What Is Binge Drinking Essay - 1833 Words

AO1 What is binge drinking? Definition Binge drinking is, defined as people consuming a large amount of alcohol in a small amount of time and planning to get drunk (NHS, 2016). Binge drinking has now become a bigger problem in the world, binge drinking used to be described as heavy drinking over several days, but now it is known as a heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. From the researchers evidence it is thought that binge drinking for men is to have eight or more drinks and for women, six or more in a short period of time. Recommended Units The recommended units of alcohol men and women should drink in a week is no more than 14 units. These 14 units needs to be spread out throughout the week, making sure that you have at least two to three alcohol-free days. Both men and women have now got the same recommended amount due to increase of cancer risk. It is though that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol a day, if they do every single day, this means they are having between 21 units and 28 units a week, which is more than the recommended units a man should intake in a week by 7-14 units. For women it is recommended that they should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units of alcohol a day. If they intake, this amount of units in a week this means that they will intake between 14-21 units a week. This means that they would be in taking more than the recommended amount by 7 units. It is recommended that if a person isShow MoreRelated binge drinking Essay993 Words   |  4 Pages What Causes Binge Drinking nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Binge Drinking is an intriguing phenomenon that many college students take part in all across the country. The issue of binge drinking has been a problem on college campuses for decades. Binge drinking has many horrible effects, but the problem starts with the causes for it. If the causes could be controlled then the issue would not get out of hand. Many college students give different causes for their drinking problems, and experts on theRead MoreEssay on Informative Speech631 Words   |  3 Pagescategories: (1) Content (2) Organization (3) Sources (4) Achievement of specific purpose (5) Symbolization SPS: To inform my audience about binge drinking on college campuses. CIS: Binge drinking is a significant problem on college campuses, there are alarming statistics about the prevalence of binge drinking, and how binge drinking affects the lives of other students. Org Pattern: Topical Introduction I. Have you ever been to a party and drank too much? How much is too much? Read MoreCause Effect of Binge Drinking Essay1247 Words   |  5 PagesWhat do failing grades, frequent memory lapses, fights, brutal hangovers and unplanned sexual activity all have in common? They are all frequent results of binge drinking by college students. On a typical Friday or Saturday night you can find the average college student out drinking and having fun. Normally partying with friends at a party, bar, or club; most of these college students are underage consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, or as its better known, â€Å"binge drinking.†The term binge drinkingRead MoreBinge Drinking On College Campuses1459 Words   |  6 PagesMr. Paul October 28, 2014 Binge Drinking On College Campuses Over the past few years, there has been this big debate about whether the drinking age should be lowered to 18 or if it should stay at 21. Those in favor of lowering the drinking age to 18 argue that someone who is old enough to serve their country should be allowed to have a drink. Those who are in favor of keeping the minimum legal drinking age at 21 because of consequences regarding psychological developmentRead MoreBinge Drinking Among College Students And Its Implications On The Society1462 Words   |  6 PagesBinge Drinking among College Students and Its Implications on the Society Binge drinking is a term used to describe a situation where women drink more than 4 bottles of alcohol in a row and men drink 5 or more bottles of alcohol in a row. It is taking too much alcohol in a short period. Alcohol is a substance that gradually produces an addiction in the body. Many college students use alcohol in recreational activities and parties. The alcohol gradually leads to addiction and causes a decline in theirRead MoreThe Effects Of Binge Drinking On The Uk And The Health Problems1331 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Binge drinking is defined as people drinking plenty of alcohol in a short period of time or get drunk (NHS, 2014). In other words, binge drinking is drinking alcohol lead blood alcohol concentration (BAC) equal to or over 0.08g/dL. It means that when men drink more than 5 units of drinks and women have over 4 units of alcohol in around 2 hours is binge drinking.(NIH News,2014)Nowadays, binge drinking have a large proportion among youths in the UK, which lead to the health problemsRead MoreEffects Of Binge Drinking On College Grounds786 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, binge drinking is defined as the consumption of five or more drinks for males and four or more drinks for females consecutively in the same day, within a two-hour period. Problem drinking seems to be a phenomenon highly present amongst the college-age population. However, not a lot of focus has been given to the negative impacts that come along with binge drinki ng on college grounds. Having encountered multiple clients reporting problemsRead MoreSubstance Free Housing Is An Increasingly Popular Option For Campuses1385 Words   |  6 Pagescampuses across the nation. Substance-free housing has been implemented in universities and colleges in hopes of reducing rates of binge drinking among college students. Binge drinking can be defined as, â€Å"men drinking five or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting and for women four or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting.† (Feldman 271). Even though many know college binge drinking is a problem in our country, many are shocked when they hear that, â€Å"more than 75% of college students have consumed at leastRead More. By Having Information At The Events, It Can Influence892 Words   |  4 Pagesinformation at the events, it can influence the way students engage in binge drinking. Greek organizations are also a contributing factor to binge drinking (Turrisi, Mastroleo, Larimer, 2006). Stude nts who belong to Greek organizations tend to drink more because of the atmosphere, the parties that they partake in, and the peer pressure from friends to drink more than they should. In order to reduce the rates of binge drinking among the Greek community, SJSU already has an alcohol program that theyRead MoreThe Abuse of Alcohol by College Students647 Words   |  3 PagesIowa City, Iowa, are facing. With increasingly more students drinking alcohol, what was once just a casual drink can quickly turn into binge drinking. This behavior has many consequences for not only the student, but also the public. By being resilient and working together as a community, we all could make it easier to combat this problem of binge drinking in college students in Iowa City and the troubles that arise from it. Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of alcohol that raises a person’s

The Writing Process Essay - 608 Words

The Writing Process Writing a paper on the writing process is pretty hard. The writing process is different from one person to another. You come across questions like, What exactly is the writing process?; and Must you follow one persons writing process if yours is different?; This is where I came across the answer to my questions, write however you wish to write. If one person likes free write first and another person likes to write a draft first, let them do how they please. The writing process is something that you figure out yourself as you go through school. I personally think that is why they make us take English for so many years. Through the years, I found that some teachers forced you to write certain ways. I believe that†¦show more content†¦I dont agree with him. The only way for someone to improve his or her writing is if a peer reads over it and explains what could be done to improve it. In The Makers Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscript, Murray says, Writers must learn to be their own worst enemy; (Murray 87). He is trying to say that when it comes to editing, you must be able to accept criticism from others and be suspicious of it. Just because they say that you should rearrange that paragraph doesnt necessarily mean you have to. The way you wrote the paragraph could be in your own voice. Your papers should be filled with your voice. Voice is what makes your writing personal. But your voice could be different depending on what you write about. I would put a lot more of my feelings in a paper about food, than a paper about how the polar ice caps are melting. Revising and rewriting a paper is a common step in the writing process. Personally, I think your paper would be crap if you skipped these steps but Im sure someone has done it before. Every writer has revised and rewritten a paper. Do you think that Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in one shot? I dont think so. In conclusion, writing is up to the writer. If the writer decides to follow the formal writing process, then thats their choice. Nothing should be forced when it comes to writing. Then the writer does not put out their best work possible. Thank you for reading myShow MoreRelatedProcess Of Writing : Writing1232 Words   |  5 PagesProcess Of Writing It s not complicated; we are doing this since young age. Think about it, the first thing we learn when starting the path of learning is listening. A long time ago, my grandfather used to say for me, â€Å"Do you listen to learn something or do you listen just to reply?† If you think about it, it’s true, and I believe most of us just listen to reply. Writing skills can never be separated from important skills such as quotation, citation, grammar and spelling. If a writer can establishRead More The Writing Process996 Words   |  4 Pagescomposition instructors agree that writing should be taught as a recursive process, rather than a liner process, and they also agree that most writers employ certain writing strategies as they produce drafts. Sandra Perl’s article, Understanding Composing† shares these beliefs because she states: â€Å"writing does appear to be recursive, yet the parts that recur seem to vary from writer to writer and from topic to topicâ⠂¬  (142). Perl explains that throughout the writing process, writers employ a â€Å"forward-movingRead MoreMy Writing A Writing Process848 Words   |  4 PagesA writing process is the way in which someone goes about writing. Everyone has his or her own way of approaching a prompt. Mine is to use my smartphone. With the advanced used of technology is the classrooms today; it is easier to obtain information needed to write an appropriate paper for the prompt given. With the use of the Internet at our fingertips, it makes one’s writing process go a lot smoother and allow one to create a paper that is well above what is expected. My writing process is slightlyRead MoreEditing And The Writing Process1512 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Review In examining recent literature on the topic of â€Å"editing† in the writing process, three areas appear to be of some concern in dealing with this issue: 1) The true definition of editing and the editing process, 2) The perceived role and responsibilities of the teacher and students, and 3) Effective editing strategies that will increase student learning. In order to truly implement editing strategies that will impact the learner, the first two areas must be addressed. In the reviewRead MoreEssay on The Writing Process944 Words   |  4 PagesConsider how the writing process you read about in this class differs from the process you have used in the past. What specifically have you done in the past compared to what you read about this week? . The process that I have read about in this class differs a lot from the process I have used in the past in many different ways. I n the past when I was given a writing assignment if research was needed I just found the basic information I needed and write the paper. After the readings this weekRead MoreThe Process Of Writing Style1495 Words   |  6 PagesThe process of writing seems pretty simple in theory. What is your topic? research the topic, write an essay on your topic, and then turn that assignment in and hope you got it right. The difficult part is being proficient about doing this so that when you turn your paper in, you know you gave it your one hundred percent effort, so that when the grade comes, you are not shocked. When I got this assignment on how write an essay well, I immediately thought of when I was in a creative writing classRead MoreMy Personal Writing : My Writing Process Of Writing1199 Words   |  5 PagesLyudmila Kyrylyuk Michaela Cooper English 50 September 25, 2017 My writing process I would describe the writing process I experienced through my learning years as very limited and poor in skills. I can definitely say that my writing techniques and methods are simple and basic. Since English is not my primary language I feel really pressured by this subject and Im expecting too much from myself. I remember when I was in 8th grade at the beginning stage of learning a new language, my English teacherRead MoreWriting As A Process : A Reflective Essay1379 Words   |  6 PagesWriting as a Process: A Reflective Essay I’ve always thought of myself as an above average writer. Why wouldn’t I considering the praise I’d get from teachers, professors, parents and friends alike? Consequently, English became one of my favorite subjects. With little effort put forth I received exemplary marks on all my work and easily earned the approval of my English teachers. However, things began to change upon my arrival at the University of Georgia. I took my first college-level English classRead MoreA Six-Step Writing Process804 Words   |  3 Pagespresented better? The writing process consists of six main steps. These six steps consist of pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading and publishing. Some of these steps are more prominent in the process, but as a whole these steps assist in the creating of a clear and well-written paper. To help demonstrate the writing process in simpler way I will relate it to something that is well known to most teenagers, that being food. Not just food but also the process of preparing food in specificRead MorePatience Required for the Writing Process510 Words   |  2 PagesThe writing process is, for me, a tedious procedure that requires a great deal of thought and proper planning. At one point I used to think that good writers were talented individuals who understood things like grammar and composition but over the years Ive come to believe that good writers have patience. The kind of patience you would have to have when youre staring at a screen for ages, trying to put a few thousand sentences together and have it all mean something. In my eyes, writing is far

Andy Warhols parents Essay Example For Students

Andy Warhols parents Essay Andy Whorls parents were Slovakian immigrants. His father, Indore Warhol, was a construction worker and his mother, Julia Warhol, was an embroiderer. They were devout Catholics who attended mass regularly, and maintained much Of their Slovakian culture and heritage. At the age Of 8, Warhol was diagnosed with Chorea a rare and sometimes fatal disease of the nervous system that left him sick for several months. It was during these months, while Warhol was sick in bed, that his mother, herself a skillful artist, gave him his first drawing lessons. He passed away on February 22, 1987. Warhol attended Holmes Elementary school and took the free art classes offered at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. Warhol began at Sciences High School, and upon graduating, in 1945, he enrolled at the Carnegie Institute for Technology to study pictorial design. When he graduated with his bachelors in art he moved to new York. Is portrait untitled from Marilyn Monroe is basically just picture of Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn is an example of the successful evolution of Whorls goal of erasing signs of the artists hand from the production process. Brills boxesWarhol presented the viewer with exact replicas of commonly used products found in homes and supermarkets. self portraitWarships self portraits that he created throughout his career reveal an underlying theme of performance. By using repetitive images, each s lightly different to the next, Warhol produces the illusion of movement. Andy Warhol was a strange man and that was his gift that brought us a new way of looking at the things, people, the world. He took ordinary things that we were so used to that we didnt really notice them and from his unusual perspective made them new and interesting and art. His mother influenced him to become an artist because when he contracted his condition she was the one who taught him how to draw when he was bed sick. The first painting of Marilyn Monroe, made me feel like it was true about how when she first had passed away everyone was devastated. They cried they were sad. He was very successful communicating his message. The second painting of Brills Boxes, it honestly just looks like carriages. Its nasty and dont know why supermarkets would ever have them. He did succeed delivering his message. The last painting of himself, his self portrait was kind of creepy. He may think of himself in a different way but in my perspective i didnt like that painting.

Social Administration Social Welfare Essay Example

Social Administration Social Welfare Essay SOWK 1001 Introduction to Social Administration Topic: 3 Discuss the development and change of people’s values and attitude towards social welfare in Hong Kong society Tutorial time slot: Tuesday 1600-1700 a) Introduction According to Midgley (1997) (as cited in Wong, Chow Wong, 2001), from a narrow perspective, social welfare is defined as the social helps that the government or the charity organizations provide to those poor and needy. It is also regarded as the well-being that people are enjoying in the society from a broader angle. In Hong Kong, It is obvious that the role of Hong Kong government has changed from passivity to active involvement. In the first two decades after the Second World War, the main objective of the government was to secure the poor a basic living standard. Since 1967, the mindset has changed. The government has actively involved in safeguarding the welfare of Hong Kong citizens. This is evident not only in the growing welfare budget and the increased volume of services provided, but also in the diversification of programs in operation. Social welfare has gradually regarded as one of the essential institutions in our society. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Administration Social Welfare specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Administration Social Welfare specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Administration Social Welfare specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In order to investigate the development and change of people’s values and attitudes towards social welfare in the Hong Kong society, three major traditional values and attitudes would first be introduced. Afterwards, four major changes in values and attitudes would be discussed. Furthermore, despite the revolutionary changes in the welfare scenario, some traditional values and attitudes are still commonly upheld among Hong Kong Chinese. Few statistical survey results, together with further analysis, were used to support the arguments discussed. ) Traditional values and attitudes towards social welfare The government has no obligations in providing social services Traditionally, the Chinese people believe that the government is not obligated in providing them with any social welfare. In the words of R. Plant, H. Lesser and P. T. Gooby(1980), they think that â€Å"people have no moral right to what they receive because no individual person can have a right to another personâ₠¬â„¢s charity. † In other words, Hong Kong Chinese traditionally considered social welfare as a relief to meet urgent needs, but not as a right. Suggested by Lau (1988), the primary moral basis for the development of this attitude is the lack of the â€Å"individualism† concept among traditional Chinese people. In simple terms, individualism is the positive view of human nature and is based upon two fundamental concepts: the respect of every individuals and the belief of equal rights for all. Everyone has a separate identity. While the comprehensive welfare system is developed upon individualism in the West, the concept of individualism was weak among traditional Chinese people. Reliance on family support While Hong Kong Chinese people think that the government has no obligations in satisfying their basic needs, people’s basic needs were usually satisfied within their own families. In case of having problems which were beyond the control and capabilities of their families, they tend to seek help from their clans, neighbors or villagers. Lau (1982) used the concept of â€Å"utilitarianstic familism† to describe the reliance on family support of Chinese people in Hong Kong. According to Lau, Utilitarianistic familism means ‘the normative and behavioral tendency of an individual to place his familial interests above the interests of society and of other individuals and groups, and to structure his relationships with other individuals and groups in such a manner that the furtherance of his familial interests is the overriding concern (Lau, 1982). As every member in the familial groups considered the interest of the family was prior to other interests, family members tended to seek help from or provide help to one another rather than outsiders when they faced some financial difficulties. The responsibility of a family member is greatly emphasized, especially in terms of mutual assistance. This gradually created ‘economic interdependence among familial members’ (Lau, 1982). This unusual strong emphasis was further studied by Lau, and he proposes that the mutual assistance among familial members in many cases will be considered as long-term investment with the hope of a pay-off in the future. Another research done by Lee Ming Kwan in 1988 (Lee. M. K. 1991. Family and Social Life. Lau. S. K, Lee. M. K, Wimp’s. , Wong. S. L. p. 53. Indicators of social development, Hong Kong 1988. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies) also found that Chinese people in Hong Kong were reluctant in seeking assistance from the government. Over 90% of them will solve the trouble by their own, seek help from relatives and friends but not any NGOs nor from the government. As suggested by Lee, these findings are â€Å"consistent with the syndrome of utilitarianistic familiam: the larger society and the polity are kept at a distance while familial groups are relied on as the principal agents for safe-guarding and furthering one’s interests. Chow(1986) further explained that. The development of social welfare was largely ‘a history of charitable effort’. Religious organizations like Church World Service, Catholic Relief Services, Lutheran World Services; indigenous organizations like Tung Wah Group of hospitals and the Po Leung Kuk became the main providers of social welfare. There were also some mutual aids associations like clansmen associations, mutual aids societies and locality associations which provided help for destitute members by collecting subscriptions from those who were more fortunate. Their effort was mainly concentrated on relieving the very poor and their dependent members. Self-reliance People would satisfy their basic needs by their own effort rather than with government assistance, unless they tried their best effort and failed. The ideas of â€Å"no one should depend on the welfare system for more than is necessary† and â€Å"welfare should be earned by one’s effort† are further supported by the study conducted by Lau in 1990. (â€Å"Indicators if social development. Hong Kong 1990†. ) In the study majority (over 40%) of the respondents agree that welfare services should go to the most needed. Only 3. % of the respondents think that welfare should be distributed on a charity basis. Referring to the survey conducted by Lee Ming Kwan in 1988 (table 2. 4), almost half of the respondents claims that they would solve it by their own effort in case of they or their families run into financial difficulties. In contrast, only about six pe rcent of them claim that they would seek help from relevant government departments. The finding indicates that Hong Kong Chinese in general tend to put great emphasis on one’s own effort in times of adversity. This conclusion is also consistent with the findings by Lee Ming Kwan in 1990. In the survey, people were asked to identify their source of help that they would most frequently resort when there were needs in eight areas. According to the figures collected(table 2. 5), when the family was troubled by financial problems, 27% of the respondents would seek help from oneself while none of the respondents would seek help from social services. When difficulties occurred in work or career, over 45% of the respondents would work them out by oneself. In general, close kin, relatives, neighbors, workmates and friends had all been active in the respondent’s help-seeking network. Table 2. 5—persons from whom one sought help (%) (extract) | |When there was someone |When the family was |When difficulties |When one was upset and |When one needed advice or | | |sick in the family |troubled by financial |occurred in work or |needed someone to talk |information on certain | | | |problems |career |to |matters | |Oneself |45. 3 |27 |46. |20. 4 |13 | |Spouse |20. 4 |20. 6 |9. 5 |27. 3 |10. 2 | |Children |5. 5 |7. 6 |0. 9 |2. 4 |4. 3 | |Parents |13 |17. 1 |3. 7 |1. 9 |2. 4 | |Spouse’s kin |2. 6 |0. |0 |0. 2 |0. 4 | |Siblings |5. 5 |5. 7 |2. 8 |1. 9 |4 | |Other relatives |0. 7 |1. 9 |4 |0. 7 |1. 4 | |Workmates |0 |0. 7 |0 |1. 4 |5. 2 | |Neighbors |0. |0 |4 |0. 7 |0. 9 | |Friends |0. 4 |10 |1. 8 |33. 2 |39. 4 | |Buying services |0. 5 |0 |0. 4 |0 |1. 7 | |Social services |1. 4 |0 |0. 9 |0. 2 |1. | |Others |0. 7 |0. 5 |0. 4 |1. 2 |1. 7 | |Don’t know/ not |4. 7 |8. 1 |9. 3 |8. 6 |14. 7 | |applicable | | | | | | Other Reasons Living under ‘borrowed time and borrowed place’, the young people stroke no roots in Hong Kong. As people came to make money and went away all the time, Hong Kong people felt that there was no need to care for the well being of others who just happened to be living in the same community for a while. A short term horizon was developed as a result. People were generally reluctant to commit resources to uncertain long term future. Welfare programmes thus lacked long term goals. As a highly commercialized and industrialized society, Hong Kong has often been described as a city where no one is concerned about the well-being of other people. As upward social mobility through political channel was blocked under British colonial rule, people could only place emphasis on economic pursuits. They were thus often characterized to be highly egoistic, materialistic and pragmatic. A lukewarm attitude towards the government and other matters outside personal orbit was shared among majority of Hong Kong people. The better-off class was unwilling to share resources with the poor. Fighting for more social benefits from the government was something undesirable as this might disrupt order and stability. They just wanted to maintain the status quo. ) Changes in people’s values and attitudes towards social welfare Political change – democratization and the change of sovereignty Hong Kong has been undergoing a gradual process of democratization since the 1970s. There was the first election of District Board in 1981. Before 1985, members of Hong Kongs Legislative Council received executive appointment. They served as an advis ory body for the colonial governor and had no power to introduce legislation or overturn acts of the executive. The British colonial government began to introduce democratic reforms into Hong Kongs legislature after the signing of the Joint Declaration in 1984. Beginning in 1985 these representatives were elected by professionals from functional constituencies. It was not until 1991 that any part of the legislature was elected directly through geographically defined constituencies. After 1989 Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing, Governor Patten was sent to Hong Kong to further accelerate the democratization process. The voting age was lowered and the number of voters selecting LegCo seats through indirect elections was raised. Under such reforms, Hong Kong people have become more politically socialized. Through the experience of election and political participation, the Hong Kong people have become more aware of their rights, including their right to social welfare. The change of sovereignty in 1997 also contributed to an increasing social expectation on the government. The handover has enhanced sense of belonging among the Hong Kong people and they now expect their own government to be more responsive to their needs. It is submitted that the introduction of the Principle Official Accountability System is also another reason for the rise of expectation on the government. Breakdown of traditional family system Nowadays, the family system is losing most of its traditional functions. With high percentage of old people, increasing number of young mothers going out to work, escalating incidence of divorce and higher number of domestic violence reports, family may no longer be acting as an institution where emotional, social and financial support can be provided. Instead, the family is now shedding most of its responsibilities on the society and people expect more from the government. Also, with the change in family structure and increasing economic difficulties, some problems may be so burdensome that is beyond what a family can handle. Many look to government for help as a result. . Economic difficulties The Hong Kong society is facing many challenges today. Economic restructuring, rapid ageing population and erosion of family functioning are some of the biggest challenges identified by the Hong Kong Council of Social Services. The new mode of business operation due to technological globalization causes structural job displacement and leads to high rate of unemployment. The ageing of baby-boomed generation increases financial burden of the family and our society. According to a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, 59. % respondents considered social cause as the reason for poverty. Only 14. 2% considered individual problem as cause of poverty. As most people believe that it is not their fault or laziness which makes them poor, they expect the government to give them more help. It should be noted that not only the grassroots, but also the middle class has adopted a more active attitud es towards public affairs. In the past, the middle class as a whole seldom took up class-specific issues through collective action. However, many middle class families now find that they no longer have a secure future to look to. Some are even suffering negative equity. In the July 1st parade, the middle class was actually the backbone of the protest. This shows that the middle class is no longer apathetic with social issues now. More aware of rights as a citizen People become more aware of their rights as citizens and their social awareness were increased, more attention have been given to the issues on welfare services and social policy. According to the study conducted by Wong Chack-kie in 1993 (indicators of social development Hong Kong 1993), public welfare represents a contract of rights and duties among citizens of a society, and the Government’s welfare responsibility is supported. Table 3. 1. Government’s welfare responsibility (%) | |disagree |average |agree |Don’t know | |1. providing medial care for the sick |2. 1 |5 |91. 1 |1. 8 | |2. providing care for the elderly |3. 3 |6. 5 |88. 1 |2. 1 | |3. providing financial subsidy to university students |2. 4 |5. 9 |87. 8 |3. | |from low income families | | | | | |4. reducing the gap between rich and poor |10. 7 |6. 2 |75. 3 |7. 7 | |5. improving living standards of single-parent |13. 6 |11 |70 |5. 4 | |families | | | | | |6. providing unemployment benefits |14. |11 |69. 8 |4. 5 | |7. providing subsidies to new immigrants from mainland|65. 5 |12. 2 |14. 9 |7. 4 | |China | | | | | This change is largely brought about by political factors which made public opinions more reflected. Political parties in the 90’s joined the legislative council and exerted pressure on government’s social policy formulation. People were taken part into the vote as the legislation of social policy was opened to the public, so people’s awareness of the rights to receive social welfare services were raised. In addition, democratic parties’ campaigns encouraged the development of social welfare. For example, in 1991, â€Å"one man one vote† was realized and eighteen members were directly elected in the Legislative Council. More issues related to social welfare policy were being discussed in the Legislature afterwards. The set up of the District Board also encourage the expression of opinions towards public welfare. The responsibilities of the District Board is to advice the District Management Committee on the well being of district residents and on the provision and use of public services and the priorities of government programs. Citizens who had lived in Hong Kong for seven years would have the right to vote and elect their representatives to reflect their ideas on the government’s social welfare policy. Although the District Board had a limited authority and no power to the legislation of the social policy, the public could express their opinions through the District Board. Members of the District Board gave vote to the problems and needs, which are uppermost in the minds of the people of the District. It made suggestions for improvement of social welfare. For the sake of receiving better social welfare services, people would voice out their opinions and suggestions. Growing demand on quality social services provided by the government After the change of sovereignty in 1997, people have higher expectations on the government and are more demanding in terms of social services provision. After the 1st July 1997, Hong Kong became the special administrative region (SAR) of China and the British colonial government no longer holds the sovereignty. The government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) announced that social welfare, including the extent of education, housing and elderly care, would be carried out efficiently in order to improve peoples’ life. In the past, people felt helpless under the colonial ruling and the self-reliance id eology was formed. After the transition of sovereignty in 1997, people began to expect more on the government as their â€Å"own government† rather than a government in a â€Å"borrowed time† and at a â€Å"borrowed place†. People are less reluctant in seeking government’s assistance. Hong Kong’s economy has been in decline for some time. After 1997, GDP growth slowed to 2. 3 percent a year, compared to 5 percent previously. Structural unemployment arises due to the offshoring of jobs to low-cost economies, and business process improvements in which redesign of operating processes and IT-enabled process redesign reduce the number pf people that need to be employed. The portion of respondents perceiving â€Å"government assistance† to be the best way in meeting personal needs has almost doubled from 4. 7% to 8. 6% from 1998 to 2001. This drastic increase could partly be attributed to the economic turmoil which disables many in meeting their basic needs, thus turning to the government for assistance under no choice. d) Traditional values towards social welfare that are still commonly uphold Self-reliance and reliance on family The upholding value of self-reliance could be reflected in the survey conducted by C. K. Wong and K. Y. Wong in 1998. Referring to table 3. 3, comparing the figures obtained in 1998 and 2001. For each year, around seventy percent of the respondents have the perception that one’s own effort in the best way in meeting personal needs. The rather stable figures indicate that self-reliance is still a commonly uphold concept among Hong Kong Chinese in general. A survey was conducted by Leung Sai-wing in 1997 to study how people assess the extent of poverty in Hong Kong. A great majority of the respondents chose individual failure from the answer categories as the main reason for Hong Kong Chinese being poor. including â€Å"the poor are lazy and lack of willpower†, â€Å"they do not have good educational qualification†, â€Å"they do not know how to speculate†, â€Å"they have been unlucky†, â€Å"they have unhealthy habits† and â€Å"their children do not support their living†). The one-fourth of respondents choosing â€Å"injustice in society† migh t be attributed to their dissatisfaction with the present institutional arrangement of wealth distribution. Anyway, the majority of them still explain poverty in terms of individual failure, which reflects people’s emphasis on self-reliance. Table 4. 1. Main reasons for Hong Kong Chinese being poor (%) |Because of injustice in society |23. 3 | |Because of their laziness and lack of willpower |22. 2 | |Because they do not have good educational qualification |19. 9 | e) Conclusion There is a value shift of Hong Kong people’s views towards social welfare as comparing to the past. Though people are usually referring social welfare to a narrow definition of providing help to those who are poor and needy, we, in recent years, discover that there has been progress in people’s perception of the term ‘social welfare’. People are trying to interpret the term in a boarder sense. They are also more open-minded towards social welfare and dependency on the government nowadays is more common than before, though we should not overlook the existent of the self-reliance ideology in the mind of many Hong Kong people. There is a growing urge for social assistance particularly due to the worsening of economic condition. It is not surprising that government spending on social welfare has been increasing over years. Thus, it is very true that government’s effort in welfare provision is directly related to people’s attitudes towards welfare. Reference: Lau. S. K. , Lee. lM. K, Wan. P. S, Wong. S. L. (1999, 2001). Indicators of social development, Hong Kong 1997 Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Wong. C. K. , Chow K. Wong K. Y. (1998). The assessment of social welfare policy : the views of Hong Kong people. HK: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Lau. S. K. , Lee. M. K, Wan. P. S, Wong. S. L. (1995, 1998). Indicators of social development, Hong Kong 1993 Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Lau. S. K. (1991). Society and politics in Hong Kong. HK: The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Lau. S. K, Kuan. H. C. (1988). The ethos of Hong Kong Chinese. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press