Music in Shakespeare's plays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Music in Shakespeare's plays - Essay Example The songs of the period reflect the manners and tastes of all stations of its society and the range of emotions of its people. (Randy L. Neighbarger 1992). The London theatre throughout the preceding years of the preeminence of Elizabeth was an exhilarating place. In a city of some hundred thousand people, where approximately fifteen to twenty thousand people attend the theatre every week, even if plays were performed throughout noontime, everybody had to work. In that Era, music was new and Shakespeare was quick to make out the capability of music to acclimatize to the stage. Though Shakespeare did use several new masterpieces, numerous of the songs used in his dramatic works were formerly written songs, sometimes even popular music, adapted to fit the work. Shakespeare's frequent tributes to the power of music, his apt use of musical terms and his many allusions to musical instruments, are, of course, well known. There were many good composers and theoretical writers hard at work during Shakespeare's time, and it is certain he had knowledge of these men and their works and made good use of it. Of course, in those days music was an important branch of education, as important as Latin or Fencing. (Randy L. Neighbarger 1992) Diamond defines, there were two major kinds of music, art and vocal that used in the drama of Shakespeare. The art song was a convoyed solo song, typically only one stanza in length, through lyrics of greater complication than that of the admired ballad. These songs could be recently composed, or tailored for the framework of the play. (Diamond, Harold, 1991, pg 65). Further Shakespeare exploited in his plays was vocal music usually ballads. This music was usually more than three stanzas of three to four stresses on every line. These songs would have been employed simply in part and then cut off by the end of the piece. There was a dual motive for this: partly as the extent of the majority of the popular ballads of the day was merely too great to be used with easiness, and also as the lyric of the portion all together might not be corresponding to the stratagem of the play, as a stanza or two might fit it adequately. One new type of the popular music was the instrumental music. Though there is little left of the precise instrumental melodies used on Shakespeare's stage, what still exists is in the similar style as the well-liked instrumental music of the time. The miscellany of the range suggests that instruments were kept back to short as well as simple pieces, such as dances or marches. According to Neighbarger, Music played two basic functions on the Elizabethan stage. It provided a realistic touch of pageantry and excitement in those scenes where music would normally be found in real-life situations, such as secular and religious ceremonies, battles, and banquets. Music also played a commentarial role, communicating to the audience some aspect of the

Contemporary management issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Contemporary management issues - Essay Example The project would be conducted through a critique of secondary sources on a wide range of topics that relate to the Greek financial crisis. To this end, various authoritative sources would be examined to provide important information about the topic under review. The Greek Financial Crisis Video images of demonstrations and other harsh economic conditions in Greece are not uncommon in the media. Greece has been at the forefront of a major financial situation that can be attributed to their inability to meet the requirements of the European Union (Sladek, 2010). Many debates and arguments have ensued about the appropriateness of the country continuously remaining as a member of the European Union (Sladek, 2010). However, the rules of the European Union requires that the country discharges its obligations to the European Union and works to meet all the requirements of the Common Market. On the other hand, many Greek citizens are very unhappy about the changes and adjustments that are r equired. The root of the Greek financial crises can be traced to the fact that the country has maintained a government that carries out uncontrolled spending which leads to high sovereign debts (Pasiouras, 2011). The European Union requires that member states' governments cut down on subsidies and excessive spending amongst other things (Levy, 2012). However, Greece has a history that goes back to years of running a welfare-state modelled on the principles of Communism (Grawitzky, 2012). This is because from the period before Greece joined the European Union, the nation maintained a system whereby the public sector was the primary engine of the economy. The public sector was the largest controller of resources and the public sector also employed the vast majority of workers in the country (Grawitzky, 2012). Impact of EU-membership on Greece Greece's membership of the European Union came with several requirements and expectations from the article of membership (Pettifer, 2012). This is because the European Union is built on the elements of supply-side economics which requires the private sector to be the main and primary engine of growth of the economy (Pettifer, 2012). This is connected to the fact that the European Union was formed by nations that were on the Capitalist side of the Cold War. These nations believe in allowing people to work to earn their expectations in life, rather than get the state or government to control resources. The clash between the European Union and the Greek economy meant that there was an inevitable conflict which would require Greece to dismantle its public-sector oriented economy in favour of a more privatized system. The European Union seeks to create a Single Market that would promote property owning democracy across member states with the hope of promoting efficiency through the principles of Capitalism. Greece joined the Union in 1981 but it has been slow in dismantling its welfare-structured system in favour of a Capitalist model of governance where competition was encouraged (Sladek, 2010). In spite of these realities, Greece has been repeatedly ruled by parties that are Socialist in outlook (Sladek, 2010). These parties have continued to uphold the welfare-oriented practices of the government and reforms and conformity with EU principles have come rather slowly. Around the year 2005, pressure from the European Union increased and the problems in the Greek public sector was uncovered (Pasiouras, 2011). The country was not able to pay its sovereign debts and the International

Should Nurses Be Allowed to Diagnose Patients?

Should Nurses Be Allowed to Diagnose Patients? Nowadays, the more controversial is the question as whether nurses should be allowed to diagnose patients? This issue is highly significant because nurses are equally responsible for patient care as do doctors and their knowledge can contribute towards appropriate diagnosis. However, Croasdale (2008) claimed that nurses have limited diagnosing skills. Here the essential point on which I differ is that, today nurses are more knowledgeable and competent health care professionals. Thats why they have potentials to diagnose patients. Thus, I propose that as nurses possess great potentials so they should be allowed to diagnose patients. Opponents of my view argued that nurses are considered subordinate to doctors. Sullivan Decker (2008) stated that Relationship of physician and nurse has been that of superior and subordinate. This in turn means that, nurses are supposed to adhere to doctors order. This prestige comes from the point that only doctors are allowed to diagnose. Godlee (2008) contends that, diagnosis is almost the only skill that defines doctor. Additionally, history taking and assessment in logical fashion is the key principle to make pertinent diagnosis. For which doctors are trained and knowledgeable. Furthermore, their education is more advanced than nurses, which help them to achieve this task. Thus, it can be affirm that nurses are responsible for caring patients while doctors cure them. Whereas, I strongly believe that, nurses are not subordinate to doctor. In fact, both are independent professionals who collaborate to achieve similar goals. As Murphy (2004) clearly pointed out that nursing is an independent profession with a unique body of knowledge and not simply a subcategory of medicine. In reality, nurses in their everyday practice also implement a logical process for history taking and assessment which ultimately guides diagnosis. For example, since the day nurses step in this profession, they are practicing history taking, interviewing and assessment skills. Moreover, nursing education has also expanded now and advance concepts are part of their curriculum. Today, nurses are also actively participating in researches to make their practice evidence based. Furthermore, the circle of nursing education does not complete at diploma or baccalaureate level while, career in nursing is flourishing day by day and nurses are moving ahead towards specialization. Therefore, on one hand, care is the core component of nursing. While on the other hand, it provides them the means to cure as well. Fox (2010) is the supporter of my opinion who asserted that Nurses can handle much of th e strain that healthcare reform will place on doctors and should be given the authority to take on more medical duties It is generally accepted that, people are more satisfied with doctors. This is because of the worldwide recognition associated with this profession. Doctors are the fundamental provider of health care. Moreover, it has been observed that in our society people consider doctors as superior to them. And in case of illness they immediately rush to doctor. Likewise, during my experience at emergency department, I have seen that as soon as patients reach, they want doctor to see them first. And many of them seemed satisfied after that. This was the reason, allowing nurses to triage patients was questionable. Hence, it is true to say that patients trust doctors and reveal more history to them comparatively to nurses. However, relating to these arguments is the critique that patients are more satisfied with nurses. Yet, there is no denying that doctors are recognized worldwide but, the point that profession of nursing is also globally renowned cannot be overlooked. People consider nurses as core member of health care team. As Laurence (2004) supported that Nurses are more popular than doctors as frontline providers of medical care. Besides that, nurses stay with patients for a longer period of time. Hence, patients trust and build rapport with them. Payne (2009) explains that Nursing was one of the few professions to gain an increase in public trustà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Doctors saw a drop of 4% in public confidence in the last two years. This clearly shows that, patients trust nurses more than doctors. This allows patients to disclose even those details to nurses which they hesitate to communicate to doctors in short meeting. Thus, it provides nurses an opportunity to identify patients concerns and make appropriate diagnosis. As far as triage nursing is concerned, initially it was questionable but once implemented, it became successful than the former. This example clearly illustrates that nurses with their capabilities can satisfy patients. Hence, nurses can become successf ul if they are allowed to diagnose. Cernik Ferns (2006) claimed that doctors are the ultimate decision makers and patients are their legal responsibility. According to this argument, the responsibility to diagnose comes under doctors mandate because they are licensure for that. Therefore, they are held legally responsible as any error or an act of negligence can lead to legal implications for them. Nurses, so this argument goes, are also legally responsible and answerable for their actions in court of law. For instance, if the patient dies due to wrong diagnose, so it is not only a doctor but the organization is sued and in such circumstances, doctors and nurses both are liable. Moreover, doctors are licensure to diagnose but the same is true for nurses in particular that, in UK and USA, there are nurse practitioners who are allowed to diagnose independently and treat patients. Considering the above arguments, is the point that competent nurses by virtue of an essential member of health care team should be allowed to diagnose patients. As, they are regarded as the backbone of health care industry their knowledge can benefit patient to a greater extent. Nurses, being good decision maker based on their knowledge and experience as well as legally responsible health care professionals can bring positive outcome in health care. In my opinion, if nurses are prohibited to diagnose, then their capabilities would get suppressed. As well as, this can predispose to increase chances of misdiagnoses and eventually errors will arise. Hence, society at large can benefit if the nurses are empowered for that. Word count: 1005

Baz Luhrman´s Version of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay -- Romeo

Baz Luhrman ´s Version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet One of the characteristics of Elizabethan and also Jacobean drama is the low number of stage directions and the lack of details they contain. As a logical consequence theatrical representations or film versions of these ages may allow an important quantity of freedom in the performance. In other instances stage directions and other important theatrical elements are consciously left aside in order to create totally different visions of the original idea. That is not the case of Baz Luhrman ´s version of Romeo and Juliet filmed in 1996, which despite the numerous alterations of the original play still retains Shakespeare's initial conception. On the question of setting, instead of the Verona of the sixteenth century in Italy, the action occurs in another Verona in the nineties, a coastal city dominated by two large skyscrapers belonging to the Montagues and the Capulets respectively, two adversary industrial powers. The places appearing in the play are barely respected, however the Capulet ´s mansion including its walls and garden appear both in the play and the film due to the fact that the events taking place there are crucial because it is the place in which Romeo and Juliet ´s first meet and develop their love affair. Apart from this, they are forbidden for Romeo, so any other location would have reduced the tension of his intrusions. In addition to this, in the film the streets of Verona are repeatedly replaced by the beach, and so the friar Lawrence ´s cell by his chapel. It is usual to find that whereas in a single scene of the play the events occur in a single space location, in the film it is possible to see more than one, as in the case of the first scene o... ...already dead. Apart from these elisions, some passages or sentences are extrapolated as in the case of 5.3., when Romeo says: "thy drugs are quick" referring to the apothecary's poison. This sentence only appears before Romeo and his friends go to the fancy-dress ball referring to the ecstasy tablet that Mercutio gives him. An interest case regarding to the text is prince Escalus' last intervention (5.3.), that in Luhrman's versions is performed by a newsreader on a t.v. who also performs the role of the chorus at the very beginning of the play. From all this, it follows that faithfulness is the key word since this version, unlike others as West Side Story by Jerome Robins and Robert Wise, retains the basic plot, metrics and literary devices in order to achieve a faithful and, at the same, time new vision of the Shakespeare's work that keeps his poetic richness.

Altria Corporation

Altria Group is the mother company of Phillip Morris international (altria, 2007), company known for its dominance in the world of tobacco production. Altria, which means â€Å"tobacco† (Offen, 2006), became the official company name of Phillip Morris Companies since 2003. Today, this company is considered to be the largest tobacco firm in the world market. The company not only caters on the production of tobacco products but also the manufacturing of some food products like Jell-O, Kool-Aid and a lot more since they are part owner of Kraft Foods- ranked second in food production next to Nestle’.Current Situation of the Company By this year, Altria Group is currently ranked 71st in the Fortune Global 500. With a profit of about $12 million and a profit growth rate of 15. 2%, Altria is now playing a good position in the global market (cnnmoney. com, 2007). As compared to other tobacco producers in the market, Altria defeated British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco and Al tadis. As most of the market analysts, most of the profit of the company is attributed to its international sales.The company sells more abroad than inside US. Based from the company’s quarterly report, on their fourth quarter period sales increased by 13% due to the purchase of Indonesia and Columbia. Last 2006, the total sales of Altria is around 35,000 units and continuously increasing (Burritt, 2006). Currently, some of the bulk of their profits comes from the increase of their tobacco product prices. It is their Marlboro brand that keeps their sales on a smooth track and still remains their â€Å"trade mark†.Marlboro becomes popular in the 1970’s that bring the company on its greatest height. Currently, Altria plans to concentrate solely on the production of tobacco. As of March 30, 2007, Kraft Foods already separated into different business entities, this makes Altria no longer have any interest in Kraft Foods. Impression with the World Wide Operation of A ltria Group Well, the company has indeed a lot of â€Å"right† to claim that they are the best tobacco company internationally.The company has its adequate resources to finance all of its undertaking here and abroad. It is a good thing that this company operates internationally because it supplies the ever increasing demand for tobacco products in other country. If it is not the help of Altria Group, there would be a shortage in the supply of tobacco products giving pressure to its prices to increase significantly harming the consumers since they will have to pay higher price tobacco products that what is socially right.As of now, the existence of Altria Group in the market is beneficial given the current situation of various agents in the market. But for sure, there would come a time wherein the dominance of Altria in the tobacco industry could harm other businesses. It is up to the government to keep track of the performance of the tobacco industry and impose appropriate po licies to equilibrate the market.

Financing Strategy Essay

There are many options for expansion for a privately held company. The Huffman Trucking Company has options to expand the operations of the business. The three best options that the firm faces are; going public through an IPO, acquiring another organization in the same industry, or merging with another organization. With each of these being a possibility, there are some aspects that must be taken into consideration. First there are strengths of the option, as well as weaknesses. Each option also comes with its own opportunities as well as threats, which must not be over looked. While there are pros and cons to any decision that will be made as far as going forward is concerned, expanding operations is imperative to staying competitive in the business world this day in age. Weighing each option will allow The Huffman Trucking Company’s decision makers to come to the best conclusion when moving forward. Going Public through an IPO An initial public offering (IPO) is a process in which a private company issues shares of stock to the public for the first time. Often times this process is known as â€Å"going public†. Regardless of how people refer to it though, it is extremely important for Huffman Trucking to consider this option for further expansion (â€Å"Encyclopedia Of Business†, 2013). The strength in this approach is that it could generate revenues that do not have to be paid back. The initial purchasers of the stock are buying a portion of the company in hopes that the value will increase. Huffman Trucking can then use those funds to purchase new equipment, hire more employees, and more importantly to expand their service area in the United States. However, there are weaknesses in this decision. The current ownership and management would lose a great deal of decision making power for the company. In an instant, the entire management team would have a group of stockholders to answer to. The knowledge savvy that got Huffman Trucking to where it is would become secondary to the whims of the stock holders. The opportunities of this approach are many, but primarily, it would put Huffman Trucking on the map. Increasing the recognition and reputation of the company can go a long way to increasing revenues. Also, going public would create a financing climate for the company that would provide even more opportunity to gain investment monies (when needed) for further growth. The major threat of this decision is that current ownership and management would be thrown out. If the stockholders felt that they knew better for the company, steps could be taken to get rid of anyone deemed detrimental to the company. This could mean that in a matter of years the original owner and every member of the original management team could be removed from the company. Acquiring another Organization in the Same Industry Another option for Huffman Trucking is to acquire another organization within the trucking industry. Huffman trucking can already credit some of its growth in the past to acquiring other businesses, though each case is different and it’s important to consider the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with another acquisition. Acquiring another business can help Huffman Trucking to increase their efficiency and business. This is a known strength for acquiring another business, because they already have a location that they cover as well as a customer base, and their name is known, associating Huffman Trucking with that name will help their customers feel comfortable offering their business to Huffman. Depending on how Huffman is already staffed, a weakness of acquiring another business could be bringing on to many employees, or even having to let some of that company’s current employees go. If Huffman brings on those employees they have to make sure they have enough business to pay for all of their labor, and if they have to terminate those employees it can give the company a negative public image for cutting jobs. There are countless opportunities when acquiring another company in the same industry. It all depends on how the specific company handles the acquisition. One major opportunity is unlimited growth, if the acquisition goes well for both companies than Huffman will probably have the chance to acquire other businesses within the same industry and continue to grow. A threat would be that there is really no guarantee how the other company will handle the acquisition. There could be negative publicity or issues with current employees if Huffman doesn’t handle the situation appropriately from the beginning. Merging Organizations Many times, a company like Huffman Trucking potentially can build strength by merging with other organizations. Careful consideration and planning needs to take place before simply diving into any venture; however, if the company were to mesh itself with a company that is already holding itself upright, Huffman Trucking potentially could have more to offer its customers. In combination with the diverse services Huffman already provides, it can expand on these services. Especially, if Huffman aligns itself with another well-known company, consumers could still get their needs met by the former company while also being introduced to the products and services offered by Huffman. In relation, if Huffman shares nearby territories with other companies that offer similar services, it may be a wise move to merge the companies into one entity. â€Å"It is smart to merge with, successful companies if the services complement each other. The acquiring company would have access to a new market and an already established customer base† (NFIB, 2013, P. 1). In this instance Huffman would serve as the main headquarters; the head honchos taking over. Combining similar companies together potentially can ignite more power as a union, reinforcing the strength in numbers concept. â€Å"Merging is a way to encourage growth; it can be looked upon as a way to open up new channels and new markets† (NFIB, 2013, P.1). Occasionally companies experience down times, mostly because of market trends. On their own, they simply would lose steam and eventually fade into financial despair, unless another company chooses to offer a life raft. In these instances, a large company may swoop in and â€Å"buy† out the struggling company. The endeavor can prove to be fruitful if the larger company is successful at not only turning around profits for the struggling company but also building onto its own. Acquiring additional assets also helps to make a large company â€Å"look† better to investors. Huffman Trucking initially may desire to keep everything the â€Å"same.† It may even promise that employees will not lose their jobs. The reality, however; for any successful merger, is that change is inevitable and some employees will be let go. If Huffman attempts to retain too many employees it sets itself up for failure as the synergy processes can become strained. Within a given organization, only so many associates are needed to fill the necessary departments. The action of merging with other companies automatically reveals the existence of several different â€Å"departments† of employees doing the same type of work. Huffman will have to determine how many workers are â€Å"needed† to fill these positions and then layoff, or relocate the rest. Larger companies merging with other large, successful companies may merge more smoothly with minimal layoffs, and such a condition would be ideal. The merging endeavor could unfortunately cause a temporary downward trend in stock prices. Huffman may be tempted to get cocky with prices because it is now owner of many smaller entities. It may would reason that since it offers products widely sought by consumers that pricing rests solely within their whim. Consumers, however, â€Å"may rebel when confronted by increased costs as they seek cheaper product alternatives within the marketplace† (Rimm & Media, Wint). The opportunities are numerous when a merger is successful. Two well-financed, profitable companies potentially can exponentially increase their net worth by joining forces. Keeping lines of communication open among the entire company promotes enthusiasm from workers old and new. Acquiring companies can benefit from the broader customer base; in conjunction it can often decrease expenses as they produce more of their own brand. Although the reality exists that some employees will be let go, there also lays potential risks. â€Å"Customer service may suffer as employees feel less motivated to go out of their way to help clients and shoppers† (Rimm & Media, Wint). A gradually weakening workforce fueled by employee stress and weakened morale will eventually affect the face of the entire company. Many merger efforts actually discourage employees from seeking employment elsewhere, as they want the merger process to unfold smoothly. This is no way guarantees job security for workers long-term. Consequently, some employees will be intolerant toward the unknown. They feel unmotivated. Turnover is sure to spread among departments. As departments begin to weaken, remaining workers may start to feel the squeeze of added work load. During the merger, the company is unlikely to hire replacement workers right away. The overall spirit within the company may slowly deteriorate as result. Another potential threat is an already weak company deciding to merge with another weak company, assuming that combining the two will induce success. Two broke companies will seldom find success together. More than likely, they simply will fail as one unit. Huffman Trucking should consider several factors when choosing to pursue an international location. Financial decisions for Huffman Trucking will be affected by the decision to branch out into international markets. The usual factors that Huffman Trucking takes into consideration in the planning efforts of supply and demand will include new risks. These risks will â€Å"include unanticipated commodity price shocks, volatile exchange rates, and unexpected supply disruptions as a result of forces beyond our controls, such as physical disasters and terrorist attacks† (Neuman, 2005). The company should consider interest rates as this will affect the exchanges from one currency to another. Employment levels and economic growth expectations will also potentially affect exchange rates. Rising unemployment in another country could bring the value of that country’s currency down, thus creating a less favorable exchange rate. The same is true for general economic conditions. If a country’s economy is not growing interest rates are likely rising and potentially affect exchange rates as well. Another factor Huffman Trucking should consider when choosing a location for potential international expansion is the trade balance of the other country as well as its political and regulatory structure. A country wants to maintain a positive trade balance to keep a favorable demand for its currency. The political structure within a foreign country needs to be strong to help protect the investments of Huffman Trucking. The foreign country should possess clearly defined regulations. Strong regulations will also help protect the company’s investments. These critical factors will aid Huffman Trucking is determining where international expansion aligns with their operations. Each of the choices before Huffman Trucking are valid and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. It is important to note that expansion is an important part of successful business, but not necessarily a requirement. Huffman Trucking must decide if negative side effects of any of these choices is worth the gain.

How American Manifest Destiny Effects Modern Foreign Policy

How American Manifest Destiny Effects Modern Foreign Policy The term Manifest Destiny, which American writer John L. OSullivan coined in 1845, describes what most 19th-Century Americans believed was their God-given mission to expand westward, occupy a continental nation, and extend U.S. constitutional government to unenlightened peoples. While the term sounds like it is strictly historical, it also more subtly applies to the tendency of U.S. foreign policy to push democratic nation-building around the globe. Historical Background OSullivan first used the term to support the expansionist agenda of President James K. Polk, who took office in March 1845. Polk ran on only one platform westward expansion. He wanted to officially claim the southern part of Oregon Territory; annex the whole of the American Southwest from Mexico; and annex Texas. (Texas had declared independence from Mexico in 1836, but Mexico did not acknowledge it. Since then, Texas had survived barely as an independent nation; only U.S. congressional arguments over slavery had prevented it from becoming a state.) Polks policies would undoubtedly cause war with Mexico. OSullivans Manifest Destiny thesis helped drum up support for that war. Basic Elements of Manifest Destiny Historian Albert K. Weinberg, in his 1935 book Manifest Destiny first codified the elements of American Manifest Destiny. While others have debated and reinterpreted those elements, they remain a good foundation for explaining the idea. They include: Security: Simply, the first generations of Americans saw their unique position on the eastern edge of a new continent as an opportunity to create a nation without of the Balkanization of European countries. That is, they wanted a continental-sized nation, not many small nations on a continent. That obviously would give the United States few borders to worry about and enable it to conduct a cohesive foreign policy.Virtuous Government: Americans saw their Constitution as the ultimate, virtuous expression of enlightened governmental thought. Using the writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and others, Americans had created a new government without the hobbles of European monarchies one based on the will of the governed, not the government.National Mission/Divine Ordination: Americans believed that God, by geographically separating the U.S. from Europe, had given them the chance to create the ultimate government. It stood to reason, then, that He also wanted them to spread that governme nt to unenlightened people. Immediately, that applied to Native Americans. Modern Foreign Policy Implications The term Manifest Destiny fell out of use after the U.S. Civil War, in part to racist overtones of the concept, but it returned again in the 1890s to justify American intervention in the Cuban rebellion against Spain. That intervention resulted in the Spanish-American War, 1898. That war added more modern implications to the concept of Manifest Destiny. While the U.S. did not fight the war for true expansion, it did fight it to develop a rudimentary empire. After quickly beating Spain, the U.S. found itself in control of both Cuba and the Philippines. American officials, including President William McKinley, were hesitant to let nationals in either place run their own affairs, for fear that they would fail and allow other foreign nations to step into a power vacuum. Simply, many Americans believed that they need to take Manifest Destiny beyond American shores, not for land acquisition but to spread American democracy. The arrogance in that belief was racist itself. Wilson and Democracy Woodrow Wilson, president from 1913-1921, became a leading practitioner of modern Manifest Destiny. Wanting to rid Mexico of its dictator president Victoriano Huerta in 1914, Wilson commented that he would teach them to elect good men. His comment was fraught with the notion that only Americans could provide such governmental education, which was a hallmark of Manifest Destiny. Wilson ordered the U.S. Navy to conduct sabre-rattling exercises along the Mexican coastline, which in turn resulted in a minor battle in the town of Veracruz. In 1917, trying to justify Americas entry into World War I, Wilson remarked that the U.S. would make the world safe for democracy. Few statements have so clearly typified the modern implications of Manifest Destiny. The Bush Era It would be hard to classify American involvement in World War II as an extension of Manifest Destiny. You could make a greater case for its policies during the Cold War. The policies of George W. Bush toward Iraq, however, fit modern Manifest Destiny almost exactly. Bush, who said in a 2000 debate against Al Gore that he had no interest in nation-building, proceeded to do exactly that in Iraq. When Bush began the war in March 2003, his overt reason was to find weapons of mass destruction. In reality, he was bent on deposing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and installing in his place a system of American democracy. The ensuing insurrection against American occupiers proved how difficult it would be for the United States to continue pushing its brand of Manifest Destiny.