Transportation and Distribution Management - Discuss the importance of Essay

Transportation and Distribution Management - Discuss the importance of air transportation to global trade. Cite a real-world ca - Essay Example Air transportation is now considered as one of the major facilitators of global trade. It offers enormous benefits to the consumers. Some of the major benefits offered by air transportation are wider coverage, fastest means of communication, and high security among various other advantages. The purpose of the study is to uncover the importance of air transport or aviation in the process of facilitating international trade. The importance of air transport in the global trade will be further supported by real world examples. In this context some real examples will be provided to depict the importance of aviation. Apart from that the report will also shed light on various areas, pertaining to the importance of aviation in cross border transaction. The advantages of making use of air transport will be also highlighted. Finally the report will conclude highlighting the extant up to which air transport acts as the facilitator of international trade. Discussion This section will mainly high light the relevant theories and practical examples of air transport to depict its importance in the world trade. Air Transport and Economic Growth Like any other means of transportation, Air transport is allied with global trade in two different ways. First, air transport is used as a service mechanism, and secondly it is being used as a crucial intermediate service provider for a number of trading activities such as tourism. Numerous studies have illuminated the fact that it is important for every country (mostly developing countries) to focus on ensuring an effective, efficient and consistent air transport to gain maximum, from the activities of international trade. With rapid globalization and increased cross border trade activities, the importance of air transport got a greater boost. In addition, the significance is expected to further enhance due to rapid technological innovation, increased market access of multinational companies and deregulation (WTO, 2005). Despite the incr easing importance, the industry has passed through difficult times. The industry constantly struggles in order to survive and sustain in the market place. Whenever a big carrier gets into problem, they make headline and if they collapses the economy of that country gets highly affected. This depicts how air transport is important even for the national economy. Air transport is thus considered to be one of the most important industries of the world. Besides its service and technical achievements makes it as a supreme contributor towards the growth and advancement of modern society. The growth is also unmatched with any other form of transportation. The rising demand of air transport is also for the reason of increasing cross border trade activities. It facilitates rapid movement of people from one place to the other and also makes possible to transport goods worth billions of dollars to several markets throughout the globe (Air Transport Action Group, 2005, p.4). Air Transport and Gl obal Trade The most important economic benefit offered by air transport on the global trade is the ‘spin-off effect’. It plays a crucial role towards the promotion of financial growth in countries around the world. Air transport offers

Career Exploration Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Career Exploration Project - Essay Example In this light, the purpose of this report is to take up informational interview with two key employees of Hilton Group to explore the dynamics that are required for survival in hospitality sector. Mr. Walter Jones works as a supervisor for the hotel for three departments mainly front-desk manager, food and beverage and customer complaint and the Mr. Alex Jordan works in developing the customer relationships. This research is a primary one that will be further used for my own personal development in the professional environment. The interviews have occurred over telephone. I had to obtain the permission of the respondents before conducting the interview and this was done by e-mailing them in advance. The timing of the phone call was discussed over e-mails with the consent of the respondents. The findings from the interview are presented below. Mr. Walter Jones has worked with the Hilton Group for the past six years and he acts as a supervisor of three key areas namely front office, food and beverages delivery and resolution of customer complaints. Three most important skills have come up in the conversation with Mr. Walter Jones, namely, communication, problem solving and self-management skills. He explained that most importantly it is mandatory to manage one-self before managing others. He said that resolution of customer complaints requires having excellent communication skills. These finding is consistent with the findings of Mallinson and Weiler (2000 cited in Barron 78) who had also found that communication is most important requirement of supervisors. Problem-solving has also featured in their works. Mr. Whitman has also added that the organization has also been trying to improve its customer service experience for which it has encouraged every employee to take up computer learning skills. Mr. Whitman informed that he has recently learned internal computer software that makes his job easier. The

The nation states affected by globalisation

The nation states affected by globalisation INTRODUCTION In Viewing Globalisation and the ways it has affected nation states; it is safe to study it from two different schools of thoughts: The globalists and the sceptics. It is almost impossible to talk about Globalisation without relating it to a Nation States economy or politics. The two go together. A Nation State is affected by Globalisation in so many ways, and vice versa. The hyper globalists argue that the nation states have lost their power completely in this era of globalisation. The fact that the world is globalised means the end of the nation states especially through what is termed the â€Å"Borderless World† (Ohmae, 1990:172). For the complex globalists, although the international organisations are powerful, the nation states havent completely lost their powers. (Held et al, 1999: p27). The Sceptics, on the other hand disagree with the theories of the globalists that see the â€Å"end of nation states†. For Hirst and Thompson, The nation states are still very much in control, in fact, they have the most power and there is no such thing as the word â€Å"globalisation†, therefore, the notion that there is an effect of globalisation on nation states does not make sense (Hirst and Thompson, 1999: p256-280) In this essay, the hyper globalists and the complex globalists are classified as the liberalists or the globalists as they accept the concept of globalisation, believe in the reduction of the nation states powers, view the world as â€Å"being governed globally and conceptualise globalisation as a reordering of the frame work of human action† (Held et al, 1999: p10). They believe that globalisation is being spread through the technologies arising everyday. The Sceptics are classified as the realists who believe that the word should not be â€Å"globalisation, rather it is internationalisation and regionalisation† (Held et al, 1999: p10) and this â€Å"internationalisation depends on states acquiescence and support† (Held et al, 1999: p10) Firstly, the term â€Å"Globalisation† would be defined for clarification and the definition would serve as a reference to my points. Secondly, this essay would point out the relationship between globalisation and nation states, the institutions that arose with globalisation and how they affect nation states politically, economically and culturally, with examples. Thirdly, I would raise arguments from the globalists and sceptics points of view; my argument would show that nation states have lost their power due to the spread of globalisation and I would buttress my argument with citations and relative examples. I would also examine concerns (if any). Lastly, I would draw a conclusion which would portray my personal thoughts on globalisation and how it has affected nation states as a whole. â€Å"A globalised world is one in which political, economic, cultural, and social events become more interconnected.by Globalisation, we mean the increase of connectedness between societies† (Baylis, J. et al, 2008:8) Globalization, affects states, not only political but culturally as well as economically. The connectivity of these states and their dependence on one another for political stability, economic growth and cultural modification or awareness is also a factor of Globalisation. Nation states are naturally dependent on themselves for different resources, it could be as a result of competition, power in the international arena, or simply, for sustenance to their own economy (which may not be as rich). One major effect Globalisation has had on nation states was obviously the spread of the Global Crisis earlier this year. The crisis which was believed to have started in the United States seeped its way through other nation states and affected a large number of countries economically. The idea of globalisation which relates to interconnectedness of states, broken barriers and â€Å"borderless world† seems to have played a huge role in spreading the Financial Crisis witnessed by nation states. Banks were shut down as a result of illiquidity, not just in the United States but some countries in the EU, Brazil, and Japan etc. Unemployment rates sky rocketed in countries like Nigeria. People were getting sacked from their jobs all over the world. Even though this economic crisis started in the United States, the fact that it has the biggest economy in the world and lots of other nation states were connected to its economy meant the downfall of these nation states too. It is safe to say that international organisations or institutions have become the defining factor for most nation states in their global relations. The United Nations (for example) is the only international organization that has the authority over a states security and economic developments, â€Å"encompasses the protection of human rights and..the environment† (Taylor Curtis in J. Baylis et al, 2008: p.314). This further explains the effect of globalisation on nation states. Due to the tribal and religious wars in Africa and Asia, for example, The UN stepped in to examine these conflicts. Nation States now have to rely on these international organisations in times of conflicts especially when they cannot solve their problems on their own. The United Nations was created in 1945 and hosts different positions such as UNICEF which assists children; WHO which works on global public health and the UNHCR which provides aids to refugees. (Weiss, Forsyth Coates in OBrien Williams, 2007: p125). In this organisation, Weiss et al also state that the peace keeping/building of nation states are treated and looked into as well as some elections. (2007: p125). The United Nations is a very powerful organisation because it makes its laws and compels nation states to abide by them, and not the other way round. Nation states have more benefits when they work with these international organisations in terms of the security they are being offered (most times). The World Trade Organisation (WTO) was created in 1995 and is usually affiliated with trade and economic activities. The organisation has support from some of the wealthiest economies in the world such as the nation states in the EU, the United States and Japan. Developing countries would argue that some of these international organisations do not favour them because they are real powerful and tend to support the already developed countries in terms of these economic activities. The Rise of the Bretton Woods Institutions and its effect on Nation States. The Bretton Woods Conference in 1944 had a prominent effect on the world today. Out of this conference, two very important institutions: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and The World Bank emerged (OBrien Williams: 2007, pp. 209-210). The IMF was the regulatory body that nation states had to apply to, to be part of the â€Å"gold standard† policy. This policy meant that the dollar would be the worlds currency and would be exchange for gold to determine its worth. The policy did not hold but the IMF is still the body in charge of global exchange and interest rates (OBrien Williams: 2007, pp. 86-89). More nation states were trading with each other; therefore, it became necessary, with time, to have exchange rates. The decision on what a dollar is to a pound is based on the outcome of what the IMF has concluded; not the nation states. The World Bank on the other hand is known as â€Å"the lender of the last resort†. Although, it claims to benefit nation states in crisis by bailing them out, there are also strict rules governing this procedure. The World Bank has the final say on which countries are benefitting from whatever money it would lend. The Nation States are entirely under their control here, they play no significant role; their only â€Å"role† is to fulfil all the rules the World Bank has set, and they just might be eligible for these monies. Ngaire Woods describes the IMF and World Bank as â€Å"The Globalizers†. She says that they have inculcated a good number of nation states into world economy by advising the governments of these states to be more open to investments and capital, and to allow for global trade (2006, p 3). She also states that â€Å"they have presented globalisation as a solution to challenges they have faced in the world economy† (2006, p3) Another major effect globalisation has had in nation states; (especially in recent years) is in the area of Migration. In the EU states, the schengen visa makes it possible to visit as many states as there are in the EU. Years ago, one would have needed 12 different visas to visit 12 different countries in the European Union, but today, with the spread of globalisation, one visa gets you to those 12 nation states. The sceptics like Hirst and Thompson might argue that although, we are seeing the emergence of these international organisations (in this case, the EU), which might have a say in national policies, â€Å"people are less mobile than moneythey remain ‘nationalized, dependent on passports, visas, residence and labour qualifications† (Hirst and Thompson,1999: p257). Thereby arguing that in fact, we do not live in a borderless world; rules in terms of migration are still made by the nation states. Globalists can defend their theories here that although individuals may need visas to move around countries, it is still the organisations that determine the nature of these visas especially in the EU where a visa to Italy equates a visa to France. Currencies are no longer national, that is, peculiar to their nation states. The Euro, for example is being used by nation states in the European Union. The use of this single currency by countries in the European Union has made it possible to break barriers (if any) of economic trade across EU nation states. This was implemented, not by the nation states but by the European Monetary System. Globalisation has affected the states in the sense that they had no option than to give into the use of this common currency or face the threat of having a depreciating currency that would eventually lead to a depreciated economy. Therefore the benefit of being in a unit saves exposure in the case of Recession etc. It is no shock that the nation states with the most powerful economies have the most amounts of Multi National Corporations. A survey done in 2006 by Data from Fortune shows that the top 25 (twenty five) MNCs in the world consist of nine in the United States, thirteen in the EU countries and two in Japan. Twenty four out of the twenty five largest corporations (by revenues) are for the wealthiest states (OBrien Williams, 2007: p175). This shows how relevant these MNCs are to their nations economy. MNCs now find their ways into different nation states with thriving economies to make profit from them. Borders are broken when a US based MNC decides to have an operating base in China, for example. The above citation goes to prove that MNCs are no longer ‘nation-owned but actually control the nations in the sense that they move to whichever state they want to be situated. THE CONCERN Speaking as an individual from a third world country, it is easy to say that there is a major concern and it is rightly justified in the sense that these governing international bodies which have been springing up due to the spread of globalisation, has still been one-sided. Politically, in 2007, Nigeria witnessed the election of President Umaru Yaradua. Usually, during elections, the US organises an electoral committee to oversee the process, making sure it is free and fair. During the elections, the national television authority in Nigeria (NTA) announced that some of the ballot boxes had gone missing during the course of the elections. Of course, that meant that something was not right. The individuals sent by the Electoral Commission went on international television (CNN) and announced that they had, in fact, over seen the elections and it was free and fair so whatever the result, the election was a success. Now, to whos benefit? Is it to the Nigerian public? The Nigerian Politicians? Or the United States electoral body sent to conduct these elections? Culturally, norms and values are deteriorating speedily. In todays society, globalisation of the media and internet has made it easy to have access to Hollywood and the Western fashion. It is very easy to get lost in the world of pornography (easy access through the internet where restrictions are not followed), under aged drinking is more prominent with the youth today because they see their favourite stars on television and they believe its the norm. Nation States cannot stop these infringements into their societies because as they have embraced globalisation, they have welcomed its positive and negative results. We are aware of the show down that took place in sports recently. The World cup qualifiers between France and Ireland, to be more specific. A controversial goal was scored by William Gallass of France after Thierry Henry (France captain) was said to have handled the ball and passed it. The goal was allowed by the referee and France qualified on that note. After much contest and ‘a million highlights of that moment, The Irish football association (as a nation state) challenges FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) which is in charge of regulating laws concerning football internationally, to replay the match for a fair result. FIFA ruled against it and France was named as one of the countries participating in the world cup next year. The questions here are direct: Does France deserve to be in the world cup? More importantly, is France in the world Cup because Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president is close friends with French man Michel Platini, the UEFA (Union of Eu ropean Football associations) president? It is notable that FIFA and UEFA, the football governing bodies have the final decision on whatever happens on the pitch, sometimes, it could be a wrong call and nation states that are reportedly treated unfairly have no say in these matters. In my opinion, drawing concerns from globalisation is very crucial to nation states. Globalisations effect on nation states, as important as it may be, calls for a lot of attention and scrutiny. The systems that have come up as a result of our globalising world have not been entirely fair, because in the end, who are those governing in these international organisations and MNCs? Who are those in power making all these decisions? They are the people with hegemony, with power and wealth who are able to control nation states and make them puppets. They are the capitalists whose ultimate goal is to make profit, so we should definitely be concerned since it affects us globally. Globalisation is not successful until concerns are next to irrelevant. Every nation state should be able to benefit from the spread of globalisation, but at the moment, the powerful states are only getting more powerful, sapping resources form the developing countries by situating MNCs strategically. Nation states now go out of their way to create a more suitable business environment because these MNCs chose the best possible location involving cheap labour to situate their business. Therefore, states now compete with each other to be more and more favourable to the MNCs, most times, at the risk of their citizens. Generally, it would be of less concern if it benefitted the whole world equally. Concerns have risen because some nation states are being treated with more advantages than others. In concluding, the nation states played a huge role in policy making which affected individuals but with the spread of globalisation, states roles became very limited and less conspicuous in these political arenas. Territorial boundaries were becoming less important because they became more connected to one another (the states), flows of technology such as the internet and satellite made views and news more global; there by restricting in determining what its individuals are exposed to, movements became globalised such as the NGOs, INGOs; flows of capital ran through borders; and the media made everything recognisable especially through the consistent rise of Hollywood (the US film industry). Ohmae conceptualizes my idea on globalisation and how it affects nation states when he describes the states as â€Å"a dysfunctional unitrepresents no shared community of economic interest† (1990, p.24). It is clear that nation states are now being governed by external forces, whether it is the MNCs, the International Organisations, the NGOs or INGOs and it is important to note that most organisations are in business for profit making so the best possible state with the least possible labour would be a recipient of their businesses. However, many arguments may arise over the concerns of globalisation and how it affects nation states. Some may argue that it has enriched their nations economy; others may argue that it has given their nation states more exposure on the international scene, but a nation state that cannot make its own decisions because of a â€Å"governing body† is almost powerless. Decision making, governing its people, security for its citizens and most importantly, culture of a nations people should be overseen by its government. BIBLIOGRAPHY Baylis, J., Smith, S., Owens, P. (2008) The Globalisation of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) Held, D. Mc Grew, A., Goldblatt, D. Perraton, J. (1999) The Global Transformations: Politics, Economics Culture (Cambridge: Polity Press) Hirst, P. Thompson, G. (1999) Globalisation in Question, 2nd edition (Cambridge: Polity Press) OBrien, R. and Williams, M. (2007) Global Political Economy: Evolution Dynamics, 2nd edition (New York: Palgrave Macmillan) Ohmae, K. (1990) The Borderless World: Power and Strategy in the Inter linked Economy (London: Fontana) Stone, D. Wright, C. (2007) The World Bank and Governance: A Decade of Reform and Reaction (New York: Routledge) Taylor, P. Curtis, D. (2008) â€Å"The United Nations† in Baylis, J. et al, The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) pp. 314-315 Weiss, Forsyth Coates (2001) â€Å"International Organisation and Governance† in OBrien, R. Williams, M., Global Political Economy: Evolution Dynamics, 2nd edition (New York: Palgrave Maxmillian) Pg 125 Woods, N. (2006) The Globalizers: the IMF, the World Bank their borrowers (New York: Cornell University Press) Woods, N. (2008) â€Å"International Political Economy in an age of Globalization† John Baylis, J. et al, The Globalisation of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) pp. 244-258

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest :: essays research papers fc

QUESTION Was Forman compelled to change the point of view in his adaptation of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest? ANSWER Forman was compelled to change the point of view in adapting the book into a film. REASONING A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the book Chief Bromden’s thoughts go from stark reality and understanding to dreams and visions which would be difficult for an audience to follow. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The confusion created by the Chief’s switches from reality to fantasy is possible in literary form due to the amount of detail and analysis, which can be put down on paper. However, this is impossible for a director to capture the same understanding and depth in a two-hour film. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chief Bromden’s thoughts and hallucinations, which are the narration in the book, are erratic and crazy when not compared and elaborated. In a film, it is not always possible to clarify on the type of details found in the book. D.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is not enough time nor is it possible to elucidate into the amount of detail which Ken Kesey goes into in the book. This is due to the fact that Chief Bromden starts out playing deaf and dumb and even when he does begin to talk it is not in great amounts or details. In order to capture the heart of the story a director would have to use a broader narration, which a diverse audience could understand. E.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A book allows for great amounts of details due to the depth of words and the imagery they can evoke in a readers mind. There is not enough time in a film for all the detail of a book to come out and explain every single character to an audience, which needs to be constantly entertained to keep their focus. CITATIONS This is an autobiographical reference to how Ken Kesey came to write One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and the processes, which made it realistic and fantastical at the same time. â€Å"But also at the same time Bromden is an unreliable witness he is also an extremely reliable one. We feel he tells us the truth about McMurphy; in fact, he tells it with such penetration and insight that it has a consistent and coherent shape and meaning for us. The combination of hallucination and truth in the narration is a notable stylistic accomplishment. Fact and fantasy alternate, but the reader has no difficulty distinguishing one from the other, and thus they successfully complement each other.

Emperial Rome vs Han Essay

The Classical Period was a time where large, land-based empires were developed. The leaders of these empires were met with many questions on how to control their territories. While both the Han empire and Imperial Rome exercised political control over their empires through government structure, they differed in their organization of bureaucrats and their reliance on slavery. Both the Han and Imperial Rome exercised political control through similar government structure. The Han emperor, who was believed to be the â€Å"Mandate of Heaven†, had absolute power over all of his people. They relied heavily on their trained bureaucrats, the Shi, to carry out lawful duties. This reliance was supported by Confucian ways and stabilized the empire. Imperial Rome also practiced having a singular ruler to control the whole. The Roman emperor also was believed to have power over the citizens of Rome. The Romans also had their own class of bureaucrats who were valued highly. This social stratification unified Rome as a country. Both Han and Imperial Rome relied on social hierarchy to help with exercising political control over their empires. They practiced this structure because it unified power in the state and lessened the amount of chaos. The Han relied on their bureaucratic class of trained officials to exercise political control; whereas in Rome bureaucracy was given as a reward to returned war heroes. The Han’s bureaucrats, the Shi, were trained in the Confucian ways. This made the officials more reliable and prone to do the right thing. The Shi were also taught to embody the law and enforce it in the state. This method of â€Å"lead by example† helped citizens strive to do their best. If the citizens were all hoping to be a better man, the society as a whole would be a better place. The Han’s bureaucrats were ran more on a basis of trust in their behavior than the Roman’s. This method of trust in the bureaucrats was heavily supported by the Confucian teachings and their training in becoming better men. In Imperial Rome, bureaucracy was given to returned warriors. Rome hoped that by rewarding good soldiers there would be more desire to go fight in a war and succeed. These bureaucrats enforced the laws rather than embodying them. They weren’t reliable, but were forceful enough to get the job done by using fear to make the citizens behave and do as the laws said. The bureaucracy was given to the returned war heroes as a reward for their accomplishments in battles. This gave soldiers more desire to fight and do well in wars so that when they returned they would be honored for their accomplishments. The Han relied more on trust to carry out their political control than Imperial Rome did. The Hans trained their bureaucrats to make them more trustworthy and faithful to their ruler. However, Rome used their successful soldiers because they fought in many wars; they needed motivation for their soldiers to go be successful and to fight bravely and honorably. While both civilizations had slaves, Han China didn’t rely greatly on their slaves; however in Imperial Rome slaves were a critical and indispensable part of the society. In Chinese societies slaves were used mostly for at home chores such as cooking, cleaning, or going shopping. Even without slaves performing these domestic tasks, the Han could’ve survived. Also, slaves in China were treated less harshly than those in Rome. The slaves in China were allowed to refuse certain tasks that were not included in their contract when they first signed to their owner without fearing a severe beating. Lastly, China had an overall more lenient view on their slaves. The owners in Han were not as strict or cruel. However in Imperial Rome, slaves were mostly captured war prisoners who were being punished. This led to harsh punishment of the slaves to make sure they behaved and did as told. Slaves began doing a majority of the physical labor in Imperial Rome which made them an asset to the Roman society. If Rome were to lose their slaves, the economy would crumble and the empire would fall. Finally, some Roman slaves were given high titles, such as lawyers or doctors. So to lose these slaves would be to lost tons of profit. Both societies used slaves, but Imperial Rome was much more reliant on their slaves than Han China was. The Hans didn’t rely on slaves much because they knew that they weren’t reliable and if they kept a strong hold on them they would rebel and cause the fall of the empire. However, Rome used the method of scaring their slaves into doing the right thing. If the slaves feared a brutal beating they would be sure to make the right decisions and follow directions. In both Han China and Imperial Rome government structure was used to help exercise political control, however they differed on their organization of bureaucracy and their reliance on slavery.

Medieval society and contemporary times

The Dark or Middle Age is usually the time that stretches from year 400 to 1000 which, historically speaking, points us to the European Early Middle Ages. The Italian scholar Francesco Petrarca coined the idea of a dark age. Though it was originally projected as a comprehensive critique of the nature of Latin literature in later times, later historians stretched the concept to contain not only the insufficiency of Latin literature but also a lack of present-day written historical accounts and material cultural achievements in the larger context.The term itself has been further enlarged by popular culture as a means to clearly illustrate the Middle Ages as an age reeking of backwardness, lengthening its pejorative practice and increasing its span. In the 20th century, the consequent emergence of archaeology and other related field in the sciences has removed much dust on the period and provided a more nuanced comprehension of its positive and contributory advancements. Other expressio ns of periodization were put forward: the Early Middle Ages, Late Antiquity, and the Great Migrations, depending on what fraction of culture is being highlighted.Petrarca noted that even though Classical Antiquity lacked the sense of Christianity it nevertheless had much of advancement in terms of culture whereas in Petrarca’s time was now labeled as the age of darkness because of the lapse in such cultural achievements.Two periods in history were observed and written by Petrarca: the Greek and Roman classical period trailed by an age of darkness in which Petrarca saw himself as still existing. The Roman Empire is believed by humanists to rise again one day and bring back classic cultural stainlessness. The promotion of classical culture championed as an ideological campaign by humanists was the beginning foundation of the concept of the European Dark Ages, and was for that reason not a neutral historical examination. It was conceived to convey disapproval and dissatisfaction of one period in time and the endorsement of another.Humanists such as Leonardo Bruni believed they had attained this new age during the late 14th and early 15th century, and that a third, Modern Age had commenced. With Petrarca labeling their age as â€Å"dark†, the age before their own had in effect become a â€Å"middle† age sandwiched between the classic and the modern. Around 1439, the first use of the term â€Å"Middle Age† appears with Flavio Biondo.The very definition of feudalism calls for the use of many qualifiers primarily because there is no broadly established agreement of what it stands for. A working definition is desirable in order for one to start to comprehend feudalism.During the middle ages, the idea of Feudalism points to a general and broad set of reciprocal legal and military obligations and responsibilities among the warrior nobility of Europe which revolved around the three major concepts of vassals, fiefs, and lords and on how these t hree crucial elements fit together inn the society. A lord was a noble who possessed land, a vassal was an individual who was permitted or rewarded custody of the land by the lord, and the land was branded as a fief. The vassal would present military service and assistance to the lord in exchange for the fief. Thus, the very obligations and connected relations between lord, vassal and fief form the structural basis of feudalism.The lord should have to make a certain individual a vassal before the former could grant the fief to the latter. Composed of the two-part act of homage and oath of fealty, this was practiced at a formal and symbolic ritual called a commendation ceremony. The vassal would give his word to battle in the side of and for the lord at his command during homage. Fealty is rooted from the Latin fidelitas, or faithfulness. Hence, the oath of fealty is seen to be a promise that the vassal will be faithful and devoted to the lord. The lord and vassal were now in a feuda l relationship with agreed-upon mutual obligations to one another right after the completion of the commendation.Granting a fief, or its revenues, to the vassal is one of the lord’s major obligations in a feudal system inasmuch as the fief is primary reason as to why the vassal preferred to engage himself into the relationship with the lord. Moreover, the lord from time to time had to accomplish other responsibilities to the vassal and fief which includes, among other else, the maintenance of such a relationship. It was still the lord's responsibility to sustain and keep the land in good condition since the lord had not given the land away but merely loaned it to the vassal while the latter had the privilege to amass revenues produced from the fief. The protection of the land and the vassal from harm is another rightful responsibility of the lord.On the other hand, the core obligation of the vassal towards the lord was to impart â€Å"aid† mostly in the form of militar y service through the utilization of available equipment the vassal could get hold of through the revenues generated from the fief. In essence, the vassal was responsible to take heed of the calls for the service in the military on lord’s behalf. It is quite notable that this guarantee and protection of military assistance was the ultimate motivation the lord preferred to form a junction with the vassal into the feudal relationship.Likewise, the vassal also had to fulfill other obligations to the lord from time to time which includes providing the lord with â€Å"counsel† so that the lord, when faced a major decision, would summon all his vassals and hold a council. One common illustration to this is when the lord had to decide whether or not to go to war. Moreover, the vassal may have been mandated to offer a consented quantity of his farm’s produce to his lord, and that the vassal was occasionally prescribed to grind his wheat in the mills and bake his bread i n the ovens owned and taxed by his lord.During the medieval times, there was a conception of three orders in the medieval society. These three can be briefly identified as those who work or the peasants, those who fight or the warring class, and those who pray or the members of the clergy.For the most part, the peasants provide the manpower in the upkeep or maintenance of the whole system through their labor in the fields and other economic institutions within the feudal system in the middle ages. These are the men and women who comprise the bulk of the system who toil not only to sustain their existence in the smaller scale but also to provide the necessary development of the system right at its very foundation.The estate of warriors in the system naturally has the obligation of fulfilling the task of protecting the system from outside invasion which may root from other systems in its proximity, or from internal disputes which may range from the peasant class up to the nobles. Thei r role is crucial in the sense that their responsibility is crucial to the safekeeping of the entire system by regulating the possibility of intrusion which can inevitably lead to the collapse of the ruling men and of the feudal system in general.Lastly, the clergymen were tasked to look after the spiritual life of the people within the medieval manor. A few of these duties include the administration of the needed sacraments with steadiness and to function as an ideological guardian of the ruling order, the absolution men and women from their sins through confession, and proclaiming secular and ecclesiastical pronouncements. In essence, the function of the clergymen in the medieval village was well beyond the ordinary functions of peasants and of the warriors for the reason that it was the village priest with whom medieval men and women identified the Church, reflecting its teachings, and authority as an utmost concern of the medieval people within the system.Apparently, there are s trands of similarities which can be observed from this class distinction between the medieval times and the contemporary generation. For the most part, the contemporary age also has within it counterparts of the medieval clergymen (priests in the Roman Catholic Church or elders in several other religious faiths), peasants (the modern working man and woman), and warriors (the military forces of nations). However, the structure of the contemporary society does not merely revolve around this three classes. Quite on the contrary, the contemporary society has a bounty of classes from which the structure of almost every nation is reflected. We now have, among other things, Non-Government Organizations which seems not be fit in any of the medieval classes.In a society based on class hierarchy, it is expected that roles are quite distinct and the functioning of every individual is separate from those of the rest. Roughly speaking, the hierarchy of classes entails the supremacy of one over t he other in both economic and social terms where the distribution of power and obligations are directly proportional the attainment of classes. To live in a hierarchy is to basically involve oneself in a system where tasks are delegated accordingly depending on the roles imminent to the class one might fall under. In contemporary society, there is a striking and undeniable existence of a hierarchy which is based on several factors such as economic, legal, and political elements to name a few.ReferencesMaliszewski, James, Lisa J. Steele, and C. A. Suleiman. Dark Ages: Europe. 160 vols: White Wolf Publishing, 2002.Russell, Frederick H. The Just War in the Middle Ages. New Ed ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.