Study Essay

Colombia – Facts, data, location, ext

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:48:35 +0000

Colombia located in the northwestern part of South America is one of many Spanish speaking countries. Colombia shares a boarder with Ecuador, Peru Brazil, Venezuela, and Panama. Colombia’s capital and largest city, Bogotá;, is located near the center of Colombia. Medellín located northwest of Bogota and Cali to the southwest are also good size cites.

The climates in Colombia do not change very much due to the fact it is located so close to the equator. But the climates do change due to elevation. Elevations below about 300 feet are known as the tierra caliente or the “hot land”. The middle regions are known as tierra templada or, in English, the “moderate land”. The highest elevation located 6,500 feet or higher, is known as tierra fría which translated is “cold land”. The amount or precipitation varies greatly between regions. Averaging more then 100 inches of rain a year, the Magdalen Valley and tropical forest receives the most rain in Colombia. But the region along the Caribbean is the hottest and driest part of the country containing short rainy seasons. Located closest to the equator the Guajira peninsula receives the least amount of rain in Colombia. It is easy to see that the equator has a lot to do with Colombia’s climates.

Colombia was named after the famous explorer Christopher Columbus. In the early 1500′s Spaniards came to Colombia looking for gold. They enslaved the native Indians and ruled Colombia for three hundred years. It wasn’t until 1819 that a man by the name of Simón Bolívar led Colombia to independent from Spain. By 1826 all the Spanish colonies in South America were independent. In the 1970′s and 1980′s guerilla groups were formed to fight the government and attempt to create a communists state. Due to the chaos the drug sales and drug lords became very large and earned enormous amount of money. In 1980′s president Virgilio Barco of Colombia tried to put an end to the drug trafficking but it just brought forth bombings, kidnappings, and assignations. During Colombia’s 1990′s election three of the presidential candidates were assassinated by a powerful group of drug lords. The drug scene is still there in Colombia but the government has had some success in controlling it.

The Colombian government is much like ours in America. It consists of a president, which is voted in by anyone over the age of 18. But the president is only allowed to serve one four year term in office. Wisely, the president is allowed to choose who will be his running mate as vice-president. If a president does not win an election by at least fifty percent of the votes then another election is held between the top two candidates. Once voted into office the president is allowed to appoint the ministers. The government does not only consist of a president though, it also consists of legislatives and courts. The legislative is made up of two houses. They are the Senate which has 102 members and the House of Representatives that consists of 165 members. They like the U.S. have many courts, but their highest court is called the Corte Suprema de Justicia, also known as the Supreme Court. As you can see their current government is set up much like ours is here in America.

Traditionally in Colombia, only the males from rich families were able to receive education. Now day’s education is more widely available. The government is still trying to make it even more available but it is difficult because there are not enough schools or educators for the children. Despite this fact, the literacy rate in Colombia is 87% for those over the age of 15. Children are taught Spanish, the national language by their families, but some people still use some of their native languages. The dialects also vary in the regions and different classes.

The people in Colombia enjoy the same type of activates as we do as Americans. They like music and dancing. Some of the dances they perform are the salsa, cumbía, meringue, tango, and the sultry. Soccer is the most widely played sport in Colombia. Soccer in Colombia is like basketball or football in America. Surprisingly, automobile racing is the countries quickest growing spectator sport today. Basketball, Baseball, tennis, and boxing matches are held in the crowded cities for many to enjoy. The famous Spanish bullfighting tradition still lives in Colombia and draws many spectators. Because of Colombia’s mountainous terrain along the Andes, hiking, mountain climbing, and mountain biking, are greatly enjoyed there. Colombia has an organization dedicated solely to mountain biking and is the home to a world-champion mountain biker.

Standing in 28th place in the world, Colombia has a population of roughly 42,954,279 people. The majority of these people are Roman Catholic which is Colombia’s national religion. The Roman Catholic Church is the heart of every town. The Evangelical Protestant and Jewish have been present in Colombia since the 1900′s. There are many different types and races in Colombia. Some being the Mestizos (of Indian and white decent) which make up about 8% of the population, Whites (of Spanish decent) at 20%, Mulattoes (of white and black decent) about 3%, Afro-Colombians (of African descent) which is about 5%, and the Indians which is about 1%. The whites are generally the better educated and earn the larger incomes.

Most of the meals in Colombia are made with some combination of chicken, pork, fish, potatoes, rice, and beans. A common meal is called ajiaco de pollo. This meal consists of potatoes, vegetables, and chicken all combined together to make a stew. The most popular food in Colombia is called drepas, which is what we know as cornbread. Colombians eat a lot of soups and fresh fruits. As you might expect, people near the coast mainly eat fish while those in the highland eat mainly meat. Some of their bizarre food consists of pigeon soup, cooked guinea pig, and fried ants. Generally in the large cities they will have Chinese, Italian, or American type food. Colombians like Americans have three meals a day. These are breakfast, a small meal normally with coffee, Lunch, their largest meal of the day, and dinner, which consists of another small meal.

The economy in Colombia was doing well and had steady growth from 1970-1998. But in 1999 they entered into a recession. Like most recessions, the recovery was long and painful for Colombia but you can still see signs of it today. Colombia’s exports still flourish. They trade cotton, coal, oil, coffee, bananas, textiles, and cut flowers to countries like the United States, Germany, and other Latin American countries. But unlike America they do not use dollars they use a type of currency called pesos. One American dollar equals 2,300 Colombian pesos.

Miami County’s future.

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:32:13 +0000

The future of Miami County doesn’t look very bright unless we start changing the way we live. Everyone is so caught up in our fast paced world. The future will mean nothing without people getting involved in the clean up of are environment. The air we breathe, the water we drink, and even the sun has its setbacks. Everything has become so contaminated that its hard to even look to the future. We have become so caught up in having more than our next door neighbor that we forget whats important. Which is not filling our air and water with toxic waste and pollution. If we can overcome these things then the possibilities are endless.

Technology has grew with leaps and bounds and if we can stay on the right track our world will flourish. If we can can overcome our differences with other countries and no longer have to worry about war,then our society can step forward into the future. I believe that there will be so many advances in technology that people will live to be older due to advances in medicine, and better nutrition.

Things I imagine to happen in the future are super subway systems that can carry passengers to their destination in a matter of minutes. I also think that there will be no schools, everything will be performed at home on our computer systems, due to the violence that occurs in schools. I believe that there will be homes on the moon and we will find life on other planets. I believe that we will also have hover crafts capable of space travel. I also think that we discover many national treasure on the bottom of our oceans and lakes. I think that we will not have guns but, lasers and robotics which will be the future of our world. Robots will be trained to serve mans needs, and every home will have one. We will become more dependent on the sun for solar power.

Entertainment as we know it will change due to the violent nature of our society, I look for it to become like gladiators of the Roman empire. In the future I believe there will only be one religon. There will be no more different denominations, there will only be the true belivers. I also believe that people will use virtual reality video games. People will be able to go any where they want through virtual reality tours. Hopefully we will be able to cure disceases like cancer or aids,through all the medical breakthroughs.Our imagination is endless at the things that can be done in the years to come.

Oaxaca, Mexico as it is today.

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:55:12 +0000

OAXACA

Oaxaca is located in the southern Mexico. It is Mexico’s fifth largest state which used to be home to the Mixtec and Zapotec civilizations. The states of Puebla and Veracruz lie to the North of Oaxaca. The state of Chiapas lies to the East of Oaxaca. Guerrero is along its Western border and the Souhern border lies along the Pacific Ocean. There are also places where one can enjoy horseback riding, excellent golf courses and tennis courts.

The archaeological mountain of Monte Alban is a commonly visited place by many tourists. This is a religious center built by the Zapotecs on a deliberately leveled summit which contains a great view of the valley of Oaxaca. There are museums and galleries displaying traditional art at the summit of Monte Alban.

Along the coast of Oaxaca are eighteen miles of quiet beaches with clear water. Some activities enjoyed in Oaxacan beaches are fishing, sailing, snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving as well as cruising. One can cruise the jungle-like Puerto Escondido and the national park of Lagunas de Chacahua. Lagunas de Chacahua contains many lagoons and swamps shrouded in bamboo and mangrove.

The city of Oaxaca has numerous things to do with its many museums and cathedrals. There are many buildings made from a green volcanic stone that turns rather golden in the sunset. Oaxaca is home to the Basilica de Soledad which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Another daytime activity along the busy streets of Oaxaca is that of bargaining. Bargaining is expected among the crowded inter-city markets and is considered a God-given talent. There are different markets for what the consumer is looking for. An example of this is the Mercado de Abastos which is popular for its leather and woven products. The Mercado de Artesanias is the place to purchase textiles.

Oaxaca is a place of numerous fiestas. Each city celebrates its patron saint annually. Fiestas are considered a religious obligation. These fiestas are made elaborate no matter what the state of the economy is. Various historic organizations share the responsibilities of organizing the many fiestas that take place throughout the year. Many fiestas are thrown without people knowing about them before hand. There are often times parades and large feasts in the churchyard. Some fiestas occurring annually include the “Posadas” running from December 16 to December 24, the feast of the Virgin de Guadalupe occurring on December 12, and the feast of the Virgin de la Soledad which is an enormous fiesta occurring on December 18.

Distinctly Canadian

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:46:48 +0000

Distinctly Canadian

Canada, federated country of North America, bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean; on the northeast by Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, which separate it from Greenland; on the east by the Atlantic Ocean; on the south by the United States; and on the west by the Pacific Ocean and Alaska. Canada is the world’s second largest country, surpassed in size only by Russia. Canada has a total area of 9,970,610 sq. km (3,849,652 sq. mi), of which 755,180 sq. km (291,575 sq. mi) is covered by bodies of fresh water such as rivers and lakes (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

Canada contains great reserves of natural resources, notably timber, petroleum, natural gas, metallic minerals, and fish. The name Canada is derived from an Iroquoian term meaning ‘village’ or ‘community.’

In Canada we have many images, practices, and items that make us one of the best, younger countries in the world. In such a short time for a country to exist, we have many images that make us very culturally rich in everyway. Probably the most important images, practices, and items come for our friend, the American Indians (or Native Americans). They were a definite asset to Canada’s cultural growth.

The American Indians came into Canada in a series of migrations that occurred during the last stages of the Pleistocene Ice Age, Mongoloid peoples from Asia entered North America, probably crossing the Bering Strait. Gradually they spread over the continent and into South America. By 1600, more than 250,000 of their aboriginal descendants inhabited what is now Canada. Developing a Stone Age economy, they hunted, fished, and gathered food and, in warmer areas, also farmed. The basic social unit was the band, which varied from a few families to several hundred people. In areas of higher settlement density, bands were organized into tribes and even larger units.

The largest linguistic group was the Algonquian, which included migratory hunting tribes such as the Cree and Naskapi in the eastern subarctic region and the Abenaki and Micmac in the eastern woodlands on the coast. By the 18th century, Algonquians had spread west, where Ottawa, Ojibwa, Blackfoot, Plains Cree, and others roamed the prairies and plains in search of buffalo. The Iroquoian speaking tribes the Huron and the Iroquois–lived in permanent farm settlements and had a highly developed tribal organization in the St. Lawrence Valley and around Lakes Ontario and Erie (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

Tribes of Salishan, Athabascan, and other linguistic groups occupied fishing villages along the rivers of interior British Columbia. On the Pacific coast, Salishan tribes, such as the Bellacoola, and related Wakashan-speaking tribes–the Kwakiutl and Nootka–developed a rich culture, based on salmon fishing, expressed in potlatch ceremonies and carved wood totem poles. In the western subarctic, the Athabascan group–Carrier, Dogrib, and others led a primitive hunting existence similar to that of the Algonquians. Small, isolated Inuit bands developed a unique culture based on hunting seals and caribou, enabling them to survive the harsh environment of the Arctic (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

As we can see the Indians gave us many items that give us our culture, Native Indians can be said that they are basically our culture. Whatever they have as images, items, or practices, are ours also.

We can tell from the Natives that they feel that the animal kingdom was an important part of their lives. They show this from the things they hunt and the items they make (totem poles, with many sacred animals carved into them).

Some very important Canadian animals are: bison (buffalo), caribou, salmon, beaver, loon, and the moose. These animal images are distinctly Canadian. Some of these animals live elsewhere, but when people think of theses animals, they think Canada.

Bison, the largest terrestrial animal in North America, where it is usually called buffalo. The bison is characterized by a hump over the front shoulders; short, sharply pointed horns (in both sexes) curving outward and up from the sides of the massive head; and slimmer hindquarters. A mature bull of the North American bison is about 2 m (about 6.5 ft) high at the hump and 2.7 to 3.7 m (9 to 12 ft) long and weighs 850 to 1100 kg (1800 to 2400 lb); the female is smaller. The head, neck, forelegs, and front parts of the body have a thick coat of long, dark hair. The rear part of the body is covered with much shorter hair. The adult bull usually has a black beard about 30 cm (about 12 in) long (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

Until the 19th century, as many as 60 million bison lived on the Great Plains from Mexico into Canada, and some were found east of the Mississippi River. They were central to the existence of the Plains peoples, who used them for food, hides, and bone implements; even the dried dung, called buffalo chips, was used as fuel (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

Barren Ground caribou are native to the tundra regions of northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska. Historically, the Inuit (Eskimo) living in arctic regions have depended on these animals for survival, using every part of the body for food, implements, or clothing. The caribou usually live in small herds of cows and calves and a few bulls. Most of the older bulls stay in separate small bands, except during rut, and travel on the fringes of migrating herds (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1975).

Atlantic Salmon, the true salmon, the largest members of the salmon family, are characterized by tasty flesh that is often orange-red. The common salmon of the North Atlantic Ocean that is sent to market averages about 7 kg (about 15 lb) in weight, but specimens weighing more than 45 kg (more than 100 lb) have been caught. The Atlantic salmon migrates to cold, fresh water in late spring or early summer, swimming upstream at an average rate of up to 6.4 km (4 mi) per day. Because salmon can jump as much as 3.7 m (12 ft) out of water, they clear most obstacles in their path. The female lays as many as 20,000 eggs in October or November, after which time the adult salmon float downstream and return to the sea (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1975).

Unlike the various species of Pacific salmon, the Atlantic salmon does not die after its first spawning but returns year after year to its breeding place. The newly hatched young, which are known as parrs or brandlings because of the dark transverse markings on their sides, remain in fresh water for about two years. At this time, the young, which are known as smolts and which have become silvery in colour, descend to the sea. Upon the first return of the Atlantic salmon to its spawning ground, the fish is known as a grilse. After spawning, it is known as a Kelt. Adult males travelling toward the spawning grounds are known as dog salmon (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1975).

Several subspecies of the Atlantic salmon live in the lakes of the northern United States without ever descending to sea; such salmon are known as landlocked salmon. Landlocked salmon are much smaller than are migrating salmon, attaining a maximum weight of about 16 kg (about 35 lb). The two most important landlocked populations of the Atlantic salmon are the Sebago salmon, found from New Hampshire to New Brunswick, and the ouananiche, of Lac Saint-Jean, Canada (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1975).

Beaver, semiaquatic mammal noted for the building of dams. One species of beaver occurs in North America, the other in Eurasia. The two species differ chiefly in the shape of the nasal bones and are so much alike that some authorities consider them to be varieties of the same species. They are large rodents; the average adult beaver weighs about 16 kg (about 35 lb), but specimens as heavy as 40 kg (90 lb) have been found, and some extinct beavers were almost bearlike in size. (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1975).

Beavers have long been exploited for their fur, and for many years during the 18th and 19th centuries hundreds of thousands of beaver skins were exported to Europe from North America annually. The animals were also sometimes destroyed because of the damage they did to forests and the flooding occasionally caused by dams. Ceaseless slaughter led to near extinction of beavers in both Europe and North America. Although, they are becoming reestablished in Canada (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1975).

Loon, common name for five species of diving birds having heavy, straight, sharp-edged bills; heavy and elongated bodies; short, slender, pointed wings; and short, stiff tails. Their legs are short, and the three front toes are webbed. Because their legs are placed far back on the body, loons cannot walk on land. They therefore place their nests along the shores of lakes or in marshes and swamps, where they can slide directly into the water. The nests are usually loose structures made of aquatic vegetation, in which the female lays two dark brownish eggs (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

The common loon, an American species, breeds throughout much of Canada and the northern United States, wintering at sea south to the Gulf of Mexico, where it molts and becomes flightless. It is 70 to 90 cm (28 to 36 in) long. In summer its back is black spotted with white, and its head and throat black with a green or blue sheen. Winter and immature birds are gray (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

In North America, Moose are found in wooded areas of Canada and the northern United States. An adult may stand 1.4 to 2.35 m (4.6 to 7.7 ft) high at the shoulder and weigh 200 to 825 kg (440 to 1820 lb). The males bear enormous, broad, flattened antlers with marginal prongs, or tines. The antlers are shed each year after the mating season, by which time they can attain a spread of 1.5 m (5 ft) or more (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

Moose generally are solitary, although they may form into small bands in winter and trample down the snow where good cover exists, making a ‘moose yard’ where the animals stay while the food lasts. In deep snow a moose is helpless and easily hunted by humans on snowshoes. During the mating season, bulls battle for the cows, and their roars may be heard for great distances. After a gestation of 226 to 264 days, one to three calves are born. If a baby is born the following year, the mother drives off her first offspring, although the young may rejoin the mother after a few weeks.

For a time the species was threatened with extinction, both in Europe and in North America, because of indiscriminate hunting. Modern game laws and areas set aside for the protection of these animals have helped to save them (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

Canada does not only equate beautiful animals, but Canada also includes, two nation sports; Ice Hockey, and Lacrosse. Again we see the influence of the Natives on Canadian items, by looking at Lacrosse.

Lacrosse was invented by the natives of Canada, although it was much more violent then it seems to be presently. Lacrosse, field game played by two opposing teams, with a ball and a special netted stick, or crosse, with which the ball is caught, carried, and thrown. The game, originally played as training for warfare by the Native Americans of North America, and called baggataway, was adopted by the French-Canadians. They called the head of the stick used in the game la crosse because it resembles a bishop’s crosier or cross. The National Lacrosse Association (now the Canadian Lacrosse Association) was formed in 1867 to govern the sport. Since then, lacrosse has, by reason of culture, tradition, and popularity, become the Canadian national game (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

Then their is ice hockey, one of the most popular sports in whole wide world. Spectator may argue that beer is part of the game, but that is another essay topic. Hockey, game in which two opposing teams attempt to drive a puck through the goal of the opponent by means of sticks that are curved or hooked at one end.

Ice hockey is probably a descendant of bandy, a sport that developed in England in the late 18th century but is now played only in the Baltic countries, Sweden, and Russia. Modern ice hockey was devised in either 1853 or 1860 by British soldiers stationed in Canada. Rules were set by students at McGill University in Montréal, Québec, in 1879, and several amateur clubs and leagues were established in Canada by the late 1880s. The game is believed to have been first played in the United States in 1893. By the beginning of the 20th century the sport had spread to Great Britain and other parts of Europe. Today, ice hockey is played in some 30 countries, principally in North America, Scandinavia, and Russia. ‘It is the national sport of Canada’ (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1975).

Probably the two most important Canadian images are the Mounted Police, and the Maple Leaf. We can be absolutely positive that if we ask anybody (with reasonable sanity) about the Maple Leaf or the Mounted Police they will surely say Canada.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), in Canada, national police force, known familiarly as the Mounties, which, since 1950, enforces law in all provinces except Québec and Ontario. The corps, organized in 1873 as the Northwest Mounted Police, gained respect during the 19th century for combatting smuggling, horse thievery, and desperadoes in the violent northern territories. It is the only law enforcement body in the Northwest and Yukon territories of Canada, where members serve voluntarily. The RCMP has its national headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, and is under the jurisdiction of the solicitor-general of Canada (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988)

The force is widely known for its high degree of training, military bearing and pride, and ceremonial horse shows, and the Mounties have been the subject of many stories and films. Their parade uniform consists of a low, broad-brimmed hat, scarlet jacket, and blue trousers with a yellow stripe (Canadian Encyclopaedia, 1988).

The Maple Leaf represents individual citizens and the nation as a whole, expressing its collective will and sovereity. The maple leaf is what is on our flag that represents all that we stand for. The maple leaf includes everybody and everything that is Canadian. Freedom is was the maple leaf on our flag tells us.

Canada has many images, items, and practices that weren’t mention, which are just as important as the ones above. Yet from only such a few Canadian images, it is very obvious that we are still linked enormously to the native cultures. Most of the items that are distinctly Canadian are descended from our native brothers. This is shown by the number of images Canada has that are related to nature, and natural life. Canada has the most images that are related to nature in all of the world.

References

1988. Canadian Encyclopaedia, 2nd edition. Hurtig Publishers, Ltd. Edmonton, Alberta.

1975. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th edition. William Benton Publisher, Inc. Toronto, Ontario.

Denmark and a Comparison with the Czech Republic.

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:49:30 +0000

Mr. Chalupský! Considering an appropriate topic for this essay, somehow related to our discussions, up to date and possibly interesting for you, I hope I found one: it is Denmark. Denmark as the member state of the European Union. Denmark compared with the Czech Republic in terms of its position among other EU members. And last but not least, Denmark and its presidency of the EU from July to December 2002. Thus, this essay should neither provide all important facts nor all possible solutions of the problems considered, but only my humble opinions and thoughts.

I chose Denmark for comparison with the Czech Republic, because I see several similarities between these two countries and the reasons for that I will offer immediately. Of course, I should mention the outstanding differences as well.

The source of information I used were materials on different topics called “Factsheet Denmark.” and “One Europe. Programme of the Danish Presidency of the EU. July to December 2002.” published by the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2001 and 2002.

Contrary to the Czech Republic, Denmark is a constitutional monarchy and with its 43,094 square kilometres and 5.37m inhabitants (excluding the Faeroe Islands and Greenland) is smaller than our country. On the other hand, other important statistic facts can be compared daringly: The population is almost constant these days. The population density is high – 124 inhabitants per sq. km. The mean life expectancy is 74.3 years for men and 79.0 years for women. The capital, Copenhagen, has 1.08m inhabitants in the metropolitan area. The only official language is Danish, the currency remains still the Danish crone (not the euro!). However, I found two important differences in this statistic overview: 84.7% of the Danes belong to the Danish National Evangelical Lutheran Church and the gross domestic product per citizen was $30,143 in 2001 – the second highest in the EU, exceeded only by Luxembourg.

Denmark has never been ruled by other country (except during the Second World War, when it was occupied by Germany and, in fact, at the beginning chose to collaborate with the occupying power), as Czech lands once were part of the Austrian monarchy. And Denmark has never experienced an authoritarian regime, as we had between 1948 and 1989. There have been no substantial religious clashes and oppression until now and thus, the Lutheran National Church represents an important part of the association life of the Danish society today. Since 1945 the Danes have freely run their home and foreign politics, choosing the way of political and economic life in the country. They preserved the monarchy, they opted for what is nowadays called the “Welfare State Denmark” or the “Danish Model” and they became members of several international organisations, such as the UN (since 1945), NATO (since 1949), the Nordic Council (since 1952) and the EEC/EU (since 1973). Thus, Denmark has developed into a stable, highly organised and well-functioning parliamentary democracy and has a flourishing social-oriented market economy.

From the political point of view, Denmark is a constitutional hereditary monarchy, as I have already mentioned. Denmark´s present sovereign is Queen Margrethe II (b. 1940). As the Factsheet says “… the royal family has, with great loyalty and subtlety, fulfilled the role of neutral mediating link between changing governments and as a dignified and popular, but entirely apolitical uppermost superstructure on the Danish machinery of power.” In the light of the coming presidential elections and the debate of the role of the president in our country, I think, it should be similar to the role of the Danish Queen, which is mostly symbolic and representative, but highly important as well. Until 1953, Denmark had a bicameral system. After the abolition of the Landsting, the Folketing (The Danish Parliament) remains. However, it still continues under the public control: When a bill has been passed but not yet ratified, a third of the Folketing´s members may demand a referendum. Changes to the Constitution or the voting age must be ratified by a referendum. This also applies to issues involving renunciation of sovereignty unless the bill is passed by a 5/6 majority in the Folketing. Most of the Czech politicians seem to be heading a totally different direction these days: They put great emphasis on the role of the Senate, but never try to ask the public for its opinion.

The last general election in 2001 was historic, because the Liberal Party became the largest party for the first time since 1924, and because the right-of-centre parties together gained a majority for the first time since 1929. The main political issues include the balance between public and market control, the degree of tax funding of welfare measures as opposed to the insurance principle, the extent and nature of privatisation and contracting-out, support for or opposition to further political integration in the EU, law and order, and the attitudes to refugees and immigrants. It appears Denmark has to cope with several similar issues as the Czech Republic and therefore, I believe, the Danish tradition of compromise, collaboration across the centre and consensus – “the cooperative democracy” – could possibly serve as an example for the Czech political scene.

From the mid 1960s, Denmark, a thousand-year farming and fishing country was rapidly changing into a fully developed industrial nation. A similar process was interrupted in the former Czechoslovakia by the Second World War and the forty-year long communist regime. At the same time, Denmark developed into a welfare state, which is often called the “Danish Model”. It is characterised by the emphasis on free trade (As the Czech Republic, Denmark has a small open economy highly dependent on foreign trade.), industry with high productivity and full employment. The proceeds from economic activity are heavily taxed – Denmark has one of the heaviest tax loads in the world, amounting in 2000 to 48.2% of GDP. Thus, the revenues from taxes and duties enable the Danish Government to provide for instance free education, medical treatment, hospitalisation, early retirement pension, national pension (from the age of 65), unemployment benefits, dental costs and nursing home accommodation for its citizens. Of course, the Danish welfare state is facing several serious problems: The public sector is large. The public sector workforce now accounts for 30% of all employees, public expenditure amounts to almost 25% of GDP. The heavy tax load tempts some of the most gifted people to find work abroad and the guaranteed access to social benefits may invite abuse. On the other hand, Denmark meets the so-called convergence requirements of the Maastricht Treaty. In the last years public finances showed a considerable surplus and the public sector debt ratio is one of the lowest in the EU. The real GDP grows at an annual level of 3%, the inflation rate is around 3% and the unemployment rate 5% approximately.

In fact, in the Czech Republic most of us are not yet prepared to shake the invisible hand of market, are not yet prepared to take on more responsibility for our own life. I am convinced the “Danish Model” could serve as a good example here. It offers reasonable and efficient solutions, a compromise for the young and not really mature Czech economy. And it really works.

In one of the Factsheets Denmark describes itself as a miniature state which momentarily assumes superpower status. It is true that during its history, the image of the Danes has changed completely. Denmark has traditionally been a reticent and militarily cautious small country, however, today in its foreign politics it is usually characterised by active participation at the front shows. The war against terrorism, peace-making, peace-keeping, dissemination of democracy and support of the developing countries are among the objectives given the highest priority in Danish foreign policy. Measured by population, Denmark has send out more soldiers and policemen that any other country in the world to undertake peace-making, peace-keeping and humanitarian tasks for the UN, NATO, OSCE and as EU monitors. Denmark contributes large amounts to help developing countries imposing certain political conditions on its assistance. For many years now it has complied with the UN request that a developed country should give at least 0.7% of its GDP as development assistance. It shows that even a small and apparently weak country as Denmark or the Czech Republic could participate actively and efficiently in world politics and thus contribute to international peace and security. Of course, with respect to its real political and economic power it cannot cover a wide range of activities. In my opinion, the future of small countries on the international stage lies in specialising in certain activities, according to their history, tradition, location or territorial peculiarities etc. In this way, they can often try to address serious problems that will never be seen by the super-powers.

Denmark is the Member of the EU. It entered in 1973 together with Great Britain and Ireland. Denmark sees the future of the EU in an intergovernmental co-operation between independent states rather than a supranational co-operation heading for a political union. It supports the increasingly close economic co-operation, but not the extensive political integration. I would mark the Danish tradition of holding a referendum about new treaty provisions, which means that public opinion affects Denmark´s EU policy more directly than in most other EU countries. The most visible example of this referendum tradition was the rejection of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 by 50.7% of the population. Consequently, four so-called “Danish opt-outs” from the Treaty had to be adopted by the Danish Government together with the EU, subsequently ratified at a referendum in May 1993 by a majority of 56.7%. And although the actual Danish Government declared that the opt-outs were contrary to Denmark´s interests, at the same time it emphasised that EU policy must have a necessary popular basis. The most remarkable is perhaps the outside position of the Economic and Monetary Union, which resulted in the rejection of a new common currency, the euro.

As the EU Member State, Denmark is strongly interested in the fields of the common agricultural policy, free trade, economic co-ordination, social, labour market and employment policy as well as environment and consumer policy. It supports a stronger but slimmer EU with a clearer division of tasks between the EU and the member states. It further supports reforms protecting citizens´ rights in relation to the EU and involving national parliaments more extensively in the co-operation, as well as providing greater openness and subsidiarity in the Union.

From 1 July to 31 December 2002, Denmark chaired the EU. The main priority of the Danish Presidency was to conclude the enlargement negotiations with up to 10 new member countries. Thus, the artificial division imposed on the continent by more than forty years of communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe should be overcome and one whole and undivided Europe created. Another important issue of the Danish Presidency was promoting freedom, security and justice in the EU area as well as the global responsibility, addressing especially problems as terrorism, illegal immigration, trafficking in women, narcotics crime and child pornography. A strong and competitive European economy, continued growth, prosperity and welfare together with good environment, resulting in sustainable development, as well as a reconsidered common agricultural policy and new fisheries policy developed in a more market-oriented and green direction, healthy and safe food, were among other crucial issues brought to debate by Denmark last year.

This year, the Czech Republic will be invited to the “club” by signing the Accession Treaty. In June, in the membership referendum we should decide whether to enter or not. The example of Denmark, a small country, cautious, undecided at first, but now satisfied and using all the benefits offered by its membership in the EU in full, has convinced me to say yes. Thinking of future, there are no good or bad decisions. Therefore, we always have to believe some of them are better.