Are High Taxes on Cigarettes Fair?

High Taxes on Cigarettes are a Typical Example of Sin Tax

Taxes have often been used extensively for bringing down the prevalence of smoking. As an indirect measure that creates economic disincentives against smoking, the role of “sin taxes” are recognized in economic theory. Though many people argue for complete ban on smoking, experience as well as theory suggests that taxes are effective and practical, and do reduce smoking. However, they are far from a perfect solution.

Should Smoking be Taxed at a Higher Rate?

The primary purpose of tax is to collect revenue to finance the various objectives and policies of governance, in particular the provisioning of public goods that cannot be provided by market dynamics due to the free rider problem. One of the greatest disadvantages of tax is that they create disincentives for production and consumption, and thereby impose a burden on economy. However, this same character of taxes becomes a benefit when taxes are levied with the objective of creating such disincentives, as in the case of ‘sin tax’.

What is Freedom and Are We Really Free?

Political Freedom does not Ensure Freedom from other Constraints 

Our literatures, our media, our education, our aspirations – even our minds, all are in the habit of talking so much about freedom that it can often end up becoming a meaningless rhetoric. While freedom is without doubt one of the most important of our values, how free the freedom itself is from the bondage that life and circumstances bring with them? An employee surrenders a large part of his freedom in lieu of a salary. We all bind ourselves in a contract to get something else. A destitute is hardly better off than a bonded person.

 Are we really free?

Freedom?

The literature of last few centuries, a period dominated by nationalism, colonialism and imperialism, abounds with glorification of freedom as the most cherished human virtue. In most cases, such freedom is from the oppressive and exploitative rule of a foreign nation. In some cases, freedom may be aspired from the oppressive rule of a dictator or inspired by the cherished goal of democracy. Thanks to such glorification, freedom or independence now forms a part and parcel of modern collective psyche and is often considered a basic human right that cannot be compromised at any cost.

Superficially, this concept of freedom, which is largely a political right, appears to have been accepted and accorded to every individual in the modern society, and yet, if one digs a little deep, and takes the hard realities of life into account, this political right may appear as just an ornament that may not serve any purpose. 

Our Existence Depends on Natural Equilibriums

Everything in the Universe is in a State of Equilibrium

The universe is full of opposing processes, like life and death, rise and fall, heat and cold. In nature, the sustainability of every dynamic thing, whether it is life or a solar system depends upon a stable equilibrium between these opposites. In every case, their stability is maintained by processes that ensure that deviation to one side is balanced by an equal movement on the other side.

In complex systems such as life or environment, such balance is generally achieved by a set of complex processes that are always there and consistently balance each other. When they break down the very existence of such systems in threatened. In life, the death of an individual is balanced by the birth of another. However, in environment, if the natural equilibriums break down, there can be an environmental crisis. The phenomenon of climate change or global warming is also such a crisis. To prevent them, we must look at restricting ourselves within the boundaries of sustainable environment. 

Carbon Cycle is an Example of a Natural Equilibrium

Nature sustains itself by maintaining equilibrium between opposite processes. In simple physical terms one can understand it as the balance between action and reaction, or the balance between movement and friction. For every action, there is a reaction, by which the nature balances itself. Similarly, while movement tends to push a thing, friction tends to stop it. When an object is pushed with force, the force of movement is initially stronger than friction but soon friction overcomes it and the moving thing becomes stable again.

Action and reaction are the opposite forces that balance each other. When one of them is more forceful than the other, there is movement, which can be understood as a readjustment of the equilibrium. When the moving object becomes stable again, a new equilibrium is achieved.

Deserts and Desalination of Sea Water: Is it the Solution?

Viability of Solar Energy can be a Game Changer in Desalination of Water

Man has been exploiting nature in a way that has left several natural equilibriums in a state of distress. However, there are still two parts of our natural environment that are largely untapped, the deserts and the high seas. As a natural reservoir, they can absorb some of the externalities generated by human activities, and thereby relieve some of the environmental stress in other areas. One such area is need for greater vegetative mass for absorbing carbon, which can be served by afforestation of deserts.

Deserts are still an unutilized natural resource for mankind. Now, as existing natural resources face increasing pressure to cater to ever increasing human population on this planet, visionaries look at the deserts as a solution for last resort, but that needs water, which can come only by way of desalination of sea water. The seas can serve as the source of water for this purpose, provided we are able to tap it by processes of desalinization on a mass scale with the aid of renewable energy in the form of wind and solar. Effectively, it would amount to creating a new natural equilibrium with significant positive externalties.

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On one hand, the humanity is faced with a severe impending crisis in the form of ever worsening global warming and climate change, and on the other hand, there is also a rising scarcity of both food and water. With an urgent need to expand agriculture to new arid zones while avoiding deforestation, the option of reclaiming and utilizing deserts is becoming more and more irresistible. The million dollar question, however, is whether it is a viable option? It is from this perspective that deserts and desalination of sea water can become one of our greatest hopes in the fight against climate change and global warming, with significant other positive externalities.

Can Practical Anarchy Substitute Inefficient Governance?

Practical Anarchy in the form of National Corporate Governance can Decentralize Decision-Making & Empower People

Usually the word Anarchy has a negative connotation. However, there can be times and situations, where there may be a role even for anarchy, or perhaps, such situations can be considered as fit for extending a role to anarchy as an inherent part of the process of social evolution. Similar is the case of practical anarchy, where society begins to take care of its public functions itself with less and less role of authoritarian government. The question, however, is can it really work?

Practical Anarchy can be Meaningful if it Converts Rulers into Public Managers and People into Governing Stakeholders with a Share in All Residual Rents

Anarchy may not mean exactly the same thing to every person making use of the term. Literally, it means "absence of authority", but this meaning can have two opposing connotations. Similar is the concept of practical anarchy, where society runs itself without any authoritarian government.

What is Anarchy?

Anarchy may not mean the same thing to every person, neither would it have the same meaning in every possible context. Depending upon the context in which it is used and the actions that it is supposed to depict, it can have a positive or a negative connoation.

In common use the term 'anarchy' is used to denote a state of lawlessness - a negative connotation, referring to a situation where the people wish to have order imposed by an authority, but due to some reason the order has broken down and things have gone haywire.

Contrary to the negative connotations of anarchy, the word Anarchism refers to a political philosophy that proposes the absence of any authority - ruler or government - as a means of improving the welfare of people. Here, the word Anarchy has a positive connotation. Unlike its negative usage, here anarchy is a system of choice, chosen by people, because it is better than any system that is run by government.

Are Wind Farms a Good Choice for Environmentally Safe Energy?

Better Planning and Location of Wind Farms can address the Criticism Against it

While Wind is one of the cleanest forms of energy in a world that finds itself in the middle of an impending environmental catastrophe, it does not necessarily justify our obsession with wind farms that occupy too much of land and block it from being optimally utilized. Is there a better way of balancing these two scarce resources?

Are Wind Farms the Solution to Clean Energy Needs?

The importance of wind as a source has been known to mankind for a longtime. Wind energy has been tapped for several thousand years for propelling boats and ships sailing over water. Wind powered boats were in vogue for transporting people as well as cargo on the Nile five thousand years ago. Windmills have been used in Greece for water pumping. In the seventh century after Christ, farmers in Sistan region, which lies today over Iran and Afghanistan, were using windmills for grinding grain. Later, they became very popular in many parts of Europe such as Netherlands.

Why Religion and Science are Closer than Some Think

There are Similarities between Science and Religion

Science and religion are often perceived to be opposed to each other. But in many ways they are not very different. Both have common elements of philosophy, both are widely followed. More importantly, people have faith in both. Even the conceptualization of universe in science and religion has very interesting commonalities. In fact, understanding one may help in appreciating the other.

The Harmony between Religion and Science: A Ceiling fresco of the Marble Hall at Seitenstetten Abbey (Lower Austria) by Paul Troger (1735) 

In many ways, religion is the science of ancient times, and science, in more ways than one, is the religion of modern times. In a strange, way, they are closer than what some people think, even if the usual perception may be different. Perhaps a factor that binds them close together is that they are both very important conceptual products that have enriched humanity and made us what we are today.

Moral Imperatives in Global Warming Challenge

Consumerist Individualism & Politics can kill Fight against Climate Change

The sense of urgency that had begun to be perceived a few years back is largely fading away across the world, as policy makers struggle with more urgent problems like recession, and common folk worry about their jobs, incomes and social security. Leaders are resorting to populism, and are reluctant to cut down fossil fuel consumption that is essential to address the crisis. Passing the buck to developing countries is another disturbing trend, completely ignoring that per capita emissions there are just a fraction of those in more privileged ones, as well as the fact that the economic and political benefits of industrialization that gave rise to their privileges were associated with the sins of environmental damage that went hand in hand with it. In all the noise, the issue is getting lost and maybe, with it the opportunity to redeem ourselves. It seems that the moral imperatives are beginning to take their toll.

Incessant Consumerism and Unfortunate Politics are Not Helping the General Will of People in Taking Coordinated Measures like Carbon Tax to Address Global Warming

The Last Chance...

It seems that the humanity is on its way to losing its fight to survive the challenge of global warming and climate challenge.

While we work, or rather quarrel our way on a path that could potentially lead to the death of our civilization, that one last chance of redeeming the situation seem to be slowly sipping away from our grasp. If we really intend to avoid disaster, now is the time to act. But we can move in the right direction only when we know where we went wrong. As of now, it seems that from the masses to the leaders, everyone is happy playing the game of international politics, where those with means try to push their weight to shift the blame to the less privileged, even while knowing fully well, that their privileges and prosperity arose from industrialization, which was the real culprit in creation of this mess.

If there has been a time to revert to morality, this is it. The difference between what is right and what is wrong is the fundamental basis of a civilization’s survival. Although, today the world is becoming more of a market and less of a civilization, we must not forget that markets give us prosperity, but survival is impossible without the civilization and its moral strengths. These strengths are derived from our ability to recognize what is true, what is correct and what must be done to ensure our survival.

The Origin of Mead

Honey Wine: One of the Oldest Wines in Human History

The story of Honey Wine is as old as that of any other drink known to mankind. From Greece to India, it finds mention in many ancient texts, and has several interesting tales associated with it, which relate it with mythology, supernatural powers, romance and honey-moon. The tales of wine are as sweet as the honey from which it originates.

Mead occupies a unique place in the history of alcoholic drinks. It is ancient, exotic, romantic and historical - a subject of poet's imagination and that of a lover's fantasy. No doubt then that it is the darling of historians, archaeologists, authors and poets at the same time.

The History of Nationalism

Ascendance of Nationalism as the Supreme Ideology is a Relatively Recent Phenomenon

The last few centuries can be considered as the zenith of the nationalism, which often subsumed all other identities, including those that conflicted with it, under the ideology that placed nation as the supreme goal of our collective existence. Having led to two great wars in the first half of last century and a prolonged cold war that threatened no less in the second, will nationalism retain its hold... or will we see a change in the history of nationalism...

Is Nationalism Just Another Form of Group Identity?

Nationalism is actually just another glorified form of group identity. Humans have a tendency to form groups and identify themselves with them. It is a pre-civilization instinct that has evolved from tribal identity to many modern forms like religious communalism, linguistic communalism and ideological communalism including both right and left wings.

Historians may try to connect nationalism with the emergence of the nation state, and the history of nationalism can thus be associated to have begun only with the development of the modern nation state that emerged in the second half of the last millennium. However, such definitions will always be faulty for they ignore the whole process of evolution of common group identity of human masses, of which nation state is only one of the manifestations.