Evaluating The Theory Of Socialist Economy Politics Essay

Evaluating The Theory Of Socialist Economy Politics Essay If one wants to examine the experience of socialist economies of the twentieth century, one need must examine the socio-economic meaning of the term socialism. This ought to be subject to a scientific analysis, primarily with respect to increasing problems in the socialist countries and to discussions and reform efforts that have been underway at various points in time over the last century in those countries. In this context, the analysis in the essay must restrict the notion of socialism to that of a social system whose characteristics have been molded both by specific theoretical works and by practical political, legal and economic institutions and measures in socialist countries. This has to be limited a little further and the essay will therefore primarily focus on the socialist economic system and its crucial connection with the political system. Proceeding from this framework, this essay shall first deal with the theoretical and practical evolution of the general basic charact eristics that are typical of the socialist economic system. Subsequently, it will examine the economic results or rather the recurring deficiencies caused by the socialist system. This will then lead to a detailed analysis of how these deficiencies may have had their earliest roots in errors contained in the very theory that was the starting point of communist practice. The genesis of the socio-economic meaning of the term socialism has its roots in theoretical works of Marx, Engels and Lenin. How this concept has satisfied the fundamental criteria of the development of socialism in the course of its practical realization in Soviet Union, China, Yugoslavia, Cuba and other socialist countries must be examined, and whether it has resulted in the socio-economic development expected by the above-mentioned theorists. After the shock and disillusionment from the collapse of the Eastern bloc, the disasters of neoliberal economic policies, East and West, have given new urgency to rethinking the socialist alternative to capitalism. Whatever one says about the feasibility of socialism, however, at some point the collapse of `actually existing socialism has to be explained. The centrally planned economy was certainly successful for a period, based on extensive growth with ample supplies of labour power and raw materials. The system collapsed when it attempted to shift toward a more intensive mode of growth. Permanent consumer goods shortages and the alienation of workers sealed its fate. In attempting to broaden the debate on the feasibility of socialism, the essay shall embark with the origin of the concept in Marx. To begin with, it must be made amply clear that the term socialism refers to the social system which Marx referred to as the first and last phase of communism  [i]  . Marx inferred the characterization of this lower form from the historical necessity of the development of communism, and from the fact that communism would directly emerge from capitalism and would be therefore characterized by capitalism for a relatively long time- the first phase. Marx and Engels substantiated the historical necessity of the development of communist society by saying that capitalism would increasingly impede the further development of productive forces and only new economic and social conditions, that is, socialist conditions, would cause productive forces to evolve at a substantially faster rate than they could under capitalism. This historical materialist perspective gave rise to the fundamental criterion for the development of the socialist economy also held by Lenin. He was convinced that the expropriation of capitalists would result in an immense extension of social productive forces and in a higher degree of labour productivity. Following the nationalization and redistribution of land consequent upon the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, a brief period of workers control was realized in the Soviet Union. However, state ownership and control of industry and financial institutions were rapidly extended, along with a ban on private trade, and the whole economy moved towards an economy in kind, a moneyless economy. These eventualities could again be traced back to Marxs conceptualization of socialism as an associated set of producers. In modern capitalist society, according to Marxs analysis, the social relations of production, which establish the framework of a distinct mode of life, are constituted by the capitalist ownership of means of production and by wage labour; and the essence of the socialist alternative had always been the transformation of private ownership into so cial ownership which Marx expressed by referring to a future society of associated producers. This associated mode of production  [ii]  was not treated in the socialist literature of the nineteenth century as having only an economic significance, but as a vital element in the constitution of a new form of society in which individuals would no longer be dependent upon the dominant minorities, but would be able to develop freely in a social environment which they took a full and equal part in creating. Socialism, therefore, was meant to obviate its fundamental opposite, capitalism, by substituting social ownership of the means of production for their private ownership. Market relations would have to be eliminated, and production as a whole would have to be oriented towards future developments of demand with the help of economic planning. Direct social labour on the part of the working population would result in a faster growth of labour productivity than under capitalism. This preoccupation with rapid increase in economic growth had its genesis in several factors. The advent of socialism in countries which were for the most part economically backward, agrarian and peasant societies, and the perceived need for extensive and rapid industrialization was the first of these. Next, the rapid post-war expansion of organized capitalism, characterized by large-scale state intervention, partial planning and very high rates of growth and the need for socialist countries to compete effectively with capitalism in the provision of high material levels of living ensured that an extraordinary stress was laid on rapid economic growth through industrialization. Lenin also pointed out that the economy is something like a giant enterprise owned by the people, who are represented by the socialist state. The activity of all the parts, the overall production by all enterprises, as well as the distribution of the means of production and the labour force among them would have to be determined with the help of one single overall plan. Although Lenins shift towards the New Economic Policy (NEP) resulted in the reintroduction of market relations in the economy, it did not change the idea of substituting systematic planning for market relations in socialism. Lenin justified the reintroduction of market relations on the strength of the existence of private producers, chiefly farmers, during the transition to socialism.  [iii]  The old bourgeois producers had to be transformed in the new socialist economy. This could be done by socializing the populace, an act which needed active state-intervention. Stalin, however, understood economic retention of market relations only in terms of formal commodity- money relations, and eliminated market mechanisms. During Stalins rule, some characteristic features of the socialist economic system developed, whose theoretical reflections bordered on being dogmas. According to him, the means of production must not be in private ownership. Rather they must be in state ownership to a decisive extent. The development of production must not be determined by market mechanisms. Rather, it must be fixed with the help of central plans. Prices must only be retained for the exclusive purposes of formal planning and calculation. They must, however, be fixed by a central state authority and must not be changed by enterprises in accordance with market conditions. Such and further fundamental dogmas were meant to preclude the reappearance of capitalist ownership and the re-emergence of economic anarchy, while ensuring the fast, effective and proportionate development of socialist production determined by pla nning. The communist parties began to label such a system organized along such economic lines as real socialist. However, not one of the objectives ever aimed at by a socialist development process was reached. This was not chiefly a consequence of subjective mistakes made by party and state leadership with regard to economic policies, rather, it was the result of defects inherent in the conceptualization of the system, which had already been embodied in Marxist-Leninist theory. In comparison with capitalist production, socialist production in Soviet Union and Yugoslavia suffered from several deficiencies which caused them to lag behind. The production showed a lower degree of efficiency than a free-market system. The production grows in a predominantly extensive manner while its intensive growth (through technological progress and the qualitative development of the production factors) is absolutely inadequate. Here, there is an assumption at work which is evidently a capitalist construct- that of measuring productivity by taking recourse to such accepted yardsticks as GDP (Gross Domestic Produc t) rates. The GDP rates are a criteria adopted by intensively capitalist countries to measure productive economic growth, not the ideal parameter to judge the growth in a country with accepted socialist status. Nevertheless, if the material levels of living in the socialist and capitalist countries be taken as a uniform criterion, the socialist nations do demonstrate the relative inefficiency of the state to meet these needs on parity with capitalist countries. Another set of deficiencies in the socialist economies of the twentieth century concerns the nature of production. Production was not sufficiently geared to demand; on the one hand it produced quantities of non-required goods, while on the other, it did not satisfy concrete demand to any large extent. Moreover, production supplied few high quality and fashionable consumer goods, and the technological standards of capital goods were far behind those of capitalist countries. The proportion of consumer goods in production was substantially smaller than Western free-market economies. The official economic theory or more accurately, the ideological propaganda of the USSR and Yugoslavia, as well as of other socialist countries, ignored or concealed these economic defects for years. They only worked with the fast growth rates of production volumes in the initial years, overlooking the losses in efficiency which were increasing from the beginning. Ever since its inception, the planning system prevented a highly efficient investment development, not only because of slow technological progress, but also because it rendered impossible a selection of the most profitable investment projects which are numerous in a free-market economy. Central investment planning and the allocation of investment funds is affected by means of a primitive accounting of input and output without, crucially, an optimal profitability selection.  [iv]  Most important, however, is the fact that the planning system from the start prevented consumers from influencing the development of productio n through the market and from assessing the performance of individual enterprises with the help of market selection. Both in the free-market and in the planned economy systems, lack of balance between supply and demand is inevitable with regard to certain commodities. In a free-market system, however, producers are compelled to overcome these imbalances as soon as possible if they are to achieve profits rather than sustaining losses. In a planned economy system, the extent of the imbalance is substantially greater, and is overcome considerably slowly- if at all. It is at this crucial juncture that one needs to realize that there is a great difference between those societies in which the greater part of productive resources are publicly owned and central planning has a major role, and on the other hand, the societies in which there is only limited public ownership and planning and the construction of a socialist economy involves some extension of planning in diverse forms, along with restrictions on market mechanisms.  [v]  It is the former group of countries that includes the Soviet and Yugoslavian experience that this paper posits as a contrast to the latter Chinese experience with socialism. Even within the group of socialist countries in Eastern Europe (Soviet Union and Yugoslavia) there are important differences arising from distinctive economic, social and cultural conditions, which are revealed in a very different course of post-war development. Two socialist countries in the last century undertook a fundamental and complete restru cturing of the economy- Yugoslavia (where the phase of centralized management was very brief, and hence provides a contrast of sorts to the Soviet experience) and Hungary. The economic system that Yugoslavia adopted provided the model for several economies. The theoretical framework which the Yugoslav is based on is clearly formulated by Horvat who, after rejecting the eclecticism of a mixed economy, continues: We wish to preserve essential consumer sovereignty because socialism is based on the preferences of individuals who control the society. We also wish to preserve the autonomy of producers, since this is the pre-condition for self-management. When these are taken together, we need a market. But not a laissez-faire market. We need a market that will perform the two functions just stated, neither less or more. In other words, we need the market as a planning device in a strictly defined sphere of priorities and planning as a precondition for an efficient market in order to increase the economic welfare of the community.  [vi]   Yugoslav society, thus, unlike Soviet socialism, was constantly caught in a dilemma between the plan and the market, which not only reflects the unclearly defined principles and aims of economic policy, but also is a manifestation of the actual balance of forces in society; that is to say of the clash between advocates of centralized planning and those who uphold the absolute validity of market laws. The dilemma is irreconcilable and the question which remains to be explored is whether the Yugoslav experience demonstrates that there are formidable difficulties in achieving the integration of planning and markets in any regime of public ownership, or more broadly, in a socialist society. In considering this crucial question, one should remember that for two decades the Yugoslav system functioned quite effectively, producing high rates of economic growth and an impressive development of social and cultural life. The turning point, as it were, came, theorists believe, with the rise in o il prices and the Western recession of the early 70s. It may also be argued that the subsequent economic decline was due in large measure to the failure of planning to deal effectively with the consequences of these events, and in particular with the massive growth of external indebtedness. It is certain, therefore, that the economic development of Yugoslavia and other socialist societies had been adversely affected by the their close links with the capitalist world, and by the failure of policy-makers to take a due account of the cycle of growth and recession in capitalist societies which is, after all, at the heart of Marxist economic analysis. As Golubovic claims, Socialism with markets is here to stay  [vii]  . The countries in Western Europe, which could be labeled Socialistic or tending towards being socialist, faced problems which were very different from those faced by socialist ones. Nevertheless, some issues were of common concern, highlighting certain universal facets of a socialist economy as it took shape in the twentieth century. The common concerns were centered on the particular forms which public ownership of productive resources, and economic planning should take in the future. In these countries the movement towards socialism got retarded by the advent of conservative governments. And, going by the experience of Yugoslavia one would imagine that treading a middle path between plan and market was indeed the only way to go for countries claiming to be socialist. The Chinese experience with socialism, however, not only contrasts with the Yugoslav experience, but it seems to be hinged on lessons learnt from the experience of the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalins rules. The Chinese and the Cuban methods alert us to Marxs central issue: the proletariat must not only change the relations of society but in the process change itself. Here, the present analysis calls for a contrast between the Soviet and Chinese experiences. The Cuban experience shall be scrutinized later. The October Revolution proved the validity, under conditions existing in Russia in 1917, of the first half of the Marxist-Leninist theory of transition to socialism. The industrial proletariat was able, under resolute revolutionary leadership, to overthrow the bourgeois regime which had come to power in the erstwhile February revolution. However, with regard to the second half of the theory- the capacity of the proletariat to lead the way in the construction of socialism- the Russian experience is at best inconclusive. One must remember that small to begin with; the Russian proletariat was decimated and dispersed by the four years of bloody civil war, hunger and chaos which followed th e revolution. The Bolshevik government was forced to rely on the erstwhile antisocialist bureaucratic administration, overrun as it was with problem of survival and economic recovery. Under the circumstances, revolutionizing practice tending to produce socialist human nature almost totally disappeared. Instead the reconstituted and expanded proletariat which came with forced industrialization was repressed and atomized, deprived of all means of self-expression, and terrorized by an omnipresent secret police. The notion that abolition of exploitative private property in the means of production ushers in an essentially classless society which, given a sufficient development of the forces of production, will evolve in a harmonious way towards communism is exploded once and for all through the Soviet experience. As Nicholas Poulantzas points out, in a society divided into classes, the relations of production consist of a double relation which encompasses mens relations to nature in material production- economic ownership and possession. The first of these relations, that of economic ownership, is the real economic control of the means of production. In the socialist countries, formal, juridical ownership of the means of production belong to the state, which is held to be the peoples state, but real economic control rests in the hands of the directors of enterprises and the members of the party apparatus.  [viii]  Socialist ownership by the whole people has degenerated into ownership by a privileged stratum. It is a privileged stratum- what Charles Bettelheim has called a new state bourgeoisie  [ix]   which controls the means of production and thereby decides how the fruits of production are to be utilized. This unholy collusion at the highest levels of governance killed the revolutionary urge of the proletarians who had effected the revolution a decade back (1917). While the Russian experience thus throws light on the positive side of constructing revolution (a real revolution of the proletariat), it does provide devastating proof of the impossibility of infusing seemingly socialist forms with genuine socialist content unless the process, as Marx delineated, goes hand-in-hand with the formation of socialist human beings.  [x]  It also alerts us to the undesirable effects of bureaucratization that took the wind out of the sails of the socialist regime. A different choice of means could have yielded drastically contradictory and possibly, favorable, results f or the Soviet Union under Stalinist rule. More equality and fewer privileges to the bureaucracy, lesser incentives for the erstwhile bourgeois class, more trust and confidence in the masses, greater inner party democracy are some factors which could have been the steering principles of a course which could have ensured the survival of socialist Soviet Union. It wasnt just these negative lessons from the Soviet experience that impelled the Chinese to pioneer a different path to the construction of socialism. The situation and the proletarian background in China formed the basis of these differences. For one thing, the Chinese proletariat, though smaller than the Russian counterpart, was never plagued by economism. This is explained by Mao who wrote, Since there is no economic basis for economic reformism in colonial and semi-colonial China as there is in Europe, the whole proletariat, with the exception of a few scabs, is most revolutionary.  [xi]  Moreover, the prolonged civil war in China, combined with the war against Japanese invaders fostered a vast growth in both size and the maturity of the revolutionary forces, while a much shorter period of civil war and resistance to foreign invaders in the Soviet Union seriously weakened the revolutionary forces there. The result was China was much more socialised, in as much as the people were more imbued with the ideals of socialist revolutionary fervor than in Russia. When one has to evaluate the Chinese experience, it may well be stated at the outset that its most important contribution to the advance of Marxist thought was to suggest an alternative to the Soviet and east European experience with socialism. In the first years after they came to power, the Chinese Communists set out to follow the Soviet model of collectivization of farms but soon discovered that it put demands on the agricultural sector which could not be met. In the 1920s the Russians decided to squeeze the needed surplus out of the peasants, with the fearful consequences of a decimated and atomized proletariat. This option did not even exist for the Chinese. With a reordering of priorities under Maos regime, industry was to be geared to the needs of agriculture and developed not only in the cities but especially in the countryside, beginning the process of introducing the peasantry to modern technology. This meant the capital needed to develop the Chinese economy was to come from a general increase in the productivity of the Chinese labour force. This in turn, required a vast and historically unprecedented innovation in the form of the agricultural communes and the introduction of a Chinese version of the Green Revolut ion. The economy thereafter worked really well by world standards: China became essentially self-sufficient in agricultural production; and industry developed, in terms of both rapidity and geographical distribution. In recent decades China has opened its economy to foreign investment and to market-based trade, and has experienced strong economic growth. It has carefully managed the transition from a planned socialist economy to a market economy, officially referred to as the socialist market economy, which has been likened to capitalism by some outside observers. As a result, centralized economic planning has little relevance in China today. The current Chinese economic system is characterized by state ownership combined with a strong private sector of privately owned enterprises that generate about 70% of GDP.  [xii]   The Cuban experience with socialism was also illuminating as it highlighted the role of national integrity, nationalization of the populace and the cultivation of the spirit of patriotism in the masses as prime factors leading to a socialist revolution along the lines Marx postulated (1986). The revolutionary government under Fidel Castro found socialism to be the most viable means for freeing Cuba from domination by capitalist countries, guaranteeing in a way Cubas sovereignty. The mission also involved mobilizing and educating the populace even as anti-capitalist changes were vibrant in the party apparatus (again, as in Marx, the ideal ground for a socialist revolution and consolidation of the means of production after the revolution was the party apparatus). Socialism, through the Cuban alternative, has been demonstrably shown to be a process that is premised on unleashing the power of the people, who learn how to change themselves under circumstances and able leadership.  [xiii ]  This consensus and subsequent legitimization of the Cuban state has been shaped by the revolutionary, patriotic and political behavior of the masses. The power of the state is, in the Cuban experience with socialism, shown to be the one with appropriate means to produce change. The way there are deficiencies as with any other socialist regime but these are being tackled in Cuba are paradigmatically different. The debates with respect to deficiencies in Cuba do not reflect the need to replace the regime, but the need to improve it by deepening its ideals and the socialist project. This desire to stand by the ideology of socialism is what sets the Cuban experience apart from all others. It was thereby shown, through the Chinese experience, and the ideologically successful (not equally economically successful, however) Cuban experience that the Soviet and East European experience with socialism, far from being an embodiment of the laws of socialism, was merely one possible path to economic development and as history has demonstrated, one which is in irreconcilable contradiction with the requirements of a socialist transition to communism. Nevertheless, it was only after the creation of the first socialist society in 1917 consequent upon the Bolshevik revolution that central planning (with the concomitant, unintended consequence of bureaucratisation) came to occupy a central place in the definition of the socialist economy. The importance of the Bolshevik revolution is thus paramount. The optimum mix of planning and markets, however, has not been demonstrated neatly by any socialist economy till date. Yugoslavia came close but the dilemma whether to opt for a centralized plan or market mode was irreconcilable to say the least, as demonstrated in the essay. This general sense of disillusionment with the origin and evolution of socialist economies in East Europe has given rise in the countries burdened with it to search for new models of a socialist economy. The chief factors contributing to the disillusionment were probably three: the increasing recognition that a socialist organization of production would be not more but much less productive than private enterprise; an even clearer recognition that, instead of leading to what had been conceived as greater social justice, it would mean a new arbitrary and more inescapable order of rank than ever before; and the realization that, instead of the promised greater freedom, it would mean the appearance of a new despotism. A significant development, hence, was the presentation of the decentralized model whereby the decisions regarding current economic operations would be largely decentralized while the government would retain control over new investment.  [xiv]  This model constituted a p artial departure from Marxian socialism (For in Marxs terms, market socialism is a contradiction in terms), since it allowed some elements of the market to slip into the regulation of current production. Nevertheless, the problems involved in restructuring the socialist economies are multiform and complex. What assumes pre-eminence in such a remedy is not the question of ownership or the excessive promotion of competition, but the decentralization of economic decision-making by giving enterprises greater independence in a controlled environment of market relations. Developing new, indirect modes of planning the economy as a whole have to be devised simultaneously. Economic changes in a socialist economy are thus closely bound up with political manouevres. Political reforms are necessary which require for their success the holistic socialization of the populace, a new spirit of individual enterprise, responsibility to production and administration. Public ownership of the major productive resources is essential for the construction of a socialist economy and then a socialist society. This is so because on one hand is the need to eliminate domination by a capitalist class or a privileg ed bureaucracy as a necessary precondition of classlessness; and on the other hand is the need to extend democratic participation as widely as possible, which is simply another aspect of classlessness or egalitarianism. The postulation of participation in decision-making, however, is accompanied by a controversy concerning the conflict between goals of participation and efficiency. This is primarily with regard to publicly owned enterprises concerning their efficiency and ability to innovate, which is related in most discussions to the question of incentives for both management and workers. This criticism is not totally fair for two reasons. Firstly, it should be amply clear that what is being dealt with is a relative inefficiency  [xv]  and that too not in all cases, as this essay has demonstrated. Moreover it is a fact universally acknowledged that socialist countries as a whole (with a few exceptions) were very successful in the earlier periods in achieving rapid industrializ ation and major technological innovation in some spheres. The central message of the paper is that there is no single ideal model of socialism. Once capitalism is overturned and there is public ownership of the means of production, people will be free to choose democratically among a variety of models of socialist organisation of the economy- as has demonstrably happened in the countries chosen for analysis. Options could range from the completely centralised state rationing of all products (Stalinist Russia) to market socialism (Yugoslavia and later China) with an integral role for money. But a socialist society could also opt to let the full product of peoples labour accrue back to them (Early China after the revolution and Cuba), taxing workers appropriately in order to effect redistribution and investment. Or it could allow only part of the total product to accrue directly to workers, at th

Independence in the tasks of daily living Essay

Outcome1-understand principles for supporting independence in the tasks of daily living-Individuals can benefit from being as indepenent as possible in the tasks of daily living as it depicts that people having the same level of choice, control and freedom in their daily lives as any other person. Each of the three main political parties expressed their approval of the Independent Living Strategy published in 2008, which sets out actions aimed at improving the choice and control disabled people have over the services they need to live their daily lives. The aims of the strategy are that: * disabled people (including older disabled people) who need support to go about their daily lives will have greater choice and control over how support is provided; and *disabled people (including older disabled people) will have greater access to housing, education, employment, leisure and transport opportunities and to participation in family and community life. In June 2010, the Government stated that it was looking at further ways of taking the Independent Living Strategy forward. Active participation promotes independence in the tasks of daily living as this gives the client the confidence and independence needed to complete tasks by themselves without the support of others. Daily living tasks may affect those depending on their culture or background, as what someone may have been brought up believing, may not necessarily be accepted as the general view of society within Great Britain in these current times. I would identify suitable opportunities for an individual to learn or practice skills for daily living by providing a wide range of activities. I would observe/monitor their skills to identify what they can/can’t do, and also listen to them and ask any questions about what they would like to do. It is important to clarify the role and responsibilities for providing support in order to ensure that all codes of conduct, professional boundaries and legalities are upheld. Outcome 2-be able to establish what support is required for daily living tasks- Establish what support is required for daily living tasks In order to access information regarding an individuals support plan I would request this from my line manager using all organisational policies and procedures and adhering to all Acts of Parliament. In order to clarify with the individual and others the requirements for supporting an individuals independence in daily living tasks I would ask the individual concerned what they would, and how they would like to achieve independence, as well as following any care plans and discussing with others any information that the client may have passed onto them with regards to how they would like to achieve this. In order to access any additional guidance in order to resolve any difficulties or concerns about support for daily living tasks I would contact my line manager via telephone or in person, whilst accessing any care plans and referring the situation to my line manager if there had been any disputes between myself and the client. Outcome 3 – be able to provide support for planning and preparing meals- In order to support the client to plan meals that contribute to a healthy diet that reflect the individuals culture and preferences I would clarify with the individual any foods they can or can’t eat depending on culture and medical conditions and what they prefer to eat, whilst following any current guidelines for healthy eating. I would actively support them in the preparation of the food by encouraging them to prepare it themselves following all health and safety policies and referring the client to any ‘cook books’ etc. I would encourage the client to store food safely by discussing and referring  them to any food safety policies i.e. basic food hygiene, as well as actively supporting them in the initial storing of the food. Outcome 4- Be able to provide support for buying and using household and personal items- Different ways of buying household and personal items include using the internet and shopping in person. In order to identify household and personal items that are needed for the client I would discuss with, and if necessary supervise the client whilst they decided and tooks notes, depending on what they currently had in the house and therefore did or didn’t need. In order to support clients to buy items in the way they preferred I would discuss with and accompany the client whilst either shopping on the internet or in person etc. In order to support the client to store and use items safely I would discuss with and refer them to any health and safety instructions that may come with or be noted on the products. Outcome 5- To be able to provide support for keeping the home clean and secure- I would support the individual to keep their home clean in a way that supports active participation and safety by observing and discussing with them any issues that they may have, then referring them to any policies issued to the general public or organisations, and actively supporting them whilst they implemented these policies. I would supervise and describe different security risks to the client, whilst encouraging them to take notes as to what these are and describing to them ways to implement any concerns that either myself or the client had, I would also advise my line manager as to what these risks are so that any actions could be securely documented. Some of these risks could include leaving doors and windows open or unlocked, or by allowing people into their home without asking for I.D etc. I would support the individual to use agreed security measures by referring  them to any leaflets or policies that had been issued either externally or internally by an agreed and secure source, and promoting active participation in the implementation of these security measures. Outcome 6- Be able to identify and respond to changes needed in support for daily living tasks- In order to record any changes in the individuals circumstances that might affect the type or level of support that is required I would discuss these with the client and my line manager whilst recording these in the individuals care plan. I would adapt support in agreed ways of working to address concerns, changes or increased independence by discussing with the client and my manager what these may be. I would also takes notes and implement any changes in the individuals care plan.

Tucker

Tucker: the man and his dream Preston Tucker is a man persists in doing what he believes is right even thousands of barriers appear. The movie narrates the story of Preston Tucker who Invents and manufactures the "car of the future", " Tucker Torpedo". This car features rear engine, disc brake, windshield, seat belt and other unique parts that existing cars don't Include. Since the car Is Innovative, the demand Is beyond the imagination of current market. The more popular the car is, the severer the challenge Trucker has to face.The government starts to play role of interrupter. At the stage of design, the government of Detroit refuses to supply clay and steels which both of them are the main materials to manufacture cars. Even the Senator refuses to talk with Tucker and warns him if he continues, the government would cut off all resources. The board of director of Tucker Company also doubts his ability of manufacturing the car and allocation of money, so they tak e the whole control of the company and modify the design of the car while Tucker Is on a publicity campaign.The board of director believes that front engine Is more feasible and elimination of seat belt Is more persuasive for customers, since seat belts represent unsafe cars at that time. The price of the car Is also doubled due to the scarcity of steels. Tucker finally realizes the difficulties he is facing and decided to produce his own Tucker separately. The engine he used is transformed from the old engine of helicopter from a aircraft company. On the day of testing, the car is being drove for 24 hours non stop, and it could even function properly after a serious accident.While everyone is elaborating the success. Undercover agent has already reported to the Senator, Homer Ferguson. The Big Three feel threatened and envy the success of Tucker. In order to prevent Tucker, the Big Three make an alliance with the government, and the Senator discloses fake Information about Tucker's involvement of stock fraud to Yellow Journalism. Yellow Journalism starts to report that the car is manufactured by reforming the old parts and it has no qualification to sell. On the court, the Senator even falsified the account and accused Tucker spend the money for personal use. †¦ But If big business closes the door on the little guy with a new Idea, we're not only closing the door on progress, but we're sabotaging everything that we fought for Everything that the country stands for† And one day we're going to find ourselves at the bottom of the heap instead of king of the hill, having no idea of how we got there, buying our radios and our cars from our former enemies. † As Tucker points out on the court, the government abuses its power to put down the development of small business.As the founder of Tucker Company, Preston Tucker builds his own team to tart from sketching to finally putting dreams into reality. A leader should know how to allocate his subordina tes into the right positions. Tucker as a leader understands how to take charge In operations and involve people Into projects to achieve the goal that he expects. Tucker hires a young designer, Alex Trembles, to design and a financier, Abe Karate, to arrange financial support. However, he does not empower his subordinates, but rather to solve the question by himself.He always tries to find out potential solutions if any problems appear. For example, he finds engine from a advantage of his reputation to attract attentions of public while on the publicity campaign and also record the advertisement to promote his car. While he explains the concept of the car, he says, â€Å"tell me why, gentlemen, has the Big Three in Detroit been allowed to make billions of dollars without spending one dime on safety. What I know, what you know, what the public knows is that they don't give a damn about people. All they care about is profits. He knows clearly what his responsibility is as a ar manuf acturer which is to produce a car that could protect the safety of passengers not Just making profit. It is important for a leader to create positive attitude and motivates his colleagues to take action. While Abe Karate, his financier, knows Tucker is slandered by the Senator into stock fraud, Abe Karate asks to leave the company due to his conviction of stock fraud in the past. Tucker understands that Abe is worried that his past would bring negative effect on Tucker, so he tries to retain and comforts Abe. However, Tucker is not a leader without any weakness.There is one scene in the movie shows that a mechanic almost stuck his head under the car. Tucker does not concern the safety of the mechanic at first, but instead he gets angry about the process of assembling. Also, he is idealized the market without considering the risk and potential obstacles. When he is still at the designing stage of the car, he starts to promote it at the magazine without any successful production. Alth ough he proves himself by showing 51 Tucker Torpedoes in front of the court, Tucker still needs to value risk as an important factor while making decisions.All incidents that Preston Tucker experienced has reflected his characteristic of being a leader. He is also a decision maker, a problem solver and a practitioner. Tucker challenges authority and points out the weakness of existing car, for he values the safety of customers rather than making profit. Tucker has successfully involved his teammates by allocating them into right positions. As a leader, he is willing to take uncertain actions and turn his imagination into reality. It is a necessity for a leader to have positive attitude toward everything he believes in and motivate his fellows to take actions. Tucker Tucker: the man and his dream Preston Tucker is a man persists in doing what he believes is right even thousands of barriers appear. The movie narrates the story of Preston Tucker who Invents and manufactures the "car of the future", " Tucker Torpedo". This car features rear engine, disc brake, windshield, seat belt and other unique parts that existing cars don't Include. Since the car Is Innovative, the demand Is beyond the imagination of current market. The more popular the car is, the severer the challenge Trucker has to face.The government starts to play role of interrupter. At the stage of design, the government of Detroit refuses to supply clay and steels which both of them are the main materials to manufacture cars. Even the Senator refuses to talk with Tucker and warns him if he continues, the government would cut off all resources. The board of director of Tucker Company also doubts his ability of manufacturing the car and allocation of money, so they tak e the whole control of the company and modify the design of the car while Tucker Is on a publicity campaign.The board of director believes that front engine Is more feasible and elimination of seat belt Is more persuasive for customers, since seat belts represent unsafe cars at that time. The price of the car Is also doubled due to the scarcity of steels. Tucker finally realizes the difficulties he is facing and decided to produce his own Tucker separately. The engine he used is transformed from the old engine of helicopter from a aircraft company. On the day of testing, the car is being drove for 24 hours non stop, and it could even function properly after a serious accident.While everyone is elaborating the success. Undercover agent has already reported to the Senator, Homer Ferguson. The Big Three feel threatened and envy the success of Tucker. In order to prevent Tucker, the Big Three make an alliance with the government, and the Senator discloses fake Information about Tucker's involvement of stock fraud to Yellow Journalism. Yellow Journalism starts to report that the car is manufactured by reforming the old parts and it has no qualification to sell. On the court, the Senator even falsified the account and accused Tucker spend the money for personal use. †¦ But If big business closes the door on the little guy with a new Idea, we're not only closing the door on progress, but we're sabotaging everything that we fought for Everything that the country stands for† And one day we're going to find ourselves at the bottom of the heap instead of king of the hill, having no idea of how we got there, buying our radios and our cars from our former enemies. † As Tucker points out on the court, the government abuses its power to put down the development of small business.As the founder of Tucker Company, Preston Tucker builds his own team to tart from sketching to finally putting dreams into reality. A leader should know how to allocate his subordina tes into the right positions. Tucker as a leader understands how to take charge In operations and involve people Into projects to achieve the goal that he expects. Tucker hires a young designer, Alex Trembles, to design and a financier, Abe Karate, to arrange financial support. However, he does not empower his subordinates, but rather to solve the question by himself.He always tries to find out potential solutions if any problems appear. For example, he finds engine from a advantage of his reputation to attract attentions of public while on the publicity campaign and also record the advertisement to promote his car. While he explains the concept of the car, he says, â€Å"tell me why, gentlemen, has the Big Three in Detroit been allowed to make billions of dollars without spending one dime on safety. What I know, what you know, what the public knows is that they don't give a damn about people. All they care about is profits. He knows clearly what his responsibility is as a ar manuf acturer which is to produce a car that could protect the safety of passengers not Just making profit. It is important for a leader to create positive attitude and motivates his colleagues to take action. While Abe Karate, his financier, knows Tucker is slandered by the Senator into stock fraud, Abe Karate asks to leave the company due to his conviction of stock fraud in the past. Tucker understands that Abe is worried that his past would bring negative effect on Tucker, so he tries to retain and comforts Abe. However, Tucker is not a leader without any weakness.There is one scene in the movie shows that a mechanic almost stuck his head under the car. Tucker does not concern the safety of the mechanic at first, but instead he gets angry about the process of assembling. Also, he is idealized the market without considering the risk and potential obstacles. When he is still at the designing stage of the car, he starts to promote it at the magazine without any successful production. Alth ough he proves himself by showing 51 Tucker Torpedoes in front of the court, Tucker still needs to value risk as an important factor while making decisions.All incidents that Preston Tucker experienced has reflected his characteristic of being a leader. He is also a decision maker, a problem solver and a practitioner. Tucker challenges authority and points out the weakness of existing car, for he values the safety of customers rather than making profit. Tucker has successfully involved his teammates by allocating them into right positions. As a leader, he is willing to take uncertain actions and turn his imagination into reality. It is a necessity for a leader to have positive attitude toward everything he believes in and motivate his fellows to take actions.

Teenagers and Drug Abuse Essay - 1613 Words

It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them. After interviewing my teenage cousin whom has been in several altercations†¦show more content†¦My teenage cousin advised me that after she passed the stage of being pressured by her peers to use drugs and alcohol, she began using it to make her feel better because she was suffering from depression. Depression is th e result of chemical imbalance and environmental influence. Drugs and alcohol are the most readily available methods of emotional anesthesia, if not on hand; they would find a substitute (Henican 141). She would use drugs when she would think about her incarcerated dad that has been in and out of her life from birth. Her family members would try to encourage her and would often tell her, â€Å"If you continue to do the things that you are doing, you will end up like your dad incarcerated.† She rebels against her mother and stepfather when they try to correct her and discipline her. She doesn’t like to follow the rules at home or school and acts like she doesn’t do anything wrong. Something psychologically is really going on with her mentally, that is one of the side effects that drugs causes. Seeing there is no way out feeling lonely like no one cares and no prospects for improvement leads to depression. Depression is something that many teens deal with during their lives. Some teens isolate themselves from their families by going in their rooms, staying out late, not eating and a bad grade or because of an argument with parents or friends – they may use more drugs thanShow MoreRelatedDo Teenagers And Drugs Abuse?1196 Words   |  5 Pagesattempting to help drugs users, with the practical aim of aiding them to improve their work with individuals and to develop their services. â€Å"Teenagers and drug abuse† is highly increase day by day. This study will be conducted to identify the cause of the tendency. My investigation will be based on interview and investigation that some people have done and suggest the way to eliminate this dangerous situation. Is has represents a move away from the over – simple view of drugs users as being eitherRead MoreDrug Abuse among Teenagers1980 Words   |  8 PagesDrug abuse among teenagers Introduction For the past twenty years, the country has been trying to overcome the use the drugs amongst teenagers. Research has shown that children between the ages of 16 - 20 use illegal drugs. The number of teenagers who use drugs is more than the number of drug users in the other age groups. Drug awareness campaigns are one of the key methods that can be use to combat this problem. Teaching the teenagers facts about drug abuse will assist them to know and understandRead MoreDrug Abuse And Addiction Among Teenagers1704 Words   |  7 PagesStudies have shown that prescription drug abuse and addiction among teenagers is on a steady incline. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, â€Å"prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than as prescribed, of for the experience or feelings elicited.† This is a pervasive problem that is in fact consuming the lives of many teens, primarily because prescription drugs are easily accessible in their environment. There are several interpersonalRead MoreDrug Abuse And Its Effects On Youth And Teenagers1274 Words   |  6 Pages HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP ENGL1033 REPORT ASSIGNMENT DRUG ABUSE AND ITS EFFECTS ON YOUTH AND TEENAGERS NAME: ALVIN ALEX MATHEW COLLEGE ID: C0652356 INSTRUCTOR NAME: SHAWNA SHELDON SUBMITTED ON: 06/01/2015 DRUG ABUSE AND ITS EFFECTS ON YOUTH AND TEENAGERS Drug abuse has long been and still is a topical issue worldwide. There are so many reasons why individuals get addicted get to be reliant on drugs. A few individuals begin taking them out of immaculate interest, others to enhance their athleticRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse in Teenagers Essay2188 Words   |  9 PagesPrescription Drug Abuse in Teenagers Christina King COM 220 May 19, 2010 Rosario Rivera-Reyes Although prescription drugs are not harmful if used correctly, prescription drug abuse is high in teenagers. Most parents would never think their teenagers are helping themselvesRead MoreEssay Perscription Drug Abuse among Teenagers1064 Words   |  5 PagesPrescription Drug Abuse among Teenagers ( 12-17 Years) Prescription Drugs are medications that are prescribed to patients by a doctor to help in many ways, such as relieve pain, treat symptoms of a disease, or to help fight an infection. They are very safe when used properly and under supervision of a physician, yet if used without approval of a doctor they can be very harmful and in some cases could lead to death. During your adolescence years, teens have curiosity which builds up andRead MoreDrug Abuse Among Teenagers And Young Adults1114 Words   |  5 Pagesgenerations now drug abuse among teenagers and young adults has been a major problem in American society. To address the problem successfully in term of diminishing the amount of illegal drug use among this age demographic, we must first understand the patterns and trends over time in terms of what drugs teenagers use, how they obtain them and then use them, and what factors cause or influence them to engage in such activities. First we should define our terms and limit s of discussion. â€Å"Drugs† here meansRead More Drug Abuse Among American Teenagers Essay7972 Words   |  32 PagesDrug Abuse Among American Teenagers Drug abuse in America is a major problem. Especially among teenagers. Drugs have hurt the lives of nearly 40 percent of all teenagers in America. Either with health problems, DWIs, highway crashes, arrests, impaired school and job performance. These drugs that teenagers use range from Alcohol, LSD, Marijuana, and even Cigarettes. Most of the teenagers that are involved in drug abuse have either, broken families, parents that are drug abusers, a unstable environmentRead MoreEffects Of Teen Drug Abuse. Many Teenagers Across The Country898 Words   |  4 PagesEffects Of Teen Drug Abuse Many teenagers across the country experiment with drugs. While most of them only do it once or twice, other teenagers or young adults create lifelong addictions. There are many reasons why people try drugs, leaving a deadly and devastating effect on anyone unlucky enough to be the person using or be close to the person using. Drugs can cause teens to begin abusing, create health problems, get people in serious trouble, or even lead to death. As teenagers grow older, theyRead MoreAddiction And Substance Abuse Is A Serious Problem Among Teenagers806 Words   |  4 PagesAddiction and substance abuse is a serious problem among teenagers. Teenagers begin abusing drugs because of peer pressure, or abuse in their life. Any type of drugs can be abused including over the counter medications. Since teenager’s brain is still growing any type of substance abuse can cause serious harm. The most abused drug is alcohol. Alcohol has a different effect the brain of teenagers different than that of adults. Children raised in a religious family, with religious friends are