Fraud the Gravest Sin of All - 657 Words

â€Å"Abandon all hope ye who enter here† (Alighieri, 1321/1954, p.18) ---- an inscription that is found on the gates of Inferno which foreshadows the fate of the soul of the sinner as said in â€Å"Inferno† by Dante Alighieri. The book tackles different natures of sins that individuals have committed and the corresponding punishment that they will receive in different circles of Hell (Ciardi, 1954). Alighieri (1321/1954) notes that although incontinence and violence are serious sins, fraud is considered as the worst type of sin because it betrays a whole community of people and breaks the trust of one’s kin. According to the Shmoop Editorial Team (2008), fraudulent people are worse than incontinent and violent people because they have the ability†¦show more content†¦According to SparkNotes Editors (2002), the reason why Dante considers fraud as the most serious sin is that one must realize that his narration follows strict Christian values. He values n ot human happiness or harmony on Earth but rather God’s will in Heaven. Dante considers violence and incontinence less evil than fraud. Fraud constitutes the greater opposition to God’s will. God states that love is the greatest gift of all and that we should share this love to others (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008). Ciardi (1954) strongly emphasizes that evil is evil simply because it contradicts God’s will and no explanation is needed why Dante considers fraud as the gravest sin of all. As mentioned in â€Å"Inferno†, fraud is the greatest sin of all. Therefore, those who have committed fraud will receive the most penetrating punishments compared to those who committed incontinence (lack of self-control) and violence. While reading the book, one must also remember that: â€Å"Inferno is not a philosophical text; its intention is not to think critically about evil but rather to teach and reinforce the relevant Christian doctrinesâ€Å" (SparkNotes Editor s, 2002). REFERENCES Alighieri, D.(1954).Dante Alighieri: The inferno(J. Ciardi, Trans.). New York: Signet Classics. (Original work published 1321). Fernando, I.(2013, April 1).A proactive stance against fraud. Manila-Bulletin. Retrieved July 22, 2013, from http://mb.com.ph/Business/Business_Agenda/5686/Show MoreRelatedThe Consequences Of Punishment In Dantes The Inferno1250 Words   |  5 Pagestorture their victims. In most people eyes, these beings are the most deserving of their punishment in the inferno, and the interesting thing about this sin is that not everyone can relate to it on a personal level, although everyone has wanted to do it at one point or another. This sin is, Violence towards others, whether its murder or abuse, all can be found here. Some of the most tyrannical people reside in this place, being tortured for every future to come. In chapter 12, Dante writes about aRead MoreBones Dont Lie Essay2256 Words   |  10 PagesSelection or The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life, but non more popular of any time than in today’s secular humanistic, materialistic society. Evolution is a theory taught as a fact in almost every institution world wide, from all level of academics: grades school to prestige colleges like Harvard and Oxford University. One of the many suppose â€Å"missing links† taught as evidence is â€Å"Lucy† (AL 288-1), the Australopithecus afarensis hominoid, strongly held as the best evidence forRead More Struggle Between Hindu and Secular Nationalisms in India Essay examples4524 Words   |  19 Pagesadmits that, among those who consider themselves secular individuals there is an intensifying sense of crisis†. What are the criticisms of secularism which lead to the perception of a predicament? At first glance, the challenge appears minuscule, since all political parties, even the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accept secularism in some form. As government official P.K. Nijhawan remarks, the contending sides swear by secularism. However, secularism as it has come to be practiced by the Congress Party

Modern Day Piracy - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2900 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Modern Day Piracy Examining the Case of Somalia Introduction When speaking about pirates people often envision scenic Caribbean vistas of a bygone era, but today piracy has experienced a renaissance and is one of the biggest threats to global trade and security. In the last ten years incidents of piracy have more than quadrupled going from 90 reported cases in 1994 to 455 cases in 2003.1 Modern day pirates have become a serious threat to international waters and their exploits have become more and more daring, targeting bigger and more high profile ships. In the areas of Southeast Asia and especially the Horn of Africa, trade has become so perilous that it has forced the hand of the worlds most powerful nations as well as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Modern Day Piracy" essay for you Create order Powerful international regulations have frequently been made to combat the growing threat of these pirates but often states lack the capacity to deal with these so-called criminals. The legislation put forward is also faced with the harrowing task of how to get to the deeper causes of piracy within states. Many of the most recent proposals are mere band-aids while policy makers keep skirting the more dubious issues of failed states, severe poverty, and past infringements on sovereignty. Without addressing these key issues there is no hope in solving the crisis of high seas piracy. The question remains then what are the best kind of policies to deal with piracy, and are they being used effectively in the real world? This paper aims to prove that without a better understanding of situation in Somalia, it will be impossible to combat piracy in the area, and we must further investigate best practices if any real progress is to be made. This will be done by giving a short history of th e international laws and regulations 2 Ellora Howie Modern Day Piracy regarding modern day piracy. The paper will then point out how these historical understandings have made defining piracy very problematic and difficult in todays circumstances. It will then examine the case study of Somalia where piracy has had its greatest resurgence. Lastly, the paper will conclude with a discussion of the responses of the UN and the world at large and the direction that they are taking thusly. History of Applicable Law Piracy has long been considered a hostis humani generis, or the enemy of the human race.2 Legislation regarding it goes all the way back to ancient times, with the first recorded instances being found in Justinians Digest in 529 AD and in King Johns Ordinance of 1201.3 In the modern context, the first major piece of legislation regarding piracy came in the form of the 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas. It set out 8 key provisions for suppressing piracy. It was later followed by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. However, this convention did not really build on the Geneva Convention on the High Seas, but rather reaffirmed the intentions of the earlier treaty. One of the most important contributions of this treaty was its definition of piracy, which remains largely unchanged today. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea sets out the definition as such: Piracy consists of any of the following acts: (a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of de predation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed to: (i) on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft; (ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any Modern Day Piracy Ellora Howie 3 State; (b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft; (c) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in subparagraph (a) or (b).4 This definition presents many problems. The first problem, that of defining piracy as committed for private ends, is immediately apparent. Although piracy is usually used a form of livelihood for those who cannot find employment in the tumultuous and poverty stricken country from which they come, piracy often takes on a political character. In Somalia, pirates justify their action in the Gulf of Aden and around the Horn of Africa as a form of protest against over-fishing and waste dumping in their territorial waters.5This would then suggest that Somali pirates are actually sea terrorists. Another definitional problem is the two boat paradigm that the Convention sets out. This fails to address the problem of internal seizures and that hijacking is not always one boat attacking another boat. Cases where the crew or passengers take over a vessel for either private or public gains can hardly then be considered an act of piracy. Lastly there is the issue that this definition sets out piracy as only existing on the high seas, disregarding all actions within the territorial waters off a states coast and dismissing them as sea robbery. This definition needlessly compartmentalizes piracy when it would be more effective to deal with it as a whole. Piracy in Somalia and The Gulf of Aden The deficiencies of this definition come into plain view in the case of Somalia. Approximately 20,000 ships pass through the Gulf of Aden adjacent to the Indian Ocean each year, transporting cargo that includes 12 percent of the worlds daily oil supply.6 With its failed state status and the high levels of traffic passing by its shores, Somalia has become a hotbed for pirate activity. Its 4 Ellora Howie Modern Day Piracy 4-Ellora HowieModern DayPiracy- coastal waters have become more and more dangerous with cruise-liners being shot at, aid deliveries being jeopardized, and the crewsof fishing, recreational, and aid vessels being taken hostage forransom.7However, most troubling of all is that, between 2005 and 2007, the number of attacks and attempted attackson privateshipping vessels in the area hasexceeded that ofboth the MalaccaStraits and South China Sea combined. These areas were previously considered to be the epicentres of piracy in the world.8The chaos found at sea radiates out from the Somali mainland.Somalia has lacked a functioninggovernment since 1991 whichwas preceded byyears of instability. The internationallyrecognized Transitional Federal Government(TFG) has littlepower over the country. As previously mentioned, much of the motivation forpiracy derives from over fishing and pollution in Somali waters. With Transitional Federal Government having little or no sovereign authority to enforce territorial sea rights, over-fishing has become abundant. More than 700 foreign vessels, some ofthem armed, have taken advantage of this and haveconductedunlicensed fishing or have been fishing under the license of localwarlords.9Another problem that has plagued theSomali people isthe constant dumping of hazardous materials into their waters by foreign parties.10According to a spokesman from the UNEnvironmental Program who conducted an investigation in 2005, theres uranium radioactive waste, theres lead, theres heavymetals like cadmium and mercury, theres industrial waste, andtheres hospital wastes, chemical wastes,you name it.11According to thereport from this investigation, the reason for thisis cost. It is estimated that it costs $2.50 per ton to dump toxicwaste in Africa compared to $250 per ton to dump waste inEurope.12This has only added to the local fishing communitieshardships.One of the powerful motivations to engage in piracyhowever, is money. Some ships and crew fetch as much as $3million in ransom.13The annual haul for Somali pirates wasapproximately $30 million in 2008, although some estimates place- Modern Day Piracy Ellora Howie 5 that figure at more than $100 million. To put this into context, the money collected in ransom revenue exceeded the entire budget of the Puntland government for that year.14 Pirates in Somalia mainly tend to be out of work fisherman or former militia members of the Somali warlords.15 They primarily come from the Puntland region of Somalia and are part of the various clans and o rganisations stationed there.16 There appears to be no real unification or clear command structure, although they seem to be operating as an ad hoc branch of organized crime. Some press reports have suggested that the pirates are being controlled and directed by the Islamic insurgents in south-central Somalia.17 There is no evidence, however, to support this assertion. However, the money collected from the ransoms is clearly going into the hands of an elite few, as evidenced by the construction boom taking place in the port cities of Somalia.18 There are no reported numbers of how many pirates reside within Somalia, only that the number is on the rise from previous years.19 Pirates have been able to be so successful mainly because of their ability to effectively adopt technology into their operations. One of the most significant advances is their use of mother ships.20 Mother ships transport small pirate skiffs further from the coastline than they would be able to go by themselve s. This allows them to go after bigger targets in international waters. Not only are these ships easily mistaken as small fishing boats, they are far more manoeuvrable than the ships they attack. Pirates have also adopted technology in other areas. Not only do they have small automatic and semi-automatic weapons, but they also commonly possess man-portable air defence systems and rocket propelled grenades. They also have better ships and weapons than would be expected, and commonly use GPS systems to help then spot ships from greater distances.21 6 Ellora Howie Modern Day Piracy With all of these factors converging, the Gulf of Aden has witnessed some of the most high-profile incidents of piracy of modern times. One of the most publicized attacks was the seizure of a Ukrainian freighter, the Faina, that was transporting 33 T-72 Russian tanks and depleted uranium ammunition to Kenya for consignment to the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army on September 25, 2008. The Faina was late r released in mid-February 2009. The pirates reportedly earned more than $120 million in ransom money for the ship, cargo, and personnel.22 Another alarming hijacking incident happened only two months later involved the 1000 foot supertanker, the Sirius Star, from Saudi Arabia. It was headed to the United States and carried more than $100 million in oil.23 Incidents like these demonstrate the possible implications of pirate attacks. If the Sirius Star had been sunk or damaged (as is often threatened if shipping company owners refuse to meet the pirates demands), it could cause an oil spill of such magnitude that it would have huge environmental ramifications. Additionally, in a time of such economic hardships, shipping costs have increased exponentially. In the Indian and Pacific Oceans, maritime piracy have cost shipping companies somewhere in the neighbourhood of $13-$15 billion annually in losses. In recent months, insurance rates have soared. Premiums for a single transit thr ough the Gulf of Aden, for example, have risen from $500 to as much as $20,000.24 This has caused shipping companies to greatly decrease or stop all business in the area. Many companies have decided to forego the use of Suez Canal all together and choose alternate routes that are longer and more costly in order to avoid the Gulf of Aden. 25 International Response The threat of piracy to international security has drawn much attention from global organizations and world leaders alike. This has prompted the UN Security Council to take action. In 2007 the International Maritime Office prompted the Somali TFG Modern Day Piracy Ellora Howie 7 to advise the Security Council that, it consents to [foreign] warships or military aircraft . . . entering its territorial sea when engaging in operations against pirates or suspected pirates endangering the safety of life at sea.26 Resolution 1816 was issued by the Security Council in June of 2008, and embodied these principles. It called for increased coordination among those States with naval assets off Somalia; better information-sharing and cooperation over Somali piracy among and between States, international bodies and regional organizations; and encouraging States and organizations to provide technical assistance to Somalia and nearby coastal States.27 What was significant about this part icular resolution was that states had to be approved by the Somali TFG and identified to the Secretary General as cooperating before they were allowed to follow pirates into Somali water and use all necessary means to repress acts of piracy.28 The resolution was then given a six month term after which point it would be terminated. This was a major landmark in the fight against piracy as Resolution 1816 and subsequent resolutions marked that piracy was finally being taken seriously by the international community.29 National and regional naval forces took full advantage of the rights that this new resolution provided them. To counter the threat of piracy, many nations have deployed warships to the Gulf of Aden in order to conduct patrols and escort ships. NATO and the European Union have both sent ships to participate in Combined Task Force 51.30 Naval forces from the United Kingdom, Canada, Turkey, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Pakistan, India, Iran, Russia, and other countries have also been deployed to the area.31 Even China, for the first time, has contributed warships to the effort.32 However, this shared military 8 Ellora Howie Modern Day Piracy initiative has been met with limited success and the number of hijacked ships has actually increased.33 Another solution suggested is to adopt the best practices of Southeast Asia which has had a long history in dealing with piracy. The Malacca Straits were once classified by Lloyds of London (an insurance company) as a war risk to shipping in 2005-2006.34 One of the reasons this area was so successful in reducing the occurrences of piracy was the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).35 ReCAAP was signed by sixteen Asian states including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam on November 11, 2004.36 The goal s of the agreement were to prevent and repress piracy, arrest pirates, seize ships or aircrafts used in committing piracy, and to rescue the victim ships and crews. The member states planned achieve these goals by sharing information, cooperating in legal and judicial endeavours for the prevention and suppression of piracy (including extradition and mutual legal assistance), and cooperation in capacity building. This included technical assistance such as educational and training programmes.37 This agreement obligates each state to cooperate fully in order to combat piracy. This agreement also created a central Information Sharing Centre (ISC), located in Singapore, in order to make information more readily available to states.38 The ISC is composed of the Governing Council, which is the decision-making body made up of one representative from each state, and the Secretariat which is headed by the Executive Director, who is responsible for administrative, operational and financial mat ters.39 Another route that Southeast Asia has taken to combat piracy was to establish a tripartite surveillance regime. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore banded together in order to provide Modern Day Piracy Ellora Howie 9 maritime air surveillance in the Malacca and Singapore Straits. Their efforts have shown a significant reduction of cases of piracy in the region.40 In the spirit of ReCAAP, African countries have started the process of setting up their own information sharing system. The beginnings of this can be seen at the Tanzanian Conference where states created a draft nonbinding regional memorandum of understanding.41 They chose to make it nonbinding over the concern that, if they did make it binding, it would take substantially longer to be passed through national parliaments.42 The draft does not establish a single information centre like ReCAAP, but instead Kenya, Tanzania, and Yemen offered to be communications and reporting centers and prescribed that other states should chose a single national focal point for the exchange of information.43 Another important divergence from the ReCAAP model is their recognition of the discussion on the concept of ship riders.44 Ship riders are law enforcement officers that are (usually) from nearby coastal state and accompany foreign vessels on their route. These ship riders are then able to enforce their own states law against pirates. This is done so that foreign traders will not have to deal with judicial duties and trying pirates in their own domestic courts. Ship riders also may have to ability to authorize the pursuit of a pirate vessel into their territorial waters. The draft of the Tanzania Conference does not recognize this fully however. It instead provides a mechanism by which a State participant may request ad hoc permission from a coastal State to continue pursuit of a suspect pirate vessel into its territorial waters.45 Such a request is made much more accessible through the creati on of single contact points laid out by the draft regional memorandum of understanding.46 If it is adopted, it could offer an effective regional answer to the crisis of piracy. However, whether 10 Ellora Howie Modern Day Piracy or not the draft will be implemented and what it will look like if it is, remains to be seen. Conclusion Piracy has deep roots within our history but there has been a problem of evolving our definitions as piracy itself has evolved. Somalia is a clear example of this as it presents a new conception of why piracy occurs, who exactly these pirates are, how they have adapted, and the possible challenges they present for the future. There have been a variety of attempts to deal with the problem but it is clear that piracy will not simply disappear by throwing

Multinational Corporations Free Essays

Globalization The liberal economic theory Is based on the fact that not all state’s territories include the blessing of various natural resources. Therefore, state economies over the years have established several laws that make economic global trade a rather fair transaction. In its core trading was created to facilitate the gaining of products for territories in which producing a specific good might be limited due to their natural resources from those with comparative or absolute advantage. We will write a custom essay sample on Multinational Corporations or any similar topic only for you Order Now Economic liberalizes believe that governments should not interfere in the markets, because international elate Is maximized when states practice comparative advantage and specialize in certain products. It makes more sense for a country with easier and cheaper ways to produce a specific product do so in abundance and share it through global trade with the world, rather than it be extremely difficult and costly for a single state to do it alone. Through foreign direct investment, multinational corporations are able to invest in other countries by establishing their own facilities in foreign territories. This is the base of globalization. Through FED and Mans companies are locating closer to customers and Introducing themselves In the same area as competitors, meanwhile they hire local manufacturers and employees to assist the production of their product. By doing so, they not only fuel the international economy by creating a larger amount of production for trade, but they also are creating Jobs for people where they are most needed. They usually establish foreign facilities and plants in countries where wage is extremely cheap- indicating that these countries are probably home to extremely poor human beings, who would have trouble finding a Job In the first place. Yet they also search to Invest In states that have attractive resources. FED Is good for developing countries because they make their economies stronger. By paying taxes and training personnel, they enrich their host territories economy and development. Economic liberalizes believe that Mans can serve as a peace keeping potential during trying times between two countries. That interdependence globally would cause powers to be more understanding and hesitant before creating a war. However stating that underdeveloped nations cannot Lully control the Mans because of lack of proper enforcement of human right laws, there is a chance that the workers may be exploited, but through safety and health standards, this situation is usually controlled. I strongly believe that developing states should allow Mans to house facilities in their territories. It’s clear that for development, you must establish a strong economy, and FED and Mans without a doubt assist lesser-developed countries in reaching development. They create Jobs for those who are uneducated and therefore disqualified from many Job technological advancement of local companies. I do, however, support that specific tariffs and laws should be set against the Mans goods being sold in that state’s market, because local producers could not stand a chance next to mass productions. Also, the dangers of human rights being violated are possible when establishing an NC in a state with an unrecognized government and must be highly investigated for proper activity. In regards to those issues I believe that as long as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GAIT) enforce and practice their trade principals the global trade market will be a safe place. The prevarication and liberalizing of trade and foreign direct investment are the best way to go about developing a state. How to cite Multinational Corporations, Papers Multinational Corporations Free Essays Since industrial revolution, the world has changed tremendously.   Many industries have cropped up causing a great threat to the environment.   Globalization has encouraged free trade between countries leading to development of massive multinational corporations. We will write a custom essay sample on Multinational Corporations or any similar topic only for you Order Now Economists have varied ideas on the definition of a Multinational Corporation. However, various dimensions help to established what multinational corporations are.   This is in terms of ownership, management, strategy and its structure. (Root, 1994). Multinational corporations venture into various countries setting up factories and industries to increase their productivity.   It is largely viewed that sometimes they venture into countries with lenient air and water pollution controls to increase their production.   However, multinational companies usually pursue policies that are host country- oriented (perlmutter, 1969).   Although these corporations may operate in foreign countries the parent company exercises direct control over the policies of its affiliates. Multinational corporations serve an important role to the economy of the host country. They create employment opportunities, wealth and improve the technological aspect of the host county. (Dunning, 1993). Corporations also gain a lot from such an investment. Labor intensive operations can be shifted to countries that can provide cheap labor.   In other cases availability of raw materials and tax advantages act as incentives.   The corporations are able to spread risks instead of putting all the capital in a single country (Dunning, 1993). Examples of multinational corporations include Shell, Coca-Cola, Toshiba, Unilever and Honda. The Royal Dutch Shell Group is a huge multinational corporation with annual gross sales of more than 179 billion dollars.   It is one of the world’s top oil companies and the seventh largest chemical company. (www.groundwork.org.za/pamphlets/shell.asp) The company operates in over 140 countries and employs thousands of people.   It is based upon exploration, extraction, and transportation and refining of fossil fuels, oil and gas.  Ã‚   It supplies petroleum products to its thousands services stations around the world. (http://www.groudwork.org.za/pamplets/shell.asp.) In South Africa Shell Group owns the largest oil refinery called South African Petroleum Refinery (SAPREF).   It operates jointly with British Petroleum (BP). SAPREF is situated in Durban surrounded by residential areas with a huge population of over 200,000 people. (www.groundworks.org.za/pamplets/shell.asp) The company enjoys a lot of cheap labor and employs over 600 people and the same number of contractors.   The company also through SAPREF is able to refine over 170,000 barrels of crude oil a day.   It has a well connected network in the country with pipelines running from refinery to the storage tanks. Therefore it enjoys a lot of comparative advantages enabling it to grow strongly. The south Durban basin consists of over 100 industries. SAPREF refinery occupies one of the belts which are near residential areas.   Durban is one of the worst industrial pollution hit zone in South Africa.   Many people as a result have suffered Leukemia Chest complaints and other related ailments. (Butler Hallowes, 2002). Many accidents and incidents have also occurred which tarnished its operational record.   These include reported sulphur dioxide emissions, release of hydrogen fluoride into the atmosphere (in 1998) and others.   These has paused a serious threat to the firm, host community and workers. (www.foenl.org) As a result the South African environmental Alliance group coordinated and lead community action and negotiations with the industry.   There were concerns over excessive pollution from the industry, poor record of industrial operation and management, lack of a strong and enforceable regulatory framework for the industry and others.   Through community mobilization, meetings, demonstrations and media campaigns, shell had to introduce pollution reduction plans and to upgrade its facility.   It was resolved that shell’s international management address local concerns. This was during shell’s management AGM in London and The Hague (http://www.groundwork.org.za/pamphlets/shell.asp). Although the firm has had to spend a lot of money in repairing the detective pipelines, the company has reduced the rate of pollution and increased efficiency.   There has been growing confidence in the firm and this has improved it sales drastically. The social fabrics of people, local needs and interests have to be considered by any firm for it to enjoy maximum productivity.   This comes with improved confidence that leads to improved services.   All multinationals therefore ought to carry out a thorough research before investing.   ACME can learn from this experience to boost its productivity. How to cite Multinational Corporations, Essay examples