Comparison of Marxism and Capitalism Political Theories

Comparison of Marxism and Capitalism Political Theories Linking Political Theory to Contemporary Politics Alisha N Ancum Abstract A political theory, by definition is the study of concepts and principles that people use to describe, explain, associate, and evaluate events and institutions in society(Girvetz,2013). I will be comparing and contrasting two major political theories, Capitalism and Marxism. Their contrasting ideas are brings about a vast difference in their beliefs. But despite this, they do have some similarities in their varied forms. These two political theories have their advantages and disadvantages as they relate to politics, law, business, history and especially religion. Marxism being the younger of these two, builds on its own socio- economic model, but also offers a critic of capitalism. Both theories have shaped the nature, structure and politics of various nations from the industrial age to present day. Linking Political Theory to Contemporary Politics Political theory is abranch of political science concerned chiefly with the ideas of past and present political thinkers and the doctrines and proposals of political movements and groupsâ€Å"discussion of the proper scope of governmental action †¦ has usually been regarded as a proper part ofpolitical theory†Ã¢â‚¬â€ F.W.Coker (Political). This paper will compare and contrast two major political theories, Marxism and Capitalism. These two political theories are significantly different from each other, but also in the varied forms have some very similar characteristics. Capitalism and Marxism have both shaped the nature, structure and politics of various nations from the industrial age to present day. Marxism developed among the European working class of the 19th century. Marxism is the brain child of German philosopher Karl Marx (1818-1883). Karl Marx started the socialist movement (Roskin,Cord,Mederiros, Jones,2013). Karl Marx was trained in Hegelian philosophy, and produced a complex theory covering economics, social class and history. Marx posited that things dont just happen by accident, and everything has a cause. At the core of Marxism, it is believed that property production and the distribution of wealth are subject to social control. Hence the government has a role in the economy and social life of a nation. In a Marxist system, the means of production is owned by society, with the degree of ownership varying from total control to partial. The extreme form of Marxism is communism, as practiced in Cuba. Less extreme forms take the form of socialism or social democracies as in some countries such as, Scandinavia. Capitalism dates back to 16th century Europe, and became the dominant system in Western Europe. The basis of this system is ownership and control of the means of production by private individuals, with very little or no government intervention. In a Capitalist system, not only are the means of production not subject to government intervention as well as religion, social amenities and property rights. After the industrial revolution in Europe, capitalism was exported to the four corners of the world. At the core of the capitalist system is the free market. Free from societal control, the free market is believed to be self-regulating and privately owned. Capitalism is the brain child of Adam Smith. Adam Smith authored The Wealth of Nations, which is considered today as the capitalist bible. Capitalism creates a laissez-faire economy. These theories posit that the wealth and well-being of any nation is based on the amount of goods and services her citizens produced. Smith argues that go vernment intervention in the economy retards growth. This is so, because whenever one company or person (government) has a monopoly over the means of production, this kills competition, and with it, efforts to produce new goods and lower prices. This theory has taken the name of Liberalism, meaning people living as free as possible from government interference. Modern liberalism is what we called conservatism in America today. At the heart of this theory are still the core tenets of Adam Smiths philosophy. Core values include a strong free market and very minimal government interference in the lives and means of production of the nation. Edmund Burke (1729-1797), an 18th century American philosophy agrees with Adam Smiths theory. He believed the free market economy is the best system (Roskin, et al., 2013). He was also very supportive of the American colonies that were fighting for their basic freedoms. Modern conservatism in America has been reinforced by the writings of Milton Friedman (1926-2006), a Nobel Prize winning economist. Friedman argues that Adam Smith was right, and the free market economy is still the best system. Friedman also believes whenever government intervenes in the free market and society, it messes things up (Roskin, et al., 2013). Some of the major differences between Marxism and Capitalism is their approach to traditional values especially religion. In a capitalistic society, the freedom of religion worship is vigorously protected as an individual natural right. Hence government interference in faith matters is frowned upon. In present day America, modern conservatives advocate a society where government protects the religious freedoms of individuals. They want prayer in public places, the ban of abortion and same sex marriage (Roskin, et al., 2013). Modern conservatives in America also oppose any special rights for women and minority groups especially when they perceive it to be contrary to the dominant religious views of today. As a result, any forms of legislation affecting these spheres of society are viewed as an intrusion by government on the individual freedoms of people. Marxism on the other hand, views religion very negatively. Religion is the opium of society he wrote. Vladimir Lenin, a Bolshevik socialist said religion slows down economic growth. Religion is viewed in Marxist societies as a tool by capitalist elites to control the masses. Hence religion is frowned upon. Some countries which practiced strict forms of Marxism developed varied form of state atheism; for example the former Soviet Socialist Republic and the Peoples Republic of China. Today, most Marxist or socialist countries have eased the ban on Religious worship. While the stigma still exist, only in extreme cases like North Korea, where religion is banned. In present day America, the fight over the role of government in matters of faith runs very deep. This has created a very polarized polity. With Republicans made up of predominantly modern conservatives are vehemently opposed to rights being extended by the government to gay couples (Roskin, et al., 2013). Modern conservatives view marriage as a matter of faith, with no need to digress from its religious definition. They view the extension of marriage rights to gay citizens by the Democratic Party as an infringement of the religious freedoms of the citizen. Modern conservatives view this threat to the individual rights of the citizen as posited by Adam Smith, Edmund Burke and Milton Friedman. The Democratic Party and its socially liberal base, view the intervention of the state to extend the right to marriage to gay couples as an important role of government. This being a core tenet of Marxism which suggests that government must be involved in certain aspects of society, to ensure eq ual rights among the citizens. Another major difference between the two political theories is how they perceive the right to property. In the capitalist system, property is viewed a means of production and should be privately owned and controlled. Government was to protect the right to private ownership of property, with no interference. While capitalism recognizes some form of public property, it forms a very small portion of capital goods. The private ownership of property covers both tangible and intangible property. Hence businesses are privately owned and control, with little or no interference from government. A capitalist society has laws prohibiting the seizure of private property on individuals. In a Marxist system, property is viewed as a public good. While in varied forms, private ownership of property is allowed, the majority of property for the production of goods and services are owned or controlled by the state. This is believed to be the best possible way to transfer wealth from the rich to the poor. In so doing, the Marxist believes, equality, growth and general welfare are achieved. Hence in most countries where various forms of Marxism are practiced, the state controls major sectors of the economy like energy production, health care etc. In 2009, the Obama administration and their Democratic majority passed the Affordable Health care Act, which was vigorously opposed by Republicans and conservatives who viewed this as a government takeover of a major part of the free market. Democrats and their Liberal allies argued the law was necessary to protect and provide health care to over 20 million Americans who couldnt afford health insurance in the free market. This issue is still a major rallying call for modern conservatives in America today. While there are clear differences between these political theories, there are also some minor similarities. For example, in both systems, there is the possibility of social mobility. While the Marxist tries to eliminate class structures, and the capitalist systems survives on a class structure. Individuals have the opportunity to move up the social strata in both systems. Both systems allow government regulation of business, contracts, and markets; however the degree of regulation varies between both. The capitalist favors very little regulation, believing more in the unseen hand of the market to regulate it. The Marxist system, believes in providing more intrusion and regulation by the state (Roskin, et al., 2013). For without state regulation, the markets will run wild driven by profits, this is evident by the world economic crisis of 2008. References Girvetz, H. k. (2013, June 5). Liberalism . InEncyclopedia Britanica. Retrieved March 3, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/339173/liberalism Political Theory. (n.d.). InMerriam-Webster online. Retrieved from  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/political theory Roskin, M. G., Cord, R. L., Medeiros, J. A., Jones, W. S. (2013).Political Science An Introduction(Thirteenth ed., pp. 21-49). N.p.: Pearson.

An Organizational Failure: Blockbuster Essay

1. Describe and discuss how the organization’s culture facilitated the failure. Philips (2011) believes that success or failure of any great company depends on â€Å"Events, internal and external† (p. 3). Blockbuster also appears to be a victim of certain events at internal as well as external level. Based in McKinney, Texas, Blockbuster and founded in 1985 (Blockbuster Corporate, 2012) and it ushered in a new era as far as video rental retail industry was concerned. The company gave birth to video rental places that had significant amount of movies under one roof (the first store had 8,000 movies) and were not associated with bad movies or bad neighborhoods (Greenberg, 2008). Initially, the company’s strategy was to expand aggressively and the leadership defined Blockbuster’s vision to become McDonald’s of the video rental business. Referring to the company leadership’s ambitious goals, Greenberg writes: The Blockbuster strategy was simple à ¢â‚¬â€œ pump as much money as possible into buying local and regional chains while keeping centralized control over the look and feel of the individual stores. By the VSDA convention the following year, Blockbuster had acquired two other chains and its more than 250 stores dotted the country. At the convention, Huizenga’s marketing executive Tom Gruber outlined vision for the future of the company, and it was expansive. Gruber had spent eighteen years working for McDonald’s before joining Blockbuster, and both he and Huizenga were explicit: Blockbuster wanted to be the McDonald’s of home video (the comparison was so deliberate that at one trade show presentation, huge photographs of Huizenga and McDonald’s leader Ray Kroc were projected side-by-side). (p. 128) So, Blockbuster came into being with a big bang and a unique presentation which was reflected in its slogan â€Å"Wow, What a difference† (Greenberg, 2008). In the beginning, the company even hired greeters who would welcome customers at each location’s entrance whereas the employees were provided with manuals about how to deal with customers. That was the beginning. The strategy and vision worked amazingly well. However, as the company travelled with fanfare down the road, it developed a culture that might have its roots in complacency. The obsession with expansion seemed to derail a process the leadership should have put in place. Rayburn (2009) recalls how Blockbuster’s culture became a liability for the company and ultimately led to its bankruptcy. In 1999, a company called Globix (Rayburn was representing it at that time) was trying to strike a deal with Blockbuster in order to deliver movies to customers online. However, Blockbuster decided to partner with Enron instead of Globix. Rayburn (2009) goes on to point out that though Blockbuster was discussing future developments in advance and contemplated â€Å"about a digital media strategy way before consumers wanted the service and the Internet was even able to support it, that foresight on their part never materialized into any real online video strategy over the next ten years† (para. 4). What surprises Rayburn (2009) is that there was no deal between Blockbuster and Enron as was announced in 2000. In his view, Blockbuster had a great chance to be in the driving seat and â€Å"should have been in the position Netflix is in today as they were the first movers in the market. Yet ten years later, the company still can’t seem to get their act together when it comes to digital media† (para. 5). Apparently, it took a bankruptcy to do the course correction as far as the company’s future direction is concerned. Blockbuster’s mission statement now takes into account today’s reality. It says (Retail Industry, 2012): Our corporate mission is to provide our customers with the most convenient access to media entertainment, including movie and game entertainment delivered through multiple distribution channels such as our stores, by-mail, vending and kiosks, online and at home. We believe Blockbuster offers customers a value-prices entertainment experience, combining the broad product depth of a specialty retailer with local neighborhood convenience. (Blockbuster’s Mission Statement) The timeline of the company’s existence shows the culture of inaction at the top level delayed changes for a very long time. The company introduced Blockbuster Total Access program aimed at online as well as in store renting as late as November 2006 (Blockbuster Corporate, 2012). On the other hand, Netflix started its journey in 1996 and introduced its subscription service in 1999 and by 2010 it had 20 million subscribers (Netflix, 2012). 2. Apply the appropriate learning disabilities and laws that describe this situation. Like other organizations that hit stumbling blocks, Blockbuster had its hurdles in the shape of certain learning disabilities. One such disability is what Professor Senge (2006) calls ‘the fixation on events’. He writes: Conversations in organizations are dominated by concern with events: last month’s sales, the new budget cuts, last quarter’s earnings, who just got promoted or fired, the new product our competitor just announced, the delay that just was announced in our new product, and so on. The media reinforces an emphasis on short-term events – after all, if it’s more than two days old it’s no longer â€Å"news.† (p. 21) Another learning disability Blockbuster may have fallen prey to is ‘the parable of the boiled frog’. Senge (2006) explains that â€Å"Maladaptation to gradually building threats to survival is so pervasive in systems studies of corporate failure that it has given rise to the parable† (p. 22). Blockbuster also seemed to pay attention to events and little focus on learning new things and look beyond the horizon. Plus, it remained complacent as the leader of video rental company until Netflix and RedBox surged ahead to the extent that Blockbuster had to file for bankruptcy. Levy (2010) also blames Blockbuster for not being proactive in learning and bringing the desired changes. He believes â€Å"Change management is not just a tool to deflect distracting maybe-we-should’s, but it’s also a way to handle legitimate we-need-to’s that were missed at the start or that are responses to a changing business environment† (para. 7). So, instead of take charge in a fast changing rental business, Blockbuster refused to budge from its brick-and-mortar edge. Gradually, that edge fell apart like house of cards because the leadership failed to set in motion certain processes that should have allowed Blockbuster to remain the leader of the video rental retail industry. Moreover, the company’s leadership had their eyes set on something else, too. Is there any reason to believe that Blockbuster once tried to purchase Circuit City in 2008? According to Farfan (2010) it did happen but Circuit City rejected the offer and later on Blockbuster withdrew its offer. â€Å"Just two years later, Circuit City is out of business, and Blockbuster is struggling to stay out of bankruptcy court itself. The combination of the two companies seems somewhat symbiotic today, in a sad like-attracts-like kind of way† (Farfan, 2010, para. 11). 3. Explain the elements of the organization’s culture that will lead to similar failures in the future. Lack of focus and clarity in the vision may bring problems for the company in the future as well. Similarly, overconfidence in having physical locations may overshadow the future planning once again. The leadership must look into the fact whether the video store locations in different parts of the country are a benefit or a disadvantage. It may be very difficult to let go those locations, but if it is the right thing to do keeping in view how consumers want movies and games then the company should get rid of those locations. Though the company has new management after it was taken over by Dish Network Corporation, the mission statement still attracts critics. Commenting on Blockbuster’s future, Levy (2010) argues that the company’s mission statement has competing priorities. He points out: This muddled vision (officially the corporate mission statement) provides no clear guidance against which various corporate managers can test their ideas and initiatives. Drop prices? It’s in there. Raise them to cover our depth? It’s in there. Compete with Netflix? It’s in there. Have brick-and-mortar high-monthly-nut locations? It’s in there. Make money? Oops, that’s not in there. (para. 6) The new leadership at the company seems to recognize the reality and wants to let investors and other stakeholders know that it is evolving as the media entertainment industry is transforming. â€Å"While transforming and diversifying its store-base continues as a company priority, BLOCKBUSTER now offers convenient access to media entertainment anywhere and any way consumers want it – whether in stores, by mail or digital download† (Blockbuster Corporate, 2012). 4. Recommend specific actions the organization can take to prevent future failures from occurring. First of all, it should keep an eye on technological advancements that are happening at a very fast speed. It will allow the company to feel the pulse of what is going on and what might occur down the lane. The company should hire a chief learning officer in order to make learning an integral part of the organizational culture. At the same time, by developing a culture of learning will help the company adjust to changes and challenges that may be thrown at it. As Philips (2011) mentioned in his book, Blockbuster has to make sure events taking place within the organization and outside the organization should not come as surprises. He advises that learning and changing at a required pace is necessary for organizations. Moreover, if the company believes physical locations still make the company a leader it should build a unique culture of customer service so that people crave for Blockbuster visits. Philip (2011) reminds policy makers that â€Å"Just as history is not made by great men alone, so companies and countries don’t go bust just because one or two people chase the dream too hard. They need a support staff† (p. 59). Since Dish Network has its own subscribers, it should attempt to attract additional customers through combinations of Blockbuster-Dish Network offerings. Similarly, the company should not underestimate other companies just because they are startups. Actually, there may be reasons to learn from new business models in the industry. Woloszynowicz (2010) informs his readers that Netflix was not a success in the beginning as its IPO dropped from $15 per share to $6 per share after it was launched. On the other hand Blockbuster leadership interpreted slide in Netflix’s share as a failure and thought the company is not going to make any difference in the industry. References Blockbuster Corporate. (2012). Company Overview. Retrieved January 17, 2012, from http://blockbuster.mwnewsroom.com/Company-Overview Greenberg, J. M. (2008). From BetaMax to Blockbuster: Video stores and the invention of movies on video. Boston, MA: MIT Press. Levy, S. B. (2010, September). Blockbuster Goes Bust – Outfoxed by Redbox, Licked by Netflix. Retrieved January 17, 2012, from http://lexician.com/lexblog/2010/09/blockbuster-goes-bust-outfoxed-by-redbox-licked-by-netflix/ Netflix. (2012). A brief history of the company that revolutionized watching of movies and TV shows. Retrieved January 17, 2012, from https://signup.netflix.com/MediaCenter/ Timeline Phillips, T. (2011). Fit to bust: How great companies fail. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page. Rayburn, D. (2009, July 16). Ten Years Later, Blockbuster Still Lacks A Digital Media Strategy (BBI). Retrieved January 17, 2012, from http://blog.streamingmedia.com/the_business_ of_online_vi/2009/07/tens-years-later-blockbuster-still-lacks-a-digital-media-strategy.html Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and

Schneider Surname Meaning and Family History

The Schneider surname was generally adopted by a man who made outer garments, or a tailor. The name derives from the German verb schneiden, meaning to cut. Schneider is another German variant spelling, while Snyder, Snider, and Sneider are Dutch spellings of this common surname. The spelling Schnyder is often of Swiss origin. Znaider is a similar Polish variant. Schneider is also  similar to the common English surname Taylor. Schneider is the 3rd most common German surname. Surname Origin:  Germany Alternate Surname Spellings:  Schnieder, Snyder, Snider, Sneider, Schnyder Famous People With the Surname Schneider Georg Schneider - founder of the Bavarian Schneider Weisse breweryEddie August Schneider - American aviatorFred Schneider - American singer;  lead singer of rock band The B-52sRob Schneider - American actor, writer, and comedianErich Schneider -  German Iron Cross recipient in both World WarsFranz Schneider - Austrian physician  and chemistHenry William Schneider -  British industrialist and politicianLudwig Karl Eduard Schneider  - German botanist and politician Where Is the Schneider Surname Most Commonly Found? Forebears ranks Schneider as the 811th most common surname in the world, found in greatest numbers in Germany as you might expect, where it says it ranks as the most common last name. Schneider is also very common in Switzerland (8th) and Austria (18th). WorldNames PublicProfiler also identifies Schneider as most popular in Germany—especially throughout the southern regions—as well as in the Alsace region of France. According to surname distribution maps from Verwandt.de, there are over 320,000 individuals with the Schneider surname living in Germany. The greatest numbers are found around Berlin, followed by Siegen-Wittgenstein, Munich, Cologne, Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Hamburg, Stadtverband Saarbrà ¼cken, Region Hannover and Rhein-Neckar-Kreis. Genealogy Resources for the Surname Schneider Common German Surnames Their MeaningsUncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to German surnames meanings and origins. Schneider  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Schneider  family crest or coat of arms for the Schneider surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Schneider Y-DNA Surname ProjectThis project is primarily focused on individuals with the Schneider and variant surnames interested in Y-DNA testing to find common origins. However,  Family Finder (autosomal DNA)  testers are also welcome to participate.   Schneider Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Schneider surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or to post your own Schneider query. FamilySearch - SCHNEIDER  GenealogyExplore over 5  million  historical records which mention individuals with the Schneider surname, as well as online Schneider family trees on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. SCHNEIDER  Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Schneider  surname. DistantCousin.com - SCHNEIDER Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Schneider. GeneaNet - Schneider  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Schneider  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Schneider  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Schneider  from the website of Genealogy Today. References Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997 https://www.thoughtco.com/surname-meanings-and-origins-s2-1422408

Biographical Profile of Virginia Woolf

(1882-1941) British writer. Virginia Woolf became one of the most prominent literary figures of the early 20th century, with novels like Mrs. Dalloway (1925), Jacobs Room (1922), To the Lighthouse (1927), and The Waves (1931).Woolf learned early on that it was her fate to be the daughter of educated men. In a journal entry shortly after her fathers death in 1904, she wrote: His life would have ended mine... No writing, no books: inconceivable. Luckily, for the literary world, Woolfs conviction would be overcome by her itch to write. Virginia Woolf Birth: Virginia Woolf was born Adeline Virginia Stephen on January 25, 1882, in London. Woolf was educated at home by her father, Sir Leslie Stephen, the author of the Dictionary of English Biography, and she read extensively. Her mother, Julia Duckworth Stephen, was a nurse, who published a book on nursing. Her mother died in 1895, which was the catalyst for Virginias first mental breakdown. Virginias sister, Stella, died in 1897; and her father dies in 1904. Virginia Woolf Death: Virginia Woolf died on March 28, 1941 near Rodmell, Sussex, England. She left a note for her husband, Leonard, and for her sister, Vanessa. Then, Virginia walked to the River Ouse, put a large stone in her pocket, and drowned herself. Children found her body 18 days later. Virginia Woolf Marriage: Virginia married Leonard Wolf in 1912. Leonard was a journalist. In 1917 the she and her husband founded Hogarth Press, which became a successful publishing house, printing the early works of authors such as Forster, Katherine Mansfield, and T. S. Eliot, and introducing the works of Sigmund Freud. Except for the first printing of Woolfs first novel, The Voyage Out (1915), Hogarth Press also published all of her works. Bloomsbury Group: Together, Virginia and Leonard Woolf was a part of the famous Bloomsbury Group, which included E.M. Forster, Duncan Grant, Virginias sister, Vanessa Bell, Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, and T. S. Eliot. Virginia Woolf Achievements: Virginia Woolfs works are often closely linked to the development of feminist criticism, but she was also an important writer in the modernist movement. She revolutionized the novel with stream of consciousness, which allowed her to depict the inner lives of her characters in all too intimate detail. In A Room of Ones Own Woolf writes, we think back through our mothers if we are women. It is useless to go to the great men writers for help, however much one may go to them for pleasure. Virginia Woolf Quotes: I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.One of the signs of passing youth is the birth of a sense of fellowship with other human beings as we take our place among them.- Hours in a LibraryMrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.- Mrs. DallowayIt was an uncertain spring. The weather, perpetually changing, sent clouds of blue and purple flying over the land.- The Years To the Lighthouse Quotes: What is the meaning of life?... a simple question; one that tended to close in on one with years. The great revelation had never come. The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead there were little daily miracles, illuminations, matches struck unexpectedly in the dark.The extraordinary irrationality of her remark, the folly of womens minds enraged him. He had ridden through the valley of death, been shattered and shivered; and now, she flew in the face of facts... A Room of Ones Own Quotes: Imaginative work... is like a spiders web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners.... But when the web is pulled askew, hooked up at the edge, torn in the middle, one remembers that these webs are not spun in midair by incorporeal creatures, but are the work of suffering, human beings, and are attached to the grossly material things, like health and money and the houses we live in. More Details of Virginia Woolfs Life: In A Room of Ones Own, Woolf writes, When...one reads of a witch being ducked, of a woman possessed by devils, of a wise woman selling herbs, or even of a very remarkable man who had a mother, then I think we are on the track of a lost novelist, a suppressed poet, of some mute and inglorious Jane Austen, some Emily Bronte who dashed her brains out on the moor or mopped and mowed about the highways crazed with the torture that her gift had put her to. Indeed, I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.From the time of her mothers death in 1895, Woolf suffered from what is now believed to have been bipolar disorder, which is characterized by alternating moods of mania and depression. In 1941, at the apparent onset of a period of depression, Woolf drowned herself in the Ouse River. He dreaded World War II. She feared that she was about to lose her mind and become a burden on her husband. She left her husband a note explaining that she feared she was going mad and this time would not recover.