Monday, December 30, 2019

Slavery During The 19th Century - 1780 Words

Talin Ivey Mr. Decker US Dual Credit History 13 September 2015 Slavery in 17th Century VS Slavery in the late 19th Century Many people view slavery as one consecutive time period where African Americans were captured and kept to serve the needs of Caucasian individuals and families. But not very many people know the true extent of slavery among the colonies. Less are aware of the nature in which slavery evolved from a trading industry in the 17th century into its greater known state of forced labor in the 19th century. When most people hear the word slave, they picture an African American held in bondage by an English slave holder. While this may be an accurate description for many cases, a lot of different ethnic groups would paint a different picture. When the Spanish first came to America, they saw the natives as their tickets to the riches of the new world. As their greed for wealth and agricultural demand rose, the demand for slaves also began to increase. Although, as time began to reveal, the Spaniards also found it hard to keep the nativ e slaves because many of them had allies and since they were native to the land, they knew it pretty well enough to escape. African enslavement really started when the Spaniards began to seek for slaves that were foreign to the land and would survive their harsh treatment and foreign diseases (McDougal 77). â€Å"As early as 1619, a Dutch ship carried the first Africans to Virginia, but it would not be until the 1680s that blackShow MoreRelatedSlavery During The 19th Century1636 Words   |  7 Pages# 2 In the early years of the 19th century, slavery was more than ever turning into a sectional concern, such that the nation had essentially become divided along regional lines. Based on economic or moral reasoning, people of the Northern states were increasingly in support of opposition to slavery, all the while Southerners became united to defend the institution of slavery. Brought on by profound changes including regional differences in the pattern of slavery in the upper and lower South, asRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century Essay1423 Words   |  6 Pageslive in the 21st century know that slavery is terrible and also a touchy subject. But Americans used to rely heavily on slavery, how we perceive slavery in today’s society can either be the same or different from how others thought of slavery living within mid 1800s. People who resided in the northern region of American found slavery wrong as we do today. Americans who lived farther south however liked, and relied on s lavery. In today’s world, we Americans almost all agree that slavery had been a negativeRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century851 Words   |  4 Pages During the 19th century, the cause for abolition was ubiquitous to William Lloyd Garrison. In a society built on the freedoms for the average man, Garrison was justifiably astonished, often angered, by the misrepresentation and condoned treatment of African Americans. Garrison was not alone in his astonishment, there were a myriad of abolitionists, commonly found in the northern states, which protested and discussed how to achieve abolition. Despite the evident similarity of interests, GarrisonRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century1446 Words   |  6 Pagesand wonderful continent filled with luxurious and wealthy kingdoms, but that had all changed when a new and appalling type of slavery was introduced. Around the 18th century, Africa became an ideal place for Europeans to trade and buy slaves from. The slave trade in Africa seemed to be manageable and somewhat peaceful before the Europeans brought in a new type of slavery. When the Europeans bought slaves from Africans, they kep t them as slaves for life which were very different from how long slavesRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century2226 Words   |  9 Pages Slavery in America began once the first African slaves were born at the North yank colony of village, Virginia. Slavery was practiced throughout the yank colonies among the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and African-America. By the mid-19th century, America’s westward enlargement, in conjunction with a growing termination movement among the North, would provoke a wonderful dialogue over slavery which may tear the state apart among the bloody yank warfare. the legacy of slavery continued toRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century900 Words   |  4 Pages In the early 17th century, the system of racial slavery had yet to be established. Slavery in North America evolved unevenly over the years, and the nature of slavery changed according to time, region and the colonizer. Generally, slaves suffered from malnutrition, diseases, intense labor and physical abuse from the slaveowners. The life of plantation generation was much harder as compared to charter generation. These people hardly escaped slavery as manumission was strongly discouraged by theRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century1212 Words   |  5 Pages During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Africans who remained enslaved were captured in battles or kidnapped. Some of these slaves were sold into slavery for debts. Once the slaves were in captivity, they would go through the â€Å"Middle Passage† which was a long journey that the slaves rode on in slave ships from West Africa to the West Indies for purchase. I think slavery led to racism because of everything that these slaves endured. It is there heritage just as I have mine. AfricanRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century1511 Words   |  7 PagesSlavery, an issue never addressed in the 19th century, but needed to be. It was a huge, controversial subject in the past, affecting the blacks, as well as the people of the North and South due to their strong beliefs and differences in opinion. Southerners treated slaves poorly because they believed they were better than African Americans. Though, we are all equal, the majority of people did not see the world that way back then. Slavery was unfair and had a horrible effect on the slaves. AlthoughRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century895 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the 1800’s to 1850’s, slavery was undergoing a huge development in which helped the nation to grow into what it is today. The United States was split into two sections, the north and south, over the dispute of slavery. The south sought to further slavery while the north was in favor of abolishing slavery. Around 1858, Abraham Li ncoln and Stephen Douglas, two politicians with completely different views on slavery fought each other with politicians trying to win the presidency election of 1860Read MoreSlavery During The 19th Century2090 Words   |  9 Pages TITLE It all started in the 15th century, when the Portuguese began trading for slaves from West Africa. They used these slaves to work sugar plantations on the Madiera and Azores islands off the African coast. Because using slave labor to produce sugar was profitable, Europeans decided to adapt slavery in the newly established American colonies (Newman, John J. 6). When European settlers began staking claim on American land, they hit one major bump in the road. All of these rich wealthy

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Social Contract Theory On The Origin Of State - 1110 Words

SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY Introduction: The social contract theory is one of the oldest theories on the origin of state. This theory came into existence as a reaction against the divine origin theory. The term ‘social’ is something which is connected with the society, while ‘contract’ means an agreement between two or more people. Thus a term of political theory, ‘social contract’ implies an agreement that makes society possible .this theory holds that the state is the voluntary and deliberate agreement on the part of the people those who emerged from the state of nature, in order to form a state based on a contract between the people and the sovereign and is not made by the god and thus implies that the state is a man`s deliberate creation to serve his needs. The core idea behind this theory is an assumption that there was a period in human history, when there was no state at all and no political law existed. The idea that the power to the ruler is given based on some kind of agreeme nt between him and his subjects is quite old. The social contract theory envisages a state of nature where there were no organised government and rulers. There were no man made laws and no authority to govern the people .the state of nature was prepolitical the idea of social contract divides the state into two phases, i.e. one is the state of nature which was the life of the people before the state came into existence and second is the creation of the state as a result of the contract entered byShow MoreRelatedSocial Contract Theory On The Origin Of State3694 Words   |  15 PagesSOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY 1. INTRODUCTION: The social contract theory is one of the oldest theories on the origin of state. This theory came into existence as a reaction against the divine origin theory. The term ‘social’ is something which is connected with the society, while ‘contract’ means an agreement between two or more people. Thus a term of political theory, ‘social contract’ implies an agreement that makes society possible .this theory holds that the state is the voluntary and deliberate agreementRead MorePolitics And State : Government And Politics1239 Words   |  5 Pagesare essential to political science are nation and state. These words will be heard in any discussion surrounding government and politics, especially when discussed on the international sphere. Often used interchangeably these words are not the same. Nation and state are two distinct words, but state is the only word that does not have a definite origin. However, both words have been given power through the t oxic idea of nationalism. Nation and state are two critical terms in the study of politics andRead MoreSocial Contract Is The Formidable Obelisk For Peacebuilding And Statebuilding1269 Words   |  6 Pages Social Contract is the formidable obelisk for peacebuilding and statebuilding. One of the oldest and widely cited Social Contract theories is the one of theorist’s John Rawls. His theory proposed an objective perspective of the Social Contract concept that was rooted from medieval Europe, this widely accepted principle that â€Å"all men are by nature free and equal† (Lessnoff, 1990, p. 3) made Rawls disparate to his brethren who too theorized this concept. Rawls rendition of the theory was not onlyRead MoreHuman Nature Is Good, And Being A Beast1165 Words   |  5 Pagesfelt that the natural state of man was beast-like, and savage. Thus, he felt that it is civilization that influences and challenges humanity from our fundamental wickedness. Within his view, human nature is dangerous; which can only be rescued through culture and community. According to Hobbes, being â€Å"civilized† is good, and being a â€Å"beast† is not accepted. Contrast this with th e view of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau was an Enlightenment philosopher, and wrote The Social Contract which heavily influencedRead More Pateman On Locke Essays1259 Words   |  6 Pages For years social contract theorists had monopolized the explanation of modern society. John Locke was among those who advocated this theory of a collectively chosen set of circumstances. Carole Pateman, on the other hand rejects many of the pillars of the social contract and specifically attacks certain aspects of Lockes argument regarding paternalism and patriarchy. Pateman defends her idea that the individual about which Locke writes is masculine, instead of the gender-encompassing form of theRead MoreLife Without Laws And Regulations Essay879 Words   |  4 Pagestake away our rights based on the State of nature? The social contract would introduce and maintain a controlled society in which protects people’s rights to life, liberty and protection of ones property. John Rawls a modern philosopher carries on the social contract tradition alongside philosophers Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau developing his own theory of Justice that he states brings upon complete fairness and equality within society the theory of justice, developed in 1971 withRead MoreCoexistence of Equality and Inequality under the Social Contract1508 Words   |  7 PagesPolitical theories abound, considering many parts of society and the body politic. John Locke was one of the first to expound on the origins of property, and sixty-six years later Jean-Jacques Rousseau would also address the issu es of property and inequality. According to Locke and Rousseau, the social contract is sanctioned by formal equalities yet creates or gives way to inequalities after it is formed. Though Locke would argue that inequalities in the private sphere don’t fall under the jurisdictionRead MoreEvolution and the Modern Social Contract Theory : Essay Outline1050 Words   |  5 PagesThe Emergence of the Modern Social Contract Theory Essay Outline POLS 14033 – Political Ideas and Ideologies The Emergence of the Modern Social Contract Theory Essay Question: Firstly, in this essay, we will describe and analyze the various concepts of the evolution and emergence of the modern social contract theory thru the analysis of several of its key political thinkers. We will provide a detailed review of the concepts that have developed and that were crucial for theRead MoreWeaknesses Of Social Contract Theory928 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Contract theory is the idea that in the beginning people lived in the state of nature with no government and laws to regulate them. In order to overcome the issues involved in the state of nature, people entered into agreements to protect themselves and their properties. They did this by uniting, rescinding certain rights under the state of nature, and pledging themselves to an authority that will guarantee certain protections. They all agree to live together under those laws and create aRead MoreSocial Contract And The Civil Society979 Words   |  4 Pages The social contract and the push for individuals to enter it rely on some conception of a state of nature. Whilst the expected behaviour of persons in the state of nature differs among the social contract theorists, the classical writings all share one common feature, a â€Å"generalised potential for threat† from other persons (Dicus 2015, p. 105). However, the nature of this threat in the hypothetical state of nature is not verifiable, as is the transition to civil society. The â€Å"signing† of the social

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Implementaion of Reverse Policy for Discrimination Free Essays

string(77) " rhetoric that pits equality of opportunity against the equality of results\." Should we be punished for the mistakes of our ancestors? In recent times, Affirmative Action has implemented policies of reverse discrimination to help oppressed minorities gain an advantage over majority groups in college admissions and in employment. The term â€Å"Affirmative Action† was originally used by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 when referring to his executive order that required all federal contractors treat their employees and applicants â€Å"without regard to their race, creed, color or national origin. We will write a custom essay sample on The Implementaion of Reverse Policy for Discrimination or any similar topic only for you Order Now † In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order #11246 at Howard University that required federal contractors to undertake Affirmative Action to increase the number of minorities that they employ. He wanted to ensure that minorities were recruited to have real opportunities to be hired and then eventually get a promotion. In 1969, the Department of Labor exposed widespread racial discrimination of the Construction Department so President Richard M. Nixon decided to incorporate a system of â€Å"goals and timetables† to evaluate federal construction companies according to Affirmative Action. This idea of â€Å"goals and timetables† provided guidelines for companies to follow and comply with Affirmative Action regulations. During the presidency of Gerald R. Ford, he extended Affirmative Action to people with disabilities and Vietnam veterans but there were no goals or timetables for these two groups. This type of Affirmative Action required recruitment efforts, accessibility, accommodation and reviews of physical and mental job qualifications. President Jimmy Carter consolidated all federal agencies that were required by law to follow the Affirmative Action play into the Department of Labor. Before Carter did this, each agency handled Affirmative Action in its own individual way, some were not as consistent as other agencies were. He created the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program (OFCCP) in 1978 to ensure compliance with the Affirmative Action policies. Affirmative Action began to go downhill when Ronald Reagan and later George Bush came into office. Affirmative Action lost some gains it had made and was more or less ignored by the Republicans in the White House and in Congress. Affirmative Action was silently being â€Å"killed† by our federal administrators. In the Civil Rights Act of 1964, initiated by Kennedy, and the Equal Opportunity Act of 1972, equal opportunity was established. While there was little controversy over equal opportunity, the main issue with Affirmative Action was equal results. Although equal opportunity was established with Kennedy’s original executive order in 1961, the statistical results showed that the number of minority workers employed or in certain higher level positions was not in proportion to the surrounding population, making the actual existence of equal opportunity suspect. As a result of this discrepancy, it became necessary to create more aggressive legislation that ensured equal opportunity and equal results. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 required both, and new Affirmative Action programs were instituted to further support this. These programs range from encouraging minorities and women to apply for certain positions to setting up actual numerical goals, such as quota systems and set-aside programs. However, is Affirmative Action, as many critics assert, just passing on the oppression? The basis behind Affirmative Action is that because of past discrimination and oppression, such as the dispossession of Native Americans, the unequal treatment of women, and the enslavement of Black Americans, minorities and women have difficulty competing with their white male counterparts in mainstream American society. But is this true? Why must white males be oppressed by Affirmative Action just because their ancestors enslaved and oppressed another race and gender, and be victims of reverse discrimination in college admissions and employment? The U. S. Supreme Court has faced many cases regarding this controversial issue, including The Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. Bakke, a white medical student, was denied admission to a University of California medical school because of a quota system. Bakke claimed that he was a victim of â€Å"reverse discrimination† and sued. In a close decision, the Court ruled that schools might not enforce a rigid quota system if whites are not allowed to compete equally. The issue was still muddied, however, because in the same decision, the Court ruled that race could be used as a factor. The various regulations and court rulings have made Affirmative Action one of the most paradoxical issues facing America. On one hand, differing local, state, and federal laws require employers to avoid discrimination in up to nine criteria: race, color, sex, age, national origin, sexual preference, handicap, veterans’ status and religion. On the other hand, Affirmative Action rules also require certain employers, such as companies with federal contracts, to give preference to racial minorities, women, and others. Consequently, when considering both sides of the issue, it becomes apparent that reverse discrimination and preferential treatment of minorities is absolutely ludicrous when people are preaching equal rights and that â€Å"all men are created equal,† and that Affirmative Action should be outright abolished from all aspects of society as an unnecessary evil in order to ensure an equal playing field for all. Those who wish to retain Affirmative Action regulations argue that America has a moral obligation to right the wrongs of the past – that Blacks and other minorities, whose ancestors have suffered institutionalized discrimination for hundreds of years, have earned preferential treatment. Race-neutral hiring, say proponents, actually discriminates against minorities because the majority of available jobs are not advertised. Rather, they are learned about by word-of-mouth, and minorities are not plugged into the â€Å"old-boy networks† through which they might hear of these jobs. Affirmative Action must be maintained for minorities to rise above the glass ceiling to management positions, and for poor minorities to rise from poverty and unemployment. Affirmative action has been the subject of increasing debate and tension in American society, and through this heated debate, the fight between Angle males and minorities actually sets the two groups apart instead of bringing them together. However, the debate over affirmative action has become ensnared in rhetoric that pits equality of opportunity against the equality of results. You read "The Implementaion of Reverse Policy for Discrimination" in category "Essay examples" The debate has been more emotional than intellectual, and has generated more tension than shed light on the issue. Participants in the debate have over examined the ethical and moral issues that Affirmative Action raises while forgetting to scrutinize the system that has created the need for them. Too often, Affirmative Action is looked upon as the panacea for a nation once ill with, but now cured of, the virulent disease of racial discrimination. Affirmative Action is, and should be seen as, a temporary, partial, and perhaps even flawed remedy for past and continuing discrimination against historically marginalized and disenfranchised groups in American society. Working as it should, it affords groups greater equality of opportunity in a social context marked by substantial inequalities and structural forces that impede a fair assessment of their capabilities. However, its failure highlights the potential for an aura of racism in this country which may perpetuate for many generations on. As Martin Luther King once said, â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. † Affirmative Action would make this dream virtually impossible, bringing race in as a factor in judging college admissions and employment. Those who want to eliminate Affirmative Action regulations argue that preferential programs encourage racial tensions when white students and workers feel they are not getting fair consideration. Why should whites suffer for society’s past mistakes? ask Anti-Affirmative Action activists who also note that Affirmative Action programs make whites the victims of reverse discrimination. Affirmative Action works against minorities, the argument continues, because it is assumed that an individual who benefits from such programs is automatically considered inferior to other candidates for jobs or schools, and because the majority who benefit from Affirmative Action are already middle-class, those most in need of the programs, rural and inner-city blacks, have gained nothing. Protestors against Affirmative Action have already taken steps to abolish the abominable doctrine through the passing of Proposition 209 in California. The measure would eliminate Affirmative Action programs used to increase hiring and promotion opportunities for state or local government jobs, where sex, race, and ethnicity are preferential factors in hiring, promotion, training, or recruitment decisions. In addition, the measure would eliminate programs that give preference to women-owned or minority-owned companies on public contracts. Contracts affected by the measure would include contracts for construction projects, purchases of computer equipment, and the hiring of consultants. These prohibitions would not apply to those government agencies that receive money under federal programs that require such Affirmative Action. The elimination of these programs would result in savings to the state and local governments. These savings would occur for two reasons. First, government agencies no longer would incur costs to administer the programs. Second, the prices paid on some government contracts would decrease. This would happen because bidders on contracts no longer would need to show †good faith efforts† to use minority-owned or women-owned subcontractors. Thus, state and local governments would save money to the extent they otherwise would have rejected a low bidder–because the bidder did not make a †good faith effort†Ã¢â‚¬â€œand awarded the contract to a higher bidder. The measure also could affect funding for public schools (kindergarten through grade 12) and community college programs. For instance, the measure could eliminate, or cause fundamental changes to, voluntary desegregation programs run by school districts. (It would not, however, affect court-ordered desegregation programs. ) Examples of desegregation spending that could be affected by the measure include the special funding given to †magnet† schools (in those cases where race or ethnicity are preferential factors in the admission of students to the schools) and designated †racially isolated minority schools† that are located in areas with high proportions of racial or ethnic minorities. Up to $60 million of state and local funds spent each year on voluntary desegregation programs may be affected by the measure. In addition, the measure would affect a variety of public school and community college programs such as counseling, tutoring, outreach, student financial aid, and financial aid to selected school districts in those cases where the programs provide preferences to individuals or schools based on race, sex, ethnicity, or national origin. Funds spent on these programs total at least $15 million each year. Eliminating Affirmative Action programs in America would thus save the government a substantial amount of money and pave the road for truly equal opportunity and treatment of all races. In light of the conflicting arguments for and against Affirmative Action, it is readily apparent that Affirmative Action essentially implements reverse discrimination as an â€Å"acceptable† solution to racial inequality in America, giving preferential treatment to minorities and women, and should thus be forbidden morally and legally if there is to be any sense of â€Å"color-blindness† in race relations in the future. As Daniel Boorstin once said, â€Å"The menace to America today is the emphasis on what separates us rather than what brings us together. † Truly, doing so would further separate embittered races and pit them against each other in heated debate and controversy. Calling for an alternative to Affirmative Action, Randall Kennedy states, â€Å"†We ought to construct a society and set of laws that focus on an individual’s character, not color of skin. If Affirmative Action should be banned and society should be â€Å"color-blind,† there should be an alternative to Affirmative Action to ensure this. There are a few possible alternatives to Affirmative Action, some of them are very simple and some are a little more complex. The alternatives include reconstruction of civil society in minority communities, increasing minority and female applicant flow, and most importantly promotion of broad policies for economic opportunity and security that benefit low- and middle-income Americans, both black and white. Building up civil society means strengthening ‘intermediate’ institutions, lying between the state and the individual, such as community associations, schools, media, and independent social agencies, which provide the organizational foundation for collective development and effective public representation. † If the same capital was made available for minority institutions as other institutions, they would be able to develop in the society and eventually become a strong part of the minority community. These institutions would give direction and guidance that is needed by all to play a major role in their community. Increasing minority and female applicant flow would be very easy for a company to do. They simply need to include minority colleges and universities in campus recruitment programs, place employment opportunities in minority oriented print and broadcast media, and retain applications of unemployed minority applicants to be reviewed as a position opens. This would be a great opportunity for applicants and employers. We should work toward broad based economic policies by consistently emphasizing broad-based, race-neutral policies; for example, public investment, national health reform, an enlarged earned income tax credit, child support assurance, and other policies benefiting families with young children. Widely supported programs that promote the interests of both lower- and middle-income Americans and that deliver substantial benefits to minorities on the basis of their economic condition will do more to reduce minority poverty than narrowly based, and poorly funded, measures for minority groups or the poor alone. These efforts can also be designed to coincide with intermediate institutions and thereby to contribute to the overall process of civil reconstruction and renewal. Ultimately, if there is to be any sense of racial equality and equal opportunity in this world, we must abolish Affirmative Action and ensure an equal playing field for all races in America. How to cite The Implementaion of Reverse Policy for Discrimination, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Naked Economics Notes free essay sample

This agreement was designed to manage large fluctuations in the exchange rate between European nations The ERM created targets for the exchange rates among the participating countries Each government was obligated to pursue policies that kept its currency trading on international currency markets within a narrow band around this target Currencies are no different than any other good; the exchange rate, or the â€Å"price† of one currency relative to another, is determined by supply relative to demand Two tools for propping up the value of the currency in the face of market pressure pushing it down: The government could use its reserves of other foreign currencies to buy their currency- directly boosting demand for the currencyThe government could use monetary policy to raise real interest rates which makes the country’s bonds (and the currency necessary to buy them) more attractive to global investors and attracts capital Capital flows across international border for th e same reason it flows anywhere else: Investors are looking for the highest levels of return (at any given risk) Individuals, firms, and governments borrow funds from abroad because it is the cheapest way to â€Å"rent† capital that is necessary to make important investments or to pay the bills International transactions have a higher level of complexity when compared to domestic trading since different countries have different currencies and have different institutions for managing and creating these currencies When people trade across borders, it must be exchanged at an exchange rateA yen has value because it can be used to purchase things, a dollar has value for the same reason. We will write a custom essay sample on Naked Economics Notes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In theory we ought to be willing to exchange $1 for however many yen would purchase roughly the same amount of stuff in the relevant country. This is the theory of PPP (purchasing power parity) If one country buys less stuff than it used to then anyone trading for that currency is going to demand more of it to compensate for the diminished purchasing power PPP is useful because it’s the tool used by official agencies to make comparisons across countries In the long run, basic economic principles suggest that exchange rates should roughly equal PPP Atypical basket of good- the source of comparison for PPP- has both tradable and nontradable goods Currencies that buy more than PPP would predict are said to be overvalued and currencies that buy less than the PPP would predict are said to be undervalued If the dollar has weakened or depreciated against the euro, this means that the dollar buys fewer euros than it used to . The euro has appreciated When the US dollar has depreciate d: Foreign goods become more expensive Goods are less expensive for the rest of the world Good for American exporters: cheaper prices but not lower profits! Makes imports more expensive for Americans Good for exporters and bad for importers in the US Imports are more expensive-bad for consumers A strong US dollar has the opposite effect A government that deliberately keeps its currency undervalued is essentially taxing the consumers of imports and subsidizing producers of exports.AN overvalued currency does the opposite The exchange rate is the function of the demand of some currency relative to the supply The most important factors affecting the demand of a currency are global economic forces Country with booming economy will usually have a country with appreciating currency because growth promotes investment opportunities that attract capital around the world Great demand for a country’s imports will cause the currency to appreciate Higher interest rates make a currency mor e valuable since they provide invesotrs with a greater return on capitalWays to value currencies against one another: The gold standard: no modernized industrial country uses this standard anymore. Countries pegged their currencies to a fixed amount of gold and therefore to each other. Floating exchange rates: allows exchange rates to fluctuate as economic conditions dictate. Most developed countries use floating exchange rates. Governments have no obligation to maintain a certain value of their currency Fixed Exchange Rates (currency bands): countries pledge to maintain their exchange rate at some predetermined rate with a group of other countries. The ERM is an example of this Borrowing someone else’s strong reputation