China and Democracy

Arguments for and Against Democracy The proponents of it, see democracy as good and very important. It enables individuals to decide what is good for them. Others argue that people don’t know what is in their best interests. Also, the definition of autonomy to various individuals differs. For example, democracy cannot in itself ensure that each individual will prevail.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on China and Democracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Democracy provides a mechanism for solving group conflicts and social differences. It offers a channel for open discussion and expression of diverse ideas for better decision making. But then, the value of democracy in theory is very different in practice. Even when there is economic growth, it has always been accompanied by social inequality, embezzlement of public wealth and grand corruption. Public dissatisfaction with how democracy works has b een evident with the various civil protests on hampered economic growth, social inequality and the subsequent emergence of criminal gangs. Some just waive their constitutional right to vote. In fact, most individuals believe in the rule by the technocratic elite as compared to democracy. Democracy’s ability to result to economic sustainability is contentious. This I because the heavy taxation often results to reduced productivity. Further, it may not be able to curb inflation through strict policies. Democracy also leads to religious and ethnic conflicts. Economic association and availability of information and transparency and accountability yield economic growth. Without democracy, there is no way of making the government accountable through the electoral process making them wasteful in their economic dealings. Chinese perception of democracy The Chinese citizens favor an economically rich country as opposed to their desire for a democratic society. Freedom is not the only way to measure what is important to a society. Instead, it should be associated with something of value to society. Democracy does not mean much if the citizenry is hungry, sick, uneducated and generally chained with poverty. Chinese scholars argue that how democracy can only be equated to how much individuals are able to make decisions on what they hold important in their life. It is the abilities that one has to make his own individual choices on the things that we value and hold in high regard. People associate leaders with individuals who have acted to empower people rather than those who concentrate on economic growth. The Chinese public however, views the government as caretakers and protector other than as owing obligations to them to offer them the basic needs.Advertising Looking for critical writing on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Chinese movement towards democracy At the beginning, due to the s courge of war, instability and famine facing them, the Chinese people were only concerned with fighting for a peaceful and safe environment that is free from hunger with political stability and cohesion. They did not worry about individual freedom and democracy. And these they achieved less for the now emerging high cases of instability and criminality in their country and people have resulted into ranking social order as the topmost current concern for them. Then there was need for educating the public so as to empower them to utilize the opportunities available for economic growth. Basic education was integral for the Chinese people to integrate their own economic goals with the world market. Though the government was unable to achieve a compulsory nine years education for all its masses, it is determined to universalize its education system in this era that education has become important for any individual to be successful in life, even in the Chinese economy. The Chinese governm ent has also worked hard towards the realization of an improved health facilities and nutrition. There is increase in both protective and curative measures adopted as well as fight against epidemics and improved sanitation. This has resulted to low mortality rate and increased life expectancy laying a ground for the need of higher rights. Women rights have also taken shape where women can choose their own spouses, right to divorce, to education and even to hold a job. They are also empowered to make political stands. Even though this has not been fully realized, it has been a great milestone for the Chinese people. The people’s right to a job and subsequently the employer’s right to choose a worker of his choice have created free movement of labor as opposed to the rigid and immobile system that existed, even though this has resulted to risk of unemployment since the government no longer guarantees the public with jobs. Further, almost all the population has been issue d with houses increasing people’s freedom to make decisions concerning their own lives leading to economic growth. This in turn has resulted to institutional and cultural change pushing political reforms even higher. Chinese Reaction to Democracy Chinese public has its own feelings toward the individual freedoms and rights. From the controlled flow of information, now there is not only increased freedom of speech but also increased use of the internet and international communication through fax, telephones, mails and computers.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on China and Democracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The government has invested heavily on technology and telecommunications all over the country. The media is no longer under the threat of the government on what it publishes. However, the media is not as free as it should be. There are still limitations imposed on the media both directly by the government and indirectly by the business people. But the freedom has its own disadvantages such as the uncontrolled informational flow carrying with it lifestyles that were formally regarded as a taboo thus eroding public morals and standards of values, especially with pornography infiltrating the market. However, people generally believe that the media should expose the current social evils and problems facing the country, as they too no longer support the increased freedom of information. The right to consumer goods too has a different aspect to it. If ones financial position is low, then the right to choose the products he would want to consume is inhibited and does not help. But the Chinese economy has grown thus empowering the consumers to purchase not only the necessities, but also the luxuries. Further, the right to choose consumer goods cannot in itself ensure that consumers get exactly what they want to buy. It requires an additional right to consumer protection by state against the producers so they can enjoy the primary right. Also, the right to work and live in a house of your own as granted by the state is still regulated by the market forces of labor. Most of the population is now faced with massive unemployment leading to social disparities and therefore reduced ability to own houses. Also, the people have a right to personal lifestyle through the music they listen to though most of them listen to music reflecting their values. There are also other rights such as right to inheritance, to dealing in stocks, to acquire wealth or hard currency. Therefore, what democracy means for the majority of other countries may not be the same conception for the Chinese people. They define what democracy is and they act towards its realization, their democracy. This critical writing on China and Democracy was written and submitted by user Haley Pennington to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Academic Prerequisites to Apply to Medical School

Academic Prerequisites to Apply to Medical School Perhaps it goes without saying that gaining admission to medical school is challenging.  Nearly 50,000 students submit applications each year and about 20,000 matriculate into medical school programs the following Fall semester. How do you ensure entry? While you cant ensure that youll be accepted, you can increase your odds. The successful medical student most commonly holds a pre-med major. But a pre-med major is not the only way to prepare for medical school admissions  Some applicants decide against premed majors.  They earn biology or chemistry degrees, either because their universities don’t offer premed majors or because of their own personal interests.  Science degrees are common because although it’s possible to gain admission to medical school without a pre-med degree, all med schools require that applicants take at minimum eight science classes. These requirements are outlined by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which accredits medical schools. That means that completing these courses is a non-negotiable part of your med school application. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, you must take, at minimum:   One year of BiologyOne year of Physics  One year of EnglishTwo years of Chemistry (organic and inorganic Chemistry) Why Is So Much Science Required? Medicine is an interdisciplinary field in that medical research incorporates skills, concepts, and findings from the many subfields within biology, chemistry, and other sciences.  Successful medical students have a background in these fields that serve as a baseline for their education in medicine.   Medical Schools Are Not Just Interested in Science Classes in mathematics are also important, though not required by the AAMC. Good grades in math indicate that you are able to reason and think like a scientist. The following courses are recommended but not required. Note the integration of liberal arts skills. Additional Recommendations Genetics (Often required)Calculus (Required by many)Molecular biologyStatistics or epidemiologyPsychology (Upper-level course)NeuroscienceEthicsWriting These recommended courses illustrate the basic educational themes that med schools look for in applicants:  the capacity for science, logical thinking, good communication skills, and high ethical standards. It’s Not Just About the Classes Getting into medical school does not simply require completing a set of classes.  Your performance in science classes (and all classes) matters. Specifically, you must earn high grades.  Your overall grade point average (GPA) must be no lower than 3.5 on the US 4.0 scale. Non-science and science GPAs are calculated separately but you should earn at least a 3.5 in each. Ultimately, you don’t need to be a pre-med major to complete these courses and meet the prerequisites for medical school, but a pre-med major makes it easier for you to fulfill all of the prerequisites within 4 years of college. A pre-med major is helpful but not necessary.

Internal and External Environmental Analysis - Barnes and Nobles Essay

Internal and External Environmental Analysis - Barnes and Nobles - Essay Example Barnes and Nobles are the industry leader in the book industry. Being the market leader in any industry is considered a strength due to the fact that the market leader generates the most amounts of revenues. The firm has been very innovative throughout its history including becoming the first bookstore to advertise on television. At the turn of the 21st century, Barnes and Nobles realized that e-commerce was a major trend that affected everyone in the retail industry. The firm today is the internet’s largest bookstore with a product selection of over 1 million titles. Two years ago the company also became a leader in e-books with over 1 million e-books to choose from. The management of the firm is highly qualified and over the years they have made a lot of smart decisions that have helped the firm become the best in the industry. The product selection in both the e-books and printed books is beyond what any other company can provide. The dominance in the e-book marketplace was achieved through the 2009 acquisition of Fictionwise. The tremendous selection of books has helped the company retain a lot of customers because the firm can satisfy the customer’s reading needs. Another strength of the company is its branding value. The firm was able to capitalize on its ability to generate customer traffic by diversifying into other products. The firm offers its customers a selection of over 60,000 blue ray DVD titles. The firm’s music store was categorized as the best on the net by Forbes.... The firm has been very innovative throughout its history including becoming the first book store to advertise on television. At the turn of the 21st century Barnes and Nobles realized that ecommerce was a major trend that affected everyone in the retail industry. The firm today is the internet’s largest bookstore with a product selection of over 1 million titles. Two years ago the company also became leader in e-books with over 1 million e-books to choose from. The management of the firm is highly qualified and over the years they have made a lot of smart decisions that have helped the firm become the best in the industry. The product selection in both the e-books and printed books is beyond what any other company can provide. The dominance in the e-book marketplace was achieved through the 2009 acquisition of Fictionwise (Barnesandnoblesinc, 2011). The tremendous selection of books has helped the company retain a lot of customers because the firm can satisfy the customer†™s reading needs. Another strength of the company is its branding value. The firm was able to capitalize on its ability to generate customer traffic by diversifying into other products. The firm offers its customers a selection of over 60,000 blue ray DVD titles. The firm’s music store was categorized as the best on the net by Forbes (Barnesandnoble, 2011). The location of the firm’s bookstores is another strength the company has. Barnes and Nobles operates 705 retail bookstores strategically located in regional shopping malls, major strip centers and other freestanding location, and the firm also owns 636 college bookstore placed near major university campuses (Barnesandnobleinc, 2011). One of the strengths of the college book operation is

Essay Part 1 & Part 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Part 1 & Part 2 - Essay Example The greenery of the path as revealed by the grass on both of its sides represents a well conserved environment. Looking at the picture, it is almost impossible to fail noticing how smooth the terrain of the path is. It is this smoothness which makes walking or riding along the path to be both relaxing and ambient. The freshness of the atmosphere along the path is depicted by the surrounding vegetation which makes the path a place where an individual will always long to walk or ride along. The safety that bikers are accorded in riding along the path is demonstrated by the fact that the path is relatively far from the main highway. Figure 2 below is that of a wall which I consider to create a need to do something about it. The wall which is located in semi-busy part within town is seen by a considerable number of people who pass by it. The people who pass along the wall must consider it a significant part of the town. As depicted by the picture, the wall is not exactly appealing. This is demonstrated by the graffiti on the wall which is not artistic at all. It is because of this that I consider that the wall must be repainted so that it would be appealing. On a closer look on the picture, it is realized that some parts of it are actually falling down. This leads to the conclusion that if the wall cannot be repaired and repainted, them it needs to be removed. The current situation of this wall clearly gives the town a bad image. This is so especially for visitors and tourists who would be in town for the first time. Additionally, this wall evidently shows that a lot less is being done to improve the image of the town. The recommendation for making changes or improvements on the wall is therefore basically aimed at making it appealing and interesting to walk along as opposed to its current unattractive look. Figure 3 below shows a picture of a Macbook Pro. This product is a cultural artifact

Research Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Assignment - Research Paper Example Nevertheless sometime the terms negotiating and bargaining are employed to depict the same process. The primary purpose of collective bargaining is to reach a conclusion of an issue. Some of the major subjects on which collective bargaining takes place are higher pay packages, more leaves, increase in the number of employees for a particular job, to improve the condition of working, demand for additional facilities, rules and regulations pertaining to hiring and firing, promotion of workers, procedures of lodging complaints, safety within the workplace and about the different policies of the organization. Sometime unions also demand for shorter working hours (Beaumont 43). On the other hand collective bargaining agreement can be defined as the agreement in written form between the union and the employer. It reflects the terms and conditions, rights, responsibilities and the privileges of the employers (â€Å"The Collective Bargaining Process†). Such bargaining agreements or th e union contracts last for a period of one to five years. However the most common period is of three years. A collective bargaining mainly follows an eight step approach. The approaches are preparing, arguing, signaling, proposing, packaging, bargaining, closing and agreeing. In the context of United States whenever an agreement is reached by the process of collective bargaining, the conditions of that contract are written down into a legally enforceable bargaining agreement or a union contract. In order to provide a real life example of collective bargaining, authentic electronic sources have been used. It was about the registered nurses of Tufts Medical Center. The nurses were the members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. They bargained with the management regarding the staffing changes for facilitating better care of the patients, appointment of extra nurses during busy hours (â€Å"Real-Life Examples of Collective Bargaining†). After the negotiations they have been able to ratify the contract in the year 2011. Hence it was a successful collective bargaining. Works Cited Beaumont, Phil B. Safety at Work and the Unions. London: Routledge, 1983. Print. â€Å"The Collective Bargaining Process.† Ilocarib. n.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sep. 2012. . â€Å"Real-Life Examples of Collective Bargaining.† collectivebargainingfacts. AFL-CIO., 2011. Web. 24 Sep. 2012. . Question 2) List and discuss three U.S. laws that support collective bargaining, and three examples of employer unfair labor practices. Also discuss the laws. Solution The three U.S. laws that support collection bargaining between the employee representatives and the employers are the Labor-Management Relations Act, 1947; National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), 1935; and Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, 1959. The three unfair labor practices include sacking a union supporter, discrimination against the employees based on various factors, threatening the employees on taking up union activities. The laws are discussed below:- Labor-Management Relations Act, 1947: - The labor management relations Act of 1947 is also known as Taft-Hartley Act. It was an amendment of NLRA act of 1932. The Princeton university website highlights that the act was passes in the year 1947. The

State Sovereignty Being Transformed By Globalisation Politics Essay

State Sovereignty Being Transformed By Globalisation Politics Essay The notion of state sovereignty in todays world cannot hold its ability as a result of globalisation. The Sovereign states in the previous years known, globalisation has successfully eroded that idea. The main impact of globalisation can be seen in the changing approaches of sovereign states when dealing with global changes. There are many factors that are made by globalisation which are known to be breaking up the sovereign state some factors such as the push for protection of human rights and also the influences of non-government organisations. The global push to bring out the universal agreement to human rights that was conducted after the world war two had seen the creation of the United Nations carter and the establishment of non-government organisations, which in the end signified the erosion of state sovereignty. Haass (2006) looks at sovereignty and globalisation and he argues that the United Carter is based on a contradiction, which tries to encourage the rights and movement towards self determination and individuals and groups and at the same time supports state sovereignty and territory. In effect the movement towards human rights and equality weakens the influence of sovereign states in order to allow individual rights throughout every state. Haass (2006) also claims that the making of Non-government organisations that was created to promote human rights for example Amnesty International has influence on limiting that actions of the state in various ways. By having the support of Non-government organisations this allows the United State to interpret Human Rights Charter in result to support individuals rather than upholding the state sovereignty. Through this we are able to see that the globalisation of Human Rights that is fuelled by the influence of NGOs has significant effect on the concept state sovereignty. Agnew (2009) has a look at globalisation and sovereignty and he suggest that globalisation does not provide protections for the state but it increases the ease of movement across nations. The ease of goods, diseases, cultures, drugs, and weapons that travel across borders show that the end of sovereign states is necessary to deal with the consequence of globalisation. The influence of the World Trade Organisation also suggests the transformation of state sovereignty as a result of globalisation. Governments must meet with the regulations that are set out by the WTO in order to maintain alliance and benefits on an international trading spectrum. Sassen (1996) looks at how the state is losing control and sovereignty in an age of globalisation. He says that in order for states to maintain defence and protection for themselves the sovereignty must be weakened. States are also reasserting power due to the effects of GFC by globalisation. The global economy is in rapid decline with GFC. It is shown that globalisation in the contemporary world has had great impact on the foundations of state sovereignty. State are not able to deal with international issues anymore without considering diverse factors which have appeared through the current globalised world. References: Agnew.A.J, 2009, Globalization and Sovereignty, Rowman Littlefield Publishers Inc, America. Haass.N.R, 2006, Sovereignty and Globalisation, the council on foreign relations, America. Sassen.S, 1996, losing control? Sovereignty in an age of globalization, Columbia University Press, America. Question Nine: How is global politics affected by culture and Nationalism? Culture and nationalism allows nations and individuals that are alike to stand together under similar ideologies, beliefs, customs and social norms. Nationalism also allows particular nation states to succeed for self-determination based on their history. On the other hand culture and nationalism are also significant in global conflict due to the overall rations between nations. Throughout history the effect of culture and nationalism on global politics can be traced. An important example of the effects of strong cultural identity and nationalistic pride is shown through the occurrence of World War One. Calhoun (2006) looks at Nationalism in the new world and points out that nationalism is an upcoming problem in global politics. The attempt to keep cultural ideals, nationalism is seen as the reason why there is growing conflicts in the contemporary world. Calhoun also points out that certainly ethnic conflicts and war are worsened by the mentioned ideologies. Nationalism and culture have shown to play a significant role in producing domestic policies such as tax, illegal immigrants, power and also relations between nations. The development of the state power has been strongly shown to be motivated by nationalistic and cultural beliefs on both domestic and international fields. Smith (2003) looks at the relationship between kinship and ethnicity and also nationalism as a key notion in modern day politics and decision making. The concept that Smith puts forward is further supported by Calhoun (2006), in the idea that national boundaries and identities are important to understand the contemporary world. Nationalism and cultural identity are applied by the world leaders and government policy makers to influence and approve decision making. Territorial claims of nation states by world leaders such as Palestinians, Israelis and Eritrea can be seen to use nationalism as justification for their actions. There are many problems seen in some states when small national groups have the feeling that they are not shown or their civil rights are not contained by the state for example the Kurds and Tibetans they seek for their own state which is refused to be accepted by their dominant state. In the twenty first century it is believed that Muslim countries will continue to change and it is shown that there are already a different variety of political, economical, social differences shown between some Muslim states for example the more wealthy countries such as Dubai have developed. References: Barnett.T.P.M, 2009, Great Powers: America and the World after Bush, G.P.Putnams Sons, America. Question Two: What were the key developments of the post-cold war era? The post cold war era saw a great change in the spread of ideologies as well as changes to governance of great world powers. Since the Cold-war era there has been additional unsteadiness that has formed in developing countries for example Asia, and also the Islamic terrorism and the US-led war on terror which involved Afghanistan and Iraq. The end of the cold was a very big historical turning point as measured by changes in the international system, the nation state and the international organizations. The Term cold car is referred to as the period of the US which changed over the period of 1945-89. The end of the cold war saw the creation of the United States as the single great world power. America had become the superpower of the world, this allowed for the spread of democracy across the western world. This resulted in the wide spread of capitalism and with an increase in economic growth. However, into the twenty first century changes to the power of America have occurred. Barnett (2009) indicates that there are emerging states of great powers across the globe this may include China, Japan or even Brazil. He points out that Chinas vast growing population as well as its great influence on trade, is a great challenge to America as a great power and recognises the USAs powers significant end. The GFC had also been seen as a big crisis for the US economy because it was moving up the level of unemployment. The fall of the Berlin Wall was also seen to be significant. The Berlin Wall divided Germany from its capital city, and it was knocked down because Germany was separated from political views so they knocked down the Berlin wall to make Germany one. There has also been the formation of the European Union (EU). In 1990s poverty remained a reality for the majority of people, the end of the cold war produced contradictory results in the less developed countries.

Joseph L. Badaracco Jr.s Defining Moments: When Managers Must Choose B

Overview of main goals of the book Joseph L. Badaracco, Jr.’s book, â€Å"Defining Moments†, focuses on the ethical decision making process of â€Å"right versus right† from a management standing point. In reality, ethical decision making has two types of conflicts:†right versus wrong† and â€Å"right versus right†. â€Å"Right versus right† decisions are considered as the â€Å"grey† areas of ethical decision making. Badaracco saw the need to focus on it as â€Å"right versus right† decisions play a large role in ethical decision making for managers in real –life. To do so, he written â€Å"Defining Moments† as a way of showing the significance of â€Å"right versus right† decisions, their effect on decision making, and methods on resolve the dilemma posed by â€Å"right versus right†. Badaracco mention that â€Å"right versus right problems typically involve choices between two or more courses of action, each of which is a comp licated bundle of ethical responsibilities, personal commitments, moral hazards, and practical pressures and constraints† (Badaracco, 6). It is considered a distressful and difficult moment for managers as they have to juggle between their personal values and the expectations of others. It is also what Badaracco interprets as â€Å"defining moments†. Badaracco’s book follows the accounts of Steve Lewis, Peter Adario, and Edouard Sakiz, three different managers, as they encountered their â€Å"right versus right† dilemmas. He uses those scenarios as examples to guide the process of resolving right versus right dilemmas. With the insights and knowledge gained from moral philosophers, Badaracco constructed a realistic framework focusing on the method of knowing one’s own values and questioning how big of a role the values play in one’s life as the fundamental ste... ...hem get bearings, stay their courses, and bind their daily work to larger ends and purposes"(Badaracco, 130). I believe that the concept has practical relevance personally and professionally. The imagined best life" concept basically incorporates the "value of looking up from the urgent tasks of the moment and placing them in the larger context of the life" (Badaracco, 129) with considering what is at stake. It allows us to look at the goal we set and think of the things that would lead us there. By doing so, we could understand the values and stakes that we needed to be achieved. It is significant for people as they sometimes get bogged down by what is occurring at the present and neglecting the impact it has in the future. Works Cited Badaracco, J. . Defining moments, when managers must choose between right and right. Harvard Business Press, print.