Friday, September 6, 2019

Indianization Term Essay Example for Free

Indianization Term Essay Question 1 What does the term `Indianization` or `sinicization` refer to when used to describe government administrations headed by invaders or foreign powers? Please give at least 2 examples.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These two terms refer to a general cultural assimilation of the foreign government.   Over time, occupying powers in China and India became familiar with the local culture and began to blend in, appearing more and more as locals than foreigners.   In the case of these two countries, this process led to locals being promoted to government positions that were initially reserved for the foreign or invading power.    The nation gradually looks less and less like a conquered state, as more of its own people are placed in positions of power and its populace regains greater self-determination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In India, this process was introduced by the British in the 1920’s and was actually termed Indianisation.   The British appointed Indians to fill senior military ranks and government positions, and set up specific officers to handle this process in a deliberate manner.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The example is perhaps clearer in China, where Kublai Khan fell in love with Chinese culture in his youth.   In 1271, after being Khan for 20 years, Kublai created the Yuan dynasty which covered the area of China under Mongole rule.   The Yuan dynasty was initially a Mongol administration and was part of the Mongol empire, but with time, successive rulers saw themselves as Chinese emperors rather than Mongol lords.   The Yuan dynasty lost influence over Mongol lands outside of China, and became a true Chinese empire until conquered by the Ming dynasty in 1388 (Saunders, 2001). Question 2 What developments in Southern Song China resemble the Industrial Revolution of the West? Why were the emperors during the Song period so successful when their predecessors were not?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Song period was one of great growth and development in China’s industry and infrastructure.   One of the largest factors of this was the introduction of paper money, leading to a normalized market economy.   This was also a time of development of cities, as opposed to the agrarian economy that had characterized earlier periods.   Cities became centers of trade and industry, leading to the development of a merchant class similar to the later Bourgeoise in Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chinese industry grew along with the merchant class during the Song period.   While finding exact numbers from the time period is difficult, Robert Hartwell notes that Chinese iron production lept sixfold from the early 800’s to 1078, where he notes that Chinese iron production reached 125,000 tons (Hartwell, 1962), far beyond that of the Western powers.   This abundance of iron allowed China to manufacture tools, machinery, and trade goods.   The result was that China’s economy grew dramatically, leading to China surpassing Western Europe in per capita income during the Song dynasty (Maddison, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Several factors contributed to the occurrence of this Chinese â€Å"Industrial Revolution† under the Song dynasty.   One was the establishment of a civil bureaucracy as opposed to rule by warlords.   This helped to encourage the development of trade and industry, as well as education, as commoners could achieve these posts via taking the imperial examination.   Another factor was technological innovation, marked by developments such as gunpowder and movable type.   Such social and technological innovation led to expanded opportunities for the peasant class and allowed many to migrate from farms to cities to pursue the newer career paths available to them. Question 3 What combination of Mongol attributes and Song weaknesses made the Mongol conquest successful? Please analyze it detail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The single largest factor leading to the successful Mongol conquest of the Song dynasty was the attitudes of each culture towards war.   The Mongols were born and bred for it.   Their culture glorified battle and conquest.   The Mongol empire had been growing for centuries, winning victory after victory, which surely inspired fear and doubt in any army forced to stand against them.   The Song were not pacifists by any means, but they were not warriors in the same vein as the Mongols.   When they broke the Mongol alliance to recapture former lost cities, they were not prepared for the war they had unleashed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One major Song weakness was that the initial battlefields of the war were not favorable positions to hold.   Kaifeng, Luoynag, and Chang’an were already ruined by war.   The Song strategy of defense also played into the Mongols’ hands, allowing the horsewarriors to choose the time and place of battles and ensure local superiority.   This led to the Song being driven back, finally retreating to Guangdong and losing their leader, Emperor Gong, in the process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Song dynasty was now left effectively leaderless.   The two heirs were mere children.   Without a decisive and strong leader, further efforts at resistance were to prove futile.   The final defeat of the Song at the Battle of Yamen in 1279 was almost a foregone conclusion, as the demoralized and cornered Song were beaten soundly by Kublai Khan’s naval forces, leading to the death of the final Song emperor and the assimilation of Song lands. Question 4 Why did Chinese culture become so popular and accepted in Japan? What are the major differences and similarities between the Chinese and Japanese culture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many aspects of Chinese culture passed to Japan in the earlier centuries AD, when China was a more advanced society and the Japanese eager to learn and advance themselves.   This hunger for learning and improvement of their culture was the primary factor that allowed Chinese cultural influence to infiltrate Japanese society.   When the two cultures first made contact Japan had no formal written language and adopted that of the Chinese, which would later be evolved to a similar but distinct written form.   Japan also modelled its imperial bureaucracy after that of China, and the courts of the two nations ended up being very similar in the ranks and titles used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The largest form of cultural influence, though, was religion.   Both Confucianism and Buddhism made strong inroads in Japan, which at the time had a much less sophisticated form of religion.   Both of the Chinese religions imparted practical knowledge about how to run a society and live one’s daily life, and this proved attractive to the Japanese.   This influence led to the development of Zen Buddhism and the famous Japanese samurai culture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With these similarities, differences between the two cultures remained.   One of the strongest was the samurai culture, the code of Bushido.   The Japanese samurai evolved to be a warrior caste, something which did not have a counterpart in China on nearly the same scale.   As a result of this, Japan evolved to a more feudal society, with peasant-serfs supporting the samurai nobility in a system of lesser warlords (daimyo) owing fealty to the imperial court (in reality, the Shogun).   Chinese culture, especially in the Ming period, treated the peasantry more as independent landowners rather than as the lowest tier in the feudal machine. Question 5 What impact did Buddhism have on the development of Japanese culture and lifestyles? Give examples in both art and literature where Buddhism was a major factor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Japanese Zen Buddhism infiltrated and permeated every aspect of Japanese culture, influencing the way they thought, governed, created, even loved and made war.   The Japanese have long been famous for appearing reserved, for keeping emotion private.   This is a very Buddhist trait coming from the teachings of the Middle Path, the path of moderation.   Excess is frowned upon.   Discipline and focus are encouraged.   Those two words have formed the foundation of Japanese lifestyles for centuries.   The formalized ritual of the tea ceremony also demonstrates Buddhist influences over such a simple thing as the drinking of tea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The samurai give excellent examples of how Buddhism affected Japanese culture.   The samurai were the ruling class, and as the elite, the commoners would seek to emulate them.   The samurai were known for their unshakeable dedication to their duty, that of serving their daimyo, or leige.   They paid particular emphasis to Samadhi, one of three branches of Buddhism’s Noble Eightfold Path.   The teachings of Samadhi emphasized right effort (continual self-improvement, via constant training at their disciplines), right mindfulness (awareness of one’s surroundings, seeing the world clearly), and right concentration (self-awareness, accomplished via meditation and self-reflection).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Buddhism’s influences also spread into the art and literature of the period.   The clearest example in art is in Japanese gardens and architecture.   Japanese homes were sparse and minimalist, rejecting luxury in favor of the simple necessities, in which the Japanese took joy.   Their gardens were designed and grown as places for tranquility, as places of meditation.   Buddhist influence over literature is seen in such writings as â€Å"An Account of My Hut† by Chomei, an argument for a life of peaceful meditation and tranquility. Question 6 How did a Japanese emperor differ from the Chinese emperor? Which would you consider more superior and why?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The primary difference was in the power they wielded.   Chinese emperors tended to wield far more power over their territory and ruling in a monarchial fashion.   While many Chinese emperors were overthrown in the end by court intrigue, regicide, or revolution; during their time on the throne a Chinese emperor was his nation’s absolute ruler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In constrast the Japanese emperors were mostly figureheads.   Though viewed by the populace as a living god, in truth their power was very limited.   For most of the last 1,000 years the real power in Japan was held by the Shogun, the primary warlord who had gained dominance over the others.   Within that period were also many times of strife where Japan had no strong leader but was instead fragmented into many separate warring states, led by Daimyo.   The emperor still reigned during these periods but had no power to stop the warfare.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chinese emperors fit more closely with the western idea of monarchy, whereas Japanese emperors were described by European explorers as being more akin to the Pope: a spiritual leader with little political clout, while the Shoguns were mentioned as being similar to the European monarchs (Howe, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In absolute terms, Chinese emperors seem to be superior to Japanese by virtue of the greater power they wield.   Argument could be made that monarchial institutions have the inherent weakness of relying too much on one man who may or may not be qualified to rule (just look at the damage some of the Roman emperors such as Nero and Caligula caused), that is beyond the scope of this work.   For the purposes of this discussion, I will argue that Chinese emperors were superior as the Japanese emperors were for the most part figureheads. Question 7 What characteristics of the nomadic peoples made them `barbaric` to the civilizations of India and China?   What characteristics of the nomadic peoples would you consider to be strengths?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   China and India viewed their nomadic neighbors as barbarians due to what was seen as an overall lack of civilization.   Most of the nomadic cultures lacked such â€Å"civilizing† characteristics as a large and detailed government system, with most using a system that was very feudal in nature, chieftains owing fealty to greater warlords.   They also lacked what were seen as other civilizing characteristics, such as advanced agriculture with public works projects like canals to support it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another major factor was that of religion.   China and India had very sophisticated religious belief systems, as opposed to the less developed beliefs of the various nomadic groups around them.   As has been seen throughout history in all parts of the world, religion is commonly used as a barometer to judge the level of civilization of a culture, such as in Europe where Christians viewed non-Christians are barbarians. Based on this barometer, the Chinese and Indian cultures viewed others with simpler belief structures as not being as advanced spiritually and philosophically.   Finally, many of the neighboring nomadic cultures had not developed a fully-functional form of written language, often borrowing from Chinese writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And yet despite these â€Å"disadvantages†, nomadic cultures such as the Mongols would end up conquering the great civilized empires.   Their active tribal lifestyle bred them as warriors, not farmers.   Their lifestyle also led them to be superior horsemen, which proved yet another advantage in warfare.   Their people were hardy, used to living without luxury, and well-suited to conducting long campaigns. These cultures that were dismissed as â€Å"barbaric† would end up proving mightier than expected. Question 8 When did the Mughal dynasty rule India. What achievements occurred during this dynasty? What led to the decline of Mughal rule in India?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Mughal dynasty began in 1504 when Babur of the Timurids conquered Kabul.   His force was a Muslim army of Mongols and other more local peoples (such as Afghans and Persians).   This and the following decades of consolidation of power with battles fought against smaller regional powers established the Mughal dynasty, and brought Islam to the front in the Indian subcontinent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of note, though, is that the Mughals exercised a religious tolerance rarely seen in the time period.   Though Islam was the primary religion throughout most of the dynasty, Hindus and other religions were rarely persecuted.   The reign of Akar from 1556-1605 brought about the most dramatic change of all, with a policy of direct attempts at reconciliation with Hindus, promoting them to high government office and abolishing the poll tax on non-Muslims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another major and lasting achievement of the Mughals was their architecture.   They were renowned for massive construction projects, including large fortress-palaces such as the monstrous Red Fort in Dehli.   There is also the Taj Mahal, perhaps the most famous lasting architectural sample, built in Agra and completed in 1648.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The decline of the Mughal empire was a long process.   The reign of the last of the strong Mughal emperors, Aurangzeb from 1658 to 1707, saw the empire hold together but the decay had begun and his policies, while temporarily effective, added to the long-term problems.   Wars demonstrated Mughal military might, but drained the treasury; and new anti-Hindu policies led to resentment and rebellion at home and class struggle (Habib, 2001).   This led the way to foreign invasion from the neighboring Marathas, Persians, and Afghans, eating away at the empire until the commonly accepted date of the empire’s final ruler Bahadur Shah Zafar   who was exiled in 1857. Question 9 Ironically, while Europeans later fought wars over control of the sea routes in the Asian region, China abandoned its dominant position. Why did the Ming court decide to end the maritime voyages of Zheng He just as China reached domination of the Asian seas? Was this a poor decision or one that strengthened China? Please explain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were multiple factors that seem to be present in the Ming’s decision to suspend Zheng He’s voyages.   Zheng He did most of his exploring during the time of the Yongle Emperor, and when he died in 1424 his successors seemed to view Zheng He’s growing influence at court as a threat.   Curbing his travels that made him famous would be a good way to reduce his influence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cost was also a major factor, as China became embroiled in conflict with its Mongolian neighbors to the north.   Having been once conquered by the Mongolians, the Ming court took this threat very seriously, and devoted every effort to protecting their borders and resisting the Mongols.   Zheng He’s expedition fleet was massive, and the cost of the journeys was thus immense, as he went as an emissary and explorer rather than a trader.   His journeys did not result in wealth pouring into Chinese coffers as did that of the European explorers from the colonies they founded and trade routes they started.   The Ming needed their resources to fight the Mongols, and thus cut back in other areas, such as these naval expeditions in order to meet the Mongol threat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is difficult to say whether this was a wise decision or not in retrospect.   The money saved on naval excursions surely assisted the Ming in their mostly successful efforts to resist the Mongols, culminating in the expansion of the Great Wall of China.   Perhaps if Zheng He’s costly voyages had continued, the resources would not have been available to hold off the Mongols.   And yet there was a cost, which is that when the European nations began arriving in force, the Chinese were not able to resist them.   Overall I would say the decision was wise, in facing the immediate threat rather than a potential and vague future threat that might never materialize. Question 10 Who founded the Ming Dynasty and what were main characteristics of rule during this period? What were the major achievements of the Ming Dynasty? What is meant by saying that the `sprouts of capitalism` can be found in the Ming Dynasty?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ming dynasty was founded in 1368 by Zhu Yuanzhang, a man of peasant birth and monastery education who was one of the leaders of a series of revolts that destroyed the Yuan dynasty.   Upon ascending to the position of emperor, he took the name Hongwu.   Some major traits of Ming rule were favor given to the poor, a strong military, a strong internal focus, and the replacement of the prime minister post with that of the Grand secretary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ming period was a good one for the peasantry.   Hongwu seemed to favor the poor, and gave land to peasants to farm.   Peasants who moved to and farmed unused land could claim it as their own and be free from taxation on it.   This led to an agricultural class much like that to be found later in America, with free citizens owning and cultivating land rather than a feudal serf system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The early Ming favored agriculture over trade, and would eventually forbid oceangoing trade ships from leaving China.   Despite this, trade flourished due to other factors, such as the introduction of silver to the economy which established currency and limited barter.   Another major achievement of the Ming dynasty was its refinement of the Chinese legal code.   The laws were designed to be fair and understandable, so that they could not be taken advantage of by the upper class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Capitalism in China flourished during the Ming period.   The empire was stable politically, the lower class more prosperous than ever before.   Owning their own land meant that they received the benefits from their work rather than owing most of the fruits of their labor to a leige.   This was the beginning of a free market, and combined with increased trade, Chinese citizens were rewarded for their hard work and this encouraged them to do well. Bibliography Habib, I. (2001). The Agrarian System of Mughal India, 1526-1707. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hartwell, R. (1962). A Revolution in the Chinese Iron and Coal Industries During the Northern Sung, 960-1126 A.D. The Journal of Asian Studies , 21 (2), pp. 153-162. Howe, C. (1999). The Origins of Japanese Trade Supremacy. Development and Technology in Asia from 1540 to the Pacific War. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Maddison, A. (2006). The World Economy: Volume 1: A Millennial Perspective and Volume 2: Historical Statistics. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Saunders, J. J. (2001). History of the Mongol Conquests. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Fundamentals of Marketing

Fundamentals of Marketing Kirsty Hayes, Bianca Jones, Chris Duffy, Tim Stone EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this report is to gain further insight into AAMIs current position in the personal car insurance market and to identify suitable marketing strategies to meet the needs of current and future customers. Despite being the largest insurer in the motor vehicle market there are many new competitors undercutting insurance premiums, mostly through online sales and service. Current competition includes IAG, on policy, and Budget Direct, on a price point. Since the GFC consumers have shown to be more cautious but with higher expectations. Current measures of internet and social media use shows the incredible scope of data facebook is able to collect from target segments. Loyalty and time wasted choosing a company are the most important characteristics of insurance seekers. They are most likely to use trusted brands when not engaged in the process. Surveys also found Australia wide retention of insurance customers more than 50%, however 75% of customers are not likely to seek out a company but want to make the best purchase decision. A further 10% want convenience purchasing insurance. AAMI must maintain its focus on consistent, excellent customer service, and utilising facebook to identify and communicate with customers. The process of purchasing a policy and making claims must be refined further strengthening the AAMI brand. INTRODUCTIONLACE INFLUENCING This report aims to provide a summary of where AAMI is situated against its market competitors and help develop a marketing strategy to promote sustained long term business opportunities. The ABS (2016) estimated 17.7 million vehicles registered in Australia at the 31st October 2014 whilst Tiwari (2014) claims the Domestic Motor Insurance segment is worth 6 Billion dollars in premiums per year and is the largest is the Australian general insurance market. AAMI face a multitude of competition in the Australian Motor Insurance segment and this paper will identify two competitors, IAG group and Budget Direct. This report is broken into two major sections, the first will evaluate and analyse competition along with demographic and technological trends and understanding how these factors may affect business in both the short and long term. The second part identifies possible segmentation which is involved with purchasing motor insurance. Providing historic trend information from the market will help create a new marketing strategy. INSURANCE INDUSTRY OVERVIEW The insurance industry has had some significant hurdles in recent years, these have changed the way insurers need to market themselves and maintain profits. Buyers have become more cautious; expectations of products and services have increased since the global financial crisis (How Australian insurers can achieve profitable growth in a challenging market 2017). Pay-outs for natural disasters have increased in frequency and value due to climate change, effecting insurers bottom lines (Insurance industry and climate change 2017). With the large number of insurers in the market creating intense competition, each company needs to ensure they have the right mix of products and customers to maintain their overall profit. AAMI WITHIN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AAMI positions itself as the customer focused and fun insurance company, to differentiate from other insurers and say they are the not very insurancy insurer using comical advertisements which attract younger consumers (AAMI 2017). It seems to be working for them, AAMI sits at number 5 of the top ten list of best insurance companies within Australia (Top Tens 2016). Below is a chart which shows AAMIs position within the market. RECENT TRENDS THAT IMPACT THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY       Usage based insurance (UBI) While UBI is not a new concept in places like the US, it is only recently becoming common place within the Australian insurance industry (Dipak 2015). Things like pay-as-you-drive insurance, where customers only pay insurance for the kilometres they actually drive and pay-how-you-drive insurance, where customers get discounts for being safer drivers (Lukens 2014). This means customers can decrease their premiums to a rate previously impossible with other methods and feel like they have more control over what they pay. It also enables better identification of customer segments for future planning of products. The Internet of Things Still an upcoming trend within the insurance industry, as explained by Forbes (Morgan 2014) this is the concept of basically connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other). Wearable technology for tracking heart rates, exercise, sleep patterns and more are being used in collaboration with health insurers. Sensors in cars are being used to calculate the risk of particular drivers by tracking speed, acceleration, and braking distance (Liew 2016). This information helps to speed up the claim process with more detailed information of accidents (Kumaresan 2016). For the insurance industry, this means more information available to calculate premiums and reduce risk for insuring specific customers. KEY COMPETITORS As Tiwari (2015) explains the Motor Insurance marketplace could be divided up into 4 segment areas. There are 2 major firms which own multiple companies and these are the Suncorp Group and the IAG Group with the rest of the industry made up from smaller competitors (image 1 gives a detailed example). Appendix A is an online comparison of comprehensive policies between NMRA, Budget Direct and AAMI. As Lamb (2016) highlights international firms need to take into account local domestic firms which are also fighting for a share of the market. Image 1 (image sourced from http://www.slideshare.net/ullyully/australian-car-insurance-market-analysis/6) IAG Group The IAG group is our biggest competitor and will continue to be into the future as they share a similar infrastructure to AAMI. IAG also have national leverage through their independent brands RACV, NMRA, SGIO and SGIC. IAG have a major focus on making the world a safer place (IAG Group, 2017). IAG products tend to balance between price, volume, and service. They have no major advantage over our brand. Budget Direct Budget Direct are a small player being very aggressive to gain major market share. They specialise in insuring low risk clients to keep premiums down (Budget Direct, 2017) thus sitting in the price sensitive area. They have some advantages for customers compared to AAMI on their standard comprehensive product such as offering a no claim bonus on windscreen damage. Appendix A provides a detailed summary. A KEY PLAYER OF IMPORTANCE Australias population is currently 23.3 million people with more than 15 million owning smartphones. According to Neilsen, we spend on average of over one hour per day using smart phones, of which 35% of the time is spent on social media. According to Forbes (2016), in the social media landscape, Facebook is the most popular site with more than 15 million users and in a survey by Sensis in 2016, for more than 12 hours per week so it makes sense that our advertising can reach more customers in an increasingly competitive market. By developing a partnership with Facebook, AAMI can target market segments differently using each groups interests based on data received from the company. Nadia Cameron from IDG (2016) identified raising of brand awareness and conversions as the major reasons for AAMI using Facebook marketing. Failure in this partnership would be fatalistic with over 1.7 billion users worldwide connected to Facebook. OTHER FACTORS INFLUENCING THE INDUSTRY Technological Trends Online Applications AAMI has launched the AAMI Access ® Application which they have marketed as Insurance in your Pocket (AAMI 2016). It allows you to monitor and update your policies, make an instant claim and upload claim photos from your device, and allows claim and live repair tracking. As at 30 June 2016, there were approximately 22 million mobile handset subscribers in Australia (ABS, 2016) making the creation of an online application a great innovation as it allows an easier service for the consumer and the insurance agency and leverages off the fact that consumers are becoming more advanced in online technology. This is not the only application available from insurance companies but it will continue to grow in trend. Self-Driving Cars volvocars.com/au (2016) says that there are already self-driving Volvos on the road in Sweden and in 2017, there will be over 100 on public roads, and this will continue to grow. This trend will be crucial to car insurance companies as it will alter the way insurance is provided, calculated and it could make it more difficult to prove which vehicle is in the wrong. Demographic Trends Cars in Victoria The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011) states there were a total of 1,944,688 motor vehicles in Victoria. Car insurers need to keep abreast of current trends and ensure ease and simplicity when dealing with consumers and insurance. SECTION 2: SEGMENTATION FRAMEWORK CONSUMER CHARACTERISTICS In this section, we recommend a way that AAMI could segment their market so they can have more targeted marketing. There are many things a consumer will look at when deciding on a car insurance company. Global Reviews regularly conducts research into how a consumer purchases car insurance, and posted in May 2015, that 71% of consumers had a brand in mind before beginning their research, only 34% of these consumers still preferred that brand at the end of their research. However, AAMI was the clear leader in an unprompted recall at 73%. The research found that 74% are current customers when they choose a car insurance policy. Lamb (2013) says that goods and services that are purchased regularly are associated with routine response behaviour, showing that those who already have a policy with AAMI are more likely to continue to renew their policies with AAMI. A trusted brand is also a high priority when deciding on car insurance. The research shows that 53% trust the brand they chose (globalreviews.com 2015) and Lamb (2013) says that when consumers dont want to have to think too much about a purchase decision, they often revert to known and trusted brand names. Based on the secondary research, two different consumer characteristics have been identified that are important in the car insurance category. Characteristic Type of segmentation Description Why is this characteristic important to AAMI? Lifestyle How much time spent searching for car insurance Psychographic This relates to how much time consumers are willing to research different car insurance deals. This impacts how likely a new customer is to find Aami appealing and how likely an existing customer is to find a better deal elsewhere. Personality How loyal they are to a certain company Psychographic This relates to how often a customer is willing to change insurance companies. This impacts how likely a customer is to switch insurance companies if a better deal is found. Table 3. Consumer Characteristics of importance to car insurance purchase decisions SEGMENTATION FRAMEWORK Based on these two key characteristics one way that AAMI could segment their market into the following four segments: How much time is spent researching Little to no time researching Extensive researching How loyal they are to a certain company Very loyal Customers for life This segment contains customers which either do not have time to research or are not interested in researching different insurers due to loyalty to their current company. Great if you are their current company but difficult to get across from somewhere else. Knowledge is power This segment contains customers who have the time and drive to research different companies but who prefer to stay with their existing company. They are more likely to try to get a better deal with their current insurer than switch. Not very loyal Only if they have to This segment contains the customers who know they need insurance but dont waste time thinking about the details. They may perform a basic search and go with the insurer they notice first. Flashy adds will draw their attention. Simply the bestà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. for less This segment contains the customers who will spend as much time as needed to search for the very best deal no matter who it is from. Having the details which set you apart from competitors on your website is key for these customers. Table 4. Proposed segmentation framework for AAMI. SEGMENT PROFILES The following information has been used to roughly estimate the size of each of these segments. In order to more accurately determine the segment size and segment profile, AAMI would be required to conduct further research with consumers. Generation Y is the most under-insured generation, with a World Insurance Report showing only 36 per cent, compared to 52 per cent of others (Han 2016) Studies indicate, 86 per cent of Australian consumers would only consider between one to three insurers when selecting their next policy (Martin 2016) A survey showed only 15 per cent of respondents believed it was essential to find the cheapest product (Myth vs Reality The Expectation Gap in the ANZ Insurance Industry 2016, p 4) A survey also showed that Australian insurers have retention rates of more than 50 per cent across the board (Myth vs Reality The Expectation Gap in the ANZ Insurance Industry 2016, p 7) DESCRIPTION Customers for Life Knowledge is power Only if they have to Simply the bestà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦for less Estimated % of consumers 50% 25% 10% 15% Expectation of segment to grow/shrink Shrink With more information on competing products being in social media this segment is expected to shrink. Grow With more ways now available for consumers to customise their insurance or barter with companies this segment is expected to grow. Constant Some behaviours will never change, time poor or uninterested consumers will always be a constant overall in any industry. Grow With more ways for consumers to easily find information on different companies it is expected that this segment will grow. Purchase behaviour They are not likely to seek out new insurers but would have no choice but to hear about new products through social media They want to make the best purchase decision but also believe that staying with one company is beneficial. They will make quick decisions on insurance if they feel they need to have it even though they dont really want it They will conduct thorough research to find the best deals available. Price and product is their drive, not brand loyalty. Brand Preference This group prefers well- known brands as they are more trusted and seen as a good choice for the long term, once they find an insurer they stick with them. This group also prefers well-known brands for the same reasons but are likely to switch between the big 4 or 5 insurers when necessary. This group has no specific brand preference. They may choose based on the insurers used by people they know or by which insurer comes up first in their low level of research. This group has no brand preference. It is not guided by friends and family insurers either. They go with whomever has the best deals in their eyes. Potential Profit Moderate At the moment the profit made from this segment would be high due to retention rates. However, with the segment set to shrink, potential future profit will decrease. High If Aami can get the correct product mix to appeal to price conscious buyers Profit will increase from these consumers, they prefer a big brand name like Aami. Moderate Once insured they are less likely to switch, the battle is getting them in the beginning, once with Aami they should be life-long customers. Flashy advertising is needed. Low This segment is always looking for better deals, if Aami arent the cheapest in the industry these customers will switch. This doesnt work with AAMIs customer service image. CONCLUSION The Motor Insurance Industry has never been the most exciting in terms of innovation or technology (Sahoo, 2015). Insurance companies have been slow to adopt technology and innovation into their programs. This is beginning to change because of the digital age that we live. With the population in Australia constantly growing the demand for motor vehicle insurance will always be high. With good branding and positive company exposure AAMI can maintain their presence as a major player in the market place. IAG group is a competitor we will need to constantly monitor as they pose the biggest threat to our overall market share. It is recommended that AAMI continue to invest in technological and social branding, making it easier for people to connect with the brand. Continual research needs to be done on consumer insights involving brand perception along with potential customers. This would benefit our industry segmentation profile and strengthen our framework criteria. APPENDIX REFERENCE LIST AAMI 2017, Did you know, AAMI, viewed 7 January 2017, https://www.aami.com.au/about-aami.html> AAMI Car Insurance 2016, AAMI Access ® App, AAMI, viewed 6 January 2017, https://www.aami.com.au/claims-policy/aami-access-app.html?cmpid=AMI:GI:PI:NPS:SEM:20111024:501matchtype=e keyword=aamief_id=WE5c3QAAAJReYgzb:20170113020025:s ABS 2014, Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia, 12 months ended 31 October 2014, viewed 11 January 2017, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[emailprotected]/mf/9208.0/ Accenture, How Australian insurers can achieve profitable growth in a challenging market, Accenture, viewed 8 January 2017, https://www.accenture.com/au-en/insight-australian-insurers-profitable-growth-challenging-market> Armstrong, G, Adam, S, Denize, S Kotler, P, 2011, Principles of Marketing, 5th edn, Pearson Australia, French Forest NSW Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016, Internet Activity Australia June 2016, ABS, viewed 6 January 2016, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[emailprotected]/Latestproducts/8153.0Main%20Features5June%202016?opendocumenttabname=Summaryprodno=8153.0issue=June%202016num=view= Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017, Population Clock 2 January 2017, ABS, viewed 2 January 2017, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/1647509ef7e25faaca2568a900154b63?OpenDocument> Budget Direct 2017, About Us, Budget Direct, viewed 2 January 2017, https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/about-us.html Cameron, N 2016, Why AAMI turned to Facebook mobile and segmentation to drive brand favourability, 2 May, CMO from IDG, viewed 3 January 2016, http://www.cmo.com.au/article/598954/why-aami-turned-facebook-mobile-segmentation-drive-brand-favourability/ Cowling, D 2016, Social Media Statistics, Social Media News, 1 February, viewed 2 January 2017, https://www.socialmedianews.com.au/social-media-statistics-australia-january-2016/> DeMers, J 20 August 2015, The Definitive Guided to Marketing Your business on Facebook, Forbes, 20 August, viewed 11 January 2017, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/08/20/the-definitive-guide-to-marketing-your-business-on-facebook/#522f55fb2acf> Dipak, Sahoo 2015, Innovation in Australias insurance industry, The Australian, 10 September, viewed 3 January 2017, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/business-spectator/innovation-in-australias-insurance-industry-/news-story/e445f70d04dac6cdf29b077b1a6bc3a6> GlobalReviews 2017, How AU consumers research select a car insurance provider online, GlobalReviews, viewed 12 January 2017, http://www.globalreviews.com/blog/how-au-consumers-research-select-a-car-insurance-provider-online/ GlobalReviews 2014, How do consumers research motor insurance providers and whos winning them, GlobalReviews, September 2014, viewed 3 January 2017, http://www.globalreviews.com/reports/online-research-journey-how-do-consumers-research-motor-insurance-providers-and-whos-winning GlobalReviews 2016, Motor Insurance: Digital Effectiveness Report, GlobalReviews, viewed 4 January 2017, http://www.globalreviews.com/reports/motor-insurance-digital-effectiveness-report> Han, Ester, 2016, On-demand insurance Trov launches in Australia targeting Generation Y, The Herald, 30 May, viewed 14 January 2017, http://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/ondemand-insurance-trov-launches-in-australia-targeting-generation-y-20160527-gp5u0g.html> IAG Group 2017, IAG About Us, IAG Group, viewed 2 January 2017, http://www.iag.com.au/about-us/who-we-are/purpose-and-strategy Kumaresan, A 2016, Top 10 Trends in Insurance in 2016, Capgemini, viewed 9 January 2017, https://www.nl.capgemini.com/resource-file-access/resource/pdf/insurance_trends_2016_0_0.pdf Lamb, C. W., 2016, MKTG3, 3rd Asia Pacific ed. s.l.:s.n. Liew, R 2016, Insurers set to track driver behaviour, The Age, 14 January, viewed 14 January 2016, http://www.theage.com.au/business/insurers-set-to-track-driver-behaviour-20160113-gm4x51.html?deviceType=text> Lukens, D 2014, 2014 Usage-based Insurance (UBI) Research Results for Consumer and Small Fleet Markets, Lexis Nexis, viewed 9 January 2016, http://www.lexisnexis.com/risk/downloads/whitepaper/2014-ubi-research.pdf> Market Forces 2017, Insurance industry and climate change, Market Forces , viewed 8 January 2017, https://www.marketforces.org.au/campaigns/insurance/> Martin, M 2016, Brand loyalty, a double-edged sword to the Australian insurance industry, Insurance Business, 24 October, viewed 14 January 2017, http://www.insurancebusinessonline.com.au/au/news/breaking-news/brand-loyalty-a-doubleedged-sword-to-the-australian-insurance-industry-225421.aspx> Mattro 2017, Top Ten Best Insurance Companies in Australia, The Top Tens, viewed 7 January 2017, http://www.thetoptens.com/best-insurance-companies-australia/> Morgan, J 2014, A Simple Explanation Of The Internet Of Things, Forbes, 13 May,viewed 9 January 2017, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#5e84bdb06828> Myth vs Reality The Expectation Gap in the ANZ Insurance Industry 2016, Target, p 4, viewed 14 January 2017, https://3-afa.cdn.aspedia.net/sites/default/files/uploaded-content/field_f_content_file/myths_vs_reality_whitepaper_anz.pdf> Sahoo, D 10 September 2015, Innovation in Australias Insurance Industry, The Weekend Australian, viewed 07 January 2017, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/business-spectator/innovation-in-australias-insurance-industry-/news-story/e445f70d04dac6cdf29b077b1a6bc3a6 Sensis, 2016, How Australian People and Businesses are using social media, Sensis, 1 June, viewed 1 January 2017, https://www.sensis.com.au/asset/PDFdirectory/Sensis_Social_Media_Report_2016.PDF> Smith, A, 31 October 2015, Mobile Mania! Australia spends on average more than hour a day on their smartphones, viewed 11 January 2017, http://www.nielsen.com/au/en/insights/news/2015/mobile-mania-australians-spend-on-average-more-than-an-hour-a-day-on-their-smartphones.html> Tiwari, U, 2014, Australian Car Insurance Market ANALYSIS, Slide Share, viewed 2 January 2017, http://www.slideshare.net/ullyully/australian-car-insurance-market-analysis/6> Volvo Car Corporation, Autopilot Travel calmer, safer, cleaner, Vo

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

The Futility of Dreams in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men Essay exampl

The Futility of Dreams in Of Mice and Men    Everyone has a dream they hope to achieve, but dreams are not always possible to attain. In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, two ranch hands, George and Lennie, find work in Salinas Valley. Lennie, constantly getting into trouble, inadvertently causes the two of them to be run out of town and thus have to find new work regularly. George and Lennie's search for work in the hope of accomplishing their dream of a small farm of their own displays how futile realizing dreams can be. The major themes identified by commentators in Of Mice and Men are friendship and isolation, hope and futility(Votteler 334). Through George and Lennie's friendship, the hope to achieve their dream is kept alive. "George, little and clever, feels that Lennie has been given into his keeping"(Moore 341). "Simpleminded and gentle, Lennie possesses great physical strength and becomes unwittingly destructive when startled"(Votteler 334). Although Lennie is very strong, he is also very timid and has trouble remembering things, but under George's control, Lennie is calm and docile since he just does what George tells him to(Moore 341). According to Moore, "Of Mice and Men tells the story of two drifting ranch hands, George and Lennie, who dream, as rootless men do, of a piece of land of their own, where they will 'belong'"(341). George tells Lennie that the loneliest guys in the world are like them working on ranches, have no family, no place to belong for continually moving on to a new ranch, and have nothing to look forward to(Steinbeck 13). With them, it is not like that because they have a future, somebody to talk to, and are working toward getting their own farm with a couple ac... ...ited by Thomas Votteler, Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1993, p. 341-342. Rascoe, Burton. "John Steinbeck," in Steinbeck and His Critics: A Record of Twenty-Five Years, edited by E. W. Tedlock, Jr. and C. V. Wicker, University of New Mexico Press, 1957, pp. 57-67, in Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol. 75, edited by Thomas Votteler, Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1993, pp. 336-339. Shurgot, Michael W. "A Game of Cards in Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men'," in Steinbeck Quarterly, Vol. XV, Nos. 1-2, Winter-Spring, 1982, pp. 38-43, in Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol. 75, edited by Thomas Votteler, Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1993, pp. 362-365. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. Votteler, Thomas. Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol. 75, edited by Thomas Votteler, Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1993, p. 334-335.   

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Biblical Allusions in The Shipmans Tale E

The Canterbury Tales, - Biblical Allusions in The Shipman’s Tale There is no doubting Chaucer’s mastery at paroemia; that his adaptations of his many and varied sources transcended their roots is attested by the fact that, unlike many of his contemporaries or authorities, his works have not â€Å"passen as dooth a shadwe upon the wal†[1]. Yet while his skill as a medieval author is undisputed, the extent of his subtlety is not always fully appreciated. In The Canterbury Tales, for instance, while some tales were rapid in drawing academic interest and scholarly interpretations, others were quickly dismissed as ribald tales, as simple fabliaux hardly worthy of more than a cursory examination. The Shipman’s Tale was one of these. That â€Å"[It] may be Chaucer’s earliest fabliau† and â€Å"relatively simple in design and execution†[2] seemed, for a period of time, to be the general consensus on this piece; the primary concern of scholars was in unearthing its sources (which proved to be uncharacteristically problematic), not in analysing its structural complexities or for insights into medieval society and life. Yet recent research[3] has renewed interest in this first tale from The Canterbury Tales’ Fragment VII, and it can now be seen as a fabliaux, yes, but as one that is as rich a tapestry – woven of biblical allusions, literary techniques, intertextuality, and social commentary – as any of the other tales. By pulling out and examining the care and skill with which Chaucer inserted just one of these multiple threads – in this case, the biblical allusions within The Shipman’s Tale – it can be shown that this is as significant a tale as any other. There are a limited number of methods by which Chaucer can integrate a biblical all... ...timis finibus pretium eius.† ; â€Å"Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.† (Douay Translation). [13]Theresa Coletti, in â€Å"The Meeting at the Gate: Comic Hagiography and Symbol in The Shipman’s Tale†, associates the meeting of the merchant and his wife at the household gate (after his successful business venture) with the meeting of Joachim and Anne at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem. Assuming that the apocryphal tale was well known, Chaucer’s audience would have recognized the iconographic significance of a meeting by a gate. Gail McMurray Gibson, in â€Å"Resurrection as Dramatic Icon in the Shipman’s Tale† in Signs and Symbols in Chaucer’s Poetry, suggests that the tale alludes to the Resurrection, especially via Christ’s meeting with Mary Magdalene. Unfortunately, I was unable to secure a copy of that work for this essay.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Adjusting to College Life :: essays research papers

When students are still in high school, college looms in the distance like an ominous cloud. Frankly, all of the students are scared about going to college. When students go to college they feel like going to the great unknown – to go to a place where they don’t know anyone. But after all college is not that bad. First of all, the adjustment to college isn't that rough. The staff and students are trained to make the adjustment as easy as possible, and the other students they meet are just as nervous as they are. Their new fellow classmates are just as anxious as you to meet people, so as long as you make the effort, you'll be surprised as to how many people you meet. Meeting people will not be that hard, since most colleges offer a bazillion a lot social events at the beginning of the year. And the friends that students do meet in college you will be surprised as to how close students become to each other. This is mostly due to the fact that they live about twenty feet from them or even closer. Just think how much closer students would be to their friends in school if, to visit them, you just had to walk down the hall at midnight about three doors and walk into their friends bedroom. And you can never hide anything, because the student bedroom could end up becoming the floor social lounge and your bed could end up being the common couch. Basically, college classes are not much more difficult than high school classes. The only major difference is that much of the work for classes is done out of the classroom. In college, classes are usually twelve hours per week and dispersed over three or four days of the week. If you keep up with your work, then students should have no problem getting a B or an A. Many students worry about financial aid. Do not apply to a school because you don't think that you can't afford it. The people at college are trying to help you, and financial aid is one way that they do that. If you don't get enough money from a school, call them and tell them your situation. In most cases things can be worked out. College is also great because it lets you be ourselves. To be perfectly honest, people at college can be a bit odd, and the diversity of

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Food Politics

The ways in which the food system is failing us are numerous. It is failing some in quantity, while failing others in quality. The only members of the food system that are not being exploited are the corporate food producers, and that is because they are the exploiters in this equation. Just like the schoolyard that we are all familiar with, there are two groups on the food system playground; the bullied and the bullies. In comparison to the schoolyard example, the bullies are in the minority, consisting here of transnational corporations and other large organizations with one goal in mind: profit maximization.In the majority are the bullied, consisting of not only the lowly consumers such as you and I, but also small farms and even government organizations. While the present food system has many flaws that have led to this toxic playground relationship, there are solutions. We hope to clearly demonstrate where the food system is today, how this present food system is failing us, con nections to the Antony and Samuelson text, and lastly solutions. The term â€Å"food politics† refers to the political aspects of production, control, regulation, inspection, and distribution of food.Since biblical times, the government has played a dominant role in the production and control of food. The book of Genesis states: â€Å"the Egyptian pharaoh took 20 percent of all food production from his farmers as tax† (47:24). This demonstrates the regulatory role that the government has had in food production since the beginning of civilization. The key parties in food politics are consumers, farmers, food safety and quality regulators, retailers and the state. Today, customers demand affordable food, thus placing increased pressure on producers to mediate expenditures.There is enough food to feed the world, and there has been for many decades. In 2007, the Food and Agriculture Organization calculated that there is enough food to feed the world 1. 5x over (Holt-Gimene z and Patel 2009). While there is adequate food to end world hunger, the problem continues due to greed and unequal power distribution. International policies by the World Health Organization (WHO) have attempted to put an end to world hunger, but because the outcomes of these policies do not benefit the bottom lines of he state and of corporations, they are not supported (Paarlberg 2011). In our own backyard, the Canadian government has removed restrictions surrounding property ownership regulations, thus facilitating the redistribution of Canadian farmland. As far back as 1969, there were recommendations from the federal government to reduce the number of Canadian farmers by 50 to 65 percent, encouraging the movement toward a factory-farming model (Paarlberg, 2011). Factory farming is a model recognized for its increased efficiency and output in farming. This is when the quality of food diminishes.Low quality food is something every consumer encounters on a daily basis, however th e ability to make decisions surrounding food quality choices is greatly dependent on economic standing. Despite the want to purchase high quality food, this may not be financially feasible. Food imported and exported to Canada is inspected and regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which is â€Å"internationally recognized for its standards and principles† (CFIA). There are two major issues facing the CFIA. Firstly, their standards and principals are comparable to those of the United States, the most obese nation on earth and not a worthy role model.Secondly, as of August 2011, meat inspection methods have moved to a two-tier system due to budget cuts. The CFIA cannot afford to regulate meat nationwide and as such have relegated provincial sales and slaughter to that specific level of government and with it the ability to enforce consistent countrywide standards. With common origins in the capitalist system the agro-food sector is arguably one of the most globalize d in the various spheres of economic activity. Corporations have already been identified as one of the largest players in the food system, with the majority of these businesses being Agri-Transnational Corporations (TNCs).This is following two decades of economic liberalization, allowing Agri-TNCs to develop enormously in size, power and influence. Bayer, Monsanto and DuPont are a few of the better-known agri-transnational corporations, the key players in this globalization and domination game (ETC Group 2008). In total, there are six large agro chemical manufacturers that â€Å"control nearly 75% of the global pesticide market, [and] are also seed industry giants. † thus creating an oligopoly (ETC Group 2008). A small collection of large companies produces the majority of goods, giving consumers the ability to choose the best of the worst.This allows the corporations belonging to the oligopoly to collaborate on price, both at a consumer and employee level, protecting their p rofit margins by continually oppressing the consumers and workers into either accepting the offered price, or receiving nothing. Farmers are often bound by lengthy contracts to buy farm inputs from, and sell a specified crop, to the same corporation. This translates into farmers being held at ransom at every step of production. They are exceedingly dependent on a â€Å"corporate package† while denying communities control over their own food and future.The package consists of high-cost inputs including synthetic fertilizers, chemical pesticides and unsustainable genetically modified seeds that do not germinate as easily, ensuring the continuous cycle of dependency. The push towards industrial, high-input agriculture is driving farmers into debt. They must take out loans in order to afford modified seeds, and more effective fertilizers and pesticides. The vast majority of food related TNCs share the same quality of holding global investments in the food industry and controlling much of how food is grown, processed, distributed and purchased.The aforementioned oligopoly creates a relationship of dependence. Both the consumers and employees are dependent on these TNCs on a daily basis. Because TNCs dominate the industry in these countries, and government regulation is lacking, the reserve army of labour is highly exploitable. If these workers are fired from the TNCs, there are few other employers with which to seek work. From a consumer perspective, most all of the products available in retail outlets are produced by these TNCs, with little choice of products from other companies. This market domination combined with the ollaboration between TNCs for price setting in a given market creates the perfect storm for these parties to be marginalized. As illustrated in Figure 1, ten companies own the majority of food products that we consume, but due to the fact that they have many subsidiaries – each with different branding- consumers have a false sense of choice. Industrial food and farming practices not only deny local communities and indigenous people control over their own water, forests, minerals, biodiversity, and land, but also devalues their local wisdom and knowledge of farming practices.This industrialization clearly abuses both the area around local citizens as well as the citizens themselves. While these parties, the majority of the population, are disadvantaged as our food system industrializes, corporations and governments benefit by way of increased profits and domination. Implications of this change are at the expense of depriving peasants and small food producers around the world of their basic human rights while limiting their existing livelihood, culture, health, and self-determination. A growing trend in recent years has been agro fuel production.We are seeing a partnership of multinationals such as BP global for the conversion of land to cash crop rather than subsistence production. Revisited again under the cont ract-growing model, Monsanto has created a situation in which farmers cannot produce food for sustenance, but rather they must employ monocropping. This increases dependency on purchased inputs and on foreign markets that communities have no say in, and therefore threatening local subsistence and food security. â€Å"Agro fuels, also referred to as biofuels, are fuels derived from food crops such as corn, soya, canola, sugar cane, and oil. (Martini and Shiva 2008). Massive deforestation in Brazil due to monocropping for agro fuels has caused the displacement of indigenous peoples and devastating effects on the climate. â€Å"The FAO argues [that] agro fuels account for 10% of food price rise, while the IMF and IFPRI claim 30%, and the World Bank estimated a contribution of between 65% and 75%. † (Chakraborrty and Phillips 2008). This information is essential when evaluating the impact that agro fuels have in Brazil and in many other countries and communities.In Ending Hunger in Our Lifetime, food security is defined as â€Å"access by all people at all times to enough food for an active healthy life† (Runge, Senauer, Pardey, and Rosegrant 2003:15). The World Health Organization (WHO) expands on this concept and presents the three pillars of food security: (1) Availability – having a consistent supply and sufficient quantity of food, (2) Accessibility – having the resources to ensure a nutritious diet, and (3) Food Use – appropriate use centered around having rudimentary knowledge of nutrition (Schanbacher 2010:12).When discussing food politics, a central issue is the imminent threat to food security. Food insecurity is encouraged by many potential risk factors including, but not limited to, globalization, population growth, trade policies, food aid, a loss of agricultural productivity, and the genetic modification of food. Thomas Malthus, an 18th century economist and author of â€Å"On the Principle of Population† wr ote that â€Å"food is necessary to the existence of man [and] that the passion between the sexes is necessary and will [never cease]. † (Malthus 1798).He then suggested that while population will continue to grow in a geometrical ratio (1,2,4,8, etc†¦), that land subsistence only grows in an arithmetic sequence (1,3,5,7, etc†¦) and is therefore unable to support the population, thus posing a threat to food security. The powerful forces within the food system oppose this Malthusian theory with the argument that the rate of population growth is slowing, which overall is true, but population growth continues to soar in the poorest countries; the countries where food insecurity is the biggest concern.Figure 2: Population Growth 1990-2100 PopulationIncrease (%) 1990202521001990-2100 Developing Countries4. 087. 0710. 20150 Developed Countries1. 211. 401. 5024 World5. 308. 4711. 70121 Source: United Nations 1993. Doha, Qatar. It aimed to promote trade liberalization as a means of rendering developing countries less vulnerable to food insecurity. The reduction of international trade protections and tariffs after the 1994 Uruguay Round led to the rapid transfer of products throughout the world, but not at an equal rate or proportion.When speaking on these imbalances, the Doha Declaration stated: We agree that special and differential treatment for developing countries shall be an integral part of all elements of the negotiations and shall be embodied in the schedules of concessions and commitments and as appropriate in the rules and disciplines to be negotiated, so as to be operationally effective and to enable developing countries to effectively take account of their development needs, including food security and rural development (WTO 2001).These imbalances were prevalent after the 2008 economic crisis as more developed, and thus powerful, countries were able to protect themselves from loss of profit through restrictive trade policies. By limiting i mports, which tend to come from developing nations, developed countries were able to mitigate damages. Take for example the differing trends in Asia and Africa present in Figure 3; In Asia, rates of undernourishment were stable post 2008, while they rose significantly in Africa (FAO 2011).As defined by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), food aid is â€Å" a response to address the dietary and nutritional needs of [vulnerable] populations, [to help] and enhance [their] livelihoods and become self-reliant, all essential for sustainable development. † (CIDA n. d. ). It is important to establish that food aid is not the answer to food security and that there are many biases that exist within its system. Amongst others, food aid has been criticized for being donor directed, promoting domestic interests, being driven by exporters, and that development is not the primary goal.This criticism has led some to refer to food aid as â€Å"food dumping† as the ine xpensive food being offered to poorer nations at highly subsidized prices undercuts the local farmers who cannot compete with these prices. They are then driven out of their jobs, which further slants the market in favour of large producers such as those from the US and Europe (Runge, Senauer, Pardey and Rosegrant 2003:125). The USA currently provides approximately 60% of all international food aid and its primary recipients are Peru, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Jordan, Egypt and the Philippines.Given their massive â€Å"donations†, many American agricultural lobby groups hoped food aid would lure recipients into dependence, and that when taken away, the beneficiaries would be forced to become paying customers. In an attempt to avoid entering into the coercive relationship that is food aid, some countries have found alternative strategies to deal with food shortages. One method is an alteration of diet from eating fewer meals each day to consuming less desirable â€Å" famine foods† and selling non-essential assets in order to purchase food (Paarlberg 2010:72).In Food Aid: A cause, or symptom, of development failure, or an instrument for success? Srinivasan asserts that food aid â€Å"blunts incentives for domestic food production and hence increases the probability of long-term dependency on donors; or that by alleviating food shortages, it enables the regime in power to postpone, if not abandon, politically costly economic reforms. † (1993). In line with this assertion comes the proposition to replace traditional food aid with a one-time distribution of farming equipment, livestock, and money in a bid to return people to their previously productive lifestyles.One of the ways in which donors hold power over recipient countries is through Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs), promoted by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). SAPs are imposed under the guise of assisting countries in bringing their â€Å"nationa l macroeconomic conditions to a place where [they] can benefit from regional and international trade agreements. † (Schanbacher 2010:14). A SAP will require countries to limit their social safety nets and to enter basic necessities such as food, water and land into the private sector.These prescriptions require countries to reduce social safety nets and introduce survival necessities like food, water and land to the commodity market in order to receive the loans they need (Samuelson and Antony 2012:246). These specifications have led to increasing food insecurity, a lack of social protections (namely health care and education) and a widening of class inequality. One manifestation of a lack of food security in a given society may take the form of riots.Food riots are caused by a jump in food prices, which results from crop failure, ineffective storage methods and hoarding (Lang and Heasman 2004:12). In a desperate attempt to obtain nutrients, the public may become desperate and frustrated enough to attack shops, farms and government buildings. In a recent Globe and Mail article entitled Food riots: What creates the anger? Evan Fraser, co-author of the book Empires of Food: Feast, Famine and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations wrote that â€Å"it's the sense of injustice rather than price volatility that ultimately causes the rioting†.In 2011, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, the world’s largest exporter of wheat, ordered over 800,000 tonnes of the grain and stockpiled it in an attempt to avoid civil unrest. His plan failed and infuriated citizens took to the streets in protest (Globe and Mail 2011). If food prices continue to rise at their current rate, we can only assume that the frequency and intensity of foot riots will increase. With profit being the primary goal of most involved in the agricultural system, monocropping has been employed by many of the world’s food producers.As defined by Schanbacher in The Politics of Food (2010: 56), monocropping refers to the practice of growing the same crop year after year without rotation to other crops. This method is economically rewarding for farms as it produces higher yields, allows them to invest in crop-specific equipment and because many governments provide subsidies to farms which utilize this method. By continuously growing a single crop, (namely soybeans, wheat and corn), the land becomes depleted of its nutrients and therefore highly dependent on fertilizers and incapable of supporting vegetative life.Those employing this method often choose to abandon the land after leeching it of its nutrients, as it is less expensive than working to maintain it. Furthermore, just as mortality rates in the Native American population soared after being exposed, by European settlers, to infectious diseases to which they were not immune, monocropping exposes crops to the same situation as they lose their genetic diversity. Take for example the Irish Potato Famine of 1845, whi ch occurred after potatoes were introduced in response to the suffering economy and extremely low wages of the working class.Though originally intended to serve as a supplement, potatoes swiftly became a staple of the Irish diet and when a bacteria travelled to the UK in 1845, the entire crop was wiped out. Over the next three years, one in eight Irish died of starvation, but unfortunately, many of us seem not to have learnt our lesson (Nestle 2007:247). In fact, the US government currently offers substantial subsidies to those farming the primary monocropping products: corn, soybeans and wheat. When discussing public wellbeing in the United States of America, one often references the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The FDA’s mandate is to promote safety through ensuring that: conventional foods, dietary supplements, and drugs are safe and accurately labeled, and to ensure that drugs have benefits confirmed in clinical trials (Nestle 2007:227). Despite being an American in stitution, the FDA has many international interests and is considered the de facto standard around the world. In 2009, President Barack Obama called the FDA’s failure to inspect more than 95% of food processing plants â€Å"a hazard to public health† (Paarlberg 2010:158).Many members of the general public have called for additional funding to support more complete inspection coverage, which would alleviate the significant pressure that is currently being placed on small and organic farms that cannot compete with their large competitors with ties to the FDA. The Food and Drug Administration is also responsible for researching and publishing information about the safety of different foods. Of particular concern are the potential risks associated with the consumption of Genetically Modified foods.Despite claims that there are no studies showing links between GM foods and health risks, in 1998 the FDA was forced to publicize more than 44,000 internal documents noting links with allergies, toxins, new diseases, anti-biotic resistant diseases, nutritional problems and cancer causing agents (Paarlberg 2010:168). In 1961 the World Health Organization instated the Codex Alimentarius Commission whose purpose was to create international food safety standards, but to this day there are still many dangerous chemicals in use (Lang, Heasman 2004:48).Though guidelines exist to limit the use of chemicals in genetically modified foods, little is done about those used in animal feed and other by-products that are eventually consumed by humans. Due to bioaccumulation, the â€Å"progressive increase in the amount of a substance in an organism or part of an organism which occurs because the rate of intake exceeds the organism’s ability to remove the substance from the body. † the effect of these toxins only increases as the products arrive at the top of the food chain: humans (U. S. Geological Survey: 2007).These pesticides provide a pathway for Persiste nt Organic Pollutants, which we store in our body fat and which have a destructive impact on humans, wildlife, land and water (Lang and Heasman 2004: 225). In fact, POP’s have been linked to everything from cancer to reproductive and birth defects to neurological diseases. Though food producers are expected to follow CDCA (Centre for Disease Control Agency) guidelines, this only protects consumers if they ingest a single portion of an individual item (Lang and Heasman 2004: 226,227).Foods with the highest levels of POP’s include: butter, melons, cucumbers, peanuts, popcorn, spinach and squash (Lang and Heasman 2004:227). This poses a major problem as even if foods are individually within the CDCA guidelines, collectively they pose major risks. With the recent trend towards â€Å"Green Politics†, the amount of pesticides used has decreased and due to biased education the general public has assumed this to mean that our food is safer. Unfortunately, the toxicity o f pesticides used has increased approximately 10-100x since 1975 thus putting consumers at great risk (Lang and Heasman 2004:227).One cannot discuss Genetically Modified foods without referring to the Monsanto Corporation. In 2001, Monsanto was listed as #3 in the world when it came to agrochemical sales and many have labeled it â€Å"the worlds most unethical company† (Nestle 2007:101). They are a world leader in the production of genetically modified foods and they created the highly poisonous herbicide Roundup which is incredibly damaging to both ecology and humans. Unfortunately, Monsanto, and many other companies like them, have taken advantage of their positions of power to bias the public in favour of their products.In a 1999-2000 American Dietetic Association nutrition fact sheet sponsored by Monsanto, they said, â€Å"The U. S. government has a well co-ordinated system to ensure that new agricultural biotechnology products are safe for the environment and to animal and human health† (Nestle 2007:113). Given that the ADA represents the interests of 70,000 nutritionists many see their â€Å"fact sheets† to be trustworthy, but we need to be more wary as many ADA certified nutritionists are in fact employed by companies like the Monsanto Corporation (Nestle 2007:113).In Das Kapital, Karl Marx presents the idea of commodity fetishism; that in a capitalist society, money and commodities are fetishes that inhibit our ability to see the reality of a given situation because we view them as relationships between goods as opposed to a relationship between people. In the case of food security, commodity fetishism prevents people from acknowledging that someone was exploited to produce a given product and that our choices as consumers support this unfair treatment (Thomson 2010:164-166).This purposeful distancing of the owners from their means of production allows them, and as a result, the average consumer, to disengage from the food system. Raj Patel, the author of Stuffed and Starved connects this to one of the three pillars of food security- food accessibility- and says that â€Å"the fantasy of those not willing to pay has removed the need for compassion from food economics, as if to say that it is someone’s choice to go hungry as opposed to their inability to afford or meet the high asking price. . This enables society to believe that â€Å"our choices at the checkout don’t take away the choices of those who grow our food (2008). In Power and Resistance, Sandy Miller discusses the idea of food as inspiration and imperative for social change. She outlines ways in which the food system is failing and some potential solutions. Amongst them, Miller focuses on modification of land use practices, ownership of food infrastructure, accessibility to land, food distribution policy, and alternative food movements.The road is long, and not well travelled, but there is hope for a revolution within our global foo d system and it rests on civil society becoming more educated and thus, engaged. We have to ask questions: Where does our food come from? What is actually in it? What constitutes a healthy diet? We have to change the way people think about food- they have to be the change. Without people standing up, asking questions, and actually practicing what they preach, nothing will change. Though land is widely considered to be a renewable resource, we must examine the veracity of this claim.Land has the capacity to renew itself, but as more infrastructure is built, less cropland is available and as a result that which remains is often exposed to overuse and abuse; as was previously explained in the instance of monocropping. Furthermore, due to this leeching of nutrients from the soil, erosion rates have accelerated to the point where land reformation cannot occur and genetically modified seeds and fertilizers (such as Monsanto’s RoundUp) are being used more prevalently.When crops are grown on land that has been leeched of its nutrients, the produce yielded from there will too be nutrient-weak; one example being genetically modified rice. This rice has vitamin A added to it, however to meet your recommended daily intake of vitamin A, one would need to consume fifty bowls of (Norton 2012). Miller presents the idea of land reserves as an important route in the labyrinth of solutions. A land reserve is a â€Å"zone in which agriculture is recognized as the priority use, [where] farming is encouraged and non-agricultural uses are controlled† (ALC 2012).Miller references one very successful case study; British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The ALR covers almost 5 million hectares of private and public land that may be farmed, forested or vacant and any person or people intending on using this land must plan in accordance with the ALR mandate of preserving agricultural land (Samuelson and Antony 2012:257). Because the primary goal of food pr oducers is profit, they are not concerned with proper land maintenance and, as a result, the nutritional value of their goods.When discussing land, it is essential to consider its accessibility and distribution, as this is a major indicator of who maintains ownership of the food infrastructure. In a 2011 paper released by the United Nations, titled Corruption in the Land Sector, the Food and Agriculture Organizations reported that: Effective and enforceable land governance provides a necessary framework for development and an important defense against many forms of corruption. It supports food security and ensures sustainable livelihoods that are essential for people and countries that rely on land as one of their main economic, social and cultural assets.For example, empirical findings from more than 63 countries show that where corruption in land is less prevalent, it correlates to better development indicators, higher levels of foreign direct investment and increased crop yields. (FAO 2011) A national example of this â€Å"[in]effective and [un]enforceable land governance† can be seen in Ontario where the local food infrastructure has been systematically dismantled by the government as they offer payouts to farmers willing to forgo planting fruit trees in favour of more economically viable options such as real estate investments (FAO 2011).When interviewed, farmers and stakeholders proposed solutions that would â€Å"reframe the food chain from farming to processing to storage, distribution and marketing. † (Samuelson and Antony 2012:258-259). To reach the goal of more equitable distribution of, and access to land, many food movements rely on social justice and well-distributed power. These movements recognize that our current food system is in need of an egalitarian perspective on food infrastructure. Agroecology may be one of the most influential food movements thus far.This movement promotes the potential to create a new way of living in wh ich the presence of humans will not destroy our planet. Samuelson and Antony describe agro ecology as â€Å"a way of thinking in tune with an agricultural ecosystem that tests and solves problems where they arise, in the context of local pests and beneficials, climatic benefits and challenges, and the realities of locally financed and managed farming. †. Among other techniques, agroecology also involves the use of century old farming methods such as crop rotation.Crop rotation involves planting in a multi-year cycle so as to avoid depletion of nutrients, and susceptibility to pests (2012:260). La Via Campesina, a peasant organization, is dedicated to promoting food sovereignty through the use of natural resources and support of domestic markets. Canada’s National Farmer’s Union constitutes one group which makes up the 150 million members from 69 different countries. La Via Campesina’s mandate is to grant membership solely to peasants (representatives of l arge corporations are not welcome) and to ensure that power remains within the hands of the majority (Samuelson and Antony 2012:259).Another alternative to supporting these large corporations, The Farm-to-Community Movement, is presented in Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health: â€Å"this category aims to connect farmers to local communities through farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture (customers pay farmers in advance for seasonal produce), and programs that link farmers to schools, restaurants, and other institutions. † (Nestle 2007:x). Community gardens are another popular strategy that can help provide safe and nutritious food while simultaneously supporting local infrastructure.A community garden is a local plot of land worked on by a group of people who share the work, as well as the crops. In this process food is not fetishized as a commodity, instead creating an alternative to capitalism as well as providing the bene fit of healthy, local, and organic food. Acadia University features a community garden, allowing for students and community members to have the opportunity to grow their own crops. In addition to splitting the yield amongst its members, the garden supplies food to the Wheelock dining hall, along with Wolfville’s local food bank.Many have created community gardens in what space they have in their own backyards and most of these gardens function as charities. This allows people living in poverty the opportunity to eat local and organic food they may otherwise be unable to afford thus bolstering all three pillars of food security: accessibility, availability and food use. The presence of community gardens is one aspect of food relocalization; a movement which focuses on eating, growing and distributing locally as a means of lowering carbon emissions (due to shorter travel time) and of stimulating the local economy.Relocalization focuses on advocating changes in scale, ownership, and relationships from one end of the supply chain to the other. This practice is employed by communities around the world who harvest enough food to sustain themselves, but do not produce for profit. This process is concerned with feeding all members of the given community, and is considered an effective means of eradicating poverty. In 2007, chef and restaurateur Jamie Oliver founded the Pass It On food movement, which encourages healthy eating, habits through a method of education, which promotes exponential growth in its followers.His inspiration came from the British Ministry of Food’s attempt to manage food shortages by educating the public about proper nutrition during World War II (Oliver 2009:8). With this in mind, he formed his own radical movement in an effort to raise awareness and incite action to help solve the food crisis. In 2010, the largest killers in America were diet-related diseases (TEDTalks 2010). This is the fuel behind the movement’s transfer to the United States, more specifically, Huntington Beach, Virginia – the fattest town in America (Oliver 2009).He was met with widespread criticism and a general lack of acceptance due to his harsh critique of the American school system. Oliver suggests a weekly session, 30-60 minutes, to educate children on nutrition and healthy meal options (TEDTalks 2010). This solution would be both easy to implement and inexpensive, meaning the government would not have to cut any presently funded programs in order to reallocate finances. Oliver also suggests introducing food ambassadors into local supermarkets.These ambassadors would be tasked with showing consumers what to buy, how to read labels, and how to cook quick and healthy meals (TEDTalks 2010). The costs of such an initiative would be borne by either the corporations who own products sold in the supermarket or the supermarket itself. Oliver believes that â€Å"big corporations need to put food education on the top of their p riority list, and at the heart of their businesses† because a large part of change lies in their hands (TEDTalks 2010). They have a corporate responsibility to provide a new, fresh standard of food, and we, as consumers must hold them accountable.While it may feel like there is no way to avoid being failed by the food system, there is a solution to the problem that you can implement on your own, without the need to influence others. There are many publications released each year, discussing what constitutes healthy eating, but there is one that supersedes the other in terms of influencing the eating choices of the average Canadian citizen; Canada’s Food Guide. Canada’s Food Guide was overhauled in 2007, and renamed Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide (Health Canada 2011).While the majority of the Canadian population, including schools and other public institutions, use this guide when planning meals they have little to no understanding as to how this guid e was developed. The Food Expert Advisory Committee conducted the redesign of the guide in 2007, with members appointed by Health Canada (Health Canada 2011). One would assume that the members of this committee would be physicians and nutritionists that had a keen interest in the betterment of our heath; that they would be using their knowledge for good.A closer examination of the members of this committee uncovers the contrary; that many of the members have a strong conflict of interests. Paul Paquin held the position of chair at the time of the 2007 Food Guide revisions, while simultaneously acting as vice-president of the International Dairy Federation (Health Canada 2012). Paquin is not alone in holding a conflicting position while on the Food Expert Advisory Committee. Also advocating for the dairy industry is committee member Dr.Mansel Griffiths, who is concurrently on the Expert Scientific Advisory Committee for Dairy Farmers of Canada (Health Canada 2012). With our Food Guid e in the hands of such individuals, is it any wonder that dairy has it’s own distinct category in our Food Guide? Separate from the interests of these members of the committee, there is also the issue of meat in Canada’s food guide. In 2011, Harvard University released a study on the effects of red meat, disclosing that consumption leads to an increase of death due to cancer and heart disease, as well to an overall risk of death (Harvard School of Public Health 2012).The study detailed that one daily serving of unprocessed meat increased the overall risk of mortality by 13%, while the same serving of processed meat increased the risk by 20% (Harvard School of Public Health 2012). This then begs the question of why it is so ingrained in the minds of civil society that we â€Å"need† animal protein to survive? Despite these findings being published by a well-respected institution, Canada’s Food Guide continues to recommend two daily servings of meat for adu lt females and three for adult males (Health Canada 2007).They also suggest eating two servings of fish a week, and choosing lower sodium luncheon (processed) meat products (Health Canada 2007). Providing that an individual does eat two servings of fish a week that leaves 12-19 servings available for the consumption of red meat. Canada’s Food Guide fails to reflect these well-researched findings because they are not in the best interest of the one-percent. Cattle farming, both for dairy and beef are lucrative industries in Canada, and they share close ties with the ruling class.The government is invested in protecting the presently established capitalist environment, that of bottom lines and the best interests of the minority- capitalist corporations- and in doing so is harming the majority- it’s citizens. As has been shown in this report, food security is part and parcel of a larger cycle of social problems. In Power and Resistance, Antony and Samuelson present some o f the issues which are both affected by and effect the matter of food security: persistent poverty in Canada, Indian residential schools, and the global economic crisis.Though not comparable to many developing countries around the world, it is essential to note that food insecurity does exist in developed countries such as Canada. In the 2007-2008 census it was reported that 7. 2% of Canadians were living in households that were food insecure (Health Canada). A primary contributing factor to the inability of Canadians to access food is its high cost. In 2012, Dieticians of Canada released the report The Cost of Eating in BC 2011 which drew attention to the fact that many British Columbians don’t have the resources to afford nutritious food.This is due, in large part, to the significant rise in food and shelter costs and the unchanged welfare rates (Dietitians Canada). In essence, people are not earning any more but their costs are rising meaning they cannot afford what Food S ecure Canada calls â€Å"safe food†: nourishing foods being readily at hand and the restriction of unhealthy products. One of the most impoverished groups in Canada is our Aboriginal community and as was presented, much of the school-age population was forced into residential schools up until 1998 when the last band school was dismantled.In these residential schools, food accessibility was of major concern as poor nutrition and the withholding of food were used as a means of control and suppression. Even after the closure of these institutions, the aboriginal community is continuing to feel the effects of its government’s exploitation. A 2010 study from the University of Western Ontario found that parental residential school attendance had a positive correlation with experiencing food insecurity, and that food insecurity was negatively correlated with doing well in school. In Health Canada’s 2007-2008 report on Household Food Insecurity, 20. % of Aboriginals wer e found to be living in food insecure households- this is 3 times higher than the non-Aboriginal households. â€Å"The global financial and economic crisis has pushed an additional 100 million people into hunger in 2009, bringing the overall number of undernourished people in the world to over one billion. † (FAO). The current crisis shadowed the climbing price of food and significantly limited food accessibility worldwide. In 2009, domestic staple foods in developing countries cost approximately 20% more than they did in 2007 (FAO).In order to deal with food insecurity, which directly threatens development, many households have been forced to implement negative coping strategies such as: selling of assets, becoming trapped in debt, withdrawing children from school, illegal activities, and forced migration. Furthermore, with the simultaneous decline in income and rise in food costs, individuals often reduce spending on â€Å"safe food†- primarily meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. What is clear from these examples is that there is a pervasive interconnectedness and that in order to make progress, multi-faceted and situation-appropriate approaches must be developed.To conclude, while it is easy to fall into the â€Å"traps† that result in the exploitative relationship between multinational producers and consumers, there are other options. The current food system is laden with large organizations that take advantage of limited consumer knowledge combined with government partnerships. This pairing allows for consumer knowledge to stay at a level where they can be easily exploited, demonstrating that the government is a key player in the continued failure of the food system in the eyes of their own citizens. All is not lost, as there are ways that individual consumers can mitigate the ffects that this failure has on them. The solution is for consumers and other members of the bullied group to look out for their own interests. Having the maximum control and knowledge about what is going in your body is paramount. Eating locally allows for the greatest possible understanding of the narrative of a given good before it reaches your plate. Be an informed citizen: do research on the issues that affect your wellbeing, do not let power equal credibility, trust no one and question everything. 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