Abstract This paper outlines some of the most relevant issues regarding the potential effect of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) on Brazil and its economy. The paper analyzes the case of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and its affect on Mexico and its economy as an illustrative case. It then examines various trade structures and associations relative to the potential impact of the FTAA for Brazil and South America. Additionally, the paper looks at the benefits and the negatives of the development of a potential FTAA and examines several impediments to its further adoption in the region and by Brazil specifically.
Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Globalization
Economic History in the Americas
Trade Models
NAFTA Goals
Effects on Mexico
Macroeconomic Considerations
Political
Labor
Environment
Brazil Currently
MERCOSUR
Future of the FTAA Roadblocks to Progress
Current Debate--Pros/Cons
Brazil's Anti-FTAA Stance & Lula
Possible Impact
Macroeconomic
Political
Labor
Environment
From the Paper "Most economists believe the wider FTAA holds more promise for the South American member states than does the regional MERCOSUR or similar agreements that may result. The FTAA would expand the potential markets for industry competitors throughout South America allowing for greater leverage of comparative advantage. However, other analysts believe that the FTAA ultimately benefits the largest member states and leaves the smaller member countries with no obvious benefit (Oppenheimer, 2006). This last criticism has been directed at both the FTAA and regional agreements and seems to be an issue related to any trade agreement regardless of context."
Abstract The paper explains that individuals and groups use civil disobedience to protest a wide range of issues raging from environmental pollution to political or social corruption. The paper looks at the activities of the Toronto faction of the Radical Cheerleaders during the anti-FTAA (Free Trade of the Americas Act) protests in Quebec City. The paper shows how the radical cheerleaders displayed a combination of reactionary and revolutionary characteristics.
From the Paper "People all have interests and opinions. Groups of people and individuals tend to show a wide range of interests and opinions. In society some of these people's interests and opinions will receive a great deal of attention while others will be ignored or suppressed. People that do not have their interests meet or their opinions heard usually have to rely on alternative methods to make their voices heard. One of the more common ways is civil disobedience. Civil disobedience is defined as, "refusal to obey governmental commands especially as a nonviolent means of protest"(Anonymous 96)."
Tags: civil, disobedience, anti-FTAA, protests, Avant-garde, activist, art
Abstract This paper analyzes the Free Trade Agreement of the Americans (FTAA) and its impact on the small island nations of the Caribbean. The paper includes the history of negotiations and the failures of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA.)
From the Paper "The Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, FTAA, is an expansion of the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA , to every country in Central America, South America and the Caribbean except Cuba. Unfortunately, NAFTA has not proven to be the success the Clinton Administration imagined it would be."
Abstract This essay argues that Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" is anti-Semitic in terms of its treatment of the character Robert Cohn. Cohn is painted in a negative light and none of the characters like him. Cohn is the anti-hero, yet he has Jewishness intentionally imposed upon him. In this respect, "The Sun Also Rises" involves anti-Semitism.
Abstract The following assignment is for a third year sociology course. The topic discussed is collective social behaviour. The collective social behavior examined in this assignment is anti-war demonstrations. The writer uses social contagion theory and emergent norm theory in order to examine the nature of anti-war demonstrations.
From the Paper "Collective behavior is a very broad area of study. For example, in Collective Behavior Erich Goode states, 'Rumors and legends, fads, and collective protest- these and other social phenomena make up the subject matter of the field of collective Behavior'. Collective behavior is the relatively spontaneous, unstructured, extra institutional behavior of a fairly large number of individuals. The fact that collective behavior is such a diverse area of study means that many activities can be used to examine it. For this paper, demonstrations against the war in Iraq or anti-war demonstrations as they are commonly called will be used to examine many of the theories about collective behavior."
Abstract This paper summarizes the debate between the Federalists and Anti-federalists of the constitutional congress. It suggests some ongoing problems in American public life which demonstrate the main issues which drove that debate, far from being resolved during the constitution's ratification, continue to resonate in current events. This paper discusses the Ratification Debate and the major issues which drove the debate between the Federalists and the Anti-federalists: Distribution of power, protection of rights, limitations of institutions and the ongoing Relevance.
From the Paper "In the last few days of September in 1787, the Confederation Congress met to debate and construct a new Constitution of the United States. The document they wrote and sent for ratification to the thirteen states that made up the newly-formed country was intended to replace the Articles of Confederation that had ordered the nation since its inception. The nation was reaching a crisis point, as the experiment had been going poorly. Surprisingly, perhaps, the problem was not one of the many possible economic problems that new nations are likely to experience when reconstructing after a long and difficult war. As Gordon Wood (1969) argues, the general economy was running well and people felt comfortable and even prosperous (p. 395). Rather, the concerns that brought the nation's leading politicians together were primarily political. "
Abstract This paper discusses how in terms of ideologies, actions, and goals that exist, or should exist in order for the anti-globalization movement to develop into a successful global social movement, there is general agreement that there must be a greater emphasis on social and political issues such as gender equality, and economic issues such as product music and entertainment product copyright protection. The paper further discusses that these are only two of a multitude of important issues that need to be addressed, but they reflect the anti-globalization movement's fundamental goal of protecting the social, political, and economic rights of individuals, groups, and societies as globalization expands. For example, globalization has presented many challenges and opportunities for the transnational women's movement.
A discussion on the way that the punk subculture re-emerged in recent years in response to the rise of the far right in Switzerland and as part of the international anti-fascist and anti-globalization movements.
Abstract The paper focuses on the evolution of punk and its mutation into the more politically charged anarcho-punk movement and explores the violent side of the extreme left - both as an international force and in particular in Switzerland. The paper then discusses the Bern-based Antifa Switzerland group and explores the motivations of the Black Bloc anarchists. The paper highlights the use of violence in the anti-fascist movement and the connection between today's violent anarcho-punks with the ideals of the original punk movement. Several photographs are included with the paper.
Outline:
Introduction
Punk's First Wave
Punk Arrives in Switzerland
Switzerland, Anarcho-Punk, and Post-war Politics in the 21st Century
Conclusion
From the Paper "The media, however, interpreted the punks' image, music, and reckless behavior as a real threat to the status quo. This culminated in December of 1976 when the Sex Pistols and members of the Bromley Contingent appeared on the Bill Grundy television show in England. At the time of this momentous event, punk was still in its early stages. The public-at-large had little way of knowing about punk at the time. What they saw was a group of extravagantly dressed young people, visibly intoxicated, who took relish in using offensive words and insulting the host of the program in a manner that went way beyond the accepted morals of the time. The Bill Grundy episode would spiral the fledgling youth subculture into the wider cultural spotlight. At that point, punk was no longer a tiny subculture, but a mass media spectacle that would shock the conservative British public and inspire similar-minded youth all over the world."
Argues that over-prescribing anti-depressants world-wide could prevent rape survivors from seeking and receiving treatment for depression and other mental health diseases.
Abstract This paper contends that the skyrocketing number of prescriptions for anti-depressants recently has caused some to worry that patients, such as rape victims, who could benefit from the addition of medication in their recovery, might not be able to get the much-needed medicine.
From the Paper "The recent FDA decision regarding SSRI's (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors) has caused the medical community to scale down anti-depressant prescriptions in recent months. This project in intended to shed light on the growing problem of over-prescribing anti-depressants and the effects that ultimately could prevent rape survivors from receiving the much needed medications they need for recovery."
Abstract The paper explores the impact of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement on Brazil. The paper examines NAFTA as a working model and its influence on and benefit for Mexico and their economy. The paper evaluates various trade structures and associations relative to the potential impact of the FTAA for Brazil and South America. The paper explores the benefits and the negatives of a potential FTAA and focuses on several impediments to its further adoption in the region and by Brazil specifically.
Outline:
Introduction
Background of the FTAA Economic History in South America: Brazil in the Twentieth and Twenty First Centuries
Trade Models
Future of the FTAA Conclusion
From the Paper "Brazil has long been a highly populated and growing nation within South America. However, it generally has not been recognized for its substantial positioning in the world market or its cultural strength among Latin American people. In the 1990s, however, Brazil began to be recognized as a significant inclusion in the world market because of its collaboration in creating the Mercosur agreement with other South American countries. As Mercosur began to be realized the United States offered the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) with the intention that it would have the same results for Brazil that NAFTA had for both Canada and Mexico."
Tags: Mercosur, economy, trading, bloc, Chavez, globalization, European, Union
Abstract The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) eliminated, or will eliminate (by 2009), all trade barriers between Canada, Mexico and United States. Not long after NAFTA took effect on January 1, 1994, the Clinton Administration made the extension of that agreement (the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas, or FTAA) its top trade priority. Specifically, President Clinton proposed to expand NAFTA to include all of Central and South America, thus creating a free trade zone that would extend from Alaska's Point Barrow in the north down to Argentina's Tierra del Fuego in the south. The paper argues, however, that such a move is potentially disastrous, as demonstrated by America's five-year experience with NAFTA. This paper argues against the extension because NAFTA has already had a negative impact on the economy, environment and welfare of both the U.S. and Mexico, and those consequences will only be compounded by the FTAA.
From the Paper "By contrast, the areas already hit by the transformation of the American economy suffered even more. Most of the people who lived in these downtrodden regions of Southern California were members of minority groups. They watched helplessly as NAFTA drained more blue-collar jobs away from their already depressed neighborhoods. Those jobs, generally high-paying, had been the ticket to upward mobility for those lacking education or language skills. But companies such as Goodyear, General Motors, and Firestone departed, and the blue-collar opportunities were replaced by minimum wage jobs that offered no hope for escape (O?Connor, 1998, B1)."
Abstract This paper explains that the Financial Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) was formed by the G-7 nations as an intergovernmental task force to examine money laundering trends, techniques and past AML actions and to develop new, more effective measures for implementation into anti-money laundering (AML) systems. The author points out that, although Switzerland and the U.K. have developed intricate AML systems as describe in this paper, the U.S.'s enforcement oriented AML system is the international leader. The paper recommends that AML systems could be strengthened by investigating and prosecuting money laundering activity in connection with every criminal offense, which is often associated with money laundering, such as terrorism, corruption and tax evasion This paper includes tables and graphs.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Definition of Money Laundering
Trends in Money Laundering
Anti-Money Laundering Systems: International Standards
History of the Development of Anti-Money Laundering Systems
Anti-Money Laundering Systems: The United Kingdom
Anti-Money Laundering Systems: Switzerland
The Future of Money Laundering and Anti-Money Laundering Systems
Switzerland vs. the U.K.: How Effective are Their AML Systems?
Appendix 1: Country Page - Switzerland, IBA Anti-Money Laundering Forum
Appendix 2: Country Page - the United Kingdom, IBA Anti-Money Laundering Forum
Appendix 3: FATF - The Forty Recommendations
From the Paper "It is important to understand past trends in methods for money laundering in order to predict and prevent the development of future methods. This is gained through an in-depth understanding of the prevalence and evolution of money laundering methods and their current and emerging trends. The identification of trends ensures that money laundering methods are understood and that action is taken to comprehend other key factors involved, such as context. Through its typologies effort, the FATF emphasized the identification and description of money laundering trends both at the worldwide level and on a more systematic basis."
Abstract Trusts are viewed as competition destroyers which attempt to control the market for a product. Anti-trust laws arose out of the abuse of such trusts and these laws persevere to this day. This paper questions whether the government's enforcement is executed when the economic climate is right or whether the enforcement is occurring at regular intervals. It also questions whether certain corporations, like Microsoft, are unwitting targets of the government. The overall question in this paper is whether the enforcement of anti-trust laws harms American competition. The response lies in the history of anti-trust laws, the enforcement of such laws and the meaning of competition within economic understanding.
Paper Outline:
Introduction
The History of Anti-trust Laws
The Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)
The Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914)
The Federal Trade Commission Act (1914)
Robinson-Patman Act (1936), Celler-Kefauver Act (1950) and The Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976
Competition
Enforcement
Has the Microsoft Anti-trust Case Helped or Hindered American Competition?
Has the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act Helped or Hindered American Competition?
Conclusion
From the Paper "In 1911, two decades after the Sherman Act was passed, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the Standard Oil Company and the American Tobacco Company exerted unlawful monopolistic authority. This was the first major court decision since the Act was passed. The two mentioned companies were forced to dissolve into smaller firms that would compete against each other. The courts have not been consistent when interpreting the meaning of monopoly power under the Sherman Act either."
Abstract This research offers a critical approach to different anti-terrorism measures, that are or were used by democratic states in the 20th century. The author provides a descriptive approach based on the existing academic literature on terrorism and democratic states.
Abstract and Acknowledgements p. i
Table Of Contents p. ii
Introduction: Describing Terrorism In Function Of Its Finality p. 1
Anti -Terrorism Measures: An Overview p. 7
Proactive, Reactive And Preemptive Measures p. 8
Specific Anti-Terrorism Measures p. 11
Legal Measures: Emergency Or Exception Legislation p. 11
Definition Of New Penal Offenses p. 11
Creation Of State Security Or Anti-Terrorism Courts p. 12
Extension Of Law Enforcement Powers p. 13
Critical Comments On Legislative Anti-Terrorism Measures p. 14
Security Measures p. 16
Target Hardening p. 16
Anti-Terrorism Intelligence p. 17
Involvement Of The Military p. 20
Conclusion: Lessons Learned p. 25
The Need For A Good Definition p. 27
The Illusion Of A No-Compromise Policy p. 28
Law Enforcement And Intelligence Services Should Concentrate On The Financing Of Terrorism p. 29
Accepting A Certain Level Of Terrorism p. 30
Addendum: In Terms Of European Security p. 31
Bibliography p. 33
From the Paper "The problem of defining terrorism is probably the most difficult tasks facing students of terrorism. I are therefore hesitant to add to the considerable volume that has been written on this specific subject. This first section will briefly discuss several definitional aspects of the social phenomenon we call terrorism. Interestingly, the first time the term terrorism was used, it referred to state-terrorism or terrorism from above. The regime of the Jacobins, between March 1793 and July 1794 received the qualification of "syst"m r"gime de la terreur", referring to the many executions that occurred during the French Revolution. The term implied an organized system of coercion, based on fear and violence. However, with exception maybe of the two latter elements, it can easily be said that terrorism has no such specific meaning today. The term is used and abused quite frequently, for political and ideological purposes alike. A variety of situations and actions are labeled terrorist. Yet another considerable problem is the fact that a majority of terrorism definitions have been designed in the specific purpose of fitting a particular ideology."
Tags: law, politics, terrorism, fight, terror, violence, war
Abstract This paper discusses the rise of anti-Americanism in recent years. The author demonstrates that while these anti-Americanism feelings are not entirely new, events in the last two decades, such as the collapse of the World Trade Center, the invasion of Afghanistan and the Abu Ghraib Prison scandal, amongst others, have lead to the rise of anti-American feelings. The reputation of America as a unilateral and power hungry nation has also been reinforced abroad through events such as these. The paper examines the prevailing causes to this rising tide of anti-Americanism and tries to find out if a proper course of correction can be determined.
Ouline:
The Issue - How Should the U.S Deal with rising anti-Americanism
Background
What Policy Options Do We Have
Prognosis for the Future
From the Paper " The collapse of the World Trade Center, the invasion of Afghanistan, the extended terms of detention at Guaantonimao Bay, the American Lead toppling of the Iraqi regime, and the Abu Grade Prison scandal. Each of these events has left a far-reaching impact on the persona of the United States abroad. The course of action that followed the events of September 11, 2001 was a continuation down the road of American power and unilateralism. The after effects of these actions have left a serious rift in Alliances between some of America's oldest and greatest allies and cast a dark shadow over America's image across the globe."
