How Does Social Inequality Effect A Child s Educational...

How does social inequality effect a child’s educational achievement in England? Introduction There have been many different theories, debates and discussions regarding the relationship between educational achievement and social class of children. I will be discussing these points of views using a range of resources to support my statement. Social class can be referred to as; ‘’large groups of people differing from each other in terms of the place the occupy in a determined system of social production, mostly by there role, wealth and the mode of requiring that wealth’’ (Vladimir Lenin, 1919). This includes the upper class, middle class and working class. Children enter the education system from all different backgrounds and leave with different experiences and results. According to statistics and data taken from the The Youth Cohort Study (2007) it shows that middle class children on average perform better than working class children. This is because the poorest and most disadvantaged homes are the ones that achieve the lowest results. This problem has been identified as a policy concern for all three major political parties in the United Kingdom (UK). In December 2007, the government published a plan called ‘Building brighter futures’it has been designed to eradicate child poverty and social division. Ed balls said that he wanted England to be ‘ the best place in the world for our children and young people to grow up ’ (GOV, 2007). Historical development of socialShow MoreRelatedMain Features Of Progressive Education1243 Words   |  5 Pagessociety and globally in a wider context. Movement and changes of education trends also influence political agenda, school policies, educators, students themselves and their families mutually. Defining a good primary school should be in consideration of social, cultural and economic aspects of our contemporary society in the 21st century. In that sense, a progressive education philosophy is considered important for a good primary school in its psychological and sociological features. This essay will discussRead MoreNo Child Left Behind Act1737 Words   |  7 PagesFirst, what is the achievement gap? According to the achievement gap in education refers to systematic variances in the ability to learn between students from majority populations and students from minority populations. The most significant effort made by the federal government to improve the nation s schools and student learning is the 2002 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The ESEA was largely designed to address the achievement gap in multicultural educationRead MoreIs This Truly The Case? If So, What Are The Reasons For1427 Words   |  6 PagesIs this truly the case? If so, what are the reasons for this broad range of inequality in our education system? The answer is; yes, this is the case, and it can be proven statistically. There are two definitive reasons why. First is the inflated cost of education in America. Secondly is the inability of poor families to acquire the substantial financial capital that is required to pay for a quality education for their children. Both of these conclusions can be supported with a cost analysis of educationRead MoreSocial Inequality And Social Class Essay1377 Words   |  6 PagesThe idea of social inequality dates back since the time of our founding fathers. The mistreatment and unlawful equality and opportunit y that these foreigners received became embedded into our history—this endless list includes, just to name a few, the Irish, Chinese, Jews, and most notably the African Americans (Blacks), who became slaves to the American people. Here in the United States, the current social class system is known as the class system, where families are distributed and placed intoRead MoreIncome Inequality And Educational Achievement Essay2199 Words   |  9 Pages â€Å"Income inequality: How NZ is one of the worst in the world† (Fyers Kirk 2015) â€Å"Income inequality stunts NZ growth – OECD† (Fallow, 2014) Income inequality, we hear about it on the news and read about it in the papers but what does this mean for New Zealand. â€Å"Income inequality refers to the extent to which income is distributed in an uneven manner among a population† (Institute for Policy Studies, 2016). Since the 1980’s New Zealand gap between the rich and poor that has been increasing fasterRead MoreThe Influence of Race and Ethnicity on a Persons Educational Level1900 Words   |  8 Pagesrace and ethnicity on a person’s educational level. I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic where, within my social group, schooling and education was deemed as an essential part of life. In the United States, however, there exist a greater number of racial and ethnic groups, and it is evident that an achievement gap exists among these groups. Here, Dominicans are marginalized as part of a Hispanic minority group that does not achieve the educational status of other groups, such as WhitesRead MoreInequality in British Schools2111 Words   |  9 Pagesthere a problem of Inequality in British schools? The educational system is one of the most influential institutions in society as it provides young people with a vast amount of knowledge, attitudes and skills. These are acquired formally through set lessons or informally through the ‘hidden curriculum’ which provides the unofficial and unplanned consequences of school experience. Social Inequality is one of the major preoccupations of sociology. The relationship between inequality and education hasRead MoreThe Hierarchy Of Race And Ethnic Groups1351 Words   |  6 Pagesmost important jobs, the secondary socialization role: teaching norms and values, social control: teaching acceptance of rules and authority, and social cohesion: learning about other cultures.† Functionalists tend to think we all have the same opportunities from the start of school, and that it is up to the individual on what he or she decides to with those opportunities. Thus, in a functionalist perspective, inequality is not an issue; a func tionalist would say you have the same opportunities whereasRead MoreImpact of Socioeconomic Status on Academic Performance4432 Words   |  18 PagesEffects of Socioeconomic Status on Academic Performance Name Instructor Introduction Problem statement America today faces an issue of epic proportion that is critically essential. An issue that continues to affect her economy, challenge her highest ideals as well as reducing the competitiveness of her workforce, an issue that is deeply rooted her history, her society as well as her culture. The issue in question here is education inequality. This project explores the belief thatRead MoreThe Black White Achievement Gap1462 Words   |  6 Pagesnot successfully closed the achievement gap. These students’ are generally lower performing that whites and Asians and sometimes lower than Hispanic and/or socio-economically disadvantaged. According to Sohn (2012) the phenomenon of the black white achievement gap has returned. Slaven and Madden (2006) assert â€Å"The gap in academic achievement between African American (as well as Latino) children and their White peers is arguably the most important of all educational problems in the U.S.† (p. 389)

What are Advantages and Disadvantages of Animal Testing

Introduction Each year in USA laboratories more then 100 million animals are burned, poisoned and lamed (Top 5 Shocking Animal Experimentation Facts). Each year scientists use animals in order to progress, to improve life of people and animals. However, many testing animals suffer and die. But others do not agree and support the fact that we should use animals because of advance. So what are advantages and disadvantages of using animals? This problem will be researched from different areas such as medicine, ethics and economy. Main Body. Science. According to article â€Å"Pro Con Arguments: Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing? animal testing it is very useful for mankind. Because of these people have found new drugs and methods of treatment of serious diseases. As an example we can use discovery of insulin, which save lives of diabetics. Or polio vaccine, which has decreased mortality almost 1570 times from 350000 in 1988 to 223 cases in 2012 (Polio vaccine). In additional to this treating of cancer, childhood leukemia, cystic fibrosis, malaria, tuberculosis and brain injury were developed. As director of the University of Texas M.D.Anderson Cancer Center’s animal research facility, Chris Abee said: â€Å"We wouldn’t have a vaccine for hepatitis B without chimpanzees† ( Once invaluable, research chimps now devalued). Today people hope that animal testing help in the future find new methods for incurable diseases. All of this examplesShow MoreRelatedPre-clinical testing is performed to Good laboratory practice (GLP) and covers pivotal toxicology 1000 Words   |  4 PagesPre-clinical testing is performed to Good laboratory practice (GLP) and covers pivotal toxicology safety pharmacology studies. In preclinical research, scientists test their ideas for new biomedical prevention strategies in laboratory experiments or in animals. â€Å"Pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) can be seen as two sides of the same coin. PK and PD have a definite relationship, assessing how much drug gets to the site of action and then what that action is. Both activities are essentialRead MoreThe Pros and Cons of Animal Testing1413 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Each year in USA laboratories more then 100 million animals are burned, poisoned and lamed (Top 5 Shocking Animal Experimentation Facts). Each year scientists use animals in order to progress, to improve life of people and animals. However, many testing animals suffer and die. But others do not agree and support the fact that we should use animals because of advance. So what are advantages and disadvantages of using animals? This problem will be researched from different areas such asRead MoreLiving Conditions, Diet And Reproduction Is Not The Only Problems Associated With Commercial Farming897 Words   |  4 PagesAnimals living conditions, diet and reproduction is not the only problems associated with commercial farming. Hamburgers and hot dogs these are American foods but how does it get there on our plate. Do people know how the animals are slaughtered or do they even care. Slaughter this means killing of animals for human consumption. When it comes to the slaughtering of animals I think the majority of people don’t care that the animals are being killed to be eaten. The thing that causes the controversyRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Animal Testing1725 Words   |  7 PagesEach year, more than 100 million animals are experimented on in U.S. laboratories. These experiments are for things such as biology lessons, medical training, curiosity-driven experimentation, and chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics testing.(Procon writers) Animal testi ng, also known as animal experimentation, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. Animal testing is controversial and people findRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Food Production1164 Words   |  5 Pagesexplaining the advantages and disadvantages of sustainable and conventional farming. I will also be explain how we could make the negatives turn to a positives. AS food production is going to be a lot harder in the further we need to find out which one is going to be the best at producing on a mass scale but working with the environment at the same time. Advantages of conventional farming: Conventional farming is the only way of feeding our overpopulated planet. The first advantage of conventionalRead MoreAnimal Testing Should Be Banned971 Words   |  4 PagesAnimal Testing When it comes to the topic of animal testing, most of us will readily agree that the use of animals as research for the purpose of the humans concerns, that the drug is efficacy with the cosmetics to endeavor controversy and may have experience discomfort, suffering towards animals. â€Å"As the consumer in Europe would not have access to any new products, because we can’t really ensure that some of the ingredient’s will be safe to be without suitable an adequate testing†. Where thisRead MoreThe Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering Essay608 Words   |  3 PagesThe Advantages and Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering Genetic engineering has been a major topic of discussion ever since Dolly the sleep was cloned. Its raises ethical, moral and religious questions due to the fact it is tampering with the makeup of organisms, and certain religions believe it is not our right to do this. Genetic engineering involves the re-arranging of DNA sequences, artificial horizontal gene transfer and cloning. There has been little progressRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome1415 Words   |  6 Pagestheir benefits and limitations regarding individuals, families, and society. The paper covers the screening and treatment for diabetes and what methods are used to prevent it development. The paper also contains information regarding In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and its benefits for individuals and families. The use stems cells and its advantages and disadvantages are also mentioned. Analyze the benefits and limitations of genetic and reproductive sciences for individuals, families, and societyRead MoreHello1309 Words   |  6 Pages2016 The Morality of Animal Testing in Cosmetic Companies Preface The ethical treatment of animal testing is a controversial topic in the field of zoology. Different aspects on animal testing range from positivity to negativity. Animals such as dogs and rats are used for experimental trials because they have been found to have psychological and genetic correlations that relate to humans. Although the benefits and improvements to modern medicine made it possible to ban animal experimentation completelyRead MoreWhat Does A Drink Affects People s Memory?1067 Words   |  5 Pagesnot the other and then give them a memory test. An advantage of experiments is that the researcher can prove weather one variables causes a certain outcome. Correlational study is when a researcher is examining the relationship between two or more variables. A purpose of this is to see if two or more things can have an impact one each other. An advantage to this is that researchers can see if two variables relate to each other. And a disadvantage is that people may take in t hat just because the variables

Australian Attitudes Towards Japanese Immigration

Question: Compare and contrast Australian attitudes towards immigration with ONE of the United States or Korea or another country in East Asia? Answer: Introduction The word Aussie was used during World War I, which referred to people born in Australia but their ancestry is from British or Irish. The word Aussie was practically employed after World War II to distinguish the people who were born in Australia and those who were immigrants from Western and Southern countries of Europe. Therefore the word Aussie has a Eurocentric and Anachronistic meaning which shows the commitment of Australia towards the ethnic and religious diversity (E.L. Piesse, 2004). Australia has shown momentous progress towards the multicultural integrated society. Before 1970, Australia was following the policy of White Australians where the migrants or people from different nations were forced to give up their cultural identify and adopt Australian religion and culture (DIAC, 2008). Such migrants were not provided basic services and had no or very little involvement in politics. They were not provided full citizenship right despite of adopting Australian culture. The Anglo-Australian community were totally against the migrants from various countries like America, Asia etc (Shiobara, 2009). In fact the Australians who were from different cultural backgrounds were themselves experiencing the fanatical experiences, for e.g. their places of worship were seen as the place for invading the outsiders and was considered to be a threat to the life of Australians (Jame, 1962). The era between 1981 and 2000, the Asian migrants into Australia have increased from lakhs to millions. The majority of ethnic group present in one of the Sydneys suburb Cabramatta are the Vietnamese group (Nagata, 1990). The Cabramatta symbolises the presence of multicultural signs and integration of various cultures. There is one monument named Freedom Plaza in Cabramatta which is a meeting place for various communities. This place depicts the Asian style lion statues, colours, gardens and artefacts. Australia is the classical country of immigration. The Australian population compared from 1947 to 1994 has increased from 7 million to 18 million people. This increase in population is because of these migrants. The total count of Indigenous people in Australia is just 2% of the total population and immigrants counts 23%. Reason for entry of Immigrants After the completion of Second Wold War, Australian government started an immigration program in order to increase the Australian population and enhance the economic growth. The main aim behind this immigration program was to give entry to immigrants from British, but instead of British immigrants a huge proportion came from North, South and East Europe between 1950 and 1960 (Nagata, 2000). There was a recession in 1970 because of which new immigrants from Asia, New Zealand, Latin America and Middle East were welcomed. This whole program of immigration was a planned policy to recruit people from different nations for expansion programs of Australia (J. Armstrong, 1999). But the consequences of these immigration programs were unforeseen. People coming from different nations with different cultural background and religions continued practising their own worshipping style and ethnics was not predicted by the architects of the migration programs. Immigrants from Japan During World War II, majority of the Japanese entered Australia. The reason why Japanese travelled Australia was that they were attracted by the sugar cane and pearl industry in North-Eastern Australia. But after sometime the Japanese workers realised that they are caged by Australian industry and are forced to work in Sugar cane and Pearl industry till they repay their debts (Christine, 2014). The life of Japanese labourers was getting very tough and hard and were treated very harshly form the Australian government. Despite of working under dangerous conditions like cyclones, shark attacks, the Japanese labourers proved to be strong and highly skilled and thus they enjoyed lucrative positions in workforce. These Japanese divers working in pearl industry were from poor villages of Japan. The pay given to these workers as per Australian standards was very low but in comparison to their village earning it was very much sufficient. The Japanese divers signed two year contracts after completion of contracts they returned back to Japan. But few of the Japanese stayed there by marrying the local women. Internment of Japanese in World War II We all are very well aware of Japanese Internment in US and Canada but very few of us know that Japanese were interned by the Australians too. The reason why the Australians treatment towards Japanese was not in news was the number of Japanese in Australia in comparison to United States and Canada. There were around 1,12,200 Japanese interned by US and around twenty two thousand by Canada. But in Australia the number was very low to only four thousand. The reason why the number of Japanese immigrants in Australia was low because in 1940 the Japanese sensed the turmoil of war and decided to return back to their home country Japan. During the war the Japanese workers working in pearl industry, the elder and long term residents who were staying before the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 were jailed during the Second World War (Christine, 2014). Why Japanese were Interned The Australian government decided to intern the Japanese as they were viewed threat towards the national security. These Japanese workers were seen with a suspicious eye of being spies. Therefore during the world war these Japanese were jailed by the Australian government. Almost all the Japanese were jailed because they were more noticeable in the Australian population and were absorbed in the Australia like Germans and Italians. After 1942, some sought of relaxation was given to Japanese by allowing them to appeal against their internment on the basis of their long stay in Australia, poor health or old age (Christine, 2014). But they were afraid of filing the appeal because they believed that the war is on peak and local citizens are against them and once they are freed they will be badly treated by the Australian citizens. Thus they decided to stay safer by internment. The minimum duration of internment was four years. Struggle of Japanese War brides Initially the Japanese men immigrated in Australia, their wives were not able to enter Australia as the application and approval process was very tedious thus preventing Japanese wives to enter Australia. Thus Japanese women preferred marrying Japanese soldiers instead of service men, because while marrying soldiers these ladies were treated as traitors of the country. In Australia these war brides were termed as prostitutes or gold-diggers because of this they felt ashamed of such negative connotations (Ibid., p. 170). When the women married an Australian soldier they were forced to convert into Christianity which led to the loss of Japanese culture (Tokita, 2007). So Japanese women who wanted to enter Australia they married Australian soldiers so that they can overcome the problems related to bureaucracy, cultural and health they faced. After getting entry their life was not easy still they had to face the problem of language. Japanese war brides were not able to speak fluent Engli sh, cannot adopt the eating habits. They missed their soya sauce and were asked to cook typical Australian dishes and meat (Jared, 2004). Challenges faced by Japanese immigrants For Japanese it was not easy to enter Australia, leaving behind all his friends and family and wife too. Australia was totally new for them their culture, language and religion was totally different. Moving into a new country is more stressful rather than exciting. The reason Japanese entered Australia was the pearl industry and Sugar cane industry. They were paid more in comparison to Japan. These immigrants were from poor villages and whatever wages they were getting from Australia was much more they would have earned in their home town (Manabu, 2009). These immigrants came to Australia to find better job and earnings, as they were not able to speak English they faced serious challenges by the local public. As cited by Cathy, Japanese faced racism and faced difficult time in health issues. They were not provided better treatment; they were deprived of good doctors and medicines. The jobs they were doing were full of risks and faced life threatening diseases. Attitude of Local public for Japanese workers The Japanese workers were hard workers and worked for long hours. The Japanese divers working in pearl industry showed resentment because they excelled in their deep sea diving. Because of this the local Australian public showed suspicions that these Japanese workers who are working at cheap wages, for long hours will take away the jobs of White-Australians (Oliver, 2006). The trade unions also raised their concerns regarding these immigrants. If they continue working at low wages and harsh working conditions, it will lower the working conditions of Australian workers. This was the reason why Australian local public formed racist beliefs keeping the non-whites out of Australia (Swirk) The Australians have gradually adopted the cultures and religions of various immigrants entered Australia at the time of War. These immigrants who settled in Australia by marrying the local citizens or earned the citizenship started following their cultural style. Thus this led to multiculturalism in Australian society. With such different culture dwelling today, Australia has huge range of food styles, arts, paintings, monuments and various cultural programs (Hone, 2008). This shows that gradually the attitude of Australians towards immigration changed and they favoured their entrance and allowed them to depict their ethnicity and culture. CONCLUSION From the above essay we conclude saying that during 19th century the Japanese population in Australia was comparatively small. During 1886, leaving the boundaries of Japan was a capital offence, but later in the 19th century Japanese started entering Australia and showed their good skills in pearl and sugar industry. But when the Immigration Restriction Act was passed by Australia in 1901, it restricted the entrance of all non-European and Japanese. But looking at the talents and skills of Japanese workers they were allowed to land in Australia and were also exempted from the dictation test which was required for extending their residency in Australia. At the time of War against Japan, the Japanese population staying in Australia was jailed and were freed when the war was over. During this time the immigration from Japan was banned. But with the end of War the Japanese population increased and they were allowed to work on contract basis (Murakami, 1999). In 1911, the service industry of Australia got influx with Japanese troops in form of laundry men, house-keepers and other low grade jobs (Pam, 2006). The Japanese females took prostitution for their survival. At the time of White Australian policy, few of the Japanese workers were allowed to stay in Australia and they were the crew members, divers working in pearl extraction industry, merchants and students who were given temporary entry. Thus for generations, Japan has been seen with suspicion by Australians. Japan has been a subject of Australian articles and cartoons depicting the future invader of Australia. The local citizens got so tensed that Japanese with their hard works and growing population will take over the Australian population. Australians believed that Japanese are spying on their natural resources and armaments (Wood, 1998). But practically it did not happened as the Australian government took regulatory actions to control the immigrations happening in Australia REFERENCES Cathy Pearl. Challenges Immigrants face. Ed Helper. Available at https://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_54_365.html Christine Piper. Feb 2014. Japanese in Australia: From Meiji to World War II. Discover Nikkei: Japanese migrants and their descendents. Available at https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2014/2/25/japanese-in-australia/ DIAC. 2008. Community Information Summary: Japan-born (Canberra: Department of Immigration and Citizenship). Available at: https://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications /statistics/comm-summ/ index.htm. E.L. Piesse. 2004. Japan and Australia. Foreign Affairs. Available at https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/68687/e-l-piesse/japan-and-australia Hone, S. 2008, War Love, Signals: The Quarterly Magazine of the Australian National Maritime Museum, No. 85, December 2008 - February 2009, pp. 10-15. Ibid., p. 170. According to Ogawas interviews with former divers, White prostitutes also came to work during the lay-up season. T. Ogawa, p. 175. Aspects of Japanese Immigration to Queensland before 1990. Available at https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:246307/Qld_heritage_v2_no9_1973_p3_p9.pdf Jame Jupp. 1962. Australias migration history. Migration heritage centre. Available at https://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/belongings-home/about-belongings/australias-migration-history/ Jared Denman. 2004. Japanese wives in Japanese-Australian intermarriages. The university of Queensland. New Voice Volume 3. Available at https://newvoices.jpf-sydney.org/3/chapter4.pdf Manabu Shimasawa, Kazumasa Oguro. 2009. The impact of immigration on the Japanese Economy: A multi-country simulation model. The Research Institute of economy, trade and industry. Available at https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:246307/Qld_heritage_v2_no9_1973_p3_p9.pdf Nagata, Y. 1990, A Foot in the Door Easing of Restrictions on Entry of Japanese into Australia after WWII (abstract), in Australia and Asia: Meeting the Challenge of the Future, Eighth Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia, 2-5 July 1990, Griffith University, Queensland. Nagata, Y. 2001, Lost in Space: Ethnicity and Identity of Japanese-Australians 1945- 1960s, Changing Histories: Australia and Japan edited by P. Jones P. Oliver, Monash Asia Institute, pp. 85-99. Nagata, Yuriko. 1996. Unwanted Aliens: Japanese Internment in Australia. St Lucia: University of Queensland Press. Oliver, Pam. 2007. Japanese relationships in White Australia: The Sydney experience to 1941. History Australia 4 (1): pp. 5.1 to 5.20. DOI: 10.2104/ha070005. Pam Oliver. 2006. Japanese relationships in white Australia. The Sydney experience to 1941. Available at https://journals.publishing.monash.edu/ojs/index.php/ha/article/viewFile/344/356 Shiobara, Y. 2005. Middle-class Asian Immigrants and Welfare Multiculturalism: A Case Study of a Japanese Community Organisation in Sydney. Asian Studies Review, vol. 29 ,pp. 395-414. Swirk. History of racist fear and attitudes. White Australia: Immigration Restriction Act 1901. Available at https://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-127_t-350_c-1213/history-of-racist-attitudes-and-fear/nsw/history-of-racist-attitudes-and-fear/australia-to-1914/white-australia-immigration-restriction-act-1901 The changing face of Modern Australia 1950-1970s. Nov, 2013. Australian Government. Available at https://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/changing-face-of-modern-australia-1950s-to-1970s Tokita, A. Aug, 2007. Marriage and the Australia-Japan Relationship. Paper presented at International Conference of the Japan Studies Association of Canada. Available at: https://udo.arts. yorku.ca/jsac/jsac2007/. Civilised Asian: Images of Japan and the Japanese as viewed by Australians from the early 19th century to 1901, PhD thesis, University of Queensland, p. 168. Yuriko Nagata. 2004. The Japanese in Torres Strait. Canberra, Pandanus book. Pg138-159. Available at https://www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au/doc/nagata_japanese_tsi.pdf

Libya Moammar Gaddafi

Introduction Libya is one of the smallest countries in Africa. Situated in North Africa, the country has its capital in Tripoli. It is associated with a relatively small population that mainly consists of Arab ethnic groups. Libya’s economy thrives on the export of oil and the manufacturing sector. Being a socialist country, resource allocation is determined by government policies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Libya: Moammar Gaddafi specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The political system in the country is poorly developed and is characterized by lack of democracy, crime against humanity and lack of freedom (Daoud, 2011). Consequently, the country has recently faced serious political unrest that has attracted the interest of the international community. This paper analyzes the leadership of the country’s rule, Moammar Gaddafi, before the political unrest. The political, economic and social situation in Libya will be illuminated. Aspects of the Government Nearly all aspects of the government of Libya are influenced by Gaddafi. He has ignored the country’s constitution and introduced his own political ideologies outlined in his publication referred to as the Green Book (Simpkins, 2010). The executive branch of the government consists of the ‘Jamahiriya sector’ led by a prime minister and is responsible for running the government. It also consists of the ‘revolution sector’ led by Gaddafi. The â€Å"revolution sector is not elected and has unlimited term in office† (Simpkins, 2010). Besides, it dictates and influences all decisions made by the Jamahiriya sector. The legislative consists of the â€Å"General People’s Congress (GPC) which is made up of 2700 members† (Peters, 2006). It is responsible for appointing the cabinet and key government officers. However, all appointments are approved by Gaddafi through the revolution se ctor. Elections are done indirectly through various Congress representatives and only those approved by the revelation sector are elected. Political parties are prohibited in the country. The judiciary is controlled by the revolution sector and the constitution is based on Islamic law and Italian civil law (Peters, 2006). However, â€Å"the revolution sector has veto powers over the constitution† (Mittelman, 2011). The government controls all aspects of the economy. These trends show that Gaddafi exercises autocratic rule through the revolution sector. This gives him the opportunity to influence all aspects of the government through his political ideologies. Gaddafi’s Power Base as an Undisputed Leader Gaddafi’s autocratic rule has been perpetuated by the political structure he created in the country and his influence over the military. The country’s military is not independent and is being led directly by Gaddafi and his loyal generals. He has used his p ower over the military to avert political opposition from both internal and external interest groups.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He has also established a ‘revolution court’ that handles cases related to â€Å"political and crime against the state† (Simpkins, 2010). As the head of the revolution sector, he has full control over the ‘revolution court’ and can thus use it to suppress political opposition. The veto power of the revolution sector gives him the opportunity to manipulate the constitution in order to justify his leadership (Mittelman, 2011). Besides, he influences the outcomes of elections since only those approved by the revolution sector are elected. This means that his political opponents can not be elected to any public office. Even though the GPC is supposed to be an independent body, he uses its members to spy on political opposit ion. Due to his influence in the government, he has been able to use state resources to defeat his political opponents. These trends describe Gaddafi’s power base and are responsible for his extended rule. Standard of Living in Libya Despite the political discontent associated with his leadership, Gaddafi has facilitated improvements in the social welfare of his subjects. Before the current political unrest, â€Å"Libya’s infant mortality rate was the lowest in Africa† (Bruce, 2009). The country’s life expectancy was 74 years which was the highest in the continent. Unlike other African countries, Libya has been able to feed over 95% of its population from its resources. For example, in early 2011, the government eliminated all taxes on food imports following the rise in food prices in the international market (Bruce, 2009). This was meant to improve food distribution. Even though the government controls the economy, distribution of wealth has been relativ ely uniform. Currently, the country has the highest â€Å"gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity per capita of $ 15,000† (Bruce, 2009). The government has been able to help over 93% of the population to live above the poverty line. Distribution of key services such as education and health has been done fairly through subsidies and special considerations to disadvantaged groups (Solomon, 2008). Therefore, inequality is relatively low in the country. However, corruption and inefficiency in the government is still a threat to achieving higher levels of equality. Law and Order Libya’s constitution is based on Italian civil law and Sunni Islamic laws that provide the framework for maintaining law and order in the country (Simpkins, 2010). The judicial system is characterized by a hierarchy of courts. These include the summary courts, courts of first instance, appeal court and Supreme Court. Freedom of speech is limited in the country (Peters, 2006). The gov ernment has control over the state owned and privately owned media. Any statements against the government are prohibited and punishable. Civil liberty is also limited in the country. For example, freedom of association through unions and political parties are prohibited (Peters, 2006). Collective bargains are also discouraged by the government. Cases of forced labor have also been reported especially in the military. The judicial system is ineffective since it is influenced by the government. The crime rate in the country is relatively law as compared to other African countries.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Libya: Moammar Gaddafi specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is attributed to the severe punishments associated with the Islamic laws used in the country (Peters, 2006). For example, striking workers can be imprisoned for very many years and capital punishment is still in common use (Peters, 2006). Acts of terror are minimal within the country. However, the country’s government has always been accused of sponsoring acts of terror in Western territories. Relationship with Foreign Powers In 1970s the country focused on establishing political ties with Middle East countries such as Palestine. During this time it focused on countering the influence of Western countries in Africa as well as Middle East. Thus it closed â€Å"UK’s and America’s embassies in its territories† (Swart Solomon, 2008). Libya also established strong political ties with the former Soviet Union due to their bilateral trade in weapons. However, the relationship ended in 1987 when Libya breached the terms and conditions of using the weapons (Swart Solomon, 2008). Following the failure of Arab countries to challenge UN’s sanctions on Libya in 1990s, the country terminated its relationship with most countries in Middle East. Consequently, the country has focused on establishing bilat eral relationships with â€Å"neighboring North African countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Sub-Sahara African countries† (Swart Solomon, 2008) in the last ten years. From 2003, the country decided to open up to the international community through trade and participation in international bodies. For example, it served for two years as the representative of Africa in the UN Security Council (Swart Solomon, 2008). Currently, Libya trades with European countries such as Italy and Germany. At the moment, the country has its greatest affiliation to African countries especially in the North and East of the continent due to three reasons. First, Gaddafi is committed to establishing a United Africa with a central government (Bruce, 2009). Thus he needs to win the support of most African countries. Second, most African countries are its trade partners (Bruce, 2009). The country sells its oil in Africa and imports its food from the same. Finally, most African leaders suppor t Gaddafi’s political ideologies of de facto leadership (Swart Solomon, 2008). This forms the basis of his association with such leaders and their countries. Economic and Educational Development Libya has one of the most stable economies in Africa and this can be justified by the following trends. In 2009, it realized a â€Å"real GDP of $ 85.00 billion† (John, 2009). The country’s GDP per capita over the same period was $ 13,400 which was the highest in Africa (John, 2009).Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the growth in the country’s real GDP reduced in 2009 by 0.7% due to the financial crisis (John, 2009). Currently the growth rate of its GDP has picked up as the effects of the financial crisis recede. Oil and natural gas are the main natural resources in the country. Agriculture is least developed due poor climate and soil. However, it produces wheat, barley and fruits. Currently, it imports 75% of its foodstuffs. Petroleum, textile and food processing are the main industries in the country. Libya’s export in 2009 was valued at â€Å"34.24 billion while its imports over the same period totaled 22.11 billion† (John, 2009). This means that it had a surplus of trade which is very rare in Africa. The education system in Libya is highly subsidized by the government with elementary education being compulsory. However, there are inadequate qualified Libyan teachers. Besides, the â€Å"secondary school enrollment rate especially among female students is very l ow† (John, 2009). Higher education and training is also not well development due to government’s interference with the activities of Universities. The institutions of higher learning are also not enough and this explains why the government sponsors its students to pursue higher education in foreign countries. Reasons for the Discontent The political discontent in Libya occurred due to the following reasons. First, the citizens were interested in regaining their liberty and freedom (Hillston, 2011). The political reforms demanded by the public include a wider democratic space and a functioning judicial system. Second, the government was not popular due its crime against humanity (Gatung, 2011). It has been accused of detaining citizens for years without trail, torture and use of excessive force on those opposed to it. Third, Gaddafi has isolated Libya from other countries for a long time. Consequently, the citizens want to be integrated with the rest of the world in orde r to enjoy the economic, social and political benefits associated with such integration. Finally, the socialist government is corrupt and inefficient in achieving rapid economic growth (Hillston, 2011). Thus the citizens are interested in a free market system that encourages private ownership of property and competition. Therefore, the main causes of the discontent are lack of civil liberty, lack of freedom and too much of government involvement in the economy. Priority Problems In order to achieve rapid restoration of peace and stability in Libya, the following problems should be given priority. First, lack of civil liberty and freedom must be addressed as soon as possible. This is because it is the main cause of the current political discontent (Hillston, 2011). The citizens will be satisfied with government of the day if they are able to exercise their freedom and enjoy their civil rights as provided for by the constitution (Linlelater, 2000). Second, democratic space should be e xpanded in Libya. The widespread political opposition will only stop if the citizens are given an opportunity to expresses their political opinions. Besides, the citizens’ political opinions must be honored in order to ensure stability (Mittelman, 2011). This means that the citizens must be given an opportunity to elect their leaders directly. In order to ensure credibility of the elections, the voting process should be facilitated by an independent body. Third, significant reforms are required in the government. Key aspects of the government such as the judiciary and the legislature should be empowered in order to achieve their purposes. The various branches of the government must have clearly defined responsibilities and the autonomy to execute their duties in order to maintain their effectiveness. The citizens’ concerns such as lack of freedom and political oppression can be addressed if the government has well developed institutions and frameworks that facilitate s ocial and political change (Peters, 2006). Finally, economic reforms are needed in the country. Even though the quality of life is high, the rate of economic growth is still low and the distribution of resources is not efficient. This is attributed to the inefficiency of the socialist government in promoting economic activities in the country. Thus the government’s involvement in the economy should be minimized. This will help in improving efficiency in distribution of resources. Besides, it will facilitate rapid economic growth. Steps I would take to Change the Country As Libya’s leader, I would address the above mentioned problems as follows. In order to implement political reforms, I would restructure the government. I would abolish the revolution sector and its veto power over the constitution and all other branches of the government. The executive branch of my government would consist of an elected president, a vice president and a cabinet of qualified professiona ls. I would establish an independent judicial system. This would involve eliminating the revolution court and replacing it with the Supreme Court as the highest court in the country. The judges would be approved by the legislature before being appointed in order to prevent corruption and nepotism (Weber, 2009). An independent and effective judicial system will help in protecting the rights and freedom of the citizens (Roskin, 2006). I would also establish a legislative branch that is directly elected by the citizens instead of congressional representatives. This would help in improving democracy since the citizens’ decisions on leadership will be implemented through their vote. I would facilitate the formation of political parties and introduce regular national elections conducted by an independent body. I would abolish the Green Book and amend the current constitution in order to incorporate the views and political concerns of the citizens. The legislature would be responsib le for the formulation and interpretation of laws. This would help in protecting the rights of the citizens (Mittelman, 2011). My economic reforms would involve limiting government’s role in the economy to regulation, enforcing law and order and protecting the citizens from potential exploitations by the producers in order to improve efficiency. However, I would maintain subsidies especially in education and healthcare sectors in order to improve the welfare of the population (Roskin, 2006). Finally, I would focus on integrating the country with the rest of the world by establishing political ties with most countries. This will not only help in changing the world’s perception of Libya, but will also open up business opportunities for the country (Weber, 2009). Deployment of Resources I would adopt a hybrid system to facilitate efficient distribution of resources. This means that I would adopt the concepts of both socialism and capitalism in order to achieve equality an d rapid economic growth. My decision is based on the following reasons. First, the current socialist system facilitates corruption and nepotism in resource distribution (Bruce, 2009). Second, it has succeeded in promoting equality but has failed to enhance rapid economic growth. Third, a capitalist system would encourage inequality since the poor will not be able to access most services such healthcare and education. However, it would encourage rapid economic growth through â€Å"profit maximization, competition and freedom of choice† (Salvatore Diulio, 2003). Therefore, a hybrid system would be better since it maximizes the benefits of both capitalism and socialism while minimizing the demerits associated with them. In order to achieve the above objectives, I would establish a free market system that encourages private ownership of property (Salvatore Diulio, 2003). This would be supported by appropriate legislations that provide a framework for its operation. Public enter prises would be privatized in order to promote efficiency (Frank, Bernanke, Kaufman, 2007). Besides, profit remittance by such companies would be replaced by profit taxations. The government’s role in the economy would be to ensure healthy competition, protecting private property and rights of citizens as well as enforcing law and order. Key sectors of the economy such as healthcare, education and security will be controlled by the government through subsidies, regulation and direct delivery or provision of services. However, the private sector too would be allowed to participate in such sectors. The free market system would enable the government to realize high tax revenues which would be used for national projects such as development of infrastructure. Type of Leader I would like to be a president whose leadership is based on democracy and the rule of the law. This means that my focus would be on promoting democracy in the country. Upholding democracy will help in engaging the population in the affairs of the government (Swart Solomon, 2008). Consequently, my government will be people centered. A government that focuses on the needs of the people is likely to gain public approval which translates into political stability (Linlelater, 2000). Besides, it will help me to achieve rapid political change and economic growth since my objectives will be informed by the felt needs of the citizens. I will promote the rule of the law by ensuring that the constitution forms the basis of the operations of the government. Respecting the constitution will help in achieving the overall objectives and goals of the country (Roskin, 2006). My priorities will include promoting rapid economic growth, enhancing democracy and improving the relationship of Libya with the international community. Assistance from Foreign Powers Due to the scope of the political, social and economic reforms needed in the country, I would seek the following forms of assistance from foreign pow ers. To begin with, I would seek expert advice from the foreign powers in regard to restructuring the government. This is because the current system of governance needs a complete overhaul (Swart Solomon, 2008). Thus replacing it with a new one will require a lot of expertise that Libya does not have (Bruce, 2009). Second, I would seek financial support from foreign powers. Implementing reforms such as restructuring the government and the economy requires a lot of financial resources. For example, establishing new branches of the government such as the legislature and amending the constitution will necessitate spending on a lot of research, civic education and referendum (Weber, 2009). The current budget can not support all these reforms since a better part of it is used to provide services to the citizens (John, 2009). Therefore, I would need financial assistance either in the form of loans or grants from foreign powers. The western powers in particular are likely to offer such su pport if they are promised that it will be used for political reforms. Finally, I would seek technological support from foreign powers in order to achieve rapid economic growth. At the moment the manufacturing sector in Libya â€Å"accounts for 20% of the real GDP† (John, 2009). However, the full potential of the sector can not be realized due to lack of appropriate technology. I would thus adopt an open market policy to encourage the foreign powers to invest in the country (Salvatore Diulio, 2003). Such investments will facilitate technological transfers into the country. Besides, I would seek financial support in the form of grants to facilitate research and development in Libya. Conclusion The above discussion indicates that Libya has a fairly stable economy and better quality of life as compared to other African countries (Bruce, 2009). However, the political and governance system in the country has failed to achieve its mandate (Daoud, 2011). There is no democracy and f ormal governance system. The country’s leader has abandoned the constitution and introduced his own political ideologies that enable him to extend his stay in office. Consequently, he has been able to influence all aspects of the government and avert political opposition. The implication of these trends is that the level of political oppression has increased in the country (Hillston, 2011). Consequently, the discontent that has been building up in the country recently degenerated into political unrest (Hillston, 2011). Thus in order to restore peace and stability in the country, the government must implement political, social and economic reforms. Such reforms would include strengthening the various branches of the government, restoring the supremacy of the constitution and promoting democracy through elections. References Bruce, R. (2009). Qaddafi’s Libya in world politics. The Middle East Journal, vol. 63 (3), 509-510. Daoud, A. (2011). Deffection of Moussa Koussa me ans the Gaddafi’s regime is crambling. The North Africa Journal, vol. 20 (3), 225-260. Frank, R., Bernanke, B., Kaufman, R. (2007). Principles of economics. New York: McGraw-Hill. Gatung, J. (2011). Libya: the war is on. Web. Hillston, D. (2011). The Libyan no fly zone: responsibility to protect and international law. Foreign Policy Journal, vol. 47 (3), 101-120. John, B. (2009). The changing Libyan economy: causes and consequences. The Middle East Journal, vol. 62 (1), 75-91. Linlelater, A. (2000). International relations: critical concepts in politics. New York: Routledge. Mittelman, R. (2011). Freezing and seizing Qadhafi’s assest. Harvard National Security Journal, vol. 2 (1), 130-134. Peters, R. (2006). Crime and punishment in Islamic law. Journal of Islamic Studies, vol. 18 (2), 244-246. Roskin, M. (2006). Political science. Boston: Pearson Prentice Hall. Salvatore, D., Diulio, E. (2003). Principles of economics. New York: New York. Simpkins, J. (2010). Libyaâ €™s legal system and legal research. Web. Solomon, J. (2008). Gaddafi revamps Libya’s economy. Web. Swart, G., Solomon, H. (2008). Libya’s foreign policy in flux. African Affairs, vol. 104 (416), 469-492. Weber, C. (2009). International relations. 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