Explain How the Solow Growth Model Would Analyse the Effects of a Fall in the Household Saving Ratio

In this essay, I will focus on two important aspects. The first is to give a brief historical outline of the Solow growth model. The second thread runs express how the outline on the Solow growth model might explain the effect of a fall in the household savings ratio. My essay will be guided by the diagram provided on which I have to make specific references and to think through as well as explain the various steps of the Solow growth model and what this would mean for economic growth. Without dismissing earlier attempts, the foundations upon which modern economic growth theory rests on the foundations put by US economist Robert Solow (1924-) in the 1950s and 1960s. The Solow growth model is very neoclassic in that it focuses primarily on the supply side. The Solow model seems to implicitly assume that, as long as the supply of goods increases, economic growth can be attained. In this way it is apparently different from Keynesian models of which focus is on the demand side of the economy such as inflation and unemployment. One of the major central reason by Solow to come up with the Solow model came from the desire to know what happens in the long run to an economy in which capital accumulation is taking place. In pursuit of an answer to this question Solow came up with a degree of mathematical and analytical work. Solow pursued a model of an economy in which one has a single good that can be consumed or invested, and he says the total output in the economy Y to the total labour supply L and the stock of physical capital K. When Solow talked of physical capital he meant things like machinery, buildings, equipment, things used by labour to make products. The aggregate measurement of output is symbolised by (Y), labour (L) and capital (K). This means that Y,L and K are variables describing the whole economy. The Solow growth model tells us that in the long term, the development of a closed economy will remain at a steady state, where there is no more growth. In figure 2, the economy has settled down in point E. Here, the fraction of an average worker output that is being saved, equals the average required investment to account for the depreciation and decay. This being achieved with k1 amount of capital per worker, the economy produces an output of y1 per worker, the economy produces an output of y1 per worker. A sudden fall in the household saving ratio to s*< s leads to negative net investments F minus E: workers only save a fraction s* of still the same y1, and therefore there is not enough being saved in the economy to be able to finance the decay of the capital stock at k1. As the level k1 cannot be retained by the average worker which is (negative net investments), the output per worker y has to start to decrease. In a dynamic process, the economy will move along the curve y=f(k), that means the amount of output per worker y will decrease, until it settles at a new steady state, where the net invstements equal zero. This being achieved at point E*, the resulting capital intensity is k*, with which an output of y* can be produced with y* being smaller than y1. In other words, a fall in the household ratio leads to a decrease of the amount of capital stock, a closed economy is able to to retain in the long term. The decay in the existing capital stock cannot anymore be completely replaced by investments, as there is not enough money being saved in the economy due to the fall in the household saving ratio. These resulting negative net investments will force the economy to decrease its output to the level y*. Only here, the amount being saved in the economy can again replace the complete decaying capital stock, which means the economy settles at a new long term equilibrium, a new steady state. The fall in the household saving ratio has therefore reduced the productivity of the average worker in the economy. PART B How far do models of corporation and bargaining alter our understanding of the potential for corporation between states. In this essay, I will focus myself on two models of cooperation and bargaining. The first model is called realism and its thrust is to say that the international political systems as a whole is anarchic in so far as there is no world government but what exists are multiple competing sovereigns. In terms of cooperation and bargaining between states realism poses real challenges to interdependence and specialisation. The second model is called liberalism and like realism it begins by acknowledging that the system is of course anarchic but it goes a bit further to argue that the interests that states seek to pursue in conditions of anarchy are shaped very much by the nature of the society, domestic, and transnational over which they seek to rule and particularly liberals stress the role of dominant powerful groups within society in shaping the nature of the national interests and this is clearly illustrated in a story about the development of India`s national interest in chapter 6. The fundamental difference between the two models is that liberalism says it is not just anarchy plus the distribution of power, it`s anarchy, and the distribution of power plus interdependence. The prospects for cooperation between states under conditions of both anarchy and interdependence bring to fore three aspects of the game. The first, the game is positive-sum when states are concerned purely with their absolute gains but the chance for bargaining and cooperation to mutual advantage are real and if the positive-sum is changed negatively it results in zero-sum games in which neither will be prepared to move from the original position hence blocking cooperation. The third is when states care about both their absolute gains and their relative positions giving us an indeterminate outcome and it very much depends on how the nations weigh the one against the other. In answering the question topic therefore, I am diving into a web of complexity. The realists`philosophical thrust claims that in an anarchic system, what then differentiates states are rather their capabilities as compared to their functions. In short it is the power of states, not their common purposes (survival), that differentiates one international political system from another (Bromley, 2004 p113) In the Realist mode therefore, the state will seek to avoid as necessary as possible forms of interdependence that create vulnerability in relation to issues of security, so they will avoid all forms of subordination with relation to other states in terms of power, since the superior power of some may also threaten the security of the weak. An example in our world today could be United States with the killing of Osama Bin Laden, where the US Navy SEALS are accused of transgression and trespassing into Pakistan without sovereign rights. In just some few words one could say that the international political systems between and among states according to realists comprise an anarchy of similar, competing political authorities in which each strives to maintain or improve its relative power base. Mexico epitomises this concept in the 1910 revolution and the subsequent creation of the PRI in 1929 which fostered a strong nationalistic ideology geared toward maintaining the independence of the country from foreign economic and political influences. Having outlined in short the essence of realist philosophy, there is need therefore, to ask what implications does this realist thinking have on cooperation and bargaining between states? The realist thinking has very essential implications in the fact that cooperation between states have to be severely limited even with big organisations like WTO because what should be avoided at all costs are dependencies. Even if there are benefits that accrue from cooperation with another state, you simply cannot depend on another country since this can create vulnerabilities lets say in cases of diplomatic fallout or cases of war. Another recent example is the treacherous diplomatic fallout between United Kingdom and Malawi with consequences on bilateral relations and especially the impact it will have on a largely dependent country Malawi. That limits considerably the scope for cooperation. According to Huysmans the other element that restrict cooperation between states, or even regional blocks in this case, sometimes like the European Union, â€Å"they are not calculating primarily their benefits from cooperation in terms of what they would gain in comparison to their major competitors, because what matters is not how much richer I become as a state, what matters is how much richer I become as a state compared to you, because then I`m more powerful, can translate to military power, economic power and so on† (Huysmans, Audio CD, 2010) In short state actors have to guarantee their own self-preservation, that is to say individuals in a state of nature or states in an anarchic international system will not willingly cooperate if the result is an increase in vulnerabilities and/ or decrease in relative power. Paul Hirst, a sociologist and political theorist served a blow to to realists`arguments by going against the view that sovereign control of territory is forged purely internally by arguing that states need to interact in the anarchic realm of international politics with other states. The achievement of sovereignty therefore, is at least partly the product of agreements between states in the form of recognition of each others`sovereign rights (Bromley 2004, p120) In this case therefore one dependents on the other. This then is the best chance to bring into play liberalism which argues that what we need to look at is the way in which the different national interests of states, that are shaped by the societies over which they rule, are configured together when put together at an international system. What we have are states all interacting with one another, all chasing national interests, as defined by their dominant groups, and those interests configure in different ways sometimes states interests are conflictual, sometimes cooperative and at some points mutually beneficial. Trade liberalisation is an example where arguably, the interests of states that are mutually engaging in trade liberalisation are not in conflict. They can both benefit from trade. States may come to view their position in relation to the others in a much more absolute terms and as a consequence of that, with full understanding of the fact that the structure of international system is interdependent as well as anarchic, enduring cooperation is at least a possibility. The states according to Bromley face an environment of what is called â€Å"strategic inter-dependence† to mean the strategies that one can champion are conditioned by their anticipation of the strategies that others will pursue (Bromley CD 2010). Unlike, the realists, the assumption is that when states`interests interact internationally, it is not always the case that states will focus on their position or be worried about dependence, and the argument pursued is that security is only one value among others, that security will be balanced alongside other considerations like economic welfare, promotion of cultural values, or whatever. In this regard Mexico is a perfect example, in so far as Mexico joined NAFTA, not worrying so much about its position vis-a-vis its dominant neighbour, the United States but increasingly focusing on the absolute gains that Mexico might make through those policies. Chapter 9, says states sometimes interact in positive-sum ways, meaning when they interact they both gain from cooperation and bargaining, sometimes they interact in ways that are zero-sum; if I gain you lose or otherwise it is negative-sum in which both sides lose. The realists model that Jef outlines seems to advocate or assume that all cooperation because they are relative ains, are zero-sum; if I gain you lose but according to liberal thinking there are situations when it is a win-win situation (Bromley CD 2010) The Liberal model also argues that there are many situations where mutual dependence does not imply vulnerability vis-a-vis security or even worry about their relative position vis-a-vis other states and an example could be that as a country, we can come to define our national interest in terms, not of how we are progressing vis-a-vis another country but how we are coping vis-a-vis last year, focused only on our growth rate. The core claim of liberal model is that once you recognise the strategic nature of interdependence and once you recognise that the national interest is socially shaped by society and not just deriving from your position in the state system, then the possibilities of cooperation are far much greater. Concluding remarks draws three general conclusions, the game is positive-sum if states are geared solely with their absolute gains, there is chance for co-operative bargaining to mutual advantage. Anarchy is no danger to cooperation in this world. Secondly, if states evaluate their positions purely in relation to others, then all games even positive-sum ones are turned to zero-sum ones where neither will be prepared to move away from the original thereby blocking cooperation as was seen between the superpowers during the Cold War. Thirdly, when states care about their absolute gains and their relative positions, the outcome is indeterminate and depends on how they weigh the one against the other. If relative considerations do not weigh too heavily in their calculations, states may still find themselves in a positive-sum game.

The History of Abortions in Different Cultures Professor Ramos Blog

The History of Abortions in Different Cultures https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZnhyW8JMTLRBnfGwB_sE8LBC_23O_4fabNv6UoK48qc/edit?usp=sharingh

Douglass essays

Douglass essays Slavery was perhaps one of the most appalling tragedies in the history of the United States of America. As explained in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, each slave had a different experience with slavery, but they all had certain things in common and a couple of those things were a life of unthinkable acts of cruelty and the desire to become free. In Douglass Narrative, he explains his life as a slave and how he uses his education and extraordinary ability of speaking to influence the freedom of all slaves. In reading the Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, I like others, found myself to be deeply moved. The way in which Mr. Douglass walked me through his life as a slave gave me a better understanding of the struggle that African American slaves encountered. Douglass was born in Talbot County, Maryland, but he does not know the year, as most slaves are not allowed to know their ages. He points out that slave owners deliberately keep their slaves ignorant, and that this is a tactic whites us to gain power over slaves. This is the recurrent structure Douglass uses in his narrative. I find this to be interesting, and wonder why that is. How does not knowing the age of ones self keep them ignorant? I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant.(pg.19) However, based on an overheard comment from his master, Douglass guesses that he was born in or around 1818. Douglasss mother was Harriet Bailey, and they were separated soon after birth, a common practice among slave owners. Douglass assumes that this cust om is intended to break the natural bond of affection between mother and child. For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it i...

Scientific and Ethical Complexities - Egg Donation Essay

Scientific and Ethical Complexities - Egg Donation - Essay Example any a negative review such as – â€Å"the most enduring ghost story of all time† and â€Å"a precursor to the existential thriller.† The novel which remains popular even today, unravels the story of a highly ambitious and proud scientist who craves to create a new life form and aspires to become like God. This story is of significant relevance which tells us how Dr. Frankenstein steeps himself into his scientific study and contemplates the creation of life. Mary brings out beautifully the struggle that Frankenstein faces to infuse life into something inanimate. She tells of how he worked ardently in his laboratory from morning to night and sometimes even into the next morning with just that sole goal in his mind to drive him on. He faced many difficulties and pitfalls in the various experiments he carried out and at one point he even wanted to give up and return to his family and friends, but then again it was this burning desire to create life and become like God that At the end of two years, he made great progress and won great appreciation and recognition in his University. The phenomenon that particularly attracted his attention was the human frame. According to him –â€Å"To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death†. He examined and analyised every crevice of life to death and from death to life, until from the darkness broke out a wondrous light that at first blinded him in its simplicity and then exulted him to dizzying heights in the discovery he had made. He had achieved what he wanted to after all! He now had the uncanny power to bestow animation on the object which was once lifeless. He was now left with the job of making a frame work with the intricacy of all its muscles and fibers. It seemed almost impractical in its magnitude and complexity, but the rush of enthusiasm was like a hurricane within him that he could not stop. Frankenstein says –â€Å"A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and

Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Identity - Essay Example For example a resolver in psychological terms consciously desires self growth, on a personal level such an individual acknowledges the importance of personal skills and greatly puts them to practice .Within a social context a resolver will be responsive to societies that provide an opportunity for self growth. According to Gergen Kenneth, a person’s identity can also include the relational self, pastiche personality and the strategic manipulator. In Social Anthropology, identity is used to refer to the idea of self hood which implies an individuals’ properties and individuality that makes such a person distich and unique from others. It is virtually difficult to have a clear definition of identity, its all depends on the field of study upon which one is relating to, however, there are some prominent people in the society whose roles and involvement is various fields easily spell out their identity. Such characters are Dr Manhattan whose real identity is John osterman, R orschach’s and Ozymandias identities in the vigilantism and as Nietzsche's Ubermench (Klock, 2002). All the three characters have featured in the Watchman besides the Comedian, the Nite Owl and the Silk Spectre. The main aim of selecting the characters was to present six radically opposing ways in perceiving the world in terms of morality. The Watchman is based on super hero properties acquired form Charlton Comics during the early 1980’s. Jon Osterman who was later referred to as Doctor /Manhattan, was changed not god like blue –skinned being after accidentally being disintegrated in an â€Å"intrinsic field Subtracot† Jon Osterman identity is the same as that of Dr. Manhattan is a number of ways. First of all, while still a normal human being, he involved himself in unusual things for instance, very few people would take dare become physicist due to its complexity. However Jon Oserman was intensively involved in the discovery which led to his transforma tion after being stuck in a chamber. As Dr. Manhattan, he continues to engage himself in unusual scenarios, for example even after being employed by the United States of America defense Ministry and infighting crime, he goes no with his physics research, his love for this subject leads him to b the inventor of the electric advanced vehicles. Both identities prove Dr Manhattan as a determined and very hardworking individual. However, there are some differences between the two personality identities and this has widely been influenced by the social surrounding. Previously he gains an indentify of a loving and caring man with ability of bringing his girlfriend along to the work station. On the other hand, Dr. Manhattan is view as a biter and emotionless super being; however his perception has been changed by exploitation by normal human beings. He claims that he is used a s a puppet and can even see all the strings attached to him â€Å"We're all puppets, Laurie. I'm just a puppet who can see the strings† (Gibbons, 2008), he knows that he has been turned into something lethal; he is excited that he knows the delight of not knowing. According to the Cote and Levin (2002) typology he can be regarded as a â€Å"searcher â€Å" with high sense of dissatisfaction ,quickly shows disdain for imperfection and mostly interacting with role

Free Movement of Goods Article 34 and 36 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Free Movement of Goods Article 34 and 36 - Essay Example The aspect of measures can also include the inaction of a State to stop private individuals’ acts, which prevent the free movement of goods (The College of Law 2012, p200). The ECJ described the expression of quantitative restriction as measures that amount to partial or total restraint of, based on the circumstances, exports, imports or goods in transit. There are two laws that apply in this category but in this case, the most applicable law is the outright ban enforced by a Member State (Spain) on imports from another Member State (The College of Law 2012, p201). Free Pork Ltd plans to begin selling its products in Spain have been hampered by the law that requires the sale of sausages produced from humanely reared pigs to be checked by Spanish Sausage Checkers (SSC). If the sausages are not checked by SSC, the law prohibits its sales in Spain. However, the process of verifying whether the sausages have those conditions is usually lengthy. Therefore, Free Pork can challenge t his Spanish law. There is also a law that requires the name of the company not to use words that imply health or fitness. Free Pork can also challenge this law because it restricts the importation of goods and can affect the brand image of the company. The SSC is a form of a licencing system, which according to the articles, subjects the import of merchandises to the condition of getting an import licence. Even in situations where the application for an import licence is regarded a mere formality; it is a Quantitative Restriction. This is because is simply a mechanism in which imports can be restricted. In practice, it is very rare for the Member States laws to result to quantitative restrictions. The ban on exports or imports between Member States is only found in unusual circumstances (The College of Law 2012, p201). Therefore, failure by Free Pork Ltd to meet the conditions set by the Spanish laws is an outright ban on exporting sausages to this Member State. As stated earlier, t he ban only happens in unusual circumstances, and thus, Free Pork can challenge the law because an unusual circumstance lacks, which prohibits it from exporting the goods to Spain. The directive was important in developing a brief wording of the Article 34 TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) and it continues to offer guidance on the measures that can constitute a breach of Article 34 TFEU prohibitions. Article 2(1) of the directive describes a class of measures (for instance, national laws) that treat imported goods and domestic goods differently. They are commonly referred to as distinctly applicable measures. Article 3 of the directive describes a class of national laws that apply equally to imported and domestic products. These laws have a restrictive impact and they are commonly referred to as indistinctly applicable (The College of Law 2012, p202). Therefore, the directive classifies both indistinctly and distinctly applicable measures as measures that have a n impact equivalent to restrictions on imports. From the statement, it can be stated that a national law can become MEQR (Measures having Equivalent effect to a Quantitative Restriction) regardless of whether it â€Å"discriminates against imported products or appears to treat them in the same way as domestic products but is in

Causation and Intervening Acts in Criminal Law Essay Example for Free

Causation and Intervening Acts in Criminal Law Essay According to Robin J.A. in Malette v Shulman[1], â€Å"the right of self-determination which underlies the doctrine of informed consent also obviously encompasses the right to refuse medical treatment. A competent adult is generally entitled to reject a specific treatment or all treatment, or to select an alternate form of treatment, even if the decision may entail risks as serious as death†¦The doctrine of informed consent is plainly intended to ensure the freedom of individuals to make choices concerning their medical care. For this freedom to be meaningful, people must have the right to make choices that accord with their own values regardless of how unwise or foolish those choices may appear to others.†[2] R v Blaue[3], a famous causation case in criminal law, brings to foreground a thought-provoking debate about whether an individual’s religious beliefs and other psychological values could be included in the ‘thin skull’ rule and whether the refusal to take lifesaving medical treatment breaks the chain of causation that exists between the defendant’s wrongdoing and the purported outcome of that wrongdoing. The facts of the case are as follows Blaue, the defendant, stabbed a woman numerous times after she refused to have sexual intercourse with him. She was a Jehovah’s Witness and was therefore not in favour of blood transfusions. After the stabbing, she was taken to a hospital and was told that she urgently needed to have a blood transfusion, without which she would die. Owing to her religious beliefs, she refused to consent with the suggested treatment. As a result, she died in the hospital. While giving the judgment, Lawton L.J. stated that â€Å"those who use violence on other people must take their victims as they find them.†[4] This, according to him, not only includes victims’ physical characteristics, but also their emotional, psychological and spiritual values and beliefs. This decision has proved to be extremely controversial and gives rise to various debates. Most understand the rationale behind the court’s judgment and agree that the defendant is , as a matter of fact, criminally liable for causing the injury. After all, the victim was at the receiving end of several stabbings, imposed by the defendant, who clearly had an intention of causing serious bodily harm, if not death. However, some feel that the death was the result of the victim’s refusal to carry out the blood transfusion. They feel that the defendant should not be responsible for the unusual, irrational and unjustified religious beliefs of the victim. In addition, the defendant could not have possibly foreseen her backing out of receiving medical treatment in the hospital. The Blaue case creates many doubts about the doctrine of causation in criminal law. Was Blaue responsible for the victim’s death or was it an act of the victim, since it was her decision to refuse a blood transfusion? If we conclude that Blaue is indeed responsible for her death, another question comes to mind: Why is the victim not responsible for her own death? First and foremost, it is a fact that the victim sustained injuries due to numerous stabbings and it was Blaue who had inflicted them upon her. Her not taking any steps to save herself did not instigate her death. Secondly, there is an application of the ‘thin skull’ rule in this case. An important principle of the law of causation is that defendants must ‘take their victims as they find them.’ This means that if a defendant pushes someone and because they have a thin skull, they crack their head and die, the defendant will be liable for causing their death. The Court of Appeal in Blaue indicated that the decision could be seen as a ‘thin skull’ example. It was established that the ‘thin skull’ rule goes beyond the physical characteristics of individuals, also including a person’s moral and religious beliefs. Thirdly, the victim’s decision to not undergo blood transfusion, which would have clearly saved her life, was based on profound religious views and hence, did not constitute a novus actus interveniens. That is, it was not an intervening act. Nevertheless, the judgment has been critisised on various grounds. Why was the vict im’s decision to refuse medical treatment seen as a subsisting condition rather than an intervening cause? Would it have been the same if the refusal was due to a fear of needles or the fact that she could not bear the pain and thought dying was the only way to end the agony? A decision steered by religious beliefs is a moral choice, that is, a free decision. Why should the defendant endure the responsibility if the victim makes a free choice to kill herself any more than he should if, weakened by the injury, the victim took a controversial choice to end her life with dignity rather than enduring pain and life-long humiliation? Thus, to understand the Blaue case, we not only need to take into account causation in criminal law, but also the two doctrines which apply to the concept of proximate causation; the ‘thin skull’ rule and the principle of novus actus interveniens. Causation In criminal law, individuals that are guilty of a crime are penalised for the harm they cause if both the physical and the mental element of committing an offence is present. There must be a valid connection between an individual’s conduct and the result alleged to constitute an offence. The causation requirement attaches criminal responsibility to those individuals whose conduct is sufficient enough to bring about serious bodily injury or death. In Hallett[5], the accused assaulted a man and left him on a beach. Over the next few hours, the man drowned. The court concluded that Hallett’s contribution to his death was more than minimal to hold him responsible for it. However, in Blaue, the defendant was found to be the substantial and operating cause of the woman’s death. That is, his stabbings is why she was admitted to a hospital in the first place. ‘Thin skull’ rule The defendant must take the victim as he finds him or her and this means ‘the whole man and not just the physical man.’ This rule applies irrespective of whether the defendant is aware of the condition in the victim. On one hand, there are instances where the victim suffers from a pre-existing condition which renders him or her more vulnerable to injuries. On the other hand, there are cases where the victim does not take medical treatment to heal wounds and suffers serious harm as a result. A defendant cannot escape liability for a victim’s death as a result of an abnormality pres ent in the victim or an internal, subsisting belief of the victim. It is his fault that he caused harm in the first place. In R v Hayward[6], a man chased his wife into the street shouting threats and kicked her. She collapsed and died from an unusual thyroid condition which made her susceptible to physical exertion and fear. He was convicted of manslaughter because he aggravated her pre-existing condition by physically assaulting her. This case is a good example of the ‘thin skull’ rule applying to the physical characteristics of an individual. The fact that he could not possibly foresee her dying is not an excuse. However, can a victims religious beliefs constitute a thin skull? With reference to Blaue, according to Hart and Honorà ©: â€Å"The question is not whether it is reasonable to believe that blood transfusion is wrong, but whether a person whose life is in danger can reasonably be expected to abandon a firmly held religious belief. The answer must be surely no.†[7] Religious beliefs and convictions are an internal cha racteristic of individuals, which is deeply rooted in their way of thinking and life. It is intrinsic to every person. Hence, people cannot be held legally accountable for possessing such sentiments. Novus Actus Interveniens The general principle is that an intervention by a third party will break the chain of causation if it is ‘free, deliberate and informed.’ In R v Kennedy[8], Kennedy prepared a syringe for the victim, who injected himself and died due to an overdose. Kennedy was convicted of unlawful manslaughter. The act of the victim, in injecting himself with the drug, was an intentional, free, deliberate and an informed action. Thus, the drug dealer is not guilty of unlawful manslaughter. In contrast, in R v Dear[9], the defendant slashed the victim repeatedly with a knife. The victim died two days later. The defendant appealed against his conviction for murder, arguing that the chain of causation had been broken because the victim had committed suicide either by reopening his wounds or because he had failed to take steps to stop the blood flow after the wounds had reopened them selves. The court dismissed the appeal and held that the real question was whether the injuries inflicted by the defendant were a substantial and operating cause of the death. The victims death resulted from excessive bleeding from the artery, which was triggered by the defendant when he attacked the victim. In Blaue, the refusal to get treatment does not break the chain of causation, despite the fact that it was informed and deliberate, because having such a belief is involuntary and requisite. According to Hart and Honorà ©, â€Å"the question to be decided is whether the decision to refuse treatment is not merely deliberate and informed but also a free one. In view of the high value attached in our society to the matters of conscience, the victim, though free to accept any belief she wished, is not thereafter free to abandon her chosen belief merely because she finds herself in a situation in which her life may otherwise be in danger. So it was not her free act to refuse a transfusion.†[10] It was reasonably foreseeable that a Jehovah’s Witness would refuse a blood transfusion. The victim had no choice due to her religion. It was not a free decision because, in a way, she was bound by it. It could be said that she simply let the wound take its natural course. Moreover, the death was caused due to the bleeding arising from the penetration of the lungs, which was brought about by the stabbings. The substantial and operating cause test does not take into account a victim’s distinct characteristic. So long as victim died of internal bleeding due to the wound administered by Blaue, we need not ask further questions. However, if the principle of ‘taking your victims as you find them, including their beliefs’ is applied to more cases, it would have varying results. Let’s assume that X assaults Y. Y ends up committing suicide because she is mentally unstable or because she hopes to get X behind bars. Another example could be that X shoots Y on his left leg. Y could go to the hospital but decides to remove the bullet by himself. Unable to do so and still refusing medical treatment, he dies. Should X ‘take’ Y’s unstable, vengeful or negligent behaviour? Is that justified or is it unfair? [ 1 ]. Malette v Shulman [1991] 2 Med LR 162. [ 2 ]. Jerome Edmund Bickenback, Canadian cases in the philosophy of law, 4th edition, at 160 to 161. [ 3 ]. R v Blaue [1975] 1 WLR 1411. [ 4 ]. Michael T. Molan, Sourcebook on Criminal Law, 2nd edition, at 67. [ 5 ]. Hallett [1969] SASR 141. [ 6 ]. R v Hayward (1908) 21 Cox 692. [ 7 ]. Denis Klimchuk, Causation, Thin Skulls and Equality (1998) at pg. 126. [ 8 ]. R v Kennedy [2007] UKHL 38. [ 9 ]. R v Dear [1996] Crim LR 595. [ 10 ]. Alan Norrie, Crime, Reason and History: A Critical Introduction to Criminal Law, at pg. 143.