The Return Midnight Chapter 22 Free Essays

string(142) who attempted to converse with him in a confined little stay with a camcorder in one corner of the wal , totally evident despite the fact that it was smal . â€Å"Ma mama said not in Fel ‘s Church,†Mrs. Blossoms rehashed to Stefan. â€Å"And that implies not the shrubbery. We will compose a custom exposition test on The Return: Midnight Chapter 22 or then again any comparative theme just for you Request Now † â€Å"All right,†Stefan said. â€Å"If he’s not there, at that point where else?† â€Å"Well,†Elena said gradually, â€Å"it’s the police, isn’t it? They’ve got him.†Her heart felt as though it were in her stomach. Mrs. Blossoms murmured. â€Å"I assume so. Mama ought to have revealed to me that, yet the environment is ful of weird influences.† â€Å"But the sheriff’s division is in Fel ‘s Church. What there is of it,†Elena protested. â€Å"Then,†Mrs. Blossoms stated, â€Å"what about the police in another city close by? The ones who came searching for him before †â€Å" â€Å"Ridgemont,†Elena said vigorously. â€Å"That’s where those police that looked through the boardinghouse were from. That’s where that Mossberg fellow originated from, Meredith said.†She took a gander at Meredith, who didn’t even mumble. â€Å"That’s where Caroline’s father has al his top dog companions †and Tyler Smal wood’s father does as well. They have a place with al those no-ladies clubs with does as well. They have a place with al those no-ladies clubs with mystery handshakes and stuff.† â€Å"And do we have anything like an arrangement for when we get there?†Stefan inquired. â€Å"I have a kind of Plan A,†Elena conceded. â€Å"But I don’t realize that it wil work †you may know better than I do.† â€Å"Tell me.† Elena let him know. Stefan tuned in and needed to smother a snicker. â€Å"I think,†he said temperately subsequently, â€Å"that it very well might work.† Elena promptly started to consider Plans B and C with the goal that they wouldn’t be stuck if Plan An ought to fall flat. They needed to pass through Fel ‘s Church to get to Ridgemont. Elena saw the wore out houses and the darkened trees through tears. This was her town, the town which, as a soul, she had looked out for and secured. How might it have resulted in these present circumstances? Furthermore, more regrettable, how would it be able to ever conceivably be assembled back again? Elena started to shudder uncontrol capably. Matt sat dismally in the jury gathering room. He had investigated it some time in the past, and had discovered that the windows were loaded up over all things considered. He wasn’t astonished, as al the windows he knew back in Fel ‘s Church were barricaded, what's more, he had attempted these sheets and realized that he could break out in the event that he wanted to. He didn’t care to. The time had come to confront his own emergency. He would have confronted it back before Damon had taken the three young ladies to the Dark Dimension, yet Meredith had worked him out of it. Matt realized that Mr. Forbes, Caroline’s father, had al his colleagues in the police and lawful framework here. Thus did Mr. Smal wood, the dad of the genuine guilty party. They were probably not going to give him a reasonable preliminary. However, in any sort of preliminary, sooner or later they would in any event need to hear him out. Also, what they would hear was the plain truth. They probably won't trust it now. Be that as it may, later, when Caroline’s twins had as meager control as werewolf babies were rumored to have over their shapes †Well, at that point they’d consider Matt, and what he’d said. He was making the best choice, he guaranteed himself. Regardless of whether, at this moment, his inner parts felt as though they were made of lead. What’s the most exceedingly awful they can do to me? he pondered, and was troubled to hear the reverberation of Meredith’s voice return. â€Å"They can place you in prison, Matt. Genuine prison; you’re more than eighteen. And keeping in mind that that might be uplifting news for some certifiable, horrendous, extreme old criminals with custom made tattoos and biceps like tree limbs, it won't be uplifting news for you.† And then after a meeting on the Internet, â€Å"Matt, in Virginia, it tends to be forever. What's more, the base is five years. Matt, please; I implore you, don’t let them do this to you! Some of the time it’s genuine that tact is the better piece of valor. They hold all the cards and we’re strolling blindfolded in the dark†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She had gotten shockingly animated about it, blending her representations and al , Matt idea dejectedly. Be that as it may, it’s not actually as though I chipped in for this. Furthermore, I wager they realize those sheets are quite unstable and on the off chance that I break out, I’l be pursued from here to who-knows-where. What's more, in the event that I wait at any rate I’l get to tel reality. For an exceptionally prolonged stretch of time nothing occurred. Matt could tel from the sun through the splits in the sheets that it was evening. A man came in and offered a visit to the washroom and a Coke. Matt acknowledged both, yet additionally requested a lawyer and his telephone cal . â€Å"You’l have an attorney,†the man protested at him as Matt came out of the restroom. â€Å"One’l be selected for you.† â€Å"I don’t need that. I need a genuine lawyer. One that I pick.† The man looked sickened. â€Å"Kid like you can’t have any cash. You’l take the lawyer delegated to you.† â€Å"My mother has cash. She’d need me to have the lawyer we recruit, not some child out of law school.† â€Å"Aw,†the man stated, â€Å"how sweet. You need Mommy to deal with you. Furthermore, her al the exit plan in Clydesdale at this point, I wager, with the dark woman doctor.† Matt solidified. Close back in the jury room he attempted frantical y to think. How could they know where his mother and Dr. Alpert had gone? He attempted the sound of â€Å"black woman doctor† on his tongue and discovered it tasted awful, kind of bygone era ish and outright awful. In the event that the specialist had been Caucasian and male, it would’ve sounded sil y to state â€Å"†¦gone with the white man doctor.† Sort of like an old Tarzan film. An incredible indignation was ascending in Matt. What's more, alongside it an incredible dread. Words crawled around his psyche: observation and spying and trick and conceal. Also, outsmarted. He got it was after five o’clock, after each and every individual who ordinary y worked at court had left, that they took him to the cross examination room. They were simply playing, he figured, the two officials who attempted to converse with him in a confined little stay with a camcorder in one corner of the wal , completely clear despite the fact that it was smal . You read The Return: Midnight Chapter 22 in classification Article models They alternated, one yel ing at him that he should admit everything, the other acting thoughtful and making statements like, â€Å"Things just turned crazy, isn't that so? We have an image of the hickey she gave you. She was hot stuff, right?†Wink, wink. â€Å"I comprehend. Be that as it may, at that point she began to give you blended signals†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Matt arrived at his snapping point. â€Å"No, we were not out on the town, no, she didn't give me a hickey, and when I tel Mr. Forbes you cal ed Caroline hot stuff, winkey, he’s going to get you terminated, sir. What's more, I’ve knew about blended signs, yet I’ve never observed them. I can hear ‘no’as well as you can, and I figure one ‘no’means ‘no’!† After that they beat him up a tad. Matt was shocked, yet considering the manner in which he had quite recently undermined and backtalked them, not very astonished. And afterward they appeared to abandon him, disregarding him in the cross examination room, which, dissimilar to the jury room, had no windows. Matt said again and again, to serve the camcorder, â€Å"I’m guiltless and I’m being denied my telephone cal and my lawyer. I’m innocent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Finally they came and got him. He was hustled between the great and terrible cops into a totally unfilled court. Actually no, not unfilled, he understood. In the primary line were a couple of correspondents, a couple with sketchbooks prepared. At the point when Matt saw that, much the same as a genuine preliminary, and envisioned the photos they’d sketch †simply like he’d seen on TV, the lead in his stomach transformed into a rippling sentiment of frenzy. Be that as it may, this was what he needed, wasn’t it, to get the story out? He was directed to an unfilled table. There was another table, with a few fashionable men, al with heaps of papers before them. In any case, what held Matt’s consideration at that table was Caroline. He didn’t perceive her from the outset. She was wearing a pigeon dim cotton dress. Dark! With no gems on by any stretch of the imagination, and unobtrusive cosmetics. The main shading was in her hair †an audacious coppery. It resembled her old hair, not the spotted shading it had been the point at which she was beginning to turn into a werewolf. Had she figured out how to control her structure finally? That was terrible news. Exceptionally terrible. Furthermore, last y, with a quality of strolling on eggshel s, in came the jury. They needed to realize how unpredictable this was, however they continued coming in, only twelve of them, sufficiently only to fil the jury seats. Matt out of nowhere understood that there was an appointed authority sitting at the work area high above him. Had he been there al along? No†¦ â€Å"Al ascend for Justice Thomas Hol oway,†boomed a bailiff. Matt stood and thought about whether the preliminary was genuine y going to begin without his legal counselor. Be that as it may, before everybody could sit, there was an accident of opening entryways, and a tal heap of papers on legs rushed into the court, turned into a lady in her mid twenties, and dumped the papers on the table next to him. â€Å"Gwen Sawicki here †present,†the young lady heaved. Judge Hol oway’s neck shot out like a tortoise’s, to bring her into his domain of sight. â€Å"You have been designated in the interest of the defense?† â€Å"If it satisfies Your Honor, indeed, Your Honor †al of thirty minutes back. I had no clue we had gone to n

Using an extended example critically examine whether the sector matrix Essay - 4

Utilizing an all-encompassing model basically analyze whether the segment lattice structure gives a superior key comprehension of item showcases than the ideas o - Essay Example The comprehension of division grid is from a plan of action change the executives viewpoint to introducing a well inside and out calculated system. The area network vital difficulties in practical association structures can make principal viewpoint to planning risky measures. For example, the structured way to deal with execute required change the executives offers another mandate lattice. The methodology for shaping the correct proportion of procedure is inside the privilege structured network. The administration destinations diagram the required smooth out preparing of plan of action gauges to creating items. In doing as such, the job in building up the right part lattice through valuing, brand distinguishing proof, and development is basic to progress. The plan of action comprehension of the useful business operational procedures presents the capacity effectively examine the qualities gives the adequate area lattice (Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, and Sutton, pp.95, 2008). In the money related industry, the plan of action model is in the land market to viably offering deeds to the focused on socioeconomics. The capacity to segment off center items for the proper degree of offering credits to flexibly adequate money related items. In doing as such, the association can fruitful increment the brand value shiare inside the business. Furthemore, the investigation of the focused on socioeconomics interestd in the item/administration will plot the flexibly linkages in the specific business. The plan of action capacity to introducing the structure in a plan of action system is to effectively execute the administration style approach in an utilitarian authoritative. Different businesses are similarly as deliberately position inside the area grid system to capably adjust to current patterns, for example, IT the executives, Transporation, Manufactorers, or Airliners. The ID is the ablility to basically analyze the

This Valentines Day, Do Yourself a Favor and Read a Romance

This Valentines Day, Do Yourself a Favor and Read a Romance This is a guest post from Kristan Higgins. Kristan is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA TODAY bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than twenty languages. She has received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, The New York Journal of Books and Kirkus. Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, two atypically affectionate children, a neurotic rescue mutt and an occasionally friendly cat. Follow her on Twitter  @Kristan_Higgins. A few years ago, I wrote a piece for Publishers Weekly called “Never Read a Romance? Grow Up.” The gist of the essay was that it’s easy to claim intellectual superiority and dismiss an entire genre…but it’s a false claim. Romance novels, as well as “women’s fiction” (why can’t it just be called “fiction”?) are, more than any other genre, a study of the human condition, heart, mind, and body. But…they’re written by women, and it’s awfully hard to dismiss the notion that sexism is at play when someoneâ€"most often a manâ€"mocks romance. Or never reads it. Or categorizes the readership in sweeping generalizations. The New York Times recently ditched the mass market bestseller list, which has traditionally been dominated by female romance novelists, saying they didn’t think their readers cared about those books (my take on their statement, anyway). Granted, the NYT has always used magical math to determine their lists, but still. Point taken, NYT. You don’t consider romance novels “real” bestsellers, no matter what the numbers say. Happily, the world disagrees. Traditional publishing would crumble without those books; romance is a $1.3 billion dollar industry. The women who write those books are brilliant, educated and outspoken. You can’t swing a cat without hitting a PhD or Ivy League graduate, a lawyer-turned-author, a college professor, a doctor. We boast Pintip Dunn (Harvard/Yale) and Piper Huguley (BA, MFA, PhD). We’ve got HelenKay Dimon, who, in her days as an attorney represented members of the FBI, Secret Service and CIA. We have Xio Axelrod, who is both a novelist and a professional singer and songwriter. We are women (and the occasional man) who could choke a horse with our degrees, and we’re women who never got one, who taught ourselves to write, who found our voices by teaching ourselves the craft, sharing our knowledge with each other, creating the most generous and supportive writing community there is. If the rest of the writing world doesn’t want to know us, hey, their loss. The variety, the brilliance, the fabulosity that makes up the romance writing world. In a country where women are still paid less for the same talent, where girls are still discouraged from going into the sciences, where there are double standards and higher measures because of what parts you may or may not have, here we’ve been all along: an industry dominated by women, writing positive stories for women that feature, you guessed it, amazing women…and the people lucky enough to love them. But the readers know, and have always known. They know they can count on us for a story that reaches through the noise and speaks the truth about the human heart. Books that give readers, at least for a little while, the gift of believing in better angels. The gift of following characters who overcome their demons and emerge better for it. The gift of finding happiness at the end of a long road. So this Valentine’s Day, do yourself a favor. Read a romance novel that embraces individuality, friendship, self-reliance, and yes, love…and feel better about the world. Sign up for Kissing Books to receive  news, book recommendations, and more for residents of Romancelandia.

Family Dilemma In Sonnys Blues - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1377 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/06/24 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Sonny's Blues Essay Did you like this example? Sonnys Blues is a story written by James Baldwin about two brothers living in Harlem. The story starts when the narrator learns about his brothers imprisonment through a newspaper. His brother Sonny was caught using and selling heroin. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Family Dilemma In Sonnys Blues" essay for you Create order The narrator remembers his brother when he was young which makes him realize that his students may suffer the same fate. While in prison the narrator does not communicate with his younger brother until the death of his daughter. The two then remain in constant communication until Sonny leaves prison. Sonny then goes to live with the narrator. The narrator then remembers his childhood. He also remembers taking care of Sonny after their mother died. Their relationship is complicated as they disagree on Sonnys path in life. In the end, the narrator understands Sonnys struggles as he watches him on stage playing jazz. The primary dilemma facing the main character is if he whether to relate with his brother based on his own values or to respect his brothers perspective of life. This dilemma is related to the central theme of barriers in life caused by societal factors. At the beginning the protagonist decides to follow a paternalistic approach towards his brother which causes him conflict , he then chooses to listen to his brother after realizing that their environment was not conducive for success. The main character is the narrator of the story since the entire tale is about the life in Harlem and the actions of Sonny through his view and perspective. The narrators conflict involves raising his own brother so that he can be a great man. This conflict starts immediately he is forced into parenthood at an early age. While he is in the military, the narrator is told by his mother to take care of his brother after she dies. His mother insists that he should not leave his brother no matter what happens to him (Baldwin 108). He ignores her pleas as he believes that nothing wrong will happen. However, his mother dies while he still in the military. The main character begins to experience conflict as he does not know how to parent his younger sibling. Until this point, his interaction with his brother has been minimal. He even realizes that he has not been playing the role of a big brother effectively. The dilemma in the story is seen as the narrator is expected to make critical decisions about his brothers life. One crucial decision that the main character is supposed to make is about the career of Sonny. Sonny expresses his interest in being a jazz musician. The narrator, on the other hand, is influenced by the expectations of the society and his idea about how life should be. He believes that it is important for a person to finish high school first then he or she can proceed to follow his dreams. He also believes that a person needs to go to college. The narrator also prefers careers that look more serious. He then decides to persuade Sonny to finish high school first a decision that he is not sure of (Baldwin 112). The story shows that the narrator had a conflict with the decision he had made about the direction that Sonny should take. This is evident in the description of Sonnys life after his brother had returned to the military. Sonny was forced to live with his sister in law and her parents. At their house, Sonny was serious about his music and practiced the piano every day. He played the instrument immediately he came from school. Sonny also played the piano after dinner until everyone had gone to sleep. He also spent the weekends with the piano (Baldwin 112). This shows that Sonny was serious about his plans and willing to do anything to achieve his dream. The narrator, however, kept on using his values to judge his brother. This continued even after Sonny had stopped living with his sister in law and had joined the navy. It is expected that the protagonist would allow Sonny who is now an adult to make his own decisions. He, however, continues to disagree with his brother. The main character explains that he does not like Sonnys friends and his music career. He believes the music is an excuse to live an irresponsible life. Eventually, they have a serious fight, and Sonny tells the narrator that he should consider him dead (Baldwin 113). The author begins to doubt his methods of raising his brother as he fears that he is responsible for how his brother has turned. While his mother was alive, she put pressure on him by telling by telling the story of his father. His fathers brother who was hit by a vehicle and died immediately. This experience affected his father, and he never recovered (Baldwin 107). The main character remembers this story as his brother had become a drug addict. He feels as if he should have done better. The perception of failure by the main character is also seen as he describes his feeling after finding out that his brother was sentenced to prison. He compares his mood to a block of ice that is melting and also expanding in his stomach causing him pain. The narrator feels this way because he did not expect his brother to turn out the way he did. Sonny was once a young boy full of promise (Baldwin 99). The prison sentence adds more conflict on how he can integrate Sonny back to the society. He is worried that bringing him back home would lead to relapse since the area is the same environment which pushed Sonny to use drugs (Baldwin 105). This serves as the climax of the story as the author begins to focus on a different approach to their relationship. He starts to listen to Sonny so that he can understand his perspective and why he made the wrong choices. Sonny opens up and explains how the frustrations in life pushed him to drugs and a reckless lifestyle. The main character also accepts to go to Sonnys performance. Watching Sonny sing makes the narrator understand his brothers struggles and feel that they could repair their relationship (Baldwin 121). The primary dilemma of the protagonist is related to the central theme which is the impact of societal factors on the success of the individuals. Throughout the story, the narrator shows the influence of Harlem on his brothers behavior and their frustrations. He explains that it is normal for people living in the area to turn to criminals as they grow older. He attributes these frustrations to the lack of opportunities in the neighborhood. He provides an example of his students whose growth is likely to be stopped suddenly due to the low ceiling that is placed on their abilities (Baldwin 99). The protagonist also explains that the neighborhood has a permanent impact on someones life. He demonstrates that it is impossible to leave Harlem. If a person manages to get out, he has to leave a part of himself (Baldwin 105). This statement is evident as both Sonny and the narrator continue to live in the neighborhood several years later. Here the story shows that even though people take different paths in life, the outcome might still be the same due to the environmental factors. The protagonists dilemma could not be resolved at first since he believed that he could change the outcomes of their lives by following a different path. However, the central theme shows that he had to accept his brother first and accept the challenges that they both face. In conclusion, the primary dilemma facing the main character is if he whether to relate with his brother based on his own values or to respect his brothers perspective of life. At first, he forces Sonny to go to school and abandon music. This, however, fails as Sonny rebels and later on starts using drugs. Sonny is then sent to prison. The main character begins to believe that he is the cause of Sonnys failure. Later on, he starts listening to Sonny, and they improve their relationship. The protagonists primary dilemma is related to the central theme since it is evident that environmental factors beyond their control cause the failures of the main narrator and Sonny.

The Subculture Of Board Game - 911 Words

People have always develop ways to pass time or enjoy their everyday activates. There have been puzzles, books, and television invented to help with this process. The need to â€Å"have something to do† has fueled the creation of games. The most popular games today are videogames which have millions of people logging on each day to play with others. Videogames have created a culture of their own, but they were not the original type of gaming recreation. Board games have been bringing their played into fantasy worlds long before the popularization of videogames. This has spark my interest to understand the subculture of board game players in today’s society. I have selected a local board gaming site to conduct my field research for my ethnographic study. My primary location or this research will be at Tucson Games and Gadgets where I will try to minimize any preconceptions I may currently have, and utilize key informants to get an overall picture of the culture. First I had to choose the best location from various gaming locations in the Tucson area. Tucson Games and Gadgets was clearly the most viable option to choose after I had visited the location first hand. This location was conveniently located in the heart of Tucson which gives me great ease of access almost on a daily basis. When first arriving at this location I noticed that the parking lot was already full. For a Monday evening this was a good sign that this location could provide enough opportunities to observe manyShow MoreRelatedVideo Game Culture Over The Youth Of The Nation1143 Words   |  5 PagesWith the video game culture taking over the youth of the nation it’s easy to forget where the beginning of this colossal enterprise started. With the lack of video games in the past the original family games started with classic board games resembling Monopoly and life. These timeless games gave birth to their own culture that allowed players to become immersed in fantasy worlds. 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Social Security Coverage- Tanzania Free Essays

string(134) " Government of Tanzania introduced a series of policies and measures to reverse the situation that prevailed during the colonial era\." SOCIAL SECURITY POLICY – GLOSSARY . ILO Minimum Standards. International Labour Organisation set an instrument which was adopted at its 35th session in June 1952, popularly known as ‘Social Security (minimum Standards) Convention No. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Security Coverage- Tanzania or any similar topic only for you Order Now 102. Itemised number of contingencies and benefits required in the minimum standards convention include’ Old Age, Invalidity, Survivorship, Employment Injury, maternity, medical Care, sickness, Unemployment and Death. Indexation of Benefits: It is an adjustment of pensions and other cash benefits to take account of price movements and protection against inflation to the beneficiaries. Indexes may include prevailing statutory minimum wages, yearly average earnings of the contributors e. t. c. Portability of Benefits: This is a system which ensures that members accrued benefits are not lost by a member changing employer, changing employment from one sector to another or by migrating from one country to another. The system ensures continuity of benefit rights accrued. Means-tested Basis: It is the basis of provision and adjustment of social assistance benefits by the government depending on a person’s means of living. The most considered group of people for the provision of social assistance benefits by meanstesting include, elderly, sick, invalids (disabled), survivors, unemployed. Normally these groups of people fall out of contributory schemes. In other words assistance is provided to citizens according to their inability to meet basic needs for survival, or defending themselves against natural calamities. Three- Tier System: According to ILO framework, Three Tier system is an arrangement/system designed to cater for different needs of protection for different categories of people depending on their level of incomes. Tier one, which is financed by the government, caters for those who are not able to purchase social security services e. g. sick, disabled, elderly e. t. c. Tier two caters for those who can contribute and is compulsory and supervised by the government. Tier three caters for those who can afford to supplement their Tier two security by purchasing commercial insurance benefits. Tier three is voluntary and privately managed. Three-Tier system is designed to reduce the government expenditure on social assistance/security programs through expansion of coverage of Tier Two and Three. . 3. 4. 5. iii 6. Actuarial Valuation: It is the process which involves assessing the current level of funding of the scheme by comparing scheme assets with liabilities accrued to the date of valuation and to determine the level of contributions that need to be paid in future to achieve the level of funding necessary to pay out the benefits promised. Actuarial reviews are conducted in intermediate periods to ensure that the fund is sustainable and this is reflected in the projections are of a long time frame e. . 25 years. 7. Social Insurance Principles: Is a social security administration where the resources are pooled together for meeting various contingencies, every one is included regardless of the level or risk exposure and the motive is social protection as opposed to profit maximization. Defined Contribution v/s Defined Benefits: Defined contribution is a situation where benefits from a social security is not known, but depends on the contributions to be made and interests rates obtainable. Defined benefits is a situation where benefits to be obtained are known well in advance regardless of the contributions to be made, provided that the members meets prescribed minimum conditions. Defined contributions are associated with provident fund schemes, while defined benefits are associated with social insurance schemes. 8. iv FOREWORD The socio-economic and political changes, which are taking place in Tanzania, have prompted the formulation of the National Social Security Policy in order to address such changes for the benefit of its citizens and to ensure that sectoral programmes and activities are well coordinated. The formulation of the National Social Security Policy came at a time when Social Security Providers are reorganizing their activities to respond to the market demand as related to free market economy. Since independence to-date, some few institutions have been enjoying monopolistic status of providing social security services in the country. However under this policy social security sector will be liberalized. The National Social Security policy is a product of a series of consultations with stakeholders which started in year 2001. The policy was adopted by the government early in year 2003. The aim of this policy is to realize the goals and objectives set out in the vision 2025 by extending social security services to the majority of the Tanzanians. The structure of the Policy document provides background information of social security, status and challenges of the sector in Tanzania, and the rationale for its formulation. There are also chapters that provide policy issues and statements, institutional frame- work and responsibilities during its implementation. With great pleasure I would like to welcome the social security policy for the development of our country. Hon. Prof. J. A. Kapuya (MP) Minister for Labour, Youth Development and Sports v CHAPTER 1 1. 0 1. 1 INTRODUCTION Background Every human being is vulnerable to risks and uncertainties with respect to income as a means of life sustenance. To contain these risks, everyone needs some form of social security guaranteed by the family, community and the society as a whole. Such socioeconomic risks and uncertainties in human life form the basis for the need of social security. Social security is rooted in the need for solidarity and risk pooling by the society given that no individual can guarantee his or her own security. Formal social security system in Africa and other developing countries is a product of colonialism. In Tanzania during the colonial era, social security coverage was extended to the few people who were in the colonial employment. Most of the people were excluded from any type of public social security scheme. The majority of the Tanzanian people depended upon the traditional social security system for their protection, which is still the case to date, though effects of urbanization and difficult economic environment have weakened the same. After independence, the Government of Tanzania introduced a series of policies and measures to reverse the situation that prevailed during the colonial era. You read "Social Security Coverage- Tanzania" in category "Papers" The measures included access to free education and healthcare, provision of social welfare services to marginalized groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities and children in difficult circumstances, as well as establishment of statutory social security schemes. However, tax financed social services have proved to be unsustainable as evidenced by introduction of cost sharing in sectors such as education and health. 1 1. 2 The Concept of Social Security Social security means any kind of collective measures or activities designed to ensure that members of society meet their basic needs and are protected from the contingencies to enable them maintain a standard of living consistent with social norms. The social security concept has been changing with time from the traditional ways of security to modern ones. As societies became more industrialized as a result of industrial revolution in the 19th century and more people became dependent upon wage employment, it was no longer possible to rely upon the traditional system of social security. The negative impact of industrialization and urbanization attracted the attention of policy makers to formalize social security system that addressed the emerged social issues. Social security is defined in its broadest meaning by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as: â€Å"The protection measures which society provides for its members, through a series of public measures against economic and social distress that would otherwise be caused by the stoppages or substantial reduction of earnings resulting from sickness, maternity, employment injury, unemployment, disability, old age, death, the provision of medical care subsidies for families with children. The ILO framework of social security is based on a three-tier structure, which seeks to utilize various funding sources for provision of better protection to the country’s population. This structure also seeks to address needs of different groups in the 2 society with respect to income and degree of vulnerability. The structure consists of the following: a) Tier One – Social Assistance Schemes This constitutes provision of services such as primary health; primary education, water, fo od security and other services on a means tested basis. These services are usually financed by the government and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs. b) Tier Two – Mandatory Schemes These are usually compulsory and contributory schemes financed by both employer and employee during the working life for terminal and short-term benefits. c) Tier Three – Voluntary or Supplementary Schemes The schemes under this tier include personal savings, co-operative and credit societies, occupational pensions schemes and private schemes; managed by employers, professional bodies, communitybased organizations and other private sector actors. CHAPTER II 2. O SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM IN TANZANIA 2. 1 Objectives of the Social Security Services Social security in Tanzania covers a wider variety of public and private measures meant to provide benefits in the event of the individuals’ earning power permanently ceasing, being interrupted, never developing, being unable to avoid poverty, or being exercised only at an a cceptable social costs. The major domains of social security are: poverty prevention, poverty alleviation, social compensation and income distribution. Many issues relating to social security are sensitive, as they touch on the material interests of organized workers and the unorganized poor as well as insurance industry and employer organizations. The social security system in Tanzania has the following key elements:†¢ Social assistance schemes which are non-contributory and income-tested, and provided by the state to groups such as people with disabilities, elderly people and unsupported parents and children who are unable to provide for their own minimum needs. In Tanzania social assistance also covers social relief, which is a short term measure to tide people over a particular individual or community crisis; †¢ Mandatory schemes, where people contribute through the employers to pension or provident funds, employers also contribute to these funds; 4 †¢ Private savings, where people voluntarily save for retirement, working capital and insure themselves against events such as disability and loss of income and meet other social needs. Despite the existence of this framework, service delivery has not reached the majority of Tanzanians due to inadequate financing and fragmented institutional arrangements. The estimated total population of Tanzania is 33. 5 million1. Out of this, 70 per cent are in the rural areas, while the rest are in urban areas. The total labour force of Tanzania is estimated at 16 million, where 5. 4% of the total labour force or 2. 7% of the total population is covered by the mandatory formal social security system. 93 per cent of the capable workforce is engaged in the informal sector in both rural and urban areas; out of that 80 per cent is in engaged in the agrarian economy2. 2. Informal Social Security System Tanzania, like many other countries in the developing world has had strong informal and traditional social security systems built on family and/or community support. In times of contingencies such as famine, diseases, and old age; individuals have depended on family, clan members and members of the community for assistance in the form of cash or in kind. While it is recognized that over time, traditional social security system has tended to decay and change forms in response to the forces of urbanization and industrialization, there is evidence that in Tanzania family and 2 National Bureau of Statistics, 2001 National Labourforce Survey, 1999 5 community social support system have remained as means of social security within different social groups. Overtime, socio-economic reforms have slowly resulted into disintegration of the family-based social security protection leading to the formation of self-help groupings such as UPATU, UMASIDA and VIBINDO. 2. 3 Formal Social Security System Formal social security is a regulated mechanism of protecting citizens against social contingencies. This system has existed in Tanzania well before independence; whereby various policy statements have been made and Acts passed in regard to the protection of the population against contingencies like injury, loss of employment and old age. These include the Master and Native Ordinance Cap 78 as amended by Cap. 371, Provident Fund (Government Employees) Ordinance Cap 51, Provident Fund (Local Authorities) Ordinance Cap. 53 and the Workmen’s Compensation Ordinance Cap 262. After independence new legislations were enacted and others amended. These include the Severance Allowance Act No. 57 of 1962; the National Provident Fund Act No. 36 of 1964 amended by Act. No. 2 of 1975 which was later repealed and replaced by the National Social Security Fund Act No. 28 of 1997; the Parastatal Pensions Act No. 14 of 1978, the Public Service Retirement Benefits Act of 1999, the National Health Insurance Fund Act No. 8 of 1999 and Local Authorities Provident Fund Act. No. 6 of 2000. 6 Currently, there are five major formal institutions that provide social security protection in Tanzania. These are the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) offering social security coverage to employees of private sector and non-pensionable parastatal and government employees, the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF) providing social security protection to employees of central Government under pensionable terms, Parastatal Pension Fund (PPF) offering social security coverage to employees of the both private and parastatal organizations, the Local Authorities Provident Fund (LAPF) offering social security coverage to employees of the Local Government and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) offering health insurance coverage to pensionable employees of central government. The formal social security total coverage in Tanzania is about 871,000 members distributed as 363,000 for NSSF, 193,000 for PSPF, 180,000 for NHIF, 90,000 for PPF and 45,000 for LAPF. This represents about 85% of the persons employed in the formal employment sector. 2. 4 The Impact of Social Security System in Tanzania Efforts by the government to provide social security protection in the country have brought about significant development. However, due to the absence of an elaborate social security policy to guide effective functioning of the industry, there are some structural, operational and policy weaknesses inherent in the social security system. a) i) Achievements Investment of Social Security Funds 7 Social security institutions in Tanzania have been investing in portfolios such as commercial loans, real estate, government securities, Loanable funds, bank deposits and equities; all of which have contributed to social and macro-economic development of the country. ii) Awareness on Social Security Matters There has been an increase in the level of public awareness on the social security system in respect of benefits offered, coverage, investments and general operations of the sector. iii) Organized Self-help Groups Informal social security scheme in the form of self-help groups has been more organized than before. (b) Shortcomings in the Current Social Security System The existing social security system in Tanzania is characterised by a number of shortcomings, which need to be addressed by this policy. Among these shortcomings are: – i) Limited Coverage Persons covered by the social security schemes are those who are employed in the formal sector estimated at 1. 0 million. This is only about 5. 4% of the whole labour force of over 16 million Tanzanians. This means the remaining 15 million labour force, engaged in informal sector and comparatively more vulnerable are not covered by the formal social security protection. ii) Inadequacy of Benefits Paid (Number and Meaningfulness) 8 The number of benefits offered by most of the existing schemes fall below the ILO Minimum Standards in terms of number, quality and indexation to the current levels of earnings. ii) Fragmentation and Lack of Co-ordination The social security sector lacks co-ordination at national level as each Fund reports to a different Ministry with differing operational rules and procedures. As a result, contribution rates, benefit structures, qualifying conditions as well as plans and priorities differ form one institution to another. iv) Lack of Mechanism for Portability of Benefit Rights There is no established mechanism that can allow benefit rights of a member to be transferred from one scheme to another. This results in employees losing some of their benefit rights when they move from one sector to another. v) Social Security Benefits In some of the Tanzania’s social security schemes, members’ benefits are not rights but privileges. Normally, members loose some of their benefits if they leave employment before attainment of their pensionable ages. nature of termination. vi) Conflicts in the Existing Legislations Establishing legislations of the current social security institutions have provisions that conflict in terms of operations. In other circumstances, members’ benefit rights are determined by the employers depending on the 9 vii) Non-contributory Social Security Benefits Currently, there is a segment of salaried workers who are getting social security benefits fully financed through tax revenues; this is a strain to the Government budget. viii) Liberalization There has been a monopoly in the operation of social security institutions in the country. ix) Investment of Social Security Funds There has been inadequate guidance on investment of social security fund at national level 2. 5 i) Challenges In The Social Security System Weakening of Informal Social Protection System Socio-economic developments taking place in Tanzania have resulted into a slow but steady disintegration of the kinship or family-based social support systems on which the majority of Tanzanians have depended for protection against contingencies. Economic hardships have made it difficult for individuals, families and/or kin members to provide assistance to each other in time of crisis and need. The high rate of urbanisation has also taken its toll on traditional social protection systems. There has been increasing fragmentation with families becoming more dispersed thereby eroding the capacity of extended families to function as social safety nets. ii) Limited Growth of the Formal Employment 10 Public sector reforms have resulted into retrenchment of workers, freezing employment in the public sector and privatisation of public enterprises. These have led to increased unemployment, which in turn has forced more people to resort to employment in the urban informal sector where earnings are often inadequate and/or uncertain. There is however a limited growth in employment in the private sector. iii) Reduced Access to Social Services Despite the deliberate measures by the government to improve provision of ocial services to the public, considerable part of the population has either limited or no access to services. In some instances, cost sharing in the provision of social services has reduced the capacity of the people to access the services. iv) Low levels of income Incomes for the majority of the people in Tanzania are generally inadequate to meet their basic requirements and save for future use. v) Declaration of Low Insurable Earnings Some employers provide remunerations composed of basic salaries and allowances, while deductions for social security are based on basic salaries only, leading to lower benefits from social security institutions upon retirement. 2. Rationale For A Social Security Policy The existing social security system has many shortcomings that include low coverage of the Tanzanian Society, fragmentation of 11 legislation, lack of regulatory framework, lack of a mechanism for portability of benefits and inadequacy of benefits provided. Therefore, the need for a well-articulated national social security policy is more eminent now than ever. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for having a comprehensive national social security policy that shall address the needs of employed people in the formal sector, self employed popu lation in the informal sector, the elderly, people with disabilities and children in need of special protection. Therefore the social security policy is expected to: Widen the scope and coverage of social security services to all the citizens; Harmonize social security schemes in the country so as to eliminate fragmentation and rationalize contribution rates and benefit structures; Reduce poverty through improved quality and quantity of benefits offered; Institute a mechanism for good governance and sustainability of social security institutions through establishment of a regulatory body; Establish a social security structure that is consistent with the ILO standards but with due regard to the socio-economic situation in the country; and Ensure more transparency and involvement of social partners in the decision making with respect to social security institutions 12 CHAPTER THREE 3. POLICY ISSUES AND STATEMENTS The general objective of the policy is to ensure that every citizen is protected against economic and social distress resulting from substantial loss in income due to various contingenci es. Underlying the above–mentioned general objective, this policy shall therefore address the following specific issues: 3. 1 Policy Issue: The Structure of Social Security Sector Different social groups face different contingencies, hence calling for varied types of protection. Provision of comprehensive social security services should follow a structure that recognises different levels of needs, utilises different funding sources and reflects roles of various stakeholders. Policy Statement: Provision of social security services in the country shall be structured as follows: a) Social Assistance Programmes The Government shall enhance the capacity to attend to the social assistance programmes that constitute services such as primary health; primary education, water, food security and social welfare services to vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the elderly and children in difficult circumstances on a means tested basis. Moreover, the government shall create an enabling environment for other institutions such as Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), charitable organisations, families and mutual assistance groups to supplement the government’s effort in the provision of such services. 13 b) Mandatory Schemes Mandatory social security institutions that shall operate under the social insurance principles in accordance with minimum acceptable standards and benchmarks. c) Supplementary Schemes Supplementary schemes shall be established to cater for different social services like health, pensions and other types of insurance over and above those provided by mandatory and social assistance programmes. These schemes shall be run by employers, bodies private and companies, professional community-based organisations (CBOs). 3. 2 Policy Issue: Coverage The existing mandatory social security schemes currently cover only 5. 4 % of the labour force estimated at 16. 0 million. The larger part of the labour force engaged in the informal sector that includes smallholder agriculture, small-scale mining, fishing, and petty businesses are inadequately covered by self-help initiatives. Moreover, accessibility to the social welfare services by the disadvantaged groups is limited; hence the majority of the people are not covered by the formal social security schemes. Policy Statements: a) Social Welfare Service shall be improved and extended to enhance accessibility to disadvantaged groups including people with disabilities, the elderly and children in difficult circumstances. b) A legal framework shall provide for all employees in the formal sector and devise means of extending coverage to the informal sector such as agricultural, 14 ining, fishing and small businesses. c) There shall be an act to support the formation of mutual assistance initiatives by the NGOs, CBOs and other groups operating at community level. d) Employers, financial institutions, profession al associations, insurance companies, social security institutions and other organisations shall be enabled to establish supplementary schemes to provide social security benefits over and above those provided by mandatory and social assistance programmes. 3. 3 Policy Issue: Social Security as a Right According to Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10th December 1948; social protection is a rights issue. Likewise, Article 11(1) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania stipulates that:â€Å"The state authority shall make appropriate provisions for the realisation of a person’s right to work, to self education and social welfare at times of old age, sickness or disability and in other cases of incapacity†¦.. †3 In view of such provision there is still inadequate coverage of social security services to the Tanzanian Society. Policy Statement Efforts shall be made to enhance awareness and 3 United Republic of Tanzania (1998) â€Å"The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977† 15 sensitisation of the society regarding the important and provision of social security services as a right. 3. Policy Issue: Inadequacy of Benefits offered The number and quality of benefits offered by most of the existing social security funds are not adequate to meet the basic needs of beneficiaries; in terms of the number of benefits, magnitude and indexation to the current levels of earnings. Policy Statement: Social security schemes shall have a standard minimum number of benefits offered and indexed to the current levels of earnings of contributors. 3. 5 Policy Issue: Portability of Social Security Benefits Benefit rights are not portable when a member moves from one scheme to another due to differing legislations, operational rules and procedures. As a result members loose some of their benefit rights just by moving from one scheme to another. Policy Statement There shall be regulated mechanisms established to enable portability of benefit rights when a member moves from one scheme to another. 3. 6 Policy Issue: Lack of Co-ordination 16 The current social security institutions are placed under different Ministries with different rules and procedures, as a result there is a conflict in the administration of social security matters. Policy Statement: The social security sector shall be coordinated by the Ministry responsible for social security matters. 3. 7 Policy Issue: Reciprocal Agreements for Transfer of Benefits Labour mobility across nations has become a common phenomenon due to globalisation and foreign investment, there by require people work and live in different countries; and hence find themselves contributing to various social security institutions. Lack of a mechanism for transfer of benefit rights across nations may result into some members loosing their rights or being unable to qualify for better benefits. Policy Statement: Legal mechanisms shall be developed to provide for reciprocal agreements with other countries for transfer of social security benefits across nations. 3. 8 Policy Issue: Partial Withdrawal of Benefits Social security schemes do not provide for pre-mature withdrawals of benefits by members before attainment of the pensionable age. However, due to unstable employment environment, low level of income of most of the workers and little awareness on social security matters, members have a tendency of demanding total 17 withdrawal of benefits upon termination of employment before the attainment of pensionable age. Policy Statement: Legal mechanisms shall be developed to allow for withdrawal of part of the accumulated benefits; while the balance shall remain for long-term benefits on premature termination of their employment. 3. 9 Policy Issue: Financing of Social Security Services The Government has the responsibility of providing social security services to its citizens. However, due to limited resources the Government still provides limited services for salaried employees and individuals who can afford to contribute for the services. Policy Statements: (a) Services under Social Assistance Programs shall be offered on a means-tested basis and financed by the general tax revenue and other grants. b) Mechanisms shall be established to ensure that all salaried employees and individuals, who can afford to contribute to the mandatory schemes, do so to ensure enhancement of benefits. 3. 10 Policy Issue: Guaranteeing of Mandatory Schemes The Government has the responsibility to guarantee members’ benefits in the event the established mandatory social security 18 schemes become insolvent. So far there is no concrete commitment by the Government to instil contributors confidence in their membership Policy Statement: (a) (b) The Government shall continue to guarantee members’ benefits in the established mandatory schemes. The Government shall ensure that Social Security Schemes are managed efficiently. 3. 1 Policy Issue: Taxation on Contributions, Investment Income and Benefits Contributions and income accrued from investment by social security institutions are being taxed thus weakening the capacity of the schemes to offer quality benefit to members. Policy Statement: The government shall continue to review tax policies to ensure contributions, benefits and income from investments to enable mandatory schemes offer meaningful benefits to members. 3. 12 Policy Issue: Investment of Social Security Funds Investment of social security funds is an inseparable function of social security institutions. Sustainability of the schemes and improvement of benefits depend on investment income. Social security funds have often been directed to areas where there is no stimulation of economic growth. There are no clear-cut guidelines directing investments of social security funds at the national level. 19 Policy Statement: Guide lines will be developed based on principles of safety yield and liquidity. 3. 13 Policy Issue: Good Governance Good governance is the key to smooth functioning and efficiency in all social security schemes, as they are entrusted to manage funds on behalf of the contributors. There has been poor governance in social security services. Policy Statement There shall be guidelines to ensure that all social security schemes are transparent and accountable to the members and the public at large. 3. 4 Policy Issue: Legal Framework and Minimum Standards There is fragmentation of social security system in the country with respect to different legislations and design of the schemes. These schemes also lack minimum standards to guide their operations. Policy Statement: There shall be an act to govern and standardize operations of the social security sector. The law shall also provide for the establishment of a regulatory body that shall ensure smooth and efficient operations of the sector. 20 3. 15 Policy Issue: Liberalization of the Social Security Sector The current trend in the country is to liberalize various sectors in the economy. However, the current social sector is based on organization/institution monopoly in its operation. Policy Statements: Social security institutions shall operate in a regulated liberalized market as follows:While the existing Social mandatory Security social Services security under institutions shall operate and compete among themselves supplementary schemes shall be fully liberalized. 21 CHAPTER IV 4. 0 ROLES OF STAKEHOLDERS The different stakeholders shall have the following roles to play in the social security sector:4. 1 The Government †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 4. 2 Coverage of the social assistance programmes Put an enabling environment for smooth operations of the social security To institute regulatory and legal framework Supervision of the sector. Guarantor of mandatory schemes Social Security Institutions †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Offering quality benefits and services Good governance of the schemes Involvement of Stakeholders Widen coverage Awareness creation and sensitisation 4. 3 Employers †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Registration of employees Timely and accurate remittance of contributions Awareness creation and sensitisation Adherence to safety and occupational health rules 4. 4 Workers’ Unions †¢ †¢ †¢ Representation of workers’ interests in the social security Awareness creation and sensitisation Support the social security industry. 22 sector 4. 5 NGOs/CBOs †¢ Complement efforts by the Government in the provision of social †¢ assistance programmes and establishment of supplementary schemes Awareness creation to the public 4. 6 Communities †¢ †¢ Responsiveness to the needs of the vulnerable persons Maintain self-help traditions 23 How to cite Social Security Coverage- Tanzania, Papers

Spains Golden Age Essay Example

Spains Golden Age Paper The concept of Spains Golden Age apply more specifically to the reign of Philip II than to the whole period 1474-1598 Philip IIs reign as king of Spain is often referred to as the golden age. A time where government was further centralised, where the economy benefited from being the centre of increased trade with the New World and where according to Geoffrey Parker the Spanish empire was the largest and richest in the world. To an extent Philips reign was exclusively golden he was the first to set up administrative functions of government in a single capital, Madrid, gold bullion reached a record level and he was successful in defending his territory. However, it is difficult to view Philip as a great monarch due to the unsustainability of his empire, which undermined his reputation, yet in respect of the whole period it is arguable whether this period was golden either as there were great consistencies between the four rulers. The El Escorial in Madrid is a remnant from a time of great cultural prosperity where both the arts and literature flourished. This impressive facade of 16th century Spain constitutes a golden age and is, to an extent, more relevant in describing Philip than the other monarchs of the period. We will write a custom essay sample on Spains Golden Age specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Spains Golden Age specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Spains Golden Age specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Contrary to popular thought, Spain, through Philip, enjoyed cultural prosperity. Jocelyn Hunt states that in comparison to the other rulers of this period Philip achieved much more as a builder as shown by his improvements of the old palaces and his new buildings constructed for the state archives in Simancas. Philip was also a great supporter of the arts, being a patron to Flemish artists Van der Weyden and Bosch. Evidently this supports the argument that Philips reign culturally flourished and can be perceived as golden. However, not all the credit should go to Philip for over the whole period as well, Spain prospered. Isabella like her European counterparts was committed to intellectual development. Reliance on the letrados increased the demand for educational establishments and Universities were set up at Alcale in 1508 and at Cuenea in 1510. The reputation of the Inquisition as an over-zealous and domineering institution is a fallacy as on many occasions it was impossible to deal with the amount of literature that crossed the borders (Andres Ruiz imported 1,012 bales of books alone). It was merely a judicial body, in fact as Kamen says, the censorship of books was erratic and often only symbolic. This reputation of cultural despondency, is on the whole unjustified as Spain was not only culturally golden during Philips reign, but also throughout the whole period What taints the golden nature of Spains cultural acheivements is the image that Spain was isolated and culturally distant from the rest of Europe. Dr Johnson explained No less country was known to Europe. It is true that Spain was quite poor for between 1530 and 1560 the proportion of people registered as poor in the towns was 23%, and poverty was deeper in comparison to other Western economies, due to the chronic and structural inefficiencies. Similarly in art, the empire was seen as dull as exposed by Charles Vs melting of the golden art he acquired due to their connection with heathen idolatry. The Inquisition also gave a negative image of arts in Spain throughout this period as seen when Philip adhered to the Papal Index of Prohibited books in 1559, and it is correctly thought that there was a dominance of Catholic and Castilian culture. Nevertheless, contrary to the illusion that Spain was culturally backward, all the rulers of this period should be applauded for cultural development similar to Western Europe. This imperial facade draws a veil over the Peninsula economic problems that were apparent due to the unsustainability of empire. Yet to a certain extent, the economy thrived throughout this whole period. Many historians think that Philip was the most successful in managing his economy due to the huge amount of gold bullion coming in to his empire during his reign. Between 1591-1594, 42,221,835 ducats came in to Spain. These figures gave the impression, especially to her European neighbours, that Spain had a golden economy. Despite this immense wealth, Philip was plagued with economical problems and you could argue that he was in a weaker position than his predecessors. His bankruptcies in 1557, 1560, 1575 and 1596 were brought on by his expensive defensive wars like the Dutch revolt, for not only did it cost 80 million ducats, but revenue was lost from decreased trade. However, both successes and failures of Philips economy owe more to the whole period. Trade that was flourishing under Philip started when Ferdinand and Isabella experienced a rising population and growth in the wool trade. Cities like Burgos grew from 8,000 to 21,000 and Seville became increasingly important as all American trade came through the city before entering or leaving Europe. The House of Trade on the Guadalquivir River represented a time of boom in the mid 15th century as merchants flocked to the area, which saw more gold added to the crowns coffers. Charles V continued with these successes and therefore benefited from the increased level of gold to finance his extensive wars. Philips failures were also a result of the previous monarchs of the period. The juros, which were set up by Ferdinand and Isabella to fund their wars, was responsible for Philips huge debt, just as Charles was responsible for Philips need for an expensive defensive war and inflation. Throughout the period Murphy describes Spanish economic policy as counter-productive. For example: Wool was exported to the textile factories of the Netherlands instead of supporting the domestic textile market and the huge amount of gold entering the country simply added to inflation that was apparent due to low food supply and a rising population. Ultimately both the successes and failures of Philips economy were due to his predecessors. According to Kamen the course of Spains economic history shows few significant divergences from the experience of other nations in Europe suggesting that, even if you perceive Spain as successful in terms of economy, before and during Philips reign, it was as golden as the rest of Europe. Like the economy, monarchical control was held back by the inability to maintain an expansive empire. The desperate state of finance, as well as the backward nature of contemporary communications, limited the extent of absolutism in Spain. In spite of this, Philip had a reputation as an absolute monarch that led many to believe that he reigned during a period of strong royal control. Geoffrey Woodward talks of Philip, saying that he came to control all clerical appointments, disposed of ecclesiastical wealth and mobilised the Inquisition as an instrument of royal authority. It is true that Philip insisted that all decisions were to be passed through him, he effectively centralised government in Madrid and he limited the power of the cortes. Similarly, royal authority was strong throughout the whole period. Referring to the government of Ferdinand and Isabella, Cellorigo wrote in 1600, there can be no monarchy in our Spain as there was then. Above all, it is Ferdinand and Isabella who should be applauded for their implementation of law and order through the reconquista, leaving their successors in an stronger position. Through the increasing importance of their own laws or pragmaticas, Ferdinand and Isabella were less reliant on the cortes. Royal control expressed itself through the use of various groups like the Santa Hamandad and the appointment of more letrados as town councillors. Charles V further enhanced government influence through the various councils he set up the most important being the Council of Finance which instituted tax rises throughout the 16th century. However there are inherent limitations, which inhibited all the rulers during this period like that of inefficient communications and constantly being indebted. Despite what Kamen calls a more sophisticated system under Charles, any increases in revenue would have to be allocated to the juros repayments. These repayments were also particularly awkward for all the monarchs had to further rely on the cortes to grant servicios. The cortes could then use this to exert influence over the monarchy showing how royal control was limited. In the provinces throughout the period the power of the monarchy was not apparent as shown by the fact that 2928 posts of city councillor were sold between the years 1543 and 1584. John Lynch effectively summarises Monarchy was absolute. But its absolutism was qualified by conditions and its powers were less imposing in practise than it was in theory. This was definitely true of Philip as seen by the disaster of the Armada, as 16th century communications were desperately slow especially as every decision had to go through the king. Theoretically the monarchy of Spain was absolute yet practically, there was the fundamental weakness of the backward nature of communications and the power of the cortes, which limited royal control. The Spanish language is one of the most widespread languages in our world today, due to the legacy of the immeasurably vast and diverse empire. Surely this is the benchmark for Spains golden status, but paradoxically it was also the reason why the imposing reputation was undermined. Traditionally the golden age of Spain is most specifically associated with the vast nature and diversity of Philips empire. Francisco Ugarte de Hermosa boasted in 1655 that Since God created the world there has been no empire in it as extensive of that of Spain. The acquisition of Portuguese territories in 1580, not only increased Spanish influence in the New World, but also united the Iberian Peninsula for the first time. From this evidence Philip can be justifiably described as a golden ruler. Nevertheless, the empire was built up from Ferdinands acquisitions in North Africa, Italy and the New World, discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1494. Ferdinand and Isabella arguably succeeded in managing a controllable empire and unified Castile and Aragon, completing the reconquista. Ferdinand, through a series of marriages, succeeded in ensuring a substantial empire for his grandson Charles V. Therefore Charles has an empire spanning from the territories of the New World to parts of Flanders, Italy and Germany reinforcing the argument that Spain was golden throughout the entire period. As Philips successes of empire could be attributed to his forebearers, so could the fundamental weaknesses. The financial crisis that Philip found himself in was started by the unsustainability of Isabella and Ferdinands foreign policy. Even though they had a comparatively small empire they could not sustain it as shown when Ferdinand had to transfer his resources from occupying North African ports to Naples in Italy which was of a greater priority for him. Charles Vs Habsburg connections, which gave him this vast empire, also meant he could never be considered as a King of the golden age of Spain. Charles himself spent only 7 years in Spain and the country was simply a part of his monarquia, rather than the most important. This can be seen in the Spanish victory at St Quentin in 1557 which was essentially a Dutch army commanded by the Duke of Savoy and the Earl of Egmont. Philip was successful in defending his empire, but only at a great cost, which even the huge imports of bullion could not cover. The costs of defending Spanish lands coupled with the inflation caused Philip to claim bankruptcy on four occasions in 1557,1560,1575 and 1596. The empire was the largest in the world but the lack of resources to sustain such a monarquia undermines the golden reputation. The Spanish Armada epitomises the state of Spain during this whole period. Like the Armada Spain appeared imposing and powerful and was feared by the rest of Europe. Yet no other enterprise could have been so mismanaged with a great lack of communication and innate structural weaknesses, which caused the ultimate failure. It was this paradox that tainted Spains golden reputation. The unsustainabilty of the countrys policies throughout the whole period undermined the reputation too, as Kamen says: Spain, with its small population and weak economy did not have the resources to create or sustain great-power status status. Despite the great facade of an impressive empire, Spain during the whole period from 1474-1598, can never be described as a golden age.