Societys Dependence on Modern Technology Essay - 792 Words

The human race could be at risk. Observing the world and its inhabitants, this planet has proved to be a very dangerous place for the human being. We as a species, although not nearly as strong or as fast as most animals are, a brilliant, mechanically inclined race that has created and designed ways to make us the most dominating force on the planet. Our advancements in modern technology has grown to become a necessity. Ironically, modern technology although vital to the survival of men and women, through evident health risks, less jobs, and invasion of privacy may also become our specie’s very demise. With every passing day, the ingenuity of the human race brings new and easier ways to complete everyday tasks. With such advancements†¦show more content†¦Progressive modern technology although helpful to workers could be slowly on the path to replacing the human work force nearly all together. Unlike humans, robotics on an assembly line works at a much faster, harder, and more efficient pace. Few and few jobs are, needed by humans. This can suffocate our ability of doing normal jobs. This replacement can be seen more and more every day at cashier check-outs which are replaced by auto check-outs in grocery stores, few security guards are needed due to advanced cameras, locks, and alarm systems. Even professors are now able to teach multiple class-rooms of students via the internet, which has reduced the number of professors needed at colleges. Sleep among the human race is a necessity of life. Without sleep humans become inaccurate and messy. Modern technology has produced machines capable of working all hours with great accuracy and without any need for rest. As a result, without work humans can go without money, without money it makes it hard to buy food, which could bring sickness and in some cases even worst, death. With the Progression of technology also comes less privacy for the everyday person. People come in all shapes and sizes, and have very distinct traits which make them an individual. Highly developed modern technology has produced facial recognition programming that can detect small things about a person’s face, the person’s size, shape and race, in order to identify that person. WithShow MoreRelatedTechnology: Beneficial or Harmful?1688 Words   |  7 PagesMichelle Sustayta Professor Elahi English 201 16 July 2013 Technology: Beneficial or Harmful? Throughout the vast history of humanity, humans have always used their innovative and cognitive skills to create tools to better improve their chances at survival on this planet. This technology advancement first began in the Stone Age when man fist discovered that stone could be utilized as both a harvesting tool and hunting weapon; which gradually developed into spears, bows and arrows, and swordsRead MorePeoples Overdependence on Technology1467 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Introduction The relevance of technology in the modern world cannot be overstated. However, there have been concerns that the world is becoming over-dependent on technology as it seeks to embrace technological advancement and innovation going forward. Indeed, the question many keep asking is; is our reliance on technology going too far? This text concerns itself with peoples over-dependence upon technology. Peoples Over-dependence upon Technology It is important to note from the onset thatRead MoreSociety s Dependence On Technology1244 Words   |  5 PagesComposition 11- Period 1 2 October 2015 Society’s Dependency On Technology Today, technology is a ruling factor among our society. Technology is involved in every aspect of our lives. Our dependence on technology has been taken to a whole other level, we are now incredibly dependent on technology. We may be too dependent on technology, but our dependence does not necessarily impact us in negative ways. II. Some say the increasing need for technology, specifically social media, causes socialRead MoreMachine Man By Max Barry1036 Words   |  5 PagesMachine Man by Max Barry demonstrates the perils of society’s compulsion to change the world with technological advancement despite the consequences and the disconnection it creates. Technology and biology are interconnected in today’s society. The world is obsessed and dependent on machines and devices to make one’s life more efficient and manageable. The science fiction genre often predicts what may happen in a world where technology is abused or becomes too formidable. Machine Man explores thisRead MoreThe Machine Man By Max Barry1043 Words   |  5 PagesBiology Machine Man by Max Barry demonstrates the perils of society’s compulsion to change the world with technological advancement despite the consequences and the disconnection it creates. Technology and biology are interconnected in today’s society. The world is obsessed and dependent on machines and devices to make one’s life more efficient and manageable. The science fiction genre often predicts what may happen in a world where technology is abused or becomes too formidable. Machine Man exploresRead MoreDependence on Tecnology1554 Words   |  7 PagesENC-1101 19 julio 2014 Word count 1515 Technology’s Takeover: Is it too Late to Unplug? â€Å"Though technology has allowed us to improve and modify traditional tasks, it has also clouded our realization of the dependency we have on it† (Sala). Ever since men’s first thoughts, technology, as a synonym for development, has been around. From the first fire pit, to the first boat design, and finally to the first electronic device, through eras, the human race has managed to discover more ways to doRead MorePersuasive Essay1052 Words   |  5 PagesPersuasive Essay Laziness in America By Greg Hill Comp 2 America today is a very lazy place; people have become too accustomed to their ways and will not even consider what it is doing to them. Everyone constantly praises our wonderful technology; what they don’t realize is what our tech has done to us. As we depend more and more on gadgets to do things for us we lose ourselves to apathy and our personal interests completely forgetting the common good. When it becomes so easy to satisfy ourRead MoreThe Human Race : A Great Deal Over The Course Of Recent History Essay1050 Words   |  5 Pagesengineering feats is the harnessing of energy sources, such as electrical and heat energy. This has allowed for many innovations, for example power stations, transportation, communications and computers, which have all become critical to society and the modern world in which we live. 1 – Introduction It is almost impossible, today, to look around you and not see the products of engineering, pretty much regardless of where one may be. In this way, advancements in engineering and its variousRead MoreComputer Ethics Awareness Among University Students Essay895 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction 1.1 Background Computers are the core technology of our times and apparently, the most important technology to be invented and used by man . Without computers and computer networks, especially, the Internet, activities of most organizations, such as banks, schools, government agencies would simply grind to a halt. Modern societys dependence on the use of information technology, make it more vulnerable to computer malfunction caused by unreliable software and to computer misuse (ForresterRead MoreScope and Excitement of Physics1427 Words   |  6 PagesPHYSICS,TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY. Technology and society or  technology and culture  refers to cyclical co-dependence, co-influence, co-production of  technology  and  society  upon the other (technology upon culture, and vice-versa). This synergistic relationship occurred from the dawn of humankind, with the invention of simple tools and continues into modern technologies such as the  printing press  and  computers. The academic discipline studying the impacts of science, technology, and society and vice versa

Benefits and cost Free Essays

Costs would be Just the opposite of several of these, but would also include lack of a good warranty, or not being able to find a place that can service the time-piece. Top Reasons You Want A Nice Watch†, A. Adams, 2011 . We will write a custom essay sample on Benefits and cost or any similar topic only for you Order Now ) A weight loss diet can boost self- esteem, energy levels, desirability to those you wish to attract. Good health, though. Is the greatest benefit of a weight loss diet. Costs could be the difficulty level of being able to stick with the diet. Losing weight improperly can cause health issues; if the weight loss diet you have to offer is unhealthy this can be a cost. High prices of weight loss can be prohibitive. (â€Å"Lose Weight, Gain Tons of Benefits†, K. Zealand, n. D. ) Things that could be beneficial to a cruise would be location. Everyone likes to go to beautiful places. Nice accommodation and service areas on board the ship are a must. Other important things can be safety, atmosphere, variety of activities, and areas to relax. Costs could be the expensiveness of the cruise, sea sickness, and boredom. (â€Å"The Pros and Cons of Cruise Travel†, A. Powers, 2012) For a new checking account at a bank, the benefits could be ease of deposits, such as online deposits by way of device APS. Being able to cancel checks easily Is Important. The availability of accessing your cash easily Is very Important. Free ATM and debit cards, and the availability of paperless electronic statements can also be beneficial. Costs would include high bounced check fees, annual account fees, and the fact that many businesses are moving away from even accepting checks. (â€Å"Seven Questions to Ask Before Opening a Bank Account†, G. Dwellers, 2013) Ariel Adams, (2011). Top Reasons You Want A Nice Watch. A Blob to Watch. Retrieved July 14, 2014, blowtorch. Com: http://www. blowtorch. Com/top-reasons-you- want-a-nice-expensive-watch/ Kathleen M. Zealand, (n. D. ). Lose Weight, Gain Tons of Benefits. Web MD. Retrieved July 14, 2014, WebMD. Com: http://www. WebMD. Com/delete/features/lose-wealth-gal.- tons-of-benefits India Powers, (2012). The Pros and Cons of Cruise Travel. Apartment Therapy. Retrieved July 14, 2014, parenthetically. Com: http://www. parenthetically. Com/ the-pros-and-cons-of-cruise-travel-192288 Gerri Dwellers, (2013). Seven Questions to Ask Before Opening a Bank Account. Credit. Retrieved July 14, 2014, credit. Com: http://www. credit. Com/personal-Flanagan- questions-to-ask-before-opening-bank-account/ Benefits and cost By wheelhouses ay of device APS. Being able to cancel checks easily is important. The availability of accessing your cash easily is very important. Free ATM and debit cards, and the Before Opening a Bank Account†, G. Detailer, 2013) July 14, 2014, WebMD. Com: http://www. WebMD. Com/diet/features/lose-weight-gain- the-pros-and-cons-of-cruise-travel-192288 Gerri Detailer, (2013). Seven Questions to Ask Before Opening a Bank Account. Credit. Retrieved July 14, 2014, credit. Com: http://www. Credit. Com/personal-Flanagan- questions-to-ask-before-opening-bank-account/ How to cite Benefits and cost, Papers

Defeat of the Red Army free essay sample

By looking at what the areas where the Soviets failed during their in Afghanistan, we can further develop our counterinsurgency tactics and doctrine and shape our forces. Mujahideen Defeats of the Red Army An important and remarkable event in history was the Soviet-Afghan War. The Afghans, like their ancestors, battled a hostile, invading force that wanted to dominate their homeland. â€Å"For the first time, Afghanistan would become the center of a modern pan-Arab Jihad (Holy War)† (Hill, 2008). The Afghans were fighting a war of attrition just as their ancestors did during the Anglo-Afghan Wars. The Afghans would find themselves using modern weapons that had the potential of causing a high number casualties and emigration of greater proportions. The difference between the Afghans in the Soviet-Afghan War and the Afghans who fought in the Anglo-Afghan war would be the help and support from outside superpowers. By the end of the Soviet-Afghan War, the Soviet Union was at the point of falling; the Afghans and those who were assisting them were looking at a victory. How could such a powerful country like the Soviet Union be defeated by the Afghans? The Soviet Union lost the Soviet-Afghan War as a result of mistakes and failures that they made. The Soviets failure to seal the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, failure to stand up and effective Afghan Army and failure to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people contributed to the defeat of the Red Army. Failure to Disrupt Supply Lines During the initial five years of occupation, the Soviets never mounted a sustained effort to cut off the Mujahideen supply lines that ran from Pakistan’s tribal areas, across the Hindu Kush Mountains, and into Afghanistan (Roy, 1991). Instead, the focus of the Soviets from 1980 to 1982 was to conduct large-scale armored operations in locations that were considered hotbeds of rebel activity. After 1982, the Soviets used aerial assaults to assist in their combat operations to eliminate the support base of the Mujahideen. It was not until 1985 that the Red Army starting making an effort to disrupt the Mujahideen supply lines. The Red Army began using Spetsnaz units, which were the Red army Special Forces units, behind Mujahideen frontlines, to organized surprise attacks against the rebel supply caravans. Once the Spetsnaz had the location of the Mujahideen, they would load into Mi-24 helicopter gunships, sneak behind the Mujahideen positions, and launch attacks. The effectiveness of the raids the Spetsnaz used became apparent in 1986 where there was a decrease in the number of Mujahideen attacks against the Soviets. The attacks against the Soviets decreased because the Mujahideen was not able to get men and equipment that they needed to mount an effective guerrilla campaign. The Soviets leadership was aware of the amount of men and a large amount of equipment that the Mujahideen was moving from Pakistan across into Afghanistan on regular bases, so it’s interesting why they did not make an effort earlier in the war to disrupt the supply lines. The Soviet leadership feared that if they conducted operations that might extend into Pakistan they would draw the United States into a large-scale war that the Soviets did not want. So, conducting operations on the Afghan side of the border against the rebels was an activity that the Soviets could justify without drawing the United States into the war. According to Oliver Roy, the Soviet failure to seal the border with Pakistan was the most significant military mistake in the war against the Mujahideen (Roy, 1991). With an unsealed border, the United States with the help of the help of the Inter-Service Intelligence, ISI, began funneling in weapons to the Mujahideen in the 1980. At the start of 1980, the Central Intelligence Agency began to purchase weapons from several countries to include China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab nations. Once these weapons had been purchased they were shipped to the ISI headquarters located in Peshawar Pakistan. The United States funded some $30 million dollars in 1982, but in 1984, the CIA spent some $250 million purchasing pistols, AK-47s, ammunition, surface to air missiles, and other supplies for the Mujahideen. By 1985, the CIA was spending $500 million dollars on the resistance in Afghanistan. 1985 was the same year the President Ronald Reagan signed the National Security Decision Directive 166. This directive stated that the CIA was to drive out the Soviets from Afghanistan †by all means available† (Crile, 2003, p 363). In 1986, the CIA approved the purchase of heat-seeking missiles and almost 1000 per purchased. The heat-seeking missiles were very effective in downing the Soviets helicopters, but the Mujahideen did not put these missions into use until 1987. Pakistan who was driven by Islamic identity had a vested interest in the outcome of the Soviet-Afghan War and made a great effort to ensure that the Mujahideen was victorious. To ensure victory for the Mujahideen, Pakistan established a network that would transport all of the weapons that had been purchased to the Mujahideen. Once all of the weapons that had been purchased and arrived to the ISI headquarters the ISI would distribute the weapons to the Mujahideen, who would get the weapons and supplies to the soldier in the field. The Mujahideen would use tractors, trucks, camel, mules, and horses that could blend in with the rest of the cross border traffic or they would move on dirt roads that were only accessible by foot over the border into Afghanistan. It is evident that without the help of the Pakistanis, the Mujahideen would not have been able to fight because they could have not been able to supply their soldiers. Throughout the war, the Soviets and the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, DRA attempted to pressure Pakistan’s President Zia to seal the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan with troops, but this came to no avail. President Zia responds to the request to seal the border was that Pakistan would not do it but that the Red Army and the DRA were more than welcome to do it. Regardless of who would attempt to seal the border it would be an impossible task when you consider the length and mountainous terrain that would have to be covered. In 1985, the Red Army started to disrupt the Mujahideen supply lines by putting thousands of troops on the border with Pakistan. At the same time, The Red Army began a bombing campaign hitting border towns that were sympathetic to the rebels and placing Spetsnaz units along the borders to conduct search and destroy missions from behind Mujahideen front lines. The Red Army began using their gunships to move up and down the border looking for destroying Mujahideen supply caravans. The bombardment used by the Red Army turned a large portion of the border etween Afghanistan and Pakistan to land that no longer could be inhabited. This depopulation effort started to become effective as it made it almost impossible for the Mujahideen supply caravans to move freely. In 1986, the Mujahideen countered the Red Army by using the Stringer missiles to bring down the Red Army Helicopters. To avoid being hit by a Stringer missile the Red Army Pilots had to fly at a higher altitude but the higher alt itude made it difficult for the Red Army to effectively attack the Mujahideen supply lines. Although the terrain along the Afghan and Pakistan border made it difficult to totally seal the border, it would have been possible to disrupt the flow of men and supplies coming into Afghanistan. This was evident by the Red Army between 1985 and 1986. Had the Red Army been willing to take a higher loss of life before 1985, it would have been possible to slow down the Mujahideen’s ability to get weapons into Afghanistan. The inability by the Red Army to establish an effective way to disrupt the Mujahideen supply lines was not the only reason that the PDPA could not survive without the support of the Red Army. The Red Army also failed to build an Afghan National Army that could protect the PDPA against the Mujahideen. Part of the reason why the Red Army could not stand up the Afghan Army was because there were Mujahideen sympathizers in the ranks. This is also part of the reason why the Soviets could not win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. When the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, they left the country without the means to protect its self. Failure to build an Afghan Army As early as 1980, Soviet leadership knew that it was going to be difficult to build up the Afghan Army. This was partially due to the fact that the PDPA regime was unpopular with many Afghan people, and there was also a deep hatred for the Red Army troops. The unwillingness to fight for the Soviet Union and the DRA was reflected by the decrease in the Afghan Army’s ranks. The Afghan Army decreased from 90,000 to 30,000 men from 1980 to 1983 (Schofield, 2003). During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, it was common for Afghan soldiers to leave their units with their weapons and ammunition and join the Mujahideen. There is an account in July 1987 where an entire 2,000-man unit defected to the Mujahideen in Kandahar (McMichael, 1991). In addition to the defecting that was happening there were reports of Afghan officers frequently sabotaging Soviet equipment and vehicles. For the Afghans who remained many only fought because of the Soviet troops presences on the frontlines who would not allow them to runaway. As a result of the Afghans people unwillingness to fight for the Soviets and the DRA, the PDPA could only build a small military force, the total that numbers 120,000 to 150,000 fighting men. With its small size and the challenges they had recruiting the Afghans to fight for the PDPA regime, the Afghan Army was ineffective. The Afghan government was also only able to draft sixty-five percent of the personnel it needed to fight the insurgency they faced. Although the Afghan Army did have their share of success, these successes were limited. Mostly because the Mujahideen had sympathizers in the ranks that would provide the rebels with intelligence about upcoming operations that were planned. Since Mujahideen supporters had infiltrated the Afghan Army, Red Army soldier do not care to work closely on operations or share the intelligence they had because of fear that the details on upcoming operations would be shared with the rebels. To make matter worse for both sides, commanding officers of Afghan units would only be informed of upcoming operations one day in advance. On 9 January 1981, a conscription law designed to increase the strength of the DRA Army, was adopted by the Supreme Military Council of Afghanistan. The Afghan Army was given tanks, aircraft, armored personnel carriers, and small arms by the Soviets. Regardless of what had been given to the Afghan Army they were not going to be able to defend the PDPA regime from the rebels by the time the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan. This is based on the fact that it was going to be hard to recruit soldiers to fight for a socialist an also because many of the soldiers that had been recruited were informant for the Mujahideen. â€Å"The ineffectiveness of the DRA Army was illustrated by two Soviet deserters when they said, â€Å"The Kabul army was not an army, just a mess, with half of the soldiers running away and the other half joining the rebels† (Amstutz, 1986, p. 80). The inability of the Soviets to win over the Afghan population showed to be a tremendous obstacle as the attempt was being made to stand up an effective Afghan military. Had the Soviets convince the Afghan population that the PDPA was worth fighting for; the Soviet’s counterinsurgency plan could have been more effective in getting rid of the Mujahideen. The Soviets inability to win over the hearts and minds of the Afghan people ended up being a big obstacle that led to the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan. Failure to win the Hearts and Minds â€Å"The Soviets needed to convince the Afghan population that it had a stake in the survival of the socialist regime if they were to have a chance of preserving the PDPA government† (Delgado, 2006, p. 27). This would show to be impossible since the Afghan mullahs had declared jihad against the occupying Red Army. Knowing the jihad had been declared against the Red Army, they still launched a program with the intent on winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. The Soviets attempt to Sovietize the Afghan people used measures that included revamping the education system and teaching the population a pro-Soviet ideology. Adults and children were taught Marxist terms by Soviet institutions that had been imported into Afghanistan. The Soviets reformed the education system, reinterpreting Afghan history, taking control of the media in order to reeducate adults, and sending children to the Soviet Union in order to be educated. The Soviets goal in all of this was to create a version of Islam that the new Afghanistan would be based off. Building a strong Communist party was part of the Sovietization program. A strong Communist party would be the center of all legitimate political activity for the country. In order to monitor social organizations in Afghanistan, Soviet style government institution were established. A diligent effort had been made by the PDPA to indoctrinate its member, a majority of which joined the party so that they could obtain a job in the state. The task of trying to indoctrinate the member was difficult and many felt that it was irresponsible and corrupt. The DRA was unpopular throughout a large portion of Afghanistan. With this unpopular view of the DRA, there was a need to rewrite history in order to paint the Soviet Union in a more favorable light. This change to history was going to be done in two parts, first was to depict Russia as the essential supporters of Afghan independence, and the second was to minimize the cultural ties the Afghan people had with India, Pakistan, and Iran while emphasizing the ties with the citizens of the Soviet Union. The Soviets strategy in winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people was not to turn all Afghan into Marxist, but to teach the Afghans that they identified more with the Soviet way of life than with traditional Afghan society and customs (Roy, 1989). The Soviets took total control of the Afghan media and bombarded it with pro-Soviet propaganda. The Soviets desired in all of this was to have the Afghans forget what their history was and replace it with the identity that the Soviets were giving them. The Soviets not only rewrote the history books and took over the media; the Soviets took control of the education system with the goal of molding a new generation of Afghans that would support the PDPA. To accomplish this, teachers who refused to do what was asked were arrested or exiled. â€Å"Fatherland Training Centers† were created around Afghanistan, where Afghan orphans were trained to be Soviet special agents, political organizations for children and teenagers in order to teach them to become faithful Soviet citizens. The Soviets made Russian the official language of all students attending middle school up to college. The Russians were committed to indoctrinating Afghan children. Statics reflects that by 1989, 000 Afghan students were being educated in the Soviets, and another 15,000 students annual would travel to the Soviet Union see the Russian way of life and to take part in short courses and training programs (Roy, 1989). The Soviets used psychological operation to undermine not only the Mujahideen but also the civilian population to resist the Soviet occupation and the PDPA regime. Some of the bigger programs used included massive leaflet drops, propagandistic radio programs, starting conflict between rival tribes that would undermine Mujahideen unity and bribing teachers to use their classroom in order to spread Soviet propaganda. KHAD Intelligence would insert special agents into Mujahideen units and prisons where Mujahideen members were held with the goal of getting information on operations that were being planned and to find out whom the leaders in the resistance were. Regardless of what the Soviets attempted to do in order to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people they failed. The Afghans remained true to their Islamic identity, culture, and family traditions so it made it impossible for the Soviet Union to convince the Afghans that they were acting in the best interest of the country of Afghanistan by occupying and supporting the PDPA. With a call of jihad being declared against the occupying Red Army, it was going to be impossible for the Soviets to win the hearts and minds. The Afghans viewed the Soviets as an occupying force that were hostile to Islam so no program introduced by the Soviets to win the hearts and minds would be successful. The Soviets made an admirable effort to win over the Afghan people but due to the fact that they were viewed as a foreign occupier took away any possibility that they could convince the Afghan people to support the PDPA government. Winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people were impossible from the beginning since the Afghan people had such a strong Islamic heritage and tribal culture and that the Soviets were viewed as a foreign occupier, but the Soviets also did not help themselves with their brutal campaign to drive Mujahideen supporters out of Afghanistan as refugees. The effort to rid Afghanistan of Mujahideen supporters left one million Afghan civilians dead and five million displaced (Roy, 1989). The strategy used by the Red Army to rid Afghanistan of Mujahideen supported included artillery strike against Pashtun villages, bombing raids and, the burning of agricultural fields, the killing of livestock through the use mines and artillery, and the contamination of water and food supplies through the use of chemical weapons (McMichael, 1991). The efforts made by the Red Army to deprive the Mujahideen from a portion of its civilian support network was successful, but with the brutal methods that the Soviets used in order to get the objectives done did very little for the chances of winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. Conclusion The Soviets lost the Soviet-Afghan War to the Mujahideen do to their own failures and any country could stand to earn a few lessons from the Soviets after their experience in Afghanistan. The first lesson would be the importance of disrupting the Mujahideen supply lines. Although totally securing the border may have been impossible, the Red Army could have focus more of an effort prior to 1985 to slow down the amount of men and supplies that were moving into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Had the Soviets been willing to take more of rest with their Soldiers, the Mujahideen would have never been able to get the supplies they needed into Afghanistan. The second lesson that could be taken from this is that before the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan they needed to ensure that the Afghan Army was ready to defeat the Mujahideen on their own. Since the Afghan Army was not able to defeat the Mujahideen on their own, everything that the Soviets attempted to achieve in Afghanistan was lost once the Red Army withdrew. The weak Army allowed Afghanistan to fall into a civil war where the Taliban came out victorious. The Soviets should have taken into consideration what they thought the status Afghan Army would be once they withdrew before invading Afghanistan. The third and final lesson is that it was going to be impossible for the Soviets to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. Many Afghans viewed the Soviets as invaders, and a jihad had been declared against them. Along with the hatred that the Afghans had for the Soviets the Soviets also countered themselves with brutal military operations against Afghans that were thought to be loyal to the Mujahideen. The Afghan population will refuse to support a regime that is viewed as a foreign occupier, regardless of the sophistication of the occupying country’s effort to win the native hearts and minds†(Delgado, 2006, p. 35). References Crile, G. (2003). Charlie Wilson’s War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History. New York, NY: Delgado, J. A. (2006). Troubling Parallels: An analysis of America ’s Inability to overcome the obstacles that led to the defeat of the Red Army in the Soviet-Afghan War. Athens, OH: The University of Ohio. Hills, C. R. (2006). Beyond Charlie Wilson: The Soviet Afghan War. Atlanta, GA: Atlanta International School. McMichael, S. (1991). Stumbling Bear: Soviet Military Performance in Afghanistan. London, England: Brasseys. Roy, O. (1989). The Sovietization of Afghanistan. Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. Roy, O. (1991). The Lessons of the Soviet-Afghan War. London, England: Brasseys. Schofield, V. (2003). Afghan Frontier. New York, NY: Tauris Parke Paperback.

Meaning of Liberty

Since most of the American industrial workers together with their supporters were from foreign countries, they understood liberty as having the ability to live and work in a foreign country under favorable working and living conditions. This attitude was endeared on them when they first decided to go to the land of opportunity to seek greener pastures.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Meaning of Liberty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper aims to show that the determination to win a struggle for recognition of their rights by exploited individuals can only be pushed to certain extents and that they will go to great lengths to ensure that they get heard. The workers thought that the fact that they were foreigners did not entitle the owners of the factories that they worked in to exploit them. The general consensus among them was that they were ready to work for minimum wage as long as the conditions were fa vorable. By taking advantage of the foreign workers, the factories were raking in huge profits at the expense of their employees. Liberty, according to them, would be classified as receiving ample pay for the services they offered. In this case, the service refers to work. Compensation that was offered by their employees ought to have been commensurate with the hours they worked as well as the economic conditions at the time. The industrial workers in America also perceived the concept of liberty as being able to communicate or address their woes to the entrepreneurs of the company they worked for and actually get them solved. To the American industrial workers, liberty also meant being able to make their presence felt without the use of force. The ability to bring forth issues that concerned violations of their rights first as human beings and then as workers, without causing mayhem was fundamental to the success of their cause. Another fact that elucidated the workers comprehensio n of liberty was the matter of child labor. When Bill Haywood made his speech at the common in Lawrence, he noted the huge number of youngsters who were part of the strike and did not relent in voicing his opinion. He bellowed that the youngsters ought to be in school instead of â€Å"slaving away† in the factories. This was a genuine concern that exposed the dealings of the mills. The use of juveniles in the factories was outrageous and was a direct violation of their rights. The cause calls for sympathy since, in a very modest way, the workers were attempting to pass on their grievances using the relevant channels and yet all they met with was resistance. They encountered countless hurdles in their quest for justice. The government as well as the mill owners set up road blocks that were aimed at crushing the strike. This makes it easy to empathize with the workers and their demands which were met with hostility.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The mill owners and the government left no room for negotiations. They had a no nonsense attitude that only managed to bring the whole administration into disgrace. Their objections were based on facts that they pointed out which showed that the company was not willing to shoulder its responsibilities. With the proposals for the reduction of the working hours that were fronted by the government officials, came the implementation of the scheme. The companies endorsed the plans to reduce the hours and accordingly reduced the wages that the workers were earning. This was not fair since they were already being paid very low wages and any further reductions would result in the already poor conditions that they lived in, worsening to the point of being unbearable for them as well as their children. It is easy to empathize with the cause of the striking workers since they had tried to forward their issues to the President of the American Woolen Company and yet he had not even dignified their concerns by refusing to provide them with an answer. It is easy to understand and embrace the striking workers cause. This is because it is practically impossible to stretch ones resources as far as they were expected to extend theirs. With the enhancements in the cotton industry brought about by the commencement of the new two-loom systems in the factories, cataclysmic results were imminent. A severe slump in the wages as well as the intense retrenchment programs and redundancy depicted a clear recipe for disaster. Another challenge was the fact that Lawrence was the most expensive place to live in compared to any other region in New England. This did not favor the workers who were lowly paid. The living standards of the regions were high and yet the conditions under which the people lived were pathetic. In some quarters, they were termed as â€Å"superfluously perilous†. Furthermore, in order to suppleme nt their income, it became somewhat obligatory for the residents of Lawrence who worked in the cotton mills to accommodate or rent out parts of their abodes to paying guests. This was in a bid to complement their rent due to the exorbitant rates they were being charged. Their grounds for striking were understandable because, as much as they tried to avoid violent confrontations with the authorities, the task seemed impossible. Each of the leaders who tried to intervene on their behalf was arrested and arraigned in court. This shows that the authorities were not willing to negotiate with them.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Meaning of Liberty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The general accord was that the unskilled laborers were unable to organize themselves once their leaders were arraigned in a court of law and thrown into jail. This notion was misplaced as it was meant to suppress the demands as well as the rights of the workers. The mode of operation that the authorities used to arrest the leaders also leaves a lot to be desired. By using tactics such as murder which they later blamed on the leaders and subsequently arrested them, the government, through the police, only earned disrepute from diverse quarters. This is because there was evidence in most of the cases that the accused were nowhere near the scenes where the crimes were committed. Coupled with the questionable judicial procedures used to sort out the cases, it is easy to see why anyone would sympathize with the workers cause. By manipulating the system to suit their needs, the cotton industry magnates and the highly placed government officials (who either had interests in the cotton industry or benefited highly from deep rooted corruption that stretched to the higher echelons of the regime) deserved no empathy. This can be elaborated more by the arrests that were made when the workers went picketing at the gates of two mil ls. They were soaked to the skin with water that was shot at them from the bordering roofs of the mills. When they threw back lumps of ice, 36 people were arrested and arraigned in court. The 36 individuals were subsequently and hastily jailed by a prejudiced judge who upon finding them guilty, stated that â€Å"the only way we can teach them is to deal out the severest sentences† (Watson 2006). The factory entrepreneurs showed no sympathy to the children they employed. These youngsters were forced to work in the mills due to the diminished economic positions of their guardians and parents and therefore the mills deserved everything they got. The cause of the workers is also endearing to many people due to the fact that, at the height of the strike, they saw it fit to send their children away to safer regions due to the rising cases of extra-judicial killings which were being carried out by various departments of the government. When the government went ahead and stopped a gr oup of children from leaving the region at the railway station citing cases of individuals inciting others to strike, (while the actual reason was the attention that it was causing) they exposed their dark side. It is touching to read about how the police officers were lined up at the station and grabbed the youngsters from the hands of their minders who were then arrested and taken to court.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It warms the heart to know that the parents were willing to send their children away so that they would be safe and return only after the strike ended. However, the way that the administration sorted out the issue was not pleasant. They managed to make a mess of a good plan that was to take care of the young and innocent children who took no part in the strike. The workers who went on strike in Lawrence were truly justified in their cause and will continue to receive sympathy from all quarters. Reference Watson, Bruce. Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream.  London: Penguin Books, 2006. This essay on Meaning of Liberty was written and submitted by user Kade R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.