Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thesis para
Through out history United States has been a imperial power, but its intentions to colonize inferior countries were exclusive. Its desire to help improve the world hasnt always been virtious, as many people around the world such as demonstrators, citizens and many anti-capitalists questioned the motives of United States' philantropic ways. Various evidence portray the U.S. as having a double agenda. While displaying to the world their supposedly helping hand in actuality the U.S. gave their support with the intention of taking advantage of inferior countries. Many groups have been subjugated and they have used a variety of strategies to resist domination and fight against oppression. Some have strugged for national independence and to gain their personal freedom. Laws were constantly made to keep inferior groups in control in the United States and abroad. Hard power firmly upheld the United States against other countries such as the Philippines during the early and mid-20th century.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Research Prewrite
Why are you interested in this country and its relationship to the U.S.?
-After the U.S. fought againt the Spanish to give independence to Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, the U.S. imperialized both Puerto Rico and Philippines yet they did not imperialize Cuba. Im interested in this country because the United States passed the Platt Amendment which was put into the Cuban constitution and it let the United States intervine in Cuba's domestic affairs, so though they are not imperialising nor colonizing Cuba, they did have many right over thier business.
What has struck you about its history and relationship to the United States from our readings, and from other knowledge and experience you may have?
-The Platt Amendment reminds me of the "colorblind" ideas that we are discussing in Professor Millers class, where the United States created laws that were very obscure and shadey to limit inferior groups rights. I think this is what the United States was trying to do in Cuba without being very obvious about their imperialism. What has also struck me is how two countries that have enough conflict between eachother to eliminate all connections, have the larger more powerful country own a part of the smaller country.
Based on you reading and knowledge so far, do you think the U.S.'s relationship with this country supports the thesis"The United States is an imperial power"?
-Based on the reading and knowledge so far, i do think the U.S.'s relationship with Cuba supports the thesis "The United States is an imperial power". They have not imperialized Cuba but they have made sure to have enough power over Cuban affairs without it looking like that the United States taking over. They controlled many of Cuban utilities, Cuban mines, Cuban oil refinaries and the countries many other industries. This emphasizes more on U.S. imperialism because they have the power to control a country without it actually being apparent.
-After the U.S. fought againt the Spanish to give independence to Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, the U.S. imperialized both Puerto Rico and Philippines yet they did not imperialize Cuba. Im interested in this country because the United States passed the Platt Amendment which was put into the Cuban constitution and it let the United States intervine in Cuba's domestic affairs, so though they are not imperialising nor colonizing Cuba, they did have many right over thier business.
What has struck you about its history and relationship to the United States from our readings, and from other knowledge and experience you may have?
-The Platt Amendment reminds me of the "colorblind" ideas that we are discussing in Professor Millers class, where the United States created laws that were very obscure and shadey to limit inferior groups rights. I think this is what the United States was trying to do in Cuba without being very obvious about their imperialism. What has also struck me is how two countries that have enough conflict between eachother to eliminate all connections, have the larger more powerful country own a part of the smaller country.
Based on you reading and knowledge so far, do you think the U.S.'s relationship with this country supports the thesis"The United States is an imperial power"?
-Based on the reading and knowledge so far, i do think the U.S.'s relationship with Cuba supports the thesis "The United States is an imperial power". They have not imperialized Cuba but they have made sure to have enough power over Cuban affairs without it looking like that the United States taking over. They controlled many of Cuban utilities, Cuban mines, Cuban oil refinaries and the countries many other industries. This emphasizes more on U.S. imperialism because they have the power to control a country without it actually being apparent.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Our Brand is Crisis
At the end of the film, one of the U.S. consultants says that leaders like Evo Morales represents a "dangerious form of populism". In the chapter " Latin America in Revolt," from How to Rule The World, Mark Engler describes how Morales and other new leaders in Latin America have been accused of "anit-Americanism," "populism" (260) and "demagoguery" (281). What do these accusations mean? What specific policies are these charges based on? Based on Engler's chapters, do you think these fears are justified? What specific policies has Morales implemented and how do they relate to these fears?
- In the chapter "Latin America in Revolt" Mark Engler describes how Morales and other new leaders in Latin America have been accused of anit-Americanism, populism, and demagoguery. This means that the Latin American countries are becoming more independent on their own. They are forming their own community in a way to help each other out from debt and other imperial countries. They are also trying to cut ties with the IMF. Latin American leaders formed their own funding by establishing a Bank of the south. The purpose of the bank is to "provide development loans at below market rates without neoliberal strings attached". Evo Morales said that he would let the Bolivia's standing load agreement with the IMF expire.
- In the chapter "Latin America in Revolt" Mark Engler describes how Morales and other new leaders in Latin America have been accused of anit-Americanism, populism, and demagoguery. This means that the Latin American countries are becoming more independent on their own. They are forming their own community in a way to help each other out from debt and other imperial countries. They are also trying to cut ties with the IMF. Latin American leaders formed their own funding by establishing a Bank of the south. The purpose of the bank is to "provide development loans at below market rates without neoliberal strings attached". Evo Morales said that he would let the Bolivia's standing load agreement with the IMF expire.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Revising (Tourism essay)
There are many types of travelers, such as missionaries, explorers, Peace Corps, politicians, pilgrims, exiles and tourists. These are travelers who set out to attain information about the world, give information to the world or find peace at different locations. People who travel view the world in a different perspective, as a whole.Traveling motivates them to learn more and experience more which makes them less vulnerable to succumb to ignorance. Travelers do not prejudice and tend to think of outcomes and possibilities before they make a decision or before taking any action. Some travelers look to find utopian societies on their many voyages around the world and this is a type of tourism because people go to find their own gratification. In I Choose Exile by Richard Wright, he says that "It is because I love freedom, and I tell you frankly that there is more freedom in one square block of Paris than there is in the entire United States of America!" [289]. Wright decides that he would exile himself from the United States, so he travels to France. The difference between France and the United States makes him realize the wrong doing of his native nation. How freedom in America is not really freedom but a desire that everyone yearns for. He exiles himself to France because no he has gained the knowledge of peace and happiness, he quotes "I love my adopted city...France is, above all, a land of refuge" [295].
Life and Debt
1. Yes i do think Life and Debt is an example of colonialism. The IMF is basically controlling Jamica through their economic struggles. They are controlling their marketing by selling their products for lower prices and making the farmers go out of business. The IMF is also controlling Jamica and its marketing by not letting the government help out the agricultural production and making farmer pay more taxes.
2. The IMF and the countries that are loaning Jamica money has control over it. They are making sure that the farmers and other sellers are not able to sell their products. The IMF is telling the Jamican government that they cannot help out the farmers and that the farmers have to compete on their own. Jamaicans can stop this by working together and by not buying foreign products. They can help each other out or find another way that will help them make some profit.
3. In Jamica Kincaids "A small place" she describes how tourists are ignorant and in Life and Debt they are portraying that. Its showing how tourists like to have fun and enjoy their vacation without knowing nor worring about whats going on around them. The tourist in Life and Debt were drinking, partying and having fun while outside their comfort zone there were people in poverty, people with no jobs or places to stay.
2. The IMF and the countries that are loaning Jamica money has control over it. They are making sure that the farmers and other sellers are not able to sell their products. The IMF is telling the Jamican government that they cannot help out the farmers and that the farmers have to compete on their own. Jamaicans can stop this by working together and by not buying foreign products. They can help each other out or find another way that will help them make some profit.
3. In Jamica Kincaids "A small place" she describes how tourists are ignorant and in Life and Debt they are portraying that. Its showing how tourists like to have fun and enjoy their vacation without knowing nor worring about whats going on around them. The tourist in Life and Debt were drinking, partying and having fun while outside their comfort zone there were people in poverty, people with no jobs or places to stay.
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