The US Congress, Presidency and Bureaucracy

Overview A government is the body through which a political unit exercises its power, controls policies and implements them. It also directs and controls the actions of its members. There are three main branches that constitute the Federal government of the United States. These are the legislative, judicial and executive. It carries out governmental power and functions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The US Congress, Presidency and Bureaucracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The laws of the country are keenly enforced by the executive organ of the federal government while the judiciary plays the role of interpreting the laws that have been approved by the Congress. The United States is governed by a democratic form of government. The President is appointed in office through an electoral process in a free and fair polling process. Therefore, a democratically elected President is largely supported by the majority o the populace. The federal government of the United States was formed in the eighteenth century, making it one of the first modern national federations in the world. This form of government has been debated ever since it was established and its constitution ordained. There are parties that often push for unlimited powers of the federal government while others are of the contrary view that the central government should not be given expanse powers in discharging its duties. Two Non legislative functions of the Congress in Policy Making Process Congress has other roles apart from these two non legislative ones that are being discussed in this chapter. It works with the President in discussing public policies before they are implemented by the bureaucrats. It is made up of senators and representatives who are chosen through a direct election (Cummings and Wise 426). Each of them represents a district and serves a term that goes for two years. Seats in the house are shared among the st ates by the public. It meets in the United States capital, Washington DC. First it has the power to investigate and supervise the on goings in the executive. The Subpoena Power of the Congress is often charged with the duty of coordinating the various functions allocated to different committees. There have been concerns about how congress oversees the executive actions. Some critics have accused the congress of not doing a good enough job in supervising the other arms of the government. In the Plame Affair, critics claimed that the Supreme law making body was not performing as expected in overseeing this case. The interaction between the Congress and the Executive has also been of a major concern. For instance, the manner in which the Congress acts as watchdog on the executive decisions is paramount. It has always been the tradition of the Congress to oversee most policy matters endorsed by the executive to ensure that the latter does not go overboard in discharging its mandate The second non legislative role of the Congress is that it has the power of impeaching the incumbent and also removing other government officers from office, that is; federal judges and other federal officers.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Congress has been influencing the Presidency in a variety of ways. Quite a number of factors account for this variance. For example, the leadership of the Congress as well as the political influence of the President when he or she is in office plays critical roles in the interaction between the Presidency and the Congress. The impeachment of Andrew Johnson reduced the power of the president compared to that of the congress for lengthy time after. Five Principle Roles of the President The President has five main roles that he plays: Head of State, Head of the executive, Commander in Chief, Chief Legislator and Chief Diplomat. The President also h as other important duties, but these five are the main ones required expected of him by the Constitution of the United States. The roles performed by the President go beyond mere legislation. Indeed, there are several ceremonial roles played by the President as a Chief Executive Officer of the country. He is the symbol of nationhood. Through this role the president can identify himself with the public which earns him respect with the people. He stands for the power of United States. Being the Chief Officer in charge of the country, the president is the leader of the executive organ of the government. He is assisted by his staff where he assigns most of the work to the executive and to the independent regulatory bodies that work within the executive section. The executive branch is considered to be a complex branch to run since the President has to cause the agencies and the bureaucrats implement his decisions and policies. In such times that he needs to have a strong sense of persu asion. As the Chief Executive, he also has the power to grant amnesty to those who may have offended the United States. The President is also a Commander in Chief; he is therefore the leader of the military of United States. He has authority to order when missiles should be launched and for troops to be commissioned. The President delegates his power to the commander of the armed forces. He makes decisions on when the military forces should commence their mission. However, the president does not have authority to declare war. There is however a constraint on his authority whereby he makes the decision then reports to the congress within a stipulated time. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The US Congress, Presidency and Bureaucracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He makes decisions on foreign policy and on how the United States should interact with other countries (Cummings and Wise 428). He has the advantage o f having extra information that congress may not have (for example The State Department, Pentagon, CIA all report to the President). He is the only one allowed to sign treaties after the Congress has approved. He also has the mandate to agree with other countries on executive matters. He has permission to acknowledge the validity of any other country. He has the power to use military to support his decisions as Chief Diplomat, an indication that sometimes his roles overlap. As Chief Legislator, the President has a duty to sign laws and to pass programs that will benefit his country. This is a more difficult role as he faces opposition within the congress especially if many of them make up the opposing political party. He uses his staff or liaisons to assist in persuading the congress to pass his programs. If he does not get votes on his bills he may threaten to veto their bills. Despite this, he has the responsibility to consider if the bills are good for the public even if he does not like parts of it. He has a duty to pass the bill with lines that he does not approve because it widely benefits the public. Towards the end of the 20th Century, the Supreme Court denied the president the rights to veto lines that he did not agree with, in which he could veto parts of a bill instead of the whole document. He however has permission to call back congress into a session or to end the sessions if need be. The above roles confirm that the President has a huge responsibility of ensuring the state is stable, united and secure. He also needs back up from his staff, the Congress and the bureaucrats. How Bureaucrats Shape Policy The perspective on ideology has the view that the first stages of a policy making agency are very important in determining its behavior.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The application of rules, control or even the use of officially documented authority to steer performance is all under what is referred to as bureaucratic control. It includes such details as budgetary allocation, preparation of reports, performance evaluation as well as regulating results. This is according to Max Weber, a German Sociologist. In the government sector bureaucrats ensure that the decisions made by the governments are implemented. They communicate with one another, maintain accountability, interpret the law hence the implementation. Congress has delegated an expansive amount of authority to the federal bureaucracy by giving the agencies the power to draft federal regulations and to look into conflicts over these regulations. However, controlling the bureaucracy may be challenging because of a number of reasons. The process of monitoring and supervising everyone or each operation in the bureaucracy cannot be done by the President alone owing to a lot of work involved. Second, the fact that the people who administer the policy often have more knowledge about issues compared to what the President knows, gives the bureaucrats power. It is sometimes hard to fire bureaucrats even for incompetence and since many federal agencies provide services to a large number of people, they sometimes work together to defend the agencies. Finally in the policy implementation, the agency is the one that works on specifics after the Congress creates and passes a new program. Some presidents view bureaucrats as a hindrance to getting their agenda approved, since they have to do a lot of lobbying and persuading. The manner in which operations of the federal programs should be handled and adhered to is greatly influenced by the federal bureaucracy. The rule making happens in phases. To begin with, the Congress has to pass the new laws which are then scrutinized and eventually published in an official document. Those interested are allowed comment on the rules during pub lic address or by forwarding their views to the agency. There are 60 days set aside for waiting by the agency after writing down the final regulations. Thereafter, the rules can then be reinforced through an implementation process. It is the duty of the Congress to ascertain that the rules are being implemented. Theoretically, the due process of implementing the policies that have been endorsed by the Congress lies in the hands of the bureaucrats. Nonetheless, critics have quite often observed that the policymaking process in the federal government is largely influenced by bureaucrats Theories on the Role of Government in the economy It is known that consumers and producers make most decisions that build the economy. Nonetheless, the activities of the federal government on the economic performance of US fall into four main categories. The entire rate of economic activities is determined by the federal government so as to ensure stability and growth in the country. In order tom achie ve this, the government acts by adjusting the sensitive monetary policies such as the level of spending as well as taxation regimes. In addition, the amount of money in circulation is also regulated. This may improve or reduce growth in the economy. As a result, two important factors namely the level of employment and pricing mechanisms. Since the 1930s the government has been working on regulating the economy through juggling between the fiscal policy and managing the money supply and controlling the use of credit. The fiscal policy was embraced between the 1960s and 1990s until the government experienced high inflation, unemployment and huge government deficits that caused the president and Congress to lose confidence in the fiscal policy. Hence, the Federal Reserve Board was charged with the responsibility of controlling all policies related to financial matters. The private sector is regulated by the federal government in two major ways.. In price controls, it focuses on prevent ing monopolies like electric utilities and agricultural goods from exploiting consumers and gaining unreasonable profits. Consequently, there are quite a number of industries that decided to control prices having complained of unfair price cutting modalities. On the other hand, the antitrust law aims at developing market forces that are formidable enough to avoid a situation whereby it is controlling the market in a direct manner. Further, both the public and private sector have at one time or another implemented this legislation to hinder or hamper what they refer to as total competition. The government has equally regulated the private sector to adhere to some of the most important social objectives like marinating a healthy environment. However this decision by the government has been challenged over a number of years. This has resulted to the government relaxing the rules in the 1980s. They claimed that such business elements like liberalized enterprise were greatly hampered and as a result, it significantly contributed to poor economic performance due to elevated costs of running businesses. The government provides direct services on every level ranging from providing the country with adequate territorial defense, giving support to research and development activities, carrying out exploration exercises through its appointed agents like NASA to implementing myriad of programs aimed at improving the working conditions of workers (Cummings and Wise 421). There are several ways through which the government assists small scale enterprises for instance through loans and technical aid. It also provides loans to college going students thereby expanding their chances of acquiring skills that increase chances for them to get employed. It also encourages home lending where people get mortgage loans making housing affordable. It gives Social Security to individuals who have no means to adequately care for themselves which is financed by a tax on employers and employe es. In summing up, the government plays a big role in ensuring that its citizens are economically secure and comfortable. In as much as consumers and producers play an enormous role, the regulatory role of the government ensures that all is in check and that there is equitable distribution of resources. Works Cited Cummings, Milton C. and Wise, David. Democracy under Pressure: An Introduction to the American Political System. New York: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, 2001. This essay on The US Congress, Presidency and Bureaucracy was written and submitted by user Jayc0b to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Islamic Extremists Essay Essays

Islamic Extremists Essay Essays Islamic Extremists Essay Essay Islamic Extremists Essay Essay About everyone has heard about Islam and the Arab universe. In add-on. many states have already faced issues with the Muslim trusters. Islam has caused jobs. terrorist onslaughts. anti-democracy all over the universe. They were besides really successful in directing a message of who they genuinely are. Peoples who are literally obedient to the Islamic religion are called Islamic Extremists. People. who are of the Islamic religion nevertheless desire to last in peace without trials are non considered obedient or dutiful to the Islamic religion. these people are called moderate Muslims. Therefore. the Islamic spiritual extremists are the major group in Islam who follow the Qur’an word for word and create utmost force that moderate Moslems do non. Muslim extremism started in Egypt in the late twentiess. During the inter-war old ages. the state was occupied by the British military. The Nationalist Wafd motion. led by Saad Zaghloul. opposed the presence of t he British. as would anyone whose state is being occupied by a foreign military power. ( A brief history of Islamic extremism ) In 1928. Hassan al-Banna established the term â€Å"The Muslim Brotherhood† which was the first Islamist motion. The British authorities supported the nascent motion in an effort to compensate the Nationalists. In modern Egyptian political relations. the Muslim Brotherhood is the largest resistance party to Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party. Mubarak has been in power since the blackwash of Anwar Sadat in 1981. The Muslim Brotherhood has ever been illegal. and. over the old ages. 1000s of its members have been imprisoned by the Egyptian authorities. ( A brief history of Islamic extremism ) The political orientation of the early Brotherhood is really similar to that of Islamist groups today – they denounced the Egyptian authorities as secular and regarded Egyptian society in footings of â€Å"jahaliya† or a barbarian. pre-Islamic society non based on Islamic shari’a jurisprudence. Sayyed Qutb. an Egyptian rational associated with the Muslim Br otherhood. wrote a book called Ma’alim fil Tariq ( â€Å"Signposts on the Road† ) . which proved to be extremely influential on the thought of modern Islamists. Qutb wrote the book in 1964 while in prison ; 2 old ages subsequently he was executed by hanging. ( A brief history of Islamic extremism ) In the late seventiess. the CIA financed and trained the mujahidin ( â€Å"Holy Warriors† ) in order to contend a proxy war with the Soviet ground forces. which had invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Training. support and the proviso of weaponries to the mujahidin was carried out covertly via Pakistan and Saudi Arabia ; one of the alleged â€Å"Afghan Arabs† who was trained by the U. S. was a immature adult male called Osama bin Laden. ( A brief history of Islamic extremism ) In the recent old ages. Bangladesh was suspected of going a oasis and genteelness land for Islamic terrorist groups with links to Al-Qaida. Domestic Islamic extremist groups are said to funnel Al-Qaida money. weaponries. and combatants through the state. In March 1999. IOJ president Amini told a public meeting: â€Å"We are for Osama [ bin Ladin ] . we are for the Taliban. and we will be in authorities in 2000 through an Islamic revolution. † ( Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein. B. ) Bangladeshi support for Osama bin Ladin and Al-Qaida rose following the September 11 onslaughts and the subsequent American assault on the Taliban in Afghanistan. The U. S. conveyed its displeasure with Dhaka’s failure to squelch anti-American. pro-Osama bin Ladin rallies in the aftermath of the American onslaught on Afghanistan. In November 2001. IOJ’s Amini said: â€Å"Osama bin Ladin is loved by the Bangladeshi people. Everyone respects him and considers him to be a leader of Muslims. † ( Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein. B. ) The political features of Islam are derived from the Qur’an. the Sunna ( the expressions and populating wonts of Muhammad ) . Muslim history. and sometimes elements of political motions outside Islam. Out of the Muslim Brotherhood. late derived a group called The Muslim Salafeyeen. The Salafeyeen act laughably much worse than the Muslim Brotherhood. They have the same outlook as the Muslim Brotherhood ; nevertheless. they go even beyond the outlooks of the Quran’s instructions. For illustration the Muslim Brotherhood has the word political relations in their lexicon. which means they can hold political relationships with the westerners but that is to utilize their aid for their ain good. such as Saudi Arabia. They besides base and implement the jurisprudence of the Qur’an on the people. On the flipside. the Salafeyeen do non hold the word political relations in their lexicon and the manner they communicate is through terrible force even on their ain people. For illustration their regulation goes as follows: stealers must hold their custodies cut off. a curser’s lingua must be cut off. an extramarital must be killed with the border of the blade. and so on with all the evildoers. Their judgements are pretty utmost. They presently have a little group in Egypt. There is no research found about them yet. nevertheless information has been spread through word of oral cavity and people’s experiences in the recent yearss in Egypt. The Salafeyeen have been around and they are really few still. It is non long until the malignant neoplastic disease is spread everyplace. Numerous terrorist folks have finally been spread all over the universe. The Muslim Brotherhood has created a private group in each state who follow their program. Therefore. every so frequently. the state receives intelligence about happening desolations they have caused. Since the Muslim Brotherhood considers force is the lone method to distribute or enforce their faith on many states. they had specifically chosen the United States of America to execute their force onslaughts. The United States is presently considered the most powerful state in the universe. If they had specifically chosen the United States. their end is so revealed. The Muslim Brotherhood’s aspiration is to achieve the power of the United States and govern it. If they conquer this power. they most probably conquered the universe. It is non hard for anyone to calculate this expounding. The terrorist onslaught that occurred in September eleventh of two 1000 and one was chiefly the first onslaught the caught t he world’s consciousness. Prior to that. the state was familiar about Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood ; nevertheless they did non hold adequate cognition in respects of whom they genuinely are. Throughout the old ages. the Muslim Brotherhood has determined that terrorist act would be the lone method used to pass on with the universe. They have successfully sent out messages about their ends. which are to restrict the universe in instruction. political positions. democratic positions. etc. For illustration. the Islamic beliefs strain a adult female of her basic rights. A adult female is non allowed to travel to school for instruction. Harmonizing to the Shahih Bukhari 1. 6. 301. Volume 1. Book 6. Number 301: Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: Once Allah’s Apostle went out to the Musalla ( to offer the supplication ) o ‘Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr supplication. Then he passed by the adult females and said. â€Å"O adult females! Give alms. as I have seen that the bulk of the inhabitants of Hell-fire were you ( adult females ) . † They asked. â€Å"Why is it so. O Allah’s Apostle? † He replied. â€Å"I have non seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and faith than you. A cautious reasonable adult male could be led astray by some of you. † The adult females asked. â€Å"O Allah’s Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and faith? † He said. â€Å"Is non the grounds of two adult females equal to the informant of one adult male? † They replied in the affirmatory. He said. â€Å"This is the lack in her intelligence. Isn’t it true that a adult female can neither pray nor fast during her menstruations? † The adult females replied in the affirmatory. He said. â€Å"This is the lack in her faith. † Their outlook is really limited in statements every bit good. Their beliefs are against freedom of address. faith. look. even the Internet because it allows statements. cognition. and instruction and largely everything that has to make with the human rights. All of their statements must travel back to the Shari’a ( jurisprudence ) of Islam. which prevents all these rights. The Shari’a of Islam calls for work forces to crush their married womans. Harmonizing to 004. 034 YUSUFALI: Work force are the defenders and upholders of adult females. because Allah has given the one more ( strength ) than the other. and because they support them from their agencies. Therefore the righteous adult females are piously obedient. and guard in ( the husband’s ) absence what Allah would hold them guard. As to those adult females on whose portion ye fright disloyalty and ill-conduct. warn them ( foremost ) . ( Following ) . garbage to portion their beds. ( And last ) beat them ; but if they return to obedience. seek non against them Means ( of irritation ) . This type of outlook creates a force animalistic society. Peoples develop these violent accomplishments through the enforcement of such Torahs which leads to terrorist act. Imagine there is deficiency of instruction. freedom of statements. address. look. faith. anti-democracy etc. how will anyone be able to larn. be just. balanced in ideas. unprejudiced or even survive in peace? It is surely impractical. Therefore. to get the better of the outlook of terrorist act. the state must understand what Islam and the Qur’an truly Teachs Islamists. Some of the Qur’an’s instructions are largely about the heathens ( disbelievers ) and how all of them will stop up in Hell. Harmonizing to the instructions of the Qurâ€⠄¢an verses freely and blithely references: Make non take disbelievers as friends ; cautiousness is necessary to befriend the unbelievers†¦3:28. It is non honorable to take disbelievers as friends†¦4:139. Make non take disbelievers as friends†¦4:144. Believers are non to take the Jews and Christians as friends and defenders ; if any truster ( i. e. Muslim ) turns to them so he besides becomes a Jew or a Christian†¦5:51. Real friends are God. His apostle ( Muhammad ) and the family of pious and charitable believers†¦5:55. God’s wrath and tortures is for befriending the unbelievers†¦5:80. Whoever seeks the friendly relationship of evil people will be lead to the punishment of fire†¦22:3. Can non be on footings of secret familiarity or be friendly with the enemies of faith †¦60:1. This is the really ain words of Qur’an that Islamists follow. Some Islamists who live in the West will even knock their folks for purchasing a bantam Christmas tree merely for the small kids or even for go toing Christmas parties. They will even travel a measure further in declaring that the westerners must larn from them ( the Muslim migrators ) and non the other man ner around. At this clip. since the Qur’an neer called for peace. it is apprehensible why those Islamists act the manner they do. The supreme fury of the Islamists is reserved for the manner the western adult females frock. work and lives. Many Muslim adult females are deviously forced to have on hijab merely to show to the heathen adult females the superior celibacy of Muslim adult females. Ten old ages ago. it was rare to happen a hijabi adult female in any streets of Europe or the U. S. The state of affairs is rather different now. Any rail-station. shopping centre. eating stall. college. university. etc. . will on a regular basis detect a hijabi adult female standing nearby. Many Islamists openly declare that all Muslim adult females must cover themselves in ( ugly ) hijab and cloak no affair what others may believe of them. This is because these Muslim adult females will go the shining illustrations or beacon of muliebrity. celibacy. and Islamic beauty to the infidel adult females and they ( the heathen adult females ) will finally follow the Muslim adult females and merrily wear the Muslim attire. These Islamists are perfectly certain that these infidel adult females will one twenty-four hours. certainly be cover ed by Islamic hijab. Why? Because. Allah has ordained it-one twenty-four hours the full universe will go an Ummah ( Islamic community ) of some kind. They have no uncertainty on this. At this point. it is apprehensible why Islamic extremists commit their terrorist act onslaughts. Their end is to distribute and implement Islam in the whole universe. Research has proved through the really ain words of Qur’an and Hadith. action has proved it through terrorist act onslaughts of the heathens ( disbelievers ) . and their daily modus operandi dressing up in the Muslim attire. Many will reason it is non a job if their faith inquires their adult females to dress and look that manner. They are partly right. merely if their intent is to dress that manner and nil more. However based on research. even modern Islamists are called Islamists because they believe in Islamic Shari’a and jurisprudence. They have an thought of what Islam is approximately and if they still call themselves Muslims. they are considered under the same class of faith. They have partly the same ideas ; they may non be interested in slaying. nevertheless they will neer take a westerner as a friend. unless the westerner becomes a Muslim. This type of thought is non in any manner good for a modern society. In a modern society. it encourages one to look. act. and think in a certain manner. This manner is non to implement negative ideas. beliefs on anyone. It is to promote instruction. positive ideas. and the playing of professionalism with one another. The best method in making a solution for the universe is to understand that Islam is now spread in many topographic points. Islam has become a whole outlook that people follow non reasonably a faith. Islam presently starts in early phases of humans’ lives. A kid is raised up having hatred and all types of negative ideas. which subsequently develops in his/her nucleus. Therefore. terrorist act is neer stoping ; in fact it improves by the yearss. At this clip. there is no manner around to stop terrorist act. but there are ways to do it less happening in the universe. Educating people. and young person on how terrorist act started. and how the universe perceives it as a negative act will assist them understand the construct of terrorist act. Besides through instruction. people will hold the demand to protect their state and support it. No 1 is willing to populate in a state that is controlled by terrorists. Neither will anyone be willing to restrict their ideas. look. instruction. freedom of worship. or personal determinations. In decision. Muslim extremists have attempted to enforce their spiritual beliefs on the universe. This happens through their violent onslaughts about in every western state. The lone method to halt this force is to let people to understand the true significance of Islam. This is to educate people about Islam and Muslim extremists in the early phases of life. It is besides indispensable to assist the state larn how the modern Muslims differ from those extremists. Through instruction. a solution can come into position on how we can stop these bloody violent folk. Even if it takes clip. months and old ages. it can still take a major affect on the long tally. MentionsBas. N. J. ( 2004 ) . Wahhabi Muslimism: From Revival and Reform to Global Jihad. Oxford: Oxford University Press. USA. Bukha?ri? . M. I. ( 1981 ) . Shahih Bukhari. Jakarta: Penerbit Widjaya. Darwish. N. ( 2006 ) . Now they call me heathen: why I renounced jehad for America. Israel. and the War on Terror. New York. N. Y. : Sentinel. Jonas. G. ( 2007 ) . Contemplations on Islam: thoughts. sentiments. statements. Toronto: Key Porter Books. Katel. P. ( 2010 ) . HomegrownJihadists: can Muslim terrorists in the U. S. mount serious onslaughts? . Washington. DC: Congressional Quarterly. The Big Think Tank: A brief history of Islamic extremism. ( 2006. April 25 ) . The Big Think Tank. Retrieved April 6. 2011. from hypertext transfer protocol: //thebigthinktank. blogspot. com/2006/04/brief-history-of-islamic-extremism. hypertext markup language Quran Shariff. ( 1978 ) . S. l. : [ s. n. ] . Yuan. M. ( 2005 ) . Womans in Islam. Detroit: Greenhaven Press/Thomson-Gale. YouTube – 2 twelvemonth old Muslim Girl replies Questions on Islam. ( n. d. ) . YouTube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved April 20. 2011. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=8Tfh2PnvTnY A ; feature=related Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein. B. ( 2007. January 10 ) . Muslim Extremism and Terrorism in Bangladesh-American Jewish Committee. Home-American Judaic Committee. Retrieved April 7. 2011. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. ajc. org/site/apps/nlnet/content3. aspx? c=ijITI2PHKoG A ; b=3133321 A ; ct=

Coursework of Management & Org. Behaviour Case Study

Coursework of Management & Org. Behaviour - Case Study Example In fact employees would perceive this as the quality of work life which directs on final outcomes as employee performance, motivation, individual satisfaction and personal growth and development in the organizational environment. Business organizations are those legal entities that engage themselves in the production of a good or service with the intention of selling it for a profit and are much more focused on the long run survival in achieving organizational goals such as profitability, shareholder satisfaction, market share and share price growth, corporate governance, sustainability, market leadership and so on. Google being an internet search engine is focused on serving customers worldwide by managing its organizational functions in the light of its strategically advantageous position over the years by understanding of the main components of competitive advantage and how to sustain it and analysis of the behavioral challenges faced by the company in modern business environment. Google indeed adopted some far reaching management practices to achieve organizational goals. The most powerful motivator of the workforce was the requirement to become shareholder of the company in addition to being an employee. Google's all employees served as equity holders with employee ownership. Next the company encouraged team work in which 3 to 4 employees were teamed together so that time waste in coordinating work effort could be reduced and employees would be motivated by team spirit. In addition to these employee friendly work practices and motivators a number of others were also adopted. In fact at Google, work teams tended to be smugly satisfied with their own performance in the absence of standards of reference. Performance of work teams has to be measured against relative performances of others and this requires common standards to be set up on a priority basis.Broader level of employee participation, minimal hierarchy, in-house expertise and problem solving and job rotation practices were good measures but they were not backed by a system of performance-based metrics. However, with the ever increasing threat of competition in the market, management practices at Google were oriented towards creating a pleasant work environment with a set of well defined corporate goals. Despite Google's growth, its management is constantly considering and encouraging employee interaction and the exchanging ideas among all level of employees and across the departments.However effective management practices must be aligned with organizational outcomes such as internal value chain enhancement, productivity and motivation parameters. Google is being practicing this kind of alignment in its strategy and policy with focusing on rewarding system for individuals and teams. HRM is a functional strategy that needs a freer organizational environment to develop into a code-based framework or model of convergence. Google's management practices were inherently flawed though it made some convincing efforts to identify workplace discontent issues and their implications for organizational outcomes. Organizational outc

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Article Review - Essay Example Further on, the stages of the discipline development are discussed. Key words: public intellectuals, sociology, American version of the discipline, Canadian version of the discipline. Key Points The main impact on the development of sociology in Canada was made by the French and English versions of sociology presented by different researchers and scientists, who tended either to French language or to English language. The body of the article comprises opinions of the Canadian researchers on the historical context and recent developments in the discipline of sociology. With regard to the approach chosen by the authors (conceptual, polemical, empirical or historical research approaches), their considerations about the public sociology in Canada differ. The main point of concern for the researchers in the field of sociology is the place of the field in the public sphere. Burawoy’s position is presented as the inspiring approach to sociology, because he presents his dialogue on a global level. Moreover, Jeff Cornier is another leader of his sociology field vision representation. Basically, it is clearly positioned in the article that there is a need for intellectuals in Canada to communicate more on the social level, following the example of public intellectuals in the US.

UK Courts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

UK Courts - Essay Example Some arguments specifically identify the choice to eliminate trial by jury in the most complex fraud cases, suggesting that such cases can be more appropriately heard by a panel of judge or judge and magistrates. Attorney General Lord Goldsmith states â€Å"it is about justice...making sure serious fraudsters are brought to trial" (BBC News, 2005). Kevin Martin, president of the Law Society is against the new proposal, as he suggests That the problem does not lie with juries, but with poor management of court cases. There is concern that doing away with juries will erode public confidence in the legal system. This is a legitimate concern. Lack of confidence in the legal system may lead to lack of cooperation with police and others who serve to uphold the law. Interviews with UK citizens indicate that while the jury system can be flawed, it should be maintained in all cases. A poll of UK citizens by News Online provides as with insight into public opinion. One UK citizen believes tha t the jury system should be upheld at all costs, as failing to do so would allow the state to relinquish its authority to the victims, in deciding punishment. Another feels that trial by â€Å"jury of one’s peers† is still the most fair, claiming that judges are made up of social elite, â€Å"deciding the fate of us, the common folk† (News Online Poll, 2001), which would lead to injustice.

The Importance of Internal Communication

The Importance of Internal Communication Communication is often defined as an exchange of information. Exchange involves at least one sender and one receiver so true communication thus infers a two way process; a dialogue, not a monologue. Information can involve text, voice, pictures and in fact any data which the human body can pick up through its five senses including emotion. Internal communications can be defined as the direct two way communications between employers and their staff. Effective internal communication which can be said to be downward, upward and horizontal†, is a vital means of addressing organisational concerns. Effective internal communication has been shown to help improve employee engagement through; increased job satisfaction, safety and decreased absenteeism, grievances and staff turnover. Such improvements are linked to improved productivity and overall profitability. Effective internal communications is all about enabling us to do our jobs to the best of our ability and ensuring that all of us are working together towards the same organisational goals. This can mean anything from encouraging you to talk to and exchange ideas with people from other departments to explaining the direction that we are heading in as set out by the Universitys decision-making bodies. We use a series of communications channels and tools to keep you informed and give us the chance to listen to your opinions. (prof. A.P Krishnan) Why is internal communication so important? Because clear, concise, and consistent communications educate employees, enabling them to appreciate the value of their organisations vision, programs or projects and is a significant element in engaging the employees keeping them focused, productive and committed. The contribution that clear and effective channels of communication can make to an organisation is substantial, not least in enlisting employees support for business objectives, aligning everyones activities and providing some motivation to raise performance levels. Where appropriate mechanisms are in place, employees are also more likely to engage with the organisational values and objectives offering feedback and coming forward with ideas. Internal communication is more than the art and technique of effectively imparting thoughts, information, and ideas to large numbers of people. It has become the single, most important element that enables an organisation to share their vision and galvanise their work force to action that moves the organisation forward.( Lyn Smith,) Impact of Communication in organisational change Poor communication during a time of organizational change can turn a difficult situation into a crisis. In spite of this age of high technology, few organizations have channels of communication that are adequate to the demands of change. People say, But you never told me! and you begin to realise how ineffective thousands of emails, memos, websites can be Maybe a team meeting or a two-minute face-to-face conversation would have been better This sort of training will let you learn when one style is better than another Develop a written communication plan to ensure that all of the following occur within your change management process. Communicate consistently, frequently, and through multiple channels, including speaking, writing, video, training, focus groups, bulletin boards, Intranets, and more about the change. Communicate all that is known about the changes, as quickly as the information is available. (Make clear that your bias is toward instant communication, so some of the details may change at a later date. Tell people that your other choice is to hold all communication until you are positive about the decisions. This is disastrous in effective change management. Provide significant amounts of time for people to ask questions, request clarification, and provide input. If you have been part of a scenario in which a leader presented changes, on overhead transparencies, to a large group, and then fled, you know what bad news this is for change integration.( Pamela Mounter) Clearly communicate the vision, the mission, and the objectives of the change management effort. Help people to understand how these changes will affect them personally. (If you dont help with this process, people will make up their own stories, usually more negative than the truth.) Recognize that true communication is a â€Å"conversation.† It is two-way and real discussion must result. It cannot be just a presentation. The change leaders or sponsors need to spend time conversing one-on-one or in small groups with the people who are expected to make the changes. Communicate the reasons for the changes in such a way that people understand the context, the purpose, and the need. Practitioners have called this: â€Å"building a memorable, conceptual framework,† and â€Å"creating a theoretical framework to underpin the change.† Provide answers to questions only if you know the answer. Leaders destroy their credibility when they provide incorrect information or appear to stumble or back-peddle, when providing an answer. It is much better to say you dont know, and that you will try to find out. Tony Greener Leaders need to listen. Avoid defensiveness, excuse-making, and answers that are given too quickly. Act with thoughtfulness. Overcoming barriers in communication When you send a message, you intend to communicate meaning, but the message itself doesnt contain meaning. The meaning exists in your mind and in the mind of your receiver. To understand one another, you and your receiver must share similar meanings for words, gestures, tone of voice, and other symbols. 1. Differences in perception The world constantly bombards us with information: sights, sounds, scents, and so on. Our minds organize this stream of sensation into a mental map that represents our perception or reality. In no case is the perception of a certain person the same as the world itself, and no two maps are identical. As you view the world, your mind absorbs your experiences in a unique and personal way. Because your perceptions are unique, the ideas you want to express differ from other peoples Even when two people have experienced the same event, their mental images of that event will not be identical. As senders, we choose the details that seem important and focus our attention on the most relevant and general, a process known as selective perception. As receivers, we try to fit new details into our existing pattern. If a detail doesnt quite fit, we are inclined to distort the information rather than rearrange the pattern. (Peter J. Holzer) 2. Incorrect filtering Filtering is screening out before a message is passed on to someone else. In business, the filters between you and your receiver are many; secretaries, assistants, receptionists, answering machines, etc. Those same gatekeepers may also translate your receivers ideas and responses before passing them on to you. To overcome filtering barriers, try to establish more than one communication channel, eliminate as many intermediaries as possible, and decrease distortion by condensing message information to the bare essentials. 3. Language problems When you choose the words for your message, you signal that you are a member of a particular culture or subculture and that you know the code. The nature of your code imposes its own barriers on your message. Barriers also exist because words can be interpreted in more than one way. Language is an arbitrary code that depends on shared definitions, but theres a limit to how completely any of us share the same meaning for a given word. To overcome language barriers, use the most specific and accurate words possible. Always try to use words your audience will understand. Increase the accuracy of your messages by using language that describes rather than evaluates and by presenting observable facts, events, and circumstances. 4. Poor listening Perhaps the most common barrier to reception is simply a lack of attention on the receivers part. We all let our minds wander now and then, regardless of how hard we try to concentrate. People are essentially likely to drift off when they are forced to listen to information that is difficult to understand or that has little direct bearing on their own lives. Too few of us simply do not listen well! To overcome barriers, paraphrase what you have understood, try to view the situation through the eyes of other speakers and resist jumping to conclusions. Clarify meaning by asking non-threatening questions, and listen without interrupting. 5. Differing emotional states Every message contains both a content meaning, which deals with the subject of the message, and a relationship meaning, which suggests the nature of the interaction between sender and receiver. Communication can break down when the receiver reacts negatively to either of these meanings. You may have to deal with people when they are upset or when you are. An upset person tends to ignore or distort what the other person is saying and is often unable to present feelings and ideas effectively. This is not to say that you should avoid all communication when you are emotionally involved, but you should be alert to the greater potential for misunderstanding that accompanies aroused emotions. To overcome emotional barriers, be aware of the feelings that arise in your self and in others as you communicate, and attempt to control them. Most important, be alert to the greater potential for misunderstanding that accompanies emotional messages. 6. Differing backgrounds Differences in background can be one of the hardest communication barriers to overcome. Age, education, gender, social status, economic position, cultural background, temperament, health, beauty, popularity, religion, political belief, even a passing mood can all separate one person from another and make understanding difficult. To overcome the barriers associated with differing backgrounds, avoid projecting your own background or culture onto others. Clarify your own and understand the background of others, spheres of knowledge, personalities and perceptions and dont assume that certain behaviors mean the same thing to everyone. (Dana Bonbrisco Dodzik) Recommendations for managers for improving communication Research indicates that managers spend somewhere between 50% 80% of their total time communicating in one way or the other. This isnt surprising, since communication is so critical to everything that goes on in an organization. Without effective communication there can be little or no performance management, innovation, understanding of clients, coordination of effort, AND, without effective communication it is difficult to manage the expectations of those who are in a position to make decisions about your fate. (Eileen Scholes) It can also be said that many managers do not communicate well, and do not set an organizational climate where communication within the organization is managed effectively. This isnt surprising, since a manager who communicates ineffectively and does not encourage effective organizational communication is unlikely to hear about it. Poor communication is self-sustaining, because it eliminates an important feedback loop. Staff are loathe to communicate their concerns about communication because they do not perceive the manager as receptive. Both staff and management play out a little dance. In short, you may be fostering poor communication, and never know it. You may see the symptoms, but unless you are looking carefully, you may not identify your own involvement in the problem. What can you do about it? Effective organizational communication, regardless of form, requires three things. First, all players must have the appropriate skills and understanding to communicate well. Communication is not a simple process, and many people simply do not have the required depth of understanding of communication issues. (Marisa Desoiza) Second, effective organizational communication requires a climate or culture that supports effective communication. More specifically, this climate involves trust, openness, reinforcement of good communication practices, and shared responsibility for making communication effective. Third, effective communication requires attention. It doesnt just happen, but develops as a result of an intentional effort on the part of management and staff. Too often, communication, whether it is good or bad, is taken for granted. We can define your role in improving communication with respect to each of these. First, if you want to improve communication, you will need to ensure that you and staff have the skills and knowledge necessary to communicate effectively. This may mean formal training is in order, or it may mean that you coach staff and provide feedback so that they can improve. Second, you play a critical role in fostering and nurturing a climate that is characterized by open communication. Without this climate, all the skills in the world will be wasted. Finally, you must bring communication to the forefront of organization attention. If you make the effort to improve communication, your staff will recognize that it is important. If you ignore it, so will staff. Conclusion It is very clear that internal communication is an integral part of management of an organisation. The effectiveness of management depends upon the efficient internal communication system. The communication operates as the nerve system of group activity. References Prof. KP Krishnan-business communication Lyn Smith, Pamela Mounter-Business Economics- Tony Greener- Internal communication: a practical guide to effective employee communication Eileen Scholes-handbook of internal communication Bonnie Ellison, National School Public Relations Association -Communication in education Marisa Desoiza Internal communication: its influence on the staff and the organization Dana Bonbrisco Dodzik -Communication in organizations Peter J. Holzer-Improving internal communications to creating a building a learning organization http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=7816302 http://www.opcuk.com/downloads/defining_internal_communications.pdf www.sheffield.ac.uk//Internal_Communication_Audit_FindingsEXECSUMMARY.doc Bibiliography http://www.communicology.org/content/definition-communicology http://books.google.co.uk/books?q=internal+communicationlr=sa=Nstart=10 http://managementhelp.org/mrktng/org_cmm.htm http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IC48OAAACAAJdq=internal+communications+in+an+organisationlr=cd=20 Prof. KP Krishnan-business communication Lyn Smith,Pamela Mounter-Business Economics- Tony Greener- Internal communication: a practical guide to effective employee communication Eileen Scholes-handbook of internal communication Bonnie Ellison, National School Public Relations Association -Communication in education Marisa Desoiza Internal communication: its influence on the staff and the organization Dana Bonbrisco Dodzik -Communication in organizations Peter J. Holzer-Improving internal communications to creating a building a learning organization http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=7816302 http://www.opcuk.com/downloads/defining_internal_communications.pdf www.sheffield.ac.uk//Internal_Communication_Audit_FindingsEXECSUMMARY.doc

Human Trafficking Essay -- Crime

Human Trafficking is the unlawful trade of human beings for various purposes such as reproductive slavery or sex slavery. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC] protocol on trafficking, â€Å"Trafficking in Persons is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation† (UNODC). Human Trafficking is a growing phenomenon. It is one of the fastest growing types of transnational crime worldwide. According to the US State department’s 2009 â€Å"Trafficking in Persons Report,† at least 12.3 million adults and children fall victim to human traffickers every year (qtd in Haerens 17). Human Trafficking occurs on every continent and has been booming. One reason for the increase in human trafficking is because of globalization. When competing in the global marketplace companies and corporations need cheap labor, and they don’t care where it comes from. This in turn, causes the employment recruiters (the traffickers) to go after their prey (the trafficked). Human Trafficking can be thought of as a national security implication. One case of involuntary or forced servitude, standing alone, does not constitute a breach in national security. When viewed as a whole, in relation to human trafficking, this is considered as a major breach in National Security and should be treated as a serious crime. According to Rizer and Glaser â€Å"the crime of trafficking in persons has recently been added... ...demic Search Complete. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. Haerens, Margaret. Human Trafficking. New York: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Print. â€Å"Human Trafficking.† United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. UNODC, 2012. Web. 4 April. 2012. Kloer, Amanda. "Sex Trafficking and HIV/AIDS." Human Rights 37.2 (2010): 8-25. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. Ojeda, Auriana. Slavery Today. New York: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Print. Pati, Roza. "States' Positive Obligations with Respect to Human Trafficking: The European Court of Human Rights Breaks New Ground in Rantsev V. Cyprus and Russia." Boston University International Law Journal 29.1 (2011): 79-142. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. Rizer, Arthur and Sheri R. Glaser. "Breach: The National Security Implications of Human Trafficking." Widener Law Review 17.1 (2011): 69-94. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Mar. 2012.

Barriers to Democratization in China

This article presents and enlightens the rationale for the failure of China in establishing a democratic system. Such topic is broad and extensive apparently because it attempts to explain the natural flow of democratization with relation to China that has yet to establish a democratic system. This also endeavors to enhance the understanding of democratization process on a certain country.The whole presentation of barriers to Chinese democratization is divided into phases and provides analytical framework in the further understanding of the nature of democratization process.Such phases are consisting of several factors which serve as the subordinate topics in demonstrating the impacts of these factors on Chinese democratization. Chinese Democratization Chinese democratization is of immense importance, both practically and theoretically. Although it is only one country, China represents between one-fifth and one-fourth of the world’s population. According to Rummel (1991), â₠¬Å"due to the undemocratic systems in twentieth-century China, millions suffered from political persecution and died unnatural deaths.† For example, more than twenty million starved to death in the famine of 1959–61. As late as 1989, hundreds of unarmed civilians were mowed down in the capital city of Beijing. Democracy may not work miracles, but it can avoid such tragedies (Rummel 1991). Presenting Barriers to Chinese Democracy I. Historical Legacy and Democracy This part of the article presents the assessment of the potential impact of historical legacy on the process of democratization in China. The general conditions, political thoughts, and political traditions go under this first factor.It initially looks at how some general conditions constrain Chinese political development and compares political thoughts with modern democracy and examines the way democratic or undemocratic Chinese political traditions were. Historical legacies are not of equal importance. Some a re trivial and transitory, such as people’s dress. Others are substantial and stable, such as people’s ways of treating one another. Modern democracy resulted from the interaction between Western traditions and modernization.Given China’s different historical path and its low level of modernization, its democratization process was in the grip of its historical legacies. By focusing on general conditions, political thoughts, and political traditions, this chapter suggests that China’s historical legacies pose a challenge to the democratization process. The vast territory and diverse conditions always create problems for governability and participation in traditional times. A long history tends to foster a cynical view of politics, just as a short history may facilitate an idealistic view of politics.A huge population not only decreases people’s incentive for participation, but also renders it difficult to change the rules of the game. China’s relative isolation from the West cost the Chinese the opportunity to learn from a great and dynamic civilization. All these forms formidable force of inertia that slows down and even blocks attempts to adopt new systems and habits in China. Indeed, few Western thoughts before the modern time were democratic, but the Athenian political and intellectual experiences, the Roman conception of citizenship and law, and Christianity’s conception of humanity did facilitate democracy as we know it today.By contrast, Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, and Taoism contained some democratic elements, but none qualified as being democratic because of their failure to advocate popular sovereignty and individual liberty. As the dominant ideology in China, Confucianism was paternalistic in preaching benevolence and propriety. Despite its good intentions, its differences from democracy were huge. Kant’s remark that paternalism is the worst form of tyranny contains some truth. What further separates China from the West is their political traditions. Feudalism had dominated the West for a long time.It was characterized by its lack of equality, liberty, and a powerful central government. It deserves mentioning that not until the early 1860s were serfdom and slavery abolished in Russia and the United States, respectively. Against this historical background, the middle class in the West not only demanded equality and freedom denied by feudal systems, but also attempted to limit the rising power of the central government after the decline of feudalism. By contrast, traditional China witnessed a great deal of socioeconomic equality and freedom.Chinese political and economic systems allowed for a high level of social mobility. So the call for freedom and equality appealed less to the Chinese than to the Europeans. Compared with its European counterparts, the Chinese government was powerful. Theoretically, all the land and people belonged to the emperor. But China’s va st territory and traditional technology softened the impact of a bureaucratic empire. There were both enlightened and despotic rulers in Chinese history. When tyranny accompanied socioeconomic hardship, the Chinese exercised their right of rebellion.As a result, Chinese history seemed to be trapped in a â€Å"dynastic cycle. † Without modernization and foreign contacts, China might have found it difficult to break this cycle. II. Local Forces and Democracy During the second half of the 19th century, China experienced the decline of central power in contrast to the rise of many countries like the U. S. , Italy, and Prussia. In particular, the Taiping Rebellion which endured from 1851-64 had affected almost all the provinces in China proper, devastated its most prosperous regions, and had cost 20 to 40 million people dead.What further undermined the central power was the Nien Rebellion in the north from 1851 to 1868, the Miao Rebellion in the southwest from 1855 to 1872, and th e Moslem Rebellion in the northwest from 1862 to 1878. Collectively, these are referred to as local forces that decisively affect the democratization process in the Republican era. The establishment of the republic did not imply that the Chinese were willing or able to maintain democracy. Before the 1911 Revolution, most Chinese had no preference for democratic republicanism, and those who advocated democracy treated it less as an end than as a means to national power and wealth.But the revolution ruled out the possibility of establishing a new monarchy in China and ushered in the era of republicanism. The entire Republican era was mainly shaped by the shifting balance of power between the central government and local forces. Since the mid–nineteenth century, foreign powers and local forces had undermined the Manchu regime. During the 1911 Revolution, the independence of provinces doomed the Qing dynasty. Since the local forces continued to threaten the new republic, a strong man was needed to rule China.Yuan Shih-kai’s fight against disintegration served national interests and commanded widespread support. But his monarchical scheme discredited him, and his death created an opportunity for the rise of warlordism. During the warlord period, the central government not only lost control of local forces, but also was manipulated by powerful warlords. Against this background, the Nationalists cooperated with the Soviet Union to achieve national unification. The rise of local forces was nothing new in China. With its vast territory, regional diversity, and traditional technology, the empire always faced the danger of division.Since the respective authorities of central and local governments were not clearly defined, the central government might have too much or too little power. On balance, the former was a lesser evil than the latter. While rational rulers had little intention to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, the lack of legitimacy motivat ed local satraps to maximize their profits. The Chinese fear of local forces appeared unwarranted in the eyes of foreigners, but it constituted a self-fulfilling prophecy. Idealizing a unitary system, many Chinese leaders would resort to violence and war for the sake of national unification.Accordingly, the fear of local forces led to war, which in turn justified people’s original fear. If the establishment of the new republic had little to do with the Chinese people’s democratic conviction, partisan conflict, domestic turmoil, and civil wars in the Republican era made the Chinese disillusioned with democracy. Indeed, democracy does not necessarily weaken state power, and no real democracy was put into practice in China. But there is no denying that the early phase of democratization tends to unleash divisive forces. Through legitimating diverse interests democracy risks undermining the central power.Historical examples abound. A weak confederation followed the America n Revolution. Fortunately, the founding fathers opted for a federal system, which struck a balance between central and local powers. Like many other countries, post-Revolution China experienced chaos and civil wars. The Revolution was intended to strengthen state power, but contributed to its further decline. The painful experience in the Republican era convinced the Chinese that a weak and divisive country needed a strong government, and that dictatorship represented a lesser evil than anarchy. III. World System and DemocracyAll countries have been dragged into the world system in the contemporary times. Unfortunately, this foreign system is unbeneficial to weaker countries and a monster that is beyond their control. It is no exaggeration, as Toynbee (1969) declares, to say that their modern history is one of their responses to foreign challenges. Before the end of World War II, China was one of the disadvantaged countries having deplorable status in the effect of world system†™s adversity to democratization processes. Without the modern world system, democratization might not have become an issue in China.However, such a system militated against the process of democratization in the Nationalist era in several ways. First, the nature of the world system was undemocratic, if not antidemocratic. What characterized this system was power politics and capitalism. The former treated might as right; the latter sought profits and ignored equality. To survive in such a world required a strong state, but not necessarily a democratic one. Given China’s low status in the world, the Chinese desired wealth and power rather than democracy.In fact, the Chinese accepted democracy, less because they embraced the value itself than because they saw it as a method to strengthen the state power. Second, liberal democracy was less attractive than it is today. Internal disturbance and foreign threats in 1930s provided the best justification for dictatorship. No wonder t hat the Nationalist government and many Chinese intellectuals found dictatorship both necessary and desirable. Third, the Japanese aggression made the Chinese democratization almost irrelevant.Indeed, the Sino-Japanese War facilitated partisan cooperation, stimulated Chinese nationalism, and helped democratize the world system. But amid foreign aggression, national survival took precedence over the call for democracy and human rights. Equally important, the war catapulted the Communists into formidable power and exacerbated socioeconomic problems the Nationalists had never been able to handle. As a result, a democratic solution to China’s political, economic, and social problems became difficult, if not impossible. Lastly, the Cold War system affected Chinese political development.The victory of the Soviet Union in World War II and the expansion of socialism into East Europe boosted the reputation of socialism in comparison with liberal democracy. Both superpowers wanted to i ncrease their own influence in China and sided with either the Nationalists or the Communists. It was no exaggeration to say that the evolution of the world system made possible the Communist triumph. IV. Socialist Values and Democracy Although the Mao era did well in promoting socioeconomic equality and deserved credit for encouraging mass participation, socialist China did not qualify as democracy as we know it.The one-party rule excluded the possibility for citizens to select rulers. Civil and political rights were ignored, if not flagrantly violated. The house-registration system and class label contravened the principles of liberty and equality. Millions suffered from political persecution. Even among the party itself, powerful struggles were frequent and cruel. What was worse, the Communists did not deliver on their own material promise. Living standards in Maoist China barely increased. In explaining the lack of democracy in China, one cannot ignore the role of Mao.It was Mao who hastened the socialist transformation, led the AntiRightists Campaign, initiated the Great Leap, encouraged the people’s communes, reversed the sensible guidelines of the Eighth Congress, and launched the Cultural Revolution. Without him, Chinese socialism would have taken different shape. But even without him, there would have been little chance for socialist China to be democratic. Authors like Berger (1993) and Almond (1991) believe that â€Å"the reality is that although countries with market economies have not necessarily been democratic, all democracies have coexisted with market economies†.Advocates of socialism see no contradiction between socialism and democracy. Ralph Miliband, for example, maintains that â€Å"socialist democracy would embody many of the features of liberal democracy, including the rule of law, the separation of powers, civil liberties, political pluralism, and a vibrant civil society, but it would give them much more effective meaning . It would seek the democratization of the state and of society at all levels (Miliband p. 117). This theoretical possibility has not yet translated into reality.C. B. MacPherson is more sophisticated in arguing that although existing socialist countries do not guarantee political freedom, this does not imply that socialism inevitably conflicts with democracy. He attributes the socialist failure in this respect to three specific factors. According to MacPherson (1973), â€Å"socialist countries were established in underdeveloped countries; they faced the hostility of Western powers; and their birth in revolution or civil war entailed the restriction of freedom. †The conflict between socialism and democracy cannot merely be explained by historical circumstances, but should be explained by the nature of both socialist revolution and the socialist system. By aiming at abolishing private property, socialist revolution inevitably invites the strongest opposition from all ruling an d propertied classes. As a result, socialists have to rely on violence to achieve their objective. Moreover, many scholars, like Belden (1949) and Talmon (1960) find the socialist preference for collective over individual rights to be at the root of totalitarianism.As early as 1848, Tocqueville stated that â€Å"democracy extends the sphere of individual freedom; socialism restricts it. Democracy attaches all possible value to each man; socialism makes each man a mere agent, a mere number. Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word: equality. But notice the difference: as quoted in Hayek (1972) that â€Å"while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude. † The dictatorship of the proletariat may intend to serve the vast majority of the people, but it bodes ill for democracy and human rights.Lenin defines dictatorship as â€Å"nothing more or less than authority untrammeled by any laws, absolutely unrestricted by any rules whatever, and based directly on force† (Lenin p. 353). Socialists’ emphasis on class character ignores humanity and individuality, and their call for class struggle damages the social fabric. By dehumanizing class enemies, they tolerate and even extol the abuse of human rights. Not least of all, even if socialist rulers are well intentioned, a socialist economy provides the best pedestal for despotism.Public ownership and planned economy enable an all-powerful state to control people’s livelihood, to limit their freedom, and to foster their passivity and fear. V. Economic Development and Democracy Deng Xiaoping’s Era Deng’s reform policy was less political democratization than economic development. Nevertheless, close relations between these two processes determined that he had an important role to play in the process of democratization (Shambaugh 1995). Economic development and political democratization are both desirable, but they somet imes compete and even conflict with each other.Deng’s preference for economic development over political democratization was understandable. Human beings are more economic animals than political ones. Democracy appeals less to poor people in poor countries, and Deng’s political liberalization further decreased the Chinese desire for democracy. Deng first instituted the responsibility system in the countryside and later abolished the commune system. At the same time, he did his best to integrate China into the outside world. The success in rural reform shifted Deng’s attention to urban reform.Despite its limitations, the economic reform increased the people’s living standard, boosted the private sector, substituted a market economy for a planned economy, and internationalized the Chinese economy. All these had positive impacts on democratization, because they reduced the state power over the society, expanded an autonomous economic realm, decreased the eli te’s interest in seeking political power, and motivated better-off and better-educated people to demand more freedom and rights.Economic reforms, however, could not be deepened without political reform. Twice Deng wanted to institute political reforms, but they fell short of expectations. Deng never embraced liberal democracy. For him, democracy represented a means to economic development. When it jeopardized stability and unity, it would be abandoned. But Deng’s political reform received less credit than it deserves. Elections were permitted at local levels. Legal reforms moved China closer to the rule of law. With his administrative reform, old cadres gradually gave way to new technocrats.Although the Chinese did not enjoy positive freedom to participate in government affairs, they were granted negative freedom in their social and economic life. In short, Deng’s political reform represented a change in system rather than a change of system, and was characteriz ed not by democratization but by liberalization and institutionalization. Deng’s economic reform was a two-edged sword, providing more legitimacy to the Communist rule, and causing social unrest and public protests. The 1989 Tiananmen Incident reflected and reinforced the legitimacy crisis.The mass protests originated from people’s dissatisfaction with their economic situations and social injustice, but did not mean that they wanted to overthrow Communist rule. Although the repression temporarily stabilized the situation, the legitimacy crisis became much severer. Like most authoritarian rulers, Deng had no choice but to rely on further economic development to regain legitimacy. Since then, Chinese leaders and people have followed the East Asian model, putting development before democratization.Conclusion All of the above factors presented are apparently legitimate and convincing when it comes to the realities happening in China. These barriers are enough to provide an swers to the issue of China democratization. This presentation provides knowledge with such potential factors and significantly deepens our knowledge of the nature of democratization process in a selected country. References Almond, Gabriel. â€Å"Capitalism and Democracy,† in PS: Political Science and Politics. September 1991: pp. 467–74.Belden, Jack. China Shakes the World. New York: Harper, 1949: p. 504. Berger, Peter. â€Å"The Uncertain Triumph of Democratic Capitalism,† in Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy Revisited. Ed. Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993: p. 3. Hayek, Friedrich. The Road to Serfdom. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1972: p. 25. Lenin, â€Å"A Contribution to the History of the Question of the Dictatorship. † in Collected Works, 31 (n. d. ): p. 353. MacPherson, C B.Democratic Theory: Essays in Retrieval. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1973: pp. 151–52. Miliband, Ralph.  "The Socialist Alternative,† in Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy Revisited. Ed. Diamond and Plattner, p. 117. Rummel, R J. China’s Bloody Century: Genocide and Mass Murder since 1900. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 1991. Shambaugh, David, ed. Deng Xiaoping: Portrait of a Chinese Statesman. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995. Talmon, Jacob. The Origins of Totalitarian Democracy. New York: Praeger, 1960.

The BP Oil Spill essays

The BP Oil Spill essays The oil spill which rapidly swept the nation with damaging effects for several months was an enormous controversial issue which appeared in media sources from coast to coast. In late April when the catastrophe occurred, the world was not at all ready for what was soon to come. Initially to stop the steady flow of oil from seeping into the Gulf lead to an excess of serious problems; specifically, in the areas which surrounded the site of the incident. Until the recent tragedy British Petroleum, better known as BP, presented themselves as a good corporation; however, due to the devastating events the once good corporation took a huge hit. Chief Executive Officer, Tony Hayward primarily, was directed in the line of fire throughout the whole ordeal. Speculations of Hayward being entirely at fault were in fact made, but can the entire blame of such an unanticipated accident be single-handedly placed on one man? It was thought by many that after suffering such a misfortune, BP would likel y go bankrupt due to tremendous loss of funds. An article by Charlie Savage which appeared in the New York Times discussed in detail the block on the drilling ban issued by Federal Judge Martin Feldman. Shortly after the massive spill began, six month immobilization of all offshore drilling in depths greater than five hundred feet was issued. Fortunately, the drilling ban immediately brought thirty-three offshore exploratory endeavors to a standstill and suspended numerous new permits; however, it did not affect already operating rigs. President Obama stated, Continuing to drill at these depths without knowing what happened does not make sense, and could potentially jeopardize the safety of those on the rigs and the safety of the environment in the Gulf (Savage). In his quote, President Obama clearly stated his opinion on the matter and acknowledge the fact that continuing to drill would undoubtedly pose some degree of danger. ...

Cell Phones Possession in Schools Essay Example

Cell Phones Possession in Schools Essay Example Cell Phones Possession in Schools Essay Cell Phones Possession in Schools Essay Essay Topic: Middle School NAME TEACHER Eng. 5 Pd. 2 19 September 2011 Cell Phone Possession in Schools There are many pros and cons towards cell phone possession in schools; nonetheless the pros outweigh the cons in extensive ways. In The New York Times, Kim Flodin wrote an article based on cell phone possession in schools. Can You Hear Me, Mom has positive and negative aspects towards the possession of cell phones in schools, through Kim Flodin, a parent, and Joel Klein, a former NYC school chancellor. Kim Flodin is a parent of two who is for cell phone possession in schools. She supports her argument by stating, â€Å" y middle-schooler commutes on her own from our Brooklyn home to her Manhattan middle school, and she needs a cellphone for her safety. † She also states â€Å"The minute my daughter leaves that school to come home, her phone is our lifeline. † September 11th 2001, was a very tragic day. Thousands of lives were lost, and many injured. During 9-11 school was in session, and cell p hones were the most used device to communicate. For example, my mom called my dad on his cell phone that day to make sure he was ok, because he was in manhattan, and near the twin towers. My mother was able to reach him and my dad was okay. Joel Klein was the former NYC school chancellor. He is against the possession of cell phones in schools, and defends the ban by stating, â€Å". cellphones lead to cheating on tests and cause other problems. † he also states â€Å"And phones incite fights? † There is text bullying, and other ways fights are started, but if you were in trouble and needed to call 9-1-1 or someone to help, a cell phone is the only way to communicate quick. Why should all the students get their phones confiscated and taken from them, when only a handful of them abuse the privilege of being able to possess a cellphone in school? Metal detectors are a good way of finding lethal weapons, but when it comes to taking away a device that can be used for emergency purposes, its wrong, even though some students exploit the privilege. Kim Flodin and Joel Klein have different opinions on the topic of cell phone possession in schools. They support their opinion in several ways, but the schools and parents should come to a solution and live in a happily ambience. However the pros outweigh the cons, and cell phone possession should be aloud in schools due to many complications and situations that have happened in the past due to not possessing a cellphone in school.

Compare and Contrast Rawlsian and Dworkinian account of distributive Essay

Compare and Contrast Rawlsian and Dworkinian account of distributive justice - Essay Example The focus in this methodology of viewing justice is on the outcomes and results of distributions rather than the procedural tools which connect with administrative bodies or the government established in the system. Two prominent thinkers, i.e. Ronald Dworkin and John Rawls have presented their ideas about distributive justice and an understanding of these ideas is important for any student of sociology, philosophy, law and even economics. It would be best to examine the ideas of Rawls first since he presented his ideas before Dworkin. In the simplest of terms, John Rawls distributive justice is based on the idea of alternative distributive justice in which a Difference Principle is called into action. Rawls accepts that equality and equal distribution of resources within any given system is impossible therefore he creates a difference principle under which inequality becomes perfectly acceptable. The Difference Principle allows a society to allocate resources in a way where equality is not needed, but only if the creation of this inequality makes the lower strata of society materially better off than they would have been had there been perfect equality (Rawls, 1993). As a difference to Dworkinian distributive justice, this idea is based on the fact that the level of wealth in an economy is never a fixed constant and it can be changed from one point in time to the other. Rawls suggests that the wealth of a nation can be created by technology, innovation and development and this has been clearly proven by the industrialized nations of the world. Of course this comes with the idea of capitalism and social Darwinism where the most productive people within an economy will rise to the top and create wealth for themselves as well as the economic system they are in. This may lead to the accumulation of wealth at the top of the social order but Rawls does not consider this to be a

PDA SIM Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PDA SIM Strategies - Assignment Example Also, there should be a target of assigning the necessary resources to the segments that are being profitable. This strategy might not be immediately very profitable, as there will probably be some more inherent costs, even though some profit is expected, which will help in the company's actual financial situation. It is essential to start thinking about producing and marketing new products with the same characteristics which the actual consumers need. The products that the customers want to be on the market should be concentrated on, rather than continuing to offer the same customized products. I have learned from this simulation that in order to create demand, there has to be adequate investment in hiring of sales offices, web centers, customer service, promotions and advertising. I feel that for better profitability, there must be good relations with suppliers and customers. According to Kreitner and Kinicki, "Effective change requires reinforcing new behaviors, attitudes and organizational practices" (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2004). Also, having the right products, in the exact moment seems to require quite some time, and I think this is another important issue to be considered. When an organisation has produced the right product or services, they would want to deliver it according to other current products and happenings in the actual market, and also according to what the competition is doing. I think it is important for the company to examine what the priorities are, and to review the currently established brand service prices.Since the X7 handheld is in its growth phase, there are many potential X7 customers in the market. So, most of the customers for the X7 will be new customers. 1. How you did on this round (Better or worse What was your score). Better 2. Why do you think you did better (or worse) I was able to appreciate the nature of the pda marketing strategies better. 3. What changes in strategy will you make for the final round The performance of the X7 is holding steady, as compared with the competition, so I will increase its production and sales Works cited Kreitner, R., Kinicki, A. (2003). Organizational behavior New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved February 12, 2007 from University of PhoenixResource, MBA520 Resource optimization website http://forio.com/pdasim.htm