The Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation, which covers one-eighth of the earth's surface, spans Eastern Europe and northern Asia, and ranks as the world's largest nation in terms of its territory. Russia is followed by Canada, China and the United States. Russia's northern regions are bordered by the Arctic Ocean, with the Baltic Sea bordering its western territories. The Russian Far East is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, with the Black Sea bordering southern Russia. This country stretches 2,500-4,000 km from north to south and another 9,000 km from west to east. Russia's westernmost point is located on the Polish border; its easternmost point is situated on Ratmanov Island (Bering Straits). The southernmost point is located on the Russian-Azeri border, and the northernmost point is on Franz-Josef Land islands. Russia's borders stretch for a total of 58,562 km (with 14,253 km bordering other states and 44,309 km bordering the sea). Vast plains cover most of Russia's territory. The Eastern European (Russian) Plain, replete with low plateaus is found in western Russia. The Mid-Siberian plateau, which is gradually transformed into the Central Yakut plain, can be found between two rivers, the Yenisei and the Lena. Mountain ranges are mostly located in Russia's eastern regions and in some of its southern areas, as well. The Ural mountain range, for one, constitutes a natural boundary separating

  • Word count: 1639
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

1. How does Rousseau argue that obedience to the general will increases our moral liberty? Briefly discuss one reasonable objection to the claim that obeying the general will would increase our freedom.

Yvonne Jane Robinson TMA05 Course Code: A(ZX)103 . How does Rousseau argue that obedience to the general will increases our moral liberty? Briefly discuss one reasonable objection to the claim that obeying the general will would increase our freedom. 2. What evidence can be put forward in support if the claim that David sought to give visual form to political ideas in The Lictors Returning to Brutus the Bodies of his Sons? 3. What areas of shared concern can you identify between Rousseau's argument in The Social Contract and David's Brutus? Jean-Jacques Rousseau's political ideas were greatly admired by French revolutionaries and were often referred to during the years of the Revolution. The most frequently quoted, 'The Social Contract' was published in 1762. Rousseau thought that freedom was the most important goal for any political system. He argued that society as a whole had to abide by the laws that were imposed for the good of all. In his view, living without laws greatly reduced freedom. The concept of general will is at the centre of Rousseau's philosophy. 'Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains' (Rousseau: Cress (ed.) 1987, bk1, ch.1, p.141). He explains that when an individual decides to follow the general will, to abide by the laws established by the state, he is agreeing to act in accordance with the social contract and remain free and

  • Word count: 1214
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

A critique to David Menendez's analysis of Theda Skocpol's "States and Social Revolution".

Douglglas Rivero 03-01-2004 CPO 5091 Dr. Power A critique to David Menendez's analysis of Theda Skocpol's "States and Social Revolution" In his analysis, David raises interesting points of Skocpol's book, assessing her overall approach in a comparative historical analysis, in which the author tries to establish causal inferences about structural processes (e.g. the cause of revolutions). Furthermore, he makes precise comments over her assessment of the role that external factors had in the selected revolutions, for one cannot understand, for instance, the Russian Revolution without considering the First World War, in which Russia was deeply involved. He also makes a critique in a cultural approach of her work in totality, since she does not consider culture as a relevant factor in the causes of social changes. However, it seems that he misunderstood some key elements of her work, such as Marxism's influence in her work and the generalizability of her conclusions. Primarily, Skocpol presents her theoretical and methodological perspectives (in a very fashionable way) of analyzing such unique events as social revolutions in an innovative way. She analyzes previous studies of revolutions, drawing her theoretical approach by adapting from the political-conflict theory and Marxism. Moreover, the Marxist influence, as noted by David, is clear throughout her work. However, she

  • Word count: 770
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

How and why did Castro in Cuba come to power? For what purpose and with what success did Castro use the power he had won?

Tim Bell History HL 28/11/05 How and why did Castro in Cuba come to power? For what purpose and with what success did Castro use the power he had won? Born in 1926, Fidel Castro was a second generation Spanish interested in the fields of history, sociology, geography, and agriculture. For 400 years, the Spanish had control of Cuba until the 1890's when the Spanish-American War forced the Spanish to leave. From then on, the USA dominated Cuba both politically and economically. In 1933, Machando, the dictator of Cuba, was overthrown in a revolt with Batista as the new head of state. Under Batista, opposition formed such as the 'Autenticos' party which was led by Grau as well as the 'Ortodoxes' also known as the Cuban People's Party which had broken from the 'Autenticos' in 1947. Due to pressure from the opposition, Batista was forced to step down whereby the leader of the 'Autenticos', Grau, was able to take power. The popularity for the 'Ortodoxes' grew larger through the dissatisfaction of the current government - the 'Autenticos'. Castro himself, was a member of the 'Ortodoxes' but later joined the left wing split group - Accion Radical Ortodox. When Castro attempted to run for Congress in 1952, Batista revolted and overthrew the government once again. From this year on, Castro was determined to make a change to Batista's regime and published 'The Accuser' in seek for

  • Word count: 1597
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

Assess the importance of Galileo and Kepler to the Scientific Revolution

Assess the importance of Galileo and Kepler to the Scientific Revolution The Scientific Revolution is often said to have started in the year 1543, with the publication of 'The Revolution of the Heavenly Bodies and Vesalius, On the Structure of the Human Body' by Copernicus. Copernicus was born in 1473 in Poland and spent much of his life studying medicine and law in Italy. He launched the strongest of the early attacks on the Aristotelian view of the universe. He believed that the earth and other planets orbited a stationary sun. However the revolution has no definite start or end. It lasted about 150 years and during this time extraordinary advances were made in science (or natural philosophy as it was called at the time). It completely changed man's conception of himself and the universe he inhabited and the advances were made using new scientific methods rather than the old method of reasoning. During the Scientific Revolution many advanced thinkers contributed their ideas and discoveries which continually pushed boundaries of science. Natural philosophers came from all across Europe and those of particular note included Vesalius from the Spanish Netherlands, Copernicus from Poland, Kepler from Germany and Harvey from England. Many of the leading scientists came from Italy including Galileo, Torricelli and Viviani. In the early years of the Scientific Revolution,

  • Word count: 1348
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

The New Rationality.

Hist. 12 F Banu Kocal Cold War 2/27/04 The New Rationality The 1950's were the years of "limited conflict" this was due to the change of technology of warfare. The more weapons that were created, the longer peace would last as both sides were greatly aware of the dangers of the weapons created, trying to form a co-existence between themselves. Though there were events in which each was pushed towards the use, they were cautious as to find other means. One such example is the US's response towards Soviet satellites, "Such use of military force would in all probability start a global war. This alternative is not in accordance with current US policy and must therefore be rejected..." (July 1956)1 Alternatively, in the USSR's case, telling Anatoly Dobrynin, "...would not actually risk war, but would only bluff to gain concessions. War was inadmissible." Though both sides tried to reduce arms budget, there was still an increasing amount of arms, as well as tension. As confrontations grew, West Germany, Korea and Yugoslavia each side rearmed worrying that the other would start war. Yet with the change of leaders, policies changed and greater measures were taken to limit spending and the dependence on nuclear weapons, as both worried about the strain on their economies. Having made such weapons a constant question was just what good it actually

  • Word count: 760
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

Why was there a French revolution?

WHY WAS THERE A FRENCH REVOLUTION The French Revolution happened in France around 1789 to1792 and resulted in the overthrow of the French monarchy and the Ancien Régime (this is the system of government). The monarchy in France had been established for many centuries, and the causes of the Revolution were deeply rooted, including the problems with the Ancien Régime, the growth of nationalism, the influence of philosophers, and the example of the American Revolution. In the short term, there were other factors that precipitated the French Revolution, and these included the people of Louis XVI (the reigning French monarch at the time), the Bankruptcy of the French Crown, and, in the very short term, the economic and agricultural problems of 1788 and 1789. Of all the long term causes of the French Revolution, the Ancien Régime was perhaps the most deeply rooted. The Ancien Régime was the old system of government, the old order of things, before the Revolution, and it divided French society up into three Estates the nobles, the clergy, and the common people (everyone else, which included both peasants and the middle classes). The first and second estates were privileged in that they paid no tax at all, and for this reason, the monarch did not have a problem with their support: they were, in effect, propping up the Ancien Régime. The first and second estates also owned

  • Word count: 1417
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

Why did Chartism Fail?

Why did Chartism fail? The question why Chartism failed and why it was so quickly has never been answered to a satisfactory level. If Chartism was a reaction to hunger and to the disorganisation of traditional industries then the good economic climate which followed the Great Exhibition of 1851, the increase in stability of Britain's industries in this period and the organisation in which new industrial workforce was allowed to develop is enough to say why Chartism declined and died. The 'hunger Chartism' was the rational movement moved into the organisation of consumer cooperatives, new model trade unions, reading-rooms, mechanics' institutes, local government, friendly societies and other organisations which skilled workers developed at the end of the nineteenth century. This implies to some extent a betrayal by the skilled and frequently employed of the ambitions of the less fortunate associate. This could mean that the idea of 'a conscious move by the employing class to divide the skilled workers from the rest'. The Chartist period shows a conflict between the 'hegemonic middle class and the traditional culture of the British working class'. This conflict is only seen by the end of Chartism and by the inclusion of articulate members of the working class into the traditions and values of the middle class. (Thompson p. 330) In the 1860s when parliamentary reform was looked

  • Word count: 1487
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

European Colonization in the New World

European Colonization in the New World Anthony Milbut American History I Professor Ken Rodgers This paper will elaborate on the 17th century European motives for expansion and colonization into the New World. I will also describe the different colonial transplantations that occurred in Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts Bay, as well as discuss details of the major sources of conflict between the Native Americans and the English in Virginia and Massachusetts Bay. The expansion of Europeans into the New World started long before the first settler reached the eastern shore of modern day America. "The Black Death, a plague that swept through Europe in 1347, destroyed more than a third of the people on the continent, and decimated an already limited economy."1 (Brinkley, 2007) Nearly 150 years later, the population had recovered. With this rebound came an awakening of commerce. There was great profit to be had in raising sheep to counteract the worldwide demand for wool. This prompted many landlords to convert their farms to pastures to raise the wool bearing animals. The end result left thousands of serfs and prior renters without a job or a roof over their head. With the establishment of chartered companies and a new concept of economic life, known as mercantilism, there was great interest in products from distant lands, which was complimented by the advance in

  • Word count: 1287
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay

Coco Chanel-Biography

Ezel Poslu 10 May 2007 French Culture & Society Instructor: Francie Seder COCO CHANEL In the 1920s, a woman called Gabriel Bonheur Chanel1 created a complete new fashion, which held thousands of peoples' attention at the time. She not only created a new fashion in clothing, but she also made cultural innovations by not only rejecting the old idea but also creating new ones without being extreme. She was brave, innovative, ambitious, determined and inventive, which made her the most famous designer of the era. Gabriel Bonheur Chanel did not have a pleasant childhood. She was born in 1883 in Saumur. Her mother gave birth to her in a poorhouse where she worked. She became an orphan at the age of six when her mother died. Her father was left with six children, and he could not handle all of them.2 Chanel ended up in a convent orphanage where she was educated by nuns until she was seventeen. She gained her sewing skills there, which brought her huge success later on. In the summer time, she visited her aunts who taught her the basics of being a lady such as sitting up straight and speaking politely. Besides, her aunts had a passion for hats, which was passed on to Chanel. Her new interest helped her take the first steps toward success as a designer.3 Even though

  • Word count: 1872
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
Access this essay