Masaryk \'ma-s9-rik\, Jan (Garrigue) (b. Sept. 14, 1886, Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary—d. March 10, 1948, Prague, Czech.) Czech statesman. The son of TomAs Masaryk, he entered the foreign service of the newly independent Czechoslovakia in 1919 and served as ambassa¬ dor to Britain from 1925 to 1938. During World War II he was foreign minister of the Czechoslovak provisional government in London (1940- 45) and later Prague (1945-48). At the request of Pres. Edvard Benes, he remained at his post after the communist takeover in 1948. Two weeks later he either jumped or was pushed to his death from a window in the foreign office.
Masaryk, Tomas (Garrigue) (b. March 7, 1850, near Golding, Moravia, Austrian Empire—d. Sept. 14, 1937, Lany, Czech.) First presi¬ dent of Czechoslovakia (1918-35). After receiving a doctorate from the University of Vienna, he taught philosophy at the Czech University of Prague (1882) and wrote on the Czech Reformation; his most important works were a study of Marxism (1898) and Russia and Europe (1913). In the Austrian Reichsrat (1891-93, 1907-14), he supported democratic policies and criticized Austria-Hungary’s alliance with Germany. In 1915 he went to western Europe, where he organized the Czech national coun¬ cil, which in 1918 gained recognition as the de facto government of the future Czechoslovakia. He negotiated its liberation as one of the Fourteen Points in the projected post-World War I peace settlement. Elected presi¬ dent of the new country (1918-35), he was occupied with settling con¬ flicts between the Czech and Slovak parties.
Masbate \mas-'ba-ta\ Island (pop. 2000: 707,668) of the Visayan group, central Philippines. The V-shaped island occupies an area of 1,262 sq mi (3,269 sq km); its capital is Masbate (pop., 2000: 71,441). Explored by Spain in the late 16th century, it was ruled by the Spanish until the Spanish- American War, when the U.S. gained control. It was occupied by the Japanese during World War II but was recovered by the U.S. in 1945. Gold has been mined for centuries near Aroroy in the north.
Mascagni \mas-'kan-ye\, Pietro (b. Dec. 7, 1863, Livorno, Italy—d. Aug. 2, 1945, Rome) Italian composer. He began to compose when very young. At the Milan Conservatory he studied with Amilcare Ponchielli
(1834-86) and was Giacomo Puccini’s roommate, but he was expelled. Taking conducting jobs with touring opera companies, he started writing operas and won a contest with his one-act Cavalleria rusticana (1890); it was an instant success from its premiere, and it remains his best-known work.
Masefield, John (b. June 1, 1878, Ledbury, Herefordshire, Eng.—d. May 12, 1967, near Abingdon, Berkshire) English poet. He went to sea in his youth, then lived precariously for several years in the U.S. before settling in London. He is best known for his poems of the sea, Salt-Water Ballads (1902, including “Sea Fever” and “Cargoes”), and for his long narrative poems, such as The Everlasting Mercy (1911), containing phrases of colloquial coarseness that were unknown in earlier 20th- century English verse. After he became poet laureate in 1930, his poetry became more austere. He also wrote adventure novels, sketches, and works for children.
maser \'ma-zor\ Device that produces and amplifies electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range of the spectrum. The first maser was built in 1951 by Charles H. Townes. Its name is an acronym for “microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.” The wavelength pro¬ duced by a maser is so constant and reproducible that it can be used to control a clock that will gain or lose no more than a second over hundreds of years. Masers have been used to amplify faint signals returned from radar and communications satellites, and have made it possible to mea¬ sure faint radio waves emitted by Venus, giving an indication of the plan¬ et’s temperature. The maser was the principal precursor of the laser.
Maseru Vma-zs-.riA City (pop., 1999 est.: metro, area, 373,000), capi¬ tal of Lesotho. It lies on the Caledon River near the border with Free State province, Republic of South Africa. In 1869 the chief of the Basotho (Sotho) nation, Moshoeshoe I, founded the town near his mountain strong¬ hold of Thaba Bosiu. Diamond mining is important economically. The country’s only urban centre, Maseru is the site of government buildings as well as a technical school and Lesotho Agricultural College. Roma, to the southeast, is the seat of the National University of Lesotho (1945).
Mashhad Vmash-had, mo-'shadV or Meshed \m3-'shed\ City (pop., 1996: 1,887,405), northeastern Iran. It is situated in the valley of the Kashaf River. For centuries it has been an important trade centre along the caravan routes and highways of the Middle East. It was damaged in a Mongol attack in 1220 and was sacked by Turkmen and Uzbeks in the 16th— 17th centuries. Nadir Shah (r. 1736—47) made Mashhad his capital. The city is the burial place of HarOn al-Rashid and a site of pilgrimage for ShTite Muslims visiting the tomb of the eighth Shl'ite imam, 'All al-Rida’.
Masinissa \,ma-s3-'ni-S3\ (b. c. 240—d. 148 bc) Ruler of the North African kingdom of Numidia. Originally an ally of Carthage, he switched sides to help Rome after being persuaded by Scipio Africanus the Elder (206). After winning the Battle of Zama (202), he was awarded a larger kingdom. Though displeased with the presence of Cato’s army in Africa (149), he remained faithful to Rome and a client of the Scipios until his death.
Masjed-e Shah \'mas-jid-i-'sha\ Celebrated 17th-century mosque in Esfahan, Iran. The mosque, part of the rebuilding effort of the Safavid shah 'Abbas I, was located at the centre of Esfahan, along a great central mall called the may dan. Along with neighbouring structures of the period, it is notable for its logically precise vaulting and use of coloured tiles.
mask Object worn either to disguise or protect the face or to project the image of another personality or being. Masks have been used in art and religion since the Stone Age. In most primitive societies, their form is dictated by tradition, and they are thought to have supernatural power. Death masks, associated with the return of the spirit to the body, were used in ancient Egypt, Asia, and the Inca civilization, and were some¬ times kept as portraits of the dead. Masks worn on holidays such as Hal¬ loween and Mardi Gras signal festivity and license. They have also been widely used in the theater, beginning with the Greek drama and continu¬ ing through medieval mystery plays, and the Italian commedia dell'arte, as well as in other theater traditions (e.g., Japanese No drama).
Maslow Vmaz-lo\, Abraham H(arold) (b. April 1, 1908, New York, N.Y., U.S.—d. June 8, 1970, Menlo Park, Calif.) U.S. psychologist. He taught at Brooklyn College (1937-51) and Brandeis University (1951— 69). A practitioner of humanistic psychology, he is known for his theory of “self-actualization.” In Motivation and Personality (1954) and Toward a Psychology of Being (1962), Maslow argued that each person has a hier-
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masochism ► mass flow I 1207
archy of needs that must be satisfied, ranging from basic physiological requirements to love, esteem, and, finally, self-actualization. As each need is satisfied, the next higher level in the emotional hierarchy dominates conscious functioning.
masochism Vma-so-.ki-zom, , ma-z3- l ki-zom\ Psychosexual disorder in which an individual achieves erotic release by being subjected to pain or humiliation. The term is derived from the name of Leopold von Sacher- Masoch, a 19th-century Austrian novelist who wrote extensively about the sexual enjoyment he derived from verbal and physical abuse. The amount of pain involved can vary; it is usually sought out and to some degree controlled by the masochist. Masochistic and sadistic traits often occur in the same individual.