Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 16

Summary - Essay Example At times English borrows new words from different places which later become part of the language. It has been obsereved that word order also changes as time passes, although its process slower than the change of words. Moreover, sounds of a language also chnge, for instance Vowel Shift occurred in English changing sounds of many different words. Some argue, English was more elegant in Shakespeare’s time. However, it should be noted that as language changes it does not get worse, it just replaces some words with changing needs of the people. The new words do sound odd at first; however, they become part of the formal language later on. Some people get annoyed when others don’t use â€Å"correct† English. However, there is no sloppy or lazy dialect. It’s true that English has some rules but they only implicate what English is like and not how one should use it. There are different dialects in English language all of which are correct. In fact, nowadays youngsters use English in such a way that they give every detail of the situation in a concise way. Formerly, it was argued that English should be more like Latin and some still want it to be like Latin. Thus, language changes with the passage of time and the change is inevitable. The changing language does not mean it is getting worse, it just happens because people change and so do the things they

Examine the contribution of functionalists accounts towards an Essay

Examine the contribution of functionalists accounts towards an explanation of the family - Essay Example As such, these parts tend also to function in an orderly manner, with minimal conflict. Even when the different parts are not in equilibrium (which they usually are in), their interrelationship is one of consensus, rather than conflict. In this regard, the role of functionalists is to examine social phenomena and its significance to society as a whole (Murdock 1949). The emergence of functionalism as an anthropology school of thought came about in the twentieth century. The development of functionalism at that time is especially credited to two renowned anthropologists of the Great Britain; A. R. Radcliffe-Brown, and Bronislaw Malinowski. In this regard, functionalism as a theory sought to check on the excesses of the nineteenth century diffusionists and evolutionary theories, as well as the theory of historicism later in the twentieth century (Goldscmidt 1996). Functionalists hold the argument that the nuclear family is capable of fulfilling many roles which have an impact on the larger society. One of the functionalists, Parsons, believes in the contemporary role of the family; the instrumental role of the male, and the expressive role of the female. Whilst the male works as a bread winner, the female gives care and emotional support to the husband and children. Although the argument sounds sexist, a majority of the nuclear families applies this contemporary role. Murdock, on his part, believes that the nuclear family should be of benefit to the larger society. In this regard, his functionalists’ ideas are based on the stable personality of adult, whose role it is educated the children about the values and norms of the society. Several scholars have been credited with the development of the theory of functionalism in the family. However, Talcott Parsons, an American sociologist, have been regarded as an advocate of the school of

The movie review of eat, drink, man, woman by Ang Lee Essay

The movie review of eat, drink, man, woman by Ang Lee - Essay Example However, this is a challenge for her because it is rare for women to be allowed into the profession, which is male dominated. Despite the fact that the daughters look upon their father cooking for them as being too traditional, the meals they share serves to bring their family together, something that is extremely rare indeed in the modern society. Another daughter shows a lot of cynicism towards men until such a time as she meets a volleyball coach to who she is attracted. This daughter completely breaks with tradition by actively pursuing the man that she desires. The youngest daughter is a college student who is quite sexually adventurous and her escapades result in her getting pregnant. The chef’s wife has passed away sixteen years prior to the plot of the movie, and the lack of a mother in the household is something that is realized throughout the film. Had there been a mother’s presence in the family’s life, then the troubles which this family is undergoing would be nonexistent, or minimal. One of the major themes of this movie is one of self-sacrifice as seen when Jia-Jen decides to stay at home and look after her father and her sisters. She lives a single life because of this selflessness on her part and it can be said that she fills the role of the mother in the household. ... Chu, their father, is a well-meaning man who has chosen not to remarry for the sake of taking care of his daughters himself. He is a man who, despite the fact that his daughters have grown up and are supposed to move out of the home, continues to live with them. This is a sign of a caring father who, instead of choosing the modern way of letting his children go, decides to follow the traditional way of letting his daughters stay at home until such a time, as they get married. The fact that his adult daughters are still living at home creates a lot of tension between them a conflict that can be considered one between traditionalism and modernism. This is an emotional film to watch because it does not have any action but it instead deals with the emotional aspects of the people within it. It has a powerful plot that curiously creates an environment that displays the day-to-day lives of the characters. It is similar to the scenes that are increasingly becoming common in Taiwan, where th e traditional way of life is coming into conflict with the modern ways. While some people are trying hard to retain their culture, the younger generation seems to be moving away from it. When one watches this movie, one concludes that the old ways are losing out and that the best way to handle this transition should not be resistance, but acceptance. In addition, Chu’s slow loss of his sense of taste, something, which he depends on to earn a living, is highly symbolic. The sense of taste can be said to be a symbol of the traditional way of life and the way that it is inevitably going to end. The film itself is not boring because of the heavy drama, which is involved in every scene. The camera work is done so well that this film can be considered a rare phenomenon in the Asian

The American Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The American Civil War - Essay Example   Seven undiplomatic Southern states claimed their withdrawal from the United States and thus formed the Confederacy States of America. In return, the northern states and the southern states split.   One of the causes of American civil war was the economic and social variances between the north and the south.   The two areas were quite different, and the South feared that the North would try to impose its systems on them (Kelly).   The second reason was the government limited the federal rights in the states. In 1832, South Carolina declined to pass the federal tariff legislation of 1828. Thus, the government used military force to put the region in check. The southern states felt limited in expressing the state rights.  The Dred Scot decision is the third cause of the civil war. Dred Scott was a slave who sought nationality through the American legal systems. The Supreme Court denied any African-American from obtaining US citizenship, consequently, enslaving more people.  The election of Abraham Lincoln also contributed to the war. They feared that the Republican president would abolish slavery. Thus, ruining the Southern economy. That is why Lincoln was a worthy opponent to the expansion of slavery. In conclusion, it is true that the American civil war was caused by discrimination and selfish needs. Slavery denied people a real life as capitalism ruled allowing the rich to be richer. The legal systems were corrupt with unfair discrimination.

Compare the Effects of the Use of Different Narrative Voice in Miramar and Devil on the Cross Essay Example for Free

Compare the Effects of the Use of Different Narrative Voice in Miramar and Devil on the Cross Essay In both Ngugi’s â€Å"Devil on the Cross† and Naguib’s â€Å"Miramar† we see a distinctive use of polyphony to convey both the political stances and social viewpoints of the authors. Although, the use of this literary technique differs between the two novels, the authors both have the same intention of persuading the reader to agree with their personal stand-point. Ngugi’s use of this literary narrative technique consists of describing the argument that he is attempting to put across to the reader, from the perspective of all of the characters to portray it in a light that leaves no room for reasonable doubt, where upon in â€Å"Miramar† Naguib manipulation of the narrative is more subtle at commenting upon the social class divides and barriers in the Egyptian society of the era in which it was written. To consider now, how this use of polyphony affects the readers of â€Å"Miramar† the aim of Naguib must first be questioned. Upon interpretation the character Zohra can be seen as a crucial part of the novel despite not having a section to narrate her side of the story. The reason for this could be that Naguib wanted to use Zohra as a symbol for his notion of an ideal, modern Egyptian. Being a religious Egyptian himself, there are evident influences of his native culture, in the representation of this ideal Egyptian, Zohra. However, this concept of Zohra being a semiotic for Egypt is not the only point to consider whilst interpreting the narrative structure’s impact; rather, it is the interaction between Zohra and the different narrators in the novel, that is crucial to analyse . This is especially important, as the different narrators are all from different backgrounds and can be clearly discerned as representations of the different Egyptian social classes. The intention of Naguib could most definitely be, to help the reader understand the varying lives of people from the different social classes in Egypt and the problems that arise because of these divides. An interpretation as to the reason why Zohra doesn’t have her own section to narrate could be because of the fact that, as stated previously, she is the symbol of Egypt, and quite simply she represents the struggle Egypt faces when fairly telling its own story. Instead of being given the chance to speak freely the novel is only told by people who have been influenced by the â€Å"Wafd† or â€Å"the revolution† or even the colonists, and therefore they are tainted, and no longer considered pure of mind. There is an unmistakable feeling of Naguib’s resentment towards the way â€Å"times have changed. This bitterness is especially impressed upon the reader regarding the new beliefs that people should be separated into social class groups and is present throughout the narrative of each character. Especially in Amer Wagdi’s narration, as the reader can almost imagine Naguib speaking in place of Amer when describing that they are foolish â€Å"obstacles† that separates Zohra from her love, Sarhan, because although â€Å"times have changed,† â€Å"young men haven’t changed†. In a similar style to Naguib, Ngugi also uses a female character to symbolise his country. In â€Å"Devil on the Cross† Wariinga is clearly intended to be interpreted by Ngugi as a symbol of Kenya and Ngugi has also, like Naguib, used the narrative to help enhance the symbolic interpretation of the interaction between Wariinga and the characters around her. However, Ngugi’s use of autobiographical narrative is highly differentiated from Naguib’s in the sense that Ngugi merges the narrative voice unnoticeably into the tone of the character in which he is focusing on. Ngugi does this especially in the â€Å"Matatu† chapter of the novel. This is a highly symbolic scene, used to portray the perspectives of each character, and these perspectives are particularly important as each character is an exemplary representation of the different social classes and backgrounds in Kenya. As this autobiographical narrative is used, it makes the reader empathise more and become more emotionally attached to the characters because they can relate personally, where as attempting to relate to the masses of people that these characters are representation would depersonalise the interaction Ngugi is trying to achieve between the reader and the story. Wangari, a character who is easily recognised as a symbol for the â€Å"Old Kenya† and the â€Å"Old Haraambe† is a clear example of this shift into an autobiographical narrative as her thoughts are written to the reader, revealing a greater insight into there character than is otherwise normal, this is particularly important as her saga tells the story of the Kenya before the colonists. It is through her history that the audience is able to discern the passionate feelings Ngugi holds of resentment towards the capitalist society that Kenya has become. Focusing more on this conviction of scorn held by Ngugi, the â€Å"Matatu† is also a vastly important chapter of â€Å"Devil on the Cross† because of its use of Socratic dialogue. Likewise to Naguib, Ngugi uses a character of his plot as a medium to express his feelings towards what his country has evolved to. Considering now Wangari, the poor, woman who, â€Å"wore no shoes† and â€Å"fought for [the] country’s independence† is definitely the mouthpiece for Ngugi as he himself has fought and is still fighting, even with this novel, for the independence of Kenya. Moreover, the juxtaposition of this Socratic dialogue is even more effective as it is placed in direct opposition to the materialistic, and greedy views of Mwaura, the foreign minded matatu driver who measures â€Å"Independence not [by the] tales about the past but the sound of money in one’s pocket†; a parallel with this character can clearly be drawn between him and one of the people in â€Å"Western suits,† who â€Å"took the devil off the cross. † Contrastingly, unlike Devil on the Cross, Miramar’s revolutionists, are not fighting the same cause, and are in fact met with the same praise as Wangari was by the rest of the Kenyan’s in the matatu. The revolutions of Miramar are, although quite central to the plot, often talked about but yet never given a voice of their own. These revolutionists goal in Miramar isn’t as simple as encouraging the revolution, however, they are in fact symbolic of the greater problems in Egypt, because the characters never verbally oppose the revolution (the problems in Egypt since the colonial occupation) as they are afraid of the outcome, however, in their hearts they know it will never work. Another crucial point in assessing the novel is the way in which Naguib manipulates the narrative is through the language used by each character helps to shift the tone of the narrative. It is crucial in understanding the feelings Naguib has towards this social class. For example, minor sentences showed in the free indirect discourse in the opening of Hosny Allam’s account helps to create a good impression to the reader of what this character’s temperament will be. The â€Å"progeny of whores† who â€Å"push you noses in the mud† described right in the opening paragraph is more than enough to nderstand that Hosny Allam is a bitter character. To interpret this further, the reader can also question accordingly, the social class in which Hosny Allam the â€Å"gentleman of property† represents and uses the portrayal of his character to interpret the feelings held by Naguib towards this social class. As Naguib has deliberately used mainly pejorative vocabulary in the syntax of Hosny’s it is clear that he wants the readers to dislike this character and therefore have negative feelings towards people of his class. In conclusion, after a close analysis of the literary techniques coinciding with the narrative structures and styles used by both Naguib and Ngugi, it is more than plausible to say that these two novels are both highly critical and greatly detailed in not only their poetic language used but the significant features of their intricately structured narrative and they more than achieve their aims of informing the world of their political stance against corruption.

Collapse Of The Concert Of Europe

Collapse Of The Concert Of Europe To What Extent Can The Collapse Of The Concert Of Europe Be Attributed To The Crimean War (1853-1856)? The collapse of the Concert of Europe can be attributed to the Crimean War to a limited extent as there were many other factors which acted to undermine the Concert, causing instability and disputes amongst the nations involved. Although the Crimean War can be indentified to have been a major instance in which participating countries disregarded their policies of peace in pursuit of national interest, this was not as significant to the collapse as earlier factors which essentially rendered the Concert obsolete. The rise of European nationalism and the conflicting ideology and differing aims of the countries involved created the unstable conditions for both the deterioration of the concert and the outbreak of the Crimean War. Therefore the Crimean War can be viewed as a final trigger, but not a sole instigation of collapse. The 18th Century nationalistic movement which was beginning to assert a strong hold among many European countries, acted to undermine the concert by threatening stability throughout Europe. In particular, the revolutionary upheavals of 1848 seriously weakened the Concert by demanding that frontiers established in the Congress of Vienna to be reviewed. In the Hungarian revolution of 1849, riots on the 15th of March by Magyar nationalists in Pest-Buda, now Budapest, the capital of Hungary, demanding Hungarys political independence from Austria resulted in the resignation of the Austrian Prince Metternich, a key personality in the negotiations in the Congress of Vienna. In a letter to Tsar Nicolas I of Russia in March 1848, a primary source informing of his resignation, Metternich describes the social crises as a ‘torrent no longer within the power of man†. Revolutionary upheavals were also apparent in France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Poland. The balance of power main tained in Europe was shifting, and as expressed by Metternich, the Concert of Europe had little influence over it. This largely undermined the Concerts objectives, as stated in Article VI of the 1815 Quadruple Alliance between Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia which formed the basis of the Concert, it was the responsibility of the ‘High Contracting Powers to renew at fixed intervals meetings consecrated to great common objects and the examination of such measures as at each one of these epochs shall be judged most salutary for the peace and prosperity of the nations and for the maintenance of the peace of Europe. As peace was not being maintained, the concert was, even at this point, somewhat defunct. Furthermore, this movement acted as an important impetus for the political unification of Italy in 1861 and Germany in 1871. Owing to the development of 18th Century nationalism, Europe was geographically altered as countries gained their independence. Consequently, European d iplomacy was also altered causing a weakening of the concert, especially as conflict arose between the countries involved regarding intervention in revolution.iHu A fundamental division amongst members of the Concert of Europe, caused by conflicting ideological perspectives regarding intervention against revolutionary movements, acted to undermine the relationship between the countries. A foremost concern for the preservation of peace was the manner of dealing with revolutions and constitutional movements as many statesmen feared the idealogy of the French Revolution was still a powerful influence and as settlements in the Congress of Vienna had failed to satisfy nationalistic and constitutionalistic ambitions. Austria and Russia maintained it was the responsibility and right of the great powers to intervene and impose their collective will on states threatened by internal rebellion, with the Austrian diplomat Metternich stressing that revolution was a ‘terrible social catastrophe and believed that ‘only order produces equilibrium. However, Britain did not wish to intervene in internal disputes and instead pursed a less reactionary policy. Britains foreign secretaries, Castlereagh and later, Canning, acted to distance Britain from the policies of the continental powers with Canning clearly stating that ‘England is under no obligation to interfere, or assist in interfering, in the internal affairs of independent states. Thus, Britain disputed intervention within the Congress of Troppau in 1820, a response to revolts in Spain, Portugal, Piedmont and Naples, and at the Congress of Laibach in 1821 where Austria and Russia had prepared to mobilise soldiers against Italian revolts. The tension which resulted from these disputes lead to Britains increased isolation from Austria, Prussia and Russia while France maintained relations with both sides of the divide. Even though in 1825, a final Congress was held at St Petersburg in an attempt to resolve these disputes, only Austria, Prussia and Russia actively particpated revealing the large extent to which the Concert had been weakened. Despite the assertion that countries within the concert were acting for the greater interest of all of Europe, due to world economies becoming geo-political, with a focus on imperialism, colonialism and economic rivalry, the individual interests of countries revealed cracks in the system. Britains particular opposition towards intervention in Latin American revolutions was based on the grounds that Britain would be forgoing trade profit from the Spanish if rebellions ended there, and hence, refused to cooperate on the grounds of nationalistic interest which existed despite the concert. Geo-political competition and jealousy between European nations became particularly apparent in their decision to prohibit the entry of all foreign warships into the straits between Bosporus and Dardanelles. As a reward for Russian military assistance against Egypt, Russia was rewarded with advantageous access to these straits by the Ottoman Empire in the Treaty of Unkiar-Skelessi in 1833, which closed the Dardanelles off to â€Å"any foreign vessels of war† other than Russian. This allowed Russian commercial vessels free access into the Mediterranean, a significant benefit for Russian export trade particularly considering the growing importance of ports such as Odessa in the Ukraine. The Concert was indignant of Russias access to the straits and so an attempt to inhibit Russian expansionism, the straits convention was held in 1841 in which it was declared that no country should be in an advantageous position regarding the use of the straits. Furthermore, European nations were competing for raw materials, markets and land in order to fuel growing populations. Russia was still eager to increase its influence in the Balkans, and to gain control of the straits between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea then under Turkeys control. Britain and France viewed Russian control of the straits as a threat to their own trade interests, and Austria was uneasy about Russias growing influence in the Balkans. These tensions regarding the control of the Balkans in turn compounded the tension which already existed in the practically obsolete concert, and ultimately lead to the outbreak of the Crimean war, in which the remnants of the Concert expired. The outbreak of the Crimean War in 1853 signified the downfall of the Concert of Europe as the great powers engaged in war with one another over matters of national interest. In making an expansionary thrust at the Ottoman Empire, Russia disregarded any pretence of backing an altruistic balance of power. The causes of the Crimean War conflicted with the doctrine of the concert as an aspect of the preservation of the balance of power in Europe had been directed at preventing a single nation from gaining control of the Ottoman Empire, which was intended by Metternich to be a solution to the Eastern Question. As Russia sought to take exploit the decaying Ottoman Empire, in effect, it undermined the remnants of the Concert and the balance of power, leading to France and Britain, along with some assistance from Sardinia engaging in war to ironically, maintain peace in Europe. Effectively, this simply acted to sacrifice the Concert system with the war having the highest casualty rate of an y European conflict between the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and 1914, the Outbreak of World War One, as more than 450 000 Russians, 95 000 French and 22 000 English lost their lives during the conflict. Renowned historian A.J.P. Taylor states that regarding European international relations, the Crimean War destroyed the charade of Russian military dominance in Europe, which lead to Russias diminished influence in European affairs subsequent to 1856. Through sheer number, the Russian army had been the largest force and yet it was still defeated by the comparably smaller French and British armies. The internal effects of the war on countries within the Concert of Europe are also highly significant when considering the destruction of the balance of power. Having been made aware of Russias social and industrial backwardness through military weakness within the war, the Russian Tsar Alexander II became convinced of the need for Russian reform. Napoleon III of France sought to adopt new fo reign policies which eventually lead to conflict in the 1860s with Austria and Prussia. Austria had been isolated as its ties with Russia were severed due to Russias expectation as a result of its assistance in suppressing the 1849 Magyar revolts in Hungary, Austria would remain neutral in the war. The Treaty of Paris reached in 1856, permanently altered the balance of power and highlighted the strain which had been placed on it through the Crimean War. At the conclusion of the war, severe penalties were placed on Russia by the other countries, restricting its influence. Russia was made to surrender Bessarabia, situated at the mouth of the Danube, had to forgo claims as protector of Orthodox Christians, and lost influence over the Romanian principalities which, along with Serbia, were granted greater independence. Furthermore, the Black Sea was declared neutral, closing it off to all warships which effectively left Russia with an undefended southern border. This left Russia with little incentive to uphold the goals of the Concert as it was now at considerable disadvantage to the other European powers. Upon the conclusion of treaty negotiations the Concert was obsolete, with its goals abandoned and communication at a stand-still. Through the treaty of Paris it became apparent th at the Crimean war had disrupted nineteenth-century diplomacy, thereby destroying the decayed Concert of Europe. Although the Crimean War can be identified as the first major instance in which countries within the Concert of Europe clearly disregarded the policy of peace and turned against one another, it can only be held responsible for the concerts demise to a limited extent. The rise of Nationalism in Europe and the instability caused by the widespread outbreak of revolution caused a strong divide amongst countries. Britains refusal to assist in intervention particularly acted to undermine the authority and cohesion essentially making the Concert practically obsolete prior to the outbreak of the Crimean War. Therefore the war can be seen to have been the conclusion of the concert, but was by no means the sole cause of collapse. Bibliography Fisher, H.A.L, A History of Europe Volume II, Eyre Spottiswoode 1935 Langhorne, Richard, The Collapse of the Concert of Europe: International Politics, 1890-1914, Macmillan, 1981 Lee, Stephen J., Aspects of European History 1789-1980, Routledge, 1982 Medlicott, William N, Bismarck, Gladstone, and the Concert of Europe, Athlone Press, University of London, 1956 Robinson, James Harvey, Readings in European History, Vol. II, Boston: Gin and Co, 1906 Schroeder, Paul W., Austria, Great Britain, and the Crimean War: The Destruction of the European Concert, Cornell University Press, Ithaca NY, 1972 Sweetman, John, The Crimean War, Osprey Publishing Limited, London, United Kingdom, 2001 Taylor, A. J. P. The Origins of the Second World War, Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1961 Robinson, James Harvey, Readings in European History p.464 Schroeder, Paul W., Austria, Great Britain, and the Crimean War, p.211 Lee, Stephen J., Aspects of European History, p.26 Lee, Stephen J., Aspects of European History, p.27 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276910/Treaty-of-Hunkar-Iskelesi Langhorne, Richard, The Collapse of the Concert of Europe: International Politics, 1890-1914 p.38 Sweetman, John, The Crimean War p.42 A.J.P. Taylor, The origins of the second world war, Ch. 3 p.71

Human Rights and the British Class System

Human Rights and the British Class System According to http://woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/class.htm â€Å"Britain was once a class-ridden society.† Class was a staple part of the British way of life. Today, multiculturalism and a changing economy are gradually eroding the British class system, but some features of the system still remain. What is Class? Sociologists define social class as the grouping of people by occupations. Doctors and lawyers and university teachers are given more status than unskilled labourers. The different positions represent different levels of power, influence and money. The British society is often considered to be divided into three main groups of classes: the Upper Class, the Middle Class, and the Lower or Working Classs This is known as the Class system The Different Class Systems There are three main class divisions. The Upper Classes tends to consist of people with inherited wealth, and includes some of the oldest families, with many of them being titled aristocrats. The upper classes are not only defined by their title, but also by their education, and their pastimes which includes the traditional sporting life involving hunting, shooting and fishing, as well as a great deal of horse riding for both leisure and as a competitive pursuit. The Middle Classes are the majority of the population of Britain today. They include industrialists, professionals, businesspeople and shop owners. Working class people are mostly agricultural, mine and factory workers. Status You can tell which class people belong to by the way they speak (accent), their clothes, their interests, the way that they educate their children, or even the type of food they eat.† Homeless People What would it be like to be homeless? Imagine not knowing where you will sleep tonight. On a practical level, how would it feel not to have a bath for weeks and to wear dirty clothes every day? I think most of us would agree with the line from John Payne’s poem Home, Sweet Home: â€Å"Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home†. Yet thousands of people in the UK have no home of their own. We have all seen people asking for money, who seem to have all their possessions in a plastic bag, and nowhere to go. Although these people who are sleeping rough in doorways are the most visible, homelessness also includes those who are placed in hostels, bed and breakfast or other temporary accommodation, or local authority housing. It is difficult to understand how people become homeless and research shows that they are all ages, from all areas and backgrounds. There are charities that support the homeless and Centrepoint is a national organisation that focuses on young people. It provides emergency night shelters and short stay hostels. Their research shows that more than 80% of the young people who turn to Centrepoint for help are homeless due to family breakdown, abuse or eviction. Some young people become homeless following the death of a parent. It seems a double blow to be bereaved and homeless. However, often these vulnerable young people find themselves sleeping rough before seeking help. Many of these 16 to 20 year olds have no qualifications or means of supporting themselves financially. I feel that if our society wants these people to become self-sufficient, it is essential to offer help in the form of housing, and assisting them to either return to school, or to gain qualifications through training programmes to improve their chances of finding worthwhile employment. Tragically, many homeless young people are â€Å"befriended† by drug addicts or encouraged into prostitution. For those who have run away from home as a result of abuse, one wonders how bad their home circumstances must have been if they would prefer to face the risks of addiction and sexually transmitted disease. Of course it is not only young people who become homeless. Older people can face homelessness when they lose their jobs and are evicted from their homes because they cannot pay the rent. Sometimes these people have physical or mental health problems as well. Unfortunately in some circumstances these people either have no family, or their families are unable or unwilling to help them. Single homeless people are not a high priority for housing assistance and are therefore more likely to be sleeping rough, huddled under a bridge, trying to keep warm with newspapers. Other homeless people are ex-offenders. They have paid for their crime and yet they find themselves unable to find a job and therefore without resources. It is sad that many people coming out of prison have nowhere to go and may eventually end up in prison again. Often these people have been exposed to drugs in prison and will resort to dealing as a means of making money. Anyone is capable of turning to crime out of desperation, ending up harming others in an attempt to steal money. If people become homeless as a result of family breakdown or employment problems, should we not as a society make a stronger effort to help these people? Homelessness and having no money creates a climate for crime which is what we want to prevent. One of the ways of preventing it could be to offer more support to people before they find themselves homeless. For example, young people could have anonymous safe places to go to if they are in abusive situations. They should know that there is at least one adult at school who they can talk to, or a number they can phone. Although there are charities offering phone line assistance, it is not sufficient. The people who receive the least sympathy, it seems, are the mothers with small children. Although they may not be sleeping rough, these families are often in very cramped accommodation and they cannot really make it feel like a home. If they are fortunate enough to be given council housing they are often envied or disliked by others and made to feel that they have been given something they do not deserve. However, we do not know their circumstances and they may have been the victims of sexual abuse or domestic violence. It would be far better for them and their children to be in a safe place than to risk further violence. Homelessness is a problem all over the world. Places affected by flooding and earthquakes suddenly have thousands of people whose homes have been demolished and who have no possessions. Places in Africa that experience severe drought conditions force people to try to find food elsewhere. Unfortunately the result is often groups of homeless people who are starving.According to the United Nations, more than 100 million people worldwide have no housing whatsoever. This becomes a serious Human Rights issue and although we might like to think it is mainly a problem in the developing countries, the truth is that in first world countries such as the UK and United States, the number of homeless is growing. Although it is helpful to donate to charities who offer help, or to give people food, more needs to be done. Adequate housing needs to be available and we have to change our attitude towards people who may be in dire circumstances through no fault of their own. Bibliography Capdevila, G HUMAN RIGHTS: More Than 100 Million Homeless Worldwide http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=28086 Payne, J Clari; or, the Maid of Milan: an Opera. London: John Miller, 1823. See http://www.poetry-archive.com/p/home_sweet_home.html Pleace, N and Fitzpatrick, S (2004) Centrepoint Youth Homelessness index http://www.centrepoint.org.uk/documents/Centrepoint_YorkResearch-report.pdf