Procurement Management Plan for Laces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Procurement Management Plan for Laces - Essay Example It also throws light on the procedure of endorsement of agreement and decision making strategy. Approach: The plan should define plainly the compulsory stages and duties thought the life of the company. The company manager work with the project team, contract, purchasing department and vendors to go through different stages of the plan, and make sure that the plan should be able to guide the company in the effective termination of the project. Definition: The procurement definition identifies clearly the articles to be acquired and states associated circumstances. Procurement deadlines are also clearly defined which is very necessary for the effective accomplishment of the assignment. Thus in the definition articles to be procured should be listed, justification given, conditions stated and any other specification required must also be described. The names of the persons must also be given who can approve the purchase etc. in the absence of the manager. Table I: Shows the articles/se rvices to be procured, rationalization and deadline. Article/Service Rationalization Deadline 1. Laces Required for the shoes and its preparation is very costly 1 October 2011 2. Studded soles Required for the completion of the shoes and its preparation is very time consuming 1 October 2011 3. ... The articles required in this case are usually procured by firm-fixed price contract. The project team specifies the articles, their amounts, services and deadlines. The purchasing department calls bids from different vendors according to the specifications and deadlines. It also bargains the price of the articles with the selected vendor according to the firm-fixed price. Contract accomplishment procedure: The contract execution procedure varies greatly among different companies but it is very important to specify all the rules for finalizing a contract relating to procurement with the company. The authorities which will be involved in decision making should also be mentioned. First of all it is decided that which articles are to be procured. It can be done through a survey of the cost analysis of the required articles provided internally compared with that procured from different vendors. After making decisions about the items to be procured based on the cost analysis, the purchasi ng department will call for bids from different vendors. Different vendors will send proposals which will be reviewed to see which proposal is according to the criteria set out by the project team and purchasing department and offers lowest price. It is also decided that up to what amount the project manager can approve the purchase and the purchases greater than that amount will require the approval of The Contract Review Board. This Contract Review Board usually consists of agents of the project team, purchasing department, finance and project manager office. Decision making criteria: The standard which is used by the contract review board/project manager for the selection and award of contracts differs from company to company. However, following criteria

Women in Vietnam Essay Example for Free

Women in Vietnam Essay In Vietnam, women were encouraged to serve within the government and other sectors within the state. Unlike in other countries where women are stereotyped as being weak, in Vietnam, it was different. (Insun, p47-p56) Women were treated as equals. They were given the same positions as those ones of women and were given the same respect. Women were especially encouraged to take up the jobs which were believed to be a man’s reserve. They went out of their way to serve their country as humanitarians, entertainers, military dependents, USAID, civilian nurses, in military, as correspondents and in special services. (Insun, p78-p80) There were a good number of women in Vietnam who served as professionals in the field of medicine, teaching, law, professional nurses, controllers of air traffic, language and intelligence specialists, photographers, physical therapists, aerial reconnaissance, legal officers, security officers and administrative positions. Civilian women in Vietnam also served in the Red Cross, journalists, humanitarian organizations and as flight attendants. They were also leaders in the churches. (Chen, p78) Despite the fact that these women were active then, they kept a low profile. Today, nobody can tell who these women are. This is because they don’t show off and have camouflaged. Women made very noble contributions towards the wars in Vietnam. They fought alongside men and did everything men did and they in fact did it a better. (Insun, p34-p67) It has been said that if the country of Vietnam must heal, women must come forward to reveal their involvements and experiences in the war. Unfortunately, they have not been recognized and acknowledged as significant in the history of Vietnam. The situation has been worsened by their silence and the pain and struggles kept deep within them. Women do not believe that they deserve the same recognition and respect like that given to men. (Woodside, p678) Women in special services were mostly under the army. These armies as well as civilians were under the employees’ defense department. The departments that were served by women were related to recreation and morale and included the bases of the Army in the states. (Song, p456) Most of the divisions were also related to works of arts and crafts, service clubs, libraries, movies, sports and entertainment. These women administered special programs, for example, ‘Rest’ as well as the program relating to recreation. The reason why women were entrusted with these positions was their warm hearted nature. They were icon of hope to the whole of Vietnam; they had a role of encouraging men and giving them morale during wars. They ensured that the homes did not fall apart despite their involvements in other services. Women were good volunteers in these services and they had the welfare of the country and the people in mind. It was not a burden to serve their country since they could see the big picture. (Taylor, p267) As librarians, women gave magazines, books and newspapers to the soldiers. The books served as sources of the correspondent courses they were taking and also for leisure. Most of their wonderful memories were hopping flights, clubs, time shared with friends as well as the loved ones. However, there were still some enmities created during the early days. Women fought wars along the beautiful coastline and peaceful villages and rice fields. These areas were My Lai, Chu Lai, the Que Son Valley, A Shau, Da Nang, Phu Bai and hue. Women witnessed the demise of thousands five bases as well as landing zones. (Woodside, p567) At the military, women served with pride. They knew that their efforts were for a worthy cause. They knew that their victory was a victory for all. During the women’s anniversary, they gathered their past and present achievements. There were at least one thousand and two hundred soldiers selected from the women population and served as band leaders and translators, clerks and typists. (Insun, p78)

Emily Bronte and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning :: Biography Biographies Essays

Emily Bronte and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning      Ã‚  Ã‚   As I looked through the literary works we have covered this term I noticed that there were only two strong females we have studied that seem to play a strong part in the development of British Literature. Emily Bronte and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning were strong, influential figures in the literary world.    Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights can be credited with the title of the first Romantic novel of its time and her poetry was also redefining the poetry of the era. Unintentionally, I believe, Emily set a new standard for writing. Her use of nature, an undefined hero and heroine, the unusual structure of narrators, and her portrayal of the supernatural powers within the plot all contribute to her literary groundbreaking, trend setting style. Her poetry is also unique in that it has a personal flair not typically seen in previous poets. It is a very personal reflection of what she is enduring at the moment. That interpretation, however, is not entirely clear without the historical context.   "A little while, a little while, The noisy crowd are barred away; I can sing and I can smile A little while I've a holyday!" (WH 296) could be interpreted as any number of things without the reader being fully aware that at this point in her life Bronte was a trapped in a job she hated far from her beloved home and family. She was a governess. In that light it makes her poem makes complete sense; she needed to get away from the children she was responsible for. Several of her other poems were also born of this time in her life and reflected her homesickness.    Elizabeth Barrett-Browning too wrote about her life but I saw her work as more direct and open than that of Bronte. Without the historical knowledge of Bronte's life at the time of her writing her poems are beautiful but the reader cannot fully appreciate the emotive elements behind the words. Barrett-Browning's works were much clearer as to their intent and even without a working knowledge of her relationship with Robert Browning the reader can fully appreciate the powerful dramatic emotions flowing through her words. Her most famous sonnet "How do I love thee?

Labor Rate

Labor rate variance is the difference between the actual labor rate and the applied overhead rate (standard rate multiplied by the number of actual hours worked). Consider this and respond to the following: †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Our workers are all under labor contracts. Therefore, our labor rate variance is bound to be zero. † Do you agree or disagree that the labor rate variance will be zero if all workers are under labor contracts? Explain giving reasons. The concept of labor rate variance and its application are accurately identified and explained with pertinent examples. The labor rate variance is the difference between the actual labor rate paid and the standard rate, multiplied by the number of actual hours worked. The formula is: Actual rate – Standard rate x Actual hours worked = Labor rate variance. An unfavorable variance means that the cost of labor was more expensive than anticipated, while a favorable variance indicates that the cost of labor was less expensive than planned. There are a number of possible causes of a labor rate variance. The labor rate variance will not be zero because workers ate under contract. Wage rates paid to workers are quite predictable. Nevertheless, rate variances can arise because of the way labor is used. Skilled workers with high hourly rates of pay may be given duties that require little skill and call for lower hourly rates of pay. This will result in an unfavorable labor rate variance, since the actual hourly rate of pay will exceed the standard rate specified for the particular task. In contrast, a favorable rate variance would result when workers who are paid at a rate lower than specified in the standard are assigned to the task. However, the lower-paid workers may not be as efficient. Finally, overtime work at premium rates will result in an unfavorable rate variance if the overtime premium is charged to the direct labor account. Direct labor variance is the difference between the standard cost and the actual cost of production. Considering this, answer the questions that follow: †¢What effect, if any, would you expect poor quality materials to have on direct labor variances? If poor quality materials create production problems, a result could be excessive labor time and therefore an unfavorable labor efficiency variance. Poor quality materials would not ordinarily affect the labor rate variance †¢How must a company plan to mitigate the risks associated with direct labor variances? The standard labor rate established by a company is an average, usually pertaining to average quality workers. Newly hired workers will likely get paid less which creates a favorable labor rate variance. They will also work more slowly than more experienced workers creating an unfavorable labor efficiency variance. The opposite is true if a company employs highly skilled workers The production supervisor hires production workers and assigns each a wage rate. He is able to give them raises and terminate them if necessary. For this reason, if a labor rate exists, we inquire with the production supervisor to try to determine the variance cause. The production supervisor oversees the production workers and monitors the efficiency with which each of these workers works. For this reason, if a labor efficiency exists, we inquire with the production supervisor to try to determine the variance cause

Breast cancer reflection

The finding was made through a study from the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program at Michigan State University, which indicated that before any umors appear, there are changes in the breast that include increased cell growth and alterations in immune cells. I believe this is a great topic for a health science class for students, has many other broader areas of work and subject to further discuss such disease and preventions that can be made and helps teachers have more knowledge as to what diseases can be prevented from articles like this one..This article helps a lot in a health science class. In health science it is important to teach students the different diseases that are killing many out there and the early reventions that can help reduce the risk of it become a disease, in this case, cancer. In a health science class, we can discuss food groups and differentiate what are high fat diet foods. Also, we can deeply discuss puberty, which usually half of them know, b ecause even their parents are too shy to discuss such topic.Sometimes students see changes in their body and have no idea why, and I think this subject links puberty to a well discussed topic in a classroom. Finally, being able to discuss breast cancer, and other cancers can link a great topic for a health science class, discussing hat is a cancer, how it develops, how it is reduced and moreover and most important, how it can be prevented.Discussing about how high fat diet plans during puberty increases the risk of breast cancer, we as teachers can link this topic in other subject so students grasp the information, share it with their families and spread what can save a life in their community. In English, writing essays as to how you would inform the community of what high fat diet during puberty can cause can link the topic. In social studies, students can be engaged in the global social month of cancer awareness which is in the month of October.And finally linking health science with English, and social studies, to help more and broaden such article, we can engage in different arts and craft that visually help to explain students and others of how we help in cancer awareness, know what it is and how we can spread the word. Articles like this one are very important to students and teachers for the betterment of self-knowledge and also to help the community. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same.We have made a lot f progress but still have a long way to go and articles like these make us have a broader idea of what can cause it and instead of finding ways to prevent it, once and for all be able to avoid it by taking the necessary steps to live better, longer and healthier. Students, females in this case are able to also avoid un-healthy dietary plans and take more care ot them and us as teachers not only help increase the cancer k nowledge of what can cause it to our students but moreover help our students share the information and make our community help a nation with more information flowing for the betterment of everyone.

Perdón I-212 por deportación de Estados Unidos

Perdà ³n I-212 por deportacià ³n de Estados Unidos Los extranjeros deportados o expulsados de Estados Unidos reciben una penalidad y no pueden ingresar legalmente por un tiempo de castigo, excepto si obtienen un perdà ³n conocido como waiver I-212. El tiempo de castigo puede ser de 5, 10, à ³ 20 aà ±os o incluso de por vida, dependiendo de la razà ³n de la deportacià ³n. En este artà ­culo se explica cundo no es necesario pedir este waiver, tambià ©n conocido en algunos paà ­ses como perdà ³n o permiso, cà ³mo se solicita cuando sà ­ es necesario, tarifa que debe pagarse con la solicitud, tiempo que se demora en resolverse, quà © hacer si se obtiene la aprobacià ³n de este perdà ³n y cundo es necesario adems presentar otro perdà ³n conjuntamente.  ¿Cundo NO es necesario solicitar este perdà ³n? No todos los extranjeros que han sido expulsados o deportados de Estados Unidos necesitan este perdà ³n como paso previo para solicitar una visa no inmigrante -como por ejemplo la de turista o trabajo temporal -  o una visa de inmigrante  para la tarjeta de residencia (green card). Por lo tanto, si no se necesita, no solicitarlo, porque serà ­a una pà ©rdida de tiempo y de dinero. Y es que no precisan pedir este perdà ³n las personas en cualquiera de las siguientes categorà ­as: 1. - Los extranjeros que llegaron a un puesto migratorio de Estados Unidos y se les permitià ³ retirar su solicitud de ingresar al paà ­s. 2.- Los extranjeros que al llegar a un puesto migratorio de Estados Unidos fueron parados y se les impidià ³ el ingreso al paà ­s pero no fueron objeto de una expulsià ³n inmediata oficial. Esto es muy importante, porque hay que distinguir cuando ha habido una expulsià ³n y cuando simplemente no se admite al extranjero y se le devuelve al paà ­s del que ha llegado. Esta diferencia es fundamental. Hay que mirar quà © papeles se firmaron o fueron entregados. 3.- Los extranjeros que fueron parados en la frontera intentando cruzar ilegalmente pero, por la razà ³n que sea, no recibieron una orden de expulsià ³n inmediata. Es muy importante saber si se recibià ³ una o no. 4- Los extranjeros que llegaron a un puesto migratorio sin visa por pertenecer a un paà ­s de Programa de Exencià ³n de Visados y no se les permitià ³ el ingreso. Esto es importante para los turistas y personas de negocio chilenos y espaà ±oles. 5.- Los casos de salida voluntaria, cuando se salià ³ de Estados Unidos dentro del plazo previsto. Esta es una excepcià ³n muy importante. 6. - Los solicitantes de visa U por và ­ctima de violencia que se encuentran en Estados Unidos y piden un ajuste de estatus. 7.- Y, por à ºltimo, aquellos expulsados o deportados de Estados Unidos que ya han cumplido el tiempo de la penalidad. Por lo tanto, es fundamental saber el monto de los aà ±os que aplican a cada caso. Y es que para algunos extranjeros la penalidad dura 5 aà ±os, para otros es de 10 y para otros, 20 y, finalmente, para otro grupo existe lo que se conoce como prohibicià ³n permanente (permanent  bar en inglà ©s). Para conocer con certeza por cunto tiempo es la penalidad y los cargos se deben consultar los rà ©cords de corte, en casos de deportacià ³n, incluyendo la orden del juez y el documento que se denomina Notice to Appear in Removal Procedeedings. En el caso de expulsià ³n inmediata, es aconsejable tener el rà ©cord de la CBP (Patrulla fronteriza) y del Notice of Expedited Removal. En los casos en los que la dicta un juez por ser un caso de arriving alien tambià ©n es importante ese documento. En otras palabras, solo es necesario solicitar este perdà ³n si todavà ­a no ha pasado el tiempo de la penalidad y se quiere solicitar una visa no inmigrante o una visa inmigrante para ingresar a Estados Unidos. En este punto puede surgir la duda de quà © pasa con aquellos extranjeros que tienen una penalidad de prohibicià ³n permanente,  ¿pueden pedir un perdà ³n? La respuesta es que sà ­ en las siguientes condiciones: En primer lugar, si la prohibicià ³n permanente es porque se estuvo ilegalmente en Estados Unidos por ms de un aà ±o (no tiene que ser corrido), despuà ©s se salià ³ del paà ­s y se ingresà ³ o se intentà ³ ingresar posteriormente de forma ilegal y se desea pedir una visa no inmigrante, en este caso se puede pedir el perdà ³n en cualquier momento. Tener en cuenta que para la visa de inmigrante las reglas son distintas y es lo que se explica ms abajo. En segundo lugar, lo mismo sucede para los migrantes que fueron removidos de Estados Unidos y que despuà ©s ingresaron ilegalmente o fueron agarrados cuando lo intentaban. En este caso tambià ©n aplica una prohibicià ³n permanente pero se puede pedir el perdà ³n en cualquier momento si lo que se desea solicitar a continuacià ³n es una visa no inmigrante. Un caso distinto es cuando se quiere solicitar la visa de inmigrante en los 2 supuestos anteriores y tambià ©n todos los dems casos de prohibicià ³n permanente ya es necesario poder demostrar ausencia de Estados Unidos por al menos 10 aà ±os antes de poder solicitar el perdà ³n.  ¿Cà ³mo se pide el perdà ³n I-212 para ingresar a EE.UU. despuà ©s de deportacià ³n? Por regla general el perdà ³n se pide llenando el formulario I-212, si bien hay unas pocas excepciones cuando se solicita una visa no inmigrante en determinados consulados de los Estados Unidos. Tambià ©n puede haber variaciones segà ºn el caso en lo referente a la cuota por aplicar y a la necesidad de aportar datos biomà ©tricos (huellas digitales y fotografà ­as). El formulario debe ir acompaà ±ado de documentos que se piden en las instrucciones del formulario y adems de aquellos  que sirvan de apoyo a la razà ³n por la que se solicita el perdà ³n. Entre ellos, destacan: Certificados de hijos, matrimonio, etc para probar existencia de familiares inmediatos en Estados UnidosDeclaraciones juradas de personas que afirmen que la persona que pide el perdà ³n es de buena moralreportes mà ©dicos o psicolà ³gicos para probar la dureza por la que pasan los familiares en Estados Unidos debido a la separacià ³n causada por la deportacià ³n.Reporte policial para demostrar un rà ©cord limpioEvidencia de rehabilitacià ³n si en el pasado se ha cometido algà ºn delitoCertificados de estudios o profesionales para probar capacidades de empleoReporte sobre la situacià ³n del paà ­s en la que se tiene que vivir si no se permite el regreso a Estados Unidos, etc. Si alguno de estos documentos est en un idioma distinto al inglà ©s, debe traducirse. Este listado debe entenderse como una sugerencia y deben incluirse todo lo que sirva para merecer el perdà ³n. El oficial de migracià ³n tiene libertad para decidir si aprueba la solicitud de perdà ³n. No existen reglas absolutas pero se considera que son factores a favor de su aprobacià ³n los siguientes: La existencia de familiares inmediatos en Estados Unidosla situacià ³n de dureza que puede ser causada al familiar en Estados Unidos, siempre que sea un ciudadano o un residente permanente legal. Incluso se puede considerar la dureza que se causa al empleador que se tenà ­a.El tiempo que se vivià ³ en Estados Unidos. Cuanto ms, mejor.El estatus migratorio que se tenà ­a antes de ser removido. Por ejemplo, si se tenà ­a la green card o una visa.La falta de rà ©cord delictivo o si se ha cometido uno, que no sea grave.En el caso de las expulsiones, cuenta a favor tener sà ³lo 1. Ms de una expulsià ³n aumenta las posibilidades de negacià ³n del perdà ³n.El ser considerado persona con buena moral. Aquà ­ podrà ­a ser un problema situaciones de falta de pago de pensià ³n alimenticia, etc.Si ya ha transcurrido mucho tiempo desde la expulsià ³n o deportacià ³n.La probabilidad de convertirse en residente permanente legal en el futuro. Es decir, se tiene una peticià ³n de resid encia realizada por un empleador o un familiar. Por el contrario, se consideran factores en contra a la hora de decidir sobre la aprobacià ³n del perdà ³n los siguientes: Ausencia de familiares en Estados Unidos o que los familiares no dependan de ningà ºn modo de la persona deportada.Historial delictivo, particularmente cuando se trata de un delito grave o agravado.Mal carcter moralVarias violaciones migratoriasMs de 1 intento de ingreso ilegal a Estado UnidosProbabilidad de convertirse en una carga pà ºblica o se es un peligro para la seguridad de Estados UnidosEnfermedad fà ­sica o mental, excepto si el à ºnico lugar donde puede recibir tratamiento es en Estados Unidos.  Si pasà ³ poco tiempo desde la deportacià ³n o expulsià ³n.Si en el pasado se trabajà ³ ilegalmente en los Estados Unidos. Tiempo de demora del perdà ³n I-212 y cuota por la peticià ³n En la actualidad, la totalidad de las solicitudes de perdà ³n I-212 se resuelven en menos de 180 dà ­as, es decir, seis meses.   En el momento en el que se escribe este artà ­culo, la cuota por aplicar es de $930, que debe pagarse al Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s).  ¿Quà © pasa si se obtiene la aprobacià ³n del perdà ³n I-212? Ese perdà ³n es vlido de por vida, a menos que la agencia que lo concedià ³ lo revoque o que la persona cometa algà ºn delito o infraccià ³n migratoria que dà © lugar a una nueva deportacià ³n o expulsià ³n. Sin embargo, el perdà ³n no restaura nunca a la situacià ³n anterior al problema que dio lugar a la deportacià ³n o a la expulsià ³n. Por ejemplo, si se tuvo una visa de turista, no se recupera, o una tarjeta de residencia, etc. Adems, el tener el perdà ³n aprobado por sà ­ mismo no es suficiente para poder ingresar a Estados Unidos. Es decir, hay que solicitar una visa no inmigrante o tener una peticià ³n de visa inmigrante. Cualquiera de estas visas puede ser denegada si no se cumplen todos los requisitos para su aprobacià ³n. En el caso de las visas no inmigrante el problema puede surgir por no ser elegible o por no ser admisible. En el caso de las visas de inmigrante, sà ³lo por causa de inadmisibilidad. Precisamente para muchas causas de inadmisibilidad es posible pedir un perdà ³n. Para las causas que convierten a una persona en inelegible no es posible. Teniendo en cuenta esto, es importante leer el siguiente apartado.  ¿Es necesario pedir otros perdones conjuntamente con  I-212? Dependiendo del caso de cada uno, puede ser imprescindible presentar 1 o ms perdones conjuntamente con el I-212, ya que à ©ste solo sirve para la penalidad de la deportacià ³n o expulsià ³n. Por ejemplo, si se quiere es obtener una visa de inmigrante y hay otros problemas de inadmisibilidad como el castigo de los 3 à ³ 10 aà ±os, fraude de ley, comisià ³n de delito,enfermedad etc. entonces se necesita tambià ©n pedir el perdà ³n I-601, que tiene requisitos muy exigentes. Pero si se desea pedir una visa no inmigrante y hay ms causas de inadmisibilidad adems de la remocià ³n, tambià ©n se debe pedir otro tipo de perdà ³n.    Adems, es posible que el problema sea una causa de inadmisibilidad contra la cual no es posible pedir jams un perdà ³n, como por ejemplo tener en contra una declaracià ³n de haber solicitado previamente de forma frà ­vola la condicià ³n de asilo. Otro ejemplo es haber declarado falsamente ser ciudadano estadounidense para obtener un beneficio. Asimismo, no hay perdà ³n en los casos de delito de drogas cometidos despuà ©s de cumplir los 18 aà ±os, con la à ºnica excepcià ³n de posesià ³n de mariguana para uso propio o en los casos de matrimonio de conveniencia para obtener los papeles. Debido a que los casos de perdones son muy complicados es altamente aconsejable asesorarse por un buen abogado especialista en estos asuntos.  ¿Cul es la penalidad si se ingresa a Estados Unidos sin el perdà ³n I-212? Si se ingresa ilegalmente cuando est pendiente de cumplir el castigo por la expulsià ³n o la deportacià ³n automticamente se reinstaura la orden de deportacià ³n, de tal manera que si se es detenido o arrestado se proceder a su deportacià ³n sin pasar por Corte. Adems, es posible que apliquen multas y que se den cargos penales por los que puede haber pena de prisià ³n.Finalmente, cae sobre esa persona la prohibicià ³n permanente para regresar a Estados Unidos. Consejos legales Es muy importante entender las dificultades de obtener un perdà ³n y, honestamente, que la mayorà ­a que son aprobados han sido preparados por abogados migratorios reputados con experiencia en este tipo de casos. En esta pgina no se recomienda a ningà ºn letrado en particular, pero sà ­ se aconseja verificar con AILA, la asociacià ³n de abogados migratorios, para consultar sobre este tipo de casos. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Spains American Colonies and the Encomienda System

Spains American Colonies and the Encomienda System In the 1500s, Spain systematically conquered parts of North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. With native governments such as the efficient Inca Empire in ruins, the Spanish conquistadors  needed to find a way to rule their new subjects. The encomienda system was put in place in several areas, most importantly in Peru. Under the encomienda system, prominent Spaniards were entrusted with native communities. In exchange for native labor and tribute, the Spanish lord would provide protection and education. In reality, however, the encomienda system was thinly-masked slavery and led to some of the worst horrors of the colonial era. The Encomienda System The word encomienda comes from the Spanish word encomendar, meaning to entrust. The encomienda system had been used in feudal Spain during the reconquest and had survived in some form ever since. In the Americas, the first encomiendas were handed out by Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean. Spanish conquistadors, settlers, priests or colonial officials were given a repartimiento, or grant of land. These lands were often quite vast. The land included any native cities, towns, communities or families that lived there. The natives were supposed to provide tribute, in the form of gold or silver, crops, and foodstuffs, animals such as pigs or llamas or anything else the land produced. The natives could also be made to work for a certain amount of time, say on a sugarcane plantation or in a mine. In return, the owner, or encomendero, was responsible for the well-being of his subjects and was to see to it that they were converted and educated about Christianity. A Troublesome System The Spanish crown reluctantly approved the granting of encomiendas because it needed to reward the conquistadors and establish a system of governance in the newly-conquered territories, and the encomiendas were a quick-fix that killed both birds with one stone. The system essentially made landed nobility out of men whose only skills were murder, mayhem, and torture: the kings hesitated to set up a New World oligarchy which could later prove troublesome. It also swiftly led to abuses: encomenderos made unreasonable demands of the natives who lived on their lands, working them excessively or demanding tribute of crops that could not be grown on the land. These problems appeared quickly. The first New World haciendas, granted in the Caribbean, often had only 50 to 100 natives and even on such a small scale, it wasn’t long before the encomenderos had virtually enslaved their subjects. Encomiendas in Peru In Peru, where encomiendas were granted on the ruins of the rich and mighty Inca Empire, the abuses soon reached epic proportions. The encomenderos there showed an inhuman indifference to the suffering of the families on their encomiendas. They did not change the quotas even when crops failed or disasters struck: many natives were forced to choose between fulfilling quotas and starving to death or failing to meet quotas and facing the often-lethal punishment of the overseers. Men and women were forced to work in mines for weeks at a time, often by candlelight in deep shafts. The mercury mines were particularly lethal. During the first years of the colonial era, Peruvian natives died by the hundreds of thousands. Administration of the Encomiendas The owners of the encomiendas were not supposed to ever visit the encomienda lands: this was supposed to cut down on abuses. The natives instead brought the tribute to wherever the owner happened to be, generally in the larger cities. The natives were often forced to walk for days with heavy loads to be delivered to their encomendero. The lands were run by cruel overseers and native chieftains who often demanded extra tribute themselves, making the lives of the natives even more miserable. Priests were supposed to live on the encomienda lands, instructing the natives in Catholicism, and often these men became defenders of the people they taught, but just as often they committed abuses of their own, living with native women or demanding tribute of their own. The Reformers While the conquistadors were wringing every last speck of gold from their miserable subjects, the ghastly reports of abuses piled up in Spain. The Spanish crown was in a tough spot: the royal fifth, or 20% tax on conquests and mining in the New World, was fueling the expansion of the Spanish Empire. On the other hand, the crown had made it quite clear that the Indians were not slaves but Spanish subjects with certain rights, which were being flagrant, systematically and horrifically violated. Reformers such as Bartolomà © de las Casas were predicting everything from the complete depopulation of the Americas to the eternal damnation of everyone involved in the whole sordid enterprise. In 1542, Charles V of Spain finally listened to them and passed the so-called New Laws. The New Laws The New Laws were a series of royal ordinances designed to halt the abuses of the encomienda system, particularly in Peru. Natives were to have their rights as citizens of Spain and could not be forced to work if they did not want to. Reasonable tribute could be collected, but any additional work was to be paid for. Existing encomiendas would pass to the crown upon the death of the encomendero, and no new encomiendas were to be granted. Furthermore, anyone who abused natives or who had participated in the conquistador civil wars could lose their encomiendas. The king approved the laws and sent a Viceroy, Blasco Nà ºÃƒ ±ez Vela, to Lima with clear orders to enforce them. Rebellion The colonial elite was livid with rage when the provisions of the New Laws became known. The encomenderos had lobbied for years for the encomiendas to be made permanent and passable from one generation to another, something the King had always resisted. The New Laws removed all hope of perpetuity being granted. In Peru, most of the settlers had taken part in the conquistador civil wars and could, therefore, lose their encomiendas immediately. The settlers rallied around Gonzalo Pizarro, one of the leaders of the original conquest of the Inca Empire and brother of Francisco Pizarro. Pizarro defeated Viceroy Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, who was killed in battle, and basically ruled Peru for two years before another royalist army defeated him; Pizarro was captured and executed. A few years later, the second rebellion under Francisco Hernndez Girà ³n took place and was also put down. End of the Encomienda System The King of Spain almost lost Peru during these conquistador uprisings. Gonzalo Pizarros supporters had urged him to declare himself King of Peru, but he refused: had he done so, Peru might have successfully split from Spain 300 years early. Charles V felt it prudent to suspend or repeal the most hated aspects of the New Laws. The Spanish crown still steadfastly refused to grant encomiendas in perpetuity, however, so slowly these lands reverted to the crown. Some of the encomenderos managed to secure title-deeds to certain lands: unlike the encomiendas, these could be passed down from one generation to the next. Those families that held land would eventually become the native oligarchy. Once the encomiendas reverted to the crown, they were overseen by corregidores, royal agents who administered crown holdings. These men proved to be every bit as bad as the encomenderos had been: corregidores were appointed for relatively brief periods, so they tended to squeeze as much as they could out of a particular holding while they could. In other words, although the encomiendas were phased out eventually by the crown, the lot of the native workers did not improve. The encomienda system was one of the many horrors inflicted on the native people of the New World during the conquest and colonial eras. It was essentially slavery, given but a thin (and illusory) veneer of respectability for the Catholic education that it implied. It legally allowed the Spaniards to work the natives literally to death in the fields and mines. It seems counter-productive to kill off your own workers, but the Spanish conquistadors in question were only interested in getting as rich as they could as quickly as they could: this greed led directly to hundreds of thousands of deaths in the native population. To the conquistadors and settlers, the encomiendas were nothing less than their fair and just reward for the risks they had taken during the conquest. They saw the New Laws as the actions of an ungrateful king who, after all, had been sent 20% of Atahualpas ransom. Reading them today, the New Laws do not seem radical - they provide for basic human rights such as the right to be paid for work and the right to not be unreasonably taxed. The fact that the settlers rebelled, fought and died to fight the New Laws only shows how deeply they had sunk into greed and cruelty. Sources: Burkholder, Mark and Lyman L. Johnson. Colonial Latin America. Fourth Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Hemming, John. The Conquest of the Inca London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970). Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962 Patterson, Thomas C. The Inca Empire: The Formation and Disintegration of a Pre-Capitalist State.New York: Berg Publishers, 1991.