Second World War Essay Example for Free

Second World War Essay After the Second World War, there were many organizations that were formed to take care of different interests, mostly political and economical. The General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) was one such organization that was formed in 1947 to protect and trade between member countries (Bagwell, Staiger, 2002). The major aim of the organization was to look at the tariffs and restrictions that affected trade among the member countries and how to harmonise them. To ensure that the objectives of GATT were achieved, the members laid down some principles that were to be followed by all members and be guidance in all their activities. The principles formed the basis for the GATT agreements. Hence, it was not right for any member country to come up with policies that were contrary to the agreed principles. The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) is one major principle that was to be observed by the member countries. This was the first principle that was passed to guide trade. This principle says that no member country should discriminate another member in trade. If a member gives a favour to another, (for instance, lowering the customs duty), then this has to be applied to all other members. Furthermore, in this principle, it means that goods or services from one member country is treated no differently from goods or services from another country. In addition, when the goods of a foreign country are in another’s domestic market, they have to be treated no less than the other commodities (Leonard, 2006). The second principle calls for the member countries to protect their domestic industry by applying customs duty, instead of using trade barriers. In essence, the principle called for the member countries to be transparent in carrying out their trading activities. Thirdly, the reciprocity principle called for the member countries to consult one another on matters that concerned trade between them. The principle required that as one member country called for the other to reduce her tariffs; she should as well reduce hers. This principled was thus aimed at giving mutual benefit to the trading partners. The fourth major principle dealt with improving new trade tariffs. The members agreed that by imposing a new tariff at one point, it needed to maintain the balance. These principles thus provided a framework in which the member countries were to negotiate any trading activities (Faye, 1996). GATT principles emphasised on membership trade as opposed to individualistic trade. Taking the case of non discrimination trading, it meant that only a member country could not be discriminated, but non members could not enjoy such privileges. This meant that competition between GATT members and the non members could not be a healthy competition. However, even though the principle stipulated for non discrimination between members, it was not possible to ensure that this was upheld. This was brought about by the endowment and the technology factor that existed between the member states, causing differences members have in the competition position. If there are no differences in the competitive environment, there can not be any economic welfare benefit that will be found as a result of international trade (Dowlah, 2004). GATT was formed on the principle of reciprocity. This principle has contributed to having negative impact on liberalising trade. If a nation combines the Most Favoured Nations principle and reciprocity, it can force the government to make sure that importation tariffs are lowered further, which again will be a very big disadvantage to the non member countries. When a member country lobbies for the lowering of importation tariffs, it will generally transform to other members reducing their tariffs as a way of reciprocating. This has led to a fight between the exporters advocating for liberalised trade, while the importers fighting to protect their firms. Non GATT members who were interested in liberalising their markets on a non reciprocal form have found it very hard as the members are never willing to liberalise their markets on a non reciprocal manner. This implies that the non GATT members find it very hard to trade and compete on the same level with the GATT members. For the members to liberalise their markets, they have first to see what benefit they are going to get from the others. Off course this goes against the free trade principle, since no member will be willing to trade with a country that is not going to give them any benefit in the trading pattern. Therefore, for any country to trade with another, there has to be tangible benefit that has to be proven between the nations. This is generally very difficult to be found between a member and a non member, as only the members will benefit from the agreements. Through reciprocity principle, a nation will ensure that it benefits from a trade concession by giving out another trade concession. Therefore, if a nation does not have any given concession, then it will be impossible for it to trade with others. The effect of this is that it might inhibit further liberalisation of the markets. This is due to the fact that individual members might be forced to carry out liberalisation of trade, without doing the same to the GATT members. In essence, this action will lead to having trade concessions that GATT members do not have to necessarily match (Brett, 2001). The GATT agreements have contributed to members harming others, especially the new members. Looking at the welfare gain that is supposed to be generated from the free trade, it has to be reflected to the whole members (Cannon Bland, 1993). However, on distributive, it occurs on individual level. This effect can be offset by a shift that can occur in the free trade. The problem is that this is a political decision that can affect how the free trade will occur. In more powerful nations, the governments have been forced to take up trade policies that are detrimental to the weak nations (Narlikar, 2003). There are many other problems that have been facing GATT members but being swept under the rug. Some of these problems have been advantageous to one nation while being disadvantageous to another. For instance, this was witnessed when the Japanese cars entered the American markets. Japan was faced with invisible pressure that it had to voluntarily limit the number of vehicles it was exporting to the United States (http://www. busmgt. ulster. ac. uk/modules/eco811m1/Group%201. doc. ). This is a clear evidence of how GATT members and those who supported these ideologies were bending matters so as to suit their own needs. Some powerful members like the European Union have also been taking the interpretation of GATT principles at liberty and no action has been taken against them. Many of the conflicts that have occurred in the trading patterns within GATT have been mostly solved in a very mystifying manner. It has mostly been in favor of the powerful states leaving the less powerful and the new members at a loss. In coming up with the non trade barriers, there were many other challenges that members faced in the implementation. For instance, France had a requirement that all VCRs that were being imported into the country had to undergo an inspection and pass it before being allowed into the country. The major problem with the policy is that there was a big congestion since the country depended on a single inspector (http://www. busmgt. ulster. ac. uk/modules/eco811m1/Group%201. doc. ). It was also difficult to know if some non trade barriers were genuinely motivated by policies of other partners or it was just a matter of interfering with trade. This can be explained by the instance in which the US limited the exportation of tuna as a way of protecting the dolphins. On the other hand, Mexico was taking a large number of the tuna catches into the American markets disregarding how the mode in which they were caught. After some time, Mexico was blamed on how the number of dolphins had declined. This was challenged but GATT did not do anything on the matter, hence benefiting a few nations (Collins, Bosworth, 1994). The GATT rules were so much concerned with protecting the industrialized countries leaving the poor countries that depended on agriculture out. Hence, it led to the feeling that GATT was out to protect only the rich. GATT principles seemed to be more biased in protecting the rich nations all along leaving the poor nations out. In trying to resolve the matter, the developed countries tried to be flexible with their rules, but it still did not deter the developing countries from agitating for more GATT rights (Dowlah, 2004). As earlier argued, most of the GATT principles were political, hence did not put in effect such issues as the environment (White, 1998). Taking the case in which the GATT principle calls for the member countries to treat imported goods from a member country in the same manner as locally produced goods, it was later changed and the decision only based on finished commodities being sold to the public. In this case, if the goods that had been imported were the same as the domestically produced goods, then it was not necessary to consider the mode at which the commodities were produced (Kahler, 1995). This implies that it is not possible to impose environmental issues on the products being manufactured by the member countries into others that are environmentally vulnerable. This meant that countries that disallowed the importation of especially food products that had been produced by the use of a lot of pesticides and other chemicals to be at the risk of getting its markets flooded with such commodities. This also affected small and medium sized farmers. The farmers who had diversified their productions could not be able to compete at the same level with those dealing with one type of crops at a large scale (Wold, 1996). It is thus true to argue that GATT played a significant role in developing trade and liberalizing the markets. It created a co-operation between the markets that was initially not there (Barons, 1991). However, the system outlived its purpose by benefiting few nations at the expense of others; hence the Uruguay roundtable that led to the formation of the world trade organization was timely. Bibliography Bagwell, K Staiger R. W (2002): Economic Theory and the Interpretation of GATT/WTO; Journal of American Economist, Vol. 46,Barons L (1991): Amending Section 337 to Obtain GATT Consistency and Retain Border Protection, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 22, Brett W (2001): Influence and Lack of Influence of Principles in the Negotiation for Chinas Accession to the Word Trade Organization, The George Washington International Law Review, retrieved on 20th October 2008 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa5433/is_/ai_n21481317. Cannon J. R Bland K. L (1993): GATT Panels Need Restraining Principles, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 24, Collins, S. M Bosworth B . P (1994): The New GATT: Implications for the United States; Brookings Institution, Dowlah C (2004): Backwaters of Global Prosperity: How Forces of Globalization and GATT/WTO Trade Regimes Contribute to the Marginalization of the Worlds Poorest Nations; Praeger, Faye A. A (1996): APEC and the New Regionalism: GATT Compliance and Prescriptions for the WTO, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 28, Hoekman, B. M . Kostecki M. M (1995): The Political Economy of the World Tr

Life In The Hood :: essays research papers

He lay in his bed motionless, reflecting upon his life and how it had changed so quickly. He had lost his mother to an evil cocaine addiction a year earlier and was left to take care of his younger brother. The rent was 3 months over due, the phone was cut off, and the electricity was most likely next. He had reached the point were he was fed up with life. Why had he been put in this position? He put most of the blame on his mother for she had been the one who had spent all of their money on drugs. But still he didn’t understand why he had to be responsible for his mother’s actions. What really enraged Maurice, was how selfish his mother was. She would rather get a quick high than ensure that her family was taken care of. But these thoughts occurred in his mind night after night. And each night he would come to the realization that he cannot escape from the grips of poverty. The only possible option for him was to work hard for the pennies that he was being paid. The alarm clock was blasting. Maurice woke up and looked at the time. It was 9:32am and he was a half hour late for work. In a panic he put on his shoes and ran out the door. He knew once he got to work Tony, the restaurant manager, was going to chew him out. He had been late earlier that week and Tony told him that if he was late one more time he was going to give Maurice the axe. So he began thinking of a good excuse to tell the boss why he was late. But his attention soon shifted when a 1999 Mercedes Benz SLK 400 sitting on twenty-inch chrome rims pulled over about 50 yards in front of him. His sprint slowed to a walk the instant he laid eyes upon the jet-black beauty. He kept walking towards the car trying to see who the owner was. To his amazement a young man, around his age, stepped out of the car. He knew at that point this guy didn’t earn his money the true American way; hard work and discipline. He had to have been a â€Å"Mob Pawn†. They were called this because the mob used them to do most of the work and were sacrificed in many situations just so they could win the â€Å"chess match†.

The Haunted Palace

â€Å"The Haunted Palace† Everyone has seen a once beautiful estate fallen into disrepair: expensive satin curtains, ripped and stained; high support columns, broken and crumbling; moss covering the once brightly painted exterior. People look at it, sigh with disappointment at what was and no longer is, and then move on. The cause of ruin is rarely known, but the effects are clear. This is the scene portrayed in Edgar Allen Poe’s â€Å"The Haunted Palace. † Poe paints a picture of an elegant manor with spectacular features that comes under the influence of evil and thus falls to pieces.Upon closer inspection, though, the reader begins to see that the meaning of the poem delves much deeper than the destruction of a house: it is the destruction of the human mind that truly concerns Poe. The double meaning is central to the poem and once the pattern of symbolism is established, the other details fall nicely into place. Poe uses diction to establish the brilliance th at pervades the house and symbolism within the poem equating the house to a human mind to demonstrate its susceptibility to corruption.Poe’s diction emphasizes the initial majesty of the house. At first, the house is â€Å"radiant† (4), â€Å"glorious† (9), â€Å"happy† (17), â€Å"fair† (26), â€Å"sparkling† (28), and â€Å"beaut[iful]† (31). Poe goes as far as saying that â€Å"good angels tenanted† the house (2) and the home is softer and kinder than angels’ clothing (7). Then, in the fifth stanza, the scene changes drastically: the palace is no longer majestic and stately, it is inhabited by evil and is in disarray. It is now permeated by â€Å"sorrow† (33) and is â€Å"desolate† (35).The sudden shift from uplifting words to mournful ones alerts the reader to the dire change that has taken place in the house. After a second reading, the audience begins to notice a pattern of symbolism. Poe equates the â€Å"Thought’s dominion† (5), â€Å"banners,† (9), â€Å"windows† (18), â€Å"door† (26), and â€Å"Echoes† (29) to a human’s head, hair, eyes, mouth, and voice. The hair is flowing and beautiful, the eyes are understanding and see everything transparently, the mouth has ruby gums and pearly teeth, and the voice carries in it the wit and wisdom of the mind it speaks for.It is clear that this mind has brilliant ideas (â€Å"spirits†) (19) constantly formulating and expanding within it. The reader is, presumably, familiar with the sight of a mansion that is clearly luxurious. The reader may not, however, be able to picture a clearly brilliant mind. Poe’s use of symbolism enables the reader to visualize the brilliance and wealth of the â€Å"monarch’s† mind prior to its destruction. Symbolism is still essential to the poem in the final stanzas, even though the scene has changed.The once magnificent mansion ha s been invaded by evil. The windows are now â€Å"red-litten† (42), meaning the eyes are red and evil. The spirits still move through the house (the ideas still move in the mind), but now in a distorted way. Instead of Echoes (a voice) full of wisdom, a â€Å"hideous throng† (47) rushes out of the door (the mouth), that will â€Å"laugh – but smile no more† (48). The eerie mad laughter escaping the mouth of the â€Å"king† is the most horrifying aspect of change.Where the â€Å"king’s† mind was once strong and productive, constantly growing, it is now perverted and ruined. The reader can see the house: paint chipped, windows broken, a manifestation of evil. This comparison allows the reader to picture the broken mind of the once great â€Å"king. † The mansion looked impenetrable, invulnerable. But it was nevertheless the victim of evil. The mind was corrupted in the same manner and Poe’s symbolism allows for a more tang ible representation of the process.Poe’s use of symbolism and diction provide a concrete description of the mind’s destruction when compared to the destruction of a great estate. The drastic change in diction from words of elegance and reverence to words of sorrow and despair demonstrate the magnitude of the change occurring in the house and mind. The symbolism allows the reader to more accurately envision the process and effects of the mind’s devastation as it can envision a house falling to pieces. Poe’s techniques allow the reader to solidify an abstraction in order to comprehend it.

Essay on Is Xenotransplantation an Ethical Solution or...

Is Xenotransplantation an ethical solution or disaster? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The audience for this paper is comprised of those readers looking to gain knowledge on the issue of xenotransplantation. This group of people is unaware of the dynamics of the ethical arguments surrounding this current issue. This audience does not have a specific age or belief, reflecting the varied positions of the argument. Due to this hunger for factual information, they do not wish to have someone else’s views imposed on them. Instead, they wish to define and establish a view of their own. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;†¦show more content†¦Next, in 1905, a French surgeon transplanted pieces of a rabbit’s kidney into a sixteen year old boy. The reason for this surgery being the boy was suffering from the final stage of kidney failure. He died two nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;1 weeks after the surgery had taken place (Shankarkumar, 318). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The first attempts of xenotrantransplantation in the U.S. did not occur until the 1960’s. During this time, scientists tried to transplant baboon and chimpanzee organs to humans. These transplants failed due to rejection by the human immune system (Baker, 643). The most well known xenotransplantation attempt, known as Baby Fae, occurred in 1985 at the Coma Linda University Medical Center in California. During this surgery, Dr. Leonard Bailey completed the first human neonatal cardiac xenotransplantation by placing the heart of a baboon into an infant. Fae, the infant, suffered from hypo-plastic left heart syndrome, or simply an incomplete heart. The heart functioned for twenty days until stopping, killing Baby Fae (Clark, 1085). This attempt raised difficult ethical and policy issues, which have not yet been answered. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Recently, the low numbers of human donor organs and short term mechanical â€Å"organ† replacements have given cause for