People around the world seek to thrive in their environment, regardless of their culture, ethnic origin, or location. However, the struggle to maintain a good quality of life often arises and people face conflicts. They mitigate the situation by choosing other means to achieve a better quality of life. This may require a move or change of vocation. When these options are exhausted, people usually react in any way they can to fight negativity and oppression. Even though the struggle may be long, people continue; the possibility of a better life for them and their families inflames them. Government Oppression Quality leadership in nations is essential for its constituents to thrive. Laws that protect people and enable good relationships must be agreed upon and respected. However, governments and their officials oppress their people and surrounding nations in the name of their ideals. The ways of governing the population (democratic, communist, monarchic, etc.) can place invisible constraints on the freedom of citizens. Freedom encompasses many avenues, including speech, religion and thought. Being the opposite of the government's vision could unwittingly put you in danger, as evidenced by Liao Yiwu's account of his time spent in prison by the Chinese. Liao, although not a political revolutionary, was jailed for writing a poem illustrating his feelings of oppression by the Chinese regime. He writes that “China remains a prison of the mind: prosperity without freedom” (Buruma 64, 66, 68-69). He also states that the Chinese people may have great material wealth in the country, but the minds of the Chinese people cannot be truly free under the current regime. People understand the systematic system...... half of the paper...... in the face of rising costs. Even if it's only part of the problem, raising the minimum wage could reassure people and pump more money into the national economy. However, large companies deny the increase, fearing that profit margins would decline. To combat allegations of unfair pay for its employees, McDonald's has released a monthly budget guide for everyone who works with them. “McDonald's educational efforts only highlight the fact that its employees probably can't survive on just one job” (Minyanville). As such, the document has been subject to ridicule for its insensitivity and accusations of bigotry, as it conveys different financial plans for Spanish-speaking individuals compared to English-speaking ones. Large corporations, like McDonald's, understand the economic oppression of their workers, but continue to employ in a negative way