Working Mothers and the Welfare State Essay -- Politics of Work-Family

"How can we explain the differences in work-family policies in the different welfare states?† Kimberly Morgan's research approach is policy centred and focuses in particular on gendered polices. In this book, with a historical comparative approach, she tries to explain how â€Å"both religious practice and religious conflict are key in the formation of the welfare state†. She emphasizes the relationship between â€Å"religion as a political force, gender and familial ideologies, the constellation of political parties and the nature of partisan competition, women's movements, policy legacies, and social structural changes† . As stressed out in the first pages: â€Å"this book examines and explain patterns of work-family policies in Sweden, France, the Netherlands and the United States, giving particular attention to child care policy but also looking at parental leave and flexible work-time arrangements. The analysis focuses on how religion has influenced on this dimension of the welfare state.† As Morgan underlines, gender differences in social policies are explained by women’s movements, by the pressures generated by social structural changes on the welfare state and by ideologies. Given that organized religion is an important source of ideology, we can then say that religion has had a fundamental role in the shaping of the relationship between state, family and gender. In fact organized religions â€Å"have sought to maintain their position as the dominant arbiters of community values and morality with giving a great attention over child and family affairs.† An example of religious influence on public welfare policies is the maintenance of the status quo perpetuated by the Christian democracy’s party. The temporal dimension of the welfa... ...by Kimberly J. Morgan, Stanford University Press, 2006 †¢ Working Mothers and the Welfare State by Kimberly J. Morgan Review by: Jason Beckfield Social Forces, Vol. 86, No. 2 (Dec., 2007), pp. 867-869 Published by: Oxford University Press †¢ Miriam Cohen. (2009) Working Mothers and the Welfare State: Religion and the Politics of Work-Family Policies in Western Europe and the United States, by Kimberly J. Morgan, Labor History, 50:3, 382-383, DOI: 10.1080/00236560903021649 †¢ Ingela K. Naumann. Working Mothers and the Welfare State: Religion and the Politics of Work-Family Policies in Western Europe and the United States, by Kimberly J. Morgan, Journal of European Social Policy DOI: 10.1177/09589287070170030602 2007 17: 286 †¢ Lewis, Jane. Gender and the development of welfare regimes Journal of European Social Policy , 1992

Exploring weather the quote “evacuation was a great success” by using my own knowledge and the sources in the booklet

Source A suggests that the evacuation wasn't really a success for a number of reasons. â€Å"Arrangements did not always go smoothly† This goes to show that the organisation of the evacuation was something that needed work on. It also talks about people not coping with their new surroundings and that people just didn't really fit in as it says â€Å"There were reports of people fouling in gardens, hair crawling with lice and bed wetting.† Some may say that they did all these as a sign that they had no respect for there surroundings but I see it differently, the fact that people are bedwetting could just be a sign of anxiety and nervousness. Although this is only a secondary source from a textbook for children it is still backed up by the fact that all of these things actually happened at the time. There were some cases of towns expecting a school of children to come but then they would end up with forty pregnant women on their doorsteps. Source B is obviously for evacuation and is agreeing with the quote â€Å"evacuation was a great success † I am led to believe this because looking at the picture it seems like it was taken for a newspaper or something else of that calibre. If something is taken for the British press during a war it has to be positive or people won't be confident about the war and may start panicking and this is the last thing the country wanted. The picture (taken September 1939, primary source) shows a school of children and there teachers walking down a road on there way to a London station, on the picture they are all laughing and smiling at the prospect of being taken away from home. I don't think these are the real emotions that they are feeling but are only doing this because the camera is looking so are smiling for it and waving. Source C I would say is neutral and is neither for nor against evacuation but is just giving some information of what really happened. But it does explain the confusion and fear of the children so I could be tempted to say it's against the idea more than for it. It is an interview 49 years after the war with a teacher who was evacuated with they're class to somewhere in the country. â€Å"We hadn't the slightest idea were we where going†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this is obviously telling us that the problem with organisation really was an issue to be thought about. â€Å"All you could hear was the feet of the children and a kind of murmur because the children were too afraid to talk.† When saying this it shows that the fear shown by the children was recognisable without even having to ask them. This is a primary source because it was from a person who was there when it happened but she was very old when giving the source so not all of it could be true. She then goes on to say â€Å"The mothers pressed against the iron gates calling â€Å"good bye darling†Ã¢â‚¬  When it says this I don't think she is completely telling the truth, I think that she remembers the mothers being upset and calling there last emotional goodbyes to there children but the words she has quoted can't possibly be true, they were from the south of London and people at the time didn't speak like that down there. Source D shows some evacuee boys having a bath with looks of glee on there faces, I think this is saying that evacuation was a success as it shows the boys safe and happy. The photo was taken during the war to be issued by the government, most probably to be used for a newspaper or something like that. In the picture it is the ratio of four boys to every bath, this maybe a sign that it was very over crowded when the children were being evacuated but it still looks like the boys are enjoying themselves. Although they are all smiling the fact of the matter is that they know that the picture is being taken thus not showing there true emotions as children especially like to smile for the cameras so they look good in the newspapers. If the camera wasn't there bath time could have been a different story all together, they all could have had grim faces on, but we will never really know. As previously stated the photo was taken during the war so is a primary source that makes just a bit more reliable. Sources E and F are both defiantly against the idea that â€Å"evacuation was a great success† as they are both complaining about either the people they had sent to them or the places they were sent to. Source E is from a mother of a host family taken 49 years after the war so vital details from her memory may have been lost or she may add things for no apparent reason. The main topic of discussion in the source is the toilet habits of her new guests, â€Å"The children went round the house urinating on the walls† and then goes on to say † Although we told the children and there mother off about this filthy habit they took no notice and our house stank to high heaven.† This does not sound like a woman who is very pleased with her evacuees. A lot of this was going on as there were many complaints all over the country abut the disgusting hygiene an habits the people had such as bed wetting, â€Å"fouling† in the garden, and the fact that some of them had never brushed there teeth up until when they were living in the hosts establishment. The fact that the house did have two toilets though means they could have been doing all this because they wanted to go home so thought if they make a nuisance of themselves then the government would send them packing. Source F is from an actual evacuee expressing there anger for the prejudice abut evacuees that has been spread that it was always poor people going to rich houses and some times it was the complete opposite. â€Å"It is just as upsetting for a clean and well educated child to find itself in a grubby semi slum as the other way round.† And also says at the beginning, â€Å"How I wish the common view of evacuees could be changed.† Both of these comments show that he is not happy being stereotyped as poor unhygienic boys for no reason that he can prevent. A lot of prejudice was going around at the time so the primary source is backed up by facts as well. Source G is also about how people were prejudice towards the evacuees just because the majority of them were poor. Some people thought it was great that they were coming to stay at there place though, because they were so poor and in some cases naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve they were made to work in the hosts shop for free. Source G is a shot paragraph from a story wrote for children in 1973 about evacuees and what life was like for them. It shows some more prejudice behaviour from hosts at the time towards there new arrivals in there homes as she thinks that the reason that they have no slippers is because they are to poor to afford it but the real reason is they had no room in there suit cases to pack them. Although in the story the children found it funny I think it was wrong that people should be treated in a certain way before even getting to know them. Source H is a poster with a picture of two children hugging each other, In the background it has been split into two. One area is a nice quiet village in the country side and the other is the dirty city with planes flying over it, the designer for the poster has done this so u get a picture of how dramatically you can change the children's way of life just by becoming a foster. The poster sets out to make people think that they can be heros just by fostering a few children whilst the war is on with quotes like â€Å"You may be saving a child's life† This would make a foster person think that they are helping the war cause and doing there bit for the country. It is a primary source from the time and was issued by the government to encourage people to foster children and I think it would have been very successful the because of way in which they went about making the poster. Source I is part of a mass observation survey that one man decided to take part in a sat how he felt about evacuation. It was taken May 1940 so is a primary source and is very reliable. The man and the interviewer discuss the topic of what the man is going to do with his son â€Å"I'm not letting him go. They can't be looked after where they're sending him† This shows some of the country wasn't as willing as others and didn't trust the people who were going to look after there children. He also talks of how there wasn't enough food to feed the people before the war so this may have been one of the biggest concerns for parents sending there children away, that they wouldn't be looked after properly. I would say without a doubt that this source is completely against the idea of evacuation and is therefore contradicting the quote â€Å"evacuation was a great success† My over all opinion is that you could not call the evacuation a success at all as there was to many complications involved such as difference in up bringing, costs quite a lot for the hosts, people didn't trust the system, some people were rebellious against the hosts and finally it made a new kind of prejudice and there is enough of that around already. I must admit a lot of lives were saved and in some cases people enjoyed having evacuees in there houses and said it was so much fun it took there mind of the war. If evacuation didn't take place a lot of people in built up areas like London would have been killed for sure so it id have its good points that saved the British population but overall I would disagree and say no, evacuation was not a great success, it was I good idea but not a success.

The Importance of Personal Responsibility

The Importance of Personal Responsibility GEN/200 As an adult you are responsible for every action that you take, but before that action are a series of thoughts that lead you to taking that action. Your personal responsibility starts at a young age, you are either taught personal responsibility as you grow into an adult by being held accountable of your own actions or the responsibility is taken from you. Depending on how you were brought up your transition into becoming an adult can either be an easy one or a difficult one where everyone is to blame but yourself.As an adult the one thing that you know is a constant is that you will be held accountable for your actions whether you like it or not. Holding yourself accountable and having self discipline has a lot to do with personal responsibility in my opinion. When you hold yourself accountable for your actions, your thoughts, your intentions†¦ you are making a conscious effort to be a responsible person. Every action starts wi th a thought, whether it’s a good thought or a bad thought will determine the outcome of that action.For example when you wake up in the morning and the first thought that comes to mind is that you will have a bad day, whether you know it or not you are subconsciously going to make it a bad day. Personal responsibility starts with holding yourself accountable, if you stopped that thought when it happened and told yourself that today will be a good day you have already turned the outcome around. By holding yourself accountable you are in control, you are not aimlessly going through life reacting to what happens to you.Self discipline goes hand in hand with holding yourself accountable, by having self discipline you are able to make sure that you are staying on track and checking up on yourself regularly. Having self discipline will go a long way in making sure you make it to your intended destination. Take flight paths for example, when you fly somewhere they generally show yo u the path that they will take. It is impossible to stay exactly on that line since you are in the air constantly battling the changes circumstances around you, air pockets, up drafts, down drafts, adverse weather, etc. The ilots are disciplined enough to make necessary adjustments to stay on track on make it to their destination on time. This holds true in life by having the self discipline to make adjustments where need be to hold yourself accountable to what is happening around you. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball and having the characteristics of personal responsibility you will be able to adjust and continue on. Personal responsibility is incredibly important, by making sure that you are aware of what is happening and holding yourself responsible for the outcome of your actions you will go a long way.Everybody knows someone who always has an excuse for why something didn’t happen the way that they wanted it to, they know just who or what to blame. They will active ly look for something or someone to blame to avoid facing the fact that they may have done something wrong to have the outcome that received. That person generally hasn’t changed very much from the person they were in high school both personally and professionally. By holding yourself responsible you are more aware of what is happening, you can review your actions and determine what adjustments need to be made.Some of the most successful people in life are the most critical of themselves, whether it’s a professional athlete studying game tapes before a game or a college student doing the necessary research before giving a presentation. Personal responsibility can help you achieve your goals in your college degree in stride. By using your personal responsibility you would make the time to read ahead on your class syllabus to make sure that you are missing any large assignments that are coming up.As an adult learner putting together a plan to help practice personal respo nsibility is a key component to your success. With the economy in its present state many students require a full time job to be able to go to school, scheduling enough time to study and finish your assignments without impeding on your work schedule will help. Taking a look into your class and what is required when you start a new class will help you plan and schedule your time, having that plan in place will make it a lot easier to hold yourself accountable to complete each block.Having a written plan, specific goals with set timelines, and a vision will help you succeed in making sure that you accomplish what you set out. Ultimately personal responsibility will make your tenure in college a lot easier, it will also become second nature as you enter the professional world. Whether you are entering your first career or going back to school to pursue a new career having personal responsibility will take you far in life. If you were to interview the most successful people in the world I can almost guarantee that being personally responsible will be a key component to their success.

Paper Sample

Critiquing Qualitative Research, Essay/Paper Sample Critique of a Qualitative Research Abstract This essay entails qualitative research study critique. The main research study that will be critiqued is Mr. Seda’s Identity theft and university students: do they know, do they care? Published in 2014.   Mr. Ludek Seda lectures at Flinders Business School. He has different qualifications such as Bachelor of Legal Studies (Police University of the Czech Republic), Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) (Flinders University), Certified Fraud Examiner (Association of Certified Fraud Examiners), among other. His responsibility includes FBS Academic Integrity Coordinator. Throughout his research study, Mr. Ludek used semi-structured interviews that were periodically scheduled. The interviews served as the primary tool for collection of data. Twelve undergraduate students from Flinders Business School were sampled out of the entire population for the purpose of research. There were six females and six male and face-to-face interview design was used. The purpose of the research was to offer an explanation of factors influencing the relationship between University student’s awareness of identity theft risks and the prohibitory steps they take. My critique of Mr. Seda’s Identity theft and university students: do they know, do they care?   Will involve holistically evaluating the study as an epitome of a qualitative research. Moreover, I will base my arguments on factors that must be considered when developing research questions and research approaches for a qualitative research (Seda, 2014). Critique of a Qualitative Research The Identity theft and university students: do they know, do they care? Has two research questions. The first question- Do university students know about identity theft? Second question- Do university students care about identity theft? These two research questions are valid and within the scope of the research study. The research uses these questions as a guidance for his research. They focus on the identity theft. The questions have exploratory verbs and specify the participants. The research questions are developed with long-term agenda. Furthermore, they are well defined (Bryman, 2012). The qualitative research approach used in the study is semi-structured interviews.   The following are the ways in which the researcher develops the design: The first thing is that he prepares the questions ahead of time. At this stage the interviewer gets ready for the data collection by scheduling his dates of carrying out the interviews. Consequently, the questions set are open-ended. The open-ended questions provide the opportunity for discussions that diverge from guide of interview.   The researcher is able to tape-record the interviews and analyze them after transcript. However, the disadvantage of semi-structured interview is that it is difficult to conducting interview and putting down notes simultaneously. Developing a dialogue and rapport are essential in offsetting the difficulty of recording the interview while conducting the interview. Mr. Ludek uses semi-structured interviews that are periodically schedule (Rowley, 2012). The research study contains logical and clear connections with the components. The design choice puts ethical implications into consideration. For example, Seda chooses to interview six female and six male students. His choice of design is fair and just to gender divide because it does not show gender discrimination. The identity theft is a problem affecting both female and male students (Australian Crime Commission , 2011). Conclusion In conclusion, Seda’s Identity theft and university students: do they know, do they care? is a qualitative research study whose research questions and alignment exemplifies all the requirements for a perfect qualitative study. Seda uses quality research questions that leads into the answers to the identity theft among college students. References Australian Crime Commission . ( 2011). Organised Crime in Australia, Australian Crime Commission,. Australia. Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Rowley, J. (2012). Conducting research interviews†, Management Research Review (Vols. 35 Nos 3/4, ). Retrieved 10 13, 2016 Seda, L. (2014). Identity theft and university students: do they know, do they care?. Journal of Financial Crime, Vol. 21( 4), .461 483. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JFC-05-2013-0032

Influence of Changes in Exchange Rate on Imports and Exports

Influence of Changes in Exchange Rate on Imports and Exports Introduction The exchange rate refers to the â€Å"rate at which one nation’s currency can be exchanged for that of another† (Beardshaw 45). There are two types of exchange rates namely; the fixed exchange rate and the floating exchange rate. Under the floating exchange rate, the demand and supply forces determine the rate at which the currency of a country is exchanged with that of another country. The government usually determines the rate at which its currency can be exchanged with a foreign currency in the case of a fixed exchange rate.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Influence of Changes in Exchange Rate on Imports and Exports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The factors that cause changes in exchange rate include â€Å"inflation, balance of trade and the real interest rate† (Beardshaw 46). The changes in exchange rate have both positive and negative impacts on economic activities. It partic ularly influences the level of import and export in a country. This paper will focus on the impact of changes in exchange rate on imports and exports in an international business. Impacts on Exports and Imports Prices of Commodities Changes in the exchange rate can result into either an increase or a decrease in the prices of imports and exports. In the context of exports, an appreciation of the local currency will result into an increase in the prices of the exports in the international market. This is because when the currency of the exporting country becomes stronger than that of the importing country, traders in the later purchase the currency of the former at a high rate in order to pay for the goods (Case and Fair 67). This means that the traders will be spending more on the goods even if their actual prices have not been increased. Thus an appreciation of the domestic currency will make the business’s products to be more expensive in the foreign market. However, a depr eciation of the domestic currency will make the exports cheaper (Lipsey and Hurbury 23). This is due to the fact that the customers will purchase the local currency at a low rate in order to pay for the products. An appreciation of the domestic currency will make the imported goods to be cheap. This is because the business will purchase the currency of the country from which the goods have been imported at a low rate (Thurbecke 113). This means that importers will spend less money to import the goods and this translates into low prices. On the other hand, a depreciation of the domestic currency will force the business to purchase the foreign currency at a high rate. Thus it will spend more in importing the goods and this translates into higher prices (Kwack 61). Demand and Supply The demand for the export products will be high if the domestic currency depreciates. This is due to the fact that the customers in the export market will spend less to import the goods and this translates into low prices. The low prices will increase the demand and supply of the export products (Mallick and Marques 770).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the demand for the export products will reduce if the local currency appreciates. This is due to the fact that such appreciation will translate into high prices as customers spend more in importing the goods. This leads to low demand and supply of the export products. The demand for imports will be low if the domestic currency becomes weak (Amor 113). This is because the business will spend more to import the goods as the cost of purchasing the foreign currency in order to pay for the goods increases. This leads to high prices and this translates into low demand and supply. However, the demand for imports will be high if the local currency appreciates since the favorable exchange rate will lower the costs of importing the goods. Marketing The marketing of both imports and exports is directly influenced by changes in the exchange rate. It particularly influences the marketing mix and segmentation process in regard to the exports and imports (Blinder and Baumol 134). A depreciation of the domestic currency results into high demand for the export products. Thus the business will focus on increasing distribution and identifying new segments in order to increase sales. However, an appreciation of domestic currency lowers the demand for the export products. Thus the focus of marketing will shift to promotion and segmentation. Promotional activities will be emphasized in order to increase sales. Besides, only products whose demands are not price elastic will be distributed. As the demand for the imports increases due to the appreciation of the domestic currency, the marketing team will focus on increasing distribution and identifying new segments in order to increase sales (Ito, Isard and Bayo umi 23). However, as the demand for the imports reduces due to the depreciation of the domestic currency, the marketing team will focus on promotion and selective distribution in order to increase the sales of the imported goods. Sources of the Imports Changes in exchange rate will influence the diversification of the sources of import goods. In order to avoid the risks associated with fluctuations in exchange rate, businesses usually diversify their sources of import goods. This means that they import the same product from different countries. They will always import from countries whose currencies are depreciating or are weaker as compared to that of their country (Thorbecke 509). This enables them to take advantage of the low cost of purchasing the foreign currency in order to pay for the imports. This leads to low prices and high demand for the products.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Influence of Changes in Exchange Rate on Imports and Exports specifi cally for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Currency Selection and Payment Contracts Since countries use different currencies, an export and import business must decide its preferred currency for accepting payments or making payments. As discussed above, the fluctuations in the exchange rate has a direct impact on prices and demand for both imports and exports. Thus in order to avoid or to reduce the risks associated with exchange rate flactuations, international businesses always focus on sharing such risks with their partners (Blinder and Baumol 79). This has always been done by choosing a currency that is relatively stable. The selected currency must be accepted by both the exporter and the importer. For example, the US dollar is commonly used in international trade due to its stability. Thus changes in exchange rate determines the currency for paying for the imports and exports. Returns on Exports and Imports The changes in exchange rate have a direct imp act on the profits that accrue from both import and export trade. A depreciation of the local currency will increase the demand for the export goods. This leads to high sales and an increase in profit margins (Case and Fair 75). However, an appreciation of the local currency leads to a reduction in sales and profit margins as the products become more expensive in the export market. In the case of imports, an appreciation of the local currency leads to high demand and this translates into high sales and profits. However, the depreciation of the local currency will negatively affect sales as prices increase due to the high cost of purchasing foreign currency in order to pay for the imports. As the sales reduce, the profits also reduce. Product Development A stable exchange rate will enable the business to sustain the desired level of revenue. This is because the demand and supply as well as sales will not be adversely affected by the fluctuations in exchange rate as discussed above. T hus the company will be able to obtain the funds that are needed for research and development in order to produce the goods and services that meet the expectations of the customers. However, fluctuations in the exchange rate undermine the financial performance of an import and export business (Kwack 62). This forces international companies to direct a high percentage of their revenue towards the implementation of strategies that enables them to survive the negative effects of exchange rate fluctuations. Such strategies include sales campaign and sharing the costs of importation or exportation with the customers. Consequently, very little funds are allocated for research and development and this undermines the process of product development.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion The above discussion shows that the exchange rate has a great influence on import and export businesses. The businesses gain when the exchange rate is favorable as discussed above. However, they lose when the exchange rate is unfavorable. The undesired effects of changes in exchange rate on exports and imports include increase in prices and reduction in demand and profit margins (Case and Fair 58). Changes in the exchange rate can also lead to a reduction in prices and an increase in demand and profits. Thus it is upon the business owners to understand the dynamics of the exchange rate in the market in order to avoid the risks associated with exchange rate fluctuations. Amor, Thouraya. Financial integration and real exchange rate volatility. International Journal of Business and Management 3 (2007): 112-115. Beardshaw, John. Economics. New Delhi: Pearson Education, 2001. Print. Blinder, Alan and William Baumol. Economics: principles and policy. New York: Cengage, 2009. P rint. Case, Karl and Ray Fair. Principles of economics. New York: Prentice Hall, 2004. Print. Ito, Takatoshi, Peter Isard and Tumim Bayoumi. Exchange rate movements and their impact on trade and investment . Washington DC: International Monetary Fund, 1996. Print. Kwack, Sung. Exchange rate and monetory regime options for regional cooperation. Journal of the Japanese and International Economics 16 (2008): 503-517. Lipsey, Richard and Colin Hurbury. First principles of economics . London: Oxford University Press, 1992. Print. Mallick, Suschanta and Helena Marques. Passthrough of exchange rate and tariffs into prices of India. Review of International Economics 16 (2008): 765-782. Thorbecke, Willem. Global imbalances, triangular trading patterns and the yen/dollar exchange rate. Journal of the Japanese and International Economics 22 (2008): 503-517. Thurbecke, Willem. Investigating the effects of exchange rate chnages on Chinas processed exports. Journal of Japanese and International E conomics 10 (2010): 101-126.

5 Ways to Bond With New Coworkers

5 Ways to Bond With New Coworkers Making friends as a grownup can be really hard. Particularly making friends at work, when you’re the new kid and don’t yet know the dynamics of your office. But there are a few easy steps you can take to make inroads. 1. Think Outside the OfficeGrab a coffee or a drink at happy hour after work. Ask questions (not pushy or invasive ones!) and find out about your co-workers’ interests.2. Quit The Smack TalkEveryone needs to grumble about work now and then- and a nice round of complaining with your co-workers can be just the key  to get things off your chest. But be careful not to overdo it. It’s easy to step on toes or alienate people who might have a different take on things. Concentrate on the positive instead!3. Stick To Common GroundFind things you have in common with your co-workers and steer the conversation towards your shared interests. It shows you listen to what they care about and you can open up a discussion about something non-work-related (al ways a welcome break!).4. CollaborateAsk for guidance or a fresh pair of eyes on your project. Your co-workers will be flattered to know you recognize what they do well and respect them for it. Plus you’ll prove yourself as someone who is capable and cooperative.5. Share the GloryDon’t be one of those people  who constantly takes all the credit. Make sure to point out who helped you out  and try not to toot your own horn- even if you did something toot-worthy!Try these simple workplace hacks and you’ll be well on your way to making friends in your new office. When in doubt, just remember to do your job and be sincere.5 Steps To Easily Connect With Your Co-Workers

Kaiser Wilhelm II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Kaiser Wilhelm II - Essay Example The period between 1888 and 1914 saw rapid growth of Germany as an economic and military dominance. On the other hand, Europe was largely divided into different opposing camps due to the suspicion arising from allies that were formed during this period. The mistrust culminated into the World War 1, where Germany experienced the worst defeat in the century. Consequently, there was the abolishment of German monarchical rule, and all this was blamed on Wilhelm’s actions and character (Imperial War Museums 1). Additionally, the miscalculated judgments by Wilhelm led to the dismissal of Bismarck in 1890. Moreover, Wilhelm II disrupted the political system that had existed in Europe (Imperial War Museums 1). This was largely seen through strained relationship that existed between Germany and Britain. In addition, as Germany engaged in supporting the Boers against Britain, this hastened the development of strong ties between France and Britain to the detriment of Germany (Imperial Wa r Museums 1). This also increased isolation of Germany to the rest of Europe. The other essential thing to note is Wilhelm’s support of Austria-Hungary against Serbia. This opened doors for strenuous relations between various allies in Europe. This was detrimental to Germany and Europe and was utterly opposite of the situation in the last quarter of 19th century. ... He adopted different form of governing for over two decades before the beginning of the First World War. The form of governance was different as compared to the one practiced by Bismarck. The governance was more liberal and compared to the conservative nature adopted by Bismarck. He engaged in aggressive and expansionist political course entirely in the name of maintaining Germany position in Europe. All these far-reaching policies acted as a recipe to war in 1914. This was because the policies adopted by Wilhelm II destabilized the relative peace that Bismarck had managed to restore. However, the foreign policy remained the same throughout this period as what was envisioned in the unification of Germany. Moreover, there was the adoption of a German constitution in this period that envisaged the militaristic foundation of the new empire. The constitution gave all sections of the government real political power. The sections included the Bundesrat, the Reichstag, Prussian cabinet and the military establishment. The election of the Reichstag was by all males over the age of 24 (Imperial War Museums 1). This gave Germany a law making body that had similar democratic principles to the rest of Europe. However, all the different factions of the government were under Wilhelm II. As a result, Wilhelm had enormous political power and this was instrumental to the institutionalization of ‘personal rule’ as envisioned in his dreams (Imperial War Museums 1). Secondly, Wilhelm made a political decision that was not expected by many in Germany at this period. He forced Bismarck to resign in 1890. This was seen as resulting from variation in political ideologies. This was because Bismarck was conservative as compared to Wilhelm 11 liberal approach. This provided