Human resources management (HRM) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human resources management (HRM) - Coursework Example e world’s leading electronics and information technology companies has sourced out their products to Foxconn which is based in China because of its cheap labor which is the country’s comparative advantage. Cheap labor allows companies to procure the components of their products at a lower cost making their companies competitive and more profitable (The Economist 2008). There is also another advantage in sourcing out to Foxconn in China although companies would be less eager to admit. This is the relative relaxed and less stringent labor laws in China making that makes the operation of its business less complicated. In the case cited, such suicides and deaths in the workplace would have been unforgivable in the United States, Europe or Japan had these companies did not source their component. These companies would have been embroiled with the regulatory authorities under the threat of lawsuit, sanction and hefty fines. But these incidents are tolerated in China to the advantage of these firms because the HRM function is no longer their responsibility when they outsourced the manufacturing of their

Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Technology - Essay Example Before any kind of technology is released for use by humans, it is usually tested so as to make sure it has met the required criteria (Fazlollahi 203). 2. What Does Technology Entail? The word technology has been coined from the Greek word technikoes, which generally refers to an art which is related to skill. In other words, the term technology can be seen as applying art on science (Singh 1). This art is applied to create tools, develop skills and even collect materials that improve the quality of life of the human beings. Technology has really developed in many aspects over the years. For example, indigenous people used different ways of writing in order to store the information they collected using methods like writing on stones. With technology, writing has been made easy as papers and pens have been provided, and have made the work easy. In his work, ‘Writing is a Technology that Restructures Thought’, Ong says that â€Å"although we take writing so much for grant ed as to forget that it is a technology, writing is in a way the most drastic of the three technologies of the word† (30). It initiated printing and electronics came about. Human beings have really embraced technology from in all aspects of life; when it comes to religion, education, social, and even in the political issues, technology is in use. There are different tools of technology that have improved the lives of human beings. This essay will embark on giving an analytical perspective about the computers and the human beings. Computers have changed the way human beings by making learning easy. 3. Computers Computers, which are tools of technology, have brought changes to the lives of humans, and especially in the way they operate and think. For example, the thinking capacity of the people before technology, such as those that lived during stone-age is different from the thinking capacity of people today. In her review, ‘How Computers Change the Way We Think’, Turkle says that â€Å"the tools we use to think change the ways in which we think. The invention of written language brought about radical shift in how we process, organize, store, and transmit representations of the world† (1). A computer is an electronic device which is used in processing data. The data it processes gets in in form of input and it is then processed on the basis of a set of instructions that are supplied and stored in the memory, in order give the required results in form of output. Every computer comprises of two basic parts namely; the hardware and the software. Hard ware refers to the visible or physical parts of a computer, such as the processor, display or screen, keyboard, disk drive, and mouse among others. The software refers to the particular instructions that give directions to the components, so as to perform the required operations (Ravichandran 2). The two parts function hand in hand and thus the computer is not complete if one part is missing, or in other words, it is useless without the two parts. When I was in primary school, I only had a slight idea of what a computer is, and did not know that with it, learning could be easier. In primary school and part of my high school education, learning was not very easy as everything was done manually; that is, the teacher had to write all notes on the blackboard for the students to copy. The school on the other hand, provided very few books that were supposed to be shared among students, such that the ratio was one book

Stress Levels among College Students Essay Example for Free

Stress Levels among College Students Essay Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the differing stress levels of college students while looking at their year in college and whether or not they are a member of an athletics team. This study utilized a consent form, a demographic form, a survey to determine the stress level of the participant, and a debriefing form for each of the participants. The results of this study showed that only the athletic status of the participant had an impact on the stress level of the participant. The students who were athletes had higher stress levels than those students who were non-athletes. However, it turned out that the year in college had no impact on the stress of the participant. Stress Levels among College Students Stress is defined as â€Å"a mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression† (McCleod). Stress and anxiety are the top reported impediments to academic performance in college students, both in the undergraduate and graduate levels. Between 2010 and 2014, the level of students reporting stress as an issue rose from 25 to 31%, while anxiety rose from 17 to 22%. (Miller). While having some stress is a normal occurrence, having too much stress can have negative side effects. Some of these side effects include excessive anxiety, depression, digestive problems, heart disease, sleep problems, weight gain, and impairment with memory and concentration (Chronic stress puts your health at risk). One of the most stressful times in a young adult’s life is the transition into college. But for some students, life after that initial transition only becomes more stressful. Some of those students are the students who are members of their school’s athletics teams. In the past, many researchers had agreed that participating in athletics could serve as an outlet for people to relieve stress from their lives. However, recently some research has indicated that playing sports can actually result in an increase in the amount of stress in a person’s life. For example, a recent study found that nearly 50% of male athletes and a little more than 50% of female athletes indicated that â€Å"stresses associated with sport participation, such as pressure to win, excessive anxiety, frustration conflict, irritation and fear significantly affected their mental and emotional health† (Wilson). One of the biggest obstacles that student athletes report as the cause of their stress is time related factors. In other words, they felt that there was not enough time to fully complete their academic and athletic duties to the best of their abilities. This is natural, since student athletes are balancing higher level education with higher level athletics, and are bound to show some strain when compared to their peers. Another issue that arises from being a student athlete is the issue of burnout. It has been shown that it takes 10 years or 10,000 hours of practice to create a talent in any field, and this pertains in particular to athletics. Given this incredible time commitment to one’s practice, it is common for athletes to suffer from what is referred to as burnout. Burnout can be defined as â€Å"physical, social, and emotional withdrawal from a formerly enjoyable activity as a result of chronic stress and motivation concerns that is typically characterized by feelings of emotional exhaustion, reduced accomplishment, and depersonalization/devaluation† (Gould). So, for athletes, another side effect of excessive stress is burnout. As with the amount of stress in athletes lives, the rate of burnout has also been increasing in the past few years. In a study done in 2007, it was found that nearly 10% of athletes tested had symptoms of high-level burnout. The researchers hypothesized that the number would actually be higher since they did not look at what they called â€Å"senior elite athletes†, meaning professional athletes and high level college athletes. They also suggested that this burnout rate could be lowered if athletes went through stress management programs to lower the amount of stress that they  had to cope with on a daily basis. (Gould). Lastly, one study looked at the relationship between athletic participation and academic performance. Over a four year period, the researchers conducted an observational study of a college basketball program in the mid-south-central part of the United States. At the beginning of their college career, the athletes were excited about the prospect of putting athletics and academics together to create opportunities for themselves in the future. One of the freshmen that was interviewed said, â€Å"If I can use my basketball ability to open the door to get an education, hopefully I can use my degree to open up the door to get a good job† (6). However, as time went on and the stress of being a student athlete increased, the views of the basketball players changed. One of the upperclassmen on the team stated, â€Å"If I was a student like most other students I could do well, but when you play the caliber of ball we do, you just can’t be an above-average student. What I strive for now is to be an average student. My best GPA was 2.75. You just don’t find the time to do all the reading† (Adler). This just reinforces the idea that the student athletes are under the stress that they are mainly due to the huge time commitment that comes with being a higher level athlete. All of these studies and articles on how student athletes are prone to burnout and stress and have increased time commitments led to the hypothesis that the student athletes in college will be more stressed than the non-student athletes in college. Methods Participants There were a total of 40 participants used in this study; 62.5% were female and 37.5% were male. The age range was 18 to 22, with the average age of the participants being 20. Measures For this study, we utilized a consent form, a demographic form, a survey to determine the stress level of the participant, and a debriefing form for each of the participants. Procedure Each participant received a consent form after they confirmed that they are an Iona College student. The participants were then asked to read the  consent form along with the experimenter, allowed to ask any questions that they might have had and then asked to sign the consent form. Once they signed the consent form, the participants were given a survey to determine the level of stress that they had in their life at that time. Next, they filled out a demographic form that asked them for their year in college. Once both the survey and the demographic form were filled out, the participants were thanked for their time and given the debriefing form for the study. Results A 22 analysis of variance was in order to determine the effect of athletic status on stress level. The results indicated that there was a significant main effect of athletic status of the participant on the stress level of the participant, F (1, 36) = 13.99, p=.00. As illustrated in Figure 1, the students who were athletes (M=11.23, SE=0.91) scored higher on the stress test than those students who were non-athletes (M=6.31, SE=0.95). A 22 analysis of variance was also conducted to determine the effect of year in school on stress level. The results indicated that there was not a significant main effect of participant’s year in school on the stress level of the participant, F (1, 36) = 0.43, p= .52. Discussion The purpose of this study was to examine whether the athletic status and the school year of a participant have an impact on their stress level. Our hypothesis was that the upperclassmen who are athletes will have the largest amount of stress, while the underclassmen who are not athletes will have the lowest level of stress. This hypothesis was supported, but only to a certain extent. While the factor of school year did not have an effect on the stress level of the participants, the factor of athletic status did. Just as we predicted, the participants who were athletes reported having more stress than the participants who were non-athletes. When the stress levels were looked at across the different years in school, there was not a significant difference between the underclassmen and the upperclassmen. These results are supported by the findings of the study done by Quinton McCleod, who had 30 athletes and 30 non-athletes complete a questionnaire about the time that they spend studying, their GPA, and whether or not they consider themselves to be stressed and what types of stress they were under. He found that the athletes had a significantly lower GPA, spent less time studying outside of the classroom, and had more stressors in their lives than the non-athletes. The athletes said that they were losing motivation to go to class and that caused them to turn in poor work, and that this was due to the fact that they did not have an adequate amount of time to spend on all of the schoolwork that they had to complete, in addition to the amount of time that they had to designate for their sport (McCleod). If the sample size had been larger and included a wider gender range, the grade level of the participants may have had a more significant impact on the results. Also if the participants had been randomly selected instead of convenience sampled the results may have been more similar to what was originally hypothesized in regard to the year in school playing a part in the stress of the participant. References Adler, P., Adler, P. (1985). From Idealism to Pragmatic Detachment: The Academic Performance of College Athletes. Sociology of Education, 58, 241-250 Chronic stress puts your health at risk. (2013). http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037 Gould, D., Whitley, M. (2009). Sources and Consequences of Athletic Burnout among College Athletes. Journal of Intercollegiate Sports, 2, 16-30 McCleod, Q. (2015) Stress Levels among Student Athletes and Non Student Athletes. Elon University Miller, J. (2014, December 3). Students see rise in stress levels, studies indicate. Retrieved April 2, 2015, from http://www.michigandaily.com/news/stress-college-feature Wilson, G., Pritchard, M. (2005). Comparing Sources of Stress in College Student Athletes and Non-Athletes. The Online Journal of Sport Psychology, 7

Functions Of Higher Education Education Essay

Functions Of Higher Education Education Essay The term higher education is usually used to distinguish courses of study, which result in the award of a degree, Diploma or similar advanced qualification, for various kinds of further education (Lawton and Gordon. 1993). Higher education constitutes the stage of education which starts after 15 years of schooling for the intellectual work and advanced training of students for their effective leadership role in all walks of national life. Tertiary education level is higher than that attainable on completion of a full secondary education. An accepted definition of higher education is that higher education requires as minimum requirements for admission, the successful completion of secondary education or evidence of the acquisition of an equivalent level of knowledge (Terry and Thomas, 1979). Higher education includes all education above level of the secondary school given in Colleges, Universities Graduate Schools, Professional Schools, Technical Colleges and Normal Schools (Good, 1973). Higher education is simply the highest part of the education system, in terms of students progression, the acquisition of education qualifications, its status and its influence over the rest of the educational system. Higher education is said to impart the deepest understanding in the minds of students, rather than the relatively superficial grasp that might be acceptable elsewhere in the system. In higher education, nothing can be taken on trust and the students have to think for themselves so as to be able to stand on their own feet, intellectually speaking (Barnett, 1997). Higher education is thought to advance students to the frontiers of knowledge through their being taught by those who are working in that difficult territory. Sanyal (1982) says that in order to achieve the new international order, there is the need for integrating socio-economic policies with educational policies in each country, as stronger co-operation amongst the third world countries in field of higher education. Development of higher education should not only be contingent upon economic development to achieve the new international order but should promote the development of culture in view often fact that role of science and technology, the life-style and the very sense and value of life under-go changes in the future. Objectives of higher education All over the world the universities are recognised as centres of higher learning, which are considered as expedient agents of development in the nation building. Universities generate, disseminate and utilise knowledge. As primary contributors to economic growth, they produce scientists, engineers, professionals, technicians, scholars, managers and men of exquisite capabilities. The aim of higher education is to meet the socio-cultural and developmental needs of a country. Higher education provides an opportunity for individuals to develop their potential. It fulfils the needs for high-level manpower in a society. Its objectives include cultural and material development. It produces individuals who are morally sound and capable of multifarious roles in the society. It is a medium and vehicle for achieving an objective of higher vision, should endeavours, with commitment and larger spending, in higher education (Govt. Of Pakistan, 1999). A countrys social and economic development depends on the nature and level of higher education. This fact is revealed by the statements and findings concluded by the prominent educationists and decision-makers. In the developed countries, the role of higher education in production of high quality human capital is quite evident. The Governor of the State of Kentucky, Paul Patten, once said, I have staked my success as governor on changing the way we deliver higher education to our people. Education and economic development are the twin rails that will lead us to a higher plateau and help us achieve our goal of raising the standard of living in our state. My experience in creating jobs, as the secretary of the economic development, during my term as lieutenant governor, has helped me focus on the needs of our businesses. Those businesses are the customers of our product: the graduates in higher education. Increased technology and global competition demand that we develop our students s kills and mental capacity so they can share in the tremendous prosperity of our nation. He further emphasized on the quality of higher education and the need for its improvement. He commented, higher education is in trouble. The warning signs could not be clear. Its users (students and families) think it charges a premium price for an increasingly mediocre service. Its primary suppliers (secondary schools) often fail to deliver material that meets minimum standards, and its beneficiaries (employers) often are frustrated by the quality of the finished product (McGill,1992). Quality of higher education The quality of higher education may be enhanced through providing proper professional training to the teachers by revising the existing curricula. Higher education is the most important level of education because it develops the manpower for the country that leads the nation in giving insight into its future ideals, resources, problems, and its solutions. The future of a nation depends largely on the quality of people groomed in the institution of higher education. Students experiences of their learning and the teaching in the subjects they are studying are one of the more ubiquitous sources of information about the quality of teaching for institutions and individual academics. The question of the quality is directly related to the quality of educators, students and the infrastructure provided to them by the educational institutions. The level of competency of teachers, curricula and the standards of students intake are the factors that contributes the most, in the deteriorating quality of higher education. Nevertheless inappropriate funding for student support services, libraries, journals, books, ill equipped laboratories and lack of repair facilities for equipment and non qualified staff are crucial factors in education. Salaries and other allowances consume the university budget, thus, little is left for the items so essential for raising the quality of education. Budgetary constraints, particularly for operation, adversely affect the quality of teaching, especially practical training. While at the level of the institution student: staff ratios (SSRs) may seem to be an inevitable consequence of funding levels, institutions in practice spend funds on buildings, on administration, on central services, on marketing, on teachers undertaking research, and so on, to very varying extents, rather than spending it all on teaching time. Low SSRs offer the potential to arrange educational practices that are known to improve educational outcomes. First, close contact with teachers is a good predictor of educational outcomes (Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005) and close contact is more easily possible when there are not too many students for each teacher to make close contact with. Second, the volume, quality and timeliness of teachers feedback on students assignments are also good predictors of educational outcomes and again this requires that teachers do not have so many assignments to mark that they cannot provide enough, high-quality feedback, promptly. A gain, low SSRs do not guarantee good feedback or feedback from experienced teachers. Meta-analysis of large numbers of studies of class-size effects has shown that the more students there are in a class, the lower the level of student achievement (Glass and Smith, 1978, 1979). Other important variables are also negatively affected by class size, such as the quality of the educational process in class (what teachers do), the quality of the physical learning environment, the extent to which student attitudes are positive and the extent of them exhibiting behaviour conducive to learning (Smith and Glass, 1979). These negative class-size effects are greatest for younger students and smallest for students 18 or over (ibid.), but the effects are still quite substantial in higher education. Lindsay and Paton-Saltzberg (1987) found in an English polytechnic that the probability of gaining an A grade is less than half in a module enrolling 50-60 than it is in a module enrolling less than 20. Large classes have negative effects not only on performance but also on the quality o f student engagement: students are more likely to adopt a surface approach in a large class (Lucas et al., 1996) and so to only try to memorise rather than attempt to understand. The number of class contact hours has very little to do with educational quality, independently of what happens in those hours, what the pedagogical model is, and what the consequences are for the quantity and quality of independent study hours. Independent study hours, to a large extent, reflect class contact hours: if there is less teaching then students study more and if there is more teaching students study less, making up total hours to similar totals regardless of the ratio of teaching to study hours (Vos, 1991). However, some pedagogic systems use class contact in ways that are very much more effective than others at generating effective independent study hours. A review of data from a number of studies by Gardiner (1997) found an average of only 0.7 hours of out-of-class studying for each hour in class, in US colleges. I n contrast each hour of the University of Oxfords tutorials generate on average 11 hours of independent study (Trigwell and Ashwin, 2004). Teachers who have teaching qualifications (normally a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, or something similar) have been found to be rated more highly by their students than teachers who have no such qualification (Nasr et al., 1996). This finding was in a context where obtaining such a qualification was largely voluntary, and those who have the qualification might be considered to be different in some way from those who have not, and this could be argued to invalidate the comparison. The difference might concern the extent of professionalism or commitment to teaching, but nevertheless there was no control group in the study. A longitudinal study that overcomes this objection has examined the impact over time on students ratings of their teachers, and on teachers thinking about teaching, of (mainly) compulsory initial training during their first year of university teaching, in eight countries. It found improvements on every scale of the Student E valuation of Educational Q uality, a questionnaire developed in the US (Marsh, 1982) and tested for use in the U K (Coffey and Gibbs, 2000), and improvements in the sophistication of teachers thinking (as measured by the Approaches to Teaching Inventory, a measure of teaching that predicts the quality of student learning, Trigwell et al., 2004). This improvement in measures of teaching quality could not be attributed to mere maturation or experience as teachers in a control group in institutions without any initial training were found to get worse over their first year, on the same measures (Gibbs and Coffey, 2004). Functions of higher education The capacity of a nation to develop economically, socially, politically and culturally derives largely from the power to develop and utilise the capabilities of its people. Higher education thus is considered sine qua non of national development, for it produces the highest level of manpower. In all advanced countries, the universities constitute the main spring of human capital. The most successful discharge of the universities role as a change agent is in the area of science and technology. The training of high-level scientific manpower is a matter of vital national concern. Higher education is today recognised as a capital investment in education. It is considered investment of human capital which increases labour productivity furthers technological innovation and produces a rate of return markedly higher than that of physical capital. Today we find the world divided into developed and developing countries. The dividing line between them is the capacity of educational and scientific attainments and its application for economic progress and prosperity (The World Bank, 1990). In modern times, higher education is considered as a means of human resource development in a society. In advanced countries, universities constitute the main spring of knowledge, ideas and innovations. Today, the most successful discharge of a university as an agent of change is in the area of science and technology. The priming and grooming of high-level professional manpower is a matter of vital concern. As a pathway to socio-economic development in a country, higher education cannot be ignored or given low priority. Higher education in a state of rapid development everywhere in the world as its benefits to the social, economic and cultural life of different communities is realisable. This has led to worldwide exponential expansion of universities and colleges; as many more people are encouraged remaining in education. However there are problems. First, higher education is expensive, and its expansion requires ample resources. Second, rapid expansion raises problems of quality ass urance and control, as increased numbers could so easily lead to a decline in standards. Third, expansion in the developing world often draws upon the resources, ideas and expertise of the developed world, even though these may not always be appropriate for every different economic and social system (North, 1997). Higher education plays an important role in the development of society. Universities for centuries had a crucial role in educating the potential professionals, businessmen, political leaders, religious and social philosophers, who serve the community, enrich its values and develop its resources. Universities are complex organisations with multiple missions and a myriad of roles. A university has the roles of providing of theoretical education and professional training, a developer and a disseminator of new knowledge, a catalyst to shape the practice of management and business and a contributor to the community and the national economy (Khurshid, 1998).

Use of Cell Phones in Our Society :: Communication Health Papers

In a world that is rapidly becoming faster paced, finding various means to keep up with the changing environment is a must. Cell phones are one of the most practical inventions of time that make this possible. However, the subtle effect they have on our culture today, their invasion of our privacy, and the possible health risks they may cause are reasons to reassess the value of this intriguing device. While cell phones may be valuable, they are also potentially harmful. Cell phones are gradually affecting American culture today because they are becoming a key part of everyday life. The cell phone is "?an indispensable companion that serves without favor or prejudice. It has reached into every civilized corner of the world--and often brought civilization with it. From its wires spring the words of history in the making, the chatter of daily life" ("43 Years" sc. 1). The cell phone enables individuals to communicate rapidly over great distances and obtain information like never before. People can now pick up the phone and get information on the weather, time, stock market quotations, and other things simply by dialing a few numbers. Cell phones connect the world together, to the point where individuals become almost helpless without it. The next time you find yourself waiting at a stoplight, take the time to observe the people around you. There will likely be at least one person in the surrounding cars who is talking on the phone. Even on the streets, people continue to chat on the phone. Cell phones are everywhere. One resident in Greenville, S.C. admitted that he uses his cell phone at least 15 times a day (Chany sc. 2). The cell phone is in such high use that the traditional phones in homes and offices almost become antique devices on display. Although traditional phones are still around, individuals are quicker to pick up their cell phone. The percentage of Americans who own or use cell phones is astounding. The Post Courier reports that about half of the American population now owns a cell phone.

Crime Among Social Groups Essay -- Crime Social Class Society Violence

Crime Among Social Groups Why are crime rates higher among some social groups than the others? Are some groups more prone to crime, or are they in situations more conducive to crime? Many factors can influence a person to commit a crime, but is there a common trait that leads people down the road to actually committing a crime. Some traits that can influence criminal behavior are: Families, Economic status, Gender, Race, and Age. Married life domesticates but also can cause strain and difficulties. There are new conflicts that arise from people getting married. Often it is the first major decision of one's life and soon there are more bills, more relatives, conflicting plans, children, your spouse might die, and annoying habits that your spouse may have emerge, in most relationships these can all be overcome in time as divorce stats indicate, society is not yet to the point where for every marriage there is a coinciding divorce. "A correlation rises from low incomes, increased uncertainty and fear, and increased personal frustration. These factors put family life under a strain and lead to an increase in child and spouse abuse."1 If these new challenges cannot be overcome then a broken home is the most common result. A broken family can generate in different ways, death, separation, divorce. These are the most common but not all possible reasons for a broken home. There are two ways to observe a break in a fa mily: Husband-wife and Parent- Child. "In addition, less than one-third (31%) of the inmates were married at the time of admission to a correctional facility, compared with almost two-thirds (63%) of adults aged 18 and over in the general population."2 The death of a partner can cause an unstable mind in a surviving spouse and their children. Widowed people are chiefly older, so crime is a smaller more limited problem with the survivors. Younger widows tend to migrate to different cities, females generally moving west and males moving east. This migration, as we will call it, of widowed women overcrowding cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington cause desperate males to follow women to these cities. Knowing that widows are usually left with money through life insurance policies and inheritance from their deceased partners, less fortunate people envy the cash and see the dense population of female widows as being easy victims. Th... ...d Bade, Robin Macroeconomics Canada in the Global Environment Addison - Wesley Publishers Limited Don Mills, ONT. 1997 pg. 505 Sylvester Jr. Sawyer F. The Heritage of Modern Criminology Schenkam Publishing Company Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1972 Sinclair, Roberta L. and Boe, Roger Male Young Offenders in Canada: Recent Trends Research Branch Correctional Services Canada. 1998 Taylor, Jo-Anne and Atkins, Christine Models of Family among Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Offenders. Correctional Research and Development Correctional Services Canada. 1993 Tierney, John Criminology: theory & context Prentice Hall/ Harvester Wheatsheaf Hertfordshire 1996 Uzoaba, Julius H. E. Managing Older Offenders; Where Do We Stand? Research Branch Correctional Services Canada. 1998 Vanderburg, Susan A. Weekes, John R. and Millson,William A. Native Offender Substance Abuse Assessment: The Computerized Lifestyle Assessment Instrument Research and Statistics Branch Correctional Services Canada. 1994 Author Unknown A Profile of Inmates in Adult Correctional Facilities Statistics Canada, The Daily, Thursday, June 4, 1998 http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/980604/d980604.htm#ART2

Nazi consolidation of power in 1933 was primarily due to the use of terror and violence Essay

Certainly terror and violence can be said to have played an integral part in bringing about the Nazi’s consolidation of power, as violence was such an important part of Nazism and was never far from the surface. However there were also other factors such as legality, tactical alliances and the successful use of propaganda which in effect contributed a vast amount to the Nazi’s consolidation of power, the Nazis deployed propaganda effectively as a means of deceiving the political nation of their real intentions and significances of their actions, which ultimately led to their consolidation of power. Terror and violence were prominent factors in allowing the Nazis to consolidate power in 1933, for the reason that violence still had an impact on political developments, even the negotiations between Hitler, Von Papen and Hindenburg took place against the backdrop of well publicized acts of SA brutality. In May 1933 SA members stormed trade union headquarters and disbanded it. This violence led many leaders of the SPD to flee abroad and in June its party was officially banned and the 3000 that remained were arrested and a number were killed. This ultimately portrays the brutality of the Nazis, which effectively contributed to their consolidation of power. After the Reichstag fire the police were given the powers to detain suspects indefinitely without reference to the courts. The decree ‘For the protection of the people and the state’ was used to justify the arrest, imprisonment and often torture of thousands of political opponents, and on 23 March 1933 Hitler presented the Enabling Act to an intimidated Reichstag in order to consolidate Nazi power. The Reichstag passed laws which voted itself out of existence; the communists were barred from voting. The brutality of the Nazis’ bought Hitler four years of a dictatorship. The Nazis managed to use terror with efficient ruthlessness and after the Enabling Act was the destruction of local state government; state governments were dissolved and ordered to reconvene with membership that reflected the recent, by the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service, Jews and political opponents of the Nazis were thrown out of the civil service.? The enabling act gave Hitler dictatorial powers which consequently led to the opening of Dachau, a concentration camp outside Munich, where the Nazi’s political prisoners were held in ‘protective custody’. It also gave Hitler the power to suspend civil rights, removing the free press, freedom of speech and the right to freedom of association. It further gave Hitler the power to harass and attack the KPD and the SPD during the March 1933 elections. Political violence during this stage enabled the Nazis to win a record 43. 5% of the popular vote. This therefore highlights how the Nazi’s used terror as a way of consolidating power, as well as highlighting how the enabling act was one of the main reasons for the Nazis consolidation of power. This is because it allowed Hitler to gain dictatorial power by imprisoning his opponents, rigging elections and suspending civil rights.? Propaganda was another important tool for the consolidation of power. As Goebbels was largely responsible for bringing Hitler to the centre of the political stage, he was rewarded on 13 March 1933, with the position of Reich Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, which gave him total control of the communications media – which was the radio, press, publishing, cinema and the other arts. From this, a new generation of manipulation was brought forth. Once the takeover was complete, the propaganda ministry was split up into several different departments. Anyone, who produced, distributed, broadcasted, published, or sold any form of cinema, media, press, or literature had to first join one of the departments and then follow all rules of the department head. That person was usually Joseph Goebbels. Therefore, without a license to practise their businesses, all artists, writers, publishers, producers, or directors could not work or do any business in their field. Also along with these guidelines, came the prohibition of all Jewish newspapers, radio, and cinema. Certainly, due to the eradication of anti-Nazi publications and media in general, the public must have felt that the general mood of all the media was pro-Nazi. Therefore by disagreeing they would step out of the public mood, and the terror of not conforming due to the total propaganda they were subjected to contributed greatly to the consolidation of power in Nazi Germany. This terror was accentuated further by direct acts of rebellion against the old order, such as the book burning during the spring of 1933. ? Goebbels’ propaganda portrayed the government’s actions as necessary to deal with a national emergency. Potsdam Day, which featured not just Hindenburg and Hitler, but also many generals, was an orchestrated piece of propaganda, aimed at demonstrating the unity and popularity of the government and the acceptance of the Nazis by traditional conservative elements. Following the success of the Nazis and Conservatives in the Reichstag elections, Potsdam Day was propagandized as a ‘day of national unity’. Hitler and Hindenburg appeared before huge crowds together to send out the message of Nazi and conservative unity, which ultimately legitimized Nazi rule. To conclude, it appears that the Nazi’s use of terror and violence played a highly significant role in the consolidation of the party’s power in 1933. Through extreme measures of propaganda and intimidation, the party was able to deal with political opponents to maintain control of people’s social, political and working lives, to the extent where Germany became a country where it was unsafe to do or say anything critical of the government. Although not all propaganda was designed for intimidation, the way Hitler consolidated power in 1933made people fearful of opposing him, granting the Nazis absolute control of national and local government.