Review Idealism and Realism in International Relations. Free Essays

Question: – Review idealism and realism in international relations. Introduction When studying international relations as an academic discipline studying about Idealism and realism is a major concern. These two approaches are used widely when it comes to decision making procedures. We will write a custom essay sample on Review Idealism and Realism in International Relations. or any similar topic only for you Order Now In idealism the decisions are made using ideas. Institutions such as League of Nations, United Nations as well as Local organizations like Organization of African Unity are developed according to the idealist tradition. This was introduced as a educational thought in 400 BC by Plato. He thought that the humans could be improved from within by correcting their thoughts and discovering knowledge already lies within since birth. The more perfect our ideas are the better we can serve the world. In realism world politics are driven my competitive self- interest. This further details that all states operate under as the greatest factor in causing nations to diverge from morally guided behaviour. Until World War II the actual theory of realism did not came about. Realism theory has been introduced from historical writers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Thucydides and Sun Tzu. But Hans J. Morgenthau and E. H. Carr are considered most instrumental in establishing the tenets of classical realism theory in modern age. This theory differs from all considerations of legality and moral guidance from state policy that holds that all states are capable of violating laws if there is any necessity to advance their interests and power. These two different theories created a significant change in International Relations all over the world. Most political, economical decisions are taken by using Idealism and realism as reference to analyze and understand the facts. Idealism Idealism is a term applied to any idea, goal or practice considered to be impractical. As examples entrusting international security to the UN, creating an African union on the model of European Union, global eradication of poverty and injustice, etc. can be pointed out. Idealists usually rest on a pessimistic perspective towards human nature along with an historical judgment to achieve a change in world affairs. Idealists emphasize the power of reason. They strongly believe in the effectiveness of ideas. Through this they see the possibility of establishing a political system rimarily on morality. This will lead the humans to remove their selfish ideas and helps to build a nation that forms peace, prosperity, cooperation and justice. When a person looks at war in an idealist view, it can no longer be considered by anyone as a suitable way to achieve goals. It is because it affects both parties severely. Former President of the United States of America Woodrow Wilson is cons idered to be one of the key founders of Idealism. He presented the â€Å"Fourteen points† proposal that was contained on his speech to a joint session of congress on 1918. The address was intended to assure the world that the Great War (World War I) was being fought for a moral cause and for postwar peace in Europe. One of the most well known outcomes of Idealism is the democratic Peace Theory. This states that similar modes of democratic governments do not clash each other. As an impact of Idealism on International Relations Organizations like League of Nations. This was resulted in the covenant of the League of Nations with 42 original members. But this was ineffective because it had no power to enforce its decisions and issues in security. Due to these reasons the league was dismantled in the year 1940 but it had served as a model for the United Nations. Following the failure of League of Nations and the outbreak of the Second World War, descendent theories like Liberalism and Neo-conservatism were created. Through Liberalism organizations like United Nations, NATO, International regimes like Bretton Woods System were built. Neo-conservatism was drawn from Liberalism and focused more on universal values such as Human rights, democracy, free trade, minority protections etc. nlike other theories Neo-conservatism is willing to use force if necessary to push for its goals. Realism This is a theory that world politics is driven by competitive self- interest. It implies that realists see that humankind is self-centered and competitive. Also they believe that the principal actors in the international system are sovereign states. The basic assumption of Realism is that man is wicked, aggressive and bad and also state struggles for power. This implies that realism possesses a pessimistic, negative and a suspicious behavior. This was originated after the Second World War. But its primary assumptions were noted in its earlier writings. People like Thucydides, Sun Tzu, and Otto Van Bismarck can be pointed out as examples. It began as a wide field of research after the war. People like Hans J. Morgenthau, Carl von Clausewitz are considered as the modern thinkers of the classical realism. This theory has been associated with thinkers like Niccolo Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes. Hans J Morgenthau described about six principles of Political Realism. 1. Political realism believes that politics, like society in general, is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature. 2. The main signpost of political realism is the concept of interest defined in terms of power, which infuses rational order into the subject matter of politics, and thus makes the theoretical understanding of politics possible. Political realism avoids concerns with the motives and ideology of statesmen. Political realism avoids reinterpreting reality to fit the policy. A good foreign policy minimizes risks and maximizes benefits. 3. Realism recognizes that the determining kind of interest varies depending on the political and cultural context in which foreign policy is made. It does not give â€Å"interest defined as power† a meaning that is fixed once and for all. 4. Political realism is aware of the moral significance of political action. It is also aware of the tension between the moral command and the requirements of successful political action. Realism maintains that universal moral principles must be filtered through the concrete circumstances of time and place, because they cannot be applied to the actions of states in their abstract universal formulation. . Political realism refuses to identify the moral aspirations of a particular nation with the moral laws that govern the universe. 6. The political realist maintains the autonomy of the political sphere; he asks â€Å"How does this policy affect the power and interests of the nation? † Political realism is based on a pluralistic conception of human nature. The political realist must show where the nation’s interests differ from the moralistic and legalistic viewpoints. How to cite Review Idealism and Realism in International Relations., Essay examples

Strategic Aspects of the Company

Question Discuss about the Strategic Aspects of the AGL Company. Answer: AGL is one of the largest and fastest growing energy companies in Australia. The company has experience in the field of energy business for more than 180 years. The core business areas of AGL are gas, electricity, solar PV and other related products and services. The company has been providing the above discussed products and services to the people of Australia. AGL has a customer base of 3.5 million. The mission of the company is to provide a carbon-constrained future to the people of Australia. In todays world, AGL has been considered as one of the integrated energy companies that have been providing various kinds of energy related products or services for a long period. The main business operation of the company is to operate and generate renewable energy in Australia. The main objective behind this generation of energy is to reduce the effect of green house gas emission from earth. The company has a diverse power generation portfolio. Some of the major parts of this portfolio are base, peaking and intermediate generation plant, storage of natural gas and different kinds of renewable sources like wind, hydro, solar, landfill gas, biomass and others. Apart from all these, the company has an electricity distribution network. The main operational area of this electricity distribution network is the eastern part of Sydney, Hunter region and Central costs. Another major operation of the company is to set up energy and gas plans for the businesses irrespective of size and type of the businesses (agl.com.au, 2017). AGL has been operating in the renewable energy industry of Australia. As per the current trend, the future of the renewable energy business of Australia is bright. As per the opinion of most of the scientists of the world, Australia has the ability to become the leading renewable energy superpower in the world. One of the major reasons behind this statement is the storage of fuel energy of the country. The demand for renewable energy in Australia is increasing as the Australian Government has recently implemented 33,000 GWh Large-Scale Renewable Energy. At present, 16% of the total electricity used in Australia is renewable energy. In this, majority of the energy is from wind energy. There is also presence of biomass and hydro energy. The Government of Australia is considering the fact that in the recent years; one third of the energies used in Australia will be the solar energy (Oliphant, 2015). It can be seen that there are three major companies that are considered as the competitors of AGL. They are Duke Energy Corporation, International Power Limited and Origin Energy Limited. All these companies are in the business of energy and power. Duke Energy Corporation is involved in the supply of electric and gas to the people of south and mid Australia. The main business operation of International Power Limited is fossil-fueled power plants. The main business operations of Origin Energy Limited are gas, power, energy and others. These are the main business operations of these companies (Twidell Weir, 2015). Based on the above discussions, it can be said that AGL has a bright business prospect in the near future. The growth in the renewable energy industry is the main reason of this. AGL can take advantage of the improvement of the above-mentioned positive factors and they should make future business strategies based on them. Yao et al., (2015) opines that the financial structure of a firm can be referred to as the specific mixture of long term debt as well as equity that a corporation utilizes in order to fund its operations. Essentially, this composition directly affects the risks as well as asset value of the business. The financial structure of AGL can also be divided into amount of particular cash flow of the company that gets directed towards creditors and another amount that is provided to specific shareholders. Therefore, the business enterprise AGL also has own particular debt equity ratio. Total borrowing of AGL has increased $3.9 billion from $3.7 billion; the percentage of increase is 5.4%. The increase is due to the acquisition of Macquarie Generation. In the year of 20114, the company issues Medium Term Notes worth $600 million. In the year of 2015, the company raised funds of $410 million with the help of long-term borrowing. At the end of 2015, the companys (Net Debt/ (Net Debt + Equity) w as 28.6%. With the help of the raised funds, the company developed a facility with a cost of $100 million (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). Equity share capital of AGL for 2015 and 2014 was $6696 million and $5437 million respectively. The portion of equity capital increased in the year 2015. The amount of long-term borrowings in the year 2015 and 2014 was $3439 and $3669. The amount decreased in the year 2015 (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). In the year of 2015 and 2014, the amount of intangible assets of the company was $3266 million and $3248 million respectively. The key elements of financial performance of the firm are the assets, liabilities, equity, specific investments that are made by owners, distributions to different owners, earnings, expends, profits or else losses in addition to comprehensive income. Assets are essentially those things that a corporation owns. Assets comprise of cash, inventory of products, plants and buildings, property together with different intangible assets. The assets of AGL is recorded to be $15833 million during the financial year 2015 (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). Liability of a firm is necessarily a firms financial debt or else obligations that stem particularly during specific course of operation of business. As such, the liabilities can be settled properly by way of transference of economic advantages that comprises of funds, products as well as services. Essentially, the liabilities of the firm is registered to be $7018 million in 2015. Essentially, equity refers to value of the overall shares that are issued by a corporation. In essence, the equity of the firm AGL is registered to be $8815 million during the financial year 2015. Again, the investment of the business concern of AGL that is recorded to be $91 million refers to funds that is invested by the corporation (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015).). Another very important factor that reflects financial performance of a firm is the revenue that is the overall flow of earnings of a corporation that is generated by selling a specific quantity of companys output particularly at a price, deducting tax to the government. The revenue of the firm AGL is registered to be $10678 million. However, expend of the firm is recorded to be $9759 million. Again, profit that indicates financial gains is essentially variance between the amount earned and spent in buying, running or else producing something. As such, the profit for the company AGL is registered to be $218 million (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). In the year of 2014, after the completion of the financial year, AGL made a 100% acquisition of Australian Power and Gas Company Limited (APG). The company has mentioned this event in the next year financial statement and adjusted the entry accordingly (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). The transaction cost of the acquisition was $16 million. $2 million was associated with the termination process of the funding facilities of APG. $21 million was associated with the existing customer service arrangements. $11 million was associated with other termination costs. AGL has changed the recognition of distribution use of system costs. This change lead to the grossing up of the revenues and expenses in the consolidated statement. Due to this change, there was a restart of comparative information in the consolidated financial statements (agl.com.au, 2017). AGL declared about this market to the market essentially on January 22 of the year 2015. This change in the process of recognition of the Distribution Use of System costs was essentially carried out in South Australia and Queensland for essentially the operating segments of Energy Markets. In addition to this, the company also declared a change in the basis of the reporting segment in order to align with the structure of the organization on particularly April 16 of the year 2025 in addition to subsequent assessment and restructure of the Upstream Gas Business (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). Therefore, segment comparative information has been restated to replicate the alterations in the reportable operating sections. Carrying amount of each class of Property, Plant and Equipment at reporting date of AGL As rightly indicated by Hu et al., (2015), carrying amount can be used in place of book value. In essence, the carrying amount indicates towards the amount that a particular corporation has essentially on the books for asset or else liability (Hodgson Russell, 2014). The standard AASB 116 is applicable for accounting the plant, property as well as equipment excluding when other regulations allows a diverse treatment of accounting. As per the AASB 116 para 6 (definitions), carrying amount can be regarded as the amount at which a particular asset is detected after deduction of any accumulated depreciation as well as accumulated impairment loss (Aasb.gov.au, 2017). As per the consolidated statement of financial position of the firm AGL presented in the annual report of 2015, the property, plant and equipment stated under the non-current assets has a carrying amount of $6958 million (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). Description of accounting policies related to Property, Plant and Equipment adopted by AGL The financial declarations of the corporation AGL have been prepared consistent with the Corporations Act 2001 as well as the Accounting Standard AASB 1039 Concise Financial Reports (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). Essentially, financial statements of the firm AGL Energy Limited are an extract from particularly the full statements. The accounting policies that can be associated to plant, property and equipment is AASB 116 (Aasb.gov.au, 2017). This particular standard is particularly applicable for the purpose of accounting of plant, property as well as equipment except when other standard necessitates or else permits a diverse accounting usage. According to the directives stated under the regulations AASB 116 paragraph 6 (recognition), cost of a particular item of plant, property as well as equipment needs to be detected as a specific asset iff (if and only if) it is likely that the economic benefits in the upcoming period can be related to the item shall flow to the business entity an d the items cost can be reliably enumerated. Again, as per paragraph Aus. 15 of the accounting regulation AASB 116, items of plant, property as well as equipment that essentially qualifies for recognition as a specific asset can be enumerated at the cost (Aasb.gov.au, 2017). The standard essentially includes certain reporting requirements. The standard is essentially to account for particular plant, property and equipment, mainly its recognition and subsequent treatment by means of two different mechanisms that is cost as well as revaluation. Essentially, this standard covers majority of physical assets until and unless the specific assets are covered by another regulation. The recognition of the asset as per (para 7 to para10) essentially happens at the time when upcoming economic benefits can be associated to assets that can flow to business concern and cost of asset can be enumerated dependably. As per para 13, assets need to ne enumerated at cost (Aasb.gov.au, 2017). Description of the accounting policies related to Intangible Assets adopted by AGL The accounting policies that can be associated to intangible assets adopted by AGL Limited is AASB 138 (Aasb.gov.au, 2017). In particular, this standard is essentially applicable to different business entities that requires to arrange and prepare financial declarations according to Part 2M.3 as stated under Corporations Act and that is essentially a reporting entity. Again, this standard is also applicable for general purpose financial statements of each reporting unit as well as financial declarations that are necessarily general purpose financial statements. Again, as per Aus 1.2, this standard is applicable to different annual reporting periods that are beginning on or after January 1 of the year 2005 (Aasb.gov.au, 2017). Again, the scope of this standard shows the applicability of this regulation for accounting of intangible asset barring intangible assets that within the scope of other Australian Accounting Standard, financial assets that are as distinctly defined in AASB 132 fo r presentation of financial instruments, recognition as well as measurement of particularly exploration as well as evaluation assets, expends on development along with extraction of minerals, oil, natural gas as well as identical non-regenerative assets (Aasb.gov.au, 2017). The intangible assets under the total noncurrent assets is recorded to have the value of $3266 million (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). Impairments Impairment loss is essentially enumerated at a particular amount by which carrying value exceeds the fair value (Yao et al., 2015). As rightly indicated by Russell (2015), after detection of impairment loss, adjusted carrying amount of specific intangible asset becomes the new accounting ground. As per the statutory financial outcomes of the firm AGL Energy Limited, so far the highest of the significant items is essentially the impairment of around $600 million in essentially the value of upstream gas assets of Gloucester (AGL Annual Report 2015 2015). Again, the sale of copper oil is also underway and anticipated to lead to loss of around $7 million before tax. An impairment charge can be recognized during the financial year 2015 in comprehension of the event. Conclusion The above discussion shows that that AGL has attractive business opportunities in the future as the renewable energy and power industry of Australia is going through massive growth and it is going to grow more in the future as per the expectations. It can be seen from the discussion that AGL has an effective financial structure. The unrecorded financial incidents of the previous year were adjusted in the current years financial statement. In case of the commutation of plant, property and equipment, the company follows the principles of AASB 116. References Aasb.gov.au, (2017). Retrieved 9 May 2017,from https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB138_07-04_COMPjun14_07-14.pdf About AGL | AGL. (2017).Agl.com.au. Retrieved 9 May 2017, from https://www.agl.com.au/about-agl AGL Annual Report 2015. (2015).Agl.com.au. Retrieved 9 May 2017, from https://www.agl.com.au/-/media/AGL/About-AGL/Documents/Investor-Centre/150826_AnnualReport_1466512.pdf?la=en Hodgson, A. Russell, M., (2014). Comprehending comprehensive income.Australian Accounting Review,24(2), pp.100-110. Hu, F., Percy, M., Yao, D. (2015). Asset revaluations and earnings management: Evidence from Australian companies.Corporate Ownership and Control,13(1), 930-939. Oliphant, M. (2015). Renewable Energy in Australia. InEnergy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Handbook, Second Edition(pp. 119-131). CRC Press. Residential | AGL. (2017). Agl.com.au. Retrieved 9 May 2017, from https://www.agl.com.au Russell, M., (2015). Management incentives to recognise intangible assets.Accounting Finance. Twidell, J., Weir, T. (2015).Renewable energy resources. Routledge. Yao, D. F. T., Percy, M., Hu, F. (2015). Fair value accounting for non-current assets and audit fees: Evidence from Australian companies.Journal of Contemporary Accounting Economics,11(1), 31-45.

Measurement of Crime free essay sample

Measuring Crime Trends Felicia Moye Miller-Motte College Most measurement of crime in this country emanates from two major data sources. For almost seven decades, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) has collected information on crimes known to the police and arrests from local and state jurisdictions throughout the country. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), a general population survey designed to discover the extent, nature, and consequences of criminal victimization, has been conducted annually since the early 1970s. Other national surveys that focus on specific problems, such as delinquency, violence against women, and child abuse, also provide important data on crime, victims, and offenders. Crimes are divided into twenty-nine types of offenses. Eight of which are major crimes. These crimes include homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. These crimes are also known as index offenses. Information, or data collected on the index offenses, is more complete than the other twenty-one types of crimes. We will write a custom essay sample on Measurement of Crime or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They are generally less serious, and would never come to the attention of the police unless an arrest was made. Some important factors used when collecting data are age, race, sex, geographic locations, etc. The Uniform Crime Reports have both positive and negative aspects. The Uniformed Crime Reports are crucial to the determination of the amounts of crimes solved. This is important because it can help determine social tendencies pertaining to crime. These crime tendencies can lead to theories about crimes that are on the rise, or crimes that are declining. Figures used in this report were submitted voluntarily by law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Individuals using these tabulations are cautioned against drawing conclusions by making direct comparisons between cities. Comparisons lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents. Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction. It is important to remember that crime is a social problem and, therefore, a concern of the entire community. The efforts of law enforcement are limited to factors within its control. The data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data of individual agencies. Further information on this topic can be obtained in the annual UCR report Figures used in this Report were submitted voluntarily by law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Individuals using these tabulations are cautioned against drawing conclusions by making direct comparisons between cities. The efforts of law enforcement are limited to factors within its control. The data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data of individual agencies. Further information on this topic can be obtained in the annual UCR report Crime in the United States, 2010. References: Report issued by Robert S. Mueller III, Director, 2011 http://www. ojp. usdoj. gov/bjs/glance http://www. jblearning. com/criminalJustice/corrections http://www. fbi. gov/stats-services/crimestats

Free Essays on The Libation Bearers

The Libation Bearers Interesting conclusion to this play, but I cant say I didn’t see this coming. The cycle of bloodshed will continue to till justice is met. I really don’t know when that will happen since everyone in the play is getting revenge in the name of justice and that the divine gods ordered such things to happen. Now what confuses me a bit is when and where do the gods give permission for justice to be served. Clytemnestra and Orestes, even Agamemnon say the gods approve of such killings, but I don’t see a direct dialogue between the gods and these individuals or am I just supposed to know that and if so, why are they meeting their fates after doing what the gods â€Å"approve† of. Orestes and Clytemnestra are truly mother and son. The parallels between Orestes and his mother continue. She, too, appeared in public proudly displaying the body of her victim. She, too, declared that the murder was in the name of justice, and that finally the cycle of violence was over. She, too, displayed the robe that Agamemnon had. Orestes does all of these things as well. While justifying his mothers murder, Orestes began to see furies because the curse of Clytemnestra was upon him now. If Apollo said that murdering his mother was justified then he should have nothing to fear and I guess this is where the confusion sets in for me. The way the play is left off is very interesting, but any good tragedy must have this kind of twist on it. I am wondering what will happen to Orestes, I don’t want him to die and if he is murdered who will be the one to do it? Who will want revenge on him, maybe electra? She despised her mother and wanted her to pay for the murder of her father, but maybe the gods will call it upon her to avenge her mother’s death by murdering her brother. The furies were seen by Orestes and that is a sign of his guilty conscious. It was sensed that it wasn’t right for him to murder his mother. When Cl... Free Essays on The Libation Bearers Free Essays on The Libation Bearers The Libation Bearers Interesting conclusion to this play, but I cant say I didn’t see this coming. The cycle of bloodshed will continue to till justice is met. I really don’t know when that will happen since everyone in the play is getting revenge in the name of justice and that the divine gods ordered such things to happen. Now what confuses me a bit is when and where do the gods give permission for justice to be served. Clytemnestra and Orestes, even Agamemnon say the gods approve of such killings, but I don’t see a direct dialogue between the gods and these individuals or am I just supposed to know that and if so, why are they meeting their fates after doing what the gods â€Å"approve† of. Orestes and Clytemnestra are truly mother and son. The parallels between Orestes and his mother continue. She, too, appeared in public proudly displaying the body of her victim. She, too, declared that the murder was in the name of justice, and that finally the cycle of violence was over. She, too, displayed the robe that Agamemnon had. Orestes does all of these things as well. While justifying his mothers murder, Orestes began to see furies because the curse of Clytemnestra was upon him now. If Apollo said that murdering his mother was justified then he should have nothing to fear and I guess this is where the confusion sets in for me. The way the play is left off is very interesting, but any good tragedy must have this kind of twist on it. I am wondering what will happen to Orestes, I don’t want him to die and if he is murdered who will be the one to do it? Who will want revenge on him, maybe electra? She despised her mother and wanted her to pay for the murder of her father, but maybe the gods will call it upon her to avenge her mother’s death by murdering her brother. The furies were seen by Orestes and that is a sign of his guilty conscious. It was sensed that it wasn’t right for him to murder his mother. When Cl...

Answer questions below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer questions below - Essay Example Natural gas on the other hand is preferred mostly, due to being very cheap in nature although the infrastructure that has to be laid for it costs a lot both financially and socially. Push and pull factors are those which compel or stop a person from migrating from a rural setup to urban setups respectively. The three most common push factors are famine, unemployment and poor living conditions. Famine causes lack of food, income and employment whereas poor living conditions make people thinking of the better facilities available in urban setups. These factors contribute majorly in making a person think about leaving his village and working in an urban environment which attracts him with these factors are known as the pull factors. The most common pull factors are known to be employment, better income-to-work ratio and urban facilities available in a city like medical care and better schools for children. There are many ways in which water can be conserved but broadly it can be divided into two parts namely engineering methods and domestic methods. Some of the engineering practices that are useful in conserving water are plumbing. Many practices fall under the plumbing category for example the use of low flush toilets and pressure reduction techniques. The next sub-category engineering methods may be named as landscaping in which technique known as landscape irrigation is regarded as the best. In this method plants with lower water needs are used as well as grouping plants together which have similar water needs. This factually saves a whole volume of water. Domestic methods are those which can be inculcated in the everyday behavior trends of people in their daily life. The most common way of saving water by daily users are: ENSO is an abbreviation for El Nino Southern Oscillation. As a result of ENSO there is a decline in the amount of rainfall in Australia. In Indonesia, the early ENSO causes dryness where as in the later phase causes

3_08 Employee Performance Appraisal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

3_08 Employee Performance Appraisal - Essay Example Create room for personal evaluation-it is good to come up with a blank document and ensure that employees continually rate themselves using the same procedure you will rate them. Majority will appreciate participating in the process. Show respect-it is good to send clear signals to each employee and tell them that the meeting is of great importance. Start documentation at an early stage and work at a good place so as to ensure that work runs smoothly Input much focus-treat the meeting like it’s a great business encounter. It is good to make sure that one does not come up with topics that tend to divert the attention of the general meeting in place. Social elements should not be mixed. Don’t wait-it is good for one to inform employees on anything that is pending rather than wait for things to happen. Ensure that all activities are well taken care of and nothing is left pending for the moment. Be careful on writings-only information that is relevant to the topics should be included in writing. Personal information should not be included in such kinds of documents as they may not be of help. Omissions should not be done on papers. Â  Avoid debating-it is good for one to keep controlling the meeting with a further reigning in the discussions that arise. A manager is supposed to have the final word in the workplace and ensure that work is running smoothly Do not do majority of talking-it is good to let employees do the talking so that one gets the desired kind of feedback from them. Letting them do the talking gives you the opportunity to get the desired feedback from them. Â  Give evaluation deadlines-it is good to handle situations in a more professional manner as a manager. It is good not to let employees comment on the appraisal document. Comments should be done on a separate sheet of

The Golden Age Of Athens

The Golden Age Of Athens The Golden Age of Athens, the Age of Pericles, and Pentekontaetia are all names for the time period when Athens reached its height of power and prosperity. It began in 478 B.C. and lasted for approximately fifty years until 431 B.C. In the beginning of its so-called Golden Age, Athens was just coming out of the Persian Wars as leader of the Delian League, and they were beginning their rise to power. At the end of this prosperous era, Athens had made huge advancements in their government, architecture, art, literature, science, and philosophy. Their accomplishments in these areas influence essentially every aspect of society today. Before the Golden Age, Athens was like other city-states in Greece. They were not the superpower of the country; in fact, they were not very significant at all during this time. Athens was located on the peninsula of Attica, and it was the only part of mainland Greece that remained Ionian and did not submit to the Dorian invasion. After the Dorian invasion, Athens did not have a Democracy; they had an oligarchy like many of the other city-states in Greece. In Athens, the Acropolis which was the highest part of the city, was the first site of settlement because it was easily defendable with its steep slopes. Eventually, a central fortress was built, and it encompassed the city. The first law code of Athens was created in 621 B.C. by Athenian nobleman Draco. However, this law code was harsh and only favored the oligarchs, and there were rules such as: a creditor could enslave a debtor if they didnt repay the debt, and the death penalty was given for the smallest crimes. Eventually, in 594 B.C., Solon changes Athens laws. He abolished all of Dracos harsh rules, and he gave citizens a larger voice. Solon created the first Assembly; however, poor citizens were not allowed to hold government jobs. He also helped establish the idea of Democracy, although Athens would not become a full Democracy until 5th Century B.C. The Greeks fell under Persian rule, but although they were not enslaved, they had to pay taxes and annual tributes to the Persians. In 499 B.C, the Ionian Greeks, led by Aristagoras, revolted against Persian rule. There were several battles between the Greeks and the Persians before they were independent once again. The first major battle was the Battle of Marathon fought in 490 B.C, and it was essentially between Athens and Persia. At this time, Athens did not have the strong fleet that it had during its Golden Age. The Athenians needed help, so they sent Phidippides, a professional runner, to ask Sparta for help. Yet, the Spartans did not send soldiers until well into the war, and the battles outcome looked bleak for the Greeks. However, hope was not lost for the Athenians; they received help from Plataea, who sent 9,000 men to join the Athenians at Marathon. The Greeks used the hoplite formation to defeat the Persians. At the end of the battle, 6,400 Persians died, whereas the Athenians only lost 192 men. Phidippides was then sent from Marathon to Athens to alert the Athenians of their victory. The run was a little over twenty-six miles long, and he died immediately after giving the good news. Today, the marathon races run today represent Phidippides journey and they are held in honor of him. It was David versus Goliath, with little David winning. Furthermore, for the first time, a battle was fought on which our whole modern way of life seemed to dependà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If the Athenians had lost at Marathon, Athens would have been destroyed, and then (many people think) Greece might never have gone on to develop the peak of its civilization, a peak whose fruits we moderns have inherited [Isaac Asimov, pg. 104 ]. Another important battle of the Persian Wars was the Battle of Thermopylae, which was fought in 480 B.C. 7,000 men were led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and his 300 Spartans were the backbone of the army. This battle was mostly between the Greeks (led by Sparta) and Xerxes, the Persian leader. The Greeks lost the battle because of a Phocian traitor that told Xerxes a way around the mountain pass they were stuck in. Although every soldier died fighting, their valiant battle inspired the Greek lovers of freedom, who continued fighting against the Persians. There were other battles like Salamis, Himera, Mycale, and Plataea, and all of these were victories for the Greeks. Finally, in 478 B.C, the Persian War ended, and the Greeks were free from Persian rule. After the Persian War, Sparta and Athens emerged as the two most powerful city-states in Ancient Greece. However, Sparta became extremely jealous of Athens because the Athenians had received most of the credit for the victory against the Persians. The Confederacy of Delos, or the Delian League, was an alliance of Greek city-states formed during the Persian War that was headed by Athens. Yet, although many of the city-states were involved in the alliance, most of the money from the Delian League was used to glorify Athens. The Spartans were upset that Athens was using all of the money, and also because of the fact that they were not the head of the League, so they formed their own alliance called the Peloponnesian League. In time, Spartas jealousy and growing dislike of Athens became so great that a civil war broke out, which led to the downfall of Athens Golden Age. Athens great Golden Age began in 478 B.C. and lasted for Fifty Years. This period of peace, prosperity, and progress in every aspect of culture and science flourished under the leadership of Pericles. Pericles was an aristocrat from a pro-democratic family, so it was natural that he believed in and supported democracy. He was a good speaker and planner of Athens policies. He commanded the military and carried out foreign policies of the people; he was not only respected by the people, but also by his colleagues. Pericles encouraged the arts and built great public buildings, such as the Parthenon. The Greeks, specifically the Athenians, were happy with what Pericles was doing with Athens. By making Athens seem more beautiful to other countries, Greece seemed to be more respected by the world. Pericles seemed like somebody who would be comfortable around others, especially because he was such a charismatic figure. However, he avoided social activities and had very few friends. His one passion in life was for politics; he never mentioned gods or any sort of piety. Pericles was a well-educated and honest man that did not accept bribes or abuse his power. This led the Athenians to like him even more, and he had more power than a king or a tyrant would have had. It was this power that allowed him to bring Athens to its height and turn it into the foundation of Western Civilization. Pericles favored equality for all in Athens, excluding women of course. He passed a bill that gave a salary to jurors, which allowed the poor to serve. He also eliminated laws that allowed only the rich to hold a high office and paid officials, which permitted all citizens of all social classes to participate in the government. Pericles strengthened Athens by building walls from the city to Piraeus in order to safely move food and supplies. These walls became known as the Long Walls, and it was completed in 458 B.C. He was the very basis of Athens Golden Age and after his passing, life in Greece would never be the same. Their most glorious age had reached a sudden end, and their most terrible ordeal was about to begin [Don Nardo, pg.]. While leading Athens during its Golden Age, architecture was very important to the Greeks. Pericles believed the citys greatness should be seen by the world, so he supported major construction of great structures. He had the Acropolis built, and its buildings contained Doric and Ionic columns. These were made of marble, and they represented the strength and grace of the Athenians. On top of the Acropolis was the Propylaea, or entrance way. The Propylaea incorporated traditional, Doric, and Ionic styles. It was designed by architect Mensicles circa 437 B.C. Another structure on top of the Acropolis is the Erechthium, which is the Temple of wingless victory. Perhaps the most famous building from the Golden Age was the Parthenon. This structure was built in 447 B.C., and was the spiritual center of Athens. It was designed and built by architect Ictinus, Callicrates, and sculptor Phidias. The Parthenon was a temple dedicated to Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, and it was Doric in style. The building was a symbol of Athens power, and demonstrated the blessing the city received from the Gods. It is 237 feet long, 110 feet wide and 60 feet tall. It denotes harmony and symmetry in the way that the building is completely symmetrical. According to Greek Scholar John Miliadis, the Parthenon is more the work of inspiration than of calculation. It is a new vision of life, the vision of classical Athenians. Phidias was a friend of Pericles, and died in prison because of the aristocrats of Greece that disliked him. He was believed to be the greatest sculptor during Pericless Age. He carved a 525 foot frieze, which is a band of sculptured figures, around the perimeter of the Parthenon. He also sculpted a statue of Athena Parthenos, which stood 40 feet tall, and was composed of wood, ivory, and over 2,500 pounds of gold. The appearance of Athens was extremely important to its people, and this was clearly displayed through its architectural projects. The Parthenon, the Erechthium, and the Propylaea were all clear examples of Athens power and greatness. Pericles believed that Athens was the leader of the Greek World, and therefore, they had the responsibility of showing the world how cultured they were. Much of the money from the Delian League went into the building projects of Athens. Most members of the League were not upset about this however; on the contrary, they were somewhat glad that Athens was representing Greece well. Art was also a significant part of Athens Golden Age. The purpose of their art was to preserve something visible, such as an idea or a feeling, by revealing its most prominent component. Greek sculpture was intended to be displayed in public places, which meant that it had to be worthy of the gods. The style of art shifted from Archaic to Classical. The most important change in the art style may have been in the poses of the sculptures. Before, the sculptures were a bit in stiff, unrealistic poses, and the faces of the people always seemed very calm. However, in Classical art, the poses of the sculptures were much more natural, and their faces depicted various kinds of emotion. This style of art focused on balance, completeness, proportions, and realism. Sculptors would try to create the perfect person that would be almost god-like. The ancient Greeks believed that the closest thing to perfection was the young athletic human body of a male. There were fewer structures of women than men, and their bodies would always be clothed. The mindset of the average Greek from this time period was: women are not equal to men; therefore, women cannot be anywhere near perfection. This kind of attitude was the reason why there were fewer works of art of women. Like architecture, Greek art during the Golden Age was very important in representing their country to the world. The phenomenal artwork heightened the worlds respect for the Greeks, which was what any country wanted. The Greeks, particularly the Athenians, believed that is they showed the world how cultured and sophisticated they were, their country would be seen as superior and more powerful. The sculptures of Athens Golden Age also captured the beliefs and ideas that people had at the time. They believed in beauty, balance, and harmony, which were clearly depicted in their art. Drama and literature was another area that flourished during the Golden Age. During this time, tragedies and comedies emerged, along with poems and epics. Poetry was regarded as almost a second religion, in the way that many people respected this type of literature. Poets would write about anything that they believed was appropriate to write about. The epics usually featured a hero, and its plot was both exciting and tragic. Famous epics include The Iliad and The Odyssey which were written by the blind poet, Homer. Two of the most prominent types of ancient Greek plays were tragedies and comedies. Tragedies were very serious and intense, and they often showed man as uncertain, fragile, and dangerous. The relationship between God and mans relationship was often seen in tragedies. These tragic plays were based on serious themes which came from history and mythology, such as Aeschyluss The Persians. The greatest writers of tragedies were Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Aeschylus lived around 525 B.C., and he fought at the Battle of Marathon, Salamis, and Plataea during the Persian War. He was the first person to use dialogue in plays, and he was also the first to use costumes, high shoes, and masks. Aeschylus wrote well over 90 plays, however only seven of them have survived. It was through his experience in the Persian Wars that he was able to write The Persians. Sophocles lived around 495 B.C., and his most famous play was called Oedipus Rex. He wrote over 100 plays, but like Aeschylus, only seven of them exist today. Euripides lived circa 484 B.C., and he was interested in human psychology. He had his characters talk in everyday language unlike Aeschylus and Sophocles. Although he wrote over 92 plays, only 18 of them have survived. Tragedies usually had very dreadful endings, with the main characters punished for any action they choose. These plays were performed in an amphitheater, where the acoustics amplified the actors voices. They used masks not only to portray their expressions, but because the mouthpiece of the mask was shaped like a megaphone, which further magnified their voices. More tragedies have survived than comedies, and they all contain universal themes such as love, hatred, revenge, duty, and morality. On the other hand, comedies were optimistic plays that usually focused on human flaws and allowed the audience to laugh at their own mistakes. They were full of slapstick gags, and they lacked cultivation by todays standards [Don Nardo, pg. 75]. Comedies usually involved music and dancing, and they would often include current events. Comedies were also performed in amphitheaters, and they would also be performed at festivals celebrating Dionysus, God of Wine, along with several tragedies. Aristophanes lived in roughly 448 B.C., and he wrote most of the surviving Greek comedies. His weapon was biting wit and sharp satire against the weaknesses of the time and against individuals of whom he disapprovedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [Isaac Asimov, pg. 135]. These individuals included everybody from rich people to poor people, and even extended to politicians as well. He wrote approximately 40 to 50 comedies, but unfortunately, like all of the other Greek dramatists works, only a number of them have not perished; 11 to be exact. Greek drama was the main form of entertainment for the ancient Greeks. They had no televisions or movie theaters to go to, so they watched plays instead. Not only were these dramas entertaining, they were both informative and a way for people to express themselves. Greek drama taught valuable lessons such as what the most important things in life really are, and they also taught people about human flaws. Ancient Greeks also learned to have a voice because of drama, which correlates to the type of government they had. The Golden Age of Greece also brought the first known historian in the world, besides its other accomplishments. This man is also referred to as the father of history, and his name is Herodotus. Herodotus began the system of writing down history texts, and if it were not for this historian, much of ancient Greeces history may not be known. Herodotus goal was to preserve the memory of the past by putting on record the astonishing achievements both of our own and of other peoples; and more particularly, to show how they came into conflict [Don Nardo, pg. 76]. Science made great advances during the Athens Golden Age. The progressions in science provided a hypothetical basis for all happenings. Science was necessary for many things such as architecture; matter, space, and motion; math-specifically geometry; and even music. Scientists and mathematicians were the first Greeks to not rely on Mythology to explain the happenings of the world, and they used information from ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians to help them. However, the Greeks did not use experiments to find out how things work. Rather, they investigated the world around them and observed, guessed, and discussed their ideas with each other in order to reach a conclusion. One of the most famous scientists was Hippocrates of Cos. He lived in 460 B.C. and introduced medicine into 5th Century B.C. Hippocrates collected data and made inferences. He also experimented on animals to learn physiology, which helped the Greeks deal with fractures and head wounds that resulted from wars. Hippocrates founded the first rational theory of medicine, one that did not depend on gods and demons. It is for this reason that he is often called the father of medicine. [Isaac Asimov, pg. 136]. He believed that illnesses were not caused by gods, but that these were excuses doctors used when they were too embarrassed to admit that they didnt know the cause of a disorder such as epilepsy. There were also many other scientists and mathematicians of ancient Greece that accomplished many things. One of them, Leucippus, believed that matter was composed of tiny particles, and not substances that could be divided infinitely. He was the first person to ever suggest this, and his views were carried on by his student, Democritus. Democritus then began to call these tiny particles atoms, and his views on atoms were very similar to modern views on them. However, other Greek scientists were not yet ready to accept his ideas, so naturally, they shot them down. There was also Eudoxus, who established that a year was not exactly 365 days long, but was six hours longer. Heraclides, a Greek astronomer, was a student of Plato that was the first person to believe in the rotation of the Earth. Aristarchus was also another astronomer, and he suggested that Earth and all other planets revolved around the Sun, but this too, like Leucippus and Democritus views, was unaccepted by other astronomers. Pythagoras was a mathematician that lived in the 6th Century B.C. He introduced the Pythagorean Theorem, which is used to find the length of a side of a right triangle if two lengths are given. He also believed that what separated humans from animals was reason. Science changed Athens and the Greek world by allowing people, for the first time, to realize that not everything depended on the gods and goddesses of their myths. People began to question everything around them, instead of leaving everything up to the will of the gods; and this would eventually reach out to other parts of the world. As a result, of science becoming more prominent in Athens, people were more educated about themselves and the world that they lived in. One of the most important achievements Athens made during its Golden Age was in its government. Athens created the first democratic government the world had ever seen. Meanwhile, other Greek city-states such as Sparta had an oligarchy. Their oligarchy consisted of a small group of aristocrats that made important decisions for Sparta, and the rest of the citizens were equal. The main difference between these two types of government was that in Athens democracy, all citizens had the right to vote, and each vote counted as much as anybody elses vote. Athens democracy was a direct democracy, meaning that its citizens spoke for themselves and not through representatives. Their type of government valued law, order, and freedom. Every citizen, from the poorest man to the richest one, was allowed to hold office. All decisions were made by the Assembly, which consisted of any Athenian citizen that wished to participate. This group met 40 times a year, and they made decisions like fees for public service, which allowed the poor to hold office. There was also the Boule, which was a 500 man council that met daily to discuss issues that were urgent, and they also prepared the Agenda for the Assembly. As a result of Athens change in government to democracy, more Athenians gained equal rights-besides women and slaves, though, they were not considered citizens of Athens. The differences in rights between the social classes in Athens grew very small, which naturally angered those in the upper class. The important matters of the city were decided by its people; however, some people doubted the judgment of those who were less educated. Nonetheless, Athens democracy continued to expand and strengthen as the Golden Age went on. The Greeks idea of liberty was the freedom to do or realize his full potential, speak freely, and make decisions without interference [C.M. Bowra, pg. 12]. However, the beginning of the Peloponnesian War brought an abrupt end to the Golden Age. It began with Sparta declaring war on Athens in 431 B.C. and ended with Athens surrender in 404 B.C. Spartas hatred towards Athens increased over time, until finally; they could not contain their animosity anymore. Greek city-states did not get along very well; they were separated by their mountainous geography, which resulted in different governments, cultures, and customs. The difference was particularly great between Athens and Sparta in everything from their government to what they valued the most. What angered Sparta the most was that Athens received all the credit for defeating the Persians during the Persian War; and this further increased tensions between the two city-states. The war began when Athens imposed a trade embargo on Megara, an ally of Sparta. They refused to let any Spartan ally trade in any ports belonging to the Delian League. Most of the ports were controlled by the Delian League, which meant that Spartan allies essentially had nobody to trade with. The Megarians began to starve as a result of this embargo. Pericles goal when imposing the trade embargo was to discourage the Spartans from war. However, his plan was disastrous, and resulted in Sparta declaring war on Athens. Sparta was in control of the greatest army in Greece, and they decided to use this to their advantage. The Spartans did not want a long and drawn-out war because that would result in many casualties and put a great strain on their city-state. They marched an army of 35,000 hoplites into Attica, and destroyed the entire countryside, leaving people in fear and chaos. Sparta cut off Athens grain supply, hoping to force them to surrender, but the Athenians were well supplied behind the Long Walls. The Spartans wanted to keep the war on land because of their strong military, and they continued to attack Attica relentlessly every year. Athens, meanwhile, had a better navy and treasury than Sparta. While Pericles was in charge during the Peloponnesian War, he ordered all people to retreat behind the Long Walls. He was aware that trying to defeat Sparta on land was near impossible, so he planned to fight on the water. By having all of the Athenians behind the Long Walls, they would be able to receive supplies from cargo ships and hopefully tire out the Spartan army. Pericles plan worked throughout the first summer of the war, and when the Spartans left in the winter, the Athenians went back to their homes. The enemy attacked in the spring of 430 B.C., and the Athenians were forced to retreat behind the Long Walls once again. However, this time, there was something far more dangerous than the Spartan army that was attacking Attica; and this was disease. A fast-spreading plague struck the Athenians and killed approximately 20% of the population. The plague lasted for four years, and after many people had died, the Athenians decided to leave the protection of the Long Walls and fight the Spartans. Unfortunately, Pericles was a victim of the plague as well, and his death in 429 B.C. left Athens weak and divided. Pericles death left several people vying for power over Athens. Among these people were Cleon and Nicias. Cleon wanted to fight Sparta until the Athenians reached a total victory. Nicias, on the other hand, favored peace. Cleon won power over Athens, but soon died in battle. Nicias saw this opportunity to influence Athens to make peace, but Sparta and its allies refused peace and they continued to fight Athens without mercy. Eventually, Athens surrendered to Sparta in 404 B.C. after its fleet was destroyed at Thrace. The Spartan fleet cut off Athens remaining lifeline, which forced the Athenians to put an end to the war. The Spartans were not happy with just winning the war, though. They forced Athens to give up its fleet and foreign possession, take down the Long Walls, and change their cherished democracy into an oligarchy. After a while, the Athenians were allowed to restore their democracy, but the damage was done-their Golden Age came to an end. The Peloponnesian War left Athens devastated; the land was completely destroyed, the food supply was scarce; and the physical resources were nearly completely gone. The war is best known through Thucydides, an Athenian general. He wrote about the war in great detail, and was not biased; he wrote only about the facts of the war. No one could have guessed that the conflict would bring about Pericles downfall, the end of the Fifty Years, and the exhaustion and cultural decline of all the city-states, [Don Nardo, pg. 80]. The Peloponnesian War stripped Athens of its power and greatness, and left Greece vulnerable to any foreign invasions. With the end of the Peloponnesian War, the Athenians were faced with the grueling task of rebuilding their city-state. People began to look for a principle that explained why things are the way they are, which began the rise of philosophy. The ancient Greeks believed that philosophy and science came from the same branch of study; which is why scientists proved things using logic and reason. Philosophers were travelling teachers that wanted to learn the truth and sought wisdom through different methods. The three most famous philosophers of ancient Greece were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates was the earliest of the Greek philosophers, and participated in the Peloponnesian War. He was born in 469 B.C. and he lived as a very plain and poor man. During the Peloponnesian War, he came to the conclusion that Man-not the universe-was the enemy of man. He believed that everybody knew more than they thought they knew, and he also believed that mans conscience was a better guide to right conduct than what society said. His method of teaching was by asking questions, and has come to be known as the Socratic Method. Socrates was proclaimed the wisest man in Greece by the Oracle of Delphi after stating, All I know is that I know nothing. Despite being the wisest man, he was unpopular among the Athenians. He was arrested on three charges at the age of 70. The first charge was for corrupting the youth; the second charge was for not believing in the citys gods; and the third was for introducing new deities to society. He was brought before a 501-man jury in 399 B.C., convicted of corrupting the youth, and then sentenced to death. He was convicted by the slim majority of 281 to 220 Athenians. Socrates had several opportunities to break out of jail, and yet, he refused to do so. He did not want to break the law by breaking out of jail, so he stayed in his cell, drank the poison hemlock, and died. Many people today believe that the unjust death of this wise philosopher, which was the result of a vote of the people, is an example of the dangers of a direct democracy. Plato was another famous philosopher of Greece. He was Socrates student, and wrote down all of his teachings, for Socrates did not record anything. Plato believed that all souls were immortal and knew all truths, but as they grew up, they forgot everything. He believed that it was his job to help students remember these truths through the power of logic and reason. In 387 B.C., he founded the Academy, the first school for higher education in Athens, and he also wrote a book called The Republic. The Republic describes his Utopia which was a state ruled by philosophers. In this ideal state there were three classes: the Guardians who governed the state, the Auxiliaries who were the military, and everybody else. In his book, he expressed his strong dislike for democracy, which he believed was the reason why his teacher, Socrates, had died. Plato also wrote The Dialogues, which displayed Socrates ideas along with his own. The Dialogues were composed of discussions that Socrates would have with other students while he was alive. In Platos eyes, Socrates was the wisest and most just and best man [C.M. Bowra, pg. 138]. So naturally, his death was an extreme loss to Plato. One of his philosophies, Platonism, stated that physical beings were imperfect, and that the spirit, soul, and body of a person were separated. These ideas passed into Christianity later on, where they influenced certain beliefs. Platos philosophical system and marvelous language make him one of the most gifted men who ever lived, [C.M. Bowra, pg. 140]. Over time, his ideas spread over Europe, and they eventually reached across the Atlantic Ocean, where it helped form the basis of Western Philosophy. Aristotle was the last, and perhaps the most influential, philosopher from the ancient Greek world. He attended Platos Academy at the age of 17, and he studied there for 20 years. He was born in 384 B.C., and he travelled to Athens to attend the Academy. There, he studied science, ethics, politics, and mathematics. Aristotle, unlike his teacher Plato, believed that research was the method people should use to investigate the world. His philosophy consisted of the power of direct observation to draw conclusions. He relied on the five senses, while Plato believed that they were not reliable. Evidently, these two philosophers did not agree with each other, yet they respected each others ideas. Aristotle was particularly interested in natural philosophy which was the study of natural phenomena in the world, which includes many fields of science. Here, he made great advances, and was the most successful in his studies of biology. He classified animal species, and also concluded that dolphins were not fish, which proved that he was a full 2000 years ahead of his time. Aristotle also ways of observation to find a solution influenced Francis Bacon, who founded the scientific method. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were all famed philosophers that changed their times. Their philosophies helped the Greek population to become more educated, and their ideas provided some guidance in rebuilding Athens after the Peloponnesian War. However, despite their great efforts to revive Athens former state of glory, the Peloponnesian War had indeed brought the end of the Golden Age of Athens. Their ideas and philosophies, although taught in vain, have become a great addition to Western Philosophy. The achievements that occurred during the Golden Age of Athens continue to affect the modern world. Although most people do not realize it, more than half of what is taken for granted, can be attributed to the Athenians. Pierre Leveque stated, One need only to look closely at our own language, our political institutions, and our culture, to discover to what extent the Greek experience lives on. Despite the fact that Athens Golden Age was over 2000 years ago, all of its accomplishments have not been forgotten, and they are being lived through Western Civilizat