Blog Archive University of Michigan (Ross) Essay Analysis, 20142015

Blog Archive University of Michigan (Ross) Essay Analysis, 2014â€"2015 *Please note: You are viewing an essay analysis from the 2014-2015 admissions cycle.  Click here to view our collection of essay analyses for the current admissions season.   The Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan has refashioned its essay questions, going “smaller” with its requirements, as have several other schools this application season. Ross’s broadly worded essay prompts give you ample breadthâ€"if not an overabundance of wordsâ€"in which to tell your story. As always, think carefully about what you want to say and the impression you want to make before you start writing, because more opportunity lurks here than you might realize at first. Essay 1: What are you most proud of professionally and why? What did you learn from that experience? (400 words) Many applicants who read this essay prompt will conclude that they have an opportunity here to share just one anecdote. However, you actually have another option. You could, of course, take a “task-oriented” approach, showing how you did one thing remarkably well, or you might consider taking a thematic approach, presenting instead a consistent record of achievement in one area. For example, you could discuss how you tamed your firm’s most feared client as a single clear accomplishment, or you could integrate this incident as one example supporting a theme of how you have developed your skills as a diplomat. Any reader of our essay analyses or attendee of our essay writing seminars knows that we have an avowed preference for narrative-style writing. We strongly advocate getting right to the important details and describing your actions and results. Starting your essay with a bland declaration like “I am most proud of how I tamed our most difficult client and learned that I am a diplomat…” would be an essay killer! As you are writing, be careful not to get carried away and forget to explain what you learnedâ€"the essay question very clearly asks, “What did you learn from the experience?” This information may be largely implied in your narrative, but your reflection on what you learned should not just repeat your key theme: “Clearly, I learned to be a diplomat in taming our toughest client, and I look forward to greater challenges going forward!” Just to be 100% clear, let us stress again that such a statement simply will not work. Contemplate your growth and development through the experience or series of experiences and use the theme of your essay as a starting point, but take the reflective piece further and reveal the self-awareness or skills that developed therein. Essay 2: What are you most proud of personally and why? How does it shape who you are today?  (400 words) Clearly, this essay is a fraternal twin of Essay 1. So again, you can focus on a single accomplishment (task) or a series of accomplishments that reveal a trait (theme). And revealing your chosen task or theme through a narrative will allow your actions and their impact to shine through. Applicants are often flustered by the word “personal,” puzzling over why an admissions committee would want to learn anything about their personal life. Well, the reason is that the admissions committee want to get to know the entire you, and you are not just a series of professional accomplishments. We would define personal as “anything outside of work,” so your community service activities should be fair game here. But if you are so inclined, do not be afraid to discuss an aspect of your life that is truly personal, such as making a significant impact on a family member, pushing yourself to try something that is a radical personal departure, teaching yourself a new skill or committing to learning something interesting. The list of personal topics is vast, because you are living, changing and growing every day. One thing you do not need to worry about is “scale”â€"no one expects you to be changing the world in your spare time. Admissions officers want to experience the intensity of your passion and commitment, but they also recognize that you are mortal, so you are not likely scaling the world’s ten highest peaks or curing a disease outside of work. You just need to show that you are doing your thing in a way that is spirited and determined. As with Essay 1, do not neglect to reflect on the impact of your chosen task or theme: the admissions committee wants to hear how your personal accomplishment “shapes” the you you are today. The same rules applyâ€"do not just offer a summary statement. Truly explore your development and elucidate what affects you today and how. Essay 3: Optional question:  Is there anything not addressed elsewhere in the application that you  would like the Admissions Committee to know about you to evaluate your candidacy?  (300 words) The phrasing of this optional essay question is broader than most in that Ross does not specifically limit you to discussing problem areas in your candidacy. That said, in most cases, this is still your opportunity to address any lingering questions that an admissions officer may have about your profileâ€"if you need toâ€"such as a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT score, a gap in your work experience, etc. In our mbaMission Optional Statement Guide, we offer detailed advice on when and how to take advantage of the optional essay, with multiple examples, to help you mitigate any problem areas in your application. However, because the question can be interpreted rather broadly, it does open the door for you to discuss a strength or attribute that has not yet been highlighted elsewhere in your application and that you think may be pivotal or particularly compelling. We caution you about simply trying to fill this space because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you. You must have a crucial aspect of your background/experience/profile that you would be bringing to lightâ€"remember, by submitting an additional essay, you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so you need to make sure that time is warranted. If you are using the essay to emphasize something that if omitted would render your application incomplete, take this opportunity to write a very brief narrative that reveals this key new side of your profile. Share ThisTweet 2014-2015 MBA Essay Analysis University of Michigan (Ross)

5 Reasons to Use Idioms in Your Essays

Being a student of literature, you’ve probably come across the term â€Å"phraseologism†. In essence, phraseology itself is the study of fixed expressions or sets. This can include phrasal verbs, idioms and a number of other types of multi-word lexical units in which they play a part of expression. Following are a few reasons why you would want to use phraseologisms and idioms in your essays: 1. A Blessing in Disguise We don’t often realize it, but phraseologisms can be blessings in disguise. In modern English, formation matters; you can use them in many forms to express what you are trying to say. At times, the reader does not understand what the writer is trying to express. Phraseologisms can help the reader understand better and help them visualize what the writer is trying to portray in their work. 2. A Dime A Dozen Pharaseologisms can be used as means of alliteration. Instead of using long sentences, you can use short ones e.g. a sad sack, culture vulture, or fudge and nudge. Alliterations are common and easy, they are an easy way to reach out to your reader. 3. An Axe to Grind You can use idioms to prove your point further. In arguments, to make your say, you can use idioms such as â€Å"You are a doubting Thomas!† or â€Å"Bite your Tongue†. Witty, and gets the point across! 4. Doozy Phraseologisms may also be used to describe our everyday life. Let us think that the writer is trying to express feelings, how their character felt when they met someone for the first time. Instead of giving a long boring description, the writer can use the term â€Å"Butterflies in my stomach†. This can make life easier. If, for example, the writer is trying to describe a situation where one is reprimanded lightly, the writer can describe it as â€Å"A slap on the wrist†. 5. Take It up a Notch Most of the time, writers want to do something creative, something unique, something that the reader would enjoy while reading. Sometimes writers change dip into different languages, not completely though. They may be writing in English but may use terms in another language to twist things around. Readers love twists and variety.

Essay on Economic Growth and Development - 894 Words

Economic growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition of economic development. There is no single definition that encompasses all the aspects of economic development. The most comprehensive definition perhaps of economic development is the one given by Todaro: ‘Development is not purely an economic phenomenon but rather a multi – dimensional process involving reorganization and re orientation of the entire economic and social system. Development is a process of improving the quality of all human lives with three equally important aspects. These are: 1. Raising peoples’ living levels, i.e. incomes and consumption, levels of food, medical services, education through relevant growth processes. 2. Creating†¦show more content†¦Amartya Sen defines economic development in terms of personal freedom, freedom to choose from a range of options. While economic growth may lead to an increase in the purchasing power of people, if the country has a repressed economy, there is lack of choice and hence personal freedom in restricted. Hence once again growth has taken place without any development. While economic growth may result in an improvement in the standard of living of a relatively small proportion of the population whilst the majority of the population remains poor. It is how the economic growth is distributed amongst the population that determines the level of development. Taking into consideration the trickle-down theory of economics by Lewis, if the growth in economy is not sufficient to satisfy the needs and wants of the upper sections, nothing or very little shall trickle down to the lower sections in the hierarchy of society. Thus, the gap between the rich and poor widens and though economic growth has impacted a certain section of society, this cannot be considered development. Another example is an increase in the defence output of a nation, which accounts for an increased GDP but does not in any way contribute to economic development. Economic growth is not enough in itself to measure economic development as even if there has been a leap in the income of people in a particular nation,Show MoreRelatedEconomic Development And Economic Growth915 Words   |  4 Pagesagenda? High and sustainable economic growth is the main condition for the sustainability of economic development and increase prosperity. As the population increases each year, the consumption is also increasing. Further more, demand, supply and population growth also require employment growth as a new source of income, because if not so then economic growth will lead to poverty. Many economics literatures review the correlation between income inequality and economic growth and the results show thatRead MoreEconomic Growth And Economic Development1177 Words   |  5 PagesEconomic growth and Economic Development is of the highest priority in regards to a well-functioning sovereign state. Economic growth powers an economy through the stability ensured by equilibrium in the circular flow of money accompanied by: growing international competitiveness in a globalised market, increase in real GDP through the appropriate allocation of resources most suited to the expansion of the economy, increa se in aggregate demand and increased efficiency in the economy. Stagnation orRead MoreEconomic Growth and Development1547 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH Economic development and growth may not be the same thing depending on how growth rate is affecting the countrys socio-economic development. However important and well known theories of macro-economic suggest that if markets are left on their own, people will improve their socio-economic wellbeing automatically as the result of better economic growth rate of the country. In other words, financial liberalization automatically leads to socio-economic uplift as suggestedRead MoreEconomic Development And Economic Growth1664 Words   |  7 PagesEconomic development has the potential to transform regions as it creates an enabling environment for economic growth. Economic development is also associated with expanding the capacity of individuals and communities to maximize the use of their available resources. The extent of economic growth depends on the type of the additional products that the economy produces from its investment projects. It has been an instrumental aspect in the growth of Cincinnati. Cincinnati is comprised of a diverseRead MoreEconomic Growth And Economic Development915 Words   |  4 PagesEconomic development is the development of economic wealth of countries, regions or communities for the well-being of their inhabitants. From a policy perspective, economic development can be defined as efforts that seek to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for a community by creating and/or retaining jobs and supporting or growing incomes and the tax base. Overview There are significant differences between economic growth and economic development. The term economic growth refersRead MoreEconomic Growth and Development2951 Words   |  12 Pagescountry? Surveys are made and reports being churned out that state the economic growth of a nation. Does the rate of this economic growth a true indicator in this regard? If that is true why is it then that even in the 21st century decades after the industrialization and years after globalization the proportion of developed countries to under-developed countries is still wide enough? The answer lies in the economic development of these countries. If the gross domestic product or national incomeRead MoreEconomic Growth And Economic Development2287 Words   |  10 PagesIn Asia, the economic growth has been phenomenal and the deepening of economic integration and larger trade volumes have led to both developed and developing nations to experience steady economic growth, especially at 10.1% in 2007 (ADB, 2015). Nevertheless, especially with China’s economic slowdown, the Asian region is facing problems such as decrease in labor force, labor productivity, and overall trade growth (ADB Report, 2015). In order to consolidate economic integration of the region, the ASEANRead MoreEconomic Growth and Development1990 Words   |  8 PagesECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Introduction Economies grow and develop, they expand and advance, and they progress and prosper. There are phases when they decline too, and there are economies that experience continuous decay. If one considers long stretches of human history, one knows that economies (civilizations) disappeared altogether. We will not take into account such long stretches of time. We shall not consider too distant a past either. We will leave them to historians, may be, economicRead MoreThe Economic Growth And Development864 Words   |  4 PagesCurrently, the economic growth and development is improving the performance of the New Zealanders that has over the past 30 years made them part of the global market. This requires that Lush improve its performance in relation to standardisation. This demands that it balances its character of its products to maintain a local and international consumer appeal. This is important based on evidence from firms selling luxuries in the Chinese market where maintaining brand c onsistency has been core (LiuRead MoreEconomic Growth And Development Of Development6644 Words   |  27 Pages In this write-up, I examine the idea of development and briefly looked at its historical development until the age of neo-liberal and market propelled development we are current witnessing with a view to proposing directions for future development. As I do these, I will examine the of this importance development for Africa. Development can be seen as the study of the causes and consequences of economic change in society. Development can mean different things to different people depending on the

The Taming Of The Shrew - 1313 Words

The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy/love story written by Shakespeare between 1590 and 1592. However, in the current era with new beliefs of men and women’s roles, The Taming of The Shrew is seen as pure misogyny. The plot of the play follows the idea that Bianca, the youngest daughter, is a beautiful young girl with lots of male attention and is eager to wed, though her wealthy father will not allow it until her older hot-tempered sister also has a suitor. Many modern films has been made on this famous Shakespearean play, including; Taming of the Shrew directed by Franco Zeffirelli, 1967. The film is a filmic rendering of the play. 10 things I hate about you, 1999, is a loose adaptation of the play, directed by Gil Junger. 10 Things is a†¦show more content†¦This is shown when she throws a stool at Gremio and Hortensio for saying she is too hard for a husband and needs to be milder and gentler. When Petruchio comes to Padua to find a wife, he is not interested in loo ks or personality, he comes only looking for money. As he goes to Katerina’s home to ask Baptista for her hand in marriage, one of the most important settlements Petruchio wants to agree on is the dowry he receives from the marriage. At first Katerina is completely against the marriage and attempts to say no at the wedding although he kisses her before she can speak. At Bianca’s wedding, Katerina claims, â€Å"...Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee†¦ And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour and not obedient to his honest will, What is she but a foul contending rebel?† She does this to describe a woman s role. This shows, despite the starvation, sleep deprivation, and overall mistreatment Petruchio gives to Katerina, she is eventually â€Å"tamed† by him and becomes submissive to his misogynistic views. Kat from 10 Things I Hate About You, is an independent, likable and head strong girl who cannot stand misogyny or sexism. In the first scene of the film, Kat’s personality is displayed as she pulls up at the lights in her old car blaring loud music next to a group of girls in their convertible singing along to the radio. Kat is an opinionated character, however, compared to Katerina sheShow MoreRelatedThe Taming Of The Shrew1180 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the 1600s, William Shakespeare wrote the play The Taming of the Shrew. This play has been well-known throughout the ages. The play has been adapted into film and the two most popular version of it are The Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You. The movie The Taming of the Shrew was released in 1967, while the newer version came out as, 10 Things I Hate About You which was released in 1999. Even though these two variations are based off the same play they have many similaritiesRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew916 Words   |  4 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew was written somewhere between 1592 an d 1594 (Bevington 2). Taming of the Shrew’s titular theme is Petruchio â€Å"taming† his shrewish wife, Katharina, which was a common theme for plays during Elizabethan England. However, the play delves so much deeper into their relationship than just focusing on a male’s forced submission of a female. In fact, The Taming of the Shrew offers a sophisticated opinion on how a married couple should interact. Petruchio’s grand scheme of how he willRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1132 Words   |  5 PagesIn order for two comparative texts to develop ones understanding of shared themes and ideas they must over come the boundaries of differing contexts and explore the strong parallels between them. Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† (1590-1592) was composed during the Elizabethan era in contrast to Gil Junger’s â€Å"10 Things I Hate About You† (1999) set around 1990s America. Although the diverse time periods their correlating plots are indicators of appropriation and pronounce an intertextualRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1723 Words   |  7 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a rich play for interpretation mainly because of its controversial content, due to the of power dynamics of Petruchio and Katharina. I chose to stage The Taming of the Shrew because I found the storyline engaging and I felt that the play would be able to be staged nontraditionally while continuing to retain its storyline and original language. For my production I would like Katharina and Petruchio to be in their late teens around 16 to 19 years oldRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1322 Words   |  6 PagesIn Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew, the main character, Katharina Minola is portrayed as a shrew. Her behavior emanated from the fact that a father who treated her with indifference raised her and there was a lack of a motherly influence in her life. â€Å"Shakespeare sketches her character with a depth the typical shrew lacks† (â€Å"The Taming and Comic Tradition† 1) so her behavior is a defense mechanism used to protect herself from rejection. Katharina â€Å"is aggressive and belligerent, butRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew934 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew introduces the audience to the Elizabethan era. The mindset of the people in this era might be hard to grasp for the modern reader. The demeaning treatment and subsequent submission of women i s a constant theme in the play. During this era, women were meant to obedient, submissive, and compliant to their husband. Katherine Minola, the daughter of Baptista defies society’s standards and is known for her outspokenness and thus labeled a â€Å"shrew.† Due to her aggressiveRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew Essay980 Words   |  4 PagesKatharina, also known as Kate, is the main protagonist and her fiery personality is the focal point of the Shakespeare play, â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†. Her outspoken and quick-witted disposition is at odds with polite society thus earning her the offensive moniker ‘Shrew’, which essentially means a bad-tempered despicable old hag. Contrary to belief, she is, for the most part, an opinionated woman who has the courage to speak those opinions loudly to men that would prefer she’d be quiet. ThroughoutRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1023 Words   |  5 PagesKristine Lieu Mr. Smith English 2, Period 1 02 March 2016 The Taming of the Shrew Introduction What happens when two fouled tongue and short tempered human beings gets married and try to get dominate each other? In the play, The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, the shrew, Katherine is compelled to marry the severe Petruchio, whose ravenousness for Katherine s settlement is coordinated just by his nonchalance for her contentious mentality. To start with, Katherine is unwilling to complyRead MoreTaming of the Shrew866 Words   |  4 PagesTaming of the shrew The Taming of the shrew was just one of William Shakespeares 4 great comedies. Taming of the shrew is based on a king named Baptista who had two daughters named Katherina and Bianca. Both daughters had arranged marriages by there father. Since Katherina was older she had to get married first. Her father chose Petruchio for her to marry. Katherina did not want to get married to Pertuchio, but Katherina did not have a choice. Katherina was very disobedient at the begging ofRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1108 Words   |  5 PagesJude Brooks-Benham, The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare s The Taming of the Shrew focuses not only on the roles of the sexes, but also plays with the varying social roles found in society from head of the house to foot of the house. Tranio finds himself at the bottom of this social ladder, a servant to Lucentio. However Tranio employs his wit and cunning to raise his status at the expense of his master. Tranio is a manipulative intellectual who uses persuasive rhetoric and wit to distract Lucentio

Lord Of The Flies Character Sketch Essay free essay sample

, Research Paper Simon # 8211 ; # 8220 ; He was a little, scraggy male child, his mentum pointed, and his eyes so bright they had deceived Ralph into believing him delightfully homosexual and wicked. The harsh swab of black hair was long and swung down, about hiding a low, wide brow # 8230 ; [ he was ] Always darkish in colour # 8230 ; # 8221 ; p. 2 Simon is described as a really diffident male child who can non happen it endurable to talk in forepart of the assembly. The male childs all think that he? s? batty? because he likes to be by himself. Simon is the lone male child who discovers what the Beast truly is. He learns this when he # 8220 ; negotiations? with the Lord of the Flies. When he tries to state the remainder of the kids he is mistaken as the Beast and crush to decease. Golding made Simon the # 8220 ; Christ # 8221 ; figure in the novel by holding Simon belive in no immorality and guaranting Ralph that he would do it alive. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord Of The Flies Character Sketch Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jack # 8211 ; # 8220 ; Inside the drifting cloak he was thin and bony ; and his hair was ruddy beneath the black cap. His face was crumpled and freckled, and ugly without absurdity. Out of this face stared two light bluish eyes, frustrated now, and turning, or ready to turn, to anger. # 8221 ; p. 20 Jack is described as some kind of evil thing that is looking for problem. From the start of the novel he does non like following regulations of any sort. He merely wants to run and hold a good clip. Golding uses Jack and his folk as illustrations of the Beast. In the beginning of the narrative Jack, still conditioned by the old society he had been apart of, could non kill the hog that was caught in the coppice. As the narrative goes on, he becomes less and less attached to any signifier of society. Near the terminal, he feels no shame about the deceases of Simon and Piggy, or his effort to kill Ralph. Ralph # 8211 ; # 8220 ; He was old plenty, twelve yares and a iron w month, to hold lost the outstanding pot of childhood and non yet old plenty for adolescencence to hold made him akward. You could see now that he might do a pugilist, every bit far as width and weightiness of shoulders went, but at that place was a clemency about his oral cavity and eyes that proclaimed no devil.† p. 10 Ralph is shown as a strong leader. This is the ground why he is chosen for head. He makes it his occupation to put down regulations and seek to form a society. Throughout the novel he is ever in struggle with Jack, who wants to be main himself. Ralph and Piggy agree with each other? s thoughts, but Ralph doesn? T recognize how of import Piggy truly is to him until the really terminal of the novel. Although Ralph neer reaches the understanding about the Beast that Simon does, he knows right from incorrect. Golding utilizations Ralph to demo order in society. Piggy # 8211 ; # 8220 ; The bare croks of his articulatio genuss were plump. He was shorter than the just male child and really fat. # 8221 ; p. 1 # 8220 ; I was the lone male child in our school who had asthma and I # 8217 ; ve been have oning eyeglasses since I was three. # 8221 ; p. 9 Piggy is shown as a disabled individual in society. He is much like Ralph in the sense that he knows right from incorrect, but he differs from Ralph because he can remain focused on such things as the fire. Always back uping Ralph, he is the most intelligent of the childs. Unfortunately, he is slightly fretful and is invariably made merriment of by the male childs for his size, his inability to work, and his eyeglasses. Golding uses him to demo that frequently times society singles out a individual or group of people to look down upon so that they can experience superior and secure: ? Piggy was one time more the centre of societal derision so that everyone felt cheerful and normal. ? In the terminal of the novel, Jack? s folk putting to deaths Piggy and destroys the conch.

Confucian Ethics and Legalists Authority in Shaping of Chinese History

Discussion Politics and ethics are concepts that are identical according to the teachings of Confucianism. These aspects strongly contrast legalism. Confucianism demands politics to be considered on ethical convictions and not laws. It bases ethical convictions on goodness of human nature (Mou 112).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Confucian Ethics and Legalists Authority in Shaping of Chinese History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With Mencius, Confucianism believes in innate goodness of man. Thus, it considers man as an emotional being. This kind of emotion forms the basis of morality. Confucianism values education as an avenue of refining emotionality as it deteriorates into an ego-centric attitude. Chinese civilization was ethically formed by Confucianism (Zhang 67). For more than two millennia, this remained Chinese ethical foundation. This paper discusses Confucian ethics and legalist’s authority in shaping Chinese history and explores: the analects of Confucius and how they would serve as primary moral and ethical code in shaping the intellectual period of the Zhou dynasty; how Mencius writings constituted an important development in the expansion of Confucian ethics and aiding moral argument of human goodness; and how Shang Yang’s writings would form the foundation for the Qin dynasty political program. Analects of Confucius in Shaping the Zhou Dynasty Analects Confucius contain conversations with disciples. In these conversations, Confucius adopts a detached view of Heaven. He once commended, â€Å"You are unable to serve man,† ‘how then can you hope to serve the spirits? While you do not know life, how can you know about death?† (Hardy 5). Here, Confucius interest in philosophy was clearly political and ethical. His construct of the universe was such that if human beings behave harmoniously in accordance with its purposes, their own affairs would prosper. Confucius was much concerned with human behaviour. Behaving in conformity with the Dao (cosmos) was the key to proper behaviour (Hardy 5). Confucius basic assumption was that all human beings had their own Dao, depending on their individual roles in life, and it was their duty to follow it. Confucius strongly felt that people will naturally follow example of leaders who lived according to high ethical standards. In terms of shaping moral sensibilities, Confucius taught the significance of ritual and music. Additionally, he advocated benevolent hierarchical social order (Hardy 5). The ruler also had his own Dao. The ruler ignored his Dao at his own peril, for to do so could signify the loss of heaven mandate (Hubbard 22).Advertising Looking for essay on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Confucius interpretation of the Dao contained two basic elements; one was the concept of duty. Human beings had the responsibilit y to subordinate their own interest and aspirations to the greater need of others. This assumes that each person works hard to accomplish his or her assigned destiny. In turn, this accelerates prosperity in society. Therefore, the ruler in this respect has to set a good example. The beneficial effect would be felt throughout society if he conforms in his kingly ways (Perry 40). Secondly, the idea of humanity was another important element. This involved a sense of compassion and empathy for other people. Confucius supported rule by merit concept as stated in the rites of Zhou (Hardy 5). Confucius philosophical thinking was revolutionary; many of his ideas were forward looking rather than backward. His most remarkable political thinking was that government should be open to all men of superior quality, not restricted to those of noble birth. Noting one of Confucius disciples in the analects: â€Å"The master said, by nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide a pa rt†, through the analects, Confucius ideas were passed to the next generation (Mou 108). This had a strong effect on political thinkers of china of the late Zhou era. This period was characterized by an existing system that was in disarray and exposed to serious question. The legal thought of the Chinese has always varied between legalism and Confucianism school of thoughts. Legalists believe that humans should be governed by law, that is, a set of external laws and penalties that are coercive. Confucians on the other hand, believe in the inherent good nature of humans and thus can learn to morally govern itself internally. Confucianism took effect during the chaotic period in Chinese history; marked with the disintegration of the Zhou dynasty and Chinese Civil War and social crisis (Mou 115). The analects of Confucianism collected would later play primary moral and ethical role in informing the intellectual period of the Zhou dynasty. In these collected analects (Mou 108).Adv ertising We will write a custom essay sample on Confucian Ethics and Legalists Authority in Shaping of Chinese History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Confucius espouses conservative government that admired political and social environment of the Zhou dynasty. Infact, the early Chinese social norms were effectively institutionalized by traditional Confucianism. Confucius viewed society not just as an organization that promotes human survival, rather as a mode through which man becomes a human being. Laws were believed to regulate the ego within each individual. In sum, Confucianism emphasized the practice of traditional forms over inborn human nature (Mou 116). The view of collected analects is that inherent imperfections in human beings did not pose problems for a tradition in good order. The Zhou dynasty was such a tradition. Mencius and the Expansion of Confucian Ethics Mencius writings formed a significant growth in expansio n of Confucian ethics and made tremendous contribution to human goodness in moral argument (Buchanan 75). Mencius emphasized the human side of Confucian thoughts. He argued that human beings were good by nature and therefore could be shown their civil responsibilities by example. Mencius also emphasized the duty of compassionate leadership by rulers when he stated: â€Å"It was because Chieh and Chou lost the people that they lost the empire, and it was because they lost the hearts of the people that they lost the people. Here is the way to win the empire, win the people and you win the empire. Here is the way to win the people, win their hearts and you win the people. Here is the way to win their hearts, give them and share with them what they like, and do not do to them what they don’t like. The people turn to a human ruler as water flows downward or beasts take to wilderness† (Mencius 36). Significantly, Mencius made an impact on the shaping of the Zhou dynastic his tory and culture. The Zhou dynasty advocated the concept of heavenly mandate where people had the moral right to seek removal of leaders who do not perform as expected, even through violent means (Mencius 38). This concept was duly promoted by Mencius. Mencius encouraged benevolence and righteousness in a leader. He encouraged leaders to share worries and aspirations of the people and determine policies appropriate for them to live and work in peace and contentment (Buchanan 76). Mencius maintained the significance of personal virtues in the role of leadership. He postulated benevolence for instance to result honour and cruelty to cause disgrace to society (Mencius 36). Therefore, Mencius encouraged individuals in authority to have an ethical role to behave in people’s best interest (Buchanan 74).Advertising Looking for essay on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mencius had a strong notion of the kind of influence bestowed upon people. He explained why a king fails to be a kind leader, and why a transformation of the ruler’s attitude would be positive for all subjects. Mencius stated; â€Å"How virtuous must a man be before he can become a true king? He becomes a true king by bringing peace to the people. This is something no one can stop. Can someone like me bring peace to the people? Yes. How do you know that I can? All you have to do is take this very heart here and apply it to what is over there. Hence one who extends his bounty can bring peace to the Four Seas; one who does not cannot bring peace even to his own family† (Xu 2). In summary, Mencius maintained that rulers had to practice virtue in order for them to sustain their positions in authority. He duly encouraged the heavenly mandate concept; experienced in the earlier period in the Zhou dynasty. This meant that people had moral obligations to remove leaders in aut hority who do not deliver to their expectations, even through force (Xu 3). Shang Yang’s Foundation for Qin Dynasties Political Program Shang Yang promoted the philosophy of legalism in ancient China. He took issue with the view of Mencius and other Confucian thinkers that human nature was essentially good. By nature, Shang Yang argued that human beings were evil and will do the correct things only by forced laws and harsh punishments. Shang Yang and other legalist thinkers discarded Confucian view that government by superior individuals could correct societal problems and instead argued for impersonal laws system. Additionally, Shang Yang and other legalists differed with Confucian view that heaven has a moral core. He totally believed that only strict action by state could lead to social order. Common people could best be motivated to serve the leadership interest for fear of harsh penalty, more than material promise reward. Since he believed on the corrupt human nature, he could not trust officials to carry out their duties in efficient and equitable manner. He believed that only a strong leader could organize a society that is orderly. Through his writings, Shang Yang gave the foundation for Qin dynasties political program. This involved providing full authority to state and ruler against its subjects (Hardy 6). Shang Yang formulated the legalist foundation of the Qin dynasty. This foundation was a technique to control, more than a mere philosophy upon which to organize a government that is stable. Qin dynastic program was based on the urges to fear of retribution and desire for reward (Bedeski 80). Accordingly, by understanding these motivations and exercising rigorous laws, a leader is able to subordinate his subjects, ministers and even his own family to serving him and the state. Shang Yang’s writings provided the state and the leader full authority over and against its subjects. Wealth, tranquillity and dynastic glory were the goal of st ate. However, this was at the expense of thought, innovation, freedom, and religion. Shang Yang viewed the world as a totalitarian state, and legalism acted as a technique for its maintenance. Legalism advocates for population management placing people as the major source of state power (Bedeski 81). Shang Yang explores the scope of Qin political knowledge as a product of centuries of reflection of war. This involved alliances, negotiations, and strategies. Qin political knowledge was necessitated by an environment where war and preparation for war were necessary. Understandably, this was derived from authority as command and administration as mobilization. Qin later resorted to the political knowledge of a garrison state at peace with all except those who break law and dissidents. The later were dealt with as state enemies. As Qin’s political knowledge was used in the building of Chinese state, its enforcement was restricted to succeeding in consolidating the hegemony of the dynasty. It completely failed to confer legitimacy in the long term. The strict laws imposed obedience but not reciprocal obligation on the governed. Conclusion In sum, Chinese legal system continues to follow Confucianism in a fundamental manner. For instance, the country continues to adopt Confucian concern on morality, addressing the legal system where the law is only an item of executing state policies. Confucianism demands politics to be based on ethical values and laws only as advocated by legalists. Legalist thinkers such as Shang Yang believe that men should be governed by coercive laws and reprimands (penalties). Confucians thinkers such as Mencius, in contrast believed that the nature of human beings is good and can learn to internally govern itself through moral suasion by traditional rites (Perry 38). As Confucian philosophers earned political patronage in china and adopted in Chinese political governance, legalists’ penal sanctions were reduced to items applied in enforcing Confucian morality (Mou 113). Confucianism preserved the social order and its ideals were adopted in Chinese traditional civilization. This took root during the Zhou dynasty. Confucianism aided in shaping the moral habits of the Zhou leaders’ dynasty and, by the example of the leaders, their subjects (Hubbard 22). Work Cited Bedeski, Robert. Human Security and the Chinese State. London: Taylor and Francis, 2007. Buchanan, Allen. States, Nations and Borders. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Hubbard, Hatfield J. An Education classroom Guide to Americas Religious Beliefs. New York: Greenwood Publishing, 2007. Hardy, Kinney A. The Establishment of the Han Empire and Imperial China. New York: Greenwood Publishing, 2005. Mencius. Mencius. London; Penguin Books, 2004. Mou, Bo. History of Chinese Philosophy. London: Taylor and Francis, 2008. Perry. Chinese Conceptions of Rights. Perspectives on Politics, 2008, 6(1), 37-57. Xu, Zhang B. Mencius: A Benevolent S aint for Years. Beijing: Intercontinental Press. Zhang. Five Thousand Years of Chinese Nation. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2007. This essay on Confucian Ethics and Legalists Authority in Shaping of Chinese History was written and submitted by user Milania Riddle to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Voting Behavior essays

Voting Behavior essays In the 2000 presidential election the public looked at each of the candidates personal traits and their issues in order for them to decide, who they thought would be the best person to be the President of the United States of America. Most voters said that they were most concerned with the candidates issues, however when it came right down to it the voters were most concerned with the candidates personal traits. Thus they based their votes on which candidate they liked better based on their personal traits. One personal trait that they based their vote on was the candidate's competence. For most people, they stuck with the candidate that was representing the party that they belonged to. However, the Independent party voted for George W. Bush believing that he was the candidate that had the most competence. Thus, the overall public believed that Bush had the competence than Gore. The media played an important role in the way that the public saw the candidates. The media in the 2000 presidential election campaign had a big influence on the way in which the candidates were portrayed, especially when it came to their issues and personal traits. One particular trait that the public focused on was that of the candidate's competence. A reason that the public paid more attention to what was being said about each candidate was that there was more televised coverage than there has been before. The public believed that a certain candidate was receiving the most biased coverage against him, and that candidate happened to be Bush, with Gore in second place, Nader in third, and Buchanan in fourth. During a survey done before the election there was a question, which asked the public which of these candidates do you think would have the best chance of winning the election in November? The candidate that had the most votes was in fact Bush. Another reason for the media having had such a big influence on the election was that the press...