If pressed to name the greatest contribution that the Irish have made to civilization, I suspect that Guinness, a beer first brewed in 1755 in the heart of Dublin by Arthur Guinness, might be the first thing to pop into many people's minds. Others might mention the Book of Kells, or perhaps more recent books by authors such as George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney. Anyone that brought up potatoes or corned beef, however, might be surprised to learn that potatoes are native to the Americas and corned beef became an Irish-American staple after immigrant Irish learned of the meat from their Jewish neighbors in New York City. But Thomas Cahill believes that the greatest contribution of the Irish, a hinge or turning point upon which all of civilization has swung, was the preservation of a wide range of Latin texts which might otherwise have been entirely lost when Rome fell, and upon which the Renaissance was founded. He explains how the Irish came to play such a pivotal role in history in his book How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe.

To help the reader first understand exactly what otherwise might have been lost, Cahill devotes a couple of chapters to the fall of the Roman Empire and the traditions and culture that fell with it. His description of how the empire crumbled is brilliant in that it not only explains what happened then, but he compares it to present day phenomena that help the reader connect more viscerally with historic events. And throughout his description of the Romans are comparisons between them and the Celts of the same time period. But Ireland is the one place where the Celts were never subsumed into a larger, invading people group, and it's to these Celts in particular that he turns next.

The Irish were a bit of a wild bunch back in the days of the Roman Empire. (In fact, many would argue that they still are today. Cahill states that Freud once “muttered in exasperation that the Irish were the only people who could not be helped by psychoanalysis....”) Fierce in battle, the Irish were also ruthless in slave taking. Little did they realize that it was one of those slaves they had captured, a teenager by the name of Patricius (Saint Patrick), who would begin the movement of the hinge upon which all of Europe would turn. Though Cahill spills the beans in the very first page of the introduction, explaining just what it was that the Irish did to save civilization, it's the details of the story, which Cahill spends the rest of the book explaining, that make this such a rich and fascinating read.

Juicy tidbits such as the possible origins of the faeries, the tale of the world's first copyright case, and delightful quotes both by and about the Irish, add a delicious flavor to the story that Cahill tells. The nature and culture of the Irish is brought to life through histories, poems, and comparisons with their contemporaries. It wasn't just Patrick who pushed the hinge upon which the world turned, but the blending of the Irish culture with the religion that Patrick brought with him, as well as the Irish love of stories and learning. Though the Vikings first and the English later would make mince meat of Irish culture, pre-Viking Ireland enjoyed a hay day of growth, learning, and influence.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it not only to those with Irish blood, but to all who enjoy a good story that weaves together what might at first appear to be a disparate set of facts in order to create one cohesive and compelling history.

If you’re the kind of person who has considered going back to school “just for fun” then you’ll understand my excitement when I tell you about some fantastic classes I’ve taken lately while running errands and folding laundry. The Teaching Company invites highly recommended professors in various fields of study to develop a specific lecture series which is then made available on cassette tape, CD, video tape and DVD.

I recently finished listening to the series, The History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts, by Professor Robert Bucholz. Despite the fact that history was my most despised subject in junior and senior high (with the exception of AP History my junior year), this class was riveting. Bucholz is an engaging speaker, including delightful asides that add flavor and texture to his narratives. He is clearly excited by his subject matter and thrilled to be sharing it with others.

Though this class concerns the Tudors and the Stuarts, Bucholz backs up to 1377 when Edward III dies and is succeeded by his grandson, Richard II. The fighting between the Lancastrians and Yorkists (which later came to be referred to as the War of the Roses) made for not only political turmoil during that time period but confusing listening for me as the student. I played some of these early tapes twice to make sure I understood what was going on. (Bucholz even apologizes for the confusion, although the real problem was that there were really too many Richards, Edwards and Henrys for the countries own good.)

Finally Henry VII gained the upper hand and the history of England settled into a time line that was a bit easier to follow (with the exception later on of a few too many Marys. Honestly, these people needed some fresh “What to name your baby” books. They had an utter lack of imagination when it came to naming their children.)

Bucholz, of course, covers some rather notable monarchs in this class, such as Henry VIII, Queen Mary I, and Elizabeth I. (I have to be honest, before this class, these three, along with perhaps, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II, were the only kings or queens that I had even a glimmer of knowledge about.) I think it’s safe to say that these three notables carry a lot of baggage with them. For example, who doesn’t think “Bloody Mary” upon hearing of Mary I or think of Henry VIII lopping of the head of one wife in order to go marry another? Yet I believe that Bucholz did a great job of rounding out these well knowns, delving into the motives behind their actions (Henry VIII was worried about not leaving a male successor. The thought of Mary or Elizabeth being left as the heirs to the throne haunted him.) as well as comparing the monarchs so that the actions of one could be seen more clearly in light of the actions of the others. (Elizabeth killed just as many Catholics as Mary had killed Protestants, but Elizabeth was the one that got to write the history books on Mary and she found it convenient to add the adjective “bloody” to her sister’s name.)

Likewise, I think Bucholz covered the ridiculous amount of religious turmoil quite evenly, neither ridiculing nor exalting any of the factions, but simply explaining where they were coming from, what their goals were, and how utterly unsettling all of this religious change and upheaval was for a people who had quite comfortably been, well, whatever the king or queen had been at the time. The civil war and the time of Cromwell led to an amount of religious freedom that, in the end, the country simply couldn't tolerate. Even those who had led some of the changes realized it was all too much. Yet, as easy as it would be to look rather contemptuously upon much of the religious proceedings during these times, I felt that Bucholz remained well above the fray, relating the events clearly without soaking them first in his own prejudiced spin.

I listened to this tape series during the Autumn of 2006 and visited England in January 2007. It was exciting for someone to mention Warrick castle and the first thing that would pop into my mind wasn't "What castle?" but "Ah! Warrick, the King Maker!" The places we visited on our trip had more meaning since I could relate to them with some sense of historical context that I simply wouldn't have had otherwise.

I listened to this class on cassette tape and it worked well in that format. But I suspect that I missed out on several portraits of kings, queens, and other notables that would have been nice to see. Each box of tapes comes with a booklet filled with outlines of the lectures, but unfortunately, pictures are not included.

In the back of each booklet is a bibliography with the books and other resources sorted into categories such as "Essential Reading" and "Supplementary Reading" as well as by time period or location.

Other resources that I discovered in my study of English history:

A rockin' time line of Britain by the BBC
A family tree of the British monarchs on wikipedia

This was an excellent class and I highly recommend it. Not only is the time period that is covered fascinating, but as Professor Bucholz points out in his closing lecture, many of the struggles that the English went through during this time led directly to the philosophies and values that led to the founding of the United States of America soon after. And Professor Bucholz's enthusiasm for his subject matter is infectious. He's a delightful orator and I must confess that his fervor in his closing remarks were almost enough to make me climb upon a table and shout, "I'm proud to be English!" (despite the fact that I'm nothing of the sort, being far more Ukrainian than anything).

This movie was made (and is available on DVD for $15) by freetheslaves.net.

The movie includes clips of Kevin Bales, the author or Disposable People.

Thanks to francky for bringing it to my attention.

slavery: Forced labor without pay under threat of violence.
(definition by American Anti-Slavery Group (AASG))

Slavery still exists, in America and around the world.

There are many people in the world who are poor, who are near starvation, who cannot find work or who have been devastated by a natural disaster. There are people who are paid pennies for hours upon hours of hard labor in poor conditions. There are children who are sent to work at the same age we would begin sending our children to school. ....This book is not about any of these people.

Kevin Bales has documented slavery in Thailand, Mauritania, Brazil, Pakistan, and India (and probably other countries as well, but these are the 5 places he addresses in detail in this book). He has spoken directly not only with slaves, but when possible, with their slaveholders. Although slavery is illegal in every country on this planet, slavery continues. People are taken against their will, money is exchanged as these people are handed over to others, and then these people are made to work for no pay under the threat of violence.

There are some notable differences between the slavery we may be familiar with from history books and the slavery that takes place across the globe today: Slavery is now illegal. Slaves are cheaper to obtain than they were in the 1600 - 1800's. Incredibly high profits can be made by the use of slave labor. There is a surplus of potential slaves. Slaves are often kept for only short periods. Slaves are disposable. And ethnic differences are of little importance.

Slavery is now illegal. In the past, slaveowners received receipts, or ownership papers, for the slaves they purchased. There were also laws on how a slaveowner was to treat the people he had purchased. Today, there is no legal ownership of people and slaveholders do not receive (or even want) receipts for their purchases. (Why would they want documentation that could be used to prove they had slaves? Then again, the police in the countries where slavery thrives are often so corrupt that it's doubtful the slaveholder would ever be called to court.) There are also no laws that a slaveholder must adhere to in their treatment of the people under their control. Anything goes, including killing a slave that is no longer of any use, who is too badly damaged to work, or who is causing problems. As Kevin Bales says, "Slaveholders have all of the benefits of ownership without the legalities."

Slaves are cheaper to obtain than they were in the 1600 - 1800's. In pre-civil war America, buying a slave was an investment. By the mid-1800's a slave might sell for anywhere between $1,000 to $1,800 (equivalent to about $50,000 - $100,000 in todays funds). Though the slaves were still treated very poorly, there was an incentive to keep them alive for as long as possible. Slaves today sell for as little as $30. When a slave is no longer worth keeping they are simply disposed of one way or another.

Incredibly high profits can be made by the use of slave labor. Slavery is incredibly profitable. In pre-civil war America a slave generated only about 5 percent profit. In India, a slave can generate a profit of over 50 percent. In Thailand, a sex slave can bring in as much as an 800 percent profit for the slaveholders. In fact, in some cases it is very hard to pin down exactly who the slaveholder might be as there's an entire chain of employees and investors involved in the process. The girl may be paid for and controlled by a man at the brothel where she must work, but that man is most likely receiving capital for the purchase of slaves as well as the running of the brothel from Thai, or Japanese, investors (who may or may not know what their investments are supporting).

There is a surplus of potential slaves. Following World War II, the world's population has exploded, especially across Southeast Asia, India, and Africa. Resources have become strained due to the increased demands of the population and many are left poor and desperate. Subsequently, lives become cheap and the potential slave population increases.

Slaves are often kept for only short periods. Slaves are disposable. In today's world, slaves are easy to replace. When one becomes ill, injured, or simply too old or used up to work at the pace demanded, the slaveholder may simply let them go. Of course, the slaveholder doesn't go through the hassle of figuring out where the slave came from in the first place and returning them. The slave is simply dropped off somewhere, without any money, most likely sick and completely demoralized, in a strange place. The now ex-slave may not even speak the language of the people in the place where they have been dropped off. They don't know who can be trusted, who to turn to, or where to start to find work, food or shelter.

Ethnic differences are of little importance. The slavery that many of us are familiar with is very closely tied to race. Though this is still true in Mauritania, throughout the rest of the world race plays no part in slavery. The poor are the targets, irregardless of the color of their skin.

Though slavery is a moral issue, Kevin Bales understands that trying to change people's morals when doing so might cost them 800% return on their investments is a losing battle. So instead he delves into the economics of today's slavery in order to provide not just a sense of why it is taking place, but also how it can best be fought against. He explains how this is a global issue, not just one of Southeast Asia, India or any one country. As Bales points out, "No paid workers, no matter how efficient, can compete economically with unpaid workers -- slaves."

I have barely begun to skim the surface of the issues that Kevin Bales delves into. I can not come anywhere near to giving the detail, the background, the eye witness accounts and the poignant summaries about present day slavery that Bales has poured into this book. If you are interested in the topic of slavery, then I highly recommend that you read this book. If you aren't interested, then I'd recommend that you reconsider.

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Quotes from the book.
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"Slavery is an obscenity. It is not just stealing someone's labor; it is the theft of an entire life."

"There are more slaves alive today than all the people stolen from Africa in the time of the transatlantic slave trade. Put another way, today's slave population is greater than the population of Canada, and six times greater than the population of Israel."

"The important point is that slaves constitute a vast workforce supporting the global economy we all depend upon."

"In India, for example, there are between 65 and 100 million children ages fourteen and younger who work more than eight hours a day. They fill the sweatshops and do many other kinds of work. Worse, about 15 million of these children are not child laborers but child slaves. And enslaved children are even more hidden; trapped in debt bondage, they tend not to work in sweatshops producing for large-scale export but in smaller-scale, more isolated businesses. Unlike the owners of factories making soccer balls, their masters have little fear of exposure or public pressure."

"In slavery today we can see that the distance between "master" and slave is growing wider and wider. In the fully developed new slavery of Thailand or Brazil there are elaborate chains of contracts and control. These become so complicated that it is hard to say who exactly "owns " the slave. But just because we can't finger the slaveholder doesn't mean that slavery has ceased to exist, any more than a murder doesn't exist because the killer can't be found. The new slavery is a crime with millions of victims but very few identifiable criminals--and that makes its eradication very difficult. For the most part, these criminals are "respectable" businesspeople."

"But we have to remember that violence is the tool, not the aim, of slavery. Slaveholders will violently defend their lucrative businesses, but they will walk away from the slaves and the business if it stops making money. Putting the pressure on its profits is a key strategy for ending slavery."

I'm half Ukrainian. For years I've told that to people when they ask what nationality I am and they've just looked at me and nodded and pretended to know what I was talking about. Then I'd explain that it's part of the Soviet Union (or was, depending upon when we're talking about) and they'd suddenly look quite on top of things and nod again saying, "Oh, Russia. Right."

But that's not at all what I wanted to write about.

Rather, I thought that perhaps I could start to compile some of the info. that I've found concerning the trafficking of Ukrainian women and the plight of orphans in Ukraine (tied together by the theme of severe poverty in Ukraine as well as in many other Eastern European countries).

About two years ago, missionaries to Ukraine came and spoke at our church, and though my dad has been to Ukraine several times, and though I identify fairly strongly with the fact that I'm of Ukrainian decent, it wasn't until I heard from these people first hand what it was like over there that I felt compelled to find a way to do something to help.

About a year ago, after reading an article by Kimberlee Acquaro in the New York Times magazine about the international sex slave trade I became not only incensed, but convinced that I should find out more, make sure others knew, and try to figure out what I could do to make a difference.

Within the past 6 months these two internal imperatives have been prompting me more and more frequently to study, to learn, and to do. So far, all I can say I've done is to tell others, and to support an orphanage organization that a friend (who has spent time getting to know several teens in a Ukrainian orphanage) recommended -- Orphans Hope. And here is some of what I've learned.

* * * * *

"More than 120 million people in Eastern Europe earn less than US$4 per day. Where old Soviet economic systems have been disrupted or discarded, there has been economic contraction and hyperinflation, which has wiped out people's savings and security. In Ukraine, over 60 percent of the unemployed are women, and of those who have lost their job since 1991, more than 80 percent are women. The average salary in Ukraine is about US$30 a month, but in many small towns, it is only half that." -- Trafficking in Women from Ukraine, by Donna M. Hughes and Tatyana Denisova (Dec. 2003) -- link to pdf file here

"Sixty five percent of cases of trafficking of women from Ukraine was carried out by organized crime networks. They traffic women because it is a high profit business with low investment. The networks are highly organized, have large-scale operations, and are connected to corrup officials. ...The size of the groups varies throughout Ukraine. The largest criminal groups in Ukraine with 20 to 30 members are in Odessa. In other regions, the groups are smaller, with five to six members. The criminal groups have territories they operate in, and are known to collaborate with officials who provide them with protection and authentic documents for travel. Organized crime groups have databases of potential victims for trafficking from sources such as applications from women for beauty contests or marriage agencies. The databases include photographs of the women, height, weight, and personality traits. Traffickers in Ukraine receive from US$800 to $2,000 per woman they deliver to pimps abroad. The value of the woman depends on her appearance and the destination country. The higher the development of the destination country, the higher the price that will be paid for her." -- "The Transnational Political Criminal Nexus of Trafficking in Women from Ukraine," Trends in Organized Crime, Vol. 6, No. 3-4: Spr.-Sum. 2001, Donna M. Hughes and Tatyana Denisova (link to pdf here)

"Can people really buy and sell women and get away with it? Sometimes I sit here and ask myself if that really happened to me, if it can really happen at all." - A Ukrainian woman who was trafficked, beaten, raped and used in the sex industry in Israel. After a police raid, she was put in prison, awaiting deportation.

"Tragic statistics show that within two years of leaving the orphanage at age fifteen or sixteen, 60% of orphan girls turn to prostitution, 70% of boys fall into crime, and over 10% take their own lives." -- taken from Orphans' Hope literature