Abstract
This paper is an exploration of the effects the fur trade had on Europeans and the native people of Canada. The paper includes a perspective that illustrates how the fur trade proved to be quite beneficial for Europeans, but had the opposite effect on the native peoples of Canada: Although the Natives had long engaged in trade among various Aboriginal tribes, their trading relationship with the Europeans negatively altered their entire culture. The paper also includes several factors that proved to be detrimental for Native society such as an increased reliance on European goods, as well as the introduction and spread of disease through contact with European colonists and the aggravated tensions between neighboring nations over trading rights and dwindling beaver
populations.

From the Paper
"The Aboriginal people of Canada had not "only traded with other tribes prior to the start of the fur trade, but ... had developed a code or set of conventions that governed the manner in which trade was conducted" . For them, trade was nothing new and at the outset, most "First Nations did not perceive the fur trade as posing any danger to their independence". This was a serious miscalculation by the Natives as their increased reliance on European goods changed everything from their diets to daily activities, changing their entire culture as they knew it. The "fur trade transformed the coastal groups from hunters and fishers into trappers"2 so that many tribes could no longer adequately collect food for the winter and had to depend instead on dried European goods. As "trade with the French increased, the Huron began to appreciate French goods and to want more of them"1. These goods included items such as metal awls, kettles and needles and other "luxury items, such as cloth and European beads".1 The main item that the French wanted was beaver pelts- which were in increasingly high demand in Europe- and it is because of this that the Huron most likely began "expanding their trade with the north at this time in order to secure these furs in larger quantities".1 These actions, "in turn, required the Native tribes to the North to spend more time trapping than focusing on some of their "day-to-day worries about survival.""

Tags:Aboriginal, Canada, tribes, governed, nations

From the Paper
"Karl Marx, born in Germany in 1818, had tremendous influence throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The communist and socialist ideologies, the communist revolution in Russia, and the spread of communism throughout the world were all a result of Marx's social and economic theories. These theories were developed as a result of the situation of the working class in Europe during Marx's lifetime. .."

Tags:19th, century, conditions, engels, european, history, labor, marxism, russia, soviet, union, unions, working

From the Paper
"When looking into the poem "Dover Beach," by Matthew Arnold, one can choose not to see the great, white cliffs standing eerily silent in the moonlight, the ancient, icy waves approaching and retreating on the pebbled shore, and even the two figures gazing out the window at the boundless beauty of the scene. However, it is difficult to ignore the human theme of being swept about in the undertow of social change."

Tags:arnold, beach, dover, matthew, poetry

Abstract
This paper reviews "Out of This Furnace" by Thomas Bell, which depicts the process by which a small group of Slovak immigrants are gradually transformed into active participants in a stable American society. The paper uses the social history technique to examine Slovak immigrants in a Pennsylvania mining town.

From the Paper
"In the dirty, dangerous cauldron of western Pennsylvania, the uneducated muscle of the eastern Slovak mountains would be transformed into the confident skill of an organizer of men. Through the trials and tribulations of work in and transition to American life overcome by these immigrants, one can observe the forging of a new and more powerful American nation that would be ready to save the entire world from the challenges shortly to come."

Tags:czech, labor, mines, union

Abstract
Before 1990 a labor market, in the common sense of the term, did not exist in Poland. However with the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, Poland underwent a period of great transition characterized by drastic changes in the nation's economic sphere. There are various aspects to the labor market that can help one understand the nature of these changes which have shaped Poland over the last decade. The paper examines the most notable, employment and unemployment, and their common relationship effects on job vacancies and inflation.

Outline:
Overview
Employment
Private Sector Employment
Unemployment
Unemployment, Vacancies and Inflation
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Over the last decade Poland experienced a great transformation in the size of its labor force. This transformation brought a large decline in numbers of the working population (employed) and employees (working for a wage or salary) within the civilian economy. This was attributed to the great change and re-allocation of the labor force. Levels of employment have been declining quite systematically since 1990. Many workers lost their jobs, either for a limited time or permanently. Another substantial number of workers changed employment quite rapidly, barely without a small period of unemployment between their old and new jobs. The transition also has brought a larger number of pensioners as a result of the introduction of early retirement schemes, as well as an increase in the number of disability claims. People who were afraid that they might lose their jobs had they exposed their health problems were now able to get disability status. In Poland the number of old age pensioners and disabled people increased by 1 438 000 in the period from 1990 to 1996."

Tags:communism, economic, employment, unemployment, vacancies, inflation, employees, pensioners, socialized, trade, turbulence-index

Abstract
This essay analyzes the effectiveness of the Stasi, the former secret police agency in East Germany, in defending the former German Democratic Republic's government. The author attempts to prove that the Stasi carried out their task adequately and efficiently, showing how aspects beyond the Stasi's control caused the fall of communism in East Germany. A brief history of the Stasi is presented, highlighting some of their operations and recruiting methods. The question of what makes a successful secret police agency is also discussed. The paper includes information about the Stasi's leadership under Erich Mielke. In summary, the author reiterates that the Stasi, was one of the most capable secret police agencies in the world. The paper uses MLA style footnotes but does not include a works cited page.

From the Paper
"The word Stasi comes from an abbreviation of the German word Staatssicherhei, literally State Security . Founded on 9 February 1950 under William Zaisser, the Stasi was modeled after both the Russian Checka and the Soviet MGB. Until the collapse of the GDR in 1991, the Stasi remained an extremely loyal and effective partner to the Soviets. Although the Stasi were officially granted independence in 1950, it was really only a superficial independence, as the now KGB employed liaison officers within the Stasi until 1990 3. This relationship is more logical when you think of the GDR in the context of its relationship with the Soviet Union. As the USSR acted as a big brother to the GDR, it makes sense for their respective security agencies to take similar roles."

Tags:Communism, German Democratic Republic, Erich Mielke, Secret Police, Gestapo, Checka

Abstract
This paper is a country profile on Italy that reflects the current adversities that Italy faces. Afflictions outlined include illegal immigration, corruption, and elections. The paper explains the problems Italy has faced in the past, and the problems they face now. It also emphasizes the difficulty in repairing these problems.

From the Paper
"The Italian Republic, better known as Italy, became a nationwide state in 1861; they were united under King Victor Emmanuel. It originally had a parliamentary government; that came to an abrupt end in the early 1920s when the Fascist leader, Benito Mussolini, established a dictatorship. He formed an alliance with Nazi Germany that ultimately led to both Mussolini and Italy's defeat in World War II.(1) Italy's economy was finally revived in 1946 when a democratic republic replaced the monarchy. In 1999, Italy joined the European Monetary Union and now uses the "Euro Dollar" as their currency. This paper will show that Italy's most current affliction revolves around the influx of illegal immigration."

Tags:benito, mussolini, europe, lira, euro, sicily, silvio, berlusconi, government, rome

Abstract
This paper examines how the Soviet intervention of Czechoslovakia was a violation of rules shaping international relations. It looks at how the Russians had to invade, due to their geopolitical position within Europe and on account of a "counterrevolutionary" situation in Czechoslovakia. It argues that socialist countries cannot be indifferent to the erosion of one of the links in the world system of socialism and how alterations in one state immediately influences all. It also discusses how, in order to keep the balance of forces against NATO, the Soviets sustained that three USSR's nuclear weapons sites in Czechoslovakia were crucial. However, Czechoslovakia refused Soviet troops on its soil and the political and social unrest of Prague Spring disorganized the rigorous security system that was required.

From the Paper
"Dubcek's liberalization of Czechoslovakia's socialist system alarmed Brezhnev and other Soviet leaders into reasoning that "revolutionary" elements in other Soviet-bloc nations would ensue the Prague Spring's pattern and shift away from their own form of socialism. The Soviets were also concerned that elements in their own country would emanate and oppose the Communist Party should they let the Czechoslovakian undertaking proceed. The modest liberalization was not limited to Prague. Soviet cinema and literature began to inspire "critical analysis of the system,'' Underground publications cropped up from Moscow to Berlin (Kundera). The KGB perceived the Prague Spring to be a threat to the external and internal security of the Soviet Union. Deliberations in Czechoslovakia about the past violations of the StB intensified apprehension that comparable debates would inevitably take place in Moscow about the Soviet security organs (Skoug 48)."

Tags:communism, dubcek, eastern, europe, invasion, reforms, revolution, socialism

Abstract
This paper explores NATO's future in a post Cold War world. It looks at how two camps have emerged carrying their own respective vision for the future of NATO: one side argues for the dissolution of NATO while the other argues for the expansion of NATO. The respective theoretical and practical arguments of each side are analyzed with emphasis on refuting the claims of NATO's critics. The paper also argues that NATO does face some serious but addressable challenges with a particular focus on promoting cohesion among members. A discussion of NATO's failures in Yugoslavia and the reforms that must be made in order to avert future mistakes is also included. The paper ultimately argues that NATO is an essential institution for promoting international security and sustaining the democratization of Eastern Europe and beyond.

From the Paper
"Despite the uncertainties regarding NATO's post-cold war future, it continues to be an active and expanding institution. NATO today has expanded to 28 member states which include former enemies in the Warsaw pact. NATO members represent forty five percent of world GDP and the majority of defense spending . Expansion began in 1990 with the initiation of an "open doors policy", and during the chaos and uncertainty created by the fall of communism . The expansion of NATO's members also expanded NATO's potential sphere of operation. This is because NATO was obliged to protect its members under article 5 of the NATO convention which, as the heart of NATO, stipulated that "an attack against one was an attack against all" . This article helps to define NATO as a defensive alliance providing collective security to all members. NATO has also become more active in the post cold-war period. For example article 5 was invoked for the first time after the 9/11 attacks, and NATO also saw military action with its intervention in Yugoslavia. "

Tags:Russia, Eastern, Europe, democracy, communism

Abstract
This paper examines the factors that have contributed to the election of the same political party in Russia since the fall of Communism. Russia has been in an economic depression since the fall of the Soviet Union, yet the same party is re-elected through democratic vote. The reasons for this puzzling outcome are discussed in this paper and identified as using democracy to purge the conservative communists of their rank, old elites regaining state control and loyalty of those counting the votes. Each factor is discussed in great detail along with its contribution and impact on the electoral outcome. This paper is ideal for anyone, from a Russian politics expert to a curious novice.

From the Paper
"Mikhail Gorbachev, along with the Soviet leaders was the first to introduce semi competitive elections into the USSR and then later Russia. Although elections are a focal point of a democracy, they were not initiated by Gorbachev for this use. "The goal of these elections was to purge the conservative ranks of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from their positions of power within state structures as a way to liberate these state institutions and thereby make them available as instruments by executing Gorbachev's economic reforms" (McFaul and Petrov, 24). The existing powers of the Soviet Union at the time of the introduction of democracy were all communists, who held high political ranks. In order for Gorbachev to implement his reformation of the economy, these political figures needed to be removed from their ranks, otherwise there would be great opposition to the changes planned. When these leaders were removed, the state organizations were free from communist control and could be used in any way that Gorbachev desired."

Tags:authoritative, campaigns, communism, communists, competative, control, cpsu, democracy, depression, eastern, economic, elections, electoral, elites, europe, gorbachev, history, kramlin, leaders, power, process, putin, rank, russia, russian, soviet, state, studies, union, ussr, voters