An analysis of Globalization

An analysis of Globalization Introduction Globalization is defined to be the dynamic process of growth of all national linkages due to the enlargement and deepening of transnational linkages increasing due to the diversification of economic, political, social and even cultural rights. However, it is important to highlight that problems associated can become global as well, rather than just within the nation. Some people condemn globalization while others are all praise for it. It is a mixed fare that has brought riches to some and misery to others. Countries like Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and India and Pakistan to some extent have had to get a severe jolt because of globalization. Addressing the economic and financial point of view, globalization is defined to be strengthening the links between national economies on the global markets for goods, services and especially due to their capitals. A similar definition was presented in a report in 1997 of the International Monetary Fund, that:the phenomenon of globalization is the integration of world economy in strong growth both with the markets for goods and services and the capital. Globalization has thrown a new challenge before all the countries of the world. Now, even the companies in developing countries have to compete with the powerful giants of the western world. As a result of this, companies which could not withstand the effect of globalization, had either been completely wiped out or suffered heavy losses. It was once stated that, globalization would increase avenues of employment. While such avenues have increased in certain fields like information technology, dramatics, media, services, etc. They have drastically decreased in other fields like agriculture, manufacturing, and engineering etc. Regarding the global nature of technology, it has had its major sources of technical progress that it is concentrated in the developed world, the scientific research is based on global resources, and implementation of technology is focusing on global concerns just like media, services. Global marketing deals with the marketing strategy of companies that meet the requirements of globalization and promote this process. Economic globalization is the gradual integration of national economies in a process that continues to diminish the importance of boundaries for the development of economic activities. Expanding to the world level of economic relations and creating an international business environment, which stimulates the globalization process. In this report we will be discussing the impact of globalization on India as a whole, the economy and how it has helped India in attaining its goal of becoming a developed country in the near future. History and background India is a nation of extraordinary diversity, the second largest in Asia and the seventh largest country on Earth, with a total land area of 2,973,190 sq km. It is the giant of the Indian subcontinent, which comprises fully one third of Asia. India supports one seventh of humanity and this population is continuing to increase at an astonishing rate. India had one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Like China, it is known to be one of the founding civilizations of human history. Since 2500 B.C, the people of India have had a continuous civilization and influenced by many invasions. Indus Valley Civilization was the first major civilization in India which spread and flourished in the north western part of the Indian subcontinent from 3300 to 1300 BCE. India had the first ever urban civilization. Several ideas, philosophies and movements which have shaped the destiny of mankind today, originated in India. Pre-History of India Around 9,000 years ago, Indias first settlement began, and throughout those years, India had been a mysterious land with several strong civilizations, which were able to beat both the Mongols and Alexander the Great during their history period. During the third century BC the country was united under Asoka the Great, this period was known as Indias Golden Age. This is the time India was developing through its advances in mathematics, arts, language, astronomy and religion. Moreover, the religion of Hinduism and Buddhism was developed around this time. Europe Arrives India is one country that kept itself independent nation for a long time, but around the 16th century, countries like the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France and Portugal began to establish themselves around India, greatly disturbing the country. By the year 1856, India was a part of the British East Company, essentially making it a part of the British Empire. For more than 100 years India was ruled under the British Empire. The country tried to fight against Britain in Indias First War of Independence, but they were not successful. Independence It was a long journey till India received its independence. They always tried to push the British Empire out but without success. However, they continued to fight for their independence. It was not until the legendary Mahatma Gandhi came along and led India in the move towards independence through non-violent civil disobedience. Under his guidance, India gained its independence on August 15, 1947, along with the region of Pakistan. In 1950, the country became a republic and created its own constitution. The people of India later split into Pakistan and India. This arose from differences in culture and religion. The Growing Giant Once India received its independence, it was having some problems with its neighbors. It also got into a dispute with China in 1962 that resulted in the Sino-India War, and the country has gone to war with Pakistan in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999. On the other hand, India became a member of the United Nations and it is also one of the few nuclear nations in the world. In addition, the country has transformed itself through economic reforms and is now becoming a superpower along with China. Currently, India is known to be one of the worlds fastest growing economies and so it is expected that India will be one of the major countries of the 21st century, similar to Russia and the United States. One thing that can be seen from this is that India, which has been around in one form or another for thousands of years, shows to it is ready to face all the challenges it is placed with and has no plans of slowing down its growth. Primeval Globalization Globalization can be traced back to the roots of India, ever since the start of its first civilization. India has always been famous for its trade for as back as history can remember. Since ancient times till the start of the British Raj, India has been known for its wealth and fortunes. During the medieval period, roughly from the 12th to the 16th centuries, the country was prosperous despite its political instability. The growth of towns throughout the country was a key element of this period. The impact of political and economic policies practiced by Muslim rulers of the time had led to the development of several towns. This eventually turned into trade and industrial hubs of the country, leading to its prosperity. The economy boomed further as a stable currency system was implemented, using the silver tanka and copper dirham during the Sultanate period which was from the 13th to 16th century. Major trading cities including Delhi, Bombay, Lahore and Ahmedabad. These coastal towns began growing with large populations. Under the Mughal era, from the 16th to 18th century, the urbanisation of India gained further momentum. The formation of a stable and uniform government let to peace and security in the country that inevitably led to the boom of commerce and trade. The escalating foreign trade led to the establishment of markets not only in towns but in villages as well. The production of handicrafts increased as the demand for them in foreign countries increased. The main town centres during the Mughal era were Ahmedabad and Bombay. Farming was a major industry as farmers grew rice, wheat and cotton. Coastal towns were responsible for producing salt. The history of globalization suggests that India had many transnational business relations with the world, with their major trading partner being Mesopotamia, now Iraq. Strong commerce and trade relations with neighbouring countries and Europe are all aspects of the ancient Indian economy. The ancient economy was always looking to expand its operations worldwide in search of new business locations and opportunities. Products There was a large variety of exquisite goods sold in the Indian markets. India was famous for their textile that was one of its main exports. Textiles were traded to Arab nations and South-east Asia. The textile products included quilts of cotton or silk, and colored or printed cloth material. Kasimbazaar in Bengal was a major trade centre for silk and cotton goods. Indian textiles were highly appreciated for their fine and elaborate design consisting luminous colours. Major trading articles included materials such as silk and cotton, metals such as silver and gold, gems, potteries and foods such as cinnamon, honey and pepper. Hardwood furniture, embroidered with inlay work was also very popular. The furniture was based on European designs; however the luxurious inlays and carvings were influenced by Mughal style. Maine markets for furniture were in Sindh and Gujarat. During the 16th century, carpet weaving touched new heights and became an important profession for trade. The carpets produced during the Mughal era depicted either animals in combat or flowers. South India became famous for its fishing industry, pearl, ornamental work in cut stones, ivory and tortoise shells. Diamonds also became a major trading good once they were mined from the Deccan Plateau. Calicut was a major centre for cutting and polishing stones. Indian arts and crafts were popular in European countries due to their beauty. Foreign Trade Indias exports were greater than its imports. Some of the main imports were horses from Kabul and Arabia, European glassware and Chinese raw silk, including porcelain were also imported. Luxury goods such as stones, corals, precious wines, dry fruits, scented oils, wool, bronze, wax, perfumes and velvets were also very popular imports. Goods that were commonly exported included gold-embroidered cloth caps, guns, elegantly designed clay pans and pots, scissors, silk and knives. Goods such as oils, sugar, sandalwood, salt, coconuts, diamonds and other precious gems and spices were also mainly exported. Arab traders shipped Indian goods as far of to European countries via the Mediterranean and Red Sea. Indian products were also sent to East Africa and the Far East. An average of 300 ships docked at Indian ports per year, this magnitude of trade promoted the shipbuilding industry in coastal towns. Eventually there were over 300 ports to accommodate the huge number of ships visiting. These facts can give a good idea of a what scale trade was during the medieval era. Therefore, as it can be seen India has always enjoyed a positive balance in trade relations with other countries. The income from export of indigo, spices, textiles and sugar alone were in millions of rupees, thus having the state treasury abundantly filled with gold and silver. The Decline in Prosperity Political conditions in India during the 18th century such as the decline of the Mughal government led to the downfall of mercantile community. As a result trade downscaled and then the Maratha invasion of India also reduced commerce and trade. During the 18th century, the invasion of the British Empire deteriorated the prosperity of India. The defeat at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 started the declined of the country. The British implemented heavy duties on exports and imports to the country, which hurt trade relations. After taking over, the British prevented other nationals from entering the country for trading purposes. Also the export of Indian textiles was banned. The British monopolised the foreign trade of India, crippling it. They started importing goods only from England, forcing Indian traders to other professions. A once great trading country had been handicapped to its death by the end of the eighteenth century. (Kumar) Globalization and liberalization Both globalization and liberation are interrelated to each other. The first wave of globalization emerged in India, when economic liberalization policies were implemented in the 1990s by Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Finance Minister of the country at that time. From then on, the economy has improved vastly in many aspects and has drastically increased the standard of living of the citizens. Pre liberalization period and globalization Post-independence till the end of the 1980s, Indias economic strategy was primarily based on government control and a centrally run market. India did not have a proper consumer based marketplace and thus, foreign investments were not coming in. During the 1980s, there was an increase of stress on globalization and liberalization of the economy by the Congress government. In 1991, Rajiv Gandhi-led Indian government imposed limits on office holders regarding expansion of capacity, brought down corporate taxes, and abolished price controls. The main objective of the government was then to help boost the GDP of India and to increase exports. Even though the economic liberalization policies were implemented, they did not do much in improving the economic state of the country. The imports eventually exceeded exports and thus the country started to have severe balance of payments. The downfall of the Soviet Union, a key trading partner of India, also provoked the problem against India. The country was in a desperate state for economic reforms in order to improve its situation. Liberalization in the 1990s Under the guidance of Dr. Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister of India, the first steps towards liberalization were taken, with the aim towards embracing globalization. This was considered a milestone in Indian history and ever since, the economy has been steadily improving. Today the Indian economy is one of the fastest growing in the world with a growth of 7% per year. The Indian Economy: The Effect of Liberalization Globalization and liberalization have greatly affected the Indian economy and converted it in to a multi-billion dollar consumer market. Today, most of the economic changes in the country are based on the demand supply cycle and other economic factors. Today, India is the worlds 11th largest economy in the world with a nominal GPD of US$1.243 trillion and 4th largest in terms of the Purchasing Power Parity at US$3.561 trillion. The business and economic environment is evolving towards constant improvement. The Indian economy has transformed into a vibrant, rapidly growing consumer market, containing a strong middle class with over 300 million people. India provides a large market for consumer goods, on one hand, and imports capital goods and technology to modernize its manufacturing base, on the other. Revolution in the field of manufactured goods coupled with opening up the economy to the globalized market forces, has led to the inflow of various consumer goods into the Indian marke t to cater to the needs of consumers and a variety of services such as banking, financing, insurance, transport, housing construction, entertainment are being made available to consumers. Liberalization and privatization have paved the way for a number of market players to enter into the Indian economy ensuring greater choice and better quality of goods and services to the consumers. Greater reliance on market forces have been felt in the last two decades. However, it has also been widely recognized that fate of the consumers cannot be left to sheer market forces. Government intervention is required to ensure protection of consumers. According to a report by the World Bank, the Indian market is expected to grow at around 8% in the year 2010 and become the largest economy in the world by 2020. However due to its large population size, India has a low per capita income of $3,100. India ranks 139th with its nominal GDP capita and 128th with its GDP per capita at PP Globalization and liberalization have positively impacted various important economic segments. Today, the service sectors, industrial sectors and the agriculture sector have grown drastically. 54% of the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India is part of the service industry while the industrial and agriculture sector contributes around 29% and 17%. With the improvement of the economy, more and more new sectors are starting up and drawing profits such as IT services, cement, textiles, and chemical industry. With the boost in the supply level, the rate of employment is also increasing accordingly. Several improvements in the manufacturing sector have helped it grow from 8.98% in 2005 to around 12% in 2010. The communication sector has grown up to 16.64%. The annual growth of the industrial sector has been 6.8 %, which will rise further in the future. India is one of the largest industrial markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Globalization and foreign investment One of the key aspects of globalization is foreign investment. India has emerged as one of the ideal markets for foreign investors due to its vast market size. Several foreign companies are investing in the Indian market to get higher profits. The foreign institutional investments (FII) amounts to around US$ 10 billion in FY 2008-09, while the rate of Foreign direct investments (FDI) has grown around 85.1% in 2009 to US$ 46.5 billion from US$ 25.1 billion (2008). Indias economic growth has been hindered in past by a variety of factors. For example in 2002, deficit in expenditures for areas such as power, telecommunications, construction, real estate and transportation prevented growth of the Indian economy. This led to permission and promotion of foreign investment, which has contributed to a continuous rate of development in last five years. Being the least hit of all economies, the Indian economy has really survived the storm of global financial crisis. Rating agencies like, Moodys, have stated that the strong performance is a resultant factor of renewed growth between India and China. Growth figures of Indian economy: * Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at factor cost 6.7% in 2008-09 * Growth of GDP in agriculture, forestry and fishing 1.6% in 2008-09 * Growth of GDP in industry 3.9% in 2008-09 The Government of India is undertaking every possible means to restore the India economic growth. Some other Indian economy growth projections are World Bank has forecasted an 8% growth for India in 2010 Economists predicted a 6.5% growth for 2009-2010 Goldman Sachs predicts a 5.8% for 2010 The Government has raised the GDP growth forecast to 8.5% for FY11. India Economy statistics The foreign exchange reserve of India stood at US $285.5 billion on October 2009. Indias GDP was US $1.217 trillion in 2008. India economys GDP growth was 7.09% in 2008. Exports contributed to the Indian GDP in 2008 with a growth rate of 24.0%. Imports contributed to the Indian GDP in 2008 with a growth rate of 30.34%. Indias wholesale based annual inflation rate increased to 1.51% as on October 17, 2009. Impact of Globalization on Employment in India Globalization has played an important role in the generation of employment in India. Due to the economic liberation policies in 1990s, the employment scenario in the country has seen to be significantly improved. The following will provide a study of the impact of globalization on employment in India that will bring out a number of factors. Market liberalization policies and employment The awareness and awakening of globalization took place in India during the early 1990s, when the Finance Minister Manmohan Singh initiated the open market policies. This initiated a critical change and improvement in the gross domestic product of the country and the exports increased significantly. There was a sudden increase in the customer base and it led to slowly giving rise to the consumer market where the market was changing and was dependent on the demand supply chains. In fact, the growth in demand led to the certain changes and the supply to start increasing. Once the supply starts, it would be directly linked to the employment; moreover the supply leads to an increase of production which leads to more employment over the years. Growth of new segments in the market Due to globalization and the growth of the consumer market, a number of segments in various sectors of the industry have grown over the years. This has led to the significant rise in the rate of demand and supply. During the recent years, there are a number of industry segments like the information technology, agro products, personal and beauty care, health care and other sectors that have come into the market. According to the studies and experts it says that there are a wide range of sectors that have led to the positive growth of the economy in the country. Due to the upcoming of more and more industries, there has been a high demand for quality workforce. For example, there are a number of young people who are interested in working and so take up jobs in all segments for a new start. In the unorganized sector as well, there has been an increase in various sectors which has improved the rate of employment in the country. As per the recent surveys, and data collected- there has been a significant increase in the number of people working in the unorganized and allied sectors. The pay package in all these unorganized sectors have also increased to a great extent. Improvement in the standard of living Due to the globalization it has left a major impact in the economy of India, and so there has been an improvement in the standard of living of the people. These improved changes and the approving economic growth has led to the development of infrastructure, health care facilities and services, per capita income and other factors which have really led to the high growth rate. It has been predicted that the economy in India will be growing around 6-7% yearly. This growth rate is expected to improve the overall employment situation more and the per capita income will tend to increase significantly. Development of other sectors Globalization has positively affected the growth of various sectors in India. Based on the effect of globalization, it has opened new markets along with new employment opportunities for the people. The service industry has a share of around 54% of the yearly Gross Domestic Product (GDP). From this figure itself, it explains how the service industries are doing in the market and as such, there are plenty of employment opportunities. Meanwhile, in the other sectors, industry and agriculture the rate of employment has gone up. The industrial sector contributes around 29 % while the agricultural sector contributes around 17 % to the gross domestic product. Additionally, there are other exports in the country that consist of tea, cotton, jute, wheat, sugarcane and so on. Due to the growth of customer base in all these sectors, more and more employment opportunities are opening up. Moreover, actually a number of young people and freshers are getting jobs in all types of industry. For example, in the manufacturing sector, there has been a growth of around 12% whereas; the communication and storage sector has also grown up by around 16.64%. Government Initiatives To deal with the encouraging effects of globalization, the government has taken a number of initiatives. There are a number of employment opportunities such as former Prime Minister Rojgar Yojna and the former Chief Minister Rojgar Yojna initiated programs to improve the employment situation in rural areas. The Minimum Wages scheme has been set up and tends to be successfully. To learn more about the improving the quality of workforce, a lot of effort has been given to the impact of education. Under these schemes, new schools are being opened up and attention is also being given to the welfare of the students. Similarly in the urban sector too, more and more employment opportunities are being opened up for the youth in a number of government sectors, banks and so on. Sequentially, to promote communication and migration of workforce to various parts of the country to cater to the needs, the government has also developed communications to a great extent. New roads and highways are being constructed to increase connectivity. Impact of Globalization on Poverty in India The impact of globalization on the poverty level in India has always been an ongoing issue. While some scholars agree that globalization has led to high economic growth in the country, leading to positive economic conditions and a better standard of living for the people. Others contend that globalization barley had any positive impact on the country as a whole. The economic growth after liberalization of 1990 led to rapid progress of public facilities all over the country. The standard of living increased as the per capita income increased, which inevitably improved the poverty level of masses. In general, if the economy of a country improves, the poverty level reduces. As India became a consumer based marketplace it created more job opportunities, which also helped improved the poverty level. Also with the growth of globalization throughout India, the agriculture sector grew tremendously, which helped reduce poverty mainly in rural areas. The introduction of technologically advanced equipment changed the way farmers worked. Tools such as tractors and rowers increased the produce in terms of quality and quantity. As such, farmers have started earning more and have improved their per capita income and the standard of living. Globalization has also positively impacted the health care of India. As several medical advances came into the country, they improved the overall health situation of India. This led to the increase of morality rates and reduced the malnutrition rates. We as a group feel that globalization helped improve the poverty level of India and the factors listed above are proof of that. Challenges India is facing It is predicted by Goldman Sachs and the Global Investment Bank that by 2035 India will have the third largest economy of the world after US and China. India has a booming economy and by 2035 it will grow to 60% of the US economy. To keep its status and to achieve GDP of 10% for the financial year India has to overcome many challenges. According to the CIA world fact book India has a population of 1.15 billion people and is growing at a rate of 2.11% approximately. Indias population is causing trouble for India to succeed. The population puts a lot of pressure on the economic infrastructure of the nation. Therefore, India needs to control its growing population. The World Bank has estimated that 41% of India lives in poverty. This means that 41% lives below US $ 1.25 a day. India needs to take some major steps to decrease this figure. It is crucial for a country to first eliminate poverty in order to succeed. The increasing population of India puts pressure on the economic resources and job opportunities. For the growth of the country the Indian government has started various schemes such as Jawahar Rozgar Yojna and Self Employment Scheme for Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEUY). However, these schemes are not as successful as they were planned. The growing population would cause unemployment in the country and become a problem. The labor force is growing at about 2.5% a year but employment only grows at 2.3% a year. India is also struggling to complete the pending investment projects. These investment projects are essential for long term development of the country and therefore need to be in progress. Indias debt is 58% of GDP according to the CIA World Fact book; this is another issue that India is struggling with. Another challenge India is facing due to globalization is the divide between the Rural and Urban Areas. It is said that even though India has progressed so much, at least 70% of the population still lives in villages. There is a very severe difference in the rural and urban growth. This is causing a wide gap between the two. As a result, India needs to work on the gap between the rural and urban areas. There should be a balance between both the societies. To work better towards the countrys growth and success India needs to work on maintaining fiscal discipline and introducing financial reforms such as privatization of the public sector. The budget for the expenditure over a certain period should be matched by its revenues. Davesh Kapur, director of the Centre for Advanced Study of India and an associate professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania explains, police forces, land rights, education, and health, are not in a good condition. Kapur stresses that the link between education and social justice in India is increasingly significant, as social inequalities limit access to severely limited educational resources. India needs overcome its challenges by planned economic reforms, such as its labor laws from which there are more employment opportunities for the growing population. Reorganizing the agriculture sector, introducing new technology and reducing the dependence on monsoon will not only create more job opportunities but will help India advance. Opportunities in India Globalization has provided many opportunities for the growing population of India. It has allowed many companies to be introduced in India. Due to globalization, companies have had the opportunity to increase their base of operations and expand their workforce to a broad range of customers. Globalization is playing a major role in the growth of the country and enlarging opportunities that are available. Many companies are taking advantage of Indias lower cost yet English speaking work force. One of the major forces that have expanded its growth is the outsourcing of IT and business. This gives better options for the local work force and utilizes the global communications technology such as the email and internet (Economy Watch). Multinational companies have the advantage of establishing low cost outsource work force in India. This has also helped many organizations in India to gain confidence which can play roles in globalization through expansion. Since the liberalization of 1990, there has been positive growth, which resulted in an significant improvement in the job markets and employment. Standards of living have been better and improved significantly in India. Development of the infrastructure and health care has become better and it is known that India will grow around 6-7% yearly (Business Maps of India). This growth rate is expected to improve the overall employment situation more. In order to have faster communication and migration of workforce to various parts of the country, the government has developed infrastructure to a grea

Metabolic Costs Of Generating Force :: essays research papers

ENERGETCS OF BIPEDAL RUNNING 1. METABOLIC COST OF GENERATING FORCE Summary Similarly sized bipeds and quadrupeds use nearly the same amount of metabolic energy to run, despite dramatic differences in morphology and running mechanics. It has been shown that the rate of metabolic energy use in quadrupedal runners and bipedal hoppers can be predicted from just body weight and time available to generate force as indicated by the foot ground contact. We tested whether this link between running mechanics and energetics also applied to running bipeds. We measured rates of energy consumption and times of foot contact for humans (mean body mass 78.88kg) and five species of bird mean body mass 0.13-40.1 kg). We find that most (70-90%) of the increase in metabolic rate with speed in running bipeds can be explained by changes in the time available to generate force. The rate of force generation also explains differences in metabolic rate over the size range of birds measured. However, for a given rate of force generation, birds use on average 1.7 times more metabolic energy than quadrupeds. The rate of energy consumption for a given rate of force generation for humans is intermediate between that of birds and quadrupeds. These results support the idea that the costs of muscular force production determines the energy cost of running and suggest that bipedal runners use more energy for a given rate of force production because they require a greater volume of muscle to support their body weight. Key words: locomotion, energetics, bipedal, bird, muscle force. Introduction The question of wither more energy is required to run on two or four legs was addressed 100 years ago when Zuntz (1897) performed some of the first measurements of metabolic energy consumption in running animals. He found that horses used less energy than humans to move a unit body weight a unit distance, and he speculated that there might be an energetic benefit to moving on four legs rather than two. However, subsequent measurements of oxygen consumption in running dogs showed that these quadrupeds use more energy per unit body mass to move a given distance than both humans and horses. Zuntz (1987) noticed that this energy cost of transport in horses, dogs and humans was proportional not to limb number but to body mass and concluded that, per unit body weight, small animals use more energy to run a given distance than do large animals, regardless of limb number (Zuntz, 1987).

Police Brutality Essay

On March 3rd, 1991, Rodney King and his two friends were pulled over for speeding In Los Angeles. King had just recently been released from prison for second degree robbery and was still on parole. The police officers on duty reported speeds of 110-115 mph and even called in a helicopter for back up although there was no police chase involved. The police audio tape explains how King circled through a dark neighborhood going 55mph in a 40-mph zone and the how the vehicle stopped at a red light but failed to yield to police. Based on the statements of the audio tape, it appears the officers pursued King because he had a criminal record. King was pulled over by at least 15 officers in patrol cars. Two witnesses observed King getting out of his vehicle, while following police orders, as he lay on the ground. The police on scene reported King trying to stand up while being handcuffed causing an officer to fall and he also allegedly reached into his pants pocket that raised police concerns . They also said King kicked and swung at the officers while he charged at them. The eye witnesses said they didn’t see him attempt to do any of these accusations. While King was lying on the ground handcuffed, he was tazed with a stun gun and struck across the face with a baton by the apprehending police officers. A third witness was able to videotape the incident and it shows King was hogtied on the side of the road being beaten repeatedly for a couple minutes by the Los Angeles police officers. King was struck in the head and shoulders multiple times and was even stomped on in the head and neck area. Witnesses said out of all the officers on scene, not one of them made any effort to stop the beating. After King was beaten the police dragged him down the street face down, still hogtied and handcuffed, where he was left all alone. The ambulance arrived minutes after this horrific beating occurred. King was loaded onto the stretcher, still hogtied, and was taken to the hospital. King’s two friends were simply let go after the ambulance left. When King was examined by doctors, they found nine skull fractures, a shattered eye socket and cheekbone, a broken leg, a concussion, injuries to both knees and nerve damage that left his face partially paralyzed. King was released without charges. A sergeant and three officers were the only ones charged with this horrendous crime. (Deutsch n.p.). This case definitely helped shed more light and public awareness about police brutality, especially towards the L.A.P.D. (Los Angeles Police Department). The L.A.P.D. has had a bad reputation for generations of the heartless treatment of minorities and the disrespect they display towards civilians. There have been hundreds of racial profiling complaints towards the LAPD. They have yet to consider a single one valid. The L.A.P.D has the lowest officer-to-resident ratio consisting of 8,300 officers serving a population over 3.4 million. White officers make up 61% of the L.A.P.D while Los Angeles’s population consists of about 60% of nonwhites. Some believe that white police officers don’t understand a lot of things that go on in these areas and that could potentially be one reason why some instances result in excessive force. Being a police officer is a perilous occupation where police are sometimes put in dangerous situations and excessive force is needed. Although police are able to use excessive force to protect and serve our country, there are many police officers who abuse their power and privileges. Many officers use extreme measures when it deems unnecessary which results in police brutality or even death. Police brutality has been in the public view for quite some time but not much has been done about it because most evidence either gets covered up or disregarded. While citizens worry about protecting themselves from criminals, they must also keep a watchful eye on those who are supposed to protect and serve. Police brutality in the U.S., racial profiling, the prevention of abuse, and what we can do to protect ourselves and each other against police brutality are important views to be aware of that lead us to understand what we can do to help reduce these inhumane acts in our society. Many reports claim police brutality have risen quite a bit in recent years so that could easily explain why there are 3,890,000 police brutality videos accessible on the internet today and not only is it widespread it is profoundly entrenched. Police brutality is commonly known around the world as the use of unreasonable or excessive force used by the police to pursue or arrest civilians that end up causing serious injury to an individual for no reason at all. It is said that it mainly consists of white officers abusing minorities. This may include physical injury, false arrests, verbal attacks, physical intimidation, psychological manipulation, and sexual abuse. (Langsted n.p.). Surprisingly, many of the people that are involved in a police brutality case are not involved in criminal activities. They simply had a minor disagreement with the police officer. Little is being done to reduce or monitor the number of police beatings and evidence shows that â€Å"racial and ethnic minorities were disproportionately† harmed by harassment, verbal and physical abuse, and false arrests. (Lendman n.p.). Unfortunately, police can use excessive force anywhere and for whatever reason. Different causes of police brutality are more common in some places than others. California, New York, Florida and Texas see the most cases of police misconduct. Police brutality is mostly caused by hatred for another race or at times an individual person but the elderly, women, students, and elected officials have become victims as well because of their weakness and vulnerability. Police have attacked people in university libraries, in public meetings, and in their own homes. Federal records do show a large majority of police brutality cases are left unresolved where police are not prosecuted. (Rockwell n.p.). It’s disturbing to know civilians, who witness police brutality, are so intimated by police for the fear of retaliation they don’t intervene to stop police brutality. Police who commit brutality are most likely to commit perjury as well. Police will most likely lie on the stand to prevent any lawsuits against them or the department they work for. The most common form of perjury made by police is they say the Miranda rights were read to an individual when they really hadn’t been. However, there are decent cops who truly believe a guilty individual will go free unless they lie on the stand to help put the criminal to justice. When police are investigated about incidents involving beatings or shootings, many cases show the actions of the police were unjustified. Police usually get a slap on the hand (no suspension/mild discipline) or get off pretty easy (probation) when it comes to punishments they should be held more accountable, for instance, being guilty of a serious misconduct. Meaningful disciplinary action for police officers should be just as stern and dealt with in a very similar way as any other civilian’s punishment would. The public is given very little information if the case doesn’t make it to trial so therefore the abuse stays hidden and police abuse continues. Police misconducts should be taken more seriously because cops are held to a higher standard and have made a promise to protect and serve our country. Did you know that, in 2009, only 33% of police officers that were charged misconduct went through to conviction? Only 64% were convicted and received prison sentences. And an astonishing 14 months is the average length of time a police officer spends in prison. (â€Å"Injustice Everywhere† n.p.). Depending on what their actions and misconducts are, some should be either fired, prosecuted or their peace officer license taken away. If they are unable to hold up their end of the bargain of the promise they made to our country then they should simply find another job. Alvin F. Poussaint, M.D. is an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He believes there are two main reasons that police officers have no problem with brutalizing people or witnessing them being beaten. The first reason is many officers get caught up in slogans such as â€Å"War on Crime† or â€Å"War on Drugs† they begin to see themselves as warriors in battle where the enemy beco mes the objective. The other reason is because the large amount of negativity policemen face and the number of bad people they are confronted with results in police making generalizations that take on racial tone. Police then feel people should be punished for who they are and what they represent. (Massaquoi n.p.). Although congress passed a Police Accountability Act in 1994, they failed to fund it. On top of that, the legislation doesn’t require police departments to provide data to the justice department nor are they required to keep any records. They don’t punish police violence or excessive force as human rights violations either. (Lendman n.p.). Police brutality is illegal and a violation of our civil rights that is protected by the United States Constitution. Recent studies show that since the attack on September 11, 2001 some police felt the use of excessive force was necessary so they began targeting individuals of middle-eastern or Islamic backgrounds. Although they thought or believed it was necessary to use excessive force doesn’t make their decision right because nobody is above the law, including police officers. Racial profiling as well as discrimination appears to be the leading causes of police brutality in America today. Decades of racial discrimination, poor urban planning, and failed labor policies have left African American’s jobless and trapped in poor neighborhoods. Once they are trapped, they rarely get opportunities needed to rise above poverty and have few positive role models so they feel they have no other choices but to turn to gangs and the life of crime so they can achieve a sense of belonging, protection, and money. Racial profiling is described as singling out any individuals or groups as potential suspects in a crime because of their race or ethnicity. Most victims that are subject to racial profiling are African Americans, Hispanic Americans, homosexuals, religious extremists and younger men. For example, if a police officer stops a young black man walking down the street or pulls him over while driving because they are viewed as commonly involved in drug crimes, stopping Hispanics near the Mexican border because illegal immigrants travel specific routes or Arab airplane passengers because Muslim groups have committed acts of terrorism are all acts of racial profiling. This commonly occurs in traffic stops, city streets, highways, schools, and are most common in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Texas. Racial profiling is so controversial these days because minority groups feel victimized by their race, ethnicity or national origin rather than their behavior. Although only small parts of groups participate in illegal activities, racial profiling treats everyone of that group as suspects. Another way people look at it is based on the known information about group characteristics of those involved in crimes it helps the police identify a young black man in a high crime area, a Hispanic man near the Mexican border or a Muslim man in the airport who may be a threat to innocent individuals. â€Å"Evidence shows that racial minorities are systematically victimized, without cause, in public, when driving, at work, at home, in places of worship, and traveling, often violently. Agencies designed to ban federal officers from engaging in racial profiling is, in fact, flawed and does little to end it, because it doesn’t cover â€Å"profiling based on religion, religious appearance, or national origin.† A major impediment to (prohibiting it) remains the continued unwillingness or inability of the US government to pass federal legislation (banning the practice) with binding effect on federal, state or local law enforcement.† (Lendman n.p.). Racial profiling is a violation of our Constitutional Rights but police departments either: encourage it, does little or nothing about it or, believe it or not, believe it’s necessary. Preventing police brutality is an ongoing goal in America. It’s hard to find a balance between laws designed to protect individuals and police officers. One way to help reduce police brutality is to help address a bad situation when you witness one arise. This can be dangerous so a person should take precautionary measures as necessary. The best way to defend ourselves against police brutality is to stay away from any situations where police may be involved. If a person happens to become involved in a situation where a cop is using excessive force, the person should not retaliate because that will only cause the situation to become more dangerous and a possible accumulation of unwanted charges may occur. If they are taken into custody, they should contact an attorney as soon as possible and make sure to write down as many details about the incident they can remember so if the incident goes to court they have the appropriate documentation. There are two amendments of the U.S. Constitution that protect civilians against police brutality. The Fifth Amendment states that a person cannot be forced to act as a witness against himself, or be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process. In other words, an officer cannot force an individual to commit a crime, nor can an individual be incarcerated without due process. The fourteenth amendment adds that no person under the jurisdiction of the United States can be deprived of the protection of the law. (Langsted n.p.). Diop Kamau is a 52 year old former police officer who, for the last two decades, has made a career recording police abuse in the California area because of the mistreatment his father encountered in 1987 by another California department. Although he is aware he is not very popular with many police departments, he continues to bring public accountability for local law enforcement into the public eye by videotaping and using microphones to test the racial tendencies of the local police. Police debate if the videos are serving the public interest or if it is putting officer’s lives in danger and setting the foundation for the public not to trust law enforcement. In some cases police say they are afraid to react to a situation because they think they will get in trouble for something they thought they did in good faith, which could actually cause serious safety issues and concerns for police and civilians. There are two sides to every story and then there is the truth. These video recordings have helped tell the truth in many controversial cases between police officers and the accusers. Usually the police officers get the benefit of the doubt because they have made a promise to protect and serve our country but with the rising amount of police brutality in America today, these videos help settle cases of police misconduct. These videos can also help protect police officers against false accusations of mistreatment as well. Not only can they help protect the public and police officers in difficult situations, it shows how officers and employees interact with the public. This can help suggest possible ways for police officers to improve their interactions with the public and to retrain their employees in a positive manor. Kamau says, â€Å"Video is making victims more credible. If Rodney King would have tried to tell his story without video, nobody would have believed it.† (â€Å"Policeabuse.com† n.p.). There are many police crimes caught on tape that can easily be viewed on the internet. All you have to do is go to http://www.policecrimes.com/ to read about the horrendous stories posted or you can also search for video footage on http://www.youtube.com/ by typing police brutality in the search engine. There is also a National Police Misconduct News Feed website, www.injusticeeverywhere.com, which allows the public to review daily recap’s of police misconduct in the U.S. America has every right to know what kinds of actions police are taking that violate people’s rights. On the contrary, law enforcement experts believe the openness of police brutality in the public will group all cops as being mean and unprofessional when this is not necessarily the case. There are dedicated police officers that put their lives on the line to protect us from harm. Mediation introduces new opportunities for police accountability as well. An officer participating in mediation is directly accountable to the citizen who filed the complaint. This enables the police officer to take full responsibility for their actions. It also enhances positive changes in police subculture. The experience of mediation between the police officer and complainant and the opportunity to learn how one’s actions affect one another, people may eventually have an effect on the police subculture. (Walker, Archbold, and Herbst n.p.). The best way to reduce police brutality is for the police departments to admit there is an ongoing problem with police abuse and that it does truly exist. It’s just as important for the community to stand up for the fight against police brutality. Another way is to increase the training and education in the recruitment new police officers. Instead of hiring high school graduates, they should be required to have a college degree. A police department should also have a good leader in the department to guide police officers to do the right thing. Officers that live in the same city they are working in helps tremendously because they are aware of the mores of the society they reside. If a police officer is unaware of their surroundings, they can have trouble reacting to situations they haven’t experienced before. Acknowledgement of the law and civil rights can help civilians distinguish what is right from wrong when it comes to treatment by police officers. Police brutality in the U.S., racial profiling, the prevention of abuse, and what we can do to protect ourselves and each other against police brutality are important views to be aware of that lead us to understand what we can do to help reduce these inhumane acts in our society. Police brutality and racial profiling have been continuous issues that have been around for hundreds of years, after slavery ended and it still continues to happen today. The knowledge of why and where it’s happening and the understanding of goals towards a better police accountability system can help American’s come together to create a peaceful and less violent society. It also teaches us how protect ourselves and each other against the inhumane acts by police officers if we are ever faced with such an unfortunate event. Being a police officer is a perilous occupation where police are put in dangerous situations sometimes and excessive force is needed. Although police are able to use excessive force there are many police officers who abuse their power and privileges. Many officers use extreme measures when it deems unnecessary which results in police brutality or even death. Police brutality has been in the public view for quite some time but not much has been done about it because most evidence either gets covered up or disregarded. While citizens worry about protecting themselves from criminals, they must also keep an eye on those who are trained to protect and serve our country. It may have taken for eye witnesses and their video cameras to capture the mistreatment of civilians of police brutality going on in the U.S, especially towards African American’s, but at least the problem is now being acknowledged and brought to the public’s attention instead of just being swept under a rug. People want the protection of police without having their rights violated along with the prevention of crime. There are many changes that occur as time goes on as far as laws, policies, people, attitudes, generations, beliefs and so on. The operations of police departments should be among the changes. We, as a nation, need to come together to prevent our families, friends and future generations from becoming a victim of police brutality. The past does not have to be the future so let’s take criminal justice more seriously so we can continue on towards the goal of having peace on earth. Works Cited Page , ed. â€Å"For cops, citizen videos bring increased scrutiny.†Policeabuse.com. USA Today, 01012012. Web. 6 Apr 2012. , ed. â€Å"National Police Misconduct NewsFeed Daily Recap 04-05-12.† Injustice Everywhere. Injustice Everywhere, 040512. Web. 6 Apr 2012. Deutsch, Linda. â€Å"Police tape: ‘You just had a big-time use of force’.† THE OREGONIAN. The Associated Press, 03191991. Web. 6 Apr 2012. Langsted, Evan. â€Å"Questions about Police Brutality.†Articlesbase. Articlesbase, 08242009. Web. 6 Apr 2012. Lendman, Stephen. â€Å"Police Brutality in America.† Baltimore Chronicle & Sentinel. The Baltimore News Network, 07132010. Web. 6 Apr 2012. Massaquoi, Hans. â€Å"How to stop police brutality – includes 12 steps to solving problem of police brutality.†Business Library. Ebony, 04062012. Web. 6 Apr 2012. Rockwell, Lew. â€Å"Quick Facts: US police brutality.† YOU.S DESK. Press TV, 12172011. Web. 6 Apr 2012. Walker, Samuel, Carol Archbold, and Leigh Herbst. â€Å"U.S Department of Justice.† Mediating Citizen Complaints Against Police Officers: A Guide For Police and Community Leaders. Department of Criminal Justice, 08022002. Web. 6 Apr 2012.

The United States Constitution Vs. Anti Federalism

The United States Constitution was written in 1787 during the Philadelphia Convention. This new document was meant to replace the older, weaker Articles of Confederation. This document became the foundation of America’s Government. But as times change so did the document, these changes are known as â€Å"Amendments†, the first ten being known simply as â€Å"The Bill of Rights†. These two unique sections of the constitution are similar yet serve different purposes. In the early stages of the founding of the United States the largest political issue was federalism vs anti-federalism. The federalist moving for a larger, stronger central government and the anti-federalists moving for a smaller more state oriented government. After the constitution was written many of the Anti-federalists felt that the constitution allotted for too much federal power and lacked emphasis on the rights of the individual. 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