Chinese investment in the extractive sectors in Africa (methods, Research Paper

Chinese investment in the extractive sectors in Africa (methods, profitability, and deal flow) - Research Paper Example ate resources through support to African governments on one side and the empowerment of Chinese mining and exploration companies working in Africa (Rotberg 152). The Chinese government maintains close ties with African governments on the political, economic, human resource and security development of these nations (Dubosse 70). Politically, the country sends high level delegations to meet leaders on the African continent and by this, they maintain strong ties with high-level Chinese government units. Economically, China promotes trade , investment and the development of infrastructure on the continent for the mutual benefits of China and Africa. Human Resource Development is done in the form of scholarship for some selected Africans to study in China and other parts of the world and also through grants and scholarships for African students. In terms of peace and security, China provides support for various national militaries and also contribute immensely to peacekeeping operations o n the continent. Collectively, these strategies and systems allow Chinese businesses to get contracts in the energy and mining sectors of various African countries. The China-Africa Development Fund The China-Africa Development Fund (CADF) was officially launched in June 2007 as a branch of the China Development Bank to act as an investment facilitation vehicle for the Chinese expansion to Africa (CADF Website). According to the official website of the CADF, the equity fund is to provide loans and funds to Chinese businesses operating in Africa and since its inception, it has supported more extractive drives than any other sector. Every loan or funds released by the CADF must have a good justification as being beneficial to the State and it is guaranteed by the Chinese government (Taylor... The author of the essay "Chinese investment in the extractive sectors in Africa" begins with that Sino-African relations were taken to a different level in 2006 when the government of China announced a wide range of co-operation activities between China and Africa including political, economic, education, culture, health as well as military co-operations (Meine 184). The main document of the 2006 China-Africa Co-operation conference attended by 46 African leaders stated that â€Å"peace and development remain the main theams of our time†. It therefore took the initiative to support African economies to attain this end. The government promised to do this by supporting local African nations in their development projects. This is complemented by support to Chinese enterprises to trade in Africa and provide preferencial loans and buyers’ credits to these traders. In the end the author concludes that Chinese influence is growing in Africa, particularly the mining sector because China uses political, economic, cultural and military aid to create a symbiotic relationship for African countries and Chinese-African enterprises. This makes African nations willing recipients of Chinese investors. Chinese businesses are also supported by the China-Africa Development Fund which is a tool for the support of the Chinese expansion to Africa. China has major deal with Central and Southern African countries with copper deposits as well as other petroleum exporting countries. This contributes a lot of money to the Chinese economy.

greek comedy :: essays research papers fc

Tommy Coleman Intro to Theater Process Kimmika Williams-Whitherspoon Greek Comedy and The Process of Putting on a Show   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Poetics, comedy is defined as â€Å"a representation of an action that is laughable, lacking in magnitude, complete, [in embellished speech,] with each of its parts used separately in the various elements of the play; represented by people acting and not by narration.† (Aristotle, pg. 43) Therefore a play that does not adhere to this definition is not considered funny, nor does it produce laughter, which is highly essential to the genre. ***   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Kimmika told me that I was going to be doing a Satyr piece, I was devastated. I was so confident that I would be doing a musical piece in some shape or form. I would’ve even enjoyed opera, but not Satyr (of all genres) to do a project on. I was intimidated by the genre for my lack of knowledge about it. I was also fearful that my production would not add up to the caliber of the one I saw last spring semester, which followed all the rules, it seemed, of what a Greek comedy was supposed to be. With such anxiety eating at my psyche, it was difficult to move forward confidently with this project. On top of that, I was in the middle of rehearsals for Jitney, so I was not sure that I would pull my weight for the project. What is funny is that for the most part, my fear should’ve been the same fear as my partners who did not do as much as I did for this project at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Firstly, as far as meeting with my group members was concerned, that idea was cute in the beginning. Abbey, Phuong and I met during classes and discussed ideas for a possible Greek play. Then we suggested ways to come up with concepts and bring them back to each other. However not too long into the duration of the project, communication became non-existent. The only time I talked to my group members was during class time in Theater 011. Outside of class, there were no meetings. There was an attempt at one, but we got our times scheduled wrong. For me, it was impossible to meet during the evenings due to rehearsal for â€Å"Jitney† by August Wilson, performances of â€Å"Jitney†, and then rehearsals for a fashion show that I was a part of.

Machiavelli: The Realist Essay

Political realism did not become a popular concept until it was discussed by Niccolà ² Machiavelli, making him one of the most influential philosophers. According to another philosopher, Francis Bacon, Machiavelli was â€Å"the founder of a new, objective science of politics, concerned not with what should be, but with what is, not with hopes and fears, but with practical realities† (Wootton XXXVII). Machiavelli’s handbook for princes, titled The Prince, takes the world as it is and gives advice through the discussion of real world examples. Max Lerner, the deceased American journalist, once stated, â€Å"May I venture a guess as to the reason why we still shudder slightly at Machiavelli’s name†¦ It is our recognition that the realities he describes are realities; that men, whether in politics, in business, or in private life, do not act according to their professions of virtue.† When people read Machiavelli’s text they are astounded by some of his remarks. However, he persistently uses examples to validate that what he is saying. Although people may not want to accept his comments, he is merely making observations. Throughout his handbook, it is made evident that Machiavelli is indeed a realist. Throughout his handbook, Machiavelli makes it evident that he is indeed a realist through his examination of why a commitment to integrity and virtue is not possible for successful leadership, but deception, cruelty, and war are essential. The essential perception of reporting what actually occurs is expressed by Machiavelli. In explaining his purpose for writing The Prince, he states, â€Å"But my hope is to write a book that will be useful, at least to those who read it intelligently, and so I thought it sensible to go straight to a discussion of how things are in real life and not waste time with a discussion of an imaginary world† (Machiavelli 48). Unlike most other philosophers, Machiavelli does not believe in creating a utopia. He prefers to state the truth and make conclusions based on real events, which is exactly what he does throughout the text. According to Machiavelli: Many authors have constructed imaginary republics and principalities that have never existed in practice and never could; for the gap between how people actually behave and how they ought to behave is so great that anyone who ignores everyday reality in order to live up to an ideal will soon discover he has been taught how to destroy himself, not how to preserve himself. (Machiavelli 48) Machiavelli uses examples from the present time as well as the past to illustrate his advice for the princes. For example, Machiavelli refers to a contemporary Italian prince, whom he feels is a model of the ideal prince, on several occasions. His name is Cesare Borgia, the son of Pope Alexander VI. One time Machiavelli refers to him is when discussing individuals who acquire principalities through fortune. Instead of creating a hypothetical situation in which a person receives principalities through luck and making up possible outcomes, Machiavelli directly cites Borgia who received land from his father. He asserts, â€Å"Cesare Borgia, who was called Duke Valentino by the common people, acquired his state thanks to the good fortune of his father, and when that came to an end he lost it† (Machiavelli 22). By using real occurrences, Machiavelli’s advice becomes more convincing. The people know that he is basing his guidance on events which have actually taken place, and therefore they accept more of what he has to say. Machiavelli’s criticism of human nature is infamous for the obvious reason that he bashes humans. The words he uses to describe humans all have a negative connotation. While they may seem incredibly harsh, he is only stating the truth. Machiavelli explains, â€Å"For of men one can, in general, say this: They are ungrateful, fickle, deceptive and deceiving, avoiders of danger, eager to gain† (Machiavelli 52). While some may argue that they do not possess these negative characteristics, Machiavelli disagrees arguing that while they may not show them, they are capable of them. He continues on to describe humans as being self-preserved. â€Å"As long as you serve their interests, they are devoted to you. They promise you their blood, their possessions, their lives, and their children, as I said before, so long as you seem to have no need of them. But as soon as you need help, they turn against you† (Machiavelli 52). People are willing to give up all that they have, but when the time comes to actually give their belongings away, they run away. This assumption that humans are being of pitiless self-interest follows with political realism. Machiavelli furthers his negative remarks about human beings when he discusses virtue. Based on Machiavelli’s use of the word virtue, he seems to be referring to qualities that would earn praise. He states several praiseworthy characteristics that most humans would think are beneficial to possess. Machiavelli continues pointing out: Now I know everyone will agree that if a ruler could have all the good qualities I have listed and none of the bad ones, then this would be an excellent state of affairs. But one cannot have all the good qualities, nor always act in a praiseworthy fashion, for we do not live in an ideal world. (Machiavelli 48) While his point is intended for princes, it can be applied to humans as well. His earlier case about humans being self-absorbed and fickle can apply here as well. He acknowledges that it would be better for society if everyone acted virtuously, but it is not an ideal world. Therefore, since not everyone can possess only good qualities, he turns to a blatant reality that people must be deceiving. They need to pretend to have positive characteristics in order to fool those who oppose them. He believes the good traits are more advantageous if a person merely seems to possess them. A person should seem to be compassionate, trustworthy, sympathetic, honest, and religious instead of actually being those things. Machiavelli makes clear that virtue is not possible for a prince to be successful. He emphasizes the need for deception, and then moves on to discuss cruelty. Machiavelli explains that while it is good to be loved by your people, it is better to be feared. This is because men who love you will remain loyal until they fear their interests are at stake and run away. If the men are afraid of you, then they will not be able to run away because their fear will restrain them. Machiavelli states, â€Å"†¦for it is impossible to keep an army united and ready for action without acquiring a reputation for cruelty† (Machiavelli 52). If a prince wants control and order, then he needs to be feared. According to Machiavelli, cruelty is the way to achieve this goal and is essential if a prince wishes to maintain his power. The third necessity for a prince to remain a leader is to be powerful during war. Machiavelli, who clearly believes it is important to refer to the past as a guide, advises rulers to read history books and study the actions of men who succeeded. He declares, â€Å"[A ruler] should see how they conducted themselves when at war, study why they won some battles and lost others, so he will know what to imitate and what to avoid† (Machiavelli 47). By learning about past leaders, a prince can imitate the actions of historical figures who are admirable in order to make himself better. Machiavelli’s emphasis on war may come from the fact that, during this time, Italy is in pieces, and he wishes for it to be united. He encourages rulers to â€Å"only think of military matters† and states that â€Å"in time of peace he should be even more occupied with them than in time of war† (Machiavelli 46). A prince should constantly be a step ahead of his enemies, and, therefore, needs to persistently focus on how he can be better prepared for war. By having a good army and a set plan, a ruler is able to maintain his power. Although many people criticize Machiavelli for his outrageous political realism, he was discussing the truth about reality. Some people may see it as harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts. Machiavelli states, â€Å"So it is necessary for a ruler, if he wants to hold on to power, to learn how not to be good, and to know when it is and when it is not necessary to use this knowledge† (Machiavelli 48). He explains in depth why honesty and virtue are not factors in determining a prince’s success. Instead, a prince needs to be deceiving, cruel, and a powerful military ruler in order to keep his power. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolà ². The Prince. Trans. David Wootton. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1995. Print.

Analysis Of Laura Murphys Beloved - 1609 Words

Laura Murphy is a member of the Lake Braddock Secondary School Parent-Teacher-Student Association in Fairfax Station, Virginia. Murphy is advocating for students at the high school to not read a particular novel. The novel that she is challenging happens to be the Pulitzer Prize winner Beloved by Toni Morrison. Murphy is not only challenging the book, but is also wanting to ban Beloved. In regards to future literature, â€Å"new polices are adopted for books assigned† that might have objectionable content. Murphy stated that this challenge started with her eldest son having to read this novel for his AP-English class in high school. Her son had nightmares after reading Beloved and he even states that, â€Å"It was disgusting and gross, It was†¦show more content†¦Within college classes, the teachers and students have the ability to talk more about controversial topics that are not allowed within the high school classes. Parents understand that when their children go to college, they will be exposed to more topics that they have yet to hear about. Parents do not expect the same from a high school classroom. Lake Braddock English departments officials sent a letter to Murphy stating that â€Å"society must address troubles the world faces† (The Washington Post - Shapiro). The letter also mentioned that, â€Å" reading and studying books that expose us, imaginatively and safely, to that trouble steels our souls to pull us through our own hard times and leads us to a greater empathy for the plight of our fellow human beings† (The Washington Post - Shapiro). It took two full seasons to pass by before Murphy’s challenge reached the school board. Unfortunately the board voted 6-2 against hearing her case and the Superintendent Jack D. Dale decided to not remove Beloved from the AP English curriculum (The Washington Post - Shapiro). The school that Murphy’s son was attending did have an option to opt out of books assigned in the classroom if they find the material to be uncomfortable for them to read, but Murphy wants this option to be â€Å"stricter† (The Washington Post - Shapiro) for books containing mature themes and content such as the novel Beloved. Murphy has brought much attention to