Mandatory Arbitration: Discussion Assignment

Week 1 Discussion Assignment – 2 Parts Due 11:59pm Friday Part 1  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Choose one part of the assigned textbook question to answer Part 2  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Choose ONE of the options [pic] Part 1 – Choose one part of the assigned textbook question to answer An important concept this week is jurisdiction. As the text explains, a court must have subject matter jurisdiction to hear a case. Subject matter jurisdiction is rather straight forward – the court must have jurisdic tion to hear the particular type of dispute (see my video for further explanation of this concept).Now look at Question 2 (p. 71) and pick either b, c,  or  d to answer. Explain your answer using legal terms and concepts from this week's readings. (b) Paula, who lives in New York City, wants to sue Dizzy Movie Theatres, whose principal place of business is Dallas. She claims that while she was in Texas on holiday, she was injured by their negligent maintenance of a stairway. She claims damages of $30,000. The general trial court of Texas would have sole jurisdiction. There is no federal court diversity jurisdiction because the amount in dispute is less than $75,000. Top of FormPart 2  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ choose ONE of the options Choice #1 Mandatory Arbitration Read the Mandatory Arbitration section (p. 45) and the supplemental materials provided:  Ã‚  Link to Letter to Congress  and  Arbitration Fairness Act (Proposed), then consider the following hypothetical: Let's suppose you are the CEO and majority shareholder of FacTree, a small manufacturer of artificial trees and flowers. FacTree has about 100 workers who do the routine assembly work for pay ranging from $8 per hour to $15 per hour. They work in two shifts. There are about a dozen supervisors who versee their work. In the past few years there have been five employment lawsuits: three concerned sexual harassment and two concerned discrimination in promotion. All five settled before trial. For three of the suits the company's attorney fees were over $50,000 per suit. For one of the claims, the company paid $250,000 in damages to the employee. Consequently, you are considering mandatory arbitration for all employment disputes. Discuss whether you had ever considered that mandatory arbitration clauses were included in so many of your contracts.Do you agree with imposing theses clauses in so many types of contracts and without negotiation or discussion/notice? Does your opinion differ as the small business owner in the hypothetical above? Explain whether you would or would not impose mandatory arbitration and whether the proposed legislation impacts your decision. Minimum 2 paragraphs. Choice #1 Mandatory Arbitration I was not aware of this term prior to this assignment, now that I’m learning the meaning of the term â€Å"Mandatory Arbitration†, I’m not surprised at all that they are present in so many contracts.Business owners and corporations have the knowledge and know how to always keep the upper hand on consumers. Every contract or agreement that we come across contains sneaky little fine print. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS GENERALLY PROTECT ONLY AGAINST GOVERNMENTAL ACTS. We’re all guilty of not taking the time to read the fine print. To the point of this hypothetical scenario, although I don’t agree with the concept of Mandatory Arbitration as a private system of justice because it prevents people from exercising their legal right to take a company to court and have their dispute judged on all the available evidence.If I were this CEO, I would use a mandatory arbitration clause as protection for my business. I think the proposed legislation is a fair proposition under the bill, parties involved in a dispute would be allowed a choice between arbitration or a court action when pursuing a complaint. THE CONSTITUION IS A SERIES OF COMPROMISES ABOUT POWER. Choice #2   First Amendment: Free Speech On March 1, 2006, this story appeared in the me dia: Americans apparently know more about The Simpsons than they do about the First Amendment. Far more Americans can identify Lisa, Marge, Maggie, Homer, and Bart than the First Amendment freedoms.Only one in four Americans can name more than one of the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment (freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition for redress of grievances. )   But more than half can name at least two members of the cartoon family, according to a survey. [1] Considering this and the  Texas  v. Johnson  case (p. 110): General Question:  Ã‚  With whom do you agree? Explain. Questions for those who agree that the First Amendment protects flag burning: †¢ Isn't it very painful for veterans of foreign wars, some permanently disabled, to see someone burn the flag that they fought for? Did Johnson contribute any valuable ideas when he burned the flag? †¢ If he contributed nothing, why should a state be forced to permit his actions? †¢ If the majority of a state’s citizens want to outlaw flag burning, why shouldn't they be allowed to? Questions for those who argue that the First Amendment does not protect flag burning: †¢ If a state could outlaw flag burning, could it also outlaw burning a copy of the Constitution? A photograph of the flag? A cross? A photograph of the President? †¢ Even if some people regard the flag as special, why should their opinion be the law of the land? Doesn't the anger created by flag burning indicate that it is effective speech? Should we outlaw effective speech and permit only speech that offends no one? Minimum 2 paragraphs and incorporate 2 different terms/phrases from this week's constitutional reading (in all CAPS). [pic] [1]   â€Å"Study: More know ‘The Simpsons' than First Amendment rights,† The USA Today, Mar 1, 2006 http://www. usatoday. com/news/nation/2006-03-01-freedom-poll_x. htm; Simpsons ‘trump, First Amendment, BBC News, Mar 1, 2006 http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/americas/4761294. stm

Merck company

At present, the company is organized into three divisions: 1) pharmaceuticals focusing on innovative prescription drugs; 2) pharmaceuticals centred on generic prescription drugs; and 3) consumer health comprised of different activities such as health and medical nutrition including genetic engineering and the development of products. 2) The pharmaceutical industry is characterized by stiff competition. The international competitors of Merck are international, research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that also sell branded, patent-protected, prescription medicines. However, because Merck is ahead in research and development, specifically in technologies, these create leverages for the company to be at the top. Technologies help the company ease working loads; make them faster and more accurate. 3) Research is advancing at a rapid pace. The application of research provides the opportunity to improve productivity, quality, and cost control in education and research, security of health-related information, and reimbursement through new product development at Merck. While these advances in research promise huge benefits such as higher quality medicine, enhanced workflow and increased efficiency, there is also the potential for precious resources to be squandered and the added pressure of patient welfare at stake. While Merck’s research systems were intended to steam line financial management and automate manual processes, Pharmaceutical Industries now require much greater functionality. The modern Pharmaceutical Industries is expected to link administrative, laboratory, financial and clinical data to provide faster diagnosis and better treatment. The application of research at Merck would highlight the potential benefits of new product development in increasing access, improving quality, and reducing costs. While there is consensus that result will result in substantial cost savings, new product development can quantify the magnitude of the savings of Merck in a way that is scaleable to nationwide implementation. 4)  With the mission statement of Merck, the company aims to provide high margin generic drugs. This objective resonate their mission of lowering or controlling the costs that they would pass onto their consumers. In order for Merck to achieve their objective, they must be able to find ways of lowering their production costs so that they will be able to lower the cost that they will pass onto their consumers. One of the policies that they implemented to see this through is by focusing on research to develop and maintain technologies. For example, Merck invested in information technology. This allowed them to create a web-based system that improved the company’s management of inventories and orders by enhancing their speed and accuracy. By lessening the margins for errors, Merck will also be able to lessen their production cost. 5)  The website of Merck is able to adhere to the basic rules so as to ensure that the website created will be accessible.   The patients and caregivers website of Merck is easy to read, easy to navigate and easy to find.   In addition, the layout and design of the web is consistent throughout the site, plus the website and the needed information regarding the medicines is quick to be downloaded. This absolutely contributes to understanding Merck’s product line. REFERENCES Corporate Responsibility: Committed to make a Difference. Retrieved May 23, 2007 from http://www.merck.com Patients & Caregivers: Comprehensive medical resources to keep you educated and informed. Retrieved May 23, 2007 from http://www.merck.com/product/patients_caregivers.html       Merck Company IntroductionThe healthcare industry is composed of many different players who have the same goal which is to ensure the well-being of people, particularly with regards to their health.   One such player in this industry is pharmaceutical companies.   This paper will be analyzing the products of Merck Pharmaceutical Company concentrating on the importance of research in the development of their products.   It will also be presenting the company’s mission statement and how consistent the company is in relation to its mission statement.   Furthermore, it will analyze on whether the company’s patient and care-givers site is helpful to the company’s target audience or otherwise.Overview of Merck CompanyIn order to analyze Merck Pharmaceutical Company comprehensively, an overview about the company and its mission statement must first be established.Merck & Co. Inc. was established in 1891 with the concern on prioritizing the needs of patient that have been othe rwise not met during this period.   The company primarily produces vaccines and medicines as well as delivering these to those who need them the most (â€Å"About Merck† 2008).Merck & Co. Inc. is also a global research pharmaceutical company.   Its mission is â€Å"to provide society with superior products and services by developing innovations and solutions that improve the quality of life and satisfy customer needs, and to provide employees with meaningful work and advancement opportunities, and investors with a superior rate of return† (â€Å"Mission Statement† 2008).   The company is committed to the preservation and improvement of human life by maintaining high standards in its ethics, particularly in research in order to attain their mission (â€Å"Mission Statement† 2008).Products of Merck CompanyBecause of their continuous research, the company has been able to release new products for the betterment of today’s society.   The most r ecent product of the company that was licensed and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States was Gardasil, a cervical cancer vaccination.   The company announced the release of the vaccine on March 19, 2008 (â€Å"Product News† 2008).Gardasil is a vaccine that was developed in order to prevent the development of cervical cancer, dysplastic lesions and genital warts among females from age nine to twenty-six.   Based on their research, they had discovered that these diseases were caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 (â€Å"Product News† 2008).Importance of Research to MerckResearch is extremely vital to the progress of Merck as a pharmaceutical company.   Through their constant and meticulous research, the company is able to create medicines that have become important in today’s society.   The company’s research resources include the acquisition of the most advance tools in the market, chemistry, genomics and computeriz ed molecular modeling.   These resources allow the company to remain at the forefront of discovery in their industry (â€Å"Our Research† 2008).Because of the technology advancement and their meticulousness in hiring employees in their research and product development department, the company is able to create products that are able to satisfy the needs of their customers.   At the same time, the availability of the most up-to-date technology allows the company’s researchers to work in an environment for them to create meaningful and advancement opportunities. As a result, they are able to improve and preserve human life in today’s society as well as meeting the company’s mission statement and values (â€Å"Mission Statement† 2008).Patient and Caregivers’ SiteSince the company produces vaccines and medicines, there is always the possibility that it may be inappropriately administered which would cause adverse side effects to the patient w hich would not just aggravate the medical condition of the patient, but may also cause the caregiver to lose his or her license to practice.In order to prevent this, the company had provided a patient and caregivers’ site in order to properly educate the consumers of the company’s products on side effects, dosage, manner of administration and situations when the product could not be used.   The website is extremely helpful for both patients and caregivers.   The main page presents the names of the products so that the patient or the caregiver is able to locate more information about the medicine or vaccine.The page that discusses the medicine or vaccine is presented in two forms: one is written in a simple and straight-to-the-point manner so that the average individual without any background in medicine would be able to understand information about the product comprehensively.   It is also presented in a more technical and scientific way which can be comprehended only by someone who has a background in medicine such as a caregiver (â€Å"Patient & Caregiver U.S. Product Web sites† 2008).ConclusionFor a company such as Merck & Co. Inc., research is extremely vital in its operations since it is only through research that the company would be able to create products in order to meet their mission which is to provide superior vaccines and medicines in order to improve the quality of human life.   One such example of this is the release of Gardasil, a vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer and other diseases among females from occurring.   For patients and caregivers who would need information with regards to their products, the company provided a website where information about a particular vaccine or medicine would be understood by both patients and caregivers.ReferencesMerck & Co., Inc. (2008). About Merck. Retrieved on 08 April 2008, fromhttp://www.merck.com/about/.Merck & Co., Inc. (2008). Mission statement. Retrieved on 08 April 2008, fromhttp://www.merck.com/about/mission.html.

Business Communications Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Communications - Case Study Example My problem came when we were supposed to purchase chemistry books for our new class. Since I lived near to the book store, my best friend asked me to purchase one for him too. I bought two books, one for myself and the other for my friend at $10 each. The next day I gave the book to my pal and told him that the book cost $15. I told him this price on the presumption that I can keep a $5 commission for getting him the book. My friend unknowingly paid me $15 and that was the end of matters when a day later my friend confronted me about the real price of the book. Feeling ashamed of myself I lied and told him it was for $15. Somehow he had found out the real price from somewhere and had come to me to ask for an explanation. Being a coward, I didn't tell him and then severed my friendship with him. I could have told him the real price and that might have solved my problem. However for two days I felt bad about this whole situation and finally gathered enough courage to go up to my friend and apologize to him and returned him the money. The company, Mugs and Cups, is in the specialty utensils industry with many competitors fighting to take a lead in the local market. Apart from cups and mugs, all kitchenware in huge verities is also available. Being in a Specialty industry means that only higher income groups are targeted by offering only Quality products but at a Premium rate. Ethical organizational development underpins all our activities thus our Customer-Oriented Attitude takes us a long way ahead of the competition. Conclusion Giving maximum value to our customers via our products and experience at our outlets, we aim to build a huge yet loyal customer base that is sustainable in the long term. 1) Introduction Our main competitor at the moment is coffee giant, Starbucks. Being the market leader, Starbucks business model has earned them huge revenues while taking out smaller coffee houses in the way. Crystal Mugs is a small and young company, but it is giving Starbucks a run for their lives in certain specific areas in New York City. (Source: www.starbucks.com) Body The Starbucks brand name is known globally and it is recognized by its logo by people of all ages. This is mainly due to high budgets for advertisements and marketing strategies. Being a global chain, they have the financial backing and the liberty to open a store in any area they want and they do this well with their blanketing strategy. Being located in every few blocks, they have built a walking to store culture for the customers and by giving them the 'Starbucks Experience', they have won the hearts of many. Conclusion The size of operations of Starbucks is so huge that it can wipe away any competitor in a jiffy. With huge expenditures on human resources, strategies and marketing etc., Starbucks is our most threatening competitor. But with increased vigor and passion, we at Crystal Mugs offer a difference for our valued customers. 2) Introduction With intense competition at our heels, we needed to have a strategic location so that competition could be beaten even with their reputation. The location is extremely important for every business which should be close to its target market. Body Located in New York NY, just around the Washington Park Square on the Greene Street, so that people who come for a hang out at the park can take a quick stop at Crystal Mugs for Coffee. We even cater to deliveries

What were the causes of the Mexican-American war Essay

What were the causes of the Mexican-American war - Essay Example Before the war, several issues had occurred. First, Mexico got its independence from Spain in 1821, and it comprised of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama (Brands, Breen and Williams 222). The state under Mexico at independence owned states of California, Nevada, Utah, Texas and parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. The negotiation between the US government and Mexican government led to complications. In 1835, the Mexican president took steps to change Mexico from the Federal Republic to Centralist Republic. The move led to rebellion and cessation of Yucatan and Texas. However, the Mexican government waged war to recover the two states. Yucatan was recaptured, but Texas managed to become a state on its own by defeating the Mexican army. Mexican government warned the US against Texas Annexation (Brands, Breen and Williams 123). The US president John Tyler knew California had riches compared to Texas. In fact, the president valued the California because of the riches and stated the importance of the acquisition of the area. The president was a strong believer of Manifest Destiny, which was translated to mean the annexation of all North America into the US. Despite the disliking of Texas by the president, he was pushed to accept it, and Texas was annexed. The successor President James K Polk ratified led to war with Mexico. The fear of losing Texas was the main propellant of the war. The Mexican government wanted to protect and win back Texas, but the war decreased their chances of winning the state thus massive loss for the government. The Mexican American war was based on land and states. The association of some states in America led to aggression by the Mexican government. The success of annexation encourages development of the federal government of US while creating aggression by Mexico (Brands, Breen and Williams 145). During the 19th century, the war between Mexico

MIH 514 - Cross Cultural Health Perspectives (Mod 4 SLP) Essay

MIH 514 - Cross Cultural Health Perspectives (Mod 4 SLP) - Essay Example He then lights a candle and places it on the floor in the center of the room, and shook his sacred rattle, commanding . The grating sound of the rattle draws all attention and he recites a ritual sometimes to the audience and sometimes whispered in the ear of the deceased. Soon he straddles the corpse and orders the gros-bon-ange to come out. When the gros-bon-ange comes out the priestess cuts tufts of hair from the head of the deceased which are sealed in a clay jar and later placed next to his body and buried with him. The spirit gros-bon-ange then roams among the family members and enters one of their bodies. This family member goes into a trance and tells everyone good bye one by one. The family member is then released from his trance and the gros-bon-ange then moves away to enter heaven (OGorman, 2008). They believe the body is then just an empty tomb that no longer holds any essence of the person who was there before. The final ritual at the end of the sequence of events is the breaking of a large clay jar. The jar is beaten into pieces and then buried. The clay jar represents the body because they believe that they body is made of clay and water and it is beaten to represent the cruelty of taking someone away from their life with their community. Finally it is buried and every single fragment is assured to be in the same place for burial. The Haitian people are encouraged not to have sorrow over the loss of this family member or friend as they believe this soul is soon born into the body of a new baby. Therefore there is reason to celebrate and not morn. However, it is of course difficult to do this and many times they will go to the celebration whaling at one minute and laughing and dancing at another. Catholicism and vodum are a necessary part of Haitian existence. God and the Saints of the Church and loas the ancestral spirits of Africa on the other. For Haitians, the

Accounting Scandal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Accounting Scandal - Research Paper Example Olympus took advantage of the absence of the accounting rules for marking to market. There were unrealized losses related to investment values. Olympus paid high amounts in the form of goodwill during the acquisition transaction. In actual, this goodwill was the loss on securities investments. Subsequently, the goodwill (losses) was amortized. This amortization allowed the company to spread its losses over several accounting periods (Olympus Corporation - The Third party Committee, 2011). The fraud could have been detected earlier if the auditors of Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG) and Ernst and Young (EY) had acted with due diligence and care. If they had exercised professional judgment, then the critical determination and assessment of investment transactions would have brought this fraud to light earlier than 2011. The newly appointed Chief Executive of Olympus was in a position to detect the severity of transactions at an early stage of his tenure then the question arises that why could not the auditors detect this fraudulent transaction? As a result of this fraud, three executive of the company were fined for 700 million Japanese Yen. Furthermore, six banks sued Olympus for about $273 million. These damages were filed for the losses that these banks incurred as a result of a drop in the company’s stock price after the 13-year old fraud was discovered (Bloomberg, 2014). This accounting scandal relates to the Futures Trading Company that perpetrated a fraud of $211 million. The fraud was committed by intercepting the bank confirmation process. The fraud continued for 20 years. Initially, when banks did not have the facility of any online confirmation, Russell Wasendorf Sr., who was the CEO of the company, changed the address of the bank’s branch. When the confirmation was received, he then forged the address the bank’s branch and replaced it with the

Global virtual sales team Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global virtual sales team - Research Paper Example They are functioning to better comprehend the competencies that defines their global leadership strengths. Another challenge lies in the numerous strategies they are implementing. They are unsure which strategy would lead to successful outcomes in attempts to form global teams. Thus, it is a trial and error practice (Virtual teams, 2). The final challenge revolves around the issue of getting those in remote areas engaged. Most remote areas cannot enable the installation of technologies that global team’s use. Hence, people in the grassroots are constantly being left behind regarding virtual team recruitment and training. Accurate information from the rural areas has been rendered useless because it cannot be presented to the top management. The ultimate result is that investors besides some stakeholders cannot access the information. Recruitment and training of virtual teams can be done using online advertisement. One can be recruited when he or she clicks on the website. Ther eafter; they are trained on how to use virtual tools like teleconferencing or video tapes. With each member of the virtual team being in a position to use virtual tools, they can easily be managed by logging in and participation during virtual meetings. Enhancement in information technology eases data to easily avail in virtual teams. This step made it easy to train and educates virtual teams. For example, software for analytical presentation has made it easy for data to be easily availed (Sarah, 1). The software allows data to be presented instantly by using either the web or an intranet. This software also allows complex analyses to be calculated. This software is very useful during recruitment and training of people within the virtual team. Sales in virtual teams are achieved by the use of telemarketing. With a sales team that is effective, evaluating sales is made much easy. This is because the teams have experience on how to manage data related to sales despite their geographic al location. This is done with constant links with the top managers. When to hold virtual meetings among virtual team is an open issue. This is because it depends on the team characteristics. This includes the nature of sales and so on. Virtual meetings can be held at least once a month. However, if there is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed; the frequency increases... This is because there are a lot of uncertainties in the business environment which should be addressed as they arise (Marian, 2). Teleconferencing is one way in which virtual meetings can be held. Teleconferencing offers many advantages. One of them is that people participate regardless where one is. This means that travel expenses are not incurred. With efficient planning, virtual meetings have turned to be successful. The use of video feeds to conduct virtual meetings is also useful. All these methods of virtual meetings need a proper plan to ensure that all succeeds. The same skills that are used in non vi rtual meetings are applicable in virtual meetings. This also demonstrates that conducting virtual meetings is such a simple task. The first and most important step when leading a virtual team is to adequately equip them with the desired tools and skills. Thereafter, building interaction among the team members would be necessary. The rights skills are useful in creating balance between the social skills and technology interface... As a

Active Listening at a Parent-Teacher Association Meeting Essay

Active Listening at a Parent-Teacher Association Meeting - Essay Example For this particular meeting, the teacher's table was set off to a side of the room to hold the laptop and projector that would be used for the power point presentation later on. Anticipation built up as to who would be the speaker for the night as the parents and teachers began to trickle into the classroom. There were rumors that the school Principal, Ms Berry would be addressing the parents directly due to the need for financial pledges in the improvement of the private school facilities. I noticed that most of the parents seemed to have been coming in directly from work, some still dressed in their official uniforms or looking haggard as they ran from an office meeting to the PTA conference. I chose to attend this particular event because I knew that the people who would be in attendance would already be distracted by either their exhaustion from a busy day at the office or their desire to get home as soon as possible in order to attend to their household and parental duties. From what I observed of the attitude of the people gathered in that classroom that evening, they wanted to be anywhere but at the school at that very moment. It seemed obvious to anyone observing the group such as myself, that this was one group that was not in the mood to listen to anything the speaker of the night had to say. Once the school principal arrived, it became fairly obvious that the rumors were true and she would be taking to the stand in order to address the parents. Knowing very well that I would have to report about the meeting to my cousin upon her arrival, I began preparing myself to become an effective listener based upon the principles outlined in our book. DeVito clearly outlined the principles of listening within the pages of our textbook.  

Secure and Architecture and Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Secure and Architecture and Models - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of secure as a term used to describe a situation that is free from harm and is not exposed to any danger. In computer world secure is simply the state of the computer and other computer related devices are free from interruption risks, internal or external unauthorized entry and access and infections. Architecture is the process of defining a set of structured solutions and decisions that meet all the operational and technical requirements in an organization while optimizing common quality elements and attributes. The important part of the architecture is the structural nature. Models are clearly anything that is used as a structure to represent another thing. Models are used to represent a blueprint of an intended project or idea. Models provide an overview and a simpler way of expressing complex process or ideas. Different Components usually perform different functions in a system. A good example is the computer system components. The co mputer system component comprises of the input devices, output devices, backing stores, and the central unit. All the components have different features and perform different functions. Because of this reason, all have different security prevention measures. The system components should be compatible with each other in order to work together as a system, this means that the developers have to generate ways to get the components compatible are a middleware of networks to link the components to each other to allow communication.

The Struggle for Peace and Politics Essay Example for Free

The Struggle for Peace and Politics Essay The documentary â€Å"Peace One Day† is the brainchild of British filmmaker Jeremy Gilley, a compelling film that has envisioned a world without war even for a day. In the process of conceiving the final output of his documentary, Gilley met with people from all walks of life—state leaders, students, religious figures and many others. Gilley’s encounters with the many different people from different cultural backgrounds indicate that the world is indeed a bastion of different. But even though there is a plurality of cultures and political beliefs across the world, Gilley’s documentary is a testimony to the idea that we still have the same yearning for global peace. Part of the documentary is Gilley’s encounters with several leaders of democratic countries as well as the members of the United Nations. Given the fact that the United Nations seeks to protect the rule of law and the rights of individuals across different countries, it can be said that the liberal principles of the international organization fitted well with the vision of Gilley to have global peace at least for one day. Indeed, it would be, as it has been, the least of all the challenges that lay ahead of him. The more pressing concern with the documentary was the fact that even though the rest of the world wants peace, there are many ways used in meeting that end. One of the compelling ways to achieve peace has been the waging of wars across different parts of the world, especially after the September 11 bombing attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Several political insights can be gleaned from the documentary such as the issues of globalization, terrorism and peacekeeping within the different states. Since one of the primary goals of Gilley through his documentary is to create an international day of peace through a declaration from the United Nations, doing so meant that the documentary had to transcend issues that have divided nations, issues such as national security and international relations. From within the countries themselves, both national security and foreign policies share a considerable role in maintaining peace within the nation. More so, the challenge of maintaining international security perhaps weighs double as it requires efforts from the international community. But here you have a documentary film spearheaded by one man trying to augment those efforts to achieve world peace even for a brief moment. It says a lot especially because the United Nations has been established for several years already and that it took them quite a while to realize the need to formally initiate a declaration of an international peace day. The fact that the United Nations listened to the message of the documentary and even supported the dissemination of the film in different parts of world suggests that the United Nations still maintains a significant consideration for individual rights in the context of the larger society. By fully supporting the message of the documentary—which is to imagine a day where the world is at peace and make that thought materialize in reality—it can be said that there is still hope in global politics. No matter how severely divided nations may appear, the leaders from each of these nations can still arrive at an agreement that, indeed, there is that ultimate need for world peace. The move of the United Nations also indicates that no matter if you are a leader of a country that is financially torn or a leader of a nation that is struggling to maintain its wealth and its relations with other countries, not one leader can resist the need for world peace. The issues of peacekeeping and terrorism have strongly resounded more than before. With that in mind, the documentary easily hits the nail hard—the post 9/11 world has never been the same again, and a documentary film highlighting the need to transcend political affiliations in order to grab the beacon of peace fits perfectly well into the mold. However, it can also be said that the same issues of peacekeeping and terrorism hinder the documentary from reaching the awareness of the public in a global scale. That is, only those individuals who have access to the mainstream media and have the â€Å"tools† of the media can be able to avail of the documentary and grasp its message. And while the documentary simply serves the purpose of reawakening the hidden desire of humanity for a lasting peace and, consequently, a better life and that these things can be said are inherent to people regardless of age, gender and ethnicity, the limitation of the documentary from being spread all-over the world means much is needed to be done. The fact that there are many languages and cultural factors which largely influence the political thought of various individuals implies that the main medium of the message—the English language—may likewise limit the ‘reach’ of the documentary. Some others may even stretch the argument that the documentary is just another form of Western expansion under the guise of the claim for a world peace day. That is, by allowing the documentary to penetrate the collective consciousness of non-Westerners, the documentary in effect influences the thinking of the ‘natives’ of foreign countries, thereby altering the ways in which they think about their respective countries. For instance, an Iraqi who may have a deep resentment towards the presence of American soldiers in Iraq—which the Iraqi may tend to interpret as American occupation—may perceive the documentary as either another form of Western expansion in a different substance or an enlightening film that enriches his understanding of the nature of his country and the need for peace right in his own land. Indeed, the efforts mounted by Jeremy Gilley along with the rest of the supporters of the film, from the United Nations to the private citizens across different countries, point to the many conflicts in the world, amplified in no small way by political differences. Realists may believe that the world is in a state of anarchy and that the need for military and economic security, but even realists cannot deny the need for world peace. Regardless of political background, â€Å"Peace One Day† reflects what all people share—the importance of peace on a global landscape.

Harry Potter Analysis: Themes of Power and Oppression

Harry Potter Analysis: Themes of Power and Oppression The world in which one lives today is one that is not different from the past in many aspects. Though there have been several changes in society, there are still several things that remain the same. Human lifestyle undoubtedly has changed along with the way that people think. However, memories and records of events and the like are not always forgotten. People may not forget things easily, and somemake it a point to hang on to memories and even grudges. Historic events may be recorded solely for the purpose of preserving thoughts of the world so that man, in time to come, would have a chance of knowing his roots. Through history, one important thing that has come to man’s attentionis the existence of inequalities through time. Inequalities have always existed, and these have always been a major source of conflict. Conflict has always been known man, and has never been a stranger to man at any point in time. This is not to say that wars always raged across the earth, but certainly does mean that atrocities and the like always existed. The hostilities and crime that one witnesses today is hardly different from the crimes that were committed in the past. The only thing that makes it much more different to what it was in the past is that there is technology on one’s side today. Instead of this being of greater help to man today, it has resulted in much more death and destruction, all starting from inequalities in resources. Theorists like Karl Marx and Stephen Greenblatt are individuals that would be able to shed greater light on the disharmony in society. Their views on social living also help one to understand the way that things were and are today, and how similar conflicts may be through time . Domination could take almost any form, and this would depend on what kind of resources one class has. If one has economic resources, it is possible to dominate others extensively. In Marxist terms, domination is usually because the resources a class has in hand. If a class has economic resources, it has greater strength and can dominate others. If the resources have limited value, they cannot dominate all that much. In addition to the possession of resources that causes conflict, there is also something known as a sense of belonging. If a person feels that another is not of his status or does not speak the language that s/he does, conflict might arise. However, â€Å"Differences of habit and languageare nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open†. Aside from the differences in resources and the conflict that takesplace because of a difference in resources, Marxism has other values. It is a theory that explains social change, which is why it can beapplied to various situations of conflict. The reason for this is thatthere always has to be a reason for conflict, and this refers todifferences in resources of strengths . Marxism being a macro-sociological theory is one that can also apply tosmaller setups. This means that it can apply to communities as welleven though a community is only a part of a larger society. However,thismakes sense because of the fact that it also applies to a wholestate that itself a smaller part of a global environment . Being a theory that can be used to see significance in communities, itis one that can be applied to the magician’s community in Harry PotterNovels by J.K Rowling. The community in Harry Potter Novels is perfect for implementing Marxist theory. This is because of the fact that there is existence of segregation, class/group conflict, oppression, slavery,Prejudice, etc. existing in the community. It is all these factors thatexpose the importance of Marxist theory and the way that communities gothrough changes during conflict. The stages in a conflict are alsoclearly visible as one reads through the Harry Potter books. Thesestages are similar to Marxist explanations, and are also in sync withsocial changes that occur because of conflicts . In addition to the class conflict that would occur because of control over resources or magical powers, there is also the case of descent.Descent or heritage is an issue in Harry Potter stories as well becausethose who belong to an original group are believed to be rightful heirs and have authorized control. This is something that is explained byother theories as well, but Marxism primarily considers these to bebecause of beliefs and doctrines that are embedded in people’s minds.They are also most likely to occur because of the control that peoplebelieve they are entitled to when they are of original or pure descent. This is precisely the case wit the pure bloods that think they arerightful owners of magic. The purebloods assumed that they have therights to magic and only they should be allowed to study at the schoolof magic. They wanted the half bloods and the mudbloods ousted.However, since they could not do it through fair means they resorted toother means. At various stage s of the whole story of Harry Potter’sexperience this is demonstrated. Not only is Harry Potter subject totheir unfair means but so are many innocent people. The pure bloods arewilling to go to any length to dominate and gain control over allothers. They want to gain control in the wider society by first takingover the magic school and proving themselves as rightful owners ofmagic. They are inbred and come from generations of practice. AlbusDumbledore asserts: â€Å"You place too much importance on the so-calledpurity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not whatsomeone is born, but what they grow to be! † Undoubtedly, they may possess exceptional traits and ability to performspells, but it may also be said that they have mastered all thisthrough immense practice. As opposed to this, Harry Potter is anindividual who is of half wizard descent. He still has more abilitiesthan most other wizards of pure descent. He has the ability to applymagical spells at will even though he was warned in the initial stagesthat it could prove dangerous for him. He was told that afterperforming magic for the first time, it is â€Å"Natural to want a bitmore†. He was told that he â€Å"cant start flying cars to try and get†himself â€Å"noticed† (Chapter 6, p. 91). The best part about Harry Potter’s character is that he is a wizard ora young wizard with immense skill. He does not use his magicalstrengths unless he really needs to. He had been warned against usingmagical spells, but also preferred to use commonsense to work his waythrough situations. It may be asserted that Harry Potter was a clevermagician who used his magical capabilities to reinforce his efforts. Describing magical situations in a community of wizards and using amacro-sociological theory to back it up, may seem odd. However, itappears that the discrimination between different groups or classes isbest described through this theory. The manner in which individuals inthis story behave is interesting and fits well into such a theory. Considering Roald Dahl’s ‘The Witches’, it can also be asserted thatMarxism fits into it too. This is because there are also notions ofgroups or class in this story. There is also existence of oppressors.These oppressors are the ones that cause the disharmony; they try toget rid of children, and people in general cannot detect them livingalong with them in society. They look like normal ladies and have everygeneral character that women have, and no one would even imagine thatthere are some of the wickedest women living right beside them. Since class distinction is an important part of Marxist theory, it isworth asserting that Harry Potter has no shortage of Marxist notions. This can be observed in the fact that class distinction is quite open. The manner in which classification takes place in ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ is exceptional. This is typically visible whenthey magicians are categorized and placed in traditional houses. Each magician is placed in a traditional house according to his or her capability or status. An example of this is the manner in which Harryis placed in the house of Gryffindor. He is a hero and is placed herewhile other magicians such as Malfoy, are placed in Slytherin. Though it may be argued that this is highly unlike a Marxist practice becauseof the inequality, it can be said that it is actually very much in syncwith Marxist theory. This is because of the fact that Marxism holdsthat each one has particular capabilities that could be put to use. Marxism e mphasizes on the notion: from each one according to hiscapability, and to each one according to his need (Marx Engels,1848). In the above example, it is obvious that the emphasis is more onthe capability of the individual, which is why each of the characterized are placed in separate houses. In this kind of segregation, there are particular advantages as well asdisadvantages. This refers to the fact that being segregated couldcause unity in some ways and further disintegration in others. In‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, both these notions arevisible clearly. Unity is demonstrated through the recognition ofmorals in each character. The characters recognize certain qualities ineach other and they are drawn closer; Harry, Ron and Hermione stand outas examples. In contrast to this, it can also be observed that thereare instances where some characters are repulsed. It is through the unity that is created by the three friends at themagic school that a plot has been detected to steal the ‘Philosopher’sStone’. Harry, Ron and Hermione work together to discover a culprit atthe top level. It turns out that one of the teachers is a suspect. Thework that the three friends put in to discover the suspect is anexample of the way that the people in a state can work towards foilinga treacherous attempt. This part of the story also reflects the natureof the Marxist state that is more than likely to pull down a leader orany official that puts them at risk. The people are the ones with powerand they may use it collectively to achieve a goal. Though there may beother individuals against them, they may still go ahead with what theybelieve in. The Philosopher’s Stone is like the importance of a state, and if anyone is trying to steal something that belongs to the state they need tobe stopped. The situation can be deadly, which is why it may also beadventurous. â€Å"After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but thenext great adventure† . This is precisely what Harry and his friends set out to do after theyhave strong suspicions on particular people. However, their earliersuspicions were not accurate as Harry discovers that he has to facesomeone other than Snape. One can have â€Å"As much money and life as youcould want! The two things most human beings would choose above all -the trouble is, humans†, even if they are magicians, â€Å"do have a knackof choosing precisely those things that are worst for them† . In order to prevent the Philosopher’s Stone from being stolen, Harryand his friends have to go after the stone themselves. This meant thatthey had to get in through the guards to make sure the Stone would notbe stolen away. At this point in the story, it is specificallymentioned that Harry and his friends had to pull their strengthstogether in order to get where they reached. Harry and his friends manage to do this quite successfully until Harryhas to go in alone after the Stone. In doing this, he is faced withProfessor Quirrell. Being his crafty self like many politicians thatwant to benefit the most, Professor Quirrell tries to use Harry to getto the stone. He knew that Harry would be able to get through, and soknew it would be the best way. However, the professor remainsunsuccessful in his attempt. Quirrell was killed and Voldemortdefeated. This defeat and death stands for the necessity of conflict tobring peace and restoration to a state. The characters defeated standfor those that interfere with the relatively peaceful system in place.Harry and his friends stand for those that are willing to risk all thatis theirs in order to do what is right. Harry in particulardemonstrates that he is the people of a state because of the fact thathe was ready to lay down his life for everyone. He knew that he was theonly one capable of completing the task, and so we nt into a dangeroussituation all by himself. However, he emerged victorious and thus livedup to being a hero. Though Harry did a splendid amount of heroic work single-handedly, itcannot be forgotten that he could not have done it all by himself.Towards the end of the adventure, this is exposed considerably throughthe points scored in all the efforts. Gryffindor earns one hundred andsixty points through the collective efforts of Harry, Ron and Hermione.However, an extra ten points were earned because of Neville’s effortsto stop the three from going to the Philosopher’s Stone. It is obvious that trying to stop Harry and his friends from goingthrough the defenses of the guards would be seen as a good act. Quitenaturally, Harry’s actions as ring leader were not the mostappropriate; the school of magic may not have been pleased about this,and so placed a ban on him from using magic for the rest of the summer.However, he kept this ban a secret so that no one would take advantageof him. Using magic could not be kept a secret, but not using it couldbe kept a secret. Looking at the practice of magic in the literaturepublished today, there are several religious groups that are againstthe use of magic and witchcraft in Harry potter stories. This has beenthe case so much so that religious groups have moved to have the seriesbanned. However, this is an unlikely thing to happen, as the book isfiction; something that is far from reality. However, in comparing thenotions in this series with Marxist literature, it can also be saidthat there are people who scrutini ze it (Marxist Literature) as well,terming it all as evil and a social disease that aims at overturningother just forms of governance. The fears are more real in this sense,but pertinent literature can hardly be banned from publication . Marxist literature is known to focus on many different aspects ofsocietal living; it is a political theory and often serves as a meansof scrutinizing state operations. One of the main things that ittargets is injustice. It emphasizes on the need to get rid the root ofinjustice in society. In Marxist notions, there are ways of targetingand getting rid of injustice. The words mentioned earlier about Marxismcan aptly be applied here as well: ‘to each one according to his needs’(Marx Engels, 1848). These words comprehensively overruleinjustice, but of course are not sufficient to make sure that injusticedoes not occur. Injustice still occurs in its various forms, anddiscrimination towards individuals belonging to particular origins isone of the most well known of its forms. Discrimination is alsosomething that is a major consideration in ‘Harry Potter and thechamber of secrets’. Basically the discrimination is generalized at all magicians lower than‘pure blood wizards’. In ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’Harry is discriminated by Malfoy because Harry is not a pure bloodwizard. In contrast to this story talking about discrimination andmaking of differences between wizards, there is a great deal that onecan learn from it. Tolerance is one of the major teachings in thisstory. Individuals of all ages can learn from tolerance, no matter whattheir backgrounds are. Marxist theory also holds fast to tolerance asopposed to its notions of conflict. People living in a society may havedifferences, but they still have to live together. Provided that thedifferences are not too magnified, there is no reason why they cannotlive together. In extreme cases, they may need to clash before peace isestablished, but first tolerance is preferred. Conflict is actually thelast option; when there is no other way out, conflict is resorted to.The inten sity of the conflict can be observed in the following lineswhen Arthur Weasley says: â€Å"Never trust anything that can think foritself if you cant see where it keeps its brain† . Tolerance in the Community: In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, tolerance in the communityis of great importance. If tolerance is non existent, there would be nocommunity. However, there are some individuals that want to causedisharmony even if their intentions seem logical. In the story, SalazarSlytherin wants to get rid of all those that are different andestablish a community that is pure; he wants to get rid of themudbloods, or wizards that do not have any magical ancestors. Here,one can see that is a definite distinction between the two classes, andthere is also a definite demeaning tone and term being used againstthose that were not pure magicians . Quite obviously, there was aresponse from those who were being looked down upon. They would defendthemselves if attacked or harmed in any way. This would be legitimatein the sense that all members in a society are entitled to equalrights, and these are natural rights. The targeted class might feel theneed to resist hostilities or even launch attacks. Th is conflict isnothing unknown to Marxism; in fact, class conflict is normal for peaceto be achieved. Particularly, it must be noted that class conflict inHarry Potter and the Chamber of secrets is also similar to Marxistdescription because of the class conflict existing between two classes.Typically, this was the Quidditch game between Gryffindor andSlytherin. The Gryffindor and Slytherin represent the two classes inconflict. According to Marxism there are no other classes; there is just aconflict between to very distinctive classes in society because of thedifferences in resources . Here, one can observe that the classconflict or group conflict in Harry Potter exists between those thathave more magical power and those that do not. Also, those that havemore power are ones that claim to have purer heritage. They believethat they can purify their community by getting rid of those withoutsuch heritage. Purifying the community is something that is out of Marxist views; itis something that does not pertain to the theory. Though there havebeen instances in the past that may be used as examples of purifyingcommunities and races, none can be blamed on Marxism. Purification ofraces and communities is something that has been the result ofDarwinian thought. However, since these notions were integrated withso-called socialist strategies, Marxism is largely blamed for heinousevents in history . In Harry Potter, the purification that Salazar Slytherin intendsactually goes to show that these ideas are opposed to peace. Peace canonly attained by getting rid of such prejudices. The only way to get ofthese prejudices is to change the way that the dominating class thinksand acts or to have a direct and open conflict to demolish it. Coming back to the manner in which Harry and Hermione are both demeanedbecause of their heritage, Harry’s is only half of what the pure bloodswere. Both Hermione’s parents were not magicians as well. This meansthat both friends were not pure magicians by blood. However, they werepretty good at whatever they did; there magic was far better and moreeffective than Malfoy’s who was a pure blood. Here again there can be aMarxist comparison. This is because of the fact that Harry’s andHermione’s characters demonstrate the fact that all individuals nomatter what their heritage have the ability to perform in any art; allindividuals are able to do just as well as any other individuals. Marxism holds that all people in a community have the ability towork and be as productive as any other individual. Though there areindividuals with specialized skills who can be more productive in termsof quality, other individuals should not be demeaned or underestimated. However, this is what Malfoy does; he and his lot aredescribed as oversized, strange-looking, mean and unintelligent, butthey are still pure bloods coming from generations of pure blood. Theyhave not much in their favor, and so, it is very important for them tobe pure. They have worked for generations to be ‘purebloods’ at thecost of losing everything else. This is perhaps the reason why they areso hung up on remaining in control and excluding all those that aredifferent to them. Perhaps they could not stand anyone having magical[powers and not being pure bloods. However, the problem for them wasthat Harry and Hermione were really good at their magic even thoughthey were not pure bloods . Observing the manner in which the ‘pure blood wizards’ treated the‘mudbloods’, one can say that there already are already two classes inconflict. However, the mudbloods are those that are targeted, andwithin a broad category of those that dominate them are the pure bloodwizards along with others. These others include people such as theDursleys, who virtually fear magic. They are the ones that try to avoidmagic and had kept Harry away from these practices that were rightfullyhis own. The Dursleys serve as a group of people in the category ofthose that oppress the ‘mudbloods’ even though they are not exactly onthe same side of the ‘pure blood wizards’. However, the fact is that,anyone or group that opposes or oppresses the mudbloods areautomatically considered to be in one broad category. This is similarto the manner in which all those who oppose or oppress the proletarianare considered to be one group or class. As opposed to the class conflict that is clearly visible in Harry{Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Marxist theory has it that for acommunity to survive there is need for tolerance to be practiced. Iftolerance is not a strength in a community, at any point in future, acommunity is liable to fall apart or become a victim of disharmony. A community should be strong enough in its bonds in order to preventdisharmony. It should tolerance and other qualities at its center sothat its community members can rely on it. Speaking of a community as awhole, in Harry Potter could not have been a hero on his own. He neededother individuals to support his role and cause too. Without them, hecould not be successful and would never have been recognized as a hero. Harry also has individual traits as well that are required of a hero.He is one that depends on the moment for taking decisions thatultimately define his success. Harry uses each moment intelligently andapplies common sense knowledge to situations. He does not think withhis magical powers. He instead, uses his magical abilities to reinforcehis decisions. He does not think with magic or with power. This isreflected in Marxist theory as well, as individuals and governingbodies or a state or even a community need to think logically and notwith the power they have in their hands. Social living is given a lotof importance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which is whyHarry maybe used as an important example. He is a community member. Heis one that is oppressed by those that are in a position to oppresshim, but he does not give in. He knows better because he can think anddoes not abuse his magical power. This is something important and infact is close to utopia in Marxism. Being h onest and having the abilityto control one’s power and authority is a quality that many do nothave . Just like the legal system in Marxism is taken into considerationso is it done in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’. The systemof governance in place is most important to consider. This is becauseof the fact that it is the foundation of actions to be carried out whendealing with millions of people in a country. If there is injustice inthe legal system, it needs to be dealt with accordingly. An example ofinjustice in the legal system is reflected I the way that Lucius andMalfoy deal with those that make mistakes. Their decisions are severeand harsh, and in most cases are unnecessary. Lucius and Malfoy represent the harsh hand of the law. In many casesrecorded in history there have been legal systems that have practicedharsh treatment of their people and little was done. However, Marxistideals do not agree with this even though rulers may have misusedtenets of Marxism. Injustice of the kind that Lucius and Malfoy carriedout cannot be tolerated. The Social set up is such that it allows all individuals to provethemselves. They may do sop as individuals or as a group. The Quidditchis believed to be a social indicator that can reveal the wayindividuals are. This is possible because it allows a competitionbetween two sides, Gryffindor and Slytherin. The integrity of the twosides is measured in terms of the strategies they use. Each of themwants to emerge as the winner and earn recognition through theirpowers. However, the serious conflict is that the Slytherin use unfairmeans to prove themselves even though they are pure bloods. TheGryffindor on the other hand are not necessarily pure in terms ofmagical power heritage; they are however, effective, and are evenbelieved to be more powerful than their opponents. The Quidditch also serves as an environment of its own kind becauseof the fact that it has the ability to observe individuals as thoughthey are in another environment altogether. Through the Quidditch a lotcan be revealed about an individual’s real life intentions; it can beused to predict the lengths to which that individuals may go in orderto win or prove themselves. On the parts of both competitors,Gryffindor and Slytherin, it can be observed that they have tried hardto prove themselves the best way they know how. In this process, agreat deal has been revealed about the Marxist notions involved in theoverall set up. Something that reinforces Marxist notions, especially with theoppressed magicians, is the fact that they are concerned about thosethat are enslaved. They understand the plight of those enslaved andknow that their condition is perhaps worse than their own. Beingoppressed is one thing because at least the oppressed like Harry andHermione have the power to fight back. With the elves, there is hardlya chance of fighting back, as they have nothing to fight with and haveno special magical powers. It is this concern for the enslaved that istypical of individuals among the proletarian. This is an attitude thathas the power to bring people together and oppose oppression by thedominant ones. The slaves in Harry Potter are individuals that are kept for freelabor for the wicked wizarding families. The way that these elves aretreated depends on the mercy the wizards have for them, and since theyhave enslaved them it is obvious what kind of mercy they have shown them. Hermione has learned much from this enslavement and knows that this isnot far from the way that other good and bad wizards have experiencedat the hands of Lord Voldemort. Hermione then works throughout the bookto liberate the oppressed individuals. Some of those enslaved were madeso by physically restricting them to particular areas or by placingthem under a curse or spell. In view of the way that they wereenslaved, Marxist views would reveal that individuals in society canalso be enslaved in similar ways. The physical way of course ispossible through keeping a person in captivity or even abusingpolitical power to torment individuals. The alternative means ofenslaving a person through a curse could refer to the way that anindividual may be placed under bonds, contracts and the like. Peopleoften take advantage of individuals who fail to fulfill agreementsunder bonds and contracts, and they may subject them to blackmail orcompel them to serve their demands. Just like the wizards may no t havebeen able to do much under the Imperius curse, individuals cannot domuch after being placed under a bond. People with the power to enslave others and control them in this waygradually can take control of a lot of people. Politicians have thepower to do this when they are ion power and create particular decreesthat compel the people in a country to act accordingly. Getting peopleto act according to the demands of a ruler is also enslavement. Thesame thing is in effect in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Thewords mentioned in this book that say exactly what one should knowabout a man’s behavior towards others are as follows: â€Å"If you want toknow what a mans like, take a good look at how he treats hisinferiors, not his equals† . These are precise words and ones that saya lot about class difference and individual attitude in view of aperson’s social position. However, the intention that Voldemort had wasto get all the slaves together and then get rid of them so that therewould be almost a nation of pure bloods. This sounds very familiar;history rings a bell here, and one is compelled to consider the SecondWorld War in which the Germans had attempted and succeeded at doingthis to some extent. However, this is something is opposed to Marxisttheory because of the fact that Marxism does not hold with purifying acommunity through enslavement and other similar practices. Though it has been blamed for what happened in the Second World War,Marxism promotes diversity. Again here one of its tenets may beconsidered as it was earlier: to each one according to his need, andfrom each one according to his capability . These words automaticallyclear Marxism, promoting the appreciation of diversity in society.Establishing a pure race is no where within the tenets of Marxismbecause it is a theory that primarily focuses on the value of humanlife and effort . This human life and effort cannot be compared orcompensated for economically; it cannot be sold as a commodity, andshould not be sold as such. Instead, the value of human life and effortis so high that it should be cared for in such a way that the stateappreciates it through its entire existence. This is particularly thereason why this theory does not believe in the accumulation of personalassets; it is more focused on state-provided care in order to maintainpower that is distributed among the people. When power rests with thestate, no individual a group can rise up easily and take control ofothers with shortage of resources or power. In Harry Potter and theGoblet of Fire, this is what causes the problem in the magician’scommunity; a handful of magicians manage to take control of othersthrough their crafty ways and gain more and more control. â€Å"There was nopoint in worrying yet. what would come, would come and he wouldhave to meet it when it did† . It is through brave and selfless effortsthat Harry manages to overturn these efforts. Harry is not justinterested in saving the community nor is he totally agai nst wrongdoings, but he is keen on opposing domination. He becomes a herobecause he has one aim and that is to protect what was important toeveryone primarily. He wanted to protect the Philosopher’s Stone andalso confront the evil magicians. However, it is these efforts thatbuild up a community connectedness. In his efforts he had to seek helpfrom those he could. Without his friends by his side, Harry might nothave been able to get to the Philosopher’s Stone. In the Triwizard Tournament as well, Harry is not alone. Hagrid andMoody had helped him in getting him past the dragon. Also, Cedric andDobby had helped him further when they helped him decrypt the goldenegg; this enabled Harry to rescue the underwater victims. While trying to figure out what Harry may have done single-handedly,there is apparently little to go on. This even includes Harry gettingthrough the maze; he would not have been able to get through had it notbeen for the protective charms created by his wands connection withVoldemorts wand. Trouble for Voldemort was inevitable. â€Å"Its a strangething, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything toslow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up† . Harry was also under the protection of his parents’ sacrifice. Harryalways thought about his parents; he also thought â€Å"about his father† .He also thought about his fathers three oldest friends: Moony,Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs† (Chapter 21, p. 407) His parents’ sacrifice was the thing that kept him alive. Therefore,whenever he is apparently cornered, he has a wa