In the simplest sense of LIBERALISM, which is always correlated with “freedom from slavery of any form”, it is a broad class of political philosophies that consider individual liberty to be the most important political goal. Further, humans are naturally in ‘a State of perfect Freedom to order their Actions…as they think fit…without asking leave, or depending on the Will of any other Man’ (Locke).

With the given definition, let us examine whether it fits to the Philippine set up.

On the question of being free and not of slave, we could say that it fits to our set-up. However, if we look closely to it, are we really individually free? Are we on the state of perfect freedom to put into actions what we think are fitted?

We see the rampant poverty here in the country. If the Filipino people wanted to eat three times a day with sufficient nutrition, could we? The answer is sadly no. We are indeed enslaved with the poverty we are facing today. Not only poverty, we are also enslaved with justice, truth and freedom.

These virtual slaveries are not mere abstract of reality. These are the situations we are facing everyday, these are hardships we bear on our shoulders time to time.

Why?

Due to the policies and succumbs mind of our people who do want more than what they need. In turn, they have more, and we have less.

But chill! There’s always been a lighter side...

You know what’s the most fitted liberalism we could opt to describe the Philippines?

It is the liberal way of dressing up, courting, relationships, etc.

Without this notion, we will never have the tubes, spaghettis, micro-mini skirts, and the so-called “pekpek shorts” (more commonly known in English as short shorts,, ok?), which are very “in” today…

We will not be that open and have these same-sex relationships...

We will not have a minute of “Wag ka nang manligaw, tayo na.”…

Ergo, we shall not accept the title of this article, Liberal mind won’t maketh a liberal man without an action.

It shall be, “Liberal mind without action, won’t makes us a liberal man.”

“The struggle for freedom is the next best thing to actually being free.”

- Leandro L. Alejandro

Submitted by:

Bitang, Maria Lucila d.R.

Calugay, Sam Terence

Mapanao, Joan Michelle B.

Sapallo, Careen L.

Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, holds the one of the most influential and powerful women on the world. She is also the first women to ever hold the position of Chancellor in the history of Germany. Merkel, a housewife from Eastern bloc of Germany, from Christian Democrat Union (CDU) won the election forming a “grand coalition”. Her grand coalition made of fifteen ministers, seven from the Social Democrat Party (SDP), five from the Christian Democrat Union (CDU) and two from the Christian Social Union (CSU), tries to pull it through their difference for better of the country.

Sides have been taken in which out of 116 delegates at the congress only three voted against it and one abstained. The CDU voted widely in favor the grand coalition government program. On the other hand, SPD also voted by a wide majority in favor of the government program in which only 25 of the 515 delegates present were against it. Both parties may have realized that Germany is in dramatic situation and that they are in deeply debt so only a grand coalition can remedy their problems.

Franz Mϋntefering, an outgoing president of the SPD and Vice Chancellor and Employment Minister in the new government, declared that, “it is better to participate in a government with the strength that we have rather than remain in opposition without influence”.

The arrival of Angela Merkel in the Chancellery establishes the advent of the “Ossis” generation, name given by the West Germans to those from East, to positions of power.

The new government would like to consolidate the budget in order to achieve the thresholds required by the Stability Pact that Germany has not respected for nearly four years now. Economy and increases in taxes are the two main means chosen by Angela Merkel to achieve the principle objective she has established like achieving a minimum saving of 35 billion Euro in 2007. Those who earn more than 250,000 per year will now be taxed 45% instead of 42% and key measure of the CDU’s electoral program will be that VAT will rise from 16% to 19%. The additional revenue generated by these measures will go towards consolidating government finance and lowering social contributions.

The grand coalition invest around 25 billion euro to boost growth and employment. By 2010, 3% of German GDP will be to be dedicated to research. Parental salary will be created to enable parents who so wish to stop working to take care of their children. And, finally, the government will increase from 20 to 30% the digressive allowance from companies before undertaking a more general reform of company taxation. In addition, personal aid might under circumstances be tax deductible, a step designed to fight against undeclared work. In addition to the long term unemployed living in the East will have their monthly allowance harmonized with that provided in the West which personally a very generous thing to allot by Germans. At this point of time, it is apparent to see that Germany is still in the process of recovering from the pain given to them by the Cold war.

The main criticism adopted by the two main parties is the structural reform, wherein there are healthcare reform, and consolidation of government finance, which everyone agrees has been long overdue in Germany are being left . The government wants to boost the economy before tackling deeper and more painful reform. The unions and other political analysts say they are extremely skeptical about the coalition’s ability to finish its term in office for reasons that they live with different ideas when it comes to economy and government system. The two main parties have therefore put their difference on hold and will privilege vital pragmatism in an agreement on a government program.

Later this year, Franz Mϋntefering threatened to walk out from the Grand Coalition, it may be the first warning shot from the SPD. It is not clear, though, whether the SPD manages to form a coalition with relatively strong conservative and libertarian party base. Then again, there are other equally ominous risks for the FDP in tying itself too closely to the CDU, and for remaining in opposition for too long. For some reasons, the unification of SPD in the Grand Coalition is a tactical strategy because those were the time that the party was in disarray and they something that could boost their party ad also the party is consecutively receiving negative feedback from the Germans, like the 2005 election wherein they scored as little as 26% in the opinion polls while CDU is very likely to rise to above 40%. This would imply a tectonic shift of power towards the center-right.

Aside from the Grand Coalition’s conflicts, they also have lack in common agenda. It started off with a few worthwhile projects but some of the recent reforms have turned out to be much less sensible, as what some of the economists said. It seems that the grand Coalition has run out of things to do and if you would put into words, this is the perfect time to pick a fight.

Merkel have always knew that the SPD will not stick it out to the end but still she put her trust to her grand coalition because they both have the same objective, to bring Germany back to track. The disarray of Social Democrat Party makes the timing appear unrealistic, according to some political analyst in Germany. It could even threaten a coalition agreement, since analysts say Mϋntefering is one of the only figures who can impose order on its internal strife factions.

Why is Angela Merkel still popular despite all of the problems encountered by Germany? Angela Merkel has attained approval rating that politicians the world ever dream about, largely due to the way she has handled herself on international matters in visits to Washington, Moscow and Brussels. According to the poll by Der Spiegel, the newsweekly, 85% of Germans like the way Merkel is doing her job. Surveys show that citizens and businesses alike are in the kind of upbeat mood that Germany has not enjoyed in years, optimism that Merkel, and her coalition government may be able to capitalize on. Angela Merkel, 51 year old housewife from the Eastern Bloc with such a low profile, is taking into account the short span of time that the Germans are considering. Merkel had a huge lead in the polls months before the election. But the advantage dwindled as Merkel – who grew up under Communist rule in East German, holds a doctorate in physics and has worked as a chemist – began to talk about the need for sweeping reforms that would chip away at Germany’s social programs.

On the other hand, Saikat Chaudhuri, a Wharton management professor, describes the economy as “coming back and growing”. He also said that, “neither Merkel nor any other chancellor would ever be able to – nor would it be wise to – abandon the socialized system in Germany and move to a clear Anglo-Saxon model. That’s difficult to do in Germany. The bulk of opposition to Merkel is so used to it. There’s a large base that supports that system, including Eastern Germans. You can’t radically transform systems overnight. It will have to be done in a piecemeal fashion”. It is rightly said indeed but a question still remains are the means of changing their system gradually.

Germany has been struggling to face some problems for a long time now – Germany’s economic malaise is traced into to important shocks in 1990, first is the former West Germany absorbed over 16 million people from the former East Germany and, second is the reunified Germany placed its monetary policy in the hands of European Central Bank – for a number of reasons: lackluster GDP growth over the last five years, a vast overburdened welfare state, an anemic service sector, a stubborn protectionist sentiment, and an aging population that will place greater strain on the nation’s budget in years to come.

Critics have already been spoken, “She couldn’t form a coalition with a Liberal Party which certainly would like to do the economic reforms that she wanted. The second message from the election result was that radical economic reforms are still quite unpopular. This resistance to reforms is shared by the working class and middle class alike”. While the presence of SDP, which is committed to income redistribution and social justice, does put limits on what Merkel can achieve, the Social Democrats have seen their poll numbers slip. The Christian Democrats, on the other hand, have always been in favor of social market economy and in favor of strong state intervention to correct inequities in the distribution of income that arise from the working of market forces.

“Merkel has already achieved much and has the talent to do more”, says INSEAD’s Webber. “Anyone who has managed to make it to the top of the heap in the German Christian Democratic Party is a very savvy political operator. She has built up in the CDP a network of supporters which would protect her against inner party dissent if her popularity declines. The second thing is she is not a primarily an ideologue. She is a pragmatist. She is something like a political technician as opposed to being the kind of political orator.

Suffice it to say that having a two opposite political party in the coalition id really hard to put up because they have their differences but if the Germans would want to recover from their deepened problems, they should really deal with consequences given by the decisions made. There wouldn’t be any progress if all they do id to oppose each other.

“In order to become the most faithful and best pupils of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin, we need to carry on cultivation in all aspects in the course of the long and great revolutionary struggle of the proletariat and the masses of the people. We need to carry on cultivation in the theories of Marxism-Leninism and in applying such theories to practice; cultivation in revolutionary strategy and tactics; cultivation in studying and dealing with various problems according to the standpoint and methods of Marxism-Leninism; cultivation in ideology and moral character, cultivation in Party unity, inner-Party struggle, and discipline; cultivation in hard work and in the style of work; cultivation in being skillful in dealing with different kinds of people and in associating with the masses of the people; and cultivation in various kinds of scientific knowledge, etc. We are all Communist Party members and so we have a general cultivation in common. Therefore, in addition to cultivation in general we also need special cultivation for different groups and for individual comrades.”



-Liu Shaoqi, a major theoretician of the Chinese Communist Party.



The Communist Party of China (CPC), also known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and the ruling political party of the People’s Republic of China and the world’s largest political party. Its paramount position as the supreme political authority in China, while not a governing body recognized by China’s constitution, the Party is realized as the supreme power through control of all state apparatus and of the legislative process.



Organization



The party’s highest body is the National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which meets at least once every five years. The primary organizations of power in the Communist Party which are listed in the party include:



* Central Committee, which includes:
o The Politburo Standing Committee, which currently consists of nine members;
o The Politburo, consisting of 24 full members (including the members of the Politburo Standing Committee) and one alternate;
o The Secretariat, the principal administrative mechanism of the CPC, headed by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China;
o The Central Military Commission (a parallel organization of the government institution of the same name);
* The Central Discipline Inspection Commission, which is directly under the National Congress and on the same level with the Central Committee, charged with rooting our corruption and malfeasance among party cadres.

Every five years, the Communist Party of China holds a National Congress. Formally, the Congress serves two functions: to approve changes to the Party constitution regarding policy and to elect a Central Committee, about 300 strong. The Central Committee in turn elects the Politburo. In practice, positions within the Central Committee and Politburo are determined before a Party Congress, and the main purpose of the Congress is to announce the party policies and vision for the direction of China in the following few years.

The party's central focus of power is the Politburo Standing Committee. The process for selecting Standing Committee members, as well as Politburo members, occurs behind the scenes in a process parallel to the National Congress. The new power structure is announced obliquely through the positioning of portraits in the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Party. The number of Standing Committee members varies and has tended to increase over time. The Committee was expanded to nine at the 16th Party National Congress in 2002.

There are two other key organs of political power in the People's Republic of China: the formal government and the People's Liberation Army.
Internal or external groupings

Political scientists have identified two groupings within the Communist Party leading to a structure which has been called "one party, two factions". The first is the "elitist coalition" or Shanghai clique which contains mainly officials who have risen from the more prosperous provinces. The second is the "populist coalition" or "Youth League faction" which consists mainly of officials who have risen from the rural interior, through the Communist Youth League. The interaction between these two factions is largely complementary with each faction possessing a particular expertise and both committed to the continued rule of the Communist Party and not allowing intra-party factional politics threaten party unity. It has been noted that party and government positions have been assigned to create a very careful balance between these two groupings.

Within his "one party, two factions" model, Li Chen has noted that one should avoid labeling these two groupings with simplistic ideological labels, and that these two groupings do not act in a zero-sum, winner take all fashion. Neither group has the ability or will to dominate the other completely.
History

In 1921, largely on the initiative of two Beijing University professors, Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was founded in Shanghai.
Issues

Many of the unexpected opinions about the CPC result from its rare combination of attributes as a party formally based on Marxism which has overseen a dynamic market economy, yet maintains an authoritarian political system.

Some of the opponents of the Party within the Chinese democracy movement have tended not to argue that a strong Chinese state is inherently bad, but rather that the Communist leadership is corrupt. The Chinese New Left, meanwhile, is a current within China that seeks to "revert China to the socialist road" – i.e., to return China to the days after Mao Zedong but before the reforms of Deng Xiaoping and his successors.

Many observers from both within and outside of China have argued that the CCP has taken gradual steps towards democracy and transparency, hence arguing that it is best to give it time and room to evolve into a better government rather than forcing an abrupt change. However, other observers question whether these steps are genuine efforts towards democratic reform or disingenuous measures by the CCP to retain power.

Ideology



Maoism, or “Mao Zedong thought,” as it came to be titled, combined components of orthodox Marxism-Leninism, Confucianism, the practical experience of Communist revolution in rural China, and the combative and iconoclastic personality of Mao. In its suppression of dissent, disregard of individual liberties, and eagerness to bring about swift industrialization and modernization of the country. Mao’s regime closely resembled unreformed Soviet communism. Industrial development was at first directly patterned on Stalin’s economic policies. All large-scale industry and trade were taken over by the government.



(Brian Lloyd Belen, Erika Cristine Cayanan, Jasmin Maramag, Fatima Diane Rempillo)

LIBERALS AROUND THE WORLD

People always denote and associate LIBERALISM with the most overused term and concept of “freedom”. Throughout the entire span of time, likewise, liberalism gained a wide spread of definitions from different perspectives rooted out of history, of race, and of nation.

Where does it come from?

The word LIBERAL, derives from the Latin word liber, which means free, is associated with the word "liberty" and the concept of freedom. However, it was not until the eighteenth century that signified the word liberals only of worthy of a free man.

Being “liberal” got people to be intellectually independent, broad-minded, upright, frank, and open. It is once believed that this transpired mostly on people who were and are becoming occupied with a higher social position, on account of their wealth and education.

Politically and generally speaking

Politically speaking, liberalism acts as a system to combat or to oppose possible threats of centralization, absolutism, and tyranny. It asserts an absolute and unrestrained freedom of thought, religion, conscience, creed, speech, press, and politics. However, some critics do believe that the very essence of this absoluteness of freedom is now being widely abused and is being manipulated by a few to gain their own personal interests.

Looking in a much general sense, liberalism forwards and champions freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals; acknowledges and respects the right to freedom of conscience and of choice, and the right of everyone to develop their talents to the full; and aims to disperse power, to foster diversity and to nurture creativity.

Are you a liberal?

How “liberal” are you? Here are the ten standards, proposed by a Chicago University law professor Geoffrey R. Stone, that LIBERALS BELIEVE:

1) …individuals should doubt their own truths and consider fairly and open-mindedly the truths of others…

2) …individuals should be tolerant and respectful of difference…

3) …individuals have a right and a responsibility to participate in public debate...

4) …"we the people" are the governors and not the subjects of government, and that government must treat each person with that in mind…

5) …government must respect and affirmatively safeguard the liberty, equality and dignity of each individual…

6) …government has a fundamental responsibility to help those who are less fortunate…

7) …government should never act on the basis of sectarian faith…

8) …courts have a special responsibility to protect individual liberties...

9) …government must protect the safety and security of the people…

10) …government must protect the safety and security of the people, without unnecessarily sacrificing constitutional values…

Now, can you consider yourself one of them?

“A liberal is a conservative whose conscience is on display.”

-Jerome Gioia

“A liberal is a man or a woman or a child who looks forward to a better day, a more tranquil night, and a bright, infinite future.”

-Leonard Bernstein

MERRY CHRISTMAS

and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Submitted by:

Bitang, Maria Lucila d.R.

Calugay, Sam Terence

Mapanao, Joan Michelle B.

Sapallo, Careen L.

THE MAGDALO GROUP

Its Positive Outlook

When you first hear this group being broadcasted in television or radio, or having been browsed in the newspapers, what comes to your mind? Oakwood mutiny? Coup de etat? Manila Peninsula Seige? Rebellion? Thinking about these things, how do you consider the Magdalo Group? Is their existence truly ruins the government? Or they just really serve as an eye-opener for the ever-blind Filipino people?

The Magdalo Group had already set an image of bravery among the Filipino people. But this bravery has been termed as ‘stupid bravery’ by some of the Filipino people, most especially those who stand against the Magdalo.

Well, seeing the life of Antonio Trillanes IV, who has been detained, contradicted, and who risked his own life, as well as with his alliances, just for the sake of this change that they wanted to achieve, maybe it will be quite hard for us to consider their bravery and courage as a stupid one.

Maybe some are all questioning the root of this passion for change, and that why do they have to promote it in such a way that they create a pandemonium that doesn’t only catch the attention of the many, but even bringing forth some sort of disturbance to those people that has been affected by these actions.

A lot of people have desired to see the lowing down of these group, that they will stop from what they are doing, and just get contented from the present government that we have.

But, if their existence had caused a great awakening, probably, their non-existence will tolerate the idle minds of the Filipino people.

The Filipino people has been divided whether to adhere to these people or not. But, whether or not they should be adhered, their existence still serve as a stimulus for the Filipino people that we should be curious and passionate enough to observe and realize if we are really under the spirit of democracy that the Filipinos deserve and aspire to have.

Its Negative Outlook

The very profound thing that I notice in this party it was created in order to have a ruling party in Cavite. This party must be renaming from Magdalo Party to I-must-win Party where all the members must win the local election in Cavite. Almost politician in Cavite are members in this party which are friends forever circle in this province. They form an alliance in able to grasp all the political power in this prefecture. There is no party discipline when they form this group; it was totally formed just to fulfill the political ambition of somebody. The political ambition of other people is incredible; they will pull strings just to have all the power they want. The Magdalo Party is a party created just to conquer politics in Cavite.

Members of this party are truly hard to believe because half of the original members moved to other parties. Yes! One by one they are moving to other parties just to ensure that their political “career” will not end soon. The discipline of this people are somewhat devastated by their selfish acts. It’s really absurd that this party still exists until this point of time. Aren’t they ashamed to this kind of act? For them politics is power which they will tailed until they need power, which is never-ending fulfillment.

The coalitions made by the members are also to the highest point of absurdity. They form allegiance to different party in the Philippines. This is really fascinating because they form coalition to the enemy of the other member. Politics is a circus which are form every election in able to get money while faking the entertainment. Traditional politician are disease in our nation. They succumb power and influence while others succumb for food and employment. They hold position in able to get all the things they wanted while others hope that they will lift their lives from poverty. They lived in fame and power while others lives in the street begging for their live. All in all they sunk in their own selfish acts and tend to corrupt the province just to stay in power. The Cavitenos must be aware to all the acts of their officials and be intelligent to pick their leaders on the next election.

By

Badilla, Sonia M.

Custodio, Jerleen P.

Pirante, Ma. Papciel S.

Villados, Katherine Joyce U.

BPS IR 3-2