Young Asians and Contemporary Liberalism in Asia

July 10, 2007 at 9:06 am | Posted in Liberal Values & Ideologies | Leave a comment

by: Rachel Ann Bersemera

ylda_logo11.jpgMany Western experts on Democracy and Liberalism often claim that Asia has a short history with the liberal Ideology. Asian liberals in general however would counter that contrary to this observation, Asia has a long and rich history of liberal-democratic movement.

Of course, this may not be the kind that highlights individualism or the type that emphasizes the right to self-realization of the individual over collective or familial aspirations, but it is liberalism in the many eyes of Asians nonetheless. More

Unveiling the Filipino Liberal

July 10, 2007 at 7:28 am | Posted in Liberal Values & Ideologies | Leave a comment

By Marlowe C. Selecios Our predominantly conservative society undeniably looks with suspicious eyes on the Filipino liberal. Driven by his unusual zeal for individual liberty and social equality, the liberal is typecast as an activist, rarely appreciated and often misunderstood. The liberal’s excesses are frequently magnified and highlighted, while his virtues, which are aplenty, understated. His pronounced impatience with the status quo is seen as rebelliousness. His self-confidence is mistaken for arrogance. More

Tax Efficiency: Not All Taxes Are Created Equal

June 4, 2007 at 8:51 am | Posted in Economy, Globalization & Dev't. | 1 Comment

One reason that governments impose taxes is to finance the services that citizens demand. This study examines how governments can extract tax revenues in the least costly and economically damaging manner. There are, of course, other policy considerations in determining tax policy. Indeed equity (often referred to as fairness) and simplicity are critical policy factors. That acknowledged, this study focuses on economic efficiency, which is frequently ignored in public policy discussions about tax policy. The reason to focus on economic efficiency is because not all taxes are created equal; the economic costs of different taxes are different. Some taxes impose greater costs on society than others. The key for societies is to rely more on the less costly taxes and less on the more costly taxes. More

Originally Posted at Fraser Institute

Media, influencing perceptions and its impact on the truth

June 4, 2007 at 8:22 am | Posted in Economy, Globalization & Dev't. | Leave a comment

Whoever said information would be the key commodity of this new, digital world wasn’t just spouting sci-fi gibberish. 

But then, as a Communications major, I can appreciate the way information is processed both by the general public and the ones we mark as our “Targets” for the campaigns we design and execute. You have a message. It passess through a medium. It is transmitted to the intended (and unintended) reciever. Of course, its never as simple as that. The old Sender->Reciever model of Communications cannot fully illustrate the complexities that come with information processing. More

Posted at www.iflry.org

Liberalism of Liberalism

June 4, 2007 at 8:15 am | Posted in Liberal Values & Ideologies | Leave a comment

By Alex Armengol

Remember at the end of the XXI century and the beginning of last century, the Industrial Revolution (IR). Remember which changes occurred, good and Bad ones. But what made it change was the people who were living day to day the Revolution. Millions died, millions became wealthy, millions starved, millions… What is for sure is that the IR made people change, and the faster you were changing the more predictable future was assured, of course, with some luck as well. Imagine what could happen if 3 big balloons each one at least as big as the IR where pressing us, which changes could be made by people? Imagine 3 big forces, all together, all at the same time, entering in each one’s life. 3 Mixed Revolutions. Well, that is what exactly we are living nowadays. More

Originally Posted at www. iflry.org

Your Vote, Your Choice, Your Future!

February 26, 2007 at 6:59 am | Posted in Election, Politics &Governance | Leave a comment

The outcome of the coming May 14, 2007 elections will be decided by the youth. Either through active participation or through passive indifference our choice will determine the nation’s fate for the new millennia.One cannot over emphasize the importance of the coming elections and its would-be outcome. After EDSA 2, “EDSA 3”, the “Hello Garci” scandal, two aborted impeachments and the failed automation of the election process, it is this election that17.jpg could salvage the country from ruin.

Amidst all this, the emotional stirrings, the nonstop bickering of politicians, the political carnival has begun! And one sector is left pondering in the middle – the youth. While the issue of whether ‘to vote or not to vote,’ is still there for some of us, the dilemma who to vote for in the upcoming national polls is one of the biggest challenges we are facing. More

In Defense of Free Trade

February 13, 2007 at 5:03 am | Posted in Economy, Globalization & Dev't. | Leave a comment

By Kai Jager

The embodiment of free international trade has been a matter of interest for liberals for centuries. Free trade is closely related to globalization, but trade between people from different countries is not a new appearance and has always existed in human history. The theoretical explanation why free trade benefits the economy was developed by Adam Smith and David Ricardo in the 18th and 19th century. Since then, a lot of controversial discussion on the issue have taken place. Nowadays, there is a going outcry against free trade by globalization opponents. Their message is that these “neo-liberal” market reforms will lead to higher unemployment in the developed world and exacerbate the situation in poorer countries. What can liberals offer in the debate to refute these arguments?

More

Originally posted at FNF Asia publication site

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