A Moment Of Disturbing Clarity - 3126 Words

A Moment of Disturbing Clarity If I had a dollar for every time I heard God referred to as â€Å"he† or â€Å"him,† my college tuition might be paid for. I’m guilty of this myself, in moments, though more conscious of it now. No argument can be made against it, the church is traditionally patriarchal, and dangerously so. In fact, Rosemary Radford Ruether claims in her book Sexism and God Talk, â€Å"Male monotheism has been so taken for granted in Judeo-Christian culture that the peculiarity of imaging God solely through one gender has not been recognized† (53). We can easily address where some of these issues that arise from this might lie- the lack of inclusion in practice, specifically in the Catholic Church with their opposition to the ordination of women modeled after this God, the lack of a sense of afterlife that is attainable by women, and a lack of accessibility to other figures and symbols in the church. More than that, we can point to the issues of their being directly related to sin, as well as the shunning and lack of acknowledgement that spills into shaming of their bodies. Often, however, we ignore the results of these issues. As a direct result of the damage done by patriarchal traditions and patriarchal views of God, women are ill equipped to deal with difficult aspects of their lives. In order to adequately address issues of sadness, suffering, trauma, and other theodical roots, everyone, and women in particular, must be shown a reimagined view of God. Ruether claims,Show MoreRelatedThesis Paper Between photography and cinematography there are always similarities. They both have600 Words   |  3 Pagescreativity now is remarkably different from where we started out. I think revisiting childhood can be a good thing, because our lives can be filled with chaos, confusion, disorder and even complication. And we all strive to find moments of clarity, and order. 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For even such areas held their own secrets—secrets they didRead MoreGothic Doubling In Assassins Creed1690 Words   |  7 PagesGothic Doubling in Assassin’s Creed: How Altair Represents the Hopes and Fears of Ezio â€Å"Today, I have more questions than answers. This is why I have come so far: to find clarity† (Ubisoft 1:38-1:48). Master Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze, main protagonist of Ubisoft’s 2011 video game Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, yearns for the wisdom supposedly left behind at Masyaf Castle by the revolutionary Assassin Mentor, Altair Ibn-La’Ahad. Ezio desires Altair’s knowledge and wisdom to learn more aboutRead MoreThe Digital Possession Of Human Since The 19th Century1154 Words   |  5 Pagesphotography in 1839, the Daguerreotype. Photographs were presented and published on a sheet of copper very thinly plated with silver. The Daguerreotype was a permanent image and it was beautifully done with the illusion of depth and made with startling clarity. 7. 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Domestic Violence and Its Effects on Family Life - 2341 Words

Domestic Violence What is Domestic Violence? Domestic violence is the leading cause of an injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44, more than car accidents, muggings and rape combined. A woman is most likely to be assaulted, injured, raped or killed by a male partner than by any type of assault. Domestic violence occurs in every state, let alone many countries, in all economic, ethnic and social backgrounds. Many victims of domestic violence have changed their lives and escaped the abuse while the other victims haven’t. Domestic violence happens very often in a lot of foreign families which causes kids to rebel while growing up. Domestic abuse occurs when one person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to†¦show more content†¦It was to the point where I was crying everywhere; in public, my friend’s house, my parents’ house and work. I couldn’t express my feelings to anyone† said Chris. The last time Jose got violent with Chris was when they were close to the ending their relationship. Jose was always on his phone so one day Chris decided to reach for his phone to go through it and see who he was talking to so very often. Jose grabbed his hand and twisted it so bad, then punched him in the face. That’s when Chris had enough and told Jose to move out. Domestic violence happens in all types of relationships. Here are some tips to help you reassure that you are a victim of domestic violence; Physical abuse such as slapping, kicking, hitting, and shoving or other physical force, Sexual abuse including rape, sexual assault, forced prostitution or interfering with birth control, Emotional abuse such as shouting, name-calling, humiliation, constant criticism, or harming the victims relationship with her or his children. Nigeria has one the highest rates of domestic violence in Africa. More than two thirds of Nigerian women are believed to experience physical, sexual and psychological abuse at the hands of their husband. A small-scale study conducted in the Lagos and Oyo states revealed that Nearly 65% of educated women said they had been beaten by a partner, boyfriend or husband while 56% of lower-income market women experienced similarShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Domestic Violence1831 Words   |  7 PagesDomestic Violence What effects does domestic violence have on the victim and their families? Domestic violence has a tremendous effect on people lives. It is a terrible crime and is happening each day. It is said that every 9 seconds a women is assaulted or beaten. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury in women. This crime is very common and happens to people that you may even know. â€Å"Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive and threatening behaviors that may include physical, emotionalRead MoreEffects of Domestic Violence on Children908 Words   |  4 PagesEffects of Domestic Violence on Children by Mary Pelham English 1010-19 5 October 2011 Pelham i Outline I. Effects on younger children A. Feelings of deprivation Read MoreEssay on The Gravity of Domestic Violence in America1423 Words   |  6 Pages the gravity of domestic violence in America has been disregarded and glossed over; perhaps it is because 60 percent of all domestic violence takes place at home. Domestic violence is defined as, the situation in which an intimate partner or someone you live with attacks you and tries to hurt you, often including physical assault, sexual assault, and bullying. â€Å"Every year, more than 3 million children witness domestic violence in their homes.† (safehorizon.org) Domestic violence at home is alteringRead MoreChildren And Effects Of Domestic Violence1612 Words   |  7 PagesCHILDREN AND THE EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Children and the Effects of Domestic Violence in the Home Domestic violence is any behavior of physical, sexual, emotional, or physiological acts or threats that intimidate a person or partner by trying to control or maintain power. Unfortunately, many children experience these harmful acts in the home between family members, all of different ages, ethnicities, and statuses. When thinking about a safe and healthy childhood and environment, what comesRead MoreThe Negative Results of Childhood Exposure to Domestic Violence 979 Words   |  4 Pages The phrase â€Å"domestic violence† typically refers to violence between adult partners. Sadly, it has been estimated that every year between 3.3 and ten million children are exposed to domestic violence in the confines of their own home (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa et al. 2009). According to research conducted by John W. Fantuzzo and Wanda K. Mohr (1999): â€Å"Exposure to domestic violence can include watching or hearing the violent events, direct involvement (for example, trying to in tervene or callingRead MoreThe Day It Happened by Rosario Morales1302 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, is defined as a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors, including physical, sexual, and psychological attacks as well as economic coercion that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partners† (Peeks-Asa). When it comes to domestic violence many people don’t want to get involved, but if just one person took a stand maybe others would follow and potentially save a life, like the neighbors did in The Day It Happened by Rosario MoralesRead MoreDomestic Violence : The Horrific Effects Of Abuse1464 Words   |  6 PagesDOMESTIC VIOLENCE: The Horrifying Effects of Abuse â€Å"To those who abuse: the sin yours, the crime is yours, and the shame is yours. To those who protect the perpetrators: blaming the victims only masks the evil within, making you as guilty as those who abuse. Stand up for the innocent or go down with the rest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  These are the words of an individual who sees too clearly the injustice which comes with domestic violence toward women. The United States government estimates one in every four women willRead MoreDomestic Violence And Its Effects On People1708 Words   |  7 Pages What is domestic violence? Domestic violence is when a person uses a physical violence such as threats, intimidation, isolation, stalking, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and taking control over another partner in a relationship (Understanding abuse). This happens every day to thousands of people all over the world. It’s a serious issue and people don t realize how serious it is. It’s killing people, ruining families, and leaving a la sting impact on people. Each year, 2 million people are injuredRead MoreEffects of Domestic Violence on Children1124 Words   |  5 PagesThe biggest victims of domestic violence are the littlest. The home is a suppose to be a safe and secure environment for children with loving parents and free from violence. Children need a secure environment where they can come home to when the outside world is unsafe. However, every year there are millions of children who’s homes are not a safe haven. Millions of children are exposed to a parent being violently assaulted. Domestic violence is a prevalent social issue in America today. First, whoRead MoreDomestic Violence : Violence Between Adult Intimate Partners1632 Words   |  7 PagesDomestic Violence Introduction Domestic Violence isn t just hitting, or fighting, or an occasional mean argument. It s a chronic abuse of power. The abuser tortures and controls the victim by calculated threats, intimidation, and physical violence. Actual physical violence is often the end result of months or years of intimidation and control. Defining the problem: Domestic violence is violence between adult intimate partners. Though the definition above seems simple enough (it is widely accepted

Banyan Tree Analysis free essay sample

Banyan Tree Holdings manages and develops resorts, hotels and spas. They have been listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange since 2006. Banyan began in 1994 with a single resort in Phuket and currently manages and has ownership interests in over 20 resorts and hotels, 60 spas, 70 retail galleries, and 3 golf courses. Refer to Appendix A for an overview of Banyan Tree’s global presence. The company is best known for its Banyan Tree and Angsana brands. In this paper, we consider the operations of the Banyan Tree Group. Here on, Banyan Tree Group will be referred to as â€Å"Banyan Tree†. Banyan Tree ends its fiscal year on 31st December each year. Financial Analysis Principal Activities Banyan Tree’s revenue is generated from three core business segments: Hotel Investments, Property Sales and Fee-based. Hotel Investments Banyan Tree main Hotel Investments were in Thailand, Maldives, China and Morocco. Investments in Thailand suffered a 24% dip in revenue due to reasons such as political instability and economic downturn in the Eurozone. On the same note, Morocco suffered a 29% dip in revenue per available room (RevPAR). On the other hand, investments in China and Maldives showed increases due to increasing demand from affluent travellers in China and successful marketing in Maldives. Property Sales Hotel Residences1 has earned $S12 million, a 50% drop from last financial year. Sales of Laguna property2 has earned $S17. 9 million, a 12% dropped from last financial year. Development project/site sales3 has earned $S36. 4 million. In 2011, Banyan Tree made a change in stance for their revenue recognition method, from the â€Å"percentage of completion† method as construction progresses, to the â€Å"completion† method. Hence, the overall property sales revenue was S$66. 3 million, up 49% from last year’s S$44. 4 million. For development project/site sales, there has been a general increase in interest in the closing months of the year, and we are hopeful of a stronger high season than in recent years. For Laguna property sales, the peaceful mid-year elections in Thailand led to an increase in sales activity, which offset the impact of the global economic downturn. Therefore, there was a 2% increase in sales in year 2011. Fee-based The Fee-based segment4 comprises Hotel/Fund/Club Management, Spa/Gallery Operations, Design Fees Others. With the exception of club management, all fee-based units registered year on year increased in revenue, resulting in overall revenue growth of 14%. But there was a lower club membership rate of 33%. This was due to the ongoing global economic uncertainty as well as political unrest in Thailand, which adversely affected investor confidence, particularly in higher-priced hotel residences. Analysis of Financial Ratios Current Ratio Banyan Tree possesses adequate resources to address an immediate crisis. Banyan Tree is able to comfortably payoff its current liabilities with its current assets. This is reflected by an increasing current ratio of 1. 25 since the 2008 economic crisis to 1. 76 in 2011. Competitors such as Stamford land had a current ratio of 1. 72 in 2011, Based on this comparison, Banyan Tree remains competitive. Debt Ratio Banyan Tree’s debt ratio for 2008 was 0. 62. However, this number has been gradually decreased to 0. 603 in 2011 indicating that less of the company’s assets are financed by debt. Competitors in the industry, such as Stamford Land Pte Ltd displayed debt ratios of 0. 538 in 2011, indicating an area where Banyan Tree can improve on. Taking into account Banyan Tree’s strong current ratio, a majority of Banyan Tree’s debt is long term. RevPAR RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) measures a hotel’s profitability. By multiplying a hotel’s room-rate with the hotel’s occupancy rate, RevPAR measures profitability based on the number of available rooms. RevPAR improved from $179 in 2010 to $181 in 2011. Compared to competitors such as Pan Pacific which had a RevPAR of $135. 23 in 2011, Banyan Tree maintains a competitive grounding in the hospitality market. Earnings per Share Earnings per share (EPS) is a measure of a company’s profitability and investor confidence. Banyan Tree’s EPS was exceptionally high in 2007 due to the recording of an exceptional item gain of $44. 5 million due to litigation. The EPS later fell drastically in 2008 due to the absence of this item. In 2010, its EPS was also high due to the sale of Dusit Laguna Phuket which resulted in an accounting gain of $67. 4 million. However, this led to a fall in EPS again in 2011. EBITDA EBITDA fell steadily from 2007 to 2009, but saw a significant leap in the year 2010. However, most recently, Banyan Tree saw a plunge in earnings to a significant low of 49.4 million in 2011 this is possibly due to a change in accounting policy5. With a 14. 65% EBIDTA margin in 2011, compared to Stamford Land’s EBIDTA margin of 17. 95%, Banyan Tree has limited cash flow which can hinder its progress. The Problems Poor Performance in Thailand Though this poor performance has been excused by attributing the fall in revenue to the sale of Dusit Laguna Phuket and Laguna Beach Resort in 2010 and 2011, it can be attributed more to the political crisis and flooding in Thailand, which severely affected travel to the region as well as investment in the country. Travel to Thailand has since increased however, with the number of foreign tourists in Thailand rising from 15 to 19 million from 2010 to 2011. Hotel occupancy rates for Thailand rose from 50-57% in the same period, as opposed to Banyan Tree’s average occupancy rate decreasing from 52-51%. This might indicate Banyan Tree losing its competitive edge in Thailand or changing tourism trends in the country that it has not followed. Decrease Revenue in Hotel Investments Hotel investment revenue decreased by 20% from $205. 1 million in 2008 to $163. 7 million in 2011. The stronger performance by the hotels in China and the Maldives were offset by weaker numbers from Thailand, since more than half of Banyan Tree’s some 1,608 resorts and hotels are located in Thailand despite divestment efforts in recent years. In both 2008 and 2011, about 45% of Banyan Tree’s total revenue came from their hotel investment segment, which has consistently dropped some since 2008. While the property sales and fee-based segments have been growing in recent years, their growth is insufficient to offset the drop in hotel investment revenue. This problem is furthered by the fact that around 50% of Banyan Tree’s liabilities, and more than 60% of its assets are based in the hotel investment segment. Poor Market Performance Banyan Tree has consistently underperformed the STI since 2008, with its share price dropping around 60% since then. There are three main reasons for this are its decreasing EBITDA, its fluctuating EPS, and erosion of investor confidence given the geopolitical instability in Thailand. With most of its resources and revenue still over-reliant on Thailand, as well as Banyan Tree’s poor performance in the country, investor confidence has been poor in recent years. Future Plans Expanding to Emerging Economies China registered an S$2. 0 million increase in revenue from the year before, partly because of increased MICE activity (Appendix B). In addition, Banyan Tree’s properties in China saw a 55% increase in room revenue in 2011 (Appendix C) Tourist arrivals in china have grown from 26. 126million in 2010 to 27. 1120 million in 20116, an overall growth of foreign tourist arrivals by 3.8% with a slowly but surely recovering global economy and China’s stimulus packages starting to take effect, we should capitalize on China being a steadily growing travel hub and capture a larger market share catering to both travel for business and leisure. Apart from China, Banyan tree should look to expand into North East Asia. In South Korea, tourists’ arrivals have been steadily increasing from 6,890,841 visitors in 2008 to 9,794,796 in 2011. Once again, expanding into North East Asia would make Banyan Tree more profitable due to increased demand of hotel and luxury services. A more profitable Banyan tree will raise share price and increase investor confidence. Earnings per share will improve and as a result, more people will be willing to invest in Banyan tree resulting in greater equity financed working assets and a more financially stable company. Divesting Resources Revenue from Thailand fell 24% to S$33. 3 million, due to the sale of Dusit Laguna Phuket and Laguna Beach Resort in October 2010 and May 2011 respectively. Banyan Tree also suffered from floods occurring in Thailand, resulting in poorer tourist arrivals. Thailand’s poor performance in 2011 has resulted in weaker profits for Banyan Tree. Given the high concentration of hotels and spas in Thailand, Banyan Tree should look to divest some of its resources and re-allocate them into more profitable areas such as China and North East Asia. Fee based Segment Banyan Tree’s fee-based segment makes up 30. 2% of Banyan Tree’s group revenue and has grown by 14% from 2010 to 2011. In light of a weakening Hotel Investment sector, possessing a strong fee-based sector can result in longer term, more sustainable growth. Areas of focus in the fee based segment include expansion into emerging economies as well as deeper focus on Banyan Tree’s spa sector. Given there are only 65 existing spas under Banyan Tree, the spa sector is definitely a plausible area for expansion which can continue drawing revenue from local customers in the event of a drop in the number of tourists. We identify these as potential sources of revenue and believe that Banyan Tree can stand to profit from this. Hotel Management Program Education is an important area of investment. Investment in education almost always pays off. Banyan tree has been in the hotel business since 1994 and knows the ropes of the business. Banyan tree has a ‘Banyan Tree Management Academy’ (BTMA) which roughly covers the first two points discussed below. We are proposing a more prominent distinction between the two wings. We are proposing Banyan Tree to start a Hotel Management Institute with the following three wings: Re-education of existing employees This section involves, as the name suggests, re-education of the already existing employees to the latest trends. It would be made mandatory for every employee to take part in this program once every five years. This would keep the employees up-to-date with all the latest happenings in the field of hotel management. Education of future employees The students under this wing would have to sign a bond stating that they will work with banyan tree for a minimum of ten years after they complete their course and will not be allowed to ever work with any company involved in similar sectors of business as banyan tree. These students will be scholarship students. They will be taught with special focus on banyan tree and in great detail about the banyan tree structure and their way of working. In short, these are the future runners of banyan tree. This measure will help banyan tree create an image that none of its workers are untouchable and will help them easily replace employees. General Education This wing will be the main revenue generation of banyan tree hotel management institute. Students in this wing will be taught in a much general manner about the hotel industry and its structure. These students will not be given scholarships. After their education these students can work wherever they work. There will be a huge number of courses offered to the students under this category as this will be the main part of the institute. It will prepare students who want to assume any role in the hospitality business in the near future. Banyan tree already has a partnership with Cornell through BTMA and should look to use that partnership to help its hotel management institute grow initially.

Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution Essay Example

Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution Paper Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) was a French, arguably quintessential, sociologist with his assertions that society sui generis is the subject matter of sociology. Treat social facts as things is a famous dictum of Durkheim by which he means social phenomena is an objective realm, external to individuals. Social facts are ways of acting, thinking or feeling that are external to individuals, having their own reality outside the perceptions and lives of individuals (Giddens, 2001, p9). These social facts exercise a coercive power over individuals. Durkheim considered sociology as a new science. By examining traditional philosophical questions empirically, sociology could be used to elucidate these questions. We will write a custom essay sample on Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Durkheim was intensely concerned about the social pathology of contemporary industrial society (Anderson et al, 1987, p47). Durkheim was also particularly interested in social and moral solidarity and so studied what holds society together and what keeps society from descending into chaos. Durkheim approached modernity and the industrial revolution through the study of the division of labour (LaCapra, 1972, p82). In 1893 Durkheim wrote his first major works, The Division of Labour in Society in which he contrasted mechanical and organic solidarity and related them to the growth of distinctions between different occupations the division of labour. Durkheim argued that primitive societies were characterised by a mechanical solidarity with a limited division of labour. Social solidarity was based on shared values, all individuals performed similar tasks and were bound together by a common collective conscience. After a gradual move towards an organic society with an advanced division of labour, individuals had different occupational roles and social solidarity was based on moral individualism and cultural pluralism. Social integration was based upon the division of labour. Although Durkheim rejected ideas of both Comte and Saint-Simon, Durkheim did believe that the organic division of labour could provide the basis for individual freedom and social co-operation if the pathological features of contemporary society were eliminated (Anderson et al, 1987, p47). Durkheim introduced the concept of anomie to sociology, which literally means without norms. Anomie exists when society fails to provide a limiting framework of social norms, resulting in unhappiness and social disorders. Durkheim aimed to establish sociology as a science and to establish the requirements to maintain social order in modern societies. After witnessing the growth of industrial production and the inequalities that resulted from this growth, Karl Marx (1818-1883) sought to explain the changes that were occurring in society during the Industrial Revolution era. Marx saw the new and old societies, capitalism and feudalism, in stark contrast. Feudalism was based on the agricultural, rural society, the opposite of industrial capitalist society. Industrial capitalism is dominated by the market. In the production of goods for the market their intrinsic worth plays little part; the worth of any commodity is its exchange value. Everything in society is dominated by the cash nexus, including labour which becomes another commodity to be bought and sold (Anderson et al, 1987, p5). Marx argued that the capitalist property-owners form a ruling class, whom Marx called the bourgeoisie, employers of wage-labour, the property-less working class, whom Marx labelled the proletariat. As industrialisation developed, large numbers of peasants moved to expanding cities and so aided the formation of an urban-based industrial working class. The middle class of merchants and manufacturers (or capitalists) were bourgeois, as distinguished from the remnant of the feudal class, from the proletariat of industrial labourers, and from the peasantry (Smelser et al, 1976, p54). Marx argued that Capitalism is inherently a class system in which class relations are characterised by conflict (Giddens, 2001, p12). In Marxs view, the bourgeoisie were able to generate profit by exploiting the proletariat through oppressive devaluation of skilled labour and its experience. Ultimately, for Marx, this led to alienation the degradation of the workers to become a most miserable sort of commodity whose misery is in inverse proportion to the power and size of his production (Marx, 1848, p77). This commodity would become the social class, called the proletariat by Marx. Labour was organised solely with regard to efficiency and the pursuit of profit. These factors led to inequalities of the working class which increased dramatically the gap between the capitalists and the working class, as well as the wealth and lifestyles of property-owners. Shopkeepers, independent craftsmen and so on were undermined as capitalist production developed a competitive appetite. Marx claimed that it is not acquisitive and competitive individuals who produce capitalist society. It is capitalist society that produces competitive and acquisitive individuals (Hughes et al, 1995). Marx and Durkheim often had conflicting ideas. However, they did share similar views about some sociological ideas. Both believed that scientifically based knowledge of society could be used to improve the conditions of humanity. Both believed their task was to discover the laws that governed the organisation of the social order and draw parallels with the ways in which the natural sciences had revealed the laws of nature. When looking at the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society, Marx and Durkheim share the argument that the individual and collective were in opposition to one another. They both believed that the individual is a naturally self-interested being which flourished only when exempt from any kind of control by society was a manifestation of modern society and, indeed, of the most pathological features of that society (Anderson et al, 1987, p132). Marx and Durkheim both viewed the individual as a being with a need for society. However, Marx suggested that Man has a nature that will eventually assert and fulfil itself and will do so at the expense of a decadent social order (Smelser et al, 1976, p123). Durkheim claimed that Mans need for society is met less by substantive principles of justice and more by social ties and normative limits (Smelser et al, 1976, p123). Marx and Durkheim argued that we live in societies, called organic by Durkheim and capitalist by Marx, in which people are increasingly, individually, able to do what they want to do but less and less part of social groups. The idea that people should be free from external constraint was opposed by neither Durkheim nor Marx but both believe that in modern societies, extreme freedom can be a bad thing for the individual. Marx and Durkheim tried to disclose the concept of freedom of the individual in western societies of the nineteenth century as an illusion. The freedom of the individual was, Marx argued, only apparent, a superficial kind of freedom (Anderson et al, 1987, p132). Although Marx and Durkheim showed agreement about the problems of industrial capitalist society they disagreed about the causes, as we have seen, and solutions, of this society. Durkheim displayed a particular avoidance of much of Marxs work. Durkheim did relatively little to build upon the integration with the work of Marx. The Marx whom Durkheim particularly abhorred was the Marx who advocated class conflict and violent revolution in modern society (LaCapra, 1972, p23). Durkheim believed that the conception of modern society proceeded through a pathological state of rapid transition, developing into normality. Durkheim was optimistic that modern society possessed the ability to resolve the severe problems produced by industrial capitalist society. Like the political and social theorist Rousseau, Marx desired a means to vanquish the inequalities and divisions of the society of his time and to constitute a true community. In place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonisms, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all (Marx, 1848, p31). Marx, also like Rousseau, pinpointed the obstacle to attainment in the circumstantially developed divisions among people, particularly the division of labour. Marx argued that social change is primarily prompted by economic influences. Class conflicts provide the drive for historical development and change. Marx called this idea the materialist conception of history. The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles (Marx, 1848, p222). In accordance with his view of history, Marx argued that just like the bourgeois had united to abolish the feudal society, so too would the bourgeois be ousted and a new society installed. Marx believed that the proletariat would develop the capacity and the will overtime to revolt, resulting in the downfall of the capitalist system. This would enable a new society to evolve in which there would be no classes and so no vast divisions between rich and poor. Marx believed that inequalities would no longer contain the split of the mass of the population that were exploited by the ruling class who, in their small minority, monopolised the economical and political power. The revolution that would overthrow capitalism would lead to communism. This political ideology, derived from socialism, aimed to create a society in which private productive property, social classes and the state are absent. With the revolutionary defeat of capitalism, Marx envisaged the emergence of socialist societies in which the state would still play a role but only with the transformation of all property relations. Whereas Marx saw the solution to social problems in terms of direct political actions, Durkheim took a more Clinician-cum-managerialist view by emphasising the effective treatment of the pathological conditions which can afflict society through the deliberate reorganisation of its institutions (Hughes et al, 1995). Durkheim believed modern society would naturally evolve in the direction of normality, certainly without violent revolution (LaCapra, 1973, p22). Durkheim argues that individuals need to integrate forms of behaviour. Individuals now pursue varied lines of work, are not self-sufficient and must engage in multiple exchanges with others. The mechanical society, where individuals performed similar tasks and experienced shared values, is not enough for the individual, who wants to pursue different roles and experience freedom to do what the individual wants to do. The view of human nature held by Durkheim was that there is no natural limit to the desires, ambitions or needs of the individual. This view stands in the tradition of the English philosopher and political theorist, Thomas Hobbes. Durkheim argued that the required limits must be socially produced. Durkheims concept of anomie is a condition of society.. in which there exists little consensus, a lack of certainty on values or goals, and a loss of effectiveness in the normative and moral framework which regulates collective and individual life (Jary, 2000). Durkheim sees anomie as an abnormal social form, resulting from the failure of modern societies to move fully from a mechanical society to an organic society. What Durkheim called an anomic division of labour existed because occupations were not allocated according to skills or experience and so were obliterated. Economic activity in these societies remained unregulated by a coherent value system. Not only did Durkheim criticise the anomic character of the division of labour but also its forced and excessive character. It was forced because the inheritance of private property meant that individuals were not free to find the work most suited to their skills and talents; it was excessive because workers often had insufficient work to keep them occupied in a way that produced job satisfaction (Anderson et al, 1987, p48). Durkheim argued that these factors of the modern divisions of labour led to class conflict. Durkheims solution to the problems of industrial capitalist society was to properly regulate the division of labour. This would end class struggles, achieved through economic co-operation among modern guild associations and through the overall political and moral guidance of a liberal republican state whose power could be checked as necessary through these same guilds(Anderson et al, 1987, p48). Durkheim proposed that the organisation of intermediate groups, such as professional and occupational groups, would enable the individual to bind into the community. Both conflicting and confirming each other at various stages of their writings, Marx and Durkheim, when analysed, attract similar conclusions as to the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist societies. The theorists seem to recognise that capitalism is inevitable and both agree that inequality is the foreseeable outcome. Both Marxs and Durkheims work have attracted criticism and opposition. Marxs class analysis has been opposed for not sufficiently considering the rise of new middle class groups, or affluence. This suggests that Marxs theory of social change and revolution is wrong, although Marx never set a time scale for revolution. Durkheims work has attracted criticism for overstating general normative and social structural influences at the expense of individual agency, although it was always Durkheims intention to leave scope for the latter within his sociology (Jary, 2000). Marx developed a theory that generated specific predictions about the future of capitalism (Smelser et al, 1976, p259). Marx argued that society is a human product, that mens thinking and acting shape the social world, although he also claims that man is a social product. Marxs theory helped to shape sociology even as it was changing the world; Durkheims influence on sociology is unparalleled (Smelser et al, 1976, p70). Despite criticisms and opposing theories, Marx and Durkheim have left a major impression on the sociological world that has shaped and influenced modern sociology and its theorists.