Opinion on the importance of money

There are various reasons which make money to be important. Firstly, money is generally accepted amongst numerous individuals. This makes it to be used as a medium of exchange. Additionally, by acting as a medium of exchange, money plays a very important role in facilitating transactions. This is made possible by the fact that individuals can use money to measure the value of a particular commodity.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Opinion on the importance of money specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the absence of money, individuals and organizations would be forced to conduct transactions through barter trade which is a relatively challenging system due to existence of double coincidence of wants. For example, if one possesses a particular commodity and intends to exchange it for another, he or she would be required to find another individual who possesses another commodity of equal value. Money is also importa nt in that it can be used as a store of value. This arises from its characteristic of holding its value over a considerable duration. This is further enhanced by the fact that it is more liquid and is available in different denominations compared to other mediums of exchange. As a result, it can be easily transported. Money also contributes towards improvement in the quality of life for example through creation of wealth. As a result, money enables individuals to access basic amenities such as food, shelter and clothing. Money and social status Money contributes towards improvement of an individual’s social status. Currently, society tends to accord higher status and prestige to individuals who have accumulated more money. The social status that comes with money is well illustrated by celebrities such as musicians, business people and politicians amongst others. Previously, a teacher may have higher respect in the society , however on the basis of his or her income, his or he r social status can be reduced significantly. Therefore, money is a major determinant of the social class that an individual belongs within the society. How do people earn money There are two main ways through which individuals earn their income. The first source includes formal and informal employment in either the public or the private sector. A significant proportion of individuals earn their income out of the two economic sectors.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second source entails self employment which arises as a result of one’s ability to exploit his or her entrepreneurial skills or the opportunities presented by the environment. Different people have employed themselves by starting businesses in different economic sectors such as art and music amongst others. Money and crime In an effort to earn money, some individuals have incorporated illegitimate methods . One of the ways through which the urge to earn money has promoted crime is evident in the emergence of organized criminal gangs. These gangs engage in different activities such as money laundering, child trafficking and drug trafficking. Incidences of drug trafficking are carried out worldwide but are more prominent in some countries such as Mexico. Additionally, the urge to earn money has also resulted in violent crimes which in some cases lead to loss of life. Other crimes which have arisen as a result of the need to accumulate money relates to emergence of counterfeit trade especially in some countries such as China. Participation in economic crimes such as counterfeiting has adverse effects on the world’s economy. This is due to the fact that its negative effects to the various economic sectors. This essay on Opinion on the importance of money was written and submitted by user Mason D. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Watches Western Civilization Essays

Watches Western Civilization Essays Watches Western Civilization Essay Watches Western Civilization Essay History of Clocks As long as 4000 years ago, the Babylonian priests of Mesopotamia began a careful and systematic study of the movements and patterns of the sun, moon, stars, and seasons. They folded all of their accumulated knowledge into a calendar, which very much resembles the one that we use today. The Babylonians established a system of timekeeping based on twelve months, seven days per week, and twenty four hour long days. In fact, the only thing that is different between the ancient calendar and the one we use today is that the Babylonians assigned thirty days to each month. When they realized that was about five days too few, they added a thirteenth month to the calendar every six years. The Romans modified this to have months of varying lengths within a twelve-month framework, and from then on, we have universally used the same standard divisions to track time. From then on gifted minded individuals searched for a mechanism to use for accurate timekeeping, which led us to the origins of the clock. By 1500, most villages across Europe consisted of a large clock tower, as well as watchman who would call out the time periodically through out the day. At the time larger perpetual clocks tended to be fairly inaccurate, but there was an interest among the mechanically inclined to come up with newer and smaller versions for accurate personal use. It was around this time that a locksmith from Nuremberg, Germany named Peter Henlein invented the first pocket watch. Unlike a large clock which was driven by weights, Henleins small portable clocks were powered by a coiled mainspring used in conjunction with a ratchet system. The incredible thing is that the mechanism used in the very first watch is not all that different from the way in which many watches are run today. From the earliest days of mankind, people have been interested in time. Dating well before written history, humans were believed to have used the movement of the sun and the moon to tell time. The original timepiece was the sundial, but as civilization grew more complicated, so did their need to have accurate way to keep track of the hours and minutes of the day. This is the fascinating history and modern life of a brilliant invention that most of us take for granted: THE WATCH! I LOVE WATCHES!! Watches improved with the Nuremberg eggs as the first watches were known to be large oval esigns, they were worn on a belt or neck chain. They had no crystal covering the face, and only the hour hand. The early watches were far from accurate timekeepers: there was really no point in having a minute hand, let alone a second hand. They were entirely handmade, primarily of iron components assembled with pins and rivets. Within 50 years, the iron works were replaced with brass fittings. It was also around this time that the Swiss watch industry was born. In 1525 a Swiss mechanic living Prague named Jacob Zech invented a component that revolutionized matchmaking. It was called the fuse, and it was an element which solved as normous problem with early watches: as they would wind down the movement of the hour hand also slowed down. The Fusee, which was perfected by another Swiss man named Gruet, equalized the inner mechanism of the watch and thereby dramatically improved the timekeeping ability of the piece. Watches before the fusse more functional. Toa point that is: it was not until early 1700s that watches became precise enough to warrant including a minute hand. In the 1600s, watches really took off in popularity. It might not occur to a modern reader that only a select few had watches in the 17th Century, they were prohibitively expensive and were nly owned by the nobility. Wearing a watch was a status symbol, a sign of wealth and importance. The most interesting thing about that fact is that even today a high end watch is every bit a status sign as it was in the 17th Century. Royals and their watches, in the 1600s watches were considered toys for the nobility. Each watch was entirely hand made with a large price tag to match. The aristocracy treated their watches as any other decorative accessory in their Jewelry box, an adornment to enhance their outfits, not a functional necessity. Because the watch was viewed as ewelry, watch makers came up with increasingly beautiful designs to entice their wealthy clients to want them. They were designed to be wearable works of art and tied in with the other fashion of the day. Watches were created to resemble tiny insects, flowers, musical instruments and animals. Mary Queen of Scots was even known to have had one in the shape of a skull in her Jewelry collection. fledging watch making industry was largely based in England, France, and The Switzerland. Each nation had its own unique style when it came to creating timepieces. English watches tended to be heavy, sturdy and reliable. Swiss watches were renowned for their accuracy Just as they are today. In France, the emphasis was on creating exquisitely beautiful cases, something which they did exceedingly well. French watches were handmade in interesting sculptural forms, hand painted with remarkable tiny scenes, and decorated with the finest available materials, such as enamel. Tortoiseshells and precious gems. Being a Swiss watchmaker in Geneva was a highly respectable position in society. Precision and well executed technique were highly prized by the Swiss, and the men who made the watches had these qualities in abundance. It was a Swiss man named Nicholas Facio who invented a technique that is still the gold standard in watch making today: the use of rubies and sapphires inside the watch workings. The precious gems were not placed inside the watches to make them more valuable, but rather to reduce the friction of the internal mechanisms. Holes could be drilled in the tiny gems and bearings placed into the centers to reduce friction. The ingenious idea reduced the wear and tear on the watches and made them more accurate timekeepers. Nearly four hundred years later, Geneva is still the world capital of top quality watches. As time passed and new technologies were adopted in the leading countries of , the Swiss , the French and eventually also the Americans adapted new technologies that made their watches lighter, thinner, and quicker to produce, the English stubbornly stuck with their tried and true techniques, which led to the eventual demise of the English watch industry. Water clocks are sometimes still used today, and can be examined in places such as ancient castles and museums. The Salisbury Cathedral Clock built in 1386, is considered to be the worlds oldest surviving mechanical clock that strikes the hours. Between 1280 and 1320, there is an increase in the number of references to clocks and horologes in church records, and this probably indicates that a new type of clock mechanism had been devised. Existing clock mechanisms that used water power controlled by some form of oscillating mechanism, probably derived from existing bell-ringing or alarm devices. This controlled release of power the escapement- marks the beginning of the true mechanical clock. Besides the Chinese astronomical clock, in Europe there were the clocks constructed by Richard of Wallingford in St Albans and by Giovanni de Dondi in Padua from 1348 to 1364. They no longer exist, but detailed descriptions of their design and construction survive, and modern reproductions have been made. They illustrate how quickly the theory of the mechanical clock had been translated into practical constructions, and also that one of the many impulses to their development had been the desire of astronomers to investigate celestial phenomena. Wallingfords clock had a large astrolabe-type dial, showing the sun, the moons age, phase, and node, a star map, and possibly the planets. In addition, it had a wheel of fortune and an indicator of the state of the tide t London Bridge. Bells rang every hour, the number of strokes indicating the time. Dondis clock was a seven-sided construction, 1 meter high, with dials showing the time of day, including minutes, the motions of all the known planets, an automatic calendar of fixed and movable feasts, and an eclipse prediction hand rotating once every 18 years. It is not known how accurate or reliable these clocks would have been. They were probably adjusted manually every day to compensate for errors caused by wear and imprecise manufacture. The measurement of time all starts with the number 12! Youll notice that 60 and 24 share a factor of 12 (the greatest common multiple, if you want to dig all the way to elementary school math). 12 is a generally useful number, a good size for things. Its not too few, and not too many to wrap your head around. Its got 3 divisors (two 2s and a 3, which lets you break things into small units in several different ways) compared to 10, which only has 2 and 5. So early peoples often broke things into 12s, which gave it an almost magical air (12 zodiac signs, 12 people in a Jury, 12 tribes of Israel and 12 apostles). We get 12 months out of the 12 zodiac signs. That made 12 a nice number to divide the day into, so you can have half-days, quarter-days, and thirds-of-a-day Just by counting hours (and easy to compute on a sundial). The Egyptians did that as early as 1500 BC. The Greeks added another 12 to count the hours of the night. (Who needed to count hours at night? You are supposed to be asleep, since its dark out! ) That gives us 24 hours. 60 minutes to the hour comes from the same sort of thinking, but was actually originally different. 360 is a good number for examining a circle: each of the angles of an equilateral triangle is 60 degrees, and 6 of those make up a circle. Equilateral triangles are very easy to draw precisely using primitive equipment. There are 60 degrees in the each corner of an equilateral triangle because 60 starts with that same 12 and adds another factor of 5, which lets you divide 60 up into lots and lots of useful things. So Greek astronomers subdivided the whole world into 360 degrees, the first division of that into 60 parts was called the first minute and the next division of each of second Just like we do today in measuring degrees, minutes, and seconds on a map. The application of those to time came along later.

Business Law,law of tort Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Law,law of tort - Case Study Example Furthermore, the statement 'opponents say that he puts the keys of high powered cars back into the hands of drink drivers is ironical and it is meant to lower his reputation as a celebrity lawyer.' Again look at the words 'stitch him up' as used by the police officers. These words can be interpreted by any ordinary person. The words should not be taken in their ordinary meaning in order to find defamation in them but from the inference which would be drawn by the ordinary person who read the words. i) Substantial damages: The allegations on the newspaper are enormous especially that Nick Freeman was arrested on conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in a bid to protect drunk drivers. It is apparent that these allegations will substantially affect his profession. He should therefore sue the company substantial damages. 2 Special damages: The article would be read by several clients of Nick and his several would-be clients. They may refuse to enter into contracts with him in future. This is likely to financially affect his career in the future. He can the therefore seek special damages for that matter. In the case of Byre v Deare, the plaintiff was a member of a golf club. Some gaming machines were removed from the club following the complaints made to police. Then some typewritten lampoons were placed where the machines were installed and it read a follow:- For many years upon this spot, You heard the sound of the merry bell, Those who were rash and those who were not, Lost and made a spot of cash, But he who gave the game away, May be Byrne in hell rue the day. 3 An action for defamation by the plaintiff did not succeed as it was held that a right thinking person would not view the words as defamatory. ii) Another remedy available to Nick is injunction. Since he is anxiously eager to prevent further publications by the newspaper, he can apply for an injunction. This would compel the court to order the company to stop further publication of information concerning him. 4 Case 2 Fiona Shackleton is currently employed by Payre Hick Beach which was not her employer at the time of the case between Prince of Wales and Diana. But the Evening Standard has gone ahead to print a false statement that it was Payre Hicks Beach firm as a whole which conducted the case when the truth is that it was in fact Farrar's. 5 Fiona Shackleton shall have to proof the following:- i) Justification: - in order for her to successfully sue the defendants, Fiona Shackleton must justify that the words so printed injured her reputation as a lawyer. For that matter, she should argue that these printings would effect a similar case before her, that of Sin Paul Mc Carthey v Lady Mills - Mc Marthey. ii) Reference to the plaintiff: - That the words so printed referred to her. Though in actual sense, there is nowhere her name is mentioned, only the firm's name. She is the one who represented the case into E. Hulton and Co. v Jones. A newspaper published an article that the plaintiff was accused of staying with a woman in France. The defendants alleged that they had invented the name i.e. there was

Life of Pi Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Life of Pi - Research Paper Example Life of Pi is a 2012 American -Indian- British live action and computer-animated adventure drama film based on Yann Martel’s 2001 novel of the same name. Ang Lee directs the film. Life of Pi did succeed in depicting the story of a young Indian man who survives the tragic shipwreck but later entered a 227 days journey on the Pacific Ocean with a ferocious Belgian tiger. Besides the troubles and tribulation, the film also depicts meaningful lessons on the religious aspects. Pi Patel whose role was played by Gautam Belur at five, Ayush at twelve, Suraj Sharma at 16 and Irran Khan at middle age had to move together with his family to Canada on a Japanese cargo ship. Unfortunately, the ship in which they were travelling in is struck by a deadly storm and only some people survive. However, an unexpected incident happens, separating Pi from the group. Pi is left alone in the boat together with his family’s zoo animals, including in the zoo animals is a ferocious tiger named Ri chard parker. In order to survive Pi has to find ways to deal with the unexpected and dangerous company. (John, 186). Throughout the 127 minutes of the film, the audience would be fascinated with pi thoughts and actions through the transformations, the beliefs he holds as well as his solutions for the fearsome, aggressive company- Richard Parker. From a somehow weak, flaccid person, Pi is seen letting parker take over the lifeboat, but Pi gradually becomes stronger and tries to gain dominance of the situation that he is in now. Finally, Pi achieves the control and sustains a neutral relationship with the Belgian tiger. This is not only a fight for survival but also a metaphor, which implies the battle for good and evil. The film Pi tries to make the reader want to believe in God, the film give then reader the democratic choice that is the desired to believe rather than the belief itself. The two survive for 272 days at sea with one stop on an island overflowing with vegetation and m eerkats. In the evenings when the tide rises on the island, it contains a deadly acidic level and kills anything in the tide pool or the now flooded ground. Therefore, everyone seeks shelter on top of the trees at night. After gathering food from the island, Pi and the tiger get back to the lifeboat and head back in the sea (Susan, 23). By analyzing the conflicts, characters, dream sequence, and symbols a psychoanalytic theory emerges. There are strong Oedipal connotations in this theory, the son’s desire for his mother, the father’s envy of the son and rivalry for the mothers attention, the daughters desire for the father’s attention. Of cource these all operate on a subconscious level of the characters of the film, this is to avoid the serious social more. There is also an emphasis on the meaning of dreams. This is because psychoanalytic theory asserts that it is in dreams that a person’s subconscious desires are revealed. What a person cannot express o r do because of social rules will be expressed and accomplished in dreams, where there are no social rules. Most of the time, people are not even aware that it is they secretly desire until their subconscious goes unchecked in sleep. Life of Pi might not make you believe in god, as a character in the film suggests. It does however; make you

Analysing Corporate Social Responsibility Of Leather Industries Environmental Sciences Essay

Analysing Corporate Social Responsibility Of Leather Industries Environmental Sciences Essay Introduction Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a body; which covers all departments and sections of the industries. There are rules to run it internally, and rules and responsibilities with respect to society and world at large. Like other industries, leather industry has many responsibilities with regards to environment. Leather industry is one of the archaic industries in the world. It is contributing many hazardous wastes to environment like all other industries. Deterioration of environment is the cause of concern for world, and for environmentalists; leather industry produces all three kinds of waste: gaseous, liquid, and solid. Leather industry is a very profitable and lucrative business for a country; however, it is intervened by the government to cut its pollution. This industry follows rules of corporate social responsibility (CSR). World organizations like WTO, European commission on environment watches it with vigilant eye. Pakistan is primarily an a grain economy, agriculture sector comprises almost one fourth of the total GDP.The manufacturing sector has over the past several years remained stagnant with a share of 17% in the GDP.The GDP,currently at US$ 63 billion ranks 160the in the world, has not been able to achieve a sustainable growth of 5%.The total population of the country exceeds 140 million, with dismal economic performance the per capita income has hovering around US $ 450.The population growth rate of Pakistan is one of the highest in the world, between 2.2% and 2.5%.According to the world Development Report 2000-01, over 30% of the population survives below poverty line i.e. earns less than one dollar/day. Almost 85% of the population earns less than two dollars/day. Only 45% of the total population is literate, which also includes persons who only have the capability to read and write their names. The exports of the country have over the past twenty years been struggling to surpass the psychology barrier of US $ 10 billion. Every year major portion of the annual outlay is spent in debt servicing both domestic and foreign with little fiscal space for the government to initiate development programmes.  [3]   Environmental matters cannot be taken in isolation from leather making, as every facet of pollution or residual material is a direct function of manufacture. This is largely outside the tanners direct control: drastic changes are required in linkages between slaughter houses and tanners, new techniques for environmentally friendly preservation, or relocation of tanneries for saline discharge to the sea. As 85%-90% of the leathers are chrome tanned, these leathers in themselves create a problem. Chrome compounds are safe in tanning and chrome containing solid waste and sludges are manageable. However, leather goods are dispersed by the end of a useful life. They will not biodegrade, and simple incineration can convert some of the chrome into the dichromate form.  [4]  Carbon dioxide emissions have been predicted by world energy council to rise from the 1990 level of six Giga (60,000,000) tons a year to proximately 8.2-9.4 Giga tons a year by 2050 this is based on assumption that m ajor technological advances will limit emissions despite a significant rise in energy demands.  [5]   Waste water treatment takes place in adjacent building where spent waters from the columns are received in two separate streams. This is to optimise treatment, taking place in three main stages: After separation of the sludge, the quenching water is combined with spent water from the wet slag discharge, for the elimination of heavy metals. The combined stream is first pre-neutralised with lime slurry, the fluorides and phosphates being precipitated as calcium salts. The pH-value is raised further, followed by dosing with organ sulphide to precipitate the heavy metals as hydroxide or sulphides. The pH value of the water stream containing the sulphate from the removal of sulphur dioxide is regulated with caustic soda to avoid the precipitation of large quantities of gypsum. The heavy metals are then precipitated with organo-sulfide, as described, for the quenching water. The heavy metal precipitates from both streams are combined insludge thicker and dewatered periodically in a filter press to a cake of around 30% dry solids content.  [6]   The elements of the periodic table have a diverse and interesting history. All matter is made of atoms and is found in three phases solid, liquid, and gas (plasma is fourth phase).Elements are groups of atoms that are characterised by the number of protons (positively charged atomic particles) in its nucleus, and similar physical and chemical properties .The atom consists of a solid nucleus that contains protons and neutrons atomic particle) surrounded by cloud of electrons (negatively charged particles) as shown in picture.  [7]   NATURAL REACTIONS IN A NEW CONTEXT. It is useful to turn to nature to find new technologies and tanning is no exception.Biomimetic tanning chemistries have the characteristic of using natural reactions in a new context. Such organic tanning reactions are of interest from three points of view as they: 1. Offer new methods of making leather, to yield new products, which may contribute to lessening the environmental impact of tanning. 2. Offer new opportunities for high hydrothermal stability tanning, by acting as new linking agents, then allowing manipulation of the chemistry of the locking step. 3. May involve the novel use of enzymes in tanning operating as catalysing activating agents, so the rate of reaction is highly controllable. It is instructive to examine three examples.  [8]   In the korangi distric to karchi, Pakistan, there is a cluster of 166 tanneries on a single industrial site. The total volume of effluent generated by this grouping is estimated at 36,000m3 per day. At present this effluent is untreated, and mixes with various other industrial effluents including textile dyeing and metal platings, before flowing into the Arabian Sea.  [9]   It is estimated from different sources that about 20 lac pieces of garment leathers have been processed in Pakistan. Out of which about 15 lac pcs have been either exported as garment leather or leather garments. It is presumed that out of this 15 lac pieces of garment leather about 30-50 thousand pcs are exported as aniline finished. However if the share of aniline finished garment leathers and jackets/coats etc is raised to 50% countrys foreign exchange earnings could be nearly doubled what is being earning today.  [10]   Three basic types of pollutants are associated with tanning and finishing operations. They are: preservatives and pesticides, chemical pollutant and organic materials. The challenge for a policy maker is to identify the right mix of incentives and regulations for each target group and for each set of environmental conditions. Regulatory measures which impact on the industry deal with at least six different subject areas. These include: Land-use planning and zoning; Environmental impact assessments and risk assessments for new plants; Controls on effluent discharges, air emissions and solid-waste disposal; Occupational health and safety standards; Requirement for storage,transport,labelling and packing of chemicals; Restrictions on the use of certain chemicals like biocides or dyes.  [11]   The eco-label on your products means that they have the following assets. 1. Reduced water and air pollution during fibre production. 2. Limited use of substances harmful to the environment and in particular to the aquatic environment and health. 3. Guarantee of shrink resistance during washing and drying. 4. Guarantee of colour resistance to perspiration, washing, wet and dry rubbing and light exposure. 5. Whole production chain covered.10 AUDINTING AS A COMPONENT OF EVONROMENTAL MANAGEMENT: An environmental management system is the frame work for method of guiding and industry to achieve and sustain performance in accordance with established goals and in response to constantly changing regulations, Social,financial,economic, and competitively pressures, and environmental risks, when operating effectively, a corporate environmental management system provides management and the board of directors with the knowledge that, 1. The Industry is in compliance with federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. 2. Polices and procedures are clearly defined and promulgated thought the organizations. 3. Corporate risks resulting from environmental risks are being acknowledged and brought under control. 4. The company has the right resources and staff for environmental work, us applying those resources and is in control of its future.11 ISO (INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANIZSATION) 14000 SERIES AND INDUSTRIES IN PAKISTAN. The international competition forces this class firms to constantly improve quality in order to stay competitive in the global market place. More than 8,000 industrial establishments are registered under the factories Act 1934 with the Government of Pakistan.ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certified industrial establishments only comprise 17% of the total. In absolute term 13, 56 ISO 14000 certified organisations are operating in the country. NATIONAL CONSERVATION STRATEGY (NCS) The NCS was adopted in 1992 after a long consultative process involving various stakeholders including government agencies, academia, NGOs and civil societies. The NCS plan of action can be classified into four broad components: 1. Strengthening of institutions. 2. Creation of supportive framework of regulation and economic incentives. 3. Broad based communications campaign of mass awareness. 4. Implementation of projects in NCS core areas. The core areas of interventions identified in the NCS include the following: I. Maintaining soils in cropland 2. Increasing irrigation efficiency. 3. Protecting watersheds. 4. Supporting forestry and plantations. 5. Restoring rangelands and improving livestock. 6. Protecting water bodies and sustaining fisheries. 7. Conserving biodiversity. 8. Increasing energy efficiency. 9. Developing and deploying material and energy renewable. 10. Preventing/abating pollution. 11. Managing urban waste. 12. Supporting institutions for common resources. 13. Integrating population and environment programmes 14. Preserving the cultural heritage. PAKISTAN ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT. THE Environment Protection Ordinance of 1983 was replaced by a new Act of Parliament in 1997 i.e. Pakistan, Environmental Protection Act 1997. Under the new law various rules. Regulations and institutions have been established to ensure proper implementation of environmental laws in the country. The following actions have been taken by the Ministry for Environment, Local Governments and Rural Development: 1. National Environmental Quality Standards (Self-monitoring and Reporting by Industries) Rules, 2001. 2. Environmental samples Rules, 2001. 3. Provincial sustainable Development fund (Procedure) Rules, 2001. 4. Provincial Sustainable Development fund (Utilization) Rules, 2001. 5. Pollution charge for Industry (Calculation and Collection) Rules.2001. 6. Composition of Offences and Payment of Administrative Penalty Rules 2000. 7. Hazardous Substances Rules, 2000. 8. National Environmental Quality Standards (Environmental Laboratories Certification) Regulations.2000. 9. Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Review of IEE/EIA Regulations, 2000). 12

Political Culture of Russia Essay

The nature of Russian political culture and by extension its politics has been shaped and molded over the previous centuries. While we can by no means attribute its entire political culture to a single event or time period, we also can’t point to a time period, say the Soviet time, and draw our perception of Russia’s political culture from that alone. That being said, the totalitarian nature of the Soviet State is by partial means attributable to Marxist-Leninist philosophies. The nature of Russian political culture was (and still is in many regards) authoritarian. Throughout Russia’s history there has been an authoritarian attitude in how the country should be ruled. The state was always there, the state was behind forced modernization policies from Peter the Great through Joseph Stalin, and today Vladimir Putin. Russia for the large part of its history been just as vast as it is today. The sheer size of it requires a centralized power to keep regional autonomy down. Every country that followed or still follows Marxist doctrine did (does) so with different flavors of Marxism, none of which are exactly and entirely what Karl envisioned. China and Russia were rivals in several policy areas throughout the 20th century. The same dichotomy can be seen between China and its smaller (communist) Southeastern Asian neighbors such a s Cambodia and Vietnam. Communist countries were partially authoritarian because of Marxism. The nature of establishing and perpetuating a command economy demanded authoritarianism. While China has wiggled out of many of the responsibilities and pitfalls of running a command economy by establishing market-driven economic reform, it remains authoritarian. This illustrates that while the key components of Marxism are abandoned, the system and its actors continue to grasp to power as it seeks to adapt and integrate itself into the world system. This is counter to previous attempts to establish a parallel world system behind Soviet ideology. Bottom line: the only way a Communist system can take continued hold and root itself into the political system is through authoritarianism. Not to mention the guise under which many of the Soviet Republics were brought into the fold and behind the Iron Curtain. These weren’t spontaneous Communist Revolutions toppling several governments around the world; it was the Russian’s moving in after having kicked the Germans out and act ing marionette to their new puppets. If it were populist support that kept Communist governments in power around the world one would not see states efforts to cripple freedoms of the press, of assembly, and of religion. Current Communist governments fear a slippery slope, and perhaps rightfully so, where an inch of social freedom given would mimic Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms in the late 1980’s and lead to an eventual collapse. Russia’s Political culture is more authoritarian than a lot of countries around the world, but today it is a functioning quasi-democracy with authoritarian overtones. This goes to show that in the right circumstances, Russian’s can and will subject themselves to semi-authoritarian rule. Under other circumstances, such as the situation in the 1990’s that followed the collapse of the Soviet system, it’s a wonder that authoritarianism didn’t come back in force. Putin still governs with legitimacy at the front of his mind, and hasn’t suspended the constitution or ruled by decree. True democracy can and will eventually be realized, but realistically this is only possible through generational replacement and hard, slow change. The privatization process can be viewed with much rightful criticism, it didn’t take into account Russians lack of understanding of the West’s definition of ‘rational economic behavior’, nor did it find a happy middle ground between the two extremes of command economy and wild-west capitalism. What it did do was change the rules of the game being played. We can fault the broad shock therapy method for any number of shortcomings in the economic policy in the Russian arsenal, but it accomplished one incredibly more important goal. It changed the rules of the game. People who knew the rules (or knew which new rules were coming), mobsters, party officials, and Western interests, leapt upon the opportunity to make money hand over fist. This is still a vastly improved scenario as opposed to gradual economic reform, with the state greedily holding onto the â€Å"commanding heights† of the economy, and leaving the unprofitable sectors open for private investment and development. The large majority of the Russian people didn’t have a firm grasp on private property, or selling one of two cows to buy a bull, or how to ‘invest’ with these vouchers. The sharks ate them up in the incredibly free market. This is a point that was necessary for the facilitation o f real capitalism and eventually democracy in Russia. How does one instill in its population the concepts that go hand in hand with capitalism? My answer would be to force them to adapt to a changed environment. Gradual change would’ve perpetuated for a longer time the stagnation and poor cost-management of the Soviet period. An aggressive and immediate changing of the environment began the painful instilling of capitalist values into the populace and government. After the dust cleared and a new millennia unveiled, Vladimir Putin inherited a new Russia, with new problems, and an semi-regulated albeit capitalist system. I also reject the notion that a stake in a company translates to a certain level of commitment and productivity associated with it. I can think of just in my own history a number of bosses with a small level of commitment to the company, they weren’t there to operate or manage, they were there to own. That being said I’ve also experienced several hands-on owners, who corrected the techniques of severa l employees to their liking. My other inference comes from day-traders on the Stock Market. People with no vested interest in a company putting their money up because they think the stock will go up, not necessarily because they believe in the product. One doesn’t need a stake in a company to incentivize success within it, it sure helps, but it is not required and wouldn’t have made the Russian transition any less painful. The decades of propaganda had really affected some 10% of the population and they were the ones who fell off the cliff when the system changed. Russia in the 1990’s was bad, but it was nothing compared to the massive famines that led to the deaths of millions of Russians, or the Great Depression. Many Russian’s who bought into the Soviet ideology were left out in the cold, yet others found jobs, and others made easy money. 1991 was a turbulent time in Russia, the collapse of the system left countless questions unanswered about what the Russian state and its business sector would look like after the dust settled. I see absolutel y no way, no system, no path that could’ve mediated such a drastic change with minimal economic displacement and suffering. We could’ve lessened the blow with a Russian version of the Marshall Plan, but frankly that was much too much to expect from America. We were in a position of triumph after decades of struggle, and the prospect of the massive new markets had American businesspeople salivating. The Marshall plan also wouldn’t have worked as well as it did in Western Europe because the political and economic culture of Russia was very different from Western Europe. Saturating a country with cash and loans to build (or rebuild in the case of Western Europe) modern infrastructure was out of the question. Half the reasoning behind the Marshall Plan in the first place was to cultivate capitalism, and combat the spread of communism. What is to be gained from a US policy of propping up our old foe? This is especially true when there was so much money to be made via exploitation. Russia in the 1990’s was exactly was America desired it to be, complacent. The Russian mob played a major role in blocking true market reforms; they reveled in the post-collapse chaos and orchestrated the major piece of the Russian economy that is sti ll today conducted underground, and more importantly, free of tax revenue. While this percentage has decreased considerably, it still accounts for nearly a double digit hole in economic exchanges. Along with the mob, the Communist Party knew what was going to happen and planned accordingly. They snapped up the profitable sectors of the economy for pennies on the dollar and became fabulously wealthy. Both groups served as major obstacles in the path of real reform, and real democracy for Russia. The fact is that the reforms proposed were free-market in principle and not free-market in practice. Favors, subsidies, inside information, and possessing capital (not to mention the knowledge of how to use it) made for a grossly tilted economic playing field in Russia. Just like water, the money flowed down the tilt and into the hands of elites and future oligarchs, leaving real policy and progress for later leaders and generations to wrestle with. To quote Winston Churchill, â€Å"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.† Western style democracy is by no means the pinnacle of human achievement, it is however a necessary condition to providing the basis for equality of opportunity, rule of law, and political representation. That is not to say that there is no value in the Russian path, or that it is inherently wrong. Order just isn’t as valuable (according to the West) when one holds the aforementioned societal values. Order works for Russia, much better than it ever could’ve worked in the â€Å"Go west, young man† America that encompassed so much of the formation of our identity. Order keeps the barbarians out, order keeps the serfs from rebelling, order centralizes power in an Empire. Russia, without the concept of order built in like ours of liberty, would’ve faltered and fell from the world stage many times, of this I have no doubt.. The two biggest examples of Order trumping Liberty (in Russia) I can imagine are the invasions of Napoleon and Hitler. In the former and the latter, slash and burn tactics were employed. Hell, Moscow was a husk in the dead of winter when Napoleon got there, and I have no doubt that similarly drastic measures would’ve been taken to preserve the Soviet state. People throughout the best land in Russia, burned their property, poisoned their livestock, poisoned their water, destroyed everything of use, and fled. The enormous sense of communal responsibility and togetherness that these behaviors exhibit illustrate that Order worked and may continue to work for Russians, in the same manner that Liberty worked for Americans. I could never imagine American’s destroying everything in the face of invasion and retreating. That’s sacrilegious in this country; luckily we didn’t have quite as aggressive neighbors as Russia had. The Russian political system must meet several criteria I believe before it is widely accepted as completely legitimate. First off, centrist parties crafted by United Russia have to dissipate. They’re there to fracture opposition support, and nullify the voices of the overriding political currents that sway governments to control of one party or another. Representative politics works best when it represents the electorate, if there are pressures to decrease opposition support via backhanded ways, then that is where one sees wide-spread dissent. United Russia may have the backing of a majority of the Russian citizenry, for now, but by treating the opposition as the problem rather than part of the solution, Putin and by extension United Russia is alienating many mainstream voters on the left and right. Their reaction is to then become more extreme and problemati c because they’re being talked down to. When legitimate political parties and beliefs aren’t represented, parties and organizations that hold them have nothing to lose by taking up much more extremist views. If they felt that United Russia would play ball, they wouldn’t be taking the positions that they have taken. They would come to the table with more of a pragmatist view and plan of compromise. The military’s role in the democratization of Russia needs to be minimal. I am of the belief that a Roman-style coup utilizing the military is a very real albeit remote possibility. Civilians need to be the head of their equivalent to the Department of Defense, and ending discrimination in the armed services is a must for minorities in Russia to truly feel that they have a say and a stake in the country as it moves forwards. Divided government demands compromise, and it is yet to be seen whether Russia is ready to grapple with and deal with people who don’t agree with you. As of this point, the answer has been to silence them, or to shuffle them into a centrist party like sheep, or to run up the tally of people who think like you. For Russia to move past the post-Soviet period it must start engaging opposition, utilize independent parties, and stop fighting the opposition. This is very possible, just not at a breakneck pace. Russia’s value of Liberty will inevitably keep the country moving towards a more representative and legitimate democracy, but its value of Order will make sure that it is a slow and deliberate process.

Purpose of Business & Business Ethics

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. ? Mark Twain Purpose is one of the single most unremitting factor which leads to the success of an organization and wholesome and virtuous development of the individuals associated with It. Most of the greatest companies In the world have great purposes, discovered by their founding fathers which still remain at the core of their business models.While profitability, innovation, effectiveness, efficiency and differentiation are major stakeholders in creation of a successful business, the crux of It all according to me Is In the creation of a customer centric culture. Focusing on customer Impact rather than profits builds business confidence and drives Investments. We can term this as a noble magnanimous approach which acts as the nexus of the organization. Some people might confuse It with philanthropy but the noble aspect of this Is In nurturing drive that encourages employees to work with sedulous to solve problems and create a positive impact in the lives of their customers.When employees associate themselves with a culture of customer satisfaction, which is bigger than them, they get emotionally engaged and this leads to the creation of a truly differentiated organization. While businesses that focus on the numbers alone mostly end up producing average results, teams with customer contentment as the front and centre f the business know that their Job matters and thus produce exponential growth.A purpose with customer impact at its core leverages businesses and leaders in the face of changing business climates and provides a framework for decision making which gives them a competitive advantage. This eventually fosters the formation of an extremely housewarming culture where employees deliver strong business results and ironically end up winding more profits by focusing on something completely beyond profit.