Democracy Is the Best Form of Government

Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Democracy allows eligible citizens to participate equally—either directly or through elected representatives—in the proposal, development, and creation of laws. It encompasses social, economic and cultural conditions that enable the free and equal practice of political self-determination.The term originates from the Greek (demokratia) â€Å"rule of the people†,[1] which was coined from (demos) â€Å"people† and (kratos) â€Å"power† in the 5th century BCE to denote the political systems then existing in Greek city-states, notably Athens; the term is an antonym to â€Å"rule of an elite. † The English word dates to the 16th century, from the older Middle French and Middle Latin equivalents.A democratic government contrasts to forms of government where power is either held by one, as in a monarchy, or where power is h eld by a small number of individuals, as in an oligarchy. Nevertheless, these oppositions, inherited from Greek philosophy,[2] are now ambiguous because contemporary governments have mixed democratic, oligarchic, and monarchic elements. Karl Popper defined democracy in contrast to dictatorship or tyranny, thus focusing on opportunities for the people to control their leaders and to oust them without the need for a revolution. 3] Several variants of democracy exist, but there are two basic forms, both of which concern how the whole body of eligible citizens executes its will. One form of democracy is direct democracy, in which eligible citizens have direct and active participation in the decision making of the government. In most modern democracies, the whole body of eligible citizens remain the sovereign power but political power is exercised indirectly through elected representatives; this is called representative democracy.The concept of representative democracy arose largely from ideas and institutions that developed during the European Middle Ages, the Age of Enlightenment, and the American and French Revolutions Definition While there is no universally accepted definition of â€Å"democracy,†[5] equality and freedom have both been identified as important characteristics of democracy since ancient times. [6] These principles are reflected in all eligible citizens being equal before the law and having equal access to legislative processes.For example, in a representative democracy, every vote has equal weight, no unreasonable restrictions can apply to anyone seeking to become a representative, and the freedom of its eligible citizens is secured by legitimized rights and liberties which are generally protected by a constitution. [7][8] One theory holds that democracy requires three fundamental principles: 1) upward control, i. e. sovereignty residing at the lowest levels of authority, 2) political equality, and 3) social norms by which individuals and institutions only consider acceptable acts that reflect the first two principles of upward control and political equality. 9] The term â€Å"democracy† is sometimes used as shorthand for liberal democracy, which is a variant of representative democracy that may include elements such as political pluralism; equality before the law; the right to petition elected officials for redress of grievances; due process; civil liberties; human rights; and elements of civil society outside the government. [citation needed] In the United States, separation of powers is often cited as a central attribute, but in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the dominant principle is that of parliamentary sovereignty (while maintaining judicial independence). citation needed] In other cases, â€Å"democracy† is used to mean direct democracy. Though the term â€Å"democracy† is typically used in the context of a political state, the principles also are applicable to private orga nizations. Majority rule is often listed as a characteristic of democracy. [by whom? ] Hence, democracy allows for political minorities to be oppressed by the â€Å"tyranny of the majority† in the absence of legal protections of individual or group rights. An essential part of an â€Å"ideal† representative democracy is competitive elections that are fair both substantively[10] and procedurally. 11] Furthermore, freedom of political expression, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press are considered to be essential rights that allow citizens to be adequately informed and able to vote according to their own interests. [12][13] It has also been suggested that a basic feature of democracy is the capacity of eligible voters to participate freely and fully in the life of their society. [14] With its emphasis on notions of social contract and the collective will of the eligible voters, democracy can also be characterized as a form of political collectivism because it is d efined s a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. [15] While democracy is often equated with the republican form of government, the term â€Å"republic† classically has encompassed both democracies and aristocracies. Democracy is the best form of government. Yes because†¦ Freedom Democratic states nearly always have freer people than autocratic states. They obviously have the right to vote for their government so by extension deciding the policy of their nation and what their nation should be like.They have more freedom of speech and expression than in autocracies. In particular they are free to criticise their own government. Represents the people The biggest virtue of Democracy is that it is government by the people for the people. The government represents the views of the people who elect them and can throw them out if the government does things that the people do not like. Unlike other forms of g overnment democracy is about the little man, everyone rather than the elite that are often disconnected from how everyone else lives their lives.Better governance due to transparency Democracy is as much about having checks and balances to the executive and having transparency of decision-making as it is about elections and the populace throwing governments out of power. In a democracy the parliament, the media and sometimes the judiciary all keep an eye on the executive and what is being done with the people’s money. They are therefore able to see if the executive is doing things that are detrimental to the country, are immoral, or even illegal. This can then be brought to a halt.Even where such actions are not visible on the surface there are separate institutions that have the power to investigate the executive and watch any ‘secret’ deals or actions that are going on away from public view. Respect of Human Rights Democracy as much it is understood, is the gov ernment of the people, by the people and for the people. If democracy is put at it appropriate performance, then, all facet of human rights is respected. The citizens would have the rights to exercise freedom of speech concerning the well-being of the populace in areas of the economy, education, health, infrastructural development, etc.Promotes Human Rights As much as Democracy is understood, it is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. The ability of the people to have a voice in the running of the State, in the economy, health, education, infrastructural development, etc creates a bit-balanced environment for governance to thrive; this can only be achieved in a democratic governance. This is not the case. The most developed and richest countries are all democracies.While they may well have been developing their democracies during their initial industrialisation democracy and the freedom it brings is increasingly necessary for economic growth once the country has moved to being mostly dependent upon services rather than manufacturing or natural resource exploitation for economic growth. Once this occurs then creativity becomes important and the freedoms associated with democracy are needed to foster this creativity that is needed for industries such as information technology, creative arts, research and development etc.Democracy is the best form of government. No because†¦ Freedom Except for the freedom to choose the government there is no reason why people cannot be as free under an autocracy as in a democracy. Represents the people Democracy does not do very well at representing the people. In first past the post systems a government may not even have the support of a majority of those who voted not even including that many will not have votes and many more will not have the vote. This means that it is often a small minority of the population who determines which party gets in to government.Once they are there they are rarely rep resentative of the people as they have several years to do what they like. Yes they need to think about re-election but that simply means they need to do more that the people like than the people dislike (or else have a good advertising campaign). Better governance due to transparency While this is mostly found in democracy it is not something that has to be exclusive to democracies. Autocracies can potentially be transparent and have checks and balances they however often do not simply because an autocracy often has the time, and the willingness to use force to prevent these from occurring.Economic growth Autocracies are better at big projects, they can get things done and as such they are likely to be better at creating economic growth if they have the will. In an autocracy there are not the avenues for dissent that can block building projects, the police or troops can be used to clear protests that in the west would slow down large infrastructure projects. As a consequence of thi s all the infrastructure that is needed to create a modern economy can be produced quicker and cheaper than would be the case in a democracy.Also the resource base of the country can be accessed faster (no pesky environmentalists preventing drilling and mining! ) and used more efficiently. Increasingly about money In some countries democracy seems to be increasingly about money. The U. S. is the obvious example where millions are spent on elections with big events and glitzy advertising campaigns. This is not what democracy should be about and it discourages other countries from moving along the path to democracy. Indeed it undermines the very idea of democracy. Democracy when money is involved to the extent that it is in the U. S. A. ecomes elitist and corporatist because only the elite and rich businessmen can afford to fund the campaigns for congress let alone for the presidency. The 2008 campaign for the White House cost $1. 6 billion and the whole 2008 election including senate and house of representatives races cost $5. 3 billion. Autocracies obviously avoid this immense expense by avoiding elections. Is democracy the best form of government? Disagree : By Richard What if someone was in power who cared about the people, stood for the people, was in touch with the people and was not corrupted by the power that Dictatorship brought him.Yes, it seems unlikely but what if? We could have the ability to do more, faster with less red tape, paperwork, and continual discussion (as with a dictatorship) coupled with the freedoms of democracy. The problem is the people always believe the mob (majority) to be right. The truth is people are easily manipulated when in a crowd or together as a majority on an issue. It takes but one person to convince 10 000 that his conviction is the right one. Nevermind what the minority of free thinkers, academics, intellectuals, or revolutionaries have to say or have warned against. Political Ideology is not the problem.Humans are. W e are self-righteous, greedy, self-serving, destructive, and worst of all manipulative. People always point me to the selfless acts of others they have witnessed in order to prove me wrong on my previous statement. But the fact is these selfless people are in the tiny minority, or as with Maslow's hierarchy of needs, already have 10 houses, 4 cars, 2 security guards and a 10 mil bank account. â€Å"Giving† to the poor doesn't detract from their riches as they resupply their wealth with shares bought and sold or actually working. Thus, they aren't losing wealth. They simply aren't gaining more.We need the minority just as much as we need the majority. That minority of free thinkers, academics, intellectuals, and revolutionaries are the ones that changed the world. They brought us medicine, computers, a better understanding of science and space, but most important of all a curiosity for knowledge. Democracy should protect the rights of the minority more often than it does. We r ely too much on what the mob thinks, when in actual fact they don't think. They just regurgitate the drivel fed to them by some sob who knows how to manipulate the mob for his own profit. And that is the biggest problem facing democracy.How do you overcome the this human condition where if we are in large groups, emotion replaces logical thought? Disagree : By Prashanth I think there are better forms of government other than democracy. Dictatorship is not completely bad neither is democracy completely good. Consider this form of government– Instead of having bulky political parties why not have leaders of parties etc stand as candidates for the post of President/Prime Minister. The people can directly vote for them. Better still we could invite applications for this post from the citizens. Based on screening them for leadership track record,no criminal cases etc. e could select the top 5 or 10 most eligible candidates. People can select the candidate who is most popular/likab le for 5 years. He could then select experts from different sectors as ministers. He could hand pick distinguished people from different sectors as expert advisory group who could debate/discuss proposed laws. He can hand pick worthy local people for mayor position in cities/villages who should interact directly with people and pass immediate orders to solve their problems. He should have a citizens forum where people directly give ideas to the Prime Minister/President.The judiciary to oversee the constitutional validity of laws passed,Election Commission,Constitution and an ombudsman to check corruption etc all of them will be there. This form of government will cut flab,be efficient and agile. It will eliminate unworthy but popular people from getting elected. Also the people debating will be experts in their field. There is greater likelihood of better decisions. As it is today the party leaders only call the shots. Then why not have worthy leaders directly elected by the people. These leaders will keep a balance between expert opinion,constitutional provisions and public opinion.

Ge Matrix Essay

Gg General Electric screen matrix (the General Electric (GE) business screen) The GE screen matrix is essentially a derivation of the Boston Consulting Group’s Boston growth matrix. It was developed by McKinsey and Co. for General Electric as it had been recognized that the Boston Consulting Group matrix was not flexible enough to take broader issues into account. The GE matrix cross-references market attractiveness and business position using three criteria for each – high, medium and low. The market attractiveness considers variables relating to the market itself, including the rate of market growth, market size, potential barriers to entering the market, the number and size of competitors, the actual profit margins currently enjoyed, and the technological implications of involvement in the market. The business position criteria look at the business’s strengths and weaknesses in a variety of fields. These include its position in relation to its competitors, and the business’s ability to handle product research, development and ultimate production. It also considers how well placed the management is to deploy these resources. The matrix differs in its complexity compared with the Boston Consulting Group matrix. Superimposed on the basic diagram are a number of circles. These circles are of variable size (see Figure 22). The size of each represents the size of each market. Within each circle is a clearly defined segment which represents the business’s market share within that market. The larger the circle, the larger the market, and the larger the segment, the larger the market share. General environment The term ‘general environment’ refers to the broad macro-environment in which a business operates. Broadly speaking, it can be identified as having four key elements, as outlined in Table 10. 98 Key Concepts in Strategic Management Business position High Invest heavily for growth High Medium Invest selectively and build Low Develop for income Market attractiveness Medium Invest selectively and build Develop selectively for income Harvest or divest Figure 22 Low Develop selectively and build on strengths Harvest Divest The General Electric (GE) matrix Table 10 Elements of the general environment Political/legal Potential/actual changes in regulations/legislation Foreign trade regulations Environmental protection Changes in government (local/regional/national) Technological New development inside and outside the industry New product development Technological projects in the industry Industry (and government) spending on research and development G Economic GNP growth Finance/market trends Inflation Interest rates Money upply Employment/unemployment Energy issues Socio-cultural Population trends Age distribution Regional movement of population Demographics of the family Lifestyle Consumerism Geographical structure 99 The most rapid of these trends in the general environment are technological and political/legal. The slowest moving are the economic and the socio-cultural. Geographical structure The organizational structure of a major business could be based purely on geographical regions . This could reflect the following possibilities: †¢ †¢ †¢ that the market is sufficiently remote to warrant a replication of the organizational structure in its geographical region; that the factors of production are sufficiently attractive to set up a geographically-based structure; that the market requires specific support that can only be delivered in the geographical region and not from the remote central headquarters of the organization. Global area structure A global area structure configures the organization along the main areas (geographically) in which it operates. Typically, the globe would be split up into a series of general areas such that the business can assume that all functions can be carried out by a centralized headquarters within each region. The configuration may take the form depicted in Figure 23. Corporate HQ (in home country and serving home country Northern Europe Southern Europe and Near East Pacific region G Figure 23 A global area structure Global learning Global learning is a process by which a multinational organization ensures that skills and knowledge flow freely between the different parts of the business across the world, regardless of national boundaries. Global learning can take the following routes: 100 Key Concepts in Strategic Management †¢ †¢ †¢ from the home country to an overseas division or subsidiary; from an overseas division or subsidiary to another overseas division or subsidiary; from an overseas division or subsidiary to the home country. Global matrix structure A global matrix structure is essentially a horizontal differentiation along product divisions and geographical divisions. In other words, to visualize the organization structure, product groups are placed on a vertical axis and the foreign divisions are placed on a horizontal axis. It allows businesses to reduce costs by increasing efficiency, and to differentiate their activities with innovation and responsiveness. The feature of the global matrix structure is that there is dual decisionmaking responsibility, as there is both a divisional and an area hierarchy. The system is not without its problems, as many organizations consider this form of structure to be rather clumsy and bureaucratic. There is also the question of slow decision making and a lack of flexibility. Several international businesses have sought to overcome the problems by basing their organizational structure on wide networks with a shared culture and vision, and stressing that the informal structures are more important than the formal structure itself. These forms of organizational structure are known as flexible matrix structures. Egelhoff, W. G. , ‘Strategy and Structure in Multinational Corporations: a Revision of the Stopford and Wells Model’, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 9 (1988), pp. 1–14. Global product group structure A global product group structure is a variant organizational structure which has product groups along a vertical axis and foreign (overseas) divisions, or business units, on a horizontal axis. The primary purpose of the product group structure is: G †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ to to to to to educe costs through increased efficiency; differentiate the organization’s areas of activity; utilize any innovations or technologies; improve customer service; increase the speed of responses. Typically, the structure would appear in the format shown in Figure 24. Global strategic alliances A global strategic alliance is usually formed by two or more organiza- Global strategic planning 101 Corporate HQ Product division A Product division B International div ision Japan India Brazil Figure 24 A global product group structure ions from different countries. Typically, this involves the allocation of resources from these businesses based in different countries, to a new project or venture which they seek to undertake, using cooperative methods and the pooling of expertise and experience. The purpose of global strategic alliances is to: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ create synergy; accomplish more than could be achieved had the businesses been operating independently; coordinate effort; gain and share technologies; gain entry into an overseas market. Major multinational businesses routinely enter into global strategic alliances as an integral part of their corporate strategy and the practice has become widespread in recent years. See also green-field investment. G Global strategic planning Global strategic planning aims to maximize global economies of scale and economies of scope, while at the same time incorporating the advantages of local responsiveness to customers in the countries in which the organization operates. 102 Key Concepts in Strategic Management There are three main steps towards achieving global strategic planning: †¢ †¢ The development of a core business strategy – which forms the basis of attempts to create a sustainable competitive advantage (a replica of what has been achieved in the home market). The internationalization of this core strategy – the adaptation of the core strategy to overseas markets, along with expansion as necessary. The globalization of the international core strateg y – which seeks to integrate the strategy in all of the countries in which the business operates. Yip, G. S. , Total Global Strategy: Managing for Worldwide Competitive Advantage. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2002. Global strategy A global strategy is often adopted by an international business in order to increase its profitability by taking advantage not only of cost reductions that come from experience curve effects, but also of economies based on the location of parts of its operations. Typically a global strategy will consider the best alternative areas in which to concentrate research and development, marketing or production, choosing the most beneficial location for each of these key operations. In essence a global strategy can be called a multi-domestic strategy, in as much as the international business seeks to maximize its worldwide performance through maximizing any local competitive advantages, revenues or profits it can achieve. Equally, global strategies seek to maximize performance through integration and a sharing of resources. Stonehouse, George, Hamill, Jim, Campbell, David and Purdie, Tony, Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management. New York: John Wiley, 2004. G Global web

Curriculum Mapping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Curriculum Mapping - Essay Example The curriculum mapping helps in improving communication within parents and communities about curriculum and all that every teacher covers. When choosing a lesson topic, one can use the curriculum map by collecting information on what the topic is all about, then going through the information, and then mixing the group reviews after which the teacher determines on the points that can be revised immediately (Hale, 2008). Modification and extensions provide students with avenues of acquiring the contents, which has a sense of ideas, and developing the teaching materials in order for the students. Different learning styles and abilities may also include how students show how they have mastery of concepts. The key to differentia is finding how students can display their learning to meet the required specific needs (Kallick, 2009). Curriculum mapping improves the instruction by laying clear objectives of what are taught to eliminate unnecessary repetitions. It is also allows the objectives to be met in time as well as reflects on the student’s scores in class. Therefore, teachers should always carry out curriculum mapping to make time easy for them as well as making students to grasps things

Theory of planned behavior( Ajzen, 1991) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theory of planned behavior( Ajzen, 1991) - Essay Example The theory relates human behavior to beliefs, arguing that our behavior is influenced by our beliefs. The following study expounds on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The theory of planned behavior was coined by Icek Ajzen in 1985 after seemingly developing it from his joint proposal with Martin Fishbein’s of the theory of reasoned action in 1975 (Fishbein & Cappella, 2006). The theory of reasoned action was developed from many other proposed theories such as the attribution theory, the consistency theories, the expectancy-value theories, and the learning theories. As such, the theory of planned behavior is far-fetched; containing multiple frameworks from many other [proposed] theories. Ajzen coined this theory after evaluating and concluding that individual theories did not satisfactorily attempt to explain human behavior which, according to him is a â€Å"complex and difficult task† (Ajzen, 1991). Behavioral intention: This is the extent to which an intended behavior has motivational factors. It states that the higher the intention to perform a behavior, the higher the chances of it being performed. Social norms: Social norms are simply the standard customary codes as perceived by the larger context of society. In short, it is the level to which a behavior is acceptable or unacceptable according to society. These constructs are categorized into three contexts, that influence human behavior; individual attributes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. According to the theory of planned behavior, these three elements combined are what determine intention and/or action. They are discussed herein: Ajzen developed the context of perceived behavioral control from Bandura’s self-efficacy concept which states that a person’s ability to execute a behavior depends on their perception of its difficulty or ease. In short, a person’s belief is what motivates or demotivates them from executing a certain action. Belief may act as an

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Analysis - Legalizing Marijuana - Essay Example legalizing cannabis for medicinal in addition to general purposes would prove a benefit to society, evidence which is well-known throughout the scientific, political and public arena but this collective knowledge has yet to be acted upon. Illegal substances most frequently linked with drug-related fatalities include opiates such as heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and barbiturates. Alcohol, particularly when used in combination with harder drugs, is also linked with drug-related deaths. Marijuana has been widely known to be a gateway drug for harder substances. Heroin and other drugs that are injected into the bloodstream are often associated with the deadly disease HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus. HIV causes AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Besides being spread from the use of shared, contaminated syringes, AIDS is also contracted by sexual contact, from transfusions by contaminated blood and in the prenatal stages from mother to baby. Procedures involved in the preparation and injection of drugs present various opportunities for the transmission of HIV and hepatitis. (Normand, Vlahov & Moses, 1995). Supporters of legalization invoke the theories of John Stuart Mill, who espoused that adult citizens should have the right to make their own choices regarding whether or not to participate in harmful activity as long as it does no harm to others, a theory that has been largely ignored in the decisions regarding alcohol and tobacco, but not cannabis. (â€Å"How to Stop The Drug Wars,† 2005) Eleven states allow the use of marijuana for medicinal use, Rhode Island the most recent joining California, Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Washington and, Vermont and Maine. The prohibition of marijuana makes little sense and disallowing the medicinal use to cancer patients living every day with agonizing pain and glaucoma patients who depend on marijuana to see better, for example, should be unthinkable in a civilized society. The

I Do Not Speak English (Naia) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

I Do Not Speak English (Naia) - Essay Example I had seen and heard too much about the USA in books and media throughout my childhood, but this was my first chance to move to the USA. Coming to the USA was a different and new experience for me altogether. I had come from a society which was not as diverse as the society in the USA in terms of race, color, ethnicity, or religion. In the USA, the first thing my parents did for me was look for a good school for me. I got admitted in the Carmel High School. It was way big as compared to the school I had come from. When I arrived in the USA, I knew very basic English, if any. It was so difficult to communicate with the local people in the USA. I did not even know how to put words together to form a sentence. It took me so long to translate everything I thought into English that I frequently would become conscious that I was boring the person listening to me. The local people said things so fast that it was nearly impossible for me to catch what they said. I had to make them come again and again until I finally got their point. This was very emotionally demanding. It was indeed as difficult for them to cooperate with me as for me to catch up with them. Because of my language problem, I used to remain generally quite unless it was extremely necessary to talk. The local people there did not understand that this was the reason behind my quietness, and many would take me for proud, which I was absolutely not. I was missing my hometown a lot, but thinking about Bogota was useless as my parents would not allow me to live alone there. I had to stay in the USA. I realized that to adapt to the new culture and adjust in the American society, the first thing I needed to do was improve my English, so I started taking English classes. I worked with will, determination, and hard work. It did not take me much time to get hold of the basics. Within a year or so, I was able to write comprehensive essays in English. Every day, I learned at least two new words of English from the d ictionary, and would incorporate them in my writing the very day. This practice not only helped me polish my writing skills, but also helped me improve my English vocabulary. Today, I am proficient enough in English to qualify as an American citizen. One thing that I was always sure about was that in order to integrate into the American society, I would have to appreciate diversity as it happens to be a very integral trait of the American society. I started reading books about different cultures, and their individualistic trends, traditions, norms and values. I even studied comparative religious books in order to have an insight into the fundamentals of the beliefs of people belonging to different religions. This not only helped me understand the people around me better, but also increased by general knowledge a lot. Being aware of the religious and cultural norms and values of people in my class, neighborhood and the marketplace helped me socialize with them in such a way that they felt comfortable in my company and became my friends. I have seen tough times when I was in the high school. Bullying in the high school was very common. Senior students bullied the younger ones in a large number of ways including abusing, threatening, punching, and calling names. Laws of the high school were flexible, which was one reason why the students behaved irresponsibly. Although when I was in my high school, I had been living in the USA for quite some while, yet my English at that point in time was not very good. As my class-fellows

Annotated Bibliography (PHI 445) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Annotated Bibliography (PHI 445) - Essay Example In essence, this study is highly effective because it begins to show the human cost to corruption, more than just a financial one. Bishara, N. (2011). Governance and corruption constraints in the Middle East: Overcoming the business ethics glass ceiling. American Business Law Journal, 48(2), 227-283. This is an in-depth study that analyzes the way corruption in many areas of business in Middle East has impacted the ability of small and medium-sized family businesses from growing too large. The author is a Middle Eastern business expert and has a unique spin on the glass ceiling. Taking a commonly used sociological term, Bishara spins that to demonstrate how certain types and sizes of business operating in the Middle East encounter a glass ceiling upon growing too big and quickly discover how corruption prevents them from growing even more, and limits their economic ability. He does this be talking about various issues related to corruption, including bribery and exploitation, and how this limits the continued development and expansion of small to medium sized enterprises. The glass ceiling, then, prevents the ethically minded firm from truly growing as an organization. Chauncey, M., and Jude, R. (2010). Daily practice: Ethics in Leadership. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 3(7), 19. Chanucy and Jude are focused on educating future business leaders, and current managers in the field, about the importance for teaching ethics in school. They focus on the reality that many universities and colleges around the country tout their own ethics, yet they often fail in their attempts to educate future leaders about the importance of creating an ethical and honest business environment when they move into the professional world. This is the first of a series of studies aimed at illustrating the importance of ethics in leadership and provides the reader with some great information about what concepts to employ moving forward. Hansen, H. (2011). Managing corruption risks. Review of International Political Economy, 18(2), 251-275. In this study, rather than simply focusing on the effects of corruption, Hansen goes further to provide the reader with specific measure that they can implement to shield themselves from the risks of corruption. His focus is on Western companies who are looking to expand internationally. There are obviously risks in making this step, many of which involve how to navigate the business landscape in the host country. By minimizing the risks of corruption from the outset, the company can limit potential losses down the road. He proposes certain networks that need to be established, prior to entering a foreign market, in order to limit the possibility that corruption will become a necessity. The article is quite in-depth and would be a great inclusion to the library of any executive tasked with the responsibility of navigating international business markets. Johnson, V. (2012). Higher education, corruption, and reform. Con temporary Readings in Law and Social Justice, 4(1), 478. This study by Johnson takes another unique look at corruption by put into context of higher education. Many individuals understand that corruption exists in higher education around the world, but many fail to focus

Research method and statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Which structural form, if any, is most suitable for an SHRM approach Essay

Which structural form, if any, is most suitable for an SHRM approach - Essay Example Management theorists and researchers have emphasized the difference between, and importance of, strategic HRM and human resource strategy, in achieving organisational goals. Therefore, strategic HRM decisions are incorporated into the strategic plan from which HR strategies are derived. According to Price (2007), strategies are means used by organisations to achieve their objectives, in the form of decisions taken well in advance to meet the long-term goals of the organisation. Strategic HRM focuses on widespread aspects of organisation such as organisational culture, individual career development, having right people for the right job, etc. In relation to this, Mabey, Salaman and Storey (1998) have proposed four different perspectives: firstly, SHRM entails complex activities that are beyond the responsibilities of personnel or HRM managers and extend to all aspects of managing people including social and economic context of management of internal and external environments impacting the organisation and its people; secondly, it includes impact of strategies on business performance, and thus emphasizes on measurement of performance; thirdly, management styles are more defined and according to the existing people and goals; and lastly, development of organisational capability is encompassed through strategic knowledge management. Much work on SHRM field has resulted in various models and types of SHRM, which can be broadly classified into two groups, the general and prescriptive approaches. Delery and Doty (1996) and Richardson and Thompson (1999) have framed ‘best practices, ‘best fit’ and the ‘configurational’ approaches (cited by Armstrong, 2000); another perspective by Armstrong (2000) includes high-commitment, high-performance and high involvement models. In the ‘best practice’ approach, organisations adopt best HRM practices such as employment

Property And Asset Division Essay Example for Free

Property And Asset Division Essay ABSTRACT This paper intends to set a simple structure in order to investigate the role of property and asset rights in the case of a legal separation. This paper also lays stress upon the role that the laws of alimony and property division can play in formulating the divorce decisions and allocations of assets even in the case of a existing marriage. INTRODUCTION it is commonly believed that certain changes within the Divorce Laws and regulations have led to the increasing number of divorces occurring today, especially when the Law allows one partner to unilaterally ask for a matrimonial dissolution lacking the approval of the other partner. People also felt that a continued liberalization of the Divorce laws would further increase the divorce rate. However, this is not true. The laws on property division, both within a marriage and after divorce also play a very important part in the filing of a divorce. Moreover, the continuously simplifying procedures and easily available legal aid is also the factor behind the increasing number of divorce incidents. This paper throws light upon the general property rights that are involved within a legal separation.   The Divorce Laws presents some rights with regards to the dissolution of a marriage, and these are related to the property rights of both the partners. At times, such rights can me traded or at times can also be included within the dissolution agreement. For instance, a Law that allows one partner to take a divorce, is very different from the one the Law that needs the consent of both the partners. If the husband wishes to separate his ways, and if his profit from the divorce is more, then according to a Mutual Consent, both the partners agree to divorce and the husband has to pay the compensation to his wife. In this case, it is said that the wife has sold her marriage rights. Whereas, in the case of a one sided law, if the gain of the husband is small than the loss of the wife, then the wife needs to compensate the husband for not asking for a separation. In this case, it is said that the husband has sold his marriage rights. The conclusion of this discussion is that the split-up does not depends on the law, but on the comparative size of the gains and losses of divorce. This argument given above allows for the evolvements of property rights in a divorce. Thus property and assets once mutually held by both the couple, become a type of compensation which can be paid. The property laws assume that in the absence of any type of compensation that has been mutually formed, or any agreed transfer, there is a well laid out criterion for the allocation of property and resources held jointly. After the divorce has been granted by the court, it depends upon the couple to divide the property. This can be done even of one partner seeks the division of the marital property. The couples are free to settle the property issues outside court if they wish to do so. To remember some important facts about Property Division law regarding a divorce, are that there are some kinds of properties that cannot be divided by the court. The properties that come under this ruling are inherited properties, gifts, business and professional licenses and property inherited by the partners before marriage is not subjected to a division. Also, it should be noted that there are certain matters that are upheld by the Property Division law that decide the division of property between the two parties. Monetary issues, contributions by each partner to the household, tax penalty in case of an imbalanced partition; labors of a partner to safeguard and augment the value of the joint property; efforts by a spouse to waste assets; the physical conditions and health of each partner, and the economic situation of each partner are some of the major issues that drive the format of the Property division in the case of a divorce.   The next section discusses the Property Rights and Family law. PROPERTY RIGHTS AND FAMILY LAW Marital or commonly referred to as community property is defined by different rules by different states, but overall, it includes the assets and property that were acquired jointly by the couple at the time of marriage and during the marriage. The wages that are earned by each of the couple, home, furniture, cars and other household items that are purchased during this period are marital property. Neither of the partner has the right to keep these things entirely without the consent of the other partner. If the property is in the name of one spouse, then it is also not necessary that it is not a marital property.   Similarly, a pension is also regarded as a marital property, even though it is gained in the name of only one spouse from his working place. In some cases, pensions may be regarded as non marital, seeing to the financial and health conditions of the spouse earning it. The money that was earned mutually is regarded as marital property while the money earned before marriage is non-marital. Division of Marital Property In some states, there are very simple rules regarding division of marital property. According to some marital laws, it is believed that marriages are a joint undertaking and that the marital property should be equally divided between the two spouses and it is assumed that both the spouses are an equal contributor to the acquirement and conservation of property. However, the court understands that the contributions may be of different nature, but in any case, they may be treated equally. The spouse who earns money will not receive more of property than the homemaker, unless the husband and wife had a premarital agreement stating otherwise. In some other countries and states, it is not a fifty-fifty situation. The Law considers a number of factors and gives each factor a weight age according to the situation. However, this gives more flexibility to the process of property and assets division. Any property or a physical asset may belong to both the partners or only one. In case, when the couple has a disagreement on a particular asset and how should it be used, then in this case, the current state law of martial issues hold the authority to decide the matter. These laws relating to division of marital property differs from one country to other, and keeps changing with time. There are examples of these property laws showing dramatic changes in the character of property rights within marriage over the course of a time period; where from having almost complete power over family unit property, a husband can now be disqualified from his own house. Comparable transformations have occurred in English law, leading to the Married Womens Property Act of 1870. Here are some factors stated in the Law for equitable distribution of assets and property. Here are some examples of factors that are considered by states applying principles of equitable distribution of property: Non-marital Property- if in case, one spouse inherits more non-marital property, then the other spouse can be in favor of getting a larger portion of the marital property upon division. As the Law, states, â€Å"courts are not obliged to give equal amounts of property to each spouse, but if the parties have sufficient assets to leave each party in a comfortable situation after the divorce, courts usually will try to do so.† Earning Power- The spouse with less earning power will be given more benefit during the property and other asset division by the court. Courts states that, â€Å" the party with greater earning power can regain money lost in a divorce more easily than the party with less earning power†. Who Earned the Property- in these cases, the benefit is gained by the spouse who worked hard to earn the property. For example, the family business which was run by the husband goes to him, only of the family property and the business is of almost same value. The home in this case goes to the wife. Services as a Homemaker- The court recognizes that ding the household chores are also work and in addition it gives freedom to the other spouse to go out and earn for the family. Law gives attention to the fact if a homemaker had impaired his or her professional career in order take care of the house hold. If the spouse can show that he or she had missed the opportunity of earning, then the court favors to giving more of the property to the home maker spouse. Waste and Dissipation- the court also analyzes the fact if any spouse has wasted money during the marriage and this can go against him or her during the property division time. . This issue us also called as economic fault, rarely considered by courts. According to the court, â€Å"Waste or dissipation could include gambling losses, significant sums of money given to family members (particularly over the protest of the other spouse), and money spent on pursuing romantic relationships outside the marriage.† Also added are the business losses which are considered as waste or dissipation, however at times they might be considered as normal business risks and the spouse is normally not penalized. Faults- Law also considers any type of spousal abuse or marital infidelity, when considering the case of marital property division. Most of the state courts however do not give much stress to this issue during property division. In the past, majority of the divorce cases were based upon faults by either of the partners, and the divorcà © was settled upon this fault by the spouse and highly affected the property division. However , today, courts decide the property division cases primarily on the economic factors when separating property and pay less concentration to who-did-what-to-whom. Duration of Marriage- in this case, if the marriages are long, then the court favors the spouse with less wealth or earning power. The longer the marriage, the more likely a court is to view the husband and wife as equal partners. Age and fitness of Parties- if one of the person is suffering from bad health or is much older than the other spouse, then he or she is in favor of getting a larger award. According to the court,† When the factor is mentioned by a court, it most often is in connection with an older wife whose ability to earn money is diminished by her age and health. The factor can apply to men too, particularly if the man is of an age at which it is not reasonable to assume that he can go out and re-earn a substantial amount of assets if his wife were given a majority of the marital assets. In such a case, an equal division of assets would be more likely†. Tax penalty- The tax consequences in the event of a marital property division is considered by the court. Suppose for example, if the house or the stocks acquired are being sold as a part of the property division, the person who ends up paying more tax as payment of capital gains tax, the Law will consider this and will try to favor the party during the division. On the contrary if the property settlements leads to some kind of tax benefit, the party which acquires a majority of the profits may be in a stringer position to receive a less part of the property. Premarital Agreements. A printed premarital agreement, can be a winning card in dividing the marital property between the partners. By ingoing into a premarital accord, the wife and husband have decided to surrender their rights to have a court consider the customary group of factors in dividing property. As a substitute, the parties through their contract have determined in advance how their property should be divided in the event of a divorce. Custody of Children – this issue might fall under a very narrow spectrum of property rights if viewed closely, since the assets and property has to be later devoted for the cause of children, therefore, responsibility of children and their custody is also a part of this issue. As an example, in England, before the Child Custody Act of 1839 a wife, even if divorced and separated from her husband, was offered no custody or visiting rights to her children and other family members. Ever since, the laws have changed significantly. Effect of bankruptcy – the settlements of marital assets and property might be dischargeable in liquidation or bankruptcy, or in case, it might not be dischargeable, depending on the essentials of the divorce case. A discharge in bankruptcy means, â€Å"all of a debt or a portion of a debt no longer has to be paid because a federal court has declared the debtor to be bankrupt†. Before 1994, many former spouses found themselves out of luck after the divorce when seeking to collect what was due, because their former spouses declared themselves bankrupt after divorce. For example, a couple, may have agreed to a divorce based on a promise from the husband that three years after the divorce, he would pay the wife some mutually agreed amount of money as part of the property settlement. If the husband declared bankruptcy after the divorce was finalized, the wife might never be able to get the said money. This arrangement, particularly in cases in which the debtor is technically bankrupt (owing more money than the debtor has assets) was seen as a potential unfairness by the Congress, as the debtor has the capacity to pay the debts to the ex-spouse. The law was then modified, the new law, which took effect in 1994, started allowing the bankruptcy court to weigh the situation between the parties. If there are reasons to believe that the so called bankrupt debtor has enough means, property and income to pay the debt to the ex-spouse, in addition to his or her dependents’ basic support then the debtor is bound to pay the debt to ex-spouse. If it is found or proved that the debtor truly does not have enough money for the basic support of the debtor and his or her dependents, then all or a part of the debt may be discharged in bankruptcy. Although in appropriate circumstances, a bankruptcy court has the power to discharge, partially or fully, a debt owed in a property settlement, the court cannot discharge past-due payments for alimony or child support. For reducing future alimony and child support, a debtors bankruptcy may be a ground, but it certainly does not qualify for discharging part or full past-due alimony and child support. CONCLUSION The marital community may end in several ways- annulment, death of spouse, divorce, separate maintenance and separate living agreement. In all these cases, however, the above mentioned laws are useful for resolving the property division issues. REFERENCES 1. Becker, Gary (1991) A Treatise on the Family , Cambridge, Harvard University Press. Becker, Gary, Landes, Elizabeth, and Michael, Robert (1977), An Economic Analysis of Ma rital Instability, Journal of Political Economy, 85(6), 1141-1187. Clark, S. (1998). Law, Property, and Marital Dissolution. University of Edinburgh, Department of Economics, Discussion Paper. Clark, S. (1999). Law, Property, And Marital Dissolution. Economic Journal ,, forthcoming. Coase, R.H. (1960). The Problem of Social Cost, Journal of Law and Economics, (3) , 1-44 Friedberg, Laura (1998). Did Unilateral Divorce Raise Divorce Rates? Evidence from Panel Data, American Economic Review, 88(3), 608- 627. Gibson, Colin S (1994) Dissolving Wedlock , London, Routledge. Rowthorn, R.E. (1998). Marriage and Trust: Some Lessons from Economics, Cambridge Journal of Economics, forthcoming. Smith, Ian (1997) Explaining the Growth of Divorce in Great Britain, Scottish Journal of Political Economy , 44(5), 519-544. Thomson J.M. (1986) Family Law in Scotland, 2nd ed, Edinburgh, Butterworths. Brinig, Margaret and Allen, D ouglas. (2000). These Boots Are Made for Walking: Why Most Divorce Filers Are Women. American Law and Economics Review , 2, 126-69. 9. Chiappori, Pierre-Andre, Bernard Fortin and Guy Lacroix (2002) Marriage Market, Divorce Legislation and Household Labor Supply, Journal of Political Economy.

The Political Climate Of 16th Century England

The Political Climate Of 16th Century England Introduction Rarely has there been a time in history where there has been a convergence of scholarly mind, political activism and ardent spiritual concern as that of the four Thomass of 16th century England. The four men represented in this research were all born within 16 years of each other, attained to the pinnacles of religious and political power and fell to meet there demise in disfavor, and with the exception of Wolsey (who died on the way to trial for treason) met their end at the hand of an executioner. Subsequently, having the same name was only one of many commonalities that each of these contemporaries possessed. Yet, the most important attribute by far (whether that was a blessing or bane), was that each had the ear of King Henry the VIII. How did they use their influence? Was this influence wielded in favor of their religious conviction? Were they primarily motivated by self-interest? This research asserts that a combination of the two motivations existed. Two of the men here focused upon were influential Catholics (Cardinal Wolsey and Saint Thomas More) and two were instrumental in establishing the reformed position in the Anglican Church (Cromwell and Cranmer). It might be noted that each had varying degrees of commitment to a reformed agenda, especially in the case of Cromwell; however the influence of these men set the stage for a breech between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic See, which remains to this day. In fact, the issues that were a precursor to this division still provides constant fodder for the present Archbishop of Canterbury and others who seek a reunion with the Church at Rome. In order to examine the extent of the influences of the four Thomass on 16th century England, it becomes necessary to first survey the political and religious climate that existed, as well as the Roman church and the seeds of Protestantism that were planted by the Reformed movement in Continental Europe. Perhaps the most monumental time in the history of English reformation, and therefore one that would later directly impact religious development in the North American colonies, was the period in the 16th century between the reign of King Henry the VIII and Elizabeth I. The reign of the Tudors proved at times to be as much controversial, as it was tumultuous. This was due in large part to the relationships surrounding Henry VIII and his six wives. Therefore, Henry was not a reformer at heart, or for theological reasons as much as for the legal ramifications surrounding his annulment to Catharine of Aragon, and the reluctance of the Pope to recognize this annulment. In fact, the pope was requested to reverse an earlier Papal dispensation that would then make Henrys first marriage, (a marriage to Catharine, his brothers widow) of no effect. Henrys position was that this marriage should be annulled because it went against Cannon law which was based on a passage from Leviticus. This ordin ance made it unlawful to marry a brothers widow, based on a passage in Leviticus. However, Catharine was the aunt of Charles V, Who was the leader of Spain as well as the Holy Roman Emperor, and as Gonzalez states, The pope, cement VII, could not invalidate Henrys marriage to Catherine without alienating Charles V. Most historians suggest that this position was the primary factor for further alienation between the house of Tudor and Rome, yet Henry had been a dedicated catholic and even came to the defense of the church, writing a remonstrance of sorts to the work of Luther. Newcombe states, But Henry VIIIs agenda was quite different and he was generally hostile to the reforming ideas that began to find their way to England from continental Europe. This hostility took the form of a pamphlet written, probably with the help of the theologian Thomas More, called Assertio septem sacramentorum adversus Marinum Lutherum (defense of the Seven Sacraments against Martin Luther) which first a ppeared in 1521. Henry was awarded the title Defender of the Faith by the Pope, and this recognition was so pleasing to the king that he continued to acknowledge it and kept it in his royal style even after the break with Rome. Indeed, there is little evidence to suggest that Henry was dissatisfied with the doctrines or practices of the church in themselves. The Religious/Political Climate of 16th Century England At the end of the Wars of Roses, Henry Tudor ascended to the throne (as Henry the VII) and until the civil war in 1642, the reign of the house of Tudor was generally a peaceful one. After the death of Henry VII the throne was passed to Henry VIII in 1509. Forgeng states, Henry had no desire to make any significant changes in church teachings, but there was growing pressure in the country to follow the lead of the continental Protestants such as Martin Luther; English Protestants were later heavily influenced by Calvin, a French Protestant who established a rigidly Protestant state in Geneva. This form of religious awakening would continue to have an effect on the populace, some of which would express itself in the Puritan movement in later years. Noll states, In most general terms, the Puritan movement had represented a desire to finish the English Reformation, to complete the work of purifying church, society and self that began under henry VIII (reigned 1509-1547) and Edward VI (15 47-1553) which was temporarily reversed under the Roman Catholic Mary I (1553-1558), but which was eventually secured under Elizabeth I (1558-1603). It would seem that even though Henry was very firmly ground in the Catholic faith and tradition, the new waves of Protestantism on the continent of Europe were lapping, as it were, at the white cliffs of Dover. The seeds of reformation were being sown which in turn would make the movement grow in earnest during the reign of Edward. The Catholic Church in the Tudor Period In a much broader sense, the Catholic Church was in the midst of withstanding an onslaught of reformation activities which was to decrease its influence in Europe exponentially. This was in part, due to the erosion of Papal authority which was a direct result of its intervention in affairs of state. British author and historian A. G. Dickens states, Standing on the summit of this huge pyramid, the medieval Popes, however unwillingly, became political rivals of emperors and kings. Thomas Hobbes must admittedly be accounted a hostile witness, yet he did no more than overstate a genuine historical insight when in 1651 he looked back on the Papacy and called it the Ghost of the deceased Roman Empire, sitting crowned upon the grave thereof. So long as the church maintained friendly contacts with the Empire and its powerful successor-states, it could normally call upon physical force to crush doctrinal dissenters, and usually, in the authentic Roman style, without permitting any two-way ar guments. So it was that the Pope, at the time of the conflict with Henry VIII, saw the wisdom in avoiding alienation of the Holy Roman Empire, and in particular, Charles V who was at its head, and also was directly related to Catherine, Henrys first wife. Dickens also notes that, Without question the English Reformation belonged to that far larger breakaway which detached half Europe from the Papacy. The Protestant Reformation in Tudor England It seems that the Protestant Reformation was quite inevitable in 16th century England, given the winds of change blowing from the continent of Europe and bolstered by the teaching of Luther, Calvin and Zwingli. It was only a matter of time until the force of these teachings found its way into the heart of the people of Great Britain. However, the endeavor received impetus that was quite unexpected, in the form of the tenuous relationship that arose between the Pope and the Crown. Rosman states, According to the laws of the land, England became a Protestant realm in 1559. This legislative definition of religion was more important that twentieth-century readers may appreciate. The nation-states that emerged in sixteenth-century Europe were validated by religion. People who adhered to alternative faiths in preference to the official one challenged the political as well as the religious order. In England citizenship and creed were inseparable, as they were in most other European states. To be an English person was to be a member of the Church of England. This paradigm or way of thinking, serves to amplify the magnitude of what was taking place in Tudor England. Though there were many complex issues that constituted this irrevocable change, it must also be noted that the actions and influence wielded by certain individuals, close to the crown, played a decisive role in the events that would follow. These events would shape the Reformation, and it is here that we examine the four Thomass. The Influence of Four Contemporaries Thomas Wolsey (1478-1530) Thomas Wolsey served as the chief advisor to Henry the VIII in a position known as Lord Chancellor. He was born in humble surroundings, yet received a fine education and then becoming ordained as a priest in 1498. Through a series of advancements, he was appointed Royal Chaplain for Henry the VII, and it can clearly be seen that he would naturally have the ear of the royal prince who succeeded his father. In fact, Henry the VIII made Wolsey part of his privy council, and eventually Lord Chancellor In 1515. Wolsey continued to grow in stature and cultivated favorable relationships with those who could profitably help his causes. Those that did not, were equally disregarded. Wolsey was rewarded for his service to the crown and was made Bishop of Lincoln and Archbishop of York. Wolsey was not only faithful in his service to the crown, but he also held favor with Pope Leo X, who made him a Cardinal in 1515 and later, a Papal Legate in. Wolsey became one of the most powerful servants to t he Crown in English history. However, this divided allegiance came to a crossroad when the issue of Henrys annulment to Catharine of Aragon came to a head. Although Wolsey appealed to the Pope more than once to disregard the Papal dispensation that allowed the marriage in the first place, the Pope disregarded these attempts and as Papal Legate Wolsey found himself in conflict with Henry, who began to question his allegiance. By 1528, there was little more Wolsey could do and by 1529, he was arrested and accused of treason. Ordered to London to stand trial, he died en-route in 1530. To Wolseys credit, he did promote the education of the clergy, seeing he himself had benefited from this. Taunton states, There are two ways of bringing about a reform; and they can be summed up in the two words, dont and do. It is easy enough to issue prohibitory laws, and it is just as easy to evade them. This Wolsey understood; and the absence of such decrees in all his educational work is noteworthy. He built upon the more reasonable and therefore more lasting foundation of teaching men to know, and then desire to work. Ignorance, he knew, was the root of most of the mischief of the day: so by education he endeavored to give men the means to know better. In this way, Wolsey, with his influence in the rise of a number of the universities, contributed to education reform as well. Thomas More (1478-1535) The role of Thomas More in this period and the influence he wielded proved a bit more complex. More, like Wolsey, rose through the ranks of faithful service also becoming a member of Henrys privy counsel in 1517, was knighted in 1521 and became the Kings personal secretary and advisor but later, served as a liaison between Wolsey and King Henry VIII. It can clearly be seen that his sphere of influence, though not as extensive as Wolseys, was however rather intimate with regard to his relationship to the king. After Wolsey was deposed in 1529, More was appointed Lord Chancellor in his place. Despite Mores close relationship with Henry, a series of religious reforms enacted by the latter, caused the Chancellor to elevate his opinions in favor of the Church at Rome and therefor against the King. One of the telling events was the refusal of More to attend the coronation of Anne Boleyn, but of greater importance still, was his disagreement with the King order to forbid the payment of Annates, or other contributions to Rome. But the biggest issue was Mores refusal to loyalty to the king as the head of the church. This was due to the Act of Succession passed by parliament in 1534. The act not only assured that title to the English Crown would pass to the Children of Henry and Anne Boleyn, (Elizabeth) but it also required all subjects to swear an oath to the Kings supremacy as head of the Church of England. This was something More was not prepared to do and later, he was charged with treason and finally beheaded in 1535. More, having been a staunch supporter of the Roman church was later beautified by the Pope and finally canonized, and In 1935, four hundred years after his death, Thomas Mores name was added to the official list of saints of the Roman catholic church. However Marius states, So More died for the sacral church. He thought that the pope was the head of that church, but the papacy was merely one office among many in the priestly order, and it is a critical error to say that he died for the authority of the pope in England and to leave it at that, not explaining that he held none of the high-flown doctrines of papal infallibility that have spread their black wings over the skies of catholic modernity. Regardless of ones views on Mores commitment to papal infallibility, one thing is for certain. He supported papal authority as head of the church, and he paid for this conviction with his life. Thomas Cromwell (1485-1540) Of all those who could be counted as leaders in the reformation movement in Great Britain in the 16th century, Cromwell was one of the strongest proponents. After being instrumental in assisting Henry in the annulment of his marriage to Catharine, Cromwell was rewarded as vice-regent and vicar-general, overseeing the affairs of the Church of England. Though he had earlier been an aid to Wolsey, he avoided being associated with Wolseys positions and Cromwell himself was named a member of the privy council, growing in favor with the King. Cromwells importance can particularly be seen as an enforcer of the many new acts of parliament that supported the Act of Supremacy which made Henry and subsequently, his heirs, head of the church. It might also be noted that Cromwell helped to shape religious reform by calling a synod of bishops along with Cranmer and Foxe and the result was a document known as The Institution of the Christian Man. This doctrinal treatise was used to help quell the u prising of several of the clergy who balked at the suppression of the monasteries in England. So it may be seen that Cromwell was more so interested in the doctrinal aspect of the reformation, howbeit, these position supported his own agenda as well. It would see that his real voice was found in the political arena and to that end, he was instrumental in the proceedings of what was known as the Reformation Parliament. However, not long after, his manipulations were short lived in that he helped to arrange the marriage of Henry to Anne of Cleves and this proved to be his undoing. Coby states, Cromwell was answerable for this disaster of a marriage. He conducted the long-distance negotiations with Cleves. Correspondence passed through him and his office without ever receiving comment by henry. The honor or the King required that he not be seen begging for a mate, so underlings had to woo in his stead. That was one reason for Cromwells taking the lead; but so too was the objective of a German alliance, which Cromwell pursued more avidly than any other. Thus as Henry soured on his new wife and despaired of begetting additional heirs, he looked around for someone to blame; and who better than the Lord Privy Seal, who first reported on Annes preeminent beauty. Bolstered by a substantial retinue of Cromwells political enemies, the King had him arrested and he was charged with several crimes including treason. Though he sought to show support for the King, he was executed in 1540. In recent years Cromwell has been called everything, from Henry VIIIs most trusted minister, to his most Notorious minister. Regardless of ones opinion in this regard, there can be no doubt that he had the ear of the sovereign and did push the advancement of Protestant reform in England. Though he was highly motivated by a number of issues, in the end, the means that he employed to bring about his designs were considered somewhat Machiavellian and he faced the scourge of his antagonists when his day finally came in court. It has rightly been pointed out that service to the King at this time was a very precarious proposition. Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) Cranmer studied theology at Cambridge eventually attaining his doctorate and was associated there for over 30 years. When Cardinal Wolsey turned to the universities over the annulment issue, Cranmer gave a good showing and assisted Henry with his support of the annulment and later assisted with the proceedings. Cranmer was then chosen to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1532. Perhaps the most monumental decisions Cranmer made was to denounce the marriage of Henry to Catharine as illegal and in so doing, opened the door for his marriage to Anne. Being archbishop, and therefore under the supposed supervision of the Pope, Cranmers actions infuriated Clement VII. Soon after, both Henry and Cranmer were excommunicated. Cranmers theological positions continued to change and by 1534, it was clear that he took up a Reformist position which continued and helped to solidify the English churches break with the Church of Rome. Shortly thereafter, Anne was sent to the Tower of London for purp orted infidelities and Cranmer was summonsed to hear her confession. Though he supported Annes innocence, he declared Henrys marriage to her null and void, and shortly after this, she was executed. Reforms continued under the guidance of Cromwell and Cranmer and after the death of Cromwell, Cranmers influence grew even more. Cranmer was to come under fire by conservatives who accused him of several misdeeds and though Cranmer escaped their plot with the support of the king, these men, who were opposed to any more reformist ideas continued in their attacks. These too were thwarted and Cranmer continued with his Reformation agenda which culminated in The Book of Common Prayer which effectively changed the liturgy of the church eliminating much of the Catholic form and doctrine. This was one of the most significant changes in the early Reformation period in England. The Book of Common Prayer, for the first time, gave the English people a liturgy in their own language. Cranmer continued to serve, even beyond the death of Henry in 1547 and through the rise of Edward VI. Since Edward ascended the throne at such an early age, the door was open for Cranmer to continue making reforms and this he did with diligence. Advances were made for several years and this continued until the death of Edward. It was Edwards d esire to put his cousin, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne to succeed him and she, being a protestant, was supported by Cranmer. However, after the death of Edward, support for Jane fell in the council and, in her stead, the staunchly Catholic Mary was put on the throne. In Queen Marys reign, and earnest attempt was made to restore Catholicism and most of the reformist bishops were replaced by conservatives. Cranmers continued support of reformed doctrine led to his arrest and charged with sedition and treason. Cranmer succumbed to pressure and recanted the doctrine of the reformation and instead espoused the doctrines of the catholic faith. However, when he looked to have his sentence commuted, Mary did not stay the execution. In the end, Cranmer renounced the fact that he recanted from the Reformist doctrine and determined to die a martyr of the Protestant faith. In his final statement, he determined to thrust his own had first into the fire, which signed the recantation, and this promise he kept, when he was burned at the stake in 1556. However, as was true of the blood of the martyrs who died in faith in the past generations, the death of this man also played a role in steeling the courage of those that would follow. Observations and Conclusion Try as she may, Mary could never undo the seeds of reformation that had earlier been planted and these efforts proved to be short lived because she died in 1558. Mary was succeeded by Elizabeth who would enjoy one of the longest sovereign reins up until that time. Elizabeth was a staunch Protestant. Gonzalez states, If the head of the church in England was the pope, and not the king, it followed that the marriage of Henry VII with Catherine of Aragon was valid, and that Elizabeth, born from Anne Boleyn while Catherine still lived, was illegitimate. While Elizabeth was not a protestant extremist in practice, it was certain that she felt that Henry was justified in proclaiming himself head of the Church of England. Elizabeth did not stamp out the practice of Catholicism in the realm, but only suppressed it. However, some Catholics sought to make Mary Stewart, who was in exile, the next sovereign and according to them, rightful heir to the throne. A series of plots to undermine Elizabeth were thwarted and subsequently, Mary was executed, having been found to be a part of them. The seeds of reformation began to grow, and so England saw the rise of a growing number of puritans who were influenced by the teachings of Calvin and one of the primary goals of this group was to return to Biblical Christianity based on the teachings of the New Testament. This growing focus on authentic Christianity lead the way to further reforms and paved the way for a great awakening and evangelical revival in England. Of the four Thomass it is concluded that Cranmer had the most profound and substantial effect on the English reformation in the 16th century. However, it can also be found that political expediency played as much a part of early English reform as did a shift in theological opinion. In balance, all four Thomass, wittingly or unwittingly, hastened the Protestant Reformation in 16th century England. In the case of Cranmer on the protestant side, and More on the Catholic side, these two men seemed to be guided more by conviction than political favor. Wolsey and Cromwell were, as it would seem, more of an opportunist than anything else. In balance, never has there been a time, or religious circumstance for that matter, quite like the 16th century rule of the Tudors. Furthermore, it would seem that the self-interest of the second sovereign (Henry VIII) more than anything, provided the catalyst for reforming work in this period. The researcher therefore concludes that some of the subjects of this research indeed used their substantial influence in favor of their religious convictions, while others were primarily motivated by expediency and self-interest. Therefore, a combination of the two motivations existed. Bibliography of Selected Works Coby, J. Patrick. Thomas Cromwell: Machiavellian Statecraft and the English Reformation. Lantham: Lexington Books, 2009. Dickens, A. G. The English Reformation. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1991. Forgeng, Jeffrey L. Daily Life in Elizabethan England. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2010. Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity: The Reformation to the Present Day. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2010. Marius, Richard. Thomas More: A Biography. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999. Newcombe, David G. Henry VIII and the English Reformation. New York: Routledge Publishing, 2003. Noll, Mark A. The Rise of Evangelicalism. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 2003. Rosman, Doreen Margaret. From Catholic to Protestant: Religion and the People in Tudor England. London, University College Press, 1996. Taunton, Ethelred L. Thomas Wolsey: Legate and Reformer. New York: John Lane Publication, 1902.

Essay --

Is Free Health Care Really Free? Is the health care the government providing really free or not? Free Government Health Care - sometimes Universal health care usually refers to a health care system which provides free healthcare and financial protection to all its citizens. Free or Universal healthcare is against the 1st and 9th amendment. Its against the 1st amendment because people see it as a violation of the right of assembly. Its against the 9th amendment because there are more rights for the americans than the ones that are in the constitution. Free/Universal healthcare has been a more wanted thing for the less fortunate because it covers everything a normal person needs so they do not have to worry about losing their health care and not being able to go to the hospital. I am towards it because there are people in the world that cannot afford health care so if they can get on a computer or use a payphone and sign up. Because if someone were to get a disease and does not have health care it could spread and t hey just might die. Most other people are against this because their ...

The Not-So-Honest Man in The Fifty-Dollar Bill :: Fifty-Dollar Bill Essays

The Not-So-Honest Man in The Fifty-Dollar Bill  Ã‚        Ã‚   The main character in Donald Hall’s "The Fifty-Dollar Bill" has spent most of his life trying to live up to his honest reputation. When he is accused of trying to bribe a person at the Judge Advocate General’s office, he tries to convince himself and everyone else that it was just an "unfortunate coincidence" (Hall 958). However, the evidence shows that it was more than just a coincidence and that his actions were intentional. The narrator goes out of his way to prove to us that he is a honest man. He contrasts himself with other lawyers who "live on intimate terms with dishonesty" (Hall 957). While he prides himself on being honest, the narrator has a deep obsession with his honesty; it seems he will do anything to live up to his reputation. In the first paragraph, he says "I call myself an honest man," not I am an honest man. By his choice of words he demonstrates a lack of confidence in his honesty. You don’t have to be truly honest, in order to call yourself honest. The narrator begins defending his actions long before we know that he did anything wrong. In the second paragraph, he claims "I had no intention of avoiding service to my country and I expected . . . to go into the office of the judge advocate general in June, 1942" (Hall 957). By telling us this early on he gets us on his side. We now are more likely to believe that he would never try to bribe his way out of being drafted. He also makes sure that we know he was in a hurry when he mailed the letter, which makes a mix-up seem more possible. By setting up his defense so early he shows that he has a real need to be defended. Once we know what he did wrong, his defense begins to look like Swiss cheese; it has a lot of holes in it. He and his wife used the $500.00, that they received as a wedding present, during the summer of 1941. They stopped using the money "When school started in the fall," probably close to the beginning of September (Hall 958). It’s hard to believe that in four months a man who had been in college and law school for six years, would actually forget about an envelope that he had used at least nine times over the previous summer—much less an envelope that had money in it.

Essay --

Mise en scene is a French term, which refers to the visual and design elements of a film. Literally, it is what we actually see on the screen – locations, sets, background details, costumes, even the use of colour and lighting. Mise en scene is used to describe every scene, including framing, composition, costuming, setting, objects, lighting, sound and camera angles. Everything is done purposely and intentionally. Setting of a film can be shot either in a studio or on location, depending on the film’s budget, and how realistic or natural the director wishes the film to look. Setting is about the time, place and social environment in which the main backdrop and mood of the story is. In this film, we have a few settings, such as the idyllic Seahaven and the â€Å"real† world in the film. This show is about a man, Truman Burbank who lived in an idyllic town of Seahaven. However, he was unaware that he was placed on a stage setting complete with a false sky, that everyone else was an actor and that his entire life was being broadcast to the millions of people who tuned in everyday. â€Å"The Truman Show† was directed by the TV director Christof – from his vantage point in the sky (Propagandee, 2012). Thus, when he saw a light fall from the sky and he heard the director’s voice on the radio, Truman began to become suspicious. He remembered Lauren, an actress who had told him that it was just a TV show and so, he went to find her. He travelled across the sea, talked to Christof and then climbed a flight of stairs in the sky, escaping into the outside world. Unbeknownst to him, Truman Burbank's whole life has been the subject of a hugely popular 24-hour-per-day television show entitled â€Å"The Truman Show† (Propagandee, 2012). Camera Shots In the ... ... was talking to. The non diegetic sound of a violin added a creepy effect to what was happening on screen. Meryl said ‘it’s unprofessional’ when she was talking to the studio and the crew members directly. (Seb Patrick, 2011). The creator of the Truman show said ‘easy on the fog’ showing that the father son reunion was being played out perfectly for the viewers of the world. The timing and dramatic piano music being played perfectly coincide to what was on the screen, which on the other hand, it was a non diegetic music being played. Truman said, ‘I never stopped believing’ because he truly believed his ‘father’ had come back from the dead, yet we knew as an audience it had been set up deliberately and perfectly to coincide with the previous events. At the end the diegetic cheers from the crew of the TV show and watchers allowed the audience to see it was a success.

College Athletes Essay

Athletes, under the age of 21 years, should be eligible to be drafted into a professional sports team. Playing in a professional sport is a career and setting a limit based on age to when someone can start his or her career is absurd. â€Å"Currently, to be eligible for the NBA Draft, a player has to be at least 19-years-old or one year removed from high school. † (Jessop. 2014) In the one year removed from high school, the athlete can choose to attend college and declare if he or she would be eligible to be drafted after that year. There are many benefits for athletes to graduate from college before starting his  or her career in a professional sport, but that decision should be left solely to them without age restrictions. â€Å"The vast majority of players feel a player should have the right to make a living. If he has the talent and wants to make money to help his family, he should have that right. It’s just a matter of principle. † (Broussard. 2010) Pursuing and completing a college education is a huge reason why many people feel athletes under the age of 21 shouldn’t be eligible to play professional sports. Having a college degree can be extremely useful because of the amount of opportunities and  options available to graduates. However, as much as attending college is encouraged in today’s society, college isn’t a route everyone chooses. â€Å"In 2011, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 68. 3 percent of students who graduated high school in 2011 were enrolled in college. † (Thompson) The choice to attend college or not attend college is a choice that comes across of the path of many. Why should athletes be held to a different standard of education? A fear that many have with younger athletes entering the professional sports arena  is their risk for injury. â€Å"The NFL and NCAA claim that the NFL age requirement protects young athletes by shielding them from physical injury, requiring them to mature emotionally, and receive an education before entering the world of professional sports. † (Bianchi. 2008) Injuries can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime. If a collegiate athlete suffers an injury while playing in a game or practice, the injury can greatly decrease or even eliminate his chances of being drafted into a professional sport. The athlete with potential  to play in a professional sport will no longer have an opportunity to do and might possibly lose their scholarship. If an athlete gets injured playing in a professional sport, at least they would be getting paid and have benefits. Why risk the opportunity to play in a professional sport? If an 18-year-old athlete has the talent to play in a professional sport and have the opportunity to earn money and support their family, age should not be the reason to stop him or her from doing so. Many college student athletes receive scholarships for attending college but (EXPERIENCE with examples).

Small and Medium Scale Mining

PROJECT TOPICÂ   :Â  SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA (A Case Study of Cassava Processing Industry) PROJECT PROPOSAL BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY Interest in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their contribution in the development process continue to be in the forefront of policy debates in developing countries.The advantages claimed for SMEs are various, including: the encouragement of entrepreneurship; the greater likelihood that SMEs will utilise labour intensive technologies and thus have an immediate impact on employment generation; they can usually be established rapidly and put into operation to produce quick returns. SME development can encourage the process of both inter- and intra-regional decentralisation; and, they may well become a countervailing force against the economic power of larger enterprises.More generally the development of SMEs is seen as accelerating the achievement of wider economic and socio-economic objec tives, including poverty alleviation. Staley and Morse (1965) identify a ‘developmental approach’ to SME promotion which has as its objective the creation of ‘economically viable enterprises which can stand on their own feet without perpetual subsidy and can make a positive contribution to the growth of real income and therefore to better living levels’.This approach emphasises the importance of efficiency in new SMEs. Small producers must be encouraged to adopt new methods, move into new lines of production and in the long-run, wherever feasible, they should be encouraged to become medium- or even large-scale producers. The presidential Initiative on Cassava Production and Export has increased the awareness amongst Nigerians of the industrial crop, popularly referred to as the ‘new black gold’.Started in July 2004, the initiative seeks to generate $5 billion in export revenue. Fortunately, Nigeria, according to the Food and Agricultural Organi sation, FAO, in its 2004 report, is currently the largest producer of cassava in the world at 34 million tons yearly, but with a poor yield of an average of 10 tons per hectare over an estimated cultivated land size of three million hectares.Nigeria is closely followed by Brazil and Thailand, which have a capacity to produce 24 million tons and 20 million tons and a yield of 13. 6 tons per hectare and 19. 4 tons per hectare respectively. Unfortunately, experts at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan, Oyo State, believe that up to half of the harvested cassava is wasted by production and post-harvest inefficiencies while the rest is consumed as food.Brazil and Thailand, which rarely consume the cassava products directly, have fully developed the cassava industry for the export market. | | Nigeria should not focus on the exportation of cassava but develop the enormous local and regional markets for cassava that exist in the country, West African sub-regio n and Africa as a whole rather than start exporting the industrial raw material to Europe. Nigerians should be encouraged to add value and process them for industrial application.The main thrust of this research work shall focus on the development of small and medium scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry justifying the need for agro-processing industries that convert cassava fresh tubers into primary cassava-based commodities that are tradable in domestic and international markets. STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM The Small Scale Industry is acknowledged to have huge potential for employment generation and wealth creation in any economy. Yet in Nigeria, the sector has stagnated and remains relatively small in terms of its contribution to GDP or to gainful employment.Activity mix in the sector is also quite limited – dominated by import dependent processes and factors. Although there is no reliable data, imprecise indicators show that capacity utilization in th e sector has improved perceptibly in the period since 1999, but the sector is still faced with a number of constraints with lack of credit availability as the principal constraint. Credit is the largest element of risk in the books of most banks and failures in the management of credit risk have led to the weakening individual banks and in some cases the banking system as a whole, have contributed, to many episodes of financial instability.OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The main purpose of this study is to identify and consequently analyze the most effective and efficient way through which small scale enterprises could be financed and promoted, thereby taking into consideration various conditions such as economic, political, social, psychological e. t. c under which small-scale enterprises are encouraged to operate with particular reference to the cassava processing industry in Nigeria. In so doing, the researcher intends giving an in-depth information and analysis on the various strategie s through which small-scale enterprises can be developed and encouraged.In view of the above, the researcher intends to find out the following: (i) The role played by government towards promotion and development of small-scale enterprises in Nigeria. (ii) To identify the economic potential of small-scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry. (iii) To identify the constraints confronting the development of small-scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry in Nigeria. (iv) To examine the financial support given to SMEs in Nigeria. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The study would examine the following questions: 1.What role does the government play in the promotion and development of small-scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry in Nigeria? 2. What impact do small and medium scale enterprises make to Nigeria’s economic growth? 3. What are the constraints confronting the development of small-scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry in Nigeria? 4. Wha t is the trend of the financial support given to SMEs in Nigeria? RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES OF DATA The two main research methods to be used are survey research and content analysis.Survey research method is used to study variables and their relationship as related to human observation and opinions about their experience as it concerns the subject matter of study. Interview schedules shall be applied to some operators while the questionnaire schedule shall be applied to some small-scale entrepreneurs. The data, which would be collected from the questionnaire, will be analysed using the simple percentage method and chi-square, goodness of fit. This will make the analysis of the data more concise and simple. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF STUDY This research covers the area of promoting small and medium scale enterprises n the cassava processing industry, paying attention to the role of the government and other external factors that can affect positively the development of small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. The research intends to study the essential problems encountered by small and medium scale operators in the cassava processing industry and suggest ways by which they can be adequately and efficiently financed and promoted. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Small and medium scale enterprises in Africa rely largely on own savings, not only to grow but also to innovate.Firms often need real services support and formal finance assistance, failing which under-investment in long term capabilities (training and R & D) may result, (Oyelaran, 2003). Besides finance, there are critical elements (including: knowledge, skills and experience of staff; capacity and quality of internal facilities; information and knowledge of market; intellectual and managerial leadership; external infrastructure and the incentive system at the micro and macro levels) that are lacking within technology support institutions themselves.These undermine the effectiveness of their support to SMEs. This study is significant because it would help to evaluate the operations of a vital segment of the industrial sector – small and medium scale industries, which have been identified as having very high potential in promoting economic growth and development. The evaluation shall be done with special focus on the small and medium operators in the cassava processing industry in Nigeria thereby adding to the existing literature on the subject matter.OUTLINE OF CHAPTERS In Chapter one, which is the introductory part; the background of the study, the statement of the research problem, the objectives of the study and the methodology to be adopted shall be discussed. Chapter two will deal with the literature review. The methodology analysis and theoretical framework shall be examined in chapter three.Data presentation, analysis and interpretation will be covered in chapter four while the concluding part of the research work will be chapter five where in a nutshell the summa ry, the conclusion and the recommendations would be discussed. REFERENCES Staley E. and Morse R. (1965) Modern Small-Scale Industry for Developing Countries. London: McGraw-Hill Publishing. Oyelaran O. (2003) Financing and Development of Small-sale industries in Nigeria. Central Bank of Nigeria Economic and Financial Review. 24(4), December.