Negative Impact of Uneducated Women in Third World Countries

Negative Impact of Uneducated Women in Third World Countries Armed and Educated: Negative Impacts of Uneducated Women in Third World Countries as seen in Malala Yousafzais Memoir, I Am Malala As the Western society continues to progress, it is becoming increasingly evident that the barriers that once restricted and defied millions of women around the world, are slowly being deconstructed and reconstructed as society begins to change its views on gender parity and feminism. This is not only reflected in womens new roles and jobs within the Western society, but also in politics as women are now able to run and vote. On the other hand, despite the progress, millions of girls in non-Western developing areas such as South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, still continue to suffer severe disadvantages as they are often subjugated by men and stripped of their basic human rights. One of these basic rights includes the right to an education, yet, most girls in non-Western societies are excluded from the education systems throughout their lives. This is a huge problem as the lack of education is what is creating the barrier that prevents women from obtaining equality in society. Recent research and evidence has shown that education is one of the most critical areas of empowerment for a girl, overall leading to a healthier and more productive life. However, since their rights are taken away from birth, they lose the right to learn, grow, and succeed in life. In her memoir I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, accurately depicts the struggles and negative impact of uneducated women in third world countries. There are many factors that contribute to a developing nations extremely low female literacy rate. One of the primary reasons for this is the lack of proper schooling facilities, qualified teachers, and/or teaching aids such as textbooks. This is especially true for girls living in more remote areas of the country. Additionally, in many parts of the developing world, the nearest school to a community might be a four to five-hour long walk. Apart from it being exhausting and time consuming, girls also face the threat of violence or sexual assault on the way to school. Thus, many parents opt to keep their daughters at home. According to UNESCOs regional overview on sub-Saharan Africa in 2013, more than 68% of the girls that do make the long journey to school everyday end up dropping out before they complete primary school (Stepp). Malala further supports this as she witnesses most of the children in refugee settlements were not going to school. Sometimes there was no school. Sometimes it was unsafe to walk to school. And sometimes children were working instead of being educated (Yousafzai XIX). Furthermore, another main reason why many families in developing countries choose not to educate their daughters is because they cannot afford it as there are a lot of costs associated with it. The cost of uniforms, textbooks, and schooling facilities can be too much to bear for a family living in poverty. For the families that can afford it however, boys are often favored to receive an education over girls. This is especially evident during Malalas trip to Nigeria when she discovers that many girls were [her] age and all had dreams of being doctors or teachers or scientistsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ but only 4 percent of girls in Northern Nigeria finish school (Yousafzai XVIII). Lastly, another reason for the lack of female education in developing countries is the cultural beliefs and gender norms of the society. In the male-dominated society, women are typically viewed as nothing m ore than the property of the men. Most cultures believe that a womens sole purpose is to serve the men of the house, do household chores, reproduce and care for the children while the man goes out to provide for the family. Due to these misguided gender norms, many girls do not have the opportunity to attend school because their contributions to the household are valued more than their personal education. These gender norms are extremely prevalent when Malala states that [she] was a girl born in a land where rifles are fired in celebration of a son, while daughters are hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children (Yousafzai 13). In any case, millions of women in developing nations are unable to receive an education and this has several negative impacts on different aspects of womens lives. The negative effects that uneducated women have on their society include both personal and social factors. For starters, many women that are uneducated are more susceptible to early marriages usually against their will (in some cases girls as young as eight or ten). This results in millions of illiterate young girls without the appropriate tools to build healthy, educated families. The Voices of Youth organization stated that for every year a girl stays in school past fifth grade, her marriage is delayed a year (Madu). Similarly, Malala emphasizes this point when she states that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[parents] are just waiting for their daughters to be married off while the sons went to school (Yousafzai 29). This in turn, leads to most girls giving birth at an extremely young age, resulting in a higher mortality rate among young girls during child birth or simply because the child is unhealthy. Studies have shown that an extra year of schooling for girls also reduces fertility rates by 17% (Joshi). Secondly, uneducated women also have a lot of difficulty communicating and expressing themselves at home or in public. Doing simple tasks like reading signs or paying at the grocery store proves to be quite difficult for many young women as they have not had the opportunity to learn how to read. Malala relates a story of a young girl she saw selling oranges. She was scratching marks on a piece of paper with a pencil to account for the oranges she sold, as she could not read or write (Yousafzai 217). Lastly, the lack of educated people in developing countries is what allows educated people to exploit their ignorance. This is especially true of the government or religious leaders that use fear and ignorance to bring themselves to power or to have a huge portion of the population under their control. For example, several times throughout her memoir, Malala states that the lack of education is the root of all of Pakistans problems, and that ignorance allowed politicians to foo l people and bad administrators to be re-elected (Yousafzai 41). The government makes promises and manipulates people to the point where people are convinced that the corrupt authorities are fit to be in power. After elections, however, all the promises that are made are forgotten and the nation suffers for years before another election takes place and the same thing happens all over again. What is worse is using a natural disaster that devastated a nation to preach religious extremes. This is portrayed several times throughout Malalas memoir- after an earthquake struck Pakistan, religious leaders called Mullahs preached the earthquake was a warning from God. They said it was caused by womens freedom and obscenity. If we did not mend our ways and introduce Sharia or Islamic lawà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ more severe punishments would come (Yousafzai 107). Preaching misinterpreted verses from the Quran and exploiting the ignorance of people who did not understand Arabic worked well to their adva ntage as fear made it particularly easy to manipulate them. As can be seen, the lack of education has severe negative impacts which can easily be prevented if women are educated. Education has so many benefits, but lack thereof blinds people to the fact that knowledge is power and it is one of the most powerful weapons against mass manipulation and exploitation. Education, especially in developing countries, is extremely valuable as it can solve many of the countrys problems. Educating women of the country comes with its own list of benefits, most of which people are ignorant towards. Firstly, it is no secret that poverty and illiteracy go hand in hand. Research has shown that most illiterate women live in countries with increasing economic difficulties and enormous debt burdens (Madu). What citizens of developing countries refuse to acknowledge is that the solution lies in educating their women. When women are educated, it enables them to contribute to their countrys income as more women begin to join the labor force. According to UNICEF, when ten percent more women attend school, GDP increases by three percent on average (UNICEF.org). This may potentially abolish poverty and many of the other problems developing countries are faced with. Secondly, women who are well educated and receive an independent income will naturally find their voice not just in the family, but also within their society. In other words, women gain the self-confidence and courage they need to speak out and resist the injustice they see around them, or are facing themselves. This is directly reflected in Malala herself as she found her own voice growing up in [her] fathers school (Yousafzai 118). Knowledge is addicting and having the luxury of education from an early age left her craving for more, despite the threats of Mullahs and the Taliban. Thus, she continues to advocate for womens right to education. Furthermore, the role that educated mothers play in reducing infant and child mortality is profound. Results in Africa indicate a 40% in child survival for mothers with five years of primary education (Wade). This is because educated women tend to have fewer and healthier children. In addition to this, when women are educated, they are more likely to ensure that their children are also educated leading to a future generation that is well equipp ed to contribute to society. It is rightly said that investing in a girls education is investing in a nation. In fact, there is an African proverb that says, If we educate a boy, we educate one person. If we educate a girl, we educate a family- and a whole nation (Stepp). To conclude, education not only removes ignorance, but allows for women to unleash their full potential by becoming conscious, skilled and productive citizens. All in all, it is proven that educating women in developing countries is the solution to reducing the issue of gender parity as well as enabling womens full potential, while simultaneously boosting their developing nations economy. The proof lies not only in Malala Yousafzais memoir, I Am Malala, which accurately represents the struggles of uneducated women in developing countries, but also in the statistics that show the negative impacts of uneducated women as well as the benefits of education.   Educated women obtain the knowledge, skills, and self-confidence that they need to lead healthier, more productive lives while raising the standards of living for their families and communities. It is hard to believe that the solution lies in half the worlds population, yet so many leaders are oblivious to it or are refusing to change their methods. Works Cited Girls education and gender equality. Girls education and gender equality. UNICEF, 23 July 2015. Web. 23 Nov. 2016. https://www.unicef.org/education/bege_70640.html. Girls education: A lifeline to development. Girls education: A lifeline to development. UNICEF, 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 2 Nov. 2016. https://www.unicef.org/sowc96/ngirls.htm. Joshi, Mohit, Essay on Importance of Women Education. Essay on Importance of Women Education~. WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, 1970. Web. 13 Oct. 2016. http://hamroessay.blogspot.ca/2015/06/essay-important-of-women-education.html. Madu, Chima F. Education for Aspiring Young Women. Voices of Youth. 2013. Web. 12 Dec. 2016. http://www.voicesofyouth.org/en/posts/why-we-should-support-girls-4. Stepp, Lauren. Top 10 Reasons Why Female Education is Important-TBP. The Borgen Project. UNESCO, 2016. Web. 20 Dec. 2016. http://borgenproject.org/top-10-reasons-female-education-important/. Wade, Sarah. 5 Reasons You Should Care About Girls Education. United Nations Foundation.United Nations Foundation, 8 July 2013. Web. 17 Dec. 2016. http://www.unfoundation.org/blog/5-reasons.html. Yousafzai, Malala. I am Malala: the girl who stood up for education and was shot by the Taliban. New York, NY: Little, Brown, Company, 2013. Print. MLA formatting by http://bibme.org/ Bibliography Girls education and gender equality. Girls education and gender equality. UNICEF, 23 July 2015. Web. 23 Nov. 2016. https://www.unicef.org/education/bege_70640.html. Girls Education and Gender Equality. Global Partnership for Education. N.p., Sept. 2015. Web.20 Oct. 2016. http://www.globalpartnership.org/focus-areas/girls-education. Girls education: A lifeline to development. Girls education: A lifeline to development. UNICEF, 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 2 Nov. 2016. https://www.unicef.org/sowc96/ngirls.htm. Girls Education. Girls Education. The World Bank. n.d. Wev. 16 Dec. 2016. http://www.worldbank.org/en/tropic/girlseducation. Joshi, Mohit, Essay on Importance of Women Education. Essay on Importance of Women Education~. WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, 1970. Web. 13 Oct. 2016. http://hamroessay.blogspot.ca/2015/06/essay-important-of-women-education.html. Madu, Chima F. Education for Aspiring Young Women. Voices of Youth. 2013. Web. 12 Dec. 2016. http://www.voicesofyouth.org/en/posts/why-we-should-support-girls-4. Oneil, Micheal . Top 10 Facts You Dont Know About Girls Education. ABC News. ABC News Network, 7 Oct. 2013. Web. 7 Dec. 2016. http://abcnews.go.com/International/10-facts-girls-education/story?id=20474260. Roudi-Fahimi, Farzaneh, and Valentine M. Moghadam. Empowering Women, Developing Society: Female Education in the Middle East and North Africa. Empowering Women, Developing Society: Female Education in the Middle East and North Africa.   N.p., 2009. Web. 20 Dec. 2016. http://www.prb.org/Publications/Reports/2003/EmpoweringWomenDevelopingSocietyFemaleEducationintheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica.aspx Stepp, Lauren. Top 10 Reasons Why Female Education is Important-TBP. The Borgen Project. UNESCO, 2016. Web. 20 Dec. 2016. http://borgenproject.org/top-10-reasons-female-education-important/. The Worlds Women 2010: Trends and Statistics. United Nations Statistics Division Demographic and Social Statistics. United Nations, 12 Feb. 2011. Web. 4 Nov. 2016. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/Worldswomen/Executive%20summary.htm. Wade, Sarah. 5 Reasons You Should Care About Girls Education. United Nations Foundation.United Nations Foundation, 8 July 2013. Web. 17 Dec. 2016. http://www.unfoundation.org/blog/5-reasons.html. Yousafzai, Malala, and Christina Lamb. Free, safe, quality education is the right of every girl. The Malala Fund. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. https://www.malala.org/girls-education. Yousafzai, Malala. I am Malala: the girl who stood up for education and was shot by the Taliban. New York, NY: Little, Brown, Company, 2013. Print.

Baron Georges Eugene Haussmann

Paris in the l9th century was anything but beautiful; the City of Lights was a city of disparity; graceful monuments, historic buildings and slum dwellings, sat side by side. The narrow streets were catch-alls for chamber pots that were emptied into the streets from windows, the sewer system was inadequate, for a city with a million inhabitants, and prompting extremely unhealthy conditions that bred disease and only one out of five households had running water.This statement from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a Genevan philosopher depicts a snapshot picture of Old Paris, â€Å"Entering through the faubourg Saint Marceau, I saw only small, dirty and stinking streets, ugly black houses, an air of filth, poverty, beggars, carters, sewing women, women hawking tisanes and old hats† (British library. ) All of these issues would be â€Å"history† with the city’s modernization done at an unprecedented pace by Baron Georges-Eugene Haussmann. Baron Haussmann was born, in Paris, o n March 27th, 1809. He was educated at theCollege Henry IV, studied law, while simultaneously taking classes at the Conservatoire de Paris, because he was a good musician. He diverted from being a lawyer, turning his focus on architecture, becoming a civil engineer and career administrator. Mr. Haussmann was appointed sous-prefet (state representative) of Nerac, a commune of the Lot-et-Garonne department in southwestern France, in l830. He advanced quickly in the civil service venue; in l853 he was appointed the prefet of the Seine Department, (department in France is similar to a county) and remained in that position until l870.During this time period, Baron Haussmann was made senator in l857, grand cross at the Legion d’honneur, a premier order of France, in l862, and a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in l867. (wikipedia) He died on January 11, l891 in Paris, leaving a continuous and evolving legacy. The Baron’s name is preserved on the Boulevard Haussmann and in the very core of the â€Å"City of Lights. † Now that I have given a brief, biographical summary of Mr. Haussmann’s life, here is a detailed look at his accomplishments, historical impact on urbanism and constant influence in today’s society.Emperor Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the last monarch to rule France, wanted to be acknowledged as a great communal engineer. He was partial to helping the poor, working class people of Paris and desperately wanted to shape the city in to a progressive, healthy environment. There was also a safety issue, the Emperor needed to address; it was imperative that he reduce the ability of future revolutionaries to defy the government, by benefiting on the medieval maze of streets to easily form barricades. Devising wider streets for logical maneuvers, would allow battalions and artillery to circulate effortlessly.Napoleon III rightly chose, the best civil engineer in Paris, Baron Haussmann to implement the recons truction of his capital. The Emperor let Haussmann maintain substantial executive power and extensive finances with this project. Ultimately, over a decade and a half he spent 2,115,000,000 francs, the equivalence of 1. 5 billion in today’s currency. Napoleon also protected Haussmann from the myriad of critics, this was fundamental for his success. Paris would undergo a major transformation and people had two different views of Haussmann; one as a man who would demolish â€Å"old† Paris , and the other as a man who would create a â€Å"new†Paris. Haussmanization is what this massive undertaken was dubbed, its actual definition being, â€Å"the creative destruction of something for the betterment of society,â€Å" (wiktionary). The criticism the Baron received was that specific, Parisian’s were troubled by the destruction of buildings, including whole neighborhoods. In they’re opinion, there was no â€Å"betterment,† the wide streets had a diminutive purpose, except for being anti-riot streets, and all Haussmann did for the poor areas was to build encompassing boulevards from which they could be subjugated (British lib.) Another, subject he was disparaged for, was his methods of financing the projects, which included using his connections with realtors. Haussmann would allow them to purchase property along the new boulevards in exchange for an exuberant profit. This issue ignited an intense political controversy and even though the allegation were never proven , it eventually led to the Baron’s dismissal as the prefet, on January 5, l870. Napoleon III had no choice if he was to increase the approval rating of this regime.Parisians who viewed Haussmann’s modernization of Paris as positive, and new he would be providing a much needed service to the city, far out numbered the opposition. Most of the people perceived the streets as they actually were; unsanitary, with garbage and waste left by a faulty sewer system, crowded, damp, shanties covered in mud, and confusing. The narrow streets, with no sidewalks, discouraged prospective customers from going to shops, and during Paris’s recurrent spates of civil disorder, made it easier to form barricades. Haussmannization would deliver a â€Å"new† Paris, a healthy, moreorganized, safer city. Baron Haussmann’s first task was to create a detailed map of Paris, this would be the basis of his work. He then installed wood towers throughout the city, taller than surrounding buildings to serve as triangulation points in the surveying process. This was an advanced engineering process, theory is still use today. Triangulation is finding coordinates and the distance of a point by calculating the length of different sides of a triangle. Devising the towers, for this purpose, was ingenious. The transformation was now underway, using 1500 architects and over 60,000 workers.Paris was deemed the â€Å"largest construction site in th e world,† and would hold that title for two decades (France monthly). Three quarters of the Ile de la Cite, was destroyed to construct a central area for the Palais de Justice, police headquarters and barracks. Ile de la Cite is one of two islands in the Seine River, the other is Ile Saint-Louis, is the center of Paris and where the city was founded (wikipedia). Approximately 15,000 homes were pulled down and the only buildings untouched were; Notre Dame, the Saint-Chapelle, Conciergie and the Palais de Justice.Haussmann’s beautification of Paris, includes the star-shaped Place de l†Etoile, which is a large urban junction with a meeting point of twelve straight avenues, around the Arc de Triomphe, several new parks, gardens and the planting of over 100,000 trees. The Baron admired the large and central London parks, such as the Hyde and Regent Parks, and decided to created two comparable ones, . most notably the Bois de Boulogne, and the Bois de Vincennes. The Bar on built or rebuilt several market, the most famous redesigned market was the Les Halles, the first major building project to use iron-frame construction.This material allowed for improved control of the city’s food supplies and lessening of health hazards (SafariX). Another famous redesign was the Palais Garnier, commonly known as Opera de Paris, and named after its architect, Charles Garnier, who was chosen by the Baron to supervise the project. Mr. Garnier was instructed to build a 2nd theatre for the famous Parisian Opera and Ballet Companies. Legend says that Napoleon III’s wife asked Garnier if it would be built in Greek or Roman style and he replied, â€Å"It is in the Napoleon III style, Madame! â€Å" (msn. Encarta) Haussmann imposed a regulationthat required all new buildings to have a standardized height and design, this gave modern Paris characteristic landscape. Haussmann’s plan continued with organizing the city by numbering districts and houses. Parisian’s lives were made easier with the numeration. Wide, straight, new boulevards with commanding facades, converging at major junctions, marked by monuments, public buildings and points of significance such as city gates or railway stations, were made to facilitated traffic movement, eliminate cramped streets, and provide proficient access for army troops from the provinces to come into the city,if needed. Baron Haussmann’s implemented a railway network, with six new railroads stations, operating outside the city, improving transportation and directly contributing to a flourishing economic environment. The railways contributed to the development of coal mining and the steel industry in France, bringing they’re economy into a contemporary age of large scale free enterprise. The design of the streets combined with the new public transportation allowed Parisians an easy access to the city and its shops, museums, theatre etc., encouraged people to flaunt their new wealth. Probably the most imperative part of the â€Å"modernization† of Paris was the purification and decontamination of their ancient sewer system. A complete renovation was imperative to instill healthy conditions in the city. Haussmann named engineer Eugene Belgrad, Director of Water and Sewers of Paris, who attacked the problem by creating â€Å"sort of a city under the city,† The system harnessed underwater springs, some over 100 kilometers from Paris, then brought fresh, clean water by aqueducts to flush out the waste (France Monthly).The sewer system, although underground, didn’t go unobserved, Haussmann ensured that it became a showpiece, even providing transportation for their viewing, the system, to this day, is considered a tourist attractioin. Baron Haussmann and Napoleon III’s architectural strategy for the modernization of Paris is largely responsible for the city’s present appearance and for the groundwork of current and almos t certainly, future designs. The Baron’s vision of a city came into fruition, making Paris one of the most magnificently beautiful cities, a formidable economic power, with much healthier living conditions.Haussmann still continues to inspire architectural design. One example is the City Beautiful Movement, a progressive reform movement in North American architect, in the1800’s and 1900’s, its primary objective was to revamp poverty-stricken urban environments. â€Å"Haussmannian Revolution,† a term used because, for the first time in history, under an emporer, a single man systematically modernized a city on such a mammoth scope (France Monthly). Work Cited British Library, An Imperial Capital: Baron Haussmann’s Transformation of Pariswww. mapforum. com/15blmap. htm France Monthly, Baron Haussmann, and the Transformation of Paris, 2006 www. francemonthly. com/n/1202/index. php MSN. Encartam, Paris (city, France)-MSN Encarta 2007 http//Encarta. msn . com/encylopedia SafariX, Haussmannization and Ostentation http//www. safarix. com/0131932934/ch15lev1sec2 Wikipedia, Baron Haussman, 2 April 2007 www. widipedia. org/wiki/Baron_Haussmann Wikitionary, Etymology, 8 December 2006 http//en. wikitionary. org

Economic Integration in Latin America: a Reality or a Mith?

Economic Integration in LATAM: A Reality or a Myth Oscar R. Martinez Latin American International Relations 19 March 2013 Integration for Latin American (LATAM) states has been an overarching approach when discussing foreign relations in the western hemisphere. Much of the literature proposed in this class proposes the intentions of LATAM states to integrate at different levels. However, this paper will demonstrate that regional economic integration is formally happening. Yet, it remains weak and inconclusive.Internal bureaucracy and the lack of commitment to these integration efforts overshadow the intentions for economic integration. This paper will examine the different strategic options for economic integration in LATAM, the reason why LATAM states seek for economic integration and most importantly the factors impeding and weakening regional integration in the western hemisphere. This analysis is based on the historical evidence of LATAM states’ behavior and trading trends . To grasp the ongoing economic liberalization policies in LATAM, we must first understand viable strategic options of economic integration for LATAM states.After the Cold War, Latin America faced a prospect of marginalization. The distinctive economic disadvantages to compete in the world economics presented different strategic integration options that could provide the foundation for long-term development and growth. Peter H. Smith proposed four different economic integration options for Latin America at the beginning of the new millennium: unilateral liberalization, joining with the North, extra-hemispheric partnership, and regional integration.These strategic models accentuated the different available options LATAM states could consider in order to the meet political and economic agendas. The first strategic option available is the unilateral liberalization of economic programs to strengthen commercial and financial ties with major power centers. This option allows countries to center on export-led development were internal policies focuses on the diversification of products and partners and continually seek foreign investments from multiple sources. Chile is an example of using this lucrative option.Before Pinochet, Chile exercised protectionist trade policies that suffocated its trading opportunities throughout the globe. Pinochet’s economic reforms resembled this option advocating free trade and allowing Chile to develop commercial ties with Europe, Japan, and the United States without allowing dependence to any single trade partner. Chile has the most signed free trade agreements in South America. The second strategic option is joining economic grounds with the United States. This alternative seems beneficial for LATAM countries because it also integrates them with the world economy.LATAM states understand the current economic position of the United States and its interdependence in the global economy; this assertion could incentivize other coun tries to meet their economic ambitions at a global scale. Countries view this option as an opportunity to integrate with the strongest world’s economy, which will enable them to gain prestige and trading opportunities in the global market. Mexico has followed this option, mostly because of its geographic proximity to the United States, benefitting from the free access to the U.S. market—with NAFTA— and tormenting from its sole dependence. In 2011, nearly 80% of Mexico’s exports were tied to the United States. This can be referred as â€Å"putting most of your eggs in one basket. † Nevertheless, the Mexican economy has significantly grown since NAFTA. The third strategic options is seeking extra-hemispheric partnership. LATAM leaders have the option to develop economic ties with extra-hemispheric trading blocs such as the European Union and the Asian-Pacific Region.LATAM countries to offset the hegemonic position of the United States often use this option. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Peru, and Venezuela have made remarkable efforts in exercising this option in the past decade. Some countries and/or regional trading blocs see this as a feasible option due to the competition and intense bureaucratic limitations within their own region or subregion. Consequently, this option allows LATAM states to diversify their trading partnership. The fourth and final strategic option is the main focus for this paper.The regional/subregional economic integration option affirms self-reliance. This alternative provides a realistic approach in changing economic configurations of international power. Therefore, we must further examine this option and explain why LATAM insist on integrating their economies. Regional economic integration agreements depend on the motivation, form, coverage and content. It is often that the major actors set the agenda not only with the view of constructing and retaining power at that regional level but also to est ablish global precedents.According to Smith, â€Å"given the diversity of interests and economic structures, Latin American leaders have focused not only on continental unification but on subregional integration—projects for economic cooperation among groups of Latin American countries, rather than for the continent as a whole. † The level of interest in regional integration depends on what cost/benefit (political and economical) analysis in the countries involved. We can argue that Latin America is not homogeneous block, therefore, the different intentions and needs from each country drive regional economic integration at different scales.Nevertheless, LATAM countries insist in integrating their economies for more relevant factors. First, they wanted to keep their market open for trade (market liberalization). After the Cold War, developing countries in the region needed to increase their trade opportunities in order to level the economic blow caused by developed nati ons. Open markets increase economic development among partner countries and enhance interaction and cooperation between states and markets. Economic Integration is also a way to overcome the limitation of small domestic markets.Second, countries want to compete with other regional integration options. Countries that feel limited to an outside regional trading bloc will try to form its own to level the plain field. The Andean Pact (1989) was the first economic integration effort in the western hemisphere. Others followed immediately after this economic block was established: Central American Common Market (CACM—1990), Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR—1991), and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA—1993). LATAM countries were pressured to compete as a bloc instead as single element.Third, common norms and ideals spreading to the region encouraged economic integration between these countries. Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez led a common anti-US mo vement to contest different political and economic views. The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) formed by President Chavez intended a regional cooperation of many LATAM countries based on the idea of the social, political and economic integration. The Bolivarianism movement is an effort to balance against the Washington consensus and liberal markets sponsored by the US.These type economic integrations have more of a completion of economic, social and political ideals. Diana Tussie articulates, â€Å"Regionalism in Latin America is not just a single tidy entity but has given way to many coexisting and competing projects with fuzzy boundaries. † Regional integration provides a variety of incentives for LATAM countries, however, not everything is as easy as it seems. LATAM effort for regional integration started in 1960 with the Latin American Free trade association (LAFTA), however, this and other regional integration projects failed due to the internal and externa l factor that limited or impeded its success.Numerous internal and external factors impeding effective economic integration continue to weaken these regional efforts. Internal factors such as commodities-based economies and domestic policies influence the commitment and participation to these integration projects. External factors such other attractive international options also weakens the regional economic integration. Regional integration is constantly threatened by these factors and it is more evident in Latin America. Despite of the formal integration, the effectiveness of these regional institutions is directly affected by domestic elements.The first internal factor affecting this regional integration endeavors is the number of commodities-based economies. The commodities for countries are not complimentary with each other. Competition for the open trade in the global market becomes fiercely competitive. Countries will ignore treaties to gain competitive advantage. The â€Å" commodity lottery† or the random allocation of natural resources endowments seems to be an influential factor when deciding trading partners. For example, Brazil and Argentina are both members of MERCOSUR, but both are competing for the right to export their agricultural and energy products outside the region.Tussie reveals this issue by stating that â€Å"regional institutions remain feeble, honoured more in spirit than in letter, and intra-regional relations are frayed with competing development projects. † The second internal factor is domestic policies. This factor impeding the effective economic integration is broken in two different elements: changes in regime and bureaucratic domestic pressures. The constant changes of political regimes affect the stability of a regional institution. Establishments of new political reforms will directly affect economic ambitions set in treaties by previous regimes.An example of General Pinochet economic reform in Chile has isolat ed its regional neighbors. The drastic withdrawal of Chile from the Andean Pact and the sway of neo-liberalism generated major economic crises, antagonism to region-wide industrial planning, and a backlog of non-compliance decisions in the region. Hugo Chavez in Venezuela has also stirred the pot on the new endeavors for MERCOSUR, making this trading bloc more of a political instrument rather than an economic integration system. Other domestic pressures come from the legislative institutions blocking and making these trading initiatives almost impossible to achieve.The bureaucratic process to ratify new or change current treaties—in particular Free Trade Agreements—seems to discourage any further economic integrations. Countries such as Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica would rather sign unilateral treaties than entering into a regional bloc. The final factor affecting the economic integration in Latin America is the recognition of a more attractive option outside their regi on to integrate their economies. Research shows that less than 28 percent of the overall trade in in Latin America is intra-regional.This means that economic institutions in Latin America do not take advantage or effectively use their regional partners for trade. For most of the LATAM countries, their top five trading partners include the United States, China, and the European Union. Again, the â€Å"commodity lottery† plays a huge role in the influence of why these countries prefer other international states for economic integration. The United States is the most important trading partner for most of the LATAM countries. The economies of many of these LATAM countries depend on the import and export with the United States.Their economic dependence influences some regional decisions. Nevertheless, these economic decisions could be used to balance against the United State, even though; this could also hurt their own economy. For example, Venezuela’s largest trading partn er is the United States. Yet, Venezuela’s domestic and regional economic policies continue to challenge those economic practices it depends the most on. Another huge external factor is the emergence of China and its economic influence in Latin America. LATAM countries see China as a potential alternative from the northern hegemony.Also, China’s manufacturing industry is highly competitive from those in Latin America. Many countries would prefer cheaper Chinese manufactured good than a more expensive one from their regional partners. China indeed affected the regional integration in Latin America. As expressed by Tussie, referring to regional economic institutions, â€Å"it has as an ‘epic’ status as a preferred tool for promoting social rather than mere market goals. † Historically, regional integration has always been part of the LATAM culture. Whether for political or economic gains, the effort to form these institutions is relevant and somehow to o optimistic.This paper displays different economic options LATAM states have in regards to economic integration. It also defines regional or subregional integration and lists some of the reasons why LATAM states insist in regional integration. Finally, the evidence and examples shown of the internal and external factors that impede and/or weaken regional integration support the following conclusion. A pragmatic approach in the economic and trading decisions seem to dominate the foreign policies of most LATAM countries, affecting the strength, legitimacy, and relevance of these formal regional institutions. ——————————————- [ 1 ]. Peter H. Smith, â€Å"Strategic Options for Latin America,† Latin America in the New World System, in Latin America in the New International System, ed. Joseph Tulchin and Ralph Espach (Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner, 2001), 38. [ 2 ]. Ibid. , 35-36. [ 3 ]. Ibid. ,39. [ 4 ]. Ibid. , 39-41. [ 5 ]. â€Å"US Relations with Mexico,† Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, US Department of State, accessed on March 15, 2013, http://www. state. gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35749. htm. [ 6 ]. Smith, â€Å"Strategic Options Latin America,† 46-53. [ 7 ].Diana Tussie, â€Å"Latin America: Contrasting Motivations for Regional Projects,† Review of International Studies 35, S1 (2009), 169-188, doi:10. 1017/S026021050900847X. [ 8 ]. Smith, â€Å"Strategic Options Latin America,† 46. [ 9 ]. Tussie, â€Å"Contrasting Motivations Regional,† 170. [ 10 ]. Ibid. [ 11 ]. Francisco E. Gonzalez, â€Å"Latin America in the Economic Equation—Winners and Losers: What can losers do? † in China’s Expansion into the Western Hemisphere: Implications for Latin American and the United States, ed. Riordan Roett and Guadalupe Paz (Washington, D. C. :Brookings Institution Press, 2008), 151. [ 12 ].Tussie, â€Å"Contrasting Motivations Regional,† 170. [ 13 ]. Ibid. , 174. [ 14 ]. â€Å"International Trade and Market Access Data,† World Trade Organization website, accessed on March 3, 2013, http://webservices. wto. org/resources/profiles/MT/TO/2011/WLD_e. pdf. [ 15 ]. â€Å"International Trade and Market Access Data,† World Trade Organization website, accessed on March 3, 2013, http://www. wto. org/english/res_e/statis_e/statis_bis_e. htm? solution=WTO&path=/Dashboards/MAPS&file= Map. wcdf&bookmarkState={%22impl%22:%22client%22,%22params%22:{%22langParam%22:%22en%22}}. [ 16 ]. Tussie, â€Å"Contrasting Motivations Regional,† 176.

The Importance of Act 1 Scene 2 of William Shakespeares...

The Importance of Act 1 Scene 2 of William Shakespeares King Lear In a play of immense grandeur, Shakespeare has created within King Lear; a character so depraved that he appears to step beyond the realms of forgiveness. Act 1ii is the keystone of King Lear - its significance and influence radiates throughout the whole of the play. Interwoven with and parallel to the central story line, the subplot is used to enhance and develop the key themes of this tragic masterpiece. The scene also begins the plot to crack the ‘bond†¦Ã¢â‚¬Ëœtwixt son and father’. Driven by a selfish desire to displace his brother, and through his imperious and cunning performance, Edmund reveals to us a devious nature that we must†¦show more content†¦In Act 1ii, Gloucester says, ‘I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the oppression of aged tyranny, who sways not as in hath power, but as it suffered’. In both the main plot and the subplot, we can see that it is the ‘flawed’ aged who brings about their ultimate demise. W anting to ‘shake all cares and business from our age’, Lear cannot accept that he is no longer fit to be a king. His mentality as a king is far from diminished, yet he does not appreciate the extent of his abdication. Devised by Plato and Aristotle, ‘The Great Chain of Being’ was a concept greatly subscribed to by Shakespeare’s contemporaries. A king is seen as being at the top of this hierarchy. In resigning the crown to his ‘younger strengths’, Lear forfeits the prestige of his position. We also see the family divisions that are becoming apparent between Lear and the betrayal of his daughters and Gloucester with his unnatural relationship with his sons. Although these challenges greatly the Chain of Being, both men have lost faith in their moral, natural child, who will ultimately always remain loyal to them, whereas the unnatural children they trust, engineers their downfall. This theme links closely with the theme of sight. Shakespeare uses this theme as a device throughout the play that is tantamount with both thought and vision. The older men are blind to what is happening right before their very eyes,Show MoreRelatedEssay foolear Importance of the Fool in Shakespeares King Lear1195 Words   |  5 PagesImportance of the Fool in King Lear    William Shakespeares genius came from how closely he intertwined the two seemingly mutually exclusive realms to appeal to all socio-economic groups in his audience. The character of the Fool provides the closest intercourse of the two realms between King Lears royalty and Poor Toms poverty, while still maintaining their separation. 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