A day in School (March 2011)

Never would you imagine a day in school will lead to one of the most harmful clashes in the world. In a nutshell school scene (15 school children) were arrested and reportedly tortured for writing anti-graffiti (writings or drawing scribbled) on a wall.  Yes you have read it right 15 innocent school children, this lead to peaceful protests.

Peaceful Protests

Protests began peacefully people wanted 2 things from the government

the kids to be released

Democracy & greater freedom for people in the country

 

Open firing by the Government Security Personnel (Army)

The government responded angrily and on 18^th March 2011 the army opened fire on protestors killing 4 people.

Following day they shot at mourners at the victims funerals, killing another person. People were shocked and angry at what had happened & soon the unrest spread to other parts of the country.

People demanded the resignation of Syrian President but he refused to do so. As the violence increased he offered to change some things about the way the country is run, but protestors did not believe him

So now it was a Battle between “Syrian (Army) vs Rebel Protestors

Role of Al-Qaeda

Role of terrorists is to create fear in people and kill them. The more innocent people die the more they are happy.

This is where Al-Qaeda involved itself with the people/protestors of Syria & now almost half of the rebel forces fighting against the Syria Government are  either Hard-line Islamists or Jihadists with Al-Qaeda Links

Split into around 1,000 fragmented (parts) cells the Syrian opposition consisted of at least 10,000 fighters who are Jihadists with strong links to Al-Qaeda, while another 35,000 are Hard-line Islamists.

Difference between Jihadist & Hard-liners

Jihadist has a global outreach while hard-liners only concentrated on Syria. So from a group of few protestors (who protested for the arrest of 15 school children) the rebel group had spread to a total of 1 Lakh rebel fighters, that too having a global link.

 

Help from Other Countries / Role of United Nations(UN) in 2012

UN has been very critical of the violence. But could not agree on how to help the ordinary people of Syria( Do note the world Could not). They did send peace monitors into Syria in April 2012 as part of the peace plan but they had to pull out after it became too dangerous

Western Countries like U.S.A & U.K support Anti-Government rebels, and in June 2013 a ban was lifted to allow European countries to send arms to help them.  On the other hand Russia and China opposed this move. Russia has strong ties with President Assad & Syrian Government also have helped them by sending weapons

 

Use of Chemical Weapons in Damuscus(City of Jasmine) Syria

Syrian opposition & activists say more than 1000’s of people killed in chemical attack or chemical weapons in Damascus by Syrian Government (UN still investigating who was the culprit)

What is Chemical Weapons?

Chemical Weapons are well known commercial chemicals put into standard munitions(War Material) such as grenades& artillery shells e.g.Chlorine Phosgene (a chocking agent) & Mustard  gas (which inflicts painful burn on the skin)

Chemical weapons was first used in World War-I(1914-1918)

As a result Geneva Protocol (1925) to ban use of chemical weapons. But this protocol did not prohibit the development, production or stockpiling of chemical weapons

 

CWC/OPCW & Role of India

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an arms control agreement which outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors.

The agreement is administered by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is an independent organization based in The Hague, Netherlands.

The main obligation under the convention is the prohibition of use and production of chemical weapons, as well as the destruction of all chemical weapons. The destruction activities are verified by the OPCW. As of January 2013, around 78% of the (declared) stockpile of chemical weapons has thus been destroyed.

Currently 189 nations representing about 98 % of global populations have joined the C.W.C

Mission of OPCW= “To ensure credible transparent, regime to verify the destruction of the chemical weapons to prevent their re-emergence in any member state”

 

States not a member of OPCW

i)Syria

ii) Egypt

iii) North Korea

iv) South Sudan

v) Angola

 

Role of India (P.M  Mohan Finally Speaks and how well)

 

 

Given India’s own internal conflict situation (Maoist Insurgency), human right violation in Kashmir & North-East insurgencies, India for most of the turmoil period shied away from making any bold statements on Syria.

But India has always important contribution to make in any group of countries interested to bring peace. And Prime Minister DrManmohan Singh spoke at length in the just concluded G-20(is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 major economies: 19 countries plus the European Union) Summit at Moscow in September 2013.

India cautions against military intervention in Syria. India cast its lot with countries against military intervention in Syria.(It would wait for the report from UN inspectors to fix culpability).

India also continued to support the proposed International conference on Syria(Geneva-II) for bringing the Syrian government & the opposition to the negotiating table.

 

Role of Russia – The Hero??

As U.S.A was on the verge of attacking Syria (Russia and China strongly opposed it).  Russia is helping Syria in giving the chemical weapons to UN or placing chemical weapons under International Control. As per the agreement which took place between US President Barack Obama and his Russian Counter Part Vladimir Putin. And if Syria surrenders weapons to UN then America will call its forces back and will not attack Syria

Syrian Arab Republic agreed to accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention and the commitment of the Syrian authorities to provisionally apply the Convention prior to its entry into force, the United States and the Russian Federation express their joint determination to ensure the destruction of the Syrian chemical weapons program (CW) in the soonest and safest manner.

Conclusion - Value of Life (2011 -2013)

So from a day in a school to one of the most talking points in the world Syria has seen it all. Over 1 lakh people (mostly children and women) lost their life. So 30 months of turmoil has damaged the country’s integrity totally and has given a message to the world that “ There is value for everything in this world but no value for Human Life”

 

Current News – UNITED NATIONS U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that as per the investigation by their officers “Syria used chemical Weapons”. Banned chemical weapons have been used on a wide scale in the Syria war & there has been clear evidence that Sarin gas killed hundreds of people in one major attacks.

Countries Supporting Rebels	Countries Supporting Syrian Government
U.S.A , U.K, France and Israel(Arab Spring)	Russia ,China and Iran

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References  - The Hindu

www.google.com

www.reuters.com

 

 

Name – ArunChettiar

 

 

 

 

POLICY MAKERS=G20  SUMMIT

G20 is the annual meet by the top 20 economically rich countries(having 80% total trade volume& 2/3 of population)at global platform to discuss about economic reforms and financially stability and sustainability which is based upon the higher investment ,trust & transparency and on regulation of market polices and practice.

Main motive is to strengthen the growth(growth in a sustainable way =debt free growth) and Development which is implemented through St Petersburg Action Plan=  strategies to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth and boost economic activities, support the recovery and address near-term risks to the outlook.

MAJOR CHALLENGES IN GLOBAL ECONOMIC-

Fiscal unsustainability.

Unemployment and underemployment particular among the young people.

Cross border tax evasion& erosion due to corruption.

Inclusive growth=0

Financial market fragmentation in Europe=impact on money outflow. (in case of developing countries it cause financial tightening,volatile money outflow,commodity price volatility)

Monetary policy stability (as in recent cases due to federal reserve of USA ,monetary  policy tighten suddenly causes Rupee depreciation in India).

Incomplete rebalancing of global demand.

Insufficient levels of private investment in many countries due to continuing market uncertainties, as well as internal rigidities.

G20 MEETINGS AND THEIR CONCLUSION-

2008-Washington DC(1st meeting)	provide liquidity, strengthen the capital of financial institutions. short-term liquidity facility. Promoting Integrity in Financial Markets. Reinforcing International Cooperation & Financial Institutions. reducing systemic risks in credit derivatives markets.
2009-London	restore confidence, growth, and jobs. repair the financial system to restore lending. strengthen financial regulation to rebuild trust. reform our international financial institutions to overcome crisis.
2009: Pittsburgh	Framework for Strong, Sustainable, and Balanced Growth. Strengthening the International Financial Regulatory System. Reforming in Mission and Governance of the IMF.
2010: Toronto	Financial Sector Reform. International Financial Institutions and Development. Fighting Protectionism and Promoting Trade and Investment. Capital and Liquidity. Financial Market Infrastructure and Scope of Regulation.
2010: Seoul	Seoul Development Consensus for Shared Growth. Fossil Fuel Price Volatility. G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan. Multi-Year Action Plan on Development Infrastructure. Private Investment and Job Creation assures for regional integration.
2011: Cannes	Strengthening IMF surveillance. Implementing and deepening Financial sector reforms. Cannes Action Plan for Jobs and Growth. Strengthening the Medium-Term Foundations for Growth.
2012:Los Cabos, Mexico	green infrastructure, energy andwater efficiency. financing the fight against climate change. Decentralized WastewaterTreatment Plant.

2014 G20 SUMMIT-HOSTED IN TROIKA & AUSTRALIA WILL CHAIR THE G20.

2013 St.Petersburg-IMPLEMENTATION & CONCLUSION ..in detail..

 

MAJOR IMPLEMENTATION DURING 8TH G20 SUMMIT 2013-

1.GROWTH THROUGH JOBS(in case of INDIA ,JOBS instead of quality jobs is worth..:D)-

Major contribution of the B20 and the L20.(B20 is the business community for shares in investments and creating new jobs.)

Improve business environment and stimulate the creation of more jobs.

To make targeted reforms in product and labour market.

Government initiatives and policies-(through financial investment& coordination) RECENTLYministry of labour and employment & ministry of finance came upon to share a platform to make new reforms and create more and more sustainable jobs & growth.

Improve job quality=working conditions, wage bargaining frameworks through national wage-setting systems, and access to social protection.

Integrating the national policies => create quality growth through the higher production.

G20 Task Force on Employment-ways to address labour market and employment challenges &source of information for the economic analyses.

2.FINANCING FOR INVESTMENT=GROWTH RATE INCREASE

Long term investment=>sustainable growth=>job creation.

Follow work plan prepared by G20 study groupfor well-founded, evidence-based policy initiatives.

Government to promote policies(prudent risk-taking) => promote & encourage institutional investors to finance long term investment.

Project preparation funds-transparency in the prioritization, planning, and funding of investment projects, especially in infrastructure.

Public private partnership.

 

3.ENHANCING MULTILATERAL TRADE=

Free trade and investment(i.e transparent through WTO)=restoring global growth & sustainable development.(until the end of 2016-being fully committed to further progress in removing barriers and impediments to global trade and investment & to roll back new protectionist measures.)SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES-

WTO Ministerial Conference (MC9)	In Bali	trade facilitation elements of agriculture and development issues
Doha Development Agenda negotiations	In Doha	new confidence in successful post-Bali Doha round negotiations.

Regional trade agreements(RTAs)=advancing towards more transparency in multilateral trade.

Transparency in Trade (TNT)= which will provide for open use of the trade policy data and analysis system to identify new trade opportunities and facilitate trade flows.

 PARTNERS ARE=

Global Value Chains (Gvcs)= GVCs for growth, industrial structure, development and job creation.

 

 

4.HANDLE TAX AVOIDANCE=Promote Transparency

G20/OECD BEPS project-Reduce artificially shifting profits to low-tax jurisdictions.

Multilateral and bilateral exchange of information.

The Development Working Group in conjunction with the Finance Track.

5.INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE-

ratification of the 2010 IMF Quota and Governance Reform

IMF-RFA cooperation(International Mutual Funds –Regional Financing Arrangement)=>Financial Ministry and Central Banks to follow such norms.

Public Debt Management-need for raising, managing, and retiring public debt, including on state guarantees.

IMF-World Bank Debt Sustainability =Framework for Low-Income Countries=> promote sustainable financing and sustainable growth and development through appropriate channels.

local currency bond markets (LCBMs).

6.Promoting Development=adopted at Seoul Multi-Year Action Plan on Development (MYAP) in 2010

strong, sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth and narrowing the development gap.

Food Security=>1.Secure Nutrition Knowledge Platform.

2.Food Security through Social Safety Nets&Risk Management.

Infrastructure-Assessment of Project Preparation Facilities (PPFs) for Infrastructure in Africa.

Financial Inclusion-Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI)to strengthen financial inclusion.

Human Resource Development-Global Public-Private knowledge sharing platform on skills for employment.

Inclusive Green Growth-G20 Dialogue Platform on Inclusive Green Investmentsfor sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Saint Petersburg Accountability Report on G20 Development Commitments= progressive achievement

 

NAME-ANAM SINGLA

REFERENCE -G20 LEADERS’ DECLARATION 2013(case study)

EUCO press report

                       B20–G20 PARTNERSHIPFOR GROWTHAND JOBS (case study)

 

 

 

                                                                      

1) CAPITALISM

It is also referred as Laissez-Faire – ‘Individualism’

-Private property is a natural right of man

-‘Individual’ knows best his own interest & how to pursue it

-In pursuing his own interest ‘individual’ also serves the common interest.

-Govt. should not interfere in economic affairs

-Govt. should intervene to establish ‘free trade’ in foreign commerce, to promote competition…

-Free competition in the pursuit of wealth is the only way of conserving the effects of a natural selection & survival of the fittest

-Those who benefit from a competitive pursuit of economic gain are more numerous than those who suffer.

2) COMMUNISM

The mode of production in material life determines the general character of social, political & spiritual process of life. Since the establishment of private property, the society has been divided into two hostile economic classes

The primary reasons for this antagonism is that the capitalist class, through its ownership of means of production, is able to appropriate the ‘surplus value’ created by labour

A social revolution is inevitable because of concentration of capital in fewer hands & proliferation of the proletariats, who will at its climax overthrow the capitalist class and a dictatorship of the proletariat, will follow resulting the highest intensification of State…

 Ultimately, the state will wither away, In the new society each man will contribute to the social wealth by his labour as much he can, and will take from it what he needs.

3) SOCIALISM

The Fabian Socialists [Recardian theory: The rent of a given piece of landis in general the equivalent of its superior advantages- in site, fertility or resources- over the worst available land]

Value is the creation of society rather than of labourers, under the unregulated competitive system a capitalist retains the superior yield of his capital, which is due not to his superior ability but to the location of his business Investment alone confers no valid title to income.

The conflict is not between those who work for wages and those who employ wage-workers; it is between the community and those who grow rich through investment

Thus the object of socialism is to obtain for members of the society the values which society creates by gradually transferring land and industrial capital to the community, while making the state fully representative of the community.

Major theoretical positions

Capitalism                                                                                                    Nature of state

ANTI-COLLECTIVISM                                                                           Residual State

NON-SOCIALIST WELFARE COLLECTIVISM                                   Reformism

 Socialism

FABIAN SOCIALISM                                                                              Reformism

RADICAL SOCIAL ADMINISTRATION                                              Reformism

Communism                                    

POLITICAL ECONOMY OF WELFARE                                               Totalitarian State

Explanation in Brief:

1) Anti-collectivism

- Freedom of the individual / Individualism

- Freedom to act in the market economy enables a person to stand on one’s own feet and then state welfare becomes unnecessary for the majority  

- Individual freedom is limited through the imposed burden of taxation necessary to fund state welfare, by planning and rent control etc.

- State welfare services are wasteful and inefficient since they do not face any competition and are not controlled by any cost effective principles

- State welfare bureaucracies have created self-interested groups of professionals who demand that the growth of the welfare state be maintained

Way out suggested are: 1) to provide privately based welfare,

            2) Contracting out to the private sector of parts of the welfare services and

            3) The application of market principles within state welfare provision.

2) Non-socialist Welfare Collectivism

- They see warts on capitalism’s face (Disease, Want, Ignorance, Unemployment etc.) and believe that with judicious state warts can be removed

- State intervention in this way is also seen as promoting stability and maintaining capitalism more effectively

- Emphasize a mixed economy of welfare and decentralization and participation.

3) Fabian Socialism

- Their argument against capitalism is moral one: it is unethical, unjust and undemocratic, but it can be transformed. Central to this transformation is the welfare state, so for Fabian socialists, capitalism is not an ugly face, but a tiger needs to be tamed and transformed

- Fabian socialists argue strongly for the state as the source of welfare provision, as against the private sector, which they see as catering to the rich rather than the poor.  

4) Radical Social Administration

- They Go beyond Fabian gradualism as their analysis implies the need for transformation of social structure

- They employ a structuralist analysis of social problems. But at the same time lean back to the idealism of the Fabian socialists to explain change.

5) The Political Economy of Welfare

The political economy approach sees the development of welfare under capitalism as the result of conflict between the classes: the working class and capitalist class

An explanatory account of different welfare perspectives:

1) Anti-collectivism

a) Social problems explained in terms of

- Individual failure or inadequacy

- Changes effected by Individual action

- Method: Individualist

b) Principle of distribution of state welfare provision

- Extremely selective,

- Otherwise through choice in the private market 

c) Relationship between economic policy and social policy

- Freedom of the market dominates

2) Non-socialist welfare collectivism

a) Social problems explained in terms of

- Individual failure plus dysfunctioning of economy

- Changes effected by Pressure group action; fostering collective commitment to national interest

- Method: Idealist

b) Principle of distribution of state welfare provision

- Some universalism, some selectivity

c) Relationship between economic policy and social policy

- Social policy compensates for and supports economic policy

3) Fabian socialism

a) Social problems explained in terms of

- Dysfunctions of capitalism, maladministration of welfare state

- Changes effected by Fostering collectivist and moral values of equality, fraternity, altruism

- Method: Idealist

b) Principle of distribution of state welfare provision

- Universal needs-based

c) Relationship between economic policy and social policy

- Social policy influences economic policy to become more socially responsible

4) Radical social administration

a) Social problems explained in terms of

- Structure, class relations and misdistribution within capitalism

- Changes effected by Transformation of state by fostering social values to press for radical state action

- Method: Idealist / structuralist

b) Principle of distribution of state welfare provision

- Universal needs-based

c) Relationship between economic policy and social policy

- Unification of social and economic policy through social planning to redress inequality

5) Political economy of welfare

a) Social problems explained in terms of

- Conflicting interests between working class needs and capitalist’s needs

- Changes effected by Class struggles to change economic production resulting from conflict between capital and labour

- Method: Materialist / structuralist.

b) Principle of distribution of state welfare provision

- Universal needs-based

c) Relationship between economic policy and social policy

- Irreconcilable conflict under capitalism. Under socialism, economy to serve human needs.

By  Ishan Pendam

References:

1)      R.N. Titmas, “What is Social Policy?” in Social Policy: An Introduction, George Allen & Unwin Ltd., London (1974), pp.22-34.

2)      Fiona Williams, “Perspective of Welfare: The Existing, but Inadequate Theoretical Basis of Social Policy” in Social Policy: A Critical Introduction, Policy Press, New York (1989), pp.13-17.