...thus solving one’s own problems for oneself on one’s own responsibility under all circumstances. The DPRK claims that juche is Kim Il Sung’s creative application of Marxist-Leninist principles to the modern political realities in North Korea.2 Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il have successfully wielded the juche idea as a political shibboleth to evoke a fiercely nationalistic drive for North Korean independence and to justify policies of self-reliance and self-denial in the face of famine and economic stagnation in North Korea. Kim Il Sung envisioned three specific applications of juche philosophy: political and ideological independence, especially from the Soviet Union and China; economic self-reliance and self-sufficiency; and a viable national defense system.3 This paper begins with a discussion of the three key components of the juche ideology – political, economic and military independence – as promulgated by the DPRK. The second section is a discussion of the ideological origins of the juche philosophy, followed by a third section on the philosophical bases of the juche idea. The paper concludes with an examination of juche as a political body of thought and an evaluation of the success with...
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...This article is a copy of the one published in New Society Magazine No.237, January-February 2012, ISSN 0251-3552, www.nuso.org A major transition for a great transformation Reflections from the Yasuní-ITT Initiative René Ramírez Gallegos1 When discussing the development of a political project from the Left there are two opposing positions or aspects: those which promote the idea of better managing and regulating capitalism – that is, striving for “good capitalism” – and those who hold anticapitalist positions. The author of this article argues that a Left that does not give up on the generation of alternatives to capitalism but at the same time is responsible for governing, should think about a “great transition” without losing sight of the horizon of a “great transformation”. This article analyzes the Yasuní-ITT Initiative and presents it as an example of how to merge concrete and innovative proposals (transition) and utopias which go beyond capitalist development (transformation). Key words: Left, Capitalism, Good Living/Sumak Kawsay, Yasuní-ITT The world does not need alternatives for development, but alternatives to development. The world does not need to “better” use capitalism, but to transform it. That is the great historical challenge that the Left should take on, both intellectually and politically. The concept of “development” has been recycled and reborn again and again for all its critics and detractors. However, in a strict sense it has never been questioned...
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...The Shoshone National Forestry The Shoshone National Forest has resources that influence forest health, the economy, and society. There are many benefits and risk of extracting non-renewable and renewable energy resources from the Shoshone National Forest ecosystem including, fire, wind, diseases, damage to vegetation, corrosion of structural materials and negative health effects on wildlife and human occupancy. As with all National Forests in the U.S. the practice of conservation of resources, ensure a sustainable flow of raw materials and maintain the diversity of plant and animal species on the National Forest System lands. Renewable The benefits of extracting renewable energy sources and alternative resources such as biomass, wood and other plant material, along with the lease options of the Shoshone National forest provide viable solutions that allow for the creation of cleaner energy resource, and wilderness designated zoning areas that enhance land protection and prohibit alterations by man to the ecosystem. Less than 10% percent of the total area is utilized for the land lease. The majority of the forest has been reserved for wildlife, plants, animals and the protection of the habitat. The Shoshone National Forest has about 1,300 documented species of plants. Lower elevations often have brush and grass dominated by vegetation while, other forest areas are dominated by various combinations of species (The HRO Case Studies Series, 2006). Non- Renewable The risk...
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...Impartiality and Sustainability: • -Impartiality implies equal, non-discriminatory treatment of individuals or nation states. • Economics implicitly recognizes impartiality in its principles of convergence; i.e., that rich and poor nations will eventually converge in per capita income Impartiality principles allow different nation states to develop at different rates according to different levels of capability. The danger is that weak nations with extensive resource wealth may be exploited in the short term rather than developing national economies with well trained work forces over the long term • The breakdown of the Bretton Woods system in 1971 led to the collapse of the global system of fixed exchange rates, which had given developing nations flexibility in developing their national economies. - Thus from an ethical standpoint we have not maintained the principles of impartiality in global economic development since the end of WWII Sustainability is a principle directly relate to “sustainable development,” i.e., using natural resources so as to preserve the overall capacities of natural systems to replenish themselves. In essence we leave nature in the same condition we found it. Sustainability thus implies obligations to future generations. Renewable resources are kept intact. Pollution and other externalities are limited • problems of sustainability and impartiality are related. If current theories of global warming are correct, greenhouse gas emissions contribute...
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...for good health, nutrition and increase in wealth, national security and religious tolerant, adequate and improved infrastructure among others abound. However, it is disheartening to note that what are experienced today are increase in crime rates, political and religious uprising, corruption and other social vices. The situation is further worsened by the level youth unemployment in the country. Looking closely at the scenario, it is obvious that the ‘youths’ are the ones mostly involved. This group (youths), is supposed to be looked upon as the engine room of development in any country. Japan, China, India, USA, Great Britain and other advanced countries in the world made technological breakthrough because of the involvement of the youths. However, the Nigerian youths are yet to be recognized and their impact is yet to be felt. It is in view of this that this paper is structured to explain the need for reintegrating the youth as a panacea for the security challenges in Nigeria. Operational Definition of Terms In order to make this article explicit, the following definitions of terms are given as used in the text. Youths – These are part of the population who are active and their ages fall range between 18 – 45 years. Reintegration – A process of educating, rehabilitating, accepting and engaging the youths to be productive and useful in a society. Panacea – Solution to problem to socio-economic challenges. National Security – Absence of threat to life, property, and...
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...The Nigerian tax system has undergone several reforms geared at enhancing tax collection and administration with minimal enforcement cost. The recent reforms include the introduction of TIN, (unique Taxpayer’s Identification Number which became effective since February 2008), automated tax system that facilitates tracking of tax positions and issues by individual taxpayers, e-payment system which enhances smooth payment procedure and reduces the incidence of tax touts, enforcement scheme (Special Purpose Tax officers), these are special tax officers in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure strict compliance in payment of taxes. The tax authority now has autonomy to assess, collect and record tax. This enabling environment which came into being on the basis of (Section 8(q) of FIRS Establishment Act 2007) has led to an improvement in tax administration in the country. The Nigerian tax system has undergone significant changes in recent times. The tax laws are consistently being reviewed with the aim of repealing obsolete provisions and simplifying the main ones. Under current Nigerian law, taxation is enforced by the 3 tiers of government, i.e. federal, state, and local governments, with each having its sphere clearly spelt out in the Taxes and Levies (approved list for Collection) Decree, 1998. Despite this improvement, there are still a number of contentious issues that require urgent attention and among them is the issue of the appropriate tax authority to administer...
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...24 Mar 2012 Afghanistan’s Economy This paper is to explain the past, current and future economy of Afghanistan. As of 2011, Afghanistan has a population of roughly 30 million and is expected to increase to around 82 million people by the year 2050. Afghanistan is the 41st largest country in the world, and is similar in size to the state of Texas. Ranked 91st in world economies it has very high unemployment, nearly 35% countrywide. According to data from the Central Intelligence Agency, nearly 42% of Afghanistan’s population lives on less than $1 a day and almost 35% of the population lives below the poverty line. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita is a trifling $900, and is mainly due to the fact that 78% of the workforce is agricultural in nature. Only 5.7% of Afghans work in industries like mining and textiles, and another 15.7% of the Afghani work force are in the service industry. But to truly understand the Afghani people and their nation’s future economic endeavors, we must understand their past economy. In the 1930’s Afghanistan began a momentous undertaking of instituting new monetary methods unto their nation such as introducing paper money, created numerous facilities for general and higher education, and established a national bank. Unfortunately until roughly the 1950’s, Afghanistan lacked much of the necessary national infrastructure such as roads and railways to support an expansion in their industrial sectors. This factor locked them...
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...democratic deliberation resides ◦ Transnational forms of “global governance” likely to remain weak at best ◦ A corollary to: Adam Smith’s “The division of labor is limited by the extent of the market.” ◦ Markets need a wide range of non-market institutions. They are not selfcreating, self regulating, self stabilizing, self-legitimizing. Markets cannot work properly and be politically sustained in their absence. We have to contend with a world economy that remains a patchwork in terms of governance … and moderate our ambitions regarding economic globalization We run one of two risks when we get the balance wrong: Recognizing the centrality of nation-states is nation states more likely to contribute to a healthy global economy than trying to eviscerate it ◦ legitimacy deficit when we push global rules too far ◦ Inefficiency and instability when we push global markets too far The balance of global forces is becoming more centrifugal The supply of global leadership will be in short supply s o t supp y ◦ Declining role of U.S. in global economy g g y ◦ EU likely to remain preoccupied with own matters ◦ China and the other emerging powers place, if anything, anything greater emphasis on national sovereignty The world economy is not a “global commons” (Misleading) analogy with climate change ◦ Open trade and finance policies are semi private goods semi-private ◦ where in the absence of global coordination, we get the “tragedy of the commons”...
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...over liquidity, thus they have a higher risk tolerance than traditional foreign exchange reserves. History The term sovereign wealth fund was first used in 2005 by Andrew Rozanov in an article entitled, 'Who holds the wealth of nations?' in Central Banking journal[1]. The previous edition of the journal described the shift from traditional reserve management to sovereign wealth management; subsequently the term gained widespread use as the spending power of global officialdom has rocketed upwards. Funds may have their origin in: Commodities – Created through commodity exports, either taxed or owned by the government. Non Commodities – Usually created through transfers of assets from official foreign exchange reserves. Some Fund Objectives: Protect & stabilize the budget and economy from excess volatility in revenues/exports Diversify from non-renewable commodity exports...
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...production is closely correlated to domestic or regional automotive sales. Also the level of automotive sales and production is closely related to disposable income levels, interest rates and finance availability, consumer confidence and other factors influenced by macroeconomic policies. Production in particular often has long lead times, so consistent and predictable economic progress is important. Therefore, national macroeconomic and monetary policies which produce stability and consistency in GDP per capita growth are generally very significant factors affecting the level of automotive sales and production. The following are the macroeconomic factors found to encourage automotive production and sales: (a) Stable national economic performance. Producers need confidence to invest, and consumers and businesses need confidence in their future to purchase vehicle(s). They therefore all want to minimize uncertainty. Thus, wild fluctuations in economic activity should be avoided. (b) Consistent national economic and regulatory policies. Likewise consistent national policies are critical to investment and consumer behaviour. Inconsistent policies may inhibit investment and sales as well as generate potentially large fluctuations in economic performance. (c) Transparent economic and regulatory policies. Policies must be not only fair, but must be seen to be fair if external investment is to be encouraged. Thus great emphasis should be given to ways of maximising transparency...
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...combinations of the pillars- If the design accounts for the environment and economy; it is not warm and inviting to residents, making it unsustainable as it does not benefit human wellbeing. If it accounts for social and economic aspects, it is not liveable or eco-friendly, making it unsustainable as it does not take care of the natural resources we need to keep the planet functioning. If it does not account for the economical side, it is not liveable or viable as it does not take into account the costs of living and therefore makes it unsustainable. The only combination of these that creates pure sustainability is a combination of all three aspects, however sometimes compromises must be made in order to create a viable solution that works in the...
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...with an integration of a solar panel tracking device. The design also incorporates a web based portal for control and monitoring of the system remotely. The system uses an Arduino Uno as a microcontroller to control power supply to the inverter and for measuring the battery percentage in a real life over a WIFI Network using Arduino Ethernet Shield. INTRODUCTION 1.0 Background of the study Energy is fundamental to human daily activities. An important form of energy is the Solar energy which source is the Sun, other forms of energy also include Electrical, Chemical and Mechanical energy to mention but a few. The importance of energy to the Environment, Economy, ICT cannot be overemphasized especially in developing countries like Nigeria. Energy is an important factor for economy competitiveness and employment, it allows us to light our homes and offices in the form of electrical energy, to stay interconnected and knowledgeable about the world. Steady supply of Electrical Energy in Nigeria will guarantee investments, employments for increasing numbers of unemployed graduates and reduce poverty level among other socio economic development. Nigeria a nation of 180 million citizen generates only 4000 megawatts of electricity which is below the...
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...Challenges to Pakistan’s Economy - Proposed Remedies & Solutions. Professor Dr. Shahida Wizarat Paper presented at the pre-budget seminar organized by the Southern Regional Committee of (ICAP), at Marriott Hotel, Karachi. 10 April 2008 1. Introduction All the serious challenges Pakistan’s economy is facing today like very wide budget and trade deficits, galloping inflation, increase in the level of poverty, power outages, water shortages, closure of industries, food insecurity, etc, has diverted our attention from realizing the very serious challenge that we have overcome. Since the 1950s we had a system in this country where the Ministry of Finance and all the economic ministries were headed by World Bank and IMF officials of Pakistan origin. With increase in the indebtedness of the country the situation got from bad to worse. The worst period was the decade of the 1990s when not only the economic ministries, but even prime ministers came from these institutions. During negotiations between the Government of Pakistan (GOP) and the International Financial Institutions (IFI)s it was difficult to distinguish between the GOP and the (IFI)s, for both sides comprised of IFI officials. These were very trying times for those of us who value independence and economic sovereignty of the country. I wrote several articles questioning the wisdom of a system which even...
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...Pakistan attempted to convert the entire financial system in accordance with Islamic law at once at national level. Malaysia adopted the gradual application approach. It allowed Islamic and conventional banking systems to operate and to compete for deposits on parallel basis. This study examines the Pakistani and Malaysian approaches towards the implementation of Islamic banking in their respective countries. It recognizes lack of commitment and long term planning problems in case of Pakistan. Introduction Islamic banking system has emerged as a competitive and a viable substitute for the conventional banking system during the last three decades. It is especially true for Muslim world where presently Islamic banking strides at two separate fronts. At one side, efforts are also underway to covert the entire financial systems in accordance to Islamic laws (Shariah). At the other side, separate Islamic banks are allowed to operate in parallel to conventional interest based banks. Pakistan and Malaysia are the two good examples of above mentioned approaches. Both countries adopted different tracks for the same ultimate destination of developing full fledge viable Islamic financial system and produced quite interesting results. The Government of Pakistan tried to covert the entire financial system to an interest free system through presidential orders at a national level. However, the overnight practice of islamization didn’t achieve the required success. Most of...
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...Is Inflation in India Structural or Monetary? Inflationary Situation: It’s a situation in the economy where ‘too much money is chasing too few goods’. So when the products & services available are less as compared to the money supply in the money market, the economy witnesses an uptrend in their prices in order to adjust for the larger quantum of money chasing them. Structural Policy: A Structural policy is a term used for the whole of the politico-economic measures for the organization of the structure of the national economy of a state. A Structural policy is further categorized as * Regional structural policy, which supports the settlement of industries in assisted areas by measures of the investment assistance * Sparkling wine-oral structural policy, those by subsidies and tax preferences Monetary Policy: It refers to the process by which a country’s central bank controls money supply, often through the manipulation of interest rates, with the aim of promoting economic growth and stability while maintaining relatively stable prices and low unemployment. Monetary policy is either expansionary (mainly by lowering interest rates to combat a recession or a recessionary situation) or contractionary (raising interest rates to control inflation). Comment: Inflation in India is primarily structural and less monetary in outlook. Some data points supporting this point of view are as below: * Food Inflation – As it has been seen historically, the dietary patterns...
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