Does substance abuse cause mental disorders?

Does substance abuse cause mental disorders? Dual diagnosis between drug abuse and mental illness is very common. The two problems affect and interact with each other. The number of people diagnosed with a mental illness and substance went from 210,000 to 800,000 between the years of 1998-2003. (Druss MD, Bornemann, Fry-Johnson MD, McCombs PhD, Politzer, Rust MD, 2006) Substance abuse is the most common and clinically important dual disorder among adults with severe mental illness. Studies show that fifty percent of people with mental illness also have a substance abuse problem. (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010) And more than half the persons with a substance abuse diagnosis also have a diagnosable mental illness. (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010) Clinicians believe that mental illness and substance abuse are biologically and physiologically based. Although substance abuse and mental health disorders like depression and anxiety are closely linked, one does not directly cause the other. (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010) Both conditions can mirror each. PROBLEM STATEMENT: More and more people are suffering from a combination of substance abuse and mental health problems. Alcohol and/or drugs are often used to relieve the symptoms of a mental illness, side effects from their medications or just to cure symptoms they are having at the time. Alcohol and drug abuse can increase original risk for mental disorders and can make symptoms of a mental health problem worse. Substance abuse and mental illness commonly co-occur due to genetic factors, environmental factors, a brain disorder and/or a development disorders. Co-occurring disorders, two disorders or illnesses occur simultaneously in the same person, they are called dual diagnosis or co morbidity. (Topics in Brief, 2007) Treatment for this dual diagnosis has not been well designed. Clients have to go a treatment facility for mental health treatment and a different facility for substance abuse treatment. This kind of treat is not successful because this leaves the client trying to cope/manger a disorder on their own. It is almost impossible for them to manger the other disorder because if they could quit on their own they would not need treatment. It can be hard to diagnose a person with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse. One of the things that makes diagnose hard is denial by the patient. Substance abuse and mental disorders commonly co-occur because of overlapping genetic vulnerabilities, overlapping environmental triggers like stress, involvement of similar brain regions, and drug abuse and mental illness are developmental disorders. (Topics in Brief, 2007) Having a dual diagnosis put a person at greater risk for relapse. Violence and suicide attempts are also more prevalent among the dually diagnosed population.http://www.onlinerecoverysupport.com/wp-content/uploads/borderline.jpg BACKGROUND: The problem of dual diagnosis became clinically clear in the early 1980s. (Drake R. P., 2001) Substance abuse and mental illness hinders your ability to function, handle life and have a healthy social life. Mental illnesses are mental conditions that disrupt a persons thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. The World Health Organization has reported that four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the US are mental disorders. (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2010) Some of the major and the most common mental illness that occur with substance abuse are manic depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, generalize anxiety disorder and antisocial personality disorder. It is reported that about 57.7 million Americans experience a mental health disorder in a given year. (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2010) Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not need to sustain life or to make it better. One in four US deaths can be attributed to alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drug use. (Innovatory Combating Substance Abuse, 2010) The commonly abused drugs by people with a mental illness are alcohol, cocaine and/or marijuana. Substance abuse complicates some aspect of care for a person with a mental disorder. It provides challenges for the counselor to engage the individual in treatment.http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:HOCEVK5RjjC51M:http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb156/elgangster214/marijuana-2.jpg About 50% of individuals with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse. (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010) Thirty-seven percent of alcohol abusers and 53% of drug abusers also have at least on serious mental illness. (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010) See the chart below. The risk of developing a drug abuse problem while having a disorder goes as high as 15.5% for antisocial personality disorder and as low as 02.1% for phobias. The mental health problems that most commonly co-occur with substance abuse are depression, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorder. (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010) When a person has a dual diagnosis of substance abuse and mental illness the clinician has to determine what are the symptoms/signs of the substance abuse and what are the symptoms/signs are from the mental illness. Disorders with Increased Risk of Drug Abuse Disorder Risk Antisocial personality disorder 15.5% Manic episode 14.5% Schizophrenia 10.1% Panic disorder 04. 3% Major depressive episode 04.1% Obsessive-compulsive disorder 03.4% Phobias 02.1% Source: National Institute of Mental Health. (Drug Abuse and Mental Illness Fast Facts, 2006) At least 60% of people fighting substance abuse or mental illness are fighting both at the same time. (Bouchex, 2007) Patients with mood, anxiety or drug disorders are about twice as likely to be diagnosed with the other as well. Figure 1 (Topics in Brief, 2007) The prevalence of these dual diagnoses does not mean that one condition caused the other, even if one appeared first. The high rates show the need for better treatment and treatment centers able to deal with both at the same time. http://www.nida.nih.gov/tib/images/tib_large_images/comorbid02.jpg WORKING DIAGNOSIS: Substance abuse can cause mental disorders due to the fact that, drug abuse can cause a mental illness, mental illness can lead to drug abuse, drug abuse and mental disorders are both caused by other common risk factors all three can contribute to the establishment of specific dual diagnosis of mental disorders and addiction. (Topics in Brief, 2007) FRAMEWORK/METHOD OF ANALYSIS: I began my search using Google and searched using the terms Substance abuse and Mental Illness. This resulted in nine articles that were relevant to my topic all of which I used as references. I then went to the Pub Med Central database and searched using the term substance abuse and mental illness and found many articles. I used four of those articles as references. The other references were found on website such as National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Drug Intelligence Center. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (LITERATURE REVIEW): This review looks at progress made in understanding the relation between drug abuse and mental illness. Volkow found that the relationship between substance abuse and mental illness is likely to reflect common contributing factors and brain substrates. (Volkow, 2001) One of the main factors substance abuse and mental illness have in common is stress. A question that still remains is the role that drug abuse has on causing psychosis in individuals with no previous psychiatric histories. Stimulant drugs induce psychosis because they increase extracellular dopamine concentration in the brain. However it does not explain why psychosis can continue after the stimulant drug is no longer present in the brain.brain image Regier, et al, broke his study down into specific mental disorders. This review found that of people with schizophrenia forty-seven percent has some form of substance abuse problem. People diagnosed with schizophrenia have a 4 times as likely then people who do not have schizophrenia to have a substance abuse problem. (Regier, et al., 1990) The odds for people diagnosed with anxiety disorders to have a substance abuse proplem were more than fourteen percent. It is believe that substance abuse may trigger mental illness in vulnerable individuals. Evidence show a complex explanation in which well-known risk factors- such as poor cognitive function, anxiety, deficient interpersonal skills, social isolation, poverty, and lack of structured activities combined to render people with mental illnesses particularly vulnerable to alcohol and drug abuse. (Drake, 2009) People that already have a mental disorder probably appear to be extremely sensitive to the effects of alcohol and other drugs, due to having a form of brain disorder. Drake, et al, explains the term dual diagnosis as misleading because people with a dual diagnosis are diverse and tend to have multiple illnesses rather than just two illnesses. Drake discusses how researchers have established some identical finding. First, co-occurrence is common. Second, dual diagnosis is associated with a variety of negative outcomes, including higher rates of relapse, hospitalization, violence, incarceration, homeless and serious infections such as HIV and hepatitis. (Drake R. P., 2001) Third, the mental health and substance abuse treatment system delivers fragmented and ineffective care. RESTATEMENT OF WORKING DIAGNOSIS (Hypothesis): There is evidence that substance abuse can lead to a mental disorder but also a mental disorder can also lead to a substance abuse, it is not known which comes first. Like the saying which comes first the chicken or the egg. It is said that having one of the diagnosis makes you vulnerable to the other. http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:2wcgJmOO5cR8aM:http://deepwarriors.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/chicken-egg.jpg MANAGERIAL/POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS: Why people who are having a mental disorder are so prone to drug abuse raises a lot of questions due to the limited research done on the topic. The research so far is inconsistent and has failed to address a number of issues. There is a need for more research as well as more treatment center that are equipped to deal with dual diagnosis. The patient has two brain diseases that influence one another, and which both need treatment, at the same time. This is when dual diagnosis treatment is need. It is an approach used by clinicians to treat individuals affected by two co-occurring or coexisting conditions simultaneously. Dual diagnosis affects a person physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and socially. There is a need for an all-inclusive approach that identifies both disorders, evaluates both disorders, and at the same time treats both disorders. Many treatment centers now only treat one or the other. Substance abuse treatment are not recommended or designed to handle a ment al illness and vice versa. Awareness about the problem needs to be made public, so that people know the signs to look for and how to approach the person about their disorder correctly. Patients also need to be aware of the help that is available to them and support groups like Dual recovery Anonymous. There also needs to be better training for the counselors and physicians so that they will be able to better and accurately diagnosis patients. For recovery to be successful you must treats a clients addiction and mental health problem. http://www.bghealth.org/images/support%20group%20gif.gif Was Che Guevara a Successful Revolutionary? Was Che Guevara a Successful Revolutionary? The principal subject of historical debate surrounding Che Guevara is whether or not he succeeded as a revolutionary. The debate can become quite implausible as some regard him as a folk hero of mythical proportions. There is a sense of irony in that Guevara has become worldwide fascination as a commercial product, although Guevaras motive for the revolutionary uprising was to conquer capitalism. This thesis will argue the ways in which Guevaras legacy has been received and interpreted (listed below), as well as identifying the origins of his profound popularity. Description of Preliminary Research and Research Intentions: Main areas or issues you plan to discuss in your essay The overall focus is the interpretation of Che Guevara and his legacy over time. With this, the main topics of the debate are: The life of Che Guevara was one of controversy and thereby one must place emphasis into questioning the significance he holds in the pantheon of international revolutionary heroes and ideals. Herewith, the historian must evaluate Guevaras success from a political/empiricist perspective. The complete commitment to the revolutionary struggle to create a new man and a just/social order that continues to inspire those who struggle against social injustice. With this, one must investigate how these ideals impact on the post-Guevara population of modern-day society. To do this the historian must evaluate Guevaras success from a social perspective. Guevara has become a popular symbol while his image is too often dissociated from the legend that built it. With this, one must evaluate how and why his image has become a dominant face of contemporary popular culture. In relation to this debate, Guevara has ironically become an important image for money-wielding capitalists. Therefore, the historian must evaluate Guevaras success from a determinist/economic perspective. Project Synopsis The thesis explores specifically whether or not Che Guevara succeeded as a political revolutionary and a powerful icon in contemporary popular culture after his death. Guevaras life provides a significant historical debate as Guevara has often been criticised as a murderer, a hypocrite and a failure. His attempt to unite several Latin-American nations under a communist rule was unsuccessful, although he is often regarded as a hero to many of the inhabitants of these countries. The precise thesis question to be focused on is Evaluate the changing views on Ernesto Che Guevaras success and legacy following his death in 1967 to the present day. This question was developed as an investigation into how and why Guevara obtained an iconic status in society, and whether or not he is regarded as being a success or a failure. Originally, this question focused only on Guevaras failed attempt of uniting Latin-American nations and placed an inquiry into why Guevara became so popular. Through thorough research and academic critique, it was discovered that there were more sophisticated elements to the thesis question. The life of Che Guevara was one of controversy and thereby one must place emphasis into questioning the significance he holds in the pantheon of international revolutionary heroes and ideals. Guevara made a complete commitment to the revolutionary struggle to create a new man and a just/social order that continues to inspire those who struggle against social injustice. Herewith, one must investigate how these ideals impact on the post-Guevara population of modern-day society. Guevara has also become a popular symbol while his image is too often dissociated from the legend that built it. With this, one must evaluate how and why his image has become a dominant face of contemporary popular culture, as well as the face of marketisation. Different historians have produced varying answers to the specific question. In the thesis, the strength of these claims is explored in an attempt to resolve the issue of whether Guevara succeeded or not, but the sources themselves their motivation, influences and perspective are also explored to ensure that the different historical perspectives are not simply described, but evaluated. This focus question is resultantly a mix of history and historiography. Project Essay Ernesto Che Guevara remains a potent iconic presence in society, with his life the subject of new biographies, his visage on T-shirts, and his highly-regarded influence in the political spectrum. The Argentinean-born guerilla leader who helped Fidel Castro seize power in Cuba in 1959 remains one of the few unsullied heroes available to the political left. His thoughts (as evidenced in his book, Guerilla Warfare) on revolutionary strategy, bureaucracy, education, economics, the role of the party, internationalism, attitude to work and democratic centralism have been regarded as the force behind the Latin-American Revolutions. Guevara had an indomitable belief in the worth of education and was self-taught in economics and Marxism. Marxs concept that it is not enough to interpret the world, it must be transformed was at the heart of Guevaras life. Guevara strongly believed that key analytical concepts must be adapted and modified by practice. Guevara felt that the struggle against capitalism and the construction of a new socialist society required a new type of human being who would be willing to make personal sacrifices for the well-being of others. Historian Richard Harris states, His life as a revolutionary was a success as evidenced by the continuing significance he holds in the pantheon of international revolutionary heroes and ideals. The example he set of complete commitment to the revolutionary struggle to create a new man, freed from his alienation, educated and ready to struggle every day for his liberty and a just social/international order continues to inspire those who struggle against social injustice and oppression and seek to create a new social order based on the ideals of socialism. In this context, Che has in death succeeded more than he ever could have imagined. Historian Siles del Valle argues rather convincingly that Guevaras views on the new man motivated him, his comrades and the young Bolivian rev olutionaries who followed in their footsteps a few years later to sacrifice their lives for a new society and a new kind of human being. Many of the adherents of this theology of the new man established close links with popular revolutionary movements throughout the region. In Bolivia, after the failure of Guerillas guerilla movement, and in other countries such as Chile, Brazil and Peru, the most progressive sectors of the church, influenced by the ideals of liberation theology, associated themselves with Marxist and neo-Marxist revolutionary movements. In Bolivia, this tendency resulted in the participation of certain younger members of the Christian Democratic Party in a revolutionary guerilla movement that attempted to establish a base of operations in 1970 around the mining town of Teoponte, north of the capital of La Paz. Although the idea of guerilla warfare was no longer accepted as a viable form of resistance to the military regime at the time, important elements within the Bolivian people began to idealize and even venerate the guerillas. Historian Siles de Valle illustrates the importance of how Guevaras death, his concept of the new man, the ideals of liberation theology, and the political movements inspired by Guevaras example have influenced Bolivian popular literature and politics right up to the present. This influence is evident in that the first indigenous president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, is said to be re-launching Guevaras project of a peasants revolution in the country. Morales stated that he admires Guevara because, he fought for equality and for justice. He did not just care for ordinary people; he made their struggle his own. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere affairs, Roger Pardo-Maurer IV, states, You have a revolution going on in Bolivia, a revolution that potentially could have consequences as far-reaching as the Cuban revolution of 1959. What is going on in Bolivia today could have repercussions in Latin America and elsewhere that you could be dealing with for the rest of your lives. Che Guevara sought to ignite a war based on igniting a peasant revolutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This project is back. Herewith, Evo Morales could become the countrys first authentically politically leftist president. In contrast, Historian Jay Mallin provides the argument that Guevaras influence was ineffective in Bolivia. He states that, charisma is never enough when it comes to leftist movements. The fate of Che Guevara, who failed to foment a Latin American revolution and left no coherent societal model behind for his followers, should have taught us that already. Mallin also believes that Guevara had no purpose to be in Bolivia. Mallin affirms that, the peasants displayed little or no interest in aiding him [Guevara]. During the 1950s, Bolivia had undertaken agrarian reform, and most of the peasants now owned their own land. A high-ranking Bolivian official commented: What could Che offer them? Cabinet posts? Mallins comment indicates that although Guevara was attempting to eradicate the alienation of the individuals on behalf of the population, the peasant majority perceived him as worthless as they had already been benefiting from the capitalists agrarian reform schemes. Mallin considers Guevara to be a failure due to the fact that he was a leading theoretician and advocate of guerilla warfare, but he failed in an attempt to apply his own doctrines. Since Castro came to power in 1959, he and Guevara had launched or encouraged more than a dozen guerilla operations throughout Latin America. Not one of these has succeeded in overthrowing a government; several have been wiped out completely; and some still splutter along. Although much criticism of Guevara and his legacy emanates from the political center and right, there has also been criticism from other political groups such as anarchists and civil libertarians, Bolivian officials and right-wing conservatives, some of whom considered Guevara an authoritarian, anti-working-class Stalinist, whose goal was the creation of a more bureaucratic state-Stalinist regime. Mallins irrefutable argument is that Guevara was a man of considerable capabilities, but he chose to employ these talents in pursuit of violence as a means to a political end. A doctor by profession, Guevara chose not to serve humanity selflessly, but rather to serve communism selflessly. And this indeed he did, relinquishing power and position in order to begin, literally, from scratch once again, to risk his life a new time in obedience to his tortured ideas. Therefore, Guevara can be considered a failure when evaluating his legacy within a political context. Although his attempt at unifying the Latin American nations provided him with an iconic status, the contemporary effort by politicians to follow in Guevaras footsteps has been deemed unsuccessful (except for Cuba as it still survives and was a critical reason for the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961), especially with the Bolivian president Evo Morales, who has little hope of fulfilling the expectations of his followers. Called the most complete human being of our age by the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, Guevaras supporters believe he may yet prove to be the most important thinker and activist in Latin America since Simon Bolivar. The most important factor of Guevaras legacy after his death was his status as a popular icon, symbolizing revolution and left-wing political ideals among youngsters in Western and Middle Eastern Cultures. A dramatic photograph of Guevara taken by photographer Alberto Korda soon became one of the centurys most recognizable images, and the portrait was simplified and reproduced on a vast array of merchandise, such as T-shirts, posters, coffee mugs and baseball caps. When Guevara died, millions mourned his passing. Poets and philosophers wrote impassioned eulogies to him, musicians composed tributes, and painters rendered his portrait in a myriad of heroic poses. Marxist guerillas in Asia, Africa and Latin America anxious to revolutionize their societies held his banner aloft as they went into battle. And, as the youth in the United States and Western Europe rose up against the established order over the Vietnam War, racial prejudice, and social orthodoxy, Guevaras defiant visage became the ultimate icon of their fervent protest on influencing government policies. Guevaras body might have vanished, but his spirit has lived on; Guevara was nowhere and everywhere at once. As Jorge Castaneda so aptly states in his evaluation of Guevara, Many of us today owe the few attractive and redeeming features of our daily existence to the sixties, and Che Guevara personifies the era, if not the traits, better than anyone. Latin-American Historians Castaneda, Anderson and Taibo examine the extent to which Guevara was committed to both fomenting socialist revolution on a truly international scale and personally putting into practice his thesis that it was possible for a small but committed guerrilla fighting force to ignite a full-scale popular revolution in Latin-American nations saddled by oppressive regimes and U.S. imperialism. His commitment to these beliefs was shared by most of his closest friends and comrades as well as many admirers and sympathizers around the world. Guevara exemplified the principles of individual sacrifice, honesty, dedication to cause, and personal conviction in his beliefs. In fact, the example he created by the way he lived his life and met his death has transcended time and ideology to nurture and inspire new generations of fighters and dreamers. Guevaras defiant visage, as Anderson believes, has become the ultimate icon of revolutionary spirit and commitment in the late twentieth century. Guevara was truly a man who died for his beliefs, and because of his almost mythical self-sacrifice for his revolutionary ideals he has been the single most important figure of veneration for revolutionaries and guerilla fighters around the world. Historian Castaneda links Guevaras legacy to what he sees as the legacy of the international youth revolt that took place in the 1960s: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦This is the lasting legacy of that decade. It is also what made Guevara the perfect fit, the supreme emblem of that cultural revolt a man whose politics were conventional but whose attitude toward power and politics attained epic and unique dimensionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This component of Guevaras legacy can be evidenced through the increased involvement of the New Left youth revolts during the 1960s. The New Left sought to modify, rather than overthrow capitalism. It sought to make capitalism more inclusive and better share the massive wealth the United States enjoyed in the postwar period making the New Left relevant as this was a constituent of Guevaras ideologies. Castaneda supports his argument by stating that Che can be foundà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in the niches reserved for cultural icons, for symbols of social uprisings that filter down de ep into the soil of society, but while there is truth in this assertion it is also clear that Guevaras legacy is greater than this. Bolivian literature, as exemplified by Harris, is testimony to the influence on Bolivian society of Ches guerilla mission and death. Though he is seen by many as a hero, opponents of Guevara, including Cuban exiles, think of him as a killer and terrorist. They point to what they see as the less savoury aspects of Guevaras life, taking the viewpoint that he was enthusiastic about executing opponents of the Cuban Revolution. Some of Guevaras writing is cited as evidence of this tendency, as quoted in an article by Alvaro Vargas Llosa. In his Message to the Tricontinental, Llosa writes of hatred as an element of struggle; unbending hatred for the enemy, which pushes a human being beyond his natural limitations, making him into an effective, violent, selective, and cold-blooded killing machine. Critics in the United States assert that Che Guevara was responsible for the torture and execution of hundreds of people in Cuban prisons, and the murder of many more peasants in the regions controlled or visited by his guerilla forces. Contrary to Guevara supporters, these critics also argue that Guevara was a blundering tactician with no recorded combat victories. While supporters point to the Battle of Santa Clara as a major victory of Guevara, historian Alvaro Vargas Llosa writes, his greatest military achievement in the fight against Batista taking the city of Santa Clara after ambushing a train with heavy reinforcements is seriously disputed. Numerous testimonies indicate that the commander of the train surrendered in advance, perhaps after taking bribes. They believe that Guevara murdered individuals on dubious grounds and took their property, seized private manors for himself, and distributed property among communist bureaucrats rather than the peasants. The critics also st ate that he helped institute forced labour camps when communist volunteerism had failed. Herewith, his social legacy has proven to be notorious as early followers of Guevara have had to transcend hate in order to be attain freedom. A corresponding element of Guevaras legacy is his success and veneration within an economic context. Guevara believed that the revolutionary regime needed to promote the development among Cubas working class of a new communist consciousness based on moral rather than material incentives. He also believed strongly that the regime needed to adopt a centralised budgetary system for the equitable allocation of resources between different sectors of the economy in order to build socialism in Cubas corrupt and underdeveloped economy. He was vehemently opposed to what has today become the market strategy in the remaining few socialist countries marketisation, material incentives, and enterprise financial self-management. Anderson believes that Guevaras image is lionised by commercial profiteers around the world. Entrepreneurs have used and abused Guevaras visage in a variety of ways including ice-cream flavours, revolutionary tacos and is even the public face of Cuba in relation to tourism . Although Guevaras Marxist and economic ideologies were systematic and meticulous, he failed at managing the Cuban economy, as he oversaw the near-collapse of sugar production, the failure of industrialisation, and the introduction of rationing. In a broader sense, some critics, such as Che-Mart (author unknown), have merchandised their dislike of Guevara by marketing burlesque T-shirts at both Guevara and his supporters, casting aspersions, for example, on what they perceive as an irony. The irony can be evidenced in that Guevara was a motivated communist who lived the last years of his life as a revolutionary figure, in order to abolish American capitalism throughout Latin America, but is now one of capitalisms hottest selling images. The creator of Che-mart.com has written, Che has marketed his brand name brilliantly over the years, selling to specific niche in the market: young people who have no clue what Che has done or what he stands for. The cash continues to flow as most coll ege dorms world-wide are being adorned with his face. This comment eradicates Guevaras initial purpose and ideals of a world free of capitalism. Herewith, Guevaras legacy in an economic context is an ironic one, as what he fought against for so many years has allowed market oligopolies to take advantage and use his well-known visage to achieve what entrepreneurs love most: large profit margins from effective market capitalism. The complex facets of Che Guevaras revolutionary movement have created a mixture of interpretations through the passage of time, causing a distortion in the Guevara legend. He is singled out from other revolutionaries by many young people in the West because he rejected a comfortable bourgeois background to fight for those who were deprived of political power and economic stability. However, as evidenced in the thesis, Guevara was unsuccessful in his fight against peasant exploitation and Western capitalism. It is for this reason that Guevaras legacy is considered as rather disproportionate and can be regarded as a failure, when evaluating his political and economic success as a revolutionary. Paradoxically, Guevara can be considered a success as he has become a popular symbol while his image is too often dissociated from the philosophy that built it. It is the vulnerability of Guevaras spirit that makes him a contemporary hero although he might have failed as a revolutionary, he ha s somehow retained a powerful hold on the popular imagination, seeming to transcend time and place; his legacy continues to influence not only those who were inspired by him then but also those who are discovering him today.

Regional Integration for and Against Article-EU Essay

With all complex political and economic ventures there are pros and cons. Regional integration is no different and has many benefits and risks. In order for one to gain a better understanding of the issue, it is necessary to examine both the advantages and disadvantages of regional integration. In this paper I will look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of regional integration in the European Union. I will also discuss the economic stages and growth of France and Austria. The European Union (EU) was created in the late 1950’s to bring about peace, equality, and the value of human rights. It has grown into one of the strongest regional groups in the world and has acquired a total of 27 members. With these values at the helm of the European Union’s work its membership has grown. Many countries flock to join the EU because of its numerous benefits. These benefits validate the formation of regional integration as an effective means to achieve peace, security, and prosperity. There are many economic advantages of regional integration. It can produce bigger markets with more trading opportunities, while boosting competition and reducing prices for consumers. It has also been shown that integration introduces higher levels of domestic and foreign investment. EU has advanced by introducing common currency-Euros. The presence of a common currency is a benefit to consumers because some of the transaction costs are reduced. When members of EU trade there is not a need to buy or sell foreign currencies; therefore the losses of exchange is removed due to regional integration. In this situation firms are able to pass on their savings to consumers by reducing their prices. Trading generates a lot of wealth which helps European Union give its citizens a better life and future. The EU works to achieve fair trade and wants to ensure that its partners in developing countries can join their system. With the formation of the regional organization, firms are able to have greater and easier access to the markets of other members. This increases market size and allows firms to enjoy higher potential profits. Firms also  are able to have greater access to resources from other member’s states. This has been said to lower costs of inputs to allow them to increase their profits as well. Regional integration also allows firms to expand and increase profits and when profits and output increase, this will assist to promote economic growth in the country and the region. With regional integration member states have the support of other member states and this increases investors’ confidence in the region. With more confidence in a region investors are willing and able to invest in EU with confidence. All of these things will help EU to achieve its goal, promote growth and increase standard of living across the entire region. Austria and its economy greatly benefited after entry into the EU in the late 1990’s but with this interdependency Austria has become vulnerable to financial instability. A few of the banks there required assistance from the government such as nationaliz ation. In an effort to strengthen banking groups Austria National Bank came up with a system of measures and moved up implementation of the Basel III rules. They will continue to restructure and encourage greater labor flexibility and increase participation of labor to offset many of its problems. France came up with a series of economic plans that would provide a growing governmental direction of the economy. Some of their plans included an expansion of their basic sectors which exceeded the goals they set. Another plan was to create monetary stability and balance foreign payments. This increased production by 20% and brought forth a major economic expansion. France faced poor growth, lowered public finances, and elevated unemployment before joining the EU. After joining France moved into liberalization. Large shares of utilities and telecommunications were privatized. In spite of the European Union (EU) being most influential regional in the world many countries aren’t interested in joining. This is largely due to the disadvantages of regional integration. One disadvantage to regional integration would be the loss of sovereignty . To establish integration member nations are made to give up their sovereignty to a regional parliament, council, or other body. This body will have authority and make decisions that may affect every member. Regional integration also makes it hard for national governments to issues and carries out policies based on what they need. These policies which may be beneficial to one member could hinder the economies of other member nations. (Alfredo, D.  2011) In regional integration members enjoy lower tariffs for trade but this could result in an unfair comparative advantage over non-member states. This would mean countries are no longer able to trade based on their comparative advantage because of the discriminatory tariffs and barriers that EU practices. When countries are unable to trade according to their comparative advantage, production is less efficient and they will no longer reap the benefits of free trade such as higher world output and lower prices. Even though it has been argued that regional integration allows firms to gain greater access to markets of other member states and thus enjoy higher potential profits. Regional integration also exposes firms to greater competition from firms of other member states as well. Failure to compete with firms may cause local firms to close down. This will increase unemployment rate in the country. (Advantages & Disadvantages.2010) After reading this paper it appears evident that regional integration brings member nations together in times of prosperity and times of difficulty. The advantages and disadvantages discussed in this paper can each be seen as beneficial, harmful, or neutral, depending on what is going on in the world economy and the domestic situation of member nations. References Advantages & Disadvantages. Retrieved April 18, 2010 from: http://library.thinkquest.org/19110/english/advantag/advantag.html Alfredo, D. 2011. Advantages & Disadvantages of Regional Integration. Updated on May 21, 2011 http://www.ehow.com/info_8461841_advantages-disadvantages-regional-integration.html

What Are the Visual Arts

The visual arts are those creations that we can see rather than something like the auditory arts, which we hear. These art forms are extremely diverse, from the artwork that hangs on your wall to the movie you watched last night. What Types of Art Are Visual Arts? The visual arts include mediums such as drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, film, and printmaking. Many of these pieces of art are created to stimulate us through a visual experience. When we look at them, they often provoke a feeling of some sort. Within the visual arts is a category known as the decorative arts, or craft. This is art that is more utilitarian and has a function but retains an artistic style and still requires talent to create. The decorative arts include ceramics, furniture making, textiles, interior design, jewelry making, metal crafting, and woodworking. What Are The Arts? The arts, as a term, has an interesting history. During the Middle Ages, the arts were scholarly, limited to seven categories, and did not involve creating anything for people to look at. They were grammar, rhetoric, dialectic logic, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. To further confuse matters, these seven arts were known as the fine arts, in order to distinguish them from the useful arts because only fine people—those who did not do manual labor—studied them. Presumably, the useful arts people were too busy being useful to require an education. At some point in the ensuing centuries, people realized there was a difference between a science and an art. The phrase fine arts came to mean anything that had been created to please the senses. After losing the sciences, the list then included music, dance, opera, and literature, as well as what we think of as the visual arts: painting, sculpture, architecture, and the decorative arts. That list of fine arts got a little long for some. During the 20th century, the fine arts were split up into further categories. LiteratureVisual arts (e.g., painting, sculpture)Auditory arts (e.g., music, radio drama)Performance arts (can combine the other categories of arts, but they are performed live, such as theater and dance. Note the plural to distinguish it from performance art, which is performed art that is not theater.) Visual arts can also be subdivided into graphic arts (those done on a flat surface) and plastic arts (e.g., sculpture). What Makes Art Fine? Within the world of the visual arts, people still make distinctions between fine art and everything else. It really does get confusing, and it can change, depending on who youre speaking with. For instance, painting and sculpture are almost automatically classified as fine arts. The decorative arts, which are at times exhibit a finer nature and craftsmanship than some fine arts, are not called fine. Additionally, visual artists sometimes refer to themselves (or are referred to by others) as fine artists, as opposed to commercial artists. However, some commercial art is really wonderful—even fine, some would say. Because an artist needs to sell art in order to remain a working artist, a strong argument could be made that most art is commercial. Instead, the category of commercial art is typically reserved for art created to sell something else, such as for an advertisement. This is exactly the kind of wording that puts many people off of art. It would really simplify matters if we could all just stick with visual, auditory, performance, or literary when we speak of the arts and eliminate fine altogether, but thats now how the art world sees it.

First Amendment - Text, Origins, and Meaning