Tuesday, January 28, 2020

How Egypt became a Secular Nationalist type state Essay Example for Free

How Egypt became a Secular Nationalist type state Essay Egypt and Iran are the two Middle Eastern states with different Ideologies. The two states have a long history in the past. Despite the fact that both are Muslim dominated states, both have a totally different international stature in terms of their ideologies. Egypt has a secular nationalist stature where as Iran has a radical Islamist stature. The major reasons behind this divergent stature are the social setups, various movements, the historical developments and the impact of important national leaders. Egypt Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of Africa. Egypt used to be the home of one of the principal civilizations of the ancient Middle East and one of the worlds earliest urban and literate societies. Pharaonic Egypt remained under rule of various dynasties for a period of about 3000 years which were interspersed with brief periods of foreign rule. It was conquered by Arab Muslim armies in AD 639–642. Since then, Egypt has been part of Islamic world. Though it was ruled by foreigners but the countrys culture remained Arab in its very nature. The most notable of Egypts rulers under the Muslim caliphate was Saladin (Salah ad-Din, 1138–93), sultan of Egypt and Syria and founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. In 1517 the Ottoman Empire defeated the Mamluks and established control over Egypt up to 1798, when Napoleon occupied the country. Due to its strategic location, Egypt always remained a hub for trade routes between Africa, Europe, and Asia, especially due to opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The concern of the European powers over the canal for strategic and commercial reasons became ruling factor in subsequent history of Egypt. The U. K occupied Egypt in 1882 and continued to exert a strong influence on the country until after World War II (1939–45). One of major elements in political history was Hasan al-Banna, the founder of (Ikhwan), The Muslim Brotherhood in 1928 which established more than fifty branches in Egypt by 1934. This organization opposed the secular policies and believed that Muslim nations should govern according to the principles of the Quran. The organization had a major impact on the people of Egypt. At the end of World War Two, the Ikhwan had over 5 Lac active workers and around twice as many supporters. The organization sent thousands of fighters in the war against Israel but it was banned by the government of Noqrashi Pasha. In 1952 a military coup installed a revolutionary regime under the leadership of Gamal Abdel Nasser that promoted a combination of socialism and Pan-Arab nationalism and hence converted the Egypt from Islamic to Secular nationalist state. His successor as president, Anwar al-Sadat continued Nassers policies with some modifications, especially in relation to Israel and was a key player in the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1979. Upon Sadats assassination in 1981, Muhammad Hosni Mubarak became president of Egypt who was elected for his fifth term in 2005. Mubarak is following a secular nationalist agenda. Iran The ancient Persian Empire consisted of Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the eastern part of Turkey, Iraq and the parts of Pakistan. The Muslims invaded Iran in the time of Caliph Umar (637) and conquered it after several great battles. The majority of Iranians gradually converted to Islam. This conversion to Islam was a long process which took almost two centuries. The Muslim population rose from approximately 40% in the mid 9th century to close to 100% by the end of 11th century. Iran was dominated by Sunni Muslims initially however, Ismail I initiated a religious policy to recognize Shia Islam as the official religion of the Safavid Empire, which still is recognized as Shiite state. During World War II, Iran was an important supplier of oil to the Soviet Union. After World War II, Iran kept following western policies and introduced some economical reforms, which did not greatly improve economic conditions and the liberal pro-Western policies alienated some Islamic religious and political groups. In mid-1960s the political situation became increasingly unstable. The Premier Hassan Ali Mansur was assassinated in 1965 and security service, SAVAK, became more active. The Islamic clergy, headed by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (who had been exiled in 1964), were becoming increasingly violent. By late 1974 an alarming increase in inflation occurred resulted into a big gap between the rich and poor. This situation gave birth to Islamic Revolution which transformed Iran from a monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution and founder of the Islamic Republic in December 1979. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi left the country for exile in January 1979 and on 1 February, 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran and declared an Islamic republic with a new Constitution reflecting his ideals of Islamic government. Ayatollah Khomeini became supreme spiritual leader of Iran. Same year , Iraq massively invaded Iran, feeling that Iran is too weak to fight back but Iran achieved surprising defensive success resulting a cease fire on 20 August 1988. Since then Iran in following radical Islamic beliefs and has denied to bow before any international pressure against its ideology. Conclusion Iran and Egypt despite being Muslim dominated countries underwent a different course of events which resulted into different ideologies of the countries. Due to policies of government, different neighborhood, different political interactions and active involvement of key leaders, Egypt became a secular nationalist state whereas Iran became a radical Islamic state. Works Cited Works have not been cited as per req of the client.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Essay example --

Animals are so often forgotten when it comes to the many different levels of basic rights. No, they can’t talk, or get a job, nor can they contribute to society the way humans can. Yet they hold a special place in their owners’ hearts, they can without a doubt feel, show their different emotions, and they can most definitely love. In recent years there has been a massive increase in animal rights awareness, leading to a better understanding and knowledge in the subject of the humane treatment of animals. Where do humans draw the line between the concern of equality, and simple survival? It’s fair to assume there should be disparity between the way cats and cows are treated, or the way chickens and dogs are. Certain animals have their place in the animal kingdom, grazing animals like cows and chickens have historically been used as a food source since the concept of animal husbandry was introduced, on the other end of the spectrum cats and dogs have been domesticated and kept as common house pets. The suggestion that livestock have the same emotions and feelings as a typical housecat can be up to debate. Peter Singer states that the behavior of some apes, dolphins and dogs suggest they have emotions and desires. All of the evidence, or the lack thereof, leads to issues concerning the ethical treatment of all animals. Consumption is one of the biggest areas of disagreement in regards to animal rights. Throughout the world there are many different laws and regulations regarding the treatment of animals. Each country has their own set of standards, many of them religious and others more along the lines of common sense. While it is normal to regularly consume cattle meat (such as cow) in America, many Hindu Indians refrain from it... ... cancer, but don’t rub a new shampoo in their eyes, or feed them dishwashing liquid until they slowly and painfully die. Animals deserve fair and ethical treatment, however not necessarily equally. Non-human animals and humans are not one in the same, there is no way we will ever be defined and put in the same category. Humans have reference levels, the ability to reason and think logically. We have evolved to the point where we can study, contain, and determine the outcome of basically any animal on Earth, now it’s up to us to ensure they are treated fairly. All it takes is one’s voice to start a movement towards finding humane ways to butcher livestock to feed families, to help build a new law that makes shelters safer and cleaner for abandoned animals to live and have a second chance, and to help make popular those companies that don’t condone animal testing.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

American Ganster

The film introduces us the life in the Harlem during the 1970s. Denzel Washington plays Frank Lucas and was a typical member of the gangster who prowls the city to kill somebody for a fee. Although he was a ruthless thug he was loved by his people and always had time to take his mother to church. With his cold-blooded and unrelenting character he was hired as the personal driver and right-hand man of Harlem’s drug magnate, Ellsworth â€Å"Bumpy† Johnson. Unknown to him this would lead his life to wealth and then to chaos.For the review, the setting of the movie is perfect and it portrays the real ambiance of the 70s during the time that drugs are rampant and uncontrolled. Director Ridley Scott has indeed perfected this movie to make sure viewers can feel the real surroundings, how the people in Harlem interact and how Frank Lucas and his men ruled over the city. Ridley also properly selected the actors for their role and installed in them the personality that matches th eir role. The movie is believable because it was based on a true story and relays to us the true event and situations during that period.The thesis of this movie can be found in its context. The title itself shows a wider picture of a nation that is disintegrating because of prostitution, illegal gun and drug trade which was rampant during the 6Os and 70s. The significance of the story connects when the US is making war with Vietnam and instigates political influence of President Nixon and his agenda with other countries. Political instability created unsecured connection between nation and this time Vietnam became the source of illegal drug trading and eventually entered the main heart of New York.The Harlem, however, was a place where police cannot penetrate and control because gangsters have been able to arm themselves and repel any force that goes into their territories. The influence of drugs and money has infected the law and New York became inhabited by corrupt police officer s and state officials who are under the payroll of the drug lords. Drugs dictated the status of life and gangsters were ruling everything and everybody. The main theme of this movie is also apparent. Drugs create evil men and evil men create drugs.It is a continuous process and has been a social disease for over a century. What makes drugs to be the roots of evil is the money involve in the trade. Drugs and money always correlate and money can buy and move everything regardless of any political or judicial obstacle. All kinds of crimes emanate from greed of money and money comes from drugs easily. Incidentally, the moral fiber of our law cannot be taken for granted. Somebody out there does not agree with the broken judicial system and will ways to put a stop on this.In this case, Russel Crowe who plays the detective hunts Frank and put him in prison. He plays his role effectively by subjecting Frank to interrogation and strategizes everything to pin him down. Although the illegal tr ade has already infected the police force, it was the incorruptible Crowe who have uprooted the tree that is bearing the fruit. In the end, the good prevails over evil (Scott). Viewers rated this movie with four stars if the basis for the perfect score is five.Accordingly, this movie was like the modern â€Å"Scarface† which story was also based from illegal drug trade, crime and vengeance during the 1930s gangster era. Although the events in this film were not totally different compared to Scarface, the movie also revolve in the subject of illegal trading, crime and corruption. The only difference is the plot of the story which happens in small suburban black area and most of the major stars are also black. Scarface is a fiction but American Gangsters is based from a true story.My own personal view for this film is positively higher than four stars because it caught my interest from the beginning of the story up to its end. It does not compel you to watch the full movie but glued you to the screen absorbing everything that you see. It happens in a real drama and every scene was grippingly awesome and interesting. Denzel Washington, Russel Crowe and the director as well as the people who made this film must be applauded for the job well done. Work Cited American Gangster. 2007. Ridley Scott, et al. , November 2, 2007.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Discrimination in America Essay - 646 Words

Discrimination in America Prejudice is the negative attitude based on false generalizations about members of different racial and ethnic groups. From prejudice, discrimination is born. We all are guilty of discriminating other people, but one can only speculate the factors that bring about this hatred towards one another. Although a single cause cannot account for the presence of racism, factors such as socialization, self-justification, and competition are a few human attributes that lead to acts of racial discrimination. At an early age, children begin the process of socialization. In order for one to be able to communicate with others, it is essential for one to learn to socialize with the people around them. One cause†¦show more content†¦A child’s upbringing lays the foundations for their social skills and the way they interact with other ethnic groups. Another attribute that leads to racial discrimination is the way that people find means to justify their actions by degrading the actions of others. For instance, during the Vietnam War, American soldiers assumed that civilians of small villages were aiding the Vietcong. Based on presumption, the soldiers felt justified to torture the villagers and destroy their homes. â€Å"If we are able to convince ourselves that another group is inferior, immoral, or dangerous, then we can feel justified in discriminating against them, enslaving them, or even killing them†. The American soldiers deemed the torturing of the village people reasonable by convincing themselves that it would help destroy the Vietcong. Self-justification is apparent even in today’s society. Humans are always searching for excuses to justify our actions towards one another. The need to compete for possessions, jobs, and status causes people to feel animosity towards other ethnic groups. For example, during the 1800’s the Chinese occupied many of the jobs building railroads; this made the Anglo-Americans angry, they felt as if the Chinese were taking over the job market. In turn, this led the Chinese to become â€Å"victims of open discrimination and hostility†. Although the Chinese were already barred from schools and the court system, the Anglo-Americans felt that the ChineseShow MoreRelatedEssay Discrimination in America835 Words   |  4 PagesOur world has always been faced with the problem of discrimination. It is one of the most discussed topics nowadays and throughout history. In all countries there is most likely at least one type of discrimination that affects different groups of people. The definition of discrimination is the denial of opportunity or equal rights for a specific group of people that may be differentiated by things such as their religion, color of skin, or gender. 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