Language As A Symbolic Communication System - 1952 Words

Language is something that we need and use for everything in our lives. Language is, â€Å"a symbolic communication system that is learned instead of biologically inherited.† (O’Neil, 2006). Language is communication that is either written down or spoken in words or sentences. We need to have a good understanding of language to learn, work and for our normal lives. You need to know language to be able to communicate with other people. Language has structure and meaning, for example words and sentences. Language also had tone, pitch, pace and volume. There are several types of language, receptive language, expressive language, emergent language. Receptive language is how you receive and understand language and expressive language is how†¦show more content†¦Being numerate means having the confidence and skills to use numbers in all aspects of life. Language, Literacy and Numeracy are all interdependent. Comparliative numeracy is e.g. big, bigger and S uperlative is e.g. biggest. Children learn their numeracy skills through play with adults, these adults can be parents/carers, practitioners, child minder’s etc. Numeracy also means being able to work out â€Å"charts and diagrams, process information, solve problems, check answers, understand and explain solutions, and make decisions based on logical thinking and reasoning.† (National Numeracy, 2014) It is important to support the development of language, literacy and numeracy at this early stage as it forms the basis for each child’s future learning needs and ability and will also allow you to observe and understand if there is a need for additional support. It will also help children to grow and to become confident, educated individuals and succeed in their life goals. The developmental stages of language are; pre-linguistic stage, one-word stage, two or three-word utterances, more complex sentences, further development between 3-4, and further development between 4 and 5. In the pre-linguistic stage from birth to 1 year, babies can tell the difference between voices and other sounds, they can start to use sounds such as ‘dadadadada’ or ‘mamamamama’. In the one-word stage from 12 to 18 months young children can have a variety ofShow MoreRelatedIntercultural Communication : A Discourse Approach1225 Words   |  5 PagesChapter one - Intercultural communication: A discourse approach Intercultural communication: A discourse approach attempts to explain the discourse approach and points to the authors distinction between cross-cultural communication and intercultural communication. The chapter underlines the authors approach and theory to intercultural communication. It covers several explanations and the distinction between cross-cultural communication and intercultural communication. The chapter discusses theRead MoreSymbolic Interactionism Was Proposed By J. Mead1440 Words   |  6 PagesThe theory of symbolic interactionism was proposed by J. Mead. He identifies two levels of interaction: non-symbolic and symbolic. The difference between them is that non-symbolic interaction is a characteristic of living nature, whereas a symbolic interaction is common for human society only. The scientist believed that people react not only to the actions of others but also to their intentions. It means that they unravel the intentions of other people, analyzing their acti ons, putting themselvesRead MoreLanguage As A Form Of Communication Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pagesbehaviors, languages, customs, the things we produce and the methods we use to produce them. The human ability to create and transmit culture is what differentiates us, as humans, from the rest of the animal world. The essential feature of culture, that it is learned and transmitted from one generation to the next, rests on the human capacity to think symbolically. Language, perhaps the most important feature, is a symbolic form of communication. Language is a form of communication. Without language, cultureRead MoreEvolution Of Language And The Brain1447 Words   |  6 Pageshas published 2 major books The Symbolic Species: The Co-Evolution of Language and the Brain† and â€Å"Incomplete Nature: How Mind Emerged from Matter† also coauthored several books and articles revolving semiotics. The book I will be mainly focusing on is The Symbolic Species, which tackles on h is theory of the co-evolution of language and the brain. He has 3 tasks in this book first, differentiates human mode of reference (symbolic reference), versus the non-symbolic references found in nonhuman speciesRead MoreThe Main Assumptions Underlying Bourdieu s Conception Of Language1213 Words   |  5 Pagesassumptions underlying Bourdieu’s conception of language. †¨ Pierre Bourdieu was a sociologist who was concerned with mainly the dynamics of power in society. Bourdieu believes language is a mechanism of power alongside a method of communication. According to Bourdieu, the language one speaks will vary across different social backgrounds. By this we mean that if an individual is from a lower social class, they are expected to speak the fundamentals of the language however, if an individual is from an upperRead MoreEssay about Herbert Blumers Symbolic Interactionism1326 Words   |  6 PagesHerbert Blumers Symbolic Interactionism THE THEORY Symbolic Interactionism as thought of by Herbert Blumer, is the process of interaction in the formation of meanings for individuals. Blumer was a devotee of George H. Mead, and was influenced by John Dewey. Dewey insisted that human beings are best understood in relation to their environment (Society for More Creative Speech, 1996). With this as his inspiration, Herbert Blumer outlined Symbolic Interactionism, a study of human group life andRead More What Makes Us Human?1718 Words   |  7 Pagesbegin with primates, however through evolution we developed unique characteristics such as larger brain sizes, the capacity for language, emotional complexity and habitual bipedalism which separated us from other animals and allowed us to further advance ourselves and survive in the natural world. Additionally, humans have been able to develop a culture, self-awareness, symbolic behavior, and emotional complexity. Human biological adaptations separated humans from our ancestors and facilit ated learnedRead MoreSociology Functionalism and Symbolic Interaction1494 Words   |  6 PagesFunctionalism and Symbolic Interaction. Sociologists analyse social phenomena at different levels and from different perspectives. From concrete interpretations to sweeping generalizations of society and social behaviour, sociologists study everything from specific events, the micro level of analysis of small social patterns, to the big picture, the macro level of analysis of large social patterns. Sociologists today employ three primary theoretical perspectives: the symbolic interactions perspectiveRead MoreThe Importance Of Cognition And Its Impact On Human Cognition1249 Words   |  5 Pageshumans unique is our cognition. We are the coherent mammals and the one important characteristic that truly measures our nature is that we are a representational group. Humans are truly unique because of our human cognition, including are language and symbolic thought. First, what is cognition? Cognition is how an individual comprehends and behaves within this world. It is a cluster of capabilities or procedures that are a fragment of approximately each individual action. These reasoning abilitiesRead MoreNoteabilitypro Essay929 Words   |  4 Pagesdetailed by its author [Hammel, 2006], the communication and its textual representation was specifically designed to be transparent to the Max/Msp environment creating a highly dependence with this specific computational framework. This dependence occurs in both the symbolic representation and software architecture levels which constrains the preservation of scores created using this environment. 2.2.2 Antescofo Antescofo is a score-following system that enables to code interactions between the

Hpv Vaccine Should Be Mandatory - 1684 Words

HPV is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50 percent of all sexually active men and women will get it at some point in their lives, and 20 million already have it. A vaccine is available that prevents 70% of cervical cancers that arise from sexual intercourse. The human papillomavirus is unknowingly common and is diagnosed in 10,000 women a year, causing 4,000 deaths per year (â€Å"HPV Question and Answers†). If we take the responsibility to vaccinate young girls and boys, to be safe, we can eliminate many unnecessary deaths. This vaccine is a great discovery that should be put to good use, the HPV vaccine should be mandated in young teens everywhere. The HPV virus has gone unseen by many until the recent controversy over the vaccine. However, this virus is thought to be one of the world’s most wide spread STD’s. â€Å"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 6.2 million women and men are newly infected every year† with HPV. HPV has over 100 strains, with more than thirty that are sexually transmitted. Some of these strains are known to cause cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, or penis cancers and others can cause genital warts. â€Å"Studies have found the vaccine to be almost 100% effective in preventing diseases caused by the four HPV types covered by the vaccine—including precancers of the cervix, vulva and vagina, and genital warts† (â€Å"HPV Questions andShow MoreRelatedShould Hpv Vaccines Be Mandatory?1513 Words   |  7 PagesJosie Caskey Honors Rhetoric Dr. Margaret Murray 20 April 2015 Should HPV Vaccines Be Mandatory? The debate over the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines represents two very controversial topics in healthcare in America, mandatory vaccination and teenage sexuality. Currently the two approved vaccines, Gardasil and Ceravix, are designed to protect against the sexually transmitted virus HPV. Because these vaccines have their greatest benefit when given before a person becomes sexually active, theRead MoreHPV: The Most Common Sexually Transmitted Infection Essay1539 Words   |  7 Pagestransmitted infection (STI) is human papillomavirus (HPV) (CDC, 2013). Over half of sexually activity people will become infected with HPV at some point in their lifetime (National Cancer Institute, 2012). HPV can fall into two categories: low-risk HPV and high-risk HPV (National Cancer Institute, 2012). Low-risk HPV, also known as HPV types 6 and 11, cause about 90% of genital warts (National Cancer Institute, 2012). High-risk HPV, also known as HPV types 16 and 18, causes about 70% of cervical c ancerRead MoreThe Human Papillomavirus ( Hpv )1266 Words   |  6 PagesThe Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease (STD), is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States with about 14 million cases each year. There are two different types of HPV: low-risk and high-risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), â€Å"more than 90 percent and 80 percent, respectively, of sexually active men and women will be infected with at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives. Around one-half of these infectionsRead MoreHuman Papillomavirus ( Hpv )763 Words   |  4 Pages1. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of around 150 viruses. Some HPV types can lead to wart formation and other types can lead to cancer; primarily cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, and Oropharyngeal cancer (1,2) 2. HPV is so common that one out of four people (~80 million) are currently infected in the US. Around 14 million people, teens and adults, become infected with HPV every year. (1,2) 3. HPV can be obtained through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. (2)Read MoreHuman Papillomavirus ( Hpv ) Vaccine Essay1229 Words   |  5 PagesPapillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine My niece is 11 years old and my sister-in-law is being pressured from doctors, friends, and even the news media to give her a certain type of vaccination called HPV, Gardasil being the most common. At the end of our conversation, she mentions that at least she has a choice and turned to me, saying you may not have a choice when your kids are that age. I was stunned and she goes on to tell me how the government is trying very hard to make this particular vaccination mandatory. UponRead MorePreventing Cervical Cancer with the HPV Vaccination652 Words   |  3 PagesHPV vaccination is the most common used method for preventing cervical cancer in young girls ranging from age nine to eleven years old. The overall perception of the vaccine is positive by the public because of its wide use and support by state laws, school systems and medical associations. According to the American Pediatric Association the vaccine has an excellent safety record. (Nirvi,1) A reasonable amount of parents still feel skeptical about mandatory HPV vaccination on their kids and lackRead MoreIntroduction. The Very Controversial Issue Being Discussed956 Words   |  4 Pagesvery controversial issue being discussed in this debate is the question should vaccinations such as HPV be mandated for teenage girls? Two different views are offered. This controversy began when the issue was introduced to the real world in 2006. The FDA announced a prophylactic vaccine against 4 strains of HPV. Most importantly is the fact that this vaccination has about a 70% protection against cervical cancers linked to HPV. More CDC recommends routine vaccination for 11-12-year-old girls. ItRead MoreIntroduction:. Hpv Vaccinations Have Been An Ongoing Debate1033 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: HPV vaccinations have been an ongoing debate; whether the vaccine is worth being administered to young girls is the fundamental question and if so at what cost. The primary reason I selected this topic is that HPV is a common virus complicated and often misunderstood infection; nearly 80 million people, about one in four are currently infected in the United States. Background: HPV is a class of more than 150 related viruses. Each HPV virus in this vast body receives a number whichRead MoreThe HVP Vaccine: Analysis Essay799 Words   |  4 Pagescentury, making it mandatory to receive Hep A and Hep B along with the other countless vaccines; however there is one that has been tried to make mandatory among girls, and it’s the HPV vaccine that is used to prevenet cervial cancer. In order to illuminate the public on the subject, two writers, health advocate Mike Adams and journalist Arthur Allen, discuss the key points on the vaccine. While both adams and allen have clearly pronounced distinct opnions on the legislation of the vaccine, both come toRead MoreThe HPV Debate Essay699 Words   |  3 PagesCervical cancer is met with a vaccine with both pros and cons to suppress and annihilate it indefinitely. Although both Mike Adams and Arthur Allen inform the audience of the HPV vaccine, Adams vigorously argues, without evidence, that the vaccine is danger ous to humans while Allen is more sedate and discusses opposing sides to the vaccine. The HPV vaccine has its pros and cons to people that it has created debates to come down to the conclusion of a better solution for the drug companies and the

Effects of Violent Video Games free essay sample

The author gives ample explanation on evidence used from his sources to give the optimal understanding to the reader of the results and/or findings given by the sources. The article connects to the modern age of gamers with examples from big name video games popular with today’s video gamers. Although Mr. Carey does give evidence that violent video games have been found to give short term negative effects he does reassure the reader through quotes and statements from his sources that no studies show consistent long term effects. The claim of the author about the research on the effects of violent video games is strongly supported and backed through his use of rhetorical appeals and scholarly evidence. Even though Mr. Carey is not an expert in this field of study his experience as a veteran of scientific writer, having written for Science Times and The New York Times for over 10 years, shows through his very valuable and knowledge sources that he quotes and uses examples from in this article. The author uses quotes from various researchers and scientist throughout this article such as economist, psychologist, and doctors all valuable sources that share the opinion of his claim. Mr. Carey then goes on to connect his sources statement with the ethos appeal by explaining their authority. Craig A. Anderson, a psychologist at Iowa State University, is an expert in his field of study which is the effects of violent media, including video games, on today’s adolescents. Mr. Carey uses the quote â€Å"None of these extreme acts, like a school shooting, occurs because of only one risk factor; there are many factors, including feeling socially isolated, being bullied, and so on,† from Dr. Anderson to support his claim by showing that most blame of violent outbreaks in society are blamed on one single thing, like video games, but if you look at the studies there are some many different factors that affect the behavior of today’s society. The author then goes on to say â€Å"Most researchers in the field agree with Dr. Anderson evidence and findings,† which establishes an accepted respect of authority for his source. This gives the reader a feeling of comfort in knowing that these sources are scholarly and can be trusted. Another source used by the author explains a recent experiment by psychologists at Iowa State University have found that after a short usage of the fighting game â€Å"Mortal Kombat† that they indeed acted slightly more aggressive shortly following the experiment but ultimately couldn’t find any results in long term effects. Mr. Carey states â€Å"Many similar studies have found the same thing: A dose of violent gaming makes people act a little more rudely than they would otherwise, at least for a few minutes after playing, but little is found about what actually follows,† this gives more support to his claim by displaying that his claim is the generally accepted and agreed upon opinion of most scholars in this field of study. Throughout the article the author gives each of his source’s full detailed background to explain why they are creditable and trustworthy sources. Mr. Carey’s use of providing credentials and authority to all his sources is used to give his claim creditability and make the reader respect his opinion. The author uses evidence from his sources throughout the article to connect logic thinking to his claim which goes along with the rhetorical appeal of logos. Mr. Carey uses real life situations to appeal to the reader’s logic so his claim makes more logically sense and can be backed easier. The author says â€Å"Many psychologists argue that violent video games â€Å"socialize† children over time, prompting them to imitate the behavior of the game’s characters, the cartoonish machismo, the hair-trigger rage, the dismissive brutality. Children also imitate flesh and blood people in their lives, of course — parents, friends, teachers, siblings — and one question that researchers have not yet answered is when, exactly, a habit is so consuming that its influence trumps the socializing effects of other major figures in a child’s life,† this statement from Mr. Carey used to bring all real life situations such as socializing, cartoon and video games characters, parents, etc. all together and uses that to how is claim is the logic choice when evaluating all these things in your life. The author then goes on to state, â€Å"Yet it is not at all clear whether, over longer periods, such a habit increases the likelihood that a person will commit a violent crime, like murder, rape, or assault, much less a Newtown-like massacre. (Such calculated rampages are too rare to study in any rigorous way, researchers agree. † which makes the reader really think logically about how much of an impact that video games has on violent behavior in today’s society. The author uses these examples which most people find to be the worst types of violent behavior in a way that is not charged or an error in logic because the way he uses them makes us thinking on a more realistic and deep level about how they are connected to violent video games. Mr. Care y tries to use every angle he can throughout his article including the rhetorical appeal of pathos through his use of tragic recent events and other statements that would make most readers feel on an emotional level. At the start of the article the author says, â€Å"The young men who opened fire at Columbine High School, at the movie theater in Aurora, Colo. , and in other massacres had this in common: they were video gamers who seemed to be acting out some dark digital fantasy. It was as if all that exposure to computerized violence gave them the idea to go on a rampage — or at least fueled their urges,† which for many readers hits directly on their heart strings because of how tragic the events he listed were and the toll they put emotional on most people in the United States when they happened. Mr. Carey uses this statement in such a way to really get the reader’s attention to his article that some other article may not because of how it connects with the reader’s emotions. Next the author states, â€Å"The issue is especially relevant today, because the games are more realistic and bloodier than ever, and because most American boys play them at some point,† which might makes most parents reading this article to think about their children especially those with boys about how the games they are playing effects them. This is another effective way the author uses the reader’s emotion to connect with his central claim about video games. Benedict Carey’s article â€Å"Shooting in the Dark† is effectively used by him to support his claim that there are no serious long term negative effects found from violent video games in today’s research. The author used rhetorical appeals of ethos, logos, and pathos throughout his entire article to good effect with me the reader. With Mr. Carey’s ethos appeal of giving all his sources a high base authority by backing them with ample background crediting and evidence gives the reader a feeling of comfort when reading. In his logos appeal Carey appeals to the reader’s logic by using real life situations that most readers would face in their everyday lives to connect his claim about video games into a normally logical way of thinking for the reader. Lastly Mr. Carey appeals to the reader’s emotion in his article by touching on recent tragic events and facts that effect children as to connect to the reader’s more emotional side. Overall I feel the author’s use of rhetorical appeals and solid scholarly sources gives the reader a very trust worthy and valuable take on the argument about the true effects that violent video games play on today’s society. Works Cited Carey, Benedict. Shooting in the Dark. The New York Times. N. p. , 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2013.

Liberalization privatization globalization free essay sample

Privatization, also spelled privatisation, may have several meanings. Primarily, it is the process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency, public service or public property from the public sector (a government) to the private sector, either to a business that operate for a profit or to a non-profit organization. It may also mean government outsourcing of services or functions to private firms, e. g. revenue collection, law enforcement, and prison management. [1] Privatization has also been used to describe two unrelated transactions. The first is the buying of all outstanding shares of a publicly traded company by a single entity, taking the company private. This is often described as private equity. The second is a demutualization of a mutual organization or cooperative to form a joint stock company. [2] Primary Objectives: The following are the primary objectives which have been defined in the Government’s policy statement on Parastatal Sector Reform: Improve the operational efficiency of enterprises that are currently in the Parastatal sector, and their contribution to the national economy; Reduce the burden of Parastatal enterprises on the Government budget; Expand the role of the private sector in the economy, permitting the Government to concentrate public resources on its role as provider of basic public services, including health, education and social infrastructure; and Encourage wider participation by the people in the ownership and management of business. We will write a custom essay sample on Liberalization privatization globalization or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Secondary Objectives: In so far as their pursuit is consistent with the primary objectives, the CHC intends to ensure that divestiture meets the following secondary objectives: to create a more market-oriented economy; to secure enhanced assess to foreign markets, to capital and to technology; to promote the development of the capital market; and to preserve the goal of self-reliance. There are four main methods[citation needed] of privatization: 1. Share issue privatization (SIP) selling shares on the stock market 2. Asset sale privatization selling an entire organization (or part of it) to a strategic investor, usually by auction or by using the Treuhand model 3. Voucher privatization distributing shares of ownership to all citizens, usually for free or at a very low price. 4. Privatization from below Start-up of new private businesses in formerly socialist countries. Choice of sale method is influenced by the capital market, political, and firm-specific factors. SIPs are more likely to be used when capital markets are less developed and there is lower income inequality. Share issues can broaden and deepen domestic capital markets, boosting liquidity and (potentially) economic growth, but if the capital markets are insufficiently developed it may be difficult to find enough buyers, and transaction costs (e. g. underpricing required) may be higher. For this reason, many governments elect for listings in the more developed and liquid markets, for example Euronext, and the London, New York and Hong Kong stock exchanges. Secured borrowing Some privatization transactions can be interpreted as a form of a secured loan[3][4] and are criticized as a particularly noxious form of governmental debt. [3] In this interpretation, the upfront payment from the privatization sale corresponds to the principal amount of the loan, while the proceeds from the underlying asset correspond to secured interest payments – the transaction can be considered substantively the same as a secured loan, though it is structured as a sale. [3] This interpretation is particularly argued to apply to recent municipal transactions in the United States, particularly for fixed term, such as the 2008 sale of the proceeds from Chicago parking meters for 75 years. It is argued that this is motivated by politicians desires to borrow money surreptitiously,[3] due to legal restrictions on and political resistance to alternative sources of revenue, viz, raising taxes or issuing debt. History The history of privatization dates from Ancient Greece, when governments contracted out almost everything to the private sector. [7] In the Roman Republic private individuals and companies performed the majority of services including tax collection (tax farming), army supplies (military contractors), religious sacrifices and construction. However, the Roman Empire also created state-owned enterprises—for example, much of the grain was eventually produced on estates owned by the Emperor. Some scholars suggest that the cost of bureaucracy was one of the reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. [7] Perhaps one of the first ideological movements towards privatization came during Chinas golden age of the Han dynasty. Taoism came into prominence for the first time at a state level, and it advocated the laissez-faire principle of Wu wei ( ), literally meaning do nothing. [8] The rulers were counseled by the Taoist clergy that a strong ruler was virtually invisible. During the Renaissance, most of Europe was still by and large following the feudal economic model. By contrast, the Ming dynasty in China began once more to practice privatization, especially with regards to their manufacturing industries. This was a reversal of the earlier Song dynasty policies, which had themselves overturned earlier policies in favor of more rigorous state control. [9] In Britain, the privatization of common lands is referred to as enclosure (in Scotland as the Lowland Clearances and the Highland Clearances). Significant privatizations of this nature occurred from 1760 to 1820, coincident with the industrial revolution in that country. Potential Benefits of Privatisation 1. Improved Efficiency. The main argument for privatisation is that private companies have a profit incentive to cut costs and be more efficient. If you work for a government run industry, managers do not usually share in any profits. However, a private firm is interested in making profit and so it is more likely to cut costs and be efficient. Since privatisation, companies such as BT, and British Airways have shown degrees of improved efficiency and higher profitability. 2. Lack of Political Interference. It is argued governments make poor economic managers. They are motivated by political pressures rather than sound economic and business sense. For example a state enterprise may employ surplus workers which is inefficient. The government may be reluctant to get rid of the workers because of the negative publicity involved in job losses. Therefore, state owned enterprises often employ too many workers increasing inefficiency. 3. Short Term view. A government many think only in terms of next election. Therefore, they may be unwilling to invest in infrastructure improvements which will benefit the firm in the long term because they are more concerned about projects that give a benefit before the election. 4. Shareholders It is argued that a private firm has pressure from shareholders to perform efficiently. If the firm is inefficient then the firm could be subject to a takeover. A state owned firm doesn’t have this pressure and so it is easier for them to be inefficient. 5. Increased Competition. Often privatisation of state owned monopolies occurs alongside deregulation – i. e. policies to allow more firms to enter the industry and increase the competitiveness of the market. It is this increase in competition that can be the greatest spur to improvements in efficiency. For example, there is now more competition in telecoms and distribution of gas and electricity. However, privatisation doesn’t necessarily increase competition, it depends on the nature of the market. E. g. there is no competition in tap water. There is very little competition within the rail industry. 6. Government will raise revenue from the sale Selling state owned assets to the private sector raised significant sums for the UK government in the 1980s. However, this is a one off benefit. It also means we lose out on future dividends from the profits of public companies. Disadvantages of Privatisation 1. Natural Monopoly A natural monopoly occurs when the most efficient number of firms in an industry is one. For example tap water has very significant fixed costs, therefore there is no scope for having competition amongst several firms. Therefore, in this case, privatisation would just create a private monopoly which might seek to set higher prices which exploit consumers. Therefore it is better to have a public monopoly rather than a private monopoly which can exploit the consumer. 2. Public Interest There are many industries which perform an important public service, e. g health care, education and public transport. In these industries, the profit motive shouldn’t be the primary objective of firms and the industry. For example, in the case of health care, it is feared privatising health care would mean a greater priority is given to profit rather than patient care. Also, in an industry like health care, arguably we don’t need a profit motive to improve standards. When doctors treat patients they are unlikely to try harder if they get a bonus. 3. Government loses out on potential dividends. Many of the privatised companies in the UK are quite profitable. This means the government misses out on their dividends, instead going to wealthy shareholders. 4. Problem of regulating private monopolies. Privatisation creates private monopolies, such as the water companies and rail companies. These need regulating to prevent abuse of monopoly power. Therefore, there is still need for government regulation, similar to under state ownership. 5. Fragmentation of industries. In the UK, rail privatisation led to breaking up the rail network into infrastructure and train operating companies. This led to areas where it was unclear who had responsibility. For example, the Hatfield rail crash was blamed on no one taking responsibility for safety. Different rail companies has increased the complexity of rail tickets. 6. Short-Termism of Firms. As well as the government being motivated by short term pressures, this is something private firms may do as well. To please shareholders they may seek to increase short term profits and avoid investing in long term projects. For example, the UK is suffering from a lack of investment in new energy sources; the privatised companies are trying to make use of existing plants rather than invest in new ones. Evaluation of Privatisation It depends on the industry in question. An industry like telecoms is a typical industry where the incentive of profit can help increase efficiency. However, if you apply it to industries like health care or public transport the profit motive is less important. It depends on the quality of regulation. Do regulators make the privatised firms meet certain standards of service and keep prices low. Is the market contestable and competitive? Creating a private monopoly may harm consumer interests, but if the market is highly competitive, there is greater scope for efficiency savings. Liberalization In general, liberalization refers to a relaxation of previous government restrictions, usually in areas of social or economic policy. In some contexts this process or concept is often, but not always, referred to as deregulation. [1] Liberalization of autocratic regimes may precede democratization (or not, as in the case of the Prague Spring). In the arena of social policy it may refer to a relaxation of laws restricting for example divorce, abortion, or drugs and to the elimination of laws prohibiting same-sex sexual relations or same-sex marriage. Most often, the term is used to refer to economic liberalization, especially trade liberalization or capital market liberalization. Although economic liberalization is often associated with privatization, the two can be quite separate processes. For example, the European Union has liberalized gas and electricity markets, instituting a system of competition; but some of the leading European energy companies (such as EDF and Vattenfall) remain partially or completely in government ownership. Liberalized and privatized public services may be dominated by just a few big companies particularly in sectors with high capital costs, or high such as water, gas and electricity. In some cases they may remain legal monopoly at least for some part of the market (e. g. small consumers). Liberalization is one of three focal points (the others being privatization and stabilization) of the Washington Consensuss trinity strategy for economies in transition. An example of Liberalization is the Washington Consensus which was a set of policies created and used by Argentina There is also a concept of hybrid liberalisation as, for instance, in Ghana where cocoa crop can be sold to a variety of competing private companies, but there is a minimum price for which it can be sold and all exports are controlled by the state. [2] Economic liberalisation in India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The economic liberalisation in India refers to ongoing economic reforms in India that started on 24 July 1991. After Independence in 1947, India adhered to socialist policies. Attempts were made to liberalize economy in 1966 and 1985. The first attempt was reversed in 1967. Thereafter, a stronger version of socialism was adopted. Second major attempt was in 1985 by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The process came to a halt in 1987, though 1966 style reversal did not take place. [1] In 1991, after India faced a balance of payments crisis, it had to pledge 20 tons of gold to Union Bank of Switzerland and 47 tons to Bank of England as part of a bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In addition, the IMF required India to undertake a series of structural economic reforms. [2] As a result of this requirement, the government of P. V. Narasimha Rao and his finance minister Manmohan Singh (currently the Prime Minister of India) started breakthrough reforms, although they did not implement many of the reforms the IMF wanted. [3][4] The new neo-liberal policies included opening for international trade and investment, deregulation, initiation of privatization, tax reforms, and inflation-controlling measures. The overall direction of liberalisation has since remained the same, irrespective of the ruling party, although no party has yet tried to take on powerful lobbies such as the trade unions and farmers, or contentious issues such as reforming labour laws and reducing agricultural subsidies. [5] Thus, unlike the reforms of 1966 and 1985 that were carried out by the majority Congress governments, the reforms of 1991 carried out by a minority government proved sustainable. There exists a lively debate in India as to what made the economic reforms sustainable? [6] The fruits of liberalisation reached their peak in 2007, when India recorded its highest GDP growth rate of 9%. [7] With this, India became the second fastest growing major economy in the world, next only to China. [8] The growth rate has slowed significantly in the first half of 2012. [9] An Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report states that the average growth rate 7. 5% will double the average income in a decade, and more reforms would speed up the pace. [10] Indian government coalitions have been advised to continue liberalisation. India grows at slower pace than China, which has been liberalising its economy since 1978. [11] The McKinsey Quarterly states that removing main obstacles would free India’s economy to grow as fast as China’s, at 10 percent a year. [12] There has been significant debate, however, around liberalization as an inclusive economic growth strategy. Since 1992, income inequality has deepened in India with consumption among the poorest staying stable while the wealthiest generate consumption growth. [13] For 2010, India was ranked 124th among 179 countries in Index of Economic Freedom World Rankings, which is an improvement from the preceding year.