Argue the case both for and against the suggestion that sovereignty is of declining significance in international relations Essay Example

Argue the case both for and against the suggestion that sovereignty is of declining significance in international relations Essay Example Argue the case both for and against the suggestion that sovereignty is of declining significance in international relations Essay Argue the case both for and against the suggestion that sovereignty is of declining significance in international relations Essay It is too facile to claim that, in a globalised world, the age of state is dead, although it is also now much harder to sustain the argument that the state is all-powerful (McCrone quoted in Tierney, 2005, 171) Realists claim the sovereign state the central actor in international politics. Indeed, most theories of international relations recognize the sovereign state as the dominant entity in the international society. Nevertheless, the rise of international institutions and worldwide economic integration is questioning the very viability of the sovereign state (Brown, 2005, 3). This essay will elaborate on the existence of state sovereignty in todays globalized world. It will bring forth arguments pro the suggestion that sovereignty is of declining significance in international relations, as well as con. Firstly, the concept of sovereignty is briefly evaluated. Secondly, it is contended that sovereignty consists of four identities and that these for identities are disconnected. Thirdly, challenges to state sovereignty will be divided into three dimensions 1) the emergence of supra-national states 2) sub-state nationalism 3) globalization and primarily economic integration. Lastly, this essay will reason that these challenges are threatening different elements of sovereignty, arguing their relative significance. Due to reason of space and the vastness and controversy of this essay topic, limitations are inevitable. The essay is majorly dealing with contemporary issues related to the debate and the reader should bear in mind that the essay is elusive in the sense that arguments are only dealt with cursorily. The concept of sovereignty Before examining how state sovereignty may be withering away, it is imperative to understand how sovereignty has been traditionally conceived. Since the late 16th century sovereignty has been strictly linked to the concept of states and Bodin undeniably referred to the supreme authority conferred on the state. Albeit, in medieval France souverain could refer to any authority which had no other authority above itself (Oppenheim, 1912, 111) and therefore its highest court were at that time entitled Cours Soverains (Pemberton, 2009, 1). Sovereignty in absolute terms reflects the status secured at the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, the constitution recognized the following definition: within its borders the state or government has entitlement to supreme, unqualified and exclusive political and legal authority (McGrew, 2006, 29). In reality, sovereignty is an indefinite phenomenon, mirroring the complex system of how states function today (Pemberton, 2009, 1). Nuanced identifications of sovereignty commonly refer to it as not an organic whole but a container of both legal and political elements (Brown, 2005, 116). More specifically, Krasner identifies four different ways of conceptualizing sovereignty. Firstly, Domestic sovereignty refers to the authoritarian organization within the state and its effectiveness. Secondly, Interdependence sovereignty is the ability of a state to control the movements of goods, people, capital and ideas across its borders. Thirdly, International legal sovereignty refers to the recognition as a sovereign state in the international society. For example, an internationally legal sovereign state can sit in the United Nation and voluntarily sign treaties. Lastly, Westphalian sovereignty has according to Krasner nothing to do with the Peace of Westphalia. It refers to authoritative external influences being absent, in other words, not to intervene in other sovereign states internal affairs (Krasner, 1999, 3-5). If nothing else stated, forthcoming discussion will refer to sovereignty as incorporating all these elements. Sovereignty a container of elements In terms of sovereignty, the world has never really worked in the way people assert it has. Krasner claim that domestic, interdependence, legal international and Westphalian sovereignty are disconnected and hardly any state embodies all four of them, the United States might be one of the rare cases (Krasner, 1999, 5-10). Hong Kong is one amongst many problematic examples. As a member of the World Trade Organization Hong Kong to some extent has international legal sovereignty, however, it does not have Westphalian sovereignty as China at any time can intervene. Additionally, Somalia is a very common example of a so-called failing state. It obviously does not have effective domestic sovereignty and disputably it might or might not have Westphalian sovereignty. Still, like other failing states in Sub-Saharan Africa, it has international legal sovereignty and thus recognized as a sovereign state (Krasner, 2008, 1-5) (McCall Smith 2001, 83-90) States do not have to be failing or oddities like Hong Kong to lack one element of the four identities. Krasners argument that there are fewer countries than we think which actually consist of all elements supports the idea of sovereignty as not a narrow positivist construction. Additionally, one can argue that some aspects of sovereignty are of more or less importance in todays world. Three challenges to sovereignty According to Stephen Tierney, there are three rival sites of authority contesting the construction of the sate as supreme site of territorial sovereignty (Tierney, 2005, 175). Supra-states Firstly, the emergence of supra-state political and lawful orders of which the European Union is the most frequent example; another less institutionally sophisticated examples is the World Trade Organization (Tierney, 2005, 164-166). Indisputably, the pre-eminence of EU law contravene the sovereignty of the Member States. Law-making power is one of the key features of sovereignty and on principle the EU courts decisions have direct effects on Member States. This is argued a loss of Westphalian sovereignty, however, all Member Sates have voluntarily signed the constitution. In that sense, state sovereignty as a whole remains intact as any member can, although unfeasibly, decide to leave the union (Pemberton, 2009, 2-6) (Conversation with Stephen D. Krasner, 2003). With the emergence of supra-national orders (NAFTA, ASEAN etc.), states increasingly limit their Westphalian Sovereignty. On the contrary, Member Sates of supra-national orders have not been giving up international legal sovereignty (they are still individually represented in the UN), stressing its recurrent significance. Therefore McGrew argues sovereignty no longer a legal claim to absolute power but a tool of bargaining with other agencies and social impetuses (McGrew, 2006, 33). As a response to arguments that states are forfeiting power, Tierney contends supra-states (as well as sub-state movements) represent the reallocation of state power to alternative territorial sites. Hence, it is not a loss of power from the state but rather the redistribution within it (Tierney 2005, 172). Sub-sate nationalism During the last three decades, sub-state national societies have emerged within a number of liberal democracies; three outstanding examples are Scotland (United Kingdom), Quebec (Canada) and Catalonia (Spain). Not only have they re-declared their national distinctiveness but also called upon constitutional recognitions (Tierney, 2005, 167). It is often wrongly believed that sub-state nationalism is driven by the same impetus as existing states and built on the same dynamics. Likewise supra-states sub-state nationalism is territorially based, but at the same time distinctly different as it first and foremost operates within the state, nevertheless acting beyond its borders. Ergo, sub-state nationalism poses structural challenges to the coherence Westphalian nation-state model and the monistic concept of it. Furthermore, embodies a similar amount of authority akin to the two challenges mentioned above (Tierney, 2005, 166-169). Sub-state movements disputably subvert domestic sovereignty. Even though Tierney argue secessionist movements in decline, if a particular sub-national group no longer want to be apart of the parent state, it may perforce lead to erosion of confidence in state leadership. Indeed, the government ability to exercise domestic sovereignty will be impeded by the need to direct resources to quell riots and the lack of confidence (Cohan, 2006, 932). Globalization and economic integration Tierney refers to the sectoral level as primarily economic challenges through the extra-territorial dimension often referred to as globalization (Tierney, 2005, 165). Globalization is an ambiguous phenomenon open to a myriad of interpretations; McGrew refers to it as an increasing sense of interconnectedness, driven by various economic factors, technological innovation, changes in policy and cultural preferences (McGrew, 2006, 22). Disputably, globalization is subverting the authority of the state as the importance of the borders and boundaries that disaggregate the word into its some 193 states are diminishing (McGrew, 2006, 22). With a shrinking world, issues such as terrorism, nuclear weapons, and the environment have become of global concern because of their likelihood to have worldwide consequences. Thus, with increased interconnectedness Cohan argues globalization leads to the inability of the state to use unfettered powers (Cohan, 2006, 910). Multinational corporations, which can move factories in and out of countries or impose demands upon the state before investing, is one amongst many examples demonstrating how global integration external pressure is restricting the power of the sovereign state. Both the East Asian crisis in 1997 and the financial collapse of the American economy in 2008 had disastrous worldwide consequences (McGrew, 2006, 20). As for a current issue, if no solution is cooperated, the European debt crisis will have severe international ramifications (The Economist, 17 September 2011). Such crises undeniably depict how integrated the world financial system has become and how sensitive markets and states are to one another. Consequently, Susan Strange suggests that market forces are controlling the state governments rather than the opposite (Simpson, 2008, 59). As stressed above, global forces are undermining government control over national economies and their societies, leading to a comparative denationalization of power and a world with shared social space (McGrew, 2006, 24). Hence, one can proclaim that globalization is fundamentally questioning interdependence sovereignty. Nevertheless, critics believe that sectoral confrontations lead to a diffusion of certain powers to de-territorialised sites but not necessarily a demise of the sovereign state as a whole (Tierney 2005, 172). Challenges to state sovereignty not a new phenomenon Notwithstanding supra-national institutions, globalization and the emergence of sub-state nationalism, threats to state sovereignty are not new phenomena. Indeed, violations reach back all the way to the very creation of the concept itself. Recalling Krasners four identities of sovereignty the existence of two chief dimensions, Westphalian sovereignty and to a lesser extent international legal sovereignty, have been frequently challenged (Conversation with Stephen D. Krasner, 2003). In an interview by Harry Kreisler, Krasner emphasises the challenges to Westphalian sovereignty have involved alternative norms. The four most salient have been religious toleration (17th and 18th century), minority rights (19th and first half of 20th century), human rights (last half of 20th and the 21st century) and lastly international stability (Conversation with Stephen D. Krasner, 2003). It is plausible that these challenges to sovereignty emerge because not only does sovereignty include rights but also responsibilities and therefore, the exercise of state sovereignty becomes restricted. It is highly contested that sovereignty should not be respected when a state is not living up to these international norms. For instance, the right to intervene if a state government is committing genocide (Haines, 2009, 102). Notwithstanding the history of state sovereignty, challenges may be of more or less threatening remark. It is argued that forces confronting state sovereignty today are of such prodigious dimensions that it inevitably leads to sovereignty becoming a moribund institution (McGrew, 2006, 25). However, this essay has argued that some of the four elements of sovereignty have been more or less challenged. Indeed, international legal sovereignty seem not have been threatened but rather increased in significance, arguably because states still value international recognition. Calling to mind not only the newly created state of the Republic of South Sudan but also the heated dispute over Palestinian sovereignty. Conclusion One can argue that whereas some identities of sovereignty are of declining significance (and relatively so) others are not. Firstly, interdependence sovereignty is profoundly challenged by globalization and economic integration. Secondly, sub-state nationalism is challenging the monolithic tone of Westphalian sovereignty and if these movements turn secessionist it will perforce lead to a decline in domestic sovereignty. Thirdly, Westphalian sovereignty is limited by the emergence of supra-states such as the EU. As a matter of fact, interdependence sovereignty and Westphalian sovereignty seem to be the most contested, the former because of the vastness of globalization and economic integration. The latter has not only historically been highly disputed but also presently as external threats such as supra-national orders and sub-state nationalism are gaining momentum. On the contrary, international legal sovereignty is undeniably recurrent, calling to mind newly created states such as South Sudan. Furthermore, recollecting that Member Sates of the EU and other supra-national orders have been willing to limit some dimension of sovereignty, however, they are all still recognized as individual states. Mindful the dissonance of the four dimensions of sovereignty, neither can it be argued that sovereignty is of waning significance nor of increased importance. Perhaps it is more of a ringing bell stressing the need for an alteration of the term Sovereignty in order to reflect the world reality.

Definition and Examples of Absolute Phrases in English

Definition and Examples of Absolute Phrases in English An absolute phrase is a group of words that modifies an independent clause as a whole. Its etymology is from the Latin, free, loosen, unrestricted. An absolute is made up of a noun and its modifiers (which frequently, but not always, include a participle or participial phrase). An absolute may precede, follow, or interrupt the main clause: Their slender bodies sleek and black against the orange sky, the storks circled high above us.The storks circled high above us, their slender bodies sleek and black against the orange sky.The storks, their slender bodies sleek and black against the orange sky, circled high above us. An absolute allows us to move from a description of a whole person, place, or thing to one aspect or part. Note that in traditional grammar, absolutes (or nominative absolutes) are often more narrowly defined as noun phrases...combined with participles. The term absolute (borrowed from Latin grammar) is rarely used by contemporary linguists. Examples and Observations The absolute phrase that adds a focusing detail is especially common in fiction writing, much more common than in expository writing... In the following passages, all from works of fiction, some have a participle as the post-noun modifier...; however, youll also see some with noun phrases, others with prepositional phrases. There was no bus in sight and Julian, his hands still jammed in his pockets and his head thrust forward, scowled down the empty street. (Flannery OConnor, Everything That Rises Must Converge)Silently they ambled down Tenth Street until they reached a stone bench that jutted from the sidewalk near the curb. They stopped there and sat down, their backs to the eyes of the two men in white smocks who were watching them. (Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon)The man stood laughing, his weapons at his hips. (Stephen Crane, The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky)To his right the valley continued in its sleepy beauty, mute and understated, its wildest autumn colors blunted by the distance, placid as water color by an artist who mixed all his colors with brown. (Joyce Carol Oates, The Secret Marriage) A second style of absolute phrase, rather than focusing on a detail, explains a cause or condition: Our car having developed engine trouble, we stopped for the night at a roadside rest area. We decided to have our picnic, the weather being warm and clear. The first example could be rewritten as a because- or when- clause: When our car developed engine trouble, we stopped... or Because our car developed engine trouble, we stopped... The absolute allows the writer to include the information without the explicitness of the complete clause; the absolute, then, can be thought of as containing both meanings, both when and because. The absolute about the weather in the second example suggests an attendant condition rather than a cause. (Martha Kolln, Rhetorical Grammar: Grammatical Choices, Rhetorical Effects, 5th ed. Pearson, 2007) Nominative Absolutes Nominative absolutes are related to nonfinite verb phrases... They consist of a subject noun phrase followed by some part of the predicate: either a participle form of the main verb or a complement or modifier of the main verb. . . . [C]omplements and modifiers may take almost any form...Absolutes have traditionally been called nominative because the absolute construction begins with a noun phrase as its headword. Nevertheless, they function adverbially as sentence modifiers. Some [absolutes] explain reasons or conditions for the action described in the main clause; others... describe the manner in which the action of the main clause is performed. (Thomas P. Klammer, Muriel R. Schulz, and Angela Della Volpe, Analyzing English Grammar, 5th ed. Longman, 2007) More Examples of Absolute Phrases Roy circles the bases like a Mississippi steamboat, lights lit, flags fluttering, whistle banging, coming round the bend. (Bernard Malamud, The Natural, 1952)Harry froze, his cut finger slipping on the jagged edge of the mirror again. (J.K. Rowling,  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Scholastic, 2007)Bolenciecwcz was staring at the floor now, trying to think, his great brow furrowed, his huge hands rubbing together, his face red. (James Thurber, University Days)The spider skins lie on their sides, translucent and ragged, their legs drying in knots. (Annie Dillard, Holy the Firm, 1977)His bare legs cooled by sprinklers, his bare feet on the feathery and succulent grass, and his mobile phone in his hand (he was awaiting Lionels summons), Des took a turn round the grounds. (Martin Amis, Lionel Asbo: State of England. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012)When Johnson Meechum came up the three steps of his purple double-wide trailer and opened the front door, his wife, Mabel, was waiting for him, her thin hands clenched on her hips, her tinted hair standing from her scalp in a tiny blue cloud. (Harry Crews, Celebration. Simon Schuster, 1998) Six boys came over the hill half an hour early that afternoon, running hard, their heads down, their forearms working, their breath whistling. (John Steinbeck, The Red Pony)Whenever you heard distant music somewhere in the town, maybe so faint you thought you imagined it, so thin you blamed the whistling of the streetcar wires, then you could track the sound down and find Caleb straddling his little velocipede, speechless with joy, his appleseed eyes dancing. (Anne Tyler, Searching for Caleb. Alfred A. Knopf, 1975)Still he came on,  shoulders hunched, face twisted, wringing his hands, looking more like an old woman at a wake than an infantry combat soldier. (James Jones,  The Thin Red Line, 1962)A tall man, his shotgun slung behind his back with a length of plow line, dismounted and dropped his reins and crossed the little way to the cedar bolt. (Howard Bahr, The Year of Jubilo: A Novel of the Civil War. Picador, 2001)The men sit on the edge of the pens, the big white and silver fish between their knees, ripping with knives and tearing with hands, heaving the disemboweled bodies into a central basket. (William G. Wing, Christmas Comes First on the Banks) Hundreds and hundreds of frogs were sitting down that pipe, and they were all honking, all of them, not in unison but constantly, their little throats going, their mouths open, their eyes staring up with curiosity at Karel and Frances and their large human shadows. (Margaret Drabble, The Realms of Gold, 1975)The accused man, Kabuo Miyamoto, sat proudly upright with a rigid grace, his palms placed softly on the defendants table - the posture of a man who has detached himself insofar as this is possible at his own trial. (David Guterson, Snow Falling on Cedars, 1994)The superintendent, his head on his chest, was slowly poking the ground with his stick. (George Orwell, A Hanging, 1931)You can get a fair sense of the perils of an elevator shaft by watching an elevator rush up and down one, its counterweight flying by, like the blade on a guillotine. (Nick Paumgarten, Up and Then Down. The New Yorker, April 21, 2008)Two middle-aged men with jogging disease lumber past me, their faces pur ple, their bellies slopping, their running shoes huge and costly. (Joe Bennett, Mustnt Grumble. Simon Schuster, 2006) At a right angle to the school was the back of the church, its bricks painted the color of dried blood. (Pete Hamill, A Drinking Life, 1994)Ross sat on the edge of a chair several feet away from the table, leaning forward, the fingers of his left hand spread upon his chest, his right hand holding a white knitting needle which he used for a pointer. (James Thurber, The Years With Ross, 1958)One by one, down the hill come the mothers of the neighborhood, their kids running beside them. (Roger Rosenblatt, Making Toast. The New Yorker, December 15, 2008)I could see, even in the mist, Spurn Head stretching out ahead of me in the gloom, its spine covered in marram grass and furze, its shingle flanks speared with the rotting spars of failed breakwaters. (Will Self, A Real Cliff Hanger. The Independent, August. 30, 2008)Down the long concourse they came unsteadily, Enid favouring her damaged hip, Alfred paddling at the air with loose-hinged hands and slapping the airport carpeting with poorl y controlled feet, both of them carrying Nordic Pleasurelines shoulder bags and concentrating on the floor in front of them, measuring out the hazardous distance three paces at a time. (Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2001) Source Macmillan Teach Yourself Grammar and Style in Twenty Four Hours, 2000.

Personal Career Development Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Personal Career Development Project - Essay Example Most leadership researchers agree that leaders need to have important interpersonal skills such as empathy, motivation, and communication (Carlopio et al 32). What has received considerably less attention than the skills is that appropriate application of these skills requires a thorough understanding of one's social setting, or social intelligence. The main strengths I possess are confidence, high-self steam, ambitious, workaholic, forward-looking, always willing to learn, cautious. My leadership functions are partly a function of skilful deployment of personal qualities but probably more of the interactive processes between leaders and their followers and the more general processes through which purpose and commitment are generated and sustained within an organization. It is the willingness of people to follow that makes a person a leader. Moreover, since people tend to follow those who, in their view, offer them a means of satisfying their own personal goals, the more managers are able to understand what motivates their subordinates and colleagues, and the more they reflect this understanding in carrying out their management actions, the more effective they are likely to be as leaders. In my communication, I am concrete, time-limited, realistic, challenging and capable of evaluation (Cole 39). The main weakness is that English is my second lan... Decision-making is directed to reaching a goal/objective. It is about the how, what, why, when (and where) of a course of action and of how to overcome obstacles and to solve problems. Decision-making is what turns thought into action: it implies change and requires a decision to be made against a background of uncertainty and risk. Every person needs to be able to choose the action or course of action that is the best for you/your organization to meet its objective(s). An effective decision is one that produces the goods, ie gives the desired end result. It is important to be able to project ahead, to take the expected and unexpected into account, to have contingency plans in case events intrude in such a way as will turn a good decision into a bad one (Cole 35). The main opportunities are desire to learn and master new knowledge and skills, creativity and self-confidence. On the other hand, creativity can be encouraged in people (including oneself) by exploring some of the qualities and characteristics of creative thinkers and the activities/steps that can be undertaken to improve the processes involved. The main threats are lack of lack of business background. Communication should be good laterally and vertically (and flatter organizations should - in theory, at least - encourage good lateral communication). Managers should ensure a good flow of information - ideas can emerge as a result. Good administration is the hallmark of good management and the proper and efficient use of resources. Managers become leaders when their personality and character, their knowledge and functional skills of leadership are recognized and accepted by the others involved. These leadership functions need to

Write's choice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Write's choice - Assignment Example The other second question is; what were Matt’s stepping stones to become CEO. He started as accountant then editor and he played a very important role in building business at Holiday World when he was the project manager. This helped him to gain recognition for the hard work and enabled him to climb the ladder to a higher position. I believe that for someone to climb the ladder to the position of CEO, that parson should have proved that he is experienced and capable of steering the company to greater heights through his performance in other aspects of the organization. Who is the biggest competitor based on consumer perceptions? Dollywood and Silver Dollar City are seen as the best competitors in this business but what has to be taken into account is the fact that they do not provide direct competition. By virtue of the fact that they are located in distant areas, it can be noted that they do not give direct competition. In my own opinion, I believe that the aspect of proximity or closeness to each other plays a pivotal role in determining the nature of competition. Competition is intense when the companies are located closer to each other. In this case it is weak since the competitors are located in distant areas. What are the marketing strategies that you use in your operations? He stated that advertising tools such as billboards, radio, website as well as TV and radio were mostly used since these are popular and can be easily accessed by the targeted audiences. I concur with him as a result of the fact that television for instance is the most popular medium to families and it can be effectively used to market the services offered by Holiday

Supreme Court Essay Example for Free

Supreme Court Essay Marbury v. Madison:(1803) Judicial review In 1801, Justice William Marbury was to have received a commission from President Adams, but Secretary of State James Madison refused to issue the commission. Chief Justice Marshall stated that the Judiciary Act of 1789, which was the basis for Marburys claim, conflicted with Article III of the Constitution. Marbury did not receive the commission. This case determined that the Supreme Court and not the states would have the ultimate word on whether an issue was in violation of the Constitution. The Supreme Court judged that when the state of Georgia rescinded a land grant it was unconstitutional since it revoked the rights already granted in the contract. This was the first case to declare a state law in violation of the Constitution. . Dartmouth College v. Woodward: (1819) Contracts and State law The New Hampshire legislature amended the original charter of the college, which had been in place since 1769, to make the college more accessible to the public. The problem was that the legislature acted without consultation with the college trustee. The Supreme Court ruled that the original charter was inviolable as the charter was a contract. This decision led to a strengthening of property rights against state abridgement. McCulloch v. Maryland: (1819) Implied powers James Madison created a national bank, The state of Maryland believed this was an intrusion into states rights and attempted to tax the bank. James McCullough, who worked at the bank, refused to pay the state taxes because he believed the state had no right to tax a national bank. Marshall stated. That the bank was incompliance with the constitution and could not be subjected to state taxes. This case established the rule that states could not tax an institution of the federal government. Gibbons v. Ogden: (1824) Interstate commerce Act issue was the right to carry passengers along a canal from New York to New Jersey. The state of New York had granted Aaron Ogden the exclusive right. The federal government issued a license to Thomas Gibbons for the same route. On appeal the case went to the Supreme Court after Ogden sued Gibbons and won. The Supreme Court decided that Gibbons was right and that states cannot stop Congress regulating interstate commerce. This was a landmark case because it established federal authority over the states. This became the basis of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Cherokee Nation v. The State of Georgia: (1831) State law and Indians The Cherokee Indians had been farming the land in the western part of the state and had established their own government. The Georgians passed laws and tried to have the Cherokee government declared null and void. The Cherokee nation brought the suit to the Supreme Court on the grounds that the Cherokee nation was a foreign entity and therefore the state of Georgia had no rights. Marshall knew that if he ruled in favor of the Indians, President Jackson would not enforce the ruling. So Marshall ruled that the Cherokee nation did not constitute a foreign nation. Thus the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction over the Cherokee nation. Worcester v. Georgia: (1832) State law and Indians in Worcester v. Georgia John Marshall invalidated a Georgia law concerning entry into the Cherokee nation. In this case Worcester, a missionary, sued on the grounds that the state had no right to control any aspect of the Cherokee nation as this would fall within the powers of the federal government. This was just one more instance of the Marshall Court increasing power for the federal government over state governments. The Marshall court attempted to protect the property rights of the Indians. Unfortunately, even Marshall was unable to keep the Indians from continually being forced off their land. . Scott v. Sanford: (1857) Citizenship and Slavery Dred Scott was the slave of an army doctor. The doctor had lived in free states and in free territories, but had returned to Missouri, a slave state, before his death. Scott sued the doctors wife for his freedom on the basis that in a free state he had been free. The Supreme Court decided that Congress had no power to forbid slavery in the territories. They also said that as a slave, Scott was not a citizen and was not eligible to sue in a federal court. This decision annulled the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The case centered on 3 issues: a) Was Dred Scott a citizen? b) Could Congress prohibit slavery in the territories? c) If a slave was property, then shouldnt Sanford be compensated? Scott and his family did win their freedom because Scotts new owner was the widows brother and a known abolitionist. This case was never about the freedom of Dred Scott but about the future expansion of slavery into the territories. Texas v. White:(1869) Legality of Confederate Government Policies After the Civil War the reconstruction government of the state of Texas brought suit to regain state-owned securities, which had been sold by the Confederate state legislators during the war. The defense claimed that since Texas had not been restored to the Union there were no grounds for a federal court case. Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase maintained that since secession was illegal, Texas had never left the Union. Chase said the Confederate government of the state had been unlawful so all acts carried out by the government were null and void. Therefore the state was entitled to recover the securities. Plessy v. Ferguson: (1896) Separate but equal Homer Plessy was arrested in Louisiana for riding in a whites-only railroad car. Plessy, who was one-eighth African American, appealed on the basis of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The court said that so long as the facilities were equal then it was legal to racially separate. This became the impetus for segregation across the south. Swift and Company v.  United States: (1905) Defining Interstate Commerce. Swift claimed to be participating in business that was intrastate and not interstate, which he added, meant the interstate commerce act did not apply to his business. The court agreed unanimously that this was not the case and Swift was trying to create a monopoly. Armed with the Sherman Antitrust Act, Oliver Wendell Holmes said the company had a current of commerce among states. Bunting v. Oregon: (1917) Government Enforcement of 10-Hour Workday. In 1913 Oregon established a 10-hour workday for all men and women in mills or manufacturing industries. Any work beyond the ten hours was payable at a rate of time -and-a-half. Bunting, who owned a factory required his workers to work a 13 hour day and did not pay overtime. The Court was split on the issue and did not want to be seen as a regulator of wages. Eventually the court decided that overtime pay did not constitute wage regulation. Schenck v. United States: (1919) Freedom of Speech during Wartime. During World War I Charles Schenck had distributed pamphlets that said the draft was illegal. He was charged under the Espionage Act (1917). Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes rejected the argument that the pamphlets were protected by the free speech clause of the Constitution. Holmes told the court that freedom of speech could be suppressed if there is a clear and present danger, and since this happened during a time of war, there was such a circumstance. Korematsu v. United States: (1944) Legality of Japanese Internment during WWII In1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which required the forced relocation of over 100,000 Japanese-Americans to relocation camps. The Supreme Court ruled the relocation was illegal. In1988 these people, of whom many were citizens, received compensation. tL-94l.. . Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas: (1954) Equal protection Linda brown was denied admission to a local elementary school in Topeka, Kansas. The basis for her denial was that she was black. Chief Justice Earl Warren overruled the separate but equal doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson. He stated that the public schools violated the fourteenth amendment condition of equal protection under the law. The defendants claimed that the inferior conditions in segregated schools hindered their development. After the ruling was made, the court declared that segregation must end. Gideon v. Wainwright: (1963) Representation by Counsel Gideon was accused of a breaking into a poolroom in Florida but he had no financial means to secure a defense. He requested a defense counsel but was refused and was forced to defend himself. The court returned a guilty verdict. This led to the Supreme Court ruling that all people were entitled to legal counsel regardless of their ability to pay for legal counsel. Heart of Atlanta Motel v.  United States: (1964) Interstate commerce In 1964 Congress tried to pass the Civil Rights Act based on its power to regulate interstate commerce. Congress believed it had the right to ban discrimination in public accommodation and in employment. A motel owner challenged the law on the basis, that he had a local business which should not be considered interstate commerce. The Supreme Court ruled that since the business gained most of its income from interstate commerce; thus, the business was liable to the rules of Article 1, section 8 of the Interstate Commerce Act. Wesberry v. Sanders: (1964) one man tine vote This case dealt ith the apportionment of congressional districts in Georgia. The voters of Georgias fifth congressional district, easily the largest district, believed that their representation was not as equal as that of other districts with less people. They argued that because the state legislators had failed to, realign the districts their vote was debased. The Supreme Court ruled that as much as possible districts should be comparable in terms of population. Miranda v. Arizona: (1966) Rights in custody Ernesto Miranda a man who had not completed the ninth grade was arrested at his home in Arizona and identified as a suspect ina rape-kidnapping case. When he was questioned about the crime Miranda maintained he was innocent, but after two hours of interrogation he signed a confession. At the trial the confession was admitted as evidence and the court found Miranda guilty. The police acknowledged that Miranda had not been made aware. of his rights during the process nor had he had access to legal counsel. While the Miranda confession was given with relatively little pressure it still violated the constitutional requirements that governed such procedures. Inthis case, the Warren court ruled that the accused must be made aware of his or her rights from the beginning. Roe v. Wade: (1973) Right to Privacy During the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s the number of abortions performed illegally was unbelievably high. Inits decision the Court struck down a Texas law that made it illegal to perform abortions unless the womans life was risk. Jane Roe an unmarried mother wanted to terminate her pregnancy but she did not meet the necessary requirements. The Court sided with Roe and said that a woman had a constitutional right to privacy that extended to cover a decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. Bakke v. Board of Regents of California: . (1977) Affirmative Action In an attempt to get greater racial and ethnic diversity The University of California Medical School at Davis created a special category for minority students. This was the first constitutional test for affirmative action. Bakke, a white student, was rejected by the university and filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1965. The Court said the university can use special criteria to determine which students gained acceptance so long as it did not use a quota system.

Analyzing an Advertisement for a Texas Instruments Calculator Essay

Analyzing an Advertisement for a Texas Instruments Calculator Get your own. These words literally speak for themselves when it comes to the Texas Instruments calculator: TI-83+ silver edition. â€Å"Get your own† is the title that appears at the top of the advertisement for the TI-83+ silver edition. The title is reemphasized by a group of teenagers pictured below the title. The teens pictured in the photo are all playfully trying to get their hands on the coveted TI-83+ silver edition-graphing calculator. Directly below the picture of the teens, is a graphic of an enlarged graphing calculator, and displayed on the screen of the calculator is the new phonebook feature. Then, to the right of the graphic are three short phrases that reemphasize and support the title of the advertisement. These phrases state: more power, more speed, and more fun. Preceding these three phrases is a web address. The address shows the TI-83+ silver edition calculator in more depth, and also reiterates the title of the advertisement. The website is gottagetyour own.com is implying that all students need their own calculator, and the TI-83+ silver edition is the best choice. The advertisement was found in the September issue of Teen Magazine. The author carefully planned the placement of this advertisement with the viewers in mind, for he or she was targeting those returning to school. The author most likely chose Teen Magazine to present the advertisement for reasons mostly relating to the viewer. The individuals that read Teen Magazine are in general teenagers that are attending school. Targeting teens in general would be a plus in the sense of advertising, for teenagers are interested in new technology, and want to have the latest fashion, or in this inst... ... with the viewer. Overall, the Texas Instruments TI-83+ silver edition calculator advertisement is an article displayed in such away that appeals to those seeking some form of education. In most cases the advertisement would call to the teen genre. The advertisement displays the title â€Å"Get Your Own† at the top of the page to put emphasis on the remainder of the article. The picture of the teens and the full size picture of the calculator are just other examples of why each individual should get their own TI-83+ silver edition calculator. Along with three small phrases and a web address, the article is compl! ete in its emphasis of the title. â€Å"Get Your Own,† is a phrase that would definitely stand out in a persons mind after viewing the article, therefore, the designer did a quality job formatting the advertisement. Then â€Å"Get Your Own† pretty much sums up the article.

Being an Insider

In my first paper, I wrote about being an outsider. It was hard for me to come to America, not speaking English as my first language, and attending a private Christian school where I did not always understand important things. Now, I would like to describe a time when I was no longer an outsider, but actually an insider.When I first came to the U. S. , I was not sure when I would ever feel like I belonged. It wasn’t that I disliked my new home, it was that I could not understand what was being said around me. As I said in my previous paper, it was very difficult and I just hoped that summer camp would be a different experience for me.The first day of summer camp, I remember being quite nervous. Not only was I going to a new place, but I was leaving the friends that I had made in high-school for a summer. When I had struggled so much to fit in, it was hard to leave foreign place that had become familiar only to come to another foreign place; summer camp. Part of me thought it m ight be like high school. Maybe I would be the only foreign one there and maybe I would have trouble understanding what people were saying. Maybe it would be hard for me to connect with people. I did not know what to expect. The first day that I was in nearly confirmed all of my fears.The couselor spoke quick English. I groaned inwardly to myself, because I could see my high-school experience happening all over again. I was not sure how I would survive an entire summer of summer camp if it was the same as high-school. I went throughout my first day floating from activity to activity, still unsure if this was going to work out for me. I missed my family and my friends from home so much that it hurt. Never in my dreams, could I have known that nearly everyone else there was missing his or her family and friends, just like I was. They, however, had the advantage of speaking fluent English.It was when I was walking back to my bunk at the end of my last activity that something amazing ha ppened for me. Tossing a little pebble in front of me, I was not paying attention to what was going on around me. I tossed the pebble up, hit it with my knee and then kicked it out and hit a nearby tree. One squirrel came scampering out of the tree as though I had been aiming the pebble at him. â€Å"Wow. That was pretty good! Are you as good with a ball? † This guy with crazy hair asked me. I just stared at him. I understood what he was asking, but I was just surprised that he was talking to me.â€Å"I played basketball at home,† I said. It was something that my family loved to do together. â€Å"You should play for one of our camp basketball teams,† he said. â€Å"Me? † I asked. I still just could not believe what was happening. Basketball was something that I definitely knew something about. On top of that, I could make new friends. It was perfect! He told me where they were meeting and the time. I was so excited that I went back to the bunk and search ed for my good sneakers. I called home and told my family what had happened to me that day. I definitely sounded chipper than I had when they dropped me off at the camp.The next day, when I walked to the basketball court, I was a little intimidated by how good these people were. Guys and girls alike were handling the basketball ball like they were Michael Jordan. I ran over and began playing with them. They did not make a big deal about my being there. With basketball, it does not matter who you are or where you are from. In basketball, it matters how you play the game. One thing I was confident with was that I could play basketball and play it well. A basketball had been in my hands since I could remember. That is just how it was in my family.While fishing is something that some American families bond over, basketball is what my family bonded over. â€Å"Hey,† waved Juan, the guy with the wild hair that I had seen yesterday. â€Å"You know something? You are good! † I t did not take long for me to learn that he was the team captain. He was really good and had great ideas. I smiled and shrugged. It was nice to be told that by somebody who was probably just as good. Throughout the remainder of the game, I kept getting pats on the back and cheers from people I did not know who were sitting on the side of the court. It really felt good to finally fit in with people.â€Å"You play basketball at home, yes? † asked this girl who had a thick accent. I was no longer the â€Å"foreign kid. † I was among many different kinds of people who enjoyed the same game as I did. We continued to play basketball once or twice a week for official practice before we were going to compete with another camp team. We joked about â€Å"practicing† those two days, but in reality, we always ended up gravitating towards the basketball court when we did not have to practice. When we were not playing basketball, we were all going over to someone’s cab in and watched a game. It was just in our blood.It was like a hunger that could not be met. During my activities, I thought about my teammates. I drew basketballs all over my notebook for my activities and thought about different moves that I should try during the next practice. Juan was okay with teammates coming up with ideas. He was not a captain who had to have all of the power. That made us all respect him more. Just knowing that I had a great new group of friends who all enjoyed a sport that I love made school that much easier and bearable. I was also beginning to learn more English by being around them. Especially their slang.Phrases like â€Å"that is wiggin’ me out,† and â€Å"for real,† slipped out of my mouth as naturally as if I had grown up saying them. The more we played basketball, the more they acknowledged my skill. I did not understand all of the rules in English, but the other teammates took the time to explain a lot to me and we also had acce ss to the camp’s computer lounge so that we could research basketball online. Once I researched the rules, I found a lot of online information about basketball that I thought might help me perfect my skill. Juan and the other teammates would need me at my best for our upcoming competition against another intramural team.It was going to be my first time competing with people that were not family members since I had been in the states. When I told my teammates about the research I was doing, they were very enthusiastic. We huddled around one computer, researching things from different plays to the history of basketball. It was amazing that we were researching something not because we had to do it for a class, but because we actually wanted to simply to gain more knowledge on the subject. Some of the terms were hard to learn, but websites like www. basketball. com/nba/rules/rule4. shtml, helped me understand.To dribble, is to bounce the ball with one hand without letting it stop bouncing from that spot on the floor. A block is when one player makes illegal personal contact with another player on the opposite team and interferes with the player’s move. A free throw is when one player from a team is allowed to make an attempt at a basket without any interference with players on the opposing team. The player must act within ten seconds. There are many more terms that I learned while researching that really made me understand how to communicate with my teammates, or understand when they were communicating something to me.We learned a lot about our game that day that we thought would help us that much more win the basket on the game day. We kept practicing until the game that we had done so much preparation for was only a week away. â€Å"We could not win it without you,† said Juan to me. I could not help but grin. These people were really my friends. Home, though it still seemed far away, was not as present in my mind as it had been before. It wa s at the practice before the game that I thought my whole new experience was going to be ruined. We were practicing, like always. It had just rained earlier that morning, but the pavement was still a little damp.We did not want to cancel the practice, because we wanted to get in as much practice as possible. I had the ball and was so close to the basket. Leo was next to me, getting closer and closer. As he put his foot out to get the ball, my sneaker slipped and made me fall awkwardly onto the court. When I fell to the ground, I heard a pop. It was my ankle and I knew it. After I went to the camp clinic, I was relieved that it was only badly sprained and not broken. I was heartbroken, however, that I could not play at the game. â€Å"You know what, come to the game, anyway. If we can’t have you on the court, we can sure use your support,† said Juan.The team was disappointed, though. I felt like I had let them down, but they did not see it that way. They said that in my practicing with them and researching with them, they learned a lot about the sport that they love so much and that what they learned could actually help them have an advantage over their opponents. They said I was still going to be the reason that they were going to win. That made me feel much better and it assured me that I was still going to be an insider. They were not going to turn their backs on me just because of my injury. Later, I asked Juan if he thought anyone would blame me if the team did not win.He told me that if I wanted to, I could blame Leo. I was surprised he said that. â€Å"Blaming does not help anything. It won’t heal your ankle and it won’t make us win the game. Stuff just happens. We definitely want you to play as soon as that ankle heals. † I would look forward to putting my basketball sneakers on again. Until then, I knew I had to be content in just cheering for my friends. The game day came and I sat on the bleachers with my ankle tigh tly wrapped and propped up high. I have to admit that I was disappointed and a little jealous when my friends dribbled the orange ball around on the court.I felt bad, but only until the first basket was scored. It was the first of many scores. Basket after basket lead to a big victory. We had one the camp competition! As we celebrated that night over Coke floats and pizza, I was reminded of a quote that I had obtained while working a project for school. It was something that Mia Hamm had once said that captivated me and still remains with me this day: â€Å"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion. †Though the team considered me a champion and at first, I wanted to be, to be included, but I realized something from that game. I was never an outsider, really. All mankind, no matter what creed or color, are a part of the human race that laughs and cries and works and plays. I learned from my basketball summer camp experience that I was certainly not the only one who was homesick. We were just all missing the homes that we knew. People are not as different as we think. There are different situations and circumstances and cultures, but we are all people. That, I learned, makes us all insiders. There are insiders and outsiders everywhere.Organizations even have them. It is a problem that can split an organization. Outsiders can be due to language barrier, status in business, or disagreements among employees. According to Forbes. com, â€Å"In high-conflict climates, 50% of employees say they get less done while fuming, 46% thought about quitting and 37% became less committed to their work. † It is proven that when several outsiders are not happy in the business, it affects their work. â€Å"Think about it: If employees are stewing over something a co-worker did or about the promotion they didn’t get, chances are they’re not getting their work accomplished–at least not well.Rather than dealing with more revenue-producing matters, managers report they're spending 30% of their time dealing with conflict, according to John Ford, founder of John Ford & Associates, a workplace conflict management firm in California. Resolving those issues quickly saves time and money and boosts employee retention rates,† said Forbes. com. To make employees feel included and help them to get along with one another without having anyone left out, I have made a list of things that I believe are necessary to accomplish the unity goal. 1.Allow all employees to anonymously report when there is an office bully or problem. This helps them know that they do not have to simply â€Å"put up with† what they are going through. 2. Allow all employees a voice. Let them make suggestions and do not forget to give credit where it is due. If a more timid employee comes up with a great idea, then giving him the credit for it can mak e the other employees respect him more. 3. If there is a language barrier, it would be beneficial to have at least one person who can translate. That would help ease confusion. 4.Make sure that all employees are treated equally. No matter what position they are in. 5. Appreciate all employees. 6. Do not place blame in the workplace. If something goes wrong, it went wrong and blaming will not help matters. Allow the person who made the mistake to right it by coming up with a quick, successful plan. 7. Videotaping a meeting could also be a good idea. This way, reviewing who seems to not be participating is easier. Then speak with the one who is not participating and discover and fix the problem. 8. Make sure that employees are trained well enough for their position.If they know what they are doing, they will feel more confident and may participate more. This also decreases the number of mistakes made. 9. Refer to the staff as a â€Å"team. † This automatically suggests unity. 1 0. Have a coach come in and give important lectures about teams. This could even be an annual reminder that the staff is a team. After the meeting, find out if there is anything that could be hindering the unity. From both of my experiences, being an insider and outsider, I think that it is very important that everyone feel like an insider – particularly in an organization.I hope that if people do feel left out, as I did in the beginning of my stay in the United States, that they will tell someone. Communication is the best remedy. Works Cited Hamm, Mia. â€Å"Mia Hamm Quotes. † Thinkexist. 2006. 29 Nov. 2006 . â€Å"NBA Rules. † Basketball. 2002. 29 Nov. 2006 . Weiss, Tara. â€Å"Can't We All Just Get Along? † Forbes. 2006. 29 Nov. 2006 .

Imf -Role for Developing Countries

Introduction: International Monetary Fund (IMF),is a specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1945. It was planned at the Bretton Woods Conference (1944), and its headquarters are in Washington, D. C. There is close collaboration between it and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Its primary mission is to ensure stability in the international monetary system. The IMF provides policy advice and financing to member countries with economic problems.The organization, using a fund subscribed by the member nations, purchases foreign currencies on application from its members so as to discharge international indebtedness and stabilize exchange rates. The IMF currency reserve units are called Special Drawing Rights (SDRs); from 1974 to 1980 the value of SDRs was based on the currencies of 16 leading trading nations. Since 1980 it has been reevaluated every five years and based on the relative international economic importance of the British pound sterli ng, the European Union euro (formerly the French franc and German mark), the Japanese yen, and the U.S. dollar. To facilitate international trade and reduce inequities in exchange, the fund has limited power to set the par value of currencies. Members are provided with technical assistance in making monetary transactions. In 1995 the fund moved to increase disclosure requirements of countries borrowing money and at the same time created an emergency bailout fund for countries in financial crisis. IMF was criticized in 1998 for exacerbating the Asian financial crisis, through the fund's decision to require Asian nations to raise their interest rates to record levels.During the international financial crisis of the early 21st century the IMF provided loans and access to credit of more than $100 billion to developing countries that were affected by falling demand for their exports and other financial problems. Instead of increasing government expenditure and boosting domestic demand, l ocal employment and economic activity to overcome the recession, the IMF is cutting spending and increasing tariffs and taxes in already contracting economies for the express purpose of maintaining low inflation and fiscal deficit rates, flexible exchange rates, and trade and financial liberalization.In this paper we try to analyze effect of reduced government expenditure for developing countries that sought aid on dealing with currency crisis. We also analyze the reasons behind strict monetary policy prescribed by IMF. Our analysis provides a framework that would help improve IMF’s approach in future. Reasons behind strict monetary policy: IMF claims upon maintaining transparency in setting up operation, but it is actually extremely secretive. In recent years, as criticism about this policy has grown, IMF has made certain parameters of structural adjustment of various developing countries public.Although IMF assumes a dominating role in structuring policies for affected nati ons, it imposes its policies on them rather than involving them in the decision making process. Key structural adjustment measures include: †¢ Privatizing government-owned enterprises and government-provided services, †¢ Slashing government spending, †¢ Orienting economies to promote exports, †¢ Trade and investment liberalization, †¢ Higher interest rates, eliminating subsidies on consumer items such as foods, fuel and medicines and tax increasesThe basic idea of these policies is to shrink the size and role of government, rely on market forces to distribute resources and services and integrate poor countries into the global economy. Also, despite pledges to address the crisis in flexible and innovative ways, the IMF's key objective in crisis loans remained ‘macroeconomic stability' through the ‘tightening of monetary and fiscal policies' with below objectives: †¢   Lowering fiscal deficits and inflation levels †¢   Buffering inter national reserves †¢ Reducing or restraining public spending   Increasing official interest rates or restraining the growth of the money supply †¢   Preventing currency depreciation Structural Adjustments in IMF policy: Structural adjustments have been successful at its intended efforts to diminish the scope of government and to integrate developing countries into the global economy. But they have failed by many other measures. By and large, countries undergoing structural adjustment have not experienced economic growth, even in the medium term. Main Reasons include: †¢ The IMF caters to wealthy countries and Wall Street:Dominating decision power and voting power has made US a largest shareholder of IMF of rich countries. Disproportional amount of power held by wealthy countries translates into decisions that benefit wealthy bankers, investors and corporations from industrialized countries at the expense of sustainable development. †¢ The IMF is imposing a fu ndamentally flawed development model IMF forces countries from the Global South to prioritize export production over the development of a diversified domestic economy. i. e. hift from food production for local consumption to the production of crops for export to the industrialized countries. Small businesses and farmers can't compete with large multinational corporations. Thus the cycle of poverty is perpetuated, not eliminated. †¢ IMF Policies hurt the environment The IMF does not consider environmental impacts of lending policies; and environmental ministries and groups are not included in policy making. The focus on export growth to earn hard currency to pay back loans means unsustainable liquidation of natural resources.This happened with the bailouts of Brazil, Indonesia, and Russia–countries that are renowned for their great biodiversity The IMF bails out rich bankers, creating a moral hazard and greater instability in the global economy The IMF pushes countries to dismantle trade and investment rules, as well as raise interest rates in order to lower inflation. The removal of regulations that might limit speculation has greatly increased capital investment in developing country financial markets. More than $1. 5 trillion crosses borders every day.This capital is short-term, unstable, and puts countries at the whim of financial speculators. The Mexican 1995 peso crisis was partly a result of these IMF policies. Impact of Structural reforms on developing countries and its evaluation: Those developing countries that have experienced the greatest economic successes in recent decades have violated many of the central precepts of structural adjustment. They have protected certain parts of their economy, and they have maintained an active governmental role in economic planning.A review of policies sponsored by the IMF illustrated the basic failure of structural adjustment. Countries undergoing such structural adjustment experienced stagnating growt h rates and saw their foreign debt nearly double-dramatic evidence of failure, since reducing foreign debt is one of ESAF's ostensible purposes. As per reports, the two regions with the most structural adjustment experience, per capital income has stagnated (Latin America) or collapsed (Africa, where per capita income dropped more than 20 percent between 1980 and 1997). The emphasis on exports tends to be socially disruptive, especially in rural areas.Poor subsistence farmers frequently find their economic activity described as nonproductive, and experience land pressures from expanding agribusinesses, timber companies and mines. Pushed off their land, they frequently join the ranks of the urban unemployed, or move onto previously unsettled, and frequently environmentally fragile, lands. Structural adjustment has generally contributed to rising income and wealth inequality in the developing countries, a fact tacitly acknowledged by both recently retired IMF Managing Director Michel Camdessus and World Bank President James Wolfensohn.Consider the Asian meltdown caused in large part by South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, which was caused by heavy reliance on short-term foreign loans. When it became apparent that private enterprises in those nations would not be able to meet their payment obligations, international currency markets panicked. Currency traders sought to convert their Asian money into dollars, and the Asian currencies plummeted. That made it harder for the Asian countries to pay their loans, and it made imports suddenly very expensive.The IMF’s usual policy of countries not meeting their balance of payments due to increased value imports and reduced exports was reapplied here. Treating the Asian Financial crisis like other situations, IMF made arrangements for loans to enable these countries to payoff their debts. But IMF placed the condition that the countries would adopt the structural adjustment policies. But th ey failed to understand that the Asian crisis condition differed from this situation.Like, even though Asian countries did not run budget deficits, they were compelled to restrict government spending which further deepened their slowdown. The Fund failed to manage an orderly roll over of short-term loans to long-term loans, which was most needed; and it forced governments, including in South Korea and Indonesia to guarantee private debts owed to foreign creditors. In retrospect, even the IMF would admit that it made things worse in Asia. Malaysia stood out as a country that refused IMF assistance and advice.Instead of further opening its economy, Malaysia imposed capital controls, in an effort to eliminate speculative trading in its currency While the IMF mocked this approach when adopted, the Fund later admitted that it succeeded. Malaysia generally suffered less severe economic problems than the other countries embroiled in the Asian financial crisis. Considering example of Pakist an,   Pakistan is among the most frequent users of IMF loans, having borrowed IMF money 12 times since 1980.However, 10 of these programmes were abandoned midway due to Pakistan’s failure to fully adopt the IMF’s policy recommendations. Undue US interference, inadequate political analysis capacities within the IMF, inappropriate sequencing and over-ambitious agendas given the short loan durations were the main reasons . For example, Pakistan was advised to reduce import duties before it developed alternative taxation measures to cover the ensuing tax revenue shortfalls.This increased Pakistan’s public debt significantly as it had to borrow to cover the resulting fiscal deficits. However, Pakistan must partly share the blame since it accepted the loan conditions. Same happened with for some African countries, which lack both the technical capacities to analyse the IMF conditions and alternative financing options The IMF's structural adjustment prescriptions for countries suffering through the Asian financial crisis were roundly denounced, including by many conservative and mainstream economists and opinion makers.The widespread criticism of the Fund undermined its political credibility. The IMF response has been to make some minor concessions in making its documents more publicly available, limiting its demands that countries liberalize their capital markets (including by allowing unlimited trade in their currency, and permitting foreign investors to invest in domestic stocks and bonds without restriction), and increasing its rhetorical commitment to paying attention to poverty in its structural adjustment programs.But the financial crisis, aggravated due to IMF’sstructural policy, had alreadyled to massive human suffering. â€Å"IMF suicides† became common among workers who lost their jobs and dignity. In Indonesia, the worst hit country, poverty rates rose from an official level of 11 percent before the crisis to 40 to 60 percent in varying estimates. GDP declined by 15 percent m one year. IMF policies exacerbated the economic meltdown in countries hit by the Asian financial crisis.Mandated reductions in government spending worsened the Asian nation's recessions and depressions. And the forced elimination of price controls and subsidies for the poor imposed enormous costs of the lowest income strata’s. In Indonesia, food and gasoline prices rose 25 to 75 percent overnight or in the course of a few days. Although most developing countries are in need of fundamental reform along the general economic principles advocated by the IMF, the problem lies with the specifics of the IMF reform agenda.Thus as per the latest records, most successful East Asian countries have adopted IMF’s principles but have utilized very different specific tools which preserve long-term development, unlike IMF-recommended tools. Instead of widespread immediate privatization, China initially introduced managerial in centive systems in agriculture and industry. This boosted Chinese productivity without the massive economic ruin that the IMF-advised mass-scale privatization caused in Russia in the 1990s.In fact, no developing country sticking entirely to the IMF approaches has achieved the type of success achieved by East Asian countries. Towards growth- and development-oriented fiscal and monetary policies: A more development-oriented macroeconomic policy stance is necessary in order to generate the quantum leap in resources that LICs need to finance large-scale new investments in economic and social infrastructure, which includes the specific MDG (Millennium Development Goals) goals in the health and education sectors, and job creation.Progress on poverty reduction and basic human development has historically required, and continues to require, such a critical degree of spending and investment in the domestic economy. In order to support the achievement of the MDGs, IMF policies need to change: †¢ Support of active use of fiscal policy to for public investments and public spending to build essential economic and social infrastructures. Future revenues expected from the investment should pay off the debt that the government initially incurred. The IMF should encourage more expansionary monetary options that better enable domestic firms and consumers to access affordable credit for expanding production, employment, and increased contributions to the domestic tax base. Monetary policy should thus maintain low real interest rates, rather than ineffectively trying to keep inflation low with high interest rates which dampen aggregate demand and growth prospects. The IMF should permit the regulation of the capital account to confront the continuous inflow, as well as outflow, of private capital from national economies, i. e. ‘capital flight'. Now the question lies, whether the IMF is actually concerned about sustainable development? If yes, then the emphasis should no t be on IMF pushing the countries to adopt its structural policies in exchange of the debt funds. Instead, IMF's influence and power needs to be reduced so it has less say over developing country policies.

The political and economic poliies of mexico in 1876-1910 essays

The political and economic poliies of mexico in 1876-1910 essays The Porfirato is the name given by historians to the period 1876-1910 in Mexico.The Mexican government was under the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz,who was responsible for implementing Mexican Modernization during his 34 year reign. Porfirio Diaz (1830-1915) was of Spanish and Indegenous ancestry who became a national heroe because of his military exploits during the French intervention.He also commanded the troops that captured Mexico city in 1867 The first diaz administration (1876-1880) established after power was seized from Juarez through caudillo and military support .He later returned to office in 1884 and continued to it through successive reelections until his resignationand flight from Mexico in 1911 .In the four year interim 1880-1884,Manuel Gonzalez with the initial support of Diaz continued Diazs modernization programme. The Mexican government of this period employed economic and social policies of industrialization by invitation, land expropriation, revised taxation and constitutional amendment, to open up the country for development. Industrialization by invitation opened Mexico to foreign capital from United States and Europe. When Diaz assumed control ofMexico in 1876,the country had scarcely been touched by the scientific,technological and industrial revolutions or the material conquests of the nineteenth century.Laws were revised to make the country more attractive to investors and American and other investors and promoters were granted concessions of every kind on extremely generous terms.Foreign capital fuelled dynamic growthand an expanding rail network promoted eport agriculture,manufacturing and mining. Foreign railway companies invested in railway building creating a boom under the Diaz regime.The tracks went from less than 400 in1876 to over 12000 in 1910.Tracks were laid for export purpose cto carry Mexican minerals and goods abroad.The Mex...

Major Innovators of Early Motion Pictures

Major Innovators of Early Motion Pictures The first machine patented in the United States that showed animated pictures or movies was a device called the wheel of life or zoopraxiscope. Patented in 1867 by William Lincoln, it allowed moving drawings or photographs to be viewed through a slit in the zoopraxiscope. However, this was a far cry from motion pictures as we know them today. The Lumià ¨re Brothers and the Birth of Motion Pictures Modern motion picture making began with the invention of the motion picture camera.  French brothers Auguste and Louis Lumià ¨re are often credited with inventing the first motion picture camera, although others had developed similar inventions at around the same time. What the Lumià ¨res invented was special, however. It combined a portable motion-picture camera, film processing unit, and a projector called the Cinematographe. It was  basically a device with three functions in one. The Cinematographe made motion pictures very popular. It can even be said that Lumieres invention gave birth to  the motion picture era.  In 1895, Lumiere and his brother became the first to demonstrate photographic moving pictures projected onto a screen for a paying audience of more than one person. The audience saw ten 50-second films, including the Lumià ¨re brother’s first, Sortie des Usines Lumià ¨re Lyon (Workers Leaving the Lumià ¨re Factory in Lyon). However, the Lumiere brothers were not the first to project film. In 1891, the Edison company successfully demonstrated the Kinetoscope, which enabled one person at a time to view moving pictures. Later in 1896, Edison showed his improved  Vitascope  projector, the first commercially successful projector in the U.S. Here are some of the other key players  and milestones  in the history of motion pictures: Eadweard Muybridge San Francisco photographer Eadweard Muybridge conducted motion-sequence still photographic experiments and is referred to  as the  Father of the Motion Picture, even though he did not make films in the manner in which we know them  today. Thomas Edisons Contributions Thomas Edisons interest in motion pictures began prior to 1888.  However, the visit of Eadweard Muybridge to the inventors laboratory in West Orange in February of that year certainly stimulated Edisons resolve to invent a motion picture camera. Whereas film equipment has undergone drastic changes throughout the course of history, 35mm film has remained the universally accepted film size. We owe the format to a great extent to Edison. In fact, 35mm film was once called the Edison size. George Eastman In 1889, the first commercial transparent roll film, perfected by Eastman and his research chemist, was put on the market. The availability of this flexible film made possible the development of Thomas Edisons motion picture camera in 1891. Colorization Film Colorization was invented by Canadians Wilson Markle and Brian Hunt in 1983.   Walt Disney Mickey Mouses official birthday is November 18, 1928. Thats when he made his first film debut in  Steamboat Willie. While this was the first Mickey Mouse cartoon released, the first Mickey Mouse Cartoon ever made was  Plane Crazy  in 1928 and became the third cartoon released.  Walt Disney  invented Mickey Mouse and the multi-plane camera. Richard M. Hollingshead Richard M. Hollingshead patented and opened the first drive-in theater. Park-In Theaters  opened on June 6, 1933, in Camden, New Jersey. While drive-in showings of movies took place years earlier, Hollingshead was the first to patent the concept.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The IMAX Movie System The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO 67 in Montreal, Canada, where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers and entrepreneurs (Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, and Robert Kerr) who had made some of those popular films decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. To project images of far greater size and with better resolution, the  film is run horizontally so that the image width is greater than the width of the film.

Nuclear Fission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nuclear Fission - Essay Example A uranium atom is bombarded by slow moving neutrons. Nucleus that split produce three neutrons creating a chain reaction that must be controlled. Control in a nuclear reactor is obtained by using two isotopes of Uranium and . does not split when bombarded with neutrons and thus stops the chain reaction. Graphite modulators and control rods are also used in nuclear reactors to control the nuclear fission reaction. Graphite modulators slow down the fast moving newly generated neutrons. Carbon rods are moved in and out of the reactor to absorb neutrons and control or complete stop the nuclear fission reaction. The main disadvantage in using nuclear fission reactors is the disposal and storage of nuclear waste which remain very harmful for several thousand years. The sun generates its heat energy by using nuclear fusion reactions that takes place on the sun. Even though, both nuclear fusion and fission generate energy. However, fusion is the reverse of fission. Fission is simple in relation to fusions. Fission requires lots of highly radioactive material, creating by-products with very long half-lives, whereas fusion uses only small amounts of fuel. Fusion occurs when light atomic nuclei are forced close enough together that they combine to form heavier nuclei. On the other hand fission heavy nuclei are broken downs into lighter fragments (POST 2003, p.1). Controlling fusion reactions involves the use of two light nuclei, deuterium and tritium, which are isotopes of hydrogen. Fusion takes place when the nuclei obtain enough energy to overcome their mutual repulsion, they can undergo the fusion reaction shown in the following figure: Figure 1: simple Fusion Reaction Nuclear fusion reactions involve the fusion of two nuclei to generate helium and a neutron in addition to a large amount of energy. The particles form a high density and super hot ionized gas called plasma. At high temperature the electrons escape from the nuclei producing a plasma of positive ions. To create nuclear fusion reactions on earth, the plasma must be confined to minimize heat losses from the system. Nucleogenesis: Lithium is generated in the stars by the process of nucleogensis. This process uses the most abundant elements of hydrogen and helium to generate lithium. In the sun, the nearest star, a large quantity of energy is generated when hydrogen is converted into helium by the following nuclear fusion reaction: (Woods 2006, p9) After hydrogen is used up in the sun, a new series of fusion reactions occur in which helium generates beryllium, which then reacts with helium to generate carbon, which then reacts with helium to generate oxygen, which then reacts with helium to generate neon, which then reacts with helium to generate magnesium. All of these fusion reactions generate energy in addition to the different elements that are produced as shown in the following series of reactions (Woods 2006, p9): Once helium is used up, carbon regenerates hydrogen and helium in addition to a number of other elements as demonstrated in the following fusion

Post-Partum Depression in Latin American Women in the South Bronx Research Paper

Post-Partum Depression in Latin American Women in the South Bronx (Ages 20-25) - Research Paper Example South Bronx is an area well known in United States that was heavily crashed by the Second World War. The war affected all sectors of life, economic, social, political, and cultural and employment. Due to the impact of the war, people in this area live in great poverty and under poor conditions (Sierra, 2008). Q. 2. Since many centuries back, there was a relationship between depression and childbirth. Nowadays, researches have been done and clear evidence that many depression and other mental conditions are as a result of pregnancy. This is in accordance with Latin American Researchers who found out that mood turmoil in women especially depression are related to pregnancy. South Bronx is the poorest district in the United States. Additionally, it is the district that reports many cases of women ailing postpartum depression. Of the total population, 256,544 which represent 38% live below the poverty line. This is in accordance with a report issued by US census Bureau (Sierra, 2008). Re ports show that approximately 61% of women experience anxiety after birth and later reduces during the fifth week after childbirth. An average of 13% of women experience PPD which may last for months after delivery Chances of a woman experiencing PPD vary depending with age, background, level of education, history of depression among others. ... Many people living in South America are Latin and black Americans. Majority of Latinos’ and black Americans live in South Bronx, a district known to be lived by people with no prospect of employment (Sierra, 2008). A large population of people has low income while the rest are unemployed. In 2005, 205,000 middle age women were treated with PPD in the United States. The cause of the high rise of postpartum depression in this area in young women is due to lack of financial support, unexpected pregnancies and abandonment (Sierra, 2008). Many young women in south Bronx engage in illegal activities like prostitution, drug trafficking, alcoholism and robbery to earn a living. These are some of the risk factors causing depression which is the cause of PPD. Additionally, poor health conditions is another factor leading to postpartum depression in Latin Americans living in south Bronx. Due to poverty, many women do not receive health assistance during pregnancy and after birth. For tho se who seek medical assistance, chances are that they receive low quality services due to lack of enough finances. It is normal that during the first few weeks many women experience moody feelings, lose appetite, hopelessness, difficulty in sleeping due to hormonal changes during pregnancy and after birth (Rosenfield, 2006). These feelings are called baby blues which are normal feeling to almost 80% of new mothers. In some cases, these feelings can be persistence leading to serious mental disorders like postpartum depression (PPD) or postpartum psychosis. This condition may affect women in their early years (20-30) of reproduction than during the late years. The main reason is unwanted pregnancies, poverty, abortion, complications during