20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

4 Important Facts about World Trade Organization (WTO)

Globalization
WTO was created in 1995 at the Uruguay round of GATT (General Agreement on Trade and Tariff) negotiations. It implements 28 treaties related with the international trade.It is the “watch dog” of world trade. It has 149 members. The purpose of WTO is to promote free trade by reducing barriers like duties and quotas. Its headquarters is at Geneva. There are two committees—Dispute Settlement Body and Trade Policy Review Body that play significant role in the organization. Image Source: cdn.shareyouressays.com 1. Various Dimensions of WTOs Programmes: ADVERTISEMENTS: 1. Trade Related Intellectual Property Right (TRIPS): To enforce Patent laws commensurate with WTO.2. Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS): To remove quantitative restrictions and ensure equal treatment of foreign investors. ADVERTISEMENTS: 3. General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) 4. Multi Fibre Agreement…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

5 Important Instruments/Methods for the Promotion of National Interest

Emotions
The common methods of protecting and promoting national interests are as follows: 1. Diplomacy: Diplomacy has been regarded as a means for securing the national interest for a long time and it still constitutes the most effective means for this purpose.Generally diplomatic negotiations are used to reconcile the conflicting claims. Though, diplomacy is regarded as a universal aspect of international life, it is by no means successful in achieving every end. Image Source: espngrantland.files.wordpress.com 2. Propaganda: ADVERTISEMENTS: Propaganda means the art of convincing others to accept the desired course of action. As Frankel says “propaganda is systematic attempt to affect the minds, emotions and actions of a given group for a specific public purpose”.Almost every regime seeks to maximize its national interests by resorting to technique of propaganda. Hitler and…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

27 Important Modes of Corruption in India

Government
Corruption need not necessarily be in the form of money. The Central Vigilance Commission has identified following twenty-seven modes of corruption.1. Acceptance of substandard stores/works. ADVERTISEMENTS: 2. Misappropriation of public money and misappropriation of stores.3. Incurring pecuniary obligations of persons with whom the public servants have official dealings. Image Source: blogs-images.forbes.com4. Borrowings money from contractors/firms having official dealings with officers.5. Showing favours to contractors and firms. ADVERTISEMENTS: 6. Claiming of false travelling allowance, house rent, etc.7. Possession of disproportionate assets.8. Causing loss to government by negligence or otherwise.9. Purchase of immovable property, etc. without prior permission or intimation. ADVERTISEMENTS: 10. Abuse of official position/powers.11. Acceptance of illegal gratification in recruitments, postings, transfers and promotions.12. Misuse of government employees for personal work.13. Production of forged certificates of age, of birth of…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

15 Important Features of the Panchayati Raj

Finance
The key features of this Act are as follows:1. Uniform three tier Panchayati Raj system at the village, intermediate and district levels. However, States with a population of less than 20 lakhs are given the option to avoid intermediate level Panchayat. ADVERTISEMENTS: 2. Gram Sabha has been hailed as foundation stone of the Panchayat System.3. State legislatures by law may make provisions for the composition of the Panchayats. Image Source: c2.staticflickr.com4. Elections to all the three tiers and to the Chairperson of village Panchayat shall be direct.5. The Chairperson of a Panchayat and other members of Panchayat shall have the right to vote in the meetings of Panchayat. ADVERTISEMENTS: 6. The Chairperson of a Panchayat at the village level shall be elected in such a manner as the legislature of…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

6 Important Principles of “Political Realism” – Explained!

Environment
Morgenthau elaborates his theory of Political Realism by his six principles. These are mentioned under following heads: Image Source: doggreenproductions.com 1. Politics governed by objective laws based on Human nature: According to Morgenthau man moves by laws which are ‘eternal.’ “These laws are impervious to human preferences and as such cannot be refuted and challenged.” Consequently, the aim should be to ascertain facts and interpret them through our reason. ADVERTISEMENTS: The human nature necessarily does not change. They can be collected as facts from the history through empirical and logical devices.But, he contends that it must be rational, as he remarks “It is the testing of rational hypothesis against the actual facts and their consequences that give meaning to facts of international politics and makes a theory of politics possible.”Thus,…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

6 Important Causes for the Rise of Bureaucracy in Modern Times

Development
Max Weber identified following causes for the rise of bureaucracy in modern times. These include Image Source: kulturerbethueringen.files.wordpress.com 1. Creation of Money Economy: It ensured secure and regular salaries to the bureaucrats leading to a permanent organization. 2. Emergence of Capitalist Economy: ADVERTISEMENTS: The prime principles of capitalism—rationality— dictates bureaucratic form of organization. 3. Growth of Population: It dictates larger organizations having tendency of assuming bureaucratic form.4. Development of modern means of Communication. 5. Emergence of Complex administrative problems: It required expertise and competence in the organization favoring bureaucracy. 6. Growth of Democratic Institutions: ADVERTISEMENTS: The downfall of feudal elements and encourage­ment of merit based system of functional rationality dictated bureaucratic organizations. Characteristic of Bureaucracy 1. Structural: (a) Division of work.(b) Hierarchy. ADVERTISEMENTS: (c) System of rules.2. Behavioral:(a) Rationality.(b) Impersonality.(c)…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

Useful Notes on “Planning in India” (Planning Commission and National Development Council)

Strategy
Development, Planning and administration in IndiaThe complexity of social life coupled with socio­economic problems of all character at the time of independence led India to embark on development through a model of planned economy.Wherein, Civil Service came to occupy central place for government’s effort to transform and develop India. Image Source: enimg.newsbharati.com 1. History of Planning in India: ADVERTISEMENTS: i. 1935: National Planning Committee with Nehru as Chairmanii. 1945: Birla Planiii. 1946: Planning Advisory Board ADVERTISEMENTS: iv. 1950: Planning Commission with PM as Chairmanv. 1952: National Development Council 2. Planning Commission (1950): A body created by recommendation of the cabinet with a view to frame plan for the entire country so as to bring about balanced growth. Its functions were:i. To assess the material, capital and human resources of the…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

Essay on the Problems of Nation Building and National Integration in India

Identity
The fundamental basis of any country lies on its unity and integrity. It is the national unity that acts a bulwark against forces of domination and exploitation.It also assures peace, prosperity and progress. Consequently every country state aims to strengthen its unity and attain leverage in enjoying the benefits of human civilization. ADVERTISEMENTS: India that is Bharat is a country with diversity. There exist differences between people on the basis of caste, creed, colour, language, ethos, way of life and religious affiliations.However, many of these issues need not affect the society as long as people abide by the norms and values committed to a broader identity say; a nation. But that is not the case in India. India is still a nation in the making. As Rajni Kothari observes, “the…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

Useful Notes on the 74th Amendment Act Of 1992 (India)

Economic Development
This Act has added Part IX-A to the Constitution of India. It is entitled as “The Municipalities’ and consists of provisions from articles 243-P to 243-ZG. In addition, the Act has also added Twelfth Schedule to the Constitution. It contains 18 functional items of municipalities and deals with Article 243-W.The Act gave constitutional status to the municipalities. It has brought them under the purview of justiciable part of the constitution.In other words, state governments are under constitutional obligation to adopt the new system of municipalities in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Image Source:cdh2a.com ADVERTISEMENTS: The Act aims at revitalizing and strengthening the urban governments so that they function effectively as units of local government. The salient features of the Act are: 1. Three Types of Municipalities: The Act…
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20Oct 2018 by Reese Bannister

Essay on the Advantages & Disadvantages of “Cloning”

Behavior
Cloning can be defined as the production of genetic copies that can develop genetically identical human organisms. A cloned organism or a number of clones are formed using the same genetic material as in the original organism.An important question that arises is that how is a clone produced? It is said that while cloning animals, scientists start with an ear skin piece which is later minced up in the laboratory. Then the cells are divided in such a way that they fail to remember that they are skin cells, thus regaining their ability to express all their genes.The later stage includes removal of the donor’s egg from the nucleus and mixed with the skin cells by using electric shocks. If the procedure is conducted successfully, the egg actually grows into…
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