Ashkenazi Jews Essay Example for Free

Ashkenazi Jews Essay The Jews admit that they are not the descendants of the Ancient Israelites in their writings. Under the heading of A brief History of the Terms for Jew in the 1980 Jewish Almanac is the following: Strictly speaking it is incorrect to call an ancient Israelite a ‘Jew’ or to call a contemporary Jew an Israelite or a Hebrew. 1980 Jewish Almanac, p. 3. http://iamthewitness.com/doc/Ashkenazis.are.not.the.descendants.of.the.Ancient.Israelites.htm JEWS Strictly speaking it is incorrect to call an ancient Israelite a ‘Jew’ or to call a contemporary Jew an Israelite or a Hebrew. 1980 Jewish Almanac, p. 3. Encyclopedia Americana (1985) Khazar, an ancient Turkic speaking people who ruled a large and powerful state in the steppes North of the Caucasus Mountains from the 7th century to the mid 11th century A.D In the 8th Century its political and religious head as well as the greater part of the Khazar nobility, abandoned paganism and converted to Judaism (The Khazars are the ancestors of most Russian and Eastern European Jews). Encyclopedia Britannica (15th edition): Khazars, confederation of Turkic and Iranian tribes that established a major commercial empire in the second half of the 6th century, covering the southeastern section of modern European Russia In the middle of the 8th century the ruling classes adopted Judaism as their religion. Encyclopedia Americana (1985): Ashkenazim, the Ashkenazim are the Jews whose ancestors lived in German lands it was among Ashkenazi Jews that the idea of political Zionism emerged, leading ultimately to the establishment of the state of Israel In the late 1960s, Ashkenazi Jews numbered some 11 million, about 84 percent of the world Jewish population. The Jewish Encyclopedia: Khazars, a non-Semitic, Asiatic, Mongolian tribal nation who emigrated into Eastern Europe about the first century, who were converted as an entire nation to Judaism in the seventh century by the expanding Russian nation which absorbed the entire Khazar population, and who account for the presence in Eastern Europe of the great numbers of Yiddish-speaking Jews in Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Galatia, Besserabia and Rumania. HORUS. Sun of God Ask Any 33rd degree Freemason! Horus is the EYE above the African Egyptian Pyramid on the U.S.ONE DOLLAR BILL.

Modern State System in International Relations

Modern State System in International Relations What is the most significant feature of the modern state and how has it shaped international relations? The core of the early modern period to vast histories of sovereignty and state formation is a topic mentioned in some of the work done by the most influential political theorists of the past century. However an attempt of understanding the nature of political consciousness requires a historical understanding of the theoretical evolution of the modern state itself. This, in turn, requires an understanding of earlier state formations and ideologies that has influenced the evolution (Nelson, 2006). In this essay, I will discuss the topic of the modern state, its significant feature and how modern state has shaped international relations. In discussing the features, this essay also aims to identify and define the term state, its components and how modern state transformed, followed by the main significant feature and its impact towards the new era of international relations. The modern state is believed to have risen between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries in Europe, and later spread to the rest of the world through conquest and colonialism. This ideal of modern state comprises of four defining characteristics that is bureaucracy, legitimacy, territory, and sovereignty (external and internal). States uses these four characteristics to provide their citizens goods such as security, a legal system, and infrastructure (Drogus Orvis, 2014). A failed state or â€Å"weak state† is a state-like entity that cannot coerce and is unable to successfully control the inhabitants of a given territory (Clark Golder, 2012). They are incapable of providing these goods, and once a state has become weak, it loses effective sovereignty over part of its territory. The most definitive terms of state comes from the German political sociologist and economic historian Max Weber (1864–1920). Max Weber claims that â€Å"the state is human community that successfully claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory†. He argued that â€Å"the state cannot be defined in terms of its ends and ultimately, one can define the modern state only in terms of the specific means peculiar to it, as to every political association, namely, the use of physical force† (Weber, 1958) . There are two recent definitions of a state, the first by a sociologist named Charles Tilly and the second is by the Nobel-laureate economist, Douglass North. According to Tilly, states are â€Å"relatively centralized, differentiated organizations, the officials of which, more or less, successfully claim control over the chief concentrated means of violence within a population inhabiting a large contiguous territory† (Tilly, 1985). On the other hand, Douglas North says that â€Å"a state is an organization with a comparative advantage in violence, extending over a geographic area whose boundaries are determined by its power to tax constituents† (North, 1981). There are three components to the modern state comprises of territory, people and central government. Territory comprises of the element on which its other elements exist. People are every territorial unit that participates in international relations supports human life. Central government is the members of the st ate designated as its official representatives. Some of the significant features of modern state may be the dominant form of political authority and imagination today but it has taken many and specific forms across the world without completely removing or overruling older languages of power and public authority. According to Weber, the modern statemonopolizesthe means of legitimate physical violenceover awell-defined territory. Monopoly on force– has the right and ability to use violence, in legally defined instances, against members of society, or against other states. Legitimacy/authority– its power is recognized by members of society and by other states as based on law and some form of justice. Territoriality– the state exists in a defined territory (which includes land, water and air) and exercises authority over the population of that territory. Sovereignty the idea that there is a final and absolute authority in the political community’, with the proviso that ‘no final and absolute authority exists elsewhere. Constitutionality Impersonal power The public bureaucracy Citizenship (Pierson, 1996) The most significant feature of modern state is undoubtedly the monopoly on force. All states will at least use the threat of force to organize public life. The fact that dictatorships might use force should not hide the fact that state rule in democracies is based on the threat of force (Mandisodza, 2012). This explains why North and Tilly only claim that states must have a â€Å"comparative advantage in violence† or have control â€Å"over the chief concentrated means of violence†. More important than the actual monopolization of violence may be the inauguration of a unitary order of violence. Violence and the threat of violence continued to be a chronic feature of the daily life (Pierson, 1996). A state is more than a government. A state is the medium of rule over a defined or sovereign territory. It is comprised of an executive, a bureaucracy, courts and other institutions. In a broad sense, any polity, any politically organised society, can be viewed as a state and various criteria can be used to distinguish between different kinds of state. However, according to Phillip Bobbit, state loses its legitimacy when it can no longer fulfil the function of maintaining, nurturing and improving the condition of its citizen (Axtmann, 2004). Some of the highlighted developments that was identified as essentially undermining the legitimizing premise of the nation-state to improve the wellbeing of the people were; first, the recognition of human rights as norms that require adherence within all states regardless of their internal laws; second, the development of weapons of mass destruction that render the defence of state borders ineffectual; third, the proliferation of global and tran snational threats that no nation-state alone can control or evade; fourth, the growth of global capitalism, which curtails the capacity of states for economic management; and, fifth, the creation of a global communications network that penetrates borders and threatens national languages, customs, and cultures (Bobbitt, 2002). These developments and the loss of legitimacy of nation-state, has led to a new constitutional order, which is the modern state. Changing  interpretations of the modern state  would certainly provoke conflicting views of sovereignty in the context of international relations. Modernization has brought a series of benefits to people such as equal treatment of people with different backgrounds and incomes, lower infant mortality rate, lower starvation-caused death, lower cases of fatal diseases, and so on. However, there are also the negative sides of modernity pointed out by sociologists and others. Technological development and environmental problems such as pollution are another negative impact of modernity. Additionally, the declining definitions of human nature, human dignity, and the lack of value in human life have all been indicated as the impact of a social process/civilization that reaps the fruits of growing privatization, as well as a loss of traditional values and worldviews. Because states needed to acquire greater wealth to finance military and political endeavours, a competitive state system b ased on the support of wealthy aristocrats emerged. This also contributed to the rise of mercantilism, and, ultimately, a modern capitalist economy (Farr, 2005). In conclusion, while many of these features of modern state have been rendered, histories seem to suggest those aspects may not be simple exceptions to the essential characteristics of modernization, but mandatory parts of it. As we approach the end of an era of a politically sovereign nation-state, we are also beginning to recognize that state’s self-sufficiency is hard to achieve. As a result, modern wars were categorised into two, either imperialistic wars designed to allow powerful states to become more self-sufficient by taking control of populations, territories and resources to be used for that purpose, or nationalist wars designed to reunite parts of the nation with the national state (Elazar). What is needed is a new kind of imperialism that is adequate to a world of human rights and cosmopolitanism value. Yet the weak still need the strong, and the strong still need an orderly world, in which an efficient and well-governed export stability and liberty, and openness f or investment and growth seem eminently desirable. But it leaves many question unanswered, and above all we are still left wondering how different states will be in the future. References Ahmad, R.E., Eijaz, A., 2011, â€Å"Modern Sovereign State System is under Cloud in the Age of Globalization†, South Asian Studies – A Research Journal of South Asian Studies, Vl.26, No.2, pp.85-297 Axtmann, R., 2004, â€Å"The State of the State: The Model of the Modern State and its Contemporary Transformation†, International Political Science Review, Vol.25, No.3, pp.259-279 Bobbitt, P., 2002, â€Å"The Shield of Achilles: War, Peace and the Course of History†, London: Allen Lane. Bobbitt, P., 2002, The Archbishop is Right: The Nation-State is Dying, The Times Clark, W.R., Golder, M., Golder, S.N., 2012, â€Å"Chapter 4: The Origins of the Modern State†, Principles of Comparative Politics, Vol. 2, pp1-66 Closson, S, Kolsto, P, Seymour, L.J.M., Caspersen, N, 2013, â€Å"Unrecognized States: The Strugge for Sovereignty in the Modern International System†, Nationalities Paper: The Journal of Nationalism and Ethnicity, Routledge Publishing, Vol.41, pp.1-9 Drogus, C.A., Orvis, S., 2014, â€Å"Chapter 3: The Modern State†, Introducing Comparative Politics: The Modern State, Sage Publication CQ Press, 2nd Edition Farr, J., 2005, â€Å"Point: The Westphalia Legacy and The Modern Nation-State†, International Social Science Review, Vol. 80, Issue 3/4, pp.156-159 Mann, M, 1993,â€Å"A Theory of The Modern State†, The Sources of Social Power Volume 2, The Rise of Classes and Nation States 1760-1914, Cambridge University Press, Vol.2, pp.44-89 Morris, C.W, â€Å"The Modern State†, Handbook of Political Theory, Sage Publications, pp.1-16 Nelson, B.R, 2006, â€Å"State and Ideology† The Making of the Modern State – a Theoretical Evolution, Palgrave Macmillan, pp.1-177 Netzloff, M., 2014,â€Å"The State and Early Modernity†, Journal for Early Modern Cultural Studies, University of Pennsylvania Press, Vol. 14, No.1, pp.149-154. North, D.C., 1981, â€Å"Structure and Change in Economic History†, New York: W. W. Norton Company. Pierson, C, 1996, â€Å"The Modern State: The Second Edition†, Routledge Taylor Francis Group, pp.1-206 Sidaway, J.D., 2013, â€Å"The Topology of Sovereignty†, Geopolitics, Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Vol.18, No.4, pp.961-966 Tilly, C., 1985, â€Å"War Making and State Making as Organized Crime† Peter Evans, Dietrich Rueschmeyer, Theda Skocpol (eds.), Bringing the State Back In, New York Cambridge University Press. Weber, M, 1958 [1918]. â€Å"Politics as a Vocation†, Weber: Essays in Sociology, New York Oxford University Press. pp. 77-128. Chapter 3: The Modern State, http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/fattah/courses/introPolSc/ch03state.htm Conflict Resolution and Sustainable Peace Building – The Post Modern State,http://www.world-governance.org/article86.html?lang=en Mandisodza, G.J.T., 2012, â€Å"Chapter 4: The Origins of a Modern State†, https://files.nyu.edu/sln202/public/chapter4.pdf The Problem with Sovereignty: The Modern States Collision with the International Law Movement, http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Articles/Special-Feature/Detail/?id=135613contextid774=135613contextid775=135611 The Rise and Fall of the Modern State System, http://www.jcpa.org/dje/articles/risefall-state.htm#top 1

Churches Tax Exempt A Matter Of Constitutional Right Religion Essay

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Essay --

In this novel the presentation of the father is portrayed as a father protecting his son’s innocence. It’s almost as if the man is placed on this planet for one major purpose to protect and keep his son alive. The burnt man passage gives the reader an insight into a world that has absence of culture and civilization in the post-apocalyptic world that both the boy and man inhabit, the role of the boy and the father are further established for the reader and many of the techniques that become typical of McCarthy’s style in the novel. Structurally the burned man scene is one of the horrific episodes that occur in the novel and it is the first to take place, foreshadowing, future horrific episodes that will take place later on in the novel. This essay will be exploring these ideas in more depth looking closely at how the father and boy are portrayed in this part of the extract. The passage begins with a typical series of simple sentences describing the boy and the man. †they went on the boy was crying. He kept looking back† McCarthy’s style of writing mainly consist of short, clear an...

Analyzing Nursing Philosophy Essay -- knowledge, beliefs, god

Nursing is what has brought us together. We have started our Bachelor’s Completion to further our education. I consider that during the Associate, I learned the skills to become a nurse. Now, that I am exploring topics such as time management, analyze my nursing philosophy, and learn how to develop a portfolio, I feel I am beginning to understand what is to be a nurse. Before I went to College to study nursing, I had a philosophy about it which has evolved as I have gained experience and knowledge. Merriam Webster’s (2003) defined philosophy as â€Å"an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs† (p.930). Therefore, our nursing philosophy should help us identify what our priorities are and how we should act as a nurse. Although I know my nursing philosophy will keep changing over time, currently, I have a clear idea of what my beliefs are. I feel that a nurse should be motivated to help others, do something meaningful, and make a difference in other people’s lives. A nurse should be someone who values God’s creations, values life, and respects its course. A nurse should be a good listener and do no harm. In addition, I consider that nurses should be able to self-assess themselves to avoid being judgmental when caring for people from diverse backgrounds. Moreover, I think that a nurse should also pay attention to detail to catch any errors or to identify early some disease processes. A nurse should also respect others’ ideas and decisions, and should be eager to learn as the field evolves. Finally, I believe a nurse should be strong and sensitive at the same time to treat others with humanity and provide support. However, this philosophy could not exist without four main concepts which are health, nursi... ...to learn more about that. I cannot wait to exchange impressions about our nursing philosophy as well as learn more about the professional portfolio development. I hope you have found my post interesting. I truly enjoyed the topics and I felt I had a lot to say so hopefully it was not too long. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my post and commenting on it. Works Cited Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary (11th ed.). (2003). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster. Oermann, M.H. (2002). Developing a professional portfolio in nursing. Orthopaedic Nursing, 21(2). Retrieved from http://www.nursing-informatics.com/Oermann.pdf University of Michigan School of Nursing (2004). Nursing resumes & portfolios. Retrieved May 28, 2014 from http://www.nursing.umich.edu/about-our-school/computing-technology/electronic-portfolios/nursing-resumes-portfolios

Manhunt: American Civil War and James L. Swanson Essay

a) In Manhunt, by James L. Swanson, John Wilkes Booth assassinates Abraham Lincoln because he has very strong beliefs that African Americans should have rights. In the success of Lincoln’s attempt to preserve the Union and free the slaves, Booth took matters into his own hands by killing Lincoln. Although this was a very extreme way to deal with things, I can connect Booth’s passion to myself. His cause was not good, but he set out to do what is right in his eyes and did it. I can connect his motivation in doing things to myself. My passion is to live my life as environmentally friendly as I possibly can. Some things I do are take caps off water bottles, and bring them to centers where they collect them. I always try to get my mom to only buy products that were made from recycled materials this way there is less garbage in landfills. This is something I am very passionate about as Booth was in rights of African Americans. b) I can relate Manhunt to ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare. There is a similarity between John Wilkes Booth and Romeo in the way that they are very rash characters/people. They both don’t use their heads, and this ends them both up in bad positions. Booth thinks by shooting Lincoln this will benefit the cause of the South, but it ends up making a big mess for the whole country. Romeo thinks by killing Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, this will avenge the death of his friend Mercutio, but he ends up being banished ruining his relationship with Juliet. Both their plans end up in turmoil because of their impulsive behavior. If they would have thought things through more they could have seen that their actions were nonsensical, and would not result in any type of benefit to either of their causes. c) Martin Luther King Jr. was another great leader like President Abraham Lincoln who believed in equal rights for African Americans. Both courageous people tried their hardest to accomplish it, and really did change America for the better. President Lincoln ended slavery as this was the result of the civil war, and King fought against segregation and discrimination. In the end both fell victim to assassination because of their brave actions and beliefs. For both Lincoln and king there were people who thought that what  they were doing was wrong and decide to stop them. For Lincoln it was John Wilkes Booth who assassinated the President in Ford’s theater to avenge the South. James Earl Grey assassinated King because he was a racist, and did not want segregation to end. Although they died fighting for equality their ideas, and words did not. Personal Reaction: All over the world there are people who live under corrupt governments, and there is always a person who starts the catalyst for change. In Tunisia a revolution started, but many people do not realize how. Al Bouazizi was a poor 26-year-old right out of college and struggled to get a job to support his family. When no work was to be found he got himself a cart and sold fruit on the street. A police officer said he did not have the paperwork to have the cart so Bouazizi took a stand. He burned himself in front of a government building to protest the unjust government. This is what Tunisia needed to get their selves to stop the corrupt government, and thus the revolution started. Al Bouazizi did not live to see how his heroic actions will change the history of Tunisia, but he was the hair on the camel’s back that made the citizens of Tunisia say this is enough. To take such a valiant stand is remarkable as was when John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Booth’s beliefs contradicted Lincoln’s and Booth was determined to stop him. Bouazizi and Booth both believed that their leaders were corrupt, and risked their lives to stop them and make a stand. Booth killed President Lincoln to avenge the South after their loss in the civil war. Bouazizi made his stand to show the government no matter how hard you try to do what is right there is no way to make it under Tunisia’s corrupt government. They were both very hardworking people, and not ready to give up all that they worked for, and I do not blame them. Some people might call their actions rash, but for them to have that much courage is remarkable. After Bouazizi’s stand started the revolution started, and set the country into mayhem; this was much like the United Sates was during the Civil War. The South disagreed with the North and thus a war started. They had  different views on rights of African Americans, and social differences. The South was based on the plantation system while the North was focused on city life. This change in the North meant that society evolved as people of different cultures and classes had to work together. On the other hand, the South continued to hold onto an old-fashioned social order. This could be related to how the citizens of Tunisia revolted against the government. Tunisia is much like the South they thought they were being short-handed so they decided enough was enough. The South seceded, and Tunisia revolted. They did not like what the government was telling them, and said enough was enough. The South needed slavery for their cotton farms, and was not giving it up without a fight. Tunisia’s employment was almost nonexistent; there were no opportunities to be had, and it just was not fair anymore. Different people, time period, and place, same problem.

Cultural Differences Paper

Many people throughout the world indentify themselves by their cultural background. It is common knowledge that there are many different cultures throughout the world. Each culture has its similarities and differences. Every individual has multiple identities Race, ethnic, gender, national, regional, organizational, personal, cyber/fantasy—that act in concert. The importance of any single identity is a result of the situation. As the context varies, you may choose to emphasize one or more of your identities. A conceptual inquiry into race or gender would seek an articulation of our concepts of race or gender (Riley 1988). For outside a rather narrow segment of the academic world, the term ‘gender’ has come to function as the police way to talk about the sexes. And one thing people feel pretty confident about is their knowledge of the difference between males and females. The situation is similar, if not worse, with respect to race. The self-evidence of racial distinctions in everyday American life is at striking odds with the uncertainty about the category of race. Is it useful to begin by reflecting on the questions: â€Å"What is gender? †, â€Å"What is race? † and related questions such as: â€Å"What is it to be a man or a woman? â€Å"What is it to be White? African American, or Latino? In this paper, we analyze the multicultural concepts of racial identity and gender identity and point out their significance in understanding cultural differences. Gender Identity Gender is a set of characteristics distinguishing between male and female, particularly in the cases of men and women. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity. Gender being male or female is a basic element that helps make up and individual’s personality and sense o self. Gender identity disorder is a condition in which a male or female feels a strong identification with the opposite sex (Bussey K, Braunda 1999). A person with this disorder often experiences great discomfort regarding his or her actual anatomic gender. People with gender identity disorder may act and present themselves as members of the opposite sex and may express a desire to alter their bodies. The disorder affects an individual's self-image, and can impact the person's mannerisms, behavior, and dress. Individuals who are committed to altering their physical appearance through cosmetics, hormones and, in some cases, surgery are known as transsexuals A person with a gender identity is a person who strongly identifies with the other sex. The individual may identify with the opposite sex to the point of believing that he/she is, in fact, a member of the other sex who is trapped in the wrong body. This causes that person to experience serious discomfort with his/her own biological sex orientation. The gender identity disorder causes problems for this person in school, work or social settings. This disorder is different from transvestism or transvestic fetishism where cross-dressing occurs for sexual pleasure, but the transvestite does not identify with the other sex (Ruble DN 1994) Racial Identity Racial identity is which racial society a person mostly identifies with. However, in today’s world many people have two or more racial identities that make it more difficult for them to grasp and understand the cultural traditions and beliefs. On of the most prominent influences in America is President Barack Obama. As the Unites States first black president has taken office, a new report about race suggests it is a changeable marker of social status rather that a fixed characteristic of one’s birth. Jayson, 2008) Although this presidency will change history forever, President Obama will not be remember for the works that he does in office but for his ethical identity which has been in question since he has taken office. Multicultural, race and society have tremendous ethical influences on our lives, values and experiences. These can also provide a guideline for how we interact with one another on a daily bases. A person can account for suspicion and hat red among people of the same race when it comes to loyalty, affiliation and rigid adherence to stereotypical behavior as well as being the source of comradery and lasting unions. Through racial socialization, individuals are imbued with messages that determine the appropriateness and inappropriateness of their roles as racial being. (Carter, 1995) Racial identity can be one of the most important factors of a human life because it can determine how they live, love, and survive. Conclusion Begin your paper here. Double space the entire document. Be sure to indent the first line of each paragraph between five and seven spaces by pressing the Tab key one time on the keyboard. Happy writing!