Introduction
The high discrimination against the black people in the cause of slavery and after this slavery might bring about the idea that holding the African people into slavery started as a consequence of racism. But on the other hand, more than fifty years ago, there was a strong argument put forward by Williams who was an influential West Indian historian that slavery brought about racism, but economic intentions and not motives associated with racism brought about slavery. The increase of plantation slavery was attached to the building up of capitalism. The coming up with the idea of bringing in many slaves from Africa by the capitalists stemmed from the fact that the Africans were a very much less costly source of labor that could be accessed. There was an idea among those in the West Indies together with other regions of the Americas that it was quite less costly to import a slave who was a young adult to work on the plantations than to bring up one that was born on the plantations in slavery. This idea stimulated the non-stop importation of Africans who were put under slavery.
Atlantic Slave Trade
This kind of slave trade involved the shipping of African slaves from the Western coast of Africa to the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean. The Africans were forcefully taken by the slave traders to go and work on plantations in the Americas. They were kidnapped or bought at very cheap prices.
The Atlantic slave trade came about based on economic reasons and not racial and it had nothing to do with the color of the person who worked on the plantation but the cheapness of the labor the worker provided. The Negro slavery was extremely better-quality when put in comparison with the white as well as Indian labor. The white servitude together with Indian slavery was to be ranked below black people’s tolerance, obedience, and the ability to carry out work more efficiently. These qualities made the Africans be considered the best laborers to work on the plantations. This conclusion was not drawn based on theory but was drawn from the experience that was practiced by those who owned the plantations. These owners were ready to go anywhere to obtain the best labor possibly that could be most affordable. Africa was chosen to be the best source other than the highly populated countries of China and India (Williams 6).
Therefore, the origin of the Negro slavery can be traced to the need for cheap labor to be employed on sugar plantations in the Caribbean and on cotton and tobacco plantations on the mainland. A change that occurred in the structure of the economy triggered a change in the supply of labor. The underlying principle was based on the bringing about of a lower economic and social organization of exploiters and the exploited. The growing of cotton, sugar, and tobacco on huge plantations needed a large and cheap labor supply and this could cause the small farms of the white servants not to continue to exist (Williams 6).
Conclusion
The Atlantic slave trade had severe impacts, especially on Africa. Since the productive young people were forcibly taken from Africa to go and work on the plantations in the Americas, the continent was dragged behind economically as production was brought down given that only the old people were left behind. The involvement of the black people in cheap labor on the plantations in the Americas brought about the idea that the blacks were inferior and hence this gave rise to racial discrimination.
In the Americas, the setting up of the large plantations had its consequences. For instance, the tobacco on the small farms in Barbados was put out of place by the large plantations of sugar. These small farms were owned by the ex-indentured white servants. The flourishing of the sugar industry in the Caribbean was a great sign of the great displacement of the smaller farmer.
The Negro slavery was just a solution to the Caribbean labor problem but then this kind of slavery in a larger sense implied the inferiority of the black people. However, this slavery brought about the big development of the sugar plantations of the Caribbean between the year 1650 and the year 1850 and if it was not there, this would have not been achieved (Williams 7).
To summarize the effects of the Atlantic trade, Africa experienced a lack of economic growth as well as the humiliation of being regarded as an inferior people but on the other hand, Americas experienced the growth in the sugar industry as well as the cotton and tobacco industries due to abundant cheap labor provided by the African people. However, the smaller farmers in the Americas experienced a decline in their economic status since they were displaced by the large plantations.
Works Cited
Williams, Eric. (n.d.). “Economics, Not Racism, as the Root of Slavery”. In Northup, ed. The Atlantic Slave Trade
Decision In Paradise Business Scenario
The Business Scenario
McDonald’s, my current employer is contemplating on establishing a greater presence in an island country of Kava. The island is in South Pacific. The Island country has an ethic mix of South Pacific tribes, Asians, African, French and Spanish. Over 50% of its population is below 15 years of age. In the island, the major economic activities include petroleum mining, coffee, cocoa, and sugarcane farming amongst others. The region also has a good tourism industry and there is inexpensive quality labor. However, the region faces natural disaster such as tornados, floods and tidal waves amongst other natural calamities. Major helping organizations in the region are government service, community based organizations, and faith based organizations as well as businesses.
MacDonald Company has assigned me with the responsibility of ascertaining the possibility of establishing its greater presence in the region. This may take various forms based on what is good for the company and the people of Kava. I have been assigned the responsibility of analyzing, synthesizing and prescribing the best decision for the company.
McDonalds is an organization that is primarily concerned with dealing with fast foods and beverages in its restaurants in many parts of the world. The company mission is to be their customers’ favorite place and way to eat. The core value in achieving this mission includes commitment to people by providing opportunities and recognizing talents. It feels obliged to give back to the country whose produce has impacts on it operations and the rest of the world. The company has been invited by the government and other community organizations to help the country in solving some of the social problems in the region. The major reasons why the company is considering establishing its presence in Kava Islands is because what ever happens in the region affects not only the company but also the rest of the world. It has to turn the disasters found in the Island in to opportunities. Second reason is that Mac Donald believes in giving back to the communities around us. This is through helping our customers to build better communities and make the world a better place to live (McDonald, 2011). The third reason is that the government of Kava asked the company to bring its excellent business management culture in the region
Forces involved in Problem Formulation
In the formulation of the problem, several forces are involved. One of these forces is the business interests of Macdonald Company. For the company to establish it operations in this region it has to focus on the specific costs and benefits that it might experience. The organization interests will determine the nature of activities to engage in. the activities that the company undertakes should serve its interest. The other force is the environment and regional location factor. The region has been constantly rocked by natural disasters such as tornados and tsunamis. This is a factor may either influence the decision of the company to operate in the region or not due to the risks involved. The other force is the needs and expectations of the society in the region. In formulating the problem there is a need to consider how the company will affect the society in the region. Is it going to exploit the business opportunity around or is it to involve in charity activities. The problem should be addressed focusing on the strategies that can be beneficial to the society in this region and to the company. In its operations, MacDonald’s believes in giving back to the community in charitable contributions (My Professor.com, n d, pg 7). Therefore, proper decisions need to be put in place on how to deliver this in the region.
Obstacles Involved
Considering the various stakeholders in this problem, the first obstacle may be due to the company employees’ welfare. The region faces natural disaster regularly and this endangers the lives of people living in it. The company will be obliged to mind about the safety of its employees from such disasters. Due to these disasters, it may be possible that few foreign employees will be willing to work in a region that has so many risks and poor living standards. Considering the region population composes 50% is under 15 years, there may be a shortage of human resource. This may be an obstacle for the company establishing its presence in the region
Another obstacle that can arise on the side of the company owners is investment capital. For an organization to expand in a new region, it requires extra capital to invest. This will involve considering the risk of investing in region that has the possibility of property destruction from the natural disasters. Lastly, another observable obstacle may be on the side of the government. The company will require support from the government of Kava in order to operate efficiently in region as a foreign company. Government regulations in the region may be very strict and the company may not afford to operate in the region. The infrastructures in the region such as road networks may also affect the operations.
The Decision Making
Within an organization such as the McDonald’s, effective decision-making will require utilization of the necessary techniques in attaining appropriate solutions. This includes application of critical thinking in obtaining reliable results (Edmund, n d).After analyzing the factors and obstacles involved in this scenario the decisions that can be suitable for the company includes that, it should seek adequate capital to sustain its operations in the Kava Island. Mc Donald should also cooperate with the government in delivering its service to the society in the region. In tackling the human resource issue, the company should consider recruiting employees from the region in order to empower them economically.
References
Edmund, N. (2011). Decision Making.
McDonald (2011). Mission and Vision. Web.
My Professor.com (n.d). McDonald’s Corporation: the Past, Present and Future.
Family Health History: Hypertension
Introduction
I discovered a hereditary pattern of hypertension for myself due to the strong family history of high blood pressure. Several members of my family including my mother, father, maternal grandmother, and several aunts and uncles had or have hypertension.
The Risk of Transmission of Hypertension to Other. New Family Members
Hypertension is among the leading global causes of mortality and morbidity. According to Ahn and Gupta (2018), the etiology of hypertension is largely unknown despite its widespread prevalence. However, there is a growing body of evidence that this condition occurs due to a complex interaction of environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors (Ahn & Gupta, 2018). A study by Niiranen et al. (2017) showed that cases of high blood pressure in parents and grandparents were associated with the risk of certain factors even in persons in the third generation. Specifically, this study showed that offsprings from a family with a history of having hypertension before the age of 55 years were highly likely to suffer from this condition. Niiranen et al. (2017) discovered that the risk of developing hypertension based on known environmental factors was lower as compared to the risk of genetics. Family-based and twin studies have shown that between 30 and 50 percent of blood pressure variances may be inheritable (Niiranen et al., 2017). The available studies show that multiple genetic variants contribute to or increase susceptibility to hypertension. One of the earliest and widely studied candidate genes for this condition is angiotensin (AGT). Dickson and Sigmund (2006) note that there is enough evidence to link AGT and the levels of blood pressure in humans. Some hypertensive disorders follow the Mendelian inheritance patterns, which are associated with singe-gene mutations. For instance, hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis are caused by CYP11B1 gene fused with CYP11B2 gene on chromosome 8q (Ahn & Gupta, 2018). The mode of inheritance for this condition is autosomal dominant, and it leads to low renin and angiotensin II levels. The HapMap and Human Genome Project initiatives have shown the common genetic variants associated with hypertension. For instance, Niiranen et al. (2017) found out that 280 genetic variants are associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension. However, having these genes does not mean that an individual inherits the condition. On the contrary, it implies that one becomes highly susceptible to high blood pressure. Therefore, given the strong link between genetics and hypertension, it suffices to conclude that the susceptibility of having high blood pressure will be increased in other or new members of my family. For instance, given that I am at risk of developing hypertension due to my family history of having the condition, my children are highly likely to have the same problem. The risk of transmission is high.
Feasibility of using the Surgeon General’s Family History Tool in Primary Care
Risk assessment using family health history plays a major role in the management of different health conditions in diverse healthcare set-ups. According to Wu et al. (2015), the failure to assess risk regarding different chronic diseases, such as hypertension, will increase the probability of primary care patients facing premature mortality and morbidity. Therefore, given the strong link between genetics and hypertension as discussed in this paper, the Surgeon General’s Family History Tool should be used in the primary care clinical setting to assess the risk of developing certain chronic conditions. The use of this tool will allow primary healthcare practitioners to take preventive measures to address the underlying health conditions before they occur.
References
Ahn, S. -Y., & Gupta, C. (2018). Genetic programming of hypertension. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 5(285), 1-10. Web.
Dickson, M. E., & Sigmund, C. D. (2006). Genetics basis of hypertension: Revisiting angiotensin. Hypertension, 48(1), 14-20.
Niiranen, T., McCabe, E. L., Larson, M. G., Henglin, M., Lakdawala, N. K., Vasan, R. S.,& Cheng, S. (2017). Risk for hypertension crosses generations in the community: A multigenerational cohort study. European Heart Journal, 38(29), 2300-2308.
Wu, R. R., Myers, R. A., McCarty, C. A., Dimmock, D., Farrell, M., Cross, D., …Orlando, A. L. (2015). Protocol for the implementation, adoption, and utility of family history in diverse care settings study. Implementation Science, 10(163), 1-10. Web.