The impacts of both secondary education and bank credit rates on per Coursework

The impacts of both secondary education and bank credit rates on per capital gross domestic product - Coursework Example The study tells that gross domestic product measures a country’s total productivity level. It is defined as the total cost of economic outputs and consists of government expenditure, investments, net export, and consumption. Per capita gross domestic product, a derivative of real gross domestic product is on the other hand a product of population. Consumption in an economy is a factor of people’s disposable income. Similarly, available resources determine the level of a country’s export and hence its net export. Investments, which can be attained through public or private sectors also depends of capital through savings and loans while government expenditures includes spending from central and local governments. Commercial banks and other financial institutions therefore play an important role in economic development through availing investment capital in the form of loans. Provision of financial support also boosts the level of disposable income at a time and as a result boosts consumption. Banks lending capacity however depends on their credit rates that dictate availability of loans as well as loan interest rates. Financial crisis into low credit rates would therefore translate to lower circulation of money and a consequently strained economy through low consumption, investment and export levels. Education has also been identified as an integral factor of economic growth. Researchers and scholars argue that the level of income in jobs is significantly determined by a person’s academic qualifications.... Similarly, educated individuals are relatively more informed and tend to budget their incomes into savings and investments. These observations qualify secondary education, which is a step into colleges and universities, as an important factor to improving per capital gross domestic product (Bloom et al, 2005, p. 16). Research into determining existence and significance of relationships between variables such as per capita gross domestic product and its factors can be undertaken through regression analysis. Linear regression also determines degree of impacts of each explanatory variable in a model and is based on assumptions of linearity, homoscedasticity, and normality of variables (Newbold, Carlson & Thorne, 2010, p. 428; Ryan, 2011, p. 407, 408). This paper seeks to investigate the relationship between per capita gross domestic product and two dependent variables, rate of enrolment in secondary schools and credit rates of financial institutions. The paper will answer two research q uestions, ‘Is there a significant relationship between per capital gross domestic product and two dependent variables, secondary education enrolment and bank rates?’ and ‘Which of the two variables has higher effects on per capita gross domestic product?’ The paper will test the following sets of hypothesis, H 0: ?i=0; There is no significant relationship H 1: not all are zero; there is a significant relationship Using analytical approach, the effects of the two independent variables on per capita gross domestic product will be analysed. The paper will also test on the validity of statistical assumptions of regression analysis. Methods Participants in the project were selected nations whose economic data were

Machine Made Ghost Essay Example for Free

Machine Made Ghost Essay Chapter six of â€Å"The Matrix and Philosophy† provides the study of the significant contribution of philosophy applied in the film art. Jason Holt wrote his philosophical analysis regarding the movie â€Å"the Matrix† with a large consideration on its relation with the ideas from some key philosophers in history. He drew some arguments using the perspective of the fictitious characters of the screenplay while key points were given supported by mainstream schools of thought. One of the points he raised is the theory of Rene Descartes that is commonly known as the Evil Demon Hypothesis saying that all knows for sure is one thing that they exist. It says that everything can be conceived as results being determined by a demon who just wants to mess with the people. And so, as applied in the movie â€Å"the Matrix†, the only thing that cannot be denied is the fact that everyone has a thought. This is something that cannot be in an illusory form therefore, all the assumptions we have about ourselves are for real and that we are as we think we are. Holt also placed emphasis and pointed out the idea of Mind-body problem. This idea also came from Descartes. The inter relation between mind and matter was used in the story several times. For example, with the scene where Neo was put in the challenge of having the trust that he will not fall from the skyscraper. Neo fell for not believing that he can leap to the next structure. Neo fell for not controlling the matters through his mind (Irwin, W. 2002. P. 66-74). That is where the mind- body got its significance. Descartes distinguishes mind from matters as two separated substances and made them interdependent. The mind is attributed with thoughts while in the case of matter, it is attributed with spaces. Here started the mind-body problem in which the question about the nature of mind and matter were brought into consideration. How can these two distinct variables possibly correlate or influence each other or what links them and affect each other. In a way, there remained the expectation that the mind is so powerful that anyone can make the matter including the body act, move, and appear the way we think. Things cannot have anything in common, as per Descartes, for if it happened, the fundamental state of objects cannot be different. So it became a big question in Holt’s work on how mind and body will be able to interact if they have nothing in common. We can recall that there are some philosophers in modern times have different to say. They are not convinced that mind and matter are different substances. What remained convincing them is the realistic view about the mind in which the distinction between mind and the brain states was apparent. Let’s say, one of the brains most impressive powers is that it is incredibly capable of learning. The mind is reducible to natural processes that can be translated into the language of scientific thought process like math. Holt deals largely on what’s in the mind. More than the subtlety that’s in it; the approach on metaphysical aspects of the mind is the center of this study. It had been a quest to knock the way out of empirical science to analyze the nature of the mind thoroughly. One key terminology used by Holt is â€Å"Machine-made ghost† which gives the picture of a variable structured by thought, to refer to the word ghost, related to the characteristic of a machine. What does it suggest then? It shows a challenging question regarding the possibility of creating an artificial minds or artificial soul. The matter that resembles a body may refer and relate to robotics or AI as used in the movie. More likely, it is far beyond the present capability of human to make it realized but it will not change the fact that it is possible. The link between Mind and Matter doesn’t just go one way whereas the mind determines the condition and situation of the matter. We must consider the fact that nothing determines which instead it is a relationship. It can be done vice versa. This movie â€Å"the Matrix† is conceived by its creators from a materialist perspective. There is an obvious attempt to discuss and explain all phenomena including the feelings of characters from the real world setting of the movie to the characters inside the Matrix like the Oracle and the architect. Everything that they disagree, and all ideas that they embrace are based by the choices they are making as they go along. This is claimed by the Oracle in one of her conversation with Neo saying that he already made those choice that now, all he needs to do is to go along and understand why he made those choices (Wachowski, A. L. 1999). Inside matrix, they are just plain copy of their actual self but the involvements of all repressed wishes provide the best claims for the theories and ideas used by Holt. References Irwin, W. (2002) The matrix and philosophy: welcome to the desert of the real. USA: Carus Publishing Company Wachowski, A. L. (1999). The Matrix. USA: Warner Brothers Studio

Social Injustice for African Americans in Toni Morrisons Novel, Jazz E

Social Injustice for African Americans in Toni Morrison's Novel, Jazz Jazz, a novel by Toni Morrison, explores many different aspects of African American life in the early part of the twentieth century. This novel tells a story of the difficulties faced by black families living in the United States. Toni Morrison describes in detail a few of the upsetting situations they had to face. She also subtly throughout the book places one or two lines that tell a tale of injustice. Jazz is a novel filled with many stories of inequality affecting the black community. One significant theme that is present throughout the story is the one of unequal rights for African Americans. One instance of social injustice is described in the very beginning of the novel when the reader first learns about Dorcas’ murder. The book explains that Alice knew she would get nowhere even if she chose to prosecute Joe, because lawyers could not help and cops would not help or even take a black on black crime seriously. Had Dorcas been a murdered white girl I am sure that Joe would have been thrown in jail t...

Corruption in Pakistan Essay

Abstract: Corruption is a very old problem in government, and concern about corruption has shaped the development of public services. For example, in many countries a Public Service Commission conducts exams or sets for the selection of suitable Candidates to be appointed to the Civil Service posts. In this way it prevents Political patronage, as well as promoting expertise. Many countries have established specialist anti corruption agencies relatively independent of the police or of the government. Since the mid 1990s, there has been new international attention to corruption. Transparency International (TI), an NGO founded in 1993, publishes an Influential Corruption Perceptions Index1, and has a number of national groups that lobby governments. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank now Promote anti-corruption in their lending. Economists have become influential in International thinking about corruption. Introduction: Corruption is a method and a technique adopted just to bypass the rule of law and engulfing the whole system into socio-economic turmoil. Furthermore, corruption, being the mother of all ills, gives birth to multifarious problems including nepotism, favoritism and negating meritocracy, transparency and accountability. It is an established fact that the cruelty shows its influence as the rule of law is abrogated. Banking scams, industrialist’s monopoly to create baseless crises, bypassing the constitutional supremacy, lavish living styles of the ruling class, foreign tours under the head of national exchequer, general apathy, neglect, carelessness and an attitude of indifference towards national issues are all the outcomes of corruption which is root cause of all evils in the motherland. The South Asian countries have been pluralist societies; however, the legacy of colonial rule was a fragmentation of loyalties through corruption and bribery. That is why corruption and nepotism continue to exist. Loyalties to a particular group; family; caste or ethnic, religious, or linguistic community invites corruption in the form of nepotism. Since independence, the nationalization of bank and industries in the 1970s, the use of foreign aid, and the infusion of drug money into the economy, corruption has become even more systemic. Lack of accountability is an outcome of nepotism and favoritism. How can a corrupt person be held accountable by a corrupt authority? All in all the entire unfortunate system is prone to the monster of corruption. In such dismal state of affairs, the question of accountability does not arise. Only lucrative and emotionally charged speeches and pledges can never come up to the expectations of the people. Rule of law is the only option that can pave way for accountability. Incompetent judiciary in terms of not bringing the culprits in to the gallows of law and absence of bringing the corrupt politicians and policy makers to the books is another decisive factor in today’s sorry state of affairs. In the same manner the unnecessary delay in deciding the cases of corruption is a clear explanation of the adage: the justice delayed is justice denied. In much the similar fashion, highly centralized economy, breeds conflict amongst the poor and the rich. The growing influence of the privileged class always uses the influential authority to snub the poor people. In such a grim situation, the victims and the upper both use their influence at their maximum extent to have maximum benefit from the opportunity. Thus the capitalism is in the forefront in bringing and paving ways for corruption. Corruption evolves as a result of evasion of ethical and religious norms. Religion always asks the believers to have a solid strive in bringing a moderate society. It agrees in favor of decentralized economy. Regulation of wealth according to rule of law is the motto of Islam. The discussion on corruption in Pakistan would never be complete without having a glance on National Reconciliation Ordinance, a symbol of corruption in Pakistan. It was promulgated by a military dictator to serve his own vested interests. It freed all the politicians and civil servants until 1990, who were convicted on charges of corruption. PPP and PML (N), the big political giants remained the beneficiaries of this ordinance. Under the provisions of NRO, the civil servants, politicians and major industrialists were given a safe passage to escape from all the charges of corruption and made them free of any sin. NRO, most appropriately can be termed as the law that legitimized corruption in Pakistan. The cost of corruption is high. Stolen resources from education budgets mean overcrowded classrooms and crumbling schools, or no schools at all. Books and supplies are sometimes sold instead of being given out freely. Schools and universities also ‘sell’ school places or charge unauthorized fees, forcing students (usually girls) to drop out. Teachers and lecturers are appointed through family connections, without qualifications. Grades can be bought, while teachers force students to pay for tuition outside of class. In higher education, undue government and private sector influence can skew research agendas. The end result is limited access to – and poor quality of – education, and a social acceptance of corruption through a corrupted education system. Theme: There is little doubt that corruption impedes economic development, lowers the ratio of private investment to GDP, and has a negative effect on the functioning of democratic institutions. Therefore, corruption poses a serious development challenge. In the political realm, pervasive corruption undermines democracy and good governance by undermining  formal democratic processes, including elections. More generally, corruption erodes the institutional capacity of government institutions as formal procedures are ignored, resources are diverted for private gain, and public offices are paid off through bribery or other means of enrichment. The good news is that there appears to be an inverse correlation between democracy and corruption; strong, robust democratic institutions result in less corruption across the system. The role of sound democratic institutions, including an independent judiciary and an independent media, along with active political participation, is crucial to the fight against corruption. SCOPE We need to call on our politicians and public officials to be accountable for their actions. How can we trust them if we don’t know what they’re doing? We must demand that they put in place regulations which will force them to act openly. Then corruption can’t hide. And our trust in the political process will improve. When leaders act transparently, showing us clearly what they do, we can make informed choices when we vote. And we can hold them to account once elected. From grassroots groups to big organizations, civil society has a crucial role to play. We can monitor electoral campaigns and parties’ activities. If state resources are abused, we must report it. And if regulations to prevent corruption aren’t in place, we must demand them. Rules about politicians’ conflicts of interest. For example our regulations to stop corporate lobbying and political funding from distorting the democratic process. If companies publish their donations, the y can show their contributions aren’t intended to win favors. By speaking out, we can show that everyone gains from honest elections and open decision-making. Background Benazir Bhutto of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) first came to power in August 1990 but later was dismissed. Her government was replaced by Nawaz Sharif and his Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) party in April 1993. After the resignation of both the president and the prime minister, and an interim government, elections were held, which resulted in a second term for Bhutto and the PPP. Her government was again dismissed in November 1996. Sharif returned as prime minister but this time representing the Pakistan Muslim  League party -N(PML-N). This era of democratic government ended in October 1999 following a military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf. After declaring himself the chief executive, the Supreme Court validated Musharraf’s claim to the presidency in May 2000. In 2002 a parliamentary election returned civilian rule, yet the Musharraf presidency was extended for another five years. During the military government, former Prime Minister Bhutto was indicte d and convicted on corruption charges at home (in April 1999) and abroad (in Switzerland in July 2003). Former Prime Minister Sharif was also tried and sentenced for acts of terrorism in April 2000 although he was eventually pardoned and went into exile. Against this backdrop, the political situation in Pakistan deteriorated. A devastating earthquake in 2005 in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir region greatly strained the government. In March 2007, further turbulence arose after the dismissal of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry for alleged misuse of office. Violence in the northern province of Waziristan and in the province of Balochistan in the south served another blow to national unity. After a period of civil unrest, Musharraf was re-elected to the presidency in October 2007, declaring a state of emergency and suspending the constitution within a month of taking office. Although parliamentary elections were to take place in 2007, they were first postponed because of worries of instability and later as a result of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December 2007. When th e elections finally took place in February 2008, President Musharraf was defeated by the PPP and PML. The parties formed a coalition government in March 2008 with a new prime minister in power: Yusuf Raza Gilani. The Supreme Court justices that Musharraf had dismissed during the country’s state of emergency in 2007 were then restored. Currently, the fate of President Musharraf seems uncertain now that his party has been excluded from the ruling coalition. However, he has so far not given any indication that he is considering any type of voluntary resignation. Corruption in Government Corruption is rising in Pakistan society and now it is a bitter reality. Almost every person is corrupt no matter belongs to government or not. Pakistan is blessed with corrupt and fraud people from President to MPA all are corrupt who are sitting in Assemblies and Parliament and are said to be  called the so called leaders of Pakistan. The corruption does not only present in high government officials but every single Pakistani is corrupt. In my point of view corruption is in blood of Pakistani’s and without it our identity is incomplete. According to Transparency International Report in Pakistan corruption is increasing on every level from low level to high the ratio is the same and the result the general public have been crushed in a wheel of inflation. In Pakistan corruption is happening in all the departments whether it’s police, custom, education, media, judiciary it is almost everywhere every single institution. One cannot think of getting an NIC or passport eas ily without bribing the so called government employees who are said to be called the helpers of common man but in my point of view in every government institution corruption have been done openly without any fear. Because when our judiciary is corrupt that who will think of being punished in this corrupt society. It’s not only the fault of corrupt government which are rolling on us and has made our lives like hell, it’s our fault also when we quietly bear all the unfair things happening all around at least we should raise a voice but it is also impossible. Pakistan corruption has touched the sky and now it’s become uncontrollable and it has been spread like a fire in every institution of Pakistan. Pakistani nation are now use to the rising corruption in society and we the common man have mould ourselves in such a way that we also adopt the way of corruption in our daily lives. Corruption is not only done on high level and in government offices but it’s been happening all around because common people are get inspiration from high level officials and adopt the same behavior as they do for destroying general people. When milk man mixes water in milk what is this, this is also corruption but done on low level and from this also common man will be affected. When traffic police do Chelan of an ordinary citizen while violating traffic rules so the challenge meant nothing to us we just bribe the officer and all things better. Now the common man has also learnt the surviving techniques in the corrupt society like Pakistan and in way only we are able to survive. Corruption is there in Pakistani society and it cannot be controlled or stopped because of corrupt government and its Pakistan bad luck that after Liaquat Ali Khan Pakistan has been ruled by corrupt people. To whom we can  say that stop the evil of corruption from Pakistan but we the common man can only appeal to International organization who are funding our failed stated that â€Å"FOR GOD SAKE, DOES SOMETHING, TAKE HOLD OVER THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT, ARMY SOURCES AND ALL DEPTS. WHO ARE BECOME THE SLAUGHTER FOR GENERAL PUBLIC.OTHERWISE, HUMANITY WILL BE RUINED.† Corruption is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan. The consensus is that corruption had started taking root immediately after Pakistan’s creation in 1947, when people in collusion with the bureaucracy filled fake claims to get property allotted to them. But none of the seven Prime ministers till 1970, Liaquat Ali Khan, Khwaja Nazimuddin, Muhammad Ali Bogra, Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, Huss ain Shaheed Suharwardy or Feroz Khan Noon were ever accused of being directly or indirectly involved in any kind of corruption. Neither did the Ayub Khan or Zulfiquar Ali. Bhutto governments encounter serious allegations of corruption. However, corruption received a huge fillip during ‘the lost decade’ under military dictator Zia ul Haq, when the US was fighting the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan and bags full of dollars were landing at the infamous Ojhri camp, the ISI covert headquarters in Rawalpindi. After Zia, two governments each of the PML and the PPP were dissolved on charges of corruption, following which Transparency International declared Pakistan the second most corrupt country in the world in 1996. When Pervez Musharraf took over in 1999, he promised ruthless and across-the-board accountability. Headed by Lt. Gen. Amjad Hussain, NAB managed to send shivers down several spines (particularly those of the business community) and succeeded in recovering Rs 300 billion. In the process, however, he sparked off massive capital flight, which forced then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and former SBP governor Dr Ishrat Hussain to beg Mu sharraf to call off the witchhunt for businessmen. Hussain was thus unceremoniously ousted and none of his successors were willing to take up the cause. Meanwhile, it is said, the Chaudhrys of Gujrat prevailed upon Musharraf and forced him to give up the drive against corruption and go instead for their political opponents. This gave birth to the infamous National Reconciliation Ordinance, the object of which was to pardon the corrupt and the criminals in the name of national reconciliation. But in December 2009, the Supreme Court declared the ordinance illegal. Meanwhile, the past PPP government has won for  itself the dubious distinction of being the worst government in last 64 years. The title may not be wholly undeserved: a number of top government officials (including ministers and senior officials) have either been sent to jail or have had criminal investigations launched against them on the directives of the Supreme Court (this list includes our new prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who faces charges in a rental power case in which Rs120 billion were swindled). Meanwhile, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is also considered among the biggest players in the corruption game. According to a daring statement made by the previous PPP finance minister Shaukat Tarin, the premier tax collection agency is involved in tax evasion worth Rs 500 billion annually. This is why one never hears of tax evaders being jailed in Pakistan; ‘punishment’ comprises nominal fines and penalties, which further encourage evaders to remain within the ever-expanding underground economy. While the World Bank gave $150 million to Pakistan for reforming the FBR and effecting real documentation of the economy, nothing has happened so far. That said, Pakistan is not the only victim of corruption. Even so called honest societies in the west, including the US, seem to shine on the surface but are rotting at the core due to corruption. Among recent laws introduced in the European Union is one that states that corruption cannot be challenged in a court of law; hardly anybody is arrested in the US for having committed financial fraud. The black economy is also a global phenomenon which, according to The Economist, accounted for a missing nine trillion dollars worth of output in 1998, an amount close to the size of the US economy. Later, a study by Australian economist Friedrich Schneider attempted to measure the size of the black economy in 76 developed and emerging economies. Among the findings was the fact that underground activity is equivalent to 15 percent of officially reported GDP on average in rich economies and about one-third of GDP in emerging ones. In India, the black economy which was rampant in the 1970s is back and booming, pushing up stock and property prices, caus ing inflation and even making the Indian rupee unusually strong against the dollar. The black economy is growing in India and is now estimated to be worth a stunning 500 billion dollars, almost half the size of the official economy. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief, Admiral (retired) Fasih Bokhari has said at a press conference in Islamabad that in his estimate, corruption in Pakistan could  be Rs 10-12 billion a day. Earlier, the NAB had put out a relatively less shocking figure of six to seven billion rupees a day which had upset the cabinet of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. The retired admiral has responded to the ire of the politicians by being blunter. The factor of the politicians is significant. When you cut them out, the world detects significant cutback in corruption. During the early days of the General (retired) Pervez Musharraf regime, there was subsidence in the occurrence of graft because his government was still to expand to get him the ‘legitimacy’ he wanted as a ruler. After patterns of corruption get repeated, the people start complaining about it. Their encounter with graft takes place with departments that deal with them: the police, the judiciary, the income tax bureaucracy, the customs, land records, etc. In many cases, at the provincial and federal levels, departments are presided over by politicians as ministers. Third World levels of corruption have been identified and accepted as unavoidable. The noise of corruption in India and China is deafening but no one says they are ‘failing states’ because of corruption. In fact, both are counted as successful in comparison to the ‘no-corruption’ countries in the EU and the US superpower itself. Those who advocate ‘tough accountability’ before the 2013 elections in Pakistan need to reflect a little on the precedents. But that doesn’t mean we should do nothing about the loss of public trust in the NAB and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other corrupt anti-corruption institutions. First of all, the NAB, FIA and FBR should be constitutionally protected in their powers to take action against offenders. But the catch is that Pakistan’s problem number one is not corruption but law and order and writ of the state. As China and India demonstrate, a country can still be rated ‘successfulâ⠂¬â„¢ if it has a functioning economy undamaged by a dysfunctional state. All the more significant because until a few weeks ago, the former navy chief had estimated that the amount lost through corrupt practices was just Rs 5 billion a day. And the revised figure is giving severe heartburn to politicians; former civil and military officials as well as the people of Pakistan who are now demanding Bukhari expose and take action against the corrupt. However, even if Bukhari were so determined, he’d be walking into the Augean stables. ‘Pakistan’ and ‘corruption’ are synonymous in the eyes of the world. Not only has the vice gained acceptance as a way of life,  corruption has been institutionalized in Pakistan over the years. Take, for example, the latest ordinance promulgated by President Asif Ali Zardari, which allows investors to invest in the stock market without disclosing their source of funds till 2014. Plain as a pikestaff, the move is aimed at assisting people to whiten their black money and evade accountability, a fact confirmed by concerned officials. However, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan continues to insist that the move is essential to jumpstarting investment since the stock market is a risky business and won’t attract significant investors under the prevailing circumstances. That said, there are primarily two categories of corruption in Pakistan. One is tax evasion, which funnels monies into the black economy; the second is the siphoning of funds from the formal economy by the informal economy. It’s this latter category that hurts the Pakistan economy most. The practice that generates the largest gains for tax evaders in Pakistan is the under invoicing of import goods, particularly machinery. Since the economy is largely under documented, the culprits easily get away from under the noses of the authorities responsible for maintaining checks and balances and eradicating sham business practices. But corruption is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan. The consensus is that corruption had started taking root immediately after Pakistan’s creation in 1947, when people – in collusion with the bureaucracy – filed fake claims to get property allotted to them. Low Salaries The basic reason for corruption is low salaries as everyone is finding a way to better their living standard as much as they can; it’s also a human nature that he has everything more and more. So mostly corruption is to be seen where there are people having fewer salaries they use corrupt ways to achieve the goal. It is true that they do not have any other way to fulfill their wants. The Judiciary The other sector in Pakistan which is seen as notoriously inefficient and corrupt is the judiciary. According to TI Pakistan’s 2006 survey, 96 percent of the people who came in contact with the judiciary encountered corruption and 44 percent of them reported having  to pay a bribe to a court official. The judiciary is also viewed as lacking independence from the executive and contributing to a general culture of impunity. Despite these problems, judges are exempt from oversight and investigations by Pakistan’s national anticorruption agency, the National Accountability Bureau. The business community generally lacks confidence in the capacity of the judiciary to enforce rules and laws, and the settlement of disputes often involves paying bribes. For example, the judiciary takes an average of 880 days to settle a business dispute at a cost of 24 percent of the claim the country’s tax and public finance administration has also been affected by corruption Survey According to a survey carried out by Transparency International the corruptions factors are as follows along with their results in terms of percentage. TI-Survey on Causes of Corruption-Mega & Petty †¢ Lack of Accountability (31.68%) †¢ Low salaries (16.54%) †¢ Monopoly of power (16.43%) †¢ Discretionary powers (12.61%) †¢ Lack of transparency (9.97%) †¢ Power of influential people (4.59%) †¢ Red Tapism (4.28%) †¢ Others (4.9%) Survey the most corrupt departments in Pakistan. Measures Now in order to combat them few measures need to be taken are as follows †¢ Strengthening of Institutions †¢ Supremacy of Law †¢ Prevalence of code of conduct †¢ Proper checks and balance on all officials as well as citizens †¢ Increase in salaries and incentives †¢ Restoration of judiciary on free basis †¢ Hiring of new employees on merit rather than beneficiaries †¢ Proper awareness campaigns need to be formed Corruption in society In areas of food and water, education and health, employment and so forth people across Asia face extremely serious problems of corruption. When attempting to gain the basic services to which they are entitled as members of society, corruption remains a serious obstacle. we are not implementing the good system and processes and nor we are whole heartedly following that political system, due to this, corruption is the main produce which we are reaping now and that’s why we are looking for a leadership who will follow the rules whole heartedly and put us on track. Impact of corruption on our society To a varying degree, corruption exists in almost all countries. However, the degree to which it impacts the common people’s lives and increases poverty is directly proportional to the level of this scourge and how widespread it is in society. A country’s or provinces development depends on how much of the States resources are lost to this ugly practice. In developed countries, where corruption is limited to a small number of projects and where common people do not encounter it on a daily basis, the adverse impact tends to be marginal and does not jeopardize the welfare of its people. In contrast, a poor country like Pakistan, where each borrowed dollar must be spent to uplift the people from poverty, it has a significant impact. A recent World Bank report lists corruption and lack of transparency as the two core reasons that hamper Pakistan’s drive for development. Corruption can also affect the various components of sports activities (referees, players, medical and laboratory staff involved in anti-doping controls, members of national sport federation and international committees deciding about the allocation of contracts and competition places). Corruption in Education Education is a fundamental human right and a major driver of human and economic development. It strengthens personal integrity and shapes the societies in which we live. Since education typically comprises 20-30 per cent of a country’s budget, it is critically prone to corruption, from national education ministries to local schools and universities. The cost of corruption is high. Stolen resources from education budgets mean overcrowded classrooms and crumbling schools, or no schools at all. Books and supplies  are sometimes sold instead of being given out freely. Schools and universities also ‘sell’ school places or charge unauthorized fees, forcing students (usually girls) to drop out. Teachers and lecturers are appointed through family connections, without qualifications. Grades can be bought, while teachers force students to pay for tuition outside of class. In higher education, undue government and private sector influence can skew research agendas. The end result is limited access to and poor quality of education, and a social acceptance of corruption through a corrupted education system. SUMMARY Corruption remains a substantial obstacle for Pakistan where it is still perceived to be widespread and systemic. Petty corruption in the form of bribery is prevalent in law enforcement, procurement and the provision of public services. The judiciary is not seen as independent and considered to be shielding corrupt political practices from prosecution. Various efforts over the past years have tried to develop institutional mechanisms to address these problems. A National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which was developed in 2002, offers a comprehensive plan for tackling corruption. The executing agency, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), is endowed with comprehensive powers to investigate and prosecute cases. However, a lack of political will, coupled with the perceived co-option of the judiciary and the arbitrariness of many anti-corruption proceedings, are major obstacles in the fight against corruption. Conclusion In Pakistan, corruption has eaten up the inner of people belonging to all walks, sections, areas and classes in the country. The poorest is least corrupt only because there is nothing handy to steal from the laborer who puts in half a day’s work and charges for the full day, is as corrupt as the executive engineer in a government department who puts half the project funds in his pocket. The problem, therefore, is somewhat larger than it appears. Corruption has become part of our system. It is much easy to diagnose the problem, analyze it and lay it out explicitly but it is more difficult to prescribe as to what can be done about it. Fortunately, the solutions to all the problems sketched out above are well known: i.e. transparency, openness accountability, selection on merit, privatization,  competitive tendering, and removal of discretion and enforcement of the rule of law. Not with standing, mentioning or diagnosing the hallmarks of an egalitarian society or corruption. Fr ee policy; there is dire need to pen down practical measures in removing or rooting out corruption from the country. Following steps may also ensure corruption-free future in our country. Establishment of independent commission to combat corruption and ensuring independence of regulatory institutions, and independent judiciary, in this regard, plays a vital role in upholding the rule of law and protecting a society against corruption. It can ensure that no one is above the law. There is also need to ensure the independence of regulatory institutions such as the Central Bank, Securities and Exchange Commission in order to prevent major corruption in relation to the financial operations of banks and stock exchanges. Loans must be issued pledging the equal value property without politician’s pressure. Declaration and publications of assets of all persons holding elected office and their family members, such declarations should be available for inspection to the members of the public. In the UK a number measures have been adapted to monitor and provide checks on activities of members of Parliame nt. A register that is open for inspection by the public is maintained in which members have to declare nine categories of interest from which they may derive financial benefits. All the public servants should be compelled by law to clear their deskwork within a reasonable time. Failing which, they should be punished with deduction from their pay because sometime they delay in work to get some benefit from people. Work in offices should be automatic so that needy persons do not have to visit offices and give an opportunity to clerks to make illegal demands. Citizens should be free to lodge complaints with courts or ombudsman. Discretionary powers of officials should be kept to the minimum and be monitored by respectable citizens. Let us revive social boycott of corrupt politicians, officials, businessmen and even journalists. In addition there is a dire need to organize various forms of civil society groups, raise voices and keep on highlighting these issues, use the free press to expose the real instances of corruption and malpractices and act as pressure group. Moral and religious awareness are also key solutions to this problem.

New Respiratory Poses Potential Threat to Humans

There are a lot of new bacteria and viruses being discovered almost every day. Some of them are new strains of previous species while some are entirely new species that have yet to be studied and usually cause no harm to humans. However, when the Adenovirus, the causative agent of the common cold, which is not a lethal illness to most people, mutates into a new form and mysteriously kills a lot of people, this is a cause for alarm. In this connection, according to an article written by Associated Press and was published in Quad City Times, a mutated form of the Adenovirus has killed 10 people across the United States in last 18 months. In addition, the new form, which is called Ad14, has caused 140 illnesses in states such as Washington, Texas, Oregon, and New York. The virus was first reported last year in New York City, where it killed a 12-day old girl. Based on the article, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was puzzled by the new strain of the Adenovirus, which has only more than 50 variants. However, they emphasized that there was no need to be alarmed as the mutated virus does not pose a serious threat to humans. Moreover, the CDC is also working on a vaccine for the virus which they hope to release in 2009. What fascinated me most about the article is the fact that the Adenovirus, which usually causes mild forms of sicknesses, has mutated into a new and possibly, deadly form. Being a student taking up microbiology, I believe that this discovery of a mutated variant of a virus means that it is possible for other viruses, and even bacteria to mutate into a more lethal and more dangerous form. It is possible that the virus was exposed to certain factors which altered its nutritional requirements and as a result, made it evolve like in the case of certain bacteria such as E. coli. References. Quad City Times. (November 16, 2007).   New respiratory bug has killed 10 people. Retrieved December 2, 2007, from http://qctimes.com/articles/2007/11/16//news/local/doc473e0d1de7e4d991086475.txt

Klansman and Dictator essays

Klansman and Dictator essays The Ku Klux Klan was very prominent and active in Southern Illinois in the 1920s. Many head officials and authorities were sympathizers of the Klan or part of the Klan themselves. However, one might ask how the Klan rose to such a high position in this area of the country during the time period, especially in the town of Herrin, Illinois. Because the Klan promised many different improvements to the people of Herrin, the Klan was able to control the town as its own and was accepted as ultimate authority. In 1923, when the KKK rose to power in southern Illinois, their beliefs were eye to eye with the townspeople. Both were primarily Protestant, and both hated and resented immigrants, especially Italians who drank wine and made up twenty percent of Herrin s population. Among the Klan rose fear of all who were not Protestant, calling all other religions crazy. Patriotism was also a key element of the Klan in post World War I era, and hatred for immigrants from Europe was popular and in full force. The Klan slogan of 100 percent American became a common saying and allowed others to take out their misfortunes on the immigrants. Because of a similar religious and cultural background and an overwhelming patriotism, the Klan was able to prosper in southern Illinois. After the passing of the 18th amendment, Prohibition, crime was at an all time high. Bootlegging, gambling, and prostitution were common, especially at roadways and other secret hideouts. Gangsters such as Charlie Birger and the Shelton Brothers enjoyed extreme power and were often above the law due to bribes and corruption. The crime ring seemed to center around Williamson County, Illinois, and the townsfolk grew restless as it struggled continuously to control it. In spite of this drastic problem, the Klan offered a simple and swift solution. They proposed that a series of raids would take place under federal authority, and stop all ille...

Book review of Tuesdays with Morrie

Book review of Tuesdays with Morrie The novel Tuesdays with Morrie brought up many interesting feelings and new ideals on the bereavement of death and dying. This short book shows us many things. One of the most important is how to live life and love people. It also teaches us that each day should be lived to the fullest, regardless of the situation. This true story captures the compassion and wisdom of a man who only knew good in his heart.There are many different background questions approached in this book. Mitch Albom covers a lot of material on a few short and sweet pages. I think the main question that the book asks is how to live life. The author shows his life in hectic panic as he as been hurt everywhere except work, therefore he devotes all his time to his work until he sees an old college professor and mentor on Ted Kaupel, and he rethinks his adult philosophy.Mitch's Dum-AssMitch visits his college mentor, who has fallen ill with Lou Gehrig's disease, and it becomes a weekly visit and the last class the ret ired professor teaches before he died. When Mitch visits his teacher he was unprepared for what the dying man was about to teach him. Unknown to Mitch his "coach" was about to prime him on his greatest life lesson. The last fourteen weeks of Morrie's life Mitch met with him every Tuesday to learn and understand all the wisdoms of life that were in Morrie. The weekly routine consisted of lunch and lecture. Even when Morrie could no longer eat the food that Mitch brought, Mitch continued to bring it. Mitch Albom attended many classes taught by Morrie Schwartz during his years at Brandeis University, but he does not attempt to learn the meaning of life until he is in...

Dam and Damn - Commonly Confused Words

Dam and Damn - Commonly Confused Words The words dam and damn are homophones: they sound the same but have different meanings.The noun dam refers to a barrier that holds back water. As a verb, dam means to hold back or confine. As a verb, damn means to criticize or to condemn as bad or inferior. As an interjection, damn is used to express anger, frustration, or disappointment. As an adjective, damn serves as a shorted form of damned. Examples Are you that little Dutch  boy with the finger in the dam trying to prevent the wall from coming down and the water from flooding your valley?  (Jeanette C. Morgan, The Voice That Must Be Heard. Tate, 2010)The Boers were unsuccessful in their efforts to dam up the Klip River in order to flood the town.Damn them, he cursed inwardly, years of bitter resentment welling up inside him. Damn them for laughing, damn the driver for swearing at him! Damn the whole town.(James Herbert, The Fog. Pan Macmillan, 1999) Practice The man could be concealing the fact that his stones were enchanted by black magic, helping to _____ the person who used them.  (Piers Anthony, On a Pale Horse. Del Rey Books, 1983)Waves were crashing against the _____ in front of us, and we were drenched by the wild spray.There was a treaty that said the Indians could always fish the falls. But the government wanted to build a _____ to generate electricity for the cities and store water for the farmers.  (Craig Lesley, Winterkill. Houghton Mifflin, 1984) Answers to Practice Exercises The man could be concealing the fact that his stones were enchanted by black magic, helping to  damn  the person who used them. (Piers Anthony,  On a Pale Horse.  Del Rey Books, 1983)Waves were crashing against the  dam  in front of us, and we were drenched by the wild spray.There was a treaty that said the Indians could always fish the falls. But the government wanted to build a  dam  to generate electricity for the cities and store water for the farmers.   (Craig Lesley,  Winterkill. Houghton Mifflin, 1984)

ISO 14000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

ISO 14000 - Essay Example ISO 1400 series are grouped on the basis of two major categories; one is from the perspective of the organization, while the other focal point being product. A few of the standards from the 14000 series are: The ISO 14001 focuses on the specifications of the standards and the guidance for use. The ISO 14002 focuses on the principal systems and supporting techniques, the ISO 14011 has guidelines for the Environmental auditing procedures (Cheremisinoff, 2001). Following the ISO standards it helps the organizations to minimize the harmful or dangerous impact of the procedures that they are using for product manufacturing or service providing, and also the services and products will be produced with a more consistent quality. The standards compliance is an ongoing process; first the policy is created, then according to the policy, planning is done, the plans are then implemented, after the standards are put into practice there has to be a constant check and proper audit

Small business and risks Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Small business and risks - Research Paper Example Like all other businesses, these entities are faced with a unique set of situations and circumstances. As such, such entities have to come up with unique and distinct solutions to their problems, issues and matters. North Boulder Cafà © is a small cafà © in the Boulder Colorado. The cafà © prepares hearty and delicious breakfasts and lunch and offers authentic homemade Mexican food. North Boulder Cafà © is known for providing old-fashioned comfort and its menu is traditional and well situated for the discerning customer in the region. The menu includes a specialized range of coffees, burgers and Mexican dishes that are prepared by qualified chefs with an in-depth level of experience. North Boulder Cafà © is a family owned entity that competes with the major giants in the breakfast and coffee industry including Starbucks and others. North Boulder Cafà © is classified as a small business. Due to that, it has major capital structure needs and other marketing concerns. This puts the business in a major risk. However, the firm managed to thrive through difficult times and periods. This includes the credit crunch and other circumstances and it seem to be doing fairly well. It controls a very strict niche and this niche remains faithful to the firm. The sales approach includes the use of local marketing channels and media. However, the threats posed by larger entities in the industry are serious. This puts the firm in a major risk of folding up. In spite of this, it is apparent that with the careful research into the business environment, identification of real risks and formulation of solutions, North Boulder Cafà © is likely to survive and beat all the competition it faces. The research will involve an empirical study of the elements and aspects of the business environment of North Boulder Cafà © to ascertain risks and

The Lifecycle of the Orca Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Lifecycle of the Orca - Essay Example At the beginning, the animals were referred to as killers of whale but later the name was changed to killer whales (King 4). We chose orcas because we wanted to learn more about their lifecycle considering that the animals are among the most highly socialized animals in the world. In addition, we wanted to find out how human activities threaten the life of the orcas particularly in the wild. This paper will discuss the biological lifecycle of orcas, how orcas interact with the environment and each other throughout their lifecycle, and how human beings affect the lifecycle of orcas. General Characteristics Orcas belong to the Kingdom Animalia, Class mammalian, order Cetacea, suborder Odoceti, Family Delphinidae, Genus Orcinus and Species orca (Northwest Regional Office [NRO]). They are well adapted to live in various environments and so they inhabit all oceans though they have a preference for cooler regions and coastal regions. They are highly social where they live in form of family groups that are known as pods with each pod consisting of 3 to 25 orcas (NRO). In addition, orcas hunt in groups and in a coordinated manner that is considered similar to the wolves. The family groups usually trace their origin to the mother’s side which means that they are matrilineal. Orcas are distinctively colored with patches of black and white which is an adaptation feature that makes it a deadly predator as the coloring makes it hard for preys to consider it dangerous (NRO). When it comes to size and weight, orcas can be as long as 10 meters and can weigh as heavy as 8164 kilograms (NRO). The senses of orcas are well developed with each pod having its distinct sound which is passed from generation to generation and it is believed to be a manifestation of culture (Ivkovich et al. n.pag.). Their diet is usually very varied and it consists of squids, penguins, sea lions, dolphins, whales, and tortoises (NRO). Literature Review Biological Lifecycle Reproduction and Mating Most of the information that is known about the reproduction of orcas has been gathered from studies carried out in zoological parks where the animals are kept in captivity. Sea World has the largest collection of orcas. From the observations carried out there, it has been found out that the female orcas reach sexual maturity at the age of 6 to 10 years while the male orcas reach sexual maturity at the age of 10 to 13 years (Sea World). Female orcas are usually on heat several times in a year which means that they are polyestrous and they ovulate even in the absence of a male counterpart a characteristic that is very rare in mammals (Boran, Heimlich and Boran 28). Another thing is that the female orcas do not experience menstrual blood loss (Sea World). Both the male and female orcas are promiscuous where they mate with more than one partner (Sea World). It is important to note that the age at which mating starts varies depending on the situation where in captivity orcas start mati ng early but in the wild mating takes time to occur and this has been associated with a rigid social structure where the males have to wait until they are socially mature before they can start mating (Boran, Heimlich and Boran 28). It is believed that mating does not occur between members of the same pod as a way of avoiding incest (Boran, Heimlich and Boran 31). Birth and Care of the Young Ones Gestation takes approximately 15 to 18 months after which a single calf is born. Most of the time the calves are born tail first but in some rare occasions calves have been born head first. Female orcas can bear approximately five calves within a period of 25 years (Boran, Heimlich

SAP Business Intelligence Tools Comparison Research Paper

SAP Business Intelligence Tools Comparison - Research Paper Example In addition, have a standardized format on their business intelligence implementation on a service-oriented architecture that has been proven and scalable as well as adaptive. In the provision of easy, self-service access to decision-ready information with the SAP Business Intelligence platform, business users are empowered with unlimited access to key insights that are delivered in context. This increases responsiveness, reduces the costs of Information Technology (IT) and its work loads and drives faster and better decision-making in the organization. This is achieved by leveraging real-time business intelligence from any data and the increasing of user autonomy through the exposure of data thus ensuring that the consumption of information is simple, personalized and dynamic and that the enterprise benefits from a flexible and scalable information infrastructure. Key Features of SAP Business Intelligence According to Brogden (2012), the first key feature of SAP Business Intelligenc e is information design in that it uses graphical design tools in order to create the semantic layer also known as the universe. In SAP Business Intelligence, information access utilizes the business intelligence (BI) launch pad in the provision of access to the BI content, while widgets are used to deliver the BI to the desktop and BI workspace is used to assemble those contents that are used most of the time. In terms of publishing, it distributes the personalized BI content to a wider audience while it manages BI content throughout the lifecycle of development, testing and production. Platform administration is managed, configured and audited as well as deploying of the business intelligence from a central point or console. When it comes to portal integration, the content is integrated with Java-based and Microsoft Share-Point portals while it also integrates with other applications by extending the content to other applications with software development kits. Business Benefits o f SAP Business Intelligence Tools The benefit of such tools is that it enables better-informed participants to make better decisions through simpler and personalized access to information while at the same time allowing faster deployment and optimized utilization of IT infrastructure within a unified BI infrastructure. It also allows tighter integration with the existing IT infrastructure and reduces the IT workload through simplified maintenance and administration options while the SAP business intelligence tools enables better use of the It resources by enabling business users with self service. Part II Oracle Business Intelligence (BI) Platform The Oracle Business Intelligence platform is designed mainly to eliminate the costs of redundancy through the standardization that is carried out on a single business intelligence platform. It serves all the users on the same business enterprise and ensures that the complete spectrum composed of reporting, analysis, modeling and forecastin g is fulfilled as well as empowering the business users to quickly and easily create reports and queries without relying on IT. The Oracle Business Intelligence Platform also centralizes the definitions of all metrics and calculations amongst other parameters that

Markiting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Markiting - Case Study Example The paper would make an attempt to explore marketing mix of Sainsbury’s (2011), effect of internet on the same, issues that have arose from cultures or globalisation and Search engine optimisation (Pickton & Masterson, 496-499, 2010). Marketing Mix Product Quite understandably, being a retailer the product of Sainsbury’s (2011) ranges from grocery to home furniture, organic products to frozen foods, sports goods to clothing, from fashion to DVDs, the product line of Sainsbury’s is spread over different products. However, the focus has been to create a product line, which is more inclined towards non-perishable items rather than perishable items. For most of the large sized stores of Sainsbury’s would end up stocking more than 30,000 lines. However, important here to note is that out of these 30,000 lines around 6,000-7,000 product lines would be the company’s â€Å"own label† goods. Important here to note is that Sainsbury has been actively e xtending many product lines as well. For example, there are more than 700 line of the â€Å"basic† product, which the economy product line of the company. Furthermore, the company has also extended to include more than 1100 premium products in its line under the umbrella of â€Å"Taste the difference† category. Moreover, this has also allowed the company to customise its product line greatly. Sainsbury’s is now selling many well-known brands and along with them, it is selling many brands that have been custom made for its customers. Place Without any doubts, the factor of place has great importance in marketing. The company currently holds more than 872 stores all over United Kingdom. The stores appear to be in three formats including the regular stores, convenience and smaller supermarkets and the hypermarkets. In order to satisfy the needs and demand, there are some superstores of the company that operate on a 24/7 basis. The format of the store opened by Sain sbury’s largely depends upon the area and the need of the customers of that locality (Lancaster & Massingham, pp. 264-266, 2010). Important here to note is that how well Sainsbury’s and other retailers have been able to respond to the threat of disintermediation. Critics predicated that with the rise of brick and motor companies, retailers would become extinct. However, Sainsbury has been able to respond well to the challenge of disintermediation by intermediation and setting up new online business. Promotion Sainsbury’s has been an aggressive marketer and promoter for its products. The same is evident with the fact that recently, Sainsbury’s signed a deal with the administration of 2012 Summer Paralympics, which will take place during 29 August and 9 September 2012. Sainsbury’s has taken a bold step by signing a deal, which is the largest in the history of this event. Sainsbury’s also takes the credit of giving the advertising world â€Å" the best known slogan in retail advertising† which is of â€Å"Good Food Costs Less at Sainsbury’s.† Furthermore, since 2000, after being pushed at the third position in the retail industry of United Kingdom, it pursued aggressive promotion strategies. Using Jamie Oliver as the ambassador for the corporation, it has been able to add more than extra 1 billion Euros

Human Learning and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Human Learning and Development - Essay Example until Sigmund Freud developed his psychodynamic perspective. In the present essay, I would like to focus on the newer theories of human cognitive progress, which are: Albert Bandura’s behaviorist approach, Erik Erikson’s psycho-social theory, Jean Piaget’s cognitive perspective, Roger’s humanistic study. It needs to be noted that the ideas of Enlightenment philosophers to great extent correlate with modern developmental searches. The ideas of social education (or, more precisely, education-in-environment ) were articulated in earlier Rousseau’s writings : †All children are perfectly designed organisms, ready to learn from their surroundings so as to grow into virtuous adults. But, due to the malign influence of corrupt society, they often fail to do so† (Astington et al, 1988, p.56). The most effective path of child education was the removal of the child from â€Å"from society (i.e., to a country home) and alternately conditioning him through changes to environment and setting traps and puzzles for him to solve or overcome† (ibid, p.57). Albert Bandura and the other foundators of behaviorism took this idea for their developmental theory. The Social Learning (ibid) approach focuses on the roles of enviromnet and the influences of social on life-span development. From this viewpoint, learning is almost the same as development, as it involves new experiences and activizes them. Human personality and thoughts are a result of experiences the individual faces, so Bandura and Skinner hold that human-being is a product of environment (Gopnik, 1990). Furthermore, Bandura also optimized educational model and adjusted it to behaviorist approach. Operant conditioning, which includes punishment and reinforcement, is considered the most applicable in present-day school settings, as its modus operandi is quite simple and effective in terms of dealing with 6-8-year-old children. Briefly, positive

Markiting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Markiting - Case Study Example The paper would make an attempt to explore marketing mix of Sainsbury’s (2011), effect of internet on the same, issues that have arose from cultures or globalisation and Search engine optimisation (Pickton & Masterson, 496-499, 2010). Marketing Mix Product Quite understandably, being a retailer the product of Sainsbury’s (2011) ranges from grocery to home furniture, organic products to frozen foods, sports goods to clothing, from fashion to DVDs, the product line of Sainsbury’s is spread over different products. However, the focus has been to create a product line, which is more inclined towards non-perishable items rather than perishable items. For most of the large sized stores of Sainsbury’s would end up stocking more than 30,000 lines. However, important here to note is that out of these 30,000 lines around 6,000-7,000 product lines would be the company’s â€Å"own label† goods. Important here to note is that Sainsbury has been actively e xtending many product lines as well. For example, there are more than 700 line of the â€Å"basic† product, which the economy product line of the company. Furthermore, the company has also extended to include more than 1100 premium products in its line under the umbrella of â€Å"Taste the difference† category. Moreover, this has also allowed the company to customise its product line greatly. Sainsbury’s is now selling many well-known brands and along with them, it is selling many brands that have been custom made for its customers. Place Without any doubts, the factor of place has great importance in marketing. The company currently holds more than 872 stores all over United Kingdom. The stores appear to be in three formats including the regular stores, convenience and smaller supermarkets and the hypermarkets. In order to satisfy the needs and demand, there are some superstores of the company that operate on a 24/7 basis. The format of the store opened by Sain sbury’s largely depends upon the area and the need of the customers of that locality (Lancaster & Massingham, pp. 264-266, 2010). Important here to note is that how well Sainsbury’s and other retailers have been able to respond to the threat of disintermediation. Critics predicated that with the rise of brick and motor companies, retailers would become extinct. However, Sainsbury has been able to respond well to the challenge of disintermediation by intermediation and setting up new online business. Promotion Sainsbury’s has been an aggressive marketer and promoter for its products. The same is evident with the fact that recently, Sainsbury’s signed a deal with the administration of 2012 Summer Paralympics, which will take place during 29 August and 9 September 2012. Sainsbury’s has taken a bold step by signing a deal, which is the largest in the history of this event. Sainsbury’s also takes the credit of giving the advertising world â€Å" the best known slogan in retail advertising† which is of â€Å"Good Food Costs Less at Sainsbury’s.† Furthermore, since 2000, after being pushed at the third position in the retail industry of United Kingdom, it pursued aggressive promotion strategies. Using Jamie Oliver as the ambassador for the corporation, it has been able to add more than extra 1 billion Euros

Did Attorney Evans Bump Her Head on the Glass Ceiling Case Study

Did Attorney Evans Bump Her Head on the Glass Ceiling - Case Study Example When working together though, both men and women tend to portray certain behaviors and they tend to even identify with them. According to (Powell, 48), women demonstrate emotional behaviors and an extended level of care and concern for their families and children. From the case, for example, women attorneys always complained that they were not allowed enough family time and it was becoming a bother to them. Due to the notion that is held by people that women are weaker, they try to prove themselves stronger and can end up working round the clock so as to achieve the recognition they always long for. This can make the women be possessive and always fight for equality in the group. On the other hand, behave to be stronger both emotionally and physically but they can bear less stress as compared to women. Men also tend to care for the women in the group emotionally and will always be willing to support them at least in a normal working environment. In an organization, the contribution of every member is as important and in a working group, both men and women have different strengths that can be helpful to the general success of the organization. To begin with, women are good organizers and are always sensitive to the current ideas that come up in the organization and affect each worker in one way or another. This means that women can come up with the ideas that can work towards the improvement of the workers' welfare hence motivating them to work towards the general good of the company. Men, on the other hand, can be good in idea generation and can always be there for their partners at work if need be.

Discuss How the Concepts of ‘Race’ and ‘Ethnicity’ Essay Example for Free

Discuss How the Concepts of ‘Race’ and ‘Ethnicity’ Essay Australia is known for its multicultural society, but race and ethnicity are a huge factor of persistent racism and inequality in this country. The driving force behind this is the strong belief that some of the population still hold against people who appear different to themselves. To gain a clear understanding of this sensitive topic one must look at the origins, forms and effects of racism. This essay will look at how the concepts of ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’ perpetuate inequality in our society, a brief history of Australia in relation to racism and how people experience these inequalities today in a society that we call multicultural. Modern Australia was established as a ‘region of recent settlement’ in 1788 which was a small part of a larger process of European colonisation (Bessant Watts, 2002, p. 219). They had a set of ideas, values and beliefs and assumed that aborigines had no system of land ownership, agriculture, animal husbandry. Indigenous people have been in Australia for more than 100,000 years (Bessant Watts, 2002, p. 222). The White Australia Policy in the 20th century encouraged immigration only from Britain, but didn’t allow ‘Asians’ and ‘Non-whites (Economou N, 1998, p.363). By 1950’s people from all countries were allowed to migrate into Australia to help post war reconstruction. The colonial immigration saw a mass migration of European people mostly from Britain to Australia. It is said that between 1788 and 1852 approximately 170,000 people moved to Australia, and the gold rush era after 1851 made it a highly desirable country for migrating (Bessant Watts, 2002, p. 231). By end of World War two, as war forced Australia to get closer to other countries, which resulted in the first significant weakening of the policy in 1951. Later in the 1950s and 1960s other parts of the White Australia Policy were gradually dismantled. By the 1970s the federal government had removed all racial restrictions from its immigration law (Bessant Watts, 2002). Various writers have contradictory approaches and ways of looking at racism, making it a complex topic. It takes many different forms, ranging from physical violence to derogatory language. A person or group’s belief that their race is superior or inferior, or their moral and social traits are predetermined, based on biological differences can be termed ’racism’. A group of people sharing the same skin colour, same values, coming from the similar backgrounds may constitute as ’race’. One of the most common forms of racism found today is Institutional Racism, which stems from established corporations, and other powerful forces in society, thus making it hard to question and faces less public condemnation. Examples include housing, employment, businesses, education, religion and media (Healey, 2002). Typically, the basis of this type of discrimination is from irrational fear of people at the receiving end who belong to a different culture or ‘race’. Although, there have been ongoing debates about racism all around us for centuries, it is an assault on human rights as it methodically refuses people of different caste, colour, race, sex or their country of origin basic values underlined by Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which states that human rights are everyone’s birthright and apply to all without difference (Healey, 2002). Common perception of shared origins, culture, lifestyle and traditions amongst a group of people or society is the universal definition of ethnicity (Bessant Watts, 2002). People can share the same nationality but have different ethnicities. A few writers have put forward fascinating explanations of ethnicity. Edward Shils in his ‘primordial approach’ argues that he believes everyone has a primordial attachment to their motherland, people and religion which brings out strong emotional ties by socialising, which further gives rise to the need to have a separate identity and belonging. Then the ‘Mobilisationist Approach’ suggests that nothing is predictable or normal about ethnicity. Rather, ethnic identities come into sight and are toughened in political contexts where groups struggle to get access to inadequate and valued resources (Van Krieken et al, 2000, p. 519). The basis of ethnocentrism is a conscious or unconscious belief that one’s ethnic group, culture, religion, custom or behaviour is superior to another ethnic group. Politicians boast that Australia is a multicultural, open and classless society. Despite the well known image of Australia’s everyone have â€Å"a fair go†, the country is still full of both institutional and popular racism. Education has always been very important when it comes to moving up in class and has been very liberating in Australian society. However, indigenous and ethnic groups have been somewhat disadvantaged in opportunities to acquire education. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics only five Indigenous Australians per 1,000 obtain tertiary qualification, compared to 70-80 per 1,000 for Anglo Australians. In the 1990s welfare, health care and education support for Aborigines accounted only to 2% of total budget outlay (ABS 2000:21). In order to receive an education a person requires an income, but to get an income one needs a job, and a job is challenging to find without an appropriate level of education. Therefore an individuals chance of education is influenced by the socio-economic status of one’s parents which is a cyclic social inequality hard to break. Migrants and their children often find it challenging to adjust to the Australian school system as they often come from countries that have a poor education system, and even if they have tertiary qualifications they mostly are not recognised, resulting in them taking lower paid and lower status jobs. Working class children often attend schools in working class suburbs where pupils are directed into working-class jobs. A high number of students leave school early and the expectation that they will attend university is low. In comparison, upper-class children attend private schools, and the expectation that they will attend university is high. Migrants and ethnic groups are often at a lower end of the socioeconomic scale (Aspin, 1996, p. 87) Migrants arrive with little money and few skills. Already at a disadvantage with language barriers, migrants and ethnic groups are also faced with racism and discrimination in their search for employment. In 1996, One Nation political party leader Pauline Hanson made a speech that claimed that Australia was being overwhelmed by ‘Asians and feared that Asians were taking over jobs. The fact is that Asians at the time only accounted for 5% of total population and ‘there is little evidence to support the claim that high rates of immigration ‘cause unemployment or ‘cause Australians to lose their jobs (Bessant, 2002, p. 219). Indigenous people had a 24. 3% unemployment rate according to 1996 census (ABS 2000:23). Indigenous people are usually poorer than most non-indigenous Australians and receive a lower income on average than the total population. The household income for Aborigines in 1994 was $158 compared to $310 for white Australians (ABS 2000C:23) This also reflects the fact the there is a higher reliance by the Aboriginal population on social security payments (ABS 1996b: 122-4) Socioeconomic status is a major determinant of inequality as it influences access an individual has to the economic resources of a society. L. J. Aspin (1996) explains that white Australian-born males have a better chance of obtaining access to the resources of society. Inequality is also reflected in the differential access to housing and health services. For people who are paying rent and on a low income, it is almost impossible to save for a deposit on a house at the same time. Aborigines and migrants suffer discrimination in rental accommodation, where landlords preferring a two-parent, white, Anglo-Saxon families. Only 10% of Aborigines own housing compared to 70% of white Australia population (Aspin, 1996, p. 87). Most Aborigines live in rural and provincial Australia (Bessant, 2002, p. 226) far from big cities where there are more jobs, higher paid jobs, better education, better housing, good water and sanitation services, hospital medical services and other community amenities. Some ethnic backgrounds are still not accepted in our society and are treated differently and unequally. We see and hear about them on a day to day basis. In recent months the Indian community in Australia, especially students have become a vulnerable target for attacks, whether racist or not. On 31 May 2009 in Melbourne, about 5000 students marched through the streets of Melbourne protesting against these attacks on Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi students. 25-year-old Sravan Kumar Theerthala was in a serious condition in intensive care after being stabbed in the head with a screwdriver one week earlier (Bolton Peterson, 2009). In an article in The Age newspaper on February 19 Victorian police claimed that these attacks are not racially motivated, but opportunistic where Indian students are â€Å"over representing themselves as victims† and can be looked upon as soft targets. The police also advised them â€Å"not to speak in their native language loudly† or display signs of wealth. Attacks on Indians aren’t the only allegation Australia has faced over the years. It seems that anyone in power, including police, politicians or the media has had the tendency to somehow flare these attacks. In the Herald Sun on 11 June 2009, 3AW’s Neil Mitchell said: â€Å"Australians are also bashed and die in India, which does not provoke parades of chanting ocker backpackers in the streets of Mumbai†. In 2007, the then immigration minister Kevin Andrews referred to the Sudanese community when he said â€Å"Some groups don’t seem to be settling and adjusting into the Australian way of life as quickly as we would hope. † A spate of violent attacks were then unleashed against Sudanese migrants, and one was bashed to death by a group of white men (Bolton Peterson, 2009). As Australia continues to argue that it is a just, tolerant, open and classless society, there is still evidence of race and inequality among us and affecting the many lives of migrants and Indigenous people. It is interesting to note that the very determinants of class power, money, education, family background, occupation, health and general way of life are also the same factors where others experience inequalities. Race and ethnicity perpetuate inequality, and in any country including Australia, one would find that there are always some people with very strong values of racism, and media outlets which help in manipulating the views of general public. There still needs to be a massive drive by communities and governments on racism and inequality and it will be long before we will be a â€Å"happy multicultural Australia†. Bibliography Aspin, L J 1996, ‘Social stratification and inequality’, Focus on Australian society, 2nd edn, Longman, Melbourne. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009, Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 28 November 2009, http://www. abs. gov. au/ . Bessant, J Watts, R 2002, ‘Neighbours and nations: ethnic identity and multiculturalism’, Sociology Australia, 2nd edn, Allen Unwin, St Leonards, NSW. Bolton, S Peterson, C 2009, Indian students speak: Stop the racist attacks! , viewed 28 November 2009, http://www.greenleft. org. au/2009/798/41083. Economou, N 1998, ‘The Politics of Citizenship: identity, ethnicity and race’, in Alan Fenna, Introduction to Australian Public Policy, Vol 1, Addison Wesley Longman, Melbourne. Healey, J 2002, ‘Racism: Beyond Tolerance, A Fair Go’, Racism in Australia, Vol 180, The Spinney Press, Rozelle, NSW. Van Krieken, R, Smith, P, Hobbis, D McDonald, K 2000, ‘Migration, ethnicity and Australian Aboriginality’, Sociology: themes and perspectives, 2nd edn, Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest, NSW.

Requirement for Marijuana Legalisation

Requirement for Marijuana Legalisation Christopher Cunningham The need of Marijuana I. Boost of Revenue and different types of marijuana a. The need of Marijuana in our country making the drug legal to use recreationally by all 50 states. The benefits are huge when it comes to all states benefiting from money that they have earned in one year is one billion dollars, which was Colorado who made that much money from sales. Can you imagine who will benefit from the marijuana sold, first the children will have better schools, equipment such as computers, physical exercise programs, not to mention the economy will start being better from years to come. The Boost of revenue can only make America great again and flourishing from all the money spent on the war and just maybe we can go back to the way it used to be, when jobs were easy to get and prices on goods were not outrageous. b. Indica is kush from afghanistan making you lazy. c. Sativa is alternatively gives you energy used for depression and exhaustion. d. Hybrid it gives you both Indica and Sativa which is why its hybrid. e. Cannabis compound THC and CBD carry there own properties in medicine. II. People who benefit from Marijuana a. The people who will benefit from marijuana sales are police officiers and I want to tell you why this is really important. The more police officiers out on the treats means there will be less crime happening, and less drug dealers on the streets. If that happens the state will benefit from all the revenue from marijuana. c. People who are sick will easily attain marijuana which to me is great. I have seen people who have certain diseases and they are always in pain and the doctor didnt give them medical marijuana because there is no use to using the drug or it is not legal for the patient to use. Being a parent who sees there child in pain will do anything in there power to make sure they feel better. Marijuana is that drug that can reduce pain and help people deal with there current diseases that normal medicine is not working. b. Helps with being skinny and raising your metabolism in some people. III. The types of diseases that need marijuana a. Glaucoma is an eye disease that puts pressure on the eye ball and damages the optic nerve in your eye. This also minimizes the effects of cancer causing agents. b. Alzheimer disease as shown to slow down the effects so that you may live a longer life. c. Stomach diseases like crones disease can subside with marijuana. d. Parkinsons disease can be controlled with marijuana. e. Lupus disease is when the body attacks itself similar to aids. f. hep c is controlled and side affects shortened and increases treatment. IV. People with chronic pain a. Multiple sclerosis is pain in the spine which is controlled with the drug marijuana. b. Helps with muscle spasms and can be subdued with marijuana. c. People who suffer from arthritis pain can be away with marijuana. d. PTSD is very common in veterans who served in the military calms them down and out bursts. e. Protects your brain after a stroke thanks to marijuana. g. Helps with concussions in sports thanks to marijuana. h. Relieves pain from chemotherapy patients another great reason. V. Conclusion I am very serious about this subject of getting marijuana legal in all states. The fact that all states will benefit from marijuana and obviously all the people in the state will benefit with better schools, roads, toll bridges will be paid off. Kids will have better equipment such as computers, physical exercise equipment will be good. My main point of having you guys agreeing with me is the people who cannot access the drug because only 28 states makes medical marijuana accessible to patients. I remember seeing this child and it was sad, she had seizures every 10 mins and can you imagine your child going through such pain. But thanks to cbd which is a liquid base marijuana that can be mixed in with food so that children can consume it. She was relieved from the seizures not happening that often, she was temporarily cured for that day.   As a parent I would give my child marijuana either by inhalation or cbd if it help them live a better life. References 23 health benefits of marijuana. (). Retrieved from www.businessinsider.com marijuana. (). Retrieved from www.fortune.com marijuana. (). Retrieved from www.nylin.org marijuana. (). Retrieved from www.wisetoast.com

Free Handmaids Tale Essays: Offred :: Handmaids Tale Essays

Offred of The Handmaids Tale I have decided to analyze the main character Offred because she seams to feel trapped in this new society. She speaks very openly about the situation thats she's in and plays her actions very well. I will do an overall analysis of her actions. Offred is a very strange character. She follows the new rules of her society unlike her rebellious friend Moira. But you can also tell that Offred misses her family very much and she always goes back in her head to remember the past. "Our happiness is part memory. What I remember is Luke, with me in the hospital, standing beside my head, holding my hand....." (Atwood pg.126) But Offred has replaced Luke in this new world with Nick who will be the next man standing beside her bedside. There are also times when Offred acts as if she wants to forget who she really is or was. "But thats where I am, there's no escaping it. time's a trap, I'm caught in it. I must forget about my secret name and all ways back. My name is Offred now, and here is where I live.... I am thirty- three years old. I have brown hair. I stand five seven without shoes. I have trouble remembering what I use to look like. I viable ovaries. I have one more chance." Here it seams as if all Offred values is her ovaries because thats what everyone else values and now she feels as if thats her only way to survive through this society. (Atwood pg.143) Now that Offred has this relationship with the Commander and Nick at the same same time. She feels as if she has power in the sense that she's the only one that knows whats going on with the Commander. She loves having something over Serena Joy. "The fact is that I'm his mistress. Men at the top have always had mistresses, why should things be any different now ?.... Sometimes I think she knows.... and is laughing at me as I laugh, from time to time and with irony, at myself." She sees this as a joke to the whole center. But this gives her something to look forward to. She enjoys his company and she loves the fact that she has this secret which no one else knows about. "But even so, and stupidly enough, I'm happier than I was before. Free Handmaid's Tale Essays: Offred :: Handmaid's Tale Essays Offred of The Handmaids Tale I have decided to analyze the main character Offred because she seams to feel trapped in this new society. She speaks very openly about the situation thats she's in and plays her actions very well. I will do an overall analysis of her actions. Offred is a very strange character. She follows the new rules of her society unlike her rebellious friend Moira. But you can also tell that Offred misses her family very much and she always goes back in her head to remember the past. "Our happiness is part memory. What I remember is Luke, with me in the hospital, standing beside my head, holding my hand....." (Atwood pg.126) But Offred has replaced Luke in this new world with Nick who will be the next man standing beside her bedside. There are also times when Offred acts as if she wants to forget who she really is or was. "But thats where I am, there's no escaping it. time's a trap, I'm caught in it. I must forget about my secret name and all ways back. My name is Offred now, and here is where I live.... I am thirty- three years old. I have brown hair. I stand five seven without shoes. I have trouble remembering what I use to look like. I viable ovaries. I have one more chance." Here it seams as if all Offred values is her ovaries because thats what everyone else values and now she feels as if thats her only way to survive through this society. (Atwood pg.143) Now that Offred has this relationship with the Commander and Nick at the same same time. She feels as if she has power in the sense that she's the only one that knows whats going on with the Commander. She loves having something over Serena Joy. "The fact is that I'm his mistress. Men at the top have always had mistresses, why should things be any different now ?.... Sometimes I think she knows.... and is laughing at me as I laugh, from time to time and with irony, at myself." She sees this as a joke to the whole center. But this gives her something to look forward to. She enjoys his company and she loves the fact that she has this secret which no one else knows about. "But even so, and stupidly enough, I'm happier than I was before.

NASCAR drivers are true athletes

In the public consciousness, sport is normally associated with human-powered activities like football and basketball, whereas those, engaging with human-assisted activities like racing, are not viewed as true athletes as they allegedly do not need great physical effort to achieve success. This tradition derives from Ancient Rome, whereas the major emphasis was placed upon the activities, which demonstrate the perfection of human body, but in the modern world, due to the arrival of new technological novelties, it would be unwise to limit the list. The present paper presents the reasons for which NASCAR drivers can be categorized as athletes. First of all, it is necessary to provide a definition of a true athlete: athlete is a person who possesses either natural or trained skills, needed to do a particular type of sports on the professional basis, participates in the competitions, observing the rules prescribed,   and is able to use the skills they possess in a beneficial way. Thus, there are several key aspects, which characterize an athlete, so they can be used as categorization criteria. First and foremost, an athlete should engage with a particular type of sports. Thus, it is important to prove that motor racing belongs to the realm of sports; for this purpose, it is necessary to define the term â€Å"sport†. â€Å"Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determined of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment are major factor† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport, 2006). Furthermore, true athletes should be skilled enough to engage with a specific type of sports. In the present case, they should have dexterity, good at car driving and have sufficient intellectual abilities and the basic knowledge of the physical laws, which rule the process of driving. Thirdly, the true athlete should be able to use their skills and proficiency in the particular type of sport in the beneficial way, because the utilization of such abilities determines the maintenance of qualification and expertise. Fourthly, the true athlete participates in the contests in their narrow sports sphere, as competition is an opportunity to look critically at oneself and assess one’s own skills in the proper way. As it has been mentioned, the athlete engages with professional sports, which require certain development and adjustment of one’s skills to the requirements of the present day, which could be achieved only through observing peer performance. Finally, the true athlete values competitive spirit and thus observes the major rules that regulate the competition, namely those which determine the fair contest. It is possible to disagree with the aforementioned criteria. For instance, a number of extremely professional athletes, who participate in international competitions, tend to abuse the disciplinary rules and demonstrate aggressive behavior, but in the present case major rules that determine the equality and evenhandedness in the contest are discussed. These rules normally prohibit artificial measures, taken to temporarily increase one’s strength or dexterity. In addition, it is also possible to criticize the criteria that relates to the beneficial use of one’s skills in sports. In fact, the term â€Å"beneficial† doesn’t actually points to making money on the basis of sport activity, in fact, it might include such minor issues as using strength to protect oneself or another person from violent hooligans or utilizing intellectual abilities, developed during the years of chess playing, in mathematics. Finally one might claim that competition is not necessary for self-development as an athlete, as it is possible to hire a very qualified coach and train without engaging into the interactions with other sportspeople, but according to the aforementioned definition, positive and inspired rivalry is a core of all sports and victory is their purpose. Applying the first criterion, it is necessary to state that beyond the traditional sports like tennis and gymnastics, there also exist activities, which need more mental capacities and can be also classified as sports. In addition, the NASCAR refers to the activity it promotes and develops (motor racing) as motor sports, and due to the fact that this association is national, it implies the conventional view on sports, approved by the experts in this sphere. Secondly, NASCAR drivers really possess the necessary skills and abilities – otherwise they wouldn’t have been accepted by the association of the national level. Most of them have been training for many years and using professional race equipment in order to provide continuous growth of their skills. Thirdly, the individuals, participating in NASCAR races, have managed to make the sport bring them money – this way of using the complex of sport skills can be considered beneficial. Nowadays, the NASCAR drivers are amongst the richest athletes in the country. Turning sports into one’s personal profitable work is a true art, so the NASCAR drivers have succeeded in utilizing their unique talent. Fourthly, the NASCAR drivers participate in a variety of races amongst which the NEXTEL Cup, the Busch Series and the Truck Series. In order to have an idea about the level of these competitions, it would be useful to read about the NEXTEL, for instance: â€Å"The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is the sport’s highest level of professional competition. It is consequently the most popular and most profitable NASCAR series. The 2006 NEXTEL season consisted of 36 races over 10 months, with over $4 million in total prize money at stake at each race† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASCAR#NEXTEL_Cup, 2007). This mean, the NASCAR drivers belong to the so-called â€Å"high sports†, as they participate in the national competitions. Finally, the NASCAR drivers observe the principles of fair competition. For instance, they â€Å"do not use performance-enhancing drugs† (McCormick, at http://nascar.about.com/od/drivers/a/nascarsteroids.htm, 2007) and tend to support the idea of the spirit of positive rivalry through following the rules of politeness and good tone in the relationships with other participants. Criticizing this argument, one can state that NASCAR races are not actually a sport, but rather a show with minor elements of competition. In this case, the accents are placed inaptly , as these races are a true competition in all aspects, but the modern mass-media have turned into a show, broadcasted by numerous TV-channels. In reality, the NASCAR is interested in maintaining its reputation and thus deals merely with professional sport rather than amateur shows . To sum up, the present paper successfully proves that NASCAR drivers are true athletes, as they meet the aforementioned criteria such as skillfulness, obedience to ethical codes, participation in racing and the corresponding competitions and use of their skills in the beneficial way   The paper thus illustrates that a true athlete should possess not merely skills, but also high intelligence, ability to negotiate and make career in the field of sports as well as satisfactory   inner moral culture. Works cited McCormick, S. â€Å"NASCAR Drivers Don’t Use Performance Enhancing Drugs†. 31 July 2007, Wikipedia. â€Å"NASCAR†. 17 July 2007, Wikipedia. â€Å"Sport†. 4 October 2006,                  

Marx Philosophy and the End of History

Karl Marx is, without a doubt one of the most influential thinkers to emerge in the nineteenth century, and the theories he proposed, have influenced various regimes in different parts of the world. His success is the result of the flexibility present in his theories to adapt themselves to the times. In his mid twenties Marx, turned away from philosophy and concentrated his attention more towards the economic and political aspects of the society. It was in the light of economics that he viewed the problems in society and sought to provide a remedy to it. He viewed society not as an independent entity. Contrarily, he saw, society as a reflection of the progress made by History. The progress made by history always left behind a legacy in its trail. This legacy had a profound impact in the shaping of society. The validity of this statement can be proven, by citing the example of the poverty in the Africa Americans as the legacy of their history as slave labourers. However the direction of History was uncertain and could not be predicted. It was dictated by the economic factors present in society. The only certainty was that an, ‘end of history’ was inevitable. In his theory on Historical Materialism, Marx carefully analyses the various factors influencing the different stages in the growth of society from slavery to modern day capitalism. Thus the views of Marx can be summed up under, four basic principles. Firstly, he believed that society followed a straight law of motion and underwent various phases in order to get to the final stage of Communism. Secondly, the laws governing the society were purely economic in nature, for the only thing that shapes society are the ‘material tools of production. Thirdly, he believed that these laws would continue to be in force until the end of History. Fourthly, the classes and the State would perish with the end of History. However this end would be brought about by a bitter struggle of one class against another. It must be mentioned in this context, that Marx borrowed the concept of a dialectical history, with a cognate beginning, middle and end from Hegel. Marx’s main concern was the ‘State’, which he viewed as the main tool of exploitation. It is the State and its various institutions that are utilised by the dominant class to wield their power. He advocated that the State was the most powerful tool of exploitation, whose sole purpose was to represent the interests of the ruling class. He chose to study the State through the annals of History. To him only ‘History’, could reveal the secrets at work behind the evolution of the state and determine its future shape. However, Marx did not consider History to be an open-ended process. Instead he saw a definite ‘end in history’. This end would result in the downfall of Capitalism and ensue the coming of a new era of Communism. An end in History did not signify an end to human life, it simply meant that there would no longer be any changes in the underlying principles or institutions for all the major problems had been solved and man’s major needs fulfilled. Before we can elaborate on the ‘end of history’, as predicted by Marx, it is essential that we know what history is all about. Marx claims that History has not progressed in a straight line. The coherent development of human societies through the ages has been a result of the various regimes that it has undergone. Marx thus traces the evolutionary process from, tribal based societies which were dependant on slavery and agriculture for subsistence, to theocracies, monarchies, feudal aristocracies, modern liberal democracies and finally to the technologically driven Capitalism. In his study Marx points out that the fundamental element present in all these different societies is the ‘class’ system and the ‘means of production,’ which determined which class would be dominant in the society. The ‘Class’ and the subsequent ‘class struggle’ were the sine qua non of Marx’s theory. History showed that the class who controlled the means of production was the dominant class in society. It is the tools of ruthless dominance and exploitation used by the dominant class to maintain their authority that would one day turn against them and spearhead the inevitable revolutions. History has shown that every revolution brought about a change in the social structure. This change did not bring about an egalitarian order it simply replaced the old dominant class with a new one. The unequal social structure continued to exist. Every revolution just changed the composition of the oppressor and the oppressed. The day that the society became classless would be the day that History came to an end. This end was possible with the rise of Communalism. While proclaiming the advent of Communalism, Marx refused to give a cognate shape to his ideal society. He claimed that the final shape of Communism would be the result of the different historical processes that society underwent. It was not a realisation of a predetermined moral idea. When it came to classes, Marx outlined two major segments into which society was divided. They were the oppressed or the ‘Proletariat’ as he called them and the oppressor or the ‘Bourgeoisie’. When the levels of oppression reached its penultimate point the oppressed class rose in rebellion and the outcome of this rebellion was a new society. Thus Marx stated, â€Å"The history of all hitherto existing societies has been the history of class struggle.† The day history ceases to exist; classes shall also cease to exist. Marx in his theories always stressed on the Historical aspect and asserted that every society contained within itself the forces of contradiction, known as the ‘Thesis’ and ‘Anti Thesis’. When these two contradictory forces clashed against one another, a class struggle emerged that sought to change the shape of society and replace the existing dominant class with a new one. This change was not permanent but would cease with the end of history, and there would finally emerge a classless society where each person enjoyed the fruits of his own labour. In his theory on History Marx, points out that in a divided society the tools of production are owned by the dominant section of society who exploit the weaker classes in order to amass more wealth and gain strength. But, there would come a time, when the levels of consciousness would rise among the oppressed class and they would unite in a struggle against the oppressors. History is replete with such examples. The slave society was replaced by the feudal society and the feudal society by the Industrialists or the Bourgeoisie. The coming of the Industrialist Revolution brought a boom in the industry and a new class emerged as the dominant section. They were the Capitalist class who owned the means of production. Like its predecessors the Capitalist society also contained within itself the seeds of dissent. The Capitalists became the dominant class who usurped the means of production and relentlessly exploited the working class or the proletariat. It resulted in the alienation of the worker. The working class was denied of the fruits of its labour and while the rich grew richer the poor grew poorer. The chasm continued to widen with the increase in wealth in the hands of the Capitalists. Despite the contradictions in the Capitalist regime, the ‘Communist Manifesto’ begins by praising the Capitalist system. It says that the Capitalist system has played a revolutionary role in History. It has shown what man’s endeavours can achieve. It has accomplished wonders, which surpasses the wonders of the world. It has conducted exoduses, which have overshadowed all past crusades in the world. Having praised the Capitalist system they go on to say that Capitalism by nature is based on ‘competition’ and the ‘market’. The same dynamics that propel capitalism will also be the reason of its downfall. When there are no more markets left to explore and exploit, the entire buying and selling cycle would collapse. Capitalism would  Ã‚   suffer from the phenomenon of ‘overproduction’ and   would be brought down to its knees. Harping on the ills of Capitalism, the Marxian philosophy, states that the Capitalist system would soon displace the smaller and individual producers. Marx went to the extent of saying that History would witness the replacement of indigenous farming with industrial and mechanised farming. Once this level of exploitation was reached the end of history would not be far away. This exploitation would unleash an era of unemployment and misery among the working class. When living under such miserable conditions became unbearable, history would witness a revolution spearheaded by the working class. Thus what Capitalism produces above all is its own ‘gravediggers’. It is the working class that would lead the final revolution to successfully remove the yoke of Capitalism. But the end of History or Communism as Marx viewed it was not to be achieved easily. The intermediate stage between Capitalism and Communism was the ‘Dictatorship of the Proletariat’. It was in this stage that the proletariat had complete control over the means of production as well as over the various institutions. The downfall of Capitalism, Marx claimed, would bring about the end of History. The phrase ‘end of history’ indicates a society based on Communism. It is a classless and egalitarian society where every man has full right over the fruits of his labour. From the ‘end of history’ there would emerge the final shape of the society. It would no longer undergo any more transformations, since all the major ills plaguing its predecessors had been removed. It was a society where man attained true economic freedom. Keeping in mind the fact that Marxism has a great deal of supporters it cannot be overlooked that the society Marx depicted in the end was more of a utopia rather than a reality. Though Marx’s philosophy has stood the test of times his views on the ‘end of History’ is yet to materialise. If we study the history of the world carefully we can see instances when the Marxian theory has borne fruit, but there have also been instances when the theory failed miserably. The theory of Marx was put to the test with the Russian Revolution. The theory defended itself by proclaiming that Russian society had not passed through the necessary stages in order to qualify as a successful communist society. Though the country was growing rapidly the society was predominantly feudal in nature. It had not been through the phase of Capitalism. The Soviet Union that was the glowing example of the success of Communism also faced failure. The downfall of the Soviet Union exposed the inherent corruption, inefficiency and irrationality present in the society. This picture of a communist society seemed to be absolutely contradictory to the egalitarian and classless society in a Communist Regime envisaged by Marx. The most important fact is that the ‘end of history’ is yet to manifest itself. With the ongoing scenario in the world Capitalism seems to have gained an even stronger foothold. Rather than an impending doom, capitalism is on a rise. The State that was supposed to wither away with the end of history is a far cry away. The State seems to be playing an even more important role today. It is far more intervening in the ways of man than predicted by man. Instead of being a tool of oppression the State has helped in maintaining stability, law and order in society. The end of history as envisaged by Marx is not easy to implement in practice. While envisaging an equal society Marx placed complete faith on the just and truthful nature of man. But man is by nature greedy. His wants keep increasing and to meet these wants he needs to amass resources. Thus, to think that man would be happy in his own little share would be a folly. It is inevitable that a man or a group of men would want to take over the reigns of power. Such a situation would lead to nothing but anarchy and chaos. It is because of the above reasons that the end of history seems such a far-fetched thought. The Marxian theory was not about right or wrong it was simply a theory of history. It followed the trends that had occurred in the past and on the basis of those sought to predict the future trends that would ensue. In so far that the theory acknowledged the presence of exploitation and domination in history it stands fully justified. It is only when it comes to predicting an end to Capitalism that the theory seems to falter. It seeks to attain the unattainable. In view of the above mentioned arguments, and in the light of the real world scenario, we can safely say, that, even though the political, economic and social institutions proposed By Marx are dead or dying away, his theory and influence on the world continue to exist. Works Cited Marx, . Karl,   Fredrick   Engels   and   David   Mclellan   ed,   The   Communist   Manifesto,   Oxford   World's   Classics   1848