Changes in UK Labour Productivity: Analysis

Changes in UK Labour Productivity: Analysis Introduction The Agents’ scores for capacity constraints: The series of scores inside the Agents’ Summary of Business Conditions, which is generated by 12 regional officies (Agencies), is a tool for Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to track the underlying trend in economic factors. The Agents in each region gather the information on economic conditions from their contacts, then judge what value to score subjectively. The scores are the simple way that Agents alter the intelligence they gathered before into a quantitative assessment of the economy over time (Colin Ellis, Tim Pike, 2005). Figure 1: Capacity Constraints Scores in Agents Summary of Business Conditions from Jan, 1998 to Sept, 2014 (Source: Bank of England) Most of the scores are based on a comparison of recent months with the same period a year earlier, however, there are some exceptions like employment intentions or capacity constraints, which are looking forward. The scores range from -5 to +5 with -5 is denoted that rapidly decreasing level and +5 is rapidly growth. In this case, a positive score in Capacity Constraints means that companies face with a little or no pressure on capacity demand and vice versa. In the chart above, it can be seen that there are two downward sloping periods between 2009 and 2013 when were the double-dip recession occurred in the UK. The trend also illustrates an improving progress within a year recently, with a rise of 0.6 points on both sectors. The UK productivity puzzle Productivity experience in cross-country and historical views: The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2007-2008 has caused a significant damage to the economy of most developed countries in the world, including the UK. The decline in output has led to a considerable decline in labor productivity in the UK. Labor productivity has been improving from 2013, but it still be less than its pre-crisis level of around 16% (see Figure 2 below). This shortfall can be referred as the â€Å"UK productivity puzzle and it has took a great effort from economists in order to explain the situations, however, it has yet to be answered completely so far. Figure 2: The UK Labour Productivity (1998-2013). Sources: Moneymovesmarket.com It can be seen from figure 3 that a weaker performance in labour productivity during the latest recession than all previous post-war recessions. In all recessions before, the first fall in productivity was usually short-lived and the productivity began to increase and regained its peak level after just only almost a year and a half. Figure 3: Productivity per person after UK recessions (Source: Office for National Statistics) However, this latest episode did not see the same stories as its two previous. Between early 2009 and mid-2010, the productivity made a rise of of approximately one percent and continually levelled off and it did not rise further over the next year as both output and employment saw really slow recoveries.At the time of Q3/2011, the employment was rising sharply while the growth of GDP has shrinked (see Appendix), therefore creating a renew decrease in labour productivity. As a result, the UK productivity still be underneath its pre-recession peak around 4 percent. One remarkable point is that the increasing employment and the weak labour productivity seem to be an odd thing to see among the GFC. If the business is expected to stay weak typical companies will shed labour to boost productivity up. The productivity weakness of the UK is also unusual when comparing with some international stories for recent years. Despite their increasing growth before the GFC, it has been significantly weaker than some high-income countries’ economy. Looking at figure 4, it is easily seen that the UK productivity performance was consistent with that of other countries suggests that some common factors might be involved.Nevertheless, as mentioned above, there has been a downward slope in UK productivity in mid-2011 which was not encountered to the same level elsewhere.The weak productivity of Germany is due to the unusual strong employment referred to the past. One additional point is that only Italy has the similar trend with the UK, showing the impact of GFC on their labour productivity. There are some reasons why these comparison might exaggerate the productivity puzzle’s size. Measurement inaccuracy could take account for a very small piece of productivity weakness. Moreover, expenditure on research and development (RD) is considered as a part of GDP, therefore GDP can be lifted by around 1.5% points. Another reason here is that the decrease in North Sea oil and gas output (see Appendix) slowed trend growth in labour productivity in this sector. In total, although the measurement issues can explain up to 4% point of the shortfall in productivity there are lots of things to research the remaining. Figure 4: Labour productivity per person across countries between 1999 and 2013 Source: Thomson Reuters Datastream, Eurostat and ONS Cyclical explanations on productivity shortfall Lower factor utilisation as a result of weak demand conditions The first hypothesis suggests that weakness in productivity is cyclical in nature, driven by weak demand conditions. Firms are unable or unwilling to shed labour or dispose of capital but sometimes, they are not as productive as they might have been. The difference between the lower utilisation level and more normal levels of capacity utilisation is called â€Å"spare capacity within firms†. The first reason for this hypothesis is that they need to keep business going by holding a minimum level of staffs, so-called ‘overhead labour’. Therefore, some firms might not have been able to cut employment below the minimum base, like the guards for the construction until it is sold, for example. Anothing reason should be remarked here is that companies believe the weak demand is temporary. In past experiences, companies made decisions to having fired workers in the early stages of the recession. Conversely, they found it hard to find workers with the appropriate, firm-specific skills. Thus, they missed the opportunities to make a breakthrough on the market. Recently, companies might desire to ‘hoard’ underutilised workers to avoid those lessons from the past. From 2007 to 2012, the proportion of reduced output companies but holding employment rose from about 20 percent than the pre-crisis period (see figure 5). It also suggests that these holding action of firms contributed to the decrease in productivity measured, shown by the diamonds in the chart. Figure 5: Proportion of reduced output firms but holding labour (from 2005-2012). Source: ONS and Bank calculations Spare capacity is measured in the business survey that provide a significant degree of idle capacity within companies in the initial stages of the crisis. However, this business survey just uses the qualitative methods, thus it did not capture the amount of spare capacity in each firm. One additional thing is all answers are subjective so it can be changed over time. It might take no effect on the size of the UK productivity puzzle. Other cyclical factors Some sectors had diverted the resources toward activities which is not immediately counted as output. Consequently, it cannot tribute to the total productivity. In contrast, there are some point which indicated that the cyclical hypothesis alone cannot fully explain the productivity puzzle. Effect of persistent factors on productivity puzzle Tangible and intangible capital investment effects on the shortfall The consequences of the GFC made the firms’ desire in investment in physical capital more difficult because the tighter credit conditions may lead to a higher cost to obtain finance. The stagnated situation in this period also made investments become less efficient, causing directly the material deterioration in the capital stock of worker. Moreover, a considerable fall in real wages during the crisis (see Appendix) while the cost of capital went up have led the relative cost of labour to capital to be decreasing. Hence, it have provided a motivation to switch to use labor-intensive business and companies decided to increase the labour working hours. However, the production output did not go up due to the low demand conditions, therefore the productivity has been decreased. Firms also invest in ‘intangible capital’ which include some types like intellectual property rights or brand names, etc. One main point here is the strong relationship between two types of capital investment mentioned above. For example, the innovated implementation can be processed alongside the introduction of plants and machinery. However, RD expense is considered as the innovation input; that means even though firms have invest a huge amount of money but without new valuable output, which are some types of product or process innovation, there will be an inverse impact on the productivity. According to the data of the UK Innovation Survey, there has been a fall of about 30% in both product and process innovation among the crisis despite an increasing trend in spending budget on RD (see figure †¦). These capital channels have explained a considerable proportion, about 3 to 4 percentage points, of the shortfall in the UK. Impaired resource allocation and the higher firm survival Figure 6: Decomposition of the UK Labour Productivity (2004-2012). Source: ONS and Bank calculations. Looking at the graph above, it is seen that there is a downward sloping trend in the contribution from reallocation, as a result of higher insolvencies or firing behavior (Riley et al, 2014), and its contribution decreased even further, becoming minor between 2010 and 2012. As mentioned above, uncertainty have made firms more wary when investing and labour reallocation. Moreover, the financial system have played a role to have impaired the movement of resources through two channels: impaired capital allocation and higher firm survival. Broadbent (2012, 2013) declares that considerable changes in rates of return on capital across sectors might not be associated with the following movements of capital stocks. In addition, Barnett et al (2014b) highlight an economic model with multiple firms and sectors to analyse that a high price dispersion might be used to explain the productivity loss with around 3 to 4 percentage point. According to Arrowsmith et al (2013), there has been a bank forbearance which provide the measures of support to firms struggling to meet its debt obligations. Although the direct impact have been a little at around one percentage point, the overall impact might have been greater because the widespread effect of the forbearance in the whole sector. Moreover, Arrowsmith et al (2013) indicated that the low level of Bank rate has supported to retain the borrowing costs for firms fairly low. The unusually low rate of firm collapse is to have lowered labour productivity by up to 5 percentage points. Relationship between the labour productivity and monetary policy decision The outlook for inflation in the medium-term depends on the balance of demand and supply in the economy. In theory, if supply is greater than the goods and services that people demand, prices will tend to fall and vice versa. Hence, the MPC should make an assessment about up-to-date indicators and prediction in supply, as well as demand. In recessions, demand typically falls by more than supply. An output gap opens up – the economy can supply more than is currently demanded. And unless that gap is closed, it will push down on costs and prices. But assessing the size of the output gap is very difficult, for exactly the reasons we have been discussing today. Early estimates of economic activity can be revised substantially, so it is hard to know just how weak demand and output really are. And it is equally difficult to know the extent to which the supply potential of the economy has been affected by the recession. 1 | Page

Leda And The Swan By William Butler Yeats

Leda And The Swan By William Butler Yeats Leda and the Swan is a poem written by William Butler Yeats. It is a fourteen line sonnet. The poem has many different themes, but the one of sex is the most apparent one. Yeats describes the violent act of rape but makes it sound almost beautiful and very sexual. The rhyme scheme and rhythm of the poem are both very important. The title of the poem is very critical to the overall meaning of the poem as well. Imagery is used liberally throughout the poem also. Figure of speech like: synecdoche, metaphor, personification, alliteration, allusion, and onomatopoeia are also seen throughout the length of the poem. This poem is very beautiful and has much meaning behind it. Not only is it a work of art in writing, it also gives us a feel of history. When analyzing any poem, the title is almost always extremely significant. This is the case in Leda and the Swan. The title is an allusion to the story of Leda being raped by Zeus. Zeus transforms himself into a swan, and the result of his rape impregnates Leda. She is also pregnant from her husband, and therefore is baring four children in her womb. This story continues to go on and ties in with the story of the Trojan War. The poem itself describes the rape of Leda, and nothing more. It begins with the swan descending on Leda and beginning the act of rape. Yeats, then, begins to give descriptions of the sexual act making them sound violent but at the same time very sexual. Ironically, he makes the rape sound almost beautiful. The poem is a fourteen line sonnet. There is a rhyme scheme which goes, abab cdcd efgefg. The first line of the poem ends with the word à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦still (1) which has a direct rhyme to the third line of them poem ending with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦bill, (3). The s econd line of the poem ends with the word à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦caressed (2) and the fourth one ends with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦breast. (4). This kind of rhyme scheme continues in the next stanza rhyming lines five and seven: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦push (5) and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦rush, (7), and lines six and eight: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦thighs? (6) and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦lies? (8). The last two stanzas, however, break apart from the rhyme scheme of the first two stanzas by having the first line of the third stanza, line nine rhyme with line twelve: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there (9) and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦air, (12). Also, line ten is found to rhyme with line eleven: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦tower (10) and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦power (13). Last, lines eleven and fourteen also rhyme, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦up, (11) and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦drop? (14). The rhythm of the poem is also a very interesting one. When read, the poem sounds as if one is telling a story, almost like a bed time story. It sounds very soothing. Although some words like sudden (1), shudder (9), and burning (10) break off the rhythm of the poem and make it sound slightly less soothing, it is still an easy read and an evenly flowing poem. Imagery is seen very much throughout the poem. Yeats is very descriptive in this sonnet, therefore the many things he describes allows the reader to literally visualize the poem in their minds. It begins with the image of the swans first contact with Leda. Describing her thighs being à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦caressed / By the dark webs, (2-3) The author continues to describe the sexual seen and allows the reader to envision a violent, yet sensual rape occurring. He describes the Leda attempting to push the swans à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦feathered glory from her loosening thighs (4-5), but being unsuccessful. He continues describing, in a way, the way that Leda may be feeling: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦feel the strange heart beating (7). By using words that sound more calm and pleasant, he makes the rape seem almost sensual, and in a way, as if Leda wanted it as well. This continues throughout the poem evoking many different kinds of images from the reader, some being pleasant and some not. Synecdoche is a figure of speech that is seen very often throughout the poem. The reader may notice the swan being described without actually being called the swan. Yeats uses many different parts of the swan or words that may symbolize the swan, when attempting to directly refer to the swan. For example, in the first stanza it says A sudden blow: the great wings beating still / Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed / By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, (1-3) One may notice that the dark webs in line three stand for the swans webbed feet. Next, So mastered by the brute blood of the air, (12) the brute blood is actually describing the swan. The swan is the one master of the air. It continues to do this in the last line of the poem while saying Before the indifferent beak could let her drop? (14). the indifferent beak is, once again, a direct reference to the swan himself. He is the one who can finally let her drop when he is finished with her. Another example of sy necdoche in the poem is when Yeats uses words other than Ledas name to refer to her. For example, in line seven we read, And how can body, laid in that white rush, / But feel the strange heart beating where it lies (7-8) Here, we see Yeats using the word body in reference to Leda. It is Leda that is laying under all the white rush and feels the heart beating of the swan.

The Rake Figure in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre Essay -- Charlotte Bro

The Rake Figure in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre    Edward Rochester, the male protagonist of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre embodies a number of different roles of masculinity. One of the least recognized but very influential roles played by Rochester is the rake. The idea of the "rake" is commonly related to the Restoration period in England; yet this figure does not completely disappear during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Historical figures such as John Wilmot the second Earl of Rochester are described as leading rakish lifestyles. Literature and Art also played an important role in defining the rake. The rake character is primarily defined by his sexual nature. A rake was concerned about his status among other men. He spent most of his time in search of sexual liaisons or relating tales of past sexual escapades. Harold Weber in The Restoration Rake-Hero explains that "most rakes possess little identity outside of the love game, their lives responding largely to the rhythms of courtship and seduction, pursuit and conquest, foreplay and release" (Weber 3). However, as Weber further points out "the rake is too complex and enigmatic a figure to be reduced to a sexual machine: his love of disguise, need for freedom, and fondness for play all establish the complexity of the rakish personality" (Weber 3). The rake’s sexual desires can be seen as a call for freedom and a break from social order. He balks at the idea of marriage and family in pursuit of personal gratification. While a common characteristic of the rake is his pursuit of personal gratification there are a number of d ifferent types of rakes: the Hobbesian libertine, best explained by Horner in The Country Wife; the philosophical libertine, seen through th... ...rake was so strong that he continues to influence the perception of masculinity well in the twentieth century. Charlotte Bronte was attracted to rake model of masculinity and modeled Edward Rochester after this Restoration figure.       Works Cited Cohan, Steven M. "Clarissa and the Individuation of Character." ELH 43 (1976): 163-183. Johnson, Samuel. The Life of Cowley. The Penn State Archive of Samuel Johnson’s Lives of the Poets. Ed. Kathleen Nulton Kemmerer. 3 March 2003. Norman, Charles. Rake Rochester. New York: Crown, 1954. Weber, Harold. The Restoration Rake-Hero: Transformations in Sexual Understanding in Seventeeth-Century England. Madison: U of Wisconsin P, 1986. "William Hogarth and Eighteenth-Century Print Culture." Northwestern University. 10 March 2003. "William Hogarth: A Rake’s Progress." Haley & Steele. 10 March 2003.

Essay --

Willie Breslau Professor Pollak COML 1109 11/27/13 â€Å"Reluctance† by Robert Frost An extended metaphor of a road, that represents the mans life and journey he has taken, runs throughout Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"Reluctance†. The title and the last line help to break through the metaphor and understand the meaning behind it, as Frost deliberates humans’ hesitation to accept change and the inevitability of a natural end, whether of â€Å"a love or a season†. â€Å"Reluctance,† along with several other Frost poems, focuses on the change of seasons and how the narrator reacts to that change. However, while each narrator of â€Å"Reluctance†, â€Å"Spring Pools†, and â€Å"Nothing Gold can Stay† display different emotions about the seasonal changes they witness, they all display humans hesitation to except change and to hold onto what they have in the present. The sketch that I drew for this poem has a man who looks withered from travel with a long beard and wrinkled skin walking alone on a â€Å"highway†. Behind the narrator, I drew a small globe to represent that he is now returning from his travels around the world and in front of him a small town labeled home. Around the man stands on the highway are trees that have lost most of their leaves and leaves that are being blown on the snow covered ground. Other plants are drawn with fleeting life, as winter seems to be coming if not already here. â€Å"Reluctance’ consists of five stanzas each having six lines. The meter of the poem is tricky. In Frost terms, this poem could be considered to be in loose iambic trimeter, but would be more aptly described as trimeter. One interesting feature of this poems meter is that the last line of each stanza switches from trimeter to dimeter. Each stanza consists of the rhyme sc... ... In all three poems, change is represented as a transition between seasons with the narrator being enthralled by the present and not wanting time to change what they have. In â€Å"Reluctance† the seasons are more than actual seasons as the display a turning point in the narrators where he must decide to embrace change or follow his heart. In â€Å"Spring Pools† and â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† the narrators both emphasize the short-lived beauty of nature because of the change in seasons and want so desperately the delay that change. However, both narrators almost reluctantly come to the conclusion that change can bring more beauty but are worried to lose what they have in the present. Frost’s mastery of poetry, nature, and human behavior are beautifully intertwined in these poems to create powerful messages that will continue to be relevant as mankind struggles to accept change.

Kanye West :: essays research papers

Singer/Songwriter for this Era He may just seem like another rapper to you but if you actually listen to his lyrics you can see he’s not like any rapper out there. His name is Kanye West and he was born in Chicago Illinois. He grew up in the â€Å"ghetto† and learned to appreciate life. He didn’t learn to really, truly appreciate life until October of 2002. Driving back to his hotel late one night after a recording session, the new-coming rap/hip-hop artist was involved in a devastating, near fatal car accident. The crash left him with a broken jaw in three places and an appreciation for life. Just weeks after being released from the hospital he recorded his first major hit, â€Å"Through the Wire,† with his mouth still wired shut. He records every song like its going to be his last song and that makes every song better than the last. He’s not only a rap artist but also a producer. He has been responsible for being behind songs like Jay-Z’s Izzo, Girls, Girls, Girls, The T akeover, and 03 Bonnie and Clyde. â€Å"Through the Wire† was his first hit and it hit hard. With lyrics like: I must got a angel/ Cuz look like death missed his ass/ Unbreakable/ What you thought they call me Mr. Glass/ I look back on my life like the ghost of Christmas past/ Toys R Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash/ And I still won't grow up/ I'm a grown ass kid/ So I should be like other stupid s**t that I did/ But I'm a champion/ So I turned tragedy to triumph/ Make music that's fire/ Spit my soul through the wires. Read the lyrics and you’ll see why its so universal. If you listen to the â€Å"beats† and the rhythm you’ll really understand. One of his most controversial songs came later in his career, it was titled â€Å"Jesus Walks,† many people didn’t want this song to be played but radios did it any way and so did MTV. There is one verse of the song that makes you appreciate his work: To the hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers, even us crippers.../(Jesus walks with them!)/To the victims of welfare feel we living in hell here, hell yea.../(Jesus walks with them!)/Now hear ye hear ye wanna see thee more clearly/I know He hear me when my feet get weary/Cause we're the almost nearly Kanye West :: essays research papers Singer/Songwriter for this Era He may just seem like another rapper to you but if you actually listen to his lyrics you can see he’s not like any rapper out there. His name is Kanye West and he was born in Chicago Illinois. He grew up in the â€Å"ghetto† and learned to appreciate life. He didn’t learn to really, truly appreciate life until October of 2002. Driving back to his hotel late one night after a recording session, the new-coming rap/hip-hop artist was involved in a devastating, near fatal car accident. The crash left him with a broken jaw in three places and an appreciation for life. Just weeks after being released from the hospital he recorded his first major hit, â€Å"Through the Wire,† with his mouth still wired shut. He records every song like its going to be his last song and that makes every song better than the last. He’s not only a rap artist but also a producer. He has been responsible for being behind songs like Jay-Z’s Izzo, Girls, Girls, Girls, The T akeover, and 03 Bonnie and Clyde. â€Å"Through the Wire† was his first hit and it hit hard. With lyrics like: I must got a angel/ Cuz look like death missed his ass/ Unbreakable/ What you thought they call me Mr. Glass/ I look back on my life like the ghost of Christmas past/ Toys R Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash/ And I still won't grow up/ I'm a grown ass kid/ So I should be like other stupid s**t that I did/ But I'm a champion/ So I turned tragedy to triumph/ Make music that's fire/ Spit my soul through the wires. Read the lyrics and you’ll see why its so universal. If you listen to the â€Å"beats† and the rhythm you’ll really understand. One of his most controversial songs came later in his career, it was titled â€Å"Jesus Walks,† many people didn’t want this song to be played but radios did it any way and so did MTV. There is one verse of the song that makes you appreciate his work: To the hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers, even us crippers.../(Jesus walks with them!)/To the victims of welfare feel we living in hell here, hell yea.../(Jesus walks with them!)/Now hear ye hear ye wanna see thee more clearly/I know He hear me when my feet get weary/Cause we're the almost nearly

Prescribing Art In Mental Health Health And Social Care Essay

Most practicians rely on traditional methods ( antidepressants, CBT and reding ) to pull off mental wellness upsets and merely a minority have an consciousness, understanding or credence of the usage of art as a possible intercession. Critics of ‘art for mental wellness ‘ highlight the wealth of anecdotal and subjective grounds sing wellbeing and self-esteem betterments and the deficiency of quantitative, randomised controlled informations. While the exact mechanism/s of ‘healing ‘ or wellness betterment is a topic for argument, surveies have shown quantitative wellness betterments through art engagement ( shorter infirmary corsets, reduced depression symptoms ) 1,2 These benefits have been recognised and encouraged by many authorities documents, enterprises and reappraisals. In recent old ages, nevertheless, their stated visions and hereafter purposes have produced small direct action and the exact function of art within the boundaries of modern medical specialty is ill defined.Personal aimTo see my ain prepossessions of utilizing art as a direction scheme in mental wellness and to reflect on how my position has changed as a effect of a literature reappraisal and active engagement.PreconceptionsTo measure my ain acquisition and development, it seems appropriate to document my preconceived thoughts sing the engagement of art as a intervention for psychological conditions. Previous experience as an antidepres sant representative for a pharmaceutical company taught me that art psychotherapeutics is a utile adjunct to medicines in ‘moderate ‘ disease and a utile standalone therapy for ‘mild ‘ depression and anxiousness. As a medical pupil, I instinctively grouped art-based therapy together with ‘alternative therapy ‘ and mentally stereotypic categories to doing clayware and picture flowers. While many of my co-workers view all alternate therapies as a ‘waste of resources ‘ or ‘placebo at best ‘ , I have ever kept an unfastened head, believing art likely can assist certain patients. On contemplation, my premise is based upon my theory of causing ; industrialization and consumerism has created an environment, which for many of us is non contributing to mental well-being. From an evolutionary position we are societal animals, designed to be physically active, necessitating regular societal battle and submergence within the ‘natural ‘ environment. This provides creativeness, security, pleasance and support. Today, our inert and frequently stray concrete environment replacement ‘s creativeness for multimedia input. For many, particularly those with any susceptibleness, this being allows psychological jobs to boom. Through take parting in originative activities, I believe that certain societal, environmental and cognitive demands are met. For some, the societal and synergistic facets of art therapy might let the look of suppressed feelings, doing this a signifier of indirect guidance. While my theory might be deemed nonsensical to some, or intuitive to others, the inquiry arises ; should this be funded on the NHS? While art intercessions will offer benefits to some, as a pupil of evidence-based pattern, I need converting. By its really nature, nevertheless, I expect to happen an inordinate sum of literature on instance surveies and descriptions of ‘improve-wellbeing ‘ . I am cognizant that GPs have been able to order art for a figure of old ages, doing me optimistic that robust quantitative grounds and cost-effectiveness analysis exists. By carry oning a literature reappraisal and attention categories myself, I hope to go better informed, to acquire a clearer thought of what art intercession can offer. It would besides be good to reason whether in this clip of fiscal load, the grounds supports the usage of art for mental wellness on the NHS.Literature reappraisalThe grounds for utilizing art to handle mental wellness day of the months back to the 1940 ‘s. Improved communicating was observed between psychopathology inmates and creative persons, the birth of art psychotherapeutics. Since so the literature contains a wealth of anecdotal benefits back uping humanistic disciplines engagement for mental wellness patients. There is a distinguishable deficiency, nevertheless, of unequivocal decisions or systematic reappraisals. This is highlighted by the first ‘art on prescription ‘ strategy ( 1991 ) , where Stockport GPs prescribed art based therapies to their mental wellness patients. Unfortunately quanti tative informations collected was limited to a general wellness questionnaire, which merely noted a 5-point betterment in overall wellness over 15-weeks ( n=33 ) .3 In 2000, the Health Development Agency ( HDA ) reviewed the grounds of wellness benefits offered through community-based humanistic disciplines undertakings, included mental wellness projects.4 They concluded that although there was sufficient, albeit anecdotal, grounds for betterments in patient well-being and self-pride ; ‘Evaluation harmonizing to wellness standards is infrequent ‘ . ‘It is impossible to give precise inside informations of improved wellness, peculiarly in the visible radiation of the fact that so few undertakings straight provide information on wellness, or societal affairs related to wellness, which are based on formal instruments of measuring ‘ . In 2002, the HDA commissioned the Centre for Arts and Humanities in Health and Medicine ( CAHHM ) to reexamine and measure community-based humanistic disciplines in wellness ‘ . While mental-health was non specifically addressed, the study criticised rating, quantitative evidence,5 sample sizes and highlighted disagreements between healer purposes and medical outlooks, proposing that in future undertakings ; ‘ †¦ .all parties clarify their purposes, premises and demands ‘ . It was non until 2004, when a study by Rosalia Staricoff mentioning 364 documents was published, that a specific literature reappraisal described how single modes of art can profit mental illness.6 She concluded that engagement with art improves self look, creativeness, self-esteem, stress degrees and communicating between service users, their households and the suppliers. It was besides fresh for this type of reappraisal that she offered some medical accounts for the betterments, largely in footings of physiological impact. Sing the unfavorable judgments sing research methodological analysis discussed therefore far, it might be expected to happen a figure of randomized controlled, robust surveies published within the last five old ages. While this reappraisal found many little undertakings and mental wellness anecdotes in reappraisal documents, merely one quantitative survey, published in a scientific research diary was identified. In 2007, 30 patients having chemotherapy who were assigned to a H2O painting category, had significantly reduced ( p=0.021 ) depressive symptoms compared to those assigned to no activity.7 More late ( 2007 ) , the Humanistic disciplines Council produced an extended papers sing art for wellness, which included mental health.8 While it included elaborate information on instance surveies and good pattern, it was light on robust decisions of clinical and curative results, with one major exclusion. Singing for the encephalon demonstrated the important curative benefits singing has upon memory, depression and physical well-being in dementedness sufferers.9 In 2008, an 18-month rural undertaking placed creative persons in Cornish GP patterns to work with mental wellness patients ( Figure 1 ) . While the qualitative result steps were positive ( e.g. patient feedback ) , 10 it is interesting to observe how local consumption of this free enterprise ( 8.6 % ) reflects my planetary observations. Figure 1: Users mosaic displayed in Falmouth surgery. A recent survey ( 2010 ) investigated the significance of art to service users. It made the interesting remark that therapy creates distance from the ‘ †¦ †¦ .perceived subjugation of statutory service suppliers ‘ , 11 helping recovery. While many of the publications discussed are promoting, when the grounds is scrutinised to the same grade as a scientific diary, the field is characterised by good recognised jobs ; subjective nature, little sample sizes, inconsistent or neglected validated rating methodologies.12Personal ExperienceIn November 2010, Arts for Health Cornwall and Isle of Scilly ( AFHC ) commissioned four creative persons to run a 12-month undertaking, Arts response, with purposes to ; ‘ †¦ supply meaningful originative activity chances in community scenes targeted at grownups with mental wellness jobs ‘ . The group I attended consisted of one enthusiastic creative person and seven members who had attended similar strategies in recent old ages or were straight referred by their GP. In a really informal mode, we were encouraged to draw/etch our studies into froth to make printed cards ( Figure 2 ) . The general criterion was much higher than my personal creative activities below demonstrate! Figure 2. My print and cards. This was the 3rd of the group ‘s two-hour Sessionss and what first struck me was how good they had bonded. One lady, for illustration, was absent and they called to look into how she was. Another lady was late ; she had been sing a group member who was holding a ‘bipolar low ‘ , converting her to reach her GP. Finally, after the session they all went for a societal drink. While the benefits of socialization, communicating and originative battle were clear, the proviso of relationships appeared to even supply a potentially robust safety cyberspace. One lady commented on how she had no avocations before go toing a similar group antecedently. From the experience art had grown into an of import portion of her life, she sold her foremost painting last hebdomad, hiking her assurance. Finding added intent and flight from hopelessness has frequently been reported from humanistic disciplines participation.13 The creative person commented that the group was diffident and loath to prosecute ab initio. During this session I could see how single assurance grew with each print success and group encouragement, taking to more proficient and luxuriant designs. I needed to reflect upon how I might derive my coveted consistent, touchable consequences. One lady commented how leery she was that inside informations would be fed back to her surgery, taking me to reason that merely the creative person is in a place to justice consequences. This, nevertheless, would necessarily conflict with their purpose of making a relaxing, stress-free environment, be intrusive and impact their credibleness. From this I realised why so few undertakings offer inquirers during undertakings, allow entirely elaborate mental wellness evaluation graduated tables. It was evident that this type of category succeeds or fails with the creative person. The undertakings must be designed to win with limited participant accomplishment, yet contain the flexibleness to stretch creativeness. By their dependance upon artist creativeness, it seems impossible that undertakings can of all time be standardised.Concluding Contemplation and hereafterSo what have I learned from this experience? While my literature reappraisal highlighted promising grounds ( e.g. singing in dementedness ) , 9 it failed to supply the grounds necessary to convert me that art has a mainstream function in the intervention of mental wellness. Under certain fortunes, nevertheless, exposure to art is contributing to wellness and healing and hence decidedly has a healthcare function. How to measure art strategies to a degree perceived as convincing to mainstream medical specialty is an country of much argument. From my experience, nevertheless, I believe we can ne'er standardize, randomize or placebo control this type of health care. As a effect I can non forsee a clip where we can robustly reply the inquiry, does art intercession work? My experience, nevertheless, allowed me to see the possible benefits, which as a GP I would enthusiastically back and use any local undertakings. Engagement in the procedure has changed many of my preconceived positions. There will ever be a group of persons who ‘modern medical specialty ‘ fails to assist and I think mental wellness is one country which is typified by this thought. The art intercession I witnessed impressed upon me that complementary attacks to wellness can assist in domains frequently ill represented by traditional ‘medical ‘ theoretical accounts of health care ( assurance, self-esteem, communicating ) . Rather than beliing the medical theoretical account, such attacks compliment the thought of handling the emotional and religious demands of the individual holistically. The literature reappraisal and personal contemplation besides highlighted the deficiency of apprehension of what art and wellness involves, particularly by clinicians who are frequently determination shapers and fund holders. In this epoch of asceticism undertakings will be expected to ‘deliver ‘ . With the benefit of experience I now judge an one-year strategy cost-efficient at & A ; lb ; 5,000 ( less than & A ; lb ; 60/hour ) , 14 nevertheless, I am concerned that many art-based undertakings will happen it impossible to make the sensed holy grail of supplying justifiable consequences and their support watercourses could easy be squeezed without an grasp of their benefit and an apprehension of the ‘results ‘ This hazards marginalizing vulnerable groups who are frequently ill represented by traditional medical specialty.

Relationship between Politics and Religion in India

Indian politics has an important relationship with Religion. Religion fulfills the role of an ideology in a situation of transition when there is a plethora of new demands and constant adjustments have to be made. Both Islam and Hinduism in the late nineteenth century were trying to accommodate the new demands. This ruptured their earlier accommodations and led to conflict with the necessity of a complex interaction between nationalism and Religion. This is where the clash started. India failed on this front leading to conflicts and division between two competing utopia visions.The clash of egos over basis and minor disagreements made this division inevitable. The importance of religion, in spite of such conflicts can be clarified in the words of Gandhiji who said that those who assert that Religion has nothing to do with Politics, have no understanding of either Politics or Religion. That the Hindu majority were more tolerant and absorbent of others’ viewpoint, is nothing new . The religion itself is distinguished because of its fundamental component of tolerance which separates it from other religion viewpoint.Anslie embree in his book on Utopias in Conflict states that â€Å"Tolerance is not merely an academic question. It is intrinsically linked with the minority. The Islamic community in India wanted neither to be absorbed or tolerated and this seems to have occurred to very few exponents of Hindu tolerance†. Tolerance is also a matter of perception and over the centuries as India met with three different civilizations, the society evaluated. The coming of Islam in the eighth century, to the major power at the center, in the form of nearly 500 years of their mainstay, did not change any fundamental value in the Hindu religion.The coming of the Portugese and the French also did not lead to any changes in our social structure, the reason being the apathy similar to the earlier Muslim period when views were articulated in a religious vocabulary. The coming of the British was different as â€Å"they did not articulate their views and attitudes of their culture in religious terms†. The Hindu intelligential were definitely more receptive to the cultural and religious ideas as contrasted by the ‘keep aloof’ behavior in response to Muslim, French and Portugese ideologies.However the elaboration of the national movement’s ideal by Gandhiji in â€Å"vocabulary of Neo-Hinduism† lay the seeds of religious conflict in India which led to separatism. One of the important omissions in this Neo-Hindu perception was its inability to comprehend the belief structure of Muslims and the differences with Hindus. Salvation in Hinduism is of an individual whereas the Muslims and Christians find their salvation as a part of a large religious community. The politics of the nineteenth century and the strength of nationalism has gone missing today but religion appears to be as strong as ever and a fundamental pillar in our politics.Secularism has been re-defined and pseudo-secularism seems to be the order of the day where massacre of the majority community hardly draws a reaction publicly except in private. The Politics of Religion is as strong as ever and there is only a change of perception. Our politicians never miss an opportunity to exploit the use of religion, be it the Hindu view or the Muslim angle and India politics would continue to use Religion and the Caste system for their survival.