Midnights Children of Colonial Empires Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Midnights Children of Colonial Empires - Essay Example The British had lost America in the Revolution and they clung to India with all .their might and cunning. Many of the men in power believed that imperialism was a natural part of human struggle for survival in which the fittest emerged rulers. In other words, they believed that the white Europeans, being endowed with' superior qualities' had all the right to rule others. The European powers had a sense of moral superiority as the Industrial Revolution had brought them previously unheard of prosperity. They also needed a market for the goods they produced. Prosperity had whetted their appetites and they had developed taste for exotic goods .There was a fierce competition between European nations to go ahead of others and conquer farther territories. The hunger for empire building was such that many times they resorted to barbaric means .King Leopold of Belgium unleashed a reign of terror in Congo which he deemed to be his private property. The people in charge, like the clerk Clive of the East India Company, amassed huge fortunes by exploiting the local population. The Europeans brought Christianity to the conquered lands, and tried to root out the old traditions. The British empire was the largest of the European empires, and 'the jewel in the crown' was India .In spite of the might of the greatest empire in history, India gained her independence in 1947, after almost two centuries of British rule, without the use of force or violence, but became the heir to the colonial legacy of division left by the British.. "Midnight's Children" is a seminal work by Salman Rushdie, written in the style of Indian oral story telling, which explores the experiences of various characters in colonial and post - colonial India .It is the story of Saleem Sinai who was born on the midnight of 14th August 1947 exactly at the time when India became independent. The story spans some three generations, beginning with Dr. Aadam Aziz who came to Agra from the Kashmir valley with his family. Of his three daughters , one marries Sinai and another , Zulfikar and emigrates to Pakistan. Beginning with the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, the story goes on to the frenetic days before the Transfer of Power in India and the days that followed. In a style reminiscent of the Arabian Nights the book recounts the story of some of the children born on that fateful midnight. It touches upon the formation of Bangla Desh. The reader gets a glimmering of the legacy of colonialism. To continue in power, the colonial rulers used every means, even killing without provocation., as in the infamous Jallianwala Bag Massacre. . On the 13th April 1919, a British officer named General Dyer entered an enclosed compound in Amritsar where thousands of Indians had gathered for a peaceful protest against the British ,and opened fire on the unarmed men, killing and maiming hundreds of people. .Rushdie begins his book with this incident. "They have fire a total of one thousand six hundred and fifty rounds into the unarmed crowd. Of these , one thousand five hundred and sixteen have found their mark."(Rushdie 41) Rushdie describes the sound of the gunfire evocatively-"There is a noise like teeth chattering in winter". (Rushdie 41) After the massacre, there was approval for Dyer's action in the House of Lords. This incident rang the death knell for the empire

Costa Rican Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Costa Rican Economy - Essay Example (Culture in Costa Rica 2002) Recently, Costa Rica has been trying to shift its economic trend, and adopting a more global approach. Plans are to turn Costa Rica, from a coffee exporter, to a silicon based company. Skilled labor, new opportunities, global participation is the new goal, as it is with most developing countries. (Costa Rica Businesses 2008) A small scale chain of grocery stores in a developing country can go both ways when it comes to 'making it'. If we talk about the current world events, then there are many going on right now. With the phenomenon of global inflation taking over the planet, businesses, both small and large scale, are feeling the thump. A global issue that engulfs us all, are the prices of fossil fuels, namely; oil. As oil prices sky rocket above, everyone is feeling the shock. Major steps are being taken such as the development of alternative fuels, international talks, visits and conferences. This is an issue that affects the global economy. A grocery store chain in Costa Rica wo uld be no exception. It is simple economics that, the inflation caused by the rise in oil prices, would result in higher prices of goods and products all across the globe. Products will be more costly to produce and thus, will be exported at a higher price. The local Costa Rican grocery store will have inflated prices as well, of both, local and imported products. As prices of products increase, their demand goes down. Extreme conditions could result in recession or worse. Local producers would find it costly to produce with input costs going high because of the oil prices, and thus, a decrease in production could result in loss of jobs and a lower standard of living. This situation can be seen in many regions around the world including many third world countries. Obama vs. Clinton Another major global event is the U.S presidential elections. The ongoing rivalry between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is heating up day by day. (Troy 2007) The United States being a neighboring country and a trade partner can have a significant role in the Costa Rican economy. A change in government often results in a change in trade policies and international relations. New government expenditure would result in creation of employment in the country. This would open up newer opportunities to earn and contribute to a raise in the GDP. Demand for local and imported goods would increase and people would be willing to buy more. If situation in the U.S improves further and employment over there increases, such activity can bring about a rise in the demand for Costa Rican imports. As a result, employment is created in Costa Rica, with production increasing and firms hiring more skilled and unskilled labor, resulting in a higher aggregate income level. This would stimulate demand for products locally and people would have a higher level of disposable income. In this way, the chain of grocery stores could experience higher levels of business and revenues. War and Unrest Another major issue is the ongoing unrest in the Middle East. Though the whole scenario may seem geographically far away but the world is a global village now. War and unrest in the Middle East is causing countries around the world to experience threats to national security, strained international relations and so forth. (Yahoo News 2008) With many countries, including the United States,