Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Freedom to vs. Freedom from - 1145 Words

Kinkhabwala 1 Anjali Kinkhabwala October 6, 2008 WMST 275 Literature Essay #1 In the Days of Anarchy To live in a country such as the United States of America is considered a privilege. The liberties that American citizens are entitled to, as declared in the Constitution, makes the United States an attractive and envied democracy. It would be improbable to imagine these liberties being stripped from American society. However, Margaret Atwood depicts the United States as a dystopian society in her novel The Handmaid’s Tale. The first society is modern America, with its autonomy and liberal customs. The second, Gilead, a far cry from modern America, is a totalitarian Christian theocracy which absorbs America in the late 1980s in†¦show more content†¦Not recent. Old love† (Atwood, 51). There is no other kind of love left in Offred’s room in the Commander’s house. The dried flower petals, Offred compares the stains on her bed to, indicate how times have changed and how sex is no longer out of love, but instead for reproductive purposes. Gilead oppresses love, and justifies the position of the handmaid’s by exploiting their fertility for the salvaging of a dystopian nation. By taking away human will and decision, the â€Å"freedom from† society was able to control and instill fear. With Offred’s periodical sense of longing for the past, it would seem that her will and capacity for emotion would be stained along with her freedom. Offred vividly describes the Handmaid scene in which she is made to lie across the Wifes legs while having impassionate intercourse with the Commander. Offreds picture of herself and body changes drastically from her idea of sexuality in modern America. Her will to feel â€Å"freedom to† again however, has not passed. She attempts to evoke passion through sexuality as she had â€Å"freedom to† with Luke in modern America. She has a forbidden, but not-so-secret sexual relationship with the Commander’s gardener, Nick. In Gilead sex is no long er an act of pleasure, but of biological necessity. However, with Nick, the performance of sex is defiance against the rules of the â€Å"freedom from† society. Offred is risking consequence through her affair with Nick, inducing aShow MoreRelatedFreedom Vs. Free From Oppression1094 Words   |  5 Pagesworld history, there is a point when one encounters the question of freedom. What is freedom? Different meanings are attached to freedom, especially when one questions what exactly they are free from. Free from slavery? Free from dept? Free from oppression? There are so many different types of freedom, that it s hard to just give out a sentence and claim that s freedom . However when looking at America a clear vision of freedom appears and it does so mostly because of its history. The United StatesRead MoreIntent of the Framers1628 Words   |  7 Pagesintent of the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to privacy, and criminals’ rights. I will explain curren t views of the provisions of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to privacy, and criminals’ rights. I will assess which events and opinions have changed the intent of each of these provisions over time. I will evaluate the effects of Supreme Court decisions related to these provisions and express consideration for the future of these provisions. Freedom of speech is partRead MoreFreedom Of Speech By John Locke Essay1325 Words   |  6 PagesFreedom of speech is the right given to all United States citizens to express their opinions openly, without having to fear legal punishment. However, the idea of this freedom goes back far before the United States was even declared an independent country. In the 16th century, European thinkers such as John Locke began to discuss freedom of speech as a basic human right, a necessity for a free and thriving society and a well governed country. In the United States, freedom of speech is split intoRead MoreThe Civil Liberties Of The United States Essay1513 Words   |  7 PagesCivil liberties is the individual rights and freedoms that government is obliged to protect, normally by not interfering in the exercise of these rights and freedoms. However, over the years the rights for the people have either have become open and free or it has become restrictive. The bill of rights in terms of scope in civil liberties protection has changed by three paths such three paths are increased in authority of federal government, the Supreme court shifted its interpretation of constitutionalRead MoreFinancial Growth Test Questions Essay958 Words   |  4 Pagesway is Per Capita GDP a better measure of economic well being than GDP? How does this relate to economic problems in the undeveloped world? Per Capita GDP is a better measurement of economic well being because it measures the average national income vs the national income. The per capita GDP provides a better determination of living standards as compared to the GDP. It is a more reliable measurement for determining the economic state of a nation in an individual perspective. This relates to the economicRead MoreSupreme Court Cases, Thematic Essay861 Words   |  4 PagesUnited States Constitution are interpreted. Two cases in particular that expanded constitutional liberties is the case of Engel vs. Vitale (1962) and the case of Tinker vs. Des Moines School District (1969). Not only did both of these cases expand constitutional liberties in general, they more specifically, expanded rights within the school system. In the case of Engel vs. Vitale, the main topic dealt with prayer at school. The New York State board of regents composed a non-denominational prayerRead More Eternal Life Essay1461 Words   |  6 Pagesher freedom through eternal life. Through Chopin’s use of characterization, conflict, and symbols, the author reveals the theme that like Mrs. Mallard, some people can achieve freedom through eternal life. [Does eternal life here mean life after death, or, as in Dr. Heideggers Experiment, life without death? The basic problem with this essay is that it overlooks the primary point of the story -- Louise glimpses freedom as a result of the death of her husband, and then loses that freedom withRead MoreElizabeth Pettit Versus The State Board Of Education1060 Words   |  5 Pageshusband had facemasks (Pettit Vs State Board of Education, 1973). This in a way shows that even though they were advocates of wife swapping sexual activities, it is not something they could enthusiast ically and voluntarily share. As such, it would have been almost impossible for the board to get a complete and honest picture of Mrs. Elizabeth except for an undercover investigator. Nevertheless, the decision by the education board’s decision to fire Mrs. Pettit from her teaching career is in my opinionRead MoreEssay about First Amendment1306 Words   |  6 Pagesmodern American conception of freedom of speech comes from the principles of freedom of the press, and freedom of religion as they developed in England, starting in the seventeenth century. The arguments of people like John Milton on the importance of an unlicensed press, and of people like John Locke on religious toleration, were all the beginning for the idea of the â€Å"freedom of speech†. By the year of 1791, when the First Amendment was ratified, the idea of â€Å"freedom of speech† was so widely acceptedRead MorePaper on Freedom for the Thought That We Hate825 Words   |  4 PagesPaper on Freedom for the Thought that we Hate In the book Freedom for the Thought that we Hate, author Anthony Lewis takes a simply phrased law, the First Amendment and shows how complex freedom of speech really is once put into the real world of freedom, as we know it. He shows through his rejections of absolutism, strong support towards freedom restriction, and objective analysis of Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, that the United States press is unlike any other in the world. Lewis rejects

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Tao-te Ching by Lao-Tzu and The Prince by Machiavelli...

â€Å"The Tao-te Ching† by Lao-Tzu and â€Å"The Prince† by Machiavelli Throughout history, it can be argued that at the core of the majority of successful societies has stood an effective allocation of leadership. Accordingly, in their respective works â€Å"The Tao-te Ching† and â€Å"The Prince†, Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli have sought to reach a more complete understanding of this relationship. The theme of political leaders and their intricate relationship with society indeed manifests itself within both texts, however, both Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli approach this issue from almost entirely opposite positions. Lao-Tzu appears to focus the majority of his attention on letting problems or situations take their course and allowing good to prevail. On the†¦show more content†¦Perhaps in his time Lao-Tzu viewed that his interpretation of human nature was entirely possible, but as far as the twenty-first century is involved, the idea that if societies are left unattended we are able to â€Å"Trust them† ( § 75, 59) is absurd. It can be argued legitimately that Lao-Tzu’s concepts have been applied and in fact have proven to be extremely effective. For example, a capitalistic, laissez-faire approach to governing, particularly the form advocated by American Republicans. However, cases of removing regulations and adopting the leadership standards Lao-Tzu advises have been strictly applied to market economics, not to each and every facet of government. Refraining from absolute negativity about Lao-Tzu’s work, the Tao does have many redeemable qualities. The emphasis Lao-Tzu places on the attainment of individual happiness is extremely honorable, however this doesn’t detract from the ineffectiveness Lao-Tzu encounters, as he is unable to come to well-grounded conclusion on the means for effective leadership. His advice to politicians is to only interfere when it is an absolute necessity; yet he takes this to a radical extreme advising leaders to pretty much do nothing. His ideas are taken to an extent where if human nature falters, which itShow MoreRelatedLao-Tzu vs. Machiavelli1606 Words   |  7 PagesLao-tzu vs. Machiavelli Government is the essential authority of a country or state, which is directly, affects society because it provides key securities. Two of history’s greatest thinkers Lao-tzu, authors of the Tao-te Ching, and Niccolo Machiavelli, author of The Prince have similar but very contrasting ideas of government, and how people should be governed. Lao-tzu was born in the Chinese state of Ch’u. He spent most of his life working in the library of the Chou dynasty. Once he decided toRead More Comparison of Lao-tzu and Machiavelli Essay729 Words   |  3 PagesComparison of Lao-tzu and Machiavelli Lao-tzu and Machiavelli are political philosophers writing in two different lands and two different times. Lao-tzu was an ancient Chinese philosopher from 6th century BC, the author of Tao-te Ching, and Machiavelli was an Italian philosopher who lived 2000 years after Lao-tzu’s time, author of Prince. They are both philosophers but have totally different perspective on how to be a good leader. While both philosopher’s writing is instructive. Lao-tzu’s adviceRead MoreNiccolo Machiavelli s The Qualities Of The Prince And Lao Tzu1198 Words   |  5 Pagesgood leader? Niccolo Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince† and Lao-Tzu’s â€Å"Tao-te Ching† gives some ideas on how a leader should control their government. Although Machiavelli’s and Lao-Tzu’s ideas do not quite go hand and hand, there are some similarities. They both spoke similarly on how people should feel about their leader. Lao-Tzu views one of the best qualities of a leader is being loved by his people. On the other hand, Machiavelli believes the best is to be loved and feared, but senseRead MoreWell Balanced Leadership: An Ideal Way to Approach Humanity Essay555 Words   |  3 Pagesby Niccolo Machiavelli on governing a society contradict s that of Lao-Tzus in the way they differ in philosophies, yet the ends they seek to meet are similar. They each had unique philosophies on leadership. As I attempt in trying to find commonalities in these two philosophies, the only one that I can sense is that both give advice on how to lead a nation to maintain prosperity, safety, and peace. I also find truth in the book statement that reads: Like Lao-Tzu, Machiavelli is brief andRead More Leadership in Thoughts from the Tao-te-Ching and The Qualities of a Prince636 Words   |  3 PagesLeadership in Thoughts from the Tao-te-Ching and The Qualities of a Prince Lao-Tzu’s â€Å"Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching† and Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Qualities of a Prince† both have the ultimate goal of making better leaders. The tactics that each writer chooses to present as a guide for the leader are almost opposite of each other. Today’s American government would benefit from a combination of the two extreme ideas. Lao-Tzu’s laissez-faire attitude towards the economy, as well as his small scaleRead MoreIdeas of Rulers in Tao-te Ching and The Prince Essay497 Words   |  2 PagesWhen comparing Tao-te Ching to The Prince there are numerous differences. The authors of these two documents had almost completely opposite ideas of how a ruler should behave and how a government should be run. One believed that the ruler could accomplish the most by doing the least; the other believed that by controlling how the public perceived a ruler was what would make him a success or a failure. Machiavelli believed that to rule the prince must do things that would win approval with hisRead MoreAmerican Government Essay example684 Words   |  3 Pagesgovernment, if we want the government to remember theirs. How perfect would It be if our government was run according to Lao-tzu and his teachings in Tao-te Ching? Lao-tzu believed in the unseen ruler, which means to show the people the way and they will follow. Lao-tzu paints an idealistic picture of how if there were no government at all the people would be better. Lao-tzu thinks there is no need in laws or war. Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier. ThrowRead MoreLao-Tzu: Characteristics of a Good Leader Essay examples1844 Words   |  8 Pagesaffected by it. Lao-Tzu’s, â€Å"Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching,† along with Niccolo Machiavelli’s, â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince,† both discuss multiple characteristics that a leader should possess to be a successful. While their goal is similar, in which they both describe what it takes to become a better leader, their ideas concerning leading are conflicting. Lao-Tzu, a Chinese Philosopher from Henan Province China, is known today as the author of, â€Å"Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching.† He is also recognizedRead MoreLao-Tzu, Machiavelli, and the American Government Essay examples651 Words   |  3 PagesLao-Tzu, Machiavelli, and the American Government Lao-Tzus Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching and Machiavellis The Qualities of a Prince both have the ultimate goal of making better leaders. The tactics that each writer chooses to present as a guide for the leader are almost opposite of each other. Todays American government would benefit from a combination of the two extreme ideas. Lao-Tzus laissez-faire attitude towards the economy, as well as his small scale, home defense military isRead MoreLao Tzu And Machiavelli Analysis1038 Words   |  5 Pagesleader can be interpreted differently. A leader must ensure the safety of his subjects, however, there are different ways in which to do so. The absence of admirable leadership leads to chaos and social unrest. Within Lao Tzu’s Thoughts from the Tao-Te-Ching and Machiavelli’s The Prince, there are similar ideas surrounding the definition of a leader. They ultimately explore their idea of what an optimal government would be like; more specifically, what an ideal leader is and how they can maintain social

Monday, December 9, 2019

Penalty regime to counter corporate finance - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the Penalty regime to counter corporate finance. Answer: Introduction The Royal Commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services industry had been established on 14th December 2017 by the governor general of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency General the Honorable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd). With increasing misbehavior of the financial services industry in Australia, the government had declared a Royal Commission wholesomely into the banking institutions and other financial service institutions. The Government had allegedly stated that the Royal Commission launched by it would take up a conventional and focused approach. The results of the Royal Commission are due on February 2019. Literature Review The Royal Commission A majority of the population in Australia are the potential consumers of banking, superannuation and other financial services. The superannuation system accounts for more than over $2 trillion retirement savings pool and are growing rapidly, which has resulted in most of the Australians deferring income for their retirement (Merrington 2015). The matters into which the commission will investigate and inquire are as following: The type of the misconduct, its impact and extent by any financial services entity has been intended to examine and scrutiny The practices, behavior or operational activity carried out by a particular financial services entity that does not meet up to the recognized standards of integrity and expectations have also been investigated The royal commission has also been executed by the government to look into the existing regulations and mechanisms that evaluate the effectiveness of these regulatory procedures that control the conduct of the financial services industry It further carries out a scrutiny of the financial institutions by scrutinizing their existing policies and laws, internal controls that have been implemented within the organization and the codes of conduct followed by the employees of the organization. The Commission also has enough independence to give due importance to the matters that it thinks to have greater potential to harm the society The Commission will not be required to investigate into or refer to any kind of recommendations in case of the macro-prudential policy, oversight or regulations An overview into the objectives of the commission primarily indicates that the Royal Commission was a much needed action that had been finally executed by the government in order to clear the irrational behavior by the banks and other financial institutions in Australia (Smith 2017). According to the sources, the major reasons behind the government of Australia launching a Royal Commission in the financial sector of the economy had been that the banks of Australia had been going through one scandal after another over the past financial years. This can be evidently cited from the incidents that have taken place in the banking economy since the financial crisis. After the financial crisis the banks in Australia had paid fines of amounts as huge as $1 billion for unethically acquiring money from their customers or clients by fooling them (Smith 2017). The Commonwealth Bank in Australia had been dealing in money laundering practices, which involved 55000 breaches. There also had been other incidents, which triggered the government to launch the Royal Commission in the banking sector. However, the major event that grabbed the attention of the entire world was that around 20 national Australian banks had been sacked for inflating the real estate market by rapidly sanctioning bad loans or loans that had no chances of being paid back by the customers, as they did not meet the credit worthiness. Thus, the Royal Commission was a rightly taken decision by the government (Coleman 2016). The primary motive of the banking industry that is accumulation of profit has also hampered the integrity standards that have not been maintained by the banks. Moreover, the banks in Australia did not have the necessary corporate governance structure. This means that the organizations had no particular clue in regards to the exact position where the responsible managers had been placed and the effectiveness of the operations carried out by the managers in the due course of business. Furthermore, the remuneration structure of the banks had essentially been flawed as they did not set out the objectives and the structure of the remuneration arrangements that accounted for the approval of the remuneration policy by the board. The remuneration framework of the banks gave no due importance to the factors like incentives for protecting or preserving the interests and meeting up to the expectations of the stakeholders of business, the long-term financial strength of the trustee and the risk management framework of the trustees (Carnegie and OConnell 2014). The other reason behind the government launching the Royal Commission has been that the banks have been continuously robbing off its clients. The list of the fraudulent banks has not excluded the big players of Australia like the ANZ bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and other banks. For instance, the banks in Australia had unethically schemed out as much as $178 million. This had been essentially achieved by the banks by imparting false financial advices to its customers. The particular scandal that had been carried out by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia had been that the biggest bank of Australia had resorted to the unethical standards for gaining revenues. The bank now is liable to pay $106 million plus interest (Virgo 2015). Name of the Bank Compensation that have been agreed to be paid Estimated future compensation Total (estimate) AMP $2,120,000 $2.4 million $4.6 million ANZ $16,202,860 $33.5 million $49.7 million CBA $575,587 $105.1 million plus interest $105.7 million plus interest NAB $3,523,500 $13.4 million plus interest $16.9 million plus interest Westpac $1,244,659 N/A $1.2 million Totals $23,666,606 $154.4 million $178 million plus interest The above table shows the segregated values of the fines that are to be paid by the different financial institutions like the AMP, ANZ, CBA, NAB and Westpac for carrying out the fraudulent activities with its customers. Furthermore, the lack of accountability on the part of the banks has been a major issue in the banking sector of Australia. The culture of the private banks has essentially been sales driven and this has resulted in the banks refusing anyone in a senior position to account. There have been numerous examples of scandalous events taking place in Banks like the ANZ and Macquarie banks. Such occurrences of events have asked for immediate reaction by the upper or senior level management. However, the lack of taking on the blame or accountability on the part of the executives that belong to the higher level of hierarchy aggravate the misconduct of the banks. Therefore, it has been necessary for the government to execute a Royal Commission into the financial services industry of Australia (Steen, McGrath and Wong 2016). The particular financial scandal that had particularly grabbed the attention of the entire world economy had been the financial fraud carried out by the Commonwealth Bank of Australias financial planning scandal. The scandal particularly included the bank misleading its customers by recommending speculative investments, which robbed them off, of their respective money. The bank had also committed frauds such as forging signatures, overcharge of the fees and the creation of investment accounts that are unauthorized in nature particularly for their clients without merely informing them (O'Brien 2015). Earlier there had been proposals or recommendations for the launch of an inquiry in the activities that have been carried out by the banks. However, the federal government had rejected the proposal. Nevertheless, the former bank planner belonging to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia who had also played the role of a whistleblower, had announces to the media that serious talks were going on in regards to the conducting of a Royal Commission. The Senate committee felt that it was the only option, that could change the financial services industry in Australia (O'Brien 2015). He argued that for the launching of a Royal Commission into the banks, so that the public would get to know the institutions in which they deposited their hard-earned money. The particular area where the banks needs to be reformed is that they have to carry out more transparent processes in regards to the actions that they incorporate for the purpose of compensating the customer money. This means that they should have provided reports about the steps already taken by them to compensate their wrongdoings. But this had not been achieved by any of the banks as they lacked the integrity to compensate their customers. Moreover, the ongoing review with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia had not been satisfactory, as the bank had not reported all the breaches to the ASIC. After the acceptance of committing the fraudulent activities, there had been no further reports by the financial service providers in regards to the governance regulations adopted or the internal controls implemented within the organization for minimizing the further occurrence of such actions (McIlroy 2017). In this regards, the ANZ bank had reported that the management of the organization had sacked more than a dozen financial planners in the past twelve months. The bank had also reported that more than $30 million have been planned to be refunded to around eight thousand financial planning customers. Hence, it is evident from the discussed information that there have been mere apologies and planning by the banks, but they have executed no legible action plans or operations (McIlroy 2017). To add up to this, the insurance arm of Commonwealth Bank of Australia also had been charged as guilty for the use or adoption of unethical practices to avoid the payment of legitimate claims. The insurance arm of Commonwealth bank, popularly known as CommInsure is one of the top life insurer companies of Australia. It holds a customer base of about four million policy-holders. The insurance company had been caught red handed for the adoption of unethical practices for denying legitimate insurance claims of its customers. They also delayed certain payments to clients who had genuine reasons and needed the money from the insurance. The whistleblower in such a case had been Dr Koh who worked as the chief medical officer in the organization. Dr Koh had reported to the media there were several files missing and the information on numerous files had been altered in order to avoid the payments of insurance. When the doctor and his team had asked the IT department of the insurance company t o look into the matter and find the actual matter of the fact, the request had been denied (O'Brien 2015). Dr. Koh then carried his concerns to the Board of Directors hoping to find a solution there. However, instead of getting the issue resolved, the doctor had been dismissed from his job role. There had also been several instances where the employees of the organization itself or of the parent entity, that is the Commonwealth Bank of Australia had not been paid their legitimate amount of insurance claims or had been paid at a later period of time. The adoption of the trick of outdating the medical definition in the contracts for the purpose of delaying or denying payments to the policyholders was a major misconduct and has affected the public in a huge way. Moreover, there had been reports that no employees were sacked in the due process (O'Brien, 2015). The government now has been strict with such fraudulent and unethical institutions and has pressurized the banking body to accept more than 54,000 breaches that the bank had committed at different occasions. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia now faces about one trillion worth of fines (McIlroy 2017). The banks had never wanted a Royal Commission, as that would mean further analysis of the still undiscovered frauds carried out by the unethical financial institutions. As a result, of which, the banks especially the big four banks of Australia had decided to drop the ATM fees. However, such a measure could not mitigate the proposed Royal Commission into the financial services sector of Australia. This is because the Royal Commission had been proposed by the government in order to address and highlight the instability and chaos that the financial sector of the country is heading on to (Boersma 2015). The fraudulent behavior by the top banks of the nation is not only harmful for the public but also for the worldwide image of the nation. The banking sector in Australia is gradually losing trust and respect from the entire world and the impending outcome is that the economy of the country will face a huge financial disaster affecting the world economy as a whole (Adams caes et al., 2017). However, it should be further noted here that the government in spite of mentioning the happening of a Royal Commission for the betterment of the public and the banking and finance sector as whole, has been under quite pressure. This is the actual reason why, despite so many rejections by the banking bodies the Royal Commission is being conducted (Adams caes et al., 2017). The key factor at play here are the elections. With two by-elections under the way, the government does not want to frustrate the public, further. Moreover, the opposition party has been calling for a Royal Commission for a period of more than eighteen months (Adams caes et al., 2017). Recommendation Thus, all these factors have contributed to the Royal Commission. This decision, irrespective of the fact whether it had been considered for winning votes or voluntarily by the government is the only and the most apt solution for the increasing misconduct by the financial services industry in Australia. A Royal Commission will not only help in understanding the actual frauds that had been carried out by the banks but also implement the potential solutions. Conclusion The conclusion that can be arrived at from the literature review is that a Royal Commission is very much needed in Australia especially in the financial services and banking sector. This is because a major portion of the common people have been hampered due to these banks and they deserve rightful compensation. References Adams, M., Borsellino, G., McCalman, J. and Young, A., 2017. Australias proposed Banking Executive Accountability Regime: regulatory panopticon or fail-safe?. Governance Directions, (9), pp.528-531. Boersma, M., 2015. How Does Sustainable Banking Add Up?. Carnegie, G.D. and OConnell, B.T., 2014. A longitudinal study of the interplay of corporate collapse, accounting failure and governance change in Australia: Early 1890s to early 2000s. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 25(6), pp.446-468. Coleman, W. ed., 2016. Only in Australia: The history, politics, and economics of Australian exceptionalism. Oxford University Press. Gilligan, G., Ali, P., Godwin, A., Hedges, J. and Ramsay, I., 2015. An Analysis of Penalties under ASIC Administered Legislation: Scoping the Issues. Gilligan, G., Godwin, A., Hedges, J. and Ramsay, I., 2017. Penalties regimes to counter corporate and financial wrongdoing in Australiaviews of governance professionals. Law and Financial Markets Review, 11(1), pp.4-12. Gilligan, G., Godwin, A., Hedges, J. and Ramsay, I., 2017. Penalties Regimes to Counter Corporate Misconduct in AustraliaViews of Governance Professionals. Matthews, A., 2016. The financial services industry: Whistleblowing and calls for a royal commission. Precedent (Sydney, NSW), (136), p.35. McIlroy, J., 2017. Banks halt ATM fees to head off royal commission. Green Left Weekly, (1155), p.11. McIlroy, J., 2017. Re-nationalise the commonwealth bank. Green Left Weekly, (1149), p.11. Merrington, S., Lauchs, M., Bell, P. and Keast, R., 2015. An exploratory study of noble cause corruption: The Wood Royal Commission New South Wales, Australia 1994-1997. International Journal of Management and Administrative Sciences, 2(4), pp.18-29. O'Brien, J., 2015. The tyranny of distance and the paucity of imagination: an evaluation of the Australian Financial System Inquiry. O'Brien, J., 2015. The tyranny of distance and the paucity of imagination: an evaluation of the Australian Financial System Inquiry. Smith, K., 2017. Australia to boycott nuclear disarmament negotiations. Green Left Weekly, (1127), p.7. Steen, A., McGrath, D. and Wong, A., 2016. Market Failure, Regulation and Education of Financial Advisors. Australasian Accounting Business Finance Journal, 10(1), p.3. Virgo, G., 2015. Principles of the Law of Restitution. Oxford University Press, USA.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Religious Convictions Varied Views of Sayyid Qutb, Abd al Wahhab and John Wesley

Throughout the course of history, some individuals have actively engaged in doing things that have made a huge impact to our collective human history. From Jesus Christ to Adolf Hitler, these individuals have inspired the thoughts of many, leaving an indelible mark on the world stage.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Religious Convictions: Varied Views of Sayyid Qutb, Abd al Wahhab and John Wesley specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Undoubtedly, these individuals have utilized all kinds of means – good or bad – in their pursuit to influence the masses and transform their way of thinking (Farrell, 2001 p. 32). It is the purpose of this essay to critically analyze Sayyid Qutb, Mohammed ibn Abd al Wahhab and John Wesley in the context of reformers, revolutionaries and reactionaries. Sayyid Qutb represent the most mistaken and evil position. Due to his fundamentalism, Qutb can easily pass as â€Å"the ideological grandfather of Osama bin Laden and other extremists who surround him† (Cline, 2009 p. 1). Indeed, many analysts believe that Qutb’s works and teachings as a poet, author and educator helped shape terrorist organizations such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda. These networks have continued to destabilize the world peace to date. Although Sayyid’s political views seems rather mature, his philosophy and radicalism is largely responsible for espousing the concept of Jihad and the enactment of Sharia law that is viewed as dictatorial. Indeed, he is to blame for contemporary offensive jihad. He wanted to revolutionalize Islam by incorporating every aspect of life into the religion (Cline, 2009 p. 2). Each of the three men cherished different hopes for the future. Clearly a fundamentalist, Sayyid Qutb would have cherished to see a world where there were no governments or secular laws since they interfered with the sovereignty of God (Cline, 2009 p. 2). In short, he cherished a world where Sharia law will guide every single aspect of life of Muslims. He was anti-modernist and anti-reformist, and detested democracy despite its mention and practice in the Quranic institution. Mohammed ibn Abd al Wahhab, considered by many as the chief architect of Wahhabism, would have cherished to purify Islam by leading the Muslim faithful towards the original principles and doctrines of Islam (HIF, n.d. para. 12). He propagated reformist ideas, but disliked Muslims who practiced innovation in Islam. In short, Abd al Wahhab would have cherished to see a Muslim society that is free of corrupt beliefs, and that engages in practices which reflects the true fundamentals of Islam. John Wesley, a Christian theologian and the founder of the Methodist movement, would have cherished to see a Christian society where all faithful possess Christian perfection, signifying the holiness of both heart and life (Tomkins, 2003 p. 32). He wanted to see a Christian community th at held the love of God in high esteem. Wesley would also have cherished a just society judging by the fact that he fought for the rights of gays and prisoners.Advertising Looking for assessment on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Of the three men, only John Wesley contributed to the emergence of democracy. Sayyid Qutb propagated dictatorial orientations, and even advocated for the dissolution of governments (Cline, 2009 p. 1). He was a religious fundamentalist who wanted to tie every single aspect of life of individuals to religion through strict Sharia laws. Indeed, he was finally executed by the Egyptian government due to his hard-line stance on religious and secular matters, and could not stand the secular lifestyle practiced in western countries. Although Abd al Wahhab was a reformist, his democratic orientation was not any different. He could not stand the sight of his Muslim brothers who chose to prac tice an alternative form of Islam known as innovative Islam, preferring to call them infidels (HIF, n.d. para. 15). However, John Wesley clearly contributed to the emergence of democracy. First, he was viewed as controversial when he went public advocating for the rights of gay members of society (Tomkins, 2003 p. 34). Although homosexual behavior is largely viewed as unchristian, the Anglican cleric went ahead to advocate for their rights in accordance to democratic principles. He went further to advocate for prison reforms in the United Kingdom. John Wesley was a true champion of the rights and freedoms of the people as he went further to advocate for the rights of abolitionism movements (Tomkins, 2003 p. 39). Contextually, Wesley did not despise sinners or unbelievers the way Qutb and Abd al Wahhab did, but welcomed them into the kingdom of God with open arms. John Wesley’s contribution to democracy was unintended in as far as the available literature seems to suggest. His was a spiritual vocation that was practiced in a democratic and open approach rather than a democratic calling practiced in a spiritual approach. Wesley greatly assisted in the formation and organization of Christian communities in the UK for evangelical and discipleship purposes (Tomkins, 2003 p. 23). However, according to available literature, the Anglican cleric was a greatly gifted individual who advocated for equal rights of all people, including gays. Democratic principles advocates for the guaranteeing of the rights of majority while ensuring that the rights of the minority are safeguarded (Chalfant, 1997 p. 128). This is what the cleric did albeit unknowingly.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Religious Convictions: Varied Views of Sayyid Qutb, Abd al Wahhab and John Wesley specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All in all, the three men had their personal and religious convictions, beliefs and philosophie s that galvanized them to their followers. The impact of their religious teachings is still felt today, with Jihads and terrorist networks clearly following the teachings of Sayyid Qutb and contemporary Methodists following the teachings and religious doctrines of John Wesley. Wahabism is also a way of life for many Muslims around the world today. However, only John Wesley practiced and contributed to the emergence of democracy. List of References Chalfant, J. (1997) Abandonment Theology. Hartline Marketing. ISBN: 0965607402 Cline, A. (2009) Sayyid Qutb: Father of Modern Islamic Extremism. Viewed  https://www.learnreligions.com/sayyid-qutb-modern-islamic-extremism-250229 [5 December 2009] Farrell, W. (2001) The Myth of Male Power. Berkley Trade. ISBN: 9780425181447 Hidaayah Islamic Foundation. (n.d.) Wahabism Exposed: Sheikh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al Wahhab. Viewed  http://www.sultan.org/articles/wahabism.html [5 December 2009] Tomkins, S. (2003) John Wesley: A Biography. Michi gan: WM. B. Eardmans Publishing. ISBN: 0802824994 This assessment on Religious Convictions: Varied Views of Sayyid Qutb, Abd al Wahhab and John Wesley was written and submitted by user Daphne Barry to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.