Why did the First World War have such a disruptive effect on the Essay

Why did the First World War have such a disruptive effect on the international trading and financial system - Essay Example Only the USA have won. From the beginning of the 20-th century the pure market (besides it was in many respects an abstract theoretical structure) began to be supplemented and partly to be replaced with the new public institutes. These institutes had various origin and nature. All of them operated, however, in one direction, reducing a degree of capitalism spontaneity with its destructive consequences in the form of periodic mass ruins. Besides these new institutes have allowed realizing the rights to the best life, have raised the workers’ share, actually creating public riches, in distribution of a product created by all society (Ashworth, 1962, p65). Then there was the First World War. It has occurred because of the impetuous aspiration of the private capital to the profit and has brought many sufferings to the nations of the world. After the First World War there were the significant changes for capitalism. The so-called system of ‘free trade’ has been reorganized in system of interstate agreements. In the frames of national economies the top was taken by healthy forces, which understood the banefulness of the impetuous competition for domestic economic structure, first of all for new, progressive industries. The archaic system of the gold standard, which leaned to the prejudices concerning value of gold, has been replaced with more modern international monetary system assumed close coordination of national banks. The impetuous competition has received a worthy counterbalance in the form of the antimonopoly law and, in some cases, elements of economy planning. The social rights of workers became better protected - the role of trade unions has amplified, in some countries the elements of social protection, the forerunner of the modern systems ‘welfare state’ began to appear (Aldcroft, 1978, p68). Then there was the most destructive economic crisis for all world history. It occurred because the out-of-date system ‘laissez

How Not Meeting The Assumptions Of The Hardy-Weinberg Principle Aid In Term Paper

How Not Meeting The Assumptions Of The Hardy-Weinberg Principle Aid In Evolution - Term Paper Example 298). The Hardy-Weinberg model is applicable to the context of populations of diploid, sexually reproducing individuals (Andrews 65). For a population to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, certain assumptions must be met. Andrews, Hartl and Clark and Hillis et al. comprehensively described and summarized the following assumptions, 1. Natural selection is not acting on the locus in question, indicating that there is no differential selection among genotypes. Individuals with different genotypes have equal probabilities of survival and equal rates of reproduction. 4. Population size is infinitely large, which means that genetic drift is not causing random changes in allele frequencies due to sampling error from one generation to the next. As all natural populations are finite and they are subject to drift. However the effects of drift are more pronounced in small than in large populations. where, p2, 2pq and q2 are the expected frequencies of genotypes AA, Aa and aa in zygotes of any generation, p and q are the allele frequencies of A and a in gametes of the previous generation of the population (Hartl and Clark 75). As there are only two alleles at a locus, p + q=1. â€Å"The Hardy-Weinberg genotype frequencies, p2 + 2pq + q2, represent the binomial expansion of (p + q) 2, and also sum to one†. (Andrews 65) â€Å"In case of loci with more than two alleles, it is possible to apply the Hardy-Weinberg theorem, in which case the expected genotype frequencies are given by the multinomial expansion for all k alleles segregating in the population: (p1 + p2 + p3 + . . . + pk)2†. (Andrews 65) Fig. 2- â€Å"Generation I of this population consists of migrants from several other populations, thus violating the Hardy-Weinberg assumption of no migration. Notably, the generation I has more homozygous individuals and fewer heterozygous individuals than would be expected under

Ethical Behavior and Ethical Lenses Of Baird Essay

Ethical Behavior and Ethical Lenses Of Baird - Essay Example The ELI is sure to facilitate the self-discovery of one’s underlying values which help individuals to identify their preferred approach to solving ethical dilemmas. One’s personal code of ethics is shaped by one’s family members, teachers, norms and regulations of the community, formal and informal education, philosophy, morality and religion. Similarly, each profession and organization has its own ethical codes (values, expectations and set of preferences) which the employees have to follow. It is also important for individuals to identify the values in conflict through greater self-knowledge. These values in conflict are the result of differences between one’s personal and community values, conflicts as to which personal value should take priority in a given situation, and the disparity between one’s best and worst selves. The ELI will also equip one to identify one’s values in conflict and as such this paper seeks to address my personal et hics statement based on Baird’s ethical decision model. For Baird, the four basic values that form one’s ethical behavior and determine one’s primary ethical lens are rationality, sensibility, autonomy and equality. Among these, rationality stresses on reason, principles, critical thinking and analysis; sensibility emphasizes empathy and compassion where the individual follows his heart or intuition in ethical decisions; autonomy favors personal rights and responsibilities in ethical behavior whereas equality takes into account the needs of the community in ethical choices (Baird & Niacaris 11). Analyzing my own ethical values it is evident that rationality stands at the core of my ethical statement. I strongly believe in the power of reason, principles, critical thinking and analysis in making ethical choices. However, regarding the priority of values to be undertaken in various situations I stand divided between autonomy and equality. Even though I am a strong advocate of equality and value the needs of the community I favor my personal rights and responsibilities as well in many instances. Therefore, I realize that there are certain conflicts of values with regard to my ethical decisions which I need to sort out carefully. It is also worthwhile to analyze the four ethical lenses of Baird to have a thorough understanding regarding my own ethical perspectives. For Baird, one’s value preferences determine one’s ethical lens and therefore it is significant to identify my own core values and the corresponding ethical lens. Baird categorizes the ethical lenses into four: rights and responsibility lens, results lens, relationship lens, and reputation lens. The Rights and Responsibility Lens emphasizes the core values of autonomy and rationality and it holds that the individual is capable of making his own ethical choices through critical thinking and analysis. On the other hand, the Results Lens emphasizes the core values of auto nomy and sensibility and the focus of the individual is on the results or consequences of his actions. As such the ethical perspective has its roots in the teleological tradition which stresses on utilitarianism. The third ethical perspective is the Relationship Lens that emphasizes the core values of equality and rationality, traditionally known as theories of justice and it has its roots in the deontological tradition. This ethical perspective exhorts one to treat everyone in the community with respect and dignity. On the other hand, the Reputation Lens emphasizes the values of equality and sensibility and the lens focuses on what virtues the community believes should be cultivated by those in positions of responsibility. With regard to my e

Inclusive Education and SEN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Inclusive Education and SEN - Essay Example Over the years, different nations have built systems that take care of associates with disabilities. The SEN and inclusion programs have developed a call for the liberty to education for disabled persons in response. The two bear complex linkages through various aspects such as policy interpretation, individual experiences and civic voices. The people in support of the inclusion systems for children with exceptional needs have brought out the idea that inclusive edification becomes essential for all children involved in the learning process. They additionally argue that differences can be a preserve that can be utilized in society development. The implication of all this is that inclusive edification offers to address the learning requirements for all individuals bearing an explicit concentration on the persons susceptible to marginalization and segregation. Inclusion of the people bearing additional needs in the education systems functions as the best or most effective step towards the prevention of discriminatory mindsets, creation of friendly communal backgrounds, developing or transforming the discriminatory society into an all inclusive society and finally achieving the edification goal for every person (Aniftos & McLuskie 2004, 2). The inclusion system implies that democracy has achieved societal action throughout the curriculum offered to all children despite their physical health. Democracy in education has to gain positive attitudes from all people, and the general populace has to be geared up to identify, and value the exceptional uniqueness of every person. Introduction of inclusive learning is meant to bring total transformation in the educational system and build a model through has greater orientation regarding inclusive ideas. To this effect, advanced intellect institutions have to come up with and incorporate new familiarity concerning inclusive learning supervision. The inclusion system raises concerns for teachers on its practicalities and the anomalies that it presents. The concerns have in response has led to development of mind-sets towards children with additional needs since most of them attain low on standard assessments (Robertson 2008, 9). Bearing in thoughts that regular education got strategically designed for typical children, the inclusion of children bearing additional needs means that certain features of special education have to be incorporated into regular education, in an attempt to cater for the assorted learners. The practices may offer barriers to effective learning for other learners even though such practices may seem effective for miniature groups of persons having disabilities (Aniftos & McLuskie 2004, 2). The fact that the traditional models have worked for unique people in the past may be biased taking into thought the recent periods. The medical and social paradigms are the two divergent models of disability that are considered most crucial. The models aim at conveying a better comprehension of disability taking into thought diverse, fundamental aspects. The medical model brings the implication that disability is a personal problem. According to this model, somebody bearing impairment either eyesight, earshot or mobility impairment gets considered as their disabilities. The model can also be referred to as the personal tragedy paradigm considering that it regards the complexities that impaired persons

Finding number PI Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Finding number PI - Research Paper Example In modern times, however, with the advent of computers, the emphasis has shifted to the speed at which the value of Pi can be determined together with increasing the number of decimal places. This paper traces the history of Pi and the efforts made by mathematicians and astronomers to get closer and closer to the â€Å"precise† value of Ï€, and then discusses two methods for determining the value of Pi – one ancient method and one modern method. The very first attempts to determine the value of Ï€ date back to around 2000 B.C., when the Babylonians and Egyptians approached the problem in their own ways. While the Babylonians obtained the value of 3+1/8, the Egyptians obtained the value as (4/3) ^4 for Ï€. About the same time, Indians used the value of square root of 10 for Pi. All these values were based, essentially, on measurement of circumferences and diameters of circles of different sizes (Beckmann, 12-15 and 98-106). The first major step towards determining the value of Pi is attributed to the great Greek mathematician and physicist, Archimedes around 250 B.C. The ancient Greeks, with their penchant for precision, were interested in precise mathematical proportions in their architecture, music and other art forms, and hence were curious about better precision in determining the value of Pi. Thus Archimedes developed a method using inscribed and circumscribed polygons for calculating better and better approximati ons to the value of Ï€ and came to the conclusion: Subsequently, around 150 A.D., the Egyptian mathematician Ptolemy (of Alexandria) gave the value of 377/120, and around 500 A.D., the Chinese Tsu-Ch’ung-Chi gave Pi the value of 355/113. Many others like Ptolemy and Tsu-Ch’ung-Chi continued to use Archimedes’s method to calculate the vale of Pi to better approximations. Ludolph von Ceulen used this method with a 2^62-sided polygon to calculate Pi to 35 decimal

Country Case Report for China Essay Example for Free

Country Case Report for China Essay The third largest land area in the world belongs to the People’s Republic of China. Presently, its population is the largest on the record and its capital, Beijing is the economic and cultural center. China’s economic growth greatly improves due to the trend of poverty reduction during the period of 1980-1990. From 542 million to 375 million, shrinking by 167 million, China’s poverty population exceedingly reduced. Angang stated that China’s achievements in poverty reduction made huge contributions to the cause of poverty reduction of the world (2). According to World Bank, the poverty population of the world dropped off by 98. 3 million. Among the five Asian countries with the most condensed poverty population are India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, and according to the industrial poverty line, China’s current proportion of poverty population is the lowest. Statistics show that China has experienced a period of human history in which poverty population decreased by a largest margin in the past 2 decades, and reversed the trend that poverty population has been increasing in the past five decades in the world history, causing the poverty population of the world to decrease for the first time. That is to say, without China’s efforts of poverty reduction, the poverty population of the world would have increased from 848 million in 1980 to 917 million in 1990. (Angang, 2-3). Ambassador Baodong stated that the Development-oriented Poverty reduction program for Rural China for the period of 2001-2010 generated grand effects in the global poverty reduction. The number of rural population in China declined to 21. 48 million and 2. 3% of national poverty incidence was accounted for the 55% of global poverty reduction in 2007 (Baodong, 1). Technological development plays a vital role in the country’s economic growth. From 1980 to 1990, China’s expenditure amounted to US $17billion for imported technology. The trend of research and development made an immense leap. As a result there has been a modest amount of growth in the country’s development however the inefficiencies posted to be the chief dilemma. At the end of 1990, statistics illustrated that 50 of Shanghai’s large and medium enterprises only reached 10 percent of international level of quality standards and 30 percent arrived at the prototype stage using the new programs. From the year 2001 – 2005, this country became a major IT nation in the world, standing third place in manufacturing setting and first rank in telecommunications. The business cycle of the Chinese economy had undergone substantial magnitude from the time when the government established in the mid1950’s centralized economic management and planning. The period from 1979-1990 was depicted with relative stability and high escalation. In 1955-1978 economic growth rates, the movement went from 5. 7 percent to 9. 3 percent in 1979 to 1993 period. Investment cycles, harvest fluctuations, political disturbances, inflation and periodic retrenchments are the major factors that affect business cycles. Downturn was evident during 1980-1981, then an upswing from 1982 – 1989 and the business cycle in 1989 was another downturn and an upturn in 1990. Imai’s stated that his conclusion on Chinese business cycle stated that cycle interacts with exogenous shocks and generates business cycles with dissimilar amplitude and duration. An investment cycle is generated by patterned reaction of central planners who adjust the level of fixed investment in response to capacity pressure, an indicator of macroeconomic tension. An instititutional prerequisite of this cycle is the weak financial accountability of state enterprises (178). Economists added that the efficiency wedge, which represents institutional change and technology advance, was the main source of economic fluctuations in 1978 2006. The amplitude of it fluctuation declined after 1992, which resulted in moderation of business cycle fluctuations. Distortions manifest themselves as taxes on investment, which represents frictions in the capital market, became another economic fluctuation source after 1992, which is different from results of business cycle accounting on US and Japan data. Results also show that government consumption and net exports played minor roles in generating business cycles (Gao). China’s world trade generated a strong impact on its growth. Imports and exports led China to be among the world’s most significant export destinations for other Asian countries. Since the year 1979, the country’s global trade gradually improved. Presently, Japan’s exports of 11 percent came from China, before it was only 2 percent during the end of 1990. The Chinese government implemented tariff reductions in order to continue its longstanding trend in world trade. During 2004, China’s tariff rates dropped from 0. 6 to 10. 4 percent. Part of the country’s trade reforms to (WTO) World Trade Organization is to lessen tariff rates and eliminate import quotas and licenses, opening sectors for foreign country involvement such as telecommunications, financial and insurance services. Complete access to foreign participants is greatly assured through automatic licensing procedures. Eradication of limitations on trading and domestic distribution for majority of goods is also part of the plan. According to WTO, China will retain import state trading for wheat, rice, corn, sugar, tobacco, cotton and chemical fertilizers, as with export trading, corn, tea, rice, coal, silk, crude and processed oils, cotton, tungsten and ammonium products are included. In addition to this, China had been permanently bestowed with the most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment by other participants of WTO. As response to this honor, some countries have abolished restrictions on China’s imports. The contributing factor for the possible boost in China’s trade is when quota restrictions are lifted. China’s membership to World Trade Organization made enormous effect on some of the trends in relation to the role of China in international trade. Examples comprise of its magnetism to foreign investors and developing role in global export base. This is evident in IMF statistics that showed its market share in Japan, United States and Europe, from the period 1980 to 1990, an overall total of 10. 3 percent, and end of 2003, a whopping 37 percent (Source: IMF, Direction of Trade Statistics). â€Å"Just as water always flows to the lowest point, China is bound to be the first option for foreign capital investment (â€Å"Chinas Cheap† A1). China’s labor force is considered cheap and also of good quality. It is estimated that 100 million of employees in rural areas are likely to be waiting to be changed to urban workers. The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is a significant gauge to quantify the labor supply of PR China. In the period of 1980-1990, the LFPR in China is higher among other countries. The most likely basis is moderately low income level. There is high participation in the labor force among women because one wage earner is inadequate to support a family. In the last 5 years (2002-2007), women’s participation in the labor force exceedingly increased according to APEC statistics. Presently, the government was executing the guidelines which were implemented during 1997, which was the division of labor market between urban and rural areas. The labor market is exclusively for high school graduates or those with lower educational background. This probable outcome of this situation is the layoffs in urban places and labor surplus in rural areas. In the coming years, it has been forecasted that China might face a nationwide labor shortage. The country is fast approaching the â€Å"Lewisian turning point†. It is a theory by Arthur Lewis stating the turning point from surplus labor to labor scarcity. In the year 1980, State Council issued a decree prohibiting the use of foreign exchange for making payments in China. Foreign exchange rates or Waihui, equal in value to the Renminbi at effective rate, were put into circulation for use by nonresidents only. It could be use for transportation fares, hotel bills and purchases at Friendship stores. Then in 1981, the foreign trade rate was since fixed at 2. 80 from 1. 750. In 1985, the internal settlement rate was abolished and all trade was governed by the Effective Rate. A foreign exchange retention quota also exists for a portion of export proceeds. Authorization was granted for Chinese residents to hold foreign exchange and open foreign exchange accounts and to deposit and withdraw funds in foreign exchange. In the year 1986, The trade-weighted basket of currencies was abandoned and the Effective Rate was placed on a controlled float based on developments in the balance of payments and in costs and exchange rates of Chinas major competitors. Shanghai International Trust and Investment Corporation was authorized to handle exchange business. In 1988, early this year, all domestic entities which are allowed to retain foreign exchange earnings were granted permission to trade in the adjustment centers, and by October 1988, 80 adjustment centers were established. Initially, a relatively small volume of transactions took place in these markets, but the volume has increased substantially since access to the centers was expanded. The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 6. 60 from 3. 72. In 1989, regulations were issued governing the use of foreign exchange obtained in foreign exchange adjustment centers. Imports of inputs for the agricultural sector, textile, and for technologically advance and light industries were given priority. Purchases of foreign exchange for a wide range of consumer products were prohibited. Such corporations are permitted to sell in China for foreign exchange provided that the sales involve purchases under the Governments annual import plan, sales in Special Economic Zones and other promotional areas, and sales of import substitutes. The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 5. 40 from 3. 72. By the end of 1990, The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 5. 70 from 5. 22. (Ka Fu) Presently, Premier Jiabao stated in the Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank Group in Shanghai that the government continues to push the Renminbi exchange rate reform in order to confer larger range to the role of the market. The reform permits citizens to purchase more foreign currencies and commercial banks. Financial market development has been highlighted with China’s monetary reforms. The Peoples Bank of China (PBC) has made great strides in modernizing its monetary policy frameworks but their effectiveness will diminish as the sophistication of the economy increases. Empirical evidence supports maintaining a reference to money in Chinas monetary strategy and enhancing the role of interest rates in its conduct (Maino, 44). The most suitable monetary strategy for China would be an eclectic monetary policy framework, whereby the growth in money supply and bank credit extension are used as intermediate guidelines for the determination of short-term interest rates. In addition, in deciding on the most appropriate monetary policy stance, developments in a number of other variables need to be taken into consideration, because the monetary aggregates are loosing some of their usefulness as indicators of future inflation due to structural changes in the economy (Maino, 40). The IMF also points out that Chinese monetary policy could improve noticeably if the central bank were granted more discretionary power to set interest rates. In the last two years, increases in the trade surplus and significant inflows of foreign capital have led to a large accumulation of international reserves, which has further complicated monetary policy handling. In this respect, the IMF has welcomed the changes introduced into the Chinese exchange rate system as a significant step towards making this system more flexible. Although it is difficult to define an equilibrium exchange rate, and not just revaluation, must be adopted if china is to increase the independence of its monetary policy and shield its economy against external shocks (Ruete, 8). Works Cited Angang, Hu. China’s economic growth and poverty reduction (1978-2002). 2 June 2003. IMF. 20 April 2008 http://www. imf. org/external/np/apd/seminars/2003/newdelhi/angang. pdf. Baodong, Li. Remarks by Ambassador LI Baodong At Ministerial Roundtable Breakfast of Economic and Social Council On Food, Nutrition and Agriculture: Working Together to End Hunger. 12 July 2007. China-UN. 22 April 2008 http://www. china-un. ch/eng/xwdt/t339666. htm Chinas Cheap, High-quality Labor Lures Foreign Investment. Editorial. Xinhua News Agency 21 December 2002, A1. Gao, Xu. Business Cycle Accoounting for the Chinese Economy. N. p. : n. p, n. d. http://www. wdi. umich. edu/files/Publications/WorkingPapers/wp795. pdf Imai, Hiroyuki, Explaining Chinas Business Cycles. 6 June 1996. IDE. 22 April 2008 http://www. ide. go. jp/English/Publish/De/pdf/96_02_03. pdf. Ka Fu, Wong. International Economics. 1 January 2007. 23 April 2008. http://intl. econ. cuhk. edu. hk/exchange_rate_regime/index. php? cid=8. Manio, Rodolfo. China: Strengthening Monetary Policy Implementation. 1 January 2007. Social Science Research Network. 23 April 2008 http://papers. ssrn. com/sol3/papers. cfm? abstract_id=959761. Ruete, Javier. The Development of Chinas Export Performance. 7 March 2006. Central Reserve Bank of Peru. 23 April 2008 http://www. bcrp. gob. pe/bcr/dmdocuments/Ingles/Comunicaciones/Press_200602. pdf.

Why Authoritarian Governments In Asia Control The Media Politics Essay

Why Authoritarian Governments In Asia Control The Media Politics Essay Authoritarian regimes or governments have always been considered by western scholars or politicians as standing on the opposite side of democracy. In those states within which media are controlled, the freedom of speech, human rights and democracy remain big concerns of those democrats. Asia, the largest continent in the world, boasts its diversified politic forms, be it democratic regimes, like Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korean and quasi-democratic ones like Thailand, as well as authoritarian ones like Mainland China, North Korean and Burma. The role of media in Asia varies with the political style, from free to control. This essay, then, mainly focuses on exploring the reason why authoritarian regime expects to take control of media from the political, cultural, technological and economic perspectives. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚  Media in authoritarian rule in Asia Authoritarian government refers to the government that concentrates power in the hands of a leader or a small group of elites unelected by the people; and is opposed to individualism and democracy. Although authoritarian governments always claim that their existence is to protect the country and to provide discipline and order to its way of life and that the traditional culture should be aggressively maintained against encroaching external or contemporary culture (Robert McKenzie, 2006 73-74), the reality is in the opposite side that those basic components of a civil society like human rights, free information, free speech, social justice, etc. are almost eliminated or constrained in the so called order and traditional culture. As what Myung-Jin Park,James Curran(1999) point out, authoritarian regimes can be divided into three major forms: single-party regime, military regime and religious regime. In Asia, countries can be entitled as authoritarian are Brunei (the executive authority lies with the unelected sultan), China (state under communist single party rule), Laos (a communist single party state), Burma (military rule), North Korea (one-party rule), Oman (ruled by a hereditary sultan, and no political parties are legal and no opposition movement), Qatar (ruled by hereditary emirates), Saudi Arabia Syria United Arab Emirates (ruled by hereditary emirates), Vietnam (communist single-party state). Media in these authoritarian regimes can be either privately or publicly owned but must resort to the control of the state. Such control means that the media are never allowed to expose the information that opposes the will of ruling class or interest groups strictly related to the government. Media can criticize the government, but not the supreme level which takes the hold of the highest power. They have certain degree of freedom, but it is only restricted to the reports and programs unrelated to political areas, such as entertainment, sports, travel, etc. In authoritarian rule, Robert McKenzie (2006) points out two procedures that are commonly implemented: censorship and punishment. In terms of the censorship of the media content, it involves two steps: state censorship and self-censorship. State censorship is applied when speech and communication are contrary to state objectives, then the content is banned for dissemination. Self-censorship is the act of intently censoring ones own publications, blogs, films, news scripts, TV programs or other means of expression without direct pressure from the authority, in order not to disseminate the content against the government objectives. So after finishing ones work, he or she may remove inappropriate material for fear of sanction by the government. With the above two kinds of censorship, media only speak the voice of the government or ruling class instead of the people. With the regard to the punishment, the consequence is always conditioned by the seriousness of the illegal content. In the authoritarian rule, the state has the right to penalize individuals and media organizations for seditious libel (Robert McKenzie, 2006). Since the authoritarian societies are under the rule of men instead of law, the punishment can be various types according to the leaders will, such as confiscating private facilities, incarceration of media professionals, expiration, long-term prison, or even death. The content of media in different countries may vary, but one common feature of the authoritarian states in Asia is that media are controlled or owned by the state. Therefore, the information the audience received in the media reflect not the interest of the people but the ruling class, no matter how capable or how hard-working the leaders are, because it is the system of a state that decides the role of the media. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¡Reasons for the authoritarian seeking to control the media According to Denis Mcquail(2005), there are four types of control over media: control of content for political reasons; control of content for cultural and/or moral reasons; control of infrastructures for technical reasons; and control infrastructures for economic reasons. These reasons can serve as a guideline for the author to explore further. 1. Control for political reasons The influence of media in political societies is immense and should never be underestimated. As what Katrin Voltmer and Gary Rawnsley (2010)point out, the function of media in democratic society is to (a) provide a forum where all voices can be heard and engage in a dialogue with each other, and (b) to act as a watchdog of the government. However, the effect of these above two functions are what the authoritarian ruling elites want to decrease, because they are not only the functions, but inherent nature of media, and if without control, the innate force will bring the media to the peoples side. Then the pluralistic opinions and voices will appear that are unlikely all to conform to the political will proposed by the ruling elites. But if we stand at the point of the authoritarian government, the control seems to be necessary, because the media have too much potential power that could be used to unseat the state or destabilize the country (Robert McKenzie, 2006 73-74). What the authoritarian governments most badly need is stability, for in chaos the power of the people will release and it is uneasy to be taken control again. Take China as an example. The government makes every effort to forbid the expressions related to Tiananmen event in 1989, for fear of arousing another wave of opponents that might shake the foundation of the superstructure. Although the information is blocked in mainland China, related videos, books, magazines and reports from abroad still remain hard evidence, which can be a great threat against the authority of communist party. Only if those media become inaccessible to people can the central government avoid losing support from the public. Therefore, the authoritarian media can also be a watchdog, but to watch people instead of the government. Beside, given that the president or premier or the elite ruling group has the high morality, responsibility, wisdom and really concern the people, it is unlikely for them to make sure that every official they appoint or appointed by their appointers other than through the election from the people obey the principles of the constitution. Holding great power and backed by the superior, bureaucractism, red-tapism and corruption will generate, which means that only by controlling the media can they cover their bad deeds, without knowing from the above and the public. But if even the supreme rulers or elites group have ulterior or scandal of their own, degree of control will be much stricter and the free of media is far from possible. In addition, since the media belong to the government, they can be used as a powerful agency to propagate, reinforce and sublimate the value and merits of the ruling concept, thus win more trust and understanding over disagreement. The news from the state-owned media is always the wise decisions and favorable policies which give the people hope and better future, but seldom is there any voice that directly criticizes the state leaders or central government. 2. Control for cultural reasons Almost all authoritarian countries in Asia have their unique as well as dominating traditional or political culture. These cultures not only determine the patterns of thought of the people, but also provide a well constructed harbor for the elite ruling groups to prevent their regime from the impact of the outside world. Media, therefore, can serve as a useful tool to further strengthen the preexisted culture on the one hand, and to broadcast and spread the domestic culture to the world on the other. In this sense, to control the media is to some extent to control the mind of the mass people. The following analysis will focus on the analysis from several powerful cultures. The most distinguished culture in Asia may be Islamism, a belief that Islam is a political ideology, as well as a faith. For this culture, to control the media is to maintain the purity of the peoples thought and enhance the loyalty to the god. It is a modernist claim that political sovereignty belongs to God, that the Sharia should be used as state law, that Muslims form a political rather than a religious bloc around the world and that it is a religious duty for all Muslims to create a political entity that is governed as such.(http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/faqs.html) Based on the above definition, religious belief becomes legitimate tool and peoples behaviors are judged by the Quran. They believe in one God and resist other religions. Then the Islamic content is dominant in media. The western thought, belief, values as well as culture are severely censored and are considered conflict to Islam. For them, the religion and politic are tied extremely close to each other. So if the religion or culture is affected by outside or different impact, the political rule will also be impaired. Another powerful culture is communist culture. In this culture, to control the media is to prevent the attack and cultural impact from the outside world.In present China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, the culture is shaped by communist party rather than Confucianism, even though some parts of the behaviors and thoughts still follow the principles proposed by Confucius. Communist culture is relatively young but very influential. At the very beginning of the communist party, those vanguards did set up educational and honorable examples that inspire the fellow country men and women to fight against outside invasion. They did win peoples trust that the communist party will bring them freedom, democracy and equality. But communism is based on the philosophy proposed by Karl Marx that it is possible to create an egalitarian or classless society by means of working as a collective whole. Besides, there is a huge difference of the definition of democracy. While western world regard democracy a s characterized by free speech, two or multiparty and mass election, the communism believe that the democracy is to liberate people and let people become the sovereign master. Ever since the Marxism was applied by the developing countries, the capitalism has become their enemy. The western thought and value as well as ways of running economy are all considered as against the communist belief. Therefore, everything from the western world is banned or defined as evil. In extreme case like North Korea, the image of the party is always the representative of justice, while those western capitalist societies are shown as the lack enlightenment of communist thought. In this environment, the people are deprived of the idea to fight against free speech, liberty and democracy, because as what media show, there are in this process. 3. Control for technological reasons With the development of high technology, especially the booming of the internet, the battle between media control and anti-control has been largely upgraded. Modern communications technologies mean that authoritarian governments find it ever more difficult to hermetically seal their borders and prevent their people from receiving often uncomfortable news, information and opinion from overseas sources (Katrin Voltmer and Gary Rawnsley, 2010). On the other hand, the ruling elites clearly know that to control the core technology is to hold the initiative advantage, so the high technology is not only widely applied by people, but also by the government as a fairly useful tool to exercise censorship, underground investigation as well as supervisory. In other word, the authoritarian government plays the role of defense, while the dissidents and civil right fighters act as the role of offense, and the rest becomes the audience, looking on the development of the game. This means that even though people can create some software to get access to the blocked information, government then can renew the fire-wall and all kinds of software to block the sensitive expressions, detect the opinion initiators, or even control them. After all, the power of individuals is relatively small. They do not have enough economic income to keep them fighting longer. They are intelligent and are able to find the flaw of the censorship system, but seldom is there anyone daring to cross the bottom line of the ruling class. However, the government has sufficient financial support. It can establish well-equipped companies and hire a group of highly professional hackers or internet veterans to help the information control and monitoring. New technology or the new media does provide the citizens with a platform to voice out their opinions and unfair experience with the government and the exposed officials will do meet their deserved consequence. Nevertheless, no government wants its system to be corrupted and then lose its efficiency. In this sense, new technology also helps the government to find a new method to govern the stuff and officials. 4. Control for economic reasons When studying the media issues, economic respect should be considered, for mass media is not only a social institution, but also an industry. With the regard to the present essay, the reasons of media control from the economic perspective are mainly focused on the issue of ownership. Altschull(1984) in his second law of journalism says: the contents of media always reflect the interests of those who finance them. That is to say, the economic structure of the state decides the structure of the media industry, thus determines the role of media. Specifically, in authoritarian regime, the state owns the media, and the main sources of income are advertising, consumer revenue as well as the state financial support. What should be noticed is that the most powerful enterprises in authoritarian states are commonly the state-owned or royal relates-owned industries, which contribute a lion share of the advertising investments. Those state-owned companies not only have continuously financial support from the central government, but also take control of the choices of the consumers, in other word, the market. The vulnerable private media companies, though exist, can seldom have the opportunities to set foot in the most influential market like broadcasting industry and are fac ed with severe competition from various aspects. Then the domination of powerful state-owned companies in communication industries remains as an impassable barrier for private sectors. Consequently, since the government controls the market, that media are controlled becomes a nature process. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢ Conclusion The study of the relationship between government and the media involves a various range of research and analysis. The present essay at first introduces the situation of media in authoritarian regimes in Asia. When media are unable to perform as an agent of democratic transition and consolidation, they become the important means of enforcing the authoritarian or totalitarian rule. Serving as the lapdog and gatekeeper of the government and accompanied by the relevant law and policy, the position of media is fixed and can hardly be changed. Consequently, the people have to be careful with the serious censorship and take the risk of being punished if they seek to rebel the government will. The purpose for government to control the media can be analyzed in four aspects. The first one is the political aspect that government takes the media as a useful tool to maintain the stability of ideology, reinforce the governance and to hide truth and dirt deeds of the rulers themselves. In terms of the cultural reasons, the author tries to find result from studying to distinctive cases of Islam culture and communist culture. A common feature of the both cultures is that the government seeks to manipulate media through keeping the purity of the culture, thus erecting a shield to resist the western democratic thought and culture. With the regard to the technological sphere, the government does realize the potential threat from the booming internet communication, so they intently act as a powerful defender to defend the attack from the domestic and abroad on the one hand, and makes most use of the high technology to strengthen itself on the other. The last reason is from the economic sphere that since the authoritarian government has the huge influence on the market, it influences the media industry as well. Owned and financed by state-run enterprises, the media industry is unchallengeablely controlled by the government. All in all, the media independence is a long process, and the freedom of media and information follows the political reform, cultural transformation and globalization, technological advancement as well as economic development. Although media are controlled, they are still able to play a significant role in pushing forward the social progress of these authoritarian countries in Asia,