Horror and despair Essay Example

Horror and despair Essay By the time we reach chapter 11, the creature has killed Frankensteins brother and condemned his nanny to death by claiming that she committed the murder. At this point we are not inclined to feel sympathy for the creature. After fleeing from the laboratory on the night of his birth, the monster discovers himself cold, unfed, and lonely in the mountains outside Ingolstadt. He describes himself as a poor, helpless, miserable wretch. This quote shows that the creature has taken on Frankensteins name for himself and is recognising himself in the mould that Frankenstein has cast for him. He searches for food and shelter in the woods. Later he finds a cottage and watches and learns form the cottagers about many different aspects of life including how to speak. He hears his own voice for the first time which frightens himself into silence. He clearly feels insecure as well as scared. Mary Shelley is implying that the creature had finally found out why people were so scared of him, and by saying that his voice scared him it suggests that he now knows why people are so mean towards him. The reader is drawn towards sympathy for the creature by the fact that he tries to explain how he feels about being bought into a strange and unknown world where everyone provokes him because he is different. This is portraying prejudice and discrimination against anything or anyone who is different. The language in this chapter helps to create sympathy for the creature as when he states that the clothes he found were insufficient to secure me this creates a sense that even though he is made from adult body parts the create still has to get used to the surroundings just like a new born baby would have to. We will write a custom essay sample on Horror and despair specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Horror and despair specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Horror and despair specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When the creature first wakes up his reactions are that of a very small child, just learning to walk or use their senses, a strange multiplicity of sensations seized me, and I saw, felt, heard and smelt at the same time. He describes to Frankenstein that it was a long time before he got uses to his four senses. When he tells Frankenstein about wandering through the woods of Ingolstadt, he describes hunger and thirst as being living objects. This could imply that he still needs to get used to the idea that not all things are living but that some are inanimate. This personification suggests persecution. In my view the creature was not born a horrible monster. I believe that because Frankenstein was so surprised that his creation actually worked, and also cowardly towards him, it gave the creature a sense of not belonging and loneliness. On his first encounter with humans, the creature is given the perspective of the barbarity of man. With every meeting of humans, the creature is tormented and hurt in such a way that it starts to make him fight back and reinforces the initial perspective. I believe this to be the cause of turning the creature into a horrible monster; had his experiences been different he may have turned out to be an entirely different type of being. At the end of the book the monster is thrown into despair when he finally stands over the dead body of Frankenstein, and realises that he has destroyed himself by destroying Frankenstein and all he loved. He is described as howling with despair. In my opinion evil can mean very different things. It could mean a person being morally bad or wrong. I think that because Frankenstein created such a miserable wretch, this could in some instances be classed as malicious, since it was Frankensteins desire to create a thing that he could bring back to life. However I do not believe that Frankenstein intended it to cause harm but maybe knew deep down that it was a possible outcome of his actions. In some ways the creature is hardly different to Frankenstein. In some instances the creature deliberately causes great harm and pain to several members of Frankensteins family including Frankenstein himself. It was after all Frankensteins deliberate actions that created the creature in the first place. It is almost as if it was his alter-ego. Because each narrator tells his own story, I think that it has some impact on the effect that it tries to cast over the readers sympathy. As a reader you find that your sympathy switches from Frankenstein, the creature and even Henry Clerval. The story is told in the first person narrative and this has a powerful effect on the reader. For example, when Frankenstein is describing his work towards his creation, he is consumed with his own ambitions and gives no thoughts to the consequences of his actions. This leads the reader to have little sympathy with him. In some measures the creatures actions are justified because of what he suffered. He was given no opportunity to develop any kind of warmth or love because he did not experience it himself. Everywhere he went he was harmed in someway, whether it was mentally or physically. This is shown when he is describing his experiences to Frankenstein. The whole village was roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons, I escaped. In conclusion, I felt as a reader, most sympathy with the creature because he was brought into the world with no real sense of right or wrong, just as a child would be. However, he does not have the support of a family and is not shown love and support to enable him to grow in a way that society perceives as right. I think Mary Shelley is warning that meddling with science and things beyond our understanding could have consequences so bad that we cannot even imagine. Mary Shelley had terrible experiences of birth. Her mother died the day after she was born and she gave birth to several stillborn children. I think that the horror of these circumstances led her to express her feelings of grief and despair in the writing of this novel. I also think that there is an element of her blaming herself for these awful events in her own life. Mary Shelley combines these terrible events in her own life with the scientific experiments of the day to produce this tale of horror and despair.

Free Essays on Movie Comparison

Life can be so cruel and scary sometimes. Every now and then I find myself thinking â€Å"What would I do if that happened to me?† After September 11th I wondered what would I do if I were on one of those planes or in the building. What would I do if I lost a loved one in the attacks? I have wondered what I would do if I lost my father to cancer or some other illness. After watching the movies â€Å"And the Band Played On† and â€Å"Kids† I thought about what it would be like to find out you had a deadly disease and I wondered how I would go on with my life. Unfortunately, millions of people have AIDS and have to wake up every morning knowing there is still no cure. The two movies I watched were similar in some ways but very different in others. The first movie I chose to analyze was â€Å"And the Band Played On.† This movie reminded me of chapter eleven in â€Å"The Coming Plague† because it focuses on how the AIDS virus came into focus in not only the United States, but the entire world. The movie showed the fear and confusion of the doctors and scientists when they could not figure out what they had one their hands. The movie was a real-life drama about the tragic, time-consuming battles among government agencies, gay groups and scientists that slowed down the discovery of, and research on, the AIDS virus. In the movie, Bill Kraus, a leader for the gay population is dying. Not one doctor can pinpoint what is killing him. All anyone knows is that some epidemic is attacking homosexual men. But rather than get down to serious experimentation and study, the Center for Disease Control stops any effort to prove that the disease is transmitted through the blood. To make things worse French and American scientists argue about who should get credit for discovering the virus. And to top things off, the gay community, sensitive about criticism of their lifestyle, refuses to admit that their own actions could make a difference in the spread of AI... Free Essays on Movie Comparison Free Essays on Movie Comparison Life can be so cruel and scary sometimes. Every now and then I find myself thinking â€Å"What would I do if that happened to me?† After September 11th I wondered what would I do if I were on one of those planes or in the building. What would I do if I lost a loved one in the attacks? I have wondered what I would do if I lost my father to cancer or some other illness. After watching the movies â€Å"And the Band Played On† and â€Å"Kids† I thought about what it would be like to find out you had a deadly disease and I wondered how I would go on with my life. Unfortunately, millions of people have AIDS and have to wake up every morning knowing there is still no cure. The two movies I watched were similar in some ways but very different in others. The first movie I chose to analyze was â€Å"And the Band Played On.† This movie reminded me of chapter eleven in â€Å"The Coming Plague† because it focuses on how the AIDS virus came into focus in not only the United States, but the entire world. The movie showed the fear and confusion of the doctors and scientists when they could not figure out what they had one their hands. The movie was a real-life drama about the tragic, time-consuming battles among government agencies, gay groups and scientists that slowed down the discovery of, and research on, the AIDS virus. In the movie, Bill Kraus, a leader for the gay population is dying. Not one doctor can pinpoint what is killing him. All anyone knows is that some epidemic is attacking homosexual men. But rather than get down to serious experimentation and study, the Center for Disease Control stops any effort to prove that the disease is transmitted through the blood. To make things worse French and American scientists argue about who should get credit for discovering the virus. And to top things off, the gay community, sensitive about criticism of their lifestyle, refuses to admit that their own actions could make a difference in the spread of AI...

Choose a topic that falls within the time frame of 1945-1964 Essay

Choose a topic that falls within the time frame of 1945-1964 - Essay Example Subsequently, the paper will highlight some of the ways the Jewish population were accepted into American society. Between 1945 and 1960, the United States of America advocated for the survival of the Jews. During this era, world war two had just come to an end and hence an era of human destructiveness was ushered. Only three million Jews were alive in around 1945 out of a total of nine million in 1939. For most of the Jews who were alive during this period, there was no home to go to in Europe1. For the few Jews who attempted to go back to their pre-war homes (Europe), cold hatred, and local ethnic violence awaited them. Between 1945 and 1946, allied forces returned home from war ready to abandon the destructive life they had lived. With this wave came more than half a million Jewish soldiers and marines. The Jews had joined the American forces and fought alongside them during the war. By 1946, they were being referred to as Jewish Americans rather than the more unfriendly term American Jews. The American society commenced accepting the Jewish population in 1945. For example, Miss Myerson was crowned in Atlantic City, New Jersey as Miss America in September 1945. She had Jewish immigrant parents. This gesture implied that the American population was slowly accepting the Jews into their society. 2The era after WWII marked the delineation between what was good and evil. The American nation stood for what was good while fascism, communism and Nazism represented or were considered to be evil. 3The American government commenced on a voyage of destroying anti-Semitic groups between 1946 to 1950. During this exercise, more than 35 anti-Semitic groups in America were banned or shut down. Although some groups remained, they were however pushed to be more receptive to the Jewish population. The stigma associated with being part of the Nazis also helped to reduce

The effect of human resource management on an organisational Dissertation

The effect of human resource management on an organisational performance - Dissertation Example The research will employ the use of case study technique and the organisation that has been selected for this study is the Accenture Plc. Therefore, the researcher will focus on measuring the true effect of Accenture’s human resource management on improving the performance of the company. According to Mathis and Jackson, the roots of human resource management can be traced back to the industrial revolution whereby companies started engaging in mass production for commercial purposes. Therefore, there was an urgent need of hiring more employees to the extent that even children were introduced into the work environment without any consideration to their ages. During this particular, the human resources/ workers have proved to be a critical part of an organisation, but there was little known about effective human resource management and this contributed to widespread violation of employees’ rights. This because the labor sector had not been fully formalized and therefore, there was no formal regulatory framework for the sector. Stewart and Brown stated that the numerous industrial strikes that characterized this era were attributed to the widespread violation of employees’ rights that was going on in nearly all of the manufacturing companies. DeGraff further added that employees’ plight during this era was denoted by low wages and poor working conditions. In the present world, effective human resource management is a source for organisation’s competitiveness meaning that it directly affects the performance of organisations. ... he employees received more focus from the management of the companies in order to avoid future strikes, which had proved detrimental to the companies that were affected. Factors that marked the emergence of effective human resource management included the abolishment of child labour, development of labor unions, and strategic recruitment and selection of workers. DeGraff (2010) further added that the studies by Fredrick Taylor on lean manufacturing sparked an interest on the actual contribution of the workforce on an organisation’s productivity and this resulted to workers been acknowledged as a significant part in the productivity of an organisation. In the present world, effective human resource management is a source for organisation’s competitiveness meaning that it directly affects the performance of organisations. 1.3 Accenture Plc Accenture Plc is a multinational company that specializes in outsourcing, technological services, and management consulting. The consu ltancy services cover five operating groups that include resources, products, health and public services, financial services and communications and high-end technology. The company has employed over two hundred and sixty thousand employees who are based across at its wide branch network. In the United Kingdom, the company has ten office locations of which three are in London (Harmon, 2012). The Company boosts of unrivaled experience, unmatched capabilities wide across all business functions and industries. The business model of Accenture is to collaborate with their clients who include 94% of the fortune global 100 and even a big percentage of the fortune global 500 to ensure they become profitable as well as high performers (Harmon, 2012). Over the past years, the company has been keen on

Workforce Diversity at IBM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Workforce Diversity at IBM - Essay Example IBM had already implemented Workforce diversity as early as 1953 while this only became a requirement over ten years later under the Civil Rights Act of the US in 1964. This shows that IBM has always been committed to implementing workforce diversity unlike other firms who do it because it has to be done. IBM had already realized the importance of diversifying the workforce for the sake of the firm in order to not only increase productivity but also to increase their strategic advantage. The fact that IBM had already embraced the idea of workforce diversity as early as the 1950s is very important in considerations that the globalisation of trade had not begun. Globalisation, which was very fundamental in forcing organisations into embracing workplace diversity, only came much later in the 1980s and it is at this time that most international firms realised they had to diversify their workforce in order to ensure that they are globally competitive and that they can meet the challenges of a global market (Strachan, French and Burgess 4). In this regard, IBM can be regarded as the pioneer of the principle of workforce diversity. Looking at the information provided about IBM workforce diversity in this section, it becomes clear that the person is increasingly clear that implementing workforce diversity should not be driven by the affirmative action of the Civil Rights Act of the US in 1964. ... a modern world, any firm, especially those operating in the global environment should be able to make sure that their work is as diversified as much as possible. A diversified workforce is not only more likely to give the firm more innovations but is also able to meet the needs of the diverse market. IBM was the first to realize that diversifying the workforce would help the reorganisations to be able to be competitive in a global market. In fact, according to Richard (477), modern organisations are realizing that diversifying the workforce is not just the right thing to do, but a requirement for the organisation in order to acquire competitive advantage in the market. This probably explains the reason why IBM went on to become one of the most successful companies in the world. The other issue which comes out from the topic is the fact that implementing workforce diversity is not an easy task and it is a task which must be looked at in a very serious manner. Firms should be able to u nderstand workforce diversity is not just about hiring individuals from all categories of people such as from different races, different abilities etc. Workforce diversity however is being able to look for talents from all walks of life. IBM was the first firms to break the ice at a time when segregation in the workplace was very high. Many firms misunderstand workforce diversity and implement it in the wrong way. Not only do firm misunderstand diversity, but also the legislations which have been made such as the Civil Rights Act of the US in 1964 have the wrong view of what diversity should be. Diversity should not be inspired by giving the minority groups an added advantage over the majority. Equal opportunity employment should be inspired by the need to have all people of all sorts of

Relationship Between The Income Inequality And Development Economics Essay

Relationship Between The Income Inequality And Development Economics Essay Income inequality within the majority of developing countries has been rising in some cases, sharply over the years. Various studies such as; (Cornia 2004, Birdsall 2005, Van der Hoeven 2008) concluded that the last two decades have witnessed a widespread and symmetric rise in within-country inequality in developing countries. This persistence rise in income inequality in many developing economies has made it difficult to reduce poverty and promote economic development. There is a growing consensus that excessive inequality can stunt growth itself (Birdsall 2005). The effects are not only economic; there are also political and social consequences of income inequality. Alesina and Peroti (1996) found that high income inequality can also have undesirable political and social consequences. Where the institutions of government are weak, inequality exacerbates the problem of creating and maintaining accountable government, increasing the probability of economic and social policies that i nhibit growth, and poverty reduction and where social institutions are fragile, inequality further discourages the civic and social life that undergirds collective decision-making which is necessary to the functioning of healthy societies (Birdsall 2005). Put differently, high inequality is associated with higher crime rates, lower life expectancy and conflicts. Also According to Alexis de Tocqueville ([1835-40] 1961, 302), Almost all of the revolutions which have changed the aspect of nations have been made to consolidate or to destroy social inequality. Making generalizations about the causes of income inequality in developing countries must be done with care. The situation in each nation depends on country-specific circumstances and policy mixes. Yet, it is clear that there are some common factors behind the widespread surges in income inequality around the world. It has been noted that a worsening situation in the traditional causes of inequality such as land concentration, urban bias and inequality in education has not caused the recent increases in inequality in developing countries, although these factors still do explain most of the variation in cross-country inequality (Cornia 1994). Rather, the evidence points to new causes associated with neo-liberal policy reforms that have increasingly been adopted in transitional and developing countries (Cornia and Court 2001, Birdsall 2005, Van der Hoeven 2008, UNRISD 2010). The most important of such policy reforms are macro-economic reforms including, inter alia, financial and labour market liberalization, privatization, and reforms in the tax and transfer systems. Despite the numerous studies on income inequality, the extent to which it affects development hasnt yet been fully explored. Uganda among other developing countries has been experiencing a gradual and sustained economic growth and poverty reduction over the years. Currently the country is growing at a rate of 6.4% (CIA 2011). The benefits of growth, however, are not being distributed equally. In all regions of the country, income and consumption are growing at a slower rate in rural areas than in their urban counterparts (Ssewanyana N. S. et al, 2009). Moreover, both rural and urban areas are experiencing growing inequality between the top and bottom income quintiles (Appleton Ssewanyana, 2003). According to Valentine (1993), inequality increases as the incomes of the asset-rich rise at a faster rate than those of the asset-poor. Some policies such as privatisation and financial liberalization may contribute to concentrate the ownership of resources among the few hence affecting the distribution of present and future income which then might affect the development of a country. This study therefore will seek to analyse the causes of income inequality and establish its effects on development. Trends in income inequality in Uganda will also be analysed to establish clearly how its increase or decrease has affected the level of the countrys development. This study will also explore the consequences of income inequality to Uganda. Empirical studies, such as Appleton (2001), and Appleton Ssewanyana (2003), provide limited policy guidance on how to address the inequality problem in Uganda. The thesis will also look at policy options to curb the rising income inequality levels in Uganda hence fostering development. Statement of the Problem In order for Uganda whose economy is experiencing economic growth, to continue on a straight and consistent development path, one of the issues that have to be taken into great consideration is the growing disparity in income distribution. Currently the country is experiencing a high level of income inequality with most of the income being concentrated in the hands of the few. If this state of income inequality continues, the development of the country will be greatly affected. Also this disparity in income could lead to social injustices which would have greater consequences on the economy. Research Questions What are the major causes of income inequality in Uganda? Is there a relationship between income inequality and development? What consequences does income inequality pose to Uganda? Scope The study will look at how income has been distributed in Uganda over the years and the countrys level of development in the same years. It will also look at levels of poverty and GDP as a measure of development. Human development will also be taken into consideration while comparing income distribution and improvements in human development of the country. Methodology The study will be based purely on secondary data. It will review journals and books on theories regarding income inequality and development. Statistics from international organisations and Government of Ugandas websites will also be reviewed as part of the study. A comparative analysis of income distribution and Ugandas economic development will be done to assess the relationship between the two variables. Causes of Income Inequality This section looks at the causes of income inequality in Uganda. As highlighted in the introduction section, the rate of income inequality in Uganda has been fluctuating over the years although in an increasing manner. According to the World Bank Gini Index (2011), Ugandas Gini Coefficient was at 44 as of 2009 and rose slightly to 44.3 as of 2011 indicating a rise in income inequality. There is a huge disparity in income distribution in Uganda with a few individuals holding much of the countrys income. The table below shows that as of 2009, 20% of Ugandas population received half of the countrys income indicating a huge disparity in income distribution. Therefore what could be the explanation of the rising income inequality? In response to this question, I discuss the possible causes of income inequality and how they relate to Ugandas case. Table 1: Ugandas income distribution for the years 2006 and 2009 Indicator 2009 2006 Income share held by fourth 20% 20 20.7 Income share held by highest 10% 36.1 34.1 Income share held by highest 20% 50.7 49.3 Income share held by lowest 10% 2.35 2.59 Income share held by lowest 20% 5.84 6.08 Income share held by second 20% 9.64 9.78 Income share held by third 20% 13.8 14.1 Source: World Bank Database Over the years, economists and social scientists have been discussing factors that are responsible for the rising incoming inequality both in developing and developed countries. Some of the identified causes are specific to developing countries and have been discussed from various dimensions. These dimensions range from social, economic to the political causes of income inequality. One of the factors which is familiar with developing and less developed countries and has been associated with rising income inequality is the issue of foreign aid. Developing and less developed countries have been receiving aid since attaining independence yet the question of aid effectiveness is still highly contestable with some studies suggesting that aid hasnt done much to improve the living standards in such countries. Several studies have been conducted to ascertain the association between foreign aid and income inequality. Some studies such as (Herzer and Nunnenkamp, 2012; Alesina and Dollar, 2000) showed that foreign aid contributes to income inequality. However the extent of foreign aids effect on income inequality hasnt been conclusive yet. Donor countries and organisation have been donating large sums of money to developing countries as aid, one of such countries is Uganda, whose ODA (Official Development Assistance) had reached 1.8 billion in 2010 according to Global Hum anitarian Assistance. Despite this figure having risen over the years, some funds which are aimed at improving the well being of the poor actually end up in the hands of a few individuals hence exacerbating the widening income gap in the country. Foreign aid may lead to income inequality through various mechanisms all of which point in the direction of aid money flowing to a particular group of people in a society. Layton and Nielson (2009) in their study titled Aiding Inequality: The Effect of Foreign Aid on Income Inequality, which included Uganda showed that foreign aid has contributed to increases in income inequality in the developing world. In their analysis (although inconclusive), they found that the effect of foreign aid on income inequality is somewhere between zero and weakly positive. They also found that an increase in aid of 10% would increase inequality by 2.5 points which according to them, is substantially significant given the slow moving nature of income inequality. Their study also showed that foreign aid has an impact on income distribution with it favouring mostly rich individuals. Layton and Nielson identified politics as one of the channels through which foreign aid benefits the rich. This finding is s upported by Boone (1996) who stated that all political systems favour a high-income political elite when it comes to income distribution. In most cases this distribution of income is in favour of private and selfish interests of their supporters who are more likely to be societys wealthy and prominent individuals. The assumption here is that these individuals will enable them win subsequent elections in office and also contribute to their campaigns. This creates a widening gap in income inequality with the majority of the population who are poor and supposed to benefit from the aid money usually remaining poor while a few individuals income increasing. With the increase in income, the rich are able to invest and amass more wealth which can lead to a decade of income inequality unless the government embarks on re-distributive policies. Ethnic diversity has also been seen as having a linkage with income inequality. According to Meisenberg (2007), ethnic diversity at certain levels leads to large discrepancies in income distribution. In countries whose ethnicity is diverse such as Uganda, political leaders from a particular ethnic group might favour individuals from such groups both in terms of resource allocations and distribution of opportunities. Such is common in African countries especially those that are undemocratic where political leaders tend to divert funds meant for public services to such individuals. Diversion of funds causes a discrepancy in income distribution since one group is preferred over others hence exposing that group to opportunities such as better jobs and government contracts which allows them to have a higher level of income. Also an interplay between ethnic diversity, politics and institutions contribute to a rise in income inequality Similarly, Milanovic (2003) whose focus was on the political-economy side of the story found that ethnic diversity contributes to income inequality. He found that inequality in African countries is high especially in those countries whose ethnic diversity is high. He added that inequality in such countries is even higher if such countries are undemocratic (This is consistent with Mickiewicz and Gerry (2008) who also discovered that countries introducing sustainable democratic institutions early are characterised by lower inequality), and poor. Millanovic also considers the interplay of ethnic fragmentation, low per capita income and lack of democratic pluralism to be an important determinant of income inequality in Africa. Given the status of developing countries whose ethnicity is diverse and at the same time being recipients of foreign aid, diversion of aid to a particular ethnicity is likely to be much higher. This is likely to contribute to higher income discrepancies especially since the political leaders might divert most of this money to individuals from their ethnicity. Apart from distributing money to people from a particular ethnicity, they will also use the money to directly improve infrastructure in the areas where members of their ethnic group reside. This will ensure that individuals from such areas have better access to certain services, such as; education and health services including better paying jobs; which can guarantee an increase in their income. With only a section of the society being exposed to better services and facilities, the income gap is bound to widen. Another factor which has been cited as a cause of income inequality is Corruption. This is a channel, through which public funds get diverted for private interests. With public funds being siphoned by certain individuals, a country is bound to have a few wealthy individuals while the majority of the population remain poor hence a wide income gap. According to an IMF working paper (May 1998) titled Does Corruption affect Income Inequality and Poverty?, high and rising corruption increases income inequality and poverty by reducing economic growth, the progressivity of the tax system, the level and effectiveness of social spending, and the formation of human capital, and by perpetuating an unequal distribution of asset ownership and unequal access to education. The World of Work report (2008) also suggested a positive relationship between inequality and corruption. According to the First Annual Report on Corruption in Uganda (2010) by the Inspectorate General of Government, corruption remains a hindrance to development and a barrier to poverty reduction in Uganda. The World Bank estimates show that Uganda loses $300 million (Ugx 500 billion) annually to corruption. Likewise, the 2011 Transparency International Perception Index gives Uganda a decimal score of 2.4 on scale of 10, placing it as the 143rd  out of the worlds 183 countries. Currently with the discovery of oil and the prospects of oil revenue in the relatively near future, Uganda is bound to face major challenges with regards to corruption. With evidence showing that corruption accelerates income inequality, then the income gap in Uganda is also bound to widen. Education levels in a country also have an effect on how income is distributed; with those individuals whose level of education is low getting less income compared to their highly educated counterparts. In an economy characterised by globalisation and demand for skilled labour, the less educated tend to receive little pay compared to the highly educated; this exerts income in-equalizing effects. A study by Gregorio and Lee (2002) supports this argument. They found that the level of education of the population in a country has an effect on income distribution. Their study also found that equal distribution of education and higher attainment of education; both have equalizing effects on income distribution. Education levels in Uganda are also unevenly distributed. According to Mugendawala (2012), the Ugandan education system still manifests inequities based on sex, location and income quintile. He further mentioned that the inequities also explain the income gaps in Uganda. The difference in education attainment is also an explanation for the variation in income distribution and inequality levels between urban and rural areas in the country. Mugendawala found that education disparities between rural and urban areas also caused income disparities between the two. Also in terms of socio-economic classes, he found that there is more inequality amongst the poor while more equality prevails among the rich. This could be due to the ability of the rich to afford better education services for their children unlike the poor who are in rural areas with access to free government education whose quality is questionable. With this disparity in access to education, a vicious cycle might be created wh ere the poor remain less educated hence receiving little income while the rich attaining higher education and eventually accessing well paying jobs. This disparity will most likely maintain or accelerate the disparity in incomes over time. Other studies which share the above argument include; Odedokun and Round (2001) who found that a high level of illiteracy (and, hence, low level of skilled workers) exerts in-equalizing effects. Also Ssewanyana et al. (2004) showed that education is as a key factor in explaining most of the observed variations in income in Uganda. In this case, education was seen as a means through which policies that seek to make education accessible could lead to a reduction in income inequality over time. Mickiewicz and Gerry (2008) found that education fosters equality. Other scholars who found that education has income equalizing effects over time included (Morely, 1995; Alderson and Nielsen, 1995; Lee, 2005). According to these studies, the equalizing effect occurs because education allows the poor to escape poverty and enter into jobs that pay better wages. A number of economic factors have also been found to contribute to income disparities; one of such factors is globalisation. Globalisation through a number of variables has also been identified as a determinant of income inequality. Some studies which particularly looked at the effects of trade liberalisation on inequality showed that it might have an income gap widening effect. Meschi and Vivarelli (2009) found total aggregate trade flows to be weakly related to income inequality. However, once total trade flows were disaggregated according to their areas of origin/destination, they found that trade with high income countries worsens income distribution in developing countries, both through imports and exports. Still with regards to trade, Angeles-Castro (2008), found that manufactured exports reduce inequality, whereas the expansion of primary exports does not have any positive effects on income distribution in any way. As of 2011, Uganda manufactured export was 22.9% as a percenta ge of total merchandise exports while export of primary products such as raw material and food accounted for 74%. With developing countries such as Uganda, whose major exports are primary products, the above argument, is bound to hold. Similarly, Breen and Garcà ­a-Peà ±alosa (2005), showed that greater volatility (which they measured by the standard deviation of the rate of growth of output), is associated with a higher degree of income inequality. Breen and Garcà ­a-Peà ±alosa (2005) also examined the effect of volatility on income shares of various quintiles and found that greater volatility results in redistribution from middle income groups (second and third quintiles) to the top-income group (fifth quintile). They also mentioned that an interplay of factors that previous research has shown as determinants of income inequality such as the degree of dualism and the extent of civil liberties together with volatility prove to have a robust impact on the distribution of income. Anyanwu (2011) in his study of International Remittances and Income Inequality in Africa found that, international migrant remittances have a significant positive impact on income inequality. After instrumenting for the possible endogeneity of remittances, he found that a 10 percent increase in remittances as a percentage of GDP will lead, on average, to a 0.013 percent increase in income inequality. Remittances are also contributing greatly to Ugandas economy. According to a Bank of Uganda Report titled International Remittances 2008, remittances increased from US$406 million in the year 2006 to US$732 million in 2008. Income inequality in Uganda could then be explained as being fuelled by international remittances from. In the same study, Anyanwu (2011) found inflation rate as one of the strongest factors influencing income inequality in Africa. This can be substantiated by findings from several works (Bulir, 2001; Easterly and Fischer, 2001) among others which presented evidence correlating high rates of inflation with income inequality and/or poverty. Table 2: Summary of reviewed literature on causes of income inequality Cause Papers Measured variable Effect on Income Inequality Possible problems Foreign Aid The effect of foreign aid on income inequality: Evidence from panel cointegration Herzer and Nunnenkamp, (2012) Foreign Aid and Income Inequality Direct Effect: Foreign Aid exerts an income inequality increasing effect Measures aid using Net Aid  Transfers (NAT) which is problematic for aid research and donor evaluation Aiding Inequality: The Effect of Foreign Aid on Income Inequality, Layton and Nielson, (2009) Foreign Aid and Income Inequality Direct Effect: Foreign aid has a positive effect on income inequality Findings inconclusive Politics and the Effectiveness of Foreign Aid, Boone (1996) Foreign aid and politics Indirect Effect on income inequality: Politics influences allocation of foreign aid. Effects on income inequality not measured Ethnic Diversity Is Inequality in Africa Really Different, Millanovic (2003) Income Inequality and Politics Direct Effect: High ethnic fractionalisation results to high income inequality Findings not satisfactory due to inability to test for ethnicity conclusively Corruption IMF working paper (May 1998): Does Corruption affect Income Inequality and Poverty? Corruption, Income Inequality and poverty Direct Effect: Increase in corruption increases income inequality Education Education and Income Inequality: New Evidence from cross country data. Gregorio and Lee (20020 Education and Income Inequality Education has equalizing effects on income inequality Didnt discuss the issues of reverse causation between variables International Remittances International Remittances and Income Inequality in Africa, Anyanwu (2011) International Remittances and income inequality Direct Effect: International Remittance increases income inequality Inflation International Remittances and Income Inequality in Africa, Anyanwu (2011) International Remittances and income inequality Indirect Effect; International Remittances increase inflation which fuels income inequality Relationship between Income Inequality and Development This section looks at the relationship between income inequality and development. In a bid to ascertain the nature of the relationship, it discusses mechanisms through which income inequality affects or might affect development. Measuring the development of a country can be done using a number of economic and social variables. Such variables include GDP, GDP per capita, life expectancy, and literacy rate among other. The UNDP also developed the Human Development Index which is a compound indicator that uses the above variables to determine the level of human development of a country. In determining the relationship between income inequality and development, the above variables for measuring development are taken into consideration. Studies on the relationship between income inequality and development originated from the groundbreaking research by Simon Kuznets where he studied economic growth and income inequality and came up with a hypothesis that is currently regarded as the Kuznets hypothesis or the inverted U shaped hypothesis. The Kuznets hypothesis formed the basis from which most preceding studies analysed the relationship between income inequality and growth. Kuznets (1955) postulated that in the early stages of development, both a countrys economic growth and its inequality increase. As countries grow and develop, the income gap between the rich and the poor should decrease. Indeed, according to Kuznets, there is a gradual shift from a low-inequality, low-income, agricultural economy, towards a high-income and medium-inequality economy characterized by industrial production. This shift would lead to the inverted U-shaped relationship between real GDP per capita and inequality. Kuznets argues that in th e initial period, agriculture represents the majority of a countrys economy, which is also characterized by low levels of inequality. According to Kuznets, a shift towards the secondary and the tertiary sectors has in essence two effects in the short run. The first effect is that it accelerates economic growth leading to higher levels of GDP per capita. The second and most dramatic effect is that this increases the level of inequality. Consequently, in the initial stages of economic development, the level of GDP per capita and inequality are positively correlated. As countries develop they shift more and more resources from agriculture to industry (and later to services), and this will in time decrease the income gap between the industry and agriculture simply because there will be more and more workers working in the industrial sector. Consequently, the long run relationship between inequality and GDP per capita is negative. The Kuznets hypothesis therefore showed causality from de velopment to income inequality. Although several investigations have found some support for the Kuznets hypothesis (e.g. Oswang, (1994); Milanovic, (1994); Fishlow, (1995) as well as Ali, (1998), some studies such as Ahluwalia, (1976); Bruno, Ravallion and Squire, (1995) and UNCTAD, (1997) however, found no such relationship between growth rates and income inequality. Deininger and Squire (1996) also did not find any evidence for the existence of such (Kuznets Relationship) a relationship between development and inequality. This shows that not all economies follow the inverted U shaped hypothesis during their development path. Apart from Kuznets, several scholars have shown the relationship between income inequality and development mostly through a number of social variables such as; health and education and also through economic variables such as; taxation, credit markets and investment. The political mechanism has also been emphasised as one through which income inequality is associated with development. Most literature on the subject shows evidence of income inequality being detrimental to development. The World Banks World Development Report (2006) says in its introduction that there is considerable evidence that equity is also instrumental to the pursuit of long-term prosperity in aggregate terms for society as a whole. This goes a long way in saying that income inequality is detrimental to the welfare of a society. Galor and Zeira (1993) found that inequality affects growth through credit market imperfections for financing investment in education. In this case, their finding was in regards to the poor who face borrowing constraints in financing education and hence in accumulating human capital. This has further effects on investment by the poor since they are forced to forego human capital even if the investments have a high rate of return. Therefore, the greater the degree of wealth and income inequality, the greater the number of people for which the constraints would be binding and, therefore, the lower is the stock of human capital in the economy. Economic growth is presumed to be enhanced through human capital accumulation. Therefore with less or no human capital accumulation, growth tends to be affected. Low levels of human capital formation are associated with low levels of human development which leads to low levels of development especially among the poor. However, the effect of this c hannel is weaker if education is being financed by the state of if its made compulsory; for example, in a country like Uganda where primary and secondary school education is being financed by the government. The poor though would still find challenges in financing higher education. With education being seen as a mechanism through which the poor can escape poverty, its limited accessibility by the poor has huge impact on the development of the country. Perotti (1996) after carefully examining the various channels through which income inequality may affect economic growth provided support for the Galor-Zeira hypothesis showing that inequality is indeed associated with lower level of human capital formation, and lower human capital formation is associated with lower levels of economic growth. Further support for the education channel is advanced by Deninger and Squire (1998) who utilized the distribution of land as a proxy for the distribution of assets and found that initial inequality has a significant adverse effect on education and economic growth. Moreover, consistent with the theories advanced by the credit market imperfections approach that these imperfections ought to have a larger effect on the investment decisions of individuals with lower income they find that initial inequality primarily hurts the poor. From a social perspective, various studies have shown that social political unrest hurts development. Countries that have experienced such unrests provide evidence of the extent to which their development is affected. Alesina and Rodrik (1993) after studying a set of 70 countries found quite solidly that income inequality increases socio-political instability which in turn decreases investment. Subsequently, Alesina and Perotti (1996) linked inequality to social political unrest where they showed the likely negative effects of high inequality on economic growth through increased crime, social unrest and political instability. Despite its effect on growth, social political unrest also has an effect on development, first since all development activities will be halted in areas experiencing the unrest. This will affect various social variables such as education, health and access to basic services. These unrests tend to cause death and destruction of property in countries where they hap pen. Also institutions in such countries especially when the unrests are severe tend not to function optimally. A countrys development therefore either gets retarded or remains stagnant as a result of the unrests, even the economy ceases to grow. Foreign Direct Investment to such countries gets halted since investors are scared of investing in countries that are unruly. All these factors combined have far reaching dangers on development. Alesina and Rodrik (1994) argued that inequality affects the economy through endogenous fiscal policy or political economy. They argue that a high level of inequality leads to redistributive fiscal policy in the form of higher government expenditure and distortionary taxation which, in turn, are believed to retard growth. They formed the median voter paradigm which is based on the assumption that political power (e.g. one-person-one-vote in a democratic settin

My Bondage and my Freedom Essay -- Literary Analysis, Frederick Dougla

At first glance, the book â€Å"my bondage and my freedom by Frederick Douglass appeared to be extremely dull and frustrating to read. After rereading the book for a second time and paying closer attention to the little details I have realized this is one of the most impressive autobiographies I have read recently. This book possesses one of the most touching stories that I have ever read, and what astonishes me the most about the whole subject is that it's a true story of Douglass' life. â€Å" Douglass does a masterful job of using his own experience to expose the injustice of slavery to the world. As the protagonist he is able to keep the reader interested in himself, and tell the true story of his life. As a narrator he is able to link those experiences to the wider experiences of the nation and all society, exposing the corrupting nature of slavery to the entire nation.†[1] Although this book contributes a great amount of information on the subject of slavery and it i s an extremely valuable book, its strengths are overpowered by its flaws. The book is loaded with unnecessary details, flowery metaphors and intense introductory information but this is what makes â€Å"My Bondage and My Freedom† unique. Throughout the entirety of the book, Douglass presents himself as a neutral figure who can see both the negative and positive side of any issue, even slavery. He presents a rational account of why slavery exists and does so without attempting to discuss the morality of the topic at hand. Despite spending a lot of time discussing the cruel masters and supervisors he encountered in life , his anger is not towards those who support slavery, but the institution of slavery as a whole.â€Å"Nature has done almost nothing to prepare me... ...glass' tumultuous Atlantic crossing on a ship full of slave-owners, his exploits as a traveling lecturer in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, and the "many dear friends" abroad who collaborate to purchase Douglass's freedom from Thomas Auld in 1846 [21]. I understand he does not want to publish his escape for fear others will get caught but it was still very disappointing and ended the book blandly. With all of this said, would I suggest this book to a friend? The answer is both yes and no. Although this is a remarkable piece of literature, it is not easily understood by everyone. If I knew someone who enjoyed reading extremely long and detailed auto biographies I would suggest this book to them without hesitation. This book is not for everyone, but if it is in the hands of the right person this could be a life altering and enlightening book.