Education in South Africa Essay Example

Education in South Africa Essay South Africa has 12. 3 million learners, 386,000 teachers and around 48,000 schools – including 390 special needs schools and 1,000 registered private schools. Of all the schools, are high schools (Grade 8 to 12) and the rest are primary schools (Grade 1 to 7). School life spans 13 years or grades although the first year of education, grade 0 or reception year, and the last three years, grade 10, 11 and grade 12 or matric are not compulsory. Many Primary schools offer grade 0, although this pre-school year may also be completed at Nursery school. Recently, great advances have been made in the introduction of new technology to the formerly disadvantaged schools. Organizations such as Khanya,[1] (Nguni for enlightenment) have worked to provide computer access in state schools. A recent national initiative has been the creation of FOCUS schools. These specialise in specific curriculum areas (Business Commerce, Engineering, Arts Culture) and are very similar to the UK specialist schools programme. For university entrance, a Matriculation Endorsement is required, although some universities do set their own additional academic requirements. South Africa has a vibrant higher education sector, with more than a million students enrolled in the country’s universities and universities of technology. All the universities are autonomous, reporting to their own councils rather than government. Pre-colonial education Many African societies placed strong emphasis on traditional forms of education well before the arrival of Europeans. Adults in Khoisan- and Bantu-speaking societies, for example, had extensive responsibilities for transmitting cultural values and skills within kinship-based groups and sometimes within larger organizations, villages, or districts. We will write a custom essay sample on Education in South Africa specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Education in South Africa specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Education in South Africa specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Education involved oral histories of the group, tales of heroism and treachery, and practice in the skills necessary for survival in a changing environment. Colonial education The earliest European schools in South Africa was established in the Cape Colony in the late seventeenth century by Dutch Reformed Church elders committed to biblical instruction, which was necessary for church confirmation. In rural areas, itinerant teachers (meesters ) taught basic literacy and math skills. British mission schools proliferated after 1799, when the first members of the London Missionary Society arrived in the Cape Colony. Language soon became a sensitive issue in education. At least two dozen English-language schools operated in rural areas of the Cape Colony by 1827, but their presence rankled among devout Afrikaners, who considered the English language and curriculum irrelevant to rural life and Afrikaner values. Throughout the nineteenth century, Afrikaners resisted government policies aimed at the spread of the English language and British values, and many educated their children at home or in the churches. After British colonial officials began encouraging families to emigrate from Britain to the Cape Colony in 1820, the Colonial Office screened applicants for immigration for background qualifications. They selected educated families, for the most part, to establish a British presence in the Cape Colony, and after their arrival, these parents placed a high priority on education. Throughout this time, most religious schools in the eastern Cape accepted Xhosa children who applied for admission, and in Natal many other Nguni-speaking groups sent their children to mission schools after the mid-nineteenth century. The government also financed teacher training classes for Africans as part of its pacification campaign throughout the nineteenth century. By 1877 some 60 percent of school-age children in Natal were enrolled in school, as were 49 percent in the Cape Colony. In the Afrikaner republics, however, enrollments remained low—only 12 percent in the Orange Free State and 8 percent in the Transvaal—primarily the result of Afrikaner resistance to British education. Enrollments in these republics increased toward the end of the century, after the government agreed to the use of Afrikaans in the schools and to allow Afrikaner parents greater control over primary and secondary education. By the late nineteenth century, three types of schools were receiving government assistance—ward schools, or small rural schools generally employing one teacher; district schools, providing primary-level education to several towns in an area; and a few secondary schools in larger cities. But during the last decades of that century, all four provinces virtually abolished African enrollment in government schools. African children attended mission schools, for the most part, and were taught by clergy or by lay teachers, sometimes with government assistance[. Higher education was generally reserved for those who could travel to Europe, but in 1829 the government established the multiracial South African College, which later became the University of Cape Town. Religious seminaries accepted a few African applicants as early as 1841. In 1852 the independent state of Transvaal and in 1854 the Orange Free State established their own institutions of higher learning in Dutch. The government established Grey College—later the University of the Orange Free State—in Bloemfontein in 1855 and placed it under the supervision of the Dutch Reformed Church. The Grey Institute was established in Port Elizabeth in 1856; Graaff-Reinet College was founded in 1860. The Christian College was founded at Potchefstroom in 1869 and was later incorporated into the University of South Africa and renamed Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education Independence to Apartheid Following the British victory in the South African War, the new representative of the Crown, Sir Alfred Milner, brought thousands of teachers from Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to instill the English language and British cultural values, especially in the two former Afrikaner republics. To counter the British influence, a group of Afrikaner churches proposed an education program, Christian National Education, to serve as the core of the school curriculum. The government initially refused to fund schools adopting this program, but Jan C. Smuts, the Transvaal leader who later became prime minister, was strongly committed to reconciliation between Afrikaners and English speakers, and he favored local control over many aspects of education. Provincial autonomy in education was strengthened in the early twentieth century, and all four provincial governments used government funds primarily to educate whites. [ The National Party (NP) was able to capitalize on the fear of racial integration in the schools to build its support. The NPs narrow election victory in 1948 gave Afrikaans new standing in the schools, and after that, all high-school graduates were required to be proficient in both Afrikaans and English. The NP government also reintroduced Christian National Education as the guiding philosophy of education. [2] Education under ApartheidStructure of South Africa’s Educational System Academic Year: January to December Primary School: Reception to grade 6 Secondary School: Junior Secondary,Grades 7-9; Further Education and Training (10-12) Higher Education Certificates and Diplomas (generally 1-2 years of study) Bachelors’ Degrees (from 3 years to 6 years of study, depending on course) Honor’s Degrees (1 further year of undergraduate study, requiring a thesis) Master’s Degree (2 years of post-graduate study) Doctorate (variable in duration with a minimum of 2 years, following a Master’s) Language of Instruction South Africa has 11 official languages, but schools and universities generally use either English or Afrikaans as the language of instruction. Students who have attended an English-medium high school or university and have performed well academically can reliably be granted a waiver from the TOEFL. Secondary Education Schooling is compulsory through grade 9, but under the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) students may opt at the successful completion of grade 9 to obtain their General Education and Training Certificate and to pursue employment or technical training at Further Education and Training (FET) institutions. Those continuing into senior secondary school for grades 10-12 sit the nationally set and moderated matriculation examinations, or an approved alternative such as the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) test series, to obtain the National Senior Certificate (NSC) at the end of grade 12. From grade 10, senior secondary students must take 7 subjects, 4 of which must be English, a second South African language, Life Orientation, and either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy. The remaining 3 courses are selected from 27 options, which range from Accounting, Art (which includes theory and history), Business Economics and Computer Technology, to Tourism and Woodworking. Courses in science (Physical or Life Science) are optional, as are the social sciences (History, Economics and Geography). Students wishing to pursue university studies, however, are often constrained in their choices at tertiary level unless they take the more rigorous Mathematics (rather than Mathematical Literacy), and Physical or Life Science. The notion of a Liberal Arts and Sciences education is very foreign to most South African students, and thus they often focus early on in their high school years on a particular set of subjects. With a total population of approximately 49 million people, South Africa has 6000 secondary schools. In 2009, 580 577 candidates wrote their matric final exams. Of these, 61% passed to obtain the National Senior Certificate. Of these, just over half achieved a ‘bachelor’s pass’ making them eligible to apply for university study in South Africa. A bachelor’s pass requires, at a minimum, a rating of 4 (or a C) in four subjects from a designated list of subjects. The Outcomes based Education (OBE) curriculum in place since the mid-2000’s aims to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to success at tertiary level. Due to the legacy of apartheid and resource constraints, however, many public schools are severely challenged to meet the bars set for introducing ‘OBE’. This can be seen in the fact that among independent or private schools, students achieved a 97% pass rate, with over 75% of students achieving a bachelor’s pass. Reports show that the average achieved for most examinations in most subjects across South Africa is now between 50% and 60%. Any mark over 70% is considered to be very good and a result over 80% is excellent and rare. The new grading scale using numbers instead of symbols appears below: US Grade A B+ B C D F F SA Grade* 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Based on SA Score of 80-100% 70-79% 60-69% 50-59% 40-49% 30-39% 20-29% Note the Higher Grade/Standard Grade distinction of earlier years has been dropped. Higher Education in South Africa South Africa’s higher education system consists of 23 publicly funded universities, consolidated since 1994 down from 36 separate institutions. Some of these are considered comprehensive and others are universities of technology (see www. studysa. co. za for a complete list). Both types of instit utions offer Bachelor’s, Honors, Masters and Doctorate degrees, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate diplomas. Several of South Africa’s comprehensive universities are internationally recognized for their research in areas such as astronomy, business, paleontology, and public policy in Africa, as well as the caliber of student produced. The Higher Education Act of 1997 stipulates that all higher education institutions come under the authority of the national government, while the FET colleges (listed at www. education. gov. za) report to the provincial governments. Together, these institutions enroll over a million students per year, many from neighboring African nations. Students are admitted on a competitive basis, upon their admissions points score (APS) calculated from their matriculation examination marks. The required APS varies from course to course, and between universities. Students without the matriculation endorsement, or bachelor’s pass, from Umalusi (South Africa’s council for quality assurance) may enroll at universities of technology. Education Contacts in South Africa: Higher Education of South Africa: http://www. hesa. ac. za/ Council on Higher Education: www. che. ac. za South African Qualifications Authority: www. aqa. org. za Umalusi: www. umalusi. org. za National Qualifications Framework: www. nqf. org. za The Matriculation Board: www. sauvca. org. za/mb South African Department of Education: www. education. gov. za Minister or Basic Education: Mrs Angie Motshekga Tel: 27 12 (012) 357 3000 Minister of Higher Education and Training: Dr Blade Nzimande (012) 357 3000 The International Education Association of South Afr ica (IEASA): www. studysa. co. za EducationUSA South Africa: http://southafrica. usembassy. gov or www. EducationUSA. info South Africans in the United States According to the 2009 Open Doors, there were 1703 South African students enrolled for study in the US in the 2008/09 academic year, 57 % of which were undergraduates. This overall figure represents an increase of 5. 1 percent from the previous year. The Opportunity Funds Program began in South Africa in 2008, enabling three students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds to pursue studies in the US. Testing in South Africa The SAT is offered six times a year in nine locations around the country, and the TOEFL, GRE and GMAT are offered in Cape Town and Johannesburg twice weekly. Education USA in South Africa The Education USA advising centers in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are based in the Public Affairs Sections of the respective US Consulates. Together, the advisors serve approximately 24,000 students a year by equipping them to assess themselves for US study, to select institutions for application, to prepare sound applications, and to receive pre-departure orientation, at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels. They also provide assistance to visiting US university representatives conducting outreach among South African students. The Bantu Education Act The Bantu Education Act (No. 47) of 1953 widened the gaps in educational opportunities for different racial groups. Two of the architects of Bantu education, Dr. W. M. Eiselen and Dr. Hendrik F. Verwoerd, had studied in Germany and had adopted many elements of National Socialist (Nazi) philosophy. The concept of racial purity, in particular, provided a rationalization for keeping black education inferior. Verwoerd, then minister of native affairs, said black Africans should be educated for their opportunities in life, and that there was no place for them above the level of certain forms of labour. The government also tightened its control over religious high schools by eliminating almost all financial aid, forcing many churches to sell their schools to the government or close them entirely. Christian National Education supported the NP program of apartheid by calling on educators to reinforce cultural diversity and to rely on mother-tongue instruction in the first years of primary sc hool. This philosophy also espoused the idea that a persons social responsibilities and political opportunities are defined, in large part, by that persons ethnic identity. The government also gave strong management control to the school boards, who were elected by the parents in each district. Official attitudes toward African education were paternalistic, based on trusteeship and segregation. Black education was not supposed to drain government resources away from white education. The number of schools for blacks increased during the 1960s, but their curriculum was designed to prepare children for menial jobs. Per-capita government spending on black education slipped to one-tenth of spending on whites in the 1970s. Black schools had inferior facilities, teachers, and textbooks. Soweto and Its Aftermath Tensions over language in education erupted into violence on June 16, 1976, when students took to the streets in the Johannesburg township of Soweto. Their action was prompted by the decision of Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, the architect of the Bantu education system, to enforce a regulation requiring that one-half of all high-school classes must be taught in Afrikaans. A harsh police response resulted in the deaths of several children, some as young as eight or nine years old. In the violence that followed, more than 575 people died, at least 134 of them under the age of eighteen. Youthful ANC supporters abandoned school in droves; some vowed to make South Africa ungovernable to protest against apartheid education. Others left the country for military training camps run by the ANC or other liberation armies, mostly in Angola, Tanzania, or Eastern Europe. Liberation before education became their battle cry. The schools suffered further damage as a result of the unrest of 1976. Vandals and arsonists damaged or destroyed many schools and school property. Students who tried to attend school and their teachers were sometimes attacked, and administrators found it increasingly difficult to maintain normal school activities. Some teachers and administrators joined in the protests. The National Policy for General Affairs Act (No. 76) of 1984 provided some improvements in black education but maintained the overall separation called for by the Bantu education system. This act gave the minister of national education authority to determine general policy for syllabuses, examinations, and certification qualifications in all institutions of formal and informal education. But responsibility for implementing these policies was divided among numerous government departments and offices, resulting in a bewildering array of educational authorities: For example, the Department of Education and Training was responsible for black education outside the homelands. Each of the three houses of parliament—for whites, coloureds, and Indians—had an education department for one racial group, and each of the ten homelands had its own education department. In addition, several other government departments managed specific aspects of education. Education was compulsory for all racial groups, but at different ages, and the law was enforced differently. Whites were required to attend school between the ages of seven and sixteen. Black children were required to attend school from age seven until the equivalent of seventh grade or the age of sixteen, but this law was enforced only weakly, and not at all in areas where schools were unavailable. For Asians and coloured children, education was compulsory between the ages of seven and fifteen. The discrepancies in education among racial groups were glaring. Teacher: pupil ratios in primary schools averaged 1:18 in white schools, 1:24 in Asian schools, 1:27 in coloured schools, and 1:39 in black schools. Moreover, whereas 96 percent of all teachers in white schools had teaching certificates, only 15 percent of teachers in black schools were certified. Secondary-school pass rates for black pupils in the nationwide, standardized high-school graduation exams were less than one-half the pass rate for whites. As the government implemented the 1984 legislation, new violence flared up in response to the limited constitutional reforms that continued to exclude blacks. Finally, the government began to signal its awareness that apartheid could not endure. By 1986 President P. W. Botha (1984–89) had stated that the concept of apartheid was outdated, and behind-the-scenes negotiations had begun between government officials and imprisoned ANC leader Nelson Mandela. The gap between government spending on education for different racial groups slowly began to narrow, and penalties for defying apartheid rules in education began to ease. Restructuring The apartheid regime created different universities for different race groups, often in close proximity and offering the same courses, but neglected the development of historically black institutions. In a country with scarce resources, with institutions of uneven capacity, there was an urgent need to cut down on costly duplication and improve quality across the sector. After several years of investigation and consultation, the government announced plans to radically restructure higher education through mergers and incorporations that was completed by January 2005 and created 22 institutions out of an existing 36 universities and technikons. Out of the 36 institutions 22 were selected for mergers, four for major incorporations (or loss of facilities), one was being dismantled and its multi-sites slotted into other institutions, and there are 10 new university names. In South Africa, education plays a huge role compared to other countries. [citation needed] The government usually spends 20% of their expenditure on education. Black Africans were perceived to have the role of laborers and servants. During the 1980s the young population was committed to destroying the education system due the apartheid. There were strikes and violence which firmly restricted its ability to function in an orderly manner. Even though the government spends 20% annually on education the apartheid theory still sticks around. Among the South African population, only 14% of blacks have an education of high school or higher, whereas 40% of Indians and 65% of Whites have an education of high school or higher. Technology has become an increasingly important component, especially in the Western Cape and Gauteng. Khanya has led the way in bringing the formerly disadvantaged schools into the global classroom, sometimes with the support of the UK based, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. 3] In South Africa, you can find the concept of public and private school which vary according to character, size, quality of education, and financial advantages. With both public and private institutions, the education in South Africa is very promising. Most of the schools are supported by the state, but private schooling is also widely common. 2. 8% of the total school population is private equaling 340,000 students. Today the literacy rate is 86%. [citation needed] That education is an essential ingredient of prosperity i s at once obvious and contentious. Obvious because any person able to read this text knows what a difference it makes in their lives to have gone to school, to have learned to read, write and calculate. Contentious because when social scientists try to â€Å"prove† that education is a cause of economic growth it turns out to be quite difficult to decide which came first, the chicken or the egg. What is more, even the basic terms such as â€Å"what is education† and â€Å"what is prosperity† become vast and cloudy terrains for the technical experts like economists, sociologists, education specialists and policy analysts. This article offers one way of arriving at a single overarching generalization about the relationship between education, defined as the classroom school system that has been the predominant way of organizing formal education throughout the 20th century, and economic growth, defined as the monetary aggregate GDP (gross domestic product) that is used widely by economists and the press to measure the economic performance of industrial societies. Over the following pages it is argued that the specific form of education system, characterized by universal compulsory classroom schooling, is an indispensable component of an industrial growth society. This is a broader, more historically grounded hypothesis that aims to encompass the wide range of economic, social and political reasons for associating education with growth. It is a hypothesis that rests on clarifying the role of one specific way of organizing learning, universal mass compulsory classroom schooling and the preponderant kinds of knowledge that emerge from this process, with the creation of one particular form of prosperity, typically summarized by the metric of gross domestic product (GDP). The hypothesis is that making investments in all the elements of a school system (teachers, buildings, text books, information technology, curriculum, supervision, testing, etc. ) and then forcing young people to attend them (i. e. give up the income they might otherwise earn) is a necessary but not sufficient condition for expanding the gross domestic product of an industrial society. To be clear, the massive systems of universal compulsory schooling pioneered in the 19th century and â€Å"perfected† as well as extended to post-secondary education in the 20th century do not encompass all human learning—far from it. What people learn and know, the practices that are informed and inspired by experience and reflection, arise from all kinds of human activity. However the argument here is that the specific cognitive, behavioral and social knowledge, that is the basic result of a specific form of schooling introduced in the 19th century, played and continues to play a crucial role in spectacular feats of industrial development. Economic Growth There can be little doubt that the performance of industrial societies has been nothing short of amazing when it comes to generating monetary wealth. As Angus Maddison (2001) shows in his publication: The World Economy—A Millennial Perspective, GDP per capita in industrial nations exploded from around 1,000 US$ in 1820 to over 21,000 US$ by the late 1990s. Figure 1 below, also from Maddison (2007), provides a detailed global breakdown for the period 1950 to 2003. The evidence is overwhelming. Where industry triumphed so did GDP growth. In Western Europe GDP per capita jumped from just over 4,500 US$ to almost 20,000 US$. In Japan the leap was even greater, from around 2,000 US$ in 1950 to over 20,000 US$ in 2003. With the exception of China, where the recent growth spurt is impressive when seen from the perspective of such a low starting point, those parts of the world where the development of industrial society either stagnated or declined show much lower growth rates of GDP per capita. Figure 1: Growth of per Capita GDP: the World and Major Regions, 1950–2003. Level in 1990 Internationl PPP $ Source: This chart is based on data from: Angus Maddison, Chapter 7, Table 7-3, Contours of the World Economy, 1-2030 AD, Oxford University Press, 2007, forthcoming. www. ggdc. net/Maddison Cisco Public Education Growth A similarly spectacular expansion of participation in education as measured by school enrolment rates can be seen over the same period. Historical estimates for the year 1900 put participation rates in primary education at under 40% of the corresponding age group in most parts of the world, except North America, northwestern Europe and Anglophone regions of the pacific, where the rate was 72% (Cohen and Bloom, 2005, p. 10). Now, more than a century later the â€Å"net enrollment rate†Ã¢â‚¬â€which is a stricter definition of participation—shows that most of the world is above level of the â€Å"high education† regions at the dawn of the 20th century. Figure 2 shows that by the early 21st century (2004) every part of the world had achieved, at a minimum, the level attained by the most industrialized countries at the start of the 20th century and most far exceeded the levels of a century earlier. Of course, as is underscored by the important efforts to realize the United Nations Millennium goals of Education for All, there is still a long way to go. The 2007 Report (UNESCO, 2006) indicates that worldwide, in 2004, 781 million adults (one in five) still do not have minimum literacy kills and that close to 77 million children of school age are not enrolled in school (Table 1). Table 1: Estimated Numbers of Children Out of School 1999–2004 (thousands) Source: UNESCO, Education for All, 2007, p. 28 Figure 2: Net Enrolment in Primary Education Worldwide 1999 to 2004 Sources: Education for All, UNESCO, 2007, p. 1. Cisco Public Looking at the degree of educational attainment in terms of the average number of years of schooling for the adult population—a measure that tells how many years of schooling have been accumulated—shows that in OECD countries the average stands at just under 12 years (Figure 3). Worldwide progress is being made towards this level but as UNESCO reports there are still many parts of the world where the obstacles are very significant—including problems with enrolment rates, gender inequality, and school quality (UNESCO, 2006, p. 64). The Overall Argument As the previous two sub-sections indicate, there is strong evidence from the recent past that economic growth has been accompanied by growth in both spending and participation in schooling. Economists, as reported in a brief overview in the next section, have examined this association quite carefully and come to the conclusion that, through a variety of different avenues and in a number of different ways, investment in school systems does have a strong economic pay-off. This is an important conclusion that is highly relevant to individual, corporate and government decisions regarding investment. For all spheres of decision making there is good evidence that the rate of return is high, even relative to other investment opportunities. However, the two main components of this relationship—schooling and income growth—are both very specific, even narrow ways of looking at two broader questions: learning and well-being. Indeed neither GDP nor schooling emerged full-blown on to the stage of history. There were many experiments, many reactions and much reflection before today’s familiar indicators and institutions gained universal currency. It may seem like a long-forgotten historical story, but measures of national income like GDP are the result of protracted economic and intellectual processes. In the same way that universal compulsory schooling did not always exist nor did it become a fixture of social life over night. GDP and schooling, each in its time, was a radical idea, perhaps more radical than any of the policy initiatives that are commonly debated today. Now, however, it is becoming clear that the way we think of learning and economic wealth are changing. There is little controversy over the observation that the many kinds of knowledge acquired through industrial era schooling are only part of what a person knows. Equally accepted is the notion that industrial wealth as measured by GDP is only part of overall societal wealth. Such conclusions may seem obvious as attention shifts to concerns about quality of life, community caring, the environment and other often non-monetary aspects of people’s lives. But this recognition also underscores the historical specificity of these ways of looking at the world around us. And it also signals that the construction of basic ways of doing things, like schools for learning, and measuring things, like GDP for wealth, are time specific. Figure 3: Educational attainment of the adult population: average number of years in the educational system for the OECD countries 2004. 1. Year of reference 2003. Countries are ranked ind ecending order of average number of years in the education system of 25-to-64 year-olds. Source: OECD, Education at a Glance, 2006, p. 28. 16 Cisco Public Neither schooling nor national income accounts were prescient constructs, built with a foreknowledge of how each would serve to facilitate the achievements (and failures) of industrial societies. On the contrary, history is too rich and complex, the future too unknowable, for anything but ex-post accounts of the â€Å"inherent† logic of choices in the past. Even though it is now clear that both metrics, years of schooling and GDP, are particularly well suited to the way production, consumption and, in a general way, daily life are all organized in industrial society. It would be wrong to see either as eternal or self-evidently useful. Hence what will serve in the future must remain an open question. Part of being open to such questions involves situating, on the basis of hypotheses and analysis, why and how relationships like that between years of schooling and GDP exhibit particular patterns over particular periods of history and phases of socio-economic development. In other words, as discussed in the next section, the analysis of the relationship between years of schooling and GDP offer important insights precisely because these concepts depended on and contributed to the emergence and evolution of industrial society. With the obje

Learning from My First Job Essay Example

Learning from My First Job Essay Example Learning from My First Job Essay Learning from My First Job Essay When I was in high school the social norm or cool thing to do was to go out and spend money. Me, being the typical full-time high school student, meant that I had to get money through my parents. I can still hear the voices of the various people all telling me the same corny objections: â€Å"If you want something earn it† or â€Å"You can buy whatever you want with your own money†. I realize now, in retrospect, that it was all just to teach me to be more independent and responsible with money. Before I realized all this, My mom and I discussed different job choices I could lean towards. She told me that even if it was a volunteer job, the experience is what matters and you will learn what is it like to be in a job setting. We pondered upon many local places hiring, and then she made a suggestion of working as an unpaid CIT (counselor-in-training) for a year, and then go on to work as a paid counselor for the rest of the years on, making more money each year I am employ ed. I rolled my eyes as every snobby teen does to their parents suggestions, said, â€Å"I guess,† thinking how hard could watching a few kids play in dirt be?I went to my room only to forget about the summer job coming up in just a couple months. As summer rolled around I started thinking about all of the things I was going to miss out on during my summer vacation, to work at some camp that wasnt even paying me. This made me feel frustrated and bummed that I would be wasting so much time. Little did I know that I would eventually learn to appreciate the experience and expertise I acquired through the training, and then later apply it to my work as I continued on. I was just a 15 year old, spending my vacation â€Å"learning how to be a counselor† at The Jewish Community Center camp my mom signed me up for. During the car ride to my first day on the job, I was having memories from when I was as a camper their at the JCC. I have only a few memories of my time at camp.

Macroeconomics Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macroeconomics - Article Example It deals with the aggregated indicators such as price indices, GDP, unemployment, inflation, savings, investments, national income etc. It looks at prices of all goods and of all services. In short, it looks at whole economy. Macroeconomics also deal with the exchange rates. The higher will be the exchange rate, the lower will be the international demand due to expensive products. Macroeconomics deals with the critical economy issues such as inflation rate, unemployment rate, recession state etc. Recession is a period of two or more successive quarters of decreasing production. Scarcity of any resource becomes a cause of rise in price while access availability of any resource causes a fall in price of that commodity. Before we discuss U.S inflation, we must know the role of inflation. Inflation is basically an increase in average price level of a country while deflation is totally opposite to inflation. Deflation is the downward decrease in average prices level. Inflation in United States is also due to record oil prices that had increased the petrol price. Inflation is also caused by excessive money creation. Consumer Price Index (CPI), Consumption Expenditures Index (CPI) are tools to keep a check on average prices. One must thoroughly look into the average rise case because rise in the price of any one commodity may also cause a rise in price index. An average rise in the prices of food and beverages, apparel, energy prices, education, transportation, housing etc shows the horrible picture. As Inflation decreases the money value, countries consider it as a key issue. Change in prices of goods and services at domestic level is also measured by GDP deflator. Demand-pull inflation, Cost-push the ory (Supply shock inflation), Money Supply etc are the causes of inflation in a country. Economy of United States is also known for being rich in mineral resources and fertile farm soil. Five large, inland lake flow along with the US border with Canada. That has been a reason of economic growth in the last few years and maintained a high overall GDP rate, a low unemployment rate but in the end of 2007, growth was hit by the troubles in the housing and credit market. Unemployment is also considered as one of the key factor in macroeconomics. Unemployment refers to people who are jobless and are seeking some work. The unemployment rate is obtained by dividing the number of unemployed persons by the number of persons in the labor force. It is mostly expressed in percentage as its value is less than one. It has been suggested that US growth could be cut to nearby 1.5% in 2008. Unemployment is also higher than it was at the end of the last boom in the l990s. The fall in the value of US dollar is also a hot topic nowadays. The Federal Reserve has cut rates in 2008 to control the situation. Investors seem least interested in dollar due to lower interest rates and due to significant trade deficit.

How People Accept Second Hand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How People Accept Second Hand - Essay Example Robinson laments that schools stifle creativity by undervaluing â€Å"mistakes† and promoting certain intellectual norms. Lightman wants people to stop being lazy in consuming second-hand information, because this is a medieval way of learning, and to start becoming active and creative producers of primary information, which can be the only true source of knowledge. People lazily consume second-hand information and treat them usually as knowledge often automatically and blindly, as if by faith. Scientists and educators tend to go out and test their theories, but people in general, sit back, receive information, and rarely test the latter's veracity. Lightman asks if people have â€Å"personally verified† (17) if the earth is flat or round. He discounts the existence of the â€Å"globe† and â€Å"Apollo pictures† as proof that the earth is round (17). These are not enough evidence that the world is round, because someone else has made them or collected them , and this does not mean that their proof is immediately true. Lightman does not also hold what geodesists say as true, though their whole profession may lie on understanding the â€Å"detailed shape of the earth† (17). Lightman does not easily believe them, because they have their own â€Å"measurements,† which may be wrong too. ... Ariely investigates why people seldom change what they do and how they think. He conducts several experiments and comes up with his theory, the â€Å"personal fudge factor,† where people accept a certain form of irrationality, which they believe is enough to help them still believe that they are â€Å"correct.† The problem with the â€Å"personal fudge factor† is that people no longer test their â€Å"intuitions,† says Ariely. Being incorrect to some degree may be enough to make an intuition entirely incorrect. When people just accept intuitions and never test them, that is plain laziness. That laziness, nevertheless, sacrifices the pursuit and attainment of tested information that may be the only basis for correct information. This laziness brings people back to the medieval-period approach to learning, when the masses accept what people in power say is right. Philosophers once dominated the production of knowledge because of their influence, but the prob lem with them is that they rarely apply the â€Å"scientific method† in their practice (Lightman 19). As a result, they have theoretical conceptions on the shape of the earth. People then believed for centuries that the earth was flat without even testing its validity. People in power also use history to tell their own versions of the story. For instance, it is only until recently that people learn how Columbus and other European settlers in the Americas had killed millions of Native Americans, because of the former's colonization goals. Before, people live in comfortable knowledge that the European invaders brought â€Å"civilization† to the native â€Å"heathens.† The same promotion of ignorance can be said with schools. Schools had also

Compliance of Apple Inc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compliance of Apple Inc - Research Paper Example Companies have shifted their operations to developing countries in order to curtail their costs and improve through economic ways. With such an approach, businesses have saved heavy taxes that could be imposed while operating in their homelands. The Economic factor is most influencing for the businesses as it directly affects revenues and profitability. Apple Inc has suppliers from China, India and other parts of the world that serve the company virtually or provide the required hardware, supplies, etc. The company has to assure compliance with standard ethics and variable economic obligations that exist in each country. It attempts to choose most reputed suppliers from around the globe so that economic and legal compliance may not be compromised while quality is maintained throughout operations (King, 2011). In the present era, societies are driven through global values and the gulf between different societies is contracting due to expanding embrace of international social values. H owever social circumstances differ geographically (Zylla, 2013). Apple Inc behaves as socially responsible entity and endeavors to aid workers as and when required to bring them in pace with the rapidly changing dynamics of the world. Apple does not allow the suppliers to overburden employees and limits the working hours per week so that they stay in good health and work efficiently in the long run. The company attempts to educate manpower of its suppliers through SEED (Supplier Employee Education Development) program.

The Different Flood Myths

The Different Flood Myths In the following essay, I am going to examine the flood myth that is written in The Epic of Gilgamesh, and compare its similarities and differences to the one that is found in the Book of Genesis. In both works, there is an immense flood that engulfs the earth. The question that remains to be answered is, is this the same flood recorded in both texts? The corresponding elements that occur between both texts have been somewhat of a puzzling issue for some researchers. On first speculation, it would be fair to say that both coincide with each other due to the major similarity between them. However, subtle differences could prove otherwise. The flood myth in The Epic of Gilgamesh was written somewhere around 2750 and 2500 BCE  [1]  , whereas the Book of Genesis 6-9 was written around 500BC  [2]  . It could be said that the Biblical authors were aware of the flood recorded on Tablet XI and may have adapted it to correspond with the writings of the Biblical text. Alexander Heidel explores three central theories about how the two accounts may be linked. He states that first, the Babylonians borrowed from the Hebrew account; second, the Hebrew account is dependent on the Babylonian; third, both are descended from a common original.  [3]  Heidel goes on to say that because The Epic of Gilgamesh was written before the Book of Genesis The most widely accepted explanation today is the second, namely, that the biblical account is based on Babylonian material.  [4]  However, a theory of this nature causes some controversy within the Christian faith as it could be said that it mat question the reliability of the Bible. As I have previously stated, both myths share many of the same elements. Merrill F. Unger believes that when comparing the two, there are certain components that have to be looked at, in order to create and understanding of both accounts; the first being that the flood was planned by the god in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis . Secondly, that a warning was given to both protagonists prior to the flood happening. Thirdly, is that the flood is connected with the destruction of mankind. Another being, the protagonist and his family were allowed to escape from the disaster. The building of the vessel to protect various life-forms is another. Also, what should be noted is the physical destruction of each flood and the duration of it. The landing place of the boat should also be mentioned and the releasing of the birds. Finally, the last similar element that should be discussed are the sacrifices the heros presented to their gods and what they received in return.  [5]  Although these similarities cannot be ignored, Kenneth A. Kitchen says that there are also many differences that run through each of the flood accounts, even though the general similarities suggest a definite relationship between the two traditions.  [6]  Kitchen goes on to say that it is these differences that provides a clear view of w hy the flood happened, that they define the characters of the gods and protagonists. By using specific details such as, the landing places of the ships, the releasing of the birds, numbers and genders of the surviving animals and humans and the building of the ships, we can compare the differences, enabling one to study the relationship between the flood accounts in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis.  [7]  Both stories tell a tale about a righteous figure who is informed by divine beings that a great flood is going to destroy the earth. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the main protagonist of this myth, Utnapishtim, is met by Gilgamesh whilst on his journey in pursuit of immortality. Utnapishtim is asked by Gilgamesh how he became immortal and that is when he tells him about the flood that happened in a city called Shurrupak, which stands on the banks of the river Euphrates.  [8]  It is the noise that man makes the Gods deem to be intolerable, so they decide to eli minate all of mankind. The god of waters, Ea, is the one to warn Utnapishtim of what is about to come.  [9]  In the Book of Genesis, God recognises how man has become wicked, so in turn, God feels it necessary to flood the earth and be rid of man. We learn that Noah is seen by God as a righteous man and is spared, [Noah]found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  [10]  Noah is then told by God to build an ark and take both his family and two of every animal with him. The first similarity to notice here is the use of divine involvement in both myths. However, it is here where a difference occurs. In the Book of Genesis, it is evident that monotheism (only one god) is present. Whereas, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, it is clear to see that polytheism is visible (more than one god). As stated previously, the gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh want to flush out mankind because of their noise. The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reasons of the babel  [11]  . While in Genesis, God floods the earth because of the wickedness of man. It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.  [12]  I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. . . .  [13]   In addition to this, mans fate is to die in the epic, yet in Genesis, Noah tries to save the evil by preaching to them. This again is a striking difference between the two myths. Additionally to this, in both the Book of Genesis and The Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero of the story is warned prior to facing the major disaster and vessels are built to shield them from the catastrophic flood, to maintain the life of each species. Utnapishtim is told not to take anything of worth on the boat, but does so anyway. Like in the Book of Genesis, animals are taken on the boat and the storm continues for six days and nights.  [14]  In the epic, Utnapishtim is warned though a dream by Ea, whereas God tells Noah about the coming flood in G enesis, and it rains for forty days and forty nights. Something that can also be found in both accounts is the use of the number seven. In the Book of Genesis the world was created in seven days. The number seven also appears in the flood account. After seven days the waters of the flood were upon the earth  [15]  . This is also apparent in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Although the rain only lasts for six days and six nights, when the storm calms and the boat lands, it remains there for seven days. In the epic, the storm calms on the seventh day and the boat stops at the mountain of Nisir. After a week, Utnapishtim releases birds from the boat. This is also parallel to what happens in the Book of Genesis. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim releases three birds from the vessel. First he releases a dove which returns because there is no food or resting place. A wallow is then sent out, but still returns. Then finally, a raven is set free and does not return, meaning it has found land and food. I loosed a dovebut finding no resting-place she returnedthen I loosed a swallow, and she flew away but finding no resting-place she returnedI loosed a ravenand she did not come back  [16]  . In the Book of Genesis, Noah also does this but only using two birds. First a raven that returns and secondly a dove that brings back an olive branch. It could be said that the olive branch is used as a symbol of peace and that mankinds suffering has now come to an end.  [17]  In addition, a raven could be seen as a messenger of the gods, so by using this particular species of bird in each myth, it highlights the powers that the deities have in both texts. However, the subtle difference is that in the Book of Genesis, the raven was unsuccessful, whereas in Gilgamesh it was the raven who found land. This could link to my earlier point that in the epic, that the fate of mankind will always lay in the hands of the gods. Yet, in Genesis, the symbol of peace, suggests that God has put an end to the punishment of mankind and will let them begin a new life. Another similarity is that both Utnapishtim, in the epic, and Noah, in Genesis thank the Gods for sparing them from the flood. However, they offer their thanks in different ways. In Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim pours out a libation on the top of the mountain.  [18]  Yet, Noah builds an altar for God. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord  [19]  . Furthermore, both protagonists make a sacrifice once the flood had ended. In the Book of Genesis, Noah is told by God to leave the ark, Leave the ark, you and your wife, your sons and their wives  [20]  Noah then makes a sacrifice to God by burning some animals on the altar that he made. In The Epic of Gilgamesh a sacrifice is also made to the Gods. Yet, when Utnapishtim offers a sacrifice, Enlil is enraged because Utnapishtim was excluded from the destruction of all man. Then Ea persuades Enlil that Utnapishtim escaped through his own means, and Utnapishtim is then granted immortality by Enlil. Finally, there is a symbol shown, in both texts, to indicate that the earth will not be flooded by the gods again. In Gilgamesh there is a necklace and it is exclaimed that the gods will not forget these days  [21]  . Whereas in Genesis a rainbow appears. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  [22]  Both flood accounts in The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis are extremely alike as well as possessing major differences. As the source of each flood story differs between the two, there can be some conclusions brought up about the Babylonian culture in comparison to the Hebrew culture. As stated previously, polytheism is apparent throughout the Babylonian culture and they believe that the gods are separate from each other and that they have restricted power. So, the people cannot always rely on the gods to be rewarding to the serving and the just. Additionally, monotheism is u sed within the Hebrew culture, where God is seen as almighty, that his power is unrestricted and he is good. The belief is that God created the world that is orderly and therefore rewards men who worship him. However, this theory is dependent on each individuals personal moral grounds. What I wanted to examine throughout this essay is the relationship between the flood myths that occur in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis. There are three theories that could possibly link the two that I would like to discuss; the first being that The Epic of Gilgamesh may have been derived from the Genesis account. However, the epic flood myth was written long before the one found in Genesis. So, because of the dates in which both of the flood accounts were written, this theory has been disproved. Another hypothesis that may link the two is that the account found in the Book of Genesis may have been taken from the one found in The Epic of Gilgamesh and altered slightly. Conversely, this theory poses some major complications. If this were true, then the writer of the Genesis account would have had to thoroughly go over the Epic and change many of its components. Things such as the reason why the gods decided to cause the flood, changing it to a righteous motivation. Also, descriptions of the flood would have had to be altered, making it to be universal so the whole account would be credible. Lastly, changing the use of polytheism to a completely monotheistic world would have been very difficult. So, even though there are major mirroring images between the two, this would have been almost impossible to recreate, rendering this theory to be inconceivable. The most plausible possibility is the third theory, that both of the flood accounts may have come from one event. Kenneth A. Kitchen believes that it is probable that The Hebrew and Babylonian accounts may go back to a common ancient tradition, but are not borrowed directly from each other.  [23]  After cons idering all of the similar and dissimilar elements of both texts, it seems that in The Epic of Gilgamesh, a warped account of an event was recorded, which lost its historical precision and it could be said, that the version recorded in the Book of Genesis may be a more precise report of the disaster. So, to conclude, after comparing the two accounts of the flood in each text, it is evident that there is a relationship between the two, despite the many differences. Each story provides a learning curve from culture to culture about historical events though the medium of storytelling. Separate cultures develop over time, and it would be fair to say that it inevitable that some events are going to become overlapped and repeated throughout different historical and religious texts.

The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals.

The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals. Close, But No Cigar. History of Events Before beginning my paper, I will give a very brief summary of the actions which caused the original embargo against Cuba in 1960 and the actions the US has taken since then. Reviewing this brief timeline will help to examine and critique the reasoning behind the embargo. In the early 20th century, Cuba was a nation in constant political turmoil ruled by militant dictators. Prior to the elections of 1952, Fulgencio Batista took power of Cuba in a bloodless coup. His rule left the island in discontent and led to many movements to return the country to its constitutional rule of 1940. On January 1st, 1959 Batista and his family fled Cuba. On January 7th, the United States officially recognized a government that Fidel Castro had taken control of with promises of a return to a constitutional government and democratic elections. Soon, Fidel began nationalizing all private businesses and land. When US refineries refused to refine oil from the Soviet Union, Castro ordered the nationalization of all US businesses on July 5th, 1960. In immediate response, President Dwight Eisenhower cancelled Cuba’s sugar quota on July 6th. On April 16th, 1961 Castro declares Cuba a Socialist state. The very next day, the United States, in a mission codenamed â€Å"Bay of Pigs,† backed a failed attempt by Cuban refugees to overthrow Castro. Immediately after this failed coup, the United States began progress in another operation to overthrow the dictator. This was known as Operation Mongoose, which was conceptualized in November 1961. The mission was not immediately carried out, as the military was constantly trying to reasse... ...he Politics of Passion. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX 2000. Horowitz, Irving Louis. Searching for the Sould of American Foreign Policy: The Cuban Embargo and the National Interest. Institute for Cuban and Cuban- American Studies Occasional Paper Series. University of Miami, Miami, FL 2000. Lopez, Juan J. Democracy Delayed. The Case of Castro’s Cuba. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD 2002. Suchlicki, Jaime. The U.S. Embargo of Cuba. Institute for Cuban and Cuban- American Studies Occasional Paper Series. University of Miami, Miami, FL 2000. Internet References Embassy of India. Havana, Cuba. Selected Economic Statistics of Cuba. March 11, 2005. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. < http://apps.fao.org/> March 11, 2005.

Kaiser Wilhelm II and The First World War Essay

The British postcard illustrates Kaiser Wilhelm II in a bath, where he is about to grab a bar of soap labelled â€Å"Europe†, with a caption quoting â€Å"He won’t be happy till he gets it.† This suggests he is willing to use force to capture Europe. Wilhelm is wearing a military helmet and has a greedy expression on his face, which gives us the impression he is willing to fight for what he wants. Sources B and C both differ, but both of them agree that Wilhelm’s attitude towards the war was very violent. In source B, Wilhelm’s speech seems to be taken over by his emotions: anger, aggression, passion and lots of determination. He refers to certain phrases such as â€Å"take no prisoners†, â€Å"must be destroyed† and â€Å"ruthless violence.† Words such as these show us that he wants trouble. However in source C, there is more talk of peace. It seems to be a more subdued and more thoughtful speech. â€Å"I was always a supporter of peace.† But then he goes on to say how peace â€Å"has its limits.† And he can â€Å"no longer just look on, but must draw the sword!† This giving the final conclusion that Kaisers attitude towards the war has not changed since 1900 although he has become more diplomatic. This postcard may be biased, as the British whom were about to go to war with him produced it. Britain wanted to portray him in as much negative light as possible, therefore this postcard might not be truthful. But using my own knowledge, I know that Kaiser Wilhelm II was an aggressive man who came from an aggressive country and to control Europe was his sole ambition. Also, Britain was aware of Wilhelm’s objectives and to some extent holds him responsible for the Moroccan Crises. They therefore have a good reason to portray him in this way. â€Å"The Kaiser was a warmonger and caused the Great War.† The evidence given in the sources supports this statement and also disagrees with it. Source A clearly supports this view. The cartoon shows Wilhelm greedily snatching Europe, along with the war helmet, which indicates war. Source B backs this statement too. There is no sign of peaceful man in his speech. In this he says he wants Germans to acquire a similar reputation as Attila’s Huns did in the fifth century. Attila was the King of the German tribe the Huns who ravaged Eastern Europe. But there is talk of peace in his later speech (1913), although this hopeful thought is dampened by the indications of war â€Å"Must draw the sword.† However, using my own knowledge I know that the Great War was not only the fault of Wilhelm’s, there was many other reasons. In my opinion, rivalries were the main factor, which brought about the First World War. Without rivalries, no one would have a cause to start a war. There were many rivalries; Britain and Germany; France and Germany; Austria-Hungary and Russia and Serbia and Austria. These rivalries helped to cause war between the powers of Europe because they all wanted to fight for one reason or another. Another factor was alliances. With alliances, everyone was dragged into war, whether they liked it or not. In this case, it couldn’t be avoided. And lastly, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand was the catalyst. This gave Austria a perfect opportunity to declare war on Serbia. With this, Austria and Serbia were at war along with their allies. It caused great destruction as most countries were involved. This is proof that the Kaiser did not cause the Great War, as you need two countries to have a war. Cause the war he did not, but a warmonger he may be.

Lehman Brothers Failure Questions Essay

Having taken part to the events occurring in this scenario only in a few occasions, and as the ultimate guarantee of rescue, the FED,in conjunction with FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, made decisions aimed to save those institutions, for instance AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose failure would have had a greater impact on financial system’s wealth and perspectives of recovering from the crisis were reliable. This was the main reason for declining any proposal of action in favor of Lehman. Some argued that the company’s bankruptcy was an intentional choice rather than a â€Å"genuine error†, aimed to induce the restoration of higher degrees of financial discipline. However, had the government disposed a plan in favor of Lehman Brothers, this would have prevented investors from losing faith towards financial institutions, the financial system from freezing and economy from carrying the weight of the crisis Notwithstanding, further attempts to save Lehman Brothers did not came to completion for several reasons, not only due to Government stillness, but the giving out of other financial actors i. . Bank of America and Barclays. In an ultimate analysis is thus important to consider that the â€Å"unfair† practices were not carried on by the sole Government, but by all financial institutions acting in the system as a whole: every actor placed a risky bet, whose consequences seem difficult to be addressed to just one responsible. Do you think that the U. S. government should have allowed Lehman Brothers to fail? Although Lehman Brothers was the fourth-largest U. S. investment bank, it was seen by many analysts as the weakest of Wall Street’s biggest firms. It is plausible therefore to think that the government willfully took the decision to let it go bankruptcy, in the purpose to restore a certain degree of indipendence from the market, and serving as threat for other institutions preventing them from adopting hazardous behaviours. The government decision of non-intervention had immense costs both in terms of financial losses inflicted to the credit market operators and institutions, and of lost in confidence in the market itself, that eventually turned into terror and paralyzed the credit market worldwide. Indeed investors’ confidence in th market and general concerns about the security of the banks continued to plumb during Lehman Brothers’ stock value erosion and afterwards. Nonetheless, consequences from Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy had spread in a broader sense affecting all clusters of stakeholders: for instance, it could be mentioned the forced lay off of up to 1,500 people, which amounted to about 6 percent of Lehman’s work force. With hindsight, the decision of the US Government to allow such a giant as Lehman to fail is difficult to support, especially considering the devastating negative impact it had in a long-term perspective. Almost no objection that it should have been a critical decision to take at that time. It indeed brought the evidence that the financial market needed a shock, which unveiled some crucial problems and send a clear message to the banking system, proving that â€Å"too big to fail† companies were likely to face collapse as well, though no one would have believed this before. Many experts argue that when the government bails out a private financial institution it creates a problem called â€Å"moral hazard,† meaning that if the institution knows it will be saved, it actually has an incentive to take on more risk, not less. What do you think? Moral hazard, or, in other words, the willing of companies to act recklessly, bearing large risk exposure, has the consequential effect of distorting competition, thus mitigating risk perception and allowing excessive risk-taking, which is ultimately transferred from financial institutions to the society as a whole. This had been a controversial argument , largely discussed in the light of the financial crisis of 2008. The core of the debate was to what extent did moral hazard caused the crisis, and to what extent did government’s guarantees of rescuing perpetuated an hazardous behavior among market players. The moral-hazard argument is not only due to eventual interventions from governments, but is increasingly being considered by expertise as an inner element of a company’s strategic policy, drawing the shape of the decision making process in the interest of the company itself. However, corporate decisions are rather made in the interests of individuals than for the company as a whole, which causes a loose the connection between those interests and the company’s long-term health assumption. The possibility to gain short term benefits, at a relatively low cost, leads to reckless behavior regardless of eventual bails out from governments, with long term costs that hardly find responsibles to pay them back. One key factor is indeed limited liability, which allows investors and executives, ultimately liable for companies’ decisions, to enjoy the benefits of their risk-taking, while eventually limiting their exposure. The Government is responsible for contrasting moral hazard practices and maintaining investors’ confidence in the stability of both financial and economic activity, ensuring that the system don’t suddenly shut down in a panic. It can happen that, indeed, the expectation of further intervention from regulators and politicians may be an incentive for hazardous practices itself. However, moral hazard is an intrinsic disease of corporate strategies, thus of the financial market, whose antidote only relatively depends on government rescuing hand upon financial institutions. References James K Glassman ,The Hazard Of Moral Hazard. Commentary. New York: Sep 2009. Vol. 128, Iss. 2; Pg. 28, 5 Pgs James Surowiecki ,Hazardous Materials; The Financial Page. The New Yorker. New York: Feb 9, 2009. Vol. 85, Iss. 1; Pg. 40 John M. Berry, When Too Big To Fail Gets Too Chaotic To Manage,The Fiscal Times, May 10, 2010

Essay Sample on Separation of Church and State

Essay Sample on Separation of Church and State Free sample essay on Separation of Church and State: In 1789, the First Amendment established that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This meant the Federal and State Governments could not be partial or show support for any certain denomination or religious organization. One example being the nation’s early attachment to the Church of England. Three years after this amendment was written, it was ratified by the states of the union. James Madison, also referred to as the â€Å"Father of the Constitution†, was greatly worried about the church’s influence on the Federal Government. He once voiced his concern in 1785 when Patrick Henry proposed a bill requiring all citizens in the state of Virginia to pay a tax that would support religion with each taxpayer being able to choose which church they would like to support. Those non-religious individuals would pay a tax that helped fund secular education. To show his disapproval concerning this bill, Madison wrote and published â€Å"Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments† and used several logical, realistic, and even clever analogies and comparisons in his essay to support his views. This essay, which gave sound arguments to maintain the separation of church and state proved to be a good weapon against Patrick Henry’s persuasive oration and prevented any advances from being made concerning the union of church and state. The few constitutional religious references concerning the federal government such as â€Å"In God We Trust† and â€Å"†¦one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.† are considered constitutional because they were accepted by our founding fathers and written into the constitution. Also, the public is not required or forced to know, recite, or respect these phrases. Even though the separation of church and state is understood and respected in the United States; infringements on this amendment are still taking place today. Some examples being the displaying of nativity scenes, crosses, and other religious insignia in, outside, or on the premises of state or federal government buildings. The public opinion concerning the separation of church and state is fairly evenly divided and differs from region to region. Most people in small, rural communities are against the separation of church and state while those in more densely populated areas favor the separation and believe that the church should not be involved in governmental affairs. Religious displays and references are rarely seen in federal buildings, but are often shown in state and local courthouses and other government establishments. An example of this would be a district judge in Alabama beginning his court sessions with a prayer and his refusal to remove the Ten Commandments displayed on the wall in his courtroom. The judge’s views were shared not only by the community, but by the entire state as a whole and the governor of Alabama even went as far as to threaten to deploy the Alabama National Guard to prevent the Ten Commandments from being removed. This is in violation of the separation of church and state, but rarely much action is taken against these offenses. In the public school system, the separation of church and state is strictly enforced although events of a religious nature on school grounds are not entirely prohibited. Students are allowed and welcome to participate in a range of activities as long as their actions do not disrupt, influence, or pressure other students. Private, silent prayers at the lunch table and students gathering around the flagpole for a group prayer if done so voluntarily are completely acceptable. On the contrary, group prayers said by athletes and lead by the team coach are not allowed. The constitution clearly specifies that facilitators must never push religious views on students but instead promote unity amongst students of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. Students should be sensitive of other’s views and beliefs and not try to pressure or belittle individuals with view and opinions unlike their own. Often times religious references and practices are present in public schools and usually both facilitators and fellow students are unaware of how certain individuals might feel toward participating in that particular activity. For example, many songs sang by high school choirs are spirituals that contain themes of heavenly deliverance and salvation. Some students might not believe in these ideas but are forced to participate due to either peer pressure, the threat of a failing grade, or public humiliation or ridicule from the teacher and other students. This scenario is rarely seen but both facilitators and students should be informed and educated to prevent such cases from ever happening. In my opinion, I believe that church should be separate from state. I feel strongly about my faith and have deeply rooted Christian beliefs; but also feel that our faith should not influence our government and schools. Not everyone in government and not all who attend public schools share the same religious beliefs. It is not fair to those who have different views to be forced to accept the views of others. The United States is rich in culture due to the diverse people who inhabit the country. Every American is different and being asked to conform to a single religion would lessen our individuality and make our culture less unique. America should be for all Americans, not just Christian Americans. Also, the men and women who founded this country did so in the name of freedom from religious persecution and we should do our best to keep it that way. After the devastation of September 11th, the country was in a time of crisis and need to be unified more than ever. Having common religious views might have actually strengthened the country and this was evident by the words â€Å"In God We Trust† on every marquee and the many paintings, pictures, posters, and many other religious depictions concerning September 11th. According to the First Amendment, all government buildings are prohibited from displaying such forms of expression. Also, it states that individuals associated with the government should refrain from openly supporting these forms of expression. President Bush often makes religious references, but he has the same basic rights of every citizen and is able to openly express his views and opinions. A common religion supported by the government could possibly help bring our nation together; but a strong, unbiased government is the key to a successful, productive nation. I fell that the common bond all Americans should share is that fact that we are all Americans. No matter our ethnic or religious background.

Cross-Cultural Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cross-Cultural Interview - Essay Example Besides, Locke introduced an innovative model which consists of 10 elements to have deeper understanding on multiculturalism. Thesis statement: Can one prove the predictability of Don C Locke’s model through a structured interview with a member of minority population in the United States. The structured interview with a member from minority population pointed out by Locke in the text proves the credibility of the theory. Besides, the interviewee selected for the interview was a member of African American community. Don C. Locke opines that: â€Å"The African American population has undergone significant changes† (Locke, 1998) the African American minorities consists of a well knit community with growth and development. The questionnaire (see appendix-1) prepared for the interview consists of the model pointed out by Locke. The findings derived from the interview exposes the past of African Americans and their present condition in American society. In addition, the findings are to be evaluated with a futuristic outlook. The main findings of the interview are pointed out below. The first question asked was related to Acculturation and the multicultural characteristics of African Americans. The answer proves that the African Americans are capable to assimilate themselves into the American society. As the American society is an amalgam of multiracial, multicultural and multilingual factors, there is high chance for a minority race to accept the same as the part of their culture. The second question was related to the poverty and economic concerns. The interviewee made clear that he and his family face problems related to housing, employment and educational opportunities. The African American community faces certain economic and social problems especially on employment and higher education. The third question was related to the history of oppression which chained the African American community for centuries in the

Globalisation - int business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Globalisation - int business - Essay Example On account of such transformations taking place on a massive scale the concept of globalization has also been described by many as the end of mankind’s ideological evolution (Cazdyn and Szeman, 2011: 25; Herod, 2009: 39); of renewable natural resources (Brauch et al., 2009: 679); as well as the end of the world – thus inciting controversies; both - within and beyond the academic and literary circles. As the process of globalization intensifies, the debates, controversies and criticisms surrounding the same are likely to grow simultaneously. This paper aims to discuss various key aspects of globalization beginning from the general definitions of the term to the key features, impacts and implications, theoretical underpinnings of the concept, and criticisms as well as counterviews surrounding it. Definitions: The term globalization has been defined differently by different authors. ... in Glenn, 2012 p. 46). Ohmae (1992) defines the term merely as "the onset of the borderless world" (p.14) According to Friedman (1999) globalization is "the inexorable integration of markets, nation-states and technologies to a degree never witnessed before- in a way that is enabling individuals, corporations and nation-states to reach around the world farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before, and in a way that is also producing a powerful backlash from those brutalized or left behind by this new system... Globalization means the spread of a free-market capitalism to virtually every country in the world" (p.7-8). As observed from the above definitions, the concept of globalization is diverse and encompasses a wide range of issues and aspects within its gamut, thus indicating its vast outreach and scope. It can be deduced that globalization is a trans-border process fuelled by technological developments and impacting simultaneous changes in political, social, economic, an d cultural structures worldwide. The key features of globalization, based on the definitions provided above, are described in the following section. Key features: Some of the key features of globalization include liberalization of international trade, privatization and deregulation of markets and trade policies, global integration of humanity, compression of spatial dimensions, etc. to name a few. Liberalization of international trade: The liberalization of global trade and the increase in cross-border trade is one of the key characteristics of globalization. There is a significant rise in international trade due to liberalization of international trade policies. The liberalization of