Today I enjoy working with my blogs in Norwegian Thai and now English, because I decide to drop my 2 subjects. I feel hard every times I sit and do my homework from school. Actually they are 40 per cent exam. I need to hand it before the final exam. I have 3 subjects:
1. BCS100X - An introduction to the circumpolar world
2. BCS121X - People and Cultures I
3. BCS131X Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar World
I work hard to do my best but I am not satisfied with my answers. I evaluate my answers and in my opinion they are not approval. I mean some of them are not good enough. I take too much time try to do it properly. I meant I need extra time because it is self studying as an online education. I need to read and read by myself. It takes time to understand and then I need to analysis the questions and answer. I can not manage it in time. Could you imagine 35 questions in one semester? They are not extreme, but I just can not. I am not so young any more, studying now is just a compensation for my life. I can not concentrate as before and reading on PC is one of my problems. I can not hand in my poor answers any more; therefore I have to drop 2 subjects.
I got respond from my tutor of BCS121X - People and Cultures I. I was so glad. Because she wrote “your answers are OK”. Let me show answers that my tutor said OK; I agree with her, these two answers are OK la.
Try to find out what kinds of ancient tools would have been used in the Arctic region nearest you, and are they unique to that region?
How human lived in the past, what were their everyday’s life. They needed four requisites, food, accommodations, clothing and medicine. To be survival, they needed tools to make life easier. From the Ice Age in the Arctic region, they needed special tools which were suitable to the condition of climate and the kind of local animals they consumed. Base on archaeology studies, we found a number of tools made from bone and antler, including bone awls, bone retouchers, bone and antler handles for stone tools (Hammerstone Hearth/Envil stone), and a variety of ornamental art carved out of bone or ivory. We learn that they had occupied of hunting coasts and forests. We can find out the ancient tools in the culture history of the Arctic in each period:
The Paleo-arctic tradition:
It is known only from stone artifacts, especially microblades and small bifaces.
The Arctic Small Tool tradition:
It is characterized by finely made microblades, spalled burins, small side and end scrapers side, end blades and broken bone needles are common in sites from this archaeological time period. In The Arctic Small Tool tradition also provides evidence of the manufacture of bows and arrows. Such needles, made using burins, were used to tailor clothing. All of these technological innovations would have facilitated life in the High Arctic—by providing warmer, well-designed clothing and by facilitating hunting of large mammals and birds.
The Norton tradition:
Artifact assemblages typically contain flaked stone tools that are similar to those found in the earlier (The Arctic Small Tool tradition)
The Dorset culture:
Dorset appears to have been a more successful adaptation to the conditions of this region than the preceding Arctic Small tool tradition cultures from which it developed. This is demonstrated by the huge area occupied by Dorset groups and by evidence that they had perfected winter hunting on the sea ice.
Discuss in what ways shamanism still can be important for indigenous peoples today
First of all I would like to define what Shamanism is. And this one is from “http://healing.about.com/od/shamanism/Shamanism.htm” quiet simple but clear definition in my opinion.
“Shamanism is the spiritual practices of ancient civilizations and cultures. Shamanism is the oldest healing tradition in the world. The Shaman in history served as the communicator between the physical and the spiritual worlds through various rituals and visualizations. This tradition is observed by modern mankind as a way of returning to its roots.”
To clarify more about shamanism, I get more simple definition for Shamans from “http://www.shamanismcanada.com/whatisshamanism.html”
“Shamans are a type of medicine man or woman especially distinguished by the use of journeys to hidden worlds otherwise mainly known through myth, dream, and near-death experiences. Most commonly they do this by entering an altered state of consciousness using monotonous percussion sound.”
Now let think about in what ways shamanism still can be important for indigenous peoples today.
In the ancient days, when human did not know and they could not explain why it happened they needed to have something for explanation. Why did they die? Where did they go after death? Why were they sick? Human’s imagination has never ended. Human’s unawareness make them fear. They needed to have something and someone to help. Therefore shamanism was the answer and solving problem for them. The Shaman played very important roles for both in individual live and in human society. He can communicate with the spirit world. He can heal sickness caused by evil spirits. His spirit can make the body to enter the supernatural world to search for answers. He evokes animal images.
Nowadays, people learn many things and can find out the answer for many things, but many illnesses are still unexplained. Moreover, who knows where we go after death. Therefore the Shaman is still play very important roles for both in individual live and in human society. Especially for indigenous peoples, they need to have something to present their own tradition. It can be one thing to make them unique. They need someone who is expert in the folklore of their cultures. The way of life of indigenous peoples is still concerned to be hunters, gatherers and fishers some in the primitive way and some in the modern way. However, the shaman can also lead to promote the fishing and hunting luck for them in the traditional way they prefer to keep on.
I almost finish my all module questions for BCS131X Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar World. I think I may get the chance to do the final exam for it. I hope so….
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Norwegian welfare state after World War II
It is a pleasure for me to write a paper about Norwegian welfare state. As a foreigner from Asian country married with Norwegian man, I have been living in Norway almost 7 years . I have had some real experiences in getting a product of welfare state in case of giving birth : some social benefits from Norwegian public authorities,. The social benefit which inhabitants in Norway get from the state. They have rights “from the cradle to the grave”. From the day they were born, until they died; from the birth : Fødselspenger, Engangsstønad ved fødsel, Kontantstøtte, Barnetrygd, Stønader til enslige forsørgere, the working life : Dagpenger, Yrkesrettet attføring the sickness : Sykepenger, Rehabiliteringspenger, Hjelpestønad, grunnstønad, the aging : Alderspensjon, Uføreordningen, the death : Stønader ved dødsfall. Including to Free school –health care and housing financial support, this is to say Norwegian welfare state has been made to take care of all the inhabitants of the nation to have a good standard of living. The United Nations has ranked the country as the best place in the world to live. Norwegian welfare state just like Rom was not built by it self. Norwegian welfare state was built up in many years ago.:
- 1880-1935 : the founding years of the welfare state, the social service state
- 1935-1978 : the golden year of the welfare state
- 1950s-1960s : the welfare state society
- 1980s-1990s : the challenging years of the welfare state
The era of the ”social state”: 1890-1945
1890-1920 : Establishment (first initiatives)
1920-1935 : Stagnation: 1920-1935
1935-1940 :New emphasis on social security as a public task
The era of the welfare state:
The phase of expansion: 1945-1966
The phase of consolidation: 1967-1981
New challenges and pressure against established welfare institutions: the 1980s and 1990s
This paper will be focused to the Norwegian welfare state after World War II (1945)
by looking into the matter of the distinctive characteristics of the Norwegian welfare state model. Including to discussing the driving forces and the conditions leading to Norway’s development into a welfare state. It is very interesting because the condition of the war was a good influence to Norwegian welfare state. The model was related to politics system, Social democratic by capability leader. People had a part in development with strong feeling of egalitarianism, solidarity, belief in welfare “free from want”
The distinctive characteristics of the Norwegian welfare state model
Welfare services are produced and paid for by the public authorities :
Norway is characterized by having a relatively large public sector. This is due to after World War II development of a welfare state, a policy put forward. As the functional scope of the welfare state has increased, the provision of welfare services have been connected to processes of decentralization from central to local levels of government. Decentralization is a method for a social equality and a fair distribution of costs and benefits. Norway is a large and sparsely populated country. Norwegian model of local government represents two equally important dimensions: Local Government being both a vital service provider and an important local democratic institution. This is to say that decentralization to local government and local democratic institution is one of the main measures of the Norwegian Welfare State. Local municipal welfare has been a central element in Norwegian welfare state such as social benefits, almost all of the social benefits have been provided by the public authorities after the war. The system gradually expanded with one benefit after another. Tax-based was principle system.
Equality and the regions :
Equality between the different regions, In 1952 the first major initiative was the Northern Norway Plan. A development bank of north of Norway was created. A company’s own investments in the area were tax-deductible. There were some of improvement communications, expanding power supplies and development vocational training. The region’s share of the national product increased slightly. Many new jobs in both industry and services were created. The contemporary view that the Northern Norway Plan had been a success was important for the continuation of regional policy at the beginning for the 1960s. The equalization at the regional level was extended by using tax equalization system (Denters, Bas and Lawrence E. Rose : 1995)
Universality :
Free and equal services to all citizens irrespective of private fortune, the basis of Social benefits moved to institutionally provision of services. Universal benefits should be for all to get the certain standard conditions; in 1958 child allowance, in 1961 disability allowance and rehabilitation support, in1965 single mothers’ benefits. In 1957 the principle of universality was carried through when health insurance was made obligatory. In 1960 the work related benefits. In 1971 a new administrative system “Folketrygden” was set up. All above mentioned benefit were co-ordinated through this system.
Full employment :
“Work for everyone, increased production and a fair distribution of the production result were the most important goals.” and “It shall be the duty of the state authorities to create conditions which ensure that every able-bodie person can earn a living through his labour”(constitutional amendment 1954) Ways to achieve full employment were development of new industries, active of regional policy. The equalization of the incomes, in 1935-1950 the gap was narrowed between the incomes of industrial workers and white-collar worker. The state bought industries, public utility involvement that had been privately owned before.
Social equality :
Social equality is a social of affairs in which certain different people have the same status in a certain respect, at the very least in voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, the extent of property rights as well as the access to education, health care and other social securities.
There are different forms of equality, depending on the persons and social situations in question. For example, one may consider equality of the sexes opportunities for employment people in question are men and women (contrasted) and the social situation is the search for a job. As another example, equal opportunity refers to the idea that all people should start out in life from the same platform (i.e. all should have equal opportunities in life, regardless of where they were born or who their parents were)
Social security :
Social security primarily refers to social welfare service concerned with social protection, or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment, families with children and others. Although some publications use the terms "social security" and "social protection" interchangeably, social security is used both more narrowly (to refer only to schemes with the formal title of 'social security')and more widely (referring to many kinds of social welfare scheme). Social security may refer to
social insurance, where people receive benefits or services in recognition of contributions to an insurance scheme. These services typically include provision for retirement pensions, disability insurance, survivor benefits and unemployment insurance.
income maintenance—mainly the distribution of cash in the event of interruption of employment, including retirement, disability and unemployment
services provided by administrations responsible for social security. In different countries this may include medical care, aspects of social work and even industrial relations.
More rarely, the term is also used to refer to basic security, a term roughly equivalent to access to basic necessities—things such as food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care.Social security in Norway was found
1946: Family allowances
1957: Health insurance becomes obligatory and universal
1959: means tested pension for old people was replaced by universal pension (1967: new pension reform: a minimum pension is guaranteed to all and in addition a sum is given that reflects the wage level during professional life
1959: universal unemployment benefit
1961: allowances for disability and rehabilitation
1965: subsidies for widows and single mothers (from 1981: subsidies also for single fathers)
1967: all the different subsidies and allowances are assembled in one administrative body, the Folketrygd (the National insurance)
Housing :
Housing was one of the states’ priorities after the war. In 1940s-1950s Co-operative housing was given a high priority by the authorities. The National Housing Bank was set up in 1946. It was the most important instrument in the government’s policy of building new houses. The bank gave cheap loans with long repayment terms. Housing. A lot of the house building was financed by the state .By 1985 the National Housing Bank had financed two thirds of all the houses built in Norway after the war.
Education :
Education was a priority for the authorities after the war. In 1944-1948 the large number of children was born and need places in the primary schools in the 1950s and the university and colleges in 1960s. Urbanization increased the need for new school building. The society’s need for a well-education labour caused to the education explosion. Both of private and public need more specialist skills. In 1947 the state set up the department that provided cheap loans for pupils in compulsory school and for students in university or college. Compulsory school was increased from 7 years to 9 years after 1960 and no school fees. The state got three new university Bergen 1946, Trondheim and Tromsø in 1968. Kristiansand, Molde and Stavanger got regional colleges of higher education. Norway developed the decentralized higher education in the aspect of educational equality and also had a gender dimension.
Education
Health and care :
In 1957 health insurance was made obligatory. In 1960s was a number of hospital beds, the growth number of doctors per hospital, the high quality of medical services. In 1969 new hospital law according to which hospitals are run by the county but mainly financed via the state budget. Nursing homes for the old: mainly run by the municipalities
The driving forces and the conditions leading to Norway’s development into a welfare state.
World War II (1940-1945) German soldiers invaded Norway on 9th April 1940 and on 8th May 1945, Germany surrendered and Norway was a free country. Most people were very optimistic despite the war had destroyed both buildings and economy. Most goods were in short supply and many people experienced a difficult time. The social security system was in need to reform. People were eager to play a part in Norway’s reconstruction. The general idea was that a completely new start had to be made; society and the economy had to be restructured to assure peace, justice and security in the future. The pressure for reform were deep currents of strong social egalitarianism. Terms such as equality and equal worth became important to the people. The total influence of social democratic system by labour party’s policies: such as the industrialization increased a new places to work, in the view of full employment had made economic strength by Marshall plan which was offered by USA the ambitious programmes for house building, education, social security, welfare economic, and the reduction of different between the regions. Regional policy has therefore always been an important factor in Norwegian politics. To ensure between different parts of the country, development and settlement in rural areas, especially directed towards northern Norway. The far distances between the north and the south of the country constitute a special challenge for regional policy. Due to the revenues from its North Sea oil fields, Norway, which had adopted a Scandinavian welfare state model before the resource was exploited, has been able to bring its system of social organization to the highest level of development yet achieved in the world. It is more accurate to say the welfare state development in Norway as a continuous process.
The necessary conditions leading to Norway’s development can also be distinguised:
Crises and war : The war was a motivating force for the Welfare State. Created stronger national solidarity, Willingness of political consensus
Social democracy : Social democracy is a political ideology that emerged in the late 19th century out of the socialist movement. Unlike socialism in the Marxist sense, which aims to replace the capitalist system entirely, social democracy aims to reform capitalism in order to remove its perceived injustices[citation needed]. Social democracy once meant socialism in the strict sense achieved by democratic means. This definition rather than the modern one still appears in many dictionaries. Social democrats share many views with democratic socialists. presented Norwegian labour party.
Economic growth :Economic growth : Form 1949 to 1973 Norway had the longest continous period of growth in modern history. This led to market improvements and increased material well-being.
Full employment : Massive build up of infrastructure and industry gave Norway many new places to work.
According to the history of Norway, I learn that the development of welfare state in Norway lead to understand Norwegian society in the aspect of social equality. Norway became a welfare society in the 1950s and 1960s. The principle of the welfare benefit and security for all and even more for social equality in a whole country. But do not forget that there was a welfare authority before there is a welfare state. The basic ideas for this were already in place before the World War II. This is to say long term state policy in different measures for Norwegian Welfare State.
- 1880-1935 : the founding years of the welfare state, the social service state
- 1935-1978 : the golden year of the welfare state
- 1950s-1960s : the welfare state society
- 1980s-1990s : the challenging years of the welfare state
The era of the ”social state”: 1890-1945
1890-1920 : Establishment (first initiatives)
1920-1935 : Stagnation: 1920-1935
1935-1940 :New emphasis on social security as a public task
The era of the welfare state:
The phase of expansion: 1945-1966
The phase of consolidation: 1967-1981
New challenges and pressure against established welfare institutions: the 1980s and 1990s
This paper will be focused to the Norwegian welfare state after World War II (1945)
by looking into the matter of the distinctive characteristics of the Norwegian welfare state model. Including to discussing the driving forces and the conditions leading to Norway’s development into a welfare state. It is very interesting because the condition of the war was a good influence to Norwegian welfare state. The model was related to politics system, Social democratic by capability leader. People had a part in development with strong feeling of egalitarianism, solidarity, belief in welfare “free from want”
The distinctive characteristics of the Norwegian welfare state model
Welfare services are produced and paid for by the public authorities :
Norway is characterized by having a relatively large public sector. This is due to after World War II development of a welfare state, a policy put forward. As the functional scope of the welfare state has increased, the provision of welfare services have been connected to processes of decentralization from central to local levels of government. Decentralization is a method for a social equality and a fair distribution of costs and benefits. Norway is a large and sparsely populated country. Norwegian model of local government represents two equally important dimensions: Local Government being both a vital service provider and an important local democratic institution. This is to say that decentralization to local government and local democratic institution is one of the main measures of the Norwegian Welfare State. Local municipal welfare has been a central element in Norwegian welfare state such as social benefits, almost all of the social benefits have been provided by the public authorities after the war. The system gradually expanded with one benefit after another. Tax-based was principle system.
Equality and the regions :
Equality between the different regions, In 1952 the first major initiative was the Northern Norway Plan. A development bank of north of Norway was created. A company’s own investments in the area were tax-deductible. There were some of improvement communications, expanding power supplies and development vocational training. The region’s share of the national product increased slightly. Many new jobs in both industry and services were created. The contemporary view that the Northern Norway Plan had been a success was important for the continuation of regional policy at the beginning for the 1960s. The equalization at the regional level was extended by using tax equalization system (Denters, Bas and Lawrence E. Rose : 1995)
Universality :
Free and equal services to all citizens irrespective of private fortune, the basis of Social benefits moved to institutionally provision of services. Universal benefits should be for all to get the certain standard conditions; in 1958 child allowance, in 1961 disability allowance and rehabilitation support, in1965 single mothers’ benefits. In 1957 the principle of universality was carried through when health insurance was made obligatory. In 1960 the work related benefits. In 1971 a new administrative system “Folketrygden” was set up. All above mentioned benefit were co-ordinated through this system.
Full employment :
“Work for everyone, increased production and a fair distribution of the production result were the most important goals.” and “It shall be the duty of the state authorities to create conditions which ensure that every able-bodie person can earn a living through his labour”(constitutional amendment 1954) Ways to achieve full employment were development of new industries, active of regional policy. The equalization of the incomes, in 1935-1950 the gap was narrowed between the incomes of industrial workers and white-collar worker. The state bought industries, public utility involvement that had been privately owned before.
Social equality :
Social equality is a social of affairs in which certain different people have the same status in a certain respect, at the very least in voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, the extent of property rights as well as the access to education, health care and other social securities.
There are different forms of equality, depending on the persons and social situations in question. For example, one may consider equality of the sexes opportunities for employment people in question are men and women (contrasted) and the social situation is the search for a job. As another example, equal opportunity refers to the idea that all people should start out in life from the same platform (i.e. all should have equal opportunities in life, regardless of where they were born or who their parents were)
Social security :
Social security primarily refers to social welfare service concerned with social protection, or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment, families with children and others. Although some publications use the terms "social security" and "social protection" interchangeably, social security is used both more narrowly (to refer only to schemes with the formal title of 'social security')and more widely (referring to many kinds of social welfare scheme). Social security may refer to
social insurance, where people receive benefits or services in recognition of contributions to an insurance scheme. These services typically include provision for retirement pensions, disability insurance, survivor benefits and unemployment insurance.
income maintenance—mainly the distribution of cash in the event of interruption of employment, including retirement, disability and unemployment
services provided by administrations responsible for social security. In different countries this may include medical care, aspects of social work and even industrial relations.
More rarely, the term is also used to refer to basic security, a term roughly equivalent to access to basic necessities—things such as food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care.
1946: Family allowances
1957: Health insurance becomes obligatory and universal
1959: means tested pension for old people was replaced by universal pension (1967: new pension reform: a minimum pension is guaranteed to all and in addition a sum is given that reflects the wage level during professional life
1959: universal unemployment benefit
1961: allowances for disability and rehabilitation
1965: subsidies for widows and single mothers (from 1981: subsidies also for single fathers)
1967: all the different subsidies and allowances are assembled in one administrative body, the Folketrygd (the National insurance)
Housing :
Housing was one of the states’ priorities after the war. In 1940s-1950s Co-operative housing was given a high priority by the authorities. The National Housing Bank was set up in 1946. It was the most important instrument in the government’s policy of building new houses. The bank gave cheap loans with long repayment terms. Housing. A lot of the house building was financed by the state .By 1985 the National Housing Bank had financed two thirds of all the houses built in Norway after the war.
Education :
Education was a priority for the authorities after the war. In 1944-1948 the large number of children was born and need places in the primary schools in the 1950s and the university and colleges in 1960s. Urbanization increased the need for new school building. The society’s need for a well-education labour caused to the education explosion. Both of private and public need more specialist skills. In 1947 the state set up the department that provided cheap loans for pupils in compulsory school and for students in university or college. Compulsory school was increased from 7 years to 9 years after 1960 and no school fees. The state got three new university Bergen 1946, Trondheim and Tromsø in 1968. Kristiansand, Molde and Stavanger got regional colleges of higher education. Norway developed the decentralized higher education in the aspect of educational equality and also had a gender dimension.
Education
Health and care :
In 1957 health insurance was made obligatory. In 1960s was a number of hospital beds, the growth number of doctors per hospital, the high quality of medical services. In 1969 new hospital law according to which hospitals are run by the county but mainly financed via the state budget. Nursing homes for the old: mainly run by the municipalities
The driving forces and the conditions leading to Norway’s development into a welfare state.
World War II (1940-1945) German soldiers invaded Norway on 9th April 1940 and on 8th May 1945, Germany surrendered and Norway was a free country. Most people were very optimistic despite the war had destroyed both buildings and economy. Most goods were in short supply and many people experienced a difficult time. The social security system was in need to reform. People were eager to play a part in Norway’s reconstruction. The general idea was that a completely new start had to be made; society and the economy had to be restructured to assure peace, justice and security in the future. The pressure for reform were deep currents of strong social egalitarianism. Terms such as equality and equal worth became important to the people. The total influence of social democratic system by labour party’s policies: such as the industrialization increased a new places to work, in the view of full employment had made economic strength by Marshall plan which was offered by USA the ambitious programmes for house building, education, social security, welfare economic, and the reduction of different between the regions. Regional policy has therefore always been an important factor in Norwegian politics. To ensure between different parts of the country, development and settlement in rural areas, especially directed towards northern Norway. The far distances between the north and the south of the country constitute a special challenge for regional policy. Due to the revenues from its North Sea oil fields, Norway, which had adopted a Scandinavian welfare state model before the resource was exploited, has been able to bring its system of social organization to the highest level of development yet achieved in the world. It is more accurate to say the welfare state development in Norway as a continuous process.
The necessary conditions leading to Norway’s development can also be distinguised:
Crises and war : The war was a motivating force for the Welfare State. Created stronger national solidarity, Willingness of political consensus
Social democracy : Social democracy is a political ideology that emerged in the late 19th century out of the socialist movement. Unlike socialism in the Marxist sense, which aims to replace the capitalist system entirely, social democracy aims to reform capitalism in order to remove its perceived injustices[citation needed]. Social democracy once meant socialism in the strict sense achieved by democratic means. This definition rather than the modern one still appears in many dictionaries. Social democrats share many views with democratic socialists.
Economic growth :Economic growth : Form 1949 to 1973 Norway had the longest continous period of growth in modern history. This led to market improvements and increased material well-being.
Full employment : Massive build up of infrastructure and industry gave Norway many new places to work.
According to the history of Norway, I learn that the development of welfare state in Norway lead to understand Norwegian society in the aspect of social equality. Norway became a welfare society in the 1950s and 1960s. The principle of the welfare benefit and security for all and even more for social equality in a whole country. But do not forget that there was a welfare authority before there is a welfare state. The basic ideas for this were already in place before the World War II. This is to say long term state policy in different measures for Norwegian Welfare State.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
My love story in the old days
It was only one romance meomory of my entire life, and it was ten years ago. I do not think it is wrong to remind.
Today is cloudy in the sky. Therefore the sunshine is not so strong as usual. After working at the office between 8.00hrs to 17.00hrs., a lot of paper work has been done, I will not go home straight away because today the vessel Seavic Reefer has been along side Kokiang port for discharging cargo. I drive my own car to the Mv. Seavic Reefer, on the way I can see so many seafood restaurants. They are some customers in my favorite restaurant, but I suppose it will be more and more customers later on. People here in Thailand begin to have dinner from 18.00 hrs. Many people begin from 20.00hrs and finish at 24.00hrs. Can you imagine it takes 4 hours to have dinner! Good food, good drinking, good music and good service and it is not expensive. As social life, eating outside is a norm here.
Good evening Capt. How are you? I have to talk with Chief Mate and the fish owner first. You can dress up now. We can go to the restaurant at 18.00hrs. Which one would you like to go tonight? Good taste or beautiful waiter! I can call boss to join us, he can come to drink with us, but we need to have a big dinner first. I am so hungry!
Discharging frozen fish have been started from 16.30hrs. and will be finished around 24.00 early or latest 02.00 hrs. I learn that we can do discharging at night time in Thailand but can not in Singapore because of labor cost. It will be very expensive to discharge cargo in the night time in Singapore. The best way for keeping product quality to be not much defrozen, it should do in night time cool down and not strong sunshine.
Good evening Chief Mate. How are you? As schedule, discharging should be done within 4 days. This times we have quite much cargo almost full vessel capacity. Good for fish owner and good for us! Tomorrow Second Mate on duty, I will pick you up to have dinner yes of course Capt. also. Tonight only me and Capt.! No, I will call boss to join us so Capt. can not propose to me! Just joking. He has one wife and five children now. Actually he can have 3 wives more as Muslim rule. Bye bye chief, I have to talk with fish owner for a while.
At the restaurant we have fish squid shrimp and shell to dinner. I always order expensive dish for entertainment purpose and company pay. I do not mean because I do not pay so I order expensive dish. Traditionally, company should offer the best meal for entertainment. Before I did not concern about how the seafood came on to my dish. Now I can imagine a lot of process to get seafood to the restaurant and the end at the customer like me. The transportations are such as the fishery boat, the vessel, the truck. The warehouses are such as cold storage, freeze box. The man power are such as the crew of the fishery boat, the crew of the vessel, labor worker, truck driver, administration at office, sale agency, cook, waiter etc. I do a lot of paper work to operate the vessel. A vessel can go to the sea water need many certificates. Tomorrow I have to handle all paper for Seavic Reefer to go on dry dock and give the exactly appointment to the DNV surveyor go on board. I am looking forward to.:-)
Today is cloudy in the sky. Therefore the sunshine is not so strong as usual. After working at the office between 8.00hrs to 17.00hrs., a lot of paper work has been done, I will not go home straight away because today the vessel Seavic Reefer has been along side Kokiang port for discharging cargo. I drive my own car to the Mv. Seavic Reefer, on the way I can see so many seafood restaurants. They are some customers in my favorite restaurant, but I suppose it will be more and more customers later on. People here in Thailand begin to have dinner from 18.00 hrs. Many people begin from 20.00hrs and finish at 24.00hrs. Can you imagine it takes 4 hours to have dinner! Good food, good drinking, good music and good service and it is not expensive. As social life, eating outside is a norm here.
Good evening Capt. How are you? I have to talk with Chief Mate and the fish owner first. You can dress up now. We can go to the restaurant at 18.00hrs. Which one would you like to go tonight? Good taste or beautiful waiter! I can call boss to join us, he can come to drink with us, but we need to have a big dinner first. I am so hungry!
Discharging frozen fish have been started from 16.30hrs. and will be finished around 24.00 early or latest 02.00 hrs. I learn that we can do discharging at night time in Thailand but can not in Singapore because of labor cost. It will be very expensive to discharge cargo in the night time in Singapore. The best way for keeping product quality to be not much defrozen, it should do in night time cool down and not strong sunshine.
Good evening Chief Mate. How are you? As schedule, discharging should be done within 4 days. This times we have quite much cargo almost full vessel capacity. Good for fish owner and good for us! Tomorrow Second Mate on duty, I will pick you up to have dinner yes of course Capt. also. Tonight only me and Capt.! No, I will call boss to join us so Capt. can not propose to me! Just joking. He has one wife and five children now. Actually he can have 3 wives more as Muslim rule. Bye bye chief, I have to talk with fish owner for a while.
At the restaurant we have fish squid shrimp and shell to dinner. I always order expensive dish for entertainment purpose and company pay. I do not mean because I do not pay so I order expensive dish. Traditionally, company should offer the best meal for entertainment. Before I did not concern about how the seafood came on to my dish. Now I can imagine a lot of process to get seafood to the restaurant and the end at the customer like me. The transportations are such as the fishery boat, the vessel, the truck. The warehouses are such as cold storage, freeze box. The man power are such as the crew of the fishery boat, the crew of the vessel, labor worker, truck driver, administration at office, sale agency, cook, waiter etc. I do a lot of paper work to operate the vessel. A vessel can go to the sea water need many certificates. Tomorrow I have to handle all paper for Seavic Reefer to go on dry dock and give the exactly appointment to the DNV surveyor go on board. I am looking forward to.:-)
My love song memory 3
My Girl, My Woman, My Friend
When my work is through at the end of the day
There's nothing else that I'd rather do
Than to be with you at the end of the day
To be right by your side makes me feel brand new
'Cause you're my girl , my woman, my friend
And that's how it's gonna be till the end
Loving you is what I live for
And I can't ask for anything more
You're my woman, my girl, and my friend
Rolled into one
You're my man and I'm at the prime of my life
To you I give myself, all my heart
All of what I am at the prime of my life
I'll never let a thing come to break us apart
'Cause I'm your girl, your woman, and your friend
And that's how it's gonna be till the end
Loving you is what I live for
And I can't ask for anything more
Than to be your woman, your girl and your friend
Being with you, my love
Just makes my day complete
Holding you close my love
Creates a wondrous treat
No need to say the words
No fancy places for me
Love is anywhere
As long as you are there with me
We'll be free
Our love will make us free to be you and me
'Cause I'm your girl, your woman, your friend
And that's how it's gonna be till the end
Loving you is what I live for
And I can't ask for anything more
Than to be your woman, your girl and your friend
Rolled into one
'Cause I'm your girl, your woman, your friend
And that's how it's gonna be till the end
Loving you is what I live for
And I can't ask for anything more
Than to be your woman, your girl and your friend
Rolled into one
'Cause I'm your girl, your woman, and your friend
And that's how it's gonna be till the end
Loving you is what I live for
And I can't ask for anything more
Than to be your woman, your girl and your friend
Rolled into one...
My love song memory 2
Please Be Careful With My Heart
If you love me like you tell me
Please be careful with my heart
You can take it just don't break it
Or my world will fall apart
You are my first romance
And I'm willing to take a chance
That till lilfe is through
I'll still be loving you
I will be true to you
Just a promise from you will do
From the very start
Please be careful with my heart
I love you and you know I do
There'll be no one else for me
Promise I'll be always true
For the world and all to see
Love has heard some lies softly spoken
And I have had my heart badly broken
I've been burned and I've been hurt before
So I know just how you feel
Trust my love is real for you
I'll be gentle with your heart
I'll caress it like the morning dew
I'll be right beside you forever
I won't let our world fall apart
From the very start I'll be careful with your heart
You are my first (and you are my last) romance
And I'm willing to take a chance (I've learned from the past)
That til life is through, I'll still be loving you
I will be true to you (only to you)
Just a promise from you will do
From the very start (from the very start)
From the very start (from the very start)
Please be careful with...(I'll be careful with...)
(your) (my) heart....
My love song memory 1
Artist: Jose Mari Chan
Song: First Romance
Album:
[" " CD]
If you love me like you tell me
Please be careful with my heart
You can take it, just dont break it
or my world will fall apart
You are my first romance
And I´m willing to take a chance
That 'til life is through
I'd still be loving you
I will be true to you
Just a promise from you will do
From the very start please be careful with my heart.
I love you and you know I do
There´ll be no one else for me
I promise i be always true
For the world and all to see
Love has hurt, some lies softly spoken
And i have had my heart badly broken
I´ve been burned and i´ve been hurt before
So i know just how you feel
Trust my love is real for you
I´ll be gentle with your heart, I´ll caress it like the morning dew
I´ll be right beside you forever, I wont let our world fall apart
From the very start, i´ll be careful with your heart
You are my first romance(and you are my last)
and i´m willing to take a chance (i think on the past)
That till life is through (i still be loving you)
i will be true to you (i will be true)
just a promise from you will do (only will do)
from the very start(5x)
please be careful with... (i´ll be careful with..)
my heart (your heart)
Friday, August 03, 2007
Social equality
Give an account of the concept “social equality”
Social equality is a social of affairs in which certain different people have the same status in a certain respect, at the very least in voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, the extent of property rights as well as the access to education, health care and other social securities.
There are different forms of equality, depending on the persons and social situations in question. For example, one may consider equality of the sexes opportunities for employment people in question are men and women (contrasted) and the social situation is the search for a job. As another example, equal opportunity refers to the idea that all people should start out in life from the same platform (i.e. all should have equal opportunities in life, regardless of where they were born or who their parents were) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_equality/ref>This concept is quite in general term for the state as a provider for equal rights and seen as a part of democracy process. I think this one can give an account of the concept “social equality” by the way.
In order to discuss different measures applied in Norwegian Welfare State, the concept of social equality has to focus to Norwegian society . The concept “social equality” in the Norwegian’s characteristic according to Gullestad (1992),“Norwegian notions of equality is a specific emphasis on defining equality as similarity or sameness in every concrete ways” (p100) The notion of equality as sameness is two different models of social relationships. One called an egalitarian conception the other is hierarchical models of society. (p106)
The mentioned concept above is confirmed that Norway culture is characterized by a commitment to social equality. This has reduced the relative gap between men and women in this country : As many women as men have higher education, as many women as men in paid work. Social equality is as value, in all aspect of life, for example egalitarian values and the individual. Norway is often presented as being one of the most homogeneous nation state in Europe. Norway has been had the least violence both individual and collective in the world. Norway has been researched by United Nations the best living land for woman in the world. Norwegian has the highest standard of living in the world. Why does Norway get credits like this?
The answer is Norway has high level of social equality and Norwegian Welfare State policy. Norway has long term state policy and encourage policy. If people get more economic support from the state, it points that crime will be less. If the position of women is in particular focus in society, it is of course that society will be the best place for women to live. If people have a good quality of life in every ways, it means the same as people have high standard of living.
According to nowadays of the Norwegian society basis on their statistics and analyses indicate how women and men live in Norway today.
Roughly as many women as men have higher education. But women and men's choice of studies follows traditional patterns. While women tend to choose teaching, health and care services, men tend to choose technical subjects and natural sciences.
From the mid-1970s, the employment level for women has increased dramatically. Today there are almost as many women as men in paid work. However, there are still clear distinctions between female and male occupations, and women are much more likely to work part-time than men.
Although more women are becoming managers, only 1 out of 10 executive managers are women. Women manifest themselves most frequently among the middle managers, particularly in teaching, health and social services.
Women's average monthly pay was 84, 5 per cent of men's in 2004. The differences in pay vary considerably according to industry, educational background and age.
In line with increasing education and employment levels from the mid-1960s, women are having children later in life. Since 1986 and until today the average age at first birth has increased from 25 to 28 years.
Women spend less time and men spend more time on domestic work today than at the beginning of the 1970s. But women still spend most time on domestic work. http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/00/02/10/likestilling_en/ref> This may be not yet reached to the ideal, but the significant level of social equality in gender aspect in Norwegian society has been developed more and more.
According to the history of Norway, I learn that Norwegian has had the idea of equality in their society for a long time.
As Norway was the poorest country in Europe and Norway was in a union with Denmark 1380-1814 (434 years) then with Sweden 1814-1905 (91 years). Moreover Norwegian’s noble families moved to live in Sweden or Denmark. In 14th and 15th centuries particularly, Norway was several times under disputes over throne and power, this causing sometimes high nobles of rival camp, especially of the losing camp to emigrate. For example, the neighboring Sweden received several heirs of Norway's highest nobility. Norwegian-rooted families settled in Copenhagen region, their ancestral possessions in Norway became unimportant. After independence the creation of new noble titles was forbidden in the Constitution of Norway of 1814, and the last legal privileges were dissolved by Act of Parliament in 1821. This is to say that people in Norway had been in the society which had not political independence and they had not good economy. They had equal social status as a background.
Norway had in 1814 gained a partial independence in a personal union with the dominant kingdom of Sweden. Norwegian romantic nationalism was a movement in Norway between 1840 and 1867 in art, literature, and popular culture that emphasized the aesthetics of Norwegian nature and the uniqueness of the Norwegian national identity. After Norway was independent from Sweden in 1905, the nationalization was an important policy of the country. The “nationalization” of welfare benefits meant that in many cases . From 1930, the tax equalization system had signalled and supported the principle of regional equality. This is to say that nationalization policy was on the equalization measures.
Norway was occupied by Germany from 1940 to 1945. Germany surrendered and Norway was once again a free country on 8th May 1945. After 1945, the reconstruction of the country began. Both production and exports increased, and the merchant fleet was built up again. Even though the wages were not high, many people found work. Most people were very optimistic and many were eager to play a part in Norway’s reconstruction. Norway’s economy gradually improved. In the decades after the war a number of reforms were introduced that would improve the lives of everybody. Working hours got shorter , and holidays longer. Terms such as equality and equal worth became important to the people. In 1967, the National Insurance Act was introduced. This act was intended to ensure financial security for all citizens, including the old and the sick. The country is recently industrialized and urbanized particularly after World War II. This is to say that reconstruction by improving for everybody was the idea of equality.
Norway developed in to a rich industrialized welfare state. In 1966 oil prospecting began in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. In 1969 oil was found. In 1970s international economic problem of early 1970 not a period of significant welfare cuts in Norway. The Welfare State continued to expand under a relatively favourable state economy. The late 1970s were marked by the state taking the oil money in advance. According to Stenersen and Libræ (2003)“The value of crude oil and gas production increased rapidly. In 1990 Norway overtook Britain as Europe’s largest oil producer, and by the mid-1990s Norway had become the second largest oil exporter in the world after Saudi-Arabia” Norway now is an oil producer, or oil nation. This is to say that Norway has had money and has tried to share to everybody by welfare state system.
The Norwegian Welfare State
There are three main interpretations of the idea of a welfare state:
the provision of welfare services by the state.
an ideal model in which the state assumes primary responsibility for the welfare of its citizen. This responsibility is comprehensive, because all aspects of welfare are considered; a "safety net" is not enough, nor are minimum standards. It is universal, because it covers every person as a matter of right.
the provision of welfare in society. In many "welfare states", especially in continental Europe, welfare is not actually provided by the state, but by a combination of independent, voluntary, mutualist and government services. The functional provider of benefits and services may be a central or state government, a state-sponsored company or agency, a private corporation, a chairy or another form of non-profit organisation.http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Welfare_state/ref>
The main idea is as a model for general welfare state. I think this one can give a basic of welfare state explanation.
Norway is characterized by having a relatively large public sector. This is due to after World War II development of a welfare state, a policy put forward. As the functional scope of the welfare state has increased, the provision of welfare services have been connected to processes of decentralization from central to local levels of government. Decentralization is a method for a social equality and a fair distribution of costs and benefits. Norway is a large and sparsely populated country. Regional policy has therefore always been an important factor in Norwegian politics. To ensure between different parts of the country, development and settlement in rural areas, especially directed towards northern Norway. The far distances between the north and the south of the country constitute a special challenge for regional policy. Norwegian model of local government represents two equally important dimensions: Local Government being both a vital service provider and an important local democratic institution. This is to say that decentralization to local government and local democratic institution is one of the main measures of the Norwegian Welfare State.
According to the history of Norway, I learn that the development of welfare state in Norway lead to understand Norwegian society in the aspect of social equality. Norway became a welfare society in the 1950s and 1960s. The principle of the welfare benefit and security for all and even more for social equality in a whole country. But do not forget that there was a welfare authority before there is a welfare state. The basic ideas for this were already in place before the World War II. This is to say long term state policy in different measures for Norwegian Welfare State:
The equalization of the incomes
In 1935-1950 the gap was narrowed between the incomes of industrial workers and white-collar worker.
Housing
In 1940s-1950s Co-operative housing was given a high priority by the authorities. The National Housing Bank was set up in 1946. It was the most important instrument in the government’s policy of building new houses. The bank gave cheap loans with long repayment terms.
Education
In 1944-1948 the large number of children was born and need places in the primary schools in the 1950s and the university and colleges in 1960s. Urbanization increased the need for new school building. The society’s need for a well-education labour caused to the education explosion. Both of private and public need more specialist skills. In 1947 the state set up the department that provided cheap loans for pupils in compulsory school and for students in university or college. The state got three new university Bergen 1946, Trondheim and Tromsø in 1968. Kristiansand, Molde and Stavanger got regional colleges of higher education. Norway developed the decentralized higher education in the aspect of educational equality and also had a gender dimension.
Social benefits
and moved to institutionally provision of services. Universal benefits should be for all to get the certain standard conditions; in 1958 child allowance, in 1961 disability allowance and rehabilitation support, in1965 single mothers’ benefits. In 1957 the principle of universality was carried through when health insurance was made obligatory. In 1960 the work related benefits. In 1971 a new administrative system “Folketrygden” was set up. All above mentioned benefit were co-ordinated through this system. All these benefits led to a more egalitarian society. In 1960s was a number of hospital beds, the growth number of doctors per hospital, the high quality of medical services. Women in paid employment also stimulated the development of kindergartens.
Equality and the regions
In 1952 the first major initiative was the Northern Norway Plan. A development bank of north of Norway was created. A company’s own investments in the area were tax-deductible. There were some of improvement communications, expanding power supplies and development vocational training. The region’s share of the national product increased slightly. Many new jobs in both industry and services were created. The contemporary view that the Northern Norway Plan had been a success was important for the continuation of regional policy at the beginning for the 1960s. The equalization at the regional level was extended by using tax equalization system (Denters, Bas and Lawrence E. Rose : 1995)
In order to attain and maintain gender equality
Gender equality means men and women having the same rights and obligations, and everyone having the same opportunities in society. Gender equality is also about justice and about sharing responsibilities, both in the family and society.
According to nowadays of the Norwegian society basis on their statistics and analyses indicate how to depict gender equality in Norway today.
In the gender equality index we try to combine various direct and indirect measurements of gender equality that show the extent to which women and men participate in politics, education and working life.
The indicators are:
Kindergarten coverage for children aged 1-5 (2004)
Number of women per 100 men aged 20-39 (2004)
Education levels for women and men (2004)
Labour force participation for women and men (2004)
Income for women and men (2003)
Percentage of female municipal council members (2003) http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/00/02/10/likekom_enref>/ This is to continue to carry out all above indicators to meet gender equality by securing equal opportunity and equal treatment in employment, supporting men and women in harmonizing their working lives with home and community lives, eliminating all forms of violence against women, respecting the human rights of women, supporting life-long health for women, promoting gender equality and making possible a diversity of choices through improved education and learning
Norway has special institutional and cultural characteristics that may account for this gender equality. In the Norwegian Welfare State can provide a strong institution. I can present an example institution named “The Centre for Gender Equality” This institution has been established in Norway for a number of years. As hereunder information can present how Norway attain and maintain gender equality.
“In 1972 The Equal Status Council replaced the Equal Pay Council, and it was given a broad mandate. In August 1997 the Equal Status Council was reorganised again to the Centre for Gender Equality.
Centre for Gender Equality shall work for real equality between women and men in all areas of society. The Centre for Gender Equality is a government office that functions as an independent body.
Working platform for the Centre for Gender Equality
Women and men shall have equal rights, duties and opportunities in all areas of society. Gender equality is about justice. Gender equality is about, among other things, the equal distribution of power and the right to influence, the equal sharing of responsibilities and burdens, the equal rewarding of effort and work, and the right to a life free from assault and violence. Gender equality has to do with respect for the human dignity of both women and men.
The Centre for Gender Equality shall:
Follow-up on developments in society and identify and reveal those conditions in society that work against achieving gender equality
Function as the driving force in gender equality related issues
Participate actively in the general public debate
Function as a focal point for co-operation between organisations and services that work with promoting gender equality
Carry out development work and produce reports in the area of gender equality Function as a meeting place and an information centre for the public at large”
According to the history of Norway, in 1970s much more active public policy in support of improved gender equality. The Norwegian Gender Equality Act was passed in 1978. It is intended to ensure that men and women are treated equally. The act is important for both sexes, though it is the position of women that is in particular focus. Women fought for equality for many years before the Norwegian Gender Equality Act was passed. Women won inheritance rights equal to men’s in 1854, and unmarried women won the right to be considered independent adults in 1864. Married women did not win this right until 1888. This meant they now had control over what was done with their own assets. The Norwegian Association for Women's Rights was founded in 1884. Its members were both women and men. Towards the end of the 1800s, women won new opportunities in education and their choice of professions. Women won the right to work as teachers in 1870. Society was changing quickly at this time and there was a big demand for new labour. Many women started to work in telegraph services or telephone switchboards. Both of these were workplaces based on new technology. Many of the new women’s professions required training. The new opportunities were primarily of importance to middle class women. Working class women had long worked in factories. Around 1/3 of all women of working age were in paid work by the end of the 1800s. Most of them were young and unmarried.
Gender equality in Norway present by the year:
1854 Women won inheritance rights equal to men’s.
1864 Unmarried women won the right to be considered independent adults.
1870 Women won the right to work as teachers.
1888 Married women won the right to be considered independent adults.
1978 The Norwegian Gender Equality Act was passed.
1910 Women won the right to vote in local authority elections.
1911 First female deputy member in the Storting (Anna Rogstad)
1913 Women won the universal right to vote on the same terms as men.
1922 First female member of the Storting (Karen Platou)
1945 First female cabinet minister (Kirsten Hansteen)
1961 First female vicar (Ingrid Bjerkås)
1968 First female Supreme Court judge (Lilly Bølviken)
1974 First female chief administrative officer of a county (Ebba Lodden)
1978 First female gender equality ombud (Eva Kolstad)
1981 First female Prime Minister (Gro Harlem Brundtland)
1993 First female parliamentary president - the speaker
In the term of social equality is an egalitarian conception, one of the main measures by decentralization to local government and local democratic institution, strong rich welfare state, and carry out equalization of the incomes, education, social benefits and regions which can maintain gender equality in the totally Norwegian Society. The successfully result is in the early twentieth century women activists emphasized control over reproduction as the main policy to achieve social equality for women. In 1994 women in Norway are the strongest supporters of the welfare state. Women are also more likely than men to find employment within the welfare sector. This may be the second female Prime Minister in Norway is coming soon.
Social equality is a social of affairs in which certain different people have the same status in a certain respect, at the very least in voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, the extent of property rights as well as the access to education, health care and other social securities.
There are different forms of equality, depending on the persons and social situations in question. For example, one may consider equality of the sexes opportunities for employment people in question are men and women (contrasted) and the social situation is the search for a job. As another example, equal opportunity refers to the idea that all people should start out in life from the same platform (i.e. all should have equal opportunities in life, regardless of where they were born or who their parents were) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_equality/ref>This concept is quite in general term for the state as a provider for equal rights and seen as a part of democracy process. I think this one can give an account of the concept “social equality” by the way.
In order to discuss different measures applied in Norwegian Welfare State, the concept of social equality has to focus to Norwegian society . The concept “social equality” in the Norwegian’s characteristic according to Gullestad (1992),“Norwegian notions of equality is a specific emphasis on defining equality as similarity or sameness in every concrete ways” (p100) The notion of equality as sameness is two different models of social relationships. One called an egalitarian conception the other is hierarchical models of society. (p106)
The mentioned concept above is confirmed that Norway culture is characterized by a commitment to social equality. This has reduced the relative gap between men and women in this country : As many women as men have higher education, as many women as men in paid work. Social equality is as value, in all aspect of life, for example egalitarian values and the individual. Norway is often presented as being one of the most homogeneous nation state in Europe. Norway has been had the least violence both individual and collective in the world. Norway has been researched by United Nations the best living land for woman in the world. Norwegian has the highest standard of living in the world. Why does Norway get credits like this?
The answer is Norway has high level of social equality and Norwegian Welfare State policy. Norway has long term state policy and encourage policy. If people get more economic support from the state, it points that crime will be less. If the position of women is in particular focus in society, it is of course that society will be the best place for women to live. If people have a good quality of life in every ways, it means the same as people have high standard of living.
According to nowadays of the Norwegian society basis on their statistics and analyses indicate how women and men live in Norway today.
Roughly as many women as men have higher education. But women and men's choice of studies follows traditional patterns. While women tend to choose teaching, health and care services, men tend to choose technical subjects and natural sciences.
From the mid-1970s, the employment level for women has increased dramatically. Today there are almost as many women as men in paid work. However, there are still clear distinctions between female and male occupations, and women are much more likely to work part-time than men.
Although more women are becoming managers, only 1 out of 10 executive managers are women. Women manifest themselves most frequently among the middle managers, particularly in teaching, health and social services.
Women's average monthly pay was 84, 5 per cent of men's in 2004. The differences in pay vary considerably according to industry, educational background and age.
In line with increasing education and employment levels from the mid-1960s, women are having children later in life. Since 1986 and until today the average age at first birth has increased from 25 to 28 years.
Women spend less time and men spend more time on domestic work today than at the beginning of the 1970s. But women still spend most time on domestic work. http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/00/02/10/likestilling_en/ref> This may be not yet reached to the ideal, but the significant level of social equality in gender aspect in Norwegian society has been developed more and more.
According to the history of Norway, I learn that Norwegian has had the idea of equality in their society for a long time.
As Norway was the poorest country in Europe and Norway was in a union with Denmark 1380-1814 (434 years) then with Sweden 1814-1905 (91 years). Moreover Norwegian’s noble families moved to live in Sweden or Denmark. In 14th and 15th centuries particularly, Norway was several times under disputes over throne and power, this causing sometimes high nobles of rival camp, especially of the losing camp to emigrate. For example, the neighboring Sweden received several heirs of Norway's highest nobility. Norwegian-rooted families settled in Copenhagen region, their ancestral possessions in Norway became unimportant. After independence the creation of new noble titles was forbidden in the Constitution of Norway of 1814, and the last legal privileges were dissolved by Act of Parliament in 1821. This is to say that people in Norway had been in the society which had not political independence and they had not good economy. They had equal social status as a background.
Norway had in 1814 gained a partial independence in a personal union with the dominant kingdom of Sweden. Norwegian romantic nationalism was a movement in Norway between 1840 and 1867 in art, literature, and popular culture that emphasized the aesthetics of Norwegian nature and the uniqueness of the Norwegian national identity. After Norway was independent from Sweden in 1905, the nationalization was an important policy of the country. The “nationalization” of welfare benefits meant that in many cases . From 1930, the tax equalization system had signalled and supported the principle of regional equality. This is to say that nationalization policy was on the equalization measures.
Norway was occupied by Germany from 1940 to 1945. Germany surrendered and Norway was once again a free country on 8th May 1945. After 1945, the reconstruction of the country began. Both production and exports increased, and the merchant fleet was built up again. Even though the wages were not high, many people found work. Most people were very optimistic and many were eager to play a part in Norway’s reconstruction. Norway’s economy gradually improved. In the decades after the war a number of reforms were introduced that would improve the lives of everybody. Working hours got shorter , and holidays longer. Terms such as equality and equal worth became important to the people. In 1967, the National Insurance Act was introduced. This act was intended to ensure financial security for all citizens, including the old and the sick. The country is recently industrialized and urbanized particularly after World War II. This is to say that reconstruction by improving for everybody was the idea of equality.
Norway developed in to a rich industrialized welfare state. In 1966 oil prospecting began in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. In 1969 oil was found. In 1970s international economic problem of early 1970 not a period of significant welfare cuts in Norway. The Welfare State continued to expand under a relatively favourable state economy. The late 1970s were marked by the state taking the oil money in advance. According to Stenersen and Libræ (2003)“The value of crude oil and gas production increased rapidly. In 1990 Norway overtook Britain as Europe’s largest oil producer, and by the mid-1990s Norway had become the second largest oil exporter in the world after Saudi-Arabia” Norway now is an oil producer, or oil nation. This is to say that Norway has had money and has tried to share to everybody by welfare state system.
The Norwegian Welfare State
There are three main interpretations of the idea of a welfare state:
the provision of welfare services by the state.
an ideal model in which the state assumes primary responsibility for the welfare of its citizen. This responsibility is comprehensive, because all aspects of welfare are considered; a "safety net" is not enough, nor are minimum standards. It is universal, because it covers every person as a matter of right.
the provision of welfare in society. In many "welfare states", especially in continental Europe, welfare is not actually provided by the state, but by a combination of independent, voluntary, mutualist and government services. The functional provider of benefits and services may be a central or state government, a state-sponsored company or agency, a private corporation, a chairy or another form of non-profit organisation.
The main idea is as a model for general welfare state. I think this one can give a basic of welfare state explanation.
Norway is characterized by having a relatively large public sector. This is due to after World War II development of a welfare state, a policy put forward. As the functional scope of the welfare state has increased, the provision of welfare services have been connected to processes of decentralization from central to local levels of government. Decentralization is a method for a social equality and a fair distribution of costs and benefits. Norway is a large and sparsely populated country. Regional policy has therefore always been an important factor in Norwegian politics. To ensure between different parts of the country, development and settlement in rural areas, especially directed towards northern Norway. The far distances between the north and the south of the country constitute a special challenge for regional policy. Norwegian model of local government represents two equally important dimensions: Local Government being both a vital service provider and an important local democratic institution. This is to say that decentralization to local government and local democratic institution is one of the main measures of the Norwegian Welfare State.
According to the history of Norway, I learn that the development of welfare state in Norway lead to understand Norwegian society in the aspect of social equality. Norway became a welfare society in the 1950s and 1960s. The principle of the welfare benefit and security for all and even more for social equality in a whole country. But do not forget that there was a welfare authority before there is a welfare state. The basic ideas for this were already in place before the World War II. This is to say long term state policy in different measures for Norwegian Welfare State:
The equalization of the incomes
In 1935-1950 the gap was narrowed between the incomes of industrial workers and white-collar worker.
Housing
In 1940s-1950s Co-operative housing was given a high priority by the authorities. The National Housing Bank was set up in 1946. It was the most important instrument in the government’s policy of building new houses. The bank gave cheap loans with long repayment terms.
Education
In 1944-1948 the large number of children was born and need places in the primary schools in the 1950s and the university and colleges in 1960s. Urbanization increased the need for new school building. The society’s need for a well-education labour caused to the education explosion. Both of private and public need more specialist skills. In 1947 the state set up the department that provided cheap loans for pupils in compulsory school and for students in university or college. The state got three new university Bergen 1946, Trondheim and Tromsø in 1968. Kristiansand, Molde and Stavanger got regional colleges of higher education. Norway developed the decentralized higher education in the aspect of educational equality and also had a gender dimension.
Social benefits
and moved to institutionally provision of services. Universal benefits should be for all to get the certain standard conditions; in 1958 child allowance, in 1961 disability allowance and rehabilitation support, in1965 single mothers’ benefits. In 1957 the principle of universality was carried through when health insurance was made obligatory. In 1960 the work related benefits. In 1971 a new administrative system “Folketrygden” was set up. All above mentioned benefit were co-ordinated through this system. All these benefits led to a more egalitarian society. In 1960s was a number of hospital beds, the growth number of doctors per hospital, the high quality of medical services. Women in paid employment also stimulated the development of kindergartens.
Equality and the regions
In 1952 the first major initiative was the Northern Norway Plan. A development bank of north of Norway was created. A company’s own investments in the area were tax-deductible. There were some of improvement communications, expanding power supplies and development vocational training. The region’s share of the national product increased slightly. Many new jobs in both industry and services were created. The contemporary view that the Northern Norway Plan had been a success was important for the continuation of regional policy at the beginning for the 1960s. The equalization at the regional level was extended by using tax equalization system (Denters, Bas and Lawrence E. Rose : 1995)
In order to attain and maintain gender equality
Gender equality means men and women having the same rights and obligations, and everyone having the same opportunities in society. Gender equality is also about justice and about sharing responsibilities, both in the family and society.
According to nowadays of the Norwegian society basis on their statistics and analyses indicate how to depict gender equality in Norway today.
In the gender equality index we try to combine various direct and indirect measurements of gender equality that show the extent to which women and men participate in politics, education and working life.
The indicators are:
Kindergarten coverage for children aged 1-5 (2004)
Number of women per 100 men aged 20-39 (2004)
Education levels for women and men (2004)
Labour force participation for women and men (2004)
Income for women and men (2003)
Percentage of female municipal council members (2003) http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/00/02/10/likekom_enref>/ This is to continue to carry out all above indicators to meet gender equality by securing equal opportunity and equal treatment in employment, supporting men and women in harmonizing their working lives with home and community lives, eliminating all forms of violence against women, respecting the human rights of women, supporting life-long health for women, promoting gender equality and making possible a diversity of choices through improved education and learning
Norway has special institutional and cultural characteristics that may account for this gender equality. In the Norwegian Welfare State can provide a strong institution. I can present an example institution named “The Centre for Gender Equality” This institution has been established in Norway for a number of years. As hereunder information can present how Norway attain and maintain gender equality.
“In 1972 The Equal Status Council replaced the Equal Pay Council, and it was given a broad mandate. In August 1997 the Equal Status Council was reorganised again to the Centre for Gender Equality.
Centre for Gender Equality shall work for real equality between women and men in all areas of society. The Centre for Gender Equality is a government office that functions as an independent body.
Working platform for the Centre for Gender Equality
Women and men shall have equal rights, duties and opportunities in all areas of society. Gender equality is about justice. Gender equality is about, among other things, the equal distribution of power and the right to influence, the equal sharing of responsibilities and burdens, the equal rewarding of effort and work, and the right to a life free from assault and violence. Gender equality has to do with respect for the human dignity of both women and men.
The Centre for Gender Equality shall:
Follow-up on developments in society and identify and reveal those conditions in society that work against achieving gender equality
Function as the driving force in gender equality related issues
Participate actively in the general public debate
Function as a focal point for co-operation between organisations and services that work with promoting gender equality
Carry out development work and produce reports in the area of gender equality Function as a meeting place and an information centre for the public at large”
According to the history of Norway, in 1970s much more active public policy in support of improved gender equality. The Norwegian Gender Equality Act was passed in 1978. It is intended to ensure that men and women are treated equally. The act is important for both sexes, though it is the position of women that is in particular focus. Women fought for equality for many years before the Norwegian Gender Equality Act was passed. Women won inheritance rights equal to men’s in 1854, and unmarried women won the right to be considered independent adults in 1864. Married women did not win this right until 1888. This meant they now had control over what was done with their own assets. The Norwegian Association for Women's Rights was founded in 1884. Its members were both women and men. Towards the end of the 1800s, women won new opportunities in education and their choice of professions. Women won the right to work as teachers in 1870. Society was changing quickly at this time and there was a big demand for new labour. Many women started to work in telegraph services or telephone switchboards. Both of these were workplaces based on new technology. Many of the new women’s professions required training. The new opportunities were primarily of importance to middle class women. Working class women had long worked in factories. Around 1/3 of all women of working age were in paid work by the end of the 1800s. Most of them were young and unmarried.
Gender equality in Norway present by the year:
1854 Women won inheritance rights equal to men’s.
1864 Unmarried women won the right to be considered independent adults.
1870 Women won the right to work as teachers.
1888 Married women won the right to be considered independent adults.
1978 The Norwegian Gender Equality Act was passed.
1910 Women won the right to vote in local authority elections.
1911 First female deputy member in the Storting (Anna Rogstad)
1913 Women won the universal right to vote on the same terms as men.
1922 First female member of the Storting (Karen Platou)
1945 First female cabinet minister (Kirsten Hansteen)
1961 First female vicar (Ingrid Bjerkås)
1968 First female Supreme Court judge (Lilly Bølviken)
1974 First female chief administrative officer of a county (Ebba Lodden)
1978 First female gender equality ombud (Eva Kolstad)
1981 First female Prime Minister (Gro Harlem Brundtland)
1993 First female parliamentary president - the speaker
In the term of social equality is an egalitarian conception, one of the main measures by decentralization to local government and local democratic institution, strong rich welfare state, and carry out equalization of the incomes, education, social benefits and regions which can maintain gender equality in the totally Norwegian Society. The successfully result is in the early twentieth century women activists emphasized control over reproduction as the main policy to achieve social equality for women. In 1994 women in Norway are the strongest supporters of the welfare state. Women are also more likely than men to find employment within the welfare sector. This may be the second female Prime Minister in Norway is coming soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
