Poverty has been a part of the Philippines since I was born. Most of the time when I look at the news, headlines about the economy talks about poverty and its effects. Poverty is the living condition of not having enough means to afford the basic needs of an individual. This means that the people living in poverty do not have access to clean water, a safe home, nutrition, enough food and clothing. These people experiencing poverty has limited funds, sometimes they only have one meal a day.
Most of the time, poverty reduction increases economic growth because this means that the standard of living and capacity of a group of people increases. This happens when people living below the poverty line begins to rise up and earn more, making them more well-off, or enough to get them by the day. I’m sure all of us knows the state of living of those below the poverty line. We see the squatters area, we see beggars sleeping on the streets every night. We notice how young kids with poor family backgrounds beg for money, ask for food and engage into different types of activities just to be able to buy bread. Poverty has affected the lives of many people and has made the Philippines a hard country to develop.
Now, if you think about it- why is there poverty? What are the root causes of poverty? The Philippines is a third world country and I must say that it has already improved in terms of economic growth, foreign exchange, employment, etc, as compared to the past few years, making us a developing country. Poverty as mentioned exists when people do not have access to needs that are essential to live normally. They have unstable houses and most of the time, the policemen ask them to vacate their wooden houses located at the side of a bridge. These people do not have a sturdy roof where they could stay in during rainy days. They are unfortunate people who are unemployed, do not have any resource and yet, these same people get pregnant and increase the population of the economy.
As discussed in class, almost all of us believe that poverty is caused by three main reasons: corruption, lack of educational attainment and overpopulation. First of all, corruption in the Philippines is rampant. This can be widely seen based on the increase of poor people, the increase in taxes and yet nothing is happening to our country. The tax rate being collected from employees of corporations is quite high, it reached 32% at one point and yet no infrastructure or development is being constructed. It takes more than 10 years to finish an establishment and we still remain a developing country. Though it is easier said than done, I’m pretty sure almost everyone living in the Philippines notice how corrupt the country is. Officials reap the benefits and nothing is being distributed to the mass. This is exactly why I think Gibo Teodoro has potential in leading the country- because he stated facts and ideal goals in a span of ten years. He mentioned that the effect of the anticipated economic growth must trickle down to the lowest class, which is what I think the Philippines needs. Poverty elimination will not disappear over a day and it requires a lot of systematic planning before the Philippines could develop and have progress in terms of poverty. Secondly, the lack of education of the Filipinos widely contributes to the poverty rate in the country. If a person is not educated, then he has a lower opportunity to get hired. If he does not get hired, he won’t have money to get him by the day. If he gets used to this then he will beg for money or just gamble money if he gets any. The lack of education limits the chances of a person to progress, grow and develop wasting his capabilities and capacity to be a good citizen of the Philippines, but being born poor is not his problem. It was just his luck that he was born poor and thus, having no resources to actually get proper education. Here comes that problem of overpopulation. Why? Well, poor people are the ones that give birth most due to their belief that their child could raise their standard of living. However, they fail to put to mind that they do not have money which means their child may not even reach primary education. What is the effect of this? More people living in poverty, more people in the economy, pulling the Philippines down. The country’s money would be put to good use if the government could build small educational institutions in remote areas where vocational training could be taught to those in those areas. This would help the poor to at least earn a little and raise their standard of living. Lastly, population control here in the Philippines is uncontrollable. Population increases because more and more Filipinos give birth and most of the people who does live below the poverty line. What is the effect of this? The infant could gain infections and sicknesses due to the unsanitary environment and lack of nutrition. Filipinos must understand sex education and should know the consequences of their actions. They get involved with someone because of emotions but love will not raise them from poverty. I think the issue here is the way of thinking of the Filipinos. Perhaps the country should do something about this issue like limit the number of children per family up to a certain point.
Poverty is not a joke and though the rich does not feel the actual impact of poverty, this will affect everyone in the long run. If poverty does not decrease, the economy will never develop. Hence, the Philippines will forever be a developing country that is corrupt and behind all other states in the world.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Why does politics turn to violence?
The nature of a human person is to be good. By being one, a person knows how he wants to be treated by his coworkers and how he wants to be respected. I believe that goodness is within a person and we are all born good, before we get exposed to the evil of society. Being infants, we know nothing but good. We don't hurt people, say mean things to people- we were and will always be good. However, as we grow up, things and society influences us to go farther from good. This leads us to do bad things. There are people who are evil (who does bad things) because society dictates them to. Instances like stealing, cheating, etc are done because of desperateness and not because that person wants to.
People think they can do good because they are born to be good. I believe that humans are kind loving creatures who are harmless. Most of them have the right reasoning in life to know what's right and wrong because they were also brought up by their parents who are born to be good. There is a saying that states "Don't do unto others what you don't want them to do unto you" - I think humans revolve around this statement. People want to be treated with respect, which is why they do things that could go back to them in return. There is also what we call "Karma" which states that when you do something bad, you will get that share of bad luck one day. These beliefs make people do good, since they don't want something bad to happen to them and their loved ones.
What stops people from doing good is their desperateness for something. I think people resort to stealing, hold-ups, cheating, fraud, etc because they don't have a choice anymore. The poor, for instance, steals because they have to feed their families (which, when you think about is also good). In other words, those who steal for money thinks that they are doing good because they are feeding their families. Of course, this does not pertain to all since some people are just simply bad without reason. These people must have issues from birth, making them guiltless regardless of what kind of harm they cause people.
Humans have brains. These brains are used for discernment. This capacity of a human being separates good from evil, making them informed of which is which. People also have conscience, which makes a person realize if he did something bad. These "gifts" from God make a person pure of heart and good. Why then, do some people cause conflict and harm others?
Conflict is not justifiable even though there is a valid reason for this. I believe that the end DOES NOT justify the means. In line with this, world leaders cannot think that the end justify the means because the means is important. Doing something bad will not resolve anything. It definitely won't lead to something good.
World leaders are the models of each state and each representative must act properly for the betterment of the whole country. They represent the country and its people and in order to promote peace and what's right, they must act with goodness. An example is that they shouldn't be corrupt. They could fix the country slowly and prove to the people that their intentions are good. Even though I doubt that world leaders and officials will do good, I am hopeful that there will come a time that we can have a leader who can successfully be a role model and represent the country with pride and glory because of the good things that he'll do for the country.
Knowing the good from evil does not lead to a path that can end global conflict because there's a thin line between knowing and doing. Doing the right thing is so much harder than knowing it because knowing it does not entail actual action. Doing the good can possibly eliminate global conflict, especially if the ideas of global leaders are aligned. This is actually very important because it will not only benefit their respective states, but the whole world and international economy as well.
People think they can do good because they are born to be good. I believe that humans are kind loving creatures who are harmless. Most of them have the right reasoning in life to know what's right and wrong because they were also brought up by their parents who are born to be good. There is a saying that states "Don't do unto others what you don't want them to do unto you" - I think humans revolve around this statement. People want to be treated with respect, which is why they do things that could go back to them in return. There is also what we call "Karma" which states that when you do something bad, you will get that share of bad luck one day. These beliefs make people do good, since they don't want something bad to happen to them and their loved ones.
What stops people from doing good is their desperateness for something. I think people resort to stealing, hold-ups, cheating, fraud, etc because they don't have a choice anymore. The poor, for instance, steals because they have to feed their families (which, when you think about is also good). In other words, those who steal for money thinks that they are doing good because they are feeding their families. Of course, this does not pertain to all since some people are just simply bad without reason. These people must have issues from birth, making them guiltless regardless of what kind of harm they cause people.
Humans have brains. These brains are used for discernment. This capacity of a human being separates good from evil, making them informed of which is which. People also have conscience, which makes a person realize if he did something bad. These "gifts" from God make a person pure of heart and good. Why then, do some people cause conflict and harm others?
Conflict is not justifiable even though there is a valid reason for this. I believe that the end DOES NOT justify the means. In line with this, world leaders cannot think that the end justify the means because the means is important. Doing something bad will not resolve anything. It definitely won't lead to something good.
World leaders are the models of each state and each representative must act properly for the betterment of the whole country. They represent the country and its people and in order to promote peace and what's right, they must act with goodness. An example is that they shouldn't be corrupt. They could fix the country slowly and prove to the people that their intentions are good. Even though I doubt that world leaders and officials will do good, I am hopeful that there will come a time that we can have a leader who can successfully be a role model and represent the country with pride and glory because of the good things that he'll do for the country.
Knowing the good from evil does not lead to a path that can end global conflict because there's a thin line between knowing and doing. Doing the right thing is so much harder than knowing it because knowing it does not entail actual action. Doing the good can possibly eliminate global conflict, especially if the ideas of global leaders are aligned. This is actually very important because it will not only benefit their respective states, but the whole world and international economy as well.
Do colonialism and slavery belong to the past?
Justice has several meanings and purposes for different people. For some, this is doing the right and eliminating the wrong. For others, this is punishing those who have done things against the law. Justice is basically being fair and promoting equality among the people. But is justice seen and present in our world today?
People all over the world engage into different activities everyday. People also do what they have to just to raise their standard of living. These people strive hard to attain their goals and dreams just bring food on their dining tables. However, are all these people given the chance to be the best that they can be?
I believe that in order to be successful, a person must be determined, motivated, driven and responsible. He must acquire all the values of a leader to achieve his dreams. However, I also believe that these traits may be put to waste if a person does not have the proper resources. Just like the story of Bill Gate's success- he wasn't a very smart guy, but he was very interested with computers and technology that he decided to start a business in line with his field of interest. In addition to his passion for this, he was also fortunate enough to have the funds and resources to be able to reach where he is at the moment. He is one of the best contributors in the world of technology and this was also because of his capacity to fund his own inventions. Similarly, an issue today is the job screening process of companies. They prefer students that graduated from the top three schools alone, leaving the others helpless. This benefits me because I'm from De La Salle University- Manila but this is quite unfair.
At times, when people do not get what they wish for in this country, they resort to other alternatives, such as work as OFWs or settle in low paying jobs with rude bosses. A result of this is maltreatment and complete abuse especially if you go to Dubai, etc. What's unfair in this situation is that those who are maltreated and abused do not get the justice that they deserve.
Justice can be divided into two main ideas: Justice based on morality and ethics, and Justice based on law. The former refers to being righteous and basing your judgment on your morality. The latter refers to equality brought by law. This is when citizens of a country comply with the regulations and policies on the government because these policies promote peace and harmony amongst the people in the state. While Justice based on law is self-explanatory, Justice based on morality is a little bit more complicated. People have different views and perceptions on things and it depends on their culture and belief whether a specific action is right or wrong. In the same sense, the value of a person is evaluated here. The importance and the humanity of a person is necessary in determining right from wrong. To treat a person like an animal is inhuman, which leads to immorality and thus, injustice.
People should all be treated the same because we are all humans, treated in the image and likeness of God. It is instilled in a person how to treat a person because he himself is human. How does forgetting the value of a person now lead to slavery and violence?
Slavery happens when people from the upper portion of the social class force or ask people from the lower class to do something for them (i.e work in a factory) and do not pay these workers enough. This also happens when owners do not feed their workers because they are "just workers" and maltreating them is just right. This is present in our world today especially because of the existence of Industrialization and Capitalism. In working and earning money, workers don't get what they deserve because they are treated as slaves by their bosses. Here, we see how the value of a person is neglected simply because that worker/person was born unfortunate and poor.
Forgetting the value of the person may also lead to violence. A perfect example of this is the movie "Law Abiding Citizen". The leading man's wife and daughter were treated like animals by Darby, the antagonist and he wasn't imprisoned because he testified against his other teammate. The protagonist now plots a ten year plan on how to teach that police (who let Darby go) a lesson. The police had a deal with Darby and that's what the protagonist is so mad about. The death of his family was not given justice. Hence, his revenge through violence. He destroyed and killed many cities and people because of injustice. We see how violating the rights of a person leads to violence from the film.
I think that as humans, we all have this "idea" of how we should be treated. It is within us to know, perhaps through our conscience, what is right and wrong. If this respect that we have for people is violated, then this leads to violence and slavery because it promotes injustice and equality. Why do people have to be neglected and isolated, or discriminated just because they were born unfortunate? (in terms of all aspects like physical appearance, abilities, wealth, etc) This is what we should think about. For me, justice should apply to all. We must give chances to everyone. We must treat all humans the same. We must treat them with respect and dignity.
Justice is very crucial because it is the dignity and integrity of a person at stake here. I think we should all make sure that opportunities and chances are given to everyone because as long as injustice is present in this country, we will never rise up and be a developed country.
People all over the world engage into different activities everyday. People also do what they have to just to raise their standard of living. These people strive hard to attain their goals and dreams just bring food on their dining tables. However, are all these people given the chance to be the best that they can be?
I believe that in order to be successful, a person must be determined, motivated, driven and responsible. He must acquire all the values of a leader to achieve his dreams. However, I also believe that these traits may be put to waste if a person does not have the proper resources. Just like the story of Bill Gate's success- he wasn't a very smart guy, but he was very interested with computers and technology that he decided to start a business in line with his field of interest. In addition to his passion for this, he was also fortunate enough to have the funds and resources to be able to reach where he is at the moment. He is one of the best contributors in the world of technology and this was also because of his capacity to fund his own inventions. Similarly, an issue today is the job screening process of companies. They prefer students that graduated from the top three schools alone, leaving the others helpless. This benefits me because I'm from De La Salle University- Manila but this is quite unfair.
At times, when people do not get what they wish for in this country, they resort to other alternatives, such as work as OFWs or settle in low paying jobs with rude bosses. A result of this is maltreatment and complete abuse especially if you go to Dubai, etc. What's unfair in this situation is that those who are maltreated and abused do not get the justice that they deserve.
Justice can be divided into two main ideas: Justice based on morality and ethics, and Justice based on law. The former refers to being righteous and basing your judgment on your morality. The latter refers to equality brought by law. This is when citizens of a country comply with the regulations and policies on the government because these policies promote peace and harmony amongst the people in the state. While Justice based on law is self-explanatory, Justice based on morality is a little bit more complicated. People have different views and perceptions on things and it depends on their culture and belief whether a specific action is right or wrong. In the same sense, the value of a person is evaluated here. The importance and the humanity of a person is necessary in determining right from wrong. To treat a person like an animal is inhuman, which leads to immorality and thus, injustice.
People should all be treated the same because we are all humans, treated in the image and likeness of God. It is instilled in a person how to treat a person because he himself is human. How does forgetting the value of a person now lead to slavery and violence?
Slavery happens when people from the upper portion of the social class force or ask people from the lower class to do something for them (i.e work in a factory) and do not pay these workers enough. This also happens when owners do not feed their workers because they are "just workers" and maltreating them is just right. This is present in our world today especially because of the existence of Industrialization and Capitalism. In working and earning money, workers don't get what they deserve because they are treated as slaves by their bosses. Here, we see how the value of a person is neglected simply because that worker/person was born unfortunate and poor.
Forgetting the value of the person may also lead to violence. A perfect example of this is the movie "Law Abiding Citizen". The leading man's wife and daughter were treated like animals by Darby, the antagonist and he wasn't imprisoned because he testified against his other teammate. The protagonist now plots a ten year plan on how to teach that police (who let Darby go) a lesson. The police had a deal with Darby and that's what the protagonist is so mad about. The death of his family was not given justice. Hence, his revenge through violence. He destroyed and killed many cities and people because of injustice. We see how violating the rights of a person leads to violence from the film.
I think that as humans, we all have this "idea" of how we should be treated. It is within us to know, perhaps through our conscience, what is right and wrong. If this respect that we have for people is violated, then this leads to violence and slavery because it promotes injustice and equality. Why do people have to be neglected and isolated, or discriminated just because they were born unfortunate? (in terms of all aspects like physical appearance, abilities, wealth, etc) This is what we should think about. For me, justice should apply to all. We must give chances to everyone. We must treat all humans the same. We must treat them with respect and dignity.
Justice is very crucial because it is the dignity and integrity of a person at stake here. I think we should all make sure that opportunities and chances are given to everyone because as long as injustice is present in this country, we will never rise up and be a developed country.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Technological Innovations, is too advanced good or bad?
The Internet has played a very crucial role in our lives today. More than its importance to businesses and other types of companies, the internet serves as a “library” and research database for students specifically in high school and college. The youth today widely depends on the internet for all types of information, entertainment, research data- all there is to look for. Long ago when the internet has not yet been invented, people went through everything the hard way. They had to look for information from the library and search for all types of archives. They went to places just to get information for school. They journeyed all the way to a faraway place to gather what they need. Life was hard. It used to be hard because everything had to be done the long cut way. Nowadays, with the emergence of the internet, people just get everything they need from this machine.
The news can be seen from the internet, stories can be seen in the internet, events can be derived from Youtube, even phone applications can be downloaded from the net. Basically everything under the sun can be found in the internet. We may not know it but our lives are actually evolving in the internet. Social networks are even created and people keep in touch through this.
The Internet may be a good and a bad thing. It depends on the person actually, because it is in the person to know his limitations when it comes to this. The Internet is dependable and it is a tool in learning more, gaining more and understanding more. It is good that people use this to search about current events or the news. However, if people do not know their limitations, they have the tendency to view illegal websites and engage into other activities that should not be done. Though the internet is a good thing, there may be times wherein the internet has negative effects to the people. Some become lazy because of too much dependence on the internet. Others rely too much on the internet even though the website has not yet been updated. This is where what I have mentioned a while ago applies- limitations. One must know the limitations in using the internet because they may come a point when computers might even be smarter than the human brain.
The Internet has made a huge impact in my life. My homework, thesis papers, etc depend on the internet because it entails research. The net gives me the opportunity to be able to download dissertations and other kinds of information that may help me complete my school requirements. When I talk to my parents, they tell me how easy life is right now. We’re given the right education, a good life and an easier access to knowledge. The internet has given me nothing but benefits because it gives me knowledge and new learning. Even trivia and entertainment news are broadcasted on the internet making everyone access what’s happening in the globe.
The web may be harnessed for development by simply using it for more development. In other words, the internet shall be used correctly. This means that it will be used for gathering important information and data for one’s study and once the study is done, it would be of good use if that person also publishes his paper. It will help even just in a small way since he will contribute to the benefit of everyone in the world. I guess we can close the global divide through the net by simply being one through the use of the internet. By sharing knowledge and imparting wisdom to those who surf the internet.
Once thing that I can’t help but notice is the emergence of social networking in the world. There are several social networking programs such as friendster, multiply, plurk, twitter and facebook. Facebook nowadays are widely used and everyone I know has an account in facebook. It has both advantages and disadvantages actually. It gives old friends to reconnect and catch up on each other. It also is a form of entertainment for people since it has games and these games can be played by you and your friend. In my opinion, being able to reconnect with your old friend is a big thing. However, social networking has also disadvantages. Given that you have an account, everyone under the sun can view your profile and even stalk you if you’re not careful. Sometimes, strangers know things about you and this is quite freaky not to mention weird. Also, people get distracted with their work and homework because they keep opening their accounts.
For me, technological innovation is in general good. This gives us a chance to adapt with how society works and it assists us in keeping up with the fast paced world. These innovations like being able to watch films on the computer, being able to book a flight online, etc- makes life easier and better. Along with the progress of technology is the increase in knowledge in using the internet. It gives us more details and information regarding events around the globe. When put to good use, technology can achieve wonders but if used for illegal means, then this may be harmful. All in all, the internet is a good thing. Humans just have to know their limitations in order to maintain the fact that people are more dominant than machines.
The news can be seen from the internet, stories can be seen in the internet, events can be derived from Youtube, even phone applications can be downloaded from the net. Basically everything under the sun can be found in the internet. We may not know it but our lives are actually evolving in the internet. Social networks are even created and people keep in touch through this.
The Internet may be a good and a bad thing. It depends on the person actually, because it is in the person to know his limitations when it comes to this. The Internet is dependable and it is a tool in learning more, gaining more and understanding more. It is good that people use this to search about current events or the news. However, if people do not know their limitations, they have the tendency to view illegal websites and engage into other activities that should not be done. Though the internet is a good thing, there may be times wherein the internet has negative effects to the people. Some become lazy because of too much dependence on the internet. Others rely too much on the internet even though the website has not yet been updated. This is where what I have mentioned a while ago applies- limitations. One must know the limitations in using the internet because they may come a point when computers might even be smarter than the human brain.
The Internet has made a huge impact in my life. My homework, thesis papers, etc depend on the internet because it entails research. The net gives me the opportunity to be able to download dissertations and other kinds of information that may help me complete my school requirements. When I talk to my parents, they tell me how easy life is right now. We’re given the right education, a good life and an easier access to knowledge. The internet has given me nothing but benefits because it gives me knowledge and new learning. Even trivia and entertainment news are broadcasted on the internet making everyone access what’s happening in the globe.
The web may be harnessed for development by simply using it for more development. In other words, the internet shall be used correctly. This means that it will be used for gathering important information and data for one’s study and once the study is done, it would be of good use if that person also publishes his paper. It will help even just in a small way since he will contribute to the benefit of everyone in the world. I guess we can close the global divide through the net by simply being one through the use of the internet. By sharing knowledge and imparting wisdom to those who surf the internet.
Once thing that I can’t help but notice is the emergence of social networking in the world. There are several social networking programs such as friendster, multiply, plurk, twitter and facebook. Facebook nowadays are widely used and everyone I know has an account in facebook. It has both advantages and disadvantages actually. It gives old friends to reconnect and catch up on each other. It also is a form of entertainment for people since it has games and these games can be played by you and your friend. In my opinion, being able to reconnect with your old friend is a big thing. However, social networking has also disadvantages. Given that you have an account, everyone under the sun can view your profile and even stalk you if you’re not careful. Sometimes, strangers know things about you and this is quite freaky not to mention weird. Also, people get distracted with their work and homework because they keep opening their accounts.
For me, technological innovation is in general good. This gives us a chance to adapt with how society works and it assists us in keeping up with the fast paced world. These innovations like being able to watch films on the computer, being able to book a flight online, etc- makes life easier and better. Along with the progress of technology is the increase in knowledge in using the internet. It gives us more details and information regarding events around the globe. When put to good use, technology can achieve wonders but if used for illegal means, then this may be harmful. All in all, the internet is a good thing. Humans just have to know their limitations in order to maintain the fact that people are more dominant than machines.
Why is the world divided territorially?
What is the direct link between territory and sovereignty? Well, each territory may be called a state and a state has sovereignty as one of its elements. This means that sovereignty is a crucial role in one’s territory. What now is the issue? What the problem is, is the fact that territories are being invaded by those around the boundaries of the territory, which leads to disputes and conflict between territories.
Territorial integrity is an international law which indicates that nation-states must not start violent movements to other countries around them. It also states that nation-states must not promote changes in the borders of those around them. These are acts of aggression to sustain more power. When this happens, identities, cultures, traditions and practices of a certain territory will be violated which will lead to chaos and turmoil.
An example of this is the territorial dispute between Israel and Palestine when both governments are claiming the other’s right to their respective lands. A result of this dispute is that Africans are deprived from their own place and boundary, which shouldn’t be the case because this is where they belong. These conflicts have brought chaos and instability in different countries and it widely affects the residents of that country. Territorial boundaries and integrity have rules and regulations and these shall be followed by the states to ensure peace and harmony amongst them. However, most of the time, these rules are violated and consequences are not imposed to those who are responsible.
You see, territorial goes a long way. Causing territorial disputes will not benefit anyone because this is a n act of selfishness and pride. Though this will bring power and glory to a state, it does not promote globalization, which is what the world is geared towards to nowadays. Globalization entails direct relations between and among states. This implies that nation-states must coordinate one another for them to develop as one and as a community. If territorial integrity is not present in these states, what will it bring to the world and the emergence of globalization?
Globalization involves trading between countries, forming relationships and strong ties with border countries in order to form healthy relations. This relationship will bring advantages to both states. Territorial integrity is the key towards this path because states must respect the boundaries of other states. I do not agree that just because a country is powerful, it has the right to conquer another country. It won’t benefit anyone but the invader itself. This does not help globalization at all.
I think the solution to end all conflicts among countries is the acknowledgement of territorial integrity. This value is very important especially today because it not only helps create peace among border countries but also promotes a healthy relationship between countries. States must think of what will benefit everyone because at the end of the way, it’s still these morals and values that will help each one, each state in times of trouble.
Territorial integrity is an international law which indicates that nation-states must not start violent movements to other countries around them. It also states that nation-states must not promote changes in the borders of those around them. These are acts of aggression to sustain more power. When this happens, identities, cultures, traditions and practices of a certain territory will be violated which will lead to chaos and turmoil.
An example of this is the territorial dispute between Israel and Palestine when both governments are claiming the other’s right to their respective lands. A result of this dispute is that Africans are deprived from their own place and boundary, which shouldn’t be the case because this is where they belong. These conflicts have brought chaos and instability in different countries and it widely affects the residents of that country. Territorial boundaries and integrity have rules and regulations and these shall be followed by the states to ensure peace and harmony amongst them. However, most of the time, these rules are violated and consequences are not imposed to those who are responsible.
You see, territorial goes a long way. Causing territorial disputes will not benefit anyone because this is a n act of selfishness and pride. Though this will bring power and glory to a state, it does not promote globalization, which is what the world is geared towards to nowadays. Globalization entails direct relations between and among states. This implies that nation-states must coordinate one another for them to develop as one and as a community. If territorial integrity is not present in these states, what will it bring to the world and the emergence of globalization?
Globalization involves trading between countries, forming relationships and strong ties with border countries in order to form healthy relations. This relationship will bring advantages to both states. Territorial integrity is the key towards this path because states must respect the boundaries of other states. I do not agree that just because a country is powerful, it has the right to conquer another country. It won’t benefit anyone but the invader itself. This does not help globalization at all.
I think the solution to end all conflicts among countries is the acknowledgement of territorial integrity. This value is very important especially today because it not only helps create peace among border countries but also promotes a healthy relationship between countries. States must think of what will benefit everyone because at the end of the way, it’s still these morals and values that will help each one, each state in times of trouble.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Why are some people better off than others?
Did it ever occur to you why others are more fortunate or luckier than you? Have it ever occurred to you why they can do things or purchase things and you can't? In life, there are others who are really more fortunate than we are because of certain factors. Similarly, as there are individuals who are wealthier in terms of resources than others, there are also countries or states that are more developed than others.
There is what we call the Liberalism or Liberal Globalism which advocates a world of liberal ideas and democratic states. These states are integrated through the world believing that growth will benefit the poor. In this theory, integration is believed to be the determining factor which may alleviate the poor. It doesn't matter if the integration will make the rich even richer as long everyone in the state benefits from this development. Liberal globalists are not hostile to the state- this means that they do aspire for the state to meddle with their activities but they want a state support to back them up for the market.
Global Developmentalism shares the commitment of liberal globalists. They think that states must cooperate with one another in the global markets to develop and further increase growth of every state. However, this theory opposes the belief of liberal globalism that it doesn't matter if the rich becomes more wealthier. For them, the growth benefits that will be reaped from the development shall not be unequally distributed. They also reject the idea that the first requirement of development policy is to promote global liberalism. Global developmentalism focuses on the continuing relevance of developmental strategy rather than on the prioritization of the liberal.
On the other hand, the Historical Materialism states that development does not start in the market nor the developmental state but the social relations where the material production on which social life depends take place. This theory believes that capitalism plays an important role in a society and society is shaped by the struggle between classes. Here, they are focused on the profits that are derived from their activities.
These different theories all make perfect sense why others are more developed than other countries. For instance, here in the Philippines, poverty is present and wherever you go, you can see it anywhere. But why is it different for other states like Singapore or Europe? I think it starts with the government. It depends on how the government handles its country. This is reflected back to the government officials since they are the ones who handle the policies and regulations of the state. I agree with the Historical Materialism that most businessmen focus on their private businesses and growth will follow but I agree more with the Global Developmentalism in terms of what it said about the global markets. The reason why countries open their doors to trade is for them to have more opportunities, more exposure and more profit. Social relations is a must in the world and a country that chooses to isolate itself from the rest of the world will not gain any advantage. Interaction helps us grow more. Hence, participating in the global markets will improve the country's trade balance and openness. After all, Net exports is a function of GDP. Moreover, having more resources and external products and learnings will help the country gain more investments. This will lead the country to grow more. Moreover, I think that the Liberal Globalism is right when it mentioned that the benefits will be distributed unequally. A degree of inequality is unavoidable because economic activities depend on these capitalized businesses. Normally, the fortunate ones get more benefits than the less fortunate ones. It is how it works. Economic activities will be distributed unequally not to be unfair but because it is how its distributed. In general, I believe that economic activities, if sustained for around 15 years will definitely bring benefits to the Philippines. Who knows, maybe 15 years from now, we can be a first world country.
There is what we call the Liberalism or Liberal Globalism which advocates a world of liberal ideas and democratic states. These states are integrated through the world believing that growth will benefit the poor. In this theory, integration is believed to be the determining factor which may alleviate the poor. It doesn't matter if the integration will make the rich even richer as long everyone in the state benefits from this development. Liberal globalists are not hostile to the state- this means that they do aspire for the state to meddle with their activities but they want a state support to back them up for the market.
Global Developmentalism shares the commitment of liberal globalists. They think that states must cooperate with one another in the global markets to develop and further increase growth of every state. However, this theory opposes the belief of liberal globalism that it doesn't matter if the rich becomes more wealthier. For them, the growth benefits that will be reaped from the development shall not be unequally distributed. They also reject the idea that the first requirement of development policy is to promote global liberalism. Global developmentalism focuses on the continuing relevance of developmental strategy rather than on the prioritization of the liberal.
On the other hand, the Historical Materialism states that development does not start in the market nor the developmental state but the social relations where the material production on which social life depends take place. This theory believes that capitalism plays an important role in a society and society is shaped by the struggle between classes. Here, they are focused on the profits that are derived from their activities.
These different theories all make perfect sense why others are more developed than other countries. For instance, here in the Philippines, poverty is present and wherever you go, you can see it anywhere. But why is it different for other states like Singapore or Europe? I think it starts with the government. It depends on how the government handles its country. This is reflected back to the government officials since they are the ones who handle the policies and regulations of the state. I agree with the Historical Materialism that most businessmen focus on their private businesses and growth will follow but I agree more with the Global Developmentalism in terms of what it said about the global markets. The reason why countries open their doors to trade is for them to have more opportunities, more exposure and more profit. Social relations is a must in the world and a country that chooses to isolate itself from the rest of the world will not gain any advantage. Interaction helps us grow more. Hence, participating in the global markets will improve the country's trade balance and openness. After all, Net exports is a function of GDP. Moreover, having more resources and external products and learnings will help the country gain more investments. This will lead the country to grow more. Moreover, I think that the Liberal Globalism is right when it mentioned that the benefits will be distributed unequally. A degree of inequality is unavoidable because economic activities depend on these capitalized businesses. Normally, the fortunate ones get more benefits than the less fortunate ones. It is how it works. Economic activities will be distributed unequally not to be unfair but because it is how its distributed. In general, I believe that economic activities, if sustained for around 15 years will definitely bring benefits to the Philippines. Who knows, maybe 15 years from now, we can be a first world country.
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