The “math wars”

Aside from the requisites of drug manufacturing, a drug company must also have the knowledge on the legal aspect of the pharmaceutical business. A company must be able to know what agencies of the government he has to seek advice from before it undergoes the manufacturing process in order to have a good start.Relative to this, the company needs to know which regulates the safety and efficacy of the drugs to be manufactured and which agency protects the rights of the manufacturer and the consumers against illicit drugs.This paper will discuss the basic responsibilities of the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Agency including the approval process of manufacturing a generic drug copy. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is generally responsible for ensuring the safety and efficacy of all drugs for human and veterinary use.FDA’s 1mission statement specifically states that the administration â€Å"is res ponsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. † This will then give us the idea why FDA need to regulate drugs, and that is to ensure that they are safe and effective. The administration is also held responsible for ensuring that the drugs have information that is honest and accurate for the general public to use.The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) (Drug Enforcement Administration for the United States) is primarily responsible for the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Laws and Regulations. In the United States, DEA is under the wing of the Department of Justice, where it serves as an arm of the justice against the 2those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illi cit traffic in the United States. The DEA’s drugs of concern include: Cocaine, marijuana, heroin, inhalants, LSD, Ecstasy, Steroids, Oxycontin and Methamphetamine.The following list of specific responsibilities is adopted by this writer from the DEA’s official website: >Investigation and preparation for the prosecution of major violators of controlled substance laws operating at interstate and international levels. >Investigation and preparation for prosecution of criminals and drug gangs who perpetrate violence in our communities and terrorize citizens through fear and intimidation. >Management of a national drug intelligence program in cooperation with federal, state, local, and foreign officials to collect, analyze, and disseminate strategic and operational drug intelligence information.>Seizure and forfeiture of assets derived from, traceable to, or intended to be used for illicit drug trafficking. >Enforcement of the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act as they pertain to the manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of legally produced controlled substances. >Coordination and cooperation with federal, state and local law enforcement officials on mutual drug enforcement efforts and enhancement of such efforts through exploitation of potential interstate and international investigations beyond local or limited federal jurisdictions and resources.>Coordination and cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies, and with foreign governments, in programs designed to reduce the availability of illicit abuse-type drugs on the United States market through nonenforcement methods such as crop eradication, crop substitution, and training of foreign officials. >Responsibility, under the policy guidance of the Secretary of State and U. S. Ambassadors, for all programs associated with drug law enforcement counterparts in foreign countries.>Liaison with the United Nations, Interpol, and other organizations on matters relating to international drug control programs. DEA’S PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS Drug Enforcement Agency also updates its programs and operations according to the demand of technology and the development of new methods of illicit drug operations. Recent report published in the KT4 Online alerted the public on the emergence of illegal websites that are bringing prescription drugs out into the market (KT4 Online, August 24, 2007).The DEA reported that such websites are able to market their products using just credit cards as payment modes. The agency now referred the so-called â€Å"rogue pharmacies† to the congress for the legislation of a more formidable law for such illegal and dangerous activities, which are regulated because such companies do not meet the standards set by the United States. Even medicinal or herbal plants that are not yet studied or regulated under the law is also under the responsibility of the DEA to study and made research relative to its danger in the human health.In Utah, a native plant called salvia divinorium, has been put into attention by the Hill Air Force Base which according to initial findings can cause hallucinations. In the report published in the Salt Lake Tribune, â€Å"magic mint† as its street name, is ingested or inhaled usually by the members of the military and the people inside the base (Salt Lake Tribune, August 20, 2007). The herbal plant is still legal as it is still under research by the DEA. Experts also say that the plant that grows in the wilds of Utah can cause lung irritation when its dried leaves are inhaled.LAWS AND POLICIES GOVERNING GENERIC DRUGS The regulations pertaining to generics drugs are under the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration. Under the law, pharmaceutical companies or drug manufacturers have all the right to apply for a generic copy of their branded drugs. It can also be that a manufacturer seeks for a license from the brand name company to make a generic copy of the branded product . A generic copy of the drug is called â€Å"authorized generics† because the branded product manufacturer had given the authority to the manufacturer of the generic drug copy.However, these generic copied have to undergo the legal process that is regulated by the FDA. It is the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, commonly referred to as the Waxman-Hatch Act, which is being used as a legal basis for FDA for regulating generic drug copies. â€Å"Since the law was enacted over 23 years ago, the number of generic manufacturers and number of generic drug products on the market have expanded exponentially† (Coster, John M. 2007). The law allows a generic drug that is a generic copy of the pioneer drug to be approved by FDA to be marketed by the same company.This is even without the submission of the usual New Drug Application (NDA) that is submitted in full when a branded product is being applied for marketing. The NDA is usually a time-consuming and expensive clinical trials required to be done by the drug manufacturer in order to comply with the safety and efficacy standards required of them. With the Waxman-Hatch Act, NDA is being replaced with the submission of Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) provided that the generic copy has demonstrated the fact that it is bioequivalent to the pioneer drug (J.Coster, The Pharmacist, Vol. 32, No. 6, 2007). This process allows the generic copy to be approved for marketing the easier and faster way because it does not to prove its safety and effectiveness through trials since the pioneer drug had already proven such. For the ANDA of the generic drug to be approved, its pioneer drug must have the four required certifications: (1) that no patent is listed for the pioneer drug; (2) that the patent has expired; (3) the date on which the patent will expire; or (4) that the patent is invalid or not infringed.Such information is listed in the FDA’s Orange Book, a reference for t he pharmacists in determining the interchangeability of the drugs. Just recently, the Waxman-Hatch Act has been replaced with 3McCain-Schumer Act, after its authors Senators John McCain and Charles E. Schumer. The main feature of the new act is the changing of the 180-day exclusivity term of the first generic drug copy to only the 30-day term. Exclusivity, in the old law is granted for the manufacturer of the generic drug to market the product exclusively within 180 days that is for the manufacturer who first secured the FDA’s approval of the generic copy.With the new law, exclusivity term is shortened for the purpose of further price reduction of the generic drugs as competition is encouraged after the 30-day term. It is estimated, according to Schumer’s study that the new law will enable consumers to save 60% of their usual expense when buying branded drugs and that will give consumers a total of $71 billion savings in 10 years (Bash, Dana, CNN Online, May 01, 2001). Schumer cited Claritin, a prescription allergy drug as example which costs an average of $63. 65 while its generic equivalent will only cost $25. 46.Generally, the new law is of great help for the Americans in terms of their medical expenditures. CONCLUSION By looking into the basic responsibilities and functions of the FDA and DEA, we were able to have an idea of the basic legal aspect of drug manufacturing and marketing. Also by having an overview of the laws governing generic copy manufacturing, we were able to have the basic knowledge of how the approval process rolls. In general we can conclude that the legal process of drug manufacturing and marketing is really a long and expensive process for the companies especially for the branded or patented drugs.However with the Schumer-McCain Act, the process is shortened and had benefited especially the consumers for enabling the cheaper version of their branded medicine to be marketed. REFERENCES 1FDAs Mission Statement. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://www. fda. gov/opacom/morechoices/mission. html 2DEA Mission Statement. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://www. usdoj. gov/dea/agency/mission. htm 3Senate Passes Ground-Breaking Schumer-McCain Generic Drug Bill (Press Release). July 31, 2002. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://schumer. senate. gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/PR01124.html Bash, Dana. McCain, Schumer introduce generic drug bill. CNN Online. May 01, 2001. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://archives. cnn. com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/05/01/senate. genericdrugs/index. html Coster, John M. The Waxman-Hatch Generic Drug Law: 23 Years Later. The Pharmacist. June 19, 2007. Vol. 32 No. 6 Griffith, Christopher, et. al. (2002). View from Washington: Senate approves changes in generic-drug approval. Leydig, Voit Mayer, Ltd. Report. October 2002. Volume 3 Issue 4 Colonel bans use of ‘magic mint' herb. Salt Lake Tribune. August 20, 2007. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http ://www.sltrib. com/News/ci_6668009 Federal Authorities Warn Against Online Rogue Pharmacies. KT4 Online. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://www. ktiv. com/News/index. php? ID=16295 What FDA Regulates. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://www. fda. gov/comments/regs. html There has always been a debate on whether the mathematics be taught should be the old basics or the standards reformed mathematics. Basic mathematics primarily comprises arithmetic and computation. This is just simple mathematics which involves solving simple equation and memorizing formulas.Basic mathematic also comprises the following list t o f items. There is the accurate counting to 100 or more, mastery of basic facts for all four operations, pencil and paper computation skills with hole numbers, decimals and fractions and solving percent problems. Other aspect includes the knowing and using formulas for area and perimeter of basic shapes. Though the above list is a bit simplified its basic position i s that kids only get to know some basic stuff. Basic mathematics can also be referred to as trivial pursuit mathematics meaning that children are to know the content not the practicability (John, 1999).On the other hand reform mathematics has higher level of difficulty and has set five goals. These are that students should value mathematics, be confident in the ability to do mathematics and become mathematics problem solvers. They should as well be able to communicate well mathematically and learn to reason mathematically. It involves the four basic process standards which are problem solving, communication, reasoning, and connections. It entails gearing the children to develop the ability to think than just memorizing the mathematics concepts.Those who believe in the reform mathematics talk about mathematical power, the ability to reason and solve unique problems (John, 1999). It is important to note that even if the two approaches appear to differ there are some things they share in. Benefits and demerits of basics Basic mathematics requires teacher centered approach which involves teaching the mathematics through drill and practice. However in this way the children can end up not being intrinsically motivated. This prevents them from learning mathematics facts and how to connect to the real world.Furthermore the approach is essentially teacher directed, and structured only for basic skills instructions. This approach comes with advantages and disadvantages as far as basic mathematics teaching is concerned. One of the advantages is that, it is clear that for learning to be effective there must be a knowledge source and this is what the teacher act as. The teachers have attained their unifications and expertise from colleges and universities to become experts in their fields. In this reasoning it’s convenient to involve to someone who is already an expertise in the field to impart that knowledge in the students.For example according to Kelly, if the st udents have a question on atopic raised by the text book, the teacher is present ton as the expert to answer the question (Kelly, 2004). Other benefits include good planning and execution of knowledge passing process and good discipline. The disadvantage of this style is that no one can predict which parts of the information the student has learned will eventually become obsolete or incorrect, what the student will forget, or what new information he will need to know in the future (Howard, 1980).Furthermore according to Howard in some cases the students can obtain a false security if they believe that, once information ins dispensed and a cognitive framework provide the student will incorporate the information, recognize where and when it could and should be applied when time comes. One great disadvantages of this method is that a strong investment in the style can lead to rigid, standardized, and less flexible ways of managing students and their concerns (Howard, 1908). This acts a s huge impediment to development and self discovery within the student.This huge impediment has been seen as the greatest drawback for this style of administering knowledge. The benefits and demerits of reform mathematics style According the student center online answers, the best approach of teaching mathematics should stress active, student centered learning in real life context (student center). This may help in making the concepts more understandable and interesting. This therefore calls for the student knowing the crafts before they can apply them and that is where the basic mathematics comes handy. The reform mathematics takes the student centered approach of learning.This involves instructions where by the students actively create knowledge for themselves. It consists of group learning, inquiry, and humanistic learning activities (student center). This method has additional advantages both to the student and the teacher some which are enlisted below. To begin with the student would develop learning and knowledge that will help them throughout their life. In this method students always discover that learning is fun and interesting. Furthermore, through this method teachers always have less traditional work. This is more prominent in the upper class levels where the students are mature enough.The student gets to be more attentive and willing to participate in the class activities. In this way there is a reduction in the number of complaints about fairness and unequal treatment. When student carry out research and group works they generate a lot of information that the teacher may add to his collection of information. However this method also comes with some disadvantages. It poses a problem when it comes to evaluation in that this has to be individualized. Providing one test for the whole class has to be abandoned. Every student has to be evaluated based on his or her goals.One other big disadvantage of this method is that there some student who do not re late well with it in spite the teachers best efforts. Such scenario is always more prevalent in the lower classes levels even though it can also be found in the upper classes. The other demerit is that the students’ always have to work in groups. There occur complaints about being put in teams. However the complaints get to seize as the student get to understand that it is what the real world is like. Under some circumstances student may find it hard to work in teams since most of them have never had the experience of team work. ConclusionIt is important to note for the reformed mathematics, the fact that it takes the student centered learning method gives it an upper hand as method of teaching mathematics. In fact students do appreciate the real world experience eve when they do not like them that much (daymalyn, 2009). This is therefore more appropriate and practical than the basics math which would d lead to rigidity and less development of the kids as well as new advancem ent in the mathematics fields. References Howard S & Robyn M. (1980), Problem Based Learning: An Approach to Medical Education, Springer Publishing Company, ISBN 0826128416, 9780826128416.Daymalyn (2009), Disadvantages and disadvantages of student center learning, Accessed on August 7, 2010, from http://wwwemmalynombayan-daymalyn. blogspot. com/2009/09/advantages-and- disadvantages-of-student. html John A. (1999), Reform Mathematics Vs. The Basics: Understanding the Conflict and Dealing with It Accessed on August 7, 2010 from http://mathematicallysane. com/analysis/reformvsbasics. asp Kelly K. (2004), the â€Å"Math Wars†, a Short Analysis, Accessed on August 7, 2010 from http://www. newfoundations. com/ConAnalysis/KellyMathWars. html Student center, Accessed on August 7, 2010 from http://www. abacon. com/woolfolk7/faq. html

Numismatics – Gupta Coins

Introduction The story of coins is interwoven with the history of mankind. To trace its story, one has to look back to the remote past. When people settled in localities and the communities grew in size, the exchange of products became a necessity; then the mutual exchange of things took the shape of trade and the system of barter was evolved. In course of time, certain commodities got preference over others and a higher value was attached to them. They assumed the character of a medium of exchange and got a standard by which the value of other things was estimated. Thus emerged the notion of the unit of value. This was the first step towards the evolution of coinage. The reconstruction of ancient Indian history necessitates the importance of archaeological evidences of a particular period. Amongst the various archaeological sources the numismatical evidences are of prime importance. ‘Numismatics’ is generally known as ‘the study of old coins’ which are used for the reconstruction of ancient Indian history. The reign of the Guptas in Indian history is a fascinating one. As a matter of fact, it saw a prosperous and plentiful life. Towards the beginning of the 4th century A. D. , the dynasty of the Gupta emperors rose out of a small principality, situated somewhere in Eastern Uttar Pradesh or Bihar; and it lasted for more than two centuries. The founder of the dynasty was Sri Gupta. It was the most renowned, prosperous, ever progressing and self sufficient dynasty in ancient Indian history. This dynasty produced emperors of class who not only expanded and consolidated the political power of India but also administered excellent economic and administrative techniques which led to happy social living during their reign. As compared to the empire of the Mauryas, the Gupta empire was less extensive, but more enduring than that of the Mauryas. This period of the Guptas is known as ‘the classical age of Indian history’ because this period witnessed the growth of arts and sciences in all the conceivable branches of learning. Almost all Gupta rulers issued their own coins. The coins of the Gupta rulers are very useful for the reconstruction of their history. Features of the Gupta Coins The Gupta coins had certain remarkable features; which were originally an idea of the Guptas themselves. These features were more or less similar throughout the rule of different Gupta emperors. The coins are classified into 4 groups:- Gupta gold coins Gupta silver coins Gupta copper coins Gupta lead coins The Gupta emperor chiefly issued gold coins. They issued them in such a large number that a contemporary poet has rightly termed the phenomenon as â€Å"_a reign of gold_†. The earlier gold coins of the Guptas were deeply influenced by the coinage of the later Kushanas. But the later Gupta coinage show more superiority in their execution, and they are considerably original in their style. The influence of the Kushana coins on the early coins of the Guptas is seen especially in their dress and posture as depicted on their coins. For e. g. the early coins of the Guptas show the standing king at the altar. This is very much similar in pose and posture of the kings as shown of the Kushana coins. The king on these coins is seen wearing the Kushana long coat and trouser of the Kushana pattern or replace by Indian dhoti and form was changed as the king is shown bare- bodied. The Guptas retained the method of placing the name of the king perpendicularly in Chinese fashion on the left hand. They placed the circular Brahmi inscription around the king. On the reverse side of the early coins of the Gupta rulers, Greek goddess Ardokshowas retained. Gradually, this pattern was changed, and Lakshmi, an Indian goddess with a lotus in her hand is depicted on the coin. On some coins she is shown seated on a throne and on some others seated on a lotus. The archer type coins of the Guptas are the most commonly issued coins by all the rulers of the Gupta dynasty. These coins generally show the king holding a bow in his left hand. Sometimes the king also holds an arrow in his right hand. Another remarkable feature of these coins was the use of significant symbols and accompaniments like trees, alters, tulsi plant, dwarf, garuda, bows and arrows, animals like tiger, lion, horse, elephant, peacock, etc. These elements added more meaning to the coins and also reflected the artistic approach of the Guptas. Another interesting feature was the variety and sub- variety found in each type of coin issued by the different emperors. Also the debasement of the silver metal was an interesting and innovative feature which reflected the development of science in this age. Also, the art of writing which is depicted by the legends inscribed on these coins show that the literature of that period was at its peak and Sanskrit was a well researched language. Thus, the use of Sanskrit and the art of calligraphy marked an important feature of the Gupta coins. Coins of Samudragupta Samudragupta ruled from 335 A. D to 380 A. D. The title ‘Samudragupta’ meant that he was protected by the sea up to which his dominion extended. He was famous for his campaigns and conquests which earned him the title of ‘_Indian Napoleon_’. He expanded the Gupta Empire in all spheres from political, economical to cultural aspects. Samudragupta inaugurated a new idea in the history of Indian numismatics. He issued as many as 8 different types of coins in pure gold. He learnt the technique of minting coins from the foreign rulers who brought the techniques with them and then he added his own creative sensibilities and thereby evolved an indigenous pattern of coins which was acclaimed to be the best coins. Standard Type It is the earliest and the most common type of the Gupta coins. On the obverse the king is shown standing. A halo can be seen around his head. The dress like coat and trousers recall the Kushana influence. He is also seen wearing a long, rope necklace and earrings. He holds a standard in his left hand and sprinkles incense on the altar with his right hand. Besides the altar there is a garuda. The word Samudragupta is engraved on it along with a legend in the honour of the king. On the reverse, goddess Lakshmi is shown. She is seated on a throne, has ornaments and is seen holding a cornucopia- a symbol of fertility and prosperity. Her feet rest on a lotus. The legend of Parakrama is inscribed on the reverse side of these coins. Chandragupta Type The name of these coins is Chandragupta type because on the observe we see Chandragupta I and his queen Kumaradevi. This type is also called as Dynastic King and Queen Type. A halo is seen around the king’s head. He is holding a staff. On the left is the legend, Kumaradevi or Shrikumaradevi. On the reverse, goddess Durga is seated on a lion holding a cornucopia in her left hand and a lotus in the right hand. The legend is ‘_licchavi_’, it suggest of a special honour in which licchavi was placed by Samudragupta. He takes pride in his inscription to proclaim Licchavi Dauhitra. Archer Type Coins of the Archer Type of Samudragupta are very rare. They are frequently mistaken for the common Archer Type coins of Chandragupta II. From a study of their design, style, and fabric – it's apparent that these coins were struck during the early stages of Gupta Empire while the mint masters were still trying to refine the styling and design. King Samudragupta is shown as a young man on all of the coins of this type (as compared to coins of the Lyrist type where he is shown as an older person). These coins were most definitely struck during the early stage of his campaign to conquer majority of the neighbouring Kingdoms to unite them under a new unified Empire – the start of what was to finally become the magnificent Gupta Empire. On the observe, the king is shown standing. He holds a bow in his left hand and an arrow in his right hand. A garuda standard is on his left. The reverse shows a seated Lakshmi. Battle Axe Type Usually, these coins are found in much worn condition. During Samudragupta’s early reign, while he was conquering all of the kingdoms from the North to the South, East and West, this type of coin must have been a very popular form of advertising the King's prowess and an excellent way to send a message to the unconquered regions of the upcoming siege. The Allahabad Pillar Inscription does not contain the description of Samudragupta as Kritantaparasuh, Battle-axe of the God of Death, although the epithet is invariably applied to him in later official documents. This type obviously celebrates Samudragupta’s many successful battles and showcases his military might. In this coin type, he holds a battle axe in place of a standard with one hand and his other hand is usually on his waist. In place of an altar (as shown on the Standard Type), there is a dwarf holding a crescent-topped banner. The circular legend on the obverse is Kritanataparasur-jayatya jita rajajetajitah; it describes the irresistible prowess of the emporer and states that ‘Victorious is the conquerer of unconquered kings, himself invincible as a veritable battle-axe of the God of Death' Tiger Slayer Type At the height of his power, Samudragupta now starts living the Royal life and his coins depict his Royal Stature for the populace. This coin is very unique in its style – for the first time in Indian history a coin shows a king as a brave and powerful king, killing the powerful Tiger. On the observe the King is standing on the left, wearing ceremonial turban and dhoti, drawing his bow and aiming at an open mouthed tiger which rears up in front of him as he tramples on it, legend Vyaghraparakramah at right, crescent above lion's head. On the reverse Raja Samudraguptah, in field right, the goddess Ganga standing on the left, on an elephant-headed fish (makara), she holds a long-stemmed lotus in left hand, her empty right hand is outstretched and a crescent topped standard decked with ribbons is in field. The progressive change is seen on these coins with regard to the design, execution and content. There is no trace of foreign influence. Asvamedha Type The Asvamedha coins of Samudragupta are probably one of most beautifully executed coin designs in all of Indian numismatics. The Asvamedha ceremony or horse sacrifice was a way for Samudragupta to celebrate the victories of his conquests of Northern, Western and Southern India. These coins were probably handed out as commemorative tokens during this hold ceremony and were probably not used as part of commerce. This may be the reason that Asvamedha coins discovered 2000 years later are still in good condition. This particular coin is a very rare variety of the Asvamedha type. The Queen is shown in the reverse as a Pregnant Queen. On the observe, A beautiful rendition of the horse, tied to a yupa, the letter si (short for siddham). Horse standing on the platform vedi. Penons of cloth flying from the top of _the yupa over the horse. Circular Legend: Rajadirajah pritvimavitva divam _jayatayahritavajimedhah (The King of Kings, who had performed the Vajimedha (Asvamedha) sacrifice, wins heaven after protecting (or conquering) the earth). On the reverse, Pregnant Queen (Queen Dattadevi) shown standing next to Yupa, holding a Chauri in hand and standing on a Lotus. Asvamedhaparakramah (One powerful enough to perform the Asvamedha Sacrifice). Lyrist Type On the observe, the king is shown sitting over a couch keeping a veena on his lap. He has only a waist cloth with big earrings and a necklace. The legend Mahadhiraja Sri Samudragupta is seen. The reverse of the coin depicts a goddess standing. Samudragupta’s personal accpomplishments as a musician is fully confirmed in this coin. The goddess, therefore, must be Saraswati as she is the muse for music in Indian Mythology. The Tiger Slayer and Lyrist type are the best specimens of Samudragupta’s coins with regard to his non- regal activities. With these coins, we can say that India had set her standard in the science of Art and Minting. Kacha Type On the observe, the king is shown standing, holding a standard which has a chakra on the top of it. He sprinkles incense on the altar. The legend reads, kacha after conquering the earth, conquers heaven by means of good deeds. On the reverse, goddess Lakshmi is shown standing. She holds both a lotus and a cornucopia. The legend reads, the exterminator of all kings. Coins of Chandragupta II Archer type This is the most common type coin. The observe shows the king holding a bow and arrow, while he is offering incenses to the altar. Besides him there is a standard with a garuda on the top. The legend shows Chandra. The reverse side shows Lakshmi holding a lotus and a cornucopia. The legend reads Srivikramah. The archer type has 2 varieties, the throne reverse and the lotus reverse. Couch Type These types of coins are rarely found and issued in the early king’s reign. On the observe, the king is seen seated on a couch, holding a lotus in one hand and resting the other on the couch. The king is wearing a waist cloth and jewellery and is completely Indianised. The legend reads Rupakriti and Vikramadityasya. The reverse side shows goddess Lakshmi seated on the couch with a lotus and a cornucopia in her hands with her feet on the footstool. The legend reads Srivikramah. These coins depict the king’s success and prosperity and are an expression of his physical and cultural qualifications. Chhatra Type Lion Slayer Type These coins represent a large variety of specimens. On the observe side of these coins, the king is dressed as a hunter, killing a lion. The legend reads, Narendrachandra Sinha Vikrmamah. On the reverse, goddess Durga is seated on a lion. It may be noted that Samudragupta’s Tiger slayer type signified his conquest of Bengal whereas Chandragupta’s Lion slayer type signify his conquest of the Gujarat region. Silver Coins Chandragupta II was the first Gupta ruler to issue silver coins. After conquering the Ksatrapa kingdoms in western India, Chandragupta started issuing silver coins which were very similar to the local currency in the region – the silver Ksatrapa coinage. The observe of these coins show the king’s bust with the date of the Gupta era. On the reverse, the symbol of the Saka coins is replaced by the figure of the garuda. These silver coins are very rare and few in number. They are mostly found in the western region of his empire. Copper Coins Chandragupta II Vikramaditya was again the first to issue copper coins. Generally on these coins, the king is seen on the observe and the garuda on the reverse with variations in their figures. Evidence shows that there was also a Chhatra type of copper coin. There were in all 9 types of copper coins. Copper coinage had not evolved to its maximum and they were also very rare and hard to find. Thus, the innovations in the coinage of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya comprise of gold, silver as well as copper coins. This was a remarkable progress in the art of coinage. Coins of Kumaragupta I Kumaragupta I reined from 414 A. D to 455 A. D. Historical evidence shows that he was also called Sakraditya and Mahendraditya. The power and the glory of the Guptas were at its peak and attained great heights under Kumaragupta. Besides other political, economical, social and administrative works, he is noted for the large number of coins he issued. The types and varieties of coins that he issued reflect the extent of the territory in which the coins were in circulation. He mainly issued gold, silver and copper coins. A few types of coins issued by Kumaragupta I are as follows : Archer type They were of different variety and types. The legends which appear on the observe are Kumara, Maharajadhiraja Sri Kumaraguptah, etc. While the reverse side bears a single legend, Sri Mahendrah. Swordsman type This was a type of innovation carried out by Kumaragupta I. The observe side of this new coin shows the king wearing a waist cloth and jewellery. He is seen casting incense on the altar with one hand and the other hand is on the sword that is tied at his waist. A garuda is seen on the left side and a legend is inscribed on it. The reverse side of this new type of coin shows goddess Lakshmi seated on a lotus. She is seen with a lotus in her hand and a garuda is shown along with a legend which is similar to the one on the observe. Horseman Type The observe shows the king riding a horse and it has a variety of legends. The reverse side shows the goddess Lakshmi seated on a wicker stool with a lotus with a long stalk in her hand and there is a uniform legend, Agitamahendrah. This is consistent on all the varieties of this type. Lion Slayer Type The observe side shows the king wearing a waist cloth with a sash. He is also wearing jewellery. He is shooting a lion with a bow in one hand. The reverse side shows goddess Durga seated on a lion, holding a cornucopia and a lotus in her hands. The legend on the reverse is _Sri Mahendrasinhah or Sinha Mahendrah. _Varieties in this type are seen mainly in terms of legends which are differently attributed in excellent, flowery language. Tiger Slayer Type Like Samudragupta and Chandragupta II, Kumaragupta also issued both the tiger slayer and the lion slayer coins. They were similar to his predecessors but due to evolution of new techniques, skills and styles, these coins were more skilfully and meaningfully carved. On the observe we see the king wearing a head dress, waist cloth and jewellery and is shown in action of shooting a tiger. The bow is held in the right hand and the left hand is shown drawing the string of the bow. His right foot is shown trampling the tiger. The legend shown is Srimam Vyaghraybala parakramah – ‘the glorious king, whose strength and valour is like that of a tiger’. The reverse shows goddess Durga in a standing position. She is holding a long stalked lotus in her left hand and is feeding a peacock some fruit with her right hand. The legend reads as Kumaraguptadhiraja. The most outstanding feature of this coin is that for the first time a peacock is has been used in a Gupta coin. This was a new trend started by Kumaragupta. Peacock / Kartikeya Type Elephant Rider Type The king is shown on the observe holding a goad in his right hand and is seen seated on an elephant. Behind him is an attendant holding an umbrella over him. The reverse shows goddess Lakshmi standing on a lotus flower and also holding a lotus in her left hand. Kumaragupta’s gold coins were more skilful and refined. Though gold was the chief metal used, he even issued silver coins. Silver Coins Kumaragupta I issued silver coins in abundance. His silver coins are classified in 4 categories or classes with some varieties in each. The coins in the class I category was similar to Chandragupta II. The obverse had traces of corrupt Greek letters and a well executed garuda was shown on the reverse. In class II, one can see that the features of the Ksatrapas are done away with. Also the Greek letters from the obverse and the garuda from the reverse are omitted. Class III marked the return of Kushana features. The Greek letters are reframed and well executed and the garuda is seen with all body, no neck and prominent wings on the obverse. On the reverse a legend is inscribed. In the class IV coins all Ksatrapa features were omitted. The obverse was changed by eliminating Greek letters and replacing them with a Brahmi date. A peacock that is the vehicle of the god Kartikeya of whom Kumaragupta was a devotee was shown. Later on class V of coins was introduced. They were silver plated and had a copper core. This lead to the debasement of silver. Copper Coins Coins of Skandagupta Skandagupta, the son of Kumaragupta reigned from 455 A. D to 467 A. D. He was considered the sole hero of this dynasty. The Junagadh pillar inscription and the Bhitari pillar inscription gives us a detailed account about the life, succession, history and achievements of Skandagupta. Although the standard of coins decreased, the issuing of new coins did not. He issued different types of coins both in gold and silver. Archer Type On the observe, the king is seen holding a bow and arrow with a garuda to his right. The reverse shows goddess Lakshmi with a lotus with the legend Sri Skandagupta. This is the most common type of gold coin. King and Lakshmi Type On the observe he king is shown with a bow, arrow and a lady who is not the queen, but is goddess Lakshmi, with a garuda between them. On the reverse, again we can see goddess Lakshmi with a lotus in one hand. This type of coin is also called the King and Queen Type. Some historians say that they are somewhat similar to the Chandragupta type coins of Samudragupta, but this is not entirely true. Silver Coins Mainly 3 types; Garuda, Bull and Archer type. Coins of other Gupta Emperors Coinage of the Guptas was at its peak during the reign of Samudragupta, Chandragupta II Vikramaditya, Kumaragupta I and Skandagupta. After these rulers, the Gupta coinage saw a downward graph. After Skandagupta, Purugupta also issued gold coins of the Archer type. He also issued the Horseman type of coins. Kumaragupta II succeeded Purugupta. He took an active interest in issuing coins. He promoted minting of coins even during the lean days of the empire. Once again we see that his most commonly issued coins were of the Archer type. The reign of Buddhagupta is very important in the history of Gupta coinage because it is the rediscovery of the pride and prestige of the Gupta coinage after the dark ages it went through. He issued rare silver coins. Though the coins of the later Guptas reflect the decline of the dynasty and the art of coinage, one can see evidently that each ruler tried his best to continue the tradition of issuing coins of various types and forms. Conclusion A detailed study of the Gupta coinage reveals the outstanding features of the Gupta dynasty. The contribution of the Guptas to the field of coinage was remarkable and greatly appreciated. Though the art of coinage started very early, it reached its zenith in the classical age of the Guptas. The contribution of the gupta coins is of great help in the reconstruction of the history of ancient India. It not only serves as the numismatical evidence but also gives us an insight into the political, social, economic, cultural and religious life of that age. These coins give us knowledge about the various titles which were given to the various Gupta rulers, like, Vikramaditya, Maharajadhiraja, etc. Coins also reveal names of some unknown rulers. They also reveal the names of their queens, their sons and other family members. The coins also help us to fix the chronology and they give us dates and periods and other details. For example, Coins of Samudragupta give us exact dates of the various events that took place during his rule. The coins tell us about the territorial expansion of the empire. The economic advancement can also be gauged as per the number of gold coins found. These coins also throw some light on the dress, ornaments, furniture, weapons and general lifestyle of that time. The tiger slayer and lion slayer type of coins tells us about the passion of hunting of the rulers. The horseman and elephant type of coins reveal the love for riding and the lyrist type shows us the musical side of Samudragupta. Gupta coins are finally studied as pieces of art as they are the finest examples of Numismatic Art in India. Even though other dynasties issued coins they lacked the style and technique, skill and quality of the Guptas that are considered, so far, as the best Indian works in the field of coinage in Indian history. Hence, they are rightly quoted as the landmark in the field of ancient Indian coinage. Bibliography ?Samel, Elements of Archaeology, Museology & Library Sciences, Manan Prakashan, Mumbai, 2007 ? Parmeshwari Lal Gupta, Coins, National Book trust, India, 1969 ? A. S. Altekar, Coinage of the Gupta Empire, Numismatics Society of India, India.

PEST analysis and a SWOT analysis for Arm Holdings Essay

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Research Paper - 1

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Research Paper Example The article highlights various studies that are being carried out to recognize the conditions and also the means adopted to deal with ADHD cases. Introduction Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder popularly called as ADHD, is a developmental, neurobiological state characterized by the existence of strict and persistent signs of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impetuosity (American Psychiatric Association (APA), 1994). A child displaying symptoms of ADHD portray the high level of distraction, impulsive temperament and hyperactivity behavior. This is well documented between the age of 6 months to 7 years (APA, 1994). There is a behavior difference prevalent between the ADHD and normal individual. In case of ADHD individuals, a very short span of attention is observed, they are less attentive and distract very easily. They are therefore not able to focus on their work for a given length of time instead they display hyperactivity or disruptive temperament. The child also shows prop ensity of doing work without thinking which may fetch danger for the child. Moreover such children get frustrated very easily and show short temperament, such children lack concentration in the class and therefore show poor academic performance. In sports they display impatience and cannot wait for their turn and never go with the rules rather they have their own ways. Such children are more prone to the injuries and accidents (ADHD). ADHD individuals display co-morbid issues as around 30-50% individuals have oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as well as they display conduct disorder (CD) as well as 20-30% ADHD cases show signs of anxiety while 11 to 22% ADHD individuals display bipolar disorder (Biederman, 1991). Neuro-imaging of ADHD cases display diminished prefrontal cortex thereby they lack in executing prefrontal functions and therefore they have reduced operational memory (Hill, 2002). Schachar et al, (2000) defined ADHD as "a disorder of dysregulation of thoughts and action s associated with poor inhibitory control. The incidence of ADHD is more prevalent in boys as compared to girls. It shows the sign of inheritance as it runs in family (ADHD). ADHD individuals display incapability in their reading, writing and mathematical skills. On the other hand if ADHD is associated with CD then the condition may worsen further as the issues are not confined to academics, instead they are associated with offending or disposition of criminal temperament (Daley, 2010) . According to Daley et al, (2010), there exists a correlation between academic performance as well as executive functioning. Children with ADHD along with poor EFs display poor performance in their academics in contrast to the children with ADHD and adequate executive functioning. When the results were compared with controls then poor EF does not found any co-relation with the academic accomplishments, suggesting that prevailing symptoms of ADHD and essential cognitive shortfalls and not co-morbid be havior predicaments are responsible for academic mutilation. Academic intervention suggests that academic performance does not appear to be associated to co-morbid behavior

The Social Basis of Sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Structure and Functions of the United Nations Organization - Research Paper Example It also has an Economic and Social Council which has 54 members and an international court of justice consisting of fifteen judges. It has a Trusteeship council and a secretariat which are discussed subsequently. The United Nations through its five bodies is helping to maintain international politics in such a way that the whole world remains in peace and harmony. It is basically acting as a judge of politics so that countries do not fight or the populations of the countries do not suffer either financially or physically because of any threat. In order to develop a norm for all the countries, international laws are laid down by the United Nations which have to be followed by all the member countries. These international laws are regulated by treaties between the UN and the countries. These treaties are broad as they consider many aspects of the society such as human rights, refugees and border restrictions (United Nations 2010) Rwanda Genocide is cited to be one of the failures by the United Nations organization which shows that the UN has not been very successful in achieving its objectives. On the contrary, many other successful scenarios of UN can also be analyzed all over the world which shows that they have regulated international politics in such a way that many wars have been avoided. An example of Indo Pak can be cited here which was stopped with the help of UN intervention. It can clearly be seen that the UN Security Council after the genocide got more particular about warnings. It sought out its policies in such a way that future incidents occurring all over the world could be avoided. The policies which were taken by UN regarding the war on Afghanistan can be cited here which have served to be purposeful in decreasing the terrorism rate in the world. The UN Security Council urged all its member countries to follow the rules as laid down by Resolution 1267.

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LS knolege creathion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LS knolege creathion - Essay Example There also needs to be consideration of the roles of leaders in relationship with other workers of lower positions. Having held a managerial position for several years I am aware of how difficult work becomes when other employees within KFIC suffer from low levels of motivation, and believe that the company’s culture needs to alter if higher levels of motivation are to be achieved, and so lead to greater success an an organization. PROBLEM   These are not new problems. There were discussed as long ago as two years ago, but despite this there have been no attempts by higher management to rectify the situation and to make improvements. Their only concern as far as motivation is concerned is upon the sales personnel, who were offered increased incentives to be based upon sales they achieved. The result for other employees was a further decrease in motivation as they were not only missing out financially, but felt overlooked and of lesser importance in the eyes of management. .    LITERATURE DISCUSSION   It was observed that communications were poor within the KFIC organization, despite the many communication tools, methods and technology now available to both employers and employees. In practise communication within the company is limited to immediate subordinates or seniors who are then responsible to pass the message on to the remainder of the organization as necessary. . Communication is a necessary means within any organization and leaders need to learn how to communicate across the whole company and not limit it messages up an down with immediate subordinates. According to Weick and Quinn (1999), lack of communication is a major factor in organizational failure, in particular during periods of transition and change. change. Organizational communication can be defined as â€Å"the process by which information is exchanged and understood by two or more people, usually with the intent to motivate or influence behavior† (Daft as cited by Frahm and Brown, 2006). This means that communication must be an important aspect that senior management, within KFIC or indeed any other group, need to accept necessity of, to learn more about and to put into practice. Such management initiatives can be expected to have a positive effect upon the motivation levels of their employees .And not just any communication, but such as is relevant to particular situations   This means that there must for instance be research, both general and specialised, in order that communication be at its most acceptable and effective. . Shrivastava (1987) believed that â€Å"standards for judging the usefulness of research results or knowledge claims depend on the needs of users, and the different ways in which research results are used†. This means that it is possible to reveal more of less data depending upon the necessity and usefulness of particular knowledge. .Shrivastava’s specifies the criteria of both rigor and relevance, these being based upon the writing of Evered and Louis (1981) and Shrivastava and Mitroff (1984). Evered and Louis 1981 concluded that we have to critically review assumptions such as quality, relevance, precision and meaning in the knowledge-yielding procedures. Shrivastava and Mitroff 1984 used FOR i.e. Frames of References. These had cognitive elements as well as operators. They use reality tests, cognitive maps of the exact area of inquiry, the degree of articulation used as well as considering any metaphors employed. .Thi swould involve both

Managerial Accounting Quiz 1 Essay Example for Free

Managerial Accounting Quiz 1 Essay Chapters 1 and 2 10 Points 1. Complete the answer sheet below by placing an X under each heading that identifies the cost involved. The Xs can be placed under more than one heading for a single cost. (5 Points) Variable Cost Fixed Cost Direct Materials Direct Labor Manufactu ring Overhead Period Cost Materials costs X X Production line workers wages X X Production Equipment rental X X Factory Building depreciation X X Advertising costs X X 2. A partial listing of costs incurred at Rust Corporation during August appears below: Purchases of raw materials†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $ 135,000 Direct labor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 73,000 Factory Utilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11,000 Sales Commissions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 69,000 Administrative Salaries†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 101,000 Indirect Labor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 89,000 Depreciation of Production Equipment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 18,000 Indirect Materials†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10,000 Depreciation of Office Copy Machine†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5,000 Raw materials inventory, beginning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 97,000 Raw materials inventory, ending†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 84,000 Work in process inventory, beginning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 39,000 Work in process inventory, ending†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 52,000 Finished goods inventory, beginning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 106,000 Finished goods inventory, ending†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 71,000 a. Prepare a Schedule of Cost of Goods Manufactured in good form. (3 Points) Direct Materials: Beginning raw materials inventory: $97,000 Add: Purchase of raw materials 135,000 Raw materials available for use 232,000 Deduct: Ending raw materials inventory 84,000 Raw materials used in production $148,000 Direct Labor: 73,000 Manufacturing Overhead: 118,000 Total manufacturing cost: 339,000 Add: Beginning work in process inventory 39,000 378,000 Deduct: Ending work in process inventory 52,000 Cost of goods manufactured $326,000 b. Compute the Cost of Goods Sold. (2 Points) Finished goods inventory, beginning$106,000 Add: Cost of goods manufactured 326,000 Goods available for sale 432,000 Deduct: Finished goods inventory, ending 71,000 Cost of goods sold $361,000 Managerial Acctg Quiz 2 – Fall 2012 NAME__ _______________________ Chapters 3 and 4 10 Points 1. Pence Company is a manufacturing firm that uses job-order costing. The company applies overhead to jobs using a predetermined overhead rate based on machine-hours. At the beginning of the year, the company estimated that it would work 44,000 machine hours and would incur $176,000 in manufacturing overhead cost. During the year the following actual costs and hours were incurred: Job A Job B Job C Job D Direct Materials$ 135,000 $ 129,000 $ 98,000 $ 103,000 Direct Labor $ 80,000 $ 85,000 $ 63,000 $ 68,000 Machine Hours 12,000 13,000 8,000 14,000 Number of Units 50 35 60 Indirect Materials used: $ 34,000 Indirect Labor: $ 63,000 Selling Costs: $134,000 Factory Utility Costs: $ 14,000 Factory Depreciation: $114,000 Administrative Salaries $157,000 Required: (5 points) a. Compute the predetermined overhead rate 176000/44000= 4.00 b. Compute the amount of overhead applied to each job. A.12000*4= 48000 B. 13000*4= 52000 C. 8000*4= 32000 D. 14000*4= 56000 c. Assuming that Jobs A, B, and D were completed during the year, compute the total cost charged to each job and the unit cost of the product produced. A.5660 B.8543 D. 3983 d. Compute the balance in Work In Process at the end of the year. 161,000 e. Compute the amount of overhead under or overapplied. 176000-161000= 15000 f. Assuming the amount is not material, write the journal entry required to close the manufacturing overhead account at the end of the year. Work in Process 161,000 Manufacturing Overhead161,000 2. Elton Company uses the weighted-average method in its process costing system. The company adds materials at the beginning of the process in Department M. Conversion costs were 75% complete with respect to the 4,000 units in work in process at May 1 and 50% complete with respect to the 6,000 units in work in process at May 31. During May, 12,000 units were completed and transferred to the next department. An analysis of the costs relating to work in process at May 1 and to production activity for May follows: Materials Conversion Work in process 5/1 $26,200 $19,370 Costs added during May $26,900 $29,380 Required: Using the weighted-average method, determine the Equivalent Units of Production for Materials and Conversion Costs, the Cost per Equivalent Unit for Material and Conversion Cost, and the total product cost per Equivalent Unit. (5 Points) Equivalent units of production Materials Conversion Transferred to next department.. 12,000 12,000 Ending work in process (materials: 6,000 units Ãâ€" 100% complete; conversion: 6,000 units Ãâ€" 50% complete).. 6,000 3,000 Equivalent units of production 18,000 15,000 Cost per Equivalent Unit Materials Conversion Total Cost of beginning work in process.. 26,200 19,370 Cost added during the period.. 26,900 29,380 Total cost (a) 53,100 48,750 Equivalent units of production (b) 18,000 15,000 Cost per equivalent unit, (a) à · (b). 2.95 3.25 Total: $6.20

Purpose And Objectives Of Meeting Social Workers Social Work Essay

Purpose And Objectives Of Meeting Social Workers Social Work Essay The purpose of this meeting was to carry out an update SAP assessment, under Section 47, NHS and Community Care Act 1990, because Dianes needs have changed. Diane is a 69-year-old White British Female who has been living in Critchill Court since her discharge from hospital in Jan 2010. Diane had a Sub Arachnoids Haemorrhage, which has caused memory loss, confusion and depression in 2009. Earlier review in Feb 2010 reveals that Diane expressed a wish to return to independent living. Since then, an OT has supported Diane in re-learning independent living skills. Prior to the meeting, I went to social service to discuss with Dianes social worker to initiate information sharing and ask advice. We agreed on the need to complete the assessment before Dianes review in May 2010. I also obtained permission to have this meeting from Diane, and her daughter and their agreement that my placement supervisor would attend the meeting but only to assess me. My aim was to identify Dianes current and future needs with her and her daughter, who specifically stated her wish to be involved during earlier casual conversation. To do this I gained permission from Diane and her daughter during the meeting that I would seek the views of other professions, (OT, key worker, and CPN) to fill in some parts of the assessment. Diane has also given permission for me to share the information that she provided with others on a need to know basis. My role as a student gave me flexible time to commit in more supportive work with Diane. I had been working in partnership with Diane, her daughter, OT and social worker for 3 weeks before the meeting. I have taken Diane out, building her confidence in accessing local resources, and importantly, a relationship based on empathy, trust, and confidence. Authority/requirement for carrying out this piece of work (Legislative context/ agency policy/ government guidelines) The NHS and Community Care Act 1990, Section 47, which requires a needs-led assessment when appropriate and services provided accordingly if practicable. The Mental Health Act, 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act, 2005 apply because Diane has Sub Arachnoids Haemorrhage, which has caused memory loss and confusion. Particular attention is required, as these laws require that one must assume a person has capacity to make decisions unless established otherwise, and that one may not treat a person as unable to make a decision unless established otherwise. In my casual interactions with Diane, I have observed considerable ability to take decisions with regard to her life. The National Occupational Standards for Social Work (2002) and The GSCC Code (Code 1 for social workers) require the social worker to empower the service user by informing them their rights and entitlements and listening to what they have to say to involve them in taking any decision that may affect them. The Code also requires the social worker to recognise the users expertise in their own lives and make informed choices about services they receive. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995/2005 defines discrimination as, treating an individual less favourably than treating another. This legislation is important because it states what the government expects and requires of local authorities in relation to good practice (Trevithick, 2005: 17). Macdonald-Wilson et al (2001) defines disability as the condition of being unable to perform, because of physical or mental unfitness; to this extent, this definition follows the medical model. In the case of a person with a disability, a person is being discriminatory if they fail to comply with a duty to make a reasonable adjustment in relation to the disabled person. Higgins (1980: 123) defines stigma as a deeply discrediting trait, which may also be called a failing, a shortcoming, or a handicap. The Equality Act 2006 and the Care Standards Act, 2002 also have bearing on this case as it involves assessment of the care provided against need. Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 enables local authorities to make direct payments (cash payments) to individuals to enable them to secure provision of care in lieu of social services provision. The Data Protection Act 1998, which requires the express consent of the individual prior to sharing any personal information obtained on individuals and shared with others. Additionally, all the information gathered should be kept in accordance with the data protection guidelines. Diane and her daughter had given me consent to collect and share information with other agencies if required. Knowledge (e.g. legal, psychological, sociological, political, socio-political, procedural, social work method) applied In undertaking this meeting I carefully prepared by brushing up on my knowledge of the relevant laws, guidelines, and different perspectives on empowerment, anti-oppressive, and anti-discriminatory practice. Besides these laws, my reflection on the case before the meeting showed me the values that would help in obtaining a positive outcome of the meeting. Theory and guidelines on best practice in social work required that I adopt an approach that would place Diane in a position where she feels empowered to make decisions. This approach requires me to work with the person-centred theory (Rogers, 1959) that requires me to work on the premise that Diane is an expert on her own life, and to focus on her strengths i.e. what she can do rather than on what she cannot (Saleebey, 2006). Using the person centred method enables the creation of a comfortable environment where the caseworker demonstrates genuineness through a non-judgmental and non-directive approach that bases itself on empathy and unconditional positive regard (Rogers, 1957). Therefore, my approach had to demonstrate feelings of warmth, liking, caring, and being drawn to Mary instead of aversion and anger (Barett-Lennard, 1986: 440) I also reflected on Egans recommendations (SOLER) that help display an encouraging and open attitude towards Diane. In considering the assessment process, I have adopted Milner and OByrnes five state model of assessment (1998). These are preparation, data collection, weighing up the data, analysing the data and utilising the data. I used Systems Theory in the assessment process, for example, in preparation stage I sought information not only from the service user but also from family members, other professionals, etc. In data collection stage, I used brief solution focused techniques, which allowed me to use supportive questions aimed at enabling Diane to recognise her own strengths and abilities. I particularly chose to use scaled response questions, asking Diane to score the present, when she was came to Critchill and what she hope to achieve on a scale of 1 to 10. By using this technique, I was able to support Diane to identify the successful strategise she has used in the past and this gave her confidence to apply her own strategies to improve her situation now and for the future. The brief solution focused therapy has been useful when I addressed one of the problems in the running records about the use of language to others. Diane has acknowledged this issue and was able to identify an occasion when all the triggers were present that could have caused the problem but she was able to deal with it herself and prevent the problem occurring. Erik Erikson (1950) says that when the person is aged about 60 years old or more, The person has time for reflection and as they look back on their life, they may have a sense of satisfaction; this will lead to a feeling of integrity. If the persons reflection results in them feeling they missed key opportunities, then there is an increased risk of experiencing despair In his article, Rogers (1957) quotes a study by Kinner that found that the client who sees his problem as involving his relationships, and who feels that he contributes to this problem and wants to change it, is likely to be successful. The client, who externalizes his problem, feeling little self-responsibility, is much more likely to be a failure. This highlighted the need for me to help Mary see that change in her life situation is more likely if she feels responsibility for at least a part of the problem and make her want to change. A complaint that Diane has voiced is that people (particularly her social worker) treat her like a child. Thompson (2006) says that this happens when a younger person sees an older person not able to make her own decisions and takes decisions on the older persons behalf thinking this is natural and normal without realising the discrimination and oppression this causes. It is often the case that the social worker or the carers see the older person as disabled to take decisions, particularly if the person suffers from some disability. The medical model of disability focuses on physical deficits and individual health needs, and it is a challenge for the worker not to fall into disablest [sic] perceptions by accepting this model (Parker Bradley, 2005: 76). The individual may experience loss and bereavement (Kubler-Ross, 1976), feel they have suffered a personal tragedy, and therefore label themselves as disabled as has happened in Dianes case. It was therefore essential that I approach the assessment with this knowledge and ensure non-discriminatory practice, not attaching any stigma to Dianes needs and disability caused by her medical condition. The social model of disability switches focus away from any physical limitations the impairment to physical and social environmental limitations, thus requiring promotion and empowerment of disabled people (Oliver Sapey, 2006). Additionally, the social workers own attitudes and values affect how he/she applies theoretical models of disability (Crawford Walker, 2004). The social model of disability is inclined to focus on cultural or structural aspects of disability (Priestley, 2003) and is the predominant model of disability used in social care. This is because social work approach does not look at mending something that is broken, but relies on overcoming societal barriers, which enables the treatment of a person with a disability just as others are (DDA, 1995/2005; Davies, 2002). While it is easy to comprehend the difficulties faced by an individual with a visible disability (e.g. using a wheelchair), it is also easy to ignore the wider cultural and structural factors that affect a person with a disability (Thompson, 2001). Herein lies the problem of seeing the disability as a problem with the person themselves (ibid). What Skills did you use for this piece of work? (please distinguish between those you have and those you need to develop) I used Planning and preparation, research, information gathering skill before the meeting and this has helped me to carry out the meeting well In terms of working anti-oppressively I think I have made Diane feel less oppressive by reducing the power imbalance. I have involved her daughter whose presence has been a great comfort to Diane as she sometimes looks at her for answers due to her short-term memory. I have successfully conveyed my respect and understanding of her strengths and limitations by adopting Egans empathy skills, active listening, summarising. I used Rogers person centred to focus my attention on Diane and this in term helping me to forget that I was assessed by my placement supervisor. I used unconditional positive regard to make Diane feel a sense of acceptance of herself when addressing an issue. I need to develop assessment skills as I feel I dont feel comfortable with the forms which have so many questions. Also some of the questions are very sensitive to ask for example the section of assessment of physical health there are questions like bladder control, bowel control, etc Also I need to develop liaising skill, sharing information with other agencies. As evident prior to the meeting, there were some miscommunication between different agencies. Which aspects of anti-oppressive practice were relevant to this piece of work? In terms of working anti-oppressively, I was aware my role as a student social worker this may have lead Diane to feel oppressive and not valued because she may think that she was not good enough to have a qualify social worker. To reduce this potential oppression, I have involved Dianes daughter and have been open and honest to tell them that I was inexperienced and has never carry out a SAP assessment before. I also offered them opportunities to decline or cancel the meeting. My ethnic origin as a non-white British may have attributed discrimination or oppression to myself from Diane or her daughter. However, this has never been an issue in the meeting or prior to my engagement with Diane and her daughter. the black perspective has made clear that racism is based on white European/ white north American ideological beliefs about the claimed superiority of white people over non-white people (Maclean and Harrison 2008:58). Considering my gender, which is different from Diane may present a difficulty for both of us. From the feminist perspectives if I had not recognise the extensive inequalities in society based on gender with men consistently being dominant, I may act oppressively unaware. Women is socially constructed to be a better carer as a wife, mother and daughter and the fact that the majority of social worker are female. As a male student social worker, my role may present oppressive to Diane. the feminist perspective has noticeably failed to adequately address structural inequalities within social care and social work organisations. In employment terms some 75% of the workforce in social care organisations are women. The proportion of men in senior management has remained stubbornly high and has only recently dropped below 75% of all senior managers (Maclean and Harrison 2008:56) there has been a recognition that societal developments and social policy initiatives affect men and women differently (because of their gender). The role of women as unpaid carers of family members with personal care needs is one example (Machean and Harrison 2008:55) If I have not used Social vs medical model to see Dianes depression, I may have not recognised the negative stigma associated with the labels applied to people and may have act in an oppressive way, overseeing the facts that her depression may be attributed by her despair for her current environment and loss of her abilities, eg, health and memoey,etc In what ways would the service user and or carer have preferred your practice to be different After the meeting, I apologised to Diane and her daughter that the outcome of this meeting may not have been as productive as they had expected and I told them that I would like to have another meeting again with them in the near future to discuss a plan to support Diane. (as I feel I have failed to conduct the meeting well, because my placement supervisor joined our discussion in the midway, and this i think should not be happen because she was there to assess me, unless she think she I needed help.) However, Diane, her daughter said they were happy with the outcome and she especially appreciated what I have done for her mother. My placement supervisor said to me. What do you mean this meeting is not productive she said I did very well. The only thing that Dianes daughter asked me was to inform her of anything I do for her mother. As there was an incident the week before that I took Diane out but forgot to ask her to check her daily. Dianes son and daughter in law came to visit when we went out and as a result they have not spent much time together that day. I asked Dianes daughter how she would like to be contacted and she gave me her email address as she may not be convenient to answer her mobile in her workplace. My placement supervisor also told me that I need to share the information with her about what I do or who I have contacted for Diane. Which key Roles, units and Values/Ethics do you think were demonstrated in this piece of work and how? (these must refer to practice discussed within the direct observation) In making a thorough preparation for the meeting with Diane, where my placement supervisor would observe me, I demonstrated delivery of all the units of Key Role 1. I had reviewed the case notes, spoken with the staff at the Home, her social worker, and daughter to carefully evaluate my involvement. My efforts to build a trusting relationship with Diane during my placement, and discussions with her about her preference for those elements of her care plan she likes to be included, show that I achieved important aspects of Key Role 2 (Unit 5 and 6). In my thorough research on best practices, legal and practice guidelines, and reflection on the best way to achieve my aim showed that I have responded well to the requirements of Key Role 6 (Unit 18 and 19). With regard to the values and ethics, I demonstrated awareness of my own values, ethics, dilemmas, and conflicts of interest (VEa). I have shown respect for and promotion of the wellbeing of Diane (VEb). I have also responded with oral and non-verbal communication skills in a way not to make Diane feel oppressed (VEc). Finally by showing my ability to build and maintain a relation of trust with Diane I have met the need identified by (VEe). What evidence did you use to evaluate your practice?(e.g. supervision notes, user feedback etc) In evaluating my practice, I have used two resources. The first is a feedback from Diane, whom I asked to judge how I had done. This feedback, in the form of a written response to a questionnaire I prepared for this specific purpose. However, the feedback given by my placement supervisor after the meeting has been valuable for me in terms of understanding my performance and identifying ways to improve in future practice. Give your evaluation of this piece of work (e.g. what went well, what did not go well, what if anything would you do differently next time?) I have learnt from my previous mistake in my first direct observation. I have used a mixture of open and close questions. Also I have used paraphrasing, clarifying techniques appropriately. In terms of choosing a place for the meeting, I have considered the noise and disruption and asked Dianes opinion where she would like the meeting to be. The location of the meeting in her room turned out to be a good choice. I feel I have reduce the potential of oppression by involving Dianes daughter whose presence has been great comfort to Diane as Diane has short-term memory and she feel more confident as she could get answer or help from her daughter. Also, I feel that working together we have achieved more than I had expected, as I have made the meeting like informal discussion rather than a job interview or assessment. I have achieved the aim I set for myself and completed parts of the assessment, by working in partnership with Diane and her daughter. However, I have achieved more by building a open and trusting relationship with them, this would in term enable me to devote my supportive work with Diane in the future. I did not complete the SAP assessment in the meeting as I have not planned or anticipated. I will continue to work on this assignment with Diane, her daughter and other professionals. I have however, failed to share the information about what I do with Diane with my placement supervisor. This has resulted in miscommunication between different agencies. I need to develop skill in liaising and sharing information with other professionals in the future. What additional learning, in relation to knowledge, skills or anti-oppressive practice and values and ethics, would enhance your performance in the future? In terms of working professionally I need to work in accountability way within agency, sharing information with others. System theory will help to improve my practice in the future. I also need to use my supervision session to discuss theories, values, dilemmas and anti-oppressive practice I have improved considerably about the use of interview techniques but with more practice I will be able to communicate in more confidence. Signed Placement Supervisor_________________ Date _____________ Student ____________________ Date _____________

Causes of Unemployment in the 1980s

Causes of Unemployment in the 1980s Why did mass unemployment return to Britain during the 1980s  and 1990s? What were the implications for the unemployed? Introduction Margaret Thatcher came to power following the infamous ‘winter of discontent’ in 1978-9. Once in power the Tory Government’s debates were largely concerned with a free market economy versus the welfare state. Margaret Thatcher was influenced by the thought of the American Charles Murray (1984) who believed that current welfare provision was untenable, it undermined the work ethic and encouraged a culture of dependency. This idea was soon taken on board by the government who had already introduced measures that would roll back the welfare state and control spending. They did this by introducing marketing concepts and business strategies into policy making. They also began an intense process of privatization because it was thought that public ownership of companies, and the public sector in general undermined market forces. Giddens (2001) says that: †¦the momentum of Thatcherism in economic matters was maintained by the privatising of public companies†¦..(this)..is held to reintroduce healthy economic competition in place of unwieldy and ineffective public bureaucracies, reduce public expenditure and end political interference in managerial decisions (Giddens, 2001:434). This paper will look the post-war welfare state and the high employment levels of the 1950s and ‘60s. It will then look at the rising unemployment of the 1970s and the Conservative Government’s introduction of market principles, their roll-back of the welfare state, and the increased privatization of the public sector. Finally it will consider why mass unemployment returned to Britain during the 1980s and 1990s. The paper will also look at how changes in the benefits system as well as changes in employment law affected those at the lower end of society. Post-War Welfare Reform From the 1930s onwards governments were heavily influenced by what is known as Keynesian economics, that is an economic system based on the thought of the economist John Milton Keynes. Keynes held that the surplus that arose in times of plenty would support leaner economic times so that everyone in society benefited. Post-War welfare reform was basically a war on poverty and was based on a vision of full employment and a social contract between the Government and the members of society each of whom had equal responsibility for their welfare. The system grew out of the thinking of the economist John Milton Keynes. This was known as universal welfare provision and it meant that the state was involved at all levels of people’s lieves (Moore, 2002)..National Insurance was introduced in 1908 and was intended to give aid during periods of unemployment and to provide medical treatment in return for contributions that were deducted from people’s wages. Further Acts were introduced in 1945 and 1946. Beveridge argued that they gave insufficient cover and were not available to enough people so he extended them for more claimants and more conditions. The new amendments meant that National Insurance covered as many people and conditions as possible it was meant to be fully comprehensive and base d on flat rate contributions, i.e. everyone paid the same. In 1948 the Government introduced National Assistance.. National Assistance was seen as a benefit of being a UK citizen. When this was introduced Beveridge believed that payments under this scheme would be small and also that the demand for them would decrease as the health of the nation (with the instigation of the National Health Service in 1948) increased. National Assistance was based on the needs and means of individual claimants and was thus a means tested benefit (Moore, 2002). The post-war government also introduced a system of benefits for couples with children in the Family Allowances Act of 1945, this later (1975) became known as Child Benefit which replaced family allowance and tax benefits for families with children. It was payable to all families for each child. One of the problems faced by Government after the introduction of the Health Service was that it was completely free and as people received better treatment and their health improved they required more and better health treatments. This was contrary to what government had envisioned and was proving increasingly more expensive. By the 1950s the Government were forced to introduce some charges for dentistry, spectacles and prescriptions to ease the burden this placed on the tax system (Marsh et al, 2000).. Employment at this time was relatively high but the demands on the system had been a lot higher than the government had anticipated, and tax revenues were not sufficient to continue meeting the full cost. The Welfare state and the economic thinking behind it were seen as being able to reconcile the needs of economic growth with the needs and aspirations of the working population. Under this system it was argued that economic activity could be managed by government borrowing and spend ing based on rises and dips in economic development which could be ironed out to ensure continuous high employment and economic growth. Problems with Welfarism As Britain rebuilt its economy after the war this seemed credible, there was lots of employment. Employment was at such a high peak that there were more jobs to go round than there were people to do them and in 1948 the Government introduced the Immigration Act to encourage people from the commonwealth to come to Britain and work. In Post-War Britain the major political parties were in general agreement over the use of Keynesian economics this agreement involved: A commitment to full employment and an extensive welfare programme; the existence of a mixed economy, with a significant role for the public sector; and the use of Keynesian Demand-management techniques to steer the economy†¦the experiences of war had been critical in cementing the collectivist consensus-it was thought that government had the capacity to realise wider social objectives on which most agreed (Hayes, 1994:58). During the 1950s and the early 1960s employment was high and in 1959 the then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was telling the country that they had never had it so good. Between 1948 and 1966 the unemployment rate was estimated at 2% of the population.[1] This did not last and by the mid 1960s concerns about the future of full employment were aired. Harold Wilson and the Labour Governments came to power in 1964 and unemployment began to rise, by the end of their office in 1970 unemployment had reached half a million. Labour and Conservative governments struggled to control rising rates of unemployment during the 1970s which were now pushing the million mark. The post-war welfare state claimed to be based upon the idea of universal provision. That is to say that everyone in a certain category would receive a given benefit rather than having to prove their entitlement by means testing. In reality even in the early days of the welfare state few provisions were truly universal because mo st of them were means tested (Moore et al, 2002). Post-War politicians believed at the time that they could eradicate poverty. Poverty, it is argued, stems from the idea that modern society produces people who are victims, the unemployed, the disabled, and those who suffer from long term illness. The duty of the state is to look after such people (Giddens, 2001). Many commentators however are of the opinion that the welfare state failed to deliver its promises. Alcock (1994) has argued that while the post-war welfare state may not have been successful it had attempted to bring about equality in society. He maintains that the Conservative Government that was in power from 1979-1997 arguably actively pursued policies that created greater inequalities. New Right Thinking and the Thatcher Government In Thatcher’s Government discourse revolved around the notion that the introduction of market mechanisms would result in a more equitable system benefiting all. There was a firm belief that market principles should be applied in all areas of policy making. Thus Geoffrey Howe stated that government policy was: †¦built on the emerging analysis of previous decades by taking markets as the key tool for disengaging the state from its political over-strength. Markets to determine the value of labour. Markets to determine prices and investment. Markets to allocate resources. Markets to offer incentives and rewards†¦markets to build prosperity.[2] Conservative and New Right thinking does not subscribe to the victims approach but believes that each individual is largely responsible for their own welfare. This approach is not really new, it dates back to the Elizabethan Poor Laws and especially to the reforms of that law in the 1830s. it argues that state services are not efficient and that welfare should be provided through the market, the family and charity. Thatcher’s Government believed in encouraging people to think for themselves. Given their views on markets the Government wanted to extend the scope of private enterprise in the economy and to introduce market principles into the public sector. Thatcher’s Government saw the health service as a drain on resources. Since its inception it had lurched from one catastrophe to another (Moore, 2002). In the 1980s the Government decided it might be more efficient if the Health Services were run according to business principles. They split it into two-purchasers and p roviders. Local authorities had a duty to find out local health needs and to purchase those from local hospitals and community health services. This was considered the best way of allocating Government resources because free markets were considered to be self organising and should therefore increase productivity and improve care while at the same time being cost efficient. Benefits Under the Conservatives The Government took a radical approach to benefit because they believed that the system had become wasteful and bureaucratic and actually discouraged people from working. Their aims were to cut back the bureaucracy, spend less on social security and target the most needy. This meant that under the Conservatives the eligibility criteria for social security and family credit was raised The 1980 Act tightened existing legislation and most earnings related supplementary benefits were abolished. 1986 Social Security Act introduced Income Support, intended for those with no entitlement to unemployment benefit, later partly replaced with jobseekers allowance, family credit and the social fund. This replaced the allowances which were given to help with bills or purchasing household necessities. The social fund was distributed at the discretion of DHSS staff. It was made as a loan which had to be repaid. The Government also changed the pensions scheme and introduced pensions that were paid at different rates according to what a person had earned SERPs. Child Benefit which was introduced by Labour in 1977 was frozen in the mid 80s to save money. Housing Benefit was also reduced and means tested. Under the Conservatives the wages of those at the lower end of the labour market began to fall at such a rate that eventually some people were earning less than they would have received had they been on benefits. This state of affairs had begun when Edward Heath was in power, and under him the Government introduced benefits such as the Family Credit system to subsidise wages (Deakin, 1994). Essentially family credit subsidized employers because it allowed them to pay lower and lower rates for the same job. This kind of policy making was reminiscent of the Poor Law where the poor were required to work for the poor relief that they received. This led to a distinction between the deserving and undeserving poor. In present day New Right thinking the undeserving poor are those on the dole who appear not to be actively seeking work, and young single mothers. The drop in pay was exacerbated under the Thatcher which eradicated the 1946 Fair Wages Resolution and Wages Councils that were desig ned to wipe out low pay (Hayes, 1994). As Gennard and Judge(2002) have noted, during the years of the Thatcher Government the bargaining power of employers was increased and it became less likely that any settlement would favour the interests of employees over that of an employer (by 1991 strikes had fallen to 369)[3]. Leat (2001) argues that during that time there was a reduction in legal protection for employees, less restriction on the freedom of employers, a reduction in trade union power, and thereby the interests of employees. The state under the Conservatives was operating to protect the interests of those who owned businesses, and as Marx argued these interests were protected in favour of the interests of the working class. The Conservative Government was on the side of the entrepreneurs and property owners and demonstrated their allegiance to the moneyed classes through tax incentives. For high earners income tax was reduced from 83% to 40%, corporation tax was reduced by 17% from 52 to 35% and the threshold on capital gains tax was raised. The effect of this was an increase in the balance of payments deficit and huge increases in the material inequalities in society (Hayes, 1994). This view is supported by Alcock (1994) who argues that the Conservative policies which lowered taxes and int roduced changes into social care and the benefits system resulted in greater unemployment, a rise in the number of homeless people, and a general growth in social inequality. Unemployment The world bank and the international monetary fund were seen as forward looking institutions in the 1950s. They had no input into government policy and they had no control over a country’s economic policies (George, S. 1999). By the late nineteen seventies Keynesian economic policies were no longer working largely due to the abolition of capital controls. Rising unemployment and inflation were matched by a corresponding drop in the market (Stigliz 2002). An unfettered market and increasing privatisation results in trade and market monopolies that disadvantage the consumer. Unemployment and social suffering are the result if there are not adequate safety nets. When economic downswings or depressions occur In 1976 there was an International Monetary fund crisis which meant that monetary restrictions had been imposed on the state and Britain’s welfare state was seen as problematic. During the nineteen eighties twenty nine percent of all tax relief was obtained by one percent of the population. A single person who earned half the national average saw their taxes go up by seven percent. Those earning ten times the average salary received tax reductions of twenty nine percent (George, 1999). The Conservatives launched a huge programme of privatisation. As a result of government efforts to privatise, between 1987 and 1994 the number of people employed in the public sector went from seven million to five million most of those jobs that were illiminated were unionised jobs. Between 1971 and 1981 the number of people in blue collar occupations went from 62% to 56% for men and 43 to 36% for women. Also in 1981 there were 700,000 fewer men in manufacturing work than there had been ten years previously (Giddens, 2001).Between 1985 and 1986 unemployment reached a peak and in both years it was estimated that 11.8% of the population were out of work (Sweeney and Macmahon, 1 998). The figures began to fall by the end of the 80s and in 1990 had dropped to 5.8% (ibid). They peaked again to 10.8% in January 1992 some of this is attributable to the increasing privatization under John Major, particularly when British Rail was privatized and sold off. It needs to be acknowledged that these statistics are not always reliable they are seasonally adjusted to take account of changes in the labour market. In some areas there was a tendency for people to be involved in informal paid work However, Pahl (1984) found that the unemployed in the Isle of Sheppey were no more likely to do this than those in formal employment. Between 1979 and 1987 the Government changed the way in which unemployment figures were calculated no fewer than 19 times. Most of which were intended to remove people from the unemployment register. The Conservatives introduced what became known as the New Vocationalism whereby youth training schemes and work placement opportunities were introduced. These were usually low level jobs or jobs that had no future but appeared to lower the unemployment figures, at least for a time. In 1988 young people under the age of 18 were no longer eligible for benefit which resulted in 90,000 being taken off the register. Nickell (2003) contends that since 1979 increased unemployment coupled with a rise in benefit payments and earnings that are index linked to prices rather than wages, resulted in a massive increase in the number of people in the UK who are living in relative poverty.[4] Between 1983 and 1990 when the two studies were undertaken the number of people living in poverty rose from 7.5 million to 11 million and those living in severe poverty (lacking more than 7 essential items eg. Heat, new clothes) from 2.6 to 3.5 million (Mack and Lansley, 1992). Hills (1998) work found that between 1979 and 1995 average incomes increased by 40% for the richest tenth of the population while the poorest tenth, after housing costs had a drop of 8%/. Hills also found that more than 80% of those who earned less than half the national average were non-pensioners. The New Right and New Labour In 1997 the Conservative Government was voted out. New Labour came into power and its New Deal promised a hand up not a hand out. The introduction of market forces by the Conservatives had the effect of excluding some people from mainstream society and led to the setting up by the present Government of the Social Exclusion Unit in 1997. The New Deal was designed to get people off welfare and back into work, often, regardless of their circumstances. The present Government have continued to build on the policies introduced by the Conservatives and it is here that theorists maintain there is a new consensus. Means testing has not only continued but increased Job seekers allowance is dependent on a person actively seeking work and Job Centres now have the powers to stop a person’s benefits if they are not seen to be pro-active in finding a job. Conclusion During the late 1990s there has been a further shift in employment. Marx saw the spread of factories and the concentration of the working class within those factories, in the second half of the twentieth century, however, he had not envisaged vast changes in the occupational structures of western society. While the proportion of manual workers has declined from 75% of the workforce to well below 50% there has also been a corresponding 25% growth in the number of non-manual and service workers. Since the advent of New Labour we have also witnessed a large increase in the number of private sector service jobs (Holborn and Langley, 2002).[5]There has also been a rise in the number of professionals in the workforce, during the 1990s this rose to 10% of the whole workforce, a number of these are married women who may have returned to their profession after a period away (Abbott and Wallace, 1997). Reeves argues that what Thatcher wanted to do was to alter social attitudes towards work and welfare and in this she succeeded (Reeves, 2004).[6] Bibliography Abbott, P and Wallace, C (1997) An Introduction to Sociology, Feminist Perspectives Routledge, London. Alcock, P. 1994 â€Å"Back to the Future: Victorian Values for the 21st Century† in Murray, C. 1994 Underclass: The Crisis Deepens London, IEA Alderson, P. 2000. Young Childrens Rights exploring beliefs, principles and practice. London, Jessica Kinglsey Ambrose, P. 2004. â€Å"Force, Fraud,or Good Will†Poverty (118 Summer) 2004 http://www.childpoverty.org.uk Beveridge, William (1944). Full Employment in a Free Society. London: Allen and Unwin Bilton et al. 1996. 3rd ed. Introducing Sociology. London, Macmillan. Blyton, P. and Turnbull, P. 1994. The Dynamics of Employee Relations. 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Edinburgh, Prentice Hall. 1 Footnotes [1] Haralambos and Holborn 2000 [2] Geoffrey Howe The Guardian 1989 quoted in Hayes 1994:63 [3] Gennard and Judge ibid. [4] http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp0579.pdf Nickell, S. RES conference paper April 2003 [5] Figures adapted from p.8 2002 [6] Reeves New Statesman 27/9/04