Appraise the Pros and Cons of Cosmpolitanism

10024634 Appraise the Pros and Cons of Cosmopolitanism Cosmopolitanism is the term to illustrate a theoretical belief of how some think the world should be, where interstate boundaries are abolished and citizens become part of a global body. It is derived from the ancient Greek, kosmopolites, usually translated as ‘citizen of the world’. Cosmopolitanism takes different stand-points throughout the fields of sociology, politics and philosophy.Gerand Delanty splits the concept into four main categories: â€Å"internationalism, globalisation, transnationalism and post-nationalism†(Delanty 2000: 52) and four sub-categories â€Å"legal, political, cultural and civic† cosmopolitanism. This essay shall analyse and evaluate arguments for and against the notion of cosmopolitanism according to Immanuel Kant’s perception and Hegel’s analysis of the subject matter.Since Kant’s perception is pre-dominantly a form of internationalism and legality, and he is known as the modern forefather of the contemporary conceptualisation, I shall primarily focus on the arguments for and against legal cosmopolitanism. Immanuel Kant developed his notion of cosmopolitanism as a result to the ever increasing Hobbesian ‘state of nature’ in the international realm, between the individualistic actors, nation states and the ever growing interstate communication; especially post the peace of Westphalia where state sovereignty became formalised.Hegel believed that this individuality amongst states in their hobbesian ‘pursuit of felicity’ would only lead to war. â€Å"when the particular wills of states can come to no agreement, the controversy can be settled only by war. † (Hegel 2001: 264) This in mind, I shall reference the views and opinions of contemporary theorists on Kant’s conceptualisation of cosmopolitanism. One of the main positives of cosmopolitanism according to modern theorists is accountability, Ka nt’s predominantly Legal cosmopolitanism was the ideology where state conflict could be resolved into ‘ perpetual peace’ through international laws.Contemporary legal cosmopolitanism as an example, arguably is demonstrated in the Nuremburg trials in 1945. It was the first time that states and state leaders could be held accountable under international legislation and judicial trial. Karl Jaspers states that the trial was a â€Å" new attempt in behalf of order in the world†(Jaspers 1947: 51) and Robert Fine elaborates on Jaspers argument that â€Å"Nuremburg marked the awn of a new cosmopolitan order un which individuals, as well as states, could be held accountable to international law even when acting within the legality of their own state. † (Fine 2003:610) Kant’s philosophy towards the birth of modern cosmopolitanism was pre-dominantly legal, as he desired republican universal legality across the international realm, in order to achieve à ¢â‚¬Ëœperpetual peace’. â€Å"No Independent States, large or small shall come under the dominion of another state by inheritance, exchange, purchase or donation†( Kant 1795).Thomas Pogge, a contemporary cosmopolitan theorist depicts that in cosmopolitanism’s universality â€Å" the status of the ultimate unit of concern attaches to every living human being equally- not merely to some subset, such as men, aristocrats, Aryans, Whites or Muslims† (Pogge 1992:48),according to this some may argue that one fault in Kant’s idealistic Cosmopolitanism is that there were no equal rights for women and that the law under cosmopolitanism only applied to men.This indicates that the trial with the Nazi crimes against humanity would be amicably subsumable to Kant’s theory because it is bringing the injustices of the German state during the Nazi period of power to justice. Kant wished to retain the exercise of power to law†(Delanty 200:55) Having a â €˜universality’ of international laws to present crimes or excess power conclusively is a positive aspect supporting the theory of cosmopolitanism.Some aspects of cosmopolitanism are embedded within our society today by the overrule of international law, especially since the increase of globalisation and the extensive expansion of interstate communication. However arguably some see cosmopolitanism as a means of promoting western political values over common enemies for example during the cold war with the USA’s involvement into communist Vietnam. Vietnam was seen as a case study where the US intervened in order to promote liberal democracy.This was a result of the US’s foreign policy, you could argue that there has been considerable criticism towards the USA’s foreign policy as it has created an abundant amount of unnecessary conflicts, for example the Iraq and Iran conflicts. Robert Fine states that â€Å"a destructive criticism of the idea of cosmop olitan right has been put forward by legal and political theorists who argue that cosmopolitanism is essentially a banner under which powerful nations conduct wars against their enemies and portray them as enemies of humanity itself. (Fine 2003:611) Essentially this depicts a detrimental aspect to the ideal of cosmopolitanism. â€Å"a number of states may make themselves into a family, the union, because it is an individuality, must create an opposition, and so beget an enemy. † (Hegel 2001: 259) This illustrates Hegel’s awareness of Kant’s idea, though he is illustrating here that Groups or unions will be created from states to, on a larger level create one individual to face their enemies.Though Carver and Martin illustrate that Kant was a â€Å"critique of imperialism and colonialism† which you could argue is a primitive form of spreading political values and beliefs, he was a promoter of republicanism and at the centre of his philosophy he believed th at â€Å" all political constitutions should ultimately be republican† (Carver 2006: 39-41). Delanty also contributes to this issue by stating the problem with Kant’s cosmopolitanism is in â€Å"transferring the republican constitution onto the international order†.Even Hegel thought that Kant’s theory was inaccurate to modern times. Though many thought Hegel wished to criticize and oppose Kant’s understanding of cosmopolitanism, evidence suggests that he supported it but thought that it just needed reformulation in accordance to different epoch. â€Å"It is argued that Hegel’s critique was neither regressive nor nationalistic, but rather that he advanced the theory of cosmopolitan right beyond the Kantian framework of formal natural law. (Fine 2003: 610) â€Å"Hence, Kant proposed an alliance of princes, which should settle the controversies of states, and the Holy Alliance was probably intended to be an institution of this kind. But the state is individual, and in individuality negation is essentially implied†(Hegel 2001: 259) Robert Fine refers to Karl Schmitt’s biography on the Nuremburg trials, where he states that â€Å"the only distinction between crimes against humanity and crimes for humanity is that the former were committed by Germans and the latter by Americans. (Fine 2003: 611). Fundamentally this denotes that there is a considerable amount of evidence to illustrate the faults with cosmopolitanism on a hole. On the other hand Kant had anticipated for this abuse of power within his concept and as Robert Fine states he desired to create â€Å"a federation of nations based on mutual co-operation and voluntary consent among a plurality of independent states. † This deems that the individual nation state remains with some sovereignty but the overall power lies within the federation of states.Although Kant’s republican prejudice may promote western ‘imperialism’ because by stating that all political systems should work within the ideology of republicanism, it shall overwhelmingly create conflict with other foreign systems of politics and contrasts with what Robert Fine illustrates as the basis behind cosmopolitanism. â€Å"standing armies would be abolished, no national debt would be incurred in connection with military costs, no state would forcibly interfere in the internal affairs of another, no acts of war would be allowed which would ‘make mutual con? ence impossible during a future time of peace’, foreigners would be afforded a right of ‘universal hospitality’, and the indigenous inhabitants of newly conquered colonies would no longer be ‘counted as nothing†(Fine 2003: 613) Essentially it is difficult to appraise the pros and cons of cosmopolitanism especially when referring to its earliest contemporary form. Each pro or con has its own co-relating positive and negative.However overall evidence suggests that if I were indeed to analyse the above pros and cons it would seem that there are more significant arguments in favour of cosmopolitanism as accountability is key in the modern world we live in. Therefore cosmopolitanism is a better alternative to a liberal democracy that creates conflict. Bibliography * Delanty, G (2000). Cosmopolitan citizenship : beyond the nation state. In : May, Citizenship in a global age. Philadelphia: Open University * Jaspers, K. (2001). The German Questions.In : Koterski J The Question of German Guilt. Fordham: Fordham University Press. 41-55. * Fine, R. (2003). Kant’s Theory of Cosmopolitanism and Hegel’s Critique. Philosophy & Social Criticism. 29 (6), 609-630 * Kant, I (1991). Political Writings. Cambridge: Cambridge University * Pogge, T. (1992). Cosmopolitanism and Sovereignty. Chicago Journals. * Hegel, G (2001). Philosophy of Right. Kitchener: Batoache Books Limited. * Carver et. Al. (2006). Palgrave advance in continental politic al thought. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. 32-59

A Misconception Punishment of Oedipus King of Thebes

In many plays a character could have a misconception of his or her world. In return this could destroy a major turning point in the story. â€Å"Oedipus Rex† by Sophocles is one of such story. At the end of the story Oedipus King of Thebes ends up banished forever from his kingdom. Additionally, Oedipus physically puts out his own eyes, for several reasons which will be discussed later. The question is: Did Oedipus deserve his punishments? There are many factors that must be considered in answering this, including how Oedipus himself felt about this situation. His blinding was as much symbolic as it was physical pain. After all factors have been considered, I think that only Oedipus’ banishment was the necessary punishment. It is important to keep in mind the whole basic reasoning for Oedipus' search for Laios' killers: he wished to put an end to a deadly plague, and that plague would only be stopped when said murderer is killed, or driven from the land (Sophocles 723). Consequently, when it is revealed that Oedipus himself murdered Laios, then banishment seems to be the only option. Death, in my mind, is not valid simply because of what it might do to the kingdom's people. Even though it seems that Oedipus has not been a particularly good monarch, in fact his only major accomplishment seems to be killing the Sphinx all those years ago; having a king put to death could have serious repercussions on the rest of the kingdom. So in the end, the only way to cure the affliction and keep the kingdom stable seems to be the banishment of Oedipus. In this case, the question of whether or not he deserved to be punished seems irrelevant; Oedipus' only goal was to stop the problem and by leaving, he has accomplished that goal. Banishment was the only choice. But what exactly was Oedipus being punished for? Even after re- reading the play, this still seems to be a gray area. Incest? Immoral to be sure, but Oedipus was obviously ignorant to his actions, and to my knowledge in Sophoclean times, there was no written law against it and therefore no punishment for it (â€Å"The Three Goddesses†4). Oedipus' punishment may have been for killing Laios, but how could you punish someone for being a victim of fate? Greeks believed at the time of the play's writing that a man's life was â€Å"woven† by the 3 fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) and that he was irrevocably bound to that destiny (â€Å"The Three Goddesses† 2) . Knowing this and knowing that Oedipus became king of Thebes only because it was his destiny to murder Laios and kill the Sphinx, how could he rightfully be punished? Even Oedipus himself knows that his actions are not by choice, but by acts of the gods, he mentions this twice in the play: â€Å"Some savage power has brought this down upon my head† (745). As well as â€Å"My god, my god — what have you planned to do to me? † (755) Such quotes clearly show that Oedipus knew that he had no choice in his actions. With this approach alone, Oedipus is undeserving of any set punishments. Oedipus may not have been a particularly good man, but in the end he knew what was best for his kingdom: â€Å"Out of this kingdom cast me with all speed† (757) †¦ or only that would save his problems. Was that Oedipus' only punishment the play might have been quite a bit simpler, but Oedipus vigorously stabs his own eyes with Jocasta's dress pins. This was Oedipus' way of trying to punish himself, as well as an escape for him. Oedipus would no longer stare upon the faces of his issues, his brother (uncle? ) Kreon or even those of his children. He is plunged into a world of darkness. It must be noted that this was more than a simply punishment, though I'm sure that it was one of the ways Oedipus intended it. The physical pain alone seems to prove that. There are much easier ways of becoming blind to the world than stabbing one's eyes out. As I have stated before, Oedipus was blinded by his foolish pride long before the beginning of the story. He only realized the truth behind Laios' murder when it was right in front of his nose. He was by no means stupid, in fact he came off as quite a clever man, but his was a world of blindness because of pride and power. After concentrating on the two most obvious of Oedipus' punishments, but there is another one that may not seem so clear. Keeping in mind that Sophocles made it very clear that Oedipus was a man of so much pride that he may have thought of himself to be related to a god. However Oedipus basically stripped of that pride at the end of the play, then the true punishment was revealed. Oedipus' life was based on pride. It was what led him to the murder of Laios, which in turn led to the killing of the Sphinx, then led to his becoming king. As he continues on his particular way of life, Oedipus becomes more and more powerful, and as such, his pride also increases proportionately. He threatens both Teiresias and Kreon, and tries to untangle the mystery of Laios' death. What must go on inside his min d when he finds out that not only did he murder his father, the king, but he also slept with his mother? Knowing full well that his kingdom would eventually find out his acts, how could he hold his head up when walking through the city streets? How could his people respect and look up to a king who was a murderer and an incest committer? Oedipus is therefore stripped of his pride, the driving force behind his whole personality. He has been crushed, and that which he had so much of before has been denied him. Where he was once at one extreme, he is now at the other. To take away the very thing that drives a man is worse than any physical pain or even death itself. That is truly, as Sophocles intended it, Oedipus' ultimate punishment. When the curtain falls and the lights go out on Oedipus Rex, the king's punishments total three. Though in my mind at least, one far outweighs the other two, they are all important and they all contribute to the total experience of the Greek tragedy. In the end, I do not feel that Oedipus truly deserves the punishments he is handed, but that is only because of the fact that I place myself in the time period that this was written in, using the beliefs of that time for my own. If this story took place in modern times, Oedipus certainly would have deserved his punishment, but this idea is irrelevant because, quite simply, this did not take place in our â€Å"advanced† civilization. Oedipus was a victim of fate, incapable of free will, and as such he should have not been punished, save banishment only to cure the affliction.

Prostitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Prostitution - Essay Example In fact, it is one of those aspects of the society that has been acted upon since mankind came into existence. We find Greek literatures of 6th century BCE where three classes of prostitutes have been mentioned: ‘pornai’ or slave prostitutes, free born street prostitutes, ‘hetaera’, educated prostitute-entertainers who relished a level of social influence. Prostitution remained permissible throughout the Greek and Roman periods, until Christian Roman emperors intensely opposed it. Prostitution was seen in the medieval era as well. Though King Henry II discouraged it yet it was permitted. However, he ensured that no other laws were broken while this profession was carried out. During World War II, 80,000 to 300,000 girls and women were forcefully seized and sent to military battalions to serve the Japanese soldiers. Though India banned sex trafficking in 1956, yet it is found to be a home to Asia’s largest red-light-district. (Head) From Japan to South America and from India to England, we cannot deny the veracity of the fact that prostitution is prevalent everywhere in this world; and it is not a new trend that has started recently, but it has been executed since the creation of mankind. Perceiving prostitution from an economic point of view, we shall discover the causes, as to why this profession had to start. In ancient times, widowed women or unmarried women who did not have any medium of earning, either solely depended upon the little wealth that had been left behind by their husbands or their fathers or the last option for them would be to sell their bodies for money not only for the survival of themselves, but also to run a living for their family. Women found men with their uncontrollable urges and willingly submitted themselves to them to earn a living or for bartering goods. In the21st century where survival of women is not difficult, we still find many women involved in this profession due to their a ddiction of making

Wild Ride Summary and Opinion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wild Ride Summary and Opinion - Essay Example However, the article warns that the action may just be a temporary diversion from an inevitable bear market. The bear market may be just around the corner. Many international markets are already in the bear market range and others are within a few percentage points of being off by 20 percent from their peaks last fall. The stop gap interest rate reduction may be too little too late in the face of other looming economic woes. The article reports that the credit market is in a risky position and could eventually seriously impede the banking systems ability to extend credit. The tight credit situation will eventually affect the markets and continue to pull them downward. The article reports that the sub-prime mortgage problem is still having negative effects as housing prices are still plummeting and investment banks are looking at significant write-offs in the coming months. In addition, the global economy is showing signs of slowing and investors can no longer take advantage of de-coupling in foreign markets. These forces are working in concert with the falling confidence in the US dollar on the world market to loom as a growing threat to the markets.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE FINANCE LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

INTERNATIONAL TRADE FINANCE LAW - Essay Example Buy-back and the countertrade, are long-phase trade agreements with the mutual trade flows happening at varied phases of the period. Where readily viable credit facilities and readily acknowledged forms of money exchange are available, markets eschew inefficient and cumbersome countertrade transactions. However, due to governmental restrictions on operation of markets and due to international liquidity issues have motivated many nonmarket economies ( NMEs) and majority of the less-developed countries and industrially developed nations, to usher â€Å" creative â€Å" business transactions that bypass the normal exchange medium of contemporary markets2. It is estimated that about 25 to 30% of international trade are carried through unofficially by way of countertrade or barter system and various empirical evidence prove that whenever there is a financial or economic crisis, there is an increased practice of these kinds of trade. As per Aggarwal, government may persist on countertrad e to safeguard or to kindle the output of domestic industries. This kind of protectionism may kindle counter-purchase or offset deals which in turn may facilitate to purchase much required skills to develop the economy further. According to Lecraw, countertrade practices can be employed to override other guises of protectionists’ trade policies and finally the government policies which attempt to balance and plan its foreign trade, may involve statutory countertrade3. From what has been mentioned above, this research essay, an earnest attempt will be made to find out the legal principles involved in the financing of countertrade transactions in the international oil and gas business with a particular emphasis to whether the present law is adequate to support business in this province with decided cases on the subject, in order to discuss the issue adequately before coming to a conclusion. Legal Principles involved in Countertrade The legal principles in the financing of count ertrade transactions 1. Discrimination principle As per IMF estimates , the countertrade is presently employed by half of its members and is viewed as a guise of exchange restriction and trade which is especially condemned in cases of debt rescheduling by a member nation as in the case of Romania in 1982-1983. In the countertrade , the export revenue will not be distributed fairly and hence there is a legal principle of discrimination exists in countertrade. 2. Protection of domestic industries The WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement states that Member nations may levy anti-dumping duties, where dumping is considered to create ‘material damage’ to the domestic industry. countertrade is frequently said to be means of destabilising or evading anti-dumping law, because countertraded goods lack a translucent, arms-length export price. Hence , countertrade has the legal principle of offering no protection to domestic industries . 3. Consultation principle Countertrade like any other export or import transactions includes negotiation of disputes through alternate dispute mechanism like arbitration etc. 4. Stable basis of trade Countertrade helps to maintain stable prices during the period of extreme exchange volatility and also helps to attain a stable export revenue for a nation. 5. Types of letters of credit framework of agreement obligations Letter of Credits are significant in countertrade transactions concerning parallel L/Cs and are also significant to make sure payment on

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 30

Case Study - Essay Example It is worth noting that for increased size and ability to sustain global positioning, Logitech have acquired some companies such as Intrigue Technologies to harmonize its remote controls, Connectix for its webcams, Slim Devices for its music systems, and Labtec for its audio functionings (Cellich, 1997). Logitech has also retained its strength in the market due to its ability to innovate and diversify. This is shown through the introduction of; computer keyboards, a digital still camera, a headphone/microphone, coupled with a joystick gaming applications. In addition, there is a web camera on a flexible arm. The innovation ability has to be continuous since the attitude and taste of consumers always changes, and this gives designers and obligation to continue to be at their best to ensure they continuously meet the consumer demands. The growth and subsequent increase in size of Logitech will affect the speed of decision making as the organization and management structure become more and more complex (Zoltay Paprika, Wimmer & Szanto, 2008).This is because most of the company follow a decision structure that is long and tedious wasting a lot of time in the process before the top management that has the power to make a decision get enlighten. However, key decision that involves expansion and positioning are discussed by the top organ of the management and that has to take patients and time. Therefore, it is logical to point out that the global dominance and expansion will affect the speed of decision-making, and various strategic method exist that can be used to improve such time and make Logitech more competent. Business success depends fully on the decisions of the management and such simple measures if not well handle can result in the downfall of a company (Ilori & Irefin, 1997).In large organization, decision -making runs from the executives to the

Literary Analysis over the short story, The Ones Who Walk Away From Essay

Literary Analysis over the short story, The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas - Essay Example The house does not have windows and is generally poorly ventilated. The incidence of the forsaken child in the Utopian City basically indicates a rotten foundation on, which the city rests upon. In addition, the author describes a scenario where the Omelas are informed that their success and general happiness can also be achieved by keeping the unfortunate child in a filthy and isolated room. Despite the fact that they are disgusted by this act, they later accept and their desire to achieve maximum happiness and success supersedes their humility towards the child. This is an incidence that symbolizes the selfishness of a Utopian Society; it symbolizes a scenario where the society is characterized by self-centered people who do not care about other people, rather focus on undertaking activities for their personal gains. Moreover, the writer goes further and indicates that indeed some of the residents of Omela were not pleased with suffering of the child and decided to leave the city never to come back. This is symbolism; it indicates a typical modern society where certain biased decisions are made by a few individuals to satisfy their personal interested, while less powerful people are compelled to adhere to the requirements of such decisions or forever never raise concerns. This is indicated by the elderly people who leave the city and never comes back. The residents of Omela are also not sure whether the child is human or not; some people claim that the child is sub-human and decide to refer to him/her as â€Å"it†. This is an indication that the society may be characterized by individuals who perceive other people as â€Å"less† humans can be subjected to torture as a symbol of sacrifice in order to benefit the society. The fact that some people may be perceived as sub-humans is a great symbol on how some people within the society feel more important than others and are

Nutritional Therapy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Nutritional Therapy - Assignment Example In this assignment, where a dietary assessment would be undertaken of the micronutrients in my diet, and I will list all foods eaten in a three-day period in the second half of the week, where a weekend diet is also included. Although this provides a fair idea about the usual diet, this method has been criticized to be not totally accurate. This is because, the subjects either forget or are not totally truthful. They are also sometimes inclined to say they have eaten certain foods because they know they should have done so. However, in the absence of a more reliable method, this option is worth exploring. In this assignment, the collated data will be analyzed by a computer software programme to determine of the nutrient intake has been appropriate. It will accurately reveal any nutrient deficiencies from this dairy. Rice, white, long-grain, parboiled, enriched, dry; Vegetables, mixed, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt; Soup, vegetable beef, dry, mix; Chicken, meatless, breaded, fried; Fruit punch drink, frozen concentrate Rice, white, medium-grain, cooked; Vegetables, mixed, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt; Chicken breast tenders, cooked, microwaved; Soup, chicken broth cubes, dry; Desserts, flan, caramel custard, prepared-from-recipe When these steps are evaluated together, the dietician has the best possible opportunity to make an accurate nutritional assessment. ... Personal Food Diary Day 2 Meal Contents of the Meal Notes Breakfast Cereals, ready-to-eat, ALPEN; Milk, indian buffalo, fluid; Egg, whole, cooked, scrambled; "Apples, canned, sweetened, sliced, drained, unheated Lunch BURGER KING, Chicken WHOPPER Sandwich; Hot Cocoa Mix Rich Chocolate With Marshmallows Dinner Rice, brown, medium-grain, cooked; Potato salad, home-prepared; Beef, corned beef hash, with potato, canned; Vegetarian stew; Desserts, apple crisp, prepared-from-recipe Snacks Candies, NESTLE, AFTER EIGHT Mints Beverages None Food Groups Food Groups Milk and Dairy X X Meats X X Grains X Fruits X X X Vegetables X X X Other X X X Computer Analysis Personal Food Diary Day3 Meal Contents of the Meal Notes Breakfast Bread, wheat; Papaya nectar, canned Lunch Rice, white, medium-grain, cooked; Vegetables, mixed, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt; Chicken breast tenders, cooked, microwaved; Soup, chicken broth cubes, dry; Desserts, flan, caramel custard, prepared-from-recipe Dinner Rice noodles, cooked; Veal, ground, cooked, broiled; Fish, haddock, smoked; Vegetarian stew; Fruit salad, (pineapple and papaya and banana and guava), tropical, canned, heavy syrup, solids and liquids Snacks Snacks, fruit leather, pieces Beverages Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, white Food Groups Food Groups Milk and Dairy X X X X X Meats X X X Grains X X Fruits X Vegetables X X X Other X X X X Computer Analysis When these steps are evaluated together, the dietician has the best possible opportunity to make an accurate nutritional assessment. This information can then be used by the dietician or the nutritional

Continuity Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Continuity Planning - Essay Example The actions to be taken to recover items likely to be partially disturbed or fully disturbed are determined. The anticipated repercussions are also discussed. In the interest of the company, if the disaster recovery is to be effective, the plan of action has to be periodically studied and modified as and when necessary. In other words, Continuity Planning emphasizes the requirement to safeguard the company's structure, asset, wealth, reputation and image. Apart from natural disasters like illness, fire, earth quake etc, attacks by terrorists and attacks on the information technology systems by viruses are also looked into. The chief objective of Continuity Planning is not only to prevent the disaster but to ensure normal functions of the company in the event of a disaster with bare minimum loss of time, material and money. That is important. Obviously Disaster Recovery Planning is a part of Continuity Planning. In fact they go together. According to statistics, man-made and natural disasters have increased considerably. The company authorities have realized the importance of taking necessary steps. An adversity can strike an establishment at any time. Prevention is always better. But it may not be possible always. What to do if a disaster crops up Or what should have been done in anticipation of it The directors of the company turn their eyes to Continuity Planning, which is a sort of risk management, for building security. "Continuity planning" has replaced "disaster recovery planning". If it is adopted sensibly, not only the enterprise can survive the onslaught but it can also bounce back majestically. Continuity Planning Audits have the ability to participate in the Continuity Planning actively for the good of the company. They are also capable of identifying a company's financial loopholes. Destruction caused by disaster is only a part of the story. There are other more critical problems - Losing data, losing business, losing customers, losing reputation, losing money, relocation, repairs are only some of them. All these give everlasting nightmare to the company. That apart, the company is answerable to shareholders, employees, clients and so on. It should have been the company's responsibility to take precautionary measures. The company may be taken to task legally by the shareholders. All these factors add to the concern of the company management. According to Pat McAnally, director of marketing at SunGard Planning Solutions in Wayne, Pennsylvania (Rodetis, 1999), "Professional service companies are starting to appreciate and protect the intellectual capital of a business". Any company without Continuity Planning will fail to meet its statutory obligations; and the company may be penalized for neglecting continuity planning. So most of the companies are seriously adhering to it. Pat McAnally (Rodetis, 1999) says, "Contingency plans are also a regular part of requirements by the office of the comptroller of the currency". Continuity Planning is for preserving and protecting all the records and valuables of an enterprise such that the company can go ahead with its operations without any sort of hindrance. Taking steps to minimize risk is far reasonable than recovering from a mishap. Each minute of idle time of man, machinery and other equipment in an organization amounts to waste of money. If such a situation is not put under control the company runs the risk of closing down. The biggest headache of a manager is undoubtedly

Does the highschool disploma guarantee sucess in math corses in Research Paper

Does the highschool disploma guarantee sucess in math corses in college - Research Paper Example Students who may have not performed as required in high school need to pursue developmental courses to boost their high school diploma so as to be able to gain entry to college courses. Primarily, developmental courses have been developed to enhance certain skills among students before being accepted to do math courses in college. Policymakers and faculties of higher education recognize that there is inadequate preparation for students in high schools, thus fails to meet the demands of college courses. Moreover, success of higher education among students is dependent on adequate performance of students in high school diploma. Nevertheless, diverse nature of college courses with regards to their academic demands and expectations contributes largely to lack of understanding among high school diploma graduates (Chinwah 1). Studies have carefully analyzed geometry, statistics, data analysis and algebra skills required for success in math courses in college. Comparisons have been made with the skills needed for training in job opportunities that offer wages and salaries that are sufficient for survival of families of at least four. Math skills gained from high school diploma is considered a necessity for average and good living standards among human beings, since many occupations that offer the so-called sufficient salary require high school diploma as the necessity skills. Therefore, governments need to put in place policies that ensure all high school graduates attain particular skills necessary for higher education success. Policies have been enacted with regards to the clear understanding that math courses are very important for college courses (Heather, Rose, Betts and Julian 7). Most students are proved to having undertaken all the required courses they need to get a high school diploma without being fully qualified for success in math courses in college. High school

Group Counseling †Article Review Essay Example for Free

Group Counseling – Article Review Essay Unlike the first article, this second article talks about group counseling in elementary school focusing on eliminating aggressive behaviors. The purpose of group counseling in this situation is to lessen aggression by influencing the feelings, emotions, judgments, and behaviors of the students in the process. Group counseling is perceived to be significant for the purpose of lessening aggressive behavior because elementary student, in their respective ages, are highly dependent on groups or group structures. Children relate with each other making it much easier to break into the group structure and influence thoughts, feelings, or behavior that would consequently influence else within the group. Eight sessions were held to implement the concepts of group counseling and intervention. At the end of the sessions, the children were required to attend a follow-up meeting four weeks after. The result of the study revealed that learning took place and the children displayed desirable changes in their behavior. What I like most about the article is that it was based on an actual study conducted on elementary students, and that the purpose of the study is to change specific behaviors within the subjects. The objective of the researcher to approach the problem proactively yielded great results as the sessions have revealed that the aggressive behavior of the children were transformed during the group counseling sessions. The article would be a great source of valid and reliable information that could be applied to future situations that requires behavioral intervention. Moreover, the process is solution-based, such that the study focused on a particular problem which is common in the elementary school setting, and conducted research and data gathering which led to a specific resolution that schools would be able to adapt of implement within their school and guidance and counseling system. Another characteristic that is likeable in the article is that it opens opportunities for further studies and other related studies, such as the adaptation of the steps carried out in the study however, differing in the problem, etc. The success of the study would urge other schools and guidance and counseling professionals to conduct other studies that would resolve other issues as well. References Stewart, J. (1996). Group Counseling Elementary School Children Who Use Aggressive Behaviors. Guidance Counseling, 11, 12-15). Retrieved November 12, 2008 from Academic Search Complete via EBSCOHost.

Effects of stress on undergraduate academic performance

Effects of stress on undergraduate academic performance Studies have identified that the sources of stress, which influence the performance of students, change because of the wide extent of stressors whilst at university. Stress is one of the most common emotions that are experienced by human beings (Alansari, 2006). There can be a number of reasons why students develop stress, personal factors that are unique to the individual are categorised by the demographic classification. Students can have an increase in stress because of the year in which they are in (Naidu et al, 2002) (Sanders et al, 1999)) this may relate to the increased workload from the progression of the course. Age can be another contributing factor, with older students having more pressure to achieve a higher standard of academic performance when compared to younger students (Naidu et al, 2002), (Sanders et al, 1999)). When starting university there may be changes taking place that are new to the individuals thus leading to stressors that can include an impact upon the health of the individual. According to Liu, Shono Kitamura (2009), The concept of well-being refers to optimal psychological functioning and experience. This shows that when a person has a positive wellbeing, it will reflect in their day-to-day living, such as doing housework, maintaining good personal hygiene and completing tasks on time. Naturally, if a person is not in optimal mental shape, they will not be performing to their best potential, possibly having a negative effect on their lives. If this happens during University, there will be a high amount of risk of failure. People attend a University to better themselves academically so they can be successful in the future, providing a safe environment in terms of money and lifestyle. University is also a big financial obstacle in modern times, so adverse grades would ultimately b e a waste of money. An increase in depressive students in counselling, in the UK has led psychologists to wonder whether the financial hardship that some students face, may be severely influencing students mental health (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2003). In a study by Andrews Wilding (2004), nearly 10% of the first year students, who had answered the survey, became depressed during their first semester, whilst 20% became anxious during their studies. The prime reason for these depressive episodes was due to financial difficulties and relationship problems (separated from significant other). This ultimately led poor performance during the end of term examinations. The personal factors that students experience can have adverse effects on their health through stress. These include the financial implications that can arise from the nature of being independent at university (Garbee et al, 1980), (Grandy et al, 1989) which can relate to the social class (Fredericks et al, 1967). Family issues have been proven to contribute towards the stress of students whilst they are staying away from home if a problem occurs (Garbee et al, 1980). An increase in depressive students in counselling, in the UK has led psychologists to wonder whether the financial hardship that some students face, may be severely affecting students mental health (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2003). In a study by Andrews Wilding (2004), nearly 10% of the first year students, who had answered the survey, became depressed during their first semester, whilst 20% became anxious during their studies. The prime reason for these depressive episodes was due to financial difficulties and relationship problems (separated from significant other). This ultimately led poor performance during the end of term examinations. Sell Robsons (1998) study into student life at the prestigious Oxford University found that out of the 318 respondents to the Questionnaire, a third felt that they were discriminated against due to their social class (not being invited to balls) ,despite enjoying the overall experience. In addition, 1/3 of female undergraduates had been sexually harassed or discriminated against during their time at university. Their overall learning experience had been stopped abruptly due to differences in gender, which would be an extremely troubling experience. The study also found that there was a large prevalence of Class A drug taking and overuse of Alcohol during the respondents time at university, providing a possible solution to stressful experience or a route provided by peer pressure (Kosviner, Hawks Webb, 1973) If the student is from another country there may be a language barrier can cause stress through an increased workload, a lowering of the conceptual understanding of the learning content and being unfamiliar with processes (Acharya et al, 2003). Although, in Li, Lin, Bray and Kehles 2005 study, it was clear that the some of the reasons for stress may vary cross culturally. Their study found that the main cause of Anxiety among Chinese undergraduates was because of competition with other students and inadequate learning facilities, where as the factors affecting American students usually were due to relationship problems between the student and their significant other or parent. The poor learning resources provided to some Chinese students would of course impair learning, yet is overshadowed by the constant need to perform better than any other student is. This shows that possibly in eastern cultures, money and time management are not as central to learning as in the West. The housing where the student resides can influence health by introducing stress because of financial worries ((Naidu et al, 2002)). Some studies do report that stress is higher amongst those who live away from home (33) as opposed to those who live with parents. Yet on the other hand, other studies show that people who live at home are more stressed (Omigbodun et al, 2006). The academic factors which contribute towards the stress of students can vary depending on the personal factors indicated above including the lack of confidence that the student will perform to their full potential (Heath et al, 1990), (Acharya et al, 2003) this can be influenced by the competition which is within and between peer groups (Rosli et al, 2005), (Goldstein et al, 1979). Examinations can influence the amount of stress that a student is exposed to (Rosli et al, 2005), (Sanders et al, 1999) and the general fear of unemployment after graduating, especially within the current economic climate (Al-Omari et al, 2005), (Morse et al, 2007) A 2007 study by Henry Chow measured the achievement and psychological well-being of students from the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He found that the most common factors affecting academic performance were the amount of time spent studying, the physical health of the student and the struggle to attempt a balance between their social life and work time. Chows study found that those students who were of good physical health (regular exercise/ good diet), were financially secure and set out goals for the future fared better during their undergraduate years. In regards to the latter statement, the fact that the students knew what they were aiming for academically, meant that they were not preoccupied during their work, thinking about their forthcomings. The academic factors, which influence the levels of stress of students, can fluctuate according to their level of study (Naidu et al, 2002), (Sanders et al, 1999). However, the main factors remain significant in their contribution towards stress. These factors include the fact that during examination periods students are under more pressure to perform to their full potential (Rosli et al, 2005), (Sanders et al, 1999), yet on the contrary the opposite can occur because of the influence that stress could have on memory. The influence that stress has on memory is that the Hippocampus is extremely vulnerable to long term stress, due to the high numbers of Glucocorticoid receptors. It is also extremely vital in terms of memory consolidation. During a stressful period, the Hippocampus is bathed in Cortisol, shrinking it, which will impair memory retrieval, particularly of facts. For example, if an individual needs to hastily remember a lot of information for an exam, but has left it to the last minute, they will probably be fairly stressed. In turn, this will mean that any revision that they will do the night before will be not remembered, due to the deactivation of the hippocampus. The Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum, which are vital for remembering skills, will not be affected, meaning day-to-day activities such as driving or showering will not be impaired during stressful times. Although, social matters do not necessarily always affect Students stress levels; it is possible that the course itself is the cause of anxiety. An Australian study into the academic performance of nursing students (Lo, 2002) found that the main cause of stress during study was because of the challenging medical curriculum. Finance, family issues and healthy living surprisingly followed this. In addition, it was found that depression was much more prevalent among second year students, than first or third year undergraduates were. Likewise, a similar study into medical undergraduates in Pakistan found that stress was linked to curriculum, but also to parental expectations. This shows that there may be a possible link to stressful periods with high academically demanding degrees i.e. doctors and nurses being associated with being more academic than others, thus providing a level of honour among families (Shah, Hasan, Malik Sreeramareddy, 2010). Jones, Dean Los (2002) study found that physical inactivity resulted in the students who were more anxious developing high blood pressure, due to the stress from university. Although, it can be seen that due to the high amounts of anxiety, the student would be less likely to take up exercise, possibly due to financial difficulties or simply just a lack of time. Chapel, Blanding, Silverstein, Takahashi, Newman, Gubi McCann (2005) examined specifically Test Anxiety and its effect on academic performance through high or low Grade point averages. It was found that females with low-test anxiousness had significantly higher average grades than females who are highly stressed around the exam period. Out of the 4,000 undergraduate sample used, females had significantly higher grades than male undergraduates did. Although, it was found that females also had the highest amount of test anxiety in the run up to the examination period. A 2008 study by Bayram Bilgel focused on a recent international concern that the mental health and general wellbeing of students was rapidly becoming more negative. Using a 1,617 Turkish student sample, they found that first and second year undergraduates reported the highest amounts of stress. In the questionnaire (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale), students were asked to rate the level of satisfaction they had with the course. The majority who were very satisfied with the course also had a low depression level. Similarly, Chambel Curral (2005) gave 825 Portuguese students a questionnaire designed to measure the levels of academic work, amount of peer support and satisfaction with academic life. It was found that levels of overall happiness had a direct impact on positive or negative academic performance. If a person is not satisfied with their course, their future options may be constantly on their mind, diverting their attention away from their current studies. The symptoms that stress has on student academic performance can be explained through a number of pathways. These different pathways include Anxiety (Grandy et al, 1984), (Heath et al, 1990) Depression (Grandy et al, 1984), (Heath et al, 1990) Sleeplessness (Tisdelle et al, 1984) which can lead to Memory problems (Davis et al, 1989).The Hippocampus is extremely vulnerable to long term stress, due to the high numbers of Glucocorticoid receptors. It is also extremely vital in terms of memory consolidation. During a stressful period, the Hippocampus is bathed in Cortisol, shrinking it, which will impair memory retrieval, particularly of facts. For example, if an individual needs to hastily remember a lot of information for an exam, but has left it to the last minute, they will probably be fairly stressed. In turn, this will mean that any revision that they will do the night before will be not remembered, due to the deactivation of the hippocampus (Rosli et al, 2005). The Basal Ganglia a nd Cerebellum which are vital for remembering skills will not be affected, meaning day to day activities such as driving or showering will not be impaired during stressful times (Ng et al, 2003). Conclusion

Why Did Britain Vote to Leave the EU?

Why Did Britain Vote to Leave the EU? Introduction On the 23rd June 2016, in a nationwide referendum, British voters were asked the question: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union? After a bitterly fought election campaign, the electorates of Great Britain chose to leave the European Union (EU).. The ballot was extremely close, with 51.9% of the electoral population voting to leave and 48.1% wanting to remain. At 72%, turnout was higher than for any UK-wide vote since the 1992 General Election. The promise of a referendum was first announced by Prime Minister David Cameron on 23rd January 2013. He vowed that if the Conservative Party was elected to power in the General Election of 2015, they would hold a national referendum on the UK’s membership in the EU. After the election was successfully won, the new Conservative Government introduced the European Union Referendum Bill 2015-16. This ensured that the referendum must be held before the end of 2017.In February 2016, regulations set the official date. The referendum campaign was split into two groups. Firstly, there was Britain Stronger in Europe, aiming to persuade the nation that Britain will be stronger and far more successful as an active member of the European Union. On the other hand, there was Vote Leave, led by Gisela Stuart and Michael Gove. This campaign group successfully encouraged 51.9% of the British electorate to vote out, meaning Britain would withdraw its membership with the European Union. The Chief Counting Officer, Jenny Watson, who is the Chair of the Electoral Commission, declared the national result from the national referendum count event held in Manchester on Friday 24 June at 07:51 (Uberoi, 2016, p4). This result triggered ‘Brexit’. This term became the famous tagline of the referendum result and is an abbreviation of ‘British exit’ out of the European Union. Through researching the referendum’s result, there was limited analytic material on why 51.9% of the British electorate decided to vote to leave the EU. The majority of the literature focused on the consequences of Brexit and the immediate impact it had on Britain. Hence, this triggered interest regarding the question why did Britain decide to support Vote Leave. The purpose of my study is to analyse why the referendum on the 23rd June 2016, resulted in a decision for Britain to leave the European Union. The analysis will be split into three fundamental chapters. Firstly, who voted for Brexit, examining the social and geographical aspects of voting to leave. Secondly, examining what the main reasons were for wanting the UK to withdraw from the European Union, including motives such as controlling immigration and regaining national identity. Lastly, exploring why Vote Leave won. This involves analysing the effects of electoral turnout and other factors such as, the support of the national press and the actions of the campaigns figurehead politicians. The objective of this research is to come to an assertive conclusion on what the most important reasons were 51.9% of the electorate that voted on the 23rd June 2016 wanted to leave the European and factors that contributed to why Vote Leave won. Reliable research needs to be developed to analyse why 51.9% of voters wanted to leave the EU, and only then can it be understood what people want from the result. Literature Review Recognising why Britain decided to vote to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum is important because it is essential to understand what changes in politics the British electorate want. It is imperative to analyse who voted to leave the EU and reasons behind this choice. As soon as the referendum results were announced, masses of data was evaluated showing how the electorate voted, significantly regarding geographical areas and social class. This included polls from sources such as Lord Ashcroft, which was used by many of the national newspapers. Other sources such as YouGov, further support this data by getting similar results in polls they also ran. However, there is a gap in the theoretical data, as there is limited material questioning the empirical reasons why the British electorate voted leave and why the Vote Leave campaign won. Furthermore, the information being produced regarding the referendum quickly moved onto the consequences of voting to leave the European Union. Thus, why it is important research is developed regarding why the 2016 Referendum resulted in a vote for Britain leaving the European Union, as the current observations are limited. As it is an extremely current topic, thorough analysis is still being developed, therefore the limitations in the research are understood.      Who voted for Brexit In order to analyse the reasons why 51.9% of the British voting population wanted to leave the European Union, it is important to recognise who exactly voted this way in June 2016. Within hours of the result being confirmed, there was significant amounts of data being produced regarding how the public voted. Most this information was made public through newspaper articles. The Daily Mail and The Guardian, both produced articles showing the full results of analysis of the EU referendum results. This allowed the reader to see how each constituency voted and then further breaks down the data into significant topics such as age, education and annual income. The resemblances between the two newspapers analysis indicates that the examination of the data must be based on fact and the papers different political bias is not reflected within the analysis, therefore demonstrating the sources credible. Most of the national press gained their EU referendum results data from YouGov or Lord Ashcroft’s Poll. YouGov is an internet-based market research firm and their methodology involves obtaining responses from an invited group of internet users, and then weighting these responses in line with demographic information. This organisation similarly splits its analysis of the EU results into socio-economic groups, however the go further by also including factors such as ‘political attention’. YouGov has claimed that its opinion polls are most precise when compared to its opponents and that its online approach is more accurate than traditional polling methods (YouGov, n.d.). However, not every member of the voting population has access to the internet and internet polls could be argued as mainly aimed at the younger generation. Therefore, it is claimed online samples cannot accurately reflect the views of the population. On the other hand, Lord Ashcroft Poll conducted a survey, online and by telephone, after voters can casted their vote (Ashcroft, 2016). The additional method of telephone surveying adds reliability to the results. This is because most people have access to a telephone, increasing representativeness. Furthermore, as the results were collected on the same day people had voted, their opinions and thoughts about the referendum were still fresh. Thus, concluding Lord Ashcroft’s poll as more credible. Overall, the literature regarding who voted for Brexit, significantly shows a trend concerning which socio-economic groups are thought to be the most important to analyse. This includes age, levels of education and annual income. On the other hand, the literature didn’t indicate the significance of other social groups, for example different types of trade and ethnicity. Hence why my analysis will look further into these different issues.   Reasons for Voting to Leave It is important to understand why 51.9% of the British voting population voted to leave the European Union on the 23rd June 2016. Lord Ashcroft poll’s state that the three most important reasons for people choosing Vote Leave were;   The principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK.Voting to the leave offered the best chance for the UK to regain control over immigration and its own borders.Remaining meant little or no choice about how the EU expanded its membership or powers. These three reasons were also the top three reasons for Conservative and Labour voters, showing that the explanations are not completely politically swayed (Ashcroft, 2016). Consequentially, it is clear that Lord Ashcroft concludes the main argument for voting to leave was the want to regain control over choices that impacted Great Britain. This is also reflected in Clarke, Goodwin and Whiteley’s research paper ‘Why Britain Voted for Brexit’. National identity and sovereignty is key in their research to find out why Britain voted to leave. However, their research is extremely strengthened by their used of models and equations to further prove the impact of factors such as ‘explanatory powers’ and ‘predictor variables’ (Clarke, Goodwin and Whiteley, 2016, p16). The combined use of polling and mathematical models, reinforces the credibility of their results.   National newspapers are argued to be the most significant source of information that influenced people’s vote. The Sun and the Daily Mail were dominant Vote Leave supporters, stating immigration and taking back control of the United Kingdom as their most important reasons for why Britain should leave the European Union. This could have significantly influenced certain socio-economic groups vote, considerably less academic people, who are the tabloid newspapers majority readers. However, the bias nature of national newspapers, decreases their credibility. The political opinions expressed by these newspapers regarding why Britain voted to leave the European Union are not totally reliable, due to their expressed support of the Leave Campaign. This is where a gap is research is demonstrated. It has proven difficult to find previous credible research to why specific groups, such as older people and low income households, decided to vote to leave the European Union.   Why did Vote Leave Win? Certain literature does recognise the importance of factors allowing Vote Leave to win, such as the impact of voter turnout. There has been substantial debate regarding the relationship between turnout and age. The House of Commons EU Referendum Briefing paper argues that ‘there was no significant relationship between higher turnout levels and higher levels of support for leave’ (Uberoi, 2016, p26). However, The Telegraph recognise that there was an important trend between age and voter turnout (Kirk and Dunford, 2016). Older voters had a high percentage turnout, compared to young voters. As strong Vote Leave supporters, the high turnout level for the over sixty-fives is argued to have given Brexit a greater chance to win. Furthermore, as a result of poor turnout levels from young people, who were strong Remain supports, this is argued to have reduced the Remain campaign’s chance at winning. Therefore, denouncing The House of Commons EU Referendum Briefing paper argument that the trend between age and turnout was weak. Conclusions Due to the lack of research, analysing which are the most important factors that resulted in a vote for Britain to leave the European Union, it is important further studies are developed. Furthermore, due to much of the accessible materials being newspaper articles, the credibility of the information available is weak. This is due to the significant political biasness of the national press. Substantial amounts of data about who voted for Brexit was released in under 24 hours of the result being confirmed. However, research regarding what reasons voters had for voting to leave and why the Leave campaign won, has been proven hard to find. Moreover, as the issue of ‘why the result of the 2016 referendum resulted in a vote for Britain to leave the European Union’ is still recent, it is important to recognise that data is still being analysed.   Who voted for Brexit? It is important to firstly outline who in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. Throughout the campaign, it was clear that particular social groups would be strong Vote Leave supporters, such as older citizens and people who work in certain trades such as the fishing industry. However, as the results came in on the night of 23 June 2016, votes to leave had higher shares than expected. This chapter will give a focused quantitative analysis regarding who voted to leave the European Union in June 2016. The study will focus on core demographics such as age, gender and ethnicity. Furthermore, it is important to look at how education and party allegiance impacted on people’s decision to vote the leave the EU. A breakdown of how the regions within the United Kingdom will also be conducted, analysing if geographical differences presented a relationship with voters’ decisions.   A later chapter will build on the following considerations, examining why people voted in this manner. Regions The United Kingdom became a divided nation when the results began to come in on the night of 23 June 2016. The earliest returns, from Newcastle and Sunderland, showed higher shares for leave than had been anticipated. The trend persisted – Scotland, Northern Ireland and London were the only three regions in which a majority voted to remain – and by four oclock in the morning the broadcasters were ready to announce that the country had voted for Brexit (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p166). The vote to Remain in Scotland was considerably higher than anywhere else, at 62% of the vote. However, in England and Wales the vote to Leave won, with England having the highest percentage of support for the Vote Leave campaign, but still very narrow at 53.2%. Nine out of the twelve regions of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. The large Brexit votes in the North of England were the first signals of what was to come in the referendum. In the North East, 58% of voters supported leaving the EU. According to the Daily Telegraph, more than one in three people along the coast north of Hartlepool regard themselves in the DE social-class in the last census. This can be seen a sign of Leave’s Victory of successfully appealing to working-class voters (Coles, Kirk and Krol, 2016). The most Eurosceptic part of the United Kingdom was the West Midlands, totalling the highest percentage vote to leave, at 59.2%. UKIP did not gain a significant foothold in the General Election, so Vote Leave might have been surprised that the electorate of the West Midlands strongly voted out of the EU. The only region in England to vote Remain was London. The cosmopolitan city had polled as the most Europhilic part of England before the referendum. Furthermore, it is home to the financial City of London, whose businesses and banks had mainly backed the professed stability of voting to remain. Thus, the result of 59.9% of the London electorate voting to stay in the European Union was expected. However, this result left the Capital city surrounded by pro-Brexit regional neighbours (Coles, Kirk and Krol, 2016) Percentage of Votes to Leave (Swales, 2016, p9) Age A strong Vote Leave supporter from the beginning of the campaign was voters over the age of 65. According to statistics 60% of over 65 year olds voted to leave the European Union. This is closely followed by over 56% of 45 to 64 year olds also coming to the decision the United Kingdom is better out of the EU (Ashcroft, 2016). The Daily Telegraph provides further analysis showing that the East coast areas that scored the highest anti-EU  votes were also the areas with the highest pensioner populace. Just two of the top 30 areas for over 65s voted to Remain South Lakeland in the North West and South Hams in the South West (Boult, 2016). This is supported by Ashcroft and Culwick’s findings, showing that â€Å"more than half of those on a private pension voted to leave, as did two thirds of those retired with only a state pension† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p167). By contrast, the younger generations of Britain have a contrasting view. Statistics show that 73% of 18 to 24 year olds voted to remain (Ashcroft, 2016). The Sun newspaper called this divide â€Å"The Generation Gap†, analysing how age significantly showed a trend in how different people voted in the referendum. The age divide is shown clearly by Ashcroft and Culwick’s discovery that â€Å"most of those with children aged ten or under voted to remain; most of those whose children were aged eleven or older voted to leave† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p167). This illustrates how there was a clear correlation between the age of voters and their decision to vote ‘Remain’ or ‘Leave’ in the 2016 Referendum. It is evident that the older the voter is, the more likely they would have voted to leave the European Union, even though some of them won’t live long enough to experience the consequences. Education Recent findings show that people with fewer qualifications and lower standards of education, were more likely to have voted to leave the European Union. The tables in the European Union Referendum Briefing paper clearly show that there is obvious correlation between the number of non-graduates and the percentage of people who voted to leave. The opposite is reciprocated on the graph regarding graduates, showing strong correspondence between holding a degree and voting to remain (Uberoi, 2016, p21). This evidence is parallel with Lord Ashcroft’s findings, stating â€Å"a majority (57%) of those with a university degree voted to remain, as did 64% of those with a higher degree†¦Among those whose formal education ended at secondary school or earlier, a large majority voted to leave† (Ashcroft, 2016). Therefore, it is evident that voters with fewer qualifications voted to enforce Brexit. (Uberoi, 2016, p21) Social Class (Uberoi, 2016, p22). The clear relationship between level of education and voting to leave the European Union is very closely linked to the similar correlation regarding social classes and level of income. â€Å"Professionals and managers (often described as the ‘ABs’) were the only social group among which a majority (57%) voted to remain†, stated Ashcroft and Culwick. However, â€Å"nearly two thirds of skilled manual workers (‘C2s’), and of unskilled manual workers and those dependent on state benefits, voted for Brexit† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p168). In contrast to this, the Commons Library Briefing Paper argues there is little correlation between socio-economic indicators and the proportion of people voting to leave. There is an arguably weaker relationship between the median weekly earning in local authorities and the amount of people voting to leave. Furthermore, there is no obvious correlation between the rank of a local authority in terms of deprivation and vote shares to leave. (Uberoi, 2016, p22). Therefore, this suggests that votes for Leave and Remain are not as strongly related to social class as initially thought. However, considering various information, it is evident that there is a correlation between social class and people’s opinions regarding the EU referendum. Thus, voters in lower social classes were more likely to have voted to leave the European Union. Industries Certain trades, such as the fishing industry, were huge supporters of the Vote Leave campaign. When the United Kingdom joined what became the European Union, fishermen’s quotas and rights were cut dramatically, causing a steady decline of the industry’s previous success. Many of the current quotas give large shares of catches to other fishermen within the EU. Thus, when the opportunity came to have an impact on the UK’s decision on its EU membership, fishermen became a key touchstone for Brexit. It is argued that they voted Leave to give the industry a chance to regain control. However, there is some argument over whether it will be as beneficial for fishermen as the leave campaign promised. Because pursuing Article 50 could take years, the UK is still a member of the EU. Furthermore, if new arrangements are negotiated after Brexit, they may not be necessarily more generous as the fishing industry will still be tied to international agreements. However, due to the attractive opportunity arising to regain control, the fishing industry was a strong supporter of leaving the EU. Furthermore, many post industrial areas of the UK, that receive a lot of EU funding, had a greater support for Brexit than initially expected. For example, the Valleys in South Wales are historically industrial and strong Labour supporters, so it was assumed they were secure remain enthusiasts. Thus, it came as a shock when these strongholds voted in favour of Brexit, with areas such as Neath Port Talbot and Caerphilly voting to leave by over 56%. Therefore, it is evident that industrial areas weren’t as supportive of the EU as originally thought. Ethnicity Lord Ashcroft’s poll conducted on the day of the referendum found significant correlation between a vote to Leave the European Union and a voter’s ethnicity and religion. It is argued that 53% of White voters supported the decision to withdraw the United Kingdom’s membership with the EU. This was the only ethnicity group to have a majority backing for the Vote Leave campaign. Other ethnicities such as, Mixed, Asian or Black, their amount of votes to Leave did not go higher than 33% (Ashcroft, 2016). This shows that people with White ethnicity were more likely to have voted for Brexit, but only by a narrow majority. Furthermore, it can be argued that there is a relationship between ethnicity and national identity. People from ethnic minorities are more likely to identify as ‘British only’, while white respondents are more likely to identify as ‘English only’ according to the 2011 Census. The tables from the Electoral Commission show that English local authorities with higher proportions of people who gave their national identity as ‘British only’ in the 2011 Census were more likely to record lower vote shares for Leave. (Uberoi, 2016) English local authorities with higher proportions of people who classified their national identity as ‘English only’ were more likely to record higher vote shares for Leave (Uberoi, 2016). This tells us that white voters were more likely to have voted for Brexit, and it could be explained due to their views regarding national identity. Regarding religion, support for Brexit is more mixed. Christians were found to have the highest percentage vote to leave the European Union, with the greatest majority at 58%. This is followed by 54% of the Jewish electorate and 52% of Sikh’s also voting for the decision to leave. This was in stark contrast to other religions, such as Muslim or Hindu, whose support to leave did not go above 30% (Ashcroft, 2016). Party Allegiance It is important to analyse who voted for Brexit through the perspective of party allegiance. Many political parties were divided over the question, â€Å"Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?†, with UKIP being one of the only significant parties providing a united front on the issue. For example, 58% of those who voted Conservative in the 2015 General Election voted to leave the EU. While 63% of the Opposition Party Labour supporters voted to remain in the EU, as did seven out of ten Liberal Democrats and 75% of Green voters. Conservative voters constituted just over three out of every ten Remain supporters, and four in ten leavers. Labour voters made up four in every ten Remain supporters, and two in ten leavers. Scottish National Party voters backed the Remain campaign by nearly two to one, with 64% voting for the United Kingdom to remain within the EU (Ashcroft, 2016). Ashcroft and Culwick analyse this result further stating, â€Å"since Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, would use Scotland’s support for EU membership as the basis to seek a second referendum on Scottish independence, nearly half (44%) of Scottish support for Brexit came from her own SNP supporters† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p169).   UKIP was the only party with a significant majority, with 96% of people who voted for them in the 2015 General Election voting to leave the European Union. Therefore, regarding party allegiance, the picture was quite mixed. However, Conservative supporters were more likely to vote to leave and without a need for explanation, UKIP enthusiasts were solid supporters of Brexit. Was there a Vote Leave Stereotype? Throughout the referendum campaign, it could be argued that there was a stereotype created regarding the type of person that would have voted to leave the European Union. Whilst there was no gender gap, the issue divides the population according to age, political learnings and education as the key deciding issues. A significant event that portrayed the use of stereotypes during the referendum was the publication of the Operation Black Vote poster. The poster was created to encourage black people to vote, however many condemned the Saatchi and Saatchi devised image of an Asian woman balanced on a see-saw with a shaven-headed white man, which was portrayed as a ‘thug’. It creates an implication that all Brexit voters are of white ethnicity, who do not welcome ethnic minorities, thus some would argue encouraging sectarian politics. The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, expressed his concern over the image due to it reinforcing stereotypes (Proto, 2016). This is significant because he was a Britain Stronger in Europe campaign supporter, who is also from an ethnic minority in Britain. Therefore, there is strong evidence to support the argument that there was a stereotype created around who voted for Brexit. From the research conducted, the most significant perceptions can be concluded as white ethnicity, older and of lower education. What are the reasons for voting to leave the EU? Building from the previous considerations regarding who voted for Brexit, it is important is understand what reasons voters had for wanting to leave the European Union. A focal point for the Vote Leave campaign was the amount of money the United Kingdom contributed to the EU. They claimed the UK pays  £350 million a week into the EU budget and implied it could be spent on the NHS instead. This shocked many voters and it could be argued the claim helped swing the vote towards Brexit. Other key arguments supporting the decision to vote to leave the European Union are that decisions about the UK should be made in the UK, control over immigration and the fear that remaining in the EU meant little choice about how the EU can expand its powers. These reasons were the top three most important reasons for people who voted to leave the EU according to Lord Ashcroft’s Poll (Ashcroft, 2016). This chapter will analyse the reasons why 51.9% of the electorate who voted in the 2016 referendum wanted to leave the European Union. National Identity and Sovereignty National identity was a key issue causing many voters to choose to support Brexit and the freedom for Britain to run its own affairs was at the centre of the leave campaign. This was established in its slogan, ‘Vote Leave, Take Control’. A pre-referendum survey found that 51% of people indicated that they thought EU membership eroded British sovereignty (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p12). This relates to Lord Ashcroft’s findings that the most important reasons for voting Leave was the principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK (Ashcroft, 2016). Britain has a particular notion of sovereignty enshrined in one intuition, rather than shared among several. When what was then known as the European Economic Community was created in 1957, its aim was to avoid another destructive war in Europe by making its countries economically interdependent. However, what began as a purely monetary union has now expanded and become accountable for many different areas of policy, from agriculture to transport. When arranging the deal regarding the UK’s membership with the EEC, then Prime Minister, Edward Heath promised that â€Å"there is no question of any erosion of essential national sovereignty†. However, The Economist argues this is only true in the sense that Parliament can repeal the 1972 European Communities Act, ignoring the reality that EU membership meant that European Law undermines national law (The Economist, 2016). This could explain why the older generation were strong Vote Leave supporters, as they remember the times before the UK became a member of the EU. It is argued that before the UK joined the EU they were considered a significant global power, and since then their impact has declined. On the other hand, Britain is signed up to over 700 international treaties that encroach on sovereignty. Although the EU has the greatest impact, others are also significant, such as NATO. However, as Lord Ashcroft found, Brexit was successful because of people’s fear that remaining in the EU meant little choice about how it expanded its powers and encroached upon British sovereignty (Ashcroft, 2016). The British Election Study Team argue that Vote Leave’s slogan, ‘Vote Leave, Take Control’, had a more significant impact on some people’s lives than originally thought, due to it affecting their ‘locus of control’ (Election Study Team, 2016). It represents the extent that people think they are in control over what happens to them. ‘People with an internal locus of control think they are themselves largely responsible for the things that happen to them, whilst those with an external locus of control tend to believe things are controlled by outside forces they cannot influence, such as other people, fate, or chance’, (Election Study Team, 2016). Their research helps explain people’s attitudes regarding losing their national identity and sovereignty. Those with an external locus of control are more likely to blame others, such as immigrants, for any hardship they may come by. They found that those with an external locus of con trol were much more likely to vote Leave (and take control) than those with an internal locus of control, as shown in the graph (Election Study Team, 2016). Thus concluding national identity had a significant impact on deciding to vote Leave. (Election Study Team, 2016) Immigration It is argued that national identity is further threatened by the issue of immigration. This was made a defining issue by the Vote Leave campaign that fuelled a lot of voter’s passions. Additionally, Lord Ashcroft’s poll declared ‘voting to Leave offered the best chance for the UK to regain control over immigration and its own borders’ the second most important reason to leave the European Union (Ashcroft, 2016). The issue of immigration became more important when Poland and Romania joined the EU, in 2004 and 2007 respectively. The EU’s principle of the ‘free movement of labour’ made immigration a concern for Britain, fuelled by tabloid reports of migrants taking jobs and driving down wages. EU migrants were often blamed for exacerbating public services, such as NHS waiting lists. These claims were increased significantly in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis; the subsequent austerity, involving cuts in public spending and thus cuts in public services, led to even more blame and hostility towards EU migrant workers. This was significantly felt amongst older people and those living in poorer areas. (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p31) Further events helped the leave campaign in their efforts to gain support. Oxford University’s Migration Observatory reported that the Eurozone crisis of 2015 was encouraging more southern European migrants to travel to the UK than ever before, joining those from Eastern Europe (University of Oxford, 2016). Furthermore, the Office of National Statistics published figures stating that 1.2 million more EU migrants have been given National Insurance numbers in the last five years than had shown up in the immigration figures. Vote Leave used these examples to show how the UK had lost control of its immigration system, allowing for immigration to become one of the most significant explanatory powers in the likelihood of voting Leave. Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely calculated that as benefit-cost calculations regarding immigration moved from negative to positive, the likelihood of voting Leave increased by 0.75 points (on a 0-1 scale) (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p17). Immigration had the second strongest effect on the electorate’s vote in the referendum. This aligns with Lord Ashcroft’s poll, where immigration was also said to be the second most important reason for voting Leave (Ashcroft, 2016). Ashcroft and Culwick found that immigration was a constant concern amongst the undecided voters in the focus groups they conducted. They found that the worry for many concentrated around competition for school places and public services. A member of the group stated â€Å"Yesterday, my boss, when her child didn’t get into the school she wanted, she said, ‘That’s it, I’m out.’† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p125). Due to increased UK population, it is argued that it is becoming increasingly competitive to get children into schools and difficult to use public services, such as booking appointments to see your GP. The increased pressure on public services is suggested to be decreasing its quality, which many would blame on immigration and more specifically the open door policy of the EU. This is important to the argument to why people no longer wanted to be a member of the European Union. Other events that helped the leave campaign make immigration a successful focus point of encouraging people to vote for Brexit, was the suggestion that Turkey was about to join the EU. Thus, increasing the European Union’s population and therefore the number eligible to come into the U.K. In focus groups, Ashcroft and Culwick found that some had the impression that Turkish membership was impending and were concerned, stating â€Å"The immigration thing will explode. If we stay in and Turkey joins the EU, there are millions of Turks who want to come to the UK. It really worries me. Will they have jobs? Will they have their own money? Will they have private health care?† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p127). This worry links to the previous point about added strain to public services, showing that is a significant concern for people. Due to its importance, it is possible it may have swayed the undecided voters in the focus group to vote to Leave. In a survey I conducted in March 2017, I found that 64% of people believed that immigration had become a bigger issue in the UK since 2015, when David Cameron announced the EU referendum. Furthermore, 40% of respondents felt that immigration had had a negative/extremely negative impact on terrorism, which could have been higher if the survey was conducted a few days later, when the Westminster attack took place. Finally, 66% of respondents did not want immigration to increase, proving that most people want more control over immigration. (Questionnaire information available in appendix). Costs of EU Membership A key focal point of the Vote Leave campaign was their calculation that the UK sent  £350 million a week to the European Union and the country did not receive an equal amount back, thus they argued the costs of being a member outweighed the benefits. If the UK left the EU, it is believed that billions of pounds would become available for other priorities, causing many people to support Brexit. Furthermore, leaving the EU would give the UK government the power to decide where to spend the money. The Vote Leave campaign websites states, ‘We can spend our money on our priorities like the NHS, schools and housing’.   Relating back to sovereignty, those who believe strongly in their national identity want to be able to spend their money on home grounds, thus causing them to vote Leave. However, the Vote Leave campaign were criticised for their statement that the UK sent the EU  £350 million a week. It is argued this calculation is not true. It ignores the rebate negotiated by Margaret Thatcher, agricultural subsidies and developmental subsidies for poorer areas. This leaves the net contribution of  £161 million a week. Ashcroft and Culwick found in their focus groups that probably because of the controversy, the  £350 million number stuck in voters’ minds and even if they could not remember the specific number, they knew it was still huge. One participant stated, â€Å"It’s the amount it costs that worries me. It is something like ten billion a day? Or is it ten million? Or seven million. Anyway, I was shocked when I heard.† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p133). Thus, the cost of EU membership became an important issue for many voters and Vote Leave were successful in making their point clear and believable, therefore causing many people to vote Leave. Conclusions National identity, immigration and the costs of EU membership are the most significant reasons for why 52% of voters wanted to leave the EU. National identity is an issue that is deep rooted for most and important for older voters due to them understanding how the UK worked before becoming a member of the European Union. Anti-immigration attitudes were fuelled by events such as Romania and Poland joining the EU, followed by the 2008 economic recession. This was especially felt amongst older voters and those living in impoverished towns. Immigration and the costs of EU membership were extremely current issues, that gained a lot of importance during the referendum campaign. They pushed a lot of undecided voters to support Vote Leave. Since the campaigns have ended these issues have had a lot less media attention, thus reducing their significance on public opinion. However, regaining control and national identity will always be significant when processing Brexit. Why did Vote Leave Win? In addition to understanding what reasons voters had for wanting to leave the European Union, it is important to consider other factors as to why Vote Leave was successful. This analysis will broadly discuss issues such as voter turnout and party divisions which were significant to the Leave campaign’s triumph. It will examine why the Vote Leave campaign is considered to have been more effective than the Stronger in Europe campaign, due to the factors of having a clear message and gaining the support of the mainstream press. Turnout A decisive element to why Brexit won was the issue of turnout. The Electoral Commission confirmed that 72.2% of registered voters casted their ballots on the 24th June 2016. This verified a total of 33,568,184 ballot papers counted, narrowly missing the record mark of participation in recent elections, where in the 1992 General Election 33,614,074 people went to the ballot box, accounting for 72.3% of the electorate. According to the NatCen Panel, 54% of those who did not vote in the 2015 General Election voted in the EU referendum. This helps explain why turnout was higher than the most recent General Election, 72.2% compared to 66.1%, due to a surge of ‘new voters’ (Swales, 2016, p19). The British voting population turned out in huge numbers. However, the levels of turnout from specific groups is argued to have had a significant impact on the referendum result. Before the referendum, campaigners for Remain were concerned that the younger generation would cost Britain its future within the EU, due to them not turning out to vote on the day. They were classed as Remains’ most secure voters and these concerns became reality on voting day. Moreover, the impact of the secure Leave campaign supporters, the older generation, assured to turn out in high numbers, significantly effecting why it resulted in a vote for Brexit. The Guardian states, ‘the median age in an area was the strongest predictor of turnout and showed a familiar pattern – the older the median age in an area, the more likely it was to have had a high turnout’ (Elgot, 2016). For example, Eastbourne, which has a median age of 71.5 years old, had a turnout of 74.7%. Conversely, Newham had one of the lowest turnouts and its medium age is much lower at 29. There were early cries after the referendum result was announced that the older voters had betrayed the younger generation, however this was countered by the argument that they did not vote in sufficient numbers. It is a constant trend in UK elections that under 25 year olds have the lowest turnout compared to other age groups. This could be due to low political engagement and a decreasing sense of duty to vote. Recent evidence suggests that more young voters turned out to vote than initially estimated. The new findings based on detailed surveying after the referendum by Opinium and analysed by London School of Economics suggests that turnout levels for 18-24 year olds was significantly higher than the initial figures, as shown in the table below. (Helm, 2016). This contradicts the argument that Brexit was mainly attained through the unconcern of young voters. Therefore, the low turnout of young voters may not be as significant as first thought, however this turnout level is still low in comparison to their findings of turnout levels of over 65s. The Campaigns It is argued that the Vote Leave campaign, further promoted by alternative campaigns such as Leave.EU and Grassroots Out, was much more effective than the Remain campaign. Firstly, they had a very well-defined and stronger message of ‘Take Back Control’. However, Remain failed to create a message to compete with this populist slogan. Their key message was the warnings of economic risks of leaving the EU, but this lacked simplicity and were often dismissed as scare-mongering, therefore failing to move enough voters. The messages that the pubic seemed to most remember were those of the Leave campaign, such as the claim that the UK contributed  £350 million a week to the EU, which could be spent on the NHS and the claim that Turkey was close to joining the EU. Subsequently, establishing that Vote Leave were more successful at portraying their message to the public, hence gaining more votes. An additional factor that allowed the Vote Leave campaign to gain more support was the significant backing of the press, especially the two most read newspapers, The Daily Mail and The Sun. Data from the British Election Study found that some 70% of Sun readers voted Leave in the referendum, followed by 66% of Daily Mail readers. Despite the issues of declining readership and lack of trust in the press, it is argued the press still sets the agenda, ‘Where the newspapers lead on issues, far more trusted broadcasters follow’ (Martinson, 2016). Loughborough University’s centre for research in communication and culture found that subjects that dominated the press often led television news. Thus, explaining why numerous stories about immigration, a key Vote Leave issue, continued unrelenting during the last few weeks of the campaign, whilst those about the economy, a key Remain issue, declined (Martinson, 2016). Furthermore, a report by NatCen interestingly found that regarding the EU referendum vote, people were more likely to follow the position of the newspaper they read, rather than the political party they identified with (Swales, 2016, p27). Due to the support of the most widely read national newspapers, it is argued that this was a significant reason why the Leave campaign gained more votes. The Politicians Throughout the campaign certain figurehead politicians arose, whilst others fell. Vote Leave campaign leaders, such as Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, created enthusiasm amongst supporters. However, even though the Remain campaign had the support of the Prime Minister and most of Parliament, they failed to connect with voters, especially the Labour Party. The passion amongst the Leave campaign and the lack of within Remain, motivated many voters to go to the polls and vote to leave the EU. A key issue was that the public stopped listening to then Prime Minister, David Cameron. Promising the referendum is argued to have been vital to his success in the 2015 General Election and by putting himself at the front of the Remain campaign, he put his political future at stake. He assured the public of his ability to secure fundamental change in the UK’s relationship with the EU through reforms; thus when he came back after nine months of negotiations with only modest change, it was inevitable his concessions would not persuade many floating voters to give him the benefit of the doubt and vote remain (BBC News, 2016). Furthermore, the populist aspect of the Leave campaign appealed to voters who felt most politicians, including the Prime Minister, where out of touch with the ordinary people. Brexit could be described as a backlash against ‘the establishment’ and those cocooned in their ‘Westminster bubble’. (Swales, 2016, p21) Labour was more united on the issue of UK membership in comparison to the Conservative Party, with only a minority of MPs such as Gisela Stuart supporting Brexit. However, another failure of the Remain campaign was Labour’s inability to connect with its voters. They misjudged the mood of their voters, this was shown by their stronghold constituencies voting to Leave. For example, North East areas such as Sunderland, resulted in a 61% to 39% who voted to Leave. It is argued that Labour was sending mixed messages to the voters, and it is blamed on unpopular leader, Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘lukewarm endorsement of continued EU membership’ (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p10). NatCen have evidence to support the claim that Labour were sending mixed message and thus people did not know where the party stood regarding EU membership. ‘Just over half of the people thought that Labour MPs mainly backed remain, with a quarter saying they were fairly evenly divided, and nearly two-fifths answering, ‘don’t know’’ (Swales, 2016, p21). Only just over half of Labour supporters knew the actual position of Labour MPs, proving that Labour failed to connect with their voters and thus did not enthuse supporters to vote Remain with them.   The enthusiasm for Vote Leave created by figures such as Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage influenced a lot of people to follow and support their campaign. The Leave campaign was described as more passionate than its Remain opponents, as people such as Nigel Farage had been fighting their whole political career for this outcome. Furthermore, the BBC states ‘the justice secretary brought intellectual heft and strategic nous to the table while the former mayor of London, after a bout of soul-searching, brought star appeal and ability to appeal across the party divide’, regarding Michael Gove and Boris Johnson (BBC News, 2016). This further emphasises the appeal towards the ‘populist’ aspect of the Leave campaign, who were argued to be on the side of ordinary people. Recent models found that the leader image cues provided by Farage and Johnson were influential on emotions about EU membership. ‘Feelings about these two figures moved from negative to positive along the 0-10 ‘likeability’ scale, the probability of voting Leave increased by 0.44 points’ (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p18). Therefore, likeability of the Leave campaigns figureheads was significant to their success. Changes since 1975 In 1975, the UK electorate was asked ‘Do you think the United Kingdom should stay in the European Community?’ and ‘Yes’ won by 67.2%. In comparison, regarding modern day politics, there are lower levels of deference to mainstream, centrist politicians. As stated above, people are less willing to listen to the political elites, such as the Prime Minister. Explaining why populist figureheads like Boris Johnson were so successful in the campaign, as they appealed to the everyday working class, which were Vote Leave’s strongest supporters. In 1975, new Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher got the Conservative Party enthused about European membership, however the fact that  Cameron was unable to  find a common binding chord within his own party, remains the single largest difference to the 1975 referendum (Acharya, 2016). Previously, the main parties of England were united that we should not leave the Community, further strengthened by the support of the press. Presently, it is argued the coherence and the ability to drive a nation is missing drastically among politicians (Acharya, 2016). This allowed Vote Leave to take advantage, thus allowing them to effectively gain more support than the Stronger in Europe campaign, using their enthusiasm and significant support of the press to motivate more people to go to the polls and vote to leave the European Union. Conclusions Vote Leave won the referendum due to having a more efficient and appealing campaign. They had an engaging slogan, compared to Britain Stronger in Europe and most significantly had the support of the mainstream press. Their campaign leaders became very popular, whilst Remain struggled to get people to listen and remember what they were saying. The Remain campaign was further weakened by the disunity of the Labour party, and thus failed to understand the mood of many Labour voters. This allowed the Leave campaign to gain the support of the ‘ordinary man’, and increased the ‘populist’ aspect of their campaign.    An important factor contributing to their success was turnout. Due to older people turning out in high numbers and younger people not going to the polls, it gave Leave an advantage. As the result was so close, 48% to 52%, if more younger people voted, Vote Leave may not have been successful. However, due to recent polls, such as Opinium, turnout may not have been as a significant factor as first thought. Conclusion Why did the 2016 Referendum result in a vote for Britain leaving the EU? The objective of this research was to come to an assertive conclusion on what the most important reasons were 51.9% of the electorate that voted on the 23rd June 2016 wanted to leave the European and understand factors that contributed to why Vote Leave won. This was done through examining who voted for Brexit, what are the reasons for voting to leave the EU and why did Vote Leave win? By answering these key questions, I have come to the following conclusions. According to the research, England was the most Eurosceptic country of the United Kingdom, where the only region who voted to remain in the European Union was London. The more deprived areas of the country were more likely to support Brexit, contributing to the fact that those with fewer qualifications and â€Å"nearly two thirds of skilled manual workers (‘C2s’), and of unskilled manual workers and those dependent on state benefits, voted for Brexit† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p168). A voter’s age, ethnicity and party allegiance significantly showed a trend in Vote Leave support. Over 65s were a constant supporter of Leave throughout the campaign. Furthermore, people with White ethnicity and Conservative supporters were more likely to have voted for Brexit. As a consequence, there was a stereotype created around who voted for Brexit. From the research conducted, the most significant perceptions can be concluded as White ethnicity, older and of lower education. National identity, immigration and the costs of EU membership are the most significant reasons for why 51.9% of voters wanted to leave the EU. Each issue had constant media attention throughout the campaign, causing them to become salient issues. However, since the campaigns have ended, the attention dedicated to immigration and the costs of EU membership has declined. National identity and sovereignty however have stayed at the forefront of the Brexit process. The importance of a nation’s power will never decline, hence why national identity and taking back control will always be significant when processing Brexit. Vote Leave won due to running a more efficient campaign. Significantly, their simple slogan, ‘Vote Leave, Take Control’ was memorable to voters, alongside their key issues such as immigration and the  £350 million weekly EU fee. The passions of their campaign figureheads got voters listening, compared to the failed attempts by the Prime Minister. Turnout was also important and as the final result was so close, if more younger people voted, Vote Leave may not have been successful, but recent polls, such as Opinium, have suggested turnout may not have been as significant as originally thought. This research is important as it gives a clear quantitative and qualitative analysis of why the 2016 referendum resulted in a vote for Britain leaving the European Union. There was limited credible research on the topic, due to the main publishing being newspapers articles, where political bias is high. Furthermore, other papers such as The House of Commons EU Referendum Briefing paper discredited certain significant trends, such as the correlation between age and turnout, additionally socio-economic indicators and voting to leave. Therefore, reliable research needed to be developed to analyse why 51.9% of voters wanted to leave the EU, and only then can it be understood what people want from the result. Appendix Immigration Questionnaire What is your age?What is your gender?What race/ethnicity best describes you?Current UK residency? What is your greatest source of information regarding news and current affairs?Which one of these is the biggest issue facing the UK right now?EconomyHealthcareImmigrationTerrorismEducationOtherDo you think immigration has become a bigger issue in the UK in the past 2 years?On a scale from 1-5 how concerned are you about EU immigration? (1= no concern, 5= concerned)On a scale from 1-5 how concerned are you about EU immigration? (1= no concern, 5= concerned)On a scale from 1-5 (1=negative, 5=positive), do you think immigration has an effect onBritish cultureCrimeJob shortagesEconomyTerrorismWhat is your preference regarding current levels of immigration into the UK?Increase a lotIncrease a little Remain the sameDecrease a littleDecrease a lotDon’t know Sample size – 126 online, 36 face to face Due to the use of online surveying, the survey was not totally representative of the British Adult population. The online survey attracted younger respondents, making the results significantly skewed towards 18-24 year olds. An attempt to overcome this problem was made by conducting face-to-face surveys, as it was easier to target the audience. This was a success, however it was difficult to get as many respondents, as few people wanted to take the time to complete the survey. Bibliography Acharya, D. (2016). Brexit in 2016 and 1975: Two historical EU referendums speak of two different ideas of Britain. [online] Firstpost. Available at: http://www.firstpost.com/world/brexit-in-2016-and-1975-two-historical-eu-referendums-speak-of-two-different-ideas-of-britain-2853954.html [Accessed 23 Mar. 2017]. Ashcroft, L. (2005).  How the United Kingdom voted on Thursday†¦ and why. [online] Available at: How the United Kingdom voted on Thursday and why [Accessed 3 Dec. 2016]. Ashcroft, M. and Culwick, K., (2016). Well you did ask: Why the UK voted to leave the EU. United Kingdom: Biteback Publishing. BBC News. (2016). Eight reasons Leave won the UKs referendum on the EU BBC News. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36574526 [Accessed 23 Mar. 2017]. Boult, A. (2016). Millennials fury over baby boomers vote for Brexit. The Telegraph. [online] Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/24/millenials-fury-over-baby-boomers-vote-for-brexit/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2017]. Clarke, H., Goodwin, M. and Whitely, P. (2016). Why Britain Voted for Brexit: An Individual-Level of Analysis of the 2016 Referendum Vote. 1st ed. Coles, M., Krol, C. and Kirk, A. (2016). EU referendum results and maps: Full breakdown and find out how your area voted. The Telegraph. [online] Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/23/leave-or-remain-eu-referendum-results-and-live-maps/ [Accessed 31 Jan. 2017]. The Economist, (2016).  Brexit Brief: Dreaming of Sovereignty, [online] Available at: http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21695056-talk-taking-back-power-may-be-delusional-more-democracy-not-dreaming-sovereignty [Accessed 18 Mar. 2017]. Election Study Team, (2016).  Brexit Britain: British Election Study Insights from the post-EU Referendum wave of the BES internet panel The British Election Study. [online] Britishelectionstudy.com. Available at: http://www.britishelectionstudy.com/bes-resources/brexit-britain-british-election-study-insights-from-the-post-eu-referendum-wave-of-the-bes-internet-panel/#.WM1CyMdO_zK [Accessed 18 Mar. 2017]. Elgot, J. (2016). Young remain voters came out in force, but were outgunned. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/24/young-remain-voters-came-out-in-force-but-were-outgunned [Accessed 20 Mar. 2017]. Helm, T. (2016). EU referendum: youth turnout almost twice as high as first thought. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/09/young-people-referendum-turnout-brexit-twice-as-high [Accessed 20 Mar. 2017]. Kirk, A. and Dunford, D. (2016). How did turnout affect the EU referendum result?. The Telegraph. [online] Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/24/how-did-turnout-affect-the-eu-referendum-result/ [Accessed 3 Dec. 2016]. Martinson, J. (2016). Did the Mail and Sun help swing the UK towards Brexit?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jun/24/mail-sun-uk-brexit-newspapers [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. Proto, L. (2016). Sadiq khan: Controversial see-saw EU poster reinforces stereotypes. Politics. [online] Available at: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/sadiq-khan-eu-vote-poster-reinforces-stereotypes-a3257506.html [Accessed 13 Feb. 2017]. Swales, K. (2016). Understanding the Leave vote. 1st ed. [ebook] NatCen Social Research. Available at: http://whatukthinks.org/eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/NatCen_Brexplanations-report-FINAL-WEB2.pdf [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. Uberoi, E., (2016), European Union Referendum 2016 Briefing Paper, Number CBP 7639, House of Common Library Uberoi, E., (2016), Brexit: National Identity and Ethnicity in the Referendum, Availiabnle at: https://secondreading.uk/elections/brexit-national-identity-and-ethnicity-in-the-referendum/, [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. University of Oxford. (2016). The pull of the UK for EU migrants | Ox.ac.uk. [online] Available at: http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2016-04-13-pull-uk-eu-migrants [Accessed 12 Apr. 2017]. YouGov, (n.d.), Research Q+A’s, Available from: https://yougov.co.uk/about/panel-methodology/research-qs/, [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017].