The importance of jazz in American culture Essay

The importance of jazz in American culture - Essay Example The origins of jazz may lie in the blues rhythms that developed in the period immediately following the American Civil War and the emancipation of slaves. The distinctive element of the blues is that through the performance of a solo artist, an attempt is made to translate emotions into music through humming, moaning, and soundless effects added to the actual words of the song (Halim, No Date). Jazz developed from the blues, but it differed from the blues in that it had a more cheerful, uplifting note within it. In the words of Stanley Crouch, jazz historian and critic, the love for the music felt by both white and black communities helped to make jazz â€Å"a futuristic social force in which one was finally judged purely on the basis of ones individual ability. Jazz predicted the civil rights movement more than any other art in America." (Hentoff, 2009). It was in essence a tool to reach out to people everywhere, irrespective of their color and therefore a tool that could function as a means to break down segregation and lead to the development of a non-segregated society. Lewine (1992) has described how jazz slowly became synonymous with popular culture. America emerged into the 20th century as a society where culture was necessarily associated with the high brow, more genteel sections of society. But jazz entered this cultural arena as a vital new element that was so distinctive that it appeared to be â€Å"the new product of a new age†, while culture appeared to be traditional, having developed over the centuries (Lewine, 1992:7). Yet, culture and jazz appeared to define each other, because the emergence of this new form of music which was (a) spontaneous (b) raucous and (c) participatory in that the audiences joined in vigorously, and its enormous popularity redefined the entire element of what constituted culture.

Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Political Science - Essay Example The policies which are given as recommendations seem to be quite useable for those who defend the consensus since they call it necessary for progress. Supporters of the Washington Consensus say that following these recommendations can only lead to greater economic independence for debt laden countries and it is a path which leads to the development of the industrial and services sector. However, those who oppose the policies say that the Washington Consensus is merely a method for America and other developed nations to enter new markets and exploit their resources (Williamson, 2000). Both sides have been quite vocal about their feelings and each highlights the successes and the failures of the consensus. The supporters of the Washington Consensus say that many people misunderstand the recommendations since they are not universally applicable to all nations at all times. Instead of looking at the consensus as forced neo-liberal policies, the policies should be seen as recommendations coming from those who have achieved economic development to those who have yet to achieve it (Harvard University, 2003). On the other hand, those who oppose the policies recommended by the Washington bodies say that the policies are mandated in connected to grants and aid money. Even when the policies have been implemented, they often lead to the country running into a economic crisis which brings more misery for the people than economic development (Harvard University, 2003). Clearly, the difference of opinion warrants a deeper understanding of the policies themselves since they appear to be quite controversial. The primary policies under the Washington Consensus have been outlined by Williamson (2000) as the implementation of monetary discipline in terms of free trade and public expenditure and investments in projects that give economic returns to the people. The alleviation of poverty and