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Centuries ago, Machiavelli dictated theories for what he felt a good leader consisted of and the traits he thought were crucial for being a strong leader. One of his most famous works is The Prince, an essay in which he details the various challenges facing a prince looking at being a King in the future and the steps such a prince ought to take to ensure he is followed and can be a good leader. Machiavelli’s words echo today in many areas of leadership for their insightfulness and truthfulness. Although the words they are written in are archaic and the examples used are outdated, not all of Machiavelli’s teachings are outmoded. Modern day CEO’s, Presidents, businessmen as well as politicians find Machiavellian teachings useful and relevant in their fields, offering wisdom in the makings of a good leader. In business managing, these principles can be useful when applied with tactfulness and can offer good insight in many areas.

Love v. Fear
One of the most prominent theme of Machiavelli was his treatise on whether a leader should rule through love or fear. Machiavelli suggested that a leader could be loved by his followers or feared but not both. In commanding, he further speculated that fear was a better tool for motivating people although love provides for a more peaceful and controlled populous. Machiavelli suggested that if a leader was to rule in such a way that all his disciples loved him, he would be able to control them and that his followers would do as they were told in a peaceful and humble manner. However if the population feared the leader, then he would also be able to rule them because they would submit to his requests out of fear. Although this was the manner that Machiavelli postulated would be the more efficient way to rule over a people, he also suggested that it would be more difficult to control. People that feared their ruler would also be prone to revolution, disobedience, malice and lack of respect when the severity of the fear became too much. Because leader would not be able to utilize both love and fear together, they would need to be balanced or the leader would have to chose which method would be more efficient for the manner of his people and the actions he wished them to obey.
In modern day managing, this same concept can be utilized in the practice of being a manager to a group of employees. A manager can either be close buddies to his employees, cultivating friendships and a work environment wherein the employees “love” the manager and feel comfortable around him. Although this sounds ideal, it also makes the job of managing difficult in that it would be harder for the manager to ask his employees to perform tasks without the employees feeling as though they are being treated in an inferior manner. On the other hand, the manager could also manage his employees in a relationship of fear.

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Civil strife of every form has never promoted the human cause. Notwithstanding whatever justification is cited for embarking on violence as a dispute resolution measure, in retrospect, the stakes are often way overboard. Same can be said about the internecine American Civil War, which was fought between the Congress backed Northern states against the dominantly agrarian Southern states. This war that spanned the period of 1861 to 1865 AD left a blood stained legacy in the pages of our history books.
Scholars are united in their opinion that the war was fought on the basis of divergent opinions on the question of slavery, beyond this however, they fail to reach a consensus about whether the war could have been avoided in the first place. Political events preceding the civil war damaged the trust between both conflicting groups, hence explaining the ease with which a minor issue such as a disagreement on a subject of “slavery” could result in both groups resorting to arms.
A recent study conducted by a group of established historians, poignantly argues that during the war period, slavery was headed towards its inevitable demise, taking cognizance of the fact that it was increasingly becoming unprofitable (Viegas 2002). There was therefore no gain in quarreling over a subject that did not have a bright future prospect. In addition the underlining political difference had not yet reached a dead end, there still existed ample dispute resolution avenues. The choice of war was therefore an impulsive over reaction of a hidden agenda concealed under the trivial subject of slavery.
It is also worthy of note that the real subject of contention, which was the race for control over new territories by itself provided a unique opportunity for dispute resolution using gerrymandering. Essentially it would have prevented the war in the first place.

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The Pygmies are a hunting and gathering peoples from the rain forests and jungles of Central Africa in the countries now known as Cameroon, Gabon and Congo. They are characterized by their short stature and although the term “Pygmy” is derogatory, no other term has been presented a an alternative, with many individual tribes preferring to be referred to by their tribe name. In all tribes, music is an inherent and essential aspect in all Pygmy daily activities and is a constant of their way of life. Each activity from healing to basket making, sacred rituals to every day games, contains music as well as dance. Indeed, music is an irreplaceable and important part of a Pygmy’s life and all Pygmies participate in the singing and dancing of their culture.
African Pygmy music is particularly characterized by the vocals which contain contrapuntal communal improvisation. Although polyphonic complexity of the music is dense and follow strict cyclical patterns, the Pygmies do not recognize their music in this rigid, mathematical framework and simply learn it from growing up and being immersed in the culture (Brandel, 1956). The numerous musical forms are almost exclusively vocal and polyphonic and is based on “repetitive melodic-rhythmical formulas, with micro variations and a great deal of individual improvisation,”(Campagnoli, n.d.).
A common vocal technique used is referred to as Jodel which utilizes the rapid passage from head o chest voice, performed on sounds without meaning, much in the same manner as European Alpine yodelling. Typically one member begins an individual repeating melody and after a few minutes, another joins in with yet another melody with its own rhythm and cycle. These vocalisations are utilised in every song and can be sung by any member of the tribe, at any given time. All the individual sounds form a polyphonic harmony that in many ways mimics the very sounds of the forests.
The majority of the instruments used by the central African Pygmies come from previous exchanges with bantu peoples and other tribes living on the edges of the central African forests. These include instruments such as the cylindrical drum, arched harp (ieta), harp-zither (ngombi), lamella phones and other modes of rattles made from local resources ,”(Campagnoli, n.d.). Flutes and standing musical bows (limbidi) are also used and played most often by the women.
Water drumming is popular style that characterises Pygmy music. The Pygmy peoples literally “play the water” by standing about waist high in the river and slapping the surface of the water with cupped hands. Each person plays a different rhythmic pattern that together form a more complex syncopated rhythm. Water drumming is a good example of how music is in the everyday activities of the Pygmies, even in something as simple as bathing as in the river

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Hindu religion places much emphasis on reverence toward nature and preservation of natural materials. Like American Indians who regarded the land and animals as sacred and Islam that teaches peace towards all animals, Hindus have a morally based respect for the land and consider wastefulness and destruction of resources ethically erroneous. Trees, rivers and animals are not to be taken advantage of and should be treated with reverence and frugality.
America has bred a different religion toward the use of natural resources. The nation of abundance, consumerism and capitalistic greed has led to abuse of the environment, wastefulness of natural resources and complete ignorance in areas of preservation and respect. It is a country that thrives on more of everything and profusion of materials. Americans use the most electricity, constructed a society based on the need for an automobile and turn on water taps as if there is unlimited availability of this precious resource. No where else in the world is such waste produced and so little done to alleviate the consequences of energy use, air pollution and lack of recycling.
Only now have measures been taken to help reduce the erroneous effects of environmental neglect and abuse. Governments have begun to focus their efforts to alternative energy sources and ways of urging individuals to “go green” on their own by offering incentives. But because America is the country of religious freedom, it is difficult for a religion to hold its followers morally accountable for environmental damage. Religions would argue that it is only up to God to impose such regulations and that holding followers “morally responsible” is not the church’s jurisdiction. Indeed this would make little difference in America where the population of atheists and agnostics is larger than in other countries and most citizens who claim a religious affiliation never practice it anyway.
The Catholic church has recently taken actions into their own hands and in early March the Vatican officially announced that “environmental pollution” is on the list of the “Seven Sins of the Modern Era.” Feeling that the Biblical sins outlined and made popular by works of literature such as Dante’s Inferno are outdated and irrelevant to important ethical issues at hand today, the Vatican made several changes to the moral sins that are punishable. Among them included engaging in research pertaining to genetic engineering, accumulation of obscene riches and surprisingly, environmental pollution. Although not explicitly a strong belief of Catholicism and certainly not one practiced in Biblical times, pollution is now considered a moral sin and a part of the Catholic repertoire of belief.

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One of the biggest problems that arise in childcaring for younger children has little to do with the children–it is a problem that arises from a lack of communication with the parents. Parenting has many of its challenges, many of which are in the subject of child disciplining and teaching one’s child social skills when neither parent is present. Children in daycare supervision do not behave in the same manner as when under parental supervision. Although this in itself is not a problem, often communicating these discrepancies to the parent can be. Many parents are defensive about their parenting style and some simply do not feel the need for communication with childcare supervisors, treating them in similar manners as other service providers such as babysitters. It is this difficulty in communication between staff and parents that presents one of the biggest obstacles in child caring.
Analysis
There are several methods in which to overcome this dilemma, stemming from forced parent involvement to encouraging participation both in the classroom and at home. Forceful communication would be mandating regular parent and staff meetings in which a child’s progress could be monitored and discussed in a neutral manner, outside of the classroom. This requirement could be outlined in initial registration requirements, stating simply that parents must agree to regular scheduled meetings wherein the progress of their child is discussed. Alternately, demanding that each parent spend a minimum number of hours in the classroom to help is another way to force direct involvement and open the doors for communication. This would allow parents to see firsthand how the daycare institute operates as well as give the children reinforcement that their parents are very much a part of their life away from home. Many parents may feel burdened by the time consumption of such meetings, however if negotiated in advance, this can be alleviated.
Another method is to offer activities that include parent participation such as small outings or providing parents with useful dialogue to help them communicate with their child at home. Interaction and interest in a child’s daycare activities shows the child that the time they spend away from the parent is just as important as time spent with the parent, away from the daycare setting. This will also the parent to understand how the child feels about daycare thus encouraging involvement in their child’s daycare.
Either method can be used alone or together, the important facet being that all possible options for communication are available and utilized. Parents should expect to be involved in their child’s daycare life and staff members should also feel comfortable with contacting parents in regards to their child’s behavior.
Conclusion

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