Dealing With Global Income Inequality and its Consequences

Dealing With Global Income Inequality and its Consequences Tim Mulligan Problem Background: The passing of time has generally served to benefit many of the problems revolving international relations. As time has progressed, so have human development policies, international organizations and missions for global peacekeeping. Time has brought us to an era where nuclear weapons have made all-out war is obsolete, and where greater efforts towards controlling climate change are technologically possible. Time has not served the world’s income inequality well, though. Income inequality is one of international relations seemingly insurmountable obstacles and this can be attributed to several factors that have continuously plagued and complicated the issue. Although recent studies may report increases in the world’s average income within the past few decades, rates of economic inequality have largely remained the same. (Milanovic, para. ) Moreover, the income inequality rates of the world have risen seventeen percent since the year 1820 and only show signs of continuing this pattern. (â€Å"Breaking the Camels Back†) These global rates have experienced rises and falls in correlation to the well-being of the world’s economy, higher equality in positive economic times and lower equality in times of economic crisis. But, the explanation for why income inequality has fallen—and continues to fall—transcends the simple explanation of poor economy=poor economic equality and good economy=good economic equality. The worlds declining rate of equality is a product of a number of internal and international aspects including governmental policies, ethnic discrepancies, colonization and the earth’s limited re sources, all of which have undermined the financial equality of individuals for centuries. The complexity in the causality of this issue is what makes the development and implementation of appropriate international policies such a difficult task. It is also important to note that income inequality does not strictly affect individuals, but also has a large impact on states and furthermore the world as a whole. The income inequality of individuals within a state or nation will often be indicative of the state’s overall power and more importantly its stability. Everything from economic influence, military power, the standard of living, and political participation are byproducts of a state’s level of income inequality. This is because the individuals who experience this degree of poverty typically go unrepresented, either because the wealthy control the interests of the state or because they are under a dictatorship that does not allow them representation. Without equal representation politically and economically, states often face internal struggles with rebellion, constant regime changes, education, extreme poverty and even civil war. These are indicators of a â€Å"failed state†, which is a state in which the government is not in control of its citizens. This lack of stability can shut down government, international trading, national defense, human development and other things that are imperative not only to internal stability, but to relations with the rest of the world. Analysis of the Policy Problem: Several experts provide potential policy options for the improvement of global income inequality levels: Robert Muggah suggests that positive changes in income inequality and poverty are rooted in the structure and policies of urban city governments. He approaches the issue on the basis that the governments of dense urban cities have a more direct impact on the level of income inequality throughout the world than state governments. His emphasis is on communication between city mayors and citizens as well as communication and cooperation between poor cities and wealthy cities. (Muggah, Urban Renaissance) Muggah takes a liberal and very unique approach to the problem. In his expert opinion, he believes that local mayors need to be more receptive to the opinions of their citizens. This is in order to generate an agenda that better embodies the opinions of those who may go unrepresented because of their impoverished status. Muggah believes that the most commonly shared opinions may not in fact be the ones that are receiving treatment through policies and that a better line of communication between government and citizen could bring about more effective governing in regards to dealing with income inequality. (Muggah, Urban Rennaissance) Muggah also finds value in unifying wealthy cities with poor cities. He views this not only as a source of financial aid for struggling cities, but also as an opportunity for impoverished cities to observe potentially more effective income inequality policies. (Muggah, Urban Rennaissance) A second policy position to observe is that of David Dollar and Aart Kraay. They take a stance promoting the benefits of globalization as a means of lowering the level of income inequality throughout the world. They believe that many countries with high rates of income inequality are in such a state because they lack a connection with other, richer countries. They are losing the battle of income inequality internally without looking outward for opportunity and aid from other countries. Dollar and Kraay also stress the idea that the economic decisions of powerful countries play a huge role in the level of global inequality. (Dollar, Kraay, A Rising Tide) The primary point of Dollar and Kraay is that countries that are struggling with income inequality need to find opportunities in international trade and foreign investments. This is because the improvement of impoverished countries is at the will of the world’s more powerful countries. They believe that rich countries that deny economic integration with poor countries need to be dealt consequences or be convinced to do otherwise. Another theory of theirs is that poor countries need to construct governing systems that are consistent with the process of globalization. (Dollar, Kraay, A Rising Tide) Branko Milanovic maintains a viewpoint that is contradictory to Dollar and Kraay’s. Milanovic does not find globalism to generate the amount of wealth for a country that is necessary to bring it’s impoverished out of inequality. He stands firmly behind the idea that extreme capitalism has the greatest chance of decreasing the amount of global income inequality. His idea is that the generation of wealth and jobs from capitalists will in turn generate a larger pool of wealth and opportunities to be shared with the poor. (Milanovic, para. 11-20) Milanovic’s argument is that capitalism is an unstoppable force and that mitigating an individual’s desire for more wealth is impossible. Because of this, he believes that it is a better idea to employ capitalism for its economic growth advantages rather than push for individuals to redistribute their funds among the poor. With that said, Milanovic also calls for a reform in the mindset of the modern capitalist that focuses more on entrepreneurship and the saving of wealth rather than illustrious spending. He specifically refers to the winner-take-all attitude that capitalists have taken on since the 1980’s which he believes has caused wealthy businessmen to focus on personal growth rather than expansion that can benefit all. Milanovic finds that a country benefits more from internal wealth and job creation than becoming interdependent with other countries. (Milanovic, para. 13-21) Ryo Arawatari’s policy position is based on the effect that voter turnout has on the income inequality level of countries. Arawatari tested his theory that low voter turnout may have a negative impact on the level of income inequality in a country with a series of mathematical equations. (Arawatari, pg.32- 53)The results of his tests found that there is a significant negative relationship between the two, mathematically speaking. Arawatari proposes that perhaps income inequality could be lower if more citizens that were impoverished voted and provided themselves with representation regarding the distribution of wealth in their country. He also found that lower voter turnout (statistically) stunts a countries GDP growth rate which could in turn increase the level of inequality in the country. Although he does not specifically propose a change in policy, Arawatari analyses the value of voting and democracy as a potential factor to change the level of income inequality globally. (Arawatari, pg. 29-32) It is important to note the variety of policy positions that are presented. The experts that are cited have fairly different viewpoints in regards to addressing the problem of global income inequality. The two views that seem to contain similarities (if any) are Robert Muggah and Ryo Arawatari’s. Both of these experts advocate an increase in citizen-to-government involvement. Muggah promotes the value of communication between citizens and their local government officials and Arawatari promotes the value of the democratic vote. (Muggah, Urban Renaissance) These are both solutions to global income inequality that rely on the internal processes of countries rather than their policies on foreign affairs. Branko Milanovic also proposes a solution that involves countries working from within their borders but he focuses on what wealthy capitalists can do to lower inequality rather than what the impoverished can do for themselves. (Milanovic, pg.13-20) Branko Milanovic and David Dollar and Aart Kraay have the most conflicting policy stances. Milanovic belittles the value of globalization, which on the contrary Dollar and Kraay are strong proponents. They disagree not on whether globalization has a positive effect on global income inequality, but whether this affect is influential enough to cause a swift, significant and positive change in the problem. (Milanovic, pg.13-20) Not only do they contradict each other on which policy provides the greatest reduction in income inequality, Milanovic goes as far as claiming that globalization will not produce results quickly enough. Milanovic includes timeliness as an important tool for the support for his argument which other experts did not appear to touch on. (Milanovic, pg.13-20) Robert Muggah may have the most unique position on the problem of global income inequality. His addressing of global inequality at the local government level provides a far different solution than other experts. As Milanovic, Arawatari, Dollar and Kraay champion policies that take place at the national or international level, Muggah has a grassroots approach which calls for change at the lowest level of government. Not only that, but his policy relies on a humanitarian and moral policy change while the other experts look more into more structural changes and globalization efforts. Muggah proposes working from the bottom up instead of the more popular policies which work form the top down to solve global income inequality. (Muggah, Urban Renaissance) Major Conclusions: The opinions of these experts are drastically different from one another in regards to their range of options and applicability. Robert Muggah’s serves as the most loosely applicable option. As a policy based simply on â€Å"better† communication between urban city mayors and citizens, the policy can hardly be called a policy, as there is no structural way to implement the idea either within a country or on an international level. This policy could only be applied to cities which are a part of democratic regimes and in states that have local governments. (Muggah, Urban Renaissance) Arawatari’s policy is much more comprehensive than it is ad hoc. Arawatari does not propose a structural policy either, he calls for an initiative to increase voter turnout which greatly limits the potential application for his ideology. This policy would also be limited to use in democratic regimes that have an electorate and even more specifically, states with low voter turnout. (Arawatari, pg.29) Milanovic is also proposes a fairly comprehensive policy that could only be exercised by a select group of countries, or individuals for that matter. His advocacy for extreme capitalism would only apply to countries that have a capitalistic economy which is a fairly small percentage of the countries which have high rates of income inequality. Also, the aspect of his argument that calls for modern capitalists to focus more on entrepreneurial values of job growth and distribution is not enforceable by government which limits its application. (Milanovic, para.13-20) Dollar and Kraays policy is the more as hoc of the group. Their advocacy for globalization is not only a policy that can be implemented in nearly every country, but it can also be instituted through the means of foreign policy efforts, economic interdependency and foreign investment. In promoting globalization, Dollar and Kraay are actually advocating the expansion of the applicability of their own policy. (Dollar. Kraay, A Rising Tide) The policies put forth by these experts have applications that would not yield results for a long period of time as income inequality and other such economic factors are not susceptible to quick changes. The complexity and depth of global income inequality alone could cause even the most successful policy to take a significant amount of time to impact the world. Arawatari and Muggah’s policies although being the most abstract of the policies, could yield the quickest results due to their more direct approach to increasing the representation of individuals who are impoverished. Muggah’s policy of communication between citizens and mayors could have an immediate effect on the representation of cities and their potential changes to help increase income equality depending on the legislatures of the city. If the legislature considers the opinions of the impoverished citizens then perhaps change can come about through statutes. (Muggah, Urban Renaissance) Arawatari’s policy of increased voter turnout can also bring about immediate changes in legislature or public figures that can provide for higher rates of income equality for the impoverished. Milanovic, Dollar and Kraay have more long term policies. Milanovics policy hinges upon the changing of the mindset of capitalists which may not be a goal to rely on as it is abstract. Also his advocacy for extreme capitalism would not generate an immediate change in income inequality because even if the mindsets of capitalists were to align right with his proposed ideal, these individuals could take decades to make an impact that would have an effect on an entire countries economy. (Milanovic, para. 9-20) Dollar and Kraays globalization policy would take the longest not only to implement, to take effect. Creating economic interdependency and expanding relations with other counties alone is a task, but the economic growth that would be expected to follow would take even longer. There are also many factors that can inhibit the policies continuity like war, terrorism and global economic crisis. References Arawatari, Ryo. Informatization, Voter Turnout and Income Inequality. Journal of Economic Inequality 7, no. 1 (2007): 29-54. Accessed April 27, 2015. doi:March 2009. Breaking the Camels Back. The Economist. October 4, 2014. Accessed April 15, 2015. http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21621908-what-impressive-work-economic-history-tells-you-about-inequality-breaking. Dollar, David, and Aart Kraay. Spreading the Wealth. Foreign Affairs. January 1, 2002. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/57626/david-dollar-and-aart-kraay/spreading-the-wealth. Milanovic, Branko. Inequality and Its Discontents. Foreign Affairs. August 12, 2011. Accessed March 28, 2015. http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/68031/branko-milanovic/inequality-and-its-discontents. Muggah, Robert. Fixing Fragile Cities. Foreign Affairs. January 15, 2015. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/142760/robert-muggah/fixingfragile-cities

A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong’o

This work of art is set in pre-independent Kenya as the struggle between the colonizers and the Africans escalate. It gives a clear picture of colonial Kenya as it were and as the Africans tried to resist British rule through the Mau Mau guerillas.A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong’o is a novel that illustrates the people of Kenya and each of their personal journeys as they all struggled for independence through the use of a few characters.   According to Nadine Gordimer, ‘it is an extremely interesting piece of work because it brings a new theme to African literature-the effects on a people of the changes brought about in themselves by the demands of a bloody and bitter struggle for independence’ p 226Mugo is depicted in the novel as one of the major characters. He is seen as an introvert and mostly keeps to himself. In the British reserve camps where the Africans lived and worked. He is seen as a hero as he led a hunger strike and came to the defence of a pre gnant woman who was to be beaten to death by a village guard. Ironically Mugo is the one who betrayed Kihika to the British and because of this, he is now the introvert he is and broods a lot.Apparently Mugo is also jealous of Kihika; this is evident when he thinks to himself ‘what right has such a boy †¦to talk like that? What arrogance?†¦I hate him, he heard himself say’. He resents Kihika that he should be able to command such respect from everyone as he does, including his elders who all listen when he talks. ‘their eyes were fixed on Kihika; their lives seemed dependent on his falling words.Kihika who is undoubtedly the hero in the novel is portrayed as a martyr. This is because he is seen to sacrifice himself for the good of the country. On the other hand, he alludes himself to Christ in the sense that he died for the good of the people. ‘Watch ye and pray†¦calling on his audience to remember the great Swahili proverb kikulacho kiko nguo ni mwako. Meaning, those who betray you are usually your closest allies. This further alludes to him as Jesus and Mugo as Judas Iscariot.Mumbi is Kihika’s sister and Gikonyo’s wife. She is said to be the most beautiful woman in the area. Although not voluntary, she betrays her husband with his rival Karanja when he forces her to sleep with him. This causes great resentment from her husband when he returns from prison. Mumbi sees herself as the biblical Ester in trying to bring in justice for the people.Karanja although an African, is a collaborator. In this sense, he betrays his people by siding with the white man and betraying his people. He is suspected by the people as being the one who sold out Kihika but ironically it wasn’t him. He is jealous of   gikonyo but at the same time refuses to consider him a serious rival for Mumbi.

Dharma Bums

Erica Schlecht Professor George Dorsty English 223 2 April 2013 A True Dharma Bum One of the most powerful quotes in the entire book that I feel sums up what it is to be a dharma bum, â€Å" I felt free and therefore I was free†. This quote from Ray Smith shows that a dharma bum must always believe in oneself and take the journey to becoming a Dharma bum from within. Although one can learn from fellow dharma bums such as the Saint Teresa bum, Han Shan, and Japhy the ultimate truth of being Dharma bum comes from within.Saint Teresa Bum is the â€Å"first genuine dharma bum† that Ray Smith, the main character is Dharma Bums has ever met. The book starts off with Smith jumping into a box car where he runs into the Saint Teresa bum. The bum found a prayer written by Saint Teresa that he cut out of a reading room magazine in Los Angeles a few years before. He reads this poem to himself every single day as he roams around staying out of everyone else’s way. When Smith asked the bum about his religion he was very modest about it.Smith also noticed that the bum was much more patient than he when it came to the boxcar being so cold. Although Smith never fully reveals why he thinks he is the first true dharma bum he has met, I believe it is because he humbles Smith and teaches him more about being a true dharma bum than he could have ever imagined. Before meeting the bum, Smith felt very secure and sure that he was a true bum. After seeing how loyal this bum was to reading his prayer and staying true to himself he re thinks what it means to be a dharma bum.The Saint Teresa bum’s patience, focus on prayer, and spirit about life make him a dharma bum. Another Dharma Bum that Jack Kerouac learns from is Han Shan. From the book we see that, â€Å"Han Shan you see was a Chinese scholar who got sick of the big city and the world and took off to hide in the mountains† (14). He wrote â€Å"Cold Mountains† a thousand years ago scribbled o n the sides of clips hundreds of miles away from human beings. He only had one human friend, a â€Å"funny Zen lunatic Shin-te† who was a poet but did not write down his poems.Hand Shan was Japhy Ryder’s hero because he was a poet, mountain man, a Buddhist dedicated to the principle of meditation on the essence of all things, vegetation. A man of solitude who could take off by himself and live purely and true to himself. From Han Shan one can take away that a Dharma Bum is one who follows the same life that Han Shan does. A dharma bum must be able to live in solitude and be dedicated to meditation. Both things that all of the dharma bums written about in this novel strive to do.The truest dharma bum that is written about in the novel Dharma Bums is the one of the main characters, Japhy Ryder. Japhy teaches â€Å"Dharma Bums refusing to subscribe to the general demand that they consume production and therefore have to work for the privilege of consuming, all that cramp they didn't really want anyway such as refrigerators, TV sets, cars, at least new fancy cars, certain hair oils and deodorants and general junk you finally always see a week later in the garbage anyway, all of them imprisoned in a system of work, produce, consume, work, produce, consume†¦ (Chapter 13). A dharma bum according to Jack Keroac is on that does not fall into the traps of society such as those who find happiness in work and worldly possessions. This comes back to the idea that your car is driving you to work. If you did not feel the need to purchase the car then you would not have to work. The simplicity of life is praised and sought after in the life of a dharma bum. One must be okay with the solidarity and embracing oneself. The dharma bums also tend to follow a buddhist life style.In chapter 24 the same idea is brought up, â€Å"Maybe I'll be rich and work and make a lot of money and live in a big house. † But a minute later: â€Å"And who wants to enslave himself to a lot of all that, though? † (Chapter 24). Jack Kerouac’s writing about this shows that dharma bums do not need to fit into the mold of working society to be happy. At the same time a dharma bum is not one that sits around doing nothing, but one who constantly searches for oneself in nature and the things around him.This is shown in another quote from the book, â€Å"by God, you're right, all those sedentary bums sitting around on pillows hearing the cry of a triumphant mountain smasher, they don't deserve it† (Chapter 12). Smith discusses what he has learned from Japhy here, â€Å"I realized I had indeed learned from Japhy how to cast off the evils for the world and the city and find my true pure soul, just as long as I had a decent pack on my back. I got back to my camp and spread the sleeping bag and thanked the Lord for all He was giving me† (156). Japhy has taught Smith that the Lord gives us all that we need and to look within the find tr ue Dharma Bum peace.Being a Dharma Bum is not something that can be defined as one particular thing. Following certain procedures such as disposing of worldly possessions to look within and find oneself is a good step, but cannot truly define one’s journey. The Dharma Bums that Smith learns from, the Saint Teresa bum, Han Shan, and Japhy are all great examples and can be learned from. Many things can be taken away from their own personal journey such as the focus on nature and looking inward. Works Cited Kerouac, Jack. The Dharma Bums. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print.

Formal Introductions in Japanese

Japan is a country whose culture stresses ritual and formality.  Proper etiquette is expected in business, for example, and even  saying​ hello  has a set of strict rules.  Japanese culture is steeped in honorific traditions and hierarchies depending on a persons age, social status, and relation. Even husbands and wives use honorifics when speaking to each other. Learning how to make formal introductions in Japanese is vital if you plan to visit the country, do business there, or even take part in ceremonies such as weddings. Something as seemingly innocuous as  saying hello at a party  comes with a strict set of social rules. The tables below can help ease you through this process. Each table includes the transliteration of the introductory word or phrase on the left, with the word or words written in Japanese letters underneath. (Japanese letters are generally written in  hiragana, which is the more widely used portion of the Japanese kana, or syllabary, having characters that are cursive.) The English translation is on the right. Formal Introductions In Japanese, there are several levels of formality. The expression, nice to meet you, is spoken very differently depending on the social status of the recipient. Note that those of a higher social status requires a longer greeting. Greetings also become shorter as the formality decreases. The table below shows how to deliver this phrase in Japanese, depending on the level of formality and/or the status of the person you are greeting. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Very formal expressionUsed to a higher Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. To a higher Douzo yoroshiku. To an equal Yoroshiku. To a lower Honorific O or Go As in English,  an  honorific  is a conventional word, title, or  grammatical  form that signals respect, politeness, or social deference. An honorific is also known as a  courtesy title  or an  address term. In Japanese,  the honorific o 㠁ŠÂ  or go 㠁” can be attached to the front of some nouns as a formal way of saying your. It is very polite.   o-kuni someone elses country o-namae someone elses name o-shigoto someone elses job go-senmon someone elses field of study There are some cases where o or go does not mean your. In these cases, the honorific o makes the word more polite. You might expect that tea, which is very important in Japan, would require an honorific o. But, even something as mundane as a toilet requires the honorific o as the table below illustrates. o-cha tea (Japanese tea) o-tearai toilet Addressing People The title san—meaning Mr., Mrs., or Miss—is used for both male and female names, followed by either the family name or the given name. It is a respectful title, so you cannot attach it your own name or to the name of one of your family members. For example, if a persons family name is  Yamada,  you would great him as  Yamada-san, which would be the equivalent of saying, Mr. Yamada. If a young, single womans name is Yoko, you would address her as  Yoko-san, which translates into English as Miss Yoko.