Poverty in America Government Welfare Programs are the...

Abstract Poverty effected many individual families around the world for many years, and it wasn’t until 1935, The Social Security Act was passed, therefore assisting many families in need. The effects of poverty is an extraordinarily obscure social experience, and the finding those causes is very similar. As a result, sociologists considered other theories of poverty, such as the journey of the middle class, employers, from the cities into the suburbs. The government has taken many steps over the years to put an end to or decrease welfare assistance. Although, the welfare system is extremely important to millions of people, it has been an underlying problem for many others causing idleness and laziness. There are many pros and cons to†¦show more content†¦This act set up local parishes that were responsible for taking care of the poor in their own district. However, the government provided no funds to facilitate this program?the parishes were responsible for levying and collec ting taxes to finance their programs. Though it would be considered a very primitive form of welfare by today?s standards, it was a large step toward government-mediated welfare compared to the English system 250 years before that. In 1349, Parliament forbade charity on the grounds that it might encourage laziness. Since then, public attitudes have changed about the responsibility of the citizens and the government to provide for the assistance of the needy. Limited federal assistance was given to war veterans and their families beginning during the Civil War, but large scale assistance to the general needy community was not available for almost 75 more years (Komisar 48). A large contribution toward the assistance of the poor in the United States came during the Progressive movement around the turn of the century. Activist groups championed not only workers rights in the form of unions, but also the right of every citizen to have access to decent living conditions (Komisar 67). The Progressive movement slackened during the prosperous ?20s, but the social welfare issue was forcefully placed back into the public consciousness with the advent ofShow MoreRelatedWhy Does Poverty Still Exist Among Black Americans? Essay1359 Words   |  6 Pagesdoes poverty still exist among Black Americans? 2016 FA.Soc.220.02 Social Problems Kesha Hicks â€Æ' â€Å"The United States has the highest poverty rate of any advance industrial nation† (Elizabetha, 2013). For many years, black people have considered to be the poorest race in the United states. There have been many government programs put in place to help poverty among black Americans. Such as welfare, unemployment, and Medicaid just to name a few. The question is, with so many government programs, whyRead More Politics and Poverty Essay1237 Words   |  5 PagesPolitics and Poverty Today there is a split in American politics on how to combat poverty. Throughout history, how America combats poverty has changed depending on what party is running the government. There has been a number of different parties however, Republican, Democrat, The Bull Moose Party, and other various ones. However, these views can be put into two main categories: The Liberal ideology and the Conservative ideology. There are three areas, which have broad and differing views on howRead MorePoverty in America Essay1197 Words   |  5 Pages Everyone knows what the word poverty means. It means poor, unable to buy the necessities to survive in todays world. We do not realize how easy it is for a person to fall into poverty: A lost job, a sudden illness, a death in the family or the endless cycle of being born into poverty and not knowing how to overcome it. There are so many children in poverty and a familys structure can effect the outcome. Most of the people who are at the poverty level need some type of help to overcomeRead MoreWelfare Of The United States1351 Words   |  6 PagesWelfare Research paper Since the dawn of the United States, our nation’s government has committed to helping its people to advance society and its general welfare. As early as 1785, America’s federal government reserved lands in the Articles of Confederation that would be set aside for the placement of schools and other establishments for the public domain. In 1789 the federal government acquired the responsibility of providing pensions to disabled veterans of the Revolutionary War. Later thatRead MoreCombating Poverty in America: Time For a Change1134 Words   |  5 PagesPresident Johnson is well known for making major policy reform in order to combat poverty. Welfare, a social program designed to combat poverty, has been a controversial issue for many years and has been reformed under the Clinton and Bush administrations. In 1996 President Bill Clinton brought welfare reform to congress with help from the Republican Party. Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole led the reform action. President Clinton vetoed the first two bills presented, but later proposed a third versionRead MoreWelfare Of The United States998 Words   |  4 PagesWelfare is a subject of debate in the United States because everyone has a different point of view when it comes to the Social Security Act. On one side the rich may feel that the government takes from the rich, and gives to the poor. The poor on the other hand may believe that they are being forgotten and not helped enough by the government. Are the government financial assistance programs really working and helping people climb out of poverty or are they creating lazy people who depend on governmentRead MoreWelfare and Pogressive Tax Rates Essay example1588 Words   |  7 Pagespeople on all spectrums of society so I believe that the United States should adopt certain aspects of a welfare state similar to the Europeans and also have more progressive tax rates. I believe that universal health care and education are essential parts in a wel fare state while some other programs like unemployment benefits are not as important. First I will first explain why the government has a moral responsibility to help the people they govern. Next, how the European healthcare system is muchRead MorePoverty, Social Security, and Conspiracy Theories1103 Words   |  4 PagesQuestions: Poverty, Social Security and Conspiracy Theories 1.Why are there still poor people in America half a century after the implementation of a system of social welfare programs that were designed to end poverty? In the 1960s there was a major effort to address the problem of poverty in America. The most significant component was called Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). AFDC was passed in last period of vigorous liberal reforms in the 20th century. By the 1980s welfare programsRead MoreThe Social Policy Welfare Programs1343 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscusses and compares the social policy welfare programs in the United States and Europe and how each country approaches the issue. In particularly, Russell explains how poverty is measured, poverty reduction, and the politics of poverty reduction. Research shows that poverty has been a social problem for over five decades in America. During the 1960’s, the issue of poverty was first identified as a social problem and countless efforts have been made to eradicate poverty in the United States. In 1964, theRead MoreHow Welfare Has Changed From The Colonial Period862 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant to discuss the history of the eme rgence of this social problem. I will discuss the essence of poverty as a social problem and how that has affected how welfare is distributed among single mothers. Some factors that contributed to this social problem are the economy and he increasing amount of people who lived in poverty. The government felt that it was necessary to be proactive about the growing issue of poverty. The government was also taking a look at how money was being spent and how that

IT For Fast Fashion free essay sample

Spanish Inditex’s most successful retail clothing store Zara is known all across the world for its trendy apparel (Mcafee, Dessain, Sjoman, 2004). The company has been very successful throughout the years but management has recently decided that the IT infrastructure may need updating. The store currently runs off of a POS system supported by DOS, which has not been supported by Microsoft for several years (Ferdows, Lewis, Machuca, 2004). The POS system has been working flawlessly for many years, however, management is worried that the hardware vendor for the POS machines will stop providing this outdated machines (Ferdows et al., 2004). The purpose of this paper is for Salgado, the head of the technical department at Inditex, to analyze whether Zara should keep the system that has worked well for so long, or to upgrade it to a newer technology with more advanced features. The issues surrounding the DOS system, dial-up modem, networking abilities, manual inventory system, and handheld computers will be discussed in detail. Out of the alternatives and options examined, I will make recommendations to the company in favor of updating the POS system to Windows, as well as set an implementation plan for how they can rollout this project. Monitors and controls will be decided on how the project will be evaluated. Introduction Zara, Inditex’s most successful retail clothing store has come to a crossroads in regards to its IT infrastructure (Mcafee et al. , 2004). The company is headquartered in La Coruna, Spain (Mcafee et al. , 2004). There are 650 Zara stores across 50 countries (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara’s marketing task is focused on customer’s responsiveness to demand supplying small batches of clothing within three weeks of the emergence of the fashion trend (Mcafee et al. , 2004). This allows them to rely on their loyal customers to frequently visit their stores (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara’s competition includes The Gap, Benettons, and HM (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara manufactures it’s clothing to be worn a few times and prices are fairly affordable (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara does not use a heavily advertised business model, as they only spend 0. 3% of sales on marketing and advertising (Mcafee et al. , 2004). Zara’s uses a vertically integrated business model to produce trendy women’s, men’s, and children’s fashions and quick and efficient as possible (Ferdows et al., 2004). They own most of the manufacturing and distribution part of the supply chain, as well as developed all of the software related to their IT department (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Zara’s management uses a decentralized decision making strategy. A group within the company, called â€Å"Commercials† find the latest styles and decide what clothes to manufacture, and store managers decide what clothes they will sell in their stores (Mcafee et al. , 2004). The current IT infrastructure is run off of a POS (point of sale) system developed by Salgado, the head of IT for Inditex (Ferdows et al. , 2004). The system is run off of a DOS program, which Microsoft has not supported for many years (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Although the program has worked well for many years, the company is afraid that the hardware vendor for the POS system will stop providing this outdated technology and the company will be left without a POS system (Ferdows et al. , 2004). In the below analysis, Salgado will analyze the facts and come to a decision whether to upgrade the current computing infrastructure. Issue Identification The following issues dealing with Zara’s point-of-sale system will be discussed: 1)DOS system 2)Dial-Up Modem3)Networking Abilities. Manual inventory system 5)Handheld Computers Environmental and Root Case Analysis DOS System Our current POS system, supported by a DOS operating system, presents an issue as DOS has not been supported by Microsoft since 2003 (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Therefore, all new computer systems are not compatible with DOS. Zara’s hardware vendor could stop supplying the DOS compatible POS systems at anytime. The current program operating under DOS was written by myself and has worked so well for us for many years, as new stores do not need any training on it, and have not had any issues with it. We designed the program specifically to our wants and needs. However, some new features could be helpful. For example, the current POS program does not automatically track daily sales (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Getting a new operating system is urgent because POS systems are essential for business and there is uncertainty in how long the current system will be available for. The cost for new POS terminals at each store is â‚ ¬5,000 (Ferdows et al. , 2004). A Windows operating system for the new POS terminal would be a one time fee of â‚ ¬140 per computer and an annual maintenance fee of â‚ ¬30 per computer (Ferdows et al., 2004). It will take 32 hours per store and cost â‚ ¬2,000 per day to install the new programming to the new POS system and train the staff on how to use it (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Dial Up Modem Our current IT infrastructures in our various Zara stores are supported by dial-up modems (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Dial-up modems create problems, as only one computer in each store is able to connect to the Internet to communicate sales and orders with our headquarters (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Also, computers are not able to connect simultaneous to each other across a store. Store managers have to use a floppy disk to transfer information between computers (Ferdows et al. , 2004). This is a very outdated technology and this upgrade is inevitable. This is a more urgent requirement as this type of Internet connection is limiting our ability to conduct business. The cost per store for wireless Internet is a one time fee of â‚ ¬430, in addition to â‚ ¬240 annually (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Networking Abilities Another issue we have with our current IT infrastructure is that we don’t have ideal networking abilities. For example, our Zara store sales information is not sent to headquarters until the end of the day when managers manually transfer information to the only computer hooked up to the dial-up Internet (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Store-to-store networking is also non-existent, as Zara stores have to call each other to see if another store has a certain product (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Inventory transfers and returns to headquarters would be simplified with wireless Internet. Since management views communication between different functions as a vital part of business, this is considered as a priority upgrade. Once each POS terminal is connected to wireless Internet, it should be easy to get much better networking abilities without an added cost. Manual Inventory System Zara currently operates under a manual inventory system. This means that store managers have to physically walk around the store to get an understanding of what items are on the shelves (Ferdows et al. , 2004). This is time consuming for the store manager when they are conducting product orders and it doesn’t allow them to see what a popular seller is. Finding out what were popular selling items means having to talk to the salespeople to see what they sold most of. Part of this new inventory system should include a system for showing a more accurate total of inventory, compared to the theoretical inventory method they currently use. Inventory should also be constantly available for the headquarters to see. This is not an urgent requirement and can get done whenever the new operating system is working properly. The cost of programming the new inventory system is â‚ ¬450 per day and it will take roughly 5,000 hours total (Ferdows et al., 2004). Handheld Computers (PDA’s) Our store managers use small handheld computers (PDA’s) to see what new clothing the commercials are offering, and use these to also order new shipments (Ferdows et al. , 2004). These PDA’s are also used to handle garment returns to the headquarters. The negative thing about these PDA’s is that they are not connected to the POS system or the headquarters. Store managers also complain about the small screens and how the PDA’s are constantly being discontinued or replaced because of technical advances (Ferdows et al. , 2004). Even though this creates a hassle for our employees, this is not as urgent of a problem as we are still able to conduct business with the PDA’s. Upgrading our POS system would also require us to incorporate the ordering system onto the new operating system so that we no longer require PDA’s. Once the new operating system is installed, there are no additional costs to adding the functionality of the ordering process. There will actually be saving benefits, as PDA’s will no longer be required. Alternatives and Options OptionProConAlternative Keep the DOS POS systemReliable, Cost efficient, No training  required Obsolete technology, risk with hardware vendor, Limited functionsUpgrade to new POS system Purchase extra POS terminals supported by DOSGain extra time to make a decisionInvesting more money in technology that is obsoleteKeep the DOS POS systems as the hardware vendor assured us that they will not discontinue them Upgrade all POS terminals and transfer to Windows operating systemCan add more functionality to software, more communication, same system other stores rely onExpensive (â‚ ¬13,000 per store), Not as many personalized functions, Have to train staff on new system (â‚ ¬2,000/store) (Ferdows et al., 2004). Develop own software Develop a new operating system software using their IT knowledgeCan customize to suit Zara’s needsTime and labor consuming, limited to IT department’s knowledgePurchase already created operating system Recommendations From the above analysis, it is clear that it is time for Zara to upgrade its POS terminals and operating system. It is inevitable that the hardware vendor will at some time stop providing Inditex with the DOS operating POS system, and it would not be logical to continue investing in this technology if it is only short lived. The new POS operating system should be outsourced to a well-known system, such as Windows, because my knowledge and the rest of the IT department’s knowledge may be limited. Thousands of other stores currently use a Windows operating system and have no problems with it. The new functionalities that can be added will greatly improve the efficiencies of the business. Such functionalities include an automatic inventory system, daily sales and trends per store easily accessible by headquarters, product ordering, and communication to headquarters and between stores. This rollout will be mostly conducted by Inditex’s IT department and support staff. A pilot store will first test the technology and give feedback on how it is working for them. IT support staff will then train all store managers on the new POS system and begin to transfer all inventory data. The rollout of the new POS terminals and system will be conducted during slower retail shopping season and PDA’s will be phased out.   After each Zara store is set up with new POS terminals and operating systems, a post rollout assessment will be  conducted by IT support staff where the managers will give their input into how the transition went.

Sports Gambling free essay sample

Over the last 100 years there have been many great sports players such as Babe Ruth, Larry Bird, Bo Jackson, Tim Tebow and others. They all loved the games they played so much, and so have the fans. A nice and fun thing about sports is how fans can talk statistics, talk strategies and of course bet on the teams which they think could win. Many players, who have had a major impact on the sport they played, have gambled on games and have been banned from the sport which they play, and are debarred from the Hall of Fame. Gambling on the professional and collegiate levels by athletes should be permitted as long as it does not involve fixing games. Those who oppose allowing athletes to bet on sports argue that gambling on sports games can change the outcome of the game or result in players throwing games to win the bet. We will write a custom essay sample on Sports Gambling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There have been cases that have been proven in which players do in fact get caught. These players are fined heavily, and are prohibited from participating in their sport. However, in some cases players are never fully charged with what they have been accused of, but they are still banned from the sport. In Pete Rose’s case, Rose was accused of gambling on games he did not play in, but he was never found guilty of gambling on his own games. According to the Dowd Report itself, no evidence was discovered that Rose bet against the Reds. (Wikipedia). He was still banned from all of Major League Baseball and most importantly, the Hall of Fame. Secondly, most people that gamble do it for the fun of it, especially athletes. These people get a thrill, an excitement, a gambling high. They find this activity entertaining. The rush they get when they win, the sorrow when they lose. Athletes use it as a stress reliever. It helps with the stress of their games and stress of the season. As Danny Sheriden said, a writer for greenhaven press, â€Å"betting is a widely accepted form of recreation in this country and has been an integral part of our history. † Next, it gives gambling athletes a nice profit. Since they make a lot of money, their wages are higher than most. When they win, the money in return is greatly increased. The gamblers know about the risk and are ready for a loss, but the return definitely makes up for it. Professional organizations such as Major League Baseball, the National Football League and the National Basketball Association should allow athletes to gamble, but control the bets and set up rules for gambling. If the organizations are in control, games will not be thrown. This way, games will never be fixed.

Brown v Board of Education essays

Brown v Board of Education essays Analysis of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka On June 7, 1892 a man named Homer Adolph Plessy was arrested and jailed for refusing to leave the White section of an East Louisiana Railroad train. Although Plessy was only one-eighths black, under Louisiana law he was considered black and, therefore, required to sit in the Colored section. The punishment for breaking this law, the Separate Car Act, was a fine of twenty-five dollars or twenty days in jail. Plessy went to court and argued, in Homer Adolph Plessy v. The State of Louisiana, that the Separate Car Act violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution. The judge hearing the case was John Howard Ferguson, who had recently ruled that the Separate Car Act was unconstitutional if the train was traveling through different states. However, in Plessys case, he decided that the state had the right to segregate the trains that operated in Louisiana only. Therefore, Plessy was found guilty. He, then, appealed to the Supreme Court of Louisiana, which uphe ld Fergusons decision. In 1896, the Supreme Court of the United States heard the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. Once again, Fergusons decision was upheld and Plessy was found guilty. The Supreme Court decided that the Separate Car Act did not violate the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery. This was too obvious for argument. They, also, decided that it did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment, which made the two races absolutely equal in the eyes of the law. It was decided that there was no violation of the constitution to separate the two races as long as they were equal (Cozzens). An eight-person majority decided the case, and the only Judge to disagree was Justice John Harlan who seemed to predict the future when he wrote: Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In respect of civil rights, all citiz...

Mandatory Voting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mandatory Voting - Essay Example While the current electoral system is not producing a high percentage of citizens voting, the alternatives - to levy incentives or penalties or lower the voting age - do not address the core problems. The American voting process is a well-thought out plan that works, however voter turnout will not increase until citizens relate the importance to their own well-being and lowering the voting age would not help; conversely the institution of an "apathy tax" as penalty for not voting could be effective. As Miller states, the current electoral system in the United States is working just as it should. However, there is no doubt that with the current system, voter turnout has been poor. One of the main reasons for this is that citizens do not view voting as being in their own best interests. They reason that there is nothing tangible realized from voting; no strong motive to do so, and consequently, they do nothing. This is, according to John Dean, columnist for Findlaw.com and former counsel to the President of the United States in his 2003 article "Is It Time to Consider Mandatory Voting Laws", a national disgrace, and rightly so. Generation after generation, the percentage of citizens voting declines. It is critical to note that without a standard in addition to the established voting system, the present problems and issues keeping citizens from the polls will continue. Voters must be prodded in a way which appeals to their sense of obligation to society in order to become properly registered and exercise their right to vote. Citizens must remember there is a social contract with their government which loses its legitimacy if they do not vote. When voters are lax about upholding their end of the agreement, it becomes imperative to look more closely at the role of government and whether the electoral process is focused on the results at the polls or what is the best process for electing the country's leader. It will take a concerted effort to convince citizens to forgo their natural apathy and do what is best for the democratic system of the United States, however, it is not the system itself which must be reformed. Lowering the legal voting age has been proposed by some but to do so would be ineffective in ensuring mature, informed votes. Citizens younger than 18 are not mature enough, nor have they sufficient experience to make an informed voting decision; many would simply vote in tandem with their parents or other influential adults without the ability to use their own critical judgment. However, targeting 18-year-old voters would be very beneficial, as Democrat Joe Coto proposes, according to the 2007 Sacramento Bee article by Jim Sanders, "Register to Vote, Get Diploma". Coto has recently authored a bill, AB 183, which would induce young people to register to vote or be penalized by not receiving their high school diploma. In this way, the message becomes clear that our political system requires citizens "to keep

Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Capital - Essay Example The results of the strategy are dependent of the performance of the companies. Basically, the concept of capital gearing is designed to provide competitive advantage and to provide long-term benefits to the consumers. Actually, the proposal of the board of directors appears to be right. Capital gearing is an instrument that tends to decrease the cost of capital. Simple computations will suggest that gearing is increased in three ways: increase in net assets, decrease net borrowings, and decrease shareholder funds. Cost of capital is reduced by minimising issuance of stocks and issuance of borrowings. In addition, not venturing to internal financing also maintains the level of capital cost. Theoretically, the proposal is sound because capital gearing will definitely decrease the value of capital. Basically, it will depend on the strategy of the firm on which item to concentrate. The notion provides an interesting subject that has to be analysed before the gearing is finally approved. Actually, the board of directors failed to notice an important component of the equation. The corporate tax was secluded for the computation. Thus, the calculation has to be corrected by inserting the missing part of the equation. The increase in gearing has resulted to a decrease total capital by 1%. Ignoring the importance of the corporate tax was crucial in the actual results. Despite of the minimal change in the results, the managers was still right in doubting the computations. The small change in the decrease in cost of capital was favourable for the company. The impact of the decrease will be observed in the benefits provided to all stakeholders, in particular the investors. Assuming that the cost of equity and cost of debt do not alter, estimate the effect of the share repurchase on the company's cost of capital and value. Basically, this method of gearing will have more substantial effects to the cost of capital. As mentioned, gearing is possible when the assets of the company are greater than the debts and equity. Share repurchase will definitely affect the cost of equity. Perhaps this notion contradicts to the earlier statement that the equity cost retains its value. Even with the repurchase shares, the cost of capital will not affected. In the previous discussion, it was mentioned that internal financing also promotes gearing. By doing such, the company can use its earnings to repurchase the share. Basically, the company will not resort into borrowings and will not use the available equity as means to do the repurchase. The internal investment will have similar effects to the company in terms of the reduction of capital cost and benefits gained. Although, it is

A City On Civilizations

A City On Civilizations The purpose of this integration paper is to determine the impact of a city on civilizations. Cities have also been a changing factor during the course of time, and have improved the way we live today. When we compare the different types of cities, we can then determine the similarities and differences in various places and eras. Why are cities an essential part of civilization? Has urban life been the same in different civilizations over time? Why or why not? What accounts for the similarities and differences in various places and eras? To write a successful essay on these questions, you need to integrate material from each of the following chapters in our textbook: Chapters 3, 6, and 11. http://www.ancientcivilizations.co.uk/home_set.html Cities assumed the control and integration functions of the new political, economic, religious, and social systems. All cultural forms eventually became hierarchically organized. Class and caste societies based on political and religious status became the norm, replacing the older ranked societies of farming villages. Urbanization changed the way humans lived by going from a self sufficient village, to having jobs and becoming more industrialized. People started to leave villages and farms to live in cities.  Ã‚  A cause of this might have been the younger generation not having as much experience to start agriculture on their own, so they would rather obtain jobs in a more urbanized culture to gain the experience and then hopefully be able to maintain their own farm. The negative impacts that would arise from urbanization are increased costs over what the local working class receives in wages.  Ã‚  Laws were developed on how farms should be maintained, which in some instances would bankrupt farmers, because of high maintenance costs to abide by regulations.  Ã‚  This would cause people to have no choice but to end up as workers to support their household, meaning they might be required to move closer to the city to be near jobs, which would also add to the higher living expenses related to urbanization. When we think of urbanization, we can also relate it to archaeological traces of classical Athens and Rome, which did reveal some differences between what constitutes a city-state and an imperial capital city.   Reilly explains, big choices such as laws, decisions of war and peace, determination of how much money to collect and what to spend it on were determined by the mass assembly, which consisted of all citizens.   The town council was the one who prepared most of the issues, but the final judge was the assembly.   This seems to be the origin of politics, and development of a democratic society. Rome on the other hand was the opposite; it was considered a show place for power, according to Reilly.   The Greeks were more focused on attention to the quality of harbors and the fertility of the soil and occupied themselves with beauty and fortification, while the Romans concentrated on providing their cities with adequate water, streets, and sewers.   Most of these amenities were mainly for the rich though; everyone else had to figure out their own means of obtaining water, and utilizing sewage, which was mainly just tossing it out the window. Artwork and pictures also plays a role in the identity of a city, for example, pictures from classical Athens consisted of sculptors that were produced from ideal views, whereas the goal of Roman artifacts and pictures was to produce realistic portraits for decoration and symbolisms of power.   I found the pictures in the text book and the photos of ancient Athens in the lectures very telling.   The picture of Rome (Reilly p.142-143) shows a congested city and magnificent buildings.   Many of the buildings were built for entertainment purposes and could hold most of the people of Rome.   The buildings and entertainment were enough to blind you from the poorly built and cramped housing.   The photos in the lecture of ancient Athens and the Agora (www.stoa.org/athens) showed the importance placed on having a gathering place for all of societys functions.   Buying and selling commodities, and discussing politics, business and current events. The enduring architecture, engineering, and writings from the classical period of both civilizations work to reveal drastic differences in the political, social, and economic aspects of life between the cultures.   One is provided with insight into how the different peoples viewed different matters in varying respects. The enduring architecture of the great city-state of Athens is the primary indication of the participatory nature of the Greek city-state itself.   The remains of the acropolis, the agora, and the amphitheater are signs of a culture whose goal was the enrichment of human life, [which was made possible] by the polis (Reilly, 1997, p. 133).   The acropolis, which was the home of the Greek gods provided for religious relief; the agora served as the primary meeting place and market place of the people; and the amphitheater was the principal form of entertainment for Athenians.   Each form of architecture simply emphasizes the importance of citizen participation in every aspect of political, social, and economic Athenian life.   The engineering systems, water aqueducts, and the remnants of the Coliseum of the Roman imperial capital city are the primary indications of the non-participatory nature of the imperial capital city.   The luxury of the baths, palaces, and efficient sewage systems that were offered to the ruling classes were a far cry from the dirty, crowded, and disease-rampant tenements that characterized the lives of the Roman poor.   Moreover, the emphasis on gladiatorial violence, which took part in the Coliseum and the Circus Maximus, revealed that when a citys inhabitants no longer have any control over the life of the city, they must be entertained (Reilly, 1997, p. 144).   Clearly, Roman citizens had no participation in the running of the city, and thus, were kept entertained through violent games. There is definitely a difference between the city-state of Athens and the imperial capital city of Rome.   Ancient Athens was viewed as a democracy, where power was distributed to a larger population of the city.   Kevin Reilly states, In terms of technology, comforts, physical layout, and the lives of the inhabitants, Athens was not very far removed from the peasant village (Reilly p.130).   They led simple lives and had ample leisure time.   The Athenian amphitheatre was where hundreds of plays were watched, and even participated in, by members of the audience.   The Greek tragedies displayed human foibles, political policy and the eternal dramas of human life on stage for all to see (Reilly p.131).   The city-state made possible a relatively peaceful and fulfilling way of life.   The democratic nature of the polis was a key aspect of leading this good life. Although we may underestimate the houses of ancient Athens, they were built similar to each other and provided a decent living.   R.E. Wycherley states, Classical Greek houses were unpretentious, at least from the outside; they were hardly expected to make much contribution to the architectural beauty of the city (How the Greeks Built Cities, R.E. Wycherley 1949).   In contrast, ancient Rome put their efforts into elaborate Coliseums and amphitheatres and made no attempt to build decent housing for the less fortunate. Ancient Rome was the opposite of life in ancient Athens.   Rome was built with the intention only the wealthy would have a comfortable living.   The great sewer system did not extend to the houses of the poor, thus they were left to live with the stench of excrement.   The housing was cramped and congested which led to epidemic infestation and spontaneous combustion.   Romans were not offered participation in community affairs.   There was also a large separation between rich and poor.   Reilly contends, Class divisions between rich and poor, powerful and weak, were radically accelerated in the capital city, especially Rome (Reilly p.141).   The city had many diversions to ease the reality of life.   Romans would watch extravagant circuss (Circus Maximus) or head to the Coliseum for brutal gladiatorial exhibitions.   Romans were blood thirsty and hungry for entertainment.   This entertainment was the only way for most citizens to forget about their daily lives and the horrible living conditions.   Although the city had many engineering and technological marvels for this period, it was designed for the rich and powerful to enjoy. The main differences I have noticed between a city-state and an imperial capital city is how it is socially governed.   A city-state is controlled by the citizens, where decisions and laws are voted on by a mass assembly.   An imperial capital city, such as Rome, is controlled by an emperor or dictator, where the only decision made was by him; even though the emperor had a senate, they were only in place to advise the emperor. Kevin Reilly and the photographic archives both worked to reveal the key difference between the city-state and the imperial capital city of the classical world.   While the city-states were citizen-based and democratic, the imperial capital cities were more entertaining and economically focused. Overall the social changes that were taking place were not all negative, most societies benefited from urbanization, as far as profits that were being made.  Ã‚  It also leads to a more modernized way of living due to urban growth, and improved opportunities for jobs, housing, and transportation.