The Importance Of Good Governance To Democracy Politics Essay

The Importance Of Good Governance To Democracy Politics Essay Democracy cannot flourish in the absence of good governance. The pre-condition for good governance is effective democratic institutions for democratizing the society. Improvement of the living standard of people cannot happen where people cannot participate in governance, human rights are not respected, information does not flow, and civil society and the judiciary are weak. Nine criteria of to be referred as the Nine Is of good governance or Nine I model of good governance. In the absence of these Nine Is good governance in Bangladesh like any other country will be a far cry. These components constitute the foundations of modern democracy and create the underpinning to establish free economy and spur domestic and foreign investment, specially the potential investment of the Non Resident Bangladeshis ( NRBs) particularly in the case of Bangladesh. It is not true that only elections lead to a democracy. Democracy should be home work (Manifesto) of the political parties where they ought to outline their ideas and concept of democracy they want to offer to the citizens in lieu of their votes. The political parties should make it vividly transparent as to how and when they will apply their policies for establishing a democratic society ensuring parity, rule of law, equitable distribution of wealth, social justice, freedom of speech and thought if voted to power. The political philosophy and the commitment of the political parties should be expressed in the form of party manifesto much ahead of elections for empowering the voters so that they can make good governance may be used to determine whether any country qualifies to have good governance are: 1. INDEPENDENT AND NON PARTISAN ELECTION COMMISSION 2. INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND THE RULE OF LAW 3. INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH 4. INDEPENDENT ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION 5. INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE 6. INDEPENDENT AND EFFECTIVE PARLIAMENT 7. INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 8. INDEPENDENT OMBUDSMAN SYSTEM 9. INVESTMENT FRIENDLY GOVERNMENT. I would propose these Nine components informed decisions before casting their votes during the elections. In Bangladesh, unfortunately the practice of presenting the manifesto of the political parties are not transparent and as such it may be stated that political commitment of the parties to the people is also not transparent which gives the parties a space to shift form their commitments and promise after the election. Sound policies and their execution are essential pre-condition of development. Good Governance necessarily means govern justly, invest in the people, and encourages private economic enterprise. Bangladesh is yet to promote principles of good governance, and initiative of our civil society reinforces the need for good governance. Through cooperative ventures of our parliament, judiciary, executive organ of the state along with the civil society it is possible to enact policies and design the governance so that human dignity and freedom are allowed to flourish. Some of the principles of good governance date back to the time of ancient Greece . Others are principles developed in more recent years, or lessons learned from our own history and that of other democracy practicing societies. Broadly speaking, good governance promotes fundamental and universal human rights. As per constitution of Bangladesh , the political power lies with the people  (Article 7). Principles of good governance allow people to pursue their lives in a just, equitable and democratic society. Countries like Bangladesh need the tools to educate their citizens to take part in the opportunities offered by the global economy. We need to do hard work to eradicate corruption. Perhaps the most basic and important principle of good governance is that a nations political institutions be democratic. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a form of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. This means that the rights and principles of democratic government can and should be universally applied. They are not a uniquely American invention. The right of every person to speak freely about his government is a basic human right to overcome bad governance even by a elected government by the party, for the politician and nothing for the people. The right of any citizens to express his opinion about his government is one that is supported by the doctrine Rule by the Ruled as has been recognized by nations all over the world. Now let us examine the Nine Is of Good governance INDEPENDENT AND NON PARTISAN ELECTION COMMISSION Independent and Non Partisan Election Commission is a precondition for free fair participative elections to elect public representative to the parliament. Elections, however, are not the only cornerstone to democracy. Accountable leadership and fulfillment of the will of the people are essential to ensuring that elections are a means to a democratic society, not an end in themselves. It is critical that a nations elections be free and fair in level plane ground. This means that every citizen have a equal access and opportunity to compete to become public representative. Voters have a choice among candidates and that they have a right to information concerning those candidates background. Free and fair elections are open and transparent to all people without discrimination based on sex, religion, or race. Such elections are not restricted by government interference and coercion by money and muscle. The right to free and fair elections should be guaranteed by independent nonpartisan election commission having appropriate capabilities and skill to deliver honest acceptable elections. And such elected government can only be held accountable to their citizens. Voters should be able to participate freely in the political process, whether through political parties or independent candidates. INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND THE RULE OF LAW Another criterion of good governance is independent judiciary, important for preserving the rule of law. It is very essential to have a strong judiciary and courts to ensure that a nations laws are enforced constantly and fairly. All organs of government must be law abiding. The rule of law also is the basis for the formation of business enterprises and the establishment of a free market, which underpin economic development. Citizens or their elected representatives should be involved in all levels of lawmaking including the local government. Another characteristic of good governance is the presence of constitutional limits on the political power. Such limits include transparent, creditable, periodic elections, guarantees of Fundamental Rights, guarantees of Human Rights by a independent judiciary, which allows citizens to seek protection of their rights and redress against government actions. These limit help make government departments accountable to each other and to the people. Accountability is another characteristic that is considered globally for the eligibility when determining whether a country practices good governance. Not only should the law be enforced, but it should also be enforced fairly and without any sort of discrimination. Good governance means equal protection for all without any discrimination of sex, cast, creeds, and race. An open and easy access to judicial and administrative systems. A nations courts should not be open to only a select few. Government agencies should allow appeals of regulations as well as citizen participation in their decision-making process, and citizens should be granted access to these bodies in a timely and easy manner. Governments also have a duty to protect their citizens from criminal violence, especially the practice of trafficking of persons. Women, girls and children are most vulnerable to this illegal trade, which can only be stopped by diligent law enforcement. Respect for the Citizens rights relating to personal privacy is a far cry in a weak democracy like Bangladesh . INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH To function properly, a democratic society must ensure free exchange of information and ideas. This is best realized in the creation of a free and open media and the freedoms of speech and expression. A free and independent media provides voters with the information they need to make informed decisions. It facilitates the exchange of political discourse, creating an open place for ideas where no view is neglected and the best are chosen. Free Media can also serve as a check on government power ensuring that bureaucracy, public officials and government departments remain accountable to the voters. The medias ability to report on trade and industry and the economy is also important for preserving public trust in the free economy and for attracting domestic and foreign investment including the potential investment of the NRBs. The right of the free media to publish, to editorialize, to criticize, and to inform is a fundamental principle of democracy. INDEPENDENT ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION Good governance also means combating corruptions, and countries can not be considered having good governance, if they are corrupt. To preserve the integrity of democracy, governments must strive to rid themselves of corruptions and bribery. Corruption destroys economic foundations, impedes the ability of developing countries to attract foreign investment. Corruption hinders the growth of democratic institutions, and concentrates power in the hands of a few having money and muscle. The best way to combat corruption is for governments to be open and transparent. Official Secrecy Act must not be abused. While in certain cases governments have a responsibility to retain secrecy and confidentiality regarding national security and alike issues. Strong laws against corruption, application of such laws and the actions of law enforcement agencies that work against corruption demonstrate a governments commitment to this principle. INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE Good governance requires that governments invest in their people and work to preserve the welfare of their citizens, without regard to gender, race or religion. Governments should invest in health care, nutrition, housing, education, and poverty elevation. They should ensure an economic environment where people can find jobs and establish business enterprises. Along with other measures, a governments ability to provide job and a high standard of living for its people is considered by the democratic world in determining governmental effectiveness. The importance of the other Four Is i.e., Independent and Effective Parliament, Independent Human Rights Commission, Independent Ombudsman System, Investment Friendly Government could not be discussed here due to limitations of space which I have intention to discuss later in some other articles of mine. CONCLUSION Only practicing these components  (Nine- Is)  of good governance results in a democratic society where people can pursue their hopes and aspirations. This will facilitate the creation of free markets, which are trusted by investors and financial institutions. Good governance is a pre-condition for any economic development. Development cannot flourish where people cannot participate in governance, human rights are not respected, information does not flow, and civil society and the judiciary are weak. UNDP and the World Bank, among others, have come to realize that development assistance that focuses only on economic governance at the expense of democratic governance fails. The proof is that, 42 of the 49 high human development countries on the UN Development Index are democracies  (UNDP source). With few exceptions, all of the worlds richest countries have the worlds most democratic governance. The fundamental rights and the standard of living of Bangladeshi citizens will be enhanced through good governance. But one has to remember the rule that no good governance no democracy. Governments that govern rationally with the commitment of good governance become democratic and get support for their reform efforts from their people as well as from the democratic world. #

The Behaviorist, Psychodynamic and Humanistic Contributions to Psycholo

This essay will in turn look at the behaviorist, Psychodynamic, and Humanistic approaches to Psychology. It will evaluate the assumptions and contributions for each approach. Behaviorists emphasize the relationship between the environment surrounding a person and how it affects a person’s behavior. They are primarily concerned with observable behavior, as opposed to internal events like thinking and emotion. This is a criticism of the behaviorist approach; it is seen as mechanistic and oversimplified, because it ignores mental processes or reinterprets them as just types of behavior. John Watson saw emotions as the secretion of glands and thinking as the movement of our vocal chords without actual speech. However studies have been carried out and it has been found that people can still think even when their vocal chords are paralyzed. Behaviorists make the assumption that in humans; virtually all behaviors are caused by learned relationships between a stimulus that excites the sense organs and a response which is the reaction to the stimulus. John Watson was strongly influenced by the work of Pavlov on classical conditioning. Pavlov trained dogs to salivate whenever he rang a bell. An unconditioned Stimulus (the bell) leads to an unconditioned Response (salivation). When the unconditioned stimulus is paired with another Stimulus (food), this stimulus will eventually produce the response on its own and is then called the conditioned stimulus which produces a Conditioned response. Behaviorists propose that phobias come about in a similar way, for example, somebody who is spider-phobic, might have learned to be scar... ... This essay has evaluated the assumptions and contributions of the behaviourist, psychodynamic and humanistic approaches to psychology. The behaviourist approach focuses on the behaviour of people and seeks to explain behaviour as being learnt. The psychodynamic and humanist approaches are more concerned with the emotional aspects of people’s lives rather than their behaviour. The psychodynamic approach places importance on childhood experience. The humanist approach places more emphasis on the importance of our self image. Bibliography Basic Psychology by Henry Gleitman (First Edition) Psychology, third edition by Cardwell, Clark and Meldrum Psychology – A New Introduction by Richard Gross, Rob McIlveen, Hugh Coolicun, Alan Clamp and Julia Russell (Twelfth Edition) Class lectures and handouts

Belong Speech †As You Like It and The Kite Runner Essay

John O’Donohue once said ‘the hunger to belong is not merely a desire to be attached to something. It is rather sensing that great transformation and discovery become possible when belonging is sheltered and true. ’ Many individuals desire to belong and so forge connections with others through a variety of different vehicles, be it filial relationships or friendships. Shakespeare’s play As You Like It and Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner explore the developing of one’s sense of self, by establishing meaningful relationships, which are a conduit for one to find a sense of belonging. Familial relationships contribute towards one’s sense of belonging, as they shape a person’s identity and can result in personal fulfilment and growth. Conversely, disconnection between family relationships can cause confusion and isolation. Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It, analyses the ramifications of dysfunctional family relationships on one’s sense of belonging. Through animalistic imagery and hyperbole, Orlando describes his brother’s treatment of him as differing not from the â€Å"stalling of an ox† deeming it an assault on his identity. His disjointed syntax and truncated sentence structures, â€Å"it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns†, further convey his confusion and frustration, which stem from severed familial relationships, thus highlighting how severed familial relationships stimulate a lack of belonging. In contrast to the antagonism brewing between the brothers at outset of the novel, they are reunited when Orlando asserts their filial connection, saving Oliver from a lion at his own risk. Oliver’s use of past and present tense, â€Å"was I, but tis not I†, conveys his personal transformation as a result of their connection. The humble tone of this dialogue reinforces the restoration of their relationship due the brother’s reconciliation, resulting in a strong connection and sense of belonging. The restoration of Orlando and Oliver’s relationships broadened my understanding of belonging in that there is often a profound compulsion to belong, even when one may resist it. The radical transformation in Oliver, exemplifies the notion that family relationships have a profound impact on one’s sense of belonging and identity, by affecting their ability to connect with others. Like in As You Like It, the main character in Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, experiences isolation as a result of the breakdown of family relationships. The silent animosity between father and son, resulting from their strong differences, highlights the tension that exists between them. Like Orlando and Oliver, constant conflict is intertwined within their relationship, as Baba does not approve of Amir’s interest in reading and writing. Baba’s short sentences and hesitant tone, â€Å"(He)†¦ gave a thin smile (of)†¦ feigned interest† illustrates the disconnection between Baba and Amir. This is furthered through Baba’s use of tag questions, â€Å"’Well, that’s very good, isn’t it? ‘ he said†, which reinforces his lack of interest in his son. While Amir expresses a profound sense of respect towards his father, he often describes his father as viewing the world as ‘black and white’. The binary opposition and colour symbolism of black and white symbolically reflects the tension between the two characters, and their inability to relate to one another, resulting in disconnection and a lack of belonging. Amir concludes with ‘you can’t love a person who lives that way without fearing him†¦ even hating him a little’. The use of first person narration, combined with colloquial language evokes feelings of empathy from the reader towards Amir, as they it allows them a deeper understanding of the emotional ramifications of the strained relationship on Amir. Amir’s emotional tone and body language, combined with the vivid imagery in the simile, â€Å"I flinched, like I’d been slapped. My heart sank†¦Ã¢â‚¬  effectively highlights his strong desire to belong with his father. The constant yearning for affection in the book was very insightful as demonstrated to me the extent of the innate human desire to belong. It can thus be concluded that filial relationships are an important factor in determining a person’s sense of belonging as one’s self-esteem and identity can only be cultivated within the close emotional bondage that only family offers. Relationships between friends are another factor that contributes towards one’s sense of belonging as such relationships aid in fulfilling the innate human desire to connect with others and be a part of something greater than one’s self. In ‘As You Like It’ there is a strong connection between Rosalind and Celia despite the conflicts that exists between their families. Celia’s affectionate tone and repetition, â€Å"my sweet Rose, my dear Rose†, coupled with her use of the possessive adjective â€Å"my† epitomizes the strong connection between them. Their immutable connection is affirmed through classical allusions and asyndeton, â€Å"We still have slept together,.. learned, played, eaten together†¦ like Juno’s swans coupled and inseparable,† The visual imagery of unity as well as virtuous symbolism is significant and challenges the notion of sexual promiscuity as suggested by the Dukeâ€Å"thus do all traitors. The strength of their connection is also conveyed in Celia’s insistence that her father â€Å"pronounce (Rosalind’s) sentence on me†¦ I cannot live out of her company†. The hyperbole and high modality language highlights Celia’s allegiance and loyalty towards Rosalind. Though exiled form the court, Rosalind’s stable and supportive relationship with Celia enables her to maintain her sense of identity and confidence, regardless of her circumstances and external environment. Because of this, it is clear that strong friendships act as a conduit to finding a strong sense of belonging and confidence, allowing individuals to experience security and fulfilment even within adverse circumstances. Similarly, in ‘The Kite Runner’, symbols and metaphors are used to visually represent Amir and Hassan’s friendship, and to present the message of true and loyal friendship in an impacting way. Kites are used as a motif to represent the freedom of and strong bond between the two boys, both at the beginning and end of the novel. Under the Taliban regime, kite flying was banned, symbolically representing the lack of freedom in Kabul, which paralleled Amir and Hassan’s disintegrating relationship due to a loss of innocence. Kites also symbolise the brotherhood and friendship between the two of them, particularly as they would often build kites together ‘sav(ing) (their) weekly allowance in the fall’. This simplifies the innocence and love between the two of them, increasing the impact of their bond. Symbolism allows for a deeper understanding of Amir and Hassan’s friendship, which shows that they belong to each other. The use of kite flying and kite running is also used to show the class distinction between Amir and Hassan and to show how minute and irrelevant hierarchy is compared to the bond of friendship. Even though Hassan is constantly referred to as the â€Å"slave†, Amir holds enough respect to forge and connect with Hassan. The demeaning value of the colloquial term, in turn demonstrates the depth and strength of their friendship. Through the use of metaphors and symbolism, the notion of unbiased friendship, is shown throughout the play which contributes towards the boys sense of belonging. Amir’s exclamation â€Å"You’re the brother I never had†, which, due to Hassan’s â€Å"slave† status would have been affront to the ropriety of the time, highlights how relationships can break down socially constructed barriers, enabling a strong sense of belonging and fulfilment. Overall, all both texts highlight the vital role that relationships play in terms of belonging and not belonging. As demonstrated through the relationships of Amir and his father, and Orlando and Oliver, it is clear that dysfunctional familial relationships and broken friendships can cause conflict and isolation. On the other hand, as seen in Celia and Rosalind and Amir and Hassan, a strong connection between individuals can lead to fulfilment, contentment, and a strong sense of belonging.

Favorite Spanish Proverbs With English Translations

The Spanish language is rich with refranes, sayings or proverbs that often become a shorthand way of conveying a thought or expressing a judgment. Here you will find a collection of a sayings, one for each day of the month. Of the literally hundreds of sayings that are a part of the language, this list includes some of the most common as well as a few others that were chosen simply because they are interesting. Refranes espaà ±oles  / Spanish Sayings Mà ¡s vale pà ¡jaro en mano que cien volando.  A bird in the hand is worth more than 100 flying. (A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.) Ojos que no ven, corazà ³n que no  siente.  Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel. No por mucho madrugar amanece mà ¡s temprano.  Not through much awaking early does the dawn come earlier. El amor es ciego.  Love is blind. Perro que no camina, no  encuentra  hueso.  The dog that doesnt walk doesnt find a bone. (You cant succeed if you dont try.) Dime con quià ©n  andas  y te dirà © quià ©n eres.  Tell me with whom you walk and I will tell you who you are. (A man is known by the company he keeps.) El diablo sabe mà ¡s por viejo que por diablo.  The devil knows more due to being old than by being the devil. A la luz de la tea, no hay mujer fea.  By the light of the torch there is no ugly woman. Haz el bien, y no mires a quià ©n.  Do the good, and dont look at whom. (Do what is right, not what will gain approval.) El que nacià ³ para tamal, del cielo le caen las hojas.  The leaves fall from the sky for him who was born for the tamal (a traditional Mexican food made from corn leaves). No hay mal que por bien no venga.  There is no bad from which good doesnt come. Quien no tiene, perder no puede.  He who doesnt have is unable to lose. (You cant lose what you dont have.) No todo lo que brilla es oro.  Not all that shines is gold. (Not everything that glitters is gold.) Perro que ladra no muerde.  The dog that barks doesnt bite. A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente.  Dont look at the tooth of a horse that was given. (Dont look a gift horse in the mouth.) A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando.  To God praying and with the mallet using. (God helps those who help themselves.) Eso es harina de otro costal.  That is wheat from a different bag. (Its a bird of a different feather.) De tal palo, tal astilla.  From such a stick, such a splinter. (A chip off the old block.) Para el hombre no hay mal pan. (O, para el hambre no hay mal pan.)  There is no bad bread for man. (Or, there is no bad bread for hunger.) Las desgracias nunca vienen solas.  Misfortunes never come alone. (Bad things happen in threes.) De buen vino, buen vinagre.  From good wine, good vinegar. El que la sigue, la consigue.  He who follows it attains it. (You get what you work for.) Saliste de Guatemala y te metiste en Guatepeor.  You left Guate-bad and went to Guate-worse. A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.  God helps the one who arises early. (God helps those who help themselves. The early bird catches the worm. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.) Camarà ³n que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.  The shrimp that falls asleep gets carried away by the current. Del dicho al hecho, hay mucho trecho.  From the saying to the act, there is much distance. (Saying something and doing it are two different things.) Si quieres el perro, acepta las pulgas.  If you want the dog, accept the fleas. (If you cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Love me, love my faults.) De noche todos los gatos son negros.  At night all cats are black. Lo que en los libros no està ¡, la vida te enseà ±arà ¡.  That which isnt in books, life will teach you. (Life is the best teacher.) La ignorancia es atrevida.  Ignorance is courageous. Cada uno lleva su cruz.  Everyone carries his cross. (We each have our own cross to bear.)