Week 5 -611 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 5 -611 - Essay Example For most of the simple learning outcomes, for example, factual information, adjustment to some form of selection item may not reduce the rationality of the measurement and will cause increase in the ease of scoring and objectivity. For the learning outcomes that are complicated, for example, those of sciences and mathematics, rejecting the short answer may require one to change the learning outcome, therefore decrease the legitimacy of the intended outcomes. Matching items are preferably used to measure factual information that is based on simple associations. When a learning outcome stresses on the capability of identifying the connection between two things and an adequate number of similar responses and premises can be acquired, a matching item will also be preferable. It is an efficient and a compact way of measuring outcomes of simple knowledge. They can also be used with pictorial materials in relating words and pictures or recognize locations on diagrams, charts and maps. Matching items should be avoided when measuring factual information based on learning that is vulnerable to the existence of extraneous clues. It should also be avoided when using homogenous material that is vital from the perspective of learning and objective items. 3. In an area in which you are teaching or plan to teach, construct five short-answer items, five true-false items, and one five-alternative matching exercise. State the objectives being measures by the

The Great Academic Reputation of the Undergraduate University Personal Statement

The Great Academic Reputation of the Undergraduate University - Personal Statement Example I graduated from Waseda University with a degree in Bachelor of Arts. Being one of the five toughest universities in Japan, the curriculum was already quite advanced and complicated as can be expected of any prestigious university. However, as a foreign student in Japan, the social surroundings and the language barrier proved even tougher than the academic challenges I had expected. I had no competence in the language. So before entering Waseda, it took me two years in a Japanese language school to improve my Japanese to a proficiency level. In the first two years during my time at Waseda University, my interests were focused on different principles in social sciences. I found these subjects interesting and rather ‘safe’ in terms of lack of planning about the future. However, in the last two years, I identified my subjects of interest and thus, started to take more interest in subjects like popular culture and media. For the same reason, I went for a seminar in business and economics on the principles of the creative industries. Combining my knowledge of social science and my passion for fashion, my senior graduation thesis was mainly about how creative artists can launch themselves into the market without seeking help from the gatekeepers. In my thesis, I emphasized the power of social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. to influence the businesses, especially in the creative sector. After graduating from Waseda University, I always found myself deeply passionate in the creative sector.

Bayfield Mud Analysis Essay Example for Free

Bayfield Mud Analysis Essay The Bayfield Mud Company has had some problems with their 50-pound bags of treating agents. They sent shipped some bags to Wet-Land Drilling, Inc. that were found to be short-weight by approximately 5%. Wet-Land first did their own study on how many bags were short and by how much. They randomly sampled 50 bags and found the average net weight to be 47.51 pounds. Wet-Land then contacted Bayfield Mud about the situation. Bayfield gave a 5% credit to Wet-Land for the mistakes. Wet-Land was not completely satisfied with the credit because the errors in the weight of the bags could have hurt their operations. Wet-Land informed Bayfield Mud that if something like this happened again, they would take their business elsewhere. Bayfields response to all this was to expand from a one-shift to a two-shift operation. Then, they had to expand to a three-shift operation. The additional night-shift bagging crew consisted of all new employees. The most emphasis was placed on increasing output. It was very likely that only occasionally were bags double checked on their weight. This is where the statistical control has come into place. The problems that Bayfield Mud faces include the possibility of losing a customer in Wet-Land, Inc. Another problem is putting out a product that is not acceptable. This problem could lead to more than just the loss of one customer, but perhaps an even greater amount. Based on the information given in the following charts and numbers, especially the control chart, it is obvious that the bag problem is out of control. Out of the 72 times that samples were taken, 14 were out of control. That is unacceptable for a company who intends on satisfying the customer and maintaining business. Something must be done in this company to correct the problem that has arisen. Some recommendations that I have would be to focus more on the quality rather than the quantity. The managers are so intent on getting the most products, that they are willing to sacrifice the quality. It may be time to have a meeting with all managers to reemphasize that the focus should be on the quality. If the people in the upper positions do not care about the product,  only that they produce a lot of it, then it may be time to think about hiring some employees in those positions that will focus on quality. A recommendation that is not as severe would be to take the time to weigh more, if not every, bag. The company needs to ensure that the bag really does weigh 50 pounds. If they are going to offer a 50 pound product, then make it 50 pounds. It seems that the times that most of the bags are less than 50 pounds are around the nighttime shifts. Also, the times that it seems more bags are over 50 pounds are during the daytime shifts. They need to develop a system to ensure the accuracy of weighing the bags. Whatever they would implement would have to increase quality, while not hurting the output numbers. There is a large demand for their product, so they must be able to meet the demand. Bayfield Mud Company has a lot of improving to do. After looking at the charts and numbers on the following pages it is obvious that something needs to be done. For the samples to be that out of control is very unacceptable. Perhaps Bayfield needs to change their strategy or even do an entire makeover of their management team. Obviously something needs to be done to ensure the success of Bayfield Mud Company.

Absorption and Marginal Costing Methods

Absorption and Marginal Costing Methods Absorption costing treats the costs of all manufacturing components (direct material, direct labour, variable overhead and fixed overhead) as inventoriable or product costs in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), (BARFIELD et al., 2001). 1.2 Marginal Costing Variable costing is a cost accumulation method that includes only variable production costs (direct material, direct labour, and variable overhead) as product or inventoriable costs. (BARFIELD et al., 2001) 1.3 Similarities between Both Methods Marginal costing Absorption costing Closing inventories are valued at marginal production cost. Closing inventories are valued at full production cost. Fixed costs are period costs. Fixed costs are absorbed into unit costs. Cost of sales does not include a share of fixed  overheads. Cost of sales does include a share of fixed overheads 1.4 Influences of Marginal and Absorption costing on the pricing policy Pricing decisions: Since marginal cost per unit is constant from period to period within a short span of time, firm decisions on pricing policy can be taken, If fixed cost is included, the unit cost will change from day to day depending upon the volume of output. Overhead Variances: Overheads are recovered in costing on the pre-determined rates. This creates the problem of treatment of under or over-recovery of overhead, if fixed overhead were included Marginal costing avoids such under or over recovery of overheads. True profit: It is argued that under the marginal costing technique, the stock of finished goods and work-in-progress are carried on marginal cost basis and the fixed expenses are written off to profit and loss account as period cost. This shows the true profit of the period. Break-even analysis: Marginal costing helps in the preparation of break-even analysis, which shows the effect of increasing or decreasing production activity on the profitability of the company. Control over expenditure: Segregation of expenses as fixed and variable helps the management to exercise control over expenditure. The management can compare the actual variable expenses with the budgeted variable expenses and take corrective action through, variance analysis. Business decision-making: Marginal costing helps the management in taking a number of business decisions like make or buy, discontinuance of a particular product, replacement of machines etc.) (BRAGG, STEVEN M., 2007) 1.4.1 Influences of Marginal Costing It recognizes the importance of fixed costs in production; This method is accepted by Inland Revenue as stock is not undervalued; This method is always used to prepare financial accounts; When production remains constant but sales fluctuate absorption costing will show less fluctuation in net profit and Unlike marginal costing where fixed costs are agreed to change into variable cost, it is cost into the stock value hence distorting stock valuation. (Accounting for management) (BRAGG, STEVEN M., 2007) 1.4.2 Influences of Absorption Costing (It is simple to operate. There are no apportionments, which are frequently done on an arbitrary basis, of fixedcosts. Many costs, such as the marketing directors salary, are indivisible by nature. Fixed costs will be the same regardless of the volume of output, because they are period costs. It  makes sense, therefore, to charge them in full as a cost to the period. The cost to produce an extra unit is the variable production cost. It is realistic to value  closing inventory items at this directly attributable cost. Under or over absorption of overheads is avoided. Marginal costing provides the best information for decision making.) (KAPLAN, 2008) Classifications of cost systems in terms of object: function, product (services) and behaviour, analysing probable causes of cost variances and offer directors the needed advice to improve performance. 2. Cost by Object 2.1.1 Direct Cost Direct costs are costs which can be directly identified with a specific cost unit or cost centre. There are three main types of direct cost: Direct materials for-example, cloth for making shirts Direct labour for-example, the wages of the workers stitching the cloth to make the shirts Direct expenses for-example, the cost of maintaining the sewing machine used to make the shirts. 2.1.2 Indirect Cost Indirect costs are costs which cannot be directly identified with a specific cost unit or cost centre. Examples of indirect costs include the following: The total of indirect costs is known as overheads. indirect materials these include materials that cannot be traced to an individual shirt, for example, cotton indirect labour for example, the cost of a supervisor who supervises the shirt makers Indirect expenses for example, the cost of renting the factory where the shirts are manufactured. 2.2 Cost by Function 2.2.1 Production Cost Production costs are the costs which are incurred when raw materials are converted into finished goods and part finished goods (work in progress). 3.2.2 Non-Production Cost 2Nonproduction costs are costs that are not directly associated with the production processes in a manufacturing organisation. 2.3 Cost by behaviour 2.3.1 Variable Cost Variable costs are costs that tend to vary in total with the level of activity. As activity levels increase then total variable costs will also increase. Note that as total costs increase with activity levels, the cost per unit of variable costs remains constant. Examples of variable costs include direct costs such as raw materials and direct labour 2.3.2 Fixed Cost A fixed cost is a cost which is incurred for an accounting period, and which, within certain activity levels remains constant. Note that the total cost remains constant over a given level of activity but the cost per unit falls as the level of activity increases. (KAPLAN, 2008) Examples of fixed costs: rent business rates Executive salaries. 2.3.3 Stepped Fix Cost This is a type of fixed cost that is only fixed within certain levels of activity. Once the upper limit of an activity level is reached then a new higher level of fixed cost becomes relevant. Examples of stepped fixed costs: Warehousing costs (as more space is required, more warehouses must be purchased or rented) Supervisors wages (as the number of employees increases, more supervisors are required). 2.3.4 Semi Variable Cost Semi variable costs contain both fixed and variable cost elements and are therefore partly affected by fluctuations in the level of activity. †¢ Semi variable costs can be shown graphically as follows Examples of semi variable costs: Electricity bills (fixed standing charge plus variable cost per unit of electricity consumed) Telephone bills (fixed line rental plus variable cost per call) 2.4 Cause of Cost Variances (Sales price variances may be caused by: unplanned price increases (sales price variance) unexpected fall in demand due to recession (sales volume variance) Materials price variances may be caused by: supplies from different sources unexpected general price increases Materials usage variances may be caused by: a higher or lower incidence of scrap an alteration to product design Labour efficiency variances may be caused by: changes in working conditions or working methods, for example, better supervision consequences of the learning effect) (BPP, 2007) Responsibility accounting as a system of planning and control of the organisation. 3. Responsibility Centres Responsibility accounting systems identify, measure, and report on the performance of people controlling the activities of responsibility centres. Responsibility centre sari classified according to their managers scope of authority and type of financial responsibility. Companies may define their organizational units in various ways based on management accountability for one or more income-producing factors-costs, revenues, profits, and/or asset base. (BARFIELD et al., 2001) 3.1 Cost Centres In a cost centre, the manager has the authority only to incur costs and is specifically evaluated on the basis of how well costs are controlled. Theoretically, revenues cannot exist in a cost centre because the unit does not engage in revenue producing activity. Cost centres commonly include service and administrative departments. For example, the equipment maintenance centre in a hospital may be a cost centre because it does not charge for its services, but it does incur costs. (BARFIELD et al., 2001) 3.2 Revenue Centre A revenue centre is strictly defined as an organizational unit for which a manager is accountable only for the generation of revenues and has no control over setting selling prices or budgeting costs. In many retail stores, the individual sales departments are considered independent units, and managers are evaluated based on the total revenues generated by their departments. Departmental managers, however, may not be given the authority to change selling prices to affect volume, and often they do not participate in the budgeting process. Thus, the departmental managers might have no impact on costs. (BARFIELD et al., 2001) 3.3 Profit Centre In a profit centre, the manager is responsible for generating revenues and planning and controlling expenses related to current activity. (Expenses not under a profit centre managers control are those related to long-term investments in plant assets; such a situation creates a definitive need for separate evaluations of the subunit anther subunits manager.) A profit centre managers goal is to maximize the centres net income. (BARFIELD et al., 2001) 3.4 Investment Centre An investment centre is an organizational unit in which the manager is responsible for generating revenues and planning and controlling expenses. In addition, the centres manager has the authority to acquire, use, and dispose of plant assets in a manner that seeks to earn the highest feasible rate of return on the centres asset base. (BARFIELD et al., 2001)

How William Faulkner Constructs His Characters in Absalom, Absalom! Ess

How William Faulkner Constructs His Characters in Absalom, Absalom! Who says what - and how and when - may be the most compelling way William Faulkner constructs his characters in Absalom, Absalom! Storytelling is not just an act in which the saga of the Sutpens is recounted, revised, and even recreated; it is a gesture of self-disclosure. Each revelation about the past provides a glimpse into the present state of the narrating character's mind. The rhetoric, the digressions, the strange (and often obsessive) fixations of each character's account are the products of a range of personalities and view points, unable to agree on a definitive version of the story. There are, to be sure, overlaps; these are the events in the stories that transcend the proclivities of each narrator and are probably, though not certainly, the basic facts of what happened. We know there was a man named Thomas Sutpen; who came to Jefferson, Missippi; who married Ellen Coldfield; who had two children with his wife; whose son befriended and later killed a man named Bon; whose daughter was Bon's betrothed; who fought in the Civil War; and who longed for a male heir to carry on the Sutpen legacy. The passion of the storytellers makes us forget that these are the only uniformly corroborated elements of the story. Neither Bond's identity nor Sutpen's mysterious past, though they seem so essential to our understanding of the novel, are indisputable. It is not impossible, indeed, that they are inventions of the narrators, perhaps unconscious embellishments of the story in order to do away with all its troublesome lacunae. Like the reader, the characters have had to infer a nd imagine a great deal to arrive at a plausible rendering of how things really happened. These discrepancies, as bewildering as they often are, do not exist to indict the narrators for taking creative liberties with history. Faulkner does not see them as liars or manipulators and we should not either. Indeed, there is no "authentic" version of the Sutpen story, and so, within the bounds of the basic facts we have established, there can be no wrong version. This is not objective reporting; what we have instead are personal interpretations. What we also have are expressions of personality. The story Quentin tells says as much about Quentin Compson as it does about the Sutpens and their travails. He brings his own ... ...ve involvement in the story, Quentin and Shreve overcome both narrative and temporal convention and finally, after much exhaustion, bring the story a close. At least, that is, for now. Quentin is very little comforted by the end of his and Shreve's narrative. Shreve, retreating back to his ironic, macho posturing of before, chases the post-story silence away by exclaiming, "The South. Jesus. No wonder you folks all outlive yourselves by years and years and years." Quentin retains his brooding, pensive silence, lying rigidly in the cold dorm room and thinking to himself "Nevermore of peace. Nevermore. Nevermore. Nevermore." The story of the Sutpens has ended, but there has not been (nor will there be) any sort of resolution. Miss Rosa, Mr. Compson, Sutpen, Quentin and Shreve have all tried to bend the story into the shape they most desire, be it a gothic romance, a classical tragedy, a heroic epic, a mystery, or a Southern farce. It is pliable enough, but the story cannot resist being "re-bent" by any narrator who happens upon it. The story, alas, will never be in the exact shape of history. It can, however, be a very close approximation of the patterns of the narra tor's mind.

The Corruption in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare Ha

The Corruption in William Shakespeare's Hamlet Central to the plot and the themes developed in Shakespeare's Hamlet, are the varying elements of corruption which occur during the play. This is echoed in Marcellus' famous comment of 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark,' when Hamlet is beckoned away by the Ghost (1.4.90). As the play continues and the story enfolds, it becomes apparent that there truly is 'something rotten in the state of Denmark,' and rather that it is not just one 'something,' but many things. The most obvious example of corruption is the story of the late King Hamlet's murder by his brother Claudius. When Prince Hamlet goes to speak with the Ghost he learns that his father's death was not an accident, as was officially reported, but instead that it was a 'Murder most foul . . . strange and unnatural,' (1.5.27-28) committed by King Hamlet's brother who 'Now wears his crown' (1.5.39). While this act was committed before the play even begins, it sets the stage for all the events which follow, descending into a state just as corrupt as this first crime. A continuance of the murder of the King, is the soon following marriage of the widowed Queen to none other than Claudius, the murderer. While the Queen does not know that Claudius killed her former husband, her part in the relationship is not wholly innocent. Her mourning seems minimal and her lustfulness maximal, for 'But two months dead' (1.2.138) was the King before 'She married . . . With such dexterity to incestuous sheets' (1.2.156-157). This image of a corrupted or damned royalty is strongly played up, especially by Hamlet, who recognizes this new union of Claudius and his mother as incredibly demeaning to the state of Denmark, and a ... ...n guilty head, affecting the whole state of Denmark. By using murder and deception to gain the throne, as soon as Claudius assumes it, it is irrevocably tainted. Marrying the brother of her dead husband, the Queen's bed becomes 'A couch for luxury and damned insect' (1.5.83). The games and favors played to please the King, the spying, the secrets kept, and the lies told, all come back with a sentence of death. Even the fight between Hamlet and Laertes is not fair, with a poison tipped weapon and a poisoned drink, conspiracies of the King to ensure Hamlet's death, but which claim the life of the Queen, Laertes, and himself also. All of these events culminate in Act V to eventually destroy the royalty of Denmark with no member surviving the duration of the play, proving for any doubting member of the audience that something truly was 'rotten in the state of Denmark.'

Pacem in Terris Essay

1. Almost forty years ago, on Holy Thursday, 11 April 1963, Pope John XXIII published his epic Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris. Addressing himself to â€Å"all men of good will†, my venerable predecessor, who would die just two months later, summed up his message of â€Å"peace on earth† in the first sentence of the Encyclical: â€Å"Peace on earth, which all men of every era have most eagerly yearned for, can be firmly established and sustained only if the order laid down by God be dutifully observed† (Introduction: AAS, 55 [1963], 257). Speaking peace to a divided world 2. The world to which John XXIII wrote was then in a profound state of disorder. The twentieth century had begun with great expectations for progress. Yet within sixty years, that same century had produced two World Wars, devastating totalitarian systems, untold human suffering, and the greatest persecution of the Church in history. Only two years before Pacem in Terris, in 1961, the Berlin Wall had been erected in order to divide and set against each other not only two parts of that City but two ways of understanding and building the earthly city. On one side and the other of the Wall, life was to follow different patterns, dictated by antithetical rules, in a climate of mutual suspicion and mistrust. Both as a world-view and in real life, that Wall traversed the whole of humanity and penetrated people’s hearts and minds, creating divisions that seemed destined to last indefinitely. Moreover, just six months before the Encyclical, and just as the Second Vatican Council was opening in Rome, the world had come to the brink of a nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The road to a world of peace, justice and freedom seemed blocked. Humanity, many believed, was condemned to live indefinitely in that precarious condition of â€Å"cold war†, hoping against hope that neither an act of aggression nor an accident would trigger the worst war in human history. Available atomic arsenals meant that such a war would have imperiled the very future of the human race. 3. Pope John XXIII did not agree with those who claimed that peace was impossible. With his Encyclical, peace – in all its demanding truth – came knocking on both sides of the Wall and of all the other dividing walls. The Encyclical spoke to everyone of their belonging to the one human family, and shone a light on the shared aspiration of people everywhere to live in security, justice and hope for the future. With the profound intuition that characterized him, John XXIII identified the essential conditions for peace in four precise requirements of the human spirit: truth, justice, love and freedom (cf. ibid., I: l.c., 265-266). Truth will build peace if every individual sincerely acknowledges not only his rights, but also his own duties towards others. Justice will build peace if in practice everyone respects the rights of others and actually fulfils his duties towards them. Love will build peace if people feel the needs of others as their own and share what they have with others, especially the values of mind and spirit which they possess. Freedom will build peace and make it thrive if, in the choice of the means to that end, people act according to reason and assume responsibility for their own actions. Looking at the present and into the future with the eyes of faith and reason, Blessed John XXIII discerned deeper historical currents at work. Things were not always what they seemed on the surface. Despite wars and rumours of wars, something more was at work in human affairs, something that to the Pope looked like the promising beginning of a spiritual revolution. A new awareness of human dignity and inalienable human rights 4. Humanity, John XXIII wrote, had entered a new stage of its journey (cf. ibid., I: l.c., 267-269). The end of colonialism and the rise of newly independent States, the protection of workers’ rights, the new and welcome presence of women in public life, all testified to the fact that the human race was indeed entering a new phase of its history, one characterized by â€Å"the conviction that all men are equal by reason of their natural dignity† (ibid., I: l.c.,268). The Pope knew that that dignity was still being trampled upon in many parts of the world. Yet he was convinced that, despite the dramatic situation, the world was becoming increasingly conscious of certain spiritual values, and increasingly open to the meaning of those pillars of peace – truth, justice, love, and freedom (cf. ibid., I: l.c., 268-269). Seeking to bring these values into local, national and international life, men and women were becoming more aware that their relationship with God, the source of all good, must be the solid foundation and supreme criterion of their lives, as individuals and in society (cf. ibid.). This evolving spiritual intuition would, the Pope was convinced, have profound public and political consequences. Seeing the growth of awareness of human rights that was then emerging within nations and at the international level, Pope John XXIII caught the potential of this phenomenon and understood its singular power to change history. What was later to happen in central and eastern Europe would confirm his insight. The road to peace, he taught in the Encyclical, lay in the defence and promotion of basic human rights, which every human being enjoys, not as a benefit given by a different social class or conceded by the State but simply because of our humanity: â€Å"Any human society, if it is to be well-ordered and productive, must lay down as a foundation this principle, namely, that every human being is a person, that is, his nature is endowed with intelligence and free will. Indeed, precisely because he is a person he has rights and obligations, flowing directly and simultaneously from his very nature. And as these rights and obligations are universal and inviolable so they cannot in any way be surrendered† (ibid., 259). As history would soon show, this was not simply an abstract idea; it was an idea with profound consequences. Inspired by the conviction that every human being is equal in dignity, and that society therefore had to adapt its form to that conviction, human rights movements soon arose and gave concrete political expression to one of the great dynamics of contemporary history: the quest for freedom as an indispensable component of work for peace. Emerging in virtually every part of the world, these movements were instrumental in replacing dictatorial forms of government with more democratic and participatory ones. They demonstrated in practice that peace and progress could only be achieved by respecting the universal moral law written on the human heart (cf. John Paul II, Address to the United Nations General Assembly, 5 October 1995, No. 3). The universal common good 5. On another point too Pacem in Terris showed itself prophetic, as it looked to the next phase of the evolution of world politics. Because the world was becoming increasingly interdependent and global, the common good of humanity had to be worked out on the international plane. It was proper, Pope John XXIII taught, to speak of a â€Å"universal common good † (Pacem in Terris, IV: l.c., 292). One of the consequences of this evolution was the obvious need for a public authority, on the international level, with effective capacity to advance the universal common good; an authority which could not, the Pope immediately continued, be established by coercion but only by the consent of nations. Such a body would have to have as its fundamental objective the â€Å"recognition, respect, safeguarding, and promotion of the rights of the human person† (ibid., IV: l.c., 294). Not surprisingly therefore John XXIII looked with hope and expectation to the United Nations Organization, which had come into being on June 26, 1945. He saw that Organization as a credible instrument for maintaining and strengthening world peace, and he expressed particular appreciation of its 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which he considered â€Å"an approximation towards the establishment of a juridical and political organization of the world community† (ibid., IV: l.c., 295). What he was saying in fact was that the Declaration set out the moral foundations on which the evolution of a world characterized by order rather than disorder, and by dialogue rather than force, could proceed. He was suggesting that the vigorous defence of human rights by the United Nations Organization is the indispensable foundation for the development of that Organization’s capacity to promote and defend international security. Not only is it clear that Pope John XXIII’s vision of an effective international public authority at the service of human rights, freedom and peace has not yet been entirely achieved, but there is still in fact much hesitation in the international community about the obligation to respect and implement human rights. This duty touchesall fundamental rights, excluding that arbitrary picking and choosing which can lead to rationalizing forms of discrimination and injustice. Likewise, we are witnessing the emergence of an alarming gap between a series of new â€Å"rights† being promoted in advanced societies – the result of new prosperity and new technologies – and other more basic human rights still not being met, especially in situations of underdevelopment. I am thinking here for example about the right to food and drinkable water, to housing and security, to self-determination and independence – which are still far from being guaranteed and realized. Peace demands that this tension be speedily reduced and in time eliminated. Another observation needs to be made: the international community, which since 1948 has possessed a charter of the inalienable rights of the human person, has generally failed to insist sufficiently on corresponding duties. It is duty that establishes the limits within which rights must be contained in order not to become an exercise in arbitrariness. A greater awareness of universal human duties would greatly benefit the cause of peace, setting it on the moral basis of a shared recognition of an order in things which is not dependent on the will of any individual or group. A new international moral order 6. Nevertheless it remains true that, despite many difficulties and setbacks, significant progress has been made over the past forty years towards the implementation of Pope John’s noble vision. The fact that States throughout the world feel obliged to honour the idea of human rights shows how powerful are the tools of moral conviction and spiritual integrity, which proved so decisive in the revolution of conscience that made possible the 1989 non-violent revolution that displaced European communism. And although distorted notions of freedom as licence continue to threaten democracy and free societies, it is surely significant that, in the forty years since Pacem in Terris, much of the world has become more free, structures of dialogue and cooperation between nations have been strengthened, and the threat of a global nuclear war, which weighed so heavily on Pope John XXIII, has been effectively contained. Boldly, but with all humility, I would like to suggest that the Church’s fifteen-hundred-year-old teaching on peace as â€Å"tranquillitas ordinis – the tranquillity of order† as Saint Augustine called it (De Civitate Dei, 19, 13), which was brought to a new level of development forty years ago by Pacem in Terris, has a deep relevance for the world today, for the leaders of nations as well as for individuals. That there is serious disorder in world affairs is obvious. Thus the question to be faced remains: What kind of order can replace this disorder, so that men and women can live in freedom, justice, and security? And since the world, amid its disorder, continues nevertheless to be â€Å"ordered† and organized in various ways – economic, cultural, even political – there arises another equally urgent question: On what principles are these new forms of world order unfolding? These far-reaching questions suggest that the problem of order in world affairs, which is the problem of peace rightly understood, cannot be separated from issues of moral principle. This is another way of saying that the question of peace cannot be separated from the question of human dignity and human rights. That is one of the enduring truths taught by Pacem in Terris, which we would do well to remember and reflect upon on this fortieth anniversary. Is this not the time for all to work together for a new constitutional organization of the human family, truly capable of ensuring peace and harmony between peoples, as well as their integral development? But let there be no misunderstanding. This does not mean writing the constitution of a global super-State. Rather, it means continuing and deepening processes already in place to meet the almost universal demand for participatory ways of exercising political authority, even international political authority, and for transparency and accountability at every level of public life. With his confidence in the goodness he believed could be found in every human person, Pope John XXIII called the entire world to a nobler vision of public life and public authority, even as he boldly challenged the world to think beyond its present state of disorder to new forms of international order commensurate with human dignity. The bond between peace and truth 7. Against those who think of politics as a realm of necessity detached from morality and subject only to partisan interests, Pope John XXIII, in Pacem in Terris, outlined a truer picture of human reality and indicated the path to a better future for all. Precisely because human beings are created with the capacity for moral choice, no human activity takes place outside the sphere of moral judgment. Politics is a human activity; therefore, it too is subject to a distinctive form of moral scrutiny. This is also true of international politics. As the Pope wrote: â€Å"The same natural law that governs the life and conduct of individuals must also regulate the relations of political communities with one another† (Pacem in Terris, III: l.c., 279). Those who imagine that international public life takes place somewhere outside the realm of moral judgment need only reflect on the impact of human rights movements on the national and international politics of the twentieth century just concluded. These developments, anticipated by the teaching of the Encyclical, decisively refute the claim that international politics mustof necessity be a â€Å"free zone† in which the moral law holds no sway. Perhaps nowhere today is there a more obvious need for the correct use of political authority than in the dramatic situation of the Middle East and the Holy Land. Day after day, year after year, the cumulative effect of bitter mutual rejection and an unending chain of violence and retaliation have shattered every effort so far to engage in serious dialogue on the real issues involved. The volatility of the situation is compounded by the clash of interests among the members of the international community. Until those in positions of responsibility undergo a veritable revolution in the way they use their power and go about securing their peoples’ welfare, it is difficult to imagine how progress towards peace can be made. The fratricidal struggle that daily convulses the Holy Land and brings into conflict the forces shaping the immediate future of the Middle East shows clearly the need for men and women who, out of conviction, will implement policies firmly based on the principle of respect for human dignity and human rights. Such policies are incomparably more advantageous to everyone than the continuation of conflict. A start can be made on the basis of this truth, which is certainly more liberating than propaganda, especially when that propaganda serves to conceal inadmissible intentions. The premises of a lasting peace 8. There is an unbreakable bond between the work of peace and respect for truth. Honesty in the supply of information, equity in legal systems, openness in democratic procedures give citizens a sense of security, a readiness to settle controversies by peaceful means, and a desire for genuine and constructive dialogue, all of which constitute the true premises of a lasting peace. Political summits on the regional and international levels serve the cause of peace only if joint commitments are then honoured by each party. Otherwise these meetings risk becoming irrelevant and useless, with the result that people believe less and less in dialogue and trust more in the use of force as a way of resolving issues. The negative repercussions on peace resulting from commitments made and then not honoured must be carefully assessed by State and government leaders. Pacta sunt servanda, says the ancient maxim. If at all times commitments ought to be kept, promises made to the poor should be considered particularly binding. Especially frustrating for them is any breach of faith regarding promises which they see as vital to their well-being. In this respect, the failure to keep commitments in the sphere of aid to developing nations is a serious moral question and further highlights the injustice of the imbalances existing in the world. The suffering caused by poverty is compounded by the loss of trust. The end result is hopelessness. The existence of trust in international relations is a social capital of fundamental value. A culture of peace 9. In the end, peace is not essentially about structures but about people. Certain structures and mechanisms of peace – juridical, political, economic – are of course necessary and do exist, but they have been derived from nothing other than the accumulated wisdom and experience of innumerable gestures of peace made by men and women throughout history who have kept hope and have not given in to discouragement. Gestures of peace spring from the lives of people who foster peace first of all in their own hearts. They are the work of the heart and of reason in those who are peacemakers (cf. Mt 5:9). Gestures of peace are possible when people appreciate fully the community dimension of their lives, so that they grasp the meaning and consequences of events in their own communities and in the world. Gestures of peace create a tradition and a culture of peace. Religion has a vital role in fostering gestures of peace and in consolidating conditions for peace.It exercises this role all the more effectively if it concentrates on what is proper to it: attention to God, the fostering of universal brotherhood and the spreading of a culture of human solidarity. The Day of Prayer for Peacewhich I promoted in Assisi on 24 January 2002, involving representatives of many religions, had this purpose. It expressed a desire to nurture peace by spreading a spirituality and a culture of peace. The legacy of Pacem in Terris 10. Blessed Pope John XXIII was a man unafraid of the future. He was sustained in his optimism by his deep trust in God and in man, both of which grew out of the sturdy climate of faith in which he had grown up. Moved by his trust in Providence, even in what seemed like a permanent situation of conflict, he did not hesitate to summon the leaders of his time to a new vision of the world. This is the legacy that he left us. On this World Day of Peace 2003, let us all resolve to have his same outlook: trust in the merciful and compassionate God who calls us to brotherhood, and confidence in the men and women of our time because, like those of every other time, they bear the image of God in their souls. It is on this basis that we can hope to build a world of peace on earth. At the beginning of a new year in our human history, this is the hope that rises spontaneously from the depths of my heart: that in the spirit of every individual there may be a renewed dedication to the noble mission which Pacem in Terris proposed forty years ago to all men and women of good will. The task, which the Encyclical called â€Å"immense†, is that â€Å"of establishing new relationships in human society, under the sway and guidance of truth, justice, love, and freedom†. Pope John indicated that he was referring to â€Å"relations between individual citizens, between citizens and their respective States, between States, and finally between individuals, families, intermediate associations and States on the one hand, and the world community on the other†. He concluded by saying that â€Å"to bring about true peace in accordance with divinely established order† was a â€Å"most noble task† (Pacem in Terris, V: l.c., 301-302).. The fortieth anniversary of Pacem in Terris is an apt occasion to return to Pope John XXIII’s prophetic teaching. Catholic communities will know how to celebrate this anniversary during the year with initiatives which, I hope, will have an ecumenical and interreligious character and be open to all those who have a heartfelt desire â€Å"to break through the barriers which divide them, to strengthen the bonds of mutual love, to learn to understand one another and to pardon those who have done them wrong† (l.c., 304). I accompany this hope with a prayer to Almighty God, the source of all our good. May he who calls us from oppression and conflict to freedom and cooperation for the good of all help people everywhere to build a world of peace ever more solidly established on the four pillars indicated by Blessed Pope John XXIII in his historic Encyclical: truth, justice, love, freedom. From the Vatican, 8 December 2002