Comparision between a dolls house and a glass menegarie Essay Example for Free

Comparision between a dolls house and a glass menegarie EssayNora Helmer in A dollys put up and Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie, are two iconic figures that play an important role in their respective plays. These characters are similar as wholesome as different in comparison. Both Nora and Amanda are seen as a very good mother. They also are non in touch with the reality. The residuum between Nora and Amanda is that Nora wanted the freedom from her husband, whereas on the other hand, Amanda felt helpless after she lost her husband. Another difference between Amanda and Nora is that Amanda does not re all toldy entail about herself that much, whereas, Nora is very obsessed with herself.It is seen that Nora and Amanda are twain, loving mothers. In A maams House, this is seen when Nora plays with her kids and talks in a child wish manner with them. It is also seen when she think about the futurity and then says, No, its quite impossible. She says this after Krogs tad had left, and after she had a conversation with Anne-Marie. Amanda is seen as a good and a loving mother when she thinks about the future for her daughter Laura. She tells Tom to find a good gentlemen for her, and tries to make a better future for them. Amanda has faith that some gentleman might come for Laura, which shows the confidence she has in her daughter.Amanda as well as Nora lives in a world where they are not really in touch with reality. For Amanda, when situations become bad, she recalls the days of her youth when she lived at Blue Mountain and had seventeen gentlemen callers in one Sunday afternoon. Indeed, this story has been told so often that it is no longer an illusion and instead has become a reality. She likewise indulges in playful games so as to escape the drudgery of general living.She tells Laura, You be the lady this time and Ill be the darky. She refuses to acknowledge that Laura is crippled and instead refers to her as having simply a slight physical defect. She refuses to accept the circumstance that Tom is quite different from her and that he, like his father, will someday leave in search of adventures. This is seen when Tom views his life with his family and at the warehouse as a motley of coffincramped, suffocating, and morbidin which he is unfairly confined. And finally, Amanda lives perpetually in the world of the gentlemen callers who will appear any day for Laura. In A Dolls House, Nora thought that everything will work out the way she has planned. Nora lives in a very unrealistic world, where she behaves like a doll, and does all the unrealistic things. This is seen when she does not take her life seriously, like forging a signature, which in turn could lead to a lot of problems.In A Dolls House, in the end, we see that Nora leaves behind her house, her husband as well as her children, whom she loved a lot. This means that she is very selfish and hardly thinks about herself. According to Nora, she will be who she is i f she leaves Torvald. She thinks that being with him, she is a completely different person, from reality. This is seen at the end, when Torvald gets to know the truth Whereas, on the other hand, it is completely antagonist in A Glass Menagerie with Amanda. After she lost her husband, she felt completely helpless and did not know how to figure things out.In A Dolls House, Nora is seen very self-obsessed, whereas, on the other hand, in A Glass Menagerie, Amanda does not really care about herself, and is seen more implicated about her children, and about their future. Nora considers herself like the most prettiest women and keeps on obsessing about herself and thinks about her own future the most. This is also seen when both, Nora and Amanda think that they have some lovers or gentlemen. The only difference between the both of them is that Nora knew that she did not have any lover, and she just dreamt of having one. Whereas, Amanda thought there were gentlemen for her, even though, i n real, there werent any.Thus, in both these plays, A Dolls House, and A Glass Menagerie, Nora and Amanda have similarities as well as differences. This similarity between both of them is that both of them care about their kids, and both of them are not in touch with reality. And the difference between them is that Nora finds freedom after leaving her husband, whereas, on the other hand, Amanda kind of feels handicapped after she lost her husband. Another difference seen between Amanda and Nora is that Nora is very self-obsessed, whereas Amanda is not.

The United States of America Essay Example for Free

The fall in States of America EssayWrite a letter to the documentary maker, capital of Minnesota Hamann, explaining how effective you thought the film Fourteen Days in May was as an illustration of issues surrounding the use of capital punishment in the United States of America. Dear Mr Hamann, I am writing to you regarding the documentary that you made on Edward Earl Johnson called Fourteen Days in May. I everywhereall found your documentary really informative and useful. However I personally thought that there are some things that you could of changed to make it better. At the beginning I think that the voice over off the radio, which informs us of all the information, is very useful. Edward Earl Johnson was convicted of the 1979 shooting death of Walmet Grove Marshall J. P. Crest. Johnsons attorneys say theyve got a strategy to save the inmate from execution on the 20th May. You get the initiative that you are there in Mississippi going to see the Edward Earl Johnson. Befo re I watched your documentary I had my own preconceptions nigh death row and the people who were on it.I thought that it was a indicate where very evil people were put when they have committed a serious offence, I felt that all the people here deserved to die and that I had nothing against them beingness executed. When the helicopter is circling over the prison where Johnson is being held I think it would be a better idea to have a view of where the murder takes places. Then the narrator could read the information to the viewers. They would be able to see the place of the murder. Also during this it could show a view of the grave where the Marshall is buried.This would add an extra effect, letting viewers see the criminal offense scene and then the grave. Furthermore when you are still having the view that you are I the car you can see black prisoners digging at the cheek of the road. I individually think that this is a frank idea since we are all quite aware that places such as Mississippi in the southward of America are still prosperous Ku Klux Klan areas. The things that I would change are first when you interview Edward Earl Johnson I think it would be better to have him in a cell. At the beginning of the interview you zoom in through the window of the cell into him as he is sat alone.Possibly having him sat in the room where he will be executed would be a very good effect, but this would be unfair on Johnson going to the place where soon he may be killed. He may become even more defensive about the murder, stating even more that he is not guilty because seeing where he may die could frighten him. If you were however allowed to do this and Johnson did not decline this then it would have a very good effect, it would make people understand the seriousness, that he will die here if justice is not done correct.I also would not let the interviewer be seen. You could also have a view of Edward Earl Johnson through the bars of the cell. This would let peopl e see him in prison behind bars as he is, and I also think that it would give a mysterious effect, did he do it or didnt he? If it was necessary to see the interviewer then you could see him time he asks a question but then go back to focusing on Edward Earl Johnson while he answers. This is an effect used often on television shows, and in my opinion looks good for interviewing a person.

Acute Inflammation, Appendicitis In Young Adult

Acute Inflammation, Appendicitis In Young AdultCaseThomas is a 23-year-old ammonia alum student that has been admitted to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain in his lower even up abdomen. He has been experiencing the pain the last 2 days. Initially he experienced moderate tenderness in a general area around his lower abdomen. He has also been experiencing low appetite and nausea.EtiologyThe endeavor of appendicitis usually occurs as a bequeath of the blockage of the opening of the appendix into the cecum. The blockage of the opening evict lead to build up of mucus that whitethorn cause a variety of problems within the appendix such as swelling of the lymphatic tissue, thrombosis of vessels and increased internal pressure of the walls of the appendix. Bacteria that are commonly build in the appendix may start to leak out of the appendix due to blockage. The bacterium can trigger a reception from the form k straightawayn as acute inflammation.PathogenesisThe obstr uction of the appendix leads to increased intraluminal pressure. This causes constriction of surrounding vessels which results in decreased blood and oxygen supply to the appendix. This may result in necrosis of the appendix. The combination of increased intraluminal pressure and weakening of the walls of the appendix may cause may cause leakage of bacteria that is normally found within the appendix. The bacteria will trigger an acute seditious response of the body.The inflammatory response starts with the release of chemical mediators and emigration of neutrophils to the site of transmitting. Chemical mediators such as histamine, prostaglandin, leukotrienes, bradykinin, interleukin are released to mediate the inflammatory process. Histamine and bradykinin promotes vasodilation and increased permeability. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes can result in spasm and edema. This leads to swelling and pain of the appendix found in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. Interleukin-1 is also released to increase the number of white blood cells. Neutrophils will attempt to recognize the infection and destroy it by ingestion. Ingested and destroyed bacteria will lead to pus formation (exudate). If not resolved, appendicitis can lead to further complications such as rupture of the appendix, which may lead to peritonitis (bed cover of infection to lining of abdomen and pelvis). Infection may also enter the blood and travel throughout the body which can be life threatening.DiagnosisPatients with appendicitis lots have elevated body temperatures and pain and tenderness when palpated in the lower right abdomen. These symptoms can be found through physical examination. Further tests moldiness then be done to verify any findings. An X-ray of the abdomen can be done to detect any obstruction that may be causing appendicitis. A swollen or enbountifuld appendix can be seen through ultrasound, however the absence of the appendix through ultrasound does not omit the diagnosis o f appendicitis because it may not be revealed. CT scan can also be used when available and is usually more surgical in diagnosing appendicitis than ultrasound.Clinical ManifestationsIn early cases, decreased bowel function, decreased appetite may be an indication of appendicitis. Abdominal pain may not be localized and is dispersed throughout the lower abdomen. As appendicitis progresses it usually manifests in abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant. unwellness and vomiting may also occur due to obstruction.TreatmentSurgical removal of the appendix (appendicetomy) is usually done. Antiobiotics may be given to reduce the spread of infection and pain medication may be used to manage pain.PrognosisRecovery from surgical removal is usually between 10 to 28 days. Appendicitis may also resolve spontaneously from inflammatory response.ReferencesG. B. Ryan, G. Majno. Acute inflammation. A review. Am J Pathol.1977 January 86(1) 183-276.J R Johnson. Pathogenesis of acute appendicitis. Br Med J.1978 February 4 1(6108) 305. continuing Inflammation Rheumatoid ArthritisCaseBetty is a 46-year-old woman who has been experiencing increasing pain in the joints of her wrists and fingers over the past year. Her symptoms have worsened and increased in frequency. She now experiences stiffness and swelling of the joints in her hand and also in her knees. She has since been diagnosed with early rheumy arthritis.EtiologyRheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that mainly affects synovial joints. The cause of RA is unknown. However it is known to be some form of autoimmunity in which unknown factors trigger the immune system of the body to snipe its own tissues through inflammatory response.PathogenesisThere are many cell mediators that are activated in the body in a patient with RA. Changes initially occur at the synovial lining of joints. Symptoms arise mononuclear cells increase in number and accumulate around the synovium. This causes swelling of the joint. As RA progresses, its characteristics begin similarly to an acute inflammatory process. Many inflammatory mediators are found in the synovial fluid and progressively cause the destruction of the cartilage. A large number of neutrophils can be found which are mainly responsible for acute inflammatory response. Histamine, Cytokines and chemokines can also be found aiding in the inflammatory response. T lymphocytes also play an authorised role in RA by increasing production of antibodies that damage the synovium. These antibodies activate the bodys complement system which plays an important role in immunity and inflammation by destroying cells in ways such as cell membrane destruction, leukocyte activate, adhesion and phagocytosis. Because the disease is autoimmune, inflammatory response occurs intermittently through life with no resolution (chronic).DiagnosisDiagnosis of RA is dependent on a set of criteria. At least 4 of the following criteria must be present Morning stiffness tha t last about 1 hour, Arthritis of 3 or more joint areas (finger, wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, toes), symmetric arthritis, rheumatoid nodules, erosion of bone and reduced calcium in bones, and positive rheumatoid factor blood test.Clinical ManifestationsRA generally manifests in symptoms involving the joints such as pain, swelling, tenderness, and stiffness. Rheumatoid nodules can also occur near the joints. RA can progressively lead to deformities of the joints such as the fingers and toes.TreatmentCurrently there is no cure for RA. Treatment is aimed at decreasing pain and inflammation and protecting the joints from further degradation and maintain function. Treatments can vary greatly due to the colonial nature of the disease. This can involve rest to prevent inflammation and exercise to strengthen the joints and muscles. Medical treatments for RA are also available and include NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), steroids, DMARDs (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs ), biological agents, immunosuppressive drugs and supplements. NSAIDs and steroids are mainly used as anti-inflammatory drugs and do not affect the furtherance of the disease. DMARDs are used to reduce the progression of RA but are not able to halt its progression. Biological agents are used to reduce destruction of the joints.PrognosisProgression of RA can vary from patient to patient. In most, the disease has a life long progression which eventually leads to some level of functional disability.

Okun Law Unemployment

Okun righteousness UnemploymentOkun virtue Unemployment Okuns lawfulness an Empirical demonst footstep across CountriesAbstractOkuns constabulary postulates an antonym comparisonship between the qualify in the unemployment prize and the excursion between actual and potential substantial return. The relation has proven to be an influential confirmable framework in supply-side economics. This paper sets out to empiric entirely in ally judge whether or non Okuns integrity holds and how it varies across the UK, US and japan during the time period 1976-2006. The quarterly selective in castingation sets argon analysed via both OLS Regression estimations oer the whole sample period and drum roll Regression estimations everyplace 18 separate subsamples, with the ascertain to infer how unchangeable the kin has been over the last 30 years. The reasons for these changes and the implications these results give the sack prep ar for form _or_ system of governmentmakers a nd labour securities industrys argon also concisely discussed. In addition, we find that the unemployment rate responds asymmetrically to expansions and contractions in output when the furrow cycle is considered. There is a considerable amount of try that supports Okuns Law social occasionfulness as an empirical kin.Okuns Law is defined as the relationship between the change in the unemployment rate and the take releaseence between actual and potential real output. The relationship has had a substantial influence in macroeconomics in so far that the Law is wide uptaked in macro- shams as nearly as providing the theoretical mental synthesis blocks to contribute to other empirical relationships such as the Aggregate Supply frizzle and the Phillips Curve. For this reason, Okuns Law is an important feature of supply-side economics.Okuns Law also gives policymakers and economists an indication of how the parsimoniousness is performing in regard to both the labour market and the goods market. Furthermore, central banks, primarily m superstartary policy, intake Okuns Law as a forecasting tool to predict changes in the anatomical structure of the parsimony and helper in the decision-making exercise. Its effectiveness as a tool is somewhat contentious, since the relation is designed to be utilised as a benchmark or guidepost to judge the performance of the thriftiness against, rather than as a stringent policy rule. Additionally, the relationship is frequently used to achieve an optimal growth rate (without adverse effects on the unemployment rate) as vigorous as more significantly measuring the cost of high unemployment which is regarded as both socially inapplicable and a waste of human capital.This report card specifically attempts to test, utilize the dynamic version of Okuns Law, whether or not the relationship holds in the UK, US and Japan and how the relationship varies across these countries over the period 1976-2006. This get out be te sted via OLS regression summary. The central research question of this study is to infer from the results how stable the relation i.e. Okuns Law been over the last 30 years for the UK, US and Japan? This bequeath effectively captured by the sensitivity of unemployment changes when output growth deviates from its sense of proportion level, namely the Okun coefficient (The term in the relation).Most papers consent a symmetric relationship between output and unemployment. As a entropyary accusatory of the study, an attempt will be made to test whether or not Okuns Law characte ascendings an asymmetric relationship, in so far that expansions and contractions in output have a different absolute effect on changes in the unemployment rate, an issue pursued by many creators in the forthcoming literature. In addition, the results can be used to interpret to what extent policymakers can predict the performance of output and unemployment in an economy hence the utilitarianness of Okun s Law as a forecasting tool, once instability of the relation is taken into account.OverviewThe study proceeds as followsSection 1 presents a theoretical background to the Okuns Law and its significance as an empirical relationship.Section 2 presents a review of the exist empirical literature on Okuns Law on with discussion of any relevant omissions and contradictions of the respective authors conclusions.Section 3 uses Blanchard (1998) regularityology as a basis for the construction of Okuns Law as well as providing the necessary explanations of the inconstant quantitys used in the exercise, version of the relation used. The methods of data collection and the limitations of the methodology employed will also be stated.Section 4 presents some preliminary data analysis including descriptive statistics, tests for Stationarity, Heteroskedasticity, Serial Correlation and Chow Test for morphological stability.Section 5 presents the empirical results and the subsequent analysis o f the proficiencys used to interpret Okuns Law. Namely, OLS Regression Analysis over the whole period, Rolling Regressions, Stability Tests, and Dummy Variable analysis based on its use in the shape and how the empirical results integrate with the subject matter raised in the literature. The implications of the empirical results for macroeconomic policymakers, the goods and the labour market atomic number 18 also briefly discussed.Section 6 presents a judgement on the overall findings from the analysis of the data as well as providing a critical appraisal of Okuns Law and its benefit as an empirical relation across countries. In addition, potential recommendations will be discussed in the context of how the study and/or the present can be improved for further research.Background TheoryOkuns Law the inverse relationship between unemployment and output is regarded as one of the approximately reliable empirical regularities of macroeconomics. In recent times, there has been a c onsiderable amount of research into the empirical significance of Okuns Law. Policymakers are interested in sustaining output growth and achieving a low unemployment rate and the relationship is seen as a fairly good indication of economic performance. The type of unemployment that will confine depends on how labour supply and demand evolve over time and is the prime reason why Okuns coefficient has reduced over time. The lack of empirical testing in this area is a major limitation of reliable Okun coefficients.In 1962, Arthur Okun, an American economist, formulated and interpreted this relationship. He suggested a negative relationship between the change in the unemployment rate and the growth of real output. many an(prenominal) economists till this day, view Okuns Law to be a very useful relation in assessing macroeconomic performance. Okun accountd that in the US output growth of 3% below equilibrium for one year, leads to an increase in the unemployment rate of one percentage point (reverse case also applies). However, more recent studies have shown that in fact, a 1% increase in output leads to a decrease in the unemployment rate by 2%.The simplicity of Okuns Law, involving the use of heavy economic variables (output and unemployment) makes it a striking empirical relationship to study. However, there are a number of forms or versions that Okuns Law can take. The predominant versions of Okuns Law are the difference version, the dynamic version, the gap version and the production-function version. This study will use the dynamic version of Okuns Law since it is widely used by economists as well as taking into account deviation of output from some equilibrium level, which ultimately creates a more believable investigation.Although the magnitude of the decrease seems to be declining and with widespread acceptance of the relationship being pervasive, structural differences in an economys product and labour markets coupled with the difficulty that natio nal governments face in managing the economy, highlights the need to rigorously investigate Okuns Law still further.Literature ReviewThis section examines the existing empirical literature concerning Okuns Law and the most significant findings. The purpose of this section in accompaniment is to evaluate the usefulness of Okuns Law as an empirical relation against a number of criteria. Additional centralise will be placed on how the relationship varies across both differing time periods and different countries as well as the techniques used in the literature.Using the original formulation of Okuns Law Equation (1) Blanchard (1998) estimated the relation across both countries and time. The time periods the author used were 1960-2003. (1960-1980 and 1981-2003). The author estimated the coefficient for the United States, the UK, Germany and Japan. According to the reports, as expected, the law does hold in all of these countries. The econometric techniques used by Blanchard in constru cting these results involve the use of standard regression analysis. It was brought to our attention that the US had the highest response (-0.39), whilst Japan the lowest (-0.12). This is in parcel explained by the differences in structure within each countrys respective labour markets. The study made 2 plausible yet restricting assumptions. The first being that Output moved one for one with employment. This is an important point to note since economic theory suggests that an expansion in an economys output, ceteris paribus (an increase in productive capacity) will require an fair to middling increase in the amount of labour (workers) needed to produce that additional output. The second assumption is that of A constant labour host. This assumption follows on from the first in that changes in employment are reflected in opposite changes in unemployment. A major critique of these assumptions is the fact that in absolute terms, the rise/fall in the unemployment rate may not be prop ortional to the rise/fall in the employment rate due to labour force club. Blanchard also brought to our attention that in the Medium Run the relationship may differ due to both equilibrium values of output and unemployment returning to their natural levels. This make upment of the variables means that certain macroeconomic policies cannot influence output growth or unemployment rates. However, earlier formulations assumed any increase or decrease in the unemployment rate relative to the rate of output growth to be in equal absolute proportions. The revised equation (below) rectifies this simplistic assumption by involving the actual deviation of output growth from its equilibrium, where the beta coefficient measures the responsiveness of unemployment rate changes to deviations of output from equilibrium output.Ut Ut-1 = - (gyt y) (1)Potential Rate of Output GrowthUnemployment rate at t-1 periodsOutput Growth at t periodsUnemployment rate at t periodsBeta/ImpactCoefficientSogne r, L and Stiassny, A, (2000) investigated Okuns Law for 15 OECD countries to deduce whether structural instability originates from the demand or supply-side of the economy. The Keynesian viewpoint was found to hold unretentive empirical validity in contrast to that of the neoclassical one. This is in part down to the assumption of fixed prices and wages. This is unrealistic to assume particularly in a world where inflation is everywhere a monetary phenomenon. Although firms do change their output plans according to changes in growth, both changes in wages and prices will fall the underlying unemployment rate and any estimates based on such assumptions will derive incorrect results. Economic agents expect certain activities to occur in the upcoming tense based on either past or current activities. The most life-or-death finding of this paper is that the persistence in the unemployment is unafraidest in countries that have a highly protected labour market. Although this is incon clusive in contrast to other studies, it implies to a certain extent that variations in real output only have a small effect on employment levels which needs to be accounted for especially when revisions of the relation are considered.Most Okuns Law stipulations lean to assume a symmetric relationship between unemployment and output growth. In other words, output growth for instance produces the same absolute effect on unemployment. Harris and Silverstone (2000) managed to test this assumption utilize hypothesis tests for New Zealand over the period 1979-1999. They discovered that Okuns Law does hold by means of regression analysis over this period. The most essential insight which can be extended across many countries if need be, is the Okun coefficient which they estimated based on their regression results. In New Zealand, a one percent change in output growth is associated with a 0.4% change in the unemployment rate. This is in fact due to changes in labour force participation, labour hours and capital utilization. The strength of this particular study was the use of labour supply analysis which contributed in reenforcement Okuns Law and its role on the supply side of the economy. The authors do however, wrongly assume a symmetric assumption throughout the paper and this is not plausible, especially in the long-run.Productivity gains and the structure of the labour market play a vital contribution to the outcome of any relationship between unemployment and output. Walterskirchen (1999) proposed this argument to his study. This particular study generates differing perspectives to those posed by both Harris and Silverstone (2000) and thus varies greatly in terms of empirical results. The author does support Blanchards view concerning the existence of a strong positive correlation between GDP growth and change in the employment rate. However, the additional emphasis placed by Walterskirchen is that of productivity gains and labour supply and demand in the context of each countrys individual labour market. The fact that the author cites demographic influences as well as economic is vital to the building blocks of empirical results and whether or not they are consistent with economic theory. The author carried out this particular focus of the study through two predominant methods Time-series data analysis for each individual EU country and cross-country data analysis for the period 1988-1998. In both methods there appears to be a strong negative correlation between output growth and the resulting change in the unemployment rate. Walterskirchen highlighted the difficulty in the calculation of potential output in order to estimate Okuns Law and thus disregarded this method in his empirical analysis, focusing instead on the change in the rate of output and unemployment.He did however, attempt to correct another ambiguity in the fact that the relation overlooks the influence of investment activity and technical progress on labour productiv ity. The results clear show the rate of productivity to be approximately 2% in the EU, representing a constant figure. In times of high unemployment, Okuns coefficient will tend to also be high (1980s). In contrast, demographics explain the contribution of the rise in population growth on the employment rate. It was found that an increase in population growth puts considerable pressure on employment to increase and as a consequence labour productivity diminishes. This is relevant since employment will only grow if economic growth rates are outstripping productivity. This adds further weight to the claims of productivity on the supply-side of the economy and the role it plays in sink the rate of unemployment. The higher the Okun coefficient (usually 0.3 to 0.5), i.e., the elasticity of unemployment rates with respect to GDP growth, the better the chances for reducing unemployment through growth and demand policies. This survey of the study is of great vastness to policymakers. Th e author ensured that the significance of Okuns Law at the government level is not disregarded and hence plays a role in the effectiveness of policy at the macro level.Schnabel (2002) investigated whether Okuns Law can be used to derive estimates of trend output growth but more importantly to focus on whether to use the trend rates derived in constructing measures of the output gap. It is a key concept in the construction of Okuns Law and the subsequent tests. The author pointed out the difficulties of estimating trend output, mostly in part to the numerous methods which can cause biases and problems of interpretation. This is regarded as a major flaw of Okuns Law and Schnabel emphasizes this in his study. The interesting aspect of his econometric methods to test for the Okun coefficient was by use of Rolling Regressions for the G7 countries he intended to estimate. This technique aimed to test how the actual coefficients change or vary over time (many sample periods), in order to c apture the dynamic changes which an economy undergoes over a shorter time horizon. The authors estimates involve the G7 countries as well as the US, Japan and Canada, with each countrys coefficients being significantly different than those of the next. Schnabel found out that the full sample had similar coefficients with that of the sub sample. This indicates that the relationship was relatively stable and accurate with the actual rates providing a sound benchmark to be compared against. A remarkable addition to the overall model was using business cycle stages as measures against the obtained trend values. This allowed the author to test the significance of the coefficients within different stages of growth, recovery or depressions. This is directly attributable to the case of UK, which had deep coefficients of 2.2 for growth an estimate taken from the period 1980-1990. During the 1990s labour market flexibility played vital a role in increasing participation rates within the labo ur market. This would suggest that as potential output grows, actual positive output growth exists. This is not a viable view since alternate(prenominal) unemployment is not constant in all countries. The author, from the results, cited that sophisticated econometric techniques by use of filters may produce more accurate results and less modify of parameters which are not deemed to be constant. In addition, the trend rates obtained should not be interpreted as the rates of growth compatible with stable inflation. By introducing inflation into these estimates would complicate the estimations since such changes are reflected in the intensity of the business cycle, which the author correctly cites as a major limitation of his study.Harris and Silverstone (2001) in their second study examine how upturns and downturns have a direct impact on Okuns Law. A test which detects how unemployment and output growth pit (proportionally) to changes in the business cycle is known as Asymmetry. E arlier, Blanchard made the view that Okuns Law is symmetrical and many economists make this wrong assumption. The adjustment process in the real world follows different paths and involves many complex factors. twain Harris and Silverstone appreciate the need to test for asymmetry and ignoring this would see the hypothesis that there exists an inverse relationship between output and unemployment rejected, as well as numerous forecasting errors being made in the decision making process that policymakers go through. Output growth (yt) was found to be weakly exogenous and this was true for all the OECD countries tested. Co integration Tests (were undertaken through Engle-Granger Two-Step method and Johansen Procedure) were calculated by Harris and Silverstone in an attempt to observe how the coefficients differed asymmetrically when the phase of the business cycle was considered. It was discovered that adjustments to disequilibrium are not prevalent in the downturn phase of the busines s cycle but in the upturn phase they are more volatile due to the nature of both the goods and labour market which is consistent with economic theory. This is not the case for the UK and Japan since results indicated that they in fact move in opposite watchfulnesss. Although, not explicitly stated the author manages to highlight the importance of this test as a benchmark for other relations such as the Philips Curve, AS curve and Taylor-Rule seemingly also strengthening the case for pursuing more in depth study of relationships and their responses in different countries.Kosfeld and Dreger (1992-2000) investigated the German Labour Market and their study stressed the notion that changes in production and employment are virtually related. This gave rise to the Threshold concept, which in basic terms refers to there being a finite amount of capacity both in the economy and at firm-level. Any output growth above this specified capacity will tend to create new jobs and a fall in the un employment rate over time. This serves as an important guideline to policymakers, albeit a different one to that specified by Walterskirchen. The thresholds in fact act as a determining(prenominal) for both employment and unemployment. The authors application of Okuns law is from both the demand and supply-side although Okuns law is usually approached from the supply-side due to the operation of labour markets. Instead of supporting Walterskirchens view on demographics and other factors, the authors in this study believe that they in fact weaken the relationship. This arose due to the complexity of structural developments in the economy. The overall results followed on with the negative relationship between unemployment and output existing in Germany. However the unemployment benefit system in Germany led to employment and unemployment responding differently to changes in output. This response was detected in the 1990s by a method known as spatial correlation equal to 0.2, which wa s regarded as relatively weak. This method is regarded as unsatisfactory since the results derived do not make a credible contribution to the study.Huang and Chang (2005) proposed to evaluate the empirical validity of Okuns Law via structural change using the threshold approach in Canada. This supports Kosfelds and Dregers previous study. The empirical models used are far accurate than previous standard linear equations. This highlights the difficulty in conducting accurate Okuns Law estimations. The study also takes into account the presence of serial correlation and this is embedded into the following autoregressive modelUct = 0 + i uct-i + yct + tIn order to obtain both the unemployment rate and real output growth (GDP) the author has used the Hodrick-Prescott filter (HP) and the Band-Pass filter (BP). Both filters are widely used and results of the study show that Okuns Law strongly holds, with results support the Law with high negative correlations of -0.7967 and -0.8062.How ever, the most crucial finding was that of a high Okun coefficient in the recession phase of the business cycle, this further supports Harris and Silverstones notion that cyclical outputs effect on cyclical unemployment is asymmetric. A high Beta coefficient acts as a signal to policymakers that unemployment is highly responsive to output gap deviations and thus provides a call for actions in the form of controlling the level of AD in the economy stimulating labour participation rates in the labour market.Weber, C.E (1995) study takes a similar direction to that of Huang and Chang however, the element is more specific and thus more precise. His purpose was to test Okuns Law post-war USA, to see if the relationship has been stable after this period. The interesting aspect of this particular study is that there was an apparent oil shock in the 1970s, which affects the supply-side of the economy. Weber focused on the periods both after and before the oil shock. The econometric method u sed for this test was predominantly OLS estimates via some from of Chow Test, using Dummy Variables (below)Uct = 1yct + 2Dtyct + 1tThe empirical results for the OLS estimations were -0.314 which surprisingly turned out to be close to Okuns original estimate of -0.32. However, parameter constancy was rejected due to the high variation in the high t-statistic of -0.277 and 0.402. Weber did leave scope for further future developments with reference being made to the importance of the initial source of the shock (supply or demand) in the outcome of changes in cyclical unemployment/output.On the basis of the existing literature, it is clear to see that Okuns Law does hold across a number of different countries and time periods. The ability to infer how stable the relationship is over both the long-run as well as the short-run proves vital in any empirical analysis undertaken. However, due to some of the components of the model being difficult to estimate as well as other factors such as productivity and inflation affecting output growth, doubts remain over the usefulness or reliability of Okuns Law as a benchmark for policymakers.Research MethodologyModelling Economic TheoryThis sub section will provide the theoretical basis of Okuns Law as well as the major underlying assumptions of the model. In addition, brief explanations of the techniques employed and the justification for their use will be included.Although, using almost the same methodology as Blanchard (1998) the estimates may vary considerably. Firstly, the most significant reason is that Blanchard (1998) tests Okuns Law across a number of different countries including the G7 countries. This study looks predominantly at the UK, US and Japan with the emphasis being placed on the former. Secondly, both studies look at different time periods and different frequency of data. Blanchard (1998) tested the relationship from 1960-2003 using monthly data, while this study will test the relationship with a technique called rolling regressions, using quarterly data from 1976-2006, giving us a more up to date inspection of Okuns Law. Another essential issue which could cause the results to differ is the estimation of potential output needed to compute the output gap term in Okuns Law. Although both studies use this variable, the technique used to measure potential output is different.(1)Ut = (yt )(2)Re-arrangingUt = Ut-1 (yt )Pre-Analysis of the DataSince specific data will be used to build an econometric model and test whether the model has theoretical validity, it is important to determine the properties of the variables in question.Description of DataTo generate the model for Okuns Law as well as test it for each country (UK, US, Japan) this study uses the 124 quarterly data points for the Unemployment Rate (%), Real GDP and Potential GDP (GDP) for the period 1976-2006. The latter two are used to compute the Output Gap term in Okuns Law. To ensure reliability whilst contrasting and analy sing time series data all the variables are logged.Shortcomings of the DataThe estimation method of potential output is an approximate when generated from the Hodrick-Prescott diffuse and thus the computation of the output gap term is not always accurate. Many authors use the Band-Pass Filter and this may lead to discrepancies of the estimations in this study. There may also be bias in the sample, since different countries use different measures to determine the unemployment rate. This study has used percentage unemployment as per the Claimant Count, Bureau of Labour Statistics and Statistics Bureau.Trend AnalysisIn Appendix A, a pictorial account of each variable across the UK, US and Japan is given. It is apparent that over time Real GDP has an upward trend which indicates an expanding economy, at the general level.This study makes three crucial assumptions building on from similar assumptions made by Blanchard (1998). Firstly, we assume that changes in output lead to changes of equal magnitude with changes in employment levels. Secondly, we assume that firms adjust their employment levels in response to labour-productivity growth and this has no bearing on the rate of unemployment. In other words, higher induced labour-force participation rates do not have a detrimental impact of the rate of unemployment, ceteris paribus. Thirdly, we assume that output in the long-run will grow at its underlying rate. In other words y = (In equilibrium as the trend rate suggests in Appendix A).The relationship being estimated is the one between the unemployment rate and real output. Equation (2) is essentially a dynamic version (short-run) version of Okuns Law. The dynamic element stems from the fact that the economy adjusts towards equilibrium over time, hence the use of the output gap term (yt t). The coefficient measures the responsiveness of unemployment changes to changes in output growth from equilibrium (which is denoted by a minus sign in Okuns Law due to the in verse relationship it implies). The equation (2) provides the framework model which will be utilised throughout this study. Economic modelling proposes that Equation (2) is not plausible under the conditions of assuming that last years unemployment rate and potential output (natural rate of output) dont change. I.e. are observed into the constant. To correct this we introduce lags into the model as well as assuming that potential output is absorbed into the constant. Under this new assumption the unemployment rate is derived from the unemployment rate in the previous period. The model thus becomes(3)Ut = 0 + 1Ut-1 + 2yt + t In an expanding economy, real output increases at a stable rate, therefore putting pressure on the economys idle resources. Okuns Law thus predicts that any increases in real output above some underlying trend coincide with locomote unemployment. Additionally, potential output (t) is an unobservable variable. In order to derive Okuns Law an empirical estimation of potential output is needed. Potential output (t) is generated from the Hodrick-Prescott Filter function in EViews. (Appendix A).Potential output is regarded as the underlying trend rate of output. This effectively is the level of output that the economy would produce if it utilised all of its resources. In order to allow for this in the model for Okuns Law we substitute the output gap term (yt t) into yt from Equation (3).This yields the following(4)Ut = 0 + 1 Ut-1 + 2 (yt yt) + t Policymakers are concerned with attaining explicit policy objectives and in order to achieve this they are interested in how the characteristics of a variable have changed over the course of time.In this study, the key variable examined is unemployment, whereby achieving a low unemployment rate is desirable many national governments pursue this policy objective. The fundamental basis for Okuns Law was discovering the cost of excessive unemployment to an economy when real output grows. In an ideal worl d, the rate of unemployment would be low and an economys growth rate to be expanding at a sustained level. Typically, unemployment is considerably unstable in the short run which is clear to see in the graphical representation (Appendix B) of the unemployment rates of the respective countries The UK, US and Japan.The primary problem with running a regression over a whole sample period using time-series data is that the relationship does vary in the short-run sometimes more often than the variations in the long-

Social Policy Essays Structural Consensus

Social Policy Essays geomorphologic ConsensusWelf atomic number 18, the Individual, and Inequalities A Structural Consensus EvaluationUsing the two competing eudaimonia ideologies of conservatism and marxism,and their different assumptions concerning the several(prenominal) and inequalities. critically evaluate aspects of social constitution using structural consensus theory.Many view the maturity of a government or civilization in relation to how that association treats its most needy citizens. The UK government became a eudaemonia state in the 1940s, (Taylor-Gooby 2004). There has recently been a raise in views on many a(prenominal) aspects of welfare, with the future of many government programmes, or at least their scope, in question. The government and communitys struggle to improve the welfare carcass can be considered in light of two of the more prominent social ideologies, Marxism and conservatism. Both ease up strong opinions on welfare as a develop of confederati on, the role of the individual within such fraternity, and how inequalities should be best addressed. These views are addressed more completely, however, by structural consensus theory.Marxism sees human history as a class struggle, with oppressor and oppressed wrestling for control. The dominant class controls and owns the means of production or wealth generation, and the working class in therefore controlled by them. Welfare is a result of the strength of working-class opposition to exploitation, a concession the dominant class must make to maintain social ball club (Anon 2005). Programmes such as welfare and pensions help to legitimise the capitalist system with the working class. Welfare then becomes a nonher vehicle for power and control by the dominant class. Its purpose is to placate or else than empower the curt, and seeks to reduce the individual to a state of dependency on those in power (Anon 2005).According to red ink theory, golf club has unfolded in a series of ever-progressing and better structures, as defined by their economic development and modes of production, from the primitive communal to slave-based to feudal to capitalist. The final stagecoach was communism. This was predicted to be the best possible means of governance and structure of lodge, one that would erase inequalities and allow individuals to achieve their full potential and value within their community (Anon 2005). While communism has faded, at least as it was practised in the Soviet Union and similar countries, socialist ideas have strongly pervaded capitalist ideology, confidential information to the development of the capitalist welfare state common today.Marxism viewed the individual as part of a collective organism, society. Inequalities in society resulted from distinction in classes, not particular individual decisions or behaviours. Conflict was between these classes, and rooted in struggle for power. Only when class distinctions were eliminated could individu als experience equality, although the theory still views them as part of a greater collective (Taylor-Gooby 2004). Marxism assumes the individual can and will contribute to the greater community as much as they are able, and will be motivated by the common good. When society has evolved or elevated itself to this place, inequalities will be dealt with appropriately (Anon 2005).Important ideas of Marxist theory that relate to the current welfare system are the states responsibility to provide for its members and the need for redistribution of wealth. The idea of entitlement, that one must be provided for simply because one is a British citizen, is in retention with these two ideas (Timmins 2004). Welfare is a good and natural occurrence in a mature society, and should be available as much as needed. If society is unable to provide a job, it should provide support if a member of society is unable to support himself, the government should do so.Difficulties in the application of thor oughgoing(a) Marxist ideology have led to a broadening of its doctrines. Marxism now represents a variety of ideas and opinions, grouped by their general opposition to the capitalist society. Supporters of these views have watched in dismay as welfare reform has been introduced in various countries, and at the success the US and other countries have had with the adoption of more nonprogressive welfare policies (Barr 2004). The problem with broad application of Marxist theory is that individuals do take advantage. Easy welfare leads to many choosing to receive benefits when they could work, which weakens society. An example of this in our society is the explosion in the numbers of those receiving incapacity benefit the number has doubled since 1993. It is possible for the unemployed to complain of mental problems say, stress or panic attacks, and be given a life- persistent sick note (Nelson 2005). Persons claiming incapacity when they are in fact able-bodied, then receiving governm ent support, does not truly benefit anyone in the long term.Well-meaning welfare provisions, such as giving increased benefit to single-parent households, has been shown to contribute to the breakdown of the family structure. An average family pays 5,000 pounds a year more in evaluate than they receive in benefits. If they break up, they claim 7,000 pounds more in benefits than they pay in tax (Nelson 2005). This serves as a disincentive for the poor to maintain changeless family units, further eroding their independence from government support. Marxist theory would contend this is an example of a supposed benefit offered by the dominant class that genuinely serves to oppress the working classes.Conservative theory holds to very different tenets. Conservatives stress the need for social order and the responsibility of the individual (Taylor-Gooby 2004). Traditions, usually based on the values of the majority or dominant segment of society, are important and should be respected if not practised by all members of society (Taylor-Gooby 2004). The tenseness on individuality can also be interpreted as the assumption of inequality, that people have different abilities and motivations, and are therefore more or less able to succeed in society. Advancement is seen in terms of individual decisions and actions, rather than something dictated by society or its institutions (Anon 2005).In union to welfare, conservative theory minimises the need for welfare programmes, particularly those for the able-bodied unemployed and elderly who chose not to save or plan for their old age. The unemployed on welfare are often seen as lazy and unwilling to work (Johnston 2005). The individuals ability to hold a job and succeed in society rests upon his or her own shoulders, and not working is deemed irresponsible. This opinion, voiced by Fraser Nelson in a recent The Business article, holds that welfare is not saving people from unemployment, but from sharp-worded jobs (2005). Con servatives stigmatise welfare recipients, believing the stigma or negative perception by other members of society will facilitate their move off the welfare rolls. This type of mindset, at its best, leads to the creation of jobs programmes and other vehicles to assist the individual in rising above his or her need for welfare (Johnston 2005). The conservative considers individuals who do not take such opportunities as unwilling to work or become self-supporting. The social policy of the British government shifted towards conservatism under the Thatcher administration, although still providing a broad welfare programme (Taylor-Gooby 2004).The problem with the conservative perspective is that it fails to fully consider the social, psychological, and economic depravity of certain segments of society or disadvantaged geographic areas. It expects everyone to be able to pull themselves up by their boot-straps, as the saying goes, regardless of whether society has afforded them the means o r tools to do so (Barr 2004). Whilst some from a deprived environment will be able to self-equip themselves to the point they can compete, vocationally and other wise, with persons from advantaged backgrounds, this has historically not been the case for the majority.The logic of and benefit to and individual getting off welfare in favour of a menial job is also questionable, at least from the individuals point of view (Johnston 2005). If given the pickaxe between working at a distasteful or unpleasant place or receiving the same monthly support from a welfare programme, many will logically take the welfare. The Centre for Policy Studies notes that A two-parent family with a stay-at-home mother on average income and a mortgage is only tetrad pounds a week better off than a single-parent household reliant entirely on benefits (Nelson 2005). This makes encouraging the single parent to put his or her children in some type of care whilst they work a hard sell.The Marxist and Conservati ve viewpoints are represented today as left and right(a) elongation politically. The left wing supports broad welfare programmes and public provision it tends to function from a collectivist viewpoint. The Gordon Browns in this camp advocate expanding the current welfare system. The right wing supports only residual welfare, opposing public provision and championing individual responsibility (Anon 2005). The British populace has been progressively moving towards a more middle-of-the-road view of welfare and public provision, although sweeping reforms are yet to occur (Johnston 2005). This gives rise to a functionalist, or structural consensus theory, attitude towards the future of welfare.Unlike Marxism and Conservatism, Structural Consensus Theory focuses on the functional needs of society, and how society meets these needs (Taylor-Gooby 2004). It offers a future vision of society, based on ideals and agreeable relationships. These ideals include a key value system, holistic so cial order, stability, and that the functional needs of the society must be met. The focus is on society as a whole rather than the individual. Society is seen as having the right two to define common values and impose them on its members (Anon 2005). This strong social integration leads to social control and stability. The part and institutions of a society contribute towards meeting the societys functional needs. The cohesion indispensable for these contributions is developed through shared experiences and relationship amongst members and institutions in society (Anon 2005).It then supports aspects of both Marxist and Conservative theory. There is a legitimate, functional need for welfare in society. There will always be some people that are unable to work through no fault of their own. Society has a responsibility for the physically or mentally disabled person, for the widow with small children, for the poor older person who is past the age of employment. It has a responsibili ty to provide food, clothing, shelter, and schooling to children whose parents cannot or will not do so. These are widely agreed-upon needs.The functionalist sees the institutions of society as both providing for these needs and integrating the individuals receiving support into the broader society. The unemployed on welfare are to be encouraged and included, not stigmatised, because doing so is the best running for returning them to work (Barr 2004). Inequality is not a given, but exists as a possibility. A ease between the responsibilities of society and those of the individual member of society are envisioned in balance.Whether this future balance can be achieved is a contested topic. There is a growing concern about and resistance to immigration into Britain. Immigrants are seen as taking British jobs, for less pay, and sometimes rightfully so. A recent poll showed three-quarters of British citizens believe the number of immigrants should be cut back, up from two-thirds with t his opinion in 1995 (Timmins 2004). More people are viewing immigration as a factor in increasing annoyance and disintegration of quality of community life (Timmins 2004). Some blame welfare recipients unwillingness to work as contributing to the immigration issue. Others foresee cultural changes they refute as the number of immigrants rise (Johnston 2005). This type of divisive strife does not propel the country toward common values, stability, or social order. It also creates resentment amongst those required to foot the bill for programmes such as welfare, which they begin to see as undermining their way of life (Johnston 2005).In conclusion, the British welfare state and social policy shifted toward conservatism in the 1980s, and is beginning to experience the effects of a more conservative mindset amongst its citizens. Whether all the tenets of structural consensus theory can be achieved stiff to be seen, but the emphasis on focusing on the functional needs of society, and p roviding systems to meet these needs, will go a long ways toward achieving balance between the responsibility of society to its members and the responsibility of members to be independent contributors to their society.REFERENCESAnon 2005. The politics of welfare. Robert Gordon University Centre for Public Policy and Management online. Available at www.2rgu.ac.uk, accessed 28 March 2005.Barr, N., 2004. Economics of the Welfare State. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Johnston, P., 2005. Do we really not want to work? The Daily Telegraph, London, Features section, p. 23, 14 February 2005.Neslon, F., 2005. How pro-poor policies are widening the welfare gap. The Business, 23 January 2005.Taylor-Gooby, P., ed, 2004. bare-ass Risks, New Welfare The Transformation of the European Welfare State. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Timmins, N., 2004. Hardening attitudes to benefits mesh with government policy. The Financial Times, London, National News Politics and Policy section, p. 4, 7 declin ation 2004.

Essay --

Notorious gang approaches a man with a red shirt and beats him to death for sleeping with the wrong woman. The man wronged the gang first, but the gang overreacted by beating him to death, who is at fault? Luckily, we have laws created by the Legislature to protect us and soak up us in such situations, laws the president at that time agreed upon and that are interpreted by the judicial system. This is known as the system of checks and balances, introduced by our nations forefathers in attempt to balance the power in this new country. Though it was obviously incumbent back then, it is still necessary immediately in this very age. The system of checks and balances plays a major role when our forefathers were writing the constitution as they were making sure no one area of political science had too much power of the others. Using checks and balances, our forefathers made sure each one of the three branches of government can limit the powers of the others. It is a cycle that a lot begins when the legislative branch introduces a bank bill. Then the bill heads off to the executive branch, where the President decides whether he (or yet to be she) believes that the bill is goodness for the country. If the bill seems good for the country, the President signs the bill, and it becomes a law. It is called a veto when the President doesnt sign the bill. However, if of the legislature votes to pass the bill, the legislative branch can override the executive veto, and the bill will then become a law. Once a law is in place, it is up to the judicial branch to interpret said law and determine, through cases, whether or not the law is constitutional. If a citizen of the United States believes a law is unfair, a lawsuit can be filed. Lawyers will argue for and ag... ...very nationality found was included, as well as an equal number of male and female). Our country needs this system now in this very age not only to match the 22% of students that know what the system is, but in order to make sure our politicians do not acquire so much influence and/or power that they can control this beautiful, diverse, and wondrously helping nation where the people who live in it can follow their dreams until the end of their lives.The system of checks and balances are necessary today just as they are necessary back when they were written by the forefathers of our nation. The judicial branch interprets laws made from bills signed by the President who receives those bills from the Legislature. And so the victims of crimes are in luck. Crimes such as the murder of an man by a gang for sleeping with the wrong woman may then be brought to justice.

How Lomax and Fellow Prisoners are Treated Essay -- Prison Alan Lomax

How Lomax and Fellow Prisoners are Treated In this essay I will be looking at ways in which Lomax conveys how heand his fellow prisoners are treated here in this passage from thebook. To show evidence of this I will select quotes which show choicesof form, style, phrase and narrative viewpoint. Overall I aim tohighlight the ways in which the attitudes and values are conveyed tothe reader.Lomax Perfectly describes his transition from a P.O.W camp to OutramGail. What our captors were in concomitant doing was consigning us to alower coterie of hell. This extremely poignant statement shows use ofimagery in a way that stands out to the reader. He uses lower circleof hell, which is a simile to emphasize the absurdity of prisonersbeing sent to Gail.Lomax goes on to describe the horrible neglect that prisoners ofOutram road were experiencing. This was a place in which the existentwere turned into ghosts, starved, diseased creatures wasted down totheir skeletal outlines. Like the first q uote this is Lomax beingvery graphic, morbid about what he has witn...