G20 Meeting And The International Institutions Politics Essay

G20 Meeting And The International Institutions Politics Essay The International institutions in charge of maintaining the stability of the global economic system had failed to prevent the crisis. Now they were to fail again: they did not have the capacity to engineer the necessary coordinated response. Economic globalisation had made the world more interdependent, increasing the need to act together and work cooperatively. As yet there was no means in doing so. (Stiglitz, 2010, p210) According to Stiglitz, just after the crisis hit almost the whole world, the industrialized countries recognized that they need to cooperate with other industrialized countries and also with the developing countries to address this problem. The G-8 group was composed from representatives of the advanced industrial countries who met once a year and discussed about the problems which affected the whole world. The so-called leaders of the world thought they could solve large-scale problems like global warming and global imbalances without inviting the leaders of the o ther countries-representing almost half of global GDP and 80 per cent of the worlds population to actively participate in the discussions. (Stiglitz, 2010, p211,212). It was as if other countries views were in afterthought, something that had to be dealt with politely but not actually incorporated into any important decisions. As the economic crisis erupted, it was clear that the old club could not solve it alone. With the meeting of the G-20 in Washington including newly emerging countries like China, India, and Brazil in November 2008, it was apparent that the old institutions were dying. What the new system of global economic governance will look like may not be clear for years to come. (Stiglitz, 2010, p212). Developing countries were hit very badly from the crisis and with an exception of China most of the developing countries did not have the resources to engage in massive bailouts, which was the case in the developed countries. While in their meeting the members of the G-20 made a statement about the need to avoid protectionism, the World Bank notes that since, 17 of the 20 countries have undertaken protectionist measures.  The United States, for instance, imposed a Buy American provision in its stimulus bill that required spending on goods made in United States, but then qualified it in a way that seemed reasonable to say that it would not apply if there were international agreements preventing such discrimination. But America has such agreements on government purchases mostly with developed countries. That meant, in effect, that the stimulus money could be used to buy goods from rich countries but not from the poor countries, which were the innocent of this Made in America Crisis (Stiglitz, 2010, p213). Since the poor and developing countries did not have the money to finance their own stimulus, the G-20 in the meeting in London, early 2009, provided more money to the IMF which then could be given to the poor and developing countries as loans, the advertised sum was quite impressive, around 1 trillion dollars. But, Stglitz argues that this was not the best way to help the poor and Developing countries, to get out from this crisis. Because of the rules and conditions imposed by the IMF most of the developing countries tried all other options before turning to the IMF, and according to him this was not the best way helping these countries to get over the crisis. He argues that the best way to help the developing countries to get over this crisis would be, if the Developed countries would lend them money in form of a grant which they would not have to return, this was the case of Germany, and it was only an exception not the rule, and other countries did not follow them. Stiglitz argue s that United States and other industrialized countries should have spent 1% of their stimulus money to help the developing countries which were struggling with the lack of funds to finance their stimulus. China and America The current crisis is so deep and so disturbing that things will change, whether leaders strive to make it happen or not. The most profound changes may concern the sometimes difficult relationship between the United States and China. China has a long way to go before it surpasses the Unites States in GDP-in purchasing power parity, reflecting differences in costs of living, it is still about one-half that of the United States and even further before it approaches the U.S. income per capita it is about one-eighth. (Stiglitz, 2010, p226) But China has set some impressive records lately; in 2009 China became the worlds largest exporter. And, according to the author within the next 25 years, China will become a dominant economy in Asia, and the Asias economy has a good chance to become larger than that of the USA. Although Chinas economy is still far from that of the United States, the U.S. imports more from China that it exports, and while the U.S unemployment is going up, these trade i mbalances have caused tensions between the two states. The Americans find it hard to understand how the U.S. has lost its comparative advantage in many of the manufacturing areas, If China (or any other country) is outcompeting the Unites States, they believe it is because they are doing something unfairly: manipulating exchange rates or subsidizing their products or selling their products below costs (which is called dumping). (Stiglitz, 2010, p 227) In the other hand Stiglitz argues that America is being accused for unfair subsidies, for giving loans to large corporates at an almost zero interest rates, or for maintaining low exchange rates to get competitive advantage. There is a recognition that something needs to be done about the global imbalances, of which the U.S. China trade imbalance is the most important component. In the short run, America may find it easier to adjust than China. (Stiglitz, 2010, p228) Chinas growth model has been driven by supply: profits are reinvested, increasing production far faster than consumption, and the difference is exported. (Stiglitz, 2010, p228) But, during the crisis it was hard for China to export the whole surplus, and with this growth model it will be very hard for China to maintain its growth rate in the future. Stiglitz argues that China needs to change its growth model, and one of the ways that he suggests , is that China need to provide more support for small and medium enterprises and to create more local banks. Actually Stiglitz uses the same argument of growth also when he talks about the Unite Stated growth model. In conclusion, globalisation has made the world very interdependent and it will be impossible that crisis and in particular financial crisis which hit one country not to spread to other countries as well, and day after day there is more need for global regulations and global institutions which will have the duty to prevent these crisis or in cases that there is no possibility to prevent them to minimize as much as possible the damages that those can cause. This was made clear especially after the so called Made in America crisis, were it was no global response to the crisis, and every country had to find its own way out of it. Another thing that is clear after the latest financial crisis is that some countries have to change their growth model. This is the case especially for China, who although reached some impressive records during the 2009, still in the long term it is obvious that some policies need to change and with that the growth model of the country.

Guilt vs Acceptance Essay

The power and impact that guilt can have on one’s life can be a positive and negative experience depending on how the individual deals with their situation and whether or not they learn a lesson from their mistake. The novels A Separate Peace by John Knowles and Fifth Business by Robertson Davies share the theme of guilt in their storylines through events and relationships but differ as to how to the characters cope with their reactions through reflection and confrontation. A Separate Peace tells the story of a young boy by the name of Gene Forrester who in an act of jealousy and competitiveness pushes his friend Phineas out of a tree. Fifth Business surrounds the character Dunstan Ramsay, who as a child, ducks a snowball with a rock hidden within thrown at him by his friend Guy. The snowball hits Mary Dempster at the back of the head, causing her brain damage and the premature birth of her baby Paul Dempster. Both plots surround two men who look back at their lives and how a single negative event affects their childhood. What would appear to be an insignificant moment of the past evolves into a lifelong mental scar that poisons the characters with guilt and the desire for acceptance. The novels’ protagonists share encounters in childhood fueled by competitive friendships; however, Gene Forrester accepts responsibility for his actions and is able to move on while Dunstan Ramsay does not and lets his memories and guilt plague his life. The two novels are similar in the aspect that both Gene Forrester and Dunstan Ramsay are involved in childhood incidents that curse them with guilt. In the novel A Separate Peace, Gene Forrester subconsciously moves the branch he and his physically and socially superior friend Finny are standing on. Finny falls and is heavily injured and the casualties lead to his early death later on. â€Å"†¦and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest, and then he tumbled sideways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud† (Knowles 60). Gene Forrester feels solely responsible for this terrible accident and feels extremely guilty. â€Å"If Phineas had been sitting here in this pool of guilt, how would he have felt, what would he have done? (Knowles 66). In the novel Fifth Business, a rich and jealous enraged friend Percy Boyd Staunton pursues Dunstan Ramsay. When Percy throws a rock concealed in a snowball at Dunstan’s head he ducks and lets it strike the pregnant Mary Dempster. This accident is the cause of the premature birth of Paul Dempster and the destruction of Mr. and Mrs. Dempster’s marriage and family. â€Å"I stepped briskly†¦in front of the Dempsters just as Percy threw, and the snowball hit Mrs. Dempster on the back of the head† (Davies 2). Dunstan feels responsible for Mrs. Dempster’s mental health, Paul Dempster’s physical health, and their ruin as a family. â€Å"I was contrite and guilty, for I knew the snowball had been meant for me, but the Dempster’s did not seem to think that† (Davies 3). Both characters suffer from these self-inflicted negative occurrences and struggle with the realization of what they have done and how it affects those involved. Another similarity between A Separate Peace and Fifth Business is that both Gene Forrester and Dunstan Ramsay have intimate friendships infused with jealousy and competition. These poisoned relationships both ignite the impactful events that occur in their childhoods. Gene feels in constant competition with Finny, who appears to be good at everything. â€Å"That way he, the great athlete, would be way ahead of me. It was all cold trickery, it was all calculated, it was all enmity† (Knowles 53). He is superior in appearance, physical capability, personal stamina and respect gained from popularity amongst the other boys at the school. â€Å"I couldn’t help envy him that a little, which was perfectly normal. There was no harm in envying even your best friend a little† (Knowles 25). Dunstan knows that Boy Staunton wishes to be the best in everything. He aspires to be the most handsome, most successful in a romantic relationship, most successful in a career and most popular. â€Å"Percy Boyd Staunton†¦the only man who accepted his watch with an air†¦it was a fine effect, and as I grinned and clapped, my stomach burned with jealousy† (Davies 97). He feels aggressive resentment for Boy as he lives the life that Dunstan secretly wishes he could himself. â€Å"Boy wore a gorgeous pullover of brownish-red†¦and his demeanor was that of the lords of creation. A pretty girl with shingled hair and rolled stockings that allowed you to see delightful flashes of her bare knees was with him, and they were taking alternate pulls on a flask that contained, I am sure, something intoxicating†¦I was filled with a sour scorn that I now know was nothing but envy†¦I didn’t really want the clothes, I didn’t really want the girl or the booze, but it scalded me to see him enjoying them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Davies 113). The two novels capture the intensity of the character’s conflicted relationships with their closest friends as their constant struggle for a balance between hatred and respect fails to cease. The novels A Separate Peace and Fifth Business differ from each other within the main character’s thoughts and reflections on their memories. Gene Forrester accepts jostling the tree limb so Finny would fall, but understands the particular incident as a fragment of the past with no lasting effect on his life. Dunstan Ramsay however, remains attached to his guilt and responsibility for letting the snowball hit Mrs. Dempster and his actions haunt him for the remainder of his days. Gene Forrester revisits his old school and although experiences memories of fear from the past, it is only an echo not a current emotion. â€Å"Looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear that I have lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it† (Knowles 10). He has not severed his feelings of regret towards the incident nor does he see Finny’s untimely death as unimportant but instead is able to appreciate his strong connection with this part of his past and can learn from his childhood errors. He understands that the experience matured him and was a crucial step in the climb of growing up. Gene visits the site where Finny fell with confidence and seeks the gratification of knowing that those years trapped at Devon school with an injured friend are behind him. â€Å"This was the tree, and it seemed to me standing there to resemble those men, the giants of your childhood, whom you encounter years later and find that they are not merely smaller in relation to your growth, but that they are absolutely smaller, shrunken by age† (Knowles 14). Dunstan Ramsay on the other hand, does not revisit sites from his past every 15 years but instead dedicates his entire life to the study of Saints and Mary Dempster’s impact on his life. He does not permit himself assessment of his child-self’s mentality during the accident and therefore, is never able to gain the satisfaction of learning from his mistakes. â€Å"Ramsey†¦You have paid such a price, and you look like a man full of secrets-grim-mouthed and buttoned-up and hard-eyed and cruel, because you are cruel to yourself. It has done you good to tell what you know; you look much more human already† (Davies 220). Instead of visiting places of his past or confronting those involved with his childhood, he sees his memories through a haze of anger and anxiety. An event that should have seemed insignificant and even negligible after so many years, is still important to him in his daily life and the emotions he felt 40 years ago have not changed but intensified. The fear and guilt he felt as a child is still fresh in his mind. â€Å"Cursing what seemed to be a life sentence†¦my association with Mrs. Dempster†¦It was as though I were visiting a part of my own soul that was condemned to live in hell† (Davies 182). The two characters, although faced with similar situations, choose different paths for their lives, which separate them from each other. A final contrast between the characters Gene Forrester and Dunstan Ramsay in the novels A Separate Peace and Fifth Business is the difference in their reaction to the event in their past. Both Gene and Dunstan suffer guilt about a single action in their childhood. Gene confronts his emotions and immediately tells Finny what happened, while Dunstan keeps the truth of the event a secret. While Finny is still recovering from his fall, Gene immediately visits Phineas after the accident and tells him the truth. Although he feels he makes things worse, it gives him a peace of mind and helps him to move on. â€Å"Finny, I’ve got something to tell you. You’re going to hate it, but there’s something I’ve got to tell you†¦This is the worst thing in the world† (Knowles 66-67). Gene is able to move past his guilty conscience of causing Finny’s fall and is able to focus his attention to mentally recovering and pushing forward in life. †¦in spite of everything, I welcomed each new day as though it were a new life, where all past failures and problems were erased, and all future possibilities and joys open and available, to be achieved probably before night fell again† (Knowles 105). Dunstan however, bottles up his thoughts and emotions concerning the events that occurred on the night Mrs. Dempster was hit on the back of t he head with a snowball. He does not tell anyone about the stone in the snow until the later years of his life. â€Å"Nevertheless this conversation reheated my strong sense of guilt and esponsibility about Paul, the war and my adult life had banked down that fire but not quenched it† (Davies 136). Dunstan keeps everything to himself and seeks out no help for his troubled mind and the stories and truths that are trapped within it. â€Å"The snow-in-the-snowball has been characteristic of too much you’ve done for you to forget it forever! † (Davies 270). The two outcomes of the two character’s lives is a reflection of how they handle the injury of the innocent and how they come to face the consequences of what they have done. The novels A Separate Peace and Fifth Business both display the lives of men who suffer a great deal in their childhood from unhealthy friendships and a singular bad event. Gene Forrester and Dunstan Ramsay share similarities in the occurrences of their lives but differentiate from each other in how they dealt with it. Gene faces his victim Finny with the truth of the accident, being that he deliberately jounced the limb so his superior friend would fall, and is therefore granted elation from his confession and a peace of mind. Gene matures free of guilt and the residue of the horrific event is but a memory he can briefly recall in his mind but not linger on. Dunstan Ramsey takes a different route, and on a downwards-spiraling path of shame, he lives a solitary life, left to face his childhood troubles every day, making ancient memories a constant reality. He matures with many emotional scars and does not feel any release from his inner torments. In conclusion, the two novels depict contrasting scenarios of self-reproach, one displays a character’s positive liberation of guilt and one shows a character’s negative manifestation of guilt.

Harlequin

Harlequin is the largest distributed of romance series novels but is faced with a slow growth in series novels. Harlequin needs to decide whether they should expand Into title-by-title books and how they will position themselves If they chose to do so. Analysis Harlequin is faced with the decision of how they should Increase their unit sales and Increase their overall revenues. By continuing In series novels, Harlequin will not be able to see growth in their company as unit sales are decreasing for series novels.Their profit margin Is also a concern as single title books are more expensive than series novels. Harlequin has tried In the past to produce single title books but was not successful because they did not target a specific market and tried to succeed In too many genres. One option for Harlequin to see growth is to approach best selling authors that worked with Harlequin in the past. Harlequin can ask these authors to write single title books for them, which will be beneficial as they are using established authors who have already developed a connection with readers.However, this is a very risky and expensive option for Harlequin as it is costly and authors may not be willing to do this. Best selling authors have already established new relationships with producers and distributors so they may not be willing to forfeit that and go back to a company that is developing themselves in single series. In addition, it is extremely expensive to acquire a best-selling author, as the advance is more than Harlequin can afford. Where Harlequin is now, they cannot afford a best-selling author even if the royalties are greater.Harlequin does have a large basilisk collection of books and using them could be a successful option for Harlequin. Although this would involve them to continue with their series novels, the novels would be work from current best selling artists. Harlequin has already created a brand image in series novels so they are supporting their image, whi ch will help persuade customers. While they are doing this, Harlequin's current authors that write series novels can work on single title books while they are gaining profits and sales through their basilisk collections.This gives hem time to think of their long-term plan such as their marketing plan, advertising and their distribution. Recommendation Once Harlequin gains capital by Investing In their basilisk collection, they can eventually use bestseller authors, but at this time, they do not have the time and resources. Ultimately, Harlequin can slowly Introduce different genres for their single title novels by focusing on women's fiction romance novels first as they already established themselves in this genre and are extremely successful. By being patient, Harlequin wall De slowly De addle to see success In themselves.

Gender Identity Essay - 964 Words

Gender Identity After reading through my gender log, during the past few weeks, I observed that many people are trained to determine their gender by their biological sex. Some of the people that I have observed and written about would probably never have doubted their sexual orientation. Others have definitely examined their sexuality. Whether this sexuality is male or female is entirely up to them. This is their true sexual identity. Still others that I noticed have actually convinced themselves, whether it is true or false that their biological gender is not, their true gender. The people who seemed that they were completely sure that their gender was solely based on their biological sex, were easy to identify for me. These†¦show more content†¦Ill call him Joe. Joe was a very good looking male, biologically speaking. When Joe was a small child, I notice growing up with him that he had more female friends and that the boys did not like him very much. Many of the boys would often call him homo, or say go play with your girlfriends. He was very damaged by all of this. He would usually sit with the girls at lunch, but never the boys. He was often picked on in class with taunts and under the breath innuendoes. He did very well in all subjects in school but did best in art class and theater. His general body language was feminine, the way his hands moved and the way in which he would walk, talk, and even carry his books. I notice that he never tried to change his behavior to please others, which seemed to be gender assigned feminine behavior. He would also state I am not gay. His mother actually was going to sue the school to put the responsibility on the school to prevent the students from harassing her son. Joe never conformed, to his biological sexual identity being male. He was who he was and everyone believed he was gay. I dont know if he is or isnt gay because he went to art school in the city. 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