Mill’s Liberty Principle Essay Example Essay Example

Mill’s Liberty Principle Essay Example Paper Mill’s Liberty Principle Essay Introduction John Stuart Mill was born in London to a philosopher father, James Mill, who educated him along with philosopher Jeremy Bentham. Mill was therefore largely influenced by Bentham’s utilitarian thinking, and such influence became apparent in Mill’s own works later on. (Mautner).Mill’s liberty principle was laid out in his essay that was published in 1859, entitled On Liberty. This essay brought about great controversy, and raised varying feelings of approval and disapproval from society. (Mautner). On Liberty, which was destined to be a classic piece on libertarian philosophy, became controversial because of its â€Å"rational justification of the freedom of the individual in opposition to the claims of the state to impose unlimited control.† (Serendipity).The essay focused on civil or social liberty, which means the â€Å"nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual.† Mill espoused the principle of liberty of action of men with full mental faculties, limited only by the principle of self-protection. (Mill, 1859).Mill’s principle of liberty was a product of the feeling he and his wife shared, as expressed in their letters to one another. Both had observed that there has been a significant decrease in the number of bold and adventurous individuals in society. This observation, coupled with Mill’s reading of Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, bred disquiet in him. He and his wife thus feared that middle-class conformism and mass democracy had come to take away individual liberty. They feared that mass democracy would lead to the creation of the tyranny of the majority, which would seriously undermine individual freedom. (Mautner).Mill’s anxiety is more concerned with liberty in the private realm. He was worried that the development of liberalism at his time was not sufficient to protect private, individual liberty. In more concrete terms, M ill perceived two threats to individual liberty. The first one is the threat of overpowering governmental authority, mainly exercised through codified laws and appointed or elected public officials. Second is the â€Å"excessive power of public opinion and its unwritten laws,† which Mill referred to as the tyranny of the majority. (Johnston, 1999).As to the first threat or governmental authority, Mill maintained that there must be sufficient room left for individual determination of man’s actions, rather than state determination. This must be so, despite the alleged reliance of the government on the democratic participation of the people. (Kemerling).On the other hand, Mill appeared to be more fearful of the effects of the second threat to individual liberty, which is the tyranny of the majority. (Serendipity). While state control can only occur through the acts of public officials, society can impose its own mandates, through means more powerful and more extensive in reach than the state’s political functionaries. Society can form itself into a tyranny whereby only certain ideas, opinions and feelings are sanctioned, effectively restraining the ideas, opinions and feelings of a few dissenters. This in effect is a restriction on individual liberty, which is much more formidable than political oppression. The minority would be compelled to fashion themselves in such a way as to conform to the dictates of society. (Mill, 1859).Reacting on these two perceived threats to individual liberty, Mill’s On Liberty put forward a brave statement. It is of the position that there is almost no instance when governmental encroachment on individual freedoms would be justified or warranted. The civil liberties of citizens must, at all times, be protected against the threat of abuses of authority. (Kemerling).Mill posits that there is one simple principle that must govern man in all his dealings in society. Society and the state have many mechanisms for imposing compulsion and control over man, which may consist of physical force or moral coercion. According to Mill, the former may appear in the form of legal penalties, while the latter may appear in the form of public opinion. Despite these, man must have liberty or independence in matters that only concern himself. As Mill succinctly put: â€Å"Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.† (Mill, 1859).Mill’s emphasis on liberty entails that man deserves not to be hampered by society. Where nobody would be harmed by a man’s actions, his actions are exclusively his business. The same goes true for man’s thoughts. They must always be afforded protection against unjustified encroachment. (Mill, 1859).Man’s actions and thoughts must arise without restrictions, controls or limits, as a result of his character as an individual human being. Different people have different preferences and choices regarding the various detai ls of his life, and people owe it to each other to respect each person’s right to follow their own paths. According to Mill, despite the prevailing opinions and ideologies, each person has the right to choose his own unique path in life, even if it means having to go against the grain of society. Thus, the two great threats to liberty, government encroachment and the tyranny of the majority, must not curtail the liberty of persons, especially in the realm of thought. This is so, because it is in the realm of thought that great personal genius can be manifested, usually signified by unconventionality and originality. (Mill, 1859).It can be argued by critics that Mill’s arguments seem to be based only on a positive assumption of the inclinations of man. As Mill advocates almost absolute freedom of man in his thoughts and actions, he probably worked on the belief that man’s natural tendency is towards his development only, and not towards his ruin. Then if this is so, empirical evidence could easily rebut such an assumption, because not a few men had engaged in harmful ways that have led to their detriment. However, Mill’s liberty principle does not go so far as making such a huge assumption on the nature of man.As a matter of fact, Mill had some suggestions of the possibility that man would make wrong decision in his exercise of individual liberty. Mill, however, was not concerned about such mistakes. Liberty to him was so encompassing that nobody has the right to interfere with matters which are properly within a man’s private interests. This is so, despite the fact that man’s choices might turn out to be detrimental to him in the long run. (Johnston, 1999).For Mill, concerns of society or the government on the physical or moral good of an individual still would not be sufficient to justify any encroachment on his liberty of thought and action. While concerns regarding another person’s interests are commendable, such cannot be used to justify unauthorized intrusion into that person’s life. One can convince another person the better path to take, or show the errors of his ways, but that would be the most that such person can do to help another. He cannot go so far as to compel another to adopt his philosophies in life. In the same way, other persons who might disagree with him would not have the right to tell him off. Thus, Mill wrote:His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinions of others, to do so would be wise, or even right. These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading him, or entreating him, but not for compelling him, or visiting him with any evil, in case he do otherwise. (Mill, 1859).;However, Mill provided a single exception to the abovementioned general rul e of individual liberty: self-protection. Mill stated: â€Å"the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.† (Mill, 1859).Mill thus introduced the harm principle, which is the standard that can be used to evaluate government interference as either justified or unjustified. Harm to others, and not to the person whose acts are subject of inquiry, is the operative fact that would sanction curtailment of liberty. Thus, where an individual’s actions start posing a threat to other persons, and these actions begin to extend their effects to the realm outside the individual’s sphere of responsiiblity, society and government would be justified in stepping in to provide restraints. It is clear, therefore, that Mill draws an unambiguous line between state and private interests: â€Å"individual citizens are responsible for themselves, their thoughts and feelings, and th eir own tastes and pursuits, while society is properly concerned only with social interests.† (Kemerling).The power of government and society to interfere with the liberty of thought and action of a person can only be rightfully exercised with the end in view of preventing harm to others. Thus, there would be a legitimate state and societal interest in deterring or penalizing actions that are â€Å"calculated to produce evil to some one else.† In conclusion, Mill’s liberty principle states that man is individually responsible for his own conduct and he is free to do whatever he wants, provided he does not harm others. Man is only accountable to the government and society for conduct that concerns others.Applying Mill’s liberty principle to the plight of homeless people in Chicago suburbs, it can be suggested that the state has no legitimate interest nor authority in interfering with these people’s activities, provided that they do not harm others wh o are living within the area. Thus, provided that these homeless people do not engage in crimes, drug dealing or violence, to the detriment of the rightful population of Chicago suburbs, there is no justifiable reason for encroaching upon these people’s liberty to live in that kind of situation.However, where there are legitimate concerns that threaten the peaceful state of living in Chicago suburbs as a direct result of the presence and the actions of homeless people, such as increased crime rate, pollution or health issues due to overpopulation, then the government would be justified in stepping in to deter these harmful actions. Detrimental actions are no longer covered by the protection advocated by Mill in favor of individual liberty. Mill’s Liberty Principle Essay Thank you for reading this Sample!

A Difficult Essay Topic

A Difficult Essay TopicIf you are like many students, it can be very difficult to write a difficult essay topic. You need to look at the topics that you have researched and determine what the content is. Is it an essay that will advance your career or another topic?The most common problem with this is that students simply choose a topic that sounds interesting. In most cases, these topics have little bearing on their careers. The topic does not advance the discussion and often the topic turns into a footnote to a discussion about something else. Once you start in on the easy topics, you find that you have no further information about the topic.That is why it is important to know the content of the difficult essay topics. You want to make sure that you are covering the content that is important to the topic. Often times you will not get a chance to get the information that you need from the easy topics.So what are some difficult essay topics? There are lots of things that you can rese arch.One of the most difficult of all difficult essay topics is the statistics of American soldiers. What makes this difficult is that statistics are an important part of life in America. The problem is that statistics are hard to understand and those who are searching for statistics need to become familiar with other areas.There are also some other problems that you have to look at in order to find the content that you want. For example, if you are trying to find an easy topic, there are going to be many times when you have grammar and spelling issues. It is easy to have those issues because of the writing style you will be using.One of the hardest of all difficult essay topics is the topic that involves being away from home for a long period of time. This is another area where you can get very little help from others in finding the right topics.

Information systems management in practice

Information systems management in practice DQ1 Security What information model would you choose for evaluating data security policies at the department level? Why? How would that information model be used?Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Information systems management in practice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The information model incorporates all departmental data within the organization. Every department has its own data processing technologies, which it uses to conduct analysis. For instance, the finance department has financial data, the marketing department has data on the consumer trends and sales have data on the demand and supply of the product (McKeen, Smith 2009). The role of Data Resource Management model is to network data by providing a central point where data is controlled and regulated such that unauthorized persons cannot access it. The information model must meet the following criteria to be incorporated at the departmental level. T he first one is that the data resources management model must have back up strategies or security measures to ensure that data cannot be lost even when the machines are not in good condition. The Backup may involve having remote computer storage of data. The second criterion is that the Data resource management system must be firewalled to protect the computer systems from malicious software attacks and other encrypted messages. The data resource should be easy to use, which can be done by training the employees working in the data resource management on how to use the system (Alter, 2011). For the departments to succeed in Data Resource Management in an organization, the data resource system must be implemented in three levels. The first level is the strategic level, which involves aligning the data management system with the business strategic goals. This means that if the business plans to be global, the data resource manager must plan how to secure and process the data. The busi ness strategic plan is important when formulating and designing the information technology architecture and processes to be used in the organization. However, the Data Resource Management system may fail to satisfy the increased demand in future.Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second level of evaluating the security as well as the capability of the data resource management is the tactical level (Luftman, 2012). This level involves planning the enterprise resource software to use in data resource management. There is creation of networking infrastructure to connect various departments with in order to create a central data location. The third level of evaluation and implementing data resource system is the where the plans and the decisions made are implemented (McKeen Smith, 2009). DQ2 Value of Data How is the value of information or data assessed at the department level? Does that differ at other levels? The value of information or data in the departmental levels is assessed differently at the departmental level in comparison to the organizational level. The first reason of assessing this information differently is that it must be relevant to the functions of the department. Information that does not relate to the department directly is irrelevant. This differs from the evaluation of information at the organizational level. At the organizational level, all information concerning the organization is of value as it depicts various aspects of the organization. The management needs this information to make decisions. The decisions made by the management must have basis of selective information, that is, information from all departments such as finance, marketing sales, purchasing, and management information systems. The data is therefore valuable to the organization if it relates to the organization and valuable to the department if it relates to the department (Stanford, 2010). At the departmental level, the data assessment is in a number of ways. The first way of assessing the data is by ascertaining the origin of the information. For the information to be considered critical at the departmental level, it must have its origin from within the department. For instance, the information in the finance Data Resource System will have the information about the financial reports of the company generated by the finance department. This information will certainly be crucial to the finance department (Sprague, 2009). Apart from the information generated internally the other assessment criteria regards evaluating information related to the department but generated by other departments. For instance, the finance department may need the sales records from the sales department in order to calculate the profits as well as the cash flow of the organization. Such information is of value to the department although not generated b y the department.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Information systems management in practice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The other criteria that assign value to information are the information released by the management. For instance, the management may release memos or other instructional policies to the department. Such kind of information is crucial to the department although not generated by the department (Kroenke, 2012). DQ3 Doctoral DNA Theories, models or frameworks that support the topic and the role they play in your research, and how might you find them? Part one The following are the relevant theories that relate to the use of information. The first relevant theory is the coding theory, which involves encoding information to create a code. This theory is the based on the premise that to transmit information from one location to another one needs to create codes or secretive information typos th at prevents the information from being read or used by unauthorized persons. The codes differ depending on the coding methodology (Fazlollah, 2010). Part two There are two types of coding. The first one is the lossless data compression where the compressed data is not lost. The other is the loss data compression whereby the information is coded into bits, which is the universal data language and then transmitted to the networks. Once it gets to the destination, the recipient can encode the data and use it. The other theory is the channel capacity theorem that emphasizes on coding information as it goes through the transmission channel such that the noise within the channel will have little or no impact on the information transmitted over the channels (Fazlollah, 2010). These theories play a vital role as the research may focus on whether they apply in the data resource management. The research seeks to identify the theory or models that data resource managers use to encrypt informat ion through the networks when sharing data. One may also establish whether these methods have been effective in protecting the information from being accessed by unauthorized persons. The research identifies the challenges faced in implementing the data resource system based on the excellence of the company (Stanford, 2010). These two theories are imperative in assessing and implementing data management strategies because they determine the method to be used when encrypting or coding data. It is also necessary in formulating the necessary data in the organization to create a good system that will help the company receive and disseminate data between the departments. The methods used in encrypting and protecting data determine whether unauthorized persons may access it.Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Review of Marine Corps Recruiting Information System department’s data security policy and recommend improvements Introduction The following discussion is about Marine Corps Recruiting Information System department’s data security policy. It examines the risks and threats related to the policy in the organization. It also looks into the data recovery plan of the organization in cases of lost data. It provides information on how the risk analysis and data recovery plan affects the information technology department and what may need improvement in future to deal with threats and challenges The Marine Corps recruiting information system department deals with the recruitment of the Marine Corps into the Marine Corps services in the United States of America. The department is critical as it has information about the recruitment of the Marine Corps staff working throughout the country. The department processes online applications about development in the country (Clemons, 20 12). This means that the department is susceptible to malware in the company. The malware are computer viruses that destroy computer programs. The computers of this department are also susceptible to the spyware especially because they deal with issues of defense. The spyware software monitors the use of computers in the department of defense. They are dangerous as they can expose vital information regarding the security issues. The malware may acquire passwords details enabling hackers to access the system and distort facts and information about recruitment (Schiesser, 2010). The spyware may also expose vital information about the staff working in the marine department to the terrorists and people with malicious intentions. It may also expose the system such that the selection system recruits incompetent people to work in the Marine Corps. The other security issue or risk in this department is the cyber terrorists where the department may be a target of cyber terrorists who disrupt Marine Corps department activities to delay recruitment. In addition, they ensure that there is a military workforce problem thereby making the country susceptible to terrorist’s attacks (Beynon, 2009). Data recovery plan There are situations where the department must have data recovery procedure. The instances that lead to loss of data make the department susceptible. For example, the department location is susceptible to the thunderstorms, lightening and other natural calamities that may lead to physical destruction of the data storage location. If there are no mechanisms to recover the data lost, there will be an absolute loss of vital defense information. The second instance relates to cyber attacks or instances where malware, virus or spyware access the data thereby destroying the programs and other vital information managed by the department. This may led to loss of data if there is no other place where data is stored and protected (David, 2010). The other risk relates to the employees working in the department as they can also hack the information system thereby accessing unauthorized information. This means that department must have policies on how to protect the data internally from access by unauthorized persons who may access private information about the department and affect recruitment of new employees. This can be prevented by having passwords and biosensor security interfaces that sense the person operating the machine such that no unauthorized person access information (David, 2010). When dealing with data resource management in the department of Marine Corps recruiting information system department’s data security policy and recommend improvements, there are several ways of recovering data. The first one is that the department has remote computers that store the data and are not in the same physical location (Sprague, 2009). Any data transmitted to the data storage computers goes directly to the remote computers for storage. Th is ensures that in case of an attack in the location of the computers or electronic systems storing data the department can recover the data stored in the remote locations (Stanford, 2010). The other data recovery mechanism involves creation of back up discs to store small amounts of data in the computers affected by viruses and malware software. This data helps the department to create a good strategy of preserving the information so that it can be accessed in future. The computers also have firewall protection to prevent dissemination of vital information from the data centers to any other unauthorized location (OBrien, 2011). The effect of the risk analysis and recovery plan on the Marine Corps Recruiting information systems The risk analysis is imperative to this department as it ensures that unauthorized person cannot access the department’s vital information. The risk assessment also creates awareness of the risks that exist concerning data management. It exposes loopho les that may serve as an opening to the malware, spyware and other malicious information programs intended to harm the operations of the department (Sprague, 2009). To deal with this problem, the recovery plan involves ensuring that the computers have firewall applications to prevent entry of unintended programs and codes that are intended to harm the computers and data storage facilities. After ensuring that there is firewall protection, the computers must have antivirus programs to delete such programs once detected. The antivirus should be updated once it expires so that it does not become virus to the computers. To ensure that there is no loss of data because of natural calamities the Data Resource Management System use automatic remote updating technology that updates additional information to the remote computer every hour. This ensures that there cannot be absolute loss of data stored in the departments’ data management system. The other strategy is to have data stored in discs that are stored in secure places such that if there is a problem that affects one computer and not the whole system, the data in the computer can be recovered from the remote data saving discs for the computer (Cabral, 2010). Conclusion Data recovery is an imperative operation of the Data Resource Management. Every manager should ensure that the data in the company is safe and can be retrieved when need arise. The creation of the data recovery department in the company ensures that there is an appropriate way to of dealing with data losses. No data would be lost if the data resource manager constantly evaluates the risks and data recovery plans. The management should be informed that any data lost in the company affect the operations as well as the output. The employees should be informed about how to maintain safety of the data to avoid any loss. References Alter, S. (2011). The work system method: connecting people, processes, and it for business results. California: Wor ks System Press. Beynon, P. (2009). Business information systems. Basingstoke: Palgrave Press. Cabral, J. (2010). Is there need for data resource management? The Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communication, 2, 5-13. Clemons, K. (2012). IS for sustainable competitive advantage. Information Management, 11, 131-136. David, C. (2010). Information theory, inference, and learning algorithms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Fazlollah, R. (2010). An introduction to information theory. New York: McGraw-Hill. Kroenke, D. (2012). Experiencing management information system. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Lindsay, J. (2010). Information Systems – Fundamentals and Issues. London: Kingston University Press. Luftman, J. N. (2012). Managing the information technology resource: Leadership in the information age (12th edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. McKeen, J. D. Smith, H. (2009). IT strategy in action. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. OB rien, J. (2011). Management information systems. New York: McGraw-Hill, Irwin. Schiesser, R. (2010). IT systems management (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Sprague, R. (2009). Information systems management in practice (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Stanford, G. (2010). Information theory. New York: Prentice Hall.

People versus Persons

People versus Persons People versus Persons People versus Persons By Daniel Scocco Felix asks, â€Å"I was just wondering when it was appropriate to use people as opposed to persons.† There is some confusion regarding the two terms, especially because their meaning and usage suffered a mutation along the centuries. Both derive from Latin, but from different words. Person derives from persona, which refers to an individual. People, on the other hand, derives from populum, and it refers to a group of persons sharing a culture or social environment. Person is a singular form, and its plural is persons. Over the time, however, many writers started to adopt people as the plural form of person, and nowadays it is widely accepted. Notice that legal and very formal texts still use persons as the plural form. One distinction that was proposed was to use persons as long as there was a countable number of individuals (e.g., 67 persons left the school) and people when such a number was large and indefinite (e.g., the people left the stadium quickly). The rule did not catch on, though, and some writers still use people even when there is a definite or small number of individuals. Finally, people can also be used in the plural form (e.g., the peoples of Asia) when it refers to the different cultural groups that live in a certain region. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†Use a Dash for Number Ranges40 Words Beginning with "Para-"

Mod Culture and Fashion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Mod Culture and Fashion - Research Paper Example The paper "Mod Culture and Fashion" concerns the connection between Mod fashion and designs. The leaders of mid 1960s style were the British. As the Mods strongly influenced the fashion in London, 1960s fashion in general set the mode for the rest of the century as it became marketed to young people, who, at the time, were gaining tremendous influence in affecting everything from clothes to the media, particularly the lifestyle of Mods as popularly reflected in their music and fashions. British rock bands such as â€Å"The Who,† children of the working class, gave up their nine to five jobs to become icons in the rock music world. It was not until 1964 when the Modernists were truly recognized by the public that women really were accepted into the group. Girls had short, clean haircuts and often dressed in similar styles to the male Mods—a trend which initiated UniSex design. As opposed to the 50s grease look, Mod style was classy, mimicking the clothing and hairstyles of continental Europe with tight-fitting suits and a more suave dressed appearance. They were the working classes with a sophisticated city look-- the clothing of a new forward-thinking generation. Mod from the longer version of Modern developed as a subculture from the original beatnik culture born in the coffee houses of the 1950s, where disenchanted young intellectuals met to enjoy the new modern jazz, read poetry and share political views. The new Mod culture that eventually evolved from it, however, was less intellectual.

Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Islam - Essay Example Similarly, Sufism involves all practices that ensure a person has deeper knowledge of their God, who is Allah (BBC, 2011). This includes worshipping and seeing Him, which is the ultimate goal in Islam. This will guarantee all the Allah worshipers a heavenly life with utter obedience of spiritual purification. On the other hand, mysticism is attractive in that it modifies a person’s inner life. A person’s inner life is modified in that the person gains the truth of experience. This is in line with a person’s quest for identification, communion and awareness. As such, a person will maintain high levels of truthfulness, divinity and have a strong spiritual life. This draws a person closer to unity with reality, making a person lead a better life in connection with communication and expressions. 2. Explain in Detail the Five Pillars of Islam Muslims have various practices that should be observed. Of all these, the five pillars are considered the most vital. These are the critical obligations that should be observed by any Muslim in leading a responsible life. They include Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj (Gulevich, 2005). To begin with, Shahadah is reciting the Muslim’s faith. Shahadah states that there is no other God but Allah, with His messenger being Mohammad. Reciting this faith has several meanings. First, it is an open declaration that Allah is the only God and Muhammad is His prophet. Secondly, a Muslim openly accepts this statement as it is recited loudly and in sincerity. Thirdly, it means that a Muslim will extend commitment to Islam in their entire lifetime. The second pillar of Islam is Salat. These are Muslim prayers which are obligatory to an individual and should be performed five times in a single day. They are performed before the sun rises, midday, in the afternoon, shortly before the sun sets and the last prayer is performed before midnight (BBC, 2011). These prayers have various advantages; first, they set the p ace of the day. Secondly, they show unity in the Muslim culture, and lastly, they unite the body, mind and soul. The third pillar of Islam is Zakat. This is a compulsory practice where an individual Muslim gives part of their wealth to other people in form of charity. It states that each Muslim should take 2.5% of their wealth and give it to the poor. This is a sign of obedience, discipline and honesty. Similarly, it is an expression that one is not in love for money, greedy or loving oneself. The forth pillar of Islam is Sawm. This is the occasional fasting in Islam, which is done on the ninth month in the calendar of Islam. All Muslims take a total of 29 or 30 days and stop participating in some activities (BBC, 2011). As such, Muslims are not supposed to eat, drink, smoke or participate in any sexual activity during the day. This shows that Muslims are obedient, self disciplined, appreciate God’s gift and are gaining spiritual strength. Similarly, they consider it a time f or generosity, giving thanks to their holy book and fellowshipping with other Muslims to show unity. The last pillar of Islam is Hajj, where Muslims from different parts of the world gather in Mecca to praise Allah. All the Muslims at the event stand in front of Kaaba and praise Allah together (BBC, 2011). This shows Islamic unity and equality, with the promise of brotherhood and sisterhood. According to Islam, if one is not able to make it every year, they have to ensure they at least attend this practice once in their lifetime. 3. Contrast between Contemporary

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Teva Pharmaceuticals

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Teva Pharmaceuticals Corbin Wright Teva Pharmaceuticals is the largest generic pharmaceutical manufacturer in the world[1]. As of December 22, 2016, Teva Pharmaceuticals now holds the record for the largest fine by a pharmaceutical company for violating the foreign corrupt practices act. The settlement amount includes $283 million fine from the DOJ and a subsequent $236 million fine from the SEC. This total fine of $519 million far outweighs the previous record of Johnson Johnsons $70 million fine from 2011[2]. The question remains, what did TEVA Pharmaceuticals do that required a fine of $519 million? This paper will discuss the purpose of the FCPA, what Teva Pharmaceuticals did to receive a fine, and what we can learn from their mistake. The purpose of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is to prohibit bribery by any company or person who does business in the United States. This includes not only United States citizens, but also foreign executives and businesses that have operations in the United States. While the act is imposed on businesses that have dealings in the Unites States, the FCPA was especially designed to prohibit bribery in countries outside the United States. The United States doesnt want its companies or people to use bribery as a form of persuasion abroad-whether legal or illegal. By allowing companies to give bribes, this would give these companies an unfair advantage over their competition and give a bad representation for United States. Even if the bribe is typical business conduct in another country, the government will impose harsh fines for those who violate this act. Over the last few years, Teva Pharmaceuticals, specifically Teva Russia and Teva Mexico (Fully owned subsidiaries of Teva Pharmaceuticals) have been bribing foreign officials in order for them to buy more of their drug named Copaxone[3]. While nothing was wrong with this drug from a scientific aspect, Teva was implementing many different measures to increase revenue for the company. Keisha Hall, a former employee and director of finance for the Latin American division, filed a lawsuit stating that, Tevas unethical practices included unauthorized payments to doctors in Chile, bribes to physicians working in regional hospitals, and low inventory controls in Mexico[4]. In another report coming from Ukraine, Teva à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦provided various things of value to a Ukrainian Official to induce him to use his official position within the Ukrainian government to improperly influence the registration of Teva pharmaceutical products in Ukraine. The DOJ investigation revealed emails that explained how TEVA would pay these government officials with money from the incredibly high margins their drugs were being sold for in exchange for influencing the Russian government to purchase this drug through Teva. Teva subsequently entered a plea deal to cooperate with DOJ and SEC. However, because Teva failed to voluntarily self-disclose the FCPA violations to the Fraud Section the fine was not discounted. Teva claims it has since redone its corporate governance program, ceased relationships with fraudulent 3rd parties, and removing any necessary employees[5]. They have also boosted their internal control procedures. Teva Pharmaceuticals disobeyed the law and reaped over $214 million in excess illicit profits by paying government officials around $60 million in kickbacks[6]. While some may argue they were just trying to increase revenue and werent harming anyone, they manipulated the market and broke the law. A fine that is roughly double what they made in illicit profits now seems reasonable. Teva Pharmaceuticals has received pretty negative press and the stock price reflects consumer sentiment. Since 2015, the stock has fallen from $70 per share to $33 per share. While bribing may seem like a quick way to generate extra revenue, the downside outweighs any benefit. As the government continues to give out these large fines, hopefully corporate America will start to act more ethical. [1] https://www.verywell.com/the-top-7-generic-drug-companies-2663110 [2] http://fcpaprofessor.com/depth-519-million-teva-fcpa-enforcement-action/ [3] http://fcpaprofessor.com/depth-519-million-teva-fcpa-enforcement-action/ [4] http://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/teva-sets-aside-520m-to-settle-bribery-investigations-by-doj-sec [5] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-22/teva-agrees-to-pay-519-billion-to-settle-u-s-bribery-probe [6] http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sec-doj-fine-teva-pharmaceutical-519-million-to-settle-foreign-bribery-charges-2016-12-22