The emancipation proclamation Essay Example for Free

The emancipation proclamation Essay The emancipation proclamation was an historic moment in the history of the United States. It did not only come at a time when the country was being faced by slavery problems but also at the time when the country was at the height of its bloodiest civil war. The emancipation proclamation was issued by the US president Abraham Lincoln and consisted of two different executive orders. The executive orders were issued by the president as the commander-in-chief of the United States army and navy, were meant to free slaves and end slavery altogether. The first executive order was issued in September 22, 1862 and was to free slaves from the hands of states under confederate states of America that had not joined the Union by January 1, 1863. The second one was made in January 1, 1863 and was more specific as it stated the states where the order would apply (Christopher 56). Abraham Lincoln was born in February 12, 1809 and raised in Kentucky. He married his wife Mary Todd in 1842 and together bore four sons, but unfortunately only one of his sons (Robert) survived childhood (Thomas Burlingame, 56). The United States 16th president had a little formal education and is said to have been self-educated. He nevertheless became a lawyer and joined Republican Party as a politician which helped him assume presidency in 1860. During his term in office, the southern states pulled out of the Union citing that president Lincoln and the northerners did not approve of slavery. President Lincoln faced a lot of challenges during the five year periods he served as the president. First, a war broke out between the southerners and the northerners six weeks into his presidency. In what was to later become a bloodiest American civil war, the states within the Union fought the states under the Confederacy for five years. In a tactically move to win the war president Lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation in September 22, 1862 which required the states outside the Union to free all slaves. The second one in January of the following was the most effective as it saw a number of slaves being released. He succumbed to assassin’s bullet in 1865 just a year after being re-elected the United States president (Thomas Burlingame, 102). Abraham Lincoln was highly regarded as a great human rights defender as was illustrated by his Gettysburg Address in November 1863. In this short speech he called on Americans to ensure human freedom if it has to survive as a nation. His legacy has been defined in the history book as the man who freed millions from slavery and changed the course of that heinous act. The emancipation proclamation that was issued twice in a span of less than six months was a well orchestrated plan to have slavery abolished in the United States. The first proclamation prepared the way for the second one. Into the second year of the American civil war, Lincoln issued the second executive order barring slavery in the Confederate states (Crowther, 55). This was more specific as it not only stated the intended states wanted to stop slavery but also gave a time frame of a hundred days from January 1, 1863. Ten southern states; South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Virginia, Mississippi and Arkansas were mentioned in this second order. The states of Kentucky, Delaware, Maryland and Missouri that practiced slavery were not included in the order because they were under the Union. Exemption was also extended to the Tennessee state which was neither under the union nor the confederacy and the numerous counties that had joined the Union before January 1, 1863 (Crowther, 56). Implementation was very swift as the Union commanders stationed in the marked states helped to enforce the proclamation (Christopher 67). Although, the immediate impact of the second executive order is not well documented, it is believed that several slaves were freed immediately by many states especially in the regions that were occupied by the Union forces. These states included North Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Alabama and South Carolina. Regions within those states that were under the Union occupancy released most slaves upon the emancipation proclamation (Poulter, 48). During the entire period of emancipation, no violent acts were reported between the masters and the ex-slaves (Crowther, 76). However, the proclamation changed the course of the American civil war. There was a big shift in the initial objectives of the war prompted by the northerners. From the initial aims of uniting the two regions, a new agenda was born. It must be noted that Abraham Lincoln’s aim at first, was to use emancipation proclamation to force the Confederate states to join the Union. He exempted states that practiced slavery and were within the Union but ordered those under the Confederacy to end slavery in their states. This informed the opinion that the objectives of the emancipation proclamation was to help the Union win the civil war (Klingaman, 234). Although, unprecedented at the beginning, the proclamation set the stage for the abolitionists to fight for abolition of slavery in America. Thus a new agenda was born; to fight for human freedom in the United States. The proclamation did not escape political debates at the time. Most democrats, who were opposed to the civil war and supported the secession as well as slavery in the south, rejected the emancipation proclamation. It was so much politicized that in the 1862 elections, it became an issue in the campaigns, which saw the democrats up their numbers in the house by 28. The other democrats, who bought into the Lincoln’s objectives of the war, backed off and did not support the emancipation decree. President Lincoln saw the political opposition increasing by the day and therefore used the Gettysburg Address to indirectly refer to his proclamation and abolition of slavery as a new war objective by using his famous phrase a â€Å"new birth of freedom†. This endeared him towards the pro-abolitionists within his republican party that helped his re-nomination in the 1864 elections (Berlin, 260). The emancipation proclamation twist in the American civil war changed the foreign opinions about the war. The Great Britain involvement in the war had brought it diplomatic tension with the United States. At first, before the proclamation, United Kingdom had favored the Confederacy’s quest to secede especially when it provided the southerners with the British-made warships. But the northerners were strongly determined to win the war at all costs and the Trent Affair of 1861 only worsened the situation between the two countries (Klingaman, 234). The emancipation proclamation then changed everything. The British were forced to reconsider their support for confederacy because such a support would be viewed as a support for slavery, a practice they had long abolished. The confederacy’s case for secession never received much sympathy thereafter and the Union cause was salvaged. Many international leaders hailed Lincoln’s decisive and bold steps in fulfilling the dreams of American forefathers. Proclamation therefore came at the right time as the initial tension between the United States and European nations was eased and the union conduct in the war was never scrutinized as their cause was now favored (Christopher 54). Towards the end of the war, the pro-abolition groups got concerned that the proclamation would never be recognized after the war as people would consider it as a decree made for the war according to Berlin (260) they also desired to see the freedom of all slaves in America; not only those within the Confederacy but also those within the Union states. These prompted them to pressed Lincoln to seek a constitutional amendment that would secure freedom for all slaves. In his 1864 presidential campaigns, Lincoln was forced to pledge a constitutional amendment that would abolish slavery in the entire United States. His campaigns were boasted by separate abolition laws passed by two different states – Maryland and Missouri in 1864. After being re-elected, Lincoln hurriedly forced the 38th congress to amend the constitution as fast as possible and January 1865 was the historic moment for all slaves in America. The congress passed to the state lawmakers for ratification the 13th amendment, barring any form of slavery within the borders and territories of the United States. After being ratified in December 1865, the law took effect after twelve days. It is estimated that about 40,000 slaves and 1,000 slaves were released immediately in Kentucky and Delaware respectively (Christopher, 58). Although some have consistently criticized Lincoln as a white supremacist who only made the decree after being pressed by the abolitionists who wanted racial reforms, his legacy will forever remain in the memory of all American races. He took a bold step not only to savage the Union from disintegration but also secured the freedom of the slaves. His belief in human freedom and goodwill to see his dreams through saw the end of heinous act that is slavery at a time when there was tension everywhere. He achieved a lot within a span of five years considering the opposition he faced from all corners of the country and even internationally. He simply won two wars with Emancipation Proclamation. Work Cited Berlin, Ira, Eds. Freedom: A Documentary History of Emancipation 1861-1867, Vol. 1: The Destruction of Slavery, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1985, p. 260 Christopher Ewan. â€Å"The Emancipation Proclamation and British Public Opinion The Historian, Vol. 67, 2005, p. 34-78 Crowther, Edward R. â€Å"Emancipation Proclamation†. In Encyclopedia of the American Civil War. Heidler, David S. and Heidler, Jeanne T (Eds), 2000, p. 45-78 Klingaman, William. Abraham Lincoln and the Road to Emancipation, 1861-1865 New York: Viking Press, 2001, p. 234 Poulter, Keith. Slaves Immediately Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, North South vol. 5 no. 1, December 2001, p. 48 Thomas, Benjamin Burlingame, Michael. Abraham Lincoln: A Biography, California: SIU Press, 2008, p. 23-500

Is China Facing a Financial Crisis?

Is China Facing a Financial Crisis? In a first for Chinese Banks and its Big Four, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) unseated Exxon Mobil last year to take the top spot on the Forbes Global 2000[i] as the world’s largest company. China Construction Bank moved up 11 spots to No. 2 on the list.  Agricultural Bank of China stood at No. 8 and Bank of China with its double digit growth in sales and profits; improved its ranking by 10 places to No. 11[ii]. However what is more interesting is that ICBC, world’s largest and most profitable bank itself was on the verge of defaulting until a last minute decision to bail it out earlier in January this year. A 3 Billion Yuan (around $500 million) product issued by China Credit Trust Co., a shadow bank and marketed through ICBC was underpinned by a loan to a mining operation of Shanxi Zhenfu Energy Group that later collapsed as the price of coal plummeted. Investors were promised a hefty 10% annual return over three years, but were told in January n ot to expect payment. Some of the investors, who reportedly put as much as $500,000 each into the fund, said ICBC should reimburse them since it had marketed the product. ICBC insisted that it had never guaranteed the product, and had no legal responsibility to pay investors. The banks chairman even went so far as to describe the episode as a learning opportunity for investors, shadow banks and ICBC. However the learning opportunity was missed, thanks to a bailout by an unnamed third party that ensured investors will recover their initial investment, though interest will not be paid[iii]. Shadow Banking in China comprises of a web of non-banks that includes pawn shops, underground banks, various wealth management products, trust companies, and guarantors – many of which don’t take deposits to insure against risky lending activities and operate completely beyond the eye of regulators and authorities.These firms offer loans to companies or individuals that may have trouble securing traditional bank financing. Often, the loans are then packaged and sold to investors looking for higher returns. In China, the sectors exact reach is unknown, but some estimates put its size at roughly 60% of Chinas GDP[iv]. The China Banking Regulating Commission (CBRC) caps the value of loans that banks can extend relative to the value of deposits at 75%. Because of this cap, banks prefer to issue off-balance sheet loans in order to maintain lower loan-to-deposit ratios (LDRs).While the latest estimates for lending from China’s biggest banks put February 14’s new loans at 800 Billion Yuan, the highest February figure since the 4 Trillion Yuan stimulus in 2009, reports are emerging that the strength in new loans is not driven by real demand, but rather by banks moving off-balance sheet loans on to the balance sheet as part of the government’s broader crackdown on shadow banking[v]. It is one of the many indicators that signify the slowdown of Chinese economy. In 2012, there were two trust defaults, one for a product distributed by Huaxia BankLtd. and one sold by CITIC Trust. While it was learned thatZhongfa Industrial Groupin the end guaranteed the first, the solution to the second was never made public[vi]. Beijing knows that a default could prompt investors to pull theirmoneyfrom other trust products and stop providing the deposits needed to supply credit and fuel economic growth. A default would likely lead to a loss of confidence in Chinas trust and other shadow credit markets and a shrinkage of liquidity in those markets, and hence, a credit crunch. Some analysts however argue that a default is needed to demonstrate Beijings commitment to allow market forces to play a larger role in the economy, and to send a message to investors that high-yield investments carry significant risk. The China Banking Regulatory Commission said non-performing loans (NPLs) made by Chinese lenders reached 592 Billion Yuan in the final three months of last year. The last NPLs were at the same level was September 2008, the month when US investment bank Lehman Brothers collapsed. Loans by Chinese lenders have grown at an unprecedented rate in the past five years, with banks increasing the size of their balance sheets by 89 Trillion Yuan, an amount roughly equivalent to the size of the entire US banking industry[vii]. Chinese non-financial companies held total outstanding bank borrowing and bond debt of about $12 trillion at the end of last year equal to over 120 percent of GDP according to Standard Poors estimates[viii]. Trust companies along with other non-bank financial institutions such as securities brokerages have become a vital source of credit, allowing banks to arrange off-balance-sheet refinancing for maturing loans that risky borrowers such as the local government financing vehicles (LGFV) cannot repay from their internal cash flow. By law, China’s local governments are not allowed to borrow. After the 2008 global financial crisis, Beijing conceded some relaxations and local governments created LGFV (Local Government Financing Vehicles), also known as UDICs (Urban Development and Investment Companies), which though separate from but owned or controlled by the local government, were permitted to borrow. The LGFV generally borrowed funds predominantly from banks (as much as 80% or more), with the remainder raised by issuing bonds or equity-like instruments to insurance companies, institutional investors and individuals. Recently, with pressure on banks to curtail loans, these financing vehicles have borrowed from China’s shadow banking system. Audits released for the first time show that Chinas wealthiest eastern provinces are the most indebted, though repayment burdens are more onerous in poorer areas such as the southwestern provinces. Tibet was the only region that did not release an audit report[ix]. According to statistics from the National Audit Office, as of June 2013 government debt at all levels totaled about 20.7 Trillion Yuan (US$3.4 trillion), of which domestic government debt accounted for around 10.9 Trillion Yuan (US$1.8 trillion). Of this amount, 2.39 Trillion Yuan (US$390 billion), or 22%, is due in spring of this year[x]. We can add that including the local government debt that matures this year, there is an estimated 5 Trillion Yuan of trust products that are maturing, including as much as 1 Trillion Yuan in May[xi]. If the China Credit Trust product was allowed to default, China’s financial system might have been sitting on hundreds of billions, if not trillions of Yuan worth of non-performing loans in just a few months time. Chinacan rarely allow corporate failures, particularly of state-backed companies, partly out of fear that widespread layoffs could lead to social unrest. All this makes things all the tougher for the People’s Bank of China espec ially when interbank rates are at an all time high to control the local debt. Further the rising Chinese Yuan, which has gained around 33% since 2005 against the U.S. currency, increases their returns has led to asurge in loans to Chinese companies from outside the country has contributed to big inflows of cash into the mainland (mainly short-term and speculative in nature), trying to profit from the mainlands relatively highinterest rates[xii]. Hence when the more the PBOC pumps into the system, the more it encourages risky lending, pushing the country closer to a debt crisis. But when the central bank has declined to add cash to the system—notably in June  and  December of 2013—liquidity has seized up. The scale of trust assets however still pales in comparison to total banking sector assets of more than 100 TrillionYuanas of the end of June. But without trusts, the banking systems non-performing loans (NPL) ratio might be much higher, although accurate estimates are not possible[xiii]. China bears argue that a vast majority of the trust loans cannot be repaid, which will eventually require substantial bailouts and lead to a collapse in the banking system and a larger economic crisis. Even if this is exaggerated and the assets are good, huge liquidity risks exist given the known mismatch between the duration of trust loans and their underlying investments. [i] The Forbes Global 2000 are public companies with the top composite scores based on their rankings for sales, profits, assets and market value. [ii] Forbes: The World’s Biggest Companies at http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottdecarlo/2013/04/17/the-worlds-biggest-companies-2/ [iii] Charles Riley, â€Å"Chinas $500 million shadow bank rescue†, January 28, 2014 at http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/28/investing/china-icbc-default/ [iv] ibid [v] Oliver Barron, â€Å"Latest Developments for Chinas Shadow Banking and its Implications for RMB†, February 26, 2014 at http://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverbarron/2014/02/26/latest-developments-for-chinas-shadow-banking-and-its-implications-for-rmb/ [vi] Oliver Barron, â€Å"China Trust Default Avoided†¦ What Comes Next?†, January 27, 2014 at http://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverbarron/2014/01/27/china-trust-default-avoided-what-comes-next/ [vii] Harry Wilson, â€Å"Chinese bank bad debts hit crisis level high†, February 14, 2014 at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/10638811/Chinese-bank-bad-debts-hit-crisis-level-high.html [viii] Matthew Miller and Umesh Desai, â€Å"Chinas $12 trillion corporate debt pushes up refunding costs, drives mergers†, February 25, 2014 at http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/26/us-china-debt-companies-idUSBREA1P06420140226 [ix] â€Å"China details $3-trillion local public debt risk†, January 27, 2014 at http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/27/us-china-economy-debt-idUSBREA0Q0LA20140127 [x] â€Å"RMB350bn in local government debt up for repayment†, February 27, 2014 at http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20140227000050cid=1202 [xi] Oliver Barron, â€Å"China Trust Default Avoided†¦ What Comes Next?†, January 27, 2014 at http://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverbarron/2014/01/27/china-trust-default-avoided-what-comes-next/ [xii] Enda Curran and Prudence Ho, â€Å"Concern Over Hong Kong Banks Growing Lending into China†, February 27, 2014 at http://www.marketwatch.com/story/concern-over-hong-kong-lending-to-china-2014-02-27-124492221 [xiii] Gabriel Wildau and Lu Jianxin, â€Å"Growth in China trust assets slows as shadow banking crackdown bites†, August 6, 2013 at http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/08/06/us-china-economy-trust-idUSBRE97504Q20130806

Annexation In Texas :: essays research papers

The legal authority of Texas cities to annex, and the reasons Texas has been a liberal annexer as well as why the pace of annexation has slowed since 1970 are numerous. In retrospect, this paper will discuss and bring to the table some of the finer points of these statements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Annexation was, for a long time, a typical proceeding in Texas. Everything from anthropomorphic ideologies to governmental necessities is typically discussed amongst the municipalities and councils that govern and operate Texas cities, as to why a specific place should be annexed. In the earliest days, this country was founded by Masonic people who believed firmly in a tenant called E pluribus Unum, meaning from many one. As this statement suggests, we were the formational creation from many states into one consistent union.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Annexation works pretty much the same way, in that a larger body envelops and consumes the smaller one into itself, so that the larger may prosper. As could be said of the residents in our own city of Houston, Bellaire was only recently annexed to the dismay and objection of its citizens. This would preclude to the ideology of Thomas Aquinas, inasmuch as he discussed Veritatis Splendor Aterna Infernum, meaning the splendor of truth is an eternal hell. The truth being that the residents of Bellaire did not really have any coinciding choice in the matter, and thence having to live through the hell of Houston politics as an example of Texas annexation. The ending outcome for this meant for them that their police department, waste disposal, and fire departments would now be governed by Houston as a whole.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1970’s the Texas laws changed yet again, not allowing anyone to annex larger amounts of land and thus throwing the governing bodies to a significant halt. During the 70’s, Texas cities maintained their tax base through annexation of land and subsequently when the free flowing waters of taxes began to halt so the cities started to decay, very similar in nature to the dilapidation of the North.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Also, as a major consequence for government here in Texas (both at the state and local levels, respectively), was to preserve the health of the states major cities in the face of economic and demographic change. With this in mind, our viewpoints were redirected during that period towards the consummation of our cities, and in turn, allowed the cities in Texas to grow and rebirth.

How to Start a Community Service Project :: Community Service Essays

A continuous community service project involves many pieces that have to fit together perfectly in order to complete the puzzle. The first step is to determine your idea for your project. Then you have to find a way to sponsor your funds. Next is the step where you pinpoint which organization your community service project is going to benefit and all the event details. Finally, it is time to put your community service project into drive. Your community service should be one to benefit the people of a community. To start off, you need to come up with an idea for your community service project. Try looking in books for ideas or search your community for answers. Ask yourself, "What could my community benefit from?" Is there something your past family could have benefited from if someone has implement a community service project for them? If you are a club president wanting to start a community service project, ask your fellow members what ideas they have. Another source is elder care home and non profitable organizations. You could also ask those places if they need any help or if there is any community service project ideas they want someone to perform for them. Is there a certain concern you have for your community and would like to help out? You can always do something someone has don before and continue their project. These are all things to help you think of an idea. There are so many places you can look in order to find an idea. The ideas are innumerable and there is always s omeplace and someone who needs help. Some examples may help you understand the ideas of what to do for your project. Once example is starting a bingo night at an elder care or children's home. It is an easy task that many people do and that all people love. If someone in your family was in a orphanage, you could as a local orphanage how you could help. Tragedies are always occurring, and you could help raise money for a relief organization. If you are starting a community service project for a club at school, you could always do an activity within the school like monthly teacher appreciation or a weekly tutoring session. There are so many paths you can take when building a trail of community service projects.

Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights †Themes of Reading and Books :: Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights – Themes of Reading and Books An author’s particular style and technique, is usually greatly attributed to their personality and individual preference.   In the case of Emily Bronte, she was an extremely withdrawn and private person; and it is because of this, why she turned to books as a form of expression.   In her notorious Wuthering Heights, she uses books as an important way to illustrate a number of key issues; most notably character, and the theme of love.   Although subtle in her method, Bronte passion is what she employs as a tool in the construction of the epic tale.    In the novel Wuthering Heights, the first time we are given reference to books is during chapter 3, prior to Lockwood’s nightmare. Here we find the delirious houseguest in the confines of a mysterious room, and we are told that â€Å"Catherine’s library was select, and its state of dissipation proved it to have been well used.†(p.24).   Instantly, this simple piece of information proved useful in giving the reader a glimpse of Catherine’s character.   From this statement, we are able to conclude that Catherine was in fact a woman of knowledge; but we are still left to wonder exactly what type of knowledge she had.   The fascinating attribute about books is that we all have different preferences.   Furthermore is the fact that reading is usually seen as escapism of some sort; thus, it brings a sense of individualism into a world of persuasion, as well as peace of mind in an atmosphere of chaos. We will go further into this as we progress.      Books are often used to shield us against the genuine problems of the human race. This is a main method of avoidance, although we must realize that there weren’t many other alternatives for entertainment. Books have the most powerful effects on its’ audience because it’s the only form of media whose outcomes rely solely on that of the reader; we also must consider that literature has been present for thousands of centuries. Books, therefore, are not only able to inform us, but let us portray the outcomes to our liking.    When Lockwood’s nightmare scene is at it’s climax, he is able to get rid of the terrifying figure when â€Å"(he) snatched (his hand) through the hole, (and) hurriedly piled the books up in a pyramid against it.

A persuasive essay on Illegal Immigrants

Are illegal aliens a problem of immigration? A purported view is immigration is not the problem, but rather the control and enforcement of immigration. In any country, the unchecked and illicit inflow of people can pose a challenge to that country's sovereignty.Rich countries have three major concerns when it comes to immigration. First, there is the belief that it causes wage inequality by a reduction in wages for domestic worker due to competition from immigrants. Next, there is the pressure it puts on facilities like schools and services like healthcare and welfare payments. This pressure is borne by taxpayers. Finally, especially post-911, there is the concern that there could be incidences of enemies hosted in immigrant communities.Another increasing concern is the amount of money crossing borders by way of remittances to extended family. Worker remittances from the US to Mexico came up to $16.6 billion last year. This amount is second only to petroleum in the US export revenues .The financial burden that illegal immigrants put on a country cannot be underestimated. The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimated a $7.7 billion spend a year in California to educate illegal immigrants and their children. The State of California also spends yearly $1.4 billion on health care and on illegal immigrants in prison.The major reason for illegal immigration is that the supply does not meet the demand. In the US, there is provision for 675,000 visas a year for permanent residence. 480,000 of these are available for the family reunification, 140,000 are based on employment. Humanitarian visas awarded to refugees were at a maximum of 70,000 in 2004. The diversity lottery gives out another 50,000 visas to citizens of countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 migrants in the previous five years.Different countries like Spain, France and the US have varying experiences of illegal aliens.Spain has its own share of trying to control the entry of illegal aliens ont o its shores. Sub-Saharan Africa sees the neighboring country as the closest refuge. 5,000 clandestine immigrants, trying to escape the consequences of a population that far outstrips it economic capability, have crossed the border with about 1,000 drowning as the board fragile fishing boats to make their way to the Canary Islands.Since France does not have the US advantage of a flexible labor market and stingy welfare state, it has ended up with a resentful immigrant underclass with time on its hands. France today has a low proportion of skilled immigrants.The French interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, is working on reversing this trend. He is proposing a managed, high-skilled, demand-led immigration policy by introducing a selective immigration policy with quotas for workers, students and families and allowing entry to those who have the means to support a family.This policy would involve opening up the borders to more skilled workers while clamping down illegal aliens through a c loser watch on bogus marriages, increased deportation and scrapping the automatic right to stay after 10 years of being in France illegally.There are some 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., most of them employed. In the US, most illegal immigrants are day laborers, 50% of whom are employed by homeowners. A lot of these day workers see themselves as victims of unemployment and of a failed immigration system. It is being said that tight legal controls have driven Latinos to illegality and across the U.S., 117,000 undocumented immigrants, the majority from Mexico, gather daily, looking for work.My personal experience is that illegal immigrants go after the jobs that citizens are not likely to be interested in like agriculture, landscaping, and housekeeping and most people are not averse to hiring them.

Week Intercultural Paper

As Egger Hefted (2001) explained, culture Is comprised of power distance, Individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, pragmatism, and indulgence. If we use these components to analyze the two countries from the example, we find various similarities and differences that would greatly affect a business transaction between the two. Both Colombia and China share similarities in the areas of power distance, individualism, and masculinity.Both countries scored high in power distance, or extent to which power Is unequally distributed, and masculinity, the desire to excel at a skill versus liking the actual skill (Hefted, 2001). This means that In both isosceles individuals with power are far removed from their lesser powerful counterparts. It also means individuals from these countries are motivated by success and achievement as opposed to equal status.China and Colombia also similarly scored low in individualism meaning that both cultures are collectivist or centered on members that form an interdependent network (Hefted, 2001). As other analysts have noted, â€Å"Chinese society [In particular] Is collectivist in that Individuals identify with an â€Å"In-group† consisting of family, clan, and friends. Within this, cooperation Is he norm. Outside it, zero-sum competition is common† (Harris, 2014, Para. 5). Thus, it is paramount to foster a loyal relationship when conducting business in these countries. Avoidance, pragmatism, and indulgence. Chinese culture scored high in pragmatism, or the need to explain as much as possible, whereas Colombia scored high in uncertainty avoidance and indulgence, or the extent to which people indulge their impulses and desires (Hefted, 2001). As some academics have noted, uncertainty is largely reduced in relationships which is why â€Å"Latin Americans place great value on establishing long-term, close relationships with interactions on a personal, as well as professional, level† (Wardrobe, 2005, p. 3).How ever, in Chinese culture, indulgence and uncertainty avoidance scored low since individuals place less importance on knowing everything and monitor ambiguity with their use of an adaptable and entrepreneurial spirit. Understanding these differences, as well as similarities, helps us set up a successful business encounter between individuals from these two If a Colombian and Chinese person were to conduct a business transaction, it loud be important to understand the application of Hypotheses cultural dimensions to ensure a successful outcome.First, the high collectivism and power distance in their respective societies would promote a good foundation for them to establish a relationship since both individuals would most likely have high standing and authority within their companies, and strive to develop a fruitful relationship. This would begin by ensuring a correct and respectful greeting between them, which would generally involve a bow from the Chinese businessperson and a warm a nd stern handshake from the Colombian businessperson (Aback, 2012).Second, cause of the discrepancy in the uncertainty avoidance category, the Colombian businessperson might need better clarification on the transaction and question the Chinese individual more thoroughly; which would promote trust if the Chinese individual views the 4 transaction from the masculinity-oriented category of achievement instead of the feminine category associated with caring and equality. As Donald Aback (2012) elaborated, in Asia â€Å"language that avoids directly challenging a person or making that individual look bad, or seem disrespected is common† (p. 19). This means that theChinese businessperson would most likely not hold this against his Colombian counterpart but rather tolerate it in the interest of developing trust and a longer- lasting relationship. Lastly, the Colombian may want to indulge more time in the relationship, which would work well, since Chinese culture is characterized by a strategy to â€Å"not trust until there is enough evidence of trustworthiness† (Harris, 2014, Para. 6). If both businessperson take the time to nurture their relationship and understand each other's cultural differences and similarities, they will set themselves up for a successful and fruitful business relationship.