Modernization Of The Middle East - 1965 Words

At the start of the 18th century, Middle Eastern countries witnessed their Eastern neighbors being overtaken by Western Europe and were faced with a choice: to pick apart or to be picked apart. It was from this dilemma that defensive developmentalism emerged in the Middle East. Empires such as the Ottomans, Persia, Tunisia, and Egypt began the process of centralizing their authority in order to assert effective control over their populations. The chief goal of defensive developmentalism for these empires was to assert their autonomy, whether that be autonomy from the Ottomans in the case of Egypt and Tunisia, or from outside imperialists in the Ottoman Empire and Persia. In order to accomplish these goals, defensive developmentalists undertook extensive reforms to establish their empires as relevant worldwide powers. Defensive developmentalists adopted extensive reforms in order to accomplish their goal of asserting their autonomy over outside forces. As the chief worry for these empires was outside penetration, military restructuring became an essential aspect to their reform. A centralized, organized military gave empires the ability to do the picking apart, or at the very least prevent from being picked apart. These modern armies were built on the basis of population, which introduced the policy of conscription to the Middle East. Coupled with military restructuring was bureaucratic reform, or a shift from mediated to unmediated states. By centralizing their authority,Show MoreRelatedStony Brook 386774 Words   |  4 Pages2) What was the role of tribes in the rise and fall of dynasties in the Middle East according to Ibn Khaldun?- According to Ibn Khaldun the rise and fall of the dynasties in the middle east can be directly correlated to the different social structures that tribes would em brace. Which will lead to a better military structure. Compare and contrast the organization of the Arabian tribes with that of the Turko-mongolian tribes of inner asia? The Arabian and turk0- monoglian had some similaritiesRead MoreModern State Of Affairs : The Arab And Persian Worlds1257 Words   |  6 Pagesprocesses of modernization. The reasons for these changes were not always for the Westernization of the state but rather for the adoption of selected European innovations, however, judicial practices and environmental interactions during this era of transformation were thoroughly disrupted in what was a disorienting and tumultuous experience for the people of the Middle East. The continuous changes caused by modernity brought about a cultural renaissance that would see the people of the Middle East searchingRead MoreThe Economic Development Of The Middle East1565 Words   |  7 PagesThis economic modernization in the Middle East, could only be a short term success which does not guarantee the successful and stable economic devel opment of oil rich states and the region as a whole in the long term. The Middle East, despite its vast reserves of oil, is still considered a developing region due to the high reliance on oil revenues and rather weak production sector of the economy as well as due to some political factors such as lack of democracy, corruption, reluctance to the reformsRead MoreDoes Modernization Mean Westernization?662 Words   |  3 Pages The east and the west try to trump one and other as each hemisphere tries to maintain its culture and dominate the majority. Just as the fight to be modern king continues, the west and east continue to outdo each other in different aspects. The concept of modernization means an evolution from traditional society practices to modern social status. Modernization has brought transformation to societies that has been experienced thought the corse of history. The term modernization has unfortunatelyRead MoreWestern Culture And Policies That Have Shaped The Moder n World1523 Words   |  7 PagesWestern culture and policies have shaped the modern world, especially the Middle East, in many ways. Since the sixteenth century, the nations of Western civilization have been the driving wheels of modernization. Globalization is simply the spread of modern institutions and ideas from one high power to the wider world. Technological innovation and economic growth along with such concepts as democracy, individualism, and the rule of law administered by an impartial judiciary, set Western societiesRead MoreNationalist Movements of the Middle East and South Asia after WW11065 Words   |  5 PagesOne brought about vast changes to many parts of the world. Places like South Asia and the Middle East were able to see the need for self government away from foreign control. This sparked a number of nationalist movements during the 1920’s and 1930’s. The Middle East had to Westernize to rid foreign control while India had to be united under non -violence and Hindu values. Before WW1, the Middle East was dominated by outside powers. Egypt was under British control and Persia was divided inRead MoreThe Impact Of Modern Public Sphere On The Middle East1322 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the 19th century the Middle East found themselves with a problem of establishing an identity or nationalism. Through defensive developmentalism the Middle East had sought to counter the imperialistic approach of the West, yet still begin to modernize their land. The world was developing rapidly and the Middle East wanted to ensure that they did not fall behind. However, the approach backfired and the Middle East found themselves struggling to establish their own modern identity and fallingRead MoreSummary Of The Looming Tower By Lawrence Wright1574 Words   |  7 Pageson September 11, 2001. The text included the personal accounts of Osama bin Laden and other middle-eastern influences such as Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri (the most significant ideological frontrunner of al- Qaeda), Abdullah Azzam, Khallad, and Sayyid Qutb, along with western factors like, Daniel Coleman, Jack Cloonan, Patrick Fitzgerald, and John O’Neill. The choices made by those influencers in the Middle East, and in the west, during the 20th century created the climate in which the terrorist organizationRead MorePolitical Science : Islamic Modernism1166 Words   |  5 PagesEurope. This was the result of European trade missions during earlier centuries that had propagated Western technology and modernization. There was a large shift of power due to the declining Ottoman Empire, which led to an essential subordination of Muslims because of Western technology and modernization. This subjugation by Christian empires led Muslims of the Middle East to question their own beliefs as well as their aspirations, making many wonder whether the success of Western occupation wasRead MoreThe Role Of Role During The Middle Eastern Modernity953 Words   |  4 PagesName Tutor Name Date The Role Played by Europeans in Middle Eastern Modernity The term modernity is widely used to refer to various changes in cultural and social norms that occurred in post-medieval Europe. The concept includes different but interrelated historical and cultural events that impacted politics, human culture, and social institutions. In simple words, modernity can be referred to as the aspect of being up to date, usually characterized by a contemporary way of thinking or living. The

Jamaicas International Debt Crisis - 1805 Words

Jamaica’s economy has always been subject to forces beyond its control. Even after the country gained its independence in 1962 it has remained clear that Jamaica’s economic policies have been heavily coerced by western powers. This was the situation in of which, Michael Manley and the Peoples National Party (PNP) attempted to undo. However, despite a brief flirtation with social-democratic reform in the mid-1970s, Jamaica’s international debt proved to be too heavy a burden for Manley and the PNP to manage. This resulted in neoliberal backlash in 1980 led by Edward Seaga and the Jamaican Labour Party, who quickly realized that their neoliberal policies actually exacerbated the problem. Therefore the guiding determinant of Jamaican economic policy-making post-1970 seemed to be the need to manage the public debt within the existing socio-economic system, in a manner that is responsive to the needs of the public. The solution to the problem lies in a series of polic y reforms designed to increase the productive capacity of the region, the empowerment of the youth through education, and the unification of the people through the notion of collective struggle. Therefore, the future of Jamaica lies in systemically instilling nationalist sentiment in its people in hopes of coercing both economic and societal change. Chronologically speaking, to get to the solution of any problem we must start at the beginning; what caused Jamaica to fall into such a huge debt crisis in the firstShow MoreRelatedEconomic Analysis of Jamaica1663 Words   |  7 Pagestechnology telecommunications, manufacturing and the entertainment sector. Jamaica’s economy is presently very dependent on services, according to the CIA world fact book report of 2010, with it accounting for more than sixty (60%) of GDP. The country is also highly indebted and has a debt to GDP ratio of over 120%, indicating that based on Jamaica’s GDP it is extremely difficult for the country to pay off its increasing debt. Adding to this is the IMF loan agreement which Jamaica signed in 2010, withRead MoreAn Analysis of the International Monetary Fund in Jamaica795 Words   |  4 Pages|An Analysis of the International Monetary Fund in Jamaica | | | | | | | | Read MoreA Marxists Standpoint, International Economic Institutions1753 Words   |  8 Pages From a Marxist’s standpoint, international economic Institutions have no advantages whatsoever. Chimni argues that the growing international institutions constitute an imperial global state in the making (Chimni, 2004). Chimni explains that creating a global state fulfills the interests of a transnational capitalist class within the international realm at the expense of the social classes in the developing and underdeveloped countries (Chimni, 2004). Chimni criticizes the institutions’ calls forRead MoreThe Implementation Of Structural Adjustment Programs1169 Words   |  5 Pagesmeasures roused the ire of many in Quà ©bec, the concept is far from novel in Jamaica. Entering into its fourth decade of austerity policy, the island’s expenditures on debt repayments are double that of health and education combined. In respon se to the mounting global debt crisis of the late 1970s, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) set forth a series of prescriptions for developing countries in the form of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) upon which the receipt of foreignRead MoreJamaicss Economic Downfall1444 Words   |  6 PagesInitial Conditions Jamaica approached the International Monetary Fund in 1979 as a result of its chronic balance of payment issues. This problem was triggered chiefly by the oil crises of the mid-seventies and the bauxite industry’s declining revenues. As a result, producers cut production in response to a Government imposed ban on bauxite as a form of retaliation. The government then began borrowing at a rapid pace from the Central Bank and overseas institutions in an attempt to facilitateRead MoreEssay on The J-Curve Phenomenon in Jamaica: Fact or Fiction?950 Words   |  4 Pagesappears to overlook the long run consequences of a large accumulation of external liabilities. On the other hand, Gordon (2001) stated that an overvalued exchange rate led to the Jamaican productive sector having a disadvantage and also a negative international reserve. There was liberalization for trade and foreign exchange rate systems. In the year 1996/97 the government emphasized a tight monetary policy to reduce inflation as well as maintain a stable nominal exchange rate. This policy implementedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Documentary Life And Debt 984 Words   |  4 PagesINTST: Reaction Paper Life and Debt Troy Wefers October 1, 2015 In the documentary Life and Debt, it is explained through the stories of local people, the economic and social crisis of Jamaica. With Jamaica receiving mandatory loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1977 because of lack of alternatives, Jamaica was promised meaningful development. Unfortunately, this only made the situation worse because of the extreme policies and foreign economic agendas that came withRead More A Struggling Economy: Jamaica and U.S. Relations Essay4504 Words   |  19 Pagesinfluence on the Caribbean has been perpetuated by four American interests: 1) the encouragement of trade, 2) the protection of U.S. investments, 3)the formation of alliances to prevent intervention and 4) the promotion of regional support for U.S. international goals (Bayer, 39). In alignment with Bayer’s statement, many historians, politicians and economists alike have traced the history of the United States in the Postcolonial Caribbean and have shown how U.S. affairs through trade and policy have differedRead MoreEssay about Global Poverty1599 Words   |  7 Pagesunderprivileged, etc (Hope International, 1). But what causes this startling fact? How is it that as the years progress, so does the rate of poverty worldwide? Some argue that poverty is a choice, and others argue that it is involuntary. However, literature argues that poverty is a state that is brought onto an individual or group of people by another individual or group of people. Through Bahamian and Caribbean Literature, the scarcity of basic needs, third world debts, and barriers to opportunitiesRead MoreGlobalization- a Boon or a Curse for Developing Countries?3218 Words   |  13 Pagesbooks. So, when they devalued their currency, their imports were more expensive but nevertheless, they still had to import as Jamaica being a very small country, cannot provide for them. The foreign debt was 4 billion US dollars by end of 1980s, now it’s more than 7 billion US dollars. Jam aica’s debt is rising and in the mean time, their capacity to produce and export is getting lower and lower. Jamaica is a country dependent on agricultural sector and farming but with the devaluation of money and

Best Buy Analysis Free Essays

Best Buy Context Analysis Best Buy Co. , Inc. is a specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. We will write a custom essay sample on Best Buy Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now It also operates in Mexico, Canada, China, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The company’s subsidiaries include Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and in Canada operates under both the Best Buy and Future Shop label (Dual Branding). Together these operate more than 1,150 stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, China, Mexico, and Turkey. In addition, the company has rolled out over 100 Best Buy Express Automated Retail stores or â€Å"ZoomShops†, operated by Zoom Systems, in airports and malls around the U. S. The company’s corporate headquarters are located in Richfield, Minnesota. Best Buy was named â€Å"Company of the Year† by Forbes magazine in 2004, â€Å"Specialty Retailer of the Decade† by Discount Store News in 2001, ranked in the Top 10 of â€Å"America’s Most Generous Corporations† by Forbes magazine in 2005, and made Fortune magazine’s List of Most Admired Companies in 2006. On March 9, 2009, Best Buy became the primary electronics retail store (online and bricks and mortar) in the eastern United States, after smaller rival Circuit City went out of business. Fry’s Electronics remains a major competitor in the western United States. Many locations feature in-store pickup, which can be arranged through the company’s website. Climate Factors Political * Best Buy is engaged in various activities to promote the promotion of candidates and political organizations. The company complies with all the laws related to the political contributions and strives to contribute to the  parties that are interested in the well being of their industry (Best Buy, 2009). Economic * The economic slowdown has no doubt affected the business operations of Bust Buy Co. and they are facing consumer related challenges at every point in the market. * Due to these economic conditions, in 2008, Best Buy Co. asked its employee’s to separate from the company on volu ntary basis (ecoustics, 2008). This strategy allowed the company to settle down in the market to some extent. * Corporate partnership with CPW has helped the company to perform better in the adverse conditions of the economy and markets Social * Best Buy is engaged in effective social and community related initiatives. * It has developed Children’s Foundation that aims to support the local communities via its grant making programs. * It took an initiative to give power to teens to improve their relationship and educational status at school and for them to engage in their communities. The company gives grants and store donations to promote education. * Has partnered up with foundations like Admission Possible, AFI Screen Nation, America Scores, American Red Cross Society, Ashoka’s Youth Venture, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, among others. Technological * The company is highly equipped with the latest gadgets and the technology it requires to facilitate its customer base. * They are also using techn ologies like click stream on the websites to keep the anonymous track of their visitor’s preferences and likes. This technology helps them to develop a better, more secure shopping experience and helps Best Buy to understand how visitors use their website. Environmental * Best Buy launched a program called Greener together to increase the energy efficiency in its products and to reduce the level of waste  by using recyclable packaging and disposing system. * The company also offers free recycling of gadgets large and small. Bust Buy S. W. O. T. Analysis Strength * Consumers have a positive view of Best Buy as opposed to competitors * Strong market presence and wide consumer base provides competitive dvantage. * Loyalty programs – â€Å"Reward Zone† * Acquisitions like Future Shops, Geek Squad, Napster, and Jiangsu Five Star * Knowledgeable Staff Weaknesses * Private Brand recalls * Constrained credit availability Opportunities * Expanding presence in China, Mexico, Europe, Canada, UK, and Turkey. * Private brand potential * Growing online sales * Circuit City’s demise ha s freed up some of the market * Dual branding in Canada and China Threats * Economic slowdown * Intense competition * Political issues between U. S. and China * Quality issues with Chinese exporters. How to cite Best Buy Analysis, Essay examples

Charles Saunders Peirce Essay Example For Students

Charles Saunders Peirce Essay A skill to studying media is using semiotics, which came from ancient Greek word semelion, Modern semiological analysis was started by two men Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) and American philosopher Charles Saunders Peirce (1839-1914). Semiology, literally the science of signs, but more precisely the study of meaning production, examines the process whereby language, whether visual, verbal or a combination of the two, produces meanings (Horne et al, 1999, p. 167). So how is meanings generated and conveyed? Boyd-Barrett. O et al supports one of Bignells assumption by (2002, p. 134) stating The essential breakthrough of semiology is to take linguistics as a model and apply linguistic concepts to other phenomena texts and not just language itself we treat texts as being like languages, in that relationships are all important, and not things per se. What Boyd-Barrett is saying is that linguistics comprises of different codes and messages and varies within different cultures hence meanings are may be interpreted or perceived in different ways different signs. Semiogological analysis is primarily concerned with meaning in texts and that meaning stems from relationships amongst signs. A sign, Saussure tells us, is a combination of a concept and a sound-image, a combination that cannot be separated, he further explains how there is no logical connection between a word and a concept or a signifier and signified. For example, if champion was the signifier, the signified image could range from trophy, best team/individual or glory to name a few. It is based on associations we learn and the relationships are arbitrary and changing all the time. Real Madrid have won the champions league the most times with nine, however the audience/media do not represent Real Madrid being a champion team having not achieved any glory or participating in the final since they last won it eight years ago in 2002. Bignell. J (2002) explains if we denote something, we label it. The linguistic sign Manchester United denotes a particular football team, and along with the denotative or labelling function of these signs to communicate a fact come extra associations which are called connotations. Because Manchester United are the latest Champions League and Premiership winners, they can be used to connote signifiers of best or most successful football team. From the Telegraph(2008) on 16th September Richard Bright Headlines reads English clubs will dominate Champions League predicts Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (chairman of Bayern Munich) Telegraph. The word dominate signifies power, ruler, in control and status or importance. English teams are getting a representation of being superior in The Champions league after the last final in May 2008 comprised of three English clubs in the semi finals and two in the final and the fact an English team has made every final since 2005. Representation refers to the construction in any medium of aspects of reality such as teams, people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. Semiotic approaches consider the construction of meaning, language and systems of representation. There are varying traditions, approaches, definitions and applications of semiotic analysis. The work of Saussure, Pierce, Barthes and Hall have been influential in the ways in which semiotic approaches have been developed as a key approach to textual analysis and within cultural studies (Chandler,2002,p. 7 Hall, 1997). Having already looked at Saussure, lets look into works of other theorists leading up to Barthes and Hall. Various media analysts, during the last century have developed theoretical explanations of how audience receives, associates, reads and responds to a text or sign by media texts and the influences they may induce constructing reality. The Hypodermic Needle Model, dating from the 1920s was a theory suggesting that audiences passively absorb information transmitted via a media text without any attempt to process or challenge the data. Governments then had just discovered the power of advertising to communicate a message and created propaganda in persuading the public to their way of thinking. During the 1960s, as the first generation to grow up with television became adults, it became increasingly evident to media theorists that audiences made choices about what they did when consuming texts. .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 , .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .postImageUrl , .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 , .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2:hover , .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2:visited , .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2:active { border:0!important; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2:active , .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2 .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud49ff8c454c32754ffd5b3e7e05c25f2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Write an analysis of the film clip EssayFar from being a passive mass, audiences were made up of individuals who consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways. In 1948 Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society: surveillance, correlation, entertainment ,cultural transmission. Blulmer and Katz expanded this theory and published their own in 1974, expressing that individuals might select and use a text for the following purposes (i. e. uses and gratifications): Diversion escape from monotonous routines.

Typical Day at Work free essay sample

I was a sales director in the average website. I managed a small sales team. My team consisted of about 10 persons. I started my typical day to check my inbox. I had to decide which cases were important for immediate response. After then, I used to check our sales targets. With this knowledge, I started meeting with my sales team. Usually, I used to discuss problems in achieving sales targets. Next I had the meeting with the GEO (who was the owner of the company too). Due to working in the IT business, we usually used Skype for video-conference. I reported him our sales results and asked for support if I needed it. The second part of a day was dedicated to meetings with the main clients. I offered new services in these meetings. Also, I use to make contact with clients who had complained and we discussed problems with the services. We will write a custom essay sample on Typical Day at Work or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Usually, meetings with prospective clients were the duties of my staff. Sometimes, if it was a very important prospective client, I did it as well. My favorite thing about this job was meeting with my staff. It was a group of very young and creative people. I liked to support my team and helped to solve problems. I didn’t like to solve customer complaints. Our clients usually wanted more services for less money and it was always in danger of losing clients and income. In the future, I would like to do this kind of job. I love sales and have to deal with challenges of this type.

Communication Barrier with Eye Contact for other Cultures essays

Communication Barrier with Eye Contact for other Cultures essays Emigrating from India to the United States and adjusting to its environment, culture, and social norms has been an exciting learning experience for me. I was born and brought up in India where I spent the first 14 years of my life before I immigrated to America in July, 1998. For the past six years I have been learning and observing the American cultures, mainstream ideas, customs, beliefs, and norms. After every passing year I learn something new about the American culture and adapt to it. I remember the time when I was adapting to looking people in the eye and trying my best to maintain proper eye contact with another person. It was an awkward learning experience. Human beings in general use eye contact as a non-verbal tool of communication, but the way people use eye contact changes from place to place because of differences in environment, customs, and traditions. Growing up in an Asian Indian culture, I know that all Indians prefer minimal eye contact. Its considered rude in my culture to look other people directly in the eye, especially adults. In India, a lot of importance is given to politeness, obedience, and respect towards adults. Anyone older than you should be looked up to or respected. For example: when I am having a one-on-one conversations with my high school professors in India, my eyes would be just below their eye level (around the chin or neck area) as a sign of respect towards him or her. Before starting a conversation minimal eye contact is required. So, after I have made minimal eye contact (1 to 3 seconds) with the professor, its an Indian tradition to look the person we are speaking to right below their eye level. All youngsters and teenagers in India must follow this custom. However, if you make direct eye contact with an adult (or a teacher) its considered very rude, which might be followed by a scolding sometimes. Fur thermore, you can not look around or at the ground while talking with ...

The Foundation of French Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Foundation of French Literacy - Essay Example It relates to historical incidents of battle of August 15, 778 in which the rear-guard of Charlemagne’s retreating Frank forces is attacked by Basques. A large number of top knights and Duke Roland of the Brittany Marches were killed in the massacre. Ganelon was the master architect of this great act of betrayal. When he was picked by Roland for the peace mission, his relatives and other knights expressed their sympathy as they firmly believed that his life would not be safe. Ganelon accepted the task, certain that he would die. He threatened Roland, "If God should deign that I come back again then I shall stir up such a feud with you that it will last as long as you're alive!" (Anonymous, 1957, 20, pp. 289-291). Emperor Charlemagne was firm about sending Ganelon and said his command must be followed implicitly. Ganelon had no other option, but to comply with the order. In the fight against Muslims in Spain Charlemagne made great strides and Saragossa was the only surviving ci ty ruled by the Muslim King Marsile. Knowing the might of the army of Charlemagne, he dispatched messengers to Charlemagne promising his conversion to Christianity and submission of treasure. In return, he urged him to go back to France. Charlemagne too wished to buy peace as he and his men were tired of the long war. The issue was about selection of a messenger who would represent the King at Marsile’s court. The choice fell on Ganelon, stepfather of Roland. Ganelon, however, viewed this selection with suspicion and feared that he was being sent deliberately to die in the hands of the cruel pagans. He had always hated his stepson and he thought that he had an opportunity to settle scores with Roland. Joining the Saracen peace ambassadors, Ganelon talked at length with Blancandrin as they rode together back to Saragossa. He spat venom against Roland and blamed him for inciting the Franks for the war that was fought without intermission. â€Å"If someone killed him," said Gan elon, "we might all have peace" (Anonymous, 1957, 29, pp. 391). Blancandrin was greatly excited about this observation and both of them pledged to each other and decided to design a plot to get rid of him. Roland was brave but failed to gauge the consequences of his actions and due to this weakness, treacherous Ganelon succeeded in outwitting his knightly companions and his army. Roland’s flaw was his superlative confidence and pride, and he was unwilling to reacquire aid for him and for his army at the time of war, when the situation demanded it. Viewed from this angle he was a poor tactician. Ganelon departed with his retinue. While travelling to Saragossa, he got enough time to talk with his accomplices about the intended plot to kill Roland. Both of them reached to the outdoor assembly of Marsile, who was seated in surroundings that displayed his grandeur. As planned, the meeting began with a stormy start as Ganelon told Marsile that if he failed to accept the terms and c onditions set forth by Charles, he would be doomed to meet his death after the capture. Marsile reacted violently and moved to attack Ganelon, but controlled himself well in time. Ganelon stuck to his assertion and was able to impress the Saracens with his candid disposition. Marsile read Charlemagne’s letter aloud for the benefit of those present in the court, in which he mentioned Basan and Basile, the executed Frankish representatives, and, if interested in saving his life, he must depute his uncle the caliph as the hostage. He warned him about the impending death if he failed to comply and he might have to die "in squalor and disgrace." (Anonymous, 1957, 33, pp. 437) Ganelon told them about the danger posed by Roland and to the question when the war would end he categorically stated