Frankenstein Pursuit Of Knowledge Essay - 1673 Words

Among the many themes explored in Mary Shelley s timeless classic â€Å"Frankenstein†, the one I find to be most relevant and the one that truly resonated with me was the dangers that stem from the pursuit of knowledge. This theme resonated with me for many reasons because, while the pursuit of knowledge has allowed humankind to exert and enjoy unparalleled and unprecedented power over the animal kingdom and the world itself, it’s a seemingly benign aspect of human nature that can paradoxically render humankind obsolete. while exploring the many dangers rooted in the pursuit and frankly the obsession of knowledge one cannot help but see the correlations between Mary Shelley s infamous character, the ‘creature’ and the Industrial Revolution†¦show more content†¦While one can draw a distinction between the knowledge pursued during the Industrial Revolution and the specific and esoteric knowledge employed by Dr. Frankenstein, I will not make such a di stinction in my analysis and utilize the word knowledge in its rudimentary sense. As Shelly writes, â€Å"The labours of men of genius, however erroneously directed, scarcely ever to fail in ultimately turning to the solid advantage of mankind†.(Shelley, 28) It is with this orientation of knowledge, a derivative of the labors of ‘men of genius’, that I will utilize in my analysis. During the previously mentioned inflection point experienced during the 18th and 19th centuries, civilization’s marginal pursuit of knowledge became an obsession of not only the traditionally defined genius, an individual endowed with intellect in each of their endeavors, but of the brief employment of acute genius contained within each human in periods of crisis or enlightenment. While Industry allowed for any person with the capacity of imagination to obsess over the pursuit of knowledge, it also created an artificial partition between mankind and ecology as did Frankensteinâ⠂¬â„¢s creature in Shelley s novel. â€Å"How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow†(Shelley, 31) writes Shelley as she bestows the reader with an introspective approach to the analysis of theShow MoreRelatedFrankenstein Pursuit Of Knowledge Essay1403 Words   |  6 PagesInformation War: The Truths of Knowledge in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein What exactly is the pursuit of knowledge? One might say that the pursuit of knowledge is when one conducts irregular experiments and actions. One might say that the pursuit of knowledge is the process of the collecting information needed in completing that test. However, the universal truth says that one can never accumulate all the knowledge in the world. However, one might opinion that the pursuit of knowledge is a wonderful thingRead MoreDangers of Acquiring Knowledge Illustrated in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein1075 Words   |  5 PagesHow Dangerous is the Acquirement of Knowledge? Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein Although Mary Shelly did not have a formal education growing up motherless in the early nineteenth century, she wrote one of the greatest novels nonetheless in 1819, Frankenstein. The novel has been the basis for many motion picture movies along with many English class discussions. Within the novel Shelly shares the stories of two men from very different worlds. The reader is introduced to Robert Walton, the main narratorRead MoreFrankenstein as a Gothic Novel Essay1332 Words   |  6 PagesTragic wanderers, ominous atmosphere, symbolism, and themes: these are elements of a Gothic novel. Though Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, written in the early 19th century, certainly contains many components of a Gothic novel, can it be correctly grouped under that genre? A definition of a Gothic novel; according to Tracy, is a description of a fallen world. We experience this fallen world though the aspects of a novel: plot, setting, characterization, and theme (De Vore, Domenic, Kwan and Reidy)Read MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein And Caleb Williams 1168 Words   |  5 PagesIn A.D Harvey’s article â€Å"Frankenstein and Caleb Williams,† he explains that Mary Shelley’s famous work, Frankenstein; was not intended to be of any actual scientific evidence, but rather written just only with the intention of a gothic horror piece â€Å"we will each write a ghost story† (Frankenstein Author’s introduction vii). Harvey’s target is to reach out to the science community and to sway them to look past the mechanics of how Frankenstein’s monster is created and focus on other points of interestRead MoreFrankenstein and Robert Walton975 Words   |  4 PagesDangerous Knowledge—An Analytical Ess ay on â€Å"Frankenstein† The pursuit of discovery and knowledge are thrilling aspects of human achievement, but can also be very dangerous if not handled correctly. In Mary Shelley’s â€Å"Frankenstein,† Shelley portrays these two aspects of accomplishment as dangerous, destructive, and even fateful. Shelley begins her novel with an ambitious seafarer named Robert Walton. Walton is determined to reach the North Pole, where he may â€Å"tread a land never before imprinted byRead More Frankenstein, Community, and the Individual Essay1697 Words   |  7 Pagescreation and responsibility that lie at the core of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. It is through these concepts that Shelley explores how society has changed during Romanticism and the Industrial Revolution, with lessening importance on shared knowledge and the public sphere and more emphasis on individual achievement and identity, leading to a fractured and isolated society. In this paper I argue that Mary Shelleys Frankenstein criticizes the impacts of Industrial Revolution and Romantic era-inspiredRead More Isolation in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essays1399 Words   |  6 PagesIsolation in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Mary Shelleys novel, Frankenstein, has several themes imbedded in the text. One major theme is of isolation. Many of the characters experience some time of isolation. The decisions and actions of some of these characters are the root cause of their isolation. They make choices that isolate themselves from everyone else. However, other characters are forced into isolation for reasons that are not in their control. The actions of another cause themRead MoreDangerous Knowledge in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley1074 Words   |  5 PagesFrankenstein is a book written by Mary Shelley in 1818, that is revolved around a under privileged scientist named Victor Frankenstein who manages to create a unnatural human-like being. The story was written when Shelley was in her late teen age years, and was published when she was just twenty years old. Frankenstein is filled with several different elements of the Gothic and Romantic Movement of British literature, and is considered to be one of the earliest forms of science fiction. FrankensteinRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley3475 Words   |  14 PagesMary Shelley is best known for her gothic horror classic Frankenstein. Frankenstein has been heralded by many as the first science fiction book, and Frankenstein’s monster had become an integral character in the public’s cultural pantheon. However, Mary Shelley’s novel is also a cautionary tale of the dangers of intellectual curiosity. Robert Walton, the arctic explorer Victor Frankenstein meets in his final days, serves as a cautionary tale. By embarking on his arctic exploration mission, he placesRead MoreRomantic and Enlightenment Ideas in Frankenstein Essay1153 Words   |  5 Pagesmust always be free, and it alone can bring about enlightenment among men (Kant 3). Enlightenment thinking not only influenced philosophy and the sciences, but also literature (especially in Popes Essay on Man). In reaction to Enlightenments strict empiricism, Romanticism was born. In Frankenstein, Shelley argues (1) that Victor Frankensteins role as an Enlightenment hero, not only pulled him out of nature, but made him a slave to his creation; (2) that Frankensteins role as a revolting romantic

Does Media Violence Cause Aggression in Children

Does Media Violence Cause Aggression in Children? Amber Holmberg Psych 204-01 March 23, 2011 The debate whether violence in the media increases aggression in children has been going on for decades. There have been hundreds of studies, experiments and articles supporting and opposing both sides of the argument. This essay is going to examine an article supporting and an article opposing the debate. The articles include â€Å"The Influence of Media Violence in Youth† which supports media violence causing aggression through the use of evidence that includes short and long term effects of media violence, theories as to why media violence causes aggression, factors that influence aggression and ways to counteract the negative effects (Anderson et†¦show more content†¦Social environment (influences from parents, family, and friends etcetera) and the content in the media (the characteristics of the perpetrators, the realism of the violence portrayed, justification of the violence and whether there were consequences) are also factors (Anderson et al., 2003.) At the p resent time it is known there is an importance to all these factors, but the importance and relative influence is largely unknown and more research is needed. What is known is the gender, personality, upbringing, social class and intelligence is irrelevant to how media violence increases aggression, and everyone is susceptible to aggression caused be media violence. The only factor that is relevant and can prevent an increase in aggression is for the parents to educate their children on violence (Anderson et al., 2003.) Over the past couple decades there has been an increase and expansion of new media including more news channels, television programs, movies, video games, music videos and internet that portray anShow MoreRelatedMedia Violence and Its Effect on Children Essay1112 Words   |  5 Pagesthat violence in the country is on the rise. It is easy to see why this is a strong argument among the American people, especially because of the rising popularity of violent video game s and television programs. However, as these violent video games and television shows are creating their own place in our society, the reports of violence among children are escalating. This correlation has been studied extensively in the scientific community in an attempt to discover whether media violence does negativelyRead MoreThe Effects Of Violent Media On Children901 Words   |  4 Pagesviolent media, one controversial issue is whether violet media, like videogames, or comic books have a negative or positive effect on kids. On the one hand, some people argue that they enjoy expressing built up anger and emotions through reading comic books. On the other hand, violent media can effect young children and have them think it’s okay to be violent in real life. My own view is violent media does cause kids to have a mindset that killing or violent actions are okay to do. Violent media isRead MoreTelevised Violence causes Aggression in Young Boys1555 Words   |  7 PagesTelevised Violence causes Aggression in Young Boys Young boys are evidently influenced by things in their environment such as media, peers, and family. Elementary school aged boys are influenced easily because these are critical years in developing their sense of individuality and social skills with their peers. The vulnerably of young boys are a reason why they are a target of the popular culture of displaying television violence because they have rarely encountered it in previous years so theyRead MoreMedia Violence Related to Essay1183 Words   |  5 PagesEXTENT IS MEDIA VIOLENCE RELATED TO AGGRESSIVE AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR? Essentials of Psychology May 28, 2013 Research project number 05020500 I have chosen to discuss the role that media violence plays in aggression in children, specifically as related to Albert Bandura’s experiments. I specifically chose this topic based on Banduras observations with his famous Bobo doll study (which has been very influential to linking media exposure to violent aggressive behavior in children). In researchingRead MoreVideo Game Violence And Its Effects On Gamers1205 Words   |  5 PagesVideo Game Violence and its effects on Gamers In recent years there has been a significant increase of shooting incidents, specifically in America. When there is a shooting event the media is quick to question if the suspect had a history of playing violent video games. There is already the initial connection between video game violence and aggression; but is this connection scientifically correct? This topic interests me because of the increase in school shootings and violence. I have personallyRead MoreThe Effects Of Media Violence On People1388 Words   |  6 Pagesof Media Violence on People Media violence impacts the physical aggression of human beings. It is one of the many potential factors that influence the risk for violence and aggression. Research has proven that aggression in children will cause the likelihood of aggression in their adulthood. Theories have evolved that the violence present in the media most likely teaches the viewer to be more violent. It is a risky behavior that is established from the childhood. Furthermore, media violence is aRead MoreProtecting Children from Television Violence Essays1405 Words   |  6 PagesSummary #1 Television violence, and media violence in general, has been a controversial topic for several years. The argument is whether young children are brainwashed into committing violent real-world crimes because of violent and pugnacious behavior exposed in mass media. In his article â€Å"No Real Evidence for TV Violence Causing Real Violence†, Jonathan Freedman, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and author of â€Å"Media Violence and Its Effect on Aggression: Assessing the ScientificRead MoreDoes Violence Affect Children?1384 Words   |  6 PagesJacob Cleland Composition 2 Wolcott 20 April 2016 Does Violence in Media Affect Children? Violence is an increasing problem in today’s society. An act of violence can hold major consequences for society. With increased access to firearms and explosives in today’s society, it is important to know what exactly can cause a child to become violent in the present and later on in his or her life. Many variables are involved when children are growing up that may lead them to become more violent. TheseRead MoreGame over: the Effects of Violent Video Games on Children Essay1416 Words   |  6 Pageseffects of Violent Video Games on Children Seven hours. That is the amount of hours a day the average American child plays a video games (Anderson 354), and with technology advancing and games becoming more graphic, the concern over a violent game’s effect over a child’s development is growing. What does playing video games for seven hours do to a child’s development? Violent, role-playing video games adversely affects a child’s development and causes aggression in children and adolescents; these gamesRead MoreThe Effects of Media Violence on Children Essay1367 Words   |  6 PagesTelevision.† Television violence had a role in the childs behavior. Media violence can have a lasting impression on children, teenagers and adults not only through television, but also through video games. In the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in violent behavior in the United States (Merino 1). This is the result of exposure to violence. More than half of television programs and video gam es contain some type of violence. Perez Daly says, â€Å"’... children are likely to see 8,000

Facebook and Privacy free essay sample

Faceable and Privacy Link: http://www. Rewritable. Com/archives/ faceable_user_data_analysis. PH Objective Summary: Ex-Apple Engineer, Peter Warden, has collected public fan page data from 215 million Faceable pages, revealing current trends, such as God being the number one most popular fan page among Faceable users in the Southern U. S. , whereas Barack Obama featured heavily for San Francisco users, and Struck was number one in Idaho. Warden plans to release this data to the academic community because he sees great potential in the data that can be extracted from these sites. This process is called data harvesting.The article suggests future academic work in this area is likely to coco impacting on peoples privacy. (FACTS 1 00 words) Response: The ETHICAL issue central to this article is privacy and control. On one hand, Warden claims his intentions are altruistic (helpful to others) and that the data he is making visible here is a matter of public discourse. We will write a custom essay sample on Facebook and Privacy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, the FACTS are that individual users who are generating this data have neither been consulted about the data collection nor have they given permission for Warden to use it. Clearly Warden does not VALUE others peoples privacy as much as he WANTS (emotion) to create the website.The argument could be made that once a user becomes a fan of a page on Faceable or, indeed, publishes any content to the internet, that information becomes public. User who have deployed privacy settings to carefully maintain a strong sense of control over their profiles, however, might well feel very ANGRY about this use of their data. Faceable can harvest that data (and does, for targeted advertising purposes) because they have a commitment to those advertisers (emotion)and engineers like Warden can develop data-trawling engines to collect accessible information across a massive dataset.The LAW needs to be such clearer about the rights of consumers, companies and advertisers in these situations. As Faceable is presumably bound by its own set of critically considered ETHICAL guidelines, these are nevertheless underpinned by commercial VALUES and a vested interest (emotion) in ke eping the data of its users from competitors. Warden claims to be operating under his own set Of ethics that privilege (value) the furthering of knowledge. The issue then shifts to the academic community. Warden contends that one of his central motivations for collecting this data was so that he could share it with the academic immunity.

The Benefits and Disadvantages of Free Trade

Overview The World Trade Organization is the sole global body that deals with fairness in trade among nations. It designs rules to ensure that large economies and small economies are at par in economic growth. However, its policies and propositions are not popular with most nations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Benefits and Disadvantages of Free Trade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Its aims are to facilitate demand and supply by ensuring that producers of goods and services find a way to export their products and those that do not produce find a way to import what they need. Through its membership, World Trade Organization facilitates two major world forums. The Doha Development Agenda is a trade negotiations forum. It is designed to achieve groundbreaking reforms in the manner in which world economies conduct their trade. The forum’s agenda is to inject revised rules and to improve the internatio nal trade system through systematic introduction of minimal trade restrictions. It was officially launched in Qatar in 2001. Ministers of respective countries tasked with commerce, trade, and sometimes finance attend the forum. Each minister goes to the table to air their countries’ views. The Doha development agenda covers around 20 critical areas of world economy, which include agriculture, services, imports, exports, intellectual property, among others. World Trade Organization’s advocacy for free global trade has not been popular with majority of the nations. Although free trade has many benefits as opposed to closed trade, many countries perceive free trade negatively and bring down any attempts at making the world economy free of national and regional barriers. For example, in 2003 during the talks that were held in Caucun Mexico, the world witnessed massive protests. This was the third ministerial meeting with the same agenda: trying to break the deadlock that h ad been experienced in the last two sittings since the first round in Qatar. The second major forum facilitated by World Trade Organization is the World Trade Forum. This forum seeks common ground on how countries can work together in tackling common global problems that go beyond the need for economic integration. This includes the need for development in major areas such as education. Major economies and their leaders normally attend it.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They review goals and targets such as millennium development goals. This forum is generalist compared to the Doha round of negotiations. However, it is important to note that they both champion for a more developed world, which caters for the need of everyone. The following principles guide WTO. Principle of Non-Discrimination: It requires a WTO member to apply similar trade conditions while transacting with all WTO members. It simply implies that the WTO members should treat other in a favorable manner. In addition, if a favor is extended to one member of the WTO in a certain transaction, similar treatment should happen to any other WTO member in case of a similar transaction. Reciprocity: This principle advocates for nations to do mutual things to each other. For example, reduction of transaction tariffs should be mutual and equal in measure. Markets should be freer on both sides of the spectrum. Barriers restricting such trade should effectively come down to enable more trading for mutual growth and benefits. Predictability: World Trade Organization proposes that any agreements arrived at should be binding and long-term. Any member should not decide arbitrarily to change any terms or conditions. This gives confidence to members, investors, governments and any other stakeholders. It is a good ingredient to promoting healthier relations and growing economies. The subjects that tou ch on this principle include market-opening commitments, tariff rates, and trade barriers. Beneficial to Less Developed Countries: This is a critical principle. However, in recent times and in the past many developed countries have misused this principle. It proposes that underdeveloped countries should enjoy special privileges when dealing with economically strong economies. This will enable them to enjoy greater visibility and flexibility in the marketplace. At the start of the supposed agreement, it helps these economies to adjust to the current economic environment. Adjustments include sensitization of its citizens and structural changes, which may be much easier for the big economies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Benefits and Disadvantages of Free Trade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Competitive and Fair: The WTO strongly advises that a fair and level playing field should exist for all nations. Eve ry country should fairly compete and universal human standards upheld. It discourages unorthodox practices such as arbitrary dumping of obsolete products to third world countries. This practice common among the developed countries is inhumane and self-seeking. It also goes against United Nations Charter. Others include unfair export subsidies and cheap products development to gain market share. If free trade is beneficial to nations, why does it face such hostility? Why is it that since its formulation in 2001, Doha round of negotiations did not record any milestones until 2011? Does it mean that since the major economies had been experiencing massive growth in their economies before 2011, they did not find it necessary to include other nations in their trade? These pertinent questions depict large economies as greedy. They also point out the greatest lacuna in these talks where majority of the nations with the vote are large economies that want to shelve the interests of others. Th is paper will analyze the benefits and disadvantages of free trade and look into the reasons why efforts geared towards this are hampered. Additionally, this paper will critically analyze the state of the global economy and reasons for the current state in light of existence of an idealistic free trade among nations. State of the Global Economy Since the World War 2, political disintegration has been on the rise. There is currently more than three times the number of independent countries than there were at the end of the war. Political disintegration has sometimes been credited with innovation as countries strive to come up with ways to fund budgets, increase security, and be relevant to its citizens. Consequentially, political disintegration has led to economic disintegration. Although some economists argue that this leads to innovation in respective countries, as noted above, majority are of the opinion that integration of fiscal, economic, and monetary policies that are geared t owards the benefit of all nations have far-reaching benefits than the former.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The global economy can be classified as irregular clusters of self-seeking political and economic integrations, which offer minimal, if any, benefits to the less performing economies. The political and economic integration of Euro Zone is a perfect example. These countries have curtailed sovereign fiscal policymaking and delegated that to the European Union. In future, this was expected to continue until the recent Euro Zone crisis that was brought about by reckless borrowing by some members. There is minimal economic integration world over since most large economies are interested in vesting their interests at the expense of smaller economies. This brings a wedge of sharp mistrust and spawns half-baked integration with minimal benefits. Examples of treaties that may not be effective include NAFTA, COMESA, EAC, among others. The fact that countries can easily pull out of these economic bodies reduces their credibility and waters down their efforts. Hence, the world economy is closel y guarded with minimal freedom to conduct trade. Additionally, there is minimal fairness in the game with countries that can produce goods cheaply illegally exporting these products to countries that produce them at a higher cost. This essentially kills trade. Since the financial crisis started in the United States and quickly spread in other nations, many countries have restrained their need to import in an effort to appear to support their ailing economies. This was particularly informed by falling employment levels in many countries. Many lobbyists would criticize government if it imported any goods or services that could be produced locally. This forestalled growth in free trade and countries continue to be wary. For example, in South Wales, when the government imported police uniforms and firefighters gears from an Australian firm, there was mass ridicule from lobbyists and citizens. This has been the case in United States, Europe and a host of other countries. Hence, these eff orts to concentrate on growing national economies and protecting them have led to the traditional artificial barriers that restrict free trade. Advantages of Free Trade Free trade may not be a fair trade but it has many benefits. Governments erect restrictions that restrict movement of goods and services between countries. Governments do this through use of subsidies and tariffs to hamper free trade. Normally, this is aimed at protecting domestic production from international competition. However, free trade has its benefits. First, it allows countries to specialize in production of goods and services that they have comparative advantage. This specialization brings about efficiency, economies of scale, and increases output, which results in increased production. Second, free trade leads to an increase in productivity and a higher domestic output by increasing efficiency of resource allocation. In addition, it increases competition, which leads to innovative ways of distribution, mar keting, and technology. Third, the increased competition allows goods and services to trade at the lowest costs and gives producers reason to produce quality. Hence, customers experience quality. It also allows customers to have a variety of goods and services. Fourth, free trade results in foreign exchange gains associated with the exchange of hard currency. This exchange allows the domestic country to pay for imports without having to exchange the money, which can be costly at times. Lastly, introduction of free trade generates employment to the domestic population. This is because it allows economic resources to be shifted to the more productive areas of the economy, which leads to more demand for exports. The resultant effect of free trade is economic growth and development. Higher incomes and higher growth rate in economy increases living standards of citizens. Domestic industries increase production levels and enhance efficiency in productivity. Disadvantages of Free Trade Alt hough there are many advantages, many disadvantages are put forth by conservative governments, lobby groups, and some economists to scuttle the efforts towards a free trade. First, free trade creates a domestic dependence on global markets. This creates a domestic economic instability associated with inability to control majority of the markets and prevailing forces such as demand, wars, and recessions. Second, the global market does not offer a level playing field. A country may produce a certain commodity cheaply at a surplus and, to avoid losses, dump it in a country that produced the same commodity at a higher cost. Many countries find it hard to compete when such conditions prevail. Additionally, the nature of goods a country produces may not auger well in trying to find a favorable balance of trade. For example, countries that produce agricultural related commodities experience unfavorable terms of trade. This results in lower export income and subsequently a large national de bt. Third, it is in the interest of nations to protect their upcoming industries. This may not be possible if they are constantly facing competition from already established firms. Hence, developing economies may find it more conducive to close trade and allow growth of its industries. Lastly, there are other disadvantages such as protection from environmental pollution by external firms and protection from a possibility of structural unemployment. Tradeoffs of Integration Introductory Case The European Union is the single biggest economic and political integration since the Soviet Union. Europe had embraced industrial revolution and there was high industrial development across the region prior to the World War II. The war brought the economy of Europe into waste, with many of its industries destroyed. During the period of 1945-1990, many of the countries in Eastern Europe fell into the communist hands of the USSR. United States came in sought to help save the European economy under the Marshall plan; it aided the western part of Europe and helped in building the economy. By the 1980s the communist nations were rapidly falling while the economies of Western European countries were increasingly gaining power, this is attributable to the support of the USA. With the help of America, many of the western nations moved to link together through economic integration. They formed the European Union that increased trade among them through shared infrastructure. They agreed on a common currency (the euro) and made trade agreements that set their economies on the path to recovery. This was unlike the Soviet Union, which had wanted to continue scuttling efforts of recovery in Europe to its advantage. Britain had been weakened by the Second World War hence it could no longer support countries in Europe like Greece and Turkey. It thus sought the intervention of the United States. The united states were strongly opposed to communism and to avoid European economies from falli ng in the hands of the soviet union they provided financial aid and also played a major role in stabilizing the civil wars at the time. America’s intervention through the Truman doctrine saved the nations from soviet communisms in effect saving Europe from foreign policy failures and military humiliation. America believed that once a country falls into communism it would also weaken the neighbors as there would be minimum interaction due to diverging trade systems. Their support was evident when the Soviet Union pressured Turkey over the Dardanelles Strait concessions that would have allowed invasion from the west, through enunciation of the Truman policy. USA helped Berlin with supplies and food when Stalin attempted to barricade West Berlin in a bid to take control. This enabled Europe to maintain control of its cities from the Soviet Union. Were it not for the vast amount of aid America gave to Europe, European economies would have fallen further with the Soviet Union inva sion during the cold war. Tradeoffs of Integration There are two types of integration: economic and political integration. The above case highlights the tricky nature of political and economic integration especially when carried out at the same time. The European Union is a classic case of economic integration with a measured political integration. For example, it is possible to travel from some countries to others without a visa and it is a legal requirement is some countries within the euro zone. Economic integration is a major challenge to the national fiscal policies, the existence of some economies without straining and the entry of new members in the euro zone. These challenges are highlighted below. Social and Political Challenges A close look at Portugal and Spain who were late entrants into the European Union depicts profound developments in those two countries. Since entering euro zone, Spain has recorded a favorable economic climate highlighted by increased trade within E urope, access to European budget, and favorable infrastructure. However, many pundits believe that the inclusion of Spain and Portugal was not purely for economic reasons. The European community strives to ensure that they have a functioning democratic union, with a common military purpose and a common defensive approach. Some economists argue that there cannot be a functioning economic integration without a political integration of some kind. This is because many economic policies are spawned from political decisions. Hence, it follows that many Euro Zone countries do not have the political free will to make decisions as others may have. The attached cartoon depicts a situation where a policymaker is considering two extreme options. The government of Greece had been borrowing money from the European Union members and from its citizens to fund expenditure budgets. It reached a point where the government was unable to meet its obligations and this resulted in a budget and debt crisis . The options were quite limited for the Greece government. This is because they were not allowed to make hard financial decisions independently. Hence, the extreme options were to pull out of the Euro Zone and renege on debt payments to Germany and other big lenders or to abide by the demand from Euro Zone members to cut budgetary spending in exchange for a bailout agreement. The bailout agreement, too, had many obligations. This includes the need to curtail government spending. This means the government will have to cut loose a massive working population from its structure. The other option will be to tax the Greek nationals more to meet the required budgetary requirements. If Greece were independent from Euro Zone, the options would have been limitless. For example, the country’s central bank would have devalued the country’s currency. This would have facilitated more foreign investments and shored up the balance of exchange. Additionally, more money in circulation would have increased peoples spending and hence spurred economic growth. However, all these fiscal decisions are tied to the Euro Zone fiscal structure. It is imperative to note that Greece was considering pulling out of euro zone. This meant that it would treat Euro Zone members as any other country outside euro zone. The reason this was an attractive way out is the short-term benefits. For example, the country would immediately cease from having to consider Euro Zone members in its imports before going for any other option. Hence, the country would import essential commodities cheaply from countries in Asia, Africa, and Americas. Additionally, the country’s fiscal policies would be independent of any rules and regulations. However, Greece would face trade barriers from even the closest neighbor and its exports would face a major lag. Hence, it would be hard to continue exporting goods to immediate neighbors. Additionally, it would be hard for Greece to be reaccepted into eu ro zone. The other countries will build a lasting mistrust in Greece. All these would have political, social, and economic consequences on Greece. Legal Consequences A country that enters into an economic integration has to abide by the rules of the integration. In the case of euro zone, all countries are required to align their agricultural, economic, and industrial legislation with the requirements laid down. Additionally, financial policies of a country must be in line with the European community. It is also mandatory to have certain taxation regimes and to have certain tariffs and subsidies. Additionally, a country aligns its budgetary requirements with those of other countries in the euro zone. A country is also restricted from conducting business with another country if it can conduct that business with a country in the European community. All these are legal consequences that come with integration elsewhere. One of the reasons why trade integration treaties do not work is bec ause most countries do not take the integration seriously. In addition, the structures in place to ensure that these rules are adhered to watered down by the fact that a country has the free will to pull out at any time. Poor Members Poor members are one of the major reasons why economic integration is hard. Poor members feel like they are alienated and are not enjoying similar benefits as the rest. This had threatened the very existence of Euro Zone in the 1980s. These disparities include par capita income, infrastructure developments, education levels, productivity, and employment. All these led to trade imbalances and hence poor countries were feeling the brunt. Efforts were made to harmonize this and some years later a fund specifically designed to address these problems was set up. These structural policies systematically advocated introduction of new provisions that would make social and economic cohesions a common goal. Most integration treaties do not go to that extent. This means that in the end, most poor countries that are hungry for domestic development pull out. Eventually, the ability of the integration to continue working is severely scuttled. Conclusion From the above analysis, it is evident that a country that enters into an agreement with other countries significantly reduces its sovereignty. Depending on the nature and level of integration, a country may also enjoy a number of benefits. Hence, a country trades off by weighing the option of giving up certain privileges to gain some advantages. The treaty has to be formed with good intentions. Failure to do that may result in its immediate crumble. For example, an effort should be made to ensure there is fairness that caters for the poor countries so that all enjoy fruits of integration. This essay on The Benefits and Disadvantages of Free Trade was written and submitted by user 3-D Man to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.