Potential and Possible Consequences of Systemic Financial Crisis Essay

Potential and Possible Consequences of Systemic Financial Crisis - Essay Example The paper now outlines the principal theoretical approaches to the financial crisis. The first two sections cover, respectively, the concept of contagious runs on financial institutions and markets, and the aspects of financial regulation, which seek to protect against such events. I then assess two 'traditional' views of the financial crisis, which attempt to explain exclusively the totality of financial crises, namely the financial fragility and monetarist approaches. These are followed by more recent paradigms, which seek to clarify the mechanisms involved in crises, namely uncertainty, credit rationing, asymmetric information/agency costs, and aspects of the dynamics of dealership markets. It is important, to begin with, an argument of contagious runs since they are the principal identifying factor for crises. Of all the types of risks to banks, the focus here is on liquidity risk, which is the inability to obtain funding to finance operations, though it may be linked to interest -rate and credit risk. Although most of the analysis covers banks, these concepts can also be applied to other financial institutions and even securities markets. Any event, however extraneous, but including runs on or insolvency of other banks can according to Diamond and Dybvig (1983), provoke such runs. Such an effect might be particularly potent for banks, which are creditors of the bank in distress. Runs are also likely when the equity of banks is a small proportion of balance-sheet totals, as depositors' fears of moral hazard increase, assuming managers' actions cannot be perfectly monitored (L. J. White 1989). And, more generally, in the presence of asymmetric information, which arises from banks' creation of non-marketable assets, runs may be triggered by any event that makes depositors change their beliefs about banks' riskiness.  Ã‚  

Summary and analysis speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary and analysis speech - Essay Example He also argues of improving the condition of schools which will lead to employment of teachers. According to him this will help America in restoring the laid down teachers. This speech also touches on the issue of taxes, whereby he urges big corporations and the wealthy Americans to pay taxes of a fair share in order to raise the countrys income for purpose of development. Obama raises the issue of middle class workers being highly taxed as compared to high class workers. He gives an example of construction worker earning $50,000 paying more tax than a person earning $50 million as suggested by Cincinnati.com (2011). Hence he promises a change of the situation as it is all about priorities and choice. His urge is for an economy which respects hard work values as well as responsibilities. He also talks about creating jobs fro veterans who have played an important role in fighting for the country. He encourages people to open businesses and al should strive to contribute to the success of the country in all ways possible. In heroic citizenship it requires the citizens to sacrifice their personal independence and strive to build a strong community spirit through their independence. Hence in as far as this speech is concerned; the idea of heroic citizenship has been implied. For instance the president urges the wealth citizens (who are independent) to pay their fare share of tax in order to boost the economy of the country for the best of the whole community. He also implies this concept by asking the congress to pass the jobs bill in order to create employment for different workers. Therefore, Obama urges the citizens to portray the heroic citizens which will help improve the economic condition of Oho and America as a whole. The concept of crisis refers to an event likely to lead to an unsteady and harmful condition affecting a person, community, a group or society. In this speech, the concept of crisis

Public policy and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public policy and management - Essay Example This paper shall now discuss the major international policy measures and governance arrangements which have been put in place to address HIV/AIDS in Africa. Discussion The international policy measures for HIV/AIDS in Africa are tied in with the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This program is focused on health system strengthening which highlights the clinical administrative systems and the building of networks for the management of HIV/AIDS (HRSA, 2011). The HRSA program is also meant to cover innovative care and support models in order to reduce barriers to treatment. In the implementation of the above strategies, the HRSA often coordinates with the in-country measures of implementation. It also secures government relations with the country involved and seeks to manage grants and cooperative agreements (HRSA, 2011). There are various activities which the HRSA seeks to implement in Africa. The first activity is on improving HIV/AIDS care and treatment by secu ring resources for organizations in the delivery of HIV care and treatment and to expand antiretroviral therapy among lower-income patients (Kendall, 2011, p. 1). These activities are being implemented in Botswana, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambian (HRSA, 2011). This activity has now covered the care of about 477,000 individuals and ART for about 180,000 AIDS sufferers. Such expansion in activities has been made possible by the increased funding for new and locally-based partners (Kendall, 2011, p. 1). The second activity by the HRSA was on the increase of health manpower and institutional capacity (Lyght, 2008, p. 3). This activity has been made possible through quality improvement capacity development which has been set forth to build a diverse international program in strengthening human capacity for AIDS care. The HIVQUAL International is considered one of the programs which provide systematic methods in assessing quality of care in clini cal settings (HRSA, 2011). This has also been used in different countries where AIDS services are being issued. It ensures use of limited resources and improves quality of HIV care based on national guidelines. Another aspect of this activity is on training capacity development (Lyght, 2008, p. 3). The goal is to improve the capacity of local institutions in preventing and treating HIV patients. This program is meant to issue technical assistance in terms of planning and design of training programs (Lyght, 2008, p. 3). It currently operates in Botswana, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi, and even China (HRSA, 2011). This activity also fosters capacity building. The goal of this program is to strengthen the professional capacity of nurses trained to care for HIV patients (Lyght, 2008, p. 3). This program currently operates in South Africa and Swaziland. The next aspect of this activity is on twinning partnerships (AIHA, 2010, p. 4). The goal of this program is to carry out partnerships between organizations and programs in the US and in developing nations in terms of information exchange and in building human resources capacity. This program is currently being implemented in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Botswana (HRSA, 2011). Finally, under this activity, new partners initiatives are also implemented.

Preparing for the BMAT (biomedical admissions test) Essay Example for Free

Preparing for the BMAT (biomedical admissions test) Essay The biomedical admissions test was created to assist medical and veterinary schools in the admissions process. Some of the universities have much more applications than places and the majority of these applications are strong. The BMAT allows the universities to filter out the strongest candidates based on exam performance. The BMAT exam lasts for 2 hours and is split into 3 sections. The examination test date is 31st October 2008. This article will aim to provide you with some advice and give an overview to students who are planning on taking the BMAT exam. †¢ aptitude and skills (1 hour) †¢ scientific knowledge and application (30 minutes) †¢ writing task (30 minutes) The universities which currently require you to take the BMAT are: †¢ The university of Cambridge †¢ The university of Oxford †¢ Imperial college London †¢ The royal veterinary college †¢ University of central London Aptitude and Skills This section aims to explore your problem solving skills, your ability to understand and interpret data and your analytical skills. It is multiple choice for the most. This is the main reason as to why you should guess intelligently, take a look at the given data and take a guess. Practice is key in this section. For the problem solving element of this section look at all the given data carefully. Here are some techniques to help you. †¢ Divide and conquer technique: Break down any large chunks of data into smaller chunks, making the smaller problems which are easier to solve and then once you have solved them put the data back together and form an answer. †¢ Trial and error: Use different approaches to come to a final conclusion and answer. †¢ Working backwards: start with one of the possible answers and work backwards from it. †¢ Incubation: This is a last resort method which seldom works. Put all of the starting details relating to a problem in your mind picture them and then stop focusing on them and carry on with the examination (take an intelligent guess). Your subconscious mind may come up with an answer during the rest of the examination The understanding and interpreting subset involves using the information in front of you, do not make assumptions unless it is appropriate to the question. Analyse all data given carefully not leaving anything out. The data analysis subset involves extracting certain points out of the data and using these to make suitable conclusions, to give the answer. Depending on the starting data you are provided with this could include using statistical methods, interpreting graphs, curve fitting or even eradicating unwanted information and prioritising said data. Scientific knowledge and application This section attempts to make students utilise their scientific knowledge to help them answer questions. Again this section is multiple choice, so make informed guesses when there is a need using the data given. This section also requires practice and revision of scientific principles in order to score high marks, so we advise you do some revision covering the basics of biology, chemistry and physics. Writing task The writing task is asking you to create an essay from a given question. Here are some general pointers to help you achieve a great score. †¢ Read: Read articles, newspapers, journals and book. This will help you to gain an understanding of how to put forward logical thought and will also help improve your English writing skills †¢ Partake in group discussions/debate forums: By doing this you will develop the skills that allow you to analyse certain situations and statements, in addition to developing the ability to generate a fair argument looking at both sides of the situation and can help you produce good conclusion. †¢ Good structure: Ensure you have an introduction, Main body and conclusion. By having an assigned essay structure your ideas will flow more freely and will follow a logical order that makes it easier for the reader to understand. †¢ Snappy conclusion and introduction: the introduction and conclusion can be the sections of your essay that sell it to the reader. Because these are the first and last things they read and so will remain in their mind the longest. An extremely good conclusion will stick in the readers head and maybe it might help you to boost your mark. Conclusion One key aspect for revision regarding the UKCAT is to sit some mock BMAT examinations; this will allow you to get a feel for the allocated time slot for the exam and thus ensure that you can finish all the questions. Some final general pointers I would like to add are 1. Don’t waste too much time on one question. 2. Generate a short plan for your writing task, just pointing out what you are going to cover and in what order. 3. Make sure you get plenty of rest before the exam. 4. If you have time available at the end of the exam use it to check over your answers.

History of Fascism

History of Fascism It can be seen that there is an increasing fight for freedom against fascism in England in post-modern era. Fascism is a long-lasting problem in England. How can we see freedom vs. fascism in V for Vendetta. The people of London seek for freedom, to be free from the government and tol ive a normal life.There is a totalitarian government in England, and the countryis like a dystopian country. Citizens in a dystopian country never question their government. The people long for democratic society, and it is necessary to make a revolution to reach the goals, and it is up to the people of England. There is a conflict between anarchism and fascism. Can anarchism be a way to democracy? The film V for Vendetta is about fascism, anarchy and England. It is a very impressive research into fascism and democrasy. Dystopian societies usually lack of personal freedoms, as well as political oppression and systematic discrimination based on sex, age or IQ (Dystopian, par.1) Dystopia is an undesirable and unlivable society. The government watches or control everything people does. There is no independence, no freedom, and no personal thought in this harsh government. Citiizens have no individual choice, they are always afraid of doing something which against the goverrnment , they can be punished by isolation, torture, or death because of their forbidden action. There are lots of social restrictions because dystopian governments want to have absolute and complete control over their people to keep their government in rule. The typical features in a dystopian society usually entail the use of propaganda to gain control. Information is limited, freedomis restricted. A figurehead is worshipped by the citizens of the society.Most citizens have a fear of the outside world because they havent been outside probably.Dystopian societies like to keep everyone underground and under control (Dystopian, par.4) A dystopian society is fictional which is created to warn people against possible danger of the strict regime, and so many writers use fiction as a medium and depict a dystopian world in their works. For example, 1984 by Orwell and Brave New World by Huxley are two classic novels on dystopian societies. Both of these satirical novels have a great influence on their era, because issues dystopia are close to the reality. Real subjects are referred to fictional world. Not only in novels, but also in films dystopian world is used to show the threat of totalitarian regime such as The Matrix and V for Vendetta. In film such as V for Vendetta the government tries to keep people in fear and to make the people feel they need an overruling power to keep them safe is quite extraordinary. These all fitting into the typical category of governmental/social dystopias because these dystopian visions paint a picture of a government or society attempting to exert control over free thoght, authority, energy, freedom of information (Is It Useful, par.6) Fascism is a consistent and universal problem.It is an important social and psychological mechanism which shows a revolt against the effect of capitalism. As Rabinbach suggested that Fascism movements emerged in almost all European contries aafter World War I as a conservative and revolutionary protest against both capitalism and Marxist socialism (145) Fascism is the one form of government with the most disagreement about a definition for it.The word comes from the Latin fasces which means to use power to scare or impress people. It generally refers to the consolidation of all economic and political power into some form of super-patriotism that is devoted to genocide or endless war with ones enemies (History, par.6) In fascism, the government controls everything, the institutions of public control and total control over everything and everyone. And the fascist government destroys all sense of independence and individuality, because they are dangerous things, as they might lead to rebellion.The fascist regime is thee extreme form of the autonomisation of politics under capitalism. It is the product of an immense dislocation of the capitalist made of production (Caplan 95). Fascism is a modern phenomenon. It is a big argument, and almost always discussed by historians, writers, politicians and scholars. Yet, What does it mean, actually? Allardyce stated that whether historians envision fascism as the tool of class interests or the expression of more impersonal forces -the revolt of the masses, the moral crisis of civilization, totalitarianism, or the modernisation process- they generally understand it in terms of something more fundamental and important to history (368). Cassels described fascism variously as an oslought on the nineteenth century, an effort to restore the vanished world of 1789, a general twentieth-century phenomenon of the Left, a movement committed to sweeping away the debris of all anciens regimes, a theory of socialism applied by authoritarian means, leftist, right-ist, radical. Whatever its definitions is, fascism gives no good to people.Disciplines of the fascism is not for public sake, its for goernment sake. It limits the freedom of people, and it restricts citizens rights. Fascist thought is born between 1870 and 1914 because of the fear of mass democracy and liberalism, and fascist movements start to occur in all European countries after 1918. Fascism destroys the liberty of England. Before the Civil War the government is liberal in the United States. The war affects the people negatively. For instance, liberty is limited, private property is destroyed. When the fascists seize the power, the society turns to dystopia in which people have no freedom.The concept of liberty changes with the times. There is one liberty in peace times, which is not the liberty of war times. There is one liberty in times of prosperity, which can no longer be granted in times of depression (Pei, par.6). According to KÃ ¼hnl, fascist system has five major characteristics: (1) its social function is to maintain the capitalist system in a crisis; (2) the use of terrorist methods of domination and the elimination of oppositional forces is basic to the system; (3) it cocsists of a mass movement which attempts to include major population groupings and act as an instrument of mass integration and manipulation; (4) the masses are subject to the ideology of the Volk community and unconditional solidarity demanded by both internal and external enemies; (5) the system produces the political and military prerequisites for imperialist expansion and the subordination of neighboring peoples(130).As we understand from KÃ ¼hnls classification of fascism, psychological manipulation and physical control are the keys of fascist government. It creates fear on its citizens by using terrorist methods. Only truth is totalitarian regimes truth, there is nothing for public good in fascism. The problem of fascism does not perish completely. The people of England is still under the threat of fascism. Even today, the independent middle class and other social groups are still threatened by social declasssing; there are still economic recessions that precipitate the anxiety of crisis; authoritarian mentalities calling for order and strong leadership are still widespread (KÃ ¼hnl 76). Fascism is very harmful all aspect of life. In fascist government, there is a social unrest, people are not happy, they are depressed, the country is in an economic depression.There is no good relationship between the people, everybody is suspicious of everybody else, and they are always in fear of totalitarian regime. In terms of a theory of economic growth revised in this way, fascism can be defined as a revolt of those who lost -directly or indirectly, temporarily or permanently- by industrialization. Also the military joins here, with opposition against the industrialization of war, which tended to destroy traditional modes of warfare and which by its increasing destructiveness intensified pacifism and antimilitarism (Sauer 417). To be sure, the totalitarianism theory cannot be dismissed entirely.Modern dictatorships have undoubtedly develop new charasteristics, and totalitarianism is certainly one of them. It is, however, hardly as important as the totalitarianism theory has maintained.As Sauer suggested, totalitarianism which feeds fascism might live forever, if it is not opposed.Authoritarian dictatorships master the crisis by destroying society. So citizens should take some action to protect their rights and to gain independence. Public involvement in politics plays a vital role in democratic society. Thus, Abendroth stated that The first goal is the defence and restoration of functioning forms of public involvement in the political and social decisions of a parliamentary democracy; the next goal would be to replace monopoly capitalist production relations by transparent socialist one (113). Albert Einstein said that the world is a dangerous place tol ive in; not because of the people are evil, but because of the people who dont do anything about it. Fascism will continue to grow, if people do not do something against it. Alladyce emphazised that the antifascist of Europe added dimensions of their own , and the revised version became the Standard version, the popular conception of the ideology of fascism During the thirties recalled Stephen Spender, Fascism meant dictatorship, cencorship, the persecution of the Jews, the destruction of intellectual freedom. To be antifascist was to be on the side of humanity. Conversely, to be fascist meant to be against it(382).People who want to be on the side of humanity, should fight against fascism to prevent destruction of totalitarian regime and to get rid of dictatorship. The British National Party and The English Defence League are the current threats of fascism for English citizens. The BNP is a fascist party, as mentioned before fascism annihilate all communities, freedoms and democratic rights. The EDL is an organization of racist thugs with links to the BNP. EDL supporters use Nazi tactics during their activities.There is a unity against the alarming rise in fascism in Britain today. Uaf, the unity against fascism believes that these dangers require a strong and united response from all those dedicated to freedom and democracy, and they declares that we must combine our forces and unite in a broad and common front against this common threat (About Uaf). The first action against fascism is awake peoples consciousness. Media, literature and cinema can be used to solve the problem of fascism, and to show the danger of totalitarian regime.V for Vendetta is a good example to demonstrate the terrifying possibilities of totalitarianism and it uses the voice of anarchist, V, to affect people of England into standing together against their fascist government and fight for freedom. V for Vendetta can be seen as a dystopia because of the way minority groups are treated as criminals and used for medical experiments, V starting a revolution reasons with the people of the country after hijacking a broadcast centre (Is It Useful par.16). If viewed with philosophical spectacles, a film like V for Vendetta can also stimulate reflection on the preciousness of an open society and individual freedom.And it is much better to watch a movie than to have to experience a totalitarian, closed society for real (Berg par.7). V for Vendetta has a great success, the issues of the film prove to be important and interesting to the audience. Although the happenings of the film take place in the future, they are closely connected with todays circumstances. Its reflection of the present makes stronger the effects of the film. The film is about Vs struggle against the fascist regime. The fascist regime is like a Nazi government, killing the societies whose have no correlation to the government system. V for Vendetta is set in England. The Norsefire regime in V for Vendetta creates fears in its people and using force as a way of subduing them to do what they want. The fascist dictator, Adam Sutler wants to have the complete control over his people.Like world of Orwells 1984, cameras and secret police are watching citizens. They use technology and media to control the actions and thoughts of people.As Berg suggested that Society under the Norsefire regime is typical of totalitarian states: the secret police is the executive arm of Big Brother, and the media is under state control and is used for propaganda purposes (par.10). Similar to Nazi Germany, there are death camps in England. The people are forcibly used to take part in a type of medical testing. The government deliberately, creates a lethal virus to become rich and powerful by selling the antidote. V is one of these prisoners in the camp, Larkhill. When the fire breaks out in laboratory, he manages to escape, and becomes the only prisoner to survive. Because of the fire he is severely burnt, and he wears a symbolic mask which is the face of Guy Fawkes, a Catholic rebel on November 5th 1605 tries to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London to end the reign of James I, but he is publicly executed. V wants to change the course of history by blowing up the Houses of Parliament -he wants to succeed where Faawkes had failed, and the date for this attempt is of course November 5. As to why he wants to do so: he wants to destroy the authoritarian government (Coppens par.5). The theme of fascism and complete government control is evident throughout the film as seen through the rule of the Norsefire regime and their ruthless tactics. For example, homosexuality is forbidden and actively suppressed. The government behaves harshly toward homosexuals. We understand this clearly when Evey finds a letter from Valerie is an actress who is imprisoned for being lesbian. This, again shows the similarity between Nazi government and Sutlers government. Jalsevac stated that The most poignant scene by far is when Evey, while in prison, finds the dying letter of a woman who had been the same cell years before. As Evey reads the letter we are shown flashbacks of the life of this poor victim of state oppression (par.9). Another example of fascism in the film is that freedom of expression is forbidden. People are not allowed to express their own feelings and opinions. If they have a thought against the government, they are punished by death. Letting people think can be extremely dangerous according to fascists. Berg similarly argues that, Freedom of expression also entails the freedom to critize and satirize political leaders. In the film Deitrich (played by Stephen Fry) uses his popular talk show to satirize Chancellor Sutler. As a consequence he is seized from his home and disappears- the fate of many peaceful opponents of dictators, from Argentina to Zimbabwe (par.13). In many totalitarian regimes the portrait of the political leader of the state is placed everywhere, practically on the wall of each house and institution. In V for Vendetta we see the videos on the big screen with the face of Adam Sutler, along with his portraits in peoples homes. Fear is used to turn England into a bigoted totalitarian order, with their leader Adam Sutler becoming the High Chancellor. War, terror and disease cause to fear in people, and so they turn to the Chancellor who promises peace, and to give them silent obedient consent. Afraid of chaos, the citizens allow an enemy to be created, which is a fascist government. Similarly, Berg suggested that In times of social unrest and uncertainty there are people who call for a strong leader and who are also prepared to accept limitations on their freedom. Such people might prefer Sutlers Norsefire regime to an open, democratic society (par.18). In a totalitarian society everyone who opposes the state can be a victim of the states terror and torture. So people obey this strict regime blindly because of fear. V declares that People should not be afraid of their governments; their governments should be afraid of them.V wants to remind the people of London of their past. He thinks that this country has forgotten something which are fairness, justice, freedom. V explains that artists tell lies to tell the truth, while politicians use them to cover the truth up.The government uses the media to convey the message and to trick the community into thinking that life is so much better with the government in control. V gives the people hope and show that the country has much better life outside of the governments control. By showing brute force of the government, V tries to convince the citizens to support him over the government. One of the major themes in the movie is the conflict between anarchism and fascism. The Norsefire regime is the face of fascism. Adam Sutler rules the country through both fear and force. The ideas of anarchism is presented by V. He uses the voice of an anarchist to evoke people for fight against authorities. V is fighting for anarchism, because he sees it as a way of democracy. Anarchism is a theory of governance that rejects any form of central or external authority, preferring instead to replace it with alternative forms of organization such as shaming rituals for deviants, mutual assistance pacts between citizens (History par.5). In the film the importance of the idea is underlined, it emphasizes that ideas are very powerful and live beyond the death of individuals. After V is shot multiple times by Creedy, he ironically says Beneath this mask there is more than flesh, there is an idea, and ideas are bullet prof. This quote means that the flesh of a man can be killed; however an idea can never be killed. A man can be forgotten, but an idea can live forever. At the end of the film Evey completes the task of V, and sends the train with the explosives toward the Houses of Parliament. V is dead, but he reaches his aim. He creates a hope for a better tomorrow,and its up to people of London to decide what happens next, a new England can be built. As Ghufron suggested that All forms of authority in Britain are now gone; its future is left uncertain. Thus, V has created chaos, which will allow voluntary order to ocur (par.12). To conclude, the film V for Vendetta is a shining example of what we are facing and how we can overcome a fight against a corrupt fascist government. It is emphasized that, Fantastic and mysterious on the surfacemovie V for Vendetta, in reality investigates and develops very important social-political themes, the notions of freedom and democracy, confrontation of them to the totalitarianism and fascism; the themes of identity of a human as a member of society and his dependence on the social order or vice verse his opposition to the existing political regime (Fascism par.10). The film clearly shows that ciizens should be unite and fight against their totalitarian regime to gain freedom and to live in a democratic society. Eleven similarly suggested that As the film V for Vendetta illustrates we have great strength in unity. We must simply organize ourselves. The film shows a symbolic organization and unification of the populous to rise up at once to take control. This is what is required. But we cant stop there (par.4) V for Vendetta creates a hope and courage in people of England, it leads to people think of fascism and freedom, and decide on what they really long for, ruled by totalitarian regime or live in democracy. The film has many awards, and this is a symbol that many people want to abolish the fascism in the world. As Jalsevac stated that V has received largely positive reviews from the critics, praising it for supposedly challenging audiences to think and raising timely questions about terrorism, when violence might be justified and the power of government (par.13). Works Cited Abendroth, Wolfgang. The Problems of The Social Function and Social Preconditions of Fascism. International Journal of Politics, 2.4 (1972-73): 104-113. Academic Search Premier. Jstor. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. About Uaf. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. Allardyce, Gilbert. What Fascism Is Not: Thoughts on the Deflation of a Concept. The American Historical Review, 84.2 (1979): 367-388. Academic Search Premier. Jstor. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. Berg, F. V. D. V for Vendetta Web. 29 Dec. 2012. Caplan, Jane. Theories of Fascism: Nicos Poulantzas as Historian. History Workshop,3 (1977):83-100. Academic Research Premier. Jstor. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. Coppens, Philip. V for Vendetta. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. Dystopian Society. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. Eleven, Dylan. The Film V for Vendetta Shows V is for Victory When We Stand United Against The New WorldÂÂ  Order. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. Fascism and Democracy in V for Vendetta. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. Ghufron, Burhanudin. Vs Struggle Against The Fascist Government System in James Mcteigues V for Vendetta Movie. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. History of Terrorism and Fear. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. Is It Useful To Use Present Fears and Problems in Society to Speculate on The Future. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. Jalsevac, Luke. V for Vendatta Agenda Christians, Conservatives evil; Liberal freedom fighters good. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. KÃ ¼hnl, Reinhard. Problems of a Theory of Internetional Fascism. International Journal of Politics, 2.4 (1972-73):47-81. Academic Search Premier.Jstor. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. CÄÂ ±vak 10Paxton, R. O. The Five Stages of Fascism. The Journal of Modern History, 70.1(1998):1-23. Academic Search Premier. Jstor. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. Pei, M.A. Freedom under Fascism. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 180 (1935): 9-13. Search Premier. Jstor. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. Rabinbach, Anson G. Toward a Marxist Theory of Fascism and National Socialism: A Report on Developments in West Germany. : New German Critique, 3(1974): 127-153. Academic Search Premier. Jstor. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. Sauer, Wolfgang. National Socialism: Totalitarianism or Fascism?. The American Historical Review, 73.2(1967):404-424. Academic Search Premier. Jstor. Web. 29 Dec. 2012. V for Vendetta. Dir. James McTeigue. Perf. ÂÂ  Hugo Weaving,ÂÂ  Natalie Portman. ÂÂ  Warner Bros. Pictures, 2005.Film.

Software Patent And Copyright In India :: Technology Computers Software Essays

Software Patent And Copyright In India Introduction The 21st century is going to be completely depended on computers. The economy and revenue of the country will depend on software, as everything in the future will be controlled by computers. So it becomes very important for the countries all around the globe to follow rules and regulation. So that there is order in working for the welfare of the public. After the introduction of computers it has always been the need of the ideas so that it can be implemented. But every technology has pros and cons of its own. So many ideas started flowing in minds that ideas started clashing with others ideas. Earlier it wasn’t taken as the big issue. But with so many companies started getting affected in terms of revenue by this problem they had to come up with some law and order. The next step taken in saving someone’s work or idea was Software patent and Copyright. Many people confuse with these two things. Software patent and copyright are two different concepts. Copyright is a work usually written work but not necessarily that, which contains the contents of the work. Whereas the patent is the idea which individual thinks and it prevents others from claiming or implementing that idea. Copyright is about copying. Taking contents from any white paper or official document without quoting who did it is considered as copying. But if some one writes that material by his own without referring that content then it doesn’t violates copyright laws. But in case of the patent you cannot use a particular idea in any case. Overview of Software Patent and Copyright in India This paper gives brief description of the intellectual laws being followed in India. It gives description of laws regarding Software patent and copyright in India. In Indian law software patent was never given importance. The software patent and copyright issues in India started taking momentum recently when they progressed from mere service providers to developers.National Association of Software and Service Companies NASSCOM is the organization in India which enforces for the software laws. According to NASSCOM Patent are considered to be more protective than Copyright. It is the organization which is trying to enforce software laws in India. Indian government has been actively participating for protecting the rights of Copyright holder. The amendments made in the 1994 in Indian copyright act were made in association with Department of Electronics and Ministry of Human Resource.

The Representation of Race in Mass-Media

Race as a discourse, has emerged from society romanticizing the idea of biological and psychological differences existing between various ethnic groups. To comprehend and analyze the phenomenon of this racial dilemma, one must have a complete understanding of how culture and identity work hand-in-hand within our society. By controlling most of the social institutions, such as mass communication, politics and corporations; the dominant culture methodically overpowers and exploits the ethnic minority groups, in order to establish its own cultural identity. One such institution is mass media- an industry that not only historically oppresses ethnic minority groups such as African-Americans, but also diminishes their societal status to that of a second-class citizen through the use of stereotypical representations. Because, it is controlled predominantly by the white liberal elites- an autocratic, financially driven organization, whose main objective is to protect the integrity of white culture; mass media industry is therefore, forced to reject all moral conventions, in order to present ethnic minorities as antagonists. The ideas of Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Stuart Hall accurately represent the century-old exploitative and oppressive nature of mass media- an industry that has perpetually employed racialized discourse and racist expressions against ethnic minorities such as African-Americans, in order to portray them as subordinate. Stuart Hall, a cultural theorist and sociologist from the United Kingdom, suggests that humanity should simply not just study the theme of culture, but also view it as a primary source of social interactions (Proctor 16). Because culture is a site of an ongoing struggle of power between different ethnic groups, what Hall is suggesting is that, one should only study it with the mindset of exposing each and every one its negative consequences on humanity. According to Hall, in American culture, the mass media industry is one of the main reasons why such a power struggle continues to exist within our society. He describes mass media as an industry that not only generates and influences the beliefs of mankind, but also produces â€Å"representations of the social world, images, descriptions, explanations, and frames for understanding how the world is and why it works as it is said and shown to work† (Hall, â€Å"The Whites† 19). Since the beginning of time, race has played a vital role in the transformation of human consciousness. Therefore, as long as this notion exists in our society, mass media will continue to exploit it for financial profits. During the eighteenth-century, racial stereotyping was so widespread in the United States that any illustrator could pick up a pen and draw minorities based on the two themes of their lack of culture and innate laziness (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 249). These caricaturists and cartoonists degraded the African-American community by exaggerating their physical characteristics: big noses, frizzy hair, wide faces, dark complexion, thick lips and hips, etc (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 249). Hall describes such a form of ethnic discrimination as a â€Å"racialized regime of representation†, a phenomenon that continues to exist, even in the twenty-first century (Hall, â€Å"The Whites† 26). Throughout history, African-Americans have always been presented as a race that is juvenile, one-dimensional, and greedy for money and sex, and perpetrators of violence and crime (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 272). The uneven distribution of power in American culture has allowed the white population to characterize the lives of African-Americans as inferior, an objectification that has been frozen in time and space. Popular representations of racial stereotypes against African-Americans can be examined in the American cinema of the mid-twentieth-century. Donald Bogle’s 1973 critical study titled, Toms, Coons, Mulattos, Mammies, And Bucks: an interpretive history of blacks in African films analyzed the five main stereotypes that were prevalent in Hollywood films of the fifties and sixties: Toms- the good Negros, who were always â€Å"chased, harassed, hounded, flogged, enslaved, and insulted† (Bogle 6). Coons- a black child who was â€Å"unreliable, crazy, lazy, subhuman creatures good for nothing than eating watermelons, stealing chickens, shooting crap, or butchering the English language† (Bogle 7). The Tragic Mulatto- a fair skinned, mixed-race woman, with whom the viewers sympathized, because she was refused entry into the white community because of her â€Å"tainted† blood (Bogle 9). Mammies- the predominant black female servant who was big, loud, bossy, obese and self-sufficient (Bogle 9). Finally the Bad Bucks- physically strong characters, who were always â€Å"big, badddd niggers, over-sexed and savage, violent and frenzied as they lust for white flesh† (Bogle 10). According to Hall, the feature-length film that gave birth to such African-American characteristics was David Llewelyn Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation, released in 1915 (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). The silent film provoked great controversy, because not only did it promote white supremacy, but also depict the Ku Klux Klan positively as heroes- a secret white society that was destined to lead humanity to salvation. Griffith, a firm believer in anti-miscegenation laws and white supremacy, portrayed the African-Americans as negative characters who were a threat to white integrity; hence they had to be eliminated. Therefore, as the film demonstrates, white supremacy is upheld, and the good (whites) triumphs over evil (blacks) when the Ku Klux Klan physically assault the African-Americans, burn their houses down and lynch them in public (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 252). Karl Heinrich Marx, a renowned German philosopher, political theorist and sociologist argues that society is comprised of two classes: the exploited and the exploiters (Balkaran 1). He suggests that in any given society, one class will eventually conquer the other and exploit it thereafter, through any means necessary (Balkaran 1). Looking back at the American society of the nineteenth-century, it is evident that there was an existence of such class system, one in which the white population overpowered the African-Americans, and forced them to be slaves (Balkaran 1). Even in present day, such a form of exploitation can be discovered in the racial stereotyping of ethnic minority groups. According to Stuart Hall, the uneven distribution of power between the exploited and the exploiters can not only lead to economic profiteering, but also physical violence (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 259). This power has such a strong influence that it can allow one to represent the other in any form desirable: positive or negative. Hall describes such a form of objectification as a â€Å"racialized regime of representation†, a phenomenon that has negatively influenced the lives of African-Americans for centuries (Hall, â€Å"The Whites† 26). In the eighteenth-century, American culture granted an extraordinary power to the white population- the authority over African-Americans; forcing them to be slaves, hindering their success and confining them to lives to subordination. The white owners overpowered the black male slaves physically and emotionally by illustrating them as a gender, which did not have the apacity to own land or provide adequately for their families (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 262). As a result of the denial of these male attributes, black slaves were portrayed to the rest of the world as adolescents, who could neither take care of themselves or their families- a stereotype that is prevent, even in present day. Such stereotypes are only a reference to what has been conceptua lized in fantasy by the ones who hold most of the power (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 262). By representing the African-American slaves as lazy and incompetent, the elites are corrupting the minds of and perceptions of the general public. For Hall, racial stereotypes only present one-half of the story, the other half is where the deeper meaning lies (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 263). What he is referring to is the notion of a single racial stereotype leading to two different and independent human perceptions. This idea of a double meaning existing in a single stereotype can be examined in Antoine Fuqua’s 2001 motion picture Training Day. In the film, whenever Denzel Washington’s character, Detective Alonzo Harris acts ‘macho’, he negatively portrays the African-American community as perpetrators of violence, in addition to promoting the stereotypical black childlike behavior. However, in accordance with Hall’s notion of an implicit meaning existing in every stereotype, one can see that the ‘macho’ behavior is validating a much more disturbing and complicated white fantasy- that African-Americans are in fact aggressive, better endowed than their white counterparts, over-sexed and superspade (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 263). Henry Louis Gates Junior, an eloquent commentator on issues of multiculturalism and racism argues that the direct correlation between race and racism can be disputed. What he is suggesting is that discrimination against ethnic groups is linked more to the phenomenon of power relations than any biological assimilation (Daley 1). He believes that the notion of race is simply a fabrication, one with no real purpose with the exception of formal discussions, because: ‘races', put simply, do not exist, and to claim that they do, for whatever misguided reason, is to stand on dangerous ground†¦ For, if we believe that races exist as things, as categories of being already ‘there,' we cannot escape the danger of generalizing about observed differences between human beings as if the differences were consistent and determined, a priori (Gates 402). He is arguing that the notion of race has simply been etched in humanity’s consciousness with one goal in mind- to confine ethnic minorities to lives of subordination. Throughout the nineteenth-century, the Iroquois in Canada and the blacks in America were being forced into the so called ‘civilized’ white Christian society, because the bodies of these ethnic minorities were deemed inferior. Therefore, Gates believes that the portrayal of minorities was due to the wrongful employment of racial characterization, a process in which: one generalizes about the attributes of an individual (and treats him or her accordingly). Such generalizations are based upon a predetermined set of causes or effects thought to be shared by all members of a physically defined group who are also assumed to share certain ‘metaphysical' characteristics†¦ can have rather little to do with aggression or contempt in intent, even if the effect is contemptible (but often ‘well-intentioned') (Gates 403). According to Gates, not only does this form of representation lead to a ‘racist’ benevolence, paternalism and sexual attraction towards African-Americans, but also a romanticizing of black culture (Daley 2). This form of racial representation was condescending to the African-Americans, because it depicted them as having instinctual physical, structural, and biological characteristics of greed and violence. Through the use of mass media, white supremacists represented black culture as being an entity that was separate from the African-Americans (Daley 2). Mass media at time of the twentieth-century played a vital role in forming and reflecting public opinion on the issues of racial representation and discrimination. As a result of media, the word ‘Negro’ began to be associated with the balance of power in society. It became a metaphor of the conflict between good and evil, educated and barbaric, master and servant- a fight for the control of power; a struggle that was etched into the consciousness of all Americans (Daley 2). By negatively representing the African-Americans, mass-media had caused a division between the ‘blacks’ and the ‘whites’- a rift that is still evident in twenty-first-century; not only in the United States, but all over the world (Daley 2). One can argue that not only has this gap dictated every discussion related to race and racial bias of our time, but that it will continue to do so for centuries to come with no end in sight. Media will continue to depict African-Americans as individuals who perpetrate violence, and are only motivated by greed and ex, because this approach allows the industry to gain a mass audience- a predominant white population that believes in white supremacy and wants to see the black race oppressed and destroyed. Linking back to Gates view on minority groups being confined to lives of subordination in the eighteenth-century, one can see that mass-media in present day carries out the same form of oppression. Because the industry is dr iven by monetary profits, it employs racial prejudice in its broadcasts, and enforces certain negative stereotypes against minorities, in order to confine them to deteriorated lifestyles. The American cinema of the mid-twentieth-century is regarded by many cultural sociologists as an era that promoted the positive representation of African-Americans for the first time. Motion pictures released in the early fifties enlightened the general public of the sensitive issues of race and stereotypes. In spite of the industry being controlled predominantly by the elite class of White-Americans, the films that were generated, characterized the black community as positive role models. A clear-cut example of such positive racial representation in mass media can be found in Stanley Kramer’s The Defiant Ones, a 1958 cult classic, in which the character of Noah Cullen portrayed by Sidney Poitier disregards the notion of differences in race; instead assisting a white prisoner escape from jail. Not only did the portrayal of Noah Cullen allow Poitier to score a BAFTA award for best actor in a lead role; it also secured his admission into mainstream Hollywood films. Following the success of The Defiant Ones, Poitier’s on screen roles now exemplified everything that the stereotypical African-American figure was not (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 253). Even though the white elites controlled American cinema, they continued to construct characters for Poitier in such a way so as to positively portray the African-American community. His film characters were widely accepted by the white population as one of their own, because the morals, and behavior that he exhibited, met the standards of the mass audience (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 253). Poitier’s characters represented the quintessential Caucasian male: one who was fluent in English, well-educated, smart and had proper table etiquette (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 253). History had repeated itself in the case of Sidney Poitier, because by portraying the role of a reformed African-American male, he relinquished the very little power that he had, to the white elites. In the eighteenth-century, the White-American population established its identity by means of absorbing ethnic minorities into their so-called ‘civilized’ Christian body. Because white elites had transformed Poitier’s African-American character, from an un-cooperative, over-sexed, savage beast into a sexless, docile and sterile ‘civilized’ gentleman; he no longer posed a threat to the integrity and dignity of white culture (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 253). In the late sixties and early seventies, American cinema implemented different strategy, in order to financially exploit the African-American community. The industry introduced a new class of African-American heroes- individuals who challenged the notion of white culture as superior to all others. Case in point, Gordon Parks’ 1971 box office success, Shaft, in which the main character- a black detective disputes the very existence of white patriarchal power in American society (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). To attain maximum pleasure in his ‘mythic’ life, John Shaft resorts to violence, drugs, illegal money and sexual relations with white and black women (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). The stereotypical notion of an African-American’s child-like dependency on the white community that had been prevalent since the eighteenth-century could no longer be applied to John Shaft, because he was confident and self-sufficient. Because, his elegance and charisma appealed to the African-American audiences, they were susceptible to the exploitation of the film industry. Black viewers were able to identify with characters such as John Shaft, because they represented a â€Å"mythic† life- one which was glorious and heroic (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). They flocked to theatres by the thousands, in order to watch films that depicted the triumph of ‘black’ over ‘white’, but what they failed to recognize was that such movies were only produced so that they could be financially exploited. Word Cited: Balkaran, Stephen. â€Å"Mass Media and Racism. † Yale University. Oct. 1999. Web. 03 Dec. 2009. http://www. yale. edu/ypq/articles/oct99/oct99b. html#fn1. Gates, Henry L. â€Å"Race,† writing, and difference. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1986. Hall, Stuart. Representation cultural representations and signifying practices. London: Sage Publications Ltd. , 1997. Hall, Stuart. The Whites of Their Eyes: Racist Ideologies and the Media. London: Silver Linings, 1995. Bogle, David. Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies and Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films. New York: Viking, 1973. â€Å"Mike Daley: The representation of ‘race' in mass media. † Mikedaley. net. York University. Web. 03 Dec. 2009. http://www. mikedaley. net/essay_raceinmassmedia. htm. Procter, James. Stuart Hall. London: Routledge, 2004. Balkaran, Stephen. â€Å"Mass Media and Racism. † Yale University. Oct. 1999. Web. 03 Dec. 2009. http://www. yale. edu/ypq/articles/oct99/oct99b. html#fn1.