Thursday, October 10, 2019
Kant and the Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics
According to Kant metaphysics is the ââ¬Å"occupation of reason with itselfâ⬠. In more concrete terms, it is the mind making logical connections between a priori concepts and coming to an objective truth thereby, without reference to experience.[1] The question posed by him in the Prolegomena is whether such an objective truth is at all possible. The conclusion derived in the end is that there is indeed such an objective truth, which is effected through pure reason. But equally important in the assertion is that such metaphysics is beyond human understanding.The title ââ¬Å"Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysicsâ⬠suggests that Kant does indeed anticipate an irrefutable metaphysics to be in the grasp of men in the future, but he never makes such a claim in the text itself. The thing that Kant aimed for was clarity in the field of metaphysical endeavor, and this is the ââ¬Ëfuture metaphysicsââ¬â¢. ââ¬ËFutureââ¬â¢ can be interpreted in two ways here. First in the sense already suggested, so that metaphysical thinking is founded on a scientific basis, in which the terms and strategies it employs are well defined. But it can also be hinting at transcendental possibility, that by which all contradictions are resolved through ââ¬Å"pure reasonâ⬠.Scientific clarity is the aim, and thus Kant justifies the labor involved in Critique Of Pure Reason (1781), of which the Prolegomena was a sequel meant to make more accessible. He is at pains to point out that there is a moral obligation involved here. People cannot surrender themselves to unreason, because reason is the very make-up of the human, so postulates Kant. The suggestion that reason be abandoned was made by David Hume, who had spelt out a comprehensive theory of empirical skepticism.All our knowledge is through sense perceptions, therefore are entirely subjective, and cannot be tied into an absolute whole through the application of reason. It is merely by the means of custom that we ac quire a coherent worldview, he maintained.[2] Kant saw this as a capitulation to unreason. It was not just Humeââ¬â¢s personal viewpoint that mattered. It was indeed a wider crisis in metaphysics that he was addressing.When Newtonââ¬â¢s physics could not be subsumed under any metaphysics, this engendered an intellectual confusion, and Humeââ¬â¢s solution was that metaphysics be abandoned as impossible. Kant enjoined that it is impossible to abandon metaphysics, for man reasons by necessity. Instead of finality we must aim for metaphysical clarity, and this is absolutely contingent upon us, indeed a moral obligation. He made what seem to be boastful claims about the crucial importance of the Critique in the history of metaphysics, but a closer examination will show that it is not from conceit, but rather from moral outrage.The true nature of metaphysics is laid out with scientific clarity in the Critique and the Prolegomena, and this is the essence that Kant wants to convey, not the final outcome. He takes Hume to task in the very opening of the Critique:à Although all our knowledge begins with experience, it does not follow that it arises entirely from experience. For it is quite possible that our empirical knowledge is a compound of that which we receive through impressions and that which our own faculty of knowing (incited by impressions) supplies from itself.[3]When considering sensual perception he first makes the distinction between a priori and a posteriori, the first suggesting an innate facility of the mind, and the second is a facility borne after the event. The second distinction is between analytical and synthetic propositions. In an analytic proposition the predicate is contained within the subject, such as ââ¬Å"the flamingo is a birdâ⬠. In a synthetic proposition the predicate adds something new to the subject, such as ââ¬Å"the flamingo is pinkâ⬠. The pinkness is not in the definition of flamingo, but rather has to be got from observation, and therefore it is also a posteriori.Synthetic a posteriori propositions are employed in the field of natural science. On the other hand all mathematical truths are innate, i.e. we ascertain their truth before sensory perception. They are also synthetic: when we say ââ¬Å"3+4=7â⬠, then ââ¬Ë7ââ¬â¢ is a new concept, not contained in either ââ¬Ë3ââ¬â¢ of ââ¬Ë4ââ¬â¢. Mathematics holds the key to metaphysics, according to Kant. It demonstrates that synthetic a priori propositions are possible, which is contrary to normal expectation. We feel that whatever is innate is necessarily analytical. We are what we are, separated from the objective natural world beyond us. Against this instinctive point of view, Kant contended that we are not passive observers of an external world separated from us, but that with our innate faculties we ââ¬Å"synthesizeâ⬠our own subjective reality.The first stage of this synthesis is when we intuit objects in our perception. ââ¬Å"Things in themselvesâ⬠can never appear to us; we only have subjective sensory data to work with. It is a meaningless jumble of light, sound, touch, taste and smell, but then our faculty of sensibility intervenes and creates order out of this chaos. This faculty is synthetic a priori, and makes use of pure intuitions. Space is one such pure intuition. Newton had maintained that space is an external, absolute and inviolable reality. Kant counters that, no, space is pure intuition. Time is another such.Through the faculties of sensibility we come to make a judgment of perception. Thus far it is an entirely subjective viewpoint, with no objective framework to relate to that would link our views with those of others. This is the function of our judgment of experience. It too is synthetic a priori, and links the objects of perception into a rational order that facilitates understanding. This is done through pure concepts of understanding, and causation is one of t hem. Through this faculty we know that one event is cause to another, and thus wise we have come across Humeââ¬â¢s impasse, where he could find no rational construct that could link a effect to a cause when confined to empirical sense data.[4] ââ¬Å"Cause and effectâ⬠is thus a concept of human understanding. Such understanding is composed of components that are a priori and synthetic, and it is meant to make the world intelligible to us.Just because the world is made intelligible, it does not imply that we do not meet contradiction. When we think we do so discursively, i.e. we think by making propositions in terms of subjects and predicates. But each subject we introduce is the predicate of another subject in an infinite chain. Because the absolute subject is beyond our grasp, discursive reason naturally leads to fallacies. In fact each truthful proposition will be found to have an equally valid refutation, which together are described as pairs of antimonies. Kant cites fo ur cosmological antimonies, one of which places infinite space against a limited one. He goes on to show that there is no contradiction in essence. As originating in the judgment of perception space does indeed have a beginning. But as regards human understanding space is necessarily infinite. The conflict arises from metaphysics failing to distinguish the noumenal (thing in itself) from the phenomenal (as appears to human understanding).Thus far does metaphysics gain clarity, but not finality. The human mind cannot help ponder on the questions of metaphysics, but it must come to terms with the fact that it is ââ¬Ëboundedââ¬â¢. Human understanding is meant to make the outer world intelligible, and thus proves inadequate when the focus is redirected to the inner essence of the mind, which is the object that metaphysics must study. But the overriding lesson of metaphysics is that pure reason subsumes all. One must not despair of human reason, for one must know that it originates in pure reason and is overcome by it in the end.Subservience to pure reason is indeed a moral obligation. Other than clarity in metaphysics, which is not suitable for all, Kant advanced his categorical imperative: ââ¬Å"I ought never to act except in such a way that I could also will that my maxim should become a universal law.â⬠[5] We cannot help noticing that this is only a rewording of the golden rule of Christianity: ââ¬Å"Do unto others as you would they should do unto you.â⬠[6] Thus through clarity in metaphysics Kant can be said to have arrived at religious doctrine too.ReferencesHume, David. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Ed. Eric Steinberg. Boston: Hackett Publishing, 1993.Jeffrey, David L. A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature.à Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1992.Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Trans. Werner S. Pluhar. Ed. Eric Watkins. Boston: Hackett Publishing Company, 1999.Kant, Immanuel. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Ed. Mary Gregor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.Kant, Immanuel. Kant's Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2005.[1] Immanuel Kant, Kant's Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2005, p. 92.[2] David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Ed. Eric Steinberg, Boston: Hackett Publishing, 1993, p. 29.[3] Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason. Trans. Werner S. Pluhar, Ed. Eric Watkins, Boston: Hackett Publishing Company, 1999, p. 1. [4] Hume, Enquiry, p. 49. [5] Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Ed. Mary Gregor, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998, p. 16. [6] David L. Jeffrey, A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature,à Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1992, p. 314.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Situation Audit & TimeLine for UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTION Essay
Situation Audit & TimeLine for UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTION - Essay Example uilar (1967) was the first academician to discuss business analysis through a tool he called ETPS (Economic, Technological, Political and Social factors). According to him these external environmental factor influenced business decisions. From then onwards this has changed names to PEST, PESTEL etc and used extensively as an external analytical tool. (Aguilar 1967). Politically conditions and policies for companies dealing with food, even pre-cooked food are favourable and there are few barriers posed except for stringent health concerns. Therefore worldwide there is acceptance for Unilever foods. The economic factors are favourable too as with globalization of trade and industry more work is being created and incomes, specially of the middle class that consumes most of the pre-cooked foods, is rising. This is creating new markets for such products. Speaking of social factors it must be said that with the advent of industrial and trading activity, people of all classes, from executives to workers, are more actively engaged with work and have less time for cooking at home. This makes pre-cooked food a preferred item for its ease and ready to serve capability and is also less expensive than eating out. According to van Wylick (2007, pg. 1), Porters Five Forces model represents an ideal situational analysis of an industry. The central force is competitive rivalry that exists within the given industry. The other four forces that Unilever must deal with are the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of customers, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitute products. In this time of economic turmoil, suppliers can have quite a bit of bargaining power over Unilever. A good supply chain can offset this problem. The bargaining power of customers is also strong in this unstable economy and drives the pricing of the products. The threat of new entrants is unlikely since the market is fairly saturated and the economy does not favor new
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Crafting and Executing Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Crafting and Executing Strategy - Assignment Example â⬠And in this way, questions are answered for each stage. Strategic plan involves the mixture of vision, mission and out of the box thinking. Strategic planning is one of the major management tools managers have to be perfect at. It can offer many benefits for the business, like communicating the main set objectives and plans to the staff, developing a competitive advantage against the rival firms, providing a sense of direction and purpose and communicating the plan of action etc. Without the strategic plan, there will be no direction for the business and this could lead to the business being lost (Olsen, Tse & West 1998). Financial performance could also deter without these plans A mission statement is a precise statement of the businessââ¬â¢ core targets and cynosure, framed in such a way to persuade and trigger interest by outside groups and the other stakeholders. The Mission Statement of the hotel that I am the manager with is ââ¬Å"To provide exquisite hospitableness and cordiality to our priceless guests by delivering the finest personal and intuitive services to them.â⬠These statements are not linked to a particular goal, but try to sum up ââ¬â it describes the aims in an influential and an appealing way. Mission statements can prove to be essential for firms of all sizes. They quickly inform the stakeholders of the business of the main aim and vision are. They can also prove to ignite a spark to the employees and tell the outside groups that the business and its staff have these positive traits. They establish in the view of other stakeholders ââ¬Ëwhat the firm is aboutââ¬â¢ and hence can provide public relations and increase the chances of success for them. While Vision statements are those statements of what the firm would want to acquire and achieve in the long-run. There are some distinctions between the vision and the mission statements. Mission statements are the synopsis of the whole of the purpose of the organization, while a vision statement, on the contrary, tells the picture of the ââ¬Ëdesired futureââ¬â¢ and how the business will look if it is successful in accomplishing its mission. The vision statement of my hotel is ââ¬Å"We will be recognized by our superior hospitality services, selectively franchising and flawless management. Introducing newness in our every assistance will also provide the platform for our goodwill.â⬠There is a simple link between the concepts of vision statement, mission statement and strategic planning. Without the focal point brought by the vision and mission statements, planning new strategies and stance in order to give direction to the company will not be helpful as there is no central idea and the business could get lost in heading to the goals. These statements can prevent the firm from drifting away from the ambitions of the organization. It is really critical that both vision and mission statement are not ââ¬Ëartistry of wordsââ¬â¢ so that they impress the people or customers, but also they are relevant to the business, understood by the staff and then are evolved into important strategic actions. Operational objectives
Monday, October 7, 2019
Journal Responce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Journal Responce - Essay Example King supports the argument stating that civil disobedience is one of the main tools used by historical figures and nations to protect and justify their rights and freedom. "There is nothing new about this kind of disobedience" (p.5). Stating a thesis, King uses historical information to attract listeners attention at once. The author shows that Americans should be free from segregation and racial discrimination using direct actions, because "freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor" (p.3). The argument is aimed to persuade and convince its audience of the truth of his statement explaining that non-violent civil disobedience have deep historical roots and closely connected with human rights movements. King attempts to persuade listeners that all people are equal and racial discrimination is based on unjust laws which should be eliminated. King uses definitional arguments to explain just and unjust laws. He explains that segregation laws are unjust laws: "Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that 'an unjust law is no law at all" (p.4). These arguments are crucial for the speech because they explain to unprepared listeners principles and social rules of a free society and equal rights. Definitional arguments help listeners to grasp the idea at once and inform them about legal rules and principles of social justice. It
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Definition of Shame, Unforgettable Shame and Self perception Essay
Definition of Shame, Unforgettable Shame and Self perception - Essay Example Kaufman (1993a, pp.5-6) defines shame as wound within inner self which is deeply disturbing to the self, causing the sickness within the self and the soul which always leads to the feelings of inferiority. This view has been supported in the work of Evans (1994, p.103) who states, ââ¬Å"with shame there is a sense of inferiority in which the other is perceived as more powerful and capable of inflict injury on the self, usually via scorn, contempt, or humiliationâ⬠. Jane Middelton-Moz (1990, p.xii) and Holly Vanscoy (2006) both have written that ââ¬Å"the hurt emotion feeling arise from the consciousness of something embarrassment, humiliation, dishonourable, unacceptable, ludicrous etc done by oneself or anotherâ⬠. In my opinion, the individual who faced shame always perceives him or herself as flawed, unwanted, neglected, surplus, or fundamentally broken. Nearly every human being experience shame at some point in his or her life. Most of shame stories in their lives become the unforgettable one. The unforgettable rather haunting shame memory follows people throughout their lives. Shame incident might have happened a long time ago, but memory remains even after years. Sometimes the individual becomes very successful in the country or in the community, but the memory of unforgettable shame keeps clinging to even the developed and successful self. During the research, there were numerous instances when I found a general agreement of psychologists and therapist about the idea that adult personality is greatly influenced by early childhood experiences. Those who experienced shame during early childhood time period could never let their memory of the incident go forever. It remains and leaves extremely powerful impact on adult self perception. For understanding shame in childhood and its manifestation in adulthood in the form of low self-esteem, we need to understand the concept of ââ¬Ëselfââ¬â¢ itself. Self is fundamental part of Carl Rogersââ¬â¢s personality theory. He refers to it as, ââ¬Å"the organized, consistent set of perceptions and beliefs about oneself.â⬠Self is a humanistic term that describes us as person. It is not only influenced by a personââ¬â¢s experiences throughout life but also the interpretation of these experiences. Major factors that influence human self concept are: childhood experiences and evaluation by others (cited in McLeod, 2007). Bradshawââ¬â¢s idea of a toxic shame seems to be intriguing in this regard. He (1990, p. 47) wrote it as ââ¬Å"the feeling of being flawed and diminished and never measuring upâ⬠. The strong inner emotions and feelings of being insufficient, neglected, inadequate, defective and unwanted keep haunting the individual. Bradshaw (1990, p. 47) further attributes the toxic shame as a nucleus of the wounded child around which he or she keeps revolving. For instance, the individual, who faced traumatic or hurtful experience during their childhood which they could not forget all the way through their life are called wounded child and prone to shame. According to Adler, a neglected child has never known love and cooperation in the home; therefore, he finds it very difficult to develop these abilities as an adult. They do not know how to gain affection and respect from other people. As adults usually they are cold and hard (Frager, R. & Fadiman, J., 1998. p. 111-112). The shamed self is considered to be unable to cope with the difficult situation. As an object of scorn, humiliation,
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Managing Operation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words
Managing Operation - Essay Example à The operations of an establishment are all the activities which are directly linked to accomplish the key function of the organization ââ¬â be it producing a product or rendering services. In both the cases the operations system of rules will offer the transition of certain inputs, like materials and labour, into outputs, as products or services. This paper will discuss about the company Toyota Corporation and how it became the number one car maker. Toyota Motor Corporation, which is based in Toyota, Japan, is one of the worldââ¬â¢s largest automobile manufacturer offering well known car models like Camry, Corolla, Corona and Lexus. Though a late entrant compared to General Motors and Ford, Toyota had become one strongest player in the automobile industry. In an industry generally considered to be mature in terms of technology, Toyota had continued to set benchmarks for providing value to customers more effectively than competitors. Toyota had also redefined the rules of operation management in various areas like product development, manufacturing process, vendor management, customer satisfaction and human resource management. The formal establishment of Toyota motor company ltd., took place in 1937 and since then it moves onto become the leader in the global automobile industry. By 31st march 2008, Toyota group approximately sold 8.9 million vehicles in 170 countries under the Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino brands. Since the automobile industry is now facing a recession, Toyota aims to achieve sustainable growth by building a more flexible and stronger operational process and corporate structure to counter the challenges of the hyper competitive market world over (Annual Report, Toyota, 2008). Toyota devised lean production which is otherwise known as the Toyota Production System (TPS) which has started a worldwide shift in almost every industry to Toyotaââ¬â¢s
Friday, October 4, 2019
Foreign Policy in the Nixon Presidency Essay Example for Free
Foreign Policy in the Nixon Presidency Essay Richard Nixon is one of the most controversial figures in American history. His presidency is remembered most for the Watergate scandal and his subsequent resignation but some of his foreign policies forever altered American foreign diplomacy. One of the major policies that President Nixon was responsible for was changing the nature of the United States relationship with China. He did this by setting into motion covert diplomatic actions and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Nixonââ¬â¢s reasons for improving relationships with the Communist regime was to force the Soviet Union to be more accommodating to American demands and to also help end the war in Vietnam. Another reason for improving relations was very personal for Richard Nixon. He wanted to show his power as an international statesman to the world and American public. American/Chinese relations for many years were friendly and involved the trade of goods and ideas. American missionaries had gone to China to build churches and hospitals. The two countries were allies against the Japanese during World War II. After the war ended the United States was not an ally of China as a whole but one political group, the Kuomintang. The Kuomintang, led by Chang Kai Shek, were in battled in a civil war with the Chinese communists who would eventually win out. Chang Kai Shek would take his government to the island of Taiwan. After the civil war, the United States only recognized Changââ¬â¢s Republic of China and kept the Peopleââ¬â¢s Republic of China, led by Mao Ze-Dong, out of the United Nations and other international bodies. This led to an isolation of China by a majority of the international community. The only diplomatic relations the United States had with China were through intermediary countries. While relations with the United States were sour, the Chinese relationship with the Soviet Union had quickly deteriorated. Both China and the Soviet Union were communist countries but their ideologies were very different. Their relationship slowly became strained and both countries started to build up troops along their common border through the 1960s. After the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia and released the Brezhnev Doctrine, which stated that the Kremlin ââ¬Å"had the right to correct deviationism in other communist countries by military intervention,â⬠the Chinese no longer considered the Soviet Union as an ally. This led to violent border clashes between the two countries in March 1969. By the end of 1969 the Soviet Union had over a million troops stationed along the Soviet/Chinese border and missiles aimed at major Chinese cities. The year before, a former republican vice-president from California, Richard Nixon, was elected president. He had made a name for him self in Congress as a leading anti-communist and he went on to serve as vice-president under Dwight D Eisenhower. Even before he was elected president, Nixon had expressed interest in opening up relations with China despite his previous negative views of communism. In 1967 he wrote an article for Foreign Affairs magazine where he stated ââ¬Å"We simply cannot afford to leave China forever outside the family of nations, there to nurture its fantasies, cherish its hates and threaten its neighbors. There is no place on this small planet for a billion of its potentially most able people to live in angry isolation.â⬠After his election as President Richard Nixon decided to make China one of the primary focuses of his foreign policy. One of his primary reasons for doing this was to gain an upper hand in the now 20-year-old Cold War with the Soviet Union. The Soviets had taken over several Eastern European countries and turned them into communist states in an attempt to show the world the successes of Communism. Also by the late 1960s the United States was no longer confident that it could win a war with the Soviet Union since they had had the two decades since the Second World War to regain it military strength. This required the United States to have to change strategies in dealing with the Soviet Union. They now had to shift their focus to gaining China as an ally. The State Department in the summer of 1969 began to announce various unilateral gestures of reconciliation. Many restrictions on travel and trade were lifted. This would become know as ââ¬Å"Ping Pongâ⬠diplomacy. It was so named after the United States ping-pong team was invited to the Chinese capital in April of 1971. During their visit the group was treated as though they were dignitaries or royalty. They played matches against the Chinese team but also visited important landmarks through out China. The American delegation was accompanied by members of the press and was closely watched by the American public. At a banquet for the visiting Americans, Chou En-Lai, the Chinese Premier told the group, ââ¬Å"Exchanges between our two countries have been cut off for a long time but now, with your acceptance of our invitation, you have opened a new page in the relations of the Chinese and American people.â⬠While the American ping-pong players were the talk of the media, behi nd the scenes Nixon was putting into action his plan to improve relations with China. He did this by employing his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger, to make covert communications with the Chinese government. Before the Ping-Pong players had ever set foot in China and at the beginning of his presidency Nixon had Kissinger prepare a study on the feasibility of improving American/Chinese relations. Originally Kissinger was hesitant about the idea of talks with China even being quoted as saying ââ¬Å"this crazy guy really does want to normalize relations with China.â⬠But even Kissinger knew that an alliance between the United States and China could shift the global political powers more in favor of the United States and away from communism and the Soviet Union. One of the biggest roadblocks to improving relations with China was the issue of Taiwan. Since the Chinese civil war ended the United States had only recognized the government of the Republic of China on the island of Taiwan. So even as Nixon is trying to improve relations with communist China there is still the issue that the United States does not officially recognize the Peopleââ¬â¢s Republic of China as a legitimate government. To ease some of Chinaââ¬â¢s concerns, Nixon instructs his administration to terminate navel patrols in the Straight of Taiwan. Also in a radio address that Nixon gave on February 25, 1971 regarding his congressional foreign policy report he reiterated both his intention to protect Taiwan but open up talks with China. ââ¬Å"We will search for consecutive discussions with Communist China while maintaining our defense commitment to Taiwan. When the Government of the Peoples Republic of China is ready to engage in talks, it will find us receptive to agreements that further the legitimate national interests of China and its neighbors.â⬠A visit to China was next on Nixonââ¬â¢s foreign policy agenda. He announced his intentions in 1970, taking much of the world by surprise especially the Soviet Union. He negotiated this visit first by secretly sending Henry Kissinger to Beijing in July of 1971. Kissinger made this covert trip by faking illness on a diplomatic visit to Pakistan and flying to China to convey Nixonââ¬â¢s intention to Premier Zhou En-Lai. It was decided that President Nixon would visit the following year. On February 21, 1972, Richard Nixon became the first United States President to visit China. The following week would become known as the ââ¬Å"week that changed the world. â⬠President Nixon would only meet with an ailing Mao Ze-dong one time during his visit but it would set in motion events that would lead to United States recognition of Maoââ¬â¢s government and an end to the Cold War. The visit ended with both countries issuing the Shanghai Communiquà ©. In this document both countries pledged to work towards normalization of relations. The United States also agreed to remove military forces from Taiwan. Shortly after the delegations return from their visit to China, Richard Nixon tasked Henry Kissinger with negotiating arms treaties with the Soviet Union. With the well-publicized visit closely watched by the Soviets the United States now had more bargaining power. In 1972, Kissinger negotiated the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks. The two Cold-War super powers agreed that they would begin limiting missiles, nuclear arms, and delivery systems. With his relative success in negotiating deals with both China and the Soviet Union, Richard Nixon was hopeful that he would have the same success in negotiating a deal with North Vietnam to end the Vietnam War. Going into his re-election campaign in 1972 the United States had been at war in Vietnam for 12 years, over 50,000 had been killed, and billions of dollars had been spent. His first major policy regarding Vietnam that Nixon put into place was the Nixon Doctrine. The Doctrine had three major tenants. First, the United States would honor all of its treaty agreements. Secondly, the United States would provide a shield if a nuclear power threatened an ally or a country the United States deemed to be vital to its national security. And, lastly, the United States would provide military and economic aid to countries under treaty agreements, but the requesting nation would be expected to bear primary responsibility to provide the manpower for its own defense. The Nixon Doctrine led to the withdrawal of ground troops from Vietnam and training the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) in defense of their own country. Nixon had also hoped that his new treaties with China would help to isolate the North Vietnamese and convince them to sign a peace treaty. In 1973, a cease-fire was negotiated at the Paris Peace Accords and ended United States involvement in Vietnam. However this did not stop the spread of communism to south Vietnam. Nixonââ¬â¢s improved relations with China were largely unsuccessful in there being a positive resolution of the Vietnam War. While the entire episode of the Vietnam War was seen as a blemish on Richard Nixonââ¬â¢s Presidency he was still very concerned about his image not only among the American public but on the world stage as well. He wanted to use his visit to China to draw attention to his expertise as a global statesman. Among the people that accompanied Nixon on his trip to China was White House Chief of Staff Bob Haldeman. While Nixon was meeting mostly with Chinese Premier Zhou and negotiating agreements, Haldeman and Nixonââ¬â¢s wife Pat toured factories and schools throughout China. Mrs. Nixon was followed by a large group of press. Bob Haldeman was in charge of making their visit look very positive to the American public. Margaret MacMillan writes in her book Nixon in China, ââ¬Å"The images flowed back to the United States, targeted for prime-time evening television. It was a presidential election year at home and Haldeman wanted to make sure that Nixon shone out as the great leader and statesman.â⬠From the very beginning of his Presidency Richard Nixon always wanted to be seen in a positive light especially his portrayal in the media. He tasked members of his staff with combating any negative comments said about him and manage any news about him. He bordered on obsessive when it came to public image. His first week in office he formed a task called the ââ¬Å"Five Oââ¬â¢clockâ⬠group that was responsible for monitoring television programs for any negative comments about the President or his administration and defending them. With the Vietnam War and the protests to the end the war at the top of most news stories, Nixon needed to do something to get his name back in the limelight. Many believe that this a major factor for his motivation to reach out to China and his subsequent visit. During his time in China he made sure the entire trip was highly publicized. He did numerous photo opportunities at such places like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. The reception his visit received by the American public was very positive. This was their first view into the isolated nation in over 20 years. This view, however, was a carefully scripted play put on by the Chinese government. This was their attempt to show a ââ¬Å"Newâ⬠China, not one that was still suffering from th e isolationist policies of the Cultural Revolution. The Chinese officials responsible for showing China in a positive way had people picnicking outside of factories in the bitter cold listening to revolutionary music and then collected the radios they were listening to after the delegation left. These inconsistencies were noticed by a Canadian member of the press to which Premier Zhou had to quietly admit that this was wrong of them to do. But the idea of a ââ¬Å"Newâ⬠China would only help President Nixon portray to the world that America and China, even with such opposite political views, could come to an understanding. His visit took the entire worlds view off of Vietnam and on to him personally while he visited China. Kissinger had pled with President Nixon to not make his trip to China a media circus because of the impact it would have internationally with Americaââ¬â¢s allies and enemies. International reaction to the visit was mixed. The United States allies were mostly disappointed that they had been kept in the dark about the new relations. The British felt particularly offended that they were not informed before hand about the dealings going on between the Americans and the Chinese. Even with the somewhat cool reception in the international community about Richard Nixonââ¬â¢s visit to China it was still one of the most significant moments in United States foreign policy during the Cold War. Henry Kissinger wrote in his memoir On China, ââ¬Å" The reward for Sino-American rapprochement would not be a state of perpetual friendship or a harmony of values, but a rebalancing of the global equilibrium.â⬠Richard Nixon helped to accomplish this by improving relations with China in an effort to change the American relationship with the Soviet Union and end the Vietnam War. While his intentions were for both personal and professional gain, either way his foreign policies remain at the top of his successes as President. Nixonââ¬â¢s presidency is mostly remembered of one wrought with corruption and following the Watergate scandal, he is still the only United States President to resign from office. He became known as politician that would use any means necessary to accomplish his goals but this also led to his downfall. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bundy, William. A Tangled Web: The making of Foreign Policy in the Nixon Presidency. New York, 1989. Chang, Gordon H.. Friends and enemies: the United States, China, and the Soviet Union, 1948-1972. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1990. Devoss, David A. Ping-Pong Diplomacy. Smithsonian . 33. no. 1 2002 Keilers, John G. U.S. Army Military History Institute, Nixon Doctrine and Vietnamization. Last modified 2007. Accessed November 14, 2012. http://www.army.mil/article/3867/Nixon_Doctrine_and_Vietnamization/. Kissinger, Henry On China. New York: Penguin Press, 2011. Print. MacMillan, Margaret. Nixon in China: the week that changed the world. Toronto: Viking Canada, 2006. Nixon, Richard. Miller Center, Radio Address About Second Annual Foreign Policy Report to the Congress . Last modified 1971. Accessed November 14, 2012. http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/detail/3875. Nixon, Richard M. Asia After Viet Nam. Foreign Affairs, October 1967. http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/23927/richard-m-nixon/asia-after-viet-nam (accessed October 18, 2012) Small, Melvin. The presidency of Richard Nixon. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1999. Walker, Anne Collins, John Eastman, and Elizabeth C Eastman. China calls: paving the way for Nixons historic journey to China. Lanham, Md.: Madison Books :, 1992.
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