Sunday, January 26, 2020

Some Issues Of Governance In Pakistan Economics Essay

Some Issues Of Governance In Pakistan Economics Essay Good governance is regarded as development agenda in Pakistan by each government while the public see governance as the major indicator for sustainable development. In this premise, good governance is known as one of the most decisive factor for thriving accomplishment of the strategic thrust, policies and programs. It is as an exercise of authority to manage a countrys affair at all levels to improve the quality of life of the people. It is a continuous process where divergent opinions and desires are satisfied through compromise and tolerance in a spirit of cooperative action for the mutual benefit of the larger whole.  [1]  According to World Bank and UNDP, governance has three dimensions; the political regime, the systems and procedures for exercising authority and the capacity of governments.  [2]  This paper discusses the underlying causes of weak governance and interaction between state institutions and citizens in Pakistan along with suggesting some policy options as minimum action needed for improvement. It is widely acknowledged by the academia that the state-machinery of government has contributed to the present state of affairs. Further, the federally-managed resources are obstacles for provinces to obtain the best value for money. Sincere civil servants are frustrated with cost ineffective systems and procedures; the general public is faced with an irresponsive and non accountable political and bureaucratic system while the entrepreneur is witnessed with a set of contradictory policies which further hinder his business. Briefly, both federation and provinces of Pakistan must bring about drastic changes to achieve economic growth and to improve the quality of life of its people. Conceptual Framework of Good Governance The term good governance is coined by the World Bank and its foundations rest on the principles of freedom, equality, justice and accountability. Philosophical literature and religious texts are full with the definitions and examples of both good and bad governance. The traces of good governance can be found in history which reports the downfall of nations due to bad governance and also gives lessons that how nations have risen to great heights because of good governance. At the moment, the concept of governance has been evolving from some narrow definition used by the World Bank as the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a countrys economic and social resources to the broader definition adopted by the Commission on Global Governance as the sum of the many ways in which individuals and institutions, public and private, manage their common affairs.  [3]   Good Governance in the context of Pakistan, go beyond good politics. In Pakistan good governance must enable all the stakeholders to enhance economic growth, social development and a mechanism to sustain growth in the future. This can be achieved through civil services reforms, capacity building of institutions, improving and devolution of fiscal administration, increasing the role of the private sector and controlling unproductive public expenditures. All of these fall within four broad areas, namely, legislative framework, institutional capacity, efficiency and management.  [4]  Legislative framework is set of boundaries within which institutions, agencies and agents can operate and therefore addresses issues related to devolution, discretion and accountability. Institutional capacity identifies the ability of institutions, agencies and agents to identify policies ensure coherence and coordination and ensure compliance. While the efficiency addresses issues of resource generati on, expenditure planning, expenditure controls regulation and overall public administration to ensure the most effective use of resources. The last but not the least is management which addresses issues related to the proper use of systems and procedures and the mechanisms used for the development of the infrastructure and the delivery of services by ensuring that there is an equitable and transparent access to goods and services and protection of public interest from private intrusion. Legislative Framework Legislative issues are important and need to be addressed. Although constitution of Pakistan draws responsibilities between various tiers of government yet there are some areas where no clear-cut allocation of responsibilities is specified. Further, this lack of clarity creates fragments between the functions of various tiers of government and the services which should be delivered by the provincial governments are yet delivered by the centre. This change has not yet been brought in the future programmes. It requires designing of new mechanism for attaining this very objective. One of such mechanism is employing Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in making communities aware of their rights and responsibilities. They have been developed to some extent but are largely working as case studies. However, this role needs to be extended. There are also concerns about the legislations that it is passed without adequate drafting skills. Furthermore, some built-in provisions and powers to s et aside any mandatory requirement are more often used. These provisions are related with extreme cases of hardship but history is full of the examples where these provisions have been exploited for personal gains. In addition, discretionary quotas provide benefits to the few. These steps result in inefficient public institutions and further pave the way for corruption. In this outline, discretionary quotas followed by discretionary power should be the removed as a first objective. Institutional Capacity-building Although legislation is necessary for an efficient and transparent allocation of responsibilities yet without the corresponding capacity, no change may be forthcoming.  [5]  Contrary to it, government institutions are facing huge number of shortcomings. Coherent and coordinated policies are absent in public institutions while the current systems and procedures are outdated.  [6]  Although the mechanisms to ensure coordination do exist yet are not implemented. Further there is permanent hindrance in routine management while the existing staff is also inadequately trained.  [7]  All of these issues can be eliminated through capacity-building of institutions. There is an immense need of decentralization of functions which means that financial powers and administrative authority should be given to the lowest tier of government. But decentralization is not a cure-all for resolving Pakistans continuing crisis of governance. It has the potential of decreasing the distance between citizens and the state and thus enabling the government to be more responsive to local needs.  [8]  Simple transfer of power from centre to region in decentralization will fail to empower the people, and intensify the crisis of governance to new levels.  [9]   An irresponsive civil service needs reforms to make the civil servants answerable for their actions. History of Pakistan has only witnessed a notable reform in 1973. Apparently, it was a measure designed to enhance the professional quality of the cadre but it became a powerful means of political influence. The current inefficient and corrupt needs to be weeded out and staff skills need to be developed to use modern management techniques.  [10]  Simple attendance at courses operated by civil service training institutions does not constitute training. Civil servants must be required to show absorption of training skills by results in tests and examination, and this process should be very frequent. Efficiency There are number of ways to achieve efficiency. The use of appropriate mechanisms ensures the greatest value for money and this can be one way out. Further, pro-active legislation and use of information can ensure target-based management. The use of information technology through the development and implementation of standardized procedures could also become the cornerstone for change. While private sector participation can overcome a number of shortcomings in the development of infrastructure but this would result in excessive rents accruing only to the few agents.  [11]  The legislative framework establishes the boundaries within which the public-private partnership can take place. However, these laws will need to be translated into a workable and transparent regulatory framework. Most of the existing institutions are manned largely by staff without the knowledge and understanding needed to adapt to a rapidly changing operating environment. The international environment is in favor of the industrialized nations hence Pakistan needs to adopt a strategy which has been shown to be successful by the newly emerging industrial states, that is, the induction of the private sector from inception to implementation. In other words, Pakistan must include the private sector in all facets of dealing with the international community starting with preparation of position papers and underlying research, to actually negotiating access and, the subsequent supervision and management of the accord. Moreover, the general complaint with respect to Pakistans exports has been the absence of quality control. The private sector must ensure that this becomes a necessary condition for export. Towards this end, trade associations should be encouraged to establish and operate training centers and central quality control facilities, set standards which are mandatory, and establish a system of penalizing violators. Management Management can be divided into three broad categories; economic management, fiscal administration and expenditure management.  [12]  Economic management means efficient allocation of resources to ensure wide spread and equitable economic and social development of a nation. It is the basic responsibility of any government and this can only be achieved through good governance. Unfortunately, this has been a dream for not only the policy makers of Pakistan, but also of its people. Fiscal administration is another need of hour in Pakistan. Breakdown in economic governance results from the failure of governments to institute a progressive taxation structure. Today taxes are imposed on and collected from the poor. Large segments of civil society, particularly the rich remain inadequately taxed. Also there is exemption of tax on agricultural incomes and capital gains and the taxation structure creates inefficiency in the economies. Fiscal policy of Pakistan shows excess of tax holidays, exemptions and grants without an independent audit of assessment by outside agencies. A fundamental problem, however, is that the tax base remains narrow and a large proportion of direct taxes are collected as deductions at the source. Much of these shortcomings of tax administration can be reformed through broad systemic changes undertaken at all levels. The effectiveness of the change will depend on political support. The establishment of independent and autonomous Revenue Authorities with a market based pay structure with built-in rewards and penalties should be considered as the most viable vehicle for reform. Expenditure management is another important issue as planning and budgeting systems are deficient in Pakistan. This reduces transparency and accountability in the process of allocation and expenditure. Consultation in matters of taxation with vested interest groups has always existed but there is little external input in making the budget. Expenditure requests are not scrutinized by legislators and budgets are framed without a consistent macroeconomic framework. Medium to long-term expenditure plans are not prepared, neither are such frameworks established which results is no link between the composition of expenditures and the financing of the deficit to major economic parameters, such as growth and prices. Therefore, it erodes efficient allocation and effective management of the macro economy. End Result Corruption Mis-governance leads and breeds corruption in a number of ways, through bribery and extortion, nepotism, and fraud and embezzlement. It reduces the efficiency on which an economy depends, and by increasing the cost of investment, lowers the potential return. It also reduces the governments resources and hence its capacity for investment. Corruption in Pakistan is not a unique phenomenon. It occurs up stream and has wings which encourage flight of capital. Corruption has had adverse effects on human development and as Pakistan faces a scarcity of resources, it is unable to set up and enforce an effective legal framework to eradicate the corruption. According to Robert Klitgaard, who first devised the equation of corruption in 1988, corruption is a function of monopoly power, discretion, lack of accountability and low government salaries.  [13]   Corruption = f (Monopoly power, discretion, accountability, low government salaries) The combination of monopoly power and discretion alone is a disastrous combination. When linked to the absence of accountability and low legal earnings they become more than just lethal. One obvious mechanism to eliminate corruption would be to review legislation which helps breed corruption, such as through creating monopoly power, permitting discretion without checks and balances, places authority without responsibility. Parallel to this should be an effort to reform the judicial system generally. Another mechanism would be to introduce legislation which is effectively implemented through an impartial and independent authority. Corresponding changes in the laws of evidence and trial should allow for flexibility in procedures and rigour of evidence. The legislation alone is insufficient for eradication of corruption. At the same time the strength and independence of the judiciary must be secured. In summary, the action needed to eliminate corruption should include accountability from the top, setting up of national anti-corruption commissions and exclusive corruption courts, ending of unnecessary discretionary laws and ensuring transparency. Conclusion To ensure sustainable and equitable development the government must realize its role in economic development. This can only be achieved best through a realization that such a positive role requires not an expansion in the scale of government activity, but an increase in its effectiveness and a major reallocation of its resources. Poor governance is now recognizable. There is a failure to establish a framework of law and government behavior conduces to development, with a tendency to divert public resources for private gain. No arbitrariness in the application of rules and laws with excessively narrowly based decision making mechanisms only exacerbate the problem. Further the development in Pakistan can be achieved through political stability, stable macroeconomic environment, the outward-looking trade strategies, the quality of primary education, effective land reforms, credit reforms, a merit based efficient and competent bureaucracy, well-functioning institutions and development of core areas of comparative advantage. In sum, governance is a continuum; it does not automatically improve over time. Citizens need to demand good governance. Their ability to do so is only enhanced by awareness, education, and employment opportunities. The Government of Pakistan needs to be responsive to those demands. For change to be effective it must be embedded in the societies concerned and cannot be imposed from the outside. Notes

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Objectivist Epistemology and Ayn Rand Essay

The starting point of Objectivist Epistemology is the principle, presented by Rand as a direct consequence of the metaphysical axiom that â€Å"Existence is Identity,† that Knowledge is Identification. Objectivist epistemology[9] studies how one can translate perception, i. e. , awareness acquired through the senses, into valid concepts that actually identify the facts of reality. Objectivism states that by the method of reason man can gain knowledge (identification of the facts of reality) and rejects philosophical skepticism. Objectivism also rejects faith and â€Å"feeling† as means of attaining knowledge. Although Rand acknowledged the importance of emotion in humans, she maintained that the existence of emotion was part of our reality, not a separate means of achieving awareness of reality. Rand was neither a classical empiricist (like Hume or the logical positivists) nor a classical rationalist (like Plato, Descartes, or Frege). She disagreed with the empiricists mainly in that she considered perception to be simply sensation extended over time, limiting the scope of perception to automatic, pre-cognitive awareness. Thus, she categorized so-called â€Å"perceptual illusions† as errors in cognitive interpretation due to complexity of perceptual data. She held that objective identification of the values of attributes of existents is obtained by measurement, broadly defined as procedures whose perceptual component, the comparison of the attribute’s value to a standard, is so simple that an error in the resulting identification is not possible given a focused mind. Therefore, according to Rand, knowledge obtained by measurement (the fact that an entity has the measured attribute, and the value of this attribute relative to the standard) is â€Å"contextually certain. † Ayn Rand’s most distinctive contribution in epistemology is her theory that concepts are properly formed by measurement omission. Objectivism distinguishes valid concepts from poorly formed concepts, which Rand calls â€Å"anti-concepts. † While we can know that something exists by perception, we can only identify what exists by measurement and logic, which are necessary to turn percepts into valid concepts. Procedural logic (defined by Rand as â€Å"the art of non-contradictory identification†) specifies that a valid concept is formed by omitting the variable measurements of the values of corresponding attributes of a set of instances or units, but keeping the list of shared attributes – a template with measurements omitted – as the criterion of membership in the conceptual class. When the fact that a unit has all the attributes on this list has been verified by measurement, then that unit is known with contextual certainty to be a unit of the given concept. [9] Because a concept is only known to be valid within the range of the measurements by which it was validated, it is an error to assume that a concept is valid outside this range, which is its (contextual) scope. It is also an error to assume that a proposition is known to be valid outside the scope of its concepts, or that the conclusion of a syllogism is known to be valid outside the scope of its premises. Rand ascribed scope violation errors in logic to epistemological intrinsicism. [9][4] Rand did not consider the analytic-synthetic distinction, including the view that there are â€Å"truths in virtue of meaning,† or that â€Å"necessary truths† and mathematical truths are best understood as â€Å"truths in virtue of meaning,† to have merit. She similarly denied the existence of a priori knowledge. Rand also considered her ideas distinct from foundationalism, naive realism about perception like Aristotle, or representationalism (i. e. , an indirect realist who believes in a â€Å"veil of ideas†) like Descartes or Locke. Objectivist epistemology, like most other philosophical branches of Objectivism, was first presented by Rand in Atlas Shrugged. [5] It is more fully developed in Rand’s 1967 Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology. [9] Rand considered her epistemology and its basis in reason so central to her philosophy that she remarked, â€Å"I am not primarily an advocate of capitalism, but of egoism; and I am not primarily an advocate of egoism, but of reason. If one recognizes the supremacy of reason and applies it consistently, all the rest follows. â€Å"

Friday, January 10, 2020

Shocking Details About Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples Unveiled

Shocking Details About Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples Unveiled Locating a flat outside campus can be challenging and stressful for students. School volunteer job application letters could possibly be given by students and other academic officials who'd love to work during institutional pursuits which might be done with the intention of helping numerous entities, particularly during calamities and other unfavourable pure occurrences. As it's problematic for students to orientate quickly my work for a volunteer is to assist and consult students in the manner of locating a suitable apartment including all the required by every student conditions. It's feasible for students to reside out of campus. You need to have all pieces of the test under control before you demonstrate your skills in their entire entirety. BUN tests should be done a specific way. The Benefits of Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples For this reason, you may want to begin volunteering whenever possible. Egger s explains the advantages of volunteer work. You should also give some reasoning as to why you're applying to volunteer. After all, generally, volunteering is completely voluntary and therefore the organization may want to understand what's motivating your application. You may now submit an application for a volunteer position without outing a good deal of work into application letter writing. If you're on the lookout for work, volunteering is a great way to obtain experience and references for your course of life. The actual folks highly praise our essay help site. You can trust the very best essay help online. In retrospect, it is hard to think of a more important task I have done in my life than teach meditation for a volunteer. Being a volunteer may not earn you a good deal of in the world these days, but nevertheless, it makes it possible for you to get plenty of credibilities. You don't volunteer to get thanked, but it is best to understand your effort is acknowledg ed and appreciated. Helping victims is a great method to modify the world. Here's What I Know About Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples Whether you reside in a little town or a massive city there are lots of opportunities for volunteers. Maybe you hope to volunteer as a manner of exploring a potential career field. I am employed as an organizer with a huge team in association. There's a volunteer opportunity for every single type of person. Here's What I Know About Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples Volunteering in a position that you are interested is a fantastic way to add experience and skills and develop your resume. Just because a job isn't labeled as an internship doesn't indicate it does not have any value. Our technicians will kindly answer every one of your questions. Childcare is also quite a marketable skill. Lastly, you should end your letter with a concise description of your availability, alongside the very best approach to get in touch with you. When applyin g for any expert position, it's good form to incorporate a cover letter with your resume. By utilizing sample volunteer forms, the demand for cover letters and resumes may not be vital. You will soon locate the official data about us. The End of Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples Contrary to other companies, we're safe and skillful group of writers that are deeply concerned in regards to the academic writing tasks. It doesn't make a difference to us, whether you're too busy on the job concentrating on a passion undertaking, or simply tired of a seemingly infinite stream of assignments. My career choice is going to be a lot of communication skills with many various varieties of individuals. A lot of people out there require help. Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples In this section of the test you are going to be requested to demonstrate the practical qualities a nursing assistant must have. Be ready to explain why a specific hospital is the most suitable one for you and how you want to contribute to their patient care work. If you're thinking to follow a career in the health care field, volunteering at a hospital is a wonderful way to begin. If so, volunteering at an animal hospital, for example, would be an excellent prospect. Introducing Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples If you're interested in volunteering, then use any of the subsequent Application Forms to apply. If you want to turn into a volunteer, here's a sample template you could utilize to apply. If you decide to become a volunteer, you should express your interest by filling out an application form. Volunteer instructs students of all of the details and necessities in receiving an ID. The Chronicles of Hospital Volunteer Essay Samples Hospital volunteers supply a crucial service in hospitals. Hospitals supply an extremely important service to any community. I would welcome the chance to meet together with you in person to go over any prospective opportunities at the Greenleaf Child C enter. Volunteering doesn't need to get accomplished alone, you can do it with your buddies and family members. It gives an opportunity to find out something new about cultures of other countries. It is probably the most beneficial way for you to help your community. Volunteer by yourself, with your loved ones or with a group.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Is Prostitution Bad or Good - 1617 Words

Prostitution Is prostitution bad or good? Well I say it is bad because there is a lot of harm involved in this â€Å"occupation† and also it is not legal in many places to start of with. What is prostitution? Well prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual relations in exchange for payment or some other way of payment. Prostitution is also sometimes described as commercial sex. Prostitution is sometimes referred to as â€Å"The worlds oldest profession†. The word â€Å"Prostitute† comes from the Latin word prostituta. A person who works in this â€Å"profession† is called a prostitute, and is a kind of sex worker. Prostitution is one of the branches of the sex industry. Is it legal some people may ask well the legal status of prostitution is very different from country to country, from being permissible but unregulated, to an enforced or unenforced crime or to a regulated profession. Estimates place the annual revenue generated by thi s profession to be upwards of 100 billion worldwide each year. Prostitution happens in a wide variety of forms. There are something called brothels which are establishments specifically dedicated to prostitution. In another type of prostitution called escort prostitution, the act may take place at the clients residence or hotel room also referred as a â€Å"call out†, or at the prostitute’s house or a hotel room rented for the occasion by the escort also called a â€Å"in call†. Another form of prostitution is called street prostitution where aShow MoreRelatedLegalizing Prostitution : The Good, The Bad And The Ugly1638 Words   |  7 PagesLegalizing Prostitution: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Prostitution, as stated by Rudyard Kipling, is considered to be known as â€Å"the world’s oldest profession,† and for good reason. Zac Fanni, a writer for Sabotage Times, wrote a documentary based on the history of prostitution and its origins. The sex-trade began with the Sumerians, who, in ancient times, worshiped Ishtar, the goddess of love and war. They believed that every morning she was â€Å"born anew as a maiden,† and every day the sky fellRead MoreProstitution : The Issue Of Prostitution1401 Words   |  6 PagesProstitution â€Å"There is no clear boundary† between voluntary and involuntary prostitution says Janice Raymond of the University of Massachusetts.(341) Prostitution as the society knows the women that sell themselves on the street as, is presented as a debate around the world, whether it be legalized or not. In the article â€Å"Decriminalizing Prostitution† Sarah Glazer reports on the views people have towards prostitution in their cities. Many people have different opinions on this debate such asRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legalized?1188 Words   |  5 PagesShould Prostitution be legalized? Prostitution is defined as the engaging in, or agreeing to engage in, sexual conduct for a fee. 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The government always has too much power over our health. It can draft us and make us go into internment camps like the Japanese in WW2. It certainly s houldn’t say whether or not we have the right to pay for sex with a consenting adult. ForRead MoreFreedom of Women to Be Prostitutes Essay1440 Words   |  6 PagesFor centuries, women have been selling their bodies, in most cases prostitution, but it is not world’s oldest profession. Nevertheless, for as long as history states, prostitution has been around for as long as the oldest professions in the world. Every aspect of history asserts even the slightest things about prostitution existing. Prostitution has been a long-term profession through out several decades, whether it varies from being an adult star, escort, prostitute, a stripper etc†¦ As long as theyRead MoreThe Effect of Legalizing Prostitution on the Economy1359 Words   |  6 PagesThe Effect of Legalizing Prostitution on the Economy Our Nation has been under immense fire lately. This is mainly because Americas Government is over a trillion dollars in debt. We are in one of the worst recessions that America has ever been and in danger of creating a double dip recession. Jobs are nowhere in sight. People continue to get laid off and even worse people who have been laid off are losing their unemployment benefit. The unemployment rate is through the roof and nobody can findRead More Prostitution Should be Legalized Essay560 Words   |  3 PagesProstitution Should be Legalized I think that prostitution should be legalized because it is no different than any other service that we pay to receive. Besides, there are far more serious crimes that require the full attention of our police force than prostitution; therefore, policing it is a costly waste of time and police resources. Furthermore, prostitution is already legal in Singapore, Denmark, and a part of the United States as well. In this Essay, I will discuss these ideas;Read MoreThe Movie Running Scared By Paul Walker922 Words   |  4 PagesOleg. Oleg is seen as the growing boy in the house, not yet the man, but he wants to care for his mother and protect her. This poses a problem: he wants to save his mother but in order to do that he must â€Å"eliminate† his dad. Though his intentions are good his actions are illegal. He also stole the gun, which is wrong. Stealing and attempting to murder fall under the three universal values that James Rachels outlines in the text (Rosenstand, 2013, p. 142). Almost all cultures, civilized or not, have