Is High IQ a Guarantee of Academic Success

Is High IQ a Guarantee of Academic Success High IQ isn't an assurance of progress however it is an indicator of scholastic achievement. The investigation shows that understudies with IQ score inside the virtuoso level are progressively versatile, more advantageous, more grounded, and scholastically fruitful yet just a couple were effective throughout everyday life. Those with IQs past virtuoso level are profoundly keen however socially bumbling, intellectually insecure, and not prosperous. Hashtag: #MouseTrapSpellingBee What Is Really an IQ? Level of intelligence is â€Å"intelligence quotient†, the consequence of a mental test where a score of 95-100 is viewed as normal or ordinary knowledge. Presently, by sound judgment, a score a lot higher than anâ average mark, say 140, is uncommon insight, a virtuoso while score route beneath 95 is moronic. THE BRIGHT SIDES OF ACADEMIC INTELLECTUALS WE CALL NERDS Individuals frequently respect an individual with better than expected IQ since they are more insightful than others are. Investigation of individuals with high IQ scores proposes that they have aâ better visual observation or the capacity to see little things obviously by shutting out interruption. They are additionally increasingly liberal, less inclined to be criminal, preservationist in their feelings, versatile to change, and talk with lucidity and exactness. How IQ Test Works? Let us investigate the fundamentals of the IQ Test and see whether individuals with high IQ scores are better in some perspective. The explanation behind setting the normal score to 100 is â€Å"standardization†. Practically speaking, since IQ Test is regularly managed in a gathering, 100 isn't really the normal but instead a level by which each person’s score will be contrasted with get the ordinary conveyance in a specific delegate test. The IQ Test measures â€Å"Crystallized and Fluid intelligence†. The term â€Å"Crystallized† implies total information and abilities while â€Å"Fluid† implies thinking, critical thinking, and unique gratefulness aptitudes. Is IQ Stable When Under Pressure? Thusly, other human characteristics, for example, ability, interest, steadiness, and difficult work have no worth. Additionally, the most seasoned individual in the delegate test will score higher as solidified insight is combined or the aggregate of all information and aptitudes learned as the years progressed. As per the analysts, IQ scores are just markers of critical thinking and thinking and in this manner don't speak to a person’s by and large insight and achievement in later life. Level of intelligence score is reliant on the physical and mental state of the individual being tried along these lines a wiped out or discouraged individual is probably going to score lower. An individual with high IQ taking a #MouseTrapSpellingBee will like waver because of weight and uneasiness over the excruciating punishment when he commits a spelling error. Also, an individual with high IQ is probably going to exceed expectations in some part of life and thusly not all including a fruitful life. High IQ and Academic Success What occurs if an individual has an IQ of 5000? Scores over 200 are anâ incalculable virtuoso or significantly talented. Consequently, a score of 5000 might be faithful however no term is accessible. The inquiry, be that as it may, is individuals scoring 140 (Genius) or above frequently prevails in scholastics and increasingly fruitful? High IQ isn't an assurance of achievement yet it is an indicator of scholarly achievement. The examination shows that understudies with IQ score inside the virtuoso level are increasingly versatile, more advantageous, more grounded, and scholastically effective yet just a couple were fruitful throughout everyday life. Those with IQs past virtuoso level are profoundly clever yet socially uncouth, intellectually unsteady, and not prosperous. It’s not a mystery that a great deal of notable researchers, craftsmen and legislators have a truly elevated IQ level. They were are as yet well known. However, did they see themselves as effective throughout everyday life? No one knows. What we can be sure of is that these high IQ individuals had a genuine scholastic achievement. In any case, is that just for scholarly achievement? Not under any condition! Analyst Lewis Terman demonstrated that high IQ level isn't sufficient for scholarly achievement. Such close to home qualities as self control, imagination, constancy, and enthusiastic development are the ones which truly assume a significant job in being fruitful! Scholastic INTELLECTUAL IN POLITICS Solidified and Fluid insight are solid indicators of accomplishment however individuals with more noteworthy Fluid knowledge or thinking, critical thinking, dynamic perception has much better possibility of scholarly achievement. Essentially, high IQ doesn't ensure life accomplishment as this sort of accomplishment need more than information and aptitudes, thinking, and others. It needs difficult work, strength, steadiness, ability, and passionate insight.

Is Time Travel Possible? Essay -- Space Back to the Future Science Fic

Is Time Travel Possible? Time travel has consistently captivated people. Being ready to change the past or the future makes endless prospects. The most widely recognized type of time travel is using a time machine, despite the fact that now and again, characters with enchanted forces can ship others in time. The subject of time travel has been raised in different blockbuster motion pictures, for example, Back to the Future arrangement, the Terminator set of three, and even Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.4 In the scholarly world, some notable journalists have expounded on time travel, including H.G. Wells, Issac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein and Madeline L’Engle. There are melodies about time travel, from George Harrison’s â€Å"Any Road† to â€Å"The Timewarp† from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Time travel is likewise an unmistakable subject in ads and ads, TV programs, and craftsmanship. In these media structures, time travel can be understood as positive or n egative. Now and again, the legend or courageous woman in the story makes a trip back so as to spare somebody or change an awful result. In others, messing with the past prompts disaster later on. A successive theme on this is the thing that occurs if one somehow happened to meet himself before. Since we have no unequivocal answers on the idea of time travel, the conceivable outcomes in amusement are huge. Deductively, there are as of now three well known speculations on how time travel might be conceivable: using dark gaps, wormholes, and enormous strings. There are two sorts of dark gaps. Schwarzschild dark gaps are the more notable and comprise of a peculiarity at the inside that smashes all issue to the point of being unrecognizable. Kerr openings are turning dark gaps where the peculiarity is framed in a ring, much like th... ...htly more established while his twin has since a long time ago kicked the bucket of mature age. The outcomes of time travel on society would be colossal. Today’s moral frameworks depend on the idea that (as Shakespeare composed) â€Å"what’s done can't be undone.† A general public where the remedy of past mix-ups or the avoidance of future ones was conceivable would in all likelihood have a drastically unique good framework less centered around the outcomes of one’s activities. (1)Hawking, Stephen. â€Å"Lectures: Space and Time Warps.† <http://www.hawking.org.uk/addresses/puindex.html>. (2) Pickover, Clifford. â€Å"Traveling Through Time.† 2000. NOVA Online. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/time/through.html. (3)â€Å"Sagan on Time Travel.† 2000. NOVA Online.<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/time/sagan.html>. (4)â€Å"‘Time Travel’ Transcripts.† 1999. NOVA. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2612time.html>.

Spot the Blogger

Spot the Blogger When the CPW schedule came out  when I was a prefrosh 50000 years ago, I turned into a puddle of excitement. A puddle! I tried to plan out a full itinerary and ended up with something like this: and miserably failed at attending all the events I had hoped to be at. While this is not a guide to optimizing your CPW experience here are a few things I wish I knew as a prefrosh! 1) Your host loves you, so try your best to get to know them!  Remember that your host is fully aware of the commitment of hosting a prefrosh, so dont feel like you are a burden. However, you shouldnt plan on glomming onto your hostâ€"remember that campus is filled with hundreds of other prefrosh just like you, so itd be a shame to not go out and meet them :) 2) The MIT Mobile application  will help you navigate across campus and on the Boston side where you might find events from FSILGS. Download it and check it out! You can also use whereis.mit.edu for a simple Google Maps version of campus. Dont be afraid to explore there are great events that are often a shuttle ride away. 3) You can catch up on sleep when you get home. Dont feel guilty for wanting to stay up and try everything. :) Youve earned it! 4) CPW is still school for us! (unfortunately) If your host has classes on Thursday and Friday, or club meetings throughout CPW, or a bit of studying or problem sets to do for next week then your host is indeed an MIT student! Dont fret and feel like they dont want to spend time with youâ€"they are often trying their best to clear their schedule for you. :D ~~~~~~~ And if you want to find a blogger for some life guidance? Heres where youll find us this CPW: I will be at Activities Midway on Saturday at the Asian American Association and Undergraduate Association booths! please come say hi and get some free swag from me :) at Phi Sig Iron Chef enjoying some of the best (and most elaborate?) dinner on campus at my sorority on Saturday from 5-7pm for our open house eventâ€"make your own pizza. all the pizza. infinite pizza! making delicious dumplings on Saturday with the Asian American Assocation floating around to cheer on my friends at a number of different events Anna H. 14 will be getting ready to help run the following French House events: Cards Crêpes on Thursday and dinner on Friday presenting a poster on my astronomy research at the MURJ/Sigma Xi CPW Poster Session on Saturday at Meet the Bloggers on Friday MCing at the Closing Show on Saturday :) Rachel D. 16 will be in the EC courtyard helping to dye hair and show everyone how awesome EC culture is helping out with the EC haunted house on Saturday night as a scary person giving tours of East Campus if you see her in the courtyard and recognize her as a bloggerâ€"shell let you meet the infamous cats of Tetazoo! Erick P. 17 will be at Skullhouse (Phi Kappa Sigma) manning different dinners and steak and shake every night at Meet the Bloggers on Friday living the prefrosh life, so dont blow his cover Emad T. 14 will be at a screening of Silver Linings Playbook, an event co-sponsored by Active Minds at MIT and the LSC at the Activities Midway at the UA, Active Minds and SMASH booths probably trying to steal pancakes and eating stuff at Max Brenner And blogger or notâ€"dont be afraid to ask a student tough questions if youre looking for deeper answers. Beyond our hopes that CPW is one of the craziest experiences of your life, we hope that it answers a lot of your questions if you do have a tough choice to make. My CPW host helped me understand why MIT was a good fit for me. :) Oh and 5) Bring a pair of comfortable shoes you can walk, run and climb in. For uhh exploring.

7 Types of Female Characters in Shakespeares Plays

Certain types of female characters often resurface in Shakespeare’s plays, telling us a great deal about his view of women and their status in Shakespeares time. The Bawdy Woman These characters are sexualized, cheeky and flirtatious. They are often working-class characters such as the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Margaret in Much Ado about Nothing or Audrey in As You Like It. Mainly speaking in prose, as befitting their low social status, these characters often use sexual innuendo when conversing. Low-class characters like these can get away with more risquà © behavior—perhaps because they have no fear of losing social status. The Tragic Innocent Woman These women are often pure and chaste at the beginning of the play, and tragically die once their innocence is lost. In stark contrast to his presentation of bawdy women, Shakespeare’s treatment of young innocent women is fairly brutal. Once their innocence or chastity is taken away, they are literally killed to signify this loss. These characters are generally courtly, high-born characters such as Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, Lavinia from Titus Andronicus or Ophelia from Hamlet. Their high social standing makes their demise seem all the more tragic. The Scheming Femme Fatal Lady Macbeth is the archetypal femme fatal. Her manipulation of Macbeth inevitably leads them to their deaths: she commits suicide and he is slain. In her ambition to become Queen, she encourages her husband to murder. King Lear’s daughters, Goneril and Regan, plot to inherit their father’s fortune. Once again, their ambition leads them to their deaths: Goneril stabs herself after poisoning Regan. Although Shakespeare seems to appreciate the intelligence at work in his femme fatal characters, allowing them to manipulate the men around them, his retribution is brutal and unforgiving. The Witty, but Unmarriable Woman Katherine from The Taming of The Shrew is a prime example of the witty but unmarriable woman. Feminists have commented that their enjoyment of this play is marred by the fact that a man literally â€Å"breaks† Katherine’s spirit when Petruchio says â€Å"Come on  and kiss me, Kate.† Should we really celebrate this as a happy ending? Similarly, in the plot to Much Ado About Nothing, Benedick ultimately conquers the feisty Beatrice by saying, â€Å"Peace, I will stop your mouth.† These women are presented as clever, bold and independent but are put in their place by the end of the play. The Married Off Woman Many of Shakespeare’s comedies end with an eligible woman being married off – and therefore being made safe. These women are often very young and passed from their father’s care to their new husband’s. More often than not, these are high-born characters such as Miranda in The Tempest who is married to Ferdinand, Helena and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hero in Much Ado About Nothing. Women Who Dress as Men Rosalind in As You Like it and Viola in Twelfth Night both dress as men. Consequently, they are able to play a more active role in the play’s narrative. As â€Å"men†, these characters have more freedom, highlighting the lack of social liberty for women in Shakespeare’s time. Falsely Accused of Adultery Women in Shakespeare’s plays are sometimes wrongly accused of adultery and suffer greatly as a result. For example, Desdemona is killed by Othello who supposes her infidelity and Hero falls terribly ill when she is falsely accused by Claudio. It seems that Shakespeare’s women are judged by their sexuality even when they remain faithful to their husbands and husbands-to-be. Some feminists believe that this demonstrates male insecurity about female sexuality.

The Use of Force - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1549 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/09/12 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? The Use of Force The point of view in the story â€Å"The Use of Force† is in first person narrative. This conveys inner the inner thoughts of the narrator as the doctor. The doctor is a reliable narrator and an observer. I feel that his personality is brought out in the doctor. So the doctors thoughts and behaviors are a reflection of the authors. As for the setting it takes place at a family’s home. I think it takes place somewhere in the early 1900s. I think it would make a difference to the story if it were set somewhere else, only because if the sick girl was brought to like a hospital for example, maybe she would have been diagnosed and helped sooner without all the hassle that occurred at the house. The diction of the story is simple. It doesnt seem too complicated and is easy to make sense of. The author makes his points, and plot of the story clear and easy to understand. The personality of the Doctor is thoughtful. He comes into the house trying to help the sick girl, but after he realizes how shes behaving his personality starts to change. He gets a lot less patient and angrier. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Use of Force" essay for you Create order The mothers personality is sort of frantic and nervous. Shes worried about her child, and when the doctor has to use other methods of helping her, she starts to become more worrisome and a little annoying. The fathers personality is kind of concealed but nervous too about his daughter. He doesn’t seem to show much emotion. The daughters personality is concealed and aggressive. I think the doctors personality has he most dramatic change in the story. Like I said, he comes into the house ready to help someone, and after all the being shut out by the child, he starts to get angrier and his thoughts become a little more darker. The conflict in the story is trying to help this little girl. I feel like the conflict changes when the girl becomes more aggressive and wont give in to getting help. The conflict reaches a climax at the end when the doctor struggles to get the girls mouth open and she refuses. The resolution is when the wooden stick breaks, so he uses a metal spoon and he finally gets her mouth open and figures out what was wrong with her. The effect that this plot had on the story is that it put the focus on the girl and doctor. I think the theme to the story is irony. The reason I think its irony is because of the conflict between the doctor and the girl. You would expect a doctor to be gentle and trustful. Thats the way it starts out in the story but when the girl starts refusing medical attention, the doctor must use methods of forcing her. Thats where the name â€Å"The Use of Force† plays in. the theme does provide insight on the human condition, it shows that under a certain amount of stress, or anger, your mindset or personality could change instantly. I don’t think any of the characters experienced an epiphany. â€Å"A Visit Of Charity. † The point of view in the story â€Å"A visit of Charity† is in the third person narrative. I don’t think it really portrays much of the author. I think its just telling the story from the little girl, Marians, point of view. I think Marian is very observant. She noticed a lot of things throughout the story. Like the relationship between the old women. The condition of the room, the way the old women spoke to each other. I don’t think her personality has much effect on whats going on with the old women. The story takes place in an old womens home. Not too sure when this story takes place. It doesn’t give too much detail on that. I think it would change the story a lot if the location were changed. Marian wouldn’t of been able to observe or communicate with the old women if it were somewhere else, the way she did at the old womens home. I don’t think it would of made sense anywhere else. The dictation Marians personality is very shy, scared, and nervous throughout the story. The first old womens personality was very outgoing, talkative and she liked to communicate. The second old women, Addie, was bitter, angry and very pessimistic. No, I don’t think any of the characters personalities changed in the story. So it didn’t effect the point of the story. Something that really puzzled me in the story was when the first old lady ran after Marian in the hall and sort of grabbed her by her hair and asked her for a penny. I didn’t understand that point and I don’t think it made much sense to the story. The conflict in the story is when Marian actually goes into the old womens room. The conflict isn’t very clear, but its very obvious there is a problem. The first old women is very outgoing, and the second old women, is angry, and bitter. So there’s a bit of clashing going on with them and it shows when they spoke to each other. The events that led up to the plot are Marian going into the Old womens home, being in the room and communicating with them til finally she gets so scared she runs out. The theme of this story is also irony. Everything in the story conveyed the theme irony, only because everything seemed like the opposite of what it should have been. For instance when Marian goes to the old womens home for charity. The purpose of charity is to help people who cant help themselves, or to do something nice for someone. In the story, Marian isn’t doing it to be helpful, she is only visiting the old women for extra points for her campfire girls. Another example of the irony was the old women constantly disagreed or contradicted each other. One old women was overly optimistic and ignorant of Addies constant negativity and rudeness towards her. You would expect that since they are roommates and they have no one but each other, that they would get along more and respect each other more, but that’s obviously not the case. The theme does provide insight on the human condition because I think that everyone portrays a little bit of irony in what they do. I don’t think any of the characters had an epiphany during the story. The Gift of Sweat† The point of view in the story â€Å"The Gift of Sweat† is in first person narrative. What this adds to the story is that the author herself might just be the character in the story. The author/character is in fact a reliable narrator, she is very descriptive and detailed. The story I think mainly takes place in Ricks apartment, although the story does reference a few other places such as the hostess, and the hospital. As for the time period that it takes place, that is not very clear. I think changing the setting of the story would effect it. I think since it takes place at Ricks apartment, it kind of represents a stronger relationship between the two. It gives off the sense that theres something between them, personally. If it were changed, for example like at a restauraunt or school, it wouldnt give off that vibe of the two being so close and somewhat intimate with eachother? It seems intimate only becaause of how the women goes to Ricks apartment, and at the end when he gets her a â€Å"gift. † The diction of the story The personality of Ricks women friend is caring and maybe somehow affectionate. Ricks personality is similar. They both are also very friendly with each other. Ricks character does change in the story, I think it happens when he suddenly gets sick. He becomes more weak and his personality seems like it changed also. The conflict in the story is when Rick suddenly gets sick. I didnt realize he was sick from aids, til I read the student analysis of the story in the textbook, so thats when I figured out what was wrong with him. I main events leading up to the plot arent shown in the story, its sort of told to you. The story talks about Ricks friend Barry, who we later find out is Ricks lover. It starts from there. Barry dies from AIDS, and its inferred that Rick now has AIDS. The story reaches its climax when the lady friend comes to Ricks apartment and finds him sick. The resolution I think is when he goes to the hospital. I think the theme in this story is friendship. Im not 100% sure but im not getting any other ideas on it. The reason I think its friendship is because these two people share a close bond with eachother, and when one gets sick, the other tried to make things as easy as possible for the other friend. Like when Rick went to the hospital, the lady friend stayed behind at his apartment and cleaned for him, and

Wisdom from Suffering Free Essays

Amber Lyles Humanities HNS Period 9th 18 September 2011 Wisdom From Suffering â€Å"Suffering is the price of being alive. †; â€Å"make use of suffering. † These straight forward quotes sourced from the thoughts of Judy Collins and Henri-Frederic Amiel are produced from different origins but compatible. We will write a custom essay sample on Wisdom from Suffering or any similar topic only for you Order Now Collins’s is stemmed from the idea that suffering cannot be avoided and Amiel’s is from his philosophy of the art of living. Most people try to deny and avoid the path of suffering. Yet, they often fail to realize that no matter how many detours they take around suffering, the construction of it is still going to be there. Might even relocate closer to them where they are forced to really deal with it. In Sophocles play Oedipus Rex, Oedipus, the king of Thebes suffering comes from personal and criminal revelations. Somewhat similar but not nearly as extreme is and/or was the origin of my suffering. Good thing is that, people gain wisdom from suffering through growth and acceptance. Being king is hard, title alone comes with high prestige and expectations. Oedipus was put on a pedestal by the citizens of Thebes like he was their God. That was their biggest mistake. So when the land of Thebes is plagued by disease and death, Oedipus pleas that â€Å"I know that you are deathly sick; and yet, sick as you are, not one is sick as I. Each of you suffers in himself alone his anguish, not another’s; but my spirit groans for the city, for myself, for you. † Oedipus not only wants the city to know that he suffers with them but that he suffers substantially because his suffering not only includes himself. Now not saying that what was said wasn’t sincere, just the fact that he knew of how they saw him put pressure on him to over exaggerate a little to make a point that he cared. His greatest suffering came through the process of finding out who killed King Laius; a king before him, whose death was believe to have brought the plague. During that process Oedipus was told by Teiresias, a blind prophet, â€Å"†¦. you are the murderer you seek. † Of course Oedipus dismissed the statement; cursed the prophet and his words. Not only was Oedipus being the murderer revealed, but the fact that he was a Theban; born to Iokaste who is his current wife and mother of his kids. That means that he married and had kids with his own mother. From that moment on Oedipus is confused, enraged and accuses Kreon bringing Teiresias to him to as a way to try and his throne. The suffering of the city of Thebes caused by the plague-wind brought about by a way of the death of King Laius leads to the wisdom brought about by Teiresias. The knowledge that Oedipus gains is that he killed his father, married and had kids with his own mother. Oedipus brought about his own doom and â€Å"served his own destructionâ€Å"; in the words of Kreon. Anyhow, I’d like to share my own story. I was born in Chicago on March 4, 1994 to Brenda Yarbrough and Marvin Lyles. Well that’s what I’d thought. Found out when I was 8 or 9 that Marvin Lyles wasn’t my father and that my real dad wanted nothing to do with me. I blamed my mother for a lot a lot of things, which I’ve felt bad for because she’s had enough to deal with. Stage 4 cancer survivor, only has one kidney, has had heart attack, high blood pressure, single parent mother for me and my two brothers most of her life, list goes on and on. She doesn’t need me to make her feel guilty. In 2002, we moved to Aurora because my mom had met this man and got married. I wasn’t to happy about leaving Chicago and family but the idea of having a â€Å"father† and sister appealed to me and made the situation more comfortable. Well that marriage started off good then a lot stuff happened and it all went downhill. The marriage really produced a lot of trust issues and fears that I have today. They got divorced and from then on it’s mainly been me and my mom. To return to the topic, my biggest suffering I would have to say stems from the situation with my father. I’ve been in some dark places even to the point where I didn’t want to live. Just felt unwanted, that something was wrong with me that my own father didn’t want me and that I was just a burden to my mom. The knowledge I’ve gained is that life is precious, I’m not a mistake, it’s not my fault, just his lost and that my mother is and has done the absolute best she can/could; she’s my greatest motivation. I’ve just had to grow and mature quicker, stay strong and accept things that I can’t control. On to Oedipus situation , don’t think that he should do it again. Fate is fate, it was suppose to happen. He probably could’ve handled the Teiresias situation differently and been more mannered. Then again Oedipus would’ve probably had to figure it out the truth by himself, instead of forcing it out of Teiresias. That probably would’ve took forever and the people in the city would’ve suffered more. So, either way would produce the same outcome of wisdom for Oedipus, just a difference in time, the amount of suffering and when death would come. It’s like having the option of the death penalty or life in prison; person knows they’re going to die either way just a matter of time. Oedipus brought his tragedy upon himself; even though he seemed ignorant to fact until the end. He killed his father, married and had kids with his mother and had to reap the repercussions of his own decree. That was meant to happen. The reason why, unknown, but someone could’ve found light in it and shouldn’t be revised. Next, is the question of , why or why not would I do my situation with suffering over again? I honestly can’t say that I would. Reason being is, because as I look back over my life; from being homeless, crying myself to sleep at night, struggling with the situation with my dad, feeling alone, jail visits, health scares to the littlest lie have all help me grow and learn. The greatest thing I’ve learned through my suffering though, is the importance of my momma. I appreciate her so much for the sacrifices she has made and her strength. Our life isn’t the best, but we have each other. She cries, I cry, she hurts, I hurt, when she’s happy is when I’m the happiest. That’s why I strive to stay focused in school and do the right thing because I know that what she has been through when she was younger is what she doesn’t want me to experience. She’s is the just best friend/mother/father I just don’t know where I would be without her. I still have my underlying issues and occasional problems but now I know that I’m going to be okay. Can’t change the fact that my real dad doesn’t want me, but I can change how I handle it. Yes it hurts, but as long as I got God, my momma, family and those that care truly care for me in my corner; can fight anything. All in all, people gain wisdom through growth and acceptance. Oedipus gained wisdom through knowledge that the suffering of his city was the result of a plague-wind brought about by his killing of king Laius. In the process leading to his own suffering with the revelations that her was the murderer that he sought after and that he married and had kids with his very own mother. The wisdom that that I gained through my suffering stemming from the situation with my father is that I’m not a mistake, have to accept that it’s out of my control, his loss, and that my life is to precious to consider taking. I continue to progress and Oedipus is dead. Revisiting the words of Judy Collins and Henri-Frederic Amiel, â€Å"Suffering is the price of being alive. †; â€Å"make use of suffering. † Everybody experience suffering; whether brought about themselves, by circumstance or environment. Suffering is apart of life and the art of living is to make use of it to gain wisdom. People should just accept it, there’s no shortcut; just drive through it and learn. Suffering is everywhere. If a person doesn’t agree, dare them to just look around, listen to the news and tune in to reality. How to cite Wisdom from Suffering, Papers

The Actions Of Abbot In Relation To The Legal Principles And Ethics

Question: Discuss about the Analyze The Actions of Abbot. Answer: The essay aims to analyze the actions of Abbot in relation to the legal principles and ethics. It can be said that every person who is a member of the society has an obligation which is ethical in nature to the society at large and other individuals of the society. The ethical theory that is to be used to assess the actions of Abbot is Rights and Duties The government has also formulated a set of legal principles which are codified and which are based on voluntary and unmodified ethics in order to ensure that peace and harmony is maintained in the society. It is the obligation of the people to comply with such ethical legal principles. As opined by [1] it can be said that the ethical theory of Rights and Duties focuses on ensuring that people perform their duties and protect the rights of others. It can be said that the right and the duties imposed upon individuals are often absolute[2]. Thus it can be stated that only in very rare circumstances the rights and duties as granted to individuals can be taken away or compromised. Thus after analyzing the facts of the case in relation to the principles of the ethical theory of Rights and Duties it can be said that the act of staling meat from the grocery store of Ms Costello cannot be justified. It can be stated that Abbot has the duty to comply with legal principles and respect and protect the social right of Ms Costello. Although, Abbot comes from a poor family and has to make contribute to familys income and has to fund his higher studies. However, indulging in an activity of stealing cannot be justified by poverty. It can be said that it is the ethical responsibility of an individual to not deprive any other person of his own property. The basic act of stealing is inherently unethical[3]. There were other options available to Abbot such as approaching the government for financial aids or discounts. Further it is to be stated that the act of justifying the theft as a matter of right is also unethical as it promotes anarchism and is opposed to the ethical th eory of rights and duties Further it is to be stated that the act of stealing is not only inherently unethical but also illegal. Thelaw under no circumstances provides an individual the right to steal. According to section 657.2 of the Canadian Criminal Code it can be stated that when an accused is charged with the possession of another persons property, it can be said that such person is guilty of theft[4]. Specially in relation to shoplifting, it can be said that the primary constituents of theft is taking possession of items from a shop without paying for the same. Thus by assessing the legal as well as ethical principles of theft and applying the same to the facts of the case it can be said that Abbots act of stealing is inherently unethical and illegal as it hampers the right of Ms. Costelo. References: Campbell, Tom D.The legal theory of ethical positivism. Routledge, 2016. Dan-Cohen, Meir.Rights, persons, and organizations: A legal theory for bureaucratic society and law. Vol. 26. Quid Pro Books, 2016. 'Criminal Code' (Laws-lois.justice.gc.ca, 2018) https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/ accessed 25 March 2018 Gamst, Frederick C. "Foundations of social theory."Anthropology of Work Review12.3 (1991): 19-25.

Fidel Castros Rise To Power Essay Example

Fidel Castros Rise To Power Paper Cubas government is currently a totalitarian state since the revolution on January 1st in 1959. The head of state is currently Fidel Castro, also the Chief of State, as well as the Head of Government, First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, and Commander in Chief of the armed forces. Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born August 13th in 1926 to Angel Castro, a Spanish farmer living fairly well in Biran, Orient province. Growing up Angel Castro had big plans for his son unknowing that his son had even bigger plans. As a young boy, Fidel was often teased because of his rough manners and because of this was sent to a Jesuit school in Santiago de Cuba. He had also attended the Colegio Dolores, once graduated he was accepted into Havana University where he became interested in politics. With this strong interest in politics, Fidel felt he had to take some action in order to guarantee himself in Cubas political world. In 1947 he joined a group, who were planning to overthrow the Dominic an Republics dictator. Although the mission failed, Fidel became more and more of an activist. Frequently he spoke out against the repression in Cuba, against communism and dictatorships. Following graduation Fidel established a law partnership with two other attorneys from his university; however, he spent most of his time representing the less fortunate and trying to reform a society that was against him. Fidel began what some call his campaign to head of state when he petitioned the Emergency Court of Havana nothing that Batista had undermined and violated the 1940 Constitution. When no one seemed to listen to Fidel joined with Abel Santamaria Cuadrado to form an organization of students for an armed rebellion. When the time came the group stormed one of the military garrisons of Santiago, sadly their attack had been unsuccessful due to the group being left without information on the layout of the inside compound. We will write a custom essay sample on Fidel Castros Rise To Power specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Fidel Castros Rise To Power specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Fidel Castros Rise To Power specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Joseph mccarthy essays

Joseph mccarthy essays Joseph Raymond McCarthy was a Wisconsin Republican senator. During the 10 years he was in Senate, he became notorious for accusations of an aggressive matter and "witch-hunts" against suspected communists in the entertainment industry and government. He did these things because he hated communists and wanted to insure his reelection by using the fear of communism. He started what some call the "2nd Red Scare." The term "McCarthyism" has come to mean a witch-hunt controlled by the government seeking to punish unapproved political stances and thoughts. McCarthy was born in Grand Chute, Outagamie County, Wisconsin on November 14, 1908. He worked on a farm and enrolled in a high school at the age of 19. He completed a four-year course in one year and graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a degree in law in 1935. McCarthy was also admitted to the bar in the same year. Then, in 1939, he was elected circuit judge of the 10th judicial circuit of the state of Wisconsin. He was enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1942, and resigned 3 years later. He was reelected circuit judge of the state of Wisconsin in 1945 while still in the Marines. In 1946, he was elected as a Republican senator into the United States Senate. On February 9th, in 1950, he gave a speech to the Republican Women's Club of Wheeling, West Virginia. The exact words of Joseph Raymond McCarthys speech are unknown, because they werent reliably recorded at the time. He claimed to have a list of 205 known communists working for the State Department. McCarthy said he referred to 57 known communists, but others he didnt for security reasons. There was a document, which had listed concerns of various State Department Employees, but not just communism. However, the effects of his speech were huge because the Soviet Union and the trial of Alger Hiss already concerned the nation. In Senate a few days later, he chan...

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 70

Summary - Essay Example The author’s major argument was that an extended conflict in Libya would lead to increased global fuel prices and subsequently derail economic growth. Though Libya was presented as a minor supplier of global crude oil, its product was of high quality and was as a result preferred by many of the European countries that did not have facilities for refining low quality oil that is majorly available in the global market. Its crude oil was also preferred by the United States’ market (Krauss, p. 1). Krauss further argued that failure to solve the Libyan crisis would force dependants of the Libyan oil to shift their demand to two alternative suppliers, Nigeria and Algeria. This would however lead to increase in fuel prices as had earlier been witnessed in the United States. According to the author, quality of oil from Libya, Algeria, and Nigeria concentrates focus on their crude oil instead of alternatives from other global suppliers. As a result, relative supply shortage, due to the conflict, with respect to demand would hike prices as had been previously witnessed. Though the article noted adverse impacts of the conflict on major European economies, it reported that the United States would not be a victim due to its ability to refine sour crude oil, unlike many of the European nations that heavily depended on Libyan oil. The author supported his opinion of the impacts of the Libyan conflict on global crude oil market by experts’ views from academic and corporate fields. With the fact that oil industries in Middle East countries are majorly controlled by the government, national security forces ensures protection of to oil companies. Production in Libya, according to the author, was however vulnerable due to privatization that made it highly sensitive (Krauss, p. 1). The article directly relates to concepts of scarcity and competition. Sowell defines scarcity as a condition of limited supply relative to demand that consequently means

Knowledge management structures in NATO versus the United Nations Essay

Knowledge management structures in NATO versus the United Nations - Essay Example n and knowledge far better then it was previously possible, knowledge management in organizations has also the added dimension of interaction, knowledge sharing, communication and analysis. A lot of organizational knowledge is contained in the heads of personnel within the organizations. Because humans have a finite life – span and ambitions about better opportunities, all organizations have structures which not only create new knowledge but also transfer existing knowledge to those in need of it. The nature of the knowledge which is important to an organization is dependant on the task or mission which the organization is expected to perform and different organizations may have different requirements associated with the speed, reliability, volume of information or knowledge which has to be communicated for organizational use. The knowledge management structures which are put into place within organizations are shaped by the organizational requirements for knowledge management , which are different for various organizations. In this essay, an attempt has been made to compare the knowledge management structures within NATO with those which exist in the United Nations. NATO, which is a military alliance, has a requirement to manage large amounts of information which can quickly become obsolete and convert this information into knowledge for reliable and secure communications for the use of designated personnel. The pace at the United Nations is more leisurely. Hence, the knowledge management structures at these two organizations are slightly different. The term knowledge management refers to the management of intellectual capital which has bee described as: â€Å"Intellectual capital is intellectual material – knowledge, information, intellectual property, experience – that can be put to use to create wealth. It is the collective brainpower†. The term knowledge is subjective to the organizational and social context in which it is being thought of. Knowledge

Challenges and Opportunities for India

Challenges and Opportunities for India INTRODUCTION Background There have been profound scientific, strategic, technological, economic, political and diplomatic changes in the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century which have altered the strategic orientation of nations the world over. There has been a sea change in the way nations perceive themselves and each other in the international system. The world is fast moving towards a knowledge based economy. China has emerged as a global economic power house, and closer Indo- US ties balance the power in Asia. Also a tie up between India America could contribute to a security paradigm for the global environment especially Asia. However Americas view on new world order is questionable. They view that with the fall of erstwhile USSR in the 1980s the world turned unipolar with the USA merging as the sole super power. The free will of executing the US agenda was evident in the 1990s like Invasion of Iraq. Once Russia resurrected under Vladimir Putin the US Europe nexus or the NATO and its expansion has threatened the existence of the most successful security organization like the United Nations. Later the world saw the US presence right at the doorsteps of Russia i.e. in Poland and the fight for the Arctic. Unnoticed initially , but noticed later by all, there came the third world countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, China and a few developed ones like Australia, New Zealand which formed a group which cannot be wished away. The IBSA (India- Brazil- South Africa forum) RIC (Russia India- China forum), Shanghai Cooperation etc cannot be wished away in todays world. So what is the new world order? The power houses change so rapidly, moreover the so called power houses like Europe and USA are today on the economic downturn. The subprime crisis of the USA and the unemployment situation is considered to be the worst since 1930s. So are these perceived power houses today in a shape to project their power outside their national boundaries? Does the new world order belong to the new power houses like India and China who have proved to be fairly insulated from these economic crises? But the ever increasing conflicts and the under development of nations especially those like in African continent, which cannot be ignored by the world community, is relevant. To add on, these are the Pandoras Box of richness that is gold, diamonds, minerals and the very green oil. However, it is prudent that these countries need assistance economically and materially and it is those countries which provide assistance who will control the resources. The US, European nations and China have been proactive in their approach and have been exploiting the resources of the African nations for decades. India though sharing a historical and traditional relationship with the African continent has failed to capitalize this relationship to further its economic and political goals. Africa other than being a repository of natural resources is also a conglomerate of fifty two nations with a large standing in all political organizations including United Nations. Statement of The Problem Utilizing the emerging situation in the world, with constant change of concentration of powers, it is imperative that India be proactive to have its share of the pie, specially being supported by the booming economy and its recognition worldwide. Hence this dissertation shall seek to analyse the emerging new world order, the growing opportunities for India in Africa and the changes required in its foreign and economic policies to exploit these opportunities. Justification for the Study In the fast changing world order, the opportunities presented to any developing country are enormous. Whether it is to restructure its own economy and bring up the standard of living of its population, or to enhance its clout in the global environment. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy especially with respect to the African continent. The requirement of resources of a fast developing India is ever increasing and the demand is expected to outpace the supply in the near future. Africa is the repository of mineral resources that is already recognized by the world and the major players of the world have already taken a lead in exploiting the opportunities provided by the various African countries. With the emergence of India as a global player , it is pertinent that India takes corrective measures to ensure that the traditional and historical relations with the African nations is given further impetus to further the nations i nterest at an urgent basis. Scope In the backdrop of above, the study on Emerging new world order and challenges and opportunities for India will essentially attempt at providing an integrated framework of national policy towards Africa. The study will specifically focus on the following issues:- (a) Emerging World Order with respect to Africa (b) Indias role in the emerging new world order. (c) Growing opportunities in Africa. (d) Exploitation of the growing opportunities in Africa by the major global powers. (e) Indias involvement with Africa in the present context. (f) Scope for Indias involvement with Africa with respect to defense, economy, politics and the foreign policy. (g) Changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy. Method of Data Collection The primary source of data collection has been through books, periodicals and newspaper, Articles, however an attempt was made to tap some material on the internet and relevant issues have been included in the text. A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation. CHAPTER I EMERGING WORLD ORDER WITH RESPECT TO AFRCIA It has been clear for the past two decades that a global power shift from the â€Å"Euro-Atlantic â€Å" West to an Asia centered East has been in progress. This has far reaching implications not only for the nature of the international order as it emerges in the coming decades and great power relations, but also for the security environment. The shift has profound implications for the emerging world order due to the following reasons:- (a) Sustained high growth of economic and military power of China leading to perceptions and concerns about the â€Å"Rise of China†. (b) Robust economic growth of India under a resilient democratic political system. (c) Economic recovery of Japan after the stasis of late 1980s and 1990s. (d) Economic and political recovery of Russia and its renewed urge to play a global role along with its increasingly closer ties with China. (e) Rising prices of oil along with the prospects of beginning of its depletion in the next quarter century affecting energy security of developing as well as the developed world. (f) Emergence of a global financial crisis bringing to fore the limitations of unregulated market structure, warranting greater intervention by the state in regulating the financial system. In reality a diffused multipolar international order has been evolving into a polycentric system with six major players the USA, China, Japan, India, the EU, Russia impacting the future strategic environment[i]. At the same time economic development patterns in, Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories; Since the mid-1990s, 19 Sub-Saharan countries have had annual GDP growth of 4.5 percent or higher. The rise in the world price of oil is certainly a major factor at play for some of these countries. One-third of the worlds resource-dependent economies are in Africa. Yet even excluding the oil-rich countries, the fastest growing group of African countries (total 15 countries) has had an average growth rate of at least 4.5 percent. These countries host 34 percent of the regions people. By contrast, the 13 slowest-growing economies in Africa have seen less than 3 percent growth on average, with some having near zero or negative growth[ii]. These countries, many either engaged in conflict or having recently emerged from conflict, account for 20 percent of the regions people. The countries in Africa experiencing strong growth outside the oil- producing nations have been buoyed, in part, by global price increases in other primary export commodities. With the exception of raw materials, whose prices have been relatively stagnant, other commodities, including metals and non-oil minerals, have experienced noticeable increases in their price levels. This worldwide rise of com modity prices has been engendered in large part by the rapid growth of Asian developing countries, especially China and India. They contributed close to 40 percent of global import growth for precious stones, 30 percent for crude oil, and 20 percent for metallic ores. Their demand for these commodities is likely to grow, or at least not change from current levels, in the foreseeable future. Still, a number of countries in Africa are diversifying their exports, no longer relying solely on the export of a few raw commodities. Exports are increasingly composed of light manufactured goods, processed foods, horticulture, and services such as tourism. Some countries—such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been increasing their shares of exports in technology-based products. In fact, they are moving up the technology ladder and exporting low- to medium-technology products in sectors where Asian countries are increasingly putting less emphasis The ever increasing significance of the African continent is highlighted by the following turn of events. In 2008, several high-level meetings were organized with Africas concerns high on the agenda. In April 2008, the India-Africa Forum Summit was held in New Delhi with 14 Heads of State and Government and representatives of regional bodies. A comprehensive Africa-India Framework for Cooperation was established, covering economic cooperation in such areas as agricultural development, political cooperation, science and technology, social development, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment, and media and communication. A joint plan of action and implementation mechanism is to be developed within a year. One of the stated aims of the framework is to reinforce South-South cooperation to enable Africa and India to have greater leverage in international forums. In May 2008, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV) took place in Yokohama, with representatives from 51 African countries, including 40 Heads of State and Government as well representatives of African organizations and from many Asian countries. Japan pledged to double its official development assistance (ODA) over the next five years, focusing on infrastructure and agricultural development. The first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul in August 2008 with the participation of representatives of 50 African countries, among them several Heads of State and Government. Turkeys trade and investment relations with Africa have increased dramatically over the past few years and Africa is a major market for Turkish contractors. Turkey has also formalized relations with AU and with AfDB. In October 2008, a ministerial conference on economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa was held to discuss major economic development issues and share South Koreas economic development experiences with African partners. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil are also intensifying their economic and diplomatic ties with Africa. These developments are taking place against the recent backdrop of high growth in Africa, increasing demand for commodities, especially in emerging economies, and the search for low-cost locations for investments in simple manufacturing. They have helped halt the trend of Africas declining share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows[iii]. __________________ Security Environment in 2025:Indias Interests and Strategies Air Commodore Jasjit Singh,AVSM,Vrc,VM, (Retd) USI JOURNAL JANUARY- MARCH 07 2 Africas silk road Harry.G.braodman. 3 United Nations Economic Commission Report on Africa, 2009 CHAPTER II INDIAS ROLE IN EMERGING WORLD ORDER INDIA RISING The centre of gravity of the emerging international order and strategic affairs is increasingly shifting to the Asian landmass (and contiguous island territories). The 21st century is likely to be Asia-centred due to some of the reasons outlined below: (a) Asian landmass is where the most far-reaching social, economic and political changes are taking place. How these countries manage change will largely influence the course of world events in the coming decades. (b) The region still has extensive un-resolved disputes extending from issues of sovereignty to ideological issues which are often constructed on religious extremism. (c) By 2015, seven out of ten largest economies would be Asian countries (including three out of the four top being Asian, the other country being the United States with its deep and extensive interests in Asia). (d) Seven out of nine nuclear weapon states are located in Asia (including the United States which has strategically shifted forward into the Asian contiguous oceans, has deployed nuclear weapons in Asia, and will remain an â€Å"Asian† power). (e) Worlds energy â€Å"demand heartland† composed of Japan, Koreas, China and India is in Asia. And so is the energy â€Å"resource periphery† extending from Siberia, Central Asia, Persian Gulf, North Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and East China Sea. Future needs and availability of energy resource base are likely to further emphasise the Asia-centred world order while enhancing the role of major centres of power. India as the worlds largest democracy is now on the move in economic and technological terms. It has successfully progressed in what can only be described as the human historys most ambitious experiment of transforming a traditional society into a modern one, of transforming an agrarian-based economy into a comprehensive industry-service sector- agricultural economy, rapidly increase social mobility transforming the country into a class-less society, and so on, all through processes of consultative politics. The World Bank estimates that India will possess the fourth largest economy in the world by 2020. Since independence India has made rapid strides and now has the worlds second largest pool of highly competent scientific and technological expertise while its software strength is likely to play a major role in the coming years. Indias economic growth, not as dramatic as that of China or the East Asia â€Å"Tigers† has nevertheless shown increasing rate of growth in every de cade since the late 1960s. Indias geostrategists have a changed perception vis-à  -vis the third world and other NAM countries, which the country was historically aligned to[iv]. India has used both â€Å"soft power† and â€Å"hard power† options to increase its influence on third countries. This perception is based on the following assessments: (a) India discontinued its government to government development cooperation with all but six bilateral donors (DFID, EC, Germany, Japan, USAID, and Russian Federation). Instead donors could assist NGOs directly. (b) India has gradually changed from a recipient of aid and assistance to a giver of aid. Minister of state for external affairs Rao Inderjit Singh stated in April 2005: â€Å"Our technical and economic cooperation programme ITEC [to 156 states] is almost four decades old. a rough monetary value to the wide range of training and other facilities that we have shared with our friends from Africa, I am sure he would estimate it at well above a billion dollars†. [32] (c) India Development Initiative (IDI) dedicates a $1.5 billion soft credit fund over five years through the Exim Bank for supporting development projects mainly in Africa. (d) India has leased an air base in Ayni in Tajikistan which it argues is for non- military purposes, but others see this is as part of Indias move towards increasing its strategic depth in central Asia. (e) India has assisted Afghanistan in projects that range from roads to hospi- tal building as a way of maintaining its influence in the region. It has extended more than $100 million in credit to the outlawed Myanmar regime, including for upgrading their railway. India has thus emerged as Myanmars second largest market, absorbing 25 per cent of the countrys exports. (f) India maintains its influence in several south Asian states like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, as is well known. In this context India has gradually dis- engaged from the large southern groups that it once partnered and has played a key role in forming new groups like the G-4, G-15, G-20 and G-33. India has become part of many regional groupings, like India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Coopera- tion (BIMSTEC), as a more direct way of promoting South-South Cooperation as well as establishing a stronger political and economic relationship. This gradual but significant disengagement with the third world is driven by Indias great power perceptions. Its aid policies follow the intentions of the west in the creation of markets for Indian capital. The concept of â€Å"soft power† policies remains part of the neo-realist framework, where the interest of the state is primary, regardless of the impact on citizens. __________________ 4 CHENOY Kamal Mitra, CHENOY Anuradha M * From Economic and Political Weekly September 1, 2007. CHAPTER III GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA As the ‘dark continent, Africa has typically been painted with broad-brush strokes, as a place of uncivilized people, as savage and superstitious, as tribalistic and nepostic. Africa is a vast and exotic continent of about 900 million people in 54 independent countries. It has a total area of over 30 million sq. kms, about three and a half times the size of the United States and 10 times the size of India. It is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the worlds chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Africas enormous agricultural potential is vastly untapped. Africas vast mineral wealth and strategic significance have encouraged foreign powers to intervene in African affairs. African oil constitutes 8% of the worlds oil resources. Political Importance of Africa is further compounded by the fact that it comprises the 54 votes that African Union (AU) maintains in the General Assembly. With world markets in turmoil, an unexpected and overlooked continent may benefit from its very isolation. Opportunities The continent has witnessed a trend towards democratisation that is visible in multi-party elections across the continent and the emergence of a democratic South Africa. It is also visible in the launch of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) through the joint efforts of South Africa and Senegal. This action plan promises to remove the tag of the Hopeless Continent. Yet all this has been accompanied by a steady drumbeat of optimism about the continent, and confidence in its prospects. Despite of the problems, the 48 countries of sub Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as plain Africa) are, by several measures, enjoying a period of unparalleled economic success. And despite the turmoil in the worlds financial markets, international investors still think they can make money there. In 1990-94 annual GDP growth was a weak 0.9%; since then, growth has averaged closer to 5%. Before this autumns financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting GDP growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting only a slightly lower rate. Annual GDP growth per person was 1.1% in the late 1990s; from 2004 to 2006 it was around 4%. In 1990 47% of Africans lived in poverty; in 2004 41% did and, if present trends continue, only 37% will by 2015. Zimbabwe apart, most African countries have been bringing inflation down, even if the trend is now creeping up again, in line with the rest of the world. Many countries have been helped by better macro-economic management and big inflows of Western aid, investment and debt relief-as well as by more unquantifiable investments from Asia, particularly China, and the Middle East. The surplus petrodollars of the Gulf States have been flowing into East Africa. The IMF estimates that foreign investment and loans to Africa rose from $11 billion in 2000 to $53 billion in 2007. Much of this has stemmed from the commodities boom. Oil- producing countries such as Angola and Nigeria, and even war-torn Sudan, have supplied the soaring growth s, and much of the foreign investment has gone into extractive industries. Economic development patterns in Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories. Ghana, Africas first nation to win its freedom from Europe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This is both cause for reflection on the past half-century and a reminder of how young African nations are. In the past seven years we have seen the end of seven major conflicts: in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote dIvoire, North-South Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea, and Angola. We are on the verge of a peace deal in northern Uganda. Although conflicts are still ongoing in Darfur and Chad, and the peace is fragile in several other places, the trend in Africa is toward the resolution of conflict. More importantly, the capacity of African nations to deal with conflicts has risen dramatically. African peacekeepers are increasingly active not only in Africa but around the world. Most starkly, Africa is going through a very real economic resurgence. Economic growth is estimated at around 6.5 percent last year, the highest in memory, while inflation is in the single digits. High growth and low inflation are projected to continue this year despite a global economic slowdown. This success is not just in oil countries; about two dozen sub-Saharan African nations are enjoying real growth rates in excess of 5 percent. Only one nation Zimbabwe is really going backward quickly, a direct result of President Mugabes scorched earth policy of clinging to power at any cost. That sad nation is entering its ninth consecutive year of a shrinking economy, and inflation is now well over 100,000 percent. The striking thing about Africa today is really its massive economic potential[v]. After half a century of very low growth, combined with the colonial legacy which chopped up the continent into so many small countries, the economies of Africa are still tiny: Baltimores economy is about ten times the size of Ghanas, and more than twice the size of Nigerias. Only South Africa is larger, and not by much. The positive economic picture we now see in Africa is being driven by a host of factors, including a boom in commodity prices. But economic reforms inside Africa are also a big part. Macro-economic reforms undertaken over the past decade, with international assistance and encouragement, have brought down inflation and improved the investment climate. Countries are now turning to micro-reforms to make it easier to open, operate, and grow small businesses the true engine for turning poor countries into rich ones. We are also seeing growing foreign investment in Africa[vi]. This is obviously led by oil, gas, and mining, but there are exciting trends in other sectors, such as telecommunications, agribusiness, and business services. Countries such as Ghana are starting to build specialized back office services like India has done so successfully. We are also seeing more interest from private equity firms, hedge funds, and other non-traditional investors that bode well for Africas economic integration into global financial and business networks. Indicative of this interest, Africa was recently featured on the cover of Business Week for the first time ever. Another very encouraging trend is the returning of African professionals. Bankers who have gotten experience in New York and London are now going back and setting up their own investment firms and banks. We can see this clearly in the banking boom in places like Nigeria and Ghana. Africa is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of conflict, democracy, and economic prosperity. But all of these are extremely fragile. 2007 was one of the best years in recent memory for the continent. __________________ 5 World Bank Report, â€Å"Can Africa Claim 21st Century†,2000. 6 Released on March 18, 2008 Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs CHAPTER IV EXPLOITATION OF THE GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA BY THE MAJOR GLOBAL POWERS POISED LIKE PANTHERS THEY STAND, JERKING LIKE LEOPARDS THEY[vii] POUNCE BRUTAL AS HELL THEY ACT, TACTICAL AS HARE THEY WITHDRAW NOT SEEN IN ACTION, WE ARE LEFT TO NURSE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY CLAWS UNSEEN WITH BUT CRIES FROM DISTANT LANDS OF HOW â€Å"THEY HAVE FINISHED THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE UNCIVIL† LATER WE SEE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS ICC INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS, OF THE BEMBAS, TAYLORS, NOT OF OTHERS FOR TIMES BEFIT NOT WE HAVE SEEN RESETTLEMENT, NGOS STAFFED WITH SPIES, EXPLORERS SEARCHING FOR MAGICAL RICHES, OPPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS: GEO-MAPPING, MINERAL PROSPECTING, LAND EYEING IN WAYS AND BY MEANS BEYOND ORDINARY EYE. WE HAVE SEEN AND NOT SEEN, OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS OUR WEALTH BY , FOR OURSELVES,BLACKS AS KINSMEN, COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES AFRICANS SWUNG INTO ACTION AGAINST INFILTRATING EXPLOITAERS, SOWERS OF DISARRAY OUR SIGHT BLINDFOLDED WE LAMENT, AGAINST OUR PROGENITORS, CHIEFS THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF GLOBAL MISCHIEF KNOWERS OF TRUTH STRATEGICALLY PERPETRATE SABA- RWENGABO MAY 2007 The twin phenomena of a new 21st century global scramble for Africas strategic energy and mineral resources and the on-going global economic slump are admittedly taking a heavy toll on the continent s nascent democracy and security. This was the poignant conclusion of a high-level meeting of African experts and practitioners Convened by the Africa policy institute in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2009. The world economic slowdown, now ravaging African economies, comes on top of the global race for the continents resources crucial in the global political economy and security, especially mineral and energy resources. The new rush for Africa has increasingly drawn in cold war protagonists of Europe and Russia and more increasingly newcomers mainly China, and to a lesser extent, India, Brazil, South Africa, Korea and Malaysia. With the cost of food and fuel spiraling, commodity boom turning into bust, remittances from the African Diaspora falling, investments drying up and climate change taking its toll, questions remain about the implications of the new scramble for Africa and the both the swirling recession on the stability of the continents democracy and long-term security. The new scramble for Africa has unfolded against the backdrop of globalization in the post-Cold War era, which galvanized acute demand for African resources and the consequent integration of its economies into the global political economy. . With Africas relatively weak markets and unskilled labour pool playing a marginal role in the knowledge-driven global economy, the new race for Africa has targeted strategic mineral and energy resources such as oil and gas which have immense strategic importance in the global political economy and security calculations of major powers. But despite integration of African natural resources in the global economy, the African labour has become even more marginalised, with studies indicating that the â€Å"new scramble appears to be diminishing rather than increasing the prospects for employment of African labour and undermining the foundation of African livelihoods† . The trend by neo-liberal globalization to divorce the African from his resou rces is spawning new dynamics of intensified internal conflicts and creating a new fault line of conflict between Africa and the global order[viii]. Secondly, the demise of apartheid in 1994 marked the complete liberation of the continent with South Africa becoming a key leader in what has been enchanted as ‘African renaissance. However, as a result of rampant poor governance, corruption and internal wars from Somalia to Darfur (Sudan) and Kenya to Zimbabwe, African leaders failed to use the continents immense natural resources to ensure effective and pro-poor development. As such, while the newly liberated South African powerelite spearheaded the creation of a complex governance and security architecture within the aegis of the African Union to stabilize the continent, civil wars, poor governance corruption and unemployment intensified in the context of the new scramble for continents resources In turn, this has reinforced political instability and democratic crisis. The new scramble for Africa s natural resources, especially oil, is therefore, supported and sustained by the predatory African elites who are the major benef iciaries, while majority of the poor Africans at the periphery of the economy continue to be more marginalised from the economic benefits of the new scramble. Thirdly, the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the former ‘south including India, Brazil and, more saliently, China increased global competition for energy and refocused world attention on Africa as a new frontier in the search for alternative source of fossil fuels and land for growing bio-fuel and food crops to supply domestic and global markets, thus triggering the new scramble for Africa. The entry of China and other new players into the African scene increased competition with western powers for oil and mineral resources, but the jury is still out regarding the impact of the interests and strategies of these newcomers on Africas fledgling democracy and overall security. But Chinas policy of â€Å" not mixing business with politics† or the see- no-evil, hear-no-evil† policy on governance has collided with the West s emphasis on governance and human rights as a precondition for engagement with Africa, leading to non-cooperation between the two and intensifying the race for spheres of influence on the continent[ix]. Finally, in the last two years the continent has experienced the full weight of the raging global financial and economic recession which has shattered its economic growth and development prospects, threatened its economies and fostered a climate of political instability. The current global melt-down has intensified Africas serious socio-economic and political challenges relating to endemic poverty, unemployment, rising inequality, debt over-hang and the knock-on effects of climate change. But the effect of the global recession on the scramble for Africa and their implications on Africas democratic crisis are not patently clear. The current scramble for Africa is markedly significant in two ways. First, it is a scramble Challenges and Opportunities for India Challenges and Opportunities for India INTRODUCTION Background There have been profound scientific, strategic, technological, economic, political and diplomatic changes in the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century which have altered the strategic orientation of nations the world over. There has been a sea change in the way nations perceive themselves and each other in the international system. The world is fast moving towards a knowledge based economy. China has emerged as a global economic power house, and closer Indo- US ties balance the power in Asia. Also a tie up between India America could contribute to a security paradigm for the global environment especially Asia. However Americas view on new world order is questionable. They view that with the fall of erstwhile USSR in the 1980s the world turned unipolar with the USA merging as the sole super power. The free will of executing the US agenda was evident in the 1990s like Invasion of Iraq. Once Russia resurrected under Vladimir Putin the US Europe nexus or the NATO and its expansion has threatened the existence of the most successful security organization like the United Nations. Later the world saw the US presence right at the doorsteps of Russia i.e. in Poland and the fight for the Arctic. Unnoticed initially , but noticed later by all, there came the third world countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, China and a few developed ones like Australia, New Zealand which formed a group which cannot be wished away. The IBSA (India- Brazil- South Africa forum) RIC (Russia India- China forum), Shanghai Cooperation etc cannot be wished away in todays world. So what is the new world order? The power houses change so rapidly, moreover the so called power houses like Europe and USA are today on the economic downturn. The subprime crisis of the USA and the unemployment situation is considered to be the worst since 1930s. So are these perceived power houses today in a shape to project their power outside their national boundaries? Does the new world order belong to the new power houses like India and China who have proved to be fairly insulated from these economic crises? But the ever increasing conflicts and the under development of nations especially those like in African continent, which cannot be ignored by the world community, is relevant. To add on, these are the Pandoras Box of richness that is gold, diamonds, minerals and the very green oil. However, it is prudent that these countries need assistance economically and materially and it is those countries which provide assistance who will control the resources. The US, European nations and China have been proactive in their approach and have been exploiting the resources of the African nations for decades. India though sharing a historical and traditional relationship with the African continent has failed to capitalize this relationship to further its economic and political goals. Africa other than being a repository of natural resources is also a conglomerate of fifty two nations with a large standing in all political organizations including United Nations. Statement of The Problem Utilizing the emerging situation in the world, with constant change of concentration of powers, it is imperative that India be proactive to have its share of the pie, specially being supported by the booming economy and its recognition worldwide. Hence this dissertation shall seek to analyse the emerging new world order, the growing opportunities for India in Africa and the changes required in its foreign and economic policies to exploit these opportunities. Justification for the Study In the fast changing world order, the opportunities presented to any developing country are enormous. Whether it is to restructure its own economy and bring up the standard of living of its population, or to enhance its clout in the global environment. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy especially with respect to the African continent. The requirement of resources of a fast developing India is ever increasing and the demand is expected to outpace the supply in the near future. Africa is the repository of mineral resources that is already recognized by the world and the major players of the world have already taken a lead in exploiting the opportunities provided by the various African countries. With the emergence of India as a global player , it is pertinent that India takes corrective measures to ensure that the traditional and historical relations with the African nations is given further impetus to further the nations i nterest at an urgent basis. Scope In the backdrop of above, the study on Emerging new world order and challenges and opportunities for India will essentially attempt at providing an integrated framework of national policy towards Africa. The study will specifically focus on the following issues:- (a) Emerging World Order with respect to Africa (b) Indias role in the emerging new world order. (c) Growing opportunities in Africa. (d) Exploitation of the growing opportunities in Africa by the major global powers. (e) Indias involvement with Africa in the present context. (f) Scope for Indias involvement with Africa with respect to defense, economy, politics and the foreign policy. (g) Changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy. Method of Data Collection The primary source of data collection has been through books, periodicals and newspaper, Articles, however an attempt was made to tap some material on the internet and relevant issues have been included in the text. A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation. CHAPTER I EMERGING WORLD ORDER WITH RESPECT TO AFRCIA It has been clear for the past two decades that a global power shift from the â€Å"Euro-Atlantic â€Å" West to an Asia centered East has been in progress. This has far reaching implications not only for the nature of the international order as it emerges in the coming decades and great power relations, but also for the security environment. The shift has profound implications for the emerging world order due to the following reasons:- (a) Sustained high growth of economic and military power of China leading to perceptions and concerns about the â€Å"Rise of China†. (b) Robust economic growth of India under a resilient democratic political system. (c) Economic recovery of Japan after the stasis of late 1980s and 1990s. (d) Economic and political recovery of Russia and its renewed urge to play a global role along with its increasingly closer ties with China. (e) Rising prices of oil along with the prospects of beginning of its depletion in the next quarter century affecting energy security of developing as well as the developed world. (f) Emergence of a global financial crisis bringing to fore the limitations of unregulated market structure, warranting greater intervention by the state in regulating the financial system. In reality a diffused multipolar international order has been evolving into a polycentric system with six major players the USA, China, Japan, India, the EU, Russia impacting the future strategic environment[i]. At the same time economic development patterns in, Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories; Since the mid-1990s, 19 Sub-Saharan countries have had annual GDP growth of 4.5 percent or higher. The rise in the world price of oil is certainly a major factor at play for some of these countries. One-third of the worlds resource-dependent economies are in Africa. Yet even excluding the oil-rich countries, the fastest growing group of African countries (total 15 countries) has had an average growth rate of at least 4.5 percent. These countries host 34 percent of the regions people. By contrast, the 13 slowest-growing economies in Africa have seen less than 3 percent growth on average, with some having near zero or negative growth[ii]. These countries, many either engaged in conflict or having recently emerged from conflict, account for 20 percent of the regions people. The countries in Africa experiencing strong growth outside the oil- producing nations have been buoyed, in part, by global price increases in other primary export commodities. With the exception of raw materials, whose prices have been relatively stagnant, other commodities, including metals and non-oil minerals, have experienced noticeable increases in their price levels. This worldwide rise of com modity prices has been engendered in large part by the rapid growth of Asian developing countries, especially China and India. They contributed close to 40 percent of global import growth for precious stones, 30 percent for crude oil, and 20 percent for metallic ores. Their demand for these commodities is likely to grow, or at least not change from current levels, in the foreseeable future. Still, a number of countries in Africa are diversifying their exports, no longer relying solely on the export of a few raw commodities. Exports are increasingly composed of light manufactured goods, processed foods, horticulture, and services such as tourism. Some countries—such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been increasing their shares of exports in technology-based products. In fact, they are moving up the technology ladder and exporting low- to medium-technology products in sectors where Asian countries are increasingly putting less emphasis The ever increasing significance of the African continent is highlighted by the following turn of events. In 2008, several high-level meetings were organized with Africas concerns high on the agenda. In April 2008, the India-Africa Forum Summit was held in New Delhi with 14 Heads of State and Government and representatives of regional bodies. A comprehensive Africa-India Framework for Cooperation was established, covering economic cooperation in such areas as agricultural development, political cooperation, science and technology, social development, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment, and media and communication. A joint plan of action and implementation mechanism is to be developed within a year. One of the stated aims of the framework is to reinforce South-South cooperation to enable Africa and India to have greater leverage in international forums. In May 2008, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV) took place in Yokohama, with representatives from 51 African countries, including 40 Heads of State and Government as well representatives of African organizations and from many Asian countries. Japan pledged to double its official development assistance (ODA) over the next five years, focusing on infrastructure and agricultural development. The first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul in August 2008 with the participation of representatives of 50 African countries, among them several Heads of State and Government. Turkeys trade and investment relations with Africa have increased dramatically over the past few years and Africa is a major market for Turkish contractors. Turkey has also formalized relations with AU and with AfDB. In October 2008, a ministerial conference on economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa was held to discuss major economic development issues and share South Koreas economic development experiences with African partners. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil are also intensifying their economic and diplomatic ties with Africa. These developments are taking place against the recent backdrop of high growth in Africa, increasing demand for commodities, especially in emerging economies, and the search for low-cost locations for investments in simple manufacturing. They have helped halt the trend of Africas declining share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows[iii]. __________________ Security Environment in 2025:Indias Interests and Strategies Air Commodore Jasjit Singh,AVSM,Vrc,VM, (Retd) USI JOURNAL JANUARY- MARCH 07 2 Africas silk road Harry.G.braodman. 3 United Nations Economic Commission Report on Africa, 2009 CHAPTER II INDIAS ROLE IN EMERGING WORLD ORDER INDIA RISING The centre of gravity of the emerging international order and strategic affairs is increasingly shifting to the Asian landmass (and contiguous island territories). The 21st century is likely to be Asia-centred due to some of the reasons outlined below: (a) Asian landmass is where the most far-reaching social, economic and political changes are taking place. How these countries manage change will largely influence the course of world events in the coming decades. (b) The region still has extensive un-resolved disputes extending from issues of sovereignty to ideological issues which are often constructed on religious extremism. (c) By 2015, seven out of ten largest economies would be Asian countries (including three out of the four top being Asian, the other country being the United States with its deep and extensive interests in Asia). (d) Seven out of nine nuclear weapon states are located in Asia (including the United States which has strategically shifted forward into the Asian contiguous oceans, has deployed nuclear weapons in Asia, and will remain an â€Å"Asian† power). (e) Worlds energy â€Å"demand heartland† composed of Japan, Koreas, China and India is in Asia. And so is the energy â€Å"resource periphery† extending from Siberia, Central Asia, Persian Gulf, North Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and East China Sea. Future needs and availability of energy resource base are likely to further emphasise the Asia-centred world order while enhancing the role of major centres of power. India as the worlds largest democracy is now on the move in economic and technological terms. It has successfully progressed in what can only be described as the human historys most ambitious experiment of transforming a traditional society into a modern one, of transforming an agrarian-based economy into a comprehensive industry-service sector- agricultural economy, rapidly increase social mobility transforming the country into a class-less society, and so on, all through processes of consultative politics. The World Bank estimates that India will possess the fourth largest economy in the world by 2020. Since independence India has made rapid strides and now has the worlds second largest pool of highly competent scientific and technological expertise while its software strength is likely to play a major role in the coming years. Indias economic growth, not as dramatic as that of China or the East Asia â€Å"Tigers† has nevertheless shown increasing rate of growth in every de cade since the late 1960s. Indias geostrategists have a changed perception vis-à  -vis the third world and other NAM countries, which the country was historically aligned to[iv]. India has used both â€Å"soft power† and â€Å"hard power† options to increase its influence on third countries. This perception is based on the following assessments: (a) India discontinued its government to government development cooperation with all but six bilateral donors (DFID, EC, Germany, Japan, USAID, and Russian Federation). Instead donors could assist NGOs directly. (b) India has gradually changed from a recipient of aid and assistance to a giver of aid. Minister of state for external affairs Rao Inderjit Singh stated in April 2005: â€Å"Our technical and economic cooperation programme ITEC [to 156 states] is almost four decades old. a rough monetary value to the wide range of training and other facilities that we have shared with our friends from Africa, I am sure he would estimate it at well above a billion dollars†. [32] (c) India Development Initiative (IDI) dedicates a $1.5 billion soft credit fund over five years through the Exim Bank for supporting development projects mainly in Africa. (d) India has leased an air base in Ayni in Tajikistan which it argues is for non- military purposes, but others see this is as part of Indias move towards increasing its strategic depth in central Asia. (e) India has assisted Afghanistan in projects that range from roads to hospi- tal building as a way of maintaining its influence in the region. It has extended more than $100 million in credit to the outlawed Myanmar regime, including for upgrading their railway. India has thus emerged as Myanmars second largest market, absorbing 25 per cent of the countrys exports. (f) India maintains its influence in several south Asian states like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, as is well known. In this context India has gradually dis- engaged from the large southern groups that it once partnered and has played a key role in forming new groups like the G-4, G-15, G-20 and G-33. India has become part of many regional groupings, like India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Coopera- tion (BIMSTEC), as a more direct way of promoting South-South Cooperation as well as establishing a stronger political and economic relationship. This gradual but significant disengagement with the third world is driven by Indias great power perceptions. Its aid policies follow the intentions of the west in the creation of markets for Indian capital. The concept of â€Å"soft power† policies remains part of the neo-realist framework, where the interest of the state is primary, regardless of the impact on citizens. __________________ 4 CHENOY Kamal Mitra, CHENOY Anuradha M * From Economic and Political Weekly September 1, 2007. CHAPTER III GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA As the ‘dark continent, Africa has typically been painted with broad-brush strokes, as a place of uncivilized people, as savage and superstitious, as tribalistic and nepostic. Africa is a vast and exotic continent of about 900 million people in 54 independent countries. It has a total area of over 30 million sq. kms, about three and a half times the size of the United States and 10 times the size of India. It is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the worlds chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Africas enormous agricultural potential is vastly untapped. Africas vast mineral wealth and strategic significance have encouraged foreign powers to intervene in African affairs. African oil constitutes 8% of the worlds oil resources. Political Importance of Africa is further compounded by the fact that it comprises the 54 votes that African Union (AU) maintains in the General Assembly. With world markets in turmoil, an unexpected and overlooked continent may benefit from its very isolation. Opportunities The continent has witnessed a trend towards democratisation that is visible in multi-party elections across the continent and the emergence of a democratic South Africa. It is also visible in the launch of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) through the joint efforts of South Africa and Senegal. This action plan promises to remove the tag of the Hopeless Continent. Yet all this has been accompanied by a steady drumbeat of optimism about the continent, and confidence in its prospects. Despite of the problems, the 48 countries of sub Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as plain Africa) are, by several measures, enjoying a period of unparalleled economic success. And despite the turmoil in the worlds financial markets, international investors still think they can make money there. In 1990-94 annual GDP growth was a weak 0.9%; since then, growth has averaged closer to 5%. Before this autumns financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting GDP growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting only a slightly lower rate. Annual GDP growth per person was 1.1% in the late 1990s; from 2004 to 2006 it was around 4%. In 1990 47% of Africans lived in poverty; in 2004 41% did and, if present trends continue, only 37% will by 2015. Zimbabwe apart, most African countries have been bringing inflation down, even if the trend is now creeping up again, in line with the rest of the world. Many countries have been helped by better macro-economic management and big inflows of Western aid, investment and debt relief-as well as by more unquantifiable investments from Asia, particularly China, and the Middle East. The surplus petrodollars of the Gulf States have been flowing into East Africa. The IMF estimates that foreign investment and loans to Africa rose from $11 billion in 2000 to $53 billion in 2007. Much of this has stemmed from the commodities boom. Oil- producing countries such as Angola and Nigeria, and even war-torn Sudan, have supplied the soaring growth s, and much of the foreign investment has gone into extractive industries. Economic development patterns in Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories. Ghana, Africas first nation to win its freedom from Europe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This is both cause for reflection on the past half-century and a reminder of how young African nations are. In the past seven years we have seen the end of seven major conflicts: in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote dIvoire, North-South Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea, and Angola. We are on the verge of a peace deal in northern Uganda. Although conflicts are still ongoing in Darfur and Chad, and the peace is fragile in several other places, the trend in Africa is toward the resolution of conflict. More importantly, the capacity of African nations to deal with conflicts has risen dramatically. African peacekeepers are increasingly active not only in Africa but around the world. Most starkly, Africa is going through a very real economic resurgence. Economic growth is estimated at around 6.5 percent last year, the highest in memory, while inflation is in the single digits. High growth and low inflation are projected to continue this year despite a global economic slowdown. This success is not just in oil countries; about two dozen sub-Saharan African nations are enjoying real growth rates in excess of 5 percent. Only one nation Zimbabwe is really going backward quickly, a direct result of President Mugabes scorched earth policy of clinging to power at any cost. That sad nation is entering its ninth consecutive year of a shrinking economy, and inflation is now well over 100,000 percent. The striking thing about Africa today is really its massive economic potential[v]. After half a century of very low growth, combined with the colonial legacy which chopped up the continent into so many small countries, the economies of Africa are still tiny: Baltimores economy is about ten times the size of Ghanas, and more than twice the size of Nigerias. Only South Africa is larger, and not by much. The positive economic picture we now see in Africa is being driven by a host of factors, including a boom in commodity prices. But economic reforms inside Africa are also a big part. Macro-economic reforms undertaken over the past decade, with international assistance and encouragement, have brought down inflation and improved the investment climate. Countries are now turning to micro-reforms to make it easier to open, operate, and grow small businesses the true engine for turning poor countries into rich ones. We are also seeing growing foreign investment in Africa[vi]. This is obviously led by oil, gas, and mining, but there are exciting trends in other sectors, such as telecommunications, agribusiness, and business services. Countries such as Ghana are starting to build specialized back office services like India has done so successfully. We are also seeing more interest from private equity firms, hedge funds, and other non-traditional investors that bode well for Africas economic integration into global financial and business networks. Indicative of this interest, Africa was recently featured on the cover of Business Week for the first time ever. Another very encouraging trend is the returning of African professionals. Bankers who have gotten experience in New York and London are now going back and setting up their own investment firms and banks. We can see this clearly in the banking boom in places like Nigeria and Ghana. Africa is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of conflict, democracy, and economic prosperity. But all of these are extremely fragile. 2007 was one of the best years in recent memory for the continent. __________________ 5 World Bank Report, â€Å"Can Africa Claim 21st Century†,2000. 6 Released on March 18, 2008 Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs CHAPTER IV EXPLOITATION OF THE GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA BY THE MAJOR GLOBAL POWERS POISED LIKE PANTHERS THEY STAND, JERKING LIKE LEOPARDS THEY[vii] POUNCE BRUTAL AS HELL THEY ACT, TACTICAL AS HARE THEY WITHDRAW NOT SEEN IN ACTION, WE ARE LEFT TO NURSE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY CLAWS UNSEEN WITH BUT CRIES FROM DISTANT LANDS OF HOW â€Å"THEY HAVE FINISHED THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE UNCIVIL† LATER WE SEE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS ICC INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS, OF THE BEMBAS, TAYLORS, NOT OF OTHERS FOR TIMES BEFIT NOT WE HAVE SEEN RESETTLEMENT, NGOS STAFFED WITH SPIES, EXPLORERS SEARCHING FOR MAGICAL RICHES, OPPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS: GEO-MAPPING, MINERAL PROSPECTING, LAND EYEING IN WAYS AND BY MEANS BEYOND ORDINARY EYE. WE HAVE SEEN AND NOT SEEN, OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS OUR WEALTH BY , FOR OURSELVES,BLACKS AS KINSMEN, COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES AFRICANS SWUNG INTO ACTION AGAINST INFILTRATING EXPLOITAERS, SOWERS OF DISARRAY OUR SIGHT BLINDFOLDED WE LAMENT, AGAINST OUR PROGENITORS, CHIEFS THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF GLOBAL MISCHIEF KNOWERS OF TRUTH STRATEGICALLY PERPETRATE SABA- RWENGABO MAY 2007 The twin phenomena of a new 21st century global scramble for Africas strategic energy and mineral resources and the on-going global economic slump are admittedly taking a heavy toll on the continent s nascent democracy and security. This was the poignant conclusion of a high-level meeting of African experts and practitioners Convened by the Africa policy institute in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2009. The world economic slowdown, now ravaging African economies, comes on top of the global race for the continents resources crucial in the global political economy and security, especially mineral and energy resources. The new rush for Africa has increasingly drawn in cold war protagonists of Europe and Russia and more increasingly newcomers mainly China, and to a lesser extent, India, Brazil, South Africa, Korea and Malaysia. With the cost of food and fuel spiraling, commodity boom turning into bust, remittances from the African Diaspora falling, investments drying up and climate change taking its toll, questions remain about the implications of the new scramble for Africa and the both the swirling recession on the stability of the continents democracy and long-term security. The new scramble for Africa has unfolded against the backdrop of globalization in the post-Cold War era, which galvanized acute demand for African resources and the consequent integration of its economies into the global political economy. . With Africas relatively weak markets and unskilled labour pool playing a marginal role in the knowledge-driven global economy, the new race for Africa has targeted strategic mineral and energy resources such as oil and gas which have immense strategic importance in the global political economy and security calculations of major powers. But despite integration of African natural resources in the global economy, the African labour has become even more marginalised, with studies indicating that the â€Å"new scramble appears to be diminishing rather than increasing the prospects for employment of African labour and undermining the foundation of African livelihoods† . The trend by neo-liberal globalization to divorce the African from his resou rces is spawning new dynamics of intensified internal conflicts and creating a new fault line of conflict between Africa and the global order[viii]. Secondly, the demise of apartheid in 1994 marked the complete liberation of the continent with South Africa becoming a key leader in what has been enchanted as ‘African renaissance. However, as a result of rampant poor governance, corruption and internal wars from Somalia to Darfur (Sudan) and Kenya to Zimbabwe, African leaders failed to use the continents immense natural resources to ensure effective and pro-poor development. As such, while the newly liberated South African powerelite spearheaded the creation of a complex governance and security architecture within the aegis of the African Union to stabilize the continent, civil wars, poor governance corruption and unemployment intensified in the context of the new scramble for continents resources In turn, this has reinforced political instability and democratic crisis. The new scramble for Africa s natural resources, especially oil, is therefore, supported and sustained by the predatory African elites who are the major benef iciaries, while majority of the poor Africans at the periphery of the economy continue to be more marginalised from the economic benefits of the new scramble. Thirdly, the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the former ‘south including India, Brazil and, more saliently, China increased global competition for energy and refocused world attention on Africa as a new frontier in the search for alternative source of fossil fuels and land for growing bio-fuel and food crops to supply domestic and global markets, thus triggering the new scramble for Africa. The entry of China and other new players into the African scene increased competition with western powers for oil and mineral resources, but the jury is still out regarding the impact of the interests and strategies of these newcomers on Africas fledgling democracy and overall security. But Chinas policy of â€Å" not mixing business with politics† or the see- no-evil, hear-no-evil† policy on governance has collided with the West s emphasis on governance and human rights as a precondition for engagement with Africa, leading to non-cooperation between the two and intensifying the race for spheres of influence on the continent[ix]. Finally, in the last two years the continent has experienced the full weight of the raging global financial and economic recession which has shattered its economic growth and development prospects, threatened its economies and fostered a climate of political instability. The current global melt-down has intensified Africas serious socio-economic and political challenges relating to endemic poverty, unemployment, rising inequality, debt over-hang and the knock-on effects of climate change. But the effect of the global recession on the scramble for Africa and their implications on Africas democratic crisis are not patently clear. The current scramble for Africa is markedly significant in two ways. First, it is a scramble