Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Impact of Wikileaks on the Global Political and Economic Landscape Essay
Introduction WikiLeaks website has changed the profession of journalism in the United States and the media perspective with its flow in the information society. The website is a platform that helps unmask all the corruption activities going on in the government offices. Of all the media platforms WikiLeaks is the most famous for the news updates on political matters happening in the states and around the globe. Wilileaks has contributed to several media conflicts especially between the United States and other nations and that is why the government does not support its activities at all. In my essay, I am going to explore the various ways in which WikiLeaks has helped unmask several criminal and corruption activities going on in the country. Although some of its news are a bit compromising to the security and dignity of the nation the platform has given light to the people of the United States of America. Wikileaks is a non-profitable and non-commercial internet platform that was introduced in 2006 by Julia Assage. It relies on online donation for all its functioning and funding. Its main purpose is to upload documents that help expose the government and corporate institutions to the public. These documents are uploaded anonymously by using an online submission form. The importance of this platform is that it has the potential to make known the scale of brutality and violence especially in the military welfare. Political honesty is a virtue that every U S politician should exercise and with the help of Wikileaks they have no option but observe it. In other words, a journalist platform watchdog makes secrets transparent to all and especially those involving the public. Most media organization has tried to view groups like WikiLeaks in several dimensions with most of them considering its concrete actions as one of the online activism and the impacts of its actions. It is important to first note the relationship between the two groups, media and government. In most incidences the media always seems to be conflicting with the government over issues regarding the people. Platforms like WikiLeaks are great threat to the state government especially in issues of corruption and law (Shirky, 2011, p.41). Through their online activism, Anonymous and WikiLeaks groups have their power to â€Å"unmask†power structures like the corrupt police departments in the US, and all the Armison brutality activities. While WikiLeaks has gained fame as a whistle blowing site since its introduction in 2006, its reputation increased when it released the so-called Iraq and Afghanistan war document in 2010. This document contained crucial and important information about the events that took place and the people and nations responsible for the war. The United States government was not happy with the release of these documents as they posed great danger of terror attacks by either Iraq or Afghanistan. These two countries are known for their fierce terrorism activities and interfering with them would be like provoking them. The release of these documents brought about a number of questions concerning the legal implication of journalism freedom with top government officials claiming that too much freedom will lead to misuse of information or misinterpretation of some crucial and sensitive information (Springer, 2014, p.411).Actions of WikiLeaks have affected the media platform in various concrete ways. The likes of Tambini and Lynch have tried to investigate the implication of WikiLeaks work and the measures to regulate the censorship of related sites especially in the UK and US. They argue that whistle blowing organizations should be awarded protection under the law on their ability to â€Å"self-regulate†and â€Å"develop†ethical principles to govern their freedom of publication and decisions they make on their work. The platform poses a great threat to the government and politicians and there are fears that if allowed to continue with its activities it will cause a lot of harm to the U S government by exposing sensitive government secrets to the world. Other nations also feel that WikiLeaks should be restricted on some publications because some of the information it exposes might cause a lot of friction especially between nations. The advancement of WikiLeaks since its establishment up to the publication of the Iraq and Afghanistan document was marked by a degree of media fascination, which made it gain a lot of fame compared to other media platforms. This posed a great threat to the media personalities who felt that WikiLeaks was gaining fame with each passing day making their work very difficult to appeal their audience. Its turnaround moment came in 2010 and continued to 2011 when the organization produced a lot of materials and documents regarding the Iraq war, the Collateral Murder Video and the diplomatic cable. There have been several attempts by media organizations to look down on the role of cites like WikiLeaks and deny them the freedom to post confidential documents although these attempts have not succeeded because the platform is under the media authority which protects all its activities. It also describes itself as a watchdog for the people â€Å"we believe that it is not only the people of the United States who should keep their government honest but also people from other countries†and that is why other countries are also opposing Wikileaks activities. (Pozen, 2013, p.635). We can say that wikiLeaks has played a great role in ensuring that congress does not abuse the powers granted to it and its members. He makes information about organizations that abuse powers granted to them available to the public and so they are aware of what their leaders do this makes leaders very keen on what they do. Anonymous submission of analyzed documents about the various activities going on in public offices and organizations are presented on the WikiLeaks website enabling millions of viewers to have knowledge of what is happening behind the curtains of power. The difference between WikiLeaks and other sites like Wikipedia is that it engages mostly in the political struggles. The use of media has become a trend in the United States making the latter transparent and exposing those who try to abuse office powers granted to them. Today we live in a world where technology is the main aspect to shaping the lives of many people. The internet is now being used as an eye of power to tackle various aspects of crimes performed by leaders especially in third world countries (Coleman, 2014, p.406). Based on various aspects of tradition we can define power as the â€Å"disposition over the means required to influence various processes and decisions in our daily lives.†this means that the power to control several issues like political influences and distribution of resources can be distributed in a more systematic way. Democracy is the only way to ensure there is equal distribution and exercise of both political and cultural powers. Organizations like WikiLeaks exist because we live in an era where political and cultural powers are not exercised fairly as expected. Any government that exercises its powers as expected should not have any worries about organizations set to scan their activities. They should instead be supporting such groups so that they can display their good work on these sites. The United States government highly opposes such organizations like Wikileaks because they are afraid that their dirty linens will be exposed to the public. Analysis shows that the most important element of WikiLeaks is to make the Obama government practice transparency in their works and offices, establish a more transparent, and open government. The platform defines itself as a liberal project that protects the rights of the United States people especially freedom of speech because it strengthens democracy by exposing government corruption. He places his emphasis on documenting government and corporate irresponsibility and abuse of powers. This shows the general public that the corrupt government is the main problem in the world’s economy and is pulling development behind. Instead of improving the livelihood of their nations politicians are busy engaging themselves embezzling funds and resources meant to improve the development of their citizens. There has been an emerging body geared at seeking a framework to examine the works of WikiLeaks and its impact on the current situation in the U S. The widespread use of technology has made his work a success in various ways and has brought a great impact to the world’s economy. Following the publication of the Iraq documents the United States government heavily criticized WikiLeaks work. The government claimed that these documents were a great threat to the security of their country and could put the citizens at a very high risk of terror attacks by the Afghanistan government (Springer, 2014, p.411). The truth about the WikiLeaks documents is that they got the potential and ability to make visible the amount of brutality and violence especially in military horror conflicts during their activities because some use a lot of brutality on their subjects. The site is political based since most of its news come from the political arena, although many view it as a threat to ruling groups and they see it as an enemy. Instead criticizing such cites we should base our efforts in monitoring the governance offered by our political leaders. We should ask ourselves are our political leaders meeting all our demands and expectations. Do they take advantage of the powers granted to them to abuse office? In fact, we should ensure that we capture every activity they undertake so that we can be sure of what they do with our money. They should be aware that the public is watching their every move and be conscious of their actions. There has been a problem with scientists arguing that the journalism powers and freedom granted to these sites are too much and they are using them inappropriately to create biased information. Most leaders are unable to verify the facts stated in the articles because they do not have a strong background. This makes the general public doubt their potential and innocence in the accused incidents. Some of these articles have very confidential information about the government and exposing them is like displaying the secrets of a state. The scientist claims that there should be a certain limit to the freedom of publication of such documents to the internet because they may cause a great damage in future (Gibson 2013, p. 314). In my study, I have explored several things and have learnt that; journalism benefits from a disclosure of the framework in which it is built. A journalism model is bound to directly or in directly affects the model in which leaking of important documents will be exposed to the public. In my opinion, WikiLeaks models are the most effective journalism models since they abide to the entire ethic. Real life cases are always the best examples to handle and solve situations and that is why it is advisable in some situations to leave behind the easy scenarios to get the best outcome to fit in the world. Most critiques of Wikileaks have released their anger by claiming that exposing secret documents will pose great danger to Americans. For instance, if you expose concrete information about a certain terror group the group is bound to take revenge on you by conducting a terror attack on you. Some of the publishers do not look at the possibilities of posing danger to the people but stick to the fact that the public has the right to know what is happening around them regardless of the intensity of the matter. It is therefore advisable that these journalists are cautious of what they publish to the public to avoid any conflicts. I believe that journalists have the right to publish what they want and help the public know about their government on the basis that they abide by the rules put in place to govern their publications. References Curran, G, & Gibson, M 2013, ‘WikiLeaks, Anarchism and Technologies of Dissent’, Antipode,           45, 2, pp.      294-314, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 28 November  2014. Springer, S, Chi, H, Crampton, J, McConnell, F, Cupples, J, Glynn, K, Warf, B, & Attewell, W           2012, ‘Leaky            Geopolitics: The Ruptures and Transgressions of WikiLeaks’, Geopolitics,           17, 3, pp. 681-711,  Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 28 November     2014. Youngblood Coleman, D 2014, ‘United States: 2014 Country Review’, United States Country Review, pp.            1-981, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 28 November    2014. Coleman, DY 2014, ‘Afghanistan’, Afghanistan Country Review, pp. 2-406, Business Source   Complete,            EBSCOhost, viewed 28 November 2014. Pozen, DE 2013, ‘The Leaky Leviathan: Why The Government Condemns         And Condones            Unlawful Disclosures Of Information’, Harvard     Law Review, 127, 2, pp. 512-635,            Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 28           November 2014. Shirky, C 2011, ‘The Political Power of Social Media’, Foreign Affairs, 90, 1, pp. 28-41,           Academic Search            Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 28 November 2014. Â
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Where the US Economy Will be a Year from Now
The US economy was growing steadily for the past years. Currently, however, the US is facing challenges pertaining to the economy. Some troubles began to manifest as early as 2006 when a sharp decline in the housing starts was first observed. The subprime mortgage crisis occurred. Stock market crashed and investors fleed. The economic slump continued and the dreaded recession occurred. US officially announced it was in recession in December 2008. Deflationary House Prices in the US Once the economic crisis sets in, households at the lower income bracket felt the pinch the most. People with no savings have no fall back option. They are paying money for home mortgages but money becomes scarce. Consequently since they are unable to pay the mortgage and their houses get foreclosed. Another effect of the deflationary house prices in the US is that foreclosed homes now created a growing list of unsold houses either old or new inventories. This situation is more pronounced in certain markets such as urban Florida, California, Nevada, Atlanta and others. The lack of buyers for these houses cause the prices to stabilize or in most cases, they go down. Once residential markets experience this problem, potential homebuyers will not commit to buying a house. This is because they want to hold on to their money until the home prices go down to its lowest level. Thereby giving their money a lot of leverage. What can be bought in hundreds of thousands dollars before could be bought in a much lower amount now. With the homebuyers holding on to their money for as long as possible and the house inventory growing by the minute due to foreclosures, a dilemma ensues. This is the biggest reason why homebuilding industry is the one most affected by the economic crisis America is facing today. 2010 Economic Outlook Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke announced some good news on May 5, 2009 that the three year economic slump the US has been experiencing is showing tell-tale signs of recovery. He projected that the recession could end late 2009, if US will not experience relapse on credit problems. Bernanke spoke before Congress saying economic indicators are hinting to a possible recovery towards the end of the year. But the climb out of the proverbial tunnel will be nothing but easy. Bernanke projected that unemployment cases will go even higher even after the recession is over. Unemployment is actually believe to reach its peak in 2010. Also, growth will be slow. The said forecast is based on the effects of the continuous repair of the economic system. The government has taken some steps to stall the effects of the crisis like injecting economic stimulus and lowering interest rates and the results are now showing. If a relapse occur in the financial situation could drag the economic recovery efforts down. U. S. stock markets have shown a lot of promise recently. The Standard & Poor's 500 index grows to 35 percent since March which indicates that consumer spending has steadied and the decline in the housing starts have slowly stopped. Bernanke’s forecast that US will peg an economic growth at 2 percent in 2010 and 4 percent in 2011. Excess economic slack or the increase in amount of idle plant and equipment would keep inflation low. Also, the US Central Bank will maintain minimal interest rates for an extended period. Economists believe that the United States will recover from the recession faster than Europe, due to the Federal Reserve's quick action on the situation. The International Monetary Fund announced in April 2009 that Europe's recession might continue in 2010. Deflation and Inflation The deep economic recession felt all over the United States has led to an all-time low in consumer confidence. It has also affected negatively the banking system. These factors have increased the risk of deflation. To counter the deflation risks, policy makers and the Federal Reserve have to adopt measures that are not commonly practiced in order to ward off deflation by increasing the amount of money being circulated. Policy makers had to expand fiscal spending. And the nominal interest rates are currently pegged at almost 0% since December 2008 to ease up credit and its availability. This has saved the country from being on the brink of deflation. But the same solution could create problems later as the huge increase in base-money has caused a number of people to believe that Fed’s actions could lead to inflation later. Inflation is not a problem as of the moment because households have decreased spending to a minimum and the money are hidden in bank vaults. Excess economic slack or the increase in amount of idle plant and equipment would also keep inflation at bay. The unused factories and growing unemployment do not permit businesses to increase prices of products and wages of employees. Once economic recovery begins and economic slack levels off, increase in money supply would eventually give way to increase in prices of commodities and wages. To prevent this from happening, the Fed must withdraw the money it has infused to the financial system while in a recession. If the Feds cannot implement this quickly, rampant inflation would ensue. Hyperinflation Hyperinflation occurs when the prices will go up as the currency falls. This is the next challenge that US might face. This dilemma however could contribute to some advantages to the businessmen. Selling US dollar and Japanese yen – the two currencies that will devalue after recession – would be highly profitable. Before hyperinflation could go full blast selling dollars and yen would bring a lot of money to traders. Once dollar value goes down. The value of the dollar sold would probably be twice its value during hyperinflation. Effect of the Dollar's Valuation Dollar and Euro currencies are recently on a see-saw battle for supremacy. US dollar declined against the Euro in the past years until recently. The current global economic slump has caused the Euro to devaluate against the US dollar. Should the tide turn in favor of the Euro again, a decline in the US dollar could actually bring some advantages: – lower dollar could mean more opportunities for export since the goods being sold from the US are relatively cheaper now compared to the Euros. – the discounted US dollar will lead to a foreign investment boom that would eventually slow down investments being poured in the European countries. – Decrease external trade deficit Disadvantages of a declining dollar rate vs Euro – going or visiting to Europe would mean paying higher amount for goods and services – American importers would pay more for imported goods – Rising inflation – American credit becomes less attractive to foreign investors – Interest rates will go up to be able to finance budget deficit Countries to Invest In The Euro is not the only currency that is rising against the US dollar: the Australian Dollar, and the Canadian Dollar both hold some promise. The Euro is a good alternative currency to the US dollars for investors. Also, there is a possibility that difference in interest rates in the US and Europe may increase and since returns usually increases along with interest rates, the Euro will then be more profitable to investors. If the devaluation of dollar occurs, countries that hold large amounts of US dollars may shift to using the Euro currrency in their reserves. Some countries have already shifted to Euro reserves such as Russia, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Iran even wants to use Euro in quoting its Oil Exchange. If this scenario develops what might become of the US economy? One likely scenario is that foreign investors who bought a huge chunk of shares of stocks might sell their shares particularly the S&P 500 stocks. The results could not be certain though because the effects of financial instruments could not be easily determined. Currency levels depend to a large extent on the demand for the country’s currency which is the result of economic activities and interest rate differential. Most likely, US will experience inflation making imports more expensive. On the bright side, this would also decrease external trade deficits which is good for US economy. Foreign investors however will be hesitant to borrow from American banks or financial companies. The Federal Reserve might need to increase interest rates to be able to fund budget deficits which would affect the economy adversely. For those who want to invest in the market for currencies or the foreign exchange market or currency trading there are a number of options available. These include: forex futures, currency ETFs, export-benefiting equities as well as precious metals related instruments (such as mining stocks). It is good to invest in precious metals. Investing in the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) would also be advisable. BRIC or BRICs is an acronym for the current notably fast growing developing economies – Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Goldman Sachs in 2001 declared that the combined economic development in these places could overshadow the economies of the richest countries in the world. There has been ongoing speculations as evidenced by proofs that the BRICs countries are planning to form an alliance to create greater power. Investing in these places therefore would provide a better alternative to US investments since these countries development are greater compared to other countries. Invest wisely by focusing on Indian and Chinese companies that do not rely on American market to be able to buffer fluctuations in the US economy. According to economist Stanley Roach, China will recover faster than the rest of the world. This is because the structure of China’s economy is very open. Export and import shares in this country accounts for a very high percentage of the world’s total. The recession certainly affected its export markets negatively. Also, the Chinese government reacted aggressively to the situation and instituted some reforms immediately. According to Roach, China's economy will recover more swiftly if the country becomes more assertive in its implementing plans to encourage local private consumption at the same time they should find ways to decrease its heavy reliance on exports. Another country that holds a lot of promise would be Canada. Before the recession, Canada’s economy reached parity with the US dollar on September 20, 2007. Western Canada particularly is gaining a lot of strides in the economic department. But Eastern Canada hardly lagged behind. Employment rates was at its 30-year-low. Ontario is backed up by its knowledge-based businesses and Toronto’s investment sector was doing well. Western Canada’s economic boom was brought about by the world commodity markets particularly China. The â€Å"mega-boom†conditions in Alberta and Saskatchewan were due greatly to its oil reserves in the Oil Sands of Alberta. The reported oil find in Alberta’s sands deposits is believed to be able to cater to the world’s demand for a century or so. The excitement for the ‘black gold’ discovery brought about by the pouring in of billions of dollars in infrastructure has spurred Alberta and Saskatchewan industries. The provinces’ economic success has trickled down on its neighbors British Columbia and Manitoba as these two cities have experienced â€Å"mini-booms†of their own. This is one particular reason why Canada particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan would always be attractive to investors. Oil commodity is very valuable and would not be greatly affected by recession. The currency movements in the U. S. and Canada have opposite implications when it comes to the effects of general price inflation in both countries. In the U. S. , import prices are climbing because the dollar value is falling. In Canada, it is the opposite. Furthermore, in Canada, the impact of any future rise in commodity prices (which are usually specified in U. S. dollars) will be blunted. With a stronger dollar, however, Canadians need to lower down the prices of goods and services in order to compete with other countries selling same export commodities. Also, Canada needs to address an important inconsistency with the Chinese Yuan. The Yuan, since it floated in mid-2005 has been appreciating versus the U. S. dollar. But it has spiralled down versus the Canadian dollar. The irony therefore is that Chinese goods are getting cheaper in Canada and costlier in the US. Foreign Exchange Market or Currency Market Foreign exchange market or the currency market is all about trading currencies. Even in these difficult times in the economy, there is always one currency or two that is growing. The stock market is in a slump right now. It is the currency market that has remained liquid which means it is possible to make money even under tough times. The US dollar, as a matter of fact, had gone up as the S&P 500 went down. Investors in the currency market have earned a lot of money in the past months. Currency market is one safe investment that most investors. Why does US dollar rise even if US is in recession? This is because during economic recession, investors put thier money where they consider is safer. The stock market is simply too volatile and uncertain at this point. So investors turn to look for the more stable options such as the moderate currency market by investing in US Treasuries. US treasury securities are debt financing instruments issued by the US Department of the Treasury. These include four types: treasury bills, treasury notes, treasury bonds and treasury inflation protected securities (TIPS). All of these are very liquid and can be traded in a secondary market or the aftermarket. This is the reason why when the stock market crashed and panic sets in, investors sought the more liquid and safer US treasuries. The surge in demand for US Treasuries buoyed the value of the dollar. Forex markets or FX markets is also another good way to invest money. FX is where one can trade currencies. FX serves to ease trade and investment among international currencies such as US Dollar, UK Pounds, Japanese Yen and other currencies. In this money market, currencies are traded against each other. Forex is the biggest financial market today with more than $3 trillion daily turnover. Speculators market one currency for another in order to gain a profit. Financial traders are drawn to this market because it is available 24 hours daily, five days a week. Forex market can be found in four cities: New York, London, Sydney and Tokyo. Investment in foreign exchange can be done in several ways: 1). buying curency shares ETFs. The method is similar to buying stock. 2). Open a bank accont with local bank that accepts foreign currencies. 3). Buy foreign currency from online brokers and 4). Use online forex trading platform such as eToro, iForex and others. In tough times, it is always good to diversify the investment portfolio. The adage â€Å"don’t put all your eggs in one basket†proves to be true now more than ever. Since the stock market suffers great losses now, it would be good to offset it with investments that would surely create gains which the US Treasury provides. Since the currency market represented by the US Treasury securities are not associated with the stock market, investing in the currency market would serve as hedge investments and a good way to diversify investment portfolio.
Monday, July 29, 2019
A Brief on Saakshar Bharat
The programme aims to further promote and strengthen Adult Education, specially of women, by extending educational options to those adults who having lost the opportunity of access to formal education and crossed the standard age for receiving such education, now feel a need for learning of any type, including, literacy, basic education (equivalency to formal education), vocational education (skill development), physical and emotional development, practical arts, applied science, sports, and recreation. Programme Framework of Saakshar Bharat The programme framework as provided in Saakshar Bharat document is as under: Objectives:The Mission has four broad objectives, namely, Impart functional literacy and numeracy to non-literate and non-numerate adults, Enable the neo-literate adults to continue their learning beyond basic literacy and acquire equivalency to formal educational system, Impart non and neo-literates relevant skill development programmes to improve their earning and living conditions, Promote a learning society by providing opportunities to neo-literate adults for continuing education. Targets and Special Focus Areas:The Government has set a National Goal of achieving by 2012, 80 percent literacy rate and reducing gender gap in literacy to 10 percent In addition, minimising regional, social and gender disparities with Special Focus on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Minorities, disadvantaged groups, adolescents and low literacy States and tribal areas is the other national target. This target has to be achieved through formal schooling of 6-14 year old children and literacy programme of adults. In order to achieve 80% literacy, the principal target of the Mission is to impart functional literacy to 70 million adults in the age group of 15 years and beyond, to reduce gender disparity, 60 million of 70 million will be women. To reduce social disparities, within the overall target, 14 million will be Scheduled Castes (10 million women + 4 million men), 8 million Scheduled Tribes (6 million women + 2 million men) and 12 million minorities (10 million women + 2 million men). An auxiliary target of the Mission is to cover 1.5 million adults under basic education programme and equal number under vocational (skill development) programme. To minimise regional disparities, all districts that had adult female literacy rate of 50% or less as per 2001 Census are being covered under the programme. In addition, Left Wing Extremism Affected districts irrespective of their literacy rate are also eligible under the programme. As 84% of illiterate population lives in the rural areas, the prog ramme is being implemented only in the rural areas of the eligible districts. Whereas, in the urban areas, the demand for residual literacy will be met by innovatively using new actors like Jan Shikshan Sansthans, State Resource Centers, NGOs, social groups and any other institution through Public Private Partnership (PPP) or any other mode. Strategy: Saakshar Bharat will cover all adults in the age group of 15 and beyond though its primary focus will be on women. Basic Literacy, Post literacy and Continuing Education programmes, form a continuum, rather than sequential segments. For the volunteer based mass campaign approach, provision has been made for alternative approaches to adult education. Adult Education Centres (AECs), are to be set up to coordinate and manage all programmes, within their territorial jurisdiction. State Government and Panchyati Raj institutions along with communities would be valued stakeholders. Vigorous monitoring and evaluation systems are to be installed. Last, but not the least, budgetary support has been enhanced substantially. Teaching–Learning Programmes: To respond to the demand for literacy and address the diverse needs of the non and neo-literate adults, an assortment of teaching learning programmes, including Functional Literacy Programme, Basic Education Programme, Vocational Education and Continuing Education Programme are being offered as an integrated continuum. Functional Literacy Programme Programme Objectives:Literacy Programme (LP) aims at achieving the first objective of the scheme, that is, two Impart functional literacy to non-literate adults. Functional literacy, in context of the programme, implies achieving self-reliance in Reading, Writing, Arithmetic (Numeracy) and becoming aware of the causes of one’s deprivation and moving towards amelioration of their condition through organization and participation in the process of development; Acquiring skills to improve the economic status and general well being; Creating an aware and responsible citizenry (Imbibing values of national integration, communal harmony, conservation of the environment, women’s equality, and reproductive behavior etc. ). Literacy Programme Framework:The programme entails identification of non-literates through a survey, area wise mapping of their learning needs and imparting them instructor based teaching of about 300 hours spread over 3 months or beyond, depending on motivation of the learner and local conditions. Successful completion of the 300 hours of instructional learning would enable the learner to read and comprehend unknown text (news paper headings, road signs etc); apply skills of writing in day to day activities like writing applications and letters and filling up of application forms, etc., and compute simple problems involving multiplication and division. A certificate will be issued to every successful learner based on a professional evaluation of learning outcome. This will open up opportunities for further education through Open Learning Systems. Classes are convened at such time and venue as would be suitable to the learners. Volunteer-based Mass Campaign Approach: Under this appro ach, volunteer teaching takes place on a mass scale. A volunteer acts as a mobiliser, trainer and teacher and is responsible for imparting literacy, on an average, to 8-10 learners. The implementing agency at the operational level, will be responsible for identification of the potential learners as well as volunteers, their batching and matching, making arrangements for their training, distribution of literacy kits to learners and volunteers, keeping track of the progress made by each learner-volunteer group, ensuring that the momentum of learning is not lost, while simultaneously ensuring that learning takes place at the pace suitable to the learner. Incentives to the Volunteers and Learners Voluntary Literacy Educators are not paid any remuneration. Since highmotivational level of Voluntary Literacy Educators is critical, they need to be motivated through different means including public recognition, at different levels, of their contribution besides other incentives and rewards. Although budgetary provision has not been made for paying honorarium to Literacy Educators but, State Government, Gram Panchayat or NLMA through any other funding source, including do nations or public private partnership, may consider paying the same to them. Flexi Approach:Though Mass Campaign Approach continues to be the dominant strategy, the scheme discounts a homogenous approach uniformly throughout the country. To ensure that basic literacy is provided through a variety of context specific and group specific approaches. Implementing agencies may adopt any approach/model or a mix of approaches/models, including the illustrative formats outlined below: Centre-based Approach: a. Resident Instructor: In the eventuality of qualified Volunteers not being a resident within a particular village, instructors may be engaged from outside the village or community to live with the community and provide instructional teaching to the learners and assist them in completing basic literacy course. On an average, one Resident Instructor will be required to teach at least 30 learners in a period of one year. The Resident Instructor will be provided an honorarium as per NLMA norms. In this approach the centre will function for about 7-8 hours every day, and individual/groups of learners will attend classes for a couple of hours or more depending on the free time available to them. The instructors will be especially chosen for their sensitivity to issues of gender and caste equality, and their commitment to Constitutional values of democracy and secularism.b. Residential Camps: The residential camps are organized, specially for adolescents and young adults in the age group of 15-25 years, who might have already completed primary education (Standard IV/V) but later relapsed to illiteracy for want of follow up; and those who dropped out of the school system, and are now too old to rejoin school and those altogether excluded from systematic education. Identified young adults and adol escents are being motivated to participate in residential camps, which are organized at a suitable location in the Blocks. c. Part-residential Camp – Part-volunteer-based Approach: Provision has been made in the scheme to cover group-specific learners, such as non-literate members of self-help groups, women’s groups, or members of gram panchayats, or persons who may have joined together in a common cause. There are many such groups in the country today and many of them also function as a forum for credit and savings. It would provide for basic literacy in camps conducted for a suitable period, keeping in view the convenience of the beneficiaries, interspersed with guided learning in volunteer mode. These camps would enable learners to acquire literacy skills of pre-determined levels, simultaneously, providing opportunity for discussion and debate on issues relevant to their living and working conditions. Basic Education Programme Framework: This programme is designed to achieve the second objective of the scheme, namely, â€Å"Enable the neo-literates to continue their learning beyond basic literacy and acquire equivalency to formal educational system†. Arrangements have been made to enable young adults to continue their learning till they are able to achieve equivalence levels with Grade III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII and beyond in the formal school system or through the Open Learning System. The Open Basic Education (OBE) programme initiated by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and other State Open Schools have been taken as the starting point. INITIATIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS (upto March, 2012) Although Saakshar Bharat Programme was launched on 8th September, 2009 but, the programme became operative from 1st October, 2009. The programme initially faced several challenges. It got revived after long hiatus and was as good as a new one. There was no formal implementation structure in the States. It heavily depended on spirit of Voluntarism. The programme envisaged for the first time involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions at Gram Panchayat, Block and District levels as the implementing agencies. Lot of preparations like environment building, formation of Management Committees at different levels, opening of Bank Accounts of each implementing agency, authorisation of funds under the ICT based Fund Flow Mechanism, Training/Orientation of Resource Persons and functionaries and Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, Preparation and Distribution of Teaching Learning Materials were required to be done to streamline the functioning of the programme. The following initiatives were taken during the last two and a half years of the functioning of the Saakshar Bharat Programme: Environment Building, M otivation and Mobilisation For environment building and mobilisation, an effective communication strategy was required for creating sustainable demand for literacy, making visible the importance and relevance of literacy and making literacy campaign participatory and voluntary. A strategic communication group was formed under the Chairpersonship of Dr. D. Purandeswari, Minister of State, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. The group approved a comprehensive communication strategy for mobilisation and environment building which entailed a multi media approach.
The Effects of Censorship on Hellmans The Childrens Hour Movie Review
The Effects of Censorship on Hellmans The Childrens Hour - Movie Review Example By the time Hellman and Wyler returned to the story in 1961, those restrictions had been relaxed. They produced a film in 1961 which contrasted greatly with the earlier version. It was much closer to the grim, unpleasant tone of the original play and included the references to homosexuality not permitted in 1936. The story of â€Å"The Children’s Hour†involves two female school teachers running a private school for young girls. One of the teachers, Karen, is engaged to a doctor, Joe. When one of the girls in the school, Mary, is angry at the teachers for disciplining her, she makes up a lie to her grandmother about seeing the two women involved in a way that was â€Å"unnatural†(20 Best Plays of the Modern American Theater Complete, Gassner, John, Editor, Hellman, Lillian, The Children’s Hour, Act II, sc. 1, p.578, Crown Publishers, New York, 1965). The girl bullies a fellow student at the school into supporting her story. The grandmother believes them and eventually, she tells all the other parents about the charge. Soon, all the students are removed from the school, leaving the two teachers with no means of support. The 1961 film follows this storyline closely. But the lie that the young girl tells about the teachers was changed dramatically for â€Å"These Three.†The rumor she spread was that the teacher not engaged, Martha was also involved romantically with the doctor. In the 1936 film version, this was considered enough of a scandal to ruin the two schoolteachers. Eventually, in both films, the grandmother who believed her granddaughter and ruined the lives of the teachers finds out the truth and tries to make reparations.
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Balancing Life and Responsibility Research Paper
Balancing Life and Responsibility - Research Paper Example The project involved operations in different locations. While operations within the office majorly required office work, field operations were more involving and subjected team members and their supervisor to adverse conditions such as cold weather and dust. It was therefore equitable to alternate team members between office and the field for a fair experience. My two project supervisors were therefore expected to alternate but one of them reported allergic reactions that could not allow her to work in the field under the then conditions. The other supervisor equally needed a break from the field as members of his team were accorded. This created a dilemma because while each of the supervisors’ needs was justified, I did not have extra personnel to supervise the field apart from the two. I therefore had the option of compelling the allergic supervisor to honor her contractual obligations and go to the field or to protect her life by compelling the other supervisor to work in t he field since that was still part of his contractual obligation (Badaracco, 1998). I applied a directive approach of situational leadership to resolve the dilemma (Blanchard, 2008). I balance my professional identity and personal identity by avoiding conflict of interest in my professional scope of work and avoiding personal attachments to involved processes. This is because personal identity involves personal traits with emotional attachments and a conflict with professional identity may undermine decision-making and compromise professional roles. I therefore ensure a balance between the two identities by being emotionally sober and ensuring that I identify organization’s interest and policies in every decision (Badaracco, 1998). Professional identity and personal identity are different in their scope of development and application. Personal identity is derived from social setups and experiences and majorly applies to family setups and informal
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Reading Interaction Jurnal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Reading Interaction Jurnal - Essay Example For instance, in India a guru or a wise man is a revered person with followers comprising mostly the young people. Additionally, the path set by gurus is full of respect because it assists in the search for wisdom. On that note, before attempting to become a guru, one should understand the underlying implications such as doubt and preparation instead of harboring skepticism and doubt. This implies that a critical mind is fundamental in developing a philosophical approach. This affirms that critical thinking is crucial in various spheres of life ranging from economics, social issues and for democracies. Unfortunately, even in situations where freethinkers exist, tyrants and dictators make it hard for such minds to thrive. Critical thinkers, according to the author, were even accepted in the ancient times but this does not permit a person to develop superior complex habits. The mind should only be used for comprehending philosophy. In the next chapter, there is the urgency to understan d the meaning of words. This includes making assessment on one’s personal development before entering a philosophy class. Accordingly, philosophy being a mysterious subject, it is imperative for the learner to draw examples from multiple facets of life such as listening to the prime minister on the radio. Contrastingly, origins of philosophy can be traced to Greece and science hence its mythical status. Philosophy is also attached with the love of gaining wisdom or knowledge and should follow the ancient Greek customs. In the same trajectory, associating historical monuments with great philosophers such as Nietzsche, Kant and Descartes exposes philosophy as a broader subject. It, therefore, implies that approaching philosophy is a tough act unlike visiting a monument. Similarly, philosophical traditions espouse values and ideas that encompass quoting people such as Moliere, Aristotle and Plato. Overcoming large words is another obstacle afflicting many people who are interest ed in learning philosophy. This requires complete patience and mastery of important jargons to attain the possibilities. When it comes to trying out philosophy, it is not recommended with cafes. As noted in chapter 6, disagreements erupting from such settings may prevent people from distinguishing between what is good and bad. Conversations that are lively between friends often degenerate into strong exchanges that lack substance. Philosophy may become an emotive subject especially if it attacks figures such as Andy Warhol without considering the existing concepts that define philosophy. It is thus advisable to assess the reasons behind any argument before delving into any exchanges. However, in the scene of Socrates and Hippias, the two characters are competing in terms of brilliance and sophistry. Socrates, for example, is a man who is focused on modesty in order to understand others such when he meets a certain braggart. This demonstrates a complicated problem where he tends to a ct to fit in an evolving society. Hippias, on the other hand, attempts the value of appropriateness but fails because he does not have a higher critical thinking as shown by Socrates. Conversely, there is a difficulty with Plato as a philosopher who writes subtle dialogues and complex narratives that attempts to connect harmony and coherence in life. On that perspective, it differs from Socratic dialogue that has a direction in the
Friday, July 26, 2019
Beer Garden International Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words
Beer Garden International - Essay Example However, as the globalisation has emerged as a favourite concept in both the academia as well as business, it came as an apprehensive thought to expand the business further to Australia. Australia got the taste of beer at the beginning of Western Colonisation. In the year 2004, in per capita beer consumption, the country was ranked as fourth. The most popular beer style in this country is Legar. However, the Australians love to taste all the beer styles with same enthusiasm. It has been noticed that the people in Australia like to enjoy themselves and they would prefer to mix nice cold beer with this enjoyment. So, it does not seem to be bad idea to open one hefeweizen beer outlet in there. The beer outlet is supposed to be designed taking inspiration from Australian culture and their beer consumption styles. This would be to done to satisfy the consumer requirements in Australia. This report will consider the macro as well as micro environments of the business to frame a set of tact ical recommendations for the beet store. Types of stores operating in the industry in the city In Australia, the consumption of alcohol (especially beer) is quite high. Beer was introduced in Australia during the colonial history and soon it turns out to be one of the favorite drinks among the people. With passage of time, high consumption of beer turns out a major problem in the country. In 1979, consumption per capita was almost 6.4 liters per year. However, due to stringent action taken by the government to control the situation, consumption of beer in Australia started declining. As per the data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2009, per capita consumption declined to 4.49 liter per person per year. The past analysis of alcohol consumption pattern among Australian indicates a unique change; now people are shifting from quantity to quality. Consumption of low strength beer has declined by 25 percent, consumption of middle strength beer is almost unchanged and t he conception of full strength beer increased constantly. In 2009, 63 million liter of alcohol consumed in Australia was in form of wine whereas 79 million liter of alcohol was as beer. Almost ten years back the consumer in Australia were consuming three brands on regular basis but today it is almost seven different brands that comprises of both premium as well as traditional brands. This is good news for the international brands (Williams, 2010). This change in consumption habit of Australian people has influenced the type of stores and outlet where beer is sold. In Australia the state government is responsible for formulating rules and regulation for alcoholic beverage sales. Beer, wine and other spirit are sold at the bottle store, locally called bottle-o. Such stores can be as separate section in a super market or it may be as an individual store. The well known brands have their own bottle shops franchises near to the super markets. In these stores, apart from purchasing the co nsumers can sit and have their drinks. Apart from the bottle shops the driving establishments also have the legal permission to sell alcohol products to the customers but it is for off-site consumption. Considering the increasing pace of life, concept of drive through alcohol retail is also gaining popularity. In the drive through retiles shops customers can escape the tedious
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Enterprise resource planning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Enterprise resource planning - Research Paper Example By definition, Extended ERP components is the entire set of collaborating companies, both up-stream and down-stream, from raw materials to end-use consumption, that work together to bring value to the market- place. The advantages of extended enterprise derive from a firm’s ability to quickly utilize the entire network of suppliers, vendors, buyers, and customers. The flows of information that lie at the core of the coordination and collaboration among network members not only link disparate information sources, they also provide an opportunity to build knowledge based tools. Companies engage in long term partnering relationships built around mutual goals and accompanied by very rich and deep exchange of information. Members view that their element of joint action, value chain partners as still retaining some aspects of self serving behavior. Business intelligence (BI) is an information technology concept, representing current state of the historical development of information technologies. This development started in the mid 1960s with the first versions of management information systems (MIS).Therefore BI is more than the fashion and needs to be defined, categorized and explained and analyzed. Of course, information systems are an important variable determining the design of organizations and demand in some cases organizational restructuring processes. Thus BI has direct impact on the organizational structure without giving any direct recommendations and prescriptions as to what the organization is supposed to end up like. CRM uses information technology to create a cross-functional enterprise system that integrates and automates many of the customer-serving processes such as sales, marketing, and services that interact with a company’s customers. CRM systems also create an IT framework of Web-enabled software and databases that integrates these processes with the rest of a company’s business operations. CRM systems include a family of software
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Simple and Compound Interest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Simple and Compound Interest - Essay Example Simple interest is interest expressed as a percentage of principal or the original amount borrowed or lent, for the entire period of borrowing. The interest will be the income received with regard to the lending or the price paid for the utilization of borrowed amount. Simple interest happens to be the fastest as well as easiest approach of computing the interest on amount borrowed or lend. A car loan is a very popular example of simple interest, with which interest is charged only on the principal or original amount borrowed or lent. Below is the formula utilized in calculating interest owed in simple interest: Compound interest is interest expressed as a percentage of the revised principle. In other words, compound interest may be referred to as interest added to the principal amount of a loan or deposit in order for the interest added to also earn interest onwards. In this approach, interest earned within the prior periods is added to the initial amount/principal: this inc reases the amount, on which the next period’s interest will be charged. The summing up of the principal amount and the interest is referred to as compounding. In this case, interest has to be paid on principal amount as well as interest accumulated during the deposit or loan term. It happens to be normal for banks to pay interest on semi -annually basis. Financial institutions, on the other hand, have a guiding principle of paying interest on quarterly basis. It is important to understand to how to calculate compound interest.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Communication studies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Communication studies - Assignment Example A variety of definitions have been produced, yet the attempts to establish a single one seem to be not fruitful (Littlejohn and Foss 3). Thus, considering a few of existing definitions is the best way to understand the essence of the phenomenon. In scholarly literature, communication is considered within three major dimensions: level of observation or, in other words, abstractness, intentionality, and judgment. Within the first dimension, definitions of communication are viewed as broad (for example, communication is a process which relates discontinuous parts of the existing world) or restrictive (communication is a system used to communicate information and orders, through telegraph or telephones). Within the second dimension, the definition includes the dimension of intentionality. For example, communication is a term used to describe situations in which a source transmits a certain message to some receiver with a conscious intent to influence the behavior of the latter. Definitio ns that include judgment present communication within concepts of success, accuracy, effective outcome, etc. For instance, communication is a verbal interchange of some idea or thought (Littlejohn and Foss 4). ... The organizational structure includes employees, departments, their responsibilities, relations, resources, etc (Filipowska et al. 4). Organizational structures may be formal and informal. Virtually every company possesses a formal structure even if it is not strictly adhered to. Most companies also have an informal structure. It suggested that both structures are important for a company’s successful functioning, so it is necessary to learn their intricate characteristics. Formal structure is above all concerned with the existing relationship between authority and the junior. This is known as organizational hierarchy which starts with the most senior person at the top and ends with subordinate employees who are junior to managers of various levels. Informal structure is the one that develops around some project groups or some social groups. It is often grounded on camaraderie, which means people respond immediately and it is easier to continue working (Schatz, n.p.). The struc tures interact with each other in different situations: for instance, when the formal structure ceased to be effective people tend to rely more on the informal one, also working within formal structures, people may complete some tasks within informal structures, which saves time and effort. While communication in any organization is upward, downward, or horizontal (Lunenburg 2), there exist clear differences between the three. Upward communication takes place when the staffs communicate their ideas to a leader with the purpose of inform about some difficulties, clarify some tasks, complain about something etc. Downward communication encompasses communication which goes from higher levels to lower levels of an organization. It is
Rides Control Essay Example for Free
Rides Control Essay To establish a firm background for all these systems an efficient network had to be installed in order to ensure a fast and comprehensive method of linking all those users. The FDDI network on a token ring topology is used as our backbone (FDDI stands for Fibre-Distributed Data Interface) and this gives us the requirements we need for speed, distance and capacity. The nature of our business and the way the Park is spread over a large area, necessitates our using several methods of communication. E-mail is used increasingly: our current software is Microsoft exchange server 5. 5 and Outlook 98. It should help to cut down considerably on memos, forms, notice board information and bulky reports. This has the dual effect of saving paper, ink and printing costs and conserves environmental resources. E-mail address and website: www. thorpepark. co. uk. E-mail goes directly to The Tussauds Group Head Office, and via networks from there, to the other attractions in The Tussauds Group using an ISDN link (Integrated Services Digital Network). The main telephone switchboard is also ISDN. Voicemail is used to prevent unanswered calls, and an automated attendant kicks in on the rare occasion when our receptionists are unable to answer all the lines, and it automatically operates after office hours. Through a desktop interface we can monitor calls. This is an invaluable tool for analysis of calls, determining our busiest times of day and helping us to plan our casting resources accordingly. Some cast use mobile phones, particularly those whose work takes them away from the office. Nearly all our cast rely on radios to keep in touch with each other when they are spread about the Park which enables cast to be diverted to specific areas wherever and whenever necessary. Cast can relay information about queue lines on rides and alert security cast to any emergency situation. There are 8 channels all of which can contact, and be contacted by, the Control Room. If a Park-wide emergency situation should arise, cast in the control room can broadcast simultaneously to every radio holder in the Park. The main security system is CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) which uses infra red cameras throughout the Park, linked to 24 hour video recorders. Black and white and colour monitors in the Control Room can pan and zoom to any area. In this way cast response to a particular incident can be co-ordinated cast response to a particular problem. Our own security cast are on site 24 hours a day. In merchandising, sophisticated till systems are in use in all the shops and food outlets. EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) is used for our products with barcode scanning facilities for the whole range of goods on sale. This is linked to the central stock control to monitor the movement of all our merchandise and food items from both our warehouses. This is essential for maintaining sell-by dates and to forecast sales accurately. EFTOS (Electronic Fund Transfer Point of Sale) is the system through which credit and switch cards are debited immediately and automatically through the national banking system. Any credit or switch cards used in the shops are attached to a polling machine. This is essentially a communications technique which determines when a terminal is ready to send data the banks own computer will check all its attached terminals on a regular basis. All of the ride attractions have computer control systems that are fed by mechanical levers and optical sensors. The rides, that are all mechanical, fall into three categories water, motor and track. The computer, through the use of optical sensors, detects the locking of safety bars and the speed and number of carriages passing. This information enables the operator to dictate how fast and how often the ride runs. Each ride has a very comprehensive range of fail-safe devices that are mechanical or electrical. There is video surveillance on each ride cameras are trained on the tracks and on the carriages. This helps us to detect any faults or potential problems. Software programmes are applications that are bought in from major manufacturers such as Microsoft, Oracle (database), Computer Associate (backup) and Network Associate (anti-virus). These can be specifically suited to a particular business function, such as Finance packages, which include wages and payroll systems, spreadsheets, etc. Other more sophisticated software, such as AutoCAD, may be necessary for our Engineers and the production team for our Entertainments Department. We primarily use Microsoft Office 97, which contains a comprehensive range of applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, PowerPoint. It is possible to customise our own databases for instance, we have one specifically written for our Guest Services Department, Charter 2000. This logs comments made by guests, produces a personalised reply, and collates information so that it can be reproduced in report form using a programme called Business Systems. It is currently used at Thorpe Park and Chessington with a planned introduction to the other Tussauds Group attractions in 2001. This information is confidential between the guest and the company. We are registered under the Data Protection Act to declare any information we may hold. The Tussauds Group Marketing Database on the other hand is common information shared by every attraction in the company. It helps us gather marketing information in order to improve our service. There is an electronic booking service for groups so that they can arrange their visit and tickets by phone, with a credit card. Individuals can make advanced bookings. This helps us to build up a profile of our guests and their requirements. The sales and admission system is called Omni Ticket Network. OTN have supplied all the hardware apart from the hard drives, VDU screens and key boards, which are standard hardware made by Compaq. The software used is called Overview. The Attractions General Database (AGD) has been designed by Syntegra, the Systems Integration Business of BT and is a component of the Sales and Admissions system. Its primary purpose is to provide a data repository for Sales, guests and admissions data and to provide tools to allow analysis of this imported data. A secondary function is to facilitate the exchange systems, and General Marketing Database (GMD), the external guest contact system. AGD configures all the information taken from Overview (information collected through Admissions on the tills each day) and turns it into reports for Finance and Marketing.
Monday, July 22, 2019
Discuss Mr. Collins Proposal to Elizabeth Bennet in Jane Austens Novel Pride & Prejudice Essay Example for Free
Discuss Mr. Collins Proposal to Elizabeth Bennet in Jane Austens Novel Pride Prejudice Essay It is a truth acknowledged, that a man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife This quote not only opens the novel, but also sets the tone of the narrative story. It says that a man in possession of money and being an eligible bachelor would have every spinster in the neighbourhood wanting to be his wife In the nineteenth century women were below men in status. Men owned everything. After the death of the master of the house all his possessions were given to the next male relative. In the novel as there were only five daughters Jane, Elizabeth, Kitty, Mary and Lydia and no males in the immediate family, so their mother, Mrs. Bennet, as she is called in the novel is determined to get her daughters married as soon as possible. When the Bennet family received the letter from Mr.Collins, which included the words, .. Assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends, but of this hereafter this shows that Mr. Collins was hinting that he is looking for a wife. When Mrs. Bennet read this she was pleased at the news. When the daughters heard of his visit, they were not as pleased as their mother, He must be an oddity I cannot make him out The is something very pompous in his style. They also added that in his letter there was a mixture of servility and self-importance. Elizabeth was stuck with his extraordinary deference to Lady Catherine de Bourgh, his patroness. Mr.Collins visited the family with the sole purpose of finding a wife, in his letter he states, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families.. this is just an excuse to come to Longbourn because he really wanted to admire the girls and propose to one of them. Mr.Collins didnt really want to get married, it was actually his patroness; Lady Catherine de Bourgh who had recommend, advised or rather orders him to marry and wished to comply with her wishes. When Mr.Collins arrived, out of all the sisters only Mary thought anything of him but everyone else found faults in him. Mrs.Bennet also had the same opinions as her daughter, she knew he would be a suitable husband for one of her daughters because he knew Lady Catherine and lived near her. When he arrives D he wished to propose to the eldest daughter, Jane, but soon found out she was to be engaged to Mr.Bingly. Mr.Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth and it was, Done while Mrs.Bennet was stirring the fire Mr.Collins obviously didnt have true feelings towards Jane or Elizabeth, since he was able to change his mind so quickly. He obviously only wanted to please his patroness. Elizabeth was very intelligent, independent and her interests in many different things like reading, playing the piano, singing, needlework and dancing. She believed marriage had to have an element of love and not just wealth like her mother believed. When Mr.Collins proposed to her, as a reader we knew that she had an independent mind. In the proposal, Mr.Collins made it quite obvious that the proposal was more of a business transaction and he asked for a chance to speak with Elizabeth, May I hope, madam, for your interest with your fair Elizabeth, when I solicit for a private audience with her.. before Elizabeth could even blush with surprise, Mrs.Bennet instantly answered. Elizabeth begged her mother not to go, but Mrs.Bennet obviously knew what Mr.Collins had in mind and insisted that she stayed with Mr.Collins. At this time Mr.Collins really thought she was being shy and modest tried to add it to a compliant, .. your modesty, so far from doing disservice, rather adds to your perfections. Elizabeth would have had a clear idea that he was about to propose to her. Mr.Collins started off staying, Almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life. This was not true to the reader, as the truth is that he was going to propose to the eldest daughter, Miss Jane Bennet, but when he heard the news of her engagement he changed to Elizabeth. Mr.Collins then came out with his first reason for his proposal, first that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in the parish; This shows he obviously wants to marry her to set a good example to his parish, it also this shows her doesnt care about her, but what Lady Catherine de Bourgh wishes and his reputation. He then states, ..secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness;.. Once again he is showing that he thinks marriage will bring him happiness, he has no idea that marriage is suppose to be about being in love, trust, companionship and getting to know each other beforehand. .. and thirdly-which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness. This is actually the only true reason that he wants to marry her, to please Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mr.Collins is frightened of not complying with her wishes. He sees her suggestion as an order or a command and he would never disobey her because he is very aware of her superior rank in the society, this shows him to be cowardly, weak and rather silly man who can be easily intimidated. He wants Elizabeth to see Lady Catherines advice and recommendation as her wanting to see Mr.Collins happy, settled down and to carry on working for her. He then went on and tried to compliment Elizabeth and make her see that Lady Catherine will welcome her into her estate. In his reasons for the proposal he had no references to Elizabeths happiness which showed how self-centred he really was. The connection that she could have with Lady Catherine and show she could boast about knowing a person of high status, was the real reason that he could give her for accepting the proposal. This showed how little he knew about Elizabeths personality, as this reason would not have meant anything to her. Elizabeth would bot feel inferior to people of higher rank in society. Mr.Collins then went on about how she would have pressure to wed when she gets to her late twenties, As I am to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured (who, however may live for many years), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to chuse a wife among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible. This comment was to persuade Elizabeths decision and make her feel guilty if she was to refuse his proposal, because her unmarried sisters and mother would have nothing if they were made to move out of their home. He was certain she would accept his proposal when he used his persuasive comment because he thought himself was a worthy choice, that he was already making plans for their married life, you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married. Elizabeth found it necessary to interrupt him by telling him that she hasnt given him an answer and politely. Mr.Collins being so full of self-importance saw he refusal as a way to make him more passionate, It is usual with young ladies to reject the address of the man whom they secretly mean to accept. Elizabeth was not that type of girl to lead a man on or to keep him waiting and stated she was not the girl who would have been foolish enough to risk her future happiness on the chance of being asked again by someone she truly loved and Mr.Collins failed to see that, I cannot therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long. Elizabeth tried to make it even clearer, without being rude and even added that Lady Catherine would not approve of her independent mind and he would not want to upset his patroness by choosing an inappropriate partner. Even when Elizabeth gives him these reasons for refusal he still continues, I cannot imagine that her ladyship would at all disapprove of you The reader will know that he has once again mis-judged her character. Later on in the novel Elizabeth and Lady Catherine are introduced to each other. Lady Catherine clearly despises Elizabeths outspoken manner and lack of awe. Elizabeth, getting annoyed by the lack by his persistence still behaved as a young lady and had to remain polite and assure him that he could only leave Longbourn feeling he has done his duty. In making me the offer, you must satisfied the delicacy of your feelings with regard to my family. She then went to leave the room, thinking he had finally understood her, but Mr.Collins was persistent and had not understand why she refused such a great and wonderful proposal, as he thought himself eligible and worthy husband. He tried once again to change her mind, My situation in life, my connection with the family of de Bourgh and my relationship to your own, are circumstances of high favour. Mr.Collins the greatly insulted her, as she was just to leave the room, it is by no means certain, that another offer of marriage may be ever be made to you , but as a reader we know that that is certainly not true.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Venezuelan Economy Under Hugo Chavezs Presidency Economics Essay
Venezuelan Economy Under Hugo Chavezs Presidency Economics Essay Venezuela is located in the upper corner of South America and neighbors with Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana. It has been nearly 200 years since Venezuela first gained its independence from Spain (1811). From 1830 onwards, when Venezuela split from the Bolivarian Colombia (1819-1830), the country was governed mostly by military and despotic regimes. That military period lasted until 1958 when the current democratic spell started following the ousting of General Marcos Perez Jimenezs dictatorship. [1] Despite that long period of military dictatorships, the Venezuelan economy is considered to be a mixed economy where there is a mixture of command and free market elements [2] . These will be discussed in greater depth in the following text. Venezuela had until the 1980s a series of successful periods of economic growth [3] . The country had from there on and until 1999 a succession of economic and political crises. The government previous to the election of Hugo Chavez headed by Rafael Caldera was in power from 1994 to 1999. During this time in office he had to deal with high inflation rates and a financial crisis. Due to these severe problems, Caldera was forced to impose an exchange control in mid-1994. This was shortly followed by more stabilization actions that were enforced by the International Monetary Fund agreement. Due to these severe actions taken by the Calderas government (Convergencia) he became severely unpopular among the electorate. This did not help him win his reelection and set the stage for Hugo Chavez [4] . The purpose of this essay is to discuss whether or not Hugo Rafael Chà ¡vez Frà as regime is moving towards a planned economy due his anti- American stance. Moises Naim states that the rise to power of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is often seen as evidence of an impending backlash against globalization, American-style capitalism. [5] This statement reflects the change in the governments policies on the Venezuelan economic system. To further explain this transformation it is vital to define what a free market economy and planned economy are. Theoretical Background Hypotheses If the Venezuelan government is moving from a free market economy to a planned economy, one would expect to find evidence of this transition economy. Definitions are needed to be known before explanation of results. A free market economy refers to an economy in which markets, in other words the interaction of buyers and producers, determine price and output. [6] In addition, this economic system [relies] on free markets which permit people to engage in economic activities largely free from government control. [7] In other words the government must have a hands-off policy in regards to the economy. Therefore, all production is in private hands and companies are able to adjust their wages and prices according to the demand and supply curve. Furthermore individuals are able to make independent decisions regarding the price of products, amount of production, and retailing. The free market economy is one that allows for the best interests of both consumers and producers to be met [8] . Advantages of the free market economy include: resources are allocated by market forces and price mechanisms, [9] and the motivation of profits provides an incentive to reduce costs and be innovate. [10] As William Baumol points out, to some extent, innovation in the economy is important as it indicates the expansion of peoples creativities in businesses and therefore fosters productivity growth in the economy. [11] What this makes clear once again is that a lot of the power and decision making lie within companies and the market. Disadvantages can include resources being used up too quickly as firms seek to make high profits and to minimize costs. [12] Additionally, large firms can expand and dominate a particular industry; leading to higher prices, and results in excessive power. A planned economy is defined as an economy where decisions are made by the government on the behalf of the people, and in theory, in their best interests. [13] This indicates that the state has great ownership of resources in the economy and through this provides social welfare to the people. In this economy the government sets the price of resources. There are thought to be several advantages and disadvantages in a planned economy. The advantages are that the government can directly influence the distribution of income to make it more equal [14] . In addition the government determines which [types of goods] are to be supplied [15] . This necessarily gives the government the power to decide what goods are considered to be important in the society. A disadvantage of this economy is the government [s dominance which] may lead to a loss of personal freedom of choice [16] . Unlike the free market economy there is no incentive for individuals or firms to be innovat iveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ goods are often of poor quality and usually a limited choice. [17] No competition in the economy and low profit (or absence of profit altogether) can lead to inefficiencies of resources. In short, it is the government, and not the consumers, who make all the decisions. A planned economy is an ideology often used by governments in communist states. Countries like Cuba and North Korea are currently using a planned economy system. An important concept of economic theory in describing a planned economy and free market economy is the understanding of economic growth. Economic growth is defined as an improvement in the standard of living (that) typically occurs when an economy increases its output of goods and services during an expansion [18] . This leads to economic development which refers to an improvement in living standards in an economy encompassing material consumption, education, health, and environmental concerns. [19] Therefore the use of a production possibility curve (PPC) is implemented to determine economic growth. Looking at the graph below (figure 1), one can see the theoretical downfall of the total goods and services (GDP) as the market moves from free market to planned economy. The PPC1 curve shifts downwards to PPC2 a level where planned economy would function. In moving from a free economy to a more planned economy orientated structure (transition economy), theoretically the output of the countrys total goods and services would decrease because of the inefficiencies. Overall the economic growth diminishes as the governments dominance in the economy increases. Figure 1 The PPC can also be used to better understand the change in government spending in a planned economy. This curve demonstrates the shifting of the government spending. The graph below (figure 2) presents public sector production and private sector production. The PPC curve represents the maximum amount of output possible given the available resources. [20] . At point A, there is an equal amount of production from the public and private sector. The total production at point A is on the PPC curve meaning that the maximum level of production is obtained [21] . As the government moves closer to a fully planned economy and it begins to invest in the public sector which include schools, health programs, housing, and so forth bureaucracy and inefficiencies increase and production moves to point B. [22] As we can see in figure 2, point B is no longer on the PPC curve but below it, signaling that the maximum level of output is not being achieved. Figure 2 Methodology Departing from the following hypothesis If the Venezuelan government is moving from a free market economy to a planned economy, one would expect to find evidence of this transition economy. This evidence would be found in several areas. One would expect to find more government bureaucracy and interferences in private enterprises. This could take the form of increased unjustified fines, paper work, restriction of all kinds, and control, which all result in reduction of business. One would also expect to find an increase in the nationalization of private companies; this could take the form of expropriation of private lands by the government. Further evidence of a movement towards a planned economy would be greater spending on social welfare. This would be clear in areas such as health, education, and housing. Finally, one would expect to find evidence of more interference in the economic structure exemplified by manipulation of currency exchange rates. To prove my hypothesis, this evid ence should be demonstrated as actually present in order to confirm the transition of Venezuelas economy. To prove or disprove my hypothesis I relied both on primary and secondary sources. In investigating primary sources, I met with two local business men [23] and one professor [24] in Venezuela. I then asked them specific questions [25] regarding their businesses in this transition economy. Furthermore, in October 2010 on a visit to Venezuela, I was able to make my own observations of the state of the country. In investigating secondary sources, I researched articles and books written by authors and journalists. In addition, I looked for statistics that represent the movement from a free-market to a planned economy. Results Analysis Evaluation More government interference on businesses When Hugo Chavezs government got into office in 1999, the government slowly imposed new regulations on all sizes of businesses. This policy mainly impacted negatively small businesses and employment. I interviewed one business man, Otto Horn, regarding the increased bureaucracy that his firm, Floritec [26] , encounters. In this interview he stated that It is harder to import and export raw materials and finished products abroad [27] . Many businesses are required to fill in extra custom paper work for SENIAT (the governments tax collection entity) [28] and face crippling fines for even a minor inconsistency in the eyes of custom agents. It gets harder by the day to keep small enterprises in business. This has led to higher cost for businesses as these bureaucratic obstacles force the firms to hire more labor to deal with these issues. As well, it is noticed that waiting for approvals from the government in so many newly imposed demands on small enterprises means los s of time and money which impacts the efficiency of these businesses. To put an example, the government has begun charging firms for the use of their own company logo on their own trucks. Otto Horn stated, If you want to put a company logo, you need to buy a license from the government and this raises costs. [29] These examples point to an increased level of government interference. Small businesses are mostly affected by these measures as they dont have enough capital to cover these new expenses. Big businesses have also been affected by these government interferences and even though they are better prepared to cope with it the uncertainty leads to less investment and further instability in the economy as a whole. In early 2009, the economy encountered high inflation [30] . This caused a surge in the prices of all products. The Venezuelan government, under Chavez, made several attempts in reducing this high inflation. One of the actions taken was imposing price controls on certain staple foods in an effort to make them more affordable to everyone. However, this action did not have the best outcome, [the] government [`s] attempts to impose price control has had limited effect as big food producers have cut back on production, food distributors have decreased shipments and even hoarded essential goods and retail sellers have traded on the black market [31] This control further damaged the food producers by cutting their profit which forced them to reduce the costs, which in one example was achieved by reducing the number of employees. Furthermore, Luis Carmona of Polar states, Forcing companies to produce rice at a loss will not resolve the situation, [and] simply makes it worse. [32] In addition, fewer goods could be established on the market. These price controls largely affects food producers and many food processing companies became bankrupt. Hugo Chavez and his government decided to sue or even nationalize dysfunctional companies if they do not follow the governments rules [33] . Hugo Chavez said he would take over the control of the food processing industries, as he said in one of his statements, I will expropriate them, I have no problem with that, and Ill pay them with bonds. Dont count on me paying with hard cash [34] . This suggests that the government is serious about making food available to the poor but on the other hand, private firms cannot cope with the price changes unless it cuts down on costs. This is all evidence of a planned economy. Government interference was evident in the conversation with another business man named Jorge Redmond, CEO of Chocolates El Rey [35] . Mr. Redmond initially wanted to merge his company with the world renowned company, Nestlà ©. He wanted to merge the company to avoid suffocating levels of governmental interference and bureaucratic hurdles brought upon the firm affecting its products exports mainly to its U.S customers. However the government blocked the deal between the potential mergers, as the government did not want more foreign presence in Venezuela [36] . The governments move against expansion of global assets limits the choices of private firms. This emphasizes the governments bureaucracy and interference on businesses. Government Nationalization Growing bureaucracy and government interference have led to a failure of private companies as they cannot maintain healthy profitability levels. This has given the government an excuse to nationalize private firms. Common examples are CA Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela (CANTV), the countrys telephone company and Electricidad de Caracas, the largest electric company in Venezuela [37] . These nationalizations were linked by Chavez to his pursuit of XXI century Socialism [38] . In July 2007, at the start of the high fuel prices, the government nationalized key infrastructures of the Venezuelan economy in an attempt to reach the goals of the government. [39] Also in 2007, the government stripped assets from two U.S. oil companies Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhilips. [40] The government seized control of the profits of both companies. In the following year, 2008, Hugo Chavez and his government ordered the nationalization of the cement industry, Cemex, [41] a Mexican owned company. Chavezs rationale was to prepare for future building in the housing sector. In addition, in 2008, the Venezuelan steel mill, Siderà ºrgica del Orinoco SIDOR, was nationalized. Chavez complained the companies do not put a high enough priority on supplying the domestic market [42] . In 2009, the government for the first time ordered the Venezuelan armed forces to take over a business, in this case a rice processing plant [43] . In October 2010 the government nationalized AGROISLENA, the countrys largest producer of goods and services for the agricultural sector [44] . According to The Economist, since Hugo Chavez got into power in 1999, almost 400 companies have been nationalized, the vast majority in the past two years. [45] This shows the governments movement to take over major industries in order to fix the prices of the goods. All the above actions taken by the government have been sweeping reforms throughout the nation with the aim of reducing the prices of products which would result in massive consumption of the products by the local economy. The nationalization of firms by the government points to evidence of a planned economy as the government begins to de-privatize companies, moving towards a greater control of how the economy functions. More Social Welfare Spending Hugo Chavez came to power by promising the people a reduction in poverty and an increase in quality of life for the masses. This spending was fueled by high oil prices in July 2007, crude had reached the remarkable world market price of $US 147 per barrel. [46] This increased spending in the public sector gives more evidence of the move to a planned economy. The graph (figure 3) below shows the statistics of government public expenditure [47] . The current regime under Hugo Chavez has increased public spending by a factor of 13 between 1999 (the year Chavez entered office) to 2008. Figure 3 The government has spent money on the educational, health, and housing sectors. With the increase profits from the oil rents and productions, the Ministry of Education has introduced mission programs, Robinson I and II are mission[s] focusing on literacy and primary education for adults, Ribas and Sucre target secondary and university education for individuals who never had the opportunity to attend or those who dropped out. [48] This missions are examples of increased spending on the public sector. Hugo Chavezs government has increased public spending on the health sector of the economy. The government has created new mission programs such as, Barrio Adentro [which] provides free health care to the poor through the assistance of tens of thousands of Cuban doctors [49] Internet correspondence with Guillermo Buhrkohl [50] , a political professor from Venezuela, confirms this in the following, The health programs known as Mission Barrio Adentro and Mission Miracle, are programsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ aiming [at]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ providing primary medical attention to the shantytown population; however the professor confirms the government is literally asphyxiating both health care provided by private hospitals and the traditional public health system, paradoxically the later is the place where the poor go when a very limited Barrio Adentro cannot cope. This proves that there has been an increase in government spending on healthcare which could be seen as detrimental to both priv ate and public sectors. The government promised the masses to increase the public social welfare to all. This would also include the construction of close to free housing for each family. From my own personal observation while visiting the country in October 2010, the use of the billboards to promote housing plans was clearly evident everywhere [51] . This evidence of increased spending in the public sector mostly for political purposes adds up to the motive of the planned economy. Manipulation of currency Hugo Chavezs government has interfered deeply into the currency market. The government has made severe adjustments to currency, starting with the introduction of strict exchange rate controls by pegging the exchange rate to the American dollar in 2005. In 2008, the government changed the numerical currency making 1,000 Bolivars equal to the value of one Bolivar Fuerte (strong Bolivar) [52] . This measure could be seen to minimize the perceived inflation due to government action. However, it does not address the inflation that the country faces. In January 8th 2010, the government announced the devaluing of the currency by up to 50% [53] . The government believed that the devaluation of the Bolivar would trigger an export boom as Venezuelas exports would become more competitive. In reality, the devaluation had little to no effect on the countrys exports, as can be seen in Figure 4 [54] . Figure 4 As mentioned above, in 2005, Hugo Chavezs administration made extreme adjustments to the Venezuelan financial system. The governments control over the currency exchange rates is shown in a statement, The introduction of the exchange controls has meant that companies and individuals have to apply to the Comision de Administracion de Divisas (Cadivi, the official foreign exchange agency). [55] This is where the government fixed the currency rate at 2.15 to the dollar. This triggered an increase in imports from 2005 which can be seen on the graph above (Fig.3) [56] . On January 8, 2010, the devaluation has occurred; from 2.15 bolivars to the [US] dollar to 4.3 bolivars to the [US] dollar [57] explained above caused higher consumer inflation on goods thus affecting the total spending on imported goods like televisions. The devaluation of the currency and exchange controls has lead the Venezuelan economy to have extremely high inflation. Consumption in the Venezuelan economy has decreased and business production has lowered to meet their expenditures. For example, Movistar, [in Venezuela] a mobile phone company owned by Spains Telefonica, last month [August 2010] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ suspended roaming agreements in 13 countries. [58] This indicated that the dollar squeeze is affecting the Venezuelan economy deeply. On the other hand, high inflation means that the government gets more Bolivars from a quick recovery of oil prices, and exporting oil to United States. This money allows the government to satisfy the needs of the Venezuelans to the best interests of the government, and this brings the role of the government into everyday lives as, that gives Mr. Chavez the chance to throw money around: pay rises for the army for example. [59] This manipulation of the currency gives solid evidence of interferences in economy by Hugo Chavezs government which adds a new element that confirms the hypothesis of a transition towards a planned economy in Venezuela. Conclusions In this investigation, I found information that supports the transformation to a planned economy from a free market economy in Venezuela. The evidence included: increased government bureaucracy, nationalization of the private sector, increased government spending in social welfare, and increased manipulation of the currency. This has led Hugo Chavezs government to gain greater control of the Venezuelan economic system since his election in 1998. The government is able to decide which goods and services are considered to be important for society. Such examples are the heavily subsidized food distribution firms (MERCAL and PDVAL) created by the government [60] . In this investigation, there are a number of difficulties that hinder the gathering of evidence. First, it was hard to gain true statistics regarding the economy. For example, the unemployment rate is hard to determine due to the fact that workers in the informal sector of the economy are included in the statistics which constitutes half of the countrys total workforce [61] . It was difficult to find statistical data to support the losses of business budget. Despite my attempts to access this information through internet sources, I was unsuccessful. Secondly there has been a strong political bias in many articles, books, and interviews. These biases affected my research and influenced me deeply, though I made every attempt to remain objective. In addition, it was often hard to separate politics from economics where both are closely linked together. These shortcomings together with a lack of time beg for further and more in depth research to formalize conclusions. Specifically, I would wish to focus on a significant number of concrete business cases where the governments interference in the economy has greatly affected their profitability. I would be interested in confirming the statistical data to support the hypothesis presented. However, the evidence and research presented here demonstrate that there are elements to sustain my hypothesis. It is clear that the government is seriously attempting to impose upon the country a planned economy of the Venezuela. Whether the government is able to complete a transition to a fully planned economy or not, this conclusion stands regardless. In my opinion, the move to the planned economy under Hugo Chavez can have a negative impact on Venezuela as it has negatively limited the freedom of Venezuelan businesses and increased government interference in the economy. Evidence can be found in articles discussing the current brain drain [62] ; the educated Venezuelans are more likely to leave the country. Many of these educated people whom are students, professors, doctors, business owners and so forth have either moved to Colombia or to the United States. References Bad news for Venezuelan economy. El Universal 24 May 2010: n. pag. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . Baumol, Willam. The free-market innovation machine: analyzing the growth miracle of capitalism. Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press, 2002. Print. Blink, Jocelyn, and Ian Dorton. Economics: Course Companion. Oxford: Database right Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. The Bolivarian Brain Drain. Newsweek 1 July 2009: n. pag. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
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