Saturday, December 28, 2019

Diversity Leads to Success - 1887 Words

Diversity Leads To Success Diversity is an aspect of life that is almost inevitable, especially in the workplace it is growing by the numbers as years are going by. As we go on with our daily lives, people of different cultures that differ from what was once considered the typical American lifestyle more and more surround us. There are countless ways that diversity has impacted our lifestyle, by introducing the old lifestyle of living with different foods, music, and social activities that allow us to have an idea to explore how life in other countries live. Businesses are also noticing the necessity and the importance of diversity. Many have already started investing in diversity and inclusion as part of their overall management†¦show more content†¦An organizations success and competitiveness depends upon its ability to embrace diversity and realize what can come about from benefits. When organizations actively assess their handling of workplace diversity issues, develop and implement diversity pla ns many benefits can make a difference for the whole company. Increased adaptability is one of them; an organization that chooses to employ a diverse workforce can supply a greater variety of solutions to problems in service, sourcing, and allocation of resources (Diversity, 2013). Employees from diverse backgrounds bring individual talents and experiences in suggesting ideas that are flexible in adapting to changing markets and customer demands. The communication will increase within the workforce allowing a strong team to reach goals and encouragement for the success of themselves and for the company as well. It brings a more positive outlook and creates a great place to work when a diverse workforce is on the same page as one another bringing in more possibilities that can help the company expand. Expanding leads to a broader service range, which is a great benefit to have. A company that owns a diverse collection of skills and experiences such as different languages and cultura l understanding can allow the company to provide service to customers internationally. Expanding our services to otherShow MoreRelatedDiversity Within A Diverse Workplace1320 Words   |  6 PagesDiversity is seen as the difference among people. These factors include gender, race, ethnicity, age,sexual orientation,religion,capabilities/disabilities. A Diverse workplace,in the last 30 years, become an important issue to emerge, and it’s effects this can have on a organisation. More and more research has gone into a diverse workplace and effects it can have on an organisation competitive advantage. Although having diverse workplace, brings about opportunities and threats, diversity is complexRead MoreDiversity Promotes A Higher Potential Of Success For A Company Essay1543 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent ideas to come to an optimal solution. Diversity encompasses a variety of differences between people in this world. Each individual is classified to be different from one anoth er whether it is from age, gender, race, personality, education, background, experiences, and more. Varying viewpoints provides a team with a larger pool of ideas to work with and filter out what works for them. Modern day businesses that are striving towards success through innovation tend to lean teams building aRead MoreDiversity Of An Organization s Workforce944 Words   |  4 PagesDiversity of an organization’s workforce and its efforts of taking affirmative steps to attract, develop, and retain diverse employees has become an essential component to business success. To influence managers to utilize every resource when attempting to enhance the cultural diversity in the work place as a â€Å"dynamic atmosphere of collaboration†. Supervisors want to see high standards of ethical behavior in the workplace. In turn, they must behave ethically themselves, exhibiting importantRead MoreLeadership As A Leader?1495 Words   |  6 Pagesaction of leading a group of people or an organization.† Yet effective leadership is much more than that. A leader can be the CEO of an organization, or a high school student who leads his or her group to success behind the scenes. A leader might lead through official authority and power, yet just as often great leaders lead through inspiration, persuasion and personal connections. So what is leadership? One great definition is: â€Å"Leadership is the art of leading others to deliberately create a resultRead MoreWhy A Diverse Workplace Matters?1093 Words   |  5 Pagesof competition. Every organization finds ways to be successful. The success of an organization lies in making profits and building brand image. The search by various scholars has found that a diverse workplace, if managed properly, can do wonders for the success of an organization. Diversity means differences due to race, gender, ethnic groups, age, personality, tenure, organizational function, educational background, etc. Diversity involves how people perceive themselves and how they perceive othersRead MoreWorkforce Diversity1507 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION Workforce diversity addresses differences among people within an organization. Workforce diversity means that organizations are becoming a more heterogeneous mix of people from different categories. Diversity refers to the co-existence of employees from various socio-cultural backgrounds within the company. Diversity includes cultural factors such as race, gender, age, colour, physical ability, ethnicity, education, language, lifestyle, beliefs, economic status, etc. Diversity requires a typeRead MoreDiversity and Avoiding Conflict in Project Team1415 Words   |  6 PagesDiversity and Avoiding Conflict PM/582 Executive Summary Understanding the organizations diversity, and successfully identify and handle conflict within a team environment is necessary to the success of all projects. The project leader must have the appropriate skill set to successfully understand how to lead diverse teams and identify, lead conflict in a positive manner and communicate appropriately to our customers. We want to ensure that our customers are receiving whatRead MoreBest Foods Case Analysis Essay1615 Words   |  7 Pagesvision is â€Å"To be the Best International Food Company in the World.† (p.713) Best Foods set out to make some serious strides in diversifying their organization. However, there were three key diversity challenges facing them. First is that the company has very few women who have been on the career path that leads them to executive level position. This unfortunately was due to past practices. Best Foods top 150 senior managers were mostly made up of older males predominately white. At the time thatRead MoreRiordan Manufactoring - Team Strategy2940 Words   |  4 Pagesidentify strategies available to form the teams. In addition there are challenges or barriers that may happen. Also how to determine the best strategy will be discussed. Last, to ensure effectiveness, certain measures were taken to determine each team’s success. Strategies There are many strategies to use in creating successful teams. After selecting team members the superintendents agree on five strategies useful in team formation. Leadership Creation Creating a leader within the teams will ensureRead MoreThe And Succession Management Processes Include Attracting, Developing, And Retaining The Individuals Who Have Potential For Success1286 Words   |  6 Pages Talent Management9 and Succession Planning.10 Talent management processes include attracting, developing, and retaining the individuals who have potential for success in organizations. It includes actions taken to manage the development of those individuals to ensure their competitiveness for future opportunities. An organization’s ability to attract, develop, promote, and retain diverse talent happens through proactive measures. Succession planning includes managing the development of employees

Friday, December 20, 2019

Movie Review Girl, Interrupted - 835 Words

The movie Girl, Interrupted is based on the book Girl, Interrupted, by Susanna Kaysen. I would like to say that it is loosely based because although the actress, Winona Ryder, does portray Kaysen’s borderline personality, it seems that Angelina Jolie, who is Lisa Rowe in the movie, steals the spotlight. Girl, Interrupted is about a young girl who is put into the mental ward after an attempted suicide which she claims she was basically trying to leave a lot of stress she had from various experiences behind. Some of these experiences include wrist banging, having an affair with a teacher, and sleeping with men that had little respect for her. While at the ward, she meets many young girls who all have their own psychological problems that†¦show more content†¦While at the home, Lisa starts mentally abusing her as she states that her father engages in intercourse with her which begins to upset the girl greatly. But, Lisa does not stop there as she continues to abuse her a lthough it is clear to the audience and Kaysen that she is beyond upset. The next morning Kaysen and Rowe find the young girl has hung herself in the bathroom. Kaysen falls to the floor crying while Rowe simply walks up to the hanging body and reaches into her pockets and steals her money. It is clear that Rowe is a danger to herself and others in society. While getting ice cream, Rowe causes an uprising as she singles out the woman whose husband Kaysen had an affair. The words used by Rowe would not be typical of a confrontation in public, rather a confrontation in privacy. This showed Rowe’s little consideration to those around her. In the ward she is also a danger to the others as she drugs a night guard and even in the end of the movie threatens to drug Kaysen after reading her journal aloud to all the other women in the ward. This clearly shows that if left in a public setting alone, Rowe has the ability to cause injury to those around her. I believe that the film does a n extremely good job at portraying Rowe’s character. It does such a great job that I feel it actually steals the spotlight form the main character. In a sense I think it does help the social stigma associated with many mental disorders. It allows theShow MoreRelatedMovie Review : Girl Interrupted1957 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction-What is the disorder The movie I have chosen to do my psychological film disorder assignment on is Girl Interrupted which is a psychological drama directed by James Mangold. The movie takes place in a mental institution for troubled women. All of the characters in this movie suffer from one or more mental illnesses such as depression, borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia. The movie gives us an inside look on how poorly these women are being treated and how they are treatedRead MorePsychological Analysis of Girl Interupted Essay990 Words   |  4 PagesRunning Head: BPD in Girl Interrupted Borderline Personality Disorder in Girl Interrupted Girl Interrupted is a movie based on Susanna Kaysen’s novel, which was inspired by her stay in a mental institution in the 1960s. Incidentally the main character, played by Winona Ryder, is named Susanna. She is eighteen years old and begins the movie by reflecting back on the events leading up to her visit to the psychologist. She has just graduated from high school and other than being an aspiringRead MoreScience in the Media835 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Science in the Media† Project In the movie Back to the Future part II, Dock goes to Marty’s house and parks his flying car in Marty’s driveway. Just before they leave to head off into the future, Doc rummages through Marty’s trash. In there he finds waded up paper bags, a banana peel, and a partially filled beer can. Doc then inserts the trash that he finds into the top of the engine component of his flying car. Immediately after doing so, they hover off into the future. This particular scene inRead MoreTaking a Look at the Movie Godzilla909 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Godzilla† Review Essay I like movies with a strong female lead. A girl that defies all limits and proves herself to be just as worthy as any man. That being said, I was a tad wary about seeing the new â€Å"Godzilla† movie. The only reason I went was because my boyfriend was very excited to see it and being the dutiful girlfriend I am, I went along with an open mind. My expectations were quite low, since this movie didn’t fit in with my usual genre. I never anticipated to actually like the film. â€Å"Godzilla†Read MoreA Comparison of Two Film Adaptations of Hamlet Essay741 Words   |  3 Pages I was raped, the girl said to me overtaken with tears. I was taken by surprise and was at a complete loss for words. She had just taken one of the darkest secrets of her life and brought it out to the splendid light for just me to gaze upon. A little apprehensive, I responded, Im sorry. What is one to say at the revelation of such a horrid thing? Anything else I thought of saying sounded stu pid and insensitive, so I opted for silence and hugged her to comfort her to the best of my abilityRead MorePersonal Narrative : Palate Dreams 1017 Words   |  5 Pagesthing I noticed. Neither was he Japanese. He did not have those typical features. I did not dare ask him such a thing. He walked with me and to my happiness appreciated every review I gave with a piece of advice for each one of it without my asking. He was 55 year old and still had such spirit inside him like of 19 year girl. I could not believe I was having a session with him and not even the fact that he agreed to come to a event like this which was nothing but a peanut when it comes to his likesRead MoreThe Crucible, Directed By Nicholas Hytner Essay2664 Words   |  11 PagesThe movie I chose to research was The Crucible, directed by Nicholas Hytner but written by Arthur Miller. This film starred a young Wynona Ryder along with Daniel day-Lewis and Paul Scofield. Originally released on November 27th 1996, the film was well received even being nominated for an Oscar in 1997, along with 26 additional academy awards that year, sadly it only won 4. Of course a film about witchcraft, an affair, and people being hanged would spark controversy especially since it was ratedRead MoreThe Crucible By Nicholas Hytner Essay2598 Words   |  11 Pages The movie I chose to research was the crucible, directed by Nicholas Hytner but written by Arthur Miller. This film starred a young Wynona Ryder along with Daniel d ay-Lewis and Paul Scofield. Originally released on November 27th 1996, the film was well received even being nominated for an Oscar in 1997, along with 26 additional academy awards that year, sadly it only won 4. Of course a film about witchcraft, an affair, and people being hanged would spark controversy especially since it was ratedRead MoreMary and Max9879 Words   |  40 PagesMary and Max It is 1976, an 8-year-old Mary Daisy Dinkle (Bethany Whitmore) is a lonely little girl living in Mount Waverley, Melbourne, Australia. Her relatively poor family cannot afford to buy her toys or nice clothing, and she is teased by children at her school due to an unfortunate birthmark on her forehead. Her father is distant and her alcoholic, kleptomaniac mother provides no support. The closest thing she has to a friend is the man for whom Mary collects mail, Len Hislop, a World WarRead MoreThe Movie In A Grove By Akira Kurosawa1923 Words   |  8 PagesThe woodcutter confirms Tajomaru’s story, but describes the battle as â€Å"much more pitiful† than originally described. After the woodcutter, priest, and commoner finish discussing what happened between Tajomaru, the samurai, and his wife, they are interrupted by the cries of a baby that has been abandoned with a kimono and an amulet. The commoner steals the kimono and amulet from the baby, but the woodcutter decide s to take the baby and care for his as his own. The story told in Rashomon is quite simple;

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Andrew Jackson True American free essay sample

Indian removal and banking policies were all controversies which brought forth strong rivalry and resentment throughout his years as president, but Jackson s strong will and assertiveness got our country through these times. President Andrew Jackson did not overstep the boundaries of the executive branch Of government; he only strengthened these boundaries which were already in place. Andrew Jackson had a heroic military past. In 1810 Jackson was named Major General in the Tennessee Militia. Here Jackson became famous for his victories over the rebel Creek Indians.These victories impressed leaders in Washington and Jackson was put in charge of the defense of New Orleans in the war of 1812. Jackson was able to lead his troops to victory and solidify himself as a dominant figure in the US armed forces. This show of American strength made Americans feel proud after a war filled with many military defeats. This sense of nationalism lead to a time known as the era of good feelings. We will write a custom essay sample on Andrew Jackson : True American or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jackson was given the nickname Old Hickory, and was treated as a national hero. In 181 7 he was ordered against the Seminole Indians. He pushed them back into Spanish Florida and continued to take the rest of the land from the Spanish. Many to this day claim Andrew Jackson was not authorized to do so, but in reality he was. He and President Monroe both realized the acquisition of Spanish lands would strengthen the nation. On December 28, 1817, Monroe wrote Jackson a provocative note explaining his true intention for Florida. This days mail will convey to you an order to repair to the command of the troops now acting against the Seminole, a tribe which has long wilted our right and insulted our national character.The movement that you will bring may possibly have other services to perform, depending on the conduct of the bandit at Amelia Island and Galveston. This is not a time for you to think of repose. Great issues for the future of our country are at issue, and until our course is carried through triumphantly and every species of danger is settled on the most solid foundation, you ought not to withdraw your active force from it. (Remind peg. 1 19) Jackson naturally believed he had been instructed to seize Florida. What other services did Monroe have in mind if not the seizure Of this territory? (Remind peg. 11 9) Jackson did not hesitate, and his actions helped to acquire the Florida territory, and he became a provisional governor of Florida that same year. This situation demonstrates the character of this man. Andrew Jackson was a man dedicated to strengthening our country at any cost. He was not one let what others may think of him get in the way of what he knew was best for his country. Later, Jackson nearly won the presidential campaign of 1824, however due to a corrupt bargain between John Quince Adams and Henry Clay he lost.Over the next four years the current administration built a strong political machine with nationalistic policies and a lack of concern of states rights. Adams also implements the tariff of Abominations, which outraged common merchants and southerners. The 1828 campaign was filled with mud slinging on both sides. John Quince Adams and his northern supporters went as far as saying that Jacksons wife had committed adultery by being with Jackson while she was still married to Lewis Roberts. However the people still rallied behind Jackson, and he became the seventh President to the United States. Originally the President relied more on an informal group of newspaper writers and northern politicians for political advice, rather than his presidential cabinet. This made him more in contact with the people Of the united States, and more in contact with the public opinion and feelings award national issues. However this could not last for long. Immediately after taking office Jackson conducted a strict examination into the operations of specific departments within the government, and from now on all these departments would have to report to him. Jackson wanted to find out, what retrenchments could be made without injury to the public service. What offices could be dispensed, and what economical improvements could be made to further his administration. (Remind peg. 1 84) Because of the widespread corruption throughout the last administration Jackson expected amoebas in order to strengthen the national government. However Jackson felt that, these removals must emanate from principle. He therefore directed that only those who has been appointed against the manifest will of the people would be replaced.President Jackson developed the system of rotation in office. However his enemies labeled it the spoils system. Many feel the way President Jackson utilized the spoils system overstepped his executive power however legally he did have the power to do so, and Jackson used it to insure loyalty and obedience of the people in his administration. The new appointments to power were to serve the cause of freedom, said Jackson. He felt these new appointees would help restore virtue and morality into a sometimes-corrupt government.Unlike the men who were forced to leave office, this new breed of politician would conform to a strict moral code in order to set a good example for all Americans. Officers in both their private and public relations must be examples Of fidelity and honesty, said President Jackson. NO other sort of man deserved to represent our fair country. Needless to say, Andrew Jackson did not introduce the spoils system to American government, nor did he dismiss the rumored thousands of office holders. He removed only 919 person out of 10,95, roughly 8 percent. (Remind peg. 85) This is obviously not overstepping or overdoing anything. States rights played an important part in Jacksons policys as president. In the case of the Cherokee Indians vs.. The State of Georgia, n,vow Supreme Court decisions in 1831 and 1832 claimed the United States government must protect the Cherokee Indians living in the state of Georgia. However, Georgia had a long-standing vendetta with the Cherokees due to their jurisdiction on Georgians land and because gold had recently been found where the Cherokees resided. The state of Georgia saw the Indians as mere tenants on their land decided to kick them out. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that Georgia had no jurisdiction to interfere with the rights of the Cherokee and removal of them would violate treaties between them and the U. S. Government. However, Jacksons nationalism and his states rights philosophy merged to produce an Indian policy that differed from that of John Marshall. Jackson rejected any notion that would jeopardize the safety of the United States. As far as he was concerned the Indians living in tribes within the boundaries of states constituted a distinct threat to the nation. However, Jackson had some compassion for the Indians. He felt they would benefit from acquiring their own land, and he offered to recompense tribes with decent amounts of money. The question of the tariff was another major controversy in the United States during the Presidency of Jackson. His strong support for a unified nation would hold the country together in this national crisis. During his long campaign, Jackson had promised the south a reduction in the tariff established in 1828 by Adams. Southerners and westerners were thrilled to hear that this unfair tariff would be lowered and thereby threw President Jackson a lot of support.However, in 1832 his administration only lowered the tariff by a small margin. The South was enraged because it was not even close to what they expected. Due to the small response by the federal government, South Carolina acted upon the doctrine of Nullification, which stated that the states had the right to null or void a law if they didnt agree with it. South Carolina declared the federal tariff laws of 1828 and 1 832 invalid and unconstitutional and prohibited the collection of the tariff. Jackson ;s response to this came on his Nullification Proclamation.He declared that he was determined to enforce the lava if South Carolina tried to leave the union, but would compromise in lowering the tariff. In 1 833 congress passed a compromise bill, which set a new tariff. South Carolina and the other Southern States were satisfied with the compromise and the union was preserved due to the execution of Andrew Jackson. He used his executive powers for good and left both northerners and southerners happy. Andrew Jackson and his policies strengthened the new American nationalism.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Adam Smith’s Theory of ‘The Invisible Hand’ free essay sample

This essay tries to absolve Adam Smith from left-wing criticism that he has established the mode of greed in Western societies. It lays stress on the fact that Smith’s theory concerning the â€Å"invisible hand† was a scientific observation, and that it expressed natural law, something that is beyond the capacity of humans to control. To this end it considers various issues raised in The Wealth of Nations, discusses how they were relevant to Britain and the world at the time of publication, and also how they continue to be relevant to this day. It points out that left-wing criticism derives from a misreading of Smith, and is due to a conflation of Smith’s theories and capitalism. It argues that capitalism existed well before the time of Smith, and its course has nothing to do with Smith’s discoveries. The underlying theme is that Smith’s theory expresses freedom in economic life. The first thing to keep in mind when discussing the concept of Adam Smith’s theory of the â€Å"invisible hand† is that he was foremost a moral philosopher and a social scientist, and by no means an economist in the modern sense. The modern economist usually functions in the capacity of a social policy advisor who is politically motivated. It is true that Smith offers advice to governments towards achieving prosperity, but this is only in the capacity of a moral philosopher. The substance of his findings is that economic life is governed by a simple principle, and his advocacy derives from the understanding that is it unwise to intercede in the path of natural law. This is the principle of laissez faire, that governments should not impose their designs of the economy of a country, and that even the cleverest idea is bound to be detrimental to prosperity, compared to that which comes naturally. In the modern context we find the World Bank criticized by the left for ‘imposing’ free market ideology on poorer nations, an ideology supposedly derived from Smith. If it is an imposition, then it must surely be contrary to the workings of the invisible hand, and therefore detrimental to prosperity. But it is questionable whether the World Bank really imposes itself at all, a point that will be taken up further on. Smith’s thesis is a mere elaboration of Bernard Mandeville’s motto â€Å"private vices, public benefits†, though Smith is careful not to conflate vice with self-interest.[1] In Smith’s version of the teaching, we act in our own interest in the sphere of economic activity, but in doing so we bring about benefit to society as a whole.[2] Smith imagines an invisible hand arranging things in economic life, so that even though we do not intend to serve the public good, we end up doing so.[3] He describes the mechanism of price determinism to put the thesis into focus. The price of a commodity is determined by two factors – supply and demand. If there is a sudden glut in the market, the price of corn falls. This means that there is more supplied than that which is demanded, and so consumers are not willing to buy corn at the previous price, and so the seller is forced to lower it. On the other hand a bad harvest suddenly makes corn less available, in which circumstance the price rises. Consumers still demand the same amount of corn, so the seller is able to extract a larger price for his corn. This describes the fluctuation of supply, and the situation mirrors itself when the demand fluctuates. This analysis actually describes two opposing tendencies in the market. The seller wants a high price for his goods, while the consumer would pay the least. Matters settle at the equilibrium price, which is the point that balances the two tendencies. The mechanism of price determination is as close as we come to see the workings of the invisible hand, which works for the general benefit by balancing contraries. Smith is describing a natural law of human interaction, so he cannot make suggestions as to how the theory should be utilized. Governor Pownall of Massachusetts has fittingly described the thesis as â€Å"an institute of the Principia of those laws of motion, by which the operations of the community are directed and regulated, and by which they should be examined.†[4] Smith is observing as a scientist would, and in his reasoning we discover a strong imprint of Hume’s â€Å"science of man†. David Hume was a crucial philosopher for the age, who emphasized that reason must be applied to the sphere of man, against the Rationalists who harked for metaphysical certainty in knowledge.[5] Most of the substance of The Wealth of Nations is anticipated by Hume, especially the benefits to be gained from competition and free trade. The special contribution of Smith was to put the matter on a solid scientific footing. Another significant influence is of the physiocratic school in France, led by Francois Quesnay. This school also believed in a natural law determining economic life, but based the law on land, and therefore on agriculture. Because agriculture is the support of all other activities, the agricultural community was thought to be the sacred heart of society and in this context the advocacy was â€Å"laissez faire† – to let things be. Smith instead identified the source in labour, and in free competition regards the exchange of it products. This is the heart of economic activity that must be left inviolate, and he carried on the same slogan of the Physiocrats in this new context. The opponents of Smith accuse him of promoting greed, but this is certainly not the way Smith meant his thesis to come across. As a true scientist, his sole regard was for natural law. He does not pretend that economic activity can be changed at the atomic level. His only advocacy was for free trade at the macroscopic level. He felt passionately in this regard because the conventional policy of European governments at the time was hardly conducive to free trade. This policy is described as mercantilism, which in the modern context may be described as protectionism. Governments believed that they should always aim for a favourable balance of trade. The reasoning was that, if net exports exceed net imports, there is an accumulation of specie (gold or silver currency) within the domestic economy. The extra wealth may then be utilised towards further self-sufficiency, by cultivating or mining the colonies. It also helps in the emergency of war, because troops may be quickly assembled to the task of protecting the national interests. At the time all major European powers were colonial, and effectively at war with each other in their expansionary drives. International trade was carried out in this atmosphere of suspicion and rivalry, and Smith did not see this as a situation favourable to prosperity. His reasoning was simply that it obstructed natural law. Smith singled out the relative prosperity of Britain, and identified the cause in its relative tolerance of free trade. As against Britain he cited the examples of Spain and Portugal, the original European colonists, but now languishing in the race. The demise of the Spanish and Portuguese empires is squarely blamed on mercantilism. Natural love of specie was exacerbated by the discovery of gold and silver mines in South America, and to prevent the acquired treasures from leaking out of their domestic economies, these governments introduced more and more protectionist measures, the net result being merely inflation, because gold and silver lost value in the internal market. As the domestic economy lost edge, trade also suffered. Because Spain and Portugal held so much gold, the currency elsewhere increased in value, which encouraged industry, so that other nations were able to trade favourably with them. Smith compares this situation to a river being dammed up, so that the dammed up side is at an unusual high level, at the expense of the other side. â€Å"Open the flood-gates,† Smith exhorts, â€Å"and there will presently be less water above, and more below, the dam-head, and it will soon come to a level in both places.†[6] Britain too fell into the same trap, when parliament ratified the Corn Laws in 1815, imposing restrictions on the importation of corn, hoping to extract a better price for its corn merchants and producers in international trade. Despite bloody protests, successive administrations failed to repeal the laws, not willing to relinquish a tool by which they could display economic prowess. Peel took steps in 1842 to lessen the severity of the Laws, claiming to have been enlightened by reading Smith. It was only fully repealed by his successor Russell. Most observers will agree that free trade has been responsible for the miraculous prosperity and technological advance of the modern world. In this way they come to an appreciation of the invisible hand at work, in the same way that Smith appreciated its workings in the favourable position of Britain in the 18th century. But it is unfortunate that capitalism and all its attendant evils have come to be associated with Smith’s ideas. The connection comes through Smith’s elaboration of the concept of â€Å"division of labour†. To illustrate how a free economy comes to assign specialized roles to individuals, Smith described how efficiency is extracted from the factory floor. However, the capitalist who owns the factory can read this description in a different light, and may then try to extract profit through more specialization. Such an attitude gives rise to capitalism, and may be said to come from a misreading of Smith. Marx analyses capitalism entirely from this point of view, and speaks of an unhealthy separation, where â€Å"labour power found itself in a state of separation from its means of production,† which has been expropriated by the capitalist.[7] This is supposed to be the beginnings of social alienation. Karl Polanyi identifies an even more drastic consequence. He describes how â€Å"the market becomes ‘disembedded’ from society,† meaning that instead of functioning in the natural context in which Smith observed it, the market is forced to function in the way the capitalist deems necessary.[8] The capitalist is further criticized for imposing enclosures, which bars society towards holistic integration. Some critics lambaste Smith for not once mentioning the controversial â€Å"highland clearances†, in which people were barred from access to common land to make way for sheep cultivation, a part of the general policy of ‘enclosure’. But all such left-wing critiques are merely beside the point. Smith nowhere describes capitalists controlling society, and any such action he describes as merely subversive to the working of the invisible hand.[9] The economic efficiency which he extols is not to the credit of the capitalist, but is rather the outcome of natural law. If capitalism seems to be a reality, then it must be explained otherwise. Braudel offers a more intelligent explanation, in which capitalism is merely a steady commercialization of economic life, and without a specific origin.[10] Smith derides capitalism in the same way as we do. It has nothing to do with the functioning of the invisible hand. Another way in which Smith is thought to have instigated capitalism is through the influence he wields over the avowed capitalist regimes of the West. He is thought to have played a role in the birth of the American nation, as being an inspiration in the revolutionary war against Britain. But the founding fathers were not followers of Smith, and the later leaders were only so by proxy. They professed to believe in Smith only because his theories had become the norm. In fact Smith’s own predictions concerning America are highly significant. He thought the British treatment of its American colonies as enlightened, and except for trade the colonists were allowed every freedom.[11] He called for American representation in the British parliament, and predicted that one day British capital would be transplanted to America. In the end Britain had to go to war with its colonies, and eventually granted them independence. If not British capital, then at least British liberality transplanted itself there, and proved to be the foundation to American prosperity. It proves that Smith’s hope for the American colonies was not misplaced, but it was a hope based on liberality, and not on capitalism. This is the sense in which McCloskey describes him as a moral philosopher, and not an economist.[12] The same argument serves to absolve World Bank from the charge of imposing free market reforms, which are said to be imposed as conditions to granting loans to poor countries. Once we accept that the free market is a natural phenomenon, it cannot be conceived how any political body may control it. The left wing seems to mistake moral freedom for conspiracy. In conclusion, Smith discovered a natural law that guides economic life, and to present it graphically he pictures a pervasive and invisible hand working towards the enrichment of society as a whole despite the fact that the individual members are acting only out of self-interest. The wrong judgement of this theory is to suppose it to be a means for the capitalist to enrich himself. The correct judgement should be that Smith has discovered how freedom exists in the economic life. In the modern world, nations have prospered only to the extent to which they have been infused with the spirit of freedom. If they had tried to conspire to this end they would not have succeeded. This is the basic lesson that we learn from The Wealth of Nations. References BRAUDEL, F., 1977. Afterthoughts on Material Civilisation and Capitalism. Trans. Patricia Ranum. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press MACFARLANE, A., 2000. The Riddle of the Modern World: Of Liberty, Wealth and Equality. New York: St. Martins Press. MARX, K., 1978. Capital, Volume Two. New York: Penguin Publishing. MCCLOSKEY, D.; A. KLAMER, 1996. The Value of Culture: On the Relationship Between Economics and Art. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. MILLER, L.; J. COLEMAN; W. CONNOLLY; ALAN RYAN. 1991. The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. POLANYI, K., 1990. The life and work of Karl Polanyi: A Celebration. Ed. Kari Levitt. Montreal, QC: Black Rose Books. REISMAN, D. A., 1976. Adam Smiths Sociological Economics. New York: Barnes Noble Books. SMITH, A., 1998. An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Ed. Kathryn Sutherland. Oxford: Oxford University Press. TWEYMAN, S., 1995. David Hume: Critical Assessments. London: Routledge.