SALAT

Prayer has always been an integral part of Islamic faith and is accorded a central place in the religious practices. Salat is the ritualized form of prayer laid out and codified in the Quran. Though Islam has formalized many practices in detail, salat has not been codified in detail in the Quran. The practices of Prophet Muhammed served as worthy of emulation and has been carried over into the religious practice in the form of oral reports called hadiths. In the early stages Islam and its rituals were in a state of constant change and hence scholars and jurists spent considerable effort in expounding the religious practices of Muslims. The Quran places great emphasis on prayer and the prayer finds expression in various forms like supplication, remembrance, repentance, glorification, litany and ritual (p. 8054). Salat is the ritual part of the prayer and needs to be understood in this overall context. Keeping up with the schism in early Islam and subsequent formation of Sunni and Shia sects, salat has incorporated the influences of these sects. Prayer is of such a paramount importance to the faith, it is also included in the Islamic jurisprudence and salat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam as defined in Islamic law ‘Shariah’. Salat can either be mandatory or voluntary. It is voluntary when one has reached the age of reason and obligatory when one has reached puberty (p. 8055). There are exact and stringent specifications for conducting salat and Islamic laws describe them in detail. Though men and women performed the prayers together in Muhammad’s time, the later hadiths have excluded or severely limited presence of women in the communal salat performed in the mosques. Islam stresses communal prayer and hence the mosque forms the central locus for salat. It is permitted to conduct salat on the street or elsewhere, if no mosque is available. In the early days of Islam salat was performed three times in a day, but later hadiths took reference to Muhammad’s night journey and increased the number of mandatory salats to five in a day. Muslims are called to prayer by muezzin fifteen minutes before the salat time and the muezzin calls out by glorifying God and his messenger Muhammad. Before the salat begins the followers of the faith should make themselves clean for the ritual by cleansing themselves with water. Shariah specifies both major impurities, which require a complete bath and minor impurities that require ablution at the mosque itself. Apart from the physical purity, one also has to purify himself mentally by declaring the intention to pray. Various schools of thought differ on this aspect i. e. some schools say that intention should be pronounced audibly and some say it should be silent. The very act of performing the salat is pretty simple and brief. According to Shariah â€Å"each salat consists of two or four cycles of bowing, called rak’ah† (p. 8057). It also specifies that at least seventeen cycles should be completed in a day during the five salats. Salat is performed by a series of steps accompanied by specified incantations. For example, salat begins with the incantation â€Å"God is great† followed by certain bodily movements. The Sunnis and Shias have different interpretations here as well. This is then followed by extolling the glory of God and finally the follower performs various other actions like asking for forgiveness or offers petitions to the God. Salat needs to be understood not only as a pure ritual form but also needs to be located in the historical context. Salat has played a fundamental role in forging a Muslim identity. It has also been interpreted as a path to spiritual encounter with God or merely as ritual observance and submission to God’s law (p. 8058). For the followers however salat denotes purification of mind and body and union with the God.

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Example

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Example Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Essay Topic: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Jewell is responsible for what Mr.. Hyde does. Throughout the novel the two characters appear to be two separate individuals. Jewell is handsome and good in the eyes of society whereas Hyde is ugly and evil when viewed through society glasses. This occurs especially because they are so different in nature. As the reader we recognize that they are actually two different individuals living in the same body. Because Jewell and Hyde are embodied in the same individual we realize that they are both handsome and ugly, or, more importantly, both good and evil. Oppose that Robert Louis Stevenson goal was to create the novel here he would explore the several popular themes of that time and keep it suspenseful, which makes the reader engaged till the very last page. Author uses a variety of writers technicians to convey the vivid image of DRP. Jewell, generally good doctor who creates an alter ego of himself through a scientific experiment ugly Mr.. Hyde. In my opinion, DRP. Jellys responsibi lity for Mr.. Hades actions is a complex question and in order to answer it properly we need to examine several different factors. First we should look at the way Stevenson portray night London. He connects dark fogged gloomy atmosphere of the city with all the evil events surrounding Hyde. Author goes a great length to describe every little detail that the reader has no doubt that crime would be unpunished in the labyrinth of twisted wicked dark streets. One of the main characters, Deuteron, experiences nightmares: He would be aware of the great field of lamps of a nocturnal city. The flexure of Hyde . Undaunted the lawyer all night; and if at any time he dozed over, it was but to see it glide more stealthily through sleeping houses, or move the more swiftly through wider labyrinths of lamp-lighted city, and at every street corner crush a child and leave her screaming. In other words, growing city of London provides freedom to DRP. Jewell to carry out his experiment without drawing much attention because strangers who walk its fogged night streets disregard Hyde and therefore that environment provides ideal co ver and anonymity for Hades crimes. Another factor that needs to be examined is the fact that DRP. Jellys experiment of separating good and evil did not go as planned. It was on the moral side, and in my own person, that I learned to agonize the thorough and primitive duality of man; saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field Of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both; and from an early date I had learned to dwell with pleasure, as a beloved daydream, on the thought of the separation of these elements. This quotation is from Chapter 10, Henry Jellys Full Statement of the Case. This where DRP. Jewell talks about duality of the human nature and his intent to separate 0,10 elements: good and bad from his own personality. The result of an experiment is that Jewell separated his evil side into Mr.. Hyde and ideally was supposed to remain purely good, while in reality he remained a mix of good and evil. As the story unfolds Hyde begins to take over Jellys conscious, until Jewell as a personality disappears completely and only Hyde remains. In other words, perhaps DRP. Jellys dark side (Hyde) was far stronger than the rest of Henry -?when set free, this side dominates his behavior. That leads us to the third factor we need to look at DRP. Jellys behavior after his realization of he experiment. Jewell does not seem to feel any guilt to stop or at least resist the urge to continue his transformations. Henry Jewell stood at times aghast before the acts of Edward Hyde, Jewell writes, but the situation was apart from ordinary laws, and insidiously relaxed the grasp of conscience. It was Hyde, after all, and Hyde alone, that was guilty. The idea of Hyde being responsible for all the evildoing seems as a silly childish-like self-justification. Obviously to the reader and DRP. Jewell himself deep down inside that first of all e is the one who created Hyde in the real world, understanding Hades evil nature. But I was still cursed with my duality of purpose; and as the first edge of my penitence wore off, the lower side of me, so long indulged, so recently chained down, began to growl for license. Not that dreamed of resuscitating Hyde; no, it was in my own person that I was once more tempted to trifle with my conscience .However, this brief condescension to my evil finally destroyed the balance of my soul. And yet I was not alarmed; the fall seemed natural, like a return to the old days before I had made discovery. It was a fine . Day. I sat in the sun on a bench; the animal within me licking the chops Of memory; This quote shows the reader, that Stevenson also left out some parts of DRP. Jellys biography pointing indirectly that he might have done some evil things in the past. In other words, Mr.. Hyde that emerged from DRP. Jewell must have the foundation on which he was created in the subconscious of the doctor. In conclusion, I would point out that the city of London has created fertile atmosphere for DRP. Jellys experiments, providing him and Hyde with the cloak of anonymity. However, we have determined that DRP. Jewell failed to recognize that his experiment went in the wrong direction, when he separated pure evil from within but did not become pure good himself as originally planned. In my opinion, DRP. Jewell IS largely responsible for Mr.. Hades crimes because he continued his experiments and transformations self-justifying that he himself is not responsible to Mr.. Hades evil deeds. The bottom line is that DRP. Jewell was the one who let the evil creature inside Of him Of the chain and gave Mr.. Hyde all the power.

Matching up Nicknames With Given Names

Matching up Nicknames With Given Names It can be hard enough to find great-grandma Jenny without having to figure out if she could also be Jane, Janet, Jeanette, Jennett, Jennifer, or Virginia. But it is common in many genealogical records, especially more informal records such as census records and obituaries, to find your ancestors listed under names you might not expect. In many cases, these names may have been the nicknames that they were known by to their family, friends and business associates - no different for our ancestors than it is today. List of Nicknames for First Names Nicknames can sometimes be difficult to catch, however. Kim as a nickname for Kimberly is fairly straightforward, but Polly as a nickname for Mary and Peggy as a nickname for Margaret have tripped up many researchers. Sometimes nicknames were formed by adding a y or ey to the end of a name or part of a name - i.e. Johnny for John or Penny for Penelope. Other times the name was shortened in some manner - i.e. Kate for Katherine. But sometimes it is just a matter of knowing which nicknames were commonly used in a particular time and  place. Thats why it is important, as a genealogist, to familiarize yourself with commonly used nicknames and their corresponding given names. Do not forget, however, that what appears to be a nickname isnt always. Many nicknames became so popular that they later came to be bestowed as given names. My fathers name is Larry - which is  not  short for Lawrence as many might assume. And my great-grandmother really was baptized as Effie, not Euphemia or Evelyn. Scroll down to explore this list of common nicknames associated with popular given names to determine the various ways in which your ancestor might appear in genealogical records. These are just some of the most common possible given name/nickname variations, but certainly not all. While researching, keep in mind that the same nickname might be associated with different given names, and the same individual might show up with different nicknames in different records. Nickames Given Names Bell, Bella, Belle Arabelle, Anabelle, Belinda, Elizabeth, Isabel, Isabella, Mirabel, Rosabel Belle Mabel, Sybil Bess, Bessie, Bessy, Beth, Bette, Bettie, Bettie, Betsy, Betsey, Bitsy Elizabeth, Elisabeth Bird, Birdie Alberta, Albertine, Roberta Bob, Bobby Robert Bobbi, Bobbie Roberta Boots Bertha Bridey, Brie Bridget Carrie, Carry Caroline, Carolina, Charlotte Cindy, Cindie Cynthia, Cinthia, Lucinda Daisy Margaret Dan, Danny Daniel, Sheridan Dee Audrey, Deanne, Deanna, Denise Delia Adelia, Adele, Cordelia Dell, Della, Delly Adelaide, Adela, Cordelia, Deliverance, Delores Dick Richard Dobbin, Dobby, Dob Robert Dode, Dody Dorothy, Theodore Dora Dorothy, Eudora, Theodora Dot, Dotty, Dottie Dorothy Ed, Eddie, Eddy Edgar, Edmund, Edward, Edwin, Edwina Effie, Effy Euphemia, Evelyn Eliza Elizabeth, Elisabeth Ella, Ellie Eleanor, Elenora Erma Emaline, Emily Fannie, Fanny Frances Frankie Frances (female), Francis (male), Franklin Genie Eugenia Ginger, Ginny Virginia Greta Margaret, Margaretha Hal Harold, Henry Hank, Harry Henry Hattie Harriet, Harriett Hettie Esther, Henrietta, Hester Jack John Jamie James, Jameson Jenny Jane, Janet, Jeanette, Jennett, Virginia Jim, Jimmy James Jock, Johnnie, Johnny John Kate, Katy, Katie, Kay, Kit, Kitty, Kittie Katherine Lena Angelina, Caroline, Helena, Magdalena, Paulina, Selena, etc. Lisa, Lise, Liz, Lizzie Elizabeth, Elisabeth Lucy Lucinda Madge, Maggie, Midge Margaret Mamie Mary Marty, Martie, Mattie Martha May Mary Meg, Megan Margaret Millie, Milly Amelia, Mildred Moll, Mollie, Molly Mary Nell, Nellie, Nelly Eleanor, Elenora, Ellen, Helen, Helena Nora Eleanor, Elenora, Honora, Honoria Ollie Olive, Olivia, Oliver Pat, Patsy, Patty, Pattie Martha, Matilda, Patricia, Patience Peg, Peggy Margaret Penny Penelope Polly, Pollie Mary, Paula Rich, Richy, Rick Richard Rob, Robbie, Robby Robert (male), Roberta (female) Robin Robert, Roberta Ron Aaron, Ronald Ronnie Aaron, Ronald, Veronica Sadie, Sally, Sallie Sarah Sam, Sammy, Sammie Samuel, Samson, Samantha Sukie, Suchie, Suchy Susan, Susanna, Susannah Tad Theodore Ted, Teddy Edward, Theodore Terry, Tess, Tessie, Tessa, Tracy Theresa, Teresa Theo Theodore Tilly Temperance Tillie Matilda, Mathilda Tina Christina Trina Catherine, Katherine Virgie Virginia Winnie Winefred, Winifred

What Would A World Without Religion Be Like Term Paper

What Would A World Without Religion Be Like - Term Paper Example Religion conjure a deep negative image such as cause of war, an excuse for intolerance, or a shelter for the emotionally weak, in some people while for others, it is the centre of their universe, the source of who and what they are, and the reason for their being. Be that as it may, religion is the greatest of human activities that has influenced cultures and shaped political events. Though there is no universally agreed upon definition of religion, it can be said to be the communal and transcendental quest for the truth about reality. It is this community and transcendence elements in religion that makes religion a most powerful force in human history. Empires have collapsed under the impulse of religion and empires have been founded on religion. But the question is: is the human activity worthwhile given that wars have been fought in the name of religion. How will our world be if religion is eliminated? Will empires still rise and fall? Will there still be wars? Or will peace elude our world? Does religion has a place in our world? Or was it just an invention by some persons to keep others busy? In this term paper, the question: how will our world be without religion will be answered. ... Indeed, religiosity of man is as old as human existence. Various scholars have tried to propose theories to explain the origin of religion. Among these theories include the animism theory of Edward Burnett Tylor and Herbert Spencer; the fetishism theory of John Lubbock; the hedonism theory of Max Muller and the naturalism theory of Wilhelm Mannhardt. According to the naturalism theory, religion started when man seek explanation of natural events. The lack of consensus among religion scholars on the origin of religion may be due to the diverse religion practices and beliefs humans have evolved throughout history. Be that as it may, it evident from archeological findings that religion is as old as man and is part of every human society. The approach to the question In trying to answer the question: how will our world be without religion?, First an examination of the positive and negative effects of religion will be carried out. Thereafter, a non-religious society exemplified by communi st societies in China and the collapsed Soviet Union will be compared with societies that tolerate religion. In this regard, we must distinguish between spirituality and religiosity. While religion incorporates the necessary element of community, spirituality does not. Spirituality is the personal quest for the truth about reality while religion is the communal quest for the truth about reality. This distinction is necessary because spiritually-minded persons need not be religious and could be found in non-religious societies. Religion: the good and the bad There is a powerful two-way relationship between society and the religion. Society exerts

Discription of three habitats Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discription of three habitats - Essay Example lowing water and since it transports rocks and sediments downstream, sand, rock and woody debris are seen at the banks and toward the end of the river. Vegetation at the banks appears deep rooted, since it remains anchored even as water flows by. Unlike in a river, where water is constantly flowing, a swamp is a wetland area where water partially or completely submerges vegetation for the greater part of the year. Swamp water flows at a slow rate and it actually seems stagnant. The edges of a swamp are covered with sedges or reeds, which look like long straw grass. The elevated areas within a swamp, which are drier than the watered areas, have trees. The land seems marshy in the relatively dry areas. A lake is basically defined as a body of freshwater surrounded by land. This implies that the lake is characterized by open water. A lake has suspended organisms like plankton. On its banks, where there is sedimentation of sand or soil and organic matter accumulation, there are floating but rooted aquatic plants like smartweeds and water lilies. These floating plants provide support and food for many herbivores that live around the

Issues in global business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Issues in global business - Essay Example Small number of employees in SME can be cared and motivated optimally, leading to effective performance from all of them. However, the disadvantage is, in SMEs the leader or founder will have maximum influence from top to bottom, without any organizational structure horizontally or vertically. The problem with it is, when something goes wrong there will not be any management teams to point out the mistakes. Also, SMEs with their limited resources will not be able to provide quality products or services, when compared to large companies. As pointed out by, SMEs provide employment to basic sections of the societies, as they integrate well with it. SMEs will be mainly established not separate from the towns or cities, but within the by lanes and streets in a particular locality. So, it can provide employment to many of the unemployed living in that locality. This way, it can give employment to maximum people, elevating their lives and also contributing to the local economy, thereby national economy. Because of this, SMEs are regarded as the most important ‘engines’ for economic growth by the governments. So, to further encourage SMEs, governments will allocate land, power, water, etc at subsidized rates, will also impose lesser taxes, etc. This way, SMEs can come up in many places benefiting many

Violeta Ramirez Essay Example for Free

Violeta Ramirez Essay â€Å"To many Americans, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez seems a Latin wild man. But to the millions of Venezuelans who adore him, he is the first leader who genuinely cares for the nations poor majority, a welcome departure from politicians who traditionally catered to the elite. I think God sent him. I think hes the reincarnation of Simon Bolivar. Hes with the poor, says Omaira Perez, 60, referring to the 19th century general who liberated Venezuela from Spanish rule. † (Lynch, 2007) Hugo Rafael Chavez was born in Venezuela’s western grassland region on July 28, 1954. Socialism, Latin American integration and anti imperialism are promoted by the president because he was also leading the Bolivarian Revolution. Neo-liberal globalization and U. S. foreign policy were the main critics of the president. His parents were schoolteacher which is not a lucrative profession by any mean in Venezuela. He was belong to a poor family besides this in Venezuela dark skinned dark skin people faces strong racial divisions and white skinned people are elite. When he was seventeen years old he enrolled at Venezuela â€Å"Academy of Military Sciences† and studied engineering. After completion of acidic career he joined military for several months. Chavez was immediately popular with his fellow students, he and his fellow students developed a left nationalist doctrine that they termed Bolivarianism inspired by his real hero Simon Bolivar, the father of Venezuelan independence and a figure of legendary dimensions. (Resources on Iran, n. d. ) He was also the part of the lectureship and was famous for his fiercy lecturing style and radical critique of Venezuelan government and society. With his natural charisma, he brings closer soldiers to his ideas, and built a network of supporters within the army. In 1983 he established MBR 200, the revolutionary Bolivarian movement (Movimiento Bolivariano Revolucionario 200), 1983 being the 200th anniversary of Simon Bolivars birth. (ISIS Report, n. d. ) â€Å"With oil profits booming and his popularity high, Chavez seems to be in step with many Venezuelans even as spooked investors rushed to sell off Venezuelan stocks in companies subject to his nationalization plans. Chavez called that a knee-jerk overreaction, and shares in Venezuelas leading telephone company rebounded as the congressional finance chief assured reporters Wednesday that the government will negotiate compensation to the affected companies. He also visited the tomb of Simon Bolivar, the South American independence hero and inspiration for his Bolivarian Revolution, and blew kisses to supporters tossing rose petals at his open car. Before flying to Nicaragua, the former paratroop commander also watched a military parade with Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets thundering overhead. † (James, 2007) Simon Bolivar: Influent Al Person in Hugo Chavezs Life Major influence on Chavez came from Simon Bolivar, from where Bolivarian movement was developed. The memory of Simon Bolivar has yet kept alive in Venezuela, the revolution of 19th century which led the sub continent independence battle against Spain. Simon Bolivar was born in Spain and many of his followers were native of Venezuela. Nonetheless, Simon Bolivar remained to be a significant and founding myth for the Venezuela institute. Particularly, his arm forces helped him a lot to bind them together even though of political instability. Chavez when he was a school child during the periods of 1950’s and 1960’s in the school studied a lot Bolivar’s feats against the Spaniards. The defining event in his life came when in 1989 the economy was devastated by rising oil prices which led President Carlos Andres Perez to a serious of tough measures. As a result of rising oil prices, buses fares were increased which led to protests by poor people and the army was sent to suppress the protestors. Chavez belong that part of the group that was deployed and he was enraged when he listen the order shoot all the citizens who he believes had a legitimate grievances. This was the motivation which led to his army coup that he organized against the same president some three years later. (Amirpur, 2006) â€Å"Invoking Christ and Castro as his socialist models, President Hugo Chavez began his third term †¦ by declaring that socialism, not capitalism, is the only way forward for Venezuela and the world. † (James, 2007) MBR 200. Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 The MBR 200 was the social and political movement that Hugo Chavez founded in 1983. Chavez established MBR 200 setting as its political goals the realization of Bolivars ideals by means of a Bolivar resolution, which refers to a mass social and political movement in Venezuela aimed at eradication of corruption and emphasized on redistributive social justice and economic and political sovereignty. Some important points of Chavezs Bolivarianism are: †¢ Political participation of the masses by votes, referendum and councils †¢ Political and economic sovereignty †¢ Economic self – sufficiency †¢ Building in people nationality and patriotism †¢ Eradication of corruption †¢ Equal distribution of oil revenues of his land (Cordesman, 2005) 1992 Coup Chavez was working as a lieutenant colonel during his late 30s. In addition, he was also working as a committed left wing activist, mixing with left wing group outside the army and conspiring in the institution for the sake of coup d’etat. So, after an extended period of dissatisfaction and economic decline under the administration of President Perez, Chavez and his fellow conspirators launched a military coup in Feb 1992. Although the coup was not entirely successful Chavez came to national prominence due to a abruptly speech made shortly after his arrest, the Venezuelan government allowed him forty five second speech in order to tell his co-conspirators to lay down the arm. It was a mistake made on the government part and Chavez made the most of it. (Evans and Corsi, 2006) Chavez in Power When Chavez spent his 2 year life in Jail during the period of 1990s economy of Venezuela was went on to bear the huge burden of oil prices. Support for the two of main political parties decline in elections of 1994, Chavez found the population increasingly receptive to its critique of the two party models and its associated corruption. Chavez organized a new party called the â€Å"fifth republic movement† During 1996 97 his support gradually increased in polls and he scored a comfortable majority and took power in 1998, his first political office with 56 percent of votes. Resentment against the United States â€Å"One of the reasons that Chavez is so rhetorically antagonistic to the United States is that it plays very well in terms of his domestic support base at home. † (Lapper and Sweig, 2006) According to Richard lapper, the Latin American editor of Financial Times, Hugo Chavez â€Å"likes to present himself at the head of a kind of anti-Bush crusade. He likes to see himself as a crusader in that particular battle and likes to position himself at the head of that. † (Lapper and Sweig, 2006) â€Å"To be sure, President Chavez has legitimate reasons to lambaste the United States, which has tried to undermine him several times since he was first democratically elected in 1998. In October 2001, Washington requested that Mr. Chavez publicly retract criticism that he had made, in Venezuela, of the U. S. war in Afghanistan, well within his right as a sovereign leader. Carlos Romero, a political scientist at Central University in Venezuela and an expert in U. S. -Venezuelan relations, describes such U. S. hubris as a provocation, and a turning point in the deterioration of U. S. -Venezuelan relations. (Sreeharsha, 2006) Then the United States, despite its support of the Democratic Charter adopted at the 2001 Summit of Americas in Quebec, was quick to recognize the leaders of a coup in 2002 that quickly failed. The United States has provided opposition groups with millions of dollars of support in the name of democracy. Lately, the Bush administration has been keeping a low profile, Romero says, perhaps a disappointment to President Chavez. † (Sreeharsha, 2006) From Democracy towards a Totalitarian State â€Å"Violence has marked each step along Chavezs road to power. The former paratrooper first tried to seize control by a coup in 1992; he failed and instead spent two years in jail. He later tried democracy and was elected as an outsider by Venezuelans six years later. Chavezs opponents admit he is popular, especially among the poor. But being popular, they say, does not give the president the right to do whatever he wants. The police, military and armed thugs have been tools used freely by Chavez to hang on to power during a coup attempt and a national strike in 2002. (The Iron Fist of Hugo Chavez, 2005) There has been a continuous debate whether Chavez has released from corruption accusation or he himself damaged the country’s own foundation of democracy. Some believe that the Hugo Chavez have more power than any president should have. Chavezs new constitution has been seen as authoritarian. Although there are detailed sections involving human rights, but some believe that the power given to the highest branch of government can easily lead to human rights violations. The new constitution also allows the president to be in the office considerably, which some suggests leads to authoritarianism. Scholars also criticized the way Chavez gained power and his conduct afterwards. The motivation behind his recent constituent assembly has been seen as to settle the score with Venezuelans traditional opposition parties and remove them from all positions of influence. One scholar suggested that Chavez himself overthrown the government in 1992 as similar to the corruption of the traditional parties of Venezuela, which clutched power by the military inventions in 1945 and misbalanced Venezuela’s supreme court and congress. Now, buoyed by electoral victories and high oil prices, Chavez appears to be doing everything he can to snuff out democracy before the eyes of a nation and a world that does not seem to be paying much attention. Chavez has packed the Supreme Court and the army with his supporters, seized control of the countrys wealth and introduced a penal code that criminalizes dissent. Anyone who opposes him faces violence or prison. † (The Iron Fist of Hugo Chavez, 2005) â€Å"The Venezuelan leaders insistence on uniting numerous leftist parties into a single socialist bloc and eliminating the constitutions presidential term limits has opened the first fissures in his coalition. Annual inflation of more than 20% Latin Americas highest is undermining the economic gains of recent years and igniting doubts about Chavezs free spending. Recent nationalizations of two companies owned by U. S. firms further sours the business climate. † (Lynch, 2007) On the other way, some believe that the Chavez protected the democracy. In their point of views, since Chavez does not belong to any party, and he came from the grass roots and has seen all the hardships, therefore he is more capable to meet the interest of the Venezuelans. Some opponent of Chavez equates him with Fujiori but his comparison is not correct because unlike Fujimori Chavez has a self-governing foreign military, a revolutionary disclosure and he did not endorse huge privatization. Economic Policies â€Å"The changes are in keeping with pledges he made after his re-election last month to take a more radical turn toward socialism. His critics have voiced concern that he would use his sweeping victory to tighten his grip on power, following in the footsteps of Fidel Castro. Cuba, one of Chavezs closest allies in the region, nationalized major industries shortly after Castro came to power in 1959. Bolivias Evo Morales, another Chavez ally, moved to nationalize key sectors after taking office last year. † (Rueda, 2007) Venezuela is the 5th largest oil producer, which remains the key of Venezuelan economy. Chavez has gained a reputation as a price hawk in OPEC. At a meeting of OPEC in July 2006, Venezuela was the only country calling for lowered production to drive oil prices higher. Some critics say that under the President Chavez regime the output of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) which is a state owned company, has been reduced by 25% and Venezuela cannot meets it current quota. However Forbes argues that the political and other influence have an effect on numbers. Nonetheless, Chavez has attempted to broaden Venezuelas customer base by getting into joint ventures with other developing countries including China, Brazil, Argentina and India. Although the record oil prices have meant more funding for the social and development plans, but it has also left the economy dependent on oil sector, private sector role has diminished. â€Å"As Venezuela embarked on another six years under Hugo Chavez, the president announced plans to nationalize power and telecom companies and make other bold changes that will concentrate more power in his hands. † (Rueda, 2007)