Wednesday, March 18, 2020

International real estate market essay

International real estate market essay International real estate market essay International real estate market essayInternational real estate market is one of the most attractive investment options for SMEs. Although the market itself is perceived as one of the most secure ones, there are both risks and opportunities associated with emerging real estate markets. Emerging markets became more attractive for SMEs after the U.S. housing crisis of 2007-2008 (Howard, 2010). However, taking into account higher risks associated with marketing strategies and policies in emerging countries, the optimal strategy for SMEs is to diversify their real estate investments or to purchase real estate and resell it in the short- or medium-run period. It should be noted that many countries have favorable regulations aimed at boosting the housing market and allow SMEs to purchase and sell out property.Most buyers of real estate belong to middle and upper class, and the proportion of upper class buyers recently increased due to the recession which took place in 2008 while middle-cl ass buyers chose to save instead of investing (Howard, 2010). The major number of real estate purchases is made by home owners for personal use; the remaining purchases are made for SMEs and wealthy individuals for resale and sometimes for rental purposes. There is also a category of buyers who belong to emerging economies but tend to invest into real estate in developed countries.European real estate market is largely characterized by purchases for local purposes, while real estate customers in Russia, China and in the Middle East are very active and tend to purchase property abroad (Van der Borght, 2012). European SMEs prefer to purchase real estate in Spain, Greece, Cyprus and in French Riviera. The criteria for choosing real estate among European SMEs are taxation, recreational opportunity and safe environment. In general, the preferences of European buyers from different countries such as Germany, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Finland and Netherlands are similar.Russian SMEs seek for expensive real estate purchases the number of affluent Russian customers searching for luxury real estate above â‚ ¬2 million increased to 8% (Van der Borght, 2012). Russian customers focus on the following countries: Bulgaria, Spain, Turkey, Montenegro, Italy, Cyprus, Germany, Greece and France (Van der Borght, 2012). Key psychological factors driving the purchases of Russian buyers are the prestige of foreign possessions and the need to secure investments against political and economic instability. The criteria for purchasing real estate for Russian SMEs include proximity to well-developed European countries, personal experience and opportunities for tourists.Chinese SMEs also demonstrate strong interest to real estate overseas, primarily due to heavy regulations and control measures used for the internal real estate market. Statistics shows that 30% of Chinese home buyers started looking for overseas real estate (Dunning, 2008). In particular, the investors from mainland Chi na and Hong Kong constitute 10.8% of real estate seekers in the United States (Garvin Artermis, 2009). Chinese SMEs also actively purchase real estate in Australia and Europe and are most attracted to countries with large Chinese diaspora. Chinese buyers pay a lot of attention to educational opportunities for their children, and view investments into real estate overseas as a means of securing their future and the future of their relatives in the case of problems in China.Middle Eastern real estate buyers express notable interest to the European market and moderate interest to the real estate market in the United States. Middle Eastern SMEs prefer purchasing premium segment real estate objects. Customers from Middle East pay significant attention to the UK real estate market, primarily due to the historical links created between Middle Eastern countries and the UK in the colonial era. For Middle Eastern buyers, the prestige of the location and the neighborhood are very important re al estate characteristics.Regarding Cypruss position in real estate market, it is possible to assess it as emerging. The country is now challenging real estate positions of such market leaders as Spain and Greece. While Spain is viewed as a more expensive investment location and Greece is perceived as the economically unstable market, Cyprus emerges as an important real estate player with reasonable real estate prices and sufficient level of economic development. Although Cyprus is located relatively far from key European countries, its integration with the EU made real estate market more attractive for European buyers. Russian buyers also demonstrate notable interest to real estate in Cyprus. Further improvement of economic situation and social stability combined with loyal fiscal policies and encouragement of foreign investment will attract more international customers to Cyprus and fuel real estate market.

Monday, March 2, 2020

3 Major Ways Slaves Showed Resistance to Slavery

3 Major Ways Slaves Showed Resistance to Slavery Slaves in the United States used a number of measures to show resistance to slavery. These methods arose after the first slaves arrived in North America in 1619. Slavery created an economic system that persisted until 1865 when the Thirteenth Amendment abolished the practice. But before slavery was abolished, slaves had three available methods to resist slavery: they could rebel against slaveholders, they could run away, or they could perform small, daily acts of resistance, such as slowing down work. Rebellions The Stono Rebellion in 1739, Gabriel Prossers conspiracy in 1800, Denmark Veseys plot in 1822, and Nat Turners Rebellion in 1831 are the most prominent slave revolts in American history. But only the Stono Rebellion and Nat Turners Rebellion achieved any success. White Southerners managed to derail the other planned rebellions before any attack could take place. Many slave owners in the United States became anxious in the wake of the successful slave revolt in Saint-Domingue (now known as Haiti), which  brought independence  to the  colony  in 1804 after years of conflict with French, Spanish, and British military expeditions.  Slaves in the American colonies (later the United States), knew that mounting a rebellion was extremely difficult. Whites greatly outnumbered slaves. And even in states like South Carolina, where whites made up only 47 percent of the  population by 1810, slaves could not take on whites armed with guns.   Importing Africans to the United States to be sold into slavery ended in 1808. Slave owners had to rely on a natural increase in the slave population to increase their labor force. This meant breeding slaves, and many slaves feared that their children, siblings, and other relatives would suffer the consequences if they rebelled.   Runaway Slaves Running away was another form of resistance. Slaves who ran away most often did so for a short period of time. These runaway slaves might hide in a nearby forest or visit a relative or spouse on another plantation. They did so to escape a harsh punishment that had been threatened, to obtain relief from a heavy workload, or just to escape the drudgery of everyday life under slavery. Others were able to run away and escape slavery permanently. Some escaped and hid, forming Maroon communities in nearby forests and swamps. When northern states began to abolish slavery after the Revolutionary War, the north came to symbolize freedom for many slaves, who spread the word that following the North Star could lead to freedom. Sometimes, these instructions were even spread musically, hidden in the words of spirituals. For instance, the spiritual Follow the Drinking Gourd made reference to the Big Dipper and the North Star and was likely used to guide slaves north to Canada. The Risks of Fleeing Running away was difficult. Slaves had to leave family members behind and risk harsh punishment or even death if caught. Many of the successful runaways only triumphed after multiple attempts. More slaves escaped from the upper south than from the lower south, as they were nearer to the north and thus nearer to freedom. Young men had the easiest time of running away because they were more likely to be sold away from their families, including their children. Young men were also sometimes hired out to other plantations or sent on errands, so they could more easily come up with a cover story for being on their own. A network of sympathetic individuals who helped slaves escape to the north emerged by the 19th century. This network earned the name the Underground Railroad in the 1830s. Harriet Tubman is the best known conductor of the Underground Railroad, helping over 200 other slaves escape after she herself reached freedom in 1849. But most runaway slaves were on their own, especially while they were still in the south. Runaway slaves would often choose holidays or days off to give them extra lead time before being missed in the fields or at work. Many fled on foot, coming up with ways to throw off dogs in pursuit, such as using pepper to disguise their scents. Some stole horses or even stowed away on ships to escape slavery. Historians are unsure of how many slaves permanently escaped. An estimated 100,000 fled to freedom over the course of the 19th century, according to James A. Banks in March Toward Freedom: A History of Black Americans. Slaves Retaliate With Ordinary Acts of Resistance The most common form of slave resistance was day-to-day resistance or small acts of rebellion. This form of resistance included sabotage, such as breaking tools or setting fire to buildings. Striking out at a slave owners property was a way to strike at the man himself, albeit indirectly. Other methods of day-to-day resistance were feigning illness, playing dumb, or slowing down work. Both men and women faked being ill to gain relief from their harsh working conditions. Women may have been able to feign illness more easily, as they were expected to provide their owners with children. At least some owners would have wanted to protect the childbearing capacity of their female slaves. Some slaves could also play on their masters and mistresses prejudices by appearing to not understand instructions. When possible, slaves could also decrease their pace of work. Women more often worked in the household and could sometimes use their position to undermine their masters. Historian Deborah Gray White tells of the case of a slave woman who was executed in 1755 in Charleston, S.C., for poisoning her master. White also argues that women may have resisted against a special burden under slavery, that of providing slaveholders with more slaves by bearing children. She speculates that women may have used birth control or abortion to keep their children out of slavery. While this cannot be known for certain, White points out that many slave owners were convinced that female slaves had ways of preventing pregnancy. Throughout the history of American slavery, Africans and African-Americans resisted whenever possible. The odds against slaves succeeding in a rebellion or in escaping permanently were so overwhelming that most slaves resisted the only way they could - through individual actions. But slaves also resisted the system of slavery through the formation of a distinctive culture and through their religious beliefs, which kept hope alive in the face of such severe persecution. Sources Banks, James A. March Toward Freedom: A History of Black Americans. Paperback, 2nd edition, Fearon Publishers,1974. Ford, Lacy K. Deliver Us From Evil: The Slavery Question in the Old South. 1st Edition, Oxford University Press, August 15, 2009. Franklin, John Hope. Runaway Slaves: Rebels on the Plantation. Loren Schweninger, Oxford University Press, July 20, 2000. Raboteau, Albert J. Slave Religion: The Invisible Institution in the Antebellum South. Paperback, Updated edition, Oxford University Press, October 7, 2004. White, Deborah Gray. â€Å"Let My People Go: 1804-1860† The Young Oxford History of African Americans, Hardcover, 1 edition, Oxford University Press, September 12, 1996.