History Of Frontier And The Westward Movement - 2627 Words

In his seminal essay The Significance of the Frontier in American History, famous American historian Frederick Jackson Turner clearly states that the frontier plays a big role in American’s socialization and creating our typical characteristics. The history of frontier and the Westward movement influence a lot on American culture and behavior at the present. Although overtime, American may have made some changes through the globalization and the intercultural trend, there is still one influence, the most significant one, that is frequently used to identify American general culture: violence. However, not only our international friends all around the world are giving us a violent culture title, but also we are socializing ourselves with violence. With several reported nonsense murders, celebrities committing domestic violence, teenagers hitting each other streets, widespread bullying in school, America is really struggling to explain why violence is so much a part of our daily experience. Ironically, the word violence is no longer narrowed to physical abuses that we used to expand our nation to the West. As the growth of motion picture technology and the Internet, violence turns into digital forms causing many negative influences on our young generation. Violence now becomes an indispensable element of American social media daily basis: from shooting news to cyber bully causing suicides. We are so used to with it that we may not even realize that violence is all around. WeShow MoreRelatedThe Westward Expansion Of The United States960 Words   |  4 PagesThe Westward exp ansion began for the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. For $15 million dollars, President Thomas Jefferson purchased from France 828,000 square miles, including most of 14 current states, thus doubling the size of America. Jefferson now had the land, but how to populate it was another story. On a three year expedition, Lewis and Clark were sent by Jefferson to explore the lands to get a better understanding of the geography and resources of the West. During the 1830sRead MoreExpansion Of The United States1460 Words   |  6 Pageshave to be a frontier, or as described by Webster’s Dictionary, â€Å"A span that forms the margin of stayed or industrialized territory.† American past has been in a colossal degree Tethe past of the settlement of the Outstanding West. Expansion of the United States can be drew from the early of those who stayed in Jamestown. They had made the early frontier of America, the foreign frontier. Supplementary clusters came to this large earth alongside its seeming endless frontier. The Frontier, that was everRead MoreExpansion Of The United States1460 Words   |  6 Pageshave to be a frontier, or as described by Webster’s Dictionary, â€Å"A span that forms the margin of stayed or industrialized territory.† American past has been in a colossal degree Tethe past of the settlement of the Outstanding West. Expansion of the United States can be drew from the early of those who stayed in Jamestown. They had made the early frontier of America, the foreign frontier. Supplementary clusters came to this large earth alongside its seeming endless frontier. The Frontier, that was everRead MoreIAH 201 paper 11183 Words   |  5 Pagesthe idea of the frontier and, 2. The belief it was the duty of America to maintain peace of all nations. The consequences of this increased global involvement on American Society was 3. The clashing views of the imperialist and anti-imperialist parties. America first took a step towards greater world involvement due to 1. The effects of the frontier on the American spirit. In 1893 Fredrick Jackson Turner delivered the idea of The Significance of the Frontier in American History, to a gatheringRead MoreGovernment s Military Interventions Toward Native Peoples Overlooked Violence Essay1306 Words   |  6 PagesThe primary memory of United States’ westward expansion in the 19th century is one of triumph because it doubled the nation’s territory and increased trade. However, the Old West during the 19th century was characterized by America’s brutal obsession with expansion and the concept of American exceptionalism. In Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, Judge Holden celebrates the human nature of violence and its necessity to find order in chaos. Blinded by the greed for control, he refuses to acknowledgeRead MoreHow Americanism Is The American Of American Imperialism And Success Is Definition Of An American1098 Words   |  5 Pagesidentifying only some factors of the incentive behind American expansionism and success is definition of an American. In the 1800s Americans wished for westward expansion—an idea of a frontier. Expansion had not been a new idea, but continuing the pattern of American history beginning when the first settlers arrived on shore. The drive for westward expansion was influenced by Puritan utopianism, revolutionary republicanism, and the economic growth of the mid-1800s. Many Christian sects fled to AmericaRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution was a great time of growth in the United States. During this time in800 Words   |  4 Pagesrailroads in the United States from the spread of westward expansion, to farmers need to stay connected to the rest of the nation, and to the start of railroad regulations agencies. In the 19th century the eastern part of North America began to become overcrowded with immigrants as well as from natural growth. This marked the time in Americas history for westward expansion and westward development. Thousands of Americans flocked to the so called new frontier in search of land and wealth. However thereRead MoreThe Significance of the Frontier in American History1439 Words   |  6 Pagesalong the American frontier? What Turner wants to point out here is that the American West is the most important feature of American history, and of the development of its society. He refers several times to a process of â€Å"Americanization† and we will see that the definition he gives of it is a very peculiar one. He gives a definition of the frontier: â€Å"it lies at the hither edge of free land†, meaning that he considers the Indian territory to be free land. According to him the frontier is the â€Å"meetingRead More Westward Expansion Essay1520 Words   |  7 Pages WESTWARD EXPANSION The movement of people that has resulted in the settlement of America is one of the most fascinating and significant topics in the history of the United States. Nowhere else has an area of equal size been settled as a result of the initiative of small groups and individuals. Westward expansion helped stimulate the American economy. The first organized migration to California originated in Platte County, on the far western frontier of Missouri. Reports described CaliforniaRead MoreThe War Of 1812 Was A Great Deal Of Curiosity1615 Words   |  7 PagesHistory has the tendency to cause a great deal of curiosity. For instance, someone may wonder what the War of 1812 was and what difficulties the United States had in waging the War of 1812. They also might ponder about why the War of 1812 was widely viewed as a victory for the United States or how the war lead to an increasing pattern of diplomatic cooperation between the United States and Britain. Our very own seventh president, Andrew Jackson, has meant a great deal in our history and some may

The Great Gatsby And Death Of A Salesman - 1834 Words

The point of view in a corrupt society can thoroughly express the selfish people, the greedy individuals, and the uneasy thoughts brought among us. Well, the three excerpts The Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, and Death of a Salesman could interpret this. The three excerpts have been shown to be a base for â€Å"the American Dream,† or basic â€Å"Alienation,† but to look deeper into the source at hand and their distinct features; the clear status of showing the reader how corrupt society can be. The way these three novels have set the stages for corruption and it s ongoing timeline that leads to either death or being pushed into a mental hospital. Of course, the only one who ends up in a mental hospital is Holden Caulfield. Holden is a young boy who begins to realize how the world is full of phonies and â€Å"fuck you’s† that cannot be erased from the world because they are implemented in the minds of those live in the society. Holden has the inability to socialize with the â€Å"outside† world out of his own mind, because he has become immune to the indecent ways that people treat each other in his life. Holden metaphorically was born with a Caulfield, hence his name, which is a protective layer not only for him, but the protective layer he tries to keep children in. â€Å"Partly because I have a lousy vocabulary and partly because I act quite young for my age sometimes. I was sixteen then, and I m seventeen now, and sometimes I act like I m about thirteen. It s really ironic, because IShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby And The Death Of A Salesman1328 Words   |  6 PagesWithin these two stories, The Gre at Gatsby and The Death of a Salesman, there are numerous similarities and differences amongst the protagonist characters in the stories: Jay Gatsby, a well-off, aristocratic man who throws immense parties in order to satisfy his desires of finding the girl and Willy, a father who has flashbacks that distort his vision of the truth and his vision to success. The â€Å"American Dream† is the â€Å"dream† that all Americans are granted the same chance to attain their life goalsRead MoreThe Great Gatsby And Death Of A Salesman1241 Words   |  5 Pagesambition has been so prevalent in literature. It is the dominant theme in The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, William Shakespeare s Macbeth, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort. In this essay, I will discuss the two ways over ambition can cause an individual s downfall. The first is setting unattainable goals which we can see in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman. The second is trying to achieve your goals unethically, seen in Macbeth andRead MoreThe Great Gatsby And The Death Of A Salesman1427 Words   |  6 Pages In both The Great Gatsby and The Death of a Salesman, the pursuit of the American Dream is a destructive force that is evident throughout the texts because neither Gatsby nor Willy understand their own limitations. Willy Loman and Gatsby are characters fascinated and easily dominated by the American dream that destroys them. Their dreams come from an illusionary past and that are both based outside of their own selves. Gatsby wanted to rewind to his past, while Willy attempted to create a descentRead MoreThe Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman913 Words   |  4 Pagesand success of the men she is with. She floats to wherever the money is. Her happiness comes from money which is why she left Gatsby for Tom when Gatsby could no longer support her financial needs. Many components in the american dream that were desired in the 1920s and exemplified in The Great Gatsby carried over into the 1950s and shown in Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman. The american dream from the perspective of 1950 America includes many similar characteristics contained in the 1920sRead MoreComparing The Great Gatsby And Death Of A Salesman915 Words   |  4 PagesIn both, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the main characters Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman manifest themselves in their illusions of success and popularity and are unable to face their bitter realities. Within both texts, this idea of false perceived success is portrayed. First, the character Gatsby creates an illusion of success by lying about his source of wealth. He does not want anyone to realize that he is not actually successful and has reliedRead MoreDeath of a Salesman Compared to the Great Gatsby Essay613 Words   |  3 PagesComparing Death of a Salesman to The Great Gatsby In the search for the American dream many things can be lost, this is reflected in the novel The Great Gatsby and the movie Death of a Salesman. Both of these works demonstrate the lengths that some people will go to in order to achieve the stereotypical life of a rich, successful and powerful American, which is often referred to as the American dream. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller illustrates how the character Willy will stop at nothing toRead MoreThe American Dream in Death of a Salesman and The Great Gatsby1238 Words   |  5 PagesSociety once was based on truth, passion, and liberty for all but now is a mere illusion, focusing on money, power and how to reach it; portraying materialism and wealth as the â€Å"American Dream† and self-actualization, as portrayed by Miller in Death of a Salesman. The American Dream came to mean fame and fortune, instead of a promise that shaped a nation. (David Kamp, Vanity Fair) This so- called dream has done incredible damage to our companies and corporations in America. As economic success andRead MoreSurvival Guide : The Great Gatsby, And Death Of A Salesman1796 Words   |  8 PagesChristine Powroznik English Final Exam: Survival Guide Pursuit of Happyness, Dead Poet’s Society, The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman 1) The American Dream The Great Gatsby: The American dream is a chance to start a new life in a new setting. In this book, Gatsby’s American dream was Daisy. Once he met her, he devoted his life to pleasing her: he bought the mansion across the bay from her, had extravagant parties, etc. He always held onto his hope, or the green light, that he would win herRead MoreAmerican Dream Derailed in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman1486 Words   |  6 PagesScott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, and Arthur Miller’s drama, Death of a Salesman, both protagonists, Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman, are convinced that the way to achieve a better life is by living the â€Å"American dream†. However, the dream does not end up successfully for these two characters. In fact, their ideals and hopes of rising to success cause their American dream to take a turn into a nightmare. Although it may seem as if F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is portraying a romanticRead More Comparing the Perversion of Values in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman1642 Words   |  7 PagesPerversion of Values in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman      Ã‚   Throughout History there are many examples of perversions, from sexual, social to the very morals themselves. One of the greatest examples is the continuous corruption of the American Dream. As the Dream evolves, it tends to conform to the illicit dealings of the time and immortals of society. No longer is an individual interested in working hard to achieve goals, it is desirous of the quick fix. Society wants its wishes

A Deadly Mistake Uncovered on Funny Essay Topics List and How to Avoid It

A Deadly Mistake Uncovered on Funny Essay Topics List and How to Avoid It Read the list and stay in mind that interesting topics are an appropriate way for an intriguing assignment. It can be hard to consider about issues and topics off the peak of your head. Very often it becomes tough to choose one particular topic either due to the many ideas in the student's head, or due to their complete absence. Selecting a topic is a vital issue that partly estimates final success of the job. There are many important steps that you should take as a way to compose a decent satirical essay. You are able to even locate a funny method to teach your readers how to modify their settings. Moreover, don't forget to spell out why the reader is to execute each step and what the general objective is. Your readers may be searching for strategies to have a professional website ready to go whenever possible. Learn how funny argumentative essay topics can receive the interest of your tutor. Before beginning to write, go at your own pace and think of process essay thoughts and topics you like. At a specific point, you will be asked to compose an essay utilizing satire essay topics. Thanks to the correct selection of presentation style and a thorough understanding of the goals you need to attain in your essay, there are many categories essay themes may be broken into. Another good idea is to receive some totally free essay examples of different sorts and on various subjects to find a general idea of the way in which a thriving debatable paper looks. You will discover a range of argumentative essay topics but picking the perfect one might be the basic and the very first step to compose an influential essay. The best option is when you're absolutely free to pick any topic. You need to make sure your essay isn't only interesting to read, but it's also thorough and actually informative for your reader. It is possible to support a specific idea when criticizing different facets but let the reader decide. The quote should apply to the subject of your essay and create the reader think. The challenge with writing an anecdote is truly creating an intriguing story. Perhaps the most significant thing that you need to not forget is that you're expected to compose an essay instead of simply to describe something. Second, talk what you shouldn't do instead of what should be done. In addition, you can warn your audience about certain consequences that may occur if the problem under discussion isn't addressed properly. It is possible to provoke your audience to take part in a specific action that is essential to deal with the issue or issue discussed in your essay. The Benefits of Funny Essay Topics List How you compose an essay 17. Also, prevent the obvious if you need your essay to be readable. It isn't so simple to compose a how-to essay. You've got to compose an informative essay. It's compulsory to dedicate one particular paragraph to spell out the significance of a causal-effect link. Decide on three keywords which can help you explain the particular idea. To choose which subject you're likely to discuss, it's essential to see the c omplete collection of good persuasive speech topics from the specific area of study. You will need to do a little bit of investigating to look into the issue and understand the topic you've been assigned. To be successful in writing and create the paper memorable you want to be more original. As a result, if you lack completely free time, but prefer to get a first-rate evaluation of the essays we provide a simple solution refer to our list of sample topics to locate what you need among our examples. Since it's such a huge subject, you are going to want to narrow your paper down to a particular angle. Selecting a great topic makes it simpler to write since there's a need to decide on the range of the topic that's neither too narrow nor too wide. The Ideal Approach to Funny Essay Topics List Rules for boys who would like to date by using their sister. You can find with new ideas for young girls who aspire to become one if you've got the present of style. Regardless of whether you're in high school or in college, you're surely going to find at least one which is perfect for you. Year round school isn't a good idea.

Essay about Missing Persons The Media Bias to Report Only Pretty Blonde Girls Essay Example For Students

Essay about Missing Persons: The Media Bias to Report Only Pretty Blonde Girls Essay A constant sight on the news or internet is of a missing person. Studies by the crimelibrary say that over 800,000 people go missing every year (4). Of those, a little over half are men, half are ethnic minorities and around 50,000 are adults. For such democratic statistics, one would imagine that there would be an equal amount of media coverage for these demographics, yet that is not true. If we observe carefully, we can see that the media tends to follow a certain pattern with who they pick to report on. Usually they are young, pretty blonde girls. At the very least they are likely to be women. Going by what we see, it would be a fair assumption to say that most individuals who go missing are female, youth or Caucasian, yet the statistics speak otherwise. Currently there is a long-standing debate dealing with the effects of media. Some believe that the media is just something to indulge or watch and that it has no significant affect on people while others say that has a powerful pull on society as a whole. Research indicates that bias in media articles leads to minorities and women being portrayed in a stereotypical or harsh manner (Hazell and Clarke 3). This leads to African Americans being seen as individuals fit for â€Å"lower status occupations,† (Hazel and Clark 7). Black men were also seen as hostile, intimidating figures mainly working as athletes or musicians while women were portrayed as domineering, overly expressive people (Hazel and Clark 9). Research also suggests that the media is a major decider in what crime cases get chosen to air on the news. While it was previously thought that what went on the news was arbitrarily picked or based on the most interesting cases, it turns out that it is not quite the case. J. . Children in National News Coverage: Racial and Gender Representations of Missing Children Cases. 27.3 (2010): 207-216. Academia.edu. Web. 5 Nov 2013.Rudolph, Alexander Jr. Racism, African Americans and Social Justice. Lanham: Rowman Littlefield Publishers, 2005. 71. Print. Stein, Sarah Land. The Cultural Complex of Innocence: An Examination of Media and Social Construction of Missing White Woman Syndrome. Order No. 3530740 The University of Southern Mississippi, 2012. Ann Arbor: ProQuest.Web. 5 Nov. 2013.Vanessa Hazell and Juanne Clarke. â€Å"Race and Gender in the Media: A Content Analysis of Advertisements in Two Mainstream Black Magazines.† Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 39, No. 1 (Sep., 2008), pp. 5-21Wade, Lisa. Missing White Woman Syndrome and Fear of Crime. thesocietypages.org. NSC School of LIberal Arts and Sciences, 23 Aug 2011. Web. 5 Nov 2013.

Comparative Economics of Romania

Corruption in the Nigerian Economy

Corruption in the Nigerian Economy Free Online Research Papers ASTRACT The paper has critically examined the harshness of corruption on the Nigerian economy and the support of civil servants in reduces its incidence. The ‘monster’ is the cause for the nation’s economy development impediment. Related literature of renowned scholars, white paper of the Dangin Commission (2000) of Plateau State and personal opinions of civil servants were major sources of data used for this paper. Again, we employed a survey instrument-questionnaire for collecting primary data and percentages were used for testing our hypothesis. According to our investigations, corruption in civil service is caused by Staff negligence and/or negligence of management and the more culpable persons are experienced public servants on level 10 and above, also political appointees. The best strategy of curbing corruption in Nigeria, as opined by respondents and supported by our hypothesis, is those saddled with the responsibility of fighting corruption must live above board and avoid creating bad precedent. Again, the Auditor-General and his/her subordinates should engage in a regular periodic inspection. 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY With the current global recession, the economies of most developing countries have been thrown into very serious problems. Stocks in the capital market in Nigeria, America and United Kingdom among others are experiencing the bearish market situations. Besides, Nigeria has other factors that have battered our economy seriously: these are no other things than the monster-corruption and the persistent political crisis. Measures such as the War Against Indiscipline (WAI), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) have been employed and adopted by past regimes and administrations to curb the underhand practices but all proved abortive, while the economy recession is on the increase: how long should this continue. According to a statement in one of the Daily Times of 1999, it says, â€Å"Decade after decade, children are born to see and learn of this enemy of development. Why should we allow this to continue, we need to joint hands on this criminal behaviour in other to protect present and future generations of our great country†. Corruption has really been the bane of this country; all hands must be on deck. Nigeria was grouped as the 2nd position and the 6th position of the world most corrupt countries. The sequence of the positions above shows little improvement which is not significant for stopping the worry of patriotic Nigerians on the matter. The instinct for corruption normally begins with ungratefulness and greediness. As stated by Malick, 1994:68; â€Å"The origin of corruption is that it is influenced by the quest for more material wealth†. According to Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP: 2008), Nigeria losses 60 kobo to underhand practices out of every N1 (100 kobo) spent by government. The wealth of this nation is being looted by the few privileged individuals known as civil servants and politicians who are busy acquiring their ill-gotten wealth by inflating contract, diverting public assets into personal property and etcetera. Corruption has really ruined our economy in different ways. According to Akara (1994:12), Corruption, in all its ramifications in any society is the symptom of the moral indiscipline and moral decadent that can only be arrested and the society regenerated, if and only if that society itself becomes aware and conscious of its dangerous descent into the abyss of self-extinction. Corruption has really affected the public sector and has spilled to other sectors of the economy such as private sector businesses and households. In view of the yearly reports of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and the various white papers issued in Plateau State-Nigeria, year-in-year-out, many people are initiated into the different forms of these sharp practices. A recent revelation made by the Plateau State Commission of Enquiry into Financial Activities of government for 1999 – 2007, the State Board of Internal Revenue generated about N24 billion (approximately $210 million) but less than 25% of the revenue was account for, more than 75% of the revenue is allegedly embezzled. The issue of corruption in the public sector is perpetrated in a syndicate where both civil servants and political appointees are involved. A study on why corruption flourishes in the public sector might be expected to provide a useful insight into the strategies to be adopted to minimize this evil. It is also expected that the existing government will learn from the experiences of past leaders, who have failed in their efforts to curb the menace of this underhand practices by given leap service for implementation of measures the country has put in place to help in reducing the cases and magnitude of corruption in the public sector and indeed the country as a whole. 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Though, the public sector is the machinery of government in achieving meaningful development in the area of infrastructures, education, health and etcetera, the failure to achieve any of these developmental goals is due to an array of problems. Of these problems, the issue of corruption is one that has eating into the fabrics of our economy and the need to manage its scourge is imperative. The efforts of the Independent Corruption Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) have done little in curbing this monster as cases and magnitudes of corruption is still significant compared to the poverty level in this country. According to 2006 NDIC annual report (2008), billions of Naira are lost to fraudsters and other dubious people annually. In the survey conducted between 1999/2000 by CPAR, an average of $10 billion is lost to corruption (BPP: 2008). This cannot be allowed to continue, never! The magnitude of this problem and its implications for the Nigeria economy have inspired the writing of this paper with a view to having all hands on deck in fighting this evil in Nigeria. 1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE ARTICLE The aim of this paper is to assess the views of civil servants about the effort of government against corruption in the Public Sector in Nigeria and to proffer suggested approaches on how to minimise it. To achieve this singular objective, the following secondary objectives have been specified: i) To review existing literatures on the subject matter; ii) To identify the causes of corruption perpetrated in the Public Sector; iii) To determine the negative effect of corruption in the Public Sector; iv) To ascertain the major perpetrators of corruption in the public sector. v) To recommend strategies for curbing and reducing the incidence of corruption in the economic system of Nigeria. 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS In the light of the foregoing, the following questions may be asked: i) What are the ways of defrauding the public sector? ii) What are the major causes of corruption in the public sector? iii) What are the effects of corruption in the public sector? iv) How can the problems of corruption be managed in our public offices? v) What are the best ways of mitigating the effects of corruption in Nigeria? vi) Who are the major contributors to corruption in Nigeria? vii) Who are the most culpable people involved in corruption. These questions form the problem that prompted the writing of this paper and the need to provide workable answers to them constitutes its justification. 1.5 HYPOTHESIS To achieve some of the objectives of this paper, the following hypothesis is formulated: Ho: That civil servants being the most culpable persons in corruption in Nigeria are not in support of the fight against the â€Å"Monster†; HI: That civil servants being the most culpable persons in corruption in Nigeria are in support of the fight against the â€Å"Monster†. This hypothesis will be tested with percentages of collective opinions of civil servants as obtained from the field. 1.5 SCOPE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This paper is relevant to what the Obasanjo’s government started which the Yar’adua’s administration is trying to sustain, specifically on their efforts to wipe out all forms of corruption in Nigeria. The settings up of the Anti-Corruption Act’2000, Anti-Money Laundry Act’2004 and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in 2004 are all proofs that the Nigerian government is really fighting corruption, and requires support from all patriotic Nigerians to join hands against this evil that is pervading the society. 2.0 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Definitions of Corruption: Anti-Corruption Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2000 defined ‘Corruption’ â€Å"to include all forms of bribery, fraud and other related offences†. A corrupt practice takes place when one in a fiduciary position acts in a manner prejudicial to the cause of his employer because of the receipt of a benefit or consideration from a third party who is ultimately the beneficiary of the action taken, (Ijewere, 1999). According to Osisioma (1999), corrupt practices tend to produce an illegal transfer of resources, and in the transfer exercise, the actors engage in an unproductive use of their labour and resources. Obasanjo (1994) defines corruption as the misuse of public power for private and personal benefit which is distinguishable from other crimes by the fact that it is usually carried out in utmost secrecy and the act itself may not be immediately perceptible. In its tactical meaning, corruption is an act or course of deception deliberately practiced to gain unlawful or unfair advantage; deception directed to the detriment of the public. 2.2 FORMS OF CORRUPTION AND WAYS OF DEFRAUDING GOVERNMENT. Corruption is perpetrated in the civil service in various forms. The two major forms are petty corruption and grand corruption. The common ones have been identified and classified as follows: a) Inflating of contract prices; b) Diversion of government property to personal property; c) Collection of bribes or gratification; d) Teaming and Lading; e) Irregularities; Many measures have been introduced, especially at the individual Ministry, Boards and Parastatals to minimize this menacing problem without much success, (Danging Commission,2000). 2.3 CAUSES OF CORRUPTION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. The common causes of corruption as identified by different Authors and Newspapers are summarized below: i) Poor Administration – This is in terms of inadequate supervision, and inadequate control is the most significant causes of corruption. For instance, when a junior staff is inadequately supervised, those with fraudulent tendencies may get the wrong impression that there working environment and/or circumstances is safe for the perpetration of corruption, (Ishola, 1997:25). ii) Negligence – Staff negligence and/or negligence of management is the commonest and most susceptible factor which corrupters look forward to in government establishments and they usually capitalize on it. For instance, lack of regular bank reconciliation, stocktaking, verification of prices in the market and issuing of cheques without proper blocking of the unused space could be manipulated by the perpetrators, (Babatunde, 1987:16). iii) Poor Salaries and Conditions of Service – When civil servants are unable to meet their personal, psychological and social needs because of poor salaries and conditions of service, they may be tempted to collect bribe, inflate contract price, inflate prices of goods/items purchased directly, embezzle money or fraudulently convert some of the government assets into their own use. This temptation becomes harder to resist particularly for civil servants who work with cash or in other sensitive areas, (Dandago, 1997:16). iv) Opportunity and Low Chance of Detection – A poor or inadequate internal control or inefficiency of existing control could induce corruption. A poor or inefficient control system could also be a tempting source to a rather previously honest staff, (Williams, 2000:24). 2.4 THEORIES OF CORRUPTION Attempts have been made to weave the aforementioned factors into comprehensive theories of corruption and criminal behaviour. Theories of corruption are terse and controversial, Babatunde (1987) has propounded that the motivation to fraudulent behavior derives from the number of causes. These could be pathological, greed, the desire to be with the Jones; extreme; want often characterized as dire need; cultural demands or the cultivation of tastes too expensive for the legitimate income of the individual. Criminal motivation, with particular reference to corruption is said to be pathological when the state of mind of the criminal disposes and impels him to engage in corrupt practices, even though he is not in dire need of the resources. A case in point is a kleptomaniac who has a pathological desire to steal for the sake of stealing. Osisioma (1999) opined that the main cause of corruption in the public sector is traceable to the general dishonesty in the society. Since there is corruption in all facets of the Nigerian life, management of finances should pay attention to some of the factors that causes corruption in the public sector. 2.5 THE EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION IN PUBLIC SECTOR The perceived effects on the government, and the desire to find the means of curbing such adverse effects normally prompts studies on corruption in the Public Sector. Attempts have therefore been made by many writers to identify the effects of corruption in the Public Sector and the economy in general. All authors/writers agreed that corruption leads to huge loss of resources, which belong to the government, and members of the general public. This loss results in reduced levels of resources available, which could hamper the development of the economy and could force enterprises to liquidation if the frequency and scale of corruption are high. Other effects of corruption in the public sector, which will consequently affect the society, include the loss of confidence in Nigeria by international investors and therefore a setback for the effort aimed by the Obasanjo’s administration to create enabling environment for international investors to invest. In addition, the distraction of government’s attention, increase in operating costs, and the wastage of time and resources on minimizing corruption are other effects of corruption, (BUGAIN; 1994:91). 2.6 THE MEASURES FOR CONTROLLING CORRUPTION: In view of the gravity of the effects of corruption on public sector, government has employed many measures aimed at controlling corruption. However, corruption has continued on an upward trend despite these measures and this has called their effectiveness into question. According to Jat (1998:129), the most threatening aspect, however, is that the control of an identified specie of Fraud (corruption) seems to give birth to another that is invariably more sophisticated and complex indicating the negative use of human ingenuity and endowment. A number of authors: Obasanjo, Osisioma, and Malick among others, have identified some administrative control systems that can be devised by government to prevent corruption. Administrative control system has been defined as â€Å"the whole system of controls, financial and otherwise, established by the government in other to carry on the business of government in an orderly manner, safe-guard its assets and secure as far as possible the accuracy and reliability of the records†. (Millichamp, 1990:79) Internal administrative control system was classified into two major groups: internal checks and internal audit. Internal checks are the operational controls which are built into the public sector system to simplify the processing of policies in order to secure prompt services to the populace, to help in minimizing clerical errors and to act as insurance against collusion. Internal audit or inspection involves the review of administrative activities and records undertaken within the civil service by specifically assigned staffs. The roles of the inspectorate division and the state Audit department are to serve as watch-dogs on public funds, to ensure that there is no improper application of these funds, to ensure that expenditure and revenue are duly authorized and accounted for, to periodically inspect account books in order to ensure that transactions are properly recorded and books are regularly balance, to investigate mal-practices like frauds, inflated contracts, forgeries, embezzlement and theft of government money or properties. However, existing systems of control can be classified into two: Prevention and Detection. Those aimed at prevention and those aimed at detection. Measure aimed at preventing corruption include; dual control, operational manual, graduated limits of authority, reporting system, establishment of inspectorate units, general personnel policies, referencing on presentation of documents of value, segregation of duties, verification of all approval for payment and purchases and close watch on the life-style of staff. Others are prompt treatment of files and the movement of files by messengers. Measures aimed at detecting corrupt practices include: contract verification, market survey, checking of cashiers, bank reconciliation, periodical submission of statement of accounts, periodic stock-taking of all items in the store. In addition to management and internal control measures, the authors suggested means of controlling corruption in the public sector, which are the statutory requirements of an external auditor and the examination of government books of accounts by the state audit department as an inspectors’ authority. Sanusi attributed the ineffectiveness of these to weakness in staff policy and control, operational procedures, and the attitude of government. In contrast, some other writers such as Obasanjo, Malick, Osisioma (2000) have argued that the causes of corruption in the public sector is not that of lack of administrative control systems but that of moral weakness of man’s mind owing to his acquisitive instincts. 3.0 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS To substantiate our research questions earlier mentioned, data collected from Plateau State civil service, the Dangin Commission Report (2000) and responses from our field survey is hereby presented in tabular form with proper analysis below. This will be presented using percentages as a parameter. 3.1 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS PRIMARY DATA Table 1 shows the Responses of respondents from the Field Survey QUESTIONS No. 0F RESPONSE % 1. Which of the following ways do you thing civil servants are using mostly to defraud the government? Tick one, please: i. Contract price and purchase price inflation†¦. ii. Collection of bribes or gratification†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ iii. Diversion of government property to personal property†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ iv. Teaming and Lading†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ v. Robbery and Burglary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. TOTAL 13 16 6 3 2 40 32.5 40 15 7.5 5 100 1. Which of these are the major causes of corruption in the public sector? Tick one, please: i. Poor Administration ii. Staff negligence and/or negligence of management iii. Poor Salaries and Conditions of Service iv. Opportunity and Low Chance of Detection i. TOTAL 11 12 7 8 40 27.5 30 17.5 20 100 2. Which of the following form of corruptions do you thing has the more negative effect on the Nigerian economy? ii. Grand corruption: that is, corruption involving N100,000 and above iii. Petty corruption: that is, corruption involving less N100,000 i. TOTAL 22 18 40 55 45 100 3. Suggest ways in which problems of corruption can best be managed in our public offices by ticking one of the following? ii. Sound internal control system iii. Internal check and internal audit iv. Periodic inspections by the Auditor-General v. Instituting an EFCC outlet in every government ministry vi. Instant dismissal of dubious and suspected corrupt officials TOTAL 6 8 12 5 9 40 15 20 30 12.5 22.5 100 4. Who amongst these are the most culpable people involved in corruption? i. Level 01- 06 employees ii. Level 07 – 12 officers iii. Level 13 – 16 officers iv. Level 17 and all political appointees TOTAL 5 10 12 13 40 12.5 25 30 32.5 100 From the above analyses, 40% of the respondents opined that the most common ways that civil servants used for defrauding the government is through bribery and gratification. For the causes of corruption in Nigeria, 30% of the respondents indicated that staff negligence and/or negligence of management is the major cause. However, most civil servants have opined that grand corruption has more negative effects that petty corruption. This finding is 55% against 45%. Again, 30% and 22.5% of the respondents have indicated that the best ways to manage corruption are Periodic inspections by the Auditor-General and Instant dismissal of dubious and suspected corrupt officials, respectively. Lastly, the survey has revealed that the most culpable persons are civil servants on level 17 and all political appointees, followed by civil servants on level 13 – 16. Table 2 is a Likert Questions Table containing a list of suggested strategies for curbing corruption in which 150 respondents (Civil Servants) indicated their agreement or otherwise and to what extent. Note. Questions 1–5 were answered on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 0 (strongly agree) to 4 (strongly disagree). Question 0 1 2 3 4 1. Employer should verify the integrity of new employees from their referees 32 34 8 46 30 2. Any identified fraudulent person should be instantly dismissed and made to face the full wrath of the law 55 39 13 23 20 3. The fight against corruption should commence right from homes and schools 41 48 9 20 32 4. Those saddled with the responsibility of fighting corruption should try and live above board and avoid creating bad precedents 72 56 2 8 12 5. All civil servants and political appointees should declare their assets on assumption of duty 52 50 16 22 10 From table 2, 48% of the respondents strongly agreed that those saddled with the responsibility of fighting corruption should try and live above board and avoid creating precedence. This is followed with the opinions of 37% of the respondents who strongly agreed that any identified fraudulent person should be instantly dismissed and made to face the full wrath of the law while 35% also agreed on strong terms that all civil servants and political appointees should declare their assets on assumption of duty. However, 32% of the respondents merely agreed that the fight against corruption should commence right from homes and schools while majority disagree that employer of labour (government) should verify the integrity of new employees from their referees as a strategy for curbing corruption. TEST OF HYPOTHESIS The responses from the field survey in table 2 above are used to test the hypothesis that says â€Å"That civil servants being the most culpable persons in corruption in Nigeria are not in support of the fight against the monster† Question 0 1 Total (02) 2 3 4 Total Grand (34) Total 1 32 34 66 8 46 30 76 142 2 55 39 94 13 23 20 43 137 3 41 48 89 9 20 32 52 141 4 72 56 128 2 8 12 20 148 5 52 50 102 16 22 10 32 134 479 223 702 To accept the null hypothesis, the percentage of disagreed responses must be greater than 50% otherwise reject it and accept the alternative hypothesis. Percentage of agreed responses = 479 x 100 = 68% 702 1 Percentage of disagreed responses = 223 x 100 = 32% 702 1 Hence, we reject Ho that says, â€Å"Civil Servants being the most culpable persons in corruption in Nigeria are not in support of the fight against the â€Å"Monster† and accept HI that says, â€Å"Civil Servants being the most culpable persons in corruption in Nigeria are in support of the fight against the â€Å"Monster†. 4.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Based on the study, the paper can be summarized with the findings that factors such as: Contract price and purchase price inflation, Collection of bribes or gratification and diversion of government property to personal property are most common ways in which civil servants used in defrauding the government. For causes of corruption in Nigeria, Staff negligence and/or negligence of management, Poor Administration, and Poor Salaries and Conditions of Service got the highest votes in that order. It has been opined that the best ways for managing corruption in our various public offices include Periodic inspections by the Auditor-General, Instant dismissal of dubious and suspected corrupt officials will serve as deterrence against future occurrence in addition to internal check and internal audit. All civil servants are culpable to corruption but the most of them all are directors and political appointees. In conclusion, corruption is a menace that is found in all the fabrics of the Nigerian society and the Auditor – General and all his employees should do their work honestly and diligently too now corruption is spreading like wild fire in Nigeria inspite of government stringent policies that have been instituted. In conclusion, since civil servants who are even the most culpable persons in corruption in Nigeria are in support of the fight against it, government should not relent in its fight against corruption as there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Hence, this paper recommends the following measures for minimizing corruption in Nigeria: i. Accounting officers/Chief Executive Officers should live above board and avoid creating precedence. ii. All identified fraudulent person should be instantly dismissed and made to face the full wrath of the law. iii. All civil servants and political appointees should declare their assets on assumption of duty. iv. The fight against corruption should commence right from homes and schools. REFERENCES Agbelusi T.O. (1991): Fraud in Banks, Financial Institute Training Center, Lagos. BPP (2008): â€Å"Public Procurement Act 2007 as it Affects Contractors and Consultants† by Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Abuja. Bugain J. (1994): â€Å"NGOs and Mobilisation Against Corruption†. A paper Presented at African Leadership Forum’s Seminar held in Benin Republic On the 19-21 September. Dandago K.I. (1997): â€Å"Fraud Detection Control at Local Government Level†, The National Accountant of July and August, 1997. Dangin V.K. Commission (2000): Government White Paper Report on the Variation of Major Contract in Plateau State. Ishola K.A. (1997): â€Å"Bank Frauds; Causes and Control†, the National Accountant July – August, 1997. Jat R. B. (1998): â€Å"An Analysis of Fraud Cases in Nigerian Banking Industry: A Guide to the Bank Auditor†. Study in Auditing. Malick T. (1994):â€Å"Corruption, Democracy Human Right in West Africa† Africa Leadership Forum Seminar, Rep. of Benin (19-21of Sept.) Millichamp A. H. (1990): Auditing, an Instructional Manual for Accounting Accounting Students. Guernsey Press Co. Ltd, Channel Islands. Obasanjo O. (1994): â€Å"Corruption, Democracy, and Human Rights in West Africa† (Journal of the African Leadership Forum): Printers Ltd. Lagos. Osisioma B.C. (1999): â€Å"Corruption and the Manufacturing Sector in Nigeria†. A Paper Presentation on the Occasion of the Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in September 8th. Osisioma B.C. (2000): â€Å"The Relevance of the Accountant in the Implementation of the Corrupt Practice Miscellaneous Offences Act† The Editor (1999): â€Å"Corruption- why it Flourishes† Midweek Magazine of 20th October. The Editor (1999): â€Å"How Corruption is Killing African Countries†. Daily Times of September, 7. The Ejewere Emmanuel (1999): â€Å"A Strategy for the war Against Corruption and Poverty†, Business Times of September, 6. Research Papers on Corruption in the Nigerian EconomyPETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationQuebec and CanadaResearch Process Part OneDefinition of Export QuotasTwilight of the UAWInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe

Contract Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Contract Law - Essay Example In equity, injunctions may be administered or sometimes exact contract performance. Both solutions offer the party that has incurred losses an upper hand in terms of the bargaining benefits or in other words expectation damages that may be of higher value as compared to just reliance damages with regard to promissory estoppels. Generally, one may define a contract in nonprofessional’s language as a promise or responsibility that is legally enforceable to oversee the occurrence or no occurrence of something. However, a contract may not be equalized to a legal promise especially when the agreement larks consideration. Several elements validate a contract as stated below (Richard, 2007). Elements of a contract 1. An offer: This is the willingness expressed by the offering party, on a given set of terms, with a motive that in any case the other party accepts that offer; a contract will bind him or her. It is optional in that it may be written, or it can be orally done. 2. Acceptan ce This is the willingness expressed by a party, to absolutely and unconditionally, accepts all the terms that have been set out in the offer. It can either be done orally or written, and the approval must be a reflection of the initial offer that was made. 3. Consideration A consideration is a valuable offering exchanged between the promisee and the promissor with a reciprocal as an assurance. An act or a payment may be regarded as the valuable thing also an act of forbearance is acceptable. 4. Mutual assent Mutual assent is normally achieved by offer and acceptance under common law, in that, here an unqualified party and that accept an offer causes no variance to the terms of the offer. A counter-offer A counter-offer cannot be equalized to an acceptance. It extinguishes the initial offer. In this case, one is not eligible to accept the initial offer after making a counter-offer. However, asking for more information or clarification may not be regarded as a counter-offer and thus does not render the offer extinguished but the party is still eligible to accept if it so desires. Max-Eco Ltd case study In this project, I will assess Max-Eco Ltd, which has been involved in a business deal with Jack’s company to supply timber according to Fred’s set standards. Fred is the director of Max-Eco Ltd. However, after six months, Fred discovers that Jack was not meeting the standards set in their previous deal and feels like the other party had breached the contract they set together. According to the agreement, Jack was supposed to supply Max-Eco Ltd with timber only from the U.K and that they must be treated with only plant-based varnish. Instead, Jack decided to treat the timber, which sometimes he ordered from South America due to its unavailability in the U.K, with chemical-based varnish. Now Fred wants compensation from Jack for failing to meet the set standards. Contract terms Prior to making a contract agreement, often variety of statements are mad e by either party with an aim of enticing or encouraging the partnering party to sign into the contract. The two parties are required to agree as to which of the made statements qualifies to be a part or a term of that particular contract agreement. At the same time, they must identify which statements should be considered as not a part or a term that make up the contract and should be regarded as just pre-contract talks. Therefore, terms server a pivotal role in the establishment of a contract as they bind the