Introduction
The major objective of this study is to explore the concept of hegemony by demonstrating some examples that can enable the reader to fully conceptualize the term. In addition, the study will also examine the effects associated with transnational corporations either positive or negatives.
Finally the study will embark on discussion of the function of education with demonstration of examples from personal real life or reading.
Discussion
What is hegemony?
Hegemony is a term with several meaning but it largely depend on the situation where the term is used. People define hegemony as the situation whereby a particular entity has power over another. However, the ability to influence and take control over political affairs is what many people consider as hegemony.
In addition, many people consider hegemony as leadership or dominance of one nation up on another. Politically, hegemony is considered as a cycle in which when global power begins to lose its control or influence on a particular nation it starts to cause its down fall.
For instance, Britain colony was considered as hegemony during 19th century before it began to experience troubles from its colonies such as the Indian among others. There are several theories of hegemony whose purpose is to expound on how a nation or group of people could maintain their powers.
Example of hegemony is the British rule in the North America States that include the Virginia, New York and Massachusetts during the period of colonial unrest (Naiman 127).
Impacts of transnational corporations
Transnational corporations have both positive and negative effects on peoples’ lives for instance they bring about increase in labor productivity by training skilled manpower and supply of foreign technology. In addition to this, they pay substantial wages to the causal labor force thus improving the standard of living for the workers.
Another positive impact of transnational corporation is that it stimulates local entrepreneurship through offering contracts to local industries with an aim of enhancing competition. It is also noted that transnational corporations lead to introduction of goods and services that are unavailable.
In contrast, transnational corporation can led to unemployment by the introduction of labor saving technology. In addition, the coming of transnational corporation has led to the introduction of inappropriate technology, consumption pattern and products. These are some of the positive and negative effects of transnational corporations (Naiman 143).
Functions of Education
Education is helpful to the people being educated because it initiates the process of socialization meaning that through education people can learn the best means through which they could relate and interact with others. However, it is through education whereby culture is transmitted for instance, education teaches people new styles of living by civilizing them.
It has been noted that through education, people lives can attain certain degree of change emanating from behavioral modification. In addition, people being educated consider education as important to their lives because it promotes physical, mental and moral growth meaning that uneducated people experience low level of growth compared to educated ones. For example, a teacher can think big than a herd’s man among others.
Based on this, many people have considered education vital to their lives because it empowers them to develop own ideas, opinions, responsibilities, decision making abilities and independent behavior. An example of this is how lecturers develop lesson plans for their teaching activities.
Another function of education is that it brings about desirable changes in economy, social and technological areas that are crucial in determining peoples’ standards of living in every nation. For instance, education opens avenues through which people could become rich therefore b able to live luxurious lives such as driving an expensive car and living in self contained houses among others (Naiman 159).
Work Cited
Naiman, Joane. How societies work, class, power and change in a Canadian context. 4 Edn. London, InfoBase Publishing, 2007.