Applying Marxism to contemporary issues of work and employment

Marx’s ideas of ownership of production, alienation and power relationships may play a key role in explaining contemporary issues in work and employment such as lack of job security, having a voice within the workplace and discrimination. As stated in â€Å"The workplace and social democracy in the post-crisis age†, the financial crisis and recession have caused a change in attitudes towards employment relationships. More now than ever employees worry about job security. Marx belonged to a period of industrial society, whereby factories had thousands of employees all under one authoritative figure, the Boss or Manager. Job Security in this era was not a massive issue as it is now in contemporary times. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 1999 published the results of Job Insecurity and Work Intensification survey and showed that job insecurity had steadily been rising since the second world war. The majority of job insecurity lay in the manufacturing industries and blue-collar workers during the 1970’s and 1980#s but at the beginning of the 1990’s professional and managerial workers had their first great exposure to job insecurity. The information age which we now live in has cost many civil servant s their jobs, due to streamlining of systems through computer technology. White collar workers were much less prepared for the changes affecting their occupation. Because redundancy had never occurred to these workers before, the idea of unemployment caused most to experience anxiety and insecurities. Some argue this is an overreaction when compared to the bigger issue of insecurity experienced by the working classes (Giddens, 2009). Anxieties from job insecurities can lead to â€Å"loss of control† and a link has been made between job insecurity and poor overall health (Burchell et al, 1996). This feeling of helplessness against impending unemployment can be explained by Marx’s theory of alienation. Blauner (1964) argued that the introduction of automation to factories has reduced worker alienation. Automation has helped to â€Å"integrate the workforce and gave workers a sense of control over their work that had been lacking with other forms of technology†. E vidently having a sense of ownership towards your work and feeling part of a community diminishes alienation and in turn will diminish any sense of job insecurity: as workers will feel their role within the workplace is needed. Richard Sennett (1998) conducted a study of workers in a bakery which had an automated high-tech production line. Ironically none of the workers were actually bakers but workers trained in how to use the machinery, but only how to use the machinery. The â€Å"bakers† had no physical contact with the bread at any point. Computers decided every aspect of the baking process. However, despite the workers being skilled with computers, not one was trained in how to fix the computers when they broke, causing massive disruption amongst the production line. Sennett found that the workers wanted to be useful and fix the computers but did not because the automation had destroyed their autonomy. Computer technology within the workplace has not only led to an incre ase in workers’ skills but also a group of clerical, service and production workers who lack autonomy in their jobs, are alienated from their work, and lack job security. Another issue concerning work and employment in the UK currently is the movement of work. In a bid for maximum profit, some companies have moved the work from its country of origin to developing countries, where the work is cheaper. Now British companies such as Primark and Matalan have been accused of exploiting workers in these other countries because of their extremely low pricing. It is widely known that transnational factories in developing countries use sweatshop conditions, child labour and pay exploitative rates of pay. Any codes of conduct put in place are either sneakily avoided or completely disregarded altogether: â€Å"research consistently revealed an inadequate, if not poor, level of integration of CSR and Code compliance responsibilities in the internal structure of MNEs and suppliers† (ILO, 2003). However, as wrong as we may think this is, it could be argued that there has just been a shift in location of exploitation. Marx argued that the bourgeoisie, or the owners of production, exploited workers during the period of feudalism. Society was divided into peasants who worked on the land and nobles who were paid in terms of both crops and labour in return for protection, during this period wages were practically unheard of. For Marx, owning land and being able to take food from peasants if fundamentally different from being a peasant working on the land. Peasants (according to Marx) were a group with shared interests and attitudes and nobles were another. This still applies to today’s world of transnational corporations (TNCs). TNCs open factories in developing countries where cheaper labour can be found. The motives between TNCs and nobles are not all that dissimilar. Although TNCs have the resources to choose where to place their factories, such as technology, money and power, whereas nobles were born into a position of power and had no desire to move as they were meant to serve a duty to protect the fundamental relationship betw een owner and producer are still the same. Nobles wanted to extract maximum surplus and gain power, peasants wanted to be free or at the very least have more to eat. The introduction of towns and technology created a possibility for â€Å"free† labour it actually only led to new classes such as bankers and guilders and thus created new conflicts. In modern day society Marx’s theory of class conflict and exploitation is still relevant. TNCs take the role of the nobles or the owner of production and sweatshop workers take the role of peasants, exploited for their cheap labour in order for the TNCs to gain maximum profit and inevitable more power. Increasing intensity of international competition, particularly from Far Eastern countries, where wages are lower, weakens unions’ bargaining power (Western, 1997). In the early development of modern industry, workers had little or no political rights and very little influence over the conditions of work in which they were employed. Unions were developed in order to restore this imbalance of power between workers and their employees. Through Unions workers influence within the workplace was considerably increased. Originally, unions were set up as defensive organizations; workers could stop any overwhelming power that employers enforced on workers’ daily lives. Now, workers have negotiating rights with employers (which means they can press for economic benefits and any problems within the workplace can be discussed). Unions have essentially enabled workers to have a voice within the workplace and in turn have helped the working classes battle through their struggle with the bourgeoisie, as Marx highlighted. â€Å"Of all the classes that stand face to face with the bourgeoisie today, the proletariat alone is a really revolutionary class. The other classes decay and finally disappear in the face of modern industry, the proletariat is its special and essential product.† Marx depicted the working classes as in a constant resistance to acquire a voice/power and the introduction of Unions, especially the dramatic influence Unions gained after the second world war, has made this a possibility. However, alongside international competition, there are several other factors that have created a fall in union density within industries. High levels of unemployment due to recession in the world economic activity, particularly during the 1980s has weakened the bargaining power of labour and the introduction of right-wing governments such as Margaret Thatcher in 1979 led to an aggressive assault on unions throughout the 1980s. These attacks on unions can be seen replicated in the recent conservative coalition government as well. But possibly the most prominent of union failings was seen during the National Union of Minors strike in the UK in 1984-5. Marx believed that â€Å"the proletariat †¦ is a revolutionary class† and that at some point the working classes would rise against the owners of production. However, this is unlikely to occur any time soon. Union membership has declined considerably in industrialized countries and right-wing governments are not the only source of blame. High unemployment and more flexible production decrease the force of unionism (unionism works well when many people work together in large factories and there is a collective atmosphere). Having considered this though, Unions are highly unlikely to disappear. Workers individually have very little say or power when it comes to their employment and rely heavily on unions to provide this type of support. The collective strength that unions give t o workers enables the proletariat to carry on with their struggle against the bourgeoisie and as long as unions continue to work hard in stabilizing their position within the economic and political sphere then trade unions are likely to be here to stay. However, the chances of their ever being an uprising as Marx has suggested in his writings is dubious. Dwindling memberships to unions suggest people are losing faith in union support and this implies that workers have almost given up in their â€Å"struggle†. One of the aims of unions is to eradicate discrimination within the workforce. Discrimination in the workplace has always been a recurring issue. Gender divisions within the workplace have never been eradicated, nor has ethnicity (not fully anyway). Divisions of labour between genders have been evident in humanity for thousands of years. Inequality in modern day society is seen as wrong. From an economic view point not making use of everyone’s maximum potential regardless of their gender, class or ethnicity is wasteful. From a Marxist perspective, societies that have inequality will suffer. But for women, it can be questionable if women are in the job market at allWomen suffer from a dual burden (Young, 2000). In modern society women are expected to maintain a job whilst dealing with domestic chores and childcare. Because of these responsibilities thrust upon women, women are more likely to be found in certain job sectors which tend to be low in status. Women are more likely t o be found in â€Å"poor quality† jobs (part time, temporary, low pay, long hours, unpleasant, few benefits). Again this seems unlikely to be choice (or not â€Å"free† choice) but some have argued that these jobs reflect women’s preference for jobs compatible with home life and child care. Marxist feminists argue that men benefit from family life at the expense of women. Women as mothers are pressured by culture to have children and to take time out of the labour market to bring them up. These children become the workforce of the future at little or no expense to the capitalist class. This also benefits men, because it means that women cannot compete on a level playing field for jobs or promotion opportunities if their first priority is looking after children. But this male dominance is not universal. Some men are even discriminated against in the workforce due to their class or ethnicity. Factors such as language skills intervene causing racial preferences wit hin the workplace. The â€Å"job application culture† we live in requires individuals to give off first impressions that dazzle, however many companies look for image or whether you would â€Å"fit† in to the company. Not having UK qualifications may make applications harder (if an employer does not recognise a level of qualification he is likely to disregard it). Ethnic minority groups come under discrimination, however not all the time and not everywhere. In some companies whereby international relations are crucial to their business, languages skills may come in useful. But still discrimination occurs, whether it is gendered or ethnic. Arguably not making full use of a persons’ skill is wasteful. Economically it should not matter who a person is or what a person looks like for a job to get done. And Marx, in this instance, is correct in stating that not making full potential of every worker will cause society to suffer. Not just at the level of the company, b ut also at the level of the individual. Bibliography: Blauner, R. (1964) Alienation and Freedom (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press) Burchell, B. Et. al (1996) â€Å"Job Insecurity and Work intensification: Flexibility and the Changing boundaries of work† (York: YPS ILO (2003) â€Å"Business and code of conduct implementation: how firms use management systems for social performance† (Geneva: ILO), mimeo Jameson, H. 22 March 2011, â€Å"The Workplace and social democracy in the post-crisis age†, Policy Network, http://www.policy-network.net/articles/3981/The-workplace-and-social-democracy-in-the-post-crisis-age, Accessed 25th March 2011 Marx, K. Communist Manifesto. Sennett, R. (1998) The corrosion of character: The personal consequences of work in the new capitalism (London: Norton) Western, B. (1997) Between classes and market: Postwar Unionization in the Capitalist Democracies (Princeton: Princeton University Press) or put poshly – appropriate the fruits of our labour but here is the problem according to marx in the evil capitalist system the capitalist (the factory owner) pay the exchange value of labour for an individuals service which is only enough to keep him alive but the capitalist gets the use value of his labour (the total value of the labour) or put poshly – appropriate the fruits of our labour but here is the problem according to marx in the evil capitalist system the capitalist (the factory owner) pay the exchange value of labour for an individuals service which is only enough to keep him alive but the capitalist gets the use value of his labour (the total value of the labour) Applying Marxism to contemporary issues of work and employment Marx’s ideas of ownership of production, alienation and power relationships may play a key role in explaining contemporary issues in work and employment such as lack of job security, having a voice within the workplace and discrimination. As stated in â€Å"The workplace and social democracy in the post-crisis age†, the financial crisis and recession have caused a change in attitudes towards employment relationships. More now than ever employees worry about job security. Marx belonged to a period of industrial society, whereby factories had thousands of employees all under one authoritative figure, the Boss or Manager. Job Security in this era was not a massive issue as it is now in contemporary times. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 1999 published the results of Job Insecurity and Work Intensification survey and showed that job insecurity had steadily been rising since the second world war. The majority of job insecurity lay in the manufacturing industries and blue-collar workers during the 1970’s and 1980#s but at the beginning of the 1990’s professional and managerial workers had their first great exposure to job insecurity. The information age which we now live in has cost many civil servant s their jobs, due to streamlining of systems through computer technology. White collar workers were much less prepared for the changes affecting their occupation. Because redundancy had never occurred to these workers before, the idea of unemployment caused most to experience anxiety and insecurities. Some argue this is an overreaction when compared to the bigger issue of insecurity experienced by the working classes (Giddens, 2009). Anxieties from job insecurities can lead to â€Å"loss of control† and a link has been made between job insecurity and poor overall health (Burchell et al, 1996). This feeling of helplessness against impending unemployment can be explained by Marx’s theory of alienation. Blauner (1964) argued that the introduction of automation to factories has reduced worker alienation. Automation has helped to â€Å"integrate the workforce and gave workers a sense of control over their work that had been lacking with other forms of technology†. E vidently having a sense of ownership towards your work and feeling part of a community diminishes alienation and in turn will diminish any sense of job insecurity: as workers will feel their role within the workplace is needed. Richard Sennett (1998) conducted a study of workers in a bakery which had an automated high-tech production line. Ironically none of the workers were actually bakers but workers trained in how to use the machinery, but only how to use the machinery. The â€Å"bakers† had no physical contact with the bread at any point. Computers decided every aspect of the baking process. However, despite the workers being skilled with computers, not one was trained in how to fix the computers when they broke, causing massive disruption amongst the production line. Sennett found that the workers wanted to be useful and fix the computers but did not because the automation had destroyed their autonomy. Computer technology within the workplace has not only led to an incre ase in workers’ skills but also a group of clerical, service and production workers who lack autonomy in their jobs, are alienated from their work, and lack job security. Another issue concerning work and employment in the UK currently is the movement of work. In a bid for maximum profit, some companies have moved the work from its country of origin to developing countries, where the work is cheaper. Now British companies such as Primark and Matalan have been accused of exploiting workers in these other countries because of their extremely low pricing. It is widely known that transnational factories in developing countries use sweatshop conditions, child labour and pay exploitative rates of pay. Any codes of conduct put in place are either sneakily avoided or completely disregarded altogether: â€Å"research consistently revealed an inadequate, if not poor, level of integration of CSR and Code compliance responsibilities in the internal structure of MNEs and suppliers† (ILO, 2003). However, as wrong as we may think this is, it could be argued that there has just been a shift in location of exploitation. Marx argued that the bourgeoisie, or the owners of production, exploited workers during the period of feudalism. Society was divided into peasants who worked on the land and nobles who were paid in terms of both crops and labour in return for protection, during this period wages were practically unheard of. For Marx, owning land and being able to take food from peasants if fundamentally different from being a peasant working on the land. Peasants (according to Marx) were a group with shared interests and attitudes and nobles were another. This still applies to today’s world of transnational corporations (TNCs). TNCs open factories in developing countries where cheaper labour can be found. The motives between TNCs and nobles are not all that dissimilar. Although TNCs have the resources to choose where to place their factories, such as technology, money and power, whereas nobles were born into a position of power and had no desire to move as they were meant to serve a duty to protect the fundamental relationship betw een owner and producer are still the same. Nobles wanted to extract maximum surplus and gain power, peasants wanted to be free or at the very least have more to eat. The introduction of towns and technology created a possibility for â€Å"free† labour it actually only led to new classes such as bankers and guilders and thus created new conflicts. In modern day society Marx’s theory of class conflict and exploitation is still relevant. TNCs take the role of the nobles or the owner of production and sweatshop workers take the role of peasants, exploited for their cheap labour in order for the TNCs to gain maximum profit and inevitable more power. Increasing intensity of international competition, particularly from Far Eastern countries, where wages are lower, weakens unions’ bargaining power (Western, 1997). In the early development of modern industry, workers had little or no political rights and very little influence over the conditions of work in which they were employed. Unions were developed in order to restore this imbalance of power between workers and their employees. Through Unions workers influence within the workplace was considerably increased. Originally, unions were set up as defensive organizations; workers could stop any overwhelming power that employers enforced on workers’ daily lives. Now, workers have negotiating rights with employers (which means they can press for economic benefits and any problems within the workplace can be discussed). Unions have essentially enabled workers to have a voice within the workplace and in turn have helped the working classes battle through their struggle with the bourgeoisie, as Marx highlighted. â€Å"Of all the classes that stand face to face with the bourgeoisie today, the proletariat alone is a really revolutionary class. The other classes decay and finally disappear in the face of modern industry, the proletariat is its special and essential product.† Marx depicted the working classes as in a constant resistance to acquire a voice/power and the introduction of Unions, especially the dramatic influence Unions gained after the second world war, has made this a possibility. However, alongside international competition, there are several other factors that have created a fall in union density within industries. High levels of unemployment due to recession in the world economic activity, particularly during the 1980s has weakened the bargaining power of labour and the introduction of right-wing governments such as Margaret Thatcher in 1979 led to an aggressive assault on unions throughout the 1980s. These attacks on unions can be seen replicated in the recent conservative coalition government as well. But possibly the most prominent of union failings was seen during the National Union of Minors strike in the UK in 1984-5. Marx believed that â€Å"the proletariat †¦ is a revolutionary class† and that at some point the working classes would rise against the owners of production. However, this is unlikely to occur any time soon. Union membership has declined considerably in industrialized countries and right-wing governments are not the only source of blame. High unemployment and more flexible production decrease the force of unionism (unionism works well when many people work together in large factories and there is a collective atmosphere). Having considered this though, Unions are highly unlikely to disappear. Workers individually have very little say or power when it comes to their employment and rely heavily on unions to provide this type of support. The collective strength that unions give t o workers enables the proletariat to carry on with their struggle against the bourgeoisie and as long as unions continue to work hard in stabilizing their position within the economic and political sphere then trade unions are likely to be here to stay. However, the chances of their ever being an uprising as Marx has suggested in his writings is dubious. Dwindling memberships to unions suggest people are losing faith in union support and this implies that workers have almost given up in their â€Å"struggle†. One of the aims of unions is to eradicate discrimination within the workforce. Discrimination in the workplace has always been a recurring issue. Gender divisions within the workplace have never been eradicated, nor has ethnicity (not fully anyway). Divisions of labour between genders have been evident in humanity for thousands of years. Inequality in modern day society is seen as wrong. From an economic view point not making use of everyone’s maximum potential regardless of their gender, class or ethnicity is wasteful. From a Marxist perspective, societies that have inequality will suffer. But for women, it can be questionable if women are in the job market at allWomen suffer from a dual burden (Young, 2000). In modern society women are expected to maintain a job whilst dealing with domestic chores and childcare. Because of these responsibilities thrust upon women, women are more likely to be found in certain job sectors which tend to be low in status. Women are more likely t o be found in â€Å"poor quality† jobs (part time, temporary, low pay, long hours, unpleasant, few benefits). Again this seems unlikely to be choice (or not â€Å"free† choice) but some have argued that these jobs reflect women’s preference for jobs compatible with home life and child care. Marxist feminists argue that men benefit from family life at the expense of women. Women as mothers are pressured by culture to have children and to take time out of the labour market to bring them up. These children become the workforce of the future at little or no expense to the capitalist class. This also benefits men, because it means that women cannot compete on a level playing field for jobs or promotion opportunities if their first priority is looking after children. But this male dominance is not universal. Some men are even discriminated against in the workforce due to their class or ethnicity. Factors such as language skills intervene causing racial preferences wit hin the workplace. The â€Å"job application culture† we live in requires individuals to give off first impressions that dazzle, however many companies look for image or whether you would â€Å"fit† in to the company. Not having UK qualifications may make applications harder (if an employer does not recognise a level of qualification he is likely to disregard it). Ethnic minority groups come under discrimination, however not all the time and not everywhere. In some companies whereby international relations are crucial to their business, languages skills may come in useful. But still discrimination occurs, whether it is gendered or ethnic. Arguably not making full use of a persons’ skill is wasteful. Economically it should not matter who a person is or what a person looks like for a job to get done. And Marx, in this instance, is correct in stating that not making full potential of every worker will cause society to suffer. Not just at the level of the company, b ut also at the level of the individual. Bibliography: Blauner, R. (1964) Alienation and Freedom (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press) Burchell, B. Et. al (1996) â€Å"Job Insecurity and Work intensification: Flexibility and the Changing boundaries of work† (York: YPS ILO (2003) â€Å"Business and code of conduct implementation: how firms use management systems for social performance† (Geneva: ILO), mimeo Jameson, H. 22 March 2011, â€Å"The Workplace and social democracy in the post-crisis age†, Policy Network, http://www.policy-network.net/articles/3981/The-workplace-and-social-democracy-in-the-post-crisis-age, Accessed 25th March 2011 Marx, K. Communist Manifesto. Sennett, R. (1998) The corrosion of character: The personal consequences of work in the new capitalism (London: Norton) Western, B. (1997) Between classes and market: Postwar Unionization in the Capitalist Democracies (Princeton: Princeton University Press) or put poshly – appropriate the fruits of our labour but here is the problem according to marx in the evil capitalist system the capitalist (the factory owner) pay the exchange value of labour for an individuals service which is only enough to keep him alive but the capitalist gets the use value of his labour (the total value of the labour) or put poshly – appropriate the fruits of our labour but here is the problem according to marx in the evil capitalist system the capitalist (the factory owner) pay the exchange value of labour for an individuals service which is only enough to keep him alive but the capitalist gets the use value of his labour (the total value of the labour)

Newborn case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Newborn - Case Study Example The normal respiratory of an infant is usually between 30 and 60 breaths/min. In Baby Cunningham’s case, the respiratory was significantly high as a result of the respiratory distress syndrome. She was also preterm, and her lungs had not fully matured. Baby Cunningham’s temperature was significantly low at 96 degrees. The American Academy of Pediatrics shows the normal range of temperature for newborns to be between 97.7 and 99.3 degrees Farenheight. The main cause of the low temperature can be attributed to the fact that she was preterm, and her subcutaneous tissue had nod developed completely. Normal blood glucose levels in a neonate is recommended at a minimum of 30mg/dl. The blood glucose levels in Cunningham’s case was 25mg/dl one hour after birth, below the recommended level. If not corrected, it can result in symptoms of hypoglycemia such as apnea, tremors, seizures, lethargy, cyanosis and poor feeding (Adamkin, 2011). Respiratory distress syndrome is characterized by several symptoms, most commonly tachypnea, nasal flaring, grunting and retractions. These symptoms are due to the difficulty in breathing, and they are managed by relieving the underlying cause. Treatment involves supplying oxygen, mechanical ventilation, surfactant replacement and supportive care. The environmental temperature can influence the chances of survival of baby Cunningham. Since she is already hypothermic and has difficulty controlling her body temperature, it is recommended to put her in a warm environment as a management measure. Due to the complications of the elective induction and the caesarean section, Cunningham was exposed to infection and, therefore, it is important to determine if she has an infection to avoid further health complications. The situation in Cunningham’s birth could have been easily avoided by waiting for her to complete her gestation period. A full term infant has got higher chances of survival as compared to a preterm. Complications can

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 165

Essay Example I began my high school life at a very good school, specializing in math and physics. However, because my math score wasn’t satisfactory, I was asked to leave the school. Thereafter, I went to another high school that focused on English studies. I still remember the day I walked into the classroom and saw my English teacher; she was so beautiful that her eyes brought me great warmth and caring, although I didn’t understand her first words to me, which were â€Å"good morning†. You have to take learning English one step at a time but at last I learned basic English which how to read, speak and write. Despite the process of language learning, it is good to look at the Chinese culture regarding food. For instance, the Thai food which most Chinese love to eat. I was born and raised in China for around 20 years. It is so surprising that I found Chinese food in US was so much different from what I had in China. They may change the recipe but the ways chefs here cook the food are still similar to people do in China. I still remember once I talk to my roommate, who is one fourth Chinese, telling her that the common dish â€Å"Orange Chicken† does not exist in China actually. In this case, I think I am the person who is able to tell whether a dish is authentic or not because I am the one who was born and live in the country, share the value of the majority in the nation, involved in the cultural atmosphere and influenced by the context where the dish began to developed its popularity in the nation. It is also interesting to talk about the moon cake gambling festival in china. The Moon cake gambling is originated from southern part of China, including Xiamen Fujian, as well as Taiwan. This traditional activity was first played for winning moon cakes. In other words, in the past people ran the game to decide who will have the moon cake and enjoy the victory of being luckiest person during the whole year. However, the gabling for moon cake

Democracy and Citizenship Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Democracy and Citizenship - Term Paper Example However, in order to qualify and verify this preliminary belief, this paper would first try to provide a definition of deliberative democracy, as well as expound on what this may imply in today’s American society. Then, I would try to apply such definition of deliberative democracy on what I believe in and on what I stand for, for me to be able to accurately identify on whether my actions and my beliefs can be identified with that of a deliberative democrat. Finally, after such assessment, at the end of the paper, I would summarize the main arguments, and would critically reflect on deliberative democracy with respect to the evidences that I presented earlier in the paper, as well as from scholarly academic resources. A Definition of Deliberative Democracy A lot of people may ask, especially the ones who are not very well-acquainted with political science, on what deliberative democracy is all about. Given the fact that the â€Å"common sense† political landscape on the United States, especially from a layman’s view, is dominated by the belief that the United States has one of the best models of democracy, and that major political parties only consist of the Republicans and the Democrats, a general meaning of deliberative democracy may be seen as obscure, or even unknown to many. ... paradox in the legitimacy of democracy, given the fact that, as Rousseau argues, there is actually a gap between the â€Å"will of all† and the â€Å"general will† (Benhabib 28); in this case, while the â€Å"will of all† represent â€Å"what specific individuals under concrete circumstances believe to be in their best interest,† it is not necessarily equal to the â€Å"general will† that represents â€Å"what they would believe to be in their collective interest if they were properly enlightened (Benhabib 28). Therefore, the vote of the people, which represents the will of all, may not necessarily represent the general will, which rationally answers the best interest of the people when collectively taken into consideration (Benhabib 29). In this case, Benhabib actually argues that deliberative democracy is the answer to such paradox, in which she defines deliberative democracy as a model wherein †¦legitimacy and rationality can be attained wi th regard to collective decision making processes in a polity if and only if the institutions of this polity and their interlocking relationship are so arranged that what is considered in the common interest of all (in Rousseau’s term, the â€Å"general will†) results from processes of collective deliberation conducted rationally and fairly among free and equal individuals. The more collective decision making processes approximate this model, the more the presumption of their legitimacy and rationality increases. (Benhabib 30-31). From such definition of deliberative democracy, we can see that this kind of democracy actually claims that collective decision making through deliberation is the most effective way of reaching the â€Å"general will† of the people (over the method of voting, which only reaches the â€Å"will of all†), making it

An Introduction To The Philippines

An Introduction To The Philippines The Philippines is an island nation located in the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia. It has 7107 islands. And has a total area of 300000 square kilometers. At the north side of Philippine the Taiwan is located. At the east side the Pacific Ocean, Indonesia and Malaysia at the south and South China Sea at the west. The capital city of Philippines is Manila which is located in the island of Luzon at the northern part. The total population of Philippines is 98 million. The climate of Philippines is tropical. The culture of Philippines is influenced by Spanish and Chinese. Most of the people having also Spanish surnames. It has generally west European culture, people of Philippines are Christian. Islam is more popular in island of Mindanao. The Philippines has developing economy with agricultural and service sector base. The poverty line is 40% it means 40% of the population remain be poor. The large trading partners of the Philippines are the US and Japan. Philippines is a presidential unitary republic with the president at the apex, as the head of state, the head of government and the commander in chief of the armed forces. He is elected by popular vote, every 6 years. Government policies are design to promote industrial development. 1.1 ECONOMICAL ENVIRONMENT : Economic environment of business has reference for economic systems to operate the business. The business sectors also continue economic relations with govt, capital market, worldwide and households sector. It would affect the trends and formation of the economy. The outer factors that influence with the following points. Economic Conditions :- The economic circumstances are safe in the country. Per capita income, national income, allocation of income and assets, Economic resources, economic growth etc are also affected to prepared the business strategies. Economic growth and business cycle are easily defined the economic environment. System :- The economic system also impact on business endeavor. Economic system of a Philippines also considered socialist, capitalists, mixed or communist. Economic Policies :- The government also decided budgets, economic planning, economic industrial regulation, law of business. Industrial guidelines to control on price and wages, trade and transportation polices the size of national income, demand and supply of different merchandise. Economic Growth :- The economic growth impacts the strategies of business. It helps in rising the economic growth and expenses in consumption. It provides opportunities to the industries for the expansion. v. Currency Exchange :- Current exchanges have direct impact on the environment of business. The rupee was devalued in1991. The Indian products cheaper in the world market and boost exports of India. ECONOMIC CONDITION 2.1 GDP of Philippines : The GDP growth rate provides an aggregated measure of changes in value of goods and services produced by an economy. The GDP growth rate of Country from 1998 to 2012 is average 1.08%. The domestic economy accelerated in the second quarter of 2012 to 5.9% from 3.6%. The earlier year boosting the first semester growth to 6.1% from 4.2%. The resilient Services sector remained the main driver of growth supported by the sustained growth of manufacturing and the return of construction. Philippines is a recently industrialized country in the Southeastern Asia. The most important industries of Philippines are food processing, textiles and garments, automobile parts and electronics. Philippines have also treasury of chromites, nickel, copper, coal and newly discovered oil. Philippines GDP Growth Rate This chart is all about the past data for Philippines growth rate. [Source: http://www.nscb.gov.ph/sna/2012/2nd2012/2012qpr2.asp] 2.2 Per Capital Growth in Philippines : In 2011, it was at 1.98% in Country and it was published by World Bank report in 2012. The Growth rate of GDP per capital depends on continuous local currency. The GDP Divided by Mid Year Population. The GDP of Purchasing Price is total of all resident products in economy (+) product taxes (-) any subsidies which is not included in value of the product. This is calculated without making deduction for depreciation of fictional assets. It includes a chronological chart, news and estimate for GDP. In Southeastern area of Philippines is newly industrialized country. Philippines Predicting food processing Textiles and Garment, Electronic and automobile parts and also significant reserve of Chromate, Nickel, Copper, Coal and Recently Discovered Oil. [Source: http://www.kedingeconomics.com/philippines/GDP.Per.Capitagrowth.Annual.Percentwb.data.html] 2.3 PPP Philippines : Philippine has long familiarity with public-private partnership, initiatives and serves as future investment with aggressive PPP promotion. The Government is to attract private partners to invest only in traditional infrastructure Projects like Power, Transportation and Water Sectors and in Non-Traditional Infrastructure similar to information and communications technology, health and property development. The Partnership addressed in 1990s and it help out to improve road network quality, transport linkages and social Services. [Source: http://www.ppp/gove.ph/] 2.4 International Reserve : Countys beginning gross global reserve is significantly increased up to US $79.3 Billion in July.BSP Governor Amando Letangco said that foreign reserve were US $3.2 Billion higher than GIR of US $76.1 Billion, The Level of GIR Increased in end of July, Due to Foreign exchange operations. The funds of the Country are deposited in foreign currency. The Philippines acquire income from investment in a foreign country of the BSP and gain revolution on BSP gold holdings arising from increase in price of Gold in global Market. The Import of goods and payment of services and income adequately cover in 11.7 months and also corresponding 10.7 times. Philippines short term outer debt based on original maturity. [Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breadkingnews/201208/] ECONOMY OF PHILIPPINES Population : 95.9 Million GDP (PPP) : $351.4Billion : 6.1% growth in 2012 : 5.5% 5-year compound annual growth : $4,700 per capita Unemployment : 7.3% Inflation (CPI) : 3.60% FDI Inflow : $1.7 billion for 1st Half Quarter 1 Peso : 1.3134 Rupee and 0.0243 Dollar The Philippines ranks 19thout of 41countries in the Asia Pacific region. And 44th the biggest economy on the earth. According to HSBC estimates. The stock market is one of the best performers in the region. The peso reached a 4 year high against the dollar about the same time. Economy has been on a solid path of economic expansion. The govt. has pursued a series of governmental reforms to increase the industrial environment and build up private sector for reduce unemployment. But regulatory efficiency has been not improved. And over last 5 year the economy has been develop at average annual rate of 5%. Rule of Law : The rule of law is not on level and authorized structure is poor in independence and efficiency. The judiciary is independent but there is political interference. There is some progress due to government anti corruption efforts to eliminate corruption and fix efficiently. Limited Government : Government spending Spurs on 6.4% growth in 1st Quarter. Taxable Income Tax Rate More than But less than 0 P10,000 5% P10,000 P30,000 P500 + 10% of the Excess over P10,000 P30,000 P70,000 P2,500 + 15% of the Excess over P30,000 P70,000 P140,000 P8,500 + 20% of the Excess over P70,000 P140,000 P250,000 P22,500 + 25% of the Excess over P140,000 P250,000 P500,000 P50,000 + 30% of the Excess over P250,000 P500,000 P125,000 + 32% of the Excess over P500,000 in 2000 and onward Corporate tax rate is 30% and Regional are taxed at 10% on taxable income. The VAT an environmental tax with overall tax is 12.8% of total domestic income. If any taxpayer fail to pay VAT component in the sales invoice or official receipts shall be penalized as : Fine of not less then P1,000 but not more than P50,000 and Suffer custody of not less than 2 but not more than 10 years. Regulatory Efficiency : The business regulatory environment has improved considerably. Although launching a business still takes more than the world averages of seven procedures and 30 days, the overall process has become less costly. The time and cost involved in dealing with licensing requirements have been notably reduced. The labor market remains structurally rigid, but existing regulations are not particularly burdensome. Inflation is modest. Open Market : The trade weighted average tariff rate is 4.8 percent, and layers of non-tariff barriers further inhibit more dynamic gains in trade. Despite a strong desire to attract longer-term foreign investment, systemic inefficiency exacerbated by heavy bureaucracy discourages dynamic growth in investment. The financial sector, which is gradually modernizing, remains relatively stable and sound. [http://www.heritage.org/index/pdf/2012/countries/philippines.pdf] ECONOMIC POLICIES 4.1 Monetary Policy The international Monetary Fund will look into the countrys progress on the monetary and fiscal policy and assess the 2 year old Aquino administration by short staff visit which is commence. The most accurate forecasters agree on that Monetary authorities are trying to control foreign investment in the Peso arguing that Asias best performing currency has strengthened too much. The economic momentum has built up from decreasing of monetary policy may boost the country is growth in2012 is 5.8% and up to 7 % is 2013. And the govt.s success in containing the budget deficit has been given monetary authorities considered liberty. In 2011 the govt. incurred a budget deficit of 197.8 billion which was less than two third of 2010. The size of economy in overspending in 2011 comprised only 2% less than 3.5% recorded in2010. The debt stock of 2011 settled at P4.95% trillion or 50.9% of gross domestic. [http://business inquirer-net/49369/bsp-monetary-policy-expected-to-push-up-ph-economy] 4.2 Fiscal Policy : The Philippines long term foreign currency credit rating raised from BB to BB+. It kept rating outlook at stable. According to Presidential spokesman Ricky Carandang the Philippines can still afford to undertake public spending without put in to danger its overall financial position. And the govt. doesnt want a strong peso to delay competitiveness of exports. The Philippines economy grew by 6.4% in 1st quarter, it is one of the highest in Asia and upgrade is a vote of confidence for the country. According to finance secretary Cesar V Purisima, that this gives more confidence to continue with the work towards macroeconomic stability, fiscal sustainability and inclusive economic growth. [http://www.philstar.com/Artical.aspx?article Id=824407 publication Sub Category Id=] 4.3 Deficit Policy : The Financial Secretary Cesar Purisima said that the govt. spent P19.90 billion and the deficit was manageable, expressing, confidence the full year fund shortfall would staying within 2.6% of GDP or P279 billion. The govt. continued rise in revenue collections so that the fiscal position remains under control. So this wide fiscal space will gives the advantage to finance infrastructure projects and social programs that curb poverty and promote equality. Jan-May deficit P22.79 billion. The govt.s self imposed 1st half ceiling of P109.34 billion and it spent P668.43 billion in 1st five month of year up 13.1% compared to last year. And revenues reached P645.64 billion. For May revenue grew 9.4% to 131.4 billion while spending reached P151.3 billion. Purisima said that the govt. is committed to reach its 5.6% growth in 2012 and recorded 6.4% expansion in 1st three month. The Philippines suffered a P 197.8 billion budget deficit last year which is equivalent to 2% of GDP. [http://business-inquirer-net /67459/Philippine-budget-deficit-shoots-up] 4.4 Foreign Trade Policy : According to the Global Enabling Trade Report 2012, the rank of Philippines is 72nd out of 132 countries. It measured the factors, policies, services, areas of market access, border administration transport and communication infrastructure and business environment. In the area of market access the Philippines jumped 14 from 64 and in terms of efficiency of import-export procedure it looks 48 spot from 55. And access to imported inputs at competitive prices identifying potential market and buyers corruption at the border and other concerns it places 62 out of 132 countries. The trade chief attributed the countrys improvement in ranking to the debt of Trade and Industrys effort to facilitate trade across borders like the Doing business in Free Trade Areas an awareness campaign has aimed to help stakeholders into understand new markets and instruments like free trade agreement. It reforms to improve the ease of doing business in country through the Philippines. Business Registry (PBR) and Business permits and license streamlining (BPLS) programs for local govt. [http://businessinquirer-net/63369/Philippines-climbs-20-nitches-up-in-business-destination-ranking] 4.5 Balance of Payment : The inflow of foreign currency exceeded than the outflow in Feb and Philippines balance of payments hitting a surplus of $588 million. BOP is recorded of the countrys commercial transaction with the rest of world. It helps beef up the countrys total reserves of foreign exchange or gross international reserves (GIR).It stands at a record high of $78 billion. According to economist the unfavorable global economy that investors have tendency to pull out funds from emerging markets like Philippines. So it create depreciation pressures on local currencies. But with enough reserves of foreign exchange the Bangko Sentral ng philipines can buy pesos and reduce its depreciation and it will hit a surplus of at last $2.8 billion by end of 2011. Due to increase in employment in US an economist said that it would lead to increase in demand for imported goods from Philippines. [http://bus.inquirer.net/50127/bsp-balance-of-payment-stood-at-surplus-in-feb] GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICAL GOVERNMENT 5.1 Import : Philippines import were worth 5101 million USD in June of 2002 until 2012,Philippines averaged imports 4155.20 million USD reaching an all time high of 5848.00 million USD in July of 2008 and low record of 2226.00 million USD in January of2002. Philippines imports mostly considered electronic products, mineral fuel, industrial machinery and equipment, transport equipment, lubricants, steel and iron. Mostly import partners are Japan, china, Singapore, South Korea, United States. Here we include the chart with historical data for Philippines import. Philippines Imports [http://www.tradingeconomics.com/philippines/imports] Export : Philippines exports were worth 4314 million USD in June of 2012. From 2002 until 2012, average export of Philippines 3681.10 million USD reaching an all time high of 5325.00 million USD in September of 2010 and record low of 2506.00 million USD in February of 2009. Major exporter of electronic products like processors, chips, and hard drives (more than 50% of total exports revenue) and other major exports include apparel and clothing accessories, wood crafts, coconut oil and furniture. Philippines major export partners are United States, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, china. This page includes a chart with Philippines historical data of Philippines exports. Philippines Exports [http://www.tradingeconomics.com/philippines/exports] 5.2 Corporate Income Tax : The domestic and foreign resident corporations income tax rate in Philippines is 30%, based on net taxable income. Domestic company payable company tax on all income derived from sources outside and within the Philippines. Foreign corporations, whether resident or non-resident are taxable on income derived from sources within the Philippines. Non resident foreign corporations are ,in certain circumstances, subject to a final withholding tax on passive (investment) incomes at rates higher than the applicable tax rates applying to domestic and foreign resident corporations. Resident companies are created or organized under the law of Philippines or foreign companies licensed to engage in business or trade in the Philippines. The corporate income tax rate for domestic and foreign resident corporations is 30%, income tax excluded from are dividend received from domestic corporations, interest on Philippines currency bank deposits and other monetary benefit from deposits substitutes and trust funds and arrangements and final taxes, interest income derived from the foreign currency deposits is include final tax of 7.5% ,other interest earned by domestic and foreign resident corporations is included 20% final withholding tax. Special economic tones enterprises registered with economic tone authority are taxed at the rate of 5% on gross income in lieu of national and local taxes and real property tax. Gross sales or gross revenue derived from the business activity within the Ecozens, sales returns, net of sales discount and allowances less the cost of sales or direct costs but before deduction made for expenses of administrative and losses during the taxable period. [http://www.quezoncity.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=226Itemid=347] India 2005-36.59 2006-33.66 2007-33.99 2008-33.99 2009-33.99 2010-33.99 2011-32.44 2012-32.44 The corporate tax rate is 32.445% .Domestic companies tax rate is 30%, profits from life insurance business in India are taxed at the rat of 12.5%.foreign companies are taxed at the rate of 40%. A minimum alternate tax (MAT) is levied at 18.5% of adjusted profit of companies. The tax payable is less than 18.5% of book profits. Dividend distributed from domestic company. Surcharge and education cess is above taxes is applicable.5% surcharge in case of foreign companies is applicable. The total income is in excess of INR 10 million. Education cess of 3% is applicable on income tax plus surcharge wealth tax is imposed at a rate of 1% on the value of specified assets held by the tax payer in excess of basic exemption of INR13million.transaction tax of securities transactions in equity shares and units of equity oriented funds. [http://www.kpmg.com/global/en/whatwedo/tax/tax-tools-and-resources/pages/corporate-tax-rates-table.aspx] HOW ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF PHILIPPINE AFFECTS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS? The Philippines has certainly had a steady flow of positive economic news recently. On July 4, Standard Poors raised the countrys debt rating to just below investment grade, the highest rating for the country since 2003 and equivalent to that of Indonesia. The Philippines is the 44th-largest economy in the world today, according to HSBC estimates. But if current trends hold, it can leap to the No. 16 spot by 2050. The Philippine stock market, one of the best performers in the region, closed at a record high after the recent S. P. rating upgrade, and the countrys currency, the peso, reached a four-year high against the dollar at about the same time. With $70 billion in reserves and lower interest payments on its debt after recent credit rating upgrades, the Philippines pledged $1 billion to the International Monetary Fund to help shore up the struggling economies of Europe. The gross domestic product of the Philippines grew 6.4 percent in the first quarter, according to the countrys central bank, outperforming all other growth rates in the region except Chinas. Economists expect similarly strong growth in the second quarter. We have made a very bold forecast for the Philippines, but I think justifiably so, said Frederic Neumann, a senior economist at HSBC in Hong Kong. A high population growth rate, long considered a hindrance to prosperity, is now often seen as a driving force for economic growth. About 61 percent of the population in the Philippines is of working age, between 15 and 64. That figure is expected to continue increasing, which is not the case for many of its Asian neighbors, whose populations are aging. 6.1 Trade Economy : The GDP per capita growth (annual %) in Philippines was last reported at 1.98 in 2011, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Annual percentage growth rate of GDP per capita based on constant local currency. GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP at purchasers prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. This page includes a historical data chart, news and forecats for GDP per capita growth (annual %) in Philippines. Philippines is a newly industrialized country in the Southeastern Asia. The nations most important industries are food processing, textiles and garments, electronics and automobile parts. Philippines also has significant reserves of chromite, nickel, copper, coal an d recently discovered oil. In addition, the Philippians economy relies on remittances as a source of foreign currency. philippines gdp per capita growth annual percent wb data 6.2 Domestic Price : The Philippine domestic economy shrunk to 3.7 percent in 2011, after a stellar growth of 7.6 percent in 2010. Growth was mainly undermined by the severe state under spending as well as the frail external environment. Outlook for 2012 is relatively sanguine with the government hinging its optimism on robust consumer demand and a more vigorous public spending. However, downside risks to growth persist with the global recovery poised to remain slow and uncertain. 2011 domestic economy tepid at 3.7%. The Philippine domestic economy grew by 3.7 percent in 2011, almost half of its 7.6 percent growth in 2010. The growth is within the latest forecasts of the National Economic and Development Authority (3.6-4.0 %) and the International Monetary Fund (3.7%). However, the growth figure is well below that assumed by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (4.5-5.5%), Asian Development Bank (4.7%), and the World Bank (4.2%); and is significantly off the growth target of the Philippine Development Plan (7.0%). Notable is the countrys poor economic performance relative to its neighbors. Except for Thailand, most Asian economies registered higher gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates than the Philippines in 2011. Gross national income (GNI)1 likewise slumped to 2.6 percent from 8.2 percent in 2010. This resulted from the significant contraction of net primary income (NPI),2 which slowed to a negative 0.9 percent, a turnaround from the 10.0 percent growth in 2010 6.3 Labor Force : Unemployment down to 7%. The countrys labor force numbered at 61.9 million in 2011. Of this number, 2.8 million were unemployed registering an unemployment rate of 7.0 percent. Moreover, the service sectors share of total employment increased from 51.8 percent in 2010 to 52.1 percent. Agriculture accounted for 33.0 percent of the employed while industrys share was 14.9 percent. Although the economy managed to generate more than one million jobs in 2011, the quality of employment is still a concern given the substantial increase in the underemployment rate as well as in the number of unpaid family workers. Latest data showed that the underemployed numbered at 7.2 million 6.4 Inflation : Headline inflation is within target. Headline inflation averaged 4.8 percent in 2011, well within the 3.0-5.0 percent inflation target for 2011 but higher than the 3.8 average recorded in 2010. A rise in the prices of food items had been recorded mainly due to the adverse effect of typhoons on agricultural food supplies. Core inflation,3 on the other hand, averaged 3.6 percent The government is particularly bullish on having higher investments in 2012 as investment pledges registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority surged by 47 percent in the first two months of the year. The PSEis breaching of the 5,000 mark for the first time in March 2012 is also said to bode well for the equities market. Likewise, private construction, particularly in the property subsector, is anticipated to remain robust given the upward momentum in office demand and investments in low-cost housing. Demand for commercial spaces will continue to be buoyed by the BPO sector, the revenues of which are slated to grow even further this year by 20 percent. The residential sector is also expected to receive continued support by the robust demand from families of overseas Filipinos. Consumer spending will similarly be sustained by the favorable inflation outlook and the continuous inflow. 6.5 Unemployment Rate : Unemployment means the number of people actively looking for a job divided by the labor force. Unemployment depends on the number of non-employed people who found the job and the people who lost their current job. Unemployment related to labour force, participation rate and employment rate. The unemployment rate of Philippines is 7.2 % which we can show that in the graph. 6.6 Private Sector Development : The stimulus package presented by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is known as the economic resiliency plan. The package included personal income-tax relief for low- and middle-income earners, reduction in corporate income tax, higher social spending on cash transfers and job-creation schemes, as well as a series of infrastructure projects. Although the reforms were not entirely new, the package led the Philippines to being acknowledged as Asias more socially responsible stimulus plans thanks to its focus on agriculture and social services that directly benefit the poor population. The fall in agricultural commodity prices helped support personal disposable income. As a result personal household budgets were minimally effected. The social component in their reforms may be credited with the largest impact due to the focus on poverty. The Philippines must sustain the reform movement in order to spur investments, increase growth, generate higher employment, and alleviate poverty for the fast growing population. Their reforms have already generated 34 consecutive growth quarters, created 8 million jobs, and maintained the lowest inflation in a generation. Most importantly poverty has decreased while revenue increased and has allowed the nation to invest in human and physical infrastructure. With sustained reform and their economic resiliency the Philippines may soon be a prime investment opportunity in uncertain world economic and financial conditions.

An Examination of Deontology and Utilitarianism in Deeply Moral Situati

An Examination of Deontology and Utilitarianism in Deeply Moral Situations Samuel Adams (1722 - 1803), an American patriot and politician, once stated, "Mankind are governed more by their feelings than by reason"[1]. This statement is significant, as it undermines two of the primary ethical doctrines in philosophy - the deontological perspective defended by Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804) in Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals (634), and utilitarianism, supported by John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873) in his essay, Utilitarianism (667). Deontology and utilitarianism are contrasting theories. The former focuses on the intrinsic moral worth of our actions, whereas the latter argues that the consequences of our actions determine their moral value. Nevertheless, both perspectives substantiate Mill's claim that "our moral faculty.is a branch of our reason, not of our sensitive faculty" (678). Reason is an indispensable aspect of Kant's deontological view, as he believes the will is a capacity unique to rational beings. In Kant's opinion, the will is ess ential, as it facilitates our ability to act according to the universalizable maxims we establish for ourselves (653). Reason is also a crucial element of utilitarianism, as it is the intellectual faculty that enables us to distinguish the course of action with the best possible outcome (i.e., the choice that will ensure the greatest happiness or least amount of pain for as many people as possible) (688). However, since both deontology and utilitarianism are governed by the notion that moral judgements are established through reason, can either theory apply in circumstances in which rational thought is not feasible? For example, during World War II, a Nazi soldier offers a ... ...the least possible amount of pain). As a result, the subjective emotional component that invariably arises in situations of moral import reinforces the difficulty in ascribing concrete rules and principles to circumstances that involve moral deliberation. All that can be shown is that the woman's final decision may seemingly correspond to either deontology or utilitarianism in hindsight; however, her unavoidable emotional anguish hinders her ability to think rationally in terms of either perspective at the time in which she is forced to make her decision. Work Cited Bailey, Andrew, ed. First Philosophy: Fundamental Problems and Readings in Philosophy. 1st ed. Toronto: Broadview Press, 2002. Notes: [1] Steven J. Hayes. Quotes by Adams, Samuel from Basic Quotations. 16 Dec. 2002. Online. 15 Feb. 2004 .

Japan Vs Feudal Europe

The systems Presence of Feudal System Compare Feudalism developed slightly later in Japan than in Europe Contrast: Base of Feudalism European feudalism was grounded in Roman legal structure while Japan feudalism had as its basis Chinese Confucianism Evidence 1: Europe: the economic system of Europe is based on an economic system made of the relationships between the different classes in the hierarchal life in Europe. Japan: Unlike Europe, Japan's economy relied on Internal money flow.For the most part an Agricultural Economy Evidence 1: What the main Religion was Europe: Christianity Japan: Buddhism with Shinto Influence and Zen Buddhism Evidence 2: class differences and positions Divisions of Class and Rank Europe: King, Nobles (dukes, Duchesses), Peasants, Serfs Japan: Empower (acts as a figurehead) Shogun (has the power, Military Leader), Deadly (Each controls an area of land had Is master so his Samurai who are paid to work for and protect him), Samurai (Warriors who fought to pr otect their Diamond and people.They uphold a strict code of selflessness and honor), Peasants (farmers and Sherman, they were considered higher class than in Europe because they supplied food which all classes depend on), Artisans (people who were specialized in a specific trade), Merchants (Merchants were the lowest class and their Job was to trade and transport goods as well as shop-keep Europe: Unity of Church and State, Papacy Sometimes forced conversion Japan: In feudal Japan, state and religion were kept separate for the most part.Buddhism came to Japan 300 years before feudalism took shape. It blended with the native Japanese religion Shinto to for Zen Buddhism Japanese variation of Buddhism Reinforced Bushier values of mental and self-discipline Buddhist monasteries became very wealthy Conversion was never forced. Monasteries were centers of learning, charity, interpretation for the poor It was the country official religion throughout feudal Japan, but religious leaders did not try to control politics or society.This non-interference allowed the Shogun and Dynamos to rule while only focusing on the military and political aspects of their rulers The beliefs of Zen Buddhism were very popular among samurai since they followed beliefs of Bushier Evidence 3: Compare and Contrast in Warriors and their valuesWho they were, difference in training, attire, Position in society, role in the community, duty outside of warfare Bushier-values Justice or rectitude Without rectitude they will not be fulfilling the full responsibility of the samurai Courage Doing what its right no matter how scary Mercy Politeness (etiquette) Honesty Honor Loyalty Self Control expected to have not only the strength and skills to face combat in the violent Middle Ages but was also expected to temper this aggressive side of a knight with a chivalrous side to his nature. To fear God and maintain His ChurchTo serve the liege lord in velour and faith To protect the weak and defenseless To g ive succor to widows and orphans To refrain from the wanton giving of offence To live by honor and for glory To despise pecuniary reward To fight for the welfare of all To obey those placed in authority To guard the honor of fellow knights To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit To keep faith At all times to speak the truth To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun To respect the honor of women Never to refuse a challenge from an equal Never to turn the back upon a foe Evidence