Discuss the issue Ethical Business and How it relates to csr Essay

Talk about the issue Ethical Business and how it identifies with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Regarding sources, give instances of organizations or associations which exhibit moral conduct and assess their inspiration. The thoughts of Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility are in many cases talked about along these lines despite the fact that the two of them have unmistakably various definitions. As the name recommends, the term moral business or business morals is related with a blend of both ‘ethics’ and ‘business’. As indicated by Oxford English Dictionary (2010) a business is the purchasing and selling of items or administrations with a point of benefit making. Morals, then again is progressively perplexing in that it includes human judgment, between what is good and bad, concerning exercises and their outcomes towards the general public (Velasquez, et al. , 2010). Chryssides and Kaler (1993) have caused to notice the way that similarly that political morals is identified with respecting the good and bad in administrative concerns, or clinical morals being related to the profound quality in clinical practice, business morals can just be characterized as the issue of ethical quality inside the business whereby â€Å"morality is interpreted as meaning good decisions, norms and rules of conduct† (Ferrell and Fraedrich, 1997, p. 5). In this way, moral business would now be able to be characterized as the morals or rules that go about as one’s conduct rules and guidelines when managing in the realm of business (Ferrell, et al. , 2010). Then again, reference to The World Business Council for Sustainable Development clarifies CSR by putting over that a business has duties and commitments that go past the working environment (WBCSD, 2001). This basically means the willful obligation that associations partake in to satisfy the requests of a more extensive scope of partners (Jamali and Mirshak, 2006). In view of the definitions expressed above, doubtlessly CSR and business morals share comparable hypotheses, considering the way that both of their thoughts go farther than benefit based choices and into values alongside worries for the general public all in all (Mullerat, 2010). Having said that, it is surely intriguing to see that the vast majority are slanted to interface CSR with the positive tasks of a firm yet when a business takes part in a non-moral act, they set the trick one next to the other with business morals or rather, the absence of (Crane and Matten, 2010). The topic of how business morals identifies with CSR would now be able to be assessed all the more intently. A few instances of issues in moral business just as CSR incorporate hurting the earth and sweatshop work on extortion, wellbeing and security and crusading (IBE/Ipsos MORI 2009, refered to in Irwin, 2010). This article will completely investigate the inspirations of firms that have exhibited splendid introductions of business morals, for example, Microsoft Inc. just as inspecting the intentions behind their moral choices. Furthermore, it will likewise take a gander at different partnerships that have been connected with having high respects to morals in business yet have been blamed in settling on poor business decisions in the ongoing years, for example H&M’s removal of unsold garments things in New York in 2010 (Daily Mail Reporter, 2010). Until ongoing years, Hennes&Mauritz, all the more regularly known as H&M has been profoundly appreciated for propelling the utilization of natural cotton into the high road dress (Vijayaraghavan, 2010). Green Retail Decisions (2011) reports that it even prevailing with regards to outperforming their natural cotton objective use in 2010 by significantly increasing their unique point, fabricating 15,000 tons of natural cotton. Moreover, the organization was additionally glad in creating high road clothing types out of 16,000 tons of texture that have been reused (Green Retail Decisions, 2011). Nevertheless, when the firm discarded unsold garments outside of one of its retail outlets, many were left horrified as well as scrutinizing their business morals (Daily Mail Reporter, 2010). Around the same time, H&M were associated with two all the more stunning features in the news, one of which incorporates the pollution of the natural cotton material with GM, and the other being a doubt of impractically made garments (Vijayaraghavan, 2010). As recently expressed, H&M is generally regarded for working with natural materials on their items. In any case, when hereditarily changed cotton was found in irregular item test led in an exploration lab, they were left with nothing to be cheered for. Henceforth, unmistakably this specific contextual analysis gives repudiating data on H&M’s points and inspirations towards moral choice makings inside their business. Despite the fact that they have been adequate in their business morals, for huge numbers of their partners, the four issues determined above may intensely show in any case. Another genuine case of an organization with a comparable circumstance is Coca Cola close by its ongoing undertakings with moral emergencies. Ferrel et al. (2011), in their book compose that the organization has been confronting different charges with respect to their moral crimes since the 1990s, some of which incorporate racial preference, contamination and utilization of regular assets. The case against one of the world’s most recognized refreshment organizations, Coca Cola, also called Coke, for the act of racial segregation inside their workplace was indicted in April 1999 (Winter, 2000). In his article, Winter (2000) reports that Coke rehearsed a strategy for pay scale that depends on an order whereby representatives of African American foundation were arranged at the base, procuring $26,000 on normal not exactly white laborers in a year. In spite of the fact that the organization denied constantly, general society was obviously vexed, bringing about a decay of their offers toward the finish of the 90’s (Fairfield, 2007). As a result of this, Coca Cola lost one of their fundamental financial specialists and greatest investor of 17 years, Warren Buffet in 2006 (Teather, 2006). Having their notoriety endangered, Coca Cola declared the foundation of another division to their organization, the assorted variety gathering (The New York Times, 1999). Since the development of this gathering, Coca Cola has been casted a ballot 46th on the DiversityInc’s top 50 rundown of organizations with the accepted procedures alongside coming sixth in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Blacks and Latinos (DiversityInc, 2012). Likewise, Black Enterprise magazine has additionally granted the association with various honors regarding their responsibility to build up a workplace that is tolerating of various societies alongside including the organization operating at a profit Enterprise magazine’s yearly 40 Best Companies for Diversity list (Staff, 2012). DiversityInc (2012) likewise reports that Coca Cola gives 40% of their philanthropic exertion to socially different non-benefit associations, for example, their ongoing commitment to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. In view of that, their morals in business can be considered as worthy to the open eye and it is practically unfathomable to imagine that they were blamed for race-related separation a little more than 10 years back. The instances of H&M and Coca Cola are alluded to in this paper to communicate the likeness in their flawed intentions. H&M’s guarantee of being ecologically cognizant with their usage of natural cotton inside their business demonstrates superfluous in the wake of being gotten with improper acts that were expressed before. The validity of their standards in business morals is imperfect by this outrageous logical inconsistency since one would contend that if their awareness of other's expectations for nature were extraordinary, they would not be responsible for such exploitative exercises. Then again, Coca Cola just reacted to having morals in their business condition in the wake of being sued and drawing in negative media consideration, excluding the undeniable decrease in their deals despite the fact that they despite everything stayed as the world’s driving carbonated cola in 2006 (Fairfield, 2007). Therefore, likewise the earnestness behind Coca Cola’s thought process to build up an assorted variety gathering and their accentuation in social acknowledgment is additionally dubious in light of the fact that these were just evolved and actualized after the open mayhem. Despite the fact that it might be astounding, Microsoft Inc. can likewise be contrasted with Coca Cola and H&M to a degree as far as the inspirations driving their CSR fills in just as business morals rehearses. The prime supporter and executive of Microsoft Inc. , Bill Gates is broadly known and celebrated for his incredible gifts to the general population. In 2011, Microsoft Inc. won the honor for being ‘Most Ethical, beating Google and Facebook in the wake of making gifts of a huge number of dollars to non benefit associations and good cause, setting up plans of activities for financial improvement just as uplifting their methods for focal detailing methodology (Smith, 2011). Having said this, it is stunning to take note of that just barely 15 years prior, a board specialists at a board in a notable workshop held in California couldn't reply and choose whether Microsoft Inc. were a moral company. (Spinello, 2003). Spinello (2003) keeps on composing that not exclusively were the board of specialists uncertain of the appropriate response, the crowd, who were comprised of academic agents didn't have a clue how to react either. This is on the grounds that Microsoft Inc. has been engaged with an antitrust review worldwide and a few Americans have alluded to this occasion as the â€Å"antitrust preliminary of the century† (Mota, 2005). The antitrust laws, also called rivalry laws were acquainted by the American government with shield clients from being abused by organizations who practice unreasonable rivalry in the market (Investopedia, 2011). Entryways is likewise the essential investor in America’s second greatest waste administrati

Free Essays on The Old Man And The Sea

Eighty-four days had gone since Santiago, the old angler, had gotten a fish, and he had to endure the derision of more youthful anglers, yet close starvation too. In addition, Santiago had lost his young friend, a kid named Manolin, whose father had requested him to leave Santiago so as to work with increasingly fruitful sailors. Be that as it may, the dedicated youngster despite everything adored Santiago, and every day carried food and trap to his shack, where they enjoyed their preferred diversion: discussing the American baseball associations. The elderly person's saint was the New York Yankees' Joe DiMaggio. Santiago related to the ballplayer's expertise and discipline, and pronounced he might want to take the incomparable DiMaggio angling some time. Subsequent to visiting one specific evening, the kid left Santiago, who nodded off. Lions quickly filled his fantasies. As a kid he had cruised to Africa and had seen lions on the sea shores. Presently, as an elderly person, he continually longed for the extraordinary and honorable monsters. He not, at this point longed for storms, nor of ladies, nor of Great events, nor of extraordinary fish, nor battles nor challenges of solidarity, nor of his significant other. He just longed for places now and of the lions on the sea shore ... He adored them as he cherished the kid. Prior to day break of the following day, the angler, of course, pulled his salt-encrusted boat onto the sea shore and set out without anyone else. Be that as it may, today, in order to break his unfortunate streak, he was resolved to cruise into profound waters, out a lot more distant than different fishermen would go. He followed the ocean winged animals and flying fish; they would disclose to him b y their developments where the fish congregated. He watched the turtles swimming close to his vessel. He cherished the turtles, with their class and speed... The vast majority are Heartless about turtles in light of the fact that a turtle's heart will pulsate for a considerable length of time after he has been cut tip and butchered. The elderly person thought, I have such a heart too ... At an early stage, Santiago figured out how to land a tenpound fish. Th... Free Essays on The Old Man And The Sea Free Essays on The Old Man And The Sea Title: The Old Man and the Sea Creator: Ernest Hemingway Kind: Novel Copyright Date: 1952 Setting: Impact of Setting on Characters and Plot: Principle Characters: Significant Characters Santiago: The saint of the story. He is an old Cuban angler who is a stickler with regards to angling. Regardless of his exact strategies, he has no karma adrift. Santiago needs to be remarkable: a more prominent and more bizarre individual than his companions out adrift. He cherishes baseball and dreams of lions. He is separated from everyone else, with the exception of the organization of Manolin. He is resolved to get one major fish. Manolin: The little youngster who is a devotee of Santiago and who deals with him. His folks lean toward that he work with increasingly effective anglers, yet as he turns into his own man, he decides to be faithful to Santiago. Marlin: The Marlin is the enormous fish that Santiago frantically needs and needs to get. It is a marvelous fish that dazzles the elderly person. In view of the fish's significance, he becomes like a sibling to Santiago Minor Characters Manolin's Parents: The guardians of the little youngster. They need their child to forsake Santiago and fish with anglers who are progressively effective and will procure more cash. Santiago is conflicted between his obligation to them and his faithfulness to the elderly person. Neighborhood Fishermen: The anglers around who either snicker at or feel sorry for Santiago. They are not as exact in strategy as the elderly person, yet they get more fish. Minor Characters: Rundown: Plot Summary In a little angling town in Cuba, Santiago, an old, endured angler has recently gone 84 days without getting a fish. On the 85th day, he is resolved to get a major, noteworthy fish. For quite a long time, Santiago has been angling with a little youngster named Manolin. Manolin began angling with the elderly person when he was just 5 years of age. Santiago resembles Manolin's subsequent dad, and has shown the little fellow everything angling. Manolin is amazingly faithful to Santiago and ensures that the elderly person is consistently ... Free Essays on The Old Man And The Sea Eighty-four days had gone since Santiago, the old angler, had gotten a fish, and he had to endure the mocking of more youthful anglers, however close starvation too. Besides, Santiago had lost his young friend, a kid named Manolin, whose father had requested him to leave Santiago so as to work with increasingly fruitful sailors. Be that as it may, the gave youngster despite everything cherished Santiago, and every day carried food and trap to his shack, where they enjoyed their preferred leisure activity: discussing the American baseball alliances. The elderly person's saint was the New York Yankees' Joe DiMaggio. Santiago related to the ballplayer's ability and discipline, and announced he might want to take the incomparable DiMaggio angling some time. In the wake of visiting one specific evening, the kid left Santiago, who nodded off. Lions promptly filled his fantasies. As a kid he had cruised to Africa and had seen lions on the sea shores. Presently, as an elderly person, he continually longed for the extraordinary and respectable mammoths. He not, at this point longed for storms, nor of ladies, nor of Great events, nor of extraordinary fish, nor battles nor challenges of solidarity, nor of his better half. He just longed for places now and of the lions on the sea shore ... He adored them as he cherished the kid. Prior to sunrise of the following day, the angler, of course, pulled his salt-encrusted boat onto the sea shore and set out without anyone else. Be that as it may, today, in order to break his unfortunate streak, he was resolved to cruise into profound waters, out a lot more distant than different fishers would go. He followed the ocean flying creatures and flying fish; they would disclose to him b y their developments where the fish congregated. He watched the turtles swimming close to his pontoon. He cherished the turtles, with their class and speed... A great many people are Heartless about turtles on the grounds that a turtle's heart will thump for a considerable length of time after he has been cut tip and butchered. The elderly person thought, I have such a heart too ... At an early stage, Santiago figured out how to land a tenpound fish. Th...

Types of Study Chairs To Choose From ?

Types of Study Chairs To Choose From ? Make Money Online Queries? Struggling To Get Traffic To Your Blog? Sign Up On (HBB) Forum Now!Types of Study Chairs To Choose From ?Updated On 31/01/2020Author : Ram kumarTopic : eCommerceShort URL : https://hbb.me/2vEtblN CONNECT WITH HBB ON SOCIAL MEDIA Follow @HellBoundBlogChoosing the right study chair can boost your concentration. You can sit for long hours at your desk when you get a comfortable chair that is built with an ergonomic design. You can choose a study chair from an online furniture brand. Look for chairs that provide proper support for back and spine. A study chair is available in a variety of styles and options. Choose a study chair which lets you sit comfortably for long hours. A good study chair can affect your health and productivity. Options for finding various styles of office chairs are endless.  Features to look for in a study chairChairs in ergonomic designs is the most essential feature to look at because it improves your posture and provides lumbar and spine support. It is good to invest in a good study chair because you have to use it daily for many years. A good chair affects health in many ways. It improves blood circulation, relieves back and neck pain, and prevents spinal disorders.  Adjustable featuresLook for features that have adjustable arms and height. It allows a person of any height be seated comfortably. It helps in aligning the elbow with the rest of the posture of the body. Those who spend a lot of time working on a desk, typing on the keyboard will find this feature to provide comfort to the wrist. This feature prevents wrist and hand injuries. A chair that does not come with adjustable height does not let you align leg, hands, and spine.  Style of castersThese feature makes chair mobile. It is easy to move chair when casters are attached to the chair. Choose a caster that has a soft finish. If you are using a carpet choose casters that have a hard surface such as a wood or a tile as it is easy to slide it through the carpet. Soft casters are suitable for flooring and hard ones for carpets. Most of the standard varieties that come are suitable for carpets as well as flooring.Sliding and tiltIt is easy to lean back when you have a chair that has a sliding and tilt feature. A chair with this feature provides the best lumbar support. A chair with this feature are the best study chair for students. It provides the best support for the back. You can say goodbye to back pain when you have a chair with this feature. It is easy to reposition the chair with the swivel or tilt feature. It prevents many injuries that happen because of improper position of the chair. It also improves the mobility of the body not leaving room for body aches or discomfort.READHow eCommerce Websites Are Growing With Coupon Deals And Cashback OffersMaterials to look forYou can look for these materials that the seat is made of for comfort when seated. Memory foam, padding, cushioned chair are some of the features to look for material that is applicable for seating. Choose chairs that have padded armrests. You can choose for furnishing and appearance that is superior. You can choose a chair that comes with contemporary finish if look and appearance is also what you look for.  Choose a chair that is made from genuine leather, bonded or polyurethane leather depending on the budget. Seats made with polyurethane are the most economical and also provide comfort. They are waterproof, easy to clean, and are durable.Bonded leather peels quickly and damages when exposed to sunlight. It is easy to clean and maintain this type of leather but it is not durable.Seat depthA good study chair is deep and wide. It is comfortable for a person of any weight to be comfortably seated in. Those who have large body must choose a seat that is deep and wider. If you are tall and lean choose a seat that is shallow. When you buy a study chair online look for these features. Look for chair designs that leave a room of 2-3 inches b etween the knee and the seat.  Petit chairs for small peopleGet a petit chairs with these features for your kids so they can focus and study for long hours without any physical problems. They must have all the ergonomic features provide comfort for back, neck, wrist, and lumbar support. Adjustable lumbar support is the top feature to look at.  Chairs in other materialsPlastic and wooden chairs are the most economical but not as comfortable as the ergonomic chairs. They are lightweight and easy suitable for people of all height and weight. They are available in various designs and colors.ConclusionIt is easy to buy a study chair online with a single click. You can look at these features before buying a chair that suits your requirements. Study chairs made in ergonomic designs are the best and the most durable that last for many years.

Essay On Hospitality In The Odyssey - 920 Words

Xenia is the generosity and hospitality the Greek give to their guest when people come over to their home. Hospitality plays a major role in Greek society. In American society, today hospitality is not a priority. The most we do is let guest in to sit and offer maybe food and water. In the Odyssey Homer shows in Greek culture that hospitality is very important several times in the text and should treat everyone as royalty. Odysseus crashes into a random island with strangers and like a good host they take care of him. Nausicaa finds Odysseus by shore naked. She doesnt know the man, hears his story and offers to take care of him. For example, it says â€Å"But here’s an unlucky wanderer strayed our way and we must tend him well. Every stranger†¦show more content†¦Or if you’d rather, keep him here at the farmstead, tend to him here, and ill and up the clothes and full rations to keep the man in food;† (Odyssey Book 16). The intruders in Telemachus house is the suitors and he doesnt enjoy their stay but still is being a good host and letting them stay. In contemporary society if someone offers a person to stay in their home and doesnt like them they would probably kick them out. But in Greek hospitality they allow their guest to stay however long they want. Telemachus does not have much to take care of himself but if offering as much as he can to Odysseus who is a stranger. In American society if someone doesnt have much they wouldnt let no stranger in their home and would be self-centered and wouldnt offer anything. When having a guest over in someones home in contemporary society we do offer shelter and food and anything else needed just like the Greek but they are more extravagant towards their guests. When it was time to get rid of the suitors in Odysseus and his son Telemachus home they come up with a plan. Odysseus is pretending to be a beggar and everyones gives him food when he goes around except for Antinoos. When the beggar comes to ask Antinoos for food he gets very angry, the text says â€Å"Boiling over Antinoos gave him a scathing look and let fly, now you wont get out of the hall unsacred, I swear, not after such a filthy string of insult! With that he seized the stool and hurled it-- Square in the back itShow MoreRelatedHospitality in The Odyssey Essay479 Words   |  2 Pages Throughout Homers The Odyssey, Odysseus the main character in the story is tested with the true meaning of hospitality. In the heroic age, hospitality was viewed as punishment or acceptance of a stranger. While Odysseus longed for his return to home, he faced the two different kinds of hospitality offered within the heroic age. My theory is that Odysseus was provided with good hospitalit y when he would enter a town that allowed him to eat at their table, bathed within their baths, and sleepRead MoreEssay on Greek Hospitality in The Odyssey926 Words   |  4 PagesGreek Hospitality in The Odyssey The Greeks have been known for their hospitality and politeness, especially when treating guests- whether strangers or not. This is demonstrated near the beginning of the Odyssey when Telemachus went to Pylos to visit Nestor. Nestor, not knowing who he was taking into his home as guests, treated them with great honor and respect. Now is the time, he said, for a few questions, now that our young guests have enjoyed their dinner. Who are you, strangersRead More The Art of Hospitality - The Greeks and the Odyssey Essay871 Words   |  4 Pagesof the most hospitable cultures was that of the ancient Greeks, exemplified in Homer’s The Odyssey by both gracious hosts and guests. In Greece and The Odyssey, not only was good hospitality etiquette expected, but the added pressure from the conviction that the gods would punish the host if guests were treated without respect (whether they were poor or rich) further compelled excellent manners. The Odyssey illustrates the prope r etiquette when dealing with guests. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;WhetherRead MoreThe Importance of Hospitality Illustrated in Homers Odyssey Essay1708 Words   |  7 Pagesportrayed in The Odyssey, by Homer, where hospitality and good will are the way of things. As decreed by Zeus himself, those who wish the favor of the Gods must welcome foreign and domestic with hospitality. A man was supposed to offer the best of his food, his home, and his knowledge before ever asking for his guest’s name or why he was there. There is a sense that those of high status are the main givers of hospitality, but they are not the only ones commanded to offer hospitality. Homer emphasizesRead MoreThe Codes Of Fidelity And Hospitality In Modern Society706 Words   |  3 Pagesmember is expected to follow.  In ancient Greek culture it was very essential to follow codes of behavior. In the first half of odyssey there are several codes of behavior spotted like hospitality, vengenance, fidelity, household loyalty, and reverence. The par ticular types of codes of behavior that will be discussed in this essay are fidelity and hospitality. Hospitality is an important aspect in society where guests are treated as though they were god. Fidelity code is loyalty between husband andRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey Essay1314 Words   |  6 Pages8th century, The Odyssey, is Homer s epic of Odysseus 10-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. Odysseus defining character traits, such as nobility, courage, thirst for the glory and the appealing confidence in his authority dominated the storyline throughout. The many themes of this epic mainly focus around the Greek hero Odysseus however in my essay I will attempt to analyze hospitality. Hospitality shaped an important part of social interactions in The Odyssey. Although Greek societyRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s The Odyssey 1418 Words   |  6 Pages Homer’s epic Greek tale, The Odyssey, is the story of a hero’s nostos, following the ten years after the Trojan War saga. From these tales of wanderings of Odysseus, son of Laà «rtes, ruler of Ithaka, Homer reveals that to come home a warrior must strip their ‘war’s immortality’ skin and be reborn to understand the peaceful human existence in the cosmic universe. In retelling of his tale to the Phaià ¡kians, Odysseus recaptures the inward lost by means of descriptive heroic insightRead MoreThe Role of Loyalty in The Odyssey Essay1030 Words   |  5 PagesIntro: There are a wide variety of themes present throughout the Odyssey, written by Homer. Be it hospitality, perseverance, vengeance or power of the Gods, loyalty is truly the theme that brings the whole book together. Being 10 years after the Trojan War, many have forgotten about Odysseus and his men as they constantly brave what the gods throw their way. This essay will be talking ab out Odysseus and Penelope’s mutual loyalty to one another, the loyal relationships between Gods and men and finallyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1011 Words   |  5 PagesName Tutor Course Date Close Reading Essay In Book X of the Odyssey, Odysseus gives a tale of his adventure in Circe’s Island. He also tells of his encounter with Circe, (X. 380 - 419). Circe’s equivocation, â€Å"Why, Odysseus, dost thou sit thus like one that is dumb, eating thy heart, and dost not touch food or drink? / Dost thou haply forbode some other guile?† (X. 380 - 381), portrays Odysseus sadness and worry for his men. Earlier in this book, he had narrated of how Circe had put a portion inRead MoreOdyssey Archetype Essay1026 Words   |  5 PagesThe topic of this essay is about The Odyssey. As Odysseus continues his journey home he has no idea what s heading his way. He loses, gains, and learns new skills and things that have changed him tremendously. He was not the same man he was twenty years ago. He shows archetypes of a hero to his disappearing crew. Then he shows it to his family member. How much can change in twenty years? Apparently a lot can transform a man who has had crazy experience s. This story was about three-thousand years

Financial Crisis Essay Example Pdf - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 935 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Financial crisis was defined by many numerous aspects, such as the evolution, impact of the appearance and the causes. Any situation that occurs in financial crisis in which a financial institution, or an amount of financial institutions, when is in incapacity of fulfilling the statutory regulations, which a situation that is negatively affect the functionary of the entire financial system. However, Kaminsky and Reinhart (1999) defines financial crises depending on the forms they declare themselves in 3 ways crises, which are currency crises, bank crises and twin crises. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Financial Crisis Essay Example Pdf" essay for you Create order In the study of currency crises, the attacks, external and internal factors, on a currency produce important reductions of the currency reserves, substantial and intense depreciations of the currency exchange rate of the combined effects of these. However, bank crises are generated by a series of micro and macro economic factors, and the forms they take vary from manifest bankruptcy, acquisition merger or overtaking by the public sector by nationalizing a bank, a group of banks or the entire banking system. Lastly the twin crises apparently are a combination of currency crises along with the bank crises. Financial crises had been analyzed in a temporal approach and it makes the distinction between first, second and third generation crises. The first generation currency crisis models were designed to explain the problems specific to the 80s and they take on the classic form of the balance of payment crisis and the budgetary deficit financed through internal loan are considered to b e generated from the inside. Moreover, the crises are more specific to small economies with fixed exchange rates and that have liberalized the capital account. For those reasons, it is being sensitive to speculative attacks that could easily degenerate into currency crises. The second generation of financial crises stems from the speculative attacks on the currencies in the European Monetary System in the years 1992 until 1993 and from the Mexican crisis in the years 1994 until 1995. The possibility of occurrence of the financial crises even in a stability economic environment was illustrated. These crises are being considered as self-generating. There are three major participants that having in the edited model presented in this category. Which are the governments that are the position to maintain the exchange rate of currency or to change the exchange rate system depending on the compared benefits of these actions and two speculators in the respective currency, those who havent got the necessary resources to exhaust the government reserves though. The third generation of financial crises are much more complex than the other two cases, being related to the issues that generated by the balance sheet exposures and presenting three options, which are the impact of the moral hazard on the crediting process, the reciprocal impact of the currency and also the bank crisis, the implications of the currency depreciation on the balance of payments. However, the recent financial crises are mostly crises in the latter generation, which mean inside the financial sector and are related to structural dynamics as the financial innovation. Asian Crisis of 1997 A good example provided by the Asian crisis of 1997 until 1998, the Dragons (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea) and the Tigers (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand) were the models of successful economic development. Their economic grew at high rates from the early 1950s until the crisis in 1997. In 1997 the Thai Baht drop under sustained pressure and the government stopped defending it on July 2. The value of the currency immediately dropped 14 percent in the onshore market and 19 percent in the offshore market (Frank, 2003, chapter 10). And the beginning of the Asian financial crises has been marked from that time. The following currencies to drop under pressure were the Philippine Peso and the Malaysian Ringgit. The Philippine central bank had tried to defend the Peso by increasing interest rates. In spite of the governments action, it lost around $1.5 billion in foreign reserves. The government let the Peso float on July 11, it promptly dropped 11.5 perc ent. The Malaysian central bank stopped defending the Ringgit on July 11. On the other hand, Indonesian central bank stopped defending the Rupee on August 14. Not only the countries known as the Tigers affected by the spreading crisis, but also the countries known as the Dragons were involved in the crisis. At the beginning of the August, Singapore decided to let their currency depreciate and by the end of the September the Singapore dollar had dropped 8 percent. Taiwan decided not to defend their currency and was not much affected. Hong Kong had a currency board that pegged the exchange rate to US dollar. Hong Kong dollar came under attack, but the currency board was able to maintain peg. Initially, South Korea had won appreciated against other South East Asian currencies. However, in November the won also lost 25 percent of its value. When the crises came over ended, the dollar had appreciated against the Malaysian, Philippine, Thailand, Indonesia and South Korean currencies by 52, 52, 78, 107 and 151 percent respectively. Although the turbulence in the currency markets subsided by the end of 1997, the real effects of the crisis still can be felt throughout the region. Many banks and industrial and also commercial firms went bankrupt and output fell sharply. But overall, the crisis was extremely painful for the countries that involved. Besides the Asian crisis 1997, there are many other examples of crises. Which are not confined to emerging markets but occur in developed economies as well. Global Financial Crisis Allen, F., Gale, D. (2007) An introduction to financial crises, https://fic.wharton.upenn.edu/fic/papers/07/p0720.html Kaminsky, G., Reinhart, C. (1999) The Twin Crises: The Causes of Banking and Balance-of-Payments Problems, American Economic Review, 1999, (89), 473-500

Psychology Worthwhile Work vs. Money - 687 Words

In discussing the relationship of a persons attitude towards work and money, it is important to distinguish these two inter-related concepts from one another. In most cases work can produce money. In several cases, money is the product of work. But it is still possible to obtain large sums of money without working, just as it is possible to produce a copious amount of work and not receive monetary compensation for it. It is due to this reason worthwhile work is more valuable than money, since worthwhile work engenders a fulfillment of purpose and a completion to ones being that money cannot necessarily provide. Worthwhile work is best defined as an engagement in which one is able to take a degree of satisfaction in. Some of the most lucrative jobs in the world such as that of a criminal defense attorney, who is responsible for keeping criminals free to roam the streets and find more victims do not fulfill this claim. Furthermore, it is fairly apparent that worthwhile work involves a person doing something that he or she is innately good at. One can even extend this latter concept further by stating that worthwhile work involves a person using his specific talents and proclivities to perform some sort of duty that he or she was meant to perform. The crux of this situation is that worthwhile work does not always produce money. The highly subjective nature of art, for examples, renders this type of work some of the least consistent in terms of bringing in financialShow MoreRelatedReality Vs. Fantasy : Today s Modern World1459 Words   |  6 PagesReality vs. Fantasy In today’s modern world, our mindsets in fashion are all based on fantasy: new brands, trends and many more. We all live in a society whereby we tend to buy things that are attractive and very unique within our culture. 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Concepts of Divorce Essay Example For Students

Concepts of Divorce Essay Is marriage no more than the result of voluntary agreements between two private individuals? Is the lack of detail concerning marriage arrangements causing all the divorce debates? Does divorce cause problems or solve them? Why is marriage such a religious experience and divorce such a legal experience?Why do marriages take place under the eyes of God while divorces take place under the eyes of the law?I believe that it was because of my parents’ divorce that I have chosen to tackle such a controversial topic. In many ways, I am in search of my own opinion. My parents divorced through the no-fault system. My dad decided it was time to move on to another life I guess. The no-fault divorce is a form of divorce granted without blame being sought or established. Sometimes, I try to think of how my life would have turned out if they were still together. I wonder if life would be any better. However, there are other days when I thank God for putting me through such troubling times; without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. What troubles me with marriage/divorce issues is that one is dealt with while the other lies on the floor. Today, we discuss marriage, and we discuss divorce, but never both at the same time. Should we push premarital counseling, or should we make divorce harder? Why must we discuss one or the other and not both? There are so many questions concerning marriage and divorce, and that is why I’m writing to you. I hope to answer some questions you may have. Though you may not form an opinion about no-fault divorce, you should finish this article with a little satisfaction, knowing that you’ve seen both sides of the issue. There are many people who have spoken out about no-fault divorce and family relationships, but I will focus on two. In â€Å"The Divorce Debate,† Maggie Gallagher, a scholar at the Institute for American Values, tries to answer the question: â€Å"What, if anything, can we do about the fact that at least half of our marriages fail?† In another article, â€Å"The Making of a Divorce Culture,† Barbara Dafoe Whitehead discusses the idea that, â€Å"Divorce has become an American way of life only as a result of recent and revolutionary change.†I was very turned-off by Gallagher’s article. First, it starts off with what the author thinks should be a shared assumption; the assumption stated that divorce is harmful for children. Not everyone believes that. She goes on by asking, â€Å"What†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦can we do?† Gallagher continues with her article by putting down other states because of their divorce stipulations. She says that they are not worki ng. Yes, she did back that statement up with information from Judith Wallerstein’s book, Second Chance, and statistics from the Journal of Marriage and Family, but they were buried between the many instances in which she shared the views of her opposition. The way she recognized the reasoning behind the â€Å"speedy spouse disposal† or â€Å"delayed backlash† was a nice touch. Unfortunately, Gallagher was so involved with trying to show the other side of things, she forgot to give the reasoning behind her own ideas. Through the entire article, she used negative words or phrases to express her feelings on divorce; they include: harmful, delayed backlash, speedy spouse removal, eliminating, marital wrongdoing, dissolve a marriage, bitter conflict, unhappy marriages, bleak times, punishments, messy and irrelevant, and torment. However, she never once suggested a solution for the problem of divorce. How can one argue with the ideas of others, if that person has no argument of their own?After reading the article, I was pretty confident that the author had not personally been through a divorce of her own. This alone, caused me to question her. I felt that a more personal article involving some of her own experiences would have been more convincing. I realized that she was writing with a logical approach, but I believe an emotional one would have been better. Divorce is a topic that touches every person in so many different ways. If the article would have reached to the heart, it would have been more persuasive. Though I am unhappy with the way the topic was approached, I am sure that the essay was not quickly written. Their was a lot of research involved in this article. Gallagher explained how different states came up with different solutions for divorce. She discussed the no-fault divorce and the waiting period before a divorce. Her statistic was a great bonus. Photosynthesis EssayWe have to decide what is more important to our society. Research shows that divorced women suffer a drop in income ranging on average from 30 percent to 70 percent. More than half of all female-headed households with children live in poverty, compared with only 10 percent of all other families with children. Medical experts say that men who divorce are to experience greater health problems and higher rates of suicide than married men. Are these things devastating to our society, or do we need to look at the other side of things? Without no-fault divorce, many people may become trapped in abusive relationships. There may be an increase in desertion. One spouse may be lead to use bribes or threats to win the consent of the other to end marriage, thus creating the return of blackmail under the old fault-based system. (Tyson 1-3)Maybe the topic isn’t the narrow one we perceive it to be. Maybe the topic evolves more around family itself. Midge Decter does an excellent job of discussing family in her article, â€Å"The Madness of the American Family.† She explains how a family compares with a rock, and not the Garden of Eden. A rock, can be far from a comfortable place to be. â€Å"But,† she says, â€Å"living on a rock keeps you out of the swamps†¦..The most dangerous of these swamps is a place of limitless and willfully defined individual freedom. The land of limitless freedom, as so many among us are now beginning to discover, turns out to be nothing other than the deep muck and mire of Self.† She continues, â€Å"The only escape from the swamp of Self is the instinctual and lifelong engagement in the fate of others.† Decter discusses how being in a family may not make you happy, but it makes you human. She goes on:â€Å"Together, marriage and parenthood are the rock on which human existence stands†¦.and No matter how ardently a young man and woman believe they wish to spend their lives with one another, and no matter how enthusiastically they greet the knowledge that they are to have a baby, they do not undertake either of these things in full knowledge of the commitment they are undertaking†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦they do not know that they are embarked upon a long, long, and sometimes arduous and even unpleasant journey.† (Decter 1-19)Marriage, family, and divorce, are three controversial topics that each person must deal with in their lifetime. The great thing about them is that we are each allowed to have our own opinions about them. Maybe you haven’t picked sides, and maybe you haven’t heard enough to make a stand, but hopefully this article has got you thinking. I myself have not yet chosen a position on the topic. No-fault divorce has such a complicated base. Each marital problem causes rise to newfound solutions concerning divorce. Every person comes up with their own opinions. Each state has its laws, its bills, and its proposals to solve the problems con cerning marriage and divorce. The nation finds such problems floating above its head, waiting for someone, or something, to take hold and decrease its power to control the people within it.Nevertheless, Dector reminds us not to get frustrated about such topics when she says, â€Å"All this should be a very simple matter; God knows, it’s been going on long enough. So why have we fallen into such a state of confusion?†

Barometer Definition and Function (Science)

Barometer Definition and Function (Science) The barometer, thermometer, and anemometer are important meteorology instruments. Learn about the invention of the barometer, how it works, and how its used to forecast weather. Barometer Definition A barometer is a device that measures atmospheric pressure. The word barometer comes from the Greek words for weight and measure. Changes in atmospheric pressure recorded by barometers are most often used in meteorology for forecasting weather. Invention of the Barometer Usually youll see  Evangelista Torricelli credited with inventing the barometer in 1643,  French scientist Renà © Descartes described an experiment to measure atmospheric pressure in 1631 and Italian scientist  Gasparo Berti constructed a water barometer between 1640 and 1643. Bertis barometer consisted of a long tube filled with water and plugged at both ends. He placed the tube upright in a container of water and removed the bottom plug. Water flowed from the tube into the basin, but the tube did not completely empty. While there may be disagreement over who invented the first water barometer, Torricelli is certainly the inventor of the first mercury barometer. Types of Barometers There are several types of mechanical barometer, plus now there are numerous digital barometers. Barometers include: water-based barometers - most often consists of a sealed glass ball that is half-filled with water. The body of the ball connects below the water level to a narrow spout, which rises above the water level and is open to the air. The water level of the spout rises when atmospheric pressure is lower than it was when the glass ball was sealed and drops when air pressure exceeds the pressure when the ball was sealed. While not particularly precise, this is a simple type of barometer easily constructed at home or in a lab.mercury barometers - uses a glass tube that is closed at one end, standing in a mercury-filled reservoir that is open to air. A mercury barometer works on the same principle as the water barometer, but is much easier to read and more sensitive than a water barometer.vacuum pump oil barometers - liquid barometer that uses vacuum pump oil, which has an extremely low vapor pressureaneroid barometers - type of barometer which does not use liquid to measure pressure, instead relying on expansion or contraction of a flexible metal capsule barographs - uses an aneroid barometer to move a pen or needle to make a graph of pressure changesmicroelectromechanical systems (MEMS) barometersstorm glasses  or Goethe barometersmartphone barometers How Barometric Pressure Relates To Weather Barometric pressure is a measure of the weight of the atmosphere pressing down on the Earths surface. High atmospheric pressure means there is a downward force, pressure air down. As air moves down, it warms up, inhibiting the formation of clouds and storms. High pressure typically signifies fair weather, particularly if the barometer registers a lasting high pressure reading. When barometric pressure drops, this means air can rise. As it rises, it cools and is less able to hold moisture. Cloud formation and precipitation becomes favorable. Thus, when a barometer registers a drop in pressure, clear weather may be giving way to clouds. How To Use a Barometer While a single barometric pressure reading wont tell you too much, you can use a barometer to forecast changes in the weather by tracking readings throughout the day and over the course of several days. If the pressure holds steady, weather changes are unlikely. Dramatic changes in pressure are associated with changes in the atmosphere. If pressure suddenly drops, expect storms or precipitation. If pressure rises and stabilizes, youre more likely to see fair weather. Keep a record of barometric pressure and also wind speed and direction to make the most accurate forecasts. In the modern era, few people own storm glasses or large barometers. However, most smart phones are able to record barometric pressure. A variety of free apps are available, if one doesnt come with the device. You can use the app to relate atmospheric pressure to weather or you can track the changes in pressure yourself to practice home forecasting. References Strangeways, Ian.  Measuring the Natural Environment. Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 92.The Invention of the Barometer, Weather Doctors Weather People and History, retrieved October 6, 2015.

Why Im a Proud Dominican essays

Why I'm a Proud Dominican essays Located in the middle of the chain of islands that make up the Eastern Caribbean is a beautiful island known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean". It's a spectacular and lush with flora The Dominican flag consists of a central emblem that shows the national bird of Dominica, the Palmchat, in flight, flying toward greater heights, fulfillment and aspirations. The ten lime green stars represent the ten parishes. The colors red, yellow, black, white and green speak boldly of Dominicas commitment to social justice, equal status, the sunshine of our land, our main agricultural produce, the clarity of our rivers and waterfalls, and the purity of aspiration of our people. Our island is rich in black soil that gives us a fertile forest and creates lushness of the island. The national flower, sabinea carinalis, is an indigenous flower and has always been present on our island. Therefore, it can be said that this flower represents the continuity of our young people and longevity of our elders. The national anthem, popularly referred to as The Isle of Beauty retained upon achieving our independence speaks boldly to me as it reflects the splendor, blessings, unity, hard work and the natural beauty of our island. Dressed in my colored tie, black pants, white long sleeve shirt, red sash and black shoes, I am noticed by all who see me. Nothing seems to impress visitors to Dominica as much as our clothing, in either one or the other version of our Creole wear. Music, culture, people and wild celebration merge to form what we know as Carnival. It is the most festive time of the year where there are no enemies and ev...

Relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Relationship - Essay Example Because of her, I consider myself alone and this loneliness has entered into me, as it is my own part. Now, I really want to be alone most of the time without anyone disturbing me in my isolated world. There are three kinds of relationships that are assertive, aggressive and passive. I categorize my mother’s relationship with me as passive and aggressive because whenever I try to communicate with her, the end is aggression and I feel that I will go mad. I have the same attitude with my friends, as because of keeping such behavior with my mother, I have developed the same behavior for everyone trying to communicate with me. Whenever someone is unable to understand my problems, and me I get aggressive and try to run away from the place. With the continuous problematic relationship with my mother, aggression and passiveness have become part of my personality. Therefore, what defines me with my relationships is aggression and passiveness. My group members have also problems with their relationships. One of my group members informed us that she had a troubling relationship with her boss due to which, she lost her job. She hated her boss. After listening to her issue regarding her job and her strained relationship with her boss, I considered myself fortunate enough in terms of my relationship with my boss. I work on part time basis as a receptionist in a medical therapy centre. I had no experience of the job before and when I was called for interview, I was surprised as I was quite new to the job. My job responsibilities include verification of insurance of clients with the insurance company, billing the insurance and reminding the clients about their schedule. I just randomly dropped my CV for the job without anything in my mind and I got the job. My boss is kind, sympathetic, supportive and instructive. He has allowed me to work on weekends. He is also a good teacher, as he teaches me a lot. I like my job. I also do another job as an internee, however, I do not

Economy of Greece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Economy of Greece - Essay Example p that occurred during the period, Greece had to witness a much sluggish economic growth, burdened with increased unemployment and worsening debt scenario (Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, 2014). Emphasizing this particular notion, the essay intends to elaborate and analyze the soundness as well as the sustainability of financial markets of Greece and the efficiency of its financial institutions with regard to interest rate policies, lending and borrowing that helped the economy regain its pace of growth. It is worth mentioning that transformation of national GDP rates mainly occur due to the variations observed in import as well as export ratings and change in other buisness policies. Similarly, prior to the year 2008, the weak economic condtions of Greece imposed strong negative impacts on the overall performance in the fiancial markets that were pertinent within the nation for several years. It will be vital to mention in this regard that the prime intent of designing effective economic policies is to achieve sustainable growth with respect to the performances of the nation’s financial markets. Irrespective of these qualities, sustsinability in the financial market of the country was affected much strongly due to limitations in its transparency when documenting financial disclosures. To be noted in this context, to gain the membership of Eurozone, Greece government was accused to have falsified its total deficit figures in the year 2000. This eventually imposed negative imp acts on the soundness along with the sustainability of its financial markets during reccession, as members states seemed reluctant and rather offended to the issue. Moreover, the situation also made Greece government to roll over debt in 2009, which certainly produced a contagion to other eurozone economies, such as Portugal, Spain and Italy (Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, 2014). The below diagrammatical representation depicts Eurozone’s real GDP per capita rate of

Niger Delta Conflict On The Nigerian Economy Politics Essay

Niger Delta Conflict On The Nigerian Economy Politics Essay The objective of this Chapter is to provide a background to the study. This includes the implication of the Niger-Delta (ND) conflict on the Nigerian economy, the genesis of amnesty policy, the objective of the study, research questions, methodology as well as scope and limitations to the study. Background to the Study The centrality of the Niger-Delta Region to Nigerias economy is indisputable. This is because it produces the oil that presently sustained the economy. Unfortunately, however, over the last decades, it has become a centre for violent protests with destructive consequences on the Nigerian economy and socio-political stability as well as the rippled effect across the international. For instance, government statistics have shown that in 2005, Crude oil production has fell from 2.7million barrels per day (mbpd) to 2.4mbpd thereby showing a shortfall of 0.3mbpd in crude oil production. On the revenue side, in the same year, the projected revenue of N1.63trillion was revised downward to N1.4trillion due to shortfall in crude oil production (2006 FGN Budget Speech). Similarly, in 2006 expected revenue into the Federation Account fell by N570 billion due to loss of 600,000bpd (2007 FGN Budget Speech). In 2007, the projected revenue was short to the tune of N796billion due to disruption of cr ude oil production in the Niger-Delta region (2008 FGN Budget Speech). In 2008, crude oil production was projected at around 2.45mbpd but only 2.00mbpd was achieved also due to disruption of production (2009 FGN Budget Speech). In 2009, crude oil revenue projection fell by 17% due to disruption in production as well as fall in crude oil price at the international market (2010 FGN Budget Speech). Another pointer to the gloomy nature of the Nigerian economy was the use of the Excess Revenue Account (ERA) from year 2006 every month, except in some very few cases, to augment the monthly disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account. For instance, over N733.81bn and N795.41bn were withdrawn from the ERA to augment budget expenditure for the three tiers of government in 2007 and 2008 respectively (CBN, Annual Report, 2008). The conflict has been blamed on the nations imbalance political structure; long years of environmental pollution due to oil exploration and extraction activities; infrastructural neglect and demand for larger share of revenue from crude oil sales (Omeje, 2006). But, recognizably, over the decades, government have used carrots and sticks approaches both to coerce and appease the people of the Niger-Delta Region. While the past measures have made some significant impacts in some respects, there are recurring echoes of consternation from the region. Among the past efforts were the creation of the Niger-Delta Development Board (NDDB), Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Derivation Principle (from 1% to 13%) and the establishment of Niger-Delta Ministry in 2008. Fisher-Thompson (2010) writing for the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State observed that the key to Nigerias economic progress is stability in the Niger River Delta, where the bulk of the countrys oil and natural gas is produced and where a smouldering militancy and sabotage of production facilities threaten progress for the regions 30million residents. Thus recognising the enormous potentials of Niger-Delta for the nation at large, the late President YarAdua, for example, said it would be delusional to think that electricity could be generated and transmitted on a sustainable basis in Nigeria if resolution of the Niger-Delta question remains literally or figuratively in the pipelines (Adeniyi, 2010), Similarly, the Technical Committee on the Niger-Delta (TCND, 2008), noted that President YarAdua recognised the strategic importance of the Region as the main source of Nigerias foreign revenue by making the Niger-Delta problem one of the 7-Point prog ramme of the administration. Thus, amnesty was granted to the militants in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria in June 2009, by late President YarAdua to assuage the nagging militancy in the region. There is, however, hardly any study at the moment that have made any constructive attempt to analyse the impact of the amnesty programme on the nations crude oil production as well as revenue flow into the Federation Account except for the dotted newspapers clips and other scattered official documents. Also, as it is with most novel approaches, the amnesty programme has been greeted with lots of scepticism as its likely impact of restoring peace and improved crude oil production and flow of revenue into the Federation Account might not be achieved. Accordingly, as a topical issue in Nigeria, which viability is questioned, it provides the motivation and interest to peruse government documents in order to give a better picture of the situation. Moreso, as a staff of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), an agency of government that is constitutionally charged with the function of monitoring revenue accruals into and disbursement from the Federation Account, added more impetus to the subject of the research. Hence, this research is an attempt to put together official records as well as other sources in order to give a preliminary impact of the amnesty programme on crude oil production and revenue into Federation Account. OBJECTIVES In this research, the quest is not to discuss the amnesty programme or to dwell on the oil debacle in Nigeria, but to relate the amnesty programme to some of the expected benefits, which are specifically interconnected with improved crude oil production and flow of oil revenue into the Federation Account. In other words, the primary aim of this research is to find out whether the acceptance of amnesty by the militants in the Niger-Delta has any significant impact on crude oil production output and flow of oil revenue into the Federation Account. RESEARCH QUESTIONS This research would particularly attempt to answer the following research questions: To what extent has the granting of amnesty as a mechanism to manage resource conflict in the Niger-Delta region contributes to improved crude oil production? What is the effect of the amnesty on the flow of revenue into the Federation Account (Common Pool) from the oil sector? How does the amnesty programme impact on the Nigerias fiscal federalism? METHODOLOGY Jankowicz, (1995) has defined methodology as a systematic and orderly approach taken towards the collection of data so that information can be obtained from those data. This research adopts a qualitative approach, which has been described as a subjective account that one generates by getting inside situations and involving oneself in the everyday flow of life (Gill and Johnson, 2005:89). In Strauss and Corbin (1990:17) Qualitative Research is any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification. The objective of using this approach is to be able to draw conclusion from the research question as to whether there was an increase in crude oil production as well as revenue flow into Federation Account as a result of the amnesty granted to the militants. This research uses secondary data collection approach. The data of crude oil production statistics and revenue inflow were sourced from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Federation Account Allocation Committee Files (FAAC) and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Despite, their shortcomings, the credibility of data from these institutions is not in doubt because no any other agency can provide such data within and outside Nigeria without referring to them as source. The data collected were evaluated using a simple data inspection technique which is a comparison between actual experience and counterfactual scenarios. This type of technique is comprised of three methods namely; with versus without, before versus after and target versus actual. This method is basically used to analyse the effects of programmes and performance (Douangboupha, 2004). This research adopted the before and after technique because it provide the basis in which comparison is done between crude oil production and revenue flow into Federation Account before and after the amnesty has been granted. The before versus after method is used to compare performance of a new policy with what was before the reform. This approach usually shows what happened and not why it happened. However, this approached is criticised on the fact that it ignores other external factors that can influence it outcome (Douangboupha, 2004). SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH The scope of this research is to examine crude oil and revenue data from January 2009 May 2010. Similarly, the research would not be interested in looking at the amnesty programme in general. Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction The main objective of this Chapter is to critically review literature from variety of perspectives on the causation and management of conflict with links to natural resources induced conflicts. Review of Literature Conflict is a tragedy and impediment to development (Collier and Hoeffler, 2000). Conflict is an interruption of development as no development project will ever take place in a state of conflict. Of course, this has been acknowledged by late President YarAdua that conflict is threatening peace, security, order and good governance and jeopardising the economy of the nation (YarAdua, 2009). Conflict has been defined by Burton (1990) as those behaviours of individuals or groups that go beyond disagreement that cause serious injury to physical, security and future development of individuals, groups and nations. As in Omeje (2006:17), Fisher (2000) defines conflict as uneasy relationship between two or more parties who have, or think they have incompatible goals. These incompatible goals are largely associated with deep-human needs characterised by interest, desires and aspirations. Without doubt, conflicts do not just happened as there are always such factors that lead to conflicts. The causation of conflicts have been theorised in various ways such as in biological disposition, psychology, religion, identity, ethnicity, nationalism, ideology, history and ancients hatred, bad neighbours, manipulative leaders, security dilemma, cultural dysfunction, nature of the State and incompatible world views (Mac Ginty, 2009). Despite these incisive but opposing perspectives, the rentier state theory and resource curse thesis were, indeed, two central frameworks that have provided in-depth analysis on the impact of natural resources to the political, economic and social settings of resource blessed nations. In the rentier theory, it is argued that it is any state reliant not on the surplus production of the domestic population or economy but on externally generated revenues or rents usually derived from the extractive industries such as oil (Omeje, 2006). The rentier theory believed that reliance on economic rents promotes inefficiency and impede socioeconomic development (Mahler, 2010). Proponents of this theory argued that, on the political strand, rents promote authoritarian rule because it encourages network of patronage, pervasive clientelism and selfish policies of distribution. The net effects of these are lack of democratisation and gross societal depoliticisation. Another contention is that the presence of cornucopia of revenues, particularly, coming from oil sector discourages taxation thereby making the political class less accountable to the people and less interested in the promotion of citizen participation in governance. Though rentier theory focus more on the stability of authoritarian rule, rather than violence, there are evidence that rents are used to finance security apparatus by the political class to repress opposition, which in essence amount to violence (Mahler, 2010). As an example, the Nigerian political history has been dominated by both military and political elites that have less sympathy for the promotion of democracy. The evidences of coup and counter-coups that shaped the nations political past are obvious while election rigging and disenfranchisement have so far characterises the democratic dispensation. On the whole, there are submissions that the bulk of the youths in the Niger-Delta were armed by politicians. Okolo (2009) aptly states that the politicians in their unbridled lust for power, arm these youths as private armies against their real and perceived enemies making all sorts of promises to secure their loyalty but immediately their aim is achieved they abandon them forgetti ng that they still hold the arms. The youths unemployed and angry must a matter of necessity employ the guns to some use? The world is today not faced by the Thomas Malthus (1798) assertion that scarcity leads to conflict but by the argument that resource abundance has a link to conflict. The Malthusian argument is based on the idea that natural resources are in fixed supply and as demand of the resources increased, the price also increases, while the resources depleted thus leading to conflict (Mahler, 2010). On the contrary, staple theorist argued that resource abundance leads to the improvement of peoples well-being because natural resources provide the much needed revenues for the provision of goods and services. Unfortunately, resource abundance is now seen as a curse that is associated with all sorts of problems ranging from slow economic growth, corruption and conflicts (Oyefusi, 2007). Economic theorists have contended that over-reliance on single source of revenue makes a nation vulnerable and prone to conflict (Herbst, 2001) because of large rents and exposure to variety of shocks (booms and bursts). For instance, Nigeria has faced several crude oil related shocks and conflicts from 1966 to date often resulting in loss of lives and dislocation of the nations economy. More compounding to Nigeria is that the oil resource is largely located in one geographical region. And, as aptly observed by Ndikumana and Emizet (2005), dependence alone does not motivate conflict but the concentration of the natural resources in one geographical region and their unequal distribution significantly contribute to conflict. Moreso, the topography of the Niger-Delta area seems conducive for militancy activiti es. Olowu (2009) described the Niger-Delta as an intricate network of lagoons, creeks, estuaries, and mangroves swamps, stretching across 1 million square meters. Howsoever, sound is the above proposition; a many countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Norway and host of others were able to demystify the resource-dependency theory by making considerable progress in transforming their respective nations. So, for Collier (2004) the solution is to diversify the sources, which reduces the risk of conflict. Also, the resource-dependency theory has been criticised on the fact that dependency alone on a single natural resource does not lead to armed conflict. As Mac Ginty, (2005:67) argued scarcity and violence are a product of social relations rather than inherent in the relative abundance of a particular good, object or resources. It is further argued that conflict arises from a complex mix of events in the presence of resources the mode of resource exploitation, perception on benefits and identity affiliations. As it has been observed if the stake are high, identity affiliations can mutate, with groups and individuals attaching increasing weight to the purity of their ethnic group and rediscovering (or inventing) their unique history (Mac Ginty, 2005). Added to this, Ross (2003:19) pointed out that any given conflict is brought about by a complex set of events; often poverty, ethnic or religious grievances, and unstable governments The fundamental problem noted in this context is that of the management of the resources. It has been pointed out that it is the nature of the extraction coerce or voluntary, licences distribution patronage or open competition, profit destination public or private pockets that significantly explained whether there is resource curse or not (Mac Ginty, 2005). Similarly, poor management of resources create situations where individuals or group that harbour some grievances will use that as opportunity to argue against plundering of the resources located in their backyard without benefits. This is, somehow, the case in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria where there is demand for fair share of revenue from the resources extracted from the area. The Resource curse thesis presumed misery in the midst of plenty. It is argued that abundance rather than serve as a means for development leads to struggle for the control of the natural resource which often result in armed conflict (Obi, 2008). Indeed, the armed conflict in the Niger-Delta is over the control of crude oil between the State and the local communities caused by poverty and low human development index (Omeje, 2006). On another hand, studies by Sachs and Warner (1997:3) demonstrated that resource-poor economies often vastly outperform resource-rich economies. The point is that nations with abundant natural resources tend to grow slower than economies with fewer resources. In support of the above, Ross (2003) reported that the GDP per capita of countries which mining export was between 6% to 15%, fell by an average rate of 0.7% while those with mining export of about 15% 50%, their GDP per capita fell to 1.1% a year. Similarly, it showed that the GDP per capita of count ries with over 50% of mining exports, dropped by 2.3% per year. Furthermore, Sachs and Warner, (1997) cited historical instances to buttressed this point that in the 17th century despite the overflow of gold and silver from the colonies of Spain, the Netherlands surpassed Spain. This is similar with Japan and Switzerland that cast shadow over resource abundant Russia in the 19th Century while Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong became the star performers of the 20th century despite having fewer resources. Sachs and Warner (1997:4) conceptually situate this economic puzzle within the context of easy riches leads to sloth and the Dutch disease proposition. The Dutch Disease thesis argued that the availability of large rents from a single natural resources often result in the neglect of other productive sectors of the economy (Ross, 1999). In other words, the Dutch disease demonstrates that booms in natural resource sectors usually affect the distribution of employment throughout the economy, as wealth effects pull resources in and out of non-traded sector s (Sachs and Warner, 1997:5). And this is evident in Nigeria where oil revenue continue to grow from 3% in the 1960s to now over 80% of federally collectable revenue while total agricultural export dropped from 60% in the1960s to less than 8% by 2005 (Omeje, 2006). However, contrary to the persuasive argument put forward by Sachs and Warner, (1997), that one surprising features of modern economic growth is that economies abundant in natural resources have tended to grow slower than economies without substantial natural resources, Stijns, (2000:3) argued that it was a misleading result which was short of recommending that developing countries should leave their natural resources undiscovered and/or unexploited. Stijns (2000:4) further contended that natural resources are not significant determinants of economic growth because of the coexistence of positive and negative channels of effect from natural resources to other economic factors. It has been variously argued that natural resources have the potentials of promoting violent conflict through grievance and greed. The grievance theory sees conflict emerging from the long concern over deprivation and injustice (Collier, 2004 and Collier and Sambanis, 2007). Therefore, Communities whose land is being exploited sees themselves as collateral damage and where benefits is not forthcoming, they resort to protest and violence that leads to economic sabotage such as disruptions of production. For instance, the Niger-Delta region has been famous for economic sabotage as a way of protest against environmental degradation and neglect (Omeje, 2006). However, economists like Collier and Hoeffler have argued that greed is more inherent in motivating conflict than grievance or conflicts are far more likely to be caused by economic opportunities than by grievance (Mac Ginty, 2005:79, Tar, 2008). This is because the abundance of natural resource often serves as an incentive in which elites and warlords loot. The greed theory also presupposes that natural resources provide attraction to covetous individuals or groups to rebel in order to take control over revenues from the natural resources. However, critics argued that the expression made economists on the causation of conflict is economic rationalism taken to extreme (Mac Ginty, 2005:71) and pointed out that conflicts cannot be measured only by econometric methodologies or mistook correlation for causation while also subjecting the causes of conflicts only within the national environment without placing external factors such as trade, religion, regional dynamics in arms flow, etc. G enerally, it is argued that the real agents of conflicts are politics and identity while economic factors only appear to change the nature and aim of the conflict at some stage (Mac Ginty, 2005). As further contended, economic factors can enable conflict, but it cannot combust or sparks the conflict without other factors. Closely related to the greed thesis is the frustration and aggression theory, which deals with relative deprivation as a perceived disparity between value expectation and value capabilities (Afinotan and Ojakorotu, 2009). The theory argues that if there is a gap between expectation and attainment caused by lack of capability, tension crept in as a result of unfulfilled aspiration, which leads to frustration that eventually produces violent aggression. It was noted by Afinotan and Ojakorotu, (2009) that men are most inclined to aggression when subjected to unjustified frustration. Indeed, the potentials of violence are define by the gravity of deprivation. As Afinotan and Ojakorotu, (2009) pointed out men who are frustrated have an innate disposition to do violence to its source in proportion to the intensity of their frustration. The Niger-Delta conflict is a perfect demonstration of this theory because people are frustrated by lack of development, etc. However, this theory has been criticised on the ground that aggressive response to frustration may be dependent upon the individuals level of tolerance Afinotan and Ojakorotu, (2009). The separatist theory suggests that natural resources portend the risk of a secessionist conflict because it gives those in the region where the resources is located the incentive to demand for separate State (0yefusi, 2007). Indeed, it is more obvious from the emerging picture and dynamics of the conflict in the Niger-Delta region that the element of greed rather than grievance is more pronounced as various groups and factions emerged making conflicting demands and more often violently clash with each other over the control of areas where pipelines installation passes through (Omeje, 2006, 2008). In another perspective, Bannon and Collier (2003:2) contended that conflict is more likely to occur in a state of low per capita income, low economic growth rate and the structure of the economy. For instance, since the 1970s oil exports generated huge revenues in Nigeria, and yet, per capita income has remain very low in 1975 the per capita from oil was $127 which raised to $351 in 1980 and plummeted to $81 in 1989 but gradually grew to $337 in 2007 and to $391 in 2007 (CBN, Annual Statistical Bulletin, 2008). Though growing population in Nigeria has played a pivotal role in this low per capita, it is hard to conclude that low per capita from oil revenue is not one of the factors that leads to conflict in Nigeria (Mahler, 2010). But Mahler (2010:15) persuasively argued that even though falling oil revenues in the 1980s and the 1990s have contributed to low per capita, it was not only the shrinking abundance of oil but also its interplay with weak resource management performance in the country that caused further socioeconomic problems. These are issues associated with managing environmental problems and resource allocation principles. Therefore, as a solution, Collier (2004:7) suggested that doubling the level of income halve the risk of conflict. A percentage point on growth rate reduces the risk by around a percentage point. Despite the preponderance of econometric and case study analyses, there are still profound opposition that resources alone cannot be the direct link to conflict. This is because other extraneous factors and historical assumptions which are necessary for creating a link between resources and violent conflicts have not been properly contextualized through in-depth empirical studies to create linkages between resources and conflicts (Mahler, 2010). To this end, Mahler, (2010) has provided in a tabular form a matrix of resource and non-resource contextual conditions that will guide debate on the link between conflict and resources: Using the matrix in Table IV, and as has been postulated, the conflict in the Niger-Delta is premise on four contextual factors with oil serving as the main attraction (Omeje, 2006) as well as other external factors. Some commentators have situated the conflict in the Niger-Delta within the hypothesis of historical context arguing that the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 was unconscious of the heterogeneous nature of the nation as it failed to address the concern of the minority groups. Thus, the dominance of majority groups over the minority groups whose environment eventually produces the nations revenue, give rise to agitation for the restructuring of Nigeria (Omeje, 2006). The second ground situates the conflict in the Niger-Delta on the legal framework relating to landownership and extraction policies. Proponents of this thesis argued that the existing legal framework has given more control to the Multinational Oil Companies operating in the country thereby making them less lia ble to the environmental problems associated with exploration and extraction. In other words, the current legal mechanism within Nigeria lacks the impetus of enforcement. In the case of landownership, it is argued that the Land Use Act of 1978, for instance, has given State Government the ownership of land thus depriving individuals and groups from the right to demand for appropriate compensation, a situation which late President YarAdua attempted to reverse (Adeniyi, 2010). The third view positioned the Niger-Delta conflict on the pedestal of dependency in which the incorporation of Nigeria into global economic and political scene that is yet to be understood has disadvantaged Nigeria thereby leading to conflict. The fourth school of thought with Marxist approach sees the conflict in the Niger-Delta as the contradictions of class or groups interest intrinsic to the political economy of Nigeria as well as the character of the state (Omeje, 2006). Indisputably, the above issues are cause largely by institutional arrangement. As noted by Bardhan (2005) institutions either economic or political constitute or form the nucleus in which equitable distribution of resources or powers among divergent groups are made. And where the institution is inefficient, it becomes less credible thus attracting disquiet among the people. Bardhan (2005:27) put it that the history of underdevelopment is littered with cases of formidable institutional impediments. The failure of the institutions gives birth to collective action problem such as dispute over the sharing of the cost of bringing change known as free-rider problem and disputes over the sharing of benefits. All these problems, often, lead to breakdown of coordination among divergent and competing groups. Douglass North in Acemoglu and Robinson (2008:2) define institution as the rules of the game in a society or, more formally, are the humanly devised constraints that shape human interaction. Both economic and political institutions are influence by collective choices. The political institution, for instance, allocates de jure and de facto powers even though the latter sometime uses the instrument of force to meet it objectives. Acemoglu and Robinson (2008:6-7) noted that de facto political power originates from both the ability of the group in question to solve its collective action problem and from the economic resources available to the group which determines their capacity to use force against other groups. They further noted that when a particular group is rich relative to others, this will increase it de facto political power and enable it to push for economic and political institutions favourable to its interests, reproducing the initial disparity. Certainly, the Niger-Delta co nflict is a prime example of this assertion because the militants were capitalising on the location of the crude oil in their geography as a weapon to move for drastic change in the way political power and resource distribution are made. The history of Nigeria has depicted vivid evidences of political and economic asymmetry, which means unequal power and resource distribution and relation between communities within the States and between the State and the Federal Government. It is palpable that despite the creation of more States in the last decades, the cries of marginalisation still pervade the nations political terrain. For instance, State and Federal relationship has been situated on the north/south divide created by the amalgamation of 1914 which created a presume fear that the north with numerical population would continue to dominate the south. Oputa (2000:113), for example, observed that political asymmetry in this case persists because of the fear of domination by the north in the context of party electoral competition for control of political power and, therefore, of the enormous fiscal resources and patronage deriving from it at the federal level. Another issue political asymmetry lies in the balance of po wer where the States have remained dependent on the Federal Government. But it should be noted that Nigerias federalism was unique because the centre created the units unlike in other federations where the units create the centre. Contributing to the conflict debates, the neo-liberalists through the conception that free-market made free men believe that individual freedoms, open markets and rational choice guides human beings away from encouraging conflicts but instead sees development as a ladder out of conflict. This argument was re-enforced by the submission that free trade prevents conflicts and was demonstrated by the post-colonial studies of Krause and Suzuki, which concluded that the probability of conflict under open trade is insignificant (Mac Ginty, 2009). However, this postulation was criticised on the ground that free trade encourages market-induced inequality thereby creating enmity and tension among individuals and communities. Indeed, the Niger-Delta region is the symbol of Nigerias international trade where Multi-national Companies (MNCs) engage in Oil and Gas business, surprisingly, it is the same region that has been inundated by violence. Often, there were clear evidences to suggest the invo lvement of the MNCs in the brewing of the conflicts (Omeje, 2006, 2008). Development is another issue that is said to be behind conflict. This is so because the process of development sometime provide s

Corporate Control of the Media Defines Our Culture :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Corporate Control of the Media Defines Our Culture Viacom is on the warpath. They got your MTV, and Blockbuster, and even Paramount pictures. Forrest Gump is on the payroll. Any rock band or rap artist who wants to be anything is too. They own your music and your movies and a lot of the television you watch, and pretty soon they'll probably own all the books you read. They don't just supply the movies or music, either. First they tell you what you're going to like- -they lifted Forrest Gump all the way to an Oscar--and then they give it to you. And, if they're marketing is as good as it usually is, you're probably going to like it. They rule your tastes. They rule your culture. Viacom is everywhere. Viacom sucks. Viacom, with billions of dollars in their infantry, is conquering culture. They're not the only corporate general, though, leading the charge. Time/Warner has a formidable platoon, buying up magazines and chain stores and TV stations. Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, all with so much money they can't even spend it, just formed a multi-billion dollar media conglomerate called DreamWorks SKG. They want movies and music and TV and computers and anything else that entertains us. They want it all, and IBM and Microsoft and MCA records, among others rounding out the all-star corporate squad, are looking to get in on the deal. The war for cultural dominance is on, with billions and even trillions of dollars on the line. Everyone stand aside. The big guys are here to fight, and fight hard. Culture is a multi-billion dollar industry. Movies, computers, books, CD's, theme parks--they're what Americans spend their money on. Everyone has seen Jurassic Park. Everyone has heard Michael Jackson. Entertainment, and the culture it defines, is something we all share, something that unifies the American, and even world, experience. Little else can or does. Movies, music, TV especially have become the cultural staples of our time. A number one song can make you a millionaire, and some movies become so popular that literally everyone has seen them. Entertainment defines the American scene. It is our culture. It is, then, inevitably a part of everyone's life, if not only through your pocketbook. This, then, is what drives the battle to conquer culture--your money. American culture--what America reads, listens to, and watches--grows larger and larger every year, expanding like the Blob(a cultural icon) not only across the country but also across the world.

Divorce and Reproductive Health Essay

Divorce (or the dissolution of marriage) is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties (unlike annulment, which declares the marriage null and void). Divorce laws vary considerably around the world, but in most countries it requires the sanction of a court or other authority in a legal process. The legal process of divorce may also involve issues of alimony (spousal support), child custody, child support, distribution of property, and division of debt. Where monogamy is law, divorce allows each former partner to marry another; where polygyny is legal but polyandry is not, divorce allows the woman to marry another. Between 1971 and 2011, several countries legalized divorce, the last one being Malta in 2011. The majority Catholic Philippines is the last officially secular country that does not have civil divorce for the whole population; Muslims, however, are granted divorce rights as per their religion. Vatican City, a ecclesiastical sovereign city-state, also has no procedure for divorce. â€Å"Divorcing one’s parents† is a term sometimes used to refer to emancipation of minors. Divorce in the Philippines is planning to take over Filipino values and culture. It’s all over the news, the Philippine Congress is now pushing forward the Divorce Bill right after they have put forward the Reproductive Health Bill. This is exactly what I have been worrying about. Just a couple of weeks ago, when I attended our Baptist Convention Meeting here in the Visayas, this issue was brought up. And just as what I have stated, â€Å"RH Bill can also lead to the Divorce Bill† because they have the same proponents. I know lots of Evangelical Christians are pro-RH Bill. But what they don’t know is that the proponents of RH Bill are also the proponents of Divorce Bill. And now that they almost got what they want, they are now preparing for another wave of controversial bill which will open a highway for immorality and degradation of Philippine culture and religious standards and beliefs. MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines remains the only nation in the world that does not have a law legalizing divorce. Is the country ready for such a law? Gabriela Party Rep. Luz Ilagan believes that it is time that the country moves forward and help couples who can no longer live together. Ilagan and fellow lawmaker Emmi de Jesus have filed a House bill introducing divorce in the Philippines that is now with the House committee on revision of laws. She said they are now waiting for the committee to schedule hearings to ask the sponsors and resource persons to explain the pros and cons of the proposed legislation. House Speaker Sonny Belmonte on Wednesday said the divorce bill will be among the priority measures that will be tackled when Congress opens its 3rd regular session in late July. Belmonte said he is supporting the enactment of a divorce law in the country. Ilagan, in an interview with radio dzMM Thursday, said the country is ready for a divorce law. PH only country without divorce â€Å"We are ready and we are the only country left now. Two years ago, we still had Malta,† she said. â€Å"But when Malta had a referendum last year, na kahit iyung presidente nila was reluctant to grant divorce, noong makita niya iyung results ng kanilang referendum ay pumayag. Kaya ang Philippines na lang ang natitirang bansa na walang divorce,† she said. She said Italy, where the Vatican City is located, allows divorce. The Vatican, which is technically a sovereign city-state, does not allow divorce. Current Philippine laws only allow annulment of marriage — a long, expensive, and painful legal process for estranged couples who no longer want to live together as man and wife. Not Vegas-style divorce Ilagan said the conservatives in the Philippines should not compare the proposed legislation with lax laws on divorce in other countries such as the United States. â€Å"May kaibahan, sa Amerika kaya tinatawag natin na divorce Las Vegas-style, puwedeng mag-asawa ngayon, tapos kapag hindi nila type, kahit mababaw lang ang dahilan, puwede na mag-divorce,† she said. â€Å"Sa atin naman, Pinoy style, mayroong mga kondisyon. Hindi madali na makuha rin iyung divorce. May mga kundisyon tayong inilagay sa isinusulong nating panukalang batas,† she explained. 5 grounds for divorce Ilagan’s bill proposes 5 grounds for divorce. Couples who want to avail of divorce will need to fulfill at least one of the conditions set forth in the bill, if it becomes law. According to the measure, couples who may apply for divorce include those who have been separated in fact for 5 years or those already legally separated for 2 years. â€Å"Number 3, is when the couple have the situation na nandoon iyung condition for legal separation such as marital infidelity, abandonment, one of the spouses has been convicted for more than 6 years, and domestic violence,† she said. â€Å"Ito naman ang mga basis for legal separation. Kung nandiyan iyan, puwede nang mag-file din ng divorce.† Grounds for legal separation may also apply when these same grounds have already caused the irreparable breakdown of the marriage. In addition, psychological incapacity, causing one’s failure to comply with essential marital obligations, and irreconcilable differences causing the irreparable breakdown of the marriage, will also be recognized as grounds for divorce. Ilagan said under the proposed law, it will be the courts that will determine if couples are qualified to apply for divorce. â€Å"It has to be proven in court, kasi hindi naman just because you filed for a divorce, you automatically get it,† she said. â€Å"Siyempre ang korte ang magwe-weigh.† Divorce less expensive She said the proposed divorce process will not be as financially, emotionally, and legally taxing as annulment. â€Å"Mas hindi mahal pero hindi siya murang-mura naman na this will become very, very easy that people will avail of,† she said. â€Å"Kasi, mayroon pa ring effort, mayroon pa ring proseso na susndin to reconcile.† â€Å"There will still be some expenses to be incurred dahil magha-hire ka pa rin ng lawyer pero this will not be as difficult or expensive as annulment,† she added. Ilagan cited data from the Office of the Solicitor General that says in Metro Manila alone, around 800 cases are being filed in courts for legal separation and annulment every month. â€Å"Majority of these (annulment petitioners) are women, and 92% are Catholic. Kailangan talaga, harapin na natin ang problemang ito,† she said. Support from lawmakers Even as the head of the lower House is supporting the proposal, Ilagan said the Senate is also likely to throw its weight behind a divorce bill. She cited the cases of 4 senators who either have annulled marriages or are undergoing the process. They are Senators Francis Escudero, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, and Aquilino â€Å"Koko† Pimentel III. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, during the renewal of her wedding vows last year, alsoexpressed support for divorce to be legalized in the Philippines. â€Å"I think divorce should be available to people who become homicidal at the sight of each other. That’s so much better than making each other miserable for the rest of their lives and impacting the lives of their children as well. I’ve always made known my views since I was RTC (Regional Trial Court) judge,† she said. â€Å"I am in favor of a divorce bill provided that grounds for divorce are very strict so that we will not encourage young people to rush int o marriage and then rush out by divorce,† Santiago said. â€Å"I think the Senate is more open,† Ilagan said. â€Å"They (senators) have revealed situations na they would be sympathetic to people who would like to have divorce.† â€Å"I’m sure marami din naman sa lower House na nakakaintindi. Itong bill na ito, inisip para tugunan ang pangangailangan ng atin mga kababayan,† she added. Just before the intense debate on the Reproductive Health bill, Filipinos are once more at odds with each other in considering another controversial piece of legislation: the Divorce bill. The debate on legalizing divorce took a kick-start when news of Maltese referendum favoring divorce reached the Philippines a few days ago. This has prompted progressive groups to make a bolder call for the country to follow in Malta’s steps and legalize divorce in a predominantly Catholic nation. The debate on divorce is nothing new, see here AttyatWork’s round-up of talking points on the issue from last year. Filipino Thinkers has a great digest of how the debate was settled and how the referendum unfolded in Malta. More importantly, it provides a side by side comparison of the issue between the Philippines and Malta: Aside from the happy ending, which left the Philippines the only country without divorce1, the story of Malta’s divorce referendum shares similarities with our own reproductive health (RH) debates: both countries are last bastions of Catholicism: Malta in Europe, the Philippines in Asia; both countries are predominantly Catholic: 95% in Malta, 80% in the Philippines; and both battles are primarily between progressive Catholics and conservative bishops. And in both cases, the conservative bishops use fear mongering to keep their flock in line. For a quick refresher on the differences between divorce, annulment and legal separation, Lyle R. Santos has a quick guide in layman’s terms. With Malta’s approval of divorce, the Philippines is now the lone country in the world that prohibits it. For Blue Dela Kanluran, the debate on divorce should not be framed on this fact alone: As i had stated earlier my stand is against divorce however, I will not begrudge a sovereign nation of their right to decide whats best for their country and themselves as Malta has displayed here. (See, that is an example of the separation of Church and State). Which leads me to wonder, what effects will the stigma of the only country which outlaws divorce have on the Philippines? Personally, I think this will make pro-divorce legislation in the future more difficult not only because of the meddling of the Church but with the stigma earlier stated as well (Which is not how legislation should be argued). Cocoy views the near-approval of the Reproductive Health and now the Divorce bill as a ‘reboot‘ of the Philippines, moving from a predominantly religious state in a secular o ne: If the Reproductive Health bill becomes law, and it is followed by a divorce bill? That would be one continuity reboot for the Philippines. It signals that the nation is slowly becoming secular and less under the thrall of the Vatican. As a Catholic, for me, it presents an opportunity for the Church to focus on the spiritual. I want sermons and direction that make me a better person. I don’t need the Church to tell me what is wrong with government. Filipinos everywhere already know what’s wrong with our nation. It is that time in history that we fix it. I need my church to help guide that poor maid who is always beaten up by her husband. I need a Church that guides street children away from the streets, and into education. I need this church to be relevant. Dreamwalker takes delight in the fact that this proposed laws, no matter how dividing and controversial, sparks debate among society, thus encouraging everyone to take part in the national discourse: I continue to be amazed by how Filipinos seem to be more aware of what is happening in the country and how we seek to be more informed about our laws â€⠀œ both proposed and existing. In my opinion, this can only lead to more good. Never mind that there will always b Maju brings forward a valid point in cautioning that our lawmakers should take up the divorce law with a keener eye: We should also get onto considerations on how good or bad are existing divorce laws. In many countries, notably those under the Sharia, the rights of women and men in divorce are not the same. Lastly, here’s a good discussion by a lawyer, Connie Veneracion, about annulment, legal separation under current Philippine laws and how divorce could plug the holes in the current Family Code: Later on, however, it became clear that despite the leeway allowed by the concept of psychological incapacity, there was a huge gaping hole in the law. Annulment is a very expensive legal procedure beyond the financial capacity of majority of the Filipinos. The laundrywoman living in the slums who is physically abused by the drunken jobless husband could not afford it. In addition to the expense, the process was a long and tedious one. Eventually, the divorce advocates started making noise again. As expected, the Catholic church is getting more imaginative in coming up with arguments against divorce. It is sad that most Filipinos cannot view marriage independently from its religious context. It is even more sad that most Filipinos do not consider themselves validly married unless married in church. Very sad indeed. So, will the passage of a divorce law patch the loopholes in the Family Code? It depends on what the law will allow as valid grounds for divorce and what the required procedure will be. It has happened before that a law is passed as some sort of pacifier. Congress can pass a â€Å"divorce† law which such narrow grounds and complex process that it will effectively negate the very purpose of a divorce. You know, just so it can be said that a divorce law has been passed. I doubt if that will satisfy the progressives and the divorce advocates. I’m not in favor that Divorce will be legalized in the Philippines. I believe its illegal and against the law of God. Philippines is a Christian culture country and we are the largest Christian Culture of all Asia. I don’t like Divorce at all and it has many disadvantages, of course Divorce ends your marriage that invest nothing at end, Divorce cost money and hurts children and also it changes personal relationships. Many people just don’t know the real importance of marriage even before planning of the wedding. Many of us are very religious and follow strict rules. We Filipinos believe that marriage is sacred in the eyes of God. Divorce is not the solution to the problems of many couple having their difficulties, they should put in their mind that they should save the relationship. They both promise in front of God that they will be as one in dealing life through ups and downs. We should see the other side of the situation and not be selfish. Children is the number one reason to keep the family together and bravely face all the problems. We should stand as the last standing country that did not legalized divorce and fight our dignity as a Filipino and as a person. Love of the family is the Filipino cultural identity. Family is very important and we should not give the evil an opportunity to destroy our gift of life which is our family. I Hope that many people realized the true essence of having a Family. I Will end up this with my deep and brief thought that In time of test, Family is the best. Below is a free essay on â€Å"Anti Divorce† from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. 1 Divorce: a threat against the Filipino family Introduction A number of House Bills seeking to introduce divorce in the Philippines has sparked a nationwide debate. Moral, social, economic, and psychological issues pose valid considerations in resolving the debate. Various concern groups passionately argue and defend their respective viewpoints. The proponents of divorce led by groups advocating women’s rights argued that the reliefs provided by the Family Code are no longer adequate in the modern and present time. Further, these reliefs are prohibitive in nature due to the high cost of the legal procedure and its strict guidelines. They further contended that in reality, many couples especially those in the marginalized sector are stuck in unhappy and irreparable marriages because the relief that is applicable for their situation is not provided by any law in our country. While rich Filipinos can afford to have their respective marriages annulled, those who are poor are trapped in an abusive marriage for years. However, this proposition has been met with strong opposition. Being devout Christians, many Filipinos believed that â€Å"what God has put together, let no man put asunder.† They opined that divorce could lead to the breakdown of families. Divorce, they say would be detrimental in the Filipino culture which is primarily centered on a strong foundation in the family. Moreover, they contended that the said bill is unconstitutional because it is a threat against the family which the constitution pledged to protect as an inviolable institution. This paper seeks to address whether or not there is a need to legalize divorce in the Philippines as necessary relief for those marriages that has broken apart and its effects. Divorce defined Divorce, also called the dissolution of marriage is the final termination of a marital union. It cancels the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolves the bonds of matrimony between the parties. In effect,†¦