Social Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Policy - Essay Example The welfare state, however, is in a state of crisis, such that the very forces, which initiated its rise after World War II are touted to bring the same challenges it is facing today (Pierson, 1998). Among these are the neo-liberalist ideas of capitalism and globalisation. As Deacon (1997) argues, globalisation sets welfare states against each other through competition, in a manner that can undermine social solidarity. Hence, encouraging welfare states to be more adept to minimise risks and maximise returns of policies. The New Labour’s ‘Third Way’ modernization project, in turn can be considered as a response to the factors that threaten solidarity by constructing a new ‘social democracy,’ which according to Fitzpatrick (2002) is but a simplification of the old concept of social democracy. Thus, the introduction of a neo-liberal capitalism ideologies, as well as globalization, questions the commitment of social policies towards welfare and social justice, in the context of risk management. Two policy areas that illustrates such is with regard to community care, evidenced by the recently passed Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003; and child welfare in the context of the Mental Health Bill 2004. First, the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, has been described as more concerned with giving authorities more administrative and enforcement powers to punish offenders, without due reference to rehabilitating them, especially with regard to youth offenders (Liberty, 2003; National Children’s Bureau, 2003).

Asian Art Essay Example for Free

Asian Art Essay Folk arts in Azerbaijan have a long and interesting history. Works of art made from metal extracted from Nakhichevan, Migachevir, Gadanay, Gandja and other places are approximately 5000 years old. Crockery, weapons and adornments found here are not historical facts alone, but valuable sources which testify the skills of the master. Different pictures, scraped on housing implements made from copper, bronze, gold and adornments, prove existence of fine art in Azerbaijan since ancient times. Carpets were made by several separate carpet-making schools of Azerbaijan (Guba, Baku, Shirvan, Gandja, Gazakh, Nagorny Karabakh, Tabriz) in different periods. Bhutanese art Bhutanese art is similar to the art of Tibet. Both are based upon Vajrayana Buddhism, with its pantheon of divine beings. The major orders of Buddhism in Bhutan are Drukpa Kagyu and Nyingma. The former is a branch of the Kagyu School and is known for paintings documenting the lineage of Buddhist masters and the 70 Je Khenpo (leaders of the Bhutanese monastic establishment). The Nyingma order is known for images of Padmasambhava, who is credited with introducing Buddhism into Bhutan in the 7th century. According to legend, Padmasambhava hid sacred treasures for future Buddhist masters, especially Pema Lingpa, to find. The treasure finders (terton) are also frequent subjects of Nyingma art. Each divine being is assigned special shapes, colors, and/or identifying objects, such as lotus, conch-shell, thunderbolt, and begging bowl. All sacred images are made to exact specifications that have remained remarkably unchanged for centuries. Bhutanese art is particularly rich in bronzes of different kinds that are collectively known by the name Kham-so (made in Kham) even though they are made in Bhutan, because the technique of making them was originally imported from the eastern province of Tibet called Kham. Wall paintings and sculptures, in these regions, are formulated on the principal ageless ideals of Buddhist art forms. Even though their emphasis on detail is derived from Tibetan models, their origins can be discerned easily, despite the profusely embroidered garments and glittering ornaments with which these figures are lavishly covered. In the grotesque world of demons, the artists apparently had a greater freedom of action than when modeling images of divine beings. Buddhist art Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BC, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world. Buddhist art followed believers as the dharma spread, adapted, and evolved in each new host country. It developed to the north through Central Asia and into Eastern Asia to form the Northern branch of Buddhist art, and to the east as far as Southeast Asia to form the Southern branch of Buddhist art. In India, Buddhist art flourished and even influenced the development of Hindu art, until Buddhism nearly disappeared in India around the 10th century due in part to the vigorous expansion of Islam alongside Hinduism. Burmese contemporary art Burma (Myanmar) is a country in Southeast Asia which has endured isolation for the last four decades. It is also a country with deep rooted Buddhist beliefs. The contemporary art scene in the country reflects these facts, and the art is often related to Buddhism and the difficult socio-political situation. In this age of globalization, Burmese contemporary art has developed rather on its own terms. Chinese Art Chinese art has varied throughout its ancient history, divided into periods by the ruling dynasties of China and changing technology. Great philosophers, teachers, religious figures and even political leaders have influenced different forms of art. Chinese art encompasses fine arts, folk arts and performance arts. Eastern Art Eastern art history is devoted to the arts of the Far East and includes a vast range of influences from various cultures and religions. The emphasis is on art history amongst many diverse cultures in Asia. Developments in Eastern art historically parallel those in Western art, in general a few centuries earlier. African art, Islamic art, Indian art, Chinese art, and Japanese art each had significant influence on Western art, and, vice-versa. Indian art Indian Art is the art produced on the Indian subcontinent from about the 3rd millennium BC to modern times. To viewers schooled in the Western tradition, Indian art may seem overly ornate and sensuous; appreciation of its refinement comes only gradually, as a rule. Voluptuous feeling is given unusually free expression in Indian culture. A strong sense of design is also characteristic of Indian art and can be observed in its modern as well as in its traditional forms. Persian art The Iranian cultural region consisting of the modern nations of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and surrounding regions is home to one of the richest art heritages in world history and encompasses many disciplines including architecture, painting, weaving, pottery, calligraphy, metalworking and stone masonry.

Terrorism Essay -- essays research papers

Terrorism: Cause and Responses Answer 1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our world has been a victim of terrorism and terrorist acts since the civilized human life began on this planet. There have been radicals and extremists who have been unhappy about something or the other all along during the development of our world. It can be seen that the ways how these people terrorized the world has changed along with time. Terrorists have always used the path of violence to get their voice heard to the world. With the technological innovations these groups also adapted their means of violence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the examples of the traditional terrorist group (which I must clear that any Indian would not believe it to be a terrorist group but at the time was labeled as a terrorist group) was Hindustan (Indian) Republican Association in India. The whole world knows that India got its independence by following the path directed by Mahatma Gandhi of non-violence, but not many people know that even during the time of Gandhi India did see some brave soldiers like Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and many more young generation people who formed groups to fight against the British government. These people were called terrorists by the British government during that time. One of the most famous groups of that time was Hindustan (Indian) Republican Association (HRA) and Bhagat Singh was one of the most active members of group. Before Bhagat Singh joined HRA the activities and the purpose of this group was unknown to the general public of India and that was one of the main reasons that even the population of India thought that this group was a terrorist organization, but everything changed after Bhagat Singh joined HRA. Bhagat Singh was a well educated man who believed in communism. He studied the writings of the anarchist leader Bakunin, some thing of the father of communism Marx, but more of Lenin, Trotsky and others who had succeeded in bringing about a revolution in their country. For Bhagat Singh the decisive break came in the post-1926 period when the Hindustan Republican Association leadership fell on his shoulders. He lost no time in articulating the necessity of having a political ideology and that was to be Marxism. In 1928, Bhagat Singh also had the responsibility of the Hindustan Republican Association with Chandra Shekhar A... ...ocracy. On the other end the radical Islamic groups are not at all confined to their own country; they are more interested in spreading the word of Islam in the whole world. –The Islamic groups would indulge in terrorist act towards their own country only when it is necessary. –The other big difference is the highly sophisticated training camps that the radical Islamic groups use is not that easily available to the right wing groups. –The funding in case of the right wing groups is limited and does not have any support from their own government or the people. –One of the most important goals of the radical Islamic terrorist groups is the formation of a coalition of all loosely-affiliated Islamic groups and countries and spread the word of Islam in the world. On the other hand there is not much of a connection between different right wing American terrorist groups amongst themselves. The reason behind the right wing American terrorist groups and the radical Islamic terrorist groups to be different might be that their final goals are different from each other. Some of their methods of beliefs might be similar but except that the final goals of both the groups do not match.

Hemingway’s “The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber”

The text â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber† is a short story written in 1936 by an author called Ernest Hemingway. The story revolves around three people; a man called Francis Macomber, his wife Margot and another man called Robert Wilson. The story isn’t narrated from a fixed point of view, but changes multiple times throughout the story. The story isn’t chronological, as there is a long flashback in the middle of the story. Francis Macomber is a very wealthy American man. Although we aren’t told what his profession is, my guess would be that he is some sort of big-name businessman, as we are told that his wealth is only going to grow, and he is regularly featured in magazines together with his wife. Many people will probably describe Francis as a pushover, but I wouldn’t say so. He does strike me as being extremely passive, and never takes action when he feels that something isn’t going the way he wants it to. In spite of this Francis does have a very developed sense of pride, and when he is dishonored it hurts him a great deal. Margaret Macomber is a very handsome woman, who is married to Francis. She doesn’t seem to have a profession of her own, but we are told she does earn some money off of her beauty. Margaret is a extremely unlikeable character, she is completely stripped of empathy, and seems to care for nothing but her own needs. Robert Wilson is an English professional hunter, who is residing in Africa, earning his money by taking rich foreigners out to realize their dream of killing lions, buffalos, rhinos and other animals that doesn’t live in the western world. Robert seems to enjoy his job of guiding rich people through Africa, not just because of his love for hunting, but also because of the extra benefits that comes along with guiding around the young wives of older wealthy men â€Å"He had hunted for a certain clientele, the international, fast, sporting set, where the women did not feel they were getting their money’s worth unless they had shared that cot with the white hunter. † All in all Wilson seems as the ultimate free man, and therefore fits perfectly with the demands of a code hero. He follows rules when he has to, but doesn’t really respect them, and if he sees them to be unjust, he makes up his own, but only to the point where he isn’t discovered. Apart from this he isn’t bound by anything else, Wilson doesn’t seem to be religious, and he sleeps with a lot of women, but doesn’t feel the need to commit himself. When there is something he doesn’t want to do, he simply doesn’t do it. Francis and Margaret Macomber are on a safari in Africa, to hunt for wild animals. It isn’t long though before we find out that not everything is going exactly as they had planned. â€Å"He was dressed in the same sort of safari clothes that Wilson wore except that his were new, he was thirty-five years old, kept himself very fit, was good at court games, had a number of big-game fishing records, and had just shown himself, very publicly, to be a coward. †. The four people seem to try to ignore it, as they go on with their routines without showing indications of any major events having taken place. This facade isn’t kept for long, as Margaret storms of in tears. When she leaves the 2 men stay behind, and we get some more info on what has happened earlier on. We are told that Francis had run from something, but we aren’t told exactly why he did so, and from what he ran. As Margaret returns and the three of them eat there are dropped some more subtle hints on what had happened. Maragaret taunts Francis with his cowardice, and also drops some ironic remarks about the lion, which leads us to thinking that it was the lion that Francis ran away from. We are then told the story about the lion. Francis thinks back on the night before, where the lion’s roars had kept him awake, and they terrified him a great deal. The following morning Margaret can tell that he isn’t feeling well, but being a man, who values his pride he doesn’t want to tell her, although, he eventually does. But after breakfast they go out to hunt for the lion. They find it at the side of a river, and Francis has the lion set up for a pretty good shot, but his nervousness gets the better of him, and he doesn’t get the kill shot in. Because of this the lion is able to escape, and hide in the tall grass. Wilson tells Francis that the lion is even more dangerous now that it is wounded and desperate, and Francis becomes even more scared and tries to escape the dangerous situation, via some ludicrous suggestions. But there’s no way out of it. And of course the expected happens, once the lion starts moving around Francis gets scared out of his mind, and starts running around like a crazy person. Margaret sees all of this, and is obviously disappointed with her husband; so much even that she turns to Wilson. â€Å"While they sat there his wife had reached forward and put her band on Wilson’s shoulder. He turned and she had leaned forward over the low seat and kissed him on the mouth†. To once again highlight Francis’ passiveness he sits through this without even saying a word. As they return to the camp Francis realizes that his and Margaret’s marriage might as well be over, but he also realizes that it will never end, as Margaret is now too old to get a better man than him, and he isn’t very good with the ladies. â€Å"but she was not a great enough beauty any more at home to be able to leave him and better herself and she knew it and he knew it. She had missed the chance to leave him and he knew it. If he had been better with women she would probably have started to worry about him getting another new, beautiful wife but she knew too much about him to worry about him either†. This confirms, once and for all, that there is absolutely nothing passionate about their marriage. The very same night Francis wakes up in the middle of the night, and finds that Margaret isn’t laying by his side, and she doesn’t come back for another two hours. And as if that isn’t enough Margaret again shows her complete lack of empathy, as she doesn’t even apologize to her husband, but just goes to sleep, as if nothing has happened. The next morning at breakfast Francis develops a great deal of animosity towards Wilson, and he ultimately throws quite a fit. Even so, Francis goes on to hunt for buffalos, and this goes a lot better than expected. Something happens with Francis and he is set free from the prison that is his own restraints. However, this newfound freedom doesn’t last for long, as Margaret shoots because one of the buffalos were charging for him.

Mountains: Volcano and Mid-ocean Ridges

Volcanic mountains are mountains that form when molten rock erupts onto the earth's surface. They can either form on land or in the ocean. The Cascade Range in Washington, Oregon and northern California is composed of volcanic mountains. Some of the largest volcanic mountains are found along divergent boundaries, which form the mid-ocean ridges. The mid-ocean ridges have huge volcanic mountain chains that run through the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The mountains in the mid-ocean ridges can actually grow tall enough to create islands such as Iceland or the Azores. Other volcanic mountains can form over hot spots, which are pockets of magma beneath the crust that erupt onto earth's surface. The Hawaiian Islands are actually the tops of really high volcanic islands that have formed over a hot spot on the sea floor. The main Hawiian island is actually a volcano that is about 9 km above the ocean floor, with a base that is about 160 km wide. Almost 4 km of this island is above sea level. Folded mountains Folded mountains make up some of the highest mountains in the world. Folded mountains commonly form along boundaries, where 2 continents are colliding. They tend to look like an accordion. Some really complex folds can be found in parts of the Alps, Himalayas, Appalachians, and Russia's Ural Mountains. These long mountain chains also show extensive signs of folding. block mountains lock mountains are formed when parts of the earth's crust has been broken off into large block mountains are formed when two simultaneous blocks of land rise above or fall down leaving its middle part behind, when magma pushes up and forces top layers of rock (elastic) up with it. An example is the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Domed mountains, although have broken (plasic) and move up as a ‘chunk'. A fault block mountain is a mountain or range formed as a horst when it was elevated between parallel normal faults. A horst is the ra ised fault block bounded by normal faults.

Theories of international relations Essays

Theories of international relations Essays Theories of international relations Essay Theories of international relations Essay A structural query in the social sciences and associated areas as we know it today has deep roots in the history of Western thought. To find out the fundamental, constitutive, structures into which the sensory data of human observation and experience fall: this was a fundamental objective of the ancient Greeks, to go back no far in time (S. Sambursky, 1956). The Greek root of word idea refers to pattern, relationship, or constitution. When we speak of Platos doctrine of Ideas, we might better speak of his principle of Forms, for this is specifically what they were. Granted that these were ideal, even heavenly units in Platos philosophy, it relics true, as Cornford has stressed, that Plato was also a cosmologist, keenly interested in the nature of the actual, experiential world, social as well as physical.   In Platos cosmology there is a thoughtful sense of reality as comprised by not discrete data but shapes and forms mathematical in character (F. M. Cornfo rd, 1952). Nor where Platos student and absconder Aristotle has any less interested in structures. As all interpreters of Aristotle have stressed, it is the living being, and with it growth, that dominates Aristotles mind as the basic model of structure. Organismic structure is, indeed, one of the oldest and most determined models to be found in Western philosophy and science. From Aristotles day to our own, with barely any lapses, the philosophy of an organism has been a significant one: sometimes with stress on the more static aspects, as in anatomy, but other times on the dynamic elements which are found to be constitutive, as in physiological processes, with growth. Structuralism can be inert in character, or it can be hereditary and dynamic. Contending purely organism model of structure have been as a minimum two others: the mathematical and the mechanical. Most likely the first is at least as old as the organismic. The earliest, pre-Socratic Pythagorean School of philosophy sought to reveal that reality is mathematical- that is, formed by irreducible geometrical patterns. As, the Pythagorean philosophy exercised great influence upon Plato, and much of his own cosmology contains efforts to refine the Pythagorean view of the geometric structures which form the real. The notion that reality is eventually mathematical in character is of course a very powerful one at the present time. A basic notion is interest in the relationships, the connections, within which we discover primitive elements of matter and energy. The perfunctory conception of structure, though also very old, enjoyed a renascence in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the consequence in substantial degree of the influence on all thought of such physical philosophers as Kepler, Galileo, and Newton. It was nearly expected, given the great repute of these and other minds engaged in the search for laws, systems, and structures in the physical world, that the type of systems and structures they set forth in astronomy, physics, and mechanics must have excited the interests of those concerned mainly with man and society. To see society as a great machine with prototypes of equilibrium, action and reaction, and association of parts to the whole was alluring indeed, as so numerous of the ventures in social physics or social mechanics in the eighteenth century make evident. As with biology and the replica of the organism, mechanics and its model of the machine offered both statics and dynamics. Structuralism in sociology and associated disciplines has a long history insofar as its fundamental grounds are concerned. As Raymond Williams has written: We need to know this history if we are to understand the important and difficult development of structural and later structuralist as defining terms in the human sciences.( Raymond Williams, 1956). There are numerous major, and diverse, outsets of structure to be found in the social sciences of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, but at the extraction of all of them lie in one relation or other the biological, mathematical, and mechanical models of reality which have wield strong effect upon so many areas of knowledge over the past numerous millennia in the West. Challenges of Structuralism Through the decline of student movements by the early seventies, the slipping and incorporation and commercialization of broader counter-cultural propensities, the appearance of an international economic crisis, and the rise of Thatcherism and Reaganism, the cultural theories and the politics of the critical theory that inclined the New Left were called deeply into question. For several especially in Britain and France, Althussers theory of cultural apparatuses, joint with semiotic theories of discourse, and his overall project of a scientific, structuralist Marxism, appeared the apparent alternative to the failures of humanist Marxism, especially the Hegelian Marxism of the Frankfurt tradition. More usually, a rediscovery of the political economic practicalities of Marxism was called for in opposition to the unrealistic and romantic humanism of critical theory. The challenge of structuralism (and its commencement of social reproduction and related semiotic theories of discourse) pro ved critical for the revision and rethinking of the cultural theory of critical theory in the seventies. Of decisive significance here was a reassessment of the tasks of critical theory as a form of empirical research, as well as a rethinking of the nature of the association between culture, the state and social movements. The job of surveying the response of critical theory to structuralism and structuralist semiotics is intricate by the difficulties of differentiating the composite of tendencies symbolized by structuralism and post structuralism, as well as the arbitrariness of separating off cultural analysis from other concerns of critical theory. There is a certain difficulty in separating out the reaction of critical theory to structuralism as opposed posting structuralism; given that they share numerous assumptions and that their reception took place more or less concurrently for many of those with access to the original French texts. The main justification for such a separation, beyond the significant theoretical shifts entailed, is that the focus of structuralism theories of society is the imitation of culture, whereas the focus of poststructuralist theories is in part the impracticality, or as a minimum difficulty, of any positive, representational theory of culture in the former sense. Gidde ns provide a practical characterization of these underlying continuities. Poststructuralist authors, such as Derrida and Foucault, were reacting against aspects of structuralism thought and yet were obliged to many of its varied assumptions and arguments such as the work of de Saussure, Là ©vi-Strauss, Althusser, Lacan, and early Barthes). Though handled distinctively in structuralism and post-structuralist writing, a number of shared themes can be identified: †¦the thesis that linguistics, or more accurately, certain aspects of particular versions of linguistics, are of key importance to philosophy and social theory as a whole; an emphasis on the relational nature of totalities, connected with the thesis of the arbitrary character of the sign, together with a stress upon the primacy of signifiers over what is signified; the decentring of the subject; a peculiar concern with the nature of writing, and therefore with textual materials; and an interest in the character of a temporality as somehow constitutively involved with the nature of objects and events. There is not a single one of these themes which does not bear upon issues of importance to social theory today. Equally, however, there is not one in respect of which the views of any of the writers listed above could be said to be acceptable. (Giddens, 1987:196) The precise boundaries of the theory of culture are also notoriously difficult to define. Some focus on More narrowly an artistic notion of culture, others slip into a more generic and inclusive one. As Nelson and Grossberg note in their recent collection: †¦cultural theory is now as likely to study political categories (such as democracy), forms of political practice (such as alliances), and structures of domination (including otherness) and experience (such as subjectification) as it is to study art, history, philosophy, science, ethics, communicative codes or technology. Cultural theory is involved with reexamining the concepts of class, social identity, class struggles, and revolution; it is committed to studying questions of pleasure, space, and time; it aims to understand the fabric of social experience and everyday life, even the foundations of the production and organization of power itself. Consequently, it is all but impossible to define the terrain of cultural theory by pointing to a finite set of object-domains or to the search for a limited set of interpretive tools. (1988:6) Cultural phenomena of Structuralism Structuralism contains and combines numerous elements of a classical epistemological dichotomy between quintessence and appearance in terms of the continuum between depth and surface. Là ©vi-Strauss, who were mainly instrumental in exercising this geological metaphor, liken the configuration of cultural phenomena to their layering as in strata, and the considerate of such phenomena in terms of the excavation of these stratums and an exposure of their patterns of interrelation. Elements of a culture, are the surface manifestations or demonstrations of underlying patterns at a deeper level equally within time, the ‘synchronic’, and through time, the ‘diachronic’. What de Saussure has provided, and what stands as perhaps the most momentous and binding element of all structuralism, is that the fundamental pattern or structure of any cultural phenomenon is to be understood in terms of a linguistic allegory. The lexical terms or items of vocabulary within such a language are offered by the symbols that subsist within social life, that is, the representations that attach to or arise from the substantial state of things or materiality itself. The grammatical rules of this metaphoric language are offered by the act, the continuous and habitual act, of significance. So the diversities of ways that we make sense in different cultures variously articulates and therefore gives rise to the diverse ‘languages’ that our cultural symbols comprise. The involvedness of this system of meaning is compounded by the fundamentally arbitrary relation between any particular object and state of affairs and the symbolic (linguistic) device that is engaged to indicate its being. Thing likeness, then, as objective and recognizable within any culture, derives not from any association between names and named but from a precisely poised structuring of otherness in our restricted network of ideas. Thin gs are not so much what they are but appear from a knowledge of what they are not, indeed a system of oppositions; the principle at the core of any binary code. Now the tenderness of this structuring of otherness remains secure, certainly, it appears as vigorous through the very practice of sociality, through the perseverance and reproduction of that tenancy relation at each and every turn within a culture. Meaning, then, within a particular culture, emerges from convention overcoming the random relation between the signifier and the signified. Convention replicates culture, and culture is conditional upon reproduction within structuralism. Bourdieu is devoted to the development of a critical yet indebted theory of culture and as such his ideas provide a significant contribution to our understanding of both power and power within our society. He began from an analysis of the education system and the part that its institutions play in the formation and diffusion of what counts as legal knowledge and forms of communication: †¦the cultural field is transformed by successive restructurations rather than by radical revolutions, with certain themes being brought to the fore while others are set to one side without being completely eliminated, so that continuity of communication between intellectual generations remains possible. In all cases, however, the patterns informing the thought of a given period can be fully understood only by reference to the school system, which is alone capable of establishing them and developing them, through practice, as the habits of thought common to a whole generation. (P. Bourdieu, 1971, p. 190) It is here that he divulges elements of a Durkheimian epistemology through his interest in the supporting character of cultural representations, the production and continuation of a social consensus that is a concept parallel in significance to the idea of a Collective consciousness’, and through the supposition of the social origins and perseverance of knowledge classifications. He is, though, critical of what he sees as Durkheim’s positivism in that it depends upon a stasis, and also that Durkheim believes the functions of the education system to be expected (J. Kennett, 1973). A major contribution of Bourdieu’s thought has been his improvement of a series of influential metaphors to eloquent the subtle relation of power and dominion at work in the social world and through the stratification of culture. Most notable is that which he draws from political economy when he speaks of cultural capital: ‘†¦there is, diffused within a social space a cultural capital, transmitted by inheritance and invested in order to be cultivated.’ (P. Bourdieu, 1971, p. 192) Stratified socialization practices and the system of education function to distinguish positively supportive of those members of society who, by virtue of their location within the class system, are the ‘natural’ inheritors of cultural capital. This is no crude conspiracy theory of a cognizant manipulation, somewhat what is being explored here is the prospect of a cultural process that is self-sustaining and self-perpetuating. This process is observed as carrying with it a framework of anticipation and tolerance of stratification and privilege. In this way Bourdieu moves from the ideological function of culture into a wakefulness of the weird efficacy of culture in that it is seen as structuring the system of social relations by its execution. Therefore, as Bourdieu makes clear, even within a democratic society this demonstration of disguised machinery continues to reinstate the inequalities of a social order which is pre-democratic in character and anti-democratic in essence. Structuralism in modern society The culturalist custom shares with the Marxist at least two major theoretical suppositions: first, the investigative postulate of a necessary, and quite elemental, disagreement between cultural value on the one hand, and the developmental logic of utilitarian capitalist civilization on the other; and secondly, the regulatory imperative to locate some social institution, or social grouping, adequately powerful as to protract the former against the latter. Culturalist hopes have been variously invested in the state, the church, the mythical intelligentsia and the labor movement; Marxist objectives in theory much more consistently in the working class, but in practice also in the state, as for communist Marxism, and in the intelligentsia (and very often more particularly the literary intelligentsia) for Western Marxism. Structuralism accepts neither analytical postulate nor regulatory imperative. For the former, it substitutes a dichotomy between manifestation and essence, in which esse nce is revealed only in structure; for the latter, a scientistic epistemology which characteristically denies both the need for dictatorial practice and the prospect of meaningful group action. There are numerous diverse versions of structuralism, of course, both in wide-ranging and as applied to literature and culture in particular. But, for our purposes, and very broadly, structuralism might well be distinct as an approach to the study of human culture, centered on the search for restraining patterns, or structures, which claims that individual phenomena have connotations only by virtue of their relation to other phenomenon as elements within a systematic structure. More particularly, certain kinds of structuralism those denoted very often by the terms semiology and semiotics can be recognized with the much more particular claim that the methods of structural linguistics can be effectively generalized so as to apply to all features of human culture. Structuralism secured entry into British academic life initially during the late sixties and seventies. But in France and structuralism has been a devastating Francophone affair it has a much longer history. The basic continuity between structuralism and post-structuralism is, nevertheless, not so much logical as sociological. Where Marxism desired to mobilize the working class, and culturalism at its most thriving at any rate, the intelligentsia, against the logics of capitalist industrialization, both structuralism and post-structuralism donate to a very different, and much more modest, intellect of the intellectual’s proper political function. In an observation truly directed at Sartre, but which could just as easily be intended toward Leavis, Foucault writes thus: For a long period, the†¦intellectual spoke and was acknowledged the right of speaking in the capacity of master of truth and justice†¦ To be an intellectual meant something like being the consciousness/conscience of us all some years have passed since the intellectual was called upon to play this role. A new mode of the â€Å"connection between theory and practice† has been established. Intellectuals have got used to working, not in the modality of the â€Å"universal†, the â€Å"exemplary†, the â€Å"just-and-true-for-all†, but within specific sectors, at the precise points where their own conditions of life or work situate them†¦ This is what I would call the â€Å"specific† intellectual as opposed to the â€Å"universal† intellectual (Foucault, 1978). Anti-historicism is a much more characteristic defining feature of structuralism. Both Marxism and culturalism translate their aversion to utilitarian capitalist civilization into historicity persistence that this type of civilization is only one amongst many, so as to be capable thereby to raise either the past or an ideal future against the present. By contrast, structuralism characteristically inhabits a never-ending theoretical present. The only significant exception to this observation is Durkheim, whose enduring evolutionist we have already noted. But so structuralism is his commencement both of primitive â€Å"mechanical solidarity† and of compound â€Å"organic solidarity,† that Durkheim cannot in fact account for the shift from the one to the other, accept by a badly masked resort to the demographic fact of population growth, which necessitates, on his own definition, a theoretically illicit appeal to the non-social, in this case, the biological (Durkheim, 1964 ). So structuralism is Durkheim’s basic preoccupation that this account of the dynamics of modernization becomes, effectively, theoretically incoherent, an allegation that could be leveled at neither Marx nor Weber, Eliot nor Leavis. And after Durkheim, even this residual evolutionism disappears from structuralism. Conclusion Structuralism’s anti-historicism directs it to take as given whatever present it might choose to study, in a fashion quite alien both to culturalism and to non-Althusserian Marxism. This positively makes possibly a non-adversarial posture in comparison with contemporary civilization; it does not, however, require it. A stress on structures as deeper levels of realism, inundated beneath, but nonetheless shaping, the realm of the empirically obvious, can very easily permit for a politics of de mystification, in which the structuralism analyst is understood as piercing through to some furtively hidden truth. For so long as this hidden reality is seen as somehow confusing the truth claims of the more apparent realities, then for so long can such a stance remain attuned with an adversarial intellectual politics. Even then all that eventuates is noticeably enfeebled, and fundamentally academic, versions of intellectual extremism, in which the world is not so much changed, as conside red differently. And again, while structuralism is certainly attuned with such radicalism, it does not need it. Hence the rather peculiar way in which the major French structuralism thinkers have proved capable to shift their political opinions, usually from left to right, without any corresponding amendment to their particular theoretical positions. For structuralism, as neither for culturalism nor for Marxism, the nexus between politics and theory appears irreversibly contingent. This permutation of positivism and what we might well term â€Å"synchronism† with an obligation to the demystification of experiential reality propels the whole structuralism enterprise in a fundamentally theoretic direction. A science of the stasis, marked from birth by an inveterate anti-empiricism, becomes almost inevitably preoccupied with highly abstract theoretical, or formal, models. Hence the near ubiquity of the binary resistance as a typical structuralism trope. Theoretical anti-humanism arises from fundamentally the same source: if neither change nor process nor even the finicky empirical instances are matters of real concern, then the intentions or actions of human subjects, whether individual or collective, can simply be disposed of as extraneous to the structural properties of systems. In this way, structuralism infamously â€Å"decentres† the subject.

Real Estate and Construction Sector in the UAE and the Effects of the Crises on the UAE and the Gulf

Real Estate and Construction Sector in the UAE and the Effects of the Crises on the UAE and the Gulf Introduction The current economic status of UAE economy The global crisis that hit the world adversely affected the economies of developing countries. This is because these countries lacked the ability to withstand the external forces that resulted from the collapse of the major world’s economies from which they depended forcing them to restructure their operating business models.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Real Estate and Construction Sector in the UAE and the Effects of the Crises on the UAE and the Gulf specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As the crisis took hold, the Gulf Corporation council countries’ were adversely affected by the depression which hit the region through the trade and financial channels (Khamis, n d). Among the most hit GCC countries was the United Arab Emirates whose economy has transformed itself from a classical base of fishing and pearling into oil based high income econo my with a high concentration of expatriate labor as the main drivers in the key sectors of the economy (IMF, 2003). The UAE had achieved impressive economic growth over the past years due to its rapid development in the non oil economy making it one of the most diversified economies among the Gulf cooperation Council Counterparts (IMF, 2003). However, the region’s persistent dependency on oil as the key driver in the economy and its widely segmented labor market where nationals still continue to have a strong preference for public sector employment over the private sector rendered the region highly vulnerable to the negative implication of the global economic downturn. Real estate and construction sector in UAE The study covers the actual effects of the crisis to the construction and real estate sector in the region which is among the key sectors in the economy contributing an approximate 16% GDP in UAE (IMF, 2003). The sector which had earlier on achieved remarkable growth r apidly declined with the occurrence of the global financial crisis resulting in depreciating values of property as well as departure of foreign investors from the region. The emirate of Dubai provides a clear evidence of the decline in the real estate industry following the crisis.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consequently, the country provides us with the appropriate case study through which we will analyze the trend in the construction and real estate sector in the period between 2002 and 2006 where the industry achieved remarkable growth, the period between 2008 and 2009 when the global financial crisis hit the economy and the forecasted growth up to 2012. This analysis will be essential in our formulation of an informed conclusion. Financial crisis facing the region It is worth noting that the rental market had been soaring in Dubai due to the increased demand for residential houses and office space. Lease prices as well as the real estate prices have doubled since 2005 with prices varying between $ 1700 and $ 3500 per square meter according to location (Noack, 2007). Due to drastic rent increases, the government of Dubai implemented a rental cap forcing land lords to keep the rent increases to a maximum of 15% per year in 2006 which was further reduced to 7% in 2007 (Noack, 2007). There appeared to be the stepping stone towards stabilization on the rental and real estate markets which could be attributed to the implementation of the rental cap and the establishment of new housing units in the market (Noack, 2007). During the boom period, the countries in the GCC particularly Qatar and the UAE experienced remarkable increases in banking system credit to the private sector and this led to real average credit growth which increased bank leverage and doubled the ratio of private sector credit to non oil GDP to 122% by the end of 2008 (Khamis, 2010). Excess credit coupled with low interest rates and a vibrant economy facilitated higher demand for real estates and equities consequently increasing prices (Khamis, 2010). In the UAE, speculative investments significantly contributed to marked increases in real estate prices.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Real Estate and Construction Sector in the UAE and the Effects of the Crises on the UAE and the Gulf specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Further, following the stock market decline in 2006, GCC markets posted 22-60% gains in 2007 but this dramatically reduced in 2008 by 29-73% with the intensification of the global crisis (Khamis, 2010). With the global recession occurrence, the real GDP growth in the gulf region was expected to sharply decline from 5.8% in 2008 to 1.1 % in 2009 due to correction in oil prices, reduced overall production as well as tight credit conditions (UN, 2009). Among the G CC economies, the UAE was the most affected by the crises with its real GDP falling from 7.4 % to 0.5% between 2008 and 2009 (UN, 2009). This resulted from severe contraction in domestic demand for real estate prices. Literature review UAE attained a per capita income in terms of GDP amounting to $16700 in 1998 which was relatively higher than the GDP of most developing countries (Al Abed and Helyller, 2001). The three emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah account for the highest percentage of UAE gross domestic product as well as the population. The income differences between the emirates are generated by the variations in natural resource endowment prevalent in the region (Al Abed and Helyller, 2001). The key resource in the region is oil and gas and in 1998, crude oil contributed for 22% of the total UAE gross domestic product. The UAE economy is highly dependent on external sector as reflected by the import export disparities prevalent in the region’s economy. Both exp orts and imports are relatively high and consequently the external sector plays a major role in performance and evolution of the UAE economy (Al Abed and Helyller, 2001). The 2003-2008 oil price booms spurred economic activity in the GCC consequently strengthening all the sectors in the economy with overall growth in the economy averaging to 6.6% per year which was considerably higher than the pre oil price boom period.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Role of construction and real estate sector in UAE economy The construction and real estate sector is one of the key driving forces in the UAE economy. Increasing volumes of local and tourist population in the region as well as the liberalization of the real estate market had significantly contributed to the rapid growth in the sector due to the rapidly increasing demand for property in the region (Noack, 2007). The United Arab Emirates is by far the biggest property market in the Gulf region which facilitated its domination in the construction sector. Abu Dhabi heavily invested in tourism and residential sector with its numerous projects including beach and island development, town houses, and facilities for residents (Noack, 2007). Dubai’s real estate sector was mushrooming with projects worth billions of dollars and projects including infrastructure development were under construction. Continuous population growth and immigration in the region has led to increased demand f or residential houses especially in Dubai. Other emirates are also increasingly investing on the construction sector but on a relatively smaller scale. Effects of the Crisis in the Region The GCC countries have been hit hard by the decline in oil prices and production as well as by liquidity shortages in global financial markets (Khamis, 2010). The impact of the crisis in the GCC manifested itself in plunging stock and real estate markets with the region’s market capitalization falling dramatically by 41% (Khamis, 2010). As the effects of the global market became more apparent, the average correlation of the GCC markets with the global markets became evident in the period between 2007 and 2008 (Khamis, 2010). The region was further affected by decline in the international asset prices with losses estimated by market analysts at between 20-30% in 2008 (Khamis, 2010). Consequently, real estate prices dramatically declined which corrected prices in Dubai which had initially rise n more sharply. A couple of scholars had predicted the impact of global economic downturn across the Gulf Corporation Council. The economic down turn as well as the dramatic plunge in oil prices led to a major blow on the development efforts in the region and shattered dreams of thousands of investors seeking maximum returns in a region that was once a land of opportunity (BM, 2010). The construction and real estate sector was rendered vulnerable to the adverse effects of the crises due to the fact that credit growth in the region substantially contributed to lending in the real estate sector. This lending was funded substantially by bank’s foreign liabilities which rendered the region’s banking system susceptible to credit losses during economic downturn (Khamis, 2010). The international monetary fund predicted that economic growth across the region would slow down in 3.5 % in 2009 from 6.8% in 2008. The United Arab Emirates which accounts for approximately 46% of the GCC construction boom is likely to be adversely affected according to research findings by EFG Hermes (BM, 2010). The findings further revealed that the region is experiencing a ‘real estate crash ‘and the effects of this have not yet been fully addressed. Objectives, Scope and coverage The Extent of the Crisis in UAE and the gulf region The property and the construction sectors have been worst hit in the emirate following the global economic downturn. Although various sectors continue to register considerable growth in the recent past, the construction and real estate sectors evidently achieved negative growth in 2010 (Property Wire, 2010). This failure can be attributed to the sector’s dependence on demand and supply consequently elongated the recovery period. The world debt crisis has also intensified the negative implications on the real estate sector which plummeted with the diminishing international funding Property sales in the region increased by more tha n half their value since 2008 (Property Wire 2010). A report compiled by the royal institution of Chartered surveyors revealed that there was a substantial increase in the number of distressed assets coming into the UAE market in the third quarter of 2010 and this was further expected to rise in the last quarter of the year (Property Wire 2010). Tom Bunker, an investment sale consultant confirmed this increment in distressed selling citing that this property hit the market below their purchase price and in some cases below the price level at which they were initially sold by the developer. The global economy has started showing signs of revival from its previous down turn (Property digest, 2009). The United Arab Emirate real estate sector has subsequently registered gradual change and according to the Gowealthy Research Team, whereby the demand for off plan properties in the UAE ended with the departure of speculators changing the trend towards preference of ready to move in propert y that are at least half way complete. Dwindling market demand and oversupply of units coupled with distress sales by owners who aim at raising the mortgage requirements have affected the prices of property adversely (Property Digest, 2009). Research by Colliers revealed that home prices in Dubai declined by 40-42% since the fourth quarter of 2008 with sales transactions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi being driven by professional investors rather than speculators. T his helps us to understand the long term impacts of foreign debt as a means of financing local projects. In this region increased foreign debt coupled with global depression has resulted in devaluation of property in Dubai which has consequently affected the region’s economy. The UAE has an ideal location for long term property investment. At present, quality accommodation and work space can be acquired at moderate states with scales heavily tipped in favor of serious investors who negotiate for appreciable bargains (Prop erty Digest, 2009). This creates room for optimism in the UAE real estate market orientation towards long term investment. However, the most important question remains whether the UAE young realty sector is strong and resilient enough to withstand the adverse effects of the forces within the external economies as well as its ability to meet long term investor demands and expectations. To an attempt to achieve this end, the government of Dubai has recently amended Article No. 13 that aims at protecting the stakeholders in the realty sector. The article provides reviewed provisions for cancellation of contracts and also offers property auction licenses to private firms in order to facilitate the auction process. Research question and methodology Our study will focus on a case study of Dubai’s real estate sector and the impact that the global financial crisis has had on the same. This will enable us to evaluate the extent to which the crisis has affected the UAE region since Dub ai is one of the major determinants of overall performance of UAE economy. Effects of the financial crises on the real estate sector in Dubai The crisis has adversely affected the emirate of Dubai which has heavily invested in construction projects as well as establishment of a financial sector. Dr, Eckart Woertz, program manager of economics at the Gulf Research Center observed that Dubai, which was the pioneer in economic development in the UAE has been adversely affected by the crisis due to its over reliance on real estate sector as well as its foreign debt financed growth (BM, 2010). The impact that the economic downturn has had on the Dubai’s construction sector is an obvious indicator of the extent to which the UAE has been affected by the crisis hence our focus on the emirate. Construction projects worth billions of dollars have been rendered worthless with numerous projects being prematurely terminated due to lack of cash inflow (BM, 2010). A report by Proleads resea rch firm uncovered that an approximate 53% of the projects in Dubai had been suspended while only projects worth $698 were still in operation in a sector estimated to be worth US $1.3 trillion (BM, 2010). In addition, job cuts have been widespread in the real estate sector with numerous companies announcing a lot of redundancies while considerable number of expatriates continues to leave the country (BM, 2010). A report by Emirates Business 24/7 claimed that Indian carriers were preparing to accommodate bulk bookings for constructions workers and expatriates leaving the UAE in search of greener pastures. Further, figure released by Dubai’s ministry of interior naturalization and residency highlighted that 54684 residency visas were cancelled in the beginning of 2009 compared to 29418 in January 2008 with the majority being expatriates and private sector workers who had been frustrated by the poor performance in the construction and real estate industry in Dubai (BM, 2010). Th e impact of the global financial crisis further sent shock waves through out other related industries in the region that relied on the construction sector consequently affecting them negatively. For instance, the media companies which depended heavily on the real estate sector for advertising lost significant revenue due to reduction in advertising efforts by the sector (BM, 2010). The architecture and engineering firms as well as facilities management providers were also adversely affected. According to the Property wire (2010), â€Å"The construction and real estate sectors in Dubai have seen a decrease of almost 5% in 2010 and the recovery is some way off according to officials† (p1). Data Analysis: The Case of Dubai The property industry in Dubai registered remarkable growth in years prior the global financial crisis (Anonymous, 2007). The trend of the industry in the period between 2002and 2006 is a clear indicator of the robust growth that the sector had enjoyed in prev ious years. The graph below displays the percentage growth sustained by Dubai’s real estate sector during the period. Source: Zahrat Dubai real estate. rocketriver.com/zahrat/stat.php However, the upward trend rapidly declined with the occurrence of the global financial crisis that affected all the economies in the world. Reports indicated that the residential property prices in Dubai were bound to decline in the subsequent years from the peak levels seen in the third quarter of 2008. The graph below displays the falling real estate prices in specific locations in Dubai during the period of the financial crisis. Source: Dubai Forums 2009. dubaiforums.com/ar/dubai-property-prices-to-fall-70-from-peak-1-34758.htm Despite the numerous challenges facing the real sector as a result of global financial depression, the region is optimistic that the sector will survive the financial crisis. Substantial market corrections have taken place which has led to the restructuring of the bu siness models in operation. In order to achieve the best case scenario industry conditions as shown in the graph, the government of Dubai should seek to support the country’s economy by increasing infrastructural spending, reducing oil and foreign income dependence in the economy and bail out guarantees to financial institutions in order to improve performance of the industry and regain investors’ confidence. ameinfo.com/196124.html Conclusion The financial crisis that hit the global economy adversely affected numerous countries’ economies without exception of the countries in the GCC. The UAE was the most affected among the GCC member countries with its construction and real estate sector rapidly declining as a result. The construction and real estate sector which contributes significantly to overall GDP in the UAE has had severe consequences on the overall economic growth of the region. Evident from the study, the decline in the sector has significantly reduc ed returns to investment which has led to mass exodus of foreign investors from the region’s free zones and disrupted performance in other related industries. The region should therefore seek to rectify the situation by minimizing their dependence on oil and foreign funding in order to reduce the risks of industry collapse in future. Reference List Al Abed, I., Helyller, P. (2001). United Arab Emirates- A New Perspective. London: Trident Press Ltd. Anonymous (2007). Statistical Report on Dubai Real Estate Trends. Retrieved from rocketriver.com/zahrat/stat.php. Business management (2010). How The Bubble Burst. Retrieved from busmanagementme.com/article/How-the-bubble-burst/. Dubai Forums (2009). Dubai Prices to Fall ‘70% from the Peak. Retrieved from dubaiforums.com/ar/dubai-property-prices-to-fall-70-from-peak-1-34758.htm. IMF (2003). United Arab Emirates: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix. Washington, D.C: International Monetary Fund. Khamis, M. (2010). Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Gulf Corporation Council Countries and the Challenges Ahead. Retrieved from imf.org/external/pubs/ft/dp/2010/dp1001.pdf Noack, S., Betriebswirt, D. (2007). Doing Business in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. Berlin: GRIN Verlag. Property Digest (2009). UAE Real Estate Sector on the Road to Recovery. Retrieved from gowealthy.com/gowealthy/wcms/en/home/real-estate/property-digest/april-2009/Vol1-April-2009-1240826069217.html Property Wire (2010). Real Estate Sector Is The Worst Hit In Economic Terms, Officials Admit. Retrieved from propertywire.com/news/middle-east/-dubai-real-estate-hit-201012024736.html United Nations (2009). The Global Economic and Financial Crisis: Regional Impacts, Responses and Solutions. New York: United Nations publications.

The Ecuadorian Story of Cantuña and the Devil

The Ecuadorian Story of Cantuà ±a and the Devil Everyone in Quito, Ecuador, knows the story of Cantuà ±a: it is one of the citys most beloved legends. Cantuà ±a was an architect and builder who made a deal with the Devil †¦ but got out of it through trickery. The Atrium of San Francisco Cathedral In downtown Quito, about two blocks away from the center of the old colonial city, is Plaza San Francisco, an airy plaza popular with pigeons, strollers, and those who want a nice outdoor cup of coffee. The western side of the plaza is dominated by the San Francisco Cathedral, a massive stone building and one of the first churches built in Quito. It’s still open and is a popular place for locals to hear mass. There are different areas of the church, including an old convent and an atrium, which is an open area just inside the cathedral. It is the atrium that is central to the story of Cantuà ±a. Cantuà ±a’s Task According to legend, Cantuà ±a was a native builder and architect of great talent. He was hired by the Franciscans sometime during the early colonial era (construction took more than 100 years but the church was completed by 1680) to design and build the atrium. Although he worked diligently, it was slow going and it soon became apparent that he would not finish the project on time. He wished to avoid this, as he would not be paid at all if it were not ready on a certain date (in some versions of the legend, Cantuà ±a would go to jail if the atrium was not completed on time). A Deal With the Devil Just as Cantuà ±a despaired of completing the atrium on time, the Devil appeared in a puff of smoke and offered to make a deal. The Devil would finish the work overnight and the atrium would be ready on time. Cantuà ±a, of course, would part with his soul. The desperate Cantuà ±a accepted the deal. The Devil called in a large band of worker demons and they spent the whole night building the atrium. A Missing Stone Cantuà ±a was pleased with the work but naturally began to regret the deal he had made. While the Devil was not paying attention, Cantuà ±a leaned over and pried loose a stone out of one of the walls and hid it. As dawn broke on the day the atrium was to be given to the Franciscans, the Devil eagerly demanded payment. Cantuà ±a pointed out the missing stone and claimed that since the Devil had not fulfilled his end of the deal, the contract was void. Foiled, the angry Devil disappeared in a puff of smoke. Variations on the Legend There are different versions of the legend that differ in small details. In some versions, Cantuà ±a is the son of the legendary Inca General Rumià ±ahui, who foiled the Spanish conquistadors by hiding the gold of Quito (also allegedly with the help of the Devil). According to another telling of the legend, it was not Cantuà ±a who removed the loose stone, but an angel sent to help him. In yet another version, Cantuà ±a did not hide the stone once he removed it but instead wrote upon it something to the effect of Whoever picks up this stone acknowledges that God is greater than he. Naturally, the Devil would not pick up the stone and was, therefore, prevented from fulfilling the contract. Visiting San Francisco Church The San Francisco Church and convent are open daily. The cathedral itself is free to visit, but there is a nominal fee to see the convent and museum. Fans of colonial art and architecture will not want to miss it. Guides will even point out a wall inside the atrium that is missing a stone: the very spot where Cantuà ±a saved his soul!

Discussion Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Discussion Question - Essay Example While organizational values relate to employees, profit, customers, stakeholders, community, and the like, individual goals will relate to fairness, honesty, trust, respect, quality, and cooperation. These are precisely the values that are inherent in the organizational values statement. Alone, these organizational values are far too general and open to interpretation. It is easy to forget the particular and complicated nature of human moral experience (Kotter, 2003). Thinking about and discussing the ethical implications of a goal is more practical and valuable than using a list of values or ethical models. Acting on the ethical implications is even more valuable. Ethical action in modern organizations is the relentless effort to make values a part of the goal-setting equation. Where the managers go wrong, however, is in expecting more from these values than they can deliver. it s organizational culture reflects unique industry requirements and customers’ expectations. Each application deals with the realities of a particular goal and how to accomplish it. It is possible to say that new changes will be influenced by old principles of work and will need a new set of principles for further change. In this case, corporate culture is the real foundation on which organizational ethics is built. Integrity includes values, goals, and actions of all people in an organization, but its demonstration is particularly important for an organizations ma nagers. A managers actions are the pivotal link between his or her personal beliefs and organizational aims. Managerial integrity stands at the center of shared values and the goal-setting process (Kotter, 2003). 2. It is important to change organizational structure and introduce new organizational paradigm because of rapidly changing economic, social and political conditions. The demand for high quality and service excellence influence morale and satisfaction of employees. It

HIPAA Security Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HIPAA Security Policy - Essay Example I would also ensure that the physician is aware of all the measures of ensuring security and that these measures are well observed. The security measures will need to be observed by all the covered entities and these will include those providing treatment, payments, and other healthcare operations. I will also ensure that the business associates as well get to understand these measures and these will include individuals such as those having access to the information of patients and those who offer support during treatment and in other operations and will also include the subcontractors. I would then follow the relevant steps in implementing an efficient privacy rule (Online Tech, 2015). The security policies associated with HIPAA include technical policies and these include the integrity measures and controls that ensure that the electronic protected health information is in good working condition and is not altered nor destroyed. There are offsite backups and disaster recovery of IT that ensure that any failures or errors concerning electronic media are rectified to ensure that information concerning the health of patients is recovered while still intact. There is also the technical safeguard that ensures that the access to the electronic protected health data is controlled and only the authorized users have access. Record of activities on the hardware or the software is made possible by tracking logs or audit reports. Transmission or network is another safeguard practice that ensures that ensures there is protection against unauthorized access to electronic patient health information. There are also physical safeguards that ensure that limits the access to securi ty, and to ensure that all the entities that are covered have policies and use regarding electronic media and workstations (Hasib, 2013). One of the most important security policy requirements of HIPAA is the privacy rule. This rule requires that all the

Project Portfolio Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project Portfolio Management - Research Paper Example It is the duty of the executives to regularly look after the complete portfolio as well as programs, determine the significance of the project, allotment of the funds, staging the start of the new project and thus continuously monitor its progress (Wisconsin School of Business, 2011). Automotive Industry Apart from housing, the most significant possession for an America is the motor vehicles. One of the biggest automotive industries in the global economy has been recognized as the US automotive industry. None other sectors or industries have been argued to generate the business as much as the US manufacturing industry does and thus it is the US automotive industry that plays a vital role in the GDP structure of the economy. The productivity of the automotive industry in the US has been higher in comparison to other industries and thus there has been significant growth in the level of output with the pace of time (McAlinden, 2003). Company The company chosen for the study is Mercedes which was established by Gottlieb Daimler together with Carl Benz in the year 1886. Presently, the entity is operating under the parent company as Daimler AG which is one of the leading automobile companies in the global market (Daimler, 2011). Mission Statement and Strategies The mission of Mercedes Benz is to demonstrate the purpose of the company in clear stated terms. The company is committed to provide excellent services thus establishing value for its brands, dealers as well as customers. The company’s mission is to assist in the overall success of its parent company Daimler and further to create numerous opportunities for its employees. Notably, Mercedes-Benz has been successful at achieving higher profitability and market position in the year 2010. The company aims at making the future mobility less risky as well as sustainable. The activities performed by them are completely focused upon the needs of the customers. Therefore, they tend to inspire the customers with p remium automobiles featuring proper design, perceived value, reliability as well as comfort. It provides its customers with the commercial cars that are competitive. The company also provides service packages in order to delight its customers (Daimler, 2010). SBU Mission and Strategies It is to be mentioned that the strategic business unit (SBU) is different from other business segments that is engaged with serving an external market whereby the management is capable of conducting planning in relation to products and services. SBUs have their particular strategies as well as objectives related to their sole purposes. It has been observed from the annual report that there are four main classifications of the DaimlerChrysler AG such as DaimlerChrysler Services, Commercial Vehicles Division, Mercedes Car Group and Chrysler Group. There are three different SBUs of Mercedes Benz such as passenger cars, trucks and buses and vans. The mission of each of the SBUs at Mercedes Benz is to beco me the most successful manufacturer of the car in both premium as well as luxury segment. Its portfolios also include cars that make use of hybridization and locally emission-free electric engines (UBS Paris Auto Show Investor Conference, 2010). Organization Structure of Mercedes Benz The CEO

The integration of the philosophical foundations of human rights Thesis

The integration of the philosophical foundations of human rights - Thesis Example Since the traditional period, the practical or rather the political arguments with regards to human rights have been provided with due concern, apparently more than the philosophist or the theoretical explanations. One such significance behind providing comparatively lesser significance towards philosophical explanations concerning human rights can be identified as the complex presentation of the related theories. Since the philosophist have presented the theories related to human rights in multi-dimensional perspectives, it becomes quite difficult to apply its assumptions critically linking with the practical or political arguments. Thus, effort needs to be made in order to minimise the complexities in the philosophical views of human rights with the intention to reduce challenge in terms of implementation (Freeman, â€Å"The Philosophical Foundation of Human Rights†). There must be integration between the theoretical views as well as the practical views in order to gain a comprehensive perspective related to human rights However, this integration can prove to be highly complicated in order to present a comprehensive explanation of the conception from both the perspective of political and philosophical. It is in this context that the activists who are under pressure to rescue individual from impending injustice tends to pay low priority towards the theoretical views rendering comparatively greater emphasis towards philosophist theories when weighed against the notion presented by politicians to emphasise over practical arguments proportionately by a large extent. However, those approaching the philosophers, for developing an in depth understanding of the theoretical perspective regarding human rights, might be disappointed owing to the fact that theoretical or philosophical arguments are uncertain (Freeman, â€Å"The Philosophical Foundation of H uman Rights†). The

As an Employer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

As an Employer - Essay Example However the features have to fulfill the basic requirements of the employees and the hardware should be durable. Lenovo Essential G570 is a laptop that offers competitive prices with excellent keyboard and improved track pad features. It has dual core mobile processor with 4GB DDR3 memory with a built in Intel HD Graphics 2000 graphics card. However, it doesn’t have HDMI ports and some installed software at times cause performance issues. Lenovo Essential G570 ranges between $570.00 – $620.00. This one comes with a Core i3-2310M processor, 4GB DDR3 memory, 500GB hard drive and 802.11b/g/n wireless. What really make this system stand out head and shoulders above from rest of the models are its external expansion capabilities. Dell Inspiron 15R includes two USB 3.0 and an eSATA port that gives you a wide range of speedy external peripherals. This clearly explains that this PC has a life beyond most budget laptops. This one is from one of the companies that actually offer dedicated graphics in very affordable prices. Acer Aspire AS560G-SB485 has an AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics processer which enables it to process enhanced video even better with the casual 3D games. It has AMD A8-3500M quad core processers which satisfies all those users who are into multi tasking. Other specifications are 500 GB hard drive. 15.6-inch display with 1366x768 resolution and 802.11b/g/n wireless. It is priced between $520 - $600. All the above PCs provide great feature with variations. While Acer Aspire AS560G-SB485 provides best graphics, Lenovo Essential G570 provides best value. However, according to Kyrnin, Mark (2011), â€Å"What gives you the best overall performance is the Dell Inspiron 15R" (About.com Guide). Dell Inspiron 15R not only saves great money but also give all the essential features that a company would like to provide in a PC to their

The integration of the philosophical foundations of human rights Thesis

The integration of the philosophical foundations of human rights - Thesis Example Since the traditional period, the practical or rather the political arguments with regards to human rights have been provided with due concern, apparently more than the philosophist or the theoretical explanations. One such significance behind providing comparatively lesser significance towards philosophical explanations concerning human rights can be identified as the complex presentation of the related theories. Since the philosophist have presented the theories related to human rights in multi-dimensional perspectives, it becomes quite difficult to apply its assumptions critically linking with the practical or political arguments. Thus, effort needs to be made in order to minimise the complexities in the philosophical views of human rights with the intention to reduce challenge in terms of implementation (Freeman, â€Å"The Philosophical Foundation of Human Rights†). There must be integration between the theoretical views as well as the practical views in order to gain a comprehensive perspective related to human rights However, this integration can prove to be highly complicated in order to present a comprehensive explanation of the conception from both the perspective of political and philosophical. It is in this context that the activists who are under pressure to rescue individual from impending injustice tends to pay low priority towards the theoretical views rendering comparatively greater emphasis towards philosophist theories when weighed against the notion presented by politicians to emphasise over practical arguments proportionately by a large extent. However, those approaching the philosophers, for developing an in depth understanding of the theoretical perspective regarding human rights, might be disappointed owing to the fact that theoretical or philosophical arguments are uncertain (Freeman, â€Å"The Philosophical Foundation of H uman Rights†). The

Luma pros and cons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Luma pros and cons - Essay Example She does both soccer coaching and individual counseling for diverse emotional issues they faced. That Luma is a Clarkston â€Å"outsider† may be true from the geographical or political considerations. But she succeeds in transcending the barrier of nationality, the stamp of immigrant on her personality, through the processes in which she moulds the personality of her players. The â€Å"outsider† factor had no impact between her status as coach and her team. Addressing to the boys whose attention on the game of soccer is diverted on account an air-plane show Warren St. John writes about her utterances, â€Å"YOU GUYS NEED to wake up!† a voice interrupted as the jets streaked in to distance. â€Å"Concentrate!† The voice belongs to Luma Mufleh, the thirty-one-year-old founder and volunteer coach of the Fugees.†(2) This indicates her amazing work ethic and vision. â€Å"Outsider† question may be burning topic for political discussions, but Luma has shown through the building process of her soccer team, how to strike the balance in the diverse perspectives related to immigration, local and global politics, identity and intergenerational issues, creativity, biculturalism and community building. Luma has demonstrated that the complex story of Clarkston and the struggle of Fugees soccer team is the story of America in the broader sense. She is a native of Jordan and her soccer team boys belong to families that flee to the United States from many war-torn areas across the globe and her soccer saga serves as the catalyst for their coming together and is the living example of concept of ‘the world is one family.’ She hails from an aristocratic family from Jordan. She comes to America for studies. Giving her backgrounder information the author writes, â€Å"Luma, I would learn, had no particular background in social or human-rights work. She was just a normal woman who wanted, her own way, to make the world a better

Facts of the Case Essay Example for Free

Facts of the Case Essay New London, a city in Connecticut, used its eminent domain authority to seize private property to sell to private developers. The city said developing the land would create jobs and increase tax revenues. Kelo Susette and others whose property was seized sued New London in state court. The property owners argued the city violated the Fifth Amendments takings clause, which guaranteed the government will not take private property for public use without just compensation. Specifically the property owners argued taking private property to sell to private developers was not public use. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled for New London. In 1990, the city of New London was designated a distressed municipality. n6 The city was experiencing economic decline and suffered from an unemployment rate that was twice Connecticuts rate as a state. n7 As a result of these conditions, the New London Development Corporation (NLDC) was called upon by state and local officials to plan New Londons redevelopment. n8 After the NLDC developed a plan to build a Fort Trumbell State Park, Pfizer Inc., the pharmaceutical company, revealed its plan to build a $ 300 million research facility on a site immediately adjacent to Fort Trumbell. n9 The addition of Pfizer to the New London area was anticipated to entice other businesses to migrate to the city, effectively serving as a catalyst to the areas rejuvenation. n10 The NLDC received State approval, and the plan for Fort Trumbell State Park was completed. n11 The final plan for the Park encompassed services and businesses that would cap italize on the added commerce resulting from the inclusion of Pfizer to the area. n12 The NLDC intended to create jobs and increase tax revenue with the development plan, but the Park was also intended to bolster the areas aesthetic qualities and leisure activities. n13 The NLDC received permission from the city council to exercise eminent domain in the citys name, enabling it to acquire the property for the ninety-acre Park. n14 The NLDC was able to purchase most of the property in the target area; however, it was unable to secure fifteen pieces of real estate after negotiations. n15 One such piece of real estate was owned by Charles and Wilhelmina Dery who had lived on their property for over sixty years. n16 The properties of the nine owners who refused to sell, including the Derys property, were located in areas appropriated by the NLDC as sites for park support, such as parking, retail services, or office space. n17 In November of 2000, the NLDC condemned the fifteen properties that remained to be acquired in order for the development plan to advance. n18 LEGAL QUESTION: does a public purpose constitute a public use for purposes of the Fifth Amendments Taking Clause, nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation? Specifically, does the Fifth Amendment, applicable to the states through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (see main article: Incorporation of the Bill of Rights), protect landowners from the use of eminent domain for economic development, rather than, as in Berman, for the elimination of slums and blight? LENGTH: 8662 words STUDENT CASENOTE: Kelo v. City of New London NAME: Lia Sprague SUMMARY:? In Kelo v. City of New London, the Supreme Court debated whether the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes qualifies as a public use within the meaning of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. In November of 2000, the NLDC condemned the fifteen properties that remained to be acquired in order for the development plan to advance. Upon a finding that the proposed uses were not attributable to the above factors, the court affirmed the judgment for the parcel 3 takings and reversed the judgment regarding parcel 4A, allowing both parcels to be seized through eminent domain. The Court relied on this rationale to find that the use of private parties to further the public benefit was an acceptable method to achieve public use. Weighing this with the idea that transfers intended to confer benefits on particular, favored private entities, and with only incidental or pretextual public benefits, are forbidden by the Public Use clause, Justice Kennedy stated that courts should seriously investigate accusations of private party favoritism by the government entity. Justice Thomas agreed that replacing the words public use with public purpose effectively erased the Public Use Clause from the Fifth Amendment. Establishing such a safeguard appropriately balances the public policy concerns both supporting and criticizing the use of eminent domain for economic development. TEXT:? [*381] I. Introduction In Kelo v. City of New London, n1 the Supreme Court debated whether the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes qualifies as a public use within the meaning of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. n2 The city of New London attempted to use the power of eminent domain to seize property to give to private companies in order to increase commerce in the area. n3 The Court found that, deferring to precedent, the public use requirement had been interpreted broadly. n4 Accordingly, in a five-to-four vote, the Court held that New Londons plans constituted public use within the meaning of the Fifth Amendment to the Federal Constitution. n5 II. Statement of Facts A. New Londons Development Plan and the Taking In 1990, the city of New London was designated a distressed municipality. n6 The city was experiencing economic decline and suffered from an unemployment rate that was twice Connecticuts rate as a state. n7 As a result of these conditions, the New London Development Corporation (NLDC) was called upon by state and local officials to plan New Londons redevelopment. n8 After the NLDC developed a plan to build a Fort Trumbell State Park, Pfizer Inc. , the pharmaceutical company, revealed its plan to build a $ 300 million research facility on a site immediately adjacent to Fort Trumbell. n9 The addition of Pfizer to the New London area was anticipated to entice other businesses to migrate to the city, effectively serving as a catalyst to the areas rejuvenation. n10 The NLDC received State approval, and the plan for Fort Trumbell State Park was completed. n11 [*382] The final plan for the Park encompassed services and businesses that would capitalize on the added commerce resulting from the inclusion of Pfizer to the area. n12 The NLDC intended to create jobs and increase tax revenue with the development plan, but the Park was also intended to bolster the areas aesthetic qualities and leisure activities. n13 The NLDC received permission from the city council to exercise eminent domain in the citys name, enabling it to acquire the property for the ninety-acre Park. n14 The NLDC was able to purchase most of the property in the target area; however, it was unable to secure fifteen pieces of real estate after negotiations. n15 One such piece of real estate was owned by Charles and Wilhelmina Dery who had lived on their property for over sixty years. n16 The properties of the nine owners who refused to sell, including the Derys property, were located in areas appropriated by the NLDC as sites for park support, such as parking, retail services, or office space. n17 In November of 2000, the NLDC condemned the fifteen properties that remained to be acquired in order for the development plan to advance. n18 B. The Procedural History Petitioners filed suit in the Superior Court of Connecticut for the Judicial District of New London seeking injunctive relief to prevent the acquisition of their property through the use of eminent domain. n19 Petitioners argued that the takings at issue could not satisfy the public use requirement of Article 1 Â § 11 of the Connecticut Constitution (equivalent to the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States) which reads in pertinent part: The property of no person shall be taken for public use, without just compensation therefor[e]. n20 The petitioners submitted that a taking cannot be for a public use if it is motivated by a private entity. . . and if ultimately a private entity is to determine the fate of the property owners. . . . n21 The Superior Court found that broad statements on public use and deference to the legislature must be qualified. n22 The Superior Court further stated of its role in eminent domain actions: If the court considers the [*383] purpose not to be reasonable or connected to a valid public use, it is the duty of the court to declare the act authorizing the taking as unconstitutional. n23 After review of the facts, the Superior Court held that the statements regarding the use of parcel 4A were too vague and uncertain to allow the court to conclude the takings here [were] necessary and would not be unreasonable. n24 The court granted a permanent injunction against destroying the properties located in parcel 4A and granted a temporary injunction against the destruction of the properties in parcel 3 after finding that the takings were justified as to allow the petitioners to appeal without losing their homes. n25 Both parties appealed the trial courts judgment to the Supreme Court of Connecticut. n26 The appellate court stated that since the takings were authorized by the legislature, the standard the judiciary must apply was one of unreasonableness, bad faith, or abuse of power. n27 Upon a finding that the proposed uses were not attributable to the above factors, the court affirmed the judgment for the parcel 3 takings and reversed the judgment regarding parcel 4A, allowing both parcels to be seized through eminent domain. n28 The Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari and affirmed the judgment of the Supreme Court of Connecticut. n29 III. Decision and Rationale A. The Majority Opinion of the Court The Supreme Court held that the takings proposed by the City for the purpose of economic development are for a public use as directed by the Fifth Amendment to the Federal Constitution. n30 It has been well established that the government is barred from taking private property solely for the purpose of transferring it to a private entity for its use. n31 The Court analyzed whether New London would be barred from taking property from petitioners to allocate to private parties for support services for Pfizer, a private corporation. n32 In order for the takings at issue here to violate the public use [*384] clause, the plan must have been adopted with the purpose of benefiting a particular class of identifiable individuals. n33 The Court stated that the governments pursuit of a public purpose will often benefit individual private parties. n34 The Court directed the focus to be on the future use of the taking, rather than on the immediate benefit. n35 The Court warned that by focusing solely on the benefit to private parties, the purpose of [the] taking becomes confused with the mechanics of how the resulting public benefit was accomplished. n36 The Court relied on this rationale to find that the use of private parties to further the public benefit was an acceptable method to achieve public use. However, a determination still had to be made regarding whether the development plan encompassed public use of the condemned property. n37 Even though, in this case, the property would not be opened for use by the general public, the Court had previously embraced a broad interpretation of public use that was satisfied in this situation. n38 At the end of the nineteenth century, the Court began to apply a public purpose standard, effectively rejecting the notion that the general public must be allowed actual use of the taken property. n39 Therefore, the Court applied this public purpose standard to New Londons development plan which promoted creating jobs, generating tax revenue, and helping to build momentum for the revitalization of downtown New London. n40 The Court examined how the concept of eminent domain met the changing needs of society during its public purpose analysis. n41 In Berman v. Parker, n42 the Court upheld a plan seeking to distribute property in a blighted area to both public and private entities for the purpose of redevelopment and found that non-blighted property was still a justified taking because the project was analyzed as a whole. n43 Thirty years later, the Court decided Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff n44 where it found that the elimination of a land oligopoly was a sufficient public use even though the property was put back in the hands of private parties. n45 In the same year, the [*385] Court held in Ruckleshaus v. Monsanto n46 that the benefit to competition in the pesticide market outweighed any benefit given to subsequent applicants. n47 The Court applied this trend of increasingly broad interpretations of the phrase public use to the facts of the present case and found that New Londons redevelopment plan served a public purpose. n48 New London developed a plan that it hoped would enable the city to overcome its economic strains. This plan included a variety of commercial, residential, and recreational uses of land, with the hope that they [would] form a whole greater than the sum of its parts. n49 According to Berman, the Court cannot judge the plan on a piecemeal basis, but must examine the possible outcomes of the plan as a whole. n50 The Court compared the economic benefit in this case to the previously mentioned cases and found no reason to distinguish between economic benefit received through tax revenue and increased job prospects from the economic benefits that have been previously upheld by the Court. n51 This rationale was further justified after looking at New Londons development plan. n52 Courts have long deferred to the decisions of state legislatures, absent a showing that the purpose was illegitimate or that the taking was validated by irrational justification. n53 The Courts position is to adjudicate the issue of public use and once that issue has been resolved, the legislature may use its discretion in determining by what means the plan will be accomplished. n54 The Court pointed out that states are able to place restrictions on its ability to procure property through eminent domain. n55 In this case, Connecticut had a statute specifically permitting the use of eminent domain for economic development. n56 As a result of this deference to legislation, combined with a broad interpretation of public use and the allowance of private parties as an intermediary towards the final goal of public purpose, the Court held that New Londons proposed takings satisfied the [*386] public use requirement of the Fifth Amendment of the Federal Constitution. n57 B. The Concurring Opinion of Justice Kennedy Justice Kennedy emphasized the utilization of a rational-basis standard of review for cases analyzing the public use clause. n58 Weighing this with the idea that transfers intended to confer benefits on particular, favored private entities, and with only incidental or pretextual public benefits, are forbidden by the Public Use clause, Justice Kennedy stated that courts should seriously investigate accusations of private party favoritism by the government entity. n59 Petitioners attempted to establish a need for a rule that presumptively invalidates any takings for purposes of economic development in order to allow the Court to discover the true motives behind the takings. n60 Justice Kennedy pointed out that the trial court in this case carefully examined the evidence and found that the primary motivation of the plan was to utilize Pfizers presence in the city to create an increase in commerce, a finding that eliminated the need to establish a higher standard of review in this case. n61 He was careful to note that some cases may warrant a presumption of invalidity. n62 However, Justice Kennedy stated that because the city developed a plan with substantial anticipated economic benefits that was subject to the review of the citys underlying motivations, and because the identities of the private entities were not established at the onset of the development planning, this case presented no circumstances that would justify an increased standard of review. C. The Dissenting Opinion of Justice OConnor, joined by the Chief Justice, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas Justice OConnor disagreed with the majoritys opinion which stated that there were incidental private benefits in this case that were inferior to a substantial public benefit. n63 She felt that the reverse was true, and that by ruling in such a way, the Court had effectivelydelete[d] the words for public use from the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment. n64 This was consistent with the petitioners argument stating that the government may not take their property for the private use of other owners simply because the [*387] new owners may make more productive use of the property. n65 The premise of this argument was based upon the judiciarys position to determine the meaning of public use as it differed from the legislatures opinion. n66 Justice OConnor conceded that the Court should defer to the legislatures determination of what constitutes public use. n67 However, if the legislatures power to define this term was unlimited, without the possibility of a review from the judiciary branch, the Public Use Clause would amount to little more than hortatory fluff. n68 Justice OConnor recognized that certain circumstances exist in which the Public Use Clause should be interpreted broadly. She disagreed, however, that this should be a generalized holding allowing the inclusion of economic development as a public purpose. n69 As support for this argument, Justice OConnor distinguished two of the cases upon which the majority relied to reach their holding. n70 In Berman, the Court upheld a taking of blighted property, part of which was passed to private parties for the sake of redevelopment. n71 Congress had determined that the blighted area was hazardous to the health, safety, morals, and welfare, and thus eminent domain was appropriate to eliminate these conditions. n72 Looking at the neighborhood as a whole, the public purpose of eliminating hazardous conditions took precedence over allowing an owner of a non-blighted store to keep his property. n73 In Midkiff, the Court upheld a taking for the purpose of eliminating a land oligopoly that was skewing the States residential fee simple market, inflating land prices, and injuring the public tranquility and welfare. n74 Justice OConnor distinguished the two cases from the case at bar because the takings in Berman and Midkiff eliminated an affirmative harm on society rather than the public receiving a benefit that was secondary to private parties benefit. n75 By distinguishing the above cases, Justice OConnor found that precedent did not compel the majority to uphold such a broad rule that contained no limitations. n76 [*388] D. The Dissenting Opinion of Justice Thomas Justice Thomas agreed that replacing the words public use with public purpose effectively erased the Public Use Clause from the Fifth Amendment. n77 He stated that the present case is not the only case that has misconstrued the Takings Clause; rather, the line of cases leading up to the present have strayed from the Clauses original meaning. n78 Examining the language of the Fifth Amendment, Justice Thomas concluded that the phrase public use would be unnecessary verbiage if not interpreted as a limitation, and thus states that the Public Use Clause is therefore an express limit on the governments power of eminent domain. n79 After examining the plain language of the public use requirement, Justice Thomas further concluded that the drafters intended the clause to carry a narrow meaning requiring actual public employment of the taken property. n80 He also analyzed the Constitutions common-law background as well as the historical uses of eminent domain to reach the same narrow definition of public use. n81 Justice Thomas then examined a case relied on by the majority, Fallbrook Irrigation Dist. v. Bradley, n82 by stating that the majority improperly relied on dicta in the case that was unnecessarily broad and cited no supporting authority. n83 This reasoning was brought up again by Justice Thomas when discussing United States v. Gettysburg Electric R. Co. , n84 from which the court relied on dicta stating that the judiciary shall respect the legislatures judgment when deciding a question of public use unless that judgment is unreasonable. n85 Justice Thomas claimed that the courts should not exhibit deference to the decisions of the legislature in such cases because a court owes no deference to a legislatures judgment concerning the quintessentially legal question of whether the government owns, or the public has a legal right to use, the taken property. n86 He also hypothesized that the Framers would not have subjected only the Public Use Clause to legislative deference out of all the provisions of the Bill of Rights. n87 He further argued that the Public Use Clause limits the legislative power of eminent domain, and thus by removing [*389] the power of the judiciary to oversee the limitation of that power, the purpose of the Clause is eliminated. n88 He analyzed the two cases Berman and Midkiff, and stated that the Court was wrong in those cases to equate the eminent domain power with the police power of the States. n89 He differentiated the two powers by concluding that the customary uses of police power do not require compensation to the citizens, while the uses of eminent domain always require compensation, concluding that the two powers were separate. n90 Justice Thomas further concluded that the combination of the above factors constructively eliminates the Public Use Clause from the Fifth Amendment, and he therefore stated that the appropriate interpretation of public use is that the property be used by the government or the public. n91 IV. Analysis Public policy dictates that the government should not be expected to compensate owners that hold out on selling their property in order to demand an unreasonably high payment. The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment effectively overcomes this societal detriment; however, the public policy benefit favoring governmental takings needs to be balanced against the public policy favoring a citizens right to keep his property. With this in mind, the Framers added the Public Use Clause to the Fifth Amendment in order to limit the governments power to exercise eminent domain at its own discretion. Courts also need to remember this desire for balance between competing public policy issues when interpreting the Public Use Clause. The Supreme Court has gradually shaped the Public Use Clause to allow, in theory, any taking by the government that benefits the public regardless of whether that proposed effect is primary or secondary, substantial or minimal. The latest holding regarding eminent domain from the Supreme Court in Kelo allowed the taking of property for the abstract reasons of increased tax revenue and job opportunities. In the Courts holding, there were no express limitations on this new ability to confiscate property for such intangible benefits. Conversely, the Court stated that deference should be given to the legislatures decision of the appropriateness of the taking. n92 While the Court reviewed a comprehensive plan developed by the City outlining the intended uses of the condemned property, it did not require the City to show any proof that the intended uses [*390] were reasonably certain to result in the proposed public benefit. n93 The Court reasoned that if it were to impose such a requirement of proof, a significant impediment to the successful consummation of many such plans would result. n94 While there is a significant interest in promoting commerce, the Court seemingly overlooks the equally significant interest of affording homeowners protection from unnecessary takings. It seems reasonable to expect that if a city has an extensively planned development plan, such as was exhibited by the city of New London, it should further have planned out the financial details of such a development plan. This one additional step in the planning of the proposed takings could eliminate development plans that successfully complete the takings stage of the plan only to have the financing fall through, thus leaving the condemned homes empty and the land wasted. The law of waste is a basic property concept stating that land should be used in a way that maximizes the propertys value. n95 There can be no greater waste of property than to force owners to leave their homes and then allow the property to remain vacant while sources of funding are sought. There are many examples illustrating the aftermath of approving such a plan without forcing the legislature to obtain the means to institute that plan before issuing condemnation. n96 One particularly unjust case took place in Cincinnati, Ohio. n97 Nordstrom, the retail store, decided to locate in the city of Cincinnati. n98 However, a Walgreens store currently occupied the location that it wanted. n99 Walgreens agreed to move to a new location, but the new location was home to a CVS store. n100 The CVS store refused to move, and the city initiated condemnation proceedings in order to utilize its power of eminent domain, [*391] after which CVS agreed to settle. n101 The settlement required that the city move Walgreens to the lot across the street from CVS, which unfortunately held many small businesses of which the city condemned in order to give the land to Walgreens. n102 The problem looked resolved (at the expense of the small businesses that were forced to close their doors), but the city overlooked a clause in the agreement with Nordstrom. n103 Under the parties initial agreement, the city agreed to leave vacant the very parcel that it had just handed to Walgreens so that additional upscale' shops could be built adjacent to Nordstrom. n104 The city never rearranged the parcels, and Nordstrom never began building. n105 Nordstrom eventually announced that it would no longer be opening in Cincinnati on account of declining profit margins. n106 The city paved the vacant lot so that it could exist as a parking lot. n107 Luckily, a similar situation was resolved between the New London Development Corporation (NLDC) and Corcoran Jennison, the developer with whom the city contracted to build the hotel and convention center in Fort Trumbell. n108 An Associated Press article revealed that the NLDC claimed that Corcoran Jennison failed to find financing for the project and thus wanted to downgrade the quality of the hotel. n109 Corcoran Jennison rebutted that the NLDC was at fault because it set unrealistic standards for the hotel that were not economically feasible. n110 The president of the company, Marty Jones, stated that the company felt that the NLDCs tactics [did] not serve the communitys interests in generating timely economic development and new tax revenue at Fort Trumbull. n111 According to David Goebel, Chief Operating Officer of the NLDC, as of September 7, 2005, Corcoran Jennison has since obtained zoning approval for the plan and the plan is undergoing review as per the development agreement. n112 While funds have not been secured yet, the [*392] developer is currently pursuing final financial arrangements for construction of the hotel. n113 The fact that the city possessed an extensive proposed development plan could not have curtailed the dispute between the NLDC and the developer. The city is fortunate that it was able to compromise on its plan, thus preserving the premise that legitimized the takings, even though final funding is still absent from the project. However, a better safeguard than simply being fortunate should be required by the Court before upholding such takings. This safeguard is simple and legitimate; require proof to a reasonable certainty that such benefit will occur. If the city had been required to show proof of its financial backing, the developer would have been forced to find final funding before the condemnations were upheld by the Supreme Court. If the city of Cincinnati had been required to prove to a reasonable certainty that condemning small businesses for the sake of moving the Walgreens would allow a Nordstrom store to open in the city, perhaps city officials would not have missed the clause in the contract which delayed development of the store after which Nordstrom could no longer afford to open there. If the Court is unwilling to review the decisions of state legislatures, then it should impose a different safeguard for the property owners. This safeguard was appropriately suggested by the petitioners in Kelo and the benefit of such a review was promptly disregarded by the majority. n114 While it can be assumed that the legislature will not abuse its discretionary power, it is unreasonable to think a legislature that favors using eminent domain for the purposes of economic development will subject itself to safeguards favoring the property owners if it is not held to any review by the courts. With this in mind, some legislatures are taking it upon themselves to impose either stricter guidelines regulating the Public Use Clause or they are expressly stating that economic development is not a proper interpretation of public use. n115 This is evidenced by the fact that [j]ust five weeks after the U. S. Supreme Court upheld the use of eminent domain to seize private property for economic development, more than half of the states have introduced legislation to thwart potential abuses. n116 A legislative change route was suggested by the majority opinion and was apparently embraced by twenty-eight states. Such a change is also being embraced by federal legislation, as the House of Representatives is currently examining a bill that [*393] prohibits the dispersion of government funding to any city that uses eminent domain as a means to promote private commercial development. n117 While these twenty-eight states have taken the responsibility to ensure the fair treatment of their citizens, there remain twenty-two states that have not dealt with this pressing issue. For that reason, it is imperative that courts examine the possibility that the legislation might not have obtained all the avenues (and financing) necessary to achieve a successful result for both the city and the property owner. A balance can be struck between the needs of the public via eminent domain and the needs of the private property owner who is sacrificing his home for the public utility. The implication of a simple safeguard requiring a city to prove that its plan will be successful in achieving a public benefit is all that stands in the way of achieving this balance. V. Conclusion Eminent domain is a necessary action employed by legislatures for a variety of reasons. The Court held in Kelo v. City of New London that economic development was an appropriate reason for which eminent domain could be exercised. While noting that the city of New London possessed a comprehensive development plan, the Court imposed no express restrictions upon the ability of the legislature to exercise eminent domain for such purposes. The Court rejected the petitioners argument that the city should be required to show to a reasonable certainty that the public benefit would occur before the condemnation was allowed. This lack of legislative review by the Court constructively removed the Public Use Clause from the Fifth Amendment of the Federal Constitution as the legislature now has free reign with which to decide for itself whether a proposed taking constitutes public use. While there is an assumption that the legislature will not abuse its power when deciding to take its citizens property, it should not be assumed that the same legislature will take the appropriate measures to safeguard that its citizens property will be utilized successfully. These measures should be implemented by the Court in the form of a review requiring the city to show with a reasonable certainty that the public benefit will occur. Th