98 B Feb17 Himalai Oral Test English Passage
Read below given statement
A Democracy and development are distinct and separate goals.
B Economic growth can be promoted successfully without pursuing a democratic system of governance.
C. Non-democratic regimes deliver economic growth faster and far more successfully than democratic ones.
Read below given Passage
1. Most champions of democracy have been rather reticent in suggesting that democracy would itself promote and enhancement of social welfare - they have tended to see them as good but distinctly separate and largely independent goals.
2. The detractors of democracy, on the other hand, seemed to have been quite willing to express their diagnosis of what they see as serious tensions between democracy and development.
3. The theorists of the practical split "Make up your mind: do you want democracy, or instead, do you want development ? - often came, at least to start with, from East Asian countries, and their voice grew in influence as several of these countries were immensely successful 1970s and 1980s and even later through the in promoting economic growth without pursuing democracy
4. To deal with these issues we have to pay particular attention to both the content of what can be called development and to the interpretation of democracy (in particular to the respective roles of voting and of public reasoning).
5.The assessment of development cannot be divorced from the lives that people can lead and the real freedom that they enjoy.
6. Development can scarcely be seen merely in terms of enhancement of inanimate objects of convenience, such as a rise in the GNP (or in personal incomes), or industrialization - important as they may be as means to the real ends.
7.Their value must depend on what they do to the lives and freedom of the people involved, which must be central to the idea of development.
8. If development is understood in a broader way, with a focus on human lives, then it becomes immediately clear that the relation between development and democracy has to be seen partly in terms of their constitutive connection, rather than only through their external links.
9.Even though the question has often been asked whether political freedom is "conducive to development", we must not miss the crucial recognition that political liberties and democratic rights are among the "constituent components" of development. Their relevance for development does not have to be established indirectly through their contribution to the growth of GNP.
1. According to the passage, why is a serious tension perceived between democracy and development by the detractors of democracy ?
A. Democracy and development are distinct and separate goals.
B. Economic growth can be promoted successfully without pursuing a democratic system of governance.
C Non-democratic regimes deliver economic growth faster and far more successfully than democratic ones.
D. All the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above are correct in this context.
Ans: B
Explanation :
Referring to the lines in the first paragraph, "The detractors of democracy pursuing democracy",
Passage - II
Read below given statements
A.It is desirable that the impact of Foreign Direct Investment should be pro-competitive.
B. The entry of foreign investors invariably leads to the inflated prices in domestic markets
Read below given passage
1. The need for Competition Law becomes more evident when foreign direct investment (FDI) is liberalized.
2. The impact of FDI is not always pro- competitive.
3 Very often FDI takes the form of a foreign corporation acquiring a domestic enterprise or establishing a joint venture with one. .
4.By making such an acquisition the foreign investor may substantially lessen competition and gain a dominant position in the relevant market, thus charging higher prices.
5.Another scenario is where the affiliates of two separate multinational companies (MNCs) have been established in competition with one another in a particular developing economy, following the liberalization of FDI.
6. Subsequently, the parent companies overseas merge.
7.With the affiliates no longer remaining independent, competition in the host country may be virtually eliminated and the prices of the products may be artificially inflated.
8.Most of these adverse consequences of mergers and acquisitions by MNCs can be avoided if an effective competition law is in place.
9.Also, an economy that has implemented an effective competition law is in a better position to attract FDI than one that has not.
10.This is not just because most MNCs are expected to be accustomed to the operation of such a law in their home countries and know how to deal with such concerns but also that MNCs expect competition authorities to ensure a level playing field between domestic and foreign firms.
I. With reference to the passage, consider the following statements :
A. It is desirable that the impact of Foreign Direct Investment should be pro-competitive.
B. The entry of foreign investors invariably leads to the inflated prices in domestic markets.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A . A only
B. B only
C. Neither A nor B
D. Both A and B
Ans. A
Explanation
Due to heavy inflow of FDI, foreign investors gain a dominant position in the local market making it very tough for the local companies to compete with them. Hence, an effective competitive law is necessary to reduce the adverse effect of FDI.
But the entry of foreign investors does not invariably lead to inflated prices in the domestic market. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.