Marketing Environment of the Czech Republic Essay

Marketing Environment of the Czech Republic - Essay Example After its break with the Slovak Republic, the Czech nation rapidly privatized state-owned businesses. State ownership of businesses was at about 97 percent under communism—today it is less than 20 percent. The country is also reducing its dependence on highly polluting brown coal as an energy source, turning more toward nuclear energy. Unquestionably, the integral part of the history of Czech culture is Czech traditions. The traditions are mostly maintained in villages, especially in the Moravian-Silesian region, where they remain as a sign of the cultural taste of the specific areas. Traditional costumes are increasingly popular among Czech people and are also appreciated by foreign visitors. Tourism is a rapidly developing sector, and millions come to Prague to visit castles, palaces, and spas. Although the political and financial crises of 1997 eroded somewhat the countrys stability and prosperity, the Czech Republic succeeded in becoming a NATO member in 1999 and a European Union member in 2004. Czech culture has firm roots in a rich and plentiful history. Tourists and visitors from all over the world can marvel at some of the most beautiful and oldest pieces of architecture, literature and fine arts. Public administration or the management of public services is decentralized in the Czech Republic. Currently, there are only several compact issues managed directly and purely by the highest administrative level - the state. The Czech Republic uses several electoral systems and formulas for recounting votes into mandates. All elections are held on the basis of confidentiality, generality and equality. Direct voting prevails. In international relations, the Czech Republic seeks to represent itself as a democratic nation and a politically, economically and socially stable state in Central Europe. It seeks to promote not only its particular interests but also to

The Masque of the Red Death for Edgar Allan Poe Essay

The Masque of the Red Death for Edgar Allan Poe - Essay Example Such people in a way tend to ignore the reality of death by engaging in favored diversions and cherished joys. On the other side there are people who respect the serious and ponderous aspects of life and do not hesitate to meditate on and think about death, which is the inevitable and unavoidable fate of everybody who is alive. However, the one single thing that is common to all the types and dispositions is that death does evoke the feelings of fear and intimidation, irrespective of one’s status or temperament. Edgar Allan Poe in his story The Masque of the Red Death delves on the frivolity of human understanding in the face of that which is all pervasive and universal. The plot, setting, characterization and atmosphere created by Poe in The Masque of the Red Death rely on the elements of terror, horror and grotesqueness, to exhibit the helplessness of the human existence before a fate that is essentially given to be mortal. The story starts with the news that â€Å"The â₠¬Å"Red Death† had long devastated the country† (Poe 3). By doing so the writer tends to play on the fear and all pervasiveness of death that always lurks at the back of human consciousness. In that context, the miniature world marked by gaiety and merriment, created by Edgar Allan Poe is a replica of the real world in which death pursues all and sundry, without exception and favors. The characters in the story, including the Prince Prospero and his assorted guests and the retinue of entertainers belong to the affluent strata of society. Now for the poor and deprived, it is much easier to admit one’s helplessness before death. The dilution of ego is more favorable to the understanding and acceptance of the essential aspects of life. However, it is not so with the denizens of the â€Å"castellated abbeys† (Poe 3). Unexceptionally all the characters in the story tend to be the cream of the society in a pecuniary and political context. Thus, as expected, they e nd up committing the same mistake, which is committed in varied measures by the mighty and powerful in all the ages and times. They believe that death and pestilence was to be the fate of the commoners in the kingdom and they are perfectly safe behind their â€Å"lofty wall† (Poe 3) and â€Å"gates of iron† (Poe 3). The â€Å"hale and light hearted friends† (Poe 3) of the Prince Prospero ironically intend to subdue their acceptance of death in a cloud of fun, enjoyment and luxury. However, this very intention and effort on their part, time and again reveals the moments of â€Å"brief disconcert of the whole gay company† (Poe 5). Their heartiest laughs are tinged with apprehensions and their gayest frolics are marked with intimidation. In that context, the plight of these guests is actually the plight of all men. Hence, the terror of the assorted guests in a subtle way percolates into and makes connection with the terror lurking in the minds of the readers , and the contrived obliviousness on their part makes the reader think about one’s personal attempts to evade thoughts of mortality, by engaging in diversion of one’s own. In a way, the reader simply forgets as to the moment and way one connects with and begins to identify with the arrogant ignorance of the guests in the story, flickering amidst death that has the potential to