Teams and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teams and Leadership - Essay Example Ideally, a leader is capable of creating a vision for the organization and has the ability to inspire the people around him. However, these important traits are usually not present in leaders at a very high level. Most leaders in practice in most practice are working at a demanding operational level that requires a specific set of knowledge and skills—and therefore the virtuous traits are often ruled out. It will be very helpful of to consider leadership in management. It will serve in the best interest of the organization (Trent 2004). Forming the right team is crucial in attaining success in the performance of tasks because research shows that the composition of a team and the complexity of the tasks are directly related to performance. This was of particular concern the study of Higgs, Plewnia, and Ploch (2005). The authors used the Belbin Team Role model to operationalize team diversity and used questionnaires to assess task complexity and performance. The results of the study demonstrated that there is a clear relationship between team compositions (which is related to diversity), complexity of task and team performance. Complex tasks are positively related to a diversified team. However, it is negatively related for straightforward tasks. This implies that it will be beneficial to consider the complexity of the task when forming a cohesive team. The mix of the individuals is important because the talents of a diversified group are more likely to cover wider tasks. The degree of complexity will give clues on w hat will comprise the mix of individuals to be included in the team in terms of diversity of personal traits. These insights will provide a helpful framework in establishing high performance teams. There is also correlation between team constraint and team performance. Constraint is defined as the quantitative measure that pertains to the pattern of connections between contacts in

WORLDCOM ACCOUNTING FRAUD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

WORLDCOM ACCOUNTING FRAUD - Essay Example WorldCom is a company that realized growth through evaluated mergers and acquisition that enabled it recorded immense growth and control in the telecommunication industry (Clikeman, 2009). After attaining a peak in the telecom boom, WorldCom Inc. was rated at $ 180 billion. Thereafter, the company company’s credit ratings declined and they started facing job cuts. Consequently, the share prices declined from $64 to $2.65. This decline in the stock prices caused a shock in the financial market and this negatively affected the telecommunication sector and shares of the other sectors of the economy. Banks intensified pressure on the then CEO, Benard Ebbers to restore margin calls on his WorldCom stock utilized in other endeavors (Markham, 2006). Because of the slow down turn, the company profitability was hardly hit in 2000 forcing the company to rescind its earlier decision to merge with Sprit. How the fraud was committed Considering the consolidated income of the company from 1 997 to 2001, WorldCom realized a decline in the operating margin in 1988. In the year 2001, the operating margin was -5.51% compared to the previous year where the company realized a profit margin of 13.78% (Clikeman, 2009). Owing to this decline in performance, the management engaged in manipulation of the financial statements to conceal the performance that could result in the share prices. Investors are interested in the financial performance of a company and any loses can force investors withdraw their investment and cause companies to collapse. The manipulation of the financial statements was successful in the year 1999 and 2000 where a profit margin of 21.96% and 20.85% was reported. In 2001, it was impossible to hide the falsified statements to reflect better financial performance (Kaplan & Kiron, n.d.). In this year, the manipulated company profits declined from 20.85% in 2010 to 9.98%, a decline of more than 50%. This year saw the WorldCom split into MCI WorldCom Inc and Wo rldCom Inc that continued to sell voice and data to corporations. The question on the stability of WorldCom aggravated the situation in 2002 and saw investors start believing that WorldCom had off-balance sheet finances apart from the increasing debt that deteriorated the company’s status (Kaplan & Kiron, n.d.). Efforts by the CEO to explain that the whole industry was experiencing acute problems were ignored. The CEO asserted that competitors were going out of operation because of the hard economic times since the revenues declined sharply. The growth in the mobile phone usage further threw the telecom sector in many problems. WorldCom was compelled to restate the financial performance that revealed losses in the year 1999 to 2001. In the restatement, the capitalized line costs were reversed and the costs that were manipulated to show small amounts were corrected. Since the line costs account for about 40-45%, its manipulation had to result in material financial influences ( Kaplan & Kiron, n.d.). For instance, the manipulatedincome statement showed a profit of $1407 million instead of a loss of $1648million, which is an accounting fraud. The violation of the generally accepted accounting standards by capitalizing expenses resulted in creation of worthless assets. This has been considered the largest accounting fraud that was straightforward and that should have been detected by simple audit procedures. In the year 2001, the CEO persuaded the board of directors to offer him a loan and guarantees summing to more than $400 million to cover the pressure from the banks. His request was however rejected by the board that was later ousted as the CEO of the company. The company CFO,

I.S.U journal Kite runner Essay Example for Free

I.S.U journal Kite runner Essay Plot (important action only): The kite runner is about the life of a young boy named Amir. Amir lives in a lavish house in the richest district of Kabul, in Afghanistan. Amir has everything he could ever want except the loving attention and acceptance of his father, Baba. In their house, they have two Hazara servants. Ali and his son Hassan who are part of the minority ethnicity at the time. Hassan grew up with Amir in the same house and he was much more than just a best friend. Baba treated Hassan equally to Amir, as if they were brothers. Each year it was a tradition for the Afghan community to have a festival of kites where there would be a single victor to arise amongst hundreds. Amir was a great kite flyer and Hassan was the best kite runner there was. This year, Amir won the tournament and his dad was really proud of him. Amir was really happy to finally have some loving attention from his father. Hassan promised to run the last kite defeated for Amir. He did not return immediately so Amir went looking for him. Amir saw Hassan cornered by Assef, a bully, and two of his friends. Amir then watched Hassan take a brutal beating just to keep the blue kite for him. Amir watched him get beaten and did nothing. The relationship between Amir and Hassan has never been the same after that day. Amir felt that either he or Hassan must leave and so he puts his birthday gift under Hassan’s pillow. Later, Hassan admits that he stole them and Ali says they must leave. Baba pleads with him to stay, but Ali refuses. Years after Hassan and Ali left, the Roussi army attacked, forcing Baba and 18 year old Amir to flee the country to California. The states provided a whole new life for Baba and especially Amir. Amir attends high school and college to pursue his dream; to become a famous writer. Amir is haunted every day by the thought of Hassan getting beaten and him not reacting, pretending as if he were never there. In California, Baba finds an Afghan community in which he is quite popular already. He spends a lot of time at a flea market where there are many other Afghans too. Amir spots a young afghan lady, Soraya, at the flea market which he cannot keep his eyes off. When Amir’s father becomes ill with cancer, Amir asks Soraya to marry him. Very shortly after they get married, Baba dies. Soraya and Amir then try to have kids but fail to and it is then when Amir receives a call from a man he has not heard of in a very long time. Rahim Khan tells Amir of the death of Hassan and his wife. Amir is devastated by the news. Rahim also tells Amir that their son is now in an orphanage. Rahim tells Amir that finding Hassan’s son is his chance to redeem his sin. Amir then goes to Afghanistan to find Hassan’s son. With many obstacles, including a one on one fight to the death with Assef, the bully who bullied him and Hassan at a young age, Amir comes out of Afghanistan with Hassan’s son. He comes back to California with many injuries. Sohrab, Hassan’s son, goes to school and lives a new life in America. Hassan and his wife officially adopt him and provide him a life full of potential. The novel ends with Amir teaching Sohrab how to fly a kite, as he battles a kite and defeats it. Characters: Amir: Amir is the narrator and protagonist of the novel. He is a Pashtun boy, who evolves throughout the book to become an adult. He is also a great writer and storyteller. As readers we feel much compassion for him. His father is a wealthy man by Afghan standards, and so Amir grows up always having what he wants. He has everything he could wish for except the loving attention of his father. He does not feel a deep emotional connection with Baba and this causes Amir to feel a strong jealousy towards anyone receiving his father’s affection. Amir thinks Baba wishes he was more like him. Amir is often jealous of the way Baba treats Hassan. He notices that Hassan is much more like his father than he is. Amir is a conflicted character who struggles between the logical and emotional sides of his being. Throughout the novel, he struggles to make connections with his father. His obsession and guilty conscience, along with his adult perspective looking back at childhood events make him a good storyteller. Amir seems to be a mix of Hassan’s personality and Assef’s personality making him in the middle of good and bad. He then gets the chance to fight Assef one on one to the death which was like facing the bad side of himself. Baba: Baba is Amir’s father. Later in the novel we find out that he is also Hassan’s father. He is considered a hero and a leader in Kabul and he is always doing things for others. He always seems to expect more from Amir. Baba has excellent morals and philosophies on life that he tries to teach Amir over time. He was even willing to sacrifice himself to keep the Russian guard from raping the women travelling with them. By doing so, Amir later understands that doing what is right is better than saving yourself. Baba felt guilty through his whole life for not being able to acknowledge Hassan as his son. For this reason, he tries to redeem his guilt by providing good actions to everyone around him. He even built an orphanage. His emotions are very well hidden by his outer appearance. In the end, he is very proud of Amir. He dies happily because he was able to build the relationship he had always wanted with at least one of his sons. We also find out that Amir and Baba both shared a never-ending feeling of guilt inside of them for different reasons. Hassan: Hassan is Amir’s playmate and servant. He is a Hazara and we find out late in the novel that he is Amir’s half-brother. Hassan epitomizes the perfect servant who is not only loyal to his master, but also forgiving and good-natured. Even after he’s been betrayed, Hassan lies for Amir and he still considers him as a friend. Hassan grows up in the same place as Amir but has a different purpose. He is a servant and so he prepares Amir for school every morning by preparing his breakfast and books. He also does all the chores during the day while Amir is at school getting an education. Hassan later gets married and has a son. He dies late in the novel. Hassan represents all that is good and kind. Assef: Assef is the antagonist of the novel. Assef does not see Hazaras as equal to Pashtuns. Near the beginning of the novel, he beats Hassan violently. At the end of the novel, he fights Amir one on one to the death until Sohrab shot him in the eye. He is a villain who ends up joining the Taliban. Assef represents all that is evil and cruel. Personal reaction to the novel: The kite runner was an amazing novel. I personally loved it. I finished the book in less than a week because I simply could not stop reading it after I first opened the book. I felt a lot of strong emotions when reading this book. When Hassan was beaten violently and Amir just stood there and watched, I was really scared for Hassan. The picture was very vivid in my mind and I felt terrible for Hassan. I also felt sad for Amir because he only finds out in the end that he and his dad were much more alike than they both thought. When Baba is already dead, Amir finds out the truth about him and how they both share an endless guilt. I also really liked this novel because I got to learn a bit about Afghanistan since it was the main setting of the novel. Out of all the books that students have to read in English class throughout the years, this is one of the few that are really good. I actually really enjoyed reading this book, unlike many books read in the past years. I would strongly suggest to keep teaching this book to future students. Author’s style and voice: The kite runner written by Khaled Hosseini uses the narrative writing style. The author places himself as Amir and narrates you the story. The author also uses a lot of accurate descriptions to give the readers a vivid image of a setting, character or object. Since it is Amir narrating the story, he tells it from the viewpoint of an adult looking back across his life. It is a personal narration in an informal, conversational style, similar to dialogue rather than a self-consciously literary style of writing. Amir’s voice is pretty consistent throughout most of the novel. However, the vocabulary and diction develop as he moves from talking about his childhood years to talking about his adult years. At the beginning of the book, when he narrates his childhood life, he tends to use childlike language such as he never told on me1. When he gets older, the vocabulary and diction used to narrate are more advanced since Amir has evolved not only physically, but intellectually as well. The author’s voice or Amir’s voice also changes at times of stress or anxiety. After his fight with Assef, the sentence structure becomes very hesitant and broken to reflect the severe temporary damage of Amir’s mind. Themes: Redemption: Redemption is searched by two important characters through the novel. Baba and Amir are both seeking redemption for two different reasons. Baba had sex with his servant and this resulted in having a Hazara boy. Because Hassan was a Hazara, he could not publically announce that he was his son and so he kept it a secret during his whole life. The fact that he could not acknowledge Hassan as his son made him feel very guilty and he never stopped striving to redeem himself. Baba even built an orphanage to help redeem himself according to Rahim Khan. Amir is also searching for redemption ever since he saw Hassan take a beating without reacting at all. Redemption is what brings Amir to Afghanistan which is a big event in this story. Forgiveness: Hassan’s actions demonstrate that he did forgive Amir’s betrayal. Amir pretty much spends the entire novel to learn about the nature of forgiveness. Baba’s actions of redemption are an attempt to gain public forgiveness for what he has not even publically admitted to have done. When Amir finally discovers Baba’s big secret from Rahim’s letter, he ends up forgiving his father. Forgiveness plays an important role in the story. Immigrant experience: In this book, we get to know how hard it can be for immigrants to leave their homeland and to successfully arrive to their destination. Baba and Amir are among many Afghans who struggle to leave. There are plenty of calculated risks and uncertainties in the next passages for immigrants. Many immigrants die before they even reach their new homes. In addition to the difficulties of their lives in a new country, the immigrants also have to accept what or who they have left behind. When arriving to a new country, immigrants also try to maintain their traditions and some semblance of their own culture, which can be hard. Baba loses his status once they arrive in America and still has his old prejudices. Soraya and her mother also demonstrate the difficult role women have balancing the expectations of an old world culture with the new world in which they are living. Sohrab quickly adapts to his new country and has a life full of potential waiting for him. Symbols: The pomegranate tree: While Amir and Hassan are both young and carefree, they carve their names in the tree and it bears fruit. Therefore, the tree symbolizes their relationship. Much later when Hassan is dead and Amir is filled with guilt, the tree just like Amir’s memories still exists but no longer bears fruit. The tree not only symbolizes a unifying force between Amir and Hassan but also serves as a source of division. When Amir wanted Hassan to hit him with the pomegranate fruit in order to inflict physical pain as a punishment to lessen his guilt instead, Hassan breaks the fruit over his own head to prove his loyalty. The tree brings back vivid memories when Amir returns to Afghanistan. Kites and the blue kite: Kites and everything associated with them are undoubtedly the most important symbols in this novel. This blue kite is even more important because it symbolizes a chance for Amir to obtain Baba’s attention. Amir thought that the only way he’d earn his father’s attention would be to win the kite flying tournament. This blue kite is the last kite competing against Amir’s during the tournament. As he cuts the last kite’s string, Hassan runs off to fetch the kite for Amir. The blue kite also symbolizes Hassan’s loyalty. Amir wanted to show all the kids at school that he won the tournament and got to keep the last remaining kite that he faced one on one. He mostly wanted to show this kite to his father. As the novel continues, the kite becomes a symbol of betrayal which leads Amir to the will of finding redemption. Hassan sacrificed him just to bring kite back to Amir as he said he would. Hassan took a beating to keep the kite and Amir watched it happen without reacting. Amir feels guilt ever since this moment until the very end of the novel, where Amir is running a kite for Hassan’s son. At the end, the kites symbolizes happiness, freedom and peace at last. Scars: Hassan has a split lip since he was a child, and it is one of the features Amir refers to the most when describing him. The split in his lip symbolizes Hassan’s status in the society. It signifies poverty and minority as an ethnicity which is one major thing that differentiates him from Amir, because it indicates that his family do not have the money to fix his lip. Baba eventually pays a surgeon to repair Hassan’s lip as a birthday gift, signifying his secret fatherly love for Hassan. Later in the novel, Assef splits Amir’s lip in his one on one duel with Amir. Amir is left with a permanent scar very similar to Hassan’s. This scar on Amir symbolizes the fact that Amir has become like Hassan not only physically, but mentally too in the sense that he has learnt to stand up for what is right. Bibliographical information: Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books, (2003) I got a 4+ on this journal , so it should do you some good 🙂

Challenges and Opportunities for India

Challenges and Opportunities for India INTRODUCTION Background There have been profound scientific, strategic, technological, economic, political and diplomatic changes in the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century which have altered the strategic orientation of nations the world over. There has been a sea change in the way nations perceive themselves and each other in the international system. The world is fast moving towards a knowledge based economy. China has emerged as a global economic power house, and closer Indo- US ties balance the power in Asia. Also a tie up between India America could contribute to a security paradigm for the global environment especially Asia. However Americas view on new world order is questionable. They view that with the fall of erstwhile USSR in the 1980s the world turned unipolar with the USA merging as the sole super power. The free will of executing the US agenda was evident in the 1990s like Invasion of Iraq. Once Russia resurrected under Vladimir Putin the US Europe nexus or the NATO and its expansion has threatened the existence of the most successful security organization like the United Nations. Later the world saw the US presence right at the doorsteps of Russia i.e. in Poland and the fight for the Arctic. Unnoticed initially , but noticed later by all, there came the third world countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, China and a few developed ones like Australia, New Zealand which formed a group which cannot be wished away. The IBSA (India- Brazil- South Africa forum) RIC (Russia India- China forum), Shanghai Cooperation etc cannot be wished away in todays world. So what is the new world order? The power houses change so rapidly, moreover the so called power houses like Europe and USA are today on the economic downturn. The subprime crisis of the USA and the unemployment situation is considered to be the worst since 1930s. So are these perceived power houses today in a shape to project their power outside their national boundaries? Does the new world order belong to the new power houses like India and China who have proved to be fairly insulated from these economic crises? But the ever increasing conflicts and the under development of nations especially those like in African continent, which cannot be ignored by the world community, is relevant. To add on, these are the Pandoras Box of richness that is gold, diamonds, minerals and the very green oil. However, it is prudent that these countries need assistance economically and materially and it is those countries which provide assistance who will control the resources. The US, European nations and China have been proactive in their approach and have been exploiting the resources of the African nations for decades. India though sharing a historical and traditional relationship with the African continent has failed to capitalize this relationship to further its economic and political goals. Africa other than being a repository of natural resources is also a conglomerate of fifty two nations with a large standing in all political organizations including United Nations. Statement of The Problem Utilizing the emerging situation in the world, with constant change of concentration of powers, it is imperative that India be proactive to have its share of the pie, specially being supported by the booming economy and its recognition worldwide. Hence this dissertation shall seek to analyse the emerging new world order, the growing opportunities for India in Africa and the changes required in its foreign and economic policies to exploit these opportunities. Justification for the Study In the fast changing world order, the opportunities presented to any developing country are enormous. Whether it is to restructure its own economy and bring up the standard of living of its population, or to enhance its clout in the global environment. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy especially with respect to the African continent. The requirement of resources of a fast developing India is ever increasing and the demand is expected to outpace the supply in the near future. Africa is the repository of mineral resources that is already recognized by the world and the major players of the world have already taken a lead in exploiting the opportunities provided by the various African countries. With the emergence of India as a global player , it is pertinent that India takes corrective measures to ensure that the traditional and historical relations with the African nations is given further impetus to further the nations i nterest at an urgent basis. Scope In the backdrop of above, the study on Emerging new world order and challenges and opportunities for India will essentially attempt at providing an integrated framework of national policy towards Africa. The study will specifically focus on the following issues:- (a) Emerging World Order with respect to Africa (b) Indias role in the emerging new world order. (c) Growing opportunities in Africa. (d) Exploitation of the growing opportunities in Africa by the major global powers. (e) Indias involvement with Africa in the present context. (f) Scope for Indias involvement with Africa with respect to defense, economy, politics and the foreign policy. (g) Changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy. Method of Data Collection The primary source of data collection has been through books, periodicals and newspaper, Articles, however an attempt was made to tap some material on the internet and relevant issues have been included in the text. A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation. CHAPTER I EMERGING WORLD ORDER WITH RESPECT TO AFRCIA It has been clear for the past two decades that a global power shift from the â€Å"Euro-Atlantic â€Å" West to an Asia centered East has been in progress. This has far reaching implications not only for the nature of the international order as it emerges in the coming decades and great power relations, but also for the security environment. The shift has profound implications for the emerging world order due to the following reasons:- (a) Sustained high growth of economic and military power of China leading to perceptions and concerns about the â€Å"Rise of China†. (b) Robust economic growth of India under a resilient democratic political system. (c) Economic recovery of Japan after the stasis of late 1980s and 1990s. (d) Economic and political recovery of Russia and its renewed urge to play a global role along with its increasingly closer ties with China. (e) Rising prices of oil along with the prospects of beginning of its depletion in the next quarter century affecting energy security of developing as well as the developed world. (f) Emergence of a global financial crisis bringing to fore the limitations of unregulated market structure, warranting greater intervention by the state in regulating the financial system. In reality a diffused multipolar international order has been evolving into a polycentric system with six major players the USA, China, Japan, India, the EU, Russia impacting the future strategic environment[i]. At the same time economic development patterns in, Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories; Since the mid-1990s, 19 Sub-Saharan countries have had annual GDP growth of 4.5 percent or higher. The rise in the world price of oil is certainly a major factor at play for some of these countries. One-third of the worlds resource-dependent economies are in Africa. Yet even excluding the oil-rich countries, the fastest growing group of African countries (total 15 countries) has had an average growth rate of at least 4.5 percent. These countries host 34 percent of the regions people. By contrast, the 13 slowest-growing economies in Africa have seen less than 3 percent growth on average, with some having near zero or negative growth[ii]. These countries, many either engaged in conflict or having recently emerged from conflict, account for 20 percent of the regions people. The countries in Africa experiencing strong growth outside the oil- producing nations have been buoyed, in part, by global price increases in other primary export commodities. With the exception of raw materials, whose prices have been relatively stagnant, other commodities, including metals and non-oil minerals, have experienced noticeable increases in their price levels. This worldwide rise of com modity prices has been engendered in large part by the rapid growth of Asian developing countries, especially China and India. They contributed close to 40 percent of global import growth for precious stones, 30 percent for crude oil, and 20 percent for metallic ores. Their demand for these commodities is likely to grow, or at least not change from current levels, in the foreseeable future. Still, a number of countries in Africa are diversifying their exports, no longer relying solely on the export of a few raw commodities. Exports are increasingly composed of light manufactured goods, processed foods, horticulture, and services such as tourism. Some countries—such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been increasing their shares of exports in technology-based products. In fact, they are moving up the technology ladder and exporting low- to medium-technology products in sectors where Asian countries are increasingly putting less emphasis The ever increasing significance of the African continent is highlighted by the following turn of events. In 2008, several high-level meetings were organized with Africas concerns high on the agenda. In April 2008, the India-Africa Forum Summit was held in New Delhi with 14 Heads of State and Government and representatives of regional bodies. A comprehensive Africa-India Framework for Cooperation was established, covering economic cooperation in such areas as agricultural development, political cooperation, science and technology, social development, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment, and media and communication. A joint plan of action and implementation mechanism is to be developed within a year. One of the stated aims of the framework is to reinforce South-South cooperation to enable Africa and India to have greater leverage in international forums. In May 2008, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV) took place in Yokohama, with representatives from 51 African countries, including 40 Heads of State and Government as well representatives of African organizations and from many Asian countries. Japan pledged to double its official development assistance (ODA) over the next five years, focusing on infrastructure and agricultural development. The first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul in August 2008 with the participation of representatives of 50 African countries, among them several Heads of State and Government. Turkeys trade and investment relations with Africa have increased dramatically over the past few years and Africa is a major market for Turkish contractors. Turkey has also formalized relations with AU and with AfDB. In October 2008, a ministerial conference on economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa was held to discuss major economic development issues and share South Koreas economic development experiences with African partners. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil are also intensifying their economic and diplomatic ties with Africa. These developments are taking place against the recent backdrop of high growth in Africa, increasing demand for commodities, especially in emerging economies, and the search for low-cost locations for investments in simple manufacturing. They have helped halt the trend of Africas declining share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows[iii]. __________________ Security Environment in 2025:Indias Interests and Strategies Air Commodore Jasjit Singh,AVSM,Vrc,VM, (Retd) USI JOURNAL JANUARY- MARCH 07 2 Africas silk road Harry.G.braodman. 3 United Nations Economic Commission Report on Africa, 2009 CHAPTER II INDIAS ROLE IN EMERGING WORLD ORDER INDIA RISING The centre of gravity of the emerging international order and strategic affairs is increasingly shifting to the Asian landmass (and contiguous island territories). The 21st century is likely to be Asia-centred due to some of the reasons outlined below: (a) Asian landmass is where the most far-reaching social, economic and political changes are taking place. How these countries manage change will largely influence the course of world events in the coming decades. (b) The region still has extensive un-resolved disputes extending from issues of sovereignty to ideological issues which are often constructed on religious extremism. (c) By 2015, seven out of ten largest economies would be Asian countries (including three out of the four top being Asian, the other country being the United States with its deep and extensive interests in Asia). (d) Seven out of nine nuclear weapon states are located in Asia (including the United States which has strategically shifted forward into the Asian contiguous oceans, has deployed nuclear weapons in Asia, and will remain an â€Å"Asian† power). (e) Worlds energy â€Å"demand heartland† composed of Japan, Koreas, China and India is in Asia. And so is the energy â€Å"resource periphery† extending from Siberia, Central Asia, Persian Gulf, North Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and East China Sea. Future needs and availability of energy resource base are likely to further emphasise the Asia-centred world order while enhancing the role of major centres of power. India as the worlds largest democracy is now on the move in economic and technological terms. It has successfully progressed in what can only be described as the human historys most ambitious experiment of transforming a traditional society into a modern one, of transforming an agrarian-based economy into a comprehensive industry-service sector- agricultural economy, rapidly increase social mobility transforming the country into a class-less society, and so on, all through processes of consultative politics. The World Bank estimates that India will possess the fourth largest economy in the world by 2020. Since independence India has made rapid strides and now has the worlds second largest pool of highly competent scientific and technological expertise while its software strength is likely to play a major role in the coming years. Indias economic growth, not as dramatic as that of China or the East Asia â€Å"Tigers† has nevertheless shown increasing rate of growth in every de cade since the late 1960s. Indias geostrategists have a changed perception vis-à  -vis the third world and other NAM countries, which the country was historically aligned to[iv]. India has used both â€Å"soft power† and â€Å"hard power† options to increase its influence on third countries. This perception is based on the following assessments: (a) India discontinued its government to government development cooperation with all but six bilateral donors (DFID, EC, Germany, Japan, USAID, and Russian Federation). Instead donors could assist NGOs directly. (b) India has gradually changed from a recipient of aid and assistance to a giver of aid. Minister of state for external affairs Rao Inderjit Singh stated in April 2005: â€Å"Our technical and economic cooperation programme ITEC [to 156 states] is almost four decades old. a rough monetary value to the wide range of training and other facilities that we have shared with our friends from Africa, I am sure he would estimate it at well above a billion dollars†. [32] (c) India Development Initiative (IDI) dedicates a $1.5 billion soft credit fund over five years through the Exim Bank for supporting development projects mainly in Africa. (d) India has leased an air base in Ayni in Tajikistan which it argues is for non- military purposes, but others see this is as part of Indias move towards increasing its strategic depth in central Asia. (e) India has assisted Afghanistan in projects that range from roads to hospi- tal building as a way of maintaining its influence in the region. It has extended more than $100 million in credit to the outlawed Myanmar regime, including for upgrading their railway. India has thus emerged as Myanmars second largest market, absorbing 25 per cent of the countrys exports. (f) India maintains its influence in several south Asian states like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, as is well known. In this context India has gradually dis- engaged from the large southern groups that it once partnered and has played a key role in forming new groups like the G-4, G-15, G-20 and G-33. India has become part of many regional groupings, like India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Coopera- tion (BIMSTEC), as a more direct way of promoting South-South Cooperation as well as establishing a stronger political and economic relationship. This gradual but significant disengagement with the third world is driven by Indias great power perceptions. Its aid policies follow the intentions of the west in the creation of markets for Indian capital. The concept of â€Å"soft power† policies remains part of the neo-realist framework, where the interest of the state is primary, regardless of the impact on citizens. __________________ 4 CHENOY Kamal Mitra, CHENOY Anuradha M * From Economic and Political Weekly September 1, 2007. CHAPTER III GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA As the ‘dark continent, Africa has typically been painted with broad-brush strokes, as a place of uncivilized people, as savage and superstitious, as tribalistic and nepostic. Africa is a vast and exotic continent of about 900 million people in 54 independent countries. It has a total area of over 30 million sq. kms, about three and a half times the size of the United States and 10 times the size of India. It is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the worlds chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Africas enormous agricultural potential is vastly untapped. Africas vast mineral wealth and strategic significance have encouraged foreign powers to intervene in African affairs. African oil constitutes 8% of the worlds oil resources. Political Importance of Africa is further compounded by the fact that it comprises the 54 votes that African Union (AU) maintains in the General Assembly. With world markets in turmoil, an unexpected and overlooked continent may benefit from its very isolation. Opportunities The continent has witnessed a trend towards democratisation that is visible in multi-party elections across the continent and the emergence of a democratic South Africa. It is also visible in the launch of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) through the joint efforts of South Africa and Senegal. This action plan promises to remove the tag of the Hopeless Continent. Yet all this has been accompanied by a steady drumbeat of optimism about the continent, and confidence in its prospects. Despite of the problems, the 48 countries of sub Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as plain Africa) are, by several measures, enjoying a period of unparalleled economic success. And despite the turmoil in the worlds financial markets, international investors still think they can make money there. In 1990-94 annual GDP growth was a weak 0.9%; since then, growth has averaged closer to 5%. Before this autumns financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting GDP growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting only a slightly lower rate. Annual GDP growth per person was 1.1% in the late 1990s; from 2004 to 2006 it was around 4%. In 1990 47% of Africans lived in poverty; in 2004 41% did and, if present trends continue, only 37% will by 2015. Zimbabwe apart, most African countries have been bringing inflation down, even if the trend is now creeping up again, in line with the rest of the world. Many countries have been helped by better macro-economic management and big inflows of Western aid, investment and debt relief-as well as by more unquantifiable investments from Asia, particularly China, and the Middle East. The surplus petrodollars of the Gulf States have been flowing into East Africa. The IMF estimates that foreign investment and loans to Africa rose from $11 billion in 2000 to $53 billion in 2007. Much of this has stemmed from the commodities boom. Oil- producing countries such as Angola and Nigeria, and even war-torn Sudan, have supplied the soaring growth s, and much of the foreign investment has gone into extractive industries. Economic development patterns in Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories. Ghana, Africas first nation to win its freedom from Europe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This is both cause for reflection on the past half-century and a reminder of how young African nations are. In the past seven years we have seen the end of seven major conflicts: in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote dIvoire, North-South Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea, and Angola. We are on the verge of a peace deal in northern Uganda. Although conflicts are still ongoing in Darfur and Chad, and the peace is fragile in several other places, the trend in Africa is toward the resolution of conflict. More importantly, the capacity of African nations to deal with conflicts has risen dramatically. African peacekeepers are increasingly active not only in Africa but around the world. Most starkly, Africa is going through a very real economic resurgence. Economic growth is estimated at around 6.5 percent last year, the highest in memory, while inflation is in the single digits. High growth and low inflation are projected to continue this year despite a global economic slowdown. This success is not just in oil countries; about two dozen sub-Saharan African nations are enjoying real growth rates in excess of 5 percent. Only one nation Zimbabwe is really going backward quickly, a direct result of President Mugabes scorched earth policy of clinging to power at any cost. That sad nation is entering its ninth consecutive year of a shrinking economy, and inflation is now well over 100,000 percent. The striking thing about Africa today is really its massive economic potential[v]. After half a century of very low growth, combined with the colonial legacy which chopped up the continent into so many small countries, the economies of Africa are still tiny: Baltimores economy is about ten times the size of Ghanas, and more than twice the size of Nigerias. Only South Africa is larger, and not by much. The positive economic picture we now see in Africa is being driven by a host of factors, including a boom in commodity prices. But economic reforms inside Africa are also a big part. Macro-economic reforms undertaken over the past decade, with international assistance and encouragement, have brought down inflation and improved the investment climate. Countries are now turning to micro-reforms to make it easier to open, operate, and grow small businesses the true engine for turning poor countries into rich ones. We are also seeing growing foreign investment in Africa[vi]. This is obviously led by oil, gas, and mining, but there are exciting trends in other sectors, such as telecommunications, agribusiness, and business services. Countries such as Ghana are starting to build specialized back office services like India has done so successfully. We are also seeing more interest from private equity firms, hedge funds, and other non-traditional investors that bode well for Africas economic integration into global financial and business networks. Indicative of this interest, Africa was recently featured on the cover of Business Week for the first time ever. Another very encouraging trend is the returning of African professionals. Bankers who have gotten experience in New York and London are now going back and setting up their own investment firms and banks. We can see this clearly in the banking boom in places like Nigeria and Ghana. Africa is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of conflict, democracy, and economic prosperity. But all of these are extremely fragile. 2007 was one of the best years in recent memory for the continent. __________________ 5 World Bank Report, â€Å"Can Africa Claim 21st Century†,2000. 6 Released on March 18, 2008 Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs CHAPTER IV EXPLOITATION OF THE GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA BY THE MAJOR GLOBAL POWERS POISED LIKE PANTHERS THEY STAND, JERKING LIKE LEOPARDS THEY[vii] POUNCE BRUTAL AS HELL THEY ACT, TACTICAL AS HARE THEY WITHDRAW NOT SEEN IN ACTION, WE ARE LEFT TO NURSE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY CLAWS UNSEEN WITH BUT CRIES FROM DISTANT LANDS OF HOW â€Å"THEY HAVE FINISHED THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE UNCIVIL† LATER WE SEE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS ICC INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS, OF THE BEMBAS, TAYLORS, NOT OF OTHERS FOR TIMES BEFIT NOT WE HAVE SEEN RESETTLEMENT, NGOS STAFFED WITH SPIES, EXPLORERS SEARCHING FOR MAGICAL RICHES, OPPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS: GEO-MAPPING, MINERAL PROSPECTING, LAND EYEING IN WAYS AND BY MEANS BEYOND ORDINARY EYE. WE HAVE SEEN AND NOT SEEN, OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS OUR WEALTH BY , FOR OURSELVES,BLACKS AS KINSMEN, COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES AFRICANS SWUNG INTO ACTION AGAINST INFILTRATING EXPLOITAERS, SOWERS OF DISARRAY OUR SIGHT BLINDFOLDED WE LAMENT, AGAINST OUR PROGENITORS, CHIEFS THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF GLOBAL MISCHIEF KNOWERS OF TRUTH STRATEGICALLY PERPETRATE SABA- RWENGABO MAY 2007 The twin phenomena of a new 21st century global scramble for Africas strategic energy and mineral resources and the on-going global economic slump are admittedly taking a heavy toll on the continent s nascent democracy and security. This was the poignant conclusion of a high-level meeting of African experts and practitioners Convened by the Africa policy institute in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2009. The world economic slowdown, now ravaging African economies, comes on top of the global race for the continents resources crucial in the global political economy and security, especially mineral and energy resources. The new rush for Africa has increasingly drawn in cold war protagonists of Europe and Russia and more increasingly newcomers mainly China, and to a lesser extent, India, Brazil, South Africa, Korea and Malaysia. With the cost of food and fuel spiraling, commodity boom turning into bust, remittances from the African Diaspora falling, investments drying up and climate change taking its toll, questions remain about the implications of the new scramble for Africa and the both the swirling recession on the stability of the continents democracy and long-term security. The new scramble for Africa has unfolded against the backdrop of globalization in the post-Cold War era, which galvanized acute demand for African resources and the consequent integration of its economies into the global political economy. . With Africas relatively weak markets and unskilled labour pool playing a marginal role in the knowledge-driven global economy, the new race for Africa has targeted strategic mineral and energy resources such as oil and gas which have immense strategic importance in the global political economy and security calculations of major powers. But despite integration of African natural resources in the global economy, the African labour has become even more marginalised, with studies indicating that the â€Å"new scramble appears to be diminishing rather than increasing the prospects for employment of African labour and undermining the foundation of African livelihoods† . The trend by neo-liberal globalization to divorce the African from his resou rces is spawning new dynamics of intensified internal conflicts and creating a new fault line of conflict between Africa and the global order[viii]. Secondly, the demise of apartheid in 1994 marked the complete liberation of the continent with South Africa becoming a key leader in what has been enchanted as ‘African renaissance. However, as a result of rampant poor governance, corruption and internal wars from Somalia to Darfur (Sudan) and Kenya to Zimbabwe, African leaders failed to use the continents immense natural resources to ensure effective and pro-poor development. As such, while the newly liberated South African powerelite spearheaded the creation of a complex governance and security architecture within the aegis of the African Union to stabilize the continent, civil wars, poor governance corruption and unemployment intensified in the context of the new scramble for continents resources In turn, this has reinforced political instability and democratic crisis. The new scramble for Africa s natural resources, especially oil, is therefore, supported and sustained by the predatory African elites who are the major benef iciaries, while majority of the poor Africans at the periphery of the economy continue to be more marginalised from the economic benefits of the new scramble. Thirdly, the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the former ‘south including India, Brazil and, more saliently, China increased global competition for energy and refocused world attention on Africa as a new frontier in the search for alternative source of fossil fuels and land for growing bio-fuel and food crops to supply domestic and global markets, thus triggering the new scramble for Africa. The entry of China and other new players into the African scene increased competition with western powers for oil and mineral resources, but the jury is still out regarding the impact of the interests and strategies of these newcomers on Africas fledgling democracy and overall security. But Chinas policy of â€Å" not mixing business with politics† or the see- no-evil, hear-no-evil† policy on governance has collided with the West s emphasis on governance and human rights as a precondition for engagement with Africa, leading to non-cooperation between the two and intensifying the race for spheres of influence on the continent[ix]. Finally, in the last two years the continent has experienced the full weight of the raging global financial and economic recession which has shattered its economic growth and development prospects, threatened its economies and fostered a climate of political instability. The current global melt-down has intensified Africas serious socio-economic and political challenges relating to endemic poverty, unemployment, rising inequality, debt over-hang and the knock-on effects of climate change. But the effect of the global recession on the scramble for Africa and their implications on Africas democratic crisis are not patently clear. The current scramble for Africa is markedly significant in two ways. First, it is a scramble Challenges and Opportunities for India Challenges and Opportunities for India INTRODUCTION Background There have been profound scientific, strategic, technological, economic, political and diplomatic changes in the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century which have altered the strategic orientation of nations the world over. There has been a sea change in the way nations perceive themselves and each other in the international system. The world is fast moving towards a knowledge based economy. China has emerged as a global economic power house, and closer Indo- US ties balance the power in Asia. Also a tie up between India America could contribute to a security paradigm for the global environment especially Asia. However Americas view on new world order is questionable. They view that with the fall of erstwhile USSR in the 1980s the world turned unipolar with the USA merging as the sole super power. The free will of executing the US agenda was evident in the 1990s like Invasion of Iraq. Once Russia resurrected under Vladimir Putin the US Europe nexus or the NATO and its expansion has threatened the existence of the most successful security organization like the United Nations. Later the world saw the US presence right at the doorsteps of Russia i.e. in Poland and the fight for the Arctic. Unnoticed initially , but noticed later by all, there came the third world countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, China and a few developed ones like Australia, New Zealand which formed a group which cannot be wished away. The IBSA (India- Brazil- South Africa forum) RIC (Russia India- China forum), Shanghai Cooperation etc cannot be wished away in todays world. So what is the new world order? The power houses change so rapidly, moreover the so called power houses like Europe and USA are today on the economic downturn. The subprime crisis of the USA and the unemployment situation is considered to be the worst since 1930s. So are these perceived power houses today in a shape to project their power outside their national boundaries? Does the new world order belong to the new power houses like India and China who have proved to be fairly insulated from these economic crises? But the ever increasing conflicts and the under development of nations especially those like in African continent, which cannot be ignored by the world community, is relevant. To add on, these are the Pandoras Box of richness that is gold, diamonds, minerals and the very green oil. However, it is prudent that these countries need assistance economically and materially and it is those countries which provide assistance who will control the resources. The US, European nations and China have been proactive in their approach and have been exploiting the resources of the African nations for decades. India though sharing a historical and traditional relationship with the African continent has failed to capitalize this relationship to further its economic and political goals. Africa other than being a repository of natural resources is also a conglomerate of fifty two nations with a large standing in all political organizations including United Nations. Statement of The Problem Utilizing the emerging situation in the world, with constant change of concentration of powers, it is imperative that India be proactive to have its share of the pie, specially being supported by the booming economy and its recognition worldwide. Hence this dissertation shall seek to analyse the emerging new world order, the growing opportunities for India in Africa and the changes required in its foreign and economic policies to exploit these opportunities. Justification for the Study In the fast changing world order, the opportunities presented to any developing country are enormous. Whether it is to restructure its own economy and bring up the standard of living of its population, or to enhance its clout in the global environment. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy especially with respect to the African continent. The requirement of resources of a fast developing India is ever increasing and the demand is expected to outpace the supply in the near future. Africa is the repository of mineral resources that is already recognized by the world and the major players of the world have already taken a lead in exploiting the opportunities provided by the various African countries. With the emergence of India as a global player , it is pertinent that India takes corrective measures to ensure that the traditional and historical relations with the African nations is given further impetus to further the nations i nterest at an urgent basis. Scope In the backdrop of above, the study on Emerging new world order and challenges and opportunities for India will essentially attempt at providing an integrated framework of national policy towards Africa. The study will specifically focus on the following issues:- (a) Emerging World Order with respect to Africa (b) Indias role in the emerging new world order. (c) Growing opportunities in Africa. (d) Exploitation of the growing opportunities in Africa by the major global powers. (e) Indias involvement with Africa in the present context. (f) Scope for Indias involvement with Africa with respect to defense, economy, politics and the foreign policy. (g) Changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy. Method of Data Collection The primary source of data collection has been through books, periodicals and newspaper, Articles, however an attempt was made to tap some material on the internet and relevant issues have been included in the text. A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation. CHAPTER I EMERGING WORLD ORDER WITH RESPECT TO AFRCIA It has been clear for the past two decades that a global power shift from the â€Å"Euro-Atlantic â€Å" West to an Asia centered East has been in progress. This has far reaching implications not only for the nature of the international order as it emerges in the coming decades and great power relations, but also for the security environment. The shift has profound implications for the emerging world order due to the following reasons:- (a) Sustained high growth of economic and military power of China leading to perceptions and concerns about the â€Å"Rise of China†. (b) Robust economic growth of India under a resilient democratic political system. (c) Economic recovery of Japan after the stasis of late 1980s and 1990s. (d) Economic and political recovery of Russia and its renewed urge to play a global role along with its increasingly closer ties with China. (e) Rising prices of oil along with the prospects of beginning of its depletion in the next quarter century affecting energy security of developing as well as the developed world. (f) Emergence of a global financial crisis bringing to fore the limitations of unregulated market structure, warranting greater intervention by the state in regulating the financial system. In reality a diffused multipolar international order has been evolving into a polycentric system with six major players the USA, China, Japan, India, the EU, Russia impacting the future strategic environment[i]. At the same time economic development patterns in, Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories; Since the mid-1990s, 19 Sub-Saharan countries have had annual GDP growth of 4.5 percent or higher. The rise in the world price of oil is certainly a major factor at play for some of these countries. One-third of the worlds resource-dependent economies are in Africa. Yet even excluding the oil-rich countries, the fastest growing group of African countries (total 15 countries) has had an average growth rate of at least 4.5 percent. These countries host 34 percent of the regions people. By contrast, the 13 slowest-growing economies in Africa have seen less than 3 percent growth on average, with some having near zero or negative growth[ii]. These countries, many either engaged in conflict or having recently emerged from conflict, account for 20 percent of the regions people. The countries in Africa experiencing strong growth outside the oil- producing nations have been buoyed, in part, by global price increases in other primary export commodities. With the exception of raw materials, whose prices have been relatively stagnant, other commodities, including metals and non-oil minerals, have experienced noticeable increases in their price levels. This worldwide rise of com modity prices has been engendered in large part by the rapid growth of Asian developing countries, especially China and India. They contributed close to 40 percent of global import growth for precious stones, 30 percent for crude oil, and 20 percent for metallic ores. Their demand for these commodities is likely to grow, or at least not change from current levels, in the foreseeable future. Still, a number of countries in Africa are diversifying their exports, no longer relying solely on the export of a few raw commodities. Exports are increasingly composed of light manufactured goods, processed foods, horticulture, and services such as tourism. Some countries—such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been increasing their shares of exports in technology-based products. In fact, they are moving up the technology ladder and exporting low- to medium-technology products in sectors where Asian countries are increasingly putting less emphasis The ever increasing significance of the African continent is highlighted by the following turn of events. In 2008, several high-level meetings were organized with Africas concerns high on the agenda. In April 2008, the India-Africa Forum Summit was held in New Delhi with 14 Heads of State and Government and representatives of regional bodies. A comprehensive Africa-India Framework for Cooperation was established, covering economic cooperation in such areas as agricultural development, political cooperation, science and technology, social development, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment, and media and communication. A joint plan of action and implementation mechanism is to be developed within a year. One of the stated aims of the framework is to reinforce South-South cooperation to enable Africa and India to have greater leverage in international forums. In May 2008, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV) took place in Yokohama, with representatives from 51 African countries, including 40 Heads of State and Government as well representatives of African organizations and from many Asian countries. Japan pledged to double its official development assistance (ODA) over the next five years, focusing on infrastructure and agricultural development. The first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul in August 2008 with the participation of representatives of 50 African countries, among them several Heads of State and Government. Turkeys trade and investment relations with Africa have increased dramatically over the past few years and Africa is a major market for Turkish contractors. Turkey has also formalized relations with AU and with AfDB. In October 2008, a ministerial conference on economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa was held to discuss major economic development issues and share South Koreas economic development experiences with African partners. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil are also intensifying their economic and diplomatic ties with Africa. These developments are taking place against the recent backdrop of high growth in Africa, increasing demand for commodities, especially in emerging economies, and the search for low-cost locations for investments in simple manufacturing. They have helped halt the trend of Africas declining share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows[iii]. __________________ Security Environment in 2025:Indias Interests and Strategies Air Commodore Jasjit Singh,AVSM,Vrc,VM, (Retd) USI JOURNAL JANUARY- MARCH 07 2 Africas silk road Harry.G.braodman. 3 United Nations Economic Commission Report on Africa, 2009 CHAPTER II INDIAS ROLE IN EMERGING WORLD ORDER INDIA RISING The centre of gravity of the emerging international order and strategic affairs is increasingly shifting to the Asian landmass (and contiguous island territories). The 21st century is likely to be Asia-centred due to some of the reasons outlined below: (a) Asian landmass is where the most far-reaching social, economic and political changes are taking place. How these countries manage change will largely influence the course of world events in the coming decades. (b) The region still has extensive un-resolved disputes extending from issues of sovereignty to ideological issues which are often constructed on religious extremism. (c) By 2015, seven out of ten largest economies would be Asian countries (including three out of the four top being Asian, the other country being the United States with its deep and extensive interests in Asia). (d) Seven out of nine nuclear weapon states are located in Asia (including the United States which has strategically shifted forward into the Asian contiguous oceans, has deployed nuclear weapons in Asia, and will remain an â€Å"Asian† power). (e) Worlds energy â€Å"demand heartland† composed of Japan, Koreas, China and India is in Asia. And so is the energy â€Å"resource periphery† extending from Siberia, Central Asia, Persian Gulf, North Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and East China Sea. Future needs and availability of energy resource base are likely to further emphasise the Asia-centred world order while enhancing the role of major centres of power. India as the worlds largest democracy is now on the move in economic and technological terms. It has successfully progressed in what can only be described as the human historys most ambitious experiment of transforming a traditional society into a modern one, of transforming an agrarian-based economy into a comprehensive industry-service sector- agricultural economy, rapidly increase social mobility transforming the country into a class-less society, and so on, all through processes of consultative politics. The World Bank estimates that India will possess the fourth largest economy in the world by 2020. Since independence India has made rapid strides and now has the worlds second largest pool of highly competent scientific and technological expertise while its software strength is likely to play a major role in the coming years. Indias economic growth, not as dramatic as that of China or the East Asia â€Å"Tigers† has nevertheless shown increasing rate of growth in every de cade since the late 1960s. Indias geostrategists have a changed perception vis-à  -vis the third world and other NAM countries, which the country was historically aligned to[iv]. India has used both â€Å"soft power† and â€Å"hard power† options to increase its influence on third countries. This perception is based on the following assessments: (a) India discontinued its government to government development cooperation with all but six bilateral donors (DFID, EC, Germany, Japan, USAID, and Russian Federation). Instead donors could assist NGOs directly. (b) India has gradually changed from a recipient of aid and assistance to a giver of aid. Minister of state for external affairs Rao Inderjit Singh stated in April 2005: â€Å"Our technical and economic cooperation programme ITEC [to 156 states] is almost four decades old. a rough monetary value to the wide range of training and other facilities that we have shared with our friends from Africa, I am sure he would estimate it at well above a billion dollars†. [32] (c) India Development Initiative (IDI) dedicates a $1.5 billion soft credit fund over five years through the Exim Bank for supporting development projects mainly in Africa. (d) India has leased an air base in Ayni in Tajikistan which it argues is for non- military purposes, but others see this is as part of Indias move towards increasing its strategic depth in central Asia. (e) India has assisted Afghanistan in projects that range from roads to hospi- tal building as a way of maintaining its influence in the region. It has extended more than $100 million in credit to the outlawed Myanmar regime, including for upgrading their railway. India has thus emerged as Myanmars second largest market, absorbing 25 per cent of the countrys exports. (f) India maintains its influence in several south Asian states like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, as is well known. In this context India has gradually dis- engaged from the large southern groups that it once partnered and has played a key role in forming new groups like the G-4, G-15, G-20 and G-33. India has become part of many regional groupings, like India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Coopera- tion (BIMSTEC), as a more direct way of promoting South-South Cooperation as well as establishing a stronger political and economic relationship. This gradual but significant disengagement with the third world is driven by Indias great power perceptions. Its aid policies follow the intentions of the west in the creation of markets for Indian capital. The concept of â€Å"soft power† policies remains part of the neo-realist framework, where the interest of the state is primary, regardless of the impact on citizens. __________________ 4 CHENOY Kamal Mitra, CHENOY Anuradha M * From Economic and Political Weekly September 1, 2007. CHAPTER III GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA As the ‘dark continent, Africa has typically been painted with broad-brush strokes, as a place of uncivilized people, as savage and superstitious, as tribalistic and nepostic. Africa is a vast and exotic continent of about 900 million people in 54 independent countries. It has a total area of over 30 million sq. kms, about three and a half times the size of the United States and 10 times the size of India. It is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the worlds chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Africas enormous agricultural potential is vastly untapped. Africas vast mineral wealth and strategic significance have encouraged foreign powers to intervene in African affairs. African oil constitutes 8% of the worlds oil resources. Political Importance of Africa is further compounded by the fact that it comprises the 54 votes that African Union (AU) maintains in the General Assembly. With world markets in turmoil, an unexpected and overlooked continent may benefit from its very isolation. Opportunities The continent has witnessed a trend towards democratisation that is visible in multi-party elections across the continent and the emergence of a democratic South Africa. It is also visible in the launch of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) through the joint efforts of South Africa and Senegal. This action plan promises to remove the tag of the Hopeless Continent. Yet all this has been accompanied by a steady drumbeat of optimism about the continent, and confidence in its prospects. Despite of the problems, the 48 countries of sub Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as plain Africa) are, by several measures, enjoying a period of unparalleled economic success. And despite the turmoil in the worlds financial markets, international investors still think they can make money there. In 1990-94 annual GDP growth was a weak 0.9%; since then, growth has averaged closer to 5%. Before this autumns financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting GDP growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting only a slightly lower rate. Annual GDP growth per person was 1.1% in the late 1990s; from 2004 to 2006 it was around 4%. In 1990 47% of Africans lived in poverty; in 2004 41% did and, if present trends continue, only 37% will by 2015. Zimbabwe apart, most African countries have been bringing inflation down, even if the trend is now creeping up again, in line with the rest of the world. Many countries have been helped by better macro-economic management and big inflows of Western aid, investment and debt relief-as well as by more unquantifiable investments from Asia, particularly China, and the Middle East. The surplus petrodollars of the Gulf States have been flowing into East Africa. The IMF estimates that foreign investment and loans to Africa rose from $11 billion in 2000 to $53 billion in 2007. Much of this has stemmed from the commodities boom. Oil- producing countries such as Angola and Nigeria, and even war-torn Sudan, have supplied the soaring growth s, and much of the foreign investment has gone into extractive industries. Economic development patterns in Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories. Ghana, Africas first nation to win its freedom from Europe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This is both cause for reflection on the past half-century and a reminder of how young African nations are. In the past seven years we have seen the end of seven major conflicts: in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote dIvoire, North-South Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea, and Angola. We are on the verge of a peace deal in northern Uganda. Although conflicts are still ongoing in Darfur and Chad, and the peace is fragile in several other places, the trend in Africa is toward the resolution of conflict. More importantly, the capacity of African nations to deal with conflicts has risen dramatically. African peacekeepers are increasingly active not only in Africa but around the world. Most starkly, Africa is going through a very real economic resurgence. Economic growth is estimated at around 6.5 percent last year, the highest in memory, while inflation is in the single digits. High growth and low inflation are projected to continue this year despite a global economic slowdown. This success is not just in oil countries; about two dozen sub-Saharan African nations are enjoying real growth rates in excess of 5 percent. Only one nation Zimbabwe is really going backward quickly, a direct result of President Mugabes scorched earth policy of clinging to power at any cost. That sad nation is entering its ninth consecutive year of a shrinking economy, and inflation is now well over 100,000 percent. The striking thing about Africa today is really its massive economic potential[v]. After half a century of very low growth, combined with the colonial legacy which chopped up the continent into so many small countries, the economies of Africa are still tiny: Baltimores economy is about ten times the size of Ghanas, and more than twice the size of Nigerias. Only South Africa is larger, and not by much. The positive economic picture we now see in Africa is being driven by a host of factors, including a boom in commodity prices. But economic reforms inside Africa are also a big part. Macro-economic reforms undertaken over the past decade, with international assistance and encouragement, have brought down inflation and improved the investment climate. Countries are now turning to micro-reforms to make it easier to open, operate, and grow small businesses the true engine for turning poor countries into rich ones. We are also seeing growing foreign investment in Africa[vi]. This is obviously led by oil, gas, and mining, but there are exciting trends in other sectors, such as telecommunications, agribusiness, and business services. Countries such as Ghana are starting to build specialized back office services like India has done so successfully. We are also seeing more interest from private equity firms, hedge funds, and other non-traditional investors that bode well for Africas economic integration into global financial and business networks. Indicative of this interest, Africa was recently featured on the cover of Business Week for the first time ever. Another very encouraging trend is the returning of African professionals. Bankers who have gotten experience in New York and London are now going back and setting up their own investment firms and banks. We can see this clearly in the banking boom in places like Nigeria and Ghana. Africa is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of conflict, democracy, and economic prosperity. But all of these are extremely fragile. 2007 was one of the best years in recent memory for the continent. __________________ 5 World Bank Report, â€Å"Can Africa Claim 21st Century†,2000. 6 Released on March 18, 2008 Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs CHAPTER IV EXPLOITATION OF THE GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA BY THE MAJOR GLOBAL POWERS POISED LIKE PANTHERS THEY STAND, JERKING LIKE LEOPARDS THEY[vii] POUNCE BRUTAL AS HELL THEY ACT, TACTICAL AS HARE THEY WITHDRAW NOT SEEN IN ACTION, WE ARE LEFT TO NURSE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY CLAWS UNSEEN WITH BUT CRIES FROM DISTANT LANDS OF HOW â€Å"THEY HAVE FINISHED THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE UNCIVIL† LATER WE SEE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS ICC INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS, OF THE BEMBAS, TAYLORS, NOT OF OTHERS FOR TIMES BEFIT NOT WE HAVE SEEN RESETTLEMENT, NGOS STAFFED WITH SPIES, EXPLORERS SEARCHING FOR MAGICAL RICHES, OPPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS: GEO-MAPPING, MINERAL PROSPECTING, LAND EYEING IN WAYS AND BY MEANS BEYOND ORDINARY EYE. WE HAVE SEEN AND NOT SEEN, OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS OUR WEALTH BY , FOR OURSELVES,BLACKS AS KINSMEN, COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES AFRICANS SWUNG INTO ACTION AGAINST INFILTRATING EXPLOITAERS, SOWERS OF DISARRAY OUR SIGHT BLINDFOLDED WE LAMENT, AGAINST OUR PROGENITORS, CHIEFS THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF GLOBAL MISCHIEF KNOWERS OF TRUTH STRATEGICALLY PERPETRATE SABA- RWENGABO MAY 2007 The twin phenomena of a new 21st century global scramble for Africas strategic energy and mineral resources and the on-going global economic slump are admittedly taking a heavy toll on the continent s nascent democracy and security. This was the poignant conclusion of a high-level meeting of African experts and practitioners Convened by the Africa policy institute in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2009. The world economic slowdown, now ravaging African economies, comes on top of the global race for the continents resources crucial in the global political economy and security, especially mineral and energy resources. The new rush for Africa has increasingly drawn in cold war protagonists of Europe and Russia and more increasingly newcomers mainly China, and to a lesser extent, India, Brazil, South Africa, Korea and Malaysia. With the cost of food and fuel spiraling, commodity boom turning into bust, remittances from the African Diaspora falling, investments drying up and climate change taking its toll, questions remain about the implications of the new scramble for Africa and the both the swirling recession on the stability of the continents democracy and long-term security. The new scramble for Africa has unfolded against the backdrop of globalization in the post-Cold War era, which galvanized acute demand for African resources and the consequent integration of its economies into the global political economy. . With Africas relatively weak markets and unskilled labour pool playing a marginal role in the knowledge-driven global economy, the new race for Africa has targeted strategic mineral and energy resources such as oil and gas which have immense strategic importance in the global political economy and security calculations of major powers. But despite integration of African natural resources in the global economy, the African labour has become even more marginalised, with studies indicating that the â€Å"new scramble appears to be diminishing rather than increasing the prospects for employment of African labour and undermining the foundation of African livelihoods† . The trend by neo-liberal globalization to divorce the African from his resou rces is spawning new dynamics of intensified internal conflicts and creating a new fault line of conflict between Africa and the global order[viii]. Secondly, the demise of apartheid in 1994 marked the complete liberation of the continent with South Africa becoming a key leader in what has been enchanted as ‘African renaissance. However, as a result of rampant poor governance, corruption and internal wars from Somalia to Darfur (Sudan) and Kenya to Zimbabwe, African leaders failed to use the continents immense natural resources to ensure effective and pro-poor development. As such, while the newly liberated South African powerelite spearheaded the creation of a complex governance and security architecture within the aegis of the African Union to stabilize the continent, civil wars, poor governance corruption and unemployment intensified in the context of the new scramble for continents resources In turn, this has reinforced political instability and democratic crisis. The new scramble for Africa s natural resources, especially oil, is therefore, supported and sustained by the predatory African elites who are the major benef iciaries, while majority of the poor Africans at the periphery of the economy continue to be more marginalised from the economic benefits of the new scramble. Thirdly, the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the former ‘south including India, Brazil and, more saliently, China increased global competition for energy and refocused world attention on Africa as a new frontier in the search for alternative source of fossil fuels and land for growing bio-fuel and food crops to supply domestic and global markets, thus triggering the new scramble for Africa. The entry of China and other new players into the African scene increased competition with western powers for oil and mineral resources, but the jury is still out regarding the impact of the interests and strategies of these newcomers on Africas fledgling democracy and overall security. But Chinas policy of â€Å" not mixing business with politics† or the see- no-evil, hear-no-evil† policy on governance has collided with the West s emphasis on governance and human rights as a precondition for engagement with Africa, leading to non-cooperation between the two and intensifying the race for spheres of influence on the continent[ix]. Finally, in the last two years the continent has experienced the full weight of the raging global financial and economic recession which has shattered its economic growth and development prospects, threatened its economies and fostered a climate of political instability. The current global melt-down has intensified Africas serious socio-economic and political challenges relating to endemic poverty, unemployment, rising inequality, debt over-hang and the knock-on effects of climate change. But the effect of the global recession on the scramble for Africa and their implications on Africas democratic crisis are not patently clear. The current scramble for Africa is markedly significant in two ways. First, it is a scramble

Eichmann, the Banality of Evil, and Thinking in Arendts Thought Essay

Eichmann, the Banality of Evil, and Thinking in Arendt's Thought* ABSTRACT: I analyze the ways in which the faculty of thinking can avoid evil action, taking into account Hannah Arendt's discussion regarding the banality of evil and thoughtlessness in connection with the Eichmann trial. I focus on the following question posed by Arendt: "Could the activity of thinking as such, the habit of examining and reflecting upon whatever happens to come to pass, regardless of specific content and quite independent of results, could this activity be of such a nature that it 'conditions' men against evildoing?" Examples of the connection between evildoing and thinking include the distinction between the commonplace and the banal, and the absence of the depth characteristic of banality and the necessity of thinking as the means for depth. I then focus upon Arendt's model thinker (Socrates) and argue that the faculty of thinking works to avoid evildoing by utilizing the Socratic principle of noncontradiction. "What is the subject of our thought? Experience! Nothing else!" (1) (Hannah Arendt) Eichmann in Jerusalem (2) was originated when Hannah Arendt went to Jerusalem in order to report, for The New Yorker, on the trial of Otto Adolf Eichmann, (3) who was acused of crimes against the Jewish people, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The trial began in April 15, 1961. The New York Times had announced Eichmann's capture by Israeli agents in Argentina, in May 24, 1960. Israel and Argentina had discussed Eichmann's extradition to Israel, and the United Nations finally decided the legality of Jerusalem Trial. After the confirmation that Eichamnn was to be judged in Israel, Arendt asked The New Yorker's director, William Shamn, to ... ... (29) Ibid. (30) 'Ibid. (31) See, in this regard, TMC, p. 425. (32) TMC, p. 423. (33) LM p. 168. (34) LM., p. 180. (35) (Protagoras, 339c.) LM p.186. (36) The first part of the Morality Lectures 1995, given by Arendt at New School, was published as "Some Questions of Moral Philosophy." In Social Research, Vol. 61, No. 4 (Winter 1994), pp. 739-64. The other three parts remain unpublished as "Some Questions of Moral Philosophy". Morality Lectures 1965, New School for Social Research, Hannah Arendt's Papers, The Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, container 45. We will take the following systematic: 'Some Questions of Moral Philosophy I' for the part published and 'Some Questions of Moral Philosophy II' for the unpublished one. This quotation is in 'Some Questions of Moral Philosophy II' 024633. (37) Ibid., 024636. (38) LM., p. 193.

Society Must Redefine the Meaning of Family Essay -- Argumentative Per

Society Must Redefine the Meaning of Family Society seems to have many different opinions when it comes to relationships and families and what is ideal. The ideal family may not exist anymore. We now have in our society families that are complete that do not necessarily contain the traditional material. The traditional family, as society would see it; usually consist of a married, mother and father and usually children. Moms are supposed to stay at home while dads work the forty-hour a week job. However, in our 2003 world, families exist in a lot of non-traditional ways. A lot of families now consist of single parent families, or same sex parents and their children, or even couples that are unmarried but live together. And even now, if a family contains what society sees as traditional as far as having a mom, dad, and kids, other aspects are not traditional anymore. Women now have more opportunity in the workplace than they have ever had, therefore, many moms are career moms and dads are sometimes staying at home. Years ago, t hese types of families were given labels for being dysfunctional or abnormal, however, this label is not holding up as well as it did years ago. There are many non-traditional families that are raising children in a loving, nurturing home with a substantial amount of quality love. Quality is the key in any relationship between anyone. Society is finding out that it is not the traditional image that makes a loving family, but the quality of a relationship that people give to each other is what really makes a family. In the essay "The Myth of the "Normal" Family", written by Lousie B. Silverstein and Carl F. Auerbach, they make references to the cultural idea of what a "normal" family should be and what i... ...sex relationships, or adults to children. People of any race, sex, or age that can offer unconditional love, strength, morals, values, and respect to others are more qualified to be called "normal" or having a "family" than any two people that are married, with or without children, that are not offering to others what is needed to become a real, normal, family. Families can be single moms, single dads, same sex parents, or even other relatives. What is important and what makes people have the most rewarding families are the qualities of their relationships. This type of family is the family that will stay together and function happily in our society. Works Cited * Silverstein, Lousie B., and Carl F. Auerbach. "The Myth of the "Normal" Family." * The Aims of Argument. 4th ed Ed.Timothy W. Crusius and Carolyn E. Channell. New York:McGraw Hill,2003, 352-355.

Adolescent Sex

The prevalence of teenage pregnancy in the society and the alarming increase of such are often perceived to be caused by inadequate government and educational programs about sex. While most people continuously adhere to this idea, the role and responsibilities of parents in their child’s sexual quandaries, to some extent is set behind the veracity of the problem. Some parents even exhibit lack of authority over their children by allowing them to have sex at home.As a parent your basic instinct is to weigh the consequences when your child is already engaged in premarital sex or if his or her relationship is already progressing on that direction. On the affirmative side of the scale, today’s liberal society demonstrates that everyone is doing it and it is part of your child’s learning experience.The unconstructive scale on the other hand, carries out issues on morality, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Instead of allowing them to engage in premarital se x inside your home, provide your parental guidance by teaching them abstinence-only sex education which emphasizes morality and having sex within the boundaries of marriage (Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, Episode 823).This will establish a platform for your children to know that having sex at a very young age and outside the sanctity of marriage can result to heavy emotional and physical costs which are not only limited to diseases and pregnancy but is also a ground to bring into a halt their supposed bright future.Though, an open communication with your children regarding their sexual experiences is a great start to take a hold of them when they are already engaged in sexual activities, allowing them to do it in your home is improper and inappropriate decision to make as their parent and guardian.The foremost situation of your children living in your house and exclusively depending on you to fill their stomachs are substantial evidences that they still are not capable of taking ca re of themselves and their actions to include having premarital sex.ReferencesPBS, February 4, 2005 Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Episode 823 Retrieved on 2009-21-02