Biography of John Donne Free Essays

Biography of John Donne John Donne was an English poet, satirist, lawyer and priest. He is considered the pre-eminent representative of the metaphysical poets. His works are noted for their strong, sensual style and include sonnets, love poetry, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs, satires and sermons. We will write a custom essay sample on Biography of John Donne or any similar topic only for you Order Now His poetry is noted for its vibrancy of language and inventiveness of metaphor, especially compared to that of his contemporaries. Donne’s style is characterised by abrupt openings and various paradoxes, ironies and dislocations. These features, along with his frequent dramatic or everyday speech rhythms, his tense syntax and his tough eloquence, were both a reaction against the smoothness of conventional Elizabethan poetry and an adaptation into English of European baroque and mannerist techniques. His early career was marked by poetry that bore immense knowledge of British society and he met that knowledge with sharp criticism. Another important theme in Donne’s poetry is the idea of true religion, something that he spent much time considering and theorising about. He wrote secular poems as well as erotic and love poems. He is particularly famous for his mastery of metaphysical conceits. Despite his great education and poetic talents, Donne lived in poverty for several years, relying heavily on wealthy friends. He spent much of the money he inherited during and after his education on womanising, literature, pastimes, and travel. In 1601, Donne secretly married Anne Moore, with whom he had twelve children. In 1615, he became an Anglican priest, although he did not want to take Anglican orders. He did so because King James I persistently ordered it. In 1621, he was appointed the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. He also served as a member of parliament in 1601 and in 1614. Biography Early Life Donne was born in London, into a Roman Catholic family when practice of that religion was illegal in England. Donne was the third of six children. His father, also named John Donne, was of Welsh descent and a warden of the Ironmongers Company in the City of London. Donne’s father was a respected Roman Catholic who avoided unwelcome government attention out of fear of persecution. Donne’s father died in 1576, leaving his wife, Elizabeth Heywood, the responsibility of raising their children. Elizabeth was also from a recusant Roman Catholic family, the daughter of John Heywood, the playwright, and sister of the Reverend Jasper Heywood, a Jesuit priest and translator. She was a great-niece of the Roman Catholic martyr Thomas More. This tradition of martyrdom would continue among Donne’s closer relatives, many of whom were executed or exiled for religious reasons. Donne was educated privately; however, there is no evidence to support the popular claim that he was taught by Jesuits. Donne’s mother married Dr. John Syminges, a wealthy widower with three children, a few months after Donne’s father died. Two more of his sisters, Mary and Katherine, died in 1581. Donne’s mother, who had lived in the Deanery after Donne became Dean of St. Paul’s, survived him, dying in 1632. Donne was a student at Hart Hall, now Hertford College, Oxford, from the age of 11. After three years at Oxford he was admitted to the University of Cambridge, where he studied for another three years. He was unable to obtain a degree from either institution because of his Catholicism, since he could not take the Oath of Supremacy required of graduates. In 1591 he was accepted as a student at the Thavies Inn legal school, one of the Inns of Chancery in London. On 6 May 1592 he was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn, one of the Inns of Court. His brother Henry was also a university student prior to his arrest in 1593 for harbouring a Catholic priest, William Harrington, whom Henry betrayed under torture. Harrington was tortured on the rack, hanged until not quite dead, then was subjected to disembowelment. Henry Donne died in Newgate prison of bubonic plague, leading John Donne to begin questioning his Catholic faith. During and after his education, Donne spent much of his considerable inheritance on women, literature, pastimes and travel. Although there is no record detailing precisely where he travelled, it is known that he travelled across Europe and later fought with the Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Raleigh against the Spanish at Cadiz (1596) and the Azores (1597) and witnessed the loss of the Spanish flagship, the San Felipe. According to Izaak Walton, who wrote a biography of Donne in 1658: .. he returned not back into England till he had stayed some years, first in Italy, and then in Spain, where he made many useful observations of those countries, their laws and manner of government, and returned perfect in their languages. —Izaak Walton By the age of 25 he was well prepared for the diplomatic career he appeared to be seeking. He was appointed chief secretary to the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, Sir Thomas Egerton, and was established at Egerton’s London home, York House, Strand close to the Palace of Whitehall, then the most influential social centre in England. Marriage to Anne More During the next four years, he fell in love with Egerton’s niece Anne More. They were married just before Christmas in 1601, against the wishes of both Egerton and George More, who was Lieutenant of the Tower and Anne’s father. This wedding ruined Donne’s career and earned him a short stay in Fleet Prison, along with Samuel Brooke, who married them, and the man who acted as a witness to the wedding. Donne was released when the marriage was proven valid, and he soon secured the release of the other two. Walton tells us that when Donne wrote to his wife to tell her about losing his post, he wrote after his name: John Donne, Anne Donne, Un-done. It was not until 1609 that Donne was reconciled with his father-in-law and received his wife’s dowry. After his release, Donne had to accept a retired country life in Pyrford, Surrey. Over the next few years, he scraped a meagre living as a lawyer, depending on his wife’s cousin Sir Francis Wolly to house him, his wife, and their children. Because Anne Donne bore a new baby almost every year, this was a very generous gesture. Though he practised law and may have worked as an assistant pamphleteer to Thomas Morton, Donne was in a constant state of financial insecurity, with a growing family to provide for. Anne bore twelve children in sixteen years of marriage (including two stillbirths—their eighth and then, in 1617, their last child); indeed, she spent most of her married life either pregnant or nursing. The ten surviving children were Constance, John, George, Francis, Lucy (named after Donne’s patroness Lucy, Countess of Bedford, her godmother), Bridget, Mary, Nicholas, Margaret, and Elizabeth. Francis, Nicholas, and Mary died before they were ten. In a state of despair, Donne noted that the death of a child would mean one less mouth to feed, but he could not afford the burial expenses. During this time, Donne wrote, but did not publish, Biathanatos, his defence of suicide. His wife died on 15 August 1617, five days after giving birth to their twelfth child, a still-born baby. Donne mourned her deeply, and wrote of his love and loss in his 17th Holy Sonnet. Career and Later Life Donne was elected as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Brackley in 1602, but this was not a paid position. The fashion for coterie poetry of the period gave him a means to seek patronage and many of his poems were written for wealthy friends or patrons, especially Sir Robert Drury, who came to be Donne’s chief patron in 1610. Donne wrote the two Anniversaries, An Anatomy of the World (1611) and Of the Progress of the Soul, (1612), for Drury. In 1610 and 1611 he wrote two anti-Catholic polemics: Pseudo-Martyr and Ignatius his Conclave. Although James was pleased with Donne’s work, he refused to reinstate him at court and instead urged him to take holy orders. At length, Donne acceded to the King’s wishes and in 1615 was ordained into the Church of England. Donne was awarded an honorary doctorate in divinity from Cambridge in 1615 and became a Royal Chaplain in the same year, and was made a Reader of Divinity at Lincoln’s Inn in 1616. In 1618 he became chaplain to Viscount Doncaster, who was on an embassy to the princes of Germany. Donne did not return to England until 1620. In 1621 Donne was made Dean of St Paul’s, a leading (and well-paid) position in the Church of England and one he held until his death in 1631. During his period as Dean his daughter Lucy died, aged eighteen. In late November and early December 1623 he suffered a nearly fatal illness, thought to be either typhus or a combination of a cold followed by a period of fever. During his convalescence he wrote a series of meditations and prayers on health, pain, and sickness that were published as a book in 1624 under the title of Devotions upon Emergent Occasions. One of these meditations, Meditation XVII, later became well known for its phrase â€Å"for whom the bell tolls† and the statement that â€Å"no man is an island†. In 1624 he became vicar of St Dunstan-in-the-West, and 1625 a prolocutor to Charles I. He earned a reputation as an eloquent preacher and 160 of his sermons have survived, including the famous Death’s Duel sermon delivered at the Palace of Whitehall before King Charles I in February 1631. Death It is thought that his final illness was stomach cancer, although this has not been proven. He died on 31 March 1631 having written many poems, most only in manuscript. Donne was buried in old St Paul’s Cathedral, where a memorial statue of him was erected (carved from a drawing of him in his shroud), with a Latin epigraph probably composed by himself. Donne’s monument survived the 1666 fire, and is on display in the present building. Writings Early Poetry Donne’s earliest poems showed a developed knowledge of English society coupled with sharp criticism of its problems. His satires dealt with common Elizabethan topics, such as corruption in the legal system, mediocre poets, and pompous courtiers. His images of sickness, vomit, manure, and plague reflected his strongly satiric view of a world populated by all the fools and knaves of England. His third satire, however, deals with the problem of true religion, a matter of great importance to Donne. He argued that it was better to examine carefully one’s religious convictions than blindly to follow any established tradition, for none would be saved at the Final Judgment, by claiming â€Å"A Harry, or a Martin taught [them] this. † Donne’s early career was also notable for his erotic poetry, especially his elegies, in which he employed unconventional metaphors, such as a flea biting two lovers being compared to sex. In Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed, he poetically undressed his mistress and compared the act of fondling to the exploration of America. In Elegy XVIII, he compared the gap between his lover’s breasts to the Hellespont. Donne did not publish these poems, although did allow them to circulate widely in manuscript form. â€Å"†¦ any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.. † — Donne, Meditation XVII Some have speculated that Donne’s numerous illnesses, financial strain, and the deaths of his friends all contributed to the development of a more somber and pious tone in his later poems. The change can be clearly seen in â€Å"An Anatomy of the World† (1611), a poem that Donne wrote in memory of Elizabeth Drury, daughter of his patron, Sir Robert Drury of Hawstead, Suffolk. This poem treats Elizabeth’s demise with extreme gloominess, using it as a symbol for the Fall of Man and the destruction of the universe. The poem â€Å"A Nocturnal upon S. Lucy’s Day, Being the Shortest Day†, concerns the poet’s despair at the death of a loved one. In it Donne expresses a feeling of utter negation and hopelessness, saying that â€Å"I am every dead thing†¦ re-begot / Of absence, darkness, death. This famous work was probably written in 1627 when both Donne’s friend Lucy, Countess of Bedford, and his daughter Lucy Donne died. Three years later, in 1630, Donne wrote his will on Saint Lucy’s day (13 December), the date the poem describes as â€Å"Both the year’s, and the day’s deep midnight. † The increasin g gloominess of Donne’s tone may also be observed in the religious works that he began writing during the same period. His early belief in the value of scepticism now gave way to a firm faith in the traditional teachings of the Bible. Having converted to the Anglican Church, Donne focused his literary career on religious literature. He quickly became noted for his sermons and religious poems. The lines of these sermons would come to influence future works of English literature, such as Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, which took its title from a passage in Meditation XVII of Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, and Thomas Merton’s No Man is an Island, which took its title from the same source. Towards the end of his life Donne wrote works that challenged death, and the fear that it inspired in many men, on the grounds of his belief that those who die are sent to Heaven to live eternally. One example of this challenge is his Holy Sonnet X, Death Be Not Proud, from which come the famous lines â€Å"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee / Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so. † Even as he lay dying during Lent in 1631, he rose from his sickbed and delivered the Death’s Duel sermon, which was later described as his own funeral sermon. Death’s Duel portrays life as a steady descent to suffering and death, yet sees hope in salvation and immortality through an embrace of God, Christ and the Resurrection. Style His work has received much criticism over the years, especially concerning his metaphysical form. Donne is generally considered the most prominent member of the Metaphysical poets, a phrase coined in 1781 by the critic Dr Johnson, following a comment on Donne by the poet John Dryden. Dryden had written of Donne in 1693: â€Å"He affects the metaphysics, not only in his satires, but in his amorous verses, where nature only should reign; and perplexes the minds of the fair sex with nice speculations of philosophy, when he should engage their hearts, and entertain them with the softnesses of love. In Life of Cowley (from Samuel Johnson’s 1781 work of biography and criticism Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets), Johnson refers to the beginning of the seventeenth century in which there â€Å"appeared a race of writers that may be termed the metaphysical poets†. Donne’s immediate successors in poetry therefore tended to regard his works with ambivalence, with the Neoclassical poets regarding his conceits as abuse of the metaphor. However he was revived by Romantic poets such as Coleridge and Browning, though his more recent revival in the early twentieth century by poets such as T. S. Eliot and critics like F R Leavis tended to portray him, with approval, as an anti-Romantic. Donne’s work suggests a healthy appetite for life and its pleasures, while also expressing deep emotion. He did this through the use of conceits, wit and intellect—as seen in the poems â€Å"The Sun Rising† and â€Å"Batter My Heart†. Donne is considered a master of the metaphysical conceit, an extended metaphor that combines two vastly different ideas into a single idea, often using imagery. An example of this is his equation of lovers with saints in â€Å"The Canonization†. Unlike the conceits found in other Elizabethan poetry, most notably Petrarchan conceits, which formed cliched comparisons between more closely related objects (such as a rose and love), metaphysical conceits go to a greater depth in comparing two completely unlike objects. One of the most famous of Donne’s conceits is found in â€Å"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning† where he compares two lovers who are separated to the two legs of a compass. Donne’s works are also witty, employing paradoxes, puns, and subtle yet remarkable analogies. His pieces are often ironic and cynical, especially regarding love and human motives. Common subjects of Donne’s poems are love (especially in his early life), death (especially after his wife’s death), and religion. John Donne’s poetry represented a shift from classical forms to more personal poetry. Donne is noted for his poetic metre, which was structured with changing and jagged rhythms that closely resemble casual speech (it was for this that the more classical-minded Ben Jonson commented that â€Å"Donne, for not keeping of accent, deserved hanging†). Some scholars believe that Donne’s literary works reflect the changing trends of his life, with love poetry and satires from his youth and religious sermons during his later years. Other scholars, such as Helen Gardner, question the validity of this dating—most of his poems were published posthumously (1633). The exception to these is his Anniversaries which were published in 1612 and Devotions upon Emergent Occasions published in 1624. His sermons are also dated, sometimes specifically by date and year. Legacy Donne is commemorated as a priest in the calendar of the Church of England and in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on 31 March. Sylvia Plath, interviewed on BBC Radio in late 1962, said the following about a book review of her collection of poems titled The Colossus that had been published in the United Kingdom two years earlier: â€Å"I remember being appalled when someone criticised me for beginning just like John Donne but not quite managing to finish like John Donne, and I felt the weight of English literature on me at that point. The memorial to Donne, modelled after the engraving pictured above, was one of the few such memorials to survive the Great Fire of London in 1666 and now appears in St Paul’s Cathedral where Donne is buried. Donne in Literature In Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer prize-winning play Wit (1999), the main character, a professor of 17th century poetry specialising in Donne, is dying of cancer. The play was adapted for the HBO film Wit starring Emma Thompson. Donne’s Songs and Sonnets feature in The Calligrapher (2003), a novel by Edward Docx. In the 2006 novel The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox, Donne’s works are frequently quoted. Donne appears, along with his wife Anne and daughter Pegge, in the award-winning novel Conceit (2007) by Mary Novik. Joseph Brodsky has a poem called â€Å"Elegy for John Donne†. The love story of Donne and Anne More is the subject of Maeve Haran’s 2010 historical novel The Lady and the Poet. An excerpt from â€Å"Meditation 17 Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions† serves as the opening for Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom The Bell Tolls. Marilynne Robinson’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel Gilead makes several references to Donne’s work. Donne is the favourite poet of Dorothy Sayers’ fictional detective Lord Peter Wimsey, and the Wimsey books include numerous quotations from, and allusions to, his work. Donne’s poem ‘A Fever’ (incorrectly called ‘The Fever’) is mentioned in the penultimate paragraph of the novel â€Å"The Silence of the Lambs† by Thomas Harris. Edmund â€Å"Bunny† Corcoran writes a paper on Donne in Donna Tartt’s novel The Secret History, in which he ties together Donne and Izaak Walton with help of an imaginary philosophy called â€Å"Metahemeralism†. Donne plays a significant role in Christie Dickason’s The Noble Assassin (2011), a novel based on the life of Donne’s patron and putative lover, Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford. Donne in Popular Culture John Renbourn, on his 1966 debut album John Renbourn, sings a version of the poem, â€Å"Song: Go and Catch a Falling Star†. (He alters the last line to â€Å"False, ere I count one, two, three. â€Å") Tarwater, in their album Salon des Refuses, have put â€Å"The Relic† to song. The plot of Neil Gaiman’s novel Stardust is based upon the poem â€Å"Song: Go and Catch a Falling Star,† with the fallen star turned into a major character. Bob Chilcott has arranged a choral piece to Donne’s â€Å"Go and Catch a Falling Star†. Van Morrison pays tribute to the poet on â€Å"Rave On John Donne† and makes references in many other songs. Lost in Austen, the British mini series based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, has Bingley refer to Donne when he describes taking Jane to America, â€Å"John Donne, don’t you know? ‘License my roving hands,’ and so forth. † Las How to cite Biography of John Donne, Essay examples

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Question: Discuss about the Rising Inflation in Property Market. Answer: Introduction: Singapore comes under the most prosperous nations of the world. In 2014, it was ranked as top third country as per GDP (PPP) per capita ranking (Statistics Times, 2015). It is a democratic country, but since independence it has been ruled by only the Peoples Action Party (PAP). The strong and energetic economy of Singapore is backed by stable political and legal environment and prudent macroeconomic policies. It has a very strong and effective judicial system resulting in least corruption. Service and manufacturing sectors are the two pillars contributing to the growth of economy in this country. Singapore is an open economy in terms of trade and investment. Its highly efficient and transparent regulatory structure promotes healthy commercial practices and competitive environment (The Heritage Foundation, 2017). In 2011 it was ranked as finest country to conduct business in world according to World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index. Since 1960, fast industrialisation took place in th e country because of attraction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Multinational Companies into the country which resulted in rapid economic growth (Economic Watch, 2010). The per capita GDP in terms of current dollars of country grew rapidly since independence, as recorded US$ 516.3 in 1965 rose to US$ 29869.85 in 2005 and became US$ 56336.07 in 2014 (World Bank, 2017). The problem of lack of natural resources does not come in between the growth of this country as the strength and competitiveness of economy lies in the efficient management of human capital. The tourism industry of this country is also flourishing which attracts around 10 million tourists each year (Zhou, 2017). Gross Domestic Product is the key measure to evaluate the economic performance of a country. It is an aggregate worth of final goods and services produced in a country over a given period of time. To facilitate comparison of counties output on a year to year basis it is important to adjust the effect of price level changes in GDP, as a result Real GDP is calculated. The per capita Real GDP is calculated by dividing total population of country from its total Real GDP, it shows average output contributed by each individual within a country (Amadeo 2017). GDP Growth Rate and GDP per Capital Analysis Year Real GDP (Constant 2010 US$) (Amount in Billions) Real GDP Growth Rate (in percentage) Per Capita Real GDP (Constant 2010 US$) (Amount in Billions) 2005 170.72 7.489 40020.26 2006 185.84 8.86 42223.89 2007 202.78 9.112 44191.24 2008 206.40 1.788 42650.1 2009 205.16 -0.603 41133.3 2010 236.42 15.24 46,569.68 2011 251.14 6.224 48439.94 2012 260.86 3.871 49000.71 2013 273.91 5.001 50467.84 2014 283.69 3.572 51440.82 (Source: The World Bank, 2017) Singapore has experienced gradual growth during the period 2005- 2014 with average growth rate of around 6.06% in GDP over these years. Since Singapore was amongst the robust economies of Asian region it witnessed tremendous growth rates in between 2004-2007. But being an open economy and profoundly linked to the world economy and higher dependence on exports to countries like US, Japan and Europe, its growth rate was severely affected by economic crisis of 2008-09. Besides hurting the export business, the global economic downturn also depressed the financial sector of Singapore. This ultimately affected the manufacturing, construction and other sectors (Jordan, 2009). As can be seen from table 1, the GDP growth rate was 9.11% in 2007 slipped to 1.79% in 2008 and even became negative in 2009. This decline was followed by exceptionally high growth in GDP recording 15.24% in 2010 because of impressive growth in manufacturing sector (BBC, 2011). In 2011 and 2012, the growth rate in GDP showed a declining trend of 6.22% and 3.87% respectively because of contracted growth in manufacturing sector and whole sale and retail trade sector (MTI, 2012; MTI, 2013). It again picked up the growth rate in 2013 to 5% because of remarkable growth in services providing industries, specially finance and insurance along with wholesale and retail trade sector (MTI, 2014). Overall the Singapore is performing quite well in terms of production and output growth. The reason behind outperformance of Singaporean economy than several other developed countries is its economic and market structure, exchange rate mechanism and its policies related to foreign workers. The manufacturing, construction and utilities industries contributed to 23.1% in GDP of 2013. Service sector being the backbone of economic growth contributed 66.3% in GDP. The balance industrial structure of Singapore helped in sustained and fast growth in economy (HKTDC Research, 2014). Government Measure- GDP Government of Singapore has a strong support towards development of small and medium- sized enterprises as 70% of total workforce are employed in these enterprise and they cover half of total enterprise value. Singapore has always kept its high focus on importance of research and development and provided various cash incentives to SMEs to encourage innovation. Because of scarcity in natural resources and high dependence on human capital, government planned its budget by keeping sufficient margin to expand in education for efficient development in human capital (OECD, 2013). Unemployment is situation where a person willing and able to work is not able to find job. Unemployment generally categorised as Cyclical, Frictional and Structural. Cyclical unemployment occurs because of cyclical ups and downs in economy. The loss of jobs by many individuals during recession period is cyclical unemployment. Frictional unemployment occurs because of time taken in matching the potential factors between employer and employee like salary, required skills, training, etc. Structural unemployment is closely resembled to Frictional one; it occurs because of lack of high skilled labours as required because of technological advancement. It happens because of structural change in an economy (Baumol and Blinder, 2008). Unemployment Trend Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Unemployment Rate(in percentage) 5.59 4.48 3.9 3.96 4.3 3.1 2.9 2.8 2.8 2.8 Source: The World Bank, 2017 Unemployment rate is derived as percentage of unemployed people over total labour force of a country. The rate of unemployment in Singapore is quite low and has been on declining trend from 5.59% in 2005 to 2.8% in 2014 except in year 2008 and 2009 which showed little rising trend from 3.9 % in 2008 to 3.96% in 2008 and 4.3% in 2009, due to effect of global economic downturn. As Singapore is open economy closely linked to outer world the global recession hit the employment rate also and resulted in cyclical unemployment (MTI, 2009). Structural unemployment can also be seen in Singapore because structural change in economy due to adoption of technology, fast growth in innovation for higher productivity which many workers unable to adopt according to their skills (Tan, 2017). Government Measure- Unemployment Singapore has a population of around 5.5 million in 2014. Of total population 3.1 million were part of the labour force. The unemployment rate in country was only 2.8% this year being lowest in the world. There is a policy of mandatory primary education for all inhabitants and bulk of work force is found well educated and highly skilled. In early 1990s, the government predicted the possible problem of labour shortage in near future as it had lowest population growth rate. As a result it introduced various policies to welcome foreign immigrants and job seekers to stay and work in Singapore (Economic Watch, 2010). The government has given strong emphasis on education for development of human capital. The liberal policies for entrants of foreign workers has not only increased the high- skilled and high-waged workers but also low skilled and low- waged workers which who were not much helpful in era of technological advancement. At the same time in order to assists local workers to cope w ith changing environment for sustainable employment government launched various schemes for training and development programmes like Workfare Training Support Scheme (WTS), Continuing Education and Training (CET) scheme; providing subsidies to students for higher education, setting up of various universities focusing on technology, innovation and entrepreneurship (OECD, 2013). Ministry of Manpower (MOM) closely monitors the labour market condition of country and announces various measures time to time in order to achieve full employment. Inflation refers to continuous rise in the overall price structure of goods and services in an economy resulting in decline in purchasing power of individual against money. Inflation can occur because of many internal and external factors. One of the main causes of inflation is that the rising demand of consumers cannot be fulfilled by scare resources resulting in price rise, explained by demand- pull effect. Another one is cost pull effect, which is increase in prices of products by firms as a result of their rising input costs (Marthinsen, 2014). Inflation trend in Singapore and its causes Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Inflation Rate (In Percentage) 0.425 1.021 2.095 6.519 0.604 2.8 5.253 4.529 2.378 1.01 Source: The World Bank, 2017 The average inflation rate of Singapore of past ten years since 2005 has been around 2.7 per cent as measured by consumer price index. The inflation rate was rising at a slow pace from 0.425% in 2005 to 1.021% in 2006 and 2.095% in 2007. CPI inflation was contributed by both domestic and external factors in these years. The producer prices and import and export prices increased in these years because of high oil and petrol prices. Such rise in prices ultimately reflated in prices of consumers goods and services (MTI, 2007; MTI, 2008). Year 2008 showed a sharp increase in inflation rate (6.52 per cent) due to hike in Goods and Service tax imposed by government of Singapore. The housing costs and food prices were quite high in this year. Against this extreme rise in inflation government provided most of the citizen with significant offsets to mitigate the effect of GST (Asiaone, 2008). GST was only the one-time effect for increase in prices not the continuous one. As a result the global downturn because of collapse in global oil prices leaded to severe fall in inflation in 2009 with CPI 0.6 per cent only. Producer, import and export prices decreased in these years because of decline in commodity and fuel prices (MTI, 2010). The economic downturn in 2009 was followed by strong recovery in 2010 with 2.8 per cent growth in CPI. The inflation in 2010 was contributed by rice in car prices, oil prices, food prices, education fees and holiday travel (MTI, 2011). The increase in accommodation costs and electricity charges and rise in car and petrol prices caused another significant growth in CPI by 5.25 per cent in 2011 (MTI, 2012). Since then there has been decreasing trend in growth rate of CPI, as it was recorded 4.53 in 2012, 2.38 in 2013 and 1.01 in 2014. The import- export prices and producer prices has been declining in these years because of lower mineral fuel prices. After property- cooling measures there has been decline in rentals and accommodation costs at the same time transportation costs also declined because of lower car prices in 2014. 40 per cent decline in crude oil prices was essential factor for downward pressure (The Straits Times, 2014). Government Measure- Inflation Trade within the country is quite important for Singapore which is the reason the main policy tool for controlling inflation by MAS is exchange rate rather than interest rates (The Straits Times, 2014). To compensate high food and oil prices in imports it allows appreciation in Singapore dollar. National Environment Agency is adopting various management models to keep affordable cost of prepared food. The Retail Price Watch Group is also keeping close watch in unreasonable increase in prices of food and daily necessities. Government has also taken various efficient measures to mitigate cost pressure at domestic level (Singapore Government, 2012). Conclusion: In conclusion it can be said that Singapore is performing commendably well and credit goes to the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and is effective administration who has been leading the government since 2004. The stable political and peaceful social environment is of great help in accelerating the growth of economy. It has Real Gross Domestic Product of 283.69 billion in 2014. Considering the challenges faced by country like lack of natural resources and low population growth which contribute as human capital, the countrys regulatory and administrative policies systematically managed the human capital as a result it has lowest unemployment rate in the globe. It is an open economy for which trade and commerce is of great importance. It also welcomed foreign labour force to work in country. Its openness although affected it during global economic crisis, but it recovered exceptionally well because of systematically structured policies. A transparent and efficient entrepreneurial environment and high focus of research and development projects supports the innovation and development. Recent structural change in economy due to shifting from labour intensive to capital intensive economy may leads to skill mismatch between labour forces and industry requirement but the government is trying its best to enhance the ability and skills of its workers. Government generously provide funding and subsidies assistance to housing, health care and transportation sector and education. Continuous measures are also taken to curb the rising inflation in property market, food prices, transportation sector and increasing productivity. References: Amadeo, K. (2017). What is GDP? Definition of Gross Domestic Product. Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-gdp-definition-of-gross-domestic-product-3306038 Asiaone. (2008). Inflation in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20080215-49856.html Baumol, W. J. Blinder, A.S. (2008). Macroeconomics: Principles and Policies (11th ed.). Cengage Learning: USA. BBC. (2011). Singapore economy sees record expansion in 2010. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-12106645. Economic Watch. (2010). Singapore Economy. Retrieved from https://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/singapore/?page=full HKTDC Research. (2014). The reason why the Singapore economy has been outperforming Hong Kong. Retrieved from https://economists-pick-research.hktdc.com/business-news/article/Economic-Forum/The-Reasons-Why-the-Singapore-Economy-Has-Been-Outperforming-Hong-Kong/ef/en/1/1X000000/1X09XK48.htm Jordan, R. (2009). Singapore in its worst recession for years: The effects of the current economic crisis on the city-states economy. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affair, 28(4), 95-110. Marthinsen, J. E. (2014). Managing in a Global Economy: Demystifying International Macroeconomics (2nd ed.). Cengage Learning. Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2007). Economic Survey of Singapore 2006. Retrieved from https://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/Documents/app.mti.gov.sg/data/article/7062/doc/ESS_2006Ann_FullReport.pdf Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2008). Economic Survey of Singapore 2007. Retrieved from https://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/Documents/app.mti.gov.sg/data/article/12381/doc/ESS_2007Ann_Full_Report.pdf Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2009). Economic Survey of Singapore 2008. Retrieved from https://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/Documents/app.mti.gov.sg/data/article/17562/doc/AES_2008_Full_Report.pdf Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2010). Economic Survey of Singapore 2009. Retrieved from https://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/Documents/app.mti.gov.sg/data/article/21265/doc/FullReport__AES2009.pdf Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2011). Economic Survey of Singapore 2010. Retrieved from https://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/Documents/app.mti.gov.sg/data/article/24221/doc/FinalReport_AES_2010.pdf Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2012). Economic Survey of Singapore 2011. Retrieved from https://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/SiteAssets/Pages/Economic-Survey-of-Singapore-2011/FullReport_AES2011.pdf Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2013). Economic Survey of Singapore 2012. Retrieved from https://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/SiteAssets/Pages/Economic-Survey-of-Singapore-2012/FullReport_AES2012.pdf Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2014). Economic Survey of Singapore 2013. Retrieved from https://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/SiteAssets/Pages/Economic-Survey-of-Singapore-2013/FullReport_AES2013.pdf OECD. (2013). Structural Policy Country Notes: Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/dev/asia-pacific/Singapore.pdf Singapore Government. (2012). How is the government helping to mitigate inflation in Singapore? Retrieved from https://www.gov.sg/factually/content/how-is-the-government-helping-to-mitigate-inflation-in-singapore Statistics Times. (2015). World GDP (PPP) per capita ranking. Retrieved from https://statisticstimes.com/economy/world-gdp-capita-ranking-ppp.php Straitstimes. (2014). Singapore inflation trend spurs some to predict 2015 monetary easing. Retrieved from https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapore-inflation-trend-spurs-some-to-predict-2015-monetary-easing Tan, A. (2017, April 28). Unemployment could rise further as Singapore faces structural changes: Lim Swee Say. Business Times. Retrieved from https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-budget-2017/unemployment-could-rise-further-as-singapore-faces The Global Economy. (2017). Singapore: Economic Growth: The rate of change of real GDP. Retrieved from https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Singapore/Economic_growth/ The Global Economy. (2017). Singapore: Inflation. Retrieved from https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Singapore/Inflation/ The Global Economy. (2017). Singapore: Unemployment Rate. 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Tokugawa and Manchu Essay Example

Tokugawa and Manchu Essay Manchu that had derived from China and Tokugawa that had derived from Japan are two tribes that had fought for their rights and the beliefs they had believed in. Both were ruling powers that lasted for a certain amount of time that had equally shaped the way both countries are now. Although one being from China and the other from Japan, through our studies in class we come to see that not only are they different but they come to be similar as well in some aspects. Both honoring a traditional lifestyle of loyalty , duty and respect, both had long lasting effects on their nations. Manchu people came from Manchuria, a place north of the Great Wall of China that had believed highly of the Beijing emperor. However, they had always neglected his over leadership in many ways and once rebellion occurred Manchu people saw their chance in advocating against the emperor and soon won the support of many of the conservative Chinese and mandarin class on their side. Therefore, Manchu was the last dynasty to occur and become the most successful as well. They ruled from 1644 to 1912 at the end of the Ming Dynasty that lead to the development of both the Qing Dynasty and Jin Dynasty that had formed what is China today. The Manchu people had talented skilled of hunting and were mainly involved in hunting and some were skilled in horsemanship and archery. The imposed a traditional lifestyle that liked the ideas of order and respect for authority and made sure to ensure justice in the villages. Two great leaders of the Qing Dynasty were Kangxi and his grandson Qienlong that ha d developed long lasting policies. However, it was also noted that as generations passed on people started straying away from the Manchu lifestyle and cultivated their own regardless that they were all brought up the Manchu way. Both emperors made it clear that they would try their hardest to separate the Manchu tribesmen from the other ethnic Chinese people yet the Manchu language We will write a custom essay sample on Tokugawa and Manchu specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Tokugawa and Manchu specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Tokugawa and Manchu specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

The Top 5 Things I Learned in my Internship

The Top 5 Things I Learned in my Internship Being an intern is a trial run for the field you think you want to work in. In 90 days or so your trial is up. But then what? Did you actually learn something that pertains to your intended major?   Is it something you see yourself doing for years to come? In college, take advantage of internship opportunities. Trust me. You can never start too early in your career to gain experience, and there is no such thing as too much internship experience. From sophomore year in college, I started interning at different companies. As a college student, I wanted to know what my strengths and weaknesses were and what I actually wanted to do with my life after I earned my degree. As a marketing major, my field was broad, so interning was such a great hands-on experience. Interning with different companies in different marketing roles helped me narrow down what I actually enjoyed doing.Here are some tips I have learned throughout my experiences.Source: [GIPHY]Step out of your comfort zone.An inte rnship is your opportunity to try new things and  surprise yourself. Trying out new opportunities helped me challenge myself. Even if I had no clue on how to do a certain project, I would still take it on. It was the perfect time for me to learn and grow. Even if by the end of it I disliked a certain task, I would still feel accomplished.Always ask questions.Don’t be afraid to ask questions or for advice. People love to give advice. Whether it is advice about your field, feedback on performance, or even career moves, they are usually more than happy to assist. Asking questions is a great icebreaker for your coworkers to know more about you, and you never know what you may learn over a cup of coffee and a conversation.Get involved within the company.Understand the company you are interning for; go beyond what the website says and really dive into it. Company culture is something important to pay attention to. How does the company you are interning for treat its employees? Al so, interning is a great networking opportunity- while you’re there, get to know all about the different departments and what they do. And always offer to lend a helping hand on some of their projects if ever needed.Shine through your work.Go above and beyond in your work. Don’t be a slacker. Make yourself memorable for the company- you never know when opportunities may rise for the future. Your work ethic is very important. It’s the little things you do that make you stand apart from the rest. Take initiative and responsibility and complete tasks accurately and in a timely manner. If there is no set deadline, make your own, hold yourself accountable, and don’t procrastinate. This is not college where you can leave things for the very last minute.Send a â€Å"thank you† card at the end of the internship.Handwritten notes/cards are one thing that will never go out of style- they’ll always put a smile on someone’s face. When writing you r card mention what you learned from the internship. Thank your main contact  for giving you an opportunity to gain experience and learn. Go that extra mile and give back some appreciation.Source: [GIPHY]

How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon in 5 Simple Steps [2019 Guide]

How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon in 5 Simple Steps How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon in 5 Simple Steps Imagine the day of your book launch. You’re sitting in front of your computer, picturing all the five-star book reviews that will soon be yours†¦ but then the days pass, and no reviews come.Not to be overdramatic, but getting enough book reviews could just make or break your sales. Reviews don't directly sell books nor affect Amazon algorithms - but they are one of the three main factors (along with the cover and the blurb) that make a reader click that â€Å"Purchase† button. Having lots of reviews can also enable you to get the promotions that your book needs to succeed. For instance, you’ll need at least 20 reviews before you can even dream of getting a Featured Deal on Bookbub.That said, you might have already noticed the Catch-22: to get your first few sales, you’ll already need to be displaying reviews. How do you get the chicken before you’ve got the egg (or vice versa)?Enter book bloggers, who are going to be your new best friends. In this post, we ask our top Reedsy publicists for their best tips when it comes to securing reviews from book blogs - and we break the whole procedure down into five simple steps below.Step 1: Identify your audienceStart early. If you can, plan your book review campaign 4-6 months in advance of your publication date. If you want your reviews to be in place by publication, you’ll need to give all reviewers sufficient time to write the review in the first place. How have you fared getting book reviews? Do you have any questions on the process? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!Many thanks to book publicists  Jessica Glenn, Hannah Hargrave, Hannah Cooper, and Beverly Bambury for their input and suggestions.

Private Worlds and Public Lives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Private Worlds and Public Lives - Essay Example For example, we may just consider enormous transformation of our perception of the physical distances in the world where today a person can travel half a globe within half a day, or to almost instantaneously establish a communication link with any part of the Earth. Even though these achievements of mankind are seemingly purely technological, they simultaneously exert a great influence on cultural and social aspects of our world views. In this connection, one of the spheres that has been significantly changed in the last hundred years and which in one way or another pertains to the realms of cultural, moral, social, and political concerns is the general distinction between public and private parts of our being. The observation of this crucial principle belongs to the list of the most important social prescriptions in most societies, and its violation consequently constitutes one of the most harshly criticised deviations. With these points in mind, we can try to examine changes that h ave occurred in private and public attitudes to certain issues in the last hundred years with the hope to better understand the nature and scope of the larger transformations that are happening with our society and the humanity in general as the result of the fast pace of progress, which is on one hand generated by humans, but of the direction and prospects of which we on the other hand are not fully aware. As the issues in relation to which we can trace changes of public and private attitudes during the last century or so we can choose the sphere of public and private leisure spaces, serving as a good illustration of how the notions of public and private as such can be contrasted and mixed, and the issue of what implications new technology and the coming of the information society have on the distinction between them. Before we move to the examination of changes in public and private attitudes in relation to the mentioned issues, we should overview the essence of the public versus private distinction, which belongs to the list of fundamental methodological approaches in sociology and offers a helpful, even though often relative, reference point for many research purposes (Stolzenberg 2003, pp.328-332). One of the most evident definitions of private and public might seem to be that private is something connected with our own psychological phenomena and with material aspects of our immediate bodily experiences, while public is related to those environments where people coexist, where rules of conduct are externally imposed and regulated, and where phenomena take place that make sense only in the group context (Weintraub and Kumar 1997, pp.182-203). However, from the point of view of the sociological theory of social constructionism 'the private' refers not only to psychology and 'the public' not onl y to larger scale processes of societys functioning, but rather both notions reflect ways in which individual and group levels co-operate and mutually create reality the way we perceive it. That is why important focuses of the social constructionism are micro, or private, and macro, or public, sociological levels of societies functioning, processes of institutionalisation, and their transformation into ubiquitous traditions. Thus, social constructio

How does the Steiner approach to learning differ from the Montessori Essay

How does the Steiner approach to learning differ from the Montessori Method - Essay Example Montessori approach and Steiner approach are two educational approaches that teach children. Both came from Europe and teach children in a calm, non-coercive manner. They also provide safe, enticing, and entertaining learning environment to children. Another similarity is both educational approaches respect and believe in the capabilities of children. However, there are differences in the two approaches in terms of curriculum, teaching styles, teachers’ profile, focus of studies, and other aspects. Montessori Approach was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the late 19th century. Dr. Montessori coined her Montessori schools as â€Å"Children’s Houses†. These â€Å"houses† are the schools and facilities that provide well-planned and safe surrounding wherein children can learn and appreciate what they have learned. Moreover, these facilities are deemed to inculcate to every child the values of harmony, concern for the environment, and intercultural appreciation. According to Montessori Centre International, the principles behind Montessori education are grounded on the concepts of liberty and self progress combined with the different practical approaches. In this type of educational approach, children are considered to be able to understand the lessons taught without difficult if they are provided with appropriate activities at the appropriate time. Montessori aims to teach children to be educated and spread peace in the world (Coulter, 1991, p.3). The main goal of the Montessori approach is the natural progress of children of which the dormant physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of human being are brought out and developed based on a meaningful life (Miller, 1997, p. 160). Montessori approach believes in the innate intelligence of children which includes all aspects such as mental, empirical, spiritual (Edwards, 2002). Montessori Method of education focuses on training children in a holistic approach which includes