21st century religious fundamentalism and 20th century European Fascism Essay

Religious fundamentalism is the belief that social and political life should be organized on the basis of what are seen as essential religious principles that are supported by a belief in the literal truth of scared texts.1 Fascism, on the other hand is a totalitarian ideology that centers itself upon the leader and possesses the ‘anti-factor’ whereby it rejects a whole lot of other ideologies such as liberalism and communism. At first glance, there seems to be not much connection between 21st century religious fundamentalism and 20th century European Fascism; however a more detailed comparison between the two ideologies will reveal similarities that caused the former to be viewed by some as the â€Å"new fascism† and differences that made this view irrelevant. In the first half of this paper, I am going to compare and contrast the various similarities and differences between 21st century religious fundamentalism and 20th century European Fascism and then show that to deem religious fundamentalism as a new form of fascism is really unjustified. In the remaining half of the paper, I will make an argument for my belief that 21st century religious fundamentalism should indeed be considered as an ideology and also the basis of its mass appeal. Due to the complexities and varieties of 21st century religious fundamentalism and 20th century fascism, the similarities and differences listed below can be seen as generalizations and thus proven wrong by certain sects of religious fundamentalism or certain style of fascism. However, this is inevitable as this is the only way to compare the similarities and differences between these two complex ideologies. The first similarity between 21st century religious fundamentalism and 20th century European Fascism is the emphasis in both ideologies upon charismatic leadership. Many of the fundamentalists believe in the embodiment of ‘truth’ by their leader who will in turn implement it.2 For instance, in the Catholic faith, the pope is seen as the Vicar of Christ and can do no wrong.3 Furthermore, Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of Islamic Iran was recognized first as Ayatollah (a ‘reflection of Allah’) and then Grand Ayatollah. 4Fascism is based upon the cult of personality built around its leaders and it is effectively crafted to exploit this cult. For instance, Hitler effectively cultivated the Fuhrer cult through Nazi propaganda machine under the expertise of Goebbels and through films such as ‘Triumph of Will’ by Leni Riefenstahl.5 Perhaps fascism’s huge emphasis on charismatic leadership is best embodied by Mussolini’s proclamation, â₠¬Å"Fascism is Mussolinism†¦what would Fascism be, if I had not been?†6 The second similarity between these two ideologies is the intolerance shown by both ideologies upon conflicting elements that goes against their principles. For instance, some sects of religious fundamentalism such as evangelicalism or Islamic fundamentalism exhibits little tolerance for other faiths and in some instances even prosecute and victimize minorities that believes in other faiths in a largely Islamist or Christian country. This intolerance also translates into the belief that religious views can be coercive and religious views ought to have a role in politics thus cementing the power of the religious fundamentalists in their country. This is comparable to the racism and anti-semitism present in European Fascism whereby the proclaimed enemies of the ideologies were shown no mercies and prosecuted and victimized through no faults of their own. The most extreme illustration of this is the holocaust which was brought about systematically by the Nazis. These two similarities certainly contributed to 21st century religious fundamentalism been branded by some as â€Å"the new fascism†. However, the more important contributing factor should be the increasing role that religion is playing in world politics. Judaism has produced its own militant â€Å"nationalist† terrorists; Buddhists show a militant and violent side in their politics in Sri Lanka against Hindu Tamils. 7 A few American evangelists have engaged in murder and violence on the abortion issue.8 Islam-inspired terrorism also received much publicity especially after the 911 attack. Furthermore, religious fundamentalists have tried their best to exert their influence through proper channels of government. For instance, American fundamentalists fielded candidates for elections.9 Thus the increasing influence that religious fundamentalists are trying to exert in politics and the adverse violent happenings that they brought in the 21st century doubtlessly brought echoes of the 20th century European Fascism which brought about not only the 2nd World War but also the holocaust. However, to brand 21st century religious fundamentalism as the ‘new fascism’ is not only incorrect but also unjustified. In the following paragraphs, I will proceed to show the differences between 21st century religious fundamentalism and 20th century European Fascism. 21st century religious fundamentalism does not contain elements of racism, anti-semitism or the belief in the possibility of a master race. It also holds no faith in eugenics. Furthermore, it is also an ideology that does not preach upon imperialism, militarism or world domination. All the above elements are defining attributes of 20th century European Fascism. The mere evidence that religious fundamentalism does not believe in all these attributes made the branding of it as a new form of fascism unjustified. Many religious fundamentalists believe that political power should be subordinated to religious power whereby the Bishop, the Rabbi, or the Ayatollah should be able to make the final decision on social issues.10 The best case scenario for religious fundamentalists would be as in the case of Iran where they actually govern however, compromises are made between religious fundamentalists and secular authorities.11 This belief that political power should be subordinate to religious power is of course the direct opposite of fascism whereby churches (religion) should be subordinate to the state. 21st century religious fundamentalism also possess other aspects in their ideology that is absent in 20th century European Fascism. Some of these attributes are otherworldliness and messianic spirit (where fundamentalists are concerned with the sacred and devote energy only in activities consonant with the words of God), against science (rejecting critical interpretations of the Bible and Darwin’s evolutionary theory), belief in the supernatural, moralism and the subordination of women.12 After showing the differences between 21st century religious fundamentalism and 20th century European Fascism, I will like to conclude that to brand the former as â€Å"new fascism† is not only unfair but incorrect. Next, this paper shall argue for 21st century religious fundamentalism to be accorded its rightful status as an ideology. Before I start defending my belief that religious fundamentalism is an ideology, I will like to provide the definitions of political theory and political philosophy. This is because of the commonly interchangeable usage of ideology, theory and philosophy and thus a clear distinction between the three terms will be helpful to my argument. Political philosophy is defined as a â€Å"disinterested search for the principles of the good state and the good society.†13 Political theory has been defined as â€Å"disinterested search for knowledge of political and social reality.† 14 Thus many scholars claimed that political philosophy is a normative theory while political theory is an empirical theory.15 Political ideology contains both the normative and empirical propositions.16 Thus, I will now start my argument by looking at the characteristics of an ideology and how religious fundamentalism actually fits these characteristics and rejects any suggestions that religious fundamentalism is only a ‘philosophy’ or a ‘theory’. â€Å"Ideologies arise in conditions of crisis and in sections of society to whom the hitherto prevailing outlook has become unacceptable†17 This accounts for the resurgence of religious fundamentalism in the late 20th to 21st century(similar to how European Fascism evolved) where social problems in western countries such as Britain and America have caused evangelicals to organize pressure groups to petition against abortion laws and other problems such as pornography. This further explains the popularity of political Islam in the Middle East as it is the only other viable solution to the secular ideologies propagated by the West. â€Å"An ideology is more than just ideas; it is also actions based upon those ideas.†18 21st century religious fundamentalism can be seen to fulfill this criterion as many examples show this. One example will be the establishment of Iran as an Islamic state and in its latest issue of Iran daily; Iran reiterated that it will still maintain its fundamentalist ways despite pressures from the United States.19 Another example will be Evangelicals forming pressure groups to translate their ideas into actions. â€Å"Ideology includes both empirical and normative elements-empirical assertions that certain conditions exist, and normative assertions that a certain political order is to be preferred.†20 21st century religious fundamentalism does possess this quality and one instance will be how Islamic fundamentalist view the Israel issue where they see Israel as a western creation due to no fault of their own and sought not to recognize the status quo but to take steps to revise it. Another example will be Islamic fundamentalists’ view of the United States role in the Middle East. â€Å"Ideology tends to be exclusive, absolute, and universal.† 2121st century Religious Fundamentalism contains various different sects, for instance, evangelicalism and Islamic fundamentalism and thus could not lay claim to this criterion. However, there are indeed common attributes within religious fundamentalism such as the inerrancy of the â€Å"Written Word† and the subordination of political power. Furthermore, within the different varieties of religious fundamentalism, one can points out that evangelicalism and Islamic fundamentalism is by itself, exclusive, absolute and universal. Lastly, â€Å"Ideologies seek to elicit a response of commitment and obligation on the part of the adherents.† Again, this criterion is easily satisfied by 21st century religious fundamentalism. This can be seen in the 911 suicide bombing of the twin towers by terrorists inspired by Political Islam. To pursue ‘jihad’, Islamic extremists are willing to give up their lives for a greater good. On a more moderate note, ideologies certainly influence evangelicals who try to fight against social laws that their ideology deem inappropriate. After showing the ability of 21st century religious fundamentalism of fulfilling the various criteria of an ideology, I can safely conclude that 21st century religious fundamentalism is an ideology and not a political philosophy or a political theory. In this last part of the paper, I will provide the basis of its mass appeal. The basis of 21st century religious fundamentalism’s mass appeal must be its political vision of the world and the kind of a new society that it can bring to the world. Faced with social problems such as rising crime rates, teenage pregnancy and abortion rates in the Western countries, evangelical activists draw strength from its ideology and attempt to fight all these social problems through the formation of pressure groups pressuring and cajoling the government to make improvements in all realms of lives, from abolishing abortion to anti-pornography laws to religious education in school. These actions by evangelical activists from their perspective can be seen not only as morally rewarding but also efforts made that adhere to their religious beliefs. Political Islam’s appeal in the Middle East can also be attributed to the erosion of traditional values brought about by modernization.22 Furthermore, complicated by the colonial experience, the failure of secular nationalism, the Israel creation and unhealthy US interferences in the region, political Islam remains a very attractive alternative to western ideas.( the reason been that Islam cover all aspects of lives and offer solutions to just about everything) In conclusion, this paper has shown the similarities and the differences between 21st century religious fundamentalism and 20th century European Fascism and also argued that to call religious fundamentalism â€Å"new fascism† is not only incorrect but unjustified. This paper has also argued for 21st century religious fundamentalism to be considered as an ideology through the demonstration of it fulfilling the various criteria of an ideology. Lastly, this paper has provided the writer’s perception for the basis of 21st century religious fundamentalism mass appeal. Bibliography Andrew Heywood, â€Å"Politics†, second edition, palgrave foundations, 2002 Aristotle A. Kallis, â€Å"The Fascism Reader†, first edition, Routledge, 2003 Graham E. Fuller, â€Å"The Future of Political Islam†, palgrave, 2003 J. Christopher Soper, â€Å"Evangelical Christianity in the United States and Great Britain†, Macmillian, 1994 Reo M. Christenson, â€Å"Ideologies and modern politics†, first edition, Fletcher and Son Ltd, 1972 Roy C. Macridis and Mark Hulliung, â€Å"Contemporary Political Ideologies, Movements and Regimes†,sixth edition, HarperCollins College Publishers, 1996 http://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2526/html/ Iran Daily Newspaper copyright,2005, 20/03/06 1 Andrew Heywood, â€Å"Politics†, second edition, palgrave foundations, 2002, p. 63 2 Roy C. Macridis and Mark Hulliung, â€Å"Contemporary Political Ideologies, Movements and Regimes†,sixth edition, HarperCollins College Publishers, 1996, p.233 3 Hulluing, p. 233 4 Hulluing, p. 234 5 Aristotle A. Kallis, â€Å"The Fascism Reader†, first edition, Routledge, 2003, p.294 6 Reo M. Christenson, â€Å"Ideologies and modern politics†. first edition, Fletcher and Son Ltd, 1972, p. 60 7 Graham E. Fuller, â€Å"The Future of Political Islam†, palgrave, 2003 p. 78 8 Fuller, p. 78 9 Fuller, p. 78 10 Hulluing, p. 233 11 Hulluing, p. 233 12 Hulluing, p. 233 13 Christenson, p. 7 14 Christenson, p. 7 15 Christenson, p. 8 16 Christenson, p. 8 17 Christenson, p. 9 18 J. Christopher Soper, â€Å"Evangelical Christianity in the United States and Great Britain†,Macmillian,1994, p.26 19 http://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2526/html/ Iran Daily Newspaper copyright,2005, 20/03/06 20 Christenson, p. 11 21 Christenson, p. 11 22 Fuller, p. 68

Sexism in Sherlock Holmes

Sexism can be identified as being prejudice towards someone or for stereotyping or discriminating them, on the basis of gender. However, Sherlock Holmes is not sexist within the book, dramatization and modernized episode. In the novel, â€Å"A Scandal in Bohemia† by Conan Doyle, the protagonist Sherlock Holmes is not portrayed to be a sexist character. To begin with, Sherlock insists on having Doctor John Watson remain alongside with him. Just before the King of Bohemia enters for his consultation with Sherlock Holmes regarding his case, Watson offers to leave but Sherlock responds by saying, â€Å"[n]ot a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell†¦ it would be a pity to miss it. † (5). Sherlock invites Doctor Watson to stay in the room before the King of Bohemia comes in. This shows that Sherlock cares for having his friend and colleague in the room when he is working. Sherlock is not discriminating against the male sex because Doctor Watson is a male figure and Sherlock wants him to stay so that way he can record any details and understand all that is going on and afterwards help him with their case. Furthermore, Sherlock Holmes addresses Irene Adler in a respectful manner. After the great scandal that threatened the Kingdom of Bohemia is resolved, Doctor Watson says Sherlock, â€Å"[w]hen he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her photograph, it is always under the honorable title of the woman. † (13). Whenever Sherlock is speaking of Irene Adler he uses the term ‘the woman’, which is not used as a demeaning term. Instead it is a title that Sherlock’s uses to show his respect for Irene. Since Sherlock has respect for Irene it illustrates that he is not sexist against women. Therefore, Sherlock Holmes is not sexist because he insists of having Doctor Watson remain alongside with him and addresses Irene in a respectful manner. Within the dramatization â€Å"A Scandal in Bohemia† directed by Paul Annett, again Sherlock Holmes is also not depicted as a sexist character. Firstly, Sherlock Holmes is attracted to someone of the opposite sex. When Sherlock Holmes said â€Å"Irene Adler had a face that any man would die for†, he preferred to take her photograph to a rich ring from the King of Bohemia’s finger. Sherlock clearly finds Irene Adler to be beautiful and would much rather keep her picture then the King’s ring. Sherlock is very attracted to Irene since she outwitted him. He thinks highly of Irene as opposed to being sexist against her. Moreover, Sherlock supports the marriage between a male and a female. When Irene and Norton are about to get married, they need a witness for their marriage to be legalized. Therefore Sherlock who is in disguise witnesses the marriage between the two. The fact that Sherlock is there to witness their marriage shows that he indeed supports the wedding between the two. He is not displaying any sexism towards either males or females in this example, because he is not discriminating against them or favoring one gender over the other. For these reasons, Sherlock is not sexist in the dramatization because he is attracted to someone of the opposite sex and he supports a marriage between both a male and female. Lastly the modernized episode from the television show â€Å"Sherlock† is based upon on â€Å"The Scandal in Belgravia†. Here Sherlock Holmes is not represented to be a sexist character. Firstly, Sherlock Holmes puts his own life in danger to protect a woman. When the American CIA’s harmed Mrs. Hudson, Sherlock became angry and killed all of them. This shows that Sherlock cares for Mrs. Hudson. Although the CIA’s were well equipped with guns that could easily harm them all, Sherlock was determined to save Mrs. Hudson. Since Sherlock put his own life at risk to protect Mrs. Hudson’s, it shows that he is not sexist against women, especially when he saved the life of one. In addition, Sherlock Holmes saves the life of another female. At the end of the episode when the Karachi terrorist group were about to chop off Irene’s head, Sherlock rescues her. Sherlock helps Irene escape when she was on the brink of death. If Sherlock was sexist, then he would have let Irene die. However, he cannot let anyone be cruel to her which demonstrates that he is not sexist against females. Therefore, Sherlock Holmes is not sexist in the modernized episode because he saves the lives of two women. All in all, I believe that Sherlock Holmes is not represented as a sexist character in the book, dramatization and If only one dramatization between the two that we watched in class were to survive, I would choose the dramatization of the episode â€Å"A Scandal in Belgravia† from the television series â€Å"Sherlock†. I would choose this version because it is a modern version based on the book. As time has pass, it is difficult for people to follow along and understand the English language that has been spoken in the past. Thus it will be easier for the future generation to understand this version because the language is English from the twenty first century, as opposed to the other dramatization which was made in twentieth century. Also, this dramatization expands on the storyline. There are a lot more scenes added such as the hiker dying with the boomerang in the beginning or Irene Adler almost being killed at the end. These scenes make the episode more action packed and intriguing to watch. Also, this dramatization introduces more advanced technology such as the camera phone, internet blogs, modern firearms and a science laboratory that holds advanced equipment. Not only that but more characters are introduced such as Sherlock’s Holmes brother, Moycroft, the CIA group and Moriarty, who all make the episode very entertaining! In addition, it has more appealing genres then just mystery, there is action, romance, and comedy. Furthermore, the entire cast for the television series has wonderful acting skills. Its two stars, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Freeman, who plays Doctor Watson, they have such amazing chemistry. They make the episode livelier and humorous to watch. Therefore, I believe that the modernized dramatization should survive because it is easier to follow along through the vocabulary, it expands on the plot and has an amazing selection of wonderful actors and actresses.

Black Boy Essay Example for Free

Black Boy Essay Essay Topic: African American Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints Most African American families in the South were lower class and committed dangerous acts to survive, â€Å"Richard suffered poverty and hunger experiences that later became themes of his work†. He would have to wait a long period of time before food was available for him, â€Å"You’ll have to wait till I get a job to buy food†. The lower class did desperate things to get money â€Å"Richard sneak into saloons and begs for pennies and drinks†. Many African Americans suffered horribly from poverty, â€Å"My mothers’ suffering grew into a symbol, gathering to itself all the poverty, the ignorance, the helplessness, the pain, hunger ridden days and hours†. The Jim Crow South brought many adversities for Blacks and poverty was a major part of that. Poverty not only took away the physical things in their lives, but also it took away from their internal selves as human beings. The things they had in their lives that they were deprived of, did not mean as much to them as losing who they are as a person, â€Å"I would send other words to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of the hunger of life that gnaws in us all, to keep alive in our hearts a sense of the inexpressibly human†. Racism in the Jim Crow South was brutal, unnecessary, and in some cases fatal. Racism in the United States South was a major theme, and impacted the life of Richard both in a positive and negative way. The only positive aspect of it was that he and many other African Americans overcame it and helped them become better people. In most cases racism affected lives in a negative way. Most African Americans were both physically and mentally pushed to their limit and caused permanent scars in their lives, â€Å"Having been thrust out of the world because of my race, I had accepted my destiny by not being curious about what shaped it†, The quote by Richard shows the racism was present and unfair, you can still move on and not let it be damaging to your daily lives and emotions. Richard experienced many abusive events resulting from racism, â€Å"He experienced some of the most severe abuses of racial oppression in Mississippi†. African Americans have the theory that White people are dangerous and not to be trusted, â€Å"the Jim Crow South was a system of racial segregation practiced in some states of the US, and it gave whites a reason to treat Blacks as second class citizens†. Richard falls into a category of Black youth who fears the White community and has a hard time interacting with them, â€Å"Richard feels psychological tension around Whites†. The major reason why Richard is a part of the Great Migration and fled North is because of racism. The segregation Blacks had to deal with also took away many educational opportunities, â€Å"No education could alter what the meaning of living, came only when one was struggling†. Racism took away many privileges and rights away from Blacks. Many African Americans in the South moved north for better opportunities, and this vast moment was known as the Great Migration. It was hard for many African Americans to leave the South because that was the only life they knew, â€Å"Nine out of ten African Americans lived in the American South in 1900, by 1930, 3 in 10 lived outside the house†. Richard Wrights’ Black Boy shows how racism destroyed the lives of many African Americans, but for some it did just the opposite, as for Richard it drove him to be the successful writer he is today. Violence affected African American youth in a negative way, and it varied how they let it affect the rest of their lives. Poverty took a major toll on the lives of African Americans during the Jim Crow South system, and affected the majority in an unconstructive way. Racism made a huge impact on the lives of the Blacks because it affected their emotions, physicality, home life, and way of being. For some, racism lead to death or completely ruined their lives, but others took the hardship of racism and went with it in the opposite direction. Richard Wright, once a trouble African American boy, now a flourishing writer. Black Boy. (2016, Dec 23).

Earth and space sciences topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Earth and space sciences topic - Essay Example Social media sites also were buzzing with news of the earthquake. Another reason people in central Chile were so upset is the fact that this same area suffered a massive 8.8 earthquake that killed hundreds of people and created a tsunami. Over 200,000 homes were destroyed in the quake two years ago. Many of the survivors blame the government for the high death toll because a faulty tsunami warning system led people to believe that the tsunami would not be destructive. The opposite turned out to be true. Over 30 billion dollars in damage resulted from the combined destructive forces of the earthquake and tsunami. Government officials assured people once again that there would not be a destructive tsunami after this earthquake, but many individuals did not trust the warning system. They evacuated coastal areas anyway. In the end, seismologists were correct in their prediction that this earthquake would not create a tsunami. They could tell that the movement of the plates was not the right king of movement necessary for a tsunami to form. In this case, there was no sudden uplift of the ocean floor, which is a necessary element in the creation of a tsunami. "Quake Just Offshore Chile Disaster Area Causes Panic, but Government Says No Tsunami." Washington Post. Washington Post, Inc., 23 Jan. 2012. Web. 23 Jan. 2012.

Managed Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managed Care - Essay Example In this type of organization there is a very good interlinks that is formed between the hospitals, doctors as well as the various health insurance plans and mostly these three can be found in the same organization. In such cases it is found that the HMO will own the hospital and the salaries of the physicians are paid by them. Under normal circumstances, the patients have to go for the managed care plan that is being offered by the organization and only in very extreme cases, the patient can opt for other types of medical care providers. It has been widely seen that the HMO offers medical plans that are quite friendly to the pockets of the patients, since they force both the doctors as well as the patient to control the cost for the medical treatment that is to be undergone. As a result they are considered to be much more advantageous than other plans but at the same time they lack the quality aspect through the control of costs. (Nguyen 2009) Fee For Service or FFS: In this case of plan the patient can choose any doctor as well as any type of health care provider they wish. As a result the physicians are paid fees on each visit of the patient and in addition to this; the patients also have to pay for the various medical tests that they undergo.

Mischeif and miscarriage in the criminal justice process Assignment

Mischeif and miscarriage in the criminal justice process - Assignment Example 397). Nevertheless, the advancement in the legal practice and in the administration of public affairs makes it possible to have criminals released from confinement allowed the freedom to participate in their social and economic lives without much deterrence. Such a process is sustainable on the basis that such persons are given corrective services while in their homes or with the society (Cohen 2002; p. 41)1. Prisons have served as a useful institution of isolation of criminals. It is however useful to have criminals effectively observed because they are in a different state of social cognition characterized by many altered feelings about social order, governance and public life. Prisons have ceased to deliver their corrective capacity as a result of the challenges in the economy today and therefore better methods should be gradually tested and ratified that will ensure more of the criminals are free in the society and are engaged into more meaningful work. Supervision in the community will offer the best option for correction due to the fact that there are technologies to monitor or aid the monitoring of criminals and that may assist in their correction. The community approach will also create an environment for the other civilian to be familiar with the restrictions that are attached to criminal activity and hence facilitate psychological adjustment and abhorrence for crime. The condition that crime must be established beyond and reasonable doubt in a litigation process is a very high bar to attain in many litigation processes. Due to these high standards, it is meaningful that the program is obtained that will manage the loopholes for which many criminal have evaded justice through the criminal justice system (Ramsey, Latessa, & Travis 2003; p. 3). Suffice it to mention therefore, governments should seek to collaborate widely with many institutions in the process of administering justice. In the United States, the Megan’s law was

Real chocolate case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Real chocolate case study - Essay Example Stores sell around 100 chocolate varieties. Apart from this there are 15 types of fudges available as well as over 30 varieties of caramel-covered apples. The company is very particular about customer service and their main concern is to provide the best available products. The Real Chocolate Company has stores in 65 of 110 factory outlet malls in the United States. The location of stores is selected on the basis of the area, attractiveness, costs and other important factors. The company has been a very successful one and its aim is to build the Company into the leading retailer of chocolates in the United States. The opportunities and the threats are external for the company and they can only be determined looking at the moves of the competitors and the other external factors that have a major impact on the company as a whole and its stakeholders as well. Although the Real Chocolate Company is prospering, there are specific factors that have to be considerd before we can decide whether it will continue to do so. There are certain threats looming which could make the maintainance of this level of progression challenging. One such threat is the degree of competition that the Company would be facing in the coming years. Competitors have been working at producing new products in order to attract customers. They have been introducing healthy items to make their production available to a greater range of customers. Such items include candies with vitamins and skin-enhancing ingredients, sugar-free sweets, chocolate bars with specific elements that would be suitable to people with heart-related problems, etc. Thus, there is a danger of substitution. Apart from existing competitors there is the threat of new entry in this business. The ability of other organizations to enter a market affects power. It differs in different cases. Where there is a free entry and exit, low setup and documentation costs are involved, entry is formed instantly and would be vice versa in the case when there are barriers to entry, etc. Another threat to the Real Chocolate Company is the fact that there is a rise in obesity in the United States. This would affect their sales unless the company manufactured products suitable for such people. Customers are also faced with the problem of allergies, such as peanut allergy. The Company has to be taking this into view as well. There is also an increased cost to keep up with the manufacturing technological progress. The Company should keep this in mind as well. The cost problem is also connected to other areas, for example the wages. There will be increasing minimum wages which the Company will have to counter and so the cost of manufacturing will increase. Also, the cost of raw materials and transportation may increase, once again leading to