Pluralist Elitist and Marxist Theories of the State

Pluralist Elitist and Marxist Theories of the State The three disparate theories of the state, namely the Elitist, the Pluralist and the Marxist theories are briefly discussed in the essay. They are also compared and contrasted in detail, highlighting each of their strengths and weaknesses. Introduction There are three positions through which a state can be examined. The Pluralist concept of the state mentions that the state is neutral relatively, and a number of power centers exist in a state. According to the Marxist theory, the state serves as an instrument for the rich and the bourgeois classes, who attempt constantly to suppress the working classes or the proletariat for its own personal interests. On the other hand, the belief of the Elitist theory is that the state contains two different aspects, violence and territoriality. Thus, modern states of the 20th and 21st centuries often resort to violence within its borders. The modern state is like a committee which manages the common issues of the bourgeoisie. (Marx Engels, 1985) Marxism The proponent of the Marxist theory, Karl Marx, was of the opinion that most of the political power of the society is controlled by the bourgeois class. The modern state is also extremely reliant on credits and taxes. Most of the credits and taxes are also borne by the bourgeois class. Whats more, the media such as newspapers or television is also controlled by the bourgeois. This makes it easier for the bourgeois to enter politics and succeed in politics. The bourgeois state serves as a mutual insurance pact which protects the interests of the bourgeois class at the expense of the exploited class (McLellan, 1971) Marx was also the opinion that the bourgeois was basically using the modern state for enhancing the lifestyle and prospects of the capitalist class of the society. One of the famous quotes from the Communist manifesto, Marx Engels (1985. p.82) states The executive of the modern State is but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie. Marx also believed that communism was the best solution for such a capitalist society. The conflict among the classes keeps increasing as the capitalism in the state develops, since the interests of the bourgeois are furthered by the state in capitalism. Furthermore, capitalism also facilitates the bourgeoisie to give concessions to the proletariat, in scenarios where there is a social instability. The welfare state of the Scandinavian regions is something similar to the Marxist view of the state. Concessions such as unemployment benefits, free education, free health check and pension schemes are given by the bourgeois to the proletariat in certain Scandinavian states. Pluralism The Pluralist view of the state is completely different from the Marxist view. The Pluralist does not believe that the state is essentially conflicting in nature, as the Marxist and the Elitist schools of thought believe. Rather, the Pluralist view of the state is that it is neutral in nature; it is also believed that the state is susceptible to a number of influences from various groups in the society. The modern state therefore is not only dominated by one class, that is the capitalist or the bourgeoisie class, which dominates the political power, as believed by the Marxist theory; the modern state is rather a type of framework from wherein a variety of interests of the society can be reconciled. The concept of the state according to the Pluralist view is also that there can be various sources of political power. Therefore, not a single group can have monopoly of political power, according to the Pluralists. Although the capitalist class can have a very strong foothold in the society, they cannot however have complete dominance over the working class, as proposed by the Marxists. The proletariats can extend their power through labor unions or trade unions. Since the capitalist class cannot do without the labor class, the working class also exerts a strong influence on the capitalist class, according to the Pluralists. The modern state is not actually an instrument by which one class can dominate over the other class. Its rather a framework which helps in the reconciliation of diverse society interests (Schwarzmantel, 1994; Schwarzmantel, 1987; Dunleavy OLeary, 1987). The pluralist model can easily explain employee organizations and trade unions. Since organizations and trade unions have the power over the government, the politicians, trade unions, businesses and the proletariat have a share in the state power. The power is dispersed among the government, the organizations and the labor unions as well, proving once again that the neutrality of the state according to the Pluralist view is also valid. Elitist The Elitist theory was put forward by Max Weber. In his view, the state is used as an instrument through which some groups of a state control the other groups. Hence, the Elitist view of the state is quite similar to the Marxist view of the state. However, the central difference between the theory of Weber and the Marxist view is that the Elitist believes in the idea of legitimacy. For example, people follow the rules of the government because they believe that the government or the state is legitimate. However, Marxists believe that the state itself should be abolished since it is not legitimate. The Elitist concept of the state also lays emphasis on bureaucracy. Bureaucracy is one of the most effective methods of organizing the modern state. Weber also believes that the bureaucrats form a group of elites. This group of bureaucrats is extremely political in nature, and has the specialist knowledge which the politicians do not possess. The state symbolizes the relation of men who dominate men. This domination is supported through legitimate violence. If the state has to exist, the ones who are dominated must obey the authority of the dominant group (Gerth Mills, 1967). Another contrasting point between the Elitists and the Marxists and Pluralists is that the Pluralists and Marxists believe the state to have specific function. For the Marxists, the working classes are suppressed while for the pluralists; different groups of society are reconciled. However for the Elitists, the state cannot be defined in straightforward terms since the state performs several tasks and has two defining features, territoriality and violence. If certain groups have the right to use force over its territory, its because the state has granted the rights. Politics is all about the power struggle, according to Weber. Power is defined by Weber as a tool to make someone perform a task which he otherwise wouldnt have performed (Lassman, 2000; de Jasay, 1985). Conclusion The Pluralist, Marxists and Elitist concept of the state essentially contains a different kind of political conception. Marx believed that politics is actually a class conflict, and further adds that political relations can be transformed into economic ones. The Elitist theory of Weber also has a similar thought process. Marxists propose that politics is about the fight for power, however Weber disagrees with the viewpoint of Marx, since he doesnt agree that the Marxist view of reducing politics to a class struggle and economic factors. Weber is an elitist since Weber emphasizes the significance of a strong political leadership (Held, 1989; Dunleavy OLeary, 1987). However, the concepts of Weber and the Marxist are quite elitist in nature, which sharply contrasts with the Pluralist view of the state. The Pluralists believe that the state is not exclusively controlled by the bourgeois or the bureaucrats; rather its the dynamics of various social groups which ultimately impacts the fabric of the state. Then again, the Pluralist viewpoint has certain similarities with the elitist viewpoints since both of them believe that several sources of political power impact the state, unlike the Marxist view which believes that economic factors determine the political dynamics of the state. All in all, all the viewpoints of the Pluralist, the Marxist and the Elitist, helped define and understand the true nature of the state more deeply. Although each of them has their own unique way of interpreting the workings of the state, all of them give a true picture of some of the dimensions of the state.

Organisational Strategy at Flybe Essay

Introduction For the purposes of this report I have chosen Flybe as my main focus of discussion in the UK and European airline industry. Flybe is Europe’s largest regional airline with 162 routes, operating from a total of 53 departure points. In this report I will analyse why it has made sense for Flybe to build on their strengths of being a regional operator and how they have managed to find a niche in the crowded airline marketplace. I will also discuss their strategy for future growth and how they have chosen their battleground carefully. I will discuss in detail how Flybe is attempting to fulfil its mission statements of â€Å"Low Cost, But not at any cost† and â€Å"To give you safe, efficient and friendly service†(Flybe, 2008). Eye For Travel (2008) reports that Flybe’s financial reports for the year-ending 31 March 2008 show 46% increase in turnover to  £535.9m. There was also a profit before tax of  £53.4m. Flybe’s competitors such as EasyJet, Ryaniar and BMI Baby have not had such positive figures in these tough economic conditions. I have included in this report the capability analysis of Flybe, the stakeholders analysis and how Flybe can utilise its resources to gain competitive advantage. Relevant appendices and a bibliography are included at the end of the report. STRATEGIC CAPABILITY ANALYSIS FOR FLYBE Effectiveness of strategies used 2002-2008 The period 2002-2008 was significant for Flybe. It coincided with a major shift in strategy in response to market conditions. Flybe adopted the LCC business strategy in 2002 (Done, 2003). The author’s aim is to identify the strategies using the Bowman’s Strategy Clock (1995). Evaluation of strategies will be done using the TOWS matrix (see Appendix 1 for Flybe’s strengths and weaknesses). Low Cost No Frills Strategy The adoption of the LCC business model by Flybe as a strategy can arguably be described as the positioning approach. This strategy could not have been planned but was rather an emergent one following the downturn in profits  exacerbated by September the 11th event. A closer analysis of the Bowman’s Strategy Clock reveals that Flybe’s initial strategy was that of low price. According to Done (2003), Flybe’s restructuring process was geared towards competing with the established no-frills airlines. Competition with Ryanair and Easyjet was therefore inevitable, but was this strategy sustainable? How effective was this strategy? According to Grant (2005), to compete effectively with a low cost strategy a company should be having economies of scale, experience curve and a lead on the market. Datamonitor (2007), notes that Flybe has had a lot of experience in the aviation business. It enjoyed economies of scale in its operations. It had a lot of experience in the airline industry. What it did not have was the large market share when it decided to adopt the LCC model of operation. Upon further analysis one can safely argue that this was a major risk that Flybe took by entering into this short haul business. A TOWS matrix analysis of Flybe (Appendix 1) suggests that Flybe adopted an effective strategy because it had strengths like economies of scale, dedicated staff, capital and resources to explore the expanding low cost business. Flybe only needed to offer a competitive product similar to its competitors. As a potential entrant into the business, there was no deterrence from the established airlines to stop Fl ybe from entering the market. On that basis, Flybe can be said to have used an effective strategy. It is also important to look at the strategies that sustained Flybe once it entered the market. Flybe’s Business Strategies Rapid expansion Restructuring of Flybe was associated with the rapid expansion programme. Flybe chairman, Jim French, announced the completion of its five year plan of rapid expansion programme (Annual report of 2007). There was an increase in the number of aircraft, network and profits for the corporation for the period 2002-2007. Rapid expansion was mainly achieved by the acquisition of BA Connect, a subsidiary of British Airways. The acquisition made Flybe one of the largest European LCC (Done, 2007, Annual Report, 2007). This fitted  well with his strategy of competition with its established airlines. However, acquisitions carry their own risks such as human relations problems (that can arise after the acquisition), not easy to dispose of unwanted parts of the company, problems of clash of national cultures particularly where target if foreign and high risks if a wrong company is targeted (Lynch, 2003). Re-branding Flybe has been reframed into a recognisable product on the market. The Flybe brand has continued to grow with passenger volumes up from 4.7million to 7million in 2006 and 2007 respectively (Done, 2007). The forecast for year 2008 was predicted to an annual turnover in excess of  £500 million and passenger volumes of 10 million (Done, 2007). It is debatable that Flybe’s initial plan was to establish itself on the market as phase one of the programme. Against a background of heavy losses, Jim French took a risk that paid off by sustaining Flybe into existence considering the intensity of competition on the market against established brands like Ryanair and Easyjet. Sustaining Flybe on the market would have been the second phase. Flybe adopted a strictly no-frills strategy between 2002 and 2006. However, a shift in strategy has been noted from 2006 onwards. This strategy is that of differentiation. The Differentiation Strategy Examining Bowman’s Strategic Clock (Appendix 2), Flybe has now shifted its strategy to differentiation without a price premium. Its major competitors have continued with the no-frills approach, while Flybe has commenced on product differentiation. Datamonitor (2007) noted that product differentiation for Flybe is in frequent flier programmes, on board deli, business express travel and corporate users. As highlighted in the 2007 Annual Report Flybe became the first LCC to charge baggage handling. However, its competitors have copied this and are doing the same. The advantages of differentiation as highlighted in research and literature include creating value for the customer, gaining a market share and enticing customer loyalty to the offered product (Grant, 2005). Judging by Flybe’s  results in terms of profitability and growth in passenger figures it appears as if differentiation strategy is working. On the other hand, it should be noted that Debonair came unstuck wh en it employed this strategy. Parnell (2006) has reiterated Porters argument that a company needs to have either a Low Cost Strategy or Differentiation Strategy combined with a focus strategy. If this does not happen then businesses risk their potential to maximise on performance. Flybe at present appears to be pursuing both strategies of Low Cost and Differentiation. Other authorities have argued for the co-joined approach suggesting the importance of customer perception in terms of price and value (Bowman and Faulkner, 1997). The author argues that Flybe might be leading ahead of its competitors. When Michael Oleary, Chief Executive Officer of Ryanair, was asked about what his next challenge was he suggested differentiation strategy (Done, 2007). Whilst Flybe has got competitive advantage at present in respect of differentiation, other competitors have already started thinking about it because it is easy to copy. Jim French can be said to have used an effective strategy again. As shown in Appendix 1(TOWS matrix for Flybe in 2008), Flybe has used its strengths of fleet efficiency and competitive routes to take advantage of the growing and expanding LCC market. It has also used product differentiation and customer loyalty to exploit a large share on the growing market. By purchasing environmentally friendly aircraft, Flybe has managed to counter threat of global warming concerns. Product differentiation has been used to insulate Flybe from the competitive environment where Ryanair and Easyjet have a large stake. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS FOR FLYBE Stakeholder pressures Stakeholder pressures played a significant role in terms of strategies that have been chosen by Flybe. The main stakeholders include shareholders, employees, customers, governments, suppliers, environmental pressure groups, unions, foreign governments, media, airports, local governments, directors, financial institutions and competitors. . The stakeholder pressure shall be examined using a power-interest matrix (Appendix 3). As power and interest moves towards high power and high interest segment, it is indicative of an increased level of stakeholder pressure. Appendix 3 represents three periods when Flybe decided to change its business model in 2002, a period of stability between 2002 and 2006 and finally when it started showing interest in the acquisition of BA Connect in 2006. Meeting the expectations and demands of all stakeholders has been described as almost impossible within literature (George, 2003). Pre-2002 period Flybe’s management was under considerable pressure from its main economic stakeholders. The company had gone for nearly three years without making any profits and with limited growth (Done, 2003). Pressure was mounting mainly from its shareholders for results in terms of profits. Tudway and Pascal (2006) pointed out that a shareholder’s perspective regarding responsibilities of directors as that of increasing shareholder value. Appendix 3 shows that there was a lot of pressure from financial institutions, creditors and share holding employees in the high interest- high power segment. Media had also started showing interest in what was happening at Flybe. Flybe’s competitors and suppliers were eager to find out what was happening in Flybe hence indicated in the low power- high interest segment. The resultant effect in terms of strategy was a change in management. Jim French was appointed the managing director and there was a change in the direction of the company. A positioning approach was adopted. Flybe announced its decision to establish itself as a LCC. The company was re-branded into Flybe. In that respect, stakeholder pressure was significant in influencing Flybe’s strategies. Between 2004 and 2006 there was a different kind of pressure as shown in appendix 3-1. There was a low interest from suppliers, media and the government with low power as well. There was high interest but with low power from competitors, unions, employees, pressure groups, creditors and financial institutions. Meanwhile Flybe had embarked on its strategy of rapid expansion. Heavy losses at BA Connect precipitated the move by Flybe  for a possible acquisition in 2006. The ultimate strategy was therefore fulfilled but the power-interest matrix also started showing a different picture before the acquisition (appendix 3-2). The government as a regulatory body had to come in with high interest and high power. Easyjet’s interest in BA Connect was blocked by the government paving the way for Flybe as the main competitor for the acquisition (Done, 2006). Media and environmental pressure groups also started getting involved towards the high interest and high power segment. Interests from secondary airports started to increase since they were going to profit from the acquisition. The resultant effect was the acquisition of BA Connect in 2007. Environmental pressure groups could be described as having played a significant role in Flybe’s decision to acquire smaller and environmentally friendly aircraft, the 78 seater Q400 turboprop aircraft. Flybe abandoned its initial interest in either Boeing or Airbus aircraft. Stakeholder pressure could be argued as having played a part, and still plays a significant part today. Stakeholder pressure is therefore a significant factor in firm strategies. However, not everybody’s demands will be effected by management. Some decisions will be taken at the expense of others. A power-interest matrix is a useful tool in stakeholder pressure assessment. RECENT STRATEGIC CHANGES THAT FLYBE HAS TAKEN Fit or Stretch future strategies Flybe achieved in its strategies of rapid expansion and re-branding the corporation within a short period of time. Change of business model, acquisition of BA Connect and differentiation strategies have all been aimed at gaining a substantial market share through positioning. The author argues that with its accelerated rate of growth Flybe now requires to consolidate its position on the market by focussing on its internal resources. Working on its core competencies, Flybe can still realise growth. The author therefore suggests that Flybe’s future strategies should be stretch based. Indeed, in the battle of the low cost carriers, Flybe have decided that an ambitious strategy is the best way that they can prosper. The acquisition of  BA Connect accelerates this strategy. Flybe’s rapid growth will enable them to spread their costs over a far greater range of activity and routes than ever before. This should enable them to continue to be able to offer low cost fares (Bizl ed, 2008). Evidence in literature and research asserts that the development of competitive advantage could be through looking at a firm’s resources and capabilities (Foss and Kaudsen, 2003; Barney, 2001). Appendix 4 is a value chain system for Flybe. A close examination of the value chain has led the author to conclude that Flybe has huge resources at its disposal and capabilities that it can develop into core competencies. As such, its future strategy should be based on the inside-out approach. Looking at the inbound activities, Flybe made the right decision in terms of aircraft acquisition. Flybe’s 78 seat Bombardier Q400 Turboprop and the Embraer 195 (which will be fully operational in 2009) have been heralded as an environmentally friendly fleet, its capacity suits the market. Flybe’s competitors have gone for bigger aircraft instead, despite the threat of public protests and impending legislation (Done, 2007). Flybe could possibly have a competitive advantage from its assets. Effective operations supported by its links with Exeter University in terms of learning and development could improve and cut down on costs. For the period 2007-2008 financial year about  £10-15m has been set aside for marketing the Flybe product. In 2007 Flybe had cash reserves in excess of  £136.2m compared to the same period the previous year (Annual Report, 2007). This is strength and Flybe should focus on building route growth, developing its brand and increasing its fleet efficiency. Claiming a core-competency in Flybe business should concentrate on improving passenger load factor, reputation index and operational efficiency (Pegels and Yang, 2000). This is achievable considering Flybe’s resources. More importantly, Flybe is currently taking an exceptional change of nearly  £6.5m by writing down the asset value of its BAE 146 aircraft (Bized, 2008). This is an essential part of their strategy to operate more efficiently, and in a more environmentally friendly fashion. Flybe’s new fleet will be one of the youngest in the world (Bized, 2008). The acquisition of BA Connect saw Flybe’s staff increase to over 3000 in a relatively short period (Done, 2007). This author argues that with such a vital resource the process of integration should focus on building a vision and culture that promotes the corporate brand of Flybe (Hatch and Schult, 2003). Nonetheless, post-merger integration will be critical to the success of Flybe. Learning and development for increased productivity and enhanced corporate image should focus on employees. Flybe has recently unveiled details about its project to build a 160-bedroom hotel at Exeter International Airport (This is Exeter, 2008). The hotel would be operated by a third party, with Flybe guaranteeing to fill 80 rooms a night with all its employees and those from other industry sectors attending training courses. This would be part of resource management. In January 2008, Flybe also announced a landmark franchise Agreement signed with Loganair (The Scottish regional airline). This is Flybe’s innovative philosophy and strategy of continuing to build a market-leading position as Europe’s largest regional airline following the acquisition of BA Connect in 2006. The flights commenced operations in October 2008 (Reuters, 2008). Flybe should now focus on organic growth. Research evidence has associated organic growth with stretch strategies (Leavy, 2003). However, a two-pronged approach has been suggested as a potentially effective strategy. The need to concentrate on resources while positioning a firm is considered as a dynamic and vibrant approach in the unpredictable market of today (Leavy, 2003). Flybe would be no exception to adopt such a strategy for the future. Flybe’s response to development on the market will determine the strategy to focus on. Jim French has not ruled out taking a predatory stance to opportunities that arise on the market. The author recommends a strategy based on stretch while keeping an eye on the industry structure. Other Future Strategy Options Flybe could consider the possibilities of mergers, alliances and sustained acquisitions of other businesses. Acquisition is where strategies are developed by taking over ownership of another organisation (Johnson, et al  2006). Flybe recently penned a three year exclusive contract with car rental firm Avis that will see both companies explore the possibility of integrating car hire with flight bookings (Skyscanner, 2008). However, Flybe would also have to consider the pros and cons of mergers and acquisitions. Another strategy option that Flybe could possibly consider would be stock market floatation, when the current market conditions and the economic situation become favourable. Conclusion As seen above, external factors either create threats or opportunities for firms in the industry. Industry structure analysis is vital to identify key drivers in the industry. Flybe has successfully chosen its strategies to date. It remains to be seen if future strategies will be as effective but the author has suggested a stretch based strategy while keeping an eye on the market. References Barney, J.B. (2001) â€Å"Is the resource based ‘view’ a useful perspective for Strategic management research? Yes.† Academy of Management Review 21, 41-56 Bized (2008) http://www.bized.co.uk/current/leisure Done, K. (2003) Companies UK: Flybe negotiates to join the big league [online] Financial times. London: Available from: http://ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=&y=6&drillDown=%2Bgaco. [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2005) Companies UK: Walker trusts set Flybe on course for sale or float [online] financial times. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=2&y=6&drilldown=%2Bgaco. [Accessed 17 November 2007) Done, K. (2006) BA sells regional unit to Flybe [online] FT.com site. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=11&y=b&drillDown=%2Bgaco [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2007) Regional airline sale costs BA  £105m. [online] FT.com site. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe&page=1&y=6&drillDown=%2Bgaco [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2007) Flybe flies into loss [online] FT.com site. London. Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe=&y6&drillDown=%2Bgaco [Accessed 17 November 2007] Done, K. (2007) Ryanair orders 27 Boeing jets. FT.com site [online] Available from: http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=flybe=&y6&drillDown=%2Baco [Accessed26 November 2007] Flybe (2008) Flybe official website. http://www.flybe.com Foss, N.J. and Kaudsen, T. (2003) â€Å"The resource-based tangle towards a sustainable explanation of competitive advantage.† Managerial and Decision Economics 24, 291-207. George, B. (2003) Managing Stakeholder vs Responding to Stakeholders. Strategy and Leadership. 31(6), 36-40. Grant, R.M. (2005) Contemporary Strategy Analysis. 5th ed. Blackwell Publishing. Australia. Hatch, M.J and Schult, M (2003) Bringing the Corporation into corporate branding. European Journal of Marketing. 37 (7/8), 1041-1064. Johnson, G; Scholes, K; Whittington, R (2006) Exploring Corporate Strategy – Texts and Cases, 7th edition. Prentice Hall, London Leavy, B. (2003) Assessing your strategic alternatives from both a market position and core competence perspective. Strategy and Leadership. 31 (6), 29-35. Lynch, R (2003) Corporate Strategy. 3rd Edn. Prentice Hall, London. Parnell, J.A. (2006) Generic strategies after two decades: a re-conceptualisation of competitive strategy. Management Decision. 44 (8), 1139-1154. Pegels, C.C. and Yang, B. (2000) The impact of managerial characteristics on strategic assets, management capabilities. Team Performance management: An Introduction Journal , 6 (5/6), 97-106. Reuters (2008) Flybe – Another new horizon for Flybe: NON-REG. http://www.reuters.com/article Skyscanner (2008) Flybe goes from strength to strength. http://news.skyscanner.net/articles/2008/07/000482-flybe This is Exeter (2008) Flybe unveils plans for a 160-bedroom hotel at city airport. http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/business/Flybe-unveils-plans-160-bedroom-hotel Tudway, R and A.M. (2006) Corporate Governance, Shareholder value and Societal expectation. Corporate Governance. 6 (3), 305-316. Transport Research Laboratory (2004) Airline Performance Indicators. Transport Research Laboratory, Wokingham. London.

Faith and Science in the Film Agora Essay

The movie Agora takes place in Alexandria during a time of political conflict between Christians and pagans in 4th century Rome and centers around Hypatia a woman scientists and philosopher. Hypatia has dedicated her life to science and at the beginning of the movie she teaches at the Platonic school. She studies mainly philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics, and makes discoveries about the way the earth and planets move around the sun. Her hypotheses about the earth moving around the sun in an elliptic orbit were far beyond her time. She is respected in â€Å"pagan† society by her male peers and students, while Christians find her work heretical. Even her father respects her work as a teacher and scientist by refusing to set her up for marriage because he knows that it would break her heart if she had to quit teaching and be a wife. In the movie, we see how science is more important to Hypatia than love, as she refuses romantic advances from both Orestes and Davus. She has ch osen to dedicate her life to science and her studies, and eventually gives up her life for science, which is admirable to say the least. This movie illustrates the conflicts between faith and science that existed in 4th century Rome and still exist today to a much lesser degree. In the movie, the Christians, led by Cyril, were trying to gain political power and destroyed anyone who stood in their way including Jews and pagans. The pagans are open and accepting of the fact that Hypatia was a woman and a scientist and were open to her scientific contributions but the Christians refused to accept her teachings and the fact that she would not convert to Christianity. They rejected her, saying asking questions about the way the world works was questioning God and they even labeled her as a witch, murdering her at the end of the movie. As a Christian, this was hard to watch and the conflicts between faith and science that still exist today are disheartening. As Orestes states, â€Å"there is more that unites us than divides us,† which is true and Christians of all people, should be the most understanding of this statement and be the most accepting of all kinds of people, according to Jesus’ teaching. There will always be conflicting ideas between scientists and theologists, but we are united as one people and need to have an open mind about these issues and be willing to listen to all sides of an argument. Science and faith should be able to coexist peacefully and even build off of each other. The Christian’s treatment of Hypatia as a woman was also very different than the pagan’s treatment of her. The pagans respected her regardless of her sex but the Christian’s showed no respect for her and labeled her as a pagan whore and witch. In many conservative Christian sects today, women are still not allowed to hold administrative positions in churches and are expected to sit quietly behind their husbands, while in the field of science, women can make important contributions that are respected by both their male and female peers. The bridge between faith and science has come a long way since Hypatia’s time, but there is still a long way to go, hopefully more bridges will continue to be built and the fact that both science and faith can and should unite us, not divide us, will be realized.

The Great Depression And Its Effects - 1011 Words

The Great Depression was a ten year, economic downward spiral in the U.S that spanned from 1929- 1939. The cause of the Great Depression was the fault of several contributing factors. First was the stock market crash that occurred on black Tuesday of October 1929. This was the major cause because stock holders lost more than 40 billion dollars, and although it regained some of its losses, by end of 1930 truly entered the Great depression. Stock prices reached a permanent plateau. 2 out of every 5 dollars a bank loaned were used to purchase stocks. The market peaked September 3 with production still down banks began to fail and fewer homes were built. Next were bank failures. Throughout the 1930’s over 9,000 banks failed. Bank deposits†¦show more content†¦Since the crash hoover worked tirelessly trying to fix the economy. He founded government agencies like, encouraged harmony among the labor force and local aid for public work, fostered corporation between government and business to stabilize prices, and found it difficult to balance the national budget. As the depr ession worsened the call grew for increased federal intervention and spending. He refused to involve federal government and enforced fixed prices, controlled businesses, of manipulated the value of the currency. All of these he felt were steps toward socialism. He also gave indirect aid to banks and local public work projects but refused to use federal money for direct aid to citizens, instead in used voluntarism to raise money. His opponents thought of him as being uncaring toward the everyday man. Although he was a philanthropist before his presidency during his reelection campaign he tried to convince Americans that the measures they were calling for might seem to help them short term but would be detrimental in the long run. He backed his ideals by announcing that he cared for America too much to destroy the countries foundation with deficit and socialist institutions. In the end he was indisputably defeated by Roosevelt in 1932. President Franklin D. Roosevelt took over as head of the oval office in 1933 and quickly began trying to both stabilize the economy and providing jobs and other forms of