The Kennedy Doctrine 1961-1963 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Kennedy Doctrine 1961-1963 - Research Paper Example If Kennedy would not have inherited the legacy of the Recession of 1960-61, and also if ‘the Bay of Pigs’ invasion would not have failed, the Kennedy Doctrine had been, possibly, read as an anecdote or sequel to his predecessor Eisenhower’s foreign policy which rigidly was permeated with the president’s confidence in the country’s military strength to suppress any threat in international politics. Though within the first six months of his presidency in the Oval Office, Kennedy recovered from the recession, the increased military expenditure in the following years was the reflection of Kennedy’s policy to deter any possible offensive role of the Soviet Union. In this regard Gaddis (2005) opined that also the failed CIA-backed military coup in Cuba, in spite of Kennedy’s promise to refrain from Cuban Affairs, provoked the president to be bold to pronounce the United States’ defensive stance regarding the Berlin issue and the diplom atic acknowledgement of the Soviet Union’s concern in Germany. (Gaddis, 2005, pp. 112-115). Outlines of the Kennedy Doctrine and Historical Background Though the Kennedy Doctrine is often misinterpreted as the elaborations of Eisenhower and Truman’s foreign policy prerogatives to contain Communist expansion around the world at any cost, even by involving into another war, the skeletal difference of JFK’s policy with his predecessor’s was determined by the country’s experience of fighting the recession during its earliest months, of failure of the â€Å"Bay of Pigs† and the â€Å"Cuban Missile Crisis†. Kennedy promised to pay â€Å"any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty† (The Avalon Project, 2008). In his augural speech; nevertheless he was aware of the pressure of a tumultuous economy that was suffering from the fourth great r ecession in the US history. In one of his Union addresses, Kennedy admitted it: â€Å"The present state of our economy is disturbing. We take office in the wake of seven months of recession. Insured unemployment is at the highest peak in our history. In short, the American economy is in trouble† (Sorensen, 2009, p. 98). Unlike his predecessor, Eisenhower, Kennedy took the reign of America at a time when â€Å"business bankruptcies had reached the highest level since the 1930s, farm incomes had decreased 25 percent since 1951, and 5.5 million Americans were looking for work† (Miller Center, n.d.). Failure of the â€Å"Bay of Pigs† Invasion: A New Turn in Kennedy’s Foreign Policy Indeed Kennedy’s perception of the country’s economy along with the failures of his overly enthusiastic but covert military enterprises in Cuba in April 17, 1961 seemed to provoke him to be more diplomatic in confronting Communism around the World. Researchers often t end to characterize the Bay of Pig Invasion as Kennedy Administration’s initial trend to tread down the predecessors’ path to respond to Nikita Khrushchev’s â€Å"support for the wars of national liberation† in January, 1961 and the Soviet role in Congo crisis in February, 1961. According to Gaddis (2005), such experience in the â€Å"Bay of Pigs† might bring a new twist in Kennedy Foreign Policy (p. 89). This event provoked the president to voice the US positions clearly, less depending on the covert role, in the Berlin

How increased unemployment is playing a role on the increasing poverty Essay

How increased unemployment is playing a role on the increasing poverty levels - Essay Example For instance, the level of unemployment in China is 4.3 % while that of Japan is at 4.5%, nevertheless the unemployment rate of these countries does not remain constant; it keeps changing with time (trading economics, 2011). Below is a graph indicating the difference in levels of poverty among countries. Fig 1: 2011 unemployment rates of different countries. Needless to say, there are a number of reasons that cause unemployment in the world. First, some individuals lack the required skills and knowledge to tackle tasks, hence hindering their chances of acquiring a job. Secondly, the welfare payments and unemployment insurance are believed to contribute to the increasing levels of unemployment. The unemployed continue benefiting from these governments’ assisted programs, hence becoming reluctant to search for jobs. This paper will discuss the issue of unemployment, its impact to the society in causing poverty, and the possible solutions at length. Major impact of unemployment t o society The Increasing levels of unemployment are continuously contributing to the level of poverty among nations, which negatively affects the economy and the society of these nations as well. There are various types of unemployment. Cyclical unemployment is one of them, which is influenced by the business cycle, for example, the higher the growth of domestic product, the lower the levels of unemployment, and vice versa (Hartley, 2010, p.29). Structural unemployment involves launching new products in the market, therefore changing the demand of certain goods. In return, unemployment rate in certain sectors increases, whilst jobs are created in other sectors. According to Kim (2010, p.57), one third of the world’s... Unemployment as an Economic Problem Unemployment can be defined as the number of people in a nation without jobs, including those that are seeking for employment (OECD, 2003, p.32). Unemployment is a problem that affects many countries, to an extent of reducing productivity and loss of income opportunity. When the level of unemployment is high, the growth domestic product is lower compared to when the levels of unemployment are low. On the other hand, when the growth of domestic product is low, the levels of unemployment increase, the living standards of individuals are reduced, and the nation’s productivity decreases. Unemployment also contributes to loss of human capital, as the unemployed individuals do not contribute their skills and knowledge to the workforce. Moreover, unemployment does not only contribute to poverty, but it also reduces the levels of consumption and the ability of purchasing, and as a result, slowing down the potential of the market. Nevertheless, unemployment levels differ among different countries, taking different forms; however, the developing nations are highly affected by the unemployment issue compared to the advanced economies (OECD, 2003, p.32). For instance, the level of unemployment in China is 4.3 % while that of Japan is at 4.5%, nevertheless the unemployment rate of these countries does not remain constant; it keeps changing with time (trading economics, 2011). Below is a graph indicating the difference in levels of poverty among countries. Needless to say, poverty increases as the level of unemployment increases; this is evident since the unemployed have no source of income, making them to struggle in providing basics needs for their families.