Roman Pantomime Essay Example For Students

Roman Pantomime Essay In assessment of the origins and nature of pantomime in ancient Rome, one will clearly see that the latter two factors are wide and varied. This is due to the collaborative nature of the art as a whole. With a close examination of archaeological, textual and representational evidence one will gain a precise understanding of how the origins, nature and type of audience of the pantomime are interrelated. One will additionally gain inisight into the widespread popularity of pantomime despite a general dislike towards drama in ancient Rome. Before one can begin to consider the origins of Roman pantomime, one must have a clear understanding of the nature of pantomime. This is due to the fact that the nature of the art is in most cases, directly related to its origins. Once the nature of the art has been established, one will clearly see the connection between the latter and its origins.The term pantomime, which was, introduced by the Italian Greeks referrs to the actor. The mimer of everything.The pantomime was considered a solo performer who wore a mask, and expressed himself through dance, but did not sing. Rather, a musical group or chorus accompanied the pantomime. This type of performance is usually likened to a ballet enactment with a mythical theme. The pantomime usually tended to appeal to higher tastes with its mythical themes but as Grimal implies, could also be comic and erotic. In his discussion of pantomime, Lucian of Samosata (ca. 125 180) notes that the pantomime represents the orator and the composer of d eclamations. Lucian claims that the success of the pantomime depends upon his skillful adadptation of language to character. It is considered that the pantomime had incredible versitality to show forth human character and passion in all their varieties. These qualities of the pantomime were praised by Lesbonax of Mytilene who called pantomimes manual philosophers. Futher evidence of the versatility of the pantomime in showing emotion and character can be seen in the words of Timocrates:I know not what truth there may be in Platos analysis of the soul into the three elements of spirit, appetite and reason: but each of the three is admirablyillustrated by the pantomime; he shows us the angry man, he shows us the lover, and he shows us every passion under the control of reason The pantomime was not only skillful in portraying human character, but additionally in embracing many other skills into a single embodiment. For instance, the pantomime used both bodily skills such as versatilit y of movement and mental skills where every movement and gesture has meaning and significance. Creating meaning through movement and gesture was significantly important because the pantomime wore mask, which took away any opportunity for showing emotion through facial expression. In consolation, a good pantomime would talk with his hands (cheironomy) and the rest of his body to show emotions and different character types.Overall, is clear that agility and ease of movement were very necessary skills for a sucessful pantomime.The pantomime additionally had to take on several roles in the one performance using little or no costumes. A mantle was the typical costume, which could be used to imply many different items throughout the performance. An example of the extrordinary versitlity of the pantomime is given by Suetonius: As pantomimes, when they dance clad in their mantles, with one and the same mantle represent a swans tail, the tresses of Venus, a Furys scourge Pantomime was a very unique type of performance in that it served a double purpose. Unlike some types of drama that served to be a pleasurable experience or a utilitarian one, the art of pantomime held out objects of both pleasure and utility. This is evidenced through Lucians comments on the art:It sharpens the wits, it excercises the body, it delights the spectator, it instructs him in the history of bygone days, while the eye and ear are held beaneath the spell of flute and cymbal and of graceful danceNowhere can you procure that enjoyment in greater variety and perfection. That said, it is implicitly clear that although pantomime did not always offer a realistic performance experience it was unique because .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 , .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .postImageUrl , .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 , .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151:hover , .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151:visited , .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151:active { border:0!important; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151:active , .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151 .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue0b11f061b9d0d6527e683f4a2559151:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Who is the person whom affected Essay

Roles of a Leader

A leader has been defined as a person who has authority to influence the social behavior of other people with an aim of accomplishing common tasks or established targets1.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Roles of a Leader specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A good leader is one who recognizes the importance and value of other people in the organization, is ready to share information with others, has characters that are unquestioned within the organization, uses his or her good traits for the better of others, is well skilled and competent, visionary, and is ever accessible, accountable, and approachable2. As far as creating and communicating organization vision is concerned, a leader has a very important role to play. In creating the vision, the leader should influence others to come up with possible ways that will achieve the primary goals of the organization3. This will help the organization to come up with an ins piring practical vision that has shared values. In communicating the vision, the leader should lead by example in pursuing the change implied in the vision, demonstrate high confidence in the vision and encourage a down up approach to decision making in the organization. Shared values are values practiced in an organization that engenders trust in the organization and encourages a good interpersonal relationship. It is a unique identity that brings out a clear difference between one organization and another. These values should incorporate both individual and corporate objectives4. In communicating organization vision, the leader should lead the changes implied in the vision but not managing the changes. A leader should have well thought out strategies that will lead the organization to practical breakthrough, be in position to manage the organization moods, and always inform people on the progress. To achieve all these attributes, the leader should lead by example. Leading by examp le is the only approach that leaders use to influence other people. Using this approach will enable the leader to practically demonstrate confidence in the vision. The confidence in the leader will convince other people to have trust in the communicated vision5.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To give a good illustration where leadership principle has both worked well and poorly, the author analyzed two Apple Inc. CEOs namely Steve Jobs and Timothy Cook. Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. recorded good performance, which was reflected in the rapid growth of Apple franchise6. Until his death, the author learned from his profile that it is important for a leader to be charismatic, flexible and posses a good sense of direction. These traits enabled him to lead the company by example and thus through his leadership, the company came up with different mobile phone mod els such as Xerox PARC and Apple Lisa. On the other hand, Timothy Cook, the current CEO who replaced Jobs, has been branded more of a manager than a leader. Having analyzed his recent speeches, the author learned that he rarely embraced the shared values as was the case with his predecessor. This has contributed to most of the current employees losing confidence in his leadership style hence reduced morale. No wonder the company has performed poorly during the first few years of his leadership. In fact, ‘Cook’ factor is one of the challenges facing the company7. Empowerment, Trust and Ethical Leadership Empowerment is an act of building up the capacity of an individual or a group to make sustainable decisions or choices and to transform the choice or decision into desired outcomes. A key issue to empowerment is the action that builds either individual or group assets, and building up the efficiency of the institution or organization’s context that monitors the ut ilization of the asset. On the other hand, trust is having confidence or reliance in the strength, integrity, ability, or surerity that through the chosen means of action, the targeted results will be achieved efficiently and effectively. Ethical leadership refers to a leadership that respects an organization’s appropriate anddesirable morals and values subject to what the society expects from it. In a broader approach, ethics dictate the purity and intentions of an individual. It guides leaders in deteriming what is good or bad in a given scenario8.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Roles of a Leader specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ethical leadership encourages fainess in treatment and equality within an organization. In so doing, the organization wins employees trust and empowers them to exploit their talents and expertise in their workplaces. Although leaders expect positive impacts from empowering and trusting their employees, there are several negative impacts that they are exposed to. Other than encouragingcreativity, job satisfaction, job loyalty and rational or idealized decision making, empowering employees has several negative impacts9. These includes the increased arrogance attributed to a rise in confidence, serious security risks due to trust, lack of experience, and promotion of poor interpersonal relationship amongst the work force10. To explore more, below are candid illustrations of both negative and positive impacts of empowering and trusting employees. Several researchers have conducted studies on employee empowerment in Multinational Companies (MNC). In these studies, they have pointed out that most companies, if not all, have come to recognize that employee empowerment and trust remains paramount11. This is because most organizations view it as a very important predictor to good performance. They go ahead to reveal that the sample companies they studied had reali zed several benefits from employee empowerment12. These include quick decision making, employee confidence, employee loyalty, faster attainment of goals. On the other hand, empowering and trusting their employees has led to several negative impacts. These include unethical behaviors such as theft, security breaches, and underperformance by some employees13. Bibliography Anaejionu, R. Why empowerment of employees is becoming important in organizations. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/empowerment-employees-becoming-important-organizations-11542.html, 2013.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Armstrong, M. T Steohens. A handbook of management and leadership: A guide to Managing. UK: Kogan Page Ltd., 2005. Jon, P. Snapshots of great leadership. UK: Rutledge, 2012. Lashinsky, A. Inside Apple. New York: GRIN Verlage, 2012. Mitchell, M. J Casey. Police leadership and management. Australia: The Federation Press, 2007. Oloko, M M Ogutu. Influence and power distance on employee empowerment and MNC performance. Retrieved from http://resjournals.com/ERJ/Pdf/2012/Feb/Oloko%20and%20Ogutu.pdf, 2012. Robertson, T. Negative effects of employee empowerment. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-effects-employee-empowerment-18691.html, 2013. Samsung Electronics. 2012 Sustainable report. Retrieved from http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/sustainability/sustainabilityreports/download/2012/2012_sustainability_rpt.pdf, 2012. Schneiders, S. Business deconstructed: Apple Inc. New York: GRIN Verlage, 2010. Footnotes M Armstrong T Steohens. A handbook of management and leadership: A guide to Managing, UK: Kogan Page Ltd., 2005. P..33. M Mitchell J Casey. Police Leadership and Management. Australia: The Federation Press, 2007. p.22 M Armstrong T Steohens. A handbook of management and leadership: A guide to Managing, UK: Kogan Page Ltd., 2005. P.33. M Armstrong T Steohens. A handbook of management and leadership: A guide to Managing, UK: Kogan Page Ltd., 2005. P.33. P Jon. Snapshots of great leadership. UK: Rutledge, 2012. P.20. A Lashinsky. Inside Apple. New York: GRIN Verlage,2012.. p.1. S Schneiders. Business deconstructed: Apple Inc. New York: GRIN Verlage 2010. P.2. R Anaejionu. Why empowerment of employees Is becoming important in organizations. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/empowerment-employees-becoming-important-organizations-11542.html, 2013. P.1. R Anaejionu. Why empowerment of employees is becoming important in organizations. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/empowerment-employees-becoming-important-organiz ations-11542.html, 2013. p.1. Â  T Robertson. Negative effects of employee empowerment. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-effects-employee-empowerment-18691.html, 2013. P.1. Â  M Oloko. m Ogutu. Influence and power distance on employee empowerment and MNC performance. Retrieved from http://resjournals.com/ERJ/Pdf/2012/Feb/Oloko%20and%20Ogutu.pdf, 2012. P.22. Â  R Anaejionu. Why Empowerment of Employees Is Becoming Important in Organizations. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/empowerment-employees-becoming-important-organizations-11542.html, 2013. P.1. Â  Samsung Electronics. 2012 Sustainable report. Retrieved from http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/sustainability/sustainabilityreports/download/2012/2012_sustainability_rpt.pdf, 2012. P.3. This essay on Roles of a Leader was written and submitted by user Regan Y. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Casualty Figure Chart for World War 1

Casualty Figure Chart for World War 1 Despite intensive research by historians, there is no- and there will never be- a definitive list of the casualties inflicted during World War I. Where detailed record-keeping was attempted, the demands of battle undermined it. The destructive nature of the war, a conflict where soldiers could be wholly obliterated or instantly buried, destroyed both the records themselves and the memories of those who knew the fates of their comrades. Estimating the Numbers For many countries, the estimated figures only vary within the hundreds, even tens, of thousands, but those of others- particularly France- can be over a million apart. Consequently, the numbers given here have been rounded to the nearest thousand (Japan is an exception, given the low number). The figures in this, and almost every other list, will differ; however, the proportions should remain similar and it is these (represented here as percentages) which allow the greatest insight. In addition, there is no convention as to whether the dead and wounded of the British Empire are listed under this umbrella title or by individual nation (and there is certainly no convention for those regions which have since divided).   How People Died Many people expect the deaths and wounds of World War I to have come from bullets, as soldiers were engaged in combat: charges into no mans land, struggles over trenches, etc. However, while bullets certainly killed a lot of people, it was aerial artillery which killed the most. This death from the skies could bury people or just blow a limb off, and the repeated hammerings of millions of shells induced illness even when the shrapnel didnt hit. This devastating killer, which could kill you while you were on your own territory away from enemy troops, was supplemented by new weapons: humanity lived up to its horrible reputation by deciding that new methods of killing ​were needed, and poison gas was introduced on both western and eastern fronts. This didnt kill as many people as you might think, given the way we remember it, but those it did kill died a painful and hideous death. Some say that the First World Wars death toll is used today as an emotional weapon used to cast the conflict in overwhelmingly negative terms, part of the modern revisionism on the war, which may be a completely dishonest way to portray the conflict. One look at the list below, with millions dead, over a war for imperial control, is telling evidence. The vast and scarring psychological effects of those who were wounded, or those who bore no physical wounds (and dont appear in the list below), yet suffered emotional wounds, must also be born in mind when you consider the human cost of this conflict. A generation was damaged. Notes on Countries With regards to Africa, the figure of 55,000 refers to soldiers who saw combat; the number of Africans involved as auxiliaries or otherwise is likely to include several hundred thousand. Troops were drawn from Nigeria, Gambia, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Nyasaland/Malawi, Kenya, and the Gold Coast. Figures for South Africa are given separately. In the Caribbean, the British West Indies regiment drew men from across the region, including Barbados, Bahamas, Honduras, Grenada, Guyana, Leeward Islands, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago; the bulk came from Jamaica. The figures are cited from The Longman Companion to the First World War (Colin Nicholson, Longman 2001, pg. 248); they have been rounded to the nearest thousand. All percentages are my own; they refer to the % of the total mobilized. Casualties of World War I Country Mobilized Killed Wounded Total K and W Casualties Africa 55,000 10,000 unknown unknown - Australia 330,000 59,000 152,000 211,000 64% Austria-Hungary 6,500,000 1,200,000 3,620,000 4,820,000 74% Belgium 207,000 13,000 44,000 57,000 28% Bulgaria 400,000 101,000 153,000 254,000 64% Canada 620,000 67,000 173,000 241,000 39% The Caribbean 21,000 1,000 3,000 4,000 19% French Empire 7,500,000 1,385,000 4,266,000 5,651,000 75% Germany 11,000,000 1,718,000 4,234,000 5,952,000 54% Great Britain 5,397,000 703,000 1,663,000 2,367,000 44% Greece 230,000 5,000 21,000 26,000 11% India 1,500,000 43,000 65,000 108,000 7% Italy 5,500,000 460,000 947,000 1,407,000 26% Japan 800,000 250 1,000 1,250 0.2% Montenegro 50,000 3,000 10,000 13,000 26% New Zealand 110,000 18,000 55,000 73,000 66% Portugal 100,000 7,000 15,000 22,000 22% Romania 750,000 200,000 120,000 320,000 43% Russia 12,000,000 1,700,000 4,950,000 6,650,000 55% Serbia 707,000 128,000 133,000 261,000 37% South Africa 149,000 7,000 12,000 19,000 13% Turkey 1,600,000 336,000 400,000 736,000 46% USA 4,272,500 117,000 204,000 321,000 8% Sources and Further Reading Broadberry, Stephen and Mark Harrison (eds). The Economics of World War I. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.Offer, Avner. The First World War: An Agrarian Interpretation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.Hall, George J. Exchange Rates and Casualties During the First World War. Journal of Monetary Economics 51.8 (2004): 1711–42. Print.Hoeffler D. F., and L. J. Melton. Changes in the distribution of navy and marine corps casualties from World War I through the Vietnam conflict. Military Medicine 146.11 (1981). 776–779.  Keegan, John. The First World War. New York: Vintage Books, 1998.Nicholson, Colin. The Longman Companion to the First World War: Europe 1914–1918. Routledge, 2014.  Winter, J. M. Britains ‘Lost Generation’ of the First World War. Population Studies 31.3 (1977): 449–66. Print.

Australian Politics essays

Australian Politics essays 1.A shift to a republic would be in Australia's best interests. There have been a series of debates on the actual future of the Australian state. On the one hand, there are some who suggest that Australia would have a better future as an independent and sovereign republic; on the other hand, the current status as part of the Commonwealth is considered to be a better option for the nation and the state. However, serious attempts have been made and discussions are underway for what would the government consider to be by 2020 the Australian state and an Australian head of state (BBC, 2008). In order to have a better assessment of this issue, there are several aspects to be taken into consideration which support the idea of an Australian republic and an Australian head of state rather than an overall monarchical rule. First, todays reality is one of independent and sovereign state, not one of former empires. As stated by the foreign Minister, a split from the British monarchy was inevitable. (BBC, 2008) It is not so much the mere fact that Australia is formally still entrenched in the remains of an empire which seized to exist decades ago. It is more the issue of modernity and of the role Australia came to play in the world in recent decades. In this sense, it is one of the most important countries in the Asia Pacific region and should therefore have a defining and sovereign head of state in order to allow the country to run its affairs independently from any outside force. Second, there is also the matter of the national identity worldwide. In this sense, there are voices suggesting that the Australian state, due to the fact that it has always been associated with the image of the British Empire does not have a national identity, one that could be constructed and built upon in the decades and centuries to come. More precisely, these voices suggest that the maintenance of the monarchical rule can da...

HRM and Personal Practice Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HRM and Personal Practice Report - Essay Example In the short term, I would like to complete successfully my studies in HRM at Cardiff Met and have to get a Bachelor degree with a minimum classification of Second Class Honors Upper Division. In the long term, I will continue my studies in HRM filed through a post-graduate specifically in Master of Science program at Manchester University, which could help me to enhance my skills in HRM. One of the positive attributes of the presentation is that it has a good introduction, which serves the purpose of preparing the audience for what to expect in the course of the presentation. Similarly, the presentation makes it easy for the audience to have a clear understanding of the content. This is achieved by defining of strategic HRM terms used in the course of the presentation. Seemingly, the presentation was thoroughly researched on, as reference materials are included at the end. Another positive attribute of the presentation is the fact that the recommendations that have been outlined at the end of the report are related to the content that has been discussed in the course of the presentation. Over and above, it is imperative to acknowledge that the structure of the presentation is ideal. This is supported by the fact that the slides are well organized and that the content is well presented. In as much as the presentation appears to be the finest article, it fails to meet the expectations at some instances. For example (Dennis, 2006) that is referred to in, the presentation has not been properly cited. In as much as the research has covered most of the aspects of strategic HRM, it has failed to give examples of institutions whenever necessary. If I were to repeat the task, I would develop the presentation by giving specific examples of organizations that have implemented the strategic aspects of HRM successfully or unsuccessfully. Similarly, I would make the presentation clear and

My Last Duchess Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Last Duchess - Essay Example The duke is commanding the silent auditor to sit down and to have a look at her painting. The duke is also very possessive about the painting and that is why he has hidden it behind a curtain so that no one can look at her except for himself. This way he wants to control who sees it and how it is seen. Although the protagonist speaks in a polite way and treats the count’s legate with respect, the addresses to his guest (â€Å"Will’t please [...]† 1.5; â€Å"We’ll meet [...]† 1.47; â€Å"Nay, We’ll go[...]† 1.53) sound rather like orders. The duke is even certain to look inside his guest’s mind... (Mannle 2) The duke is a jealous husband and he doesn’t approve the fact that his lady could have derived pleasure from any other thing or company of any other person but him. He doesn’t think very highly of her; according to him she was too easily pleased and was attentive to everyone: â€Å"She liked whateer / She looked on, and her looks went everywhere†. (23-24) The duke seems to characterize his last duchess by virtue of her painting. He believes that his social status should have been enough for her to be proud of and she didn’t have to be courteous with everybody. The duke is proud of his nine hundred years old family name and status and wonders how anything else other than this can become a source of pleasure for her. He thought it was beneath her social status to be friendly to the commoners. Most of all, he is displeased with her smiles that she bestowed on everyone. The smile of the last duchess is of significant importance as it is mentioned for a couple of times. Her smile is secret- the duke doesn’t exactly know the reason behind her smiles. However, he is keen to learn about it. He knows for sure that the smile he received was not special- it was a typical gesture of the last duchess to smile all the time for everyone. Her smile also becomes a cause of jealousy of her husband- and her

View of Class Essay Example for Free

View of Class Essay Karl Marx’s view of class as exposed in his Communist Manifesto suggests firstly the existence of two distinct classes with irreconcilable differences. These are the proletarian and the bourgeoisie. The proletarian or proletariat was initially a derogatory term used for people who had no other wealth aside from their children. Marx’s sociological take on the term refers it to the working class. True to its derogatory origin, the proletariat is the class in society that does not own the means of production (Martin, 1998). In short, they are those who are employed to do work and get paid by salaries. The bourgeoisie or capitalist is a term to connote the owning class. They are considered the upper class of society who owns the means of production. They are the merchants, landowners, and other capitalists. Marx’s theory in class revolves around the interactions between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie and the inevitable consequences thereof. Marx argued that the bourgeoisie constantly exploits the proletariat. Since the workers do not own any means of production like their own farm or business, they must seek employment from the bourgeoisie in order to survive. They are hired by capitalists to work on making goods or providing services. These fruits of production then become the property of the capitalist, who sells them and gets a certain amount of money in exchange. Some of the money earned from the selling of the products or services is used to pay the workers wages, while the rest called surplus value is used to pay for other expenses of the capitalist and his profits. This gives the capitalist the ability to earn money out of work done by his employees with very minimal effort on his part (Martin, 1998). Since obviously, new wealth or profit was created through work done by the employees; the capitalist gained wealth or an excess of wealth which he did not work for. If that happened, then that means that other people, that is the laborers did not receive the full wealth which they should be receiving as just compensation for the work they did. In other words, the workers were exploited by the capitalists. On the other hand, Scott and Leonhardt (2005) argued that society cannot actually have the distinct perception of classes that is proposed in Marxist doctrine. They base this on the fact that people regardless of race or social stature are experiencing luxuries that were not as equally distributed just a few decades ago. Marxist principle usually claimed that the normal, everyday worker is of an inferior class to the capitalist. This principle was based on external markers that connote poverty in one and wealth in the other. Scott and Leonhardt’s article makes an attack on the markers of such a principle, arguing that at present, it has become very difficult to know a person’s class from the color of his skin or the gods they worship, much less on the clothes they wear or whether they’re employed or are running heir own business. However, the article itself does not belittle the concept of distinct classes and in fact moves on to argue that class is actually still a very powerful factor in society. What the article simply argues is that this difference in classes can no longer be seen in Marx’s idea of proletariat – bourgeoisie dynamics but has transferred to other aspects such as meritocracy, where a man who starts out poor can actually strike it rich if he had what it takes. It is my stand to agree with Scott and Leonhardt that the concept of class has shifted into from hereditary wealth to the idea of meritocracy. On the first level of argumentation, I say that the assumption of untouchability of the upper class no longer applies today, where big companies such as Enron can be brought to its knees by the public and where several big business tycoons such as Bernard Ebbers of Worldcom can actually be put behind bars for a good long time. This means that both worker and capitalist stand on equal footing where the law is concerned which implies that the supposed unfair, overwhelming power that big companies hold over its employees has been reduced to a memory. On the second level of argumentation, I believe that meritocracy has transcended barriers between countries and provided an avenue by which worth is determined by what a person can do rather than what his heritage is. The first support to this is the advent of public corporations. These entities build an administrative base that is dependent on meritocracy. A public corporation is owned by all the people who invest in it which can be considered as capitalists, but the top notch directors that they hire don’t need to be stockholders, nor do these executives get hired because they are relatives of the shareholders. More so they get hired because their credentials, from educational background to previous work experiences, says that they can get the job done better than anyone who has money in the company, and that if they should be handsomely compensated if they are expected to work for that particular company. The top CEOs’ incomes usually surpass the lot of a public corporation’s investors. I disagree with Marx’s portrayal of class and class struggle on two levels. The first level is that workers have at present various protections against exploitation by their employers. Labor unions lobby for progressive compensation based on the company’s own profits. This means that laborers today are actually getting their wages based on their company’s progress. The more profits they bring in, the better leverage their union has in negotiating wage increases. On the second level, even today’s capitalists recognize the importance of obtaining and maintaining an efficient labor force. Corporations consistently compete for worker bases in the country and abroad, trying to outdo each other with better benefits, more convenient working conditions, and higher salaries. This indicates that the capitalist can no longer be viewed as the laborers’ enemy. Rather, quality labor itself has become the product of laborers that makes them capitalists in their own right, since the demand for quality labor has become so that capitalists are willing to purchase their labor at their price. In conclusion, class is a concept that has evolved through the years. Situations that may have been applicable during Marx’s time may no longer be effectively used to describe what is apparent in today’s economic world. We must reflect on the value of labor today and see our own worth that for us to market, making us all equitably equipped for life’s challenges ahead. Sources: Martin, Malia. (1998). The Communist Manifest of Marx and Engels. New York: Penguin group. Scott, Janny Leonhardt, David (2005). Shadowy Lines That Still Divide. Retrieved May 6, 2007 from New York Times Website: http://www. nytimes. com/2005/05/15/national/class/OVERVIEW-FINAL. html? ex=1273809600en=2fb756e388191419ei=5088partner=rssnytemc=rss