Traffic: What can we do?

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Nowadays traffic in major cities is worsening. What problems does it create? How can we help solve these problems as individuals?

As more and more people move from the countryside into the world’s cities, traffic is becoming a bigger and bigger problem. Public transport is unable to cope, and people turn to private transport, often making the situation worse. In this essay, I will suggest ways in which individuals can take the lead in improving the flow of traffic in our cities.

It may seem as if there is nothing the individual can do to solve traffic problems. Investing in public transport such as the construction of a metro, railway or tram system, or even introducing a bus network is far too expensive for the ordinary individual. Even calling on local authorities or politicians to begin such projects is usually very unrewarding because of the long timescales involved. Finally, buying your own car or motorbike just adds to the overcrowding and magnifies the traffic problem.

However, there are some steps ordinary individuals can take. First of all, where possible we should opt for public transport, such as buses, trains, or even taxis, rather than using cars. These are a more efficient use of limited urban space than private vehicles. Another option is to pool: to share our cars with other people going to the same work or school. The fewer vehicles on the road, the less congestion. A third approach is to live closer to where we work, so that we can walk or cycle. It is much less stressful to know that you can reach your work within a few minutes by the simplest forms of transport. Finally, we do need to work with local politicians and urban planners to provide transport services. If they are not constantly pressed, they will spend the money elsewhere.

In conclusion, although traffic may seem like an insurmountable problem, it is simply the result of many individual choices. It is pointless waiting for governments to take action – we must take some responsibility ourselves.

Is emigration bad for a country?

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Should rich countries offer jobs to professionals such as doctors, engineers and teachers from poorer countries, even though these people are needed in their own countries?

Every year millions of workers migrate to developed countries such as Canada or Germany to work as doctors, engineers, or other professionals. This is good for the rich countries, but can be bad for the developing countries. This essay will explain why it is difficult to limit this flow of talented people from poor to rich countries.

Allowing foreign professionals to work overseas can cause many problems back home. First, the rich country is essentially taking the money that the developing country spent educating these workers. They are getting highly trained employees at a minimal cost without the need to build expensive universities. Why should Canada or Ireland benefit from South Africa’s or India’s education system? Another point is that many of these workers never go home. The skills they pick up abroad are not available for their home country. A third point is that many education systems are producing people for export, rather than providing skills needed in the home country.

However, we cannot simply stop employing workers from overseas. First, most professionals are free to work where they want, and if Australia won’t take them, the UAE or Saudi will. Competition exists, and people are free to choose their careers. Secondly, the remittances from these workers help to educate children. These children will, we hope, be able to work in their economy without the need to emigrate. In addition, allowing emigration can prevent social unrest. Unemployment can cause political or social problems, so it can be better for workers to emigrate, earn good salaries, and learn new skills elsewhere.

Finally, while many people would prefer to stay and work in their own country, it is inevitable that many others are attracted to higher salaries or better opportunities overseas. Developing countries need to examine why so many of their brightest, most talented people are leaving, and richer countries need quotas in place to ensure that they do not distort other education systems and economies.

Do foreign workers benefit the host country? (short)

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Mr Writefix

In many countries, foreign labour is an important part of the economy. What are some of the benefits and disadvantages for the economy of having workers from outside the country?

In many countries such as the USA, Singapore and many Gulf countries, foreign workers make up a large part of the labour force. However, there is some debate about the advantages of this for the economy of the country. In this essay, I will look at some of the arguments in favour of foreign labour and discuss some of the negative effects it can have.

There are several advantages to foreign labour. First of all, foreign labour is almost always cheap. Workers and economic migrants are attracted to countries with strong economies because they gcan earn higher salaries than at home. This means that the host country can get a good supply of cheap labour and this will make it more competitive and increase profits. Second, foreign workers are already trained. There is no need to wait years to train them in college or on the job. This also saves a lot of money and means that projects can be completed rapidly. A third point is that foreign workers are prepared to do jobs that local people do not want to do, such as work in remote areas or do dangerous or dirty jobs. These often include jobs in construction or in jobs with anti-social hours such as hotels. All of these mean that companies can provide a wide range of services at lower costs.

However, there are also hidden costs to hiring foreign labour. First of all, foreign workers may not be loyal to a company. This means they may change job often or leave the country quickly if there is a problem, such as happened recently in Libya. Secondly, they may create a lack of employment opportunities among locals. Employers may not want to give locals high salaries if they can employ expatriates more cheaply. A third problem is that they lower wages for certain jobs. Jobs which are attractive in some countries such as construction become very lowly paid if they employ mostly foreign workers. These factors may cause serious problems and imbalances in the host economy, such as too many locals in the government or public sector. A further point is that some expatriate labour is not really cheap, since it may be less effective or their skills may not transfer well to the new country.

In conclusion, it’s a difficult balance between finding workers at the right price and developing a strong and diversified economy with good employment opportunities for all. Countries have to decide between protecting their own workforce and creating a competitive environment for business.

Do foreign workers benefit the host country? (long)

Posted on April 10, 2011 by Mr Writefix

In many countries, foreign labor is an important part of the economy. Using migrant labor can contribute to the development of a country, but it can also cause economic problems. What are some of the advantages and drawbacks of expatriate labor for a country’s economy?

The development of countries such as Singapore, Brunei, the Gulf countries, and even the US has been helped greatly by millions of foreign workers. While foreign workers are cheap and quick, they can also cause problems for the economy of the country. In this essay I will look at some of the problems caused by an expatriate workforce and suggest that we need a balanced approach to employing foreign workers.

There are many obvious advantages to using foreign labor. First of all, they are usually cheap. Workers from Bangladesh, India or the Philippines are happy to work for salaries which are high in comparison to their home countries but low in the host country. Foreign workers are also ready to work in remote places or at times when local workers would not. A second point is that foreign workers are usually job-ready. They do not need expensive college education or training. They may have skills not available in the new country. A third point is that many migrant workers are ready to work in jobs that are too dirty or dangerous for nationals such as construction or cleaning. All these advantages mean that the economy is boosted by cheap labor and low production costs.

However, there are hidden costs to the economy of the country. One major drawback is that the workers are sending a lot of money home, instead of spending it. This results in a loss of foreign exchange for the country. Another point is that they may take jobs from locals. More importantly, they reduce the salaries for some jobs. For example, employers will pay very low salaries for some jobs which some locals might like to do but could not survive on. Security is another issue. Foreign workers can leave at any time if there is a political or other problem, and this can mean a sudden loss of skills and experience. An additional point is that the influx of foreign workers can put pressure on services such as hospitals or housing, and these costs have to be paid by the state, not the employers who are getting rich. All these factors can result in economic problems for the government.

In conclusion it’s important to have some control over the use of foreign workers, and to make sure that using them does not disrupt the labor market for local workers. One way is to pay them higher salaries and give them full protection. Countries should seek to employ their own citizens first before turning outside and depending on foreign labor.

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Tag: work

Traffic: What can we do?

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