The Apprenticeship Of Duddy KravitzThe Tragic Fall Of Duddy Essay Example For Students

The Apprenticeship Of Duddy KravitzThe Tragic Fall Of Duddy Essay The Apprenticeship of Duddy KravitzThe Tragic Fall of DuddyA man must pursue his dreams. This is certainly true for everyone of the humankind, for if there were no dreams, there would be no reason to live. Duddy Kravitz understands this perfectly, that is why he is one of the most ambitious young men of his time. From the moment he hears his grandfather says, A man without land is nobody, he is prepared to seek the land of his dream no matter what the cost would be. This ambition of his is very respectable, but unfortunately his methods are damnable. Duddy is a relentless pursuer; a formidable competitor and also a ruthless manipulator. It is true that he has obtained all the land that he desires at the end, but he succeeds through immoral, despicable and contemptible means. It is clear then, that Duddy has failed in his apprenticeship and has become the scheming little bastard that Uncle Benjy has warned him against.There is no doubt that Duddy is very shrewd and clever, but his la ck of moral principles attributes to his final failure. In fact, his immorality can be traced back to a very young age. During his study in the parochial school, he already earns money through methods that hardly comply to virtues of any kind. Taking advantage of the fact that minors cannot be sued in Canada, Duddy defrauds stamp companies and sells stolen hockey sticks. Perhaps he cannot distinguish right from wrong; perhaps he does not care, but nonetheless it is not proper for him to engage himself into these kinds of activities.Duddy emerges himself deeper into the sea of corruption when he establishes Dudley Kane Enterprises. With his limited knowledge of movie making and his mistaken trust in John Friar, his firm produces bar-mitzvah films of extremely poor quality. The bar-mitzvah film for Mr. Cohen, for example, is obviously a failing product. Duddy didnt say a word all through the screening but afterwards he was sick to his stomach.After the screening, Duddy says to Mr. Fri ar, I could sell Mr. Cohen a dead horse easier than this pile of .However, realizing the obvious faultiness of the film, Duddy does not talk candidly to his client. Instead, he untruthfully says that the film is a phenomenal piece of art and that he is entering it into the Cannes Festival. By doing so, he deceives the Cohen family into buying the defective bar-mitzvah film of Bernie.As a matter of fact, Kravitz is not only skillful in handling situations, but he is also very apt in manipulating people. This can be clearly seen in his relationships with Virgil and Yvette.Duddy is never loved in his family, so originally Duddy is quite content to know that there is someone who cares about him Yvette. He finds great comradeship in her and has also enjoyed great sex with her. But as time passes by, Yvette becomes only a tool to him. He uses her as a medium through which he can buy the land that he lusts for; because he is a minor and he cannot legally own land. The farmers would be war y of a young Jew, they might jack up prices or even refuse to sell, but another French-Canadian would not be suspect.Duddy also treats her as a sexual toy. He makes love with Yvette whenever he wants it, but he does not take Yvettes feelings into consideration: Yvette wanted to wait, but Duddy insisted, and they made love on the carpet.He never pays any respect to Yvette and he does not know how to treat a woman.With Virgil, Duddy takes advantage of his physical disabilities. After selling the pinball machines that Virgil brought him to ease his financial troubles, Duddy does not want to repay Virgil. Using the fact that Virgil is an epileptic and that it is very difficult for him to be hired, Duddy employs him as a driver. But Duddy tells him that a truck would be necessary for the task, and that he can provide Virgil with the perfect vehicle for one thousand dollars the exact amount that he owes Virgil. Virgil is innocent enough not to know what is happening. He is also very grat eful and flattered to know that Mr. Kravitz is willing to hire him. He accepts the job immediately, and thus, Duddy does not need to reimburse Virgil. It is quite ironic that Duddy, being such a good manipulator of people, is later being used by his Bohemian friends when they come to his apartment every night to party, eat and drink all to Duddys expense.After Duddy has engaged himself into all kinds of deceitful activities, he bankrupts and is on the verge of a mental breakdown. At that point, Uncle Benjys letter reveals to Duddy that he must make a very serious decision: Theres more to you than mere money-lust, Duddy, but Im afraid for you. Youre two people, thats why. The scheming little bastard I saw so easily and the fine, intelligent boy underneath that your grand father, bless him, saw. But youre coming of age soon and youll have to choose. A boy can be two, three, four potential people, but a man is only one. He murders the others.Duddy must now choose to the way that he wi ll live on for the rest of his life. He may continue on to live the way that he has always lived and be a complete amoral criminal, or he can abandon his money-lusting and become a fine shrewd gentleman. The time has come for him to choose what is to become of himself. But at this point, Duddy performs the most dirty, sickening and contemptible act in his apprenticeship. He forges Virgils cheque in order to buy the final parcel of land: Duddy took a quick look at Virgils bank balance, whistled, noted his account number and ripped out two cheques. He forged the signature by holding the cheque and a letter Virgil had signed up to the window and tracing slowly.This is a clear indication that Duddy has chosen to become the inconsiderate scheming little bastard. He has murdered all the other good possibilities of himself.Duddy has obviously chosen the wrong kind of man to be. He has chosen to become a crooked person, a corrupted chap, and a ruthless man. Undoubtedly, Duddy is a very keen and intuitive young man. He can calmly and gracefully settle Lennies problems with Mr. Calder. He can also tactfully and intelligently get Aunt Ida going back to Montreal to see the dying Uncle Benjy. Duddy has all the qualities that is needed for him to succeed in society it is only a matter of time. Unfortunately, Duddy chooses the wrong path at a young age and continues on with that path to his adulthood. He ends up to be a terrible failure. Perhaps his lack of discipline from his early years is one of the most important attributes to his tragic fall in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 , .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .postImageUrl , .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 , .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1:hover , .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1:visited , .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1:active { border:0!important; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1:active , .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1 .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u68fcedadf638326f877b2f42835d46c1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: hipaa violations Essay We will write a custom essay on The Apprenticeship Of Duddy KravitzThe Tragic Fall Of Duddy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

The Jungle Essays - Economic Ideologies, Production Economics

The Jungle Essays - Economic Ideologies, Production Economics The Jungle A French philosopher once said that the greatest tyranny of democracy was when the minority ruled the majority. Upton Sinclairs The Jungle gives the reader a great example of exactly this. A man who earns his living honestly and through hard work will always be trapped in poverty, but a man who earns his living through lies and cheating will be wealthy. The Jungle portrays a Lithuanian family stuck in a Capitalistic country. It shows the ongoing struggle of a lower class that will never get farther in life as long as the minority of rich people rule over them. The Jungle conveys a struggle between Capitalism and Socialism. Socialism is the best way out for the peasants, but a Capitalistic America has already trapped them. When Jurgis Rudkus and his family first come to America, they do not know how it was run. Once Jurgis begins working in the stockyards, he finds out that the upper class dominates over the lower class. Supposedly America is a democratic nation, but this is not true. Capitalism rules the nation. The upper class bosses rule what goes on in the peasants lives. It is a form of slavery. Sinclair writes: Things that were quite unspeakable went on there in the packing houses all the time, and were taken for granted by everybody; only they did not show, as in old slavery times, because there was no difference in color between master and slave. (106) Sinclair compares the conditions of the factories to that of slavery. The rich boss is the master and the peasant is the lowly slave. Capitalism rules in the stockyards of Chicago. The higher class people can get ahead in life because they have an in with the system, but the peasants will forever be stuck at their work on the machines in a packing plant. Jurgis Rudkus endures the work in the factory system. He comes across Capitalism first hand here. Through his work in the meat packing plant, he sees how they are able to work around government regulation through bribes and deceit. He also soon learns that everyone steals from the people below them in the system. Sinclair writes, ...the bosses grafted off the men, and they grafted off each other; and someday the superintendent would find out about the boss, and then he would graft off the boss (59). Sinclair reveals that men of a higher status were able to steal freely from others and get away with it. If one found out, he just stole right back from another. This was Capitalism in and of itself. Here, in the stockyards of Chicago, the upper class rules over the lower class. In Packingtown, Jurgis Rudkus and his family face many difficulties with the Capitalistic rule. The people take advantage of them and steal their money. When they first came to America, they had to pay many fees because they were foreigners and did not know better. Eventually, Jurgis decides to buy a house. He thinks he is getting a good deal, but in reality is not. The real estate agent tells him that it is a brand new house, but this is a lie. Sinclair writes, ...it was not new at all, as they had supposed; it was about fifteen years old, and there was nothing new upon it but the paint (65). The real estate agent took advantage of them because they were lower class. He was able to do so because they did not know any better. The upper class ruled over them. They lived in a Capitalistic nation that trapped them as lower class citizens. The Capitalistic way of life allows for a lot of corruption in the government and police department. Many people pay off high officials in order to get lead way in court and other places. Men who own saloons pay the police so they can sell liquor on Sundays. At one point in the book Jurgis beats up a bartender because he will not give him his change for a hundred dollar bill. The bartender does not get in trouble for this because he has paid people off. Sinclair writes, ...the owner of the saloon had paid five dollars each to the policemen alone

Bronsted Lowry Theory of Acids and Bases

Bronsted Lowry Theory of Acids and Bases   The Brà ¸nsted-Lowry acid-base theory (or Bronsted Lowry theory) identifies strong and weak acids and bases based on whether the species accepts or donates protons or H. According to the theory, an acid and base react with each other, causing the acid to form its conjugate base and the base to form its conjugate acid by exchanging a proton. The theory was proposed independently by Johannes Nicolaus  Brà ¸nsted  and Thomas Martin Lowry in 1923. In essence, Brà ¸nsted-Lowry acid-base theory is a general form of the Arrhenius theory of acids and bases. According to the Arrhenius theory, an Arrhenius acid is one that can increase the hydrogen ion (H) concentration in aqueous solution, while an Arrhenius base is a species that can increase the hydroxide ion (OH-) concentration in water. The Arrhenius theory is limited because it only identifies acid-base reactions in water. The Bronsted-Lowry theory is a more inclusive definition, capable of describing acid-base behavior under a wider range of conditions. Regardless of the solvent, a Bronsted-Lowry acid-base reaction occurs whenever a proton is transferred from one reactant to the other. Key Takeaways: Brà ¸nsted-Lowry Acid-Base Theory According to the Brà ¸nsted-Lowry theory, an acid is a chemical species capable of donating a proton or hydrogen cation.A base, in turn, is able to accept a proton or hydrogen ion in aqueous solution.Johannes Nicolaus  Brà ¸nsted  and Thomas Martin Lowry independently described acids and bases this way in 1923, so the theory usually bears both of their names. Main Points of the Bronsted Lowry Theory A Bronsted-Lowry acid is a chemical species capable of donating a proton or hydrogen cation.A Bronsted-Lowry base is a chemical species capable of accepting a proton. In other words, it is a species that has a lone electron pair available to bond to H.After a Bronsted-Lowry acid donates a proton, it forms its conjugate base. The conjugate acid of a Bronsted-Lowry base forms once it accepts a proton. The conjugate acid-base pair have the same molecular formula as the original acid-base pair, except the acid has one more H compared to the conjugate base.Strong acids and bases are defined as compounds that completely ionize in water or aqueous solution. Weak acids and bases only partially dissociate.According to this theory, water is amphoteric and can act as both a Bronsted-Lowry acid and Bronsted-Lowry base. Example Identifying  Brà ¸nsted-Lowry Acids and Bases Unlike Arrhenius acid and bases, Bronsted-Lowry acids-base pairs can form without a reaction in aqueous solution. For example, ammonia and hydrogen chloride may react to form solid ammonium chloride according to the following reaction: NH3(g) HCl(g) → NH4Cl(s) In this reaction, the Bronsted-Lowry acid is HCl because it donates a hydrogen (proton) to NH3, the Bronsted-Lowry base. Because the reaction does  not occur in water and because neither reactant formed H or OH-, this would not be an acid-base reaction according to the Arrhenius definition. For the reaction between hydrochloric acid and water, its easy to identify the conjugate acid-base pairs: HCl(aq) H2O(l) → H3O Cl-(aq) Hydrochloric acid is the Bronsted-Lowry acid, while water is the Bronsted-Lowry base. The conjugate base for hydrochloric acid is the chloride ion, while the conjugate acid for water is the hydronium ion. Strong and Weak Lowry-Bronsted Acids and Bases When asked to identify whether a chemical reaction involves strong acids or bases or weak ones, it helps to look at the arrow between the reactants and the products. A strong acid or base completely dissociates into its ions, leaving no undissociated ions after the reaction is completed. The arrow typically points from left to right. On the other hand, weak acids and bases dont completely dissociate, so the reaction arrow points both left and right. This indicates a dynamic equilibrium is established in which the weak acid or base and its dissociated form both remain present in the solution. An example if the dissociation of the weak acid acetic acid to form hydronium ions and acetate ions in water: CH3COOH(aq) H2O(l) â‡Å' H3O(aq) CH3COO-(aq) In practice, you might be asked to write a reaction rather than have it given to you. Its a good idea to remember the short list of strong acids and strong bases. Other species capable of proton transfer are weak acids and bases. Some compounds can act as either a weak acid or a weak base, depending on the situation. An example is hydrogen phosphate, HPO42-, which can act as an acid or a base in water. When different reactions are possible, the equilibrium constants and pH are used to determine which way the reaction will proceed.

Police Officers and Degrees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Police Officers and Degrees - Essay Example Obtaining tangible evidence is essential to officers since they use it to identify potential suspects (Dempsey & Linda, 2011). However, in order to become a competent police officer, one bear in mind that he or she needs to have both educational and physical requirements that meet the standards of law enforcement officers. In addition to that, a police must complete the police academic training program set by the country. This paper will seek to discuss whether police officers should have degrees or not. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics sets forth that, before anyone becomes a police officer, he or she must posses the minimum education qualifications. In most cases, it usually lies in a school diploma or any other academic qualification equivalent to a school diploma (Siegel & Welsh, 2011). Nowadays, most police agencies require their officers to have at least a college level qualification. This means that things are changing and the police force is no longer the way it was decades ago. Analysts set out that, police officers who possess college level degrees are good at setting in place strategies suitable for curbing crime activities in their area (Fred, 2008). They are able to improvise the activities and performance of an agency by ensuring advent security through set policies and procedures (Cole, Smith, & Christina, 2012). With reference to this spectrum, it is important for a police officer to have a degree, as this would aid in meeting the set security targets. Fact-findings make it clear that, interrogation or questioning a suspect requires more than just techniques that an officer learns when he or she joins the police-training academy. In fact, officers responsible for interrogation sessions have more than just a college diploma. As time went by, requirements stated that police needs to have a higher knowledge about behavior and cognition in order to be in a position to interrogate a suspect (Fred, 2008). This fact shows that for the police to be abl e to deliver the relevant security efforts, they must acquire degrees since going through all that training gives one the power of knowledge and techniques sufficient to carry police tasks with adequacy. A degree for a police officer is imperative since education and skills are the best weapons for guiding and guarding whereby law enforcement officers act as both. In order to deliver adequately, officers need to have the skills and academic prowess that comes along with degree acquisition (Dempsey & Linda, 2011). Having a degree aids in advancing ranks. Apart from the law enforcement docket, most ministries consider educational background before promoting an employee to a higher level. Therefore, if police officers could learn to an extent that they all have degrees, it means that people working as law enforcement agents would not only be learned, but also competent. For instance, in areas where obtaining evidence requires use of mind or nerve or pulse reading machines, intense know ledge is crucial. As such, it is important for a police officer conducting such sessions to have a cognitive knowledge in that area (Siegel & Welsh, 2011). To enhance measures of maintaining civilian security, officers should have at least college degrees (More & Miller, 2010). Those officers dealing with police science or criminal justice should a degree in law enforcement policies, evidence gathering, constitutional rights, and criminology. Agreeably, being conversant with all these topics

The Relevance of CD Sleeve Design in Todays Market Essay

The Relevance of CD Sleeve Design in Todays Market - Essay Example The focus of this paper is to explore the role of the CD cover in today’s emerging market of instant access to music Vis a Vis the internet. Virtually any song by any artist can be downloaded to our computer in a matter of minutes. We will discuss the future of the CD cover in relation to this emerging trend. Like the CD replaced the vinyl record album, will MP3s replace the necessity for CDs and their artwork? However, before we look to the future of this art form, we need to first understand its past Section one of the paper will look at the history of the album cover and how it evolved to the artwork of the CD cover from inception to current use. The purpose of the cover will be discussed. Next we will discuss the relevance of the cover and lastly the outlook for its future. As we make our journey from the past to tomorrow visual representation will be used. It is true what they say at times, â€Å"A picture speaks a thousand words.† Album covers are indelible symbols of what can happen when the boundless creative forces and extravagant minds of the world’s most successful artists and musicians collide. When you add an infusion of corporate label politics plus a significant historical context, the results are anything but ordinary. Columbia Records came into existence in 1939. It was there that a fledgling graphic designer by the name of Alex Steinweiss developed an idea that would revolutionize the music market and change forever how we viewed the modern phonographic album.

Meaning of Justice in Islam Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Justice in Islam Essay Meaning of justice in islam In the Islamic worldview, justice denotes placing things in their rightful place. It also means giving others equal treatment. In Islam, justice is also a moral virtue and an attribute of human personality, as it is in the Western tradition. Justice is close to equality in the sense that it creates a state of equilibrium in the distribution of rights and duties, but they are not identical. Sometimes, justice is achieved through inequality, like in unequal distribution of wealth. The Prophet of Islam declared: â€Å"There are seven categories of people whom God will shelter under His shade on the Day when there will be no shade except His. [One is] the just leader. †(Saheeh Muslim) God spoke to His Messenger in this manner: â€Å"O My slaves, I have forbidden injustice for Myself and forbade it also for you. So avoid being unjust to one another. † (Saheeh Muslim) Thus, justice represents moral rectitude and fairness, since it means things should be where they belong. The importance of justice The Quran, the sacred scripture of Islam, considers justice to be a supreme virtue. It is a basic objective of Islam to the degree that it stands next in order of priority to belief in God’s exclusive right to worship (Tawheed) and the truth of Muhammad’s prophethood. God declares in the Quran: â€Å"God commands justice and fair dealing † (Quran 16:90) And in another passage: â€Å"O you who believe, be upright for God, and (be) bearers of witness with justice! † (Quran 5:8) Therefore, one may conclude that justice is an obligation of Islam and injustice is forbidden. The centrality of justice to the Quranic value system is displayed by the following verse: â€Å"We sent Our Messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Measure in order to establish justice among the people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Quran 57:25) The phrase ‘Our Messengers’ shows that justice has been the goal of all revelation and scriptures sent to humanity. The verse also shows that justice must be measured and implemented by the standards and guidelines set by revelation. Islam’s approach to justice is comprehensive and all-embracing. Any path that leads to justice is deemed to be in harmony with Islamic Law. God has demanded justice and, although He has not prescribed a specific route, has provided general guidelines, on how to achieve it. He has neither prescribed a fixed means by which it can be obtained, nor has He declared invalid any particular means or methods that can lead to justice. Therefore, all means, procedures, and methods that facilitate, refine, and advance the cause of justice, and do not violate the Islamic Law are valid. Equality in justice The Quranic standards of justice transcend considerations of race, religion, color, and creed, as Muslims are commanded to be just to their friends and foes alike, and to be just at all levels, as the Quran puts it: â€Å"O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even if it be against yourselves, your parents, and your relatives, or whether it is against the rich or the poor † (Quran 4:135) According to another Quranic passage: â€Å"Let not the hatred of a people swerve you away from justice. Be just, for this is closest to righteousness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Quran 5:8) With regards to relations with non-Muslims, the Quran further states: â€Å"God does not forbid you from doing good and being just to those who have neither fought you over your faith nor evicted you from your homes † (Quran 60:8) The scholars of the Quran have concluded that these rulings apply to all nations, followers of all faiths, as a matter of fact to all humanity. In the view of the Quran, justice is an obligation. That is why the Prophet was told: â€Å"†¦If you judge, judge between them with justice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Quran 5:42) â€Å"We have revealed to you the scripture with the truth that you may judge between people by what God has taught you. † (Quran 4:105) Furthermore, the Prophet was sent as a judge between peoples, and told: â€Å"†¦Say: I believe in the Scripture, which God has sent down, and I am commanded to judge justly between you † (Quran 42:15) The Quran views itself as a scripture devoted mainly to laying down the principles of faith and justice. The Quran demands that justice be met for all, and that it is an inherent right of all human beings under Islamic Law. The timeless commitment of the Quran to the basic standards of justice is found in its declaration: â€Å"And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His Words. † (Quran 6:115) To render justice is a trust that God has conferred on the human being and, like all other trusts, its fulfillment must be guided by a sense of responsibility beyond mere conformity to set rules. Thus, the Quran states: â€Å"God commands you to render trusts to whom they are due, and when you judge between people, judge with justice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Quran 4:58) The reference to justice which immediately follows a reference to fulfillment of trusts indicates that it is one of the most important of all trusts. Justice and the Self The Quranic concept of justice also extends justice to being a personal virtue, and one of the standards of moral excellence that a believer is encouraged to attain as part of his God-consciousness.

China’s Nuclear Program :: Asian Studies Foreign Policy

China’s Nuclear Program Introduction China's nuclear weapons program has always been unique among the programs of the five official nuclear weapons states recognized by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. For a variety of economic, political, and cultural reasons, the Chinese program has had a very different trajectory of development, with different objectives, than those of the other major powers' nuclear weapons and missile programs. China's nuclear and ballistic missile programs are and have historically been based on the objective of maintaining a level of nuclear deterrence just great enough to preclude any threats by the nuclear "super" powers. By concentrating on building and maintaining a minimum level of effective deterrence, China can ensure its security while concentrating the maximum amount of its available resources on much more pressing issues, such as economic development. As a developing country, China did not and does not have the resources to compete as a "third superpower" in the Cold War world. The Chinese, who for many of the years before 1978 could hardly afford to feed their own people, simply could not afford to spend huge sums of money in a costly arms race which they were almost certain to lose. Limited deterrence offered the most efficient solution - just enough capability to reap the security benefits of deterrence while avoiding the costs of producing, maintaining and storing huge s tockpiles of nuclear weapons. Why nuclear? The Chinese have always been afraid of invasion of their territory - one of the first projects of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di, the first ruler of a united China, was the construction of a vast Great Wall to keep out nomadic barbarian raiders from Inner Asia...in 200 BC. As a rich agrarian empire, and the most populous nation in the world, China has presented a rich target for outsiders for thousands of years, from the Xiongnu of Christ's time to Genghis Khan, to Western imperialists and Japanese warlords. The Chinese Communist leadership which came to power in 1949 after a lengthy and bloody civil war grew up during a very tumultuous period in Chinese history. They witnessed the decline of Chinese power within Asia and over its own territory, the fall of the imperial government which had governed China on and off for more than 2000 years, and the encroaching western imperialist powers who began to declare "spheres of influence" through the "unequal treaties" system.