ââ¬Å"single man of large fortuneâ⬠, Mr. Charles Bingley. The sub-plot of the Jane-Bingley relationship attracts greater interest for some time. They meet at a ball, are attracted towards each other and their intimacy grows through dinner-parties, balls, etc. All this while, however, the events of the main plot also gather interest. Darcy and Elizabeth are present at the same ball. Darcy is looked at with great admiration for about half the evening and is soon ââ¬Ëdiscovered to be proud', and when Bingley persuades him to dance with Elizabeth, he says that she is ââ¬Ëtolerable' but not handsome enough to tempt him. Elizabeth developed ââ¬Ëno very cordial feelings towards him'. This prejudice forms in the very first m eeting and is intensified by various other factors. Miss Caroline Bingley's designs on Darcy and her efforts to reprobate Elizabeth during her stay at Netherfield are so persistent that inspite of his being attracted by Elizabeth's pair of fine eyes, he realizes that it is dangerous to pay too much attention to Elizabeth and observes a studied reticence. Mrs. Bennet's silly remarks, Mary's all too quick consent to sing at a party, Mr. Collin's sycophancy, Mr. Bennet's want of propriety and Lydia's shallownessââ¬âinfact everything that the Bennet family did is enough to alienate anybody and Darcy's poor opinion of the whole set urges him to avoid closer connections with Elizabeth. When Elizabeth meets Wickham, his winning manners grow on her good-will, and the altogether false reports of his victimization by Darcy intensify her prejudice far too much. Later, when she naturally suspects that Darcy plays a prominent part in ruining the prospects of her sister's marriage with Bingley, she feels an almost irrevocably strong prejudice a gainst him. From chapter 3 to 33, the prejudice grows in better strength and so when Darcy proposes to her, she bluntly rejects him. In reply to his enquiry about why she refused, she lays the charges at his door without any apology. The first stage in the history of their relationship is convincingly developed. Chapters 35 and 36 mark the climax in this development. Darcy's letter to her marks the beginning of the second stage. Every event occurring subsequent to this helps to reverse Elizabeth's conception of him, undo all the knots of prejudice and reveal the sterling qualities that he possesses. Even at the end of the first stage, his repulsive pride completely dominates all his thought and action, but the citadel staggers at the first rude shock Elizabeth gives him. ââ¬ËShe showed him how insufficient were all his pretentions to please a woman worthy of being pleased', and even though he was angry at first, he soon realized that the lesson she taught was ââ¬Ëhard indeed at first but most advantageous'. When they met most unexpectedly at Pemberley, he ââ¬Ëshowed her by every civility in his power that he hoped to obtain her forgiveness and lessen her ill opinion, ââ¬ËDarcy's excessive pride is dec reased and Elizabeth becomes proportionately less prejudiced. Many events in the second stage quicken this cleansing process. Even in the offending remarks about her family there is an admission that Elizabeth could inspire in Darcy a strong feeling of love capable of overcoming his strong scruple of family pride; and her vanity is touched. Darcy's narration in the letter makes it clear to her that if he found Jane's behavior ââ¬Ëwithout any symptom of peculiar regard for Bingley', it was a pardonable, even justifiable, error of judgment and the motives were certainly unchallengeable. The baselessness of her violent charge of ruining Wickham's career becomes all clear to her. Colonel Fitzwilliam's report about him is also creditable to Darcy. All these events make her conscious that she had acted despicably and that her certainty about her discernment was most unjustifiable. Her visit to Pemberley brings another surprise. His housekeeper, Mrs. Reynold's, is genuinely proud of Darcy, who is ââ¬Ëthe best landlord and the best master', ââ¬Ëaffable to the poor', ââ¬Ëan entirely good brother': and she is sure to know better. Darcy's unexpected meeting at Pemberley is still more effective: he impresses her aunt and uncle by his excellent manners, and Elizabeth has to admit that her prejudice was ill founded. Finally, Darcy's most invaluable help in the eprisode of Lydia's elopement with Wickham sweeps off all her objections. And so when Darcy's second, and most polite proposal is made, her attitude has changed as much as his. The first minor eprisode is the Jane-Bingley relationship. It can be treated as an independent event, but Jane Austen has woven it well with the main theme. Jane and Elizabeth are sisters who share each other's secrets, hopes and fears and it is the simplest connection. But on the strength of Darcy's regard, Bingley has the firmest reliance, and of his judgment the highest opinion, and so when Darcy suspected that Jane did not love Bingley as fervently as Bingley loved her, and found that her family had all vulgar manners and shallow tastes, he ââ¬Ëreadily engaged in the office of pointing out to him the certain evils of such a choice'. This was one of the very important reasons of Elizabeth's strong prejudice, and thus it is connected with the main theme. The Wickham-Lydia eprisode and the Collins-Charolette relationship is equally well connected with it. While Elizabeth has developed a prejudice against Darcy, she is strongly attracted towards Wickhamââ¬â and it is very long before she knows what his real character is. One of the two strong charges she levels against Darcy is the ruining of Wickham's prospects. Darcy reveals the truth to her later, but because of her silence on this point, she cannot stop her sister's elopement and the slander on her family. It is this catastrophe, however, that brings Darcy closest to her because it is his love for her that he finds out the fugitives and makes a successful effort to bring about a marriage between Lydia and Wickham, neglecting the thought of the loss to him. Mr. Collins proposes to her, and later marries her best friend Charolette. All the threads are thus connected. Wickham and Charolette also serve as a comment on Elizabeth and Darcy. ââ¬Å"The Darcy-Elizabeth couple is flanked on one side by the unexceptionable Bingley and Jane, it is flanked on the other by Charolette and Wickhamâ⬠. The last two have the cleverness of the two main characters, but they are time-servers. The structure is therefore, most cleverly unifying. The precision, simplicity and symmetry of ââ¬ËPride and Prejudice' evoke instinctive appreciation. So well it is constructed that the action proceeds logically from exposition, complication and climax to the denouncement and finally the resolution. The sub-plots are also thematically unified. The theme of love and marriage is exemplified through the plot and the sub-plots. Jane Austen uses the dramatic narrative mode and irony so effectively to build her complex plot that it would not be amiss to say that she ââ¬Å"is the most perfect dramatist who never wrote a playâ⬠. Furthermore, all Jane Austen plots are characterized by a unity of tone and are compact and well- knit. There are no loose ands anywhere, no event conceived outside the actual plot and nothing usually hampers the progress of the story. JANE AUSTEN'S COMEDY OF MANNERSà IN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ââ¬Å"The wisest and the best of men-nay, the wisest and best of their actions ââ¬â may he rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke. ââ¬Å"Certainlyâ⬠, he replied Elizabeth-ââ¬Å"there are such people, but I hope I am not one of them. I hope I never ridicule that is wiser or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can.â⬠This brief dialogue between Darcy and Elizabeth throws distinct light upon Jane Austen's purpose and programme in her novels. For once it be supposed that Miss Bennet's point of view is but a projection of her creator's. Her intention in these novels is to present a comedy of manners ââ¬â to present the follies and vices of men and to expose them to general ridicule by employing the devices of comedy, parody, burlesque, irony, wit, satire, each one of them as is suitable for the occasion and need. THE UNITY OF TONE Hence, her plots are characterized by a singular unity of tone and she often achieves it by focusing our attention at it from more than one angle. In Pride and Prejudice alone the unity of plot has been achieved from as many as three angles. We can view the novel first, as Elizabeth Bennet sees everything; secondly, by assigning to Elizabeth and Darcy a prominent place into the novel and by centering the higher and nobler comedy around these two figures; and thirdly by making the whole story a study in Prideââ¬â pride of place and responsibility in some, pride in the form of social snobbery in others and also either a perverted pride or the lack of pride in the rest. However, the unity is therefore very essential in imparting coherence and shape to her design. Thus, the structure of Jane Austen's novel is perfect and is ideally suited for the material she wanted to embody and the outlook she wished to present.
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