Role of Youth in Politics Essay Example for Free

Role of Youth in Politics Essay Politics is science to manage the country or state. Youth is young blood of nation and active worker of nation. So, it is very necessary and demand of nation that he must take all the responsibility for managing whole country. Without entering in politics, he can not do any welfare activity at large scale because, after getting fund he can do any thing but who will give to him. But, If youth joins politics and make his own Govt. with help of democratic voting system. He can become prime minister of country after this he can make the India as the dream land of Swami Vivekananda. Where there is no corruption, where there is no violence, where there is no black marketing, where there is no cheating, fraud or scam. But where there is only love, where there is only honesty, where there is only co-operation and co-ordination. So, Youth should join politics for improving it . Because without improving or honesty in politics, there is no possibility of development of India. Some body criticize with giving arguing that youth can create violence with his hot blood , if we allow him to enter in politics but all of this We can not overlooked the role of youth in politics . But , I am against unrational youth who want to earn money by selling the country . These days , I need youth like Shri Ram Chandra and Shri Krishna . They were the king of India means today prime minister and still whole India loves him as God . We need not politician like Ravan and Kans who have no respect for women . In India , I am seeing such youth who can take the burden of all social and economic problems by becoming Young Prime minister . But problem is that who brings them in front . If Indian people want to see young India , then they should think the above role of youth in politics and give them support by their Valuable Votes .

The Evolution Of The Mauritian Economy Information Technology Essay

The Evolution Of The Mauritian Economy Information Technology Essay In the past two decades, the world scenario has considerably changed with one of the pioneering factors leading such changes as globalisation being information technology (IT). The pervasiveness of information and communications technologies (ICTs), may it be at home, within offices, or at schools cannot be denied today. The phenomenal growth of ICTs worldwide has had economic, social, political, and legal implications. For instance, businesses operate in more competitive environments today while others have closed down due to unforeseen pressures. ICTs have also been the foundation blocks for globalisation. Global network systems are today considered as being the new basis for power. The core elements propelling developing and developed economies to surface have been free trade, unrestricted investment, deregulation, balanced budgets, low inflation, privatisation of state owned institutions and infrastructure among others (APC, 2003). Few multinationals are dominating a large part of the market share in the majority of countries. ICTs have been contributing largely to such encroachment in the social and economic conditions of states. With the advent of ICTs instantaneous, global and electronic information is widely available to all. Today, a world without ICT cannot be fathomed. Increased dependence on the new forms of information has marked the whole world: financial markets, competition, research and development, educations and innovation are all sustained by the recent developments in ICT. According to Castells (2000) ICTs are the equivalent to the importance of electricity in the Industrial Era. Various other authors have appraised ICTs as being the tool to leapfrog economic growth through modernisation of production systems and increase competitiveness. Economies ignoring the developments in technology will only remain poor, marginalised and cast aside while those taking advantage of it will simply gain further by going beyond the traditional restrictions of space and time (ITU, 2004). The Mauritian Economy has not been left unscathed by phenomenal changes brought about by globalisation. Reduction in trade barriers and the erosion of trade preferences enforced by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has exposed the economy to diverse hazards on the world market. Fiscal measures are currently being tightened with a view to sustain the economy in the long-term; increased dependence on local quality products is being encouraged. Consultancy services are being sought from knowledgeable persons with a view to identifying means as to how the economy can survive the impact of globalisation. Among the long-term strategies put forward, lies the development and progress of the Mauritian ICT sector as a means of reducing reliance on other pillars. The ability of ICTs to counter the effect of globalisation has been proven by countries such as Singapore as a reliable path towards sustaining competitiveness in the world market. Indeed, several years have elapsed since Mauritius has engaged itself in a new vision of transforming the country into a cyber-island. As such, numerous changes and developments have been achieved taking from infrastructure to the legislative framework for ICTs. Contribution of established pillars to economic progress Agriculture Manufacturing Tourism Financial and Services The ICT Sector Contribution to the economy Given the lack of figures for GDP contribution, the main emphasis has been on the level of employment generated in the ICT sector to describe its growth. However, in 1997, the ICT sector has been reported to have generated 3.3% of total sales to the economy and by 2002 this figure had grown to a total of Rs.4.1 Billion (2.9% of the Gross National Income). The Mauritius IT Industry Association (MITIA) estimated the ICT sectors turnover to be around $70 Million for the 2001/2002 period. The telecommunications sector has been accredited with bringing in the major contribution from the ICT sector to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This result is due to approximately 300 companies operating in the ICT sector, involved in a wide range of activities including software development, call centre, Business Process Outsourcing, IT Enabled Services (ITES), training, hardware assembly and sales, networking and other support services. World leaders such as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, HP, Infosys, Accenture, Hinduja Group have started operations on the island. ITES-BPO so far is the strongest segment of the local ICT industry, experiencing a robust growth recently. These ITES-BPO companies have already invested some MUR 727 M and were employing around 5513 people at the end of September 2006. This figure includes an increase of 27.2% from January 2006 to September of the same year. Call centres contributes most to ICT sector employment in Mauritius with 42% of the workforce pooled into their activities (2338 persons). A remarkable increase of 158% should also be noted with regard to software development where employment incre ased from 277 to 716 lately, indicative of a rise in demand for software developers as well (BOI, 2008). Furthermore, with respect to encouraging small local entrepreneurs to invest in ICT, some 18 start-ups have benefited from the National Computer Board (NCB) Incubator Centre. These start-ups have in turn contributed towards the creation of 86 jobs and an investment of MUR 12.75 M. When it comes to IT Export, companies like Blanche Birger, DCDM Consulting, State Informatics Limited and Mauritius Telecom have extended their operations to the regional market (NCB, 2006). Investment The Mauritian government has realised the huge potential of ICT, in boosting the economy. It wants ICT to offer efficient, effective and citizen-focused public services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (ITU, 2004). Mauritius is presently ranked 32nd worldwide as an easy and attractive location for business (BOI, 2008). Foreign investment being constantly sought; the government offers a range of facilities and incentives aimed at creating a favourable climate for FDI; for both the Individual and Corporate Investor. At the international level the government maximises on its political, economic and diplomatic endeavour to secure market access and investment guarantees (NCB, 2006). Mauritius has been a leader in Africa in making tax concessions and giving other investment incentives, dating from 1970. All of these benefits have now been extended to the ICT sector. It is now emphasising a targeted promotion project instead of an incentive driven approach. The government has, in that respect, given many facilities regarding FDI. The package of incentives as listed in the ICT Incentive Regime is as follows: low corporate tax of 15% instead of 25% VAT at 15%, refundable No capital gain tax 100% foreign ownership Free repatriation of profits, dividends and capital No minimum foreign capital required 50% annual allowance on declining balance for the purchase of electronic and computer equipment Streaming of all administrative procedures exemption of customs and excise duties on the import of materials and equipment exemption from tax on dividends FDI is governed by the Non-Citizen (property restriction) Act of 1975. This investment regulation is in line with WTOs agreement on TRIMS. A World Bank study conducted in collaboration with the Board of Investment (BOI) indicated that delays in the issue of business licenses and operating permits severely and negatively affect investment. Consequently, recent developments have led to the creation of business within three days. Most activities in the ICT sector are undertaken by a few big groups and governmental entities. The latter fare fairly well, as compared to other regional countries. Most of our investment in 2005 has been obtained from Indian companies with the objective of using the island as a channel to the African market. For example Mahanagar Telephone Mauritius Limited (MTML) has started operation in July 2005 with international long distance telephone services. As from this year, it has launched fixed phone services and will soon be offering cellular phone services. It was estimated in 2005 that MTML would have invested $25 million in its network. Many European companies are also reported to have entered into joint ventures with Mauritian organisations in the ICT sector. The potential for BPO, call centre services and offshoring is increasing. Many foreign-owned call centres have invested in Mauritius, such as V-Lines from France, and Infinity; joint venture between French and Mauritian organ isations. As such, the potential for BPO, call centre services and offshoring in particular are increasing. In fact, BPO is the most thriving activity at the moment. Investment in BPO activities has increased by 38.3% (to the number of 148) over seven months (January 2006 to September 2006). Following Mauritius, France brings the most funds in the sector (forecasts indicate a figure of MUR 529 million). India is the next big investor in BPO, with a forecasted investment of MUR 440 million (BOI, 2006). The ITES-BPO sector is actually intended to bring investment of MUR 1.94 billion in the island. So far, MUR 1.01 billion has already been pooled in the economy. By September 2006, ITES-BPO activities were distributed as follows: Figure 1: ITES/BPO Activity in Mauritius (In Numbers) Many foreign-owned call centres have invested in Mauritius such as V-Lines from France, and Infinity; joint venture between French Mauritian organisations. Software Development companies are coming in larger numbers, with a 43% growth rate, followed by BPO (40%) and Multimedia Companies (33%). By end September 2006, the BOI has approved of 29 ITES/BPO investment projects. 24% of these come from call centres and 21% from Software Developers. The main target markets of investing companies are France, United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), and India. Legislations Given the increasing growth of the ICT sector, there has been a shift in the paradigm of regulation during the last decade. The development of the ICT sector is not solely dependent on the technological advancements but also on a strong and supportive regulatory and legislative environment. The ICT Authority (ICTA) has identified seven major market segments where regulation is deemed to be imperative. The market segments are as follows: 1. Fixed telephony a. Local b. International i. Conventional ii. Internet Telephony 2. Mobile telephony 3. Services related to fixed and mobile telephony 4. Dial-up Internet 5. Broadband Internet 6. Wholesale 7. Sale of Equipment Mauritius has been accredited with having a sound and an impartial legal system based on the Napoleonic Codes and the British Common Law. Intellectual Property rights have been strengthened by recent trademark, patent and industrial design laws which comply with the WTOs TRIPS agreement. Furthermore, Mauritius is also a member of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and party to the Paris and Bern conventions for the protection of industrial property and the Universal Copyright Convention (Bank of Mauritius, 2006). Over the past decade, the Government of Mauritius (GOM) has taken a proactive role in the regulation of the ICT Sector and has passed five laws to deal with issues such as recognition of digital signatures, protection of copyrights and combating cyber-crime. A brief description of each act is provided below: Table 1: Overview of Main Legislations for the ICT Sector Regulation Law Description Date Passed The Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Bill Provides for repression of criminal activities perpetrated through computer systems and protection against computer misuse and new forms of Cybercrime May 2003 Information and Communication Technologies Act Provides for the establishment, management, regulation and promotion of ICT sector December 2001 Electronic Transaction Act (ETA) Covers electronic records and electronic signatures and the security thereof. (ICT Sector in Mauritius, ICT Authority, 2004) July 2000 Information Technology (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Deals with admissibility of electronics documents as evidence in court cases; data protection and security, computer misuse and patenting of software. December 1998 Copyright Act Pertains to the protection of software and electronic databases. September 1997 Data Protection Act 2010 As per the provisions of the ICT Act, a number of institutions, namely the ICTA, the ICT Appeal Tribunal, the ICT Advisory Council and the Internet Management Committee have already been set up. This regulatory framework has encouraged and allowed international ICT players such as Microsoft, Infosys and so on to successfully conduct their business from Mauritius while allowing the state to meet its social and economic goals. The GOM has also proposed one more bill, entitled the Data Protection Act, which is planned to reassure the ITES companies and their customers on the safety of their data (BOI, 2008). This bill has been in the pipeline for the past 2 years now. Liberalisation There has been a marked difference in the ICT sector structure as from 2000 to 2004. The international long distance and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have changed from having a monopolistic structure to a highly competitive one. The mobile operators have also drifted into full competition, as compared to a previous situation characterised by partial competition (World Bank, 2004). As per the WTO agreement, in 1997, to liberalise the telecommunications sector, the ICT Act was laid as a foundation for proper legal framework governing and enabling liberalisation to take place (ICTA, 2001). It was agreed that all state monopolies and exclusivity rights in domestic and international services would be terminated by 2004. This date was however advanced to the 1st January 2003 as the legislative environment was then deemed insufficient to meet the development of the ICT Sector as regards to foreign investment. Prior to 2003, Mauritius Telecom (MT) held exclusive rights on most national and international services. However, with liberalisation, the Mauritian population has seen the emergence of several new entrants in the sector to their benefit. In 2001, the ICTA replaced the MT Authority as per the ICT Act of 2001. It oversaw the full liberalisation of the telecommunications sector and in its first year it granted several licenses. The liberalisation of the telecommunications services since 1st January 2003 has given a major impetus to the ICT sector (African Economic Outlook, 2006). Exclusive rights of ownership of the SAFE cable have been given to MT however. The mobile market on the other hand, involves two major competing firms: Emtel and Cellplus, and a third likely in the near future: MTML. Current State of Information Technology in Mauritius People Mauritius is a highly erudite economy with 88% literacy rate (BOI, 2006). The island is on the go towards increasing its IT literacy rate. For this purpose, it has started at the ground level i.e. from schools. Another project launched in 2001, was the School Information Technology project, where primary and secondary schools will have computers, with at least one computer lab. In 2002, 100% of schools in Mauritius had a computer but only 18.7% of these had access to the internet (ITU, 2005). All the universities have LANs and high speed internet access. In 2004, 48% of the secondary schools and 4% of the primary schools had internet access (BOI, 2006). With regard to the distribution of the educational level in Mauritius, in the year 2005, there were a total of 11,814 school leavers in S.C. and 5555 school leavers in H.S.C. Only 4444 tertiary students enrolled in Mauritian institutions of which 2,020 enrolled for IT Courses taking from Diploma to Master degrees (BOI, 2006). Adding to the tally of developing IT skilled professionals is the high number of students who are returning to Mauritius each year with degrees from leading universities in Europe, Australia, India, Canada and South Africa. There are five main institutions offering courses leading to certificates, diplomas and degrees in IT. These include the University of Mauritius (UOM), Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Swami Dayanand Polytechnique, De Chazal Du Mee Business School (DCDM) and University of Technology Mauritius (UTM). Other institutions include Formation, Recruitement et Conseil en Informatique, State Informatics Limited and NIIT Computer Education and Training Centre (NCB, 2006). However, the Mauritius College of Air (MCA), which is the countrys leading public distance learning institution, has very few Computer Science courses and in the year 2002 only 3.6% were enrolled in the Computer Science field. Nevertheless, there are many other international universities which provide distance learning courses. Distance learning accounted for the largest share of tertiary Computer Science students with a total of 1,962 students in 2002 (ITU, 2004). The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and the Task Force on E-Education and Training projected the number of graduates to join the ICT labour market up to 2005 at around 4000 (NCB, 2006). The following diagram illustrates this distribution by the type of institution: Figure 2: Enrolment in Tertiary Computer Science Courses by Institutions (2001) [Adapted from ITU (2004)] However, the forecasted demand of IT workers and/or IT specialists far exceeds the forecasted supply. It was forecasted, in 2003, that if GOM accelerated training accompanied with a low demand for IT professionals, Mauritius will just meet the demand for IT professionals in 2006. If the contrary was to be true, then Mauritius would face an acute shortage of capable labour which was forecasted to be around 8000 IT professionals. In the year 2000, there were approximately 1,900 IT Professionals according to a survey carried out by the NCB. Three years later that figure had increased to 3,200 professionals. Furthermore, an annual growth rate of 15% per annum of newly trained IT graduates is estimated by the TEC. However, as stated earlier, it would prove to be grossly inadequate to meet the demand if there is the expected and the desired growth of the ICT sector. The GOM is providing incentives to attract internationally renowned institutions and universities to set off-campus branches in Mauritius (ITU, 2004). Due to Mauritius relatively poor adoption of the internet, the GOM has sharpened its focus on education at all levels. Promotion of an ICT Culture at the national level has been acknowledged through operation of: An IT Coach Project (Cyber Caravan) to raise ICT awareness around the country A Computer Proficiency Program a joint Government Private-Sector initiative by the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC) on basic computer skills is available to the community at large at a subsidised fee of Rs.700. Also, the GOM has recently launched an ambitious and enormous training programme of 400,000 Mauritians in ICT over the next four years on the 4th September 2006. Commonly known as the IC3 programme, it aims to dispense a series of training sessions under the Universal ICT Education Programme (UIEP) which will eventually lead to the highly recognised Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3). In that respect, the NCB has been delegated the task of implementing the project which will include people from various background, be it educational, social, or work. The IC3 Certification which was developed by Certiport Incorporation (USA) is the first globally accepted, standards-based, validated certification program for basic computing skills. It consists of three modules, namely: Computing Fundamentals, Key Applications, and living Online. IC3 being a foundation course for ICT studies, the trainees can further evolve in the sector by going as far as the MCSE (Microsoft Computer Softw are Engineer) qualification. IT Penetration among the Mauritian Population Since it has adopted a vision of becoming a cyber-island, the state has been strongly emphasising the need to bring the technology to the reach of one and all. On one hand, the younger generation has been heavily benefiting from the inclusion of ICT in their curriculum. 2004 reports confirm that around half of all secondary school and a number of primary institutions benefit from internet access. A large portion of the educational institutions have been equally fitted with computers for students use. On the other hand, the government has also been providing training in IT. As per October 2004, 2500 civil servants had already been trained. The table below illustrates some economic and ICT indicators for 1999-2004: Table 2: Economic and ICT-related indicator (1999-2004) Year Indicators 2003 2004 Estimated Population (Millions) 1.186 1.196 GDP per capita (MUR at Market Price) 128,288 141,826 GDP Growth at basic prices +3.7 +4.5 Mobile Subscribers/100 inhabitants 38.13 47.58 Fixed Telephone Penetration (%) 91 92 Estimated Internet Users 180 000 230 000 No. of Internet Subscribers (dial up) 60 052 77 558 Estimated Household Internet Penetration (%) International Internet Bandwidth (Mbps) 45 61 Estimated Internet Hosts 3985 4836 Source: Central Statistics Office, Mauritius A survey conducted by the NCB in 2002 showed that the main reason why people did not have a PC at home was that they already had one at work and the second reason was cost. The government started a Computer in Every Home campaign and also provided subsidised loans to civil servants for buying PCs; but CSO figures claim that people did not know about these initiatives. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health had implemented the National Health Information System, so as to make health care more efficient. By 2002, seven health centres had been computerised. Mauritius also has the cheapest internet access rates in the African Continent. However, on a global basis, the price of internet connection is relatively high. Indeed, in July 2004, there was a 15% VAT charge on internet services. Such diverging strategies directly hinder the governments policy of spreading internet use throughout the island. With prospective competition from MTML, the internet tariffs were expected to fall by the end of 2006. This would have rapidly increased the number of internet users. Nowadays, post offices also provide electronic services, namely for payment of bills and the sale of telephone services. Mauri-Post is further expected to launch online banking services. Conclusion The ICT Sector in Mauritius has undeniably emerged as a sector in its own right today. The vision of the Mauritian government to make it the next engine of economic growth is in its making as ICT starts to make important inroads to the contribution of GDP. An analysis of 18 economies on their abilities to effectively implement ICT putting Mauritius in 5th position clearly supports this view. The Mauritian government has taken several steps to make the islands outlooks more favourable to investors in the ICT Sector. Additionally, infrastructural developments, especially in the physical terms, are highly conducive to the foreign investment and the GOM is taking pro-active measures to attract further FDI in the ICT Sector. The legislative framework for the sector clearly demonstrates the countrys willingness to foster competition, openness, and an attractive business environment as well as the provision of universal service with efficient interconnectivity. With the liberalisation of the local telecommunications market, investors can expect lower rates of internet access as well as better services from international brands in the future. The liberalisation is also attracting investment in the telecommunications field. To complement the above, several unprecedented initiatives, with the IC3 programme being the latest, have been undertaken to create a first-time-ever educated population in respect of information technology. The combination of the discussed issues, projects, and factors in this chapter will irrefutably link Mauritius firmly to the global information highway in the near future. Yet, development cannot happen in a vacuum, and Mauritius will need to keep pace with the fast changing environment of ICT as it develops the sector further. Pro-activeness, responsiveness, and flexibility represent key requirements for the ICT sector development to prevent the country from losing its position. Literature Review This chapter describes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the Mauritian ICT industry. The following diagram illustrates the main elements of the analysis: STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES Language- Bilingual Workforce Political Willingness Infrastructure Physical Telecommunications Attractive Fiscal Incentives Sound Legal Framework Geographical Location Political Stability and Low Risk of Terrorism Infrastructural Weaknesses Poor education system Deteriorating economy Lack of Research and Development (RD) OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Membership in major Regional Trade Blocs Indian Government support Rapid Development Pace Brain Drain Competing ICT economies in the region Risk of natural disaster/s Table 3: SWOT for the Mauritian ICT Industry Strengths Bilingual Workforce Mauritians are bilingual being conversant in both French and English and can therefore service both English-speaking and French-speaking markets (Novatech, 2008). The Industrial Vocational Training Board (IVTB) furthermore organises the training of call centre and BPO operators (which currently constitute a high proportion of the ICT sector) on a regular basis. Additionally, ten public and some thirty private institutions, in collaboration with reputed foreign universities and international training centres provide professional training courses in the IT sector. Key players operating in Mauritius include NCC, NIIT, Aptech, University of Surrey, University of Birmingham, University of Witwatersrand, Università © of Poitiers, Dale Carnegie, BCS, ACCA, CIMA. Additionally, Mauritian employees are commended for their loyalty by Indian, French and British firms. This, according to them, improves the quality of the Mauritian workforce. Infrastructure Telecommunications The SAT-3/WASC/SAFE submarine optical fibre cable links Europe to the Far East through Mauritius and provides connectivity to worldwide destinations through ADSL, ISDN and high bandwidth international leased lines (IPLCs). Government has equally accelerated the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector by an early termination of the exclusivity of the incumbent operator, Mauritius Telecom (MT) as mentioned earlier. As such, new operators have entered the local telecommunications industry offering value added services in the field of International Telephony, Internet Service Provider and Voice over IP. The market has become highly competitive and new entrants compete mainly on prices to gain new clients. A further asset is possessed by Mauritius Telecom, the national operator, with a Point of Presence (PoP) in Telehouse, Paris where major international bandwidth providers and key telecom operators are present for interconnection, thereby providing end-to-end service at very competitive rates (BOI, 2008). Another underwater cable of East Africa, EASSy (Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System), will soon add to the bandwidth provided by the SAFE cable. The cable of a length of more than 8000 km will link Mauritius to around 20 countries of the Eastern coast of Africa including Kenya and Madagascar. As such, telecommunications and internet costs, which have already been reduced substantially over the past few years, are deemed to further decrease. The Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications, has signed the protocol for linking Mauritius to the EASSy project on the 20th November 2006. This will give Mauritius a competitive edge in telecommunications costs. Physical The Ebene Cybercity is the first IT Park in the African region. It is spread over an area of 172 acres and with consist of various facilities such as video conferencing, conference halls, 24/7 restaurants and banks. The first Ebene Cyber Tower has already been constructed with many international ITES-BPO players are already operating within the most intelligent building in Mauritius. A second cyber tower is also now operational and has already been booked up to 70%. Among the operators are the French company, Phone Sales Experts, which has already started its activities with 50 employees and an American BPO which has booked five floors and is expected to employ around 600 employees. Political Willingness The dedication of the Mauritian government to achieve its goal of making Mauritius a cyber-island has also been reflected over the past few years by its e-government initiatives (e-government, 2004). E-government is the use of ICT to deliver public services which provides greater convenience for citizens (G2C) and to businesses (G2B), as well as between different ministries (G2G). Such initiatives include: The setting up of a Government Online Centre (GOC) as a point of interaction with citizens and businesses. The setting up of a Government Intranet System (GINS) as a medium for collaboration between civil service departments. The designation of Chief Information Officers to champion IT developments and for the provision of learning materials. The approval of international standards to benchmark the internal level of security. Indeed, the government took the initiative to invest in an e-government scheme gearing towards e-management, e-services and e-democracy. E-management consists of computerising all governmental departments while E-services are a platform for the exchange of information between the population and the state. E-democracy on its part is a concept that allows citizens to participate in government decision-making through the posting of queries. Citizens are also provided with e-services such as Application for Lump Sum, Drivers License, Scholarships and Passports are offered online (Govt. Mtius, 2010). The enactment of various legislations for regulating the ICT sector equally reflects such willingness at top level. Attractive Fiscal Incentives Fiscal incentives are being used as a means to increase FDI and investment potential in the island. Such differing tax

The Civilizing Process By Norbert Elias Essay example -- essays resear

DP Summary: The Civilizing Process by Norbert Elias Social scientist, Norbert Elias, examines in part two of his book, The Civilizing Process, the development of manners and the subsequent ‘civilizing’ of Western Europe since the middle ages. This journey in time is an attempt to understand what actually happened to humanity during several transitional periods. Elias perceives the development of western civilization in three historical stages. (From the middle ages with a progression to the renaissance (extended to 1750) and finally to modern day society) Each society of the three stages had it’s own standards of behavior, which influenced the individual to act in a certain â€Å"accepted† way. A correlation was also found between the sudden appearance of words in a language and the transitional periods between each historical stage of the civilizing process. Meaning, as people change and grow, so to does society. In essence, Elias is speaking of the maturity of a people. The usage of the word courtoisis acquired its meaning from Western society during the middle ages. This concept gradually diminish in the upper class, while civilite’ grew more widespread in France during the Renaissance. The concept of civilite was an expression and a symbol of a social formation, which was embraced by most nations. Civilite owes its specific meaning to a short treatise by Erasmus of Rotterdam, (On civility in boys), which became socially accepted in 1530. Erasmus provided a fresh sharpness a...

Self-Determination in the Basque Country Essay -- Persuasive Argumenta

Self-Determination in the Basque Country The Basques, settled on the Franco-Spanish border, are a people who do not have a country that exists as an entity of its own. They are not recognized internationally. Their borders are not respected, and their culture is repressed. Thus the history of the Basque Country is one of contentious protest against imposed conditions, unremitting effort in defense of its identity and a relentless search for a means of democratizing public life. They have not been able to practice or pursue the right to self-determination as stated in the international covenants on human rights (above) and the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples from Algeria, July 4th, 1976, that, â€Å"Every people has the fundamental and inalienable right to self-determination. It defines its political status in all freedom, without any external foreign interference." Spanning approximately 20,000 square kilometers, with three provinces in the â€Å"north† under French rule, and four provinces in the â€Å"south† under Spanish rule, the Basque people enjoy a strong sense of pride in their culture. This pride stems mainly from their unique language; the true essence of Basque identity. Its roots trace to before the invasion of the Indo-Europeans, around 4,000 years ago. Therefore, it is the oldest known language in all of Europe. The Basques have struggled to keep language as the cornerstone of their culture. However, under Spanish rule this has been greatly challenged, especially in the 20th century. In the first decades of the last century, children caught speaking Basque in schools were beaten as a means to discourage the use and growth of the language. And while the majority of the... ...on should achieve autonomy and independence, yet others, as is the case of the Basque Country, should not? The Basque people are entitled to self-determination. They have been persecuted and discriminated against for long enough. Their language and their culture deserve to be respected and protected. If this does not occur, attacks will continue, their anger will fester, and all their passion and frustration will perpetuate more violence, completing the circle, only to start again. BIBLIOGRAPHY Astrain, Luis Nunez. The Basques: Their Struggle For Independence. Welsh Academic Press. Wales. 1997 Sullivan, John. ETA and Basque Nationalism. Routledge. London. 1988. www.elpais.es Zirakzadeh, Cyrus Ernesto. A Rebellious People: Basques, Protests, and Politics. University of Nevada Press. Reno. 1991.

Williams Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Essay -- Williams Cat Hot Tin Roof Ess

Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" In 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' Williams presents the audience with w world of mendacity. Every fibre of the character's being is based on a spectrum of deceit, from self-deception, to exploitation to social lies. The characters' names themselves conceal the irony and deceit, for example Brick, the leading man. The name Brick itself suggests a tough, strong man, but Brick's character suggests a weak, pathetic man who tries hard to forget his past by indulging in a life of alcohol. Brick is mentally insecure, he lies to himself and those around him, in the first scene he pretends not to hear his wife, 'did you say something, Maggie?' The other members of the household refer to Brick as the brick house that sheltered the 'three little pigs', the strong structure that cannot be easily blown down. The 'no-neck monsters', Mae and Goopers children are the pigs, sheltered by the security of Brick. In the play lying is used to 'protect' other people's feelings because 'the truth hurts'. A web of lies covers the truth about the state of Big Daddy's health. This is to 'protect' Big Daddy and his wife from the painful reality, 'Nothin' a-tall's wrong with him but' 'a spastic colon'. Lies are used to disguise the characters real feelings, they live a lie putting on 'jewelled sandals' and 'cream silk underwear' to stop their feelings being shown. Gooper and Mae are partners in games of lies and deceit, working together to get their wishes, the inheritance from Big Daddy. The name Big Daddy suggests a physically imposing man with a big ego and Big Mama suggests a frightening woman, head of the family, a matriarch. Their names suggest how they would like others to see them but they do not... .... She builds herself up by putting Maggie down, by the end her comments have worn thin and she is ignored when she questions Maggie's 'pregnancy', Big Mama only believes what she wants to hear. It is this pressure to fit in to the family that is the source of most of the lies in the play; the audience is constantly left guessing the future, the family's lives beyond the death of 'the boss', Big Daddy. Williams leaves the end of the play open to this guessing, will Maggie get pregnant by Brick? The real question though is will Brick be able to face up to the responsibility of replacing Big Daddy and will the uncovered lies mean a truthful future for the family? I think that this is an interesting way to leave the play as it does not end 'happily ever after' but there is finally hope for the future for Maggie and Brick now they have faced up to the truth.

Macbeth Openings

How does Shakespeare create mood and atmosphere in the opening scenes of Macbeth? Act 1 Scene 1 is set in ‘an open place’, immediately indicating to the reader that something secretive is happening, the very setting of the first scene indicates tension to come. The stage direction reads ‘Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches. ’ The weather creates a tense atmosphere, when the scene is performed the weather acts as pathetic fallacy, further creating tension in the atmosphere; also the weather suggests a supernatural element, a common component of the Gothic genre. The witches talk in rhyming couplets, as though a chant; Witch 1 says ‘When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain? ’. This indicates the witches can see into the future, developing further on the supernatural element; Shakespeare mentions this power of the witches in the first scene to shock the audience, and to develop the sinister atmosphere. The witches agree to meet on ‘the heath’, an isolated and secretive location suggesting their intentions are evil. During this scene Macbeth is mentioned for the first time, the witches say they are to meet him, Shakespeare does this to foreshadow Macbeth’s link to evil, by suggesting Macbeth knows the witches the audience automatically associates Macbeth with the witches. The ending of the scene has great impact, all witches recite ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. ’ Again the witches are ‘chanting’ and talking in rhyming couplets, suggesting they have telepathic powers, securing the idea that they have supernatural powers. At the era in which Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, James I was King, he was extremely interested in Witches, so many suggest Shakespeare wrote the play to please the King, and his followers. Act 1 scene 1 is a short impact scene for dramatic effect, Shakespeare introduces the witches as the first characters in the play, and this is to foreshadow the evil to come and to engage the audience of the era. Act 1 scene 2 is set in ‘a camp’, King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lenox and their attendants meet a bleeding Captain. The characters are talking in Iambic pentameter, which mimics human speech; Shakespeare does this so the audience subconsciously trust the King. Shakespeare also does this to draw attention to the contrast between the Witches speaking in an eerie manner with rhyming couplets (unnatural) and these characters speaking normally. When the Captain speaks, he mentions ‘two spent swimmers’ and speaks with great respect of how these soldiers fought against ‘merciless Macdonwald’. He then mentions Macbeth is one of these ‘brave’ men, which highly contrasts from the impression we get of Macbeth in the first scene. The audience get the impression Macbeth is highly respected by the Captain and the King. However Shakespeare uses brutally violent language in the Captains description of Macbeth in action such as ‘bloody execution’, ‘carv’d’ and ‘till he unseam’d him from the nave to th’chops, And fix’d his head upon our battlements. ’ Shakespeare uses the violent language to reinforce Macbeth’s strength and brutality and to further exaggerate the tense atmosphere. Later in the scene the Captain mocks the idea that Macbeth may have been scared ‘As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion’ showing Macbeths determination and ruthlessness; he also compares Macbeth fighting to ‘Golgotha’ the scene of Christ’s death, creating this immortal imagery of Macbeth before the audience have seen him. Shakespeare introduces Macbeth through word of mouth in both Act 1 scene 1 and scene 2 to show his strength and hint at his evil streak, this creates a tense mood awaiting the introduction of Macbeth’s character. Throughout the scene Shakespeare introduces people that witnessed Macbeth’s bravery in the battle one at a time to show their appreciation and to emphasize his strength, structurally this builds tension and gradually the atmosphere becomes more and more tense. During this scene Shakespeare also introduces the theme of deception; the Thane of Cawdor has betrayed King Duncan by assisting his opponents in the battle. This theme heightens the tension and when the Thane of Cawdor is executed, Macbeth receives his title, moving him up further in the hierarchy. In Act 1 scene 3 we return to the witches located on the heath, an isolated and secretive area, with further pathetic fallacy of thunder. Shakespeare does this to heighten the tension back up for the audience wondering what the witches are going to do; after the slight relax of tension in the previous scene the pathetic fallacy quickly returns the extremely tense atmosphere. By switching from scene 1 with the witches then scene 2 without the witches back to scene 3 with the witches Shakespeare creates the idea that the witches are significant, implying that a significant event is to come in the following scene. Everything is drawing the audience’s attention to this scene. Within the scene the witches begin to discuss their evil actions, another element of the Gothic genre. Later the witches use parts of corpses to conjure up a spell, Shakespeare does this to elaborate further on the witches supernatural powers and to entice the audience with a common interest of the era. Macbeth enters directly after the spell takes place, therefore the mood is tense on his entry, Shakespeare does this to give greater dramatic effect to his entrance. Macbeth first line of speech is ‘So foul and fair a day I have not seen’ opening with the very same paradox the witches ended the first scene on; Shakespeare uses language to create a subconscious link between the evil witches and Macbeth, creating tension and foreshadowing further that Macbeth is evil. Macbeth’s loyal friend Banquo says ‘you should be women’ indicating the witches look supernatural and revolting, further heightening tensions within the audience. Later stage directions state the ‘Witches vanish’, elaborating further that the witches are in fact supernatural beings. Banquo has hallucinations, a common element of the Gothic theme, the sense of uncertainty in this soldier earlier described as a ‘spent swimmer’ creates the contrast and worry within the audience about the extent of the witches powers, the mood becomes more and more negative and curious as to what the witches are capable of. Later in the scene Macbeth, in an aside he says ‘As happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme. Meaning he is happy that the witches may be right and that he may be on his way to becoming King, which for an audience during this era would be shocking. Shakespeare does this for dramatic effect. This is soon followed by the implication that Macbeth has considered killing the King ‘whose horrid image doth unfix my hair’. This is outrageous to the Jacobean audience, the mood becomes angry and tense as Macbeth starts to become justifiably disliked. He seems the anti-hero with the fatal floor of ambition. The final hint is that a later aside Macbeth mimics the evil witches in using rhyming couplets, strengthening his link with them. Throughout these scenes Shakespeare uses violent and supernatural language, as well as contrast between iambic pentameter and rhyming couplets to strengthen the ongoing development of a tense atmosphere. The atmosphere revolves closely around Macbeth and foreshadows well for the events to follow. Shakespeare does this to highlight Macbeth’s introduction at the antagonist.

Street Gangs

Street gangs are very common in America and especially amongst African American populations. The history of street gangs can be traced back to the 1930s when African Americans were undergoing challenging moments considering that it was an era of great racial discrimination. Different street gangs have different names for instance, famous street gangs in the US included The ‘Kelleys’, The ‘Driver Brothers’, The ‘Boozies’ as well as The ‘Magnificents’ .Activities of such gangs evolved from violence, robbery, drug dealing, and prostitution to covert missions. In addition, street gangs have been usually composed of juveniles. Composition of the street gangs has always been around peers such as friends, sisters or brothers. Although street gangs lack clear ideology in the struggle for black liberation street gangs were seen as the voice of black struggle within the black community and very little was done by the community to deal with th e problem of street gangs.Today, street gangs have various definitions depending on who is defining them. For instance, a researcher’s definition is different from a police definition and definitions have varied from author to author with different authors giving different definitions for street gangs. For example; (Skogan, 1990) defined street gangs as groups of teenagers who congregate around street corners not necessarily for covert missions but also because of social pressures such as lack of shelter (Sarnecki. 2001).Another author, Sheriff and Sheriff (1964) defined street gangs as an elaborate network of young persons whose goal is to violate the law (Sarnecki. 2001). This shows how greatly the topic of street gangs has been surrounded by mystery in America. However, there is agreement that street gangs in America are largely networks of people with a loosely threaded ideology which is temporary. In addition, membership to street gangs is never permanent as the street g angs have very strict ‘code of conduct’ which often see members fall apart.In addition, street gangs cut across racial, religious, national and ethnic backgrounds and today, unlike before the definition of street gangs goes beyond ‘black’ gangs (Jennifer Lee, Min Zhou, 2004). Street gangs have a way of identifying themselves which is distinct from other competing gangs. For instance, each gang in America has their particular label of clothing or shoes which is only specific to that gang and anyone found to be using the same label outside the gang membership is often met with punishment which can include lynching or assault and in some cases, death (Jennifer Lee, Min Zhou, 2004).Street gangs also use specific types of tattoos on their bodies to further define themselves and as a result differentiate themselves from other competing gangs (Jennifer Lee, Min Zhou, 2004). Also common amongst street gangs is the use of hand signals which are unique to members of the given street gang and is a way of communication, identity and a sign of loyalty to the particular street gang. Street gangs also have their unique communication styles embedded in both verbal and non-verbal use of language and this is further used to promote the culture of the givens street gangs.As mentioned earlier, street gangs are rarely permanent in terms of the duration which members last in the gang. Leadership of street gangs is often autocratic and oppressive, something which is responsible for the rampant fallout amongst members which makes it very difficult for members to stay long in the groups. Another factor which defines street gangs in American is the fact that all street gangs have their turfs which they control and fight any effort by police or other law enforcement agents to oust them.As a result, street gangs come to form part of the life of the area where they occupy, something which has led to the spread of gang life especially practices such as drug abuse, prostitution and violence in the areas occupied by street gangs (Jennifer Lee, Min Zhou, 2004). Another factor, which defines street gangs in America, is the fact that all are involved in criminal activities and rarely do street gangs engage themselves in any constructive activity apart from some form of art such as rap music .It is generally accepted that street gang is a problem which is not only a threat to social order but also to national security. In the advent of terrorism, the police and other law enforcers cannot leave anything to chance when it comes to addressing loopholes in national and homeland security. To that end, several policing strategies, new legislations and other changes have been implemented in America to not only address the danger posed by external aggression but also the potential of threats within the United States of America. Street gangs are known to carry out any business for money indiscriminately.Therefore it does not matter whether it is a terroris t that the gang is working for. All that matters to a gang is that it forms a source of income. To counter the potential of street gangs posing a significant threat to homeland security, the police have moved as a measure to contain the street gangs within their ‘territories’. As mentioned earlier street gangs operate strictly on their territories and rarely do they move to new locations. This has presented an opportunity to the police to contain and deal with street gangs in a more localized manner.To ensure that the influence of street gangs does not spread widely into the community the police have come up with a strategy of road patrols which are made to make the community safer and secure. This is made to counter the possibility of gangs using the roads to harm their victims or to infiltrate fear amongst the members of the community. This has greatly worked well although it has been faced with the problem of racial profiling, given the fact that members of racial mi norities are often targeted by police searches aimed at countering street gangs.However, to a great deal, police road patrols have raised the level of security even in areas where street gangs are common. Another strategy has been to use technological power to deal with street gangs. This has seen the police use sophisticated weapons to fight street gangs whenever confrontations occur and to ensure that the police always remain in control. The police in most states have strategic plans which have seen police set up traffic checks along major roads aimed at ensuring that gangs’ activity is limited.The fact that most gangs trade in narcotics means that police have to strengthen their anti-narcotics units to decapitate the ability of street gangs to carry on illegal drug trade. This has seen the police work closely with intelligence, local community leaders as well as religious bodies to ensure that every member of the society is involved in fighting street gangs. Another great change in law enforcement agencies that has resulted from street gangs activities in America is the introduction of community policy. Unlike conventional policing, community policing is proactive, less resource laden and problem-solving .As a result of community policing, violence and drug abuse incidences have significantly dropped in the community level. However, it is worth noting that community policing requires training of local community members to equip them to deal with the sophisticated nature of crime in the society. The fact that police departments lack enough resources has seen a slow implementation of community policing as a strategy of law enforcement. Nonetheless, community policing has led to a decrease in fear levels amongst community members .Although originally community policing was motivated partly by the threat of street gangs in the community, community policing has turned out to be effective in fighting even crime which is unrelated to street gangs. The strat egy of community policing revolves around training of community members to equip them with the necessary tactics and knowledge to deal with crime, establishing of stations at the community level, increased foot patrols of police officers, as well as brainstorming meetings between community members and police in a bid to encourage citizen participation in fighting crime .It is worth noting that policing strategies, laws and other changes aimed at dealing with the problem of insecurity is largely based on state administration. This therefore means that different states use different approaches to fight with levels of crime considering the fact that different states have different security needs. For instance New York policing strategies is aimed at tackling crimes such as public drunkenness, violent crimes as well as prostitution. This therefore shows that the nature of criminal issues facing a state may vary and therefore may dictate the types of policing strategies.In addition, New York State is faced with a high threat of terrorism than the threat of street gangs for example. This therefore means that the changes and strategies by law enforcement agents have been broadly aimed at dealing with threats specific to that state . In Washington DC for example, there are gang legislations which have been specifically enacted to deal with the problem of gangs. This has attracted more funding aimed at empowering law enforcement agents’ efforts to deal with prevention of gang activities in Washington.The availing of funds has seen the police and other law enforcement agents become more capable of dealing with the problem of gang violence, which is deep-rooted in the State. The legislation has also allowed for funding of intervention measures and programs, which have seen the community, enjoy safer neighbourhoods. Other changes aimed at dealing with the problem of street gangs in Washington DC have included the imposition of tough penalties for street gang member s who are caught participating in violent crimes . This approach has seen the threat of violent street gangs decrease significantly in Washington DC.However, it is worth noting that all efforts geared towards dealing with the problem of insecurity and particularly street gang activities need to be integrated into federal laws so as to ensure that the state is able to fully address the challenge. Such legislation such as the companion legislation is aimed at making sure that there is the availability of funds to deal with lawlessness. In addition, the legislation aims at making sure that the police and other law enforcement agents are able to meet the challenge as well as effectively deal with violence before it becomes widespread (Jennifer Lee, Min Zhou, 2004).Efforts to deal with the threat of violent street gangs has moved from the preventive level to correctional facilities by empowering correctional officers to put in place reform measures aimed at rehabilitating street gang off enders. It can be said that the tough laws have been largely successful in not only dealing with violent street gangs but also in increasing the level of security in the neighborhoods (Sarnecki, 2001). Not all policing strategies or new laws have been successful in dealing with crime.However, some strategies such as road policing strategy have been effective due to its ability to prevent crime at the neighbourhood level. Other strategies or changes such as enhanced penalties have to some degree failed given the fact that the prisons where such offenders are sent to are not necessarily effective in correcting the behaviour of the offenders and therefore when such street gangs or any other offenders come out of the prisons they usually continue with the same criminal activities.Forfeiture is a strategy aimed at decapitating not only street gangs but other criminals of their ability to coordinate and execute criminal activities. Laws permitting the forfeiture of profits gained from cri minal activities have made it possible for law enforcement agents to seize property of criminals and therefore making sure that it becomes very unattractive for criminals to continue with their crime activities (Sarnecki, 2001).Another change or strategy which can be said to have resulted from the threat of street gangs is the initiation of gangs’ data bases which makes it possible for law enforcement agents to trace criminals with this (Jennifer Lee, Min Zhou, 2004) This also allows for easy monitoring of released criminals to monitor whether such have reformed. Having gang data bases also enables the easy exchange and sharing of information amongst law enforcement agents. Another change in the law enforcement agencies, which has been occasioned by the threat of street gangs, is the adoption of information technology systems .The introduction of information technology use amongst law enforcement agents has seen a dramatic increase in the ability of law enforcement agents to counter the activities of gangs. This has also made it very possible to collect data on criminal activities. Information technology has led to the quick exchange of information and intelligence on security issues, which significantly has boosted the ability of the law enforcement agents to prevent crime. Information technology has made it very hard for the gang members as well as other criminals to infiltrate law agencies, something which can jeopardize the effectiveness of law agents.Another strategy, which has been initiated to deal with crime in America, is the empowerment of law enforcement agents (Jennifer Lee, Min Zhou, 2004). This has been done through providing them with better equipment as well as training which makes it possible for law enforcement agents to operate with a high level of efficiency. Lack of capacity can greatly impact negatively on the war against crime. Therefore the move to empower law enforcement agents must be seen as one of the most effective changes e ver in dealing with organized crime.If the war against crime is to be won, a combination of the above mentioned strategies and changes must be implemented. For instance, having legislations however good, without having a capable human resource to enforce the legislation is likely to yield not better than meager results. The war must be sustained, focused and the aims should be well defined. Clearly, the strategies must address the root causes of criminal behaviour and activities. This should not be left to law enforcement agents alone.Violent behaviour has been found to be caused by a myriad of factors namely social factors, economic factors, political factors, religious factors and cultural factors. This indicates that the changes and strategies must cut across socio-cultural issues as well as economic, political and religious dimensions. There is an increasing trend of juvenile violence in America. This is a clear indication that there is a social crisis which must be addressed no t necessarily by law enforcement agencies but by other departments such as children’s department.In the past, efforts to deal with violent crime have tended to be reactive as opposed to proactive. If this approach is not changed, there is a high likelihood that a lot of resource will keep on being wasted due to using of the wrong strategies to fight lawlessness. Indeed, crime is not a war that can be won by law enforcement agencies only. Hence the reason why all efforts geared towards reducing criminal activities in the American society should be multisectoral. The introduction of community policing strategy is particularly encouraging.However, it is sad that most legislation aimed at curbing street gang crimes or other forms of crimes in the society have tended to originate from criminal justice. Given the fact that crime is influenced by other factors such as economic factors, there is a need for legislations based on economic principles such as equitable distribution of re sources especially to the marginalised communities to be enacted. Such legislations will see youths from the marginalised groups empowered economically and perhaps desist from joining street gangs or any other forms of crimes.Educational reforms or legislations can also be a great intervention measure in dealing with crime in the society. This is true considering the fact that there is a direct positive correlation between involvement in criminal activities and the level of education. Therefore, empowering people and especially the youths through education is likely to deter a good number from participating in crime. There is a need for education to reach every single youth in America as a way of empowering the society. If this is realized it will be an effective and less costly way of dealing with the problem that crime has become in the society.There is a need for more research to be commissioned to deal with the issue of street gangs in America. It appears that one of the reasons why law enforcement agencies have been slow in winning the war is the fact that most of the decisions made concerning how to deal with street gangs in America are not based on empirical evidence but rather on egoistic feelings of politicians. Until the law enforcement agencies realise the power of research in dissecting social problems, street gangs and other violent crimes are likely to continue threatening the American society.In addition, there is the possibility that a lot of resources will be wasted and there will be no resource to show for it. In conclusion, it can therefore be said that the war changes in street gangs in America have had an impact on law enforcement agencies in regard to the type of strategies the police have come up with, laws which have been put in place to deal with crime as well as the resources allocated to the fight against crime. Reference George, L, K and Coles, C. M. 1997. Fixing Broken Windows: Restoring Order and ReducingCrime in our Communities. 88. Simon & Schuster. New York. Jennifer Lee, Min Zhou; 2004. Asian American Youth: Culture, Identity, and Ethnicity Routledge. United States. Jerzy, Sarnecki. 2001. Delinquent Networks: Youth Co-offending in Stockholm. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, England. Mark, H. M. 1992. Problem Solving and Community Policing. Modern Policing. Vol. 99 Scott, Robert C. , Warner, Mark R. , Wilder, L. Douglas. June 7, 2004. Democrats Square off over Richmond Election. The Washington Times.