Free Essays on The Blank Pages

Throughout the texts that have been read, southern white women have been portrayed in a number of different lights. Although the manners in which these women are described aren’t the same, the end result hasn’t changed. The southern white woman has been expected to display numerous personality traits, some of which she embodied naturally, and others that were just societal constructions. Initially, these women just accepted the conflicting expectations thrust upon them. But as time went on and they realized that they did not have to live these contradictions, the southern white woman began to construct her own personality, discarding any expectations she did not see fit to exemplify. This essay will address the evolution of the southern white woman in context to her relationship to African Americans. More specifically, she is a woman who has had inconsistent personality traits forced on her. This conflict of character was pivotal in her relationship to blacks because it is the source of her eventual acceptance of the people. When they realized that their relationship to black was shaped by the hypocritical opinions of white males, they were able to reject them and form opinions of their own. â€Å"Like a blank page, the Confederate Woman is an unfilled space, ‘pure’ so that the ideology of the plantation South may be inscribed on her: she is represented as being what men are not and what blacks are not - soul, not flesh† (Roberts, pg. 2). This view of the southern white woman has resonated in just about every text we have read and it encompasses every description that has been given to her. The first part of this quote should be most troubling. Calling her a blank slate reduces her to a being who is unable to produce her own thought; making her primed and ready to accept any roles or beliefs that are to be given to her. Also, it is just plain insulting. Children have often been equated to blank slates. Because of their lack of ... Free Essays on The Blank Pages Free Essays on The Blank Pages Throughout the texts that have been read, southern white women have been portrayed in a number of different lights. Although the manners in which these women are described aren’t the same, the end result hasn’t changed. The southern white woman has been expected to display numerous personality traits, some of which she embodied naturally, and others that were just societal constructions. Initially, these women just accepted the conflicting expectations thrust upon them. But as time went on and they realized that they did not have to live these contradictions, the southern white woman began to construct her own personality, discarding any expectations she did not see fit to exemplify. This essay will address the evolution of the southern white woman in context to her relationship to African Americans. More specifically, she is a woman who has had inconsistent personality traits forced on her. This conflict of character was pivotal in her relationship to blacks because it is the source of her eventual acceptance of the people. When they realized that their relationship to black was shaped by the hypocritical opinions of white males, they were able to reject them and form opinions of their own. â€Å"Like a blank page, the Confederate Woman is an unfilled space, ‘pure’ so that the ideology of the plantation South may be inscribed on her: she is represented as being what men are not and what blacks are not - soul, not flesh† (Roberts, pg. 2). This view of the southern white woman has resonated in just about every text we have read and it encompasses every description that has been given to her. The first part of this quote should be most troubling. Calling her a blank slate reduces her to a being who is unable to produce her own thought; making her primed and ready to accept any roles or beliefs that are to be given to her. Also, it is just plain insulting. Children have often been equated to blank slates. Because of their lack of ...

The Best Thing to Do for Your Writing

The Best Thing to Do for Your Writing I saw this in a recent blog post, and when I eagerly delved into the piece, it instead listed items without weight to the suggestions. The blogger interviewed several authors and asked them what they considered to be the single most important item to do to improve your writing. I didnt see mine, and the others said things like pick the right POV, work on dialogue, take an acting class, respect plot. . . which might as well have been just an outline for a writing class. Of course what you take to heart as the most important thing might depend on what your strengths and weaknesses are, but to me, theres only one thing that encompasses novice and seasoned writers. Read and study good, published writing. Whats good? Well, that can be interpreted in several ways, but all must be contingent upon what you want for your own writing. 1) Do you want to sell books? Then read successful books that sold thousands of copies. 2) Do you want to write fantastic mysteries with great twists? Then read mysteries noted for such. 3) Do you want pulse-pounding romance that doesnt sound trite? Then seek strong romance writers. 4) Do you wish to complicate your plot? Find complicated plots. 5) Do you want dialogue that dances on the page and requires no tags to identify the characters? You know what to do. In other words, follow the masters. Some may say that means only bestsellers. Some say that neglects a lot of indie material. Nope. . . it doesnt, on both counts. Regardless of how its published, a book is good or it isnt. Sure, theres opinion laced in there, but when the majority of a books readers love it, and the reviews say why, then you have your markers, and who printed it doesnt matter. What about those books that arent known? Then my suggestion to the authors is to get them known. Is your writing truly remarkable? Then work on distribution and reviews. Do articles, interviews, and speaking engagements to demonstrate your abilities. Is it easy? Hell no. Its not supposed to be. It cant be. Good writing, and the good writer behind that writing, has to fight to be recognized. Whether thats going traditional and fighting to be embraced But I stand my mantra that the best way to improve your writing is to read good books. . . books that make you wish youd written them.

What were the significant issues of American foreign policy under Essay

What were the significant issues of American foreign policy under President Theodore Roosevelt Explain - Essay Example This policy of non-intervention continued until the end of the nineteenth century, when a call for America to pursue a more proactive role in world affairs, in keeping with her position as a great power, began to gain popularity. Its chief adherents were in the Republican Party, and consisted of Theodore Roosevelt, Admiral Alfred Mahan, John Hay and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, who advocated America’s adoption of â€Å"the large policy† committed to the expansion of U.S. influence and territory overseas (Raico, 1995). President Theodore Roosevelt may be considered the chief architect of America’s new foreign policy of active intervention in global affairs. Theodore Roosevelt was born on 27 October, 1858, in New York City. He graduated from Harvard and went on to study Law at Columbia University, dropping out in pursuit of interest in politics, and winning a seat in the New York Assembly in 1882. He subsequently served as Civil Service Commissioner, President of the New York City Police Board and Assistant Secretary of the Navy. As the commandant of the ‘Rough Riders’ regiment, he was a hero in the Spanish-American War. He became the Governor of New York State in 1898 and then the Vice-President under President McKinley in 1900. On McKinley’s assassination in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt became the President of the United States and remained in that office until 1909. Roosevelt extended the influence and stature of the executive, introduced conservation and progressive reforms through welfare measures, government regulation of big business and his ‘Square Deal’ approach to domestic economy and social justic e. Roosevelt died on 6 January, 1919. (Miller Center of Public Affairs website). President Theodore Roosevelt embarked on an aggressive foreign policy geared to make America the most influential force in global affairs. In keeping with his diplomatic motto to â€Å"speak softly

Antitrust and Regulation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Antitrust and Regulation - Term Paper Example The law is premised on the belief that free trade benefits the economy, businesses and the consumers by forbidding various restrains of trade and monopolization. It falls under four areas namely agreement between competitors, contractual arrangements between sellers and buyers the pursuit or maintenance of monopoly power and mergers (Wilberforce, 98). The law of competition can be dated two centuries ago, the medieval monarchs and the Roman Empire used tariff systems to control prices and support local production. The formal study of competition can be dated in the 18th century with works of Adam Smith when he wrote about the wealth of Nation. Different terms were used to describe the law which include restrictive practices, the law of monopolies, combination acts, and the restraint of trade. The law can be seen to have three main elements which include prohibiting agreements or practices that restricts free trade and competition between business premises, it element focuses mainly on repression of cartels. Second is the banning of abusive behaviors by firms dominating a market or anti competitive practices that may tend to lead to dominance (Bork, 126). Among the practices controlled by this are predatory pricing, tying, and refusal to deal, among others. Lastly there is the supervision of mergers and acquisition of large corporations including joint values. Transactions thought to threaten competitive process can be prohibited all together. Approved subjects to remedies for example an obligation to divest part of the merged business the merged business, that is, to offer license or access to facilities that enable other businesses to continue competing. The contents and practice of competition law varies s from one jurisdiction to another. In many countries the main objective of the law is to protect the interests of thee consumer or safeguarding the consumer welfare, and ensuring that entrepreneurs have an equal opportunity to compete in the market economy. The law is also closely related to the law of deregulation of access to the market, state aids and subsidies, privatization of state assets, and the establishment of independe nt sector regulators. In the past decades the law has been viewed as way to provision of better public services (Whish, 198). According to Robert Bork competition has been found to have created adverse effects when they reduce competition through protecting the inefficient competitor and when the cost of legal intervention is higher then the consumer benefits more. The business practices of market traders' guilds and governments have always been scrutinized and sometimes severe sanctions have been placed. Dating back from the 19th century competition law has been now embraced globally. The largest and the most influential law systems being the United States antitrust law and the European community competition law. National and regional competitions authorities across the world have formed to incorporate international support and enforcement networks (Bork, 127). In microeconomics and strategic management horizontal merger refers to a type of ownership and control. It is used by businesses as a strategy that seeks to sell a type of products in many markets or numerous markets. It is much more common compared to vertical

Psychology and Research Essay Example for Free

Psychology and Research Essay 1. There are various methods in psychological research, both qualitative and quantitative. Among them are field experiment, which is more qualitative and the statistical survey which, as the name suggests, a highly quantitative approach. Field experiment is a scientific method in research approach where the researchers (psychology-related researchers in this case) examine the participants or the data in the real world rather than doing the research in the laboratory, but all the same, the field researchers have followed the structured approach1 in research. Statistical survey, on the other hand is used to gather quantitative information on a given subject or participant in a population. It involves statistical processes in arranging data for them to be useful information to readers. It is worth noting however that a research rarely relies on a single method alone. Oftentimes, it is a combination of two or more methods to make it/the theory or contention stronger and more reliable. 2. With the psychosis studies and experiences of R.D. Lang, a psychoanalyst and a radical psychiatrist, he was able to observe his patients for real or â€Å"on field† when he developed his research regarding the subject (psychosis). It is a condition when an individual lost contact with the real world. Psychosis is best described by broad diagnostic concepts such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and that these concepts describe brain diseases that are probably inherited. The task of psychology and its related researches on the subject matter aims to identify neuropsychological abnormalities in patients, in the hope that these might provide clues about the aetiology of the presumed brain pathology. Within this method, there is little scope for psychological intervention, as it is assumed that brain diseases are unresponsive to this kind of treatment. Another psychological research is the intelligence test of Binet or the currently evolved Stanford-Binet Scale which is one of the psychologically related tests or research where statistical approach may be applied. This method was developed containing the idea of graded tests series, the concept of intelligence and the conception of the fundamental qualities of an intelligence test. It was originally composed of thirty items in increasing difficulty, with grouped testees either according to age or gender or any other classification that may be applied. 3 This is where the current IQ Tests evolved. 3. When conducting research with human participants, consent and confidentiality4 are the two very important aspects of the study. Consent of the subjects should be obtained first to let them be aware of the entire study and will let them adjust and not to feel deceived. This will also help the researchers and the participants work together in harmony and will facilitate the entire research process. Aside from these, respect is another reason why consent of the participants must be obtained first. Confidentiality, on the other hand, will secure the safety and honor of the subjects/participants and at the same time will protect the reliability and soundness of the research itself. All the ethical concerns mentioned are generally for the respect of human life, as an individual and in order for the psychology profession be respectable as well. No one can respect the profession if in return, it does not know how to value the dignity of humans in the case that the latter be a participant or a subject in a psychology-related research.

The Justice System Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Justice System Looking into criminal justice procedure, many administrations are at work. Starting with the police, to the courts and concluding in corrections. Though all these sectors have different tasks, their combined focus is processing the law. Regardless what the process is called criminal justice will continue to serve with discretion, conviction, and correction. When first presented with the question whether criminal justice is a system, non-system, and network I leaned toward a network. Throughout our discussions, lectures, and readings I felt the process presented itself as a network. Intertwined divisions working for a common goal. Further into my research and help from Webster, I decided that the criminal justice process is a system that is why it is called the criminal justice system and has been so, for many years. This system includes many networks that serve a common purpose, are dependent upon one another, and keep each other in check. Many may try to disagree as Alvine Cohn does in his introduction to Improving Management in Criminal Justice. He stated that "†¦no true system actually exists†¦(it) is a collection of disparate, fragmented services and programs, with many interrelationships, but (has) no†¦direction, philosophy, or mission"(Cohn, 7-8). This could be the farthest from the truth considering the system is always changing to better the process. This philosophy or mission that he speaks of does not have to be written on paper to exist. Though the absence of a clearly explained and comprehendible goal may result in conflict (Cohn, 9), this is inevitable when arguing two different sides. Regardless of what professionals and critics call it, it is "†¦(a) social control mechanism which†¦society calls the justice system"(Jones, 83). This system may differ from other systems, but it still includes the main characteristics of that which a system is defined. A system defined in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary is " †¦an organization forming a network especially for distributing something or serving a common purpose†¦" Using this definition we can include all arguments for the progression of criminal justice as a network since a system comprises many networks. This system has interrelated departments that look to each other to fulfill common goals of prevention and justice. Along with this common goal are common practices. The most ... .... Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, NY. 1983. www.m-w.com/cgi-bon/dictionary. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. March 25, 2001. Bibliography ALDER,F., MUELLER,G.O.W., LAUFER,W.S. Criminal Justice; an introduction. second edition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. US. 2000 COHN, Alvin W., WARD, Benjamin. Improving Management in Criminal Justice. Sage Publications. Beverly Hills, CA. 1980. COLE, George F. The American System of Criminal Justice. Wadsworth Publishing Co, Inc. Belmont, CA. 1975. HANCOOK,Barry, SHARP,Paul. Criminal Justice in America; theory, practice, and policy. second edition. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ. 2000. JACKSON, Bruce. Law and Disorder; Criminal justice in america. University of Illinois Press. US. 1984. JONES, William, Jr. Criminal Justice Administration. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, NY. 1983 KALINICH, KLOFAS, STOJKOVIC. The Administration and Management of Criminal Justice Organizations. Waveland Press, Inc. Prospect Heights,IL. 1994 www.albany.edu/sourcebook/. section 1. Bureau of Justice Statistics. March 25, 2001. www.m-w.com/cgi-bon/dictionary. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. March 25, 2001.

Political Economy in the Asia Pacific

The political economy of countries can be considered interdependent, as they influence each other and experience change simultaneously. This interdependency affects the level of economic wellbeing of countries, including the economic conditions and stability of a country. The political economy of a country encompasses the political, legal and economic systems influencing the country’s economy. Jevons (1880) described political economy as the wealth of a country and the reasons contributing to differences in wealth between countries (p. 7).The political system of a country heavily influences the way in which a country operates, and often affects other countries that it actively deals with. Differing legal systems, laws and regulations of countries can also impact other countries. Similarly, the economic systems and changes in a country’s economic position can impact other countries, and at times, their economic wellbeing. Whilst the political, legal and economic systems of some countries are interdependent, disruptions to interdependency must also be considered when assessing those countries’ reliance on each other.Several factors can hinder their interdependency, including comparative advantage not being followed, a strong focus on regionalism and inefficient free trade agreements. Political decisions imposed by Governments can affect the political economy and often the wellbeing of countries. Government decisions, including laws and policies, affect society as a whole (Hill, Cronk, & Wickramasekera, 2011, p. 236). There are two main forms of political systems: democracy and totalitarianism.Democracy is a system where the citizens govern the country through their elected representatives (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 245). Examples of democratic countries in the Asia Pacific business region include Australia and Thailand (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2008) (U. S Department of State, n. d. ). Totalitarianism refers to a system where one person or political party has control over all citizens, restricting political freedom (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 245). Totalitarianism is seen in China and North Korea (Jianming, 2010, p. 2) (Lim, 2009, p. 10-114). These differing political systems can affect economic relations between countries. An example of this is the view that democratic countries are more willing to trade and participate in international business with other democracies, than with totalitarianism countries. Democracies share similar values and laws on intellectual property rights. It is also believed that peace is more prevalent in democracies, enabling a higher ease of trade (Rosendorff, P. 2000). We see this in Australia’s preference for trade with the US rather than with China.In September 2010, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported that Australia had an ‘economic relationship’ (measured on trade in commodities, services and two-way investment) with the US worth over AUD$860 billion, compared to less than AUD$100 billion with China. The strength of the economic relationship between Australia and the US is believed to relate to each countries’ strong democratic values and from the US and Australia being strong allies, due to similar political practices (Sheridan, 2011). The varying political decisions and policies made by Governments can also impact other countries.With globalisation being so prominent today, the interdependency of a country’s political decisions is apparent. Globalisation dramatically increased after World War II, with many of the worlds’ major trading countries lowering trade barriers, including tariffs and quotas, after years of favoring local industries (Griffin & Pustay, 2010, p. 38). According to Friedman (2000) globalisation is defined as ‘the inexorable integration of markets, nation-states, and technologies†¦in a way that enables individuals, corporations and nation-states to reach around the wor ld farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before’ (p. ). This integration of economies suggests that Government decisions affect the economic wellbeing of other countries. An example of this is the recent temporary ban of live cattle exports by the Gillard Government in Australia, in response to perceived animal cruelty towards Australian cattle in Indonesian abattoirs. David Farley, CEO of the Australian Agricultural Company, Australia’s largest beef company, reported that the ban cost the company up to AUD$8 million. He also stated that Australia’s reputation in the international trading market was damaged by the temporary ban (O’Brien, 2012).The political decision to temporarily ban live exports to Indonesia caused financial loss for the Australian cattle industry and affected Australia’s political relations with Indonesia, with the Indonesian Government stopping imports of live cattle from Australia in December. Bayu Krisnamurthi, the D eputy Agriculture Minister of Indonesia, commented that Australia had discriminated against Indonesia by imposing new standards of animal welfare, as the same standards were not imposed on other countries importing live cattle.He threatened to file a claim with the World Trade Organization if discrimination occurred (Vasek & AAP, 2011). Whilst live exports to Indonesia has resumed, their imports are down by 50 percent and relations between Australia and Indonesia are affected. The incident damaged Australia’s economy and forced beef prices to rise in Indonesian markets (Nirmala, 2012). This illustrates the interdependency of Australia and Indonesia, with disruptions to trade affecting the political economy of both countries.It is evident that the political risk of Australia and Indonesia has increased. Political risk is the likelihood of political groups (Government and non-government groups) causing changes in a country’s ability to successfully participate in busines s activities, which may affect profits and goals of local and international businesses (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 266). Animals Australia and the Gillard Government both contributed to the live cattle export ban (Animals Australia, 2011), which in turn affected the profits of Australian beef companies.Businesses in the beef industry (or similar) may re-consider business dealings with Australian beef companies as they re-assess the political risk of trading with Australia. This may also result in Australia seeking markets elsewhere to sustain a profitable beef industry. As Governments implement differing political systems and decisions, other countries are affected, often in an unfavorable way. The differing legal systems between countries can impact dealings between countries and international businesses.The legal system of a country reflects the rules and laws imposed to manage society and behavior (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 253). A firm conducting business in a foreign country must ensu re the laws of the host country are followed, as well as continuing to meet the legal requirements of the home country (Griffin & Pustay, 2010, p. 78). Four main legal systems are prominent today: common law, civil law, religious law and bureaucratic law (Griffin & Pustay, 2010, p. 79). Common law is present in many countries is the Asia Pacific business region, including Australia, India, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Malaysia.Common law is based on judges’ decisions, creating legal precedents which assist in creating new laws and making future judgments (Griffin & Pustay, 2010, p. 79). Civil law is a legal system based on laws that have been set in a code system. It is different to common law, as judges do not have flexibility to interpret the law as the laws are already prescribed in the code system. Civil law is currently present is Japan (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 254). Religious law, or theocratic law, is a legal system that is based on the rules of a particular religion.Reli gious law is not common in the Asia Pacific region (Griffin & Pustay, 2010, p. 79). Bureaucratic law is a legal system where decisions are made by the country’s bureaucrats, often without taking the laws of the country into consideration. Communism and other forms of dictatorships are regularly compared to bureaucratic law. China is an example of a country where bureaucratic law is imposed (Griffin & Pustay, 2010, p. 81). It is apparent there are strong differences between the legal systems of countries in the Asia Pacific, which can affect businesses operating internationally.For example, in a recently merged Australian and Chinese company, King & Wood Mallesons, Stuart Fuller, the company’s chief executive, stated that China’s Ministry of Justice requirement for all lawyers to pledge allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party will not affect the company’s business dealings or clients (Sainsbury, 2012). However, this could affect lawyers who have not prev iously worked under the Chinese Communist Party, as they are pledging to uphold communist laws, which differ from Australian laws and values.This could also affect the perception of the company by international clients, whose values may differ from that of the Chinese Communist Party. Hence, it is evident that differing legal systems potentially influence operations between international businesses. New laws can also influence business dealings between countries. Indian companies have expressed concerns over the Australian carbon and mining taxes that are set to be implemented in 2012. Naveen Jindal, Indian parliamentarian and head of Jindal Steel and Power, believes the taxes will deter Indian companies from investing in Australian mining (and similar) companies.He stated, â€Å"The carbon tax is as much of a concern to Indian companies as it is to Australian companies† (Doherty & Ker, 2012). Thus tax laws in one country can also affect another country’s economy, with a potential loss of investment opportunities and profits for both parties. It can also be seen that while a law designed for one purpose (in this case, the taxes are to help stop climate change) (Clean Energy Future, 2012) it can ultimately affect another area of a country’s economy – in this case, foreign investment.There have been circumstances where legal requirements imposed for one purpose have actually been seen as an ‘excuse’ for deterring trade or investment. In 2009, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, on behalf of the biggest palm oil producers in the world — Malaysia and Indonesia – filed a case against the European Union (EU) for introducing sustainability criteria for palm oil imports. The Council believed that the criteria was actually a barrier to the trade of biofuel, based on the EU wanting to continue support for home-grown rapeseed oil, currently subsidised by the EU (Junginger, Dam, Zarrilli, Mohamed, Marchal & Faaij, 2011, p . 028-2042). It can be recognised that the EU may have been wishing to protect the home industry and jobs, which generally results in increased costs for consumers (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 109). In disguising the true intentions of laws, a country’s trading relationships can be affected. Thus differing legal systems, laws and requirements can affect, and often hinder the progress, of international business dealings. The economic position of one country can impact other countries and international businesses.Economic systems can be described as the system by which a country organises how and what should be produced, whom to produce for and how funds should be distributed (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 203). There are three main economic systems: market economies, command economies and mixed economies. A market economy is when production activities are privately owned, and the quantity to be produced is based on supply and demand and is determined by an individual or business for profi t making purposes (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 304).In a command economy, the Government determines what goods and services are sold, the prices that items are sold for and the quantities to be produced (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 304). A mixed economy is a combination of both market and command economies, with both private and state ownership controlling the production of goods and services (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 305). It is believed that a country’s economic system directly relates to its’ economic development and wellbeing and some argue that market economies provide greater opportunities for economic development and growth, hence creating a stronger economy (Hill et al. 2011, p. 306-307). This can be seen when comparing Malaysia and Singapore as the country’s systems greatly differ. When the ASEAN and China agreement was put into effect in January 2010, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) called for a limit of 10 percent in annual growth of the amount of imports from China. This was due to protection of Malay’s as manufacturers found it difficult to compete against cheap Chinese products (Ng, F. , 2010).This shows Malaysia’s economic system reflects command economy characteristics, as there is control over what is imported, which in turn could limit profits due to restrictions. Singapore is evidently more of a market economy. Singapore is considered a very ‘open’ country in relation to trade, therefore depending on international trade (Global Trade, 2012). The World Bank has stated that Singapore is the easiest country to conduct business with, with the openness of trade and aim to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) being contributing factors (The World Bank, 2009).Since signing a free trade agreement with the US, Singapore has imposed competition laws that restrict anti-competitive regulations. The Ministry of Trade and Industry in Singapore stated that by encouraging c ompetition, they would be able to encourage the ‘efficient functioning of the markets’. This move resulted in foreign lawyers and barristers to pursue work opportunities in Singapore (Sawyer, D. , 2006). By comparing Singapore and Malaysia, it can be viewed that market economies (such as Singapore) have greater potential for economic growth.Currency fluctuations can affect countries with interdependent economies when a change in the value of one currency affects other currencies. Indonesia’s economy was considered to be competitively growing from 1966 – 2007, based on the country’s commitment to lowering poverty through rural development and increased production in the rice industry. However, the Asian Financial Crisis from 1997-2000 caused poverty in Indonesia to rise, while GDP drastically decreased (Fatah, Othman & Abdullah, 2012, p. 291-299).The high economic growth of Asian countries directly contributed to the crisis, mainly through an increas e in investment, excess capacity, high levels of debt and increased imports. As borrowing and investments grew, companies were unable to service their debts (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 176). When the Thai Baht fell by 55 percent in 1998, other Asian currencies were deeply affected, including the Indonesian rupiah, which decreased 76 percent in 6 months. The decline of the Indonesian economy forced the Government to accept a loan of US$37 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Hill et al. , 2011, p. 177). The consequences of rapidly expanding Asian economies and the impact of decreasing currencies on each country was evident during the Asian Financial Crisis. The economic interdependency between countries had a negative impact on other economies, affecting their economic wellbeing as their economic position declined. Although the political economy of countries is generally interdependent, there are factors that deter interdependency from completely occurring. For interdepende ncy to function best, comparative advantage should be allowed to operate.David Ricardo developed the theory of comparative advantage in the 19th century and suggested that a country should produce and export goods and services that it is relatively more productive at producing than other countries, and import goods and services that are more productively made by other countries (Ricardo, 1817). Through their comparative advantage, countries benefit economically from participating in trade. This also suggests that free and open trade between countries is positive for economic progression (Hill et al. , 2011, p. 65).However, this theory is not always practised since Government political decisions can prevent its effectiveness. On 22 March, 2012 automaker Holden received a AUD$275 million government subsidy to continue to operate its Australian factories, in order to maintain jobs (Straits Times, 2012). According to Chris Berg, â€Å"Less than half of one per cent of the labour force works for the car industry and car manufacturers are not particularly central to the economic structure, cars are not†¦hard to buy from overseas and their manufacturing is not particularly high-tech† (Berg, 2012).Thus Australia is not following comparative advantage in the car manufacturing industry, with the reliance of Government subsidies helping to continue production and maintain jobs. This can be compared to Thailand, with car manufacturing production hugely increasing due to low labour costs (Bangkok Post, 2011). As export demand has increased, production has increased, with an 11 percent rise in the last year (Bangkok Post, 2012). Surapong Paisittanapong, spokesperson of the Automotive Industry Club under the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), commented, â€Å"We're confident that total auto production this year will reach 2. million units† (Viboonchart, 2012). Perhaps Australia ought to increase its imports from Thai car manufacturers rather than providi ng subsidies to Australian companies, assuming Thai cars are cheaper than the overall cost of producing an Australian car. Although countries can be seen as interdependent, barriers are often imposed to protect local industries and jobs, discouraging the comparative advantage theory and potentially affecting economic progression and wellbeing. Another factor that contributes to countries not reaching full interdependency is the focus on regionalism.Regionalism is a method of opening trade amongst neighboring countries and is viewed positively as not only extending markets to neighboring countries, but as strengthening regional security and delaying globalisation. By forming close regional communities, countries can form trade agreements and other mechanisms that protect the region from the threats of globalisation, and still prosper economically through increased local business between countries in the region (Moshirian, 2009, p. 2-8).However, this push for regionalism may be obscur ing some Asian countries’ economy’s ability to achieve higher profits, as the countries are still heavily reliant on other countries in different regions. We see this in the ASEAN official data release 2010, which shows that Singapore still exports 27. 97 percent of its’ total exports to countries in the EU (ASEAN Community in Figures (ACIF), 2010). This reliance demonstrates that partner countries are often unable to consume each other’s goods and therefore must export goods to other markets, outside of their own region.Whilst regionalism is still a form of interdependency between countries, the focus is on increasing business between neighbouring countries rather than all countries. Another exception to the interdependency of countries is when free trade agreements (FTA) are not efficient. The increase in free trade agreements since the end of the cold war across the world, predominantly in the Asia-Pacific, suggests countries depend on each otherâ€⠄¢s business for economic growth (Suominen, 2009). The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) began as a forum in 1989, before becoming a regional trade agreement (RTA) in 1993.APEC’s main goal is to establish free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific (APEC, 2012). However, trade agreements in the Asia-Pacific region have favored the manufacturing sector, with low tariffs and more freedom to trade, as compared to the agriculture sector, which has seen a high degree of protectionism from Governments in order to protect industry and jobs. This suggests that APEC’s goal is not entirely being reached (Suominen, 2009). Whilst FTA’s are effective in theory, Government intervention suggests that complete free trade is not apparent, thus obstructing the interdependency of countries to a certain extent.It is evident the interdependency of countries can be attributed to the political economy, that is, the political, legal and economic systems and position, of a country. Decisions made by Governments often affect other countries, and at times have adverse implications. A country’s legal system can both restrict and open up opportunities for other countries. Growing regionalism in areas such as Asia means there are closer economic ties between countries in the immediate region. The fluctuating strength of one economy can affect its regional partners, particularly in relation to currencies and interest rates.Whilst there are clearly benefits to be gained from a strong interdependency and reliance on other countries, there are also factors that hinder complete interdependency. When countries do not follow comparative advantage, or engage in inefficient free trade agreements, some of the potential benefits of interdependency can be lost. Often governments interfere in markets for their own political, legal and economic reasons, and the perceived opportunities that should flow from regionalism and other frameworks such as FTA’ s are not realised.