Federalism Research Paper - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2604 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/02/13 Category Politics Essay Type Research paper Level High school Tags: Federalism Essay Did you like this example? Abstract Federalism is a political system through which two or more governments have shared authority over the same geographical area. Most democratic countries in the world are governed by a federal system, including Canada, the U.S., Australia, India and Argentina. Federal systems are often governed by a Congress, with a President or a Parliament with a Prime Minister. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Federalism Research Paper" essay for you Create order All federal systems have a central government, a Constitution and a certain procedure that must be followed to resolve any disputes. Federalism has an impact on public budgeting and impacts the spending of public budget as will be discussed within the countries of the United States of America, Israel, and Turkey. Federalism Research Paper Federalism is a political system through which two or more governments have shared authority over the same geographical area (AskHON, 2018). Most democratic countries in the world are governed by a federal system, including Canada, the U.S., Australia, India and Argentina (AskHON, 2018). Federal systems are often governed by a Congress, with a President or a Parliament with a Prime Minister (AskHON, 2018). All federal systems have a central government, a Constitution and a certain procedure that must be followed to resolve any disputes (AskHON, 2018). The Constitution serves as a guideline, which the different constituent entities use to check on one another (AskHON, 2018). The Articles of Confederation originally established the United States as a confederation, where each of the states operated separately and independently from one another (Study.com, 2018). The United States Constitution set up our current federal government and replaced the Articles of Confederation (Study.com, 2 018). The Constitution recognizes the federal government as the highest governmental power (Study.com, 2018). United States of America The United States Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution recognizes the federal government as the highest governmental power (Study.com, 2018). The Constitution expressly grants broad powers to the federal government but not to the states (Study.com, 2018). The Constitution stresses what the states cant do. The Bill of Rights tempers some of the imbalance concerning the states’ rights (Study.com, 2018). The Tenth Amendment gives the states all powers not delegated to the national government or denied to the states (Study.com, 2018). Impact on constitutionally limited federal government. Madison’s concept of limited government maintained that the powers of the government should be limited internally by the Constitution itself but externally by the American people through the representative electoral process (Longley, 2017). The Ninth Amendment and the Tenth Amendment define the process of limited government as practiced in the United States (Longley, 2017). The Tenth Amendment defines the individual and shared powers of the U.S. government and the state governments forming the American version of federalism (Longley, 2017). The U.S. Constitution provides that Congress shall have the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the various states (Thomas, 2013). Congress has the power under the Spending Clause to require states to undertake certain activities as a condition of receiving federal monies (Thomas, 2013). Impact on public budgeting. Congress has broad financial powers, including the power to tax and spend in order to pay debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States (Thomas, 2013). Congress also has the power to borrow money and to appropriate money from the United States Treasury (Thomas, 2013). The purposes for which Congress may tax and spend are very broad and are not limited by the scope of other enumerated powers under which Congress may regulate (Thomas, 2013). Impact spending of public budgeting. One of the more significant ways that the federal government can encourage state behavior is to impose conditions on the receipt of federal monies by the states (Thomas, 2013). Considering the large number of funds provided to states by the federal government, this represents a significant power for Congress to exercise (Thomas, 2013). Israel Federalism has strong roots in the Judaic tradition of brit or covenant (Mollov, 2018). The idea of covenant which is rooted in Judaism is considered to be the main organizing principle around which the outlook of all Biblically rooted traditions and the worldview of the Bible are built (Mollov, 2018). The aspects of federal relationships are reflected in the Hebraic idea of covenant and are expressed in both social as well as political terms: the covenant relationship is to social and political life what Bubers I-Thou relationship is to personal life. Through covenants humans and their institutions are entered into dialogue and are given a framework for dialogue (Mollov, 2018). Aspects of federalism which have their origins in fundamentally Judaic concepts were well-suited to deal with elements of Israels current reality (Mollov, 2018). In this society of subgroups, a need for inter-group dialogue has increased. This is a reversal of the expectation of Israels founders that the coun try would adopt a more uniform image of the new Israeli as different cultural subgroups would merge into one (Mollov, 2018). Impact on constitutionally limited federal government. In Israel the prime factor explaining the formation of federal factions is the joint desire of two or more parties to increase their political and electoral effectiveness by combining forces (Wittes, 2018). Israeli cultural politics need not be a zero-sum game, imposing the values of one community over others (Wittes, 2018). Solutions are to be found in countries like the United States, Switzerland, India and Spain. Just as U.S. states provide a framework for playing out America’s â€Å"culture wars† on a sub-national level, Israel’s cultural regions could create a more livable status quo (Wittes, 2018). While the U.S. may dwarf Israel’s population and landmass, the U.S. cultural chasms are more varied (Wittes, 2018). And just as the Swiss cantons afford their residents a high degree of autonomy in such areas as education, health and personal-status issues (including marriage), so should and can Israel ’s (Wittes, 2018). Any two-state solution requires execution and tough decisions by leaders in both communities (Wittes, 2018). Impact on public budgeting. Israel has a modern market economy with a thriving high-technology sector that attracts considerable foreign investment (heritage.org, 2018). The discovery of large offshore natural gas deposits has improved its energy security and balance-of-payments prospects (heritage.org, 2018). Despite the 2006 war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the 2008–2009, 2012, and 2014 wars against Hamas in Gaza, as well as the constant threat of terrorism, Israel’s economy is fundamentally sound and dynamic (heritage.org, 2018). The government plans further economic liberalization, but fiscal consolidation has been deferred in favor of populist spending and tax measures demanded by the governing coalition (heritage.org, 2018). Competitiveness is enhanced by strong protection of property rights, efficient coordination of regulatory processes, and a sound judicial framework that sustains the rule of law (heritage.org, 2018). Impact spending of public budgeting. Protection of property and contractual rights is effective, and businesses face a low risk of expropriation (heritage.org, 2018). The system for recording secured interests in property is reliable (heritage.org, 2018). Bribery and other forms of corruption are illegal (heritage.org, 2018). A strong societal intolerance for graft is reinforced by frequent investigations of high-level corruption (heritage.org, 2018). Government economic policies are generally sound and conducive to running a business (heritage.org, 2018). Israel is often supportive of start-up businesses, but restrictive trade policies that favor domestic producers and limit competition are a concern (heritage.org, 2018). The highly skilled and well-educated labor force is the economy’s biggest asset (heritage.org, 2018). Israel uses price controls largely to regulate the price of food, but also for products in markets with monopolies such as cement (heritage.org, 2018). Turkey Turkey is one of the most centralized countries in Europe (Daventry, 2017). Various countries have presidential systems and almost all have federal mechanisms. Presidential systems can gradually turn into totalitarian regimes with all powers vested in one individual and require regional federations with independent decision-making mechanisms if democracy is to remain sound and healthy (Yahya, 2014). Following its official application for European Union membership, Turkey had to adopt the European Constitution and is bound by it (Yahya, 2014). One of the most contentious articles in that constitution for Turkey is the condition imposing local administrations (Yahya, 2014). Turkey has been implementing a system known as the Development Agencies since 2006 (Yahya, 2014). Under this, Turkey is theoretically divided into eight separate regions and the development agencies to be established will have the broader authority to maintain relations with foreign countries (Yahya, 2014). Impact on constitutionally limited federal government. Turkey is divided into several regions. There are 81 provinces, and governor of each province answers directly to the ministry of interior. In Ottoman times, Greeks, Armenians and others did not want to live in a Federal State together with Turks. They wanted to build their own states, and exile (or kill) all the Turks that â€Å"happen† to be on the wrong side of the boundary they drew (Quora, 2016). The seven regions are at least officially, only geographic regions though they also roughly mark some ideological boundaries and ethnicities (Quora, 2016). The Marmara, Mediterranean and Aegean regions are more liberal than the Central Anatolian and Black Sea regions (Quora, 2016). The East and Southeast Anatolian regions were created in the ’40s in order to reinforce the Turkish Republic (Quora, 2016). If federalism was adopted, inter-communal violence would surge and political instability would prevail (Quora, 2016). It is a Kurdish majority region, with many people wanting greater autonomy and cultural rights (Quora, 2016). Impact on public budgeting. President Erdogan enacted a massive purge of citizens with any connection to Fethullah Gulen’s movement, resulting in more than 50,000 people imprisoned and the seizure of more than $10 billion of assets from private companies (Caywood, 2018). Turkey’s move toward authoritarian rule has dire economic consequences as an erosion of rule of law generally does not create a climate hospitable to free markets (Caywood, 2018). Immediately following the 2016 attacks, Turkey’s tourism industry found itself in a state of decline with the overall economy slowing to 3.5 percent for the year (Caywood, 2018). The April 2017 referendum vote further solidified the end of Turkish accession discussions, confirming the threat that Turkey’s descent into authoritarianism poses a severe threat to its economy (Caywood, 2018). Impact spending of public budgeting. The budget bill foresees the revenues and expenditures of the state for the next period and authorizes and permits the executive organ to collect revenues and spending (tbmm.gov, 2018). The budget bill forecasts the expenditures and revenues for the next fiscal year (tbmm.gov, 2018). The fiscal year starts on the first day of January and ends on the last day of December (tbmm.gov, 2018). The budgets of the central government are prepared and executed as the budget of central government, budgets of social security institutions, and budgets of local governments (tbmm.gov, 2018). The budget of central government consists of a general budget, a special budget, and a budget of regulatory and supervisory organs (tbmm.gov, 2018). Judeo-Christian analysis. God still holds men accountable for their actions, and that nations still rise or fall according to the righteousness of their people (Fischer, 1998). If one is to understand the story of the United States of America, it is important to have a proper appreciation for its Christian colonial roots (Hall, 2011). Colonists of European descent who settled in the New World were Christians whose constitutions, laws, and practices reflected the influence of Christianity (Hall, 2011). The Declaration of Independence, proclaims: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness† (Hall, 2011). This references â€Å"the laws of nature and of nature’s God† and â€Å"appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world† and the signers’ â€Å"reliance on the protection of divine Providence† (Hall, 2011) . Covenantal politics links people and communities as partners in common tasks, and allows them space to be free (Hall, 2011). The tribes of Israel, for instance, were in a covenantal relationship with one another. They had common purposes, such as to uphold the law of God and provide for national security, but they also had the freedom to live as they chose, provided they lived according to Gods law (Hall, 2011). Freedom and diversity are possible because the covenant is based on achieving certain goals (Hall, 2011). Outside of those goals, the covenant does not place any restraints on any of the parties (Hall, 2011). Conclusion The strength of federalism lies in its flexibility and adaptability (Elazar, 2018). Federalism seeks to encourage unity and diversity together (Elazar, 2018). Federalism, self-rule/shared rule, involves both structure and process (Elazar, 2018). A federal process must be combined with a federal structure to create a viable federal system or arrangement (Elazar, 2018). A successful federalist process hinges on some sense of partnership among the participating parties based on a commitment to negotiated cooperation on issues and programs (Elazar, 2018). There must be a commitment to open bargaining among all parties to achieve consensus or, at the very least, an accommodation which protects the fundamental integrity of all parties (Elazar, 2018). There are a number of different federal structures successfully functioning in the world today (Elazar, 2018). Many polities combine more than one arrangement and many of these structures can accommodate a multiplicity of needs (Elazar, 2018). What is crucial is that there really be a will to achieve a solution utilizing federal principles, whether it is based on a commitment to federalism or upon interests (Elazar, 2018). Among the factors which must be developed are a commitment to democratic government, a willingness to accept pluralism and power-sharing, an agreement to resolve conflict through negotiation, and finally, a sense of self-restraint in pursuing political goals and in the exercise of power which reaches beyond the other tenets of democratic government to include a commitment to power-sharing (Elazar, 2018). References AKBEY, F. (2014). A Drawback in Turkish Budget Classification: Where Have Public Investments Gone? Erciyes ÃÅ"niversitesi ?ktisadi ve ?dari Bilimler Fakà ¼ltesi Dergisi, 175-202. AskHON. (2018, December 3). What is federalism? Retrieved from History on the Net: https://www.historyonthenet.com/what-is-federalism Caywood, C. (2018, January 23). Turkey: A strikingly familiar tale of a democracy in decline. Retrieved from American Legislative Exchange Council: https://www.alec.org/article/turkey-a-strikingly-familiar-tale-of-a-democracy-in-decline/ Daventry, M. S. (2017, April 13). Confusing Turkish nationalists with federalism. Retrieved from James in Turkey: https://www.jamesinturkey.com/confusing-turkish-nationalists-federalism/ Elazar, D. J. (2018, December 7). Federal/Confederal solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian conflict: Concepts and feasibility. Retrieved from Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs: https://www.jcpa.org/dje/articles/fedconfed-sol.htm Fischer, K. J . (1998). Biblical principals of history and government. Virginia Beach: Robertson School of Government. Hall, M. D. (2011, June 7). Did America have a Christian founding? Retrieved from heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/political-process/report/did-america-have-christian-founding heritage.org. (2018, December 7). Israel index of economic freedom. Retrieved from heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/index/country/israel Longley, R. (2017, May 10). What is a constitutionally limited government? Retrieved from Thoughtco: https://www.thoughtco.com/constitutionally-limited-government-4121219 Mollov, M. B. (2018). Federalism and multiculturalism as a vehicle for perception change in Israeli-Jewish society. International Journal of Conflict Management, 144-166 . Quora. (2016, November 22). Why hasn’t Turkey adopted federalism if it is big enough and divided into seven regions? Retrieved from Quora: https://www.quora.com/Why-hasn%E2%80%99t-Turkey-adopted-federalism-if-it- is-big-enough-and-divided-into-seven-regions Study.com. (2018, December 3). What is federalism? Definition factors of U.S. adoption. Retrieved from Study.com: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-federalism-definition-factors-of-us-adoption.html tbmm.gov. (2018, December 4). Budgetary process. Retrieved from The Grand National Assembly of Turkey: https://global.tbmm.gov.tr/index.php/EN/yd/icerik/30 Thomas, K. R. (2013). Federalism, state sovereignty, and the constitution: Basis and limits of congressional power. Washington D.C.: Congressional Research Service . Torgovnik, E. (1986). Federal factions and federated host parties in Israel: Some ideological and structural dimensions. Publius, 113-132. Wittes, B. (2018, August 14). Imagining a federalist Israel: Notes toward a disruptive fantasy. Retrieved from Lawfare: https://www.lawfareblog.com/imagining-federalist-israel-notes-toward-disruptive-fantasy Yahya, H. (2014, July 5). Federalism: A path Turkey must avoid. Retriev ed from Arab News: https://www.arabnews.com/news/596761

Present Simple Lesson Plan for Adult English Learners

Teaching the present simple tense is one of the first, and most important tasks when teaching beginners. Its a good idea to teach the present simple of the verb to be to begin with, and introduce simple adjectives to help students expand their understanding of the verb to be. After English learners are comfortable with the present and past forms of the verb to be, teaching the present simple and past simple will be much easier. 5 Steps for Introducing the Present Simple Start by Modeling the Present Simple Most English learners are false beginners. In other words, they have already studied English at some point. Begin teaching the present ​simply by stating some of your routines: I get up at six-thirty in the morning.I teach at the Portland English School.I have lunch at one oclock. Students will recognize most of these verbs. Model some questions for the students as well. At this point, its a good idea to ask yourself a question and provide the answer. When do you have dinner? - I have dinner at six oclock.When do you come to school? - I come to school at two oclock.Where do you live? - I live in Portland. Continue by asking students the same questions. Students will be able to follow your lead and answer appropriately. Introduce the Third Person Singular Once the students are comfortable speaking about their own basic daily activities, introduce the third person singular for he and she which will prove the most difficult for students. Again, model the present simple third person ending in s for the students. When does Mary have dinner? - She has dinner at six oclock.When does John come to school? - He comes to school at two oclock.Where does she live? - He lives in Portland. Ask each student a question and ask another for a reply, creating a chain of questions and answers changing from you to he and she. This will help students memorize this crucial difference. Where do you live? - (Student) I live in Portland.Where does he live? - (Student) He lives in Portland. Introduce the Negative Introduce the negative form of the present simple in the same manner as above. Remember to continually model the form to the students and immediately encourage a similar answer. Does Anne live in Seattle? - No, she doesnt live in Seattle. She lives in Portland.Do you study French? - No, you dont study French. You study English. Introduce Questions Up to this point, students have been answering questions so they should be familiar with the form. Make sure to point out the difference between yes/no questions and information questions. Start with yes/no questions encouraging students to answer in the short form. Do you work every day? - Yes, I do./No, I dont.Do they live in Portland? - Yes, they do./No, they dont.Does she study English? - Yes, she does/No, she doesnt. Once students are comfortable with short yes/no questions, move on to information questions. Make sure to vary the subjects up to help students become familiar with the tendency to drop the s.   Where do you live? - I live in Seattle.When do you get up in the morning? - I get up at seven oclock.Where does she go to school? - She goes to school at the University of Washington. Discuss Important Time Words Once students become comfortable with the present simple, introduce important time words such as everyday and adverbs of frequency (usually, sometimes, rarely, etc.). Contrast these with common time words used in the present continuous such as now, at the moment, etc.   She usually takes the bus to work. Today, she is driving.My friend sometimes goes out for dinner. At the moment, hes cooking dinner at home.Jennifer rarely talks to strangers. Right now, shes talking to a friend. 3 Strategies for Practicing the Present Simple Explaining the Present Simple on the Board Students will now recognize the present simple tense and be able to respond to simple questions. Its time to introduce the grammar. Use a present simple tense timeline on the board to stress the fact that this tense is used to express routines. I also like to use simple charts showing the underlying structure of this tense. Comprehension Activities Once you have introduced the tense and used the whiteboard to explain forms, continue teaching the present simple tense through activities which use the present simple in context.   Continued Activity Practice Students have learned to recognize the present simple, as well as understand the form in comprehension activities. Its time to continue by having students use the present simple to describe their own lives in both spoken and written form. This detailed lesson on daily routines will help you continue the practice. Expected Problems Here are the most common challenges for students when using the present simple: Confusing with the present continuous for actions occurring at the moment of speaking.Use of s in the third person.Auxiliary verb usage in the question and negative form, but NOT in the positive form.Placement of adverbs of frequency.

World Trade Organization Changing Global Economy Free Essays

Global trading has been a part of the world since the 1940s. As trade between countries began to grow so did the need for some sort of international commerce. In 1948, the International Trade Organization (ITO) was established, but fell through and triggered the creation of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). We will write a custom essay sample on World Trade Organization Changing Global Economy or any similar topic only for you Order Now GATT was created through several negotiations, known as rounds. For many years, GATT’s policies held strong and offered many countries the international support they needed to remain prosperous in global trade. Though, as time went on, certain trade policies established by GATT were being undermined by countries in order for them to continue conducting business. GATT’s rules and regulations were becoming obsolete in the rapid changing global economy. â€Å"By the early 1980s the General Agreement was clearly no longer relevant to the realities of world trade as it had been in the 1940s. For a start, world trade had become far more complex and important than 40 years before: the globalization of the world economy was underway, trade in services – not covered by GATT rules – was of major interest to more and more countries, and international investment had expanded† (World Wide Web. http://www. wto. org/wtoabout/facts1. htm). The eighth round (Uruguay Round 1986-1994) was the most recent and thorough of them all. The Uruguay Round had 125 countries participating, it is the largest trade negotiation to ever take place. Though this round was expected to fail from the start, it actually started some of the largest trade reforms since GATT and WWII. This round, lasting some 7 1/2 years, established the World Trade Organization (WTO) and a new set of agreements. The World Trade Organization was enacted on January 1, 1995. There are three main purposes of the WTO stated in the WTO web site. These three main goals are to help trade flow as freely as possible, serve as a forum for trade negotiations, and deal with dispute settlements. How the WTO remains so effective is by setting up universal guidelines for members to follow and enforcing them. One of the most important changes made in WTO, is the addition of the trade rules regarding trade in intellectual property and services, as well as, products. The WTO site is currently discussing many articles. There are a few which strike my interest such as the EC and U. S. banana dispute which we had previously discussed in class, the increase of WTO members to 134, and the intellectual property proposal concerning the US and Japanese idea for a multilateral system and registering geographical locations. There is an article on low income developing countries in the GATT/WTO framework, which is planning on discussing special provisions that should be offered to these under-developed and developing countries, which were involved in the Uruguay Round Agreements. â€Å"Developing Countries comprise the majority of the membership of the World Trade Organization. On the other hand, the European Communities, the United States, and other industrialized countries enjoy the greatest shares of international trade† (World Wide Web. ttp://www. wto. org/). The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) is the â€Å"law† of the WTO. It is the body in the WTO that analyzes the trade policies and interprets the rules regarding them. Two of the three sites we were advised to use on this paper were not accessible, so I just improvised and used Internet sites that had similar information on them. One of the articles I found on worker’s rights was very informative. It discussed the U. S. Secretary of Labor, Alexis Herman, and the ties of core labor standards. Last June, a declaration was announced in Geneva by the International Trade Organization (ILO). The International Labor Conference, held by ILO members, adopted this declaration with intentions of creating a stronger protection on core rights of workers, and holding each country accountable for this protection. On May 18, President Clinton Made a speech stating that the ILO and WTO need to maintain a working relationship in order to advance the global trading system while protecting the worker’s basic rights. This is a big step forward for the ILO and its members as we enter the 21st Century. With the passage of this Declaration, the ILO has underlined and clarified the importance of the fundamental rights of workers in an era of economic globalization† (Statement by Secretary Herman). Some of the current trade disputes discussed in the WTO are the disputes going on about the bananas between the United States and the European Communities. This dispute is actually being talked about this week in the Wall Street Journal. Both sides are frustrated. The U. S. is because they feel the EU has unfairly made loop holes in WTO guidelines, and the EU is upset because they say the U. S. is trying to control too much of their rights as global traders. The U. S. has stated that the EU has been purposly avoiding banana purchases in Latin America, and doing business in areas like Africa, where Europe has many ties. The WTO has the responsibility to work on a plan that will hopefully satisfy both parties to some degree, but the U. S. as strong opinions of implementing 520 million dollars worth of tariffs on EU imports into our country. Another dispute that is taking place is the Korean acoholic beverage tax. This is a matter the WTO is also trying to fix. The U. S. and EC don’t agree with the tax that Korea is implementing on their imported alcoholic beverages. Again, the WTO pages website is inactive so I found some information in another forum about certain issue which are being reviewed. One of the hottest items right now seems to be assistance for low-income developing countries. Many changes are taking place for developing countries, and the way they are conducting their international business. For one, they are aborting many of their uses of tariffs on infant companies to try and support growth. Secondly, they are altering their management to make themselves more attractive to foreign investment, which in turn will increase foreign direct investment and help create more supportive trade balances. These developing nations are strongly advised to take part in the WTO, so they can reap the benefits it has to offer. The WTO, with its multilateral trade view, simply allows smaller economic powers to be more fairly involved in world trade without being victimized and taken advantage of by stronger economic powers in the old bilateral style of global trading. In the 21st Century global trading will be more fine-tuned than it is right now. We should see the elimination of tariffs, subsidies, quotas, etc. The world should be working like a large country, with open markets in every nation. Comparative advantage will establish itself, and trade balances will be less drastic. Under-developed and developing countries will become developed. In my View, I think that in the 21st Century, the world will operate as one large entity in the aspects of economic markets. Though, the creation of the WTO brought many great new ideas and helped closer unite the world into one huge market, there are still bugs that need to be worked out, and as time goes on, we will see need for more changes and adjustments. A few of the areas that the WTO needs to rectify and further develop now are areas such as worker’s rights, environmentalism, and foreign direct investment. How to cite World Trade Organization Changing Global Economy, Essay examples

Hamlet9 Essay Example For Students

Hamlet9 Essay Literature of the Renaissance was far different from that of the previous eras. Man was now thought of as the center of life, as opposed to God being the center in earlier times. Also, man was thought to have free will over his life, not being simply a pawn of the Gods. These new ideals were presented in the theaters as well as written literature. The esteemed William Shakespeare incorporated many of these components into some of the greatest performed classics in the history of theater. Shakespeares Hamlet contains elements that are derived from the Renaissance way of thinking and influenced from its earlier writers. The play continuously incorporates themes of free will of man in controlling his destiny. This is ever present throughout the play as Hamlet contemplates each of his actions. Some look at this as cowardice or procrastination, but his deliberation is clearly recognized as his choosing of his own fate. In previous eras, man came across as being locked into one action, without a choice of what to do. In Act I Scene IV, Hamlet provides three possible answers to the cause of evil. The first is an inherited fault: As, in their birth- wherein they are not guilty, which does not involve human responsibility. Another claims the individual as being a victim of fate: Fortunes Star. If that were the answer in Hamlet, then the play could not be classified as a Renaissance tragedy, but one based on the Medieval theory that individuals have no choice in their life. The second offering includes the oergrowth of some complexion, oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason. . . Here human responsibility is obvious, defining the moral theory of the Renaissance. Act II Scene II contains a speech by Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guidenstern that outlines the way man was viewed in Renaissance thinking. What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god- the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! Even though Hamle t goes on to say that man delights not me, the speech still shows the Renaissance view on life. This ideal was evident in the work of earlier Renaissance writers such as Pico della Mirandola. In Picos Oration on the Dignity of Man, the great miracle of humanity was discussed. There is nothing to be seen more wonderful than man. . .man is the intermediary between creatures, the intimate of the gods, the king of the lower beings, by the acuteness of his senses, by the discernment of his reason, and by the light of his intelligence. . . Also in Act II Scene II, the loveletter of Hamlet to Ophelia is being discussed by Claudius, Gertrude, and Polonious. Although thought of as a ploy by Hamlet to make everyone think he is mad, the first few lines may have some distinctive significance: Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move. . . . Doubts to the stars and the sun in the universe came about in the Renaissance and represented a challenge to the traditional view of the u niverse. Here Shakespeare incorporates the current learning of the time period in the theater. This can also be interpreted that Hamlet lost faith in traditional values after experiencing evil and heartbreak. Also in Act II Scene II, Hamlet is spurned by his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and comes to the conclusion that man has a terrifying capacity to reject reason and descend to the bestial level: Brother may kill brother, friends may betray the sacred principles of friendship. This is the case as Rosencrantz and Guidenstern allow themselves to be used as spies of Hamlet by Claudius. The idea of descending to lower levels of humanism was also derived from Picos Oration. With freedom of choice and with honor, as though the maker and molder of thyself, thou mayest fashion thyself in whatever shape thou shalt prefer. Thou shalt have the power to degenerate into the lower forms of life, which are brutish. .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 , .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .postImageUrl , .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 , .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1:hover , .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1:visited , .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1:active { border:0!important; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1:active , .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1 .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud776612573b829bc13529d22232aeea1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Shakespeares Views On Love Essay Another symbol of the Renaissance idealism is the nature of Claudius, who, although showing guilt over his actions, can be seen as a Machiavellian. This of course comes Niccolo Machiavelli who wrote The Prince, the book that supposedly theorized how an ideal prince should rule. Machiavelli describes how the nature of man is evil and one should whatever is neccessary to maintain power: Taking everything into account, he will find some of the things that appear to be virtues will, if he practices them, ruin him, and some of the things that appear to be wicked will bring him security and prosperity. These Machiavellian concepts are clearly defined by Claudius as he first kills his brother to claim the throne, later sends his nephew Hamlet to be executed in England, and finally, inadvertantly causes his wifes demise from another plot to kill Hamlet. The themes and ideas used in Hamlet are clearly seen as that of the Renaissance thinking. Shakespeares use of notions first brought on by early Renaissance writers shows his ability to incorporate modern thought in drama. This modern thinking combined with old ideals characterized what the Renaissance was all about. Bibliography: