Is Dictatorship Ever Justified Politics Essay

Is Dictatorship Ever Justified Politics Essay Many people take a negative light to dictatorship, even though in some countries it can really help to improve circumstances. Take for example Singapore, in 1960 it was slums and poverty, but in 1965 it became independent from Britain and took on a dictatorship under the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Lee transformed the slums into a thriving city, which now has one of the highest GDPs per person. This essay will take a look at dictatorships, in Singapore specifically, and answer the question of if they can ever be justified, and the subtopic questions the original raises. To understand the question one must first understand the context. The definition of a dictatorship is when one person or a group of people has absolute power, meaning that they have total control, no one can challenge them.  [1]  Dictatorships come into power when there is a weakness in government due to a financial problem or social problem. Singapore used to be full of poverty and uneducated people in the 1960s  [2]  , and when Lee Kuan Yew saw this, he saw an opportunity. He persuaded his way into power through the PAP (Peoples Action Party),  [3]  and begun to implement his plans for the city. However, he used his power to greater benefit the city and all its inhabitants, and this is called a benevolent dictatorship.  [4]  The other kind of dictator is called a tyrant, and it is the one that most people think of when they hear the word dictator: a cruel person or group who uses his or her power for himself or herself or a small portion of the population. Dictators are basically just the modern version, or word, really, of kings. There have been many famous, or really infamous, tyrants in history, and not so many benevolent ones. For example, there has been Hitler, Stalin, and Kim Jong-Il. All of these tyrants have given a bad reputation to dictatorship. In todays world, dictatorship is linked with cruelness and oppressiveness, but that is not always the case. Singapore is a great example of a justified dictatorship. Singapore was ruled by Britain until 1965 when they declared their independence. However, this meant that Singapore was cut off from Malaysias economy and Indonesia continued to threaten them, drying up their entrepot, a port that can import or export without paying import duties, taxes on the goods.  [5]  This greatly hurt Singapore but they did not despair. Because of this economic crisis, a dictator came into power. Lee Kuan Yew quickly cleaned up the place using a number of techniques. To control birth rates he put up free family planning clinics and ran a campaign while decreeing that women who have more than 2 children would get higher hospital bills, shorter maternity leaves and less income tax relief  [6]  . Lee also gave a $5000 reward to mothers who, after their second child, are sterilized. Sterilized mothers are given better housing and education for their kids.  [7]  On the problem of poverty and econo my, Lee came up with a brilliant solution. He required all workers to save 25% of their salaries, and the money can only be claimed after the age of 55.  [8]  This effectively cut down poverty so much that Singapore is now almost completely poverty-free. Almost all Singaporeans agree with these rules as well. They think that it is reasonable and they make sense. They do not fear the government either, they (most, at least) complain when they feel they need to.  [9]  The amazing part about all of this is that it was achieved through a dictatorship, something once associated with vile and cruel acts and feelings. Nothing comes without a price, unfortunately. Although Singapore is rich economically, they are harsh politically. Is this price worth it? Singapore has a harsh death penalty, which has been criticized before, and freedom of speech is suppressed. However, Singapore has virtually no criminals due to their government, so there were only 11 executions from 2008 to 2010.  [10]  There has also been some ill treatment, namely caning. Caning is when you are beat with a rod, though human rights say that is must be covered in antiseptic beforehand to ensure that there will not be any infections.  [11]  A good number of the offences that are punishable by caning are immigration violations.  [12]  On the other hand, Singapores economy has skyrocketed, it has one of the highest GDPs per person in the world, and their poverty rate is 0.3%. Americas poverty rate is 20%.  [13]  Another thing to address in this question is that although these treatments are incredibly strict and unor thodox, they get their job done. They are barely ever used, and when they are, it is only enforcing the point to people. Over all, most people would agree that these unusual treatments are not without reason, they do what they are supposed to do very well, and that the huge economic benefits outweigh the ethical downsides. Another thing to consider is whether Singapore is considered a dictatorship at all. Singapore is assumed to be a dictatorship because there is one party that runs unopposed, the Peoples Action Party. There are still elections but no one wants to run against them, mainly because the way they run the country is fine with everyone as explained before. Another reason why Singapore is a dictatorship is because Lee was in power for over 30 years, while in typical democracies like the U.S. there are term limits to prevent presidents or leaders from staying in power too long and becoming dictators. Yet another reason why Singapore is not a democracy is that the peoples opinion is very important in most democracies. In Singapore people can complain to the government but that does not mean that their opinion will be taken into effect, it is always the ruling partys decision. Nonetheless, this could have changed easily. If an opposing party ran against the PAP and won other parties may be inspi red to rise up as well, turning the dictatorship into a democracy quite quickly. This is why most dictators must find ways to force their people into submission so that they will not challenge his authority. The ruling party does not need to because they have acted in the peoples best interest and therefore the people have no need to challenge their authority, they already like what they are currently doing. These are the reasons that peoples assumptions about Singapore are right, that it is a dictatorship; it is just under the guise of a democracy. Even if Singapore is a dictatorship, what makes it a benevolent dictatorship? A few reasons have been mentioned before, but those arent fact enough. The problem with a question like this is that considering Singapore a benevolent dictatorship is all an opinion, it is all based on your point of view. So, to answer the question you must ask the people. In this case, the majority of people say that yes, the Peoples Action Party are benevolent dictators. However, people do not consider them to be dictators because they are benevolent. They associate dictatorship with meanness and cruelty, not kindness and the best interest of the people. But what are their reasons behind their decision to support their government? As mentioned before in this essay, the PAP have done much to control birth rates and they have also made savings mandatory so that old people can support themselves and to reduce poverty. Along with that the Peoples Action Party has helped to improve every apartment complex so that it either has or is near to a swimming pool, recreation centre, shopping centre, community centre, and a school. They have also helped to make sure that the apartments not be shabbily built and not tiny, either. The PAP has also practically declared war against bad habits, such as littering, jaywalking, spitting, smoking, gambling, and even anti-social behaviour. The fine for all of these (except for anti-social behaviour) is $250, though gambling in the state lottery is allowed.  [14]  The PAP has especially attacked smoking. During a certain Smoke-Free Week they put up signs everywhere saying, Stub it Out, Singapore! and other signs state the cities smoking deaths, around 10 a day back then. The best part about their campaign against smoking was not the signs, anyone can put up signs, but the Peoples Action Party sent out smiling teens with baskets of apples and the teens offered to trade an apple for a pack of cigarettes. Their campaign was successful in the end, with th e percentage of smokers in the population going from 23% to only 13%.  [15]  The PAP also created new jobs for people, and improved the conditions of working by simply shifting the countrys focus to technology-intensive high value industries. That was in 1989, and that same year 30% of the countrys GDP was from manufacturing alone.  [16]  These are the reasons that people consider the PAP to be benevolent, and with that many improvements plus more unmentioned it is enough to make anyone believe that they are benevolent. However, just because dictatorship worked for one country does not mean it will work for all. One of the worst dictators was Adolf Hitler. He was smart enough to find a way to keep people from challenging him out of power but not enough to not wage war  [17]  . He paid no attention to the state of his country, and left that up to his subordinates, who paid even less attention than him.  [18]  Another example would be Kim-Jong-Il in North Korea. He ignored his people so much that 43% of children under 5 were so malnourished that their growth was actually stunted  [19]  . He monitored everything and kept around 200,000 prisoners in labour camps where they starve and are tortured.  [20]  Many people, if asked, would say that dictatorship is very bad and one person or a group having all the power is just too much. However, Singapore clearly shows that if the right man or woman is chosen for the job, they can really use that power to change their country, and even the worl d. On the other hand, if the wrong person is given power they can misuse it to the point that the rest of the world has to step in to intervene. Unfortunately, this is the most common case. So really, it all depends on the person put in power. So, in conclusion, is dictatorship ever justified? Yes, it is. It is justified in the case of Singapore, under a benevolent dictatorship disguised as a democracy. The way the dictatorship turns out depends on the person put in power. Hitler had no more power than any other dictators he just misused it more. If you can find the right person, than your country can be hugely improved and redesigned to discover new advancements, a perfect example of which is Singapore.

Effects of Inflation Essay -- Economy Economics Money Essays

Effects of Inflation Inflation is the most commonly used economic term in the popular media. A Nexis search in 1996 found 872,000 news stories over the past twenty years that used the word inflation. "Unemployment" ran a distant second. Public concern about inflation generally heats up in step with inflation itself. Though economists do not always agree about when inflation starts to interfere with market signals, the public tends to express serious alarm once the inflation rate rises above 5 or 6 percent. Public opinion polls show minimal concern about rising prices during the early 1960s, as inflation was low. Concern rose with inflation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. When inflation twice surged to double-digit levels in the mid and late 1970s, Americans named it public enemy number one. Since the late 1980s, public anxiety has abated along with inflation itself. Yet even when inflation is low, Americans tend to perceive a morality tale in its effects. A recent survey by Yale economist Robert Shiller found that many Americans view differences in prices over time as a reflection of fundamental changes in the values of our society, rather than of purely economic forces. Economists think of inflation more plainly as a "sustained rise in the general level of prices." Their concerns focus on questions such as whether inflation distorts economic decisions. Very high inflation adversely impacts economic performance, as evidence from cross-country studies shows. Likewise, moderate levels of inflation can distort investment and consumption decisions. Recent U.S. experience with low, stable levels of inflation, in the range of 2 to 3 percent, has spurred policy makers to consider the possibility of achieving zero percent inflation. Reducing inflation however has costs in lost output and unemployment during the adjustment. Thus, an important question is wheth... ... would not allow massive inflation. Americans' feeling of pride in national institutions depends in part on low inflation or "sound money" as a signal of healthy fiscal and monetary institutions. Finally, inflation can discourage saving and encourage consumption. It thus is perceived as an attack on certain moral virtues -- a strong work ethic, deferred gratification -- that support a healthy economy. John Maynard Keynes made his famous attack on the Victorian virtue of saving -- always "jam tomorrow and never jam today" -- for economic reasons. Consumption in a depression or a recession could strengthen the economy, in his view. But British society took Keynes's mockery as an assault on the core of Victorian morality. Many Americans likewise feel that inflation assaults the legacy here of the Protestant work ethic that places a moral premium on saving over consumption. Fighting inflation thus is seen by many as a moral as much as an economic duty. Americans want their public officials to fight inflation to increase long-term output and employment but perhaps also to strengthen society's moral foundation.

Bpr †Erp Essay

In a plain language, what does it mean to an organization that is underperforming? Business Process Reengineering is a management approach focusing at brining improvements by enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of business process. The fundamental rethinking and radical design of a business process, its structure and related management systems, to offer key or partial improvements in performance. Business process reengineering is key element to the underperforming organizations because they need to bring change in their business processes to offer efficient and effective services to its consumers, and to make the organization profitable. BPR enforce managers to rethink and re-align their work processes in accordance with the consumer’s demands with flexibility. Managers then using BPR redesign their work processes and made them more customer-focused to bring back quality to the organization. This will enable an underperforming organization to alter its business processes and offer new improved with enhanced quality products or services to its consumers. This will bring back the customer loyalty to the organization. Question # 2: Why can IT be one of the biggest obstacles for BPR? Information Technology (IT) can be one of the biggest obstacles if they are handled with care while carrying out BPR. If the IT is not properly aligned with business goal, then the resultant process will not produce desired results. The heritage of the legacy systems present in the organization is another IT obstacle. Legacy systems might not be under control due to the fact that they do not have enough documentation, historical measurements, and change control processes. Legacy system’s scope and complexities which are not known must be taken at the same priority as the organizational and cultural structures during the process reengineering. These are the few obstacles posed by the IT to the BPR. Question # 3: What went wrong with the ERP implementation? Note four (4) major issues.

The Mexican-American War Essay - 870 Words

Regardless of the decade or the country a person lives in, there seems to be a reckless disregard for the toll a war can take on human lives. When the Alamo was fought back in February 1836, it was about the independence of Texas from Mexico. In retaliation of the death and destruction of human life, Sam Houston retaliated in April and killed 630 Mexican soldiers and took General Santa Anna prisoner (Tindall Shi, 2010). This was the start of the independence of Texas and the quest for annexation into the United States, which ultimately led to the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. This paper will briefly explain the reasons for the Mexican-American War and will describe the outcome of the war. The Reasons Numerous reasons can be†¦show more content†¦The belief was that America had a God-given right, or destiny, to expand the country’s border from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean (Lee, 2011). Tension arose between the US and Mexico in 1846 after an attempt to purchase the California and New Mexico Territories was rebuffed over a border dispute. In Texas, the situation worsened when the southern border was disputed. Mexico claimed the border at the Nueces River, while Texas claimed the border at the Rio Grande. President Polk wanted to goad the Mexicans into a conflict to obtain Texas while also securing New Mexico and California, however; it was essential that Mexico commence it (Tindall Shi, 2010). On May 9, 1846 the Mexicans attacked US soldiers, President Polk’s scheme worked. On May 13, 1846 President Polk signed the declaration of war. The Mexican-American War had begun. The Outcome With no actual war plan, the Mexican war was fought on four fronts – southern Texas, central Mexico, New Mexico, and California (Tindall Shi, 2010). The military on both sides were ill prepared for fighting the war. The US Army consisted of roughly 7,000 soldiers, while the Mexican forces consisted of 32,000 soldiers. By the time the war was over the number had risen to 104,000 American forces. Some were volunteers for six and 12 month enlistments. General Taylor, who would eventually become President of the United States in 1849, became popular with the two victories north of the RioShow MoreRelatedThe Mexican American War Essay1223 Words   |  5 PagesUnited States of America has been through many wars, wars concerning many things such as land oil, pride and respect. However, when the United States went to war with Mexico, it was planned over greed. The Mexican- American war was a war provoked by the United States, in efforts to expand the coasts of the countr y. Mexico was a small under privileged country who had previously to the war had already lost part of their country (Texas). Needless to say this war was cut throat and violent, it was howeverRead MoreEssay on The Mexican-American War1466 Words   |  6 PagesThe Mexican-American war determined the destiny of the United States of America, it determined whether or not it would become a world power and it established the size of the United States of America. Perhaps the war was inevitable due to the idea of Manifest Destiny - Americans thought they had the divine right to extend their territory. The Mexican-American War started mainly because of the annexation of the Republic of Texas (established in 1836 after breaking away from Mexico). The United StatesRead MoreEssay The Mexican-American War1216 Words   |  5 PagesThe Mexican-American War. The Mexican-American war was a process of years of battles between the Mexicans and Americans but I think after this informational paper, you’ll seem to know a little bit more knowledge about it. How it all started, well in the beginning, the Americans and Mexicans both wanted to control Texas, but at the time it was a part of the Mexican territory, well soon enough Americans wanted control over it so badly that they started to travel into Texas’s land. Part of the reasonRead MoreCause Of The Mexican American War1864 Words   |  8 PagesThe Mexican-American war, also known as the Mexican war happened between 1846 and 1848 with the participants being United States of America and Mexico. Texas, previously a Mexican state, was the primary cause of the war. A series of disagreements had occurred between Texans and the Mexican government leading to Texas declaration of its independence in 1836. Later, Texas decided to join the United States as the 28th state and this infu riated Mexico. Additionally, border disagreements came up withRead MoreThe American Army in the Mexican War1085 Words   |  5 Pagesrepel invasions. This two level arrangement formed the basis of military establishment during the war. The U.S. army was not prepared for the war. The congress authorized 8613 men and officers for the war but, the actual number was fewer than 5500. Many regimental commanders entered before the War of 1812 but, were too elderly and infirm for an active duty. Looking at the poor state of army during the war, the Congress increased the number of private individual companies to hundred. This turned outRead MoreMexican American War Essay4448 Words   |  18 PagesIntroduction/Background The Mexican American War began on April 25, 1846. The war lasted two years losing many men on both sides. The Mexican war was the third major fought by the United States. In 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla triggers the beginning of Mexico’s fight for independence from Spain. Mexico gained its independence in 1821 after a long and bloody revolution against Spain. For Mexico, the war between them and the United States was a fight to keep their institutions and national integrityRead MorePolitical Outcomes of the Mexican-American War2030 Words   |  9 PagesPolitical Outcomes of the Mexican – American War Post the Mexican – American War in 1846, there would be a plethora of political change that would be inevitable for the Mexicans, and the Americans. These changes would bring about a divide between the two countries that would keep them in a rivalry spanning over numerous decades. However, before this rivalry could occur, something would be needed to induce it. The Mexicans and the Americans would fight against each other for over a year until aRead MoreCompare and contrast the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.1456 Words   |  6 PagesThe War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War are two wars that physically appear two opposites. The War of 1812 involves plenty of naval battles and a few major land battles, while the Mexican-American War involves numerous land battles and few, if any, naval battles. However there are numerous similarities. The War of 1812, The US saw Great Britain as a major problem because of their definition of contraband and the impressment of American sailors into the British Navy. And around this time theRead MoreEssay about The Mexican War as an Exercise in American Imperialism1152 Words   |  5 PagesThe Mexican War as an Exercise in American Imperialism The US government believed firmly in the doctrine of Manifest destiny, the government argued that they had the right and duty to expand through North American because it was necessary and inevitable. During the 19th century Mexico dominated a large amount of North America which was inhabited by American settlers and the American government aimed to expand the USA from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and wereRead MoreThe Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty that ended the Mexican-American War in 1848.2104 Words   |  9 PagesThe Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which came into effect on 2 February 1848, ended the Mexican-American war and formally resolved territorial disputes resulting from that conflict. The treaty required the U.S. government to pay the Mexican government $15 million dollars, this in return for an expanse of territory that later became the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Utah, Nevada, and Colorado. I intend to argue that the treaty benefitted the people who inhabited, and later came to inhabit