Monday, December 30, 2019

Kant s Moral Theory And Ethics - 1407 Words

In the late 18th century one of the most influential philosophers by the name of Immanuel Kant introduced the third major ethical philosophy, Deontology. The basis behind Deontology is that people are duty bound to act morally by certain standards despite the outcome. Determining whether a person’s actions are morally right involves look at the intent of the actions. Like other ethic theories, Deontologist applies the golden rule of treating other people the way you would want them to treat you. Deontology can be broken down into three different theories: agent-centered, patient centered, and contractualist. Each branch of Deontology can be traced back in some way to Immanuel Kant. Can Deontology be applied to today’s society?†¦show more content†¦When you start checking her out, you notice that several of the clothes are mismarked and are cheaper than what is listed. You could not say anything and gain immense pleasure in charging her a lot more than w hat the clothes should be sold as or you can be the big person, inform the woman about the price difference and charge her the correct price. Which one should you do? Have a sense of revenge and a laugh later or do the right thing? The categorical imperative says that you be the bigger person because it is your duty. No matter what pleasure you may gain from the action, duty is most important. Do not treat others the way you would not want to be treated. Act the way you would want anyone else to act if the positions were reversed. We as humans have the ability to have a good will. The choice to choose which to follow: the moral duty/good or our own desires and wishes. The first of the Deontology theories is the agent-centered theory. Agent-centered is about a person’s rights and duties. People are responsible for making sure that their actions are morally right and do not interfere with obligations. With agent-centered, we are supposed to perform actions even if w e know that the outcome would be better if we decided to ignore our obligations and principles. Agent-centered theories define obligation as â€Å"an obligation for a particular agent to take or refrain from taking some action† (Alexander, Larry and Moore, Michael).Show MoreRelated Ethical and Philosophical Questions about Value and Obligation977 Words   |  4 PagesQuestions about Value and Obligation I Recall the distinction between metaethics and normative ethics. Normative ethics deals with substantial ethical issues, such as, What is intrinsically good? What are our moral obligations? Metaethics deals with philosophical issues about ethics: What is value or moral obligation? Are there ethical facts? What sort of objectivity is possible in ethics? How can we have ethical knowledge? Recall, also, the fundamental dilemma of metaethics. EitherRead MoreImmanuel Kant And Kant On Morality1097 Words   |  5 Pagesare two which are usually compared to one another, Immanuel Kant and David Hume. Immanuel Kant had many theories throughout his philosophical time. Here are some of his ethical works, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785), the Critique of Practical Reason (1788), and the Metaphysics of Morals (1797), which contains both â€Å"the Doctrine of Right† and â€Å"the Doctrine of Virtue.† He also had some other works of importance to his moral philosophy including the Critique of the Power of Judgment (1790)Read MoreVirtue Ethics : The True Stem Of Moral Character1445 Words   |  6 PagesRodriguez Philosophy 103 2014 December 2nd Virtue Ethics: The True Stem of Moral Character Moral character is what dictates an individual s decision making and affects their experiences throughout their life. A person s morals can be based off one s upbringing and environmental factors. Virtue ethics is a philosophical view that greatly supports this claim that the choices a person makes and their actions follow those choices, and display their moral character. This is more likely to be true thanRead MoreThe Ethics Of Non Voluntary Active Euthanasia1050 Words   |  5 Pagespatient s wishes. The nature of their obligation does not sway based on what they personally think. Patients with dementia have some moments of clarity, but because their brains are still deteriorating, non- voluntary active euthanasia should still be permissible under these conditions. In the theory of deontology, it is defined as â€Å"the focus on the duties and obligations one has in carrying out actions, rather than in the consequences of those actions.† (Mosser, 2013). Per Kantian ethics, it isRead MoreSexist vs Misanthrope1018 Words   |  5 PagesExecutive Summary The following journal will express how ethics theories take place into people personalities and thoughts. It focuses in a social dilemma about a misanthrope and a sexiest living their normal lives, and how they are influenced by their judgments in the decision making process. First of all, Harold, as a misanthrope person dislike people in general, no mattering gender, age, race, social preferences, etc. He does not treat people differently, therefore he does not discriminateRead MoreShould We Be A Good Grade?1612 Words   |  7 Pagesare answered based on beliefs: morals. Should I cheat on this test in order to get a good grade? What if I didn’t have the opportunity to study because you have to work every night in order to pay bills and if you don’t get a good grade then you lose your scholarship; is it right then? The answer is neither right nor wrong. The answer, is your answer; it is based off of your morals, your ethics. Scientologist, Raymond Baumhart, asked the q uestion, â€Å"What does ethics mean to you?† to a group of businessRead MoreKantian Ethics1459 Words   |  6 Pagesknown as moral education is heavily dependent on individuals that have a major impact on one`s life. The teachings usually start from a young age through parents, caregivers and educators in society. Due to their influence on young children`s lives it is their responsibility to make certain that young children will learn to make logical decisions that would contribute in a positive way in society. An ethical theory that would best describe people that influence young children would be Kantian`s ethicsRead MoreWho Is A Soldier Refuse An Illegal Or Unjust Order?1309 Words   |  6 Pagesthe lower ranks take the position that obeying orders are a part of their duties that must be carried out, without question. There are instances when Soldiers must face virtues such as courage, which would be a principal virtue of any Soldier. One moral dilemma and a question that may arise, is should a Soldier refuse an illegal or unjust order given by his/her superiors? Some Soldiers pursuant to the dictates of their consciences, refuse to follow orders that are in direct conflict to their virtuesRead MoreEssay on The Golden Rule in Kant and Mills Ethical Theories1320 Words   |  6 Pages Ethics refers to what people consider good or bad and right or wrong. It is a theory dealing with values that relate to human behaviour; with respect to their actions and purpose. The two most important philosophers that deal with ethics are Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill. Kant’s ethical theory is Kantianism or deontological ethics. Mill’s ethical theory is utilitarianism. Both philosophers’ theories have many differences; Kant’s theory deals with conduct, seeking reason for good action inRead MoreKant And Kant s Theory1368 Words   |  6 Pages Chapter 11: Question 8 What can be known According to Kant? Immanuel Kant (1731) was commonly known as the opponent of the utilitarianism. Kant believed that there are certain actions such as the murder, theft and lying that were prohibited regardless of the associated happiness that the action would bring. According to Kantian, there exist two questions, which human beings need to ask themselves before acting. One needs to rationalize, if everyone can act as he/ she proposes to act. If any case

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Analysis Of Street Art Of Israel And Palestine - 1370 Words

Before the study of street art in Israel and Palestine can begin, first, one must understand why these artworks are there - a basic principle in any art theory. For instance, taking Picasso’s Guernica (see fig. 1.1) as an example, it appears at first glance to be a disturbing painting, very abstract in style and chaotic in its composition. The appeal of abstract art is that it is less superficially explicit. I would argue that this conveys deeper meaning to the viewer because of the personal journey required to untangle what it is that he is seeing. When one learns that Picasso painted Guernica in response to the bombing of his hometown, the namesake of the work, an element of the celestial emerges, and Picasso’s ability to express this†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, physically denying access to an area that was previously shared is fraught with flaws. If a barrier is erected, consideration to the other party must be demonstrated - otherwise expect retalia tion and accusations that it is a form of arbitrary detention on a large scale. Therefore, it is widely recognised that the partition should stand upon, or be situated inside, the de-facto border: The Pre-1967 Armistice Line (see fig. 1.2), alternatively known as The Green Line (hereby referred to as GL) - so named as green ink was used to geographically mark the factions’ territories with respect to their military distribution before the 1967 war. This act situated 78% of Mandatory Palestine as Israel and was carried out on the arrangement that: â€Å"No provision of this Agreement shall in any way prejudice the rights, claims, and positions of either Party hereto in the ultimate peaceful settlement of the Palestine question†¦ being dictated exclusively by military, and not by political, considerations.† In spite of the obvious pitfalls which arise from augmenting the separation barrier away from the GL’s original purpose as an armistice line, it has become recognised by international officials - inclusive of Arab states and the Palestinian diaspora, e.g. The Palestinian Liberation Organisation - as the Israeli boundary, despite it never formally declared asShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Holocaust1647 Words   |  7 Pagescitizenship of all of these migrants. This was followed in March 1934 by the expulsion of these immigrants. - In September 1933 - the Reich Chamber of Culture was established; it provided the basis for excluding all non-Aryans from art, music, literature, etc. Later the same month, non-Aryans were excluded from farm labour and the ownership of farmland. In October, the exclusion was extended to journalism. - In May 1935 - non-Aryans were excluded from the WehrmachtRead MoreWal-Mar Global Expansion Strategy10037 Words   |  41 Pages Wal-Mart’s Global Strategy E. Expansion Target: France General Overview Retail Industry Overview Macro Environmental Analysis External Factors Micro Environmental Analysis Porter’s Five Forces Model SWOT Feasibility Study Recommendation F. Expansion Target: Israel General Overview Retail Industry Overview Macro Environmental Analysis External Factors Micro Environmental Analysis Porter’s Five Forces Model SWOT Feasibility Study Recommendation G. Conclusion H. References/Sources I. Appendix in BookRead MoreRise and Decline of the Muslim Ummah9373 Words   |  38 PagesPeriods of the Rise and Decline of the Muslim Ummah ............ In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. The Two Periods of the Rise and Decline of the Muslim Ummah The Twentieth century of the Christian era, according to our analysis, presents a decisive turning point in the history of the Muslim Ummah (community). At the end of the first quarter of the century the state of the Muslim world had taken a definite turn, and there were some signs of resuscitation in the moribundRead MoreThe Importance of Teaching Culture in the Foreign Language Classroom9379 Words   |  38 Pagesevents, acts, beliefs, feelings†¦The indexicality of language is thus part of the constitution of any act of speaking as an act of participation in a community of language users (Duranti, 1997: 46). But what exactly is culture? As Nemni (1992) and Street (1993) suggest, this is not an easy question to answer, particularly in an increasingly international world. On a general level, culture has been referred to as ‘the ways of a people’ (Lado, 1957). This view incorporates both ‘material’ manifestationsRead MoreDisney Land9906 Words   |  40 Pageswas not welcoming to their American ways. Their strategy needed re-thinking. This time round they had to understand the underlying problems and find solutions to make a ‘turnaround’. The report analyses and studies the French market using the PEST analysis. It also reviews the Internal and External Environment of Euro Disney to suggest how the company must use its Strengths and Opportunities to the optimum and reduce its weakness and threats. Further, the report looks at the current plan of DisneylandRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 PagesScience/Tech a. Science and Ethics b. Government and scientist role in science c. Rely too much on technology? d. Nuclear technology e. Genetic modification f. Right tech for wrong reasons 3. Arts/Culture a. Arts have a future in Singapore? b. Why pursue Arts? c. Arts and technology d. Uniquely Singapore: Culture 4. Environment a. Developed vs. Developing b. Should environment be saved at all costs c. Are we doing enough to save the environment? d. Main reasonsRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesHistory. 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Evidence of well-planned streets, a drainage system and water supply reveals their knowledge of urban planning, which included the worlds first urban sanitation systems and the existence of a form of municipal government.[21] The spice trade between India and Europe was the main

Friday, December 13, 2019

The Necessity of Ethics in Criminal Justice Free Essays

string(260) " seeing if the African Americans were discriminated or if they were abused brutality by police officers, instead they focused on their IQ levels and skin color as leading factors to see why African Americans engaged in violence more than the common white man\." Erazo Criminal Justice April 15, 2013 Prompt: Give an account of the role of ethics and its significance to the functions of the criminal justice system in America, and describe its impact on crime and social control. The Necessity of Ethics in Criminal Justice The role of ethics is important to the criminal justice system as well as the government because it helps maintains social control and crime control. Over time the role of ethics has adapted in every aspect of the criminal justice system. We will write a custom essay sample on The Necessity of Ethics in Criminal Justice or any similar topic only for you Order Now Without the role of ethics there would be corruption; the law would have little meaning because its application would be undependable (citation. ) The criminal justice system, which works along with the government, has a great impact of how people treat each other, therefore the role of ethics is not only important for the law but for society as well. Of course there are differences in ethics; depending on certain occupations ones ethics will vary, but the overall role of ethics is to â€Å"develop personal qualities such as: courage, honesty, confidentiality, law-abiding behavior reproach and exemplary in nature† (cite 3. It is important for our defense attorneys, police officers, and judges to practice the role of ethics to maintain a stable criminal justice system. It is important to have ethics in the criminal justice system because it prevents corruption, brutality and racial discrimination. Without the role of ethics, the criminal justice system would not be where itâ₠¬â„¢s at today. It abides by the supreme law of the land which falls under the preamble of the constitution which is the Bills of Rights. The Bill of Rights makes sure to protect every citizen’s rights no matter the gender, race or other discriminatory factors. The criminal justice system holds true to these factors which reduce corruption, brutality and racial discrimination. There would be corruption in the CJS (Criminal Justice System) by police corruption. There would be police corruption by extortion: demanding money for not writing traffic tickets, and bribery: accepting money in exchange for not enforcing the law. Police corruption carries high costs in many ways. The first way of corruption is that police corruption detracts from the integrity of police authority and tarnishes the image the public view law enforcement. The public expect authorities to be honest and to treat everybody equally. The lack of law enforcement adds on to the increase of crime rates because authority is influencing negative behavior by not stopping crime. Secondly, it protects other criminal activities that deal with prostitution and drugs. The police are being bribed of not enforcing the law by the exchange of money. Criminals offer lucrative sources of income for organized crime. This means that a criminal would pay a police officer a certain amount of money to let a crime happen and the police would prevent law enforcement regulations upon them. What is usually seen in police corruption is called narcotic corruption. Narcotic corruption is â€Å"an inevitable consequence of drug enforcement,† (Cliff Notes-Police Corruption. ) Police officers are being offered either lucrative income or share some of the profit being made from the drugs that are being brought because of the prevention of law enforcement these officers are taking a part of. Providers of these services and illegal goods use part of their profits to bribe the police in order to ensure the continuation of criminal enterprises. If authority is not giving out the prime example of enforcing the law, what are the expectations of the citizens following them? Police corruption adds on to crimes, therefore following the role of ethics is strictly important to prevent incidents of police corruption to keep happening. The role of ethics makes sure to reduce police corruption if not eliminate it. To catch the violating officers, the criminal justice system holds special investigation commissions and auditors. Police corruption has been reduced tremendously by teaching officers the role of ethics as well. Another reason why the role of ethics is important to the criminal justice system is because of police brutality. In the year 1982, the federal government funded a study named, â€Å"Police Services Study,† in which thirteen percent of 12,000 people interviewed were abused by police brutality. Studies such as the Police Services Study show that most brutality is pressed against minority groups (Cliff Notes- Police Brutality. ) Police brutality ties in with racial discrimination against minority groups. There is also discrimination against homosexuals that are abused by police officers. When police officers are charged in court for brutality, they claim that they used the contempt of cop and situational variables which means that they attacked the criminal in self defense. The way that brutality is being prevented is not only by the role of ethics, but also by the internal affairs unit which means that units investigate complaints against officers to see if there is any suspicions of corruption, complains of brutality or other kinds of excessive force. After the police beating of Rodney King in 1991, the inspection general position was established to monitor citizen complaints dealing with police brutality and racial discrimination. What often ties in with police brutality is racial discrimination. Racial discrimination is mostly aimed towards Hispanics and African Americans. A study done in 1994 through 1995 of a group of 90,000 middle school and high school teenagers were surveyed to see how they would turn out to be in the year 2008. The study in 2008 states that the majority of the teenagers that were surveyed in 1994 that were African Americans had higher statistics of being arrested, incarcerated, and received long criminal sentences. The majority of journalism reports stated that, â€Å"more than white men, African American men engage in violence—and, on average, their IQs are lower. (Psychology Today. ) The study was more focused on the race of the individual instead of focusing on if the criminal justice system was fair to every single one of these individuals; it was not focused on seeing if the African Americans were discriminated or if they were abused brutality by police officers, instead they focused on their IQ levels and skin color as leading factors to see why African Americans engaged in violence more than the common white man. You read "The Necessity of Ethics in Criminal Justice" in category "Papers" Criminal Justice cases state that African Americans have faced discrimination since the era of slavery. Ever since then they have been treated unfairly in every aspect of social factors. African Americans have suffered discrimination because of their skin color. The discrimination of African Americans initially began through the system of slavery, and then continued onto the pattern of segregation as well as legislative decisions that have encouraged discrimination against African Americans. Legislative encouraged discrimination of African Americans by considering Africans as property when they were slaves. After slaves were free there was still discrimination because government didn’t want to give them their rights. Since then African Americans have been fighting to be equal. Even centuries after the slavery era, African Americans are still being discriminated not only in a social standpoint but in the criminal justice system as well by racial discrimination. The role of ethics tries to teach their police officers to not be judgmental because of a stereotype or skin color. They try to predict if the accused person is guilty based on evidence instead of gender, race and economic status in cons of if they are a minority group. The role of ethics of course does not only surround itself by making sure there is no corruption, brutality and race discrimination, but also it prides itself in the way they hold their morals in the criminal justice system. There morals are to develop personal qualities such as courage, honesty, confidentiality, and law abiding behavior to everybody involved in the criminal justice system. The counselors that are involved in the criminal justice system make sure to keep the accused or criminals personal information confidential unless it is a threatening act against another person or a group of people. The reason this ethic is important to the CJS is because if the code of confidentiality is broken, it could not only hurt the person who was betrayed but it also affects the way society views the system. The role of ethics impacts the way people view society. Even every day people practice the role of ethics; it could be in other areas but they have similar methods. It is crucial that defense attorneys, judges, and police officers abide by the role of ethics. Defense attorneys need to abide by the role of ethics when defending the accused by making sure they don’t give false testimony during their trial; this keeps the CJS fair. Defense attorneys are expected to make sure that the information presented in court is true and that the person speaking against or for the accused is giving true information as well. Police officers are expected to follow the role of ethics as well by treating all accused and victims by their rights and to not arrest or approach them with brutality or arrest and treat a person unjustly just because of their race. Judges as well are expected to follow the code of ethics by making court decisions based on the information presented and not on racial factors, gender and other factors that could sway a person to be discriminatory against somebody. The code of ethics is very important in crime and social control because it helps reduce crime by establishing a platform on which authorities follow to ensure that everybody being tried is given an equal trial. When the criminal justice system had not established the code of ethics, African Americans and homosexuals were treated brutally by police officers. Police officers would beat them and sometimes unjustly accuse them of accusing a crime even though they did not do it. As well as judges and cases brought to the justice system, they would discriminate and state that the verdict is guilty. There were all types of corruption in the criminal justice system starting from the basic authority such as police officers following to defense attorneys and finishing off with judges who are one of the most valued authorities. Even when not dealing with crime, like for example parole officers who deal with juvenile delinquents, they are to enforce what the court says to be followed by the convicted offenders. If they do not enforce the law, the person might reoffend causing more hard due to poor ethics by officers causing more problems for the criminal justice system. The role of ethics gives every citizen the right to be treated equally when being accused of a crime. It implies that every person would not be treated differently because of a social discriminatory factor therefore keeping the CJS honest and law abiding. Ethics help keep social and crime control mainly through studying ethics because it is possible to define unethical behavior. It is important to have the capacity to point to moral reasoning in justifying behavior, and the study of ethics develops that capacity. The impact the role of ethics has on the criminal justice system is a positive one for it prides in honesty and law abiding factors; by implying the role of ethics, the public trusts the system more causing less chaos. Works Cited â€Å"The American System of Criminal Justice: Innocent Until Proven Guilty. † The American System of Criminal Justice: Innocent Until Proven Guilty. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. http://www. stimmel-law. com/articles/criminaljustice_us. html â€Å"Criminal Justice: Police Corruption. † Criminal Justice: Police Corruption. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. ttp://www. cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/Police-Corruption. topicArticleId-10065,articleId-9979. html â€Å"Criminal Justice: Police Brutality. † Criminal Justice: Police Brutality. N. p. , n. d. Web. Spring 2013. http://www. cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/Police-Brutality. topicArticleId-10065,articleId-9975. html â€Å"No Discrimination†¦ | Facebook. † No Discriminationâ € ¦ | Facebook. N. p. , n. d. Web. Aug. 2012. http://www. psychologytoday. com/blog/the-bejeezus-out-me/201303/no-discrimination-in-the-criminal-justice-system â€Å"The Importance of Ethics in Criminal Justice. † N. p. , n. d. Web. How to cite The Necessity of Ethics in Criminal Justice, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Chinese Economic Reform (4822 words) Essay Example For Students

Chinese Economic Reform (4822 words) Essay Chinese Economic ReformChinese Economic ReformTwo years after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, it became apparent to many of Chinas leaders that economic reform was necessary. During his tenure as Chinas premier, Mao had encouraged social movements such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, which had had as their base ideologies such as serving the people and maintaining the class struggle. By 1978 Chinese leaders were searching for a solution to serious economic problems produced by Hua Guofeng, the man who had succeeded Mao Zedong as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader after Maos death (Shirk 35). Hua had demonstrated a desire to continue the ideologically based movements of Mao. Unfortunately, these movements had left China in a state where agriculture was stagnant, industrial production was low, and the peoples living standards had not increased in twenty years (Nathan, Andrew J. Chinas Crisis pg. 200). This last area was particularly troubling. While the gross output value of industry and agriculture increased by 810 percent and national income grew by 420 percent between 1952 and 1980; average individual income increased by only 100 percent (Ma Hong quoted in Shirk, Susan L. The Political Logic of Economic Reform in China. Berkeley pg. 28). However, attempts at economic reform in China were introduced not only due to some kind of generosity on the part of the Chinese Communist Party to increase the populaces living standards. It had become clear to members of the CCP that economic reform would fulfill a political purpose as well since the party felt, properly it would seem that it had suffered a loss of support. As Susan L. Shirk describes the situation in The Political Logic of Economic Reform in China, restoring the CCPs prestige required improving economic performance and raising living standards. The traumatic experience of the Cultural Revolution had eroded popular trust in the moral and political virtue of the CCP. The partys leade rs decided to shift the base of party legitimacy from virtue to competence, and to do that they had to demonstrate that they could deliver the goods. This movement from virtue to competence seemed to mark a serious departure from orthodox Chinese political theory. Confucius himself had posited in the fifth century BCE that those individuals who best demonstrated what he referred to as moral force should lead the nation. Using this principle as a guide, China had for centuries attempted to choose at least its bureaucratic leaders by administering a test to determine their moral force. After the Communist takeover of the country, Mao continued this emphasis on moral force by demanding that Chinese citizens demonstrate what he referred to as correct consciousness. This correct consciousness could be exhibited, Mao believed, by the way people lived. Needless to say, that which constituted correct consciousness was often determined and assessed by Mao. Nevertheless, the ideal of moral fo rce was still a potent one in China even after the Communist takeover. It is noteworthy that Shirk feels that the Chinese Communist Party leaders saw economic reform as a way to regain their and their partys moral virtue even after Maos death. Thus, paradoxically, by demonstrating their expertise in a more practical area of competence, the leaders of the CCP felt they could demonstrate how they were serving the people. To be sure, the move toward economic reform came about as a result of a changed domestic and international environment, which altered the leaderships perception of the factors that affect Chinas national security and social stability (Xu, Zhiming. The Impact of Chinas Reform and Development on the Outside World. pg. 247). But Shirk feels that, in those pre-Tienenmen days, such a move came about also as a result of an attempt by CCP leaders to demonstrate, in a more practical and thus less obviously ideological manner than Mao had done, their moral force. This is not t o say that the idea of economic reform was embraced enthusiastically by all members of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party in 1978. To a great extent, the issue of economic reform became politicized as the issue was used as a means by Deng Xiaoping to attain the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. Maos successor, Hua Guofeng, had tried to prove himself a worthy successor to Mao by draping himself in the mantle of Maoist tradition. His approach to economic development was orthodox Maoism with an up-to-date, international twist (Shirk 35). This approach was tied heavily to the development of Chinas oil reserves. When, in 1978, estimates of the oil reserves were revised downward, commitments to import plants and expand heavy industry could not be sustained (Shirk 35). Deng took advantage of this economic crisis to discredit Hua and aim for leadership of the party. Reform policies became Dengs platform against Hua for post-Mao leadership (Shirk 36). Given this history of economic reform, it is evident that under the present system economic questions are necessarily political questions (Dorn, James A. Pricing and Property: The Chinese Puzzle. pg. 43). Once Deng and his faction had prevailed, it was necessary for some sort of economic reform to evolve. The initial form the new economy took was not a radical one. China was still a state in which the central government retained the dominant power in economic resource allocation and responsible local officials worked for the interest of the units under their control (Solinger, Dorothy J. Chinas Transition from Socialism: Statist Legacies and Market Reforms pg. 103). However, as time passed, some basic aspects of the old system were altered either by design or via the process of what might be called benign neglect. As Shirk points out, in rural areas, decollectivization was occurring: decision making power was being transferred from collective production units (communes, brigades, and teams) to the family (38); purchase prices for major farm products were increased (39). In 1985, further reforms were introduced. For example, long-term sales contracts between farmers and the government were established. In addition, in an effort to allow the market to determine prices, city prices of fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, and eggs, were freed from government controls so they could respond to market demand (Shirk 39). Most importantly, a surge of private and collective industry and commerce in the countryside (Shirk 39) occurred. This allowed a great percentage of the populace to become involved in private enterprise and investment in family or group ventures. The conditions also allowed rural Chinese to leave the villages and become involved in industry in urban centers (Shirk 40). The economy grew so quickly that inflation occurred and the government had to reinstitute price controls. Chinas economy retains these characteristics of potential for growthand inflationto this day. Another important aspect of Chinese economic reform was the decision of China to join the world economy. Deng Xiaoping and his allies hoped to effect this 1979 resolution in two ways: by expanding foreign trade, and by encouraging foreign companies to invest in Chinese enterprises. This policydenoted the Open Policy (Shirk 47)was a drastic removal from the policies of Mao Zedong and, in fact, from centuries of Chinese political culture. The Open Policy, which designated limited areas in China as places with preferential conditions for foreign investment and bases for the development of exports (Nathan 99), was extremely successful in the areas where it was implemented (Shirk 47). However, it was looked upon by many Chinese as nothing less than an avenue to economic dependency (Nathan 50). Indeed, when the policy was first implemented, many Chinese seemed to fear that Dengs policies were drawing China back toward its former semi-colonial status as a market where the imperi alist countries dump their goods, a raw material base, a repair and assembly workshop, and an investment center. (Nathan 51). It is interesting to note the symptoms of a national character that would subscribe to the above sentiment. In an article written in 1981, just two years after the Open Policy was first proposed, Andrew J. Nathan noted the almost pathological resistance to foreign intervention in the Chinese economy: Some Chinese fear that reliance on imported technology will encourage a dependent psychology Many Chinese perceive joint ventures as a costly form of acquisition. Some people worry: Wont we be suffering losses by letting foreigners make profits in our country? (52). The Chinese were as vociferous about issues of sovereignty. Nathan maintained that the Mao-led revolution, which culminated in victory in 1949, had been fueled by an intense patriotism: once China had stood up, no infringement on its sovereignty, no matter how small, should be permitted (53). These feelings were manifested in denying foreign businessmen long-term, multiple entry visas, resisting increased foreign economic contacts and alteration of current ways of doing things, and disinclination to become involved in government-to-government loans and joint ventures lest Chinese become exploited in some way (Nathan 53-55). Given these hesitancies on the part of the Chinese society vis-a-vis foreign relations, it is impressive that Deng and his allies were able initially to create and implement the Open Policy since many members of the society at large were resistant to becoming involved in a policy so antithetical to the Chinese national character. However, once the successes of the Open Policy were apparent, resistance to the plan by the populace waned. Moreover, given the confluence of politics and economics in China, it seems apparent that some members of the CCP would also not be in favor of the plan. Nevertheless, the Open Policy was implemented and has become instrument al in the success of the burgeoning Chinese economy. Kevlar EssayIt is striking that Feng spoke of the benefits that the populace has received as a result of the economic reform now occurring in China. That is, his comments appeared to demonstrate the beneficence, or the moral force, of the Chinese Communist Party vis-a-vis economic reform. He noted that such reform involves the essence of socialism: to liberate and develop productive forces; to eradicate exploitation; to remove polarization; and to attain the goal of common prosperity (Official on Economic Reform. Beijing Review: pg. 12). Thus, CCP leaders still appear to see their roles as representatives of a moral force. CCP members and leaders wish economic reform not to be judged on just its practical merits, but also as an effect of the moral force of the leadership. Economic reform, then, becomes nothing less than a moral crusade and it is thus easy to see why, for example, China has staked its national prestige on becoming a founding member of the World Trade Organization ( Gargan, pg. 14). Will China succeeds in taking its place among the nations of the world market? Will the CCP succeed in retaining its political power given the drastic changes in the societal makeup of China that are occurring due to the changing economic realities? I would suggest that the chances are better for the former than for the latter. Once the Chinese attain more sophistication relative to international and national markets, institute a more manageable banking system, and make a good faith effort to insure acceptable human rights, the country may well become the richest economy in the world within the next 25 years (Gilder pg. 372). However, whether or not these conditions can occur without a weakening of the state-controlled system is problematic. The most impressive and far-reaching display of moral force by the CCP may well have to be a voluntary reduction of its power over the people. Paradoxically, by weakening itself politically, the party may demonstrate its true mo ral force by liberating, politically and economically, one billion Chinese citizens. 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