The Dictatoral Regime

Dictatorial regimes (also known as dictatorships) are one of the most well-known forms of government. In a dictatorial regime, an individual assumes sole power over the state and will go to great lengths just to remain in power. Dictatorial regimes are synonymous with corruption and violence, as dictators often put and kept themselves in power by plundering the wealth of their respective nations and brutally suppressing legitimate political dissent. The despotic nature of dictatorial regimes was very much felt in the 20th century, as the political history of this era was characterized with the emergence of dictatorships throughout the world.Definition and Stucture According to Merrian-Webster (2008), a dictatorship is defined as â€Å"a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small clique† or â€Å"a government organization or group in which absolute power is so concentrated† (Merriam-Webster Online, 2008). In a dictatorship, a sing le leader or a small group of leaders control all aspects of social and economic life. Constitutional formalities such as parliamentary sessions, judicial courts and popular elections are suspended.Dictators are often reliant on the military and the police to preserve their hold on power (Sedivy, n. d. ). Role of the Government and the Citizen The role of the government in a dictatorship is to exert immense control over the affairs of the nation as a whole by using threat and force to interfere in the lives of its citizens. The citizens, in turn, are expected to swear allegiance to the government, particularly to the leader itself. In a dictatorial regime, it is believed that the individual existed solely for the good of the state.Those who opposed this philosophy are immediately considered as â€Å"enemies of the state† (Hsieh, 1994). The Anatomy of a Dictatorship Aside from threat and force, dictatorships also capitalize on nationalistic propaganda. Dictators often use patr iotic mottos, slogans, symbols and songs in order to justify their iron-fisted rule. Under the guises of â€Å"protecting national security† and â€Å"defeating the enemies of the state,† dictators will then proceed to commit various human rights violations, such as torture, summary executions and warrantless arrests.In order to make the people side with them, they will resort to scapegoating, or the identification of a perceived common â€Å"enemy. † The most common scapegoats in a dictatorship include ethnic or religious minorities, liberals, communists, socialists and terrorists (Britt, 2004). Since a dictatorship is reliant on the military for its survival, dictators allocate very large amounts of government funds to the defense forces (at the expense of the domestic agenda).State censorship is likewise very rampant – mass media is subjected to government control, progressive militant organizations and labor unions are severely suppressed, free expres sion is openly attacked and artists and intellectuals who are against the government are arrested or even killed. To further protect their interests, dictators make cronies out of their countries' industrial and business aristocracy, appointing them to important government positions despite their lack of qualifications.Dictators are also the masterminds behind bloody and fraudulent elections – they engage in vote buying, manupulate election results and even have their opponents assassinated just to emerge as the winner (Britt, 2004). The Advantages and the Disadvantages of a Dictatorial Regime A dictatorship is often known to possess the advantages of efficiency and rationality. The dictator is also the decision-maker; hence, there is consistency and congruency between decisions and preference orderings. But a dictatorship, as discussed earlier, is more likely to result in the violation of individual rights and civil liberties.In addition, the political and economic policies of a dictatorial regime will only benefit the cronies of the dictator (Rea, 2003). Conclusion It has often been said that if power corrupts, then absolute power corrupts absolutely. A dictatorship takes this argument to a higher level by showing how a government can turn against its own people just to keep one person in power. A dictatorship may appear strong and invincible, but it is actually afraid of its own people. That is why it sows fear and hate among the people – so that they will be too busy fighting and killing each other to notice the illegitimacy of its rule over them.

History of Latin America: The Colonial to Contemporary Period Essay

The history of Latin America can only be understood in its relations with other countries and continents. Europe and Anglo-America play a huge role in shaping the history of Latin America from pre-colonial times to the contemporary period. The expansionist policies of colonizing countries clearly meddled with the history of Latin America. This is seen in the longstanding presence of dominant countries in the continent. The effects of these forces can be seen in the economy, politics, culture and history of Latin America. Interestingly, defining Latin America by presenting its history is a monumental task. For one, Latin America is not a homogenous continent. â€Å"It is an immense world region striving to establish its place in the new global order†¦ it is home to some 500 million people who well represent the rich racial and cultural diversity of the human family† (Vanden and Prevost 1). Rather than present Latin American history in the traditional historical framework—dates, geography, political successions—which is linear in nature, this essay resonates Eduardo Galeano’s depiction of Latin American history. This presentation is based on a number of facets of history that are suitable images of what Latin American peoples had collectively undergone. This essay seeks to present the history of Latin America from the colonial to contemporary period. Given the vast scope of the region’s history, specific thematic spheres are focal discussion points in this essay. The discussion will focus in terms of: slavery, foreign domination, agriculture structure, foreign debt, living standards and neo-liberalism. Lastly, the conclusion presents a synthesized view of Latin America’s history. Slavery One phenomenon collectively experienced by Latin America is slavery. The main reason for the interest of colonizers in Latin America is economic in nature. Slavery is a means of production whereby the mass production of goods from the colonizing countries would have free labor. Intensifying the capital would translate to a corresponding increase of productivity for the colonizer. Slavery took place almost immediately after the invasion of Latin American countries. It is tied to the new law and order promulgated by the ones in the bastion of power. Modem day transatlantic slave trade dated from 1519 to 1867; by 1530 the Spanish crown had authorized the spread of slavery to Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Jamaica† (Vanden and Prevost 33). The colonizers of Europe and the US had the â€Å"realization that new laborers, artisans, and those with other skills could add to the growing nations† (8). This means that slavery crept through the entire continent, every colonizer followed suit—fearing of lagging behind the economies of colonizers that are founded on slave labor—since then others have already adopted the practice of slavery. In the movie Burn, the island of Queimada is ravaged with unscrupulous practices of production. Slaves were used in the sugar plantations and manufacturing plants so that the profits are maximized (Burn 1969). Although, there are different forms of slavery within Latin America and in some countries, slavery as a tool for economic production even failed. The case of Brazil and the Carribean showed that resistance to slavery can be successful. â€Å"In northern Brazil and the Caribbean, native slavery failed, and the native peoples would not otherwise provide the abundant labor needed† (Vanden and Prevost 32). Foreign Domination Pre-colonial Latin America is isolated in nature: the economies there were â€Å"small local spheres that are isolated from events outside the valley, village or small town. † (146) Civilizations such as the Mayan, Mohican, etc. contributed to the breakdown of isolationism, although the collapse is only in economic terms and is limited only to the region. Less centralized societies existed before the foreign presence in the region and had been self-sustaining for centuries. â€Å"Latin American integration into the world economy only began when the Europeans arrived† (146). During the period of foreign domination, the breakdown of autonomy of the different facets of society became a massive and all-encompassing policy. Politics, culture, economics, social order, law and governance are all key positions held by foreign powers. The relationship between the empire and colonies is similar to the relationship of the slaves to their masters. Core-periphery relationship enabled the rich empires to continually develop at the expense of the peripheries. The decisions on resources, politics and over-all direction of the Latin America are done on foreign soil. Galeano points out that the expansionist policy of foreign colonizers had a push and a pull factor. The push factor is the desire of colonizers for glory. The first of the conquerors that came to Latin America are the Europeans notably the Spanish. Initially, the desire for glory drove explorers to different expeditions of other lands. The pull factor is the allure of the expeditionary forces to the vast riches of the region. â€Å"After the reports of the riches of the empire to the south had reached the Spanish settlement in Panama, considerable interest in conquest developed. Eventually, the Spanish came back with its conquistadores† (Galeano 27). The rest, as we now know from hindsight, is history. Agriculture Production Agricultural production in the Latin America became the fuel for development of the imperial global market. â€Å"At the same time, directly or indirectly but decisively, it spurred the growth of Dutch, French, English and United States industry. The demand for sugar produced the plantation, an enterprise motivated by†¦ profit and placed at the service of the international market that Europe is organizing. (Galeano 72). Agriculture production policies of the imperial powers deliberately shifted from small-scale farming into monocrop economies. â€Å"As national economies developed, regions and often whole nations became dedicated to monoculture—dedication to one crop or commodity. † (Vanden and Prevost 151). Colombia and El Salvador focused on selling coffee on the international market, Mexico and Venezuela were dependent on the petroleum commodity, Bolivia centered on tin. Coffee and bananas became the biggest agricultural products of Central America. From being self-sufficient agricultures, where people â€Å"nourished themselves on a balanced diet consisting of beans, corn, and squash,† (Vanden and Prevost 19), the shift into agro-industries is triggered by the principle of comparative advantage on the international market. Latin America at this point became a good source of raw materials and food for the imperialist states. The priority of agriculture in peripheries is always the self-serving interest of the US and Europe. While Brazil prospered due to its exports of sugarcane monoculture, the nation’s children ironically starved. Abundance and prosperity came hand in hand with chronic malnutrition and misery for most of the population† (Galeano 75). Foreign Debt At present Jamaica owes over $4. 5 billion to the IMF, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) among other international lending agencies yet the significant development that these loans have guaranteed have yet to manifest. The amounts of foreign exchange together with the structural adjustment policies have had a negative impact in the life of everybody. In another part of the movie, we can see the history of a chicken plant which had a good business selling high-quality chicken to the internal Jamaica market; but this business has been demoralize by U. S. ; while there are a lot of restriction on foods and goods imported into the U. S. there are regularly no restrictions on foods and goods exported to foreign developing country. (Life and Debt 2001). Jamaica is not alone in its debt crisis. After the shift from colonialism to the independence of Latin America, the new world order shifted its principles from liberalism to a neo-liberal, neo-colonial system. Virtually all of Latin America is on the throes of economic dependence on international financial institutions, namely the IMF and World Bank. The loans do not come without strings attached to it. Structural adjustment programs and stringent conditionalities essentially limit the capability of Latin America to compete at the global market. For instance, produce from Third World countries such as that in Latin America are penalized with tariffs and quotas as they enter First World markets, while finished products of the US and Europe find their ‘niche’ market in the Third World. The free play of supply and demand does not exist on the international market, the reality is a dictatorship of one group over the other† (Galeano 259). Conclusion: Global Economic Hegemony The alienation of the peoples of Latin America, their sufferings and collective aspirations juxtaposed with the injustices experienced within its history are the prime reasons for the regions revolutionary and bloody history. From slavery, to feudalism, to mercantilism, to capitalism, the world order had changed via neo-liberalism, neo-colonialism and globalization. Sadly, none of these modes of production had effectively benefitted Latin America. These different economic historical periods are only different forms of the same thing—inequalities, poverty, human rights abuses and a melange of problems that hound Latin America today. Since the colonial period, the grips of powerful nation states had never loosened on Latin America. It is a good source of raw materials, with cheap labor and also a good market for finished products. The international economic structures enabled â€Å"economic policy recommendations that are dominated by orthodox capitalist economic thinking† (Vanden and Prevost 165). Inequalities continue to exist and are even presented in smokescreens such as Free Trade, which is not free after all. The Global North competing in the international market against the Global South is a very one-sided economic structure that benefits the North at the expense of the South. The contemporary global economic hegemony is essential for the US and Europe, it is essential for their survival. Globalization shrank the world into a smaller entity but the international economy is still run by colonial powers. 21st century domination of the world does not come in barbaric way, the methods of coercion and domination are subtle yet they are as cruel and deadly as before. What had happened for the past centuries is an enslavement of Latin America and a raping of humanity by colonizers.

Business Ethics Topics.. 5 questions each have their own title Essay

Business Ethics Topics.. 5 questions each have their own title - Essay Example If the objective is to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number, one must work with estimates. (97) McGee explains that the most important principle that all ethical organizations in all cultures should consider is not to breach or contribute in any way to the breaching of individual contract rights. Rosenthal (2013) says â€Å"Ethics in international business is a very complex issue since ethical standards differ among different countries. Some issues which organizations should establish an ethical standpoint include corporate governance, social responsibility, targeted marketing and corruption.† When trading in international markets, participants should be aware of different ethical standards and business standpoints of various groups around the world. A trader should always ensure that high ethical standards are observed and also be prepared to accept the different standards and expectations of others as well as the reasons for them. Bibliography Frankel, Paul, McG ee, Robert, and Tibor, Machan. Business Ethics in the Global Market. Hoover institution Pr.1999.print Rosenthal, Joel. â€Å"Ethics and International affairs: A primer†. ... al with the help of what is not public knowledge and therefore giving them an advantage over the rest of the market participants who are on the outside (Machan and Chester, 131) The Pros of insider trading includes: it increase the overall efficiency of transactions in the market. McGee (2009) argues that â€Å"those trading from the inside send signals to others whose reactions then help propel the market to its new level of efficiency† (67).Another pro for insider trading according to McGee is that it allows the executives to use inside information to cut the company costs through saving on payroll costs. It is an alternative form of compensation that makes it possible for the organization to pay a lower salary (McGee, 67).The cons of insider trading include; it is morally not right for some individuals to gain from inside information by making huge profits with such little effort. Also business is like level playing field where all individuals should benefit from informatio nal equally and not where others enjoy informational advantages over others. Insider trading is economically beneficial since stocks can trade at prices that reflect more information. Those who are against insider trading base their arguments on emotional appeals and not sound economic analysis. Bibliography Machan,Tibor & Chesher,James. A Primer on Business Ethics.Rowman & Little field. 2003.print McGee, Robert. â€Å"Analyzing Insider Trading from the Perspectives of Utilitarian Ethics and Rights Theory†. Journal of Business Ethics Springer.2009.DOI 10.1007/s10551-009-0068-2 Question#3. Capitalism is the political economic system in which the institution of the right to private property is fully protected. It is an economic arrangement of an organized human community. It is a type of legal order

California budget cuts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

California budget cuts - Assignment Example These are results articulated to the witnessed economic crisis with more students reported to access admission into the system. The facilities in the CSU and UC need maintenance, and without the right funding value, the university will be prompted to increase their accommodation value to compete with the changes. This value is expected to stay on the high with limited change expected with the forced budget cuts. The proposed cuts by brown will be witnessed to limit the constraints witnessed by the Californians with the unemployment doubling and further constraints witnessed in the health services. The revenues recorded have fallen to a record low of 2.2 billion dollars, and an added $1 billion dollars has to be reduced to level the budget for the financial year. This value will include a recorded $328 million deducted from the K-12 program (Baron, K. & Baron, J.). This value affects the system with the state claiming that it would not include spending of a value that it lacks, and there needs to be an accommodation to balance the resources. The economic crisis will dampen the efforts to sustain the budget cuts with minimal progress realized in reducing the tuition

U.S. Government Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

U.S. Government - Research Paper Example The paper also examines three reasons for continuing federalism and its current form in the United States. In addition, the paper looks into the controversy of appointing people in the federal bureaucracy. Lastly, the paper will discuss the reasons why the U.S. has representative democracy over federal democracy on the federal level. What are the benefits of a two-party system in U.S. politics? What are the benefits of third parties in this system, if any? The political system in the United States entails two parties dominating during voting in elections and each level of government. The two-party system in the United States politics has several benefits, which forms the basis for the advantages accrued from such a system. One of the benefits of the two-party system in the United States is that it encourages and leads to political stability. The two political parties strive towards finding a common position that would be of benefit to the whole country. The system of two-party system leads to widespread agreements between the legislators, which eventually leads to political stability (Bertlastsky, 2010). According to Bertlastsky (2010), another benefit derived from the two-party system in the United States includes ease of governance. This emanates from the fact that such a system leads to a lot of harmonious existence between the two parties. As a result, legislators have the opportunity to participate in issues of governance and activities of the government. The two-party system is also beneficial as it leads to simplicity in the voting process; through such a system, voting becomes an easy affair in the United States. This is because there exist no complexities when the voter wants to make a choice between the parties. As opposed to a multi-party system, voting in a two-party system takes place fast since voters choose from a list of few candidates. The two-party system also lowers the rate of corruption in the United States. This emanates from the belief that leaders should think about the people who they represent. Failure to represent the will of the majority can make the electorate vote for the rival party in the next elections. Apart from the benefits of a two-party system, some benefits can also be derived from the inclusion of third parties in this system. Third parties give the electorate a variety of choices from where they can choose especially if the voters have expressed dissatisfaction with the parties in a two party system. Third parties also encourage sound governance since they promote transparency through regular critique of the government (Bertlastsky, 2010). Reasons for the Continuing Federalism and its Current form in the United States According to Holdsted t (2006), politics in the United States is based on Federalism, which gives both the executive and the states some powers. The constitution of America expresses significant belief in Federalism as a way of governing the United States. Under Federalism, the American constitution divides power between regional government and the Central government. Changes in the constitution have to be agreed upon by these two factions of the government. There are several factors that have contributed to continuing federalism, and they explain why federalism is deeply rooted in the U.S. system. One of the reasons that explain continuing federalism encompasses the practice of pragmatism. Federalism has proved to be highly

Organization theory and structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organization theory and structure - Essay Example Some factors that influence organizational structure are size, the products, skills and talents found in the organization and most structures will mainly be based on these factors. Different theories have been placed forth about why different organizations have the structures they do. According to Abraham Maslow, organizational structures mainly depend on their needs. In his works he clearly places these needs in a hierarchy system where the satisfaction of one level of needs leads to the organization striving to fulfill the other levels of needs of the organization. These needs, in order of priority are; physiological needs such as food and shelter, safety needs such as safety in the environment, social needs like love and friendship, esteem needs like self respect and status and at the top of the hierarchy is self actualization which is actually reaching one's full potential. A good organizational structure should be one that aids in fulfilling these needs among employees in the organization in order to maximize output. Herzberg insists that intrinsic factors are related to job satisfaction while extrinsic factors lead to job dissatisfaction. The structure a nd job environment that is positive creates interactions leading to self-esteem that improves quality of work. He insists that factors such as recognition, responsibility, the work itself makes up for some of the motivators creating job satisfaction. The factors that lead to dissatisfaction are supervision, company policy, salary, relationship with peers and subordinates. It is therefore paramount that the organizational structure supports job satisfaction and reduces incidences of job dissatisfaction. An organization should set up a structure that makes employees feel satisfied with their jobs, so that a job is not a task. Frederick Winslow insists on scientific management. His theory puts forth the idea that management of an organization, which largely depends on the structure, can be scientific. This insinuates that it can be put down to an exact science, where the tried and tested ways after years of observation are sure and true to succeed. The four step process is-develop a sc ience for each element of the individuals work, heartily cooperate with workers so as to ensure all work is done and done properly with no grudges or ill feelings, divide work equally between management and workers instead of the old methods where workers would labor while the management did much lesser work and that management should take the work that it's better suited than the workers in order to have a balanced work environment. A good structure should incorporate some if not all of these in order to reach goals, make workers happy and the management satisfied with the output. All these management theories lead to different organizational structures depending on what works best for the organization. Though some theories put forward have been disputed or declared obsolete, this has not meant that some proposed points are not accommodated and incorporated in the making of organizational structures in today's business world. Some of these include matrix method, flat, centralized o r decentralized structure, tall [traditional] structure] and many more (Learning Management2.com 2008). Small to medium sized organizations mostly have the functional and tall structure. This is where there is a clear

Technology and the Written Word Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Technology and the Written Word - Essay Example However, in the ancient world, writing was not practical for most due to technological limitations. Written language as we know it today is the product of thousands of years of technological advancement, not advancement in the language itself. From papyrus to typesetting to computers, the history of language is a history of technology. The situation is no different today with the introduction of new communication mediums like text messaging, email, and the internet, all of which have had significant effects on how we communicate and live in the community. From the technology we use to communicate in the modern world we derive a number of benefits, such as the ability to store, transmit, and link texts remotely from anywhere on the globe to anywhere else. However, there does seem to be, for some, a backlash of complaints against technological advancement and the drawback it has on global language use, including the objection that technology corrodes proper language use and forces soci al interaction through electronic means to be empty. In comparison with the benefits of technology on language, these costs of a technology-laden form of communication are slight, and it is a mistake to argue that technology is corrupting language when technology has been enhancing communication for the past five to six thousand years. The fact that all technology influences language is an undeniable fact. Technology is, as a matter of fact, a â€Å"means to extend man’s reach† (Moore, 2005), and this fact alone relates it to natural languages. To use an example, air-traffic controllers use radio communication to make airplane travel safer. It is derived from radar and weather-forecasting technologies and is sent to users of aircraft technology to transport people to locations they would never otherwise be able to reach, in order to speak to people face to face instead of over the phone. This interconnection of language and technology