Why Did Russia Not Move Towards Democracy - Free Essay Example

Russian intelligence interfered with the United States 2016 presidential elections. Allegedly, hackers and trolls armed themselves with fake news and fake accounts that swung public perception and votes toward President Donald Trump, who won the election in a dramatic upset. This alleged breach of democratic institutions to influence an election in an effort to fulfill the interests of the Russian regime under Vladimir Putin marks yet another point in Russia’s long struggle with Democracy. Russia stands out among the European and global powers because of the country’s historical unwillingness to develop democratic institutions. Despite having proximity to major democratic powers, major ports and some of the postulates used for the formation of democratic institutions, Russia today ranks 135th in corruption globally and scores a 20 out of 100 on the freedom scale according to freedom house (Transparency International, 2017, Freedom House, 2018). What happened? Russia has not developed into a democratic society for several reasons. First, there is a long history of government subjugation of individuals that has become embedded into Russian culture. Second, the religious ideology in Russia fostered a sense of superiority over the West and created an anti-western mindset and hostility towards western ideals such as democracy. And finally, the economic system that has existed in Russia for most of their history prevented capitalist economic development and its cultur al repercussions prevented individual empowerment and a sense of individual freedom, core ideological elements of a democracy. Before discussing Russia, it is important to understand the postulates that scholars typically attribute to the development of democracy in the West. First, the development of the Protestant religion had a significant effect on democracy (Bruce, 2007, page 4). Western countries, like England, adopted Protestantism during the protestant reformation. The Protestant ideal that everyone is equal in the eye of God is a core democratic principle (Bruce, 2007, page 7). It justifies the right for everyone to vote as well as being equal under the law. The protestant idea that you can achieve salvation by working hard and that you don’t have to follow in the family footsteps is a core belief of another postulate of democracy: capitalism (Bruce, 2007, page 13, 15). Capitalism and the freedoms that come with it changed what the people expected from their government, as well as the demand for greater freedoms (Bruce, 2007, page 7). Though not a postulate, Western democracies have often had democratic revolutions, some bloodier than others (Bruce, 2007, page 13). These revolutions overthrew the established aristocracy and implemented democratic institutions. Using this as a foundation, it becomes increasingly clear why Russia failed to establish democratic institutions. Russia’s failure to develop into a democratic nation can partially be explained by the influence of Russia’s Eastern orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Church was established in 1589 after the Eastern Orthodox diverged from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054, an event that would later be called the Great Schism (BBC, 2008; Makrides, 2009, page 212). This early division in faith meant that Christianity developed very differently in Orthodox Russia than did the Catholic West (Makrides, 2009, page 212). While the Orthodox church kept its tight grip on the East, the Catholic Church was questioned, leading to the Protestant Reformation. On a spiritual level, the followers of the Russia Orthodox Church thought of themselves as superior and an accurate representation of the Christian faith (Makrides, 2009, page 214). The Orthodoxy, unsurprisingly, deemed Protestants and Catholics as heretics and could find no middle ground with their spiritual counterparts and rejected anti- western sentiments which would endure throughout Russian history (Makrides, 2009 pages 213-214, 218). If the Russian Orthodox people looked at themselves as superior to the West, then it comes as no surprise that they did not adopt their institutions. If the Western mindset was heretical and bad, this explains why the people didn’t support this sort of mindset. It’s clear then that the Russian Orthodox faith steered the people and the nation away from democratic institutions on the basis of religious disagreement. The same anti-western mindset prevented the development of Protestantism in Russia which has long been attributed as a catalyst for the development of democracy and capitalism. The fundamental beliefs and the mindset of protestants that everyone is equal under God and that salvation is attained through good works that are crucial for developing a democratic mindset never came into fruition in Russia. Without these fundamental principles for democracy in Russi a, there was no ideological justification and motivation for developing democratic institutions in Russia, so democratic institutions never came. It is important to point out that the power of the Russian orthodox church was greatly reduced by Peter the Great and the subsequent Tsars (Kallistos, 1997, excerpt). While it can be argued that the decline in the power of the Church proves that the Church had little influence on the lack of a democracy, these arguments are short-sighted. The anti-western sentiments and the perceived superiority that the Russian Orthodox Church installed in society continued even after peter the Great reduced organizational power. Serfdom and its repercussions also prevented Russia from becoming a democratic society. Prior to the Soviet era, Russian was stuck under the feudal system of serfdom. In 1547, Russia became a unified nation under the leadership of Ivan the Terrible (O’Neil, 2018, page 342). After uniting the country, Ivan became the first tsar, a term derived from Caesar and implemented the feudal society which would last in Russia for more than three hundred years until its demise in 1861 (Markevic? and Z?uravskaja, page 1075). This feudal system was remarkably hierarchical, placing the Tsar at the top, followed by the land owners and finally the serfs (Markevic? and Z?uravskaja, page 1075). This hierarchy established by the feudal system stayed alive for much longer in Russia than it did in the Western world. For instance, serfdom in England was obsolete in 1500 (Brodie, 2015). This is significant because while the Western nations were exploring and experimenting with democracy and capitalis m, Russia was stuck in a feudal hierarchy that was incompatible with democracy. The length of time that it took to rid Russia of serfdom also had a cultural impact. This became obvious when serfdom was eliminated in 1861 when the serfs were given land and some basic freedoms. This emancipation resulted in a seventeen percent improvement in agricultural production, improved nutrition as well as a significant increase in GDP (Markevic? and Z?uravskaja, 2015 pages 1093-1103, 1113). That said, these improvements were marked by terrible mismanagement of land reform (Markevic? and Z?uravskaja. 2015, page 1113). The increased productivity that resulted from this was countered by a dependence on their former landlords and the inefficiency of that land reform (Markevic? and Z?uravskaja, 2015, page 1077). This discouraged people from allocating resources effectively and investing in their land (Markevic? and Z?uravskaja, 2015, page 1113). These contradicts the fundamental ideas of capitalism as proposed by Adam Smith, encouraging people to invest in their land and their i ndustries to improve the economy. As a result, people were discouraged from pursuing capitalistic ventures and accepting capitalism into Russian society. Capitalism has long been thought to be a postulate for developing democratic institutions, and without capitalism coming to fruition in Russia, democracy never fully developed. The failure of the Duma and the resulting Russian Revolution in 1917 also marked major roadblocks towards establishing democratic institutions. After failing to defeat the Japanese in a conflict regarding land in China, Russia staged a minor revolution resulting in the formation of the Duma, which acted as a legislative body (O’Neil et. al, 2018 page 344). While certainly a step towards a democracy, the Duma was marred by instability until its eventual collapse during World War One (O’Neil et. al, 2018 page 345). The failure of the Duma as a democratic institution was so bad, that it discouraged Russia from trying to establish other democratic institutions. Instead, the chaos that followed the fall of the Duma and during the early stages of World War One Lead to the steady rise of the Bolsheviks (D’Agostino, 2011, pages 37-48). Taking advantage of the weakness of the central state and anti-war sentiments, Vladimir Lenin allied with Leon Trotsky staged a coup over the provisional government and seized power over the country (D’Agostino, 2011, page 47-48). Instead of democratic values, Lenin established an anti-democratic authoritarian rule in the form of communism in the new Soviet Union (O’Neil, 2018, page 345-346). The Soviet communist values were antithetical to those of democracy. In fact, communism in Russia reverted to many of the same policies and systems that existed in Russia for most of its history like the restriction of movement and anti-western sentiments. Russia opted against a democratic society in favor of the staple hierarchical, controlling regime. This is significant because the revolution has eliminated the progress that Russia had made since the elimination of serfdom towards becoming a democratic society. Additionally, the revolution was motivated by anti-capitalist sentiments, with Lenin denouncing capitalism in many of his writings (D’Agostino, 2011, page 46). This meant that not only did the revo lution reject democratic institutions, but also rejected capitalistic ideals. This combination can explain why Russia did not become a democracy during the communist period of its history. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of Vladimir Putin further illustrate why Russia has not developed into a democracy. The Soviet Union was a deeply flawed system that resembled a more extreme version of the hierarchical society that existed prior to the Russian Revolution. An institution that, starting under Joseph Stalin, was built on fear and intense government subjugation of people left much of the population living in distress and impoverished (O’Neil 346-347). The stubbornness of soviet leaders after Stalin to desperate need for reform caused slow economic growth and corruption in the government (O’Neil, 2018, pages 347-348). When Gorbachev came to power in 1985, he put in policies that encouraged political openness and economic restructuring. These seemingly liberal ideas increased individual freedoms and were steps toward a democracy. These changes backfired, challenging state power and the Soviet Union collapsed (O’Neil, 2018, page 34 9). From the ashes of the Soviet Union rose two factions: the conservative communists and liberals lead by Yeltsin who pushed towards a democracy (O’Neil, 2018, page 349). After a failed coup attempt, Gorbachev lost his power and Yeltsin became the leader of the new Russian republic (O’Neil, 2018 page 349). Under Yeltsin, Russia endured a period of a few years with a feebly functioning democratic institution, with Yeltsin and parliament getting along and passing his reforms (O’Neil, 2018 page 349). Soon after, the parliament and Yeltsin grew apart causing the parliament to call for the impeachment Yeltsin (O’Neil, 2018 page 350). In response, Yeltsin scrapped the constitution, wrote a new one, and dissolved the parliament despite intense opposition (O’Neil, 2018 page 350). In 1999, Yeltsin appointed Vladimir Putin as the new president who swiftly eliminated any chance at becoming a democracy (O’Neil, 2018 page 349). The society that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union simply could not be considered democratic. The president has essentially total control with the legislative body and judicial system having almost no power (O’Neil, 2018 page2 351-356). The institutions that Yeltsin developed after the fall of communism have proven to be like the hierarchical society that has existed in Russia for all its history. With the power of the President, and the continued political suppression, there is little appetite for becoming a true democracy. Despite this, capitalism has taken a slight hold in Russia. However, the power of capitalism alone is not strong enough to oust the current regime and replace it with true democratic institutions. Russia is not a democracy. Without any checks and balances and an overpowering executive, Russia resembles an authoritarian regime. In studying Russia, it is hardly surprising. The Eastern Orthodox Christianity that has dominated Russia for most of the country’s history not only distanced themselves from the Western world but rejected Western ideas as heretical. These developments have forever distanced Russia from the trends that happened in the West, including the development of capitalism and democratic ideals. Russian institutions and society maintained its distinct hierarchy and subjugation of the masses in every form. Serfdom maintained its influence far longer than in other European nations, who were experimenting with democracy during some of this time. This hierarchy was further cemented when the Duma failed, and the Russian Revolution resulted in the communist Soviet Union. The resulting society had little appetite for establishing democratic institutions and the peo ple had little power to do so. What’s in the future for Russia? If their history is of any indication, the authoritarian regime under Putin and whoever his successors will be will most likely remain in place for a long time. There seems to be no indication that Russia is trending towards democratic institutions, despite its movement towards capitalism. This means that the Russian quest for democracy will have to wait. Bibliography Brodie, Nicholas D. â€Å"The Decline of Serfdom in Late Medieval England: From Bondage to Freedom by Mark Bailey.† Parergon, vol. 32, no. 2, 2015, pp. 259–261., doi:10.1353/pgn.2015.0122. Bruce, Steve. Did Protestantism Create Democracy? Twenty Years of Studying Democratization (2007): 132-49. Print. DAgostino, Anthony. The Russian Revolution, 1917-1945. Praeger, 2011. e.V., Transparency International. â€Å"Corruption Perceptions Index 2017.† Www.transparency.org, Transparency International, 2017, www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2017. â€Å"Freedom in the World 2018.† Freedom House, 8 May 2018, freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2018. Kallistos, Bishop. The Orthodox Church. Penguin Books, 1997. Makrides, Vasilios N. â€Å"Orthodox Anti-Westernism Today: A Hindrance to European Integration?† International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church, vol. 9, no. 3, 9 Sept. 2009, pp. 209– 224., doi:10.1080/14742250903186935. Markevic? A. M., and Z?uravskaja E?katerina V. Economic Effects of the Abolition of Serfdom: Evidence from the Russian Empire. Centre for Economic Policy Research, 2015. ONeil, Patrick H., et al. Cases in Comparative Politics. Sixth ed., W.W. Norton Et Company, 2018. â€Å"Religions Christianity: Eastern Orthodox Church.† BBC, BBC, 11 June 2008, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/easternorthodox_1.shtml.

The Effects Of Divorce On My Life Changed Drastically

Divorce When I was in 3rd grade my life changed drastically. I was noticing slight emotional changes between my parents. They were fighting more, and not communicating as much. You could tell the tensions were high when we were all around each other, but I just ignored it thinking it was just money problems. It was going on for months before I noticed something was really wrong. On a warm sunny day when my mom was taking me to softball, she pulled out a tiny, blue phone and started to call someone. Me being the curious little girl I was I asked where she got the phone. She told me that it was her work phone, but it did not sound very convincing. I shrugged it off acting like I believed her and I went to practice. We had just got done running around the bases and she yelled â€Å"break† and walked to the rusty old bathroom. As soon as she shut the bathroom door I ran to the car panting. Quickly grabbing the blue phone out of her purse I looked through it. The second I started reading the messages I regretted it. I was in 3rd grade and I had just found out that my mom was texting some guy named Corey saying she loved him. Half way through our softball season my mom asks if my friend Brianna, and I could clean the house so we did. Once we got done my mom told us since we did a good job that she would take us camping the next day. I love camping, of course I got all pumped up, and danced around the house for the rest of the night. Barely sleeping the night before I already had myShow MoreRelatedDivorce. Everybody Knows The Word And Many People Deal1289 Words   |  6 PagesDivorce. Everybody knows the word and many people deal with it, but does it have a negative effect on children? Some people who have experienced divorce as a child might have differing opinions, but the main consensus is that it does have a negative effect on children. 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Marriage, as stated in the Bible, is a lifelong commitment between a man and women before God. Marriage was created in Genesis 2:23 ­ 24, â€Å"The man said, ‘this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shallRead MoreRelationship Between Family And Family789 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Many would agree that the dynamics of the family structure have changed drastically. Families are faced with many challenges, often times outside intervention is necessary in coping with the plethora of issues families face. We are living in a time of increased racial tensions, stress, bullying, domestic violence, mental illness, same-sex marriage, drug abuse, increased divorce rates, blended families, and cohabitation. The use of Marriage and family therapists appears to be increasingRead MoreTying The Knot : Marriage Trends1636 Words   |  7 Pagesafter collage and a career are started. In generations past, there was a strict order in which adulthood was obtained. 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Civil Disobedience and Henry David Thoreau - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 791 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/05/13 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Civil Disobedience Essay Did you like this example? Civil Disobedience is an essay written by Henry David Thoreau first published in 1866, in which Thoreau attempts to convince readers to oppose the Mexican-American War and the institution of slavery as a whole. First presented as a lecture in 1848, and shortly thereafter as an essay titled Resistance to Civil Government. It was not until sometime after Thoreaus death that the essay was published as Civil Disobedience and began to gain further prominence and popularity. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Civil Disobedience and Henry David Thoreau" essay for you Create order In his essay, Thoreau attempts to explain his rationale for protesting against his own government by non-violent means. His essay has become a de facto manifesto for those seeing political change by means of peaceful protest. It is difficult for one to argue that Thoreaus heart wasnt in the right place while penning his essay. Living in a country that he so dearly loved, he was a firsthand witness to slavery, an evil institution that needed to be abolished, and a war between the United States and Mexico which was being fought only to establish new territory in which slavery could be expanded into. Well ahead of his time, both ethically and morally, he sought to protest these actions of his country which he deemed objectionable, and he would do so without bloodshed. Living in a country which, since its inception, used its fists, not only to gain power, but to intimidate and bully those that threated its status quo, Thoreau would attempt to convince those who were as driven as he was t o peacefully rise-up. Civil Disobedience, gained its fair share of notoriety when it was published, and over the last century and a half has become the foundation upon which many civil rights leaders and activists build and pursue their cause. It has helped to shape landmark rulings from high courts, while also shaping the moral discourse that our country was facing. This essay serves to explain how such a seeming short essay, penned over 150 years ago, could have such a lasting impact. Comparisons to more modern day activists such as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. and their methods of peaceful protest will be discussed as well. Finally, the overall relevance in todays world, and whether or not Thoreaus work still measures up by todays standards. Throughout his essay, Thoreau is trying to prove one main point: Citizens in good conscience, should actively oppose the unjust policies of their government using non-violent methods. This includes refusal to pay taxes and other methods of non-coopera tion. According to Thoreau, one must be willing to be imprisoned rather than to bow to the unethical and immoral government laws and practices. One topic that is touched upon but never explicitly said, and actually serves as a larger basis for his rational, states that the rule of God, transcends the law of man. Moral and ethical convictions which are considered to be an innate characteristic in every man, can and should supersede any laws created by man himself. Slavery and war, which Thoreau writes about as specific influences, are both in direct objection to the divine rule listed above. The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was a major inspiration for Thoreaus work. Having seen the United States essentially bombard Mexico and claiming their territory as their own, all in the name of what Thoreau saw as slavery expansion, something needed to be done. Seeing his country continuing to perpetuate these moral injustices could no longer go unchallenged. Thoreau understood that something needed to change, and that he also couldnt be the only one with those same feelings. He also knew that solving violence and aggression with mor e violence and aggression would only exacerbate the problem, and ultimately lead to no solution. With these things in mind, Thoreau sought to protest the actions and behaviors of his county. His primary method, was to stop paying taxes. The theory was, that if he were to not pay taxes, that would be less money to fund the actions of the government in which he was protesting against. He understood that his monetary implications on the government as a whole were negligible, however the results would be seen in the message being sent. This seemingly small form of disobedience would not fail to be noticed, and Thoreau would eventually be imprisoned for his actions. Thoreaus non-violent form of protest and willingness to be imprisoned rather than support his countries degrading moral behavior served as the basis for two very important and crucial civil rights activists some 100 years later. Mohandas Gandhi was an Indian activist who led the non-violent Indian Independence Movement against British rule. Gandhi adopted and expanded the methods of non-violent protest that Thoreau outlined, including: hunger strikes, mass noncooperation, nonviolent direct action and other social, cultural, economic, and political forms to in tervene.

Industrialisation And How The Industrial Revolution Helped...

At the beginning of the 21st century, Spain was recognised as an affluent, industrialised and democratic country among Europe however, its path to getting there was not the same as other European countries (Countries Quest, (no date)). Prados de la Escosura is correct in saying that Spain’s route to modernization was much closer to the advanced countries of Western Europe than that of today’s developing nations in the Third World and there are various reasons for this. Spain’s route to modernization experienced numerous setbacks. These setbacks consequently led to Spain falling behind the advanced countries of Western Europe as whereas the Industrial Revolution had a positive impact on them, it did not have much of a positive impact on Spain as such. In order to assess and discuss Prado de la Escosura’s statement critically, this piece of academic writing will look at the concept of Industrialisation and how the Industrial Revolution helped Spain’s route to modernization. It will also bring in comparisons to show how today’s developing nations are still on the route to modernization. What is meant by the word ‘modernization’ and how can one define a ‘developing nation’? The word modernization can have different meanings depending on what context it is said in. Sorensen (2001) defined the word modernization as, ‘a term used for the transition from the traditional society of the past to modern society as it found in the West’ (no pagination). Shubert (1992) asserted that,

Analysis Of Mary Hughes s Poem Lady Lazarus Plath

appear to remind her inner wounds of life. Frequently they seem to terrorize her with their openings; They (Tulips) are opening like the mouth of some great African cat..15. In her poem Lady Lazarus Plath confirms her strong faith in rebirth and resurrection: Out of the ash I rise with my red hair and I eat men like air16. It further makes obvious her repulsion on men. She believes that Suicide, Death and Resurrection may fetch her eternal happiness. That is why, it seems, she loves death. She further has strong conviction in resurrection to slay all men-traitors in the world. She suggestively shows her bitterness on her husband for his desertion from her life. Naturally all men and women have the sense of repugnance to their mates while facing desertion. Divorce is very common in the West but Plath could not digest Ted Hughes’ separation and his loveless life with her. Women folks expect true love from men. When they find the love of man is only corporeal and fake, they turn brutal and commit suicide or choose to kill their husbands at least in next birth. While modern American confessional poets like Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath are pondering over death and revenge, Kamala Das is pursuing her deep search for soulful love in the poem Composition: By peeling of my layers I reach closer to the soul†¦17. M.K.Naik calls her a Confessional Poet and compares her with Robert Lowell, Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath. But he comments that her poetry is a sex dominated one which is

Printed Circuit Board and Acme Free Essays

Introduction Acme Electronics and Omega Electronics were spin off companies from the original Technological Products of Erie, Pennsylvania that was bought out by a Cleveland manufacturer. The two companies were in the business of manufacturing printed circuit boards. Acme Electronics retained its original management while Omega Electronics hired a new president but upgraded several people within the plant. We will write a custom essay sample on Printed Circuit Board and Acme or any similar topic only for you Order Now Both companies being in the same line of business and geographically close to each other often competed for business. In 1976, both companies were asked by a major photocopy manufacturer to produce 100 prototype memory units that would be used in a new experimental copier. The company with the winning bid would be awarded the contract to assemble these memory units. They had two weeks to come up with the prototypes. This paper examines the different goals pursued by Acme and Omega, their impact and strategies used to achieve the goals. It also looks at effectiveness of both methods used as well as the best results from the company that got the winning bid. Analysis It is clear from the case that the two companies had different goals. Omega’s goals seemed to be excellent internal processes and employee satisfaction whereas Acme’s goals were profits that came from operations being run very efficiently. Top management in any organization usually sets the strategy and communicates it down to the line worker to ensure that the whole organization was working together to achieve common goals. This was no different at the two organizations above. Acme’s president credited his organization’s success and effectiveness to the high degree of efficiency they were able to achieve. This was because employees had clear cut responsibilities and narrowly defined jobs that led to high performance. Omega’s president on the other hand had great emphasis on employee relations. As soon as Acme got the blueprints, they divided the work among the different departments and each went off to work diligently but with no contact with other departments. This caused problems early on in the project as the different departments were acting like little organizational silos – not sharing information or challenges they were facing. The end result was that Acme delivered the prototypes late and had a 10% defect rate but was within budget. Omega got the blueprints and immediately created cross-functional teams that worked together on the project. Even though they encountered similar problems as Acme, they were able to quickly resolve them and deliver the prototypes on time and with zero defects. At first it seemed like Omega would automatically win the bid but it turned out that Acme delivered at a lower cost and the contract was split between both firms with clear instructions to reduce final costs and maintain zero defects. In the end, the final contract was awarded to Acme due to their extensive cost-cutting efforts that saw them realize a 20% reduction in unit cost. Their goals definitely helped them win the contract because as the president had stated; their structure was best suited for high volume manufacture of printed circuits and their subsequent assembly. This created great high performance resulting in great efficiency and profits. Although they had problems in the initial stages, their president’s constant interaction with the client helped them out. He obviously handled the external relationship better. Summary In conclusion, both companies were effective in their own way. This is because they are pursuing different goals. Acme managed to stay highly efficient and win the contract whereas Omega maintained the high level of employee satisfaction. This however could cost them a lot of business in the long run. They should strike a balance between employee satisfaction and delivering on the bottom line.? How to cite Printed Circuit Board and Acme, Papers

Cronulla Riots free essay sample

The beachside suburb, known by residents as Gods Country, saw the spread of violence in a series of ethnically motivated confrontations in the week of December 11th 2005. This day saw the gathering of nearly 5000 people, most of Anglo Celtic background, some locals, some from other Sydney beachside suburbs such as Maroubra and Brighton, in order to reclaim the beach after two middle eastern youths attacked Cronulla lifesavers earlier in the week. The notification of the gathering was sent via mobile text to people all around Sydney, inviting them to join in the fight for Australians right to reclaim their beaches. Violence broke out due to a combination of mob mentality and alcohol and many ethnic individuals were attacked and assaulted. Signs and t-shirts read discriminatory sayings such as Fuck Allah, Save Nulla, Love it or Leave it, Wog Free Zone and We grew here, you flew here. The following nights saw incidents of retaliatory violence and vandalism by those of Middle Eastern decent; throughout Sydney, and from Wollongong to Newcastle protests of both sides were present. We will write a custom essay sample on Cronulla Riots or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Police locked-down areas of Sydney including Western Sydney, guarding those who were to enter and leave and searched cars and checked identification for those entering the Sutherland Shire area to avoid the occurrence of further incidents. The fight divided many of Sydney, and called for Australians to address their notions of the identity of Australians or more specifically, what is to be Australian? the community was shock to see such violence in a quiet neighbourhood.